Salish Sea Trail – Salt Spring’s Missing Link

Presentation to the CRD Regional Parks Board outlining the Salish Sea Trail vision, the approved feasibility study, and next steps toward implementation on Salt Spring Island:

Priority segments for early implementation, as identified in the CRD-approved Salt Spring Island Regional Trail Feasibility Study (2025).

The Vision

The Salish Sea Trail Network is a ferry-connected regional walking and cycling route linking Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. Salt Spring Island represents the final missing link.

Completing this section will:

• improve safety for people walking and cycling

• provide healthier, lower-carbon transportation options

• connect ferry terminals, villages, schools, and services

• create a lasting community legacy for residents and visitors

What’s Been Approved

In 2025, the Capital Regional District (CRD) completed and approved the Salt Spring Island Regional Trail Feasibility Study, confirming:

• a 21 km corridor from Fulford Harbour to Vesuvius Bay

• design concepts and cost ranges

• priority segments for phased implementation

Island Pathways’ Role

Island Pathways is a long-standing community organization advancing safe walking, rolling, and cycling routes on Salt Spring Island. As the project moves into implementation, our role is to:

• convene partners and steward a shared Action Plan

• support coordination between CRD, MoTT, BC Ferries, and other agencies

• build community and landowner support

• catalyze fundraising and grant readiness (land survey & early design)

• maintain momentum through transitions and approvals

Island Pathways works in partnership with governments — helping turn an approved plan into on-the-ground progress.

• a clear pathway toward design, funding, and construction

The study positions Salt Spring to move from vision to delivery.

Benefit$ to Salt Spring

This project isn’t just about paving a path — it’s about building prosperity, safety, and long-term resilience.

• Return on Investment: Multi-use trails across BC yield 3–6× their cost.
• Tourism Impact: Cycle tourists spend ~$130/day — about 40% more than car visitors — and often stay longer.
• Health & Safety: Every $1 spent on active transportation adds $2–$3 in public-health value and reduces injuries and emissions.
• Community Connection: Encourages face-to-face interaction and equitable access for all ages and abilities.
• Climate Action: Supports Transition Salt Spring’s Climate Action Plan by reducing short car trips and ferry congestion.

Partners & Acknowledgements

This project is led by the Capital Regional District in collaboration with Island Pathways, the Salish Sea Trail Network Working Group,  provincial and federal agencies, and community partners, with fundraising support from the Salt Spring Island Foundation.

Fundraising & Community Investment

Delivering the Salt Spring Island section of the Salish Sea Trail will require sustained investment over several years, in partnership with local, regional, provincial, and federal governments.

To support this work, Island Pathways has established a multi-year flow-through fund with the Salt Spring Island Foundation, allowing community donations to be stewarded transparently and used to unlock major infrastructure funding.

Our fundraising goals

2026 Design & Readiness Goal — $500,000
This initial fundraising phase will support detailed design and early enabling work for the highest-priority segment identified in the CRD feasibility study:

• Portlock Park → Mobrae Avenue

Funds raised in 2026 will support surveying, environmental review, early permitting, landowner engagement, and grant-ready design work — positioning the project to secure major provincial and federal construction funding.

Long-term Community Target — $5 million (2026–2030)
Over five years, Island Pathways aims to build a $5M community investment that will:

• leverage federal and provincial infrastructure grants

• support early construction of priority segments

• demonstrate strong local readiness and partnership

This community contribution is designed as a catalyst, helping unlock a much larger regional investment in the full 21 km Salt Spring Island Regional Trail.

Call to Action

• Sign the Petition: Add your name
• Donate via the SSI Foundation
• Sign up for the IP Newsletter for Project Updates
• Share: Post the petition link and donation links on social media and community boards.

A connected, safe pathway linking our ferries and village core.

A Pathway Vision Within Reach

This project has been a long time coming. Generations of islanders have laid the foundation for what we can now complete.

The Fulford–Vesuvius multi-use pathway isn’t just a transportation upgrade — it’s a legacy investment in our island’s safety, economy, and future, connecting ferry terminals, villages, people, and parks.

A pathway across Salt Spring isn’t a dream — it’s a smart investment, and it’s within reach.

For deep background on the past fifty years of advocacy for such a trail, please see Brenda Guiled’s “How to Build a Bikeway Through Salt Spring Island“, 2017, 50-page booklet created from PowerPoint presentation.