Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island | |
|---|---|
Ganges Harbour on Salt Spring island | |
| Nickname(s): Salt Spring, SSI | |
Location of Salt Spring Island within the Capital Regional District | |
| Coordinates: 48°48′24″N 123°29′31″W / 48.806637°N 123.492029°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional district | Capital |
| Government | |
| • MP | Elizabeth May (Green) |
| • MLA | Rob Botterell (GRN) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 182.7 km2 (70.5 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 11,635 |
| • Density | 63.7/km2 (165/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Forward sortation area | |
Salt Spring Island or Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada, and Vancouver Island.
The island was initially inhabited by various Salishan peoples before being settled by pioneers in 1859, at which time it was renamed Admiral Island. It was the first of the Gulf Islands to be settled and the first agricultural settlement on the islands in the Colony of Vancouver Island, as well as the first island in the region to permit settlers to acquire land through pre-emption. The island was retitled to its current name in 1910. It is named for the salt springs found in the northern part of the island.
Salt Spring Island is the largest, most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Southern Gulf Islands.