Salt Spring Island Mental Wellness Initiative

10/10/2026

An important topic to discuss and learn more about! 🌿🩵

Salt Spring Island United Church will be hosting Martine Verreault in another of our Getting to Know Our Neighbours series on Saturday, 17 October, at 2 p.m.

Martine is a psycho-educator trained at the Université de Sherbrooke (QC), where she focused on child development and adaptation difficulties in children and adolescents.

She has worked with Housing First, connecting her directly to the realities of housing insecurity on Salt Spring Island. She currently coordinates the Yellow Sub program at Island Community Services, supporting adults living with mental health challenges.

Having lived and worked in Quebec, New Zealand, and British Columbia, Martine brings a cross-cultural perspective to community, belonging, and adaptation.

She is also the mother of a teenager — a role that keeps her grounded in what stability and belonging mean for young people.

The title of her talk is: "On Shaky Ground: Understanding the Impact of Housing Insecurity on Kids.

10/09/2026

A fantastic community minded gathering! 🍎🥕🫐

10/07/2026

✊ At the crossroads of government, industry, Indigenous land defense, and citizen activism, how can communities act in solidarity to protect the planet and our loved ones? Join us on Wednesday, October 7th at 4:30 pm for a screening of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary YANUNI, followed by a 1-hour community discussion.

Last year, YANUNI was the most attended film at the Salt Spring Island Film Festival and won Audience's Favourite Feature. It follows Juma Xipaia, the first female chief of the Xipaya people in Pará, Brazil, who has survived six assassination attempts while defending her ancestral territory from land grabbers, illegal gold miners, and corporate exploitation. Her journey takes her from a remote Amazonian village to the front lines of climate justice, and ultimately to her appointment as Brazil's first Secretary of Indigenous Rights.

Come to bear witness, connect, and learn how we can act from where we stand for a healthier planet. A selection of local artwork will also be available for purchase at this gathering.

⏰ When: Wednesday, October 7th, 4:30 pm (film runs 112 minutes)
🌲 Where: Salt Spring Island Conservancy, 265 Blackburn Road
🚪 Admission: Free; ages 18+ due to some violence in the film. Registration required by email or the sign-up link below.
🍲 Food: Soup and bread provided (bring a dish to share if you like)

📩 Registration required, please email your RSVP to [email protected] or by filling the sign-up form here:

🔗 https://form-can.keela.co/yanuni-screening

This event is a collaboration between Transition Salt Spring and the Salt Spring Island Conservancy.

10/02/2026

🚎Community note: Transit service hours are changing as of today, Oct 1. We are officially in fall mode! Travel can be challenging for some and finding out you’re waiting at the inaccurate time can be hard mentally and physically. Stay safe on the roads everyone🚏!

Trip times on Routes 2, 3 and 4 will better align with ferry schedules. Route 9 service to Ruckle Park ends for the season, with timing adjustments across all routes.

09/30/2026

Thank you!

09/30/2026

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 🧡 We honour the residential school survivors, remember the children who never came home, and stand with Indigenous communities. Reconciliation starts with learning and listening. Let’s commit to doing the work today and every day.
Image via CCRW

09/30/2026

A gentle reminder that the Mental Wellness Initiative has a box for donations at Country Grocer SSI. If you feel drawn to donate, our box number is #121. Our motto is “Food for food” 🍲 all funds go towards feeding community members 🫶🏻