Destinations
Salt Spring Island
Did You Know?
The island was initially inhabited by various Salishan peoples before being settled by immigrant 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.
The Local Culture
Salt spring Island is a place for restoration, adventure, and creativity.
Nourish your mind, body, and soul, with art galleries, a world class market, and to entice your senses beyond your imagination.
​
Salt Spring Island is the largest, most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Southern Gulf Islands.
Geography
Located between Mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island is the most frequently visited of the Gulf Islands as well as the most populous, with a 2016 census population of 10,557 inhabitants. The largest village on the island is Ganges. The island is known for its artists. In addition to Canadian dollars, island banks and some island businesses accept Salt Spring's own local currency, the Salt Spring dollar.
