• Housing NOW

About Housing NOW 

In 2018, the CRD’s Southern Gulf Islands Housing Needs Assessment confirmed a growing crisis: secure, affordable housing is in short supply—especially for renters and seasonal workers. Many homes are vacant part of the year or used as vacation rentals, pushing local residents out of the market. The SGI Housing NOW Project is a community-led response to this challenge. With a large senior population and an economy that relies heavily on seasonal workers, our communities need year-round and short-term housing options that actually work. Housing NOW is helping us understand what islanders need—and how we can support more inclusive, sustainable housing in the SGIs.

Launched by the Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre in partnership with the SGI Community Economic Sustainability Commission (CESC), and with funding support from the Capital Regional District and the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society, this program aims to identify housing needs and explore flexible, affordable solutions. Find out more below.

  • 2022

     

    Response to Housing Needs Assessment

    In 2018, the CRD’s Southern Gulf Islands Housing Needs Assessment confirmed a growing crisis: secure, affordable housing is in short supply—especially for renters and seasonal workers. The SGI Housing NOW Project began in 2022 as a community-led response to this challenge. It was launched in partnership with the SGI Community Economic Sustainability Commission (CESC), and with funding support from the Capital Regional District.

  • 2023

    Additional Funding Partners

    Additional support was provided to Housing NOW by the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society.  This collaborative partnership has allowed for the continued development and implementation of the HN Homeshare Registry on the Islands of Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Salt Spring, and Saturna –  assisting our communities in addressing some of our more immediate workforce housing needs.

     

    2023

  • 2024

     

    Fostering Community Through Homeshare

    In 2024, we built a stronger Homeshare Registry—one that not only connects people with housing, but builds trust, connection, and local resilience. We focused on community conversations and outreach, a stronger online presence and media partnerships, employer collaboration and conflict resolution tools such as our Kitchen Table Conversations guidebook.

  • 2025

    New Digital Platform Partnership

    Housing NOW teamed up with Happipad, a trusted digital platform partner to launch a new online housing registry and support hub—making it easier, safer, and more streamlined for homeowners and tenants to participate in local housing solutions. This new system supports both community values and property management needs, bridging the gap between digital access and human support. Read more here.

     

    2025

  • 2026

     

    Sector Referral Program

    In 2026 Housing NOW is implementing a Sector Referral Program that is designed to support workforce stability across the Southern Gulf Islands by connecting local employers and institutions with designated housing options for their staff. We have also introduced a Housing NOW You Tube Channel and updated our website.

For general information, partnership inquiries or help finding an appropriate pathway, contact Housing NOW through the Southern Gulf Islands Community Resource Centre.

Email: housingnow@sgicommunityresources.ca
Phone: 250-629-3665

Service Area: Pender, Mayne, Galiano, Saturna and the surrounding Southern Gulf Islands

Housing NOW and the Community Resource Centre do not replace legal, financial, health or emergency services. We provide general information and referrals to help residents find an appropriate starting point.

Contact HN Pender

Contact HN Mayne & Saturna

Contact HN Galiano

Contact HN Salt Spring

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The Southern Gulf Island Community Resource Centre and the Housing NOW Registry Program are committed to protecting your privacy. The SGICRC and Housing NOW collect, use, and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) as well as other applicable legislation. Our Privacy Policies can be found here.

INFORMATION PROVIDED AS PUBLIC SERVICE ONLY – DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY AND LIABILITY
The information and documents contained in this Website are provided by the SGICRC solely as a public service. Any persons or business entities using any of the information or documents provided on the Web site do so at their own risk. This Web site and all of the information and documents contained therein are provided “as is” without warranty, whether express or implied, of any kind. All implied warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement are expressly disclaimed.

Under no circumstances will the SGICRC be liable in any manner whatsoever to any person or business entity who uses in any way the documents or information from the Web site or from any other Web site to which this site is linked, for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages including without limitation, lost profits, business interruption, or loss of programs.

Research: Information contained in any documents created by The Housing NOW Project Staff, has been created solely as a resource to the reader. Although we are providing these resources to the public it is up to you as an individual to conduct your own due diligence to ensure that any framework, housing or otherwise, conforms with your particular jurisdiction(s) whether that be the CRD, municipality, the Islands Trust, or any other governing body.

Data Collection: It is important to note that regarding surveys, questionnaires, and data collection there is no established threshold for defining a high response rate. What we do know is the higher the response rate the more accurate and valid the prospective observations are. As we collect more data and more residents complete surveys, and questionnaires, and provide more qualitative responses these patterns may change.