Initiatives

Gabriola Climate-12 project (2023, ongoing)

GABRIOLA CLIMATE-12 is an ongoing, local climate action project. It brings Gabriolans together to look at wicked problems related to climate change, and generate local solutions to reduce our GHG emissions and mitigate climate impacts.

The project consists of Action Teams, each focusing on a key topic (like Food & Agriculture, Water, Economic Change, Health & Well-Being, Transportation …) and taking local action to reduce both emissions and impacts. Ongoing results are detailed on the Gabriola Climate-12 page.

NOTE: The Climate-12 factsheets (local climate and other data), table discussions, and community priorities can be downloaded from the Resources page.

Gabriola Climate 12-12-12 (2022–23)

This project kicked off in September 2022, a year-long plan with the objective of culture change — shifting Gabriolans’ climate anxiety from helplessness to local action, springing from local voices and ideas.

The project name signifies 12 months, 12 wicked problems related to climate change, and 12 (or more) solutions. Each month focused on one topic and featured hands-on learning events, along with in-person “Climate Cafes,” where locals met to hear what islanders were already doing to adapt and mitigate, and to brainstorm Gabriola-made solutions going forward.

The project garnered much interest here on Gabriola, even attracting media attention and inquiries from other communities wishing to replicate its themes and structure. A summary of its results is on the Gabriola Climate 12-12-12 page.

Gabriola Transportation Society (2025)

The GTS is a registered society, formed in early 2025 as a spin-off from a Climate-12 Action Team. It is focused on making Gabriola’s roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists (and everyone else). It also provides community input on active transportation issues, which includes lobbying the Islands Trust, the RDN, MoTT, and others.

The group is working on a number of fronts:

1. Getting speed limits reduced (50 kph is the default, even in neighbourhoods), and gathering data through the RCMP/ICBC Speedwatch program.
2. Providing information for visiting cyclists, like the Gabriola Bike Roads Map (2024).
3. Improving roadside infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, with a focus on the Ferry-to-Village section.
4. Encouraging more people to get out of their cars (through the various measures above).

The GTS is planning a Celebration of Active Transportation on Sunday, May 31st, 2026, from 12 to 3 PM at the Commons. There will be music, games and food.

More info about the Gabriola Transportation Society at GabriolaTransportation.ca

Cyclepaths (2010, revive in 2026)

A group of Gabriolans started working on island cycle paths in 2010, following a Sustainable Gabriola community discussion about transportation priorities. The Cyclepaths group created a report that outlined proposed island-wide cycling routes, together with a corresponding Land Use Bylaw. Stretches of the route with safety risks were identified (with a “vulture” rating), together with recommendations for addressing those risks.

The report focuses on side-of-road cycle paths, but pedestrians, children, electric scooters, strollers, and walkers are also users of these paths.

The Islands Trust LTC used the report as the basis for incorporating cycle paths into the Official Community Plan. Work is now underway to make these paths a reality.

The Gabriola Transportation Society will be updating the report in 2026. To view the 2010 report: Shared Roadways: Gabriola Island Bicycle Route Plan (PDF, 31 pages).

GERTIE Community Bus (operating since 2013)

For many years, a keen interest in public transit for Gabriola has been evidenced in numerous petitions, surveys and our last two Official Community Plans. From discussion at forums initiated by Sustainable Gabriola, a core community group has emerged committed to carrying this interest forward. In late spring 2013, a three-year pilot study began, and in February 2017 the community voted to keep Gertie on the road. For info, schedule, fares, check out https://Gertie.ca/.

EV Rides project (2021, ongoing)

Interested in buying an electric car? This Sustainable Gabriola initiative identified several electric vehicle (EV) owners on Gabriola (Fiat 500, LEAF, Tesla, Mini Cooper), who have offered to take prospective EV owners for a drive. For more information, email EV-rides@SustainableGabriola.ca and we’ll connect you with the owner of one of those cars.

Road Safety (2018, ongoing)

In an effort to make the roads safer for all users, particularly around the ferry terminal, several Gabriolans put together a detailed plan for rerouting pedestrian traffic, proposed for use until a full rebuild of the entire area is possible. View the detailed presentation at Ferry-to-Village Trail (PDF, 18 slides).

This rerouting is being discussed with MOTI and BC Ferries.

Heat Pump Social Enterprise (operating since 2010)

Based on heat pumps using approximately 1/3 the amount of electricity that baseboard heaters do to produce the same amount of heat, a social enterprise has been established whereby Gabriola homeowners can acquire heat pumps at cost. Over 850 have been installed as of August 2021, reducing the amount of electricity imported to the island by some 10 gWh per year. Improving heating efficiency by replacing baseboard heaters with a heat pump has the potential to save the average homeowner who heats (only) with electricity an estimated 1,100 kWh or around $1,200 per year.

If you are interested in purchasing a heat pump, email EmpowerGabriola@gmail.com.  If you already have one and have questions about operating or servicing it, please visit EnergyGabriola.ca.

Kill-A-Watt (2017, ongoing)

How much energy do your appliances use? The idea of putting Kill-a-Watt meters in the local library so that people could borrow them with their library card came from Bowen Island. There are now three Kill-a-Watt meters in Gabriola library, to be borrowed and used. For instructions, click Kill-a-Watt instructions (PDF). For sample wattage requirements for different appliances, click How Many Watts Do You Need? (PDF).

Thermal Imaging Camera (2018, ongoing)

A FLIR Cx infrared camera is available to borrow from the Gabriola library. Unlike digital cameras that photograph objects, an infrared camera photographs heat. Some practical uses include detecting water and moisture damage, insulation deficiencies, heat-leaking windows, and drafts.

Moisture Pen (2018, ongoing)

A FLIR MR-40 moisture pen is available on loan from the Gabriola library. This small device measures moisture content in wood and other common building materials. Many people like to use it together with the infrared camera.

Fix-It Fairs (2016, ongoing 3 times yearly)

Fix-It Fairs have been held three times a year since 2016. Lamps, vacuums, computers, small kitchen appliances, weed whackers and many more items were brought to our volunteer fixers. They either fixed the item, figured out what part was needed, or let the owner know that it wasn’t worth fixing.

Look out for the colouful circular posters on community boards and in all the usual places (Jan, May, Oct).

To volunteer as a fixer contact Kim at kasasian@shaw.ca.

Co-ops – Bringing the economy home

Gabriola has a long history of people working together for all, and member-owned and controlled Co-operatives is one way we do that. Ethical by design, co-ops grow local capital, employ local people, and share both the risks and the rewards of the enterprise among members and the community. Our co-ops are:

• Parent Participation Childcare Co-op,
• Sustainable Energy Co-op of Gabriola,
• Gabriola Community Investment Co-op,
• Gabriola Co-op Network – and
• branches of Mid-Island Consumer Co-op, Coastal Community Credit Union, and the Vancouver Island Regional Library.

Got a group that is interested in starting a co-op?  For more info, see Gabriola Co-op Network  or visit the Let’s Grow Co-ops Facebook page.

Gabriola Beyond Recovery (2020)

This research was carried out on behalf of Sustainable Gabriola and the Gabriola Health & Well-being Collaborative, to document Gabriolans’ experiences during the first eight months of the 2020 COVID-19
pandemic, and determine how those responses can inform actions going forward.

Over 360 Gabriolans described their experiences, well-being, and hopes for the future through a survey and interviews. Click the thumbnail (right) to download the report (PDF, 50 pages).

Some lessons learned through this research include: 1) the importance of social connections, connections with nature and exercise for well-being; 2) the importance of addressing increased anxiety and stress; 3) the magnified impact of the pandemic on workers; 4) the need for adaptation strategies for a vulnerable local health care system; 5) the importance of income stability and consideration of UBI; and 6) the necessity of increasing community resilience through local make, grow and buy initiatives. 

Well-being survey (2010)

In 2010 Gabriolans filled out a well-being survey that asked questions ranging from their satisfaction with life to their connection to the environment, to their satisfaction with the health care system. Mike Pennock, who worked on Bhutan’s Happiness indicators, helped create the survey questions and provided his analysis at a SusGabe forum.

Here is the November 2010 report: Gabriola Well-Being Survey Results.

And a follow-up presentation May 2011 by Mike Pennock.

Gabriola Talks (2019, ongoing)

Gabriola Talks was conceived as a series of conversations between fellow islanders about complex issues that affect the community. Members of Sustainable Gabriola hosted the first meeting in May 2019 to ask participants to envision what effective cross-community dialogue could look like, and to help identify topics for future discussion. Read more about Gabriola Talks and look for our next community discussion.

Village Visioning (2014, ongoing)

Discussions at a Sustainable Gabriola meeting flowered into the creation of a group focused on creating a more sustainable vision for Gabriola’s village area. You can find out more at: Villagevision.ca (link may not work; we will be porting the pages to this website).