The Gabriola Island Land Stewards Society (GILSS) is a community land trust set up to acquire and steward land on Gabriola for the long-term future and sustainability of this community. We focus on improving access to affordable and supportive housing, farm land for food production and agricultural learning, and small-scale community economic development on the island.

Why a land trust?

• The land we live on is the foundation of our community.
• Before anything else, we need places to live, to gather, to grow, to work, and to know that we can feel secure in where and how we live.
• Rising prices and increasing inequality mean that it is more difficult than ever for people to live and work on Gabriola, and contribute to island life.

Housing

Secure, affordable housing helps keep our community diverse and resilient, yet economic forces have made it difficult for even long-time residents to find affordable housing. Our goal is to help address the significant lack of affordable homes on Gabriola, especially rental housing, and to ensure that those homes are integrated into a sustainable and stable community.

Farming

Gabriolans appreciate and seek out locally grown food, but the cost of land is a significant barrier for farmers and for building food security here. We strive to support farmers by providing access to farm land, encouraging learning and applying sustainable farming practices, and preserving existing farmland for future generations.

Community economic development

Gabriola has a unique economy, where small businesses and working from home are a critical aspect of island life. As a community, we are also very dependent on each other. We intend to support economic opportunities where groups or individuals can collaborate to meet community needs, as well as the efforts of island-based entrepreneurs.

We respectfully acknowledge that we are uninvited guests that live and operate on the traditional, ancestral territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation and other Coast Salish Peoples. We respect their ongoing history, culture and traditions as careful stewards of the land and waters of the Gabriola Island area for millennia.