• The SSI Emergency Program warming/reception/recovery/charging centre is set up at the Salt Spring Public Library program room on Saturday, Dec. 29 and Sunday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. People can get information, coffee, warmth, water and charge their devices.
• Further centre opening hours and places, if needed, will be announced as soon as they have been arranged.
• On Saturday, Dec. 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., BC Hydro representatives will be available at the reception centre at the library to answer questions about the outages and power restoration efforts.
• As of Saturday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m., according to the BC Hydro outage map, some 77 different areas on Salt Spring still needed service restored, less than half of the number from Friday morning.
• If you are without power make sure that your outage is recorded on your BC Hydro account or on the outage page. You can call Hydro at 1-800-224-9376 if you are unsure. People must NOT go to the local BC Hydro office to report their outage or get an estimate of when electricity will be restored.
• ALSO – the SSI Emergency Program notes: If the damage is from the metal mast to your meter, you will need an electrician to do the repairs. If it is on the Hydro lines to the mast on your property, BC Hydro will do the repairs, but they are working on the main lines first.
• Boil water advisories are still in effect for the Beddis and Highland/Fernwood water districts.
• Drinking water in four-litre jugs is available at the library. The Harbour Authority building at Centennial Dock next to the park is also offering water to people who need it due to the storm impacts (open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Jan. 1), as is Moby’s Pub and Rock Salt Restaurant and Cafe.
• Rainbow Road Aquatic Centre is offering showers for $2 (or giving free passes for those who can’t afford the $2) during its opening hours. Note that the pool is closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 31 and on New Year’s Day.