Saltair Community Society

What Saltair Community Society does

The Saltair Community Society is a volunteer-run, federally registered Canadian non-profit corporation established in 2015 to operate the Saltair Community Centre in Ladysmith, British Columbia. The Society holds a 20-year lease (effective 2024) with the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), which owns the underlying property — the former Mount Brenton Elementary School on a 5.5-acre site amalgamated into Saltair Centennial Park. The Society's core offering is multi-purpose facility rental: a 1,600 sq ft main hall with stage and seating for 150, five meeting/classroom spaces (Rooms #16-19, each ~800 sq ft), and two office spaces (Rooms #4/4A and #20). The business generates revenue through hourly room rentals ($11-$30 standard, $40 commercial/government), daily hall rates ($210 standard, $320 commercial), long-term anchor tenant arrangements (Inquiring Little Minds Daycare, Just For Kids After School Care), annual memberships ($10 individual / $15 family), and community fundraising events including the annual Seedy Saturday and Winter Market.

The centre serves residents of Saltair, Ladysmith, Chemainus, and surrounding areas, hosting anchor childcare services, art collectives (Cheminus Art Group, Saltair Quilters), independent fitness instructors (Element Yoga, Align with Jessica), physiotherapy programs (Mobility Physiotherapy Balance 101), community choirs (Coastal Singers), local government meetings, and family/corporate events. The Society's go-to-market is community-led: a website (saltaircommunitycentre.ca), Facebook page, email newsletters, and signature events drive awareness and rentals without paid acquisition; word-of-mouth and partnerships with local schools and the CVRD sustain tenant pipeline.

2023 financials — the only disclosed fiscal year — show total revenue of $64,343.92 CAD against facility operating costs of $48,849.64 CAD, producing $15,494.28 CAD in net proceeds earmarked for 2024 facility improvements. Cumulative self-funded capital improvements exceed $100,000 since 2016, covering accessible washrooms, flooring, painting, electrical, air conditioning, and landscaping. The underlying model is a low-overhead, rent-and-event-driven non-profit with no paid headcount disclosed, no external funding, and no expansion beyond the single facility.

Name

Saltair Community Society

Legal name

Saltair Community Society

Website

https://saltaircommunitycentre.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Saltair Community Society is a volunteer-run Canadian non-profit operating the Saltair Community Centre in Ladysmith, British Columbia. It provides affordable multi-purpose rental spaces, anchor childcare services, and community programs serving Saltair, Ladysmith, Chemainus, and surrounding area residents under a 20-year CVRD lease.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ladysmith

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Facility Rentals: The primary revenue stream comes from renting out various spaces including the main hall ($30/hour for standard events, $40/hour commercial/government rate), meeting rooms ($11-$15/hour depending on room size), and daily rates for hall rentals ($210 for 8 hours). Revenue from rentals supports facility operations and improvements.
2. Anchor Tenant Rental (Inquiring Little Minds Daycare): Inquiring Little Minds Daycare serves as the anchor tenant, providing steady rental income that helps sustain facility operations.
3. Membership Dues: Annual memberships are sold at $10/year for individuals or $15/year for families, providing access to Society membership benefits and supporting volunteer operations.
4. Fundraising Events: The Society organizes community events including Seedy Saturday, Winter Market, and other fundraising activities that generate revenue and community engagement.
5. Group Activity Fees: Various community groups pay fees to use spaces - for example, the Saltair Quilters charge $7/week drop-in fee which contributes to rent payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Saltair Community Society operates the Saltair Community Centre, a multi-purpose community facility offering affordable hourly and daily rentals of a 1,600 sq ft hall with stage, multiple meeting/class/office rooms, plus anchor childcare, arts, fitness, and wellness programs. Revenue is generated through facility rentals, anchor-tenant leases, annual memberships, and community fundraising events such as Seedy Saturday and the Winter Market.

Product overview

Saltair Community Society operates the Saltair Community Centre, a multi-purpose community facility offering rental spaces (Hall, Rooms #4, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20) and various community programs. The core offering consists of affordable rental spaces for meetings, events, and gatherings, supplemented by childcare services (Inquiring Little Minds Daycare and Just For Kids After School Care), community groups (Chemainus Art Group, Saltair Quilters & Fiber Arts), fitness programs (yoga, physiotherapy classes), and annual events (Seedy Saturday, Winter Market). The Society also provides student bursaries and a community links directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hall Rental (Room #1) 1,600 sq. ft. hall with hardwood flooring, stage, sound system with Wi-Fi microphone, stage lighting, kitchen prep area, and seating for up to 150 persons. Available for hourly rental ($30 standard / $40 commercial per hour), daily rental ($210/8 hours standard; $320 commercial), and overnight events ($100–$160 surcharge). Suitable for concerts, markets, reunions, birthday parties, community meetings, and celebrations of life.
• Room #4 & 4A Rental Office rental space suitable for small meetings, counselling sessions, or office workspace. Total size 244 sq. ft. (Room #4: 156 sq ft; Room #4A: 88 sq ft). Located at front entrance with Wi-Fi included. $12.50 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental.
• Room #16 Rental 801 sq. ft. rental space (capacity 37 persons) suitable for meetings, family gatherings, educational classes, art classes, small parties, and craft classes. Includes tables, chairs, coffee maker, electric kettle, sink area, first aid, chalk boards, white screen. $15.00 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental. Available after 4:30 pm weekdays and all day weekends.
• Room #17 Rental 802 sq. ft. rental space with sink, chalk boards, and white screen, suitable for various gatherings and classes. $15.00 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental.
• Room #18 Rental 802 sq. ft. rental space (capacity 37 persons) with coffee maker, kettle, sink, first aid, chalk board, and natural lighting with view of Centennial Park. $15.00 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental.
• Room #19 Rental 800 sq. ft. rental space (capacity 37 persons) suitable for yoga, meetings, art classes, and photo shoots with natural light, tables and chairs provided, and sink area with kettle and microwave. Wi-Fi included. $15.00 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental.
• Room #20 Office Space Rental 110 sq. ft. small cheerful office space suitable for small meetings, counselling sessions, or office workspace. Located at rear of building with accessible parking. Wi-Fi included. $11.00 per hour with minimum 2-hour rental.
• Inquiring Little Minds Daycare Licensed daycare services offering Infant/Toddler and 3-5 programs, open 6:30 am to 4:30 pm, located at the Saltair Community Centre with qualified staff certified through the Early Childhood Education Registry of British Columbia. Provides subsidized services for families in need based on Ministry assessment.
• Just For Kids After School Care After school care services for ages 5-12 years (grades K-7) from Chemainus Elementary, Ladysmith Primary, and Ladysmith Intermediate Schools, open on Pro D Days and school closure holidays.
• Chemainus Art Group Collaborative group of over 65 artists with permanent home at Saltair Community Centre in Studio 16, offering demonstrations, workshops, guest artist presentations, and life drawing sessions.
• Saltair Quilters & Fiber Arts Group Weekly gathering for quilting, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, stitching and beading. Meets every Tuesday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm in Room #19. $7 per week drop-in fee after first free visit.
• Alignment Yoga with Jessica Lowry Certified Iyengar Yoga instructor offering public classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Monday evenings, plus mini immersion workshops and private classes.
• Element Yoga with Brittany Leonard Hatha Yoga for Hips & Posture classes on Wednesdays, all levels and abilities welcome, with drop-in and 10-class passes available.
• Balance 101 Class by Mobility Physiotherapy Balance fundamentals class held Wednesdays from 11:10 am to 11:50 am to help reduce risk of falls and improve posture, balance, strength, endurance and confidence. Pre-requisite requires assessment through the Ladysmith Community Health Centre Falls Prevention Program.
• Saltair Seedy Saturday Annual community event (7th edition in 2026) bringing gardeners, growers, and garden-curious participants together to share seeds, plants, knowledge, and garden-related items.
• Saltair Winter Market Annual winter market vendor event celebrating local talent, handcrafted products and artisan foods. Vendor tables are 6 feet x 3 feet at $30 per table.
• Student Bursaries Annual bursaries awarded to graduating students residing in the Saltair community, including $750 Saltair Community Society bursary and $560–$810 Saltair District Residents Association bursaries.
• Annual Membership Annual memberships at $10/year for single membership and $15/year for family membership. Members support the Society's operations, can participate in governance, and receive an 'I Love Saltair' button and entry into prize draws.
• Community Links Directory Directory of emergency contacts, local websites, CVRD information, and provincial and federal government resources available to the Saltair community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2023 net proceeds of $15,494.28 generated from operations, reinvested into facility improvements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD)coreOthers · 1 January 2015CVRD owns the property and entered into a 20-year lease agreement with SCS in 2024. CVRD also contributes to capital improvements including roof replacement, gym windows, furnace replacements, and has procured loans for air conditioning and window upgrades. This partnership is fundamental to the center's existence.
• Inquiring Little Minds DaycarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnchor tenant providing stable rental income. Provides infant/toddler and 3-5 programs with qualified ECE staff. Open 6:30am-4:30pm. Provides subsidized services for families in need based on Ministry assessment. Their rental income helped fund initial start-up costs.
• Chemainus Art GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt collective with 65+ members using Studio 16 as permanent home. Holds monthly demonstrations, workshops, and member meetings. Supports artistic community with diverse media and approaches.
• Saltair Quilters & Fiber Arts GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrafting group meeting weekly in Room #19. Activities include quilting, knitting, crocheting, embroidering, stitching and beading. Created Canada 150th Celebration Quilt now on exhibit at Ladysmith Museum.
• Just For Kids After School CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter school care provider for ages 5-12 years serving Chemainus Elementary, Ladysmith Primary and Ladysmith Intermediate Schools. Open on Pro D Days and school closure holidays.
• Area G Saltair/Gulf Islands (CVRD)minorOthersDirector Jesse McClinton hosts community meetings at the center including water system updates, budget briefings, and Q&A sessions. Represents the community governance relationship.
• Ladysmith Community Health CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Mobility Physiotherapy for Balance 101 class. Pre-requisite requires assessment through Falls Prevention Program at the health centre (250-739-5777 Ext 54857).
• Mobility Physiotherapy (Chrissie Stephen)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPhysiotherapist providing Balance 101 class Wednesdays 11:10-11:50am in the hall. Falls prevention program working in partnership with Ladysmith Community Health Centre.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of Greater Vancouver: The Y operates multi-purpose community recreation and family-services facilities across the Lower Mainland, hosting rentals, fitness programs, childcare, and community groups — the same combined function Saltair serves in a rural Cowichan setting, but at much greater scale.
• The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity: A non-profit multi-use facility renting halls, classrooms, and studio space to events, performing-arts groups, and community users — comparable to Saltair in combining facility rentals with hosted community programs, though at far larger scale.
• Impact Hub: A global network of community-oriented, multi-use spaces that host events, classes, community groups, and short-term rentals under a shared-facility model — comparable to Saltair in mission and in monetizing underused civic infrastructure.

Others

• WeWork: A large commercial flexible-space operator monetizing shared venues through hourly and daily rentals plus event programming — relevant benchmark for Saltair's hourly room rental model, though operating at a different scale and for-profit.
• Peerspace: A marketplace where venue hosts (community halls, event spaces) list hourly rentals to event organizers — directly comparable to Saltair's hall and meeting-room hourly rental model, and a potential distribution channel for its unused capacity.

Direct peers

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Vancouver Island: A non-profit serving kids, youth, and families in central Vancouver Island with community programming, rentals, and after-school services — the closest regional analogue to Saltair's daycare anchor + community-group programming model.

Regional players

• Island Savings Centre (Duncan): A community recreation and events complex in Duncan (also Cowichan Valley Regional District) offering hall rentals, fitness, and programming to the same regional population Saltair serves — its primary direct geographic competitor for mid-sized community events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SaltairCommunityCentre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saltair Community Society