In spite of Salt Spring’s growing and changing population — from farmers, fishermen, loggers and hippies to retirees and wealthy cottagers from ’away’ — the personality of the Saturday market has remained relatively stable. Begun in 1975, vendors started selling goods out of their cars in a dirt parking lot. But as its popularity increased, the market became more organized, culminating in 1992 when a move by the island’s Parks and Recreation Commission created a system limiting vendor permits to Gulf Island residents who must "Make it, Bake it, or Grow it."   When introduced, the new regulations created resentment and many vendors moved to less regulated venues.  Now, most agree that the changes were necessary. They eliminated parking-lot scuffles over ’best spots’ and tables full of yard sale knick-knacks or mass-produced goods.

Even when, earlier this year, a bylaw was passed banning dogs from the market, howls of protest were few, this on an island where one of the locals is affectionately known as Three-dog Ron, and is listed that way in the phone book. 

The most recent disruption to market tranquility was the outbreak of the 2005 “Egg War”. Regulations stipulate that eggs offered for public consumption at country markets in British Columbia must be clean, crack-free and kept cold, and they must be inspected at a government egg-grading station (Salt Spring doesn’t have one).  When health inspectors arrived at the Market to ‘crack’ the case of illegal egg sales, they were shouted down by angry market-goers, including Salt Spring’s Raging Grannies, outfitted with hats made from egg cartons. Eventually, compromise was reached and the Poultry Police left islanders to their own devices.