Victoria, BC
- B.C airforce vet makes surprise reunion with jet he trained on in 1959www.pqbnews.com B.C airforce vet makes surprise reunion with jet he trained on in 1959
F-86 Sabre jet outside ANAVETS in Sidney holds special for Saanich resident Dennis Jaques
- UVic geologist wins $850K Kyoto Prize for research on Earth's historywww.timescolonist.com UVic geologist wins $850K Kyoto Prize for research on Earth's history
Considered the Japanese equivalent of the Nobel Prize, the Kyoto Prize is presented internationally to individuals who have made significant contributions in science, technology, arts and philosophy
- Centennial Square redesign drops fountain, keeps artwork, cuts down a giant treewww.timescolonist.com Centennial Square redesign drops fountain, keeps artwork, cuts down a giant tree
Objectives include being able to accommodate more people, improving sight lines and providing “joy and whimsy” through things like a splash pad. There has been strenuous opposition to removing the fountain.
- Canada Day events 2024: Where to celebrate around Vancouver Islandwww.timescolonist.com Canada Day events 2024: Where to celebrate around Vancouver Island
Check out one of the many free celebrations and festivals being held on Vancouver Island to celebrate Canada Day this weekend.
The full article lists everything from Victoria up to Campbell River.
Victoria
>Victoria’s Canada Day brings more than 60,000 people together for a full day of musical performances and cultural programming, family activities, an international food village and the iconic Victoria’s Canada Day Fireworks. Mainstage opens at 11 a.m., with entertainment continuing until the drone show at 10:15 p.m. and the fireworks at 10:22. Inner Harbour and Legislative Precinct. Details and entertainment lineup at canadadayvictoria.ca
Saanich/Esquimalt
>The Gorge Canada Day Picnic. Fun for the whole family, including a pancake breakfast (8:30 a.m.), the Canada Day Family Parade (9 a.m.), Canada Day Show and Shine car show, Gorge on Art, lots of food trucks, voyageur canoe rides, the Canada Day Market, and much more. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. along Gorge Road West from Tillicum Road to Admirals Road. Go to gorgecanadaday.ca for more details. Sidney
Sidney
>Lions Pancake Breakfast. Don’t miss the Sidney Lions famous hot pancake breakfast with fried sausages, 8-10 a.m. at the Mary Winspear Centre Courtyard. More at marywinspear.ca. > >Canada Day Parade and Family Fun Fair. The annual Canada Day Parade starts at 11:30 a.m. in downtown Sidney, travelling along Resthaven Drive and Beacon Avenue to Second Street, ending at Ocean Avenue. The Family Fun Fair kicks off after the parade, running from 12:30-4 p.m. at Iroquois Park, 2295 Ocean Ave., Sidney. More at peninsulacelebrations.org/events.
View Royal
>Canada Day in View Royal: Come and see some traditional Highland games, take in dance performances and live music, and enjoy the beer garden and concession. There will be face painting, a balloon clown, tours of Craigflower Manor. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Craigflower Manor, 1801 Admirals Rd. Admission is free. No on-site parking. Details at viewroyal.ca.
Langford
>Head to Starlight Stadium to celebrate Canada Day! The stadium transforms into a fun event space filled with activities like arcade games, a teen zone, game tournaments, and a pancake breakfast. Monday, July 1, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Find out more at langford.ca.
Colwood
>Celebrate Canada Day by the sea at Fort Rodd Hill. Live music and a multitude of special interpretive programs will be offered throughout the site, plus a grill, and ice cream and soda at the canteen. Admission is free. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 603 Fort Rodd Hill Rd. Details at facebook.com/FortRoddFisgardNHS. Sooke
Sooke
>Lions Club and District of Sooke present Canada Day at the Flats. Live music, outdoor games, kids zone, food trucks, local vendors and more. 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Sooke River Campground, 2259 Phillips Rd., Sooke. Go to sookelions.com/canadaday.
- Drownings spur politicians to install safety equipment at several beacheswww.cheknews.ca Drownings spur politicians to install safety equipment at several beaches
Drownings are spurring politicians to install safety equipment at several of the most popular CRD beaches, including Thetis and Elk lakes.
- Bigger than expected construction site blast causes concern in West Shorewww.cheknews.ca Bigger than expected construction site blast causes concern in West Shore
A bigger than expected scheduled blast at a construction site rocked the West Shore Tuesday morning, causing concern for residents.
- ‘I owe this plant everything’: Victoria cannabis pioneers share passion for cultivation and educationwww.canadianevergreen.com ‘I owe this plant everything’: Victoria cannabis pioneers share passion for cultivation and education - All About Cannabis in Canada
Located in the heart of downtown Victoria, near the Galloping Goose Trail and Moon Underwater Brewery, the Victoria Cannabis Company has made a home for itself in an incredibly rare scenario as a farm-to-consumer cannabis nursery and cultivation facility.
- Golf tournament forced to find more billets after short-term rentals curtailedwww.timescolonist.com Golf tournament forced to find more billets after short-term rentals curtailed
Golfers in the Beach Lands Victoria Open golf tournament had to scramble to find accommodation
- Victoria goes to court to ban company from managing Airbnbs anywhere in city - Claims business is renting 4 downtown condos without licences
> The alleged violations "demonstrate that the respondents are unwilling to refrain from the unlawful acts and are a clear case of flouting the City's bylaws," read one of four petitions filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday. > > The filings are the latest legal fights over short-term rental laws in B.C. Amala's CEO, Angela Mason, is one of hundreds of property owners and managers currently taking the provincial government to court over new laws which they say could ruin their businesses.
- Saanich warns of complete road closures along Shelbourne Street this summerwww.cheknews.ca Saanich warns of complete road closures along Shelbourne Street this summer
The District of Saanich is warning drivers of upcoming road closures along Shelbourne Street this summer due to construction.
>From June 18 to July 1, all southbound traffic along Shelbourne Street will be closed between Cedar Hill Cross Road and North Dairy Road. > >Then, from July 2 to 31, traffic will be closed in both directions along this same stretch of street 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- 24-storey rental tower to bring long-promised residential units to Uptownwww.timescolonist.com 24-storey rental tower to bring long-promised residential units to Uptown
The 318-unit project is planned for the last vacant lot at Uptown, at its northwest corner.
- Victoria welcomes first of 2 electric fire trucksbc.ctvnews.ca Victoria welcomes first of 2 electric fire trucks
The Victoria Fire Department has a new tool in its toolbox. The department says its first electric fire truck will do everything the old diesel-powered fire trucks do with some new capabilities.
- June 9: ‘Towards Freedom: Points of Departure’ & ‘Stories of the Raccoon People’ - Victoria Anarchist Reading Circlevictoriaanarchistreadingcircle.ca June 9: ‘Towards Freedom: Points of Departure’ & ‘Stories of the Raccoon People’
On June 9th, we will be discussing two short readings, one fiction and one nonfiction. Towards Freedom: Points of Departure is a section from Crimethinc’s anthology From Democracy to Freedom.…
- Lost giant painted teacup may rest at bottom of B.C. harbour: former mayorwww.chemainusvalleycourier.ca Lost giant painted teacup may rest at bottom of B.C. harbour: former mayor
The lost piece, which remains to be recovered, gives a glimpse into Oak Bay history
> “We did these crazy things around the harbour to encourage tourism,” Causton recalled. “I don’t remember too much about it other than Brian Smith, who was a former mayor of Oak Bay and the Attorney General of British Columbia, was in one of them, and he was smoking a pipe and he sank.”
- Drag performance draws a crowd at Chinatown festival that highlighted cultural diversitywww.timescolonist.com Drag performance draws a crowd at Chinatown festival that highlighted cultural diversity
Awakening Chinatown showcased cultural diversity of Chinese Canadian society
This is the true Canada, open to all ideas. Let's keep it this way.
- June 2: People’s Park Solidarityvictoriaanarchistreadingcircle.ca BONUS: June 2: People’s Park Solidarity
In solidarity with Palestinians, and our comrades on the frontlines at People’s Park and across Turtle Island, we will be reading Why the State Can’t Compromise with the Movement in Solidarity with…
- Police board to invite rights commissioner to hear impact of cancelling school liaison officer programwww.timescolonist.com Police board to invite rights commissioner to hear impact of cancelling school liaison officer program
The board plans to invite commissioner Kasari Govender to an open board meeting to hear a presentation from VicPD and the mobile youth service team
Personally, it seems stupid not to have a liaison in high schools. This is where teens establish "bad" patterns, and every single one they manage to save early is one less problem for decades in the future.
- May 26: Anarchism of the Occupy Movement - Victoria Anarchist Reading Circlevictoriaanarchistreadingcircle.ca May 26: Anarchism of the Occupy Movement
For the next reading we are going to be reviewing what happened during the Occupy movement of 2011 in order to gain insight for the current student occupations happening across North America…
- Victoria council gives green light to Roundhouse projectwww.timescolonist.com Victoria council gives green light to Roundhouse project
Council vote was 7-2 in favour of allowing the Roundhouse at Bayview Place project to go ahead in Vic West.
- Poilievre promises to build more housing on Vancouver Island visitvancouverisland.ctvnews.ca Poilievre promises to build more housing on Vancouver Island visit
The leader of the federal Conservative Party of Canada has wrapped up a two-day tour of Vancouver Island, trying to swing votes in an NDP stronghold well ahead of any mandated election in October 2025.
Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to elected in a couple years. I just hope people remember after a term of the Conservatives cutting important environmental policies like the carbon tax, that they will have failed to make like more affordable AND fucked up the environment more.
The conservative parties that won in the UK didn't manage to make things more affordable, the conservative party that won in Australia didn't manage it either, no party anywhere has managed it.
This crisis isn't caused by local government zoning policies, approval red tape, or anything else that the parties are talking about. It's caused by landowners (including people who own only one property) using a home as an investment.
You cannot have homes appreciate in value faster than inflation (investments) and also have affordable housing. It's impossible. That's literally just a pyramid scheme.
Until the government starts implementing policies that start reducing existing home prices, this will not be fixed. Building more units doesn't do this unless you build impossibly (literally impossible) large numbers.
So stop voting with your emotions and vote with your brain.
- Island Farms plant problem fixed, milk processing and delivery back on trackwww.timescolonist.com Island Farms plant problem fixed, milk processing and delivery back on track
Island Farms milk products were in short supply in some capital region grocery stores over the weekend
In case anyone was wondering what happened at the grocery stores over the last couple days.
- Livable wage required in Greater Victoria creeps over $25/hr for first timewww.cheknews.ca Livable wage required in Greater Victoria creeps over $25/hr for first time
What you need to be making in the capital region to meet very basic expenses and needs increased again in 2023.
- CRD purchases former Royal Oak Golf Coursewww.timescolonist.com CRD purchases former Royal Oak Golf Course
The CRD says it will work with local First Nations and consult the public in developing a long-term management plan for the 27-acre property, which is adjacent to Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
- Times Colonist: Add your home or business to our map of Halloween displays and eventswww.timescolonist.com Greater Victoria's scariest Halloween houses
Check out our interactive map featuring frightful displays and Halloween events around the capital region — and be sure to add your own!
- Tiny Town sold but expected to stay in Victoriawww.timescolonist.com Tiny Town sold but expected to stay in Victoria
The 30-unit community of shipping containers provided temporary housing for those at risk of homelessness for the last two years
- BC Road Trip Time Machine, Highway 17 - Victoria to Swartz Bay, 1966
From the YouTube description:
(0:05) Prior to the current alignment separating north and southbound traffic via the Blanshard extension (1978), Highway 17 started on Douglas Street near Carey Road. Before the highway was officially numbered in the 1960s, it was called East Saanich Road along a large portion of the route. (0:10 – 0:16) In 1966, McKenzie Avenue was a small rural street with no connection to Highway 1. Highway traffic travelled alongside the Swan Lake/Christmas Hill area, then across McKenzie Avenue, towards Royal Oak. If you look closely, you can see school children along either side of the highway, possibly heading to Pacific Christian School nearby. (0:32) Quadra Street joins up with the highway on the right. The Quadra Street overpass, connecting with the Royal Oak shopping area won’t be built until the 1970s. (0:36) Junction of Highway 17 and 17A (also known as West Saanich Road). This route accessed the famous Butchart Gardens, as well as the ferry across the Saanich Inlet to Mill Bay. 17A was a formal alternate route through the peninsula. Highway 17A was designated in 1962, but lost its designation in 2000. (0:45-0:53) Before the divided highway of today, Highway 17 ran directly in front of Beaver Lake Park, along what is now called Elk Lake Drive. (1:00) Haliburton Road on your right (1:16) Sayward Road Intersection (1:40) Keating Cross Road exit (1:42) East Saanich Road continues off to the left (1:48) Island View Road intersection (2:07) Mt. Newton Cross Road intersection (2:40) McTavish Road intersection (2:58) Beacon Avenue Intersection and Sidney (3:07-3:37) Road widening work to and from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal (3:27) Wain Road intersection
- Parking fees at regional parks back on CRD agendawww.timescolonist.com Parking fees at regional parks back on CRD agenda
The Capital Regional District’s parks committee is set to discuss whether to impose parking fees at nine more regional parks
Archive: https://archive.ph/n8fv5
- B.C. woman whose cat went missing warns of scammer claiming to have found it - BC | Globalnews.caglobalnews.ca B.C. woman whose cat went missing warns of scammer claiming to have found it - BC | Globalnews.ca
While this specific scam has not yet been reported to the Better Business Bureau in B.C., the non-profit consumer support organization said it's well aware of it.
- CRD OKs $53.5M to widen and light busiest parts of Galloping Goose and Lochsidewww.timescolonist.com CRD OKs $53.5M to widen and light busiest parts of Galloping Goose and Lochside
Widening will allow separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians. Selkirk Trestle to Grange Road on Galloping Goose; Switch Bridge to McKenzie/Borden on Lochside.
- 'Poison pill' restrictions crushing hopes for more multi-unit housing in Victoriawww.timescolonist.com 'Poison pill' restrictions crushing hopes for more multi-unit housing in Victoria
B.C. housing minister says planned legislation will try to prevent municipal foot-dragging workarounds.
- Ever wonder where our water comes from?
I found this on the subreddit but created a higher res screenshot from the source material.
You can also do Watershed Tours!
- Traffic jams on winding, narrow Finlayson Arm Road thanks to GPS algorithms guiding driverswww.timescolonist.com Traffic jams on winding, narrow Finlayson Arm Road thanks to GPS algorithms guiding drivers
Motorists looking for a shortcut to the Malahat end up on the road, which is filled with surprise inclines and a hairpin turn or two.
- [TC Letters to the Editor] Let’s make big plans for large new ferries
With the B.C. Ferries fleet having reached capacity, I think it’s time to accelerate the plans to purchase new vessels for the major routes. To help to make them more future-proof, I think the new vessels should be at least 200 metres long, preferably a good deal longer.
As well as increasing the capacity, plus enabling greater efficiencies by transporting more people and vehicles at a time, it would allow for the greater possibility of changes being made to on-board amenities over the coming decades.
It would also allow for improvements over the current ferries, such as more dining options, a larger shop and a very large kids play area.
Unlike some people, I love getting the ferry. With improvements to onboard amenities, I believe that other people would, too, and would look forward to that part of the journey.
When the route between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay takes one hour and 35 minutes, plus waiting time beforehand, it is hardly a route that daily commuters can take.
Instead, let’s adopt a different philosophy, of providing comfort, relaxation and enjoyment, rather than a bare-bones platform to be transported on.
Matthew Cousins
- Victoria Tool Library
Membership based tool library.
- $1.2B Colwood development(Royal Beach) renamed the Beachlandswww.timescolonist.com $1.2B Colwood development renamed the Beachlands
Land in the development is still being set aside for a potential ferry terminal, a commitment that will last another three years or so, the developer says.
Because reasons?
- [Megathread] BC Day (Aug 7) in Victoria
Hey folks -
I always forget to make these until it's like three days before haha. BC Day is coming up next weekend. Have you got any plans for the long weekend? What are some events that are going on around the CRD?
- Beloved Central Saanich pig dieswww.cheknews.ca ‘Grateful for all these stories’: Beloved Central Saanich pig dies
A popular pig in Central Saanich has died, after 18 years of delighting passersby on the Lochside Trail.
- Historic Old Town exhibit reopens at the Royal BC Museumwww.cheknews.ca 'There is a new story here': Historic Old Town exhibit reopens at the Royal BC Museum
The "Old Town" exhibit the Royal BC Museum reopened Saturday with a new approach designed to tell stories about all cultural groups in B.C.
