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Grant Gilbertson, who was described by the team as a talented forward, was en route to practice at approximately 6 p.m. on January 3rd, when he was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Sooke Road near Humpback Road.
According to West Shore RCMP, icy road conditions appear to have played a major part in the crash.
Police said initial evidence indicates the Honda Civic was travelling westbound on Sooke Road when it lost control, veered into the oncoming lane of traffic and crashed into the Ford Escape travelling eastbound.
Bystanders attempted first aid on the scene, however, Gilbertson the driver of the Honda Civic succumbed to his injuries.
“I drove to the rink for practice around 5:30 pm and the roads were absolutely fine but when I arrived in the parking lot at the Panorama I could see that it looked really greasy,” said Panthers owner Pete Zubersky.
“Grant’s Mom called me a while later and said that she had heard that there had been an accident in the 4-lane near Humpback Road and she was worried that it might be Grant. I checked the dressing rooms downstairs and nobody had heard from him and so a few of the guys tried to contact him without any luck,” Zubersky said.
“When he didn’t show for practice and didn’t get to practice, I was getting really concerned as well.”
The team learned of Gilbertson’s death with about 20 minutes left of practice.
“It was devastating to say the least. I cannot explain the grief we felt as a group, it was palatable. I am just so saddened by this situation and I know that Grant’s family and friends have had their hearts ripped out. This is really a true tragedy in every sense of the word and our Organization’s every thought, every second of every day is on Grant and his family,” said Zubersky.
Zubersky said he spoke with Gilbertson’s grandfather several times since the incident and the team has decided to move on with their scheduled games with the blessing of the family.
“We strongly believe that the players need to be together, to be able to work through their grief with the support of each other. There has been an incredible amount of love and support from the other organizations in the league.”
“We all battle and compete night in and night out but everyone closed ranks immediately when this happened. The hockey community is a small one and a close one.”
This isn’t the first time the team has lost a teammate due to a motor vehicle crash.
In 2001, the team lost Steve Simpson in a motor vehicle accident, the morning of a game against the Oceanside Generals.
“I went to the Simpson’s home and spoke for an hour with Steve’s mother and we agreed that it was best to play, that it is what Steve would have wanted. I feel the same today,” said Zubersky.
“Our Captain at the time was Jeff Lawson and ironically he was one of the first on scene last night, arriving just after the RCMP. Jeff called me later in the evening on Monday and we talked about both Grant and Steve. Jeff told me that he thought the right thing to do was play and added that he remembered every single minute from the game 20 years ago against Oceanside. It is the right thing to do. The Panthers were extremely important to Grant and I know in my heart that he would want his teammates to play.”
The club is scheduled to play at Panorama Recreation Centre Friday, January 7th where a ceremony in celebration of Grant’s life will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.
More details will be made available in the coming days.
There’s a brand new ‘Friends’ inspired apartment building in Victoria “where location is a Central Perk”.
Ross Terrace, inspired by the popular ‘90s sitcom, launched last year in Quadra Village with 64 affordable, pet-friendly units.
The complex by Aryze encourages neighbours to interact and was intentionally designed to foster a car-lite lifestyle.
According to their website, the complexes’ units, which range from studio to 3 bedrooms, are 100% affordable, with 25% of the apartments offered below a market rate.
Designs include open air building corridors across a planted courtyard, murals and even a “PIVOT!” neon sign as a sitcom-inspired easter egg.
Features include:
Striking architecture, created in collaboration with Chris Foyd + Stellar Architects, with landscape design by Biophilia Collective
Hand-painted murals by local artist Kay Gallivan
Sleek, durable kitchens with stone counters and subway tile backsplash
Full stainless steel kitchen appliance package by Whirlpool
White shaker cabinetry with birch box built-ins with feature light
Durable sealed concrete floors throughout
Lofty 9ft ceilings with exposed venting
Overheight windows in all apartments
Samsung 24” laundry pair with energy-efficient heat pump dryer
High quality Moen kitchen and bathroom fixtures
Low voltage LED lighting
Enhanced wall and floor assemblies quieter living, for you and your neighbours
Complimentary Modo memberships (plus a new Modo car for the building!)
Ross Terrace is currently fully rented, but keep an eye out for these highly sought after units!
Your home may be worth a lot more now, as Victoria enters 2022.
In the next few days, owners of about 382,000 properties throughout Vancouver Island should be receiving their 2022 assessment notices, which reflect market value as of July 1st, 2020.
In a report released by BC Assessment, property assessments have risen across the board on Vancouver Island this year.
Since last year, the total value of property assessments across the island increased by nearly $74 billion, rising from approximately $269 billion in 2021 to $343 billion this year.
Over $4.85 billion of the region’s updated assessments is from new construction, subdivisions and the rezoning of properties.
“Vancouver Island’s real estate market has increased in value across all property types over the past year,” said Vancouver Island Deputy assessor Jodie MacLennan.
“Increases of 15 to 35 percent are generally evident for single family dwellings, strata homes, industrial and commercial properties throughout the island with notably larger percent increases in both central and northern Vancouver Island communities.”
According to BC Assessment, the majority of residences saw a range of percentage change in value between 15 and 35 per cent.
In Victoria, single-family residences rose by 24% over the past year, while condo assessments increased by only 13%. The 24% translates to an increase of $867,000 to $1,073,000 for an average single-family residential property in the district.
Meanwhile, assessments rose by 28 per cent in Langford, 22 per cent in Esquimalt, and 34 per cent in Sooke, while the District of Saanich climbed up by only 25 per cent.
In Oak Bay, the district saw an average increase of 24% and remains the most expensive municipality in Greater Victoria.
The District of Metchosin saw the largest assessed value change, increasing by 35 per cent; which translates to an increase to $1,150,000, up from $852,000.
Environment Canada has issued another weather alert for Greater Victoria, this time it’s a winter storm watch.
According to the alert, Greater Victoria could see 10 to 20 cm of snow starting Wednesday night and continuing into Thursday.
Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult in some locations and is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility.
As in the past few days, surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.
In Victoria, temperatures have been rising above freezing levels during the day leading to snow melt, and as the temperatures drop to freezing in the evening, roads become covered with black ice.
The alert affects Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria, Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Sunshine Coast, Southern Gulf Islands, East Vancouver Island, Inland Vancouver Island, Sea-to-Sky Highway and Malahat Highway.
If you’re looking to kick off the new year with a focus on health and wellness, we’ve got a treat for you!
Upgrade Labs Victoria and Cafe is downtown’s latest and greatest addition to the Victoria foodie scene, full of delicious eats that you’ll feel good eating.
Upgrade Cafe’s mission is to educate their guests on how to upgrade their diet by using high quality ingredients and cooking methods specifically designed to fuel their bodies to burn fat for energy.
The Cafe is built with state-of-the-art ionized air filtration, charcoal filtered remineralized water, circadian lighting, and electromagnetic grounding technology to benefit everyone who walks through their doors.
The carefully-curated menu offers nutritious, well-balanced dishes using locally sourced ingredients. Many of the herbs, vegetables, and meat are harvested from Asprey Farms – located in Cobble Hill!
Asprey Farms is owned and operated by Upgrade Labs CEO Dave Asprey, the Father of Biohacking.
Asprey Farms offers an accessible farm-to-table, sustainable alternative to traditional breakfast and lunch options, while still keeping keto-friendly framework.
From their organic fresh eggs in the Breakfast Burrito to the grass-fed bacon in the Open-face Bacon Burgers, each dish features delicious, quality ingredients to ensure an upgraded dining experience.
The menu also offers a variety of gluten-free and sugar-free options, making it easy to enjoy treats if you’re living a keto lifestyle or have any dietary restrictions.
With so many tasty beverage options, there’s a little something for everyone!
Want to treat yourself to an upgrade? You’re in luck, because we’ve partnered with Upgrade Labs to give away a $50 gift card, and you’ll find those contest details below.
A favourite is Dave’s Upgraded Coffee, also known as keto coffee, which features rich, flavourful coffee is blended with grass-fed butter and MCT oil to not only give you that caffeine boost but also provides a generous serving of healthy fats.
If you’re not feeling a warm drink, try the Coffee Shake! A delicious blend of espresso, coconut milk, avocado, vanilla, cinnamon, and MCT oil.
Located in beautiful China a Town, Upgrade Victoria Cafe is committed to connecting with the community, supporting local, and creating a welcoming space to reconnect with whole, healthy foods.
CONTEST
For your chance to win a $50 gift card to Upgrade Victoria’s Cafe, please do one or more of the following:
SHARE this article on Facebook and comment below to let us know you have. (1 entry)
Contest entries will be accepted from the time and date of publishing until 11:59 pm on January 14th, 2022. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted through the platform they used to enter. Make sure to register when commenting below.
The Earls restaurant in downtown Victoria has temporarily closed its doors after a portion of their ceiling collapsed last week.
On Thursday December 30th, the restaurant posted on their Facebook page, citing “maintenance issues” as the reason for their sudden closure.
Images captured from outside the restaurant show part of the ceiling down and piled up on some tables as well as cracks in the nearby windows.
Now, more information is being released as to the cause of the ceiling collapse and restaurant closure.
“After midnight on the evening of Thursday Dec 30th, the ceiling in our dining room collapsed due to a pipe bursting from the extreme cold” Earls Restaurants told Victoria Buzz in an email statement.
“There were no guests or employees in the building at the time.”
According to the restaurant, they will be closed for indoor dining until further notice but hope to offer takeout and delivery starting Tuesday, January 11th.
RCMP have confirmed the suspect in a Langford homicide on New Year’s eve was the son of the deceased.
On January 1st, 27-year-old Ryan Elder was charged with one count of second degree murder in relation the death of his mother.
According to a release from BC RCMP over the weekend, West Shore RCMP officers attended a residence just after 12 p.m. on Friday, December 31st, on Selwyn Road for a well-being check.
Once inside the home, officers found the body of a deceased woman within a residence. She has now been identified as 59-year-old Raymonde Elder.
Her son was taken into custody without incident.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) has now taken over the investigation and the RCMP.
“This is believed to have been an isolated incident and investigators do not believe that there is an ongoing risk to the public as both individuals knew each other,” said Sergeant Chris Manseau, media relations officer for the BC RCMP.
Elder remains in custody and is set to appear in the Western Communities Provincial Court on Tuesday, January 20th.
If you have information about this incident, please call the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) Information Line at (250) 380-6211.
The latte returns by popular demand for a second year, featuring flavours of sweet pistachio and rich brown butter paired with espresso and steamed milk.
The drink can be ordered hot or iced at stores in Canada for a limited time and can be customized with your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk options.
In addition, Starbucks will be introducing three new Be Well Cold Pressed Juices. The original Be Well Cold Pressed Juice, Well OJ Cold Pressed Juice and Well Greens Cold Pressed Juice.
An 18-year-old man died as a result of injuries sustained in a collision between two vehicles on Sooke Road Monday night.
At approximately 6 p.m. on January 3rd, West Shore RCMP responded to a crash on Sooke Road near Humpback Road in Langford.
The crash involved a Honda Civic and Ford Escape.
Police said initial evidence indicates the Honda Civic was travelling westbound on Sooke Road when it lost control, veered into the oncoming lane of traffic and crashed into the Ford Escape travelling eastbound.
Bystanders attempted first aid on the scene, however, the young driver of the Honda Civic did not survive.
In a media release, West Shore RCMP issued a reminder to the public to adjust their driving behaviours for changing winter conditions
“The weather conditions were very challenging for motorists throughout the region at that time,” said Constable Alex Bérubé, spokesperson for the West Shore RCMP.
“Unfortunately, those weather conditions inevitably contributed to this collision.”
Over the past several days, the Greater Victoria area has been experiencing black ice which has contributed to crashes all over the region.
Temperatures have been rising above freezing levels during the day leading to snow melt, and as the temperatures drop to freezing in the evening, roads become covered with black ice.
Police said no further information would be released at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
BC Coroners confirmed to Victoria Buzz they’re investigating the crash but would not release any other details.
Are you looking to join the workforce of the ever-growing food industry, just need the tools and training to do so?
Look no further!
Mission Community Skills Centre is now offering a unique Food Hub Work Experience program, and they’re on the hunt for applicants with a passion for the industry.
The 6-week course involves learning the skills, networking, coaching, experience and certificates needed to gain employment in one of BC’s fastest growing lines of work, and the best part? You get paid for it!
That’s right, the Food Hub Work Experience program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy – which means you get to learn the tricks of the trade all while getting paid.
The Food Hub responds to the producers and needs specific to its region. All food hubs strive to promote production growth, and support farmers, making local food accessible to larger markets while stimulating economic growth.
The next cohort starts January 10th, 2022, and you can apply here – take a look below to see if this program is for you:
Who’s eligible
Between 15 – 30 years old
unemployed
legally entitled to work in Canada
A resident of BC
Committed to 6-weeks of training
What you’ll get
On the job training that gives you hands-on learning in a supportive, dynamic, GROWING field in everything from production to packaging, warehousing to transportation!
1-week of training, 5-weeks of work experience
Pay for the full 6-weeks
Certificates and training, including but not limited to: Occupational First Aid Level 1, WHMIS, Manufacturing Food Safety, Worksafe BC Back Talk, and Intro to Manufacturing Safety
The program will take place in Victoria, with work experience determined by host-employers at a minimum of 30 hours per week.
(Dr. Bonnie Henry/Province of British Columbia Flickr)
The BC Ministry of Health reported 9,332 new cases of COVID-19 for a three-day period on Monday, January 3rd.
There have been 264,181 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
Day-to-Day Breakdown:
Friday-Saturday: 4,033
Saturday-Sunday: 3,069
Sunday-Monday: 2,230
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Note: Case counts provided today are preliminary.
Vancouver Coastal Health: 1,797
Fraser Health: 4,859
Island Health: 1,117
Interior Health: 1,185
Northern Health: 374
Resident outside Canada: 0
The Ministry of Health will return to regular reporting of COVID-19 cases, vaccinations, hospitalizations and deaths, and cases and hospitalizations by vaccination status, on Tuesday, January 4th.
Extreme winter weather has caused damage to a sewage treatment plant on Salt Spring Island, leading to spillage into Ganges Harbour.
According to the CRD, a mechanical failure in the above ground piping water system at the Ganges Wastewater Treatment Plant occurred due to cold temperatures over the weekend.
Although most of the spill was contained on site, some sewage did manage to run overland and enter a storm water system.
This system leads from the facility to Ganges Creek and out to Ganges Harbour.
According to the CRD, crews have already completed clean-up efforts, placed warning signs and cordoned off the affected areas. This includes a section of the path located immediately north of the facility, adjacent to Ganges Creek.
The affected areas will be posted with public health advisory signs until environmental sample results are tested.
Residents are asked to avoid the affected areas where the spill occurred as well as the waters along the affected shorelines.
Those planning to catch a BC Ferries sailing today will have to come up with alternative plans.
High winds have resulted in the cancellation of majority of scheduled sailings between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland on Sunday, January 2nd.
“Please be advised that the Spirit of British Columbia, Spirit of Vancouver Island and Coastal Celebration have cancelled the following sailings due to adverse weather conditions (high winds),” BC Ferries said in a statement.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is of primary importance to us. We don’t take the decision to cancel sailings lightly, as we know customers rely on us to get to their destinations.”
The ferry corporation said services will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
On Saturday, Environment Canada issued a statement warning of southeast winds of 70 km/h with gusts reaching 90 km/h will impact the Greater Victoria area near Haro Strait.
Southern sections of Metro Vancouver and Gulf Islands will also be impacted by this warning.
Winds began late Saturday night and expected to continue until Sunday night.
The following services have been cancelled today:
Swartz Bay/Tsawwassen cancellations
11:00 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
1:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
3:00 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
3:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
4:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
5:00 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
5:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
7:00 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
7:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
9:00 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
9:00 p.m. departing Swartz Bay
Duke Point/Tsawwassen cancellations
10:15 a.m. departing Tsawwassen
12:45 p.m. departing Duke Point
3:15 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
3:15 p.m. departing Duke Point
5:45 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
5:45 p.m. departing Duke Point
8:15 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
8:15 p.m. departing Duke Point
10:45 p.m. departing Tsawwassen
10:45 p.m. departing Duke Point
Customers with bookings on cancelled sailings will have their bookings cancelled and fully refunded.
High winds are on the way for the Greater Victoria area this evening and expected to last until Sunday night.
According to Environment Canada, southeast winds of 70 km/h with gusts reaching 90 km/h will impact the Greater Victoria area near Haro Strait.
Southern sections of Metro Vancouver and Gulf Islands will also be impacted by this warning.
Winds are expected to pick up this evening and continue until Sunday night.
In addition to the wind, rain and rising temperatures Sunday may cause rapid melting of snow on ground.
“A Pacific frontal system approaching the west coast will bring strong winds the inner South coast this weekend,” Environment Canada said in its warning.
Southeast winds will gradually strengthen and reach 70 km/h gusting to 90 late this evening for areas near the water. This system is expected to bring much warmer air into the region, with a chance of flurries changing to rain overnight tonight.
The weather agency said the strong southeast winds will persist through Sunday and ease Sunday overnight in the wake of the frontal system.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) are investigating a homicide at a residence in Langford on New Year’s Eve.
According to a release from BC RCMP, just after 12 p.m. on Friday, December 31st, West Shore RCMP officers attended a residence on Selwyn Road for a well-being check.
Once inside the home, officers found the body of a deceased woman within a residence. One man has been taken into custody without incident.
There are reports the suspect was the son of the deceased.
The VIIMCU has now taken over the investigation and the RCMP says it is working with the BC Coroners Service to “definitively confirm the ID of the deceased.”
“This is believed to have been an isolated incident and investigators do not believe that there is an ongoing risk to the public as both individuals knew each other,” said Sergeant Chris Manseau, media relations officer for the BC RCMP.
Officers are expected to remain at the scene for several days while the investigation continues.
No further details were provided about the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call the VIIMCU information line at 250-380-6211.
Island Health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Victoria General Hospital late Friday.
The outbreak was declared in two rooms of the general medicine unit on 4B after two patients tested positive for COVID.
In a statement, Island Health said the outbreak is limited to the two rooms, as it is believed to be where transmission occurred.
Since the first positive case, Island Health said they immediately implemented precautions, including isolation, enhanced cleaning, and contact tracing.
Follow-up testing identified one additional patient case.
Visitation to the affected rooms will be limited to essential visits only at this time.
“It is important to note that this outbreak is limited to two rooms on the general medicine unit on 4B and no other areas of the hospital are currently affected,” read the release.
“The hospital is still a safe place and people should not avoid seeking emergency care if they require it. All outpatient services and scheduled procedures will continue as normal.”
Communication with patients, families and staff is ongoing.
On Friday, the BC Ministry of Health reported 3,795 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.
As of this publication, there are currently 20,811 active cases of COVID-19 in BC.
The first BC baby born in 2022 was welcomed on Vancouver Island shortly after midnight.
Congratulations to proud parents, Shawna White and Ishmael Grimwood!
The BC government first made the announcement on Twitter at 8 a.m. this morning.
The baby boy was born at 12:04 a.m. at Victoria General Hospital.
BC's New Year's Baby is a boy! The baby was born at 12:04 am at Victoria General Hospital, weighing 6 lbs 6 oz. Congratulations to the family! @VanIslandHealthpic.twitter.com/4QntZsIgYk
Island Health posted a tweet congratulating the family and released the following photo of the newborn:
WELCOME! The first 2022 baby born in BC arrived at Victoria General Hospital at 12:04 a.m. this morning. Congratulations to proud parents, Shawna White and Ishmael Grimwood! Isn't he lovely! pic.twitter.com/2FP0Iy9Ct4
(Dr. Bonnie Henry/Province of British Columbia, Flickr)
The BC Ministry of Health reported 3,795 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, December 31st.
There have been 254,849 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 965
Fraser Health: 1,944
Island Health: 434
Interior Health: 320
Northern Health: 129
Resident outside Canada: 3
There are currently 20,811 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
231,058 people who tested positive have recovered.
There are now a total of 220 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 73 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
3 new people have died from COVID-related causes, making the provincial death toll 2,423.
Outbreaks
There have been two new health-care facility outbreaks at Kopernik Lodge (Vancouver Coastal Health) and Amica Douglas House (Island Health).
There are a total of 15 ongoing health care outbreaks in the province.
There is currently 1 health care outbreaks in the Island Health region.
Vaccinations
As of Friday, December 31st:
9,399,015 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in BC
88.1% (4,392,141) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 82.9% (4,133,438) have received their second dose.
92% (4,262,385) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 89.2% (4,133,262) received their second dose and 19.6% (909,248) have received a third dose.
92.3% (3,993,382) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 89.6% (3,877,423) received their second dose, and 21.0% (908,376) have received a third dose.
Depending on when you like to pack up your decorations and take the tree down, you may be trying to figure out where you can get this year’s tree chipped!
Before recycling, don’t forget to remove all screws, nails, lights and ornaments from the tree. These items may be potentially hazardous if passed through chipping equipment.
You can see our list of 22 places to get your tree chipped here.
The Rink at Uptown is ready to invite eager skaters in!
This holiday, guests will be able to skate for $5 per person and $2 skate rentals. Guests can book their 40 minute time spot online for groups up to 6 people.
Waivers and masks are required in order to participate, so guests are asked to arrive five minutes prior to check-in to sign in and get laced up!
The festive fun is also for a good cause! 50% of proceeds from The Rink will be donated to 1UP Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre, in support of their Christmas Hamper Program.
Where: Uptown Boulevard, 3440 Saanich Road
When: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
No, you haven’t been transported back in time, this is real! Legacy Drive-In has announced showtimes for their outdoor theatre at Westshore Motorsports Park!
This weekend, enjoy a movie from the comfort of your car as you enjoy food by Westshore Burger Co.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and it is recommended patrons arrive 30 minutes before showtime to ensure they get the best spot.
Where: Westshore Motorsports Park (formerly Western Speedway) 2207 Millstream Road
You can now enjoy the taste of New Orleans with the grand opening of Vancouver Island’s very first Popeyes Louisiana Chicken – and it’s right here in Victoria.
The new location is in Tuscany Village in Saanich, and will bring a whole new world of flavour to the city.
Popeyes Canada hopes to open as many as five more franchises on Vancouver Island, with hopes of having their second location in Nanaimo completed by Christmas.
So stop in for their famous chicken sandwich, spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and more!
Justin Bieber is helping bring three fresh flavours of Timbits in what both him and Tim Hortons are calling Timbiebs.
The pride of London, Ontario, teased the collaboration two days ago in an Instagram post and had fans wondering what was going on.
Now he’s helping bring three Timbiebs flavours – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle – to stores across North America.
However, this doesn’t mean you will go without this year!
Coffee shops across Victoria are now announcing their very own eggnog lattes and other holiday drink menus. This means you can still live your eggnog latte dreams while supporting local businesses. You can see our list here.
Now that we are able to go out and catch up with friends over dinner again, we want it to be special. We want to go all out!
Getting dressed up, ordering a glass of wine and sharing a charcuterie board at a local restaurant can make you feel fancy and sophisticated.
Charcuterie boards give you a little bit of everything, meat, cheeses, pickled sides. It’s the perfect sharing dish to have while you discuss everything you’ve missed with your friends.
A brand new shop specializing in British treats has opened in Victoria and we’re buzzing with excitement!
Limey, the British Shop, opened as a single, family-run location in Kelowna. Now, they’re overjoyed as they expand to, in their words “the most British city in all of Canada”.
This fun and funky shop specializes in all things British, from sweets and crisps, to bangers, black pudding and Marmite.
I know that might seem like a kinda silly reason to turn suddenly serious, especially given White’s comedic presence. But it was hard not to feel a little verklempt, after what has felt like an exhausting and tough year.
Wildfires. Floods. Omnipresent COVID giving way to Omicron COVID.
The death of one of a handful of truly beloved living Hollywood icons mere weeks before her 100th birthday was a bit much to lead into.
But then I really thought about it: it’s not as though Betty White chose the date of her death. It’s not as though her dying before 100 obliterates the absolutely stunning achievements of her career, and the gifts of comedy she left us.
So it is with any date, really.
I know we tend to attach a lot of significance to this time of year. A complete orbit of the sun. A flipping of the calendar. And that’s fine.
If it helps you mentally to frame this period as the turning of the page on a new chapter, I think that’s fine. It can be healthy to let go of the bad stuff, push past it, and move forward.
What we shouldn’t do, however, is become obsessed with the idea that things automatically begin or end around a single date. I use the example of Betty White because as sad as it may be to lose her, she was 99 years old, folks.
White lived an incredible, full life, acted well into her 80s, and entertained millions. It’s hard to see that career as anything but an incredible accomplishment and a life well-lived and well-loved.
During her life, the world also saw several wars, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Moon Landing, the invention of the internet, and so much more. Some of it was good. Some of it was bad. None of it was particularly concerned with what year it was.
Problems, and for that matter, successes, are not hinged around any single date. There’s no hard and fast deadline for your personal growth, and no grand plan the universe will adhere to in order to keep us on track.
I know many folks like to make resolutions this year. That’s fine. But to me, I think the bigger resolution, the resolve if you will, is to be resolved in the face of an inherently chaotic world.
It could all come crashing down tomorrow. It could also be a lot better. We could die at 99. We could die at 100.
My suggestion? The strongest thing you can do is to keep resolved, keep going, and remember that thinking about tomorrow means you lived another day, persisting, resisting — resolving.
Happy New Year!
Welcome to Ford on Fridays: a weekly column where Victoria Buzz staff writer Tim Ford offers his thoughts on life, love, and the pursuit of the perfect joke.
This column is for comedic purposes only. Please feel free to send feedback, thoughts, and [constructive] criticisms to tim@victoriabuzz.com.
While some found themselves having to close their doors and others trying to navigate the ever changing indoor dining restrictions, the restaurant industry was hit hard in 2021.
Victoria is well-known for its incredible food, a variety of options, and locally-owned favourites.
Although restaurants around town had a difficult year, we did see locals flocking back to support their favourites as soon as they could.
We even saw some brand new restaurants open their doors, eager to welcome us in!
Here are 8 new eateries that opened in and around Victoria in 2021:
Eva Schnitzelhaus, the brand new addition to Victoria’s Chinatown district, offers new interpretations of classic German, Swiss and Austrian dishes for the public to enjoy.
The 600 square foot restaurant is bright and spacious, seating 38 diners with an interior designed to feel like the ambiance of an authentic ski chalet.
At Eva, guests can enjoy a variety of share plates, mains, and sides as well as a full happy hour snack selection. Highlights include Potato and Raclette, Beets and Sour Cream, Ham Hock and Sauerkraut, Pretzel and Mustard, and an Endive Waldorf Salad.
Location: 509 Fisgard Street
Hours: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Superflux {Cabana} is a 55-seat dining room upstairs harkening to a Hunter S. Thompson-inspired Las Vegas.
Owned by Vancouver-based brewery Superflux, the menu has a stacked line of ten of Superflux’s own beers, a selection of rotating guest taps and select wine and cocktails. You can even grab a four-pack to go!
In spring, Superflux {Cabana} will open a rooftop patio with an additional 60 seats.
Location: Upstairs, 804 Broughton Street
Hours: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday and Friday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday
Thirteen years after Driftwood Brewery began operation at their original brewery in Rock Bay, the company has moved to a new warehouse space in Esquimalt.
The 59,000 square foot space includes a distillery, tasting lounge with a patio, kitchen and an enhanced retail store.
In the lounge, you can enjoy your favourite Driftwood beers, spirits from the new Driftwood Spirits as well as select wine, beer and cider from other producers!
The commercial kitchen will also showcase the fare of locally-owned Dumpling Drop!
In 2021, The Beacon Landing Restaurant & Lounge, a long-standing pub in Sidney, went Italian.
The Beacon Landing rebranded, becoming Riva.
The restaurant can seat 85 people and includes a 125-seat fully-licensed lounge with a spacious outdoor patio.
“Guests can expect fresh Italian and Mediterranean flavours in tapas style dishes using plenty of local ingredients, great cocktails, and Italian + BC VQA wine,” General Manager Douglas Stassi said in an email to Victoria Buzz.
VicPD have seized a vehicle they say resembles the SUV that struck a young woman at Bay and Blanshard Streets in downtown Victoria Thursday morning.
The SUV was located just after 10 p.m. last night after receiving a tip from the public.
“A member of the public who had seen the video of the collision online recognized the vehicle, located it and called police,” VicPD said in a statement.
According to VicPD, officers found damage on the SUV that is consistent with a recent collision.
The vehicle was seized and towed to VicPD’s secure storage area for processing. Forensic officers are working with the collision reconstruction team to determine if this vehicle was involved in the collision.
As of this publication, there have been no arrests.
On Thursday, police released dramatic dashcam footage showing the moment a pedestrian was struck while crossing a downtown intersection that morning.
The incident occurred just after 9 a.m. Thursday, December 30th at the intersection of Bay and Blanshard Streets.
In the video, a young woman can be seen walking across Blanshard Street when a grey or silver MINI Countryman SUV travelling northbound failed to stop for the red light when she was struck.
The driver of the vehicle made no attempt to stop and continued through the intersection, narrowly avoiding additional collisions with other vehicles.
The woman, who was thrown in the air, managed to get up and make her way to the side of the road before collapsing. Nearby witnesses, including motorists at the scene, rendered aid to the woman until emergency crews arrived.
Kimberlyn Slattery, the woman hit by the car, took to social media Thursday afternoon saying that she was recovering at home.
She was transported to hospital by paramedics with non-life threatening injuries.
“Luckily there were no major injuries and I’ll hopefully just be sore for a while,” Slattery wrote in her Facebook post.
“Thank you to the first responders and the people that stopped to help me! Please everyone be careful out there, and please please wipe all the snow off your cars and slow down.”
She lost her mobile phone in the collision and is asking for people to watch for it in the area of the crash. If found, it can be turned in to VicPD.
The vehicle involved in the crash is was a late model, silver or grey MINI Countryman.
Investigators are looking to speak with the driver of the white Tesla Model Y as they may have more info about the incident.
Viewer discretion advised:
If you are the driver of the vehicle involved, have footage of the collision, or have information about the incident and have yet to speak with investigators, call VicPD at (250) 995-7654.
To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
(Gilbey, left, with his employees showing off some of the stolen items)
Nanaimo RCMP have arrested two suspects who broke into a local sporting goods store and stole nearly three dozen NHL youth hockey jerseys.
At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Friday, December 31st, officers were notified of a break and enter in progress at Kirby’s Source for Sports on Bowen Road.
Upon arrival, officers were met by store manager Zack Gilbey. Gilbey played store surveillance which showed a suspect enter the business twice, grabbing as many jerseys as he could in the process.
The jerseys were then loaded into a waiting pickup which departed southbound on Bowen Road.
Approximately one hour later, the vehicle was spotted driving northbound along Terminal Avenue by officers. The vehicle was pulled over.
The suspect, who was identified from the surveillance footage, was located in the vehicle along with the stolen jerseys.
The 48-year-old man with no fixed address now faces one count of break and enter.
Additionally, the driver of the vehicle, a 40-year-old man also with no fixed address, is facing one count of possession of stolen property.
Both men were released from police custody with a court date pending in February 2022 in Nanaimo Provincial Court.
All of the recovered jerseys will be returned to the store once investigators have had a chance to catalogue each of the items.
With 2021 coming to an end, BC health officials provided one last COVID-19 briefing on Friday morning.
With the climbing case count driven by the Omicron variant, Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer announced visitors to long-term care homes will be restricted to essential visitors only, starting January 1st.
Henry said this restriction has been put in place in an effort to keep staff and residents safe and will be re-evaluated on January 18th.
“We need to decrease the numbers of people coming into our long-term care home so we can best protect the seniors and elders in our care homes and ensure that workers in those settings are able to manage and cope,” Henry said.
In addition to the above announcement, the province will be fast-tracking booster shots for pregnant women and many essential workers.
Pregnant women can get a booster shot six months after their second dose and will need to call in to book their appointment.
Dr. Penny Ballem, BC’s head of vaccination roll-out, was a part of the press conference today and announced everyone aged 60 and over are now eligible to receive a booster shot six months after the second shot.
To date, 905,784 residents of BC have received their booster shot.
During the press conference Henry also announced changes to the isolation rules in BC. The province is reducing the isolation period for COVID-19 positive vaccinated people to five days if symptoms are gone. People will be required to wear masks for five additional days after isolation.
Unvaccinated people must still isolate for 10 days.
With more than 9.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in BC so far, officials said the booster dose program will be accelerated to combat the province’s ongoing surge in Omicron cases.
Previously, people would be contacted for their booster six to eight months after their second dose; this has now been changed to 6 months after.
Currently, more than 350 pharmacies across 80 communities in BC are administering vaccines.
Come mid-January, approximately 700 additional pharmacies are expected to join, administering the majority of booster shots for everyone eligible through the Get Vaccinated registration and booking system.
As of this publication, there are now 17,400 active cases in the province. On Thursday, officials reported 4,383 confirmed new cases.
The BC Ministry of Health reported 4,383 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, December 30th.
There have been 251,054 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 977
Fraser Health: 2,319
Island Health: 460
Interior Health: 501
Northern Health: 122
Resident outside Canada: 4
There are currently 17,357 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
230,784 people who tested positive have recovered.
There are now a total of 211 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 66 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
1 person died from COVID-related causes, making the provincial death toll 2,420.
Outbreaks
There have been six new health-care facility outbreaks at Mission Memorial Hospital, New Vista Care Centre, Chartwell Langley Gardens, Chartwell Carlton Gardens, Chartwell Crescent Gardens and Guildford Seniors Village (Fraser Health), for a total of 13 facilities with ongoing outbreaks
Vaccinations
As of Thursday, December 30th:
9,368,643 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in BC
91.9% (4,260,681) of eligible people 12 and older in BC have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 89.1% (4,131,345) have received their second dose and 19.1% (884,416) have received a third dose.
92.3% (3,991,809) of all eligible adults in BC have received their first dose, 89.6% (3,875,648) have received their second dose, and 20.4% (883,558) have received a third dose.
VicPD have released dramatic dashcam footage showing the moment a pedestrian was struck while crossing a downtown Victoria intersection this morning.
The incident occurred just after 9 a.m. Thursday, December 30th at the intersection of Bay and Blanshard Streets.
In the video, a young woman can be seen walking across Blanshard Street when a grey or silver MINI Countryman SUV travelling northbound failed to stop for the red light when she was struck.
The driver of the vehicle made no attempt to stop and continued through the intersection, narrowly avoiding additional collisions with other vehicles.
The woman, who was thrown in the air, managed to get up and make her way to the side of the road before collapsing. Nearby witnesses, including motorists at the scene, rendered aid to the woman until emergency crews arrived.
Kimberlyn Slattery, the woman hit by the car, took to social media Thursday afternoon saying that she was recovering at home.
Slattery was transported to hospital by paramedics with non-life threatening injuries.
“Luckily there were no major injuries and I’ll hopefully just be sore for a while,” Slattery wrote in her Facebook message.
“Thank you to the first responders and the people that stopped to help me! Please everyone be careful out there, and please please wipe all the snow off your cars and slow down.”
The vehicle involved is described as a late model, silver or grey MINI Countryman. This vehicle may have damage to the right front hood and bumper area.
Investigators are also looking to speak with the driver of the white Tesla Model Y as they may have more info about the incident.
Viewer discretion advised:
We're looking for the driver of a grey or silver MINI Countryman after a hit and run at Bay & Blanshard just after 9 a.m. this morning that sent a young woman to hospital. Video of the crash is below. Discretion is advised. #yyjtrafficpic.twitter.com/ysGzb0nrHd
If you are the driver of the vehicle involved, have footage of the collision, or have information about the incident and have yet to speak with investigators, call VicPD at (250) 995-7654.
To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
“Your safety is important to us, and we require a specific number of crew members on board the vessel to ensure the safety of our passengers in the unlikely event of an emergency and to comply with Transport Canada regulations.” BC Ferries said in a release.
“We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of this cancellation.”
Customers with bookings will have their bookings cancelled and reservation fees refunded.
It was an exciting night for the Victoria Royals on Wednesday, as their game included more than a few firsts, a highlight reel goal and an epic shutout win over the Vancouver Giants.
Though it was their second game in a row facing the familiar foe, it was the Royals’ first back at home after a recent road trip, and it was definitely one for the books.
Tyler Palmer in particular put on an impressive show, making 50 saves and recording his first ever shutout. At the same time, he also smashed a few records, including league-wide.
Palmer’s 50 saves are the most by a WHL goaltender in a shutout performance since Wyatt Hoflin (KTN) turned in a 51-save shutout performance March 15th, 2016 versus Edmonton.
The 18-year-old goaltender also smashed the team record, which was previously held by Griffen Outhouse, who made 40 saves on December 28th, 2016.
Matthew Hodson also opened the scoring during his first of the game of the season, earning himself the puck and his first ever WHL goal in one fell swoop.
1st game of the season, 1st WHL Goal, one big celly 🙌
The final score of the game was 3-0 for the Royals, and they’re back at SOFMC tonight facing the Vancouver Giants once more in their last home game of the year – you can grab your tickets here!
If you live in Canada, or have even visited, you’ve probably tried a Timbit once or twice.
The bite-sized donuts from Tim Hortons are a Canadian staple, and to celebrate the popular coffee chain turning 45 this year, they’ve announced the top five Timbit flavours as voted by Canadians.
Here’s what Canadians said:
Over the past year, the most popular Timbit in Canada was the Chocolate Glazed.
The flavour won by a large margin, winning as the favourite in Western Canada, Quebec and Ontario.
Birthday Cake and Honey Dip came close in second and third place, Old Fashioned Plain was fourth and Sour Cream Glazed was in fifth.
(CNW Group/Tim Hortons)
2021 also brought Canadians ‘Timbiebs’, a collaboration between Tim Hortons and Justin Bieber.
The collaboration introduced three new Timbit flavours – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle – to stores across North America.
When it came to Timbiebs, the new Chocolate White Fudge flavour was voted as Canada’s top pick.
“It was such a huge year for the Timbits platform, not only for the big 45th anniversary but with our work with Justin to collaborate on Timbiebs, which have been a massive hit!” said Tim Hortons Director of Culinary Innovation Chef Tallis Voakes.
“Justin told us the Chocolate Glazed was his favourite classic Timbit so I’m not surprised it ended up officially being Canada’s favourite as well.”
VicPD are continuing to search for a high-risk missing 32-year-old man who was last seen on December 30th, 2020.
Tyler Desorcy has not been in contact with family or seen by anyone since then, which police say is unusual for him.
Reports from January said he was last seen in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue on December 30th, but new reports now say he was actually last seen in the 800-block of Courtney Street.
Police have continued to work to locate Tyler since that time.
VicPD report that Tyler has a medical condition which requires treatment and that the circumstances under which Tyler has gone missing are considered to be high-risk.
Tyler is described as a 32-year-old Indigenous man with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5’ foot 9” tall with a heavy build and a noticeable limp.
Tyler was last seen wearing a long black jacket, a green hooded sweater with a design on the front, black sweatpants and dark running shoes.
Anyone who sees Tyler Desorcy is asked to call 911.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call VicPD at (250) 995-7654.
Those who wish to report information anonymously should call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
BC’s new paid sick day program, providing all eligible workers with a minimum of five paid days in the case of illness, is set to be implemented on January 1st, 2022.
In November, the provincial government released details surrounding the new permanent, paid sick leave program for employees covered by the Employment Standards Act in British Columbia.
According to the province, more than one million workers in BC do not currently have access to paid sick leave, mostly those in low-wage jobs.
“Beginning in the new year, workers will no longer lose pay for making the responsible choice of taking a sick day,” said Premier John Horgan.
“The pandemic has highlighted that when workers don’t have paid sick leave, it’s bad for them, it’s bad for their co-workers and it’s bad for their employers.”
When considering the possibility of legislating a province-wide sick leave program, officials looked to other jurisdictions that have mandated paid sick leave, including in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.
Research showed, after implementing a sick leave program, the cost increases for businesses was less than expected. In addition, many businesses experienced increased productivity and retention of trained staff, reduced risks of injury, improved morale and increased labour-force participation.
“Until now, about half of B.C. workers have been unable to stay home when sick without losing wages,” said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour.
“Many of those are lower-paid workers who can least afford to lose the money and, as a result, end up going to work sick. Paid sick leave is the right thing to do, and it is now in British Columbia permanently.”
Now, with the new year approaching, the benefits are set to begin.
Starting January 1st, eligible employees are entitled to a minimum of five paid sick days each year if they have worked at the organization for at least 90 days. This includes part time workers.
The act does not cover federally regulated sectors, self-employed workers and employees in professions and occupations explicitly excluded from the act.
For more information on the provincial government’s new paid sick leave benefit, visit their Paid Sick Leave website.
For more information and questions about specific work situations, employers and workers can contact the Employment Standards Branch’s Help Line at 1-833-236-3700.
BC is the first province in Canada to legislate a permanent minimum five days paid sick leave program at this level.
VicPD have released camera footage of a suspect sought for vandalizing a building in downtown Victoria earlier this month.
Police release the video with hopes the public can help identify vandalism suspect, and a group of people he was with after they were were caught on video vandalizing multiple store fronts in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 11th.
“Officers were contacted after multiple people discovered damage to buildings at 845 and 848 Yates Street,” said VicPD in a media release.
“Upon reviewing surveillance footage, those reporting the incident noted that the incident had been captured on surveillance video.”
Video released by VicPD shows the suspect approach the buildings on Yates Street at approximately 3:30 a.m., and spray paint in two different locations.
The suspect is accompanied by at least one other individual who watches him commit the mischief. They both then enter the building at 848 Yates Street alongside another group of people.
The vandalism suspect is described as a Caucasian man, between 20 and 30 years-old, approximately 510″ tall, with a medium build. He has brown wavy hair. At the time of the incident, He was wearing a black ball cap with a red emblem, a white shirt with a design on the front overtop a dark long-sleeve shirt, beige pants, red and white shoes and is carrying a black shoulder bag.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect, the people with him, or have information about this incident, are asked to call VicPD (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) recycling collection service has been cancelled for the day due to adverse weather conditions.
In a media release, the CRD said the cancellation is for all scheduled routes on Thursday, December 30th.
“All scheduled blue box collection is cancelled today due to unsafe weather and icy road conditions in the region.” CRD said in its statement.
Residents affected are advised to hold their recycling until their next collection day. There is no limit on how much recycling can be placed at the curb.
Recyclables can also be dropped off at a depot free of charge, click herefor a list of free recycling drop off locations in the CRD.
Just make sure to check weather conditions before heading out. Some locations on the list may also be closed due to the weather.
Hartland Landfill is open today, but the weather has impacted road conditions so CRD is asking people to use caution and expect delays.
(Dr. Bonnie Henry/Province of British Columbia Flickr)
The BC Ministry of Health reported 2,944 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, December 29th.
There have been 235,658 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 571
Fraser Health: 1,591
Island Health: 219
Interior Health: 374
Northern Health: 66
Resident outside Canada: 0
There are currently 16,014 active cases of COVID-19 in the province.
227,780 people who tested positive have recovered.
There are now a total of 193 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 66 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
5 new people have died from COVID-related causes since December 24th, making the provincial death toll 2,419.
Outbreaks
There have been 5 new health-care facility outbreaks in the province: The Oxford Senior Care Home, Fort Langley Seniors Community, AgeCare Harmony Court, The Waverly Seniors Village (Fraser Health) and UBC Hospital – Detwiller Pavillion (Vancouver Coastal Health).
There are a total of 7 ongoing health care outbreaks in the province.
There is currently 1 health care outbreak in the Island Health region.
Vaccinations
As of Wednesday, December 29th:
9,337,772 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in BC
88.0% (4,384,402) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 82.8% (4,129,587) have received their second dose.
91.9% (4,259,339) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 89.1% (4,129,454) received their second dose, and 18.5% (858,774) have received a third dose.
92.3% (3,990,578) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 89.6% (3,873,920) received their second dose, and 19.8% (857,935) have received a third dose.
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health (Colin Smith Takes Pics)
The BC government has announced that the full reopening of K-12 schools will be delayed by a week after the winter holidays.
According to health officials, it’s hoped that the additional time away will give teachers more time to implement safety measures.
During a live press today conference, Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside said the goal of these new measures is to keep kids at school for the remainder of the year.
All K-12 school staff will be returning to schools next week as originally planned. A full return to school for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 will be delayed until Monday, January 10th.
“Schools have safety protocols in place that have kept students and staff in school over the past two years, but as the pandemic changes, our protocols must change, too,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer.
“That’s why schools will be implementing enhanced public-health measures to ensure we can continue the in-person learning that is so important for well-being and mental health.”
Additionally, Whiteside said that the schools will open January 4th for children of health care workers and those who have special needs.
The delayed start will give teachers time to assess the impact of Omicron in community and in education system.
Schools will no longer have in-person assemblies and extra curricular sports will be paused.
School staff meetings are to be conduced virtually.
When in-class resumes, K-12 schools must reinforce existing safety measures, including:
Using all available space to maximize space between people: For example, different common space, classroom and learning environment configurations (e.g., avoid face-to-face seating arrangements where possible)
Everyone able to wear a mask
Doing daily health checks, and staying home when sick
K-12 public and independent schools must also implement enhanced safety measures, such as: Implement strategies that prevent crowding during class transition times
Hold school gatherings and events (e.g., assemblies, etc.) virtually. If they must be in-person, limit the number of people to no more than 50% operating capacity
Hold staff-only gatherings (e.g., meetings, professional development activities) virtually whenever possible.
Limit visitors to those who are supporting activities that directly benefit student learning and well-being (e.g., teacher candidates, immunizers, meal program volunteers, etc.)
Pause extracurricular sports tournaments
In addition to above announcement, BC health officials released the latest COVID-19 numbers reporting 2,944 new cases over the past 24 hours.
Active cases of COVID-19 have nearly doubled in BC since Christmas Eve with most being the Omicron variant.
If you haven’t yet made it down to Centennial Square’s ‘Lights of Wonder’ event, there is still time!
The outdoor, free attraction offers a cruise through a literal wonderland of light displays, a safe and fun way for your family to spend the evening.
Lights of Wonder is open to the public at 4 p.m. each day, giving you enough time to grab a bite to eat or some drinks at one of downtown’s many restaurants.
We even have a list of local Happy Hours to try before you bundle up and take in all the twinkling lights!
On December 31st, Lights of Wonder will celebrate its last night with hot chocolate, popcorn and treats sold on site.
So if you’re looking for something to do on New Years Eve, you have the perfect way to celebrate safely. The event will feature two countdowns – one at 9 p.m. for those with young children and another at 12 a.m. on January 1st.
Lights of Wonder is a stand-in for parties and events cancelled due to the restrictions announced on December 21st.
Instead of cancelling all together, enjoy an open-air celebration to safely welcome 2022 with your loved ones.
Lights of Wonder
Where: Centennial Square
When:
Now through December 31st – open until midnight on New Year’s Eve!
An early morning traffic stop turned dangerous on Wednesday, when a VicPD officer was dragged by a vehicle driven by an impaired driver.
Just after 3 a.m. on December 29th, a patrol officer observed a vehicle turning onto Pandora Avenue at Blanshard Street, driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
The officer responded, pulling the vehicle over to initiate an impaired driving investigation.
Upon connecting with dispatch, the officer was informed the registered owner of the vehicle had a previous homicide conviction. He had also recently expressed a desire for a fatal encounter with police.
As a result, additional police officers were dispatched to the scene.
Two officers approached the vehicle where, allegedly, it was clear the male driver was intoxicated.
Once confronted, the man started the van and attempted to flee.
One of the officers on scene became entangled with the vehicle and was dragged several meters before being able to free themselves.
The officer was injured but returned to his vehicle to follow the suspect.
The driver then turned onto Amelia street, attempting to make a turn into a driveway which resulted in a collision with a parked vehicle and a house.
After the collision, officers used their vehicle to pin the van in place.
The suspect exited the vehicle but did not comply, resulting in officers deploying bean bag rounds and tasers.
The man fell to the ground and was transported to hospital and then taken into custody.
Once in custody, he was given a breathalyzer test and failed. His vehicle was impounded and he has been given a driving prohibition. He will appear in court at a later date.
The injured officer received medical attention as a result of their non-life-threatening leg injury.
The officer was transported back to headquarters to complete their file but was not able to complete their shift; they will take time to recover before returning to duty.
Crash analysts documented and investigated the scene of the collision at the residential home, where damage to the home and vehicle were extensive.
Thankfully, the occupants of the house were not physically injured.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the VicPD Report Desk at 250 995 7654.
The pandemic was prime time for kitten and puppy picking.
A lot of cats and dogs were given new names in 2021, in no small part due to soaring pet adoption rates and additional time spent at home due to the pandemic.
Rover.com — the world’s largest online marketplace for pet care — unveiled its ninth annual report of the year’s most popular dog and cat names, along with the latest trends.
Pet owners are looking to pop culture, the pandemic, sports, and more for inspiration when naming their cats and dogs.
Rover analyzed millions of pet names submitted by owners and found many familiar titles to craft their report.
The most popular COVID-inspired dog names in 2021 were Covi and Rona, with Rona making the list for the first time along with Fauci. For our feline friends, 2021 put the cat names Delta and Zoom on the map.
These were the top female dog names:
Luna has taken the top spot for female dog names this year, moving last year’s favourite, Bella, to the number two spot. Lucy and Daisy also swapped places this year, with Daisy taking third and Lucy taking fourth in the ranking. New to the top five this year is Lola, replacing last year’s fifth place contender, Molly.
These were the top male dog names:
Charlie tops the list of male dog names again this year, while Milo edged out Max for second place. After Max in third is Leo, which moved from fifth place last year to fourth place in 2021. Last but not least, Rocky rounds out the top five list in fifth place.
These were the top female cat names:
Luna and Bella top the most popular female cat names again this year, in first and second places respectively. Lily beat out Lucy for third place, pushing Lucy to fourth, and new to the top five this year is Daisy in fifth place.
These are the top male cat names:
Charlie has found his way to the top of the male cat names list this year, taking first place away from Milo who now sits in third. Leo moved from fourth place last year to second place this year, while Oliver slid from second down to fourth to take Leo’s former spot. Rounding out the list in fifth place is a new name to the top five this year: Jack.
To see the full list of trending names, click here.
2021 was a big year for lottery players in British Columbia, with more than $891 million dollars in total prizes paid out.
According to BCLC, more than 102 million winning tickets were sold to players at both retail locations and online across the province.
BC saw a record-breaking number of wins, but Vancouver Island, specifically, saw $100.4 million in prizes paid out to players.
“As 2021 wraps up, we’re celebrating all of our players and so many amazing, life-changing dreams that came true for lottery winners,” said Lynda Cavanaugh, BCLC’s Interim President and CEO.
“It’s thanks to each one of our players that BCLC generates revenue for the Province of B.C., which in turn invests it back into the communities where our players live and work in. It’s a win-win-win, and today we’re celebrating more than 15 million winning tickets sold on Vancouver Island in 2021.”
Some other lottery highlights for Vancouver Island in 2021 include 15.7 million winning tickets sold, 11 grand prize-winning tickets sold, valued at $500,000 or more and 3 million free-play tickets won over the year.
British Columbia is being hit hard by cold weather and snow all around the province, and the proof is in the hydro bill.
According to BC Hydro, demand hit an all-time high of 10,902 megawatts between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday, December 27th.
The previous record was set at 10,577 megawatts in 2020.
“The record represents the hour when demand for electricity was the highest yesterday,” says Simi Heer, BC Hydro spokesperson. “Most of the increase is likely due to additional home heating required during this cold snap.”
In addition to the peak demand record on Monday, BC Hydro there has been an increase in electricity demand since Friday, with Monday’s hourly peak demand was 18 per cent higher than Friday’s.
An Extreme Weather Advisory Protocol is in effect in Victoria, with extra shelters and beds available for those who need them.
BC Hydro says the most electricity is used when customers return home from work, turning up the heat, switching on lights, and cooking and cleaning.
The company recommends avoiding cranking up the thermostat, as it doesn’t heat up a home faster than just increasing it by one or two degrees.
BC Hydro also suggests that households turn down the heat when no one is home. The utility comany recommends 16C when people are sleeping or away from home, 21C when relaxing or watching TV and 18C when doing housework or cleaning.
They also suggest draft-proofing around windows and doors in order to maximise the heat that stays in the house.
According to Environment Canada, the Greater Victoria area could see another 5 to 10 cm of fresh snow starting Wednesday evening.
According to the weather agency, a storm system will move across the south coast of BC Wednesday night.
With ample cold air in place, this system will result in widespread snow beginning Wednesday evening and tapering off Thursday morning.
The current forecast suggests widespread 5 to 10 cm of snow is likely. However, there is the potential for locally heavier amounts particularly over the Sunshine Coast, North Shore Mountains, and parts of Vancouver Island.
Environment Canada said roughly 4.2 cm of snow fell overnight Monday.
The BC Ministry of Health reported 1,785 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, December 28th.
The latest infections bring the total number of recorded cases in the province to 243,731 since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions
791 new cases in Fraser Health
400 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health
269 new cases in Interior Health
42 new cases in Northern Health
283 new cases in Island Health
0 new case in person who resides outside of Canada
In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said the Ministry of Health will return to regular reporting of COVID-19 cases, vaccinations, hospitalizations and deaths, and cases and hospitalizations by vaccination status on Wednesday, December 29th.
Two sailings between Tsawwassen and Duke Point have been cancelled, the 3:15 p.m. from Tsawwassen and the 5:45 p.m. leaving Duke Point.
In a tweet, BC Ferries said freezing temperatures caused water pipes to freeze and other unsafe conditions on the vessel’s vehicle decks.
At the time of publication, no other cancellations had been announced and no other routes have been affected.
Last week, special weather statements with warnings of rain, snow, and arctic air were issued for most of Vancouver Island, including the Greater Victoria area.
“There will be an increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia with these conditions. Protect yourself and wear appropriate clothing when outdoors,” Environment Canada warned.
Market Square during the blizzard of 1996. Photo by Ruda Rumburak
It’s pretty fitting that all of Victoria got blanketed in snow on the 25th anniversary of the “Blizzard of 1996”, don’t you think?
On December 21st, 1996, Victorians were greeted to snowflakes dusting the streets – little did we know that the last three days of December would see us blanketed in one of the worst winter storms Vancouver Island would see.
On the evening of December 26th, 1996, it began to snow again and would continue over the next several days. Over 65 cm of snow fell December 28th to 29th alone, breaking records set in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto!
Along with the 96 photos submitted by our fans below, we’ve also re-printed in part the account of local Victorian Keith C. Heidorn, PhD, known as “The Weather Doctor”.
Dr. Heidorn passed away in 2013, but his family has graciously granted us permission to include his words in this article.
The media called it the Blizzard of 1996, although with heavy snowfalls so rare here, The Blizzard would have sufficed. (The last major snowstorm of comparable size struck in 1916.) The rest of Canada had a rare opportunity for “reverse-gloating” when they heard the news — Victorians can be rather smug about their mild winters and take every chance to rub it in to the rest of the nation.
The media also called it a “disaster,” but that, in my opinion was an exaggeration. If the storm was a disaster, it would be for its impact on local buildings and infrastructure. Damage and clean-up costs were pegged at around $200 million Canadian dollars. Insurance claims of $120 million were the largest for a single event in British Columbia history.
I term the event a transportation emergency since the accumulated snow prevented people from going where and when they pleased. Even four-wheel drive vehicles could not negotiate the deeply covered streets. The hardy took to walking or skiing. The greatest concerns arose when emergencies occurred, and police, emergency vehicles and medical attention could not get to the site because of the snow-clogged streets. Victoria has but a few snowplows (five at the time), and most are attached to the centre of dump trucks, a viable method of snow removal in the normal light snows but of little use in deep snow accumulations since the trucks could not drive over the snow in front of them.
Not only did mechanized surface transportation stop, but Victoria International Airport and the BC Ferry service to the mainland and surrounding Gulf Islands also ground to a standstill. Staff could not reach the terminals nor could any passengers get to or from the airport and ferry terminals. Boating was possible if you could get to one, but before you could embark, the decks had to be shovelled free of the heavy snow to avoid capsizing. Many protective boathouses collapsed under the immense weight of the snow, trapping and often damaging the boats within.
The various levels of government (Victoria is the Provincial capital) were slow to react to the gravity of the situation. As a result, a local and popular talk radio station CFAX voluntarily undertook organization of the community response, initially through default but later because word had reached many citizens to tune to them for emergency information. (CFAX would later be cited with a special award from the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society for their efforts during the situation, an award for which I nominated them.)
CFAX’s open phone line manned by announcers Mike King and Greg Morin connected those in need with those who could render assistance. For example, up the Saanich Peninsula, a seniors’ housing complex was literally snowed in. Snow drifted around the building prevented doors from being opened, and many of those trapped within became frightened. One elderly woman phoned CFAX emotionally asking for anyone with a shovel and within walking distance of the complex to help dig out the seniors. Within hours, a small squad of neighbours descended to clear the doorways of snow.
The overall reaction of the citizens of Greater Victoria was one of cooperation within neighbourhoods, offering what help could be delivered. Neighbours joined together to shovel snow from roof-tops, doorways, walkways and even full street. They shared food, medicines and other supplies. They offered companionship to those caught alone or frightened. Since snow in Victoria is so rare, many residents don’t own a snow shovel so in lieu of the proper equipment, people used cake pans, plates, platters, baking sheets, dustpans, and cardboard boxes to create paths through the snow. Others just waded out and stomped trails into the snow.
All neighbourhoods were not as cooperative as others, unfortunately, and some major disagreements arose over the use of the few single-lane roadways dug out by hand shovelling, as addictions to tobacco, alcohol and the automobile overcame common sense and forced mad trips to the nearest stores.
But, those who made it to a store usually found it closed. In those stores, mostly small convenience stores, able to be open, runs on food items quickly cleared shelves. In many cases, empty shelves could not be restocked for more than a week as post-holiday deliveries were stalled by the snow. Supply trucks were caught on the mainland awaiting the resumption of ferry services to the islands and a reopening of highways from the ferry terminal into town.
Hospital and nursing home staffs on duty during the storm were trapped and required to take extra shifts. Many Victorians could not obtain critically needed medications because there were few ways to connect supply with need.
Those businesses — restaurants, shopping malls, groceries — that might have been open during the mid-holiday period were forced to remain closed because employees could not negotiate the trip to work. Bakeries dumped thousands of dollars of bread and dough when the bakers could not reach work nor the baked bread be delivered. Dairy farmers were forced to dump their milk for several days because it could not be taken to the dairies for processing and distribution.
The storm wrought major damage to many buildings and utility structures around the region as the weight of the waterlogged snow collapsed roofs, sports bubbles, boat houses, carports and greenhouses. A number of boats sank under the weight of snow on deck, and several float homes capsized or sank. Many of the region’s fragile greenhouses, private and commercial, were crushed under the burden of the snow, destroying not only the structure, but the crops growing within.
Some specific incidents included:
Roof cave-ins at the Thrifty’s Food Store in James Bay, North Saanich Panorama Leisure Centre, Glen Meadows Golf Club curling rink;
Thirty-five boats lost at the Capital City Yacht Club in Sidney, sunk or damage in boathouse collapses;
An Esquimalt float home capsized with all contents lost;
Two Viking Air hangers collapsed, destroying four aircraft and assorted equipment inside;
Vantreight and Sons greenhouses crushed under weight of snow.
The storm had some unexpected side benefits in addition to community cooperation. The one most commented upon by Victorians was the quiet. I know my first reaction on awakening that morning was the lack of the urban clamour. Without the unceasing din of traffic, natural sounds wafted across the city. The barking of California seals wintering on several small islands off Victoria’s east coast was heard many kilometres inland.
Without further ado, here are 96 photos from the Blizzard of 96:
Looking down Broughton from Government st Photo by Doug Clement Photography
Hillside looking towards Cedar Hill. Photo from Gilian Hillidge
Douglas Street near View St – Tim Anderson’s wife Viki writes, “It was a crazy winter where people became friendly and the streets became amazingly quiet due to lack of cars, or very slowly moving vehicles.”
Photo by Tim Anderson
“My car is under here somewhere” – Cedar Hill at Hillside. Photo by Gilian Hillidge.
“Found my car!” Photo by Gilian Hillidge.
Buried Island Temperature Control van. Photo by Kevin Lintern
Douglas Street photo by Doug Clement
Seven stories up in a condo in Songhees, open halls filled with snow. Photo Kevin Lintern – “My wife and I had just found out we were having our first baby, we wanted to tell my parents in person. We lived on Gorge Ave, they lived in Songhees. It took us about 3-4 hours to make that walk as most of the places were thigh deep snow…” K. Lintern
Christmas Village house on Bay Street. Photo Kevin Lintern
Saanichton photo by Suzy Bondesen
Saanichton photo by Suzy Bondesen
Dale Cooper digging out the car at Cedar Shores on Gorge Rd West. Photo Michelle Cooper
Dale Cooper digging out the car at Cedar Shores on Gorge Rd West. Photo Michelle Cooper
Dale Cooper assisting with snow removal at Cedar Shores on Gorge Rd West. Photo Michelle Cooper
Dale Cooper assisting with snow removal at Cedar Shores on Gorge Rd West. Photo Michelle Cooper
Cedar Shores on Gorge Rd West, with tree on car due to weight of snow. Photo Michelle Cooper
Butchart Gardens. Photo by Jeffrey Irwin
Butchart Gardens. Photo by Jeffrey Irwin
Butchart Gardens. Photo by Jeffrey Irwin
Digging out in Nanaimo. Photo by Kurt Seidel
Scoular Place’s Lisa & Graham. Photo Rhonda Cliff
Frolicking in the snow, Maddie, Rufus and Ryan. Photo Rhonda Cliff
Scoular Place. Photo Rhonda Cliff
Ralph Street in Saanich. Photo Alicia Brandt
Looking up Ralph Street toward Carey Road, Saanich. Photo Alicia Brandt
In the Uplands. Photo Nicola Holdsworth
In the Uplands. Photo Nicola Holdsworth
Apartment parking lot in Esquimalt. Photo Marc Boucher
Wendy Twomey outside her condo at the corner of Fort and Lee, across from the Jubilee Hospital.
Wendy Twomey outside her condo at the corner of Fort and Lee, across from the Jubilee Hospital.
Shawnigan Lake, photo Goldie Hartl
4-year-old Russell Prentice at his grandparents’ farm in Central Saanich. Photo via Russell Prentice
Central Saanich farm near the base of Bear Hill. Photo via Russell Prentice
Looking out the front door as brother tries to visit. Photo Kallie Price
Kallie Price’s one-year-old son wanting to go and play on the deck. Photo Kallie Price
Looking down Ker Avenue in Saanich. Photo Gail Abbott
Evelyn Becker (nee Barefoot) getting around on skis. Photo Gail Abbott
Looking towards Tillicum mall from Ker Ave. Photo Gail Abbott
Pearkes Rec Centre. Photo Gail Abbott
398 Ker Ave, Saanich. Photo Gail Abbott
Evelyn Becker (nee Barefoot) with her son Jacob. Photo Gail Abbott
Visiting relatives at Christmas on Salt Spring Island. Photo Wendy Montana
Shoveling snow in Cadboro Bay area. Photo Spook T.
Build up of snow on Gorge at Washington. Photo Muriel Marshall
From the top floor balcony overlooking downtown Victoria. At Gorge and Washington. Photo Muriel Marshall
Joseph street in Fairfield. Photo via Muriel Marshall – “We got stuck checking on my mother. We had to shovel our way out to the end of block. This was due to a large camper truck that went down the street leaving large ruts in the snow.” Dennis Raffard and Muriel Marshall.
Snow depth building up at Joseph Street in Fairfield. Photo of Calvin Whyte via Muriel Marshall
Waiting for the bus! Serendipitous visit from South Africa. Photo Sabine Kearns – “My husband, two boys, and I were visiting Victoria from South Africa. When this photo was taken, we were waiting for the bus to visit friends in Courtenay. We now live in Qualicum Beach, the beautiful little town we discovered on that very bus ride!” SK
James Bay – Photo Allison Mundschutz
In front of the Empress. Photo Allison Mundschutz
In front of the Empress. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Humboldt Street. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Frozen Inner Harbour Photo Allison Mundschutz
Frozen Inner Harbour. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Government Street and Parliament Buildings. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Photo taken on Douglas St looking up Johnson Steet Photo Allison Mundschutz
Humboldt Street. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Marifield in James Bay. Photo Allison Mundschutz
Broughton Street in front of YMCA – Photo Allison Mundschutz
Blanshard St near Burdette Ave – Photo Allison Mundschutz
A car buried in James Bay. Photo Peter Friebel
Cars buried in James Bay. Photo Peter Friebel “The fence at the end of this street makes me think it’s not San Jose. A sharp Victorian, can probably work out what street in James Bay it is.” Peter Friebel
“Tobogganing” in Beacon Hill Park. Photo Peter Friebel
Vanalman Avenue Saanich. Photo David Antrobus – “These photos were taken from our first home on Vanalman Ave. Everyone had to walk to Country Grocer at the time along thin channels in the snow.” David Antrobus
Vanalman Avenue, Saanich. Photo David Antrobus. “The backhoe belonged to a neighbour who owns Eagle Excavation.”
Montrose Avenue, Victoria. Photo Katie Stewart
Montrose Avenue, Victoria. Photo Katie Stewart
Montrose Avenue, Victoria. Photo Katie Stewart – “I worked at the Times Colonist, and was able to walk in, normally about a 20-minute walk. Only 35 people made it to work and there was no paper the next day.”
“Dad clearing a path with the dust pan.” Photo Katie Stewart
Douglas at View. Photo Ray Heeley
Douglas Street. Photo Ray Heeley
Humboldt Street in front of St. Ann’s Academy. Photo Ray Heeley
Yates St looking towards the intersection at Vancouver St. – “Yates was eerily quiet those days with only one lane ploughed and the only vehicles I saw were the police. I made myself eggnog pancakes and was keeping my food waste garbage in the freezer.” Jacqueline Staples
Yates St looking towards Johnson St. Photo Jacqueline Staples
Mahon road, Shawnigan Lake. Photo Jill Bell
Shawnigan Lake. Photo Jill Bell
View from Southgate St. across from Beacon Hill Park. “Silence and beauty of that day.” Pam Fortune
After the shovelling. Photo Tianna Shaw “Photo taken after my dad (Kenn Shaw) had finished clearing our roof and driveway in Victoria West, with me (Tianna Shaw) aged 2, standing atop the mountain of snow in front of our house.”
Do you have photos? Send to > > tips@victoriabuzz.com – Please include “Blizzard of 1996” in the subject, and also a brief description of the photo such as location.
A special thanks to the family of Keith C. Heidorn for giving Victoria Buzz permission to include his recollection from the blizzard of 1996. The full text of his account can be found HERE.
(Image of the 2017 Esquimalt Lagoon polar bear swim / Colin Smith Takes Pics)
It’s that time of year again.
Time to clean up the holiday decorations and start planning for a new year ahead!
And there’s no better, more invigorating way to start 2022 fresh than with an icy polar bear swim!
Every year, hundreds of eager swimmers meet at beaches across Vancouver Island to dive into the icy cold waters marking a fresh start to the new year..
This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many annual events have been postponed, however, there are two polar bear swims happening in the West Shore area to help kick off the New Year!
Smart Dolphins IT Solutions fifth annual Polar Bear swim will start your New Year off with a splash and support a good cause.
This year’s event includes a ceremonial first dive by a fully uniformed Troy Birtwistle of the Victoria HarbourCats and two-time Olympic and three-time world championships marathon runner Bruce Deacon.
There will also be prizes for best costume and a prize for the first person in, fully immersed, as well as a random draw.
Attendees are asked to bring a suggested donation of $5. All proceeds go to the Victoria Women’s Transition House.
The Otter Point Volunteer Fire Department hosts their annual Polar Bear Swim at Whiffin Spit. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. with a cannon start at noon!
When: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday January 1st
Where: Whiffin Spit, Sooke
Do you know of another polar bear swim happening in your area? Send us an email to tips@victoriabuzz.com to be included on our list!
Depending on when you like to pack up your decorations and take the tree down, you may be trying to figure out where you can get this year’s tree chipped!
Before recycling, don’t forget to remove all screws, nails, lights and ornaments from the tree. These items may be potentially hazardous if passed through chipping equipment.
When you are ready to wrap up your holiday celebrations, here are 22 places to get your Christmas tree chipped in and around Victoria:
The Easter Seals Christmas Tree Recycling Fundraiser
This holiday, donate your tree and also support Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan, an overnight and day summer camp program for children and adults with disabilities.
You can drop off your tree with a cash donation to Tillicum Shopping Centre, Save-On-Foods (Fort & Foul Bay), Westshore Town Centre, University Heights Shopping Centre and Broadmead Village Shopping Centre. There are also drop off locations in Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake and Duncan.
Pick up on January 8th is also available for the Greater Victoria region for a minimum $20 donation. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. You can register here.
Where: 5 locations throughout Victoria and 3 locations in the Cowichan Valley. You can view a list of locations here.
When: January 8th and 9th
McKenzie Elementary School
McKenzie Elementary School and Bartlett Tree Excerpts are teaming up for their annual Christmas Tree Chipping Fundraiser.
The event runs by donation, with proceeds going to the creation of Outdoor Learning Spaces.
Tree pick up is also available within 3km, please email tracylee16@hotmail.com by January 1st to arrange.
Where: Back parking lot ofMcKenzie Elementary School, 4005 Raymond Street North.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Colwood Volunteer Firefighters Association
By donation. Proceeds go to the Colwood Volunteer Firefighters Historical Fund.
Where: Colwood Fire Hall, 3215 Metchosin Road
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Compassionate Resource Warehouse
By donation. Proceeds go to youth programming and community.
Where: Archie Browning Sports Centre Parking Lot, 1151 Esquimalt Road
When: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Oak Bay Fire Tree Recycle 2022
By donation. Proceeds go towards the Oak Bay High School Bursary Program.
Where: 1703 Monterey Avenue, Fireman’s Park (behind the Fire Hall)
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 1st and 2nd
Castaway Wanderers Rugby Club
By donation. Trees will be chipped by Bartlett Tree Services.
Where: Currie Road next to the Windsor Park Rose Garden
When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., December 30th, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 15th
Community Living Victoria
By Donation to Community Living Victoria.
Where: 3861 Cedar Hill Cross Rd
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Central Saanich Lions Club
A donation box will be provided for after hours drop offs.
Where: 1700 Keating Cross Road, across from Municipal Works Yard.
When: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., December 28th, January 2nd, 3rd, 8th, and 9th
Victoria Judo Club
By donation. Proceeds will support youth and community athletics. Garden City Tree and Landscape will be doing the chipping.
Where: Lochside Elementary School, 1145 Royal Oak Drive
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 1st, 2nd and 8th
Reynolds Secondary School
By donation.
Where: 3963 Borden Street, Reynolds School parking lot
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 2nd, 8th and 9th
Juan De Fuca Search and Rescue
By donation. Proceeds will go to search and rescue volunteers. Legendary Tree Services will be donating their tree chipping services.
Where: 2901 Sooke Road (Slegg Lumber) Jan 2, 2022
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., January 2nd
Victoria High School
By donation. No minimum required. Average donation is $10 to $20 per tree.
Where: 1260 Grant street
When: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th and 9th, 15th and 16th
Ellice Recycle Ltd.
$15 + tax per tree.
Where: 524 David St. yard
When: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
Claremont Key Club
By donation ($10/tree recommended), proceeds will go toward the club’s charitable donations. Service provided by Davey Tree Services.
Where: 4980 Wesley Road, Claremont Secondary School (student parking lot off Claremont Ave)
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., January 9th
UVic Vikes Cross Country and Track Team
By donation. Proceeds will support the UVic Vikes Cross Country and Track team.
Where: Centennial Stadium parking lot
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Central Music Parents Association
By donation. Proceeds are used to support music at Central Middle School.
Where: 1280 Fort St, École Intermédiaire Central Middle School
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Knights of Columbus
By donation.
Where: St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 753 Burnside Road West
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., January 1st and January 8th
Sidney Sidney Lions Club
By donation.
Where: Overflow parking lot of Iroquois Park on Ocean Ave
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., January 8th and 9th
Hartland Landfill
Where: 1 Hartland Avenue
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. Closed Sundays and Stat Holidays.
Colwood Public Works Yard
Where: 3300 Wishart Road
When: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first and third Saturday of each month (December, January and February)
Royal Oak Middle School
By donation. Proceeds will go toward the Grade 8 farewell. Tree chipping provided by New Growth Tree Services
Where: 751 Travino Lane
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., January 8th
St. Patrick’s Elementary
By donation. This event is run by Parents Support Group, and the funds donated are used entirely for the students of St. Patrick’s Elementary
Where: 2368 Trent Street
When: 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., January 2nd, 8th and 9th.
Do you know of another tree chipping event or fundraiser in your area? Send us an email to tips@victoriabuzz.com to be included on our list!
Island Health has declared an COVID-19 outbreak at a long-term care home in Victoria.
In a news release Tuesday, the health authority said two staff members at the Amica Douglas House have tested positive for COVID-19 and so far, no residents are experiencing symptoms.
The outbreak has been contained to the second floor and Island Health said it is communicating with residents, family and staff.
Island Health said it is working to support Amica Douglas House, which is owned and operated by Amica Senior Lifestyles.
Enhance safety measures have been implemented, which include:
No admissions or transfers to the second floor
Visitation on the second floor is limited to essential visits only
Staff movement will be limited
No congregate dining or group activities
Enhanced cleaning and infection control measures will continue
Residents, families and staff are being notified
Staff and residents will continue to be screened for COVID-19 twice a day.
As of this publication, the outbreak at Amica Douglas House is currently the only active outbreak at a health-care facility in the Island Health region.
(Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile at Butchart Gardens / Instagram)
It’s no secret that Victoria has been voted Canada’s most romantic city multiple times, so it’s not a surprise that one of Bachelor in Paradise’s power couples was spotted here over the holidays.
According to their social media accounts, Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt spent a few fun-filled days in the city, stopping at some popular tourist hotspots along the way.
Joe and Serena had a successful courtship on Bachelor in Paradise’s most recent season, sealing the deal with an engagement at the end of it.
Though both are Bachelor veterans – with Joe appearing in season 14 of The Bachelorette, then again in season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise, and Serena starring in Bachelor season 25 – the pair appeared more in love than ever, celebrating their 6 month anniversary of being engaged in the capital city.
Serena’s Instagram stories showed the couple stopping for drinks at the Fairmont Empress, with the signature Empress Gin making an appearance in one of their cocktails.
(Serena Pitt / Instagram)
They then moved onto popular eatery Il Terrazzo, where Serena filmed a quick video of their sumptuous spread with a cameo by Joe.
(Serena Pitt / Instagram)
Joe also posted a photo of the two lovebirds at Butchart Gardens with a backdrop of twinkling lights, and later on a candid snap of downtown’s Don Mee.
