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We’ve all been there – you’re cruising the grocery aisles in search of the perfect pint, eyes peeled for whatever might tickle your fancy that evening while you binge-watch Grey’s Anatomy for a third time.
Eyes on the prize, you settle on your fav flavour, only to see the word’s ‘frozen dessert’ scrawled across the bottom of the tub.
Wait, what? I thought we were looking for ice cream.
Enter Betterwith – real ice cream with only a handful of ingredients, and none of the bad-for-you extras.
With an emphasis on full-fat cream, no gums, no preservatives, and no fillers, you’re only getting the good stuff – and even better? Betterwith makes their ice cream with the lowest possible sugar compared to other ice cream brands.
What’s NOT inside Betterwith Ice Cream:
Canola Oil
Soy Oils
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Citrate
Propylene Glycol Monostearate
Erythritol
Glycerin
Artificial Flavours
Artificial Colours
Carrageenan
Modified Corn Starch
Carob Bean Gum
Locust Bean Gum
Sodium Benzoate
Cellulose Gum
Modified Milk Ingredients
Mono and Diglycerides
Modified Palm Oil
How Betterwith was born:
Before ice cream, Lori Joyce’s entrepreneurial journey was all about a different dessert.
In 2002, the Betterwith CEO opened Cupcakes, the first ever cupcakes-only bakery, which she co-founded.
In less than 10 years, they franchised Cupcakes across Canada and even co-starred in their very own hit reality TV Show called ‘The Cupcake Girls’.
After 3 full seasons, 45 episodes, and a Gemini-Award for ‘Best New Reality Show’, Lori needed a break..
Until one day, Lori questioned while grocery shopping, “What is frozen dessert, and more importantly why is it not ice cream?”
That day in the freezer aisle, she saw an opportunity to make a better ice cream. An ice cream without tons of sugar, or any gums or preservatives. The rest is history.
Let’s talk about flavour, baby
Betterwith’s full delicious lineup includes Cream, Strawberry, Chocolate, Vanilla, Coffee and Caramel.
A 50-year-old man received minor non-life threatening injuries after an altercation in the Port Place Mall parking lot in Nanaimo.
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24th outside the Dollarama located at 111-648 Terminal Avenue.
The victim’s wife said she was standing outside her car with her family when the suspect walked by too close to abide by COVID-19 protocols.
Their 25-year-old daughter told the suspect he was too close and should maintain the recommended 6-foot separation.
The suspect proceeded to yell obscenities at her, and then the victim moved toward the suspect and was promptly struck by a metal coffee cup.
A fight broke between the two until the victim was stabbed moments later – 9-1-1 was called and the knife was recovered at the scene by attending police.
Approximately one hour later, information was received that the suspect was on Gabriola Island.
Gabriola Island RCMP officers attended the suspect’s residence and arrested him without incident.
The suspect has been transported to Nanaimo and turned over to RCMP officers.
The suspect was served with an Undertaking for Assault with a Weapon and released from custody.
Zoltan Szoges is challenging the people of Victoria to get to know their city in a fun and unique way: through scavenger hunts.
The local man has created a Facebook group framed around hiding unique items — mainly gift cards — in the area and challenging people to find them.
He says the idea originated out of a social media post when he built a “monolith” out of snow during the Island’s recent chilly weather.
“I thought I’d post this funny little hunt, whoever finds this gets a free coffee from the place across the street,” said Szoges in an interview with Victoria Buzz. “I had a great response from that.”
The online reaction spurred him to build a Facebook group called “The Great Scavenger Hunt – Victoria, BC Canada” that lets users hide gift cards or other items around town while having other people search for them.
Szoges, originally from Toronto, says he often finds it difficult to connect with people in the Victoria region. He believes his scavenger hunts are a way to help build a sense of community.
“I find that you have to be really intentional if you want to connect with people and make community,” he said.
“I think sometimes people get caught up in their daily lives just trying to survive in this very expensive region.”
Typically, the way a scavenger hunt works on the page is that someone — mostly Szoges to begin with — posts a photo clue alongside a post containing a “passcode” that the hunter must give to a local business in order to claim a prize.
Once a prize is claimed, the post is updated and the location is revealed. The winner is encouraged to post a personal message as well.
Szoges posted his first scavenger hunt on Saturday, and the response has been huge, with over 1,200 people signed up for the Facebook group already and plenty of attention in other groups like Oak Bay Local.
“A 12-year-old saw one post and got up Saturday morning at 7 a.m., before her parents got up, and started biking around town to find these cards,” said Szoges.
“She arrived at two cafes before they opened and waited for staff. The girl’s mother said it really put a spring in her step.”
The girl is now organizing a kid-friendly version of the hunt this weekend. Some businesses have also offered complimentary gift cards to take part in the fun.
For Szoges, it’s a strong indicator of the desire for community, especially during a difficult time like the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the end of the day, people like kindness, people like giving, and people like connecting with their communities,” he said.
“I think you can utilize online platforms like a gift card scavenger hunt as a way to spur offline connections. I think that that is always my goal, how to use the online to support real-life connections and real-life support.”
UPDATE: the scavenger hunt below was solved on February 25, 2021. Thank you for reading!
Szoges is offering our readers the first chance at a new hunt starting today.
The passcode is: Take Me To Your Leader.
And the clue is: “Young or old, you’re bound to enjoy this shop. It’s the bomb!”
Need another clue? Take a closer look at the photo on this article! Remember: you just have to visit the business during their opening hours and be the first to deliver the passcode to claim the prize.
One question lingered for many Saanich Peninsula residents after the province announced the possible construction of a “flyover” overpass at Pat Bay Highway and Keating Cross Road.
Will the East Saanich Road exit off the Pat Bay Highway be closed? According to design sketches recently released on the province’s website, the answer is yes.
Several other roads in the area that allow traffic to enter or exit Pat Bay Highway will also be closed off in the area, including Danica Place and Gliddon Road.
The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure first announced funding for a new overpass from Pat Bay Highway (Highway 17) northbound to Keating Cross Road westbound back in August 2019.
This flyover would eliminate the need for drivers to cross the busy highway when turning onto Keating Cross Road. The East Saanich Road exit is just several meters north of the Keating exit which also requires motorists to cross over into oncoming traffic.
Province seeks feedback
The provincial government is now looking for feedback about the proposed improvements to the Patricia Bay Highway northbound at Keating Cross Road.
Every hour, hundreds of drivers turn left across heavy traffic on Highway 17 to get onto Keating Cross Road, causing safety issues and traffic bottlenecks.
As well, with projected population growth and planned industrial and commercial development in the area, traffic congestion is expected to increase.
The proposed flyover overpass would eliminate the left turn across highway traffic.
The project will also create a realigned southbound on-ramp to the Pat Bay Highway southbound and bus-on-shoulder facilities to support future plans for bus rapid transit on the highway.
In addition, Keating Cross Road will be widened, including the sidewalks, to improve traffic conditions for people using the overpass.
The federal government has contributed over $16.7 million to this project, while the District of Central Saanich is providing $2.5 million.
Preliminary engineering work on the overpass flyover project at Pat Bay Highway and Keating Cross Road began in June 2020.
Construction is expected to start sometime later this year.
Feedback is being accepted until March 24th. To leave feedback and for more information on the project, click here.
Stormy day at Ogden Point (Robby Benn / @bcrobby on Instagram)
Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for Greater Victoria Thursday afternoon in the wake of an intense weather system.
Westerly winds 70 km/h and gusting up to 90 km/h will develop near Juan de Fuca Strait late this afternoon and persist through Friday morning.
The blustery conditions will continue into Friday during the day, but winds are expected to remain below warning criteria.
Strong winds can be dangerous and may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break, often leading to power outages.
Updates and alerts are issued by Environment Canada. People on the ground who witness severe weather can email BCstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using the hashtag #BCStorm.
The Queen of Oak Bay departs the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit)
Two passengers aboard a BC Ferries vessel on Monday were arrested and fined after refusing to follow COVID-19 protocols and for their abusive behavior towards staff.
RCMP were called to the Departure Bay in Nanaimo to meet the ferry arriving from Horseshoe Bay after BC ferries staff informed them that two women, ages 19 and 43, were ignoring recommendations to wear masks.
The pair were heard yelling, screaming, and being generally abusive to the crew throughout the journey.
Officers noted that when they approached the women after the boat docked, the pair were confrontational with police and showed signs of impairment.
Officers promptly arrested them for mischief and causing disturbance.
Several hours later and when sober, the women were both served with $230 tickets for not wearing face coverings and $230 violation tickets for abusive or belligerent behaviour.
“It should be noted that the two had reusable non-medical masks in their possession at all times but simply chose not to wear them,” said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
The arresting officers elected not to pursue criminal charges.
Victoria police are investigating after the Queen Elizabeth II statue in Beacon Hill Park was found beheaded.
Officers were called to an area of the park near the petting zoo just after noon Wednesday after it was discovered one of the statues of the Queen had been vandalized.
There they discovered that the statue’s head had been removed which has yet to be found.
This incident comes after a rash of overnight vandalism incidents involving graffiti that mentions Beacon Hill Park.
It’s unclear if the two incidents are related.
Overnight vandalism spree
In addition to the statue being destroyed, business owners and municipal workers awoke to find their property vandalized on Wednesday morning.
VicPD are investigating a graffiti spree that saw a number of messages sprawled across the city, including the statue of Queen Elizabeth II being beheaded in Beacon Hill Park.
The graffiti, seen on numerous buildings, including businesses, public facilities, and City of Victoria properties makes reference to Beacon Hill Park, bylaw, and human rights.
Anyone with information on either incident can contact VicPD at 250-995-7654, or report anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
There’s getting caught in the rain…and then there’s getting caught in the hail…
Yesterday, February 23rd, at or around 4:30 p.m., a flash hail storm overtook the skies of the Greater Victoria area.
Like a flash mob, the flash hail storm overtook the streets, confused the people, and forced everyone inside.
But as quickly as people sheltered themselves, their dogs, and their eyes from the little balls of ice, the hailstorm cleared, the people rejoiced, and the groundhogs got their sunscreen ready.
The B.C. Ministry of Health reported 456 new cases of COVID-19 across the province on Wednesday, February 24th, for a total of 78,278 cases since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 108
Fraser Health: 259
Island Health: 35
Interior Health: 30
Northern Health: 20
The number of active cases in B.C. decreased from 4,677 to 4,668.
There are now a total of 237 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 64 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
Two new people have died from COVID-related causes, bringing the provincial death toll to 1,338.
Over 7,881 people are in isolation, under active public health monitoring after exposure to COVID-19.
A total of 71,753 people have recovered from novel coronavirus.
Outbreaks
There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks.
There are 12 active outbreaks in long-term facilities and five in acute-care facilities.
The outbreak at Creekside Landing (Interior Health) is now over.
Outbreaks and other exposure events can be linked to from the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
While the official 2021 camping season is still a few months away, people living in BC will soon be able to reserve campsites in provincial parks two months in advance of their arrival date.
The Discover Camping reservation service opens March 8th.
“We are all looking forward to another summer of camping and outdoor recreation in B.C., and while public health concerns and advice remain, we are asking people to pick a campground as close to home as possible to avoid long road trips and non-essential travel,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
While COVID-19 still affects the province, and travel is limited, this year’s camping season is expected to be busy, according to the BC government.
Therefore, reservations can be made no further than two months out from the arrival.
So, if you are looking to make a reservation for August, you will have to book it in May.
On July 8th, people living in other provinces can reserve campsites for the remainder of the season.
Image: BC Ferries vessel docking at the Swartz Bay terminal. (nickaroundtheworld/ Instagram)
BC Ferries has confirmed an employee working at the Swartz Bay terminal has tested positive for COVID-19.
Island Health has completed contact tracing and it has been determined that there were no contacts involving risk or re-transmission to the public.
According to BC Ferries, a number of employees who had direct contact with the staff member are currently in self-isolation.
“They have been asked to get tested, however, none are showing any symptoms currently,” Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries spokesperson, said in an email statement to Victoria Buzz.
“We take this seriously and are committed to a safe and healthy workplace and will continue to work closely with Public Health on this situation. We wish our fellow employee a speedy recovery, and request privacy and respect for this person at this time,” the statement continued.
Other employees have been instructed to monitor themselves for symptoms.
As of this publication, there are 232 active cases in the Island Health region.
Family, friends, and onlookers, will have the chance this Friday, February 26th to wave goodbye to a Royal Canadian Navy frigate as it deploys to Asia and the Middle East.
HMCS Calgary are conducting a sail past along the Victoria shoreline before their six-month deployment on Friday.
The public should remember to observe COVID-19 social distancing efforts during the event.
The event will also be live streamed to their Facebook page at 4:30 p.m. where crew members will have the opportunity to give personal shout-outs to loved ones.
Those interested in seeing the departure can visit one of the following observation points as the ships travel West, starting from the Trial Islands around 4:30:
Clover Point at 4:43 p.m.
Ogden Point at 4:53 p.m.
Saxe Point at 4:57 p.m.
Esquimalt Lagoon at 5:00 p.m.
Family and Friends of HMCS Calgary! On February 26, as we take off for our six-month deployment to Asia and the Middle…
Laketown Ranch has announced summer camping for its 2021 season.
The usual spot for popular music festivals such as Laketown Shakedown and Sunfest Country Music Festival will be open for camping reservations next month.
While no official announcement has been made, summer music festivals are expected to be postponed for another year in light of the ongoing pandemic.
The property is surrounded by forest and pastures and offers a variety of activities including hikes and biking trails, as well as a ten minute walk to Lake Cowichan.
On selected nights, you’ll be able to enjoy live music and food in the newly constructed camp village.
The site caters to RV’s, tent campers, and group camping.
There will not be RV hooks or sani dumps but there are showers and amenities available on site.
Boat storage is available as well.
Reservations will open in March for the inaugural season from May 21st to September 30th.
The Myriad Experience is a 360-degree adventure designed to stimulate all of your senses; bringing you to new places, allowing you to participate in new experiences, and showing you the wonders of the world and beyond all from to comfort and safety of your own city.
Imagine you (and your loved ones) travelling through bustling downtown England, touring the canals of Italy or even adventuring through the hills of Vietnam; the sights and sounds of each unique destination delighting your senses.
The experience is being designed as a completely COVID-safe activity, with no shared equipment for the immersion, and scheduling of the immersion will only include private showings for the foreseeable future.
The full VIP Experience is $50 per person, and also includes special gifts and benefits offered throughout a walkthrough of the Myriad and Gallery Experience.
You can also get the Myriad Experience for $40 per person, which just includes the walkthrough and gallery, and simply just the gallery experience for $25 per person.
The exact location of the Myriad Experience is yet to be determined, but will be announced shortly! Until then, we will keep dreaming of the far away places we can soon visit from our very own Victoria…
Nanaimo RMCP are searching for a suspect who allegedly groped a woman in a Nanaimo parking lot on Saturday.
The incident occurred at around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, February 20th, in the west parking lot of Woodgrove Centre, near the bus loops.
The woman told police she walked out of the mall to her vehicle that was parked about ten stalls from the door she exited.
As she was standing next to her vehicle, a man, unknown to the woman, came up from behind her and groped her from behind.
“In a state of disbelief and shock, she yelled several obscenities at the man and watched as he walked off in the direction of the bus loop,” said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
The suspect is described as:
Dark skin, possibly Indigenous or Hispanic
25 years old, 5 ft. 7 to 5 ft. 8
Dark spikey gelled hair
Black hoodie, black COVID mask
Investigators are reviewing video surveillance and are planning to release a composite sketch of the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP.
One man has been arrested after a City of Victoria Parks vehicle was damaged with a sledgehammer in Beacon Hill Park on Tuesday.
In a media release, VicPD said they were called to Beacon Hill Park on February 23rd after bylaw officers reported that a man had smashed their truck window with a sledgehammer.
Following the incident, the suspect then fled into the park on a bicycle. Police were able to locate and arrest the man without incident.
Police say the man was later released with a court date.
There were no injuries reported in the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact VicPD at (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
On Monday, the Twitter account for the rover, @NASAPersevere, posted an audio clip from the fourth planet from the sun, along with a link to a gallery with more recordings.
Now that you’ve seen Mars, hear it. Grab some headphones and listen to the first sounds captured by one of my microphones. 🎧https://t.co/JswvAWC2IP#CountdownToMars
The U.S. space agency also shared footage of the landing craft’s descent, providing a stunning view of Mars’ surface and offering viewers a front-row seat to the experience.
“This video of Perseverance’s descent is the closest you can get to landing on Mars without putting on a pressure suit,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator for science.
“It should become mandatory viewing for young women and men who not only want to explore other worlds and build the spacecraft that will take them there, but also want to be part of the diverse teams achieving all the audacious goals in our future.”
NASA is hoping that Perseverance will be operating for one Mars year — roughly two Earth years.
However, past experience has shown incredible longevity for the American agency’s Martian craft, with the rovers Opportunity and Curiosity far exceeding their expected lifespans.
Opportunity was expected to operate for three months but ended up lasting over 14 years, while Curiosity outlived its two-year mission and will mark nine years in operation in August.
Great news for hungry residents on the Saanich Peninsula – you can now have your favourite restaurant eats, and have them delivered, too.
Popular food delivery service Uber Eats announced on Tuesday that they have expanded ther reach just north of Sidney stretching into Saanich, excluding an area west of John Dean Provincial Park.
(Uber Eats Canada)
The expansion comes after the service initially launched in Victoria in August of 2018, though residents outside of the main delivery areas have been impatiently waiting since then to enjoy food delivery, pick-up, and online ordering from the popular app.
Uber Eats connects with local restaurants to offer food delivery and pick-up so that people can get take-out from their favourite eateries.
On the Saanich Peninsula, some restaurants offering the service are Dickens Public House, the Surly Mermaid, and Woodshed Pizza, and the ever-popular Fish on 5th – home of the famed Disneyland Dole Whip.
(Screengrab / Victoria Buzz)
To use the service, you can download the Uber Eats app, input your delivery address and browse restaurants within your area. Users can also track orders from pick up to delivery.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a violent robbery in Comox last week.
The incident occurred just before 1 a.m. on Friday, February 19th at a business in the 700-block of Anderton Road in Comox.
Comox Valley RCMP issued a media release the same day of the robbery looking for potential witnesses and any camera footage that may have captured the suspect.
Police announced they had arrested a suspect Tuesday afternoon.
The victim told police that she had just locked up the store and was putting items into her trunk when a man approached her, displayed what appeared to be a handgun, and demanded her valuables.
Comox Valley RCMP said the suspect stole the woman’s purse and car keys. The woman sustained a laceration to her neck during the altercation.
“Investigators from the Comox Valley Major Crime Unit have been working diligently since the robbery occurred to gather any available evidence in an effort to solve this crime,” said S/Sgt. Glen Breckon, Major Crime Unit, Comox Valley RCMP.
“This morning the Comox Valley Major Crime Unit made an arrest and want to assure the public they are confident they have the person responsible for this violent robbery in custody,” said Breckon.
The suspect will remain in custody pending a court appearance.
The B.C. Ministry of Health reported 559 new cases of COVID-19 across the province on Tuesday, February 23rd, for a total of 77,822 cases since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 132
Fraser Health: 278
Island Health: 39
Interior Health: 43
Northern Health: 66
The number of active cases in B.C. increased from 4,486 to 4,677.
There are now a total of 238 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 69 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
One more person has died from COVID-related causes, bringing the provincial death toll to 1,336.
Over 7,881 people are in isolation, under active public health monitoring after exposure to COVID-19.
A total of 71,753 people have recovered from novel coronavirus.
Outbreaks
No new health facility outbreak reported.
There are 12 active outbreaks in long-term facilities and five in acute-care facilities.
The outbreak in Abbotsford Regional Hospital is now over.
Outbreaks and other exposure events can be linked to from the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
West Shore RCMP are investigating an attempted robbery that occurred in Langford early Sunday.
The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 21st.
In a media release, police said a man was approached by two suspects while walking along the east side of Veterans Memorial Parkway between Percy Place and Larkhall Road.
The victim told police one of the suspects brandished a handgun and demanded cash. The individual didn’t have money on him so the suspect left on foot and was seen heading towards the Chevron Gas Station.
The victim was uninjured in the incident.
Suspect one is described as:
Caucasian male;
early 20’s;
approximately 5’8 to 5’10 tall;
blue eyes;
wearing a face mask
had a tattoo under the right eye that appeared to continue from below the eye and onto the neck.
The tattoo was described as having sharp edges and lines, possibly a tribal-style tattoo.
The second suspect is described as:
Caucasian male;
early 20’s;
approx. 5’8″ to 5’10” tall;
wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, a black medical mask, and black sneakers.
Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying these suspects.
Police are asking residents living in the area with home surveillance or anyone who may have been driving by that has dash camera footage to check it between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Feb 21st.
“We have had no similar reports of this nature. This incident was not immediately reported to police and we would like to remind the public to report criminal and suspicious activity right away,” said Cst. Nancy Saggar, West Shore RCMP Media Relations Officer.
If you think you captured the suspects on your surveillance or know who they could be, contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264. Or you can report anonymously through Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.
Saanich Police were called to a construction site on Monday after human remains were found underneath the boulevard, next to the roadway, across the street from a large condo development in the 5100 block of Cordova Bay Road.
With the assistance of the University of Victoria and representatives of a contracted archaeological company, Saanich police confirmed the remains were not of recent origin and did not die of natural causes.
The remains were confirmed as ancestral remains this morning, February 23rd.
The area is known to be active with First Nations remains and the area across the street has been subject to a large development project where a Provincial Heritage Excavation permit exists.
Representatives of the Tsawout and Songhees Nations have been present on site of the construction process.
Saanich Police have left the scene and the excavation will continue as conducted by the First Nations representative on site.
Construction for the mixed commercial and residential unit has been happening since 2019.
It’s official, the famed Shamrock Shake is back at McDonald’s and you’ll be able to enjoy the seasonal treat from now until March 23rd.
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, you can enjoy the lucky green drink that features McDonald’s creamy vanilla soft serve blended with their signature Shamrock Shake syrup to give it that minty flavour.
The American fast-food chain caused an uproar when they shared the shake would be returning – but then announced that Canadians would get it earlier than their US counterparts.
Regardless, the frosty treat can be enjoyed all across North America now, but only for a limited time.
The Shamrock Shake has been an annual delight at McDonald’s since it debuted in 1970, under the much-less-catchy name “St. Patrick’s Day Green Milkshake.”
It took a long time before the rare offering was sold at locations nationwide, and even now, not every franchise is required to sell it.
Luckily for you, McDonald’s has released a special Shamrock Shake finder app that makes it easy to track down the item in your area.
Is this the ever-elusive pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow? It just might be!
The Gordon Head Recreation Centre will be closed to the public on Tuesday as a film crew continue their production for a Netflix series.
Maid, an adaptation of a popular memoir, has been in production in locations around Victoria since September.
While crews shoot footage at the recreation centre, the facility will be closed to the public until Wednesday.
The closure includes the Gordon Head Lawn Bowling Club facility, main parking lot, and gravel parking lot beside the Lawn Bowling Club.
The District of Saanich says some programs have been moved to the Bert Richman building and the Annex, and participants have been notified.
“Saanich’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is excited to host the film production which will help offset operating costs during the pandemic,” the District stated.
“Thank you for your patience and support during this closure.”
Production of the first season of Maid is set to wrap in March, with a fall premiere date expected to follow.
The government changes that allowed restaurants, bars, and tourism operators with liquor licenses to purchase liquor at wholesale prices are now permanent.
The province introduced a wholesale pricing model in June of last year in an effort to help ease costs for the hospitality industry, who has been hit hard by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Wholesale prices allow restaurants and bars to purchase their liquor at the same cost paid by the government and private liquor stores in the province.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, restaurants, bars and tourism operators had to pay full retail price – the same price British Columbians would pay.
“Now we are making this change permanent to give these businesses certainty and help them recover, and to help the estimated 190,000 British Columbians who work in this sector,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, in a statement from the BC government this morning, February 23rd.
Prices set by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) have been available for the hospitality since June 2020 and were set to expire March 31, 2021.
Other changes include temporary measures such as extending operating hours of retail liquor stores and permitting sealed and packaged liquor deliveries alongside the purchase of a meal.
“This is welcome news, as access to wholesale pricing on a permanent basis will help alleviate some of the financial pressures faced by industry due to the pandemic,” said Trevor Kallies, director of beverage, Donnelly Group. “Business owners can now move forward with a focus on other areas, such as the health and safety of staff and customers, and keeping our businesses alive.”
Since the pandemic began, the hospitality industry has taken a big hit – having to maintain physical distancing by limiting capacity and suspending events.
A young driver was looking for their one-way ticket to TikTok stardom.. instead, all they got was a ticket for impaired driving.
Police say a young driver being investigated for impaired driving offered an Oak Bay police officer a chance to appear on TikTok.
The 20-year-old driver was pulled over just after 10 p.m. Saturday after he failed to stop at a stop sign.
The driver offered the cop to be on TikTok who “reluctantly declined” the offer and continued on with the impaired driving investigation.
In the end, the driver’s vehicle was towed, his licence was suspended for 24 hours, and he received a $230 ticket for operating a motor vehicle with cannabis in it.
He was also issued a $167 ticket for not stopping at the stop sign.
So when you see a TikTok video of a car being towed away in Oak Bay, you now know why.
After receiving a mix of reactions from their first proposal, The City of Victoria will bring forward three different design options for Clover Point this Thursday, February 25th.
A new proposal gives council three potential design and modification options for the construction of Clover Point Park.
The first two options would increase the pedestrian priority space and green space while decreasing vehicle access in Clover Park Point, while the third option would retain vehicle access as it is now.
Option A will create 3,600 metres of additional waterfront space for pedestrians. It will allow the complete separation of vehicles and pedestrians while providing 15 parking stalls.
Option A says it, “greatly enhances the recreational value of the green space” by eliminating moving vehicles.
The plan also says it will protect the environment and the wildlife in the Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary by removing vehicles and pollution from the areas adjacent to the waterfront.
Option B will create 2,400 square metres of additional waterfront space for pedestrians, provide 25 parking stalls, and provide direct vehicular access to the shoreline.
Option B’s “flexible design” will allow increasing the parking area on the existing pavement, if required.
Option C, not pictured, retains full access for vehicles to the southern end of the park until the long term park plan, including the Wastewater Treatment Plan, is developed.
Residents using mobility aids will benefit from using the loop roadway. Future park planning will consider features that support accessible recreation objectives to provide an inclusive space for people with a wide range of abilities.
This option will provide future opportunities for public engagement on the potential changes.
The popular Clover Point Park, a sight for storm watchers and kite flyers, has been getting a facelift for the better part of the year.
A popular beach festival in Parksville has canceled for a second straight year due to COVID-19.
This year’s Parksville Beach Festival, scheduled to take place from mid-July to mid-August, will not take place due to health restrictions related to gatherings and events.
With an average of 122,000 annual event visitors over the past five years and the need for international travel, the Parksville Beach Festival Society Board President Cheryl Dill said “it was an obvious decision given the persistence of the pandemic.”
“Event planning begins well in advance and the rules around travel, gatherings and social distancing have not yet changed. The schedule for immunizations will not reach end goals until well after our event schedule for 2021”, said Dill.
The cancellation includes the sand sculpting competition and exhibition which sees international artists creating sand sculptures alongside Parksville’s beach in the community park.
Despite this, the festival society is proceeding with the construction of a new outdoor performance theatre for the summer concert series.
Organizers are also optimistic about returning to their regular events in 2022, including Parksville Beach Festival, and will begin planning this fall.
A local business and charitable organizations have come together for a donation drive that aims to bring coats to Nanaimo’s homeless.
Dodd’s Furniture partnered with the Nanaimo Homeless Coalition last week to collect and distribute warm winter coats to unhoused people in the city.
More than 40 coats have been collected so far and will be distributed through the Nanaimo Homeless Coalition’s partner agencies, such as the Society for Equity, Inclusion and Advocacy (SEIA) and the 7-10 Club.
“During these cold winter months, donations of winter coats help keep people experiencing homelessness warm and safe,” Chantale Roelens, Executive Director, SEIA.
“We’re grateful to the community members who have donated to help their neighbours, and to Dodd’s Furniture for spearheading this coat drive.”
The donation drive is still ongoing and those who wish to donate coats and other winter items such as hats, scarves and gloves can continue to drop them off at Dodd’s Furniture at 4900 Uplands Drive.
In addition to the funding drive, the Nanaimo Homeless Coalition has partnered with United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island, the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, SEIA and the 7-10 Club to open two warming centres in the city.
A traffic stop in Burnside-Gorge by VicPD led to the seizure of weapons, drugs and cash late Sunday afternoon.
Patrol officers stopped a vehicle just before 5 p.m. on February 21st in the 400-block of Gorge Road East.
During a search of the vehicle, police found drugs, cash and multiple weapons. The weapons included two replica firearms and a working SKS-style rifle, along with knives and an extendable baton.
The incident remains under investigation.
VicPD did not state whether any of the vehicle’s occupants was arrested or charged.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654, extension 1.
Those who wish to report information anonymously can call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
(Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Réka Gustafson/BC Gov Flickr)
The B.C. Ministry of Health reported 1,428 new cases of COVID-19 across the province for the three day period of Saturday, February 20th to Monday, February 22nd, for a total of 77,263 cases since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 358
Fraser Health: 805
Island Health: 99
Interior Health: 67
Northern Health: 99
The number of active cases in B.C. increased from 4,486 to 4,560.
There are now a total of 223 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 66 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
8 more people have died from COVID-related causes, bringing the provincial death toll to 1,335.
7,768 people are in isolation, under active public health monitoring after exposure to COVID-19.
A total of 71,313 people have recovered from novel coronavirus.
Outbreaks
There have been two new health-care facility outbreaks at Vancouver General Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital.
The outbreaks at Royal Inland Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital, Eagle Ridge Manor and Carrington Place Retirement Residence are over.
There is also a community outbreak Grand River Foods.
Outbreaks and other exposure events can be linked to from the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
Nanaimo RCMP have issued warrants against a man for threats and mischief.
On Thursday night, February 18th, Brian Sutherland, 31, allegedly broke the front door and smashed a window of a home in South Nanaimo. When officers arrived at the residence, Sutherland had already left.
The resident, a woman who was inside at the time of the incident, said that Sutherland showed up, demanded to be allowed in, and repeatedly kicked the front door then threw a ceramic tile through a side window.
Brian Sutherland is considered violent.
Sutherland is described as 5 ft. 7, 180 pounds and has a tattoo of a death cross on his right forearm.
If you have information on the whereabouts of Brian Sutherland, please call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345, and quote file # 2021-5924.
There’s nothing that can replace the gooey goodness of a delicious cinnamon roll.
Except maybe vegan cinnamon rolls…
Victoria is welcoming an international vegan cinnamon roll bakery soon and has set construction on 535 Yates Street.
Cinnaholic is a popular bakery providing custom-made vegan, dairy and lactose-free, egg-free, and cholesterol-free cinnamon buns.
They offer fresh cinnamon rolls with 40 different frosting flavours and 40 different toppings with half the calories compared to their competitors.
They also offer catering services.
The California-based company gained notoriety on the show Shark Tank seven years ago and has since opened locations internationally, which now includes stores in Alberta and Ontario.
The company was not able to provide a set opening date.
While this may be the first Cinnaholic on the island, it’s not the first vegan bakery in Victoria.
Alfalfa Bakehouse is a locally owned plant-based, vegan-friendly bakery available for online orders.
The owner operates from her kitchen and offers cheesecakes, shortcakes, and trifles, among many other things.
So while you’re waiting on that Cinnaholic fix, shop local!
A Victoria restaurant chain has confirmed that a staff member at one of their locations has tested positive for COVID-19.
10 Acres Restaurant & Farms confirmed that a dishwasher at their Sidney location has tested positive for the virus.
While the company operates several locations, this employee only worked at the Sidney location and had no contact with anyone from their downtown restaurants.
They said the employee last worked from February 18th to the 20th and is currently at home resting and recuperating.
Island Health requested three other staff members to self-isolate for 14-days but did allow the restaurant and cafe to remain open.
“When we asked Island Health about closing, they told us it was not necessary, there was no risk to the public and they are advising businesses in other low-risk situations to do the same,” the company said on Facebook.
“The reason those three must self-isolate, but no one else, is that Island Health says that there is the only risk is for those who work in close proximity, with “prolonged” close contact,” the post continues.
Island Health informed 10 Acres that the remaining staff would not be tested for COVID-19, at this time due to the low risk, unless that employee was showing symptoms.
“We want to stress that the risk to the public is almost zero, however, we wanted to be upfront and transparent with an issue that has caused everyone an incredible amount of hardship over the past 12 months.”
This is the second time the establishment has dealt with a COVID-19 exposure. An employee tested positive on August 25th of last year.
This past Family Day an Esquimalt couple were married in a phenomenal celebration that included a small ceremony in their living room and over 200 guests online.
After captivating the community with their heartwarming story, Kandace, “Kandy”, Musgrove, an Esquimalt woman with terminal cancer, was married to her long-time boyfriend this past week.
The couple’s videographer has released the tear-jerking video of the ceremony, which took place thanks to many volunteers coming together across the community.
Donations were made by over a dozen wedding vendors, which included flowers, cake, the officiant, planners, décor, photographers, and videographers, at the behest of dressmaker, Lily Kennedy.
Kandace is currently in hospice.
The couple had been planning to get married since December 2019, and despite the troubles, have kept their spirits alive.
“She is an upbeat lady with an infectious smile. Friends visit her and [despite her condition] she’s still able to put a smile on their face,” said her husband, Donnie Musgrove.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family through any financial burdens.
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is considering increasing its parking fees for a number of regional parks in the district as part of their Revenue Generation Strategy for 2021-2024.
The Regional Parks Committee proposed to the CRD, the “gradual implementation” of parking fees, along with the expansion of seasonal paid parking to nine additional regional parks between 2020 and 2022.
The proposal includes a gradual parking fee increase in the span of five years that looks like this:
The CRD will meet this Wednesday, February 24th to consider the recommendations for the parking fee changes.
There are considerations of alternate options with a slower and more gradual increase of parking fees over a span of four years or an accelerated implementation of paid parking in regional parks over three years.
According to the CRD, park visits have increased by nearly 50 per cent between 2010 and 2019.
The option to implement paid parking in an additional nine regional parks in 2022 based on the highest visitation levels and/or carrying capacity issues includes these nine parks:
Devonian
East Sooke
Elk/Beaver Lake
Francis/King
Horth Hill
Matheson Lake
Mill Hill
Mount Work
Witty’s Lagoon
The Revenue Generation Strategy is proposed to “ensure appropriate funding for parks & trails infrastructure, improvements and maintenance.”
“The success of implementation will require working with the local municipalities and electoral areas and other stakeholders affected for a collaborative approach to parking issues in the area around each regional park.”
Victoria Police arrested a woman after a stabbing at a multi-unit temporary housing facility on Saturday morning.
At 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 20th, VicPD officers were called to a multi-unit temporary housing facility in the 100-block of Gorge Road East after reports that one or more persons had been bear sprayed.
Officers responded and located one man who had been both bear-sprayed and stabbed several times.
The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Officers identified a female suspect and located her within her suite where she barricaded herself before surrendering to police.
The woman was taken to cells at VicPD where she was held to await court.
Detectives with VicPD’s Major Crime Unit are continuing the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call VicPD at (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The CRD has issued a wastewater discharge notice along a shoreline in Oak Bay, Saanich, Cadboro Bay, and McNeill Bay on Sunday night.
Heavy rain caused combined stormwater and wastewater overflows.
The warning comes after heavy rainfalls Sunday which resulted in combined stormwater and wastewater overflows along some shorelines in Greater Victoria between Tarn Place and Seaview Road, and Trafalgar Park and Radcliffe Lane.
Residents are advised to avoid entering the waters along the affected shorelines, as the wastewater may pose a health risk.
Public health advisory signs were posted at beaches in the affected areas and will remain there until enterococci levels dropped below the permitted recreational limit.
“As a precaution and in consultation with Island Health and the local municipalities, beaches within the affected areas will be posted with public health advisory signs until sample results indicate enterococci levels are below the 70CFU/100mL recreational limit,” the CRD said in a statement.
A Victoria man is in disbelief after winning big playing BC/49.
Roger Dhur said he was in complete disbelief upon realizing he matched 5/6+ numbers to land him $75,000 from the BC/49 draw on December 9, 2020.
“My first thought was holy smokes,” Dhur recalled.
The Victoria resident purchased his ticket at the Westshore Town Centre on Jacklin Road and first found out he was a winner while checking the draw results online.
He then went to a retailer to verify his ticket.
“Sure enough, it was a $75,000 winner! It feels so good,” he added.
Dhur is excited to share the news with his family and will put his prize away into savings as he ponders what to do with his little windfall.
A positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at a middle school in Vicroria.
The Greater Victoria School District announced the exposure at Glanford Middle School in a tweet Saturday evening.
According to the tweet, the potential exposure dates are February 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 17th.
COVID-19 Notification: Glanford Middle School has experienced a COVID-19 exposure. The potential exposure dates are February 8, 9, 10, 11 and 17th. Island Health is conducting contact tracing. If a person may have been exposed, Island Health will contact them directly. pic.twitter.com/p4b3lgLs9e
I have written the next great Hollywood blockbuster, folks.
And I want you all to be the first to sample its glory. Here are some selected scenes from “BLOSSOMS: the Cherry Chasers.”
(any resemblance to earlier works is almost definitely deliberate)
Scene 1
EXTERIOR: Victoria, British Columbia. A typical house in James Bay. You know, before the real estate nightmare.
A family prepares to venture outside. They have no idea what awaits them.
FATHER: Kids, did you remember to let the dog out?
KID 1: It was her turn!
KID 2: Nuh-uh!
FATHER: Well gosh darn it, forget whose turn it was, let that dog out now and let’s get going!
MOTHER, nearby, shakes her head in exaggerated admonishment. They are very idyllic, thus making their impending tragedy all the grimmer.
KID 1 and KID 2 hastily let out PROFESSOR WIGGLESWORTH THE THIRD, ESQUIRE (casting note: the dog’s name is never spoken but a canine who evokes this title is crucial to the coherence of the plot. If an appropriate Wigglesworth cannot be found the movie must not proceed)
FATHER: Okay, let’s get going!
MOTHER: Off we go!
CUT TO a sensible automobile, like a K-car or such, driving towards a park. The family sings “Oh, what a feeling” as all good Canadian families do.
The car abruptly comes to a stop, crash-zoom through the windshield to FATHER, his face aghast.
FATHER: Oh no…
Whip-pan to MOTHER, she grips his shoulder.
MOTHER: What…what…
FATHER: Kids! Don’t look! Dooooon’t looooook
But it’s too late. The KIDS can see out front. They see…the Cherry Blossom Trees…have already lost their petals.
KID 1: Noooooooooo-
We zoom into Kid 1’s eye, then back out again, revealing HELEN HUNT.
HELEN HUNT: And from that moment on, I vowed to chase cherry blossoms. It was my fault we were too late and missed the season. I should have let the dog out. My tragic backstory drives me to be a cherry chaser.
ALAN RUCK: All I did was ask if you wanted a coffee.
TITLE CARD: BLOSSOMS
Scene 4
EXTERIOR: The cherry chaser base camp. A collection of RV’s, gathered around a picnic table. BYLAW BUDDY is here, concerned (casting note: in the event Naveen Andrews of Lost fame is unavailable, we’ll settle for Sendhil Ramamurthy from Heroes. I GUESS).
BYLAW BUDDY: ‘Kay but we do have designated camping areas-
HELEN HUNT: No stress, pops, we’re just a ragtag band of scientists here to make sure everyone gets their cherry blossoms, all right?
BYLAW BUDDY: Well no, actually, it’s not alright, I mean now you’re saying you’re scientists and that just raises further questions about all this heavy-duty equipment, so you’re gonna want to talk to the CRD for permits and-
ALAN RUCK: Hey boss! We’ve got a category 5!
HELEN HUNT: Where at?
ALAN RUCK: Cook street village.
HELEN HUNT: Hot damn, the perfect opportunity to test my bouncing blossom betty burst device. At last, I’ll have my vengeance on the cherry trees that took away my childhood. Let’s ride!
BYLAW BUDDY: Whoa, hold on here, did you just say something about a bouncing betty? And what was that about vengeance?
HELEN HUNT ignores him. She is single-minded. Cherry chasing champing at the bit. The team races out, their RVs peeling out and leaving such a mess.
BYLAW BUDDY: Hey, pick up your garbage!
A tumbleweed rolls by.
BYLAW BUDDY: Bloody tourists.
Scene 8
The cherry chasers approach a flurry of white petals.
ALAN RUCK: It’s getting intense!
HELEN HUNT: We have to get closer!
Suddenly, a sleek black Tesla supertruck cuts them off.
HELEN HUNT: Sassafras!
JAMI GERTZ, inexplicably riding along, leans forward from the back seat.
JAMI GERTZ: Who dat?
HELEN HUNT: That’s Cary Elwes, honey. He’s just in the cherry chasing business for the money.
JAMI GERTZ: Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask, how exactly does one get into weather “for the mon-”
HELEN HUNT snatches up a radio and screams into it: Cary you magnificent bugger, last I saw you were trying to carry the least interesting season of Stranger Things.
Cut to CARY ELWES, mirrored shades, cool guy with a cool baseball cap, total cherry chaser sellout with his corporate-sponsored cherry chasing equipment.
CARY ELWES: Nice to see you, Helen. I don’t have a joke here, it’s honestly just really cool to see you. Can you believe you won an Oscar a year after we met?
HELEN HUNT: You used to be about the science of cherry blossoms, Cary.
CARY ELWES: Ah, but now I am paid off by billionaires like Elon Musk! I’ll beat you to the blossoming season if it’s the last thing I do!
HELEN HUNT: Just back off, Cary!
CARY ELWES: As you wish.
HELEN HUNT: What was that?
CARY ELWES: I mean… See you in the parks, has-been!
He speeds away, exceeding the posted 30 km/h speed limit very recklessly.
JAMI GERTZ: This all seems so unnecessary.
Scene 12
HELEN HUNT is braving the Cherry Blossom rain. White petals are overwhelming everything. It is real purty.
HELEN HUNT: We have to go into the eye of the storm!
ALAN RUCK: I’m really sad Bill Paxton couldn’t be here.
HELEN HUNT: Honestly yeah me too, but he would want us to finish the bit.
ALAN RUCK: I’m with you!
HELEN HUNT: Hooooold ooooooon
HELEN HUNT and ALAN RUCK dramatically stumble through the white petals. It is very emotional. Then…they find the core of the storm. So…the tree. It is good and solid.
HELEN HUNT: You and me, daddy…you and me.
ALAN RUCK: And hopefully…no one will ever suffer and miss them…again.
SMASH-CUT to a family caught on the Colwood Crawl.
FATHER: Stupid bike lanes.
ROLL CREDITS
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.
A new off-price department store will soon be coming to Langford, and is reportedly ahead of schedule on when it will officially open its doors.
Marshalls, which makes up part of the Winners and HomeSense retail group, is set to move into retail space in the Millstream Village shopping centre this March.
The new Marshalls will occupy roughly 18,000 square feet of retail space, taking over what was the former locations of a Tommy Hilfiger outlet and a La Vie En Rose lingerie boutique, as well as the three spaces between them.
The department store will become one of the shopping centre’s anchor tenants, joining the ranks of other big box retailers like PetSmart, Michael’s, and Golf Town.
Marshalls’sister store, Winners, recently opened their third Greater Victoria location, which now occupies the Douglas Street frontage of downtown’s Bay Centre.
The two other Winners locations reside in Tillicum Shopping Centre, and Westshore Town Centre.
Greater Victoria’s first Marshalls location has been open in the Hillside Shopping Centre since 2014.
“We are excited to launch the new Marshalls location in Victoria,” says Erin O’Brien, Marshalls Canada spokesperson. “We know that our customers are smart shoppers who seek stylish merchandise and we’re excited to provide them with incredible deals on high-quality, in-season items from the brands they know and love.”
To mark the grand opening of the Victoria store, Marshalls will donate $5,000 to The Cridge Transition House for Women as part of their new charitable initiative, Find Your Stride.
“We are dedicated to helping women in vulnerable positions across Canada achieve economic independence so that they and their families can thrive in life. Supporting women and their families in the neighbourhoods where our stores are located is integral to Marshalls’ business and helps foster a sense of community for both our associates and customers alike,” O’Brien explains.
The grand opening ceremony of Marshalls will take place at 10:00 a.m. on March 9th.
The Wounded Warrior Run BC announced it has postponed its eight-day marathon due to provincial health orders on travel.
The marathon, which begins in Port Hardy and ends in downtown Victoria, was scheduled to go ahead on Sunday, February 21st to Sunday, February 28th.
The has been rescheduled to April 11th to the 18th in the hopes that provincial health orders will permit non-essential travel.
Dr. Bonnie Henry has accepted the invitation to join the team for the final leg of the journey through downtown Victoria and speak at the finale if the team is able to go ahead.
“It is disappointing to postpone the run, but we know that the mission doesn’t change. We are still working every day to raise funds for our Veterans, First Responders and their families to access life changing programs through Wounded Warriors Canada.” said Jacqueline Zweng the director for the Wounded Warrior.
Wounded Warriors Canada is a national mental health charity whose mission is to honour and support Canada’s ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, First Responders and their families.
We’ve all received the fake phone calls, gotten the fake emails of Nigerian princes looking for a visa, or clicked on that fake advertisement that turns out to be a virus.
It’s as common as the cold and as frustrating and scary as COVID-19.
VicPD investigators have warned the public about four separate scams involving wire fraud and cyber security after computer-aided fraudsters stole $5,400 in four days.
These files remain under investigation.
On February 12th, a victim received a phone call from a scammer that claimed their computer had been infected with spam. The caller convinced the victim to share their screen so the caller could fix the problem.
During the screenshare, the screen focused on the victim’s banking information. The victim was convinced to purchase $500 worth of Google Play cards, take pictures of the information on the back of the cards and send those pictures to the scammer.
The victim called police to report that they had been the victim of a “Google Play Card” cyberattack scam.
On February 14th, a victim called police to report they had been the victim of a wire fraud. The victim received a series of phone calls from the scammer, who informed the victim that they needed to wire money to access a line of credit.
The victim, a senior, sent $900 before realizing they had been scammed. The fraudster compromised the senior’s personal information and bank accounts.
On February 16th, two victims reported scams. One was the victim of a wire fraud and the other was a victim of a “romance scam,” as reported.
In the wire fraud, the victim received a series of phone calls from the scammer who told the victim they needed to pay tax on money the victim won. The victim sent $14,000 by wire transfer before they realized it was a scam.
The romance scam, akin to catfishing, included the “Finally” dating app where the scammer began a relationship with the victim, which they thought was genuine. The scammer told the victim there had been a death in the family and that he needed to borrow $2,700 for a funeral.
Once the victim transferred the money the scammer disappeared and deleted his profile from the app.
You can learn more about how to protect yourself, your family and your organization from fraud by visiting vicpd.ca/fraud. If you have fallen victim to a fraud, stop payment immediately, contact your financial institution and contact VicPD at (250) 995-7654.
The B.C. Ministry of Health reported 508 new cases of COVID-19 across the province on Friday, February 19th, for a total of 75,835 cases since the pandemic began.
New cases were reported in these health regions:
Vancouver Coastal Health: 116
Fraser Health: 286
Island Health: 22
Interior Health: 59
Northern Health: 25
The number of active cases in B.C. increased from 4,348 to 4,486.
There are now a total of 217 people in hospital due to COVID-19, 61 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units.
6 more people have died from COVID-related causes, bringing the provincial death toll to 1,327.
Over 7,699 people are in isolation, under active public health monitoring after exposure to COVID-19.
A total of 69,970 people have recovered from novel coronavirus.
Outbreaks
There is one new health facility outbreak reported.
There are 13 active outbreaks in long-term facilities and six in acute-care facilities.
Outbreaks and other exposure events can be linked to from the BC Centre for Disease Control website.
Perseverance, the newest robotic explorer on the fourth planet from the sun, sent back a pair of high-resolution images of its landing site on Friday.
The full-colour photos show a dusty, rocky plateau that scientists believe was once a river delta. The rover will be taking samples from the area as it searches for signs of former or even current microbial life.
The engineering and scientific team behind Perseverance was jubilant yesterday as the rover touched down, completing a voyage of over 200 million kilometres that has been seven years in the planning.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech)
“This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally – when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks,” said acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk.
“The mission itself personifies the human ideal of persevering toward the future and will help us prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.”
NASA also posted a photo from the craft’s final descent towards the surface, showing Perseverance suspended from its chute some distance above the ground.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech)
The samples collected by the rover will be transferred back to Earth by a future mission, in cooperation with the European Space Agency.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has added a new Victoria flight to their list of COVID-19 public exposure sites.
The flight which departed Victoria International Airport on February 12th was bound for Vancouver.
The BCCDC says passengers seated in rows six to 12 on Air Canada Jazz flight 8050 were exposed to a case of the virus.
Affected travellers are asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and call 8-1-1 to get tested if they do develop symptoms of the virus.
Symptoms to watch for include headaches, muscle aches and fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and loss of appetite, fever or chills, shortness of breath, sore throat and cough or worsening chronic cough.
As of this publication, there are 153 active COVID-19 cases in the Island Health region.
The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club that has operated out of a Johnson Street retail space for over 20 years may be forced to leave.
The landlord may face prosecution if they don’t evict the long withstanding club.
“The Community Safety Unit, a branch of the Solicitor General, has threatened our landlord with fines or possible jail time if we are allowed to continue operating,” said Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club founder Ted Smith in an interview with Victoria Buzz.
The club has faced several raids since it began operating in 2001.
“We’ve been raided 7 times over a 25 year period, we’ve used the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to grant us exemption many times,” said Ted Smith.
The club has used protection under the Cannabis Act, Section 56 (1), and temporary exemptions from both municipal and provincial levels of government before.
“The last we heard from the province was a positive note. Exemption 56 (1) was a key component for our battle for decades. And there are exemptions in the Cannabis Act that are just as fitting, there is an exemption for the public interest, which we are seeing, especially with the opioid crisis,” said Smith.
Despite municipal support from the Mayor, in order to stay in its location on Johnson Street, the provincial cabinet would need to halt the eviction, said Ted Smith.
Smith said if nothing is done his next step will involve Dr. Bonnie Henry.
“Our next focus will be to get Dr. Bonnie Henry involved. The opioid crisis is causing misery, and this is a valuable alternative in the fight. This is the health of our citizens here.”
The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club has long been operating before cannabis legalization and it offers alternatives both the government markets or the black markets cannot, Ted Smith said.
“We have products both legal and/or illegal – things like suppositories. There are very few sources for suppositories and they help people who cannot smoke or eat.”
Legal cannabis is priced much higher than the black market, but the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club has provided the space for those with medical cards to purchase cannabis that exceed the allowable amount of THC permitted under the Federal Cannabis Licensing Act.
“The prices the government offers are so disproportionate. It’s unfair for patients who can’t afford it or need something more potent,” said Smith.
“If the club shut down, patients will go to the black market.”
Smith said they have filed for an injunction and have applied for a health canada exemption.
“If it comes to the end of March and we haven’t gotten an exemption from the provincial government, we’ll consider other options for our members.”
