Royal Roads University says they will honour BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry at their virtual convocation ceremony on November 6.

The University plans to grant Dr. Henry an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of her work informing the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dr. Henry’s tireless courage in leading us on this often-challenging journey, for the good of each of us and our greater community, is inspiring to us all,” said Royal Roads President Dr. Philip Steenkamp.

“Her leadership, built on decades of experience and rooted in compassion, has positively affected countless lives and helped direct the very path our province is now on.”

Dr. Henry will also be featured as a speaker for the university’s Changemakers Speaker Series in spring 2021.

“The power of community; supporting each other through adversity, working together with a common purpose, and inspiring to do and be better,” said Dr. Henry.

“This is what has given us the resilience to see this pandemic through. This same sense of community is reflected in Royal Roads University and its graduates, and I am humbled to receive this honour.”

The virtual ceremony will be streamed on the Royal Roads University website and social media accounts.

For a long time, the board game cafe business has been a Monopoly in Victoria, but on Friday a new company will take a Risk and they’re not at all Sorry.

Local couple Alyssa Chow and Nicholas Switzer are opening Board with Friends board game cafe on Friday, after dreaming of the opportunity for years.

“Both of us are big board game fans,” Chow said in an interview with Victoria Buzz.

“Nick is the board game guru, he knows every game inside and out. It’s incredible how much information he can hold.”

She says they have played games in cafes all over Canada, including at InterActivity Board Game Cafe on Yates Street.

Until now, InterActivity has been the only game in town. Chow says that seeing the Yates Street cafe frequently packed with patrons inspired her and Switzer to pursue the business as well.

“There was such high demand, and we both love it, so we thought why not try it?”

Chow says there’s a large market craving board game entertainment, and plenty of business to go around between the two cafes.

Board with Friends is holding their grand opening on Friday, after two years of work to secure permits and rezoning for the heritage building at 705 Johnson Street.

The process proved to be a bit challenging and delayed their planned opening in May 2020. Chow says the building had been zoned for retail under thrift store Vintage Funk and it was tricky to retrieve the right permits.

“The City has been really great for the majority of the process,” she said.

“But dealing with the heritage building, and rezoning it for food service was hard. We didn’t realize how much we would have to jump through hoops.”

On top of navigating the chutes and ladders of municipal zoning, Chow and Switzer also had to plan for the delicate operation of COVID-19.

“One really awesome thing we did pre-COVID was we decided to do table service,” said Chow.

“Customers order food or drink on an iPad. We can reduce the times that a customer has to get out of their seat, we can bring food to them with a mask.”

The partners also made the decision to widely space their tables apart, both for COVID-19 safety and to give the cafe a homier environment.

Chow says they are working to appeal to the local crowd by partnering with local suppliers for ingredients and products, including Cafe Fantastico for coffee and Parachute Ice Cream for milkshakes.

She adds that although the pandemic will make their initial start-up challenging, they feel there’s never been a better time for people to play board games.

“We want to bring the social culture of game night,” said Chow.

“Space is limited, but we can provide new board games that people may have always wanted to try. And you bring people together in a nice safe bubble.”

Board with Friends

• Address: 705 Johnson Street
• Social: Facebook | Instagram

Streaming on Netflix became more expensive this week after the subscription service upped their prices on Premium and Standard plans.

Standard prices rose to $14.99 (up from $13.99) and Premium prices rose to $18.99 (up from $16.99) on Thursday for Canadian subscribers.

Basic plans remained the same at $9.99.

New members will already see the new price scheme while existing members will see updated pricing in the coming weeks.

The exact timing for when the price hike will kick in depends on a member’s billing cycle.

In an emailed statement Netflix said that the price update is necessary for the company to put more money into shows and films.

“Canadians have never had more choices when it comes to entertainment and we’re more committed than ever to delivering an experience that exceeds their expectations,” a Netflix spokesperson stated.

“As always we will continue to offer a range of plans so that people can pick a price that works for their budget.”

Currently, Amazon Prime subscriptions are $7.99 a month or $79.00 a year, while Disney Plus subscriptions are $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year.

One man was arrested after police seized a large number of illegal drugs and weapons from a temporary multi-unit residential facility in downtown Victoria.

On Monday, Victoria Police Department says officers arrested the man in the lobby of a multi-unit temporary housing facility in the 3000-block of Blanshard Street. According to police, he was in possession of drugs — including cocaine and methamphetamine — for the purpose of trafficking.

VicPD locked down the man’s suite in the building and applied for a search warrant which was executed the following day on Tuesday, October 6.

During the raid, officers located a large number of drugs and weapons inside the unit.

Items seized from the suite include:

• several hundred prescriptions including narcotics,
• methadone and other drugs belonging to people other than the unit occupant
• a significant amount of psilocybin, methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl
• a highly realistic replica M4 assault rifle and several realistic replica handguns
• officers also seized several expandable batons, a machete, and a conductive energy weapon

Police said the case remains under investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WubTv0Ks1M&feature=youtu.be

A popular downtown cafe has reopened in Victoria after implementing a precautionary closure following a worker testing positive for COVID-19.

Bear & Joey resumed service on October 7 after closing on September 25, 2020.

At the time of the closure they were advised by the BC Health Authority (BCHA) that the risk of transmission from an infected staff member was “extremely low.”

They said that the cafe had been strictly adhering to protocols including physical distancing, stringent cleaning, mask-wearing and providing hand sanitizer.

The infected staff member did not interact with customers, had no symptoms while at work and was wearing a mask and practicing strict hand hygiene while on shift.

Bear & Joey representatives said in a post on social media that the BCHA did not require them to close, but they took the step out of an abundance of caution.

In an update on October 3 on the cafe’s Facebook page, Bear & Joey staff thanked the local community for their support during the closure.

“The love and support that you have all provided has been amazing, we honestly cannot thank you enough,” they stated. “It is an absolute honour and pleasure to be a part of your community.”

Nearly 3,000 BC Hydro customer are without power in Langford Thursday afternoon as firefighters battle a structure fire on Goldstream Avenue.

Langford Fire crews responded to a report of a major structural fire at a mixed-use commercial and residential building located at 844 Goldstream Avenue.

At 1:23 p.m., Westshore RCMP tweeted that they had temporarily shut down streets in the area, including Jacklin and Peatt Roads, while fire crews battled the blaze.

“Emergency crews are currently in the area working to put out the fire. Goldstream Ave between Jacklin Rd and Peatt Rd has been shut down to allow for emergency crews to work,” RCMP said in a media release.

Eyewitness photos and video from the scene showed flames and plumes of thick black smoke coming out of an upper floor apartment at the scene.

Curious Comics is also located at the base of the property at 844 Goldstream Avenue.

There have been no reports of injuries as of this publication. It is unknown when the roads in the area will open back up.

The cause of the fire is unknown but is not considered suspicious at this time.

Residents of the building can attend Langford Legion located at 761 Station Avenue to connect and access emergency city services.

According to BC Hydro, around 2,700 customers in the area are without power due to the fire. No estimated time on when the power would be restored was provided.

More to come.

When the first full platform announcement in the B.C. election dropped this week, there was one promise in particular that stood out to a local advocacy group.

Teale Phelps Bondaroff and Devon Black, co-founders of AccessBC, have been advocating for free contraception for four years, and they may get it with an NDP government.

John Horgan’s party says they will provide birth control for free under MSP if re-elected.

They are the first party to make this type of promise, but Phelps Bondaroff and Black say the idea is non-partisan.

“We are certainly hoping that the Greens and the Liberals will also include something like this in their platform, if for no other reason than it’s a good policy,” said Black in an interview with Victoria Buzz.

“It’s one of those rare ones that’s a win on a variety of fronts.”

The two Vancouver Island locals co-founded AccessBC in late 2016 as a means of educating the public and lobbying politicians to adopt contraception in their policies.

Since then they have engaged in letter-writing, social media campaigns, and other initiatives to bring MLAs and prominent leaders to the table.

Black says that many have been receptive to the idea, though some people remain resistant to change.

“It’s just inertia,” said Black. “People think that’s the way it should be. People don’t see it as an issue of equality, they see it as an issue of ‘special rights.’”

That belief couldn’t be further from the truth, according to Black and Phelps Bondaroff.

They say that implementing universal contraception could save B.C. taxpayers as much as $95 million in health care and associated costs.

The issue is also tied to intimate partner violence and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Access to contraception has been impacted by COVID,” said Phelps Bondaroff.

“There are two groups of people who are particularly vulnerable: young people, and people who are experiencing intimate partner violence. Anecdotally, many of our volunteers work in the Health Care system and are seeing folks who are struggling to access contraception.”

With the BC NDP announcement, AccessBC are hoping to see their policy made a reality, while they also expand efforts into other provinces.

Phelps Bondaroff says a sister campaign, CoverContraceptiON, launched in Ontario on September 26 to coincide with World Contraception Day.

Black adds that regardless of who wins in the BC election, AccessBC will keep pushing for access to free, universal contraception.

“We’ll keep on fighting,” said Black.

“This is a policy that would improve the lives of people in British Columbia. Every party should be able to stand for that.”

The former site of renowned outdoor goods store Island Outfitters is set to be redeveloped into a mixed-use residential and commercial block, according to the co-owners of the business.

In a statement, Island Outfitters founders Darren Wright and Ward Bond say that they will be collaborating with Victoria-based Aryze Developments to build a new development at 3319 Douglas Street.

On January 4, 2020 the property was the scene of a suspicious fire that gutted the Island Outfitters store, forcing the business to relocate to View Royal.

Saanich Police say that the fire is still under investigation but determined shortly after the blaze that it had been deliberately set.

Wright and Bond say that they have been working since the fire to find a new use for their former retail location.

“After a great deal of consideration, we arrived at the conclusion that providing some meaningful housing to a region that’s in dire need was the right thing to do with this property” explained Bond.

“We love the memories and community that were created by the store, but it’s time for us to move on and make room for the next iteration of this space,” said Wright. “We have always really respected the innovation and creativity that Aryze brings to each project and it just felt like the best fit.”

The partners say that Aryze will be devising plans for the new housing project in coming months. Pending municipal approvals, they say construction is slated for the fall of 2022.

Prior to the fire, Island Outfitters had operated at their location at 3319 Douglas Street since 1997.

As the election approached the end of its third week, B.C.’s three major parties promoted a variety of promises for the tourism industry.

The BC NDP were first out of the gate with a full platform, launching their complete list of election promises on Tuesday.

Included in the 57-page document was a promise borrowed from their pre-election COVID-19 recovery plan: the creation of a Tourism Task Force aimed at providing supports to the beleaguered industry.

In their plan from September 17, the then-governing NDP said they would be allocating $50 million to implement recommendations from leaders in business, labour, and local First Nations who form the Task Force.

They also pledged to look at implementing permanent COVID-19 measures for restaurants such as expanded patios and wholesale liquor sales.

On Wednesday, the Green Party offered their own tourism support pitch, in the form of a re-tooled provincial grant program.

The Greens say they would establish new granting criteria and accelerate the program’s timeline to speed up cash flow.

They also pledged to start a separate granting program for non-profit tourism businesses, cultural facilities and attractions, and to work with the federal government to create a repayable loan program for the hospitality sector and tourism operators.

On Friday the BC Liberals borrowed a page from the Greens on a loan program, suggesting they too would expedite loans to the hospitality and tourism sectors.

The Liberal loan program would take the form of a loan guarantee, where the government would cover the liability for companies seeking loan applications from banks.

They also pledged to eliminate the two per cent small business income tax entirely, which they said would provide a huge savings to independent tourism and hospitality operators.

In July, the Victoria Chamber of Commerce forecast 2020 revenue for the tourism industry to be $6.7 billion compared to $20.4 billion in 2018.

Victoria Police have issued an alert for a missing “high-risk” 33-year-old man.

Christopher McAloney was seen was in April 2020. According to police, the circumstances under which he missing are considered high-risk, however, VicPD does not believe he is at immediate risk of harm or presents an immediate risk of harm to others.

McAloney is often associated with a green 2001 Dodge Caravan.

He is described as a Caucasian man with short dark brown hair that is curly on top and green eyes and stands at 5′ 8″ tall with a medium build. He often has a full, dark brown beard aqnd has a tattoo reading “13 ½” on his lower right neck.

Police said his family are concerned for him and officers are working to locate him so they can know he is safe.

If you see Christopher McAloney, police ask that you call 911.

Anyone with information is asked to call VicPD at (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

A trio of experienced mountaineers were rescued by helicopter hoist after suffering an accident on King’s Peak near Campbell River on Monday.

Sebastien Marcaux, Search Manager with the volunteer Comox Valley Search and Rescue (CVGSAR) organization, says that the group was descending down the mountain’s glacier when an equipment malfunction caused them to slip.

One of the climbers was able to stop their descent but all three had suffered non-life-threatening injuries, with two of them left unable to move.

The mountaineers used a satellite phone to call for help and Campbell River Search and Rescue (CRSAR) responded.

CRSAR teams determined that the operation would require the use of a helicopter hoist and radioed Vancouver Island’s search and rescue network for assistance.

CVGSAR responded, and a helicopter was supplied by Ascent Helicopter.

“They provided the hoist technician, a key position that is in contact with the pilot,” said Marcaux. “Volunteer members are trained to hook up on the hoist and manage patients on the ground.”

Because of the logistical challenges of the operation, the mountaineers were forced to spend the night on the glacier while awaiting rescue.

Marcaux says the location of the injured climbers proved difficult and the helicopter hoist was forced to airlift one of them at a time, transporting them to a secondary site for extraction and treatment.

The helicopter team was back on the ground by about 2:30 p.m. on October 6, and the entire operation spanned two days.

Marcaux says that despite the difficulty of organizing and executing a rescue operation between at least three groups, he is proud of the work the search and rescue teams do.

“We get frustrating calls, we get calls that are very demanding, physically and mentally,” said Marcaux.

“We’re unpaid professionals, taking time out of our jobs to respond to those calls. When we can measure that we helped someone, it’s extremely rewarding.”

He added that the mountaineers were well-trained and well-equipped, which helped them survive a dangerous situation.

Marcaux says that anyone interested in extreme outdoor activities should visit adventuresmart.ca for information on proper training, equipment, and preparedness.

A Victoria man died Monday evening after suffering a stroke while attempting a sailing voyage to circumnavigate the globe.

Glenn Wakefield had set out on September 6, 2020 with the intention of completing a solo circumnavigation in his sailboat, West Wind II.

According to a blog documenting the voyage, Wakefield sent a message on Thursday, September 17 at about 1:30 p.m. asking for medical assistance.

Family members, including his wife Marylou, kept the blog updated remotely from Victoria, adding on September 18 that Glenn had been admitted to a hospital in California after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

In another update, Wakefield’s family posted that he had suffered a massive stroke, and they had started a GoFundMe to raise money for his hospital bills and to bring him home for care.

They added that Glenn never intended to travel to U.S. soil and did not have U.S. medical insurance.

The fundraiser eventually received over $150,000 in donations, and Wakefield was transported back to Victoria on September 29, and placed in an Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

His family later posted that his medical team had informed them his condition was unlikely to improve.

On Tuesday, they informed the public that Glenn Wakefield had passed away Monday evening, at 10:14 p.m.

A message signed by Marylou Wakefield and the couple’s two daughters, Claire and Nicola, thanked donors and supporters for their generosity.

“As in life, Glenn chose the way he wanted to die which was to do it on his own terms, and without any assistance,” the family wrote.

“He left this world much like he lived it, surrounded by his adoring family, who wished him fair winds and a smooth journey.”

The Wakefields added they would be sharing details for a tribute and celebration of Glenn’s life in weeks to come.

West Shore RCMP say a 13-year-old child was arrested and then released for possessing a replica handgun.

At around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 6, the boy was with a group of friends in the school yard at Ruth King Elementary School located at 2764 Jacklin Rd in Langford.

He was showing the replica handgun to the group when a “concerned adult” passerby witnessed the interaction, heard the boy tell his friends “not to worry as it was not loaded”, and called police.

“When we first receive the report, it is unknown if this is a real handgun or a replica,” said Cst. Nancy Saggar in a phone interview with Victoria Buzz.

“This is a report that’s coming in from a witness in the area who believed that they very clearly saw a handgun, both displayed and then tucked back into [the boy’s] waistband. So we have to take precautions and treat it as if it were real.”

Officers flooded the area and found the 13-year-old boy right away.

He was arrested for “possessing a weapon dangerous to the public”, and put into handcuffs before police could search for the weapon.

“Once that search was done we realized what we’re dealing with is a replica firearm, and at that point we called the youth’s parents,” said Saggar.

Police say the boy will not be charged, but he was educated on the dangers of possessing and displaying a replica handgun, particularly near a school.

Saggar states he “recognized the error of his ways” and apologized for the incident.

“The emphasis here is that I don’t think the youth’s intention was to harm anyone. There’s no evidence of him trying to threaten anybody with it,” she added.

“It was more like a ‘hey look what I have’ type of deal, and because it was reported, it’s been dealt with in that manner.”

Victoria Police are responding to an incident where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in the downtown area.

According to VicPD spokesperson Bowen Osoko, the incident took place at the intersection of Quadra Street and Caledonia Ave, right outside police headquarters.

The call came in at around 12:24 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, and as of 12:45 p.m., the pedestrian was being treated on scene.

Osoko says they will soon be en route to the hospital to be further treated for injuries sustained in the collision.

Police, paramedics, and firefighters were all called to the scene. There is no information currently available about the extent of the pedestrian’s injuries.

Authorities are in the early stages of the investigation and say it is too soon to determine how the collision occurred.

More to come.

Saanich homeowners will now be able to add tiny dwellings to their backyards after the municipality approved garden suites this week.

“As housing in our region becomes increasingly difficult to find or afford, looking for ways to increase options is key,” said Mayor Fred Haynes in a statement.

Haynes added that the approval will provide more diverse rental housing in the District of Saanich.

The District says garden suites must meet the following criteria to be approved:

• The lot must be in an RS zone
• The lot must be in the Garden Suite Area (Sewer Service Area)
• The lot must be a minimum size of 400 square metres
• The lot must be a minimum width of 12 metres
• The principal building on the lot must be a single-family dwelling
• There cannot be a secondary suite on the property

The suite itself should be a detached, ground-oriented dwelling located in the read yard of a property.

Owners must live on the property, either in the main single-family dwelling or the garden suite.

Additionally, suites cannot be rented on a short-term basis (such as through AirBNB or as a Bed and Breakfast), and cannot be sold or strata-titled.

More information on the application process is available online at the District of Saanich website.

An impaired driver obliterated a BC Hydro pole in Esquimalt Tuesday evening, knocking out power to hundreds of people.

In a tweet just at 7:25 a.m. Wednesday morning, VicPD say the collision occurred at about 9 p.m. on October 6, by the intersection of Admirals Road and Esquimalt Road.

They added that the collision closed the intersection overnight as crews worked to replace the hydro pole. Work continued this morning and police said it may affect morning commutes in Esquimalt.

Just before 9 a.m., the Township of Esquimalt tweeted that traffic lights were still out at the intersection of Admirals and Esquimalt and drivers were asked to use 4-way stop procedures.

The Township added that crews were onsite to complete repairs but traffic was expected to remain slow for at least a couple more hours.

Photos from the scene show a semi-truck towing a section of pipe pulled over by police to the side of the road, as well the splintered and wrecked pole.

According to BC Hydro, the outage affected 256 customers North of Carlisle Avenue, South of Colville Road, West of Rockheights Avenue and East of Nelson Street, from 9:23 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Victoria Police say that the semi-truck driver was pulled over by a patrol officer after he collided with the power pole and did not stop.

As the officer approached the stopped vehicle, a witness spoke with the officer and handed him a brown paper bag with a partially consumed bottle of alcohol.

The witness told the officer that the driver of the semi-truck had thrown the bag from his vehicle after the crash.

VicPD say the driver was found to be impaired and was taken into custody. He was issued an administrative driving prohibition and several tickets, including a ticket for driving without due care and a ticket for failing to remain at the scene of a collision.

The semi-truck was impounded for 90-days and the driver’s license was seized.

The polls are in—and we’re not talking about elections this time!

Condé Nast Traveler readers have cast their ballots for the best travel destinations in the world, and both Vancouver Island and Victoria have come out on top.

According to the results of the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards, Vancouver Island is officially the second best island in North America.

The travel magazine says that the destination has consistently taken top spot for readers in Canada, and is now a top contender for best island in the entire continent, “…namely because there’s so damn much to do.”

“Pick from salmon fishing, wine tasting, sailing, strolling along beaches and nature trails, or learning about glassblowing,” reads a description of Vancouver Island from Condé Nast.

In particular, the ranking mentions a trip to the world-famous Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, and advises visitors to take a ferry over from Vancouver to make the trip.

Not to be outdone, the largest city on Vancouver Island has been voted the 8th best small city in the world by readers of the publication.

Condé Nast mentions the scenic ride over to Victoria as just one of the many highlights for tourists, and gives the city the title of ‘most British town in Canada’.

In particular, they offer a shoutout to Fisgard Street business, Venus Sophia Tea Room, for a high tea full of scrumptious baked goods.

Although now is not a good time for travel and Vancouver Islanders would rather visitors from other parts of the world stay away for now, the praise from Condé Nast readers is still welcome news for the region’s tourism industry.

“It is wonderful to see this positive recognition for Vancouver Island from global travellers at a time when our tourism industry is suffering,” said Anthony Everett, President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island, in a statement.

“We would like to thank the residents of Vancouver Island for contributing to making the Island a special place to live and visit.”

This year’s Readers’ Choice Awards votes were cast by readers at a time when travel has been brought to a near standstill, which means the results represent places where connections and memories were created in years past.

Top 5 Islands in North America

1. Cape Breton Island, Canada
2. Vancouver Island, Canada
3. Isla Holbox, Mexico
4. Prince Edward Island, Canada
5. Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Top 10 Small Cities in the World

1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2. Chiang Mai, Thailand
3. Mérida, Mexico
4. Monte Carlo, Monaco
5. Valletta, Malta
6. Salzburg, Austria
7. Siena, Italy
8. Victoria, Canada
9. Florence, Italy
10. Edinburgh, Scotland

In their latest platform announcement in the run up to the October 24 provincial snap election, the BC Green Party addressed the issue of child care and early childhood education.

The plan, announced by party leader Sonia Furstenau at a press briefing on Tuesday, focuses on offering universal early childhood, increased funding for child care programs and cash benefits for stay at home parents.

Based on the Greens’ pledge, if elected, families with children under three years old who have a stay-at-home parent will receive up to $500 per month.

See also: BC Election highlights: Greens promise rent relief, NDP offers ICBC break, and Liberals focus on seniors 

Furstenau also announced that the party would increase funding for child care programs from $674 million in 2020-21 to $897 million in 2024-25, and thereby offer up to 25 hours’ free early childhood education per week for 3 and 4 year olds.

The Greens’ plan also pledges free childcare for working parents with children under 3 and, like the NDP’s platform announcement earlier today, seeks to bring child care initiatives under the purview of the Ministry of Education.

“There is no reason we needed to go to an election to implement these policies. In fact, many of these are proposals we directly petitioned the NDP on for the past three years – like moving child care under the Ministry of Education, removing PST on e-bikes and modifying the renter’s rebate to a means-tested program,” said Furstenau in a statement.

“Many others were included in the letter I sent to Mr. Horgan four days after I assumed the B.C. Greens Leadership outlining areas where our Caucus proposed to work with theirs.”

In addition to the child care announcements, Furstenau brought up the issue of work-life balance and proposed exploring the idea of a four-day work week through consultations with the federal government and businesses in B.C.

The Green Party say they would also help employers continue to allow telecommuting as much as possible, and invest in high-speed internet access across the province.

A new poll shows the BC NDP in a wide lead at the start of the third week of the election, but many voters are still open to changing their vote.

The Angus Reid Institute says that their latest survey of voter intentions shows John Horgan’s party has the support of nearly half the province, with 49 per cent of decided voters saying they will cast their ballot for the NDP.

Andrew Wilkinson’s BC Liberals trail behind at 31 per cent, and Sonia Furstenau’s Greens rank a distant third with 14 per cent. Five per cent support other parties.

However, a significant portion of the electorate says they can still be swayed. Of the decided voters, 22 per cent say they are either less certain or not certain at all of which party they will support.

Many British Columbians are also still resentful of the NDP’s decision to call an early election. 58 per cent agreed that the election was unnecessary, including 28 per cent of NDP supporters.

While John Horgan enjoys a sizable lead in general, Angus Reid says his party may have some vulnerability on a handful of issues.

The NDP was chosen by respondents as the best party to lead on issues of housing affordability, health care, and the COVID-19 response, which were also chosen as the top three issues of the election.

However, on economic growth, the Liberals were selected by 64 per cent as the ideal choice, while the NDP were only picked by 15 per cent.

The NDP also fell behind on climate change and the environment, with 72 per cent saying the Green Party would be the best choice and only 16 per cent favouring John Horgan’s party.

With general voting day approaching on October 24 and platforms launching this week, pollsters will continue to measure the mood of the public as more details on the three major parties’ policies are unveiled.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from October 1 – 3, 2020 among a representative randomized sample of 989 B.C. adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Authors Lorna Crozier and Mark Leiren-Young were honoured at the 17th annual Victoria Book Prize Gala in a virtual ceremony Sunday night.

Crozier was awarded the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize for The House the Spirit Builds (Douglas & McIntyre), while Leiren-Young took home the City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize for Orcas Everywhere; The Mystery and History of Killer Whales (Orca Book Publishers).

The winners were announced by Mayor Lisa Helps and co-sponsor Brian Butler during the virtual gala as part of the Victoria Festival of Authors. Each will receive $5,000.

“Victoria’s local authors bring inspiration and joy into our everyday lives, connecting us at this time when it is more challenging to be together,” said Mayor Lisa Helps.

“Congratulations to both Lorna and Mark on their tremendous achievement.”

Criteria and eligibility for the prizes was determined by the Victoria Book Prize Society. Eligible works were judged by two three-member juries.

Other finalists for the Butler Book Prize were Every Little Scrap And Wonder by Carla Funk, Cultivated: The Elements Of Floral Style by Christin Geali, Picking Up the Pieces: Residnetial School Memories and the Making of the Witness Blanket by Carey Newman and Kirstie Hudson, and Lampedusa by Steven Price.

Other finalists for the Children’s Book Prize included Nevers by Sara Cassidy and Neekah’s Knitting Needles Sylvia Olsen and Odelia Smith.

BC NDP leader John Horgan announced the party’s election campaign platform in Vancouver Tuesday morning, less than three weeks before general voting day on October 24.

“This election is about what kind of future British Columbians want as we face a new reality and move towards full recovery,” said Horgan.

“Our plan provides the support people need right now and lays out a vision for how BC can emerge from the pandemic stronger and more secure than ever.”

See also: Where each B.C. political party stands on mental health, addiction and the overdose crisis

Many of the 154 policies and initiatives released are existing ongoing projects, or things that were announced and underway long before the election was called.

Nevertheless, Tuesday’s platform launch contained a plethora of new promises, particularly on issues related to health care, housing, capital projects, and the overdose crisis.

Direct cash and benefits pledges

One of the biggest promises in the NDP’s platform is a one-time recovery benefit of up to $1,000 for families that earn less than $125,000 per year, and a $500 deposit for single people who earn less than $62,000 per year.

When asked about their rationale for this funding, given that there are several existing benefits packages for those who are struggling financially during the pandemic, party leader John Horgan said this initiative is a way to put money in people’s pockets so that they can spend and reinvest in local businesses.

For people earning minimum wage in B.C., the NDP platform promises that after it reaches $15/hour in 2021, they would tie that wage amount to the rate of inflation, making it increase incrementally every year.

Another major economic policy announcement was that if re-elected, the BC NDP would instate a freeze on rent increases until 2022, and limit rent increases after that point.

This freeze would still apply to people who have already received a notice of rent increase for next year. Before the pandemic, rent increases were capped at 1.4 per cent per year.

In a further promise to support renters, Horgan said the NDP would bring in an income-tested renter’s rebate of $400 per year for households earning up to $80,000 annually that are not already receiving other rental support. This renter’s rebate was first promised by the NDP during their 2017 election campaign.

Moreover, the party pledged to create a new Recovery Investment Fund by reinvesting 1 per cent of GDP or around $3 billion in new capital projects over the next three years. This money would be slated to fund the construction of new schools and hospitals.

The NDP’s platform also promises to make transit free for children under 12 for both BC Transit and TransLink users.

In the City of Victoria, transit is already free for children under age 18.

Health care

In the health care sector, the BC NDP promised to open a second medical school, potentially in the Lower Mainland, to help expand the province’s health care workforce. The decision on where this will be located will be made after conversations with post-secondary institutions.

The party also pledged to create a 10-year Cancer Care Action Plan that would aim to improve individualized care for cancer patients, and expand funding for research and diagnostics in the province.

If re-elected, the BC NDP says they would launch a new ‘Silver Alert’ system—a replica of Amber Alerts, but to help first responders locate missing seniors instead of children.

On the COVID-19 front, Horgan pledged to offer free vaccines to all B.C. residents once it is available. However this has been criticized as a moot promise by many, including BC Liberal Party leader Andrew Wilkinson.

“In what world would a life-saving vaccine not* be free to British Columbians? It’s our duty to provide healthcare to everyone in B.C.,” said Wilkinson in a tweet.

One major new pledge does stand out: the NDP has promised to make prescription contraception free for everyone if they are elected. No further details were presented, however, on how much this measure would cost.

Education and childcare

One of the NDP’s first promises during their campaign was reiterated in their campaign platform: the expansion of their existing $10/day child care spaces, through a partnership with the federal government.

The party did not specify how many spaces they would add if re-elected. They said that since 2018, over 32,000 child care spaces have been offered at less than $10 a day.

They also plan to form partnerships with crown corporations, universities, local
governments, First Nations, and public and private sector employers to make sure new office spaces include room for child care options.

To accomplish all this, the BC NDP pledged that responsibility of fulfilling these child care promises would be brought under the purview of the Ministry of Education.

Within the K-12 system, the party promises to provide investments to schools that would allow them to purchase all the classroom supplies they need so that parents and teachers are no longer have to pay out of pocket for these items.

Climate change and overdose crises

As part of their plan to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change, the NDP says they would remove the PST on electric bike purchases, and provide a new income-tested incentive for people to purchase new and used electric vehicles.

Horgan also promised to begin banning single-used plastics through a provice-wide approach. In B.C., the City of Victoria led the charge on this issue by starting the process of banning plastic bags in 2017 and receiving the green light from the Supreme Court to implement it this year.

Last year, the federal government also announced their initiative to implement a plastic bag ban by 2021.

In response to the rising number of overdose deaths in recent months, Horgan pledged that the NDP would continue to push the federal government to decriminalize the use of drugs, in accordance with the recommendations of the provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Besides this approach, the party promised to “develop a made-in-BC solution”—a recommendation that was made by Henry in her 2019 report, but was initially dismissed by the incumbent government who stated that decriminalization is a federal issue.

The party’s full platform can be viewed in its entirety on their website.

Victoria Buzz will have full coverage and comparisons of each party’s platforms once they become available.

The BC Liberal party pledged to open up the province to privatized auto insurance if elected, ending ICBC’s monopoly.

Leader Andrew Wilkinson accused the crown corporation of driving up rates under John Horgan’s NDP minority, saying that rates had ballooned by an average of 48 per cent over the last three years.

“BC drivers are tired of being gouged by John Horgan, ICBC, and the NDP,” Wilkinson said at a campaign stop in Maple Ridge Tuesday morning.

“The way to get cheaper rates is to introduce competition for all forms of auto insurance in British Columbia.”

The BC Liberals say their government would allow privatized coverage through a tort system (where disputing parties determine fault) or through ICBC’s no-fault system.

They also pledged to offer new drivers credit for two years of driving experience, increasing to four years if the driver has completed driver education.

Wilkinson also slammed the BC NDP promise to return ICBC profits to drivers that were earned during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the move should have come months ago.

The Liberals pledged to return excessive premiums charged by ICBC during 2020.

“Everywhere else in Canada, there were refunds from insurance in the summer time, but not in BC,” said Wilkinson. “Our position is that you are entitled to that money.”

When asked by Victoria Buzz how a Liberal government would compensate for the loss of revenue to government coffers with a privatized model, leader Andrew Wilkinson evaded the question, talking instead about how the competition would offer customers choice.

Between January and April 2021, one of Victoria’s Inner Harbour landmark buildings will be closed to visitors due to a massive modernization project.

The Fairmont Empress hotel in downtown Victoria will be shut down from January 3 to April 1, 2021 during an extensive $3 million capital building improvement project.

Workers will be replacing the existing steam heating system with a hydronic heating system, replacing the two 1960’s era steam boilers with three hot water boilers, replacing domestic hot water tanks with new high efficiency tanks, and upgrade the hotel’s building automation system.

The decision was made by Nat and Flora Bosa and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in order to utilize the slow travel season during January to March, on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, to make these upgrades.

“This overhaul will significantly improve the building’s energy efficiency and reduce the overall carbon footprint, allowing the hotel to be more sustainable, energy efficient and considerate to our local environment,” said Indu Brar, General Manager at Fairmont Empress, in a statement.

“Being able to leverage the slower season and reduced tourism due to COVID-19 travel restrictions gives us the opportunity to complete these necessary upgrades.”

The hotel will stay open in the run up to January 3, in order to offer their popular annual Christmas at the Empress program during the holiday season, before reopening on April 1, 2021.

New statistics from the Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB) show that housing sales continue to rise in the area despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

989 properties were sold in the VREB region this September, an increase of 60.6 per cent in sales compared to September 2019, and 1 per cent more than August 2020.

Condo sales were up 26.7 per cent and family homes were up 91.9 per cent from September 2019.

“Another month has passed where we have seen surprisingly high sales numbers – which included quite a few higher end properties,” says VREB President Sandi-Jo Ayers.

“I don’t think that anyone who was trying to predict market outcomes in our area over the course of the pandemic expected that the pent up demand from dampened sales in April and May would result in this level of market activity.”

Availability is also dropping, with 2,389 listed on the VREB listing service at the end of September 2020, a 15.4 per cent drop in listings from September 2019.

Benchmark values rose slightly, with a single family home being listed for an average of $849,100 in September 2019 compared to $879,200 in September 2020.

“We had some much-needed new inventory enter the market over the course of September,” said Ayers. ”But the supply has not been sufficient to outstrip the heightened demand.

She added that the statistics do not yet indicate a trend and should be taken as a snapshot of the current market.

The BC Green Party announced on Monday that they would spend $1 billion on mental health services under MSP if elected this fall.

Funding would be spent over a four-year cycle for a variety of initiatives, including:

• Establishing accessible mental health treatment options for all those struggling with anxiety or depression.
• Early intervention, youth mental health initiatives, integrated primary care specific to youth and mental health enabling families to easily navigate resources in a supportive environment.
• Community based options for responding to those with mental health issues and their families such as Clubhouse International.
• Enhanced counselling outreach services to work with the homeless community.

In addition, the party says they would allocate funding towards building new tertiary care facilities and providing detoxification beds, developing and implementing a Loneliness Strategy, and conducting a public information campaign to raise awareness on available resources.

During a campaign stop in Gordon Head to announce the mental health pledge, Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau held up the United Kingdom’s practice of prescribing social and community activities as an example of what the “Loneliness Strategy” would entail.

“Mental health issues are affecting increasing numbers of British Columbians and we need to treat it like any other health issue by properly resourcing it in our public system,” Furstenau said in a statement.

She added that the party would also be open to exploring a four day work week, an idea that was promoted by her Green Party leadership campaign as a tool for aiding mental health.