Friday, March 29, 2024

Victoria Police searching for “high risk” missing 41-year-old woman

(Missing Leah Parker/VicPD)

Victoria Police are searching for “high risk” missing woman, Leah Parker.

The 41-year-old was last seen nearly a month ago on April 28 and police say her family is concerned for her well being.

Parker is described as a Caucasian woman standing 5’5″ tall and weighing approximately 140 lbs. She has shoulder length brown and blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who sees her is asked to call 911.

Those who have information on here whereabouts are asked to contact VicPD at (250) 995-7654. To report anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Canada partners with General Motors to produce 10 million face masks: Trudeau

(Stock photo)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provided an update on the national push to procure personal protective equipment on Tuesday morning, in an ongoing effort to continue to protect Canadians against COVID-19.

During his daily address, Trudeau announced that the federal government has signed a contract with General Motors Canada to produce 10 million face masks for Canadians. He also stated that these masks are already in production, and will be shipped out to provinces and territories soon.

A new contract has also been signed for 10,000 ventilators to be produced on Canadian soil by Nobel Laureate Art McDonald and his team.

This will bring the total of Canadian-made ventilators to 40,000.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


According to Trudeau, forty flights have already arrived in Canada over last ten weeks, bringing “hundreds of thousands of items” of PPE.

As of last month, the federal government had heard from 6,000 companies looking to help with PPE production, and contracts were in the works with over a dozen of those.

Many companies across the country are now at work making everything from COVID-19 test kits, to face shields and surgical masks.

Also announced by Trudeau on Tuesday was that the government will be funding up to 700 jobs in the food and farming industry for youth, a sector that has struggled due to COVID-19.

BC Ferries will resume Nanaimo Departure Bay to Vancouver Horseshoe Bay route on June 3

(BC Ferries/Twitter)

BC Ferries has announced a gradual resumption of the Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) route that had been temporarily suspended as a way to mitigate risks of COVID-19 transmission.

Starting June 3, there will be four daily trips on the Departure Bay — Horseshoe Bay route as follows:

  • From Horseshoe Bay: 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:50 p.m., 6:50 p.m.
  • From Departure Bay: 10:30 a.m., 12:50 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:50 p.m.

The ferry company says this move was announced to support the movement of goods and people to coastal communities.

“In order to support coastal B.C. and respond to the need of British Columbians, we are gradually and safely restoring our service,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ President and CEO, in a statement on Monday.

“Demand has increased such that resuming service on the Departure Bay – Horseshoe Bay route better serves the needs of customers.”

This service resumption brings back two other routes operating out of Horseshoe Bay: the Horseshoe Bay — Snug Cove and Horseshoe Bay — Langdale routes.

The company is working on plans to resume service across the fleet and is starting with this key Vancouver Island — mainland connection.

All vessels will continue accommodating passengers and vehicles at 50 per cent of their usual capacity in accordance with Transport Canada regulations to help support physical distancing on board.

BC Ferries recommends that passengers looking to travel on the newly reinstated route starting June 3 should book their trip in advance, arrive at the terminal at least an hour before sailing, and foot passengers also arrive well in advance.

Wherever possible, travellers should take alternate vessels like the Tsawwassen — Duke Point or Tsawwassen — Swartz Bay routes.

A number of BC Ferries staff are being brought back into employment to help restore the route.

VicPD says no one was injured in suspicious Gorge Waterway boat fire

(Screencap from video by James Rutherford/Facebook)

Victoria Police officers continue to investigate a suspicious fire that sunk a boat in the Gorge Waterway on Friday, but now say they believe no one was injured.

According to Victoria Police, officers and Victoria Fire Department firefighters attended reports of a boat fire near the Selkirk Trestle in the Bamfield Park portion of the Gorge Waterway just after 1 a.m. on May 22.

At the time, it was unclear whether anyone injured aboard the boat that sank into the Gorge as a result of the flames.

Since then, officers have been able to speak to the owner of the boat and confirm the belief that no one was injured.

Firefighters were able to douse the flames when they arrived at the scene, and VicPD officers declared the incident suspicious in a statement released Friday.

Police continue their investigation in the case and there are no suspects at this time.

12 new COVID-19 cases reported in B.C., four additional deaths since Saturday

(Photo by Colin Smith Takes Pics)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 12 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province since Saturday, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,530 people.

Between Saturday and Sunday, the province recorded five cases, while there were seven new positive cases between Sunday and Monday.

In total, 894 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,253 in Fraser Health, 127 on Vancouver Island, 194 in Interior Health and 62 in Northern Health region.

There are now 267 active cases in the province.

There are now a total of 37 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 7 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, four new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 161 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 2,102 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.

Outbreaks

In total, there are 14 long term care and two acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks, with a total of 333 residents and 209 staff affected.

One additional outbreak was declared at the Mountain federal correctional institution in Fraser Health Region last week where two people have tested positive for COVID-19.

Another community outbreak was also declared last week at Nature’s Touch, a frozen food processing plant in Abbotsford, where five people have tested positive for the virus.

A community outbreak at the Oppenheimer Group, a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Coquitlam, has three cases.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 127 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 22, 121 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there continues to be just one active case in the region, and that patient is in hospital.

Thus far, there have been 129,942 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 19,572 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 5,568,402.

Over 346,900 people have died from the illness and 2,353,465 have made a full recovery.

Three charged with mischief for pipeline protest outside B.C. Premier John Horgan’s residence

(Protest January 2019/Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island - Facebook)

Three people involved in trying to conduct a citizen’s arrest of B.C. Premier John Horgan earlier this year have now been charged with mischief.

In a statement on Monday, the BC Prosecution Service stated it has appointed Victoria lawyer Dirk Ryneveld as special prosecutor in the case against three members of climate action group, Extinction Rebellion.

See also: Three protesters arrested outside Premier John Horgan’s Langford residence

Anti-pipeline protesters Howard Breen, Regine Klein, and Mark Nykanen were arrested on February 18 after attempting to conduct a citizen’s arrest and lockdown outside of B.C. Premier John Horgan’s residence in Langford.

The protesters had walked up to Horgan’s home and started banging on his door, stating they were going to make a citizen’s arrest.

“We also saw a couple of people who were probably a little more motivated to protest than others,” said West Shore RCMP Sgt. Lea at the time, confirming that two people laid down on Horgan’s driveway in an attempt to block access to his residence.

Allegations of mischief and trespass were laid against the three protesters who were arrested during the protest after refusing to stop blocking the Premier’s driveway.

Now, after an independent assessment, Ryneveld has laid charges of mischief against the accused.

The three defendants are expected to appear in Colwood Provincial Court on July 15, 2020.

Over 27,000 reservations made for B.C. campgrounds since bookings opened Monday morning

Are you a B.C. resident who hopped online to make a campground reservation this morning? Because you certainly weren’t alone.

As of 7 a.m. Monday morning, Discover Camping opened their campground reservation portal for B.C. residents, and clearly underestimated the sheer number of British Columbians who were itching to book a site.

As of 11:30 a.m., over 27,000 reservations for campsites had been made, according to a tweet by Minister of Environment and Climate Change George Heyman.

He went on to add that there were approximately 10 reservations being made every second since the portal went live.

With the announcement that many campgrounds and accommodations will start to open on June 1st, along with most B.C. parks now open for day-use, Discover Camping made the decision to open up their campsite booking schedule on Monday, May 25th.

However the campground reopening is not without some changes to this summer’s upcoming camping season.

Reservations will only be available to B.C. residents at this time, and new reservations made after May 25th by non-B.C. residents will be subject to immediate cancellation without refund.

For local residents, front-country and backcountry reservations will be available on a two-month rolling basis starting Monday.

This means beginning May 25th, the system will open to arrivals as far forward as July 25th, for example. This system will continue on, with each day allowing one more day of bookings two months in advance.

Campers can reserve a spot for a maximum of 14 days, and reservations made within the first two weeks of inventory being released cannot be changed.

“This is to prevent people from overbooking and subsequently changing arrival dates to shorten their stay in order to obtain a favourable site or time ahead of other customers,” said BC Parks in a release.

Group sites and reservable picnic shelters will remain closed for the time being, and double sites will only be available for double site bookings and cannot be booked as two single sites for separate groups.

Despite the overwhelming number of campers unable to get through to book sites at this time, it appears this is a result of the website experiencing technical difficulties; not for lack of sites available.

If you’re willing to take a gamble and join the masses in reserving a campsite, you can do so through Discover Canada’s online portal.

Maybe just make sure you’re comfortable; it could be a while.

Two injured in Nanaimo vehicle collision involving three-week old baby

Nanaimo man arrested
(Image / Tom Brenner)

Two people were taken to hospital with varying degrees of injuries after a vehicle collision in Nanaimo on Saturday.

Two people, both aged 19-years-old, and a three-week old infant were headed southbound on Jingle Pot Road in Nanaimo in a GMC Jimmy when the male driver lost control of the vehicle.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on May 23, the Jimmy crossed the centre line and crashed into a pickup truck that was headed northbound.

The vehicle carrying the three occupants then came to rest in a ditch on the side of the road.

When emergency services arrived on site, they found that the 19-year-old female passenger was severely injured and had to be extracted from the vehicle.

She was airlifted to a hospital in Victoria with serious but non-life threatening injuries. Fortunately her baby was not injured in the crash, but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

The driver, a 19-year-old man, sustained minor injuries and he was taken to Nanaimo hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the pickup truck they collided into was occupied by a lone driver — a 33-year-old man — who was not injured in the crash. The vehicle, however, sustained significant damage.

Both cars were towed from the scene of the crash on Jingle Pot Road at Kilpatrick Road, and the GMC Jimmy will go through a mechanical inspection.

Authorities are in the process of investigating the incident.

VicPD arrest eight campers along Pandora Ave four days after deadline to dismantle

(Photo by Bernie Paulie/Twitter)

Victoria Police have arrested eight people from the homeless camp along Pandora Avenue four days after campers were given the option to move into indoor shelter units.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, VicPD confirmed that eight campers were arrested on the afternoon of May 24, as police assisted in dismantling the makeshift homeless encampments in the 1000 and 900 blocks of Pandora Ave.

“VicPD officers, City of Victoria Bylaw officers, BC Housing staff, and social services agency staff provided every possible opportunity for those encamped in this area to depart without enforcement action,” reads the statement from police.

See also: Victoria homeless camps at Topaz Park, Pandora corridor expect to be dismantled today

The people arrested were taken into police custody and transported to Victoria Police headquarters. Their property has been held in safekeeping and will be returned under the direction of Victoria Bylaw.

An order from the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth that was issued on April 25th provided a deadline for dismantling the homeless encampments at Topaz Park and along Pandora Ave in Victoria, as well as Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver.

For Victoria, that deadline was extended to May 20 by which time the 360 people who had set up camp at those locations were given opportunities to move into hotel or motel rooms, or modular accommodations set up at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

According to VicPD Chief Del Manak, the eight people who were arrested had been given ample opportunity to leave the encampment on their own over the past four days.

In a tweet, Manak says they were told repeatedly of the fact that they were in violation of the Ministerial Order after many of them refused indoor housing that had been offered to them and insisted on staying outside.

Those in custody will be given information on how to retrieve their belongings from bylaw officers.

16 of the best Instagram photos taken around Victoria last week, May 18th to May 24th

(Photo by @rl.images via Instagram)

From rain-covered landmarks to spectacular sunrises, sunsets and everything in between, Victoria has had some truly eye-catching photos posted to Instagram accounts this past week!

This is exactly why we’ve decided each week, we would compile some of the best photos in town that used the hashtag #victoriabuzz on Instagram.

Every Monday we’ll create a new list, so if you’d like to be featured, upload your photo on Instagram and use the hashtag #victoriabuzz; the best pictures will be shared in our next photo gallery!

For now, feast your eyes on some of the most beautiful photos of our fair city had to offer this past week:

 

RCMP still searching for missing 45-year-old Vancouver Island man last seen in March

(John Wesley Edwards / Comox Valley RCMP)

The Comox Valley RCMP are still search for a missing 45-year-old man last seen in Courtenay on March 20th.

In a media release, police say it is unusual for John Wesley Edwards, or “Wes”, to go a long period of time without contacting friends or family, so they are concerned for his well-being.

He is known to travel to Alberta and may have made his way out there before he stopped
communicating.

“We need to make sure Wes is alright. We have interviewed multiple people who know Wes; however, still nobody has seen him or heard from him since March 20th in Courtenay,” said Cst. Carlson of the Comox Valley RCMP Major Crime Unit.

Edwards is described as 5’9” tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds, with blonde/grey hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who sees John Wesley Edwards or knows where he may be is asked to call the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Here’s how businesses in Canada can apply for rent subsidy

Applications for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) opened Monday morning, allowing landlords to access one of the federal government’s latest relief programs.

The CECRA is meant to help small businesses maintain rent payments, as many small businesses across the country have been hard hit by the effects of the current global pandemic.

The now-open application portal is accessible through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which is responsible for administering the rent relief program.

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program is expected to provide 75 per cent in rent reduction for small businesses, with 50 per cent of costs covered by the federal government, and 25 per cent to be covered by landlords.

Of the 50 per cent covered by government, 37.5 per cent will be paid for by the federal government and 12.5 per cent by provincial governments.

In total, property owners must offer a minimum of a 75 per cent rent reduction for the months of April, May, and June 2020.

The CECRA will then provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial landlords that will cover 50 per cent of the three monthly rent payments.

According to the CMHC, they are expecting “a large volume of applications” for the rent relief program, which officially opened as of 8 a.m. Monday morning.

To manage the volume, CHMC has asked property owners to apply on specific days, which are as follows: 

  • Monday — Property owners who are located in Atlantic Canada, BC, Alberta and Quebec, with up to 10 tenants who are eligible for the program
  • Tuesday — Property owners who are located in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Territories, with up to 10 tenants who are eligible for the program
  • Wednesday — All other property owners in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Territories
  • Thursday — All other property owners in Atlantic Canada, BC, Alberta and Quebec
  • Friday — All

The application portal is now open, and can be accessed online.

Canadian government explores option to provide 10-day paid sick leave per year to all

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced on Monday that the federal government intends to move forward in talks with the provinces and territories on offering all Canadians 10 days of guaranteed paid sick leave a year, as the population continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This would be to ensure that every worker in Canada is able to stay at home when they’re sick without fear of financial repercussions.

The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s talks with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on the proposed motion on the subject, and the commitment to paid sick leave for all Canadians.

The proposal was brought forth on Monday morning, shortly before a small number of members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons to begin debate over the future of parliamentary sittings for as long as several months.

“To come out of this crisis, our country needs workers… more than ever,” Trudeau said during his daily address on Monday.

“Nobody should have to choose between taking a day off work due to illness, or being able to pay their bills.”

“That’s why the government will continue discussions with the provinces, without delay, on ensuring that as we enter the recovery phase of the pandemic, every worker in Canada who needs it has access to ten days of paid sick leave a year,” he added.

The government is also exploring other mechanisms for longer terms supports for workers who need more days of sick leave.

VicPD arrest one man after gunshot was fired through apartment wall into family’s home

(File Photo)

One man has been taken into custody after a gunshot was fired through a young family’s wall in their apartment suite near downtown Victoria Sunday morning.

According to VicPD, police were called to the 1200-block of Yates Street just after 6 a.m. this morning for a report of at least one gunshot fired through a wall of a nearby suite in a multi-unit residential building.

The suite was home to a family who were sleeping at the time of the incident. Investigators do not believe the family was targeted.

Officers evacuated residents of the building and called in the Greater Victoria Response Team (GVERT), including crisis negotiators who made contact with the suspect in the suite where the gunshot was fired from.

Because the individual was uncooperative, the GVERT ended up forcing the man’s door open after a four hour standoff, and the suspect surrendered without incident.

According to reports, there was a gunshot hole in the ceiling above the suspects’s bed which was adjacent to the suite of the family above.

There were no injuries.

The man is currently in custody and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

B.C. reports 10 new COVID-19 patients today, declares 82 per cent recovery rate

(Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 10 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,517 people.

In total, 890 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,244 in Fraser Health, 127 on Vancouver Island, 194 in Interior Health and 62 in Northern Health region.

There are now 303 active cases in the province.

There are now a total of 39 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 8 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, 2 new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 157 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 2,057 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C. representing 82 per cent of all cases.

Outbreaks

In total, there are 14 long term care and two acute care facilities now have active ongoing outbreaks, with the outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital now declared over.

One additional outbreak has been declared at the Mountain federal correctional institution in Fraser Health Region where two people have tested positive for COVID-19.

An additional community outbreak has been declared at Nature’s Touch, a frozen food processing plant in Abbotsford, where five people have tested positive for the virus.

A community outbreak at the Oppenheimer Group, a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Coquitlam, has three cases.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 127 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 21, 121 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there continues to be just one active case in the region, and that patient is in hospital.

Thus far, there have been 129,942 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 19,572 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 5,377,677.

Over 342,800 people have died from the illness and 2,225,949 have made a full recovery.

B.C. reports 18 new COVID-19 cases today, death toll rises to 155

(file photo)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 18 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,507 people.

In total, 888 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,236 in Fraser Health, 127 on Vancouver Island, 194 in Interior Health and 62 in Northern Health region.

The number of active cases has gone up slightly as there are now 310 in B.C. compared to 307 on Thursday.

“The discrepancy between new cases and total cases with the Interior Health and Island Health regions reported today are a data consolidation to reflect COVID-19 cases based on where individuals reside, even if they were not in the health authority during their illness,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Health.

Nine people in Interior Health and one person in Island Health who were recorded as new cases today were linked to the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta. All ten of them completed their self isolation periods in Alberta and have now recovered.

There are now a total of 41 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 8 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, three new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 155 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 2,042 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.

Outbreaks

In total, there are 14 long term care and two acute care facilities now have active ongoing outbreaks, with the outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital now declared over.

One additional outbreak has been declared at the Mountain federal correctional institution in Fraser Health Region where one person has tested positive for COVID-19.

A community outbreak at the Oppenheimer Group, a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Coquitlam, has three cases.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 127 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 21, 121 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there continues to be just one active case in the region, and that patient is in hospital.

Thus far, there have been 127,786 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 19,241 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 5,282,612.

Over 338,700 people have died from the illness and 2,139,224 have made a full recovery.

BCCDC calls for more British Columbians to take COVID-19 response survey

(File photo)

Ten days after the launch of a survey to gauge how COVID-19 has affected British Columbians, the BCCDC are calling for more people to participate.

So far, 275,000 B.C. residents have responded to the survey which was launched on May 12 for people to log their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to help inform future responses to the pandemic.

The online survey is open to all British Columbians aged 18 and older, can be accessed on computers and tablets, and takes between 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

See also: PM Trudeau details next steps in reopening Canadian economy safely

It will be available to answer until May 31 and has been provided in English, Simplified Chinese and Punjabi.

The majority of the survey asks about individual experiences, knowledge and actions taken during the self isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results will help public health officials gauge the financial and mental health impacts of the pandemic across various socioeconomic backgrounds.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


At the end of the survey, participants will be asked about whether they wish to participate in a serology survey or blood test to help determine immunity against the virus across B.C.

They will also be asked about their willingness to participate in planning for future waves of the pandemic which expects to make use of technological tools to coordinate information sharing.

One of these tools is the use of contact tracing apps that keeps track of who people have had contact with as a way to trace exposure to COVID-19 once someone tests positive for the virus.

The survey can be accessed at bccdc.ca/covid19survey or over the phone by calling 1-833-707-1900, which is operated seven days a week 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Results will be made public in the early summer. Those who agree to participate in a future phase will be contacted directly via email.

Saanich Police issue advisory after mother bear and cub spotted at Elk/Beaver Lake Park

File photo.

For the third time this month, authorities are reporting a bear sighting in Saanich.

Saanich Police have issued an advisory after a hiker came across a bear in the Beaver Lake Road area at 12:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The wild animal was headed towards the lake in the Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park.

When Saanich Police and Saanich Pound officers arrived, they found that it was actually a mother bear and her cub. The pair walked away when confronted by humans.

The BC Conservation Office has been notified and police are working with CRD Regional Parks to create awareness of their presence in the area.

Police are now advising everyone to avoid the area, and are working on alerting the people currently inside the park.

Air Canada releases summer schedule with nearly 100 destinations to choose from

(Air Canada)

Canada’s largest airline has officially released their summer schedule on Friday, and although it’s reduced, there are still many flights available to domestic and international destinations.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Air Canada is flying to only 97 destinations this summer season, down from 220 last year.

Air Canada will operate from its major hubs to destinations around the world.

This includes routes from Toronto to FrankfurtLondonZurichTokyo and Tel Aviv, routes from Montreal to Frankfurt, London, Paris and Brussels and flights from Vancouver to London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul.

In June, service will expand even further to include flights between Montreal and Athens, Rome and Geneva along with ones between Toronto and Munich, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Rome, and Athens.

There could also potentially be flights from Vancouver to Shanghai in the near future, but that will be subject to government approval.

“We are accordingly gradually opening for sale flights for the summer and beyond as we rebuild our network,” said Lucie Guillemette, executive VP and chief commercial officer with Air Canada in a release.

As of Friday, May 22nd, Air Canada will resume service to the U.S. Despite this announcement, the border between Canada and the U.S. remains closed to all non-essential travellers until at least June 21st.

Nanaimo thief takes his sweet time stealing three shoes through a mail slot (PHOTOS)

(Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization - NUKO Learning Center)

T’was a case of the stolen shoes; three of them, to be exact.

The Nanaimo RCMP is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who stole a pair of runners, plus one extra, from Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization (NUKO).

The organization supports children with neurological differences, such as autism, Downs Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

The incident occurred on May 15th, between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., at the business located at 60 Needham Street in Nanaimo.

Police were able to obtain video surveillance of the act, which showed the suspect using a long stick to reach out and grab hold of the runners through a mail slot in the front door.

After two solid hours and many failed attempts, the man managed to hook onto one pair of Nike high-tops and a single running shoe, and pull them through the mail slot.

The male suspect, whose face could not be seen, was wearing bright red running shoes, a denim jacket, and black hoodie at the time.

Nanaimo RCMP ask anyone that has information on the identity of the suspect to contact the non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

Surveillance footage of the suspect is below:

https://www.facebook.com/207363742803996/photos/pcb.1378455832361442/1378453895694969/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/207363742803996/photos/pcb.1378455832361442/1378453975694961/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/207363742803996/photos/pcb.1378455832361442/1378454039028288/?type=3&theater

(Nanaimo RCMP)

Victoria Police investigating suspicious boat fire in Gorge Waterway

(Gorge boat fire/Photo by James Rutherford)

A fire that caused a boat to sink in the Gorge Waterway is being deemed suspicious.

According to Victoria Police, officers and Victoria Fire Department firefighters attended reports of a boat fire near the Selkirk Trestle in the Bamfield Park portion of the Gorge Waterway.

The incident occurred just after 1 a.m. on Friday and the boat was fully engulfed in flames when authorities arrived.

While firefighters were able to extinguish the flame, the boat sunk into the water over the course of the incident.

Police say it is unclear whether anyone was injured.

Initial reports suggests that the fire is suspicious, and officers are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Restaurants and pubs in B.C. can now apply for more patio space until October

(Rooftop Patio)

The provincial government has announced that restaurants, bars, and eateries in general will now be allowed to apply for expanded patio space.

The move has been made to support the hospitality sector in adapting to COVID-19 regulations that require groups of patrons to maintain distances of two metres or six feet from one another.

“This pandemic has hit our hospitality sector hard. Our government has been working with industry on ways to support the more than 180,000 British Columbians who work in pubs, restaurants and other parts of the sector,” said David Eby, Attorney General.

“Speeding up the process will help restaurants, pubs, breweries and other licensees, and give British Columbians more options for safely eating out this summer, while continuing to follow Dr. Henry’s directions.”

Food primary, liquor-primary and manufacturer licensees, such as wineries, breweries and distilleries can now apply to expand their service areas through a simplified online process.

These authorizations will be provided by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation branch (LCRB) until October 31, 2020.

No fees will be required for the applications which will be processed on a first come first serve basis through an expedited process.

All licensees need to comply with local bylaws, and liquor primary and manufacturer licensees also need to receive approval from their local government.

There will be no on-site inspection before approval of the permits but inspectors will conduct regular compliance inspections.

Businesses interested in applying for the expansion can apply at justice.gov.bc.ca/cannabislicensing/covid-temporary-extension.

This Saanichton diner is now offering carhop food service just like the good ol’ days

(RnR Diner / Facebook)

If there was ever a great reason to hop in the car and get out of your house, this is it!

One local diner has decided to put a classic twist on the traditional takeout, offering carhop food service to patrons who drive on up to sample their menu.

RnR Diner in Saanichton is one of the many local dining establishments that has had to adopt a takeout-only model due to COVID-19, but they’re not letting that get in the way of a bit of good old fashioned fun.

The diner implemented the idea, trays and all, as a way to still serve their customers at a time when sit-down service is unavailable.

The carhop takeout service is available from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m Monday to Friday, with their full menu able to be delivered right to your door — car door, that is.

RnR offers daily specials which change every week, including a prime rib dinner with Yorkshire pudding with mashed potatoes, gravy and veggies available each Wednesday.

They’re also offering a 20 per cent discount for all healthcare workers and first responders for the month of May.

You can check out their menu here and call (250) 652-9966 or (250) 652-9965 to place your takeout order.

Unfortunately, roller skates are not included…

RnR Diner carhop service

  • When: Available 12 p.m. to 6 p.m, Monday to Friday
  • Where: 7816 East Saanich Road, Saanichton
  • To order: Call (250) 652-9966 or (250) 652-9965

 

Vancouver Island BFFs of over 70 years win $2 million BC/49 prize

Courtenay’s Alan Barker and Langley’s Kathleen Cook are best friends who are celebrating their $2-million win from the BC/49 draw on March 4th. (BCLC)

After 70 years as best friends, two people from Vancouver Island have another reason to celebrate — $2 million is headed their way.

Courtenay resident Alan Barker and Langley resident Kathleen Cook haven’t seen each other for months, but are hoping for a dream reunion soon to celebrate their big win from the BC/49 draw on March 4th.

The duo met in England in the 1950s and later moved to Canada with their spouses and were friends ever since.

More recently, they have been buying lottery tickets together.

“I was looking at the screen and was dumbstruck,” says Barker of the moment when he discovered the pair had won. “Even while I was walking out someone asked if it was the big winner. I still can’t believe it.”

Barker contacted Cook immediately to share the exciting news.

“I was surprised when Alan told me the winning ticket was in his hands, full of wonder and disbelief,” says Cook. “It took a long time to register.”

Barker and Cook — with the help of Barker’s grandson — claimed their $2-million prize through BCLC’s alternate prize claim process, which Barker described as “marvelous.”

On what the future will bring thanks to the life-changing prize, Barker plans to donate some winnings to the local hospital for new equipment, and may move into “posher” assisted living.

Cook says she will help her family members to make their lives easier and more convenient.

PM Trudeau details next steps in reopening Canadian economy safely

As individual provinces gradually introduce their reopening plans, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has outlined what needs to happen to move forward with reopening the economy on a federal level.

This is will include amplified COVID-19 testing capacity, contact tracing, and data sharing between different jurisdictions in the country.

During his daily address on Friday, Trudeau stated he spoke with all Canadian premiers on Thursday evening during the tenth weekly call since the pandemic has begun. The focus was primarily on how Canada can move to safely reopen the economy.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the virus remains a “serious health threat”, and individual provinces and territories must proceed carefully while listening to the advice of experts.

“Canadians have been doing a great job of staying home and listening to public health advice,” Trudeau said. “But we are not out of the woods yet.”

In order to successfully reopen the economy, Trudeau says there must be a boost in testing capacity, and that Canada must identify new cases and work to isolate them.

He added that the federal government is working with the provinces and territories on providing them with reagents and swabs; in order to effectively manage future outbreaks.

Canada also must fast-track contact tracing, says the Prime Minister.

Contact tracing means reaching out to with everyone who may have been exposed to the virus, in hopes they can isolate and manage themselves.

To assist with contact tracing, Trudeau has said he will provide federal government employees to aid in making 3,600 calls per day, seven days a week, to people who may have come in contact with someone infected.

Statistics Canada will also be providing 1,700 interviewers to make 20,000 calls a day.

“These federal resources are available for any surges, backlogs, and challenges. We are already helping in Ontario and stand ready to help anywhere else.”

The Prime Minister also notes that data collected across different jurisdictions must be shared within provinces and territories; this will help follow the spread of the virus, and respond accordingly.

These are the first steps Canada needs to take in order for people to move around freely again and get back to their routines, says Trudeau.

Lastly, he says there must be a coordinated approach across the country, so that Canadians can feel safe reopening the economy.

 

Victoria man arrested for alleged stabbing that left one man with life-threatening injuries

(Suspect Nathan Solomon Perez was arrested on May 20)

A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing another man last week.

Victoria Police officers arrested Nathan Solomon Perez at noon on Wednesday in the 800-block of Caledonia Avenue.

See also: Suspect still at large after man suffers life-threatening injuries in stabbing: VicPD

The incident leading to Perez’s arrest took place on May 14 in the 700-block of Johnson Street.

Officers arrived at the scene to find that a man was stabbed and sustained potentially life threatening injuries.

The victim was transported to hospital while police worked to locate the suspect.

Perez now faces several recommended charges including one count of aggravated assault, two counts of assault with a weapon, and two counts of unlawful confinement.

Tornado makes brief landing in Saanich (VIDEOS)

(Screencap from video submitted by Erin Fletcher)

Here’s something you don’t see every day!

One Saanich resident was baking cookies when she looked up and spotted her neighbour’s trampoline flying past her window.

Erin Fletcher was startled when she realized that her neighbourhood was the point of landing for what experts call a “weak, short-lived EF0 tornado”.

The funnel cloud carried her neighbour’s trampoline into the air, over and past several houses on McBriar Avenue.

“There was also a sign that travelled over half a kilometre, landing in my backyard,” said Fletcher in an email to Victoria Buzz.

After viewing the video, Environment Canada concluded that a weak tornado had indeed made a landing in the region at 12:18 p.m.

According to the agency, the “unsettled conditions” that created the tornado and periods of heavy showers in the region are expected to clear out later this afternoon.

Take a look:

British Columbians split on going to restaurants, gyms after COVID-19 reopening (SURVEY)

With British Columbia nearly through its first week of partial reopening after COVID-19, a survey shows that residents are split in their decisions to partake in several activities that are now allowed again.

A survey released by Research Co on Thursday shows what percentage of the population is comfortable visiting places like restaurants, gyms, libraries, and taking public transit before a vaccine is available for the novel coronavirus.

For the most part, British Columbians feel comfortable going to dine in at restaurants — more so if the restaurant in question has patio dining options.

See also: Restaurants, retailers, hair salons start opening in B.C. tomorrow. Here’s what to expect.

When it comes to gyms and fitness facilities, opinions are split more evenly with 53 per cent saying they will go work out at their local gym before a vaccine is available, and 47 per cent saying they won’t.

“More than half of women in British Columbia (54%) say they would not set foot inside a gym or fitness facility before they can have access to a COVID-19 vaccine,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co.

“Conversely, most men (60%) say they would have no problem visiting these venues.”

Similar split votes were registered when it came to personal choices about riding the bus or skytrain.

The survey also asked about willingness to visit libraries, community centres, and hair salons — all of which the majority of British Columbians say they do feel safe going to regardless of whether or not a vaccine is available.

Places that most are likely to avoid, on the other hand, are music venues and live sporting events — an apt choice, considering gatherings over 50 are banned in B.C. until Phase 4 of the restart plan, which involves a vaccine.

Take a look at the full results of the survey:

(Research Co.)

The results of this survey are based on an online poll of 800 people in B.C. forming a representative sample of the population.

The study was conducted between May 15 and 17 and the margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

12 new cases of COVID-19 reported in B.C. today, three additional deaths

(Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov Flickr)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 12 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,479 people.

In total, 887 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,223 in Fraser Health, 126 on Vancouver Island, 183 in Interior Health and 60 in Northern Health region.

The number of active cases continue to decline as there are now 307 in B.C.

There are now a total of 43 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 8 of whom are in critical care — ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, three new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 152 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 2,020 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.

Outbreaks

In total, there are 14 long term care and three acute care facilities now have active ongoing outbreaks, with 537 people affected including 329 residents and 208 staff.

One additional outbreak has been declared at a federal correctional institution in the Fraser Health Region where one person has tested positive for COVID-19.

A community outbreak at the Oppenheimer Group, a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Coquitlam, has three cases.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, had 36 employees who tested positive for COVID-19. This outbreak has been declared over and the plant is back up and running.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 126 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 20th, 120 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there continues to be just one active case in the region, and that patient is in hospital.

Thus far, there have been 126,236 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 18,954 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 5,171,414.

Over 333,000 people have died from the illness and 2,067,376 have made a full recovery.

School zones are officially back in effect in the Greater Victoria School District

(VicPD)

Kids returning to school also signals the return of many other parts of routine life we may have forgotten — including things like school zones.

Though the recent announcement that K-12 students can start returning to classrooms in B.C. states June 1st as a start date, many families of essential workers have already had their children return to school in recent weeks.

VicPD is reminding the public that school zones are back in effect in Greater Victoria during this time, with a posted limit of 30 km/h.

School zones are in effect from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. on scheduled school days, and police remind everyone to slow down in designated zones and pay close attention in order to keep students and school staff safe.

VicPD also adds that penalties for speeding in a school zone not only mean several points on your license, but also fines for exceeding the posted speed limit range from $196 to $253.

Cst. MacIntyre from VicPD talks about the importance of school zone safety:

Reservations for Vancouver Island campgrounds reopen this Monday

(Photo by Justin Kopp)

If you’ve got the itch to get back out into the wilderness, don’t fret; BC Parks is set to reopen Discover Camping to take new campground reservations starting this Monday.

With the announcement that many campgrounds and accommodations will start to open on June 1st, along with most B.C. parks now open for day-use, Discover Camping has made the decision to open up their booking schedule on May 25th.

That being said, the reopening of campgrounds is not without some changes to this summer’s upcoming camping season.

B.C. residents will be given first access, and new reservations made after May 25th by non-B.C. residents will be subject to immediate cancellation without refund.

For local residents, front-country and backcountry reservations will be available on a two-month rolling basis starting Monday.

This means beginning May 25th, the system will open to arrivals as far forward as July 25th, for example. This system will continue on, with each day allowing one more day of bookings two months in advance.

Campers can reserve a spot for a maximum of 14 days, and reservations made within the first two weeks of inventory being released cannot be changed.

“This is to prevent people from overbooking and subsequently changing arrival dates to shorten their stay in order to obtain a favourable site or time ahead of other customers,” said BC Parks in a release.

Group sites and reservable picnic shelters will remain closed for the time being, and double sites will only be available for double site bookings and cannot be booked as two single sites for separate groups.

“We are all in this together, and we thank you for your patience and understanding as our staff and park operators work to safely re-open parks and campgrounds across the province. We look forward to seeing many of you out camping soon,” reads the statement on the Discover Camping website.

Bookings for available campgrounds can be made on the Discover Camping website, and will officially be open as of May 25th.

Saanich Police report bear sighting on Interurban Road Thursday morning

Bear sighting
(File photo)

Saanich Police have issued a statement advising the public that a bear was spotted on Thursday morning.

In their tweet, authorities state that the animal was seen “just strolling along” in the 5100 block of Interurban Road.

This is the second bear sighting in the municipality this month, the first of which resulted in an advisory after the animal was seen attempting to get into garbage left on a residential property.

This time, however, police state that the bear was not eating garbage and was not aggressive. Regardless, Conservation Service have been notified of its presence in the area.

Earlier this month, authorities advised people to secure their garbage in order to avoid encounters with bears.

As hibernation season comes to an end, sightings will become more common as the animals wander in search of food.

Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works permanently closing stores across Canada and US

(Victoria's Secret location in Vancouver / Facebook)

Hundreds of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works across Canada and the U.S. are permanently closing as retailers struggle to stay afloat amid COVID-19.

On Wednesday, L Brands announced that around 250 Victoria’s Secret and 51 Bath & Body Works stores will close as part of their attempt to persevere through falling sales.

The company’s first-quarter earnings report states that 13 of its 38 Victoria’s Secret stores in Canada will be closed with the remaining closures taking place in the U.S.

See also: Pier 1 Imports to close all Canadian stores including two in Victoria after filing for bankruptcy

There will be 50 Bath & Body Works locations closed in the U.S., and only one in Canada.

L Brands reported their total company sales declined 37 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, which ended on May 2nd.

They also noted that nearly all stores in Canada and the U.S. have been closed since March 17th, in response to the pandemic.

L Brands has not yet provided a list of which Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works locations will be shut down.

Victoria’s Secret currently has 5 locations in Vancouver; Bath & Body Works has 2 stores on Vancouver Island, with one in Victoria.

This announcement follows retail chain Pier 1 revealing they are going out of business, and closing all 540 of their stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Earlier this month, Canadian footwear retailer Aldo and fashion chain Reitmans both filed for creditor protection and went into “restructuring” due to COVID-19.

Vancouver Island resident caught driving 100 km/h over the speed limit on TCH

A Duncan driver is facing a hefty fine after he was allegedly caught driving 100 kilometres an hour over the speed limit on Tuesday morning.

Police say members of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP pulled the vehicle over near Cowichan Bay Road at around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

RCMP officers were travelling south on the Trans-Canada Highway when they observed a vehicle approaching them at high speed, activated the radar unit and measured the vehicle’s speed at 180 km/h.

The posted speed limit was 80 km/h.

The driver was pulled over and issued a ticket for excessive speed, with a fine of $483 and three demerit points on his driver’s licence.

Because he was going more that 40 km/h over the speed limit, the vehicle was also impounded for seven days at the driver’s expense.

“We are out patrolling the highways at all hours of the day,” said Cpl. Cari Lougheed, road supervisor for the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP.

“We encourage everyone to drive responsibly so as to arrive safely at your destination.”

 

Sidney becomes latest municipality to reopen tennis courts, skate parks after COVID-19 closure

(Iroquois Park, Sidney BC)

Following in the footsteps of Victoria and Saanich, the Township of Sidney has announced the reopening of some outdoor recreational facilities starting today, Thursday May 21.

These include all tennis courts, the Iroquois Park multi-sport court, the sand volleyball court, and the skate park in Sidney.

See also: Saanich reopens tennis, basketball courts after two month closure due to COVID-19

Like in neighbouring CRD municipalities, these facilities are being reopened with new health and safety guidelines in place.

These include:

  • Stay home if you are sick
  • Keep at least two metres away from people from other households
  • Wash or sanitize your hands thoroughly and frequently
  • Do not share equipment, water bottles, or snacks
  • Remain courteous and limit use if others are waiting to use the facility

These facilities were first closed to the public on March 20 to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding shown by our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and are requesting everyone’s ongoing cooperation in continuing to follow the Provincial Health Officer’s directions and guidance as this public health emergency evolves,” reads a statement from the municipality.

Since then, parks and pathways have been kept open in the municipality with additional signage promoting physical distancing.

Public bathrooms in Iroquois Park and Tulista Park have also remained open, with enhanced cleaning procedures in place.

 

Sooke School District to offer students in-person graduation ceremonies

(Grad class of 2019 / Belmont Senior Secondary School)

Graduating students in the Sooke School District may get to cross the stage in cap and gown to receive their diplomas this year after all.

In a video posted to District 62’s Twitter on Wednesday, Superintendent Scott Stinson announced that along with an online ceremony for 2020 graduating students, they will also be offered the option of attending an in-person ceremony.

“We’ll be organizing this in small groups so that students will be able to participate and engage in this crossing of the stage as an important part of your graduation,” Stinson said in the video.

“This will allow you to dress in your cap and gown and formal attire underneath if that’s what you choose.”

Though students will be encouraged to attend the in-person ceremonies, Stinson does note that families will not be allowed to attend.

He goes on to add that there will be a professional photographer on site to capture the memories for families.

Recently, graduating high school students in School District 62 petitioned against the idea to hold a virtual graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 because of COVID-19 concerns.

A petition with more than 4,500 signatures on Change.org called on the district to reconsider their decision to move to an online-only ceremony model.

“We understand that due to the circumstances of COVID-19 that we will not be able to have our grad ceremony by the end of June, but instead of prolonging it SD62 has decided to cancel it completely and instead give us an online version of a graduation ceremony,” the petition read.

The petition argued that “an ‘online graduation’ is simply not good enough and should be rethought”.

Superintendent Stinson did not address the petition in School District 62’s video, but did state, “we’ve heard your concerns”.

School District 62 includes Sooke, Port Renfrew, Metchosin, Colwood and Langford.

PM Trudeau announces $75 million additional funding for Indigenous people living off-reserve

The federal government has unveiled additional financial support to help off-reserve Indigenous people weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his daily address on Thursday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that $75 million in additional funding will be made available to Indigenous people living off-reserve and in urban centres.

The additional funding will support off-reserve Indigenous populations’ needs, including things like food security, PPE, transportation, educational materials and mental health services.

Though the Prime Minister did not reveal any specific schedule for when applications for this funding will be made available, he did state it will begin to roll out in the coming weeks.

“While all communities have had to wrestle with COVID-19 these past few months, the everyday realities of this crisis are different for everyone,” Trudeau said Thursday during his address.

“To mount an effective response to this crisis, we must adapt our approach and our programs to recognize and meet the particular needs of all Indigenous peoples, including those living in urban areas and off-reserve.”

In mid-March, the government created the $305 million Indigenous Community Support Fund, most of which went to organizations representing First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities to help them prepare for and deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

At that time, only $15 million of that was allotted for off-reserve organizations, even though they serve more than half of Canada’s Indigenous population.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, which was seeking $16 million, received just $250,000 of the funding.

Uptown closes main boulevard to vehicle traffic making it pedestrian-only

(Photo / Victoria Buzz)

Uptown Shopping Centre provided an update today announcing that they have closed off a portion of their main boulevard to vehicle traffic, in an effort to make the area accessible to pedestrians only.

The changes have taken place to give shoppers more space for physical distancing, coinciding with B.C. entering Phase 2 of its re-opening plan, following the economic shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dubbed ‘Pedestrian Boulevard’, Uptown has allocated the space from Famous Footwear to The North Face store for pedestrians only.

According to the shopping centre’s website, pedestrians are encouraged to walk along Uptown Boulevard, leaving the sidewalks available for retailer line-ups.

Vehicular access to the Boulevard will be limited to the Carey Road and Douglas Street entrances.

A small section of the boulevard between Browns Social House, Zennkai Salon and The North Face will remain open for one-hour vehicle parking and 15-minute drop off parking.

One-hour parking will still be available on the west side of H&M, and the roundabout in front of Best Buy will also remain open, but with limited access from Douglas Street.

Here’s a look at the newly designated Pedestrian Boulevard at Uptown:

 

RCMP issue Canada-wide warrant for violent offender with links to Vancouver Island

(Jack Lincoln Kelley/Nanaimo RCMP)

RCMP have issued ten Canada-wide warrants for 34-year Jack Lincoln Kelley.

Kelley has been labelled a violent offender and is known to have connections to Vancouver Island.

(Jack Lincoln Kelley/Nanaimo RCMP)

He is wanted for two counts of sexual assault, two counts of unlawful confinement, and two counts of assault causing bodily harm stemming from allegations made in 2019.

There are also multiple breach charges against Kelley for not abiding by court imposed release conditions.

According to a statement from Nanaimo RCMP, investigators in the Lower Mainland believe he is hiding out on Vancouver Island but his current whereabouts are unknown.

Kelley is a muscular, Caucasian man standing 6 feet tall, has a shaved head and a number of tattoos.

Anyone who sees him is asked to not approach him and call 911, or the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345, or the nearest police agency.

Victoria’s Ogden Point Breakwater reopens to visitors after nearly two month closure

(Greater Victoria Harbour Authority/Twitter)

Popular island destination Ogden Point Breakwater has officially reopened to visitors today with new signage installed requiring physical distancing.

The breakwater was taped off to visitors on March 24 after members of the public were seen gathering in close proximity and not adhering to physical distancing guidelines.

It has reopened to the public as of 10 a.m. on May 20, with signage that warns visitors to comply with health and safety guidelines while accessing the breakwater.

These include:

  • Do not use if you are feeling sick or unwell.
  • Maintain physical distancing: 2 metres or 6 feet apart.
  • Remain single file when passing others.
  • Stay to the right when walking.
  • Ensure children and pets are kept close to your group.
  • Wearing a mask is recommended.
  • Do not loiter.

The reopening was announced as a result of the provincial government coming out with new guidelines to phase in increases to economic and social activity in the province.

If visitors ignore these rules, the GVHA may choose to close the space again.

Victoria Symphony suspends all performances in 2020 season

(Victoria Symphony/Facebook)

Victoria Symphony has announced the suspension of their 2020-21 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement is in compliance with the province’s Restart plan which does not allow for gatherings of more than 50 people until Phase 4, which begins after a vaccine, effective treatment, or immunity is achieved.

See also: 31st annual Victoria Symphony Splash cancelled due to COVID-19

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of our community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CEO Kathryn Laurin in a statement.

“Now more than ever it is critical to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for our wonderful symphony orchestra. We look forward to welcoming our audiences back to the concert hall to experience live symphonic music as soon as we are able to perform safely.”

The announcement comes after the organization cancelled the 31st annual Symphony Splash this year, an event that regularly draws crowds of over 40,000 spectators from all over the world.

For this year, the Symphony plans to move performances to a virtual platform through a “digital concert hall” that can be accessed by all.

Everyone who has subscriptions for the 2020-21 year can either receive a refund, apply their subscription for the 2021-22 season, or donate their tickets back to the Victoria Symphony.

Patrons can choose one of the following by contacting the Symphony at 250.385.6515 or emailing boxoffice@victoriasymphony.ca.

 

B.C. reports 21 new COVID-19 cases today, three additional deaths

(file photo)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 21 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,467 people.

This is a jump in cases after the province reported just two new patients diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday.

In total, 885 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,1214 in Fraser Health, 126 on Vancouver Island, 182 in Interior Health and 60 in Northern Health region.

The number of active cases continue to decline as there are now 317 in B.C.

There are now a total of 43 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 10 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, three new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 149 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 2,001 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.

Outbreaks

One new outbreak has been reported at an The Cedars assisted-living facility in Mission.

In total, 15 long term care and three acute care facilities now have active ongoing outbreaks.

A community outbreak at the Oppenheimer Group, a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Coquitlam, has three cases.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam had 61 test-positive cases of patients who contracted the virus. The order that required this facility to close has been rescinded and the plant has been reopened with additional health and safety measures in place.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 126 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 19th, 120 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there is still just one active case in the region, and that patient is in hospital.

Thus far, there have been 125,044 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 18,764 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 5,069,071.

Over 328,700 people have died from the illness and 2,001,689 have made a full recovery.

B.C. employment advocacy groups launch petition for provincial paid sick leave program

(Premier John Horgan/BC Government)

A new petition launched by the BC Employment Standards Coalition and the Retail Action Network calls for a provincial program that guarantees paid sick leave for all workers across the province.

Since the global pandemic began taking its toll in B.C., public health directives have continued to stress the importance of workers staying home and not going to work if they are ill and have symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu.

Premier Horgan has talked about how he himself and others in the public sector have often shown up to work while ill, stating that the pervasive view of people who go to work sick as “heroic” needs to shift in light of this pandemic and moving forward.

See also: Activists hold protest at Victoria grocery store to demand hazard pay for workers

However the main deterrent for people to abstain from work while ill is a fear of financial loss — something that could be mitigated through the establishment of universal sick pay, according to these advocacy groups.

The petition launched today calls on the provincial government to legislate paid sick leave under the Employment Standards Act.

“It is unfair to accuse sick workers of being irresponsible, of being villains, when they stand to lose income by not reporting for work in such circumstances,” said David Fairey, Co-Chair of the BC Employment Standards Coalition, in a statement.

“Employees should not be penalized for staying home, yet that’s exactly what happens to workers who don’t have access to paid sick leave.”

The petition calls for the immediate instatement of at least 21 days of paid sick leave in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a permanent law allowing employees to accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 25 hours worked.

As of the time of publication, the petition has garnered 137 votes.

In response to questions about paid sick leave during a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Premier Horgan said he is not ruling out a provincial program but for now, he is pushing the federal government for a national program.

“I have allies in the federal government,” he added, stating that he will bring up the issue with the feds again at a telephone meeting on Thursday.

If needed, however, B.C. may end up with a paid sick leave plan of its own in the future.

BC Transit to implement summer service levels starting May 25

BC Transit Bus Lane
(Photo by Victoria Buzz)

BC Transit has announced a switch to summer service levels with some changes in place starting May 25.

According to the crown corporation, while summer service routing and schedules will take effect, buses will continue the temporary suspension of Friday and Saturday late-night service.

See also: BC Transit enters $850K agreement to retrofit all buses will full driver doors by fall

There will also be no regular summer increase in the number of buses servicing usual high traffic destinations like Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, Butchart Gardens and Thetis Lake.

On Canada Day and BC Day this year, buses will run at Sunday levels.

The transit company announced that they would resume collecting fares and allowing front door service starting June 1.

All buses that do not yet have a full driver door will be fitted with a temporary vinyl panel to create a barrier between the driver and passengers.

Half of Canadian small businesses unable to pay June rent without more financial aid: CFIB

With June 1st looming on the horizon, half of Canadian business owners say they are worried they won’t be able to pay rent next month due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has recently conducted a survey which reports that half the respondents feel they need further assistance to afford the upcoming cost of rent.

Additionally, 55 per cent of respondents felt that rent relief could make the difference between their business surviving COVID-19 or not.

“We’ve been asking for rent relief since March. Even when CECRA applications become available we know that program will leave businesses without the help they desperately need,” said Laura Jones, CFIB’s executive vice-president.

“The closer we get to June 1st, the more stressful things are getting and the more business failures we will see. We’re begging governments to move quickly to create additional help outside of CECRA.”

On April 24, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government unveiled details of the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, which is aimed at helping small businesses pay their landlords.

However 65 per cent of small businesses say governments have been too slow in providing rent relief, and 67 per cent agree that more Canada Emergency Business Account funds should be forgivable.

Last Week, Prime Minister Trudeau announced plans to expand the eligibility requirements of the Canada Emergency Business Account to provide more small businesses with access to interest-free loans.

“Expanding the Canada Emergency Business Account to cover many more businesses is a great start and it’s urgent this be implemented in time for June 1st,” said Jones.

“We would now like to see the government increase the forgivable portion of CEBA which would go a long way to cover the CECRA shortfall.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 110,000 members across the country.

Victoria homeless camps at Topaz Park, Pandora corridor expect to be dismantled today

Pandora Ave homeless camp/Photo submitted by Tim Ford

All 360 people who had set up camp at Topaz Park and along the Pandora Avenue corridor have been offered indoor shelter options as of Wednesday.

In a press briefing this morning, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Shane Simpson announced that authorities expect everyone at the encampments to leave the sites by end of day today.

“People are packing up as we speak,” said Simpson, adding that as of yesterday, May 19, 308 campers had already moved out of the tent cities and into temporary shelters secured by the province and BC Housing.

“I want to thank the dozens of people who have been involved in this partnership, including staff from BC Housing, the City of Victoria, Island Health, the Province, service providers, peer support workers and outreach workers,” said Simpson in a statement.

“All have approached this massive effort to house people with compassion and care, providing people with choices that best suit their individual needs.”

See also: Deadline to dismantle Topaz Park, Pandora Ave homeless camps in Victoria moved to May 20

The encampments are expected to clear out today, or latest by tomorrow, after which the sites will be handed over to the City of Victoria.

The City will then work with BC Housing and other groups to remove tents and clear the sites after the last few people have left.

On April 25, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, issued an order that set May 9 as the deadline to transition people out of the Topaz Park and Pandora Ave encampments in Victoria and the Oppenheimer Park encampment in Vancouver.

This deadline was met in Vancouver, but in Victoria it was extended to today, May 20 after non profit service providers operating shelter sites in Victoria advised BC Housing and the Ministry that they needed more time to “best prepare accommodations and their staff in order to be able to welcome their guests”.

A small group of unsheltered people living at encampments in Victoria have refused shelter accommodations.

“We’re not forcing anyone into housing if they reject shelter accommodation, but we’re telling them that they do need to leave the site,” said Simpson.

See also: B.C. will hand out 3,500 smartphones to homeless across the province amid COVID-19

Meanwhile, approximately 30 additional people moved into the two encampments after the order to house homeless people at these sites took effect on April 25.

According to Minister Simpson, while these people have not been offered the same indoor shelter options, outreach workers have been registering them on the housing registry.

Similar measures are being taken to provide supports to homeless people in Victoria outside of those two major encampments.

“The work over the past few weeks has seen unprecedented collaboration between the City, the Province, BC Housing, Island Health and the many service providers,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps in a statement responding to this morning’s announcement.

“I especially want to thank the frontline staff who have continued to do the work of providing care and support to the most vulnerable people in our community.”

See alsoProvince buys Comfort Inn Hotel in Victoria to house homeless from Topaz, Pandora camps

The majority of unsheltered people in Victoria have been offered indoor housing at leased hotels, and at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre which has been converted to provide beds and other facilities for 45 people.

Most recently, the province made a big splash by purchasing the Comfort Inn hotel on Blanshard Street for $18.5 million. This building has 65 rooms to provide temporary shelter to people from the two encampments and in the future, could be turned into an affordable housing space.

BC Housing has re-hired some original staff from the former Comfort Inn hotel to take care of maintenance and other services but for many employees, their livelihoods remain in limbo.

Federal health officials now recommend use of non-medical masks for Canadians

(Dr. Theresa Tam / Government of Canada)

Canadian health officials have changed their position on non-medical mask use amid COVID-19, from stating “it’s a good idea” to “we recommend it.”

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam made the announcement on Wednesday during a press conference, saying the federal government is now recommending the use of non-medical masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible.

“Where COVID-19 related activity is happening, the use of non-medical masks or face coverings is recommended, as an added layer of protection when physical distancing is difficult to maintain,” said Dr. Tam in today’s address.

She also added that “proper cough etiquette, physical distancing and hand-washing measures are a minimum,” during the spring and summer months.

Additionally, she reiterated that masks protect others, not those that are wearing them, and said that if two people are wearing masks, they are both more likely to be protected.

Tam also noted that there are provincial differences in community spread of COVID-19, and went on to point out that last week Transport Canada made it mandatory for all air passengers to wear non-medical masks or face coverings during travel.

Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, Dr. Howard Njoo, reminds Canadians that medical masks are to be reserved for health care workers.

“Medical-grade masks must be reserved for health care workers. But for the general public, if we find ourselves in circumstances where it’s not possible to maintain social distance from other people, it is an extra layer of protection,” said Dr. Njoo.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he will wear a non-medical mask on Parliament Hill, and told reporters today that he has started wearing a mask when he is out of his home and cannot be two metres away from other people.

The Prime Minister also wore one today when he arrived at the House of Commons for an in-person sitting.

Saanich reopens tennis, basketball courts after two month closure due to COVID-19

(File Photo)

The District of Saanich has announced the reopening of multiple outdoor recreation facilities in the region, after the City of Victoria made a similar move last week.

The following facilities will reopen for public use on Thursday, May 21:

  • 35 tennis courts
  • 11 pickleball courts
  • 21 sports courts (e.g., basketball and street hockey)
  • the Lambrick Skate Park

“Outdoor recreation is an important part of the fabric of our community,” said Mayor Fred Haynes.

“I’m delighted we have reached a point where we can reopen these facilities with guidelines that address safety precautions for the public and our staff. Safety is our number one priority now and into the future.”

Like in Victoria, all playgrounds in Saanich will be closed until further notice as they constitute high tough surfaces.

Public washrooms are open for use and have more frequent cleaning protocols in place, but portable toilets will not be reinstalled yet.

Outdoor public recreation facilities in Saanich were closed to the public for nearly two months due to enhanced transmission risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Residents who use the newly reopened facilities are asked to follow these guidelines:

  • practice physical distancing by keeping at least two metres (six feet) away from people from other households
  • wash your hands thoroughly and frequently and use your own hand sanitizer
  • avoid touching your face
  • cough or sneeze into your elbow or tissue
  • limit use at busy times and don’t create a crowd
  • don’t share equipment, water bottles or snacks
  • stay home if you’re feeling unwell – no exceptions.

“Everybody’s eager to get back to doing things we all love to do, especially this time of year when we have such beautiful weather. At the same time I think our community knows we have to proceed carefully,” said Saanich councillor Ned Taylor in an interview with Victoria Buzz last week.

“I for one am really excited to be able to get onto the tennis courts and get active again.”

Applications for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program will open May 25

Prime Minister Trudeau announced on Wednesday that applications for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program will open next week.

The rental assistance program was initially announced in April, designed to help businesses who are struggling to pay their landlords due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program is expected to provide 75 per cent in rent reduction for small businesses, with 50 per cent of these costs covered by the federal government, and 25 per cent to be covered by landlords.

Of the 50 per cent covered by government, 37.5 per cent will be paid for by the federal government and 12.5 per cent by provincial governments.

Property owners must offer a minimum of a 75% rent reduction for the months of April, May and June 2020.

The benefit will provide forgivable loans to qualifying commercial property owners that will cover 50 per cent of the three monthly rent payments.

During his daily address on Wednesday, Trudeau unveiled that the application portal for the rental assistance program will be open on May 25th.

“These are challenging times and make sure our economy can bounce back,” said the Prime Minister.

On Wednesday morning, Finance Minister Bill Morneau also announced the opening of the application process for the government’s Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF).

According to the federal government, the program will support Canada’s largest employers, whose needs during the pandemic are not being met through conventional financing.

LEEFF will help successful applicants keep their operations going.

Victoria Police search for missing man who hasn’t been seen for several weeks (UPDATED)

25-year-old Matthew Dunning (VicPD)

UPDATE: Victoria police say Matthew Dunning has been located and is safe.

— earlier:

Victoria Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 25-year-old man.

Matthew Dunning was reported missing after not being seen for several weeks. His friends and family are concerned for his well-being.

Dunning is described as a 25-year-old mixed race man standing six feet tall, with an average build. He has brown hair and brown eyes and a distinctive scar on his chin.

Anyone who sees Dunning is asked to call 911.

Anyone with information is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654. To report anonymously call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.