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(Artist Peter Ricq painting the new mural at Darcy's Pub/Photo by Jay Wallace Images)
In an announcement today, British Columbia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture revealed supportive funding for six art organizations in the province in order to help them build an international presence.
These grants have been established through the International Presence program to help artists and performers in BC instate relationships with industry leaders around the world and showcase their talent.
“B.C.’s artists are incredibly talented and passionate and we want to support their growth and visibility on the international stage,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
“Expanding our province’s global presence in the creative economy is making life better for B.C. artists and helping to build a strong, thriving arts sector that benefits everyone in B.C.”
There are three main criteria for initiatives being awarded these grants:
projects that expose participants to new markets and relationship-building opportunities.
projects that bring international presenters and curators to the province to increase their exposure to B.C. artists.
projects that result in cultural and artistic exchange, or unique collaborative opportunities.
A total of $350,000 per year is made available to participants in the program.
According to the province, these projects will support local artists’ presence at 31 international events and bring approximately 85 presenters and curators to B.C.
Multiple bystanders intervened in an apparent assault between a man and a woman on Foul Bay Road on Thursday afternoon.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., Saanich Police were called to the 2800 block of Foul Bay Road near Carnarvon Park for reports of an assault. Officers arrived to find that at least two bystanders had stepped in and restrained the man before they showed up on site.
With Pacific Football Club’sinaugural home-opener just around the corner, the full line-up of Canadian Premier League’s 2019 jerseys was released yesterday, and the reveal has seriously hyped for the start of soccer season!
On April 4th, the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and their official kit provider, Macron, unveiled the inaugural season custom-designed playing jerseys for the seven founding clubs – the HFX Wanderers FC, York9 FC, Forge FC, Valour FC, FC Edmonton, Cavalry FC and Pacific FC squads.
Each jersey is emblazoned with a unique graphic symbol, image or letter that is representative of the club’s identity, paying homage to the cities where the clubs will play.
Pacific FC’s striking signature purple dons their home jersey, with eye-catching details like Poseiden’s Trident on the front proudly summoning the island to fight for the badge.
Spirited details like the mantra “We are many, we are one” also mark the jerseys, meant to celebrate the shared passion for soccer-lovers everywhere.
Next to the stand-out purple, PFC’s bold teal that marks their away jerseys is the next best thing – these guys are going to look just as good on away days!
The teal-colour is accompanied by an ocean wave design, meaning to stand for the three V’s – victory, vitality, and Vancouver Island!
Each team-authentic jersey (home and away) will be available for for purchase online at Pacific FC’s website for $119.99 (Men’s), $109.99 (Women’s) and Youth $99.99. Fans will be able to customize each jersey with either their favourite CPL player or own names and number for an additional $34.99!
Don’t forget to grab your tickets for the PFC home-opener on April 28th, so you can see these spectacular jerseys in person!
Drivers hoping to park in Victoria’s downtown streets on Sunday should start carrying some pocket change at the beginning of next month.
Starting May 1st, metered on-street parking downtown will cost $2 an hour with a maximum 4 hour stay per spot. On a weekday, the same spot costs $3 an hour with a 90-minute maximum stay.
The council predicts that the new lowered rate and extended maximum stay will not discourage shoppers from visiting the downtown core.
“The combination of longer duration with reduced overall Sunday parking demand will likely still ensure adequate turnover and parking availability,” reads a Council report of the meeting.
Additionally, city parkades will remain free on Sundays, maintaining an area where drivers can still park for free.
Revenue allocation
Revenue generated from the new paid street parking is intended to fund free bus passes for youth (anyone under the age of 18) in Victoria.
The council hopes to eventually have free transit passes for every Victoria resident in an effort to help combat climate change.
Mayor Lisa Helps is bringing the motion to the transit commission in an upcoming meeting at the end of April that would first call for free youth passes in the entire region, then later free passes for every resident.
Should the transit commission approve of the motion for free youth passes, the revenue from Sunday’s parking fares would go towards other city climate change initiatives.
A document listing the city’s 2019 Financial Plan motions shows that based on parking revenue generated on Saturdays, charging drivers to park on-street on Sundays would generate an additional $500,000 – $600,000 in revenue per year.
On-street parking zones with a 24-hour time limit currently have a $9 day rate, and 20-minute meters are $1 per 20 minutes.
Public consultation
In February 2019, City of Victoria spokesperson Bill Eisenhauer told Victoria Buzz that no public consultation process was undertaken by the municipality and that there are no future plans to seek input from the constituency.
Council did, however, take into consultation the views of local businesses and organizations like the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA).
DVBA Executive Director Jeff Bray believes that scrapping free on-street Sunday may be positive for people visiting the downtown core on Sundays.
“Anecdotally, we’ve heard that Sunday parking can be very difficult for customers on-street,” Bray told Victoria Buzz in February. “In many cases, business employees are the first downtown and they park on the street because it’s free all day.”
The city hopes that the four hour maximum stay and access to free parking at city parkades will create a reasonable turn-over rate at spots for drivers.
After a brief smattering of raindrops yesterday, Victoria is in for four straight days of April showers starting today.
According to Environment Canada forecasts, we can expect rainfall from Friday, April 5th to Monday, April 8th, a brief window of sunshine on Tuesday morning, followed by more rain on Wednesday.
Besides the promised May flowers to come, this season of downpours could also delay or minimize the probability of wildfires in the region.
Over the next four days, temperatures will rise to daytime highs of 12ºC and drop to nighttime lows of 7ºC.
A bizarre string of events that involved an alleged assault, breaking & entering, and car theft concluded with a roll over crash on the Pat Bay Highway on Thursday afternoon.
The series of incidents began at approximately 1:45 p.m. when a woman entered Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre in downtown Victoria claiming that she had been stabbed.
Before emergency services arrived, the woman left the premises and walked up Quadra Street and into Saanich. There, she broke into a house on Holmes Street, and stole a set of car keys for the homeowner’s Honda CRV.
The homeowner, who was in the house at the time, heard her vehicle being unlocked and saw the woman climb inside. The owner then ran to the driveway and confronted the woman, but was unable to prevent her from reversing onto Quadra Street and driving away.
The homeowner then called 911, and Saanich Police spotted the stolen CRV heading northbound on the Pat Bay Highway.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle near a weigh scales pull out, but the woman refused to pull over and continued up the highway, running a red light at Sayward Road. Police considered it unsafe to pursue her through the busy intersection.
However, just a few minutes later, Central Saanich Police received reports of a roll over crash in the 7200 block of the Pat Bay Highway. Officers quickly discovered that the upside down vehicle was in fact the stolen CRV they had been chasing.
After crashing the vehicle, the woman flagged down a passing motorist and asked to be taken to the Saanich Peninsula hospital.
She was taken to the hospital, but did not go inside. Instead, she walked off for a short distance before attempting to flag down another vehicle.
Central Saanich Police then located her running on Bourne Terrace and arrested her.
The 29-year-old woman of no fixed address was then brought back to the hospital and assessed for injuries. She was treated for minor injuries and there was no evidence of a stab wound.
She is now facing a number of charges, including break & enter, theft, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and flight from police. She was held in police custody overnight and will appear in court later today.
Through a ministerial order issued on on April 5th, BC’s Ministry of Education has mandated that all public schools in the province will be required to provide free menstrual products in washrooms by the end of 2019.
“Students should never have to miss school, extracurricular, sports or social activities because they can’t afford or don’t have access to menstrual products,” said Education Minister Rob Fleming.
“This is a common-sense step forward that is, frankly, long overdue. We look forward to working with school districts and communities to make sure students get the access they need with no stigma and no barriers.”
The ministerial order takes effect immediately but will give school districts until the end of 2019 to meet this new requirement.
In addition, the province will provide $300,000 in startup funding, and then work with school districts, community and education partners to look at the needs of each district, identify gaps and ensure they have the funding necessary to comply with the order.
The government is also issuing a one-time grant of $95,000 to support United Way Period Promise and help them fund menstrual products for up to 10 non-profit agencies and research how best to provide services and products for women.
According to a research referenced by the ministry, one in seven students has missed school due to their periods because they cannot afford menstrual products.
“Having your period is a part of life, and easy and affordable access to menstrual products should be simple,” said Mitzi Dean, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity and MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin.
“Menstrual products should be available to people when and where they need them, which is why we’re improving access in schools and in communities.”
According to a research referenced by the ministry, one in seven students has missed school due to their periods because they cannot afford menstrual products.
A dead grey whale discovered between Sidney Island and James Island near North Saanich will undergo a necropsy in Sidney, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
The deceased adult male grey whale was discovered on Thursday, and was towed to the DFO’s Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney by one of their mid-shore patrol vessels.
The necropsy will be conducted in Sidney and the data uncovered will be added to Canada’s growing collection of information on the species.
“The results of necropsies feed into a growing body of knowledge to assist in assessing the threats to whales from a population health perspective,” a DFO spokesperson told Victoria Buzz.
“This data allows us to look at trends, pathogens, or other indicators that may affect their life history.”
According to wildwhales.org, there are two distinct populations of grey whales in the North Pacific: western grey whales who live near the coasts of China, Korea, Japan, and Russia, and eastern grey whales who range between Mexico and Alaska.
Western grey whales are critically endangered and have been hunted almost to extinction, with an estimated fewer than 100 animals remaining. Meanwhile, eastern grey whales were extensively hunted in the 19th and 20th centuries, but have since been protected with populations bouncing back to an estimated 18,000 to 24,000.
Eastern grey whales have a long migration path, stretching from Central America to the tip of North America. The marine mammals usually only pass through BC waters in the spring as they make their way to Alaska for the summer, but a small population remain off our province’s coast throughout the season. These several hundred grey whales are called “summer residents”.
Canada’s Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife has designated grey whales as a ‘special concern’.
If you spot a distressed or deceased marine mammal, the DFO recommends calling the Marine Mammal Incident Reporting Hotline at 1-800-465-4336.
A shooting on in the early hours Friday that left one person in the hospital is being described as a targeted crime.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Thursday night/Friday morning, West Shore RCMP responded to reports of a disturbance at a residence in the 2800-block of Jacklin Rd in Langford.
Sources say the incident was a shooting which left one victim injured.
According to reports, the suspect fled in an SUV and was headed towards the Sooke area. After a short chase, Sooke RCMP was able locate and arrest him.
The victim was taken to the Victoria General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, and no other injuries were reported.
“Police are still at the residence and are continuing their investigation,” reads a statement from Cst. Nancy Saggar.
UPDATE: A suspect was located and arrested by Sooke RCMP after he attempted to flee the scene of a shooting that left one victim suffering from non-life threatening injuries.
West Shore RCMP say the incident was a targeted crime, and are currently investigating.
Earlier:
West Shore RCMP are actively searching for a suspect in a shooting.
The incident occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday in the Jacklin Road area. The victim has been transported to Victoria General Hospital with unknown injuries.
According to reports, the suspect fled in an SUV and was believed to be headed towards the Sooke area.Sooke RCMP are searching for an SUV with a roof rack.
Sources say the suspect is also bleeding from the hand.
Both VicPD and Saanich Police have been alerted about the incident.
There’s plenty of musical events happening in the city today. On the agenda we have orchestral renditions of Queen, a local band album release show, and a celebration of manscaping.
Kick start your weekend with 5 things to do in and around Victoria today.
Come experience the music of one of the most prolific rock bands rock bands of our time – with a symphony flare!
Join the Victoria Symphony at the Royal Theatre tonight for their presentation of ‘The Best of Queen’, combining the sounds of an orchestra with the iconic rock notes of the legendary artists.
Head down to the Metro Theatre for this special short film event!
Explore a series of 3-minute short movies filmed in one continuous on Super 8 Film. There’s no editing and no re-takes, and the filmmakers will be seeing their finished films for the first time along with the audience!
Come join Victoria band John and Roy for their album release show at Capital Ballroom!
Their 8th album to date, ‘Here’ was recorded in the quiet forests of Vancouver Island and captures the themes of love, presence, joy, and hardship in the West Coast.
On April 4th, 2009, men around Victoria got a whole lot tidier.
Now, 10 years later, Manscape Spa is holding a weekend full of fun activities for their 10 year anniversary! Tonight the spa will be holding a Happy Hour style party complete with food, drinks, music, food, fun, and swag to be won.
Join the UVic Orchestra for their last concert of the season featuring special guests, the UVic Voice Ensemble!
Before the concert begins there will be music in the University Centre lobby with the Sobremesa Saxophone Quartet, and the concert’s finale will be a duo performance featuring the Orchestra’s instruments and the Voice Ensemble’s vocals! UVic students receive free admission.
A confirmed case of tuberculosis has prompted Island Health to alert two Victoria hostels of possible exposure to the illness after an infected individual briefly stayed at both in early March.
All guests and staff members of the two hostels that may have been exposed to the illness have been contacted by Island Health, and the health authority has offered tuberculosis screenings to these individuals.
The health authority does not believe there is an added risk to the public and that the risk of contracting the lung infection is low.
Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria spreading through the air and usually affects the lungs. It can, however, impact other parts of the body including glands, bones, joints, kidneys, the brain, and reproductive organs.
Symptoms include a cough for 2 weeks or longer, coughing up blood (hemoptysis), chest pain, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may also include unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, loss of appetite, and tiredness or fatigue.
Island Health notes that contracting the illness usually requires close personal contact with a sick individual over long periods of time.
Tuberculosis is a serious illness but uncommon on Vancouver Island. In 2017, there was a total of 13 cases in the region.
A single vehicle rollover crash on the Pat Bay Highway Thursday afternoon has brought northbound traffic down to just one lane.
At approximately 2:55 p.m., emergency crews were called to a stretch of Highway 17 between Island View Road and Mt. Newton Cross Road following reports of the vehicle landing in a green space located on the side of the highway.
Injuries are unknown at this time.
Commuters hoping to travel north up the highway should consider taking alternate routes to avoid delays.
British Columbians looking to report a drug lab or gang-related property will soon have an easier and completely confidential system for contacting authorities.
The community safety act (CSA) will allow for anyone to submit a confidential complaint to nearby provincial government units if they notice criminal activities centred around a specific property.
These criminal activities include drug production and trafficking, possession of illegal firearms or explosives, after-hours sale of liquor, and providing liquor or drugs to minors.
“People living near ‘crack shacks’ and other dangerous nuisance properties have been waiting more than half a decade for this law to actually help them,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General in a release.
“We’ve moved quickly to modernize the act to address the current realities of organized crime in B.C., and to ensure that it’s fair, efficient and minimizes administrative burden.”
Once a property has been reported to the CSA, the local unit will investigate and collaborate with property owners, with the ability to end a tenancy agreement or close a property for up to 90 days.
The act is intended to prevent criminal activity from persisting at one location while also protecting innocent parties, like landlords victimized by criminal tenants.
“There are properties that see hundreds of 911 calls for service because of an ever-changing group of criminals and offenders operating at those locations,” said RCMP Supt. Ted de Jager, president, BC Association of Chiefs of Police.
“The experiences of other jurisdictions with community safety laws show that working with the property owners can bring about lasting solutions benefiting public safety.”
Legislation similar to the CSA is present in six other canadian jurisdictions: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Yukon.
The CSA was originally unanimously passed in 2013, but was never implemented, according to the ministry.
(Matthew Darlington / Photo by Kristy Darlington Facebook)
Shawnigan Lake RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing 44-year-old man, Matthew Gilbert Darlington.
Darlington was last seen on April 3rd at approximately 4:00 p.m.
He was last seen wearing a black jacket, red t-shirt, jeans, and blue running shoes. According to a post on Facebook, Matt left to walk to Mason’s store around 1 p.m. on Tues April 2nd without money or his phone.
Anyone with information on Matthew Darlington’s whereabouts is asked to call Shawnigan Lake RCMP at 250-743-5514.
(Image / Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair Facebook)
Two hundred young scientists from across the island are descending on Victoria this weekend to take part in the 58th annual Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair (VIRSF).
“How do you prepare an apple so it doesn’t brown? Are dogs right-pawed or left-pawed? Can mushrooms help remove oil from contaminated sites? And what’s happening to our oceans?” asks the University of Victoria, who is hosting the fair.
“These are just some of the many questions being answered at the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair this weekend.”
The hundreds of youth scientists range from grades 4 through 12 and will be presenting their award winning research from their own high schools as a way to share their informative work for a chance to be chosen for the national Canada-Wide Science Fair taking place in Fredericton in May.
Last year’s winner, then grade 11 student Nicolas Fredrigo from Claremont Secondary School, won first place for his project Improving Spinal Fusions: Redesigning the Pedicle Probe to Prevent Vertebral Breaches.
His research focused on developing a probe that could direct placement of pedicle screws in the spine during spinal surgery, making the operation safer. His work also landed him the Platinum Award for Best Senior Project at the 2018 Canada-Wide Science Fair.
The community is invited to view the projects and talk with the young scientists on Sunday, April 7th and Monday April 8th.
This annual fair is organized by non-profit volunteer organization Society for the Advancement of Young Scientists (SAYS), and donation areas will be available during the event.
A water main break in Saanich has caused disruptions to Lambrick Secondary School, the Gordon Head Recreation Centre, and nearby residence Thursday morning.
At approximately 8 a.m., the District of Saanich was alerted to a water main break on Torquay Drive and performed an emergency shut off.
The break caused Lambrick Secondary School and the Gordon Head Recreation Centre to shut down for the day, and is affecting a small number of residence on the 4100-block of Torquay Drive and on Judoba Place.
Lambrick Secondary School has cancelled classes for the day, but staff are remaining at the high school until all of the students have been picked up by their parents.
Meanwhile, Gordon Head Recreation Centre is expected to reopen at 1 p.m..
Important -Thursday April 4th: There is a Water main break which means LP having NO water. Students who are able to go home on their own are being dismissed. All other students will remain at school until pick up can be arranged. GHMS is available for us. @sd61schools
— Lambrick Park School (@LambrickPark) April 4, 2019
Gordon Head Recreation Centre is planning to reopen at 1pm today (Thursday). We appreciate your patience!
— Saanich Parks, Recreation & Community Services (@SaanichParksRec) April 4, 2019
So far, there have been no reports of damage in the area and Saanich crews are working to repair the water main as soon as possible.
District of Saanich spokesperson Kelsie McLeod told Victoria Buzz that crews are hoping to have repairs finished within the next 4 to 5 hours (approximately 6 p.m.)
The cause of the break is currently unknown, but is under investigation.
Gordon Head Recreation Centre is temporarily closed due to a water main break on Torquay Drive. Crews are on site and we will keep you posted of any updates. #saanich#yyjpic.twitter.com/doUC3hBVw4
— Saanich Parks & Rec (@SaanichParksRec) April 4, 2019
West Shore RCMP are investigating after a dog named ‘Lilly” was reportedly stolen from a fenced yard in Langford.
On Wednesday., West Shore RCMP received a call from a Langford resident at around 11 p.m., who said their dog, a Bluetick hound named Lilly, was stolen from their fenced yard.
According to police, thieves cut open a section of a fenced yard on the 1700-block of Falcon Heights Road and likely used treats to entice the large dog, Lilly, away from the home.
Investigators who attended the scene spotted the damaged fence and a discarded bag of food, which is believed to be the item used to lure out the dog.
Lilly is described as an 85 pound female Bluetick hound. She has a mostly black coat with bits of white and two white spots on the top of her head. She has a tattoo in one ear, and one of her ears has a slight cut in it. She has light brown paws and was wearing a pink collar at the time she was taken.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information on the whereabouts of Lilly or the people who may have taken her are asked to call the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
This new patient does not appear to be related to the two previous cases confirmed last week.
Island Health advises that individuals who were at the following locations on the given dates and times may have been exposed to measles:
Date
Time
Location
March 30, 2019
12 pm. to 3 p.m.
Beacon Community Services Thrift Store: 7060 West Saanich Road (located in same building as Victoria Costumes)
March 30, 2019
12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Fairway Market: 7108 West Saanich Road
People who were at either location at the given time on March 30th and have not been immunized (whether fully or partially) are urged to call the Saanich Health Unit at 250-519-5100 to find out where to get vaccinated this week, as it has been less than 6 days since the exposure.
Symptoms and what to do
If you’ve been exposed to measles, monitor your health for the next 21 days for symptoms of the disease including fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, diarrhea and red eyes, followed a few days later by a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the chest.
Those who have never contracted measles or have not received two doses of the MMR vaccine are at highest risk of measles, and are encouraged to get immunized as soon as possible.
Island Health also states that those who believe they now have measles should contact their local health care provider before arriving at the facility so that health care practitioners may take precautions to minimize the risk of transmission.
Contact the following lines for information about measles and treatment:
South Island: 250-544-7676 ext. 27545
Nanaimo/Ladysmith/Gabriola: 250-755-3388
Courtenay/Comox Valley: 250-331-8599
Campbell River and area: 250-850-2120
Mt. Waddington/Port Hardy: 250-902-6079
Immunization
Free vaccinations are available from your local health unit, family doctor, and many pharmacists, although South Island, Duncan, Nanaimo and Salt Spring Public Health Units are prioritizing immunizations for children.
In the past 5 weeks, Island health has administered a total of 3,474 measles vaccinations which is more than double than the previous year. In addition to this, Island Health is offering to catch up all vaccines that the client is behind on at the appointment.
Prior to this recent increase, BC Centre for Disease Control statistics for 2012 and 2018 have shown that the immunization rate in 7-year-old children on Vancouver Island has decreased by 12-13% on Vancouver Island, and by 7% in B.C. within a 6 year span.
There’s plenty of exciting things to do today, including stand up comedy by national treasure Gerry Dee, Shakespeare featuring beer, an indoor farmers market, and more!
Without further ado here are 5 things to do in and around Victoria today.
Be one of the first people to try JUSU’s newest products for FREE.
Join JUSU staff for an evening of organic snacks, handmade skincare, and first-hand feedback for their newest 100% natural, plant-based and organic pulp-infused products. You have to reserve a spot so register early! Must be 18 years of age or older.
“Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.” – The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 1, Scene 1.
Beer! Shakespeare! Actors trying to handle both at once! Join the crew of the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival for an evening of hilarious mishaps and merriment.
Head down to the Mint for a night full of smooth-speaking, finger-snapping interdisciplinary arts performances.
The night will showcase the works of local artists and poets. Plus, there’s an open mic portion for brave audience members to try performing themselves, so bring a poem or two!
Come check out this large and local indoor farmers market!
The market helps support local growers and producers who use environmentally sound farming practices and helps build connections within the community. And of course, the food is tasty, local, and fresh!
When: 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Esquimalt Recreation Centre, 527 Fraser Street
With the legalization of cannabis, the thick-rimmed disciples of The Church of Craft may have a new deity: BC Bud. We will likely soon find ourselves in an era where craft microbreweries are no longer the lone reigning local artisan industry in town.
Federally licensed micro growers will now also be able to respond to regional consumer demands and produce locally grown quality products.
In BC, the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) has a monopoly over distribution and is the only entity legally permitted to supply retailers with non-medical cannabis.
To become a federally licensed supplier who can sell to the LDB, prospective growers must comply with federal, provincial, and municipal requirements.
In this article, we’ll focus solely on one of the main federal requirements: a licence from Health Canada.
Getting started
A micro-cultivation license allows the license holder to grow cannabis on a small scale in order to produce dried or fresh plants and seeds. To qualify for a micro-cultivation licence, the total grow surface area must not exceed 200m2, including the use of shelving areas or vertical farming methods.
Health Canada has established the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System as the primary manner for individuals to set up an account and submit Health Canada licensing applications.
Each individual associated with an application is required to create an account. For a micro- cultivation license, account identification and security clearance applications are required for the designated head of security, master grower, and responsible person.
Depending on whether the applicant is a corporation, partnership, or individual, all directors and officers, partners, and licence holders must be identified, respectively. In addition, an applicant that is not a sole proprietor or individual must also create a corporate profile.
The application for cultivation also requires details to be submitted with regards to the proposed grow site. The applicant will need to submit the site’s complete address, a site survey, an aerial view, a detailed description of the buildings or rooms located on the plot, what activities are proposed, and where they will take place on site.
The license may be subject to additional requirements, such as the need for increased security, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The property’s ownership information or an owners’ consent form must also be submitted.
Prior to submitting the Health Canada application, individuals are also required to show that they have notified the authorities in the area, including the local government, fire authority, and the local police force or RCMP, of their activities.
In order to satisfy the property’s physical security requirements, the applicant must include details of the site’s perimeters, building details, the proposed cultivation locations, all applicable security features and apparatuses and floor plans. Licensed applicants are not permitted to cultivate cannabis in a residential dwelling.
In addition, there are a number of regulatory requirements and reporting conditions that must be employed by the holder of a license. Applicants are also required to submit a Good Production Practices Report as outlined in the Cannabis Regulations.
Next steps
Once the application is submitted, Health Canada will begin its review process. At this time, the Ministry may request additional information.
Once the screening stage is complete, Health Canada will work with the RCMP to begin the security screening stage. One of the biggest barriers to licensing has reportedly been the security screening.
Applicants must provide fingerprints, a criminal record check, and disclosure of all past criminal charges and convictions. According to official Health Canada Regulations however, a criminal record will not automatically preclude an individual from receiving a licence.
Once past the pre-security screening stage, the applicant will be prompted to submit a site evidence package regarding the property’s building and facilities. An on-site pre-license inspection by Health Canada may also be deemed necessary.
If your micro-cannabis license is subsequently approved, it is valid for the duration of two years. Applicants who wish to renew their license are required to apply for a renewal at least 30 days before the expiry.
And that’s not all
Other factors and processes to consider in relation to a craft cultivation business include, but are not limited to:
Canada Revenue Agency licencing processes under the Excise Act,
the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System,
compliance with various pieces of legislation (including the Food and Drugs Act, the Pest Control Products Act, and The Fertilizer Act) processing and testing requirements of the cannabis,
packaging and labelling requirements,
record and reporting requirements,
incorporating a business,
and tax consequences.
It is the responsibility of the prospective grower to ensure compliance with all federal, provincial, and municipal laws and requirements. There is publicly available information on the Craft Cannabis Association of BC Website and a guide published by the Government of Canada, “Cannabis Licensing Application Guide”.
Given the complexity and novelty of the legal cannabis industry, any potential craft grower would benefit from seeking legal advice from a lawyer.
The Business Law Clinic at the University of Victoria provides free legal information on business law matters including incorporation, intellectual property, partnership agreements, contracts, employment law, and taxation.
These services are provided by students, and the clinic is always accepting clients. Please contact the clinic if you have any business law related questions you would like legal information on.
UVic Business Law clinic contact information: 250-472-4522 or blc@uvic.ca
Victoria Police are asking for the public’s assistance in their search of missing Annabelle Lemay.
18-year-old Lemay was last seen in January and authorities believe she may have had contact with her family in March.
No further details about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance have been provided at this time.
She is described as a Caucasian woman standing 5’2″ tall with a slim build, weighing 104 lbs, has long brown hair and hazel eyes.
Back in December 2018, VicPD had issued a similar missing person alert for Lemay, who originally hails from the Montreal area.
At the time, investigators were working with the City of Montreal Police Service to locate her and believed she may be in the Greater Victoria or Vancouver area. No details about that investigation have been released.
The first blaze of the wildfire season was diligently put out this morning by Highlands Volunteer Fire Rescue teams.
Crews responded at approximately 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning to a brush fire underneath BC Hydro power lines east of Millstream Lake Rd near Davies Rd.
The power lines were not affected by the blaze, which was approximately 30 ft by 50 ft large.
“We were there for approximately an hour and a half to two hours,” Highlands Fire Chief Dean Ford told Victoria Buzz.
The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time, but authorities are warning residents of dry conditions occurring early on this year.
And so begins the wildfire season…a little to early this year!!
West Shore RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a robbery on the Galloping Goose trail on Wednesday.
At approximately 1 p.m., a man was travelling along the trail at the west end of Rowils Crescent near Glen Lake in Langford when he was approached by a male suspect brandishing a knife.
The suspect then demanded that the victim give him his bag. The victim complied and was unharmed in the incident. He then called the police.
Multiple officers, human and K9, attended the scene and scoured the area for the suspect. They were unable to find him, but say that he was last seen running on the boardwalk at Glen Lake.
The suspect is described as a black man standing 6’ 3” with a medium build. He is approximately 30-40 years old and was wearing a black hoodie and black pants at the time of the incident.
Anyone with information on the incident or the suspect is asked to call 911 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Police are warning people not to approach the suspect if they see him.
During the season, an estimated one million people (700,000 passengers and 300,000 crew) are expected to grace Victoria’s shores, with an increase in full-day and midweek calls. Additionally, one visitor in May will be greeted as the city’s 8 millionth cruise ship passenger.
“The start of the season brings a flurry of exciting activity to all our cruise-related operations,” said Lindsay Gaunt, Director of Cruise Development for the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA)in a release.
“Everything from infrastructure upgrades and new paint to in-person transportation flow discussions with all our operators is required in advance of welcoming our first ship.”
This winter, the GVHA continued to work on its multi-year improvement project on three deep-water berths. Since November 2018, the organization has built two additional information kiosks for greeters, implemented seagull deterrent netting on roofs, and installed five new 200 tonne bollards used to tie up ship lines.
Visitors stepping off these ships will also have access to improved signage and wayfinding to help them make their way into the city. In 2018, 30% of all cruise visitors chose to walk downtown from the ship terminal, and the GVHA plans on building a new pedestrian gateway that will link the terminals to the street front.
For visitors that prefer to walk, bus transportation has been upgraded to include 18 single double-decker busses, allowing for more people to be transported at once without adding more buses to the location.
The final cruise ship that is scheduled to dock in Victoria is the Grand Princess, which will arrive on October 25th, 2019.
One of Victoria’s most prominent live theatres has just received a significant $100,000 contribution from BMO Financial Group in exchange for the rights to naming one of its interior stage spaces.
Starting the 2019-2020 season, the theatre’s second performance stage will be known as the BMO Studio Theatre, in exchange for their sizeable bestowment announced today.
Established in 1974, the Belfry Theatre is housed in a former Baptist church that was built in the late 19th century, and has thus far produced 330 plays, including 238 Canadian plays, and more than 50 premieres.
The interior features a main stage, secondary stage, a conference room/workshop, and lobby.
The BMO Studio Theatre can accommodate 90-100 patrons, has raked seating and a complete surround of black drapes. It also functions as a rehearsal and reception hall.
Today’s contribution allowed the theatre to replace seating in the BMO Studio Theatre, and also to leverage additional funding from the Province of BC (Community Gaming Capital Grant) and long time benefactor Mr. Paddy Stewart to also begin the costly replacement of outdated production lighting equipment.
“The BMO Financial Group has for many years been a key supporter of our programming through their sponsorships,” said Executive Director Ivan Habel, in a statement.
“The importance of this additional major gift to the upgrade and maintenance of an arts facility cannot be overstated. This beautiful heritage building provides the framework on which our art is built.”
Fans of Tim Hortons now have another reason to swing by the coffee and donut shop.
For a limited time, patrons can pick up a free limited edition NHL reusable cup when they purchase a Timmies Minis pack.
Timmies Minis are customizable kids meals that allow guests to pick one of four entrees with a side, fruit snack, and drink.
The 7 collectable cups represent Canadian NHL teams, including the Canucks, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Flames, Senators, Canadiens, and Jets.
The animal mascot for our closest team in Vancouver is, of course, an Orca.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvzC6vegrjU/
“At Tim Hortons, hockey has always been a part of our DNA,” said Tim Hortons president, Alex Macedo, in a release. “We’re happy to be able to give our youngest guests a fun way to show their support for their favourite teams and a great way for families to give back to their community.”
While the collectable cups are in circulation, each Timmies Minis will also feature NHL themed packaging.
Plus, 10 cents from each Timmies Minis purchased during this time will be donated to the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation to support youth across the country.
Collectable cups can be found at any Tim Hortons locations in Canada, excluding quebec.
With the province’s construction industry booming, the BC Builders Code has just launched a series of humorous animated shorts called the “Don’t Be a Tool” campaign to help address bullying, hazing, and harassment at worksites.
The videos highlight scenarios that are based on real-life harassment and bullying situations described by tradespeople across BC, and aims to change the environment of an industry that is 95% male.
“There’s no question that the 180,000 tradespeople in BC’s construction workforce will recognize the real-life situations that informed this campaign,” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA in a statement.
“Our industry is keen to be more diverse across all demographics including age and gender, and while most employees are well aware of the behaviour that’s expected of them by their employers, you could say we’re working to remove all doubt about what’s acceptable on a worksite.”
Construction industry accounts for 10% of BC’s entire workforce
BC’s construction industry is voraciously expanding, according to a study conducted by the BC Construction Association (BCCA).
Construction is the province’s top employer in the goods sector, accounting for 8.7% of BC’s GDP and 10% of its entire workforce.
Over 242,000 people directly rely on the industry for a paycheque, accounting for more workers than the forestry, mining, agriculture, and fishing industries combined.
In fact, the industry’s biggest challenge is working with a constant shortage of skilled labourers.
“These numbers clearly show that construction is a key economic driver everywhere in B.C.,” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA in a release.
“From the 180,000 tradespeople at its core to the labourers, architects, engineers, estimators, site supers and forepeople, union business managers, trainers, safety officers, manufacturers and suppliers, to the owners and back-office teams that make it all tick, construction is the heart of B.C.’s economy.”
With the construction industry on the rise, the Builders Code hopes that the Don’t Be a Tool campaign will help keep worksite environments positive for everyone.
“We wanted a simple, engaging campaign that would help us demonstrate the need for change in a non-threatening way,” said Lisa Stevens, BCCA COO and architect of the Builders Code in a statement.
“Using our cartoon character ‘tools’ allows us to look at a serious problem through an exaggerated, lighthearted lens, making the whole issue more approachable,” said Morgan Tierney, Managing Partner of Rethink, the company that designed the campaign.
Ever had that awkward moment when an acquaintance shows up at a party they weren’t invited to?
What about a 150 lb, furry, four-legged, potentially dangerous acquaintance?
A pair of beach-goers in Shirley, BC recently uploaded a video on YouTube documenting their heart-stopping encounter with an unwelcome black bear.
For the duration of the video, the bear stayed a safe distance away from the picnic-ers who had just opened a box of wine, and were calmly urging him to “go on” and “get out of here”.
Luckily, the animal was more timid and curious than aggressive, and let the pair pass by when they decided to leave.
“Glad I didn’t have to learn how a paring knife fairs in a bear attack,” reads the description in the video – and we’re pretty glad about that too!
While Canada is often heralded as a fair and progressive state, a new study conducted by the Angus Reid Institute shows that many residents perceive an imbalance in salaries between men and women who perform similar work.
While the majority of working people in Canada say they are fairly compensated (62%), a significant one-in-five (18%) say there is a gendered pay gap in their own workplace.
The vast majority of Canadian working women (79%) believe that this gender pay gap is a “serious issue” in the country, while a slim majority of men (51%) agree.
However, the majority of both sexes (roughly 70%) are in support of legislation that would compel companies with at least 25 employees to pay men and women “close-to-equal wages for close-to-equal work”.
(Graph / Angus Reid Institute)
Women and men disagree on details
According to the report, women and men disagree about many aspects of the modern workplace.
While the majority of both genders believe that the pay gap is arbitrary and not based on experience or skill, men are at least twice as likely than women to say that the gap stems from decisions that women make rather than outright discrimination.
Meanwhile, women and men seem to disagree on workplace expectations placed on both genders. The vast majority of employed women (72%) say that their gender is held to a higher standard in the workplace, while only one-in-three men (32%) agree.
Interestingly, respondents’ political affiliations played a role in how the gender gap was perceived.
In areas where women disagree, Conservative-leaning women are three times as likely to say that the pay gap stems from women’s choices rather than being held to higher standards than men in the workplace.
The study uses the responses of 1,501 randomly selected working Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum between March 8 – 12, 2019.
The next iteration of the City of Victoria’s bike lane network could include a segment that runs through the playground at Quadra Elementary School.
This phase of the network includes a Hillside/Quadra corridor as an extension of the Vancouver Street route through the neighbourhood and to the Saanich border at Tolmie Avenue.
While city staff have considered several ways to connect the route from Vista Heights to Tolmie Ave, at the moment the “most preferred alignment” is to build it on Fifth Street, which would cut through or replace what is currently a pedestrian pathway/playground area in the Quadra Elementary School grounds.
According to Sarah Web, manager of sustainable transportation planning and development for the City of Victoria, this lane would be a shared bike route with slow vehicle speed and safer crossings for pedestrians, unlike one of the new protected bike lanes built on busy downtown roads.
Other options
(Proposed bike lane route for Hillside/Quadra corridor/City of Victoria)
According to city plans, there were a few other options under consideration that would not involve cutting through a school playground.
One of them was to build the lane up Graham St and then Jackson St until it hit Tolmie Ave, but while this would be the shortest distance, it also has the steepest topography out of all proposed routes.
Another would be to go from Vista Heights to Graham Street and Summit Avenue, up Quadra Street and across at Spruce Street, through Topaz Park, and up to Yew Street to Tolmie Ave. This is the longest route, has “steep topography in some locations” and would require interim treatments until the Topaz Park improvement plan has been implemented.
With the route through Quadra Elementary School, the main challenge for the city is to come up with a design that can take student recreation, school safety, and community transportation needs into account.
“The Fifth Street alignment was preferred because it’s got a few big attributes: one being a direct route to the school as a destination, and the topography is more gentle,” Web told Victoria Buzz.
“It connects with Saanich’s cycling network plans that they’re implementing, and there’s also an opportunity for looking at a creative solution at the Quadra Elementary School location.”
Public consultation
The City of Victoria is hosting public consultation sessions – and has an online survey available for those who can’t make it in person – in order to gather feedback to present to Council before moving forward with construction.
Here are the consultation dates and times:
Open House & Design Workshop: Saturday April 6, 2019 between 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Victoria City Hall
Open House & Design Workshop: Monday April 8, 2019 between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. AND 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Victoria City Hall
Their online survey is available at this website along with a story map to help guide your understanding of the routes.
Web emphasizes that if implemented, this route would involve an entirely new design process that city staff will work with the public to come up with.
This could involve having the bike route go through or around the playground or coming up with a new playground to replace the ageing one. Most importantly, the city plans to work with both the public and school community to blueprint a design that works best for everyone’s needs.
“We would use this process over the spring to develop a design and then go forward into the summer for a detailed design. We’d spend the next 5 or 6 months working on the process,” says Web.
The City is also currently working on plans for two other sections of the bike lane network: the Harbour Rd corridor that connects the Galloping Goose Trail and the multi-use pathway of the Johnson Street Bridge; and the main Vancouver St corridor connecting Bay St and Park Boulevard through Beacon Hill Park.
With more engagement underway on future cycling routes, we thought it would be a good time to share a few perspectives on the cycling and pedestrian improvements and how people are using the existing routes, and let #yyj know there’s more to come… https://t.co/2WN9gVNqby
When you think about the rivalry between the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants, last seasons seven-game standoff in the playoffs immediately jumps to mind – and for good reason!
Though the two clubs met with a force of fury in their last playoff matchup, the 2018-19 regular season was nothing to balk at, either. Overall, six of the games in the season series were settled by a single goal, with the final two games settled in a shootout and overtime!
This week, Victoria and Vancouver will meet up once more, and the stakes are just as high as last year – with plenty of grit, emotion and high-scoring games, this series will not be one you want to miss out on!
Here are 7 things you should know before we head into what will no doubt be a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat series between the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants:
1. The Giants ultimately had a better regular season record – but barely!
In the 2018-19 season that saw plenty of wins stacked up by both teams respectively, the Giants’ final tally for the regular season came up at 6-2-1-1 – but the Royals were right on their heels with a 4-4-2-0 record!
2. The goaltending match-up is going to be out of this world
It’s no secret that Victoria’s Griffen Outhouse is a legend in his own right – the 20-year old posted all four of the wins against Vancouver while maintaining a 2.50 goals against average, and a .925 save percentage. It was the Giants’ Tendeck who was in net for the majority of the regular-season series, sporting a 4-1-1-0 record, 1.80 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and a shutout.
(Image / Jay Wallace)
3. Giants’ forward is winning himself some recognition
Vancouver’s Davis Koch led all players with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 10 games and earned himself the title of WHL McSweeney’s Player of the Month for March this past Monday. The White Rock native followed up his red-hot end to the regular season with a goal and nine assists in six first-round playoff games against the Seattle Thunderbirds over the past week and a half.
4. Vancouver gains home-ice advantage due to their division ranking
The Royals defeated the Kamloops Blazers 4-2 in the first round of the WHL Playoffs and are the second seed in the BC Division. Meanwhile, the Giants finished as the top team in the Western Conference and BC Division and will have home ice advantage in the series as a result. Vancouver won their first round best-of-seven series vs. the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2.
5. Victoria’s got some offensive defense
Montreal Canadians draft pick Scott Walford had five points in the season series against the Giants, a combination of one goal and four assists! The offensively-minded defenceman finished in a three-way tie for second in scoring on his team.
6. The NHL has their eye on Giants’ Bowen Byram
It’s not every day that you get to watch an NHL Draft prospect hit the ice, and the focus has been on Vancouver Giant’s Bowen Byram as of late. He was one of three Giants to finish tied for second in the season series with eight points, and there have even been rumours that Vancouver Canucks’ scouts have their eye on him – so much potential!
7. You can watch their first game at Victoria’s Shark Club
Since the first two games of the second-round series will be in Vancouver’s house, the option of watching the action from a local haunt is the next best thing! You’ll be able to catch the series’ first game live at the Shark Club at 2852 Douglas Street on Friday, April 5th at 7:30 p.m. You can also stream the game live on the WHL website!
You can check out the schedule for the rest of the series below!
We will face the Vancouver Giants in Round 2 of the #WHLPlayoffs beginning with Game 1 this Fri in Langley! We will host Games 3 & 4 on Tues, Apr 9th & Thurs, Apr 11th! Tickets on sale Wed morning to general public!
Residents of Nanaimo will soon have expanded access to the city’s urgent and primary-care centre, according to the BC Ministry of Health.
Beginning June 2019, the Medical Arts Urgent and Primary Care Centre will bring 14 new full-time healthcare providers to the region, where over 15,500 people currently do not have a primary-care provider, and who often do not receive same-day care.
“This urgent and primary-care centre is a real solution that will increase and improve access to care including on evenings and weekends, using a team-based care solution and supporting attachment of patients who need a primary-care provider,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
New “team-based” approach
The province is working with Island Health and the Medical Arts Centre to expand the clinic and introduce a new “wraparound team-based care” system.
The team-based approach is expected to provide more same-day appointments and extend the centre’s hours of operation. The new system will also focus on rapid access and coordinated services for seniors and people in need of mild to moderate mental-health and substance-use treatment.
“Team-based care that addresses the needs of the community will soon become the pillar of our new primary-care system, and it will be how everyone in Nanaimo and across the province access the everyday health care they need,” said Dix.
The 14 new full-time staff being added to the care centre will include four doctors, registered nurses, mental-health and substance-use clinicians, social workers, a pharmacist, and one medical office staff.
The clinic will be open seven days a week, and annual operating cost for the centre is expected to increase by roughly $2.7 million.
“The Medical Arts Urgent and Primary Care Centre is an exciting step forward for the community of Nanaimo,” said Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo in a release.
“I am especially looking forward to the added services and the team-based care approach that I know will make a big difference in the lives of residents, including my family.”
This is the second health centre on Vancouver Island to be upgraded or created by the province. The first was Langford’s Westshore Urgent and Primary Care Centre, which opened in November 2018.
Meanwhile, Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins received a letter from the South Island Division of Family Practice last week describing the urgent need for new primary-care services in the township.
Written by Directory Clay Barber, the letter outlines the recent closure of one Esquimalt medical clinic and the relocation of one physician which has left more than 4,000 patients in search of a new family doctor and bringing the total to 36,000 people in need of a physician.
Victoria Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 28-year-old man.
Michael Willems was last seen on March 27th and was reported missing on Tuesday, April 2nd. Officers say that his disappearance is unusual and are concerned for his well being.
Willem is described as a Caucasian man standing 5’ 9” tall and weighing 140 pounds. He has short blonde hair and is known to wear a velvet grey tracksuit.
Anyone who sees Michael Willems is asked to call 911.
Get in on this FREE workshop hosted by the City of Victoria to learn about the hazards that can affect our city, what to include in your home and vehicle emergency kits, what you can do to protect your home from an earthquake, and how to reunite with your loved ones after a disaster.
Learn what you can do to be prepared for a power outage, winter storm, earthquake, or a tsunami.
The 26th annual French Song Competition has arrived!
All islanders are welcome to listen to Victoria Conservatory of Music Voice students of all ages as they perform and compete classic french songs, including the works of Faure, Debussy, Duparc, and more. Admission is by donation.
Don’t miss your chance to see Fortune Gallery’s limited run of its newest exhibit, Humble Magnificence.
The exhibit features art by Canadian artist, Anne Meggitt, who generally displays oil landscapes inspired by Vancouver Island’s coastal rainforest. One of her goals is to bring attention to the quiet natural treasures of BC and the fight to preserve it.
A letter sent to Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins from the South Island Division of Family Practice outlines the urgent need for new primary care services in Esquimalt.
Written by Director Clay Barber on March 25th, the letter states that the recent closure of one of two Esquimalt medical clinics and the relocation of one physician to a clinic in Victoria has left 4,000 more patients in search of a new family doctor in the municipality.
This brings the total number of patients without a family physician in the area to 36,000 – a number which is expected to grow to 55,000 in just three years.
“For the Township of Esquimalt, the lack of suitable clinic space to house these [health care] providers, within an attractive team-based model of care environment, is an impediment to recruitment,” writes Barber.
As such, he recommends that council make available both short term (6 month lease) and medium term (1-2 year lease) clinic space options.
Barber’s letter was received by Esquimalt council on April 1st, which is when Mayor Barb Desjardins stated that the municipality has made requests to the province for assistance in the recruitment of more medical practitioners.
No further details were made available about the nature of these requests.
Last year marked the closing of the Esquimalt Treatment Centre, and in 2015 the Westside Integrated Health Centre in Vic West was shut down.
This left the municipality with just one walk-in clinic at Esquimalt Plaza and three family doctors, none of whom are taking new patients.
Bastion Square Parkade was briefly closed down on Tuesday after a single-vehicle accident sent two people to hospital.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., a driver entering the downtown parkade suffered a medical event that caused their vehicle to collide with a pedestrian and multiple parked vehicles.
According to VicPD, the car hit the pedestrian, three cement posts, and another parked vehicle before striking yet another cement post and a parked motorcycle, after which the vehicle came to rest.
The incident sent the driver and the struck pedestrian to hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The parkade was closed for a number of hours, but has since reopened.
An investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
Due to a motor vehicle incident, Bastion Square Parkade is closed for the day. Customers are able to exit the parkade. #yyj#yyjtraffic
Fans of moving poetry and the spoken word should keep their schedules clear next week, as Vancouver Island’s largest poetry slam is returning to Victoria for its 10th consecutive year.
Victorious Voices is a spoken word festival that highlights stories, poems, and performances of youth in the community and runs from April 8th – 10th.
The competition will include recitations by young poets from local schools and from across Canada. This year, 12 teams from across the island will compete in the High School Poetry Slam Championship.
“I usually tell people ‘you’ve probably never heard poetry like this before’ and I mean it,” said festival producer Elysia Glover in a statement. “Every year I am blown away by the creativity and vulnerability the youth bring to the mic.”
“They’re saying things we all need to hear in ways that make us think.”
Besides the performances, the festival will also host workshops by professional authors and poets that delve into the importance of storytelling and techniques in writing.
Humble beginnings
The festival was started by Victoria City Councillor Jeremy Loveday one decade ago, after he noticed a lack of creative outlets and forums for youth writers on the island.
“When I was in high school, there wasn’t anything like this and it definitely would have helped me to have had a positive creative outlet like Victorious Voices,” said Loveday, festival founder and Artistic Director in a statement.
“What started as a humble idea of providing a platform for high school poets has grown into the biggest spoken word festival on the Island.”
Stretching beyond Victoria, this year’s festival will include performances by CBC Poetry Prize Winner Alessandra Nacaratto and World Poetry Slam Champion Ian Ketku of Toronto. The nationally acclaimed poets will also be stopping by 4 local schools as part of the festival.
When: April 8th to 10th, full schedule of events available online here.
Where:Multiple venues including: Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad Street | City Studio Victoria, 709/711 Douglas Street | Caffe Fantastico, 965 Kings Road
BC Ferries’ decision to switch one of their largest ferries from diesel fuel to liquified natural gas (LNG) propulsion is garnering international attention, and has recently earned the company the European-based Shippax Retrofit Award.
The Shippax Retrofit Award was created to recognize new concepts and innovations within the ferry, cruise, and shipping industry, and the Spirit of British Columbia green vessel is being celebrated for its efforts in the field.
The use of LNG on two of BC Ferries’ largest passenger vessels is expected to reduce the company’s CO2 emission by 12,500 tonnes annually, which is roughly the equivalent of removing 2,500 vehicles off of BC’s roads per year.
The Spirit of British Columbia is just the first of two Spirit Class vessels that have been converted to LNG, with the Spirit of Vancouver Island completing its retrofit several weeks ago. The ship is expected to return to service between Swartz Bay and Tswwassen later this spring.
The retrofit involves replacing the ship’s four main engines with new dual-fuel engines, and the installation of a large LNG tank beneath the main deck as part of a new innovative fuel bunkering system.
In 2017, BC Ferries’ smaller line of Salish Class vessels were the first passenger vessels in the world to refuel LNG on an open vehicle deck using proprietary Canadian tanker truck technology.
#BCFNews We’re honoured to receive the Shippax Retrofit Award for completing the conversion of the Spirit of BC from diesel to liquefied natural gas. 🙌 The SOBC is among the largest passenger ferries ever to be converted to LNG propulsion: https://t.co/0cPbysEttu ^oj#BCFerriespic.twitter.com/A3BsA3wDGq
A new national ranking has revealed which companies are appealing to Canadians and which are more off-putting.
Canadian research firm Leger conducted their 2019 corporate Reputation study by evaluating the reputations of 262 companies among French and English speakers above the age of 18 across the country.
After conducting 30,593 interviews with respondents representative of Canada’s population between December 19th, 2018 to February 1st, 2019, Leger published their final results.
Without further ado, here are the 10 companies that Canadians admire the most:
Canadian Tire
Google
Dollarama
Shopper’s Drug Mart
Sony
Kellogg’s
Microsoft
Amazon
Samsung
Costco Wholesale
The companies at the bottom of Leger’s list are:
Labatt
Pfizer
RE/MAX
Telus
Keurig
Cascades
Starbucks
Lowes
CIBC
Reitman’s Canada Ltd
According to Leger’s Executive Vice President, Dave Scholz, it is vital for companies undergoing crises to know how to regrow a positive reputation.
“We have seen companies drop in reputation and recover the next year or in following years. We have also seen companies struggle to recover and some never doing so. A commitment to building and maintaining a strong reputation is must for organizations today,” said Scholz.
One violent man was detained in Nanaimo on Sunday after several bystanders rushed to the aid of an officer caught in a brawl with the alleged instigator.
At approximately 6 p.m., a Nanaimo RCMP officer arrived at Rutherford Rd near Highway 19A due to reports of a disturbance involving a man and a woman.
When the Mountie arrived, he located the woman who was wearing a bathing suit and appeared to be behaving erratically. The officer then tried to detain the woman for her own safety when the male arrived and began to throw punches and assault him.
“The officer and suspect ended up fighting and tumbled onto the ground where more punches and strikes were landed by both parties,” said Nanaimo RCMP in a release.
As the brawl continued, the suspect managed to break free from the struggle and tried to flee but was stopped by passing motorists who saw the incident unfold and exited their vehicles to assist the officer.
The civilians then held the man long enough for the officer to handcuff the suspect and place him in his cruiser.
“The officer worked the remainder of his shift but will be sporting a black eye and some bumps and bruises for his efforts,” said Cst. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP. “This is the second incident in less than one week in which bystanders have intervened in a violent altercation, and once again, we take our hats off to everyone who helped out.”
“Some of the bystanders got a little banged up which is unfortunate but it’s sure nice to know that when the fight is on, our community members have our back.”
The 33-year-old man was then taken to the RCMP detachment where was charged with assaulting a police officer and a civilian. He has since been released with a promise to appear in court on April 9th.
Meanwhile, the 38-year-old erratic female ran away during the fight and was located by other officers and transported to hospital for a medical assessment.
This year, Victoria’s fluffiest little patrons will be getting some assistance in their travels from the harbour to the boardwalk.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority just completed the installation of six new duckling ramps at the organization’s four Inner Harbour marinas.
The project was undertaken by the GVHA after a local resident pointed out the lack of duckling ramps in the Inner Harbour, and the ensuing difficulties faced by baby ducks accompanying their parents during migration each spring.
These ducklings often get stuck while attempting to bridge the gap between the water and the boardwalk.
“To be proactive and assist with the 2019 flock, GVHA staff worked with community organizations including the City of Victoria, BC SPCA Wild ARC, and the Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary to collect intel and implement best practices, which led to the creation and installation of new ramps,” said the GVHA in a statement.
Now we know where to go to spot the first baby ducks of the season!
A man has been arrested for sexually assaulting another man at Thetis Lake Park in View Royal.
At about 7:20 p.m. on Monday, April 1st, a man was jogging around the Thetis lake when the suspect approached him on a part of the trail.
When the victim moved over to let him pass, the suspect got closer and grabbed the victim’s genitals before walking away.
According to Cst. Nancy Saggar, the victim was in shock but was able to pull out his cell phone and record a video of the molester as he was walking away.
This recording helped West Shore RCMP identify and arrest the suspect for sexual assault.
“No other reports of sexual assault of this nature have been reported to police,” said Saggar in a statement.
Police also ask that any witnesses to this event call the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
If you are victim of sexual violence, know someone who needs support, or would like to educate yourself on what to do in these types of situations, visit Victimsinfo.ca.
(Baby Sophie being airlifted to the BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver/GoFundMe)
West Shore RCMP has released a statement saying that the daycare at which an 11-month-old infant suffered a serious head injury is cooperating with the ensuing police investigation of the incident.
“No arrests have been made and no charges have been laid,” reads the announcement from Cst. Nancy Saggar.
“The Ministry of Children and Family Development as well as Island Health have been notified with respect to any child care or safety concerns. Investigators have not yet determined if there was any criminality involved.”
On Friday, March 29th, Kate Haywood left to pick up her daughter, Sophie, from her licensed daycare in Langford. When Kate arrived, she told Victoria Buzz that staff were cleaning vomit from Sophie and informed her that her daughter had taken a fall and hit her head on a table.
As she was driving Sophie home, the infant’s condition worsened with each passing moment and decided to rush her to the Westshore Urgent Primary Care Centre.
From the urgent care centre, doctors told Kate that Sophie had a head injury and rushed the family to Victoria General Hospital (VGH) in an ambulance, where they were then airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Prognosis
On Friday, VGH’s paediatric trauma team performed a variety of tests on Sophie, including a CT scan of her head. The CT scan revealed a possible skull fracture and a frontal lobe subdural hemorrhage. If pressure in her brain builds up from internal bleeding, she may require neurosurgery, something Kate and Thomas hope can be avoided.
After the paediatric trauma team assessed Sophie, they decided to transfer her to BC Children’s Hospital to receive the best possible specialized care.
In Vancouver, the paediatric neurological team discovered that Sophie had sustained hemorrhaging behind her eyes, and that there is a chance that surgery may still be required.
The team is closely monitoring her for improvements, and upcoming tests include X-Rays and MRIs to confirm if she suffered a head fracture or not. Since arriving at BC Children’s Hospital, Sophie has lost 1 kg from frequent vomiting and sleeping.
However, the 11-month-old has also been showing signs of recovery.
“Sophie is of course not herself, but she has been making a little bit of progress,” reads an update on the GoFundMe campaign. “Other than that, it is just a waiting game. Sophie is not really answering to any normal cues that she does, but we are in the right place.”
(Baby Sophie/GoFundMe)
Community Support
Throughout the ordeal, the Haywoods have been grateful for the support of the community and health care workers involved.
Kate said that the doctors have been “absolutely amazing”, and that one of Canada’s top neurosurgeons is overseeing Sophie’s care.
Meanwhile, support from the island has been pouring in, including Facebook groups that have offered to cook the family meals and the GoFundMe campaign which raised over $3,000 in less than 24 hours.
“First and foremost, from the bottom of our hearts: THANK YOU,” reads a GoFundMe update. “We are so grateful to have such a supportive community surrounding us.”
Kate is currently on maternity leave and Tom works in construction. Neither is able to work while they are in Vancouver looking after Sophie, and the financial support has helped the family focus on recovering.
“It’s been expensive, hard, and emotionally draining,” said Kate.
“Now I never want to leave my daughter and it’s going to be a big hit for me to go back to work, but I know I’ll have to bite the bullet.”
You can find the GoFundMe campaign, entitled Baby Sophie’s recovery, online here. At the time of publication, the campaign has raised $6,249 which is more than $1,000 over the initial goal.
A direct collision between two vehicles in Nanaimo left both drivers in the hospital on Monday night.
At about 10:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1st, a pick-up truck and a Honda Civic car crashed into each other in the 3600-block of Uplands Dr.
“It appears that speed was a contributing factor in the head-on collision,” Cst. Gary O’Brien told Victoria Buzz.
The driver of the Honda Civic was a 20-year-old male who had to be extracted from his vehicle. He is currently in the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The driver of the pick-up truck had minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for observation.
Both vehicles were destroyed in the incident and RCMP is currently investigating.
Last week’s draw had a $50-million prize and the week before saw a $35.7 million jackpot, neither of which was claimed.
The March 29th draw saw six winners across the country who claimed $78,331.30 each because 6/7 of their numbers matched.
That means one lucky winner this week could claim a life-changing $55 million jackpot.
May the odds be ever in your favour!
(BCLC March 29th draw)
*Note: Victoria Buzz is not affiliated with BC Lottery Corporation and does not advocate gambling or taking part in lotteries. If you choose to participate, remember to play responsibly.
It’s true what they say: the best things in life really are free…and one of them is the ability to simply gaze up at the night sky in awe of a breathtaking astral phenomenon.
The skies above the Northern Hemisphere are about to get a lot more interesting, as the Lyrid meteor shower takes place between April 16th to 25th.
The Lyrid meteor shower occurs every year as debris from the wake of Comet Thatcher passes through the earth’s atmosphere.
According to Space.com, the meteor shower will peak just before dawn on Monday, April 22nd, although a waning gibbous moon will outshine the weaker meteors this year.
NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke stated to space.com that on average, the Lyrid shower produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour, and this year, we may see 20 shooting stars every hour.
Look to the northeast
The point where the meteors originate, or the radiant, will be high in the sky in the constellation Lyra, which lies northeast of one of the brightest stars visible at this time of year – Vega.
But experts say not to look directly at the radiant, because you may then miss some of the meteors with the longest tails.
(space.com)
Although not as prominent as the Perseid meteor shower in August, or as fast as the Leonid meteor shower in November, the Lyrids promise to be luminous enough to light up the skies just the same.
According to Cooke, the Lyrids are one of the oldest meteor showers known to man, going as far back as 687 B.C.
No special equipment is necessary for viewing it, so just grab a blanket, some snacks, and hot chocolate, and look up! You’re in for quite a show.
In another spirited bout between the Victoria Royals and Kamloops Blazers, the Royals secured the win by a score of 4-1 and successfully closed out the first round with a final series tally of 4-2!
With a roster missing two key players like Kody McDonald and Tanner Sidaway due to respective suspensions, the Royals needed to come into this game guns blazing – and that they did. In an incredible effort that saw Victoria’s team band together despite a number of player scratches, tonight’s game saw not only one.. but TWO separate panels of glass on ice in Kamloops’ arena completely shattered – talk about bringing the house down!
Despite the loss, the Kamloops Blazers and their Sandman Centre had a very impressive turnout this evening – over 5,000 fans attended game 6 tonight, and their 50/50 draw ended up with over $40,000 in the pot – not too shabby!
The Blazers saw a bit of a switch-up in the goaltending department by starting netminder Victoria-native Dylan Garand, who played 23:15 minutes of Saturday’s game and stopped all nine shots he faced. Only 4:14 into the first period, Victoria’s Doust flew onto the ice and threw a glass-shattering shoulder-on-shoulder hit on Kamloops’ Zary – literally!
Though the Blazers dominated in shots the first period, Royals’ Cutler opened the scoring midway through with a slick wrist-shot from points-leader Phillip Schultz – the first 20 seeing Victoria up 1-0 as a result.
Kamloops began the second with a delay-of-game penalty, and the Royals were able to capitalize on the man-advantage – Cutler earning his second of the game and bringing Victoria up 2-0.
But, wait.. halfway through the second twenty, the smashing game continued! What are the odds?
What are the odds it happened again – the glass shattered! Royals up 2-0 in the second midway through – Cutler two goals tonight. pic.twitter.com/wsjOU9U1mF
After yet another “minor delay”, both teams hit the ice once more. Kamloops’ Franklin earned himself a cross-checking penalty in the offensive-zone, and Victoria was able to maximize the powerplay with a goal by veteran Ralph Jarratt – the little rest did them well, if the three unanswered goals were any indication!
Royals’ Fizer was awarded a penalty shot after a hooking minor, and though he wasn’t able to get the goal on that one, Victoria went up to 4-0 with only 11 seconds remaining in the second by a slick shot by Carson Miller.
The third saw Blazers’ Dylan Ferguson starting, the Golden Knight’s draft pick coming in after Garand allowing 4 goals on 14 shots. Kamloops Blazers’ Centazzo got his team on the scoreboard in the last 5 minutes of the game, making it a final score of 4-1.
ROYALS WIN 4-1!! Off to the second round of the #WHLPlayoffs we go!
With tonight’s win, the second round matchup is confirmed as the Victoria Royals versus Western Division leaders the Vancouver Giants – the Giants have secured home-ice advantage, and the first two games of this series will be at the Langley Events Centre, happening on April 5th and April 6th respectively. You can watch these games live online!
You can check out round 2 series schedule is below!
We will face the Vancouver Giants in Round 2 of the #WHLPlayoffs beginning with Game 1 this Fri in Langley! We will host Games 3 & 4 on Tues, Apr 9th & Thurs, Apr 11th! Tickets on sale Wed morning to general public!
Ever wondered just how those so-called compostable forks and cups break down, and just how compostable they really are? Now’s your chance to learn the dirty truth.
Compostables 101 will include a range of speakers including UVic student researcher Noah Snell, zero-waste expert Paula McPhee, and industrial composting professionals Jack Vanderbasch and Chester Phillips. A chance to ask questions in a Q&A panel will follow.
Today is the opening day for Fortune Gallery’s newest exhibit, Humble Magnificence.
The exhibit features art by Canadian artist, Anne Meggitt, who generally displays oil landscapes inspired by Vancouver Island’s coastal rainforest. One of her goals is to bring attention to the quiet natural treasures of BC and the fight to preserve it.
Join Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps for casual but meaningful conversations at this public drop in.
Rather than one-on-one appointments, these community discussions allow everyone to get involved and share their ideas or concerns about the city. Notes will be taken and passed along to relevant city departments if necessary.
While it’s not April 1st anymore, there’s still time for you to be duped!
Swing by the Royal BC Museum and pick up a Fools Find checklist to start your hunt for unusual objects placed around the museum’s many artifacts and specimens.
With warmer weather settling into the city and the fact that it’s 2019, changes to BC Legislature’s dress code now allow for women to wear sleeveless clothing at work.
The move comes after Shannon Waters took to social media explaining the situation.
“The House of Commons includes sleeveless dresses, blouses as part of its accepted attire,” said Waters on Twitter. “Time for BC to catch up.”
On Wednesday, Waters also added that staff from the Sergeant-at-Arms office told at least three women in two days to “cover up” in the hallways.
Do we look unprofessional to you? Women in the @BCLegislature are being told our bare arms are unprofessional, do not constitute proper business attire for the halls of the House #bcpolipic.twitter.com/1lJSWngP34
After the post went viral on social media, the provincial legislature took the issue to heart and made changes to the nearly 40-year-old dress code policy.
“Let me state at the outset that I expect that any Assembly dress guidelines must not undermine gender identity or the right of all Members or employees to fully and comfortably contribute to this unique workplace,” said Speaker Darryl Plecas in his Parliamentary Dress update.
“…Due to the historical imbalance, I am more than open to accommodating concerns brought forward by many women, as articulated over the past few days.”
A preliminary review of the dress code has been completed and several recommendations have been offered, including:
Professional business attire for women should now include a range of contemporary conventional options, including sleeveless dresses, shirts, and blouses. Dress standards for men continue to be collared shirts, ties, and jackets.
Assembly dress guidelines are officially not the responsibility of Sergeant-at-Arms or other Assembly staff to enforce.
The dress code should be principle-driven and not overly prescriptive moving forward.
These initial recommendations are a reflection of a preliminary review, with a more thorough report expected to be released after consultation with more members of the legislature.
“We recognize and respect the good judgement of all Members, staff, and press gallery members,” said Plecas.
“All Members, staff, and press are encouraged to continue to wear professional business attire. Recognizing that the Legislature is a formal business environment, we are confident good judgement will be shown by all.”
