Goldstream News Gazette, April 10, 2024

More international doctors are coming to the West Shore to help alleviate the critical shortage of physcians.

Westshore Primary Care Society’s executive director Alyssa Andres says the society is recruiting foreign-trained doctors as the cost of living in B.C. can turn off many newly qualified

doctors.

The society has signed nine contracts for family doctors that will be able to support approximately 11,250 patients in the community. There are plans for more recruitment once the funding is in place.

The doctors will come from Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand and other countries.

“We need to hire professionals new to our

workforce instead of pulling them from other services,” Andres said in an email.

The immigration process has been the biggest headache for the group, along with the red tape associated with trying to bring people to Canada, Andres said.

“We need to advertise for at least 30 days in three online publications to ensure no Canadian doctor would like to apply for the position.”

Told to get out: Tenants speak out on harsh realities of no-fault evictions

is at times bewildering for vulnerable individuals to navigate.

When the landlord who owned Mary Thompson’s apartment in Victoria’s Fernwood neighbourhood decided to sell, the stability she had finally found for her family was suddenly threatened.

It was a small place in an old character home and her two daughters had to share a bedroom, but on a single income she could afford the $1,080 per month. Her daughters had grown up in the house having previously lived in another of the units, and they liked living there.

But Thompson says it was clear when the house sold and the new owners moved in downstairs they wanted to get more money out of her unit.

This was during the early part of the pandemic, when landlords’ ability to increase rents and evict tenants was extremely limited.

“One of the first things they brought up was the fact that my rent was so low,” she recalls, reflecting on the circumstances of her eviction a couple years ago while sitting on a bench near where her 16-yearold attends high school.

“They said, ‘Well, it was assessed at $2,300 a month.’”

The memory caused a look of disbelief to flash across her face.

“And I said, ‘There’s no way I can do that — ever. There’s just no way.’”

After giving up and leaving that house, Thompson has now found herself in another property slated to be sold and is resigning herself to what she says is inevitable, being forced out yet again.

Several B.C. tenants, including Thompson, have shared their eviction stories with Black Press Media, painting a picture of a system that sides with landlords by default, and

One of these people — a 62-year-old man with disabilities — has successfully rebuffed multiple eviction attempts through the Residential Tenancy Branch’s dispute process.

Others have had less fortunate outcomes. A New Westminster woman who lost her tenancy branch dispute was given four days to get out of an apartment she’d lived in for a decade.

The landlord for each one of these people was contacted, with a voicemail left for every one. These landlords range from single-home owners to companies with buildings in multiple provinces. Not one responded to a request for comment.

Since this story was published online, the provincial government announced some long-planned changes to address some of these issues. The new rules require…

Since this story was first published online, the provincial government has announced some long-planned changes to attempt to address some of these issues. But these new rules would not necessarily change the circumstances of the three individual experiences described.

B.C. has nation’s highest eviction rates

No-fault evictions like these — without any missed rent payments or damage to a unit — account for roughly 85 per cent of the total in B.C., according to a 2023 University of British Columbia study of the period between 2016 and 2021. During that interval, one-in-10 B.C. renters studied were evicted.

These rates outpace the rest of Canada in both total ousted tenants, and ones kicked out for no fault of their own.

The system in B.C. is meant

to protect renters by limiting evictions and putting caps on rent hikes.

There are strict rules for rent increases that vary yearto-year, with rates set as low as zero during the pandemic.

This year, landlords are only allowed to raise rents by 3.5 per cent unless a tenant agrees to a bigger increase. But if a landlord can get a tenant out of a unit, they can raise the rent as much as they like for the next renter.

There are several ways a landlord can accomplish a legal eviction: Moving themselves or a family member in for at least six months (changed to 12 months with the new legislation), putting a caretaker in a unit, tearing the

building down or doing major renovations.

May need to change this

Recently, the B.C. government made the rules stricter for some of these justifications, such as the 2021 law that now requires landlords to put in an application to the tenancy branch if they want to kick out a tenant to do renovations.

May need to change this Chart: No-fault vs. At-fault evictions

But for landlord’s use and caretaker use, it still falls on the tenant to file a dispute and collect evidence, or else the eviction is not reviewed. And it can be difficult to prove a landlord is acting in bad faith. Tenant advocates would like to see the rules regarding ren-

ovations extended to all types of no-fault evictions, while representatives for landlords say the system is fair already, it just needs tweaking to speed up the process.

Will need to change

“Ensuring that there is access to timely justice through dispute resolution, that is our biggest concern,”Hunter Boucher of LandlordBC says.

He also says more enforcement is needed from the government to get evicted tenants to actually leave, as it can currently be financially burdensome for landlords if they must hire a bailiff to remove a tenant.

The newly announced legislation does address some of this by speeding up the dispute

and enforcement process for landlords, with the goal of speeding up the dispute process.

Facing homelessness

Robert Fulton has disabilities that mean he cannot work and has difficulty advocating for himself.

He has lived in the same Nanaimo apartment for 16 years and pays $658.92 per month in rent, according to documents from his tenancy branch dispute hearings.

In May of last year, Fulton was served a notice that he had to leave his apartment in four months. The owner wanted to use his unit for a caretaker to live in.

He scrambled to find someone to help, and his sister Linda Dawes stepped in, helping Fulton contact a legal aid organization to assist him in disputing the eviction.

Because of a backlog of cases, Fulton’s hearing wasn’t scheduled until a week before he was supposed to be evicted.

“So we were concerned that should he lose, we’d only have a week to find him a place to live,” says Dawes. Because of his limitations, Fulton had his sister tell his story for him.

The landlord didn’t show up for the hearing, and the arbitrator ruled in Fulton’s favour, finding on Sept. 21, 2023 that the landlord had failed to provide sufficient cause for the eviction.

Then on Jan. 27, 2024 Fulton was again served with a notice of eviction by this same landlord. Again, he was told he had four months to get out.

“A second four month notice, for the same reason,” Dawes says.

So, for a second time the family scrambled. Since the first eviction attempt, the tenancy branch had hired a bunch of new arbitrators to address the case backlog.

Mary Thompson and her daughters were evicted from her Fernwood apartment. The landlord had said her mother was moving in, but Thompson says the apartment is now being rented out for more than double what she paid. (Mark Page/News Staff)

Breast milk bank project takes off in the West Shore

Thomas Eley News Staff

After seeing a 500-gram baby in an incubator in Ukraine stopped former Langford fire chief Bob Beckett in his tracks, he knew he needed to act.

“It stopped me cold,” said Beckett.

Now, an effort to raise over $50,000 to help provide a breast milk bank in western Ukraine is underway on the West Shore. The fundraiser is already at $20,000.

Beckett has witnessed the wounds of war on soldiers and civilians caught in the crossfire, but was compelled to act after seeing premature babies fighting for their lives.

It was during Beckett’s second trip to Ukraine in November 2023 that he first saw the plight of these mothers and learned that there was no breast milk facility in the west of the country.

“Their premature births had gone from four to five, on average a month to up to 40 premature births a month.”

During this visit, Beckett and his group started talking to doctors in Ukraine about the importance of breast milk and the high-quality nutrition it delivers to babies.

“Without breast milk, there’s an increased risk of infection and deaths for these babies.”

The $50,000 will buy breast milk analyzing devices, a pasteurizer, refrigerators and freezers. Once the goal is reached, the money will go to the Children’s Regional Hospital Foundation

to purchase European equipment.

“We don’t purchase things we think they need. We do this based on what they’re asking for.”

Beckett worked with former Langford Mayor Stew Young and retired RCMP staff sergeant Bruce Brown to help provide medical equipment in Ukraine.

Seeing the effects of war in Ukraine has made it impossible not to get involved, said Young.

“Once you’re over there, and you see the problems that are happening because of war, you really want to help,” he said.

Young will be hosting a West Shore charity golf tournament on June 13 to help raise funds for the breast milk bank.

Beckett is very aware of war weariness, but he is still amazed that the group can get so much support for the war in Ukraine and that every little cent and dollar raised makes a difference.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a $5 donation or a $10,000 donation, 100% of that money gets into the hands of the people of Ukraine.”

There has been support for the people of Ukraine throughout Greater Victoria, with Colwood and Oak Bay helping to donate buses and generators. The city of Langford also donated $5000 to the Ukrainian community of Horokhiv in 2023.

“We want to repeat that in September,” Beckett said.

The group has set up a GoFundMe for people to donate.

West Shore RCMP remembers colleague who was killed 8 years ago

ference in every community she worked in,” according to the organizers of the annual Sarah Beckett Memorial Run.

On April 5, 2016, West Shore RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett, while working general duty, was killed when her marked police car was struck by a pickup truck at a major intersection in Langford.

“Today we remember our fallen officer, Cst. Sarah Beckett.

The annual five-kilometre run in her honor aims to raise money for the Goldstream Food Bank and Boys and Girls Club South Vancouver Island.

The 32-year-old Mountie was described as “a dedicated police officer who worked hard to make a dif-

She is deeply missed,” noted a tweet from West Shore RCMP on the eighth anniversary of her death. “As a way to honor her memory, we ask that you please consider signing up for the Cst. Sarah Beckett Memorial Run which takes place on Sunday May 12.”

For more information, visit https://sarahbeckettmemorialrun.com

Sarah Beckett

Beloved Langford doctor and Empire Games medal winner dies at 92

Thomas Eley News Staff

When Dr. Herbert James ‘Jim’ Portelance of Langford won a silver medal for swimming in the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand, he defied his high school principal.

“He was 17 at the time and the youngest in the team,”said Letitia Portelance, his widow. James Portelance died on March 30 in Langford.

Portelance had travelled to Auckland on the Aorangi, a three-week journey, and he would spend three months in New Zealand.

At the Empire Games, he would face Graham Johnston from South Africa, who won gold in the 1650-metre race. After the games, Portelance would return to Canada to face his principal, who had tried to stop him from graduating.

“He got very high grades and went to the University of Washington, where we met,” Letitia said.

It was a chance meeting. The two met when Portelance was working as a dishwasher when his future wife walked in. The pair were friends for almost three years before they started dating.

“Jim didn’t have any money. He didn’t know how to drive a car,” she said.

Letitia said after finishing at the University of Washington, Portelance attended medical school in Seattle despite offers from Canadian medical schools. He wanted to stay close to the woman he had fallen in love with.

“Love overruled patriotism. That was written for his fraternity in Seattle.”

Initially, Portelance planned to go to Saint

Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, but instead decided to join his classmate for an interview at Royal Jubilee Hospital.

Portelance took an interest in maternities and volunteered to be placed on 24-hour watch to learn as much as possible.

“He delivered 200 babies in one year. One day, he delivered three,” Leititia said. She said the family moved to Langford and

eventually connected with Embert G. Q Van Tilburg, one of two doctors in the area at the time. He was looking for a young doctor and hired Portelance.

Because of his training, Portelance could perform most operations then and was one of the only doctors between Langford and Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Victoria.

“St. Francis Hospital, Jubilee. And St. Joe’s,

nothing was out here.”

Portelance teamed up with two doctors and bought Saint Anthony’s nursing home from the Sisters of Saint Ann.

“Together, they bought the property with one stipulation. They keep the name Saint Anthony’s.”

Letitia said Saint Anthony’s Primary Care Centre would expand to eight doctors who could set bones and perform other procedures. Eventually, the doctors at Saint Anthony’s would be convinced to sell their shares.

Portelance continued to practice medicine until one month before his 80th birthday.

“He had a stroke when he was 81.”

He is survived by his wife, Letitia; children Ronald (Merily), Douglas (Sharyn), Jeanne (Eric), and Margaret (Jay); grandchildren Dylan (fiancée Regina), Gailyn, Claire, Grace, Allison, Elspeth, Jack, Kathleen, and Roman; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Letitia Portelace, next to Glen Lake, where she and her late-husband Dr. Herbert James ‘Jim’ Portelance made their home for almost 60 years. (News Staff/ Thomas Eley)

Dr Portelance was on the board of governors at UVic, but he was reluctant to wear tuxedos, according to his widow Letitia Portelance. (News Staff/ Thomas Eley)

Program a first step to end child hunger

One response to the federal government’s announcement of a $1 billion, five-year program to feed kids in Canadian schools is that it’s a good first step.

The problem of kids coming to school hungry exists across the country and in almost every community, to one degree or another. A new, broad-based effort to ensure that no child goes hungry is necessary.

Canada has had a scattershot approach to feeding children in schools, with programs reliant on local organizations and volunteers.

A first step towards a more comprehensive program would be welcome. As long as the other steps happen, as well.

The new project aims to feed approximately 400,000 students. However, according to Statistics Canada, there were about 5.7 million elementary and high school-aged children in the country.

A University of Toronto study in 2021 found that 5.8 million Canadians lived in a “food insecure” household, and 1.4 million of those people were children.

The new federal program will reach less than a third of the children it’s designed to help when it begins. It will supplement existing school lunch programs, and it can help fill the gaps where local efforts are not in place – but it won’t meet the total need across the country.

We have a tendency in Canada to announce programs that sound great on paper. National pharmacare, planting two billion trees, expanding transit networks.

And then things go somewhat awry. It’s not that the programs fall apart entirely. It’s just that they don’t quite live up to the implicit promises being made. When do we find the money to feed the next million students?

The biggest gap in Canada is between our good intentions and our execution. All the announcements in the world can’t put food on one plate, or plant one tree, or build one unit of affordable housing, or pave one pothole.

We’re looking forward to this school lunch program. But first steps have to be followed by many more to complete a journey.

National standards needed for long-term care

More than 17,000 residents of long-term care in Canada died because of COVID. Early in the pandemic, 80 per cent of deaths took place in long-term care homes, giving Canada the distinction of having the highest such numbers among nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Those who lost loved ones haven’t forgotten about commitments made at the height of the pandemic by all levels of government and by the sector itself to right these systemic wrongs.

I was pleased to see the recent release of

Spending is out of control

These days what concerns me and others is who to vote for in the upcoming federal election.

We all know that something is going wrong with our system. The government is raising taxes, life is getting more expensive. The people who manage our money are spending billions of dollars on things that the money shouldn’t be spent on, especially considering how big our national debt is.

Before we start spending non-existent money, the priorities should be questioned thoroughly. The census should be done every

national standards for long-term care and to see feedback from the National Association of Federal Retirees reflected in the final standards.

The problem, however, is that the standards are still voluntary. Enforceability and regulation are needed to have a real impact.

Now is the time to implement enforced principles and national standards for long-term care. As part of a national seniors strategy these standards must specify conditions and criteria the provinces and territories must meet to receive federal health and social

year and it should be published. We can’t share non-existing money with others. It doesn’t make any sense for taxpayers.

These days I believe that the people of Canada should have something to say about our spending, not the government. If the government is going to raise our cost of living because they like to give away our non-existent money to others, I won’t vote for that party. The party that comes up with a plan to keep money and non-existing money in Canada, we all will vote for it. We can’t take it from taxpayers to give it to others if we are in debt. After all, Canada first.

transfer payments, with repercussions for failing to meet the standards. This will ensure equitable and consistent quality care across the country, and adequate levels of funding for these types of care. It will also ensure greater public accountability of government delivery of long-term care.

I urge all Canadians from coast to coast to coast to call on the government to implement and enforce principles and national standards for long-term care. The time for this is now.

Cheryl Smith Colwood

Losing your cool over heating costs

I heat my house with natural gas and have no other gas appliances.

I track and record my Fortis bills and this year’s taxes (federal, provincial, municipal) comprised 27.3% of the total cost, with the B.C. carbon tax 45% more than the cost of the gas itself and the federal government charging GST on that carbon tax.

All three levels of government keep singing the affordability song all the while raising our taxes and fees. Pretty soon we’ll all be broke.

Bob Broughton Saanich

Anna’s hummingbird at Mill Hill Park in Langford. If you have a photo you’d like to feature in Community Camera, email us a high-resolution .jpg copy to newsroom@goldstreamgazette.com. Please include your name, contact information and where you took the photo.

New doctors will be able to see approximately 11,250 patients

The group will then have to find an immigration expert, file a Labour Market Impact Assessment, pay $1,000 to Service Canada and then wait 10 weeks to verify the need for more doctors.

After that, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada will take over the file, and the doctor will apply for a work permit. Once they are in Canada, they can apply for permanent residency.

Bringing these additional doctors to the area costs the Westshore Primary Care Society around $30,000 to $60,000, including all the related fees and legal and administrative costs.

The group is looking for commercial office space that can fit more than eight offices or larger as the effort to bring international doctors looks to expand.

“If we can find something larger, we can build bigger teams and recruit more.”

Westshore Primary Care Society will handle the administrative side of the clinics,

allowing the doctors to focus on medical care instead of worrying about recruitment and accounting.

According to Andres, the group will also connect with the doctors in schools, daycare, religious communities, and recreational opportunities.

“We will also be their colleagues and work alongside them as they build their careers here.”

The doctors will be based in

the West Shore but have yet to be assigned to a specific region or clinic. The West Shore-located clinics operated by the society will only take patients from the Western Communities Health Connect Registry.

The group is trying to raise an additional $500,000 in 2024, increase access to primary care, and recruit more doctors.

People can learn about the fundraising campaign at www. wpcs.ca

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The cost to bring foreign trained doctors to the West Shore is between $30,000 to 60,00, according to Alyssa Andres, Eexecutive director of Westshore Primary Care Society. (Black Press Media file photo)

Now the process was happening too fast.

The organization that helped Fulton the first time was too busy with the increased caseload, but the Together Against Poverty Society had recently opened an office in Nanaimo, and was available to help.

Fulton’s new team gathered evidence. They found ads showing that during the time in which his landlord was trying to kick him out, several other units in the building had become vacant, any of which could have been used for a caretaker.

A screenshot from the landlord’s own website was provided showing a one-bedroom available last July, just after the first attempt to evict Fulton, with a rent listed that was double what Fulton was paying.

Fulton’s team also testified that the building

never had a caretaker the entire time he has lived there.

The landlord’s representative countered that a caretaker is needed due to the number of police, fire and other after-hours emergency calls that come from the building.

The landlord also presented evidence of a signed agreement to hire a caretaker, but Fulton’s team found out that the person lived in Ontario and was already associated with a company connected to the landlord.

At one point during the hearing, the landlord offered to transfer Fulton to another building – but not at the same rent.

The arbitrator again found in Fulton’s favour, calling the landlord’s testimony “self-serving” and questioning their credibility in a March 15 decision.

“The difference in his tone of voice speaking to him on the phone in the last couple of days, you can see that there’s been this big weight lifted off of his shoulders,” says Dawes of the stress relief her brother has clearly expressed in the days since the decision.

“He would be facing homelessness if he had to try and find a place in Nanaimo for double or triple the rent that he’s currently paying.”

But, she also says they have been warned to expect another attempt to oust her brother.

“They can keep doing it as many times as they want, it is not considered harassment, it does not cost them one cent to go through this paperwork,” she says.

A spokesperson for the Residential Tenancy Branch says a landlord is entitled to keep serving these notices, but that this can, in fact, be considered harassment and that a tenant is entitled to “freedom from unreasonable disturbance.”

The new legislation also specifically prohibits frivolous eviction notices, but it is difficult to say if this case meets that definition, and how that new provision will work in practice. This is the first part of a two-part segment. See next week’s issue for the second part.

Bollywood film actor Patil talks about the peace and quiet of Victoria

Patil is also a human rights activist involved in various protests

Thomas Eley News Staff

The peace and quiet of Victoria is what Shivam Patil first noticed when he moved to the Island over seven months ago to study for a Master of Arts in Intercultural and International Communication at Royal Roads University.

“I can hear myself think now,” said Patil.

Patil performed in various Bollywood productions and got his break in the 2012 film Nasha, where he played a teenage student who fell in love with his teacher.

His last film was Chatrapathi, released in 2023.

There is an entire life story behind why Patil decided to leave. None of them had to do with the performing arts. He sought a place where his values aligned.

“I feel like I am going against the grain a little less here.”

He is also a human rights activist involved in various protests, including the 2020-2021 Indian farmer’s protest, and was critical of Narendra Modi’s

government’s handling of the COVID19 pandemic. “I know what it is like to live in an environment that is not conducive to progressive values and to fight against that constantly.”

He said he is passionate about building bridges between cultures and using art to connect with more people.

“The world needs more of that. It is

easy to divide people at the moment. But the answer to that is art.”

Moving to a new country and adapting to a different film scene has not been a big challenge for Patil, as being adaptable is something he learnt while in Mumbai.

“Adaptability is important when communicating. You are in a land with 30 different languages.”

Patil has seen a growing interest in Indian cinema and has noticed more appreciation of Bollywood-like films. He said that the conversation would have been very different five years ago.

“I feel like in Victoria, people want that fabric of Indian storytelling and film.”

Before coming to the Island, Patil would have panic attacks, worrying about if he had taken too big of a risk. He had spent time in New York and Washington, but had never been to Canada.

“I was taking all my life, picking it up, and plugging it into a land I didn’t even know existed. I was scared before I came to Victoria, and I had zero friends here.” He backed himself to be able to

start again in a new culture, but he was worried about whether he would have a support system to help him have a safety net.

“But Victoria has been so awesome. It can feel clique-y, but once you start getting to know people, open up quickly.”

Patil is part of an effort to bring a film festival to Victoria that will connect filmmakers of the east and the west and allow them to share stories of different cultures.

The concept is based on the old Silk Road trade route that connected the ancient world, and Patil wants to see how that idea would translate into filmmaking.

“How does the story of the west and the east meet on the Silk Road of cinema.”

Shivam Patil who has appeared in various Bollywood films and protested the Modi Governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic decided to unplug from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai and chose the quiet of Victoria. 2024-03-19 (New Staff/ Thomas Eley)

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Greater Victoria firefighters face off at annual memorial hockey game

Families and

On Friday, April 5, the tournament was held at the Archie Browning Sports Centre in memory of Ken gill, an Oak Bay firefighter who died in 2018, and Forrest Owens, a former Central Saanich Fire Department assistant

chief, who passed in 2022.

Owens death from cancer was linked to his work as a firefighter.

The ceremonial puck dropped early in the morning with members of the Gill and Owens family, Esquimalt Fire Rescue chief Matt Furlot and Victoria assistant fire chief Steve Serbic.

Games ran through the day, with each fouron-four game having two 15-minute periods.

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supporters watched Greater Victoria fire departments face off in the annual Ken Gill and Forrest Owens Memorial Hockey Tournament in an effort to increase awareness of mental health and cancer.

Oak Bay Fire Department faced off against the Colwood and View Royal fire departments in the annual Ken Gill and Forrest Owens Memorial Hockey Tournament in an effort to increase awareness of mental health and cancer on Friday, April 5. (Bailey Seymour/Black Press)

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B.C. tables house-flipping legislation, to come into effect Jan. 1, 2025

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy tabled a new house-flipping tax, aimed at taxing homeowners who resell their property within two years.

First announced in February during the unveiling of Budget 2024, Conroy officially tabled the bill Wednesday (April 3). Dubbed the Residential Property (Short-Term Holding) Profit Tax Act, it is also referred to as the house-flipping tax.

The bill aims to crack down on house-flipping in the province with a plan to tax homeowners who resell their property within two years of purchasing it. The tax will apply to income earned from the sale of properties with a housing unit.

Beginning next year, the tax will apply to residential properties resold within two years. Homes resold within the first year will face a tax rate of 20 per cent if the property is sold. The tax rate will then decline to zero over the next 365 days.

The tax is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, but properties purchased in 2023 and 2024 will be subject to the tax if the property is resold within 730 days.

“With this bill, the province is taking action against speculators that use housing only to turn a quick profit. It is about making profiteers think twice about a practice that inflates housing costs during the housing crisis,” Conroy said while introducing the bill Wednesday (April 3).

“We want families to find a home, they can afford and build a good life in the community they love.”

The province estimates that $43 million a year

For sale sign in front of a residential house. First announced in February during the unveiling of Budget 2024, Conroy officially tabled the bill Wednesday (April 3). Dubbed the Residential Property (Short-Term Holding) Profit Tax Act, it is also referred to as the house-flipping tax. (collected /Lakes District News)

will go back into building homes for people and strengthening housing programs. About 4,000 properties in the next year are expected to be subjected to the tax.

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said homes are meant to be lived in by people in the community, “not used for speculation.”

“While some want to allow speculation in the housing market, allowing speculators to make a quick profit - we know that people can’t afford that. We will keep building up supply and take action on the driving forces behind rising prices, including speculation.”

The Finance Ministry says, between 2020 and 2022, an estimated seven per cent of residential houses were sold within two years. Those properties were often resold at a higher price.

Lauren

West Shore RCMP: 17% increase in impaired drivers to start 2024

A pair of dramatic crashes in late March highlight a 17-percent increase of impaired drivers taken off the road by officers on the West Shore.

From Jan. 1 to to March 31, West Shore RCMP has taken 53 impaired drivers off the roadway – a 17-per-cent increase from the same time period last year. Of those drivers, 49 were charged for impaired driving under the Motor Vehicle Act with charges recommended against the remaining four drivers under the Criminal Code.

“West Shore RCMP is committed to keeping our roadways safe. We want to thank the numerous citizens who have called police to report suspected impaired drivers. Calling police right away increases our chances of locating and stopping suspected impaired drivers,”media relations officer Cpl. Nancy Saggar said in a news release.

Among them were two impaired investigations within 24 hours, RCMP said.

The first was March 27 shortly before 4 p.m. when police were called for a two-vehicle, head-on collision near the 4100-block of Sooke Road in

Metchosin.

Police say the driver of a 2006 Chrysler 300 crossed the centre line, hit a 2007 Ford F150 pick up truck, flipping the truck. Both drivers suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. Sooke Road was shut down for a number of hours which significantly impacted drivers.

Officers saw signs of alcohol impairment in the Chrysler driver and an impaired driving investigation is underway as police await blood test results.

The next morning, just before 7 a.m., West Shore RCMP received multiple calls from

concerned citizens regarding a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup swerving in and out of lanes. Officers located a matching pickup on Jacklin Road near Langford Parkway in Langford. Police say the man driving showed signs of alcohol impairment and a subsequent roadside screening showed he was twice the legal limit.

An impaired driving charge has been recommended against the driver along with a 90-day driving prohibition, the vehicle was towed and a he was issued a ticket for having cannabis within reach of the driver ($230 fine).

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From Jan. 1 to to March 31, West Shore RCMP has taken 53 impaired drivers off the roadway – a 17 per cent increase from the same time period last year. (Courtesy West Shore RCMP)

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Drivers put kids at risk passing school buses with lights flashing: RCMP

Passing a school bus with red flashing lights is both illegal and dangerous, RCMP reminds drivers as students head back to class after spring break.

So far this school year, West Shore RCMP has investigated 28 incidents where a motorist has driven past a school bus while the red lights are flashing.

The lights are used when a bus is stopped and students are getting on and off.

“You never know when a child will unexpectedly run to, or from a bus, or walk in front of the bus to cross the street. If traffic is not stopped in both directions this could be dangerous and increase the chances of a student being struck by a vehicle,” RCMP said in a news release.

If risk of harm isn’t enough to deter drivers, there is a $368 fine and three penalty points associated with the offence.

West Shore RCMP close popular park after resident leaves ‘explosive material’

told police they were driving to the detachment in Langford, police said in a news release.

A resident finding and transporting “explosive material” led to the Saturday afternoon closure of a Langford park. West Shore RCMP were called shortly before 2 p.m. on April 6 after a resident said they’d located explosive materials in their home.

The individual placed the material in the vehicle and

“As this was dangerous, police directed the complainant to stop their vehicle, exit and wait for police to attend their location while they waited a safe distance away. However, the complainant had already

exited their vehicle and left the explosive material in the Veterans Memorial Park,” the release stated.

So far this school year, West Shore RCMP has investigated 28 incidents where a motorist has driven past a school bus while the red lights are flashing. (Courtesy West Shore RCMP) https://www.highlandpacificgolf.com/ Victoria’s

Officers closed access to the park on the corner of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Goldstream Avenue and called in the Explosive Disposal Unit to dispose of the material.

Supporting testicular cancer research and awareness in Victoria

It is time to grab life by the testicles and check for abnormalities, as April is Testicular Cancer Month.

“It is a cancer of young men,” said Doctor Lucia Nappi, a research fellow with BC Cancer.

Unlike other cancerous tumours, testicular cancer affects men aged 15-45 and gets less common as men get older, Nappi said.

“Aging is not a risk factor. It’s a protective factor.”

Nappi said esticular cancer is not as common as prostate cancer or breast cancer. But B.C. is likely to see 100 new cases each year, and for younger men, it is the most common cancer. It is essential to do regular checks, and doing a check once a month is a great way to understand what is and isn’t standard. Nappi said that way if anything changes over time, you will be able to notice.

Nappi said that if a lump or abnormality is found, boys and men should contact their local healthcare provider to set up an ultrasound.

About 80 per cent of all incidents of testicular cancer are treated at stage one, where the tumour is usually isolated to one testicle and is removed.

If a testicle is removed, it will not affect sexual performance or the ability to have children, said Nappi.

There is evidence that testicular cancer starts before a baby is born and that some of the events that help it grow happen at the fetal stage.

“So there is an alteration in the DNA of these tumor cells and the cancer develops very early on.”

Checking with a trusted friend, partner, or relative is also an option if you find a lump, but Nappi said there might be cultural constraints.

“For cultural reasons, we have had some patients who do not talk to anyone…These patients ended up dying of testicular cancer.”

Dr. Lucia Nappi said that testicular cancer is malignant and can be deadly if left untreated, but in 80 per cent of cases, the cancer is stopped at stage one. (Photo Supplied/BC Cancer)

UVic scientists discover stars that may help uncover origin of universe

An international team of scientists led by University of Victoria astronomers have discovered an ancient group of stars orbiting our own galaxy.

The newly discovered satellite consists of about 60 stars spread over a volume of about 10 light-years across, which is minute compared to the Milky Way galaxy, which contains over 10 billion stars.

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“It is either the faintest ancient star cluster known to date, or the faintest and closest known dwarf galaxy ever discovered,”said Simon Smith, a PhD student at the university and the lead author of the recent Astrophysical Journal paper describing the find, in a news release.

The data came from the ultraviolet near-infrared optical northern survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope with follow-up data from the Keck Observatory. The researchers are a team from UVic, Yale, the National Research Council, the Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre and members from Ontario, France, Hawaii, and Germany

According to the release,

Along with a team of international scientists, University of Victoria astronomers found an ancient group of stars orbiting the Milky Way galaxy that may be the key to understand the origin of structure in the universe. (Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope photo)

the object, named UMa3, was likely born in the early days of the universe, as it consists of stars that appear to be more than 10 billion years old. The existence of faint, ancient, dark matter-dominated satellites is a cornerstone prediction of the cold dark matter theory, the leading theory for the origin of structure in the universe and identifying dark matter in this particular collection of stars would be strong support for that theory.

Smith says the presence of dark matter is highly likely, because the satellite’s orbit takes it

through the inner regions of the Milky Way, where gravitational “tidal”forces are strongest and without the binding presence of large amounts of dark matter, the satellite would not have survived long on its current orbit.

“This is a momentous discovery, and fully consistent with a long-standing prediction of the cold dark matter theory,”Julio Navarro, a UVic astronomer, noted in the release. “This may be the faintest galaxy known, and also one of the most dark matter-dominated. It’s hard to see what else its unique set of properties might mean.”

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Camosun College students unearth bear remains buried on campus

for and honour the life and death of the bear through song.

When Camosun College archaeology instructor Nicole Kilburn was gifted part of a hunted black bear’s carcass, she immediately knew it could provide her students with a unique learning experience.

After the carcass was buried at the college’s campus in June 2021, students got to take part in a hands-on archaeological dig when they unearthed the remains this winter.

“We were also able to model Indigenous ways of knowing and discuss protocols by showing respect in culturally appropriate ways,”Kilburn said in a news release.

The bear, minus its head and paws that had already been used for ceremonial purposes, was gifted to Kilburn by an Indigenous colleague. In 2022, students used ground-penetrating radar technology to successfully detect the remains as an anomaly lying beneath the surface. This winter, the time came for the school’s anthropology pupils to try their hand at excavation as they dug up the animal remains.

“We got to use different types of screens as well as try a variety of tools including wooden BBQ skewers and paint brushes to carefully expose the bones,”the Camosun instructor said.

The digging group was joined by students and faculty from Camosun’s Indigenous Studies program, who helped show appreciation

“Valuing and respecting Indigenous ways of knowing and being are key parts of teaching and learning, particularly as archaeologists grapple with the dark history and legacy of the discipline,” Kilburn said.

Once the bones were exposed, students learned how to map them with coordinates, collect elevation data, take photographs for documentation purposes, carefully remove small elements and bag items through proper recovery techniques.

Forensic anthropology students then cleaned the bones in the lab and created an inventory that helped in reconstructing the bear skeleton. In a final step, the bones were laid out and labelled so they could be included in a comparative collection for analysis.

Jake Romphf News Staff

Bear remains unearthed from Camosun College’s campus in 2024. (Courtesy of Camosun College)

Vicoria hairstylist provides free haircuts to those in need

the goal of providing free haircuts to those who can’t afford a standard barbershop or salon.

life, sort of together.”

A salon based near downtown Victoria hopes to continue being a vital part of the local community by providing for free haircuts to those living in poverty and in difficult financial circumstances.

After more than 20 years of cutting hair, Jamie McCallum opened Community Salons in 2021, pioneering a new business model with

The Meares Street salon started by taking a contribution from paying clients instead of taking tips, which McCallum would then use to give free haircuts to others, no questions asked.

“It started like I would take a contribution from the client, and then I would match that. And then that would pay for somebody’s haircut,” said McCallum. “I wanted something for community to come together, like all walks of

Nowadays, he tries to fit around three free haircuts every week – depending on his schedule – for those who ask. He estimated he’s given more than 400 free haircuts in the three years the shop has been open.

“I oftentimes do it out of frustration,” he said. “I’ll see what’s happening and what we’re doing is not working right. It’s [really] sad, like how apathetic we are to somebody’s overdose on the street.”

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Although his funding model has its flaws and the program has been taken advantage of in the past, he continues to tweak his business so he can live comfortably and continue contributing to his community.

He has met other business owners, like a dentist and a naturopath, who have adopted similar programs that were based off what Community Salons was doing. He also works with other businesses and non-profit organizations, providing his services to help with community fundraisers and events.

Currently, McCallum is in the process of creating an affordable, online hair-styling course and he also hopes to work with other stylists to teach styling in the city at an affordable price due to the high prices of established barber and stylist schools.

Jamie McCallum, owner of Community Salons, has provided over 400 haircuts for free over the three years the business has been open. (Bailey Seymour/News Staff)

Expert offers tips on spotting an online scam in Greater Victoria

Scammers have netted almost $75 billion from victims worldwide

The Saanich Police Department recorded 36 files relating to online scams in 2023, but the department estimates it’s probably much higher.

“Our investigators try to classify them as best they can, but they often can be classified using multiple methods,” says Det. Const. Berle Zwaan of the Saanich Police Department.

The largest amount of money – $1.2 million – was taken through a type of scam called “pig butchering,” according to Zwaan. These fraudsters will target anyone of all ages and demographics who can fall victim to fraud like this.

“The scammer often will use chameleon-like behaviour to become whatever the victim needs or wants,” Zwaan said.

Brandon Laur, the CEO of digital literacy company White Hatter, said the scammer will try to establish a rapport and get you to invest in a fake stock exchange app.

Pig butchering and romance scams differ in that while the latter involves building a personal relationship to ask for money, the former invests money in fake platforms.

Pig-butchering gets its name from farmers fattening up their pigs before the slaughter.

Laur said there is a human-trafficking el-

ement to these scams, as the people who are on the other end of the fraud will often be tricked into crossing international borders to secure a fake job

“They alert potential coders, seize their passports, and then force them to work for the scam.”

Hacking and scamming companies will extract metadata such as email and phone numbers and store that information on spreadsheets, where data can be bought and sold between these organizations.

“Either hackers sell the data they have, or they just release it publicly.”

Unlike typical scams, online pig-butchering can target the young and tech-savvy, as AI tools have allowed these ruses to become more sophisticated, said Laur.

“The scammers throw out a wide net because it’s a money and numbers game. With low effort, they’re probably going to get some bites.”

In the old days of the internet, scams were easier to catch, with poor spelling and bad grammar, said Laur, but programs like ChatGpt and AI

voice software have changed all of this.

“You were limited. You had to be an expert. You went to university and learned about user interface and coding. Those tools are accessible to everyone today.”

Scammers will try to keep the amount of money they target below $5,000 as more significant amounts of money can attract unwanted attention, according to Laur.

“As long as your scam is under $5,000, there are not enough investigators worldwide to investigate every cybercrime. But the big heist? Police are all over that.”

Laur said scammers can get caught out, usually when their greed causes them to go off their script.

The scammer will release information they should, “and that’s usually how you catch them.” Most scam operators will be outside Canada and operate in regions where law enforcement might be persuaded to look the other way.

Once the money leaves North America, it can become challenging to trace, Zwaan said. Zwaan said it is essential for anyone to do their independent research and consult at least two different, trusted sources. There is good cooperation between national and international law enforcement, including the BC Securities Commission, RCMP, FBI, Homeland Security and Europol.

The Saanich Police Department was also granted access to Chainalysis by the RCMP’s National Cybercrimes Coordination Centre. This service allows investigators to trace cryptocurrency.

There will be a workshop on April 19 at all the G. R Pearkes Recent Centre in Saanich called “Beat the Fraudster.”

Brandon Laur of The White Hatter said that scammers will often cast a wide net to see if they can ensnare unsuspecting people in their traps. (News Staff/ Thomas Eley)

Thomas Eley News Staff

Businesses invited to join organization’s circular economy program

Accelerator shows businesses how to cut waste and pollution, collaborate with other sectors

A program is looking to expand its impact this year after its pilot phase identified ways a small cohort of B.C. businesses could divert almost 290 kilograms of waste from landfills.

The Victoria-based Synergy Foundation is looking for a new contingent of Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast businesses to enrol in its Circular Economy Accelerator.

A first-of-its-kind program in Canada, the accelerator seeks to support businesses trying to adopt circular economy principles, reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions and develop innovative practices.

The circular economy aims to eliminate waste and pollution by decoupling economic growth from resource extraction through innovation, reuse and repair, redistribution, recondition

and recycling processes.

Participating accelerator businesses receive an in-depth assessment from a circular advisor who then suggests ways the company can reduce waste, energy use or emissions.

The program was piloted across 2022 and 2023 with 16 businesses – mainly from the Island – completing assessments. That helped identify 714 circular solutions that, if adopted, would divert almost 290 kilograms of waste from landfills, reduce around 1,100 tonnes of CO2 (or equivalent) emissions and conserve 22,500 cubic metres of water.

The business’ solutions ranged from actions like donating coffee grounds to local farmers, implementing reusable cup sharing services, repurposing wood from deconstructed buildings into furniture and diverting 150 tons of concrete anchor blocks from the landfill by donating them for reuse in other industries.

The accelerator will be working with up to 85 businesses over the next two years. Businesses will be accepted until all the spots are allocated and can find more information at www.project-zero.ca/accelerator.

NoticeofRezoningBylaw

NOTICE isherebygiventhatpursuanttoSection467(2)oftheLocalGovernmentAct,theCouncilof theCityofLangford willconsiderfirst,second,andthirdreadingsofBylawNo.2161,being a Bylaw toamendZoningBylawNo.300fortheCityofLangford,atthemeetingnotedbelow

MeetingDateandTime15April2024,7:00pm

MeetingPlaceCityHallCouncilChambers,Third Floor, 877Goldstream Avenue BylawNo.2161

Location960Jenkins Avenueasshownshadedontheplanbelow

PurposeTo amendthezoningdesignationofthesubjectpropertyfrom theOne-and Two-FamilyResidential(R2)ZonetotheResidential Townhouse(RT1)Zonetoallow a townhousedevelopmentof approximately 8 units.

PLEASENOTE:Thismeetingwillbeheldelectronicallyandinpersonattheaboveaddress. Informationabouthowtoconnecttothismeetingisindicatedinthetablebelow

Teleconference # 1-855-703-8985(Canada TollFree)OR1-778-907-2071 (longdistancechargesmayapply) MeetingID#89709567061 – Zoom.usorZoomapponyourmobiledevice

Councilwillnotanswerquestionsabouttheproposalorproposedbylawexcepttoprovide clarification.PleasehaveallyourquestionsansweredinadvanceoftheCouncilMeetingby contactingthePlanningDepartmentasnotedbelow

TheAgenda,includingmaterialthatCouncilmayconsiderin relationtothebylaw, willbepostedtothe City’s website: https://www.langford.ca/city-hall/agendas-and-minutes/ nolaterthantheFridaybefore the CouncilMeeting.Correspondencemaybesubmittedbyemailing planning@langford.ca orbywritingto Langford CityHall,2ndFloor, 877Goldstream Avenue,Langford,BC,V9B2X8. Youmayalsocontactthe PlanningDepartmentat(250)478.7882.

Marie Watmough CorporateOfficer

The pilot also identified barriers to implementing a more circular economy on the Island. Those barriers include: some regions facing infrastructure gaps that reduce access to recycling and composting services; energy efficiency upgrades can come with high upfront costs; customers or workers may not want to change their habits; and researching solutions can be time consuming.

The Synergy Foundation said some ways to overcome those barriers include increasing light industrial space for ventures to grow, creating hubs where multiple circular businesses

operate from a single location and establishing a fund to support businesses transitioning to less wasteful operations.

The accelerator program also looks to see multiple sectors collaborate so they can mutually benefit.

“Sometimes one business’ waste is another’s resource,” the Synergy Foundation’s Georgia Lavender said in a news release.

The Synergy Foundation says the circular economy model spurs innovation that makes life more affordable and empowers new ventures that create green jobs for the future.

Businesses are invited to join a Victoria organization’s program that helps them reduce waste and pollution from their operations.

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NOTICEOFAMENDINGBYLAW

ColwoodLandUse Bylaw No.151, 1989,AmendmentNo.211 (RBCD5Zone376&394RoyalBayDrive/3479WishartRoad),BylawNo,2022,2024

MEETING: RegularMeetingofCouncil

DATEandTIME:Monday,April22,2024,6:30pm

PLACE:CouncilChambers,3300WishartRoad,Colwood BC

NOTICE ISGIVENthat CounciloftheCityofColwood will considerFirst,SecondandThirdReading at the RegularMeetingofCouncilonMonday, April22, 2024, at 6:30 pmin relation to theproposed “Colwood LandUseBylaw No 151,1989, Amendment No 211 (RBCD5 Zone 376& 394RoyalBay Drive/3479 Wishart Road) Bylaw No. 2022, 2024” .

PURPOSE:

Torezonethesubject properties to RBCD5 by amending theLand Use Bylaw No 151,1989,to enable a 27-unit townhousedevelopment.

SUBJECT PROPERTY:

This Bylaw applies to thelandslegallydescribedas:

LOT 83PLAN

Acopy ofthe bylaw and relatedmaterials canbeviewed at www.colwood.ca/city-hall/public-notices

Wewanttohearfromyou! WRITE TO US

The deadlineforwrittensubmissions is12:00 pm onthe day ofthe meeting and must includeyour nameand civic address

• Email corporateservices@colwood.ca

• Mail/Drop-off:CityofColwood,3300 Wishart Road,Colwood,BCV9C 1R1

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SPEAK TOCOUNCIL

In Person: Thepublic iswelcome to provide commentsinpersonduringthepublic participationportionofthemeeting

Electronically: To pre-register to speakplease contact corporateservices@colwood.ca up until noon on theday ofthemeeting

ContactDevelopment Services at (250)478-5053 ext.139or planning@colwood.ca.

(Photo courtesy of The Nulla Project)

Victoria HarbourCats add Ramirez brothers to roster

Manny Ramirez Jr. and Lucas Ramirez continue a legacy of greatness on the diamond and each brings his skillset to Victoria HarbourCats roster this summer.

“These are notable signings not just for us, but for the entire West Coast League – this will be exciting news for our fans and sponsors, no question,” said Jim Swanson of the HarbourCats.

Their father Manny Ramirez was once the most-feared hitter in the Major Leagues, a perennial all-star with a big personality who won a World Series, a batting title, and could change any game with one swing. Manny Jr., 21, and Lucas, 18, carry the same potential, the HarbourCats said in a news release announcing their signing. A freshman, Manny Jr. currently leads East L.A. College with three home runs and has 18 runs driven in over 20 games, adding nine doubles and walking 14 times. The 6’3”, 210 pound outfielder is a product of Calvary Christian high school in Clearwater, Fla. At 6’3” and 200 pounds, Lucas is a graduating high

school senior at powerful American Heritage in Florida and is a possible high round pick in the coming draft thanks to already developing power from the left side. He’s committed to the University of Tennessee for the fall.

They have a tremendous baseball role model to aspire to. Manny Ramirez played 19 seasons and batted .312 with 555 home runs, the 15th highest total in MLB history. He is a 12-time all-star, MVP of the 2004 World Series, won the 2002 American League batting title, and was the Hank Aaron Award winner in 1999

and 2004. He was also part of a second Red Sox team to win the World Series in 2007, and hit more post-season home runs (29) than anyone in the history of the game.

The HarbourCats open on the road May 31 in Kamloops, the start of back-to-back series in Kamloops and Kelowna, before returning for the June 7 home opener against Wenatchee. The regular season runs until Aug. 7, with WCL playoffs Aug. 10 to 16.

Get tickets online at harbourcats.com/tickets or in person at the HarbourCats office, 101-1814 Vancouver St.

Saanich Predators win first Island championship in over 25 years

Bailey Seymour News Staff

Saanich’s Junior B hockey team won its first Vancouver Island championship in over 25 years.

On Tuesday, April 2, the Saanich Predators took home the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy, defeating the Kerry Park Islanders 5-4 in overtime in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoffs and winning their first championship since 1996.

The Predators were down two goals until forward Ryan Grambert scored twice in the dying minutes of the third period, tying the game with 18 seconds left in regulation. Ethan Taylor scored in the first two minutes of overtime, lifting Saanich to a 4-1 series win.

“Ryan Grambert got two goals in the last two minutes, tying up the game,” said Cody Carlson, Saanich head coach and general manager. “He was kind of struggling to score

all series, but he found a way when it mattered so that was awesome to see.”

He said a trade with the Penisula Panthers, which saw defenceman Evan Crawford, and forwards Ryan Grambart and Tristan Rosenblood join the team in January, was “a big game changer” and key to their success in the playoffs.

“We lost five guys going into that final round, so being down bodies, it was hard on us, but I think overall the guys rallied together and rallied around the guys that were suspended and injured and found a way to win,” he said.

The Predators opened the playoffs with a 4-1 series win over the Westshore Wolves before stopping the Victoria Cougars in seven games.

The team is evaluating who will be staying on the team and who will be leaving next season, and finding their strengths and weaknesses as they move towards provincials.

NoticeofRezoningBylaw

NOTICEisherebygiventhatpursuanttoSection467(2)oftheLocalGovernmentAct,theCouncilof theCityofLangford willconsiderfirst,second,andthirdreadingsofBylawNo.2162,being a Bylaw toamendZoningBylawNo.300fortheCityofLangford,atthemeetingnotedbelow

MeetingDateandTime15April2024,7:00pm

MeetingPlaceCityHallCouncilChambers,Third Floor, 877Goldstream Avenue BylawNo.2162

Location902 WalfredRoadasshownshadedontheplanbelow

PurposeTo amendthezoningdesignationofthesubjectproperty fromtheResidentialSmallLot(RS1)ZonetotheResidential Townhouse(RT1)Zonetoallowthedevelopmentofapproximately 29townhouseunits.

PLEASENOTE:Thismeetingwillbeheldelectronicallyandinpersonattheaboveaddress. Informationabouthowtoconnecttothismeetingisindicatedinthetablebelow

Teleconference # 1-855-703-8985(Canada TollFree)OR1-778-907-2071 (longdistancechargesmayapply)

MeetingID#89709567061 – Zoom.usorZoomapponyourmobiledevice

Councilwillnotanswerquestionsabouttheproposalorproposedbylawexcepttoprovide clarification.PleasehaveallyourquestionsansweredinadvanceoftheCouncilMeetingby contactingthePlanningDepartmentasnotedbelow

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TheAgenda,includingmaterialthatCouncilmayconsiderin relationtothebylaw, willbepostedtothe City’s website: https://www.langford.ca/city-hall/agendas-and-minutes/ nolaterthantheFridaybefore the CouncilMeeting.Correspondencemaybesubmittedbyemailing planning@langford.ca orbywritingto Langford CityHall,2ndFloor, 877Goldstream Avenue,Langford,BC,V9B2X8. Youmayalsocontactthe PlanningDepartmentat(250)478.7882.

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Watmough CorporateOfficer

Manny Ramirez Jr., 21, (left), and Lucas Ramirez, 18, join the HarbourCats this summer. (Courtesy Victoria HarbourCats)

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West Shore businessman to become new owner of BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies

Thomas Eley News Staff

The Victoria Grizzlies Hockey Club is getting a new owner. A deal was reached between the hockey club and West Shore businessman Jim Hartshorne to acquire majority ownership on June 1, according to an April 2 news release.

Hartshorne, an experienced figure in Victoria sports, owns and governs the Victoria Shamrocks in the Western Lacrosse Association and was a former owner of the Victoria Cougars in the Western Hockey League.

“It will be great to see Grizzlies games full of excited and enthusiastic fans, the same way our Shamrocks games have been for years,” Hartshorne said.

Former owner Ron Walchuk

will stay around.

“Under Ron’s leadership, this club achieved remarkable milestones, and I am grateful for the solid foundation he has laid,” Hartshorne said.

Walchuk is excited about the future and looks forward to seeing Hartshorne’s passion benefit the team.

“I’m excited to continue to be a part of the team and witness its continued success and

growth, “said Walchuk

The move will give the Shamrocks and the Grizzlies a shared home arena on the West Shore, the Q Centre.

“We’re excited to build on the strong on-ice product the Grizzlies have delivered over the years,” he said.

The Grizzlies are preparing for the first-round BCHL playoffs, in which they will take on the Nanaimo Clippers.

The Victoria Grizzlies will change ownership, with the new majority stakeholder, Jim Hartshorne, taking over on June 1, 2024. (Wayne Alexander Baton photo)

Victoria Jazz Society releases lineup for the 2024 JazzFest

MarchFourth (Tight Hair), and Five Alarm Funk (Grapefruit is Impossible).

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News that is music to jazz lovers’ ears: the 41st edition of the TD Victoria International JazzFest returns June 21 to 30, and the full lineup is here.

This year, the festival hopes to attract an audience of over 35,000 people with a program that contains 60 programs and four workshop/ clinics on nine stages in downtown Victoria and Esquimalt’s Bullen Park. Over 250 musicians in 54 bands from around the world – including Australia, Norway, Sweden, Cuba and Venezuela – will perform.

In the Marquee Series at the Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse, previously announced headliners are four-time Grammy winner Booker T’s Stax Revue with opener Blue Moon Marquee, who are hot off a 2024 Juno win for Blues Album, Australian heart-throb Ziggy Alberts, twin bill: Morgan James & Take 6, and Veronica Swift. Programming will run again at two family-friendly, outdoor grassy field venues this year: The Cameron Bandshell at Beacon Hill Park and Bullen Park in Esquimalt. The Funk & Soul in the Township series at Bullen Park will feature three high-energy

A free-to-attend triple-bill birthday bash, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the festival, takes place Thursday, June 27 at Bullen Park.

Funk will be the name of the game with three collectives: Busty & The Bass, Blasé Blasé, and Downtown Mischief – no tickets required.

Ticketed performances continue to make up the Presentation Series portion, with eight evening performances hosted by Hermann’s Jazz Club (including Marc Atkinson Trio f.

Becky Prokova, Audrey Ochoa, Laura Anglade Quartet and Bellbird) and new music venue Wicket Hall in the Strathcona Hotel (featured artists are Cory Henry, LA LOM, Lakecia Benjamin, and Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation Y).

Eighteen free-to-attend performances will begin at 12 p.m. each day either at The Cameron Bandshell or Bullen Park in Esquimalt, featuring exclusively BC-based artists.

Workshops will take place at Esquimalt Rec Centre, hosted by touring artists performing at the festival including former Snarky Puppy keyboardist/vocalist Cory Henry.

The complete festival line-up, artist bios,

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Sam Duerksen Black Press Media

Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East will perform as part of The Funk & Soul in the Township series at Bullen Park, part of 2024 JazzFest. (Bob Boilen)

Tenants’ rights advocates in Victoria are applauding the B.C. government’s action to limit “bad-faith”evictions and put more restrictions on rent increases for people who add a child to their household.

“We had a very good morning,”said Antonia Mah of the Together Against Poverty Society on Tuesday (April 2) afternoon, following Premier David Eby’s announcement of the new legislation.

“It just really shows the Eby government is committed to doing some very forward-thinking things for tenants and putting in legislation changes we’ve been advocating for for years.”

the unit for one year, then Thompson would still have had to move out.

For Nanaimo’s Robert Fulton who is disabled and cannot work, and who has faced multiple attempts to oust him from his unit so the landlord can move a caretaker in, it is unclear what to expect.

Fulton did successfully dispute two eviction attempts because he was able to cast doubt on the landlord’s intentions, but there is nothing in the new regulations specifically prohibiting evicting a person to move a caretaker in. The new rules do ban the serving of frivolous eviction notices, which may prevent his landlord trying again after losing the disputes, but how this will be enforced is unclear.

The changes will tweak tenancy laws to ban personal occupancy evictions in purpose-built rental buildings with five or more units, increase the amount of time a landlord must occupy those units from six to 12 months, forbid rent increases when a child moves into a unit and prohibit frivolous eviction notices.

Notice times and compensation amounts for tenants who are evicted for landlord’s personal use of a unit will also change, and landlords using the provision will be forced to generate the eviction notice through a tenancy branch web portal.

Mah is particularly pleased about the new rules restricting landlord’s personal use to larger rental buildings as well as the new portal that she hopes will better inform landlords and therefore limit wrongful eviction attempts.

Whether these new rules will help solve the problems of the three renters profiled last week by Black Press Press Media remains to be seen, and may depend how this legislation is put into force.

In Victoria, Mary Thompson had described how she was evicted from the apartment she shared with her daughters so her landlord’s mother could move into the unit. Thompson said the owners just used this as an excuse to renovate the unit and rent it out for more than double what she had paid.

“We’re going to be able to step in on those circumstances and make sure the landlord knows that ‘listen you lost on this case, you can’t continue to try to harass the person out,” said Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, who was at the announcement as the premier’s liaison for renters.

In the case of New Westminster’s Angela Hutchinson, things may not have turned out any different either. Her landlord sought to move a caretaker into the unit she had occupied for almost 10 years, and did successfully evict her after a dispute hearing.

Because the dispute was heard at the tail-end of Hutchinson’s four-month notice period, she was only given four days to move out after the hearing.

This may change a bit under the new rules, as the government has hired more staff and altered the system in the hopes of speeding up dispute resolution, so people like her may end up with more time to move in the future.

Mah said the new rules are still a step forward, even though some landlords will continue to try to exploit loopholes to rent units out for more money on the open market.

“We’re moving through these these different phases, these different trends, and it just really seems like landlords are finding whatever gaps they can in the legislation while the financial incentive to evict remains so high,” she said.

Eby said the NDP government will continue use these types of adjustments to try to protect both landlords and tenants.

Under the new rules, that landlord would need to go through the web portal to generate the eviction notice, and would not be able to re-rent the unit for at least a year. The government has also announced there will be potential audits of these types of evictions, so the owners could face consequences for not following the rules.

But if the landlord’s mother did move into

“Leaving people to fend for themselves doesn’t work,” he said.

Local Victoria landlord advocacy group LandlordBC was contacted for this story, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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In loving memory of Paul Singh Johal

It is with immense sadness that the Johal family announces the passing of their family patriarch Paul Johal.

Paul was born in Lahore, India on October 12, 1935 to Sadhu Singh Johal and Gurdave Kaur Johal.

Paul Johal’s family history in the city of Langford and Vancouver Island goes back to the turn of the 20th century when his grandfather immigrated to Canada and found work in Todd Inlet in the Butchart family’s Limestone quarry. Paul himself came to Canada as a 15-year-old childandafterafewmonthsofschooltograde8 hestartedworking.Hewasaveryproud88-yearold brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He has watched and has been a part of the transformation of Langford. His dedication to creating a better life saw him work in various sawmills, until he started Pacific TractorServiceswhichwouldbecomePaulJohal Trucking, established in 1968. This company has been run by his son Rick Johal since 1994. Paul also established PND Construction LTD now known as PND Soil and Gravel, which was incorporated in the early 1990s. Both of Paul Johal’s sons Rick and Nirmal have run the company hand in hand with their father since then.

After living in Victoria for many years, in 1970, Paul Johal and his wife Jeet bought a 10 acre plot of land in Langford and built the house that they have lived in ever since. Together they ran a business and raised three children; their sons Rick and Nirmal and Daughter Jesse. Today, three generations of the family are involved in the running of the collective businesses.

Paul’s“get-er-done”attitude was as strong now as it was when he first set foot in Canada as a 12 year old. He was raised with a very strong moral compass, a voracious tenacity for life and an incredible work ethic. All of these things combined to help him establish a business which now through his sons and grandsons has mushroomed into multiple businesses employing more than 20 people.

He has passed on this desire to succeed, his determination to build a better life and his lifelong dedication to building a better community to his ever growing family.

Paul is survived by his wife Jeet of 65 years, his sons Rick Johal and his wife Harjit, Nirmal Johal andhiswifeJanet,hisdaughterJesseRai,aswell as seven grandchildren, (Nicole Johal, Nathan Johal, Nick Johal, Austin Johal, Nira Johal, and Rajan Rai along with his wife Amardeep) and one great grandchild, Amaria Rai.

As his family says, everything we have today is because of what he established and handed down to each and every one of us.

Langford was not just his home but his family. Paul’s dedication to Langford is further reflected in his over half century of quiet giving as well as his donations to multiple charities and organizations. Paulhasensuredthathischildren and grandchildren know the importance of giving back to the place they all call home.

He never did things for the sake of recognition. He simply took heart in knowing that he was making a difference in the lives of others.

He was living history connecting what Langford was, with what Langford has become and strives to be.

The light in this world dimmed with his passing. May he rest in peace. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Victoria Hospital Foundation.

In Loving Memory Of

Paul Singh Johal

October 12 1935 - April 1 2024

Funeral Service at McCall Gardens Sequoia Center

Royal Oak 4645 Falaise Drive

Monday April 8, 2024 at 10am Victoria, BC

Sehaj Path Bhog & Antim Ardas (Prayer and Lunch) to follow at Khalsa Diwan Society Victoria Gurdwara, 1210 Topaz Ave, Victoria, BC

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Royal B.C. Museum reopens ceremonial house

Exhibit features updated information about the resurgence of First Nations languages in the province

The Royal BC Museum reopened two exhibits in the First Peoples Gallery that was closed to visitors in January 2022.

Jonathan Hunt House, a museum installation and real ceremonial house, and an updated version of Our Living Languages welcomed visitors, starting April 2.

The museum closed the third floor to update and expand the cultural narratives of those galleries originally created in the 1960s and 1970s. Old Town reopened in July 2023.

The museum has brought together representatives from First Nations and Indigenous communities across the province to partner on the future of remaining areas of the First Peoples Gallery.

“These spaces on the museum’s third floor share important Indigenous stories and this work is a reflection of the museum’s continued commitment to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act by delivering unique experiences for British Columbians,” CEO Tracey Drake said in a news release.

Jonathan Hunt House allows visitors to enter a recreation of the house of Chief Kwakwabalasami, the late Jonathan Hunt, a Kwakwaka’wakw chief who was born and lived his life

With help from Jason Hunt, Richard’s nephew and grandson of the late chief, this is the first time the space has been repainted since it opened in 1977.

Developed in partnership with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Our Living Languages shares the history of First Nations languages in B.C..

The exhibit features updated information about the resurgence of First Nations languages in the province, including the addition of two recently recognized languages. These include pentl’atch, which has moved from a sleeping to a living language, and Klallam, to bring the list of B.C. First Nations languages to 36. Data has also been updated for all languages to reflect the findings of the First Peoples’ Cultural Council’s 2022 Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages.

“Our Living Languages celebrates the incredible diversity of First Nations languages in British Columbia and acknowledges the language revitalization work of the First Peoples of this land,” said Tracey Herbert, chief executive officer with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council.

in the community of Tsaxis, near Fort Rupert.

To refresh the space, the museum brought in master carver and artist Richard Hunt, Jonathan Hunt’s grandson, who helped his father with the original installation in 1977.

“I have great memories of working at the Royal BC Museum because all I ever wanted to do was work with my dad, Henry Hunt, and my

wish came true,” Richard Hunt said. “When I was made my dad’s assistant, he decided it was time for him to leave because he had fulfilled a commitment he had with Mungo Martin to always have a Kwaguilth carving at Thunderbird Park. It was great to be back working at the museum and it was an honour to restore these family treasures.”

“B.C. is a global hotspot for language diversity, with over 50 per cent of Canada’s Indigenous languages located here. The language data included in the updated exhibit is a demonstration of the innovative work of the B.C. First Nations language champions who are acknowledged in Canada and around the world as leaders in community-based language revitalization models and strategies. We invite visitors and people from B.C. to learn more about this important work and the First Nations languages of this land.”

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An exhibit from the third floor of B.C. Royal Museum is pictured in Victoria, Wednesday, December 29, 2021. In January 2022, the museum announced that it will be closing the third floor including parts of the First Peoples Gallery in an effort to decolonize the institution. Two exhibits reopened April 2, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Jonathan Hayward)