April 4 - Report into UVic student's death makes 18 recommendations

Good morning !

The results of an investigation into the death of an 18-year-old woman who had consumed drugs in a UVic dorm make it clear: It shouldn’t have happened. On a January evening, a little more than a year ago, Sidney McIntryre-Starko did street drugs for the first time. It would be the last.

As with many tragedies, a series of missteps and failures, and tasks that could have been executed better contributed to her death. Robyn Bell has our lead story this morning.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 13 / 5 

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 14 / 7

Sunday: 🌧️10 / 8

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NEWS

Independent review of Sidney McIntyre-Starko’s overdose death makes 18 recommendations to UVic

Sidney McIntryre-Starko had never done a street drug before her fatal overdose in a UVic dorm room. Her death last January sent shockwaves throughout the school and post-secondary institutions across the country.

An external review of the circumstances of what happened that night, 15 months ago, was released yesterday, highlighting the failures of UVic, campus security, and community leaders.

In his report, former Abbotsford police chief Bob Rich outlined how several failures contributed to the 18-year-old’s death, from poor communication, untrained staff, and a lack of collaboration within UVic leadership.

“Like many tragic events, there were several points where, had the response been different, Sidney likely would not have died,” Rich wrote. “Once Sidney had overdosed on an opioid, the outcome of these factors led to Sidney not getting the respiratory support and/or naloxone she needed soon enough to save her life.”

Rich made 18 recommendations for the school to prevent future overdose deaths and improve staff response and student awareness. These include changing the school’s culture, which often neglects cross-team communication. Rich says the school needs to do more to alert students to changes in local street drug toxicity, and staff need to be better equipped to handle these emergencies.

While the province has enforced new policies around toxic drugs in all post-secondary schools, including more naloxone on campuses, Rich still found gaps in training (dorm advisers were told last summer that they shouldn’t administer naloxone to students, despite being trained). UVic’s president says the school has a lot of work ahead.

Read the full story by Robyn Bell here. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Rain to resume next week, starting Sunday.

Elbows Up, Victoria: Peaceful, non-partisan celebration of Canada. [11am tomorrow] 

Applications for Victoria's Local Champion program must be in by Sunday.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Ralliers stump for more definitive protections for old-growth

Activists and advocates rallied outside the Langford office of Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar last week to push the province to shift focus from logging trees to protecting them. 

Tobyn Neame, a forest campaigner for the Wilderness Committee, told The Westshore there has been “very little action” in the five years since the province promised a paradigm shift on old-growth forests management. 

The province also enacted old-growth logging deferrals in Fairy Creek and Central Walbran nearly four years ago at the behest of Pacheedaht, Ditidaht, and Huu-ay-aht First Nations, who sought time to prepare resource management plans. Those deferrals have been extended several times, most recently in February under Parmar.

But ralliers argued that the province is delaying taking firm steps beyond these interim measures.

Campaigner Tegan Hansen says that off-limits forests “are still being logged,” according to Stand.earth's satellite monitoring tool. She also alleges “misinformation about how far along they are in meeting their commitments,” saying the province hasn't fulfilled the 14 recommendations in 2020's New Future for Old Forests report.

Parmar wasn't there to respond to the rally, dubbed “Stop Waffling on Old Growth.” He was in Mackenzie for one of many recent visits to communities around BC affected by the forestry industry's long-term struggles and the current trade war. That competition for the minister's attention last Wed. speaks to a tension in the ministry itself.

It's tasked with both supporting BC logging and protecting BC trees from logging—a balance that ralliers insist must shift more toward the latter.

Read Sidney Coles’ full story here in The Westshore.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🖊️ Meet the city’s poet laureates at their first readings. [April 10]

⚽ Pacific FC home opener tomorrow at 5pm. [Capital Daily readers get a discount]

🤝 Now hiring: Payroll and Accounting Officer at The Truffles Group.

🗞️ In Other News

VicPD arrest man who they say used fake cash to buy Pokémon cards online
The man was found with $10K+ in counterfeit currency that police said he was using to buy the trading cards and some electronics. Going under the name Lovedeep Dhillon, he’s alleged to have bought $1,500 worth of Pokémon cards on Facebook Marketplace in mid-March. The seller noted the bills looked fake, so she called the police, who sat in with her when, a little later, the man wanted to buy more cards. [VicPD]

Sea stars’ decimated population may have a fiord of a chance 
Marine biologists say since 2013, 90% of the marine invertebrates have been wiped out by sea star wasting disease, which has run rampant up and down the West Coast, from Mexico to Alaska. Without the starfish, urchins will eat up all the kelp, destabilizing the ocean ecosystem. There’s no known cause for the disease, but researchers think water temperatures play a role in their health. And they think fiords where the water is cold may be acting as safe havens. [CBC]

Jim Pattison: pat on the back for Canada’s 5th richest Canadian
Forbes Magazine pegs the BC businessman’s net worth as of March 7 at $11.4B. Pattison has several car dealerships in town, and you’ve likely seen his outdoor advertising signs, which add to his diversified business holdings of media, lumber, packaging, and food and beverage. Pattison slides in at No. 213 on this year’s world billionaire list. The wealthiest Canadian, according to the magazine, is Changpeng Zhao, a cryptocurrency pioneer who founded the Binance exchange. The 48-year-old goes by CZ and has a net worth of $62.9B. And yes, in the world, it’s Elon Musk, who at one point was worth $342B, although that number is fluctuating due to the political climate. [CHEK]  

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🗓️ Things to do

🧵 Sew Magic Quilt Show, Sale and Gala 2025: Help celebrate 20 years of saying: “Sew what? Sew everything!” Juan de Fuca Rec Centre. Today & tomorrow. [Info]

🖼 Disturbed Sites art exhibit opening: By Natasha Lavdovsky. This solo art show is influenced by the artist’s work in ecosystem restoration and sneaking around the edges of development sites. arc-hive gallery space on Hillside. Opens today with an “ephemeral sculpture.” 7-9pm. [Info]

🐰 Free pet photos with the Easter Bunny: The Easter Bunny is eggs-cited to see you and your furry friends at his newly constructed Cozy Carrot Cottage in Centre Court. Westshore Town Centre. Tomorrow-Sun. [Info]

🕺 Broken Rhythms: On Hold. From the dance company that brought you Knotted, which has toured Canada and won multiple Pick of the Fringe awards, Broken Rhythms is back to premiere its new work. McPherson Playhouse. Tonight. [Info]

📚 Brianna Wiest at Bolen Books. An inspiring evening with this bestselling author as she discusses and signs copies of her upcoming book, The Life That’s Waiting. Purchase required. Tickets limited. Tonight. 7-8:30pm. [Info]

🎶 Cages or Wings: SingYourJoy in Concert: These singers, aged 16 to 29, come from all walks of life with a common interest in finding friendships and growing their community through song. Oak Bay United Church. Tonight. 7-8:30pm. [Info]

🎤 An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel, CGP: The guitar player extraordinaire was welcomed into guitarist knighthood with the coveted title of Certified Guitar Player. Royal Theatre. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

😂 Comedy: Girls Night. An evening of stand-up featuring some of Vancouver Island's best female comedians. The Mint. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: Oak Bay townhouse proposal perturbs some in the neighbourhood; Community rallies around Langford couple in their final weeks together; Major project, including 20-storey tower, proposed for Blanshard. [April 3]  

Canada slaps 25% duties on US auto imports in response to Trump’s Wed. tariff announcement. [Global]

Ambulance and car collide at Johnson and Douglas. [CHEK]

High-risk missing person: Miroslav, 65, suffers from mental health issues and was last seen at 3pm Tues. on Lyall Street. [VicPD]

Spring recreation registration opens April 14. [City of Victoria]

Free spring clean-up for downtown businesses. [Registry deadline tomorrow]

Mondrian-esque rock: See the artistic-looking rock found on an Island beach. [Facebook photo]

VicPD community survey opens. [Until April 25]

That’s it!

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