Nov 24 -BC Ferries closer to buying new ships, Saanich closer to building new firehall

Good morning !

I enjoyed an amazing US Thanksgiving meal with all—and I mean all—the fixings last night. In true American style, there was a lot to eat. I’m thankful for my friends who invited me. I’m really thankful for the elastic waistband in my jeans.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 4.5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 8 / 2

Tomorrow: ☀️ 8 / 2

Sunday: ☀️ 8 / 2

7-day forecast

NEWS

BC Ferries takes first steps to replace retiring ships

As BC Ferries looks to retire its six Queen ships, it’s moving forward with plans to replace them with seven new hybrid electric vessels.

The company has issued a request for expressions of interest (RFEOI) to shipyards interested in building the craft, something BC Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall calls “the first step” in the procurement process. “Vessel replacement is a multi-year project that requires careful planning and execution,” Marshall said in a statement to Capital Daily. 

The six ships planned for retirement beginning in 2029 are Queen of Coquitlam, Queen of Alberni, Queen of Cowichan, Queen of New Westminster, Queen of Surrey, and Queen of Oak Bay. As these ships are phased out, they’ll be replaced by the new hybrids which should come on board between 2029 and 2032, Marshall said.

It’s expected the new ships will have two vehicle decks and three passenger decks, and be able to carry 2,100 passengers and crew members.

Read more about BC Ferries’ plans for its new hybrid vessels here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Fort between Blanshard and Quadra: closed tomorrow for road repairs. Expect traffic delays.

Road closures for tomorrow’s Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade.

Mind the Gap: Discuss gaps in South Island cycling infrastructure tomorrow in Saanich, 1-4pm.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Saanich breaks ground on new fire station

When Saanich first established a fire department, Saanichites and Victorians were coming back from the First World War, Victoria’s school teachers had become the first in the country to go on strike, and the Spanish flu had forced the cancellation of the Stanley Cup final between the Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans. It was a long time ago. 

Back then, if there was a fire too big for Saanich’s one-man, one-truck brigade, firefighters from Victoria were called out to the boonies to put out the blaze.

Now the CRD’s most populous municipality, Saanich employs 132 uniformed members and seven support staff who respond to close to 5K emergencies every year. It has a large fleet of trucks, including four engines and two big aerial ladder vehicles.

Those vehicles are usually housed and polished in three fire stations, but one of them was just recently closed. Opened in 1978, Saanich’s Fire Station No. 2 on Elk Lake Drive is to be replaced by a $44.6M firehall which is expected to be ready in less than two years. 

Read Sidney Coles’ full story on the new fire station. 

SPONSORED BY DANCE VICTORIA

Dance Victoria presents Shumka's Nutcracker

Dance Victoria is proud to present Shumka’s Nutcracker. This lavish performance blends the grace and lyrical nature of the classical movement with the strength and power of Ukrainian folk dance, leaving audiences exhilarated and entertained.

The cast of over 80 features Shumka dancers, local youth from the Veselka Ukrainian Dance Association, the Clara Dream Choir, and special guest artists from Ukraine’s top dance companies. The legendary score with specially added compositions is performed by the Victoria Symphony.

“A perfect first Nutcracker for many generations… A powerful and beautiful thing to behold.”  - EDMONTON JOURNAL

Dec. 1-2, 7pm | Dec. 2-3, 1pm | Royal Theatre

Click here for more details.

Tickets at Royal and McPherson Theatres or call the box office at 250-386-6121.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🎺 Daniel Lapp’s 20th Annual Home for Christmas Concert. With Valdy. Royal Theatre. Dec. 20 & 21. [Tickets]

❓ Have questions, comments, or concerns about provincial policies, programs, and services in Oak Bay-Gordon Head? Contact BC NDP MLA Murray Rankin at [email protected] or 250-472-8528.*

🥪 Hero Sandwich Bar announces next pop-up will be its last. Grab your final New York-style Italian sandwich on Dec. 4 at Standard Pizza.

🤔 What is counselling all about? It’s about transformation, starting with a client's unique goals for feeling, thinking, behaving, or approaching something differently. Learn more today.*

🧮 Now Hiring: Accounting Technician at Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Tally Ho supportive housing fails air test, now closed to visitors
Air tests came back with “unacceptable” levels of illicit substances, according to a Cool Aid letter read by staff, who have been told to wear masks. Cool Aid, which operates the facility, is working on the issues with BC Housing, Island Health, and WorkSafeBC. [CHEK]

Five more East Island municipalities join speculation tax club
Beginning in 2025, residents of Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Qualicum Beach, and Parksville will have to declare whether their non-primary homes sat empty the previous year. They may be subject to the speculation/vacancy tax rate of 2% if they don’t pay the majority of their taxes in Canada (or 0.5% if they do). The tax now applies to 59 BC communities.

You may want to check for suspicious car-door checking
There has been a mini-rash of incidents where someone is going around checking to see if cars are unlocked. It happened a few times recently in Fairfield. VicPD says these incidents are underreported. [Victoria News]

🗓️ Things to do

🎭 Creative Mornings: A talk with virtuosic local artist Lee Ingram, whose work runs the gamut: dance, theatre, sound design, live music, performance art, and installations. 1800 Store & online. 11am-Noon. Free.

😹 Just for Laughs Comedy Tour. Cross-country comedy concert comes here. Royal Theatre. Tonight. 7pm. [Tickets]

🌟 The Magic of Christmas returns to The Butchart Gardens. Take in our radiant celebration of the holidays this season. Reserve your date & time to visit!*

🎞️ Victoria Shows Love presents Cannes Film Festival Award-winning film “Bigger Than Us”. Vic Theatre. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎤 Unfaithful Servants. Acoustic delights. Hermann’s. Tonight. 7pm. [Tickets]

🌈 Wizard of Oz opening night. See what happens when a gale blows Dorothy out of Kansas. Dorothy’s last name is Gale. McPherson Playhouse. Tonight. 7:30pm. [Tickets]

🎭 Fusion: Variety show featuring comedy, drag, burlesque. Metro Studio Theatre. Tonight. 7:30pm. [Tickets]

🎸 Destroyer. Vancouver Indie rockers will wow ya. Capital Ballroom. Tonight. 8pm. [Tickets]

🖤 Goth Nite. Goth’s not dead. It’s undead. Post-punk fun. VEC. Tonight. 8pm. [Tickets]

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: This ship is too big for its bridges, the Mill Bay cat came back, and NYC hails Oak Bay thespian. [Nov. 23]

BC firefighters to gov’t: If you can’t stand the heat, we’ll get out of the forest. [Capital Daily]

The next time a rocker raises the roof at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, maybe they can clean it. [CHEK]

Vic. Coun. Susan Kim apologizes again for signing a controversial Mideast statement. [City News]

No turkey shortage is expected for the holidays, despite avian-flu bird wipeout in Lower Mainland. [Times Colonist]

Photo: Winter storm magic on the North Island.

That’s it!

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