Tues. July 11 - A childcare crisis in the Westshore

Good morning !

Today we’ve got some sad updates on the search for Melissa McDevitt and some happy updates on the progress of the Island’s at-risk marmots. We also take a look at the difficulties in finding early-childhood care in the Westshore—an issue that has been ongoing throughout the CRD.

— Robyn

⛅ Today's weather: Mix of sun and clouds. High 20C / low 12C.

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk today (2/10), light smoke expected.

NEWS

Locals frustrated over problems getting early-childhood care

For years, getting adequate and affordable childcare and early-childhood education in Greater Victoria has been a challenge. On the Westshore that problem has been especially acute over the past year. Parents and educators are now calling for action on what they say are underfunded, over-restricted, and difficult-to-access daycare centres.

Providers say a crisis that has been going for years has only deepened. Problems with staff retention (due to burnout and low pay) combine with zoning restrictions and provincial requirements to make it difficult to open and maintain centres in a region that needs more of them.

The latest story from The Westshore breaks down these issues.

Capital Bulletin

📋 Quadra McKenzie study: An online survey and pop-ups across Saanich this month are available to gather input to contribute to the study’s land use plan for the north-south stretch of Quadra and the strip of McKenzie from Quadra to UVic. It’s part of Saanich’s broader plan to densify certain main corridors and village centres.

💧 Salt Spring Island boil water advisory: A water main break may have affected water quality in the Beddis water system. Drinking water should be boiled until flushing and water samples show no public health risk.

🧪 High e. coli count at Glen Lake: Langford is discouraging water activities at Glen View Park.

NEWS

Search for Melissa suspended again

Sooke RCMP said Monday that an “exhaustive search” by 80 people on Sat. and Sun. located “nothing of significance” related to missing person Melissa McDevitt, 39.

Police and 11 search and rescue (SAR) agencies, led by Juan de Fuca SAR, helped re-search a section of the Charters River area following new information that Capital Daily covered first last week. No leads and incoming snow had ended the original Dec. 2022 search after nine days of multiple SAR teams, dogs, and a helicopter scouring Sea to Sea park trails near where she was last seen on camera on Dec. 9.

Online GPS data renewed search

Her parents and volunteers continued searching, and her father recently found online smartwatch data showing her common routes and her hiking pattern. She would test new areas in brief partial hikes before attempting to do them as a full loop.

Her partial hike on Dec. 8 suggested that on Dec. 9 she likely attempted a loop via Amanda’s Trail; that was the area targeted this past weekend.

Her parents believe there is a small possibility of abduction but that she likely died after a fall. Melissa was born with an extra X chromosome and had small feet and weak muscles despite being an avid outdoorsperson.

They told Capital Daily that even some small piece of evidence that she had died out on the trails would bring them some closure.

RCMP say they will continue to investigate.

SPONSORED BY BAY CENTRE

Central Barbers & Stylists launches new spa services

Have you checked out Central Barbers & Stylists’ new location at the Bay Centre? Find out how local owner Bachir Zoghbi is revolutionizing the next level of barbering with expansive spa services catering to men and women.

NEWS

15 marmots released in the wild, continuing work to help the at-risk Island species

The marmots were flown by helicopter to the Nanaimo Lakes region to begin new lives in five existing colonies, according to the Marmot Recovery Foundation. Ground crew members camped overnight to receive the marmots and to help release them July 7. Crew members gave the mammals time to adjust, placing them into burrow sites filled with peanut butter snacks—a marmot favourite—and allowing them to get comfortable in their new homes. Crews patiently waited outside the burrows until the marmots were brave enough to emerge and explore the area. All 15 marmots were raised in captivity, making this their first foray into the wild.

The marmot population has struggled for years, with only 30 of the heaviest members of the squirrel family recorded in the wild in 2003. By 2022, conservation efforts had increased that number to more than 250, though the marmot remains a critically imperiled species and the most at-risk species in Canada. It’s not entirely clear what caused the population decline throughout the 20th century, but high-elevation logging and a rise in the population of predators, such as the golden eagles, are likely culprits.

The Marmot Recovery Foundation previously released 10 marmots to the Nanaimo Lakes colonies in 2018 and last year, released 10 more to the meadowlands near Mount Washington.

Capital Picks

🖼️ You Are Here at Fortune Gallery: The exhibition of Jeremy Herndl’s paintings, which were created outdoors from direct observation, begins today until Aug. 6.

🎨 Body//Energy at Gage Gallery: Anita Boyd’s abstract painting exhibition on themes of inner space begins today until July 30.

🎭 Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival: A performance of All's Well That Ends Well directed by Jemma Alix Levy will take place today at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, 6:30pm.

🎥 You Hurt My Feelings at The Vic Theatre: As a part of Victoria Film Festival, this comedy about a writer who experiences marital challenges after hearing her husband’s thoughts on her latest work will show today, 5:15pm.

💻 Give your internet the upgrade it deserves with oxio—your new favourite provider. Get top-notch service with affordable, transparent pricing. Use code CAPITALDAILY to receive your first month free.*

🤝 Now hiring: Cooks at The Butchart Gardens

*Sponsored Listing

In Other News

📶 Local company makes remote monitors for Canadian Coast Guard
Barnacle Systems was paid $513K for 39 of its BRNKL Rapid Deploy units to install on hazardous vessels across Canada. The devices let the Canadian Coast Guard to monitor the watercraft from afar and give alerts for sinking, weather impacts, and more. [Victoria Tech Journal]

🛢️ Aviation fuel leaks into Tofino Harbour
On Thursday the area near Tofino airlines was evacuated due to fears of ignition when 10L spilled from one of the area’s two fuel tanks, which hold 18,000L. A nearby local business owner told CHEK his wife had been concerned about the tanks, and that some firefighters had shared those concerns but hadn’t checked the tanks because it wasn’t their job. [CHEK]

🏥 Island Health seeks designs for two more LTC projects similar to Colwood
The 306-bed, $224M Royal Bay project was announced in March, and now the Nanaimo and Comox Regional Hospital Districts want the next facilities. [Times Colonist]

📈 Visible minorities’ population share rises in Greater Victoria—but still well behind Canada and BC numbers
The jump to 16.7% (64,775 people) in the 2021 census is up from 14.1% (50,310) in 2016, but is less than half of BC’s average of 34.4% or two thirds of Canada’s 26.5%. [Saanich News]

📱 BC to continue buying ads on Meta, while federal government suspends advertising
The province is currently running three paid information campaigns on Meta, parent company to Facebook and Instagram, with plans to continue. [The Tyee]
The federal government announced last week that they would stop buying ads following Meta’s announcement that it would end "news availability" in response to the Online News Act (Bill C-18).

In Case You Missed It

📰 Monday’s headlines: Four year anniversary of Metchosin jailbreak and murder, fire on Dallas Road, thousands join Victoria’s pride celebration, and more. [July 10]

🥎 Canada Cup began yesterday, with local softball players—Olympic medalist Emma Entzminger and national U-17 MVP Ruby Anderson—representing Canada vs other nations in Surrey.

🔬 Local marine and tech sectors get $8.1M: UVic gets $1.2M to buy Canada’s first flex mass spectrometer as Victoria tech received its largest round of funding from PacifiCan. [Victoria Tech Journal]

🗞️ Sunday’s headlines: Kristine Marshall wins North Saanich byelection, Pacific FC loses for second time this season, 31 hectares in Cowichan Valley returned to Ts’uubaa-asatx, and more. [July 9]

📈 Interest rate hike expected on Wednesday, with Bank of Canada raising it to 4.75%.