Jan 14 - The coldest day in 50 years

Good morning !

We just had the coldest day in 50+ years (at least by the “lowest high” definition of “coldest”). Although this cold has been mostly a novelty for many locals, it’s been a real problem for others. More below.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ -1 / -4

Tomorrow: ☀️ 1 / -4

Tuesday: 🌨️ 2 / -1

7-day forecast

NEWS

The coldest day in half a century

Friday had the coldest high since 1972 

Victoria’s Gonzales station recorded a maximum of -6.6C, per YYJ Weather Records and EnviroCan data. Saturday was warmer, with a high of -4 and low of -10 (with wind chill, those were -6 and -15 respectively). The past several days have also set several all-time records for their specific dates. 

Frozen pipes cause problems

Frozen pipes were reported throughout the region, with individuals and a plumbing company communicating multiple cases to CHEK and Saanich confirming that its crews got 30-40 pipe calls as of Sat. afternoon.

Frozen pipes may also have been a factor in the overnight flooding of Sooke's Prestige Oceanfront Resort, which sent guests out into the cold temporarily. Water from the ceiling left hallways puddled and soggy, one guest told CHEK.

Ice stars in locals’ photos 

The subzero spell led to frozen versions of familiar local sights, with the Legislature fountain the most prominent. 

But the Inner Harbour also froze at the edges, as seen in these photos.

Meanwhile, the waves in Sidney produced jagged icicles along the waterfront railing. The Town of Sidney also posted a video of “sea smoke” on the water.

Feel free to send in your own icy photos—we’d be happy to publish them.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Victoria hosts Hockey Day in Canada festival this coming week, with events starting Wednesday. [Info / schedule]

Ship Point parking lots closed from today until Jan. 22 for the festival.

No weather alerts for the Island, as of Sat. night. [Map]

Bus routes are normal again after recent days’ adjustments to snow on some Westshore routes. [Latest updates here] 

Downtown protest slated for around 1-3pm; traffic disruption expected. 

Missing Saanich-area teen has been found.

NEWS

As cold snap hits people on street, city’s handling of tents is again under scrutiny

The City of Victoria has opened a full-time warming centre in Cook Street Village in response to the subzero temperatures, as shelters fill up. The city has been more proactive about shelter openings this winter, following issues last winter with communication and timing.

But Niki Ottosen, who does street outreach and advocacy as part of the Backpack Project, argues that the city has also been making things worse by continuing to take belongings from unhoused people. She and one woman living outdoors were at council on Thursday to call for the 7am-7pm time limits on sheltering in parks to be lifted in times of cold weather.

They and others allege that bylaw officers have continued to take belongings including tents despite the cold. The city’s spokesperson told the Times Colonist that officers are using more discretion during the cold snap, and are providing warming materials to people. 

Cities including Vancouver and Edmonton have been criticized recently for clearing tent encampments during freezing weather, and Victoria bylaw has long faced criticism for its practices around taking and storing possessions of people on the street.

Bylaw’s power to get rid of such items was recently expanded by the city, despite advocates’ objections, with staff saying that bylaw officers are handling up to 10 tonnes of material per week.

A directory of local shelters and warming centres can be found here.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏆Oak Bay is Canada's #2 place to live, says MovingWaldo.

🌯 Cold weather, hot contest: Boomtown is running an Instagram giveaway with $350 in gifts from it and fellow downtown food and drink spots Smiths, Tora Tiki, and Saint Franks.

🔎 Now this is one strange critter: Like a spider—but not quite—this Ortholasma pictipes found in Goldstream park shows off its odd features in some close-ups.

🤝 Now hiring: Product Designer at Outway.

🗞️ In Other News

Infamous BC Ferries Fastcat ships for sale on Facebook Marketplace 
The ships, known for their high cost and failure to meet expectations in the 1990s, could be headed for the scrapyard soon. But a “last ditch effort” to sell them has all three ships listed for $15M (a fraction of their $460M building cost) on Facebook Marketplace. The ships still feature the original ’90s decor but show signs of wear and deterioration—not to mention their history of mechanical issues. [CBC]

Victoria could be getting its first Chipotle soon
The Mexican-inspired restaurant chain’s website says it is hiring a General Manager for a location on 1070 Douglas. 
This week Tasting Victoria rounded up some of the city's most anticipated restaurant openings of 2024.

Embattled View high-rise proposal goes to hearing 
Plans for the parking lot beside View Towers enter an eighth year, having doubled to 23 storeys with 299 (mostly small) units. City staff and councillors criticized “baffling” choices by the developer in adjusting to previous concerns, but city council chose a public hearing over outright rejection. [CHEK]

Ammonia leak at UVic's aging ice rink
The Ian Stewart complex’s Sat. morning leak was contained by firefighters. [Times Colonist]
The complex received lab upgrades last year but is being eyed in the long term for redevelopment into a mixed-use, housing-focused university district.

🗓️ Things to do

🏰 Last day for Angkor at RBCM: The exhibit and companion IMAX movie bring you the fascinating ruins of an empire in what is now Cambodia. [Info]

🎙️ The Great American Songbook Trio: Vocalist Louise Rose, bassist Joey Smith, and drummer Kelby MacNayr will perform at Hermann’s Jazz Club. Today. Doors 12pm, show 1pm. 

🎥 Dream Scenario at Cinecenta: The dark comedy film featuring Nicolas Cage will be shown at the UVic theatre. Today. 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm.

🎤 Sunday karaoke: Sing along to your favourite songs at Friends of Dorothy. Today. 8-11pm.

🎼 Luna: Ukrainian Carol Concert today at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church on Caledonia and Cook. 4pm. By donation.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Green light for green roofs. Victoria council is making it easier to explore putting plants on top of buildings. Learn more in full story.

Victoria 4 Saskatoon 5: The Royals played yet another overtime game, but couldn’t pull out a win on Sat. in the prairies.

Gate remains closed at PKOLS (Mount Doug Park) summit, preventing car access from Churchill. May reopen tomorrow, weather permitting.

Poll results: Cold & sunny vs. warm & rainy

It was a close race, but a slight majority of you (about 56%) prefer warm, rainy winter weather to cold, sunny winter weather.  

The pro-warmth faction

For some respondents, the wet but mild winters were the very reason they moved to the Island. Some preferred the rain for the sake of keeping precipitation high in a region that relies on it.

Others said the cold is harder on them physically (e.g. causing joint problems). One respondent pointed out that while storms can knock out power in both cases, the cold is worse to sit through without power. 

The pro-sun faction

Multiple cold-and-sunny supporters described that weather as “invigorating” for both its brisk air and its mood-boosting light, while the damp and grey days were “depressing.”

How cold is cold?

Some said that Victoria cold is mild compared to rest-of-Canada cold, while others believed that the dampness in fact makes it comparable:

“Cold weather here tends to permeate. The drier cold that Alberta experiences is easier to handle by layering up. [But here] the humidity contributes to how very, very cold a person feels.”

The pro-hummingbird faction

Finally, one person opposed the cold because it was too detrimental to golfing, and another because it was too detrimental to hummingbirds. If you share their concern for the local little birds, here are some tips for keeping hummingbirds safe and fed during cold times.