Dec 19 - Langford may pivot on garbage pickup

Good morning !

That wind calmed down overnight—it was howlin’ something fierce for much of the day and evening—so that should be good news if you’re headed to the mainland.
BC Ferries had to put the kibosh on some afternoon sailings yesterday, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hit this link for travel advisory updates if you’re looking to get off the Island today.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 7 / 5  

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 7 / 5

Sunday: 🌧️ 7 / 6

7-day forecast

NEWS

Langford may trash its garbage pickup system and go with a single contractor

Langford has 244 garbage cans in parks, streetscapes, and transit stops. Last summer, they were brimming—even overflowing—so city staffers dove in to find out where the excess waste was coming from.

From the piles of household-looking trash—grocery bags, cardboard boxes, kitchen scraps, tin cans, and the like—it became clear some of it, a lot of it, was coming from residents’ homes.

Langford is one of seven area municipalities that doesn’t operate its own garbage collection service, which leaves Langfordites either choosing to hire a private contractor to pick up their rubbish or furtively finding other means of getting rid of their refuse.

Obviously, some are using public bins.

“Because garbage collection in Langford is not mandatory, some residents may choose not to enter a private waste collection contract, which can result in residential waste being dumped in public or commercial bins,” the city said online.

“No Household Dumping” stickers placed on some cans aren’t cutting it. People just hold their nose and dump anyway. 

But that may change.

The council has told staff to explore options for garbage pickup by a single, private collection company. It has approved the hiring of a consultant to deliver direction in all things debris. 

According to a staff report, a municipally contracted service would reduce illegal dumping and the subsequent strain on public bins. It would mean the city wouldn’t have to buy its own trucks or find suitable operational space for a depot—while maintaining control over standards and efficiency.

“One hauler means fewer trucks on the road, reducing noise, greenhouse gas emissions, and road wear,” the report said.

Based on similar arrangements in other BC municipalities, the household fee to contract out garbage pickup would be approximately $25–$30 per month for weekly garbage and organics collection, or “$300–$360 per year per home for comprehensive service,” the report said.

That’s in the same ballpark as what residents who do pay for contracted service are shelling out now, it said.

As for the bins, they’re going to be replaced with new, larger trash cans that have recycling racks and are animal-resistant.

The city is also looking into having some of them emptied more often, possibly even twice a day.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Lochside Trail has reopened after flooding closure. [CRD]

Temporary closure on Galloping Goose due to landslip: The trail is closed in Sooke near Charters Trestle. [CRD]

Langford Parks & Trails Master Plan survey closes Jan. 4.

Traffic disruptions tomorrow: Demonstration at the legislature. [1-3pm]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

3 Victoria athletes identified as potential Olympians

The athletes have received funding from RBC Training Ground, a program that identifies Olympic-worthy talent and supports their path to the ultimate global championship. 

They are three of 35 selected out of the 2,500 athletes (aged 14-25) who participated this year in RBC Training Ground—an annual athlete identification and funding program run by the Canadian Olympic Committee. Athletes perform tests that evaluate their speed, power, and endurance in front of talent scouts, who then recommend which sports the athletes are most suited for. 

Of the 2,500 competitors, 100 were invited to the final held in Vancouver on Nov. 1, where the top 35 were picked.  

Funding for selected athletes is administered by the participating Canadian sport organization, which brings the athlete into its system and covers coaching, transportation, travel, equipment, and nutrition. 

From luge to rowing, Victoria’s top-selected athletes explore new sports

Adam Scott, 21, is known at UVic for his skills on the varsity men’s soccer pitch, but it’s his pursuit of skeleton that has him on his stomach, sliding head-first on a sled—and on the Olympic scouts’ radar.

Joe Cecchini, former skeleton Olympian and technical lead at Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada, says Scott has “quickly become one of the top male recruits” in skeleton.

“Adam is projected to reach National Team standards within one season and represents a key long-term prospect for Canada’s men’s program.”

Liam Hallett, 20, had listed hockey as his No. 1 choice for sports when he signed up for the Training Ground qualifier earlier this year. But he’s turning his focus to rowing—something that was in his genes. Hallet’s father, Todd, is a three-time Canadian Olympic rower.

Laurence Cote, national team co-ordinator at Rowing Canada, said Hallett “stands out as one of the most promising athletes we’ve seen emerge in such a short time.”

Tyce Chappel, a 14-year-old student at Claremont Secondary, was identified as having potential in luge, a sled sport where participants go downhill feet-first and flat on their backs. 

Dania Obratov from Luge Canada said the teen showed strong driving skills during the ID camp and has “genuine motivation and enthusiasm for the sport.”

In its 10th year, the RBC Training Ground program boasts an impressive alumni—21 program graduates have competed at three Olympic Games, bringing home a total of 14 medals for Canada, including seven at last year’s Paris Summer Olympics.

This story ran for our Insiders on Dec. 14. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.

SPONSORED BY PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

Safety, dignity, and a place to call home

Help housing provider PHS Community Services Society reach its $100,000 holiday season goal to support vulnerable people struggling with homelessness, mental health, and addictions.

A registered charity that responds to people in crisis, PHS provides low-barrier supportive housing, shelter, harm reduction, and ‘wraparound’ supports. In Victoria, this includes 290 units of housing, a homeless shelter, and a 22-bed recovery program.

People of all ages and backgrounds are losing their homes because they can’t keep up with skyrocketing rents. Others are in turmoil because of addiction or mental-health issues.

They need safety, dignity, and a place to call home—and you can help make that happen.

Please donate to PHS by Dec. 31 and bring hope to those who need it most.

⭐️ Capital Picks

📚 Greater Victoria Public Library’s most borrowed books of 2025.

🍽️ Dine Around and Stay in Town Victoria returns Jan. 23 to Feb. 8, 2026, with tantalizing restaurant menus, and hotel room discounts as low as $129/night!*

🌈 Rainbow season: See a glorious rainbow arching over the Ogden Point Breakwater. [James MacDonald]

🎁 Royal BC Museum | IMAX® Victoria Make memories all year with a family membership. Enjoy exhibits, events, and big screen adventures starting at $138.*

🌲A tree-lined Tillicum Road in 1935: See how the road near Craigflower used to look. [Facebook photo]

^{*Sponsored Listing}

SPONSORED BY THE BUTCHART GARDENS

12 Month Pass Makes the Perfect Gift

Give the gift of beauty all year! The Butchart Gardens 12 Month Pass offers access to five stunning seasons. Nature’s wonder, all wrapped up for the holidays! Adult, Youth, and Child passes are available. It’s a perfect gift that creates lasting memories. The 2026 Adult Pass is only $88.50.

🗞️ In Other News

Esquimalt won’t continue deer contraception program
Despite its success in keeping the number of fawn births down, the program was voted down by the Esquimalt council this week in favour of a monitoring approach. Mayor Barb Desjardins cast the lone vote in defence of the program. The change will save the township $75K a year. The council also directed staff to put together a deer-management survey to determine what residents want and to confer with a contractor to see what a comprehensive contraception program would look like. [Times Colonist]

Oak Bay worker likely couldn’t hear warnings before SUV slammed into him
Steve Seekins, a 52-year-old father of two, was killed on May 17, 2023, when an SUV swerved off the road into Oak Bay’s Bowker Creek Park, striking him at high speed. His colleagues shouted for him to look out, but the foam earphones he was wearing likely prevented him from hearing those calls, an investigation found. The driver of the SUV was not charged, as it was determined she had suffered a medical episode, which caused her to lose control of the vehicle that morning. [CTV]

Home flooding hitting high-water mark, says busy BC restoration company
“The calls just aren’t stopping,” the owner of a Victoria flood repair company tells CHEK News. Navtej Pannu, owner of PuroClean Restoration Victoria on McCallum, says Langford and Sooke got hit pretty hard. He says that’s got a lot of worried homeowners out looking to buy or rent fans. And he says that’s where they have to be careful because water coming into the house from the ground contains contaminants, and the use of air movers can send them airborne. Pannu recommends using a negative air HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) scrubber—often called a negative air machine—instead. [CHEK]

SPONSORED BY BELFRY THEATRE

Belfry Theatre holds an Interactive Open House on January 10

In celebration of its 50th Anniversary Season, the Belfry Theatre will hold an Interactive (Kid and adult-friendly) Open House on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 12 noon to 4pm.

Go behind the scenes, take part in a scavenger hunt, and see how theatre is created. More details here.

🗓️ Things To Do

⛓️ A Wonderheads Christmas Carol: Enjoy the visual storytelling and puppetry masters’ take on Dickens' classic at the McPherson Playhouse. Today-Sunday. Various times. [Info]

⭐ Lights of Wonder: Downtown's free outdoor celebration features twinkling lights, live music, food trucks, and seasonal activities running through Dec. 31. Centennial Square. 4-10pm today and tomorrow. 4-9pm Sunday-Thursday. [Info]

🎵 Community Carol Sing-Along: This carol sing-along is interspersed with short poetry readings and a Christmas story and is ideal for families with young children. Mulled Cider follows. Christ Church Cathedral. Today. 5-6pm. [Info]

🏛️ Museum Tots: Winter Solstice: Introduce children ages 3-5 to museum learning through maritime-themed crafts, play, song, and dance at the Maritime Museum. Tomorrow. 10:30-11:15am. [Info]

❄️ YMCA/YWCA WinterFest Activities: Enjoy free swimming, hot chocolate, crafts, a bouncy castle, games, family glow yoga, and pictures with Santa at YMCA Westhills. Tomorrow. 12-4:45pm. [Info]

🎄 Elf in Concert: Watch the holiday film Elf on the big screen while the Victoria Symphony performs John Debney's score live at the Royal Theatre. Tomorrow & Sunday. 7pm. [Info]

🎶 Lessons and Carols for Christmas: Each year, hundreds of people pack the church to celebrate the season with traditional carols led by the cathedral’s choir and organ. The service will be broadcast on CHEK-TV. Christ Church Cathedral. Sunday. 4-5:30pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: CRD population falls, in line with Canada’s; Federal funding for First Nations’ environmental projects; Sooke sees rise in crime, says RCMP. [Dec. 18]

Driver charged in May Day, wrong-way crash on TCH. [Times Colonist]

Ferris wheel returns to Lights of Wonder today.

Free bus service on New Year’s Eve. [BC Transit]

Victoria’s Beyond the Curb recycle pilot survey ends Monday.

14 electric vehicle fast chargers added by the city. [Full list of locations]

That’s it!

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