Feb 18 - UVic one of the losers in BC budget

Good morning !

Critics say they’re underwhelmed with the BC budget brought down yesterday.
Despite the baked-in tough love—job reductions and income tax increases—the province is headed for multi-billion dollar deficits and a debt of $183B by the end of next month.
And… the first universal income tax increase in almost two decades is going to cost the average BC taxpayer an extra $76 per year.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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Friday: 🌥️ 5 / -2

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NEWS

BC budget: Job cuts, tax hikes, and a five-year wait for UVic student housing

The province is eliminating 15K full-time public-sector jobs over the next three years, raising taxes for many, and putting a plan to add housing for 500+ students at UVic on hold. 

“We are choosing to safeguard what we’ve built while growing our economy to secure good jobs and economic prosperity for people and families,” Finance Minister Brenda Bailey said yesterday after delivering the BC budget.

Most of the job cuts are expected to come from Crown corporations, school districts, post-secondary institutions, and health authorities. In addition, the BC Public Service will lose roughly 2,500 full-time positions, mostly through attrition and voluntary departures.

The uncertainty that comes with the Trump tariffs, and a big deficit to dig out from, meant the province had to hit the brakes on some programs, including $10-a-day daycare and some capital projects—among them, a $178M plan to add accommodations for 510 students at UVic, initially slated to be completed by 2029, but now “re-paced” to 2034.

“The pressure for housing isn’t going away,” Jennifer Vornbrock, an associate vice president at UVic, told the Times Colonist.

Bailey said the province is planning for a deficit of $13.3B for fiscal 2026-27—up from $9.6B this year—and $12.1B and $11.4B for the following two years.

John Wilson, president & CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, said more needs to be done to control government spending. And he said a peppy private sector has to be a big part of the plan.

“A strong business environment and a vibrant downtown are essential to creating jobs, generating tax revenue, and funding the public services people rely on.”

There are tax hikes, mostly for higher-income earners, although the average taxpayer will pay an extra $76 after Bailey raised the tax rate of the first income tax bracket by 0.6 percentage points to 5.6%.

The speculation and vacancy tax is going up by one-third, to 4%, and homeowners 55+ who delay paying property taxes will also shell out more.
If you live in a home with a property value of $3M—hey, we can dream, eh?—the school tax rate will increase by half to 0.3%.

The BC Greens call it a status quo budget that keeps industry happy, ties BC’s financial future to LNG expansion, and creates a dependency on fossil fuels.
It “leaves the difficult issues—affordability, climate action, and housing—for communities to figure out,” said Rob Botterell, the Greens’ finance critic and MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.

The Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU), representing 60K health-care workers, credited the provincial government for protecting critical health-care services.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Expanded hours for Peninsula Primary Care Access Clinic: Starting today, same-day appointments can be booked Monday to Friday, 8:30am-8pm, and Saturdays, 8:30am-1pm. No walk-ins permitted. [Island Health]

Point Ellice Bridge construction: No eastbound traffic for next four months. [City of Victoria] 

Saanich road closure: Kremlin between Broadmead and Kisber, through Feb. 27, 4pm-8am.

Delays expected on the Galloping Goose near Viaduct Park, tomorrow and Friday. 9am-3pm. [CRD]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Greater Victoria's top theatres could get a funding boost—if residents don't say no

The CRD wants to invest more in local theatres—but it will need to get the green light from residents first.

The district has started an alternative approval process (AAP) to create a new Performing Arts Facilities Service, which would designate operating and capital funding toward Greater Victoria’s top three venues: the Royal Theatre, the McPherson Playhouse, and the Charlie White Theatre (located inside Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre).

The CRD says the service is needed after nearly 30 years of “stagnant funding levels” for the Royal and the McPherson, which has resulted in a “40% loss in purchasing power over time.”

The regional government says the service will improve coordination of arts planning between CRD communities and will establish more equitable cost-sharing for the theatres, which are used by residents across the region. 

It could provide rental subsidies for arts programs and support educational initiatives, and it would push forward the much-discussed arts and culture centre for the Westshore, an idea that’s been floated for years. Design plans for the centre were released in November, courtesy of the Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society and Cascadia Architecture, but a location has not been established. Sites in Langford, Colwood, and View Royal are currently being explored.

The new Performing Arts Facilities Service would cost an estimated $2.3M a year—this includes the current $1.35M budget for services at the Royal and the McPherson, plus an additional $1M for grants and operation costs for the Charlie White Theatre.

The CRD needs electorate approval before passing any bylaw that creates a service levy or incurs long-term debt, according to the Local Government Act. 

The AAP response period began yesterday and runs until March 30. Results of the AAP will be available in April.

For the CRD, no response is a good response—the bylaw will be adopted unless 10% or more of the district’s population rejects it. That would require 31,574 electors to voice their opposition to the new service by the end of March.

If the bylaw is adopted, the Performing Arts Facilities Service will be established and incorporated into the 2027 Financial Plan.

Find more information about the AAP and electoral response forms here.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🕌 The first day of Ramadan is today.

✝️ It’s also Ash Wednesday, and the start of Lent.

🎶 Opening Night! Pacific Opera Victoria presents Puccini’s Tosca. Feb. 18-24 at the Royal. Have tickets yet? They start at $35.*

💰🏒 Fan scores $25K in Victoria Grizzlies’ 50/50 draw.

⚛️ Quantum Days 2026 at the Victoria Conference Centre. [Today-Friday]

🤝 Creating community impact with Victoria Digital Marketing Agency.*

🪸 Climate Talk: Designing for Tomorrow. [5:30pm tomorrow]

🧑‍🏫 Glenlyon Norfolk School empowers students to lead with confidence. Attend an upcoming Open House to see how IB learning and belonging shape extraordinary futures.*

🏒🍁 Olympics: Canada vs. Czechia men’s hockey quarterfinal is today at 7:40am.

🌱 Discover the ease, beauty & benefits of native plants at Swan Lake's Workshops. Designated best place to learn in the CRD—reserve your spot today!*

^{*Sponsored Listing}

SPONSORED BY CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

Win big, help Island families!

Enter the Pot of Gold 50/50 and make a difference! Half the jackpot goes to the winner, and half helps Island kids. Every ticket supports local children and families who need specialized health equipment or to travel for medical care. Tickets on sale now until March 17. Get yours today!

🗞️ In Other News

Hullo may say ‘hello’ to Victoria market, but it won’t be soon
A high-speed route between Victoria and Vancouver could become a reality—it’ll just take some time. Hullo Ferries spokesperson Xander France says expanding its service to the Garden City is in Hullo’s long-term plans. Still, right now, the Vancouver Island Ferry Company, which owns the high-speed passenger boat shuttle, wants to concentrate on its Nanaimo operations. Hullo runs as many as 14 daily trips between Nanaimo and Vancouver, and France says business was up 40% last year. [Times Colonist]

VicPD assists in arresting Nanaimo shooting suspect
VicPD and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) arrested the 17-year-old male suspect on Friday, two days after an altercation at the Woodgrove Centre shopping mall. Nanaimo RCMP say a 15-year-old victim was shot during a fight among a group of youths. Bear spray was also deployed during the encounter. The victim is recovering in the hospital. The suspect was scheduled for a bail hearing in Victoria yesterday, facing five charges, including four related to having a weapon. [Victoria News]

Victoria Film Festival closes after drawing record-breaking crowds
This year’s festival recorded 47 sold-out screenings, topping the previous record of 40 set last year. The festival’s director says the success of this year’s run highlights film fans’ desire to see movies in theatres. This year, VFF had the support of ​​160 volunteers, who contributed more than 3,200 hours. The 10-day fest at nine venues showcased 91 feature films and 40 shorts—42 were Canadian-made, including seven Indigenous-focused films. [CHEK]

SPONSORED BY PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA

Bid on Extraordinary Items & Experiences!

Shine in Francis Jewellers pearls, escape to Hawaii, play billiards at Government House, or indulge in local food, wine, artisanal treasures, and unique experiences. Over $75,000 worth of items and experiences await. Bid in the Festa a Roma Online Auction and support Pacific Opera Victoria's youth opera programs!

🗓️ Things To Do

🍵 Cha Dao Tea Ceremony: Welcoming the year of the Fire Horse with tea and community. Take part in a ceremony of stillness, simple beauty, and quiet kinship with the medicine of tea. Coven Arts in Cadboro Bay. Today. 10am-12pm. [Info]

✍️ Amazing Stories: An ode to the golden age of pulp sci-fi. Inspired by groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy magazines like Amazing Stories and Weird Tales, Paper Street Theatre presents thrilling tales of the future, the unknown, the wondrous, and the impossible. Intrepid Theatre Club. Tonight-Sat. [Info]

🦁📸 Hidden Gems of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Tour. Join a museum educator to explore three handpicked photographs to learn why these three specific animals were photographed. Royal BC Museum. 2nd floor lobby. Tomorrow. 11-11:30am. [Info]

🌼 Native Plant Study Group Talk: A presentation titled "Riparian Plants: Nature’s Blueprint for Streamside Ecosystems" featuring Stephanie Gurney, of the Peninsula Streams Society. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary (Swan Lake Nature House) & Zoom. Tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🎵 Live Music Night at View Royal Hall: An evening of live music with three of BC's most talented songwriters: Joan Bessie, Lindsay Bryan, and Rebecca Sichon. Licensed. View Royal Community Hall. Saturday. 7-10pm. [Info]

 🎼 Ruckus: This dynamic Baroque ensemble, featuring flutist Emi Ferguson and violinist Rachell Ellen Wong, performs the music of Handel and his contemporary, the English former slave Ignatius Sancho. First Church of Christ, Scientist. Feb. 28. 7:30-9pm. [Info] 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Sunday’s headlines: TEDxVictoria looking for speakers; Weekly roundup; UVic and Island Health launch digital tool for complex PTSD treatment. [Feb. 15]

Victoria triathlete Hannah Henry killed in a roadway collision in Phoenix. [Times Colonist]

Business Planning Bootcamp. [Feb. 23, 9am-12pm]

Open House: CRD wastewater treatment facility. [Feb. 28, 10am-2pm] Online survey until March 5.

Goldstream House: See the beautiful inn that opened in 1880. It housed travellers 16 km from Victoria before burning down in the 1930s. [Facebook photos]  

That’s it!

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