Good morning !

This Monday morning news dump starts off with some dump news: Hartland is almost at capacity, and needs to expand.

That will cost the CRD a chunk of change—and change will also come to the rules around what you can take there, as new policies come into effect next year.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 9 / 5

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 11 / 5

Wednesday: ⛅ 9 / 3

Later this week: Sunny, though not especially warm

7-day forecast

NEWS

Hartland landfill is almost full

$11M landfill expansion coming
The landfill could be full as soon as next October, and nearly $11M has been approved for a contractor to prepare the site’s next phase (“Cell 4”). The Capital Regional District (CRD) told Victoria News that the currently used “Cell 3” which debuted in 2016, has filled up faster than expected due to increased waste from pandemic-era home repairs. 

CRD also seeking new home for biosolids
The landfill also recently reached its capacity for biosolids when the CRD temporarily directed those to Hartland when they couldn’t go to a Richmond kiln as planned. The CRD is looking to send its biosolids to Nanaimo, whose own regional district is reluctant to accept a neighbour’s waste.

New policies aim to cut construction waste
This year the CRD has pursued salvaging incentives that it says can cut waste by a third and extend the landfill’s lifespan to 2100. Those include higher overall tipping fees ($150/tonne) and a Jan. 1, 2024 ban on clean wood followed by a later ban on other wood and homebuilding materials. 

The CRD says almost 50% of 2022’s Hartland waste could’ve been diverted or recycled, and that wood products—mainly from local construction—were the largest category of material.

Victoria alone sends 8,000 tonnes of construction and demolition materials per year. The city’s new “unbuilding” bylaw charges builders $19,500 for certain demolitions, but remits money back to them if they salvage enough wood.

Higher fees for some cruise ship waste
The CRD also decided to triple fees to $500/tonne for the 30% or so of solid cruise ship waste that is deemed “high risk,” which must be buried more deeply at Hartland and takes up about 3x as much space.

NEWS

Local CEO wins international women-in-business award

Origen Air founder and CEO Susan Rae Blanchet took home gold in the Women in Business Thought Leader of the Year – Business Products category at the Stevie Awards last week.

Launched in 2002, the Stevies are a worldwide professional awards program divided into six categories, one of which is Women in Business.

Founded in 2019, Origen Air was partially inspired by the health challenges of Blanchet’s father, whose work as a civil engineer may have exposed him to toxins. Origen develops air purification systems that combine filtration, sensors, and bioengineered plants—a version of golden pothos developed at the University of Washington.

Origen Air is also up for Startup of the Year at the VIATEC Community Awards.

Read the latest Victoria Tech Journal for this and other local tech and business news.

NEWS

UVic men’s rugby takes national silver medal

Like Victoria’s junior football team, the Westshore Rebels, a week earlier, UVic men’s rugby will have to settle for second-best in Canada. The team won silver in the national university rugby tourney, falling to main rival UBC on Sunday by a decisive 7-41 .

UBC racking up a 41-0 lead through 58 minutes until Brendan Kim’s try broke the drought. The Vikes had won their first two tourney rounds, taking the semifinal by a commanding 47-19 [photos], to return to the title game they last reached in 2021.

UVic finishes as expected
UBC and UVic entered the tourney ranked #1 and #2, and UBC has now three-peated as champs. UVic had four tournament all-stars: Owen Kokan, Morgan Di Nardo, Jordy Auger (also Sunday’s UVic player of the game), and Merlin M'Cloud.

A strong fall for UVic sports
Multiple Vikes teams made their national tourneys, and field hockey and rowing repeated as national champions. Meanwhile, fellow Victoria teams came second in their leagues: the Rebels (CJFL) and HarbourCats (West Coast League).

SPONSORED BY RYSE

The window to invest in RYSE is closing.

If you haven’t heard of RYSE yet, you will soon.

The story of the startup that started out pitching on Dragons Den (Canada’s Shark Tank) and receiving two offers is about to become known nationwide, as their product rolls out in +100 Best Buys across the country.

Early investors that believed in their mission have already seen their share price grow over 15X and they are just getting started.

RYSE’s retail distribution deal resembles that which led smart-home giants Ring, Nest and iRobot to their billion dollar exits.

Their patented, mass-market shade automation device is unrivalled in the industry, and is the quickest way for homeowners and businesses to automate their window shades.

Best Buy has made a huge bet on RYSE, and the good news is that you can too. For a limited time you can still invest in their company at $1.25/share.

⭐️ Capital Picks

 👁️ The restaurant with the best view in the region, as voted by readers like you. [Tasting Victoria]

🦉 See an owl return to the wild after being hit by a car and rehabilitated. [Facebook photo / video]

🥑 THIS IS THE PLACE: The Root Cellar at Oxford Corner in Cook Street Village – your innovative destination market for fresh locally grown produce and extraordinary food experiences. Visit the website to learn more!*

 🤝 Now hiring: Dental Assistant at Oaklands Dental.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

One of us just won $5M in the lottery
That’s according to the latest lottery drawing details—the actual Victoria-area winner hasn’t yet come forward.

Woodworker will rebuild burned little library
A man who makes custom book-boxes to match the real houses they stand outside is doing one for a woman who had hers destroyed by an apparent arson on Nov. 10. [CHEK]

New funding for Tseshaht to search for and honour lost children
Tseshaht plan to make a memorial to the at least 67 children known to have died at the notorious Alberni Indian Residential School, and to visit the families to deliver records. The federal $2.7M will also aid the ongoing investigation of 17 potential grave sites. [Ha-Shilth-Sa]

SPONSORED BY NEXT DAY ACCESS

Want to age in place?

Next Day Access delivers and installs mobility and accessibility products right to your home.

Schedule your free in-home assessment today to find the best solutions to stay safe and independent.

🗓️ Things to do

🎞️ The Victoria premiere of May-December continues, with Cinecenta delivering three more days of the acclaimed new Natalie Portman / Julianne Moore movie. [Showtimes]

Dance Victoria presents Shumka's Nutcracker. This lavish production features stars from Ukraine's top companies. Dec 1-3 at the Royal Theatre. Find tickets here.*

🤔 Benji’s pub quiz: The iconic Victoria trivia night runs tonight at the Fernwood Inn, tomorrow at Whistle Buoy, and Thursday at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. [Shows]

Out of Hand Modern Market is November 24 to 26 at Crystal Garden! 120 makers in one magical location. Get tickets online use SHOPLOCAL to save.*

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

Developer wants to back out of affordability pledge, in what some councillors called a “bait and switch” for the already controversial 902 Foul Bay. [Capital Daily]

Meteor was “clear as day,” says one of the South Islanders who saw it flash across the sky on Friday. [CHEK]

Photo: See these colourful King Crabs in Puget Sound.

Saturday’s headlines: 110-year-old church closing. 10 Victoria bars with winter cocktails. Local man gets Order of BC. [Nov 18]

Victoria’s best bakeries, as voted by readers like you. [Tasting Victoria]

Sea lion fights octopus in waters near Nanaimo. [Photo / video]

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a friend.