Jan 22 - Top Island issues for Eby's cabinet

Good morning !

Today, we’ve got your look at the top issues laid out in the mandate letters for BC’s ministries, with a focus on how these affect the Island.

Our second story looks at BC Ferries’ new restaurant announcement. The Seascapes Lounge will open before the summer on two Spirit-class vessels, replacing the former Pacific Buffet space.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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NEWS

Top South Island issues addressed in BC’s new ministry mandate letters

Late last week, Premier David Eby issued mandate letters to BC cabinet ministers, outlining their responsibilities and policy directions. The letters emphasize Eby’s directive of improving daily life for people by focusing on key issues like job creation, affordable housing, family doctor access, and economic growth.

The letters reflect concerns over the impact of US tariffs on Canadian industries and ongoing challenges in the post-pandemic economy. Many of the individual items in  mandate letters offer solutions to ongoing challenges facing the region. 

Focus for cabinet ministers in 2025

Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing, is focused on meeting housing targets in municipalities like Sooke, View Royal, and Oak Bay. His mandate includes working across ministries to expedite small-scale housing construction and reduce barriers to development, especially amidst high construction costs. Kahlon is also tasked with responding to homelessness, particularly in Victoria, where the city is dealing with the opioid crisis and encampments.

In health care, Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, faces the ongoing shortage of family doctors and staff strained hospitals in the Capital Regional District (CRD). 

Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Childcare, will focus on expanding classroom support and improving access to child care, which will impact underserved families in the GVA and Westshore. The mandate also includes plans to tackle teacher shortages and expand Indigenous graduation rates.

Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food, is tasked with enhancing support for local farmers and addressing challenges like rising land costs and predation. She is also charged with promoting food production in the region, which has drastically decreased in recent years.

The mandate letters reflect an ongoing commitment to addressing the South Island's specific needs in housing, healthcare, education, and agriculture while tackling broader economic and social issues. 

Read our rundown on how these mandates will address key issues in the Capital Region. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Langford 2025 budget survey: Open until Feb. 9. [Details]

Saanich road work: Burnside Rd. East westbound traffic to be closed 24/7 for four months from Harriet to Dupplin.

Register your bike for free. [West Shore RCMP]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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NEWS

BC Ferries to open new restaurant on Spirit vessels

Since 2020, the Pacific Buffet on BC Ferries vessels has sat empty—for years, inaccessible to the public and most recently a space for extra seating—but it will soon house a new restaurant, called Seascapes Lounge. 

The restaurant will open on two Spirit-class vessels before the busy summer season begins. An admission fee of $6 will be charged, which includes unlimited access to tea, coffee, and soft drinks. A curated food menu—made from fresh ingredients, according to the company—and local beer and wine can be purchased separately. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served.

The curated approach could ensure the new restaurant is more financially viable than the former buffet, which offered a large array of all-you-can-eat food options for a $20+ entrance fee. Ultimately, BC Ferries said when permanently closing the buffet in 2023, they spent too much money on a shrinking number of patrons. 

BC Ferries said in its announcement that Seascapes will have a quieter atmosphere than the Coastal Cafe and it anticipates that it will reduce congestion at the cafeteria. 

Giving the people what they want

According to the ferry company, the decision to open a restaurant in the space was mainly customer informed. More than 10K people responded to the company’s surveys, “expressing strong support for premium food options and a quieter atmosphere.”

Capital Daily asked readers in 2023 what they would like to see in the space, and we too had an overwhelming response in favour of a new food spot. Out of nearly 1,300 responses, 576 voted for the return of the Pacific Buffet. Another 348 said a new cafe would be their choice.

Many readers lamented the closure of the buffet, missing the higher quality of the food (anyone remember those incredible chocolate mousse cups?), with one person calling it “a real treasure with great food.” 

“I understand that bringing back the buffet is not economically viable, but we loved that buffet,” wrote one reader, while another said if they couldn’t have the buffet, “another food option would be helpful.”

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⭐️ Capital Picks

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💪🏽 Fit after fifty: See how expertly designed strength and conditioning workouts can help you stay strong and live long with BPM Fitness Centre.*

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🗞️ In Other News

Weathered Songhees boat ramp reveals archeological site says nation
Cracks in the asphalt revealed undisclosed archeological remains below the surface, shutting the nation-only boat ramp. The nation has been frustrated with non-community members, which added to the ramp's decline. The nation says it has its own archeologists examining the area and hope the ramp will reopen for community members soon—and that people outside of the Songhees community refrain from using it. [CHEK]

North Saanich community answers call for soup for woman battling cancer
Andrea Paget, 45-year-old mother of two, recently found out her cancer had returned, affecting her mobility and making it difficult to cook for herself and her family. Her favourite meal is soup, so she put a call out online asking to purchase home-made soup from neighbours. Within hours of posting, she received hundreds of messages offering to cook for her. With two chemo treatments behind her and one more to go, she now has a fully stocked freezer to pull from. [Peninsula News Review]

Music Conservatory CEO has big plans for Pandora site
A $250K exterior upgrade for the conservatory will include a permanent ironwork fence, to hopefully bring more people to the venue and music school. The venue has run at half-capacity since 2021 due to the fire exit frequently being blocked by encampments on Pandora, stopping promoters from booking. There are also plans for a public plaza outside, which could host events. The city has committed $131K to support the project. [Times Colonist]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎶 Tom Vickery Trio: Join the party with Tom and friends, celebrating 40 years of performing at Hermann’s, tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🖌️ Watercolour Class with Richard Wong: Enjoy a talk and presentation about composing a painting with illustrative examples from Wong's paintings at The Gardens at HCP tomorrow. 1-4pm. [Info]

🎤 Vox Project²: See young, talented vocalists Angela Wilson and Sarah Terlesky at Hermann’s tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🤠 Throwdown Thursday with Poppa Don Gernie & Élise Leblanc: Check out this monthly showcase featuring Victoria's favourite bands with new and upcoming acts at The Duke Saloon tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🍝 Dine Around and Stay in Town: Enjoy bites from 50 of Victoria’s top restaurants, with three-course menus set at deliciously low prices. Fri.-Feb.9. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: Climate activist threatened with deportation again; planets aligning in the sky this week; fewer black bears killed; arrest at Hillside Mall.  [Jan. 21]

The first Gorge bridge: See the 1866 bridge made from logs. [Facebook photo]

UVic hangs new banners depicting Lekwungen art across campus. [Details]

Why is there so little change on Pandora, after an end-of-year 'deadline' to move people off the street? [Times Colonist]

Most depressing day of the year? Turns out, this Monday was the same as any other winter day. [Canadian Press]

That’s it!

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