Jan 25 - 470 Islanders killed by drugs last year

Good morning !

Dine Around and Stay in Town is kicking off tomorrow, with deals at some of Victoria’s best restaurants and hotels. If you’re getting bored of your usual spots, this is a great opportunity to find some hidden gems in the city, all while supporting local businesses.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Penny F, a Capital Daily member who supports our daily reporting. Support local journalism and join them and other locals who help make our newsletter possible each morning.

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 9 / 6

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 9 / 8

Day after: 🌧️ 11 / 9

7-day forecast

NEWS

470 Islanders died from toxic drugs in 2023

More than 2,500 people died in BC last year as a result of the toxic drug crisis, marking its worst year since recording began. 

On average, nearly seven people died each day with the number of deceased increasing by 5% from 2022, previously the record-breaking year.

The Island saw 470 deaths, with 145 occurring in Greater Victoria, a similar number to 2022 when 146 died from toxic drugs. In Nanaimo, 116 people died as a result of toxic drugs, an increase from the 85 who died in 2022. Campbell River had 47 deaths and 43 died in the Cowichan Valley.

On the Island, 40 people died from opioids in Nov. and 47 in Dec., the highest monthly toll since Feb. Capital Daily previously reported on the spike in drug deaths during colder months, with outreach workers in Victoria saying the situation continues to get worse.

“This crisis, driven primarily by unregulated fentanyl, has cost our province dearly in the loss of much-loved and valued members of our communities,” Lisa Lapointe, the province’s chief coroner said in a statement.

Read more on the rising deaths and what Lapointe says needs to be done to lower them.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Have your say on CRD parks, if you’re selected. [Survey]

Road closures: See which streets are under construction in Victoria.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Slower, safer roads coming to Langford

Langford became the most recent city in the south Island region to prioritize public safety on roads when council unanimously moved to adopt its new Traffic Calming Policy.

Reducing the likelihood of accidents on roadways is a priority for many municipalities on the Island, like Saanich and Victoria—both municipalities have taken steps to reduce speeds, update signal infrastructure and to improve intersections along their roadways, with the aim to align with various provincial programs, such as the BC Road Safety Strategy 2025, the Safe System and the Vision Zero program.

Drafted in accordance with the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)’s Guide to Traffic Calming, Langford’s new policy will match those in place in other BC cities.

Read more on why this new policy is an important step in reducing traffic incidents in Langford.

FOOD

Dine Around and Stay in Town kicks off this week

One of Victoria’s most iconic food festivals is coming back to town tomorrow, running until Feb. 22. Dine Around and Stay in Town is a food-oriented festival featuring a dozen hotels and more than 45 different restaurants in the Greater Victoria area, giving you the chance to try a variety of unique cuisines at a great price point. Enjoy a staycation and find your new favourite spots to eat and chill.

Get all the details here, including how to snag a reservation.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🌈 Double rainbow arch over Oak Bay Marina.

❓ Have questions, comments, or concerns about provincial policies, programs, and services in Oak Bay-Gordon Head? Contact BC NDP MLA Murray Rankin at [email protected] or 250-472-8528.*

⭐ Nominate your favourite local restaurants in the Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards. It’s your last week to enter your nominations in any of the 18 categories here!

🤝 Now hiring: Student marketeer (UVic) at Red Bull.

🎹  The Great American Songbook Trio: See local music icons Louise Rose, Joey Smith, and Kelby MacNayr perform music of the jazz age at Hermann’s:

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Man faces 6 charges in stabbing outside VicPD HQ
Daniel Phelps, who is in his 30s, is accused of slashing a cyclist with a knife just before 8am Tue. near the intersection of Quadra and Caledonia. The victim is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries. Police say before the stabbing, Phelps stole a tablet and pulled a fire alarm at a nearby childcare facility. [VicPD] 

Motorcyclist killed in collision on Douglas at Pembroke
The northbound bike struck a southbound pickup around 4pm Tuesday. Bystanders, then paramedics tried to help the motorcyclist who died at the scene. The roadway was closed for several hours. VicPD seeks witnesses, dashcam footage. [VicPD]

Van Isle pics make it to Canadian Geographic photo contest 
Among the 8K+ entries to the magazine’s 2023 Canadian Photos of the Year competition were three taken on the Island which made it to the honours list, with stunning photos of: A salmon in the water with a bear walking by; Fog rolling in as surfers walk along a Tofino shoreline, and; A mountain biker in the Nanaimo morning sun. [Canadian Geographic]

Oak Bay “doll house” available for relocation
It’ll only cost you $125K to own the home, but you’ll have to find another property for it. The two-bedroom home, nicknamed the Doll House, is apparently “move-in ready” once it reaches its new location, according to the Nickel Bros., a company known for its house moves. [Vic News]

🗓️ Things to do

Robbie Burns Night: Celebrate Scottish culture with haggis and bagpiper performances at the Bard and Banker, tonight at 7pm. 

Isle of Tease Festival: See the burlesque performances at the Victoria Conference Centre, tomorrow and Saturday at 8pm. 

In Angel’s Wede: The Baltimore Consort performs music from Scotland and elsewhere, with Robert Aubry Davis, Saturday at 7:30pm. [Info]

Hot Chocolate Festival. Mmmmm. For the next month at various venues. [Info]

Dine Around and Stay in Town Victoria kicks off its 20th anniversary with its annual Gala Launch. Enjoy bites and bevvy’s from over 50 Victoria eateries, as well as live music, circus performances, and more! You don’t want to miss this one – get your tickets!*

Victoria in Love: Hear the Victoria Symphony perform a series of love songs at the Royal Theatre, Saturday and Sunday.

The No-State Solution: A dialogue with Palestinian sociologist Mohammed Bamyeh and Israeli political scientist Uri Gordon at Sunset Labs, this Sunday at 12pm.

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

Victoria’s future looks big, say councillors. [Capital Daily]

Tuesday headlines: Vic woman awarded $1M in damages in 2016 car collision; Sooke fire prompts changes; UVic astronomy prof’s look at the galaxy. [Jan. 24]

See a line of Dunlins logrolling in Colwood.

Missing man last seen downtown. [VicPD]

Oak Bay man invents quiet pickleball paddle to hush the racket. [CHEK]

10 best Valentine’s Day dinners in Victoria. [Tasting Vic]

That’s it!

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

And before you go, let us know: