July 3 - Events happening this month

Good morning !

Today, we look at Victoria’s first phase of its Community Safety Plan, which is being expedited after multiple assaults downtown on Sunday.

In lighter news, we’ve got your roundup of July events and there’s LOTS happening this month. Let us know what you’re looking forward to or if we missed something fun happening in the city.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 20 / 11

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 22 / 12

Day after: 🌤️ 17 / 11

NEWS

Victoria reallocates $10M to deal with downtown street crime

The city plans to hire a dozen bylaw officers, push for nine new police officers, and open more shelters as it addresses community safety issues, especially downtown.

“Victorians are frustrated with the rising degree of street disorder and the consequences from it that affect the daily lives of residents,” Mayor Marianne Alto said yesterday.

Addressing concerns stated in its Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan (CSWP), which the council is expected to ratify today, the city said it will spend $1.9 million on the new bylaw positions and $1.35 million to support the hiring or redeployment of nine police officers strictly to Victoria. 

The city can’t dictate how VicPD deploys its personnel, but it said it will ask the police chief to put more resources downtown. 

It also will match—one time only—the $220K provincial funding VicPD is using to step up foot patrol.

In a release, VicPD said increased patrols began last week, and they will continue to focus on the downtown core, specifically between Blanshard and Wharf, and from Chatham to Ogden Point. 

“This is exactly the type of thing our members have called for, which is increased foot patrols, among other things, from VicPD,” Jeff Bray, the Downtown Victoria Business Association CEO, told Capital Daily.

The city said it will spend nearly $2 million to create new short-term emergency shelters and more than half that to operate them.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here to find out where the money is coming from.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Gorge closure: The road will be closed from Harriet to Jutland for two weeks for underground servicing work. Follow detours and crew directions. 7am-5pm. [City of Victoria]

Work on Sooke Road at Veterans Memorial, where new car wash is being built, until July 14. Expect traffic delays. [Colwood]

Have your say: Provide feedback on BC’s climate plan until Aug. 1. [BC Gov]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Events happening in Greater Victoria this July

We’re heading into the peak of the summer, and July is chock-full of amazing events in Victoria. From music festivals and food festivals to comedy shows, Pride events, and musicals, there’s no shortage of fun to be had this month. 

Highlights include the first installment of Phillips Backyard Festival, Victoria’s first Folk Festival, the Pride Parade, Colwood’s Eats & Beats, and a weeklong run of The Book of Mormon.

Check out the full list of events here.

SPONSORED BY THE ROYAL BC MUSEUM

Feel the rhythm of change

Explore how music became a powerful force for justice in Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change—a travelling exhibition from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights—until January 5 at the Royal BC Museum.

See iconic artifacts like Neil Young’s harmonica, stage outfits from Elton John and Tegan & Sara, and items from Public Enemy’s Chuck D.

Through interactive displays and stories, this exhibition showcases how artists used rhythm and lyrics to challenge the status quo and inspire social movements around the world.

From protest anthems to global calls for change, discover the soundtrack of resistance that shaped history—and still resonates today.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏫 Before and after: See the beautiful backyard where the former Glenlyon School once stood in Oak Bay. [Facebook photos]

🎥 Library film recommendation: Sweet Summer Powwow, filmed in Cowichan Valley, is one of GVPL’s recommended offerings for the summer. [GVPL]

🦌 A newborn deer takes its first few steps in the backyard of a construction job site in Victoria. [Video]

🗞️ In Other News

BC Hydro impersonation scams surged in May
The hydro company says 60 people fell for scams during the month, with another 92 evading them—this is a 36% increase compared with data from Feb. to April. The scammers offered customers fraudulent discounts on solar panels, home upgrades, and other services. Some scammers even showed up at customers’ doors dressed as BC Hydro staff. One successful scam involved a Google ad banner that brought customers to a website that was identical to BC Hydro’s. The company believes the number of scams could be higher, as many people don’t report. [Times Colonist]

Oak Bay residents wake up to a stranger in their kitchen
A little after four in the morning on Tuesday, June 24, residents of a home on Henderson, near Arden, awoke to the sounds of someone in their kitchen. They explored and found a woman they didn’t know. Police arrived and arrested the woman, who was in possession of items belonging to the home. Charges of breaking and entering have been sworn against the suspect, about whom Oak Bay Police gave no background information. [Oak Bay Police]

View Royal goalie makes Team BC for Canada Summer Games
Callie Turpin picked up soccer at age 11, choosing goalkeeper because she's “never really been interested in all the running.” Now, just six years later, she has won a BC championship with Spectrum Community School and will battle the nation’s best next month. She and fellow Van Island Wave player Katharina Cronkhite will represent BC—and Greater Victoria—Aug. 8-17 in Newfoundland. [VicNews]

SPONSORED BY BC EGG

Feathers, family, and forward thinking

Jordan Wiens blends tradition and tech to raise healthy hens—and future farmers—in BC’s Fraser Valley. Discover how this egg farmer puts animal welfare first.

Read the full article here.

🗓️ Things to do

⚜️ La Société francophone de Victoria presents: Pop-savvy songwriter Matt Stern, drag performer Honey Dewme, and rising star Sara Rose will take the stage for a vibrant, free show in Centennial Square today. 5pm. [Info]

✍️ Pride in the Word: Join this evening celebrating queer literature at the Victoria Conference Centre tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🍏 The Sutcliffes: Musical History Tour: Hear the evolution of The Beatles’ music, performed by the local tribute band the Sutcliffes at Hermann’s, today and tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🎶 Phillips Backyard Festival: Tilt: Catch Unknown Mortal Orchestra, G-Eazy, Cold War Kids, and more at the first installment of the summer festival series this weekend. [$120+] 

🎵 Victoria Folk Festival: See Frazey Ford, Joel Plasket, Kacy & Clayton, and more popular folk acts at the inaugural Folk Fest in Royal Athletic Park. Sat. 12pm. [Info]

🌴 Tropic Rooftop: Groove & Getaway: Think palm trees, neon lights, beachy vibes, and nothing but good energy under the stars. Strathcona Rooftop. Sat. 9pm-1am. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: Bonnie Henry heads Order of Canada class; Rifflandia makes it to the museum; Canada Day packs them in. [July 2]

Stranger offers Langford man permanent home for free after he was told not to park RV on Goldstream. [CHEK]

Seriously injured man found in building near Queens and Douglas. [CTV] 

Small plane nosedives ahead of takeoff in Courtenay. Pilot was uninjured. [Comox Valley Record]

Oak Bay Collector Car Festival is July 13. [Register here]

A lake ball, surf ball, beach ball, spill ball, or ball of debris. [Field Naturalists of Vancouver Island]

That’s it!

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