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CHEK News filed an FOI request about a conference the City of Victoria paid $47,497 to host. It was supposed to be three days, but interest was low, so it was condensed into one day.
The city paid a cellist $900 for 45 minutes of ambient music (no offence to the musician—we’re glad they were paid).
When asked about it, our mayor’s first words were, “Really? That’s a story?”
See details below in In Case You Missed It.
— Mark
Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes
🌡 Weather Forecast
NEWS
Door-to-door mail delivery will stop next year for many in the CRD
Canada Post has delivered the dates for the move to community boxes for several area municipalities. Photo: Canada Post
Don’t get Dad a new mailbox for Father’s Day—he’s soon going to have to take a walk to collect his mail.
Canada Post is phasing out door-to-door delivery, and that’s going to affect some residents in Colwood, Esquimalt, Langford, Saanich, View Royal, Victoria, and the Songhees Reserve, where the conversion is expected to be complete by November 2027.
This phase of the transition applies to addresses attached to postal codes beginning with V9A, V9B, and V9C.
Canada Post says it’s going to take about five years to convert four million addresses countrywide that still receive door-to-door delivery, with different areas transitioning each year.
“The Corporation’s deteriorating financial situation—including a record loss in 2025 and another significant loss in the first quarter of 2026—underscores the urgency of this transformation,” the company said in a release.
It said nearly three-quarters of Canadian addresses already receive mail and parcels through some form of secure, centralized delivery, such as community mailboxes, apartment lobby boxes, and post office boxes.
Canada Post says the move will increase security because mail and parcels delivered by the company will be under lock and key. It says it expects this to be a money-saver because delivering to the door “costs significantly more than to a community mailbox.”
The company said there are no plans to reduce delivery frequency.
“In fact, CUPW employees recently voted in favour of the tentative agreement, which includes a new operating model to support weekend parcel delivery,” spokesperson Lisa Liu said.
See also:
• The move to community mailboxes
• About the boxes
• How the boxes function
⚠ Capital Bulletin
PKOLS parking lot and Churchill Drive reopen tomorrow. [Saanich]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
On the water today? Check the tide times for Victoria.
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NEWS
BC Coroners Service shares summer safety warning as deaths from outdoor activities rise
The BCCS reminds hikers to stick to trails and take precautionary measures before setting out. Photo: Shutterstock
The BC Coroners Service (BCCS) is reminding British Columbians to stay safe this summer as the number of deaths related to outdoor recreation rises this time of the year.
“One of the benefits of living in such a beautiful province is that we have many different opportunities to explore the outdoors year-round,” said Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, BC’s chief coroner. “However, every summer we see several fatalities that are mostly preventable.”
Baidwan encourages active people to consider safety measures when planning any outdoor activity. "Warmer weather brings more opportunities for adventures and more risks,” he said.
Water Safety
The number of drownings linked to recreational activities nearly doubled between March 1 and May 31 compared to the same period last year.
• 9 people drowned in 2026, compared with 5 in 2025
• Over the last 10 years, on average, 18% of drownings in BC happened on the Island
• Lakes, ponds, and rivers were the most common bodies of water where deaths occurred
Simple decisions that could save a life:
• Wearing a life jacket
• Avoiding alcohol and cannabis while boating or swimming
• Ensuring children are supervised near water
Hiking- and climbing-related deaths
Most commonly, it’s because someone fell. The numbers typically increase between May and September and peak in July, according to the BCCS. The Island was the scene of 14% of hiking/climbing deaths over the last 10 years.
Safety tips for hiking include:
• Avoiding steep edges
• Hiking and climbing within your skill set
• Packing enough food and water
• Telling someone about your plans and your expected return
Motorcycle Fatalities
On the roadways, the number of motorcycle deaths nearly tripled between March and May compared to last spring, with 14 deaths up from five. Most recent motorcycle deaths were caused by collisions with animals and difficulty navigating curves.
This topic ran for our Insiders on June 7. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.
SPONSORED BY PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY
Looking for a meaningful way to support food security?
Join Team PHS at the Under Armour Eastside 10K—or donate to support its runners—as PHS Community Services Society works toward a $30,000 fundraising goal for its Victoria and Vancouver food programs.
However you participate, you’re helping PHS provide 3,900+ meals daily.
⭐️ Capital Picks
⚽🍁 FIFA World Cup: Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina today at 12pm. [Summer of Soccer watch party]
🏓 2026 Macdonald Realty Classic pickleball tourney begins today at Pearkes Community Centre.
🌿 FernFest is tomorrow, 12pm to 10pm at Fernwood Square.
⚓ Esquimalt Neighbourhood Party is tomorrow, 11am to 2pm at Bullen Park.
☀️⭐ Mabuhay! Celebration 2026 Filipino festival tomorrow and Sunday, 10am to 5pm at Centennial Square.
🪶 Change Makers Gathering Festival is tomorrow, 10am to 2pm at Langford Station.
🍗 1 Luv Kitchen Jerk Festival is tomorrow, 12pm to 6pm at Market Square.
🗞 In Other News
Colwood city workers vote 92% in favour of job action
CUPE Local 374 voted Tuesday to take action, though the union will not be in a legal strike position until the BC Labour Relations Board rules on what will be considered essential services. Negotiations between the union and the city, which have been ongoing for seven months, have stalled over health-leave benefits. The city says job action could cause delays for multiple municipal services, including Colwood’s city-run medical clinic. [Times Colonist]
Victoria is considering a garden atop Johnson parkade
City staff will research the benefits of having a community garden replace 16 rooftop parking spots in the Johnson Street Parkade. The spot was selected by the Downtown Residents’ Association, which says a lack of gardening spaces downtown is a significant livability concern for those in the area. The residents' association says the parkade rarely fills all 272 parking spots. The rooftop already has water access and can accommodate between 67 and 100 garden plots. [Victoria News]
Honest person turns in $500 after finding it on an Oak Bay sidewalk
This actually happened last month—on Tuesday, May 26. An unidentified person was walking along Oak Bay Ave near Hampshire around 10:30am when they came across the money scattered along the sidewalk. The person collected it and brought it to the Oak Bay Police station just up the road. Oak Bay Police said they did some follow-up and were able to identify the rightful owner, who came in to collect the cash.
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🗓 Things To Do
🧚Gnome + Fairy Terrarium Workshop: Plant and decorate your own mini ecosystem, complete with fairies and gnomes, and get tips to keep your terrarium thriving at home. VI Plant Shop. Today. 5:30–6:30pm. [Info]
♟️All-ages Board Game Night: The VWCA’s free, monthly drop-in board game event welcomes groups, and you can play with your fellow community members. Vic West Community Association. Today. 6:30pm-9pm. [Info]
🎸 Pastel Blank and Nora Kelly Band: The Montreal-Victoria indie act blends post-punk, funk, and maximalist pop and shares the stage with the alt-country Nora Kelly Band. The Coda. Tonight. 6:30–8:30pm. [Info]
🔮 Psychic and Spiritual Arts Fair: Metaphysical practitioners, tarot readers, energy healers, crystal vendors, and wellness sellers gather for a day of spiritual arts and alternative medicine. Mary Winspear Centre. Tomorrow. 10am. [Info]
🌹 Edible Flower Gardening Workshop: Lynda Dowling of Happy Valley Lavender and Herb Farm leads a hands-on workshop on growing and eating edible flowers. Patio Gardens. Tomorrow. 10am–12pm. [Info]
🌿 Plant Identification: Participants learn plant anatomy, basic botany language, and identification keys with hands-on practice. Compost Education Centre. Tomorrow. 1–3pm. [Info]
🎼 Strings Showcase Concert: The final strings showcase of the year features solo and ensemble performances by Victoria Conservatory of Music students and faculty. Alix Goolden Performance Hall. Tomorrow. 3–4:30pm. [Info]
🕺 Passion and Performance: Spring Showcase 2026: An annual dance showcase celebrating 15 years features an electrifying lineup of jazz, tap, hip hop, ballet, heels, lyrical, and more. McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 6pm. [Info]
👀 In Case You Missed It
Thursday’s headlines: Why some say they don’t go downtown; Online group exploiting children; Stew Young wants back in as Langford mayor. [June 11]
RIP Rifflandia: music festival cancelled after 18 years. [Capital Daily]
Yeah, that’s a story: Taxpayers paid almost $50K for an invite-only public safety forum. [CHEK]
David Foster 40th Anniversary Celebration: CeeLo Green and Loren Allred join the lineup for the Inner Harbour show this August.
RunSport Victoria Track Classic is today at UVic.
BC SPCA Summer Camp youth programs begin July 7.
Pacific FC offers free tickets for kids for a July 31 match.
That’s it!
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