June 2 - What to do this month

Good morning !

We hope you had a good weekend and can look forward to pleasant days outdoors this week.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 20 / 9

Tomorrow: ☀️ 20 / 10

Wednesday: 🌤️ 20 / 11

NEWS

Illegal short-term rental listings must be removed, beginning today

After months of lead-up and a month-long extension to the deadline, short-term rental (STR) sites such as Airbnbs must now remove listings that don’t comply with BC law. Listings have to be registered, and display their registration online, or (as of June 2) the listing will be removed and future ones prevented. By June 23, sites must also cancel future bookings for listed homes that don’t comply. 

City of Victoria struggled with enforcement for years

Three years ago, there were hundreds more STRs operating in Victoria than the city had issued licences for. City rules established in 2017 were intended to constrain the effect of STRs on a rental market that has become one of Canada's tightest and priciest. But the city struggled to enforce that law, which relied on complaints and was stymied by the fact that Airbnb and other rental sites didn't require addresses.

New provincial law changed the regulatory terrain

Since then, newer provincial rules have required addresses and licences while restricting STRs mainly to primary residences in most major BC communities. These changes went into effect last year through the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA) as part of a push to return more units to the long-term rental pool. However, municipalities will be able to opt out of the restrictions if they have vacancy rates over 3% in consecutive years—a milestone Kelowna may soon hit. 

Some Victoria properties are at centre of conflict

Last year, Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said that provincial enforcement would help take on work that had been “pretty onerous” for the city, and estimated 385 units would be affected by the stricter BC rules. This Feb., the BC Supreme Court struck down a petition against the rental laws by a Victoria rental company owner and others, saying that there was not yet any actual enforcement to object to and that the petition was too broad. Some of the most vocal objectors to the new BC laws have been owners of micro-suites in the Inner Harbour's Janion building, which had previously held a legal non-complying status under Victoria's local rules.

Keep reading at Capital Daily for more on a recent industry push to add more exemptions and on Tofino’s flip-flopping status. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Free bus rides for bike riders this week, if you show your bike or helmet.

BC Seniors’ Week runs until June 7.

Sun & some cloud this week, with highs around 20C.

Pacific FC 0 Valour FC 0: A weekend draw in Halifax.

HarbourCats 8 Falcons 3: Victoria sweeps season-opening series.

BC minimum wage rose to $17.85 yesterday.

EVENTS

Here’s what’s happening in Greater Victoria this June

June in Greater Victoria is packed with reasons to get out and explore. Whether you're wandering through a lavender field in Metchosin, sipping wine in the Cowichan Valley, dancing to ska on the Inner Harbour, or chasing your rubber duck to victory on Father's Day, there's something happening for every age and interest. Markets return in full swing, live music fills parks, and neighbourhoods come alive with block parties.

Here’s your guide to what’s happening this month across the region.

NEWS

A year later, Islanders glimpse aurora again

If you caught any aurora photos this weekend, send them in and we will feature some.

It has been almost a year since local skies were lit up by the most significant solar storm in two decades. This past weekend the lights were again visible to some Islanders, though less brightly and clearly.

The northern lights are typically less visible at our latitude and in denser (i.e. brighter) urban areas, but last year’s band of visibility stretched across Canada. This time, the Island was just at the edge of the visibility range.

What goes on up there anyway?  

When the sun emits coronal mass ejections (CMEs), i.e. plasma and magnetic field explosions from the sun’s cornea, they reach Earth as geomagnetic radiation.

When those charged particles hit the atmosphere, they energize the gases up there. This emits light, in colours tied to the elements involved (primarily green for oxygen and red and blue for nitrogen). The Earth’s own magnetic field directs these interactions toward its poles—hence the Northern (and Southern) Lights.

Fluctuations in the Earth’s field and the sun’s output, along with the planet’s movement, cause the lights to “dance” and shift. This year, the sun is in a period of peaking solar activity and reversing magnetic poles.

Last May’s storm hit the maximum rating of G5, which can interfere with electrical and satellite infrastructure. This recent storm was lower (G3-4), per the US-based NOAA, but in many places stronger than last Oct.’s lights.

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, May 30–January 5.

See iconic artifacts like Neil Young’s harmonica, stage outfits from Elton John and Tegan and Sara, and items from Public Enemy’s Chuck D. Through interactive displays and stories, this exhibition showcases how artists used rhythm and lyric 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.

Plan your visit.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🐂 Did you meet Big Bob, the 1,700kg steer, when he visited Beacon Hill in April 1999? The Children’s Farm gathered some Bob photos here, but wants locals to submit more as part of a contest. [Photos / info]

🌊 Unique-looking jellyfish seen near Mystic Beach. [Facebook photos]

🤝 Now hiring: Dental Hygienist (RDH) at Oaklands Dental.

Support local journalism by supporting Capital Daily. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today and help bring local stories to life. 

🗞️ In Other News

Victoria Horseshoe Club celebrates 90 years—and 100-year-old player
The local club's enthusiasts held an anniversary party on Sat. in Saanich. Attendees included Tom Moffat, current elder-division world champion, and Bob Curtis, called the world's oldest active player by his club peers. Curtis took up the sport just 15 years ago, when his bowling league shut down. He used to play tournaments, but has scaled back—so as to not “overpower the youngsters” who are only 80, the club pres. says. [CHEK] 

Former Traveller's Inn on Queens will be demolished
BC Housing is tearing down the Queen's Manor building, which Cool Aid operated as supportive housing until residents were moved to a Balmoral facility last year. Victoria bought the three-storey in 2010 when the motel chain folded; it was renovated and bought by BC Housing in 2013. [Times Colonist]

Eby heads to Asia on 10-day trade mission—without BCAFN rep
The BC premier will visit Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia seeking trade partnerships. But he'll be without Terry Teege of the BC Assembly of First Nations, who left the trip and said he can't promote BC resource projects when new Bill 14 & 15 legislation “tramples our rights and threatens our territories.” Eby says the province will work to re-establish its commitment to Indigenous partnerships. [CP]

YYJ ends Robbins Parking deal after 40+ years
As of yesterday the airport will contract parking services to LAZ Parking Canada, which also serves YEG and YYC. The airport authority said that it picked the US-owned company over the Island mainstay, and other bidders, because it offered the “best overall capabilities and value.” [Times Colonist]

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🗓️ Things to do

🚴 Go By Bike Week Celebration Stations. Today’s are at Camosun’s Lansdowne Fountain (8-10am) and Victoria’s Centennial Square (4-6pm). Anyone on a bike, skateboard, scooter, or roller skates can enjoy prize draws; free bike maintenance (at some stations); and free coffee, lemonade, granola bars, Hornby bars, and fruit. [Schedule]

🛶 Sea Kayaking & Intertidal Exploration: Guided kayak tour from Oak Bay plus seaweed discovery session with marine biologist Amanda Swinimer. Today. 12pm. [Info]

💃 Latin Dance: Merengue: Take part in a fun outdoor Latin dance session. This event is part of the CityVibe summer series and is open to all ages and skill levels. Ship Point. Tonight. 5:30pm-7:30pm. [Info]

🌊 Ocean-Themed Pub Trivia: Marine trivia night at Christie’s Pub with Sixty Watt Trivia. Tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

Find more Ocean Week events at Capital Daily. 

🛳️ What’s Offshore

We only noticed one cargo ship spending extended time in Victoria waters this past weekend: 

• Kodiak Island: 2017-built bulk carrier sailing from Tianjin Xingang, China to Vancouver under a Hong Kong flag 🇭🇰

But there were several cruise ship visits, including:

• Discovery Princess, built 2022 and sailing from Skagway, Alaska under a Bermuda flag 🇧🇲. You can watch where this ship is sailing right now using its online bridge cam.

• Westerdam: Built 2004. Sailing from Ketchikan, Alaska. Netherlands flag 🇳🇱 

• Norwegian Encore: Built 2019. Sailing to Seattle. Bahamas flag 🇧🇸 

• Seven Seas Mariner: Built 2001. Sailing to Seattle from Vancouver. Bahamas flag 🇧🇸 

• Quantum of the Seas: Built 2014. Sailing to Seattle. Bahamas flag 🇧🇸

As always, we welcome your photos of ships you see off the shore and would love to include them in these Monday roundups.