June 23 - 6 new places to eat in Victoria

Good morning !

We're in a stretch of the longest days of the year, with local sunsets coming well after 9pm. Clouds have gotten in the way of the late light lately, but feel free to send us your best photos from these bright summer nights.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 7 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 20 / 11

Tomorrow: ☁️ 20 / 13

Wednesday: 🌧️ 20 / 11

NEWS

Farmers’ market coupon plan gets more dough, but it’s full this year 

With summer now officially well underway, the BC government has added $4.25M to a program that helps people with fewer means enjoy the fruits and labour of the province’s plentiful farmers’ markets. 

“The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program promotes healthy eating and gives people an opportunity to connect with and support local farmers and producers,” Health Minister Josie Osborne said in a release. 

Under the program, lower-income families, women expecting babies, and seniors in food literacy programs receive coupons that can be used to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, herbs, and honey.

The program supports 100+ markets across 90 BC communities, including Victoria, where several farmers’ markets participate. 

Each household enrolled in the plan can receive a minimum of $27 per week in coupons for up to 16 weeks. 

“This program helps people on a low income get fresh and nutritious food grown by local farmers,” said Agriculture Minister Lana Popham.

Farmers' markets are popular in BC, with upwards of five million people visiting BC’s markets each year, the province said

They do brisk business here in the CRD, with the Esquimalt, James Bay, and Moss markets among those involved in the coupon plan. 

The program was introduced in 2012 and has been highly popular—8,600+ people used the coupons last year—so applicants who register with community partners—not the markets themselves—are selected by a random draw. 

This year’s program is already at capacity and is no longer taking applications, the province said in a release.

Read Capital Daily’s latest guide to local markets here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Mostly cloudy this week, but warm.

Oak Bay Rec pool reopens today.

Parks Canada: Free admission and 25% off camping / overnight fees until Sept. 2.

HarbourCats lose weekend series to Kamloops Northpaws.

Pacific FC loses 0-1 to Cavalry in Calgary.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

FOOD

6 new places to eat in Victoria

Victoria's culinary scene is about to get even tastier, with a promising crop of local newcomers and expansions currently in the works.

Highlights of the upcoming cohort of openings include the Westshore's first ramen shop, the return of Hero Sandwich pop-ups, and a new place to find the famous “Bronut" breakfast sandwich.

Read the full roundup at Tasting Victoria.

Insider members got to read this story earlier this month. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today to help bring local stories to life—and to get full access to the Sunday edition newsletter.

NEWS

Victoria biotech company wins $10K pitch competition at Web Summit Vancouver

Local startup VoxCell BioInnovation does work screening cancer-fighting drugs by developing human-like cancer tissue to test them on. 

Earlier this month it was named the winner of The $10K Pitch: BC’s Startup All-Stars, a live pitch competition hosted at Web Summit Vancouver by Innovate BC and New Ventures BC.

The company beat out other high-growth startups in a finale judged by a panel of investors and innovation leaders. The 12 competitors chosen were all past top-10 finishers in the New Ventures BC Competition, which looks for the most promising ventures in the province. After an initial round of pitches, the top four had a final showdown on the main stage at Web Summit.

CEO Karolina Valente said that the win helps VoxCell “break through the noise and prove we’re building something that matters,” attracting both investors and the public.

Back in 2022, VoxCell and Dr. Alexandre Brolo of UVic got $300K from Innovate BC to develop their artificial tissues, which involves a custom high-resolution 3D bioprinter, advanced vascularized software, and the proprietary bio-inks that produce the tissue.

Read more at Victoria Tech Journal / Vancouver Tech Journal.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🍓🌕 Strawberry Moon: Gorgeous shots of the lunar show seen earlier this month, from reader Cecile Brisebois-Guillemot. [Facebook]

🛩 Philippine Mars water bomber is almost done being reassembled at the Arizona museum that is the former firefighting plane’s new permanent home.

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42K followers

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🗞️ In Other News

Comox Valley musician dies before weekend concert
Sunday's multi-musician summer show in Simms Park was cancelled after the loss of Anela Kahiamoe, originally from Hawaii. Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said Kahiamoe died on Wed. and was a “dear friend” and “hard-working musician that played at every community event.” [CHEK]

Dungeness crab may be declining in Salish Sea
The crabs are a major part of the fishing industry, but there are indications that ocean acidification and other climate change effects may be harming their populations. Hakai Institute researchers are now researching the crabs at their under-studied larval stage by using light to draw them into a trap. [CBC]

Campbell River's movie theatre reopening this week, half a year after shutting
Golin Cinemas, the owners of Victoria’s Roxy and Capitol 6 theatres, says it is resurrecting the formerly Landmark-owned Caprice and bringing back the same management team. [Black Press]

BC senior's human rights complaint against BC Housing can proceed
Constance Howard's monthly subsidy was reduced $260/month on the grounds that her son benefitted from it by moving in. He didn't qualify as a live-in caregiver, but a tribunal has concluded that he was the best option Howard had access to. This makes it plausible that the subsidy cut was related to family status, and so a hearing can proceed. [Vancouver Sun]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎶 Beacon Hill outdoor concerts: Jaya Bremer Quintet today at 1:30pm. Garden City Harmony drop-in choir is Wed. Cameron Bandshell. [Info]

⚓ Entertainment at Ship Point: Today is Latin Dance - Kizomba. Tomorrow is Georgiy Matviyiv. Wed. is Bad Rabbit Radio Live. [Info] 

🌍 AfriCa Fest begins this Thu. in Centennial Square. [Info]

🎭 JÉHANNE by Colin Doroschuk at Alix Goolden Performance Hall: A new Canadian operatic exploration of the extraordinary vision quest of the French heroine Joan of Arc. The world premiere performance is June 27. 7:30pm. [Info]

🧑‍🌾 PKOLS Market in Gordon Head: A brand-new addition to Victoria’s market scene, this Sunday market at Lambrick Park brings together local farmers, food vendors, artisans, and entertainers in a relaxed, community-focused setting. Starts on June 29. 10am–2pm. [Free entrance]

WHAT’S OFFSHORE

Sunday evening’s visible vessels:

Quantum of the Seas: This Royal Caribbean ship has been present a lot here this season, and in the fall will switch to running Mexico cruises leaving from LA. Launched in 2014 after a nearly $1B construction, the ship is 448m long with a whopping 4,905-passenger max capacity.

Queen Elizabeth: This 2010-built cruise ship is coming from Halibut Point USA. It’s 294m long and carries 2,081 (2,547 max) passengers. The ship is one of several Cunard Line cruise vessels named after queens; there's also a Queen Victoria. Don't get it confused with the HMS Queen Elizabeth, though—that's an actual UK warship.  

Meanwhile, the warship HMCS Max Bernays was out near the coast of Colwood last night.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Sunday news: Free summer parks. Major trails still recovering from winter damage. Weekend’s top stories. [June 22]

SUV goes into Sproat Lake: 5 injured; alcohol suspected. [RCMP]

Baby geese in the North Island. [Instagram]

False alarm at Saanich mall: Large police response found no armed robbery. [CHEK]

Family gets small totem pole back after friends realize they found it years ago. [Times Colonist]