June 27 - Saanich AAP in numbers test

Good morning, !

Residents’ group Save Our Saanich says fewer than 500 No ballots may be needed to reject the AAP to borrow $150 million to build a new operations centre. And rejection is what Fairy Creek protesters have received from a BC Supreme Court judge.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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NEWS

Residential group says it may have the numbers to stall Saanich operations centre AAP

As Saanich begins to count ballots opposing its alternative approval process (AAP) for a new operations centre, a group leading its opposition appears confident there will be enough votes to reject the proposal. 

“We’re very optimistic,” Nancy Di Castri, president of Save Our Saanich Neighbourhoods Society, tells Capital Daily.

The group of Saanich residents says it delivered 8,276 hard-copy electoral response forms (ERFs) to Saanich Municipal Hall on Wednesday, the final day to vote to reject Saanich’s request to borrow $150M for the project.

Under provincial rules for an AAP, only 10% of the populace must officially oppose it, or it passes.

In Saanich’s case, 8,735 no votes would have to be received, meaning if the Save Our Saanich count is accurate, 459 are now needed to sidetrack the AAP.

That would leave the municipality to decide whether to hold a referendum or put the idea aside.

“Should the AAP fail, Saanich Council would need to work with staff to identify next steps,” said a spokesperson for Mayor Dean Murdock, who told Capital Daily the mayor wouldn’t comment until the AAP outcome is known. 

The district’s corporate officer is now counting and certifying the ERFs, and the results will be announced during an upcoming council meeting, Saanich said in a release. 

Di Castri says her group isn’t against the idea of building a new ops centre to replace the 60-year-old centre at 1040 McKenzie. It just doesn’t feel like the AAP process is democratic.

“Because nobody knows about it. It's like negative billing,” she says, referring to the practice where a consumer gets charged for a service or product without their explicit consent. The federal government banned negative billing in 1996.

“First of all, they have to know about it, which was a big hurdle,” Di Castri says. “And then they have to go to the trouble to download the ballot, either email it in, or, you know, print it, sign it, and take it into Saanich,” she continues. “So you know, it's, it's a somewhat cumbersome process.”

Antithetically, an AAP’s support is registered through silence.

Read Mark Brennae’s full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Sooke byelection reminder. It’s on July 12.

Another Reminder: Tuesday is 🍁Canada Day🍁

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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NEWS

Attempted class-action suit against RCMP for conduct at Fairy Creek rejected

The BC Supreme Court judge presiding over the case said there were too many variations in the individual cases to consider them as a whole. While the class-action suit won’t move forward, plaintiffs can still take on the RCMP through personal claims.

The lawsuit was initially filed by two members of the media, Arvin Dang and Kristy Morgan, against the RCMP’s use of exclusion zones and its “catch and release” policy at Fairy Creek. The two were working on separate projects documenting the demonstrations, now known as the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history, with more than 1,200 people arrested. 

The lawsuit would have included anyone who had been restricted, arrested, searched, or had property seized, but for whom the RCMP did not recommend bringing charges. This would include media and protesters, making up at least 100 people.

The judge called the class-action lawsuit “wholly unmanageable” and likely to collapse.

Multiple logging deferrals have been placed in the Fairy Creek Watershed since 2022—these will expire next year but could potentially be extended, as has been the case for the last two expiration deadlines—but the legal battles are far from over. 

Green Party deputy leader Angela Davidson, known as Rainbow Eyes, has appealed the length of her sentence for seven counts of criminal contempt at the blockades. In the spring, she had her sentence reduced to 51 days from 60, but her lawyer argues the sentence is still too long.

In late 2023, logging company Teal-Jones sued 15 blockaders for $10M in lost revenues. This case has yet to make it to the courts.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🎥 Canadian series filming yesterday in James Bay will continue all summer throughout the city.

⚽ Pacific FC hosts Vancouver FC tonight. [Tickets] 

🌼 Island wildflowers: See the colourful native species in Campbell River. [Facebook photos]

🥪 Mouth-watering bites: See the chorizo po’ boy from Songhees Food Truck. [Photo]

🗞️ In Other News

Feds commit to loaning up to $1B for BC Ferries upgrades, new ships
Up to $690 million will go towards the new Chinese-built vessels, and up to $310 million will fund electrification infrastructure, says the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The loans will be disbursed in four installments, with all funding to be completed by 2030. The first portion of $133 million was received on May 22. The decision to hire a Chinese shipbuilder was met with heavy bipartisan criticism; the feds say the loaned money must only be used for ferry operations, and the company must share plans for mitigating security risks. [CHEK]

Plans underway for new outdoor pool in Westshore
And possibly an indoor one, too, in Colwood. A community group exploring the idea says fundraising and grants would help pay for an Olympic-sized outdoor pool, which would be the first in Greater Victoria. The next step is a feasibility study to determine costs. Mike Reilly of the Rotary Club of West Shore and co-lead of the West Shore Community Pool Project says a smaller, second pool could be built with funding from the municipalities of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society. [Black Press]

New anti-sextortion bus shelter ads raising eyebrows, awareness
The posters all have the phrase “Show me your” followed by either an eggplant, peach, taco, melon, or cat emoji, representing body parts. It’s part of a provincial government and police campaign to talk about sextortion—sexual extortion, where young people are blackmailed online into sharing explicit images unless they pay off the perpetrator or send more nude photos. It’s a rising problem, including for young boys who get scammed by culprits impersonating teenage girls interested in a sexual encounter. [Times Colonist]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎸🍁 Great Canadian Bash: Big Sugar and Trooper, along with Nautical Disaster, Canada’s preeminent Hipsters, perform outdoors in a celebration of Canadian music, culture, food, and summer. Starlight Stadium. Sat. 4:30pm.  [Info]

🥳 Millie’s Lane Block Party: A one-night community showcase featuring live music, food, and performances. Free food for the first 80 attendees. 760 Yates. Today. 5:30-7:30pm. [Info]

🌍 12th AfriCa Fest 2025: "Flavours of Africa & the Caribbean" is billed as a celebration of dance, culture, cuisine, and community. Today, 5-9pm. Sat. & Sun. 11am-8/9pm. [Info]

👐 TD Victoria International JazzFest: Funk, soul, fusion, and more will be performed at this festival as it celebrates its 41st anniversary. Today through Sun. Various venues. [Info]

🎼 Greater Victoria Concert Band at Beacon Hill Park: Ahead of Canada Day, the concert will feature some unique Canadian music and composers. See and hear the junior, intermediate, and senior bands. Cameron Bandshell. Sun. 12:30-3:30pm. [Info]

🎭 The Last Yiddish Speaker: Deborah Zoe Laufer’s fast-paced drama with a streak of magical realism involves a Jewish father and his daughter. Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, Black Box Theatre. Through Sun. [Info]

🎵 Honouring Siobhan: A concert celebrating the vision and achievement of Siobhan Robinsong, whose belief that everybody can sing has transformed the lives of thousands through her passion and advocacy. The Farquhar at UVic. Sun. 2pm. [Info] 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: Island drug deaths pass 100 in first 4 months of the year; The measles makes its way to the Island; How to lose your truck for 30 days. [June 26]

Langford MP wants feds to fund medication for nine-year-old girl with Batten disease. [CHEK] 

No swimming: Willows Beach in Oak Bay was added to Island Health’s advisory list this week, with high bacteria levels detected in the water. [Island Health]

Royals and Canadian junior hockey have a problem. [Times Colonist]

When Crystal Garden was new: See swimmers at the pool in 1928. The building turned 100 this year. [Facebook photo]

Painted turtle released into the wild after receiving care for a fishhook injury at Metchosin’s Wild Arc. [Video]

That’s it!

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