March 18 - Island drug deaths trend downward

Good morning !

I was in Beacon Hill Park this weekend and noticed that there seem to be more peacocks in the park than ever before. I recall seeing one or two whenever I visited as a kid, but this time I saw at least 10.

Apparently there are an estimated 60 roaming the park these days. The first one was purchased for the Beacon Hill Zoo in the 1890s, but they weren’t allowed to roam free until decades later.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 8 / 4

Tomorrow: ☁️ 9 / 4

Thursday: ⛅ 9 / 6

NEWS

Island and BC toxic drug deaths trending downward

In January, 21 people died of toxic drugs on the Island, with eight deaths occurring in Greater Victoria, according to a report from the BC Coroners Service. There were 152 lives lost in BC to toxic drugs that month, for an average of about 4.9 deaths a day.

This is a notable drop from last January when 198 people died in BC, including 32 people on the South Island. It marks the fourth consecutive month that deaths have fallen below 160 in the province.

This drop aligns with a trend across North America—Health Canada reported a 12% decline in deaths for the first nine months of 2024, compared with figures from 2023 and the US reported a 25% decline year over year.

For the first time in months, Island Health did not top the list of health authorities with the highest rate of death (so far this year, Vancouver Coastal Health has the highest). Throughout 2024, Island Health had the second-highest rate of death, with 50 per 100K people (Northern Health had the highest rate at 70 per 100K people). 

Despite this drop, three Island First Nations declared a state of emergency for their communities in the last year, with the Homalco Nation declaring its last week. 

Half of those who died from toxic drugs in January were between the ages of 40 and 59. Three youths under 18 died of toxic drugs that month. 

The drugs detected in these deaths have become more varied, with fentanyl found in 77% of deaths in January, methamphetamines in 52%, and bromazolam (a particularly potent benzodiazepine) in 46%. 

Hydromorphone, a substance prescribed through the safer supply program, was found in 3% of deaths, similar to previous months. 

BC recorded 446 toxic drug deaths last year, with 157 happening in Greater Victoria. More than 16K people have died since the public health emergency was declared in 2016.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Missing teen: Brayden, 14, is believed to be somewhere in Esquimalt. [VicPD]

City of Victoria joins Bluesky as it looks to leave X (Twitter). Roadwork updates are still posted to X for now.

Paving prep on Blanshard, from Fort to Yates, today and tomorrow. 7am-7pm. [Details]

NEWS

Meet Isabel Chung: Fairmont Empress’ first female executive chef

In honour of International Women’s Month, we spoke with Fairmont Empress’s new female executive chef, Isabel Chung. With her passion for sustainability, love for the Pacific Northwest’s rich ingredients, and culinary creativity sharpened over two decades, Chung brings an exciting new energy to one of Victoria’s most renowned dining destinations.

Growing a career as a woman in the food industry isn’t always easy, but through support from mentors—including Dana Hauser, who became the first female executive chef for a Fairmont hotel in 2012—and a commitment to making great food, she’s found herself in the top spot in the Empress kitchens. Now, she’s looking to pass on the same support to the next generation of chefs.

Find out her plans for the Empress’s menus—”local, local, local”—and why she’s thrilled to be back in the Pacific Northwest. Read the full Q&A here.

NEWS

BC Hydro raising rates to protect against US tariffs

In a move to insulate the province amid the uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s antagonistic tariff tact, the BC government plans to increase how much you’ll be paying for electricity over the next two years.

“We must take urgent action to protect British Columbians from the uncertainty posed by rising costs while building a strong, robust, and resilient electricity system for the benefit of BC’s long-term energy independence,” Adrian Dix, the minister of energy said in a release.

Through a procedure known as a “rate stability direction,” the province will ask the BC Utilities Commission to set rate increases at 3.75% on April 1 and again on that date next year.

For the average residence currently paying $100 for hydro, it will mean an increase of $3.75. The increases are to help offset inflation and the costs of completing the Site C project on the Peace River and shore up BC Hydro’s finances during a time of "unprecedented" threats to Canada’s economy from the Trump regime.

“The rate stability direction from the province will provide customers and growing industries with the certainty they need during these times while ensuring our rates remain affordable,” said BC Hydro CEO Chris O’Riley. 

BC Hydro’s cumulative rate increases between 2017-18 and 2026-27 will be 12.4% below cumulative inflation, the utility company said. It said its electricity rates are among the lowest in North America and amount to about half of what Albertans pay. 

The company said it is investing $36B in its current 10-year capital plan to expand and strengthen its grids, with projects generating 10K jobs for skilled workers.

BC Hydro also said it is adding $1.9M to its customer crisis fund, which it said will offer temporary aid to 4,700 low-income households between now and next spring.

SPONSORED BY PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

Make a difference in your community

PHS Community Services Society provides low-barrier supportive housing, shelter, healthcare, and harm reduction to thousands of marginalized people in Vancouver and Victoria every day. 

PHS was founded in 1993 to support those who had been chronically homeless, and today houses and shelters more than 1,900 people. Probably best known for Insite, North America’s first legal supervised injection site, PHS is a leader in adapting services to be accessible to those with acute needs.

Donate today to support marginalized people in your community.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏊 Canadian artistic swimming qualifications. [Commonwealth Pool]

🐐 Baby goat stops by Russell Books for a visit. [Instagram]

🧮 Membership survey: Downtown Victoria Business Association. [DVBA]

🗞️ In Other News

Turned off by Trump: snowbirds return to the Island from US
More than one million Canadian snowbirds spend an estimated one billion dollars in the US yearly but expect those numbers to drop as Canadians rethink their retirement arrangements. Many Canadians have changed or cancelled their travel plans in response to the US president’s aggressive stance toward Canada. And some are selling their American homesteads to come back to their native land. [Times Colonist]

Queen of Westminster returns to sea after months of repairs
The key vessel set sail Friday for the first time since September. It was pulled from service after one of its propellers was sheared off, causing 800 litres of hydraulic fuel to spill into the sea. The fix cost $5.5M, with an additional loss of $8.5M in revenue for the ferry company. The Queen of Westminster is the company’s oldest vessel, making replacement parts harder to acquire. [City News]

Island Health warning for parents is right on the button 
They’re small, circular, and easily swallowed—and that can make button batteries dangerous, Island Health says. The health authority and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) have released an online survey to coincide with National Poison Prevention Week (Mar. 16-22). Also known as disc, coin, or flat batteries, they’re found in watches, key fobs, and other devices and if ingested, can cause chemical burning. [CHEK]

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🗓️ Things to do

🦖 Step Into the Past with Dino Lab: Experience a prehistoric adventure with Dino Lab's interactive fossil presentations at Tillicum Centre today. 11am-2pm [Free]

🦋 Invertebrate Week: Explore the wonderfully diverse world of invertebrates—creatures that make up more than 95% of Earth’s animal species—at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary this week. [Info]

🧶 Unwind Victoria Knitting Club: Join these free weekly knitting sessions for a cozy and friendly evening at Fairfield Gonzales Community Association tomorrow. 7-8:30pm. [Info]

🎨 Queering Climate Action: Join this queer art & climate action seminar at Esquimalt Gorge Park & Pavilion. Fri. 1-4pm. [Info]

🎭 Hot Flash Comedy: See comedian Cory Mack and Island funny woman Syd Bosel at the McPherson Playhouse. Sat. 7:30pm. [Info]

🏄 The Beach Boys: See the legendary band’s Endless Summer Gold tour at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Sat. 7pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Monday’s headlines: UVic wins men’s national basketball championship; North Saanich pickleball picnic proposal; More Martel financial fallout. [Mar. 17]

Saanich renewable energy company takes friendly fire after BC hit on Tesla. [CHEK]

Mama Mia! Esquimalt-Colwood NDP MLA votes on budget from hospital after giving birth. [Times Colonist]

Back in Van: BC woman detained in US returns to Canada. [CTV]

BC removing consumer carbon tax after Carney cuts federal version. [City News]

Funny faces of sea lions swimming in the herring spawn. [VanIsleWildlife / Instagram]

Hikers find an octopus in the tidepools just south of here in Bellingham, Washington. [Video]

That’s it!

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