Good morning {{First name}}!

Pretty crummy late-in-the-day news from Victoria’s arts world: Hermann’s Jazz Club is closing its doors on April 30. Arts on View Society, which operates Hermann’s—the country’s longest continually running jazz club—and the View Street Social next door, said in a statement that the financial position it inherited proved to be “too significant to overcome.”
The Coda, a music venue upstairs, won’t be affected, the society said.

We’ll explore what happened in Sunday’s newsletter.

Total bummer.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

Today: 🌦️ 13 / 3

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 9 / 4

Sunday: 🌥️ 9 / 4

7-day forecast

You’ve no doubt noticed the price of gas has shot up over the last few days as a result of the continuing conflict in the Middle East. In Victoria, gas prices have crossed the $2-per-litre mark. And of course, it’s not just gas. The price of diesel has shot up, too. 

BC Transit tells the Times Colonist that it expects to pay an additional $800K in annual fuel costs for every 10-cent-per-litre increase. The TC report notes that when the Victoria Regional Transit Commission approved BC Transit’s budget last week, it was based on fuel costs of $1.40 per litre. The price of diesel has shot up to well over $2 per litre, so you can do the math. 

The transit company will turn to its $10-million transit fund if it needs to, BC Transit told the TC, but some planned capital projects may have to be delayed. 

At least one academic (and we’re pretty sure he’s far from alone on this) says don’t expect relief anytime soon. “I would love to be able to share good news, but I don't see any in the near term,” says Kent Fellows, an economics prof at the University of Calgary’s school of public policy. 

Fellows says he’s no military or international relations specialist, but he doesn’t see an outcome where Iran allows the safe passage of oil tankers and other ships through the Strait of Hormuz while still under attack by the United States and Israel.

“And I don't see an outcome where the US backs down. So, the short version is, prices will stay high and may continue to stay higher until the Strait reopens.”

The 167-km-long Strait of Hormuz, the only waterway from the Persian Gulf to the ocean, is the sea passage for one-fifth of oil exported by countries in the Middle East. Almost all shipping has been blocked since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on Feb. 28.

Yesterday afternoon, Canada signed a joint statement of seven countries—along with the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan—encouraging Iran to “cease immediately” its efforts to choke off traffic in the Strait. The communique also expressed a “readiness to contribute appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” although it didn’t elaborate on how.

When you consider that almost everything we buy has to be shipped here by truck, rail, boat, or plane—or a combination thereof—he says, it’s not just a pocketbook punch at the pumps.

“As fuel prices go up, these transportation costs rise, and all or a portion of those costs get passed to consumers.”

Sidney approves the 2026 budget, 9.37% tax increase.

Saanich single-lane, alternating traffic: Wascana at Obed, today, 8:30am to 12pm.

Saanich road closure: Wascana between Obed and Maddock W., Monday to April 24, 9am to 3:30pm.

Victoria lane closures today:
Cook, from Bay to Lang.
Blanshard from Pembroke to Caledonia, both directions.
Bay at Blanshard St., northwest corner.

Sidewalk closure on Dallas, between St. Lawrence and Simcoe, for one month. [Info]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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Back in January, Saanich asked for your favourite recipes to share them with a waiting world. Three months later—soup’s on.

The Saanich Archives Community Cookbook is hot out of the oven, featuring recipes submitted by present-day Saanichites alongside selections from the district’s archival collection.

Compiled to commemorate BC Heritage Week, the 88-page collection is filled with recipes and stories told by Saanich residents across generations. The chapters are divided into mains such as beef, fish and seafood, poultry, and lamb.

Dessert lovers will find 24 pages dedicated to cakes, cookies, pies, and tarts, as well as candy, ice cream, and pudding. Hungry yet?

There’s a section on drinks, featuring Guy’s Prize-Winning Blackberry Wine from 1924 (make sure you have four pounds of sugar and two weeks for fermentation). A champagne made from potatoes from the 1960s also caught our eye.

The soup section features faux turtle made with cow’s feet, and a chowder swimming in salmon. There are vegetarian selections, including 1936 instructions for mushroom roll-ups to make the appy lover happy. 

Interspersed throughout are cool black-and-white photos of community gatherings—people in their Sunday best, with nary a cellphone in sight.

Some interesting apps jump off the screen, too, such as bananas with bacon. The recipe uses a variation of en papillote, advising the use of a paper bag to trap steam to cook it all. For the pickle people among us, there’s also a selection of jams, preserves, and pickles. 

The Saanich Archives staff handled the layout and design, adding dabs of historical context to recipes, some originating from 1936 to 1997. Staff also took the time to translate historic measurements to ensure the recipes jibe with modern kitchen methods.

This is the District’s first digital cookbook. While there are no current plans for a sequel, it is online, so, like a fine meal, perhaps there will be room for more.

You can download your free copy of the Saanich Archives Community Cookbook (PDF) here or through the Saanich District website. 

This story ran for our Insiders on March 15. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.

What if school weren’t just preparation for life, but part of it?

At Glenlyon Norfolk School, students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 are seen, supported, and empowered to lead with confidence and compassion. Through the International Baccalaureate continuum and a community of care, the GNS Effect begins early, and it lasts a lifetime.

We invite families to attend an upcoming Open House in April to discover how personalized learning, leadership, and belonging come together to shape extraordinary futures. Meet staff, students, and parents, and experience the energy of Glenlyon Norfolk School firsthand. From inquiry-based learning to a vibrant co-curricular life, come see why GNS is the perfect place for your child to thrive.

Register for your visit today!

📺 New Zach Galifianakis gardening show on Netflix filmed on the Island. [Trailer]

🐐 Beacon Hill Children’s Farm is open daily 10am-4pm.

😂 Comedian Derek Edwards. [Tonight at McPherson] 

🤣 The Comic Strippers: semi-undressed, completely unscripted. [Tomorrow at McPherson]

👢Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots national tour announced. [Victoria in July]

Still wrestling with premium tax software every April? When your return involves corporations, rentals, or serious investments, “DIY” gets risky. Numberra’s local CPAs handle the complexity, support you with CRA, and uncover smarter ways to structure your finances—so you protect more of your wealth with far less effort.

Is it the end of the road for Prince Andrew Place in Oak Bay?
Bruce Hallsor of the Monarchist League of Canada says it should be, considering "he has no official role in Canada.” Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch says renaming the short street off King George Terrace isn’t an immediate priority, but a change is likely at some point. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has not been criminally charged, though he is under investigation for his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His ties to Epstein have led to the removal of his name from public spaces. King Charles has stripped his brother, the former Duke of York, of his royal titles. [CHEK]

Plan in the works for new urban park around Fort Rodd Hill
The City of Colwood is working with Parks Canada and First Nations to create a national urban park around the historic site. Potential areas that could be included are Colwood’s Coburg Peninsula—the city has already received $7M to create a connecting pathway along the peninsula—Perimeter Park, Lagoon West Park, and Matilda Park. The urban public area would be connected to Fort Rodd Hill by a 100K-square-metre tract of land owned by the Department of National Defence, which is currently used as an informal trail connector to Royal Roads University. [Times Colonist]

2 arrested in suspicion of fake jewelry scam; others sought
Westshore RCMP raised concerns last month about a jewelry scam that typically occurs in retail store parking lots and involves counterfeit gold necklaces, rings, and watches, along with false claims about needing food. After some “extensive” investigating, they say, the RCMP arrested a pair of suspects—a man and a woman, both 45 and from Ontario—who remain in custody for an unrelated investigation. Police are asking people to keep an eye out for this scam, as they believe others are involved. [RCMP]

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🕺West Coast Barn (Fiddle) Dance: A casual, all-ages old-time barn dance with live fiddle tunes where all steps will be taught with no experience needed. Victoria Edelweiss Club. Today. Doors 6:30pm, dancing 6:30pm-9:30pm. [Info]

🎸 David Santana plays Hank Mobley: David Santana returns to Hermann's with a quartet to celebrate the hard-bop fire and soulful melodies of jazz master Hank Mobley. Hermann's Jazz Club. Today. Doors 5:30pm, show 7-9pm. [Info]

🤘Metal Massacre—Ironhead and End of Thread: A heavy metal double bill with Victoria bands Ironhead and End of Thread. The Coda. Today. Doors 7pm, show until 8:30pm. [Info]

🪱🎶 The Arrogant Worms: Canada's beloved comedy folk trio brings three+ decades of tuneful silliness to Sidney, featuring hits that have been played on radio, the internet, and in outer space. Mary Winspear Centre. Today. Doors 7pm, show 7:30pm. [Info]

🕯️Roots & Renewal Wellness Market: A wellness-focused market in honour of the Spring Equinox and Ostara, featuring vendors with crystals, jewelry, and handmade goods. Langford Station. Tomorrow. 11am-4pm. [Info]

🎙️The Myrtle Sisters Revue: The Myrtle Sisters' high-energy vaudeville extravaganza features original and historic songs, comedic acts, tap, and acrobatic dance numbers. Mary Winspear Centre. Tomorrow. Doors 7pm, show 7:30pm. [Info]

🎺 UVic Chorus and Orchestra: Gloria: The UVic Orchestra, Chorus, and Chamber Singers perform Dvořák's Symphony No. 8, Poulenc's Gloria, and Nystedt's Immortal Bach. UVicFarquhar Auditorium. Tomorrow. 2:30pm. [Info]

🎸 Shiny On Top: Victoria rock and blues trio Shiny On Top performs originals and covers, joined by special guest Jennifer Lynn Drew. The Coda. Tomorrow. Doors 6pm, show 6:30-8:30pm. [Info]

🎵🔊 David Vest—The Dawn of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Part 2: Six-time Maple Blues Award winner David Vest continues his series on the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll, spanning Ricky Nelson, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly. Hermann's Jazz Club. Tomorrow. Doors 5:30pm, show 7-9pm. [Info]

Thursday’s headlines: 97 US-trained health workers hired for the Island, 400+ hired for BC; Non-alcoholic drink showcase returns to Victoria next week; and VicPD thwarts bank robbery in 30 minutes. [March 19]

Pandora/Quadra memorial marks Victoria’s growing drug death toll. [CHEK]

28 trees, including 18 Garry oaks, to fall for a 60-unit condo on McKenzie. [Times Colonist]

Revive the rail provincewide, BC Greens say. [CTV]

Esquimalt Library Branch is now open on Sundays, 1-5pm. [GVPL]

Anemone on the move: See how the usually stationary creatures swim, with footage captured near Island waters. [Facebook video]

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