March 5 - Province brings down 'conservative' budget

Good morning !

The BC government has released its Trumped-up budget, dropping or diverting some spending to prepare for the fallout of the US president’s needless, destructive, and performative tariffs.

The area’s oldest pub is for sale, and UVic’s men’s basketball team is 21-1 and in need of a win on Fri. to advance to the national tourney in Vancouver.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 8 / 3

Tomorrow: ☀️ 11 / 4

Friday: 🌤️ 7 / 6

NEWS

Provincial budget looks to hold the line in the face of trade war with US

The provincial government released its budget yesterday, forecasting a $10.9B deficit amid significant challenges presented by the new trade war with the United States. 

In the space of 24 hours, US President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff and cuts to military aid for Ukraine have created political and economic uncertainty—and that was reflected in what amounts to an otherwise status-quo budget.

Finance Minister Brenda Bailey described the Standing Strong for BC 2025 budget as conservative, focusing on maintaining stability rather than introducing flashy new spending. 

“We must take care of the economy so we can take care of people,” she said later in her speech to the legislature.

In a surprise morning appearance at the budget announcement, Premier David Eby highlighted the global shift in politics and criticized US actions.

He said what’s happening in Washington “represents a massive shift in global politics and is deeply disturbing to everyone who values freedom, democracy, sovereignty and the global order that has assured prosperity for so many people around the world for generations,” Eby said. 

“That order is under threat and has been betrayed.”

The budget reflects uncertainty about the full impacts of the tariffs. Ministerial projections in February predicted a $43B reduction in BC’s GDP by 2029, 45K fewer jobs, and a $1.4B revenue loss.

Healthcare will receive $4.2B over the budget plan of three years, with a focus on expanding access to family doctors, mental-health services, and care for seniors. 

There’s $500M earmarked for addiction services, though the budget omits funding for involuntary care, something that came as a surprise after Eby raised the prospect of it many times last year.

To support economic growth, the budget includes:

• $5.1 billion to build and upgrade hospitals

• New tax credits to attract film and tech industries

• Incentives for small businesses and initiatives to create high-quality jobs

• $318M to create middle-income rental homes

• $375M to expand housing supplements

While residents won’t see a since-cancelled $1K grocery credit, there is an ICBC rebate of $410M for eligible drivers to be paid out as early as next month. The budget also promises $235M for community safety and homelessness support.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Highway 4 closed near Cameron Lake for debris cleanup. [Info] 

Crane removal: Again today on Vancouver—Expect delays and bike lanes closed from Johnson to Pandora. [Details]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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

NEWS

Six Mile Pub must be sold, BC Supreme Court rules

A justice ordered the View Royal pub to be sold by its majority owner within 90 days or assigned to a liquidator. The business isn't in financial trouble, but liquidation is being chosen as a “draconian” measure here because its two owners are far apart on a buyout price for the smaller stake, wrote Justice Anthony Saunders in his decision.

The pub is the oldest in BC, serving refreshments since the 1850s.

David Wong and the late Eddy Ng bought it in 2002, though Ng only came up with $380K of a planned $550K. Ng died aged 63 in 2016, and his widow now seeks his family's 39% share of an asset value that has more than doubled over the decades. 

Saunders found that Wong put in more work—though he was compensated with a salary for it. The justice also accepted Wong's case that Ng had addiction issues and disputes with shareholders on return-to-work conditions, which ultimately limited Ng’s planned role running the kitchen. 

But, the justice noted, despite these tensions, Wong continued to benefit from Ng's capital, which he got mainly from his mother and by mortgaging his home. The business should now let Ng's heirs benefit, the Supreme Court affirmed, and the liquidation was imposed primarily to force the sides to figure out a deal. 

SPORTS

Vikes lose shocker, but still in hunt for national men’s basketball title

The Vikes were coming off an undefeated regular season and had romped to a 21-0 record in Canada West play before they hit a freight train in the Calgary Dinos.

The Dinos took last Fri.'s league semifinal 77-68, promptly putting the Vikes' record season on the brink of extinction.

But Vikings are a hearty lot, and the Vikes still have a chance at a national title. Since UBC won its semifinal, the Vikes will host the University of Manitoba in the bronze-medal game this Friday (at 7pm) at CARSA. 

The winner gets a berth to the U SPORTS Final 8 tournament slated for Vancouver in 10 days. If the Vikes lose, there’s still a chance they could receive the wild card berth to the national tournament, something that would be announced next Sun.

Coming off three straight Canada West championships, the Vikes were ranked #1 in the country entering the playoffs. They did it with a rookie coach and, for the last two months, without the top collegiate hoopster in the country.

Diego Maffia tore his ACL in January, and he’s played his last game as a Vike. The popular Brazilian-born Maffia—who remarkably scored 96 points in a single game for Oak Bay High—will leave UVic as the program’s all-time leading scorer.

Tickets for Fri.’s game can be had here.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

☮️ Panel discussion: Resisting the Bro-ligarchy: Politics, Polarization and Populism. [Royal Roads] 

✍🏽 Victoria Writers’ Society: Meets tonight, 7-8:30pm at Russell Books, 747 Fort St. The topic: The Inspiration to Write with David Knapp-Fisher. Everyone welcome!*

🌸 The Greater Victoria Flower Count begins today.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Military crews search for unexploded devices at Metchosin’s Mary Hill
The Metchosin stretch of the Galloping Goose could be busy as Department of National Defense (DND) crews search for unexploded devices in the area. The Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces have used Mary Hill property for training since the 1930s. There are proposed plans for a protected Indigenous park in the area, though DND is retaining a portion for public safety purposes. DND says only trained professionals can determine if an unexploded device is safe and urges people to call 911 if they think they see one. [CHEK]

Demolition ordered for Turner building before second fire
The building caught fire over the weekend for the second time, days after the order came through for a controlled collapse. The building—once home to Ian's Jubilee Coffee Shop—has sat empty and derelict for decades. Some demolition work could start next week, but air and water risk assessments need to be conducted first. [Times Colonist]

Oak Bay Police found an attempted break-and-entry suspect in a tree
A homeowner called the police at 2am Sun. after seeing live security footage of a person trying to enter their home on King George Terrace. Police said officers and canine units searched the property to find the suspect, who was under 18, hiding in a tree. The suspect was arrested and later released and returned to their family home. [OBPD]

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SPONSORED BY THE CANADIAN CLUB OF VICTORIA

The Carbon Question: Clarifying Canada's Most  Consequential Policy Debate with Dr. Thomas Pedersen

March 12 - 11:45am-1:30pm at Hotel Grand Pacific.

Non-members are welcome to attend! The deadline for registration is March 7 at noon.

Click here for details and to register.

🗓️ Things to do

💼 Women Working for Changes: The International Women’s Day Society presents a free and empowering event where women will share their stories and raise their voices for positive change. Ambrosia Centre. Sat. 10:30am-3pm. [Info]

😂 Phillips Comedy Night at the Mint: Morgan Cranny, Drew Farrance, and other funny people will have you chuckling. The Mint. Tonight. 8-9:30pm. [Info] 

📖 UVic Cafe Historique: Growing up in the Ice Age. As the event is sold out, a waitlist is now being taken. Hermann’s. Tonight. 7-9pm. [Info]

🍽️ Saanichton Community Dinner. Lasagna, salads and desserts. Live Music by Shenanigans. St. Mary’s Church. Tonight. 6-8pm. [Info]

❓Sixty Watt Trivia. Enjoy an evening that will test all the random knowledge your brain has been stockpiling: movies, music, sports, history, geography, etc. Spinnakers Brewpub. Tonight. 7-10pm. [Info] 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: Flower Count to start today; Less flowery tariffs also arrived; Another earthquake shakes Victoria. [Mar. 4]

Buy Island during the trade war: Updated shopping list.

500+ firefighters honour fallen members at memorial. [CHEK]

Canada to fight Trump’s ‘dumb’ economic decision: Trudeau. [Yahoo! / CP]

CRTC delays next-generation 911 service for 2 years. [MSN / CP] 

Savour Sidney continues this week and next. [Details]

Rare species: Sharp-tailed snake seen in a Garry oak meadow. [Conservation Decisions]

That’s it!

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