Thurs. May 11 - Uber to launch in Victoria

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning !

Tasting Victoria editor Ryan here to tell you about a super cool collaboration we did with 49 Below. The crew at this little Oak Bay ice cream shop is always trying something new, whether it’s making dairy-free honeycomb ice cream, or inciting shock and awe with its French’s mustard ice cream.

Our collaboration had two things in mind: spring and Mother’s Day. So, as part of 49 Below’s Philanthropint program, we partnered to create a limited-edition Lavender Blueberry ice cream flavour. The ice cream is made by gently steeping lavender buds in 49 Below's custard base and adding a mouthwatering blueberry sauce swirled into the mix.

For every purchase of the Lavender Blueberry ice cream, 10% of the sales will be donated to The United Way. To kick off the collaboration, in-store tastings will be available at 49 Below's Oak Bay location in Willows Centre, and a joint Instagram giveaway will be running until May 13. Follow Tasting Victoria and 49 Below on Instagram for details on the giveaway!

NEWS

Uber gets approval to operate in Victoria

After many failed attempts to launch in Victoria, Uber has officially gotten the green light to start operations.

The ride-hailing company announced Wednesday that it received approval for a licence transfer from the Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) after submitting an application last August. Uber will take over ReRyde’s licence, a company that received approval but never launched its operations here. This will also allow Uber to operate in Kelowna.

Uber chose to apply through a licence transfer after multiple rejections for its own license from the PTB, most recently in 2021 when the board ruled that demand was not high enough for Uber and that local companies needed a chance to build clientele in the area.

Jeff Bray, CEO of Victoria’s Downtown Business Association, said Uber will provide an additional safe option for tourists and hospitality workers who finish late in the evening.

“We certainly heard lots of complaints that there weren’t enough taxis—not just evenings or special occasions, but all day—from tourists,” Bray said, explaining that Uber could improve the visitor experience, allowing tourists to see more attractions and patronize more businesses.

While Uber offers more transit options throughout Victoria, cab companies have long worried about the tech giant’s arrival.

Mohan Kang, president of the BC Taxi Association, said he’s concerned that Victoria’s taxi market will be hit negatively, similarly to Vancouver’s.

“It has eaten quite a bit of business from taxi companies,” said Kang on the effect of Uber in Vancouver. “It also took some of the drivers, and the financial viability and equity [of the ride-hail industry] have been affected.”

Kang said this is what Victoria taxi businesses can expect, though Uber maintains that its presence will help local cab companies, saying “taxi and rideshares co-exist in many other cities across Canada and the globe.”

Uber will join other ride-hailing companies in Victoria like Uride—which announced a launch this spring—and Lucky-to-Go, though Uber has been far more successful on the global market.

An exact launch date for Uber has not yet been announced, but it is slated to arrive sometime this year.

Capital Bulletin

🌤️ Today’s weather: Mainly sunny. High 19C / low 9C.

🎙️ Music Strategy Grant: City of Victoria will spend $150K to grow the music sector.

📚 Victoria Book Prizes: Submissions open to apply for City of Victoria’s Butler Book Prize and Children's Book Prize.

NEWS

$1.4M in scholarships will be awarded to UVic Indigenous law students

Two dozen new scholarships—donated by Indigenous law firms, judges, and alumni—will be available for UVic Indigenous law students. The donations will allow scholarships to be awarded to every Indigenous student who joins UVic’s faculty of law. The UVic Indigenous law program (JD/JID) is the first of its kind worldwide.

“Support that the faculty of law receives from donors for our student scholarships can be likened to the beautiful concentric circles that a raindrop causes when landing on a smooth surface of water,” said Val Napoleon, acting dean of law, professor, and Law Foundation chair of Indigenous justice and governance. “The first circle is the immediate relief to a student’s life thereby enabling learning and signaling that both the student and their legal education is important to our society.”

The scholarships will create further ripples that lead to the contributions that these students will make to civil and democratic society. UVic faculty of law’s partner Indspire, a national Indigenous charity, has provided considerable funding since the program launched in 2018. “Every single drop matters. We have been gifted by donors and by Indspire, and these gifts will keep rippling into our future,” Napoleon said.

Indigenous law students, on average, received $9,400 in entrance scholarships last year. The funding helps students to complete their degrees. In June, the program will see the graduation of its second cohort of students. The program’s first graduating class walked the stage last April.

By Sarah Madsen

SPONSORED BY DANCE VICTORIA

Dance Victoria 23/24 Season subscriptions now on sale

Subscriptions to Dance Victoria’s 2023/24 Dance at the Royal Series are now on sale—a season of bold, breathless, boundless choreography showcasing The World’s Best Dance.

Four show subscriptions are available through the Royal and McPherson Theatres box offices featuring New York’s Gibney Company, Compagnie Hervé KOUBI from France/Algiers, Nrityagram Dance Ensemble (India) in collaboration with Chritrasena Dance Company (Sri Lanka), and Ballets Jazz Montréal.

Subscribers save on additional special presentations: Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in Nutcracker; Australia’s Circa in Humans 2.0 and contemporary Indigenous Māori troupe, Ōkāreka Dance Company from New Zealand, in Mana Wahine.

Subscribers save up to $146 off regular ticket prices and receive additional subscriber benefits.

Visit DanceVictoria.com or call the Royal and McPherson Theatres Box Office at 250-386-6121.

Capital Picks

🎧 The Zone’s Mixtape Live at Capital Ballroom: A.Skillz will join The Zone’s DJ Boitano tonight. Doors open at 8pm. [Tickets]

🐉 May 28: Awakening Chinatown celebrates Asian Heritage Month with traditional ceremony to Awaken the Lions, Kung Fu, Chinese cultural performances, opera, dancing, magic, and more.*

💃 Send Newbs at Victoria Events Centre: Check out debut acts from new drag and burlesque performers. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. 19+. [Tickets]

🏌️ One Bear Mountain offers select residences with a bonus—full-access golf memberships that enhance home value. Golf instantly! Inquire for details. Limited availability.*

🤝 Now hiring: Veterinary Technician at City Pets Animal Clinic.

*Sponsored Listing

In Other News

🚨 Pedestrian seriously injured after being hit by Victoria bus
A motorized scooter user was struck at Douglas and Bellville on Tuesday and hospitalized. BC transit asks witnesses to contact Victoria police. [CTV]

🥦 App that affordably sells restaurant food waste launches in Victoria
Too Good to Go has customers sign up to pick up a “surprise bag” at day’s end that contains the business’s unsold food at ⅓ retail price. [CHEK]

🏥 Almost half of emergency surgeries at BC children’s hospital experience harmful delays, study finds
The study found that surgery delays could result in an 85% increase in limb or organ function loss, or death. [The Tyee]
Capital Daily has previously reported on increasing surgery wait times in the Island Health region.

In Case You Missed It

🏢 RidgeView residents raise questions: Langford city council unable to explain reason for evacuation. [Capital Daily]

🏠 Explore the perfect storm that created today’s housing crisis and hear solutions in this Rising Economy live video podcast today at 9:30am.*

✒️ Victoria Design Festival: Events will run until May 14, including an architectural bike tour, workshops, and open houses. [Wednesday newsletter]

*Sponsored Listing

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