Good morning {{First name}}!

It should be pretty cool this morning—if you’re able to take a look at the sky above CFB Esquimalt right around 11:25.
To mark the change of command for Canadian Fleet Pacific, there’s going to be a Royal Canadian Air Force flyover. A CP-140 Aurora surveillance/anti-submarine aircraft and a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter will be flying low, weather permitting.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

Today: 🌤️ 16 / 9

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 17 / 8

Sunday: 🌤️ 15 / 11

7-day forecast

Victoria’s biggest marine celebration is back and making waves across the city. There are multiple opportunities to immerse yourself in all things ocean-themed, from educational events to on-the-water activities. 

Ocean Week Victoria is a local celebration that happens alongside Ocean Week Canada and World Ocean Day on June 8. It’s the perfect occasion to reflect on the value of our local waterways and fall deeper in love with the natural environment that surrounds our Island.

From family-friendly festivals in downtown Victoria and Sidney to educational talks at the Royal BC Museum and local libraries, find new ways to discover our blue backyard.

Check out the full list of Ocean Week Victoria events here.

High-risk missing person: Parminder was last seen in Duncan on May 23. [VicPD]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

On the water today? Check the tide times for Victoria.

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Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, and Oak Bay are looking for full-time firefighters—and for the first time, they’ve launched a joint recruiting drive.

“A single application now gets you looked at by four ­departments—you only have to apply once,” Victoria Fire Chief Dan ­Atkinson tells the Times Colonist. “It’s a far better candidate experience, and it’s a far better employer experience, too.”

Candidates’ information will be shared, so they’ll only have to go through one series of testing.

Atkinson said he thinks the team effort will help present “a broader pool of candidates” and a more diverse application pool as well.

The City of Victoria says an ideal candidate would be:

The salary is listed at $6,849 monthly ($37.63 per hour).

Applications must be submitted through the City of Victoria’s careers portals and received by June 16 at 4:30pm.

Someone stole a pickup truck Wednesday night, hit two police cars, and tried to elude officers by tearing onto the Cedar Hill Golf Course before the vehicle was set on fire on a fairway.

Saanich confirmed the incident and said the golf course was closed on Thursday.

“Assessment of the damage is still underway, so there are no details to provide just yet on the extent of the damage, nor the timeline and cost to repair it,” the district said. 

Saanich police said the pickup was taken from a residence on Jolly Place, near Glanford and McKenzie, at approximately 9pm. 

Police said officers spotted it in the Cedar Hill Rec Centre parking lot, and that’s when its driver hit the gas—and both squad cars—and tore onto the adjacent golf course. 

Police didn’t give chase. They called in the canine team, which located the suspect hiding in a bush—but not before the vehicle was set on fire on a fairway.

Saanich fire arrived and put out the blaze. 

The driver remains in custody pending a court appearance, and police expect to be recommending charges related to the theft and arson of the vehicle and damage to the golf course.

💎 The Victoria Gem Show starts today and runs through Sunday at Pearkes Rec Centre.

🪆 Oaklands Garage Sale Day & Street Party is tomorrow, 11am to 3pm.

⚽ Pacific FC vs. Atlético Ottawa 3pm tomorrow at Starlight Stadium. 

🐞 Open Garden: Alpine and rock garden at Beacon Hill Park. Sunday. 11am-1pm. [Info] 

🚌 Free BC Transit bus service on Wednesday for Clean Air Day.

82-year-old Victoria man convicted of child pornography charges brought back to the Island
VicPD escorted William Lee Tate as he was returned to Canada after being tracked down in San Francisco. Tate, a former teacher and a founder of the Georgia Straight newspaper, pleaded guilty to accessing, possessing, and transmitting more than 62K images and videos of child pornography between October 2019 and February 2022. In October 2025, he was sentenced to two years less a day and three years of probation, but he escaped custody and failed to report to the Vancouver Island Regional Correction Centre (VIRCC). [Times Colonist]

Westshore RCMP seize drugs, cash, and fake guns
Teaming with its organized crime unit, the RCMP executed search warrants on two residences in Langford on May 15. They say they came up with more than $10K in cash, several ounces of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, thousands of unidentified pills suspected to be narcotics, drug packaging and processing materials, and three replica handguns. A 43-year-old male was arrested. [RCMP]

New BC Ferries ships to be named after BC trees
BC Ferries organizes its ship names in classes, so four ships expected to join the fleet starting in 2029 will be part of the Summit class with the names Arbutus, Cedar, Maple, and Spruce. Ships built in the 1960s to the ‘80s were part of the Queen class and named after regions with royal titles, such as Queen of Alberni. The Spirit class celebrates the province (Spirit of Vancouver Island); the Coastal class is associated with West Coast values, such as Coastal Celebration; and the Salish class features names such as Salish Orca. On Monday, a naming ceremony for the Island xwsaĺux̌ul, the newest addition to BC Ferries’ growing Island class fleet, will be held. [CHEK]

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🌱 Carnivorous Terrarium Workshop: Learn about the Venus flytrap, famous for its snappy jaws, or the delicate Sundew, which lures insects with glistening, sticky droplets. VI Plant Shop. Today. 5:30-6:30pm. [Info] 

🇨🇺 Pablo Cardenas Presents Portraits of Havana: Pianist Pablo Cardenas leads an all-star ensemble tracing Havana's musical evolution. The Coda. Tonight. 6:30–8:30pm. [Info]

🎵 DBX: The Doobie Brothers Experience: A seasoned six-piece tribute act recreates the full span of the Doobie Brothers' catalogue. Mary Winspear Centre. Tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🌊🗑️ Gorge Splashtacular Ocean Festival: Join Seaquaria Ocean Education and the Gorge Waterway Action Society for the kickoff event to Ocean Week Victoria, featuring marine touch tanks, ocean crafts, a live painting demo, and a Gorge garbage clean-up. Esquimalt Gorge Park. Tomorrow. 12–4pm. [Info]

🕺Dance Unlimited: 33rd Annual Celebration of Dance: Dancers of all ages celebrate a full season of growth and artistry across two performances. McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 11:30am and 5pm. [Info]

💃 Protégé Dance: Year End Showcase: Protégé Dance Project's fourth annual year-end showcase brings together dancers from three programs for two celebrations of a full season's work. Royal Theatre. Tomorrow. 12pm and 6pm. [Info]

📀 Carol Sokoloff: Change in the Weather CD Launch: Victoria singer-songwriter Carol Sokoloff launches her Nashville-recorded folk and country album with her Island Dream Band. The Coda. Tomorrow. 6:30–8:30pm. [Info]

👯 RNS Dance: The Rewind: 10th anniversary retrospective showcase celebrating the music, styles, and moments that have shaped the company's first decade. Mary Winspear Centre. Tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]

🎸 Stanky Saturday: Featuring Blasé Blasé, the New Groovement, and Mineru at Lucky Bar. Tomorrow. 10pm. [Info]

Thursday’s headlines: Fernwood will be busy this weekend; EJ Hughes’ painting sale breaks BC record; Anglican diocese looks to expand Christ Church Cathedral property. [May 28]

Summer weather predictions, according to The Weather Network. [CHEK]

BC Aviation Museum acquires Cold War-era de Havilland Vampire plane with Hollywood connection. [Times Colonist]

Ethereal marine creatures seen near the Sidney Marina. [Facebook photos]

Peony Festival runs through Saturday. 

Drag is Art Festival runs through Sunday.

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