Sept. 18 - More trees for Saanich to increase canopy cover

Good morning !

Our first story is about immigration and how many new Canadians should populate our province. It’s also a demonstration that words matter.

Something else matters when you live on an island populated by cougars effectively kicked out of their natural living spaces. That’s knowing what to do if you come across one—as a 12-year-old recently did in Sooke.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 17 / 10  

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 16 /11

Friday: 🌤️ 16 / 10

7-day forecast

NEWS

Rustad’s choice of words doesn’t do asylum seekers justice

During a federal Liberal caucus gathering in Nanaimo last week, a leaked briefing document suggested smaller provinces—read, smaller than Quebec and Ontario, where a disproportionate number of new Canadians land—including BC, might face increased quotas of asylum seekers. 

The leak ignited controversy. 

John Rustad, the BC Conservatives leader, claimed the federal government plans to “dump” up to 22K asylum seekers in BC without adequate planning or funding, something that would exacerbate the province’s existing housing crisis. His rhetoric echoes anti-immigration sentiment similar to that used by former US president Donald Trump. A Victoria immigration advocate and a city councilor both say that kind of talk dehumanizes asylum seekers.

Victoria Coun. Susan Kim says Rustad’s choice of words was indicative of broader societal issues that divide rather than unite people. Winnie Lee, director of operations at the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria, countered the criticism by emphasizing the positive contributions of refugees and their role in enriching the cultural landscape of the city.

In response to concerns from various provinces, Marc Miller, the federal immigration minister, clarified that any distribution of asylum seekers would be based on consent from provinces and the individuals themselves.

In other words, nobody is being dumped anywhere.

Pick up the story with our Sidney Coles.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Paving on Blanshard: from Pandora to Caledonia until Sept. 27. (6am-8pm) 

Missing person: Major Crimes detectives are continuing the search for Sevina (Moxie), 29, who is considered high-risk and was last seen Aug. 20. 

New Moderna COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada.

Air quality: Low-risk today (2/10). Current smoke forecast.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

More cougar encounters due simply to urban sprawl, says conservationist

Last week, a 12-year-old on her way to middle school classes got a first-hand lesson in the woods: be big when you come across a cougar.

Ginevra Servant passed with flying colours because she did just that—she also had a cellphone and was using it to tell her family what was happening, and she thinks the animal may have thought it to be a weapon—and the big cat, at one point just feet away, backed off.

Phew. Right?

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) considers Vancouver Island cougar country. 

So, if what happened to Ginevra happens to you, remember to act big, maintain eye contact with the animal, show your teeth, and make noises. Whatever you do, don’t make a sudden movement or turn your back, it could provoke an attack. Don’t forget to report any sightings of an aggressive or threatening cougar to the RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) hotline at 1-877-952-7277. Or online. 

It may seem there are more cougars out there because the sightings seem so commonplace. But that’s not necessarily the case.

Read why in this piece from The Westshore.

SPONSORED BY QUARRY VILLAS AT ROYAL BAY

One-level living at Royal Bay

Quarry Villas at Royal Bay offers more than just a home—it provides a sought-after lifestyle. This exclusive collection of 2-bedroom duplex or triplex style ranchers, located 30 minutes from downtown Victoria, places residents at the heart of Royal Bay’s vibrant community.

With The Commons retail village nearby, future homeowners will enjoy convenient shopping, dining, and services within minutes. Schools, parks, community gardens, and scenic hiking and biking trails enhance the living experience. The prime location also offers easy access to the ocean, perfect for beach outings and seaside walks.

Those interested in one-level living at Quarry Villas can register here to stay informed. Previewing will begin in Fall/Winter 2024.

⭐️ Capital Picks

☕ Bring your own coffee mug contest. [City of Victoria]

🧳 Victoria-based browser company Shift is looking for a chief nomad officer and will pay $10K to someone to travel the world for a month, using Shift to plan their adventure.

🎵 IGNITE Dance Victoria's 28th Season on Nov 2! Step inside Luxe Home Interiors' lavish decor for an evening of live dance, gin tasting, and more.*

🦦 Otter cam: Check in on Tofino, the orphaned otter pup rescued near the West Island, as he adjusts swimmingly to living at the Vancouver Aquarium. [Live video feed]

🦉 Meet an owl on a nocturnal monitoring visit. [Rocky Point Bird Observatory]

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Correction: A story in this section yesterday said a Chemainus woman was told she had rabies after handling a bat. The bat had rabies and the woman is now well. Capital Daily regrets the error.

No joke: Jay Leno’s Mercedes-Benz is in town for fixing
The veteran comedian and former Tonight Show host owns somewhere north of 180 cars, mostly high-end beauties like the one that rolled into Silver Arrow Cars’ shop on Mon. Shop owner Tim Quocksister was in California last week, met Leno, and drove his 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. Now the classic ride—valued at $1.25M US—is in Rock Bay for a check of the brakes, fuel pump, and a general lookover. [CHEK]

More trees coming to Saanich under urban forest strategy
Some 54K trees will be needed to increase the municipality’s canopy cover to 44% from 43% in 40 years, something Saanich council has just approved. These are new trees, not replacements, and most of them—28K—will need to be planted on private property to provide shade and cooling to a growing area that’s been mandated by the province to provide another 4,610 housing units within the next five years. [Times Colonist]

Perfect sickness storm could be on BC horizon, warns doctor
COVID-19 hospital admissions have decreased in BC since early Aug., although the BC Centre for Disease Control says most disease indicators continue to rise nationwide. Burnaby-based Dr. Davidicus Wong says COVID-19, combined with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and the coming cold season could make for a lot of people calling in sick and making hospital visits this fall and winter. The latest COVID-19 booster shot and flu shot are expected to be out next month. [CityNews]

Canucks Dakota Joshua has testicular cancer
The Michigan-born forward had a lump and a tumour successfully removed over the summer. The 28-year-old will miss the start of the NHL club’s training camp which begins tomorrow in Pentiction. A return date is not yet known. Joshua had a career-high 18 goals and 14 assists in 63 games last season, and signed a four-year, $13M US deal with Vancouver in June. [Sportsnet]

SPONSORED BY PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA

See opera in Victoria in October

Will friendship and mercy triumph over jealousy and violence? Don’t miss Pacific Opera Victoria’s lush production of Mozart’s final opera, La clemenza di Tito, at the Royal Theatre Oct. 16-22.

Tickets from $35.00 are on sale now.

🗓️ Things to do

🥣 Soup’s On! Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore fundraiser for programs supporting women and girls. Enjoy an unlimited soup and bread meal prepared by some of Victoria's finest chefs. Royal Bay Secondary School. Oct. 5. [Info]

🍵 The Victoria Tea Festival Revival: Activities include a tea fair with tastings, a tea symposium, live music, food, a ceramics gallery, documentary screenings, and the World Tea Championship. Nootka Court. Oct. 5. [Info]

🎸10th SALT New Music Festival: Featuring diverse and thought-provoking free music from the 20th and 21st centuries. Various venues at UVic. Through Fri. [Info]

🎭 Canadian College of Performing Arts: 2024/25 season includes Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. But first, Ten Lost Years, depicting working-class Canadians during the Great Depression, opens the season. Through Oct. 20. [Info] 

🧑‍🎤 Pacific Edge Chorus: Are you a woman who likes to sing? Learn to sing a cappella in a fun, free, six-week workshop. Gordon United Church Hall. Through Oct. 22. [Info]

🎶 Tanya Tagaq with The Victoria Symphony: The legendary Inuk throat singer will perform with the Victoria Symphony and Emily Carr String Quartet at The Farquhar at UVic. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎺 Tom Vickery Trio: Join Tom and friends for a relaxed evening of jazz at Hermann’s. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎙️ Emily Braden: The American jazz singer will perform at L’Apéro Wine & Cheese Bistro. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎭 Cat Kid Comic Show: The Musical: Enjoy this hilarious musical adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man spin-off series at the McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 6pm. [Info]

🎵 The Blues Collective ft. Deb Rhymer and Auntie Kate: Listen to the group of Victoria musicians and well-known blues singers at Hermann’s. Tomorrow. 7pm. [Info]

🎸 The Cult: Find your sanctuary. See the iconic British rock band at the Royal Theatre. Tomorrow. 8pm. [Info]

Want more events? Subscribe to This Week In Vic and get our weekly events newsletter every Tuesday.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: BC Ferries opens bidding for 7 new ships; CRD needs more affordable, affordable housing, says group; Orca baby makes 75; And more. [Sept. 17]

BC Transit stops selling DayPASS, 10-Ride tickets, and monthly passes as of Oct. 1. [Details]

Esquimalt-based HMCS Yellowknife involved in $44M cocaine bust near Mexico. [CHEK]

Dangerous drinks: UVic says multiple students have reported that their drinks were tampered with or spiked at off-campus events.

The rise of the jellyfish in BC lakes. [Yahoo! news]

Elk nuzzling noses on a trail in Sayward. [Facebook photo]

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a fellow Victorian.

And before you go, let us know: