Nov 13 - Steve Duffy, long-time Victoria radio personality, dies

Good morning !

A unique museum recently opened on Government Street. It won’t be found indoors—it’s situated along the existing row of shops.

Visitors can scan QR codes found on blue plaques along the historic street to gain insight into its colourful past. There are no set hours, so you can explore at your leisure.

Let us know if you’re planning to check it out!

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

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Day after: 🌧️ 11 / 9

NEWS

Former CFAX sports announcer Steve Duffy dies at 72

Duffy, whose voice carried into the homes and cars of Victorians for more than three decades, passed away on Tuesday. He was 72.

“On the 11th, at 5:30am, he took his last breath,” Duffy’s wife, Susan, told Capital Daily in a text message.

Throughout his most recent 312-day stay at Vic General, Susan remained by his side. And she was there with him when he passed on Remembrance Day.

“It’s poignant that his passing coincided with a day so closely tied to his passions—a man deeply devoted to history, who not only joined the Legion but also did some selling [of] poppies, a tradition he cherished until his health began to decline.”

Duffy, an aviation and history enthusiast, had been volunteering with the Legion until the impacts of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a debilitating disease that affects the central and autonomic nervous systems, became too severe, Susan said.

Duffy had some stints on the IL—sportscasters’ speak for the injured list—that had him in hospital since the onset of symptoms in 2022, but he never emerged from this one. 

MSA is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impacts both voluntary movement, like coordination and balance, and involuntary functions such as blood pressure and digestion. 

It’s a particularly cruel disease, and these last few months have been tough on him—as well as Susan, son Jordan, 43, and daughter Shannon, 32. 

“It’s horrible,” Susan says. “And it's very fast. Once it gets established, it just takes over the brain—and it left him, at the end, totally debilitated, like less than a newborn.”

Susan called it a “blessing” that her husband of 36 years is gone.

“Because it wasn't fair on him, and you know Steve, he had such a zest for life and fun and games and getting out there and cheering and doing things and travelling and all this stuff.”

Duffy began his radio career with jobs in Port Alberni and Courtenay, but it was his time on-air in Victoria that many locals will remember. He worked at CKXM Radio and 100.3 the Q, and most recently for more than a decade at CFAX 1070, where he was the morning sports voice until 2017, when he was let go by parent company Bell Media amid a wave of cutbacks across the country.  

“He was a kind and caring, loving man… he was really good to his family; his kids adore him.”

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Rockland closed at Cook, through tomorrow, for emergency underground repair. [City of Victoria]

Cook closed between Johnson and Yates, through Nov. 26, for underground utility servicing. [City of Vic]

Saanich road closure: Maddock W. at Wascana, today through Monday, 7am-4pm.

NEWS

Discover the history of Government Street with the newly launched Fresh Air Museum

Many look to museums to discover the past and learn how it can inform the present. But some things are just too big to fit in a standard museum building.

Victoria’s Old Town is one of the city’s most present glimpses into the past, with decades of heritage preservation paying off in the beautifully maintained and restored architecture. You certainly couldn’t squeeze it all into the Royal BC Museum.

So, to offer education on the city’s history, Victoria has launched the Fresh Air Museum, a new interactive project to immerse people further into downtown’s lore.

Participating buildings will offer blue plaques, each with a QR code that visitors can scan to uncover the stories of the people, businesses, and events that shaped one of the city’s most iconic streets.

Forgotten aspects of downtown are rediscovered through this storytelling initiative—from the stream that once ran down Johnson to the lively characters it attracted during the Gold Rush boom, there are plenty of surprises to be found along the popular tourist street. 

This project was led by current business owners along Government, who know firsthand that there’s more than meets the eye within the spaces they operate. The preservation of these buildings is largely thanks to building owners who saw the need to protect the past.

The bulk of the information shared on the interactive plaques was gathered by local historian—and expert on Victoria’s harbour—David Pendergast. It’s his writing and designs you’ll find when scanning each QR code.

Merchants along Government have been “generous” in taking time to tell “their buildings’ rich histories,” Pendergast said in a statement.

“Communities are built stronger when our mutual stories are shared,” he said.

So next time you’re looking to take a stroll downtown, breathe in the fresh air and take in a little history while you’re at it.

SPONSORED BY 1UP VICTORIA SINGLE PARENT RESOURCE CENTRE

1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre: Building Hope for Single Parents, One Family at a Time

Raising children alone can be overwhelming. Between skyrocketing housing costs, juggling childcare, and trying to put food on the table, single parents in Greater Victoria often face impossible choices. For more than 40 years, 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre has been standing beside them, offering not only practical resources, but also compassion, community, and hope.

At 1Up, parents find more than a thrift store or a drop-in centre, they find connection. Whether it’s a workshop on budgeting, a mentor who’s walked the same path, or simply a warm cup of coffee and someone who listens, the centre helps families feel less isolated and more Empowered.

One parent described 1Up as “a place where I finally felt seen. I went from struggling alone to knowing I had a village behind me.” That sense of belonging can make all the difference for families working toward stability and brighter futures.

And now, the community has a unique opportunity to make its support go twice as far. An anonymous donor has stepped forward to match every donation made between September 25 and November 30, dollar for dollar for up to $25,000.That means every gift, big or small, will have double the impact on local solo parent families who need it most.

In a city where the cost of living can push parents to the breaking point, 1Up offers a lifeline. With community support, that lifeline can be stronger than ever.

Empower single parent families to thrive by donating today.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🎧 W̱SÁNEĆ podcast: The First Nation has launched a new podcast, exploring key issues for the W̱SÁNEĆ people. [Listen here]

🎤 A fizzy, funky night of song as Heather's voice soars! Catch her with her friends live at Hermann’s Jazz Club, Thursday, November 13 at 7pm.*

🪧 Big signs of the 1950s: See the facades of downtown Victoria buildings at “Pusser’s Corner.” [Facebook photo]

🍵 New from Mateína: A zero sugar, organic yerba mate that delivers clean, balanced energy—no crash, no weird ingredients. Just plant-powered fuel that works.*

💡 Design Victoria’s IDEA: Island Design Excellence Awards 2025 winners.

❤️ "Susan McFarlen was absolutely magnificent...The play was funny, moving and layered with brilliance." Burning Mom, at the Belfry, closes on November 23.

^{*Sponsored Listing}

SPONSORED BY CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

Pancakes & Pajamas tickets going fast!

Pancakes & Pajamas is the perfect way to start the holiday season. Enjoy a festive brunch with your loved ones in your cozy PJs — all while giving back. Your presence helps support the health care journeys of Island families during the holidays and all year round. Buy yours today!

🗞️ In Other News

Cowichan sweater knitters concerned over Eddie Bauer knock-off
The traditional sweaters have been made by members of the Cowichan Tribes for centuries, and professional knitters from the First Nation say they’re disappointed to see that Eddie Bauer has replicated the designs for mass production. The brand is marketing the similarly designed sweater as “Northwest-inspired.” Cowichan members say this appropriation is hurtful, as the craft has a deep cultural significance. Victoria Native Friendship Centre wrote an open letter to the brand asking for it to stop replicating the sweaters, saying it diminishes the livelihood of Indigenous knitters. [CHEK]

No need to bring in a doctor’s note: BC brings in sick note rules
Effective immediately, if you take a sick day, your boss can’t ask for a doctor’s note. Under new regulations, employers cannot ask for a sick note for an employee’s first two short-term, health-related absences of five straight days or fewer in a calendar year. When you’re sick, you shouldn’t have to go to a doctor to prove it, is the message from Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside. The move is also meant to save physicians’ time and to emphasize the importance of staying home when you’re unwell and preventing the spread of illness. [BC Gov’t.]

The guy who replaced Stew Young doesn’t want to be replaced
Scott Goodmanson came out of (pretty much) nowhere to unseat Young in Langford’s mayoralty race in October 2022. Young had been mayor for seven terms, spanning three+ decades. Three-quarters of the way through his rookie term, Goodmanson says he’s been getting such a positive reaction to the work he and his council are doing that he’s decided to run in the next municipal election to be held next October. He joins Victoria’s Marianne Alto, North Saanich’s Peter Jones, Sidney’s Cliff McNeil-Smith, Metchosin’s Marie-Térése Little, and Ken Williams in the Highlands as mayors who have said they will run again. [Times Colonist]

SPONSORED BY THE BUTCHART GARDENS

The Magic of Christmas at The Butchart Gardens

From December 1st through January 6th, the Butchart Gardens transforms into a winter wonderland complete with thousands of twinkling lights, festive displays and the classic twelve days of Christmas. Gardens are open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm with viewing until 10:00pm. Please reserve your date and time to visit at ButchartGardens.com

🗓️ Things To Do

🎵 Ben Caplan with Suzie Ungerleider: Halifax folk artist Ben Caplan brings his soulful voice to the Capital Ballroom, with special guest Suzie Ungerleider, tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🛍️ Thursdays at Ecologyst: Monthly Shop & Sip: Browse unique natural fibre products produced in North America while sipping locally made beverages from Vancouver Island breweries and wineries at Ecologyst today. 12-7pm. [Info]

❄️ Sip & Shop Holiday Market: Shop curated local vendors while sipping cocktails at The Bard & Banker today. 4-8pm. [Info]

🗣️ The Soft Storm: Hear poetry by Victoria’s sixth Poet Laureate Emeritus, Marie Metaphor Specht, and Indigenous poet Shauntelle Dick-Charleson at Kirk Hall tomorrow. Masks required. 6:30pm & 8:30pm. [Info]

🎸 Sloan: The Canadian indie rock legends will bring their music to the Capital Ballroom tomorrow. 9pm. [Info] 

🎄 Festival of Trees: Browse beautifully decorated trees curated by local businesses, vote for your favourite, and support BC Children's Hospital at the Bay Centre, starting today. [Info]

🎞️ Victoria Black Film Festival: Two nights of BC Black filmmakers' short and long films with director Q&A panels, including unscreened works at Vic Theatre. Tomorrow and Saturday. Doors 6:15pm, films 7pm, Q&A 9pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: RAP to get up to $6M in federal funds for upgrades; Another humpback found dead in our waters; Flight out of YYJ makes emergency landing at YVR. [Nov. 12]

Remembrance Day: Honouring those who fought for freedom. [Times Colonist]

Saanich lane restrictions are expected through next spring as the district replaces storm and sanitary drains. [CHEK]

We Are One! 2025: Outstanding performers commemorate Human Solidarity Day and the International Day of Persons With Disabilities. [Nov. 30]

Old Chinatown phone booths rediscovered. [Facebook photos]

Why did the salmon cross the road? Flooding on a North Island road led a coho salmon down the wrong route. It was redirected back to the nearby stream shortly after the video was filmed. [Facebook video]

That’s it!

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