Nov 7 - Council says no to consumption site cessation

Good morning !

Storms like last night’s are such a beautiful experience for this Ottawa boy.
Hearing that wind howl here in James Bay and watching those waves pound the shore: Man, what an absolute pleasure.
Mind you, last night’s nasty windstorm temporarily left 13K+ BC Hydro customers—half of those on the South Island, including in Victoria and Langford—without power.
The storm is expected to carry into this morning, so it’s not all fun and beauty—especially if you were in the dark last night or had plans to leave the Island.
Yesterday’s three and five o’clock Vancouver sailings to and from Swartz Bay were cancelled, and this morning’s boats may have to be held back if the winds persist. Check here if you have ferry plans today.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 12 / 6  

Tomorrow: ⛅ 10 / 7

Sunday: 🌦️ 12 / 9

7-day forecast

NEWS

Victoria council rejects proposal to seek supervised consumption site shutdown

By a vote of 7-2, the council turned down a motion to formally request Island Health “cease operations of any safe consumption site” in the city.

“The people who are victims of drug addiction, they need help, they really do,” said Coun. Marg Gardiner, who brought the motion. 

“And they’re not going to get it when we keep supporting illicit drug use in any way whatsoever.”

Gardiner said after years of gathering data on the issue, “We need to do something—our city is really in danger.”

Many in council said Gardiner had a point—the overdose situation doesn’t appear to be getting any better, drug dealers can shoot fish in a barrel at the city’s consumption site, and the drug supply continues to produce increasingly toxic drugs that have proven lethal.

Greater Victoria consistently ranks among BC’s deadliest communities—after Vancouver and Surrey—for toxic drug deaths. The BC Coroners Service said there were 93 such deaths in this region between January and September. 

The introduction of fentanyl into the drug supply has been a game changer; the experiments of consumption sites and open drug use have failed, and the region’s premier Island Health consumption site in the region, The Harbour on Pandora, has become a magnet for those addicted to drugs and for drug dealers who prey on many of them, Gardiner said. 

“If this council is committed to a safer city, it must do more than increase enforcement while supporting illicit drug use behind closed doors,” she said. 
“It must send a message to the provincial government that says Victoria is no longer open to illicit drug suppliers or enablers.”

Mayor Marianne Alto reminded the council that The Habour is more than a supervised consumption site and offers a variety of health-related services.
For all its troubles and challenges, she said, supervised consumption is a part of the continuum of both harm reduction and recovery.

“And I think it would be probably a bit shortsighted for us to close that particular facility before there are sufficient and adequate other health services available, which there are not.”

Coun. Susan Kim said it doesn’t make sense for “unqualified politicians” to determine health treatment. “It’s not like we go in and tell [doctors] how to do heart surgeries in operating rooms,” she said. 

From a personal standpoint, she added, “I just don’t want blood on my hands, so I’m going to vote against this.”

Gardiner was joined by Stephen Hammond as the two councillors who voted in favour.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Drop off hard-to-recycle items: Weekend pop-up at Vic West Community Centre tomorrow. [City of Vic]

IDAP Grant: Black youth in Victoria can now apply for the International Decade for People of African Descent Youth Grants. [Details]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

UVic study: climate change is making zombie worms disappear—and that’s bad news for other deep-sea species

What’s scarier than a creature called the zombie worm? The absence of it, according to researchers at UVic and Ocean Networks Canada (ONC).

The zombie worm, or osedax—also known as the “bone devourer”—is an essential part of decomposition in the deep blue sea. These worms bore into the bones of whales to extract lipids from within. They have no mouth, digestive system, or anus, instead relying on a complex root system that secretes a powerful acid, cutting into bones. 

More than a decade ago, scientists at ONC placed humpback whale bones on the deep ocean floor off BC’s coast. Now, over 10 years later, these bones show no sign of zombie worm colonization—and this discovery is troubling the study’s co-leader, Fabio De Leo.

Researchers believe the absence of zombie worms could be related to the naturally occurring low-oxygen zone—or oxygen minimum zones (OMZ)—where the bones were placed. OMZs have been growing as of late, driven mainly by climate change. If zombie worms aren’t able to thrive in these OMZs, other creatures could suffer as well.

Whale falls, a natural occurrence when a deceased whale sinks to the bottom of the ocean, are vibrant ecosystems for many tiny creatures. Zombie worms are a catalyst for other species receiving nutrients from the whale bones—without the worms, those other species may not be able to colonize and harvest the nutrients.

The diversity of zombie worm species could also suffer—the worms grow on whale bones and disperse their larvae to far-off distances (hundreds of kilometres away) to populate other whale-fall ecosystems. 

De Leo describes whale falls as “almost like islands” that act as a “stepping-stone habitat for this and many other whale bone specialist species.” 

“This connectivity, these island habitats, will not be connected anymore, and then you could start losing a diversity of Osedax species across regional spatial scales,” De Leo said in a statement.

This story ran for our Insiders on Nov. 2. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.

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 Sept. 25 and Nov. 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. Empower single-parent families to thrive by donating today.

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. Learn more here.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏫 Camosun College's annual Open House tomorrow, 11am to 2pm at the Interurban campus.

🥞 Join the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island for their Pancakes & Pajamas fundraiser on Dec. 7! Enjoy brunch and holiday activities while giving back.*

✈️ Prize spot: A stay at The Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke was a prize on Wheel of Fortune this week. [Prestige]

🔥 "She was absolutely amazing!" Burning Mom, starring Susinn McFarlen, continues at the Belfry Theatre until Nov. 23. Pay-what-you-want tickets are available for all performances.*

⛸️🏊 Winter program registration opens soon. [City of Victoria]

🥚 From Vancouver Island roots to the forests of the Northwest, Kieran keeps her family’s commitment to local food alive. Community, legacy, and land. Read her story.*

🦩Happy birthday, Mango: One of the world’s oldest flamingos, who lives at the Butterfly Gardens, celebrates his 50th birthday. [YAM]

*Sponsored Listing

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🗞️ In Other News

Victoria city council mulls ways to bring down possible 13% property tax hike 
The 2026 budget has a nearly $30M increase from 2025 for a $389M total operating budget. The city says employee pay, debt repayments, asset management, policing requests, and the new officer hiring spree have contributed to the increase. The police budget requests alone make up nearly half of this increase. The CRD is also proposing a 6.5% tax hike. To reduce the overall taxpayer hit, the city is considering cutting the youth bus pass program and dropping its outdoor hanging baskets (except for tourist areas). Charging for sports court bookings may also be an option. [CHEK]

Sharp cuts to international student permits will hit Island colleges and universities 
The number of new international students allowed in Canada next year has been cut in half, capped at 150K permits, down from the previously announced 305K. Many Island schools were already facing multimillion-dollar deficits in their upcoming budgets before the limit announcement. UVic had a 40% drop in international students this fall compared with 2023—a large hit, given that 32% of the university’s tuition revenue comes from international students. Camosun’s international student tuition makes up 12% of its revenue, or $21M. The college said it was already attempting to cut $2M from its upcoming budget. [Times Colonist]

Saanich to open additional extreme-weather shelter spaces this winter
The new shelter—which will provide 20 beds during extreme-weather events—will be operated by Our Place Society at Broad View United Church on St. Aidan’s. Before designating this space as an emergency shelter, Saanich had only 25 beds at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre for these events. Saanich has also committed to using its rec centres as daytime warming centres. Greater Victoria will now have 100+ emergency shelter beds (45 in Saanich, 60 in Victoria, 13 in Sooke). [Victoria Buzz]

SPONSORED BY DANCE VICTORIA

Canadian Premiere of Hung Dance (Taiwan)

Hung Dance (Taiwan) makes its Canadian debut with the award-winning BIRDY at the Royal Theatre, Nov. 14 & 15. Choreographer Lai Hung-Chung fuses martial arts, Peking opera, and striking feather headpieces [Ling Zi] to explore freedom, conformity, and resilience in a visually stunning reflection on the human longing to fly free.

🗓️ Things To Do

🏒 WHL: Kelowna Rockets at Victoria Royals, tonight at 7:05pm. [Info]

🎶 Concert of Remembrance: A moving tribute of song and story with the Band of the 5th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, in the Dave Dunnet Theatre at Oak Bay High. Tomorrow. 7:30pm-9pm. [Info]

🧵 Victoria Quilters' Guild Christmas Market 2025: Discover stunning handmade quilts and textile creations while supporting community causes at the Victoria Quilters' Guild venue. Today & tomorrow. 12-5pm & 10am-4pm. [Info]

🎄 Yuletide Market Series at Bilston Creek Farm: Shop rotating local vendors at one of Victoria's favourite Christmas markets at Bilston Creek Farm. Today, tomorrow & Sunday. 10am-4pm. [Info]

🎸 Tower of Song: Leonard Cohen Tribute: See Canada's longest-running Cohen tribute at McPherson Playhouse. Tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]

🎭 Remembering Mary’s Wedding: Pacific Opera offers the opportunity to engage in the ritual of remembrance through storytelling and music. Baumann Centre. Tomorrow. 3pm & 7pm. Also, Nov. 11, 2pm at Royal Roads. [Info]

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👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: Fall prevention tips; Wind warnings lead to cancelled ferries; More young people taking up vaping. [Nov. 6]

November events in Greater Victoria. [Capital Daily]

Have your say: CRD provisional 2026-2030 financial plan. 

BC mandates cleanup of a mountain of dumped trash on Cowichan Tribes' reserve land. [Times Colonist]

Soap for Hope is fundraising to provide vulnerable seniors with hygiene products. [Silent auction]

Telescope talk: Maximizing image resolution using Adaptive Optics. [Nov. 12 at UVic]

*Sponsored Listing

That’s it!

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