Good morning {{First name}}!

As we head to the polls on Oct. 17 for the first of two elections this month (🙄), the children of Colwood will also be casting votes. 

They won't be voting to elect the city's mayor and council—that task is still limited to those 18+—but they can have their say on which new waterfront feature the city should add to Esquimalt Lagoon.

Colwood kids can choose between public binoculars for a closer look at marine life or a bird-song player that mimics the songs of migratory birds in the lagoon. Tough choice.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

Today: ⛅ 18 / 10

Tomorrow: ☀ 21 / 12

Day after: ☀ 19 / 13

7-day forecast

Home sales dropped in September, while more properties were listed, making it a buyer’s market—at least for that month, the Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB) said yesterday.

A total of 463 properties were sold in September, 16.4% fewer than the 554 properties that changed hands in September 2025 and 21.7% fewer than August 2026.

“Excluding the months from the start of the pandemic, this is the first time we’ve seen a buyer’s market since January 2015,” VREB Chair Fergus Kyne said.

“However, one month does not make a trend, and it’s too early to say whether market conditions have shifted for the longer term.”

VREB said it listed 3,811 properties at the end of last month, an increase of 4.1% over August and a 3.2% jump from the end of September 2025.

Kyne said the strong supply of inventory available in the market right now is countered by a lack of certainty among buyers and sellers.

“If you’re a qualified buyer and you’re looking for a new home, this might be a good time, because inventory generally decreases into the winter and your choices may not be as diverse as they are right now,” he said. 

Sellers, he said, should consult their realtor about the fluid market and conditions.

“September’s market looked very different from July and August, and conditions could shift again in October and the months ahead.”

Saanich road closure: Fairburn, between Gordon Head and Feltham, closed now through Oct. 16, 9am-3pm.

Victoria road closure: Belleville and Pendray, from Oswego to Quebec, will be closed today. 7am-5pm. 

Coast Trail in East Sooke Park reopened following closure due to cougar activity. [CRD]

All GVPL branches closed Monday for Thanksgiving. [Details]

Driving today? Check current traffic conditions on Google.

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Finding a great deal in a secondhand shop is nice—changing lives with that purchase is even better. 

For two decades, a collection of stores in Greater Victoria has been supporting the region's most vulnerable community members.

Victoria Women in Need Cooperative—also known as WIN—is celebrating 20 years as a nonprofit, helping women, trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people fleeing domestic violence, homelessness, and other crises. 

Through resale shops, an online store, and community donations, the nonprofit said it's provided opportunities to more than 31K women and gender-diverse people since 2006.

One of WIN's most notable initiatives is its New Start Program, which helps women moving out of transitional housing furnish their new homes. In the last 20 years, more than 1,500 homes have been furnished, said the nonprofit. 

Its Gift Certificate Program has provided $800K+ to participants in need of new clothing, home goods, books, and more.

WIN has also offered bursaries for those pursuing higher education or starting small businesses—last year, the program gave $1,575 to help two Indigenous students study social work at UVic. More than $200K has been shared through WIN's Self Sufficiency Bursary program in its two-decade run, said the nonprofit.

On top of all that, WIN's resale model has diverted "hundreds of thousands of pounds" of clothing and goods from the landfill. 

“I’ve seen just how much a small piece of support can mean to someone navigating an incredibly difficult time,” said Nicole Lapierre, WIN's program manager. “A gift certificate that lets someone choose what they need, a home furnished after leaving violence, or simply knowing someone is there to help connect them with resources can make a real difference."

Lapierre said the programs give people "more choice, dignity, and stability when they need it most."

To mark its 20th birthday, WIN hopes to boost fundraising by inviting the community to shop, volunteer, or donate. The non-profit is holding a silent auction later this week, with more than 100 items up for grabs, including hotel stays, spa treatments, dining experiences, and more.

The auction will launch Friday and run through Oct. 19.

The businesses best prepared for change are not necessarily the ones using the latest technology. The ones with adaptable teams that have both technical and transferable skills are getting ahead.

For example, communication has consistently ranked as one of LinkedIn’s most in-demand skills. Research from the Future Skills Centre also shows that soft skills are wanted across all sectors and organization sizes.

“When leaders prioritize connection, communication and collaboration, teams become more adaptable and committed,” shares Jo-Anne Clarke, dean of Continuing Studies at UVic.

Technology may change how work gets done, but closing the skills gap is about helping people take on what’s next. Invest in the people who make it work and keep moving businesses or organizations forward.

❄ The Big Snow of 1916: See people shovelling Government Street more than 110 years ago. [Facebook photo]

🎞️ The Victoria International Jewish Film Festival is Oct. 10-15. [Info]

🏡 Aging in place starts with an honest look at the home. This free walkthrough guide shows where to start looking, from room to room.*

📚 The Victoria Festival of Authors is Oct. 12-18. [Info]

*Sponsored Listing

300-foot-long wall monument to interned Japanese opens near downtown
The memorial, made of 100 granite panels, displays the names of nearly 22K Japanese Canadians forcibly uprooted and incarcerated during the Second World War and 3K+ children born in internment camps between 1942 and 1949. Immediately following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on Dec. 7, 1941, Canada declared war on Japan and displaced, uprooted, and incarcerated 90% of the Japanese Canadian population. The monument is located at 839 Academy Close, just behind St. Ann’s Academy, and is open 24 hours a day. [Black Press]

$90M for Oak Bay Lodge, free shingles vaccine among BC NDP election promises
If re-elected, Premier David Eby said his party would commit $90M toward redeveloping the former Oak Bay Lodge site on Cadboro Bay Road into a "campus of care." He also pledged free shingles vaccines for people 50+ and immunocompromised adults, and to restart seven paused long-term care builds. Last month, Island Health and the regional hospital district signed an MOU to explore options for the lodge site, which has sat vacant for six years. [Times Colonist]

First accessible bike trail to open in Sooke later this month
The Sooke Bike Club will open "Bear Necessities," the region's first purpose-built adaptive mountain bike trail in Sea to Sea Regional Park. The accessible trail was built by volunteers over several months, as they widened the trail and reworked features to suit adaptive bikes, hand cycles, and newer riders. The grand opening is happening Saturday, Oct. 24. [CHEK]

🪶 Dead Pioneers Punk & Storytelling Show: Hear music rooted in Indigenous art, activism, and the power of punk at Encore Victoria tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🩰 Swan Lake Symphony of Lights: See the iconic Tchaikovsky ballet with illuminated costumes and a vivid light design at Royal Theatre tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎵 Skerryvore: "Scotland's best live act" returns with a high-energy performance at the McPherson Playhouse tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🔮 Victoria Psychic Fair: Explore tarot, mediumship, palm reading, and more at this metaphysical fair at the Bay Centre. Today and tomorrow. 10am-6pm. [Info] 

🎻 Cascadia Strings: Wild Horizons: Hear the works of Dvořák, Haydn, and more performed by Victoria musicians at The Coda tomorrow. 6:30pm. [Info]

⚧️ TransYouth Project Talk: Princeton University Prof. Kristina Olson will discuss the largest-to-date longitudinal study of trans kids at UVic, Room C126. Thursday. 7pm. [Info] Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been CANCELLED.

🎸 The Zolas: The Vancouver band will bring its indie-rock sound to the Capital Ballroom. Friday. 8pm. [Info]

🌷 All About Erythroniums: Hear a talk by botanist Geraldine Allen at First Memorial Meeting Room, 4725 Falaise. Oct. 13. [Info]

Sunday’s headlines: Events happening in Greater Victoria in October; Weekly roundup; Sidney council approves 3 housing projects. [Oct. 4] 

Blue-green algae advisory in place for Brookleigh Boat Launch at Elk Lake. [CRD]

Westshore police warn of “free phone” fraud. [RCMP] 

Neighbourhood associations want more say in the decision-making process. [Times Colonist]

Big bite: A seagull in Nanaimo was seen trying to stuff a large starfish in its mouth. [Facebook photos]

New rules for gun owners across BC. [CHEK]

John Mulaney's Victoria show postponed to March. [Details]

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