Sun. June 25 - Your new local MLA

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning !

After a fast-tracked early-summer race, the Westshore has its John Horgan replacement after spending three months without an MLA. The overall result went as most observers expected, but there were some surprises along the way. Read the details below.

—Cam

🌤️ Today's weather: Mainly sunny. Light wind. High 22C (18 near water) / low 13C. Humidex 25. UV index 7 (high).

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk (2/10). No smoke expected.

NEWS

Parmar becomes Langford – Juan de Fuca MLA as landslide keeps Horgan’s seat in NDP hands

Preliminary results have Sooke School District chair Ravi Parmar taking the byelection with 53.4% of the vote. The NDP was expected to hold what has been a safe seat under John Horgan and historically.

But the rest of the results brought some surprise as BC United (formerly the BC Liberals) finished a distant fourth, with much of its typical vote share seemingly going to the BC Conservatives’ surprise second-place finish.

The Conservatives and BC Greens were bunched close together in second and third with 19.9% and 17.6% respectively. BC United were well back at 8.6% and the BC Communists were fifth at 0.6%.

The election brought out 13,542 voters—about a quarter of eligible voters, and half the turnout of the most recent provincial general election in 2020.

Parmar became BC’s youngest school board chair in 2017 at age 22 while studying at UVic. He’s held that SD62 role since then while working for the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation, most recently as the chief of staff.

Read the full election results story at Capital Daily, and subscribe to The Westshore for more details this week.

NEWS

New public swimming dock approved for Gorge

Victoria council voted in mid-June to allocate $300,000 to install a new swimming dock at Gorge Marine Park. The dock will be built off Banfield Park in the southwest area of Gorge Marine Park.

Plans to add a new swimming dock in the area have been in the works since 2019. In 2021, a floating swim platform was added to the open water area near Banfield Park and last year, the City of Victoria inserted additional walkways to the existing dock. The city expects more people to swim off the dock and, to that end, banned motorized vessels from entering the protected recreational area nearby.

Initially, the new dock was to be fitted for Arm Street Park, but concerns over accessibility and environmental issues made for the switch to Banfield Park, which has a wider water area allowing for the safe separation of swimmers, paddlers, and boats. The city identified the area as highly suitable for swimming because the water remains deep even during low tide. Buoys will be installed to indicate the protected swimming area.

NEWS

4 Italian restaurants in Victoria to visit this month

Many readers cited Italian as their favourite regional cuisine in a recent poll, and Victoria has more than a few ways to get good Italian and Italian-influenced food. From mouth-watering pastas to cheese dripping pizzas, there’s a reason it’s a fan favourite.

Here’s a list of some of our favourite Italian restaurants in the city! Check it out at Tasting Victoria.

SPONSORED BY SOUTH ISLAND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP

A year of impact

It’s been a year of major impact for South Island Prosperity Partnership, Greater Victoria’s economic development agency — and that’s good news for the entire region, says Emilie de Rosenroll, SIPP’s Group CEO.

At its June Annual General Meeting in Sidney, SIPP released its Leadership by Listening: Impact Report 2022-2023, detailing the launch and progress of the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST), the Indigenous Prosperity Centre and other SIPP initiatives.

“South Island Prosperity Partnership is an example of successful collaboration in action,” says Board Chair Frank Bourree. “SIPP looks at the South Island economy through a regional lens, knowing that what benefits one part of the region benefits us all, raising us all up to create a future of prosperity.”

Read the full report here.

Capital Picks

🎤 Free SkaFest concert: For the final day of Ska Fest Ojo De Buey will perform today alongside My Son the Hurricane, Oral Fuentes, Street Pharmacy, Kownterpoint, and Young Royal. It’s the last of the three free concerts at Ship Point this past week.

🎸 Mali Obomsawin Quartet: As part of JazzFest Abenaki First Nation bassist and vocalist Mali Obomsawin will be joined today by drummer Evan Woodle, guitarist Magdalena Abrego, and reedist Allison Burik. Victoria Event Centre / 9pm.

🎹 Florian Hoefner Trio at Hermann’s Jazz Club: JUNO winning pianist Florian Hoefner is accompanied by bassist Andrew Downing and drummer Nick Fraser for JazzFest today. 7pm.

🏡 AirBnB Condo's For Sale: View all the condominiums with short-term rental zoning in Downtown Victoria. View the listings, photos, and more.*

🏊 Triathlon of Compassion: Swimming, biking, and running in support of the Victoria Sexual Assault Center today at the Esquimalt Rec Centre. [Details]

🚲 Terry Fox Ride of Hope: Cycle either 143k or 72k around Victoria today to fundraise for The Terry Fox Foundation. [Details]

🌳 JazzFest in the park: AFter today’s JazzFest set, Beacon Hill’s Cameron Bandshell hosts the steel band Steel Magic Northwest tomorrow (1–2:15pm), with Daniel Cook & The Radiators (3:30–5:20pm). 

🤝 Now hiring: Sales and Marketing Administrator at Inclusion System.

*Sponsored Listing

In Other News

🛣️ Hwy 4 reopens after closing after reopening after closing
Strong winds shut the highway's single alternating lane on Fri., just 5 hours after it reopened following a two-week wildfire shutdown. It re-reopened Sat. at 8am.

🏃‍♀️ Mother’s run across BC for safe supply reaches Legislature today
Jessica Michalofsk, whose son died from drug poisoning last year, has been running 30km/day to call for an expansion of the safe supply programs that currently only available to a relatively small number of BC drug users. She will walk down Blanshard with supporters leading up to a 1pm event at which BC’s chief coroner will address the crowd. [CTV]

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Tax Coordinator at Together Against Poverty Society

• Digital Marketing Specialist at Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa

• Life Enrichment Coordinator at Amica Senior Lifestyles

• Client Support Technician at ISM

• Veterinary Technician at Sooke Veterinary Hospital

• Cooks at The Butchart Gardens

Looking for more openings? See 50+ jobs open now on YYJobs.

Hiring? Post your job to have it featured here, and fill your opening fast!

In Case You Missed It

🚽 ​​Shipping sewage up-Island: The CRD’s new biosolids plan has Nanaimo pushing back. Plus: A new restaurant from the Canucks ownership group, and new baby whales spotted in the sea. [Saturday newsletter]

⚾ HarbourCats baseball: Victoria (14-6) got the sweep over Edmonton this past week at home but has been unable to get a road win over first-place Bellingham this weekend.

⛴️ BC Ferries summer schedule: Five additional ferries will be added, providing 4,700 more sailings.

🎧 “Sounds of Victoria”: Victoria’s Artist in Residence is requesting audio submissions for a public art project for Eventide. Submissions are due July 7.

📰 Friday headlines: Victoria softballers represent Canada, fatal plane crash, increased mental health services for Island refugees, and more. [June 23]