Nov 25 - Santa is back in town, & ready to break records

Good morning !

It’s that time of year when Santa comes to spread cheer. No, you haven’t been asleep for a month and woken up on Christmas. It’s just Victoria’s premiere holiday parade, which runs a month before the day itself and tends to announce the beginning of winter locally.

More on that below!

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️ 8 / 2

Tomorrow: ☀️ 8 / 2

Day after: ☀️ 8 / 3

7-day forecast

NEWS

Victoria Santa Claus Parade back for 41st year

Whether or not you’re ready for the holiday season, the Victoria Santa Claus Parade often serves as a starting point for winter festivities. 

It’s a staple for the south Island that many would call a must-see event—even during the atmospheric river, the parade saw its highest turnout on record with 70,000 spectators, according to the Victoria Festival Society (VFS). This year is expected to smash that record, with clear skies anticipated for tonight.

It’s considered the biggest nighttime parade in all of Canada, Destination Greater Victoria’s webpage says, with 60-70 organizations participating. It’s a special alternative to other cities’ daytime events, doubling as a lightshow and a parade. 

This wasn’t always the case—it first began as a daytime parade with roughly 20 groups involved. Over the years it’s grown into the spectacle Victorians have come to know.

“It’s really about bringing the community together, right?” said Kelly Kurta, VFS executive director.

This year’s parade prioritizing charity & accessibility

Kurta says the parade makes sure to not only gather the community, but give back to it.

Mustard Seed, its charity of choice, will be selling hot chocolate and gluten-free cookies to fundraise for its food banks. This was a priority for the organizers; Kurta says food security is top of mind for many in Victoria.

They’ve also added new accessibility options thanks to a collaboration with Disability Resource Centre, with a first-ever live audio description available during the parade for those with visual impairments or sensory needs. This can be found at Government and Bellville, with registration still available for those interested.

The parade starts at 5:20pm, followed by entertainment—including a chance to meet Santa—at the Victoria Public Market. Check out the parade route here.

By Robyn Bell

NEWS

Royal Roads looks at rise in online harassment of researchers

It may not be the first thing you think of when you read academic reporting online. But for many Canadian researchers, scientists, and academics the reward for their many months of work—and for making it available to you—is being harassed over the internet.

Researchers and research communicators often face abuse and even threats when they share their research digitally. 

“It’s made some people in academia decide to not talk about their work online,” Jaigris Hodson, a Royal Roads associate professor, who specializes in digital communications for the public interest, told Capital Daily.

Last week, Royal Roads hosted an interactive online workshop for students, academics, and communications professionals looking for coping skills to use when someone tells the whole world they’re worthless.  

Hodson says the stakes are high because if researchers, scientists, and academics don’t make their work public, we all lose.

“It’s a loss to the public discourse because we can’t have  conversations about this work if it’s not there,” she says.

Read Mark Brennae’s story on academia’s angst of going public in today’s cyber world.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Road closures for today’s Peninsula Co-op Santa Claus Parade.

Five Islanders going to Rugby Youth Sevens in Australia with BC U-18 team.

Eileen’s Gourmet Cafe will permanently close on Dec. 31 after 30 years on Oak Bay Ave., citing unaffordable rent increases.

Victoria 5 Tri-City 1: Royals’ Friday blowout put them in 6th place in the WHL.

SPONSORED BY THE CANADIAN CLUB OF VICTORIA

The 110th Annual Christmas Tea

The Canadian Club of Victoria will be celebrating their 110th Christmas Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel on Monday, December 4 from 2-4pm in the Crystal Ballroom, and you're invited to attend!

Enjoy the delicious Empress tea service, entertainment by students from the Canadian College of Performing Arts, and support the Camosun College Bursary Fund.

Limited tickets are still available. Get yours today!

⭐️ Capital Picks

🥫 Esquimalt Food Drive: The township & CUPE are collecting in support of Esquimalt Neighbourhood House.
Capital Daily has profiled some of the good work of the Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society.

🎭 Give a great night out. The Belfry Theatre offers gift certificates (any value) for those hard to buy for art lovers in your world.*

🦆 His ‘n’ hers hairstyles on these hooded mergansers in Nanaimo. [Photo via Facebook]

🤝 Now hiring: Manager of Donor Relations at Victoria Conservatory of Music

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

15% of seniors considered low-income, reports United Way of BC
It’s actually 15.2% in 2021, the most recent statistics available, and that’s up five percentage points from the previous year, according to the charity’s report Aging in Uncertainty. [CHEK]

Island food charity has a waitlist for the first time ever
Fewer available services and a higher cost of living have put more pressure on charities such as Backpack Buddies, which says one in five BC kids lives with food insecurity, and it could be twice that level on some parts of the Island. [CTV]

Jewish Victorians start petition in support of Vic councillor
The 2,000-signature petition deplores calls to censure Coun. Susan Kim, who has been under pressure to resign from council after she signed a letter that called for a ceasefire in Gaza and questioned claims of sexual assault by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attacks. [Times Colonist]

Island students’ tampon bill tabled in Ottawa
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alistair MacGregor tabled the bill, brought forward by two Island students, that would ensure all ingredients in tampons are labeled on packaging. Currently, there are no requirements for this in the Food and Drug Act, despite many tampons containing toxic “forever chemicals.” [Victoria New]

SPONSORED BY TALL TREE HEALTH

Who else wants to live longer and healthier?

What if you could take steps today to understand your risks and prevent disease before it starts? 

Tall Tree’s longevity medicine program is designed to help you live a longer, healthier life. With a team of medical and behavioural experts and aggressive evidence-based metrics, including a blood panel, DNA testing, VO2 max testing, and cancer and cardiovascular screening, this is not conventional healthcare. This is a totally different approach designed to move your health from normal to optimal. 

🗓️ Things to do

🖼️ What Now? A 60-year retrospective of artist Elizabeth Carefoot’s life in art. Gage Gallery. Through Dec. 3. [Info]

⛪ St. Cecilia’s Day musical open house and market. Christ Church Cathedral. Today. 9am-5:30pm. [Info]

🎫 Emily Carr Chronicles takes tour on the road. Today. Emily Carr House. 12-2:30pm. [Info]

Out of Hand Modern Market is on now until Sunday. Over 120 incredible makers in one magical location. Tickets available online or at the door.*

🎅🏿 41st Peninsula Co-Op Santa Claus Parade. Starts near the legislature. Today. 5:20pm. [Info]

⛷️ Apres Ski Party. Capital Ballroom. Sounds by Good Company. Today. 10pm-2am. [Tickets]

🖼️ Tender Touch at AGGV: Free admission today for the opening of the new exhibit about Victoria’s tattoo community. Live tattooing demonstration by Simran Dhaliwal and Mina Malahay, 11am-4pm. [Details]

🩰 The Storybook Nutcracker: The classic ballet will be performed at Charlie White Theatre. Today 2pm, tonight 7pm. 

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

 BC Ferries adding more hybrid ships to replace retiring vessels. [Capital Daily]

Dirty Dome: Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre roof in need of cleaning. [CHEK]

Photo: Winter storm magic on the north Island.

Construction is beginning for new Saanich firehall. [Capital Daily]

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter.