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- Sept 11 - Province backs out of mattress recycling plan
Sept 11 - Province backs out of mattress recycling plan
UVic granted $5M to enhance reconciliation efforts. Man charged with second-degree murder in Saanich.
Capital Daily Team
September 11, 2025
Good morning !
Netflix is in Sidney filming two different productions right now—a movie and a TV show—bringing film crews to the small town and, likely, showing off how beautiful the South Island is.
I remember when Gracepoint, the murder mystery starring David Tennant, was filming throughout Greater Victoria and Maid, another Netflix series with Margaret Qualley and her mother Andie McDowell, spotlighted Victoria’s idyllic scenery.
We’ve also had our fair share of Hallmark movies shot here, though, admittedly, I’ve never seen any of them (sorry, Hallmark).
— Robyn
Have you ever seen a notable movie or TV show filming in Greater Victoria? |
Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes
🌡️ Weather Forecast
NEWS
Province pivots from mattress
recycling program pledge
Photo: Shutterstock
The BC government is not going to expand its recycling program to include mattresses—a disappointment to the many municipalities counting on it.
“Municipalities have invested in mattress recycling programs in good faith based on the province’s promises,” said Nanaimo Coun. Ben Geselbracht, chair of the Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Committee on Solid Waste and Circular Economy.
“If the province walks away now, taxpayers will continue to carry costs that should be the responsibility of producers.”
Because they’re bulky and not easily disposed of, mattresses are one of the most problematic items when it comes to waste and are frequently dumped in alleys, woodland areas, or even left on the front lawn with the hope someone takes them. If disposed of at the dump, they take up a lot of space.
It’s become a problem for municipalities, which often are left to do the heavy lifting when someone abandons a bed.
According to the committee, Vancouver alone collected 165,000 mattresses for recycling in 2016, with the pickup work costing $5M. A figure for Victoria wasn’t available.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, the committee’s CRD representative, says municipalities were hoping for a program where mattress producers pass along a recycling fee, as is done for washing machines and tires.
“That's 18 to $20 when a mattress nowadays is costing $1,000 on average,” she tells Capital Daily.
“That's a very small price to pay for keeping things out of the landfill.”
Earlier this week, the municipalities sent a letter to Environment Minister Tamara Davidson, urging her to initiate the program as planned, but the ministry has indicated it isn’t looking for another night to sleep on it.
“We recognize that this fee can present an affordability challenge for many consumers,” the Ministry of Environment and Parks said in an email to Capital Daily.
“Additionally, the province cannot regulate producer delivery and pick-up fees. This has helped inform our decision not to regulate mattresses at this time.”
If you have a mattress in need of disposal, you can hire a junk removal service or take it to the Hartland Landfill or a private facility such as Ellice Recycle. Many mattress shops run recycling programs or are connected to a collective such as Recycle BC.
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Public hearing: Victoria’s Official Community Plan. [Tonight at 6:30pm]
Bike share planning: Share your thoughts on Victoria’s future bike-share program before Sept. 24. [Survey]
Public discussion: Climate Ready James Bay. [Oct. 2 at 5pm]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
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NEWS
UVic receives $5M donation to enhance
reconciliation efforts
Loreisa Lepine, UVic’s inaugural Indigenous Land Steward works in the courtyard called “A Place of Medicine.” Photo Credit: UVic Photo Services
This summer marked 10 years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action—a list of 94 policies, tasks, and funding opportunities to acknowledge the pain experienced by Indigenous people at the hands of Canadian governments and institutions—particularly, the horrors inflicted at residential schools—and the work toward reconciling these harms.
Since then, however, little progress has been made to achieve the directives: the Yellowhead institute says that only 13 (possibly 14) of the 94 calls to action have been completed in their entirety. These calls to action have not changed in importance; they’re essential to improving the lives of Indigenous people and rectifying past and present discrimination.
The commission’s recommendations highlighted education—especially revitalizing Indigenous languages and traditional teachings—as a key pillar in reconciliation.
To mark the 10th anniversary of releasing the Calls to Action, and to help post-secondary institutions achieve their goals in Indigenous education, the Mastercard Foundation (the credit card company’s youth empowerment charity) is putting up $235M in funding to help schools take meaningful steps toward reconciliation.
UVic is one of 30 recipients of the funding, with $5M given to grow its Indigenous programming and leadership.
The school says it focuses on multiple areas to work toward reconciliation, particularly promoting and funding research in Indigenous languages, law, and land conservation. The university also works to support Indigenous students and local First Nations through focused programming, cultural support, and increased access to courses and financial awards.
UVic said in a release that the funding will advance its “commitments to reconciliation” and will support increased Indigenous leadership across the university’s programs.
It’s a commitment that’s important to the current acting president at the school. Robina Thomas (Qwul’sih’yah’maht)—a member of the Lyackson First Nation—was the first vice-president Indigenous at the school and first director of the Office of Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement. Now, in her three-month interim position after the departure of former president Kevin Hall, she’s working to steer the institution towards meeting its reconciliation goals.
She says a local teaching that is central to the school’s Indigenous plan is “Leʔt šxʷ helə ʔə cə mək̓ ʷ sčeʔi səʔ” or “be prepared for the work to come.”
“[It] reminds us of our ongoing responsibility to advance Indigenous research, teaching and learning,” Thomas said in a statement.
SPONSORED BY THE VICTORIA COOL AID SOCIETY
Tickets Selling Fast for the Health + Homecoming Gala
Enjoy great food, live music, auctions, games, powerful storytelling and much more at the Health + Homecoming Gala, Saturday, September 27, 5:30pm at the Hotel Grand Pacific. Your support will help create the Dr. Joe Haegert Community Health Centre. in Victoria and provide healthcare access for those in need in our community.
⭐️ Capital Picks
🧑🚒👮 Open House: Saanich Fire and Police. [Sept. 13,10am-2pm]
📚 Glenlyon Norfolk School empowers students to lead with confidence and compassion. Attend our Fall Open Houses to see how IB learning and belonging shape extraordinary futures.*
🎶 ‘John from Langford’: John Horgan’s son Nate released a new song about his dad on Bandcamp. [Listen here]
🐸 Western toad: The endangered species was seen hopping through North Nanaimo. [Facebook photo]
*Sponsored Listing
🗞️ In Other News
Man charged with second-degree murder in Saanich
Saanich Police were conducting a wellness check at 5am Tuesday at a home on Hayden Court near Carey when they found the body of a dead adult male. The death appeared suspicious in nature, so the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) took over the investigation. They’ve arrested and charged a man who they said was known to the victim. There is no ongoing risk to the public, police said. [Saanich PD]
Victoria gas prices take a huge hike
Gas prices had been sitting at around 169.9 cents/litre. But just like that—the price at the pumps jumped 20 cents on Tuesday, so there’s a good chance you’re going to pay in the neighbourhood of $188.9 cents/litre. The latest increase basically wipes out the 18-cent price reduction drivers experienced in April when the BC government cut the carbon tax, putting the cost of a litre of gas in Victoria in the $1.61 vicinity. The shutdown of a California refinery and scheduled maintenance of others are seen as possible reasons for the hike, according to GasBuddy. [Black Press]
Lights, cameras, action: Sidney is busy with Netflix filming movies
You may have noticed some camera and production crews along Fifth and the downtown waterfront as Netflix shoots some programming. Three days of shooting for the TV movie All the Familiar Places just wrapped, and Netflix is now taking up a couple of areas to shoot the series Easton Prep. You’ll see some US flags flying along Beacon Wharf, where a car collision will be filmed. Cameras will be rolling at Port Sidney Marina until 2am Saturday, and filming is expected to continue in Sidney into late November. [CHEK]
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🗓️ Things to do
🎨 Lagoon Arts & Culture Festival: A full program of activities including live music, an Indigenous art showcase, an artisan market, family-friendly activities, and food trucks at Lagoon West Park, Colwood. Fri.& Sat. [Info]
🎶 Rifflandia: Vancouver Island's largest outdoor festival returns today with a mix of big names and local acts, tasty food and drinks, and a kids' play area at Matullia Lands at Rock Bay. Today-Sun. [Info]
🎵 Walter Trout: The blues star will bring his guitar and singing skills to Wicket Hall tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]
🎸 Bryan Adams: The Canadian rock icon will be at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, with opener The Sheepdogs. Sat. & Sun. 7:30pm. [Info]
🥁 Warren Wolf: The jazz performer—trained in multiple forms of percussion—will take the stage with the Sullivan Fortner Trio at McPherson Playhouse. Sat. 1:30pm. [Info]
🎻 Beethoven Violin Concerto: The Victoria Symphony, led by Christian Kluxen, will perform works by Beethoven and Brahms at the Royal Theatre. Sun. 2:30pm. [Info]
👀 In Case You Missed It
Wednesday’s headlines: Town of Sidney turns down proposal for emergency shelter; Residents sue over Roundhouse project; North Saanich falls significantly short of housing targets. [Sept. 10]
Smoke from Canada’s 2023 wildfire season—the worst in its history—linked to 82K deaths worldwide. [Times Colonist]
Health tips to start the school year. [Island Health]
Road closure on Dallas, between St. Charles and Memorial, through Friday for paving. [City of Victoria]
Road closure: Donald between Burnside West and Maddock West. [8:30am to 3:30pm today]
Reynolds at Lasalle: single-lane, alternating traffic for drain upgrades until Oct. 10. [7am-3:30pm]
Salmon on their final journey: See the mesmerizing video filmed in Campbell River. [Facebook video]
That’s it!
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