Sept 26 - Hurry hard to Victoria Curling Club

Good morning !

Victoria is joining a select list of Canadian cities calling out to curlers.
The head of the harbour authority was let go from his job.
And an Island girl is showing her stuff on the fashion runways of Italy.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌤️18 / 11

Tomorrow: ⛅ 16 / 11

Sunday: ☁️ 15 / 12

7-day forecast

NEWS

Victoria fashion designer to debut her work in Milan

Roughly 8,000 km away from Victoria, Milan Fashion Week is underway in Italy. Legacy brands, such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gucci, are showcasing their spring collections in one of the world’s major fashion capitals.

Smaller labels will also display their work, and among them is a young designer from Vancouver Island, whose brand, Smouldy, will be making its international couture debut.

Stephanie Mould, 23, is an emerging designer who’s already making a name for herself on the global stage. Born and raised in Duncan, she moved to Victoria for school, where she began working towards the launch of her own label.

She describes Smouldy garments as ideal for an “out-of-the-box person” getting dressed up for a fun night out. Her work is “designed to prove that sustainability and luxury are not only compatible but inseparable.”

Smouldy clothing is certainly eye-catching enough to grab the attention of HiTechModa, a company that facilitates fashion shows. When a representative of the company saw photos of Mould’s work, she was invited to Milan.

Her designs will hit the catwalk on Sunday—6pm Victoria time—marking her first runway presentation in Europe. Mould has previously shown her work in Vancouver, Calgary, and she has received coverage in Vogue Italia and Vogue Mexico.

Read on to learn about Mould’s approach to creating sustainable couture. 

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Lane reduction on Fort today, between Vancouver and Cook, 7am-5pm. [City of Vic]

Temporary closures in Thetis Lake Park next week for filming. [CRD]

Saanich single lane alternating traffic: Grange between Laburnum and Galloping Goose, 9am-3pm until Oct. 10

Saanich Road closure: Roy between Wilkinson and Elizabeth, all day until Dec. 24

Traffic disruption and CCTV deployment downtown tomorrow, 2-4pm. [VicPD]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Victoria Curling Club selected to be a BC curling hub

Already the high-performance home of Canada’s rowers, cyclists, triathletes, and rugby players, Victoria is vying to become the draw for BC’s best curlers.

Curling Canada is expanding its network of regional high-performance hubs to four more Canadian cities, including ours. 

The idea is to attract talented young curlers and provide them with a network of facilities that offers the best ice conditions, sharpest rocks, latest sweeping and shotmaking technology, and top coaching.

“What we've got to try and create is the type of facility that offers the resources and the coaching that it's going to take to be the best in the world,” Curling Canada high-performance director David Murdoch tells Capital Daily.

With a long list of world and Olympic championships, Canada sits atop the curling world, but one of the impediments to staying there, Murdoch said, is the sheer physical size of the country. 

“It's very challenging, because of the geography, to bring people to one location,” he says.

“So, what we're trying to do is build that out and say, ‘Hey, we've got a multitude of locations that are going to have good coaches, good equipment, good rocks—and start to make programming within these places.’

“I think over time, we'll like to see U-18, U-20, U-25 teams that are actually, like, starting to gravitate towards these [hubs], so it should organically grow.”

Murdoch said he expects one sheet at the Victoria Curling Club to be dedicated to hub activities.

Okotoks, Alta., Moose Jaw, Sask., and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., join Victoria as regional hubs, and follow the leads of Winnipeg—the site of Curling Canada’s thriving pilot project a year ago—and the long-established training centres in Calgary and Edmonton.

Curling Canada asked all its member associations to nominate locations they believe would be the most successful for training and gathering resources, coaches, and curlers.

“Some of the people [Curl BC] have there as lead coaches, they felt [Victoria] would be their best chance of success,” Murdoch said.

Curling Canada has provided each hub with funding (in the five figures, he said), intending to have it matched by their respective province, Murdoch said.  

NEWS

Greater Victoria Harbour Authority fires its CEO

The GVHA has dismissed Robert Lewis-Manning and will begin looking for his replacement “in the coming weeks.” 

“We can confirm that the Board has made the difficult decision to terminate Robert Lewis-Manning’s employment as CEO of GVHA,” the harbour authority said in an email to Capital Daily. 

The email said Judith Ethier would “continue as acting CEO, a role she has held since July 29,” but did not explain when Lewis-Manning was let go, or why. 

“We are obligated to strict confidentiality regarding personnel matters and remain fully focused on advancing the organization’s priorities,” the email from GVHA spokesperson Amber Hanson said.

In February 2023, following a national search, the GVHA announced the appointment of Lewis-Manning to take over from Ian Robertson, who served as GVHA CEO for almost eight years. 

“Lewis-Manning has over 20 years of executive-level leadership experience in the global marine transportation sector and has established a reputation as an innovative thought leader committed to building diverse and high-performing teams,” the GVHA said at the time. 

In its email yesterday, the GVHA said, “The Board will conduct a formal search for a new CEO in the coming weeks.” 

The GVHA is a non-profit organization that manages harbour lands and marine assets such as Ogden Point, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Ship Point. 

SPONSORED BY VICTORIA FOUNDATION AND COAST CAPITAL

Celebrate 20 years of Victoria's Vital Signs!

Greater Victoria was given a ‘B’ for overall quality of life in this year's edition of Victoria's Vital Signs.

Curious to see how other issues, like Health and Wellness, Economy, and Housing, fared? Earlier this year, over 5,800 community survey respondents graded 12 issue areas, and now all of it has been compiled into the milestone 20th edition of Vital Signs!

To celebrate the anniversary, delve into this year’s feature article, called “What’s Next For Victoria’s Vital Signs?” It’s a powerful retrospective on the check-up's history and impact on the region over the past two decades, with a special peek at what might be next in the evolution of the program!

If you’re looking to make an impact in your community, there’s no better place to learn about the region’s most pressing concerns than the 2025 edition of Victoria’s Vital Signs. 

⭐️ Capital Picks

🩰 The Victoria Academy of Ballet welcomes dancers of all ages. [Fall registration]

♻️ Victoria’s new Beyond the Curb program makes it easy to recycle flexible plastics, foam packaging, and small appliances and electronics. Learn more.*

📸 Vintage Esquimalt: The town looked a little different in 1870. [Facebook photo]

🧩 Pick up new skills in small doses. Gain skills when it works for you with bite-sized professional development programs from Continuing Studies at UVic.*

🐻 Salmon snack: A black bear on the North Island was captured enjoying a fishy treat. [Bruce Moffat / Facebook] 
*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Feds permit Canada Post to end door-to-door delivery
Joël Lightbound, the minister responsible for Canada Post, said yesterday the Crown corporation “is effectively insolvent, and repeated bailouts are not a long-term solution.” The feds are allowing it to move the remaining four million Canadian addresses—representing 25% of Canada Post’s customers—to community, rural, or apartment mailboxes to save a projected $400M annually. The government also said the two-to-four-day delivery standard for regular mail will be relaxed to between three and seven days. It has given Canada Post 45 days to come up with an action plan to implement the changes. [Global News]

BC Transit wants to know how you think the bus system should run
For the first time in a decade+, the transit authority is recalibrating its long-term vision. It’s going to ask the public, government partners, the Indigenous community, and others how they would improve bus service. BC Transit plans engagement opportunities throughout the next year to refresh its 2011 Transit Future Plan and its 25-year vision on transit and infrastructure investment. An online survey will appear here starting Oct. 1, and open house events will take place that month. [CHEK]

Greater Victoria’s sewage biosolids causing a stink north of Ladysmith
The biosolids are being dumped at the Amrize quarry near Cassidy as part of a land-reclamation project, and residents downwind say the stench is overpowering and starting to impact their health. Some wonder whether burying the biosolids there is affecting the groundwater and nearby salmon rivers and hatcheries. The Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals says the quarry has complied with regulations. The CRD’s planned thermal treatment plant, which would incinerate the biosolids, isn’t expected to be ready until at least 2030. [Times Colonist]

RCMP investigating fraud at Cowichan Nickelback concert 
Police said several people reported they were sold fake wristbands by a man at the Laketown Ranch show in August. The man was taken into custody and released with a future court date. The RCMP said there may be several other victims of the fake ticket scam who have not come forward yet. [RCMP]

🗓️ Things To Do

💼 Langford Job Fair: Network in person with Victoria, Langford, and Sooke's best employers at this comprehensive career opportunity event. Royal Roads University, John Horgan Campus. Today. 11am-3pm. [Info]

🎶 The Soul Shakers Dance Party: Get ready to sing and dance along to classic soul, Motown, and R&B hits with one of Vancouver Island's best dance bands. Upstairs Lounge, Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Today. Doors 6pm, music 7:30pm. [Info]

🛍️ Victoria Kids Consignment fall sale weekend: Shop more than 15K items from 200+ local families at this massive pop-up consignment sale featuring everything from kids' gear to household treasures. Eagle Ridge Community Centre. Today-Sunday. Various times. [Info]

🔧 Repair Café West Shore & Holiday Décor Swap: Fix broken items with volunteer repair experts and swap gently-used holiday decorations at this sustainable community gathering. Gordon United Church. Tomorrow. 11am-3pm. [Info]

🏃 Run to Remember 11km: Honour fallen BC law enforcement heroes in this commemorative run from Lochside Elementary to the BC Law Enforcement Memorial with police escorts. Lochside Elementary. Tomorrow. 1:30-3:30pm, doors at 1pm,  run starts at 1:45pm. [Info]

🍰 Picnic and Dessert Social: Bring your favorite homemade treats to share at this sweet community gathering celebrating connection and friendship. Rose Garden, Beacon Hill Park. Tomorrow. 2pm-4:30pm. [Info]

🎼 The Andrew Collins Trio: Experience this JUNO-nominated mandolin maestro and his acclaimed trio performing an electrifying fusion of folk, newgrass, and Celtic music. Upstairs Lounge, Oak Bay Recreation Centre. Tomorrow. Doors 6pm, show 7:30pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: Point in Time count finds 1,700+ unhoused in Victoria; Area economy needs to diversify, study says; Victoria’s Emily Lowan, 25, voted in as new BC Green Party leader. [Sept. 25]

Cancelled: Tripleshot Cross Fondo cycling event called off due to safety costs. [CHEK]

First Nations mural beautifies graffiti-targeted warehouse in Esquimalt. [Times Colonist]

Government scientists join BCGEU strike: foresters, geoscientists, and agrologists from the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resources walk out. [CTV / CP]

Overdose advisory for Greater Victoria. [Island Health]

Are you a millionaire 31 times over? $31M Lotto Max jackpot won on an online ticket purchased in BC.

That’s it!

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