April 17 - Business group holds panel on downtown violence

Good morning !

We try to keep to local news here but sometimes national happenings must be discussed because they affect you. Take yesterday’s federal budget. What caught my eye was how the feds are looking at high-earners for more tax dollars and want to create 4M homes by 2031. They plan to sell off and convert federal buildings into dwellings and they’ve upped the amount of housing money they send to municipalities.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

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NEWS

Chamber of Commerce safety panel timely after spate of stabbings

Renowned for its beauty and livability, Victoria is grappling with the sadness, seediness, and senselessness of downtown violence, marked by seven stabbings since March 1.  The problem is not lost on business owners who have seen their share of late-night disturbances and broken glass. The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce used its AGM in a timely way to shine a spotlight on community security during its panel discussion, held yesterday.

Experts stressed the need to address the root causes of violence, including gaps in supportive housing, mental health, and addiction services. Issues of involuntary care, housing, and funding allocations dominated the conversation, with a call for updated provincial mental-health legislation and increased provincial support. 

There was consensus among them about the necessity of collaboration that extends to government agencies and community organizations. VicPD Chief Del Manak acknowledged the ongoing concerns but wanted to reassure the public: This is still a safe city.

Mayor Marianne Alto attended and later said: “Is this serious and a concern? Of course, it is. Is it terribly different than other years? Unfortunately, not. Will we want to change that narrative in future years? Absolutely."

Read Sidney Coles’ full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Subsidized dental care for seniors coming next month, federal health minister says. 

Summer water use changes to reduce peak demand periods. [CRD Release]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Victoria gets its first Indigenous youth supportive housing

The program is designed to help Indigenous youth aged 12 to 19 build culturally relevant skills that support their transition as they become adults who no longer qualify for such care.

For several years the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness (ACEH) which operates the new housing, has been providing services to the Indigenous population in Victoria’s downtown, said Julia O’Quinn, director of community programming for the organization. “During that time, we've seen so many of our young ones, First Nations, Inuit, Métis youth, aging out of care at the age of 19 without any support,” O’Quinn said. “Oftentimes, in the first one or two years of aging out of care, [they] will end up unhoused.”

According to the 2023 Greater Victoria Point-in-Time Survey, 33% of the 1,665 unhoused people surveyed identified as Indigenous, with 61% of these Indigenous people first experiencing homelessness in their youth, and half—49%—products of the foster care system. The idea of the program is to promote the development of new skills to help them transition out of foster care with healthy habits, skills, and goals. The six-bedroom home includes a smokehouse, a native plant garden, and a greenhouse, O’Quinn said. 

Read the full story here.

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🦭 Serenading a seal: Emerson (more about him below) enjoying the music of a guitar player on Gonzalez Beach.

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🗞️ In Other News

Federal budget to be $40B in the red, housing, rich, big targets
Canada’s highest money-makers will be paying more, including for capital gains but the government says that won’t impact 99.87% of Canadians. The feds will spend $8.5B over the next few years in an attempt to see 3.9 billion new homes built by 2031. A small chunk of that ($400M) will go to the municipalities’ Housing Accelerator Fund. [CTV]

Greater Victoria getting a second second-hand Double-V
The new Value Village will be in the Colwood Corners development in the Westshore and it’ll be a tad smaller than the downtown location on Store. It will be more of a “boutique” experience with fewer categories of items for sale, according to this media report. [Victoria Buzz]

Signed, sealed, and delivered but Emerson remerges in Vic
It took just six days for the large elephant seal to swim back from the Ucluelet area where the DFO had relocated him last week for his safety. Emerson has been moved five times since he was first spotted last May at Whiffin Spit. He’s now hanging at Gonzalez Beach but if excited onlookers persist in getting too close to the big guy, he may have to be moved again. [CHEK]

Former BC Ferries CEO named Clipper boss
Mark Collins has been named CEO and chair of the board for FRS Clipper effective next month. The Seattle-based Clipper ferry runs between Vic and Seattle. Collins was in charge of BC Ferries from 2017 to 2022. Fun fact: FRS stands for Fast Reliable Seaways and parent company Förde Reederei Seetouristik. [Clipper Release] 

BC Transit drops 10-ticket discount
Beginning in two weeks it’s going to cost you $2.50 more for a sheet of 10 bus tickets. Buying tickets in a sheet made for a 10% savings of $2.25 per ride but that ride ends May 1. Day passes will remain at $5 and monthly pass prices won’t change. [Times Colonist]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎭 Anne of Green Gables. A captivating musical that tells the timeless story of Anne Shirley, one of Canada’s most beloved literary heroines. McPherson Playhouse. Friday-April 27. [Info]

🎻 Ahmed Moneka Arabic Jazz: The vocalist will perform Afro-Arabic jazz and blues tunes alongside drummer Max Sennit, clarinetist Majd Sekkar, bassist Waleed Abdulhamid, guitarist Demetri Petsalakia, and violinist Fethi Nadjem. Hermann’s Jazz Club. Today. Doors 6pm, show 7:30pm. [Info]

😂 Comedy Night: Local stand-up comics and improvisers will come together for a night of laughs. The Fernwood Inn. Today. 7:30pm. [Info] 

🎭 Untitled Flamingo Play: Nathaniel Hanula-James will perform this object theatre comedy piece at Intrepid Studio as part of the Incoming Festival. Today. And tomorrow. 7pm. Friday at 9:30pm. [Info]

🎂 KSAR Birthday Show: The band is celebrating its first birthday with special guest iLLann at Victoria Event Centre. Today. Doors 7:30pm. Show 8pm. [Info]

🎞️ Celebrate National Canadian Film Day by watching Don McKellar’s Last Night. And Ally Pankiw’s I Used to Be Funny. Today. Vic Theatre. First film at 5pm. Second at 7:30pm. [Info] 

🚮 Help remove invasive species from the Tod Inlet area. Sat.10am-2pm.Gowlland Tod Park. [Info]

🌎 Esquimalt Earth Day. Activities include invasive species removal, planting, trail building, and environmental stewardship. Today. Highrock Park. 10am-2pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: Another downtown stabbing; BC plants 10-billionth tree; Public hearing into Christmas police shooting; And More. [April 16]

BC Climate activist faces possible deportation. [Capital Daily]

Fairfield heritage house stuck in middle of missing middle. [Capital Daily]

Summer camp registration. [City of Victoria]

Start clicking before you start digging. [Fortis BC]

National Volunteer Week: Celebrate and recognize the support of volunteers across the city. 

Fire displaces 11 from Esquimalt apartment. [Times Colonist]

Sorry, he wasn’t here yesterday but the eagle has landed in this photo from local photographer Christy Grinton.

That’s it!

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