Dec 23 - Remembering the homeless who have died

Good morning !

It’s the day before the day before Christmas.

Lots of time to get my shopping done.

Lots of time.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

For the fourth year in a row, we’re back with our holiday donation drive! Our Cap Daily readers have been phenomenal over the years – raising more than $440,000 between readers and matching donors!

This year, we’ve proud to partner with Saanich Neighbourhood Place to help local families, and focus support on three key areas and programs:

1. Inclusive childcare

2. Parent support programs

3. Food equity services

Our goal is to raise $100,000 in the next 8 days, and we have some very generous donors to help us get there – and match your funds raised!

So if you donate $25 dollars today (the minimum to get a tax receipt), our matching donors will give $50, for a total $75 raised.

Please consider joining our holiday drive and donate today.

Thanks for helping lift our community up, together.

Special thanks to Lochside Software and Tiny Foundation for matching donations!

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 7 / 1

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 7 / 4

Christmas Day: 🌧️ 8 / 5

7-day forecast

NEWS

64 Islanders without homes died last year—twice as many as in most years

Thursday marked National Memorial Day for Persons Experiencing Homelessness, with vigils held Canada-wide. In Victoria, people gathered next to the waterfront Whale Wall, near the Johnson Street Bridge, where the vigil has been held for nearly two decades.

This year’s memorial arrives shortly after a report from the BC Coroners Service tallying 342 BC residents—including 28 Victorians—who died last year while living outdoors or in shelters, vehicles, or temporary accommodations. This number is more than double the totals for most years from 2015 to 2020 and continues a troubling trend also seen in 2021.

The memorial falls on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, to symbolize the difficulty of surviving the winter. 

Here’s what some of the attendees told Capital Daily about the vigil’s history, the current reality, and what the general public can do to help those at risk.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

Vic-Van ferry times: [BC Ferries]

Holiday hours at local care centres: Downtown & Esquimalt UPCCs close 4pm on Dec. 24 & 31; Esquimalt & James Bay closed all day Dec. 25. [Schedule]

Wanted Canada-wide: This man, last seen downtown.

FOOD

10 Victoria restaurants serving Christmas dinner 

Not all of us plan to cook up a storm over the holidays, and for some, Christmas doesn’t involve a household filled with excited relatives, so it’s good to have options for a delicious and memorable Christmas meal, even if your oven and stove are no more than rumours.

If you’re looking to treat yourself to a fine seasonal supper, there are fine dining choices open on the big day itself, and others with take-home options where you can rely on the Christmas culinary skills of professional chefs to prepare your yummy yuletide repast.

Consider your Christmas dinner options here

NEWS

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Dream on

We had yuletide snow last year, but it doesn’t look like there’s enough room in Santa’s sleigh this time ‘round.

Environment Canada’s forecast for Victoria calls for cloudy skies today but after that, it's all wet. Showers and 8° for tomorrow, and then more light rain for Christmas Day. A bit more for Boxing Day, too, with highs in the upper single digits and lows above zero in foreseeable forecasts.

One year since the wild winter weather of 2022 holidays

One year ago, the late-December snowfall wreaked havoc with life in Victoria. Not only did it stop local bus service and knock out power, but it also made last-minute holiday shopping even more chaotic.

Staff and owners of local toy stores told Capital Daily how their most important time of the year was wracked by problems with staffing, heating, restocking, and even safety in packed stores with slippery floors.

The biggest downside, though, was likely the effect on holiday travel throughout the Pacific Northwest. Locals trying to leave and trying to get home found themselves stranded for days in airports as flights were delayed and cancelled due to severe winter weather.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🧥 How a senior donkey keeps warm: Opal has a gem of a jacket. [Photo]

🍂 Are you a post-secondary student seeking extra support? A teacher trying to keep up with self-care? Or an adult dealing with later-life challenges? Claim your discount at Intertidal Counselling & Wellness.*

🧱 Lego exhibition is back at the Sidney Museum with a Lord of the Rings set headlining the Jan-April run.

🚴‍♀️ Now Hiring! Executive Director at Capital Bike.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Appeal court upholds $5.5M award in Central Saanich crash
The appeal was from Harris Victoria, one of the defendants. Kim Ward was killed and her sister Tracey Ann Ward suffered severe brain injuries in Aug. 2018 when they were struck by a Jeep after its driver lost consciousness. The sisters’ mother Ellen Ward, 83, called the court decision “kind of like a Christmas miracle”, although she says the holiday season can’t end soon enough. [Times Colonist]

Strep bacterial infections on the rise in BC
There have been 51 cases of invasive group A streptococcal infections in people under 20 this year—more than double last year’s reported cases (20). These infections typically cause mild illnesses such as strep throat or impetigo, a skin infection. The BC Children’s Hospital says reported strep cases in BC have risen each year, from 303 in 2016 to 547 so far this year. [BC Children’s Hospital]

🗓️ Things to do

 🧑‍🎄 Breakfast with Santa at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Cookie decorating and on-site photo printing by Four Frames Photo Booth. David Foster Foundation Theatre. Various times. [Waiting List] 

💃 Dance Victoria is excited to present the absolutely stunning Compagnie Hervé KOUBI on Feb. 2 and 3 at the Royal Theatre. Learn more here.*

🎶 Groove Kitchen flings the funk for Funky Festivus. Tonight. Hermann’s Upstairs. 8:30pm. Doors at 7pm. [Tickets]

🎼 Maureen Washington's Annual Christmas Show. Tonight. Hermann’s Jazz Club. 7pm. Doors at 5:30pm. [Tickets/Livestream]

🎁 Last-minute gifts: Ceramic market at Touci ceramic studio on Bridge St. Today. 11am-3pm. [Info]

👼 Live Outdoor Christmas Nativity pageant. Tonight. 701 Mann Ave. 6pm, 6:30pm and 7pm. [Info]

🎭 Snow White: The Panto: Enjoy this classic pantomime production. Today. Charlie White Theatre. 2pm. [Info]

🎭 Beauty and the Beast: A classic Christmas panto with audience participation, songs, and plenty of laughs. Today. St. Luke’s Hall. 2pm. [Info]

*Sponsored Listing

👀 In Case You Missed It

Friday’s highlights: Kittens OK, but not as surprise Christmas gifts; Yes, soup for you; and Swans’ new logo. [Newsletter]

Killer Whale seals the deal in this great photo/video. 

No flukes, they’re back by popular demand: five whale tails.

Victoria Curling Club to rock over holidays. [Saanich News]

That’s it!

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