Jan 17 - Winter wants another West-Coast wallop

Good morning !

The latest contract to build BC Ferries ships once again goes to a company abroad. No Canadian firms bid to construct the four hybrid electric ships to be added to the fleet by 2027.

— Mark

Today’s approx read time: 4.5 minutes

Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Joan F, a Capital Daily member who supports our daily reporting. Support local journalism and join them and other locals who help make our newsletter possible each morning.

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌨️ 1 / 0

Tomorrow: 🌨️ 1 / 1

Friday: 🌧️ 5 / 3

7-day forecast

WEATHER

Winter takes another shot at Victoria today

Fresh from gloriously providing rare outdoor skating opportunities the last few days, Olde Man Winter once again is reminding us of our nationality today with a light dusting of snow. Some parts of the Island could see as much as 15cm but what we’ll likely get in Vic is that meh mix of snow and rain that makes the roads slippery.  

Temperatures are expected to hover around freezing and pardon the mediocre segue, but if you see a hummingbird hovering over your feeder, remember, the water-to-sugar ratio is still 4:1, even if it’s below zero out there. If the bird is doing the opposite and looks like it belongs on the bottom of a Monty Python birdcage, be cautious, the bird may be in torpor—an energy-saving hibernation that drops their temperature and heart rate. 

The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC says 30+ hummingbirds were admitted over the weekend due to the cold.

Alison Moran is the coordinator for the Rocky Point Bird Observatory’s Hummingbird Project. She tells Capital Daily if you find an unresponsive bird, put it in a box and bring it inside the house. Check on it every 30 minutes as “it takes quite a few hours to come out of torpor.” Moran says it’s important to carefully check its breathing. “And the thing is if it can't fly but it's alive—that's when you would take it to a rehab facility,” she said.

Thanks to the dozens of you who sent photos, videos, and stories about your hummingbird buddies and bird feeders.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Lochside School closed again today due to broken H20 pipes.

May long weekend camping reservations at BC Parks are now open.

BC Transit has shut down NextRide, its desktop trip-planning app.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Critics say CRD biosolids discussion plan is anything but solid

Once again, the question of what to do with the CRD’s solid waste is making waves. While the question of where to direct it has moved from the sea to the ground, the problem is growing. 

The CRD last week launched a public consultation on its long-term biosolids management plans that some academic and environmental critics are calling immediately flushable for a host of reasons, including the assertion some of the information the CRD has provided the public has not been balanced, accurate, or up-to-date.  

Biosolids are the byproduct of the region’s wastewater treatment processes and must meet stringent environmental standards. 

The CRD produces the highest quality biosolids obtainable, known as “Class A” biosolids. They contain beneficial nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur, iron, and others that support the growth of plants and crops but they don’t come without hazards. Scientists have shown that when used as a fertilizer they can have a detrimental impact on humans, animals, and water sources.

Critics would like to see politicians put the brakes on the consultation process and then restart it with a third-party evaluation of the risks and benefits of the various methods to dispose of biosolids.

Read Sidney Coles’ full story here.

SPONSORED BY TALL TREE HEALTH

New Year’s resolutions don’t stick. Instead, try change coaching.

Estimates say as many as 80% of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions into February.

If you’re trying to stay motivated to change things such as eating patterns, sleep habits, cutting back on alcohol or smoking, or hitting your fitness goals, Tall Tree’s change coaches can help. 

DRINKS

Hot Chocolate Festival kicks off this weekend

If there’s anything that the chilling temperatures and blistering winds of this past week has reminded us of, it’s that there is nothing better than a steaming cup of a hot and frothy drink. Just in time to cure our winter blues, the Victoria Hot Chocolate Festival is kicking off this Saturday for its first year.

Read more about what to expect and some of the creative hot chocolates you’ll find around town.

⭐️ Capital Picks

💪 See what you’re made of. Identify health risks and get a complete picture of your bone density, lean mass, and fat tissue with a Dexa body composition scan at Tall Tree Health.*

🏒 Hockey Day in Canada in Vic. School visits and street hockey today.

🎨 From scraps to art: SUPPLY Victoria boosts affordable creativity by tapping into the landfill’s artistic potential. Now the non-profit is moving to a brand new home in Victoria. Read the full article here.*

🤝 Now hiring: Restaurant Manager at Cactus Club.

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

European firm gets the nod to build next 4 hybrid electric ferries
BC Ferries has awarded Damen Shipyards Group—the Dutch-based company that built its previous six Island Class vessels—the contract to construct the Island Class ships in Romania. The 390-passenger, 47-car hybrids are slated to start on the Nanaimo-Gabriola and Campbell River-Quadra routes by 2027. [Release]

Industry regulatory body investigating Harris Victoria 
The dealership, which recently moved to Langford from Cook and Yates, is being investigated by the Vehicle Sales Authority of BC in a 2018 tragedy in Central Saanich. While in the buyer’s care, a Harris Jeep struck two women, killing Kim Ward and seriously injuring her sister Tracey Ann Ward. [Times Colonist]

16-year-old US surfing prodigy now calls Canada, Tofino home 
Erin Brooks was born in Texas and grew up in Hawaii but her family lineage is Canadian, and she hopes to compete for Canada in this summer’s Paris Olympics. After a lengthy battle to gain her new citizenship, Brooks’ next challenge is the Olympic qualifying ISA World Championships in Puerto Rico next month. [Surfer]

VicPD seizes 6 imitation guns in 2 days
Last Thu., officers responded to a disturbance call on Cook and found a suspect in possession of three fake Glock-style guns, similar to the kind VicPD use. The next day they arrested two males after finding two starter pistols and an air pistol in a downtown apartment on Johnson. [VicPD]

🗓️ Things to do

🎙️ Celebrate Robbie Burns Day with the Baltimore Consort as the Maryland group presents 16th-century music to the theme of Mary Queen of Scots. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Sat. Jan. 27. 7:30pm. [Info]

📽️ Big screen, little Hobbits: Victoria’s IMAX has brought back the Hobbit trilogy, with the first film showing once more on Thursday and the second starting its run Friday. Free popcorn and pop with the series ticket. RBCM. [Showtimes]

🎸 Hotel Mira: See the Canadian rockers perform. Capital Ballroom. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

🎹 Sound of Silence: See renowned pianist Bruce Vogt improvise music to accompany beloved silent films. Philip T. Young Hall. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

📯 Tiny Rhythm Kings: Enjoy some classic jazz from these local performers. Hermann’s. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

💻️ Plaid: See the iconic electronic duo of Ed Handley and Andy Turner do what they’ve been doing since the ‘80s. Lucky Bar. Tonight. 8pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Hockey Day in Canada in Vic events. [Capital Daily] 

Tuesday’s Headlines: Esquimalt-Metchosin MLA loses cabinet post; Walkout at Belmont; Hummingbird tips. [Newsletter]  

Outdoor skating: On the frozen Panama Flats in Saanich and a pickup hockey game on a pond on Dallas. 

See a kingfisher’s cool do in these pix taken in Comox Valley. [Facebook photos]

Nominate your favourite local restaurants in the Tasting Victoria Restaurant Awards. Enter your nominations in any of the 18 categories here!*

Malahat First Nation to build a 100K-square-foot facility near TCH for battery energy storage systems. [Times Colonist]

People saved, dog presumed drowned in Brentwood Bay. [RCM SAR 31]

*Sponsored Listing

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a fellow Victorian.

And before you go, let us know: