Greater Victoria

The 12-and-a-half metre totem pole carved by about 160 inmates which stands outside the Vancouver Island Regional Corrections Centre in Saanich. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Inmates say totem pole they helped carve at B.C. jail a catalyst for remarkable change

About 160 at Vancouver Island Regional Corrections Centre participated in first-of-its-kind project

 

The crew of the Strait Sentinel deploys a sweep system used to collect oil off the ocean’s surface. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Simulated oil spill off B.C. coast tests marine response

Crews from the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation deployed as part of biannual exercise

 

RCMP say a woman who was reported as missing has been found safe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

UPDATE: Woman last seen leaving Victoria International Airport is safe, say police

A happy ending to a mystery

 

Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

B.C. safe supply advocates rally to mark 7 years of toxic drug crisis

More than 11,300 British Columbians have died from toxic drug deaths since 2016

Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The 209-metre Sapphire Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, docks at Ogden Point April 11. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

‘Economic boom’: Sapphire Princess docks in Victoria as first ship of B.C. cruise season

More than 300 ships expected in B.C. waters, bringing up to a million visitors

The 209-metre Sapphire Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, docks at Ogden Point April 11. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The latest report from the Angus Reid Institute indicates a third of Canadians are describing their financial situation as ‘bad’ or ‘terrible’ is the cost of living crisis continues. (Black Press Media file photo)

A third of Canadians in ‘bad’ or ‘terrible’ financial shape: report

The latest data from the Angus Reid Report shows the cost of living crisis continues nation-wide

The latest report from the Angus Reid Institute indicates a third of Canadians are describing their financial situation as ‘bad’ or ‘terrible’ is the cost of living crisis continues. (Black Press Media file photo)
Natural gas and heating oil account for the majority of operating emissions coming from Victoria buildings. (Courtesy of the City of Victoria)

‘Long overdue’: B.C. introducing new powers to limit emissions of new buildings

Zero Carbon Step Code comes into effect May 1

Natural gas and heating oil account for the majority of operating emissions coming from Victoria buildings. (Courtesy of the City of Victoria)
Police seized more than $100,000 in vaping products being sold to youth at local schools after executing a search warrant at a Saanich business Friday (March 6). (Courtesy Saanich Police Department)

$100K in vaping products sold to kids via Snapchat on Vancouver Island seized

Federal Tobacco and Vaping Products Act prohibits sale of vaping products to anyone under age 18

Police seized more than $100,000 in vaping products being sold to youth at local schools after executing a search warrant at a Saanich business Friday (March 6). (Courtesy Saanich Police Department)
Victoria MP Laurel Collins said she plans to table an unanimous consent motion in May calling on the government to act on the justice committee’s recommendations. (CPAC.ca)

B.C. push to end automatic sexual assault publication bans gathering momentum

Final push on B.C.-led petition to get legislation tabled sees signatures double to nearly 5,000

Victoria MP Laurel Collins said she plans to table an unanimous consent motion in May calling on the government to act on the justice committee’s recommendations. (CPAC.ca)
The federal government and B.C. announced the Island Rail Corridor segment running through the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation will return to the community. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

Canada won’t fund Vancouver Island rail revival, returning land to First Nation

Snaw-Naw-As First Nation claimed their land was expropriated for rail services no longer in use

The federal government and B.C. announced the Island Rail Corridor segment running through the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation will return to the community. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)
BC Ferries has launched its new app with features that include bookings, managing trips, checking-in at the terminal and finding other travel information. (Courtesy of BC Ferries)

BC Ferries launches app for quicker booking, checking-in and trip management

App to send out sailing alerts, aims to make checking boat availability efficient

BC Ferries has launched its new app with features that include bookings, managing trips, checking-in at the terminal and finding other travel information. (Courtesy of BC Ferries)
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada boat practicing using their oikomi pipes to deter marine life during the fuel spill response to a sunken fishing boat on August 25, 2022. (Courtesy of NOAA Northwest Fishers Science Centre)

Coordinated response helped protect orcas during fuel spill off B.C. coast: NOAA

U.S. and Canadian agencies worked together to deter orcas from the affected areas

A Fisheries and Oceans Canada boat practicing using their oikomi pipes to deter marine life during the fuel spill response to a sunken fishing boat on August 25, 2022. (Courtesy of NOAA Northwest Fishers Science Centre)
Patricia Barkaskas, strategic advisor to the dean for the National Centre for Indigenous Laws, speaks at the site of the future National Centre for Indigenous Laws building at the University of Victoria Thursday (March 9). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Construction underway in B.C. for Canada’s first National Centre for Indigenous Laws

University of Victoria facility to host degrees in Canadian Common Law, Indigenous legal orders

Patricia Barkaskas, strategic advisor to the dean for the National Centre for Indigenous Laws, speaks at the site of the future National Centre for Indigenous Laws building at the University of Victoria Thursday (March 9). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Can I pour you a cold Robo Beer? B.C. brewery uses AI to craft its latest brew

Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewing’s new hazy pale ale recipe developed with ChatGPT

Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Several Feb. 3 sailings aboard the Queen of New Westminster have been cancelled amid gale-force wind warnings impacting the marine areas between Vancouver Island and mainland. (Black Press Media file photo)

Friday BC Ferries sailings cancelled as gale-force winds expected to thrash marine areas

Two trips impacted, more at risk between Victoria and the Lower Mainland

Several Feb. 3 sailings aboard the Queen of New Westminster have been cancelled amid gale-force wind warnings impacting the marine areas between Vancouver Island and mainland. (Black Press Media file photo)
Property tax rates range from 0.24 per cent to more than 0.6 per cent in a list of B.C. municipalities compiled by a Canadian brokerage. (Black Press Media file photo)

Powell River, Whistler, top list of B.C.’s highest and lowest property tax rates

Powell River $1 million homeowner would fork over more than $4k in taxes than in Whistler

Property tax rates range from 0.24 per cent to more than 0.6 per cent in a list of B.C. municipalities compiled by a Canadian brokerage. (Black Press Media file photo)
Rich Harden's 949 strikeouts and 17.9 WAR rank sixth all-time among Canadian big league pitchers. (Courtesy of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame)

B.C.-born major-league pitcher Rich Harden headed to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Oakland Athletic ranks sixth all-time among Canadian big league pitchers

Rich Harden's 949 strikeouts and 17.9 WAR rank sixth all-time among Canadian big league pitchers. (Courtesy of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame)
Cameron Lizotte, a former hockey enforcer and now a Victoria-based fashion designer, will have his story shared during Hockey Day in Canada. (Atelier Coin/Instagram)

NHL prospect turned B.C. fashion designer featured on Hockey Day in Canada

Cameron Lizotte shares his story from the ice in Ontario to Paris Fashion Week

Cameron Lizotte, a former hockey enforcer and now a Victoria-based fashion designer, will have his story shared during Hockey Day in Canada. (Atelier Coin/Instagram)
Police respond to gunfire at the Bank of Montreal in Saanich, B.C., on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Police will release the results of their investigation into the dramatic shootout in which two gunmen were killed outside the bank. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Police to release their findings of B.C. bank shootout where two suspects died

Twin brothers from Duncan died outside a Bank of Montreal branch in Saanich.

Police respond to gunfire at the Bank of Montreal in Saanich, B.C., on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Police will release the results of their investigation into the dramatic shootout in which two gunmen were killed outside the bank. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Second escaped inmate who murdered Greater Victoria man sentenced to life in jail

Family haunted by how Martin Payne’s last moments were marked by horror

Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)