Julie Angus, CEO of Open Ocean Robotics, was awarded the Industry Icon award at the 2021 BC Cleantech awards, recognizing those who made a significant impact in changing the world of cleantech, according to Foresight, the organization presenting the awards. Open Ocean’s autonomous boats create no GHGs or noise pollution while they research the ocean.
A Victoria housing agency is expanding its service delivery model to include a supportive recovery program for youth experiencing substance-use issues. Threshold Housing Society has partnered with Island Health to provide eight supportive recovery beds and one family care home bed in Greater Victoria, with recovery services available to youths waiting for a bed.
The Brigham family is handing Sidney Pharmacy ownership over to the Rayani family, whose patriarch Naz Rayani founded the chain of Heart Pharmacy stores in the early 1990s.
Central Saanich received a province-funded $322,800 grant for a multi-use pathway to Butchart Gardens through BC’s economic recovery grant program. Work on the 450-metre-long pathway is set to start later this year.
The Ministry of Child and Family Development announced 340 new spaces have been created as part of an effort to improve access to child care during the pandemic and beyond, with spaces to be available in Victoria (210), North Saanich (56), Sooke (62) and Tahsis (8). Locations will include Crosstown Daycare Program at Sundance Elementary Daycare, opening in January 2022, Kids Klub Centre Lake Hill at Lake Hill Elementary open in July 2022 and Kids Klub Centre McKenzie, opening in July 2022 at McKenzie Elementary. In January 2022, Hillcrest Elementary Out of School Care and Ready Set Grow will provide new child care spaces. In May 2021 Homey Land Daycare will open in Sooke, providing spaces, while the Choo Choo, Let’s Go! Childcare Centre is offering new spaces in May 2022. On the Saanich Peninsula, Tseycum Childcare Centre will also provide new spaces this coming December.
The Capital Regional District has purchased the 58.7-hectare property near Grant Lake in the watershed catchment for the Sooke Lake reservoir, the storage site for the region’s drinking water. The land was bought from Margaret Forestry Ltd. for $652,729 and funded by the CRD’s regional water supply service. The property was identified as a high priority for acquisition due to its proximity to the reservoir.
Work began to prepare the nine-acre Nigel Valley property in Saanich for redevelopment, with civil works crews constructing roads and infrastructure to service various properties along Nigel Valley, bordered by Vernon Avenue, Lochside Trail and Darwin Avenue. The work is expected to take up to 10 months and will initially service the Greater Victoria Housing Society’s 70-unit affordable rental housing project and Broadmead Care Society’s 88-unit assisted living and affordable rental housing project. Both projects were approved by Saanich council in 2020 and are expected to break ground later in 2021. Nigel Valley will be home to several multi-family residences, bringing nearly 800 affordable units and commercial spaces to Saanich over the next five to ten years.
Victoria’s CuGrip, has created copper wraps, a thin copper sheet with an adhesive, that can be used to ensure sanitary high-touch surfaces on mass transit and in hospitals, airports and other public spaces. TransLink, which operates Vancouver’s transit system, recently tested copper products, including CuGrip’s, on its high-touch surfaces and determined the metal was lethal to bacteria. CuGrip has established a manufacturing base in Ohio capable of producing 100 million products a month. It has distribution networks around the world and dealers in several countries. Learn more about CuGrip at cugrip.com.
The province is committing up to $2 million to expand the BC Food Hub Network to Vancouver Island, designed to bolster food security, while helping food and beverage producers grow their business by providing shared-use processing facilities, equipment, expertise and other resources. The funding will be used for three new food hubs in Victoria, Cowichan Valley and Bowser.
The Esquimalt Farmers Market has been named the best large BC market for the third time in the last four years in the BC Market Awards. This year, the market will be run weekly out of Memorial Park starting April. esquimaltmarket.com
Saanich is one of six Canadian and 88 global cities to score the top “A” grade in 2020 for reporting climate and environmental impacts by the Carbon Disclosure Project, which measures and manages cities’ risks and opportunities on climate change, among other variables.
Uber Eats has expanded service to the Saanich Peninsula, offering food delivery, pick-up and online ordering from just north of Sidney stretching into Saanich, excluding an area west of John Dean Provincial Park.
Sooke Yarn & Fibre is now open at 3-6631 Sooke Road. Give them a call at 778-400-5698, or visit www.sookeyarnandfibre.com.
Greater Victoria’s second Marshalls location is scheduled to open March 9th in Langford at the Millstream Village Shopping Centre.
Central Saanich received funding to help build a multi-use pathway next to Benvenuto Avenue from Wallace Drive down to Butchart Gardens. Financial support for the project comes from a stream of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program designed to bring visitors back to BC communities in support of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sidney Council has recommended the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) approve a cannabis retail application by Buds Cannabis, which plans to open the store in the 9700-block of Second Street. It would be their second outlet, the first being in Central Saanich, and the second such business in Sidney.
The Capital Regional District purchased a 58.7-hectare property near Grant Lake in the watershed catchment for the Sooke Lake reservoir, the storage site for the region’s drinking water. The land, which falls within the Cowichan Valley Regional District, was bought from Margaret Forestry Ltd. for $652,729 and funded by the CRD’s regional water supply service. The property was identified as a high priority for acquisition due to its proximity to the reservoir. The purchase was made to prepare for future needs and ensure continued stewardship of areas surrounding the reservoir.
The W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council representing Tsartlip, Tseycum, and Tsawout First Nations and The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC) have announced an agreement that will transfer title of SISȻENEM, also known as Halibut Island, from the charitable land trust to the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council. TLC purchased the 9.67-acre island, located east of Sidney Island, for $1.55 million with the support of one unnamed donor. The transfer is the first of its kind between a land trust and an Indigenous community in Canada.
Victoria City council approved a compromise option for temporary alteration of Clover Point Park, which will cost up to $275,000. The compromise will keep the area the same as before construction began on the Capital Regional District sewage pump station project. A section on the boathouse side of the loop will remain open to vehicles and include eight regular parking spots, six accessible spaces and a vehicle turnaround area. The site will include 25 parking stalls, 10 of them accessible, and a large loading area at the top of the loop. It will create 2,400 square metres of new pedestrian-only space on the waterfront.
Trees Cannabis has reopened its 230 Cook Street location in downtown Victoria. It will also be reopening its Oak Bay location, at 1545 Fort Street, by the end of March. The business plans to have a total of eight stores open on the Island by August.
Gordon Head Recreation Centre was recently transformed into a hospital for the filming of Netflix series Maid. The Saanich recreation centre was temporarily rebranded as Quimper Regional Hospital. The 10-part series is being shot in various locations across Greater Victoria.
The western tip of the Sooke Region will share more than $1.2 million in provincial government grants via the Rural Economic Recovery (RER) program to support communities recovering from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and build their economies for the future. Some of the local projects include The Pacheedaht First Nation campground expansion, and Port Renfrew WorkLink Employment Society mobile visitor and business information centre.
Victoria’s Broadmead Hearing Clinic at 4430 Chatterton Way #107 in the Broadmead Office Park welcomes Nina Perisic, their newest audiologist. www.broadmeadhearing.com
SunRiver Dental and Implant Centre at 2350 Sunriver Way in Sooke is now open. www.sunriverdental.ca.\
Victoria’s Entourage Hair located at 100 Aldersmith Place, Suite A6 in Nelson Square is open. Visit www.entouragehair.ca
Kuku’s Take-Out, Delivery & Catering is once again open. Victoria’s longest running Indian restaurant is located at 24 Burnside Road West. www.kukusrestaurant.com
The Blue Nile East African Restaurant at 612 Head Street in Victoria is open for takeout and orders through the Tutti food delivery service. bluenilerestaurantvictoria.com
The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia honoured Nelson Chan, Doug Crowder, Connie Fair and Diana Lokken, four Victoria-based chartered professional accountants, with a fellowship designation (FCPA) for their professional accomplishments and outstanding contributions to their communities.
Specific Mechanical Systems, a specialist brewing and distilling equipment manufacturer in Victoria, have updated their range of premium quality, handcrafted beer and spirit producing systems, offering both pot stills and continuous columns. Their selections include pot stills ranging between 500 and 2000 litres in capacity, with custom material options and add-ons, including agitators, glass man-ways, and vessel lights. They also offer skid mounted distillation equipment, designed with easy set-up features and a built-in davit, an ideal pre-plumbed and pre-wired industrial distilling system. To learn more, visit specificmechanical.com.
The Township of Esquimalt has joined a growing list of BC municipalities that have banned single-use plastics, with the province approving Esquimalt’s bylaw along with bylaws from Surrey, Nanaimo, and Rossland. The City of Victoria and the District of Saanich have already had their proposed bans approved by the province.
The City of Langford ranks number one in BC Business Magazine’s Top 10 Most Resilient Cities in BC. Amongst the factors in its ranking are continued growth during the pandemic, high volumes of residential home sales, having one of the youngest populations in the province, as well as the move to have employees work from home.
Victoria’s Surf and Stone Studios has launched a new video editing service, allowing customers to upload their own videos and have the footage professionally edited, colour graded and more. They also provide free videography tips. Find out more at surfandstonestudios.com.
The District of Sooke is updating its Official Community Plan. The OCP, Under the auspices of the Official Community Plan Advisory Committee, will guide Sooke through the next 10 years of growth when adopted by Sooke council in 2022. The OCP provides a foundation for direction and decision-making in community planning and land-use management, growth management, housing, greenhouse gas emissions targets, and social and environmental issues, amongst others.
The District of Oak Bay has narrowed its selection for the marina lease renewal to two proposals sharing similar approaches to renovate and add to existing buildings. Both suggest re-assigning some of the Turkey Head parking area to green space with paths and other uses, a heavy environmental focus and plans to make the area usable for non-boaters and boaters alike. Paddlesports and cycling infrastructure are also included. Feedback opportunities are available via questionnaire at www.connect.oakbay.ca/marina-lease until March 2nd. The public can also submit feedback for the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for March 1st.
The Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) is expanding to include the Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island and the southern Gulf Islands electoral areas, which formerly received rural-specific funding but were limited in applying for grants from various other lucrative provincial and federal programs.
Construction is soon expected to begin on 75 new affordable rental homes for individuals, seniors and families with low to moderate incomes at 2170 Charters Road in Sooke. The building is estimated to open in 2022. BC Housing has also purchased the Hope Centre at 6750 West Coast Road from M’akola and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Vancouver Island to accommodate 33 supportive homes for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, a service hub with six shelter beds, programming space for training and outreach services and a commercial kitchen. The Sooke Shelter Society will operate the new building with staff on-site 24/7.
The City of Langford is receiving 38.5 acres of forestland from Westhills Land Corporation as part of the Master Development Agreement between the city and the corporation, with the land to be protected in perpetuity for residents of Langford. The lands include a 3.5-acre parcel connecting to the Jordie Lunn Bike Park, set to open April 1st. The trail connectivity and land addition will add to Langford’s existing 2,167 acres of park and natural recreation space.
Sidney’s Cascadia Seaweed has added four seaweeds to Health Canada‘s Ingredient Database. Before a natural health care product can be sold in Canada, it must have a license and an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN) to display on the product packaging. Prior to applying for an NPN, manufacturers must ensure their sourced ingredients are listed in Health Canada’s Ingredient Database. The ingredients include Saccharina Latissima (Sugar Kelp), Alaria marginata (Winged kelp), Neoagarum fimbriatum, and Develarea mollis (Red Ribbon or Pacific Dulse). To learn more about Cascadia, visit www.cascadiaseaweed.com.
Driftwood Brewery‘s Fat Tug IPA is BC’s best beer according to thousands of Twitter users who voted in CBC reporter Justin McElroy’s online tournament for beer lovers. He populated the voting brackets with popular and respected beers from across the province. driftwoodbeer.com.
The Saanich School District’s Children’s Development Centre on Cordova Bay Road east of the Patricia Bay Highway is getting a $4.2-million new building. The provincial government came up with $3.7 million for a new building and the district has provided $500,000. The new facility will include two classrooms and will be able to accommodate a dozen students.
Victoria has received $400 million in federal funds for active transportation, including pathways, bike lanes, trails and pedestrian bridges.
Victoria’s Craigdarroch Castle will have its kitchen and pantry restored to a state that hasn’t been seen in more than 100 years thanks to $288,000 in joint funding from the province and Heritage BC. The restoration will include replacing the shutters, adding new wainscotting and mouldings around windows and doors, repairing and painting plaster surfaces and installing flooring.
Edmonton-based development firm Postmark Group, which purchased two properties at 6641 and 6643 Sooke Road, is reaching out to the community and local groups for feedback before they begin designing a large seaside development for Sooke. The company hopes to create a waterfront village centre, including a mixture of office, commercial and residential spaces. A marina and boardwalk are also envisioned for the project.
The Saanich Peninsula’s Devine Distillery and Winery keeps winning. Their Devine’s Ancient Grains young whiskey won Best Mixed Hash Whiskey, took home the Best Whiskey Spirit award for the third year in a row, and was voted Artisan Distillery of the Year at the 2021 Canadian Whiskey Awards. Check out what they have to offer at devinevineyards.ca.
Colwood council recently allocated up to $488,000 from the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund towards supporting the redevelopment of Colwood Lodge to provide housing opportunities for people with varying ranges of incomes and in different phases of life. The current four-storey, 50-unit building, located behind London Drugs, is being redone through the Greater Victoria Housing Society, with plans to redevelop the site into a 15-storey building with around 119 units.
