Hello there!

Advance voting stations are now open in the region and across the country, and will run all long weekend in an effort to make it easy for voters to get to polls. If you're looking for your nearest location, check the link below. And if you're looking for more information on the candidates, we have some more of that again today.

Plus: The mystery of a bare-faced bear; an update on transit; and more.

Federal election advance voting on April 18-21, at these locations in Cowichan–Malahat–Langford and these in Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke.

— Cam

FEDERAL ELECTION 2025

The field of candidates in Cowichan–Malahat–Langford, and what they're talking about

The final Elections Canada roster includes these 5 people vying for the seat, and below we have a little more info on their positions and priorities.

You can read this information, get links to candidate pages, and learn more of the riding's backstory in the full article here.

If your riding is Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke, that full article can be found here.

Lists of priorities are not exhaustive but are based on topics and proposals emphasized on candidate webpages and social media, and in public comments. Candidates with more information released publicly will have slightly more items listed. Candidate sequence below is based on past party results in the riding.

NDP – Alistair MacGregor, incumbent MP

Priorities: More federal healthcare funding, stopping tax havens / loopholes, building many more homes incl. on federal land, supporting farmers, limiting grocery prices, supporting seniors and caregivers, universal childcare, national pharmacare, ending fossil fuel projects

Conservatives – Jeff Kibble, naval veteran

Priorities: Economic growth & stability, cost of living, cutting bureaucracy on private housing, improving and fast-tracking benefits for veterans, giving veterans priority for public service jobs and government contracts, increasing drug criminalization, adding treatment spaces

Liberal – Blair Herbert, farming & real estate

Priorities: Rural healthcare, more housing options, sovereignty and opposing Trumpism, transportation, environmental action including small and locally, supporting the CBC, military funding, regulations on AI, partnering with Indigenous projects, reliable transportation, marine / coastal stewardship

Green – Kathleen Code, Ecoforest stewardship board chair

Priorities: Addressing climate / emissions / pollution, protecting forests, increasing Canadian self-reliance, building out clean energy infrastructure, funding affordable public housing & housing co-ops, taxing big corporations, caring for people with addictions

PPC – Dagmar Goeschick, cleaning business entrepreneur

Priorities: "minimizing government interference, encouraging individual accountability, guaranteeing equity for all Canadians, and upholding individual liberties and rights."

Read more on each candidate in the full article here.

NEWS

BC Transit opens new parts distribution centre in Colwood

The new 2,800m2 warehouse will distribute to all 58 BC Transit local systems in the province, replacing a previous Westshore hub that BC Transit says had become inadequate. It cost nearly $21M ($10M from local governments) but BC Transit says it cuts operating costs because space no longer needs to be leased. The new distribution system also aims to improve efficiency by grouping some orders together as it ships  throughout the province. 

This opening, in the Wildcat Industrial Complex on Allendale Rd., comes just weeks after the new HandyDART depot opened in View Royal. That makes for over $100M in new transit facilities now complete in the Westshore.

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Around the 'Shore

🏒 Malahat matchup: Grizzlies will play Cowichan Valley Capitals in second-round BCHL series that begins tomorrow in Cowichan and shifts back to Colwood's Q Centre next Tues. The teams haven't met in the playoffs since 2009, but this year are among a record 3 Island teams to make it to Round 2. Their regular-season matches this year were pretty evenly matched—and pretty heavy on penalty minutes. [Grizzlies info]

🐻 Bare-faced bear in Port Renfrew: A photo of a black bear with a fur-less face was uploaded this week on Facebook. Jennifer Heinrichs, who snapped the shot from her car, told Sooke News Mirror that “it looked like it was wearing a mask like the Phantom of the Opera” but was otherwise fat and healthy. Experts say skin mites may be the culprit.

🚫🔥 No backyard burning after April 30, Sooke reminds locals. But the District will host a complimentary yard waste drop-off program at the parks yard on May 3, 10, 21, & 28.

🌳 Firwood Park closed in Sooke through June for nature trail construction.

⚽️ Pacific FC begins season 1-1 at home and how heads on the road until May 10.

⛴ Expect busy ferries this long weekend: BC Ferries recommends reserving in advance or walking on, and aiming to travel at off-peak times (e.g. Saturday and Tuesday).

📰 Tuesday newsletter: Escapee's conviction upheld. Full election roster. Hockey series win. Bus route changes. [April 15]

🏫 Attend an open house on April 24 or 25 to discover how Glenlyon Norfolk School empowers students to be curious, engaged and prepared for the future.*

*Sponsored Listing

Earth Day Events

🚶‍♀️ Earth Day Ocean Art Walk & pollinators tour in Metchosin next Tuesday, April 22. Begins 11am at Metchosin Arts & Culture Centre, then gets to Sea Buffalo Farm at noon and continues to Witty's. Free & all ages.

♻️ Upcycled: Small changes, big impact runs Tues.-Sat. next week. Showcases upcycled fashion, fibre arts, home décor, and 2D and 3D works of art that tell a story. Begins 10am daily.

🌍 Sooke Earth Day event April 26 on the greenspace beside Fire Station One. [District]

Easter Weekend Events

🐰 Free Photos with the Easter Bunny: Fri & Sat at Westshore Town Centre. Bring your own camera or phone; an attendant will be on hand to snap a family pic. [Info]

🍳 Easter Brunch buffet at Table Nineteen at Olympic View Golf Club featuring carving stations, seafood, pastries, and more. Easter Brunch at Table Nineteen. [Sunday 10am]

🥚 Bilston Creek Farm: Easter weekend with an egg hunt through the orchard, food vendors, and farm-fresh treats, April 19-20. [Info]

Community Events

🧝‍♀️ Quarry Park playground opening in Royal Bay. Ice cream, princesses, abd local officials all on site. 3:30-4:30pm today. [Info]

👟 High Ground hike for community tsunami preparedness Today at 11am at Sooke Flats & at 10am at Royal Roads.

🎨 Echoes & Emblems student art show: Goldfinch Arts Centre (170 Goldfinch) in Colwood showcases work by Ecole Royal Bay Secondary students in Grades 9-12. Today to May 4.

🗓 Metchosin Community House events: Garage sales, art group, Spanish lessons, parents & tots group, movie nights, and more. [Calendar here—make sure page is in desktop mode]

🤝 Candidate meet & greet: Cowichan–Malahat–Langford NDP, Liberal, & Green candidates on Fri. & Sat. [Details / schedule]

🥳 Sookarama: A family-friendly event with 90 exhibitors presented by the District of Sooke and Sooke Lions Club. April 26 at SEAPARC. [Info]

🐥17th Annual Duck Day Race and Family Event: Sooke Harbourside Lions present games, activities, hot dogs, and crafts for the kids as rubber ducks race down the Sooke River. 11an-2pm May 3. Free admission, but tickets to try to win the grand prize go on sale tomorrow. [More info]

🤖 Expert discussion on AI & the future at Royal Roads with author and evolutionary biologist Dan Riskin on May 3. [Event info]

📥 A new way to submit community events to the City of Langford. [Here]

Council Meetings

View Royal: No more council meetings scheduled this month.

Colwood: Next Tues., April 22, will have meetings of environment, active transportation, and infrastructure committees. [Calendar]

Highlands: Regular council meeting Tues. Calendar 

Sooke: Committee of the Whole meets next Tues. [Schedule]

Langford: Council meeting Tues. [Calendar]

Metchosin: No meetings until April 28.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 Near Colwood coast: Bangkok Bridge, a 2010-built container ship sailing Tacoma to Vancouver under a Panama flag. 🇵🇦 

🚢 Further out: Tavistock Square, a 2019-built crude oil tanker sailing from San Francisco to Vancouver under a Liberia flag 🇱🇷.

➡️ Moving on: GSL Grania, a 2004-built container ship sailing from Prince Rupert to Vancouver under a Liberia flag. 🇱🇷 

Westshore Snaps

We usually only run photos that depict somewhere within the Westshore. But since we already mentioned long-weekebd travel above, here are a few shots of Swartz Bay at sunset from reader Paul Young.

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another Westshore local.

And before you go, let us know: