Good morning!

Recently, we’ve seen a few stories about people in the Westshore being affected by Facebook scams. With a number of complaints coming in, and a message sent out by RCMP, we were wondering if you have seen or been affected by these scams at all?

— Emma

NEWS

Membership in the CRD Arts Council a key question in Colwood council meeting

According to a data report prepared for the Arts Council by Hill Strategies that draws on Statistics Canada labour force trends, arts and culture workers have grown 50% since 2006 in the capital region compared to 8% national growth rate. But presenters from CRD Arts Council say the city of Colwood may miss out on future chances to make good on that growth if it doesn’t become one of its jurisdictional participant members.

Tuesday evening, CRD Arts Commission chair and Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto and CRD manager of arts and culture Chris Gilpin made a presentation to the council to explain granting opportunities and to encourage Colwood to join in. There are currently nine jurisdictional CRD service participants; Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal, Highlands, Metchosin, Sooke and Southern Gulf Islands. All participant communities receive a seat on the Arts Commission, and based on CRD arts advisory council recommendations, have the opportunity to impact the future of arts funding in the region.

The problem for Colwood is that it is not one of CRD’s arts service jurisdictions and so is not eligible to apply for any of the CRD’s annual funding of $2.6 million. If Colwood wants to continue to be a leader in the expansion of arts in the Westshore with the CRD Arts Council’s support, it will need to pay for a membership that will cost up to $24 per average household.

Head to Westshore to read more about the future of arts in Colwood. 

NEWS

Local woman loses lawsuit against Sooke Craft group

Carol Marion Tennis lost her court case on Oct. 4 after suing a Sooke craft group who expelled her from the community and its annual Christmas fair. Filing a claim against respondents Nancy V. Bennett, Gillian Kadiri, and Christene Rafuse, Tennis said the group “improperly expelled her from the All Sooke Arts & Crafts Association (ASAAC) and the 3 day Christmas craft fair that ASAAC was holding in November 2022.”

Tennis filed the suit with the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT), looking for $4,500 equal to what she stated she would have earned at the craft event. Tennis also filed an order that the respondents reinstate her ASAAC membership.

While the Sooke local claimed she was unfairly expelled, the ASAAC maintained that Tennis was asked to leave due to a disregard of the craft fair’s rules and regulations; the group also stated that the loss in sales was “exaggerated”. Bennett also mentioned that the ASAAC as an organization should be the proper respondent, however the CRT ruling stated that it could not be sued due to being an unincorporated association.

“The applicant undisputedly submitted her application to become an ASAAC member, as well as an application to participate in the Christmas fair along with the associated fees, before the August 31, 2022 deadline,” said the court ruling. “The respondents say the applicant’s application for the Christmas fair was incomplete as she did not submit the necessary supplementary application for food vendors by the August 31 deadline; they also say the applicant refused to cooperate with their requests about how to display her products during the show, in breach of the show rules.”

The CRT ruling dismissed the case on a number of grounds, including lack of evidence, disregard for the rules of the fair (including not having her FoodSafe licence), and the inability to prove that the amount of sales lost were as a result of not attending the fair. No parties were reimbursed for the case, as the ASAAC did not have to pay any CRT fees and the applicant did not win her case.

Around the 'Shore

🚙 Vandalized vehicles in Langford: On Oct. 9, West Shore RCMP responded to a call reporting multiple vehicles being vandalized near the 1000 block of Grob Court. At around 3:40am, officers found nine vehicles with varying levels of damage, and are continuing an investigation to find the people responsible; the suspects are a group of two to four males who drove off in separate light and dark vehicles, with one of them wearing a dark coloured hoodie and hat.

⛽️ Lower gas prices on the mainland compared to Island: Islanders are shocked to see that prices on the mainland are much lower than the Island, as drivers are used to paying a premium for gas. Experts are confused as to why this is, thinking it may date back to BC’s pricing problems in 2015; as of Oct. 10, the most expensive price per litre was the Esso station on Admirals Road in Esquimalt at 197.9. [CHEK]
*Correction: In this morning’s edition, it was incorrectly stated that gas prices were lower on the Island than the mainland. This has been updated and corrected.

🖥️ 5,319 Greater Victorians were surveyed on the most pressing issues in our region. The results are now in! Read Victoria’s Vital Signs 2023 today.*

⚽️ Pacific FC moves on in the playoffs: Pacific FC’s match against York United FC was a tough game at home in Langford last night, but the team fought hard and went on to a 1-0 win and a step forward in playoffs. Pacific FC will move on to play the HFX Wanderers on Oct. 14 in Halifax.

😓 Are you used to putting others' needs ahead of your own? The therapists at Intertidal Wellness can help you prioritize yourself. Book your consultation today.*

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Community Events

🧵 Quilt Show and Gala: ’Tis the season for crafting! From Oct. 12-14, enjoy the Sew Magic Quilt Show and Gala at 1089 Langford Parkway and get the chance to view displays of handcrafted quilts, connect with the community and shop the marketplace throughout the event. The evening gala will take place on Thursday from 7 to 9pm, and the quilt show on Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

🚲 Langford Bikefest 2023: Langford’s second annual Bikefest is coming to town Oct. 21-22, and you won’t want to miss it. There will be a variety of different activities scheduled during the entire weekend, including fun activities for kids and even a test of the new Langford DH trails.

🪴 View Royal Garden Club general meeting: Learn more about gardening on Oct. 25 in Wheeley Hall with View Royal Garden Club’s general meeting every fourth Wednesday of the month. This meeting will see a speech from Mike Rogers, a local gardener with a wide interest in growing ornamental grasses. From 7:30-9pm, listen to Rogers’ presentation about the continuing transformation of his own front yard, and mingle with other gardeners in the area.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 The Nsu Zenith is a bulk carrier built in 2019 and is sailing under the flag of Panama. It is sailing from Port Edward 🇨🇦 ➡ Vancouver 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Sept. 29.

⛴ The Dietrich Oldendorff is a bulk carrier built in 2020 and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. It is sailing from Hong Kong 🇭🇰 ➡ Vancouver 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Oct. 11.

Westshore Snaps

Esquimalt Lagoon. —Colette Miller, Langford

That’s it!

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

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