Hello there!

Today we have the latest on Sooke and the province’s housing standoff, an update on the bears that were roaming Colwood, another round of holiday event listings, the weekend photo contest results, and more.

— Cam

NEWS

Sooke housing scale-up bylaw fails in 3-3 tie as local council risks provincial ire

Council, now operating without new MLA Dana Lajeunesse, was evenly split on whether to implement the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing zoning changes now required by BC. Those opposed, including Mayor Maja Tait, believed that the province shouldn't be directing top-down changes and that it wasn't considering Sooke's infrastructure challenges. Other councillors argued that Sooke needs to play ball with the province if it wants to get more support on those infrastructure issues.

The already fast-growing municipality has strained its traffic corridors this year, and the pace and cost of more roadway infrastructure has become a point of tension between the district and the province.

Provincial deadline just 2 weeks away

The province has directed all BC municipalities to scale-up up their density zoning rules to allow for more multi-storey / multi-unit construction on what would otherwise be single-family lots. Sooke applied for an extension of the compliance deadline. But that request was denied, giving Sooke until Dec. 16, 2024 to make the changes.

Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon confirmed this week that the province still plans to impose the new law on Sooke if the district doesn’t cooperate, and is looking more closely at its legal pathways.

The plan for more and denser housing throughout BC is intended to address the shortage and allow people, especially young families, to stay in places like Sooke. Kahlon said last week that Sooke is now the only municipality in BC that has yet to adopt the policies.

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NEWS

Day parole denied for one of the killers of Langford teen Kimberly Proctor

Cameron Moffat, aged 17 at the time in 2010, tortured and murdered his classmate before burning her body and leaving it on the Galloping Goose trail. He and co-accused Kruse Wellwood were given life sentences.

The Parole Board of Canada has now, in line with his parole officer's recommendation, denied him day parole but allowed an escorted temporary absence to visit the minimum-security prison in Mission that he hopes to one day be transferred to.

Per the Times Colonist, Moffat told the board he had developed ways to deal with the abuse he experienced as a child, but the board concluded he was still at a high risk to reoffend and was concerned by how long he had remained “affiliat[ed] and infatuat[ed]” with Wellwood. Last year, Wellwood was denied parole.

The 2010 murder of the animal-loving teenager Proctor brought international attention to Langford, due particularly due to the horrific nature of the crime (which included sexual assault and postmortem mutilation), the young ages of the victim and killers, and the online interactions that led up to it.

COMMUNITY

We’ll send your council your wishes

Who says Christmas wishes are only for kids?

Capital Daily and The Westshore invite readers to submit a Christmas wish they’d like to see come true in their municipality.  

Submit your holiday wish along with your full name to [email protected] including the name of the municipality where you live by Wednesday, Dec. 4. Your wish may be directed to the mayor or a particular council member. Inappropriate wishes will be disqualified, and remember that not all wishes will (or even can) be granted.

We’ll collect and send them all off by elf-mail to your local Santa. Look for a response to your unique wish in about two weeks.

Good luck with your wish, and happy holidays! 

Around the 'Shore

🐻 Colwood bears relocated a second time: The mother and cubs, seen around the city this fall, have been moved to a more forested part of the South Island, the BC Conservation Service says. These bears were relocated in Sept., too, but came back within 3 weeks. Meanwhile, the search continues for 3 Sooke cubs whose mother was killed. [CHEK]

🛻🛻 Stolen Dodge was used to steal another Dodge, RCMP say: On Nov. 8, around 2am, a mostly black—but possibly originally red—2001 pickup pulled up to a View Royal business compound. Someone got out, and shortly after a white 2014 flatbed drove out. Police now seek both trucks, and video from the area that night.

🌶️ Victoria Salsa too hot for Chilliwack: The Grizzlies brought back their original identity for Friday’s game and defeated the conference #2 Chilliwack Chiefs and pull within 1 point of them in the standaings. But once back to their current identity, the Grizzlies’ magic ran out as they lost in Chilliwack on Sat.

💥 Navy demolitions continue until Friday on Betnick Island near Metchosin. These trainings will run 9am-4pm daily but will be paused if whales are nearby.

Community Events

🥫 10,000 Tonight food bank donation drive is Wednesday from 5-9pm as Royal Bay Secondary students will be going door-to-door collecting food and money. Ed Milne students will also be participating, with donation opportunities at the Sooke Santa Parade (this Sunday), some local stores (all next week), and door-to-door (next Friday).

🖥️ Mental Health Over The Holidays virtual workshop today at 1pm. Hosted by WorkBC Centre Westshore & Sooke, Bridges for Women Society, and mxn Men's Therapy Network. [Info]

✨ Colwood Christmas Light Up at city hall on Thursday. Hot chocolate & hot dogs grilled by municipal councillors and staff. This year’s event will also have elementary school choir performances. 6-8pm.

🎄 Esquimalt Holiday Wonderland & Christmas Tree Village begins today at the Rec Centre atrium and Archie Browning Sports Centre. 12:30-10pm 

🖼 Gifts & Wishes Holiday Showcase. Wed.-Sat. See and shop original work from local artists and artisans at the Arts & Culture Colwood Society near Esquimalt Lagoon.

❄️ Langford Station Winter Festival: Musical performances, food trucks, a holiday market, & fun activities for all ages. Plus performances from PACE Musical Theatre, Ablaze Choir, Pacific Edge Chorus, a balloon artist, & more. Sat. Dec. 7 / 3-7pm. Plus a holiday market, music, food, and tree lighting at Veterans Memorial Park. 5-8pm.

🎁 Yuletide Market at Bilston Creek Farm on Fri. / Sat. / Sun. 90+ local businesses showcasing their products, food vendors, live music, and more.

🛍 Find more Greater Victoria winter markets in this roundup from Tasting Victoria.

🎶 Cool Nights, Warm Hearts: Choral Evolution concerts Fri. & Sat. in Sooke + Sun. in Colwood.

🌲 More free holiday events put on throughout this month by Westshore municipalities. [Our roundup]

What’s Offshore?

🚢🚢 🚢  Anchored just off the coast of Colwood: HL Taean (built 2016, Panama flag, departed from Taean-gun in Korea), KSL Sakura (built 2015, Hong Kong flag, departed Yeosu in Korea for Roberts Bank near Tsawwassen terminal), George Washington BR (built 2006, Panama flag, departed Tacoma for Vancouver)

🚢🚢 Anchored further out: Seaways Yellowstone (Crude oil tanker, built 2014 Marshall Islands flag, departed Singapore for local Constance Bank), Glovis Sunrise (Vehicle carrier, built 2014, South Korea flag, departed Tacoma for New West)

As always, you can send us your photos of ships you see anchored off the Westshore and we will try to identify them and include them here.

Westshore Snaps

Thank you to everybody who sent in photos last week for the contest to visit Hatley Castle. There were dozens of great ones to choose from, but this time we picked the most wintery scenes. Ralph and Sarah Hutchings captured the frozen fun (and frustration) of snow days in the Westshore [see below].

We'll be running more photo contests this month for the holidays, so keep the photos coming in and stay tuned to hear about the prizes we'll have. We always appreciate seeing your photos and getting to share them here.

That’s it!

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