Hello there!

We hope you enjoyed your Family Day long weekend! Today we keep the family-friendly fun flowing with a list of some of the best local restaurants to take kids (and adults) to.

But first, some grown-up business: The BC legislative session is beginning, and for 2 of the 3 Westshore MLAs it will be their first sitting as BC elected officials. 

— Cam

NEWS

Westshore MLAs will debut in legislature today, in BC's first session since last May

Darlene Rotchford (Esquimalt – Colwood) and Dana Lajeunesse (Juan de Fuca – Malahat) will appear in a legislative session for the first time when 2025's debut sitting begins today. Rotchford replaces Mitzi Dean, who was MLA of the predecessor riding, after her abrupt departure from politics shortly before the election. Lajeunesse is in a new seat that was mostly spun off of what had been Ravi Parmar's (and previously John Horgan's) Langford-centric Westshore riding.

Rotchford was named the parliamentary secretary for labour, while Lajeunesse is the secretary for accessibility. Returning MLA Parmar, who won the 2023 byelection, is now Minister of Forests and the point person for dealing with the lumber aspect of the tariff threats that are expected to dominate discussion in this new governmental session.

An impending possible trade war has shifted BC priorities and led the government to assemble a “war room” planning how to tackle the anticipated cross-border economic struggle. Parmar and Eby both recently spoke about the effect these disputes could have on forestry—a sector that is prominent on the Westshore and long affected by border trade issues.

Why did it take until now?

Last fall's result took weeks to determine—partly due to the tight Juan de Fuca - Malahat race—and the shape of the government took several weeks more. The NDP sought an MLA from another party to fill the mostly procedural, usually nonvoting Speaker role—finding none, Premier Eby stuck with incumbent Raj Chouhan. The lack of a new Speaker to vote on removed the need for a brief fall session, delaying the resumption until now.

By the winter break, the BC NDP had hammered out a deal with the BC Greens to secure support on confidence votes. That support became especially crucial to the governing party after Victoria – Beacon Hill MLA Grace Lore announced a cancer diagnosis that may limit her availability.

Read more here on the details of the agreement, and its affect on South Island & Westshore issues such as health centres and Fairy Creek. Sonia Furstenau announced her resignation as Green party leader last month, which will leave the follow-through on these priorities up to the two MLAs including the peninsula's Rob Botterell.

Eby's mandate letters guiding the ministries came out in the new year after a slight delay. Read what they say to Island ministers, and about local issues, here. 

FOOD

Family-friendly restaurants in the Westshore

Yesterday's holiday was chock-full of things to go out and do with the youngsters. On an average day, though, finding the perfect restaurant for the whole family to go out to can be a challenge. But the Westshore is home to plenty of great spots that make dining out with kids easier.

Whether you’re looking for a casual café, a cozy diner with a kid-friendly menu, or a restaurant with spacious seating and welcoming service, there’s something for every family. Here’s a roundup of family-friendly restaurants in the Westshore where both kids and adults can enjoy a great meal.

Some of the top spots include:

Big Wheel Burger

Its sustainably sourced menu features the Little Wheel Meal Deal (for kids of all ages) which includes a 3 oz. burger or hot dog, kids’ regular fries, juice, and a cookie.

My-Chosen Cafe

My-Chosen has plenty of home-style comfort foods, but the real family delight is the beautiful area behind the café called Critter Corner. The small petting area is home to goats, miniature donkeys, bunnies, ducks, and chickens—a highlight for the little ones.

900 Degrees

Neapolitan-style pizzeria with wood-fired pizza that comes out piping hot & cheesy. There's no dedicated kids’ menu, but it is pizza—and they have high chairs and offer colouring paper and crayons for kids.

Floyd’s Diner

This Victoria landmark, now with 5 locations including Langford, has a large kids’ menu with names that reflect young diners’ orders: The "I'm not hungry" (classic breakfast), “I want to go play” (lumbercakes and bacon), “I don't know” (Belgian waffles), “I don't care” (grilled cheese), “I don't like it” (chicken fingers), and “I don't want that” (fruit bowl).

Bin 4 Burger Lounge

The locally owned and operated gourmet burger joint has a varied kids' menu at its Westshore location with crispy chicken fingers and fries; a kids’ beef burger; a flavourful chicken burger; or grilled cheese. All come with fries or salad and soda, juice or milk.

Read the full list at Tasting Victoria, which has more restaurants, more info on these ones, links, and photos.

Around the 'Shore

🚨 Hours-long Langford standoff ends in arrest: Neighbours told CHEK that as many as a dozen police cars were present on Sat. evening at Hidden Valley Mobile Home Park, a community of mostly seniors. RCMP said that posts online by a member of the public gave people the false impression that it ended earlier and neighbours began coming outside while the standoff was still going.

🛶 Oscar the kayaking mannequin rescued from Sooke waters as training crews hold a day of on-water exercises. The East Sooke search & rescue is always in need of more volunteers; it has fewer than its peers in Vic & Oak Bay despite getting more rescue calls. But living out in East Sooke is expensive for young people—and those who do manage are busy working and raising families, says one veteran volunteer. [Times Colonist]

🚧 Hwy 14 crash hospitalizes 3, but injuries not life-threatening: One vehicle may have crossed the centre line and hit the other, RCMP told CHEK, but drugs & alcohol are not suspected. The crash shut the road near Kangaroo briefly on Sat. around noon. [CHEK]

🏘 After friction with province, Sooke will vote tonight on adopting zoning reform: Tonight's special council meeting agenda includes a motion to give first, second, and third readings to a bylaw adopting small-scale multi-unit housing permissions that align with BC's new laws. Sooke was the only municipal holdout in BC, and this vote comes just in time for housing & municipal affairs minister's deadline.

🇺🇦 Langford locals plan for 4th Ukraine trip next month: Three years after the war began, Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine reps will head overseas to allocate a school bus, used laptops, and diesel generators to recipients across 5 municipalities. [Goldstream Gazette]

📆 Last week: View Royal's 2050 plan looks at how to handle growth—its own and its neighbours’. [The Westshore]

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Community Events

📽 Free screening of In My Backyard, a food sustainability doc, at Colwood City Hall tomorrow at 6:30pm. Pre-register to secure one of the limited seats.

🏒 Westshore Wolves play Weds. & Fri. [JDF Rec schedule]

🌳 Friends of Havenwood Park 10th anniversary celebration on Sat.

🔧 Repair Cafe Westshore on Sat. at Gordon United. Let these handy locals fix your stuff! [Info]

🏒 Victoria Grizzlies host Nanaimo on Sat. [Tickets]

Council Meetings

📊 Public input for Langford budget, today at Committee of the Whole and Thursday at Council. [Schedule] Learn more about the budget in The Westshore's explainer story.

⛵ View Royal council meets tonight; here is the agenda. 

🌄 Highlands council meets tonight, with major agenda items including Community Hall rental policy and Westshore recreation / rec facility reports.

🏰 Colwood meets next Monday.

🐋 See Metchosin's full schedule for various upcoming committee and council meetings here.

What’s Offshore?

🚢 Off Colwood coast: ONE Magdalena, a 2022-built container ship sailing from Tacoma under a Hong Kong flag. ONE ships often use a distinctive bright-pink hull as part of a breast cancer campaign. 

🚢🚢 Further out in outer harbour. NACC Poros, a 2012-built cement carrier going from Seattle to Richmond under Madeira flag. [I hope it isn't too porous!] ALS Juno, a 2024-built container ship coming from Vancouver under Madeira flag.

🔌 At Ogden Point: No ships yet (they begin in April), but recently announced to be getting $22M in federal funding to add shore power (i.e. plug-ins to avoid burning fuel while docked). But as Capital Daily covered on the weekend, there are still a few more issues to navigate before the shore power project can become reality.

Westshore Snaps

This week we're finally saying goodbye to the cold and snow (and hello to the rain). Today's reader photos capture the tail end (or tailfeathers) of last week's chill.

Above: “On Frozen Pond” at Thetis Lake. – Richard Steward, View Royal

Below: “Chilly morning at Albert Head Lagoon… but the ducks can stand (on) it.” – Ron Myers, Colwood. (taken Feb. 13)

Remember: If you get a good glimpse of one of the ships anchored offshore, we would love to feature ship photos in What's Offshore.

That’s it!

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