Hello there!

After cold weeks, now we get wet weeks. It is winter, after all. But cold and wet didn't deter local whale researchers, who went out on the sea in mid-February, near the tip of Metchosin. They brought us back an update on the region's most beloved orca—and its newest one, too.

More on that below, but first an update on the upcoming local council byelections and Sooke's eventual referendum.

— Cam

NEWS

Council byelections to replace new Westshore MLAs: April for Esquimalt, but no Sooke date yet

Esquimalt will vote to replace now-MLA Darlene Rotchford on April 5, the township has announced. Early voting will be on March 26 and April 2. Mail ballots can be requested from now to April 1.

Applications to run are open until Friday. Candidate campaigns can spend up to $9,229 while registered third parties can spend up to $921. 

See election info and locations here. 

Sooke decision delayed, in hopes of combined process

Sooke also must hold a byelection to replace fellow now-MLA Dana Lajeunesse. But the district voted last month to accept staff's recommendation to delay setting a date, due to the possibility of a federal election. Staff were concerned about recruiting election workers if the campaigns overlapped, and moreover Mayor Maja Tait is the federal NDP's candidate and may win the seat.

If that election happens soon enough, and Tait does win, Sooke could save money (byelections cost an estimated $39K) by holding a joint byelection for Lajeunesse's seat, the mayor's chair, and potentially any seat vacated by a councillor running for mayor—and could even mix in a potential referendum on capital borrowing (more on that below).

Spring federal election looking less likely lately

In response to the tariff threats from the US, the NDP and Bloc may walk back their intentions to topple the current Liberal government, regardless of leader, when parliament resumes. Tait has not ruled out resigning her seat early to allow a joint byelection regardless of federal timing or outcome.

Throup connector project progressing, but referendum timeline shifts toward 2026

The aforementioned referendum would allow Sooke to borrow money to contribute to the long-awaited Throup-Phillips Connector project, to be built 2027-29 at a total cost of nearly $50M. Sooke is applying for $17M in federal Active Transportation funding for that, along with applications for other lower-priority road projects.

The district would be on the hook for a cost estimated at up to $32M—plus overruns, but minus whatever is added through any other grants and by the province (which has been encouraging Sooke to start moving on the project). Staff estimate about $10M could be trimmed from the district's bill, and from the $28M that a referendum would ask residents to borrow.

Council voted last night to support the project, timeline, Sooke's commitment, and the grant application.

That issue could still join a byelection this year, council's direction to staff last night, after hearing both options, is to prepare for a referendum in the fall 2026 municipal election. One of the key trade-offs is that an earlier referendum may help secure a lower price (with construction costs always rising), but a later one would give the public a more accurate financial picture including which grants have been secured to offset local cost.

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NEWS

Bereaved whale spotted, no longer carrying dead calf, off coast of Westshore

Around the 'Shore

💗 Langford brain injury survivor touts value of local peer support programs: Lori Jousi had a stroke in 2020, and credits part of her quality of life post-injury to Victoria Brain Injury Society programs, which help people adapt, improve, and get support from peers and mentors in a safe and accepting environment. [Black Press]

🏚 22- and 18-storey tower project in Langford in foreclosure: As recently as 2021, Langford Gateway was hailed by then-mayor Stew Young as the new beginning for Langford’s downtown. But 4 years later all that remains of the cancelled project are semi-demolished homes and construction debris. Neighbours have complained about the messy “war zone,” and say it undermined their home values, while the city has issued 25 fines since last July. [Times Colonist] 

⚖ Closing arguments in case of Langford man who killed mother were made last week. The defence argues that he had schizophrenia-induced psychosis at the time of the killing, based on testimony from two forensic psychologists. The Crown contends that despite Ryan Elder's documented mental illness, those experts haven't established that he was in the throes of delusion at that time, rather than deliberately giving that impression during later interviews. [Victoria News]

🔥 BC FireSmart plant-tagging program expands to Langford, with its Canadian Tire now the first major retailer to agree to tag plants that burn less easily in wildfires.

⚖ Crown seeks up to 4 years for former youth worker's sexual touching of Westshore teen. The defence looks for closer to 2 years in jail and 2 years of probation. Defence also argued that the case's publicity will make jail more dangerous, while the Crown counters that it has served to warn and protect people who may know the offender. [Times Colonist]

📚 Glenlyon Norfolk School is closer than you think. Book a tour to explore the campuses and see why GNS is worth the journey.*

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Community Events

🧠 Tuesday Trivia Night debuts today at The Outpost Board Game Cafe. [Info] Those trivia hosts, Sixty Watt, will also be at Sawmill Taphouse on Monday.

🖌 Workshops at Westshore Town Centre: Sat - Paper Petals. Sun - Patterns & Simple Landscapes. [Schedule]

👩‍🎨 Metchosin Art Centre: Improv, classes, & other events. [Schedule]

⚽️ Westshore rec / sport facility public consultations are coming up.

🏰 Royal Roads open house this weekend. 9am-2pm on March 1. [Register]

📅 Remaining Black History Month events in Greater Victoria. [Capital Daily]

🐋 Metchosin meetings: Community planning committee meets tomorrow; council meets Monday. Schedule here.

What’s Offshore? (Other than those whales)

🚢 Off coast of Colwood: Wooyang Banders, a 2004-built bulk carrier sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

Westshore Snaps

“This red-breasted sapsucker was attacking a tree next to my parking spot in View Royal." – Dell Lang

Stellar sea lions launch themselves out of the water off the East Sooke coast. [Doug Clement Photography]

That’s it!

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