Good morning!

Remembrance Day is this Saturday, and there are a number of services taking place across the Westshore. Check out our list in today’s newsletter.

— Emma

COMMUNITY

Remembrance Day in the Westshore

Remembrance Day is this weekend, and locals will have the chance to honour those who have dedicated their lives to serving their countries, both past and present. There are a number of local services and events to participate in. 

Royal Roads University: From 10:40am to 2pm, Royal Roads University, the Vancouver Island Ex-Cadet Club, and CFB Esquimalt will be hosting a Remembrance Day ceremony on the Castle Terrace Lawn outside Hatley Castle. Following the ceremony, at around 11:45am, attendees can watch Geoffrey Bird’s new 70-minute film, Ways We Remember War (not suitable for children). The museum and exhibits in the lower part of the castle will also be open to the public from 11am to 2pm.

Colwood: Join the 7th Juan de Fuca Scouts at the Colwood Cenotaph in the Garry Oak grove for a moment of silence. The scouts will march from John Stubbs School to the cenotaph for a ceremony at approximately 10:45am, starting the moment of silence at 11am—the cenotaph was chosen as the event’s venue due to its important historical relevance. 

Langford: In partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion Prince Edward Branch #91, Langford citizens are encouraged to join the city at Veterans Memorial Park for a ceremony at 10:30am. Pausing at 11am for two minutes, this is a solemn occasion and respectful attendance and participation is desired.

Sooke: The Sooke Legion is hosting a series of events in honour of Remembrance Day. On Nov. 10, there will be a 6pm candlelit service at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #54. The following day, official services will commence with a parade marching from the Evergreen Mall at 10:35am, arriving at the cenotaph at 10:50am followed by a moment of silence. Refreshments will be offered afterwards.

Esquimalt: The City of Esquimalt will be hosting a Remembrance Day ceremony and parade with members of the Royal Canadian Navy, Cadets, Royal Canadian Legion, and Scouts Canada. With the parade starting at the Tudor House and ending at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park, activities will go from 10am to 12pm and are free for anyone to join.

NEWS

BC struggles as daycare issues persist

Two years ago, the province was poised to make a major dent in the affordable child-care needs of families thanks to the British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement it signed with the feds, but its efforts have lagged persistently well below the needs of this region. 

The province grossly underspent, leaving 89% of its first-year funding on the table. While it did create 1,200 additional daycare spaces in the first year of the agreement, it is nowhere near the provincial goal of 30K spaces the funding formula lays out for it over four years, and it would have to scramble in the remaining two, in order to meet even half of that goal by 2025.  

Daycares across the Westshore have been struggling on a number of accounts: getting properly-certified staff who receive enough pay, supporting the growing student population through facilities and supplies, and receiving enough funding are just a few of the issues. 

The province has stepped in to help, but not without difficulty: the provincial New Spaces Fund supports the creation, expansion and relocation of child-care facilities proposing to create new, licensed child-care spaces. This winter, ECEs who hold an infant toddler educator or special needs educator certification were able to apply for a further $2K per year in study bursaries. In addition, ECEs who hold both certificates are eligible to receive $3K per year for their studies through the province’s ECE Education Support Fund. 

The catch? Would-be students have to pay their full tuition fees up front and be reimbursed later, and certain schools might not receive the funding altogether. Public-sector organizations, including local governments, school boards, health authorities, Crown corporations, public post-secondary institutions, Indigenous governments, First Nation schools and First Nation independent schools are eligible to apply to the fund and yet, the Indigenous-focused, trauma-informed child-care centre currently being constructed in Colwood does not appear to be benefitting from any of the federal-to-provincial New Spaces funding.

The centre, being built on Colwood Elementary school grounds and owned by the Sooke School District, will create 48 spaces for Indigenous children up to six years of age by the time it opens in 2025. 

For more information on the space in Colwood, read Sidney Coles’ full story.

Around the 'Shore

⚠️ CRD warns the public to be aware of danger on hiking trails: While the Sooke Flow Pipe is an interesting historical feature in Sooke, the CRD is warning hikers that it is off limits and hazardous. The flow pipe used to be a water main transport, and has caught hikers' attention over the years as a 43.9-kilometre Westshore hiking trail that leads through the woods at Mount Wells Regional Park, past Sooke Potholes to Sooke Lake. [Vancouver Island Free Daily] 

🗳️ Stew Young announces he may run for Langford mayor: Despite his loss in last year's mayoral election, former Langford mayor Stew Young says he is considering putting his name on the next ballot due to frustrations with the current council and mayor. Young went on CFAX Nov. 7, and spent his time discussing how he felt the current mayor and council are making decisions that are negatively affecting the city, even saying that the public has confided in him about their choices over the year. [Times Colonist] 

🎓 Esquimalt High raising funds for grad celebration: Esquimalt High’s graduating students have launched their first fundraiser to try to raise money for grad-related events and activities this year. Wanting to ensure everyone is able to attend the events despite their financial situation, the students in the grad leadership class are hosting an event with Stick in the Mud. Customers can choose from a range of coffee beans priced at $21 that are available online through an order form. [Victoria Buzz]

Community Events

🏈 CJFL Canadian Bowl: Watch the undefeated Westshore Rebels take on the Saskatoon Hill Tops at Starlight Stadium this Nov. 11. Doors open at 2pm, and the game starts at 3pm. Tickets are being sold online. 

🐻 Coexisting with Carnivores: Learn about the behaviour and habits of carnivores on Vancouver Island to educate yourself on how to coexist with them this Nov. 13. Presented by the Wild Wise Society at the Vancouver Island Regional Library in Sooke, the event will go from 6:30-8pm and will give you an opportunity to become more involved in conservation.

🍽️ Community Dinner: Hosted by the Gordon United Church on Goldstream Avenue, residents of the Westshore are invited to their community dinner on Nov. 13. Starting at 5pm, volunteers have spent time preparing donated food for all to enjoy. 

What’s Offshore?

🛳 The Christine Oldendorff is a bulk carrier built in 2010 and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. It is sailing from Jintang, China 🇨🇳 ➡ Vancouver 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Nov. 7.

🚢 The Ototachibana is a bulk carrier built in 2012 and is sailing under the flag of Japan. It is sailing from Himeji, Japan 🇯🇵 ➡ Vancouver 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Nov. 7.

⛴ The Shagang Haili is a bulk carrier built in 2011 and is sailing under the flag of Panama. It is sailing from Port Edward 🇨🇦 ➡ Roberts Bank 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Oct. 27.

🚢 The Pan Hope is a bulk carrier built in 2011 and is sailing under the flag of Panama. It is sailing from Port Edward 🇨🇦 ➡ Roberts Bank 🇨🇦 and was scheduled to arrive Oct. 23.

Westshore Snaps

Fall colours on the Royal Roads University campus. —Maddy Gareau, Maple Bay

That’s it!

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

And before you go, let us know: