Good morning! 

Exciting news for Westshore residents (and tourists!) as the Sooke Harbour House has finally reopened its doors after years of being closed. With ownership issues, renovation delays, and more, read all about it in today’s edition of the newsletter.

— Emma

NEWS

Sooke Harbour House open for business

After months of renovation, the Sooke Harbour House is back and welcoming guests with open arms as of August. Guests and patrons of the hotel have been waiting in anticipation for the announcement, with reports of its opening coming for late summer; now, with new owners and a new crew, the hotel is getting back to business. 

The Sooke Harbour House has a well-established reputation for fine dining and views. Created in the 1920s, the Harbour House “has a rich history for hospitality and culinary innovation” according to the website. 

Since 2020 the hotel has had its doors closed, facing issues with ownership and a slew of legal matters which Tori Marlan from Capital Daily covered in an award-winning investigative piece. The British Columbia Securities Commission found that previous owner Timothy Durkin had defrauded an investor of $1 million, which led to Sooke Harbour House being purchased by IAG Enterprises. IAG’s chief operating officer Alex Watson made an announcement in July of 2023, sharing info on the new team and a potential date to reopen the doors to the historic site.

“As renovations near completion the goal is to open the hotel as well as both the dining room and lounge in late fall or early winter of 2023,” Watson said.

Residents were left wondering what would happen to the Harbour House over the past few months, after delays in renovations pushed the opening date back even further. On Aug. 4, the Sooke Harbour House Bistro surprised the community and opened its doors to the public. The hotel itself is also accepting guests and reservations, hiring qualified employees with the majority living in Sooke.

At the helm is managing partner Andre Saint-Jacques, who brings 40 years of experience to his new role. He is joined by his partner Melissa Craig as executive chef, who is well known for her culinary skills and excellence. 

“The award-winning chef leaves Whistler’s iconic Bearfoot Bistro after two decades to bring her innovative and elevated modern Canadian cuisine to the historic inn on the ocean,” Watson said in July. “In addition Saint-Jacques [will be] bringing with him his unique ability for creating extraordinary experiences.”

Saint-Jacques told Victoria News that the exterior at the back of the hotel has two new decks on different levels that can accommodate up to 300 guests, and has respected the historic vision of the hotel while also adding modern touches. 

"We're already starting to book weddings," Saint-Jacques told Victoria News. “It will be nothing short of spectacular. We have a plethora of incredible ideas for innovative and one-of-a-kind experiences. Our goal is to create lifelong memories for our guests.”

NEWS

RCMP used third-party spies at Fairy Creek, documents show

An invoice obtained by Canada's National Observer shows that the officer leading the RCMP C-IRG program signed off on paying roughly $10K to Human-i Intelligence Services. That payment was for an “online intelligence report” on old-growth blockades and surrounding protest activity—presumably including online activity that did not violate the physical injunction zone. Human-i is led by Julie Jones, a retired police officer who has written a book on investigation and appears on the reality TV show Hunted. 

The invoice was obtained by Jimmy Thomson, who was managing editor of Capital Daily during the bulk of the Fairy Creek protests. The Westshore’s sister publication Capital Daily had obtained a copy of the report in question, but was blocked from publishing any of its contents by a mid-2022 BC Supreme Court decision in favour of the RCMP. Those contents remain blocked. But the invoice, obtained via federal freedom-of-information request, publicly confirms that the report exists. 

Read the story from Canada's National Observer here.

C-IRG (Community-Industry Response Group), the RCMP force focused on BC-based resource-extraction protests, has since been renamed CRU-BC. It remains under a federal investigation launched in 2023 after years of allegations of rights violations, excessive force, surveillance, and collaboration with industry and private security. 

The latest documents resurface what has been a long line of concerns about RCMP conduct in enforcing the injunction against obstructing forestry in the South Island watershed. Media outlets, including Capital Daily, won a court challenge against the extensive “exclusion zones” by which police limited media documentation of the site and arrests. 

In Aug. 2021, RCMP officers pepper-sprayed a crowd; reporting by Capital Daily showed that the RCMP then misled the public about why. 

Ultimately, many charges against activists were thrown out due to the court finding that RCMP read the injunction to them improperly.

Around the 'Shore

🔥 Sooke wildfire reminds locals of the importance of preparation: The Sooke community was given a wake-up call after the Old Man Lake fire threatened the town and caused significant damage. The fire, which burned out of control for days, has highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness and evacuations. [Vancouver Island Free Daily] 

🚙 Traffic disruption for Colwood commuters: Colwood commuters can expect delays in traffic today due to Telus upgrades on poles. The utility work will happen near the intersection of Sooke Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway, with intermittent closures, delays both north and southbound, and traffic control from 8 to 11pm. [Sooke News Mirror] 

⚠️ Westshore towing group face harassment: Westshore Towing Co. staff faced heavy harassment after the crew responded to a rental truck rollover in Greater Victoria last week. The crew arrived on the scene on Aug. 8 and reported that drivers were blocking the tow truck and wouldn’t let it through, or yelling at the crew for blocking up traffic. [CHEK]

Community Events

🎥 Movie on the hill: Enjoy a movie on the hill this Aug. 15 with the West Shore Parks & Recreation sunset movies event. Starting at 9pm, bring a blanket and head up to the hill behind the Juan de Fuca Library to enjoy a screening of Cars.

🩸 Blood donation event: Support Canadian Blood Services this Aug. 19 with the upcoming blood donation event at Edward Milne Community School. Going from 11am to 5:45pm, every donation goes towards supporting Canadians in need of important treatments. 

☀️ Westshore big summer bash: Gear up for the Westshore Big Summer Bash on Aug. 18 at Veterans Memorial Park. From 5:30 to 7:30pm, guests will have the chance to enjoy free BBQ, an inflatable bouncy castle, outdoor games, and community booths. Following the activities, the event will be host to a movie screening of How to Train Your Dragon at 8pm.

What’s Offshore?

No ships today!

Westshore Snaps

Sunrise in Cowichan Valley. —Paul Young, Langford

That’s it!

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