Greater Victoria

Winter Wonderland draws an unexpected visitor in Victoria’s Centennial Square. (Photo by Ken Lee)

PHOTOS: Owl spotting hits a high in Greater Victoria with amazing images

Share your owl or other wildlife photos/videos by emailing christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

 

Sean Burns (RLP Coast Capital Broker Owner), Candace Stretch (manager, Cridge Supportive Transitional Housing), Natalie Burns (RLP Coast Capital broker owner), April Grout (manager, RLP Coast Capital Realty), Marlene Goley (manager, Cridge Transition House for Women), Michelle Kientopp (manager, RLP Coast Capital Reality) and Adam Richards (CEO, Cridge Centre for the Family) celebrate a donation to change the lives of women facing violence. (Courtesy Cridge Centre for the Family)

Fall walk raises $27K for Victoria women’s transition house

Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, community support ‘sends women a powerful message’

 

A simple ‘hello’ goes a long way in kicking off communication with someone whose sight is limited says Gina Martin who educates the region through her Diverse Abilities business. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

VIDEO: ‘Don’t grab us’: Greater Victoria advocate teaches sight-loss etiquette

‘Losing my sight hasn’t changed me, but it’s changed the way I interact with the world’

 

Shannon Whissell, director of development with Threshold Housing Society, offers information during a community event. (Courtesy Threshold Housing Society)

Tea, candles shine a light on youth homelessness in Greater Victoria

Threshold Housing Society expands winter campaign to include Cowichan company

Shannon Whissell, director of development with Threshold Housing Society, offers information during a community event. (Courtesy Threshold Housing Society)
This file photo shows a tent city outside the provincial courthouse in Victoria in January 2016. Two injunctions, one denied before a subsequent one was approved, against the encampment were analyzed in a new UBC report that’s critical of how B.C. courts treat the eviction orders. (Don Denton/Victoria News photo)

Report raises alarm over how courts granted Victoria encampment injunctions

85% of cases since 2000 never made it past interim court order that dispersed camps

This file photo shows a tent city outside the provincial courthouse in Victoria in January 2016. Two injunctions, one denied before a subsequent one was approved, against the encampment were analyzed in a new UBC report that’s critical of how B.C. courts treat the eviction orders. (Don Denton/Victoria News photo)
Victoria Hospice Society continues to seek a new site after bowing out of a Saanich land purchase from School District 61. (Courtesy Victoria Hospice)

Victoria Hospice bows out of Saanich land purchase citing waterway worries

Search continues for suitable site for ‘modern campus of care’

Victoria Hospice Society continues to seek a new site after bowing out of a Saanich land purchase from School District 61. (Courtesy Victoria Hospice)
Greater Victoria’s living wage rose in 2023 as housing and food costs jumped. (Black Press media file photo)

Greater Victoria’s living wage surpasses $25/hour in 2023

Housing jumps by $4,000 for living wage-earning family of four, food up $921

Greater Victoria’s living wage rose in 2023 as housing and food costs jumped. (Black Press media file photo)
UBC students Emily Selwood and Evan Smith were killed on Sept. 26, 2021 after a vehicle veered into them while they were walking on the sidewalk. Tim Goerner of Vancouver has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing their deaths. (Photos courtesy of B.C. RCMP)

Crown, defence say driver should serve 3 years after killing two UBC students

Greater Victoria teen was one of two UBC students killed in crash

UBC students Emily Selwood and Evan Smith were killed on Sept. 26, 2021 after a vehicle veered into them while they were walking on the sidewalk. Tim Goerner of Vancouver has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing their deaths. (Photos courtesy of B.C. RCMP)
CFAX Santas Anonymous relies on donors picking tags off wish trees in recreation centres across Greater Victoria to provide kids with holiday gifts. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Santas Anonymous registration hits 1,200 maximum in ‘shocking’ 24 hours

Food bank operators believe ‘Christmas need will be through the roof’

CFAX Santas Anonymous relies on donors picking tags off wish trees in recreation centres across Greater Victoria to provide kids with holiday gifts. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Retired Reynolds teacher Heather Coey is among the education leaders recognized in the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education. (Screenshot/Province of B.C.)

VIDEO: Meet 5 provincial award-winning education leaders in Greater Victoria

Awards honour teachers, support staff, principals, vice-principals and district leaders

Retired Reynolds teacher Heather Coey is among the education leaders recognized in the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education. (Screenshot/Province of B.C.)
Sarah Williamson expects to start every day of her second Royal Lepage Trek for Shelter with tears and purpose, much like she did in the Purcells in 2021 (pictured). (Courtesy of Sarah Williamson)

Realtor climbs mountains for Greater Victoria women facing violence

Women fleeing violence face ‘perfect storm’ of compounded challenges

Sarah Williamson expects to start every day of her second Royal Lepage Trek for Shelter with tears and purpose, much like she did in the Purcells in 2021 (pictured). (Courtesy of Sarah Williamson)
Passengers sailing on the Coastal Celebration between Victoria and Vancouver will have a 15-minute longer voyage until Nov. 26, due to a slight route change. (Don Denton/News staff)

Sailing time temporarily extended on some Victoria to Vancouver ferries

BC Ferries says 15 minutes added to some trips until Nov. 26

Passengers sailing on the Coastal Celebration between Victoria and Vancouver will have a 15-minute longer voyage until Nov. 26, due to a slight route change. (Don Denton/News staff)
Muralist Renee Audy’s I AM Community towers on the side of the community hall in Millet, Alta. and depicts a five-year-old girl and a retired school teacher from the community, counting, smelling and playing with flowers in a local wildflower garden. (Courtesy Renee Audy)

Victoria artist targets 100 murals to drive positivity, mental wellbeing

I Am project looks to empower people, support mental health and spread positivity

Muralist Renee Audy’s I AM Community towers on the side of the community hall in Millet, Alta. and depicts a five-year-old girl and a retired school teacher from the community, counting, smelling and playing with flowers in a local wildflower garden. (Courtesy Renee Audy)
Karlee Friesen introduces one of her many insect friends at work. (The Victoria Bug Zoo/TikTok)

Zoo staffer elevates Victoria #bugsoftiktok with Taylor Swift kitty trend

Swifty kitty trend prompted debate over whether critters outside the cat kingdom qualify

Karlee Friesen introduces one of her many insect friends at work. (The Victoria Bug Zoo/TikTok)
A website that lets people log and describe their crow encounters tracked around 30 incidents in and around Victoria this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

BC SPCA offers tips after Victoria crow kerfuffles, unseasonably angry owls

People reminded to give birds space and not feed them

A website that lets people log and describe their crow encounters tracked around 30 incidents in and around Victoria this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Island championships St. Michaels University School athlete Nella Meinecke approaches the finish line at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park Wednesday (Oct. 18). Meinecke came in third place in the senior girls race. See story on page A8. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)

Greater Victoria athletes shine at cross country championships

Oak Bay High School’s Charli Mlotshwa took home the senior boys crown

Island championships St. Michaels University School athlete Nella Meinecke approaches the finish line at the Vancouver Island High School Cross Country Championships at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park Wednesday (Oct. 18). Meinecke came in third place in the senior girls race. See story on page A8. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Joshua Ritch shows off the sweat lodge area during a Sept. 14 tour of the New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community in View Royal. The facility received $4.4 million from the province on Oct. 17. (Black Press Media file photo)

View Royal addiction recovery centre to support 330 men with B.C. funds

Province announced $4.4 million for New Roads’ range of recovery services

Joshua Ritch shows off the sweat lodge area during a Sept. 14 tour of the New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community in View Royal. The facility received $4.4 million from the province on Oct. 17. (Black Press Media file photo)
Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary) Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary) Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary)

Victoria bird sanctuary celebrates 100 years keeping nature alive in city

The sanctuary occupies the marine front yard of Greater Victoria.

Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary) Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary) Brants were once an abundant bird in North America until overhutning led to their decline (Courtesy of —- Victoria Harbour Bird Sanctuary)
The Greater Victoria Green Team members volunteer their time to clean up the environment. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)

‘Green, clean, invasive plant-removal teams’: Victoria Green Team’s history

‘The idea is that change can’t happen without people caring,’ said project manager Kaitlin Warren

The Greater Victoria Green Team members volunteer their time to clean up the environment. (Courtesy of Greater Victoria Green Team)
The 2023 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock officially raised more than $1 million to support the Canadian Cancer Society’s research efforts into childhood cancer and Camp Goodtimes. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Cops for Cancer raises more than $1M with 2023 Tour de Rock

The 1,200 km fundraiser ride officially ended at the B.C. legislature Friday (Oct. 6)

The 2023 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock officially raised more than $1 million to support the Canadian Cancer Society’s research efforts into childhood cancer and Camp Goodtimes. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)