Author

Brishti Basu

Brishti Basu is a reporter based in Victoria. She speaks English, Bengali, and Hindi. She is a generalist that primarily covers social issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as issues relevant to Victoria and Vancouver Island. Basu began her career in journalism as a reporter with Victoria Buzz in 2017, and has been published in places like VICE, The Tyee, National Geographic, BBC Future, and more. Her work so far covers a wide range of topics, from systematic racism to climate change, marine mammal welfare to culinary nomenclature, and beyond.

Immigration

Palestinians in Victoria find comfort in numbers

By Brishti Basu
Jun 2, 2021

Hundreds attended a May rally, the first time many in the community had found one another

Politics

Racism is a Victoria problem: report

By Brishti Basu
May 22, 2021

Seventy per cent of respondents reported feeling 'isolated, lonely and unsafe in Victoria' as a direct result of racism

COVID-19

UPDATED: What the leaked COVID-19 report tells us about Vancouver Island

By Brishti Basu
May 10, 2021

Data transparency has been top-of-mind for independent researchers, who say even after the report was leaked they have no access to raw data

COVID-19

‘We may have averted disaster’: Island COVID-19 cases decline but healthcare staff feeling the pressure

By Brishti Basu
May 4, 2021

Hospitalizations haven't fallen yet as daily cases have, and healthcare workers are exhausted

COVID-19

‘Everything changed’: Victoria teachers, parents anxious about rising COVID-19 exposures in schools

By Brishti Basu
Apr 19, 2021

The province has consistently said schools are not a major source of transmission, but rarely provides up-to-date data

COVID-19

Third wave of COVID-19 crashes over Vancouver Island

By Brishti Basu
Apr 10, 2021

Rise of variants was predictable, expert says

COVID-19

Analyzing BC’s new restrictions amid exponential COVID-19 growth

By Brishti Basu
Mar 30, 2021

Vancouver Island has seen a rapid increase in cases—but variant growth remains much lower here than on mainland

Housing

Progress and problems in the plan to house Victoria’s unsheltered population

By Brishti Basu
Mar 18, 2021

David Eby and unsheltered Victorians look forward toward a month of turmoil