Author

Sidney Coles, Local Journalism Initiative

BC Election 2024

Conservative Leader Rustad offers a pointed challenge to Indigenous rights in BC

On a day marked for truth and reconciliation, Rustad directly challenged UNDRIP’s premise and promise

Municipal

In Victoria, the debate on minimum housing unit size is a balancing act

Labour and construction costs as well as liveability add to the questions around how much size matters

Healthcare

CMA apologizes to Indigenous people in historic move

Indigenous leaders and Elders from across Canada gathered in Victoria to witness and acknowledge the CMA apology

Policing

UVic study shows benefits of integrating police with mental health teams

IMPACT report indicates that long-term work with clients means reduced hospitalization and incarceration for those with severe disorders.

Community

Rustad’s comments on asylum seekers ignite politicized fear-mongering

While visiting the Island, federal MP Marc Miller suggested smaller provinces may face quotas for asylum seekers to alleviate pressures in Quebec and Ontario

Business

Single-use bylaw enacted by Victoria includes opt-out options

Customers ordering food over third-party apps can still request single-use items

Homelessness

Mayor’s motion to provide space in parking lots for homeless voted down

The quashed motion to trade parking lot space for tax reductions prolongs the chess game for unhoused in Victoria