Vancouver Island

In loving memory ~ August 30, 1968, Parksville, BC – November 10, 1995, disaster in Nepal It’s been 30 years since we last saw your face. We still think of you every day. Dear Kelly, We’ll see your smile in the sunshine, Hear your name upon the wind. The streams will shout your laughter, Which always made us grin. Your heart was always giving, and your spirit always free. Whenever you would cross my path I felt better, about me. You were in tune with nature, little kids and mother earth. Your currency was thoughtfulness, you knew its power and its worth. Your giving, unconditional, never asking toll or fare. Our lives will be a little poorer now, for yours, we cannot share. But as we free our hearts from pain, a richness will be there. Because you shared your life with us a load as light as air. And so, we’ll say goodbye for now, to our traveling Kelly man. We’ll try and be somewhat like you In every way we can!! Love Dad

February 5, 1928 – October 28, 2025 In Loving Memory ~ Our beautiful Mum, Lena Doreen Loor (Easterbrook) passed away peacefully, at the age of 97. Mum lived her life with a positive outlook, healthy habits, and a true joie de vivre that carried her well past her goal of 85 years. Born in Nanaimo, Mum’s family moved to Cumberland in 1937, where she met and married the love of her life, Albert. In 1951 they moved back to Nanaimo, where they rekindled old friendships and made new friends that lasted a lifetime. Doreen is survived by her son Randy (Leah) and daughter Shaun (Ray), and was predeceased by her husband Albert, parents Leonard and Florence Easterbrook, and sister Thelma Anderson. A celebration of Mum’s life will be held in the New Year. Please visit www.earthsoption.com [http://www.earthsoption.com]to read more about Mum’s life and share your condolences.

Nina Krieger’s first foray into provincial politics has been nothing short of a “wild ride.” While working as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, she decided to seek the BC NDP nomination in Victoria-Swan Lake for the 2024 election. Under the tutelage of retiring longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, Krieger learned about the constituency by connecting with residents and local organizations. On Oct. 19, 2024, she was elected with more than half the vote. She began her first term as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being promoted eight months later. When Premier David Eby reshuffled his cabinet back in June of this year, he made a call Krieger did not expect, offering her the role of minister of public safety and solicitor general. “It was a true honour to be asked to take on this role,” she told Victoria News. “It was wholly surprising but also a challenge and opportunity that I agreed to going forward with, with great humility for the role, gratitude for my predecessor and with great determination to do the work to advance public safety that British Columbians are expecting.” Occupying this role for the last six months, Krieger sat down with Black Press Media to discuss her role, challenges, priorities and future goals. Central to her position, she explained, is prioritizing “adequate and effective policing” to ensure public safety for all B.C. residents. With collaboration at the core of her approach, Krieger seeks to work across ministries to improve the province’s correctional, coroner and victim services. “(We look) not only to ensure that we’re tackling crime, but also addressing some of the root causes of crime and supporting people when they need help,” she said. “The complexity of advancing public safety, which is beyond the work of any one ministry, is just such an awesome challenge.” Currently, Krieger is working with Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, to examine where public safety intersects with housing and health care. Krieger also mentioned working with police forces across the province to ensure they have the resources needed to address crime and local challenges. Another item atop Krieger’s list is to invest in the province’s specialized integrated units to combat specific issues like drug and human trafficking. However, enforcement is not Krieger’s only concern, adding that supporting victims of crime and vulnerable populations is also important. “In Victoria, we’re launching an initiative soon called Health IM, which is a digital tool that lets police log and capture specifics related to a mental health crisis and allows that information to be passed seamlessly to health professionals, really supporting compassionate interactions with people and ensuring they get the care that they need,” she said. Being in session since Oct. 6 in her new role, Krieger said there’s never been a dull moment. “It’s been a wild ride and it’s been really exciting,” she said. “As a minister, I have a role in that question period, fielding questions about various issues related to public safety from the opposition and from the other parties, so it’s been action-packed.” While Krieger said that “so much has happened” over the past year, she added that the foundation of her work remains anchored in the community she represents every week at the legislative assembly. “My work outside of the ministry office with community organizations continues and really fuels the work that happens in the chamber,” she said.

A non-profit wants to start filling shoeboxes with gifts for women in Nanaimo who are experiencing homelessness. In a press release, the Nanaimo chapter of the Shoebox Project announced it will hold a collection drive from Monday, Nov. 17, to Dec. 8, seeking “shoeboxes full of essential items and special gifts for local women impacted by homelessness.” Items such as toiletries (toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap) and gloves, journals, pens and dark chocolate are sought, the press release noted. Donors are also encouraged to include a card “with an inspiring message,” the release added. Island Crisis Care Society, Risebridge and Pacifica Housing will distribute the shoeboxes, which can be dropped off at Nanaimo North Town Centre’s administration office, Thrifty Foods at Port Place Shopping Centre, CurVa-Voom, Serge and Sew and Lobelia’s Lair. The goal is 210 shoeboxes this year. The project has collected more than 650 shoebox gifts since 2021. “We are so grateful to the community for their generosity,” said Laura Kelsey, Nanaimo Shoebox Project coordinator, in the release. The drive has expanded to include gender-neutral shoeboxes as well. For more information on the Shoebox Project, go to www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo [https://www.shoeboxproject.ca/chapters/nanaimo].

For Aysanabee, working hard is a fact of life – whether it was in his early days doing manual labour, or later creating digital content for news outlets, or spending years shaping his music into something entirely his own. That drive has paid off. At the 2024 Juno Awards, Aysanabee became the first Indigenous musician to win both Songwriter of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year, breaking barriers with his Here and Now EP. “It threw me for a loop,” he admits. “Winning Songwriter of the Year really messed up my writing for a while – I kept thinking, a Songwriter of the Year wouldn’t write that garbage. Then I looked at who’d gotten it before – The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, Alanis Morissette, Gord Downie – and I thought, wow, I can’t believe I get to be part of that room full of giants. In a way, that just makes me work a bit harder.” Now he’s taking that momentum on the road with his first-ever headline run, The Way We’re Born Tour, which kicks off in Edmonton on Nov. 6 and makes six B.C. stops — Lake Country (Nov. 11 with Sheri Marie Ptolemy), Burnaby (Nov. 13), Vancouver (Nov. 14 with Nimkish), in Victoria’s Wicket Hall (Nov. 15 with Zerowhonnock), Campbell River (Nov. 17 with Hasaatuk) and Vernon (Nov. 19 with Francis Baptiste) — before continuing east. Each date features a different local Indigenous opener, chosen from a flood of applications he personally reviewed. “It’s important to build community,” he says. “Create the music industry you want to be in — one where people get included and share what they know instead of guarding it. It isn’t about that scarcity mentality anymore. We rise and fall together.” The tour supports his sophomore album Edge of the Earth (Ishkodé Records), a collection of reflections from the last two and a half years. “The through line is, this is the first time I have an album that isn’t an album based off the stories of my grandfather. It’s the first time I’m kind of offering people a window into who I am as a person and an artist.” Among the many things Aysanabee brings to the stage are powerful, rich music and a compelling voice — without gimmick or affectation. In our conversation, where Aysanabee spoke to Monday Magazine from Berlin, he talked about hard work, but also learning to take time: “My grandmother used to say, ‘You’re gonna have to work ten times as hard to get half as much.’ I think on social media you see the wins — me on a big stage, or getting an award — but underneath that are thousands of hours of work. I’m trying to dial that back a bit and take the blinders off, because I’m always looking toward the next mountain, the next goal. I’m really making a bigger effort to just appreciate what’s happening around me in the moment.” If the album looks inward, the live show turns that reflection outward. “We’re building a big show for it,” he says. “Presenting the songs the way they were meant to be presented – when it comes to sound, when it comes to lights, when it comes to the production behind the show and the intent. It’ll be lights and it’ll be storytelling, sharing extra stuff as well. You can go to Apple or Spotify and listen to the track, but to be there and hear something really special about the song — that only comes from live.”

The McMillan Arts Centre in Parksville is hosting three new exhibitions, including works by award-winning blind artist Ruth Bieber. Bieber’s exhibition Feel Free, Touch the Art is on display in the MAC’s Nemeth Gallery. “As a blind artist, it might come as a surprise to most viewers, that I have a close and treasured relationship with colour,” said Bieber, who experiences Charles Bonnet Syndrome. “Not all blind people see vibrant colour swirling around them, however it is safe to say, that blind people normally do have a rich sense of haptic.” Bieber said her goal is to create art that is both pleasing to the eye, as well as to the sense of touch. Visitors are encouraged to touch her artwork. She holds a master’s degree in education, from the University of Calgary, with a specialization in rehabilitation. Prior to obtaining this degree, her professional focus was as a counseling therapist, working with clients with disabilities. In the early 1990s, she founded InsideOut Theatre, which was a reflection of her own evolution from therapy to theatre; from the therapeutic arts, to the power of performance for people with a wide range of mixed abilities. Bieber was the artistic director of the theatre company for 17 years. Bieber has received numerous awards for her specialized work including the Donald Norman Award for contribution to the Theatre Arts (2008) and The Spirit of Kelowna for inspiration in promoting diversity within the visual arts community (2011). OCAC and the MAC are providing a new technology for blind or low-vision visitors to the galleries. “Be My Eyes,” through specialty glasses will connect, in real-time, visual assistance from volunteers all over the world. With thanks to the City of Parksville for this specialty accessibility grant, Be My Eyes glasses are now available for visitors to the MAC. “Be My Eyes started with a simple idea: to make the world more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision through the power of connection,” the MAC said in a news release. The idea came from Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish craftsman with low vision. While working with The Danish Association of the Blind, he noticed how often people needed a little visual assistance for everyday tasks. A friend shared how video calls with family helped him get that assistance, and Wiberg saw an opportunity: what if people who are blind or have low vision could connect with a global network of volunteers, ready to lend their sight? In 2015, the Be My Eyes app was launched and, within 24 hours, 10,000 volunteers had signed up. Today, millions of volunteers support users in over 180 languages – proving that a little help goes a long way. Also on display in the MAC’s Concert Gallery are works by Michelle Nyberg, and Melinda Wilde.

Mosh the Rock Island MetalFest is now accepting band submissions for its 2026 lineup. The festival, organized by Royalty Entertainment, will take place Aug. 9 at Fred Milne Park in Sooke. Applications are open until Nov. 30, with organizers encouraging bands from all subgenres of metal to apply by sending their electronic press kits, including photos, music links and bios. The open-air, all-ages festival celebrates metal and hard rock in a family-friendly atmosphere. Following the success of its inaugural year in 2025, organizers say next year’s edition will be “even bigger and louder.” Founded by Royal Savoie, a music manager, promoter and host of Thrashcan on 101.9 FM CFUV in Victoria, the 2025 festival featured acts from across the province, including Torrefy, Thirteen Goats, Yegg, Mutual Trauma, Dead After Dark, Burnt Lung, Pharm, Cybörg, Joker’s Revenge, Blacktop Social and Wolf Venom. For all those interested in applying, contact [email protected] [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection].

Colin Mochrie has made a career out of thinking fast, and soon he’ll be doing it live in Victoria. The Whose Line is it Anyway? star will join longtime collaborator Brad Sherwood for their improv show, Asking for Trouble, at the Royal Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 20. The show thrives on audience participation, with no two nights ever the same. “Everything starts with the audience. They yell out suggestions, we bring people on stage for about half the show, and then we just try to survive it. It’s sort of a live version of Whose Line without the dead weight,” joked Mochrie. The tour begins this month in Ohio and runs until October 2026, with Canadian stops in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Kitchener. For Mochrie, who calls Toronto home, it’s a chance to perform closer to his roots. “Canadian audiences just love to have goofy fun,” he said. “We get such a great range of suggestions up here. It’s nice not to have to cross the border and just focus on having fun.” Mochrie found a passion for improv at a young age and honed his craft with Vancouver TheatreSports. “When we first started there, way back when, we used to go to the McDonald’s next door and say, ‘Come see our show’,” Mochrie recalled. “I don’t know what I would be doing without improv, honestly. I’m so grateful for how things have turned out.” Mochrie and Sherwood first met 35 years ago through a show at The Second City in Toronto, which Mochrie’s wife, Debra McGrath, produced, before teaming up on Whose Line just months later. It was there that their quick wit and chemistry quickly turned into a lasting partnership. “Brad’s the younger, really irritating brother, and I’m the older one trying to keep him in line,” Mochrie said with a laugh. “He loves words, I’m more surreal and weird, but it somehow works.” Their live act has evolved into a mix of classic improv games and unpredictable audience moments. No scripts, no safety nets, just two comedians trying to outwit each other and the crowd. “It’s the most death-defying experience that I’ll ever get in my life,” Mochrie said. “I’ll never jump out of a plane, but there’s something really relaxing about standing in front of an audience who have paid money to see a show that we don’t have at that particular moment.” Victoria isn’t new territory for Mochrie, who has performed in the city twice before and even attended his nephew’s wedding here in 2024. “It’s a beautiful city,” he said. “I’ll probably head over to the Empress for afternoon tea just to feel classy for a bit.” As for what to expect, Mochrie said the show will feature a few familiar Whose Line-style games, a musical nod to Victoria, and plenty of moments that can’t be replicated. “Every show is a one-time thing,” he said. “Nobody will ever see that exact show again. The audience gives us everything, and we just try to make it funny.” The show begins at 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the Royal Theatre.

The Chemainus Theatre Festival’s Elf: The Musical, is a sparklejollytwinklejingley hit. Elf, the theatre’s Christmas offering directed by Ian Farthing, is outstanding from top to bottom. If you were lucky enough to get tickets, hold onto them tight, as the show had but one single seat left for its entire run at the time of writing. Elf is full of excellent performances, but the true standout is Oliver Kadar as main character Buddy. Kadar hits everything note-perfect from the musical numbers to the dancing to the emotional moments, putting the star in starring role. It’s a challenging part in more ways than one, but Kadar manages to make Buddy, who’s an overgrown child, loveable, funny, touching and sweet. He has an outstanding voice for the many musical numbers and great chemistry with the whole cast. His comedic timing is impeccable and had the audience laughing throughout. Kadar carries the show like he was born to play Buddy. It is a truly noteworthy performance. We bet he’ll be in demand to play this role at other theatres in years to come. Elf tells the story of Buddy, a human raised at the North Pole in Santa’s workshop who doesn’t know he’s not an elf like everyone else there until he finds out one day by accident. This sees him journey to New York City to meet his father Walter Hobbs (Raugi Yu), who is a high-powered publishing executive in the hot seat, trying to come up with a hit children’s book for Christmas. Plenty of wacky hi-jinks ensue as his reluctant dad takes him in and he spends time with half-sister Michaela (Amara Apa in the performance we saw, but also played by Noa Audenart), and stepmother Emily (Naomi Costain). He also falls in love with the jaded Jovie (Georgia Bennett), create’s chaos at Macy’s, commiserates with a bunch of santas and likes the shredder a little too much. This is a full-on musical and the songs and choreography are all top-notch with Anthony Knight as musical director and Melissa Young as choreographer. Bennett as Jovie is another standout voice in the cast and it is a pleasure to hear the music delivered so effortlessly with such heart. Her performance as the woman who wants to believe in spite of past experience telling her not to was excellent. Apa also delivered impressive vocals. As a musical, the ensemble is also key. With everyone seamlessly playing multiple roles, they are a talented bunch including Ali Watson, Cecilly Day, Matthew Yipchuck, Dustyn Forbes, Jennifer Lynch, Léah Zack and Stephen Thakkar. Sandy Winsby also adds the right touch as Santa. The only minor complaint was that the cast didn’t perform an encore number after the thunderous and well-deserved standing ovation on opening night. If they don’t have one, they should practice one, as we bet the audience will be on their feet after every performance in the run. The show is the perfect holiday break. It’s joyful and funny and heartfelt — a little bit of Christmas magic to make you believe in the spirit of the season. The theatre has also announced next year’s shows. The season will start with Godspell, move on to Ladies Foursome, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to take the theatre through the summer, then Peril in the Alps takes the stage, and it all wraps up with The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. Look for more on the upcoming season in a future edition. For more information see chemainustheatrefestival.ca [https://chemainustheatrefestival.ca/].

B.C.’s NDP government introduced a major new jobs plan on Monday (Nov. 17), which aims to boost private sector investment for major projects in the province over the next 10 years by $200 billion. The Look West jobs plan targets specific industries such as marine, aerospace, life sciences and construction, while providing skilled workers through schemes such as the recently announced plan to provide $241 million in funds over the next three years for trades training. It also relies on the federal government getting on board. Premier David Eby urged the feds to be “relentless and remorseless in pushing for economic growth,” promising B.C. will be a “resolute partner” to deliver for the prime minister. “That means more jobs and more prosperity paying for the public services that British Columbians and Canadians deserve,” he said. Initial actions include spending more than $40 million on companies and research, as well as setting up a kindergarten to Grade 12 advisory committee to explore integrating artificial intelligence platforms and skills into school systems. The plan also relies on the province being able to secure additional federal investments for major projects, including the goal of B.C. being awarded 35 per cent of upcoming federal defence vessel contracts. Eby called it “our plan to be able to ensure that British Columbians get our appropriate share of the federal initiatives.” The federal government’s most recent budget — passed by two votes later the same day Eby introduced the jobs plan — includes $6.6 billion in spending over five years as part of a defence industrial strategy. “I am encouraging my federal colleagues to support the budget,” Eby said. “The budget is one that rewards and recognizes those provinces and territories that are willing to step up and drive for our country.” Some specific companies the government pledged more support for in the jobs plan are Mangrove Lithium, a Delta company using an electrical process to refine lithium for batteries, COTA Aviation, a Parksville defence and commercial aerospace contractor, CCI Circuits, a Surrey company building high-end circuit boards and two precast concrete companies, Duncan’s Gallon Precast and Williams Lake’s Grosso Precast. Funding will also be provided for biotech research, vaccine production and the development of antibody treatments for viruses such as COVID-19 and bird flu. Other parts of the plan have broad objectives, such as tripling the amount of wood used in construction within a decade, but are vague on the steps that will be taken and the benchmarks to be met along the way. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said it seems to be missing some “pretty significant components.” “In particular, when you look at expanding manufacturing, you look at expanding all these things, we don’t have the electricity in British Columbia,” he said. “We do not have the power we need to be able to dramatically expand our economy.” Rustad lamented that B.C. still sells natural gas to the U.S. at discounted prices, as well as the long timelines of some of the projects being pushed by the government, such as the North Coast Transmission Line. “We actually should see a plan to move oil and natural gas over to our coast in British Columbia in very large quantities to stop the subsidies to Americans,” he said. Eby wants government to profit from investments Linked to all this, but still in the theoretical stages, is a proposal for the B.C. government to take public equity stakes in some major projects. This idea was first floated publicly by the premier over the weekend as he spoke in support of a related resolution at the NDP convention in Victoria. Eby said on Monday that with the types of investments announced in this jobs plan, enabling the government to take an equity stake would allow taxpayers to reap the rewards, “just like a private individual investment in these companies.” Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon, who presented the Look West plan alongside Eby, said decisions on public equity stakes would be made in an open process similar to how companies bid on government contracts. “We want to make sure that anything that happens is done in a transparent way,” he said. Kahlon added that other jurisdictions, such as Quebec and Ontario, are further along in doing this, and B.C. will look to their example when creating its own process.

Our Place has been chosen by Tim Hortons as this year’s recipient of Greater Victoria’s Holiday Smile Cookie campaign, which runs from Nov. 17 to 23. For seven days, $1 from each Smile Cookie sold at Tim Hortons locations across the region will be donated to Our Place Society. Our Place staff and volunteers will also bring out their cookie-decorating skills for a good cause on the afternoon of Nov. 17. CEO Julian Daly and his team will join the Tim Hortons crew at 3501 Ravine Way between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Our Place Society supports Greater Victoria residents in need by providing more than 500,000 meals a year, 500 housing units and shelter spaces, long-term addiction recovery services and more. With financial support, the non-profit says it can help people move toward stability, safety and health.

Nanaimo RCMP are asking for the public’s help to find a medical case taken from an ambulance. The case containing life-saving supplies was last seen at about 11 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, while B.C. Emergency Health Services paramedics were responding to call on Clifford Road in Cedar. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the case or has information about this incident is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345 and reference file No. 2025-36470.

Nina Krieger’s first foray into provincial politics has been nothing short of a “wild ride.” While working as executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, she decided to seek the BC NDP nomination in Victoria-Swan Lake for the 2024 election. Under the tutelage of retiring longtime NDP MLA Rob Fleming, Krieger learned about the constituency by connecting with residents and local organizations. On Oct. 19, 2024, she was elected with more than half the vote. She began her first term as parliamentary secretary for arts and film before being promoted eight months later. When Premier David Eby reshuffled his cabinet back in June of this year, he made a call Krieger did not expect, offering her the role of minister of public safety and solicitor general. “It was a true honour to be asked to take on this role,” she told Victoria News. “It was wholly surprising but also a challenge and opportunity that I agreed to going forward with, with great humility for the role, gratitude for my predecessor and with great determination to do the work to advance public safety that British Columbians are expecting.” Occupying this role for the last six months, Krieger sat down with Victoria News to discuss her role, challenges, priorities and future goals. Central to her position, she explained, is prioritizing “adequate and effective policing” to ensure public safety for all B.C. residents. With collaboration at the core of her approach, Krieger seeks to work across ministries to improve the province’s correctional, coroner and victim services. “(We look) not only to ensure that we’re tackling crime, but also addressing some of the root causes of crime and supporting people when they need help,” she said. “The complexity of advancing public safety, which is beyond the work of any one ministry, is just such an awesome challenge.” Currently, Krieger is working with Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, to examine where public safety intersects with housing and health care. Krieger also mentioned working with police forces across the province to ensure they have the resources needed to address crime and local challenges. Another item atop Krieger’s list is to invest in the province’s specialized integrated units to combat specific issues like drug and human trafficking. However, enforcement is not Krieger’s only concern, adding that supporting victims of crime and vulnerable populations is also important. “In Victoria, we’re launching an initiative soon called Health IM, which is a digital tool that lets police log and capture specifics related to a mental health crisis and allows that information to be passed seamlessly to health professionals, really supporting compassionate interactions with people and ensuring they get the care that they need,” she said. Being in session since Oct. 6 in her new role, Krieger said there’s never been a dull moment. “It’s been a wild ride and it’s been really exciting,” she said. “As a minister, I have a role in that question period, fielding questions about various issues related to public safety from the opposition and from the other parties, so it’s been action-packed.” While Krieger said that “so much has happened” over the past year, she added that the foundation of her work remains anchored in the community she represents every week at the legislative assembly. “My work outside of the ministry office with community organizations continues and really fuels the work that happens in the chamber,” she said.

It’s been a busy November for the Cowichan Valley Capitals following a blockbuster Oct. 28 trade that saw fan favourites Kole Keen and Owen Fitzgerald traded away to the Surrey Eagles in exchange for a trio of players. Maintaining their place among the league’s top teams, the Capitals have gone 3-1 (through Nov. 13) to start the month including an overtime thriller against the Nanaimo Clippers. The Capitals first beat the Grizzlies 4-2 in Victoria to start the month. Massimo Fazio scored in the first, Jack McAra and Camden Charron scored in the third period and Slad Firkus added an empty netter late to seal the win. Stoesser got the win between the pipes. The following night they bested the Vernon Vipers 6-2 at the Cowichan Arena despite giving up the first two goals of the game. To begin a six-goal unanswered streak in the second period, Shawnigan Lake product Brendyn Van Oene scored his first as a Capital since joining the team from the Eagles. Gavin Nemis also scored his first with the team to tie the game at 2-2 after two periods of play. Firkus, Trace Frieden, Anthony Hall, and Tristan Gravenor all tallied in the third to make it a 6-1 win. The Capitals were defeated 4-1 by the Nanaimo Clippers during a road game on Nov. 7 with Gravenor scoring the Capitals’ lone goal. Cowichan got their revenge in Duncan on Nov. 8, beating the Clippers in overtime thanks to a goal from Hall 2:24 into the extra period. It was Hall’s second goal of the game. Team captain Ryan Harvey also scored twice in the contest. The Capitals took to the road for their next two games with tilts against the Powell River Kings at Hap Parker Arena on Nov. 14, and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, on Nov. 16, at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Against Powell River, Cowichan fell behind early, conceding two goals in the first period. After a regroup in the first intermission, the Capitals popped off for six unanswered goals to win 6-2. In the second period, Gavin Rocha scored his first since coming over from Surrey in the big trade, and Tyler Rowland got Cowichan’s game-tying goal. Nemis potted a pair to put the Caps up by two before Ryder Dembo and Gravenor each added singles in the 6-2 victory. The Caps continued to push in Port Alberni, with a 4-3 overtime win. Once again, it was scoring by committee as Carter Stamp-Vincent, Tyler Rowland, and Hunter Heisten all scored for Cowichan before the Bulldogs got three in a row back to tie the game. In the end, it was Nemis on the power-play just over three minutes into overtime who put Cowichan on top. Cowichan now has five wins and one loss since the trade and looks ahead to play two in a row against the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings Nov. 21 and 22. Puck drop for both games at the Cowichan Arena is 7 p.m. Ice Chips: Duncan forward Carson Lesiuk, 20, was traded from the Nanaimo Clippers to the Powell River Kings for future considerations on Nov. 5 and then flipped to the Coquitlam Express the following day, also for future considerations. In a BCHL career that’s spanned parts of five years, Lesiuk has played two as a call-up for the Cowichan Valley Capitals (2021-22), 25 games for the Penticton Vees (2023-2024), 62 games for the Nanaimo Clippers (2024-25) and now the Express (one game as of Nov. 13).

Proposed “small changes” that could “result in big improvements” to traffic flow at a busy Langford intersection are drawing mixed reactions. Draft versions of the city’s Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan suggest congestion could be eased at Veterans Memorial Parkway and Peatt Road by restricting northbound access on Peatt – allowing only buses to travel north from the Brock-Peatt roundabout up to the intersection. Consultants hired by the city say the current signal timing favours the dual left turns from Peatt Road onto the highway, which often leads to those vehicles blocking the intersection – especially during peak periods when highway traffic is already backed up. The draft proposal also recommends limiting movements from Strandlund Avenue, which meets the same intersection, by only allowing vehicles to exit to the right onto Veterans Memorial Parkway. “The reality is that this intersection is too close to the Millstream overpass, and with full turning movements in every direction, it bogs down the system,” says the city’s Transportation and Active Transportation survey. “As we grow to a population of 100,000, we will have to reduce turning movements to improve traffic flow through this intersection.” While the proposed Peatt Road closure would change the driving habits of residents of Langford’s downtown core, redirecting them to Massie Drive, Goldstream Avenue or Leigh Road, the draft plan argues the change would ultimately reduce congestion across the city. “… but it will also mean that you won’t be stuck in your driveway until the morning traffic clears,” says the survey. “These changes will improve travel times and prevent gridlock on local roads in Langford in the future.” These ideas are among several options put forward by consultants, which are still under development and not yet approved. Without changes to traffic patterns and signal timing, the consultants warn that the long-standing frustrations along Veterans Memorial Parkway are likely to worsen. But some locals disagree, with debate spilling onto social media. “It may alleviate some hassle around the overpass, but creates havoc elsewhere,” wrote one local on Facebook. “They’re pushing all traffic onto Goldstream and VMP, which is already overflowing,” said another. “This plan also looks a lot like a page out of Victoria’s playbook.” “Traffic is stupid already,” cried one Facebook user. “Just leave it alone – it’s so hard to get around in Langford.” “Maybe before they make all these changes, they change the timing in the light(s) and do a ticketing blitz on people who block the intersection?” suggested one person. Mill Hill residents are also not happy, raising a number of concerns about restricting access to the neighbourhood via Strandlund Avenue, saying it forces drivers onto alternative access points at Six Mile Road and Hoffman Avenue. “This is going to be a huge inconvenience and increase in my commute as the 1,000 or so residents in Mill Hill try to exit out of Hoffman every day,” said one Facebook user. “Try driving out of Hoffman when school is out,” said another. But not all comments have been negative. “This actually makes a lot of sense,” one local wrote. “Currently, due to the timing of the lights, cars on Peat Road get priority when turning left and often leave no room for cars on VMP. The intersection gets blocked by Peat Road red light runners and no one is having any fun.” Both the Transportation Master Plan and Active Transportation Plan are still in the draft phase, with the second round of public engagement and consultation underway. Feedback gathered will help the city refine key recommendations and priorities. “Council will review the draft later this winter, and the public will have an opportunity to provide feedback before any decisions are made,” said a city spokesperson in an emailed statement. “At this time, no changes have been implemented.” Folks are encouraged to have their say by taking part in the online survey. The city has extended the deadline to Friday, Nov. 21, giving residents additional time to share their input: www.letschatlangford.ca/transportation [http://www.letschatlangford.ca/transportation].