Vancouver Island

The Field of Crosses Memorial project, initiated by the Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach in partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 76, will return for 2025. The display will be located on Memorial Avenue at the train tracks, across from the curling rink, from Nov. 3 to Nov. 11. This visual memorial honours the lives of 66 young soldiers of Qualicum Beach, Parksville and the Oceanside area who bravely gave their lives fighting for Canada, never returning home. A white cross with each soldier’s name, military decorations, age at death, rank, regiment or unit and date of death, adorned with a single poppy and a small Canadian flag will be erected for each soldier who is listed on the local cenotaphs. The Field of Crosses will officially open at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 3. The public are encouraged to attend. Everyone is welcome to visit the crosses during days leading up to Remembrance Day. On Nov. 10 at sunset (5:30 p.m.), candles will be lit at the base of each cross to further recognize the fallen. Members of the public are invited to participate in this emotional ceremony. The display will be taken down on Nov. 12. It is the goal of the Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach to include local students in a meaningful way in the Field of Crosses project. This year the Arrowsmith Elementary Grade 3/4 class will recite ‘In Flanders Fields’ as a part of the opening ceremonies on Nov. 3. Classes from local schools will be hosted by the Legion and Rotary to visit the Field of Crosses and complete school projects to explore the story of the soldiers represented. By gaining a better understanding of the sacrifices so many made we will continue to ensure that present and future generations understand the reasons for remembrance. In the past 100 years, nearly 2 million Canadians have served in the military. About 117,000 were killed or died in action. In World War I alone, 66,000 Canadians gave their life with almost 20,000 of those buried in unmarked graves overseas. The Qualicum Beach Field of Crosses is a tribute to 66 young soldiers who left from this area and did not return, their bodies are buried overseas. We strive to ensure that present and future Canadians do not forget those who gave their lives, providing us with the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Guide and service dogs perform an important service, but those skills aren’t something they’re born with. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the non-profit B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs took a class of more than half a dozen puppies to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay ferry terminal to train on the important task of learning how to use an escalator. While the program is based in Parksville, the relative scarcity of escalators on Vancouver Island meant working with B.C. Ferries to use theirs during a low-traffic day, said Matthias Lenz, B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs director of puppy raising. “It’s a really weird thing for a dog to experience and it’s a really good thing to introduce early on,” he said. “We find if we introduce it early on and we take our time and let our dogs set the pace we encounter less problems, because with an older dog in advanced training we don’t have a lot of time.” To get familiar with the escalator, first the puppies use it when it’s turned off. The volunteer trainers let the puppy walk around and sniff it, before walking up like stairs. The volunteers raise the pups until they are about 15-18 months of age, then they enter advanced training for four to six months, making the dogs about two years old when they graduate. Once they become certified, they are sent to their new homes. “It’s not just guide dogs. It’s guide dogs for the visually impaired, autism service dogs for children with autism and OSI-PTSD service dogs for veterans and first responders…” Lenz said. “There are some who can do anything, and some that are more suited to one than the other. We don’t decide that early on, that happens at some point when the dogs are about 14-15 months we have to send them into advanced training and then we have to decide, in the puppy raising department, we decide if they go to service … or guide.” Volunteers don’t need any prerequisite experience, with each of them being taught alongside the dogs they help train. B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs requires volunteers to attend group classes, as well as additional meet-ups, training and online support. One of the volunteers, Danielle Swanson, brought the 13-week-old labrador in her care, Gibuu, to the escalator training. “When I became self-employed I got a dog and then I found out I was really good at training dogs,” she said. “So I did it first with St. John Ambulance as a therapy dog … Then I saw an ad in the paper for B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs and I thought I would give it a go.” This is her 12th puppy through the program, and while it doesn’t make her sad to see them go to their new home, she said she does tear up when running into the dogs she trained out in public, seeing them assisting people and doing the important jobs they were trained for. “You go into the mall and you see your dog with a vet with PTSD or a first responder with PTSD and you see them working, then you [cry] … Just knowing how they change people’s lives so completely.” As a retired single woman, Swanson said being a volunteer trainer is perfect for her. “We need puppy trainers so badly, that is where the bottleneck is, volunteers like me who have the time and the energy to do it. Really, it has always been a wonderful socialization [opportunity] for older people, most of us are in our 60s or 70s.” Shannon Graham, puppy training supervisor, told the News Bulletin that a big portion of her job is coaching volunteers to train the animals. “It’s a lot of fun working with the volunteers and watching them help their puppy along, learning the ropes,” Graham said. “Aside from teaching their dog basic obedience, it’s really building calm, confident and connected dogs – letting them be dogs but teaching them they can try different things and be resilient and they can look to their person for direction when it is needed, because in the puppy stage if we can build that foundation they can take it to the advanced training stage and teach them all the things they need to know.” While a human may see an escalator as a simple machine, for a dog, Graham said it looks funny, smells funny, sounds funny and moves. “We have to sort of break the experience of the escalator apart.” More information can be found online at http://bcandalbertaguidedogs.com [https://bcandalbertaguidedogs.com/].

After nearly two decades at the helm of Esquimalt, Mayor Barb Desjardins says it’s time to make room for new voices. Desjardins announced during Esquimalt council on Oct. 27 that she will not seek re-election in the 2026 municipal election, marking the end of an 18-year tenure that has made her the longest consecutively serving mayor in Esquimalt’s history. “It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Desjardins told Victoria News. “Esquimalt has undergone a transformation that is exciting, and after what will be 18 years, there can be a new vision. It’s an opportunity for our community to continue to do what it’s doing, which is showing it is the best place to be.” Desjardins first joined Esquimalt council in 2005 and was elected as the township’s 22nd mayor in 2008, winning re-election four more times in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2022. “When I started, Esquimalt was a community that was shrinking slightly, losing businesses, not having development,” she said. “Now it’s a very sought-after community. That’s because of the vibrancy of the events that are now occurring yearly and the economic development that’s taking place.” Among the milestones Desjardins points to with pride are the construction of the Gorge Pavilion, securing $17 million from the McLoughlin Amenity Fund, and the long-awaited public safety building. She’s quick to note, though, that much of that success belongs to the community itself. “It’s not one person,” she said. “It’s the community that embraced all of that and said, ‘We like where this is going.’ We remain feisty, we remain with heart, and I look forward to seeing how that continues.” While she’s proud of what’s been achieved, Desjardins says there’s one issue she wishes she could have resolved: Esquimalt’s ongoing policing situation. “I would say not resolving that to a satisfactory place, where there would be cost control and better governance, is one thing I regret,” she said. “But I’ve got a year and a bit left, and I don’t think I’m going to sit down on that.” As she prepares for her final year in office, Desjardins plans to focus on those remaining priorities: continuing work on policing, supporting Esquimalt’s economic development strategy, and launching a full review of the township’s official community plan. Her decision not to run again also comes with a personal shift. “I think we’re in a good place,” she said. “Now there’s a perfect opportunity for me to step back and allow a whole new generation of people to come in and help create that vision. And, not small in my decision is the fact that I’m a grandmother now. I want to focus on family again.” Still, she was quick to add she won’t be disappearing. “I’m not done yet,” she said with a laugh. “I’m still here to do things for the community, just in a different direction.”

A Campbell River man is facing 15 charges, including three counts of sexual assault and four counts of forcible confinement in connectionwith a series of Ontario incidents from nearly 30 years ago. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced the arrest of Jason Timothy Davidson, 52, on Oct. 29, following a three-decade investigation, dubbed Project Aerial. Three of his four alleged victims were teenagers at the time. Police arrested Davidson on Oct. 26. “For 28 years, our teams have worked extremely hard to identify the accused by re-examining evidence, following up on more than 450 tips, and reviewing countless witness statements,” said OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns. “Advancements in DNA technology open new doors, allowing our team to apply modern investigative techniques that ultimately led to the investigation of the accused.” Kearns confirmed investigative genealogical research was used in the investigation, but declined to offer specific details or other evidence, as the case is before the courts. However, he did say it took the case to Campbell River, where the arrest was made. The four assaults took place in Ontario between March and August 1997. The first was on March 26, when a youth was abducted near Indian Road in Sarnia. She was taken by an unidentified man to Sombra in Lambton County, where she was sexually assaulted. Another youth was abducted on May 23 in Thamesville in Kent County. She was abducted while walking on Hwy 21 and taken to a wooded area. The third incident was on June 7 in Sarnia. An adult woman was picked up on Campbell Street in Sarnia and driven to another location. The fourth incident involved another youth, who was picked up on Grand Avenue West in Chatham and driven to a remote area and sexually assaulted. In each incident, the victims were able to reach safety and contact police. The three youths were 15 or 16 at the time of the attacks. OPP Detective Inspector Michael Moore said that the four cases were intially investigated separately by OPP and Sarnia Police Service. “While tips were received and thoroughly investigated, none led to the identification of the assailant,” said Moore. “However, it did not take long before investigators noticed the similarities in the attacks and the suspect descriptions. In each case, the assailant used the vehicle to transport the victims to a remote location, committed the sexual assault, and drove away, leaving the victims at the site of each attack.” Moore said the unidentified male was described as in his 30s, tall (around 5’8” or taller), with medium-length brown hair, a mustache, and a distinct nose. “Over time, DNA analysis helped link two incidents from March and June. However, investigators believe that the same unknown offender was responsible for all four sexual assaults,” said Moore. “At that point, investigations were transferred to the OPP under the direction of the Criminal Investigation Branch.” The suspect remained at large and unidentified, despite extensive investigation work and public appeals, until this year when Moore said the Centre of Forensic Sciences and advanced DNA technology connected all four cases to one individual. From there, police deployed other techniques and genetic genealogy to identify Davidson as a suspect. He faces 15 charges, including one count of kidnapping, four counts of forcible confinement, three counts of uttering threats, three counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm, one count of sexual assault with a weapon, one count of aggravated sexual assault, and one count of theft. Police say Davidson has ties to the area where the offences were committed, and moved to British Columbia sometime in 2017. “We wanted to put Davidson’s name and picture out there in the media today because we’re hoping to encourage anybody who may have information that can assist this investigation to come forward,” said Moore. The OPP included two pictures in their press conference. One is from the 1990s, and one is from 2025. The one from the 90s is his photo for his Ontario Driver’s Licence, and the one in 2025 was taken after his transportation to Ontario after his arrest. “Today marks a pivotal moment in a historical investigation that has spanned years and provinces. Project Aerial began nearly three decades ago in 1997, and today, we are finally able to provide answers to the public and bring justice to the four survivors and their families,” said Kearns. Kearns said it was the courage and reports of the four survivors who initiated the investigation. He also said sexual assault remains one of the only violent crimes in Canada that is not on the decline. It is also the most underreported crime in Canada, with only six per cent of sexual assaults reported to police, compared to 36 per cent of physical assaults reported. “To the victims of historical sexual assaults, we recognize that the journey to answers can be long. Project Aerial reinforces that time does not diminish our commitment. We remain focused on delivering on answers, supporting the victims and surviviors, and upholding our dedication to public safety. “We hope this message reaches others who’ve experienced sexual assault. We encourage you to come forward to the police. You are not alone, and we are here to help,” said Kearns. “And finally, to those offenders who remain unknown and at large, often many years later, we are coming for you. I am confident that the continued advancements in DNA technology will continue to greatly assist police in solving many more historical cases.”

A driver exhibiting sings of impairment had their vehicle impounded by Oak Bay police last week. At approximately 3:50 a.m. on Oct. 17, officers conducting patrols near the Oak Bay-Saanich border observed a Toyota hatchback “swerving heavily, accelerating at a high rate of speed and making abrupt side-to-side motions.” A traffic stop was initiated in the 3800 block of Gordon Head Road, where the driver exhibited signs of impairment. The motorist was arrested for dangerous driving and refusal to comply with a mandatory alcohol screening demand. The vehicle was impounded for seven days due to excessive speed and stunting, and the driver was released at the scene with a future court date.

Guide and service dogs perform an important service, but those skills aren’t something they’re born with. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, the non-profit B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs took a class of more than half a dozen puppies to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay ferry terminal to train on the important task of learning how to use an escalator. While the local program is based in Parksville, the relative scarcity of escalators on Vancouver Island meant working with B.C. Ferries to use theirs during a low-traffic day, said Matthias Lenz, B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs director of puppy raising. “It’s a really weird thing for a dog to experience and it’s a really good thing to introduce early on,” he said. “We find if we introduce it early on and we take our time and let our dogs set the pace we encounter less problems, because with an older dog in advanced training we don’t have a lot of time.” To get familiar with the escalator, first the puppies use it when it’s turned off. The volunteer trainers let the puppy walk around and sniff it, before walking up like stairs. The volunteers raise the pups until they are about 15-18 months of age, then they enter advanced training for four to six months, making the dogs about two years old when they graduate. Once they become certified, they are sent to their new homes. “It’s not just guide dogs. It’s guide dogs for the visually impaired, autism service dogs for children with autism and OSI-PTSD service dogs for veterans and first responders…” Lenz said. “There are some who can do anything, and some that are more suited to one than the other. We don’t decide that early on, that happens at some point when the dogs are about 14-15 months we have to send them into advanced training and then we have to decide, in the puppy raising department, we decide if they go to service … or guide.” Volunteers don’t need any prerequisite experience, with each of them being taught alongside the dogs they help train. B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs requires volunteers to attend group classes, as well as additional meet-ups, training and online support. One of the volunteers, Danielle Swanson, brought the 13-week-old labrador in her care, Gibuu, to the escalator training. “When I became self-employed I got a dog and then I found out I was really good at training dogs,” she said. “So I did it first with St. John Ambulance as a therapy dog … Then I saw an ad in the paper for B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs and I thought I would give it a go.” This is her 12th puppy through the program, and while it doesn’t make her sad to see them go to their new home, she said she does tear up when running into the dogs she trained out in public, seeing them assisting people and doing the important jobs they were trained for. “You go into the mall and you see your dog with a vet with PTSD or a first responder with PTSD and you see them working, then you [cry] … Just knowing how they change people’s lives so completely.” As a retired single woman, Swanson said being a volunteer trainer is perfect for her. “We need puppy trainers so badly, that is where the bottleneck is, volunteers like me who have the time and the energy to do it. Really, it has always been a wonderful socialization [opportunity] for older people, most of us are in our 60s or 70s.” Shannon Graham, puppy training supervisor, told the News Bulletin that a big portion of her job is coaching volunteers to train the animals. “It’s a lot of fun working with the volunteers and watching them help their puppy along, learning the ropes,” Graham said. “Aside from teaching their dog basic obedience, it’s really building calm, confident and connected dogs – letting them be dogs but teaching them they can try different things and be resilient and they can look to their person for direction when it is needed, because in the puppy stage if we can build that foundation they can take it to the advanced training stage and teach them all the things they need to know.” While a human may see an escalator as a simple machine, for a dog, Graham said it looks funny, smells funny, sounds funny and moves. “We have to sort of break the experience of the escalator apart.” More information can be found online at http://bcandalbertaguidedogs.com [https://bcandalbertaguidedogs.com/].

Vancouver Island’s economy is at a critical point and hard decisions need to be made to ensure long-term prosperity. This is according to Susan Mowbray, partner at MNP, who delivered the State of the Island economic report at the annual Vancouver Island Economic Alliance summit on Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Nanaimo. “Last year, we talked about how things are going to be OK in the short term, but we need to do something in the longer term,” she said. “I would say today we’re kind of at the beginning of where we actually really need to do something because the foundation upon which our prosperity is built is starting to crumble and we’re starting to see those indicators show that. That’s not just because of what’s happening with the U.S. administration, this is primarily because of past choices we’ve made.” Since the pandemic financial bounce-back, B.C.’s annual economic growth has been a “really low” 1-1.5 per cent, Mowbray said, though there was a small increase this year compared to the previous year. Vancouver Island continues to have a lower GDP than the rest of the province. “We’re not producing a lot of things that are bringing money into the province from the outside, but we’re producing things to support the local population – this is great in the short term.” Vancouver Island has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, but participation rates are starting to marginally decline, which Mowbray said suggests the beginning of weakening economic conditions “and people are getting discouraged.” “People aren’t able to find jobs so rather than keep looking, they are exiting the labour market.” She reported that most of the employment growth has been in public sectors such as education, health care, social assistance and government. From 2006-2024, the share of employment in the public sector grew from 26 per cent to 34 per cent, while the private sector shrank from 55 to 51. Goods industries such as forestry, agriculture and mining went from 19 to 15 per cent. Mowbray had a mixed outlook of the Island’s major sectors, with forestry down year-over-year with an uncertain outlook, and the farmed salmon sector similarly uncertain. “Those resource sectors that have traditionally been the backbone in the economy are continuing to shrink, with weak market conditions, increases in softwood tariffs by the U.S. and just regulatory strangulation is hammering our forest industry.” Conversely, tourism is doing well as visitor numbers trend up along with occupancy rates, presenting a stable outlook. Mowbray said there are indications of continuous growth in the knowledge economy, such as in professional jobs, film, scientific and technical services, as well as growth in information and culture. Construction of residential homes throughout B.C. showed a decline to $9 billion in 2024 from $10 billion in 2023. “Even though we’re talking about building all this housing, we’re not actually building all this housing,” she explained. “We’re seeing a lot of projects get cancelled, a lot of the insolvencies we’re seeing in businesses are construction companies. So we’re not building housing that is going to help us to address our housing affordability challenges because we’re actually seeing construction start to decline.” Housing costs have also increased, with rents going up between 40-60 per cent on the Island over the past five years. In Nanaimo, the average cost of rent went from an average of $1,166 to $1,775, while in Victoria it went from $1,454 to $1,995. “If you were graduating from post-secondary this spring, you would probably have a really hard time finding a job because firms weren’t hiring, and if you found a job it probably wasn’t in your sector. Those people are struggling already because of high housing or rental costs, and that’s going to have some serious implications in the future of not being able to get started, get out of their parents’ basement and start to work, develop their skills and build up some assets.” Looking ahead, Mowbray said over the next 25 years, population growth is expected to slow, increasing about 13 per cent over that time frame, while an aging population will shift the 70-plus demographic from just over one-fifth of the population to almost a quarter of the population by 2045. “That means we need to be thinking of infrastructure investments and how we address things like housing needs, the provision of health care and transportation services as well as how we respond to a changing climate,” Mowbray said. “Just because Trump has decided climate change doesn’t exist, doesn’t mean the climate isn’t changing, doesn’t mean we’re not facing forest fires and rising sea levels and all those different things that we’ve been talking about for the last few years.” She explained all those considerations will be fundamental in building economic resilience in Vancouver Island’s economy, regardless of trading partners. Potential economic edges Mowbray suggested were the development of technology infrastructure on the Island, and opportunities that may come through Indigenous reconciliation. Following the event, Mowbray told the News Bulletin the goods sector and goods production will always be part of the economy, but moving forward, Vancouver Island has high-value opportunities in the development of technology and meeting the needs of the population in ways that could also be turned into export goods. Potential opportunities may lay in food processing and food security to produce more food locally that can be exported to other parts of Canada or internationally. “We should be thinking about this as an opportunity. It’s scary but we should be thinking about this as an opportunity to lay the foundation for a prosperous future.” The economist said hard decisions need to be made, such as accepting the trade-off that to get affordable housing means the cost of housing will have to go down across the board, resulting in homeowners losing money. Additionally, social programs may need to be cut, she suggested, as the “government debt is not at a level we can sustain going forward.” VIEA’s State of the Island economic summit continues Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 29-30.

The City of Surrey and its police board are caught up in a proposed class action lawsuit by former female police officers despite none of the six plaintiffs listed having been employed by the Surrey defendants. A proposed class action lawsuit by current or former female police officers against the City of Surrey, Surrey Police Board, 12 other B.C. cities and 12 other B.C. police boards alleges the plaintiffs were subjected to gender or sexual orientation-based discrimination, harassment, and bullying by officers and management of B.C.’s municipal police forces. Counsel for the City of Surrey and Surrey Police Board sought an order that would, prior to a certification hearing under Supreme Court Civil Rules, strike out the claims against them on grounds of jurisdiction. The case is brought under the Class Proceedings Act, with Justice Bruce Elwood presiding in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. None of the plaintiffs are or were employed by the Surrey defendants, Elwood noted in his October 28 reasons for [https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/25/21/2025BCSC2120.htm]judgment [https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/25/21/2025BCSC2120.htm]. “There are no factual allegations in the amended notice of civil claim of any acts or omissions by any officers or supervisors of the Surrey police force,” he pointed out. “Instead, the Surrey Defendants are captured by the plaintiffs’ general allegations of wrongdoing against all the “Municipal Police Defendants” and all “the Defendants.” The plaintiffs allege a “wide-spread institutional failure by those responsible to investigate complaints and protect complainants; and a workplace culture that enabled and protected perpetrators.” The plaintiffs are Cheryl Weeks, Anja Bergler, Helen Irvine, Cary Ryan, Lauren Phillips, and Ann-Sue Piper. “The plaintiffs seek to represent a class comprised of all persons who have been employed by the municipal police forces and who are female or were living or presenting as women at the time of their employment,” Elwood noted in his reasons. The defendants are listed as the City of Abbotsford, District of Central Saanich, City of Delta, Township of Esquimalt, City of Nelson, City of New Westminster, District of Oak Bay, City of Port Moody, Corporation of The District of Saanich, City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, City of Victoria, District of West Vancouver, Abbotsford Police Board, Central Saanich Police Board, Delta Police Board, Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board, Nelson Police Board, New Westminster Police Board, Port Moody Police Board, Saanich Police Board, Surrey Police Board, Vancouver Police Board, West Vancouver Police Board, Police Complaint Commissioner of British Columbia, His Majesty The King In Right of The Province of British Columbia, Attorney General of British Columbia, and the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “The plaintiffs allege negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional infliction of mental suffering, harassment, civil conspiracy, breach of privacy, and violation of their rights under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Elwood noted. “The plaintiffs seek to represent a class comprised of all persons who have been employed by the municipal police forces and who are female or were living or presenting as women at the time of their employment.” The women on behalf of the proposed class action lawsuit seek a declaration that the defendants breached their Section 15 Charter rights, and are seeking compensation in the form of general damages, damages for lost income, aggravated and punitive damages, and damages pursuant to the Charter. “In effect, the claim against the Surrey Defendants is the same claim that the plaintiffs propose to advance on behalf of the class members against all the defendants. It is, as Justice Saunders once described a proposed class action prior to the certification hearing, ‘an action with ambition,’” Elwood noted. By way of background, Surrey council on Nov. 5, 2018 voted to transition from the Surrey RCMP to a city police force. On June 29, 2020, the provincial government appointed the Surrey Police Board and on Aug. 6, 2020, the board established the Surrey Police Service, which became the city’s police of jurisdiction on Nov. 29, 2024. Elwood noted the SPS in March 2021 began recruiting officers and civilian staff in March 2021 and they became employees of the Surrey Police Board. “Initially, SPS officers were integrated into the Surrey RCMP, under the operational command of the RCMP,” the judge noted. “Although no date range is alleged in the notice of civil claim, plaintiffs’ counsel says the discrimination, harassment, and bullying of female SPS officers began in March 2021 and continues to present day. In other words, the proposed class action covers the entire period from initial hiring, including pre-unionization, collective bargaining, working under RCMP command, and ultimately serving as officers of the police of jurisdiction.” The plaintiffs’ legal counsel confirmed the proposed class includes police officers of all ranks, but not civilian staff. “As a result, it is necessary to consider the effect of two collective agreements between the Surrey Police Board and the unions representing the police officers, but not the separate collective agreement with Canadian Union of Public Employees (“CUPE”) representing the civilian staff,” Elwood noted. The Labour Relations Board certified the Surrey Police Union on July 30, 2021 as the collective bargaining unit for SPS officers below the rank of inspector and on March 10, 2022, the SPB and SPU entered into a collective agreement covering those officers, and then the LRB on Nov. 30, 2022 certified the Surrey Police Inspectors Union to conduct collective bargaining for SPS inspectors. While the SPU collective agreement covers working conditions, seniority and probationary periods, promotions, lateral transfers, remuneration, special allowances, court time compensation, overtime, employee benefits, maternity and parental leave, vacation and statutory leave and survivors’ benefits, Elwood noted, it has no specific provision against harassment or sexual harassment. The Surrey Defendants argue that the exclusive jurisdiction of an arbitrator to resolve disputes begins from the date on which the unions were certified as the exclusive collective bargaining agents for the SPS officers. They argued that as the SPS did not become the police of jurisdiction until after the unions were certified and the collective agreements took effect, that SPS officers’s working conditions “prior to that date were the responsibility of the RCMP,” the judge noted. “In other words, as I understand it, the Surrey Defendants say there is no gap in this case during which SPS officers may have had a claim against Surrey but no right to grieve their complaint under a collective agreement.” Elwood identified the “essential character” 0f the dispute, as argued by the Surrey Defendants’ legal counsel, “is the allegation that the defendants failed to ensure that the plaintiffs could work in an environment free from harassment, discrimination and bullying.” “The plaintiffs argue that the claims are not merely about working conditions. They say the essential character of the dispute is an institutional failure throughout British Columbia—spanning across all police boards, municipal employers, and levels of government—to keep the municipal police forces free from gender-based discrimination. The plaintiffs submit that the issues they seek to address are so pervasively embedded in police culture that this case is about something completely different than a dispute over working conditions.” Elwood said it isn’t “plain and obvious” the collective agreements provide access “to an effective remedy for all former employees of the Surrey Police Board who allege that they were subject to gender-based discrimination, harassment or bullying on the job. “The difficulty is that the plaintiffs have not pleaded any claims by any former members of the SPS. They have not pleaded the material facts on which a court could find that a former employee suffered gender-based discrimination, harassment or bullying that she cannot grieve under the applicable Collective Agreement. At this stage of the proceedings, there is no evidence of any claims by any former employees,” he explained. “In the circumstances,” he decided, a decision “must await the certification hearing and submissions on the criteria” concerning Section 4 of the Class Proceedings Act. “This Court does not have jurisdiction over claims against the Surrey Defendants that arose after the date on which a collective agreement became applicable to the bargaining unit to which the class members belonged,” Elwood concluded. “The question of whether, notwithstanding this conclusion, the Court should retain jurisdiction over claims by former employees of the Surrey Police Board is adjourned to the certification hearing.

I read with great interest the letter from Lee Thiessen in the Oct. 22 Saanich News because it stated many thoughts I have had on this “gung-ho let’s build it big” mentality of our current council. Why do we need 10-15 storeys in our residential areas? Saanich is quickly losing its lovely leafy neighbourhoods, to be replaced by really ugly, no-imagination, too-tall, Lego-block buildings. As Lee Thiessen said, “mind-numbingly dull buildings containing overpriced tiny spaces designed to churn through transient tenancies.” Would people want to raise a family in such a place? Think of the blocks on Mackenzie and Shelbourn – no imagination put into those buildings, just Lego-block construction. And if their “plaza” is going to be like Tuscany Village’s “plaza”, which is really a badly planned parking lot, I say, why bother trying to make it something it isn’t? I will say the Tuscany Village height restriction is more in keeping with what Saanich could do, and isn’t doing. On the whole, I find it disheartening in the rush to meet the demands of housing, so little charm and character is being applied. Jan Cook Victoria

The University of Victoria women’s rugby 15s team has already made history this fall, but they’re hoping their run isn’t done yet. After a perfect season and a Canada West title, the top-ranked Vikes opened their U Sports championship run with a 41-8 victory over the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium on Oct. 29. It’s the first time in program history UVic has entered nationals as the number one seed. The Vikes came in confident after winning all seven of their games this year, including an 18-17 victory over UBC in the Canada West final on Oct. 19—redemption after losing to the same team in last year’s championship. Head coach Brittany Waters said the team’s success comes down to a new mindset and years of steady building. “We knew going into the season that we were going to have a really strong squad,” Waters told Saanich News. “We’ve had back-to-back silvers at nationals, so there were a lot of hungry players coming back who were going for that gold. We also had some new players join who’ve really stepped up. It’s a great, well-rounded group.” Waters, recently named Canada West Coach of the Year for the second time, said her team is focused on itself heading into the tournament. “We have a really hungry group here,” Waters said. “Our attack is tried and true, but I feel like we have a really balanced group. We’re just focusing on what we do and how we can do it best.” Throughout the regular season and the Canada West championships, the Vikes outscored their opponents 325-64. One of the driving forces behind that was fourth-year fullback Carissa Norsten, named Canada West Most Valuable Player after leading UVic with seven tries and 35 points. “She comes to practice early, she works as hard as anyone in this league,” Waters said. “You often see the superstars get the recognition, and with this one, it really is so well-deserved. She’s a leader for our group in more ways than one.” The 2024 Olympic silver medalist was one of six Vikes named conference all-stars, along with Sierra Gillis, Faith Tilley, Justine Blatt-Janmaat, Maggie MacKinnon, and Ella O’Regan. The tournament is being played at the home of their biggest rivals, UBC, but Waters knows her team will have support as the week goes on. “We’re going to be playing for each other out there. Regardless of whether people are cheering for or against us, we have such a strong group,” she said. “We’ve done a really good job of building a positive team culture here, and our players really thrive in these moments.” Waters has led the program to a medal in every season since taking over in 2015. “This isn’t just a job, it’s my passion,” she said. “I get to work with incredible athletes and staff who love the game and each other, and that’s what makes this so special.” The other quarter-finals will see STFX face Guelph, UBC meet Laval, and Queen’s take on Acadia later on Oct. 29. UVic’s next test comes on Oct. 31 against the winner of Guelph and STFX. All 11 games of the U Sports championship are being streamed live on CBC’s digital platforms.

A Campbell River man is facing 15 charges, including three counts of sexual assault and four counts of forcible confinement in connectionwith a series of Ontario incidents from nearly 30 years ago. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced the arrest of Jason Timothy Davidson, 52, on Oct. 29, following a three-decade investigation, dubbed Project Aerial. Three of his four alleged victims were teenagers at the time. Police arrested Davidson on Oct. 26. “For 28 years, our teams have worked extremely hard to identify the accused by re-examining evidence, following up on more than 450 tips, and reviewing countless witness statements,” said OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns. “Advancements in DNA technology open new doors, allowing our team to apply modern investigative techniques that ultimately led to the investigation of the accused.” Kearns confirmed investigative genealogical research was used in the investigation, but declined to offer specific details or other evidence, as the case is before the courts. However, he did say it took the case to Campbell River, where the arrest was made. The four assaults took place in Ontario between March and August 1997. The first was on March 26, when a youth was abducted near Indian Road in Sarnia. She was taken by an unidentified man to Sombra in Lambton County, where she was sexually assaulted. Another youth was abducted on May 23 in Thamesville in Kent County. She was abducted while walking on Hwy 21 and taken to a wooded area. The third incident was on June 7 in Sarnia. An adult woman was picked up on Campbell Street in Sarnia and driven to another location. The fourth incident involved another youth, who was picked up on Grand Avenue West in Chatham and driven to a remote area and sexually assaulted. In each incident, the victims were able to reach safety and contact police. The three youths were 15 or 16 at the time of the attacks. OPP Detective Inspector Michael Moore said that the four cases were intially investigated separately by OPP and Sarnia Police Service. “While tips were received and thoroughly investigated, none led to the identification of the assailant,” said Moore. “However, it did not take long before investigators noticed the similarities in the attacks and the suspect descriptions. In each case, the assailant used the vehicle to transport the victims to a remote location, committed the sexual assault, and drove away, leaving the victims at the site of each attack.” Moore said the unidentified male was described as in his 30s, tall (around 5’8” or taller), with medium-length brown hair, a mustache, and a distinct nose. “Over time, DNA analysis helped link two incidents from March and June. However, investigators believe that the same unknown offender was responsible for all four sexual assaults,” said Moore. “At that point, investigations were transferred to the OPP under the direction of the Criminal Investigation Branch.” The suspect remained at large and unidentified, despite extensive investigation work and public appeals, until this year when Moore said the Centre of Forensic Sciences and advanced DNA technology connected all four cases to one individual. From there, police deployed other techniques and genetic genealogy to identify Davidson as a suspect. He faces 15 charges, including one count of kidnapping, four counts of forcible confinement, three counts of uttering threats, three counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm, one count of sexual assault with a weapon, one count of aggravated sexual assault, and one count of theft. Police say Davidson has ties to the area where the offences were committed, and moved to British Columbia sometime in 2017. “We wanted to put Davidson’s name and picture out there in the media today because we’re hoping to encourage anybody who may have information that can assist this investigation to come forward,” said Moore. The OPP included two pictures in their press conference. One is from the 1990s, and one is from 2025. The one from the 90s is his photo for his Ontario Driver’s Licence, and the one in 2025 was taken after his transportation to Ontario after his arrest. “Today marks a pivotal moment in a historical investigation that has spanned years and provinces. Project Aerial began nearly three decades ago in 1997, and today, we are finally able to provide answers to the public and bring justice to the four survivors and their families,” said Kearns. Kearns said it was the courage and reports of the four survivors who initiated the investigation. He also said sexual assault remains one of the only violent crimes in Canada that is not on the decline. It is also the most underreported crime in Canada, with only six per cent of sexual assaults reported to police, compared to 36 per cent of physical assaults reported. “To the victims of historical sexual assaults, we recognize that the journey to answers can be long. Project Aerial reinforces that time does not diminish our commitment. We remain focused on delivering on answers, supporting the victims and surviviors, and upholding our dedication to public safety. “We hope this message reaches others who’ve experienced sexual assault. We encourage you to come forward to the police. You are not alone, and we are here to help,” said Kearns. “And finally, to those offenders who remain unknown and at large, often many years later, we are coming for you. I am confident that the continued advancements in DNA technology will continue to greatly assist police in solving many more historical cases.”

More than 4,000 BC Hydro customers were without power in Duncan and parts of North Cowichan Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 29). The smaller outage, affecting about 1,153 customers, was reported at 1:25 p.m. in the area west of Boys Road, east of Indian Road, south of Pine Avenue and north of S’eshia Road. Crews are on site and the cause remains under investigation. A second, larger outage, affecting about 3,000 customers north of Trunk Road and east of Government Street was reported shortly after noon. BC Hydro says a tree came down across power lines in that area. The outages knocked out power to much of downtown Duncan and the Tzouhalem Road area. A third big outage was added to the list after 3 p.m., this one affecting 848 customers west of Lakes Road, north of Coronation Avenue, east of Jubilee Street and south of York Road. At least one of the outages was caused by a tree very close or leaning on a double circuit, said B.C. Hydro spokesperson Ted Olynyk. He said it is likely that recent storm events caused the tree to fail, compounded with the large amount of recent rainfall. Two crews worked on the outages, Olynyk said, and power was restored by 6 p.m.

Grace Poole has become a familiar name in Canadian sailing circles, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Earlier this month, Poole claimed her third consecutive national championship title at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax. Racing from Oct. 10 to 12, the 21-year-old topped the Core (U21 to U29) category of the Waszp Canadian Nationals, finishing with 406 points for a score of 67. She placed sixth overall in the 12-boat field, which featured competitors from across the country. “It was a tricky regatta in Halifax,” Poole said. “We had offshore winds for the whole event, so it was a whole game of trying to sail into the puffs. Strategy was really important.” Poole said training out of Oak Bay has been a major advantage when it comes to preparing for events across the country. “Victoria is a really great place to be foiling,” said the 2021 Glenlyon Norfolk School graduate. “We get similar conditions here and also lots of flat water, so my training here is key to how I did in Halifax.” Waszps, high-speed hydrofoiling sailboats that can reach up to 40 km/h, have exploded in popularity in recent years, largely thanks to their inclusion as a stepping stone into professional sailing through SailGP. The strict one-design format means sailors can jump into any event around the world with identical equipment. That proved especially helpful for Poole, who borrowed a boat from a Halifax sailor rather than shipping her own across the country. “It’s a really close-knit community,” she said. “I just reached out to someone I knew there and was able to find a boat through connections. I was really grateful to be lent one because charter boats can be quite expensive.” Poole, who trains out of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, said the Waszp community on the Island is starting to grow, helped in part by her twin brother, Kelley, who now coaches a local group. “In the beginning, I didn’t really have anyone to sail against,” she said. “Now there’s a little group in Victoria, and it’s fantastic to have that.” With another national title secured, Poole now shifts her focus to her first world championship in Pensacola, Florida this March. “It’s ambitious, but I’m trying to make the podium in the women’s fleet,” she said. “It’ll be my first worlds, and there are some equipment changes to figure out, but I have big goals.” Between training, working in a local marine canvas shop, and mentoring young sailors, Poole’s schedule is packed, but her motivation hasn’t wavered. “I just really want to keep improving my own sailing,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

In 2018, Saanich ranked the redevelopment of its Royal Oak fire station as the second-highest priority in the district, just behind the Parks and Public Works Yard, in its Strategic Facilities Master Plan. The plan stated that “more than any other fire hall, Fire Hall No.2 experiences pressing needs that have a significant impact on the entire district fire services operation.” While reports indicate that the Elk Lake Drive station performs well from an incident response perspective, its limited size, growing equipment requirements and rapidly expanding population have created “significant” operational pressures. As a result, the district determined that the 3,880-square-foot facility, built in 1978, required a much-needed makeover to meet Royal Oak’s growing needs. In May 2019, council unanimously approved a $26.6-million budget for the project, with an expected completion date of 2023. The new facility, nearly 23,500 square feet – more than six times larger – will accommodate up to 10 firefighters instead of five and house eight vehicles, up from the current two. Once the new facility is operational, the existing Elk Lake Drive station is scheduled to be demolished. However, nearly three years after the original completion date, the station remains unfinished and its budget has ballooned to $44.6 million – a 68 per cent increase. In a written statement to Saanich News, the district’s engineering department said the escalating budget and delays were first outlined in an April 2023 staff report, which cited extended timelines, market escalation and design development. According to Saanich, construction began in May 2024. Since then, the project has encountered “several minor and typical construction-related matters,” noted the engineering department, including material delivery delays and impacts from the ongoing tariff dispute with the U.S. The first delay resulted from extended manufacturing timelines for mass timber components, pushing delivery back by approximately five months. A second delay, caused by design revisions to the roof assembly, which supports solar panels, insulation and waterproofing, added two months. The revised completion date, originally set for fall 2025, has now been pushed to summer 2026. web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_3 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_3.jpg;w=960]A redevelopment plan of the new Fire Hall No.2 located on Royal Oak Drive. (Saanich.ca) web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_4 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_4.jpg;w=960]A view of the current Fire Hall No.2, located on 4595 Elk Lake Dr., set to be demolished once the new station is completed. (Saanich.ca) web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_5 [https://www.bpmcdn.com/f/files/shared/feeds/gps/2025/10/web1_251029-sne-firehall2-update-1_5.jpg;w=960]Architectural rendering showing the proposed design of Fire Hall No. 2. (Saanich.ca)

The Fifty Fifty Arts Collective will present an "offbeat" solo art exhibition, pee-bee says hello, by Noah MacLeod, from Oct. 11 to 25.  Following the success of his debut solo exhibition at Headbones Gallery in Vernon, MacLeod brings a fresh body of work to Victoria that further explores his "idiosyncratic visual language" under the playful moniker "pee-bee.” MacLeod works combine sculpture, painting, and object-making, the end result carrying a "quiet absurdity, a language that feels both familiar and strange." Outside of his studio practice, MacLeod is the founder of Local Losers, a community-led DIY collective from the Interior of B.C. that supports artists and musicians across the province. What began as a communal studio and gallery later evolved into a clothing brand and now a grassroots music production company. Now based in Victoria, MacLeod is beginning to find his place within the local arts community, bringing with him the energy, grit, and sense of curiosity that have long shaped his approach. The exhibition is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment. The reception is on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 6– to 9 p.m. at The Fifty Fifty Arts Collective, 2516 Douglas St, Victoria.