How Victoria Earned Its ‘Second Coolest’ Crown

A Canadian Coast Guard ship out of Victoria and its crew are among those credited with continuing the nation’s global commitment to protect fish stocks, marine ecosystems and sustainable fisheries through two months of joint surveillance, inspections and enforcement efforts in the North Pacific. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is a serious problem around the world, posing a significant threat to fish populations and damaging marine environments. It also jeopardizes the incomes of law-abiding harvesters and fishing industries while putting food supplies at risk, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The DFO’s third patrol under the annual, multi-national high seas operation included representatives from four nations onboard a single patrol vessel. The Canadian patrol included representatives from Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States.   “The thousands of hours that our fishery officers spend patrolling the North Pacific Ocean each year, by air and sea, detecting and deterring illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, is a strong demonstration that Canada backs its support for international laws with concrete action. The ongoing success of Operation North Pacific Guard attests to the continued need for Canada to be a leader in securing marine species and ecosystems at home and abroad in support of both our conservation and economic objectives,” Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson said in a news release. Fishery officers and support personnel patrolled 17,773 km while onboard the Canadian Coast Guard vessel CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, a high-endurance, multi-purpose vessel that is also a light icebreaker and is biofuel capable. Over the course of two months, the crew aboard the Victoria-based ship monitored several hundred fishing vessels, conducted 41 high-seas inspections and interacted with more than 1,000 crew members onboard vessels. Canada also deployed one of the DFO’s long-range Fisheries Aerial Surveillance and Enforcement aircraft, which is normally based in Campbell River, to Hokkaido, Japan, where daily patrols monitored fishing activity in the Northwest Pacific. Over the operation, 366 fishing vessels were inspected by air, discovering 51 potential violations related to shark finning, pollution, salmon retention, and marking requirements. High-seas inspections uncovered 39 potential violations of international fisheries requirements, including shark finning, the illegal harvest of dolphins, misreporting or inaccurate reporting of catch and bycatch, as well as obstruction and the destruction of evidence. North Pacific Guard Operation, which included Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP members, is among those working to protect both international waters and the resources they hold with an annual, multi-national high seas operation in the North Pacific. During this year’s mission, CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier made a special port visit in Osaka, Japan, while the World Expo was underway. Thousands of members of the public learned about Canada’s role in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through tours of the vessel and engagement with Canadian Coast Guard crew and fishery officers at the Expo’s Canada Pavilion. Laurier also stopped in Hakodate, Japan, further strengthening relations. Find behind-the-scenes action online at https://ow.ly/TrMo50WGagL [https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fow.ly%2FTrMo50WGagL%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExSzR5RnFPbkg4Zjc2YXc0cgEeK6t8_N_Oev3cPlF-GmBnqp9BM6GNUGdwO-xX4NIj3OWWitatiK9q9qgNinY_aem_os0dCztDjkMB4yp9HE5OkQ&h=AT1RSpMN9Sc655W0FV13apb3yfmW4Em0XBCWdAjF9caaHt5PMaIyh1-8TN7viamWRloLBmL3th4JXSx5GEzLGxAI_ziLElzeT7BV542vPgrYeDuI64GqXtlFd6Lu86NHrw4Zu3DIMV2d-mHeidOxqg&__tn__=-UK-R&c%5B0%5D=AT09YccjcTuIlgOk5dqtUGSuLH6SZFmYLFlor9GlNnsGGfNMrLWD9Dw-wLsPwaBvDqOTZs4KStnkl9PFxBjocafpi6nzVL2uG9MzE0YpzEgbpAsoNPiL5jQUSxdDxiXTcVpxacsKrOnSp51HHQtAU7MusjlKU6a90L8n0mA_gL681iFJt01IEb8QnAB1ULSZj6ExSAmlZ7_T0BnCF_xt7RP3874QW7tSvseqMg].

The world-class sand sculptures in the Parksville Community Park will come down this week, after a successful five-and-a-half-week festival. This year’s Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition welcomed 119,092 visitors, up three per cent from last summer, according to the Parksville Beach Festival Society. “Strong visitor attendance is due to a fabulous exhibition, excellent weather, and our new location in the park,” said Cheryl Dill, society president, in a news release. “The encouragement from both residents and visitors is so uplifting for our hard-working volunteers and staff.” The event relocated to a section of the kite field in Parksville Community Park, next to the beach volleyball courts, after approval from council earlier in the year. The new, larger site is meant to allow for more spectators and improved mobility access, as well as reduced congestion at main beach access locations. While it’s always bittersweet to watch the sculptures fade back into sand, there’s plenty to celebrate — such as entertainment highlights like Chilliwack’s Farewell to Friends Tour, the lively Tim Hortons Summer Concert Series, Party City Buskers, Art in the Park and the Beachfest ROCKS! Music Festival. The Sculpture Light-Up added some extra magic on the final weekend, which also saw the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy close out the festival on the outdoor stage. More than 102,000 people voted for the People’s Choice Awards and crowned Manuel Campos, from Columbia for "Role Reversal" and Sue McGrew (USA) and Dmitry Klimenko (Russia) for "Peace Amid the Storm" in the singles and doubles categories, respectively. The festival is dedicated to giving back and since 1999, it has donated more than $1.2 million to local non-profits and community projects, including the Parksville Outdoor Theatre. In 2025, proceeds will again support 24 not-for-profit organizations and community initiatives. Before the sculptures are taken down, the Parksville Beach Festival Society is welcoming a group with visual impairments to experience the creations through touch, part of their ongoing commitment to improving accessibility. "The Parksville Beach Festival Society is proud to host a family-friendly, community-driven event that brings joy to thousands, supports local groups, and showcases incredible talent," the release said. For more information about Parksville Beach Festival visit parksvillebeachfest.ca [http://www.parksvillebeachfest.ca.].

Market-style tables with ribbons, resources, a memory tree and naloxone training will be hosted by Island Health at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital to mark International Overdose Awareness Day. International Overdose Awareness Day takes place on Aug. 31, with this year's theme 'one big family' representing that everyone is connected and through compassion and awareness people can honour the lives lost and support those impacted by the toxic drug poisoning crisis.  Starting Monday, Aug. 25, purple chairs will be stationed at 18 Island Health locations as a memorial exhibit for those who have died during the toxic drug crisis. Each location will include information and resources, purple ribbon pins and an interactive memory board. On Aug. 29, Nanaimo will host an open event with naloxone training from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tracey Thompson, Island Health harm reduction coordinator, told the News Bulletin that learning about and carrying naloxone is one way the general public can participate in reducing overdose deaths in the region. According to the B.C. Coroners Service, Nanaimo lost 94 lives in 2024 due to unregulated drugs. As of June 30 of this year, Nanaimo had 32 recorded unregulated drug deaths. "It's important for community members to know what resources are available to support them and if people are engaged in substance use and wanting some support, to understand what services are available," Thompson said. "That could be in the community through community agencies or through their physician, or through Island Health." She said it can sometimes be difficult for people to understand what motivates substance use and some may have preconceived ideas. "It's really important for us to try to reduce the stigma and think about how we can support people to get the help they might be looking for, rather than focusing on criminalizing or being punitive." In a press release, Dr. Réka Gustafson, Island Health's chief medical health officer, said preventing overdose deaths requires "actions beyond health services including investment in the social determinants of health, like housing, income, education and social connection, which shape people’s vulnerability to substance use." “These deaths are preventable,” Gustafson said. “Remembering those we have lost honours them and keeps them in the centre of the dialogue about a meaningful response to the crisis from the entire community.” Other events marking the day will be held in Port Alberni, Campbell River, Duncan, Gabriola Island, Crofton, Parksville, Sooke, Campbell River and Victoria.  In addition to in-person memorial stations, Island Health is hosting an online memory wall [https://app.mural.co/t/islandhealth6899/m/islandhealth6899/1747869109631/439e504eb6be0a4da5dfcf71e7c940e300813c0f], available until Sept. 20. People can visit the website to share memories, special words and photos at app.mural.co/t/islandhealth6899/m/islandhealth6899/1747869109631/439e504eb6be0a4da5dfcf71e7c940e300813c0f [http://app.mural.co/t/islandhealth6899/m/islandhealth6899/1747869109631/439e504eb6be0a4da5dfcf71e7c940e300813c0f]. Island Health advises that residents may call 1-888-885-8824 [tel:1-888-885-8824] to learn about supports that best meet their needs, and if someone is experiencing a crisis, they can contact the Vancouver Island Crisis Line, available 24/7, at 1-888-494-3888 [tel:1-888-494-3888]. Additionally, mental health and substance use services can be viewed at Island Health's mental health and substance use services page [http://www.islandhealth.ca/our-services/mental-health-substance-use-services] at http://www.islandhealth.ca/our-services/mental-health-substance-use-services [https://www.islandhealth.ca/our-services/mental-health-substance-use-services]. To sign up for toxic drug health alerts via text message, text 'join' to 253787.

Five distinct one-person plays will bring a mixture of comedy, drama and LGBTQ programming to an upcoming Gabriola Island performing arts festival.  The plays, part of the Gabriola Theatre Festival, will showcase talents from Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Toronto, England and the Gulf island itself.   Associate festival producer, Dibs Barisic Sprem, said the selection committee whittled the original 18 applicants to the selected five, and focused on productions that could inspire, uplift and challenge audiences.  The festival is also planning for an opening night party and a closing night party. First to the stage will be an autobiographical story by Frank Moher called Boy Player on Tuesday, Aug. 26 and Aug. 30. Boy Player tells of Moher's experience as a child suddenly orphaned and transplanted from Edmonton to New York City.  The following production, The Heterosexuals by Jonnie McNamara Walker, will be staged on Tuesday, Aug. 26 and Aug. 27. Walker's performance will take a tongue-in-cheek 'deep-dive' into the shocking world of heterosexuality. "As a queer person, I love material that flips the script on cultural norms," Sprem said. "Johnnie McNamara Walker has been receiving rave reviews after having sold-out shows in Hamilton, Montreal, Orlando, Edmonton, and an off-Broadway run in NYC."  Next up will be Jem Rolls: Adventures in Canadian Parking Lots on Wednesday, Aug. 27 and Aug. 30. Rolls, who has "done more Fringe Festivals than anyone on earth this century," is a high-energy English performance poet who will feature "dumb comedy, smart comedy and dark tales" in his new show. How I Met My Mother by Jon Paterson will show on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29 and follow a bachelor as he answers the call to care for his ailing mother.  "This gives me the impression that it's going to be one of those shows where people might shed a tear," Sprem said. "Paterson has described his show as cathartic … this is the first show that he has written for himself." Katie-Ellen Humphries joins the festival with her show No Worries If Not, which shows on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, and will deliver a "funny and surprising tale of love, lying and laundry." "No Worries is a show that speaks to me, as a recovering people-pleaser myself," the associate festival producer said. "Katie-Ellen has a very sharp way of writing jokes and connecting to audience members with relatable, observational humour."  All productions can be caught at the Gabriola Theatre Centre, 1475 Peterson Rd., from Aug. 26-30 with performances at 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. Each production will have two stagings. Ticket information can be found online at www.gabriolatheatrecentre.ca [https://www.gabriolatheatrecentre.ca/].

A few Gabriola Island residents might just catch a glimpse of themselves in an art show this week.  Opening on Thursday, Aug. 21, artist Nic Cooper will present 'I Was Drawn To You' at the Nova Boutique and Gallery as an interpretive "portrait of a place." The show will feature a collection of drawings made on the spot at different social settings, including the Surf Lodge and Pub, Ground Up Café and Catering, and several beaches.  Cooper said the show emanated from their intuitive drive to always be drawing. "The idea is that it's kind of a diary for me. But also a portrait of the island and of its inhabitants and environments," they said. "It sort of shows the trace of the seasons as well." Their technique involves no pencils or erasers, just straight marker ink to paper. As part of picking a good scene, the artist will seek out an interesting angle with one or more subjects and a compelling vantage point to see what they're drawn to, figuratively and literally. And then they'll start drawing. Quickly and covertly, to interpret the fleeting moment.  While it's important to capture the feeling of a place, Cooper said, the 20-year practice is more about decompression and mindfulness.  "If I look back on drawings from 10 years ago, I'll have a clear memory of what croissant I ate, the cappuccino I had, where I was in the world, the time of day."  However, shortly after moving to Gabriola, they noticed their whimsically representational drawings emerged as a sort of story of the island as a whole, rather than lone, isolated scenes.  I Was Drawn To You is the first show Cooper will exhibit drawings that depict a portrait of a place, as their previous off-island showings have been paintings concerning queer history.  Cooper moved to Gabriola last summer and works as a learning and engagement coordinator at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. They attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design for an undergrad, then completed a master's degree at the University of Ottawa in visual arts. They have taught at various institutions, including the National Gallery of Canada.  There will be an opening party for I Was Drawn To You on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. and will remain up at the Nova Boutique and Gallery until Sept. 7.

Born out of a love-hate relationship with the teaching profession, Bored Teachers, The Struggle is Real Comedy Tour, is stopping in Victoria this fall with all-new material. The "funniest teacher comedians" in the world will be at the McPherson Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 19. Bored Teachers delivers comedy that anyone who has ever been in a classroom can relate to. Since starting in 2022, they've filled over 200,000 seats and sold out more than 100 major theatres across Canada and the U.S. Founded by James and Marilou Tarantino, the comedians share stories from all over the world about their struggles and frustrations. The duo began Bored Teachers on social media, where they posted skits, memes and articles born from real experiences and honest feelings about how "complex and undervalued" teachers everywhere are. From there, Bored Teachers was expanded and took on more writers, content creators and comedians, garnishing tens of millions of views. "I think the response just shows you how much teachers need this time together to laugh," one of the comedians said about the show. Tickets are on sale now and are available through the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour [https://www.boredteachers.com/comedy-tour]website.

Symphony Splash returns this weekend for the first time in five years, expanding into a two-day celebration to mark Victoria Symphony’s 85th anniversary. The free outdoor concerts take place this weekend (Aug. 2 and 3) at the Inner Harbour, with performances held on the iconic barge stage in front of the B.C. Legislature. Festivities will begin Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with Indigenous singer-songwriters Celeigh Cardinal and Shawnee Kish joining the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. That same evening, the Victoria Symphony is set to perform alongside percussionist Sal Ferreras, his Latin Jazz Sextet, and Cuban vocalist Adonis Puentes at 7:30 p.m. Sunday opens with another youth orchestra performance at 3:30 p.m., followed by the signature Symphony Splash concert featuring the Victoria Symphony and young piano soloist Patrick Cao. The night concludes with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Amazing Grace, and a fireworks display. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring back an expanded Symphony SPLASH! over the B.C. Day long weekend,” said Matthew White, CEO of Victoria Symphony. “We’re looking forward to welcoming locals and visitors alike to enjoy a varied program, from orchestral masterworks to contemporary compositions.” Beyond the music, the Inner Harbour will feature a family zone, local artist showcases on community stages, and food vendors.  A limited number of grandstand seats are available for $5 to $88. All other programming is free. For tickets, the full schedule, and more information about the event, visit victoriasymphony.ca [http://victoriasymphony.ca].