Bylines preserved from the original Westshore archive.
Apr 3, 2025Activists at Langford rally want definitive protection for old growthWhile new forests minister meets with industry reps across BC, local advocates push for focus on forests as well as forestryRead it →Mar 20, 2025Sooke proposes 15% budget increase in the face of rising service costsStaff and council prioritize service levels and lower future costsRead it →Mar 13, 2025Langford to host an Ideas Fair as part of its push for public engagementWeigh in on transportation, parks, trails, and recreation facilitiesRead it →Feb 27, 2025Langford council looking to reduce tax impact through budget revisionsCity trims budget for this year—but it is drawing money from future budgets to do soRead it →Feb 19, 2025Langford enters final stages of public engagement on draft financial planPlan lays out rising costs, but smaller annual property tax increases, over next half-decadeRead it →Feb 13, 2025View Royal plans for 2050, looking to carve out its own space between big neighboursThe town at the crossroads of the region is at a crossroads of its ownRead it →Feb 6, 2025What Langford is spending its budget onBreaking down the city's financial plans for this year and the rest of the 2020sRead it →Jan 16, 2025Langford bans one member of public from council meetingsLatest move in a series of escalating tensions around council meetingsRead it →Jan 9, 2025After two years in development, Langford passes its tree protection bylawWith the new bylaw, Langford catches up with its municipal neighboursRead it →Dec 18, 2024Your holiday wishes, answeredWe sent Westshore councils your submissions of what you'd like to see in your communities in the new yearRead it →Nov 28, 2024Colwood adds Pendray House to a collection of heritage gemsThe 1920s home's heritage designation reflects additional recognition of the region’s rich historyRead it →Nov 26, 2024Seasonal festivities begin kicking off in WestshoreLangford, Colwood, Sooke, and Metchosin are lighting up their communities in advance of the holidaysRead it →Nov 21, 2024Windstorm causes more outages & road delays in WestshoreFor Sooke & beyond, storm effects have been a repeated problem this year—and the solutions won't be quick or easyRead it →Nov 19, 2024Langford wants more public input, as OCP overhaul moves through second phaseLatest survey on city’s future direction will close on Nov. 20Read it →Oct 23, 2024Esquimalt First Nation seeks help handling wastewaterSmall community asks for higher capacity; CRD asks local municipalities to share some of theirsRead it →Oct 21, 2024Westshore election resultsNDP win 2 local ridings, but 3rd is BC's closest raceRead it →Oct 14, 2024Final Westshore all-candidates meeting takes place in Mill BayFluid debate format for Juan de Fuca – Malahat touched on rural issues, housing, infrastructure, and hot-button topicsRead it →Oct 10, 2024SD62 looking to add new schools as Westshore faces BC's fastest-growing enrolmentWith recently added schools already full, Sooke School District plans to build 3 more elementaries and North Langford Secondary & MiddleRead it →Oct 3, 2024Tragedy in a tiny community: Young Ditidaht man charged with first degree murderPolice from as far as Ladysmith joined Lake Cowichan RCMP forces response to a death in Ditidaht territoryRead it →Sep 25, 2024Province denies View Royal and Sooke extensions on new density regulationsSooke and View Royal mayors say the needs of residents and infrastructure timelines were not considered in the decisionRead it →Sep 18, 2024New spaces are opening through the Aboriginal Head Start program in the WestshoreFunding for 48 new spaces will be coming to Colwood's Hulitan Early Years CentreRead it →Sep 16, 2024Cougar and young student come face to face on Sooke trailIncreasingly shared landscape makes for more encounters but not necessarily more cougarsRead it →Sep 11, 2024Colwood council working to clean up voter perception on campaign donationsMunicipal elections in BC aren’t until October 2026, but Colwood council is looking ahead and debating ways to keep them above boardRead it →Sep 9, 2024Latest attack on the Galloping Goose raises safety concernsIsolated, poorly lit areas of the regional trail provide cover for opportunistic attackersRead it →Sep 3, 2024Tragedy struck in Metchosin on the eve of Overdose Awareness DayCommemorative events over the weekend included the most recent victims of the toxic drug crisisRead it →Aug 28, 2024New initiative announced in the Westshore to boost services for mental health and substance useColwood’s new service hub opened its doors yesterday in anticipation of official start on Sept. 4Read it →Aug 26, 2024Langford council approves Beecher Bay venture in Centre Mountain developmentAfter a 12-year wait, First Nation moves to make good on land agreementRead it →Aug 21, 2024Making good on the green that’s thereView Royal and Langford look to enhance existing green spaces in parksRead it →Aug 12, 2024Metchosin’s delayed exploration option of a village square space may cost the districtA community enhancement project led by the Metchosin Village Square Society remains in limboRead it →Jul 31, 2024Recent Westshore texting and driving blitz called a disappointing successDespite scheduled warnings and signs about the campaign, drivers around Langford continue to drive distractedRead it →Jul 29, 2024View Royal councillors vote to reduce road speed and save livesA number of municipalities have followed suit in the last year and have adopted a 30km/hr limit in their streetsRead it →Jul 24, 2024SEAPARC is seeking public input on its 10-year strategic planGrowing population and needs have inspired public consultation on recreation in SookeRead it →Jul 22, 2024Canadian Armed Forces to carry out multiple demolition exercises in the Westshore this weekBentinck Island and Rocky Point will be sites of CAF demolition training and administrative destruction exercisesRead it →Jul 17, 2024Municipal engagement a priority in the WestshoreLangford is launching one of its largest engagement strategies this weekRead it →Jul 8, 2024Langford’s first Pride paradeWith its own float, the City of Langford participated in the Victoria paradeRead it →Jul 3, 2024Anti-2SLGBTQ acts a recurring issue for Langford and West Shore RCMPFrom crosswalks to banners, vandalism of visual representations of 2SLGBTQ pride keeps happeningRead it →Jun 24, 2024Summer is the season for worrisome spikes in some bacteriaLangford Lake showing sporadic elevated levels of fecal bacteriaRead it →Jun 19, 2024Langford will support free transportation for youth and seniors at UBCM AGMFree public transportation for older adults makes for better overall health outcomesRead it →Jun 12, 2024Burst of seismic activity off the west shore of Vancouver Island focus of joint expeditionOcean Exploration Trust and Ocean Networks Canada team up for their eighth trip to deep sea observatoriesRead it →Jun 3, 2024First Aframax marks beginning of TMX tanker traffic in the Salish SeaTMX tanker traffic will soon move through the Strait of Juan de FucaRead it →May 22, 2024Sooke library branch is a gem in community buildingThe Sooke branch’s unique architecture and diverse programming help boost usershipRead it →May 15, 2024Victoria councillors are calling on the Westshore to step upCouncillors say the capital city has borne the burden of intersecting crisesRead it →May 13, 2024BC Parks just gave more people access to the outdoors on the WestshorePopular Westshore sites will get more visitors due to increased camping optionsRead it →May 8, 2024Printable handguns found in multiple police seizures in the WestshoreLow-cost printers make illegal handguns accessible to gangs and drug traffickersRead it →May 6, 2024Upholding Reconciliation Agreement means revisiting Centre Mountain construction scheduleReversing some elements of the schedule will help advance Scia’new First Nation business parkRead it →May 2, 2024The secret SixSide skatepark is an homage to grassroots skate culture—but is its time up?The question of what to do about the “rogue” park evades jurisdictional authorityRead it →Apr 17, 2024Solar-powered platform and flip baskets put a modern spin on an ancient harvestTo ensure its sustainability, T’Sou-ke First Nation is applying new technologies in its aquaculture initiativeRead it →Apr 8, 2024Heat pumps eclipse solar panels in developments in the WestshoreCost and practicality still barriers to adopting solar panel technology in homesRead it →Apr 3, 2024Federal government measures to protect orcas threaten livelihoods in the WestshoreThese measures include a static closure on Chinook salmon fishing from July 16 to Oct. 31Read it →Apr 2, 2024Colwood looks at new waste management vendorPlus, RCMP arrest man for indecent exposure, Langford community garden, open mic, and moreRead it →Apr 1, 2024Colwood agrees to explore single-vendor contract for waste managementLooking to reduce household costs, Colwood considers outsourcing solid waste collectionRead it →Mar 27, 2024Restorative justice programs emphasizing accountability are taking rootRJ keeps youth offenders out of the legal system in the WestshoreRead it →Mar 20, 2024Westshore municipalities to receive provincial Emergency Support Services fundingProvincial funding and increased training will enhance emergency response in the WestshoreRead it →Mar 18, 2024Bridge improvements mean faster commute times for Westshore residentsBridge upgrade project will reduce the Mackenzie “pinch” and duration of the Colwood crawlRead it →Mar 13, 2024Langford makes a corrective leap with its 15.6% tax hikeAfter years of using amenities funds to offset them, council turns to raising taxesRead it →Mar 4, 2024Langford councillors say recent legislation enables worrisome budgeting behaviourNew bill means less flexibility for municipalities in deciding how to spend amenity contribution fundsRead it →Feb 28, 2024CRD barreling ahead with its Water Supply Master Plan despite criticismThe plan represents billions in infrastructure spending but is it a sound investment?Read it →Feb 26, 2024Impacts of underwater radiated noise may be underrated in the Juan de FucaConvention vessel traffic and noise disrupts marine life along the Westshore coastRead it →Feb 21, 2024Coast Salish First Nations energy sovereignty gets funding boostT’Sou-ke, Malahat and Pacheedaht First Nations add to their clean energy repertoire with new provincial fundingRead it →Feb 12, 2024Langford begins its 2024 budget processDirector of finance presented the new budget to council in the first of many steps to approvalRead it →Jan 31, 2024Centre Mountain development displaying the growing pains of multi-jurisdictional projectsConvoluted road still ahead for major mixed industrial and residential use development projectRead it →Jan 29, 2024The two security towers are coming down at William Head InstitutionThe facility has completed an upgrade to its systems to increase securityRead it →Jan 22, 2024Slower, safer roads coming to LangfordLangford City Council approves traffic calming policyRead it →Jan 17, 2024Cold snap causing water woes on the WestshoreWater leaks and water restrictions in Port Renfrew part of new shifts in regional weather patternsRead it →Jan 15, 2024East Sooke Fire Department to benefit from provincial funding boostVolunteer fire brigade will use much-needed money to buy new hosesRead it →Jan 10, 2024Capital Bike helps Colwood gear up for fun and safe cyclingThe group is supporting events and programs that get more people out on their bikes in ColwoodRead it →Jan 8, 2024Municipal bylaws still reflect biases against First Nations cultural practicesIn some Westshore municipalities, Indigenous food sovereignty may contravene existing lawsRead it →Dec 19, 2023Local goodies to gift this holidayPlus, Colwood's climate resiliency, holiday displays, a lantern walk, and moreRead it →Dec 18, 2023Colwood City Council votes to expedite step codes to increase its climate resiliencyChoices around renewable energy sources inform council’s move to adopt new building codesRead it →Dec 13, 2023Indigenous people in Sooke now have more affordable housing optionsA multi-family apartment development that prioritizes Indigenous residents has opened in SookeRead it →Dec 11, 2023No spill response can eliminate risk to marine life in the Strait of Juan de FucaHeads from across sectors doing their best to prevent and mitigate oil spillsRead it →Nov 29, 2023Discovery of another ancient giant on the WestshoreFind of a giant Western redcedar renews calls for reduced thresholds for protectionRead it →Nov 20, 2023Langford and Sooke have gone to the birdsSooke and Langford have joined other Vancouver Island communities on BC Bird Trail’s list of experiencesRead it →Nov 14, 2023Rick Hansen Fund announced support to Ditidaht First NationThe funding will improve accessibility and servicesRead it →Nov 6, 2023Langford’s Urban Forest Management Plan finally making its way to lightRead it →Nov 1, 2023Westshore communities may be up for legislated emergency planning upgradesNew legislation will require more from municipalities for emergency planning and managementRead it →Oct 23, 2023Amendments to the Police Act don’t impact the WestshoreCommunities of more than 5,000 residents in BC are responsible for their own police servicesRead it →Oct 16, 2023Colwood development raises concerns for loss of treesLangford, Colwood experience ongoing growing pains due to regional growthRead it →Oct 12, 2023Membership in CRD Arts Council a key question in Colwood council meetingThe municipality will need to become a participating service member if it wants access to arts fundingRead it →Oct 5, 2023More transitional housing needed in Sooke for those fleeing domestic and family violencePlus, things to do this Thanksgiving weekend in the WestshoreRead it →Sep 27, 2023Langford city council announces its first draft strategic planA preview into needed expansionsRead it →