Good morning, Westshore!
I think this is the first time you’ve heard from here—I usually exclusively write for the Capital Daily newsletter. But for the past year and a bit, I have actually been a resident of the Westshore myself. There’s a lot to love about these westward communities, from easy access to nature to ever-so-slightly lower housing costs—which I’ve appreciated, considering the skyrocketing prices of everything. In fact, the new living wage for 2022 was announced today, and it’s gone up a lot from last year. Read more on that below.
Jolene, newsletter editor
NEWS
A noise map shows how highway traffic impacts nearby residents. (📸 : Realtor.ca)
Thetis Vale residents want noise buffer from highway
Traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway rushes by the homes in Thetis Vale at 90km/h or more, day and night. Some of the homes are within 50m of the highway—with just a flimsy, porous snow fence-like material standing between the homes and the din from the cars and trucks heading in and out of Victoria.
Cement barriers dampen some of the noise along much of the highway; now the residents of Thetis Vale are asking for the same.
“All we’re asking for is the same treatment that other communities receive,” said Ryan Painter, who lives in the area. Painter is gathering signatures to bring to his MLA, Mitzi Dean, asking for a buffer.
An online petition had 127 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon, but the standards of the Legislative Assembly call for physical signatures. So Painter has set about gathering those.
“What we really did was try to create some energy and buzz around what we’re doing here,” he said.
A noise map of Thetis Vale from the real estate website Realtor.ca shows many homes are in bright red areas—the loudest—while others are coloured yellow for their moderate noise levels. Areas farther into town, such as near Admirals Road where there are cement barriers, show a marked decrease in noise away from the highway.
Painter says the petition has the support of View Royal Mayor Sid Tobias. The highway is under provincial jurisdiction, so Tobias can’t do anything directly, but “he is doing a lot directly, he’s using his capacity as the mayor to elevate this issue, which we here all appreciate,” Painter said.
Tobias was not available for comment on Wednesday.
NEWS
Living wage jumps 20% in Greater Victoria, surpassing Vancouver
The hourly pay necessary for two people to support themselves and two children in Greater Victoria has jumped up to $24.29 this year—a 20% increase from the $20.46-per-hour living wage in 2021.
The living wage is calculated each year by the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria based on the costs of essentials like food, housing, transportation, and childcare. The number represents what two working parents of two young children must each earn to meet the family’s basic needs.
The cost of living is rising across the province, but Greater Victoria has been affected more than most, especially when it comes to high food prices. For the first time ever, this jump puts Victoria’s living wage above Vancouver. The only municipality higher than Victoria this year was Golden.
Read the full story by Capital Daily's Jolene Rudisuela
Around the 'Shore
🏛 Murder trial underway for escaped Metchosin prisoners: The trial for inmates Zachary Armitage and James Lee Busch—charged with the murder of 60-year-old Martin Payne during their time escaped from William Head Institution in 2019— started Monday. On Tuesday the pair’s lawyer told the judge that Armitage couldn’t attend due to a back injury and the trial was adjourned. [CTV]. Read Capital Daily’s coverage of the 2019 prison escape.
💯 Colourful Business 2022: Join this FREE expo in downtown Victoria featuring IBPOC- and new immigrant-owned businesses and impressive live entertainment!*
🚨**Police warn of public abduction attempt in Langford:**West Shore RCMP is looking for two men involved in an attempted abduction in the parking lot of the West Shore Town Centre Shoppers Drug Mart on Monday evening between 5-5:30pm. The first man is described as being in his late 20s or early 30s, with a darker complexion. He had a beard and is roughly 6’ tall. The second man is described as the same age, also with a dark complexion. He had facial hair and a beard. [West Shore RCMP]
👩 💻 Convenient online counselling when you’re sick and tired of living with anxiety, stress, burnout, and depression. Emotionally Aligned Counselling can help you get your life back.*
🚧 Drivers travelling overnight on Highway 1 through Goldstream Provincial Park can expect delays Thursday night as crews undertake geotechnical work. Beginning at 10pm Nov. 17 and finishing at 6am Nov. 18, single-lane alternating traffic will be in place to allow crews to measure the depth of the bedrock for planning purposes. Drivers may experience delays as long as 20 minutes.
*Sponsored Listing
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TOGETHER WITH FLIGHT CANNABIS
Who is Flight and what are they all about?
The entire Flight crew would like to welcome you aboard. Navigating the cannabis landscape can be daunting at first. Flight’s trained, expert consultants will guide you through their carefully curated selection of cannabis to craft your experience and ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need. Flight prides themselves on their approachable and inviting atmosphere and their highly knowledgeable, engaging cannabis consultants.
Wherever possible, they focus their procurement strategy on small-batch cultivated ‘craft’ cannabis products which exhibit particularly sought after characteristics and profile. They ensure cannabis grown by British Columbia producers is given priority.
Check out Flight’s website or follow them on their socials to ensure you stay up to date on all of their weekly and monthly deals.
Community Events
🎄 Magic of Christmas Artisan Market: Pacific Coast Market Collective is bringing back the Westshore’s largest holiday artisan market Nov. 19-20 from 10am-4pm at the Eagle Ridge Arena. Admission $3.
🏒 Westshore Wolves take on Port Alberni Bombers: Show some love for your home hockey team Friday night at the Q Centre where the Westshore Wolves will take on the Port Alberni Bombers. The game starts at 7pm, tickets available at the Q Centre on game day.
💉Make a life-saving donation. Tis the season of giving. Donate blood at Colwood Church on Nov. 21 from noon-6pm. Appointments can be made online or by calling 1-888-236-6283. If you can’t make it, the church will host another blood drive Dec. 19.
What's Offshore?
Nothing today!
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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAPITAL DAILY & UNITED WAY SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND
Help us help Victoria kids reach their full potential
For the third year in a row, Capital Daily and United Way Southern Vancouver Island are raising funds for vital Greater Victoria community programs. This year, your donations will support early childhood education, giving our local children the building blocks to succeed.
Join us for a free virtual event tonight from 6 to 7pm, to learn more about the importance of early childhood development from:
If you're a local business looking to partner with Capital Daily and United Way Southern Vancouver Island to support early childhood education by matching donations provided by readers in this year's Capital Daily Holiday Drive, please get in touch with us today.
Westshore Snaps
A pair of Tundra Swans make a migratory stop at Esquimalt Lagoon. I live in Colwood and love spending my time at the lagoon to watch the birds. — Marlene Mitchell, Colwood
📸 Snapped a photo you’d like to share? Send it with a caption and don’t forget to add where you live.