Victoria-based Very Good Butchers announced Thursday they will be partnering with the Pamela Anderson Foundation throughout October in support of animal rights and plant-based diets.

The Very Good Food Butchers, a manufacturer and distributor of plant-based meat products, says they will be donating a portion of their sales in October to the Pamela Anderson Foundation.

Island-born actress and model Pamela Anderson is a longtime supporter of animal and environmental rights and says the partnership will support her Foundation’s efforts.

“It is a thrill to have my Foundation associated with a butcher: a 21st-century butcher who uses technology to create plant foods that help animals, human health, and our planet,” Anderson said in a statement.

The partnership will be run through a promo code on the Very Good Butchers website and through the sale of specially marked packages in retail stores.

Customers can contribute by using the discount code “Pamela” on online orders for a 10 per cent discount. 25 per cent of proceeds from sales using the discount code will be donated to the Foundation.

10 per cent of proceeds from in-person purchases of specially marked packages will also be donated to the Foundation.

Products and information for the Very Good Butchers can be found on the company website.

She’ll be turning 18 just in time to vote. But Kate O’Connor is aiming a little bit higher with her first election: she’s running for office.

Yesterday, O’Connor was officially granted the candidacy for the BC Green Party in Saanich South.

She’ll be running against incumbent Lana Popham, who served as Minister of Agriculture under the minority government elected in 2017. Equity advocate Rishi Sharma is running with the BC Liberals.

O’Connor’s candidacy was announced by leader Sonia Furstenau alongside a slate of Greens running in the Greater Victoria area.

“Today means a lot for me,” O’Connor said in an interview with Victoria Buzz. “Sonia is a huge inspiration to me.”

She says she started out working with the recently-appointed leader on her leadership campaign. O’Connor volunteered on social media, and worked communications and geo targeting.

At 17, she is the youngest person currently seeking office in the 2020 provincial election. O’Connor will turn 18 on Oct. 9, ahead of general voting day on Oct. 24.

BC’s Elections Act says that a person must be 18 by general voting day in order to run, which could very well mean O’Connor is the youngest person in provincial history to seek office.

She says she would welcome more young people joining her in politics.

“The youngest MLA is 35,” O’Connor said. “The youngest 40 per cent of Canadians do not have a representative in government. We need youth engagement.”

The Green Party has also nominated young candidates in ridings like North Vancouver-Seymour, where 20-year-old student and activist Harrison Johnston is running.

O’Connor says it’s no coincidence that the environmentally-focused Green Party is attracting young people.

“We’re in a climate crisis. Young people are the ones who are going to be shouldering the burden.”

She added that the NDP have broken their promises on climate action, and haven’t stood up for environmental principles.

O’Connor says that while she may be up against a tough opponent with Popham, she intends to run with the sole purpose of winning.

“I for sure believe I have a chance in this race…I do think as a young woman I’m underestimated. I’ve definitely experienced that so far.”

In a political atmosphere that sees harassment directed against youth activists like Greta Thunberg and David Hogg, O’Connor recognizes that she is facing an uphill battle, but wants to break people out of their preconceptions.

She says that cynicism towards youth in politics is a self-defeating argument that excludes a huge portion of the electorate.

“Young people are often criticized and blamed by older, middle-aged people who say that young people aren’t engaged with politics, they aren’t voting,” she said.

“And then when younger people try to get involved and step up, they’re told ‘you’re too young, you’re not serious.’ And that’s a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.”

The young politician also recognizes that her candidacy serves a dual role in advocacy, serving as a possible inspiration for women in leadership.

“Growing up, even though female leadership has improved, I’ve seen a lack of women in leadership roles,” O’Connor says.

“I’m lucky that I have so many strong women, and men too, who’ve always advocated for me.”

She says she is proud to count Furstenau among those advocates, and says she looks forward to campaigning on issues they both prioritize.

Chief among those issues for O’Connor are mental health supports, indigenous-led conservation, and food security in the province.

Regardless of the outcome of the election, she says she hopes to pursue these values in whatever career she follows.

“I’m not set on politics for life,” O’Connor said. “But now is the time I feel I need to stand up.”

Correction: an earlier version of this article said that a candidate had not yet been announced for the BC Liberals. Rishi Sharma is running for the party in Saanich South.

One American man will now have to pay $2,000 more than he expected for a date gone wrong.

RCMP members with the force’s ShipRider Program arrested a man on Sunday after he illegally crossed the border from Washington state in a boat.

Police say they were patrolling the marine border in the Southern Gulf Islands region when they encountered a Seasport cabin cruiser out of Bellingham, WA.

The boat was anchored in the Crescent Beach Channel near Blackie Spit and was occupied by two people.

One was a 50-year-old woman from Surrey, BC, and the other was a 49-year-old US man from Bellingham.

Investigators discovered that the man had left his home port that morning and picked up his girlfriend at Elgin Park Marina in Surrey.

The man did not report his crossing into Canada and did not meet entry requirements under current COVID-19 restrictions.

Police arrested the man under the Customs Act and seized his vessel for failure to report to customs.

RCMP say that a search of the boat confirmed that the trip was only personal and no other criminality was involved.

The man was fined $1,000 for contravening the Quarantine Act and was released without further charges. He was also required to pay an additional $1,000 for the return of his boat, and was required to leave Canada immediately.

The woman was taken to Crescent Beach Marina, where she obtained a ride back to her vehicle. She planned to self-isolate and get a COVID-19 test if she experienced any symptoms in the next 14 days.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented economic crisis that followed, many Canadians have been relying on federal and provincial benefits programs to make ends meet.

But now that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit—the largest aid program available to struggling residents—is coming to an end, some new benefits are expected to take its place.

The Trudeau government received unanimous approval from the House of Commons early Wednesday morning for a variety of measures aimed at providing economic relief to Canadians.

Bill C-4 contains three new benefits intended to replace CERB, which is set to end on October 3, 2020.

Here is a quick breakdown of the programs and how people will be able access them.

Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)

The first benefit outlined in Bill C-4 most closely resembles the outgoing CERB program. It offers weekly payments of $500, for two-week periods, after which recipients must reapply.

Applicants may apply for up to 13 two-week periods, until September 25, 2021.

The CRB is available for residents of Canada who:

• Have a valid social insurance number (SIN)
• Are over the age of 15
• Earned at least $5,000 in the past year, from employment income, self employed income, Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, or pregnancy/child benefits
• Lost at least 50 per cent of their income due to COVID-19
• Are not currently receiving EI
• Are actively seeking work and/or have not declined either reasonable offers to return to work or new offers of employment
• Are not receiving either of the other two benefits outlined in Bill C-4 (more below)

Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

This benefit is very similar to CRB, but is intended for people who have either contracted or may have contracted COVID-19.

It offers a $500 payment for a maximum of two weeks to people who lose work due to self-isolating, contracting the virus, or from being more susceptible due to underlying conditions.

CRSB requires that applicants be residents of Canada who:

• Have a valid SIN
• Are over the age of 15
• Earned at least $5,000 in the past year, from employment income, self employed income, EI benefits, or pregnancy/child benefits
• Lost at least 50 per cent of their income due to COVID-19
• Are not currently receiving EI
• Are not receiving either of the other two benefits outlined in Bill C-4

CRSB will also be implemented until September 25, 2021.

Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)

The last of three benefit streams is targeted for parents and caregivers of children and family members in need of supervised care.

Like the other two programs, it offers $500 payments, in this case for single-week periods up to a maximum of 26 weeks. It also is set to end on September 25, 2021.

The same eligibility criteria as CRSB applies, except the person applying should have lost income due to:

• Caring for a child under 12 who missed school due to COVID-19
• Caring for a child under 12 who contracted COVID-19 or is at serious risk of contracting COVID-19
• Caring for a family member who requires supervised care and was unable to attend a day program or facility due to it being closed for COVID-19 related reasons
• Caring for a family member who requires supervised care and was unable to attend a day program or facility due to the family member either contracting COVID-19 or self-isolating due to COVID-19 related reasons

The bill was introduced to the Senate Wednesday afternoon, but is expected to pass with benefits beginning as soon as next week.

Results from the Nanaimo Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count released this week show an increasing number of unhoused people on Vancouver Island.

According to the PIT count, the minimum number of homeless people in Nanaimo is 433, but is likely closer to 600.

Of those individuals, 71 per cent said they had lived in the city for more than five years, and had moved there for reasons related to work, school, and family.

A majority (68 per cent) identified as male, and over half were between the ages of 25 to 44.

Indigenous people continue to be disproportionately represented in the city’s homeless population, with a third of those surveyed having First Nations, Metis or Indigenous ancestry.

That figure is a substantial increase from the 2016 PIT Count, when 24 per cent of respondents identified as having Indigenous ancestry.

The report also identified a critical lack of shelter space in Nanaimo, with only 150 spaces available for homeless individuals.

Projects undertaken by the province and BC Housing were identified as current actions being used to address the issue.

Over 300 new affordable homes are being built in Nanaimo, including permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, and a new 60-bed navigation centre with clinical supports was also announced in September.

The PIT Count was conducted in March 2020 by trained volunteers surveying individuals in shelters, short-term housing, and sleeping rough on the streets.

Last week, five days after John Horgan called a snap election in B.C., Victoria Buzz launched an online poll to gauge what issues matter the most to our readers.

We asked readers to mark the issues they would like to hear stances, policies and platforms on from party leaders, before we head to the polls on October 24.

Over the course of four days, we received more than 700 responses from our audience, each of whom chose one or more topics that are most important for them to hear about from provincial politicians.

For most respondents, the province’s dual public health emergency took precedence, as over 65 per cent selected ‘Mental health, addiction, and overdose crisis’ and ‘COVID-19 recovery plan’ as their top priorities for parties to address.

The lack of affordable housing and growing homeless population in cities across B.C. was also top of mind for over 60 per cent of people who took the survey.

These are the full results:

In addition to these 10 categories, over 100 people offered their own ideas of issues and topics for political leaders to address.

The need to put an end to old growth forest logging, reform the police system, help the hospitality and tourism sector, and address income inequality were all relevant points brought up by survey participants.

Other, perhaps more light hearted suggestions, included abolishing Daylight Saving Time, stopping the construction of more bike lanes in Victoria, “getting rid of Lisa Helps”, and ending “mandatory exposure to microwave radiation in our schools”.

We’ll come back to those later (maybe).

Over the next few weeks, our reporters will focus on questioning the leaders of the three main parties, John Horgan, Andrew Wilkinson, and Sonia Furstenau, on their platforms and what they plan to do about each of the issues YOU deemed most important ahead of the snap election next month.

In doing so, we’ll be compiling their responses in our daily coverage to offer you a comprehensive understanding of each party’s platform, so you can make an informed decision come October 24.

Make sure to follow our coverage of the 2020 B.C. provincial election campaign, compiled in one neat spot, to hear more about what our future leaders plan to do about the issues at stake.

British Columbia remains in the longest state of emergency the province has ever seen after a further extension on Tuesday.

The province has extended the provincial state of emergency for the 14th time on September 29 after the previous extension period ran out.

Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth initially declared a state of emergency on March 18 as a result of COVID-19, which was originally in effect for 14 days.

See also:  146 COVID-19 cases in reported over B.C. Day long weekend, no new deaths

It was then extended 13 times by Premier Horgan, on March 31, April 15, April 29, May 13th, May 27, June 10, June 24, July 7, July 22, August 4, August 18, September 1, and September 15.

Tuesday’s announcement further extends the state of emergency until the end of day on October 13, 2020.

The state of emergency allows the province to keep in place emergency measures like the ones that allow police officers to issue violation tickets for party hosts and guests that flaunt COVID-19 safety rules.

In the first week of these new enforcement measures (Aug. 21 -n28), 10 violation tickets were issued. This includes six $2,000 violation tickets for contraventions of the PHO’s order on gatherings and events, and four $200 violation tickets issued to individuals.

Declarations of emergency can be extended by the province by increments of 14 days at a time, under the Emergency Program Act.

The province is still in the midst of a spike in the number of daily cases, with over 100 new cases reported almost everyday in the past month.

A large portion of these have been attributed to private events, social gatherings, and workplace exposures.

The District of Saanich announced on Tuesday that they have acquired a new piece of park land that was donated by a local man through his will.

The late Mr. Brian Patriquin instructed that a portion of his property at 1360 Queensbury Street be gifted to the District upon his death.

Patriquin’s donation is a parcel of seasonal wetland which is part of the greater wetland known as King’s Pond, off Queensbury Avenue.

The District says that the transfer of land fulfills Patriquin’s intentions and contributes to Saanich’s park goals. It was identified for acquisition in the Quadra Local Area Plan.

The donated half-acre will link up King’s Pond Park to the north and Cedar Hill Park to the south.

Patriquin also asked that the pond on the donated parcel be named “Jenkins Pond” in honour of his maternal grandparents, who also resided on the property.

The District says that in recognition of this wish the new parcel has been named “Jenkins Pond Park” and will be commemorated with a bench next to the pond.

“The Queensbury home/farm was a place where people in the surrounding area could enjoy the serenity,” said a family representative.

“Brian loved those memories and cherished the gift of owning the property after his grandparents and mom passed away. His idea from the start was to give the land and pond to Saanich so they can continue to be the great stewards of the property that he was.”

Nanaimo RCMP are searching for a man who allegedly spat on a security guard at a store inside Woodgrove Shopping Centre earlier this month.

In a statement released Tuesday, police say the suspect spat on the Loss Prevention Officer, or security guard, when they were confronted for shoplifting.

The incident occurred at around 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 19 in Walmart located at Woodgrove mall.

It was reported to police that the suspect became confrontational and spat on the guard several times before running from the store.

He is described as a white man in his 30s, of medium build, and has light coloured hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a brown/green jacket.

Police are now seeking public assistance in identifying the suspect

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 and quote file # 2020-34521.

Victoria police and firefighters responded to a fire in the 1000-block of Foul Bay Road Tuesday afternoon.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. VicPD tweeted that they were on site and asked people to avoid the area using alternate routes.

Eyewitness accounts said the fire was at the Good Earth Cafe on the corner of Oak Bay Ave and Foul Bay Road.

In a phone call with Victoria Buzz, Victoria Fire Deputy Chief of Operations Dan Atkinson said that the fire was the result of an electrical issue.

“There was no structural damage to the building itself,” Atkinson said. “Luckily it occurred in the middle of a concrete structure.”

Firefighters were first called to the scene at about 12:10 p.m.

Because of the time needed to find the source of the fire, it took about 30 minutes after arrival for crews to extinguish the blaze.

No injuries were reported in the fire.

Victoria has opened the latest addition to the city’s cycling network as GoByBike week kicks off from September 28 to October 4.

The newest bike lanes on Harbour Road are two-way and protected by a curb. With the lanes now open for public use cyclists can connect to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail from protected bike lanes on Pandora Avenue.

“I know we’ve all been limiting our interactions and sometimes just staying inside our homes to limit the spread of the pandemic,” said Mayor Lisa Helps.

“Cycling on our family-friendly network of bike lanes is a terrific way to get outside, get some fresh air and exercise and also get where you need to go safely, affordably and
sustainably.”

Work continues on cycling network additions on Vancouver, Jackson, and Graham Streets. Some portions of this route will use a shared-road design while others will have curb separated bike lanes.

The corridor is scheduled to be completed in early 2021.

The City is also inviting feedback for preliminary bike lane designs for Oaklands, Fernwood, and Fort Street Central corridors.

Residents, businesses and commuters can visit engage.victoria.ca for information on the routes and to offer feedback.

Craving an afternoon cup of joe, or a quick snack break?

Two of the largest coffee chains in Canada are giving away free treats today, September 29, in celebration of National Coffee Day 2020!

Tim Hortons fans can head to their nearest location to grab a free coffee when they place a mobile order today.

Customers are required to make a minimum purchase of $0.50 through the Tim Hortons mobile app to get their free coffee.

The deal is limited to one free coffee per person, and can be availed at any participating store across the country.

On the flip side, Starbucks Canada is offering a similar deal for September 29 only, but on bakery items instead.

Patrons who use the Starbucks mobile app to order any handcrafted beverage today will receive an in-app coupon redeemable for a free bakery item on their next visit.

Some restrictions apply—the coupon won’t get you a breakfast sandwich, ham and cheese croissant, packaged food or multi-serve items (like a bag of chips), but everything else is on the table.

The in-app coupon does expire three days after receipt so don’t hold on to it for too long!

Several West Shore RCMP officers, along with a concerned person, are credited with saving the life of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis Monday morning.

A concerned citizen called police around 10:20 a.m. after noticing a woman walking near the 300 block of Old Island Hwy. She was reportedly crying and appeared to be in distress.

The woman had just made her way to the railway overpass on the Old Island Highway as West Shore RCMP officers arrived.

The officers approached the woman just as she climbed over the top of the railing and began sliding down.

“It was clear that the woman was experiencing a mental health crisis,” said Const. Nancy Saggar.

Traffic underneath the overpass was temporarily stopped as two additional officers rushed over and grabbed a hold of the woman, bringing her back over the top of the railing to safety.

“There is no doubt that they helped save her from serious injury or worse. She was taken to the hospital and our hope is that she receives the care she needs. We want to thank the concerned citizen for calling police as well as our officers for their quick actions”, said Cst. Nancy Saggar added.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the Vancouver Island Crisis Line at 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-784-2433. You can also visit them online.

BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson promised voters on Tuesday that if elected, his government would not only cut PST, they would do it without slashing any services.

His comments came during a campaign stop in Campbell River, where Wilkinson joined North Island candidate Norm Facey in front of a backdrop of forestry and logging equipment.

Wilkinson said that the Liberal proposal to cancel PST completely for one year, followed by a reduction in the tax rate to three per cent, would help businesses that purchase equipment like the vehicles used in the North Island logging industry.

“Let’s be clear: this provincial sales tax cut will not lead to any reduction in services in British Columbia,” Wilkinson said in response to a question about the Liberal proposal.

The BC Government’s fiscal year-end estimate for March 2021 indicated that the province was expected to take in nearly $8 billion in revenue from provincial sales taxes.

In subsequent years, the Liberals say a three per cent rate cut could cost the province nearly $4 billion in revenue.

The BC NDP slammed the proposal, with leader John Horgan saying that eliminating the PST will not build schools or help the homeless.

In a statement, the incumbent party said that their government has already brought in a one-year 100 per cent PST rebate for machinery and equipment as part of their Economic Recovery Plan.

They added that PST does not apply to essential costs like rent, childcare and food.

In response, Wilkinson said that the PST is a regressive tax and hurts low-income people the most.

“The goal of getting rid of a provincial sales tax is to make it easier for low-income people to get back into the workforce.”

2020 has been a whirlwind of a year and many Victorians have been left with their purse strings feeling a little tight.

Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or a full-time job, we don’t blame you for wanting to supplement your income!

That’s why we’ve put together a list of eight companies hiring in Victoria that offer more than minimum wage and require no experience.

From administrative assistant to prep cook to sales representative, this list has something for everyone, and some of these positions are a great way to get your foot in the door of an industry that interests you.

Without further ado, here are eight jobs in Victoria, currently hiring, that will pay you more than minimum wage and require no experience!

Early Morning Sorter

• Company: UPS Canada
• Salary: $17.00 / hour 
• Why You Should Apply: UPS offers full benefits and tuition reimbursement for all its employees. 
• Apply Here

Sales Representative

• Company: Koodo/Telus
• Salary: $18.00 – $30.00 / an hour 
• Why You Should Apply: This position offers both commission and bonus pay, so you’ll be raking in the cash. 
• Apply Here

Order Desk and Admin

• Company: Portofino Bakery
• Salary: $16.50 / hour
• Why You Should Apply: If you’ve ever tried Portofino bread, you won’t need to be told why working here would be a great idea. That being said, they also offer full benefits and yearly raises!
• Apply Here

Lot Attendant 

• Company: Gain Group
• Salary: $15.00 / hour, with a raise to $17.00 an hour after three months
• Why You Should Apply: Spend your days shining BMWs! This position offers full benefits and car purchasing incentives. It is important to note, however, that this position requires a driver’s license! 
• Apply Here

Dishwasher / Prep Cook 

• Company: Nautical Nellies
• Salary: $16.00 / hour + tips 
• Why You Should Apply: Work at this quintessential Victoria eatery that offers staff and family discounts. 
• Apply Here

Elections BC workers

• Company: Elections BC
• Salary: Up to $490 for one day of work
• Why You Should Apply: This is good money for a few training sessions and one 14-hour day of work! If you have the ability to be impartial and non-partisan for the day, then get your civic duty on and make some money! General Voting Day is Saturday, October 24 so make sure your clear your schedule for that day.
• Apply Here

Prep Cook/Dishwasher

• Company: Ferris’ Restaurant
• Salary: $16.00 – $18.00 / hour
• Why You Should Apply: With extended health care, full 8-hour shifts, and Red Seal apprenticeship opportunities, you’re not going to be able to turn this one down! 
• Apply Here

Store Greeter

• Company: Heirloom Linens
• Salary: $15.00 / hour 
• Why You Should Apply: This position offers a nice store discount and, we don’t know if you’ve ever tried linen bed sheets, but if you have, you’ll know why this is worth it! Shifts are on weekends, so if you’re in school, or have another job, this could be perfect for you. 
• Apply Here

Central Saanich police impounded a Lamborghini Sunday night after the driver was caught going 65 km/h over the posted limit.

In a tweet, police say the driver was nabbed travelling 145 km/h in an 80 zone on Highway 17.

The driver was served a ticket totaling $960 in fines, including $483 for speeds exceeding 60 km/h, $368 for driving without care and attention, and $109 for failing to signal a lane change.

They also received an 11 point demerit. Their vehicle, a Lamborhini Aventador, was impounded.

The Aventador has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $464,009.

Central Saanich Police say that witnesses to the incident can call Cst. Clandening at 250-652-4441, and quote file #20-3043.

Victoria city council will vote this week on a motion to make the city’s “Get Growing, Victoria” seedling distribution program permanent.

The motion has been brought forward by councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday, the original architects of the program, which began in April 2020.

Since it started, the initiative has grown and distributed 81,000 vegetable seedlings to residents with a goal of increasing local food security.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated gaps in our local food system and in our social and economic fabric,” Isitt said in a statement.

“Get Growing, Victoria has been a big success, supporting community members in building a more resilient local food system.”

Seedlings were distributed in two seasonal rounds: a Spring/Summer distribution in May and June, and a Fall/Winter distribution in August.

Isitt and Loveday’s motion calls on council to implement “Get Growing, Victoria” on an annual basis and asks for input from Urban Food Table and other stakeholders in the continuation of the program.

“Food security isn’t just an issue we should care about during a pandemic,” says Loveday.

“Municipalities can play an important role in ensuring people have access to everything they need to begin to grow their own food.”

The motion will be voted on Thursday at the Committee of the Whole meeting.

A woman died after being struck by a vehicle near Nanaimo Airport early Monday morning, according to the RCMP.

Officers supported by the Cranberry Volunteer Fire Department and BC Ambulance responded to a report of a collision on Highway 1 south of the airport.

Police say a pedestrian who had been hit by a vehicle travelling southbound died from her injuries before crews arrived.

BC Ambulance transported the driver of the vehicle, a small blue Nissan sedan, to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Ladysmith RCMP and the BC Coroners Service, supported by the South Island Traffic Services and a traffic analyst, are still investigating.

RCMP say that initial findings from their investigation show that speed, alcohol and distracted driving do not appear to be factors.

“Investigators are reaching out to motorists and pedestrians who witnessed or, may have video leading up to, the crash to contact the Ladysmith RCMP,” says Corporal Chris Manseau, BC RCMP Division Media Relations Officer.

Manseau says the victim, a 37-year-old woman, was walking a dog at the time of the incident. He was unable to confirm if the dog was injured or deceased.

Southbound lanes of Hwy 1 were closed for several hours, and are expected to re-open shortly.

RCMP urge anyone who witnessed the incident or observed the woman pedestrian walking her dog along Highway 1 prior to the collision to contact the Ladysmith RCMP at 250-245-2215

If you or someone you know needs help, call the B.C. Crisis Centre Distress Line number at 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-784-2433.

At a press briefing on Monday afternoon, BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau announced a host of new candidates, most of whom are running in the Vancouver area.

“We have a physicist, a climate scientist, a lawyer, a councillor, a software engineer, [tech engineer], queer activist, filmmaker and story-teller…,” said Furstenau, expressing excitement about the skill sets of the candidates running for the party.

These are the candidates announced Monday, September 28:

The following BC Green Party candidates were announced on September 26:

In addition, the party nominated business owner Chris Istace to represent them in the Nanaimo-North Cowichan riding.

Istace will be facing off against incumbent NDP MLA Doug Routley and BC Liberals candidate Duck Paterson.

The BC Green Party currently holds two seats in parliament: Adam Olsen representing Saanich North and the Islands, and party leader Sonia Furstenau representing the Cowichan Valley riding.

This brings the BC Green Party to a total of 30 candidates, out of a total 87 ridings necessary to have a full slate.

When asked whether the party will be able to run with a full slate, Furstenau said that unlike the BC NDP, the BC Greens did not have the benefit of knowing a snap election was on the way and therefore had not had the same amount of time to prepare candidate nominations.

However she added that the party would be doing everything they can to ensure they have as many candidates lined up as possible.

The BC Green Party is also expected to announce their campaign platform “in the coming days”.

The candidate nomination deadline according to Elections BC is Friday, October 2.

BC-born actor Ryan Reynolds has pledged financial support to bring more Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) into the film industry.

The Hollywood A-lister says he is kicking off a new project called “The Group Effort Initiative” which will see him directly paying for 10 to 20 BIPOC individuals to work on an upcoming project.

“Making a film is a group effort, but for entirely too long that group has systemically excluded Black, Indigenous, people of color and several other marginalized communities,” said Reynolds in a statement.

“This is a global problem which will not be fixed overnight, but change can start locally and immediately.”

He says the project is available for people aged 18 and up who identify as BIPOC or a member of a marginalized community.

In addition to paying for the salaries of selected individuals, the Deadpool star will also directly pay for their housing and transportation costs during the film shoot.

Details for the project have yet to be announced, but Reynolds thanked Netflix and Skydance Media for their support on the initiative, suggesting it will be a joint production with the two companies.

He added that the Group Effort Initiative will hopefully provide a foundation for BIPOC individuals who wish to pursue film careers, and can serve as a model for other productions.

“Since it’s called ‘Group Effort,’ we’re hoping that people with the privilege that I’m lucky enough to experience will join in that effort,” said Reynolds.

Applications for the Group Effort Initiative are open online until 9 p.m. PST on October 1.

For the second time in a month, an orca baby has been born in a pod of whales that suffered a tragic loss in 2018.

Researchers with the Washington-based Centre for Whale Research announced on Friday that the group of whales designated J-pod has another new calf.

The latest calf, which has yet to be designated while teams determine its health and condition, was born to mother J-41.

Naturalists aboard Orca Spirit Adventures, a Victoria-based whale watching tour agency, say they were fortunate enough to witness the birth.

“It was an emotional time as we processed what was happening in front of us,” said Lea Vanderwiel, one of the people on board the vessel that was present, in a statement.

“It took a few minutes to realize what was actually happening, but then it was pure excitement realizing that it was a birth and the baby was very alive and boisterous.”

The Centre for Whale Research says that 40 per cent of newborn calves do not survive their neonatal first few weeks.

If the newest calf survives it would bring the population of Southern Resident Killer Whales to a total of 74. The birth is the second calf in a month for the pod.

The first calf in September, designated J-35, was born to a mother who made international headlines in 2018 with a heart-wrenching display of carrying her dead calf for 17 days in an extended period of mourning.

Centre for Whale Research field staff have been monitoring J-pod and encountered the whales near Sheringham Point, B.C. on Friday, but have not yet announced any updates on the newest calf’s health.

At a campaign stop Monday morning, BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson announced that his party plans to eliminate the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) for one year if they are voted in on October 24.

Wilkinson added that after one year, the PST would be reduced from 7 per cent to 3 percent in the year after, “until the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Eliminating PST puts more money in people’s pockets, stimulates growth for struggling small business, and helps British Columbians who are struggling to get by. This is a vital step to rebuild our economy,” said Wilkinson in a statement.

He added that the move would save a family of four about $1,700 a year. In the first year, the PST elimination would also account for approximately $7.5 billion in lost tax revenue.

Wilkinson did not comment on whether the Liberals would remove anything from the budget as a result of the tax cut, but said they would not reduce spending on health care and education.

At a concurrent campaign stop, NDP leader John Horgan appeared caught off guard by his opponent’s announcement, stating that he had not yet seen it.

“When Mr. Wilkinson makes promises about taxes, historically they have been for the wealthy and well-connected,” added Horgan.

In a statement released later in the day, BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau said the tax cut showed “an astounding lack of imagination” from the BC Liberal Party.

“This old school style of economics is not what B.C. needs to recover. We need to target our recovery efforts to the economic sectors that need it most,” she said.

The PST elimination, if the BC Liberals are elected, would take effect immediately and straddle two fiscal years.

West Shore RCMP have recaptured a dangerous high-risk sex offender who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for being unlawfully at large.

On September 25th, the Victoria Police  issued an alert warning residents that 56-year-old Scott Jones was at large in the community.

Jones was caught in Langford Sunday morning with the help of a quick-thinking taxi driver.

According to a media release from RCMP, at around 9:20 a.m., police received a call from Mohammed Rashead, a taxi driver with Blue Bird, who told police a man had given him money and asked him to go inside the Superstore on Langford Parkway to buy new clothes for him.

The man told the cabbie he couldn’t go inside himself, because he was sought by police, according to an RCMP media release.

Following this, the cab driver alerted the RCMP of Jones’ whereabouts.

West Shore RCMP Const. Meighan Massey arrived at the scene and recognized Jones from the alert issued by VicPD.

When Jones noticed Massey approaching, he proceeded to barricade himself in the taxi and tried to light the upholstery on fire, said Const. Nancy Saggar, media relations for West Shore RCMP.

Constable Massey then smashed the window and arrested him.

After the arrest, Rashead told RCMP: “I did my duty as a citizen and am happy I helped the RCMP catch such a dangerous man.”

West Shore RCMP arrested Jones for being unlawfully at large as well as mischief for the damaged caused by the fire to the inside of the cab. Thankfully no one was injured in this incident.

According to court documents, Jones served five years in prison for rape, gross indecency, and the attempted rape of three girls aged 10, 12 and 13 in 1982. When the police sought to arrest Jones for these incidents, he confronted them with a loaded shotgun.

In 1986, while on parole, he was charged with three counts of sexual assault with a weapon and three counts of unlawful confinement for the following:

• On October 24, 1986, Jones sexually assaulted a 26-year-old woman, having forced her into his car and confined her there.
• Jones was alleged to have committed a sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl on October 26, 1986.
• On November 5, one day after being questioned for the earlier sexual assaults, Jones sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl at knifepoint.

He was charged with three counts of sexual assault with a weapon and three counts of unlawful confinement.

Jones has since been transferred to Victoria police custody.

It is unclear what conditions Jones was under when he became at large.