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Thursday, February 26, 2026
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West Shore & Sooke

wet leaves, raking, yard

Langford FireSmart depots March 7, 14, & 21

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Wednesday February 25, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends If you're clearing up your yard to remove potential fire-hazard vegetation, there's a place in Langford where you can drop off...
district of metchosin, map

District of Metchosin welcomes new fire chief

tree, orange leaves, park

Langford approves new Parks and Trails Master Plan

langford council

How much will 2026 property tax go up in Langford?

Business & Economy

cupw, ballot box

Postal worker vote ending May 30 means further uncertainty for Canada...

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Wednesday February 25, 2026 | News analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) finalized the language of the tentative agreements for the Urban...
map, mexico

Air Canada flights out of Mexico

david eby, ravi kahlon

Eby & Kahlon announce $400-million BC Strategic Investment Fund

winter olympics, 2026, medal count

Canada brings home 21 medals from 2026 Winter Olympics

Health & Safety

health minister, josie osborne

Pharmaceuticals for diabetes and menopause now covered in BC

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Thursday February 26, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. (Nutrition) | Island Social Trends Enhanced drug coverage for people with diabetes and menopause starts March 1, 2026 in British Columbia. This boost in coverage...
Dan Levitt, bc seniors advocate

BC Budget 2026 disappoints BC Seniors Advocate: aging population needs more...

premier David Eby, nina krieger

BC Premier Eby on the Tumbler Ridge shooting

prime minister, mark carney

Prime Minister Carney’s statement on the shooting in Tumbler Ridge

Environment & Sustainability

wet leaves, raking, yard

Langford FireSmart depots March 7, 14, & 21

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Wednesday February 25, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends If you're clearing up your yard to remove potential fire-hazard vegetation, there's a place in Langford where you can drop off...
tree, orange leaves, park

Langford approves new Parks and Trails Master Plan

camping, tent

BC Parks: Camping fee increases to support sustainable well-maintained parks

panama flats, saanich

Dogs to remain on leashes in Panama Flats in Saanich

Greater Victoria / CRD

multi-unit, saanich, tenants, housing

Saanich strengthens supports for tenants evicted due to redevelopment

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Saturday February 14, 2026 | SAANICH, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Saanich’s new Tenant Protection Bylaw has been brought in to ensure that more tenants who are evicted due to redevelopment are...
Douglas Street, near Topaz

BC Hydro upgrade work along Douglas St to Feb 20

bay street bridge, traffic

Starting Feb 17: Bay St Bridge eastbound closed for 4 months

community grants, bc, categories

Community grants support PACs, youth, arts, sport, environment, public safety

Lottery News

lotto max, winning numbers, feb 24

No big winners in Feb 24 Lotto Max draw, next jackpot...

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Wednesday February 25, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC Lottery insights by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The Lotto Max draw on Tuesday February 24 did not produce any big winners (except two winners of...
lotto max, winning numbers

No big winners in Feb 20 Lotto Max draw, next jackpot...

estimated jackpot, lotto max

Next Lotto Max jackpot $40 million after no big winners on...

community grants, bc, categories

Community grants support PACs, youth, arts, sport, environment, public safety

Politics

health minister, josie osborne

Pharmaceuticals for diabetes and menopause now covered in BC

Island Social Trends - 0
Thursday February 26, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. (Nutrition) | Island Social Trends Enhanced drug coverage for people with diabetes and menopause starts March 1, 2026 in British Columbia. This boost in coverage...
david eby, ravi kahlon

Eby & Kahlon announce $400-million BC Strategic Investment Fund

dana lajeunesse, Bill M226

MLA Lajeunesse’s Private Members Bill M-226 Xavier’s Law gets Second Reading

expensive home, fancy cars

Civil Forfeiture Act to improve BC’s ability to seize forfeited proceeds...

Education

steenjamp, dowhy

Royal Roads University and SD62 sign MOU for dual credit courses 

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Friday February 20, 2026 | COLWOOD, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Royal Roads University (RRU) and Sooke School District 62 (SD62) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets the stage for developing new...
portable classroom

Portable classrooms arriving for Tumbler Ridge Secondary

premier David Eby, nina krieger

BC Premier Eby on the Tumbler Ridge shooting

prime minister, mark carney

Prime Minister Carney’s statement on the shooting in Tumbler Ridge

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI, ChatGPT

Tumbler Ridge shooter was blocked on ChatGPT for gun violence content

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Saturday February 21, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Open AI has revealed that it was aware of concerning content online using their product Chat GPT by the Tumbler Ridge...
kahlon, mcGuinty

McGuinty & Navy commander in Victoria to review national defence with...

Evan Solomon, AI minister

AI legislation & investment are key to a safe sovereign country,...

Food Supply & Healthy Eating

stephanie mclean, seniors, house of commons

Secretary of State (Seniors) Stephanie McLean takes Vancouver Island interests to...

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Tuesday January 27, 2026 | SAANICH, BC News feature by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Things are pretty upbeat in Ottawa this week, in the wake of a two-day cabinet planning meeting and...
mark carney, prime minister

Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit replaces GST rebate to help Canadians...

Sooke Seedy Saturday, 2026

Sooke Seedy Saturday 2026 coming up Feb 28

Vivent, biosignals, plants, growing

BC Centre for Agritech Innovation supports new smart-farming system partnership with...

Housing

boyle, robertson, greaves, houinsg

Housing Minister Robertson joins BC Housing Minister for DASH housing innovation...

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Wednesday February 18, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends BC continues to work on the housing supply challenge. Today an announcement by BC Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle announced...
house, million, victoria

Higher school property tax rates in BC starting 2027

multi-unit, saanich, tenants, housing

Saanich strengthens supports for tenants evicted due to redevelopment

Arts & Entertainment

community grants, bc, categories

Community grants support PACs, youth, arts, sport, environment, public safety

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Thursday February 5, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends More than 2,500 organizations in BC received more than $53 million through Community Gaming Grants in 2025-2026 (Report Period: April...
Canada Soccer, EB Games, logos

Canadian soccer business ecosystem welcomes EB Games

dine around, food, victoria

Annual dine-around-Victoria event on now to Feb 8

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