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Friday, April 17, 2026
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West Shore & Sooke

Langford, housing strategy

Langford housing strategy survey open to May 3

Island Social Trends - 0
Wednesday April 16, 2026 | LANGFORD, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends A plan to address housing challenges in Langford is underway. At the same time, the City is updating how it...
sooke, municipal hall

Sooke property owners see 10.5% tax increase in 2026

Langford, public input, arts and culture

Last chance for input to Langford’s Arts & Culture strategy

Langford, mayor, child care building

Langford asset: child care centre & art studio building breaks ground

Business & Economy

gas meter

FortisBC upgrades to wireless gas meters in Metchosin within province-wide project

Island Social Trends - 0
Friday April 17, 2026 | METCHOSIN, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends FortisBC advanced gas meter exchanges will be done in the rural District of Metchosin on June 8 to 19, 2026. The...
samsung, canada soccer

Samsung Canada lands exclusive TV and mobile partnership with Canada Soccer

sooke, municipal hall

Sooke property owners see 10.5% tax increase in 2026

avi lewis, ndp leader, don davies, heather mcpherson

NDP: oil company price cap better than gasoline pump tax holiday

Health & Safety

Dr Henry, Josie Osborne

BC toxic drug overdose crisis continues after 10 years

Island Social Trends - 0
Friday April 17, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The drug overdose crisis that was declared a public health emergency in British Columbia is now 10 years in. People use drugs...
house fire, sooke

One person deceased in Sooke house fire Easter morning

MVI, colwood

Collision at Ocean Boulevard in Colwood on Easter Sunday

Jeremy Hansen, lunch

Artemis II: Day 3 meals & tech work

Environment & Sustainability

emergency preparedness week

BC strengthens emergency support for evacuees

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Friday April 17, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The Province is providing nearly $2.5 million through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for 54 Emergency Support Services projects. The goals is...
creatively united, earth day event, 2026

Earth Week webinar: balancing nature’s needs with fire protection

wind blowing, wind warning

Windy Easter Monday afternoon & overnight into Tuesday

Let's Chat Langford, surveys

Got time? Three Langford surveys on Easter weekend

Greater Victoria / CRD

bay street bridge, traffic

Bay St Bridge night closure Thursday April 16

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Thursday April 16, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends This news was first published on January 27 (and February 3 and 13, 2026) City of Victoria says the closure is...
highway 17, keating

Keating X Rd on-ramp to Hwy 17 closed for a week

playground, slide

Victoria Police make playground arson arrest

wind blowing, wind warning

Windy Easter Monday afternoon & overnight into Tuesday

Technology

gas meter

FortisBC upgrades to wireless gas meters in Metchosin within province-wide project

Island Social Trends - 0
Friday April 17, 2026 | METCHOSIN, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends FortisBC advanced gas meter exchanges will be done in the rural District of Metchosin on June 8 to 19, 2026. The...
samsung, canada soccer

Samsung Canada lands exclusive TV and mobile partnership with Canada Soccer

Jeremy Hansen, astronaut, NASA

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen enthusiastic about space flight impact on humanity

Mark Carney, Stubb

Canada & Finland make joint statement on shared security & economic...

Lottery News

white ball, 649, gold ball

$1 million 649 Lotto gold ball winner in Ontario

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Friday April 17, 2026 | NATIONAL by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The Lotto 649 game produced a $1 million Gold Ball winner on April 15, 2026. The Gold Ball winning number (a White Ball)...
winning numbers, lotto max

New Lotto Max: no big winners in new-game April 14 draw

lotto max, april 10

Lotto Max April 10 draw numbers, new game kicks in

Lotto Max, winning numbers, April 7, 2026

$75 million April 7 Lotto Max jackpot winner in Penticton

Politics

Dr Henry, Josie Osborne

BC toxic drug overdose crisis continues after 10 years

Island Social Trends - 0
Friday April 17, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The drug overdose crisis that was declared a public health emergency in British Columbia is now 10 years in. People use drugs...
avi lewis, ndp leader, don davies, heather mcpherson

NDP: oil company price cap better than gasoline pump tax holiday

Mark Carney, Stubb

Canada & Finland make joint statement on shared security & economic...

carney, champagne, hodsgon

Fuel tax holiday introduced on first day of Liberal majority

Education

camosun college, engineering buildings

Infrastructure upgrades to boost Camosun College engineering programs

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Monday March 30, 2026 | SAANICH, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Building upgrades will improve Camosun engineering technology programs say the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills The...
UAE, RRU, building

Royal Roads closes UAE campus during Iran conflict

royal roads, mount royal

Royal Roads launches partnered program in Calgary

classroom, instructor, Vancouver Community College

Post-secondary institutions should adjust to current conditions, says Ministry

Artificial Intelligence

Mark Carney, Stubb

Canada & Finland make joint statement on shared security & economic...

Island Social Trends - 0
Wednesday April 15, 2026 | OTTAWA, ON by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The first visit of a Finnish president in 12 years happened yesterday in Ottawa as Prime Minister Mark Carney met with the...
Carney, norway

Canada & Norway: strategic Arctic defence, economies, technology

mark carney, australia

Carney’s trade mission in Australia: speeches & gains

Food Supply & Healthy Eating

seafood, orca seafoods, salmon

BC Agriculture Minister leads BC seafood promotion at Seafood Expo North...

Island Social Trends - 0
Wednesday March 18, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham joined BC seafood businesses last week in Boston at Seafood Expo North America to...
Carney, Modi

Canada-India economic and political partnerships strengthened during Carney’s visit

stephanie mclean, seniors, house of commons

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

mark carney, prime minister

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

Housing

gregor robertson, mark carney

Federal Communities Strong Fund delivers for Vancouver

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Tuesday April 7, 2026 | BRAMPTON, ON by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The first delivery under the federal Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) was announced today by Prime Minister Mark Carney in Brampton,...
bc rent bank, funding

BC Rent Bank gets more provincial funding but seeks donations

apartment building, affordable housing, langford

MLA Parmar responds to City of Langford housing concerns

Arts & Entertainment

Langford, public input, arts and culture

Last chance for input to Langford’s Arts & Culture strategy

Island Social Trends - 0
Wednesday April 15, 2026 | LANGFORD, BC by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends The City of Langford's Arts and Culture Strategy is in the last phases of public input. The online survey is open until...
Langford, mayor, child care building

Langford asset: child care centre & art studio building breaks ground

mark carney, juno awards

Carney dazzles at Junos with tribute to Joni Mitchell

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