Wednesday December 25, 2024 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Here at Island Social Trends we cover news that impacts the lives of people, the success of businesses, and the well-being and progress of communities. Stuff that matters.
In that context, here are the Top Stories within IslandSocialTrends.ca in 2024 (in descending order by highest number of page visits):
POLITICS
BC
- Who’s gonna win BC Election 2024 (Oct 16, 2024) – It was always expected to be a tight race, and Island Social Trends called it pretty close – notably the slim BC NDP majority.
- Grinding through the process for final BC Election results (October 27, 2024) – After several recounts the BC NDP win was confirmed.
- BC 2024 Election results on a rainy Saturday night (October 19, 2024) – It’s possible the heavy rainfall kept some people away from the polls.
- Poll shows BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau could win Victoria-Beacon Hill (October 11, 2024) – Though as we know, the BC NDP came through for Grace Lore who returned as the MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill in the October 19 election.
- Premier David Eby’s first press conference following thin-margin BC election results (October 22, 2024)
- Your 28-day voter’s guide for BC Election 2024 (September 22 to October 19, 2024) – This page was updated daily throughout the provincial election campaign.
- Cabinet possibilities in slim 47-seat BC NDP majority (October 28, 2024)
- Eby’s cabinet: tight at the top along with cross-ministry combos (November 19, 2024)
- Tight race in Juan de Fuca-Malahat exposes long-time political divide (October 20, 2024)
- John Wilson could achieve an upset in Esquimalt-Colwood (September 12, 2024)
- BC NDP chooses Darlene Rotchford as candidate for Esquimalt-Colwood (September 7, 2024) – This came after Mitzi Dean stepped back from seeking re-election.
- Dana Lajeunesse pulls it off for BC NDP in Juan de Fuca-Malahat (October 28, 2024)
- Heavy-hitters Lore & Furstenau in Victoria-Beacon Hill (September 23, 2024)
- BC NDP cabinet appointments on November 18 (November 17, 2024)
- Federal NDP Leader comments on BC Provincial Election result (October 24, 2024)
National
- Why Trudeau needs to stay and Freeland needs to chill (December 21, 2024)
- Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigns from federal cabinet (December 16, 2024)
BUSINESS
- Last interest rate announcement of 2024 coming up December 11 (December 4, 2024) – There was hope for a further rate decrease (which did come — the rate was dropped to 3.25% on Dec 11).
- Bank of Canada announces 8 interest rate announcement dates for 2025 (August 6, 2024) – Readers were very interested in the schedule for rate announcements of the coming year.
- Canada Post worker strike highlights corporate slack (November 30, 2024)
- GST Consumer Tax Holiday to start December 14 (November 21, 2024)
HOUSING
- New housing coming to DND base in Esquimalt (August 17, 2024)
- New rental supports for BC Seniors (April 9, 2024)
- BC Housing Minister opens 97-unit rental building in James Bay (September 14, 2024)
- Infrastructure key to housing growth and densification says Trudeau (November 10, 2024)
ENVIRONMENT & WEATHER:
- Sooke launches info portal about regional wildfire (July 26, 2024). This was a significant communications effort that kept people informed.
- Windstorm power outages on South Vancouver Island (November 12, 2024)
- Chilcotin Landslide update on BC Day August 5 (August 5, 2024)
- Know your tsunami zone (April 11, 2024)
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- Order of BC awards to 12 recipients in 2024 (August 5, 2024)
- King Charles Coronation Medals to 54 British Columbians including three recent premiers (August 28, 2024)
- Horgan state memorial: a complex celebration for a man with simple goals (December 15, 2024)
- Stew Young receives King Charles III Coronation Medal (September 4, 2024)
LANGFORD
- Former Langford Councillor Roger Wade has died (July 25, 2024)
- Langford population to double by 2050 (August 25, 2024)
- New BC Hydro substation coming to Langford (July 5, 2024)
- Langford adopts permanent tree protection bylaw (December 13, 2024)
CRIME & POLICING
- Man found unresponsive at Langford construction site (September 25, 2024)
- Two Central Saanich police officers charged with sexual assault (December 17, 2024)
- RCMP investigation reveals foreign interference by India (October 14, 2024)
HEALTH & SAFETY
- Transport Canada exploring seat belts for school buses (June 26, 2024)
- Dr Bonnie Henry on 2024 fall respiratory illness season (October 22, 2024)
- Seeking better BC mental health care response, programs and funding (November 30, 2024)
- Westshore Mental Health and Substance Use Service Hub has opened in Colwood (August 29, 2024)
- First human case of H5N1 avian flu in Canada detected in BC teen (November 9, 2024)
EDUCATION
- Royal Roads west shore campus aims for 2025 opening (May 13, 2024)
- SD62 gets land for new middle school in North Langford (August 19, 2024)
- 2024 year-end retirement for SD62 Secretary-Treasurer Harold Cull (November 26, 2024)
===== RELATED:
- Christmas greetings from Prime Minister, BC Premier & UBCM (December 24, 2024)
- Merry Christmas 2024 & Happy New Year 2025 from Island Social Trends (December 22, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: POLITICS | BC PROVINCIAL ELECTION 2024 | CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION 2025
