Monday March 16, 2026 | METCHOSIN, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends [Send your EVENT POSTING]
About 200 people gathered at the Mechosin Fire Hall on Sunday afternoon to honour their long-time former Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop.
Dunlop has moved on to a position with another municipality in the Greater Victoria area. She is now the Deputy Fire Chief in Central Saanich.
Stephanie Dunlop served as the fire chief for the small rural community of Metchosin for nearly 20 years.
Fire hall audience:
Attending the March 15 event were local MLA Dana Lajeunesse (Juan de Fuca-Malahat), Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse Little, and members of Metchosin council: Shelly Donaldson, Steve Gray and Jay Shukin. Sharie Epp attended in the audience (Epp resigned a few months ago).
Shukin organized the event which featured numerous long speeches in front of the seated crowd in the fire hall.
Remarks about Dunlop essentially covered — with thanks — the many contributions she made to the fire department, the development of emergency preparedness awareness and delivery, and the community’s sense of well-being and safety.
Speakers included MLA Lajeunesse, Mayor Little, Councillor Shukin, a career firefighter (Jacob Lamb), a volunteer firefighter(Gavin Aubrey), a 100-year-old former resident of Metchosin, and a couple of volunteer group leaders.
Dunlop made very brief remarks — a shy thank you — in front of the room at the end. She received a warm standing ovation and was approached by many afterward for a quick chat and expression of thanks.
A couple of songs were performed by a regional choir and a large cake was pre-cut into pieces on plates without ceremony.
Metchosin CAO Bob Payette was in attendance. The new Metchosin Fire Chief Dan Verdun was not there on Sunday.
Politics:
This is a municipal election year (election coming up October 17, 2026). Little is running again, as are Donaldson, Gray and Shukin.
Local Beecher Bay Chief Russ Chipps (who also serves as a trustee on the Sooke School District SD62 board) was also there.
Past politics:
In the audience at the firehall celebratory event yesterday were former Metchosin Mayor John Ranns and former long-time Metchosin councillor Kyara Kahakauwila (who ran against Little for Mayor in 2022).
Also in the audience was former Metchosin councillor and former BC Green Party candidate Andy MacKinnon.
===== RELATED:
- Event March 15 to celebrate former Metchosin Fire Chief Dunlop (March 12, 2026)
- District of Metchosin welcomes new fire chief (February 23, 2026)
- Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop takes new job in Central Saanich (January 17, 2026)
- Sharie Epp resigns from Metchosin council (January 16, 2026)
- Rats, mold & cinder blocks – Metchosin needs a new fire hall (November 13, 2025)
- Lajeunesse & Parmar commend funding boost for west shore fire departments (March 14, 2025)
- Metchosin Fire hosts extrication training event (May 29, 2023)
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