ARCHIVE – SOOKE LOCAL NEWS [April 2017]

ARCHIVE – SOOKE Local News [April 2017]

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Sunday, April 30 ~ WEST SIDE of VANCOUVER ISLAND.  People have been dropping by steadily to vote at District Electoral Offices (DEOs) for Langford-Juan de Fuca and Esquimalt-Metchosin in the past week, say staff at both locations.

Personnel hired specifically to execute all the many responsibilities of operating a Voting Station have taken training at each DEO. Being responsible for a ballot box during the Advance Voting days includes overseeing the whereabouts of that box when it’s not in active ballot-receiving mode, says David Garvey, Deputy District Electoral Officer for Langford-Juan de Fuca.

There is a step-by-step process to ensure secrecy of the ballots and their retention between the six advance voting days, explains Garvey.

Ballots that are cast at any DEO in BC are sent after 8pm on the General Election Day (May 9) to the riding where the vote belongs. Due to the time this takes, there is a final vote count on May 23, once all ballots have been received in their home ridings. Potentially this could swing a vote result in any given riding.

With the increased number of advance voting days (six days this election — April 29 & 30, May 3-6) and voting throughout the 28-day campaign period by any voter at any DEO in the province, that theoretically increases the number of ridings where final counts on May 23 could make a difference in the overall result.

The DEO for Langford-Juan de Fuca is at 111-2787 Jacklin Road in Langford. The DEO for Esquimalt-Metchosin is in Colwood at 3-1905 Sooke Road.

Visit the April 28, 2017 issue of West Shore Voice News to see photos of both DEO office locations plus hours and list of candidates, (page 6). List of all voting stations in both ridings, and open hours (page 8).

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Friday, April 28 ~ Do you live in the sewer-serviced area of Sooke?

In accordance with section 208 of the Community Charter, the District of Sooke has given notice that their Sewer Parcel Tax Roll is available for inspection at the municipal hall during its regular office hours 8:30 am to 4:30 pm April 26 to May 16, 2017.

A person who owns a parcel included on the sewer parcel tax roll may request
an amendment based on one or more of the following:

• there is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the parcel tax roll
• there is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel
• an exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed (section 205(1) Community Charter).

A request by the property owner for an amendment must be submitted in writing to the District of Sooke on or before May 16, 2017 or at least 48 hours before the time set for the first sitting of the Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel, when submitted requests will be considered.

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Friday, April 28 ~ Tonight incumbent NDP candidate John Horgan (leader of the BC NDP party) will be holding a rally in downtown Victoria at Alix Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora Ave, starting 6:30 pm. A full house is expected.  Also participating is Nathan Cullen, MP, who is the electoral reform critic for the federal NDP.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, April 29, Horgan will be casting his advance vote at the Advance Voting Station at Belmont Secondary School in Langford. Then he will be heading to his local campaign office for a bit of a pep rally.

Advance voting is available in all ridings in BC on saturday April 29 and Sunday April 30, as well as on May 3, 4, 5, and 6.

See the West Shore Voice EVENTS page for local details about advance voting locations, dates and times.

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Thursday, April 27 ~ SOOKE.  The 30th Annual Sooke Rotary Auction & Spring Fair is coming up this Saturday, April 29, at SEAPARC Leisure Complex.

The opening ceremony at 10 am will include Chief Gordon Planes, T’Sou-ke Nation elder Shirley Alphonse, Sooke Mayor Maja Tait, Juan de Fuca Electoral Director Mike Hicks, Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce President Kerry Cavers and a representative of the Sooke RCMP.  Rotary Club of Sooke President John Topolniski will also say a few words.  The Harmony Project Sooke drumline will escort the dignitaries into the SEAPARC arena.

The day will include the popular Silent Auction (with over 500 items) that starts at 10am, plus a live auction that will start at 6pm. There’s a free swim from 1 to 5 pm.  Auction items are listed at www.sookerotary.com/auction featuring local goods and services. The used bike sale is from 10 am to 4:30 pm. The plant sale starts in the morning, outdoors.

There will be ongoing entertainment through the day, to enjoy while visiting the over 70 booths and displays by locatl businesses and organizations. The District of Sooke booth will include information about the 2017 municipal budget.

Also going on at SEAPARC on that day will be Advance Voting for the BC provincial election.

SEAPARC is at 2168 Phillips Road. Parking is expected to fill quickly.

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Tuesday, April 25 ~ BC. The BC NDP commitment to create urgent care centres across the province will benefit small communities, it was announced by the BC NDP today. 

Representing BC NDP Leader John Horgan at an All Candidates debate in Sooke this evening, retired MLA Maurine Karagianis said Sooke would be one of the communities that could dearly use an urgent care clinic. There is a private medical clinic in Sooke town centre, and an old (analog) xray clinic open about 2 days a week; the nearest hospital is Victoria General Hospital about 30 minutes drive away along the winding Hwy 14.

“I am committed to taking real action to help families access the health care they need by opening Urgent Family Care centers in communities across the province,” said Horgan in a release.

Urgent care centres bring together doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, dieticians, pharmacists, mental health workers, midwives, occupational therapists and other health care providers to offer the right health services from the right provider at the right time. “We know that prevention and early interventions are the best way to protect people’s health and bring down health care costs,” it says in the NDP release tonight.

On Horgan’s behalf, Karagianis went to bat tonight for the hardest-hit sectors of BC society who have seen consistent erosion of services under the BC Liberals, including education, children and families, health care and seniors.

John Horgan is the incumbent NDP candidate in Langford-Juan de Fuca. He has held the riding since 2005.

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Tuesday, April 25 ~ WEST SHORE of VANCOUVER ISLAND.  Last night there was a sparse turnout for a mixer co-hosted by the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce.

The idea was to provide a casual opportunity for the community to meet provincial election candidates of two west-side ridings.

Candidates, campaign personnel and displays of election materials were on hand: BC Liberals, BC NDP, BC Greens. and the Libertarian Party for Esquimalt-Metchosin, as well as NDP, Green and BC Liberal for Langford-Juan de Fuca.

Each candidate gave a short 3-minute speech.  Visit the Langford-Colwood-Metchosin page for more…

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Tuesday, April 25 ~ SOOKE. General Voting Day is Tues May 9. Advance Voting is available on April 29 & 30, and also May 3, 4, 5 and 6. You can also vote by postal mail.

And this is handy! You can also vote in person at any District Electoral Office, open daily. For Langford-Juan de Fuca (which includes Sooke), the District Electoral Office is at 111-2787 Jacklin Rd in Langford (just past Goldstream Ave). 250-952-5014.

District Electoral Office HOURS: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. |  Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Advance Voting Days (April 29-30, May 3-6) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | General Voting Day (May 9) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Candidates in Langford-Juan de Fuca: John Horgan, BC NDP Party Leader (NDP, incumbent); Cathy Noel (BC Liberal); Brendan Ralfs (BC Green), Willie Nelson, (Vancouver Island Party); Scott Burton (Libertarian).

More info on where, when and how to vote

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Monday, April 24 ~ VICTORIA. The BC NDP are holding a “Rally the Vote Victoria” event in downtown Victoria this coming Friday, April 28 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. The event is expected to pack to overflowing the Alix Goolden Performance Hall at 907 Pandora Ave.

“Before British Columbians go to the early polls, we’re rallying the vote in Victoria. Come join John Horgan and special guest Nathan Cullen at Victoria’s iconic Alix Goolden Performance Hall.” It’s likely to be a high-powered, memorable event, now mid-way into the 28-day 2017 BC election campaign.

The BC NDP have been proposing various measures to boost affordability for families, seniors, and those on social assistance and other fixed incomes including a freeze on ferry fares, elimination of MSP premiums (blending it into the tax system), $10/day child care, and an increase in the minimum wage to $15.

Those wishing to attend are encouraged to RSVP, to assure a spot:  https://www.bcndp.ca/rally-the-vote

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Sunday, April 23 ~ BC. As the BC election campaign progresses, BC NDP Leader John Horgan has been issuing various policy announcements aimed at making BC more affordable for BC families, seniors and people on social assistance.

On April 20 surrounded by supporters, Horgan announced a plan to make seniors weekday passenger fares free on major BC Ferries sailing routes. “Life on Vancouver Island has been getting more expensive under Christy Clark. The increase in fees and hidden costs are hurting seniors on fixed incomes. We’re going to make life more affordable by bringing back free weekday ferry fares for seniors on major routes,” said Horgan on the shores of the Swartz Bay ferry terminal near Sidney, BC.

Under the BC Liberals, BC Ferries fares have increased by about 80% on the major ferry routes, and have more than doubled for the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast and North Coast routes. An NDP government would also freeze ferry fares on major routes for all passengers and cut fares on the smaller routes by 15%.

“After 16 years of Christy Clark and the BC Liberals the cost of ferries has gone through the roof while sailings were cut for many communities. John Horgan will make life more affordable for island families, boost tourism, and grow the economy,” it was stated in a BC NDP news release.

Specifically for seniors, Horgan said the BC NDP will make life more affordable for seniors by:
• Bringing back free weekday ferry rides on major routes for seniors
• Cutting ferry fares on minor routes by 15%
• Freezing ferry fares on major routes
• Providing a $400 renter’s rebate, while maintaining the existing Shelter Aid for Elder Renters (SAFER) supplement
• Eliminating unfair MSP premiums within our first term in office

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Sunday, April 23. It’s National Volunteer Week across Canada this week: April 23 to 29.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement this morning: “Every year, almost 13 million Canadians across the country volunteer their time, energy, and talent to help improve the well-being of others and make Canada an even greater place to live. National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate Canadian volunteers and thank them for the selfless work they do to help those around them. As we mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, we honour the essential contributions volunteers make to our country, this week and throughout the year.”

In Sooke last week, four long-time volunteers were recognized in a simple ceremony in Council Chambers. Recognized by Sooke Mayor Maja Tait and Council were: Marlene Barry, Neil Flynn, Sid Jorna, and Heather Phillips.

“We appreciate the leadership and influence that each of these individuals has brought to improving our community,” said Mayor Tait. “The tireless commitment and spirit of volunteerism throughout our community is one of the reasons that Sooke is such a wonderful place.”

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Saturday, April 22 ~ HAPPY EARTH DAY!  Lots of reasons to celebrate, like air, water, sunshine, healthy soils, and all that good stuff!

Check out our April 21 Earth Day Issue for current election campaign coverage. Our editorial explores the ‘great divide’ in the BC economy. Sooke news is featured on page 5. And tons of events on the back page (page 6 this week).

Some important things to know about coming up, like another handy bottle drive (at EMCS, April 23) and the 3rd annual Scrabble Tournament (EMCS, April 23); District of Sooke public input at Council (April 24); the All Candidates Forum for Langford-Juan de Fuca (April 25, Prestige hotel); opening of the ARTiFACTS exhibit at the Sooke Region Museum (April 27); Meet BC Liberal candidate Cathy Noel at The Stick on Thursday (April 27); SAFARS AGM (April 28); Sooke Rotary Auction &  Spring Fair (April 29); Bosley’s celebration day (April 29); public input about the new Sooke Library (May 2 at Sooke Community Hall). And more!    Events page link

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Wednesday, April 19 ~ BC. ‘Where to Vote’ cards are being delivered across British Columbia starting today. Elections BC is reminding voters to bring their card with them when they vote, to make the process faster and easier.

Chief Electoral Officer, Keith Archer says registered voters will receive a card that includes the dates, times and locations for advance voting in their electoral district. Each voter’s card also shows their assigned voting place for General Voting Day, May 9.

Elections BC will also be distributing the cards to addresses with no registered voters. These cards will inform eligible voters of the voting opportunities available to them and that they can register when they vote.

New for this election, is that the cards will be colour-coded to help election officials determine the electoral district in which a voter resides.

Over three million cards will be delivered up until advance voting starts on April 29. Advance voting takes place on April 29 and 30 and from May 3 to May 6. A complete listing of advance voting places is available at www.elections.bc.ca/2017-provincial-general-election/where-to-vote

Voters can also use Elections BC’s Where to Vote app to find voting places close to them and in their electoral district; it can be found at www.elections.bc.ca/wtv . Eligible voters can vote at any voting place in BC.

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Wednesday, April 19 ~ BC.  A BC NDP government under John Horgan would eliminate interest on BC student loans and offer a $1,000 completion grant to people who complete their studies.

“At a time when more and more people are struggling to get by, Christy Clark and the BC Liberals have made it harder than ever for people to upgrade their skills and get ahead in life,” said Horgan at a news event in Vancouver today.

“We’re going to fix that. We will ensure every British Columbian has the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education and skills training programs by eliminating interest on BC student loans and offering $1,000 in student loan relief for people who complete their studies.

“We have a growing tech sector that is already employing more than 100,000 British Columbians, and they need more skilled employees. We’ll help them grow and help British Columbians succeed by making post-secondary more accessible and affordable,” said Horgan.

John Horgan and the BC NDP will train skilled workers and create opportunities for people by:

• Making all current and future BC student loans interest free.
• Providing a $1,000 completion grant for graduates of college, university and skilled trades programs to help pay down debt when they finish their programs.
• Investing $100 million to expand technology-related post-secondary programs and investing in talent in information and communications, digital media and entertainment, life sciences and health, clean-tech, IT and engineering and more.
• Eliminating fees for Adult Basic Education and ESL and keeping a cap on tuition fees at colleges and universities.
• Introducing a new graduate student scholarship fund to encourage excellence in BC’s graduate programs.

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Tuesday, April 18 ~ SOOKE. Volunteers with the Zero Waste Sooke Earth Day cleanup team will gather at Sooke Elementary parking lot for gear, safety briefing and general instructions between 9 and 9:30 on Saturday April 22.

Then they head out to the different neighbourhoods between 9:30 and 1 pm. Teams will be covering Sooke River Road area, Sasseenos area, Sooke town centre, Broomhill neighbourhood, Whiffin Spit neighbourhood. and along West Coast Rd between John Muir School and Whiffin spit Rd.

There will also be Trash Scavenger Hunts for the kids, with prizes, says Wendy O’Connor who is one of the organizers.

They’ve already got 45 volunteers in six teams, but the more the merrier!  Contact info@zerowastesooke.ca for pitch in as part of this family-friendly event.

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Sunday, April 16 ~ SOOKE. With John Horgan (Langford-Juan de Fuca incumbent, BC NDP) out on the province-wide campaign trail as the BC NDP’s party leader, locals in Sooke might want to catch his party-leader debate participation on radio this coming Thursday April 20.

Leaders of the three main parties — BC Liberal, NDP and Green — will be live on News1130 radio out of Vancouver, debating the issues.

BC Liberal Leader Christy Clark, NDP Leader John Horgan, and BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver will go head-to-head on the issues, moderated by broadcast journalist Bill Good from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.  www.news1130.com

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Sunday, April 16 ~ EASTER SUNDAY.  Many Canadians are making a 4-day long weekend out of the Easter weekend. Good Friday was on April 14.

There were many community activities including Easter egg hunts for kids, and stores were open and bustling on Saturday, April 15. Easter Monday is a Statutory holiday across Canada.

Ferry travel on the BC Coast is busy on Easter weekends. BC Ferries added 50 extra sailings on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route carrying travelers between the Vancouver and Victoria areas.

For Easter Sunday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement to Canada on Easter. For the full text, see the main page of this website (April 16).

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Tuesday, April 11 ~ West side of Vancouver Island. The 2017 BC provincial election campaign is on, officially as of today April 11. Party leaders were already slinging barbs and policy missives for the TV media to report out to the public.

As a policy of West Shore Voice News, we will *not* be reporting on election season polls. No matter how unbiased the pollsters try to be, there is no way of knowing the true attitudes of those being polled, and whether the methods of reaching poll participants are reliable (e.g. very few people have home phone lines anymore). The disastrous misjudgement of polls in the 2013 BC provincial election (predicting an easy win for the NDP, who ended up losing badly) should be lesson enough.

News coverage by West Shore Voice News will be focussing on the actual activities of the campaigns in two electoral areas on this west side of the island:

• Langford-Juan de Fuca (includes voters in Langford, Sooke, and Juan de Fuca area): John Horgan, NDP (incumbent); Cathy Noel, BC Liberal; Brendan Ralfs, BC Green; Willie Nelson, Vancouver Island Party.
• Esquimalt-Metchosin (includes voters in Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood and Metchosin): Mitzi Dean, NDP; Barb Desjardins, BC Liberal; Andy MacKinnon, BC Green; Josh Steffler, Libertarian.

There will be two major All Candidates Forums for these two ridings.  One is on Monday, April 24 at the Royal Colwood Golf Course, 5 pm (for candidates of both Langford-Juan de Fuca and Esquimalt-Metchosin). The other forum for Langford-Juan de Fuca is on Tuesday, April 25 at the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke at 7pm.

The election date is Tuesday, May 9.  There will be a few Advance Voting dates ahead of May 9.

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Tuesday, April 11 ~ SOOKE.  Well, last night’s District of Sooke Council meeting was another long and laborious one. But on a full moon night … hey, why not pull out all the stops!

In addition to sorting out important business like approving the budget and extending the bylaw enforcement of unsightly properties on Ayre Road, the political machinations of any normal Council meeting last night had the volume turned way up. And we’re still over a year away from the next municipal election in Sooke.

Mayor Maja Tait grandstanded her position on getting a hospital for Sooke, saying it was covered in ‘all the media’. what none of the other media have told you, are the facts… that until Sooke has a population of at least 20,000, there will not be provincial consideration for a hospital in this town. Sooke is, yes, near the bottom of the totem pole for medical facility services.

• There is a private medical clinic but no provincially funded urgent care centre or hospital in Sooke. For over 10 years the answer to this protest has been that Victoria General Hospital is a 30-minute car ride away. However, the conditions of Highway 14 are not a factor that seems to be taken into that consideration, just distance as the crow flies. So really, the answer is a better road, not millions for a hospital in a far-flung location that would have a tough time attracting enough medical talent.
• It makes Sooke look a bit flaky to ‘doth protest too much’ about something that — as Tait herself said — might end up with just getting Sooke a digital X-ray clinic to replace the archaic analog one. But no mystery there, it comes down to dollars… it costs a lot to put in a digital X-ray machine, and the volume of use must warrant it for the radiologist who backs it.

What was even more interesting was a vaguely-delivered but clearly opening-hand groundswell from Council about how the process of approving tenders and contracts is lacking transparency.

• A number of contracts in 2016 were approved by staff without the foreknowledge or official approval by Council. Councillor Kevin Pearson led the charge with this (with relative levels of support from Councillor Rick Kasper and Mayor Tait), all of which put CAO Teresa Sullivan on the defensive.
• At present, the CAO may approve a contract of up to $75,000 without council approval, and the Director of Finance and Approving Officer may approve contracts up to $40,000 without Council approval. Pearson said this is causing some discomfort in the public about a lack of full transparency. Asked for specifics, but none given in the meeting, the issue will be addressed again with more info from staff, that Sullivan said she would be happy to provide.
• Of note, last year there was at least one sidewalk contract (the portion on West Coast Road from the post office to Maple Ave S) and two parking lot contracts (Otter Pt Rd at Eustace and boat launch parking at the foot of Maple Ave S) that went ahead without prior discussion at Council.  The current policy is that contracts under $25,000 do not need to come to Council for approval.

Good on Councillor Kevin Pearson for itemizing some details from a health info session that he and Councillor Rick Kasper attended at the AVICC conference in Campbell River this past weekend. Pearson seemed most struck with a fact that was already stated by Dr Richard Stanwick last year at the Health Summit in Sooke: the youth of this generation will not live as long as their parents. And it has to do with lower levels of income and less certainly about stable lifestyles. What does this say about BC and Canada, where we purport to have high-quality socio-economic conditions?

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Monday, April 10 ~ SOOKE.  Wow, your pets must really be ready for spring!  [Update: the opening is on Tuesday April 12]

Well, your pets must really be ready for Spring! The opening of Bosley’s by Pet Valu has been fast-forwarded to tomorrow, Tuesday April 11 (instead of waiting til the previously-announced May 11).

“We were pleased to see that Bosley’s by Pet Value fixturing period was accelerated and were able to get the store open much sooner than originally planned,” says Kevin Gray, Director of Property Operations, Partners REIT. “We are looking forward to their grand opening tomorrow at 9 am,” he said today.

Bosley’s is at the Evergreen Shopping Centre in Sooke, next to Western Foods.
Mall owners will be in attendance tomorrow, to help celebrate the opening.

Bosley’s is part of one of the largest pet supply retail operations in North America that is dedicated to providing families with food and supplies for dogs, cats, companion birds, wild birds, fish, reptiles and small animals.

Bosley’s has 36 outlets in BC including stores in Victoria, Colwood and Sidney. The Sooke store will be the fourth on south Vancouver Island. They also have three stores in Nanaimo.

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Thursday, April 6 ~ SOOKE [updated April 10]. A public consultation about the new Sooke library is coming up on Tuesday May 2 at Sooke Community Hall at 2037 Shields Road, from 6:30 to 8 pm. The public consultation is open to everyone. Light refreshments will be provided.

Now that the location is settled as being on Wadams Way, this is now your chance for public input about the new Sooke library building itself — what it should offer, what it might look like. The consultation will include presentations from VIRL staff and the project architects, and will provide opportunities for the public to contribute their ideas and have their questions answered.

Construction of the new building has to get moving along pretty quick, as the goal is to have the new building on Wadams Way ready by December 2018.

VIRL has approval to borrow a maximum of $6 million towards all costs of site preparation and construction, with the goal of building a 10,000 sq. foot facility (the current facility is just over 3,600 sq. feet).

[Photo: the existing Sooke Library is in a leased building on Anna Marie Road, where the lease will be up by Dec 31, 2018]

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Thursday, April 6 ~ SOOKE. Posted by West Shore Voice News. Unpacking the Sooke 2017 Budget … parking lots, using taxpayer dollars.

Did you know? The District of Sooke pays $24,000 per year to a local property owner for use of an unpaved lot in Sooke town centre off Otter Point Road (where Sooke Country Market is held in summer). There’s a small sign that says “Sooke Town Centre Overflow Parking”. Apparently it’s to ease up traffic congestion during large town-central events like Sooke Fall Fair. But most of the time it sits relatively empty. You could be using it to park and then take the bus.

Did you know? The District of Sooke pays $18,000 per year to a local property owner for use of an unpaved lot off of Maple Avenue South (near the Government docks) as Public Boat Launch overflow parking. There’s no fee to use the parking area. After you park there, it’s a bit of a hike on a trail to get to the waterfront at the foot of the Prestige hotel.

These numbers are readily available in the 2017 District of Sooke Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan. The budget has not achieved final approval yet; that comes up Monday, April 10 during the Regular Council Meeting at 7pm. See the agenda and Five-Year Financial Plan (2017-2021) at www.sooke.ca

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Thursday, April 6. The highway route between Langford and Sooke will soon get some improvements. As “the one road in and out of Sooke” it’s an important stretch of roadway for the town of Sooke that in the recent census surpassed a population count of 13,000.

As stated in Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure news release, the Province has committed to “improving safety at the Parkland, Gillespie and Connie road intersections on Highway 14”.

“Highway 14 is a critical link on southern Vancouver Island serving a wide variety of people, and these safety improvements will benefit commuters, commercial drivers, tourists, pedestrians and cyclists,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone.

Over a period of five years (2012-2016), the Province says it has invested $7.28 million into improving Highway 14 “between Langford and Sooke”, though good chunks of it affects just Sooke (such as the Sooke town centre roundabout), not Langford. This is the list:
o a new digital overhead sign on Highway 14 located near Awsworth Road (Sooke-side of the West Shore Parkway, just west of the industrial park that is under construction), expected to be operational later this spring ($250,000);
o Highway 14 resurfacing, shoulder widening and roundabout ($6 million contributed by the Province);
o drainage improvements near Impala Road ($475,000);
o shoulder widening in the Metchosin/Sooke area ($355,000); and
o Highway 14 enhanced delineation ($200,000).
• The corridor is approximately 22 km in length between Langford and Sooke.
• It has a daily use of approximately 14,000 vehicles and average daily traffic volumes show an increase of about 900 vehicles per day over the last five years.

However, there is one section of Highway 14 work done in 2011 and again altered in 2015 that did not help the Sooke town centre, and that is at the corner of Highway 14 (Sooke Road) and Townsend Road. Installation of meridians and no-left-turns have been an impediment to businesses, residents and other services to the community was never resolved, though discussions may be ongoing. A crosswalk was moved into that intersection, which (since 2015) now passes through a cut-out in the meridian.

Says MOTI: “The newest set of safety improvements will include new intersection lighting and enhanced signing and new delineation at Parkland Road and Gillespie Road. Near Parkland Road, there will also be additional clearing and brushing to control vegetation, which will improve visibility and enhance safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”

The estimated cost of these newest improvements is $800,000 and work is expected to be completed by fall 2017.

The ministry is also advancing engineering and design for intersection improvements and enhancements for transit users at Connie Road. This plan, along with an estimated cost for the work, is scheduled for completion in early 2018.

In addition to these intersection improvements, this spring, the ministry will be applying new higher-quality reflective glass bead to the paint lines to improve visibility at night. A new highway webcam has been installed at Kangaroo Road, which will go live before the end of April and can be viewed under the Vancouver Island tab here: http://www.drivebc.ca/#webcams

The ministry is implementing these interim improvements while the overall Highway 14 corridor study to identify both short- and long-term improvements for Highway 14 is being completed. The final report expected in late summer 2017.

BC on the Move is the BC government’s 10-year plan for the improvement of the province’s transportation network. Over the next three years, the ministry and its partners are investing over $4.6 billion in priority transportation investments as part of this plan.

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Tuesday, April 4. Well, look who’s beaming with news that she & husband Stewart are expecting their 3rd child this October! It’s Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce president Kerry Cavers!

The Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce announced today that their organization is thrilled on behalf of President Kerry Cavers, that the Cavers family will be welcoming a new baby this October!

“Life is all about the surprises, right?” says President Cavers. The Cavers family were not planning on expanding any time soon but sometimes life just happens when you’re making plans.

Kerry will continue in her role as Chamber President and expects to be active on the Board right up until October but knows anything can happen. The Board has already begun preparations for interim governance just in case.

Congratulations Kerry and Stewart!

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Tuesday, April 4 ~ WEST SIDE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. On Monday, April 24 there will be an All Candidates Meeting for an opportunity to hear the candidates from two BC provincial ridings on this west side of the island. That date is pending the availability and confirmation from one of the candidates, here is the list:

• Candidates for Langford-Juan de Fuca: John Horgan (BC NDP, incumbent), Cathy Noel (BC Liberal), Brendan Ralfs (BC Green), Scott Burton (BC Libertarian).  This electoral area includes Langford, Sooke, Highlands and Juan de Fuca.
• Candidates for Esquimalt-Metchosin: Mitzi Dean (BC NDP), Barb Desjardins (BC Liberal), Andy MacKinnon (BC Green). This electoral area includes Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood and Metchosin.

This will possibly the only full All Candidates Meeting for this side of the island during this 2017 BC election campaign, given that BC NDP Leader John Horgan is busy travelling the province.

The event on Monday April 24 will be held at the Royal Colwood Golf Club, in Colwood. Starting at 5pm (to 6:30 pm), as hosted by the West Shore Chamber of Commerce.

For regional campaign news during the campaign toward the May 9 BC provincial election, visit www.westshorevoicenews.com

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Tuesday, April 4 ~ BC. BC NDP Leader John Horgan revealed his campaign bus that will carry his leader’s tour from now until the May 9 election day.

The campaign “for a better BC” kicked off in Vancouver this morning as Horgan was greeted by supporters and a team of Lower Mainland candidates at the BC NDP’s Vancouver regional campaign office. “This campaign is about building a province that works for real people, not just the wealthy and well-connected,” said Horgan.

“While Christy Clark spends her time with big donors and the people at the top, we’ll be travelling to communities across BC, meeting with real people and talking about our plan to make life better for families,” the leader said in a news release.

“After 16 years of BC Liberal neglect, families are paying more fees than ever for fewer services. Good jobs are harder to find. And they’re waiting longer for the services we all depend on, like health care and education. Throughout this campaign, you can count on us to be tough on Christy Clark’s record. We will remind voters of the choices she made that have hurt people, and we’ll contrast that with our vision for a better BC that works for you.”

“As we kick this election campaign into high gear, I’m looking forward to meeting people from all walks of life and sharing our vision for building a better BC,” said Horgan.

Horgan is well known around Sooke and Juan de Fuca. He has held the seat since 2005 for what is now called Langford-Juan de Fuca.

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Monday, April 3 ~ A group of five local business men are rallying around the need for improvements to Highway 14, as the only transportation route in and out of Sooke.

Owners of restaurants and/or with an interest in land development, these are the Sooke-based guys who today have thrown their hat into the political ring as the campaign period toward the May 9 BC Election ramps up: Randy Clarkston, David Evans, Scot Taylor, Jeremy Wilson, and Doug Wittich.

Calling it “Highway 14 By The Numbers Challenge”, the campaign was launched today April 3.

“The Sooke and Juan de Fuca region has had the rehabilitation of Highway 14 as a primary objective for decades”, says Scot Taylor, owner of the Stickleback West Coast Eatery on Highway 14, “and it’s time we got together to make some noise for the Government of British Columbia to invest the funds needed to make it safe, accessible and hassle free”.

Taylor and other Sooke business owners and residents have gathered together to address a number of outstanding issues in the community and region. They are a working group aiming to ensure that subjects are explored and acted upon. At a recent meeting, they discussed how best to make some noise so that all candidates would commit to ensuring that the rehabilitation of this rural arterial highway gets done in the near future.

“We are sensitive to the friends and families that have lost loved ones on this highway, so we sought a way that we could raise a ruckus and still be respectful of the memory of those that have been injured or lost their lives” stated Jeremy Wilson, co-owner of AdrenaLINE Zipline Adventure Tours. He says he has an archive of correspondence to local and Provincial government spanning the last 4 decades, on efforts to get the highway fixed. “This has to be done now and with respect,” he says.

The group’s concerns revolve around safety issues, being cut off from the rest of the west shore and Victoria region, accessibility, and eliminating challenges for residents and visitors alike.

“We have no budget and we are an independent group of Sooke taxpayers, so the best way to make some noise is through social media,” said David Evans, owner of The Stick in the Mud Coffee Shop. They are encouraging the use of hashtag #DividedBy14. “We are challenging anyone who uses this highway to post pictures with a number that relates to the highway. I have a customer who will post a picture of himself and his dogs with a piece of paper with the number 38 – the number of Saturdays he used the road last year to get to Sandcut beach. It can be anything. Find a number that relates to your experience on Highway 14 and post to social media with #DividedBy14”.

“Taking selfies with friends, family, coworkers is easy. Then you can post it to Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media site,” says Evans. More than 60 community organizations and institutions will be contacted and challenged to exceed each other in posting their numbers.

“It would be good if the members of the Sooke Community Development Association could use their equipment parked on private property to hoist their numbers into the air for this campaign”, stated Randy Clarkston, partner in the West Coast Design land development business. “All builders, developers, and contractors that take this highway to work every day, six days a week, can find interesting ways to visibly hoist their Numbers to help the community understand why it’s important to get this done. It must be done in a safe way so that we don’t create more incidents than we already have.”

Members of the Sooke and Jun de Fuca Working Group have attended party campaign office openings for Cathy Noel [BC Liberal], John Horgan [BC NDP] and Brendan Ralfs [BC Green] to brief them into the Highway 14 By The Numbers Challenge.

This leg of the campaign will run until May 10 (one day after the BC election). The Working Group says they will review progress after that. They intend to sustain a longer–term campaign until, as they say, the work is done to overcome how they are #DividedBy14 #BCPoli #BCLeg #YYJ #Westshore #YVR #BCLiberals #BCNDP #Green2017 .

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Sunday, April 2 ~ SOOKE. Last night at the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce awards banquet dinner, BC Liberal candidate Cathy Noel was treated to her husband Doug’s participation in the live auction … he bought her a one-night stay at Sooke Habour House.  As an anniversary present!

Chatting with Sooke Mayor Maja Tait near the buffet table (see photo), Cathy and Doug Noel enjoyed getting to know more folks in the Sooke business community.

The ‘dress code’ for the dinner evening was pitched by the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce as honouring the logging history of Sooke… guests were invited to wear some sort of plaid or checker-design.

Other live auction items at the event were a live painting by artist Emaa Pridgeon, a one-night stay at Point No Point, and an Acer Tablet from The Source.

Mayor Tait opened the evening with a brief greeting, giving recognition to Councillor Bev Berger there as well, noting in particular Berger’s participation on the SEAPARC commission.  Tait offered congratulations to all 134 nominees (in nine categories), and all efforts to honour and highlight success in local business, industry and not-for-profit.  She called the evening an important annual event to highlight accomplishments, provide networking opportunities, and “inspire others to achieve greatness through examples”.  She recognized Sooke Chamber president Kerry Cavers for her strong spirit of community and leadership.

The dinner was a sell-out, with 160 people in attendance.

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Sunday, April 2 ~ SOOKE.  Last night the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards banquet, to recognize business excellence of 2016. Business of the Year went to The Stick in the Mud Coffee House, accepted by Stick owner David Evans and rock solid sidekick head barista Andrew, to a hearty round of applause.

Attending from the District of Sooke were Mayor Maja Tait and Councillor Bev Berger. Also in attendance were BC Liberal candidate for Juan de Fuca Cathy Noel, and BC Green candidate for Juan de Fuca Brendan Ralfs.

This year’s format was a night-long voice-over by Sooke Region Chamber president Kerry Cavers as a full house of 160 dinner guests worked their way through the buffet lineups.

Dinner was $65 per person. A live auction and silent auction also served to raise more funds for the Chamber.

[Photo by West Shore Voice News: David and Andrew accept Business of the Year Award from sponsor rep Lisa Ballinger of TELUS, with chamber president Kerry Cavers as emcee]

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Saturday, April 1 ~ VICTORIA. A rally to ban the grizzly bear trophy hunt in BC will be held today Saturday April 1 outside the BC Legislature. The rally, hosted by Justice for BC Grizzlies, will run from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm and feature a number of speakers.

Former conservation officer and BC NDP candidate in Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Bryce Casavant, will be speaking at the Rally for BC Grizzlies, in front of the BC Legislature. April 1 marks the beginning of the spring Grizzly bear hunt in most regions of British Columbia. Casavant will be speaking about the BC NDPs pledge to ban the grizzly bear trophy hunt in BC.

“I’m working hard to ensure that the BC grizzly bear, a species of special concern, is properly cared for now, and for all generations to come,” said Casavant, a former Conservation Officer who made international headlines when he refused to follow an order to kill two healthy bear cubs.

“An overwhelming majority of British Columbians, First Nations, and resident hunters oppose the killing of these bears for sport,” he said.

“As British Columbians, we have a proud outdoor heritage that includes hunting, fishing and a growing eco-tourism industry. Bear viewing creates more jobs in local communities and generates millions of dollars more than trophy hunting,” said the NDP candidate this week.

“If elected in May, John Horgan and an NDP government will ban grizzly bear trophy hunting in BC while ensuring decisions about the grizzly bear and all wildlife are science based with proper funding for habitat management.”  John Horgan is the BC NDP Party Leader and the local candidate for Langford-Juan de Fuca.

Bryce Casavant is a Vancouver Islander. After serving with the Canadian Forces (including in Afghanistan), Casavant worked in various environmental consulting capacities in BC and eventually joined the BC Public Service as a Conservation Officer. In 2015, he earned international attention when he respectfully declined an order to destroy two bear cubs. Bryce followed the law and stood up for BC’s wildlife. His actions inspired a dialogue about the sustainable conservation and safe treatment of animals in our province. The cubs he saved were released back into the wild in 2016 where they continue to grow and thrive.

Bryce is currently a Doctoral Candidate with Royal Roads University, where he is researching wildlife conservation and management. As a Natural Resource Officer with the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Bryce sees firsthand the impacts human action has on our lands and waters. He is standing with John Horgan because he knows that John will take real action to defend our environment and invest in sustainable, renewable energy solutions that create good jobs with good wages.