Island Social Trends
Newspaper and online news service on Vancouver Island. Local, regional, provincial and national news insights. | Online ISSN 2817-8572 | Print ISSN 2818-0038
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Professional news service (Code of Ethics):
Island Social Trends is a professional news service based in Langford, BC.
Attentive readers in the west shore and the broader Greater Victoria and south Vancouver Island region appreciate our local, regional, provincial and national insights. We participate in BC Legislative news reporting, as well as doing local and regional news coverage.
Island Social Trends is published online daily at IslandSocialTrends.ca, in print, and by PDF/text subscription. We are 100% Canadian owned and operated.
Daily professional news coverage is available to all readers at islandsocialtrends.ca as part of our commitment to independent journalism as a key component of an informed knowledge-based society which supports a vibrant economy, inclusive society, and open democracy.
We produce and promote insights, analysis and debate about a dynamic and better future for Canada.
We follow Canadian Press Style Guide as well as applying Plain English and Accessible Writing best practices. We fact-check and verify our sources.
Democracy depends on an independent free press. Island Social Trends participates in democracy through the delivery of independent journalism presented to professional industry standards.
Leadership:
Journalism is a positive contributor to society. The work here at Island Social Trends is independent journalism that aims to inform individual citizens and to enhance the conversation among various sectors of society, economy and politics.
Urgency has never been greater for independent media to somehow carry on despite the onslaught of social media and large corporate media seeing only the bottom line. With the loss of experienced journalists there is loss of context and insight. Readers and society will take the final blow if independent journalism is lost.
Our work is also thought-leadership; news analysis serves to build relationships across and within business and community leadership sectors; this community service is part of the Island Social Trends mission statement to support a knowledge-based society and economy.
Who is the editor?
Island Social Trends is spearheaded by Mary P Brooke as Founder, Editor and Publisher. She holds a B.Sc. in health science (with a second major in sociology and community education), a Certificate in Public Relations, and a certificate in digital marketing.
Ms Brooke was nominated in 2023 for a Jack Webster Foundation award that each year recognizes a woman who contributes to her community through full-time journalism.
During the COVID pandemic Mary P Brooke reported alongside the BC Legislative Press Gallery and since then has covered key aspects of local and regional news. Since 2022 she has continued to fulfill a daily priority to covering BC legislative news as it impacts individuals, households, business and communities.
Mary believes that a community that knows itself makes better decisions for its residents and businesses and has a greater opportunity for achieving more sustainable directions. Journalism in support of a knowledge-based society is her personal leadership contribution to the socioeconomic ecology of the west shore and south Vancouver Island region.
Ms Brooke has spearheaded this socioeconomic news coverage through a series of publications, each leading to the next: MapleLine Magazine* (2008-2010), Sooke Voice News* (2011-2013), West Shore Voice News* (2014-2020), and Island Social Trends (since mid-2020). [*Print editions are archived at the Sooke Region Museum].
In January 2025 Ms Brooke received a King Charles II Coronation Medal for her commitment and contributions to journalism and community.
Advertisers, Sponsors & Subscribers:
Advertisers appreciate the benefits of the readers having open access to our news at IslandSocialTrends.ca and on various social media platforms including X at @IslandSocTrends (blue verification status), LinkedIn and BlueSky.
A curated digest of articles with additional editorial content is available to paying Premium Subscribers by email (sign up for a Premium ENews Subscription here).
Advertisers benefit by reaching an attentive, community-active readership including businesses, organizations and all levels of government.
Sponsor-investors of independent journalism may contribute with advertisements in this news portal, or silently without ads.
Biweekly print edition in 2024:
The print edition of this publication series was on hiatus during the pandemic. Starting in 2024, we are again supplying coffee shops, rec centres, libraries and some retail outlets with the Island Social Trends print edition in Greater Victoria area west shore locations (including Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Metchosin, and Sooke), where patrons will have easy access to our news.
Premium Subscribers can receive a PDF of the biweekly print edition by email. Subscribe to the Premium PDF.
Island Social Trends flyers are distributed around local west shore neighbourhoods, as advertiser demand warrants.
The news we write:
Think-tank journalism. We don’t cover everything, but go deeper or take a wider scope of analysis and provide insights through a socioeconomic lens (how people interface with community and the economy). There is always political analysis because politics drives everything. During election season there is top priority to coverage of campaigns and voting results.
Meanwhile, we cover what matters to households, businesses and community leaders, including the cost of living, food resilience, environmental sustainability, health, education, transportation, business, the economy, and the politics which impacts all of that (local, regional, provincial and federal).
We don’t lean right or left, but provide information that supports progressive yet sensible socioeconomic decision-making by all readers.
Quality content for attentive readers:
::: Journalism insights and analysis that stimulates thoughtful reflection for individuals, families, business, community, and society as a whole.
::: Current news & custom features
::: Editorials and op-eds
::: Some great original photos
Emergent from South Vancouver Island:
Why South Vancouver Island? We appreciate the west shore and south Vancouver Island region for its natural beauty and the shared drive of its people to do better. We live here and do business here.
This region seems to takes its own leadership style around progressive social change; Island Social Trends is a positive player in that by making a positive contribution through articles and community connections.
Serving community. We help communities know themselves better through storytelling and thoughtful dialogue. This has been our mission from day one (publishing since 2008).
Island Social Trends aims to contribute to the broader well-being of the socioeconomic dynamics of this region.
Island Social Trends has covered education on the west shore (Sooke School District 62 news coverage and broader education issues) in-depth since 2014. In 2022, Ms Brooke ran for school trustee in SD62 as a way to highlight the concerns of parents and families within BC public education.
Since 2022, Island Social Trends has been building a Food Security news section with a growing emphasis on Urban Food Resilience. In 2024, Mary P Brooke launched the non-profit organization called Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society (UFRIS).
Island Social Trends supports other organizations with promotional exposure through journalism. In particular, since 2017 we have been a proud annual sponsor of the Sooke Fine Arts Show.
If you or your business or organization has benefited by the journalism produced and presented by Island Social Trends, you are encouraged to be a sponsor, advertiser or subscriber. Inquire about being a sponsor, advertiser or subscriber.
Testimonials: [more testimonials here]
::: “Very much appreciating your work – always, of course, but especially so in recent months with the election and political coverage at all levels.” ~ Jeff Bateman, Councillor, District of Sooke [February 2025]
::: “Island Social Trends is an incredibly important local publication for the west shore communities.” ~ Alistair MacGregor, MP (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) [January 2025]
::: “Congratulations Mary! A richly deserved honour (receiving a King Charles III Coronation Medal) as one of our only really professional journalists on Vancouver Island.” ~ Brian White, Royal Roads tourism & sustainability professor [January 2025]
::: “I really enjoyed your article with (a political candidate). It was friendly and honest, something I see less often in media.” ~ Martin Barker, Duncan, BC [January 2025]
::: “Thanks for this level-headed and informative article (editorial about Trudeau, Freeland & the Liberal Party).” ~ Linda Fontaine, Alberta resident [December 2024]
::: “Thank you for sharing this comprehensive reality-check for Canadians. I encourage (readers) to take the time to read the entire article. If there was ever a time when we absolutely need PM Justin Trudeau’s experience, vision, and expertise, both domestically and globally, it is now.” ~ JC Davidson, on Bluesky [December 2024]
::: “Your journalism has been instrumental in covering important stories for View Royal, and I truly appreciate the dedication and professionalism you bring to your work.” ~ Damian Kowalewich, municipal councillor, Township of View Royal [December 2024]
::: “I appreciate the journalistic work that you’ve done. This kind of work has definitely been lacking.” ~ Sasha Izard, Saanich resident and community leader [December 2024]
::: “Thank you for your continued, critical work toward local political coverage.” ~ Kara Middleton, Langford resident [November 2024]
::: “Well done n the scrum. It made the live news feed.” ~ John Twigg, former BC Legislative Press Gallery member [November 2024]
::: “Thank you for your journalism work! It’s important to get good information out to people. We need to have unbiased reporting and let people form their own opinions.” ~ Dana Lajeunesse, BC NDP candidate, Juan de Fuca-Malaha. [October 2024]
::: “You’re doing an excellent job at covering the BC election!” ~ JoJo Beattie, BC Greens Press Secretary [October 2024]
::: “Thanks Mary, for starting my Island Social Trends digital subscription. I am always happy to support local business, especially one so valuable to our community.” ~ Sean Flynn (former BC United candidate in Langford Highlands) [September 2024]
::: “Nowadays you’re the only ‘real journalist’ out there!” ~ David Evans (candidate, Juan de Fuca-Malahat) [August 2024]
::: “Great work (in covering BC political issues)!” ~ Tom Myrick, Sooke resident [August 2024]
::: “Thank you for reporting this decision by the BC Government to provide mandatory CPR training in schools. No other media source has written a story on what I think is a very important decision that will save lives in the future. And thank you for mentioning water safety training as part of the school curriculum as it is another initiative that will save lives.” ~ Langford Fire Chief Chris Aubrey [August 2024]
::: “The Island Social Trends print edition is great reading for people in my constituency. Glad to have copies available at our constituency office.” ~ Mitzi Dean, MLA (Esquimalt-Metchosin) [August 2024]
::: “Once again your degree of detail is so impressive! Nice to see this kind of local journalism still exists.” ~ Regan Hansen, communications consultant [June 2024]
::: “Thank you for your commitment to reporting.” ~ Dave Saunders, Healthy Westshore, Saunders Family Foundation [June 2024]
::: “Thank you Mary! After all these years (since starting with MapleLine Magazine in 2008 in Sooke), you’ve remained consistent, balanced, well-researched and informed. Despite all of the changes to social media, meta-blocking, etc, other reporters have come and gone for various reasons here and there. Thank you for all of your hard work and steadfast commitment to your work. So necessary in these turbulent times.” ~ District of Sooke Mayor Maja Tait [May 2024]
::: “Mary, thank you for your excellent reporting of local news issues that really matter to your readers. Your story behind the story is often more interesting, accurate and relevant. Well done.” ~ George Holmes, Property & Strata Manager, Raven Property Management [August 2023]
::: “Thank you for that last long piece (about John Horgan’s career and farewell, with community-wide comments upon his retirement); it’s now in my keeper box.” ~ former Premier John Horgan [June 2023]
Thoughts on the role of journalism:
::: Phil Donahue (who passed away August 18, 2024 at age 88) was not among the journalists who bent to the falsehoods of the US government getting into the Iraq war. “It was a lonely place as nearly every corporate news outlet and far too many mainstream journalists fell in line with the rush to war but Phil Donahue was not among them,” said Common Dreams news outlet on August 23. There is a legacy in Donahue’s work for other journalism outlets to follow: to tackle the issues that the corporate media never will toward a more progressive modern world. ~ Mary P Brooke, Editor, Island Social Trends [September 2024]
::: “Buying out, gutting and then shutting down local media by Bell (and a compliant federal govt watching it all go down) hurts our communities and the public’s access to quality news.” ~ Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship [February 8, 2024]
::: “In an age of disinformation, people rely on the work of journalists and local news stations for unbiased and balanced information.” ~ Premier David Eby [February 8, 2024]
::: “This is another devastating blow for our media landscape – and harmful to democracy. Bell keeps demonstrating that it does not take its role in this regard seriously. And it’s an example of what a purely profit-driven approach does to the fabric of our society.” ~ BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau about the Bell Media firings on February 8, 2024 [February 8, 2024]
::: “Support local news providers who cover local events and aren’t afraid to ask the questions that make governments uncomfortable.” ~ Devin Dignam, Langford resident [January 19, 2024]
::: “We will always be here to defend journalists who are an essential pillar of our democracy.” ~ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [December 6, 2023]
::: “There is still a place for trusted independent media.” ~ Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence [December 6, 2023]
::: “As journalism dies so goes democracy.” ~ Lisa LaFlamme [Nov 14, 2023]
::: “Journalists work tirelessly to report the truth, help hold governments accountable, and provide Canadians with accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information. Today, as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, we are reminded of the fundamental role that a free and independent press plays in our democracy.” ~ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [May 3, 2023]
::: “We recognize and celebrate the significant work journalists and the media do to create a more free and open society. The press plays an important role in holding those in power accountable, providing information to Canadians and building a more democratic country.” ~ NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh [May 3, 2023]
Summary:
Journalism is made possible by the function of a thriving publishing industry and through a continued desire by citizens to have an active news media sector providing professional journalism.
Thank you for following Island Social Trends and contributing through readership, advertising, sponsorship or subscriptions.
Your subscriptions (Premium Subscriptions) and advertisements help us ‘keep the lights on’ and support the availability of independent news to everyone as a component of democracy.
Island Social Trends on social media: X | LinkedIn | Bluesky
This page last updated February 11, 2025