Community Calendar
- Basic text-listings free. Add your event! Send your event info by email.
- Get your message in front of readers in Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Sooke, Metchosin, Esquimalt & across Vancouver Island.
- Boost your event post with a display ad for $35 ($22 non-profit). Email to events@islandsocialtrends.com or phone 250-217-5821.
- Local Traffic Info
BC ELECTION ANALYSIS
October 20 through November. BC Election analysis. [Election was October 19, final results on October 28, first media sessions with Eby & Rustad, judicial recount results by Nov 12. Speaker will be chosen (by election in the house), and the new BC NDP cabinet will be announced and sworn in.
October 26 to 28. ELECTIONS BC final vote count. BC Provincial Election 2024 – NEWS SECTION | See Initial Count (last update Oct 21/24). Click here for updates on Sat Oct 26 & 27, 2024.| Click here for updates on Sat Oct 26 & 27, 2024. | Results update on October 28, 2024. | BC Cabinet predictions (at Oct 28).
November 12 & 13. Swearing-in of Government MLAS.
November 18. Announcement of BC NDP cabinet assignments . | Full list of appointments (and photos from Nov 18) | Analysis about combo-approach between Ministers, Ministers of State, and Parliamentary Secretaries.
Community Leadership Calendar – November 2024
Wednesday November 20. For the cosmically-inclined… Pluto enters Aquarius where it will transit until 2044.
Wednesday November 20. City of Langford OCP Refresh Public Input Survey – online October 31 to November 20, 2024.
Thursday November 21. District of Saanich. Public in person (drop-in) about the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan Update. 7 to 8:30 pm at St Luke Anglican Church, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road. Another in-person session on Nov 26. Online survey Nov 15 to Dec 15.
Friday November 22. Sooke School District 62. Pro-D (non instructional day).
Friday, November 22. Open House for RRU West Shore Research. At the Royal Roads University Library. 12:30 to 5:30 pm.
Saturday November 23 & Sunday November 24. The Owl Designer Fair 2024. Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Ave, Victoria.
Monday November 25. District of Sooke Regular Council Meeting. 6 pm. sooke.ca
Tuesday November 26. Festival of Trees. Official launch at 4 pm. Trees remain at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Phillips Rd, Sooke to December 24.
Tuesday November 26. Santa’s Gift Shop at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 6pm-8pm. Kids can shop for their parents, family and siblings for Christmas. All gift purchases are by donation in support of the BC Children’s Hospital. We will do the wrapping!
Tuesday November 26. City of Langford Community Advisory Committee. 7 pm. Meeting link & agenda.
Tuesday November 26. District of Saanich. Public in person (drop-in) about the Shelbourne Valley Action Plan Update. 4 to 8 pm at Gordon Head Recreation Centre, 4100 Lambrick Way. Online survey Nov 15 to Dec 15.
Wednesday November 27. Sooke Change the Narrative. Speakers night about the health-care system, mental health and the toxic drug crisis. Speakers include Island Health, the Sooke Shelter Society, First Nations Health Authority, Moms Stop the Harm, Sooke RCMP, and others. Free event, 6:45 pm at EMCS, 6218 Sooke Rd.
Friday November 29. District of Metchosin – Draft Accessibility Plan. Public feedback open to Friday November 29.
November 29 to December 1 (& Dec 6 to 8) Sooke Community Theatre presents “Puss in Boots”, live on stage at EMCS, 6218 Sooke Rd. Friday & Saturday evenings at 7 pm, Sunday matinees at 2 pm.
Sometime in November. By-election announcement expected for a Fall 2024 federal by-election in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke. Candidates include: Tracy Foran (Conservative candidate nominee); Maja Tait (NDP candidate); so far no Liberal or Green candidates. | Visit the Canadian Federal Election 2025 news section.
December 2024
Sunday December 1. Candy Canes and Carols, men’s chorus. At the Mary Winspear Centre, 2 pm.
Monday December 2. District of Metchosin celebrates 40 years. Small reception after the 7 pm council meeting, 4450 Happy Valley Road.
Tuesday December 3. BC Farmers Market – Giving Tuesday. To support the BC Farmers Market Nutrition Coupon Program. Goal to raise $10.,800 to support 25 more families. The campaign is being carried out via Facebook (as media, Island Social Trends is not allowed to post on Facebook / re Bill C-21).
Tuesday December 3. Mental Health Over the Holidays – virtual workshop hosted by WorkBC West Shore/Sooke. 1 pm to 2:30 pm online. Free registration. | Read more about the workshop.
Tuesday December 5. Town of View Royal Council Meeting. 7 pm. In council chambers.
Friday December 6. Cereal for Christmas. A Sooke Food Bank Fundraiser. Sooke Community Jazz Band, 7 pm at Sooke Baptist Church. Admission by donation of non-perishable food especially cereal. Cash donations gladly accepted.
Saturday December 7. Winter Market at the Sooke Region Museum, 2070 Phillips Rd, Sooke. 11 am to 4 pm.
Saturday December 7. Youth Creative Craft Fair at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 10 am to 1 pm.
Saturday December 7. Metchosin Christmas Spirit Market, 10 am to 4pm, Metchosin Community Hall, 4401 William Head Rd, Victoria.
Sunday December 8. Zumbathon at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 1 to 2:30 pm.
Sunday December 8. Christmas Concert by Sooke Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra. 2:30 pm, Sooke Community Hall, 2037 Shields Rd, Sooke. Tickets at the door, or at Pharmasave Sooke, or sookephil.ca .
Sunday, December 8. Sooke Holiday Parade. Starts 5 pm (pre-parade festivities begin at 4 pm at the Sooke Branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library. Route: Journey Middle School > Throup Road > Church Road > Wadams Way.
Monday December 9. District of Sooke Regular Council Meeting. 6 pm. sooke.ca
Tuesday December 10. Town of View Royal Committee of the Whole. 3:30 pm. In council chambers.
Wednesday December 11. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2024 and 2025.
(Nov 12 to) Friday December 13. Office of the Seniors Advocate online survey, open from Nov 12 to Dec 13 regarding the impacts of ageism on seniors. Ageism Impact Survey.
Saturday December 14. Christmas Open House with Peter Julian, MP; Jennifer Whiteside, MLA; and Raj Chouhan, MLA. At New Westminster Secondary School, 820 6th Street, New Westminister. 1 to 3 pm. RSVP to PeterJulian.ca/events
Saturday December 14 & Sunday Dec 15. Sooke Craft Fair and Artisans Market, Sooke Community Hall, 2037 Shields Rd, Sooke.
Sunday December 15. Skate with Santa! at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 11:30 am to 12:45 pm.
Monday December 16. District of Sooke Committee of the Whole Meeting. 1 pm. sooke.ca
Friday December 20. Sooke School District 62. Last day before winter break. Winter break runs December 21 through January 5.
Tuesday December 24. Christmas Eve.
Tuesday December 24. Christmas Eve Skate at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 1 pm to 2:30 pm.
Wednesday December 25. Christmas Day 2024.
Tuesday December 31. New Year’s Eve.
Tuesday December 31. New Year’s Eve Skate at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, Sooke. 1 pm to 2:30 pm.
Community Leadership Calendar – 2025:
Wednesday January 1, 2025. Happy New Year!
Monday January 6. Sooke School District 62. Return to classes after winter break (winter break was December 21 through January 5).
Wednesday January 29. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
January or February 2025. King Charles III Memorial Awards, in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. Date tba.
February 2025. Municipal by-election in District of Sooke. Details/update.
February 8 to 16, 2025. Invictus Games in Vancouver. and Whistler.
February 2025. Start of the Spring Session of the BC Legislative Assembly (first session after the Fall 2024 provincial election).
Wednesday March 12, 2025. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
March 28 to 30, 2025. Island FanCon at City Centre Park in Langford. Second annual cosplay event in Langford, see Nov 9, 2024 news coverage. [See 2024 event coverage | 2024 economic contribution]
Sunday March 30, 2025. JUNO Awards in Vancouver and live on CBC.
Wednesday April 16. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
Wednesday June 4. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
July 18 to 20. 2025 National Mountain Bike Championship. At Jordie Lunn Bike Park in Langford.
Wednesday July 30. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
September 2025. Royal Roads University West Shore Campus, 798 Goldstream Ave, Langford. The new campus is set to open in September 2025 (previously September 2024). Check out continuing news: Groundbreaking for Royal Roads west shore campus (Aug 3, 2022) | Base slab concrete pour (Feb 1, 2023)
Wednesday September 17. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
September 22 to 26, 2025. Union of BC Municipalities 2025 Convention in Victoria, BC.
September 22 to 26, 2025. Woodrise International Congress mass-timber construction convention, in Vancouver, BC.
October 20, 2025. Federal election. Background articles: Former View Royal mayor eyes federal Liberal chances in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke [May 3, 2024] | NDP choose Colin Plant as their Saanich-Gulf Islands candidate [April 27, 2024] | Maja Tait kickstarts her federal campaign in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (September 1, 2023)
Wednesday October 29. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
Wednesday December 10. Bank of Canada scheduled interest rate announcement. | See Interest Rate Announcement Dates for 2025.
2026:
June 2026. FIFA World Cup 2026. Vancouver will be a host city for seven (7) games. First game on June 13, 2026. | Cost-benefit announcement held on April 30, 2024.
September 2026. New child care center in Metchosin to open on the grounds of Hans Helgesen Elementary (as announced in August 2024).
November 15, 2026. The 113th Grey Cup at the Stampeders’ McMahon Stadium home in Calgary.