Community Stories
Scrap Bill C-39: Protect Canada’s Environmental Laws
Bill C-30 Pest Control Products Act allows Ministers in the government to override scientific decisions on the use of pesticides previously banned by Health Canada. This marks the most significant setback in Canadian pesticide regulation in over a generation,…
The Deeper Challenges Underlying Our Political Unease
Surveying the political scene after the recent provincial election, it seems to me there is a lot of discontent and unease out there. We saw the NDP ejected in favour of a relatively unknown, inexperienced and potentially fragmenting alternative, the newly minted B.C. Conservative Party. I am not so sure…
Capitalism: A Global History
This book is quite astonishing. Over the past ten years I have read some 600 books on economics and economic history, and Sven Beckert’s book stands head and shoulders above them all. For Thomas Picketty, it’s “monumental, a must read.” Yes, it is 1,100 pages long,…
Microplastics in Me
This report features credible scientific research with findings from 28 people who had their blood analyzed, including Margaret Atwood, actor Fran Drescher and Victoria Pruden of the Metis National Council. Read the report here.
How Are Canadian Pension Funds Invested?
Hundreds of Canadians turned up to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPPIB) public meetings across the country this past October to ask how their retirement savings are being invested. But despite people lining up at the microphones…
Student-led Evening Bus Pilot Launches in B.C.’s Columbia Valley After Years of Advocacy
After nearly four years of work, a new evening bus pilot is finally running in B.C.’s Columbia Valley, giving residents another way to get around after regular transit service ends for the day. The Late Bus runs from Edgewater in the north to Canal Flats in the…
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Sustainable Living in Seniors Homes
One Planet Saanich and OneEarth Living, in partnership with the District of Saanich presents the Sustainable Living in Seniors Homes Action Guide – created specifically for 55+ stratas, independent living, and care homes – provides achievable ideas to…
Volunteers Monitor Coastal Water Quality
The Blue Water Task Force (BWTF), Surfrider South Vancouver Island’s volunteer-run water testing education and advocacy program, aims to promote environmental stewardship and ensure safe and healthy access to coastal habitats. We sample water from more than 15…
City of Victoria Updates Construction Standards to Prevent PVC Pollution
Last year, Surfrider SVI identified PVC pollution near Victoria beaches and storm drains caused by the outdoor dry cutting of PVC pipes during construction. PVC is one of the most toxic forms of plastics, comprising up to 60% known carcinogens and endocrine…
Volunteers Needed for Wild Animal Care
If you are passionate about wild animals and their welfare, want to invest 2-4 hours a week from April to September, and don’t mind cleaning up the odd animal mess, you may be exactly what the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) in Metchosin, BC…
Save 100 Majestic Oaks
The majestic Garry oaks at 4015 Braefoot Rd. in Saanich, British Columbia, are at critical risk. Over 100 of these magnificent trees, stand on the property; many have done so for centuries These trees are not just flora; they are vital keystone components of the…
Petition to save the Mighty Braefoot Oaks!
The majestic Garry oaks at 4015 Braefoot Rd. in Saanich, British Columbia, are at critical risk. Over 100 of these magnificent trees, stand on the property; many have done so for centuries. These trees are not just flora, they are vital keystone components of the…
Like Wooden Tombstones: The Latest Tree Decimation in Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
In the morning hours of Feb 19, 2026, tree cutting trucks towing wood chippers behind them made their way into the vicinity of Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, which is managed by the CRD. In the evening, I approached what looked like a funeral….
Open Letter to David Eby
Dear Premier Eby, Ordinarily I would be classified as a natural strong supporter of an NDP government, given the claim of the party to represent the interests of the working classes and those disadvantaged by the prevailing economic system and cultural biases. I had a…
Lessons from History on Tyranny, and Another Way to Promote Electoral Reform
This 10-minute video with actor John Lithgow is extremely timely and well-worth sharing: https://youtu.be/cXR5HLodsT8?si=3owhjpHJaNOk2f5f On a similar note, Peter MacLeod and Richard Johnson, the authors of Democracy’s Second Act: Why Politics Needs The Public, argue…
Situation Critical: Please help save The Tongass National Forest in Alaska, from Clear Cutting
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska is the largest National Forest in North America. It covers nearly 17 million acres and makes up a significant part of the world’s temperate forests. I’m reaching out to share a documentary project that needs support. The…
Old Growth Logging Near Fairy Creek Ridgeline
Teal Cedar is seeking approval for Cut Block 56684 8027 in Pacheedaht territory, an old growth clearcut just 30 metres from the Fairy Creek ridgeline, along with the construction of a new logging road into ancient forests. This proposal threatens to log millennia-old…
Protesters Thwart Plans for Goldstream Park Highway Expansion
A big shout out to Carl Olsen and all the people who have come out in support of protecting and preserving Goldstream Park and for the Vic News for sharing this “good news” story.
