2 weeks to election

There are two current ridings that cover parts of the Westshore. Both are descendants of Esquimalt Juan de Fuca, which was redistricted in 2015.

The old riding had been dominated by Keith Martin with the Liberals (2004, 2006, 2008), Alliance (2000), Reform (1997, 1993), and briefly as an independent. Before Martin the seat was held by Dave Barrett, formerly the NDP's first-ever BC Premier. 

The NDP's Randall Garrison had been a relatively close second to Martin at points in the 2000s before breaking through to win in 2011. Parts of that riding then became Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke, which Garrison and the NDP held until his retirement last year. Garrison won comfortably multiple times before stepping aside this past winter for health reasons after cueing up Sooke Mayor Maja Tait as his successor as NDP candidate.

Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke skirts underneath the other Westshore riding, going along the coastline from Sooke at the edge through Metchosin and Colwood and then Esquimalt, and cuts inland to include View Royal and parts of Saanich.

Here are the 2025 candidates: Maja Tait (NDP), Stephanie McLean (Liberal), Grant Cool (Conservative), Ben Homer-Dixon (Green), Nikita Heurtier (PPC), Robert Crooks (Communist), Param Bhatti (Independent), David Schaafsma (Christian Heritage).

Read more on them at Capital Daily.

Read the breakdowns of the other local ridings here.

The depot, 5 years in the making, will roughly double the region's capacity to send these smaller community buses to provide door-to-door pickup for locals with disabilities. It's expected to become fully operational here in mid-April.

The $83.5M cost will be split between the BC and federal governments and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission.

The facility will be BC Transit’s first Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold standard building. The full electrification process didn't come cheap, though. BC and Canada kicked in $51M in 2023, on top of the initial cost estimate in 2019 of $32M, to get it there—although that money was also for increased costs of inflation and construction. 

The site needed environmental improvements, and for that work the project was designated as the first “Salmon Safe” urban development project on the Island. It created over an acre-plus of protected habitat for salmon and trout in the Craigflower Creek watershed, and salmon have returned to the site in higher numbers since its remediation. Some 8,000 endemic plants and 350 trees were planted as part of the project.

The facility at Watkiss and Burnside will host 50+ buses, and can handle up to 100. BC Transit says the new site “positions BC Transit to expand HandyDART ridership in Greater Victoria to meet the expected growth in demand as the region’s population ages and grows.”

The province owns the land and was able to bypass View Royal bylaws on project approval because it was designated as an arterial highway. But the project agreed to make land along Watkiss—and $150K—available as View Royal public space, with a park design released last fall.

By moving HandyDART operations to the View Royal location, BC Transit will be able to repurpose its old location to use for the upcoming Saanich Transit Centre.

The departure of many students and the upcoming arrival of many, many tourists has Victoria Transit shifting its peninsula and campus routes.

The 75 between downtown and Keating Cross (and on to Butchart Gardens on weekends) will get more trips, as will the 70 to Swartz Bay. The 72 will get more trips and adjusted times on weekdays to match ferry departures.

The 76 between Swartz Bay and UVic will be on hiatus until fall classes begin. This direct bus was resurrected this Jan. due to student demand after being cut when Covid began. It takes under 50 minutes, saving time compared to a two-leg trip, but only ran on Fridays, Sundays, and holidays. 

Also, the 51 Langford-to-UVic route will be reduced. It's one of a few routes getting service level changes based on public feedback, BC Transit says  the others include routes 24 (Cedar Hill/Tillicum Centre) and 46 (Dockyard/Westhills).

The 49 will get new stops along Bear Mountain Parkway.

Until June the 70, 71, and 32 (Cordova to Royak Oak), will also continue to detour along Ravine (rather than Saanich Rd.) due to construction.