National champions again (& again & again & again & again)
Victoria employment numbers strong. Whiskey Creek killings still unsolved.
Good morning !
We hope you’ve been able to get out and enjoy some of the places to see the fall leaves as they, well, fall. If you want to suggest another good location to add to our list, and/or have a photo of the colourful views, just send it in as a reply to this email.
We already received two great photos of Butchart Gardens from readers over the weekend, which you can see at the end of the newsletter today. But first: A local team extends one of the most impressive sports feats in Canada.
What did you do with your extra hour yesterday?
🌡️ Weather Forecast
NEWS
6 golds in a row: UVic field hockey dynasty continues
These Vikes remain one of Canada’s most dominant university sports teams, continuing a streak as reigning champs that began back in 2018. The school now boasts 17 championships and is closing in on UBC’s record of 19.
On Sunday UVic (9-1-2) needed only 2 minutes to tally what ended up being the winning goal, with Anni Kleinschmidt scoring on a very early penalty. From there, the Vikes defence delivered a shutout—as it has done in every game this national tournament, blanking opponents 11-0.
Kleinschmidt also scored in every tourney game, including the winning goal in 3 of 4. She, Libby Hogg, Ava Winters, & Sadie Lee were named tournament all-stars. Hogg was also an All-Canadian.
Rugby women settle for national silver in hard-fought final
For the second straight season, the Vikes' Cinderella run from the 8th seed to the final will conclude just a step short of becoming Canadian champs.
The announcers called it “the best female rugby game ever played” in PEI. UBC won its first national championship 8-3 in a grind-it-out defensive game. UVic got a number of good scoring chances but was consistently stymied by the Thunderbirds’ defence. It was a clutch change of pace from what has tended to be an offensively minded team—though UVic's own defence held UBC to a season-low score.
UVic mounted a final charge in the dying moments, but was eventually picked off and Olympic star Charity Williams of UBC ran the ball nearly all the way back to UVic’s line until she was brought down just before the game ended.
Though UVic lost, the game was still a Victoria victory in that 4 members of the locally based national team now play for UBC: Williams, Shalaya Valenzuela, Piper Logan, and Florence Symonds.
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Very strong winds today, possibly breaking trees & causing outages.
Douglas closure from Belleville to Humboldt, for underground servicing, is slated to begin today and last 2.5 weeks.
Saanich hosts second open house for Quadra McKenzie Plan tomorrow.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive reunion will kick off 2025 tour in Victoria on April 1.
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
NEWS
Victoria employment trends look strong, bucking BC trend
It's often warmer on the Island than in the rest of BC, and that’s true when it comes to the outlook in employment trends in 2024.
Despite a softening of BC’s labour market, Greater Victoria posted 6.2% employment growth in Sept. 2024, according to the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC.
“We saw some of the strongest employment growth in the province over the past year,” said Simon Philp, market vice president at CIBC. “It’s good to see that resilience at the local level, especially when the BC labour market as a whole has shown some weakness.”
The news was not as positive across the province, with the unemployment rate jumping from 5.5% to 6.0% over the last year. Victoria's unemployment rate of just 3.9% was third-lowest among all censuses metro areas in Canada.
In Victoria, Philp credited growth in the services (particularly information, culture, and rec) and goods sectors for creating new jobs.
“This year’s growth was driven by industries not usually seen as major employers in Greater Victoria,” he commented. “It’s a great reminder of the diverse opportunities available, which contributes to economic stability in the area.”
Get more local business and tech news from Victoria Tech Journal.
⭐️ Capital Picks
📸 Eerie & atmospheric photos from around Victoria, posted by Doug Clement for Halloween weekend.
🥞 Join Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island for Pancakes & Pajamas December 8! Enjoy brunch and holiday activities at Hotel Grand Pacific – pajamas encouraged!*
🎼 Music residency program for emerging artists launched by the fifty fifty Arts Collective. [Application form]
🌲 Dirty hands + plants + hot chocolate = winter fun! Patio Gardens' Winter Planter Workshop on Nov. 14 from 6-8pm. Spots limited - sign up now!*
*Sponsored Listing
🗞️ In Other News
Halloween-night triple homicide in Whiskey Creek still unsolved
A Qualicum peer-support worker says she was almost among those killed in 2020, having planned to take supplies out to the off-grid camp. She's still hoping to see justice for the people—and dogs—shot dead that night and found by a dirtbiker in burned-out RVs. [CHEK]
Saanich sports groups seek tweaks to park sheltering rules
They argue that campers and youth sports leagues are coming into too much contact in some sports-heavy parks, and that those parks should either be non-sheltering ones or have sheltering allowance begin later and/or further from fields. Mayor Dean Murdock said there has been good compliance with sheltering rules and few complaints, but room for improvement. [Times Colonist]
9-year sentence after manslaughter guilty plea in flare-gun killing
George Thurrott, 59, was threatening Royburne Osmond, 59, with the flare gun in March 2020 when it went off in Osmond's mouth, leading to his death days later. They both lived in the former Tally-Ho motel facility, along with Osmond's common-law spouse—who spoke at trial about the pain of losing him. Accepting the joint submission from Crown and defence, the judge said Thurrott had little chance to succeed in life after being abused and addicted by age 8. [Times Colonist]
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🗓️ Things to do
🖌 Oaklands Outdoor Art Tour: A self-guided outdoor walking tour of art displays in the Oaklands, inspired by and reflecting the local culture, social events, and environment of the neighbourhood. [Free, daily, any time]
🦖➖1️⃣ Godzilla Minus One, the acclaimed 2023 Japanese film, is showing this week at the Roxy in both colour and B&W. [Showtimes]
🦇 24-hour Batman marathon & contest: Anybody who stays—and stays awake—through 9 consecutive Batman movies at the Vic Theatre will win free movies there for a year. Nov. 9, 10am to Nov. 10, 10am.
👀 In Case You Missed It
5 years later, BC continues to change its clocks. The provincial rationale, and the broader debate. [Sunday]
Saturday news: Where to see fall leaves. Deer attack in Oak Bay. Dog attack in Sidney. [Capital Daily newsletter]
The faces of Dia de los Muertos in North Saanich. [Colin Smith photos]
An American Dipper right in the middle of Stamp Falls. [VanIsleWildlife]
Hero's welcome for Island Paralympian Nicholas Bennett in Oceanside on Friday. [Nanaimo News Now]
Correction: Sundance-Bank school is located off Oak Bay Ave., but is not in Oak Bay. It is a few blocks west of the border.
The Japanese Garden at Butchart Gardens – Bennett Guinn
“This iconic view in the Summer in full light is a mass of “flower colour” with shades of green trees as a backdrop. The low light in the Fall is the chance for the trees themselves to shine!” – Richard Steward