Times Colonist
Record numbers of orcas, humpbacks spotted in Salish Sea in 2021
It was a record year for orca and humpback whale sightings – and their newborns – in the Salish Sea in 2021. The Pacific Whale Watch Association, which has 29 member companies departing 24 ports...
Long-term care homes hit with COVID outbreaks, lack of rapid tests, visitor restrictions
Seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie is concerned long-term care homes aren't a priority for receiving COVID test kits
Worst-case Omicron scenario could see hospitals overwhelmed, new COVID modelling shows
Omicron appears to spread more readily than Delta variant; there's a higher chance of re-infection, as well as infection of vaccinated people. Modelling shows rising cases on Vancouver Island, driven...
Take-home rapid COVID tests to be widely available in B.C. in new year, health minister says
A supply of the at-home tests is expected to be delivered by the federal government in mid- to late January
Provincial workers to return to office Dec. 1; vaccine mandate now in effect
Unvaccinated provincial employees who don't qualify for exemption will be placed on unpaid leave
'Thirty-, 40- and 50-year-olds shouldn't be dying at this level': A day in the ICU
On any given day in B.C., the large majority of people in hospital intensive care units are unvaccinated
Lonely Planet names Vancouver Island as a top-10 global destination for 2022
Island was ranked ninth-best region in the world by Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022
Victoria exploring ways to encourage construction of townhouses, duplexes
Victoria is exploring ways to address a lack of housing options that city staff and builders say is driving young families out of the city. While real estate and rental prices are increasingly out...
Chamber says Fairy Creek old-growth logging protests harming Port Renfrew businesses
Long-term media attention to activities at Fairy Creek is contributing to “negative effects” for Port Renfrew businesses, says the community’s chamber of commerce. Blockades have been set up in the...
Wildfires, smoke bring tourism rush to Island; operators at capacity
The increasing tourism traffic comes with challenges, says the chief executive of the Vancouver Island Tourism Association