Don’t Forget to Vote!

Today is our federal election. If you haven’t already hit the advanced polls, make sure you get your vote in today, because it matters. When voters don’t turn out to choose their government, they receive a government that doesn’t represent them.

Here is a useful resource from elections Canada for you to find out where you can vote. The polls will be open for 12 hours.
https://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=vote&document=index&lang=e

Greater Victoria Neighbourhoods – Colwood

Colwood is an award-winning city. Just a few of the categories are Vancouver Island Green Business, Top 100 Canadian Neighbourhoods, Community Excellence Award, and Climate and Energy Action Award. Colwood is an ‘up and coming’ city, with multiple amenities and many progressive initiatives that raise the quality of life of residents. Beauteous natural panoramas and resplendent places to relax, walk and catch a sunset put the shine on one of the most desirable places to live on Vancouver Island. It even has a castle!

Getting around Colwood is a joyous and comfortable experience. Local transit is quick and efficient and the Galloping Goose Trail meanders through lush countryside, accommodating walkers and cyclists. For those who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, there are numerous free, public electric vehicle charging stations in Colwood. Over 50 parks and trails provide plenty of opportunity to get out, feel the sun on your face and the wind on your back. Just a few teasers: Bee Creek, a small stream in Colwood flowing into Esquimalt Lagoon; Colwood waterfront and lagoon, featuring miles of breathtaking ocean beaches; and a national bird sanctuary. Avid golfers will hit their stride at the Royal Colwood Golf Course.

A rich colourful history lies behind the peaceful serenity of Colwood. Travellers from around the world come to see the many national historic, cultural and environmental landmarks that rest in some of the most spectacular scenery in BC. Hatley Park, home to Royal Roads University, is also host to one of the most ravishing series of gardens in Canada, Hatley Gardens. Within the grounds of the university stands a towering palatial relic of an elegant past, Hatley Castle.

Colwood has a thriving Arts community. Coast Collective is a new innovative art centre and an accessible showcase for Fine Art. The community’s family theatre, Four Seasons Musical Theatre, has provided joyous entertainment since 1975. Families have access to numerous schools, such as Colwood Elementary School, Dunsmuir Middle School, and Royal Bay Secondary School. The primary recreation centre serving Colwood is Juan de Fuca, with a pool, swirl pool, sauna, curling rink, and a fitness studio.

Give yourself a well-deserved award -- consider Colwood as your forever home. 

Housing Policy Focus

First-time home buyers – those who are in their 20s and 30s – are in the process of making major financial decisions and they are paying attention to candidate’s messages in the upcoming federal election.

As a consequence, a good deal of policy is focused on helping first-time buyers into the housing market.

Politicians are largely focused on ‘demand stimulus’ ideas. These are policies to help buy homes in our big cities, but where we don’t have enough homes for sale to satisfy the current demand, let alone increased demand.

Our politicians also need to address how these homes will be provided. In other words, lower barriers to building homes we need to meet the demands of a growing population.

Otherwise a surge of new buyers – increased demand with constrained supply – could cause prices to escalate and erase any benefit from stimulus packages.

Love Bird Watching?

At the peak of the migration, you might see up to 1,000 turkey vultures and other raptors kettling (a term that birders use to describe a group of birds wheeling and circling in the air). The migrating birds visit our area from mid-September to late October around East Sooke Regional Park.

The southbound birds use the park as a staging area to rest and feed before they make a 29-kilometre crossing over the Juan de Fuca Strait on their way to Olympic National Park in Washington state.

The most common raptors you can expect to see are turkey vultures, bald eagles and red-tailed hawks. Other less common raptors that may be present include Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, peregrine falcon, American kestrel, merlin, northern harrier and osprey.

Beechey Head is an excellent place to observe raptors during their fall migration.

Reference: https://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/explore-birds-of-prey-flock-to-east-sooke-1.23965105

The Arts - Art Gallery of Greater Victoria: Celebrating Art by First Nations Women

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is celebrating Matriarchs: Two-Spirited, Coast Salish artist from Shíshálh Nation, Margaret August brings together a selection of prints in celebration of the First Nations women that inspire her and will inspire you too!

The exhibition features work by Kelly Cannell, Francis Dick, Lou-ann Neel, Sage Paul, Susan Point, Marika Echachis Swan and Carrielynn Victor, as well as Margaret August. The Matriarchs: Prints by First Nations Women exhibition runs until November 24th.

For more information, go to https://aggv.ca/events/celebration-of-matriarchs-featuring-answer-drum-group/

Greater Victoria Neighbourhoods – Sooke

Sooke embodies the quintessential West Coast spirit and lifestyle – one of freedom, a certain wildness, and a celebration of nature’s bounty. The oceanside paradise has all the elements of good living: the enjoyment of sunsets, rocky shores, and beautiful homes; wonderful activities for all ages; tantalizing food; and the pursuit of art, knowledge and wonder.

This west island community has everything to thrill the outdoor enthusiast. Fans of walking, skateboarding, horseback riding, and cycling have their own special corridor - the Galloping Goose Regional Trail. This walkway winds through the countryside for 55 kilometres. A cool swim on a hot afternoon does not get any better than a plunge into Sooke River at Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. East Sooke Park provides walking trails along the rugged rocky edges of a turbulent ocean. Enjoy a gentle stroll along Whiffen Spit, a sandy appendage into the aqua blue.

For an art and culture infusion, the Marshall-Inman Gallery showcases stunning ceramic and wooden marvels. Master Carver Brett Borrie creates magic in precious metals at B & K Jewelry and Gifts. The South Shore Gallery is a venue for local artisans to display their talents in paintings, prints, ceramics, and glass.

Trip Advisor awarded The Sooke Region Museum with a 'Certificate of Excellence' due to rave reviews from customers around the globe. At Saltwest Naturals, you can watch how they distill salt from the ocean and sample their delicious products. The first 'meadery' in Western Canada, Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery staff wave a wand over their freshly made honey and turn it into ambrosial mead wine.

The humble little town on the island's edge has internationally celebrated restaurants such as
Sooke Harbour House, 'Diner's Choice Award' winner in 2018. On a smaller scale, Mom's Cafe is a popular local favourite. SEAPARC Recreation Centre in Sooke has programs in arts, recreation, sports, fitness and health. The many exceptional schools include John Muir Elementary School, Poirier Elementary School, Saseenos Elementary School, and Sooke Elementary School.

Once you get a taste of the Sooke lifestyle, resistance is futile!

BC’s Economy Will Not Improve According to Jock Finlayson - executive vice president and chief policy officer of the Business Council of BC

Residential home sales have fallen markedly in the last year or so. Recently, however, lower interest rates and earlier price declines have improved affordability, with home sales moving higher.

Some market watchers believe the housing down-cycle is over. But the Ministry of Finance estimates that residential sales in 2019 will hover near 46,000, down from almost 74,000 two years ago.
At the same time, housing starts, which have been strong so far this year, are poised to slump, in line with reduced demand from non-resident buyers and decisions by many B.C. developers to pull back from planned projects.

The provincial government predicts that housing starts will drop by more than one-fifth in 2020.
The deteriorating global economy is another major worry. Slower growth in major external markets, including the U.S., China and Germany, is already beginning to pinch B.C.’s exports.
Through July, the value of provincial exports was down by three per cent from 2018 levels. The forest industry has suffered the biggest blow, with wood product exports sagging by around 20 per cent. There is little chance of a meaningful export recovery in 2020.

The rolling economic crisis in the forest sector is another significant negative in B.C.’s economic picture. Mills are closing and jobs are being lost across the province. Forestry provides one-third of B.C.’s merchandise exports.

Dwindling residential investment will detract from aggregate economic growth. It will also work against the policy objective of enhanced affordability, which – among other things – requires an increased supply of new housing units.

Reference: https://www.vicnews.com/opinion/column-and-now-the-bad-news-about-b-c-s-economy