West Shore

Property tax rates range from 0.24 per cent to more than 0.6 per cent in a list of B.C. municipalities compiled by a Canadian brokerage. (Black Press Media file photo)

Powell River, Whistler, top list of B.C.’s highest and lowest property tax rates

Powell River $1 million homeowner would fork over more than $4k in taxes than in Whistler

Property tax rates range from 0.24 per cent to more than 0.6 per cent in a list of B.C. municipalities compiled by a Canadian brokerage. (Black Press Media file photo)
Prince Charles leaves a roundtable event with business leaders in Ottawa, during the Canadian Royal tour, on May 18, 2022. Heritage Canada says an official Canadian portrait of King Charles III will be released “in due course.” (Justin Tang - The Canadian Press)

Coming soon to a public office near you: King Charles III’s face?

Government offices, municipal halls not required to display royal portraits, new one not ready yet

Prince Charles leaves a roundtable event with business leaders in Ottawa, during the Canadian Royal tour, on May 18, 2022. Heritage Canada says an official Canadian portrait of King Charles III will be released “in due course.” (Justin Tang - The Canadian Press)
A group fishing off Greater Victoria had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a trio of young orcas on Jan. 17. (Courtesy Craig Twidale)

VIDEO: Young orcas caught showboating off Greater Victoria

Group fishing near Race Rocks films rare encounter with killer whales

A group fishing off Greater Victoria had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a trio of young orcas on Jan. 17. (Courtesy Craig Twidale)
Liz Barrett had hoped to return to her electrician apprenticeship after a year of maternity leave. Now her kids are nearly two years-old, but she can’t go back to work due to the lack of childcare spaces. (Courtesy of Liz Barrett)

Child care, benefits, stigma among barriers fuelling labour shortages in B.C. trades

Canada will face a shortage of at least 10,000 workers in every recognized trade in the next 5 years

Liz Barrett had hoped to return to her electrician apprenticeship after a year of maternity leave. Now her kids are nearly two years-old, but she can’t go back to work due to the lack of childcare spaces. (Courtesy of Liz Barrett)
Sterling’s setup where he captured the seal pup’s birth. (Courtesy of Derek Sterling)

VIDEO: Victoria volunteer captures ‘awesome’ elephant seal birth

Derek Sterling is living on Race Rocks to help maintain the equipment and manage the wildlife

Sterling’s setup where he captured the seal pup’s birth. (Courtesy of Derek Sterling)
Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Second escaped inmate who murdered Greater Victoria man sentenced to life in jail

Family haunted by how Martin Payne’s last moments were marked by horror

Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson speaks outside Langford City Hall on Jan. 6. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Victoria area pushing to attract the BC Lions for a regular-season home game

Similar one-off games have been held in Halifax last year, CFL team ‘intrigued’

Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson speaks outside Langford City Hall on Jan. 6. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
William Buckley, owner of CARE Funeral Services, has had his licence suspended for not meeting reporting requirements, according to Consumer Protection BC. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

‘They rule by fear’: Greater Victoria funeral home cries foul after B.C. strips licence

Province has fined local business repeatedly over reporting methods

William Buckley, owner of CARE Funeral Services, has had his licence suspended for not meeting reporting requirements, according to Consumer Protection BC. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Martin Payne was murdered in his Metchosin home on July 12, 2019. He’s remembered by family and friends for spreading joy, love and kindness to everyone he met. (Facebook/Martin Payne)

Loved ones remember joyous B.C. man as his killer is sentenced

Martin Payne’s family say they’ll never recover from the thought of his traumatic final moments

Martin Payne was murdered in his Metchosin home on July 12, 2019. He’s remembered by family and friends for spreading joy, love and kindness to everyone he met. (Facebook/Martin Payne)
James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage were charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne after the pair escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Escaped B.C. inmate found guilty of murder of Vancouver Island man

But jury wasn’t told of fate of second escaped inmate in killing of Martin Payne

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage were charged with the first-degree murder of Martin Payne after the pair escaped William Head institution on July 7, 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)
Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)

‘It was like I needed permission from my rapist to talk’: B.C woman says ban turned town against her

Sooke’s Samantha Geiger says court-ordered publication ban prevented her from defending herself

Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)
The lawyer for one of two escaped William Head inmates said his client should be acquitted as he blamed a 2019 murder solely on Zachary Armitage. William Head Institution is shown through a security fence in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Lam

Only one escaped inmate committed B.C. murder, defence claims in closing remarks

James Lee Busch’s lawyer puts murder blame solely on Zachary Armitage

The lawyer for one of two escaped William Head inmates said his client should be acquitted as he blamed a 2019 murder solely on Zachary Armitage. William Head Institution is shown through a security fence in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Lam
Metchosin man Martin Payne was discovered July 12, 2019. He was described by family as “exceptionally gentle” and “caring.” James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Payne. (Facebook/Martin Payne)

Crown says escaped inmates worked together to murder B.C. man

James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage charged with first-degree murder of Martin Payne

Metchosin man Martin Payne was discovered July 12, 2019. He was described by family as “exceptionally gentle” and “caring.” James Lee Busch and Zachary Armitage are charged with the first-degree murder of Payne. (Facebook/Martin Payne)
Construction on Jacklin Road back in 1999. (Goldstream Gazette archives)

THEN AND NOW: How this B.C. town has changed over the past 30 years

New roads, new buildings, new businesses, same old baseball diamond

Construction on Jacklin Road back in 1999. (Goldstream Gazette archives)
Kelly Favro, a 39-year-old Victoria mother went to the provincial supreme court to get her publication ban lifted. (Courtesy of Kelly Favro)

B.C. women push to end court-ordered silence placed on sexual assault victims

Group wants victims to have a say on publication bans for sexual assault cases

Kelly Favro, a 39-year-old Victoria mother went to the provincial supreme court to get her publication ban lifted. (Courtesy of Kelly Favro)
A black bear lumbers along the banks of the Sooke River. A wildlife advocate says that weather impacts bears’ behaviour because it affects their food source. (Contributed - Gary Schroyen)

Bears need personal space as they prepare for winter, says B.C. wildlife advocate

Spring and summer weather affecting black bear hibernation schedule

A black bear lumbers along the banks of the Sooke River. A wildlife advocate says that weather impacts bears’ behaviour because it affects their food source. (Contributed - Gary Schroyen)
Jeff Morrow’s Atkins Road property was heavily damaged by flood waters during the record-breaking Nov. 15, 2021 storm. (Black Press Media file photo)

A year after record-breaking storm nearly took his house, B.C. man shares costly journey

Jeff Morrow thankful for the support he has received, feels better support system still needed

Jeff Morrow’s Atkins Road property was heavily damaged by flood waters during the record-breaking Nov. 15, 2021 storm. (Black Press Media file photo)
Placing coins on gravestones is a practice that is believed to have started during the Vietnam War. (Black Press Media file photo)

Coins on tombstones, an American tradition that has gradually taken root in Canada

Denomination of coin can show relationship to fallen soldier

  • Nov 11, 2022
Placing coins on gravestones is a practice that is believed to have started during the Vietnam War. (Black Press Media file photo)
Inmates at the William Head Institution show off their Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 poppy box. Since at least 2016, inmates at the institution have been making donations to the West Shore Legion’s poppy campaign. (Courtesy of William Head Institution)

B.C. prisoners pitching in to keep memory of wartime sacrifices alive

Inmates at the William Head Institution on Vancouver Island make annual donations

Inmates at the William Head Institution show off their Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 poppy box. Since at least 2016, inmates at the institution have been making donations to the West Shore Legion’s poppy campaign. (Courtesy of William Head Institution)
A defaced road sign of a logging truck is seen near the protest site of Fairy Creek on southern Vancouver Island on Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

BC Supreme Court rejects old growth protesters application to combine their cases

Application called for court to join and stay proceedings due to RCMP’s “alleged systemic misconduct”

A defaced road sign of a logging truck is seen near the protest site of Fairy Creek on southern Vancouver Island on Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward