Latest news with #WestShore
CTV News
19-07-2025
- CTV News
Tree trimming mischief: RCMP seek witnesses to unpermitted arborists in View Royal, B.C.
The trees in front of 270 Island Hwy. "were cut and trimmed without proper permits," police said. (West Shore RCMP)
CTV News
09-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Vancouver Island community group rallying support for outdoor public pool
Residents in the Vancouver Island community of Colwood are calling for a new, Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool to be built in West Shore. A community group in Vancouver Island's Colwood is working to secure a feasibility study to push forward a vision that would see an Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool built for the public in the West Shore. 'I think having a pool is just so conducive to any community for health and wellbeing, and fitness, and community,' says West Shore Community Pool Project lead, Linda Mackie. The photographer moved to Greater Victoria from Vancouver in 2016 and says she noticed the lack of public options for outdoor pool space. Since 2023, she's been drumming up support on a pitch to turn inspiration into reality. 'I love that idea,' says Donna Tran, while visiting the beach at Esquimalt Lagoon. 'I'm actually from Toronto and we had outdoor pools all year round and in pretty much every neighbourhood.' 'I think that would be really fun,' says another mom, Faith Roy. 'I like it cause it's probably a safe environment, lifeguards and all, closed off.' The project committee has earned the support of the West Shore Rotary Club, that has said it would fundraise millions to avoid downloading the cost onto taxpayers. Past president Mike Reilly says on top of a capital campaign, there are also plans to consider raising money for an endowment fund that would support ongoing maintenance fees. 'An outdoor pool is a great social leveler. Wealthy people will always have access to pools, but folks that don't have the means don't have those opportunities. They just don't exist here,' says Reilly. 'Rotary has a real responsibility when we put projects together that it's good for everyone – and an outdoor pool could not be a better definition of what's good for everyone.' The team says there's also a vision to consider creating a larger aquatic facility with an indoor pool on site too. But first, the group needs to conduct a feasibility study to see what can be built and where it might go. 'We've had agreement in principle from the City of Colwood that this would be the location for an outdoor pool. The other municipalities that we've approached have been very positive that it would be something that they would support,' says Reilly. The committee is trying to secure a consultant to conduct the study by fall and is hopeful that work can be released in Spring 2026 for review.
CTV News
17-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
New medical clinic, 10 doctors coming to Langford
The Goldstream Medical Clinic is expected to open early next year. A medical clinic is opening in downtown Langford with plans to give thousands of people access to a family doctor. The Goldstream Medical Clinic is expected to open early next year. During an in camera meeting last week, city council unanimously approved $1.7 million to supply medical equipment and build out the space on Bryn Maur Road off Goldstream Avenue. 'Langford has committed the immediate funding to move this critical project forward because residents cannot wait any longer for a doctor,' Mayor Scott Goodmanson said at a press conference Monday morning. Goodmanson noted health care is not a municipal responsibility, so he hopes the province will kick in some cash to help cover the cost of outfitting the clinic. The South Island Primary Care Society, a non-profit, will own and operate the clinic. 'We take on all the administrative burdens, so our physicians in our spaces can give their undivided attention to patient care,' said Alyssa Andres, the charity's executive director. The society plans to recruit 10 doctors to work at the clinic. Five physicians are already on board, including Dr. Tunde Omisore, who moved to Vancouver Island from the United Kingdom five months ago. 'There are so many patients who are unattached – so many people in the community who do not have a doctor,' he said. Langford estimates 27,000 people on the West Shore are without a family doctor. It believes the new clinic will give 12,500 people access to a physician. Those patients will be pulled from B.C.'s Health Connect Registry, Andres said. 'It's a really important opportunity if you're someone who doesn't have a family doctor to make sure you're registered on the B.C. Health Registry,' she said.
CTV News
31-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
City of Langford frustrated as province adds fast-growing community to housing targets
The City of Langford is expressing frustration and disappointment as the province moves to include the community in its housing targets program, which is focused on fast-tracking new growth in B.C. municipalities. 'Langford city council has a very positive outlook when it comes to providing housing and our city hall acts in alignment with that priority and focus,' says Coun. Kimberley Guiry. The West Shore municipality has been recognized as one of the fastest growing cities for years. The city says it's already set a goal to build 17,000 new homes over 20 years, which would make room for roughly 42,000 new residents. 'We are undertaking a large planning phase right now so we can grow responsibly and meet the needs of our community. And throughout that phase, we've maintained a priority on being effective and efficient and removing bureaucracy wherever possible so we can help developers grow and have fiscally attainable projects in Langford,' says Guiry. B.C.'s Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs says it will be consulting with the group of communities added to the list under the Housing Supply Act. It says the goals will reflect 75 per cent of each municipalities housing need. The group also includes Courtenay, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Squamish and Vernon. The province acknowledges many of the communities are 'already leaders' in building more homes. 'I think where we are struggling and where I have a personal worry is we are sidestepping important conversations where we need to have partnerships with the province in order to meet the needs that come with that growth,' says Guiry. The councillor points to a 4,500-square-foot site on Bryn Maur Road that's ready to welcome 10 new doctors. She says the city has asked the province for $1.7-million to help open the doors and hasn't heard a response. She's also concerned about negative ripple effects for developers who may be impacted by U.S. tariffs – and updates to buildings codes increasing construction costs. The province didn't respond to CTV News' request for further comment by deadline Friday afternoon. It's initial release updating the program says housing targets have delivered more than 16,000 new homes across the first 30 priority municipalities. The Housing Supply Act was implemented in 2023, enabling government to set housing targets for communities based on areas of need or to meet projected growth.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Vancouver Island residents defrauded of $3.5K in fake cop scam: RCMP
The RCMP logo is seen in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Mounties on Vancouver Island are warning of a scam wherein a fraudster impersonates a police officer to extort family members for bail. The West Shore RCMP said two residents have lost a combined $3,500 to a scammer claiming to be an officer from the detachment. On May 2, a resident received a phone call from someone purporting to be 'Sgt. Thomas Scott from the RCMP,' who told the victim their family member was arrested and they needed to transfer $2,000 to a third party for bail, according to police. 'After transferring the money, the victim tried calling their family member, who confirmed that they had not been arrested and had no interaction with the police,' a Friday news release from the detachment reads. On May 23, once again a person got a call from 'Sgt. Thomas Scott' asking for $1,500 worth of gift cards to bail out a family member. Police say the victim bought the gift cards and sent information to the fraudster, but then became suspicious and called the family member, who confirmed they also were not arrested and had no interaction with police. 'We want the public to be aware of this fraudster who is pretending to be a member of the RCMP and targeting residents of the West Shore,' said Cpl. Nancy Saggar, in the release. 'Under no circumstances would police, whether that be RCMP or a municipal department, ever direct you to transfer money or make any kind of payment.' Mounties asked anyone who falls victim to a fraud, or has information about these specific incidents, to call 250-474-2264 or Crime Stoppers.
