Indigenous leader Joan Phillip is expecting to be officially announced tonight as the NDP’s candidate in the upcoming Vancouver-Mount Pleasant byelection. Phillip will be running to replace former minister Melanie Mark, who resigned in April. She has run twice for the federal NDP in previous elections. No date for the byelection has been set yet but it must be called by October 14th.
The provincial government is offering two-and-a-half million dollars in grants to help farmers prepare for extreme weather. The Extreme Weather Preparedness for Agriculture program helps farms prepare for future climate events, such as wildfires, flooding and heat waves. Grants of up to 35-thousand dollars are available for projects including exterior sprinklers, flood-resistant equipment or indoor cooling systems. Applications are open until June 14th.
The northern Yukon community of Old Crow has its first assisted living facility. The building, which offers eight one-bedroom units, has officially opened in the fly-in community of about 200 people. Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Pauline Frost says the facility will make it possible for elders to receive the care they need while remaining in the community. The complex, known as the Victoria Blake Memorial Elders Home, is named in memory of the elder whose cabin occupied the current site for several decades.
The province wants public input on proposed changes to the building code. An online survey is running until June 16th to get the public’s opinion on proposed changes based on the national codes and some BC specific variations. The potential changes include some related to accessibility, cooling requirements, earthquake design and ventilation. The government anticipates adopting the updated BC Building Code this year and bringing it into force in December.
A draw Thursday at a Vancouver liquor store will determine who gets to spend 228-thousand dollars on a single bottle of scotch. BC Liquor says it’s the only retailer in Canada to offer its customers the opportunity to purchase The Macallan The Reach 81 Year Old. There are only 288 bottles of the 41.6 proof single malt available in the world. BC Liquor says it will be taking “advanced security measures” to ensure the bottle is safely purchased and a separate pickup will be scheduled for a later date.
Pic-A-Flic Video, one of the last places in Greater Victoria to rent a movie in person, is closing its doors after 40 years. Opened in 1983, Pic-A-Flic has more than 25-thousand titles, from silent movies to new releases. Owner Kent Bendall says most of the store’s titles are not available on modern streaming services. Bendall says he hopes someone will buy the store’s entire collection and an online petition is calling for the library or the University of Victoria to purchase it.