Samwise Vancouver Island Newsletter
Friday, April 17, 2026
BC Ferries Cancels Easter Sailings as Two Vessels Sideline Travellers Heading Into Long Weekend
BC Ferries has cancelled sailings on major routes linking Vancouver Island to the mainland, creating widespread disruptions for Easter long weekend travellers. Two major vessels are out of service: the Spirit of Vancouver Island, serving the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay corridor, sidelined by a generator malfunction, and the Queen of Surrey, operating on the Horseshoe Bay–Sunshine Coast route, pulled after mechanical issues were found during its annual refit. Easter is BC Ferries’ fourth-busiest travel period. A revised schedule has been posted online and the company is providing refunds to affected customers. Environment Canada issued warnings of gusts up to 70 km/h on some routes, raising concerns of further cancellations through the weekend.
Sources: CBC News, Global News
BC Supreme Court Hears Closing Arguments in Case Challenging Catholic Hospitals’ Right to Refuse MAID
Closing arguments have concluded in a BC Supreme Court case with potentially national implications for medical assistance in dying access. The lawsuit centres on Samantha O’Neill, a 34-year-old woman with Stage 4 cervical cancer who was denied MAID at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital in 2023 and transferred by ambulance for the procedure in her final hours. Three plaintiffs—including Dying With Dignity Canada and a palliative care physician—argue publicly funded faith-based hospitals cannot invoke religious exemptions to refuse MAID. Hospital lawyers countered that receiving public funding does not make Catholic hospitals government actors bound by the Charter. The case is widely expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Sources: Global News, Lethbridge Herald
BC Greens Leader Emily Lowan Stands Alone in Defending DRIPA Against NDP’s Planned Amendments
BC Greens leader Emily Lowan says her party is the only one defending the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act as Premier David Eby’s government moves to amend the legislation. DRIPA, which enshrines the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in BC law, has become politically contentious, with critics arguing it grants Indigenous nations excessive consent rights over provincial decisions. Lowan condemned the NDP’s planned changes as weakening Indigenous rights for political gain. “A government that is willing to weaken Indigenous rights for political expediency cannot expect our support,” she said. The BC Greens are currently propping up the NDP minority government under a confidence-and-supply agreement.
Sources: This Is VANCOLOUR
Saanich Passes 2026 Budget with 5.35% Property Tax Increase, Averaging $215 More Per Homeowner
Saanich council has approved its 2026 municipal budget with a 5.35% property tax increase, adding an average of $215 to homeowners’ annual bills and $113 for strata owners. The operations budget is $10 million higher than 2025, which the district’s director of finance Paul Arslan called a “status quo” budget—one that delivers the same services at rising cost, driven by higher wages, utilities and supply prices. Council considered tax hikes as high as 7.91% before trimming the rate through multiple budget sessions. The financial plan is expected to receive formal adoption by mid-May. Several other Greater Victoria municipalities are also finalizing spring budgets.
Sources: Victoria Times Colonist
VicPD Releases Suspect Photos from Two Armed Victoria Gas Station Robberies on April 8
Victoria Police have released surveillance images of a suspect in two armed gas station robberies that took place 25 minutes apart on April 8. Officers were called to the 3000 block of Shelbourne Street at 9:15 p.m. and then the 1900 block of Oak Bay Avenue at 9:40 p.m. The suspect is described as approximately 40 years old with a heavy build, seen in footage wearing a white baseball cap, blue sweater with a red Reebok emblem, grey pants and blue latex gloves. Police believe a vehicle was used in both incidents. No injuries were reported. Anyone with information is asked to contact VicPD or Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers.
Sources: Victoria News, Goldstream News Gazette
BC Housing Minister Signals Short-Term Rental Exemption Decision for Kelowna Is Approaching
BC Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle told municipal representatives in Victoria Thursday that a decision on Kelowna’s application to exempt itself from the province’s short-term rental rules is approaching. The province’s 2024 rules require short-term rentals to operate from an owner’s principal residence, designed to return units to the long-term housing market. Kelowna and several other BC resort communities have argued the policy does not fit their markets. Boyle declined to provide a specific timeline but said municipalities awaiting decisions should expect to hear from the ministry soon. The outcome could set a precedent influencing how other tourism-dependent communities approach similar exemption requests.
Sources: Nanaimo News Bulletin
Vancouver Island Short Film Festival Opens 21st Edition at VIU Nanaimo, Showcasing Record-Volume Lineup
The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival returns to Nanaimo this weekend for its 21st year, with 18 finalist films selected from a record number of submissions. Screenings take place at Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18. Friday’s 1 p.m. matinee features work by Vancouver and Gulf Island filmmakers, while Saturday’s matinee spotlights the third annual youth showcase, dedicated to filmmakers 18 and younger. The festival has added a new partnership with CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers this year to broaden local representation. Organizers say the record submission volume reflects growing independent filmmaking activity across Vancouver Island and the broader BC region.
Sources: CHLY 101.7 FM
Wet, Mild Winter Reduces Early Wildfire Risk for Vancouver Island, but Season Severity Depends on Spring Rain
A relatively wet and mild winter is good news for Vancouver Island’s early wildfire outlook, according to BC Wildfire Service officials, who say coastal soil moisture and snowpack levels are above typical. However, experts caution that the severity of the 2026 wildfire season will depend on May and June rainfall. Environment Canada is forecasting above-average temperatures across BC this year, raising the prospect of a fourth consecutive active wildfire season in the province. The Wildfire Service currently reports four active fires in BC, three of them suspected to be human-caused. Island residents are urged to observe fire regulations and avoid open burning while conditions remain manageable.
Sources: CBC News
Island Pulse
Victoria Royals: In WHL Playoffs Round 2 — series underway.
Victoria HarbourCats: HarbourCats’ season opens May 29 in Portland; home opener June 2 vs. Edmonton Riverhawks.
Curated by JD · samwise.agency