A massive effort to clear shorelines of debris and remove derelict vessels is expected to create 300 short-term jobs on the Island’s west coast over the next six months.
B.C.’s Clean Coast, Clean Water Initiative (CCCWI), announced last week, allocates $2.2 million to coastal improvement projects in the territories of Tla-o-qui-aht, Hesquiaht, Ahousaht, Tseshaht and Ucluelet First Nations.
In an era of pandemic shutdowns, community closures and supply shortages, Nuu-chah-nulth community gardens are breaking fresh ground.
A new Mowachaht/Muchalaht community garden producing fruit and vegetables in “Covidian times” grew from the seed of an idea planted more than 50 years ago.
“The idea came many, many decades ago with some of our community members in Yuquot,” said Margaretta James, who lives in Tsaxana, just across the road from a new greenhouse and raised beds. “We call it the healing garden.”
Officials with the Uchucklesaht First Nation will soon be able to devote more time to economic development.
That’s because Uchucklesaht has been announced as one of the latest 20 recipients that will receive funding via the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET).
A total of 17 communities had been previously announced during the first intake of ICET recipients.
In total, the economic recovery program, which is funded by the provincial government, includes $1.83 million being distributed to create new jobs.
Dawn Foxcroft (left), Debra Foxcroft and Kelly Poirier stand for Lisa Marie Young and other Indigenous women who have gone missing or fallen victim to homicide on Sunday, May 2, by the Tseshaht band office in Port Alberni. On Sunday, which is Young's birthday, others were standing for her from noon to 1 p.m. elsewhere on the Tseshaht reserve and in other locations on Vancouver Island, including in downtown Nanaimo.
Lisa Marie Young was last heard of on June 30, 2002, when she was out with friends in Nanaimo to celebrate a birthday. She was 21 at the time.
Police will not be stopping people on Vancouver Island’s roadways, according to an update on new travel restrictions delivered today by B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth.
Farnworth’s message came one week into a legal order he gave under the province’s Emergency Program Act, prohibiting non-essential travel between three regions in B.C. to slow the spread of COVID-19 Those regions are Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley as well as B.C.’s Interior and north.
Two red dresses have gone missing from their display by Highway 4.
The disappearance was noticed today by Jennifer Touchie, as she and her partner checked on the location of the dresses 15 to 20 kilometres east of the Highway 4 junction to Tofino and Ucluelet. The discovery was disturbing, as the pieces were hung about 50 feet apart to recognize two women who are among the countless Indigenous females who have gone missing or were murdered. The dresses were hung on April 25, said Touchie.
Wally Samuel Sr. is still waiting for some younger individuals to step up to the plate.
But for now the veteran sports advocate, a member of Ahousaht First Nation, will continue to serve as a director for a provincial Indigenous sports board.
Samuel, 74, was one of nine individuals named to the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I-SPARC) board for a nine-month term last June.
A new public health order that came into effect on Friday restricts British Columbians from traveling between health regions for non-essentials reasons.
The move divides the province into three regional zones – Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, and northern and interior B.C.
British Columbians who break the restrictions are subject to a $575 fine, which is in effect until May 25, after the long-weekend.
Crime is down across the board in Port Alberni for the first quarter of 2021.
Inspector Eric Rochette of the Port Alberni RCMP presented the stats from January to March to Port Alberni City Council on April 26. Rochette said overall criminal offenses were down by 31 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same quarter last year. Break and enters were down 52 per cent, violent offenses down 17 per cent and theft from vehicles were down 72 per cent.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) has released its report on the July 16, 2020 death of James Williams. The Tla-o-qui-aht/Yucluthaht father of five was found dead in his shelter unit less than a day after being detained in RCMP cells for public intoxication.