QOL

With a plan to go national Soap for Hope 's Anne McIntyre started her project in Vic West. It was 11 years ago when she started the process of diverting valuable materials from landfill and redirecting to those who did not have access to hygiene products. Utilizing bathroom amenities from hotels the containers are filled with the same lotions, liquid soaps, conditioner, and supplemented with d...

Care for you, an older adult, a family member, is essential after a hospital visit or just when you need a break. Maybe you have not had a vacation for a decade and worry about leaving your Mum alone? What do you do when you need a rapid response for even a short stay? Respite Request to the rescue. This conversation with Daniel McShane could just be something you store away in the back of your mi...

I've known Brett's parents for decades. Through photos and cards I heard of his arrival and seen him as a kid. Now he is the next generation Innkeeper of The Rossport Cabins. Off the Trans-Canada highway this hamlet has a gem of a restaurant that features local Lake Trout and a pillow for you to rest after a long day of driving this visually spectacular route. One of the features of the place are...

The marvels of technology and overcoming time zone differences and Zoom connects we with amazing people. Come along for a conversation with Indian Landscape Architect Garima Dubey. Learn about her interest in how water moves, the value of courtyards, and the ways to reduce heat and humidity. Of course we talk about aesthetics and how people interact with the built environment too.

It seems we are into a period of nation building and augmenting systems. For one High Speed Rail is a hot topic for those in the Windsor - Quebec corridor (a reality check is that Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto is the focus), while the new Eglinton Crosstown line is just one of several projects in the GTA. Oh my! And look at the cost over-runs and ever over the horizon for its completion! My guest on thi...

Tourism specialist - he is more than that in fact - Greg Girard tells me about the challenges and the opportunities in Canada's small centres. We discuss out-migration to the cities as well as the attraction of living in a rural setting. Here's what the web says about Greg: "Greg Girard is a co-founding brother of the award-winning adventure and travel website and blog ehCanadaTravel....

Oh my! If you love books you have to have Parry Sound on your map. Barely Used Books is a destination and I can assure you Melissa and her team can find just about any title you are looking for. Plan on more than a quick visit... you will leave with an armload of pleasurable reading. Have a listen! This is a previously (Spring 2025) broadcast episode. For whatever reason it never made it to the po...

Podcaster, journalist and outdoor enthusiast Meg Carney joins me to talk about the importance of fresh air experiences. A contributor to Field and Stream magazine Meg love to hike, climb, paddle and speaks often about gear. We discuss longevity, durability, and dependability of kit as well as the impact of choices when we should be leaving no trace.

Mark Sherry has pivoted and his latest development is an app that compares prices across grocery stores. Do you have time to look at flyers and take your list to two or three stores to save a buck? What if an algorithm can do it for you in mere moments. Would it change your shopping behaviour? Maybe. Have a listen and find out about GOFER and how it may cut your costs and suggest which provisioner...

Rachelle Rocha, ever the innovator, is always looking for ways to improve your Quality of Life. She and her co-owner see "food as medicine" and everything they do supports that belief. Not only is Seasons a pharmacy, but it is also a food store and more. Because of the amount of floor space devoted to the Culinaria, and kitchen, Seasons qualified to sell beer, wine, cider, and perry. It...

Come along for a conversation with Jason Goossen. Jason and his family currently operate 3 unique stays on their Okanagan property that will delight you. No sound of traffic, a brook, a farm, an orchard, sage fragranced air, and sweeping views will bring down your tension. It truly is a delight that delivers glamping plus!

What a great organization! Deb Pella Keen speaks about the founder and his motivation to promote real Canadian maple trees. Our laneways, farm driveways, and even cities have to actively plant native species. Invasives and aggressives - like the European or Norway Maple - are not the leaf of our flag. Listen along and discover how you can support and even participate in protecting our heritage.

This is not my usual direction. Sure, I've covered some hard topics, but speaking about killers is way off my map. I hesitated for some years to read Michael Arntfield's "Murder City" but there it was on my shelf... it was only a matter of time before I read it from cover to cover. The next step - naturally - was inviting Michael to this program, When you listen along you will se...

A blast from the past: This episode originally was broadcast some years ago. I felt it was time to revisit the interview with rancher Dylan Biggs. Dylan kindly shares knowledge of the landscape and the reasons why where he is is ideal for raising cattle. From the saddle he knows and understands the animals and environment. One day I hope to visit and learn even more about TK Ranch.

So many older adults have either no portraits nor recent photos. These are not just for their lives but perhaps for their obituary. Why should they not have a professional image for sharing now and then. This is a rerelease of an interview with Peter Istvan who started capturing images of his parents and the neighbours who lived in the same residence. He now has taken it to the next level. Peter h...

This is a rerelease of a conversation with Bill Steer. With his books, articles, podcasts, and presence on CBC Back Roads Bill Steer is the embodiment of outdoor awareness. His work includes the collaborative creation of the Canadian Ecology Centre near Mattawa. It is his decades of getting kids (and adults) outside and in touch with the landscape and history of Northern Ontario that is an amazing...

This is a rerelease of a program I recorded with Sam Hauck in early 2025. What a great person to talk to about the BC wine world. Sam has been all across this province, and knows the people and the properties in detail. He is a contributor to MyVanCity on bottles and uses social media to share his experiences. From Lillooet to Osoyoos and Cawston to Cowichan Sam has a passion that goes back to the...

This is a rerelease of a program recorded in 2025. It is worth sharing not just as the original broadcast. Camp Maple Leaf sites are across Canada. Many thanks to National Program Director, April Young for her time. She shares the value the summer programs bring to not just military families and their children, but to others who can benefit from confidence and skills. Besides, who doesn't want...

Come along to Government Street and make Emily Carr's home in Victoria a destination. She was born there. She lived there until her late teens and again in her 20s. She taught art classes at her dining room table. Her paintings capture the spirit of the west coast, its forests, its shorelines, and even the dynamics of trees moving in the wind. Emily Carr paintings today can fetch over $3 milli...

Many thanks to Doug Bell for sharing his passion for fruit wines. Our conversation on where the winery is, its history, the products available, and even plans for the future... is all here. You will find that there are great stories in the journey and what they offer. You will learn how the project got its name, and know that over a million visitors have been welcomed. Maybe Prince George BC is yo...

This is a rerelease of a recording made some time ago and was only shared on radio. Here it is now ready to listen anytime you are ready. North Bay's John Sallie has some thoughts to share on life and what matters. Is it what you need, want desire? No, he says we don't need to clutch things . This episode explores what motivates us as we pass through the decades. His sixth decade is afford...

Vancouver Island is the home to many vineyards. The climate favours varieties like Pinot Gris but there is much experimentation. Tricia and Steve arrived after detailed investigation of potential in the Okanagan, Italy and their home state of California. They have transformed a lavender farm into what is now Cobble Hill Winery. An east and south facing slope in the front is like a big advertisemen...

Thanks to my guest Melissa Valliant, Communications Director at Beyond Plastics, for coming to talk about plastics and plastic pollution. We learn plastics are everywhere, including in us. If you want to know more about "The Problem with Plastic" by Judith Enck you might find a copy in your local library... This is not a story of despair. The subtitle is "How we can save ourselves a...

Western Engineering student Ribal Zebian has some ideas about what we build, where we build, and how we build, homes. Rising cost of materials and labour are just part of the equation. Zebian proposes modular units, built in climate controlled factories as a solution. He is willing to live for a year in one of his prototypes. Come along for a conversation about his journey and what he proposes for...

What can you write about when your heart is touched? Something like The Victoria Hand Project has such value... it says so much about both the generosity of, and the importance of, addressing a pressing need. Loss of a hand can happen in so many different ways: infection, industrial injury... and the cruelty of landmines. Come along to University of Victoria and find out how they are responding to...