This is Vancouver Island

Right now Grace and James Phelan live just outside of Edmonton. They're thinking of moving to Vancouver Island, but can't decide if life here would be better than life in Alberta. In this episode, we help them weigh the pros and cons. 

As the communities of the West Shore continue to grow, would it make sense for them to quit being suburbs and instead form their own region apart from Greater Victoria? On this week's episode, we look at the pros and cons of working together as a capital region - and ask the existential question "is the West Shore part of Greater Victoria?"

We know rain is a fact of life here on the Island - but in the rainy season, it can still get you down. So on this episode of This is Vancouver Island, host Kathryn Marlow seeks inspiration from people who appreciate and rely on the rain. This episode originally aired February 6, 2024. We'll be back with a new episode next week. 

Shanon Sinn loves ghost stories: for both the mystery, and the history, they provide. He researches and writes about ghost stories based right here on the Island, and joins the podcast to share a story, and talk about why he finds the island so eerie (in a good way).

The island is full of authors of all kinds: poets, novelists, children’s and non-fiction writers, and more. Many of them were honoured with literary awards this fall - including Kathryn Mockler, Raina Delisle, Ian Kennedy, Jordan Scott, and the late Darrell J McLeod. On this episode, we ask a librarian to share some of her favourite local authors.

B.C. election day is October 19, though advanced polls are already open. This week, we take a look at where the major parties stand on some of the big issues.

The Victoria Event Centre (V.E.C.) was a non-profit venue for music and arts for 21 years - but it just announced it's closing, after its landlord says it can no longer help subsidize its rent. It’s just the latest music venue to close in the city. On this episode, we’ll find out if the people behind the V.E.C. might pop up elsewhere, and we’ll get the latest on the city of Victoria’s plans to rev...

Every time the earth shakes on the island, we flock to social media to see who else felt the tremor. But did you know you can also report your experience to Earthquakes Canada, to help with future research? Seismologist John Cassidy explains how researchers like him rely on such information. Plus: the latest on the earthquake warning system.

Candidates are vying for votes in 15 provincial ridings on the Island. In recent elections, voters in their 30s and 40s have been least likely to show up at the polls - so we ask three islanders in that age category why they vote, what turns them off certain candidates, and what helps them decide who to choose. Plus, VIU professor Paula Waatainen on how to talk to kids and teens about electio...

She may live in Spain, and be competing in Paris, but wheelchair basketball star Kady Dandeneau got her start on Pender Island, population 2773. She talks to Kathryn Marlow about going for gold at the Paralympics, why she loves the game, and what it was like learning to play on Pender.

The 900-block of Victoria’s Pandora Avenue is often in the news, but it can be hard to keep track of the actions taken (or not) to manage the block where people who are homeless often congregate, and camp. On August 13, the Victoria Police Department released its new safety plan for Pandora - a plan written after a paramedic was assaulted while providing medical care. In this episode we recap the...

Some of Canada's first craft breweries are here on Vancouver Island - but business isn't booming quite like it used to. In fact, the latest statistics show that per capita beer purchases are the lowest they've ever been in Canada. So we meet up with the folks at two Victoria breweries - Spinnakers and Phillips - to learn how they're branching into the world of non-alcoholic beverages. 

Hey Vancouver Islanders! This week we're sharing an episode from one of our CBC local podcast friends, "Good Question Saskatchewan." Farmers in that province grow A LOT of mustard seed - and then ship it to France where it gets turned into the condiment you know and love. Why? Listen to find out. 

It’s summer on the Island! A time for beaches and forests…and tourists and ferries. Three islanders join host Kathryn Marlow to talk about what they love (and hate) about Island summer, what’s on their summer fun list, and how to find your new favourite places away from everyone else.

One of Canada's best-known drag queens, Jimbo, is based right here in Victoria. But the Victoria drag scene is more than just Jimbo. On this episode, local drag king Sylvester Stalletto talks about the differences between the glamour of Drag Race and the nitty-gritty of the Victoria drag scene. He also chats with producer Stevie Welland about what makes drag so popular here, how it’s helped him fi...

When it comes to bookstores, islanders are beyond lucky. Our region has more independent bookstores than some entire provinces! In this episode, host Kathryn Marlow and her colleague Gregor Craigie dig into their love for bookstores, and share thoughts from the owners of Ivy's Bookshop in Oak Bay and Laughing Oyster Book Shop in Courtenay.

Carolyn Sutherland and Rhiannon Ware are athletes, entrepreneurs, and sports management students at Camosun College. They join Kathryn Marlow to talk about the current excitement over women’s sports (think PWHL and the WNBA), why the excitement needs to be more than just a moment, and the work they’re doing to help girls in greater Victoria develop a lifelong love for sport and fitness through the...

Vegans may be familiar with the idea of "carrot lox," but Aki Kaltenbach wants everyone to eat more plant-based seafood. She tells host Kathryn Marlow about her island-based company's carrot-based smoked salmon and jackfruit-based tuna - and her plans to expand into the U.S. market, while still keeping headquarters in greater Victoria. 

We talk about where to see live music in the Comox Valley, how you can watch it affordably, and why it’s worth getting off the couch to see something in person. Plus, why some local cultural organizations are lobbying for better public transit in the region.

Financial planner and millennial mom Courtney Castledine talks with host Kathryn Marlow about all the ways life has become less affordable - and jokes that if it weren't for the rising cost of one particular toddler-friendly food item, she might actually be able to retire. 

Longtime music fans were thrilled recently when Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder shouted out a legendary Victoria music venue. Harpo's Cabaret closed in 1995, but fans still reminisce about shows they saw there. So what made Harpo's so special? And what would the ideal music venue look like in 2024? We ask local musician, and Seaside Music Festival artistic director, Oliver Swain. 

When London Drugs closed for a week due to a cyberattack, many of us realized what a unique role it plays in our lives. Where else could you get a vacuum, toothpaste, and (once upon a time) an Atari 2600? On this episode we talk London Drugs - and other iconic brands on the Island. 

Hiking the Sunshine Coast Trail can be a transformative experience for locals and visitors alike. Learn more about the multi-day journey, its history, and things you can expect to see along it.

Hey Vancouver Islanders! This week we're sharing an episode from another island: Montreal. Enjoy this exploration from our CBC local podcast friends, "Good Question Montreal."  Every July 1, many Montrealers find themselves on the move, not just with their tables, chairs, couches and beds, but with their fridges and stoves too. Apartments here are often rented without appliances included, whi...

This spring, a few dozen people gathered in Oak Bay to say goodbye to a tree. The 200-year-old Garry Oak was cut down because of safety concerns. It's not the first time Islanders have mourned a tree - and it won't be the last. But we're also still a region that relies on forestry for thousands of jobs. So how do we reconcile a love of trees, with a need to cut some down?