Jake Romphf

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Council has resurrected the planning process for the Crystal Pool’s replacement, but the final say could come from a proposed city referendum possibly set in late 2024. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria to fund $1.78M work studying possible Crystal Pool referendum

City sets tentative late 2024 timing for referendum, should it go ahead

Council has resurrected the planning process for the Crystal Pool’s replacement, but the final say could come from a proposed city referendum possibly set in late 2024. (Black Press Media file photo)
A piece of plastic along the Dallas Road waterfront in March, 2023. Victoria is looking at a bylaw to curb single-use products, but it won’t involve a fee. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria council won’t bring in fees on single-use cups, takeout containers

220,000 single-use items disposed of every day in the capital

A piece of plastic along the Dallas Road waterfront in March, 2023. Victoria is looking at a bylaw to curb single-use products, but it won’t involve a fee. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
A Southern Resident female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound, west of Seattle. Females examined in a new study were capturing less prey and spent less time hunting than their male counterparts, contrary to previously understood gender behaviour among southern residents. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Study finds endangered orcas hunting longer, catching less than northern B.C. counterparts

Possible hunting gender flip in Southern Resident killer whales as keystone females save energy

A Southern Resident female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound, west of Seattle. Females examined in a new study were capturing less prey and spent less time hunting than their male counterparts, contrary to previously understood gender behaviour among southern residents. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
The 2023 Greater Victoria Flower Count kicks off on March 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Greater Victoria flower count returns to sow community competition, share local beauty

48th annual event runs from March 8 to 15

The 2023 Greater Victoria Flower Count kicks off on March 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Karly Nygaard-Petersen, a doctoral student at Royal Roads University, researched what role fun played in people’s uptake of e-scooters and micro-mobility options. (Courtesy of Karly Nygaard-Petersen)

E-scooter uptake highlights role of fun in transportation: Royal Roads researcher

Study looks into how cities can use commuter enjoyment in street adaptation decisions

Karly Nygaard-Petersen, a doctoral student at Royal Roads University, researched what role fun played in people’s uptake of e-scooters and micro-mobility options. (Courtesy of Karly Nygaard-Petersen)
The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Groups want plastic waste reduced at the source as B.C. expands recycling list

Environment minister says more single-use bans being looked at as more plastic regulations coming

The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Groups want plastic waste reduced at the source as B.C. expands recycling list

Environment minister says more single-use bans being looked at as more plastic regulations coming

The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

Vote on future of Island rail corridor prompts First Nation board members to resign

Members sought non-rail uses after provincial report flags First Nations concerns

The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)
Unbuilders deconstruct a building on Fort Street in downtown Victoria in 2022. Crews are salvaging materials from the building as it’s torn down. Wood and other waste from construction and demolition are some of the main contributors to Hartland Landfill. (Katherine Engqvist/News Staff)

Almost half of what ends up in Greater Victoria’s landfill could’ve been diverted: CRD

Building and organic materials continue to be drivers of what ends up at the dump

Unbuilders deconstruct a building on Fort Street in downtown Victoria in 2022. Crews are salvaging materials from the building as it’s torn down. Wood and other waste from construction and demolition are some of the main contributors to Hartland Landfill. (Katherine Engqvist/News Staff)
The Victoria and Esquimalt police board has said it won’t be coming down from its proposed 9.55 per cent budget increase after the city asks it to also bring their hike in line with inflation. (Black Press Media file photo)

Police board says it won’t follow suit after Victoria looks to reduce budget hike

9.55 per cent increase pitched by police board, city aims for inflation-matching plan

The Victoria and Esquimalt police board has said it won’t be coming down from its proposed 9.55 per cent budget increase after the city asks it to also bring their hike in line with inflation. (Black Press Media file photo)
A Victoria police officer’s notebook that was lost in late 2022 contained 50 names and 60 addresses relating to police actions or investigations. The contents were used to conduct an alleged crime in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)

Personal information in Victoria police officer’s lost notebook used for Saanich crime

Notebook lost for five days, contained 50 addresses plus 60 names

A Victoria police officer’s notebook that was lost in late 2022 contained 50 names and 60 addresses relating to police actions or investigations. The contents were used to conduct an alleged crime in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)
Commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings combined make up about a third of Victoria’s total emissions and use natural gas for 88 per cent of their heating needs. New construction will have to produce zero emissions as of July 2025. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

As natural gas use rises in Victoria, the city says it isn’t a clean energy source

No fuel source pollutes more than natural gas in the capital city

Commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings combined make up about a third of Victoria’s total emissions and use natural gas for 88 per cent of their heating needs. New construction will have to produce zero emissions as of July 2025. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The Capital Regional District approved sending biosolids to the Nanaimo area for non-agricultural uses instead of continuing to bury and spread them at Hartland landfill. (Facebook/Capital Regional District)

CRD approves sending treated sewage to Nanaimo area as short-term measure

Finding a consistent beneficial use for biosolids hampered by cement plant’s shutdowns

The Capital Regional District approved sending biosolids to the Nanaimo area for non-agricultural uses instead of continuing to bury and spread them at Hartland landfill. (Facebook/Capital Regional District)
The wooden sign at Thetis Lake Regional Park. (Courtesy of CRD)

CRD reconsidering parks entrance sign strategy after Thetis Lake backlash

Board chair says new sign design will allow First Nation recognition in the future

The wooden sign at Thetis Lake Regional Park. (Courtesy of CRD)
A totem pole is removed and lowered from the Royal B.C. Museum on Feb. 13 as Nuxalk Nation members and others watch on. The totem pole is being repatriated to the Bella Coola territory, its original home before it was taken. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Nuxalk chief ‘teary-eyed’ as totem pole removed from Victoria museum

Sacred item’s return to Bella Coola will help bring back their stories, says hereditary chief

A totem pole is removed and lowered from the Royal B.C. Museum on Feb. 13 as Nuxalk Nation members and others watch on. The totem pole is being repatriated to the Bella Coola territory, its original home before it was taken. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
A rendering of Starlight Developments’ proposal for a 1,600-unit rental project on Yates Street from Quadra to Cook streets. (Courtesy of Starlight Developments)

Council weighing 1,600-unit Harris Green Village project decision on Thursday

Public hearing showed concerns about height, excitement over housing influx

A rendering of Starlight Developments’ proposal for a 1,600-unit rental project on Yates Street from Quadra to Cook streets. (Courtesy of Starlight Developments)
The future of Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre’s replacement could go to a city-wide referendum. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria to explore potential referendum on Crystal Pool replacement

Council directs staff to review reviving planning process for a new rec centre

The future of Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre’s replacement could go to a city-wide referendum. (Black Press Media file photo)
More will needs to be done to prepare Victoria’s infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, a new report finds. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria slashes 2007 GHG levels by a quarter, still not prepared for climate change

Road transportation still the largest pollution source, natural gas use challenges targets

More will needs to be done to prepare Victoria’s infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, a new report finds. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The Ocean Cleanup is once again docked at Ogden Point in Victoria before its next plastic-collecting voyage to te Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

The Ocean Cleanup’s plastic waste collecting vessels return to Victoria

Larger systems capable of removing more ocean plastics coming in 2023

The Ocean Cleanup is once again docked at Ogden Point in Victoria before its next plastic-collecting voyage to te Great Pacific Garbage Patch. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

‘Strategically important’: Feds weighing $431M Vancouver Island Rail Corridor future as deadline looms

Rail return could be Island’s needed transportation alternative: corridor foundation

The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)