All posts by Guest Post

Food Security, Indigenous Nations

Nuu-chah-nulth youth restore clam gardens for future generations

Editor’s not: Another example of First Nations youth embracing and learning from their traditional wisdom.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In late Spring, $80,000 was allocated to the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society with Ka:’yu:’k’t’h/Che:k’tles7et’h to support food security and the development of clam gardens throughout Nuu-chah-nulth territory. Since then, youth from across Nuu-chah-nulth have restored two clam gardens located in Tla-o-qui-aht and Huu-ay-aht territory with plans for more to come.

Continue reading Nuu-chah-nulth youth restore clam gardens for future generations →
Indigenous Nations, Sports

Reclaiming surfing as a traditional native women’s sport

Editor’s note: highlighting the First Nations origins of a popular sport.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – As the sun beamed onto Esowista beach, youth of the Mułaa, Rising Tide Surf team gathered around Lacy Kaheaku, a native to Hawaiʻi, to learn how to carve traditional wooden surfboards and the Indigenous roots of the sport.

“Women did a lot of the surfing in native Hawaiian culture,” said Kaheaku, adding that royalty, alongside warriors, would also surf. “But majority of the leisurely surfing was done by women.”

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Community

Newcomer to Vancouver: Toilets, the biggest culture shock of them all

Editor’s note: A comical glimpse into how someone from another culture perceives urban British Columbia.

By Mina Kerr-Lazenby, North Shore News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Something horrific happened to me recently.

There I was, sitting on the loo. I’m doing my business, minding my own business, when I glance upwards mid tinkle … only to be met with the startled and unwavering stare of a stranger.

I had been sitting in the presumed private space of a public restroom cubicle when I had inadvertently peeped through the gap between the door and the stall’s wall at the same moment a woman, washing her hands at the sink in front, had glanced up into the mirror and locked eyes with my own. 

My stomach dropped (lucky I was on the toilet).

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Fire

Cortes Fire Department creates wildfire brigade, begins recruiting

By Louis Belcourt, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

The Cortes Island Fire Department is creating a new Wildfire Brigade to serve the community.

It’s function will be to support the department during major wildfire events with Wildland firefighting, structural protection, and support tasks. In a deployment, Wildland members will work in teams supervised by existing department officers or team leaders.

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Housing

Affordable units cut from 6-storey Port Moody development that would relocate heritage building

Editor’s note: A disturbing story highlighting a problem that needs to be watched.

By Patrick Penner, Tri-Cities Dispatch, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Affordable housing has been cut from a development proposal seeking to build a pair of six-storey mixed-use buildings in Port Moody’s historic downtown area.

Fourteen units out of 184 total were initially proposed as below-market rentals for the 10-lot development on the 2400-block of Clarke Street.

During early input in January, Port Moody city staff recommended five more affordable units be included, as the application had less than half the 15 percent requirement for density bonusing.

But the developer, Placemaker Communities, now says inflationary impacts on construction costs and rising interest rates related to project financing have made any below-market units financially unfeasible.

Continue reading Affordable units cut from 6-storey Port Moody development that would relocate heritage building →