"You Complete Me," the fashion designer wrote of her husband of 25 years  Dave Hogan/Getty; Victoria Beckham/Instagram This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Sign In Subscribe Now A pair of Victoria hotels take the top two positions in the  2025 TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Awards – an honour that places them among the top one per cent of accommodations worldwide up from it second-place finish on the coveted list last year “Travellers' Choice is one of the most recognized and coveted awards in the travel space and it is truly valuable to us,” the hotel said in a social media post “This achievement would not have been possible without our dedicated staff whose hard work and passion have made this a reality We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our visitors and reviewers – your support and feedback inspire us to continue creating unforgettable experiences.” Tripadvisor calls Abigail's Hotel “a charming luxurious spot with a convenient location close to Victoria's Inner Harbour.” blends the romance of the past with modern comforts including high-end amenities Second place position on the “best of the best” list this year is held by Victoria neighbour Magnolia Hotel and Spa “This recognition is a reflection of the care and commitment our team brings to the guest experience every day,” general manager Bill Lewis said in a media release “We’re incredibly proud of our staff for their commitment and dedication and of our local ownership that has fostered a culture of excellence.” The hotel features 64 rooms and is known for its focus on service As a 100 per cent Vancouver Island-owned property Magnolia Hotel and Spa is committed to showcasing local artisans producers and experiences through its collection of curated trail maps.  In addition to this latest Tripadvisor award Magnolia Hotel and Spa was recognized in late 2024 with a Michelin One Key a distinction given to hotels offering a stay of notable character and quality It is also the only Vancouver Island hotel to be named to the Travel and Leisure 500 list for two consecutive years (2023 Spots three and four on the list were occupied by a pair of Vancouver establishments: the Wedgewood Hotel and Spa and the Loden Hotel Vancouver's Exchange Hotel slotted at number 6 and the Okanagan's Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa was number 8 to round out B.C.'s contributions to the top 10 two resorts were also included in the Tripadvisor listings Summerland Waterfront Resort and Spa took the eighth-place spot while Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos was ranked 11th.  Summerland Waterfront Resort and Spa received the Travelers’ Choice Award and Best of the Best Award and was named one of the Top 25 Hotels in Canada “We are beyond honoured to be recognized with these three prestigious Tripadvisor awards,” said Lisa Jaager “To be named among the top hotels in the country — and in the world — means that our guests see and appreciate the care our team puts into every stay.” A social media post from Watermark Beach Resort thanked visitors who left 4.9-star reviews on Tripadvisor We look forward to another amazing year ahead,” the post stated The Travellers’ Choice Awards are issued to those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period fewer than one per cent achieve this milestone Find the full list at a tripadvisor.ca Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters About the Author: Greater Victoria News Staff Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines The next Vancouver Island getaway to make the list is Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino at No Victoria returns to the list of 25 Parkside Hotel and Spa sitting at No Set not far from the other two award-winners Parkside is a great eco-friendly option for families and longer stays and free bike rentals plus the lobby showcases Koi ponds VancouverNews‘Unprovoked stabbing’ under investigation in Victoria, police sayBy Ian HollidayPublished: May 03, 2025 at 3:37PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Victoria firefighters thwarted a severed gas line spewing fire at a home near Quadra Village on Friday (May 2) afternoon Victoria Fire Department was called out to a home on Blackwood Street for reports of a natural gas smell upgraded to a residential structure fire before crews even left the hall immediately noted heat waves and heard “jet-like sounds” from a gas leak that had ignited With no ordinary combustible materials involved Firefighters immediately secured a water source while simultaneously deploying hand lines and applying water to the home to prevent it from catching fire “A one-inch high-pressure natural gas line was acting like a blowtorch aimed directly at the house,” the department said allowing an unimpeded flow of natural gas directly toward the Blackwood Street residence It is unclear what initially ignited the gas A post shared by Victoria Firefighters Association (@victoriafire730) crews also monitored the house for water exposure setting up water diversion to avoid basement flooding to prevent runoff-related damage,” the post reads Fortis BC arrived within 15 minutes but shutting down a line takes time so fire crews continued cooling exposures with hose lines and allowed the gas to burn for roughly 1.5 hours until additional Fortis crews arrived on scene The natural gas team located the underground gas main and dug access to clamp the main Sign up for free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters VancouverNewsSheep gives birth to extremely rare quintuplets on winery in Victoria, B.C. By Mina Kerr-LazenbyPublished: May 02, 2025 at 8:36PM EDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashley Rice (@ash.rice) Email: HMA.minister@gov.bc.ca People in Victoria will soon have access to nearly 300 new homes as construction begins on two developments that offer affordable rental and supportive housing “We know that different people have different housing needs and we’re working on every front to help everyone find a place to call home,” said Ravi Kahlon “During a time of economic uncertainty these homes will lower rental costs for working people and families while bringing people sheltering outside indoors so they can have stability dignity and support they need to move forward.” including those at risk of or experiencing homelessness a provincial investment of nearly $100 million is funding the construction of 295 new homes across two separate developments on Pandora Avenue and Discovery Street This includes a new 21-storey building at 926/930 Pandora Ave. replacing the existing vacant structures with 158 affordable rental homes 47 supportive homes and a community space expected to include child care services with the homes expected to be completed by spring 2029 The Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) will manage the affordable rental homes and an experienced non-profit operator will oversee the supportive housing “These new homes will provide families and individuals with a place to call home in their communities and close to their jobs and their support systems,” said Nina Krieger “By offering a mix of affordable and supportive housing we’re helping ensure that everyone can find stability comfort and a sense of belonging in Victoria.” construction is set to start in May on 90 new supportive homes at 726 Discovery St for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness steel-frame building will feature 90 studio units This project is expected to be completed by mid-2027 Our Place Society will operate the supportive housing at Discovery Street laundry facilities and a range of 24/7 on-site support services as well as access to physical and mental-health care The building will also feature safety measures such as fenced grounds These projects are part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C the Province has nearly 92,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway including more than 4,120 homes in Victoria “We’re happy to see construction begin on the Discovery Street supportive-housing project This much-needed resource will provide 90 supportive homes for people in Victoria offering stability and services to help them thrive It’s a vital step forward for those we serve and for access to housing in Victoria The whole community benefits from this.” is a significant step forward as we address our complex housing crisis These 295 affordable homes will provide the stability and opportunity needed for more people to build community roots and thrive in Victoria.” Capital Region Housing Corporation – the CRHC has introduced more than 800 new affordable homes to the region Projects like Pandora show the powerful possibilities of partnership and the CRHC is excited to get another 158 affordable homes underway in the city of Victoria.”   To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for people in British Columbia, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/  A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available here: https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/Building-BC/homes-for-BC To learn how BC Housing is helping to build strong, inclusive housing communities, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/podcast government is providing nearly $100 million to build these homes in addition to $7.4 million in annual operating funding and land valued at $2.6 million View the Ministry's latest photos on Flickr Watch the Ministry's latest videos on YouTube Brooklyn and his wife Nicola had skipped all events despite having been in England Showbiz Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Victoria Beckham appeared to confirm the “toxic rift” with son Brooklyn after apparently snubbing him in a social media post for husband David’s 50th birthday The 51-year-old shared images of the England legend’s lavish family celebrations on Instagram skipped all of the events despite having been in England all week leaving his parents “heartbroken” over the decision The couple were joined by three of their children Singer-turned-fashion designer Victoria tagged the trio in the album writing: “Creating special memories with family and friends But she skipped Brooklyn – despite usually writing something along the lines of “missing you @brooklynbeckham” on previous occasions Romeo shared images of himself partying with his parents and siblings David’s mother and father had also been at the intimate dinner at the Beckhams’ £12 million Cotswolds manor earlier in the week Influencer Brooklyn reportedly did not even call to wish David a happy birthday He and Nicola were absent from David’s 24 hours in France on Friday They also failed to pay tribute to the ex-England captain on social media Brooklyn jetted back to the US on Saturday hours before Becks’ dinner last night at west London’s three Michelin star restaurant Core A source told newspaper said: “David and Victoria are utterly heartbroken by the breakdown of communications David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' by council over noise complaints Hearing to assess full costs of Wagatha Christie libel battle due to begin Nicola Peltz shares emotional post after Brooklyn Beckham 'snubs' David's birthday Enter the AXA Startup Angel competition to win £25,000 “Brooklyn was barely in touch the whole time he was in London and didn’t attend a single one of David’s 50th birthday celebrations He adores his son and will do anything to make things right “He is pretty shocked by the level of disrespect and fears for how much Nicola’s behaviour is affecting him he’s had an amazing week and feels super-loved and blessed Victoria and the family pulled out all the stops but it’s hard not to think about the one person missing “It’s not just the disrespectful way he and Nicola are behaving Nicola has just driven a huge wedge between them all but since he’s got together with Nicola - who is very headstrong - this has become quite a toxic pattern of behaviour and at some point you have to say Beckham reached the milestone age on Friday saying that his “biggest accomplishment is and will always be” his family The former footballer is the only Englishman to score at three different World Cups from 1998 to 2006 Beckham turned to making his co-owned US team Inter Miami into a success are also seen as a power couple and starred in the Netflix documentary Beckham – which included a viral scene of her discussing class Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints One person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a random stabbing in downtown Victoria on Thursday evening VicPD said the victim and the suspect did not know each other The suspect is described as a bald man in his 40s wearing an open brown long-sleeved sweater with no shirt underneath and loose dark navy pants Patrol officers continue to investigate and are urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward Shooting of marsupials has sparked outrage but government says ‘compassionate’ response was needed after bushfire destroyed 2,200 hectares of national park The government says the unprecedented step was taken to prevent further suffering of the animals after a fire in Budj Bim national park burned through 2,200 hectares While aerial culling is routinely used in controlling invasive species such as deer and pigs this was the first time wildlife have been shot by air for welfare reasons The drastic action has sparked outrage and received global media attention – so why do it? Lisa Palma, chief executive of Wildlife Victoria, says the organisation was “deeply saddened” by the devastating impact on the koala population due to the fires in the Budj Bim national park.   “National parks are the last bastion for our wildlife and increasing severity of bushfires and other extreme weather events puts Australia’s incredible native species like the koala at significant risk.”  Read more“The tragic reality is that bushfires typically lead to substantive loss of life and suffering for our wildlife and the most compassionate course of action for wildlife suffering severe burns and injuries is often euthanasia.” Palma says no koala should lose its life without deep consideration and care and Wildlife Victoria’s priority was ensuring that any method of euthanasia the government used after a bushfire was “humane Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter The state government’s chief biodiversity officer says the sole objective of the aerial cull was to prevent further suffering in animals affected by the fire and involved specialist staff working with experienced vets wildlife carers and animal welfare experts the poor health and low likelihood of survival of many animals due to the ongoing drought conditions and lack of food post-fire many of the animals are requiring euthanising.” “This decision to employ this method was not taken lightly,” Todd says noting that it was informed by an experienced veterinarian and leading wildlife welfare ethics experts Other methods were deemed not appropriate given the “extremely rugged terrain” the inability to safely access the area by foot the remote location of animals high in the canopy “The options were to just leave them to deteriorate or take proactive steps to reduce suffering by using aerial assessments.” Deakin University associate prof Desley Whisson a wildlife ecologist who specialises in koala management compassionate response” in the circumstances “It would have just been easier for them to walk away and not do anything.” “This is quite a drastic response,” she says.” But if you’ve got helicopters flying over an area and you see hundreds of koalas that are burnt I think you would want to make a decision to put them out of their misery.” Palma says while the organisation would not like to see aerial killing of wildlife become the norm euthanasia should be carried out using the approach that causes the least stress to the animal Todd says koalas were euthanised only after being individually assessed first supported by use of binoculars and other optical aids He says an initial aerial trial – supported by a ground-based veterinary assessment – demonstrated that aerial shooting was both accurate and humane a wildlife vet’s assessment during the trial showed that “all koalas assessed and euthanised by the aerial team during the trial were in very poor health and would have continued to suffer in a deteriorating state of welfare if they had remained alive” While koalas in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory are listed as endangered under federal laws, the situation in Victoria and South Australia is quite different, with too many koalas and not enough trees in many places. a koala ecologist based at Central Queensland University with 20 years experience researching the animals in Victoria says the legacy of koala management in Victoria since colonisation has meant that when fires do occur He questions the effectiveness and accuracy of aerial culling and thinks a ground-based approach would have been preferable But he emphasises that any emergency response is a Band-Aid solution that doesn’t address the underlying landscape issues “The real issue is the lack of connectivity and failing to properly manage koala habitat and native vegetation.” blue gum plantations have exacerbated the problems of insufficient and fragmented habitat that is too small for the number of koalas Plantations were “like a lolly shop” for koalas but “there’s already koalas there and they can’t disperse because there’s farmland around.”  Schlagloth says the state government now needs to take responsibility for the situation facing koalas in Victoria If we can’t solve the problems of the koala what hope do other species have that don’t have that profile.” Liz Hicks has previously received a Commonwealth Research Training Program stipend She is a member of the Australian Greens Victoria although her views do not reflect a party position or party policy Dr Ashleigh Best previously received a Commonwealth Research Training Program scholarship which supported some of the research in this article She is an inactive member of the Animal Justice Party and previously volunteered with Wildlife Victoria University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU View all partners Snipers in helicopters have shot more than 700 koalas in the Budj Bim National Park in western Victoria in recent weeks It’s believed to be the first time koalas have been culled in this way The cull became public after local wildlife carers were reportedly tipped off A fire burned about 20% of the park in mid-March. The government said the cull was urgent because koalas had been left starving or burned The Victorian government must explain why it is undertaking aerial culling and why it did so without announcing it publicly The incident points to ongoing failures in managing these iconic marsupials which are already threatened in other states Koalas live in eucalypt forests in Australia’s eastern and southern states. The species faces a double threat from habitat destruction and bushfire risk They are considered endangered in New South Wales Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory In Victoria, koala population levels are currently secure. But they are densely concentrated, often in fragments of bush known as “habitat islands” in the state’s southwest. Budj Bim National Park is one of these islands Over time, this concentration becomes a problem. When the koalas are too abundant, they can strip leaves from their favourite gums, killing the trees. The koalas must then move or risk starvation If fire or drought make these habitat islands impossible to live in, koalas in dense concentrations often have nowhere to go In Budj Bim, Victoria’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and Parks Victoria have tackled koala overpopulation alongside Traditional Owners by moving koalas to new locations or sterilising them But Budj Bim is also surrounded by commercial blue gum plantations. Koalas spread out through the plantations to graze on the leaves. Their populations grow. But when the plantations are logged, some koalas have to return to the national park Animal welfare groups say logging is one reason Budj Bim had so many koalas It’s hard to say definitively whether this is the case, because the state environment department hasn’t shared much information. But researchers have found habitat islands lead to overabundance by preventing the natural dispersal of individuals So why was the culling done? Department officials have described the program as “primarily” motivated by animal welfare Why shooters in helicopters? Here, the justification given is that the national park is difficult to access due to rocky terrain and fire damage Under Victoria’s plan for animal welfare during disasters the environment department is responsible for examining and For human intervention to be justified, euthanasia must be necessary on welfare grounds. Victoria’s response plan for fire-affected wildlife says culling is permitted when an animal’s health is “significantly” compromised For koalas or blindness or injuries requiring surgery Euthanised females must also be promptly examined for young in their pouches The problem is that while aerial shooting can be accurate in some cases for larger animals, the method has questionable efficacy for smaller animals – especially in denser habitats It’s likely a number of koalas were seriously injured but not killed. But the shooters employed by the department were not able to thoroughly verify injuries or whether there were joeys in pouches, because they were in the air and reportedly 30 or more metres away from their targets While the department cited concerns about food resources as a reason for the cull, the state’s wildlife fire plan lays out another option: delivery of supplementary feed. Delivering fresh gum leaves could potentially have prevented starvation while the forest regenerates The state government should take steps to avoid tragic incidents like this from happening again Preserving remaining habitat across the state is a vital step as is reconnecting isolated areas with habitat corridors This would not only reduce the concentration of koalas in small pockets but increase viable refuges and give koalas safe paths to new food sources after a fire Future policies should be developed in consultation with Traditional Owners who have detailed knowledge of species distributions and landscapes We need better ways to help wildlife in disasters. One step would be bringing wildlife rescue organisations into emergency management more broadly, as emphasised in the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and the more recent Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements This latter report pointed to South Australia’s specialised emergency animal rescue and relief organisation – SAVEM – as an effective model. Under SA’s emergency management plan, the organisation is able to rapidly access burned areas after the fire has passed through. Victoria’s dense communities of koalas would be well served by a similar organisation able to work alongside existing skilled firefighting services. The goal would be to make it possible for rescuers to get to injured wildlife earlier and avoid any more mass aerial culls. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. B.C. moves to speed up energy projects amid growing demand and environmental concerns2 hours agoVideo2:02 Advocates, families call for coroner's inquest into deaths of Indigenous women, girl2 hours agoVideo2:44 Duty free shops fear Trump’s trade war will force them out of businessThe National |2 hours agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem Pet lovers and their four-legged companions were in for a treat this spring as the Victoria Pet Expo returned for a two-day event on May 3 and 4 Highlights included the popular SuperDogs show and professional pet photo sessions.  The event also featured expert-led seminars on pet health with tips on everything from reducing anxiety to boosting the immune system.  Attendees tried hands-on workshops to learn how to bathe their pets Contests and prizes were held throughout the weekend with all activities designed to let guests learn play and connect with their pets in fun and practical ways ReginaNewsIndigenous Veterans’ Monument unveiled at Regina’s Victoria ParkBy Sierra D'Souza ButtsPublished: May 03, 2025 at 7:46PM EDT Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.