West Shore

The Discourse West Shore provides independent local news, powered by the community. Reporter Shalu Mehta and The Discourse team are here to deliver West Shore This Week, your weekly community newsletter, and in-depth stories on issues you care about.

SC’IA⁄NEW First Nation Chief Russ Chipps stands on the homelands of the SC’IA⁄NEW people. An Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area is being considered for a 136-hectare property called Mary Hill currently owned by the federal government.

Historic land agreement ‘will bring our people home,’ says SC’IA⁄NEW Chief

The First Nation plans to reclaim its territory at Mary Hill and protect it through Indigenous law.

Latest in West Shore
the discourse copa awards
The Discourse wins SIX Canadian Online Publishing Awards

Our little newsroom brought home more awards than any other publication.

Vicky Husband, a recognized conservationist and southern Vancouver Island resident, looks out onto a parcel of forested land in the District of Highlands.
To save South Island forests, community support is critical, and not enough

It takes ‘the stars aligning’ to save some of the last forested parcels left, conservationists say.

sangster student holiday concert
Sangster students shine at outdoor holiday concert

The Colwood community came together for the students’ first live performance in two years.

Christ Poynter, SD62 music teacher
Community shout-out: West Shore music teacher helps students prepare for first live performance in two years

“It’s ingrained in us,” Chris Poynter says, stressing that it is important to keep music education in schools.

The discourse copa awards
The Discourse dominates Canadian Online Publishing Award nominations

Our scrappy little upstart is up for 11 awards across an impressive breadth of categories.

Plastic cones protect saplings planted in dense forest in North Cowichan Municipal Forest Reserve
Announcing ‘Forests for the Future’

Deeply rooted, solutions-focused stories about forests on Vancouver Island and beyond.

A group of protesters are being arrested by RCMP officers on a logging road in the Fairy Creek watershed area.
Press freedoms in Canada are under attack again

RCMP arrest two journalists on Wet’suwet’en territory, months after B.C. Supreme Court ruled in favour of journalists’ right to report.

attainable housing
New program shifts affordable housing funds to wealthier Langford families

The Attainable Home Ownership Program is most likely to support households with incomes well above the median.

spirit loop malahat skywalk
New ‘Spirit Loop’ tourism partnership is reconciliation in action, says Malahat CAO

The project promotes travel between Langford, Sooke, Port Renfrew and Malahat.