Are you an ocean, lake, or river swimmer? On this week’s episode we take a break from the news to celebrate some of the many outdoor swimming spots on the Island - in all types of water. Alex McKeen, co-author of “Swimming Holes and Beaches of Southwestern British Columbia,” shares her love of swimming as a way to explore a new place and talks about some of the 50+ island spots listed in her book. They include the Koksilah River Holes, Cameron Lake, Inland Lake, and Banfield Park.

P.S. Are you looking for more ideas of stuff to do on the island in the summer? Go back in time to the July 2, 2024 episode titled "The best (and worst) of summer on the Island."

The city of Victoria released a plan to take $10 million from its budget, and reallocate it to public safety initiatives. The money will be used for bylaw and police officers, street repair and more, and will be focused on Pandora Avenue, Princess Avenue, and downtown overall. On this week's episode we hear from mayor Marianne Alto, Victoria police chief Del Manak, and the province's Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services, Terry Yung.

Bus service has long been a problem on the island, and it’s even more challenging now. We catch you up on the strike at Cowichan Valley Transit, and the cancellation of a bus route from Ucluelet and Tofino to Port Alberni. Plus, we try to find out if - or when - things might improve.

There is a new-to-B.C. ferry that two companies are testing here: it’s an all-electric passenger ship that could sail on commuter routes, or even between the island and the mainland. CBC Victoria’s Gregor Craigie got to ride on one, and he joins us to tell us how it works, how likely it is that it will enter regular service here - and why they call it a flying ferry.

We need more nurses and doctors, and they could be on their way. In this episode we hear from a doctor who is quitting his practice in Colorado to start at a new clinic in Colwood, and a nurse in Texas who is considering a move to Nanaimo. We’ll ask what’s enticing them to come north, and hear about some of the ways the provincial government is trying to encourage health care workers to move here to B.C.

Langford is upset it’s on the province's latest housing targets list, calling it “unfair.” But on the other side, the housing minister says it’s just about making sure everyone is on the same page - even the places that are already building a lot of new homes. On this episode, we hear from mayor Scott Goodmanson and minister Ravi Kahlon about what being on the list does, and doesn’t get you - and how the province picks the communities and sets the targets. Plus, their takes on where the infrastructure to support the housing should come from.

What do baseball games, river floats, parades, and Schitt’s Creek trivia have in common? They’re all things you can do to celebrate pride on the island this summer! On this episode we talk about what pride is like in island communities, and about celebrating queer joy, honouring history, and fighting for future freedoms.

The first of nearly 20 pride festivals on the island start this weekend -- with events in Cowichan, Port Alberni, and Victoria. The final events will be in the Comox Valley in August. This episode's guests are organizers Cristin Elle (Cowichan Pride), Crysta Stubbs (Alberni Valley Pride), Nick Luney (Victoria Pride) and meika johnson (Queer Centre Comox Valley).

There are also pride events this summer in Ladysmith, Parksville, Nanaimo, Langford, Saanich, Gabriola, Sidney, Tofino, Campbell River, the North Island, Qathet, Denman, Pender, and the Discovery Islands.

Check out this handy list to learn about events in your community.

We love Tofino, but it’s not the only part of the island that’s worth a vacation! If you’re planning to stay local this summer, why not check out a less famous place - like the north island? In this episode, Indigenous tourism operator Mike Willie makes the case for his home territory. He talks about what you can see when you head out from Port McNeill or Port Hardy.