Anna McMillan

Victoria

Anchor and Reporter at CIVI-TV (Victoria, BC)

Still in journalism. Rarely on Twitter.

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Articles

New Victoria landscaping company hiring people in addictions recovery

6 days ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

A new business in Greater Victoria is helping people make a living while maintaining their sobriety. Your Place employs people who’ve completed the nine-month addictions treatment program at the New Roads Recovery Centre in View Royal. The company got up and running in March, and so far, it has hired two men in recovery. “A job like this kind of makes sure that we can establish ourselves in the outside world,” said Dan Wright, a field technician who finished the New Roads program two weeks ago.
With nearly 300 new homes coming to Victoria, advocates stress need for addictions treatment

1 week ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

Poverty support organizations and Victoria’s mayor are underscoring the need for adequate addictions and mental health services as the province prepares to add 295 units to the capital city’s housing stock. Over the weekend, the province announced it will spend nearly $100 million on two construction projects.
Haida Gwaii group’s banishment highlights drug crisis: First Nations leaders

1 week ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

A group of Haida Gwaii, B.C., residents have been shunned and their homes destroyed — a reaction fueled by grief and frustration over the toxic drug crisis. The events on the remote archipelago follow the death of Luke Pearson, who was killed last week after he was struck by a vehicle in Skidegate. Tyson Young, 32, is charged with second-degree murder, RCMP said.
Esquimalt is booming, targetting 800 new housing units this year

2 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

The tiny township of Esquimalt, B.C., is punching above its weight when it comes to building new homes. “Esquimalt councils have passed over 3,000 units of housing to be coming forward,” Mayor Barb Desjardins told CTV News. “This year alone, we expect 800 units to actually be completed and filled up with new residents.”In 2024, the provincial government tasked Esquimalt with building at least 754 new housing units over five years. At this rate, the township will blow past its target.
Cowichan Valley transit strike nears 3 months, leaving riders stranded

2 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

It’s been 80 days since transit operators in B.C.’s Cowichan Valley walked off the job. There’s no indication they’ll be back behind the wheel anytime soon. As negotiations unfold, a Honeymoon Bay resident has resorted to hitching rides from strangers. “Jumping into people’s cars as a First Nations woman, it just feels like it puts me in a vulnerable situation,” April Murphy told CTV News. Several times a week, she stands at a bus stop with a sign that requests a ride.
VicPD recruits now required to undergo training by diverse community groups

3 weeks ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

New recruits to the Victoria Police Department must now undergo training meant to better equip them to serve marginalized communities. The department is launching its Before the Badge Program, which strives to build trust and reduce the chances of police officers causing harm to various cultural, religious, and minority groups. “It is about building community trust and making sure that our communities have confidence in the Victoria Police Department,” said VicPD Chief Del Manak.
‘The real deal’: VicPD’s next chief emphasizes building trust with community

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

The incoming police chief for Victoria and Esquimalt says she’s eager to start marching up a “steep learning curve” to familiarize herself with the communities and department. Fiona Wilson is a deputy chief for the Vancouver Police Department, where she’s worked for 26 years. “I understand that I am coming into what is going to be a very, very steep learning curve. And I do that with the humility to understand that I have a lot to learn,” Wilson said at a press conference on Friday.
VicPD hires Vancouver deputy as new police chief, becoming first woman in role

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

A deputy police chief in Vancouver is leaving the B.C. mainland to take on the top job at the Victoria Police Department. The Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board has appointed Fiona Wilson as its next police chief, making her the first woman in history to helm the department. “I am deeply committed to serving the communities of Victoria and Esquimalt with transparency, integrity, and compassion,” Wilson said in a press release. Wilson will assume the role on Aug.
Mobile outreach workers address housing support gap outside downtown Victoria

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

As downtown Victoria draws attention and resources for its homeless population, a new team is dedicated to helping people who are struggling outside of the core. The Mobile Mission Van has been on the road for roughly three months, delivering food, clothing, and other essentials to roughly 200 unhoused people across southern Vancouver Island each week. “Not all our unhoused folks are just right downtown,” said Mobile Mission supervisor Brooke Wright.
Vancouver Island First Nation chips away at housing shortage with new development

1 month ago | ctvnews.ca | Anna McMillan

A First Nation on Vancouver Island has broken ground on a development that could house dozens of families. Construction is well underway on a multiplex for families in Tsawout First Nation, which is on the Saanich Peninsula. “It’s a very proud time for us to be providing housing for our people,” said Tsawout Chief Abraham Pelkey. “There’s severe overcrowding for our people.