Michael John Lo

Canada

Breaking News and Weekend Reporter at Times Colonist

journalist for the @timescolonist daily newspaper, @EUinCanada fellow. ✍️ in @globeandmail @TheTyee @capitaldailyvic. he/him

Articles

Islanders continue to flock to polls amidst national voting turnout record

4 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

Canadians set a voting turnout record with nearly two million votes cast on Friday on the first of four days for advanced voting in the federal election. This year’s four advanced voting days land over the April long weekend and come to an end on Monday, one week before the general election date of April 28. Elections Canada said in a social media post it will make adjustments over the coming days to handle the high traffic after many voters were met with long lineups at polling stations.
CRD launches alternative approval process for skate park, rec centre

4 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

The Capital Regional District is looking for public approval to borrow up to $3.15 million to replace a crumbling skate park in Sooke as well as pool and arena equipment at the nearby rec centre. Sooke Skate Park was closed late last year after the facility was found in a district assessment to have too many chips, gaps and cracks.
103 pallets of books on Day 1 of Times Colonist book drive

4 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

The books came by the bike load, car load and truck load on Saturday as Times Colonist readers donated parts of their libraries for the annual fundraising Times Colonist book sale. Several liquor stores reportedly ran out of leftover boxes to hand out because of the book drive. David Travers-Smith, who along with his sister was unloading 45 boxes of books from two vehicles, said he’s coming back to drop off more today – as soon as he’s able to find more boxes to put books in.
Singh and NDP candidates rally and serve ice cream at Beacon Drive-In

4 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spent Saturday evening serving ice cream out of a James Bay restaurant after releasing the party’s costed platform and a campaign stop in Surrey. It was Singh’s first campaign stop in Victoria since the federal election was called.
Long lines, few chairs: Islanders turn out on first day of advance vote

5 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

People looking to get their vote in early for the federal election sometimes faced long waits and a lack of chairs on Friday. It was the first day of advance voting for the April 28 election. Richard Rajala wrote in to the Times Colonist saying that he and his wife arrived to cast ballots at Tillicum Elementary School and waited for 30 minutes without seeing any movement in the line. Their enthusiasm to vote diminished as the wait stretched on.
Hedge burns near Royal Jubilee Hospital entrance

6 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

A hedge near a Royal Jubilee Hospital building caught fire on Friday afternoon. Paramedics were quickly on hand to divert traffic away from a fire that had engulfed an eight-feet-tall hedge near the intersection of Richmond Road and Denman Street, in front of a hospital hospice building. Paul Stein, who was nearby and captured video of fire trucks arriving on scene around 2 p.m., said emergency responders seemed to have the situation in hand. “I think it was a small fire for those guys,” he said.
Hedge burns near Royal Jubilee Hospital entrance

6 days ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

A hedge near a Royal Jubilee Hospital building caught fire on Friday afternoon. Paramedics were quickly on hand to divert traffic away from the fire that had engulfed an eight-feet-tall hedge near the intersection of Richmond Road and Denman Street, in front of a hospital building. Paul Stein, who was nearby and captured video of fire trucks arriving on scene around 2 p.m., said emergency responders seemed to have the situation in hand. “I think it was a small fire for those guys,” he said.
Most of Juan de Fuca trail will be closed this summer because of storm damage

6 days ago | vancouversun.com | Michael John Lo

Advertisement 1Several sections of the trail on Vancouver Island’s west coast were damaged by storms. Author of the article:By • Victoria Times ColonistArticle contentThose looking to hike the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on Vancouver Island’s west coast will be out of luck this summer, as the province has yet to repair sections damaged by fall and winter storms.
With Conservatives leading polls on North Island, other parties worry about vote-splitting

1 week ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

After weeks of knocking on doors, Tanille Johnston says she’s found Conservative voters in North Island-Powell River tend to be firm on who they’re voting for, but others are less decided. “A lot of it is a worry of vote splitting,” said the NDP candidate. “People are aligned on wanting to keep out the Conservatives.”Johnston said it’s by far the most frequent conversation she’s having with undecided voters as she campaigns across B.C.’s third-largest riding by geographical size.
Victoria temple is frontrunner in heritage contest

1 week ago | timescolonist.com | Michael John Lo

The oldest operating Chinese temple in the country has emerged as one of the front-runners in an online contest for heritage sites across the country. Victoria Chinatown’s Tam Kung temple is among the 12 sites across the country vying for online support in the National Trust’s annual Canada’s Next Great Save competition. The site with the most votes gets $50,000, while the two runner-ups receive $10,000 and $5,000 each.