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.

People who use handyDART in Greater Victoria say it’s getting harder and harder to book the rides they need, and they were hearing from staff it was because of service reductions. BC Transit says there have been no cuts - but users are still hitting roadblocks. We try to figure out why. HandyDART is public transit for people who can’t use the conventional bus due to disability.

For the past decade islanders have only elected NDP and Green members of parliament. But in the next federal government, the island will be represented by 3 Conservative MPs, 2 Liberals, 1 NDP and 1 Green. On this episode we look at what’s behind the shift, and hear from some of the election winners: Tamara Kronis, Aaron Gunn, Will Greaves, Stephanie McLean, Gord Johns and Elizabeth May. They talk about tariffs, affordability, housing, public safety, the opioid crisis, support for the resource sector and military members, and cross-party cooperation.

You’re likely getting used to seeing alternatives to plastic: cloth bags, paper straws, wooden utensils. But in this week’s episode we’ll hear about a B.C. group looking to make plastic out of seaweed, for use in the agriculture industry.

Want to hear more about the emerging seaweed industry on the island? Check out another column from Imaginative Scientist Moronke Harris.

The federal election is less than two weeks away, but many voters on the island are struggling to decide how to vote. For some it’s down to Liberal versus Conservative, for others NDP versus Liberal, for some it’s still a total toss up. We’ll hear from folks in Esquimalt, Campbell River, Ucluelet, and more about what issues have them stuck. 

The school board and the B.C. ministry of education were at odds for six months, until the province fired the elected trustees in January. Now the newly-appointed trustee is getting down to business, and the old trustees are going to court in hopes of getting their jobs back. We recap the SD61 drama, hear the latest on the safety plan and police in schools, and learn what official trustee Sherri Bell is thinking about for the future of the Greater Victoria school district.

Note: This is Vancouver Island has a new release day! We'll come to you on Thursdays now, instead of Tuesdays.