Welcome to this week’s Sunday Briefing. In this issue, find out why Island Health is leaving social media platform X, what striking transit workers in Cowichan Valley are asking for, and how much risk exposure Victoria has to U.S. tariffs.

Now on to today’s briefing. It’s 751 words: a three-minute read.

-Emily, [email protected]

By the way, if you're not already subscribed, you can fix that here.

Greater Victoria Harbour Authority gets federal funding

The Government of Canada announced investments in B.C.’s ports last week, with the Ministry of Transport and Internal Trade committing $35.5 million in funding for three projects focused on commercially available clean technology and infrastructure.

The cash, provided under the Green Shipping Corridor Program, is intended to:

• Increase the use of clean energy and transportation infrastructure at ports and terminals,

• Invest in shore power technology to reduce emissions from idling ships,

• Prioritize low-emission and low-noise vessels to minimize environmental impact in port areas.

In Victoria, the Greater Victoria Harbour authority will receive funding to implement shore power equipment at the Ogden Point cruise terminal, in support of establishing a green cruise corridor on the west coast.

"We are grateful for this generous support for sustainability, economic development and innovation,” said Mark Mawhinney, board chair of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. “Shore Power is a catalyst for the electrification of our deep-water port, and today’s funding will support future economic growth and development in Greater Victoria.

“Renewable energy options will further establish a Green Shipping corridor across the Pacific Northwest and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he continued. “We want to thank the Minister and government for supporting the clean evolution of our working harbour.”

📰 More Victoria innovation news

🦋 Somewhere only we know: Island Health is making the switch from X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, to Bluesky, a decentralized platform with a very similar interface to its counterpart. Bluesky began as a research project at X (known as Twitter, at the time).

🛑 All in all, you're just another brick in the wall: Transit workers at Transdev in Cowichan Valley went on strike on February 8, after last-minute talks broke down between Unifor and the employer, following weeks of stalled negotiations.

💥 Was it too much?: Victoria was listed 36th on a ranking of Canadian cities vulnerable to U.S. tariffs. The list, put together by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, stacked up 41 Canadian cities. Saint John, Calgary, and Windsor ranked top three.

🕴️ Tech jobs of the week

Find your next career:

• Software developer at DSA Ocean

• Principal, mechanical engineering at Seaspan

• Senior QA engineer - data and ETL testing at EY

Hiring in Victoria? Reply to this email and let us know!

📅 Upcoming events

February 20-21 | 6th Western Angel Investment Summit

Presented by Angel Forum with the support of VIATEC and the National Angel Capital Organization, the theme of this year’s Western Angel Investment Summit is “B.C. Be Bold.” Targeted at angels, founders, funds, and accelerators, the event will explore how B.C. founders and investors should be ready to take centre stage.

February 24-25 | 9th Annual BC Communications Forum

Join the BC Communications Forum, the premier gathering for communication professionals across the province. This is your opportunity to connect with industry leaders, exchange ideas with peers, and dive into the latest insights that can transform your day-to-day work.

March 4-6 | Rising Economy Conference

Now in its fifth year, the Rising Economy conference is a highly anticipated “business conference for business insiders.” Rising Economy features a curated selection of in-person and online events designed to guide businesses and other organizations to meet the challenges and pursue the opportunities of the 21st century. With an A-list of exciting keynote speakers and panelists, Rising Economy explores topics critical to Greater Victoria, British Columbia, and the world around us.

Have an upcoming event? Reply to let us know.

🙋 I need a…

We at Victoria Tech Journal know you, our community, pretty well. Are you searching for someone in your field to have coffee with, a hiring hookup, a lead on local investors, or suggestion for a great Victoria tech tool? Whatever you’re hunting for, let us know. We’ll post it in this section and make it happen.

Email your requests to [email protected].

Have something or someone we should know about?

Reply or email [email protected] so we can work together to spotlight the lesser-known stories of Victoria's tech ecosystem.