VIU News & Experts: October 6, 2023

Grocery store prices, land stewardship and more 🌏

VIU is excited to introduce DiscoverFest, a new, free community event that includes live music, an artisan market, science demos, expert talks, campus tours, activities for kids and teens, food trucks, a beer garden and much more. DiscoverFest is for:

• Anyone interested in getting out and learning more about VIU
• Students exploring post-secondary options
• Families
• Alumni
• Current students
• Community members

Learn more on the DiscoverFest website.

Featured experts

Getting grocery prices under control

The five largest grocery chains in Canada have given the federal government plans to stabilize food prices, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced today. Dr. Charles Schell, a Finance Professor and Acting Associate Dean in the Faculty of Management, is available to chat about the plans and whether he thinks they will or can deliver the goods.  

Legislature dynamics

The fall sitting for the BC Legislature looks a little different this year. The Conservatives gained official party status last month after former Opposition BC United member Bruce Banman crossed the floor to join Conservative Party leader John Rustad. Dr. Michael MacKenzie, VIU’s Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership, is available to answer questions about the democratic legitimacy of switching parties between elections.

VIU in the news

Protecting BC's coastal waters and lands

VIU’s Stewardship Technician Training Program trains Indigenous Guardians, who play a vital role in protecting fragile BC ecosystems from harmful human activity and the increasingly serious effects of climate change. An agreement signed by Nanwakolas Council and Vancouver Island University, and supported with funding from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, will support this training. The latest program just began in Campbell River. Learn more.

VIU events

Milner's first annual Scarecrow Spectacular

Enjoy some family fun during Milner Gardens & Woodlands’ all-new Scarecrow Spectacular, October 27 to 29 from 11 am to 3 pm. This event encourages visitors to dress up in costume and wander through Scarecrow Lane. Learn more.