Remembering Barbara Howard

Barbara Howard was born in Vancouver in 1920. She loved to run fast. At 17, she became the first Black woman to race for Canada. She won silver and bronze medals at the 1938 British Empire Games in Australia. Howard wanted to race in the Olympics, but the Second World War stopped the Games. She…

Word of the Year 2024

The Cambridge Dictionary is a popular tool for learning English. Every year, it picks a top word. The 2024 word is “manifest.” Over 130,000 people searched for it online. What does the word mean?  Manifest means thinking about something you want and believing it can happen. People picture their goals or say positive things to…

Walking pneumonia is on the rise in B.C.

B.C. has more cases of walking pneumonia this fall. Many young people are getting it. Doctors call it “walking pneumonia” because it is usually not serious. People can still do things, even if they feel sick. Common symptoms are cough, sore throat, fever, aches and a cough that can last a while. You get walking…

Muggins, a war hero

Muggins was a small dog with a fluffy tail. He was born in 1913 in Victoria. Muggins became a hero during the First World War. He learned to walk through the streets by himself. He had two donation boxes on his back and collected money for charities like the Canadian Red Cross that fed hungry…

National Truth and Reconciliation Day

In June 2021, the Government of Canada created a new statutory holiday.  The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on September 30.  Why is there a new holiday?  From 1880 to 1996, Canada sent Indigenous children to residential schools.  The children were taken away from their families. Many were treated badly. Many died.  The…

Study tips

Here are some ideas to help you study: Stay organized It can be hard to know where to begin. You may have many things to study at once. Make a list to help you stay organized. Write down what you need to study. Add important dates to your calendar. Break it up Learning information in…

Pride season

Pride season in Canada is from June to September. Pride is about being proud of who you are no matter who you love. Pride celebrates and promotes equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people. The letters stand for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex. The plus sign (+) includes other words that people use to identify…

Elephant’s feet crosswalks

Some communities in B.C. have special crosswalks. They are called “elephant’s feet” crosswalks. They help keep people on bikes and pedestrians stay safe when crossing the road. What do they look like? Elephant’s feet crosswalks have two lines of white squares. The squares look like an elephant’s footprint. Sometimes there is a bicycle symbol between…

Tax time help

  It’s tax time. Do you need help filing your tax return? Volunteers can help you at a free tax clinic. They can help people who have no income or low income. You can get help if: your income is less than $35,000 for one person. your income is less than $50,000 for a family…

March Break staycation tips

This March Break take a staycation. A staycation is a stay-at-home vacation. You can do fun things in your own town or city. You can save money on travel, airfare or hotels. Here are some staycation tips. Free activities  Look for free concerts, movies, festivals and fairs in your community. Check online or visit your…

Valentine’s Day

In ancient times, Romans held a feast day in February. The day brought people together as couples. Why is it called Valentine’s Day? Valentine was a Roman priest. The Roman emperor wanted young men to be soldiers and not marry. Valentine helped people marry in secret. Valentine was caught and killed on February 14. People…

Dogs in hot cars

In warm weather, cars and other vehicles heat up very fast. Pets can get very sick if left in a hot, parked vehicle. What happens to your dog in a hot car? Dogs cannot release heat by sweating like we do. Their body temperature rises much quicker than ours. Hot weather is worse for some…

Be Kind to Animals Month

May is Be Kind to Animals Month. It celebrates our love for animals and brings awareness to animal welfare. Being kind to animals includes taking care of your pets and treating local wildlife with respect. What if you find a wild animal? If you find a wild animal alone, sick or injured, they might need…

Farmers’ markets

Farmers’ markets in B.C. are opening up for the season. They offer a wide variety of things to buy, including fresh fruits, vegetables, jewelry, music and much more. What is a farmers’ market? For hundreds of years, farmers sold their food at open markets.  Before towns had grocery stores, these markets were the only way to…

Peace by Chocolate

Peace by Chocolate is a chocolate company. It is owned by the Hadhad family. The Hadhad family had a chocolate factory in Syria. A bomb destroyed the factory. The family left Syria. They lived in a refugee camp in Lebanon for three years. A new life in Canada In 2016, the Hadhad family moved to…

Become a Library Champion

The Library Champions Project is a volunteer program in many public libraries in B.C. It is for people who are new to Canada. It is three months long. What do volunteers learn? Library Champions go to four training sessions. They learn about library, settlement and community services. They also work on communication, presentation and outreach…

Top word of 2022

Merriam-Webster.com is an online dictionary. Every year, the dictionary chooses a top word of the year. Gaslighting was the top word of 2022. The number of times a word is looked up in the dictionary helps decide the word of the year. Searches for ’gaslighting’ increased 1,740 per cent in 2022. What is gaslighting? Gaslighting…

George Chow remembered

Remembrance Day reminds us of those who served for Canada. When the Second World War started, Chinese Canadians did not have the right to vote. Their contribution to Canada’s war efforts helped them gain the right to vote in 1947. George Chow was one of about 600 Chinese Canadians who served in the Second World…

September is Literacy Month

In B.C., we celebrate Literacy Month. Literacy is important to everyone. This year’s theme is “Literacy connects us!” Get involved! Enter the Literacy Connects Us Contest: Fill in the cloud with words or pictures that describe how literacy connects you at home, at work or in the community. Send your entry to contest@decoda.ca or post…

Rattlesnake gets a ride in sports car

In June, employees at a car dealership in Vancouver got a surprise. They found a snake in a Ferrari. The dealership called the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. Support Centre Helpline. “To our surprise, a photo determined it wasn’t a local Garter snake, but a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake,” Wildlife Rescue posted on Facebook. Employees had…

Plant a herb garden

Do you like to use fresh herbs in your cooking? Plant a herb garden in a container. You can put it in a sunny window. Or, you can put it on your deck or patio.  Enjoy fresh herbs all summer!  What you need:  pot with holes in the bottom  potting soil  herbs  trowel  water  What…

HealthLink BC 8-1-1

Do you need to talk to someone about a health problem? 8-1-1 is a phone line that is available 24 hours a day. Anyone in B.C. can get free health information and advice over the phone. It is operated by HealthLink BC, a part of the B.C. Ministry of Health. What do I do? Call…

The Westcoast Reader is 40 years old

Joan Acosta was the editor of The Westcoast Reader for 27 years. She was the only employee of the newspaper during that time. She wrote all the stories and did the layout. Joan retired in 2009. After she retired, she created a website called Best of The Reader. The website has 15 ebooks with stories…

Park has a new name

Belcarra Regional Park is in Metro Vancouver. It has a new name. It is called təmtəm.xʷtən/Belcarra Regional Park. There was a ceremony on October 8. Members of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Metro Vancouver officials attended. Why was the name changed? The name was changed to recognize the park as part of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. It…

Canada votes in September

Canada is holding a general election. The election is on September 20. What are we voting for? Voters elect 338 Members of Parliament (MPs). Most MPs belong to a political party. The party with 170 or more elected MPs forms the government. The leader of the party becomes the Prime Minister.   Why should I vote?…

First Peoples’ map of BC

There is a new map on the internet. It is called the First Peoples’ Map of BC. It is the first of its kind in Canada. How does the map work? The map is interactive.  You can zoom in on a place and click to learn about local languages, arts and culture. On the map,…

Lighthouse keepers

A lighthouse has a bright light to warn boats not to get too close to a rocky shore. The lightkeeper is the person who maintains the lighthouse. Norbie Brant is a BC coastal lightkeeper. He usually works seven days a week. What do lightkeepers do? “Being a lightkeeper is kind of like being a farmer,”…

Haiku poems

The LINC 6 class from MOSAIC English Language Centre learned about the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. They celebrated what they learned by writing haiku poems. A haiku is a Japanese poem. It has a special number of syllables in each line. The first and last lines have five syllables. The middle line has seven syllables….

The Marine Detective

Jackie Hildering lives in Port McNeill on Northern Vancouver Island. She is the co-founder of the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS). She calls herself “The Marine Detective” because the ocean is full of mystery. Jackie taught biology in the Netherlands. Then, she did a whale watching trip at Telegraph Cove, BC. “It changed my…

Still time to complete Census 2021

It is census time in Canada. Statistics Canada collects data on Canada’s population.  The information helps make decisions about programs like employment, education and health care. The census happens every five years. Count every person. You must complete a census form.  It is the law. The deadline to complete the online census form was May…

Poems by students

Amanda Gorman is an African American poet. She wrote a poem called “The Hill We Climb.” The LINC 7/8 class at the Cowichan Intercultural Society in Duncan, BC wanted to celebrate Black History Month in February and National Poetry Month in April. Seven students wrote poems with the title “The Hill We Climb.” Here are…

Black Shirt Day

On January 15, students and teachers in BC wore black shirts to school. They wore black shirts to raise awareness about racism. Why January 15? January 15 was Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Martin Luther King Junior fought for the rights of African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. He raised awareness about racism against…

$1,000 for families

There is a new benefit for people living in BC. Some families, single parents and individuals are eligible to get money to help them through the pandemic. The Government of BC is making a one-time payment to help people in British Columbia “who have been hit the hardest” by the pandemic. Who is eligible? Families…

Flu shots during COVID-19

Are you planning to get a flu shot at a pharmacy? Things will be different this year. “Pharmacists will be putting in more time and resources to keep patients and themselves safe during COVID-19,” said Geraldine Vance. Vance is the CEO of the BC Pharmacy Association.  You will need to make an appointment. Pharmacies will…

Halloween and COVID-19

This Halloween, there are new safety guidelines for trick-or-treating due to COVID-19. BC Centre for Disease Control says, “Celebrate less socially and trick-or-treat locally this Halloween.” Children need to wash their hands before going out, when they come home and before eating treats.  Carry hand sanitizer for eating treats on the go. Try to keep…

BC votes in October

British Columbia is having a general election this month. General Voting Day is October 24. Voting places will be open October 15 to October 21. They are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Voting places will be open on election day, October 24. They will be open from 8 a.m. to 8…

How to vote in BC

  Advance voting There are ways to vote before General Voting Day. One way is called advance voting. Advance voting is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time from October 15 to 21. All voters can vote at any advance voting place in BC. Your Where to Vote card shows the advance voting…

Concern over hand sanitizers

Not all hand sanitizers are safe to use. More than 50 brands of hand sanitizers have been recalled by Health Canada. Experts say good sanitizers are made with quality-grade ethanol. They are safe to use. If methanol or ethyl acetate are used it can be dangerous. “Methanol and ethanol will look similar and behave similarly….

Virtual Terry Fox run

Every September, Canadians go for a special run. The run is called the Marathon of Hope. 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. Why do Canadians run? Terry Fox was a young man from Port Moody, BC. He lost his left leg to cancer in 1977. He wanted to run across Canada…

#DifferentTogether

People in BC are being asked to take a pledge against racism. A pledge is something you promise to do.    The pledge against racism was created by the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.    Why are people taking the pledge?   During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Asian Canadians have been hurt by violence and hateful words. People are taking the #DifferentTogether Pledge to stand…

Virtual Canada Day

Many regular Canada Day celebrations are cancelled. They are cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.   This year, there are new ways to celebrate Canada Day.     In Victoria, the city will hold neighbourhood gatherings. The gatherings will be small so people can practise social distancing.     In Trail, the city will have red lights on the Victoria Street Bridge. The lights will be red to honour…

Donny’s Wax

Erik Levings and Taro Milligan are Grade 8 students from Abbotsford, BC. They like to skateboard. Their friend Donnie saw them skateboarding. He wanted to try, too. Making wax Levings and Milligan decided to buy Donnie his own skateboard. They made and sold their own skateboard wax to make money. Levings and Milligan went to…

Wanuskewin’s baby bison

A baby bison was born on Wanuskewin lands. She was born on Earth Day. She is the first baby bison to be born at Wanuskewin in over 150 years. Bison are special Bison are important to the local Indigenous peoples. The elders wanted to bring the bison back to their land. They wanted their children…

Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week is from May 4 to May 10. Mental health is the way we think and feel about ourselves. It is the way we think and feel about the world around us. Good mental health makes it easier to handle stress and other problems. Here are some ways to practise good mental health:…

How to make compost at home

What is compost? Compost is made when small organisms called microbes break down household and garden waste. Waste can include things like food scraps, grass clippings, leaves and plants. Waste will break down, or decompose, over time. Composting speeds up the process. It gives the microbes a chance to break down the waste faster. Why…

Nunavut’s new greenhouse

Nunavut is a large territory in northern Canada. It is very cold and dark. The weather makes it hard for fruit and vegetables to grow. So, groceries are expensive. A greenhouse was built The Arctic Research Foundation wanted to help people in Nunavut. It made a greenhouse near Gjoa Haven from shipping containers called “sea…

Single-use item bylaw

A new Vancouver bylaw will start in April. This bylaw will ban food vendors from giving customers disposable straws, forks, knives, chopsticks and spoons. People with disabilities can still get a straw if they need one. No more foam In January, Vancouver banned foam cups and foam take-out containers. Soon, the city hopes to stop…

Lize wins an award

Norma Lize is a refugee from Lebanon. In February, she was recognized as a leader in Vancouver’s LGBT community. She won the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award. Something was missing Lize grew up feeling that something was missing from her gender identity. At 18, she met a transgender woman. It made her think that…

COVID-19

COVID-19 is a new virus. It is also known as novel coronavirus. The virus appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has infected over 110,000 people in countries around the world. Close to 4,000 people have died worldwide. What are the risks? Most people can recover at home. The risk is greater for older people…

Preparing for a job interview

Job interviews can be stressful. If you prepare for your job interview, you will be more confident and relaxed. There are many ways to prepare for a job interview. Practise your answers before going to the interview Many interviewers ask the same questions. They will ask about your work experience. They might ask you about…