Leaving a legacy
NEWS: Transit moves ahead with surveillance /A4 ARTS: Talking up the Belfry’s Speaking in Tongues /A9 SPORTS: Hoops Chargers click over the holidays /A14
UVic president prepares to leave his post in 2013. Page A3
OAK BAYNEWS Watch for breaking news at www.oakbaynews.com
Friday, January 4, 2013
Property values decline across Greater Victoria Kyle Slavin News staff
who moonlights as a nature and landscape photographer, they came up with a plan to raise the $1,000 needed. Taking what they called the “Girl Guide approach,” the two students combined their $20 monthly allowance with funds from babysitting work to buy bulk card stock and print their mother’s nature photographs. By combining the two to make photo greeting cards, they developed a product with the money many others their age would have spent on themselves.
Chances are when you open your 2013 assessment notice from B.C. Assessment this week you’ll see your property value has decreased since last year. Most homeowners in Greater Victoria will see a two- to six-per-cent drop in their home’s assessed value, but B.C. Assessment’s area assessor for Greater Victoria calls the slight decrease “comforting.” “I would probably characterize this as a stable market, actually,” said Reuben Danakody. “We’re not seeing the year-over-year increases, those substantial increase in values that we used to see before. It’s not bad news; it’s comforting news, that the values are still very stable. We don’t want to see what was occurring the past few years down south (in the U.S.).” Of the region’s 18 assessment jurisdictions, only Langford and Oak Bay saw average increases in residential property values, at 0.47 per cent and 0.78 per cent, respectively. “The numbers are very specific to local markets. Oak Bay is a very strong market and it still continues to see strong investor demand. People are still paying fairly premium dollars to get in to Oak Bay,” Danakody said. “And Langford is a growing area; they’re very aggressively growing new developments out there. The affordable, single-family market is growing (in Langford).” The largest average declines in the Capital Region came from the Peninsula, with Sidney reporting a 5.64 per cent drop and North Saanich seeing a 3.65 per cent decline. Victoria and Saanich saw average decreases between two and three per cent. Danakody says the assessment trends indicate, economically speaking, the real estate market has corrected itself “quite well.” “We’re not seeing substantial declines in assessed values, which would be very concerning to many people,” he said. “Certainly we’ve seen significant impacts in other (B.C.) markets.
PLEASE SEE: Christmas project, Page A4
PLEASE SEE: Owners may be surprised, Page A4
Arnold Lim/News staff
Amy (above) and Daniel Davenport raised more than $1,000 for families in Africa by selling photo cards they made themselves to friends and family.
Creating a picture perfect world Arnold Lim News staff
Christmas presents were not enough. Daniel Davenport, 13, and his 11-yearold sister Amy were looking for a way to provide more than just gifts to the less fortunate, so instead of presents they sent one of the necessities of life. “Water. … It is what we have needed since the Stone Age,” Daniel said. “You cannot go wrong in the catalogue of helping people, but we had to pick something that is accomplishable, helpful
and lasting.” Searching for an organization that could facilitate their long-term goal led them to Plan Canada, a non-profit organization with a mandate to improve the lives of children in developing countries. One of its programs was a perfect fit, providing infrastructure in Africa for safe drinking water and sanitation. “My sister and myself wanted to make a difference and help those less fortunate,” Daniel continued. “Not only does it give them water, it frees (them) up from trekking all day every day to get water.” With the help of their mother Lesley,
For Everything You and Your Family Need to Live Well • FREE local prescription delivery • Blister packing service
PHARMASAVE
®
Pharmasave Oak Bay 2200 Oak Bay Avenue Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 8pm.
• Postal outlet • Full Service Cosmetics • Transit passes • And MUCH MORE!
(250) 598-3380 oakbaypharmasave.com
Sat: 9am - 6pm. Sun: 11am - 5pm
75 . ea.
% off
All Christmas Stock!
& SAVE! EAR N POINTS
Plus...Introducing the
NEW Pharmasave Rewards Program *some restrictions apply
EARN POIN TS & SAVE! See stor e for details .