This is Vancouver Island CBC Local

Hiking the Sunshine Coast Trail can be a transformative experience for locals and visitors alike. Learn more about the multi-day journey, its history, and things you can expect to see along it.

Hey Vancouver Islanders! This week we're sharing an episode from another island: Montreal. Enjoy this exploration from our CBC local podcast friends, "Good Question Montreal." 

Every July 1, many Montrealers find themselves on the move, not just with their tables, chairs, couches and beds, but with their fridges and stoves too. Apartments here are often rented without appliances included, which does not seem to be a common practice elsewhere in Canada. We’ll explore some of the reasons this might be, and what this says about Montreal’s unique (but changing) rental culture.

This spring, a few dozen people gathered in Oak Bay to say goodbye to a tree. The 200-year-old Garry Oak was cut down because of safety concerns. It's not the first time Islanders have mourned a tree - and it won't be the last. But we're also still a region that relies on forestry for thousands of jobs. So how do we reconcile a love of trees, with a need to cut some down? 

Nearly six years ago, voters in Saanich and Victoria said yes to an independent study of the pros, cons, and costs of amalgamation — after decades of debate and discussion of the idea. Now, invites are set to go out to join the citizen’s assembly. The body of randomly selected residents will spend eight Saturdays studying the matter, and then come up with a recommendation: to become one city, or not. In this episode, we hear how organizers are trying to make sure everyone has a chance at joining the assembly, including people who are unhoused. We’ll also get some of the arguments for and against combining Victoria and Saanich.

The waters between Vancouver Island, mainland British Columbia, and Washington State are known collectively as the Salish Sea. The flora and fauna that live in that sea face similar threats, regardless of which side they're on. The Biodiversity Action Network is working to increase collaboration between researchers on both sides of the border - something they say is crucial for building resilience in the face of climate change.

In the qathet School District on B.C.’s north Sunshine Coast, a group of Indigenous high school students attend a special land-based learning program. They get many of their required subjects covered, while also learning traditional skills like hunting, fishing, and preparing community meals. Kathryn Marlow headed out on the water with the GIJE (Land) Program.