BC STORIES

Step Inside B.C.’s Legislative Library: A Hidden Gem Holding Centuries of History

Explore B.C.’s historic Legislative Library in Victoria, housing 500,000 items, government records, and a rare 1632 Shakespeare Second Folio.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 24, 2026

Current News Room

A Hidden Architectural Treasure in Victoria

Tucked past the standard guided tour route of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria, the legislative library houses more than 500,000 physical items and 200,000 digital entries spread across six floors. The facility features architectural elements blending the style of Versailles and historic Oxford reading rooms, including Carrara marble imported from Italy, Honduran mahogany, and scagliola columns.

Today, the library employs about 20 staff members and serves as the province’s primary repository for government publications. Its daily operations still utilize original furnishings, including tables, chairs, and what library director Peter Gourlay believes to be the oldest operating elevator in Victoria, an original Otis birdcage model.

Rare Artifacts and a $500,000 Shakespeare Folio

Secured inside a rare book vault within the director’s office are roughly 1,500 specialized volumes. The collection includes a 1612 Geneva Bible, an inscribed volume by Queen Victoria, and a 1632 Shakespeare Second Folio. According to coverage from the Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News, Kelowna Capital News, Vernon Morning Star, and Penticton Western News, the 1632 Shakespeare Second Folio is valued at $500,000.

The Shakespeare volume is one of approximately 250 remaining worldwide and one of only three known copies in Canada, alongside holdings at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. Gourlay noted that the 400-year-old book has no missing pages or major damage. Many of the vault’s Elizabethan-era items were acquired in a single 1930 purchase from an English aristocrat who relocated to B.C. and corresponded with author Rudyard Kipling.

Evolution from Colonial Beginnings to Specialized Research

The library’s origin dates back to 1863, prior to B.C. joining Confederation, when colonial grants funded a single room of unattended books. The collection expanded to 3,000 items under its first appointed librarian, E. Gosnell, and reached 18,000 under successor E.O.S. Scholefield. In 1911, architect Francis Rattenbury designed a dedicated expansion wing. Construction began in 1912, and the $1.2-million extension officially opened on Sept. 15, 1915.

For nearly a century after launching a travelling library program in 1898, the institution shipped book collections to remote communities, lighthouses, and lumber camps across the province. In the 1970s, after provincial archives moved to Belleville Street and public libraries expanded statewide, the institution shifted its mandate specifically to legislative assembly members and staff.

“The big difference is our clientele and what we do,” said Gourlay. “We do more in-depth research than at a public library. We can spend time to really dig into a topic if that’s what our clients are interested in.”

Gourlay emphasized the importance of maintaining B.C.’s governmental records as the institution continues its mandate more than a century after construction finished.

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BC STORIES

Discover the Hidden Beauty of New Brunswick’s Waterfalls Through Drone and On-the-Ground Video

CBC videographer Roger Cosman explores New Brunswick’s hidden waterfalls using drone and ground footage, with tours including Walton Glen Gorge Falls.

Published

21 hours ago

September 5, 2026

Current Editor

Exploring Provincial Waterfalls

CBC videographer Roger Cosman is traveling across New Brunswick this summer to document the province’s hundreds of natural cascades. His journey relies on drone footage and on-the-ground exploration to capture these often-secluded scenic spots.

Featured Locations and Next Destinations

Cosman’s tour has covered multiple sites, including Pabineau Falls, Sand Brook Falls, Tetagouche Falls, Lepreau Falls, Wallace Falls, Welsford Falls, Little Sheephouse Brook Falls, and Fall Brook Falls. His latest footage highlights Walton Glen Gorge Falls along the Fundy coast, with Fuller Falls scheduled as the next stop on the itinerary.

BC STORIES

Lower Mainland Illegal Gaming Investigation Leads to Charges and Cash Seizure

Two Lower Mainland residents face criminal charges after a B.C. illegal gaming house investigation yields cash, gaming gear, and illicit tobacco seizures.

Published

21 hours ago

September 5, 2026

Current Editor

Joint Investigation Uncovers Multiple Gaming Locations

An enforcement operation targeting illicit gambling in the Lower Mainland has resulted in criminal charges against two individuals. On Aug. 26, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved charges following an extensive probe by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit’s joint illegal gaming investigation team. The investigation originally launched in March 2023 at a single site before expanding into inquiries regarding several gaming operations.

Thousands in Cash and Illicit Goods Confiscated

Executing multiple search warrants across properties located in Burnaby and Vancouver, officers gathered substantial evidence. Police seized approximately $240,000 in Canadian currency, around 145 kilograms of illegal tobacco products, gaming equipment, gaming tables, and various electronics, such as tablets, mobile phones, laptops, and digital video recorders. Officials confirmed that all confiscated equipment and illicit proceeds have been forfeited to the province.

Court Appearances Pending for Accused

Facing charges under section 201(1) of the Criminal Code for keeping a common gaming house are Shahrouz Younesi, 54, of Burnaby, and Xiaoyi Karen Zhang, 46, of Vancouver. In addition to the gaming charge, Younesi is charged with selling unstamped tobacco products. Both individuals are expected to appear in court on a future date.

BC STORIES

Police Warn Ontario Homicide Suspect Believed to Be Hiding in Remote B.C. Backcountry

First-degree murder charges issued for Joseph Madore and Brayton Kennedy in Ontario homicide. Madore is believed to be hiding in remote B.C. backcountry.

Published

2 days ago

September 3, 2026

Current Editor

Upgraded Charges and Active Search

Two men wanted in connection with an Ontario homicide are now facing upgraded charges of first-degree murder as they remain on the run, according to an announcement by the Ontario Provincial Police on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Joseph Madore, 34, and Brayton Kennedy, 28, both hailing from Ottawa, were previously facing second-degree murder charges. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of both men, and authorities are warning the public that they remain at large.

Potential Locations and Local Connections

Investigators believe Madore may be in British Columbia, potentially camping or travelling through remote backcountry regions. He is reported to have ties to several B.C. communities, including Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Terrace, and Richmond. Kennedy is believed to potentially be in New Brunswick.

The search has previously touched B.C. soil. Following a search of a rural property in Terrace this past June, the RCMP alongside Ontario Provincial Police confiscated two firearms connected to the investigation. Arrest warrants for Madore and Kennedy were initially granted during the same month.

Homicide Investigation Details

The investigation began after Lanark County OPP responded to an incident at Last Duel Park in Perth, Ont., at 3:15 p.m. on April 12. Officers located 34-year-old Ottawa resident Christo Allison Richards suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a trauma centre, where he later died. Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News reported that the victim was found with life-threatening wounds in Last Duel Park in Perth, Ontario.

Two additional individuals have already been charged in relation to the case. A 46-year-old Perth resident was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in May, and 32-year-old Lyna Du of Ottawa was charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Public Safety Warning

Police advise anyone who spots either suspect not to approach them and to call 911 immediately. Anyone holding information about the whereabouts of Madore or Kennedy is urged to contact the Lanark County OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.