Some downtown streets will be closed today as the 40th Santa Claus Parade kicks off the holiday season.
This year the parade, which is sponsored by Peninsula Co-op and features 64 entries, is taking a new route starting from the corner of Belleville and Government streets at 5 p.m. The parade will go up Humboldt Street and then along Douglas Street to Fisgard Street.
People travelling downtown should be aware of a number of road closures during the event, including the Johnson Street Bridge. Some roads near the parade staging area will be closed as early as 2:30 p.m., with all roads expected to be reopened to traffic by 7:30 p.m.
Roads closed between 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.:
• Belleville Street, between Douglas and Menzies streets
• Government Street, between Humboldt and Superior streets
• Menzies Street, between Belleville and Superior streets
Roads closed between 5 and 7:30 p.m.:
• Humboldt Street, between Government and Douglas streets
• Douglas Street, between Belleville and Bay streets
• The Johnson Street Bridge, Esquimalt Road at Tyee Road and Esquimalt Road at Harbour Road
Police will allow emergency vehicles and B.C. Transit buses to cross the bridge when necessary.
Nearly two dozen B.C. Transit routes that go through downtown Victoria will be affected, with detours in place.
• For more information, go to go.bctransit.com/MJzh50LNX06.
