Vancouver Island’s first baby of 2024 is a boy.
Ferguson “Gus” Kenneth Ouellet Mitchell was born at Victoria General Hospital at 2:06 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz., says Island Health.
“It’s a boy!” the health authority said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) around 8 a.m., adding that “parents Nadia and Alex and big sister Saoirse are thrilled.”
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It’s a boy! Ferguson “Gus” Kenneth Ouellet Mitchell was born at Victoria General Hospital at 2:06 this morning, weighing in at 7lbs 8oz. Parents Nadia and Alex and big sister Saoirse are thrilled. pic.twitter.com/ncUVbjD6kk
— Island Health (@VanIslandHealth) January 1, 2024
B.C.’s first baby of the year, meanwhile, was born at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, according to Fraser Health.
The health authority took to Instagram around 9:30 a.m. to share the news, saying Taylor Stutsky arrived at midnight and weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz.
Last year, B.C.’s first baby of 2022 was also born in Fraser Health region.
“Here’s to a year filled with baby coos, sleepy cuddles and the magic that a newborn brings,” it added. “Congratulations to the proud parents!”
The B.C. government also congratulated the Stutskys.
“Welcome to the world little one, and congratulations to the family. Wishing everyone good health and a Happy New Year!” read a post on X.
At 12:40 a.m., Interior Health saw its first baby of the year, Navy Shae, who weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. at Kelowna General, and less than a half hour later, at 1:04 a.m., Northern Health welcomed 6 lbs. 8 oz. Holland to Prince George’s University Hospital of Northern B.C.
‘The start of the new year’
“Each year, the New Year’s Baby symbolizes the start of the new year and represents the first of the nearly 40,000 babies expected to be born in British Columbia in 2024,” added Island Health.
It notes that 37,650 babies were registered as born in the province between Jan. 1 and Dec. 18, 2023, with the top three most popular baby names of the year being Noah, Oliver and Olivia, according to the B.C.’s Vital Statistics Agency.
#FraserHealth welcomes B.C.'s first baby of 2024!
Taylor Stutsky was born at 12:00 a.m. on January 1 at Royal Columbian Hospital, weighing 6lbs 14oz.
Congratulations to the proud parents! @RoyalColumbian pic.twitter.com/ltaRPda91O
— Fraser Health (@Fraserhealth) January 1, 2024
READ ALSO: B.C. reveals the most popular baby names for 2023
Ethan Morneau
