A shooting at Spanish Banks beach and the arrest of a suspect, small businesses’ demands from candidates in British Columbia’s elections on taxes and safety, and a packed weekend schedule—from Whitecaps and Canucks games to a cheese and meat festival and a croissant crawl.
Shooting at Vancouver’s Spanish Banks Beach: Police Investigate Targeted Incident
On Saturday evening, Vancouver’s popular Spanish Banks beach became the scene of a brazen armed attack that authorities believe was not random. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) began investigating a shooting that occurred shortly before 5 p.m. local time. Police said eyewitness callers saw two masked men open fire on a parked vehicle containing people. The incident took place in one of the beach’s parking lots—a location usually associated with recreation and family outings—which makes the event particularly disturbing for local residents.
According to CBC News, Const. Darren Wong confirmed that one suspect was arrested in East Vancouver in connection with the incident. Police have not reported any injuries and say there is no apparent threat to the broader public. Nevertheless, the fact that a shooting occurred in a public place, on a weekend when the beach is usually busy, raises questions about safety in the city.
It is important to understand that in criminal investigations, a “targeted” shooting generally refers to an incident involving a preselected victim or group rather than a random attack. This may point to a conflict between specific individuals, possibly connected to organized crime disputes, which have not been uncommon in the Greater Vancouver area in recent years. Police have not yet disclosed whether the shooters were connected to the owner or passengers of the vehicle that was fired upon, but the presence of two masked, armed individuals and their deliberate gunfire at the vehicle indicate serious intent.
The key point is that, despite the absence of injuries, police continue to conduct an active investigation. The arrest of one suspect is an important step, but many questions remain. Was the person arrested the only shooter or an accomplice? What caused the conflict? And, just as importantly, why was such a public location chosen to settle the dispute? Those questions have not yet been answered. For Vancouver residents, the incident is another reminder that dangerous events can occur even in the city’s quietest and most scenic corners. Police are urging anyone with information to contact them and promise to provide further details as the investigation progresses. For now, Spanish Banks is open to visitors again, but the incident has left a lingering unease.
Vancouver Businesses Demand Candidates’ Attention: Taxes, Safety and Red Tape as Key Election Pain Points
As municipal and provincial elections in British Columbia gather momentum, the voice of one of the most vulnerable groups—small businesses—is becoming increasingly audible beneath the noise of campaign promises. Vancouver business owners are tired of instability and want politicians to finally hear their concerns: unpredictable taxes, rising costs, street-safety issues and burdensome bureaucracy. As reported by CityNews Vancouver, these demands are not a whim but a cry for help from people who provide jobs every day and contribute to the city’s coffers.
Neil Wyles, executive director of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Association, describes entrepreneurs’ situation in two words: “stressed and stretched.” According to Wyles, businesses desperately need stability because tax fluctuations have become unbearable. “They’ve seen wild swings in taxes: nine per cent, 10 per cent, zero per cent,” Wyles said. “It’s hard to run a business when strange things are coming at you from all sides … right now, it’s a little wild and inconsistent.” The quote captures the heart of the problem: a lack of predictability undermines planning, and without planning, it is impossible either to grow or simply to survive.
The situation is especially acute on Granville Street, once known as the city’s entertainment hub. Ashif Suleman, owner of Rock Shop Experience, faced another break-in earlier this month. “We’d like to bring Granville Street back to what it was for people: an entertainment district,” he said. “Unfortunately, people don’t feel safe here. It’s not the cleanest place because of the homeless.” Suleman is not merely describing the problems—he is proposing concrete solutions by calling for lower barriers to doing business. His example involving a garbage container is telling: the business owner pays more than $1,200 for a permit to keep a bin in the alley, although, in his view, that should be covered by property taxes. “The city doesn’t even pick up the garbage. I have to pay someone to haul it away,” he said. Such a practice, in which businesses effectively pay twice for the same service, is seen as blatant money extraction.
Ryan Mitton, legislative director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), confirms that taxes top the list of concerns for small-business owners. “Whether it’s the provincial or local government, ultimately there’s only one taxpayer,” he emphasized. “And when CFIB talks to small businesses, we hear the same thing: the cost of doing business needs to come down. For local businesses, that’s property tax; for the province, it’s the small-business tax. When small businesses are squeezed between rising costs and tariffs, the message is clear: government needs to reduce their expenses and taxes.” Two concepts require clarification here. Property tax is a municipal charge based on the assessed value of a property; for businesses, it can often be unaffordable because commercial properties are assessed differently from residential ones. The small-business tax is a provincial tax on profits. For businesses below a certain income threshold in British Columbia, the rate is approximately two per cent, but even changing rules and thresholds create uncertainty. The tariffs Mitton mentions are duties on imported goods that directly increase purchasing costs for businesses, and amid trade wars they become an additional burden.
For many entrepreneurs, the issue is not only financial. Suleman expresses a widespread sentiment: businesses want candidates to see them as equal partners rather than sources of revenue. “We want them to realize that we are partners in what the city is,” he said. This is a crucial point. Small businesses are not merely points on a map but part of the infrastructure of urban life: they create jobs, pay taxes and support neighbourhood identity. When a shop owner on Granville Street talks about safety and cleanliness, he is effectively talking about the quality of life across the entire city.
The main conclusion from this story is clear: campaign rhetoric about supporting businesses will remain empty unless three specific problems are addressed—tax predictability, reduced bureaucratic burdens and safety in commercial districts. For now, Vancouver entrepreneurs are in the position of people who support the city but do not feel that the city supports them. And they have plenty to say in this election—if candidates are willing to listen.
Weekend in Vancouver: From Netflix Mysteries to Croissants and Hockey
The final weekend of September in Vancouver promises to be packed, with the city bidding farewell to the first month of autumn amid sporting events, food festivals and immersive shows. In the Pacific metropolis, autumn is traditionally seen not as a reason to stay home but as the beginning of a new season of social and cultural events, and the upcoming weekend from Sept. 25 to 27 is a clear example. According to a Daily Hive roundup, organizers have prepared 15 reasons for residents to leave the house—from a free crime-themed quiz to the debut presentation of a local fashion label.
The weekend sports schedule spans three fronts. On Friday evening, BC Place will host a soccer match between the Vancouver Whitecaps and D.C. United as part of a special youth and family program presented by sponsor RE/MAX. The standings add intrigue: the Caps have 49 points and lead their nearest Western Conference rivals by five, while three teams—Houston Dynamo FC, St. Louis City SC and FC Dallas—are close behind with 44 points and will try to knock Vancouver from the top spot during the remaining month and a half of the season. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks will take the ice at Rogers Arena: the team will first play the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, followed by a Saturday game against the Seattle Kraken. Finally, the AHL preseason tournament begins Sunday and Monday in Abbotsford, where the Abbotsford Canucks will host the Calgary Wranglers at Abbotsford Centre.
For those who prefer food, the main event will be the Cheese and Meat Festival in North Vancouver, organized as a tasting marathon: guests move independently between stations and sample more than 150 carefully selected pairings of cheese and cured meats. Admission includes all tastings, and a VIP option is available. Another culinary adventure is the Metro Vancouver Croissant Crawl, returning for its fifth edition. From Sept. 25 to Oct. 4, 37 establishments across the city will offer limited-edition croissants, with special drinks available at some locations. Finally, the St. Augustine’s chain is launching “Sunday Service” on Commercial Drive—a Sunday format featuring a live DJ, sports broadcasts on 11 new televisions and a projector, as well as New Haven-style pizza, the only one of its kind in Vancouver.
Culture and entertainment fans will also have plenty to choose from. Netflix, in partnership with Secret City Adventures, has brought an official immersive dinner mystery game to the city. Guests follow the development of a detective story, solve clues and dine at Glowbal restaurant at the same time. The Improv Centre offers a similar genre with a comedic twist in its fall show: a classic mystery in which five VIPs are invited to a mysterious dinner and murder is served as the first course. Audiences solve the crime alongside the detective, and no two performances are the same. Film fans can attend the International South Asian Film Festival, featuring premieres as well as feature-length and short films telling South Asian stories from around the world. Dance enthusiasts can attend Flamenco Rosario’s annual flamenco festival, with performances by local, national and international artists, along with open workshops.
Local fashion and support for makers also deserve special attention. S4SE Studios, founded by TNS creative director and co-founder Barbara Nixon, will present its debut seven-piece collection, made entirely in Vancouver. The show will take the form of a daytime pop-up in the cozy setting of Le Café Brocante et Garage à Vin in North Vancouver, with no advance registration required. Meanwhile, the eighth annual Vancouver Etsy Co. fall pop-up at Robson Square will bring together items designed and made in Canada, complemented by workshops on watercolor painting and making accessories and keychains. Families with children can visit the Kitsilano Farmers Market, a Sunday market featuring fresh produce and handmade goods, or Westham Island Herb Farm in Delta, where new pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are put on display each day alongside a traditional scarecrow exhibition.
Some events have a fun, nostalgic feel, such as the free quiz on the television series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul at The Rec Room Granville. Teams can test their knowledge of iconic characters and moments and compete for prizes. Overall, the upcoming weekend reflects Vancouver’s distinctive urban lifestyle, where top-level professional sports, independent food culture, immersive formats and support for small businesses exist side by side—all within easy reach of SkyTrain stations and central streets. Readers who want to follow similar announcements can subscribe to the publication’s newsletters and visit its Listed section for a broader events calendar covering Metro Vancouver and British Columbia.
