Noah Kahan will perform in Vancouver in 2026, becoming the only western Canadian stop. The flood threat on Vancouver Island is easing, but consequences remain. The Tenant Protection Fund in BC has preserved more than 2,200 homes for residents.
Noah Kahan brings "The Great Divide" to Vancouver: the only western Canadian concert
Vancouver’s music calendar keeps adding big names, and Noah Kahan has now been added to the list of stars visiting the city next summer. The two-time Grammy nominee announced his "monumental, career-defining" stadium tour, which will hit only two Canadian cities in 2026, and Vancouver is incredibly fortunate to be one of them alongside Toronto. The show as part of The Great Divide Tour will take place at the city’s largest venue — BC Place — on August 28. This event will be more than a show; it will be the culmination of the musician’s rapid rise from indie sensation to global superstar.
Noah Kahan, whose rise to fame began in 2017 with the hit "Young Blood," which won the hearts of indie-folk fans, is now one of the most influential singer-songwriters of his generation. His deeply personal, narrative songs like "Stick Season" and "Dial Drunk" have resonated with millions of listeners worldwide, as evidenced by nearly 15 billion global streams and 12 million albums sold. The tour supports the release of his fourth studio album, titled The Great Divide. The premiere of the title track and its video was staged with particular flair — during a commercial break at the 2026 Grammy Awards — instantly sparking online discussion. Fans note the new work’s multifaceted nature, interpreting it as a song about lost love, a message to a best friend, or even to one’s past self, highlighting Kahan’s poetic gift.
For those new to his music, it’s worth explaining that his genre is often described as modern folk or indie-folk with pop elements. His lyrics are marked by sincerity, detailed depictions of inner experiences, and small-town life, resonating with a broad audience seeking depth and authenticity. The "multi-platinum" status and 22 platinum and gold certifications are industry recognitions that his albums and singles have reached very high sales and streaming thresholds. The announcement of his BC Place show, reported by Daily Hive Vancouver, places him alongside a diverse lineup of artists such as Bruno Mars, Karan Aujla and PinkPantheress, who will also perform in the city this year. Notably, Bruno Mars recently set a record for the number of shows on a single tour at the same venue, underscoring its appeal to world-class artists.
Key information for fans: tickets for Noah Kahan’s show will go on sale Thursday, February 12, at 12:00 p.m. local time. The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. Given that Vancouver is the tour’s only western Canadian stop and the musician’s popularity continues to surge, demand for tickets will likely be enormous. This event is not just a concert but a landmark cultural moment that reinforces Vancouver’s status as a must-visit stop on the map of global music tours. For Kahan himself, who has won BRIT Awards, Billboard Music Awards and People’s Choice Awards, this stadium tour will mark a new chapter in his career; for Vancouver audiences, it’s a unique chance to be part of that story.
Flooding on Vancouver Island: danger recedes, but impacts remain
Although heavy rains on Canada’s west coast have eased and officials have canceled several warnings, residents of the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island continue to deal with the aftermath of the recent flood. The British Columbia Flood Forecast Centre reported the end of several flood warnings and notices for Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and the province’s south coast. However, as The Globe and Mail reports, this does not remove local problems: several parks in the city of Courtenay were closed due to flooding, and the valley remains under a state of emergency that was declared on Friday.
The forecast centre downgraded the status of rivers in the region. The most serious flood warning for the Somass River was lowered to a high-water advisory. Warnings and advisories for the Courtenay, Tsolum, Dove Creek and Englishman rivers have been fully lifted. This indicates that the peak of the flood caused by intense precipitation has passed and water levels have begun to fall. Nevertheless, the Comox Valley Regional Emergency Operations Centre announced the closure of several public areas in Courtenay, including Lewis, Simms, Puntledge parks and McFee Meadows. These precautions are necessary due to ongoing localized flooding that could pose a danger to the public.
The state of emergency was declared by the regional district on Friday after heavy rains forced the evacuation of residents from one campground and twelve private properties. That decision came amid then-active warnings from the Flood Forecast Centre about potential threats from the Dove Creek, Tsolum and Courtenay rivers. Although the immediate risk of large-scale flooding has lessened, local flooding and infrastructure damage demonstrate how vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas of Vancouver Island are to extreme weather events. The situation serves as a reminder of the ongoing risks associated with climate change, which scientists say may increase the frequency and intensity of such downpours in the region.
British Columbia Tenant Protection Fund: how it preserved more than 2,000 homes
The Government of British Columbia is announcing a major success in its housing policy: the Tenant Protection Fund has not only met but exceeded its initial target, preserving more than 2,200 homes for renters in less than three years. The initiative, created in 2023 with provincial investments of $500 million, has proven effective in combating the affordable housing crisis by helping nonprofits purchase buildings that might otherwise have been lost to the private market.
The program was launched with a clear mandate — to protect 2,000 rental homes within three years — but that milestone was reached ahead of schedule. Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister Christine Boyle notes that ensuring people have safe, stable housing without fear of sudden eviction or sharp rent increases is one of the most effective tools to relieve pressure on renters. This approach is particularly relevant when, despite active construction of new housing, new builds cannot instantly solve the problem of preserving the existing affordable housing stock.
Among the fund’s latest acquisitions are 40 units across two buildings in Vancouver’s Grandview-Woodlands neighbourhood and 37 homes in three buildings in White Rock. These properties are typical examples of how the program works. In Vancouver, the buildings acquired by the New Chelsea Society are less than 250 metres apart and offer rents more than 50% below the city’s average — from $1,100 for a studio to $1,500 for a two-bedroom. Notably, in one building, Chelsea Capri, there has not been a single tenant turnover in the past three years, and the average length of residence exceeds 20 years. As New Chelsea Society CEO Ahmed Omran emphasizes, these acquisitions not only protect long-term affordability but also allow the expansion of social programs and supports for residents.
In White Rock, a city with limited non-market rental supply, the acquisition of three buildings by More Than a Roof Housing Society is also crucial. Rents there range from $800 to $1,550, which is on average 45% below market rates. Nearly half the units are two-bedroom apartments that serve as homes for seniors on fixed incomes, local workers, and other vulnerable groups. More Than a Roof CEO Lee-Ann Mihailyuk calls the fund "an innovative solution" that strengthens communities.
The key principle of the fund’s operation is partnering with nonprofit housing providers to purchase buildings at risk of transitioning to the private market, where rents typically spike. The properties considered are usually well-integrated into their communities and within walking distance of essential infrastructure: daycare, schools, parks and public transit. This prevents forced relocation of people, especially seniors and low-income families, who have built their lives in these neighbourhoods for years. As noted in the official Government of BC news release, "by working with the fund, we prevent displacement, keep seniors and families connected to their communities, and protect affordability for the long term."
Tenant Protection Fund CEO Katy Maslechko says that for long-term tenants, such purchases mean the ability to "breathe a little easier" and not worry about being forced out of the home around which their lives are built. The fund is part of the broader $19 billion in provincial housing investments. Since 2017, more than 93,600 homes have been built or are underway in the province.
Politicians also emphasize the importance of this work. Vancouver-Hastings MLA Niki Sharma notes that for growing regions, every preserved home strengthens a neighbourhood, allowing people to stay in place rather than be pushed out by high prices. Saanich North and the Islands MLA Rob Botterell sees this as the result of early investments and collaboration with nonprofit partners, part of a broader strategy to provide housing.
Thus, the success of the Tenant Protection Fund demonstrates that alongside stimulating new construction, preserving the existing affordable housing stock is a critical component of a comprehensive housing strategy. The program not only provides immediate stability for thousands of British Columbians but also creates a long-term mechanism to protect communities from displacement in the province’s most competitive rental markets. According to the fund, this is just the beginning.
