In today’s digest: the owner of a Vancouver nightclub accuses authorities of slum-style landlordship after another flood from provincial social housing; San Josef Bay on Vancouver Island was named one of North America’s best beaches; and elevators on a BC Ferries vessel went out of service temporarily, causing inconvenience for passengers.
Vancouver nightclub owner accuses authorities of slum-style landlordship after another flood
Alan Goodall, owner of the Aura bar on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, says his venue was again damaged by flooding from provincial social housing located above. This is the more than 200th such incident since June 2020, when the province bought the former Howard Johnson hotel to house people from tent encampments. Goodall told Global News that on the evening of April 24 he found water pouring right in front of the main bar. The building operator, Community Builders, was unable to locate the leak for two hours, after which Goodall went upstairs himself with a plumber and the night manager. The source was found within 30 seconds — an overflowing toilet in a ground-floor suite that, Goodall said, was piled with trash between two and four feet high. “This was months of buildup. There was so much rubbish it reached the door. There wasn’t a bed in the room, and the conditions made it uninhabitable,” he said.
Goodall expressed frustration, noting the province paid $55 million for the building — about $550,000 for each of roughly 100 housing units — and that one room was essentially being used as storage. “This is awful. In effect the province is acting like a slum landlord,” said BC Conservative interim leader Trevor Halford, who visited the bar and viewed Goodall’s concerns. The province’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Christine Boyle, rejected those accusations. “I disagree with that. These are certainly challenging conditions in a building that was not originally designed as supportive housing,” she said, adding that the operator is doing everything possible to support residents with high needs and vulnerabilities.
Goodall pays about $30,000 a month in rent on average and had to close the club early on Friday because of the flood. “It’s critical for me to earn on weekends. I’ve been fighting this for six years and it’s incredibly upsetting,” he complained. After more than 200 floods, the owner keeps drying equipment on standby around the clock, but that doesn’t compensate for damage to drywall, electronics and LED panels. He noted many lights and speakers in the ceiling have failed, and some areas of the club go unrepaired for months. Halford called the situation unacceptable, saying the province is suffering losses by not meeting its landlord obligations. Boyle promised BC Housing would assess the damage from the latest flood and consider compensation, though she did not specify amounts. Last November the government announced the Loogat building would be closed by the end of June, and by early May more than half of the building’s 80-plus residents had already been relocated, with alternatives offered to the rest. Vancouver Fire Rescue Service said fire safety systems are being maintained and that the number of fires fell by 60% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with 2025. Regarding the resident whose unit caused the latest flood, the operator is working with him to address “cleanliness issues” in his room.
Read the full Global News report for more details.
Canada’s best beach: San Josef Bay on Vancouver Island makes North America top 50
San Josef Bay, at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, has earned the distinction of being named one of North America’s best beaches in the World’s 50 Best Beaches 2026 ranking. The recognition is based on the opinions of more than a thousand travel professionals, judges and beach ambassadors across the continent. Seclusion, majestic rock monoliths and pristine white sand secured this corner of British Columbia a place on the list. The ranking’s compilers call it one of the most incredible and untouched beaches you can see: here you can spend hours exploring tidal trails and sea caves, cool off in the water, and feel soft white sand underfoot. A defining feature of San Josef is its remoteness — to reach this natural paradise you must hike an hour through the forest, which keeps crowds away. The 2.5-kilometre beach attracts only a few visitors, offering the chance to enjoy wild nature in complete silence. It’s important to remember that Cape Scott Provincial Park, of which the beach is a part, is home to bears and cougars — something to consider when planning a trip. San Josef Bay placed 43rd in the North America top 50, alongside resort destinations in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Bahamas and Jamaica. This recognition continues a run of accolades for British Columbia: earlier, Vancouver was named one of the world’s most walkable cities, and a tucked-away guesthouse was named the city’s best hotel. For those planning a summer trip who want to see truly untouched nature, a visit to this beach will be a real discovery. The full list of North America’s best beaches is available on the ranking’s official site, and more details on how to get there can be found in the article at Daily Hive: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-beach-san-josef-bay-best-north-america.
Elevators on BC Ferries vessel out of service: passengers offered alternative sailings
Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries warned passengers of a temporary elevator outage on one of its vessels operating between Vancouver and Nanaimo. The vessel in question is the Queen of Alberni, which is 50 years old and typically carries up to 1,200 passengers and crew, plus 280 vehicles. According to an official notice published by the company early on April 29, elevators will be unavailable on four specific sailings that day: the 7:45 a.m. departure from Duke Point, the 10:15 a.m. departure from Tsawwassen, the 12:45 p.m. departure from Duke Point and the 3:15 p.m. departure from Tsawwassen.
Passengers who need to move between decks will have to use stairs. BC Ferries, as reported by CHEK News (https://cheknews.ca/elevators-out-of-service-on-bc-ferries-vessel-between-vancouver-nanaimo-1321566/), offered those who cannot use stairs the option to move to another sailing. “We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience. Our team is working to resolve the elevator issue and will provide updated information as soon as it is available,” the company said in a statement published shortly after 7 a.m.
It’s worth noting that aging infrastructure is often behind such failures. The Queen of Alberni was built in the 1970s, and its maintenance, including elevators, requires heightened attention. For many passengers — especially older adults, parents with strollers and people with disabilities — an out-of-service elevator can be a major problem. They will either need to navigate stairs or change their plans and wait for another sailing. This underscores the importance of backup options and timely customer updates about such faults. BC Ferries says it will post updates on its official website so travelers can plan trips around the current situation. The incident also serves as a reminder of how fragile a transport system can be when it relies on an aging fleet.
