Courts, Politics and Sustainable Infrastructure in Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada overturned the acquittal of a driver who struck and killed a child in Vancouver, and ordered a new trial. Jennifer Whiteside became interim leader of the B.C. NDP after its defeat by the Conservatives. The Holdom Overpass in Burnaby received Envision’s Platinum certification for sustainability.

Supreme Court of Canada overturns acquittal of driver who killed child in Vancouver

The story began in July 2021 at one of downtown Vancouver’s busiest intersections and ended—at least for now—with a ruling by the country’s highest court that could significantly affect how Canadian courts handle dangerous-driving cases. It concerns a tragedy that took the life of a young girl named Ocean Oshi Noel, and the legal battle over where the line lies between criminal negligence and ordinary human error.

According to a CBC report, Seyed Moshfeghi Zadeh ran a red light at the intersection of Smith and Hornby streets in downtown Vancouver on July 6, 2021. His car collided with another vehicle, then rolled over and flew onto the sidewalk, striking the young girl and seriously injuring her father. In 2024, a provincial court judge acquitted the driver, concluding that his actions, though dangerous, amounted to a “momentary lapse of attention.” In the judge’s view, the accused’s conduct did not reach the level of a marked departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable driver in similar circumstances—the test required for a conviction under the provisions dealing with dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm. The British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld the decision by a majority.

On Friday, however, the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the appeal court’s ruling by a five-to-four majority and ordered a new trial. The top court’s key argument was that the trial judge had wrongly treated a “momentary lapse of attention” as a circumstance that, by default, rules out criminal liability. Instead, the court should have assessed all the circumstances, including the fact that the incident occurred in a busy downtown area and that the traffic light had been red long enough to be noticed. In other words, “momentary” is not an automatic pass; it is just one factor in the overall picture that the court must weigh.

To understand the legal dispute, it is worth explaining the terms used in the ruling. In Canadian law, a “momentary lapse” refers to a brief distraction by a driver that does not, by itself, constitute a crime. To secure a conviction for dangerous driving, the prosecution must prove that the accused’s conduct “markedly departed” from the standard of care expected of a reasonable driver. This is known as an objective standard: the question is not what the person was thinking, but how a careful road user should have acted. The dispute centered on how to apply this standard. The trial judge held that a single momentary distraction could not amount to such a departure, while the Supreme Court said the court must consider the person’s conduct in context, rather than in isolation.

The ruling carries particular weight because it was decided by a margin of just one vote—five to four. This points to a deep divide within the highest court over how broadly “momentary lapse” can be interpreted, and whether it risks becoming a blanket defence for drivers whose inattention has led to tragic consequences. The four dissenting judges presumably argued that the trial judge had acted within the scope of their discretion and had made no legal error in assessing the evidence. The majority, by contrast, found that the legal test had been incorrectly framed, requiring the case to be reconsidered on its merits.

For the family of the girl who died and for her father, the decision does not bring closure; it means continuing a years-long ordeal. A new trial will be held in provincial court, though no date has yet been set. For Canadian legal practice, the ruling signals that invoking a “momentary lapse” will not automatically remove criminal liability: courts must examine the context, including traffic conditions, the nature of the violation, how long the light had been red, and other factors that, taken together, may indicate criminal negligence. For the public, it is a reminder that behind the wheel in a city centre, the cost of a second’s inattention can be measured in human life—and that the legal system must be able to take that cost into account.

Party at a crossroads: Jennifer Whiteside named interim leader of B.C. NDP after crushing Conservative defeat

After a painful loss in the snap election called by former Premier David Eby, the B.C. NDP has chosen an interim leader. The party, which was in power as recently as last year and had governed the province since 2017, is now preparing for an unfamiliar role as the official opposition. Jennifer Whiteside, the MLA for New Westminster-Coquitlam, which she has represented since 2020, has been named interim leader. The appointment is more than a change in personnel: it is an effort to give the party time to regroup, rethink its identity and find a way back to voters who rejected it so decisively that, for the first time since 2017, the NDP is no longer in government.

As CityNews Vancouver reports, the decision was made in a vote by the incoming parliamentary caucus and, according to Whiteside, was unanimous. She has been tasked with leading the party through its first period as the official opposition in its recent history. Whiteside is no stranger to the role: she has served in NDP cabinets in several portfolios, including labour, education, and mental health and addictions. Her track record makes her well acquainted with the party’s inner workings and potentially able to keep it from fracturing at a time when voter confidence has been shaken.

Experienced politicians have also taken up key roles in the party: Mike Farnworth became leader of the legislative caucus, and Niki Sharma became caucus chair. The transition became inevitable after David Eby announced he would step down as premier and party leader. The reason was a crushing defeat by the B.C. Conservatives in the snap election Eby himself had called—a move that, his fellow party members acknowledged, ended in disaster.

Sharma did not mince words in describing the outgoing caucus’s final meeting on Wednesday. She said the mood was heavy: the party had to say goodbye to MLAs who, by all accounts, had served their constituents well. Eby, as he had done publicly, apologized to his colleagues and took full responsibility for calling the snap election, effectively admitting it was a mistake. Notably, Sharma called the situation what it was: “There’s no sugar-coating it; it was a hard day.” The phrase “we lost two years of majority government” sounds especially bitter—the party voluntarily gave up two years of a guaranteed mandate, put its future on the line and lost.

More important to the party’s future, however, were not the emotions but the self-assessment offered by one of the defeated MLAs. Rick Glumac, who lost his seat, summed up the main criticism of the leadership: the snap election had become a symbol of a top-down approach to governing that had left the party out of touch with people’s real concerns. “We got off track—we stopped connecting with our values and expressing them coherently in a way that resonated with people in British Columbia,” he said. In his view, the NDP needs a deep internal review and a return to its core principles: a strong economy, protection for workers and environmental protection.

Glumac also pointed to a specific institutional risk: a repeat of the controversial 2022 leadership race, when Anjali Appadurai was disqualified, allowing Eby to become leader without opposition. Such a scenario would be unacceptable, he said. The party needs real debate, an exchange of ideas and a competitive contest that produces a leader capable of inspiring the party and restoring voters’ trust. For now, all that is known is that the NDP is not expected to choose a permanent leader until next year, meaning Whiteside will keep the party afloat for at least several months.

A few terms help put this in context. In Canadian politics, a “caucus” is not a gathering of activists but the group of all a party’s elected members in the legislature; it was the caucus that voted for Whiteside. “Official opposition” is the formal status of the second-largest party in the legislature, giving it special rights and resources to scrutinize the government. The NDP has not held that status since 2017, when John Horgan came to power. A “snap election” is an election called outside the regular electoral cycle, and Eby’s decision to call one voluntarily became the main political charge against him.

The significance of this story goes beyond the appointment itself. First, the NDP has opted for continuity and stability during the transition: Whiteside is an experienced minister, not a rebel, and her task is to prevent a split, not to overhaul the party. Second, the party has publicly acknowledged two systemic mistakes—the gamble of calling a snap election and the closed, non-competitive leadership process in 2022—setting the terms for the debate ahead. Third, there is already an internal demand for substantive debate and a genuine contest for the leadership, which could become a starting point for renewal. Fourth, the situation gives the B.C. Conservatives time to consolidate their hold on power while the opposition focuses on rebuilding. Finally, Glumac’s comment about the party having “gotten off track” and Sharma’s description of a “hard day” are not merely emotional remarks; they are unusually direct public acknowledgments of responsibility from a defeated party.

The main question now is whether the NDP can turn its admission of mistakes into real renewal—or whether Whiteside’s interim leadership will prove to be only a pause before a new internal struggle for power.

British Columbia crossing receives top sustainability award

The Holdom Overpass project in Burnaby, British Columbia, has received Envision’s Platinum award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. This is the highest level of recognition in a system that assesses infrastructure projects for environmental sustainability and social responsibility. The Canadian transportation project earned it after a rigorous review across five categories: quality of life, leadership, resource allocation, the natural environment, and climate and resilience. For the region, this is more than a plaque on the wall: the project is part of a major corridor carrying a significant share of Canada’s exports, and it aims to balance growing freight traffic with the needs of local residents.

The project will extend Holdom Avenue south over the rail corridor and Still Creek to Douglas Road, replacing the existing railway crossing on Douglas Road. This will address two issues at once. First, drivers and pedestrians will no longer have to wait at the crossing for trains to pass, reducing congestion and vehicle idling. Second, the capacity of the Port of Vancouver’s north shore terminals—a key hub for Canadian freight—will increase by nearly 15 percent. It is this balance between trade logistics and the day-to-day lives of residents that earned the project a high rating.

Jennifer Natland, vice-president of real estate and development at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, described the port authority’s view of the award: “Envision Platinum status confirms our proven track record of delivering quality, sustainable infrastructure that supports Canada’s trade needs while providing long-term benefits to communities and the environment.” She said the project continues work the port has been doing for years.

Here, sustainability is not just a declaration but a set of concrete measures. The project improves safety and mobility, strengthens pedestrian and cycling connections, protects local waterways and reduces vehicle idling—the practice of leaving an engine running while stopped, which produces unnecessary emissions. The work also restores and enhances the natural environment: invasive species are removed, native plants are introduced, and new habitat features are created, including structures that provide shelter for bats. New public spaces featuring Indigenous art are also being created, while the completed bridge will include multi-use paths and support the region’s sustainable mobility strategy. The project is also participating in the Construction Plastics Initiative pilot, which promotes the reuse and recycling of construction plastics. The initiative is a partnership between Light House and Aecon-Gateway Infrastructure Group Partnership, the project’s general contractor.

The overpass is part of the broader Burnaby Rail Corridor Improvements program, a series of road and rail upgrades designed to improve train movement between the terminals in Burnaby and North Vancouver while reducing the impact of growing trade on the local community. CN has already completed some rail work, including upgrades to the Thornton Tunnel and a new passing track between Willingdon Avenue and Piper. Funding comes from three sources: the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and CN. Scott Marshall, senior vice-president of major projects in the west at Aecon Group Inc., commented: “Receiving the Envision Platinum award highlights our team’s and partners’ commitment and reinforces Aecon’s position at the forefront of innovative and responsible construction solutions.”

A few terms help put this in context. Envision is a rating system developed by the U.S.-based Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. It assesses projects on a scale from bronze to platinum, with platinum awarded for outstanding performance across all five categories—not simply for including individual “green” features. The National Trade Corridors Fund is a federal program that invests in transportation corridors critical to the country’s international trade. Invasive species are non-native plants and animals that displace local ecosystems, so removing them is standard practice in environmental restoration. Finally, idling means leaving an engine running while a vehicle is stopped; at railway crossings, where cars wait for trains, it can become a significant source of emissions and noise.

The main takeaway is simple: an infrastructure project can both expand trade capacity and reduce the burden on a neighbourhood if environmental and social requirements are built in from the outset. The 15 percent increase in terminal capacity is a direct economic benefit, while habitat restoration, bike paths, public spaces featuring First Nations art and construction-plastic recycling provide social and environmental benefits that often go unmentioned. In this case, Envision Platinum serves as an independent external check: the claimed benefits have been verified through an audit, not just marketing. In Canada, where port corridors and railway crossings have long been points of tension between freight traffic and cities, this example matters. It shows that export growth does not have to come at the expense of quality of life. Details of the project and its assessment are available in a ReNew Canada report.

❮ ❯

New Fire Chief, City Hall Shake-Up and Tragedy Near the Airport

Vancouver is preparing for changes in city leadership: Robert Weeks will head the fire department, while mayor-elect Pete Fry is assembling a transition team and appointing a deputy mayor. Meanwhile, a woman was fatally struck by a cement truck near the airport, renewing questions about pedestrian safety.

Robert Weeks to lead Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, bringing experience and continuity

The City of Vancouver has announced the appointment of a new fire chief. Robert Weeks will officially take up the post on November 2, 2026. The decision concludes a broad national search, according to an official press release on the City of Vancouver website. The position has gone to someone who has spent more than two decades with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS), making this an endorsement of continuity and deep institutional knowledge rather than an effort to bring in an outside executive.

City Manager Donny van Dyk introduced the new chief. In his statement, he praised Weeks as a respected leader, citing his extensive experience, sound judgment and integrity. Van Dyk said Weeks’s deep understanding of the department, collaborative approach and commitment to public service would help VFRS respond to the city’s changing needs. The wording is significant: it signals that the city values not only management skills but also the new chief’s ability to work effectively with staff and partners.

In his own remarks, Weeks focused on people and resources. He said that in his two decades with the department, he had seen the dedication and professionalism of its staff, and named strengthening its ability to respond to new challenges as his priority. In practice, that means ensuring teams have the training, equipment and support they need to work safely and effectively. This emphasis suggests that one of the new chief’s main tasks will be less about restructuring the department and more about strengthening its operational capacity and supporting its personnel.

Weeks has advanced steadily through the organization, serving in frontline, officer and executive roles. His recent position as deputy fire chief is particularly telling: he oversaw several critical areas, including training, recruitment, labour relations, occupational health and safety, capital planning and technology. That portfolio points to a well-rounded administrator familiar with the department’s financial, staffing and technical needs. This experience was likely a decisive factor in his appointment.

The city also acknowledged Trevor Connell, who served as acting fire chief. Officials thanked him for his leadership and steady management during the transition, underscoring the stability with which the department approached the change at the top. For readers unfamiliar with the context, VFRS is a municipal department responsible for firefighting, rescue operations and emergency medical response in Vancouver. The chief’s role involves strategic leadership of the entire system, including its budget, staffing and coordination with other agencies.

The main takeaway from the appointment is straightforward: Vancouver has chosen continuity from within. Weeks is no outside reformer; he knows the organization inside out. That reduces the risk of disruptive changes, but also makes him responsible for ensuring the department does not become entrenched in familiar ways. His stated priorities—training, equipment and staff support—set the tone for the coming years, while the reference to the “changing needs of a growing city” points to the population pressures Vancouver faces, which directly affect the demands placed on emergency services. The appointment takes effect on November 2, 2026, and from that point it will be possible to see how the new chief turns his promises into concrete decisions.

Vancouver prepares for a new city council as Pete Fry names transition team and deputy mayor

Following the municipal election, Vancouver is preparing for a major change in leadership: City Hall will have a new mayor and a refreshed, mixed city council. Mayor-elect Pete Fry has already begun assembling his team, and his first staffing decisions suggest a more open and collaborative style of governance than that of the previous administration. According to a report by CityNews Vancouver, the new council will take office on November 2. Fry has sought to balance the interests of the elected councillors, each of whom, he said, should have an area of responsibility.

Fry says he made a deliberate effort to assign roles so that no one would feel left out. “I was very intentional about making sure everyone had something,” he said, adding that he wants the entire council to feel valued and able to engage with the issues that matter to them. This approach contrasts with that of the outgoing council, where ABC held a majority and opposition councillors, by their own account, were often excluded from meaningful decision-making. Outgoing Mayor Ken Sim, bidding farewell to council, reflected on the mixed nature of his term: “It was the best of times, and at times, not the best of times,” he said, wishing Fry well and warning that he would face many difficult challenges and responsibilities. Outgoing councillor Lenny Zhou thanked Vancouver residents for their trust and for sharing their concerns with him, saying he had learned a great deal from them.

One of the most notable appointments is Rebecca Bligh, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor, as head of Fry’s transition team. The move is striking: Bligh was long associated with ABC, the party now heading into opposition, and Fry believes that experience makes her a valuable partner. “I trust her judgment and her diverse expertise, and she is also a friend,” he said, explaining that Bligh understands how the mayor’s office operated under the previous administration and what could be done differently. Bligh called the offer an honour and said it reflected what residents expect: “They want leaders who can work together, who can set partisanship aside and draw on one another’s skills. Together, we can give him the strongest possible start with this new administration.”

Fry has also kept Mike Klassen, ABC’s sole councillor, on the Metro Vancouver board of directors. Metro Vancouver is the regional body responsible for areas such as transportation, water supply and waste management. Fry has named COPE’s Sean Orr as deputy mayor. For Orr, the appointment marks a change in political culture: he previously felt sidelined, had never met the mayor one-on-one and had never been to the mayor’s office. “Already, things feel much more open to me,” he said, noting that the new mayor works with him directly, shares plans and is willing to share the workload—a sign, in his view, of genuine transparency and openness.

The key takeaway from these appointments is that Fry is trying to govern through a broad coalition and shared responsibility, rather than strict party discipline. This matters in Vancouver, where city politics in recent years has been deeply polarized between ABC and its opponents, while issues such as affordable housing, public transit and the drug crisis require coordinated action across political lines. Appointing Bligh, a member of the outgoing majority, and Orr, a representative of the left-wing COPE, to key roles suggests that the new mayor intends to prioritize competence and commitment to shared goals over party affiliation. There are still risks: the council’s broad range of views could make swift decisions harder, and the promise to “give everyone something” could lead to a loss of focus. Even so, Fry’s first moves create the impression of a more inclusive and transparent style of governance, and that is the atmosphere in which the new council will officially take office on November 2.

A few terms may help clarify the context. A transition team helps a mayor-elect manage the handover of power, get up to speed on city affairs and prepare initial staffing and policy decisions before the inauguration. A deputy mayor is a councillor who, at the mayor’s request, chairs council meetings and carries out some ceremonial duties when the mayor is absent. The Metro Vancouver board of directors brings together representatives from municipalities across the metropolitan region and oversees services that extend beyond any one city. Finally, ABC and COPE are two of Vancouver’s municipal parties: ABC (A Better City) represents a more centrist, business-oriented outlook, while COPE (Coalition of Progressive Electors) advances a left-wing, socially focused agenda. The new mayor is seeking to strike a balance between these forces.

Woman killed by cement truck near Vancouver airport

A fatal traffic collision near Vancouver International Airport has once again drawn attention to pedestrian safety around major transportation hubs. According to CTV News, a cement truck struck a woman at the intersection of Russ Baker Way and Miller Road, and she died at the scene from her injuries. The intersection is very close to the airport and is considered one of Richmond’s busiest, as it carries much of the traffic to and from the terminals.

The collision occurred on October 28. Police, firefighters and paramedics arrived promptly, but the woman could not be saved; her injuries were fatal. The exact circumstances of the collision have not been disclosed, and police have not said whether the truck driver was detained or charged. An investigation is underway, with specialists expected to review surveillance footage, the truck’s telemetry and witness statements. Cement trucks are heavy construction vehicles with wide turning radiuses, long stopping distances and significant blind spots, particularly on the right side and directly in front of the cab. For pedestrians, collisions with vehicles of this size are almost always fatal, as a fully loaded truck can weigh tens of tonnes.

The incident is part of a troubling pattern: dozens of pedestrian collisions are recorded each year in British Columbia, including Richmond, and a significant share occur at intersections with heavy truck traffic. Russ Baker Way and Miller Road has long been a source of concern for local residents. The intersection connects a high-speed arterial road with routes leading to the airport, and traffic is often fast, while pedestrian facilities are not always clearly visible to drivers. The agency reported that all emergency services responded, underscoring the seriousness of the incident.

Cases like this inevitably raise questions about how effective existing measures are at protecting vulnerable road users. Urban planning experts have repeatedly noted that lowering speed limits, installing traffic signals with a separate pedestrian phase, physically separating traffic flows and using traffic-calming measures on approaches to intersections can significantly reduce fatalities. Construction companies also need to equip heavy trucks with 360-degree camera systems and blind-spot sensors, and train drivers to interact safely with pedestrians in high-risk areas.

As the investigation continues, support is being provided to the victim’s family and witnesses. Police are urging anyone with information or video footage from the scene to come forward. This tragedy is a stark reminder that road safety around major transportation hubs requires not only attentive drivers but also systematic infrastructure improvements.

❮ ❯

Greater Vancouver and British Columbia News Digest

In this edition: a scandal at a Vancouver school, where a teacher crossed professional boundaries with a seventh-grade student and was suspended; a cooling housing market in British Columbia, where sales are falling, prices are sliding and construction is rising amid economic uncertainty that could last until 2027; and a roundup of family-friendly Halloween events across Greater Vancouver from immigrant services organization ISSofBC, with six ideas ranging from a “pumpkin train” and a glowing forest to fireworks.

Vancouver teacher suspended over “special connection” with seventh-grader

A story from a Vancouver school sounds almost like the plot of a psychological thriller, except that it unfolds inside a school, involving an adult who is supposed to be a source of support and protection for children. Teacher Nathaniel Hyde agreed to a two-day suspension after British Columbia’s education regulator found that his interactions with a seventh-grade student crossed professional boundaries. The issue was not a romantic relationship as such, but the way the teacher allowed himself to draw a teenager into his personal, almost intimate emotional concerns, turning the learning environment into a source of discomfort and fear.

According to an agreement published by the Commissioner for Teacher Regulation of British Columbia, the incident took place in January this year. Hyde gave the student a sticky note, but the student dropped it on the floor. It may seem trivial, but the teacher’s reaction was far from professional: later that day, he spoke with the student about what had happened and, according to the regulator, made it clear that he was upset and that the incident had hurt him. When the student said he had not meant to drop the note, Hyde reportedly said the words that became the starting point for the investigation: “I feel like we have a special connection, don’t we?”

That was not the end of it. The following week, the teacher directly asked the seventh-grader whether he had a crush on him, “or something like that.” The question shocked the teenager—the regulator noted that the student was upset and trembling. Hyde’s subsequent actions only made matters worse: he approached the student twice, first to apologize and say he had not meant to make things awkward, and then to admit that he “didn’t want to get fired.” That last detail is particularly telling: an adult was placing the burden of his own fears and career risks on a child, making the student feel trapped in the situation.

The student’s parents emailed the teacher to request a meeting. At that point, according to the regulator, Hyde acknowledged that his question had been inappropriate and had frightened the student. The student later said he saw the teacher as someone who would be upset if he “acted like he didn’t care.” Hyde had also compared him to his wife, according to the student. This was more than a breach of professional conduct: it was an intrusion into a child’s personal space, using an adult role model in a way that psychology describes as fostering emotional dependence.

The Vancouver School Board suspended Hyde for five days in June this year. The regulator added a further two days and required him to take a course on professional boundaries. In an official statement, the commissioner said: “Hyde abused his privileged position of power and trust as a teacher by failing to respect appropriate boundaries between teacher and student.” The wording matters because it identifies not merely an isolated lapse, but a systemic problem: a power imbalance in which a child cannot stand on equal footing with an adult in a position of authority.

Put simply, a breach of boundaries in professional teaching ethics occurs when a teacher uses their position to meet their own emotional needs at a student’s expense. In this case, Hyde did not simply make a joke or say something tactless—he established a pattern of behaviour: the note, the conversation about feelings, the question about a crush, and the apologies that mentioned the possibility of being fired. Each action might seem minor in isolation, but together they create a toxic dynamic in which a child feels guilty and indebted to an adult. That is why the regulator decided not only to discipline the teacher, but also to require further training.

The key takeaway is clear: even a brief, seemingly innocent interaction with a student can have serious consequences if it goes beyond the educational context. A teacher who asks a seventh-grader whether he has a crush on him puts the child in a position with no comfortable way out: saying yes means disclosing something personal, while saying no risks upsetting an adult on whom he depends. Comparing a student to one’s spouse crosses a line beyond which teaching ends and unhealthy closeness begins. And Hyde’s comments about being afraid of losing his job only confirm that he knew his actions were wrong, yet continued to draw the child into his emotional orbit. As CBC reports, the regulator decided to make the case public to help prevent similar incidents in other classrooms and schools.

British Columbia’s housing market: sales fall, construction rises, but optimism remains scarce

September brought no good news for British Columbia’s real estate market: the brief uptick in August proved short-lived. According to estimates from the Canadian Real Estate Association, seasonally adjusted resale transactions fell 5.7 percent from August to 5,428 units. Sales were down 7.7 percent year over year and 5.9 percent year to date. Brian Yu, chief economist at credit union Central 1, attributes the slowdown to several factors in his analysis for Business in Vancouver: escalating trade tensions between Canada and the United States, which are undermining buyer confidence; expectations that the Bank of Canada will raise its policy rate further; and rising mortgage rates. In other words, buyers are holding back—not just because mortgages are expensive, but because of broader economic uncertainty.

The downturn is uneven geographically, but the weakest markets overall are in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island. Sales in Greater Vancouver fell 6.2 percent over the month, while the Fraser Valley saw a 2.9 percent decline. The drop was especially steep in Victoria, at nearly a quarter (24.5 percent), while sales elsewhere on Vancouver Island were down 10 percent. Kamloops and Kootenay fell 6.5 and 5 percent, respectively, while Chilliwack was unchanged. The only bright spot was the Okanagan: after a significant drop the previous month, local markets rebounded. New listings also declined, by 2.9 percent, reflecting the overall weakening in demand. The sales-to-new-listings ratio fell from 45.2 to 43.9 percent, an important indicator that the market is shifting further in buyers’ favour: supply is starting to outstrip demand, giving buyers more negotiating power.

Prices continue to edge down. The average home price in the province fell 1.2 percent to $941,171, putting it 2.4 percent below its level a year ago. However, the average price can be misleading because it is affected by the mix of properties sold: if more lower-priced homes are sold, the average falls even without an actual decline in property values. The more reliable composite benchmark price index fell 0.1 percent over the month and 4.7 percent year over year, confirming sustained downward pressure. The average price is now 12.7 percent below its early-2022 peak, and the benchmark is down 15 percent. Regional trends vary: the average price plunged 14.3 percent in the South Okanagan, 8 percent in Kamloops and 5.8 percent in Kootenay, while the decline in Greater Vancouver was negligible, at just 0.1 percent. Prices rose 5.5 percent on Vancouver Island, 1.8 percent in most of the Okanagan, and 1.4 percent in the Fraser Valley.

Brian Yu’s forecast is bleak: the market will remain weak through the end of 2026 and possibly into early 2027. Weak economic conditions will weigh on buyer confidence, while high mortgage rates and further monetary tightening will put additional pressure on housing affordability, especially in the province’s most expensive markets. To clarify, economists use “affordability” to mean the relationship between household income and housing costs. When rates rise, monthly mortgage payments increase even if home prices do not, making housing less affordable and demand weaker.

Interestingly, construction is moving in the opposite direction from falling sales. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, urban housing starts rose 16.6 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 51,120 units, following an even larger increase of 31.9 percent in August. The growth was driven by the multi-family segment—apartments, townhouses and duplexes—where starts rose 18.2 percent, while single-detached home construction fell 1.3 percent. Yu cautions against jumping to conclusions, however: monthly housing-starts data are highly volatile, and the six-month moving average remains low. Year to date, urban starts in the province were down 1.9 percent, with declines in both the multi-family segment (1.1 percent) and the single-family segment (9.2 percent). Within multi-family construction, the annual decline was driven by apartments, down 5 percent, even though they make up the bulk of new housing construction in the province. By contrast, duplex and row-house construction rose 32.9 and 12.1 percent, respectively.

The picture varies sharply by city. Year to date, starts plunged in Abbotsford-Mission (49.4 percent), Kelowna (32.5 percent) and Victoria (21.2 percent), while Vancouver saw a modest decline of 2.9 percent. Meanwhile, starts rose 37.1 percent in Chilliwack and 68.1 percent in Nanaimo, and activity in Kamloops more than tripled compared with last year.

In summary, several key points stand out. First, British Columbia’s resale housing market is cooling, and August’s uptick was a temporary spike rather than a reversal of the trend. Second, the balance of power has shifted in favour of buyers: the sales-to-new-listings ratio is falling, prices are 12.7–15 percent below their 2022 peaks, and downward pressure continues. Third, the construction sector is technically growing, but that growth is fragile and largely driven by multi-family projects rather than a sustained expansion in the construction cycle. Finally, the main risk to the market is not interest rates alone, but the combination of expensive mortgages, trade uncertainty and a weak economy, which is likely to delay the return of buyers until at least 2027. Yu’s forecast that market weakness will continue “through the end of 2026 and into 2027” is essentially the central message of his analysis: a quick recovery is unlikely, and everyone from developers to buyers will have to adapt to a prolonged period of sluggish activity.

Family-friendly Halloween in Greater Vancouver: six ideas from BC’s immigrant services agency

Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) has published a roundup of family-friendly Halloween events across Greater Vancouver. The guide is aimed especially at families who may be new to local holiday traditions: the authors say community events are a convenient way to get to know neighbouring communities, spend time together and establish family traditions of their own. The list features six activities—from daytime rides on a “pumpkin train” to walks through a glowing forest and a grand finale of fireworks—and includes practical details such as dates, prices and reminders that some events take place rain or shine, while tickets are often sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

The longest-running event is Canyon Frights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in North Vancouver. Visitors can walk through a glowing forest featuring Halloween displays, pumpkins, games and a family scavenger hunt. The event runs through November 1, admission is included with regular park admission or an annual pass, and the park is open until 9 p.m. from October 30 to November 1. The organizers warn that capacity may be limited during peak hours, so visitors should plan ahead.

In Surrey, the daytime Pumpkin Train runs daily through October 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It travels through a decorated forest in Bear Creek Park. Tickets cost $12 plus tax; children under two are free, while children aged 2 to 12 receive a treat and a pumpkin. Craft activities are also included. Tickets are sold at the park on a first-come, first-served basis. One detail parents should know: the route includes a short dark tunnel with moving Halloween figures, so adults are advised to consider in advance whether their child will be comfortable with it.

The third idea is “Strange Things on the Fraser” at the Fraser River Discovery Centre in New Westminster, on October 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event offers playful explanations of how bats navigate in the dark, why some animals’ eyes glow, and what happens to salmon during spawning. Admission is included with regular entry; a family ticket costs $20, and children under two get in free. An accompanying adult must remain with the child at all times.

In Richmond, Halloween Hoot runs through November 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features a decorated walk along the Pond Trail at Richmond Nature Park, with more than 35 inflatable figures, nature-inspired art and a “tickle tunnel.” Admission is by donation. The event is suitable for all ages, takes place rain or shine and is held at an accessible site, though parking is limited.

In Coquitlam, Heritage Halloween will take place at Mackin House Museum on October 31, from noon to 3 p.m. The event features crafts, candy, curious exhibits and a walk through a “ghostly travelling circus” train car. Admission is free and registration is not required, but the organizers would appreciate advance notice.

The evening will conclude with Richmond’s 40th annual Minoru Halloween Fireworks Festival at Minoru Park on October 31. This year’s theme is “Alien Invasion.” The program includes live performances, costumes, carnival games, pumpkin carving and food trucks. The event runs from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m., with the fireworks at 9 p.m. Admission is free, costumes are encouraged, and the venue is accessible to visitors with limited mobility.

The practical takeaway is simple: check the organizers’ websites before heading out, since schedules, prices, registration requirements and availability may change. Some events take place rain or shine, so dress for the weather. ISSofBC’s main advice is to choose activities suited to children’s ages and comfort levels, so that everyone can enjoy the celebration. The full list, with links to the organizers, is available on the ISSofBC website.

A few details may help visitors plan. Greater Vancouver is a metropolitan area encompassing Vancouver and neighbouring cities such as North Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, New Westminster and Coquitlam. The six events are therefore spread across the region and require different routes. “Admission by donation” means there is no fixed price; visitors decide how much to pay. An “accessible site” is one adapted for people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users. And “first-come, first-served” for the Pumpkin Train means tickets cannot be booked in advance, so it is best to arrive when the park opens.

The main insight is that Greater Vancouver’s Halloween program offers different levels of “scariness”: from daytime, low-key events such as a nature-park walk or science activities to a tunnel with moving figures and evening fireworks. For families still getting used to local traditions, this offers an easy progression into the holiday. The fact that an immigrant services organization published the roundup also shows that such guides are seen as a tool for integration, not just an entertainment listing. The details speak for themselves: prices range from free admission in Coquitlam and Richmond to $12 for the train and $20 for a family museum ticket, while the events span five cities across the region, making Halloween activities accessible regardless of where families live.

❮ ❯

DRIPA dispute, deadly road crashes and whales at risk

A political conflict is heating up in British Columbia over the repeal of DRIPA, the law on Indigenous rights. Meanwhile, two pedestrian collisions have occurred in Vancouver within days of each other, one of them fatal, and a humpback whale has collided with a BC Ferries vessel in Howe Sound.

British Columbia changes course: what lies behind the promise to repeal DRIPA

British Columbia’s incoming Conservative government is reaffirming its intention to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) during the spring legislative session. For some, this would be a long-awaited end to legal uncertainty; for others, it is a betrayal of a years-long reconciliation process. Here’s a look at what the government plans to repeal, why the issue is so contentious, and what the parties themselves have to say.

Conservative interim leader and premier-designate Lorne Doerkson makes no secret of the fact that repealing DRIPA is a priority. He says a bill will likely be introduced in the spring, while insisting that he remains committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. “We intend to do this as soon as possible,” he said. His argument is simple: the law has solved nothing, and the province does nothing but litigate—over docks in Pender Harbour one day, mining projects the next. “We need to work together for the benefit of everyone,” he added in an article by CityNews Vancouver.

To understand the scale of the dispute, it is worth recalling what DRIPA is. It is a provincial law passed unanimously by all parties in the legislature in 2019. It required the government to bring all provincial laws into alignment with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and to establish a joint decision-making process with First Nations on land and resource matters. This requirement to “review every law against UNDRIP” became the main sticking point: critics say it is impossible to implement in practice, while supporters see it as a necessary framework for a fair redistribution of power.

First Nations see repeal as a destruction of relationships that have been built over time. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, calls DRIPA “a blueprint, a road map, a way forward” for resolving issues related to Indigenous peoples’ inherent constitutional and legal rights to land and resources. “To simply crumple this up and throw it in the trash is worse than disappointing,” he says. And he warns: “We will not stand by and watch someone destroy this. It will not happen. We will be in the courts, we will be in the streets, and, if necessary, on the land.”

Curiously, the legal assessment is far less dramatic than the political rhetoric. Tom Isaac, a partner at Cassels Aboriginal Law Group, argues that DRIPA was unworkable from the outset: bringing every law into alignment with UNDRIP is simply impossible. In his view, repeal would not deprive Indigenous peoples of any existing rights, since constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights remain in force regardless of the provincial statute. “One of the key effects will be the elimination of uncertainty,” he says, adding that it would be “a positive step” toward greater certainty in the province and “will not negatively affect constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights.”

This is where the fundamental divide in perceptions lies. For lawyers, DRIPA is a procedural framework that can be removed without taking away the rights themselves. For First Nations leaders, it is not a formality but a political promise and a mechanism for joint decision-making, without which reconciliation becomes an empty declaration. The fact that the 2019 law was passed unanimously is telling: today’s situation shows how quickly consensus can give way to confrontation.

The key takeaways are clear. First, repealing DRIPA will be one of the incoming government’s first major moves and a signal of a shift in its approach to relations with Indigenous peoples. Second, the dispute will play out not only in the legislature but also in the courts: Phillip has explicitly promised legal and street-level resistance. Third, the economic subtext—the references to docks and mining—shows that the dispute is also about who gets to approve projects on lands claimed by First Nations, and how. Finally, the promise to “work together for the benefit of everyone” will be put to the test in precisely those cases where consultation with Indigenous peoples is required. As Doerkson put it, “We intend to do this as soon as possible”—which means the parties have little time left to find a compromise.

Vancouver: two deaths and an injury in a matter of days — police urge caution

A tragedy in downtown Vancouver has renewed concerns about pedestrian safety during the fall and winter months. Shortly after midnight on the night of Saturday into Sunday, a 45-year-old woman was struck and killed by an SUV while crossing at a marked crosswalk at Main Street and National Avenue. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) announced the death on Tuesday, according to a CBC report.

According to police, the vehicle was travelling south when it struck the woman. The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. Police do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor, either for the driver or the woman who died. Weather appears to have been a key factor: it was dark and raining heavily at the time of the collision. “Police are once again urging increased caution on the roads this time of year, when visibility becomes more challenging for both pedestrians and drivers,” the VPD said in a statement.

This was not an isolated incident. Just three days earlier, on Thursday, a seven-year-old girl was injured in a collision at East Pender Street and Victoria Drive. Fortunately, she was released from hospital with minor injuries. In a short span of time, the city therefore saw two pedestrian collisions, one of them fatal.

A few points of context may be helpful. Under Canadian traffic laws, a “marked crosswalk” is a crossing marked with road paint or special signs where pedestrians have the right of way, unless traffic signals dictate otherwise. Unlike an unmarked crossing, a marked crosswalk formally requires drivers to yield. But markings alone cannot guarantee safety when visibility is poor: darkness combined with heavy rain sharply reduces the distance at which a driver can see a pedestrian, while wet pavement increases stopping distances.

Another important point is the police department’s wording. The phrase “police are once again urging” suggests that such warnings are frequent and part of an ongoing pattern. This underscores that the problem is not a single driver’s mistake, but a seasonal deterioration in road conditions that requires everyone to change their habits: reduce speed, pay closer attention and, for pedestrians, wear reflective items in the dark.

The key takeaways are clear. First, the death of a 45-year-old woman in a crosswalk shows that markings alone do not protect pedestrians; weather and visibility play a decisive role. Second, with no signs of impairment on the driver’s part, attention shifts to environmental conditions and the broader culture of driving in bad weather. Third, the injury to a seven-year-old just three days before the fatal collision shows that the risks are spread across the city, not confined to a single location. Police have not yet said whether the SUV driver will face charges, and the investigation is ongoing—this remains the main unanswered question. But it is already clear that Vancouver’s dark, rainy season is becoming a period of heightened danger, calling for more serious measures by the city and its residents than another reminder to be cautious.

Whale struck by ferry: how British Columbia is trying to protect humpbacks returning to their home waters

The collision between a humpback whale and a BC Ferries vessel in Howe Sound is both good news and a warning sign. It is good news because the return of humpbacks to these waters reflects the success of decades of conservation efforts: the whales are once again inhabiting feeding grounds that were once familiar to them. But it is also cause for concern: the more whales there are, the greater the risk of encounters with vessels. The October 18, 2026, incident shows just how fragile the balance remains between population recovery and everyday marine traffic.

The collision occurred between Grace Point and Keats Island: the ferry Queen of Surrey struck a humpback, and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is investigating to determine which whale was involved and what condition it is in. No official information about the animal’s fate is available yet. In the meantime, local marine wildlife watchers are trying to work out for themselves which of the area’s humpbacks may have been injured. Alex Cole, an administrator of the Howe Sound and Sea to Sky Wildlife Sightings Facebook group, documented and identified several whales in the area and was relieved to report that one of them, a whale named Grizzly (BCY1330), spotted near Hutt Island northwest of Bowen Island, appeared healthy and was feeding. “Although we don’t know which whale was hit the other day, we now know for certain that it wasn’t Grizzly, who was in great shape and continued feeding,” he wrote. According to Cole, Grizzly was bubble-net feeding alongside another humpback known as Commander (BCY1541).

Bubble-net feeding deserves a brief explanation. It is a highly synchronized hunting strategy in which whales dive beneath a school of fish and release bubbles, forming a kind of “net” that herds the prey toward the surface. The behaviour requires coordination among a group and is considered one of the most complex examples of cooperative hunting among marine mammals—which makes it especially remarkable to witness in the waters of Howe Sound.

The return of humpbacks to Metro Vancouver waters is a relatively recent phenomenon, but it is gaining momentum year by year, with local nature enthusiasts documenting each sighting. However, a growing population inevitably means more interactions with people. Asked by Vancouver Is Awesome what is being done to protect whales, the DFO emphasized that protecting whale populations across Canada remains a priority. The department listed a range of measures: increasing the distance vessels must keep from animals, reducing underwater noise from marine traffic, and addressing the risk of whales becoming entangled in fishing gear. In addition, this year’s spring economic update allocated more than $258 million for further protection of whales and the health of their habitats. According to the department, BC Ferries is cooperating with the investigation and helping identify the injured animal.

One important point is that the DFO says measures to reduce disturbance and collisions with vessels are regularly reviewed in light of scientific research, monitoring and collaboration with partners. In other words, the system is not static: it adapts as more data becomes available, and this incident is likely to provide further grounds for strengthening protections in the busy shipping area of Howe Sound. The department is also urging the public to report whale disturbances, collisions and entanglements through the Observe, Record, Report/Marine Mammal Incident Hotline at 1-800-465-4336 or by email at DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. This reporting channel effectively turns every observer into a participant in monitoring efforts.

The main takeaway is twofold. On the one hand, humpbacks in Howe Sound are living proof that conservation measures are working, and local communities have welcomed their return with enthusiasm, documenting and identifying each whale. On the other, the ferry collision is a reminder that population recovery creates a new vulnerability unless shipping practices adapt accordingly. As the investigation continues and the fate of the injured animal remains unknown, the main question is not whether the whales have returned, but whether the region can organize marine traffic in a way that ensures their return does not lead to further losses.

❮ ❯

Asian retailers, Greens in politics and rock ’n’ roll bat rescue

News roundup: Uniqlo will open in downtown Vancouver in the former Nordstrom space, the B.C. Greens held on to two seats in the legislature, and Vancouver rock bands raised money to protect bats.

Uniqlo heads to downtown Vancouver: Japanese retailer to take Nordstrom’s place at Pacific Centre

The opening of the first Uniqlo store in downtown Vancouver is more than just another expansion by the chain. It signals tectonic shifts in Canada’s urban retail landscape, where Asian brands are moving in as American giants leave, and vast retail spaces are being divided into smaller, more specialized units. According to Business in Vancouver, the Japanese retailer will open its seventh store in British Columbia in spring 2027 at CF Pacific Centre. This will be more than a new store: it is part of a major redevelopment of the space once occupied by department store Nordstrom, which left Canada in 2023.

Uniqlo will join two other major tenants set to occupy the former Nordstrom space: Canadian brand Aritzia and Quebec-based chain Simons. All three stores are scheduled to open between 2027 and 2028. In an official statement, Cadillac Fairview Vice President of Retail Lillian Tammondss emphasized that the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to creating “unparalleled retail destinations” and will bring new energy to downtown Vancouver. Notably, Aritzia, which announced plans for a four-level, 40,000-square-foot flagship in November 2025, had initially targeted a 2027 opening. But according to Cadillac Fairview’s latest announcement, the opening has now been pushed back to 2028. Simons, meanwhile, plans to open a roughly 92,000-square-foot store spanning three floors in fall 2027.

Independent retail analyst Bruce Winder described the development as “another vote of confidence” in downtown Vancouver. His comments shed light on the difficult position the city centre has found itself in: “It’s been pretty difficult for downtown Vancouver to find tenants. Lately, getting some brands to sign leases has been a challenge. And they’ve had to deal… with Nordstrom leaving. Not specifically at Pacific Centre, but Saks Fifth Avenue left, Sears left earlier, and so on. So filling those big retail spaces has been difficult.” Indeed, the departure of giants such as Nordstrom, Target and Saks Off Fifth has left significant vacancies in shopping centres across Canada, and filling these “big boxes” has become a major challenge for property owners.

But, Winder observes, one large store is now being replaced by several mid-sized ones. This trend toward breaking up retail space is not unique to Vancouver; it is also playing out in other Canadian cities. The analyst points to another important trend, too: the growth of Asian retailers as American chains withdraw. “American companies seem to have a tougher story, while some other retailers from Asia, like Uniqlo, Miniso, Muji and a few others, have done very well in Canada,” he said, according to the publication. Uniqlo’s expansion timeline bears this out: the brand opened its first Canadian store in 2016 at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, followed by its first British Columbia location in 2017 at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby.

A few points help put this in context. CF Pacific Centre is the largest shopping centre in downtown Vancouver and is managed by Cadillac Fairview, one of Canada’s largest commercial property owners. A “flagship store” is a major retail location that a brand uses not only to sell products, but also as a marketing tool and a showcase for its image. “Big boxes” refers to large-format retail spaces typically occupied by department stores or hypermarkets. Their share of modern shopping centres is declining as more flexible formats take their place.

The key takeaway is that, despite the challenges of recent years, downtown Vancouver remains attractive to international brands, particularly Asian retailers, which see the Canadian market as a stable and promising opportunity. Uniqlo’s arrival, alongside the previously announced Aritzia and Simons stores, will not only fill vacant space but also reshape the shopping centre, making it more attuned to current trends and a diverse customer base. It also shows how adaptable the commercial real estate market can be: mall owners are willing to subdivide large spaces and bring in several tenants instead of just one, reducing risk and making the property more resilient. For Vancouver residents and visitors, this means new destinations in the heart of the city; for the job market, it means new retail jobs.

British Columbians chose Conservatives, but Greens show their voice still matters

The British Columbia election held on Saturday ended in a convincing victory for the Conservative Party, which won a majority and effectively redrew the province’s political map. But against the sea of blue, two green spots stood out: the riding of West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, where Jeremy Valeriote won, and Saanich North and the Islands, which elected party leader Emily Lowan. The Greens thus held on to both their seats and, more importantly, their status as an official party. For 26-year-old Lowan, who took over the party just a year ago, this is both a modest result and a significant source of political capital.

In her victory speech, Lowan did not pretend that her caucus would set the agenda. Instead, she made her role crystal clear: “We may have a small caucus, but today we have inherited an enormous responsibility: holding the Conservative majority government to account.” Those words were the refrain of her campaign and will likely define her work in the legislature. The question is how she plans to do that with just two votes against a solid majority.

Michael MacKenzie, a political science professor and Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership at Vancouver Island University, takes a clear-eyed view of the situation. In his opinion, Lowan did well, given that she has been leader for only about a year, and he is impressed by her energy. But he has no illusions: “I think Emily Lowan will have a voice in our legislature, because she represents a different kind of party and she’s young—people will talk to her, and she’ll have a loud voice. But the party doesn’t have a lot of power, and it won’t. So her job is to be a critic.” In other words, her strength lies not in voting power, but in having a platform: in articulating an alternative and drawing the attention of the press and the public.

Lowan appears to understand this and is not relying solely on parliamentary work. She speaks openly about her experience as a grassroots organizer and plans to use it to take supporters beyond the Green benches in the legislature. “My experience is as a movement organizer, and I firmly believe we’ll have the opportunity to create and build movements among working people that will force them to reckon with us,” she told reporters on Saturday evening. This is an important signal: the Greens plan to work not so much through formal procedures as through mobilizing civil society, unions and grassroots activism.

Along with holding their seats, the party can point to growing popularity. Preliminary results show the Greens won roughly 23,000 more votes than in the previous election. That did not translate into additional seats, but it suggests the party’s electoral base is expanding, particularly amid polarization between the Conservatives and other parties. And young people do seem to be drawn to Lowan. CIVIX, which runs Student Vote—a mock election for schoolchildren below voting age, designed to teach them about citizenship and elections—offered an interesting picture in its 2026 version: the Conservatives still led among young voters, though without a majority, while Lowan’s Greens would have won 24 seats and a quarter of the vote. These are not official results, but they offer a vivid indication of how the younger generation views politics and how much it identifies with the Green agenda.

Lowan now faces a twofold challenge. In the legislature, she must become an effective critic of the Conservative government without having the power to block its decisions. Outside it, she must turn a growing army of supporters into a genuine political force capable of putting pressure on the government. Professor MacKenzie calls her role “leadership as a critic,” and it is perhaps an apt description. Her strength lies in speaking for those not represented in government and drawing attention to alternative priorities: the environment, social justice and young people’s rights. Time will tell whether she can keep the party on the political agenda and turn two seats into a moral platform. But it is already clear that even a small Green caucus can be an inconvenient yet important voice in a province where a Conservative majority has won a mandate—but not a monopoly on the truth. After all, as CBC’s election report showed, the Greens did more than survive: they maintained a presence and earned the right to speak for their voters, which is no small thing when the political pendulum has swung to the right.

For readers unfamiliar with the terms, “official party status” in Canadian politics means a party is entitled to certain privileges in the legislature, including question period time, funding for research staff and participation in committees. A party usually needs to win a certain number of seats to qualify, and with two seats, the Greens retain that status—giving them more opportunities to exert influence than might be expected. Student Vote, meanwhile, is a nationwide initiative that lets students take part in mock elections and better understand how democracy works.

Rock ’n’ roll against extinction: how Vancouver is helping save bats

In late October, an unusual concert took place at LanaLou’s Rock ’n’ Roll Eatery in Vancouver. Local rock bands came together not for another loud night out, but to draw attention to one of British Columbia’s most overlooked and vulnerable groups of animals: bats. Event organizer Allan MacInnis joined forces with the BC Community Bat Program, timing the event to coincide with National Bat Week. The goal is simple but ambitious: raise money to protect bats and dispel myths that have kept people from appreciating these animals for decades. As CityNews Vancouver reports, there is more than enough reason for concern.

The main threat organizers are talking about is White-Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that is devastating bat populations in eastern North America. “It’s killing millions of bats on the East Coast, and their numbers have already dropped significantly from what they were before,” MacInnis told the outlet. Bats also suffer from habitat loss and declining numbers of the insects they feed on. That is why the concert is more than a fundraiser: it is an effort to establish a lasting tradition. MacInnis hopes the event will “take hold” as a way to raise funds and awareness regularly.

Cory Loewen, bat conservation director at WCS Canada, told the outlet that bats deserve far more recognition than they get. “Our brains are wired to be afraid of anything that flies fast at night, but these are amazing animals,” she said. Bats, she noted, live a long time and are curious, and the health of British Columbia’s forests is directly linked to theirs. “They’re the main consumers of night-flying insects, which means they eat forest pests. And not just moths that lay eggs, but also caterpillars and beetles that damage our forests,” Loewen explained. The conclusion, she says, is clear: the more we understand the value of bats, the clearer it becomes that protecting them is part of planning for sustainable forestry in the future.

Another thread in the conversation is cultural baggage. For nearly a century, films have portrayed bats as embodiments of evil, and the vampire image has become firmly associated with them in the public imagination. That is why, MacInnis says, “there’s a lot of misinformation about bats.” The Vancouver concert is an attempt to break this cycle of fear and indifference through music and face-to-face conversation.

The key insight here is that conservation efforts are increasingly turning to unconventional formats: a rock concert in a bar can be as much a tool for protecting biodiversity as scientific reports and nature reserves. The figures cited by participants are alarming: the deaths of millions of bats from the fungus in the eastern part of the continent show how quickly a population can collapse. And Loewen’s reference to “forest pests” recasts bats from objects of superstitious fear into economically valuable allies of the forestry industry. If White-Nose Syndrome reaches the western provinces, the consequences could be felt not only by conservationists but also by logging companies. So the Vancouver concert is not a curiosity, but a small yet telling step in the larger story of how society is learning to protect the creatures it has been taught to fear.

❮ ❯

Conservative landslide in British Columbia

The British Columbia election ended in a crushing victory for Lorne Doerkson’s Conservative Party, which is forming a provincial government for the first time since 1928. The Conservatives won 48.1% of the vote and 64 seats, taking 15 Metro Vancouver ridings from the NDP. David Eby held on to Vancouver-Point Grey but resigned as NDP leader, accepting full responsibility for the failure of the snap election. Bowinn Ma was re-elected in North Vancouver, but her party is heading into opposition.

Conservative landslide in British Columbia: How the NDP lost an election it should not have lost

The British Columbia election ended in a crushing victory for the Conservative Party under Lorne Doerkson, which is forming a provincial government under the Conservative banner for the first time since 1928. Polls had predicted this outcome, but the scale of the victory exceeded expectations, largely thanks to the Conservatives’ advance into Metro Vancouver. According to Elections BC, with 99.57% of polls reported, the Conservatives won 48.1% of the vote and 64 seats—the biggest victory for any party in the province since Gordon Campbell’s Liberals took 77 of 79 seats in 2001. The New Democrats won just 37.4% and 27 seats, and David Eby announced his resignation. As The Writ notes, this was a completely unnecessary own goal: the NDP had a majority and two years left in its mandate, making the defeat one of the biggest strategic failures in Canadian political history. The Greens won 11% and elected two MLAs, improving their share of the vote compared with the last election, but still falling short of their 2017 and 2020 levels. CentreBC and OneBC received 1.6% and 1.5%, respectively. Only one OneBC candidate broke into double digits, with 11% in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, while party leader Dallas Brodie won just 4% in her riding of Vancouver-Kilchena. For CentreBC, only Elenore Sturko in Surrey South and Andrew Weaver in Oak Bay-Gordon Head reached 10%.

The Conservatives flipped ridings across the province, but especially in Metro Vancouver, where they took 15 seats from the NDP, including four in Surrey—sweeping the city—three in Vancouver, and two each in Burnaby and Coquitlam. Flips were less common elsewhere, with only one each in the Fraser Valley and the Interior. Four more seats on Vancouver Island shifted from the NDP to the Conservatives, though one went the other way: the NDP won Courtenay-Comox, its only victory of the night. The decisive shift came in Metro Vancouver, where the NDP lost 11.6 points. Most of that went to the Conservatives, who gained six points, but the Greens also made their biggest gains there, up four points. In the rest of the province, swings were more modest: the NDP lost 3.1 points in the Interior and North and 4.7 points on Vancouver Island; the Conservatives gained 4.3 and 2.8 points, respectively, while the Greens gained less than two points in both regions. Interestingly, the Greens made major gains in southern Vancouver Island, coming within 10 points of the NDP in two Victoria ridings. They also topped 20% where that had been expected—Victoria, Saanich and parts of Vancouver—but fell short of 20% in northern Island ridings and Kootenay Central. Their success was more concentrated than it might have been.

The final count depends on mail-in ballots, which will be counted over the next two weeks. In 2024, there were about 84,000 such ballots, and the NDP won them by 22 points. On average, however, that amounted to only 206 votes per riding in an election the party lost to the Conservatives by less than two points. With the NDP now trailing by nearly 11 points, a similar imbalance is unlikely, but Ladysmith-Oceanside, where the Conservatives lead by 89 votes; Kelowna Centre, where they lead by 132; Cowichan Valley, where they lead by 150; and Burnaby South-Metrotown, where the NDP leads by 66, are worth watching.

As for the pollsters, overall they underestimated the Conservatives and overestimated the NDP, though they correctly picked up the trend and predicted a Conservative majority. Their errors were slightly larger than usual. Pallas Data performed best, with a combined error of 5.8 points: it underestimated the Conservatives by about three points and overestimated the NDP by two, while its errors for the Greens and other parties were within one point. The Writ’s projection tied for second, helped in part by adjustments for the number of candidates, as were the forecasts from Pollara Strategic Insights and the final Forum poll. Léger, Ipsos and Research Co. did reasonably well, while Innovative Research Group, Angus Reid Institute and Mainstreet Research ranked near the bottom. Mainstreet’s six-point overestimate of the Greens was the largest error of the night.

Why the Conservatives outperformed the polls and the NDP fell so far short is an interesting question. Mail-in votes may narrow the gap slightly, but the result could signal a lack of enthusiasm among NDP voters, who may not have felt like turning out for an election their own party had botched. Turnout currently stands at just 48.1%, and many New Democrats likely stayed home. Paradoxically, that means the Conservatives are winning a large majority with roughly 50,000 fewer votes than they received in 2024. The author is pleased with the performance of the projection model: it assessed the Greens well and adjusted for their lack of candidates in 20 ridings, although it is clear that many Green voters in those ridings did not switch to the NDP, which consequently failed to outperform its polls as expected. The seat projection gave the Conservatives 59 seats—five fewer than they actually won—and the NDP 32, five more than it won. But the final result of 64 and 27 fell within the confidence intervals. The median projection, which expected the NDP to outperform the polls by even more, was off the mark. The riding-level forecast performed exceptionally well: just nine predictions were wrong, for an accuracy rate of 90.3%, and all nine were classified as toss-ups. If those are counted as correct, the forecast was 100% accurate: none of its Edge, Lean, Close, Likely or Safe predictions was wrong, which argues for simplifying the classifications. The author has already developed a new way to calculate each party’s probability of winning each riding. It will narrow the confidence intervals and make classifications more confident, and the author promises to implement the changes in the coming weeks.

For context: an “own goal” is a football term for scoring against one’s own team; here it is used metaphorically to mean self-sabotage. “Mail-in ballots” are votes cast by post and counted after election day. A “confidence interval” is a statistical range within which the true value is expected to fall with a given level of confidence. A “toss-up” is a riding too close to call with confidence. The key takeaway is that the NDP lost power after voluntarily calling an early election despite having a majority and time left in its mandate. Low turnout and disillusionment among its own voters completed the party’s collapse, while the Conservatives won by breaking through in densely populated Metro Vancouver.

David Eby’s bittersweet victory: BC NDP leader keeps his seat but loses power

British Columbia’s recent election reshaped the province’s political landscape. New Democratic Party (NDP) leader David Eby won his riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, but his party lost its majority to the province’s Conservative Party. According to the Canadian Press decision desk, Eby was re-elected in his riding, but the overall result went against his party. The Conservative Party, led by Lorne Doerkson, won a majority and will form the government. Eby reportedly resigned as NDP leader that same evening, accepting full responsibility for the campaign’s outcome. The decision capped five weeks that began when he opted to call an early election, two years before his term was due to end. Observers had described the move as the riskiest decision of his political career.

To understand Eby’s standing, it is worth looking at his political career. He has represented Vancouver-Point Grey since 2013, when he defeated the province’s then-premier, Christy Clark of the BC Liberal Party. The victory earned him a reputation as a “political giant-killer.” In 2022, he became premier after the late John Horgan stepped down as NDP leader. The current result is therefore more than an electoral setback: it is a major turn in the fortunes of a politician who, until recently, seemed one of the province’s most influential figures.

The key question in analysing the result is why an early election, intended as a strategic manoeuvre, ended in defeat. Political scientists often describe such decisions as a gamble: a leader with an advantage tries to consolidate power before public opinion shifts. In this case, however, the calculation did not pay off. The Conservatives apparently managed to mobilize voters amid mounting discontent or fatigue with the incumbent government. Eby retained support in his riding, suggesting he remains personally popular with voters in Vancouver-Point Grey, but that popularity did not translate into broader success for his party.

A few terms in the report are worth explaining. The NDP, or New Democratic Party, is a social democratic party that traditionally supports expanding social programs and protecting workers’ rights; in British Columbia, it has long been one of the two main political forces. The Conservative Party of British Columbia in this context is a provincial centre-right party that, judging by the results, managed to wrest the initiative from the NDP. A “decision desk” projection means the results are based on an analysis of data and exit polls rather than the final official count, though such projections are generally highly accurate. Finally, an “early election” is an election held before the legislature’s term expires, following its dissolution. Calling one is a government’s right, not an obligation.

The key insight is that a politician’s personal electoral resilience may not match the fortunes of their party. Eby won his riding but lost the province—a rare and painful scenario that highlights the gap between local support and broader regional sentiment. The fact that he resigned as NDP leader that same evening suggests he was willing to take responsibility without delay, a gesture often seen in political culture as an admission of strategic error. The quote “I take full responsibility for the result,” reported by CHEK News, illustrates the point.

The consequences extend beyond one province. First, a change of government in British Columbia could lead to a reassessment of priorities in social policy, environmental protection and economic regulation, as Conservatives traditionally take different approaches. Second, Eby’s departure as leader leaves a vacuum in the NDP and triggers a leadership contest, which could move the party further left or prompt it to seek a more centrist candidate. Third, the early-election episode will become a textbook example for political strategists: even a popular leader is not immune to a boomerang effect if public sentiment changes faster than expected. Finally, the publication date—October 24, 2026—is worth noting: it indicates that this political crisis is unfolding over the medium term, and its effects will be felt throughout the next electoral cycle.

Bowinn Ma keeps her North Vancouver seat, but her party moves into opposition

The 2024 British Columbia election brought not only a change of government but also a personal victory for one of the NDP’s best-known politicians. Bowinn Ma was re-elected in North Vancouver-Lonsdale, winning her fourth term. Her party, however, lost its majority and is moving into opposition. The result illustrates how regional politics can produce paradoxical combinations: a candidate’s strong personal standing alongside provincewide disillusionment with their party.

After all ballots were counted, Ma had 10,221 votes, or 46.92%. Her main opponent, Trevor Halford of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, received 9,044 votes (41.52%), while Green Party candidate Joshua A. Singer Johnson won 2,477 (11.37%). The race remained close until the end: Ma’s margin was just over five percentage points, whereas two years ago she won 64.88% in a two-party contest. The nearly 18-point drop is a warning sign, even though she formally retained her seat.

Ma watched the results come in at the NDP’s campaign headquarters at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel in downtown Vancouver, alongside supporters and fellow party members, holding her son, Jack. In an interview with North Shore News, she said it had been an honour to serve the riding for the past 10 years and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue working for another four. Formally, this is her fourth term, though she was first elected in 2017—meaning she has represented the riding continuously for 10 years in the Legislative Assembly.

The broader context of her victory matters far more. The Conservatives, led by Lorne Doerkson, won a majority and will form the government, while incumbent Premier David Eby announced he was stepping down as NDP leader. In his speech, he called the decision difficult but necessary for renewing the party, acknowledged that voters had asked the NDP to become the official opposition, and accepted full responsibility for the result. It was a rare moment of candour in Canadian politics, where leaders usually avoid speaking so plainly about defeat.

Interestingly, Ma explained Eby’s decision to call an early election by pointing to the fragility of the NDP’s majority and the toll it had taken on legislators. Some, she said, had voted from hospital beds while undergoing cancer treatment or recovering from surgery. Her remark shifted the discussion of political tactics toward health and burnout—subjects rarely and reluctantly discussed in Canadian politics. She also stressed that the result was radically different from the one two years earlier, meaning it had been worth putting the question to voters.

Asked whether she might run for party leader, Ma answered directly: she had seen the toll that serving as an MLA and minister had taken on her own family, and did not want to ask her loved ones to make further sacrifices. The statement should be taken at face value. With the NDP now without a leader, her decision narrows the pool of potential successors to Eby and makes internal party discussions more complicated. At the same time, she paid tribute to outgoing colleague Susie Chant, who lost in North Vancouver-Seymour to Conservative Lynn Block, and thanked Eby and former premier John Horgan for their work together.

In the Legislative Assembly, Ma intends to continue advocating for the North Shore and the province as a whole on housing, the cost of living, transportation, early childhood education, health care and climate. She previously served as Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and, in the most recent legislature, as Minister of Infrastructure. That experience could make her an effective opposition voice pressing the Conservative government on infrastructure and climate issues, areas where the new government has yet to set out a clear agenda.

A few terms are worth clarifying. The official opposition is the party with the second-largest number of seats; it receives additional funding and question period time, and has the right to form a shadow cabinet. An early election means dissolving the legislature before its term expires. In British Columbia, the NDP called one despite holding a precarious majority—a risky move in any parliamentary system. A party’s shift from government to opposition in a single election cycle is rare but not unique: voters often vote against a government rather than for the opposition, allowing individual MLAs to retain their personal support even when their party’s fortunes collapse.

The key takeaway is that Bowinn Ma remains one of the NDP’s few reliable footholds in the province’s urban core, but her mandate has weakened considerably. A five-point margin, rather than the 20-plus points she had previously, is a warning. If the party cannot recover after Eby’s departure, MLAs like Ma will face the greatest pressure in the next election. Her decision not to pursue the leadership leaves her free, but somewhat isolated, as an opposition voice: she can speak about climate and housing without worrying about party discipline, but without a ministerial portfolio her influence is much more limited. Perhaps the most human moment in this story is that of a politician who has won an election, holding her child and saying that family matters more to her than career advancement. In an era when politicians are expected to sacrifice endlessly, that honesty is itself a political statement.

❮ ❯

British Columbia: Resorts, Elections and Political Shifts

British Columbia has drawn attention on several fronts at once: the province’s resorts dominated a prestigious Condé Nast Traveller ranking, with eleven of Canada’s top fifteen located there, while a tense campaign is underway ahead of the snap election on October 24. Voters will have to navigate 93 electoral districts, and five on Vancouver Island could change political colors. The NDP’s traditional stronghold may swing to the Conservatives, making the coming vote especially unpredictable.

British Columbia, Canada’s hospitality capital: Why the province’s resorts topped the Condé Nast ranking

The latest edition of Condé Nast Traveller’s prestigious Readers’ Choice Awards has once again affirmed British Columbia’s reputation as one of North America’s most enticing destinations. Nearly 800,000 people took part in the vote, and eleven of Canada’s top fifteen resorts were located in the province. The result is telling: it reflects not only the region’s natural riches, but also how skillfully local hoteliers have learned to turn wilderness into a premium holiday experience.

Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino took first place in the 2026 ranking. The hotel has long been a landmark of Vancouver Island’s west coast. It is described as an example of “rustic elegance,” combining understated yet refined style, sweeping ocean views and a consistent commitment to sustainability. This combination, it seems, is what wins over Condé Nast’s discerning readers, who regularly name the hotel among the best not only in Canada but around the world. Guests can enjoy a spa, a cozy library and bicycle rentals, making it easy to reach Tofino’s beaches and trails that wind into ancient forests of old-growth trees. The hotel is ideally situated for outdoor activities: nearby are the rugged landscapes of Pacific Rim National Park, the famous surf beach of Chesterman, and cultural tours led by members of the Nuu-chah-nulth people, the Indigenous people of the area.

Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler took second place, underscoring the province’s geographic range, from ocean shores to ski resorts. The result also matters in a broader sense. Tourism is not just an industry in British Columbia; it is one of the pillars of the local economy. A win in an international vote serves as a powerful marketing signal to travelers around the world choosing where to go next. Nearly 800,000 votes give the ranking considerable weight: this is not the opinion of a small panel of judges, but a broad snapshot of the preferences of a discerning audience. Daily Hive has more on the results.

A few points that the news leaves unexplained are worth clarifying. The Readers’ Choice Awards are an annual award run by the British magazine Condé Nast Traveller and based on an open reader vote; making the list is considered a mark of quality in the hospitality industry. Tofino is a small town on the west coast of Vancouver Island, known for surfing, stormy winters and Pacific Rim National Park. The Nuu-chah-nulth are one of the Indigenous communities of the region, and the mention of tours led by their members reflects growing demand for authentic, rather than merely “decorative,” encounters with local culture. In this context, sustainability means minimizing environmental impact, from waste management to energy use. For hotels in national parks, this is often a condition of operating, not just a marketing claim.

The main takeaway is simple: British Columbia is now a major force in Canada’s luxury tourism sector, and its formula for success is a rare combination of wilderness, thoughtful service, and respect for the environment and Indigenous cultures. While some destinations compete for travelers with their infrastructure, the province wins with its landscapes and its ability to present them as a luxury experience. And as nearly a million votes continue to go to its resorts, the strategy is clearly working.

British Columbia’s 2026 election: How to find your district and candidates

The 2026 provincial election in British Columbia came as a surprise to many voters, who had expected the next vote to take place in 2028. But David Eby, leader of the BC NDP, called a snap election on September 22, and residents will now choose a new legislature on October 24. Against the backdrop of this sudden campaign, Global News has created a special tool to help voters navigate the province’s 93 electoral districts, learn about local candidates and review each area’s voting history, Global News reports.

The article’s purpose is to offer practical help to voters: the page includes profiles of all 93 British Columbia districts, allowing residents to find their riding, see who is running to represent them, and learn how the district voted in previous elections. This is particularly important during a snap campaign, when voters have less time to get to grips with the political landscape. The tool does more than list names; it also gives voters a sense of each area’s electoral traditions, helping them understand the balance of forces and possible outcomes.

The key political context is David Eby’s decision to call an early election. He made the announcement on September 22, and the October 24 vote is scheduled just one week after the 2026 municipal elections. This timing places additional demands on both voters and campaign organizers, who must manage campaigning at two levels almost simultaneously. It is a risky move for the NDP: snap elections are often seen as an attempt to take advantage of favorable political conditions before they change, but voters may also see them as an unnecessary rush.

A few terms are worth clarifying. An electoral district, or riding, is a geographic area that elects one member of the legislature. British Columbia has 93 ridings, whose boundaries are periodically redrawn to reflect changes in population. A snap election means dissolving the legislature and holding a vote earlier than originally scheduled—usually a political maneuver by the governing party. The BC NDP is the New Democratic Party, a social democratic party that has formed the provincial government in recent years.

The practical takeaway for voters is simple: before the October 24 vote, find your riding and carefully review the candidates, since the compressed campaign leaves less time than usual to make an informed choice. Global News’ tool, with profiles of all 93 districts and their voting histories, is a key resource for anyone who wants to vote with an understanding of which forces are actually competing in their area and how it has voted in the past.

Five Vancouver Island ridings could change color: Why British Columbia is on edge

A tectonic shift may be underway on Vancouver Island, long considered a stronghold of the New Democratic Party (NDP). According to polls, as many as five ridings currently held by New Democrats could swing to the Conservatives in Saturday’s election. Experts describe these races as “toss-ups,” and local diners are buzzing with talk of change just as much as politicians are. This is about more than replacing MLAs: it could mean a political realignment across an entire region, where urban values are coming up against rural discontent.

The five ridings in the spotlight are Victoria-Beacon Hill, Cowichan Valley, Ladysmith-Oceanside, Nanaimo-Lantzville and Mid Island-Pacific Rim. Polls suggest the gap between the NDP and the Conservative Party is narrow in all of them. Daniel Westlake, a senior political studies research fellow at Vancouver Island University, puts it simply: “When I say ‘toss-up,’ I mean it could go either way.” Polls show the NDP’s grip on the island is weakening considerably, particularly in ridings north of the Malahat, he says. Westlake points out an important nuance: these areas, often regarded as “NDP territory,” are in fact rural. In other circumstances, rural ridings tend to vote Conservative. “It creates a really interesting dynamic to watch. And maybe that’s why these races are so close,” he added in an interview with CHEK News.

Voters’ views in an informal setting—at B’s Diner in Errington, in the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding—show just how deeply rooted the desire for change has become. Brooklyn Swenson, 29, says, “I’m excited. I think it’s going to be such an exciting movement tomorrow.” Retiree Dennis Ozero takes a different view: “For me, it doesn’t matter; it’s for my grandchildren... I’m voting for my grandchildren.” Another retiree, Peter Hazeltine, is blunt: “We need change. I don’t think our current government has the answers.” Rod Moreno of Nanaimo notes the split: “It’s interesting. I think, at least on the left, everyone is weighing their options. They’re divided. On the right, too. But it seems more concentrated around the Conservative Party.”

To understand what is happening, it is helpful to explain a few terms. A “toss-up” riding is one where no party has a guaranteed lead and the result could go either way. The NDP (New Democratic Party) is a center-left party traditionally strong in British Columbia, particularly in urban areas and on Vancouver Island. The Conservatives are seen as an alternative for rural and suburban voters dissatisfied with the incumbent government. The Malahat is a mountain range that often serves as an informal dividing line between the island’s “urban” south and its more rural northern areas.

The article’s key insight is that this election battle is not simply a contest between parties, but a clash between two different visions of the island. Urbanized southern ridings such as Victoria-Beacon Hill remain more challenging territory for the Conservatives, while northern and central areas, including Nanaimo-Lantzville and Mid Island-Pacific Rim, are increasingly leaning Conservative. Westlake stresses that all five ridings are unlikely to swing to the Conservatives at once, but the possibility makes election night especially intriguing. Young voters could play an unexpected role, Swenson believes: “I think a lot of young people will turn out, and they’ll actually vote for the first time in their lives.”

The implications of this analysis are significant for island residents and observers of British Columbia politics. If the forecasts prove even partly accurate, the result would not only alter the balance of power in the provincial legislature, but also signal a deeper shift: traditional NDP strongholds could become battlegrounds. For the Conservative Party, this is a chance to gain a foothold in a region long considered out of reach. For the NDP, it is a warning that even its “home turf” requires constant engagement with voters. And for ordinary residents discussing the election over lunch at a diner, it is a reminder that their vote—especially in “toss-up” ridings like these—could prove decisive. As one diner put it, “It’s going to be a really exciting election night on Vancouver Island.”

❮ ❯

British Columbia: Quality-of-Life Grades, a Young Philanthropist and a Church Split

Residents of key regions in British Columbia gave their communities an average C+ for quality of life: nature and parks scored highly, while housing policy received the lowest marks. Sixteen-year-old musician Richard Lee raised more than $22,000 for BC Children’s Hospital, and Vancouver’s First Christian Reformed Church is marking its centennial as it stands on the brink of leaving its denomination.

British Columbia gives its cities a C+: housing falls short, parks save the day

Residents of three key regions in British Columbia—the Metro Vancouver area, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley—gave their communities an average C+ for quality of life. That is according to a new Canada Pulse Insights poll conducted for CityNews OMNI TV, covering 13 aspects of local life. The results, reported by CityNews Vancouver, paint a picture of regional self-perception with a clear imbalance: nature and parks earn solid Bs, while municipal housing policy receives the lowest grade—C- in all three regions.

Housing emerged as the main sore point. About four in ten respondents gave their municipalities’ plans to improve housing affordability a failing grade: 38 percent in Metro Vancouver, 40 percent on Vancouver Island and 41 percent in the Okanagan Valley. By comparison, just 21–23 percent gave those plans an A or B. In other words, the number of dissatisfied residents is nearly twice the number of satisfied ones—a rare degree of agreement across three regions so different in character.

Against that backdrop, green spaces look like an island of stability. Parks and public spaces received a B in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan Valley, and a B+ on Vancouver Island, where 85 percent of residents gave them an A or B. The island also leads in overall quality of life, with a B: three-quarters of its residents gave it an A or B, compared with 58 percent in Metro Vancouver and 65 percent in the Okanagan. Significantly, even amid dissatisfaction with housing, most residents consider their municipalities good places to raise a family: 77 percent in Metro Vancouver, 83 percent on the island and 84 percent in the Okanagan.

Transportation was the only category in which Metro Vancouver outperformed its neighbours, earning a B-. Surrey, meanwhile, came last on two measures: it had the fewest A or B ratings for quality of life and the most D or F ratings for its local public school system. Within Metro Vancouver, the poll also found an age divide: people aged 18–34 were less likely to give quality of life high marks than those aged 55 and older—52 percent versus 67 percent. Income also correlates with satisfaction: only 30 percent of households earning less than $50,000 rated their working life an A or B, compared with 55 percent of those earning $100,000 or more. Renters are notably more pessimistic than homeowners about their financial prospects—20 percent versus 38 percent.

It is also worth noting that only 58–61 percent of respondents said they were proud of their municipality and its work, while residents gave the way vulnerable groups are treated—and their own chances to “get ahead”—a C. The poll was conducted from September 28 to October 14 and included 1,374 respondents from Metro Vancouver, 511 from Vancouver Island and 498 from the Okanagan Valley.

What lies behind these figures? Affordability, a term that has long stood on its own in Canadian public debate, means not simply low prices but housing costs relative to income—a balance that remains among the most strained in North America in Vancouver. The C- grade essentially reflects a feeling that municipal plans—such as allowing apartment buildings in residential neighbourhoods or increasing density—are not keeping pace with the scale of the problem. Another important point: the A–F ratings use the school grading scale, where C means “satisfactory” and D or F means failure. In this context, C+ means “more good than bad,” but with clear reservations.

The poll’s main takeaway is that the region’s quality of life rests not on municipal services, but on nature and a sense of community. Parks, green spaces and family-friendly communities pull the average grade up, while housing, support for vulnerable people and economic mobility pull it down. The gap between homeowners and renters, young and old, rich and poor shows that “quality of life” in British Columbia is profoundly uneven: for some, it is a B; for others, a barely passing grade. Municipalities will apparently have to answer first and foremost on housing—that is where voters have already delivered their verdict, and it is far from reassuring.

Sixteen-year-old Vancouver musician raises more than $22,000 for children’s hospital

In a world where teenagers are often assumed to be mostly preoccupied with themselves and their devices, Richard Lee’s story sounds almost unbelievable. The 16-year-old Vancouver bass-baritone does more than sing onstage: he organizes benefit concerts, leads a youth music network and has already raised enough for a children’s hospital to fund several modest galas for adult philanthropists. One concert brought in C$22,653, exceeding its $20,000 target. And counting all his efforts, Lee has directed more than $33,000 to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The concert, titled Aubade with Joy, took place on October 18, 2026, at the Chan Shun Concert Hall at the University of British Columbia. An orchestra, two choirs and guest performers took the stage, with Lee serving as both the lead organizer and one of the featured performers. The event was presented by Firefly Youth Network, a youth organization that brings music and the arts together with practical community benefit. According to a Classical FM report, the network has worked with more than 350 young performers, organizing major productions and partnerships with community organizations. Richard Lee is its co-president.

The money raised will support the Mighty Music program, which provides music therapy to young patients at the children’s hospital. For Lee, this is not abstract philanthropy: he once received care and emotional support at BC Children’s Hospital himself, and hopes that funding for therapy will help other children through difficult times. That personal connection gives the story particular weight: this is not just a kind gesture, but a deliberate choice by someone who knows firsthand how valuable that kind of support can be.

Lee’s path to his current role began modestly. He sang at small community events and was one of the first few children to join Firefly Youth Network after its founding in 2021. Over time, he moved from volunteer to community organizer and co-president. One telling detail: when Richard first joined the organization, he had a speech impediment, and vocal training in a supportive environment helped him overcome it. In that sense, his own story reflects what his fundraising is about: art as therapy and as a tool for personal growth.

By the age of 16, Lee, a Grade 12 student, has already built an impressive portfolio. He received the Judges’ Distinction Award and three first-place prizes at the American Protégé International Vocal Competition, which led to a performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He was named British Columbia’s vocal representative at the Canadian Music Competition’s national finals. He took part in Vancouver Opera’s mentorship program and Boston University Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artists Vocal Program, where he sang with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and worked with such luminaries as Bryn Terfel and Renée Fleming. At Aubade with Joy, he performed with the Oriental Philharmonic Student Orchestra, the Oriental Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Oriental Philharmonic Choir, conducted by Tyler Xue.

A few terms in this story are worth explaining. A bass-baritone is a male singing voice between the lower bass and the higher baritone, usually with a rich, deep tone; in opera, such voices often take roles such as noble fathers, priests or villains. Music therapy, which the Mighty Music program funds, is not simply concerts for patients: it consists of clinically organized activities in which listening, singing or playing instruments can help reduce anxiety, ease pain and support children’s emotional well-being during long-term treatment. Firefly Youth Network, meanwhile, is a model of youth-led organization in which teenagers devise, organize and run cultural events themselves, rather than simply taking part at someone else’s direction.

The network’s work beyond a single concert is also significant. Firefly has raised money for arts education, including US$29,000 for the International Art Museum of America in San Francisco through an international youth fundraiser; performed for groups of older adults; and run music programs at BC Children’s Hospital itself. This points to a sustained approach: the organization does not limit itself to one-off events, but builds lasting ties with the community. Lee himself is a living example of how early involvement in the arts can develop into professional ambition and civic responsibility at the same time.

The fundraiser is still open for those who would like to support the program; donations can be made through the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s official page. Richard Lee’s story is a rare case in which youth is not an excuse but an asset: he has an entire career ahead of him, and it is already clear that the stage and service to others are inseparable for him. In the world of classical music, where high art is often discussed apart from everyday life, his example is a reminder that the true power of a voice is measured not only in applause at Carnegie Hall, but also in the money it raises for those who cannot come to a concert.

A century of service and a difficult choice: Vancouver’s First Christian Reformed Church marks its anniversary on the brink of a denominational split

In the fall of 2026, the congregation of Vancouver’s First Christian Reformed Church marked the centennial of its founding, but the celebration coincided with one of the most consequential decisions in its history. The church, on Victoria Drive in the eastern part of the Canadian city, not only looked back on a century of history but also began the process of leaving the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Anniversary celebrations and painful reflections on the future became intertwined, making the congregation’s story especially revealing for the denomination as a whole.

A century ago, on October 21, 1926, a small group of immigrants who had arrived after the First World War founded the first Christian Reformed Church congregation in British Columbia. In 1948, the church moved to its current location, where the cornerstone was inscribed with the word “Rehoboth” and the words from Genesis, “The Lord has given us room.” Those words became a kind of motto for the congregation’s century-long presence in the province’s largest city. That legacy was celebrated at a centennial service on October 18, 2026, described in The Banner’s report.

The service itself illustrated what the church has become over the past century. Pastor Trevor VanderWeele was welcomed by Father Kassahun Asrat of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, while a Korean Presbyterian congregation also worships in the building—three distinct traditions sharing one roof. The music spanned 1,500 years, from an eighth-century text to hymns from the 17th through 21st centuries, including the famous Dutch Christmas hymn “Ere zij God,” whose text was available in Spanish, Chinese, Indonesian and Tagalog. During a “roll call of the decades,” congregants stood according to when they had joined the church, whether by birth or otherwise. The oldest member born into the congregation was 96-year-old Kaspar Golhof. Of the congregation’s 14 former pastors, two are still living, and both took part in the celebration: the Rev. Frederick Koning, who served from 1987 to 1993, offered a prayer, while the Rev. Julia Prins-VanderWeele, who co-pastored with her husband from 2007 to 2016, preached the anniversary sermon on Ephesians, calling the congregation to live worthy of God’s calling. She concluded by reading a letter of guidance to the congregation, which was placed in a time capsule along with other messages and items. God willing, it will be opened at the bicentennial in 2126. The service was accompanied by a community banquet, a dinner for neighbours and a choir evening.

Looking back over the century, the church recalled not only spiritual milestones but also very tangible ones. In 1944, Princess Juliana, the future Queen of the Netherlands, who had taken refuge in Ottawa during the war, attended a communion service—a visit still remembered by longtime congregants. In 1949, members of the congregation founded Calvin Christian School, now known as Vancouver Christian, which today serves 950 children from a wide range of families. Following the postwar wave of immigration, First Church became a “mother church” to a number of congregations in the Lower Mainland. In the late 1960s, it began a ministry to seafarers; in the 1970s, it was among the first to welcome Vietnamese refugees and shared its building with the newly formed Vietnamese congregation. Community dinners, English classes and a large community garden followed. In 2016, a branch of the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia opened next door on land that had previously belonged to the church. In response to the arrival of Syrian refugees, local churches, including First Church, funded a chaplain and refugee support coordinator position, filled by congregation member Dena Nikolai.

The congregation also played a notable role in the history of women’s ministry in the denomination. In 1995, the same year the synod authorized classes to ordain women as elders, pastors and evangelists, First Church opened all positions to women. By its 90th anniversary, five percent of all women pastors in the denomination had completed an internship, served or held membership there.

Yet it was questions of doctrine and church governance, rather than social ministry, that brought the congregation to its current crossroads. As it prepared for the anniversary and sought to reflect on the denomination’s discernment process surrounding its 2021 report on human sexuality, the church council began holding “listening circles” in 2021, using restorative practices. In 2022, the synod recommended the report to churches as “a helpful statement of biblical teaching on human sexuality” and declared that traditional teaching against “unchastity,” which it defined as including “homosexual sex,” had confessional status—that is, it was binding on all church officeholders. Between 2021 and 2024, First Church’s council, with the congregation’s support, submitted three documents to the denomination’s governing bodies: an overture on the status of confessional teachings; an overture on gravamen, a special church-order procedure that allows an officeholder to declare difficulty with a particular teaching (the 2024 synod affirmed that a gravamen “is not intended and should not be used as an exception to the confessions”); and a letter of protest expressing concern that synodical decisions could hinder First Church’s mission. The Classis of British Columbia-Northwest supported sending the protest to synod, which then ruled that churches and officeholders in ecclesiastical protest should face discipline for the sake of “restoration and reconciliation.” The classis refrained from taking disciplinary action while awaiting clarity on First Church’s response to the implications of the sexuality report. Ultimately, the stumbling block for potential officeholders in the congregation became the decisions of the 2024 and 2025 synods: the requirement to accept the teaching “without reservation” and the revision of the gravamen process, which was declared a “temporary” measure subject to set deadlines for resolution.

Significantly, in a January 2026 report to the classis, church visitors described the congregation in very warm terms, noting: “There is much love, encouragement, shared ministry, and engagement here. In many ways we see in them a ‘New Testament’ church—worship, prayer, lots of shared meals, teaching, diverse ministries, and a genuine love for one another.” At the same time, they recorded frustration, a sense of powerlessness and grief that the congregation no longer had the life-giving connection to the denomination it once had. “As difficult and potentially polarizing as these matters are, there is a genuine sense of care, not hostility, within the congregation,” the visitors emphasized.

After all the listening and discernment, First Church’s council recommended leaving the Christian Reformed Church. The first vote, held on September 15, 2026, gave a clear mandate to continue the process, with just two votes against and two abstentions. Several “roundtable” meetings were held for congregants to explain clearly what was at stake. A second vote, required under church order, is scheduled for November 17. Council chair Joel Pel, who was born into the congregation in the 1980s, speaks candidly about the mixed feelings of someone leading the church through a time of both celebration and difficult choices: “There is deep gratitude for the rich history of this church and other CRC institutions, such as Christian schools, which have so generously shaped our theology and practice. At the same time, it feels as though some things we thought were true of the CRC may no longer be true.”

A few terms help make sense of this story. A classis is a regional body in the Reformed tradition, somewhere between a local church and a synod, with oversight of congregations in a particular area. An overture is a formal proposal submitted by a congregation or

❮ ❯

British Columbia: Prices, AI and a Rabid Skunk

A poll found that eight in 10 British Columbians have cut spending because of rising prices, with young people and low-income families hit hardest and groceries accounting for the largest share of cutbacks. Meanwhile, businesses in the province are rethinking what they expect from employees: AI agents are taking on routine tasks, and companies increasingly value “generalists” who can set goals and make decisions. In another alarming incident, a rabid skunk in downtown Vancouver bit several people. Health officials are urging anyone who came into contact with the animal between September 22 and October 17 to seek medical attention immediately.

British Columbia under pressure from rising prices: eight in 10 residents cut spending

A new poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights exclusively for Rogers OMNI TV found that the vast majority of British Columbians have had to cut personal spending because of the rising cost of living. The survey covered three major regions of the province—the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley—and paints a picture of households balancing necessities against the need to save. The biggest pressure point is groceries: they account for the bulk of cutbacks, and the share of people trimming their budgets approaches 90 percent among younger and lower-income residents.

The figures show the scale of the problem: about eight in 10 respondents said they had cut spending over the past 12 months. That figure was 80 percent in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan Valley, and 76 percent on Vancouver Island. People most often cut back on entertainment, groceries and meals, travel, and gifts. The differences within Metro Vancouver are especially striking: 83 percent of respondents in Surrey had cut spending, compared with 81 percent in the rest of the region and 76 percent in the City of Vancouver. In other words, the suburbs are feeling the pressure more acutely than the city centre.

Groceries were the most common source of stress in all three regions. They ranked among the top three financial concerns for 69 percent of Metro Vancouver residents, 70 percent of those on Vancouver Island and 76 percent of people in the Okanagan Valley. Utilities came second: 36 percent in Metro Vancouver and 43 percent on both Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan. In Metro Vancouver, half of respondents (50 percent) said they had specifically cut spending on groceries and food—no longer an abstract exercise in saving, but a forced reduction in spending on basic necessities.

Young people and lower-income households were the most vulnerable. Among people aged 18 to 34, between 86 and 92 percent had been forced to cut spending; the figure was 88 to 91 percent for households earning less than $50,000 a year. About a third of all residents rated their financial prospects and chances of getting ahead as “D” or “F”—the equivalent of a poor or failing grade on the school scale. Among young people aged 18 to 34, between 39 and 47 percent gave their financial future similarly low marks. This is an important signal: the issue is not only about current cutbacks, but also about eroding confidence in the future among a group that typically drives consumer demand and makes long-term plans.

The survey methodology lends weight to the findings. The poll was conducted from September 28 to October 14 and included 1,374 Metro Vancouver residents, 511 people on Vancouver Island and 498 in the Okanagan Valley. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points for Metro Vancouver, plus or minus 4.3 for Vancouver Island and plus or minus 4.4 for the Okanagan, with a confidence level of 19 times out of 20. As CityNews Vancouver reports, the results show that high prices are no longer an abstract topic of debate but a daily reality in which people are rethinking even what they spend on food.

The key takeaway is that inflationary pressure in British Columbia is hitting hardest those who already have the least financial cushion. When groceries become a major area of cutbacks, rather than entertainment or travel, it points to a shift from “soft” cuts to forced thrift on basic needs. Regional differences are telling, too: in the Okanagan, utilities rank alongside groceries among the top three concerns, while in Metro Vancouver the focus is squarely on food. The “D” and “F” grades given by a significant share of young people suggest that the problem goes beyond current budgets and affects their belief in the possibility of getting ahead financially. For provincial officials and businesses, this means support measures need to be targeted—focused on young and low-income households and on food affordability, rather than broad-based incentives that may not reach the most vulnerable.

A few terms help put the findings in context. Canada Pulse Insights is a polling firm; in this case, it was commissioned by media company Rogers OMNI TV. The “margin of error” indicates how much the sample results may differ from the views of the whole population: the larger it is, the less precise the conclusions for a particular region. That is why the margin of error is higher for Vancouver Island and the Okanagan, where fewer people were surveyed. “19 times out of 20” means a 95 percent confidence level: if the poll were repeated many times, 19 out of 20 results would fall within the stated range. Finally, the Lower Mainland is the region around Vancouver, including cities such as Surrey, Burnaby and Richmond; its residents are among those most likely to report pressure from grocery prices.

AI is changing what businesses expect from employees: the experience of British Columbia companies

Business owners in British Columbia are beginning to rethink not only how they operate, but also whom they need to hire. The reason is AI agents, which are increasingly taking on routine and specialized tasks. As a report by Business in Vancouver shows, these are not far-off experiments but part of everyday life at small companies—from a family-run chili oil producer to food delivery services and online camping platforms. As machines get better at handling calculations, customer service and even initial communication with partners, human value is shifting toward understanding the business, setting tasks and making decisions. This shift is changing both team structures and career requirements.

One example is Holy Duck Chili Oil, a small family business in Vancouver run by Louise Pang and her husband, Christopher Fung. They use AI for budgeting, administrative work and order forecasting. Pang explains that a large corporation can afford entire departments—accounting, auditing and operations teams with established procedures for invoicing, collecting overdue payments and reminding retailers to restock. A microbusiness cannot afford that, and AI goes some way toward making up for the lack of staff. Order forecasting based on past patterns is particularly useful, helping the company plan production and inventory. What’s more, Pang’s partners have their own agents, and the programs can interact with one another, alerting the retailer that it is running low on stock and prompting Holy Duck to send another shipment. In effect, this is a form of automated cooperation between small businesses.

Similar processes are underway at Fantuan Holding Ltd., an Asian food delivery platform based in Burnaby. The company uses AI in customer service: the system first identifies what a customer needs and then brings in a human employee. Algorithms also improve food photos in the app—a process that used to require a lot of manual work but is now automated. The company’s chief technology officer, Glen Zhu, says AI is also used for programming and quality checks: when a courier delivers an order, they take a photo and an agent assesses whether it meets the company’s standards. AI agents also organize information, summarize meetings, translate documents, prepare drafts and analyze data. Zhu adds that large language models are enhancing traditional AI by better understanding users’ intent in search and recommendations, helping make results more relevant and potentially improving conversion rates.

Another example is Campertunity, a North Vancouver platform that connects campers with private landowners. The company developed an AI chatbot that researches the market, sends emails and automatically communicates with prospective hosts. Co-founder Geeta Yazdani says the agent can do the whole job—not only finding and onboarding new partners but also handling customer support inquiries.

Behind this automation lies a deeper shift in what employers expect from people. Zhu says that as AI takes over repetitive and specialized tasks, companies increasingly need employees who understand the business and use agents to achieve specific goals, rather than simply carrying out instructions mechanically. Agents can already handle many basic tasks, such as writing code or designing interfaces. AI can suggest numerous options, but the final decision still rests with a person. Zhu says the trend is toward “generalists”—people who understand business, products, technology and finance, and use AI to bridge gaps between these fields. This is changing how teams are organized, too: instead of a long chain of approvals involving product, design and technical specialists, a small group of broadly skilled people may be able to take a project through to completion. “People who are merely a tool for others will have a harder time in the future,” the publication quotes Zhu as saying. In his view, companies need people who understand the business and its users and know how to get results with AI.

Not everything can be automated, however. Louise Pang believes there are things AI cannot do, including marketing and building a brand identity. She describes once experiencing creative block while scrolling through social media and realizing that much of the content in her feed was AI-generated: it all looked and felt the same, and the language of the captions was especially similar. For a business owner and marketer, it is important that an audience that has trusted a brand for a long time does not lose that trust or feel that a computer is speaking on the brand’s behalf. That is why Pang is deliberately not following the path suggested by AI: it would show her what everyone else is doing, while she is trying to create a distinct voice and identity. Zhu adds that value is increasingly concentrated in people who can “spot” which parts of a business could be handed over to AI and improved with it. Human judgment will remain important for complex decisions, while interpersonal skills and relationship-building will be among the hardest things to automate. “The ability to spot where AI can replace work is important. You need people who can identify a problem and then use an agent to solve it,” he concludes in Business in Vancouver.

A few terms help put this in context. AI agents here means more than chatbots that answer questions: they are programs capable of carrying out sequences of actions on their own—researching, writing emails, interacting with other systems and completing tasks. Large language models (LLMs) are the technologies behind modern generative chat services. They can understand and generate text and, in this case, are used to better identify users’ intent in search and recommendations. “Generalist” refers to a broadly skilled worker, as opposed to a narrow specialist who has spent years performing one function. Conversion is the share of users who take a desired action—for example, placing an order—out of the total number of visitors. Improving it directly affects a platform’s revenue.

The key takeaway is that AI is no longer an experiment in British Columbia businesses; it is becoming an operational norm, particularly for small companies that cannot afford large teams. This frees up resources, but also creates new expectations for employees: what matters increasingly is not the ability to perform a particular operation, but the ability to see the wider business problem, identify where AI can be applied and make decisions based on the options it offers. At the same time, companies still need human judgment, relationship-building and brand authenticity—things automation cannot yet replicate. For the labor market, this means professional boundaries are gradually blurring and broadly skilled “generalists,” who can combine technology with an understanding of customers and business, are becoming more valuable.

Rabid skunk attack in downtown Vancouver raises alarm for residents

An incident in downtown Vancouver prompted local authorities to issue an urgent warning: a skunk that bit several people was infected with rabies. The case, reported by CBC News, stands out not only because it is rare—it is only the third confirmed case of rabies in a skunk in British Columbia since 2011—but also because it happened in a densely populated area that includes Stanley Park and part of downtown. According to Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), a small group of people who were bitten have already received vaccine and immunoglobulin. However, anyone who came into contact with the sick or unusually behaving animal between September 22 and October 17 is strongly urged to seek medical attention immediately.

The story is made all the more dramatic by the fact that an ordinary resident—West End resident Herrick Ashe—caught the skunk. On his way to a farmers’ market at the corner of Comox and Bute streets last Saturday, he noticed a group of people peering into the bushes and saw an animal that looked lethargic and disoriented. “I just talked to the skunk because I’m an animal lover. I like doing that,” he told CBC. “I said, ‘Hey, buddy, how are you doing?’ The skunk looked at me, turned around, came out onto the sidewalk, bit me on the leg, and then bit my boot.” Ashe and his partner managed to catch the animal and call an animal welfare organization. It later emerged that the skunk had to be euthanized because of a broken jaw, and tests confirmed it had rabies. Ashe himself took the incident in stride: “I knew that even if it had the virus, it was very preventable. So I wasn’t afraid.”

The case highlights an important nuance: rabies is extremely rare in Canada, and in British Columbia bats—not skunks—are the only known natural reservoir of the virus. That is why the incident has raised questions among experts about how the virus reached an urban skunk. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and is usually transmitted through a bite, less often through a scratch. VCH emphasizes that it is not spread through skunk scent, urine or feces, dispelling a common public fear. The infection attacks the brain and nervous system and is invariably fatal without timely treatment. However, a vaccine and immunoglobulin administered immediately after exposure reliably prevent the disease from developing. Authorities also outlined what to do: wash the wound with warm, soapy water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention immediately. Owners of pets that may have come into contact with the skunk during the four-week period are advised to contact a veterinarian urgently.

Significantly, Ashe saw several passersby stop and say they had heard about an aggressive skunk in the area. This underscores the key takeaway: unusual, disoriented or aggressive behavior in a wild animal is a serious reason to notify health authorities, as it may be a sign of illness. Although the case is rare, it reminds residents of even the safest cities to stay alert around wildlife and not to approach animals that appear visibly sick. Ashe’s quick action and willingness to call an animal welfare service helped contain the risk and warn other residents.

❮ ❯

Historic Hotel, “Green” Victory and the Battle for Surrey: B.C. News

This digest covers three stories from British Columbia. In Pender Harbour, the nearly century-old Sundowner Inn is on the market for $2.6 million. The former St. Mary’s Hospital on the water is priced at roughly the same level as a benchmark house in Vancouver. A column in The Tyee takes an ironic look at whether “Green” Pete Fry’s victory in the Vancouver mayoral election foreshadows the provincial election; the author points to the differing political contexts and the absence of a single trend. Finally, David Eby’s NDP is focusing on Surrey, a key swing area where the campaign’s outcome will likely be decided.

Historic Waterfront Hotel in B.C. Listed for Slightly More Than a Benchmark Vancouver House

A property has appeared on British Columbia’s real estate market that is attracting attention not so much because of its price as because of its history and unusual location. The Sundowner Inn is a nearly century-old building on the shores of Hospital Bay in the Pender Harbour area of the Sunshine Coast. The hotel is listed for $2.6 million, a sum that, as Vancouver Is Awesome notes, is only slightly higher than the price of a benchmark house in Vancouver. For a buyer dreaming of a lifestyle change, the property looks almost like an invitation into another reality—with water views, its own dock and a rich past.

The story of the site began long before the hotel appeared. The building was originally not a hotel but St. Mary’s Hospital, which had room for 12 patients. As realtor Joel O’Reilly explained, shipping was active in the region at the time, so a hospital on the water was a logical solution. “It was the first and only hospital on the Sunshine Coast in those days when it was built, so obviously it was an important part of the community,” the publication quotes him as saying. The bay took its name from the hospital, and the building itself is located directly above the dock. When the hospital closed in 1964, the structure was converted into the Sundowner Inn.

Today, the nearly century-old hotel has been vacant for most of the past decade. However, O’Reilly says the building is in good condition: major renovations were carried out shortly before it closed. Over the years, the property has become something of a local landmark, sparking curiosity among residents. “People are really excited about the next chapter of its life,” the realtor says. Significantly, interest in the hotel coincides with another development: the neighbouring commercial property, John Henry’s Marina and Resort, has just been sold. O’Reilly hopes the marina’s new owners and the hotel’s future buyer will bring fresh energy to the community. “It will be a real revitalization of the bay,” he says.

So what exactly does a buyer get for $2.6 million? The hotel’s interior layout largely reflects its original use as a hospital: it has 11 bedrooms and one suite, which could be used as hotel rooms or as accommodation for an owner-operator seeking, as the publication puts it, a “Hallmark movie” change of lifestyle—from a big city to a quiet waterfront location. In addition to the living quarters, the building has a restaurant with a commercial kitchen and an event space known as the “chapel.” The furniture is also included in the sale. “The future of this place is really exciting because somebody can buy this property and create their own vision,” O’Reilly emphasizes.

To better understand the context, several points are worth explaining. A “benchmark house” refers to a typical home whose price is calculated using a special methodology and serves as a reference point for the city’s real estate market. Today, that price is comparable to the cost of an entire historic waterfront hotel—an indication of just how overheated the housing market is in the metropolis. The Sunshine Coast is a mainland region of British Columbia accessible only by ferry or plane, making it attractive to those seeking seclusion. Hospital Bay is a tiny inlet in the Pender Harbour area, known for its scenic coves and maritime history.

The main takeaway is this: for a price comparable to an average Vancouver house, it is possible to buy a property with nearly a century of history, its own waterfront land and the potential to become a boutique hotel, restaurant or private residence. It is a rare opportunity for someone willing to trade the bustle of city life for a quiet existence by the sea. However, the buyer will need to invest in restoration and marketing to restore the hotel’s former role in the community. The fact that the hotel is listed at the same time as the neighbouring marina gives local residents hope for a comprehensive revival of the bay—and that may be the most valuable part of the offer, something that cannot be measured in dollars.

Does Vancouver’s “Green” Victory Foreshadow the Future of British Columbia?

The recent municipal elections in Vancouver and other British Columbia cities provided plenty of food for thought, but interpreting them as a direct forecast of the provincial election would be a serious oversimplification. That is the argument made, with considerable irony, by columnist Steve Burgess in The Tyee, responding to readers’ questions about whether the municipal results contain signals for the province’s upcoming vote. The column is framed as a satirical piece of advice to politicians from a “speechwriter” with a fictional academic degree, and that tone sets the framework from the outset: trying to find a single political meaning in two campaigns separated by two weeks is a thankless task.

The central story of the local elections was the election of “Green” candidate Pete Fry as Vancouver’s mayor, defeating incumbent Ken Sim. Burgess repeatedly emphasizes the size of the margin: Fry’s allies won the most votes on city council, while his party’s rival was almost completely pushed out of elected bodies. The situation with the parks board was especially telling: ABC, the party that had intended to abolish the city’s parks authority, elected no one to it. The satirist suggests that candidates’ political weight should be measured not only by their votes but also by their ability to provoke rejection among their opponents. In his view, voters seemed to decide that anyone who was Ken Sim’s enemy was automatically their friend.

Particular attention is given to former provincial premier Michael Harcourt and Jeff Meggs, chief of staff to another former premier, John Horgan. They left the progressive camp and supported Rebecca Bligh, who received just under 8,000 votes compared with Fry’s approximately 87,700. The nearly elevenfold gap is a vivid illustration of how far the predictions of political veterans can be from voters’ actual behaviour. Burgess even advises them to stay away from betting shops.

Events in other cities further undermine the idea of a single trend. In Surrey, 82-year-old Doug McCallum became mayor again, and the journalist reminds readers that in 2022 he was acquitted of a charge of public mischief and managed to recover from a serious leg injury. Former mayor Brenda Locke, in the author’s view, spent too much time fighting over the already settled issue of a new police service, leaving the race as a choice between two versions of absurdity. It also turned out that the polls had missed the mark: Canada Pulse Insights showed Locke with a commanding lead, while voters, according to respondents, believed the city was moving in “the right direction.” In New Westminster, by contrast, the right won, ousting the incumbents—and the author concludes that looking for a unifying theme in this mosaic is as pointless as looking for meaning in goose droppings.

The provincial Greens tried to capitalize on Vancouver’s result by issuing a victory news release headlined by the claim that Pete Fry had become the first “Green” mayor of a major Canadian city, supposedly signalling growing support for the Greens ahead of the provincial election. Burgess is skeptical: to draw a direct parallel, the Greens would have to persuade Premier David Eby to step aside and unite the left flank, which has not happened. Fry’s victory, he believes, does not in itself represent a province-wide “Green wave.”

The article does, however, contain a serious subtext that can easily be missed beneath the irony. The comparison with Ontario, where Premier Doug Ford, in the author’s words, “blows up bike lanes,” serves as a marker of a broader conflict: according to the column, Vancouver voters rejected nostalgia for the 1950s. This is less an election forecast than an observation about urban politics shifting toward a progressive agenda. For readers following Canadian politics, three points matter: municipal elections in British Columbia take place at different times and under different rules; provincial elections are separate campaigns with a different logic; and a municipal result can be projected onto the provincial level only when federal and local trends coincide—which they do not in this case. That is the column’s central thesis: one victory, however striking, is not a prophecy. If a “Green wave” does occur, it will be determined not by Vancouver’s results but by the provincial Greens’ ability to build a coalition with the left. For now, as the author concludes, all that remains is to stay in shape and protect one’s elbows from “electoral” strain.

The Battle for Surrey: Why B.C.’s Key District Has Become the NDP’s Campaign Hub

A brief CTV News report devoted to the final stretch of British Columbia’s election campaign may look modest at first glance: the text contains just one sentence and a photo caption. Yet even this fragment signals an important political shift—the New Democratic Party (NDP) is focusing on Surrey, one of Canada’s most populous and fastest-growing cities, where the outcome of the vote could determine the fate of the entire province.

According to the report, provincial NDP leader David Eby is campaigning with an emphasis on Surrey, which the publication explicitly calls a “battleground.” The report also mentions a campaign stop by Eby in Kelowna, where he announced investments in expanding Kelowna General Hospital. This shows the party’s strategy: maintain and expand support in different parts of the province by combining socially significant health-care promises with a battle for votes in Vancouver’s suburbs.

The term “battleground”—also known in Canadian political usage as a “swing riding”—refers to an electoral district where no party has a durable advantage and where votes traditionally shift from one political force to another. Victories in such districts often determine the overall election result, so parties direct more resources, leaders and time there. Surrey falls into precisely this category: it is a rapidly growing city with a highly ethnically diverse population, where both the NDP and Liberals have historically been strong, while other forces have also gained ground in recent years. For the New Democrats, control of Surrey is critical, since securing a majority in the provincial legislature is difficult without it.

The mention of Kelowna, located in the province’s Interior, adds an important nuance. The promise to expand Kelowna General Hospital is a typical example of a campaign spending pledge in health care, one of the most pressing issues for British Columbia voters amid overcrowded hospitals and a shortage of family doctors. The move allows the NDP to speak simultaneously about supporting residents of the Interior and competing for votes in urban centres. The photo caption cites The Canadian Press and dates the event to October 20, marking it as a moment in the height of the campaign.

The report’s key conclusion is simple but significant: in the final phase of the election, the NDP is deliberately shifting its focus to Surrey, acknowledging its decisive role. This reflects a nationwide trend in which election outcomes are increasingly determined by the suburbs of major cities rather than traditional industrial or rural areas. For observers, it is a signal to watch the results in Surrey closely—they will likely indicate whether the NDP will retain power in the province. More information about the report and its context is available in the CTV News article.

❮ ❯

British Columbia: Deficits, Elections and a Land Dispute

The province stands on the threshold of change: an election race in which the Conservatives hold only a narrow lead over the NDP, multibillion-dollar deficits have become a political norm, and a legal battle over Cowichan Nation land threatens to reshape property ownership and infrastructure.

British Columbia: Deficits as the New Political Norm

The election campaign in British Columbia promises voters a miraculous rescue of the province’s finances. But, as Rob Shaw’s analysis for Business in Vancouver shows, neither of the two leading parties can offer a genuine way out of the debt trap. Regardless of who wins on Saturday, multibillion-dollar deficits will remain with the province for years, while campaign promises of fiscal discipline amount to little more than rhetoric.

The New Democrats (NDP), led by incumbent Premier David Eby, are projecting a combined deficit of $38.4 billion over three years: $13.7 billion this year, $12.6 billion in 2027–28 and $12 billion in 2028–29. It is difficult to call this the “path to balance” Eby promised during last year’s election campaign and has repeated ever since. The Conservatives, who might be expected to advocate the opposite approach, estimate an even larger deficit—$39.5 billion over three years ($13.7 billion this year, followed by $13.5 billion and $12.3 billion).

Both leaders are trying to portray their plans as an effort to regain control over spending, although everything points in the opposite direction. Both also accuse each other of overly optimistic estimates, omitted budget items and “creative math.” Eby directly attacked the Conservatives, calling them “the most negative and incredible group of hateful candidates” with a platform that allegedly conceals billions of dollars in health-care cuts. His own platform, he said, would instead expand health-care services across the province by raising taxes on the wealthiest residents.

The platform figures do indeed look paradoxical. The NDP promise $2.6 billion in new spending over three years, offset by $4 billion in new revenue from raising income taxes on those earning more than $190,000, increasing the speculation and vacancy tax, and achieving “targeted economic growth.” The Conservatives promise only $831 million in new spending, but would lose $7.6 billion in revenue by scrapping the PST on capital equipment, introducing a youth tax credit and reducing income taxes by $1,000. They plan to compensate for this through $2.6 billion in revenue growth and $7.7 billion in “spending restraint” achieved by freezing hiring, reviewing the government’s core functions and reducing annual reserves from $5 billion to $3 billion.

The main vulnerability of the Conservative plan is its economic-growth projections, which the article’s author calls “wildly ambitious.” Private forecasts put provincial GDP growth at roughly 1.5–1.7 percent next year and around two percent by 2028. The Conservatives, however, are budgeting for 2.5 percent and 2.8 percent, rising to 3.2 percent by 2029–30—figures that, in Shaw’s words, “go right off the charts.” Conservative Leader John Rustad brushed aside the criticism, saying the party was forecasting “roughly one percentage point more optimism” than the NDP and that this was “entirely achievable,” since many sectors were “just waiting for a change in government to invest in the province.”

Amid all this bickering, the central fact is being lost: the province will remain deeply in the red for the foreseeable future, and debt-servicing costs—already the fourth-largest budget item—will continue to grow. Against this backdrop, the Greens are the only party with a real plan to eliminate the deficit. Emily Lowan proposes introducing a wealth tax on fortunes exceeding $50 million, which she says would generate $22 billion and eliminate the deficit entirely in a single year. The idea is radical and unlikely to be acceptable to Eby, even if he needs Green support in a minority government. But for now, she is the only one offering any kind of way out, while everyone else simply continues to spend more than they have.

For context, several terms require explanation. A budget deficit is the excess of spending over revenue in a given year. Unlike a one-time shortfall, a chronic deficit accumulates as public debt, and servicing that debt—paying interest to creditors—takes money away from the same schools and hospitals. PST, or Provincial Sales Tax, is the provincial sales tax. Under the Conservative plan, eliminating it on capital equipment is intended to encourage business investment, but it would also deprive the treasury of billions. “Spending restraint” through a hiring freeze and a review of government functions is a standard cost-cutting tool, although its actual effect is usually more modest than advertised. The speculation and vacancy tax, which the New Democrats propose increasing, targets the resale of housing for profit and raises revenue from investors and house flippers. Finally, a “path to balance” means a promise to bring spending and revenue into equilibrium without a deficit—an aspiration that, in this case, remains merely a slogan.

The article’s central conclusion is simple and discouraging: the platforms of both parties are built on mutually incompatible assumptions and mutual accusations, but they agree on one thing—the deficit is not going anywhere. Eby accuses Rustad of concealing health-care cuts; Rustad promises to maintain funding at current levels; and both accuse each other of overstating revenue. Meanwhile, debt-servicing costs are rising, and no one offers a genuine alternative to budgetary discipline apart from the Greens’ radical proposal. The only question is who will manage this mountain of debt—and how many more years voters will have to listen to promises of a “balance” that never arrives.

British Columbia on the Final Stretch: Conservatives Close in on NDP a Week Before the Election

In the Canadian province of British Columbia, known for its political instability in recent years, the election race is entering its decisive phase. According to the latest polls, published just days before voting, the Conservative Party of British Columbia, led by John Rustad, has managed to close the gap and even pull ahead by a narrow margin of the governing New Democratic Party (NDP), led by incumbent Premier David Eby. The news, reported by CTV News Vancouver, has turned a campaign that seemed predictable only recently into an unpredictable contest whose outcome could shape the region’s political landscape for the next four years.

The key point is that provincial elections in British Columbia have traditionally been viewed as a contest between two main forces: the NDP, historically supported by urban Vancouver and southern Vancouver Island, and the centre-right forces represented in recent decades by the Liberal Party and now by the Conservatives. The current campaign, however, has been marked by a tectonic shift. After the former Liberal Party collapsed and was reformatted as the “United” Party—and many of its members subsequently moved to the Conservatives—the political right consolidated around a new leader. John Rustad, a former federal Conservative MP, has managed to mobilize voters dissatisfied with the rising cost of living, health-care problems and the housing crisis, which many believe the NDP failed to resolve during its seven years in power.

A key point that should be explained to readers unfamiliar with Canadian politics is that the NDP (New Democratic Party, or BC NDP at the provincial level) is a social democratic party that supports an active government role in the economy, affordable housing and expanded social programs. Its right-wing opponents traditionally criticize it for raising taxes and imposing excessive regulation. The British Columbia Conservatives, by contrast, advocate lower taxes, support for business and a tougher approach to public safety. According to the latest data, the gap between the parties is within the margin of error, meaning that neither can feel confident. It is especially significant that the Conservatives’ lead appears to be extremely narrow: even a small shift in voter sentiment in the final days could overturn the result.

Analysts say the turbulence is linked to several factors. First is voter fatigue with the incumbent government. The NDP has been in power since 2017, and any extended period in office inevitably accumulates negative sentiment. Second, the federal political climate has played a role. The unpopularity of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government indirectly hurts its ideological relatives at the provincial level, although the NDP is not a direct equivalent of the federal Liberals. Third, the Conservatives have made aggressive use of the housing crisis and cost-of-living issues, which matter most to residents of Vancouver and its suburbs. As one campaign observer told CTV News, “voters want change, but they are afraid of radical change, so the battle is for the undecided.”

The campaign is also taking place against a backdrop of record-high turnout in advance voting, which usually indicates strong polarization and voter motivation. This adds another element of intrigue: who actually went to the polls—angry supporters of change or status-quo supporters worried about a change in government? The key battles will take place in Vancouver’s suburbs—Surrey, Langley and Coquitlam—as well as in the Fraser Valley, home to large communities that have traditionally voted unpredictably. There, a narrow advantage for either party could determine the balance of power in the provincial legislature.

In short, the situation is this: one week before election day, British Columbia is balancing on the edge of a change in government. The Conservatives, led by John Rustad, hold a symbolic advantage in the polls, but David Eby’s NDP is not giving up and is relying on its powerful organization and support in densely populated urban ridings. The outcome will likely be determined not by the parties’ overall popularity, but by turnout in specific ridings and each campaign’s ability to mobilize its voters in the final days. If the gap remains as narrow as it is now, the results could be challenged or produce a hung legislature, something that already happened in the province in 2017. One thing is certain: the final week of this campaign will not be boring.

The Battle for the Land: Why the Cowichan Nation Ruling Could Change British Columbia

A court case that began as a historic dispute over Indigenous rights has developed into a wide-ranging confrontation involving the provincial government, federal authorities, the Port of Vancouver, the City of Richmond and other Indigenous communities. The British Columbia Court of Appeal is preparing to hear six applications in January seeking to suspend key provisions of a ruling by Justice Barbara Young, which recognized Cowichan Nation’s (Qwul’sih’yah’maht) ownership rights over a significant portion of land in the Richmond area. The applicants warn of potentially catastrophic consequences—from threats to the land-registration system to problems involving flood-control dikes and fishing—while Cowichan Nation insists that these concerns are exaggerated and manageable.

According to documents obtained by CBC News, the applicants paint a picture of impending chaos. The province says confidence in the land-title system and “critical reconciliation work” are at risk. The City of Richmond says that “thousands of its citizens” could be affected in the event of a catastrophic flood because access to dikes and pumping stations on the disputed sites has been called into question. The Port of Vancouver warns of a “chaotic situation” for its operations and hundreds of employees. The Musqueam and Tsawwassen Nations say they are being displaced from traditional fishing grounds in the south arm of the Fraser River, where salmon stocks are already depleted.

Justice Young’s 600-page ruling recognized Cowichan’s Aboriginal title to an area of up to 325 hectares, including private land as well as lands belonging to the federal Crown, the port and the City of Richmond. The court also confirmed Cowichan’s right to fish for food in waters traditionally associated with other nations. The judge further ruled that Aboriginal title can coexist with private ownership in the form of “fee simple” title, and that the question of how the two forms of ownership coexist must be resolved through negotiations between the Crown and Cowichan Nation. This part of the ruling, concerning private property and fishing rights, took effect immediately, while provisions affecting the port and Richmond were stayed for 18 months—until February 2027—to give the parties time to prepare.

However, the progress of the appeal shows that the parties have still failed to reach agreement. Lawyers for all sides gathered last week in a downtown Vancouver courtroom to establish a filing schedule. More than a dozen lawyers, most of them appearing in person, easily outnumbered the few spectators in the gallery. The appeal court registrar suggested waiving some formalities, noting that otherwise the hearing could last all day. Eight separate but related appeals have been filed, while the number of potential interveners seeking to join the case remains unknown. The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), for example, is asking to represent its 5,000 members in the construction industry, while a provincial lawyer referred to “10 serious potential interveners.”

The January hearing will focus on whether there is a serious legal issue, whether there is a real risk of “irreparable harm” and how the risks to each party should be weighed. Significantly, because of the unprecedented nature of the issues, the Crown has requested a hearing before a special five-judge panel of the Court of Appeal instead of the usual three. Each application for a stay concerns a different aspect of the ruling: fishing rights, ownership of Richmond’s private lands and port lands. The province is also seeking an order barring Cowichan from taking any action to protect its rights against private landowners until the court reaches a final decision.

The debate over the definition of “private landowners” is of particular interest. The case materials contain correspondence between provincial lawyers and Cowichan discussing whether the term includes future land purchasers. Cowichan’s lawyer argues that the province’s definition, which is not limited in time, improperly expands the group of people covered, while Cowichan Nation “does not and will not waive its Aboriginal title in future litigation.” This detail highlights how deeply Justice Young’s ruling affects the foundations of land relations in the province.

Cowichan lawyer David Rosenberg told CBC News that “there have been a lot of inaccurate statements made by politicians, and those statements have caused unnecessary fear and anxiety.” In his view, knowledge of the case’s history shows that it is “unique in many respects and does not have general application either to all Aboriginal title lands or to all private property.” He also stressed that his clients have solutions “for each” of the alleged harmful consequences, whether through agreements providing access to dikes or through joint fisheries management involving federal authorities.

Nevertheless, the applicants’ concerns are highly specific. The Port of Vancouver’s materials include an affidavit from Tanjit Kalhar, CEO of Euro Asia Transload Inc., a company that leases 21.4 hectares at the Richmond terminal and handles cargo ranging from alcohol and tires to electronics and steel. Kalhar says the uncertainty threatens the long-term stability of a business employing hundreds of people. Cowichan, in turn, sent Kalhar and other businesses letters offering to present a “detailed replacement proposal” for their current leases with the port. The Attorney General of Canada adds that these businesses “currently have no suitable alternative location,” and that moving would be “a major undertaking that would cause significant disruption and entail direct financial costs.”

The arguments put forward by the City of Richmond are no less dramatic. They concern two waterfront properties acquired by the city in the 1930s after their owners failed to pay taxes. Parts of a protective dike and pumping station are located on the land, protecting the “flat and low-lying” area from rising sea levels, storm surges and flooding. City lawyers argue that Richmond has no authority to enter private property unilaterally to maintain the dikes, and that existing agreements with other landowners are “formally incompatible” with Justice Young’s ruling. They are seeking an “individual stay” to ensure that critical infrastructure can be maintained, since otherwise “the safety and property of thousands of Richmond residents who are not parties to the litigation will be at risk.”

The Musqueam and Tsawwassen Nations, meanwhile, point to the threat to their fishing rights. Musqueam says its people have lived along local waterways for more than 8,000 years and that fishing has significance not only as a source of food but also culturally. Tsawwassen says it “is a fishing people, and its identity is connected to the Fraser River and the sea.” Both nations emphasize that their ability to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes “has already been severely restricted” by the sustained decline in fish stocks. They claim that after the ruling was released, Cowichan members began fishing in the south arm without consulting them, and that the increased number of boats is “displacing” them from a narrow stretch of the river, making fishing more expensive and less safe.

Cowichan’s response, due by December 18, is expected to be built around three key arguments. First, many of the problems can be resolved through negotiations and agreements—for example, concerning access to dikes and pumping stations. Second, fishing issues are primarily a matter of management that should be addressed with Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans rather than through court injunctions, because “Aboriginal rights are not exclusive; they are shared rights.” Third, the port and federal authorities were given 18 months to organize a transition period, and that is where they should focus their efforts. Rosenberg also recalled that Justice Young’s ruling recognized British Columbia’s duty to negotiate in good faith to reconcile private interests with Cowichan title.

The lawyer’s final comment gives particular weight to his position. In his view, the province’s request to prohibit Cowichan

❮ ❯

Healthcare and British Columbia’s Nature in Focus

This digest covers a B.C. Ferries collision with a humpback whale off the coast, BC NDP campaign promises to open new urgent care centres on Vancouver Island, and an expert column arguing that the hospital crisis is being driven by underfunding of long-term care.

Canadian ferry collides with humpback whale off British Columbia coast

Last weekend, an incident off Canada’s Pacific coast once again drew attention to the challenge of coexistence between large marine vessels and whales. Ferry operator B.C. Ferries, which provides service between mainland British Columbia and island communities, officially confirmed that one of its vessels came into contact with a humpback whale. The report appeared in a breaking news segment by CTV News Vancouver, where the collision was reported without further details—a characteristic approach in such incidents: companies typically confirm that an incident occurred but refrain from assessments until an internal investigation is complete.

Humpback whales are large mammals whose population in the North Pacific has recovered significantly over recent decades following the ban on commercial whaling. Their numbers off the coast of British Columbia have grown to the point that the animals are appearing more often in busy shipping corridors used by ferries, cargo ships and sightseeing boats. For observers, this is both a conservation success and a new area of risk. Humpbacks spend much of their time near the surface, make spectacular leaps and feed in coastal waters, leaving them vulnerable to fast-moving vessels. A collision with a ferry weighing thousands of tonnes almost always means severe injury or death for the animal, while also creating a risk of hull damage and threatening passenger safety, although no injuries were reported in this case.

The key unanswered question concerns the whale’s condition and the circumstances of the encounter. It is not known whether the whale was injured, killed or swam away after the impact, how fast the vessel was travelling, or whether the crew spotted the animal in advance. B.C. Ferries has protocols for monitoring whales and reducing speed in areas where they are likely to appear, but the effectiveness of those measures depends on visibility, sea conditions and the watch crew’s attentiveness. Similar incidents have already prompted public debate: marine conservation advocates are calling for mandatory speed reductions in feeding areas and independent monitoring of collisions, arguing that a significant number of cases go unreported. For regulators, this is a signal that stricter shipping rules may be needed in coastal waters; for the company, it is a reason to review its procedures; and for passengers, it is a reminder that a familiar ferry route passes through a living ecosystem where transportation and wildlife are increasingly intersecting.

British Columbia bets on urgent care with new Vancouver Island centres

British Columbia’s election campaign is gathering momentum, and healthcare is becoming one of the main issues. This week, the governing New Democratic Party (BC NDP), led by David Eby, announced a new promise: if re-elected, it will open two new Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs)—one in the southern Cowichan region and another in the Cowichan Valley. The move is intended to give residents faster access to medical care and ease pressure on overcrowded hospital emergency departments. As reported by Victoria Buzz, the promise is part of the party’s broader strategy to expand the network of such clinics across the province.

The proposal is simple but important for thousands of people. Urgent and Primary Care Centres are clinics where patients can receive treatment for conditions that are not life-threatening but require prompt attention: minor injuries, infections, sprains, cuts and other common ailments that do not necessarily require a visit to an emergency department. Residents of Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake and Cobble Hill currently have to travel to Duncan or Colwood to access such a centre, and appointments often fill within minutes of becoming available. Dana Lajeunesse, the BC NDP candidate in Juan de Fuca—Malahat, said: “When you or a family member needs medical care, you want to know there is somewhere you can go. The new centre will give more people in our community the opportunity to receive care the same day, without waiting days for an appointment or going to an emergency department.” Her colleague Debra Toporowski, the party’s candidate in the Cowichan Valley, added that people deserve options for receiving care without waiting days or turning to the emergency department.

This promise is not an isolated step. Over the past week, the BC NDP has also pledged to open new centres in the Cowichan Valley, Greater Victoria, Port Hardy and the Courtenay/Comox area, as well as in Oliver, North and South Vancouver, Langley, Penticton, Parksville, Kitimat, Terrace and Richmond. The party plans to build on the existing network of 48 such centres across the province. For context, UPCCs are a relatively new model in Canadian healthcare, designed to fill the gap between family doctors and hospital emergency departments. Patients can receive care without a referral or book an appointment for the same day, which is particularly important amid the shortage of family doctors facing British Columbia.

Opposition parties are proposing different approaches. The BC Green Party, led by Emily Lowan, supports moving away from health-authority-run UPCCs and creating a network of integrated Community Health Centres (CHCs), one in each electoral district. The Conservative Party of British Columbia has not yet committed to opening new clinics, instead proposing a commission to import healthcare solutions from other jurisdictions. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, who has been accused of seeking to privatize healthcare, categorically denies that intention. Vancouver Island voters will therefore have to choose between expanding the existing urgent-care model, shifting to community health centres or seeking outside solutions—and that choice will directly affect access to care in a region where getting a clinic appointment often feels like a lottery.

Several terms in the article warrant explanation. A UPCC (Urgent and Primary Care Centre) is a hybrid clinic that accepts patients without referrals for urgent but non-critical conditions; it operates on a same-day basis but does not replace a family doctor or serve as an emergency department. A CHC (Community Health Centre) is a community-based model in which a team of doctors, nurses and social workers provides comprehensive care, with an emphasis on prevention and the social determinants of health. The distinction is fundamental: a UPCC addresses an immediate problem, while a CHC is designed for long-term follow-up. Finally, an “emergency department” is the hospital unit for life-threatening conditions, and overcrowding there is the central problem the parties are trying to alleviate through their promises.

B.C. hospitals are gasping because long-term care has been neglected

At first glance, the healthcare crisis in the Canadian province of British Columbia may appear to be solely a problem of overcrowded hospitals, endless emergency-department queues and exhausted doctors. However, as Jason M. Sutherland, a professor of health policy and services at the University of British Columbia, convincingly argues, the root of the problem lies elsewhere. In a column for Daily Hive Urbanized, he says hospitals are buckling under the weight of patients who should not actually be there, while the real cause is years of underinvestment in long-term care. This is not merely a statement of fact but a direct indictment of the provincial government, which, in the author’s view, has spent years using expensive hospital beds as an awkward and costly safety net for a system unable to meet the needs of an aging and increasingly frail population.

The author describes the crisis through a shocking statistic: 15 per cent of all hospital beds in the province are occupied by patients who no longer require inpatient treatment but cannot be discharged because they have nowhere safe to go. The overwhelming majority of these people are seniors. Keeping them in hospitals, where they do not receive specialized care, is not only a wasteful use of scarce resources but also a direct threat to their health and dignity. These “stuck” patients create a domino effect: there are fewer beds for emergency patients, ambulances remain waiting to offload patients, and staff morale declines. The situation has been worsened by the provincial government’s sudden cancellation earlier this year of already approved projects to build new long-term-care facilities in communities including Squamish, Kelowna and Fort St. John. Officials may have been deterred by the cost of $1.8 million per bed, but, as Sutherland sharply observes, the decision will only deepen the hospital collapse. With the wait-list for a publicly funded long-term-care bed exceeding 7,000 people and the average wait stretching beyond 200 days, abandoning construction looks like a dead-end strategy.

Pressure on the system is rising from several directions at once. Medicine has made major advances in saving lives, but the other side of that progress is a growing number of people living longer with severe disabilities and complex round-the-clock care needs. The province is also aging: according to Statistics Canada, more than one in five British Columbians is over 65. Existing capacity is categorically inadequate—thousands of new beds will be needed over the next decade simply to maintain current service levels. The author proposes a specific action plan that should become a central issue in the upcoming election. First, construction must not only resume but be radically accelerated, since waiting five to seven years for a new facility to open is an unaffordable luxury given the pressure on hospitals. Second, existing buildings cannot be ignored: after years of budget reallocations to other priorities, routine maintenance in long-term-care facilities has been deferred, and many are now rundown or outdated, failing to meet modern standards for privacy and dignity. Third, the province needs intermediate facilities—so-called “step-down” centres—where medically stable patients could undergo rehabilitation before returning home or wait for a long-term-care placement. This would free up vital hospital space without requiring the construction of expensive hospital beds. Finally, investment is needed to prevent people from entering hospital in the first place: expanding publicly funded home care, adult day programs and respite services for family caregivers. Home care must also include more complex medical support, including specialized dementia care that could delay or even prevent the need for institutional long-term care.

Several concepts used by the author require clarification. The term “hallway medicine” is not a metaphor but a reality in Canadian hospitals, where patients are placed in corridors because of a lack of space, violating their right to privacy and increasing the risk of complications. “Step-down facilities” are transitional facilities between hospital and home, where people who no longer need acute treatment but are not yet ready to live independently can receive rehabilitation. Finally, “long-term care” in the Canadian context means more than nursing homes: it refers to publicly funded facilities for people with high medical needs, which nevertheless have enormous wait-lists. The article’s key insight is that the hospital crisis is not a hospital problem but a problem of missing alternatives. Sutherland offers a striking line that could serve as the slogan for his campaign: “The solution is not simply to build more hospitals. The province needs to ensure that people receive the right care in the right place.” The consequences of inaction are clear: further deterioration of emergency care, rising deaths and suffering among older people, and burnout among healthcare workers. As the author reminds readers, ahead of the election, improving access to long-term care and hospital services must become part of the political agenda—otherwise, the crisis now visible in hospital corridors will become irreversible.

❮ ❯

Vancouver Chooses a Green Course: Fry Defeats Sim

Vancouver residents elected Green candidate Pete Fry as mayor in the 2026 municipal election. He defeated incumbent Mayor Ken Sim by approximately 23,000 votes. The Green Party and COPE dominated all elected bodies—the city council, park board, and school board—while ABC Vancouver won just one council seat. Voters also approved three borrowing plebiscites authorizing $790 million for the 2027–2030 capital plan. Turnout rose to more than 43%, up from 36% in 2022. Official results will be announced on October 21, and the inauguration is scheduled for November 2.

Vancouver Chooses a Green Course: Fry Wins, Progressives Take Council, Voters Approve $790 Million in Loans

Vancouver residents elected a mayor, 10 city councillors, seven park commissioners, and nine school trustees in the 2026 municipal election, while also answering three borrowing questions. In short, the city took a noticeable step to the left: Green candidate Pete Fry won the mayoral race, while progressive forces—the Greens, COPE, and OneCity—dominated the city council, park board, and school board. The only notable exception was ABC Vancouver, which elected just one councillor. The chief election officer is expected to announce the official results, including the plebiscite results, by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21. All figures cited here are therefore preliminary, as emphasized by the results page on the city’s website.

The most striking result was the mayoral race: Green candidate Pete Fry received 98,494 votes. Notably, he is the only mayoral candidate listed in the published results, which looks unusual for a genuine multiparty contest, but that is how the preliminary data currently appear. Ten people were elected to council, and the results are revealing. COPE’s Sean Orr received 83,038 votes—more than any other council candidate and nearly as many as Fry—followed by Green candidate Annette Riley (78,476), Chloe Leslie (COPE, 67,791), Devyani Singh (COPE, 65,473), Stephanie Smith (Greens, 64,070), Lucy Maloney (OneCity, 63,143), Camille Dumont (Greens, 62,540), Solomon Yee-Kieran (COPE, 60,361), Mike Klassen (ABC Vancouver, 57,798), and Bridgette Burns (Greens, 57,788). The gap between the last elected candidate and the first unsuccessful candidate is not provided, but the close results at the bottom of the top 10 indicate that the race for the final seats was tight, while COPE and the Greens maintained a solid dominance.

Progressives strengthened their position even more on the school board. COPE won four of the nine seats, led by Susie Ma (83,416 votes), while the remaining seats went to OneCity and the Greens. On the park board, the Greens and COPE divided all seven seats. Tom Digby (Greens, 78,751) topped the list, followed by Spencer van Vloten (Greens, 65,005), T’uy’t’tanat Keyes Wires (COPE, 64,192), Tamiko Suzuki (COPE, 63,105), Brianna Smart (Greens, 62,420), Jamie Han (COPE, 61,093), and Sasya Burton (COPE, 59,480). In other words, ABC Vancouver—which had been the leading force in municipal politics in previous years—retained only one council seat and won no representation on the park or school boards. This marks a major shift in the balance of power.

The three borrowing questions for the capital plan were a separate storyline. The city asked voters to authorize $790 million in borrowing to fund a four-year capital plan for 2027–2030, worth $3.5 billion in total and focused on maintaining, renewing, and modernizing infrastructure and public facilities. All three questions received decisive support. Transportation and street infrastructure ($292 million) passed 147,171 to 41,572; public and essential civic infrastructure ($438 million) passed 149,938 to 38,802; and parks and open public spaces ($60 million) passed 152,587 to 36,489. This gives council the authority to borrow funds for the relevant projects during the specified period.

Turnout also increased. Preliminary figures show 209,214 ballots cast, representing more than 43%, compared with 36% in 2022. A rise of nearly seven percentage points in a municipal election signals heightened public interest, although some of the increase may be attributable to the borrowing plebiscites themselves, which traditionally mobilize voters. The inauguration of the city council, park board, and school board is scheduled for November 2, 2026.

Several points help put the results in context. Vancouver’s municipal elections are not conducted through closed party lists in the conventional sense. Voters select individual candidates, so party affiliation matters as a label, but votes are distributed personally—hence the differences among candidates from the same party. COPE, the Coalition of Progressive Electors, and OneCity are left-wing and progressive municipal movements. The Greens have traditionally focused on environmental issues and public transit. ABC Vancouver is a centrist force associated with the previous city administration. A borrowing plebiscite is a mechanism requiring the city to ask voters for permission to take on long-term debt; without a majority “yes” vote, council could not finance the relevant capital-plan items. A capital plan is a four-year infrastructure spending program rather than an operating budget, covering roads, bridges, water systems, parks, and similar assets.

The key takeaway is that Vancouver did not simply change its mayor; it reshaped the balance of power in its representative institutions. Fry’s victory and the dominance of COPE and the Greens give city hall a mandate for more socially and environmentally oriented policies, while approval of $790 million in borrowing provides that agenda with financial backing. At the same time, ABC Vancouver’s decline raises questions about how cohesive the opposition will be and how quickly the new council can deliver its capital projects. Turnout of more than 43% further strengthens the result’s legitimacy. The city now awaits official confirmation on October 21, when the figures will become final.

Pete Fry Defeats Ken Sim and Becomes Vancouver’s Mayor

Pete Fry, a city councillor who had served two terms and emerged as the leading challenger to incumbent Mayor Ken Sim, won Saturday’s Vancouver municipal election. According to a CityNews Vancouver report, Fry did more than win: he led a triumph for his party, the Vancouver Greens, which is on track to win seats in nearly every elected body in the city. With 80% of ballots counted, Fry was already ahead of Sim by approximately 23,000 votes, and the margin continued to grow as counting progressed. The result was so decisive that Sim called his rival and conceded defeat before the official results were announced.

The election results went against the previous administration across the board. TEAM’s Colleen Hardwick finished third, Karim Allam of the Vancouver Liberals was fourth, and Rebecca Bligh of Vote Vancouver rounded out the top five. But the main story was not simply Fry’s personal victory; it was the collapse of ABC Vancouver, Sim’s party. According to preliminary results, it elected just one candidate to council, Mike Klassen, and won no seats on the park board. “Clearly, voters wanted to go in a different direction tonight,” Sim acknowledged in his farewell speech. “Not only at the mayor’s office, but also on council, the park board, and the school board. I think it’s important to recognize that.”

Fry took the stage to chants of “Fry, Fry!” and promised in his victory speech not to betray the public’s trust. “Thank you for putting your trust in me and my team. We will not let you down,” he said. “We love this city very much, and we’re here to work for it and fight for it. Yes, we have problems—but what city doesn’t? It’s about how we face those problems and how we solve them together.” Sim, meanwhile, said he would take comfort in the fact that serving as mayor had been “the best job of his life.” “When I’m on my deathbed, I’ll look back on this time and realize that this was probably the most meaningful thing I’ve ever been part of.”

The Greens are on track to elect their entire slate—a rare result in Canadian municipal politics, where parties usually win only a portion of the available seats. Annette Riley, Stephanie Smith, and, according to projections, Camille Dumont are headed to council, while Bridgette Burns is in a close battle for the 10th and final seat. All three of the party’s park-board candidates—Tom Digby, Spencer van Vloten, and Brianna Smart—are also leading. In addition to the Greens, council seats are going to Sean Orr, Chloe Leslie, Devyani Singh, and Solomon Yee-Kieran of COPE, as well as Lucy Maloney of OneCity. Fry himself cautiously noted that results were still coming in and that “there is a lot to process.”

A key factor in the victory was the unification of the progressive camp. COPE’s Stephanie Allen first withdrew from the mayoral race, followed by OneCity’s William Azaroff. Both decisions were made to avoid splitting the vote and to field a single candidate against Sim. Fry, described as the incumbent mayor’s “natural antidote,” presented himself as Sim’s “only consistent opposition” throughout his four years in office. This allowed him to become a rallying point for voters weary of the previous administration.

Fry and the Greens’ platform is built around affordable housing and transportation, sustainable development and green construction, and neighbourhood safety. On crime—one of the campaign’s central issues—the party has promised to create an outreach team to respond to non-emergency calls involving unhoused people and those struggling with addictions, while funding crisis-intervention and de-escalation programs. The Greens also plan to establish “safe and appropriate spaces” where unhoused people can gather and receive support and medical care, including supervised drug use. “The important thing is to find a better place for them and say, ‘You know, you can’t do this in the doorway of someone’s business, but you can go over there, where there’s a more appropriate space for it,’” Fry explained in an interview with CityNews. He also called a non-binding plebiscite on whether to tighten the city’s sanitation bylaw and ban public use of hard drugs—including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin—a “very bad idea.”

Other promises include using city-owned land for affordable housing, completing the core cycling network, renovating the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, and introducing ranked-choice voting in mayoral elections instead of the first-past-the-post system. The last proposal is particularly significant: the fragmentation of the progressive electorate nearly cost it the victory, and electoral reform is intended to preserve the lesson of this election.

Fry’s path to the mayor’s office was a long one. He came to Canada from Ireland as a child and worked as a graphic designer and communications consultant before entering politics. He lost the 2014 municipal election and, in 2016, lost a by-election to the provincial legislature in the Vancouver–Mount Pleasant riding as a candidate for the BC Green Party. He was then elected to city council for the first time in 2018, finishing second in the vote, and narrowly won re-election to a second term in 2022. Now, his experience as an opposition figure who voted against Sim administration decisions for years has become his greatest political asset.

For readers unfamiliar with the Canadian municipal context, several points are worth explaining. Vancouver is one of the few major Canadian cities with fully developed municipal parties, although they formally differ from federal and provincial parties. The city council consists of a mayor and 10 councillors elected at the same time, so a party “sweep”—electing several candidates at once—gives it control over the legislative agenda. The park board and school board are elected separately, which explains how the Greens could prevail at all three levels. Finally, a ranked ballot is a system in which voters rank candidates, with votes for eliminated candidates transferred to the next preference. It helps prevent a candidate from winning with a minority of the vote when opposition support is divided.

The main conclusion from this election is straightforward: Vancouver voted less for the Greens than against four years of Sim’s administration, and the unification of progressive forces turned that discontent into a mandate for a comprehensive change of direction. A 23,000-vote margin and potential control of all elected bodies give Fry a rare opportunity for a Canadian city mayor to implement his agenda without having to contend with an internal council opposition—but responsibility for that agenda now rests entirely with him. With the housing crisis and public drug use remaining the city’s most urgent problems, and the proposed “safe spaces” for drug users already generating controversy, the new mayor must prove that his status as Sim’s “natural alternative” is more than a slogan and can become a functioning model of governance.

Vancouver Changes Course: How the Green Wave and COPE Ended the Ken Sim Era

Vancouver’s 2026 mayoral election became a political earthquake that had seemed unlikely until the very end. Green Party candidate Pete Fry decisively defeated incumbent Mayor Ken Sim of ABC, bringing his administration to an end and completely reshaping city council. What had looked just months earlier like a change of scenery turned into a change of political era: for the first time in the city’s history, a Green representative became mayor, while a council once dominated by a single party now consists of four political forces with a clear left-leaning orientation. Sim conceded quickly and graciously, calling the voters’ decision a form of democracy that must be respected and promising to support his successor.

The voting results were far more radical than simply replacing one mayor with another. All four Green candidates—Annette Riley, Camille Dumont, Stephanie Smith, and Bridgette Burns—won council seats. COPE elected all 12 of its candidates, with Sean Orr leading the councillor race by several thousand votes. OneCity retained its sole seat through Lucy Maloney’s re-election, while ABC was left with a modest consolation: Mike Klassen became the only ABC councillor to be re-elected. Taken together with the park-board and school-board results, the picture looks like a complete reset of city government, with ABC’s former “comfortable majoritarianism” replaced by a fragile but promising balance of power.

Fry’s victory is not only about the arithmetic of seats; it also represents a change in governing philosophy. He explains the Greens’ success by saying that they have always been a party of values rather than a rigid party program: respect for the land, participatory democracy, cooperation, nonviolence, and basic human kindness. In that sense, his comments about the “heavy role” of being the first Green mayor sound less like a complaint than an acknowledgment of the weight of expectations. It is telling that Fry, who also served on council under Kennedy Stewart, remembers those years as a period when the pandemic created obstacles but council still achieved results—for example, opening meetings to video and audio participation, which changed the practice of city politics itself. His argument that mayors and councillors across British Columbia work perfectly well without a party system is directed squarely at the new landscape, in which no one holds a majority.

COPE’s success deserves separate analysis, since the party turned public discontent into an electoral machine. Its campaign was built around the simple and blunt message “Evict Ken Sim,” while its “People’s Audit” platform promised to review controversial decisions made during the Sim era, raise the empty-homes tax to 9%, and investigate why key decisions had been made against the public interest. Campaign director Sean Wolfle said the party knocked on 10,000 doors on election day and sensed that something special was happening. In April 2025, COPE had already won a council seat in a by-election, which became a precursor to the current triumph. In COPE’s view, Sim was “leading the city into decline” through his governing style and budget cuts—and voters, judging by the results, agreed. Stephanie Allen, who withdrew her candidacy in September to avoid splitting the opposition vote, put it most succinctly: “I made defeat beautiful. We showed that power belongs to the people.”

ABC’s defeat was not simply a loss of positions; it was a rejection of a particular political course. Sim’s party built its campaign around public safety, citing falling crime rates, while also calling for action against the “social disorder” on the streets associated with mental illness and addiction. ABC opposed opening a new overdose-prevention site in Yaletown, and in August the provincial government announced that the plan would not go ahead. The party also called for a pause in the construction of new supportive housing and lobbied against the opening of such facilities initiated by the local health authority. Opposition parties, by contrast, supported lifting the ban on new supportive housing and opposed two plebiscite questions that ABC and Sim’s council had added to the ballot at a cost of $500,000. The plebiscite results will be announced on October 21, but it is already clear that most voters did not interpret the “tough-on-crime” approach as a mandate.

Several terms used in the text as though self-explanatory require clarification. A “councillor” is a member of the city council, equivalent to a municipal-level legislator; together with the mayor, councillors make key decisions about the budget, zoning, and city services. A “plebiscite” in this context is not a nationwide referendum but a citywide question placed on the ballot at council’s initiative to seek a public mandate on contentious issues, particularly drug policy and involuntary treatment. “Supportive housing” is housing accompanied by social services for people unable to live independently; the debate over it in Vancouver has become a symbol of the broader conflict between advocates of a tougher response to street crime and supporters of social assistance. COPE stands for the Coalition of Progressive Electors, the city’s oldest left-wing municipal party, while OneCity is a younger centre-left force focused on housing affordability and support for small businesses, including the legalization of corner stores.

The central insight from this election is that Vancouver residents voted less for a specific program than against the style and priorities of the previous government. Sim himself said he was proud of his work in Chinatown and his actions in the Downtown Eastside, including the controversial clearing of a tent encampment in 2023 and the police operation known as “Task Force Barrage,” as well as of becoming the first mayor of Chinese descent in a major Canadian city. But that pride did not translate into votes. Voters appear to have judged not individual achievements but their overall sense of the city’s direction. His statement—“We love this city very much, and of course we want Pete to succeed. The goal was never to become mayor. The goal was to have an incredible city”—sounds sincere, but also underscores how closely his party identified itself with its leader rather than with a durable coalition.

The new council, where COPE holds a small majority and the Greens, OneCity, and ABC each have individual seats, is destined for difficult negotiations. Fry, however, is optimistic. His experience serving on council under Stewart, when the party system was weaker and meetings were opened to remote participation, suggests to him that the absence of a dominant party is not a sentence but an invitation to cooperate. Riley says the Greens did not seek a majority precisely because they wanted to work across party lines, and that her main goal is to make the city safer for all residents, including vulnerable groups. OneCity’s Maloney expresses the same idea through the lens of affordability and safety: “It’s really great that ABC will no longer be making decisions.” It is a rare case of opposition forces declaring their readiness to compromise in advance, although their electoral bases may demand more decisive action.

For readers following Canadian municipal politics, this election is an instructive case of how local issues—such as supportive housing, overdose-prevention sites, and the empty-homes tax—become full-fledged ideological markers. The victory of the Greens and COPE signals that in Vancouver, the demand for social justice and climate action proved stronger than the demand for “street order” in its more hard-line interpretation. At the same time, ABC’s result is a reminder that a party built around the mayor’s personality and polarizing issues risks losing everything if voters tire of the conflict. The question now is how durable the new balance of power will be and whether Fry can turn the “Green wave” from an emotional surge into a sustainable governing practice. Further voting details and final results can be tracked in [The Tyee’s report](https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/10/17/Tracking-Vancouver-

❮ ❯

British Columbia Elections, an Air Canada Promotional Flight and Municipal Races

Vancouver and all of British Columbia are voting in municipal elections amid record early turnout. The mayoral race is “neck and neck,” with plebiscites on drug policy and involuntary treatment also on the ballot, while CBC examines key campaigns in nine Metro Vancouver cities—from a changing of the guard in Richmond to controversies in Surrey and Delta. Meanwhile, Air Canada is filming an advertisement for its new Airbus A321XLR over the Lower Mainland, promising to expand its long-haul network and launch new routes from Vancouver by 2027.

Vancouver Chooses a Mayor: Record Turnout, a “Neck-and-Neck” Race and Two Controversial Plebiscites

On Saturday, October 17, Vancouver residents headed to the polls to decide who will lead the city for the next four years. Voting is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and residents can vote at any of the 85 polling locations across the city. Interest in the election has been so high that a record was set even before election day: 103,000 people voted early, 60 percent more than the approximately 65,000 who voted during the five days of advance voting in 2022. That level of activity alone suggests that residents see this campaign as consequential rather than routine.

The mayoral race remains undecided until the final moment. According to a Canada Pulse Insights poll conducted exclusively for CityNews and OMNI TV and published on October 9, Green Party candidate Pete Fry leads with 28 percent among decided voters, while incumbent Mayor Ken Sim of ABC Vancouver follows with 27 percent. The one-point gap falls within the margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, meaning there is no clear favorite. Among those who are certain to vote or have already done so, the numbers are nearly identical: Fry has 29 percent compared with Sim’s 28 percent. Karim Allam of the Vancouver Liberals is third with 19 percent, followed by Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver with 13 percent and Rebecca Bligh of Vote Vancouver with seven percent. Also on the ballot are Muhammad Ahmad of Bright Future Vancouver, as well as independents Amaury Kaliman and Scott Gilbert.

Ken Sim, seeking a second term with the centre-right ABC, has built his campaign around a promise of no property-tax increases and has already presented a 100-day plan in the event of re-election. He acknowledges that not everything has been accomplished during his term, but insists that he is leading the city in the right direction. Pete Fry, a three-term councillor and the son of longtime Liberal MP Hedy Fry, is focusing on housing, transportation and the economy, repeatedly saying that “people should be able to live well in this city.” Karim Allam, Sim’s former chief of staff, has distanced himself from his former boss and promises to bring young people back to Vancouver through affordable housing and jobs, investment in parks and community centres, and a platform he says goes beyond ideology. Rebecca Bligh, who served two terms as a councillor and helped Sim win in 2022, is now running against him as a “progressive candidate with a centrist platform.” She accuses him of using the tax freeze to protect affluent property owners while undermining essential services. Colleen Hardwick, a former councillor, sees effective urban planning as the key to a comfortable life and promises to scrap the city’s official development plan and restore neighbourhood planning offices.

Interestingly, the electorate is divided less by candidates than by the type of concerns voters have. John Wright, head of Canada Pulse Insights, described it in an interview with CityNews as “two different streams heading toward each other.” According to Wright, Fry’s supporters are concerned about the environment, ethics, accountability, housing affordability and housing itself—a “very clear agenda.” Sim’s supporters have a different outlook: affordability is their top concern, followed by crime, municipal taxes and budget responsibility—“more down-to-earth, meat-and-potatoes issues.” Wright adds that this audience—often older people, homeowners and taxpayers—traditionally votes at higher rates, which could matter on election day.

In addition to the mayor, Vancouver residents will elect 10 city councillors. Candidates are running under the banners of ABC, the Greens, COPE, OneCity and other groups. Voters will also choose seven park board commissioners and nine school board trustees. But the ballot’s biggest surprise is two non-binding public-safety plebiscites and three borrowing questions related to the Capital Plan. The first plebiscite asks whether voters support tightening city bylaws to prohibit the open use of hard drugs in public places—even though it is already illegal in British Columbia. The second proposes asking the province to convert part of the former St. Paul’s Hospital into a “secure medical facility” with more than 100 beds for involuntary treatment. Colleen Hardwick called the questions “a populist election stunt,” while other critics described them as unrealistic. Sim, by contrast, says strengthening the city’s sanitation bylaws would allow inspectors to issue fines or confiscate drugs without making arrests. He describes the involuntary-treatment question as a demand that the province fulfill its responsibility to people who are dangerous to themselves or others. Fry supports regulating drug use in public places but differs from Sim on the approach: he believes people should be directed to supervised-consumption sites or shelters. The three borrowing questions concern transportation and street infrastructure, public-purpose and essential facilities, and parks and open public spaces.

Several concepts in this story require explanation. In the Canadian municipal context, a plebiscite is not a legally binding referendum but a non-binding public-opinion survey that city authorities may use as guidance but are not required to follow. Sim’s promised property-tax freeze means the tax rate would not rise; for the city, however, this could mean declining real revenues during inflation, as the same amount of money buys fewer services. Involuntary treatment is a highly controversial measure involving confinement of people with addictions or mental-health conditions in closed facilities against their will. It faces objections from human-rights advocates but has support among some voters frustrated by the street crisis. Finally, the Capital Plan is a multiyear capital-borrowing plan—effectively authorization for the city to take on debt for major infrastructure projects. The vote will determine how much the city can invest in roads, parks and public buildings.

Voting is not limited to Vancouver. On the same day, mayoral and council elections are taking place in municipalities across British Columbia, including Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby, Abbotsford and dozens of other cities. CityNews begins full coverage at 6 p.m. local time, with reporters throughout Metro Vancouver and invited experts analyzing the results. The key takeaway for observers is simple: with record advance turnout and a one-point gap, the election will be decided by election-day turnout and by which electorate—the “environmental” or “taxpayer” vote—is more disciplined. Even without legal force, the two plebiscites on drug policy and involuntary treatment will shape the city’s debate for years to come.

British Columbia Elections: Nine Metro Vancouver Municipalities to Watch

On Saturday, 161 municipal elections will take place across British Columbia, 21 of them in the Metro Vancouver region alone. Over the past two months, CBC has held seven mayoral debates in different municipalities and prepared candidate profiles in two more cities to give voters context on the campaign’s key issues. The material, published on the CBC website, serves as a guide to some of the region’s most interesting electoral contests.

Vancouver traditionally occupies centre stage as the province’s largest city by population. Incumbent Mayor Ken Sim, leader of ABC Vancouver, is seeking re-election against eight challengers. They include former councillor Colleen Hardwick, incumbent councillor Rebecca Bligh and Sim’s former chief of staff, Karim Allam, whom the mayor is currently suing for defamation. The strongest challenger, however, appears to be Green Party candidate Pete Fry—the only councillor who has consistently opposed the majority over the past four years. The campaign’s main themes are public safety and Sim’s plebiscite on drug use, but considerable attention is also being paid to whether the ABC Vancouver majority has benefited the city.

In Surrey, the province’s second-largest city, Brenda Locke is seeking a second term and faces six challengers from other local political groups. Locke became embroiled in a controversy over the transition to the Surrey Police Service, a matter on which she lost a court case. Her opponents include prominent figures such as former mayor Doug McCallum and two-term councillor Linda Annis. Nevertheless, no single issue has emerged around which the campaign has united, and the opposition vote could well be split among Locke’s challengers.

In Richmond, the province’s fourth-largest city, an era is coming to an end: Malcolm Brodie, who was elected mayor for 25 consecutive years, usually by a wide margin, is retiring. Seven candidates are seeking to replace him, but polls and experts agree that the real race is between three candidates: former councillor Rob Howard and incumbent councillors Kash Heed and Alexa Loo. All three are connected to the former BC Liberal Party—Howard and Heed served as members of the provincial legislature, while Loo was a candidate—so their positions on policy are broadly similar. The differences lie in temperament, experience and the fallout from negative reactions to a study of a potential supervised-consumption site, as well as questions about whether the representation of Chinese Canadians will change in a city where people with Chinese connections make up a majority of the population.

Coquitlam, like Richmond, is awaiting a change in power: longtime mayor Richard Stewart is stepping down. Four-term councillor Craig Hodge began his campaign more than a year ago and won Stewart’s endorsement. His council colleague Trish Mandewo, however, entered the race just weeks before the deadline, emphasizing her teamwork skills and her previous leadership of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Stewart ultimately withdrew his support for Hodge and gave it to Mandewo, adding intrigue to the election. Meanwhile, Madhavi Inamdar argues that both councillors are responsible for Coquitlam failing to reach its full potential and hopes to win as the “outsider.”

One of the region’s fiercest campaigns is taking place in Delta and effectively began more than two years ago. Dylan Kruger led a group that removed George Harvie as chair of Metro Vancouver and curtailed his authority to make certain minor decisions at city hall without council approval. Now Kruger and Harvie are running for mayor, and the campaign centres on leadership and ethics. They are joined by former executive director of the Surrey Police Board Melissa Granum, who is calling for a complete break with the council’s political culture.

Two mid-sized cities—New Westminster and Langley City—feature a similar story: progressive mayors Patrick Johnstone and Nathan Pachal, who have council majorities, are seeking re-election while facing opposition councillors Daniel Fontaine and Delany Mack, who are calling for lower taxes and greater attention to crime and safety. In both cases, personal conflicts have also played a role. Mack has filed several complaints alleging violations of the code of conduct, as well as a court petition concerning what she describes as unfair personal treatment by her council colleagues. Fontaine and Johnstone have publicly apologized for their rhetoric toward their opponents.

Langley Township and West Vancouver are larger suburbs where the mayors seeking re-election have found themselves at the centre of legal proceedings or investigations during their four-year terms. The similarities end there, however. In Langley Township, Eric Woodward faces the opposition Langley Strong party, which includes experienced councillors, but its mayoral candidate, Jay Lundgren, is a newcomer to politics. The main question is whether the city is taking on too much debt to finance new infrastructure projects. In West Vancouver, former journalist Kirk LaPointe is challenging Mark Sager, but he also faces competition from councillor Sharon Thompson, who supported much of Sager’s agenda. The debate here concerns leadership and character, as well as whether the district should have challenged Metro Vancouver’s decisions over the wastewater-treatment controversy and the provincial government’s housing targets.

Several concepts help put the material in context. Municipal elections in British Columbia take place every four years, with voting held in all the province’s cities on the same day—hence 161 campaigns in a single day. Metro Vancouver is a regional federation of municipalities that manages shared services, including wastewater treatment and regional planning. Its chair is elected from among mayors and councillors, which is why the conflict over that position in Delta matters so much. A plebiscite is a separate question put to voters alongside an election; Ken Sim used this tool to gauge residents’ views on drug policy. A supervised-consumption site is a medical facility where people can use drugs under supervision to reduce the risk of overdose. Such facilities regularly become the subject of political disputes in Canada.

CBC’s central conclusion is that this election in Metro Vancouver is largely about governing style and ethics rather than fundamentally different platforms. In Richmond, all three front-runners have similar views; in Delta, the campaign revolves around leadership and moral character; and in New Westminster and Langley City, personal conflicts have taken centre stage. At the same time, the departure of longtime mayors—Brodie in Richmond and Stewart in Coquitlam—creates room for unpredictable outcomes, while a split opposition vote, as in Surrey, could help incumbents remain in power. Electoral-infrastructure data underscore the scale of the event: 21 races in the region alone and seven debates organized by CBC represent a serious effort to help voters navigate complex and fragmented municipal politics.

Air Canada Films Its New Airbus Over Vancouver: The Story Behind the “Chase” in the British Columbia Sky

Residents of the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island may have witnessed an unusual sight on Friday, October 16: two aircraft flying very close together, with one seemingly chasing the other. It was neither an emergency nor a military exercise, but a promotional shoot. Air Canada was filming its new narrow-body Airbus A321XLR from the air, using a second aircraft—a privately owned Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 that does not belong to the airline—specifically for aerial video work. The company announced its plans in advance on X, warning that the pair could be seen near YVR, over the Lower Mainland and throughout Vancouver Island.

Air Canada spokesperson Angela Ma explained in comments to Vancouver Is Awesome that the airline is entering “a new era of fleet modernization” with this aircraft, and that the footage will be used in branding, communications, marketing and promotional campaigns around the world. She said the filming location was chosen deliberately: the XLR will serve European destinations, while the spectacular backdrop of British Columbia’s coastal mountains, the Pacific Ocean, white clouds and Vancouver’s urban landscape allows the company to showcase the province’s natural beauty while promoting Canada to international customers.

The aircraft itself is the central figure in the story. The flag carrier presented its first Airbus A321XLR at Vancouver International Airport in June, along with its new Glowing Hearted cabin design. The aircraft has 182 seats: 14 fully lie-flat seats in Air Canada Signature Class, 68 economy seats and 36 “preferred” seats with extra legroom. The company currently has four of these aircraft, but Air Canada plans to receive 30 Airbus A321XLRs over the next several years. At the presentation, Alex Lefebvre, vice-president of network planning and global sales, noted that these are the first fully lie-flat seats on a narrow-body aircraft in Canada. This allows the airline to operate year-round flights on routes that were previously seasonal, as well as open new routes.

Interestingly, the decision to equip the aircraft this way grew out of observations of passenger preferences after the COVID-19 pandemic. People became more willing to pay extra for business class and a premium experience, and demand for lie-flat seats proved strong not only on international routes but also on North American ones. For now, the XLR will fly from eastern Canadian cities to Europe, while flights to Vancouver from Toronto and Montreal will begin in 2027. Lefebvre promised new routes and new markets, adding that the aircraft “will be coming to an airport very near you very soon.”

Several technical points help explain the context. The Airbus A321XLR is a longer-range version of the popular narrow-body A321; XLR stands for Extra Long Range. It allows relatively small aircraft to operate long-haul routes that were previously served only by wide-body jets. That is why “narrow-body” does not necessarily mean limited comfort: a modern configuration can include full lie-flat beds. The Embraer Phenom 300, meanwhile, is a light business jet well suited to aerial filming because of its compact size and manoeuvrability. YVR is the IATA code for Vancouver International Airport.

The broader takeaway is more significant than the advertising shoot itself. Air Canada is positioning Vancouver and British Columbia as a showcase for Canada in the global market while preparing to expand its long-haul network from the West Coast. The fact that XLR flights from Toronto and Montreal to Vancouver are not scheduled until 2027 shows that the current campaign is advance marketing aimed several years ahead. The warning on social media about “two planes flying close together” also served as a reminder of how easily a visually striking production process can appear alarming from the ground—and how important transparent communication is between airlines and the residents of the cities over which they fly.

❮ ❯

Return to Vancouver, an Election and Union Reform

Canada news digest: short-track speed skating returns to the arena of its 2010 Olympic triumph, Vancouver heads toward a municipal election with a fractured protest vote, and British Columbia debates secret ballots in union certification.

Canadian Speed Skaters Return to the Arena of Their 2010 Olympic Triumph

Short-track speed skating in Canada is more than just a sport; it is part of the national identity, built on dramatic finals, milestone medals and tactical schemes with memorable names. The upcoming World Tour season promises to bring fans back to familiar surroundings: for the first time in sixteen years, international short-track competition will be held at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum—the same arena where Canadians produced one of the brightest performances in their Olympic history in 2010. According to a press release from the Canadian Olympic Committee, the team selected for the first two events of the 2026–27 season combines experienced champions with bold newcomers.

The team known as the “Canadian Ice Maples” on the World Tour has won the Crystal Globe as the overall best team in each of the past two seasons. Six medalists from the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo will compete for Canada in Vancouver and Montreal. The biggest stars are Courtney Sarault, who won four Olympic medals in February and was named the top female skater of the 2025–26 season, and Steven Dubois, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the 500 metres. They will be joined by recent national champions Florence Brunelle and Félix Roussel, as well as Maxime Laoun and Danaé Blais, who were members of Italy’s medal-winning relay teams. Claudia Gagnon, Anne-Sophie Bachand and Mathieu Pelletier are returning to the elite level, while Victoria Jean-Baptiste, Alexandre Minier and Antoine Gagnon-Lamarché will make their international debuts.

The notable exception is William Dandjinou, the top male skater of the past two seasons. In September, he announced on Instagram that he would miss the first two events to recover after his Olympic debut. “This season will be different. I won’t be everywhere. I’m not chasing the past. I’m returning to the ice one step at a time,” the athlete wrote. His break is a rare public signal in professional sport that even Crystal Globe winners need time to reset, adding intrigue to the season: can the team retain its team trophy without its leader? The question is especially significant because the Ice Maples are building their season on the momentum of Olympic success, meaning expectations will be at their highest.

The return to Pacific Coliseum is all the more symbolic because it was the setting for an almost theatrical drama in 2010. Marianne St-Gelais opened Canada’s medal tally with silver in the 500 metres—and did so on her 20th birthday. A week later, she added another silver in the 3,000-metre relay alongside Jessica Gregg, Kalyna Roberge and Tania Vicent. But the real fireworks came on the final evening: Canada won three medals in thirty minutes, including two golds. First, Charles Hamelin and François-Louis Tremblay finished first and third in the 500 metres. They then joined François Hamelin and Olivier Jean to win the 5,000-metre relay, using an unconventional tactic they called Operation Cobra. For context, “Operation Cobra” was a coordinated manoeuvre in which one skater deliberately stayed out of the spotlight to set up a teammate’s decisive surge; in short track, where fractions of a second and positional battles determine everything, such improvisation borders on a chess match on ice.

The season schedule looks like a genuine world tour: after Vancouver (October 23–25) and Montreal (October 30–November 1), the athletes will travel to Seoul (November 20–22), Shanghai (November 27–29) and Beijing (December 4–6), followed in winter by Gdańsk (February 5–7) and Tilburg (February 12–14). Tickets for the Canadian events are still on sale, giving fans on the West Coast a rare chance to see the world’s best skaters in person. The main takeaway is simple: Canadian short track is undergoing a generational transition without losing its ambition. Olympic medalists set the standard, young skaters are being given an opportunity, and Dandjinou’s absence will test the team’s depth. If the team succeeds, talk of a third consecutive Crystal Globe will be more than a dream—it will be a practical plan.

A Fractured Protest: Why Most Vancouver Residents Want a New Mayor but May Get the Incumbent

Four days before Vancouver’s municipal election, an opinion poll paints a paradoxical picture. Nearly two-thirds of the city’s residents—62 percent—believe it is time for a change in mayor. Yet incumbent Mayor Ken Sim still has a realistic chance of winning a second term. The reason is simple and familiar to political scientists around the world: the opposition is divided, and dissatisfied voters are splitting their support among several candidates instead of uniting behind one.

A poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights for CityNews OMNI TV shows that only 38 percent of respondents believe Sim deserves re-election. Among decided voters, however, Green Party candidate Pete Fry leads the race with 28 percent, just one percentage point ahead of Sim. Karim Allam, representing the Vancouver Liberals, is in third place with 19 percent. He is followed by Colin Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver with 13 percent, Rebecca Bligh of Vote Vancouver with seven percent and Muhammad Ahmad of Bright Future Vancouver with three percent.

Canada Pulse Insights president John Wright offers a straightforward explanation for the phenomenon: dissatisfaction with the mayor has not translated into consolidated support for any one of his challengers. In comments to CityNews, he said most residents believe the mayor is disconnected from city council or from Vancouver residents themselves, and that view is shared even by many people prepared to vote for Sim. According to Wright, the incumbent is focusing on issues that mobilize his electorate: taxes and a “simple, down-to-earth” approach to fighting crime. Fry’s supporters, by contrast, are focused on environmental issues, government accountability and ethics.

The split is particularly clear among those who want a new mayor. Fry leads that group with 34 percent, while Allam and Hardwick share second place at 16 percent each. Twelve percent of this group remain undecided. As Wright explains, this fragmentation is precisely what prevents the demand for change from being realized: when the candidate field is divided, the call for change cannot be fulfilled by one or two people—it is spread across a group of contenders, each receiving only part of the protest vote.

Sim’s approval rating is also notably contradictory: half of residents view his performance positively, while the other half view it negatively. At the same time, 53 percent believe Vancouver is moving in the wrong direction, while 47 percent hold the opposite view. Such polarization is a typical sign of an electorate tired of the current administration but unable to see a convincing alternative.

A few points should be clarified for readers unfamiliar with Canadian municipal politics. In Vancouver, mayoral and city council elections are conducted in a system in which candidates run not only under federal or provincial parties but also under local political organizations such as TEAM for a Livable Vancouver and Vote Vancouver. This creates a broad but highly fragmented field in which even a modest share of the vote can determine the outcome. In addition, the Vancouver Liberals are not the federal Liberal Party of Canada but an independent municipal organization—a distinction that often confuses voters.

The poll surveyed 500 adult Vancouver residents between September 28 and October 6. Its margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. With 10 percent of voters still undecided and support for the challengers dispersed, the result is extremely difficult to predict. Voting will take place on Saturday, October 17, and according to the poll published on the CityNews Vancouver website, the outcome could be decided by just a few percentage points.

The key lesson is universal for any democracy: dissatisfaction with the government in power does not by itself guarantee a change of direction if the opposition cannot unite behind a single candidate. Vancouver has fallen into precisely that trap—the city appears to want change, but a fragmented protest vote is benefiting the very person it seems to oppose.

Secret Ballots for Union Certification in British Columbia: A Debate Over Democracy and Transparency

A debate is intensifying in the Canadian province of British Columbia over how workers should decide whether to form a union. In 2022, the provincial government eliminated the mandatory secret ballot for union certification, replacing it with a membership-card verification system. Under the new rules, a union can be certified automatically if enough employees have signed membership cards. The decision, intended to simplify and speed up the unionization process, has drawn criticism from the business community, which is calling for the return of secret ballots. The article’s author, Greg Wilson, director of the Retail Council of Canada in Vancouver, sets out the case for restoring the previous system, citing concerns about transparency and signature verification.

Wilson notes that the number of union-certification applications in British Columbia rose sharply after the 2022 reform. According to the province’s Labour Relations Board, the accuracy of membership cards—not voting—has become the central element of the process. This raises the question of how rigorously those cards are checked. The author argues that verification is discretionary: some applications are audited, while others are not. In his view, that inconsistency should concern everyone invested in the integrity of the system. If a bank or an electoral commission discovered that much of the contact information in an application was invalid, it would trigger a thorough investigation. In union certification, however, there is no clear threshold defining when inaccuracies become serious enough to justify rejecting an application. The situation is further complicated by the fact that employers are prohibited from reviewing signed membership cards. Although employee privacy must be protected, the result is a system in which the certifying body does not always examine every application, while the party most familiar with employees’ employment status cannot review the evidence. Confidence in any process depends on verification, not assumptions.

Technology makes the situation even more complicated. In the past, unions submitted original paper cards bearing employees’ physical signatures, which could be examined for discrepancies. Today, electronic signatures are increasingly common. Digital systems improve efficiency but raise legitimate questions: How is identity confirmed online? How does the board ensure that the process was completed by the employee rather than someone else with access to the account or device? Are the verification standards the same for every application? The author emphasizes that these are not anti-union questions. British Columbians routinely verify their identities when voting, conducting banking transactions, signing legal documents or accessing government services. Verification is not considered a barrier to participation—it gives the process credibility. Workplace representation should be no exception.

The British Columbia Labour Relations Board acknowledges that audits help maintain confidence in the card-verification system. However, trust cannot be based on random checks conducted only when resources are available. It requires clear standards, transparent procedures and consistent application. The 2022 reforms placed enormous importance on collecting and verifying membership cards, but the safeguards supporting that process have not kept pace with the growing reliance on them. If the province intends to retain a card-based certification system, every application should undergo reliable and systematic review. Authentication of employees’ identities should be mandatory. Error thresholds should be publicly defined. The board should have the resources needed to conduct inspections.

In the spirit of the provincial election scheduled for this fall, British Columbia’s business community is calling for a return to the principle that governed certification decisions for decades: a secret ballot overseen by an independent body, allowing every worker to make a private choice free from pressure. If that is not possible, the new government should ensure consistent review of the card system. Major workplace decisions deserve transparency, verification and democratic legitimacy. British Columbia’s certification system should meet no lesser standard. The article’s author is Greg Wilson, director of the Retail Council of Canada in Vancouver, a national nonprofit association representing small, medium-sized and large retailers. The full text is available here.

Key points to highlight: eliminating the secret ballot for union certification in 2022 led to a sharp increase in applications; membership-card verification is inconsistent and lacks clear criteria; employers are unable to check signatures, making errors harder to identify; electronic card signing creates additional risks around identity authentication; and the business community is calling either for a return to secret ballots or for strict, transparent verification procedures. These arguments reflect a broader conflict between the desire to make unionization easier and the need to maintain confidence in the process through independent oversight and democratic procedures.

❮ ❯

Elections, Icebreaker, and Weekend Events in Vancouver

Vancouver is preparing for record voter turnout, Canada is building its largest icebreaker, and the weekend promises festivals and concerts.

Vancouver Votes: Record Early Turnout Signals a Tense Finish

Residents of Vancouver, Canada, are preparing to bring the 2026 election campaign to a close. After early voting broke all records, residents will have one final chance to make their choice this Saturday, October 17. City officials are reporting an unprecedented surge in civic engagement: preliminary data shows that more than 103,000 people cast ballots during the four days of advance voting. By comparison, the figure was just 65,127 votes in 2022. This momentum points to sharply increased interest in Vancouver politics, setting this election apart from previous cycles.

On election day, October 17, polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Officials emphasize that anyone in line at closing time will still be allowed to vote. A total of 85 voting places will open across the city, which organizers say should help keep lines short and the process efficient. However, this year’s ballot is notably long, and officials recommend using the special “Plan Your Vote” online tool in advance to save time at the polls. Registered voters are advised to bring their voter card, which will speed up the identification process.

This election day is notable because two electoral events are taking place at the same time. Alongside Vancouver’s municipal election, advance voting is being held for British Columbia’s provincial election, scheduled for October 24. As a result, two voting places — Britannia Community Elementary School and Dunbar Community Centre — will serve both levels of government. This could lead to heavier demand and longer lines. To avoid crowds, city officials recommend that voters who want to cast their ballots quickly use the “Where to Vote” tool to find an alternative location with lighter traffic.

Real-time turnout monitoring will be another new feature this election day. The Vancouver Election Office plans to publish updates on which voting places are experiencing high or low voter traffic in Instagram Stories and on the social network X through the @CityofVancouver account. This will allow residents to decide where to go based on up-to-date information about crowd levels, which is particularly useful amid record activity. The approach reflects the broader trend toward digitizing the electoral process and making voting more convenient for citizens.

Mail-in voting also deserves special attention. The number of requests for mail-in ballots has doubled compared with 2022: more than 21,000, versus 10,523. However, there is a strict deadline. Completed ballots must be received by the Election Office by 8 p.m. on October 17. Postmarks do not count, so anyone who has not yet mailed their ballot is strongly encouraged to use one of the designated drop boxes to ensure their vote is counted. A list of drop-box locations is available at vancouver.ca/VotebyMail.

Another technical detail that may confuse observers concerns the counting of votes on plebiscite questions. These questions appear on a separate ballot that does not pass through the electronic tabulators at voting places. This means that after polls close at 8 p.m., preliminary results for the main elections will be available online, while plebiscite results will take longer. They will be counted manually after election night, and official results will be published alongside the election results no later than Wednesday, October 21.

This situation creates intrigue not only over who will occupy the mayor’s office and city council seats, but also over how Vancouver residents will answer the plebiscite questions. Record early turnout — more than 58% higher than in 2022 — may indicate polarized opinions or strong mobilization among certain voter groups. With questions concerning urban development, transportation, and climate policy on the ballot, the results could significantly reshape the political landscape of one of North America’s fastest-growing cities. All essential information, including same-day registration rules and accessibility options, is available on the official portal at vancouver.ca/vote.

15 Reasons to Leave the House: Vancouver This Weekend, October 16–18

Autumn in Vancouver is no reason to hide under a blanket; it is more like a call to action. The city is positively buzzing with events this weekend. From free doughnuts celebrating Bruno Mars to an apple festival marking its 35th anniversary, the agenda is packed with big names, flavors, and oddities. If you thought an October weekend in British Columbia’s capital meant nothing but rain and pumpkins, think again. There is stand-up comedy at a science museum, a Spanish-language book fair, and even a horror festival featuring 75 films. Here is what deserves your attention — and what you probably should not miss.

The weekend’s biggest culinary surprise is a promotion from Mello bakery, which will give away 1,050 doughnuts in celebration of Bruno Mars’s five record-breaking concerts at BC Place. From October 16 to 18, 350 free doughnuts will be handed out each day starting at noon at Holt Renfrew Vancouver, while supplies last. This is more than a marketing stunt; it is a love letter to a city that welcomed the artist’s tour with open arms. If you missed the concert, at least try to get a doughnut — there are exactly 1,050, so anyone who does not sleep in has a chance.

For families with children and anyone craving autumn scenery, the UBC Apple Festival returns on October 17 and 18. This is the 35th festival organized by the Friends of UBC Botanical Garden. Visitors can sample rare apple varieties not found in supermarkets, learn about fruit diversity, and simply stroll through the botanical garden. Children under seven enter free, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Festival proceeds support the garden’s educational and research programs, so you will not just be having fun — you will also be supporting science.

Latin America is making a major appearance: the seventh annual Latincouver festival began on October 14 and runs through November 2. More than 100 artists, dozens of shows and workshops, and Day of the Dead celebrations will take place at Granville Island, in Gastown, and at The Amazing Brentwood. This is not just a series of concerts but an immersion in a culture where death is not a reason for sadness, but an occasion for a colorful procession. If you have never seen altars and calaveras in person, this is your chance without buying a ticket to Mexico.

While some people enjoy apples, others will head to VanDusen Botanical Garden for Harvest Days, featuring a maze, craft workshops, food trucks, and live music. The address is simple: 5251 Oak St. Admission is paid, but the atmosphere is worth it. For thrill-seekers, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park has been transformed into Canyon Frights, with pumpkins, spooky decorations, live performances, and photo zones. The event runs until November 1 and, starting October 23, remains open until 9 p.m. It is classic Vancouver Halloween — worth experiencing at least once.

Scientific comedy is not an oxymoron when Science World is involved. On Saturday, October 17, Jokers Canada will host a stand-up show in the 200-seat theater, followed by a panel discussion on the science of laughter featuring the same comedians. Participants include Jacob Samuel, a Juno Award winner; Gavin Clarkson of CBC’s The Debaters; Sofia Johnson of Just For Laughs Vancouver; and Ed Hill of Amazon Prime. It is a rare format where you can laugh and immediately learn why something was funny. Tickets are discounted with the promo code PROMO25.

If you are looking for free family entertainment, the Harvest Festival in the Inlet District in Port Moody is just the ticket. On October 17 and 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors can enjoy hot drinks and sweets, browse a local-producer market, visit photo areas, and even pick up a free pumpkin. Admission is free. Sports fans can watch Vancouver FC take on HFX Wanderers on October 16 at 7 p.m. at Willoughby Community Park. It is a Canadian Premier League match, so the soccer is high quality and the atmosphere is family-friendly.

Cosplay, panels, and Hollywood stars: MetroCon returns to Burnaby from October 16 to 18 as part of the Halloween festival. The main guests are Brandon Routh, known for playing Superman, and Tyler Mane, who played Sabretooth in X-Men. The event takes place at Convocation Mall at SFU. Friday hours are 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a paradise for comic-book and pop-culture fans.

For food lovers and anyone who wants to learn how to make pasta, Just Giulia Cooking Classes in Gastown offer an ideal evening. Giulia leads every class herself: welcome prosecco, an Aperol Spritz demonstration, hands-on preparation of cacio e pepe and tagliatelle, and finally dinner featuring what you have made. Upcoming dates are October 17 and 30, starting at 7 p.m. The cost is $135. Address: Conscious Lab, 422 Richards St.

Book lovers and multilingual readers will appreciate the Vancouver Spanish Book Fair on October 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ocean Artworks Pavilion on Granville Island. Admission is free. Authors of different nationalities will present books in Spanish, while a community dedicated to preserving and improving the language will gather together. It is more than a book exhibition; it is a bridge between cultures.

On the evening of October 17, China Cloud Studios will host the Ohana Comedy Show, featuring stand-up comedy and Polynesian dancing. The host is viral comedian Yumi Nagashima, with Miles Anderson, Jordan Wilson, Rachel Schafer, and Gail Yamamoto on the lineup. The show is inspired by the Hawaiian concept of “ohana,” or family. Tickets cost $33.28. It is a rare combination of comedy and the beauty of dance.

The weekend’s musical highlight is Shaboozey, whose hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” spent 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, tying the record. He also won a Grammy for “Amen” with Jelly Roll and received two ACM nominations. The concert takes place October 17 at 8 p.m. at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Tickets are still available.

For horror fans, there is the Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival (VHS), running from October 14 to 18 at International Village Cineplex. The festival features more than 60 short films and 15 feature-length films from around the world, along with red carpets, panels, and screenplay readings. This is the ninth season, and it promises to be the scariest yet.

Finally, for theatergoers, Arts Club presents Heist, a crime comedy packed with rapid-fire dialogue and high-tech stunts. A team of con artists attempts to steal a priceless ruby. The production runs through October 18 at the Stanley BFL Canada Stage, with tickets starting at $39.

What do all these events have in common? Vancouver does not shut down when the weather turns cold; it shifts toward cozy, quirky, and delicious experiences. The city offers free pleasures, paid indulgences, and a cultural mix that is rarely found in one place. The main thing is not to stay home, because autumn here is not gray — it is as bright as a pumpkin on a porch. Find details and tickets at Daily Hive.

Canada Lays the Keel of the Largest Icebreaker in Its History

On Wednesday, October 15, a keel-laying ceremony was held at the Seaspan shipyard in North Vancouver, British Columbia, for the Canadian Coast Guard ship CCGS Imnaryuaq. The event marks a major stage in the implementation of Canada’s national shipbuilding strategy and Ottawa’s efforts to strengthen its presence in the Arctic. Once construction is completed, which is scheduled for 2032, the icebreaker will be the largest vessel ever built for the Canadian Coast Guard.

According to a report published by Eye on the Arctic, the future flagship will be 158 metres long and classified as Polar Class 2. This classification means the vessel will be capable of operating year-round in the harshest conditions of the High Arctic, including waters covered by multiyear ice. By comparison, this significantly expands Canada’s operational capabilities, as previous icebreakers were limited in their ability to navigate heavy ice during the winter.

Symbolically, the “lucky coin” traditionally placed in a ship’s hull was a commemorative Inuit Nunangat coin representing the four Inuit regions of Canada. The ship’s name, Imnaryuaq, comes from a cape at the southern tip of Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, underscoring the vessel’s connection to the northern territories. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said at the ceremony: “Strengthening Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and security means having the capabilities and industrial strength to protect our interests in the North. CCGS Imnaryuaq is a powerful example of what Canadian workers and our shipbuilding industry can accomplish.”

The project is part of Canada’s broader National Shipbuilding Strategy, which is intended to modernize the fleet. In parallel, Chantier Davie Canada is building a second heavy icebreaker in Quebec, CCGS Arpatuuq, whose hull will be produced at the Canadian-owned Helsinki Shipyard in Finland. In addition, last summer Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $11.3 billion in funding to design and build six Polar Class 3 icebreakers capable of operating year-round in second-year ice. These measures are intended to help Canada maintain control over 162,000 kilometres of Arctic coastline, which is becoming increasingly important for national security, environmental monitoring, and scientific research.

For context, Polar Class 2 and Polar Class 3 are vessel classifications based on a ship’s ability to operate in ice. Polar Class 2 allows year-round operation in heavy multiyear ice, while Polar Class 3 is designed for work in younger, though still substantial, second-year ice. Keel laying is a traditional maritime ceremony marking the beginning of hull assembly, when the first major section is installed. It has both practical and symbolic significance, while the coin placed beneath the keel is considered a talisman bringing good luck to the crew.

The key takeaway from this news is that Canada is steadily expanding its Arctic capabilities in response to a changing climate and growing geopolitical competition in the region. Building powerful vessels such as Imnaryuaq is not merely a technical project, but a strategic investment in sovereignty and security. By 2032, when the icebreaker is expected to enter service, it is projected to become a central element of Canada’s presence in the Far North, supporting military and civilian operations as well as scientific expeditions in one of the world’s most remote and strategically important regions.

❮ ❯

Bruno Mars’ Voice on the SkyTrain and B.C.’s Election Race

Digest: Bruno Mars will voice a SkyTrain station in Vancouver, the election campaign in British Columbia is gaining momentum, and AGAT Laboratories is opening a laboratory in Vancouver.

Bruno Mars Will Speak in the Vancouver Subway: The Star’s Voice to Be Heard at a SkyTrain Station

Vancouver’s transit authority, TransLink, has decided to turn the wait for a concert into a show of its own before fans even step inside the stadium. The voice of global pop star Bruno Mars will play over the speakers at Stadium–Chinatown Station on the days of his five performances at BC Place. It is an unusual marketing initiative that entertains passengers while generating additional revenue for urban transit development.

According to an official press release published on TransLink’s website, Bruno Mars is the first musical performer whose voice will be used for a guest announcement on the SkyTrain. A special audio recording will play periodically alongside the station’s regular announcements on concert days, from October 14 to 21. The collaboration was organized with Warner Music Canada and is part of TransLink’s strategy to find sources of revenue beyond fares and taxes to support transit operations across Metro Vancouver.

Stadium–Chinatown Station is located directly beside BC Place, making it the main transit hub for tens of thousands of fans. Bruno Mars will perform on October 14, 16, 17, 20 and 21. Only one concert was initially announced, but overwhelming demand forced organizers to expand the tour to five nights—many fans simply did not manage to buy tickets. Now they will have an additional chance to hear their idol’s voice, at least in the subway.

“Most people don’t expect to hear Bruno Mars when they’re commuting to work, school or a concert. That’s what makes this idea so fun: we’re bringing the concert experience directly to SkyTrain passengers,” TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said, according to the official press release. “It’s a unique way to brighten someone’s journey while also generating additional funds that help support transit service across the region.”

Bruno Mars is not the first famous voice to be heard on the SkyTrain. Actor Seth Rogen received the honor in 2018, and Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair did so during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Vancouver. Mars, however, is the first musical artist to take on the role, highlighting the cross-industry nature of the collaboration between transportation and show business.

TransLink recommends that passengers heading to the concerts plan their routes in advance, allow extra travel time and use the Transit App, Trip Planner or Google Maps. Stadium–Chinatown Station provides direct access to BC Place, making it the most convenient entry and exit point for spectators.

For those unfamiliar with the terminology, the SkyTrain is Vancouver’s automated light-metro system and one of the longest automated transit networks in the world. Guest announcements are recorded messages by celebrities that play at stations instead of, or in addition to, standard announcements. Such collaborations allow transit operators to generate advertising revenue without raising fares.

The main takeaway is that TransLink is turning an ordinary subway trip into part of the concert experience while capitalizing on the artist’s popularity. The initiative not only creates a positive emotional response among passengers but also demonstrates a workable model for monetizing urban infrastructure through partnerships with the music industry. If the experiment succeeds, other cities may adopt the practice.

British Columbia on the Eve of the Election: Promises, Debates and a Controversial Schedule

The election campaign in British Columbia has entered its decisive phase. With only days remaining before the October 24 vote, all attention is focused on the only televised debate among the leaders of the three major parties. The politicians have no other public events scheduled that day—a format that underscores how high the stakes are. As the parties compete for votes, the campaign is gathering new policy promises and disputes over the timing of the election itself.

One of the loudest issues has been the election calendar. Lorne Doerkson, interim leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, has promised that, if elected, he will introduce legislation banning provincial elections from being held within 60 days before or after municipal elections. His statement, distributed through social media, was a direct response to NDP Leader David Eby’s decision to call an early provincial election just one week after the municipal elections held on October 17. The overlap has drawn criticism from Eby’s opponents and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, which fear that voters will grow tired of endless election campaigns and that local issues will be overshadowed by the provincial agenda.

The CentreBC party has also entered the debate. Its leader, Eleanor Sterko, unveiled a housing platform promising to double the BC Builds program and create 20,000 below-market homes by 2031. The party also plans to introduce uniform provincial approval standards for housing projects by January 2028 and increase the annual renters’ tax credit to $600. Notably, neither Sterko nor OneBC interim leader Dallas Brody is participating in the televised debate—a format that appears to be limited to the three major parties.

A distinctive feature of this campaign is that it is taking place against the backdrop of two overlapping electoral cycles—municipal and provincial. For many voters, this creates confusion: they must vote twice within a week, on entirely different issues. If implemented, Doerkson’s promise could represent a structural change to the province’s election laws, preventing similar overlaps in the future. Until October 24, however, voters will decide whether the housing, tax or institutional agenda proves most convincing. Campaign details can be followed in CityNews Vancouver’s report.

What do some of the less familiar terms mean? A “snap election” is an unscheduled vote called earlier than the legally established deadline, often to take advantage of favorable political circumstances. “BC Builds” is a provincial program designed to accelerate affordable-housing construction through partnerships with municipalities and developers. “Below-market” means that a home’s price or rent is set below average market levels, typically with reference to residents’ incomes. A “renters’ tax credit” is a mechanism that reduces tenants’ tax burden through deductions or direct payments.

The campaign’s key insight is that the three major parties offer three different views of the nature of elections themselves: the Conservatives emphasize institutional stability and separating electoral cycles; CentreBC focuses on housing policy and predictable approval procedures; and the NDP prioritizes rapid re-election and continuing its current course. Doerkson’s statement about legally banning overlapping campaigns sounds like an attempt to institutionalize what his opponents call “chaos” and his supporters call “necessity.” At the same time, Sterko’s housing promise, with its specific figures—20,000 homes and $600—sets a measurable benchmark against which voters can assess the platform. The implication is straightforward: if turnout in the provincial election is low because of fatigue from the recent municipal vote, parties with more motivated supporters could gain an advantage. As a result, the race may be decided less by the debate than by the ability to mobilize voters amid a compressed and overloaded political calendar.

AGAT Laboratories Strengthens Its Position on Canada’s West Coast

Canadian company AGAT Laboratories, one of the country’s largest private laboratory networks, has announced the opening of a new environmental laboratory in Vancouver, British Columbia. The move is part of a strategy to expand its presence on Canada’s West Coast, where investment in infrastructure, resource extraction and major projects continues to grow. The new laboratory is located at 3681 E 1st Ave. and is intended to give clients faster access to analytical testing in the region where their projects are being carried out.

According to AGAT Laboratories CEO Marissa Reckmann, British Columbia is an important growth market for both the company and Canada as a whole. She said that ongoing investment in infrastructure, natural resources and major projects in the province is creating sustained demand for laboratory services. A local laboratory in Vancouver will allow the company to increase capacity and respond more quickly to client requests. The statement came amid a broader increase in demand for environmental analysis in a region where mining and industry have traditionally represented a significant share of the economy. More details about the opening are available in a report by The Environment Journal.

The new Vancouver laboratory will serve the environmental sector as well as industrial and mining companies in the province. This is particularly important for water testing, one of the types of analysis most sensitive to delays. When water samples are collected for environmental monitoring, testing often must be completed within 30 hours of collection. Otherwise, the results may be deemed unreliable because the sample’s chemical composition can change. This is why having a laboratory close to the sampling site is critical. The Vancouver facility joins AGAT’s existing laboratories in Whitehorse, Yukon, and Terrace, British Columbia, together forming a network that supports rapid water analysis in western Canada.

It is worth clarifying that AGAT Laboratories is not a government agency but a private laboratory network, the largest in Canada. The company provides analytical testing services in areas including environmental science, mining, energy, agriculture and food production. An environmental laboratory is a specialized facility that analyzes soil, water, air and waste for pollutants, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and other indicators. Such laboratories play a key role in ensuring compliance with environmental regulations: without their reports, companies cannot obtain permits for construction, extraction or discharges.

The opening of the new facility also reflects AGAT’s broader trend of investing in laboratory infrastructure across Canada. The company has been steadily expanding capacity in key regions to support growing industries. Additional laboratory space provides greater flexibility in meeting project deadlines and allows the company to offer clients expedited sample processing for certain services. This is particularly important for mining companies, where delays in analysis can lead to costly equipment downtime and schedule disruptions.

The key takeaway from the announcement is that AGAT Laboratories is betting on Canada’s West Coast as a promising market. Opening a laboratory in Vancouver is not simply a network expansion but a strategic move that takes into account both the region’s geography and its industry needs. For clients, it means shorter sample-transport times, faster results and the ability to respond promptly to environmental requirements from regulators. As the province continues to expand infrastructure and resource projects, having a local analytical base becomes a competitive advantage. The company itself emphasizes that the new location reflects its long-term commitment to British Columbia and brings its expertise and resources closer to the clients and communities it serves.

❮ ❯

Vancouver Mayor Poll, High-Speed Rail and BIV Awards

A new poll found that 72% of Vancouver voters believe the mayor and city council are out of touch, while the cost of living is their top concern. Meanwhile, Washington state officials have advanced planning for a high-speed rail link between Portland and Vancouver that could bypass the American namesake city. Business in Vancouver magazine has also announced the winners of its 2026 Forty Under 40 awards, recognizing young leaders from across the region.

Vancouver Poll: 72% of Voters Say Mayor and Council Are Out of Touch

An overwhelming majority of Vancouver residents—72%—believe their mayor and city council do not understand the concerns and needs of ordinary residents. That is the result of an exclusive poll conducted by Canada Pulse Insights for Rogers OMNI TV and reported by CityNews Vancouver. The figure itself looks like a political verdict, but it becomes even more interesting when examining which issues respondents consider most important and how priorities differ among supporters of various candidates. In effect, the poll paints a picture of a city where voters expect local government to solve problems beyond its direct authority while simultaneously judging it emotionally for failing to do so.

Respondents were given a list of 19 issues and asked to select the most important ones. Affordability and the cost of living came first by a wide margin, at 45%. That is unsurprising amid inflation and rising food and utility costs, but another point is more notable: experts say this is the issue least amenable to municipal solutions. Housing affordability and the ability to buy a home followed at 33%. Crime, policing and public safety came next at 29%. Health care and access to medical services received 25%, while drug use, the opioid crisis and supervised consumption sites received 24%. It is telling that health care, formally outside the city’s jurisdiction, still ranks among residents’ top concerns—indirectly reinforcing the poll’s central finding that the authorities are disconnected from people’s needs.

John Wright, CEO of Canada Pulse Insights, says directly that local politicians cannot solve the affordability crisis, but they can ease some of its symptoms. “They can focus on affordable housing, they can freeze taxes, they can make sure that any investments deliver the proper return to voters,” he said. “But it’s almost like someone suffering from a disease that no doctor can cure—our unaffordability, which we encounter every day in the grocery store when you pick something up off the shelf and feel like yelling at someone.” The metaphor helps explain why abstract municipal tools do not reassure voters: the pain is real, while the government’s instruments appear inadequate to address it.

The differences between the priorities of supporters of the two leading figures, Ken Sim and Pete Fry, are especially revealing. Both groups identify affordability as the top issue—50% among Sim supporters and 39% among Fry supporters—but their lists diverge after that. Fry voters place greater importance on climate change and extreme weather, accountability, ethics and transparency at City Hall, parks, recreation and cultural facilities, as well as access to municipal services and their quality. Sim supporters prioritize crime, policing and safety, municipal taxes, spending and the budget, as well as traffic and road infrastructure. In other words, we are looking at two different Vancouvers: one votes for social and environmental values, while the other votes for order, safety and fiscal restraint.

Perceptions of government also contain some nuances. Respondents supporting candidates other than Sim were far more likely to agree that the mayor and council are out of touch with residents’ needs. Among Fry supporters, the figure was 81%, including 52% who strongly agreed. Among supporters of Karen Allem of the Vancouver Liberals, it was 80%, while 83% of supporters of Colleen Hardwick of TEAM for a Livable Vancouver agreed. But even among Sim’s own supporters, 44% acknowledged that the mayor and council may not have their finger on the city’s pulse. This means the problem extends beyond the usual opposition-versus-government conflict: doubts about City Hall’s responsiveness have also penetrated the mayor’s own electorate.

Several terms in the article may require explanation. Supervised consumption sites are locations where people can use drugs under medical supervision to reduce the risk of overdose; in Vancouver, this is particularly sensitive because of the scale of the opioid crisis. Municipal elections in British Columbia are held every four years, electing the mayor, councillors and school trustees; this is why the poll focuses on the mayor and council. Canada Pulse Insights is a research company that regularly conducts political polling for media outlets, while Rogers OMNI TV commissioned this poll exclusively.

The main takeaway is simple: Vancouver residents want the government to address the cost of living, housing and safety, while also understanding that the mayor is not all-powerful. The political consequence is nevertheless serious—72% feel that government is out of touch, and nearly half of Sim’s supporters agree. If City Hall cannot offer a convincing agenda on housing affordability, tax freezes or spending transparency, this divide could become decisive in the next election. Wright’s metaphor of an incurable disease that no one can defeat is also a reminder that in politics, it is sometimes more important not to cure the problem but to show voters that you understand their pain and are doing everything possible to ease it.

High-Speed Rail Between Portland and Vancouver: A Dream That Could Bypass Vancouver

The idea of connecting Portland with Vancouver, Canada, by high-speed rail is moving from bold concept to concrete planning. According to Planetizen, Washington state transportation officials have come close to what is being called the project’s “penultimate phase” of development. This means that, after years of discussion about the Pacific Northwest’s need for a modern rail corridor, officials are finally moving toward selecting specific routes—although passengers will not see the first train for quite some time.

The concept is simple and ambitious: connect two major Pacific cities with a high-speed line on which trains would travel between 160 and 250 miles per hour. By comparison, the current Amtrak Cascades service between Vancouver, Canada, and Eugene, Oregon, is generally limited to 79 miles per hour. The difference is enormous: a journey that currently takes hours could eventually become a short trip comparable with flying, but without airports, security checks or jet-fuel emissions.

One intriguing detail has already generated plenty of jokes and questions: preliminary routes will likely bypass Vancouver, Washington. In other words, the line would connect Portland with Vancouver, Canada, while the American city with the same name would remain off the route. The decision is driven by a desire for speed: every extra turn and stop reduces the corridor’s economic appeal, and officials want travel time between the endpoints to be competitive.

The story dates back to 2016, when then-Washington Governor Jay Inslee presented the concept of high-speed service between Portland and Vancouver. Nearly a decade has passed, but the project is only now taking shape. According to The Columbian, officials could release the viable routes in late 2027. By the end of 2028, Washington transportation authorities hope to complete work on the initial routes and examine financing options. This means that even under the most favorable scenario, construction is still years away—and the first passengers may not board for another decade.

The key question, as always, is money. High-speed rail is extraordinarily expensive, and projects in the United States have traditionally stalled because of a lack of federal support and disagreements between states. The Portland–Vancouver project would require coordination not only between Washington and Oregon but also with Canadian authorities and the U.S. federal government. For now, officials are merely studying financing, which in bureaucratic language means that the money does not yet exist, but they are looking for it.

What do these terms mean? The “penultimate phase” of planning is the stage when technical corridors are defined, environmental impacts are assessed and costs are refined. “Viable routes” are options that have passed an initial screening and could be built at reasonable cost with minimal opposition from local communities. At speeds of 160 to 250 miles per hour, a trip from Portland to Vancouver would take roughly two to three hours, compared with seven or eight hours by car or Amtrak today. At distances like this, high-speed rail begins to compete with air travel once the time required to reach the airport and complete pre-flight procedures is taken into account.

If the project moves forward, it could become the first genuine high-speed rail corridor on the U.S. West Coast. Similar lines between San Francisco and Los Angeles have long been discussed, but they still lack even substantial sections nearing completion. For Washington and Oregon, the project would offer a chance not only to relieve highway congestion but also to link the economies of two countries into a single fast-growing region. Before trains race along at 250 miles per hour, however, officials will have to navigate years of approvals, find billions of dollars and overcome the inevitable skepticism of those who view such projects as expensive toys. For now, officials are cautiously referring to “progress,” while observers wonder whether that progress will remain another attractive presentation—as has happened more than once with American rail ambitions.

Business in Vancouver Announces 2026 Forty Under 40 Winners

Business in Vancouver magazine has published the winners of its annual Forty Under 40 awards, which recognize young entrepreneurs and executives on Canada’s West Coast who have achieved outstanding results in their professional work, innovation and contributions to society. This year’s awards come amid difficult economic conditions in British Columbia. Organizers say the winners not only adapted to these challenges but also succeeded where many others might have given up. First established in the 1990s, the awards have since become one of the region’s most prestigious business honors. Hundreds of nominations are submitted each year, with selection taking place through a multi-stage evaluation process.

This year’s 40 honorees represent a wide range of fields, from finance, real estate and biotechnology to restaurants, sports and philanthropy. Winners include Hasem Aboulhosn, chief growth officer at Merchant Growth; Becky Brauer, co-CEO of meal-kit delivery service Fresh Prep; Natasha Jung, founder and executive producer of media platform Cold Tea Collective; Karina Valente, CEO and chief scientific officer of biotechnology company VoxCell BioInnovation; and Christina Wong, founder and CEO of Employ to Empower, an organization that helps people with disabilities find employment. The full list of winners contains 39 names, representing both major corporations such as RBC, Deloitte and MNP LLP and smaller family businesses and startups.

Business in Vancouver editor-in-chief Tyler Orton said this year’s selection was particularly difficult because of the high quality of the nominations. “I don’t think anyone is under any illusion about the challenges facing British Columbia’s economy. This year’s winners confronted those challenges without hesitation and succeeded when many did not expect them to,” he said. “These individuals will lead British Columbia’s business community for many years to come. We are honored to see their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit shaping our future.” His comments were quoted by Business in Vancouver in the official announcement.

The honorees were selected by an independent committee consisting of former award winners from different years—Anna Baird (2022), Alan Cosgrave (2021), Shan Parmar (2024), Jeff Pedlow (2025), Sharon Singh (2019) and Joyce Tang (2025)—along with BIV editor-in-chief Tyler Orton. The jury assessed nominees according to four key criteria: professional achievements, innovation, impact and contributions to the community. This approach makes it possible to select not merely successful managers but leaders whose work extends beyond corporate interests. The award has existed for several decades, and many prominent entrepreneurs and executives from the region have received it.

The awards ceremony will take place on February 19, 2027, at the Vancouver Convention Centre, while profiles of all the winners will be published in the December issue of Forty Under 40. The gala will also include the fourth Forty Under 40 Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring outstanding accomplishments over an entire career. Organizers promise to reveal the recipient’s name in the coming weeks. Previous recipients include Ian Tosteson, Ann Stewart and David Chalk, each of whom left a significant mark on British Columbia’s business community.

For readers unfamiliar with Canadian business terminology, several points are worth explaining. Forty Under 40 is not simply a list of young talent but also a kind of indicator of the region’s economic health: inclusion often opens new opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking partnerships and investment. BIV, or Business in Vancouver, is Western Canada’s leading business publication, covering the region’s economy, law and politics since 1986. The awards are held annually, and recipients automatically come to the attention of major investors and recruiting firms. The Lifetime Achievement Award is a separate honor for people whose careers span decades and whose contributions to the region’s economy have become part of its history.

Among this year’s winners, biotechnology is particularly well represented by Sherry Zhao, founder and CEO of Kalino Bio, and Karina Valente of VoxCell BioInnovation, whose work involves developing new methods of cellular engineering. In finance and consulting, honorees include Brent Wolfe, national director of public companies at MNP LLP, and Jonathan Do, vice-president of commercial financial services at RBC. The restaurant industry is represented by Alex Kim, culinary director at Five Sails and Glowbal Restaurants, while the sports industry is represented by Milad Bahrami, founder and CEO of Endurance Taekwondo Inc. The list also includes Yusra Qadir, director of programs and advocacy at Mothers Matter Canada, and Manjit Winning, regional adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada for British Columbia, highlighting the diversity not only of the honorees’ industries but also of their spheres of influence.

The Forty Under 40 awards remain an important form of recognition for young leaders in Western Canada. As the 2026 list shows, even amid economic uncertainty, the region continues to produce talent capable of competing nationally and internationally. All that remains is to wait for the December issue of the magazine and the February ceremony to learn who will receive the top lifetime achievement honor—and perhaps to see the new honorees enter BIV history just as their predecessors once did.

❮ ❯

Digest: Hockey, Bruno Mars, and New Vancouver Restaurants

The main stories of the day: the Bisons lost to UBC in Vancouver, Bruno Mars announced five concerts at BC Place, and fourteen new restaurants are preparing to open across the city.

Bisons return from Vancouver with one point after losing the second game of the series

Last Sunday, the University of Manitoba hockey team could not complete a successful weekend start, losing 3–0 to the UBC Thunderbirds in a Canada West men’s hockey conference game at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver. The defeat was especially disappointing following the previous day’s victory: in the season opener, the Bisons had managed to beat the hosts on the road. The team therefore leaves Vancouver with one win and one loss, failing to complete a clean sweep of the two-game series.

The second game began to turn against the visitors fairly quickly. UBC opened the scoring late in the first period, when Braden Schurman beat Bisons goaltender Matthew Kieper at 11:59, assisted by Ty Thorpe and Ben Keon. In the second period, the Thunderbirds doubled their lead on the power play—and almost immediately. Brandon Funk’s tripping penalty led to Josh Williams scoring just 10 seconds after it began, at 3:23, with assists from Schurman and Keaton Dovhanjuk. At the very start of the third period, Williams scored again to complete his brace: just 27 seconds had passed when the puck once more found the net, following a play involving Austin Fraser and the ever-present Schurman. The final score was 3–0, and it remained unchanged.

The game’s standout player was Schurman, who recorded three points—one goal and two assists—while Williams scored twice. UBC goaltender Cole Schwebius recorded a shutout, stopping all 16 shots he faced. Kieper, meanwhile, stopped 21 of 24 shots. The Bisons were unable to capitalize on any of their power-play opportunities, going 0-for-3, while the hosts converted one of four chances. The Thunderbirds were also more accurate in terms of shots, leading 24–16.

The Manitoba team now returns home, where it will play its first home game of the season on Friday. The club has already begun selling tickets. The Bisons’ next opponent will be the Saskatchewan Huskies, with the game scheduled for October 16 at 7 p.m. It will be an important moment for the team: home ice and support from the stands could help it quickly put the Vancouver setback behind it and return to the winning track. The full schedule and ticket information are available on the official university program website, where the game report was published.

Bruno Mars is staging a five-night Vancouver marathon: what fans need to know

Bruno Mars is returning to Vancouver after an almost decade-long absence, and the comeback promises to be one of the year’s biggest music events. The pop star, whose height is often the subject of jokes but whose popularity has long been measured in stadiums, will perform not one or two but five concerts at BC Place as part of his The Romantic Tour. The shows will take place over eight days, from October 14 to 21, 2026, giving the artist a chance not merely to perform and fly out, but to actually spend time in the city—and perhaps be spotted by Vancouverites walking downtown.

The concert announcements themselves are revealing. Tickets for the October 14 show went on sale first, followed by three additional dates, with the final, fifth night—October 21—announced last. This step-by-step strategy is typical of major tours: organizers gauge demand, build excitement, and only then reveal the final ace. In Mars’s case, the strategy worked. The first three shows are almost sold out, and BC Place is currently offering mostly resale tickets. The final date, announced later than the others, still has plenty of availability, both in the lower bowl and on the floor. It is a rare opportunity for those who missed the first ticket wave to avoid paying scalpers. The cheapest lower-bowl seat costs approximately $252 before fees, while a front-row seat on the secondary market is listed at around $2,000—a price that would make even the most devoted fans think twice.

The opening acts have also been carefully chosen. British R&B performer Raye will open all five concerts. She spent a decade working toward success and finally broke through in recent years with hits such as “Prada” and “Where Is My Husband.” This will be her second Vancouver appearance of the year: in the spring, she performed her own tour at UBC. The second opening act will be Mars’s longtime collaborator Anderson .Paak, appearing not in his usual role as a rapper and producer but as DJ Pee.Wee. Paak and Mars have worked together for years, and their joint project Silk Sonic earned both artists Grammy Awards, so his presence adds another layer of meaning to the shows.

For concertgoers, practical details are important too. A pop-up store featuring exclusive Bruno Mars and Hello Kitty merchandise is planned for Vancouver, although the exact location has not yet been announced. Fans should watch the artist’s and promoter’s social media accounts for updates. As for transportation, TransLink had not announced any major changes to SkyTrain or SeaBus service at the time of publication. Hullo Ferries, however, has added late sailings on October 16, 17, and 20—corresponding to the three “middle” concerts. Tickets for all three sailings are still available, which is convenient for residents of Vancouver Island and nearby communities who would rather not stay overnight in the city.

Most importantly, concertgoers should remember BC Place’s rules. The venue has a strict bag policy: only bags no larger than 6.5 by 8.5 inches are permitted, along with clear bags measuring no more than one foot in any direction. Staff will be stationed along the approach routes and will send people with larger bags to a $10 bag check; payment must be made before entering the stadium. Exceptions are made only for medically necessary bags. Prohibited items include large cameras with interchangeable lenses, posters and signs, drones, outside food and beverages, selfie sticks, and even large empty bottles. BC Place has also been cashless for some time, so a card or phone is essential.

Beyond the logistics, the event also has a broader significance. The Romantic Tour has already shown that Mars is drawn to “residencies”—extended runs of concerts in one city—and Vancouver is joining the ranks of the world’s largest markets in this respect. Five shows at one stadium over eight days are not simply a tour schedule; they are effectively a temporary residency. For the city, that means an influx of tourists and increased demand for hotels, restaurants, and transportation. For local fans, it is a rare chance to see an artist who last performed here in 2017, when he played two shows at Rogers Arena. Then there were two nights; now there are five. The scale has more than doubled, providing the clearest evidence yet that Vancouver is no longer merely a stopover for the global pop scene.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. It is worth remembering that if you follow partner links in local publications such as Vancouver Is Awesome, part of the commission may support local journalism. Buying a ticket can therefore also make a small contribution to the city’s media landscape—the same landscape bringing you all these details.

For those unfamiliar with the event: BC Place is a multipurpose stadium in downtown Vancouver with a retractable roof and a concert capacity of more than 50,000. It hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics. Ticketmaster is North America’s largest ticketing platform, where most stadium shows are sold, and it is the official outlet for tickets to this tour. In the concert world, a “residency” is a series of performances by one artist in one city over a short period, a format popularized by Las Vegas and now spreading to major cities worldwide. Finally, the secondary market is the ticket-resale market, where prices are determined by demand and can be several times higher than face value—as we see with front-row seats listed at $2,000.

So if you are planning to see Bruno Mars in Vancouver, you still have a chance: the final date, October 21, remains available. Just remember to check your bag’s dimensions, leave your cash at home, and decide in advance whether you are willing to pay $250 for a lower-bowl seat or would rather wait for a better offer on the secondary market. Either way, the city will be a little louder, brighter, and perhaps a little more “romantic” for eight days—exactly as the tour’s name promises.

What’s new to eat in Vancouver: fourteen restaurants opening in the city and surrounding areas

Vancouver is a city whose food scene never stands still. Even amid intense competition and rising living costs, more and more new concepts continue to appear. Dozens of establishments announce openings every year, making it increasingly difficult to keep track. That is why Daily Hive has compiled a list of fourteen of the most anticipated restaurants preparing to open in Vancouver and the surrounding area. From Japanese set menus to New York-style bagels, conveyor-belt sushi, and inventive Chinese cuisine, these projects promise to add considerable variety to the local food scene.

One of the most notable announcements is Bento Cafe YVR, which is already operating at 1822 West 1st Ave. in Kitsilano and is preparing to open a second location on West 41st Ave. in Kerrisdale. The cafe presents itself as a place where diners can “taste Japan in every bite” and focuses on a seasonal menu with an average price of about $27. Its main feature is the teishoku set menu, which the restaurant describes as a balanced meal consisting of rice, soup, side dishes, and a main course. The format is familiar to anyone who has visited Japan but remains relatively rare in Vancouver in such an authentic form. The chain’s first location has a Google rating of 4.5 out of 5, adding further weight to the new address at 2156 West 41st Ave.

Another interesting project is C Market Coffee, which will open its first downtown location at 1185 West Georgia Street. The brand is already known as C Market Cafe, the team behind Vancouver’s largest coffee shop—a space of more than 5,000 square feet at 195 E. 36th Ave. Urban Properties Group announced the opening on Instagram, and the coffee shop itself confirmed that customers will be able to visit as early as this month. For downtown Vancouver, where competition among cafes is especially fierce, this is a notable development.

Another project attracting attention from the local community is Herschel’s Deli and Schmeer. Local chef and media personality Duran “Dman” Bodasing has teamed up with Hershel Medzygorski to open what they call Vancouver’s first genuine New York Jewish deli. The restaurant will be located at the entrance to Granville Island, at 1500 W. 2nd Ave., in the former Tru Cafe space. It will serve bagels that are rolled, boiled, and baked fresh by hand every day, ranging from classic varieties to cinnamon-raisin, asiago cheese, and rye. The sandwich menu includes classics such as Lox and Schmeer, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers, cucumber, tomato, and lemon, as well as a BEC on Everything with a fried egg, crisp bacon, aged cheddar, arugula, tomato, and herb aioli. The restaurant will also offer cafe staples such as drip coffee and lattes.

Chef Stephen Che, who is behind one of the city’s best pizzerias, Just Pizza, is preparing to open a fine-dining restaurant on Commercial Drive this fall called Haisan. Guests can expect a 16-course menu inspired by the chef’s training in renowned kitchens around the world. Che describes the concept this way: “Our menu is Pacific Northwest Chinese cuisine, one point of view, cooked the way I already think about food. Haisan cooks for families who have lived this integration for generations, and for anyone curious about what it becomes at this level of craft.” The menu combines flavors from the chef’s childhood with ingredients offered by the local coast. The restaurant will open at 2892 Commercial Dr.

Discovery Brewing, a brewery founded by longtime friends and co-founders Alexander Zuber and Winston Lin, will be located at 310 Victoria Dr. The founders decided to move beyond standard taproom snacks and developed their own menu of 10 to 15 signature small plates designed for sharing. “This allows guests to try a little of everything or easily put together a full dinner,” the co-founders explain. As for the beer, the taps will feature 12 house-made varieties, ranging from light session beers to dark, rich, and experimental styles. Highlights of the opening lineup include a classic Munich helles lager called 815 and a West Coast-style pilsner called Lovelace.

Zumi Revolving Sushi Bar will offer Vancouver diners a kaiten-sushi experience, also known as conveyor-belt sushi or “sushi train.” The restaurant at 1588 Alberni St. describes its philosophy this way: “The belt is the shortest route from the cutting board to your chopsticks. Each plate leaves the chef’s hands and reaches your table in under a minute, so nothing sits under glass and nothing waits to be ordered.” Guests will have three options: the belt itself, featuring seasonal dishes that diners can pick up as they go and pay for by the plate; 12 seats directly in front of the chefs, where they can order dishes not placed on the belt; and “Zumi To Go,” offering nigiri and hand-roll boxes.

The popular ramen restaurant Ramen Danbo, known for its Fukuoka-style ramen with thinly sliced pork, is preparing to open in Yaletown at 1130 Mainland St. Details about the new location remain under wraps, apart from the expected fall opening, but it is expected to serve the same signature ramen that made the chain famous.

The team behind the popular tapas bar Como Taperia in Mount Pleasant is launching a new seafood-focused project. Founders Sean Layton and Frankie Harrington will open Como Ultramar, a restaurant inspired by their travels through northern Spain. “Ultramar is inspired by the places Frankie and I often visit during our annual trips to Spain,” Layton says. “There will be a clear emphasis on the cuisine of northern Spain: the coastal towns of the Basque Country, Cantabria, and Galicia, but also Madrid’s old seafood bars, Barcelona’s modern and playful seafood restaurants, and the taverns of Cádiz. All of these places share a tremendous love of seafood in its simplest forms, yet those forms are full of flavor.” The 2,500-square-foot space will include a dining room and a mezzanine on the second level. The building is located in the Faber Block and was built in 1926; it was formerly known as The Carolina. Over the past century, it has housed popular neighborhood establishments including Black and White Grocery and Seb’s Cafe. The address is 592 East Broadway.

West Vancouver’s next restaurant will open in a historic, recently restored building, with a high-profile team behind the project. Navvy House is being created by At Home Hospitality, the company behind Vancouver’s Banter Room and award-winning Prophecy, and will be located in Navvy Jack House at 1768 Argyle Ave. The menu was developed by executive chef and operating partner Mike Rose, who was born and raised in West Vancouver. The dishes follow the seasons and the shoreline, drawing inspiration from Pacific and Atlantic coastal traditions and the land between them. The menu is described as “uncomplicated, bold, and built around natural flavors.” The space will combine original historical details with modern design and views of Burrard Inlet, creating a setting intended for long lunches and evenings that continue after sunset.

Sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s Subs has finally confirmed where and when it will open in Vancouver. In a press release, the company said the restaurant would open in Kitsilano at 1864 W. 4th Ave., in the former Purebread Bakery location. An exact opening date has not yet been announced, but the restaurant is expected to open in October. Rumors about a Vancouver location began circulating after the chain announced plans to open its first British Columbia location in Kelowna.

❮ ❯

Storms, Caves and Early Voting in British Columbia

In British Columbia, a storm left tens of thousands of homes without power, cave rescuers shared their expertise with colleagues on Vancouver Island, and early voting set records—although the rise in turnout is raising questions.

Storm Winds Hit Southwestern B.C., Leaving Tens of Thousands Without Power

Early Saturday evening, residents of British Columbia’s Lower Mainland felt that autumn had arrived not according to the calendar, but in powerful northwest wind gusts. The storm that hit the region on Friday toppled trees, knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and forced utility crews into emergency operations. As reported by CBC News, the weather event posed a serious test for infrastructure in Vancouver and its suburbs, although no one was killed.

According to Environment Canada, wind gusts near the Strait of Georgia reached 70 kilometres per hour, while speeds across the region generally hovered around 50 kilometres per hour. That was enough to leave about 30,000 B.C. Hydro customers without electricity at the height of the storm. Company spokesperson Mora Scott said most outages were caused by trees and branches falling onto power lines and equipment. “At this time of year, there’s still a lot of foliage on the trees, so they’re much more vulnerable to wind damage,” she explained. By 7 p.m. local time, about 17,000 people were still without power, although utility crews expected to restore service to most of them by 8 p.m.

Vancouver, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam and Surrey suffered the greatest damage. In Vancouver alone, the storm left dozens of trees down. One fell onto a vehicle in Kitsilano, while another large tree came down in Douglas Park. City officials said the parks department had received at least 110 reports involving broken branches, fallen trees and their removal. That was, the city said, “higher than would normally be expected during regular operations.” There were also reports of damage to vehicles and private property.

Interestingly, despite the storm’s intensity, B.C. Ferries service was largely unaffected: all sailings except for several daytime departures between Texada Island and Powell River left on schedule. This suggests that, despite its strength, the storm did not become catastrophic for the region’s transportation system.

Mora Scott used the situation to remind residents to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit in advance, including water, food, batteries and a portable charger. “You never know in advance how severe the damage from a storm will be or how long you may be without power,” she said. “That’s why we always encourage customers to be prepared.” The advice was particularly relevant given that, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the unsettled weather was expected to continue through Friday evening, with winds easing only around midnight to approximately 20 kilometres per hour.

For readers unfamiliar with the terminology, the Lower Mainland is the densely populated region in southwestern British Columbia that includes Vancouver and the surrounding municipalities. B.C. Hydro is the province’s primary electricity company, responsible for power generation and distribution. The Strait of Georgia is the body of water between the mainland and Vancouver Island, where winds can be particularly strong because of the area’s geography.

This incident is more than a local weather report. It shows how vulnerable infrastructure can be—even in a developed region—when faced with a fairly typical autumn storm for these latitudes. Trees with heavy foliage pose the greatest threat to power lines, meaning utility services may need to think more often about clearing rights-of-way and trimming trees. The story also highlights the importance of personal preparedness: the emergency kit Scott mentioned is not a formality, but a practical way to get through several hours or even days without electricity or heat.

British Columbia Cave Rescuers Share Their Expertise with Vancouver Island Colleagues

In a world where extreme tourism and scientific expeditions are becoming increasingly popular, safety in hard-to-reach locations is taking on greater importance. British Columbia, known for its complex cave systems, is becoming not only a destination for cavers but also a training hub for rescuers. A recent report published by Global News sheds light on an important initiative: experienced cave-rescue teams are training their colleagues on Vancouver Island.

What is happening goes beyond a routine exchange of experience. It involves transferring highly specialized skills needed for rescue operations in confined, dark and vertical spaces. A cave rescuer is not simply a climber with a flashlight. It is a specialist trained to ascend and descend ropes in restricted spaces, navigate complex mazes, provide medical assistance in places where a helicopter cannot be summoned immediately and, critically, do all of this without endangering their own life or that of the injured person. Training other teams on Vancouver Island is a strategic step toward creating a provincewide network of qualified rescuers.

Why is this so important? Vancouver Island caves, such as the Horne Lake cave system, attract cavers from around the world. They can be treacherous, with sudden flooding, tight crawls and difficult navigation. When an accident occurs in such a system, every hour matters. Local rescue services, even when generally well trained, may lack the specialized skills required to work underground. That is why instructors from British Columbia’s mainland—home to one of Canada’s most active cave-rescue teams—are providing more than a lecture: they are offering practical training in survival techniques.

The report also mentions another seemingly unrelated story: NASA researchers’ interest in the Peat Lake fire in the Cariboo and their use of a Cold War-era aircraft to fly over it. Although the two subjects appear disconnected, they share a subtle link. Studying extreme environments—whether caves or wildfire zones—requires unique tools and international cooperation. In the case of the Cariboo fire, NASA was likely studying fire behaviour and its impact on the atmosphere, using high-altitude aircraft to collect data. This underscores a broader trend: modern challenges, whether natural disasters or rescue operations, require interdisciplinary approaches and the exchange of knowledge.

The key insight from the report is that safety in extreme activities depends not on the heroism of individuals, but on systematic training and the creation of resilient communities of practitioners. British Columbia’s rescuers understand that their experience is invaluable, but it must be replicated. Training on Vancouver Island is an investment in the future that could save lives. As caving tourism grows and weather conditions become increasingly unpredictable because of climate change, such programs are not merely desirable—they are essential. Ultimately, this is a story about how knowledge passed from one team to another creates an invisible safety network underground.

What might be unclear to readers? The term “cave rescuer” may seem self-explanatory, but it is important to understand that it represents a distinct qualification. Unlike ordinary rescuers, cave rescuers work in environments without natural light, where communication with the surface is often unavailable and movement requires specialized equipment, from harness systems to portable sources of heat. The reference to a Cold War-era aircraft probably concerns modified reconnaissance or transport planes that NASA uses for scientific missions because they can fly at high altitudes and carry heavy equipment. The Cariboo fire was a major wildfire studied to understand how fires spread in a changing climate. These details show how closely modern science and rescue work are intertwined, using common approaches to solve problems in extreme environments.

Early Voting in British Columbia: Excitement Is High, but Does It Mean Turnout Is Really Rising?

Municipal elections in British Columbia are not over yet, but a number of cities are already reporting an unexpected and significant surge of interest in early voting. This is not limited to Vancouver, which traditionally attracts attention as the province’s largest city: a similar pattern is emerging in Kelowna, Surrey and Burnaby. At first glance, this appears to be an encouraging sign of renewed civic engagement. However, the figures conceal a much more complex and ambiguous story that should not be interpreted as a guarantee of high overall turnout.

Let’s start with the specific figures. In Kelowna, 2,712 people voted on the first day of advance voting—nearly twice the 1,471 voters recorded in 2022. Deputy city clerk and chief election officer Michael Judd said it was too early to assess the ultimate impact, but there were no signs that interest was declining. He said the unusually large number of vacancies on city council may be playing a role, along with the city’s efforts to make early voting as quick and convenient as possible.

In Surrey, 10,618 people voted early on Wednesday—30 percent more than the 8,159 voters on the first day of advance voting in 2022. In Burnaby, 9,710 ballots were cast during the first two days of early voting, 73.8 percent more than the 5,585 people recorded during the same period in the previous election. Burnaby deputy chief election officer Josh Komia attributed the increase to several council vacancies, a larger number of candidates than in 2022 and the overlap with the provincial election, which created a kind of political “buzz.” However, he also offered a warning: high early-voting turnout does not necessarily mean higher overall turnout. Voters may simply be choosing the convenience of voting early.

This brings us to the most revealing example: Vancouver. Over the past decade, city officials have deliberately expanded access to early voting, and the number of people voting in advance rose from just under 34,000 in 2014 to 65,127 in 2022. It might seem like a triumph of civic engagement. Yet during the same period, overall turnout actually fell—from 181,707 people, or 43.4 percent, in 2014 to 171,494, or 36.3 percent, in 2022. In other words, people did not become more likely to vote; they simply shifted their votes toward the early-voting format. In the current election cycle, Vancouver residents again appear to be heading to early polls in large numbers: nearly 46,966 ballots have already been cast, and early voting continues for two more days before the general election on October 17.

This brings us to a key conceptual distinction that is important when reading such reports: the difference between early voting and overall turnout. Early voting is just one way voters can exercise their rights, alongside voting on election day, by mail or at mobile polling stations. When a city expands access to early voting—by opening more polling stations, extending hours or simplifying the process—some voters who would otherwise have voted on election day simply move into the “early voter” category. This creates the appearance of rising early turnout, an increase that may have nothing to do with greater civic engagement. That is why Josh Komia of Burnaby and Michael Judd of Kelowna are cautious in their assessments: they understand that early-voting figures are more an indicator of convenience than a barometer of political enthusiasm. The overlap between provincial and municipal elections also deserves mention. It is a rare situation that can either stimulate interest or, conversely, overwhelm voters with too many elections.

What conclusions can be drawn from this picture? First, the rise in early voting in British Columbia’s cities is real and significant, particularly in Burnaby, where it exceeds 70 percent. Second, the reasons for the increase are varied: council vacancies, a large number of candidates, convenient polling locations and the broader political climate. Third—and most importantly—Vancouver’s experience serves as a sobering reminder that high early turnout does not automatically translate into high overall turnout. As Yahoo News Canada reported, overall turnout in Vancouver fell by nearly seven percentage points during a decade in which early voting grew. So the current excitement around advance polls is primarily a story about convenience and access, not necessarily about a mass awakening of civic consciousness. The real answer will come only after the votes are counted following October 17, when it becomes clear whether people who previously stayed home went to the polls—or whether we are simply seeing a redistribution of the existing electorate.

❮ ❯

British Columbia’s Darkness and Hope

A review of Canadian reports: a humanitarian catastrophe in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside amid the fentanyl crisis, a free “Orca Man” guide to watching whales from shore, and the pre-holiday collapse at BC Ferries over Thanksgiving.

The Vancouver We Prefer Not to See: A Report from the Downtown Eastside, Where Hope Has Died

This National Post report is not just another story about urban problems, but a grim, almost literary immersion into one of North America’s most terrifying neighborhoods. The author spent several days in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES)—an area that is formally located in one of the world’s wealthiest and most prosperous cities but has in reality become a zone of humanitarian catastrophe. What we see is not dry statistics but a succession of scenes: a dying man with a KILL TO LIVE tattoo on his forearm, children turned into zombies by fentanyl, and a mother searching for her son through posters on a bulletin board before learning that he has already died. It is a report on how society has accepted the existence of hell right on its doorstep.

The central point of the narrative is the intersection of Hastings and Main, which the author calls “the worst intersection in Canada.” Everything happens at once: an ambulance takes away yet another dying person, young people with pinprick pupils lie nearby on the sidewalk, and across the street, people quietly read books in the Carnegie Community Centre library. The contrast is so stark that it becomes a character in its own right. The author emphasizes that “hotel” in this neighborhood is a euphemism for an SRO (Single Room Occupancy)—eight-story, century-old low-income buildings where rooms are rented without amenities and windows are boarded up or broken. Thousands of people whom the city has effectively pushed out of normal life live in such buildings.

The scale of the tragedy becomes clear through the numbers: since 2016, more than 18,000 people in British Columbia alone have died from opioid overdoses. The author compares this with Canada’s losses in the First World War and stresses that these deaths are taking place not on battlefields but in alleys between Main Street and the old Molson bank building. What was once called the “fentanyl fold”—the characteristic posture of people bent nearly in half—is now described by toxicologists as the “opioid bending phenotype.” Xylazine has also entered the picture, a veterinary tranquilizer mixed with fentanyl to prolong its effects and cause necrotic ulcers. Deanna Piche, a Carnegie employee, says that “rhino tranquilizer” and the synthetic opioid cychlorphine have already appeared in the neighborhood, suggesting that the epidemic could become even more horrific.

The author openly acknowledges that this is not his first visit to the DTES. In 1988, he filmed a documentary for CBC in which the residents were “harmless drunks,” not victims of fentanyl. Nearly forty years ago, the neighborhood was already poor and dangerous, but it was a different kind of poverty—without mass overdose deaths every few hours. Today, he says, “the cancer isn’t only here, but it’s worse here.” He links the deterioration to several factors: the exponential increase in drug potency, the influx of synthetic opioids from China and Mexico, and the city’s policies, which alternated between trying to “clean up” the streets and backing away. Mayor Ken Sim, the son of an immigrant from Hong Kong who won the 2022 election, is promoting a nonbinding plebiscite on banning the open use of hard drugs in public places and creating a “safe medical facility” with more than 100 beds for involuntary treatment. His critics, including Councillor Pete Fry and Karim Allaham, call it a “cynical electoral maneuver.” But even the mayor admits that “everything we’ve done before obviously hasn’t worked.”

The conversation with Suzanne Ng, owner of New Town Bakery, which has operated here for forty years, is especially striking. She arrived from Hong Kong in 1972, and her perspective is that of someone who has watched the neighborhood deteriorate. “Our neighborhood used to be very clean,” she says. Now, she says, drug users are “spreading” into neighboring streets, and her own daughter refuses to come to this part of the city. When the author asks whether Canada can be considered a great country if such a thing exists, Ng replies: “Canada is still a great country. Vancouver is a good place. I’m proud of this city. But I’m also ashamed, because the city is getting worse. There’s too much freedom.” She is alluding to the lack of punishment, which in her view distinguishes the situation from China, where “it’s a very civilized and wealthy place now.”

Perhaps the most poignant moment, however, is the conversation with Sophie Kish from Lethbridge, Alberta. She searched for her son Sean, put up posters, and called the police. “The police said he was an adult and they wouldn’t tell me anything,” she recalls. Sean died at St. Paul’s Hospital on April 12. His story is one of many, but it shows that the DTES is not simply a place where “other people” live; it is where someone’s children, brothers, and sisters end up. The author also mentions Desiree Bercier, a 21-year-old woman from Winnipeg who was bought a ticket to Vancouver and disappeared in July 2026, and Tony O’Keefe, who is missing. On the bulletin board at Carnegie is a message to Sean Kish: “We tried to find you, but every door we open is closed. You matter. Please call someone.”

One of the few bright spots is the story of Deanna Piche, a woman from the Dene Suline Nation who went through alcoholism and drug addiction herself but survived through motherhood. Today she works at Carnegie and speaks about the people on the streets with love: “These are my people. Many of them saw me at my worst. I love them, and I tell them that.” When the author asks what could bring this nightmare to an end, she replies: “I believe we’re in hell, and we all get from here to heaven.” This is not merely a metaphor—it is an acknowledgment that for many, the DTES has become a purgatory with no way out. Gerardo Avila, a clown who came to Vancouver for Expo 86 and stayed, organizes a procession down Hastings Street every year for the Day of the Dead. He says: “People with money have a way out. But poor people? How are they going to do it? It’s a big, big problem. I don’t know how to fix it. I’m not a politician. I’m a clown.”

The author offers no easy solutions. He shows that the problem is not a lack of money or programs but a deep systemic crisis involving housing availability, psychiatric care, decriminalization policy, and, most importantly, society’s willingness to see people with addictions as human beings rather than “biomass.” India, a homeless man with two dogs, says: “It’s a choice.” But he immediately adds: “I don’t see myself as different from them. I’m still human. They’re still human.” He believes people need jobs and housing, not merely treatment. “Some people need housing, some don’t. But to get a place, people wait for years. I know someone who waited 11 years.” This paradox—the combination of personal responsibility and structural violence—runs throughout the report.

The article also contains important political context. The plebiscite Mayor Sim is promoting is worded as follows: “Are you in favor of the City of Vancouver strengthening laws prohibiting the open use of hard drugs—heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack—in public places?” The second question asks: “Should the City formally request that the Province of British Columbia convert part of the former St. Paul’s Hospital or another similar facility into a safe medical facility providing acute voluntary care and more than 100 involuntary beds for people who pose a serious danger to themselves or others because of a severe substance-use and mental-health disorder?” The proposal is controversial: some see it as a path to salvation, while others see a return to forced isolation practices that could violate human rights.

The author concludes the report with an image that stays with the reader: he is standing in an alley between the library and the old Molson bank, where “the asphalt is covered in urine, vomit, and the remains of breakfast,” and asks Deanna what could bring it to an end. Her answer is not a political program but an existential admission: “We

Watching Whales from Shore: How Vancouver’s “Orca Man” Helps Residents Meet the Ocean for Free

When most people hear “whale watching in British Columbia,” they picture inflatable Zodiac boats bouncing over the waves and tickets costing a couple of hundred dollars. But there is an alternative that few people know about: you can see orcas without going out on the water or paying a cent. Fred DeNisco, known on social media as “Vancouver’s Orca Man,” has dedicated himself to this idea. He has assembled a free guide to whale watching from land in southern British Columbia and Washington State, bringing together resources on both sides of the Canada–U.S. border.

“This guide is intended to give people more accessible opportunities to engage with their local ecosystems. It complements marine tours for people who want to make the most efficient use of their wildlife-viewing time,” DeNisco told Vancouver Is Awesome.

DeNisco describes his work as “introducing people to who they are and to those who work alongside them.” He became fascinated by orcas as a child after the film Free Willy happened to be in the family minivan, which had a DVD player. That interest took him from Massachusetts to the University of British Columbia, where he earned a degree in geography and developed a deeper understanding of wildlife. On social media, he created The Orca Man account, which has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers and focuses on “connecting people with orcas and the things that surround them.”

Launched in 2023, DeNisco’s guide is less a traditional travel guide than a living, constantly updated collection of verified resources. “It’s more of an aggregation than an invention,” he explains. “The goal is to say: here are all the resources I use. They’re useful.” It includes a map with specific locations in four regions, including Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver, Gospel Rock near Gibsons, and the pier in Campbell River. Alongside the map are links to local observer groups and advice—for example, where to go if orcas have been spotted passing one location, since they often follow the same routes. The key difference from the Whale Trail project, which has existed for several years, is the additional information on exactly how to look for whales.

According to DeNisco, the best place to watch orcas from land in Greater Vancouver is Lighthouse Park. There are several reasons. The park faces the ocean at an angle that provides a broad view of Burrard Inlet and the Strait of Georgia, meaning that any whales traveling south should be visible, even if they are far away. Sometimes, however, they come right up to the shore. “I’ve had picnics in Lighthouse Park and heard the whales before I saw the water,” he says. In his estimation, if you spend 90 minutes at the park’s viewpoint three times during the summer, you are virtually guaranteed to see whales at least once. “It’s a whale-watching location for everyone,” he adds.

There are other notable spots as well. Saturna Island is not yet included in the guide, but DeNisco has heard good reports about it. He calls Mudge Island one of the best land-based whale-watching locations in all of British Columbia. South of Nanaimo, Mudge Island and Vancouver Island create a geographic bottleneck, forcing whales through the narrow Dodd Narrows, which is just 71 meters wide. “If you think about it, they end up closer than boat-watching regulations allow vessels to get,” DeNisco notes. The narrow passage also has a strong current, causing orcas to surface as they pass through and sometimes play in the turbulent water.

Interestingly, the guide’s primary audience is local residents rather than tourists. While marine excursions are typically a tourist activity, DeNisco wants to get city residents down to the shore. “My goal is to get people locally to go and meet our neighbors,” he says. Residents of Greater Vancouver, he argues, may be very close to orcas without realizing what is beneath the waves. “When you’re looking at the water, they’re there, even if you don’t see them,” he emphasizes.

The shore-based observer makes no illusions about the guide’s influence on the fate of the orcas. He acknowledges that reducing the number of boats would slightly reduce noise, but would not solve the problem. “When it comes to noise pollution, less is better, of course. But large vessels—container ships, tankers, cruise ships, and ferries—are far worse for whales than whale-watching boats,” DeNisco says.

In addition to the guide itself, he publishes a monthly zine and limited runs of T-shirts featuring graphics inspired by land-based whale watching and referring to specific locations. The current design features an orca in Dodd Narrows. In essence, DeNisco’s entire project attempts to overturn the usual economics of encountering wildlife: instead of an expensive ticket for a Zodiac, all you need is patience, curiosity, and knowledge of where to look. And if he is right, the world’s best view of orcas may not be something you pay for, but a matter of getting to the water more often and looking at it differently.

Thanksgiving Peak Loads Hit British Columbia’s Ferry System

As the long weekend marking Thanksgiving in Canada begins, British Columbia’s provincial ferry system, BC Ferries, traditionally faces one of the most intensive operating periods of the entire year. As CTV News Vancouver reports, passengers planning to leave the city for the holidays should prepare for serious challenges: coastal terminals become epicenters of massive crowds and vehicle lineups, while ferry schedules operate at the limits of their capacity. In essence, this is a classic regional logistics problem, in which demand for transportation exceeds within hours the capacity of infrastructure designed for everyday rather than peak traffic.

For those unfamiliar with the local context, BC Ferries is not simply a ferry operator but a critical transportation artery linking the province’s mainland with major island communities, above all Vancouver Island, where the provincial capital, Victoria, is located. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October, and for millions of residents it is the last opportunity to visit relatives or get out into nature before the rainy season begins. The term “long weekend” here refers to a three-day weekend during which traffic flows move in two opposing directions several days apart: first a mass departure from the metropolitan area, followed by an equally massive return. This asymmetry creates the gridlock—ferries cannot physically double the number of sailings instantly, and reservations sell out weeks before the travel date.

The key insider takeaway from CTV’s brief report is that peak loads on BC Ferries during holiday weekends are not accidental but a predictable, recurring annual pattern. This means the problem is structural and cannot be solved simply by adding vessels. Constraints include the capacity of the terminals themselves, the number of berths, staffing resources, and, importantly, weather conditions in the Strait of Georgia, which become less predictable in the fall. For passengers, the practical conclusion is obvious: holiday travel requires advance reservations, readiness for hours of waiting, and flexibility in choosing a departure time. For authorities, it is a constant signal that investment is needed in fleet expansion and port infrastructure, as demographic pressure in southwestern British Columbia continues to grow. More broadly, the BC Ferries case illustrates a typical dilemma faced by North American transportation systems: seasonal demand peaks expose the vulnerability of infrastructure designed for average loads and force operators to consider how to balance economic efficiency with resilience under extreme pressure.

❮ ❯

Orca Calf Dies, Gas Leak Hospitalizes Six, Witches Take to the Water

Vancouver: a killer whale calf dies near the island, a gas leak sends six people to hospital, and a costumed witch paddle takes place in the bay.

Orca Calf Dies off Vancouver Island, Another Blow to an Endangered Population

A tragic incident off the coast of British Columbia has once again drawn researchers’ attention to one of the most vulnerable populations of marine mammals on the planet. On Saturday, a female southern resident killer whale named J31 was spotted in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Sombrio Point on Vancouver Island, about 70 kilometres west of Victoria, according to the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor. A dead calf was swimming beside her. This is not the first such incident involving the female: in 2016, she was also seen carrying a dead calf. Researchers have not yet determined the calf’s sex or the circumstances of its death, including whether it was born at full term or died in the womb.

The significance of this loss extends far beyond one individual tragedy. Southern resident killer whales are classified as critically endangered. As of 2024, their population was estimated at only about 73 individuals. Every successful birth and every calf that survives are crucial to the survival of the entire group. The Center for Whale Research said J31’s calf died against a backdrop of “longstanding reproductive challenges” within the population. J31 was born in 1995 and has only one surviving offspring, a female named J56, born in 2019. J31’s previous pregnancies ended unsuccessfully, making her history particularly revealing in understanding the species’ reproductive problems.

One of the main causes of reproductive failure among southern resident killer whales is believed to be a shortage of their primary food source, Chinook salmon. Researchers say the availability of this fish largely determines the population’s ability to recover. Insufficient nutrition affects females’ health and their ability to carry and nurse calves. The Center said in a statement: “Although the cause of death of this calf is unknown, it occurs against a backdrop of longstanding reproductive challenges within the population.” For a group as small as the southern residents, the successful birth and survival of every calf are critical.

The incident once again highlights the precarious position of southern resident killer whales. A population of approximately 73 individuals means extremely low genetic diversity and high vulnerability to negative factors ranging from food shortages to ocean pollution and noise from shipping. The loss of even one potential calf—particularly one born to a female who has already experienced repeated reproductive failures—is a serious indication that conservation efforts have yet to produce sufficient results. Since J31 was born in 1995, she is gradually nearing the end of her reproductive years, and every further loss reduces the chances of the population recovering naturally. Monitoring individuals such as J31 and understanding the causes of their reproductive problems remain crucial tasks for researchers seeking to prevent the disappearance of one of North America’s most iconic groups of marine mammals.

Vancouver Boiler Leak Sends Six People to Hospital with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

An incident at a residential building in Vancouver has once again drawn attention to gas-equipment safety. Six people were taken to hospital with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning after a malfunction in the boiler system caused a dangerous gas leak. An investigation by Technical Safety B.C. found that the cause was a disconnected boiler vent pipe—a critical component designed to carry combustion gases outside.

According to a Technical Safety B.C. report, a photograph attached to the case materials clearly shows an arrow pointing to the disconnected vent duct. This meant that carbon monoxide—a colourless, odourless gas—entered the occupied space without obstruction. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by the incomplete combustion of fuel and can bind to haemoglobin in the blood, blocking the transport of oxygen to tissues. That is why even brief exposure to high concentrations can cause severe poisoning, unconsciousness and death.

The key detail is that the vent pipe was not merely damaged—it had been disconnected. This points either to an installation or maintenance error, or to deliberate interference with the system. Technical Safety B.C. has not said who might have removed the pipe or when, but the fact that this condition went unnoticed until the incident indicates serious gaps in the regular inspection of gas equipment in residential buildings. The six victims are not simply a statistic; they are a warning that early-warning systems, such as carbon monoxide detectors, were either absent or failed to operate.

For homeowners and property-management companies, the incident is a direct reminder of the need for annual boiler servicing and inspections to ensure that flues and vents remain intact. Carbon monoxide cannot be detected by the human senses, so the only way to protect against it is to install certified CO detectors in living areas and arrange regular inspections by licensed professionals. Technical Safety B.C. generally emphasizes in its recommendations that any modification to the design of gas appliances must be carried out only by qualified technicians, and that do-it-yourself repairs are unacceptable.

It has not yet been reported whether charges will be filed against the building’s owner or the maintenance organization. However, the report has already prompted inspections of other properties with similar heating systems. Six people hospitalized is a preventable price to pay for negligence. The incident involving the disconnected pipe is also not the first of its kind in British Columbia, making calls for tighter controls on gas equipment even more urgent.

Witches on the Water: How Vancouver Turned Halloween into a Mass Paddle

Vancouver, Canada, has once again shown that Halloween is not just about pumpkins on porches and candy for children—it is also an excuse to take to the water in the most unexpected costumes. On Saturday, October 3, 2026, the sixth annual Witchilano Paddle took place in the bay off the coast of British Columbia. The event brings hundreds of people in witch costumes onto surfboards and kayaks to celebrate the approaching holiday on the water. The event was reported by Global Times, citing a photo report by Xinhua.

The event’s name is a pun based on a play on words. It combines the English word “witch” with “Witchilano,” a distorted version of the Vancouver neighbourhood name West Vancouver, where the popular Ambleside Beach is located—a traditional gathering place for surfers and paddlers. The result is something like “the witches’ paddle,” and it is not merely a joke but a full-fledged urban tradition that attracts more participants every year.

What happens is simple and visually striking: hundreds of people put on witch costumes, climb onto stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and canoes, and head out onto the bay. Officially, it is a Halloween entertainment event, but in practice it serves several purposes. First, it is a colourful visual attraction for tourists and local residents who gather along the shore to watch the “witches” pass by. Second, it is an informal way to extend the swimming and watersports season in a region where October weather is already far from beach-like. Third, it is a social event—a chance for the watersports community and ordinary residents who enjoy a carnival atmosphere to come together.

An important detail is that the event is held annually, and this year’s paddle was the sixth. That means the tradition began around 2021—at the height of pandemic restrictions or shortly afterward, when people were especially eager for outdoor, in-person activities. A costumed paddle was perfectly suited to those conditions: it allowed for physical distancing, took place outdoors and still created a sense of celebration and community.

From a media perspective, the story is interesting because it was distributed by the Chinese agency Xinhua and published in Global Times, a publication usually associated with politics and economics rather than urban festivals in Canada. This shows how local cultural events become part of the global news flow: photographs of witches on surfboards off Vancouver appear in a Chinese news feed and spread around the world. Photographer Liang Sen, credited in the captions, captures the visual side of the event—costumes, water and crowds—which is precisely the format that works best in international photo reports.

In a broader sense, Witchilano Paddle is an example of how a modern urban celebration can be built from simple elements. There is no elaborate organization, expensive scenery or official programme. There is water, costumes and a desire to do something together. Halloween, traditionally considered a “home-based” holiday focused on decorations and sweets, is transformed here into a public outdoor event. This reflects a broader trend: celebrations are increasingly moving from private spaces into the city, while watersports are becoming not merely sports pursued for results, but ways of socializing and expressing oneself.

For Vancouver, it is also a branding opportunity. A city known for its rain and proximity to the ocean gets another chance to present itself as a place with a lively, informal culture. Events like this can enhance tourism just as effectively as official festivals because they look authentic and are easily shared on social media. Photos of witches paddling against the backdrop of the bay are ready-made visual content that promotes itself.

Ultimately, the sixth Witchilano Paddle confirms a simple idea: sometimes all it takes to create a tradition that attracts global media attention is a costume, a board and a willingness to get on the water. While some people debate the right way to celebrate Halloween, Vancouver residents simply paddle in witch hats—and, judging by appearances, get far more enjoyment from it than from any argument.

❮ ❯

Rent, Tourism and Deli: Vancouver’s Top News

Vancouver is once again in the spotlight: housing rents recorded Canada’s sharpest monthly increase, Victoria was named the world’s best small city for the fourth consecutive time, and a genuine New York Jewish deli with hand-rolled bagels is preparing to open in Kitsilano.

Vancouver Rents Break Records: What’s Behind the Biggest Price Jump

British Columbia’s rental market, long considered one of the most overheated in North America, is sending mixed signals. On the one hand, renters have grown accustomed to steadily rising prices; on the other, the past two years have brought a long-awaited respite in the form of falling rates. However, a new report from Canadian real estate platform Rentals.ca and analytics firm Urbanation, highlighted by Daily Hive, suggests that this respite may be short-lived. Vancouver has just recorded the most significant monthly increase in rental rates among Canada’s six largest markets, prompting experts and residents to once again discuss housing affordability.

According to the National Rent Report, the average asking price for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver was $2,373 per month in September, up one percent from August. Two-bedroom apartments rose by 0.7 percent and are now listed for an average of $3,271. The city’s overall average rent reached $2,741, an increase of 1.4 percent over the month, making Vancouver the second-most-expensive city for renters among the country’s largest markets. North Vancouver remains the most expensive, with an average rent of $3,028. Coquitlam, Burnaby, Langley, Victoria, New Westminster and Surrey also made the list of Canada’s 20 most expensive cities to live in, underscoring the scale of the problem across the region.

The report’s key point is not so much the increase itself as the context surrounding it. Vancouver’s year-over-year decline in rents is now the smallest since December 2023. In other words, rents are still lower than they were a year ago, but the gap is narrowing rapidly. Urbanation President Shaun Hildebrand attributes this to structural changes in the market. According to him, the peak in new housing supply has already passed in key cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. “Rents in both cities have risen over the past six months, while the annual decline has narrowed significantly as renters return to the market,” he said. “What is happening in Toronto and Vancouver is being repeated across the country. This should provide relief to renters after years of excessive rent growth.”

To understand the situation, it is important to clarify several terms. “Asking rent” is the price a landlord lists in an advertisement, rather than the actual amount a tenant ultimately pays after negotiations or discounts. This indicator responds quickly to market sentiment and seasonality, but it does not always reflect the long-term reality of existing leases. An “annual decline” means that current prices are lower than they were in the same month a year earlier. When that decline “narrows,” it signals that the market is turning toward growth. “Household formation” is the process by which people leave their parents’ homes or stop sharing accommodation with roommates and begin living independently. High rents in previous years forced many young Canadians to postpone this step, creating pent-up demand. Now that prices have eased somewhat and landlords are offering move-in incentives, that demand is beginning to be released, pushing prices upward.

Despite Vancouver’s local increase, the national picture looks different. September marked the 24th consecutive month in which asking rents in Canada declined year over year. British Columbia was one of only two provinces where rents have fallen over the past three years. This indicates that the country’s rental market is undergoing a correction after a period of rapid growth driven by pandemic-era migration and record immigration. However, the correction is uneven: while some regions are becoming cheaper, others, including Vancouver, are beginning to grow more expensive again.

The economic backdrop is adding to the concern. According to an Ipsos survey conducted for the MNP Consumer Debt Index, 53 percent of British Columbians are worried about their professional mobility and career opportunities. Economic uncertainty, tariffs, the trade conflict between the United States and Canada, and growing concerns about artificial intelligence are putting pressure on the labor market. Twenty-four percent of respondents in the province fear that tariffs, trade disputes or broader economic instability will negatively affect their jobs or incomes; among employed residents, that figure reaches 31 percent. Another 20 percent are concerned about AI’s impact on their careers, while 12 percent worry that technology will devalue their skills. Twenty-eight percent of British Columbians are anxious about the difficulty of finding a new job with comparable pay and benefits.

Vancouver’s rental-market situation is therefore not merely a local episode but an indicator of broader trends. On the one hand, renters’ return to the market points to a recovery in economic activity and confidence. On the other, it is occurring against a backdrop of continued household vulnerability and labor-market instability. If the trend continues, Vancouver could once again top the list of Canada’s most expensive cities, while the promised relief for renters may prove short-lived. Shaun Hildebrand’s central conclusion—that “the rest of the country follows Toronto and Vancouver”—means that the current shift toward higher rents in these metropolitan areas could foreshadow similar developments in other parts of Canada in the coming months.

Victoria Named the World’s Best Small City Again

British Columbia can be proud of its southern neighbor: the provincial capital, Victoria, has once again been named the world’s best small city by the readers of Condé Nast Traveller, winning the title for the fourth consecutive year. It is unusual for a relatively small city by global standards to consistently outperform Europe’s best-known tourism magnets, including Venice and San Sebastián. The award is part of the 39th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and nearly 800,000 readers took part in this year’s voting, rating the world’s best travel experiences. The scale of the participation gives the result additional weight: this was not the opinion of a small panel of judges, but the enthusiastic verdict of travelers themselves.

The publication specifically noted that Victoria should not be viewed merely as a day trip from Vancouver—it deserves a visit of its own. Travelers can reach it by one of the world’s most scenic ferry routes, crossing the strait near Swartz Bay, and stay at the legendary Fairmont Empress, where Fairmont Gold rooms provide access to a private waterfront lounge. The magazine also highlighted the city’s reputation as Canada’s most “British” corner, with many restaurants and hotels offering guests a traditional afternoon tea. For those who prefer nature, CN Traveller recommends escaping the hustle and bustle in an old-growth forest during a road trip around Vancouver Island.

Paul Nair, executive director of tourism organization Destination Greater Victoria, called the recognition “both humbling and inspiring,” linking it to the region’s global reputation and the combined efforts of the tourism industry, businesses and local residents. In addition to the top award, several British Columbia hotels, including a number in Greater Victoria, also made the list of winners for the 2026 awards. The news, published by Daily Hive, once again confirms that a strong tourism brand can maintain its leadership for years, even amid intense competition. The key takeaway is simple: in a world where travelers are increasingly seeking authenticity and compact destinations instead of megacity gigantism, Victoria has found its own formula for success—British charm, natural landscapes and impeccable service.

Vancouver Is Finally Getting a Genuine New York Jewish Deli

Vancouver is a city often praised for its Asian cuisine, coffee shops and farmers’ markets, but when it comes to a genuine Jewish deli, things have historically been less successful. More precisely, there have been attempts, but they have felt tentative: there were individual establishments here and bagel shops there, but the city clearly lacked a place that could boil, bake, spread and serve on a grand scale. Now, two people are stepping in to fill that gap, each bringing a story of their own: chef and television host Duran “Dman” Bodasing and Herschel Medzygorcki, whose name, symbolically enough, gives the upcoming establishment its name. Daily Hive reports on the development.

The news came through Bodasing’s Instagram, written in his characteristic style—in all caps, with exclamation marks and the unmistakable sense that he is not merely opening a business but inviting everyone to a celebration. “HELLO VANCOUVER BC WE ARE HERSCHEL’S DELI AND SCHMEER!! Get ready for some New York City Jewish Deli Soul Vibes with a kick of Canadian style,” he wrote. If you read closely, the entire concept is contained in that sentence: not to copy New York literally, but to capture its soul and add a Canadian accent. The location is symbolic—1500 W. 2nd Ave., right by the entrance to Granville Island, in the space formerly occupied by Tru Cafe. It is essentially a gateway to Kitsilano, a neighborhood already known for its high concentration of restaurants, so competition will be serious—but so will the foot traffic.

The main promise is bagels. Not the kind sold in six-packs at supermarkets, but the real thing: they will be hand-rolled, boiled and baked fresh every day. Boiling, for those unfamiliar with the process, is the secret behind a true New York bagel—the dough is briefly immersed in boiling water, creating a dense, glossy crust while leaving the inside chewy and slightly moist. Without that step, you simply get a round loaf of bread, and Vancouver has unfortunately had plenty of those. The lineup is expected to be broad, ranging from plain classics to cinnamon raisin, asiago cheese and caraway rye. Then come the sandwiches, all made according to tradition: Lox and Schmeer, featuring smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers, cucumber, tomato and lemon; and a BEC on Everything, with a fried egg, crispy bacon, aged cheddar, arugula, tomato and herb aioli on an “everything” bagel. There will also be coffee—drip and lattes, without any third-wave pretensions but also without the snobbery. “The party is just getting started at the entrance to our beloved Granville Island in the heart of Kitsilano,” Bodasing added, which is perhaps the best description of what he has in mind.

Now for the people behind the project. Bodasing is not simply a chef but a local media personality, known for The Dome Cooking Show, in which he prepares travel-inspired dishes using British Columbia ingredients in his own dome-shaped penthouse apartment. In a sense, it is Vancouver’s version of a celebrity kitchen—only without the pomp and with an obvious love of local produce. He is also preparing to launch The Cheeseburger Show, in which he will interview celebrities and create their ideal cheeseburgers with guest chefs. Medzygorcki is a different kind of figure, someone from the industry rather than television. He was the owner of Harry’s on Robson, Harry’s Diner on Pender and Kitchen on Main St., which he ran with Uli Schnurr, and he was also behind Southside Delicatessen in Whistler, which operated from 1984 to 2003. In other words, one brings media charisma and storytelling ability, while the other brings management experience and an understanding of how a deli works from the inside. The combination is, to put it mildly, promising.

An opening date has not yet been announced, leaving the only real element of uncertainty. But the news matters for more than just bagel lovers. It shows that Vancouver continues to explore culinary traditions that once seemed foreign to the city, doing so not through timid imitation but through the personal experiences of specific people. A Jewish deli is not merely about food; it is a particular ritual: the noise, the smells, the speed, the generosity and the conversation across the counter. If Herschel’s Deli and Schmeer can recreate that experience, even with a Canadian accent, the city will gain another place people want to return to—not because it is trendy, but because of the feeling that they were expected here.

❮ ❯

Metro Vancouver Reform, School Strike and an AI-Planned Route

British Columbia’s Conservatives promise to strip Metro Vancouver of its housing and climate-policy powers, 900 Vancouver school workers vote to strike over working conditions, and a teenager ends up in a rescue operation after entrusting a hiking plan to artificial intelligence.

BC Conservatives Promise to Radically Curtail Metro Vancouver Regional District’s Powers

British Columbia’s provincial Conservative Party, led by Lorne Doerkson, has made a major campaign promise: if elected, it intends to fundamentally reform the Metro Vancouver Regional District by significantly reducing its responsibilities, mandate and operations. In essence, the proposal would transform the large regional government from a broad, multi-purpose administrative body into a specialized organization focused exclusively on water supply and wastewater treatment. The report comes from Daily Hive Urbanized.

Under the platform released by the party, the Conservatives propose removing the regional district’s authority over four key areas: housing, economic development, air-quality control and climate policy. According to the party, all of these functions should be transferred to the provincial government and individual municipalities because the regional level allegedly duplicates work they already perform. As for drinking water and wastewater treatment, those would become the district’s sole focus—not coincidentally, the two areas account for the vast majority of the organization’s annual operating and capital budgets. Notably, the announcement includes neither an estimate of potential savings nor a timeline for implementing the reforms, nor does it explain how the province and municipalities would fund the responsibilities transferred to them.

The Conservatives’ argument is based on the regional district’s growing debt, its expanding annual budget and allegations of excessive spending on private consultants and contractors. They say spending on outside labour has already surpassed the salaries and benefits of the organization’s own staff. “This is not a utility. This is a reckless bureaucratic mess with an unlimited cheque. We’re going to take away the cheque book, focus Metro on water and sewer, and make sure taxpayers get value for every dollar,” said Carson Binda, the Conservative candidate in Vancouver-Quilchena. To clarify, an “unlimited cheque” refers to a situation in which an organization can spend money with virtually no external oversight or consequences—a practice that particularly irritates critics.

Another element of the platform is a reduction in the regional district’s board. The board currently consists of elected mayors and city councillors from 21 municipalities, as well as representatives of Electoral Area A—which includes, among other places, the University of British Columbia and university endowment lands—and the Tsawwassen First Nation. The Conservatives are calling for a smaller, more professional governing body. Their position echoes a request the board itself made to the provincial government in July 2026: to change the legislation and allow the number of directors to be reduced by 25 per cent. “A smaller, professional board will run this organization as the vital service it is,” said Lynn Block, the Conservative candidate in North Vancouver—Seymour.

One of the region’s most contentious issues remains the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant on the North Shore in North Vancouver. When construction began in 2017, the budget was approximately $700 million, and completion was expected in 2020. However, following legal proceedings, a lengthy pause in major construction work and a change of contractor, the project’s cost rose to approximately $3.9 billion, while its completion date was pushed back to 2030. Households across the region are already feeling the pressure of rising rates intended to cover these overruns and other costly capital projects. The Conservatives promise a full audit of the project. “People here want clean water and functioning sewer systems. They don’t want a regional bureaucracy that can’t build a plant on budget and is never held accountable,” said Trevor Withers, the candidate in North Vancouver—Lonsdale. His party colleague Caroline Elliott, from West Vancouver—Capilano, added that North Shore families deserve accountability for the failure but instead receive only indifference from their NDP representatives. She promised that the Conservatives would conduct a full audit to ensure that a mistake of this scale is not repeated.

Interestingly, the regional district itself has attempted to reform from within in recent years. In May 2025, at the initiative of the board of directors, consulting firm Deloitte conducted a separate governance review that also involved the provincial government. This led to stronger internal audits and changes to the rules governing compensation for board members. The organization also underwent a major leadership shake-up: in early September 2026, after weeks of media speculation, the regional government parted ways with Jerry Dobrovolny, who had served as chief administrative officer and commissioner since 2019. He was criticized for overseeing the North Shore plant project, receiving high compensation and allegedly exceeding his authority within the organization. Before joining the regional government, Dobrovolny worked for the City of Vancouver for more than three decades, including four years as the city’s chief engineer and general manager of the engineering department.

The key takeaway is that the Conservatives’ campaign promise targets the regional government’s most vulnerable points: its size, lack of transparency and inability to control megaprojects. However, the absence of specific calculations, timelines and funding mechanisms makes the initiative look more like a political slogan than a ready-to-implement plan. The timing is also significant: the provincial election is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, just one week after the municipal elections on October 17. This concentration of elections means that regional-district reform could become a bargaining chip in negotiations between the province and municipalities, while also significantly influencing the makeup of the new board of directors. The question of who will ultimately pay for the transferred responsibilities—and whether “focusing on water and sewer” will simply amount to shifting responsibility onto local taxpayers—remains unanswered. Daily Hive Urbanized has already requested comment from the Metro Vancouver Regional District itself.

School Lunches at Risk: Why 900 Vancouver School Workers Are Ready to Strike

A labour dispute is brewing in Vancouver’s public education system, and it could directly affect the daily lives of thousands of families. About 900 support workers employed by the school board—the people who feed children, clean classrooms, repair buildings and supervise students during recess—have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. The 96.9 per cent vote in favour is more than a formal statistic. It is a sign of extreme dissatisfaction rarely seen in Canada’s labour movement and almost never in school support services.

The workers belong to the local chapter of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 963, which represents about 900 school-district employees. They include not only building engineers and custodians, but also cooks, bakers, kitchen helpers, food-service workers and supervision aides. In other words, they are the people who determine whether a school is warm, dry, clean and well fed. That was the point emphasized by union business manager Tim De Vivo, who said members rarely strike in Vancouver schools and are deeply committed to “keeping students warm, safe, dry and fed.” However, he said, the school board’s demands were unfair and unnecessary, prompting such strong support for the strike mandate. The dispute is described in detail in a report by CBC News.

The key nuance is that the dispute is not primarily about wages. The union says it concerns working conditions, job security and protection of professional qualifications. This is an important distinction because it shifts the focus from Canada’s traditional disputes over money to questions of dignity and employment stability. When a custodian or cafeteria cook loses confidence in their future or faces attempts to undermine their professional status, the impact is felt not only by that individual but also by the quality of the environment in which children spend their days. Supervision aides who maintain order during recess and kitchen staff who provide hot meals are not abstract positions on a staffing chart; they are active participants in everyday school life.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since October 2025. According to the union, they reached an impasse last month when the school board refused to hear the union members’ counterproposal. This has intensified the conflict because it points to more than a disagreement over terms: it suggests a breakdown in the bargaining process itself. Such moments—particularly a refusal to engage in dialogue—often lead to near-unanimous strike votes like the one held in Vancouver.

So far, the union has not issued the 72-hour strike notice required in British Columbia. That means work is continuing and the parties still have room to manoeuvre. The school board, meanwhile, says it has plans in place for “any job action” to maintain the operation of schools and the district. In an official statement, the Vancouver School Board said there was a “mutual interest” in ensuring that the district could attract and retain qualified employees, maintain a stable workforce and operate schools safely. The wording is diplomatic, but terms such as “attract and retain” often become points of contention when the discussion turns from declarations to actual working conditions.

If a strike does begin, the consequences will extend well beyond the labour dispute. Parents could face the cancellation of hot meals, reduced cleaning and supervision, and, over time, pressure on Vancouver’s entire public-school system, which is already struggling with declining enrolment, particularly among international students. The CBC report also includes a video about falling enrolment in the city’s public schools, adding to the broader atmosphere of instability. Under these conditions, a labour dispute with support staff could become a systemic crisis of confidence in public education.

Several terms may not be immediately clear. A “strike mandate” is the result of a union vote that gives union leadership the legal authority to call a strike; it does not, by itself, mean a strike will begin. A “72-hour notice” is a procedure required under British Columbia labour law, in which the union officially warns the employer three days before a strike begins. “Support staff” refers to employees who do not teach directly but keep the school operating. Finally, a “collective agreement” is a contract between a union and an employer governing working conditions; it is the agreement the parties have been unable to reach since October 2025.

The main conclusion is both simple and troubling: when nearly 97 per cent of the workers who care for children every day are prepared to give up their pay to protect their working conditions, it points to a deep crisis of trust between staff and administration. The outcome of the negotiations will show whether the Vancouver School Board is prepared to listen to the people who keep schools running—or whether the city’s public education system will face a strike not seen here in decades.

BC Teen Rescued After Trusting AI to Plan a Hiking Route

The incident in British Columbia is more than a quirky example of technology failing. It vividly illustrates how quickly and casually artificial intelligence can shift from a convenient assistant to a source of real physical danger when it is used for decisions requiring accurate information about the real world. A teenager who set out on a route suggested by a neural network ultimately became the subject of a rescue operation. The fact that the outcome was positive should not obscure the scale of the problem.

According to a CTV News report, the young British Columbian decided to plan a hike using artificial intelligence. He entered a request, received a route, trusted it—and found himself in a situation he could not escape on his own. The short report does not reveal exactly what went wrong: it does not specify the location, the AI model the teenager used or how long he waited for help. But the fact that a rescue was required indicates that the algorithm-generated route did not match the real conditions, whether because of impassable terrain, closed trails, an inaccurate estimate of travel time or simply an invented trail that does not actually exist.

The central problem is not that the AI “made a mistake.” Language models are not designed to function as navigation tools. They generate text that sounds plausible, not necessarily text that corresponds to physical reality. A route provided by a chatbot may be linguistically coherent while having nothing to do with the actual terrain. This phenomenon is often called a “hallucination”—the generation of confident but false statements. When a hallucination involves street names in an unfamiliar city, it is irritating. When it concerns mountain trails where there is no cellphone service and no one nearby, it becomes a matter of life and health.

It is significant that the incident occurred in British Columbia, a region where wilderness literally begins just beyond the doorstep and rescue services respond to hundreds of calls every year. Local safety experts repeatedly remind people to consult official maps, reliable guidebooks and current trail-condition reports before setting out. AI does not appear on that list—and rescuers now have another recent example to illustrate why.

The story fits into a broader trend: people are increasingly delegating to algorithms decisions that once required experience, knowledge or at least a phone call to someone they know. Trip planning, medication choices, legal questions and financial advice are all areas in which AI is already producing answers that sound authoritative. The danger is that users cannot distinguish between well-founded advice and plausible invention until they experience the consequences. For the British Columbia teenager, that difference apparently became clear somewhere along the way.

The good news is that he was found and rescued. The bad news is that without an institutional response, there will be more incidents like this. Several measures already seem obvious: warnings within chatbots when users ask for route recommendations, educational campaigns in schools about the limits of AI, and more prominent labelling of official navigation sources. For now, the simple lesson everyone should remember is this: artificial intelligence can speak convincingly, but it cannot take responsibility for the consequences. In the woods, you will have to.

❮ ❯

Digest: Vancouver This Week, B.C. Taxes and an Arrest

This week’s events: 20 standout Vancouver activities from October 5 to 11, a driver arrested after crashing into a nursing home, and the British Columbia election campaign debate over a millionaires’ tax and the doctor shortage.

20 Standout Vancouver Events from October 5 to 11

Autumn in Vancouver is entering its busiest stretch. The Thanksgiving long weekend is ahead, and the city’s events calendar is responding with a packed lineup—from Halloween afternoon teas and a cranberry festival to world-class classical music and concerts by legendary performers. Daily Hive’s editorial team has compiled two dozen reasons to get out of the house between October 5 and 11. The list includes family activities, thrills for those seeking something spooky, and sports and music premieres. Here is an overview of the week’s highlights, along with context explaining why these events matter to the city right now.

It is worth beginning with a culinary event that sets the tone for the season. Notch8 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is launching its Haunted Cellar Afternoon Tea—a darkly themed tea service featuring traditional scones and tartlets enhanced with “supernatural” touches and handmade seasonal sweets. Families can choose a separate children’s menu with sandwiches and simpler treats. The event runs under different arrangements on various dates through November 1, with tickets priced at $75 for adults and $40 for children. Interestingly, the Daily Hive announcement lists dates extending into 2026—likely an error in the original material or plans covering several seasons. Hotels hosting events like these often prepare their calendars a year in advance.

At the same time, the city is entering its “strange” season. The Oddities and Curiosities Expo, dedicated to all things unusual and eerie, returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre on October 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hundreds of vendors and artists working in the “oddities” genre will offer visitors not only merchandise but also workshops, performances and photo opportunities. Tickets cost $20 plus fees. In a similar vein, the theatrical Lost Souls of Gastown Tour is entering its fifteenth season. It leads visitors through the historic Gastown district, recounting stories of the Great Fire, famous gold-rush “ladies” and an unsolved murder. Tours run daily through November 29, departing near the intersection of Water and Cordova streets, beside Monaco Café. Adult tickets cost $35, while students and seniors pay $32. Organizers add extra departures on weekends and during Halloween week.

One of the largest events on the calendar is the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival, taking place Saturday, October 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the village of Fort Langley. Around 35,000 visitors attend each year, and organizers have prepared 125 vendors and more than 15 food trucks this year. Admission is free. It is a classic example of a local agricultural celebration becoming a regional event. For the Fraser Valley, where cranberries have historically been grown, festivals like this remain a way to support local producers while attracting tourists.

The week’s music program is equally ambitious. The Vancouver International Music Competition, organized by the Canada International Arts & Music Society, is holding its final round, gala concert and awards ceremony. In 2026, the competition includes four categories: piano, strings, voice and woodwinds, with woodwinds added as a new category. The final round will take place on October 9 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the VSO School of Music, where young musicians from around the world will perform before an international jury. Masterclasses will be held at Tom Lee Music on October 10, followed by a gala concert at the Orpheum Theatre on October 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. The concert will feature the competition’s prizewinners, as well as Canadian pianist Ian Parker and violinist Domagoj Ivanović, both members of this year’s jury. For Vancouver, the event has twofold significance: it strengthens the city’s reputation as a centre for classical music and gives young performers a rare opportunity to share a stage with established artists.

Independent film represents another important strand of the week’s program. OFF-VIFF, co-founded by Vancouver filmmaker Arran Shearing, is expanding this year into a multiday festival at three venues: Cineworks, The Rio Theatre and Little Free Cinema. From October 7 to 12, audiences will see short films, premieres and other works that rarely reach mainstream distribution. Ticket prices vary, and sales are online. The emergence of a festival alongside the main VIFF signals that Vancouver is developing a lasting infrastructure for underground and experimental cinema.

The sports calendar is also packed. The B.C. Lions continue their Canadian Football League season at BC Place, hosting the Ottawa Redblacks on October 9 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on October 23. Both games begin at 7 p.m. The Vancouver Giants, playing in the Western Hockey League’s new season, take the ice at Langley Events Centre on October 10 against the Seattle Thunderbirds and on October 30 against the Victoria Royals. For families looking for outdoor entertainment, Canyon Frights is running at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. From October 9 to November 1, the grounds will feature pumpkins and spooky decorations, along with photo areas, live performances and children’s activities. The park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., extending to 9 p.m. toward the end of October. Rounding out the food-and-farm offerings is the Haney Farmers’ Market in downtown Maple Ridge. Every Saturday through October 31, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can buy fresh produce and locally made crafts at Memorial Peace Park.

Why does all this matter right now? Thanksgiving traditionally marks the beginning of Canada’s autumn holiday season, and Vancouver’s entertainment industry is simultaneously shifting toward Halloween themes. That explains the abundance of spooky afternoon teas, tours and expos. At the same time, the cultural program shows that Vancouver continues to balance large family events with niche projects such as OFF-VIFF and the classical music competition. The practical takeaway for readers is straightforward: the long weekend offers a rare opportunity to attend several events, but tickets should be purchased in advance where online sales are available. Festivals such as the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival and the Orpheum gala concert can draw full crowds. The complete list of 20 events, including dates, addresses and prices, is available in the Daily Hive article. The publication’s newsletter subscribers also receive updates about Metro Vancouver and British Columbia.

Several points may not be immediately obvious. Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday of October—earlier than in the United States—and is considered less a religious holiday than a family and harvest celebration, which explains its connection to the cranberry festival. The CFL, or Canadian Football League, is a professional league whose game differs from American football through its wider field and several distinctive rules. The WHL, or Western Hockey League, is one of North America’s three largest junior hockey leagues and a pathway for future NHL players. Afternoon tea is not simply tea, but a full ceremony accompanied by a selection of savoury and sweet foods; in Canada, it has long been a popular seasonal attraction at hotels. Finally, OFF-VIFF is a companion to the main Vancouver International Film Festival, or VIFF, focusing on independent and underground films that do not make the main program.

Driver Arrested After Pickup Crashes into Vancouver Nursing Home and Catches Fire

A nighttime incident in a Vancouver residential neighbourhood that nearly became a mass-casualty tragedy is raising renewed questions about road safety and how fragile the line can be between an ordinary drive and a disaster. The Vancouver Police Department says a driver was arrested after his pickup truck crashed into a nursing home, split in half and caught fire.

According to police, the crash occurred Friday at approximately 1:30 a.m. at Renfrew Street and East 22nd Avenue, Fraser Valley Today reports. Police said a witness reported that their vehicle had been struck by a grey GMC Sierra pickup travelling southbound. After the collision, the pickup left the roadway and crashed into the nursing-home building. Officers arriving at the scene found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The driver and passenger were taken to hospital for treatment.

A key detail is that the vehicle was literally torn in half, suggesting an extremely high speed and powerful impact at the time of the collision. The fire that broke out afterward created serious risks both for the people inside the vehicle and for anyone nearby. It has not yet been reported how many residents of the nursing home were affected or whether anyone suffered injuries. It is also unclear whether the driver has been charged or what specific offences police suspect.

For context, a nursing home is a facility where older adults live around the clock. Many residents have limited mobility and are particularly vulnerable to external threats. That is why a crash involving such a building receives heightened attention from law enforcement: the consequences could have been far worse if the impact had struck the residential portion of the facility.

The fact that the incident occurred late at night, while a witness described a collision between two vehicles before the pickup left the road, points to a chain of events rather than a single isolated driving error. Police have not provided details about the condition of the driver or passenger, or the reasons the vehicle lost control. The investigation is ongoing, and its findings will determine what charges may be brought against the arrested driver.

The incident is a reminder that crashes in densely built-up urban areas rarely affect only the people directly involved. At least four groups were affected here: the pickup’s driver and passenger, the driver of the vehicle that was struck, and the residents of the nursing home that lay in the path of the uncontrolled vehicle. The combination of speed, fire, nighttime conditions and vulnerable people inside the building makes the incident particularly serious and deserving of a thorough investigation.

Millionaires’ Tax and the Fight for Doctors: Another Day on the B.C. Campaign Trail

British Columbia’s election campaign, with voting scheduled for October 24, has entered a phase in which promises are beginning to be measured not only by political impact but also by concrete figures in the budget. New Democratic Party Leader David Eby, whose party currently forms the government, announced a new tax bracket for people earning $1 million or more, along with higher rates for the two existing top brackets. The proposal’s authors say the revenue would fund health care—a subject that has long ceased to be abstract in the province and has become a daily problem for thousands of families unable to find a family doctor. As CityNews Vancouver reports, Eby put it simply while speaking Sunday in Comox on Vancouver Island: successful people are welcome in the province, and everyone wants them to prosper, but when residents need strong public services, it is fair to ask those earning somewhat more to contribute their share.

According to documents distributed by the party, the changes would take effect in the 2027 tax year. Income above $1 million would be taxed at 24.5 per cent on the portion exceeding that threshold. Income between $265,545 and $1 million would be taxed at 22.5 per cent, while earnings between $190,405 and $265,545 would be taxed at 18.8 per cent. The NDP is emphasizing one key detail: the higher rates would apply only to the portion of income falling within the relevant bracket, not to a person’s entire income. The party estimates that the change would affect fewer than four per cent of taxpayers and generate $225 million in the 2026–27 fiscal year, $925 million the following year and approximately $1 billion the year after that. To put the figures in perspective, $1 billion is roughly the cost of building a large regional hospital or employing several thousand health-care workers for a year—precisely why the money is being directed to the health-care system.

The response from the Conservative Party of B.C. was predictable and forceful. In a statement, the party called the NDP plan a tax on doctors and professionals whom virtually every community in the province is currently trying to attract, warning that the policy would drive medical workers away. “There is no problem the NDP won’t try to solve by raising your taxes,” the statement said. The Conservatives are campaigning on a promise never to raise taxes, making the tax issue perhaps the sharpest dividing line in the race. The economic context is important: British Columbia already has a progressive tax system in which the rate rises with income. The dispute is not over that principle itself, but over where to draw the line and how steep the final top bracket should be. Opponents argue that wealthy people and highly paid professionals are highly mobile and that, with the combined federal and provincial burden approaching half of income, some could move to neighbouring Alberta or leave the country altogether. Supporters counter that the wealthiest four per cent can absorb the additional burden in support of a system on which everyone—including affluent residents—depends.

The tax proposal is not Eby’s first economic promise of the campaign. He previously announced so-called price guarantees on selected groceries, gasoline and diesel fuel, as well as a temporary reduction of the provincial fuel tax by 10 cents per litre. He has also promised a new tax on vacant condominiums and the elimination of the speculation and vacancy tax. Asked whether new taxes and regulations could make businesses feel unwelcome in the province, Eby said his party was not fighting entrepreneurs but protecting British Columbians. He added that the business community depends more than anyone on a functioning province where trucks can deliver goods, people can find housing and employees can access medical care.

While the tax debate continued, Green Party Leader Emily Lowan unveiled the forestry portion of her platform. The Greens are promising to end the export of raw logs and close loopholes that allow minimally processed or roughly sawn timber to leave the province without being fully processed. Another plank calls for permanent protection of old-growth forests with large trees and extensive stands of second-growth forest, along with funding for conservation projects led by Indigenous communities. In a province where forestry has been an economic backbone for decades, and where disputes over old-growth logging have repeatedly led to mass protests and blockades, these promises are aimed at a specific and highly motivated segment of the electorate.

Sunday was also the day the final candidate list was confirmed. According to Elections BC, the Conservatives were the only party to nominate candidates in all 93 ridings. Party president Mauro Francis said momentum was on the Conservatives’ side and that enthusiasm across the province had enabled local members and volunteers to find strong candidates. Eby’s NDP fell one candidate short. In Peace River North, voters will choose between Independent Jordan Kealy and Conservative Curtis Whitford, as the party was unable to nominate anyone. Kealy won the riding in 2024 as a Conservative but left the party in March 2025. In June of this year, he was charged with sexual assault, an allegation he denies. Eby said it was unfortunate that bureaucratic formalities had prevented the party from nominating a candidate in the final riding, but stressed that he had 92 strong candidates ready to face any Conservative.

The distribution of candidates reflects a broader fragmentation of the right wing that has emerged in the province in recent months. The Greens nominated 73 candidates, including Lowan, former provincial chief coroner Lisa Lapointe and Jeremy Valeriote. Former Green leader Andrew Weaver is running for CentreBC, which has 35 candidates led by Ellenor Sturko. Sturko, a former Conservative, will contest her home riding of Surrey South against Conservative Megan Knight, NDP candidate Parik Talan, Green candidate Bill McConnell and Independent Deni R. Urtubise. OneBC, another party that split from the Conservatives, is running candidates in 33 ridings, but its list does not include former Conservative Brent Chapman, who represented Surrey South when the legislature was dissolved. OneBC had previously announced Chapman as its candidate in the riding, but his name does not appear on the official list. Chapman is the husband of former Conservative MLA Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who resigned last month amid defections and ideological divisions just before the snap election. Former OneBC legislator Tara Armstrong is also not running. She said on social media that she did not want to split the anti-NDP vote; she had previously unsuccessfully sought to repeal the British Columbia Human Rights Code. OneBC acting leader Dallas Brodie is running again in Vancouver-Quilchena, one of nine ridings where candidates from all four major parties will face one another.

Stepping back from the details, the broader picture shows that the campaign is built around two competing visions of the state’s role. The NDP is proposing a model in which the tax system becomes a tool for redistribution to preserve universal access to health care, housing and affordable food, and it is prepared to increase the burden on the wealthiest. The Conservatives respond that this logic drives out precisely the specialists without whom the system cannot function.

❮ ❯

Lizards, Elections and Repairs: Island News

A British Columbia news digest: invasive lizards are saving gardens from slugs, an early election is shaking up Vancouver Island politics, and repairs to the Georgia Viaduct threaten three months of traffic jams.

Lizards vs. Slugs: How an Invasive Species Accidentally Became a Garden Ally on Vancouver Island

A story that began with the carelessness of a private-zoo keeper in Saanich has become one of the clearest examples of how biological invasions can have unexpected—and sometimes beneficial—consequences. The European wall lizard, introduced to Vancouver Island in 1967, is now experiencing a population boom. Along with it, the ecosystem of residential gardens is changing, as gardeners have suddenly discovered some unlikely allies.

It all began with the release of a small number of reptiles from a private zoo in Saanich. More than half a century ago, no one imagined that the population would not only survive but become one of the most successful introductions in the Canadian province of British Columbia. According to a CTV News report, the lizards’ range now covers a substantial portion of southeastern Vancouver Island, and their numbers continue to grow rapidly.

The paradox is that the species is formally considered invasive—that is, non-native and potentially harmful to local wildlife. For garden and allotment owners, however, these small reptiles have become a genuine blessing. European wall lizards mainly eat small invertebrates, including slugs, beetles, spiders and other insects that traditionally cause serious crop damage. Gardeners have noticed that in places where lizards have settled, slugs have nearly disappeared and strawberries are no longer suffering from pests.

It is also telling that in some parts of the island, residents now see these reptiles not as a threat but as a natural part of the landscape. The lizards are active during the day, tolerate the mild coastal climate well and reproduce quickly, making them a resilient population. Conservation specialists nevertheless warn that the positive effect on gardens does not eliminate the risks to native species, which may have to compete with the newcomers for food and territory.

It is important to understand what an “invasive species” is. It is an organism introduced by humans beyond its natural range that, after becoming established, begins to spread, often displacing native species. Yet, as the European wall lizard demonstrates, the consequences of an invasion are not always uniformly negative. Sometimes they lead to unexpected ecological changes in which both people and the reptiles benefit. It is worth remembering, however, that such cases are exceptions rather than the rule, and most invasive species still harm ecosystems.

The key conclusion is twofold. On one hand, British Columbia gardeners have gained a natural pest controller, reducing the need for chemicals and making gardening more environmentally friendly. On the other, the lizards’ population growth raises questions for biologists about the long-term consequences for native wildlife. In other words, this is a classic example of how human intervention—even accidental intervention—can set off a chain reaction whose effects will be felt for decades.

Ultimately, strawberries on Vancouver Island may indeed have become sweeter—but only because someone in Saanich opened a cage half a century ago. It is a reminder that nature rarely follows our plans, but always finds its own way.

Who Will Lead Vancouver Island into the Early Election: A Full Candidate Rundown

The early British Columbia election, scheduled for October 24, has shaken up the region’s political life well before the government’s four-year mandate was due to expire. NDP Leader David Eby took the decision to call it, and now that candidate nominations have officially closed, a contest is unfolding on Vancouver Island that could alter the balance of power in the provincial legislature. The list of contenders compiled by CHEK News shows that island politics is undergoing a tectonic shift: established parties are losing ground, new players—from centrists to communists—are attempting to establish themselves, and voters will see genuinely multipolar races in many ridings for the first time in a long while.

According to a CHEK News report, most incumbent island MLAs plan to seek re-election, with two exceptions. In Saanich North and the Islands and Saanich South, the incumbents are stepping aside, opening the way for new faces. In most of the remaining ridings, the NDP is fielding established contenders, while opponents from the Conservative Party, the Greens and newly formed movements such as CentreBC and OneBC are trying to turn voter dissatisfaction into seats.

The central intrigue is undoubtedly the CentreBC phenomenon—a party that appears to be built around former Green Party leader Andrew Weaver. In Oak Bay-Gordon Head, where Weaver was once an MLA and party leader, he is running again, but under a new banner. This is no ordinary candidate: a person with a doctorate in applied mathematics, a former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Climate and a member of numerous scientific societies, he is returning to politics after two terms in the legislature and a career at the University of Victoria, where he held a Canada Research Chair in climate modelling. His move to CentreBC is a bid to create an alternative both for disillusioned Liberals and for moderate conservatives unwilling to be associated with the more radical elements of their party. Significantly, the Conservative candidate in the same riding is Stan Sipos, a Yugoslav refugee who went from working on an Alberta mink farm to becoming a developer responsible for dozens of major projects in British Columbia, including the revitalization of Customs House in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The Weaver-Sipos contest in Oak Bay-Gordon Head will likely be one of the island’s best-funded and most ideologically contrasting races.

The situation in Saanich South is no less notable, where the NDP incumbent’s departure has opened the door to unexpected candidates. The Green candidate is Lisa Lapointe, the province’s former chief coroner, who from 2011 to 2024 led investigations into unnatural and unexpected deaths, including those connected to the overdose crisis. Her reputation is built on a commitment to an evidence-based approach and public-health data—qualities that, in today’s political climate, are both strengths and vulnerabilities. The NDP candidate is Richard Zussman, a former legislative correspondent for Global BC and CBC who now works in legal journalism. Zussman is known for his work covering the provincial political scene, and his move from the press corps to the governing party is a classic example of a “revolving door” that opponents will surely use against him. The Conservatives are backing Katy Wonsted, a representative of the island’s old business establishment. Her family owns the accounting firm Ounsted and Company, and she previously owned Red Barn Market and served as director of operations at Thrifty Foods. Her experience on the Central Saanich council and police board gives the campaign a distinctly “local establishment” character—something that still carries weight in rural and suburban areas.

The growing fragmentation of the right and centre-left deserves particular attention. In Juan de Fuca-Malahat, candidates include Shane Friesen of OneBC and Jeff Brown of the Christian Heritage Party, alongside the Greens, NDP and Conservatives. Judging by Friesen’s rhetoric, OneBC is emphasizing “co-operation” and tax cuts, seeking a position between traditional conservatives and centrists. The Christian Heritage Party, meanwhile, openly states that the role of government is to “pass laws to protect public trust and the environment, ensure law and order, and provide quality health care and education based on free enterprise.” That is a marker for conservative voters who may regard even the “United Conservatives” as insufficiently traditional.

The Communist Party of British Columbia has also fielded candidates, though with little public-facing campaign information. In Cowichan Valley, that candidate is James Chamsa, who ran for Parliament as a Communist in Nanaimo-Ladysmith in 2019 and received 104 votes. In Nanaimo-Lantzville, the candidate is Pepper Saltman, whose campaign website, like that of Green candidate Charline Weatherly, could not be found. The mere presence of Communists on the ballot illustrates the breadth of the political spectrum, but their influence remains marginal.

The real battle for control of the island, however, will likely unfold in the densely populated southern ridings. In Victoria-Beacon Hill, Grace Lore, the incumbent MLA and minister for children and family development, is defending her seat against Joachim Agu, an engineer and small-business owner who immigrated to Victoria only in 2023 and has already become interim vice-president of the Victoria Conservative Association. Agu helped build more than 15 gas-turbine test stands on three continents—a typical profile for a member of the high-tech sector whom Conservatives are trying to bring into their ranks. The Green candidate is Raj Sahota, whose biography highlights the city’s multicultural character. Born and raised on the South Island, he experienced discrimination from an early age and now works as a litigator representing injured and vulnerable people.

In Victoria-Swan Lake, the contest promises to be just as intense. Nina Krieger, the incumbent MLA and minister of public safety, who previously headed the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, is defending her seat against Tim Taylor, a Conservative with decades of experience in commercial and residential real estate. Taylor has worked on developing housing at every level, from affordable to market-rate. His leadership of the Victoria Real Estate Board’s commercial division and his role as one of the founders of the British Columbia commercial council make him a formidable opponent in a city where the housing crisis is particularly acute. The Green candidate is Carolyn Howe, president of the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association, whose campaign will likely focus on education and public services.

Looking at the island as a whole, several troubling trends emerge for the governing NDP. First, the Greens are fielding candidates in nearly every riding, including candidates capable of drawing votes from the progressive electorate. Second, the Conservatives are relying on “star” candidates with professional and life experience extending beyond ordinary party work: doctors, military personnel, police officers, former coroners and journalists. Anna Kindy, a doctor with 25 years of experience and a specialist in addiction medicine running in North Island, and Joshua Daling, who experienced poverty, homelessness and addiction and now leads the charity LUMARA, are not merely candidates but people with stories that resonate with voters tired of “career politicians.”

A special case is Courtenay-Comox, where incumbent Conservative Brennan Day, the former executive director of the Eureka Support Society, will face NDP candidate Will Cole-Hamilton. Cole-Hamilton is leaving Courtenay’s municipal council to enter provincial politics, and his achievement in creating the Comox Valley Housing Authority directly addresses one of the region’s most pressing problems. The Green candidate here is veterinarian Jay Van Oostdam, who spent 25 years working at Health Canada and BC Environment, which

Georgia Viaduct Repairs in Vancouver: What Drivers Need to Know

Vancouver officials have warned drivers about upcoming congestion as repair work on the Georgia Viaduct began Friday. The main problem motorists will face is the closure of the viaduct exit to Main Street. The ramp is expected to remain closed for three months, significantly complicating travel for people leaving downtown. The work will also affect the viaduct itself: city crews are replacing expansion joints on its deck and ramps. The full project is scheduled to continue until next spring, so drivers will need to be patient.

In addition to the ramp closure, drivers will face fewer lanes and possible travel delays. Pedestrians will be especially inconvenienced: the sidewalk on the Georgia Viaduct will be closed for “extended periods.” The city recommends that pedestrians use the sidewalk on the Dunsmuir Viaduct instead. The bike lane and vehicle lanes on the Dunsmuir Viaduct will remain open—an important clarification for people who use this route every day. The city also warns of periodic short-term lane closures on Pacific Boulevard beneath the viaduct when required for the work.

What lies behind these technical details? Expansion joints are specialized components that allow a bridge structure to expand and contract as temperatures change while also absorbing vibrations from passing traffic. Their replacement is a sign that the infrastructure requires substantial renewal. Built in the 1970s, the Georgia Viaduct has long been criticized for its outdated design and its impact on the urban environment. It is no coincidence that a CBC report includes video of groups of residents and business owners calling on Vancouver’s next city council to tear down the aging viaducts. This reflects a broader urban-planning dispute: some see the viaducts as essential transportation links, while others view them as barriers that disfigure the city and hinder neighbourhood development.

For now, the city has chosen repair over demolition. For drivers, that means the coming months will require patience and perhaps a change in familiar routes. Anyone who leaves downtown via the Georgia Viaduct every day should plan trips in advance and allow extra time. Pedestrians will have to get used to detouring via Dunsmuir, while cyclists have at least been spared—their infrastructure will not be affected. In the long term, the repairs may extend the viaduct’s life, but they do not answer the main question: what will the city do with the structure next? While some are repairing the joints, others continue to demand demolition.

❮ ❯

British Columbia News Digest: Health Care, Incidents and Culture

Today’s digest covers three notable events in British Columbia: provincial authorities approved funding for a boy’s life-saving treatment abroad; in Vancouver, a pickup truck crashed into a nursing home and caught fire; and Surrey was selected as the site of a new museum dedicated to South Asian heritage.

British Columbia Reverses Course: Boy’s Overseas Treatment Approved

Sometimes bureaucracy resembles an old board game in which the rules change mid-play and the pieces are moved without warning. That is precisely how the story emerging from the Canadian province of British Columbia appears: authorities initially refused to fund a boy’s life-saving treatment abroad, then made a complete about-face. At first glance, this may seem like a mere administrative mishap, but behind it lies a human drama that could easily have ended in tragedy.

The situation was as follows: local health authorities initially declined to cover the cost of specialized brain treatment for a boy who needed care outside Canada. His parents insisted there was no alternative and that time was working against them. After public outcry and, presumably, pressure from the media and experts, the provincial authorities reconsidered their decision and approved the funding. The news appeared on CityNews Vancouver, although the video segment itself unfortunately contains no details—in the available text excerpt, the story unexpectedly shifts to pumpkins and a poor harvest in the United States. This is perhaps the most comical part of the report: the headline promises a story about saving a child, while the content ends with complaints from American farmers about agriculture. Even so, the event deserves examination.

What does the term “crucial overseas brain treatment” mean? It refers to medical care that cannot be obtained within the province itself—whether a rare neurosurgical procedure, experimental therapy or participation in a clinical trial. Canada has a publicly funded health-care system, but it does not always cover treatment abroad. Patients generally must prove that comparable care is unavailable domestically and that delaying treatment poses a threat to their lives. This was apparently where the conflict arose: officials may have determined that the case did not meet the criteria for an exception, or they may have proposed a less expensive local alternative. The family insisted otherwise.

The key insight here is not the medical details but how decision-making works in health care. A refusal followed by sudden approval is a classic sign that the initial decision was either poorly justified or made without considering all the circumstances. Such reversals occur when public pressure comes into play: parents speak to the media, lawyers become involved, and it becomes less costly for officials to agree than to explain their कठोर stance. For the boy’s family, this is a victory, but a bitter one: precious time has already been lost, and the stress endured by the parents cannot be compensated for by any funding.

Another important factor is the role of local media. CityNews Vancouver aired a report that, judging by its headline, brought attention to the issue. Even if the text excerpt contains an inconsistency involving pumpkins, the publication itself appears to have helped prompt the authorities to act. This illustrates how fragile access to life-saving treatment can be: it depends not only on medical indications but also on media attention. People without the resources or skills to communicate with the press risk being left without help.

As for quotations, the excerpt provided contains none—only a reference to farmers and the harvest. This is unfortunate, but it also serves as a reminder of the importance of checking sources. The full video may include comments from the boy’s parents, doctors or health ministry representatives. Even without them, however, the conclusion is clear: the system failed and then corrected itself under pressure. For British Columbia, this is a signal that the criteria for funding treatment abroad need to be reviewed so that such cases are handled not as emergencies requiring improvised action, but according to clear and humane rules.

Ultimately, this is a story about how people sometimes have to fight publicly to obtain something that should be available as a matter of right. The boy, whose name has not been released, will have a chance to receive treatment. But the lingering question remains: why did it take a countdown, public pressure and, presumably, several weeks of anxiety to make that happen? Sadly, the answer lies in bureaucratic inertia rather than medicine.

Vancouver: Pickup Truck Crashes Into Nursing Home and Catches Fire; Driver Arrested

A nighttime incident in Vancouver reported by CHEK News once again highlights how dangerous the combination of alcohol or drugs and driving can be. At around 1:30 a.m. Friday, a southbound gray GMC Sierra pickup truck first struck another vehicle at Renfrew Street and East 22nd Avenue, then left the road and slammed into a nursing-home building at full speed. The impact was so forceful that the truck split in half before catching fire. Police arriving at the scene found the vehicle engulfed in flames; both the driver and a passenger had to be taken to hospital.

The subsequent events followed the standard pattern in such cases: the 34-year-old driver was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and impaired operation of a motor vehicle, and he was also issued a 90-day driving prohibition. What truly matters is that, despite the dramatic circumstances—the destroyed vehicle, the fire and the pickup split in two—no one inside the nursing home or the other vehicle was injured. That can almost be called a miracle, given that the building housed elderly people with limited mobility and that the collision occurred at high speed in a residential area late at night.

Vancouver police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them, particularly anyone who may have surveillance footage or who was driving nearby at the time of the crash. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the driver had previous convictions for similar offences or whether alcohol or drugs were detected in his system when he was arrested. However, the impaired-driving charge indicates that police have grounds to suspect intoxication.

Several points may not be immediately clear to readers. In Canadian law, “dangerous operation of a motor vehicle” refers to driving that creates a significant risk to the lives and health of others. This includes serious speeding violations, aggressive driving and knowingly risky manoeuvres. “Impaired operation” is a separate offence that, in British Columbia, carries not only criminal liability but also an immediate administrative sanction in the form of a 90-day driving prohibition. That is the measure imposed on the arrested driver. Notably, the prohibition is issued automatically, before a court decision is made; it is part of the province’s policy of taking a tougher approach to impaired driving, introduced several years ago.

The reports do not specify how many people were inside the nursing home at the time of the crash or precisely what damage the building sustained. Even if there were no casualties, the facility could face significant reputational and financial harm. The incident will inevitably prompt inspections of the building’s structural safety, as well as questions about how close such facilities are located to the roadway. The consequences for the driver are considerably more serious: in addition to the criminal case, he could face a lengthy driving suspension, substantial fines, possible imprisonment and civil lawsuits from injured parties, should any emerge later.

This is more than a crime story. It illustrates how a single nighttime incident can expose several problems at once: inadequate control of impaired driving, the vulnerability of social-care facilities located immediately beside roads and the fragility of urban infrastructure, where a vehicle leaving the roadway can cause a disaster. While police continue their investigation, Vancouver residents can only hope that this case will serve as a sobering lesson—for others, both literally and figuratively.

British Columbia Selects Surrey for South Asian Heritage Museum

The British Columbia provincial government, led by the BC New Democratic Party (BC NDP), and the City of Surrey have reached an agreement in principle to work together on creating a provincial museum dedicated to Canadians of South Asian heritage. A memorandum of understanding between the provincial and municipal governments was signed on September 18, 2026—just four days before Premier David Eby announced a snap provincial election scheduled for September 22. British Columbians will vote for their legislators on Saturday, October 24, just one week after province-wide municipal elections on October 17. The historic project has been discussed for years, and it now has a specific geographic home: instead of Vancouver, which was also considered, Surrey has been selected. As reported by Daily Hive, the decision is based on both demographic and practical considerations.

According to a public consultation report published by the provincial government in 2025, Surrey was the “most frequently proposed” location for the new museum. This is primarily because of the city’s large South Asian population: nearly 40 percent of residents have South Asian roots extending to countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives. In addition to this critical mass of diaspora residents, Surrey offers practical advantages, including lower land-acquisition costs for a suitable site. Vancouver, meanwhile, had its own strengths: a downtown location could have given the museum greater international visibility through pedestrian traffic and tourism. Notably, the previously proposed site in Vancouver’s Punjabi Market on Main Street, an area experiencing difficult economic times, was not even mentioned in the provincial report.

The signed memorandum outlines the next steps for the provincial government and the city: examining potential locations, conducting consultations and developing a strategy to promote the project. However, last month’s announcement included no specific site, budget or timeline. The proposed museum is intended to explore how Canadians of South Asian heritage helped shape British Columbia, while preserving and sharing the stories of various communities. “Canadians of South Asian heritage have made extraordinary contributions to the social, cultural, economic and political development of British Columbia over generations,” said Anne Kang, the provincial minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport and the BC NDP candidate in Burnaby-Deer Lake. “Their stories, achievements and contributions are an important part of our province’s success, both past and present. This agreement is an important step toward creating a place where people can learn about, celebrate and connect with these stories for years to come.”

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke of Surrey Connect, whose party lobbied the provincial government in support of her city, also welcomed the decision. “There is no better place than Surrey for a museum dedicated to Canadians of South Asian heritage,” she said. “I sincerely thank the provincial government for selecting Surrey and advancing this important project. The success of this museum will be defined by the community itself. We look forward to listening to community members, learning from their perspectives and working together to create a space that honours the stories, contributions and experiences of South Asian Canadians for future generations.”

The context of this decision is significant. Surrey’s selection came after the provincial government opened the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown. The nonprofit organization that operates the museum, which opened in summer 2023, received more than $50 million in funding from all three levels of government. In addition, the provincial government is in the very early stages of considering a provincial Filipino cultural centre. The federal government has already indicated that it is prepared to provide some financial support. No location has been selected, but it is expected to be in Vancouver. The leading proposal calls for mixed-use hotel towers on Main Street in Mount Pleasant, with a large cultural-centre space at the base of one of the towers. The proposal has received preliminary support from Vancouver city council, and the next step for its backers is to submit a rezoning application.

In September 2025, work was already underway to convert the former Blenz Coffee space in the atrium of Library Square in downtown Vancouver into a temporary Filipino cultural centre. Covering more than 1,500 square feet, the interim centre, which is expected to open shortly, is intended to serve the community until a permanent facility is ready. “Although Filipino Canadians are an integral part of Vancouver’s diverse fabric, we have not had a cultural home in our city until now,” said Warren Flandez, chair of the Filipino Heritage Society. “For decades, we have had to gather in other people’s spaces. With this interim space in Library Square, a landmark location in Vancouver, the Filipino community will have a place we can proudly call home, even if only temporarily.”

Several points may not be immediately clear to readers. The New Democrats (BC NDP) are a provincial political party in British Columbia that forms the government and promotes a socially oriented agenda, including support for cultural diversity. Punjabi Market is a historic area on Vancouver’s Main Street traditionally associated with the South Asian community, but it has experienced economic decline in recent years. A memorandum of understanding, or MOU, is a document recording the parties’ intention to cooperate, but it is not legally binding; it merely establishes a framework for future work. Municipal elections in British Columbia are held separately from provincial elections, and their timing alongside a provincial campaign creates an unusual political context. Finally, the term “South Asian heritage” encompasses people from a range of countries, not only India, underscoring the diversity of the diaspora.

The key conclusions and figures are as follows: the decision to locate the museum in Surrey is based on the city’s demographic weight—nearly 40 percent of its population is South Asian—and on practical considerations such as land costs. The political timing—the memorandum was signed four days before the snap-election announcement—may suggest an effort to secure the project before a possible change in government. The lack of details about the budget, timeline and exact location means the project remains at an early stage despite years of planning. The comparison with the Chinese Canadian Museum, which received more than $50 million, offers an indication of the potential scale of funding. The Filipino cultural-centre initiative shows that the province is developing several cultural projects in parallel, which could create competition for resources. Finally, Brenda Locke’s statement that “the success of the museum will be defined by the community itself” underscores the importance of public participation in shaping the institution.

❮ ❯

Stunts, Rankings and Tragedy: Vancouver in the Spotlight

Vancouver found itself at the centre of several major events: the spectacular opening of The Amazing Race, featuring a 60-metre jump at BC Place; the University of British Columbia’s entry into the top 50 of the Times Higher Education world rankings; and an investigation by an independent oversight body following a man’s tragic jump from the North Arm Bridge.

The Amazing Race Starts in Vancouver with Bear Paws, a Flying Salmon and a 60-Metre Jump

The American version of the popular reality show The Amazing Race opened its latest season not just anywhere, but in Vancouver, Canada—and the beginning was truly spectacular. Filming took place last autumn, but the details have only now emerged, and they are worth recounting. Contestants began at Jack Poole Plaza in downtown Vancouver, then followed a route that ran mainly through False Creek, including a ride on an Aquabus, before finishing at VanDusen Botanical Garden. However, the central event—and the one that surely made the competitors’ hearts leap into their throats—was a dizzying stunt at BC Place, the same stadium that hosted FIFA World Cup matches this summer.

The challenge was both frightening and comical. Contestants had to step off a catwalk suspended beneath the stadium roof, directly above the centre of the field. The fall from a height of approximately 200 feet, or about 60 metres, ended relatively gently thanks to a complex system of safety cables and winches that could be described as a genuine feat of engineering. But the organizers decided not to rely on pure adrenaline alone and added an absurd element to the task: before jumping, teams had to put on bear paws and catch a huge plush salmon in mid-air. Ironically, the challenge deserved to be called a “bear walk” more than a “race,” since that was exactly what the jumps looked like—a bear grabbing a fish out of the air. Video of the stunt, published in an article by Vancouver Is Awesome, vividly shows contestants literally catching the salmon while in free fall.

For those unfamiliar with the show, The Amazing Race is a reality competition in which teams of two race around the world while completing various challenges requiring speed and ingenuity. The American version has existed since 2001 and has long since become a cult favourite. Its Canadian shoots are not the first time the action has moved beyond the United States, but not every season can boast such a striking opening. Vancouver was a natural choice: the city has repeatedly served as a backdrop for major film productions and sporting events, and its profile grew even further after the World Cup. BC Place, which can accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, became the ideal setting for a stunt unlikely to leave even seasoned contestants unmoved.

The key intrigue lies not only in the jump itself, but also in the way the organizers balance fear with humour. Bear paws and a plush salmon are typical of the show’s approach: turning a dangerous challenge into an almost theatrical performance in which tension exists alongside a smile. In effect, viewers get double the entertainment—real risk combined with the comical absurdity of the situation. Moments like these are what have made The Amazing Race such a television institution. For Vancouver, it is another opportunity to remind the world that unexpected events can happen there—from world-class football matches to television stunts involving flying salmon.

University of British Columbia Enters Global Top 50 and Ranks Third in Canada

British Columbia has once again confirmed its status as one of North America’s leading educational centres. In the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2027, several universities in the province earned respectable positions, while the University of British Columbia (UBC) entered the global elite. This is more than just another line in a table: behind the numbers lies the region’s reputation as a training ground for researchers, and the result has concrete implications for students, faculty and the provincial economy.

Published annually, the THE rankings cover more than 2,000 research universities worldwide and assess them using 17 performance indicators grouped into five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook. In other words, the rankings measure not only how well a university teaches, but also the quality of the research it conducts, how quickly research findings reach practical applications and how well the institution is integrated into the global academic community.

The main subject of the news is UBC, located in Vancouver. The university rose one place to 44th in the world, ranking third among all Canadian universities. UBC was quick to highlight the achievement on social media, noting that THE ranked 2,297 of the world’s best universities out of more than 22,000 institutions worldwide. UBC placed 44th overall and 29th among public universities. The institution’s official statement said the rankings are based on research excellence, teaching and international outlook, further confirming UBC’s status as one of the world’s leading research universities.

It is interesting to examine UBC’s scores across the individual metrics, each measured on a 100-point scale. The university received 64.4 points for teaching, 76.9 for research environment, 87.5 for research quality, 78 for industry engagement and 83.8 for international outlook. Its overall score was 77.6. Notably, UBC performed strongest in research quality and international integration, while teaching lagged noticeably behind the leading scores. This offers food for thought: even while remaining part of the global elite, the university still has room to improve its educational performance.

For comparison, the University of Oxford predictably topped the global rankings with an overall score of 97.9, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University. The gap between UBC and the top three remains substantial, reflecting the enduring hierarchy of global higher education, where several Anglo-American giants have historically dominated.

Against the backdrop of UBC’s success, other British Columbia universities also appeared in the rankings, although with more modest results. The University of Victoria placed in the 301–325 group, Simon Fraser University in the 351–375 group, and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in the 1201–1400 range. A total of 34 Canadian universities are included in the 2027 national rankings, which the compilers say demonstrates the overall strength of Canada’s higher-education system. The geographical reach of the rankings is also continuing to expand: this year’s list includes 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories, compared with 2,191 the previous year.

What do these figures indicate? Above all, they show that global competition among universities is intensifying and that the number of participating institutions is growing each year. For UBC, a place in the top 50 is not merely a matter of prestige but also a practical tool for attracting international students, research grants and industry partnerships. Its international outlook score of 83.8 translates directly into revenue from international students and scientific collaborations. At the same time, the relatively low teaching score may signal to the university’s administration that its educational approaches need to be reconsidered, particularly as students increasingly choose universities based on the quality of the learning experience rather than reputation alone.

Times Higher Education is one of the three most authoritative global ranking agencies, alongside QS and the ShanghaiRanking. Research environment refers to the overall conditions for scientific work, including funding, infrastructure and the quantity and quality of publications. Industry engagement refers to the volume of applied research and revenue generated through collaboration with businesses. These indicators increasingly determine a university’s real value to the regional economy. The full ranking is available on the THE website, and its results clearly show that British Columbia remains one of the few regions in the world capable of keeping several universities at the centre of the global higher-education conversation.

Jump from Vancouver Bridge Prompts Police Oversight Investigation

A tragic incident occurred in the Greater Vancouver area last weekend and is now being examined by the independent body that oversees the actions of British Columbia police. A man standing outside the railing of the North Arm Bridge over the Fraser River jumped into the water and disappeared. His body has still not been found, and he is presumed dead. Investigators are now trying to determine whether police could have prevented the tragedy or whether their actions, on the contrary, contributed to the man’s fatal decision.

The North Arm Bridge is not an ordinary road crossing. It connects Vancouver and Richmond and is used by SkyTrain trains, as well as cyclists and pedestrians. Police received a call there on Saturday after witnesses reported seeing a man on the outside of the railing. Officers from the Vancouver Police Department and Metro Vancouver Transit Police arrived at the scene. They attempted to speak with the man, but at some point he jumped from the bridge. A search organized by the Canadian Coast Guard on the Fraser River produced no results.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is an agency responsible for reviewing all cases involving death or serious injury that occur in connection with police in British Columbia. Its role is to determine whether police actions or inaction contributed to the tragedy. In this case, investigators are examining whether officers assessed the situation correctly, what measures they took to save the man and whether any mistakes were made. As reported in a Castanet article, an official IIO statement confirms that the investigation is already underway.

The case raises difficult questions about how police should respond when people in crisis are on bridges or other dangerous structures. On the one hand, negotiation and attempts to establish contact are considered priorities; on the other, any careless word or movement can make the situation worse. That is precisely why independent oversight is so important: it helps distinguish tragic accident from professional negligence. No official conclusions have been reached, and the IIO continues to collect witness statements and review camera footage.

❮ ❯

Fall Routes, Broker Losses and Carney’s Visit

In this digest: four fall road trips from Vancouver through British Columbia, including travel logistics; CIRO allegations against a Vancouver broker over $1.12 million in losses suffered by retirees; and Mark Carney’s visit to Vancouver, where he is expected to make announcements on energy and ocean protection amid the debate over Bill C-39.

Four Fall Road Trips from Vancouver: Where to See British Columbia’s Golden and Crimson Colours

Autumn in British Columbia is brief but dazzling, when the province’s highways turn into corridors of red, yellow and gold. As nature paints the trees in warm hues, it is the perfect time to trade plane tickets for a road trip. Vancouver Is Awesome has compiled four routes from Vancouver where the journey itself is just as memorable as the destination: the historic Gold Rush Trail, the Okanagan wine valley, an ancient rainforest on Vancouver Island and the Rocky Mountain landscapes of Alberta. Below is a look at each destination, along with practical details for those planning a trip in 2026.

The first route described in the article heads north along the so-called Gold Rush Trail. The destination is Barkerville, a town 80 kilometres east of Quesnel that was founded in 1862 after Billy Barker struck gold on Williams Creek. Today, it is a National Historic Site of Canada and North America’s largest living-history museum, with 125 restored buildings where costumed interpreters tell stories, perform theatrical scenes, teach visitors how to pan for gold and offer stagecoach rides. According to the Cariboo Chilcotin tourism board, Barkerville is located within the traditional territories of seven First Nations, making the trip not only scenic but culturally rich. The drive from Vancouver begins in New Westminster, at the mouth of the Fraser River, the province’s longest waterway at 1,375 kilometres, and continues through Langley and Hope along the Trans-Canada Highway to Lytton. From there, travellers take Highway 97 toward historic Hat Creek Ranch. From Lillooet, there are several options: drivers can turn west toward Bralorne and travel through the Bridge River Valley in the South Chilcotin Mountains, where ghost towns, abandoned mines and the Kaoham Shuttle can be found, or continue north through 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel. At least a full day should be set aside for Barkerville, while Quesnel is a convenient place to spend the night.

The second destination is Penticton in the Okanagan Valley, one of only two cities in the world situated between two lakes—the other is Interlaken, Switzerland. In autumn, the colours come alive along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR), which passes orchards and lookouts overlooking Okanagan Lake. The region’s network of recreational trails includes nearly 650 kilometres of interconnected routes, although shorter sections are also available for a leisurely walk; an e-bike can help on uphill stretches. Accommodation options include chain hotels such as the Ramada by Wyndham Penticton Hotel & Suites and the Best Western Inn at Penticton, as well as Airbnb apartments and waterfront properties such as the Waterfront Inn and Spanish Villa Resort. The drive from Vancouver takes about five hours: first along the Trans-Canada Highway to Hope, then via the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) to Merritt, before joining Highway 97—the longest provincial highway in Canada—which is particularly beautiful in the fall.

The third option requires a ferry and leads to Parksville on Vancouver Island. The main attraction is Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park, about a 25-minute drive from town. The grove is home to giant Douglas firs more than 800 years old, while winding trails and an elevated viewing platform on the park’s south side offer views of the old-growth forest. On the north side of the road, ancient western red cedars tower over Cameron Lake. Visitors can stay at waterfront resorts such as The Beach Club Resort and Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort, or at budget motels including the Skylite Motel and VIP Motel. The logistics are as follows: ferries from the Tsawwassen or Horseshoe Bay terminals to Nanaimo’s Departure Bay take about 1¾ hours, followed by a 35-minute drive north on the island’s main highway, Highway 19, to Parksville.

The fourth route leads to Banff, whose main autumn attraction is its larch trees. Unlike evergreen conifers, larches shed their needles, covering the ground with a bright yellow and golden carpet. Larch season usually runs from mid-September to mid-October. According to Banff’s tourism board, the best trails for viewing them include Healy Pass near Banff Sunshine Village, Rock Isle Lake via Sunshine Meadows, Taylor Lake and several others. Accommodation ranges from the luxurious four-star Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, right on the lakefront, to hostels, hotels in town and bed-and-breakfasts throughout the park. The drive from Vancouver takes more than nine hours, so travellers often split it over several days, stopping in the province’s Interior along the way. The route offers opportunities to see bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk and bears. It follows Highway 1 to the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5), then Highway 97 and the Trans-Canada Highway across the Alberta border, with a turnoff for Banff. An alternative is a one-hour flight from YVR to Calgary International Airport (YYC), costing about $100 round trip with Flair Airlines, followed by a shuttle or rental car.

Several terms are worth explaining separately. The Gold Rush Trail is a historic corridor associated with British Columbia’s 1860s gold rush, along which dozens of heritage sites remain. The Coquihalla is a high-elevation highway between Hope and Merritt known for challenging weather conditions, so travellers should check the forecast in autumn. A larch is a conifer that behaves like a deciduous tree: its needles turn yellow and fall in autumn, creating a brief but spectacular mountain display. The article’s headline and subheading emphasize its central message: on these trips, the journey is just as good as the destination, and that is indeed the case—each of the four routes is an attraction in its own right.

The key takeaway for planners is that the fall season in British Columbia is short, while the larch-viewing window in Banff is even narrower, lasting roughly from mid-September to mid-October. Accommodation and itineraries should therefore be arranged well in advance. The article’s practical value lies in the fact that it offers more than a list of beautiful places: it provides concrete logistics—driving times, highway numbers, ferry terminals and overnight options—turning the idea of “going to see the leaves” into a ready-made plan. For Vancouver readers, it is also a reminder that the province’s best autumn scenery is within a day or two of driving, and sometimes just 35 minutes from a ferry terminal.

Vancouver Broker Accused of $1.12 Million in Losses for Low-Risk Retirees

Canada’s investment-industry regulator has accused a Vancouver broker of causing $1.12 million in losses for six low-risk clients, including a retired couple and their holding company. According to Business in Vancouver, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) alleges that Justin Eliah Toevs, a registered representative with Harbourfront Wealth Management Inc., failed to properly investigate his clients’ circumstances and made recommendations that did not align with their investment objectives between February 2021 and December 2024.

The allegations centre on the regulator’s claim that Toevs failed to truly know his clients, who had limited investment knowledge and relied entirely on his advice and expertise. All of them were either retired or preparing to retire soon. Rather than adopting a conservative strategy appropriate to their circumstances, the broker allegedly pursued an aggressive and volatile approach with substantial investments in high-risk securities, primarily in the transportation and technology sectors. One client and his wife were particularly affected: the couple and their numbered company accounted for approximately $910,000 of the total losses. The clients, identified in the documents as “JJ” and “RJ,” live in the Vancouver area. The wife is 69 and has been retired for four years after a career in health care; the husband is 71, worked as a physician and retired in 2025. Together, they own the holding company “6 BC Ltd.,” which owns two rental properties.

A central element of the allegations is that the clients explicitly did not want to take on significant risk because they planned to live on these investments after retiring. CIRO’s notice quotes their position: because JJ was already retired, while RJ was in his 60s and intended to retire within a year, they did not want to assume substantial risk. Nevertheless, the regulator alleges that Toevs “pursued an aggressive investment strategy that relied on a high degree of risk, was concentrated in particular sectors and generated significant volatility.” He invested heavily in airline and cruise-operator securities, and later in the technology sector. CIRO describes these investments as speculative, highly concentrated and volatile. As a result, the value of JJ’s account fell by 54.5%—a figure that clearly illustrates how far the strategy departed from the expectations of a conservative retirement portfolio.

Toevs has worked at Harbourfront since November 2017. Before that, he was employed by another dealer firm from February 2009 to November 2017. Harbourfront declined to comment on the details of the case, citing the ongoing regulatory proceeding. Sheila Malchenko, the company’s vice-president of marketing and communications, told Business in Vancouver that the firm could not provide further comment. A videoconference hearing is scheduled for October 26. An independent CIRO panel will assess the allegations, which have not yet been proven, and if Toevs is found responsible, he could face sanctions including monetary penalties. It is important to understand that CIRO is an industry self-regulatory organization whose mandate includes protecting the public interest, and its allegations have not yet been confirmed by a tribunal decision. Nevertheless, the case raises serious questions about how brokers assess the risk profiles of pre-retirement and retired clients, and how effectively recommendations are monitored for compliance with stated objectives. For older investors who rely on an adviser as their sole expert, such cases serve as a reminder that aggressive concentration in individual sectors—whether airlines, cruises or technology—can result in devastating losses precisely when there is little opportunity left to rebuild capital.

Canada Between Energy and the Environment: What Lies Behind Mark Carney’s Vancouver Visit

Prime Minister Mark Carney is travelling to Vancouver today, where, according to his official schedule, he is expected to make two major announcements—one on energy and another, later in the day, on ocean protection. At first glance, this may look like a routine working day for the head of government. However, the coincidence of these two topics on the same day appears far from accidental. One of Canada’s sharpest political battles is unfolding at the intersection of accelerated industrial development and environmental protection, and Carney’s visit to British Columbia—a province where these tensions are particularly pronounced—underscores the significance of the moment.

The context that elevates these announcements to the level of a national event is the Liberal government’s new economic and labour bill, known as the Building Canada Strong Act, or Bill C-39. The legislation is intended to radically simplify and speed up the approval process for major industrial projects across the country. It concerns large-scale infrastructure and energy initiatives—pipelines, terminals and mines—that currently become mired in years of approvals, environmental reviews and court challenges. For a government focused on economic growth, energy independence and job creation, the bill is a tool for finally moving stalled projects forward.

That logic has prompted fierce opposition from environmental advocates. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has already sharply criticized the bill, calling it a “monster” capable of “bulldozing” endangered species. Her wording is telling: this is not merely a matter of technical procedural amendments, but a fundamental conflict between the speed of economic decision-making and the preservation of biodiversity. Critics argue that streamlined procedures would mean shorter consultations with Indigenous peoples, weaker environmental oversight and less transparency. To opponents, “Building Canada Strong” sounds like “Building Over Nature.”

Against this backdrop, Carney’s double announcement in Vancouver takes on the character of a political balancing act. The energy announcement is aimed at businesses, investors and voters who expect Ottawa to take decisive action on developing the resource sector. The ocean-protection announcement is a gesture toward environmentalists and British Columbia’s coastal communities, for whom the health of the marine environment is not an abstract value but a matter of livelihoods—including fishing, tourism and the traditional way of life of Indigenous peoples. The province’s Pacific coast is simultaneously an active shipping corridor and a fragile ecosystem, meaning that any energy initiative there inevitably intersects with the ocean agenda.

It is also significant that the House of Commons is not sitting this week but will return next week. This gives Carney’s visit additional meaning: his Vancouver announcements effectively preview the parliamentary session, setting the tone for the upcoming debates over Bill C-39. The government clearly intends to present its position to the public before the bill enters the heart of parliamentary debate, and Vancouver is an ideal venue because the tension between energy ambitions and environmental commitments is felt most acutely there.

If the key themes are distilled, the picture is as follows. First, the Carney government is deliberately linking economic growth with faster approvals, with Bill C-39 at the centre of that strategy. Second, environmental opposition, represented by Elizabeth May, has already framed the main narrative of resistance: protecting endangered species from the “monster” of deregulation. Third, combining an energy announcement with a statement on ocean protection is an attempt by the government to show that it can speak both languages at once, without choosing between development and conservation. How convincing that effort will be should become clear next week, when Parliament returns and Bill C-39 moves to the forefront. For now, Vancouver is the stage on which Canada is acting out its defining political story of recent years: the search for a balance between resource power and environmental responsibility.

❮ ❯

“Whitecaps Extend Lease as Torrential Rain Hits British Columbia”

The Vancouver MLS club has secured a temporary home at B.C. Place for the 2027 transition sprint season, but the question of stadium ownership and the team’s future remains unresolved. Meanwhile, British Columbia is preparing for its first major fall storm: Environment Canada has issued warnings of up to 100 mm of rain and strong winds for Metro Vancouver and the coast, warning of localized flooding and power outages. Forecasters are also predicting an unusually warm winter due to El Niño.

Whitecaps Extend B.C. Place Lease: MLS Sprint Season and the Fight for the Club’s Future

Vancouver Whitecaps FC will continue playing at B.C. Place for at least one more season. The parties have reached an agreement to extend the lease, allowing the club to begin selling tickets for MLS’s transitional 2027 “sprint season.” The decision is a temporary measure intended to buy time in the protracted search for a long-term stadium solution—one that directly affects both the club’s potential sale and its competitiveness in the league.

Major League Soccer is moving to a new calendar model. Instead of its traditional spring-to-fall schedule, MLS will switch to a European-style “summer-to-spring” format beginning in July 2027. To make the transition smoothly, the league will hold what is being called a sprint season at the start of 2027. From February through May, all 30 clubs will play 14 regular-season matches, followed by a single-elimination playoff—in other words, one-match rounds in which the losing team is immediately eliminated. For the Whitecaps, this short tournament is not only a sporting challenge but also a commercial tool: tickets for it are the first practical result of the lease extension.

Club CEO Axel Schuster says plainly that the agreement with B.C. Place is merely “a piece of paper” that allows ticket sales to begin, not a solution to the underlying problem. In an interview with CityNews Vancouver, he stressed that the extension “should only be a tool and only a piece of paper that allows us to go out and sell tickets,” while all parties still need to work on what a long-term agreement that improves the club’s position should look like. According to Schuster, under the current model the Whitecaps remain near the bottom of the league in revenue, and much needs to improve—both in the contractual model and in the way stadium revenues grow overall.

The problem is rooted in the ownership structure. The club does not own its stadium: the 55,000-seat B.C. Place is owned and operated by PavCo, a provincial Crown corporation—in other words, a government-owned company accountable to the British Columbia government. The lack of control over the stadium limits the club’s revenue and, by the admission of both MLS and the Whitecaps themselves, discourages buyers prepared to keep the team in Vancouver. The club has been on the market since December 2024, and its current owners have repeatedly said they want to keep the team in the city. To that end, club and league representatives have held numerous meetings with municipal, provincial and federal officials, as well as leaders of three local First Nations—Indigenous peoples whose lands are historically connected to the Vancouver area.

Financial difficulties are also visible in the ticketing policy. Some season-ticket holders may face price increases for their seats because of the introduction of new premium areas. The Tunnel Club section will offer access to an exclusive lounge with included food and two complimentary drinks, as well as the opportunity to watch players enter the field up close before the match. Creekside Terrace promises an “all-inclusive premium hospitality experience” in a redesigned space offering simultaneous views of False Creek and the match itself. Both areas were created as part of the $196-million renovation of B.C. Place carried out ahead of the stadium’s co-hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Schuster explains the price increases simply: “The seat is no longer the same product. It’s now a premium product because a lot of new premium areas have been built. And, of course, those premium products come with seats attached to them.” Fans who want to remain season-ticket holders but are unwilling to pay premium prices are being offered the option of moving to other seats.

Another question concerns the future of star midfielder Thomas Müller, known for his long career with Bayern Munich and the German national team. On Tuesday, the club announced that Müller had signed an extension for the sprint season, but what happens afterward remains unclear for both the player and the club, Schuster acknowledges. For now, the Whitecaps are focused on finishing the 2026 campaign strongly and preparing for the start of 2027.

Addressing supporters, Schuster summarized the central message of the moment: “People need to know that we’re here, we’re staying for the sprint season. The club is not going anywhere yet, and nothing is happening yet … And the only way to show us support and help us is to buy tickets and come to the games.” In effect, the Whitecaps have turned MLS’s transitional season into a test of viability: the lease extension provides a reprieve, but it does not resolve the question of stadium ownership—a question that will determine whether a buyer can be found who is willing to preserve top-level professional soccer in Vancouver.

British Columbia Prepares for Fall Storm: Rain, Wind and a Hint of a Warm Winter

The coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia, including densely populated Metro Vancouver, is at the centre of its first truly serious fall storm. Meteorologists are warning of heavy rain and gusty winds that will hit the region overnight Monday and continue through Tuesday. Although flooding does not appear likely on a widespread scale, public-works crews and drivers are already shifting into heightened readiness: water will collect on roads and in low-lying areas, and localized power outages are quite possible. Forecasters are also looking further ahead, predicting an unusually warm winter—another topic of conversation as the season approaches.

According to CBC News, Environment Canada has issued yellow rainfall warnings for the Lower Mainland, the Central and North Coasts, Howe Sound and western Vancouver Island. This means the expected impacts are moderate, localized and likely to be short-lived. Between 40 and 100 millimetres of rain could fall by Tuesday afternoon, with the Central Coast expected to be hit hardest. In the Lower Mainland, Environment Canada meteorologist Jennifer Kowal says 50 to 70 millimetres are forecast, with the heaviest amounts expected at higher elevations—including the area around Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Mountain and the North Shore mountains. Kowal describes the system as “quite powerful,” but not powerful enough to raise concerns about river flooding: the risk is instead shifting toward localized drainage problems. “This is not a powerful enough system to expect river flooding—it will be localized and related to drainage,” CBC quoted her as saying.

Metro Vancouver says it is prepared to monitor the condition of its sewer systems. Greg Valou, from the regional district, assured residents that crews are ready to respond as needed so critical infrastructure can operate reliably throughout the season. Environment Canada’s website warns that water “will collect on roads and in low-lying areas,” and that localized power outages are possible. It also emphasizes a simple but important recommendation: do not attempt to drive through flooded roads, and allow extra time for travel.

The rain is expected to ease by Tuesday afternoon. Moreover, Wednesday—when British Columbia observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a statutory holiday—will likely be sunny. The respite will be brief, however: another, much weaker wet system will move through the region on Thursday. “It will be nothing like what we’re seeing now. It will probably just bring a couple of showers to the South Coast,” Kowal says, adding that the weather is increasingly shifting into an autumn pattern of frequent rain, but without anything particularly high-risk in the immediate future.

One interesting detail concerns not only the current storm but the entire coming winter. According to Kowal, temperatures over the next several months will be above normal because of what is being called a “super” El Niño—a climate phenomenon in which unusually warm waters form in the equatorial Pacific and alter weather patterns around the world. “In winter, when El Niño really gets into full swing, temperatures will be even higher than the seasonal norm,” the meteorologist explains. As for precipitation—whether it will be above or below normal—there is no clear signal, she says. For ski resorts, however, the news is less encouraging: historically, El Niño does not promise a snowy winter. “Things can change—just a couple of weeks of good snow and a couple of favourable storms can create a decent base on the slopes—but historically, this does not mean an excellent winter for snow,” Kowal concludes.

The key points to keep in mind are these: yellow warnings are in effect for five regions of British Columbia, the heaviest rain is expected on the Central Coast, and in the Lower Mainland the greatest impact will be at higher elevations. The flood threat is considered low, but localized flooding and power outages are quite possible. For residents, that means taking extra care on the roads and not ignoring warnings about flooded areas. More broadly, the storm marks the change of seasons, which according to forecasts will be followed by an unusually warm winter—a development important both for public-works agencies and winter-sports enthusiasts.

Heavy Rain Heading for British Columbia: Warnings for Vancouver and the Coast

Residents of southwestern British Columbia are once again facing a bout of severe weather: forecasters are warning of a strong frontal system that will bring torrential rain and powerful winds. Official rainfall warnings have been issued for Metro Vancouver and much of the province’s coast, with some areas expected to receive as much as 100 millimetres of rain. It is not the first such warning of the season, and it once again raises questions about the region’s preparedness for extreme weather events that have become increasingly familiar in recent years.

According to a report by NanaimoNewsNOW, Environment Canada’s weather service has issued a heavy-rain warning for areas north of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound, western Vancouver Island, and the province’s Central Coast, including Bella Bella and Bella Coola, as well as inland areas of the North Coast. The greatest rainfall totals are expected on the west coast of Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, while Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam and the northern suburbs—the North Shore—could receive up to 70 millimetres. The incoming frontal system will bring strong wind gusts along with the rain. The worst of the weather is expected over the next 24 hours, and public-works crews have already been placed on heightened alert.

It is important to understand that a frontal system is a boundary where two air masses with different temperatures and densities meet, forming clouds and precipitation. When warm, moist air is displaced by cold air, the moisture condenses and falls as rain, often heavy and prolonged. That is what is happening off the coast of British Columbia, where Pacific storms regularly bring abundant precipitation. Particular concern arises because such rainfall is often accompanied by landslides and flooding, especially in mountainous areas and places where the soil has been disturbed by wildfires. It is worth remembering that the rains that struck the province in November 2021 caused catastrophic flooding and destroyed major transportation routes, including sections of Highway 1, paralyzing travel between the Interior and the coast. A photograph from that period showing traffic on a Burnaby highway in pouring rain, included with the current warning, offers a vivid reminder of the potential consequences.

A key feature of the current forecast is that it covers not only densely populated Metro Vancouver but also less protected coastal and island communities, where evacuation routes may be limited. Seventy millimetres of rain in an urban area places serious pressure on storm-drain systems, which cannot always handle such volumes and may lead to localized flooding of streets and basements. One hundred millimetres on the west coast of Vancouver Island poses a risk of road washouts and landslides on slopes. Strong winds accompanying the front could bring down power lines and cause outages, while the rain would make it more difficult for emergency crews to work. For residents, this means preparing supplies of water and food in advance, checking drainage systems and avoiding unnecessary travel in mountainous and coastal areas. For authorities, it is another test of the resilience of the warning system and infrastructure—systems that have already faced criticism following previous natural disasters.

The current warning, then, is not merely a routine weather bulletin but a signal that Canada’s Pacific coast continues to live with heightened climate instability. Extreme rainfall once considered rare is now becoming part of the annual cycle, and the question is no longer whether another flood will occur, but how well the region will be prepared for it.

❮ ❯

Earthquake Risks, Elections and a Direct Flight to Vietnam

Vancouver residents can expect earthquake reminders, a closely watched election campaign on the island and a possible direct flight to Ho Chi Minh City.

Two Overnight Earthquakes Remind Vancouver Island Residents to Prepare for Disaster

Residents of northern Vancouver Island and nearby areas of British Columbia were reminded once again that they live in one of North America’s most seismically active zones. Two earthquakes struck off the island’s west coast overnight Sunday and Monday. Fortunately, they caused no damage or injuries, but they once again drew attention to the need to prepare for a potentially major earthquake.

According to Earthquakes Canada, the first tremor, measuring 4.9, was recorded on Sunday, September 27, at 9:41 p.m. local time. Its epicentre was 166 kilometres west-southwest of Port Hardy, a small community at the northern tip of the island. Several hours later, at 2:13 a.m. on Monday, September 28, a stronger magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred in the same area. Its epicentre was 148 kilometres west-southwest of Port Hardy, with its focus at a depth of about 10 kilometres.

Experts say these events are part of the normal tectonic activity along the coast, where the interaction between the Pacific and North American plates continually generates seismic activity. However, even moderate earthquakes like these serve as important reminders of the need to remain prepared for more destructive natural disasters—including earthquakes, tsunamis and extreme weather events—that are an unavoidable part of life in the region.

Through the Prepared BC program, British Columbia authorities recommend that residents review and replenish their emergency kits twice a year. This includes replacing expired food, water, medication and batteries; updating important documents; and checking that clothing and personal items still meet the needs of every family member.

Having a so-called “grab-and-go bag” can be crucial during the first hours after a disaster, before help arrives. These recommendations are especially relevant as the province’s Shake Out BC drills approach. They will take place on October 15 at 10:15 a.m.

During the drills, residents are encouraged to practise the key actions to take during an earthquake: “drop, cover and hold on.” This simple but vital sequence helps reduce the risk of injuries from falling objects and debris.

According to Shake Out BC, all of British Columbia is considered a high seismic-risk area compared with the rest of Canada. A historic example is the catastrophic magnitude-9 earthquake that occurred on January 26, 1700. The shaking was felt throughout the province and in Washington, Oregon and California, while a powerful tsunami struck the coast.

Known as the Cascadia earthquake, the event remains one of the strongest in the history of North America’s West Coast and serves as a grim warning of what could happen in the future.

People who want to learn more about preparing for an earthquake and what to do during and after one are encouraged to visit shakeoutbc.ca. As article author Christine van Reuvwyk notes, such reminders are not merely a formality but a genuine necessity for the millions of people living in a seismically active region. Greater Victoria residents who wish to share their story or leave a message are invited to contact the newsroom by email.

What lies behind these events, and why are they important? Earthquake magnitude is measured on a logarithmic scale that quantifies the energy released at the focus. The difference between magnitudes 4.9 and 5.2 may seem small, but each increase of 0.1 corresponds to approximately 1.4 times more energy released. As a result, the second earthquake released roughly one and a half times as much energy as the first.

A focus at a depth of 10 kilometres is considered relatively shallow, which generally makes shaking more noticeable at the surface. In this case, however, the epicentres were far offshore, so residents of Port Hardy and other communities likely felt only slight shaking—or none at all.

Even so, such distant events are important to seismologists because they help refine fault maps and model the behaviour of tectonic plates. British Columbia lies in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the oceanic Juan de Fuca Plate is being forced beneath the continental North American Plate. This process accumulates enormous pressure, which is periodically released through earthquakes ranging from minor tremors to catastrophic events.

That is why preparedness programs such as Shake Out BC and Prepared BC are so important. They not only inform the public but also foster a culture of safety in which everyone knows what to do when the ground begins to shake.

For example, “drop, cover and hold on” means immediately dropping to the floor, taking cover under a sturdy table or other reliable piece of furniture, and holding on until the shaking stops. This significantly reduces the risk of injuries from falling objects, which are the main cause of earthquake-related injuries.

Preparedness also includes knowing evacuation routes, having a communication plan with loved ones and understanding what to do when there is a tsunami threat—particularly important in coastal communities.

The overnight earthquakes near Port Hardy did not result in an emergency, but they provided a timely and vivid lesson for everyone in the region. They served as a reminder that nature is unpredictable and that preparedness is not a one-time activity but an ongoing process that can save lives.

As experts emphasize, it is better to spend a few hours each year checking an emergency kit and taking part in drills than to be helpless when a real disaster strikes.

Who Will Compete for Votes on Vancouver Island? The 2026 B.C. Election

With just weeks remaining before British Columbia’s provincial election, the political landscape on Vancouver Island—one of the province’s key regions—is gradually taking shape.

The Times Colonist has published a preliminary list of candidates who have declared their intention to run in the election scheduled for October 24, 2026. According to the article, the contest will cover 93 ridings across the province, with nominations closing on October 3, 2026. The list reflects the situation as of September 28, 2026, and, the newspaper notes, will be updated as new candidates register.

The defining feature of this campaign on the island is that the New Democrats (B.C. NDP) have traditionally been strong here, while the Conservatives are clearly determined to challenge that dominance. In nearly every riding represented by a sitting NDP member, the Conservative Party has nominated a candidate.

Moreover, Conservatives are incumbents in several northern and central ridings—for example, Anna Kindy in North Island and Brennan Day in Courtenay-Comox. This shows that the island’s political map is no longer unambiguously “orange” and has instead become a battleground for an intense two-party contest involving several smaller forces.

The third force is CentreBC, a relatively new party fielding candidates in several ridings, including Ladysmith-Oceanside, Langford-Highlands and Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

The latter race is particularly notable because Andrew Weaver, the former leader of the B.C. Green Party, is running for CentreBC. His participation adds another layer of intrigue. Weaver was one of the most recognizable figures in provincial politics for many years, and his move to a new political party could significantly affect the distribution of votes in the capital region.

The Greens also remain present, with David Evans running in Juan de Fuca-Malahat, Emily Lowan in Saanich North and the Islands, and Raj Sagota in Victoria-Beacon Hill.

Interestingly, Richard Zussman, a well-known figure in journalism circles, is running for the NDP in Saanich South, which could attract additional media attention to the race.

In Victoria-Swan Lake, meanwhile, incumbent Nina Krieger currently has no declared opponents on the published list, making her position the most comfortable.

Overall, the distribution of forces shows that the main contest on the island will not simply be between the left and right. Rather, it will pit the established NDP political machine against a growing Conservative movement and an ambitious CentreBC, which is seeking to occupy the political centre.

Several terms help explain the context. An incumbent is the current holder of an office or seat—in this case, a legislator who already represents the riding and is seeking re-election. The word “incumbent” indicates that the candidate has the advantages of name recognition and an established support base.

A riding is an electoral district, or territorial unit, that elects one representative to the provincial legislature. British Columbia’s provincial legislature is elected under a first-past-the-post system: the candidate who receives the most votes in each riding wins, while the party that wins a majority of seats forms the government.

The nomination deadline is the date after which applications to run in the election are no longer accepted. It determines the final list of names on the ballot.

The key figures from the published list are as follows: 93 ridings across the province; an election date of October 24, 2026; a nomination deadline of October 3, 2026; and the latest list update on September 28, 2026.

Several of Vancouver Island’s most competitive ridings stand out. In Courtenay-Comox, NDP candidate Will Cole-Hamilton will face incumbent Conservative Brennan Day in a classic re-election battle.

In Mid Island-Pacific Rim, incumbent NDP MLA Josie Osborne will face Conservative Joshua Daling. In Oak Bay-Gordon Head, incumbent independent Diana Gibson and Conservative Stan Sipos will be joined by Andrew Weaver of CentreBC, making the riding one of the most unpredictable on the entire island.

The practical conclusions for observers and voters are clear.

First, the NDP is fielding a strong slate, relying on incumbents in nearly all southern and central ridings. This indicates a focus on stability and continuity.

Second, the Conservatives are showing that they intend to contest every riding, leaving no “orange” territory unattended. This is a sign of a serious provincial and national strategy.

Third, the emergence of CentreBC and the continued presence of the Greens mean that opposition votes could be split in several ridings, potentially benefiting the NDP.

Finally, the candidacies of Richard Zussman and Andrew Weaver show that experienced and high-profile figures are entering the campaign, potentially drawing additional attention to the race.

The Times Colonist emphasizes that the list is not final and will be updated until registration closes. This means new names, withdrawals and other changes are possible in the coming weeks, especially in ridings where only one candidate is currently listed.

For readers following the campaign, it is important to understand that the final ballot will not be known until after October 3. Only then will precise forecasts be possible.

For now, one thing is clear: Vancouver Island will once again be at the centre of provincial politics, and the contest promises to be close and highly varied.

Canada Opens the Skies to Vietnam: What Could Link Vancouver and Ho Chi Minh City Directly

For years, travelling between Canada’s West Coast and Vietnam has meant lengthy connections, most often through Singapore, Seoul or Taipei. For Canada’s Vietnamese diaspora—numbering nearly 300,000—and for growing trade flows, this has been an inconvenience they have had to endure.

Now the situation could change dramatically. Last week, Ottawa announced a major expansion of its air transport agreement with Vietnam, opening the legal path for direct flights between the two countries for the first time.

According to a Daily Hive report, the agreement, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney as part of a new strategic partnership, allows airlines from each country to operate up to 14 passenger flights and seven cargo flights per week.

This removes the main regulatory barrier that had blocked nonstop service, although the final decision to launch a route remains with the airlines themselves.

The leading candidate for the Canadian hub is Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which has long positioned itself as North America’s Pacific gateway.

In April 2026, airport president and CEO Tamara Vrooman told the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade that Vietnam was a particularly promising market. According to Vrooman, approximately 58,000 passengers travelled from YVR to Vietnam via Singapore in 2025 alone—enough, she said, to justify a standalone direct route.

One interesting detail is that Air Canada plans to discontinue its own direct service between Singapore and Vancouver in January 2027. The opening of a Vietnam route therefore appears to be a timely replacement for the capacity that will be lost.

Air Canada had reportedly been exploring direct service between YVR and Ho Chi Minh City—the country’s largest city and commercial centre—for years, according to an investor presentation in spring 2024.

Following Ottawa’s announcement, the national carrier publicly confirmed that it is working with authorities to obtain the necessary approvals and hopes to begin flights in 2027.

Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice-president and chief commercial officer, said the airline welcomed the expanded agreement and looked forward to beginning service to Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese carriers have also shown interest. In early 2025, Vietnam Airlines listed Vancouver among its promising international destinations, alongside Seattle, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, Dubai and Bengaluru.

The economic context is just as important as tourism. Vietnam is Canada’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. Bilateral merchandise trade reached C$20.6 billion in 2025, while Canadian exports rose 30 percent year over year to more than C$1.3 billion.

Vrooman specifically highlighted the volume of high-value cargo moving between Western Canada and Vietnam, including fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, machinery parts, plastics and technology products. These goods are well suited to transport in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft.

For YVR, the route would support an ambitious goal of doubling the volume of cargo handled by 2030. For the federal government, it fits within a strategy of diversifying trade toward Asia amid Canada’s reliance on the U.S. market.

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon called the agreement a step toward new opportunities for investment and cooperation. Ottawa also pointed to demand from Canada’s Vietnamese community, which numbers approximately 275,000 people, for family visits, tourism, education and business travel.

One key nuance is that the agreement is only an authorization, not a guarantee. Opening the skies removes the legal obstacle, but airlines must still make their own commercial decisions based on profitability, aircraft availability and competition.

That is why 2027 is being cited as a target rather than a firm promise, and why Vancouver remains a “highly likely” departure point rather than an officially confirmed one.

Nevertheless, the combination of sustained existing demand, growing trade, interest from carriers on both sides and Ottawa’s strategic focus on Asia makes this route one of Canada’s most likely major aviation launches in the coming years.

If everything comes together, passengers will no longer have to travel via Singapore, while Canadian exporters will gain a direct air corridor to one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic markets.

❮ ❯

Shootings, Business and the Weekend: Vancouver in a New Digest

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.

❮ ❯

Rain, Traffic Jams and a Lighthouse: The Day’s Hidden Meanings

A digest of how financial troubles at a historic Montreal church, a truckers’ strike in British Columbia and a lighthouse-shaped house for sale on Vancouver Island lie hidden behind weather reports and market headlines—stories about the fragility of urban infrastructure, independent haulers’ conflict with the pricing system and the quirks of the real-estate market.

Rain Over Vancouver and a Crack in a Montreal Church: What City News Leaves Unsaid

The headline of a Canadian news portal mentions a gloomy autumn day in Vancouver, but the article itself tells a very different story: St. James Church in Montreal, which has stood in the heart of the city since the late 1880s, is on the brink of financial survival. This contrast between an innocuous weather report and the fate of an entire community perfectly illustrates how modern media package serious social problems into unremarkable news briefs. The article, published by Yahoo News Canada, appears at first glance to be about an ordinary autumn rainstorm, but in fact raises the question of who will preserve historic heritage and public spaces—and who will pay for it.

The core of the problem is simple and unforgiving: maintaining and repairing St. James Church will require millions of dollars, which the congregation does not have. This is not a cosmetic renovation but major structural work, including replacing the roof, reinforcing the building and updating its mechanical systems. For a parish that has existed for more than 130 years, such sums are comparable to the annual budget of a small charitable organization. At the same time, the church has long ceased to be merely a place of worship: it serves as a community centre hosting neighbourhood meetings, concerts, charity dinners and gatherings organized by local initiatives. This dual role—sacred and social—makes the situation especially urgent.

To understand the scale of the problem, two key concepts need explaining. A “cash crunch” is not simply a shortage of money, but a situation in which expenses exceed income to such an extent that even essential payments have to be postponed. For religious organizations, this often means cutting programs and laying off staff. The second concept is “ministry.” In the Canadian context, this means not only religious activity but also the full range of social work carried out by a parish, from helping homeless people to organizing activities for seniors. When a ministry loses funding, it is not only the religious community that suffers, but the entire neighbourhood.

The article’s key message, hidden behind the weather headline, is this: historic buildings in Canada are deteriorating faster than funds can be found to save them. St. James Church is not an isolated case. Across the country, hundreds of religious buildings constructed in the 19th century face a choice between being sold to developers, demolished or converted into condominiums. In Montreal, where the central real-estate market is overheated, such a building is an attractive opportunity for developers. But selling it would mean losing a public space that cannot be replaced. This is the heart of the conflict: the market value of land versus the social value of a place.

Interestingly, the article itself contains no comments from officials or parish representatives—only a statement of fact. This makes the situation even more troubling: it creates the impression that the problem exists in an information vacuum, meaning that solving it will have to depend on the efforts of the local community and charitable donors. For readers, this is a warning: the next historic church in your city could find itself in the same position, and its fate will depend on whether anyone notices in time.

Ultimately, the report about a rainy day in Vancouver becomes a parable about the fragility of urban infrastructure and the fact that the most important news often appears under the most inconspicuous headline. St. James Church needs millions of dollars, and it remains unclear whether that money will be found. But one thing is already clear: if society does not learn to value places that generate no profit but hold a neighbourhood together, the next rain may wash away not only leaves from the sidewalks but an entire era.

Canadian Dump-Truck Drivers Stage Slow Protest from Abbotsford to Vancouver

On Friday morning, September 25, traffic on several roads in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland came to a standstill: dump-truck drivers organized a slow-moving convoy stretching from Abbotsford all the way to Vancouver. The action, reported by local outlet Fraser Valley Today, was not authorized by the authorities and turned the usual morning commute for thousands of people into a test of patience. On some sections, traffic backed up for several kilometres, while the flow of vehicles slowed to a crawl.

According to an announcement posted in the public Facebook group “Dump Truck Life in Vancouver, BC Canada,” the convoy route ran from Highway 1 in Abbotsford to Hastings Street in Vancouver. The organizers initially called for fair pay, but videos that appeared online showed that the protest’s agenda was broader: trucks displayed banners calling for lower fuel costs and allowing haulers to set their “own” rates. In essence, the dispute involves three interconnected issues—the level of earnings, the cost of diesel fuel and the pricing system for trucking services, which drivers consider unfair and imposed from outside.

Several points need to be clarified to understand the conflict. Dump trucks are heavy vehicles used to transport loose materials such as sand, gravel, soil and construction waste. In British Columbia, many such drivers work not as employees but as independent contractors: they own their own trucks and pay for fuel, insurance, repairs and depreciation themselves, while receiving jobs through dispatchers, construction companies or intermediaries. Under this model, income depends directly on two variables—the rate paid per trip and the price of diesel. When fuel becomes more expensive while rates remain unchanged or even fall because of competition and pressure from customers, an independent driver’s profit margin can disappear or turn negative. This was the trigger for the protest.

The demand to set “their own” rates is the key and most controversial point. Rates are often dictated by customer companies or dispatch platforms, leaving individual haulers with almost no leverage to negotiate. Drivers are insisting on the right to determine the cost of their services themselves, which would effectively mean rethinking the entire pricing chain in the region’s construction logistics sector. This demand echoes a broader trend in recent years: in various Canadian provinces, independent haulers have increasingly complained that their economic situation is worsening amid rising living and fuel costs, as well as competition from larger operators capable of undercutting prices.

The implications for the region are fairly serious. British Columbia is experiencing a major construction boom, particularly in the Vancouver metropolitan area, and dump trucks are a critical link in the construction-material supply chain. Strikes and slow-moving convoys, even spontaneous and short-lived ones, can slow construction projects, delay deliveries of sand, gravel and crushed stone and, over time, increase construction costs if haulers succeed in raising their rates. Such actions also set a precedent: if dump-truck drivers win concessions, other parts of the trucking industry—from container transport to construction-material delivery—may adopt similar tactics. It remains unclear how the provincial authorities and customer companies will respond, but one thing is obvious: behind the paralyzed morning traffic lies a deep economic conflict between independent haulers and a system that, in their view, no longer allows them to earn a decent living.

Lighthouse-Shaped House Listed for $2.35 Million on Vancouver Island

An unusual property has appeared on British Columbia’s real-estate market. At first glance, it could be mistaken for a genuine lighthouse, but it turns out to have always been a residential building. The house is located near Maple Bay in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Built in 1991, it has remained faithful to its original architectural concept ever since. Its main feature is an abundance of octagonal forms, with the centrepiece being a three-storey octagonal tower rising above the rest of the house. Two levels of the tower are equipped with wraparound terraces, giving the building the appearance of a real lighthouse—or at least an observation post. However, as Vancouver Is Awesome points out, the property’s location near the delta of a small creek hardly requires it to warn ships of dangerous rocks. These waters simply do not contain the treacherous reefs that captains usually fear.

Even so, functionality and style go hand in hand here. The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, one of them located halfway up the tower. At the very top is an office that, judging by the description, resembles a command centre with panoramic ocean views. In addition to the living quarters, the property includes a spacious workshop and a dock for kayaks or small sailboats. All of this is listed for $2.35 million—a sum that, the source emphasizes, is only slightly above the benchmark price of a detached home in Vancouver. The buyer therefore gets more than just a residence: they get an architectural curiosity with a history that, despite its outward resemblance to a lighthouse, remains an entirely private home.

Several points help put the listing into context. The benchmark price of a detached home in Vancouver is a statistical indicator regularly published by the Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, reflecting the typical value of a representative home and serving as a market reference. The Cowichan Valley is one of the scenic regions in eastern Vancouver Island, known for its mild climate and proximity to nature, making properties like this attractive to buyers seeking seclusion. The octagonal architecture so prominent in the house is not accidental: it is often used in lighthouses and fortifications to provide better visibility and resistance to wind. In this case, however, it is primarily an aesthetic choice emphasizing the building’s individuality. The article’s key insight is that British Columbia’s real-estate market, known for its high prices, sometimes offers properties that stand out not only for their cost but also for unique designs that challenge conventional ideas about housing. The quote that the house “could be a lighthouse and a pretty good lookout tower,” but that there is nothing nearby that needs to be warned about or guarded, highlights the ironic gap between form and function and hints at its marketing appeal to eccentric buyers. The impact on the market could go either way: on the one hand, such properties attract attention and may remain listed longer because their pool of potential buyers is limited; on the other, they sustain interest in the unique-property segment, where price is determined not only by square footage but also by architectural vision.

❮ ❯

Raptors, police and ferries: the day’s news in British Columbia

The Toronto Raptors will go hiking in Stanley Park ahead of their game against the Clippers, Vancouver police officers will avoid charges over shooting at a carjacking suspect, and BC Ferries canceled sailings because of a mechanical failure and a website outage.

Toronto Raptors bring tourist-bear merchandise to Vancouver and plan Seawall hike

The NBA’s Toronto Raptors continue to turn preseason games into full-fledged regional events. While the team prepared poutine-themed merchandise for Quebec, its Vancouver design plays on British Columbia’s greatest assets: mountains, forests and hiking trails. As reported by Daily Hive, the club’s new branding features its mascot—the familiar raptor—in hiking gear, complete with a backpack and trekking pole. It is a direct nod to the province’s scenic routes, which attract millions of tourists and residents every year.

Interestingly, the Raptors are not limiting themselves to souvenirs. The day before the game, on October 9, the club is inviting fans to Stanley Park’s historic waterfront from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants will be asked to walk part of the famous Seawall Loop for a chance to win themed prizes. Free trail mix from Vancouver company Cabin5 will be offered at the start, while a limited-edition Raptors cap will be handed out at the finish line, while supplies last. The club’s press release sounds almost like an invitation to a guided excursion: “Fans are invited to historic Stanley Park to follow in the Raptor’s footsteps and tackle part of the Seawall Loop.”

The game itself will take place on October 10 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time at Rogers Arena against the Los Angeles Clippers. For Vancouver, the event carries historical significance. The Raptors will play at the arena for the seventh time since the Vancouver Grizzlies left the city in 2001. In total, the NBA has held eight preseason games in Vancouver. Last year’s Raptors matchup with the Denver Nuggets sold out Rogers Arena, confirming sustained demand for basketball in a region that has been without an NBA team for more than two decades.

Another point of intrigue is the possible return of Kawhi Leonard to Vancouver. The forward, who led Toronto to its 2019 championship, was traded from the Clippers back to the Raptors this summer. The deal was delayed because of an NBA investigation. If Leonard takes the court, it will be his first meeting with his former team since returning. Still, given the traditional caution clubs exercise during preseason games, the star player’s participation remains uncertain.

What is worth knowing beyond the headline? The Seawall Loop is a 28-kilometre waterfront path around Stanley Park and one of Vancouver’s main attractions, visited by millions of people each year. Trail mix—a popular North American combination of nuts, dried fruit and chocolate—is a standard hiking snack; choosing Cabin5 as a partner underscores the local character of the promotion. The Raptors are the NBA’s only Canadian team, so their trips across the country carry symbolic significance: the club is reminding people that basketball in Canada exists beyond Toronto. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were Vancouver’s former NBA team, relocating to Memphis in 2001. Since then, the city has had no NBA franchise of its own, and every Raptors visit is seen as a kind of compensation for that loss. Leonard’s trade also generated considerable attention because of the NBA investigation into possible violations of negotiation rules, adding further drama to the story.

The main takeaway is simple: the Raptors are turning preseason into a marketing tool, connecting the club with local identity through food, nature and urban traditions. In Quebec, it is poutine; in Vancouver, it is hiking the Seawall. This is not merely an effort to sell T-shirts, but an attempt to build an emotional connection with regions where the NBA has no permanent presence. And if last year’s sellout proves anything, audiences are responding.

Vancouver police officers avoid charges over shooting at carjacking suspect, but actions deemed improper

British Columbia’s Independent Investigations Office (IIO) has completed its investigation into a high-profile incident in Vancouver nearly two years ago. Two city police officers who opened fire on an alleged carjacking suspect will not face trial: investigators concluded that, despite their mistakes, their actions did not amount to a criminal offence. However, the report paints a picture of chaos, poor coordination and a chain of violations that nearly led to a tragic outcome.

According to a document released Friday, police received a report at around 4 a.m. on November 30, 2024, about a BMW stolen on Main Street. The complainant said the vehicle had been taken at knifepoint. The car was soon spotted in different parts of the city—it was traveling at high speed and was later found parked on the shoulder of a residential street. Officers decided to block it: an unmarked police vehicle was positioned across the road in front of the BMW. Two plainclothes officers got out and approached the suspect from opposite sides, one on each side of the vehicle.

Almost immediately afterward, both officers drew and fired their service weapons. One bullet struck the suspect in the upper part of his right arm. He was taken to hospital, where a bullet fragment was removed. Forensic testing confirmed that it had been fired from one of the officers’ pistols. At the same time, the IIO emphasized that no weapon was found in the stolen BMW—meaning there apparently was no direct threat to the officers’ lives when the shooting occurred.

The most notable part of the report is its list of violations by the officers. Investigators determined that both officers ignored an order to stop trying to apprehend the driver. They approached the vehicle on foot even though they understood that it could suddenly move. They also failed to communicate with each other, worsening the confusion in a critical situation. The IIO separately highlighted an especially questionable episode: one officer used his pistol improperly, attempting to break a window with it, which resulted in an accidental discharge. According to investigators, that unintended bang prompted the second officer to fire at the suspect.

Several legal and procedural points are important to understanding the decision. The IIO is British Columbia’s independent oversight agency, responsible for investigating all deaths or serious injuries involving police. Its task is not to punish officers, but to determine whether their actions constituted a criminal offence. If the IIO finds no criminal wrongdoing, the case is not referred to the B.C. Prosecution Service and no charges are laid. That is what happened here: legally, even serious tactical errors and careless handling of a firearm do not necessarily constitute a crime. Prosecutors would need to prove criminal intent or criminal negligence of a particular degree.

The report’s key conclusions can be summarized as follows. First, the shooting was effectively accidental in a chain reaction: one officer violated firearm-handling rules, and the other reacted to the sound. Second, the suspect’s lack of a weapon and the officers’ failure to coordinate call into question whether the use of force was necessary in the first place. Third, ignoring a direct order to stop the pursuit is a disciplinary matter that will likely be reviewed internally by the VPD separately from the criminal investigation. Fourth, the victim was injured but survived, which may have prevented the case from receiving a more serious legal classification.

For Vancouver, this is another episode in a long-running debate over how appropriately police use firearms and how effectively the IIO performs its role as an independent arbiter. Formally, the oversight agency did its job: it investigated the incident, published a report and identified the mistakes. But the absence of charges despite such an obvious list of violations inevitably raises the question of where the line lies between an “unsuccessful operation” and criminal negligence—especially when a bullet has struck a person. Details of the incident and the IIO’s decision are outlined in this CityNews Vancouver report.

BC Ferries disruption: mechanical failure hits service, followed by website outage

On Friday morning, passengers planning to cross the Strait of Georgia between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay received unwelcome news: two morning sailings were canceled because of a steering-system problem on the Queen of Oak Bay. As often happens in such situations, however, the problems did not end there. A short time later, the company experienced difficulties with its website, further complicating communication with passengers.

According to information published by CHEK News, the canceled sailings were the 6:15 a.m. departure from Horseshoe Bay and the 8:40 a.m. departure from Departure Bay. Two more sailings—the 11:05 a.m. departure from Horseshoe Bay and the 1:20 p.m. departure from Departure Bay—were at risk of cancellation, but at around 10:40 a.m. the company confirmed that they would operate as scheduled. The disruption was caused by a mechanical problem with the Queen of Oak Bay’s steering system, which BC Ferries said it was able to repair. The announcement that service had been restored came amid the ongoing Horseshoe Bay terminal infrastructure modernization program.

The company promised automatic refunds for passengers whose sailings were canceled and advised them to contact the service centre about possibly rebooking on another sailing that day. It is important to note that, because of the Horseshoe Bay Essential Infrastructure Program, all vehicle travel from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay now requires advance booking and payment. At the same time, the booking deadline has been reduced from one hour to 30 minutes before departure—a measure intended to give passengers more flexibility, but one that applies only to this route.

Alongside the transportation problems, BC Ferries also experienced digital ones: at around 10 a.m. local time, the company’s website stopped working. The company confirmed to CHEK News that it was investigating the cause of the outage but could not yet say when service would be restored. This placed an additional burden on passengers trying to obtain current information or book tickets online.

What lies behind these events? Mechanical failures are not unusual on vessels in constant service, particularly on a busy route such as Horseshoe Bay–Departure Bay. However, the combination of a technical failure and a website outage points to a systemic vulnerability: even with backup vessels and established communication protocols, the company was not fully prepared for simultaneous crises. With reservations now mandatory and the booking window shortened, an unavailable website effectively prevents passengers from resolving the problem quickly.

The context of the Horseshoe Bay modernization program is also important. Infrastructure work is likely limiting terminal capacity, making every canceled sailing more noticeable. Mandatory reservations and a shorter window for changing them are attempts to manage traffic, but they make the system less resilient to disruptions. When the Queen of Oak Bay breaks down and the website is unavailable, passengers are left facing uncertainty despite the promised compensation.

The key takeaway is that BC Ferries appears ready to respond to individual incidents—repairing the steering system, restoring sailings and issuing refunds—but its digital infrastructure and real-time communication with customers need strengthening. In an era when advance booking has become mandatory, the reliability of online services is no less important than the condition of the ferries themselves. For now, passengers must monitor updates on the company’s website or call 1-888-223-3779, hoping that next Friday will bring no new surprises.

❮ ❯

British Columbia: A Warm Fall, Wildfires and Smoke

Fall in British Columbia is expected to be unusually warm and dry: meteorologists are forecasting above-normal temperatures and below-average precipitation because of El Niño. Against this backdrop, the out-of-control Mount Jack wildfire on Vancouver Island continues to grow and now covers 276 hectares, while record drought conditions—just 2.5 mm of rain fell in Vancouver in September—are worsening air quality in densely populated areas. Much-anticipated rain is not expected until the end of the week, but the broader problem of extreme dryness and year-round wildfire risk remains.

British Columbia Prepares for an Unusually Warm Fall

Fall in British Columbia may look very different this year from what we are used to. While the first week of astronomical fall has brought rain to Vancouver, meteorologists say the next three months will likely be warmer than the climate average. This is indicated by the latest seasonal forecast published by the federal agency Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

As reported by Daily Hive, the three-month probabilistic forecast for temperatures and precipitation from September through November was released late last month. ECCC publishes such seasonal outlooks every month, allowing people to assess weather trends for the current season in advance. Speaking to the publication, ECCC meteorologist Matt Albers explained what residents of the Lower Mainland should expect. He said that, overall, temperatures are expected to be above average as September transitions into October. Although a brief dip is possible in mid-October, the weather will generally remain fairly warm. As for precipitation, despite a recent increase in the number of rainstorms, totals are still expected to remain below normal.

This scenario is largely explained by the global climate phenomenon El Niño—a sustained warming of the surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean that has a significant impact on weather patterns around the world. Albers noted that many regions of Canada are currently under the influence of a strong El Niño, bringing warmer and drier conditions and shifting the jet stream—the powerful high-altitude air current that determines the movement of weather systems—farther north. This is what is causing temperatures to rise in the fall and early winter. However, the meteorologist emphasized that winter weather will not disappear completely; overall, the winter will simply be “more pleasant” than usual.

It is important to understand how such forecasts are produced. ECCC’s seasonal models are based on an ensemble of 20 predictions: 10 members from each of two coupled physical climate models representing the atmosphere, ocean and land. Probabilities are calculated by determining anomalies—in other words, deviations from normal—for each ensemble member, followed by a calibration process. This approach makes it possible to estimate a general seasonal trend rather than the exact weather on a particular day.

The main takeaway for residents is straightforward: a warm and relatively dry fall will likely continue into early winter, meaning the rainy season and gray days may arrive later than usual. This is good news for people planning fall walks, trips outside the city or visits to the many events taking place—from the Vancouver International Film Festival to Halloween activities, of which there are expected to be plenty across Metro Vancouver this fall. ECCC’s complete probabilistic forecasts are available on the agency’s official website.

Vancouver Island Wildfire: How Mount Jack Became a Test of British Columbia’s Preparedness

When a wildfire breaks out on Vancouver Island in late September, it is concerning in itself. By this time, British Columbia’s wildfire season usually begins to wind down, with rain and cooler temperatures replacing the summer heat and firefighting crews gradually shifting into standby mode. But in recent years, nature has increasingly delivered surprises, and this fall has been no exception. The fire, named Mount Jack, was discovered north of Sooke on September 20. Since then, it has not only failed to be contained but has continued to grow, becoming one of the main concerns for residents of the southern part of the island.

According to information reported by CTV News, the fire had reached 276 hectares at the time of publication and was classified as “out of control.” In B.C. Wildfire Service terminology, this means the fire is not merely uncontained—it is actively spreading and cannot be held by the resources currently available. For a region with a higher population density and more infrastructure than remote areas of the province’s mainland, this status automatically brings a range of potential consequences, from evacuations to disruptions along the only major transportation routes.

The size—276 hectares—may seem insignificant compared with the massive fires that have burned hundreds of thousands of hectares in central and northern British Columbia in some years. But context is everything. Vancouver Island is a confined area with dense forests, numerous small communities and environmentally sensitive zones. The fire north of Sooke is relatively close to populated areas, regional parks and popular tourist routes. In addition, smoke from such fires can quickly spread dozens of kilometres, worsening air quality in Victoria, Duncan and other cities in the southern part of the island. This directly affects people’s health, particularly those with respiratory conditions.

The timing of the fire is especially noteworthy. Late September is traditionally considered the beginning of the rainy season in this region. The fact that the fire not only started but continues to grow during this period points to a persistent drying trend resulting from years of climate change. Dry vegetation, low soil moisture and wind create conditions in which even a single spark—from lightning, careless use of fire or machinery—can trigger a prolonged and difficult-to-control process. For the B.C. Wildfire Service, this means keeping resources on heightened alert for longer than usual, creating additional pressure on budgets and personnel.

Another important issue is the transparency and speed of public communication. When a fire is classified as out of control, timely information becomes essential. Residents need to know whether their homes are at risk, which roads may be closed and how to prepare for a possible evacuation. The CTV News report, which promptly provided the fire’s status and size, serves precisely this purpose: it turns scattered agency data into an understandable picture for the general public. However, a single report is not enough. Continuous updates are needed because wildfire conditions can change within hours.

Finally, the event should be considered in its broader context. The Mount Jack fire is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern in which wildfire seasons are becoming longer, more intense and less predictable. For British Columbia, this is no longer a hypothetical threat but a reality requiring a reassessment of forest-management strategies, investment in firefighting infrastructure and a more serious approach to prevention. Vancouver Island, with its unique ecosystems and limited response resources, is something of a litmus test: how authorities and communities handle this fire will show how prepared the region is for similar incidents to occur more frequently and at the most unexpected times.

Explanation of key terms. In the B.C. Wildfire Service classification system, the term “out of control” means that a fire has not been contained and continues to spread despite all measures being taken. This does not necessarily mean it cannot be extinguished, but it indicates that the fire is currently moving on its own. A “hectare” is a unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres; for perspective, 276 hectares is roughly the size of 276 football fields. The B.C. Wildfire Service is the provincial agency responsible for monitoring, prevention and suppressing wildfires in British Columbia.

Key facts and conclusions. The fire was discovered on September 20; its area is 276 hectares; its status is out of control; and it is located north of Sooke. Its late emergence and rapid growth point to dry conditions and climate shifts. The main risks are worsening air quality, threats to communities and infrastructure, and increased pressure on firefighting services. The central conclusion is that Vancouver Island is facing a new type of wildfire threat requiring constant preparedness and adapted response strategies.

British Columbia: A Dry Fall Fuels Wildfires and Worsens Air Quality

As the calendar relentlessly counts down the first days of astronomical fall, residents of southern British Columbia continue to live in conditions more reminiscent of the height of August. The prolonged drought has not only extended the wildfire season but has also created a direct threat to air quality in the province’s densely populated areas. The Mount Jack wildfire, discovered west of Victoria on Sunday, remains out of control, and it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems caused by the unusually dry weather.

The figures speak for themselves. Vancouver received just 2.5 mm of rain in September, compared with a climate normal of 51.9 mm. Victoria received even less—1.8 mm, compared with its usual 35.7 mm. These statistics explain why firefighters have been unable to contain the fires on Vancouver Island and why smoke from the blazes is preparing to spread across the mainland.

Forecasters warn that southwesterly winds will begin drawing smoke into the Lower Mainland by Tuesday evening, and air quality in the region will deteriorate noticeably by Wednesday morning. For millions of people, this means a risk of worsened respiratory conditions, the need to limit time outdoors and the return of air purifiers from storage. However, relief is already on the way.

A cold front arriving Wednesday evening is expected to bring light, long-awaited rain. In addition, a low-pressure centre over Washington will draw Pacific moisture toward British Columbia’s southern coast. After an 18-day dry spell in Vancouver, the return of rain is more than a weather event—it is genuinely good news for firefighters and environmentalists. Forecasts suggest that the South Coast will receive 20 to 30 mm of precipitation by Saturday, which should significantly ease the wildfire situation.

This story, covered in detail by Yahoo News Canada, clearly demonstrates how climate change is blurring the traditional boundaries between seasons. Where fall once marked the end of the wildfire period, it is now becoming an extension of it. And although rain is on the way, it will not solve the systemic problem: extreme dryness is becoming the new normal, along with year-round readiness to fight fires.

❮ ❯

Ferry Disruptions, Port Records and Hotel Sale

A British Columbia news digest: BC Ferries cancelled sailings between Victoria and Vancouver because of a steering-system failure, the Port of Vancouver reported record cargo volumes driven by oil and grain exports to Asia, and the family-owned Accent Inns and Hotel Zed business is being acquired by Vancouver-based Synvest Group.

Ferry Service Between Victoria and Vancouver Disrupted: Two Sailings Cancelled Due to Steering Problem

BC Ferries was forced to cancel two morning sailings on one of British Columbia’s busiest routes, connecting Vancouver Island with the mainland. The cause was a mechanical failure in the vessel’s steering system. The incident affected passengers planning morning trips on Wednesday, September 23, and once again drew attention to the reliability of the ferry fleet on which hundreds of thousands of residents depend in their daily lives.

According to information published by CHEK News, the 10 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay—the terminal near Victoria at the southern end of Vancouver Island—and the noon sailing from Tsawwassen, a major mainland port south of Vancouver, were cancelled. Both terminals serve what is commonly called the “Victoria–Vancouver” route, one of the key links in the BC Ferries system connecting the provincial capital with its largest city.

The ferry operator said the problem had already been identified and that repair work would continue while the vessel remained docked at Swartz Bay. This is an important detail: it indicates that the issue has been isolated and is unlikely to require the ferry to be taken out of service for an extended period. However, even a brief breakdown of one vessel on such a heavily used route can trigger a chain reaction—schedule changes, overcrowding on neighbouring sailings and delays for passengers travelling for both personal and business reasons.

BC Ferries said the remaining sailings on the route were expected to operate on schedule. In particular, departures at 10 a.m. from Tsawwassen and 11 a.m. from both terminals were expected to run normally. Passengers whose bookings were affected by the cancellations were promised space on the next available sailing from either terminal—a standard company practice intended to minimize inconvenience. Even so, such transfers can often mean hours of waiting, especially during peak periods, and can seriously disrupt people’s plans.

Passengers were advised to monitor the latest sailing information through BC Ferries’ official channels, as the situation surrounding mechanical failures can change quickly. The advice underscores the importance of flexibility when planning trips across the Strait of Georgia—the body of water separating Vancouver Island from mainland British Columbia that ferries have crossed for decades.

Several points help put the incident into context. The steering system is a critical mechanism that allows a vessel to change course; a failure makes ferry operations unsafe and requires immediate attention from technical crews. The route between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen is one of the busiest in the BC Ferries network, so disruptions there are felt particularly strongly because alternative routes between Victoria and Vancouver are limited and also depend on ferries or air travel, leaving motorists and walk-on passengers especially vulnerable.

This incident is not an isolated case, but another reminder of the age and wear affecting the province’s ferry fleet, as well as the continuing pressure on infrastructure serving the region’s growing population. For BC Ferries, such technical failures mean not only operating costs and reputational risks, but also the need to accelerate vessel modernization. For passengers, they are a reminder that unexpected disruptions can occur even on a well-established route, making it increasingly sensible to allow extra time when planning trips across the strait.

Port of Vancouver Breaks Records as Grain and Oil Reshape Canadian Exports

The Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port on the country’s west coast, reported record cargo volumes for the first half of the year. Behind the dry statistics lies a much more significant story: Canada is rapidly redirecting its trade flows away from the traditional U.S. market toward Asia and other parts of the world. Driving this shift are Alberta oil and agricultural products from the Prairies.

According to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, cargo volumes in the six months ending June 30 rose three percent from the same period last year. More important, however, is the composition of that growth: it was driven by record shipments of crude oil and grain. Oil exports reached 12 million tonnes, up three percent, while bulk grain exports jumped 14 percent to a record 17.4 million tonnes. Port Authority president and CEO Peter Xotta spoke directly of the “degree of focus and urgency” surrounding efforts to move cargo, including fossil fuels, to countries outside North America and back.

The key shift concerns the geography of oil flows. The share of crude oil shipped through Vancouver to the United States fell to one-third, compared with one-fifth a year earlier, while the absolute volume of shipments also declined. At the same time, China and other Asian destinations are taking a growing share. Xotta said they play a “very significant role.” The shift was made possible by the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline: the twinned pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby, British Columbia, opened the way for Alberta oil shipments to China and South Korea in 2024. As the port’s head put it in a CBC interview, the Trans Mountain expansion “continues to be a much more dominant commodity through these gateways than we have historically seen.”

In addition to crude oil, aviation fuel volumes rose significantly—by 26 percent. The reason is partly forced: airlines are seeking jet fuel outside the Middle East, where the war between the United States and Iran has effectively reduced exports to a minimum. It is a striking example of how geopolitical conflicts in other parts of the world can redirect trade flows through Canadian ports.

Agriculture is showing equally impressive momentum. Bulk grain exports reached a record, and Xotta attributes the increase to good harvests over the past two years. China, Japan and South Korea remain the traditional largest buyers of Canadian grain, but containerized shipments of lentils, peas and pulses rose by almost two-thirds, driven by countries such as Bangladesh and India, which the port chief described as “emerging markets.” Europe and Mexico are also increasing their imports of canola seed.

Not everything is going smoothly, however. China imposed 100 percent tariffs on Canadian canola oil in March 2025 in response to Canadian levies on Chinese electric vehicles, and later added a 76 percent anti-dumping duty on canola seed. Beijing subsequently lowered the duty on seed to 15 percent but retained the 100 percent tariff on oil. This barrier explains the 14 percent decline in vegetable and animal oil exports through Vancouver. The detail matters: the trade dispute between Ottawa and Beijing has measurable consequences for specific industries, and port statistics serve as a sensitive barometer.

Automobiles are another part of the story. Vehicle volumes through the port rose 10 percent as manufacturers sought alternatives to the U.S. market. Against the backdrop of increasingly protectionist U.S. policy, Xotta has set an ambitious goal of helping Canada double its exports to non-U.S. markets within 10 years.

What do these figures mean in the broader sense? The Port of Vancouver is evolving from primarily a transit hub for trade with the United States into a full-fledged gateway for Canada to the Asia-Pacific region. This reflects several trends at once: the diversification of Canadian trade in response to Washington’s protectionism, the impact of Trans Mountain pipeline infrastructure and the influence of global conflicts on energy routes. The shift also has a vulnerability—dependence on relations with China, which remain complicated: agricultural export growth exists alongside trade barriers on canola. The term “containerized shipments” refers to cargo transported in standard metal containers, as opposed to bulk cargo carried loose and unpackaged, such as grain or oil. An anti-dumping duty is a tax imposed on imports sold at artificially low prices that harm domestic producers. Vancouver’s port record is therefore not simply a growth figure, but an indicator of a profound restructuring of Canadian foreign trade, with oil and grain opening new routes around the country’s traditional southern neighbour.

Victoria’s Family Hotel Business Acquired by Vancouver Group

The sale of a regional hotel empire built around family values is an event that rarely goes unnoticed in the local community. That is what happened in British Columbia when it became known that the Victoria-based owner of the Accent Inns and Hotel Zed chains had decided to transfer the business to Vancouver investment group Synvest Group of Companies. Behind the dry language of the press release lies the story of years of work by the Farmer family, as well as a sign that consolidation in the province’s hotel market is gaining momentum.

According to information published in a Times Colonist report, company CEO Mandy Farmer confirmed that the deal is expected to close at the end of November. Neither she nor Synvest representatives disclosed the financial terms, citing confidentiality. This is typical of hospitality transactions, where the value often depends on real estate, brand strength and long-term management contracts, and where the parties prefer not to give competitors unnecessary points of reference.

Accent Inns has five hotels in British Columbia, including a property on Blanshard Street in Victoria. The Hotel Zed chain, known for its retro style and unconventional design, has locations on Douglas Street in Victoria, as well as in Kelowna and Tofino. In total, the deal involves eight hotel properties and the ROAR restaurant. Both sides emphasized that the businesses would continue operating normally and that all bookings would remain valid. For guests and employees, this is an important sign of stability: the change in ownership will not bring immediate upheaval.

Synvest Group is an investment and hospitality organization that operates several properties in British Columbia through its management company, Roadside Hospitality. Its website lists assets including the Royal Scot Hotel and Suites near the legislature, the Bedford Regency on Government Street and the Port-O-Call Inn and Suites in Nanaimo, as well as hotels in the Okanagan region. Synvest therefore already has substantial experience in the province’s hotel industry. By acquiring Accent Inns and Hotel Zed, it is strengthening its presence in key tourism destinations—from the capital and Vancouver Island to the province’s Interior.

Mandy Farmer herself emphasized the emotional context of the deal. In a statement on Tuesday, she called it an “emotional day for me and our team” and declined an interview. She said it was “extremely important” to find a new owner who understood “what makes this company special.” Farmer noted that she and Synvest discovered shared values during the negotiations, “especially when it comes to caring for our people and our guests.” This is more than a routine phrase: in the hotel business, service culture and employee loyalty directly affect profitability, and preserving that culture during a change of ownership is strategically important.

Significantly, Accent Inns and Hotel Zed employees were informed of the sale before it was publicly announced. This suggests that management sought to preserve the team’s trust and avoid leaks that could destabilize hotel operations. Azim Virani, founder and head of Synvest Group, said he had “enormous respect for what the Farmer family has built” and expressed his willingness to work with the teams, welcome guests and continue the hospitality culture that made the brands special. Such language matters for continuity: the buyer is not simply acquiring assets, but also taking on responsibilities to the community and employees.

The company’s history began in 1986, when Terry Farmer founded Accent Inns and built five hotels before passing the business on to his daughter. Mandy Farmer became president and CEO in 2008, and six years later added the retro Hotel Zed chain to the portfolio. In 2018, Hotel Zed was named “Business of the Year” by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada—recognition that reflects not only commercial success but also an innovative approach to the hotel product. The sale of a family business to a major investment group marks both the end of a particular era and the beginning of a new stage in which the brands will likely retain their identity while developing within a larger corporate structure.

For British Columbia’s market, the deal could signal further consolidation. Independent family-run chains are increasingly attracting investment groups that see them as established brands with trained staff and a reliable flow of guests. The question is whether the “specialness” Farmer referred to can be preserved under corporate management. Time—and the way Synvest manages its new portfolio—will provide the answer.

❮ ❯

Wildfires, Justice Reform and Elections in British Columbia

A wildfire is raging near Mount Jack in British Columbia, reform-minded judge Thomas Gove has died, and Vancouver’s mayor is urging officials not to hold provincial and municipal elections at the same time.

Mount Jack wildfire on southern Vancouver Island: Fire out of control, but no current threat

A new wildfire is burning in southern Vancouver Island, several kilometres from the town of Sooke, and has already drawn the attention of residents across the region. According to BC Wildfire Service, the fire near Mount Jack was discovered late Sunday evening and grew to half a square kilometre within just one day. The blaze is burning in warm, dry conditions that are favourable to further spread. Smoke from the fire is visible well beyond the site—even as far as Shawnigan Lake and Greater Victoria—making the incident noticeable even to people far from the epicentre.

As Global News reports, firefighters are already working at the scene in an effort to contain the flames. However, the service warns that the fire’s area is likely to continue growing. Despite this, the blaze currently poses no threat to residents or critical infrastructure. That clarification is important because, during a dry season, any fire in southern British Columbia causes heightened concern among local residents.

The incident is occurring as the wildfire season draws to a close. Although fire activity usually begins to decline by this time of year, more than 100 fires are still burning across the province, four of them classified as out of control. This shows that even at the end of the season, nature can deliver unpleasant surprises—particularly when weather conditions remain warm and dry.

For context, the status “out of control” does not necessarily mean that a fire is completely chaotic or impossible to manage. In BC Wildfire Service terminology, it means that the fire is not following its planned trajectory and has not been contained—in other words, firefighters have not yet been able to surround it and stop its spread. The designation is used when there is a possibility that the flames will continue to grow, as is happening near Mount Jack.

The key point is that there is no threat to people or infrastructure, confirming the service’s measured approach to assessing risk. However, smoke visible as far away as Victoria is a reminder that even a local fire can affect air quality and visibility across a wide area. Officials have not reported any evacuations or alerts, but the situation remains under observation. With more than 100 fires still active across the province, this is only one of many incidents, but it underscores that wildfire season is not over yet—and that it is too early to let down one’s guard.

The judge who changed the system: Thomas Gove’s legacy in British Columbia

In a world where the justice system is often seen as a heartless machine, some people remind us that justice can be humane. Thomas Gove, who died of heart failure at Vancouver General Hospital on September 10 at the age of 79, was one of those people. His life was not simply the biography of a provincial court judge, but a story of how compassion and persistence can transform entire institutions that protect the most vulnerable.

Gove began his career as a lawyer specializing in family law, child protection and criminal cases. He spent 16 years in that work before being appointed to the provincial court in 1990. During more than three decades on the bench, he did more than issue rulings—he reimagined the role of a judge in society. His legacy is measured not by the number of cases he closed, but by the lives he helped save and the systems he helped reform.

A pivotal moment in his career came with the inquiry into the death of five-year-old Matthew Vaudreuil, who died in 1992 after prolonged neglect by his mother, despite being under the supervision of dozens of social workers. The case exposed deep systemic failures. The inquiry led by Gove, completed in 1995, found that only about half of the province’s child-protection workers had degrees in social work. Gove issued 118 recommendations, including requirements that front-line workers hold at least a bachelor’s degree in social work and that everyone working with children be professionally regulated. The recommendations led to the creation of a separate Ministry of Children and Families, as well as the Commission for Children, an agency that reviewed child deaths and the operation of the protection system. The commission existed from 1997 to 2002, but after it was dissolved, another tragedy—a high-profile child death—prompted a further inquiry led by Judge Ted Hughes. It found that the commission’s dissolution had created a dangerous gap in oversight. As a result, in 2006, the legislature unanimously passed the Representative for Children and Youth Act, creating a new independent oversight body that remains in operation today.

However, Gove’s work was not limited to reforming the child-protection system. He helped establish Canada’s first community court in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, which began operating in 2008. As the court’s presiding judge, Gove helped radically change the approach to justice: rather than relying solely on punishment, the court integrated medical and social services into the judicial proceedings. Gove understood that many people appearing before the court were living with mental illness, serious drug addiction or brain injuries, often linked to methamphetamine use. “We often sentence people without having any real understanding of who they are or what drives them,” he said at the opening of the community court in 2008. In his final remarks as a judge, he emphasized that the number of people appearing in court with mental illness, severe addictions and brain injuries was dramatically different from what it had been 30 years earlier—and that this reality needed to be recognized.

Thomas Gove retired in 2020 but was extended for another year as a senior judge, ending his career in 2021. “I hope that over the years I solved more problems than I created,” he said upon retiring. “Especially when it comes to family matters and criminal sentencing.” His cousin, Aaron Chapman, wrote on social media that Gove had had an enormous impact on Vancouver and the province as a whole, and that the family was immensely proud of him. Gove is survived by his wife of 54 years, three children and five grandchildren.

At a time when justice systems around the world face criticism for being overly formal and disconnected from people’s real problems, Thomas Gove’s example shows that justice can be not only fair, but also healing. His work is a reminder that behind every statistic, every law and every reform are individual human lives—and that even one person with compassion and determination can change a system from within.

Vancouver mayor urges B.C. not to hold snap election during municipal campaign

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has called on the British Columbia government not to call an early provincial election before the municipal vote scheduled for October 17. In his view, the municipal campaign deserves residents’ “full and undivided attention,” and holding two electoral campaigns at the same time would dilute the focus of public debate. The situation has been complicated by Premier David Eby’s statement last week to NDP members that they needed to be “ready for an election,” prompting widespread speculation that the legislature could soon be dissolved. Such a political move could significantly affect the municipal race, as voters’ attention and media coverage shifted to the provincial agenda.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, where he presented his ABC Vancouver party’s election platform, Sim said his position fully aligned with that of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. The organization adopted a resolution last week calling on the provincial government to protect the integrity of local elections by avoiding overlapping campaigns. In essence, the issue concerns protecting the principle that municipal elections are an independent democratic institution, not an extension of provincial politics, with local electoral cycles dictated by the tactical considerations of the governing party. For Sim, the issue is particularly sensitive given his own political history: in 2018, he ran for mayor with the Non-Partisan Association and narrowly lost to Kennedy Stewart, then won in 2022 with ABC Vancouver. He is now seeking to present his party as a force focused on strictly urban issues, and an early provincial election could push that agenda out of the centre of public attention.

The ABC Vancouver platform unveiled at the same news conference is built around three “anchor commitments”: public safety and addressing street disorder; affordability and accountability in city government; and jobs and the economy. Under the first priority, the party promises to ban the use of hard drugs outdoors in public spaces—a measure that, amid Vancouver’s overdose crisis, has sparked intense debate over the balance between public order and the rights of people who use drugs. On tax policy, ABC has pledged to impose no property-tax increase in 2027, a bold promise amid chronic municipal budget shortfalls and rising infrastructure costs. The party also plans to rebuild the Vancouver Aquatic Centre and revitalize the entertainment district on Granville Street, an iconic area that has suffered from vacant storefronts and a declining nightlife scene in recent years.

The central question is whether Sim can keep the municipal agenda in focus if a provincial election is actually called in the coming weeks. On one hand, his appeal has institutional support from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, giving it political weight. On the other, Premier Eby may be guided by his own electoral calculations, judging by his signals to fellow party members. In that case, the argument for giving local elections “full attention” risks remaining merely rhetorical. For Vancouver voters, this could mean an overloaded information environment in which debates over taxes, safety and urban infrastructure are drowned out by the provincial campaign. The fact that the mayor of the province’s largest city has been forced to publicly ask the premier not to call an election illustrates the tension between municipal and provincial governments—and how fragile attention to strictly local issues can be when larger political concerns dominate.

❮ ❯

Politics, Wildfires and Events in British Columbia This Week

Vancouver’s mayor asks that provincial and municipal elections not overlap, four out-of-control wildfires are burning on Vancouver Island, and the city is preparing for a busy week of events — from concerts by Lily Allen and DEVO to a cheese festival and a croissant crawl.

Vancouver mayor urges B.C. not to call snap election during municipal campaign

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has called on the British Columbia government to refrain from holding an early provincial election before the municipal vote scheduled for Oct. 17. In his view, local elections deserve the “full and undivided attention” of residents, and running two campaigns at the same time could harm the quality of local democracy. He made the comments at a news conference on Monday, where he presented his ABC Vancouver party’s platform, reports CFJC Today.

The situation intensified after Premier David Eby told NDP MLAs last week that they should be “ready for an election.” The statement sparked widespread speculation about a possible early dissolution of the legislature and snap vote. Against that backdrop, the Vancouver mayor’s appeal appears to be an effort to protect the municipal political process from being overshadowed by a larger provincial campaign.

Ken Sim emphasized that his position is consistent with that of the Union of B.C. Municipalities. Last week, the organization adopted a resolution asking the provincial government to preserve the integrity of local elections by avoiding overlapping campaigns. This is an important signal: municipal governments fear that an early provincial election could divert voters’ attention, media coverage and resources away from issues that directly affect cities — housing, transportation, local services and urban planning.

The core issue is that municipal elections in British Columbia traditionally take place separately from provincial elections, and combining them — or even allowing them to partially overlap — could blur the focus of public debate. For voters, this means local concerns, from the cost of living to neighbourhood development, could be pushed into the background. For political parties, it creates the risk that their local campaigns will be viewed as part of a larger provincial contest rather than as an independent competition of ideas.

The key insight is that Sim’s statement is not merely a technical request about the election calendar, but an attempt to establish a hierarchy of political priorities. Municipalities, including Vancouver, face serious challenges, and the mayor is insisting that these issues require separate, unobstructed discussion. If a provincial election is called first, it could weaken the legitimacy of the municipal agenda and reduce local voter turnout.

It remains unclear whether Premier Eby will heed the request. His comments about being “ready for an election” could be a genuine signal of an imminent dissolution or a political manoeuvre intended to mobilize the party organization. In any case, the conflict between provincial and municipal election schedules is becoming a notable point of tension in British Columbia’s political life. Ken Sim’s position, reinforced by the Union of B.C. Municipalities’ decision, shows that local governments are prepared to publicly defend their own space in the political calendar.

Four Vancouver Island wildfires are burning out of control

Vancouver Island, off Canada’s west coast in British Columbia, is facing a concerning wildfire situation: four wildfires are currently classified as out of control. One blaze covers 10 hectares, making it the largest and potentially most dangerous of the fires reported. The information was published in a CTV News report, which includes a map showing the precise locations of all four fires.

According to data provided by the B.C. Wildfire Service, the status “out of control” means that a fire is spreading freely and is not being contained by firefighting efforts. It does not necessarily mean that efforts to fight the fire have stopped, but it indicates that crews have not yet been able to contain the flames. The designation is used when a fire is behaving actively, threatens to spread further and is moving in an unpredictable direction. For Vancouver Island, much of which is covered by dense coniferous forests, four simultaneous out-of-control fires pose a serious threat to ecosystems, communities, infrastructure and public health.

Particular attention has been drawn to the 10-hectare fire mentioned in the headline, although some earlier reports described it as covering seven hectares. The discrepancy may be explained by the fire’s rapid growth over a short period or by updated information from monitoring agencies. Ten hectares is roughly the size of 10 soccer fields, and in strong winds and hot, dry weather, a fire of that size can multiply within hours. It is the rate of spread, rather than the absolute area, that makes such fires especially dangerous in their early stages.

The B.C. Wildfire Service traditionally publishes interactive maps showing each fire according to its status: “out of control,” “being held” or “under control.” The map accompanying the CTV News report plays an important role in informing the public, allowing residents to quickly assess how close the fire is to their homes and evacuation routes. Such transparency is critical because Vancouver Island’s mountainous and forested terrain can make it difficult for firefighters to reach the fires, making timely alerts particularly important.

Although the news excerpt does not identify specific causes, statistics from previous years show that most wildfires in British Columbia are caused by lightning and human activity — from unattended campfires to discarded cigarette butts. Summer in the region is often marked by periods of drought and high temperatures, creating ideal conditions for fires to spread quickly. Four out-of-control fires on one island are a sign that wildfire season is in full swing and that firefighting resources could be stretched.

For residents and tourists, the situation means following official warnings, being prepared for a possible evacuation and avoiding any actions that could cause new fires. For authorities, it is a reason to consider reallocating resources and possibly bringing in additional support, including aircraft, to fight fires in difficult-to-access areas. The environmental consequences must not be underestimated either: wildfires destroy wildlife habitat, worsen air quality and release carbon, affecting the region’s climate over the long term.

The report of four out-of-control wildfires on Vancouver Island is therefore more than a simple incident update; it is an indicator of a serious challenge facing emergency services and British Columbia residents. How the situation develops will depend on weather conditions, the speed of the response and the public’s willingness to follow safety measures.

20 great things to do in Vancouver: from a cheese festival to Lily Allen and DEVO

Autumn is taking hold in Vancouver, but that is no reason to stay home under a blanket with a cup of tea. The city is preparing for one of the busiest weeks of the season: from Sept. 21 to 27, dozens of events will take place for every taste, from culinary discoveries and world-class rock concerts to family outings and hockey games. If you were planning to spend the weekend on the couch, you may want to reconsider, because Vancouver has literally everything on offer over the next seven days: sophisticated tastings, packed stadiums and cozy outdoor markets.

Music sets the tone for the week. On Monday, Sept. 21, British pop star Lily Allen will perform at Rogers Arena with songs from her new album West End Girl, which reached No. 2 on the U.K. charts and produced her first top-10 song in a decade. It is arguably the biggest social event at the start of the week. By the weekend, new-wave legends will take over: The B-52s and DEVO have joined forces for the Cosmic De-Evolution tour, and Vancouver will be the only Canadian city on the eight-city itinerary. The show will take place at Rogers Arena on Sept. 27, promising to turn the venue into a giant “love shack” — a reference to one of The B-52s’ biggest hits. For those who prefer stand-up, comedian Steve Hofstetter will perform at the Rio Theatre on Wednesday. He has more than 1.3 million YouTube subscribers and experience producing the series Laughs.

Food and drink lovers will also have plenty to enjoy this week. On Saturday, Sept. 26, the Cheese and Meat Festival will take place in North Vancouver — a true celebration for foodies, with more than 150 carefully selected cheese and cured-meat pairings served at the historic Pipe Shop. Everything is included with the ticket, allowing guests to sample at their leisure, speak with producers and discover new flavours. That same day, Heritage Hall on Main Street will host the Vinícola Portugal Wine Festival, featuring 70 wines, a pop-up wine shop from Sutton Place Wine Merchants and snacks from Arc Iberico Imports. Tickets cost $65 plus fees. And for anyone who cannot imagine life without pastries, the Metro Vancouver Croissant Crawl returns from Sept. 25 to Oct. 4. For the fifth consecutive year, 37 Metro Vancouver establishments will offer limited-edition croissants, with some adding paired drinks. It is an excellent reason to turn an ordinary walk through the city into a culinary adventure.

Vancouver also excels when it comes to family activities. On Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m., John Hendry Park will host Canine Library, an unusual event organized in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library Foundation, St. John Ambulance BC/Yukon and the Trout Lake Community Centre. Children and adults can sign up for a “puppy and poetry” session, combining poetry readings with time spent with dogs. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Over the same weekend and on subsequent dates, Harvest Days will begin at VanDusen Botanical Garden, featuring an educational garden, a maze, crafts, live music and food trucks. The event will run on weekends through Oct. 18. In Chilliwack, the famous Greendale Acres corn maze has reopened for its 28th season. In addition to the maze, visitors can enjoy tractor and hayrides, farm animals and children’s activities. For families, it is one of the most affordable options: children under two and visitors over 75 enter free.

The sports schedule is no less packed. The Vancouver Canucks will open the preseason with two home games at Rogers Arena: against the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 24 and the Seattle Kraken on Sept. 26. Soccer fans can support the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sept. 26 when they face D.C. United in a special youth and family match presented by RE/MAX. The B.C. Lions will host the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday, Sept. 25, as part of the CFL season, while the Vancouver Giants will play an afternoon game against the Prince George Cougars on Sept. 27 at Langley Events Centre. Finally, the Abbotsford Canucks will begin their AHL preseason with two games against the Calgary Wranglers on Sept. 27 and 28. Fans will have no shortage of options, from hockey to soccer and Canadian football.

The second annual International Ukulele Festival also deserves a mention. The Langley Ukulele Association will hold it from Sept. 24 to 26 in Fort Langley. Headliners include Hawaiian stars Kalei Gameio, Chris Kamaka Sr. and Aldrine Guerrero, as well as prominent performers from the northwestern United States, including UkuLenny, Matt Dahlberg and Peter Luongo. Some events are free, while others require tickets, making this a great opportunity to explore an unexpected musical genre in a scenic historic setting.

For those who prefer shopping with a purpose, the eighth annual Vancouver Etsy Co. fall pop-up will take place on Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Robson Square ice rink. All products are made in Canada, and the market will also feature workshops on watercolour painting, glue-based accessories and keychain-making. Admission is free, but registration is required; Market Cash will be raffled among registrants. Another shopping option is the Downtown Farmers Market at the intersection of West Georgia and Hornby streets, operating every Wednesday from 2 to 6 p.m. through Dec. 23. More than 30 farms and producers, food trucks and cafés, along with proximity to bike routes and SkyTrain stations, make it a convenient destination for weekday shopping.

Theatre fans and those seeking intellectual entertainment will also find plenty to do. The Improv Centre will present a seasonal mystery show from Sept. 25 to Oct. 30, with a preview on Sept. 24. It is a classic whodunnit with plenty of humour, in which five VIPs gather for a mysterious dinner and the first course is murder. Each performance is unique because the improvisation is never repeated. At The Rec Room Granville, a free Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul trivia night will take place on Sept. 27 — a chance to test your knowledge of the cult series and win prizes.

Finally, on Sunday, Sept. 27, St. Augustine’s on Commercial Drive will launch “Sunday Service,” a daytime program with a live DJ, special prices on a “saints and sinners” menu, authentic New Haven-style pizza and game broadcasts on 11 new televisions and a large projector. The venue is one block from the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station, making it easy to reach.

The key takeaway this week is simple: Vancouver does not slow down in the autumn — it only picks up speed. The city offers a rare combination: global stars such as Lily Allen and DEVO alongside local ukulele, croissant and cheese festivals, while sports venues fill with fans of not only the NHL but also the CFL, WHL and AHL. The most important thing is to choose quickly: the schedule is so full that planning ahead is advisable, and tickets to many events, particularly concerts at Rogers Arena and tastings, are likely to sell out quickly. The full list of events and ticket links can be found in the original Daily Hive roundup.

For those unfamiliar with some of the terms: WHL (Western Hockey League) is one of Canada’s three major junior hockey leagues, producing future NHL stars. The AHL (American Hockey League) is a professional league that serves as a development system for NHL clubs; the Abbotsford Canucks are the farm team of the Vancouver Canucks. The CFL (Canadian Football League) is a professional Canadian football league, whose game differs from American football through its larger field and different rules. Finally, New Haven-style pizza is a thin pizza with a crisp crust originating in New Haven, Connecticut, and is considered one of the most authentic styles of American pizza.

❮ ❯

Gastronomy, Family Housing and the Vancouver Mayoral Election

Vancouver welcomes Cloudstreet at the Hyatt Regency, featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine from Chef Craig Sung; British Columbia is investing $20 million to double housing for families of sick children at Willow House; and the Vancouver mayoral campaign has begun, with safety, housing and the possibility of a provincial election among the key issues.

Vancouver Welcomes Cloudstreet: New Pacific Northwest Cuisine at the Hyatt Regency

In the heart of downtown Vancouver, at the intersection of Burrard and Georgia, a restaurant has opened that promises to be more than just another dining option for hotel guests and business lunches. Cloudstreet, located inside the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, features a completely redesigned interior and a new culinary direction led by Chef Craig Sung. In a city with an exceptionally vibrant restaurant scene and intense competition for the attention of local diners, the arrival of a project with this pedigree is worth noting. I attended a preview-opening dinner, and what I saw suggests an attempt to find a rare balance between the polish of a hotel restaurant and the authenticity of a chef-driven establishment.

Craig Sung is no random figure in Vancouver’s culinary scene. His career began in this city, after which he gained experience in hotel kitchens in Vancouver and Australia, working alongside Michelin-starred chefs. It was there that he refined the techniques now at the heart of his approach. Until recently, he served as executive chef at Forage, a long-standing restaurant in the West End, where local ingredients and sustainability were not marketing slogans but everyday practices. This combination of advanced culinary technique and a deep understanding of local ingredients makes him capable of taking Cloudstreet beyond the standard hotel restaurant. Sung describes his philosophy simply: Pacific Northwest cuisine is first and foremost about where we live—the ocean, forests, farms and what is harvested around us in a particular season. It sounds obvious, but British Columbia truly has a natural larder few places can match, and Sung wants the restaurant to feel connected to it. “Our menu pays homage to dense forests, rugged coastlines, crisp mountain air and the region’s harvest,” he says, and that idea runs throughout the menu, where seafood, game, vegetables and hearty comfort food designed for the cooler months appear side by side.

One of the highlights of my visit was the bison carpaccio with Jerusalem artichoke cream, a tamari-cured egg yolk and pickled shallots. It was a smart opening dish and a good indicator of the direction Sung wants to take the kitchen: local, familiar and refined, but without unnecessary complication. Equally convincing was the roasted British Columbia steelhead, served with potatoes, bok choy, fennel and apple and finished with a miso beurre blanc. Balance was the key here: the richness of the fish and sauce was tempered by the freshness and acidity of the fennel and apple, while the bok choy brought the dish back to earth. There was plenty of technique on the plate, but nothing felt like a demonstration for its own sake. Next came braised short rib—another hit, rich and comforting, exactly the kind of food one wants when Vancouver moves into autumn. The space itself is bright, polished and distinctly West Canadian: huge windows look out onto Burrard Street, warm finishing materials create an inviting atmosphere, and an impressive bar gives the restaurant energy beyond the dining room. This may be Cloudstreet’s most interesting niche. Downtown Vancouver has plenty of places for business lunches, hotel guests and pre-show dinners, but Sung appears to be trying to build something that serves this audience comfortably while also giving locals—particularly those who remember his cooking at Forage—a reason to visit.

A few points are worth clarifying for context. Steelhead is not exactly salmon, although the term is often used for rainbow trout that have spent part of their lives in the ocean; it is an important regional food fish. Beurre blanc is a classic French sauce made with emulsified butter and wine vinegar; adding miso gives it a Japanese accent, something typical of contemporary West Coast Canadian cuisine. Tamari is a Japanese soy-based sauce, often darker and richer than regular soy sauce, and is commonly gluten-free. Bison carpaccio is a bold choice, since bison is more strongly associated with the Prairies, but bison are raised in British Columbia, and the meat is lean and full-flavoured. Finally, in culinary terms, the “Pacific Northwest” encompasses British Columbia, Washington and Oregon and implies an emphasis on seafood, wild foods, berries, mushrooms and farm products.

The main insight here is that Cloudstreet is betting on hybridity. A hotel restaurant is, by definition, expected to be convenient and predictable, but Sung brings the language of fine dining and a strong local identity to the project—something rarely seen in hotel ventures of this scale. If he can maintain that balance, Cloudstreet could become more than a place for hotel guests to have breakfast; it could become a destination for Vancouverites who follow the city’s culinary scene. The chef’s key quote—“Our menu pays homage to dense forests, rugged coastlines, crisp mountain air and the region’s harvest”—sets the tone, but the real test will be whether that philosophy remains intact six months from now, when the full range of seasonal possibilities is available. Cloudstreet’s grand opening is scheduled for Friday, September 18, at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard St. The restaurant is currently offering a 30 percent discount through Sunday to welcome its first guests. Hours are breakfast from 6:30 to 11 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. The review’s author is Christian Alvarez, founder of Vancouver Chefs and the ICON Dinner Series and a graduate of Northwest Culinary Academy, who combines culinary training with a passion for storytelling and photography. His article appeared on Vancouver Is Awesome, an important signal that local food media already see Cloudstreet not as a hotel formality but as an independent project worthy of attention. In a city where restaurants open and close at a dizzying pace, that kind of launch is already half the battle. The other half will depend on whether Sung’s kitchen can maintain its standards after the promotional discounts and initial excitement fade.

British Columbia Doubles Housing for Families of Sick Children: $20 Million for New Willow House

The British Columbia government has announced a $20 million investment in Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon. The funding will allow the organization to double the number of housing units available to families travelling to Vancouver from remote areas of the province so their children can receive specialized treatment at BC Children’s Hospital. In essence, the goal is to ease the financial and logistical burden on parents and allow them to remain close to their children for as long as necessary without worrying about accommodation and additional expenses. As Health Minister Ravi Kahlon said, according to the official provincial news release, “we want patients to receive care close to home, but when that is not possible, we need to make sure they are well supported.” The investment is intended to remove those barriers so families do not have to be separated.

The project is Willow House, a new Vancouver complex that will add 75 individual studios as well as one- and two-bedroom apartments designed specifically for extended stays and larger families. Shared and support spaces will also be included. Construction is expected to begin in three to four months, with Willow House set to welcome its first residents in early 2029. Finance Minister Josie Osborne emphasized that public investments exist to support people during their most difficult moments: when a child needs specialized care far from home, the last thing parents should have to worry about is where they will live or how they will cover additional costs. “This investment will help remove some of that stress so more families can stay together and focus on their child’s well-being,” she said.

The scale of the need is clear from the numbers. In 2025, Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon supported more than 1,700 families from over 145 communities in British Columbia. On average, families travelled nearly 500 kilometres—498 kilometres, to be precise—to reach the treatment centre. Of those families, 33 percent came from the province’s Interior, 26 percent from northern British Columbia and 21 percent from Vancouver Island. The figures show how urgent the issue of accessible housing is for families from rural and remote communities. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Rural Communities Brittny Anderson said the investment would allow families, particularly those from remote areas, to stay with their children for as long as needed without worrying about the cost of housing in Vancouver. “This will take a significant financial burden off families’ shoulders and allow them to focus on their children’s well-being,” she added.

The history of Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon began in 1983, when the first 13-bedroom house opened in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood. It provided support to sick children and families who had to travel long distances for specialized care available only in Vancouver. Over time, demand grew to the point that the original facility could no longer meet the need. Today, the organization operates a 73-bedroom house in Vancouver, as well as family rooms in Surrey, Kamloops and Prince George. At the heart of all this work is the belief that keeping families together is an essential part of healing for children with serious illnesses.

In addition to provincial funding, the Willow House project relies on joint financial support from all levels of government, the community, and health-care and philanthropic partners. Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon CEO Richard Pass thanked the province for its commitment to supporting families across British Columbia and expressed hope that work would continue with governments, donors and partners to bring the important project to life. Vancouver-Little Mountain MLA Christine Boyle also said Ronald McDonald House changes the lives of families who must travel to BC Children’s Hospital from across the province, adding that she was proud to support the investment that will double housing capacity in Vancouver.

Several points are worth explaining for context. Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit organization associated with the McDonald’s restaurant chain that builds and operates houses for families of children receiving extended treatment away from home. BC Children’s Hospital is British Columbia’s only specialized children’s hospital, so young patients are referred there from across the province, including its most remote regions. Willow House is the name of the new facility that will expand the existing infrastructure. An average one-way journey of 498 kilometres is roughly the distance from Prince George to Vancouver, underscoring the scale of the problem: daily travel is impossible for these families, while renting in Vancouver is extremely expensive. The $20 million investment is not simply about building bedrooms; it recognizes that family support is part of medical care. When parents can remain close to their child, it directly affects the child’s emotional well-being and recovery, while also reducing the risk that a family will forgo necessary treatment because of financial hardship. Willow House is expected to begin welcoming families in early 2029, and by then the province will have taken another step toward ensuring that children’s health care does not depend on their postal code or their parents’ ability to pay.

Vancouver Chooses a Mayor Under the Shadow of a Provincial Election

As talk of a possible early provincial election grows louder in British Columbia, Vancouver’s mayoral campaign has officially begun. Although the two elections are formally separate, their political agendas have become so closely intertwined that local candidates are already saying openly that a provincial campaign could simply “eat up” attention to the municipal race. Campaigns officially began Saturday, and voting is scheduled for October 17. Eight mayoral candidates are on the ballot, but the real contest centres on several key issues: public safety, housing affordability, trust in the current administration and the city’s ability to work with other levels of government.

Safety was the dominant theme on the first day of the campaign. A poll conducted by Save Our Streets in partnership with Research Co. found troubling figures: 53 percent of British Columbia respondents try to avoid certain areas of their communities because of safety concerns, while 48 percent worry about the safety of their families. Those findings formed the backdrop for statements from virtually all the candidates—even those who prefer to focus on housing and services.

Incumbent Mayor Ken Sim, who won the 2022 election, is betting on stability. He says that in “crazy economic times,” people “just want certainty,” and that his administration has provided consistency on public safety and affordability. Sim points to Vancouver police statistics: in 2023, his first full year in office, there were 8.58 violent offences per 1,000 people. By 2025, the figure had fallen by roughly 17 percent, to 7.09 per 1,000. However, total reported crime rose by about five percent from January through August 2026 compared with the same period the previous year. That contradiction—a decline in violent crime alongside an increase in overall crime—has become a convenient target for opponents.

Colleen Hardwick, who challenged Sim in 2022 and is running again for TEAM, describes safety problems as “intergenerational,” placing particular emphasis on violence against women. Her platform focuses on supporting people recovering from addictions and dealing with mental-health challenges, reintegrating them into communities “rather than isolating them in certain parts of the city,” and strengthening neighbourhood watch programs. Pete Fry, the Green Party candidate, also considers public safety a major concern, but proposes addressing it through housing affordability and measures to contain rising prices, as well as a local procurement strategy to support struggling businesses.

Rebecca Bligh, who was removed from Sim’s ABC caucus in February 2025 and is now running with Vote Vancouver, is building her campaign around her experience working with other levels of government. She is a city councillor and former president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. “This moment requires all levels of government to work together,” Bligh says, clearly suggesting that the current mayor has not always found common ground with the province.

Karim Allam, the Vancouver Liberals candidate and a former ABC campaign manager in 2022, is targeting a different concern: people in Vancouver feel they are “paying more and getting less” under the ABC government. “We’re seeing reduced library hours, reduced community-centre hours. And as the city densifies, the pressure on our park systems is growing,” he says. His platform calls for improved public services and support for frontline workers, along with stronger relationships with senior levels of government.

Three other candidates—Muhammad Ahmad of Bright Future Vancouver, and independents Amaury Caliman and Scott Gilbert—were not covered by CBC News on Saturday, but their platforms are known. Ahmad is campaigning on protecting renters from bulk buyers and introducing an equity-sharing program “owned by the renter,” as well as improving health care and supporting small businesses. Caliman is focused on housing and affordability, promising “more attainable homes” and improved safety on public transit. Gilbert is running on a pledge to “end the nonsense,” promising humour in municipal politics and prioritizing cleanliness and safety in the Downtown Eastside, along with affordable housing.

Perhaps the most unifying storyline of the campaign, however, is not an issue but the threat of a provincial election. Several candidates found common ground specifically in criticizing the possibility of overlapping campaigns. Bligh called it “not an ideal situation,” Hardwick said the provincial government “can cool its jets,” and Sim stated bluntly: “This is just not the time.” Fry was even more direct: “I don’t think it’s helpful at all.” Tensions have been heightened by Premier David Eby’s confirmation earlier this week that his party had hired a campaign manager and that his caucus and Elections B.C. should be “ready for an election.”

Simon Fraser University political scientist Sanjay Jeram explains why the concern is justified: “Municipal elections come a distant third after federal and provincial [elections],” he says. In other words, if a provincial campaign begins at the same time as the municipal one, voters’, donors’ and the media’s attention could shift entirely to the province, leaving local races as a political backdrop. This is particularly sensitive for Vancouver, which is dealing with a housing-affordability crisis, mental-health and addiction issues, rising crime in some neighbourhoods and mounting pressure on infrastructure. In these circumstances, a municipal campaign deprived of attention could lead to low turnout and, consequently, a mayor elected by a small share of voters.

The key insight is that Vancouver’s 2026 election risks becoming a referendum less on municipal policy than on trust in the current administration and the city’s ability to fit into a broader provincial and federal agenda. Ken Sim is trying to present himself as a guarantor of stability, but his opponents point to rising overall crime, service cuts and a lack of meaningful cooperation with other levels of government. The Save Our Streets–Research Co. poll shows that safety concerns have become widespread: 53 percent avoid certain areas, while 48 percent fear for their families. These are not merely statistics; they are electoral ground on which both “law-and-order” campaigns and “root causes” campaigns could grow, linking safety to housing, mental health and social policy. And because a provincial election could overlap with the municipal race, the outcome on October 17 will depend not only on what each candidate promises, but also on whether the city can hold voters’ attention at all.

❮ ❯

British Columbia News: Housing, Roads and Trees

This digest covers British Columbia’s housing market, where sales are gradually rising but prices are edging down amid tariff risks and higher interest rates. It also looks at calls from West Kootenay residents to stop the closure of a popular backcountry road, as well as Vancouver’s discounted tree-seedling sale held during Forest Week, an initiative aimed at expanding the city’s tree canopy by 2050.

British Columbia Housing Market: Slow Recovery Amid Tariff Risks

British Columbia’s housing market is showing mixed trends: sales are gradually increasing, while prices are declining, albeit slightly. According to a recent report from the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), 5,653 transactions were recorded through the Multiple Listing Service in August 2026, down four percent from the same period in 2025. At the same time, the average home price fell by just one percent, from $925,917 to $924,826. Total sales amounted to $5.2 billion, 4.8 percent below last year’s figure. These numbers depict a market caught in uncertainty: buyers are returning cautiously, while sellers are reluctant to significantly reduce their prices.

BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson notes that current sales remain well below long-term averages, although he expects conditions to gradually turn around. In comments published in the association’s report, he identified two key risk factors that could disrupt this fragile balance. “We expect the gradual sales recovery to continue, although new tariffs and the recent jump in long-term interest rates add a layer of risk to this scenario,” Ogmundson said. The new tariffs refer to trade restrictions introduced by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which are putting pressure on the Canadian economy as a whole and on consumer confidence in particular. Rising long-term interest rates, meanwhile, directly affect the cost of mortgage borrowing, making home purchases less affordable for potential buyers.

The overall picture looks even more subdued since the beginning of the year. Total sales fell 6.5 percent to $43.26 billion compared with the same period last year. The number of residential units sold declined 5.5 percent to 46,069. Notably, none of the regions covered by the BCREA report recorded sales growth during the first eight months of the year; all posted declines. This indicates that the slowdown is widespread rather than the result of isolated local fluctuations.

In terms of price geography, Greater Vancouver remains the most expensive area, with an average price of $1,213,418. At the other end of the scale are the province’s northern and Interior regions, where average prices are considerably lower. This gap highlights the structural diversity of British Columbia’s housing market, where urban centres continue to maintain high price levels even as the market cools overall.

For context, several terms require explanation. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a shared database used by real estate agents in Canada and the United States to exchange information about properties listed for sale. BCREA, the British Columbia Real Estate Association, is a provincial organization that brings together real estate boards and publishes monthly statistics. In this context, “long-term interest rates” generally refers to yields on long-term government bonds, which directly influence fixed mortgage rates. The tariffs mentioned by Ogmundson are duties on Canadian goods imported into the United States, introduced as part of the Trump administration’s trade policy. They could slow economic growth and, consequently, cool the housing market.

The key takeaway from the BCREA report, published by Daily Hive, is that British Columbia’s housing market is in a fragile balance. Sales remain below historical norms, but a gradual recovery appears to be taking shape. Prices are nearly stable, while external factors—including U.S. trade policy and interest-rate movements—are creating substantial uncertainty. For buyers, this may mean that opportunities to negotiate remain available, but current data do not suggest that a major price collapse is likely. For sellers, the situation calls for realistic pricing, as the market is no longer showing its previous growth momentum.

Calls to Stop the Closure of a Backcountry Road in British Columbia

Residents and outdoor enthusiasts in southeastern British Columbia are facing an unwelcome possibility: a popular road in the West Kootenay backcountry could be closed, and they are now asking the provincial government to reconsider the decision. According to CTV News Vancouver, the issue was the subject of a recent news segment about access to wilderness areas.

The conflict is straightforward yet deeply troubling for the local community: a road that has served for decades as a route for anglers, hunters, ATV riders, hikers and families heading outdoors is facing closure. The brief report does not detail the official reasons, but such decisions are typically connected to safety concerns, logging activity, environmental protection or changes in land status. For West Kootenay residents, a region known for its lakes, mountains and dense forests, the road is more than a transportation route. It is part of a way of life and of the local economy, which depends on tourism and recreation.

The response was immediate. The phrase “begging the province to hold off” suggests that the decision is being viewed as rushed and as failing to consider the interests of those who use the road. In such cases, people commonly raise concerns about inadequate public consultation, a lack of transparency and potential harm to small businesses, from guides to campgrounds and equipment-rental operators.

The term “backcountry” refers to remote, lightly developed areas beyond cities and major roads, where people go to enjoy nature. Closing even one such road can severely restrict access to large areas of forest and mountains, effectively cutting them off from visitors.

The key question now is whether the province will be willing to engage in dialogue. Similar disputes are not uncommon in British Columbia: balancing industrial use of forests, ecosystem protection and the rights of recreational users is a persistent source of tension. If the authorities refuse to compromise, the decision could set a precedent in which local communities’ voices are ignored and access to natural heritage is reduced. The next step will be to see whether officials heed the appeals of those for whom this road is more than just a line on a map.

Vancouver Sells Discounted Trees for British Columbia Forest Week

Vancouver City Council and the Park Board have launched an online fall tree sale to mark National Forest Week in British Columbia, which runs from September 20 to 26. According to the official announcement on the city’s website, residents are being invited not simply to buy a plant, but to become part of a long-term effort to green the city. This year’s selection includes 21 varieties of trees: ornamental, deciduous, coniferous and fruit-bearing species. They include Japanese maples, magnolias, yuzu, figs, plums and cherries. City forestry specialists selected them for their suitability to the local climate, their ability to produce fruit and their value in creating habitat for pollinators.

The price is $28 per tree, including taxes and fees. That is considerably below the market price of many of the listed species, especially less common regional citrus varieties such as yuzu and warm-weather plants such as figs. The limit is three seedlings per household, available only through online purchases. Plants must be picked up in person on Sunday, September 27, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the south gravel parking lot by Hillcrest Nat Bailey Stadium. Organizers emphasize that supplies are limited, so buyers should make their decisions quickly.

The campaign’s main goal extends far beyond a seasonal sale. Vancouver aims to increase its urban tree canopy from the current 25 percent to 30 percent by 2050. This figure is not an abstract statistic but a measurable indicator of urban environmental quality. Tree canopy refers to the area covered by tree crowns when viewed from above; the greater the coverage, the better a city can manage summer heat, stormwater runoff and air pollution. The announcement also specifies that trees purchased through the sale are intended for planting on private property. This is an important point: a significant share of Vancouver’s land is privately owned, and reaching the 30 percent target will simply be impossible without residents’ participation.

Vancouver’s urban forest consists not only of parks and tree-lined streets but also of trees in private yards, which perform the same functions: cleaning the air, absorbing rainwater, providing homes for birds and small animals, and affecting people’s physical and psychological well-being. Discounted seedling sales are essentially a soft urban-policy tool: instead of imposing bans and requirements, the municipality is inviting residents to become co-creators of green infrastructure. This model also has a vulnerability—it depends on residents’ awareness and ability to pay, and therefore cannot replace systemic measures such as protecting existing trees from being cut down for development. Nevertheless, in Vancouver, where increasing development density is constantly putting pressure on older neighbourhoods, even a single maple planted in a backyard is a contribution to the long game, with 2050 as the target.

❮ ❯

El Niño, Taxes and British Columbia’s Culinary Scene

British Columbia is preparing for one of the strongest El Niño events on record, which could make winter warmer and wetter, while the provincial government is delaying the expansion of the PST to professional services amid the trade war with the United States. Meanwhile, six restaurants from the province have reached the finals of the Air Canada awards, showcasing the diversity and autobiographical nature of the region’s modern cuisine.

What One of the Strongest El Niño Events on Record Could Mean for British Columbia

Winter in British Columbia is a subject that rarely leaves anyone indifferent—not Vancouver residents, mountain-resort communities or farmers in the Okanagan Valley. The season affects everything from the ski season in Whistler to supermarket vegetable prices and the risk of flooding in low-lying areas of the Fraser Valley. Now, climatologists are sounding the alarm: one of the strongest El Niño events in the history of instrumental records is developing in the tropical Pacific Ocean. According to an article published by CTV News Vancouver Island, the phenomenon could significantly reshape the usual winter weather on Canada’s west coast, with millions of people feeling the effects.

To understand what is happening, it helps to define the term itself. El Niño is a climate anomaly in which surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific become unusually warm. This warm water acts like a giant radiator: it alters atmospheric circulation, shifts storm tracks and ultimately affects weather across much of the globe. Its opposite phase, La Niña, is associated with cooler water and produces largely reverse effects. When climatologists refer to a “strong” or “major” El Niño, they generally compare current conditions with historical events, particularly those of 1982–83 and 1997–98, which have become benchmarks for extreme intensity.

For British Columbia, El Niño traditionally means a warmer and often drier winter than usual. Milder temperatures and less snow in the mountains are typical scenarios. That may sound appealing to people who dislike freezing temperatures and icy conditions, but there is a downside. Ski resorts that depend on a stable snowpack could face a shorter season and financial losses. Hydroelectric power, which relies heavily on mountain snowpack as a natural water reservoir, could see reduced reserves in the spring. Farmers who depend on a predictable moisture cycle would also face greater uncertainty. At the same time, a warm winter does not always mean drought: El Niño can sometimes bring warmer atmospheric rivers—powerful currents of moisture that strike the coast with heavy rain. It is precisely the combination of “warmer temperatures plus abundant precipitation falling as rain rather than snow” that creates a heightened flood risk, especially in low-lying areas.

The key point emphasized by specialists in the CTV report is that no two El Niño events are alike. Even when the overall pattern is similar, local effects can vary considerably depending on the event’s strength and duration, as well as its interaction with other climate factors, including the much-discussed warming of the oceans and atmospheric fluctuations in the northern Pacific. In other words, a forecast is a probability assessment, not a guaranteed scenario. That is why meteorologists are urging people to prepare for several possibilities: a mild winter with little snow, as well as sudden storms bringing intense rainfall and flooding.

The practical implications for residents are clear. Property owners in risk areas should inspect drainage systems in advance and stock up on flood-protection supplies. Winter-sports enthusiasts may have to accept that there could be less snow than usual, while resorts may need to make greater use of snowmaking equipment and offer alternative activities. Energy companies and utilities should reconsider water-management plans in light of a potentially reduced snowpack. Farms may also want to adapt to a warmer and wetter season, which could affect planting schedules and crop selection.

Such forecasts inevitably attract broad attention—not only because of their scientific importance. British Columbia’s economy is closely tied to weather conditions through tourism, forestry, agriculture and shipping. Every indication of a possible climate shift is therefore viewed as a warning requiring a response. The CTV News report asks readers to consider how prepared the region is for this kind of weather instability. Although the exact winter scenario remains uncertain, the development of a powerful El Niño is already prompting climatologists, officials and residents to monitor forecasts more closely. Ultimately, the strength of this natural phenomenon is a reminder of how fragile the balance can be between familiar daily life and the whims of the global climate.

British Columbia Backs Down: Professional-Services Tax Delayed Indefinitely

The government of the Canadian province of British Columbia has found itself in a situation where economic considerations have prevailed over budget plans. The expansion of the provincial sales tax (PST) to a range of professional services, which was scheduled to take effect on Oct. 1, has officially been put on hold. The formal reason is the trade war with the United States, but behind the decision lies a far more complicated story involving pressure from businesses, hidden costs and political calculation.

The decision was reported by CityNews Vancouver, which noted that the delay will remain in effect until the trade conflict between Canada and the United States ends. Provincial officials have openly said they want to give businesses “room to breathe” amid mounting economic pressure.

The measure—cancelled for now—would have required a broad range of previously tax-exempt services to begin paying PST. The list included accounting and bookkeeping, architectural and engineering services, geological work, commercial real estate, as well as security and private-investigation services. In other words, these were sectors that support construction, development and corporate infrastructure—in effect, fundamental economic costs rather than minor consumer purchases.

Premier David Eby stated the government’s position plainly: “There is a time to stay the course, and there is a time to adjust. This is a time to adjust.” He added that delaying the changes “until Trump’s destructive trade war is behind us” would give businesses an opportunity to manage tariffs and restrictions while redirecting their efforts toward other markets. The statement reflects not only economic concerns but also politics: the government is shifting part of the responsibility for its reversal onto an external actor.

For the province’s small businesses, the news came as a relief. In February, when the tax expansion was first announced, Chris Gardner, president and CEO of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), told CityNews that the initiative was another way to make construction more expensive. His argument proved prescient: “Putting PST on engineering, architectural and professional services is not clever tax policy; it’s a hidden construction tax that will show up in every project budget in the province.” Gardner warned that contractors would build the costs into their estimates, but that people buying homes would ultimately pay.

That is the central paradox of the situation. The tax was presented as a technical measure bringing British Columbia into line with other provinces where similar services are already subject to sales tax. Yet amid a housing crisis and rising construction costs, any increase in the cost of design and engineering work inevitably feeds into the price per square metre. The PST expansion threatened to become not a source of government revenue but an additional inflationary factor in the province’s most sensitive sector.

The context in which the decision was made also deserves attention. The same budget that announced the tax expansion included a temporary, refundable 15-per-cent tax credit for businesses investing in buildings, equipment and machinery for manufacturing. In effect, the government was trying to encourage manufacturing investment while taxing the services needed to carry out those investments. Putting the PST expansion on hold removes that internal contradiction, although at the cost of foregone tax revenue.

Several concepts make this story less straightforward than it might initially appear. PST, or Provincial Sales Tax, is a provincial sales tax, similar in some respects to a value-added tax but imposed at the provincial rather than federal level. Its key feature is that it applies to the end consumer; when business services are subject to it, companies must either absorb the cost or pass it on through their prices. In the case of engineering and architectural services, that means a direct increase in the cost of construction projects. The refundable tax credit mentioned above is a mechanism through which the government reimburses part of a business’s investment, effectively subsidizing capital spending. The trade war with the United States, in this context, refers to the combination of tariffs and restrictions that make Canadian exports more expensive and force companies to seek new markets—particularly painful for manufacturers and the construction sector.

The main conclusion is simple: the British Columbia government recognized that a tax measure that looked reasonable on paper would, in practice, have hit the economy’s most vulnerable links. Delaying it until the trade war ends is not a rejection of the idea, but an acknowledgment that the timing was poor. It remains unclear whether the government will return to the PST expansion once trade relations normalize, or whether the pause will become a quiet cancellation under a more acceptable pretext. For the province’s developers, architects and engineers, the answer will carry a very real financial cost.

Six British Columbia Restaurants Reach the Air Canada Awards Finals

Canada’s restaurant scene is experiencing an interesting moment as the country’s culinary map becomes both more diverse and more personal. Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants has long been one of the main reference points for anyone following the country’s culinary trends, and the 2026 finalist list offers a clear picture of where the scene is heading. This year, British Columbia is particularly well represented: six establishments from the province are among the contenders for a place on the final list of Canada’s 10 best new restaurants. Four are in Vancouver, with one each in Victoria and Revelstoke.

The list is a snapshot of what drives the region’s food culture today. It includes an inventive tasting menu with pasta in East Vancouver, Korean home cooking, Cambodian-Canadian cuisine, regional Indian cuisine, and intimate Italian restaurants in Victoria and Revelstoke. As Vancouver Is Awesome notes, this range of styles and formats shows that exciting food is being made not only in downtown Vancouver but also far beyond it. The Top 10 will be announced later this year, while the full national list of finalists has been published on the Air Canada enRoute website.

One of the most revealing participants on the list is Kavita, led by chef-owner Tushar Tondvalkar. Speaking with the author of the article at CooksCamp in Pemberton, he said that reaching the finals was recognition of the hard work, long hours and faith the team had invested in the project from day one. For Tondvalkar, Kavita is a deeply personal story. His cooking draws on the food and memories of Mumbai, where he grew up, and Malvan, a coastal town in Maharashtra, while making extensive use of British Columbia’s local produce, seafood and seasonal ingredients. He says Mumbai’s cuisine reflects a multicultural city shaped by Marathi, Gujarati, Parsi, Muslim, Jewish, East Indian and many other communities, while Malvan adds seafood, live-fire cooking and home-style traditions. “Through Kavita, I want to share these stories and memories that shaped me,” he says. This approach can be seen in dishes such as paneer saag, made with house-made buffalo-milk paneer from Tesfa Farms and locally foraged nettles, as well as in the coastal notes of recheado prawns.

Another Vancouver finalist with an equally personal story is Touk. Chef Chanthy Yen explores Cambodian-Canadian cuisine at his downtown restaurant through local ingredients, combining family recipes and traditions with British Columbia seafood, vegetables and meat. The article’s author says they have followed Yen’s cooking for years, and that Touk feels like a concentrated expression of his perspective, where Cambodian flavours meet the ingredients of the coast he now calls home. Yen makes no secret of his ambitions: he says he wants to pave the way for other Cambodians so they can finally take pride in their cuisine. The statement is significant given that Cambodian food has long remained in the shadow of better-known Asian cuisines in the region.

The other British Columbia finalists each offer their own reason to book a table. At Angela Pastificio, chef-owner Calvin Vogstad has built an eight-course menu around handmade pasta, with diners able to watch from the dining room as the dough is rolled, filled and shaped. On Main Street, Nui is a small, thoughtful restaurant from chefs JJ Hwang and Kyle Mackintosh devoted to Korean home cooking; gomtang, a pork-bone soup served with house-made kimchi and seasonings, is one of the dishes drawing visitors. In Victoria, Lumache is a 16-seat Italian tasting-menu restaurant from chef James Frost and sommelier Heather Dosman. In Revelstoke, Alfred’s has brought a warm, family-style Italian menu to the ski town, with fresh pasta, cheese buns and pork meatballs among its best-known dishes.

Seen more broadly, the 2026 finalists reveal several important shifts. First, cuisine is becoming increasingly autobiographical: chefs use menus to tell stories about their families, migration and identity, rather than simply demonstrate technique. Second, the geography of food is expanding: Revelstoke and Victoria are competing on equal footing with Vancouver, while small formats such as the 16-seat Lumache are attracting no less attention than larger projects. Third, British Columbia’s local ingredients—from buffalo milk to wild nettles and seafood—are becoming not a backdrop but a full culinary language spoken by chefs with a wide range of culinary roots.

For readers unfamiliar with the restaurant industry, a few terms are worth explaining. A tasting menu is a format in which guests do not order individual dishes but receive a preset sequence of several, often small, courses; the eight-course dinner at Angela Pastificio is an example. Gomtang is a Korean pork-bone soup simmered for a long time until the broth develops a rich, milky colour. Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese, similar to cottage cheese, often made in-house. Recheado is a spicy marinade originating in Portuguese cuisine that took root in India’s coastal regions, particularly Goa and Maharashtra. Finally, enRoute is Air Canada’s in-flight magazine, which administers the awards, explaining why the finalist list is published on its platform.

The main takeaway is simple: Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants considers new establishments across the country, from tasting-menu restaurants to neighbourhood eateries, and this year’s British Columbia finalists prove that vibrant, thoughtful food is being made both in Vancouver and far beyond it.

❮ ❯

Vancouver: Helicopters, Fire, and Road Safety

A roundup of news from Metro Vancouver: scheduled Fortis BC gas-line inspections, a waterfront fire in Deep Cove, and a call from mayors urging the province to improve road safety.

Why a Helicopter Is Circling Vancouver: Gas-Line Inspections

On Wednesday, residents across Metro Vancouver noticed unusual activity in the sky: a blue helicopter was circling low over the city. For some, it sparked concern and speculation; for others, it was an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge by referring to publicly available information about the work underway. As it turned out, the reason was a scheduled aerial inspection of gas pipelines conducted by British Columbia’s main natural-gas supplier.

Fortis BC, which supplies the province with natural gas, arranged an aerial visual inspection of its gas mains to identify leaks. The blue helicopter belongs to contractor Ascent Helicopters. The day before, it had been flying over Victoria and Nanaimo; by Wednesday, it had reached Vancouver. Fortis BC representative Mark Falkenberg explained that Wednesday would most likely be the final day of flights over Vancouver, although the aircraft could return for another pass on Thursday, depending on how the work proceeds. Overall, the survey work—meaning the aerial inspections—will continue across the province until September 25.

The flight schedule is organized by region and may be adjusted. From September 14 to 18, helicopters operated on Vancouver Island before moving to the Lower Mainland, the Sunshine Coast, and Whistler. From September 19 to 21, the inspections will cover Fort Nelson, Prince George, Quesnel, Williams Lake, and Cache Creek. Kamloops and the East Kootenay will be inspected on September 21–22, followed by Penticton and the western Lower Mainland again from September 23–25.

Fortis BC emphasizes that these flights are part of regular infrastructure maintenance aimed at providing customers with safe and reliable energy. According to the company’s official statement, this includes not only upgrading power lines and gas pipelines, but also crews working along roads and managing vegetation near facilities and rights-of-way. The company thanks residents in advance for their patience and cooperation and promises to minimize disruption by completing work in each area as quickly and safely as possible.

The work is being carried out by contractors Ascent Helicopters and LaSen Inc. They are authorized by Transport Canada to fly at low altitudes, allowing them to inspect areas that previously had to be checked on foot. Fortis BC says the helicopter will spend only a minimal amount of time over any particular area, so residents should not expect prolonged noise or discomfort.

For those unfamiliar with the process, this is known as aerial gas-network inspection—a method in which methane leaks are detected from a helicopter, either visually or with specialized equipment. It is faster and often more accurate than ground patrols, especially across long or difficult-to-access sections. Natural-gas leaks are dangerous not only because they waste a resource, but also because they contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions and can create the potential for accidents. Such inspections are therefore standard practice for gas-distribution companies around the world. Residents who notice a low-flying helicopter need not worry: it is not a chase or an emergency, but scheduled work, as reported by Vancouver Is Awesome.

Deep Cove Fire: How Flames on the Waterfront Exposed Vancouver’s Coastal Vulnerability

When we think about fires, we most often picture forests or industrial warehouses. But fire makes no distinction between land and water. Late Wednesday evening, residents of Deep Cove in the District of North Vancouver witnessed flames engulf one of the region’s most scenic—and vulnerable—locations: a waterfront home. According to an official statement from the District of North Vancouver Fire Department, crews were called to Strathcona Road near its intersection with Strathcona Place, where the fire threatened not only the structure itself but potentially neighboring homes built right along the water.

The first report of the incident appeared on social media shortly before 8 p.m. The department posted images showing firefighters working in far-from-ideal conditions: narrow access roads, proximity to the water, and limited access for heavy equipment. About an hour later, an encouraging update arrived: the fire had been contained, and crews remained on site to prevent it from reigniting. The post also specifically thanked the IAFF Local 18 firefighters’ union, which sent a fireboat to the scene. This detail deserves particular attention: it shows that in waterfront communities, where road infrastructure often cannot accommodate large emergency vehicles, the water can be not only a source of risk but also a logistical asset. A fireboat can pump water at high pressure from the sea, which may be decisive when access from land is limited.

At the time of publication, CityNews had received no reports of injuries. The outlet sought comment from police, BC Emergency Health Services, and the fire department itself. This is standard editorial procedure, but it highlights an important point: initial reports about fires are almost always fragmentary, and official information may be delayed for hours or even a day. That is why timely social-media updates are particularly valuable in such situations—they provide an initial picture that official sources later confirm or revise. In this case, the department’s updates were restrained and informative, with no speculation about the cause of the fire, reflecting the professionalism of its communications team.

Deep Cove is more than just a point on the map. It is a historic community that was once a separate settlement and is now part of the District of North Vancouver, known for its homes on stilts, boat docks, and narrow streets descending toward the water. Fires in such places always involve heightened risks: flames can spread quickly through wooden structures, while embers can travel to neighboring properties. In addition, water—which may seem like a natural barrier—creates further challenges, such as limiting the ability to set up fire ladders and requiring coordination between land-based and water-based crews.

This incident is another reminder that waterfront communities need tailored fire-safety strategies. That means not only having hydrants and access roads, but also being prepared to use the water itself, as happened in Deep Cove. The fireboat sent by the union was not merely a gesture of support; it demonstrated that modern firefighting services must think in multiple dimensions and use every available environment to protect lives and property.

More broadly, events like this prompt us to consider how quickly we become accustomed to the idea that a wooden home by the water is an idyll. But here, beauty and vulnerability go hand in hand. While some people enjoy views of the bay, others remain ready around the clock to rush into the flames—from land and from water. That readiness, not just the speed of the response, will determine whether Deep Cove remains the quiet corner we have come to know.

Roads Without Fatalities: Metro Vancouver Leaders Urge Province to Improve Road Safety

As the ways people travel through the streets change rapidly, municipal leaders across Metro Vancouver say the provincial government can no longer stand aside. At the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention, being held these days at the Vancouver Convention Centre, mayors and councillors from several cities, together with community organizations, called for a systematic approach to road safety. In their view, the current situation—in which rules for new forms of transportation are created piecemeal and road deaths are treated as inevitable—requires immediate provincial intervention.

The meeting’s central argument was articulated by New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone, whose comments were reported by Daily Hive. He stressed that road deaths are not inevitable, but preventing them requires more than simply educating individual road users. In his view, the province must become a key partner in creating a coordinated system that includes safer street design, appropriate speed limits, consistent rules, public education, and reliable data. Johnstone also said residents want safe streets and clear, provincewide rules for e-scooters and other new forms of transportation—rules that would protect everyone: drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and people using these devices on roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks. In recent months, reports of incidents involving e-scooters, including fatalities and serious injuries, have become increasingly common, giving the call particular urgency.

Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal supported his colleague, pointing out that people use a much broader range of transportation devices than current legislation anticipated. He called on the province to update the Motor Vehicle Act so that seniors, people with disabilities, and users of new forms of transportation can travel safely and independently. In his view, a patchwork of local rules is not an effective long-term solution. Vancouver Councillor Lucy Maloney added that municipalities are already taking steps to protect people who walk, cycle, use mobility devices, or drive, but creating safe streets requires sustained commitment and coordination at every level of government. The key message from the UBCM meeting was that local governments are ready to work on improving road safety, but they need support from other levels of government. Margie Sanderson, organizing director of Vision Zero Vancouver, reminded attendees that the concept is based on the principle that no one should be killed or seriously injured simply for trying to get from one place to another. She praised the leadership of Johnstone, Pachal, Maloney, and the municipalities advancing resolutions that would give local governments stronger tools and provincial support to put Vision Zero principles into practice.

The broader context of the discussion becomes clearer in light of recent developments. Last week, it was reported that ICBC, the corporation responsible for insurance and road safety, plans to modernize 140 road cameras across the province with updated technology, including higher-resolution cameras, to improve safety on certain British Columbia roads. This shows that individual steps are being taken, but municipal leaders are calling for a comprehensive approach rather than isolated measures.

Several concepts help clarify the substance of the debate. Vision Zero is an international concept that originated in Sweden and aims to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries entirely. It holds that responsibility for safety rests not only with individuals, but also with road designers, lawmakers, and vehicle manufacturers. UBCM, the Union of BC Municipalities, is an organization that represents local governments across the province; its annual convention provides a forum for developing common resolutions that are then promoted at the provincial level. ICBC is the province’s insurance corporation, which also plays a role in regulating and improving road safety. E-scooters and other “new mobility devices” occupy a legislative grey area: their use is regulated inconsistently, and mayors say this creates risks.

The central idea expressed in the speeches is that safety is not a matter of personal responsibility alone, whether that of a pedestrian or a driver, but the result of thoughtful public policy. If the province does not update the Motor Vehicle Act and establish consistent rules for the growing range of devices, municipalities will be forced to act independently, confusing users without reducing the number of tragedies. Johnstone’s statement that “road deaths are not inevitable” serves not only as an emotional appeal but also as a political demand: prevention requires more than education—it requires systemic changes, from lower speeds to data collection and street design. While some agencies modernize cameras, other levels of government continue to wait for coordinated solutions. It is precisely this gap that UBCM participants are trying to close.

❮ ❯

Vancouver news: Pool dispute, Metallica tour and e-scooters

A Vancouver court approved the demolition of a 50-metre pool, Metallica announced a 2027 concert, and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention discussed e-scooters and Indigenous rights.

Vancouver court allows Vancouver Aquatic Centre pool demolition, rejecting challenge to 50-metre facility

The dispute over Vancouver’s oldest swimming complex has ended against the public interest: the Supreme Court of British Columbia dismissed a petition challenging the legality of the city’s plan to replace the 50-metre pool with a 25-metre one. The municipality then immediately announced that demolition of the 52-year-old building would begin. The outcome followed months of confrontation between activists demanding that the voters’ wishes be respected and city officials who insisted they were acting within the bounds of the approved funding.

According to CBC News, Justice Christopher Jaszky ruled that the city and the Vancouver Park Board had acted reasonably in cutting the length of the new pool in half. A key element of the decision was the formal distinction between campaign materials and the actual question put to voters in the 2022 plebiscite. The civic group Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre (POVAC) argued that reducing the pool was undemocratic because voters had approved borrowing $103 million specifically for a 50-metre pool. However, the judge emphasized that although the city had distributed materials before the vote describing the project as an “upgrade to a 50-metre swimming pool,” the ballot question itself did not mention 50 metres. It merely sought approval to borrow $103 million “for the replacement, renewal or rehabilitation of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.”

The hearing took place in a small courtroom that could accommodate only about a dozen of the roughly 45 POVAC supporters; the rest had to listen from the hallway. After the verdict was read, POVAC managing director John Girard said he believed the decision was “wrong,” because both the city’s capital plan and the information package distributed before the plebiscite described a 50-metre pool. “The basis of his decision—that the plebiscite question itself is the binding document—I don’t understand how that can be called the standard of reasonableness when every other piece of material in the package talked about a 50-metre pool, which is what voters relied on,” he said. “How could anyone know they were voting for something else?” Girard and his POVAC colleague Mayeli Alvarez are running for seats on the Park Board, and he directly linked their candidacy to the need to bring people onto the board who “will listen to the public rather than work behind the scenes for years and then tell the public: this is what you’re getting, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

The centre closed to visitors on June 28. Demolition is expected to begin early next month, and the redevelopment is scheduled for completion in 2029. For readers unfamiliar with Canadian legal practice, a few concepts require explanation. In this case, a plebiscite is a form of consultative vote in which residents approve borrowing funds; legally, only the wording of the question itself is binding, not the accompanying campaign materials—a distinction that proved decisive for the judge. The reasonableness standard is a legal test under which a court examines not whether authorities made the correct decision, but whether the body acted within a reasonable range of discretion and within its legal authority. This distinction allowed the city to secure a legal victory despite the obvious gap between what voters were promised and what they will ultimately receive.

The main lesson from the story is that the formal wording of the ballot outweighed the actual substance of the election campaign. Key figures include the $103 million borrowing approval, the reduction of the pool from 50 to 25 metres, the building’s age of 52 years, its closure on June 28, demolition early next month and construction completion in 2029. The implications extend far beyond one pool: the precedent shows that activists who rely on promises made in government campaign materials are legally vulnerable if those promises are not included in the official wording put to voters. It also increases political pressure on the Park Board ahead of the municipal election, where Girard and Alvarez intend to turn dissatisfaction with the process into votes—and thus transform a lost court case into the beginning of a new political campaign.

Metallica returns to Vancouver: M72 World Tour extended through 2027

Metallica has officially confirmed that its record-breaking stadium tour, the M72 World Tour, which began in April 2023, will continue and reach new North American cities in 2027. According to information published on the official BC Place website, Vancouver will be one of the first cities visited by the legendary four-piece during the next leg. The concert is scheduled for Saturday, May 8, 2027, at BC Place. It will launch a series of 12 new stadium shows, concluding on June 19, 2027, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Metallica’s touring marathon, which began in 2023 and has already included 99 concerts in 26 countries, has become one of the largest and most successful tours in the band’s more than 40-year history. Nearly five million fans have attended M72 shows, promoted by Live Nation. The press has been generous with its praise: Billboard called the performances “a life-affirming experience in the fullest sense,” the Detroit News described them as a “flawlessly honed spectacle,” and the Los Angeles Times noted that the band sounds “as tight and furious as it did many years ago.” After the series of concerts in London concludes in July 2025, the tour will resume only in October 2026, when Metallica begins its Life Burns Faster residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The residency will run until March 2027, after which the musicians will return to the road for their stadium tour.

Limp Bizkit and Avatar will serve as opening acts on the North American leg of the 2027 tour. Ticket sales will begin on September 21 with a presale for fan-club members, followed by local presales on September 24 and general sales on September 25. Organizers are also offering enhanced experience packages and travel packages; details are available through the link in the announcement. It is important to note that a portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold traditionally goes to All Within My Hands, the charitable foundation established by the band’s members in 2017. The foundation supports vocational-education programs, fights hunger and assists with disaster relief. Since its founding, All Within My Hands has allocated $19 million to scholarships and educational initiatives through the Metallica Scholars Initiative, $8.8 million to food programs and $6.2 million to disaster-relief efforts. Metallica covers all administrative expenses, ensuring that donations reach recipients in full.

The 2027 tour’s itinerary includes Vancouver, San Diego, El Paso, San Antonio, Fayetteville, Kansas City, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Madison, Cleveland and Salt Lake City. Many of these cities will host an M72 show for the first time. The Vancouver performance at BC Place will be not only a major musical event but also a notable economic boost for the city. Stadium concerts of this scale typically attract tens of thousands of visitors from other regions, stimulating the hotel and restaurant industries. Fans should act quickly: given the excitement surrounding the tour, tickets are likely to sell out within the first few days of sales.

For those unfamiliar with the terminology, M72 is not simply the name of the tour; it refers to 72 Seasons, the band’s most recent studio album, released in 2023. The M72 format involves two concerts in each city, with different set lists, making every performance unique. Sphere in Las Vegas is an innovative concert venue with a huge LED dome that creates a fully immersive experience. The Life Burns Faster residency will be Metallica’s first experience performing in this format. Finally, All Within My Hands is not merely a charitable project but a full-fledged nonprofit organization that has become one of the world’s largest music-related philanthropies in eight years.

Metallica continues to prove that age is no obstacle to stadium tours or creative energy. Extending M72 through 2027 is not merely a commercial move; it is evidence of sustained demand for live performances by metal veterans. In a world where the music industry is increasingly relying on streaming and virtual shows, Metallica remains committed to the large-stadium format and the live energy that cannot be reproduced digitally. As long as hundreds of thousands of fans are willing to buy tickets a year in advance, the band’s legendary status remains secure.

British Columbia municipalities: from e-scooters to Indigenous rights legislation

The annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention, held in Vancouver, once again brought together nearly 2,000 delegates to discuss the most pressing issues facing local communities. Although the agenda includes serious topics such as Indigenous rights legislation, housing affordability and crime, New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone unexpectedly placed a very different issue at the centre of attention: older residents’ fear of e-scooters on sidewalks. He said that for older people in his city, these devices represent a relatively “new threat” compared with cars, and that this fear deserves no less attention than global political debates.

Johnstone noted that the provincial government began testing e-scooter use in selected communities seven years ago, but has still not introduced consistent rules to ensure safety. He called on the authorities to develop provincewide standards while investing in education and infrastructure for active transportation. His comments came amid warnings from Metro Vancouver police about e-scooter crashes, while several school districts have already tightened their rules governing their use. Thus, an issue that may appear local or even amusing in fact reflects a broader problem: municipalities are on the front line of addressing issues that the province has postponed for years.

However, e-scooters are only one of the many issues being discussed at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The future of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) is central to the agenda. Deputy Premier Niki Sharma is expected to participate in an extended plenary session devoted to the legislation. In April, Premier David Eby abandoned a plan to suspend or amend the act after strong opposition from many Indigenous leaders, while members of the provincial Conservatives called for its complete repeal. This confrontation makes DRIPA one of the most contentious and consequential issues not only for convention delegates but for the province as a whole.

Significantly, both key political figures—Premier David Eby and Opposition Conservative Leader John Rustad—will address convention participants later this week. Their speeches are certain to touch not only on DRIPA but also on other pressing issues, including housing affordability, crime and possibly e-scooter regulation. For the nearly 2,000 delegates representing the province’s municipalities, the convention is a rare opportunity to bring their concerns directly to provincial leaders and demand concrete action rather than more promises.

To explain the terms involved, DRIPA is a provincial law passed in 2019 that requires the British Columbia government to bring all of its laws into alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. For many Indigenous communities, it is a historic document recognizing their right to self-determination and control over their lands. Opponents of the law, particularly Conservatives, argue that it creates legal uncertainty and could slow economic development. As for e-scooters, the situation in British Columbia is genuinely paradoxical: the province authorized pilot projects in 2019 but has still not developed uniform traffic rules for the devices, leaving municipalities to deal with sidewalk safety on their own.

The key conclusion of the article published by CityNews Vancouver is that municipal politics in British Columbia is not only about major political battles over DRIPA, but also about ordinary yet equally urgent problems, such as older residents’ fear of e-scooters. While the province has spent years unable to adopt consistent rules, municipalities and school districts have been forced to act alone. The UBCM convention provides a venue where local concerns become demands directed at the provincial government. Whether Eby and Rustad hear those demands will largely determine how comfortable and safe life in British Columbia’s cities will be in the coming years.

❮ ❯

British Columbia: A Turn East

British Columbians are traveling to the United States less often, the housing market is recovering slowly, and municipal leaders are discussing scooters and Indigenous rights.

British Columbia Turns Its Summer Routes Away from the U.S.

This summer, Metro Vancouver residents are traveling to the United States less often—both by land and by air. Data from several sources confirms a persistent trend that began well before the current vacation season and, apparently, shows no sign of reversing. Passenger traffic between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and U.S. cities has fallen for 19 consecutive months, while southbound traffic at the Lower Mainland’s four border crossings continues to lose vehicles. Overall travel, however, is not declining—people are simply choosing different destinations.

According to data from the Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA), transborder flights—in other words, flights between YVR and all destinations in the United States—fell 2.8 percent year over year in July, to 667,118 passengers. During the first seven months of the year, the figure declined by a cumulative 4.3 percent, to 3,534,616 passengers. Airline representatives told Business in Vancouver that they began reducing the number of U.S. routes and flight frequencies as early as 2025, redirecting capacity to domestic Canadian routes as well as Mexico and the Asia-Pacific region.

It is important to understand that this does not mean people have stopped flying. On the contrary, Vancouver International Airport is becoming increasingly busy. Total passenger traffic through YVR rose 2.6 percent in July, to 2,732,171 passengers, and reached 16,105,221 passengers during the first seven months of 2026—3.7 percent more than during the same period a year earlier. Domestic traffic increased 4.2 percent in July, to 1,360,642 passengers, and was up 5.1 percent over the first seven months, to 7,918,865. But the most impressive growth came from the Asia-Pacific region: up 10.6 percent in July, to 431,472 passengers, and up 14 percent over seven months, to 2,936,885. In other words, U.S. flights are losing market share while Asian routes are actively gaining it.

The picture is even clearer on the ground. According to the Cascade Gateway Border Data Warehouse and the Whatcom Council of Governments, which track the Lower Mainland’s four border crossings—Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Sumas—southbound traffic for all vehicles fell nine percent year over year in August, to 252,256 vehicles. Compared with August 2024, the decline reached 33 percent. When all vehicles other than passenger cars with British Columbia licence plates are excluded from the data, the August decline is again nine percent, to 135,720 vehicles. In other words, the trend cannot be explained by through-traffic from other regions: local residents themselves have stopped traveling south.

In July, as Business in Vancouver previously reported, southbound traffic involving vehicles with British Columbia licence plates at these crossings fell 11 percent compared with July 2025 and 36 percent compared with July 2024. Because of technical problems with the platform used by data collectors, some days were not recorded at all from March through June. The publication therefore decided not to release statistics for those months in order to avoid distorting the picture. The last “clean” month before the problems was February, when southbound traffic by B.C.-plated vehicles fell 16.6 percent, marking the 13th consecutive month of decline.

Several factors are driving this shift, and they overlap. The first is economic. The Canadian dollar was slightly weaker in August than a year earlier—about 1.39 Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar, compared with roughly 1.38 a year earlier, according to X-Rates. For the average traveler, the difference is small, but combined with overall inflation, it makes a trip to the United States noticeably more expensive. The second factor is political. On Aug. 21, trade talks between the United States and Canada broke down, and Washington imposed 50 percent tariffs on a broad range of goods the following day. Although the tariffs do not directly affect tourists, they have intensified the general cooling in bilateral relations and, the publication notes, may have further discouraged travel to the United States.

The term “transborder” requires some explanation. In aviation statistics, it refers to flights crossing the Canada-U.S. border that operate under special customs procedures. When the number of such flights declines for 19 consecutive months, it is a signal not only to travelers but also to airlines, airports and border businesses—from hotels in Seattle to duty-free shops. It is also significant that growth in domestic and Asian traffic is fully offsetting losses on U.S. routes: overall passenger traffic at YVR is increasing, meaning Vancouver residents are not staying home but redirecting their travel to Toronto, Calgary, Tokyo, Seoul or Mexico City.

The key conclusion for businesses and policymakers is clear: the United States is becoming less attractive to British Columbia residents, and this is no longer a seasonal fluctuation but a structural shift, reinforced by 19 months of declining air traffic and a multiyear drop in land travel. Airlines adapted first, shifting capacity to Asia and within Canada—and, judging by the July figures, they made the right decision. Border communities in Washington State, by contrast, will have to accept that the flow of Canadian shoppers and tourists on which they relied for decades continues to dry up.

British Columbia Housing Market: Slow Recovery Amid Tariffs and Higher Rates

British Columbia’s real estate market continues to send mixed signals. On the one hand, home sales in August were again lower than a year earlier and remained well below historical norms. On the other, experts insist that a recovery is underway, albeit at a glacial pace. That is the contradictory picture described by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA), which released fresh August data.

According to the report, the total value of homes sold in the province during the month was $5.2 billion. That was 4.8 percent lower than in August 2025 and 25.4 percent below the 10-year average for the month. In other words, this August was one of the weakest in the long history of available records, even after seasonal factors are taken into account. BCREA chief economist Brendon Ogmundson sought to combine cautious optimism with a realistic assessment of the risks in comments to CityNews Vancouver: “Home sales in the province remain well below long-term averages, but have been steadily improving over the past year. We expect the gradual recovery in sales to continue, although new tariffs and the recent jump in long-term interest rates add a layer of risk to this outlook.”

The figures confirm that “improvement” is a relative term. The average price of a home listed for sale across the province was $924,826, approximately one percent below last year’s level. The number of transactions fell 5.5 percent compared with August 2025, with a total of 46,069 properties changing hands. At the same time, trends varied across the largest metropolitan areas. In Greater Vancouver, the average price was $1,213,418, down 1.3 percent year over year, while sales fell 3.6 percent, to 1,869 units. In the Fraser Valley, the average price declined to $949,354, a drop of 4.7 percent, while in Chilliwack it rose 1.5 percent, to $746,289. This divergence shows that the market is not uniform: in some places, prices are still supported by limited supply, while elsewhere buyers have finally seen the long-awaited correction.

The cumulative total for the year is also disappointing. Since the beginning of 2026, transactions worth $43.26 billion have been completed in the province, 6.5 percent less than during the same period last year. For those less familiar with macroeconomics, two key terms in the report deserve explanation. “Long-term interest rates” refers to government bond yields and rates on long-term mortgages; when they rise, monthly mortgage payments increase and buyers become more cautious. “Tariffs” in this context are trade duties that can hurt employment and household incomes and, in turn, people’s willingness to take on large loans.

The key takeaway from the BCREA report is this: the market is not collapsing, but neither is it recovering with confidence. It is balancing between buyers’ gradual return and pressure from external factors—trade policy and borrowing costs. If rates continue to rise and tariff threats materialize, the “gradual recovery” could be delayed indefinitely. If long-term rates stabilize and the province’s economy withstands tariff pressure, the current low sales figures could prove to be the bottom from which a more substantial upswing begins. For now, buyers and sellers continue to proceed cautiously, waiting for clearer signals.

From Scooters to Indigenous Rights: What Worries B.C. Municipal Leaders

The annual Union of B.C. Municipalities conference, which brought nearly 2,000 delegates to Vancouver, would seem to be focused on serious issues—housing affordability, crime and the future of the Indigenous rights law. But when New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone was asked about the main concern among older residents in his city, the answer was unexpected: seniors are afraid of electric scooters on sidewalks. The detail, raised amid sweeping political debates, illustrates how local governments are forced to juggle issues ranging from the deeply everyday to the constitutional.

Speaking to reporters outside the convention centre, Johnstone called e-scooters a “relatively new threat” compared with cars, but emphasized that the provincial government has been testing their use in individual communities for seven years and still has not introduced uniform safety rules. In his view, the province should establish regulations that apply across all municipalities while investing in education and active-transportation infrastructure. The problem is genuinely growing: e-scooter collisions have already prompted British Columbia police to issue warnings, and several school districts have restricted their use. It is telling that this seemingly local issue appeared on the same agenda as much weightier subjects—this is how municipal politics works, where a specific retiree’s fear for their safety on a sidewalk carries no less weight than the fate of a foundational law.

The conference’s main political event, however, is expected to be the future of British Columbia’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, known as DRIPA. Deputy Premier Niki Sharma will take part in an expanded plenary session on the legislation Tuesday. The context is tense: in April, Premier David Eby backed away from a plan to suspend or amend the law after strong opposition from many Indigenous leaders, while members of the provincial Conservatives are calling for the law to be scrapped altogether. Eby and Conservative Opposition Leader Trevor Halford will both speak at the convention later this week—their speeches will likely indicate how intense the standoff over DRIPA remains.

Several points are worth clarifying to understand what is happening. DRIPA is a provincial law requiring the British Columbia government to bring all its laws into alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In practice, this means coordinating decisions affecting the lands and rights of Indigenous communities, which has drawn opposition from those who see it as a threat to investment and resource projects. E-scooters, meanwhile, belong to the category known as micromobility—light electric devices that have fallen into a legal gray area in most Canadian provinces because they were created under rules for cars and bicycles, not for a new class of transportation. This vacuum creates a paradox: devices intended to reduce pressure on roads have become a source of concern for the most vulnerable pedestrians.

The story’s central value is that it exposes the real hierarchy of local problems and the gap between provincial and municipal agendas. Mayor Johnstone effectively issued a criticism of the province: seven years of testing without uniform rules is an example of regional government shifting risks onto municipalities without giving them the necessary tools. At the same time, the DRIPA case shows how fragile the compromise remains between Indigenous rights and right-wing political pressure. Eby’s retreat in April was seen as a concession, but it did not satisfy Conservative demands for the law’s complete repeal. The conference is therefore becoming a forum where local leaders are asking the province for concrete decisions—whether traffic rules for scooters or clarity on DRIPA’s constitutional status—rather than yet another delay. The way Eby and Halford’s speeches unfold later this week will show whether the province is prepared to respond to those demands or prefers to continue leaving difficult questions to municipalities.

❮ ❯

Vancouver: Weekend Childcare, Events Guide and Flood Risk

Vancouver is launching its first licensed weekend childcare programs for working parents; an events guide for September 14–20; and a Statistics Canada report shows that Canadian cities continue to build homes in flood-prone areas.

Vancouver Launches First Licensed Weekend Childcare Programs: A Shift for Working Parents

In today’s world, where working hours have long ceased to follow the standard “nine to five,” finding affordable childcare on weekends has become a genuine headache for millions of families. Vancouver, one of Canada’s most dynamic cities, has taken an important step toward addressing the problem by opening the first licensed extended-day programs for school-age children operating on Saturdays and Sundays. The development, reported by CBC News, marks not merely the arrival of a new service but the beginning of a significant cultural shift in the social-support system.

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time, children aged five to 12 can now attend the Champlain Heights community centre. The initiative did not emerge out of nowhere: Robert Baxter, president of the community-centre association and a parent himself, noticed that the building sat largely unused on weekends while many families were desperately looking for someone to care for their children. “We realized our childcare centre was underused on weekends,” the publication quoted him as saying. The program’s main feature is flexibility. Parents can register their child for a single day or for several weekends, which is crucial for people working rotating schedules. The service costs $65 per day. However, Baxter notes that, unlike private babysitters or unlicensed sitters, the program allows parents to access the provincial fee-reduction program for childcare, making expenses more predictable.

Vancouver city councillor Sean Orr emphasizes that affordability and access to childcare are issues that concern most city residents. “Not everyone works nine to five,” he said. “It’s really important to be able to access childcare during non-standard hours.” Orr also added that weekend services could be especially valuable for newly arrived immigrants, who often lack the support of extended family members able to help with grandchildren or nieces and nephews. The observation highlights the project’s social role: it not only makes working life easier but also supports integration.

Perhaps the most important comment, however, came from Sharon Gregson of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of British Columbia. She calls the arrival of weekend programs “a major cultural shift” and points out that such a service has long been needed. According to her, about 75 percent of children in the province do not have access to licensed childcare, and one of the main reasons is the lack of flexible operating hours. Doctors, nurses, emergency-service workers, hotel and restaurant employees, and real-estate agents often work precisely when traditional childcare centres are closed. “This is a really great start,” Gregson concludes.

To understand the significance of the change, several points should be clarified. Licensed childcare means that a facility meets government standards for safety, hygiene and staff qualifications, giving parents legal protections and access to subsidies. Unlicensed care, such as babysitting, may be cheaper or more convenient, but it is not regulated by the government and does not qualify for tax deductions or provincial support programs. That is why moving from “hourly babysitting” to a structured solution based at a community centre represents a qualitative leap. Rotating schedules, mentioned in the article, are common in service and healthcare industries, where employees work shifts and their days off may fall in the middle of the week—or on Saturday and Sunday—making standard childcare centres impractical.

Baxter said he hopes their example will inspire other community centres to follow suit. “We hope this becomes an example that really moves the needle and fills this gap,” he said. For now, it is only a first step, but it demonstrates the willingness of city authorities and community organizations to adapt to the realities of the modern labour market. If the Champlain Heights experiment proves successful, it could become a model for the entire province, where a shortage of childcare spaces remains one of the most urgent social problems.

Things to Do in Vancouver from September 14 to 20: A Guide to the Last Week of Summer

The last official week of summer in Vancouver always feels like a brief pause before the rainy season, and the city seems determined to get as much as possible out of the warm weather. These seven days feature several major music events, theatre premieres, food festivals and street celebrations spanning almost every part of Metro Vancouver—from Granville Island to Whistler and Richmond. In its article “20 fantastic things to do in Vancouver this week: Sept. 14 to 20,” Daily Hive compiled 20 reasons not to stay home. The list is worth examining more closely because behind its entertainment-focused format lies a fairly precise snapshot of what drives the city: a mix of nostalgia for 1990s rock, Indigenous art, sustainable fishing and local food culture.

The week’s main musical attraction is Keanu Reeves, who is coming to Vancouver not to film a movie but with his band Dogstar as part of the All In Now tour. The concert takes place on Wednesday, September 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Vogue Theatre. The event is interesting from two perspectives: Reeves is both a Canadian and Hollywood icon and a four-time MTV Movie Award winner, while his band remains the same 1990s grunge group that released a new album only this spring. That same evening, at 8 p.m. at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Beck, an eight-time Grammy winner, will perform as part of his Ride Lonesome tour. Live-music fans will therefore have to choose between two venues on the same night.

The musical week’s climax will be, with a note about the future, the announcement of Foo Fighters. The band will bring its Take Cover stadium tour to BC Place on September 20, 2026, marking its first stadium tour in years. Queens of the Stone Age will join the Canadian dates—a band whose heavy, hypnotic style is perfectly suited to the stadium format. For Vancouver, this is more than just a concert: it confirms the city’s status as a mandatory stop for artists of “15 Grammy” calibre.

The cultural program is just as packed. The Vancouver Fringe Festival, running from September 10 to 20, turns Granville Island and other city venues into a laboratory for experimental theatre, with more than 80 productions, two days of free children’s events and the return of the free Fringe Patio music series. Duran Cruickshank deserves special mention: at Little Mountain Gallery, he performs a 35-minute solo version of Home Alone, playing 33 characters across 29 scenes, with 11 pizzas, 10 traps and two burglars. It is exactly the kind of format in which festival aesthetics meet pop-culture nostalgia and push the performer’s endurance to its limits. BBC Culture has repeatedly noted that such one-person shows often become festivals’ biggest discoveries—and this is precisely such a case.

A major thematic highlight of the week is the ʔəm̓i ce:p xwiwəl (Come Toward the Fire) festival, presented by the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in partnership with the Musqueam people from September 18 to 20. Artists, musicians, speakers and dance groups from Musqueam and other Indigenous nations of Turtle Island—as North America is known in Indigenous tradition—will share one stage. This is fundamentally different from an ordinary city festival: culture is not being put on display but presented as a living practice. Some events are free, while others require tickets. The Still Moon Arts Society’s full-moon festival, held with the Renfrew Park Community Association, is similar in spirit. This year’s theme is “Tiny Life,” featuring origami, lanterns and performances, with events continuing through September 26.

Theatrical classics are represented by Bard on the Beach, one of Canada’s largest not-for-profit Shakespeare festivals, running through September 19 at Vanier Park on the waterfront. This season’s productions include The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Goblin:Oedipus and Antigone. The context matters: the festival has existed since 1990 and has long been part of Vancouver’s cultural identity, while its waterfront tents are among the city’s most recognizable visual symbols.

For those who prefer movement to the stage, Bike the Night takes place on Friday, September 18. The free nighttime bike ride along the Seawall features music, lighting and prizes and is designed for all ages and skill levels. The evening begins with a festival at David Lam Park from 5 to 10 p.m., featuring live music, food trucks, registration with Project 529—a bicycle-registration service that helps recover stolen bikes—and bike tuneups from MEC. The first wave starts at 6:30 p.m. and is intended for younger riders; the second begins at 7:45 p.m.

The food section of the list reflects how Vancouver is rethinking local resources. In Richmond, the Divers’ Catch Festival, organized by the BC Dive Fisheries Society, returns for a second year on September 19. It celebrates sustainably harvested seafood, with geoduck, sea urchin (uni) and sea cucumber—hand-harvested in British Columbia waters—as the main attractions. Admission is $138.88 per person, with sessions from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. The price may seem high, but it reflects not only the food but also the festival’s educational mission: showing that sustainable hand-harvesting represents a distinct economy and culture rather than an exotic novelty. By comparison, the Richmond Night Market, which is taking place for the final time this year on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays through September 20, charges only $7 admission and offers more than 500 food items, the world’s first night-market zipline and a Trading Card zone. This year’s theme is “Little Wonder World,” complete with a giant soccer installation. Children under seven and adults aged 60 and over enter free, while a Zoom Pass costs $40.

Local food culture is also expanding in North Vancouver. Ignite Pizzeria has opened its first North Shore location in the historic 1904 Beasley Block building at 101 Lonsdale Ave. The dough is fermented for five days and baked on stone at 800 degrees Fahrenheit. The location also offers an expanded menu, cocktails, a wine list, a south-facing patio and a daily happy hour. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Another important thread this week is visual art. At Pendulum Gallery, 885 W. Georgia St., the Splash 2026 Art Collection exhibition runs through October 1, featuring about 100 works donated by Canadian and international artists. The artists include Andrew Dadson, a multidisciplinary artist working at the intersection of painting, photography and installation; Edward Burtynsky, one of the world’s best-known contemporary photographers, whose industrial landscapes have long become part of the visual canon of the Anthropocene; and Marie Khouri, a sculptor with studios in Paris and Vancouver. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and until 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free, and no appointment is required.

Historical walks and sports occupy their own niches. On September 19 at 1 p.m., Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours presents the Death and Life of Granville Street Walking Tour, led by historian and writer Aaron Chapman and Forbidden Vancouver founder Will Woods. Over six blocks, the tour explores a century of change, including vaudeville stages, movie palaces and urban-planning experiments. Tickets cost $35, with participants meeting at Vancouver City Centre station. That same day at 2 p.m., Vancouver Rise faces Montreal Roses in the Northern Super League at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby. Tickets start at $20 plus fees.

Finally, the 13th Whistler Village Beer Festival, running from September 16 to 20, turns the village into a craft-beer capital, with Oktoberfest, a craft brunch, “bandoke”—karaoke with a live band—and the main event on September 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at Whistler Olympic Plaza, where visitors can sample dozens of ciders and beers.

Canadian Cities Continue Building Homes in Flood-Prone Areas

A new Statistics Canada report published earlier this month has raised concerns among urban-planning specialists and climatologists: a significant share of homes in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Chatham-Kent, Ontario, and Chilliwack, British Columbia, is located in areas at high risk of flooding. The report’s authors also note that in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, the share of recently built housing in such hazardous areas is increasing. This is happening amid an acute housing crisis and government programs aimed at increasing construction. In other words, the effort to address housing affordability quickly may unintentionally expose more Canadians to flood-related risks, which are expected to become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.

The most striking situation is in Winnipeg. More than 112,000 properties—45 percent of all dwellings in the metropolitan area—are located in high-risk flood zones. Statistics Canada defines these areas as locations where at least 80 percent of the land falls within the boundaries of so-called 100-year floodplains: areas with a one-percent chance of flooding in any given year. At the same time, the share of homes built in these zones is increasing. One important caveat is that the report does not account for protective infrastructure such as dikes and diversion channels, which Winnipeg uses in particular. However, the authors stress that the data still provide a useful indication of which areas could be affected if those protective systems fail.

In Metro Vancouver, more than 85,000 homes—slightly more than 10 percent of the housing stock—are located in high-risk areas vulnerable both to spring flooding on the Fraser River and to coastal storm surges. However, as Samuel McIntyre, a senior analyst with the Canadian Housing Statistics Program, points out, these figures are understated because they do not include high- and low-rise multi-unit buildings. Vancouver presents a somewhat unexpected picture compared with the rest of the country: the average assessed value of properties in flood zones was 4.5 percent higher than in areas not exposed to flooding, while the incomes of people living in those homes were 17 percent lower. In addition, Metro Vancouver’s flood-zone population includes a disproportionately high share of people over 55. McIntyre explains that many of them are likely retirees with modest incomes who nevertheless own relatively expensive property. This contrasts with the rest of the province, where high-risk areas generally have lower assessed property values.

One reason for this paradox, according to Hadi Mohammad Nahiduzzaman, a professor of engineering at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, is that land in river floodplains is usually cheaper for developers. “When they acquire this land for construction, the overall cost goes down, and then these retirees can easily afford such homes. But that is a misconception,” he says. In his view, more effective government regulation is needed to ensure that vulnerable groups are not disproportionately exposed to flood risk.

Statistics Canada’s report does not provide geographic data more detailed than the metropolitan-area level. However, the Fraser Basin Council has already prepared flood maps for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley that account for protective infrastructure and model several scenarios, including snowmelt flooding and coastal storms. Steve Litke, the council’s director of water programs, believes the region’s protective infrastructure would mostly withstand a 100-year storm. In Metro Vancouver, flooding would most likely be limited to areas along the river, but in Chilliwack, which is also mentioned in the report, flooding could extend beyond the dikes, particularly around the Vedder Canal. “In British Columbia, we are more concerned about 200-year floods or record floods,” Litke says. “We should be very concerned about our exposure to events of that magnitude. Early signs indicate that we are going to see larger and more frequent floods. What used to be a 100-year flood could become a 50-year flood.” Under a Fraser River flood scenario involving a half-metre rise in sea level by 2050, significant parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley would be submerged, including large areas of Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Agassiz, as well as parts of Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam.

Litke emphasizes that such scenarios demonstrate the importance not only of building protective infrastructure but also of maintaining and upgrading it as the climate changes. “This is very expensive infrastructure to build, maintain and especially upgrade. Staying ahead of climate projections, considering raising and widening dikes, accounting for a one-metre rise in sea level and dealing with coastal dikes—that is a major challenge,” he says.

The Statistics Canada report does not include data for Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, nor does it cover Indigenous reserves, non-residential properties or vacant land. Nevertheless, it makes one point clear: Canada continues to expand housing construction in areas that are highly likely to face flood threats. Without coordinated regulation and climate-adaptation measures, this trend could have serious humanitarian and financial consequences.

❮ ❯