Vancouver Rundown

Advance voter turn out has been heavy and B.C. may have a dramatic shift in government - those are two of the realities heading into General Election Day. Many pundits have been expecting a toss up between the governing NDP and the newcomers - the B.C. Conservatives. Polls open at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Close to half a million voters have already cast ballots in advance voting in the B.C. election. That’s a stunning 17 per cent of voters - an extremely high turn out. Still, some experts warn little can be read into election outcomes noting many people are simply taking advantage of new technology and convenience. Advance voting has increased every provincial election in the past 20 years.

A Tuesday afternoon crash closed the north lanes of the Massey Tunnel for several hours. It happened at around 3:45 and even southbound traffic was impacted. Many drivers had to use the Alex Fraser Bridge as an alternative to get from Surrey and Delta into Richmond. There’s no word on the cause of the crash or any injuries.

Both India and Canada are removing their diplomats from each others’ countries following new allegations by the RCMP. The national force claims Indian government officials are linked to homicides, extortion cases and coercion across the country including parts of the Lower Mainland. The tensions ramped up after Canada kicked-out six top diplomats.

The White Rock Muslim Association is demanding a B.C. Conservative candidate withdraw over racist comments made on social media. Brent Chapman, who is now running for the Conservatives in Surrey South made a Facebook comment calling Palestinians “little inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs.” Chapman’s defenders point out he has since apologized and the original post was made close to nine years ago. The Chair of the White Muslim Association says his community does not feel safe being represented by someone who has made such hateful statements on more than once occasion.

Vancouver business icon and former Canucks owner Arthur Griffiths is among several people under investigation by the B.C. Securities Commission. Griffiths is among a group of investors in cannabis company Rocca Verde Wellness Corporation accused of illegally distributing securities. None of the accusations have been proven in court.

Plenty of jabs but no knock out blows - that’s what most viewers are saying about Tuesday evening’s televised leaders’ debate as B.C. voters get set to go to the advance polls. While David Eby and John Rustad exchanged accusations, Green leader Sonia Furstenau accused both of being aligned on privatizing B.C. healthcare. Most polls still show the NDP and Conservatives in a statistical tie heading into the Oct. 19 vote.

Western Canada’s tallest skyscraper will be built in Burnaby. City Council has given developer Pinnacle International the green light to build a cluster of towers next to the Lougheed Town Centre SkyTrain Station. One of those will be an 850-foot, 80 storey tower…making it the tallest building west of Toronto. The cluster of five towers will include a mix of business and residential units on a six acre site that used to have a Sears outlet store.

One person is dead, four others are injured, after a Saturday afternoon rollover crash on the Coquihalla Highway, south of Merritt. It happened just before 4:00 p.m. Speed is believed to be a factor.

The City of Surrey has failed in its court action to get a Hells Angels clubhouse shutdown. The City had tried to get the rented home on 96 Ave. near 180 Street closed for violating bylaws. The small home is rented by the Hardside Hells Angels and is often used as a meeting place. No one actually lives there.

David Eby attacked John Rustad over conspiracy theories. Rustad took Eby to task over tax increases and affordability. Those were just a couple of the themes popping up in a three way leaders debate on 980-CKNW radio Wednesday morning. Green leader Sonia Furstenau defended her party’s decision to keep a consumer-based carbon tax as a means of fighting climate change. A televised debate will be held Oct. 8. B.C. voters go to the polls Oct. 19.

The leaders of B.C.’s three main political parties are set for a live radio debate on 980-CKNW at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. Show host Mike Smyth will moderate the one hour long debate between David Eby (NDP), John Rustad (BC Conservative) and Sonia Furstenau (BC Green). This is set to be the only radio-only debate during this provincial election campaign. A broadcast consortium TV debate will be held on Oct. 8.

All evacuation orders have been rescinded in a late-season wildfire burning at Christina Lake. Close to 42 homes had been under evacuation order over the weekend as an out-of-control fire burned close to Spaulding Creek and Highway 3. That’s only a couple dozen kilometres from the large Goosmus Wildfire burning in Washington state and some areas near Grande Forks.

Demands for answers are growing after Surrey RCMP shot a mother dead at a home in Cloverdale last week. Community leaders accuse police and an oversight body (IIO) of citing well-worn narratives used against refugees, women and Black people in the fatal police shooting of (Vanessa) Renteria Valencia. They say Valencia was a victim of domestic violence and had recently returned to the home after spending time at a shelter. RCMP say the woman was barricaded in a room and holding a weapon next to a child. There’s no word on whether RCMP tried to deescalate the situation. Valencia’s advocates say police used her husband as an interpreter before she was shot three times.

A growing wildfire has forced some residents to evacuate west of Grand Forks. More than 150 properties were part of an evacuation order Wednesday evening. Another 500 were on evacuation alert. The 200-hectare Goosmus wildfire was discovered on Wednesday.

The BC Greens are promising to expand the province’s safer drug supply. That announcement was made by leader Sonia Furstenau who stood at a podium next to former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe. The move stands in sharp contrast to the NDP’s reversal of its support of the idea and the BC Conservative’s promise to shut down safter drug consumption sites.

The BC NDP has fired a direct shot at John Rustad by posting a video clip to social media from the Conservative leader’s July interview with an anti-vax group that’s suing Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The clip, shared on X, has Rustad saying he regrets getting the ‘so-called’ vaccine three times. Rustad says he soon realized the shots were more about shaping opinion and controlling the population. Reaction has been swift with many people in the health profession condemning the Conservative leader’s remarks.

A man is dead and a well-known Brothers Keeper gangster is recovering from gunshot wounds after an exchange of gunfire on the Langley side of the Surrey-Langley boundary Saturday night. Vancouver Rundown posted exclusive video to social media after police and paramedics rushed a man later identified by the Vancouver Sun as gangster Barinder (Shrek) Dhaliwal to hospital. He was pulled from a car on 208th Street south of 80th Avenue in the Willoughby neighbourhood. That happened shortly after 6:00 p.m. in front of a busy restaurant and retail complex. Dhaliwal is expected to survive. First responders found a victim dead at another scene near 196th and 82nd, where the shooting likely occurred. IHIT is trying to figure out the circumstances but believes this is linked to B.C.’s gang war.

The B.C. election campaign will officially start on Saturday - when the writ drops - with the BC Conservatives and NDP in a tie, according to the most recent polls. The latest Leger poll echoes others showing statistical ties between the two parties but also finds British Columbians tend to approve of Premier David Eby more than Conservative leader John Rustad. 44 per cent plan to vote NDP, 42 per cent Conservative and 11 per cent Green. Polling does not reflect recent decisions by some former BC United candidates to run as independents.

A driver’s been hurt after being shot by a suspect with a BB gun. Vancouver Police say it happened while the driver of a car-share vehicle was near West 4th and Balaclava in the Kitsilano neighbourhood early Tuesday evening. The driver was treated at the scene and taken home by family members.

Metro Vancouver mayors are once again going ‘cap in hand’ to ask for more taxpayer money for TransLink. The Mayors’ Council is asking all political parties to outline their funding plans for the transit body as fears continue over potential service cuts. Part of the plea is asking people to send letters to their political leaders asking for details. Right now, TransLink is funded by taxpayers through income tax, property tax, Metro Vancouver parking levies, BC Hydro surcharges and bus fares.

The ball appears to be in Ottawa’s court after NDP leader David Eby made a campaign promise to bring in involuntary care for the most severe cases of drug addiction or mental illness. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and close to two dozen other local government leaders are asking the feds to pave the way to make Eby’s plan viable. That plan also has the backing of leaders from the Musqueam Band, Vancouver Fire, Vancouver Police and the Canadian Police Association. Politicians aside - some experts in drug addiction say forced care simply doesn’t work.

The B.C. government is poised to force the severely mentally ill or drug addicted into involuntary care. That surprise announcement was made by NDP leader David Eby. He says the escalating toxic drug crisis justifies such a move. BC Conservative leader John Rustad says he’s not surprised by the announcement as Eby continues to flip-flop on policy.

Premier David Eby promises B.C. will get rid of its carbon tax…but only if the feds remove their requirement. Eby now says the context has changed with many British Columbians struggling with affordability. BC Conservative leader John Rustad calls the new position - which came out of remarks in an unrelated news conference - a flip-flop on the part of the premier.

You will no longer be able to get free crack pipes or any narcotics supplies at government supported vending machines at B.C. hospitals. The provincial government is getting rid of the machines and reviewing its harm reduction approach following a huge public backlash...much of it played out on social media during this election campaign. The vending machines also contained naloxone kits which could be used to reverse the effects of some overdoses.

A record budget deficit and a quickly rising debt - those are two of the realities confirmed by the B.C. NDP government just over a month before voters go to the polls. Finance Minister Katrine Conroy has announced the province’s predicted deficit now stands at $8.9B - that’s up over $1.1B from last year’s deficit. In part, Conroy is blaming the expected increase on the cost of fighting B.C. wildfires. Conroy will not be seeking re-election Oct. 19.

A former Lower Mainland BC United candidate is throwing his support behind the NDP. Delta North candidate Amrit Pal Singh Dhot has suspended his campaign to endorse New Democrat incumbent Ravi Khalon. Dhot’s status, along with that of many other BC United candidates, has been in question after leader Kevin Falcon withdrew and offered his endorsement of BC Conservative leader John Rustad.

A woman is recovering in hospital after being found stabbed and bleeding in Surrey’s Whalley neighbourhood early Sunday morning. Police say the 40-year-old was found near King George and 104 Avenue shortly after 2 a.m. A possible suspect has been arrested - officers have been working to contact friends and family of the woman.

A White Rock man has now been charged in the two brutal attacks near Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre early Wednesday morning. Brendan Colin McBride, 32, is charged with a single count of second degree murder and another count of aggravated assault. A man died in the first knife attack - a second had his hand slashed moments later. Vancouver Police used a drone in tracking down and arresting a suspect a few hours later.

One man is dead, another has had his hand cut-off in unprovoked stranger attacks in Downtown Vancouver. A 34-year-old man from White Rock has been arrested in the two attacks that happened Wednesday morning. Vancouver Police say the suspect has a history of mental illness and has had more than 60 interactions with officers.

Last week, BC United imploded. This week, star-candidate Dr. Claudine Storness-Bliss has announced she will suspend her Surrey-Cloverdale campaign. The outspoken Surrey Memorial obstetrician-gynecologist will neither run as an independent nor under the BC Conservative banner. Storness-Bliss had run on a promise to help make B.C.’s healthcare system, and Surrey Memorial, better.

This past Labour Day long weekend included closures at five B.C. emergency rooms in the Interior. Hospitals in Lillooet, Merritt, 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and even Kamloops could not adequately staff their ERs. Geographically, the closures left a huge swath of the province without ER coverage. The Ministry of Health has always maintained ERs are only closed as a last resort.

A man’s been shot dead on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The victim was found by police near East Cordova and Carrall streets at around 3:30 a.m. Thursday. He died at the scene. The cops don’t know if the victim knew his attacker or if the shooting was targeted.

It’s all over for Kevin Falcon’s BC United. The troubled political party has suspended its campaign for the upcoming provincial election with Falcon saying he personally won’t run for re-election. Some of BC United’s candidates will run under the BC Conservative banner - Falcon says his party is officially endorsing the Conservatives. Recent polls have had BC United in fourth place, behind the Green Party.

Public school students across B.C. will have to put away their cellphones while in class. The provincial government is requiring all school districts to enforces their own policies - ones that will restrict mobile devices on school property. Students and parents will also be offered digital literacy courses but the details have not yet been announced.

Environment Canada now says 17 B.C. communities broke rainfall records over the weekend and that doesn’t even count Monday’s downpours. A low pressure system that brought pouring rain to many areas is also responsible for trees falling on cars and some homes. The good news - a coastal campfire ban is expected to be lifted on Wednesday.

The West Coast Express is back in service Monday but expect delays. That’s what TransLink’s telling Vancouver area media after the commuter train was off-line Thursday and Friday following labour strife at Canada’s two largest rail companies. The federal labour board has since ordered all rail workers back to work. The Teamsters vow to appeal the order.

The West Coast Express commuter train between Mission and Vancouver remains out-of-service Friday even though the lockout is over at Canada’s two largest rail companies. TransLink has been providing additional bus service to riders during the labour dispute. About 3,000 commuters take the West Coast Express on weekdays.

Assault charges have been laid against two Vancouver Police officers in a violent incident that happened in the city in late 2023. Global News reports both Joshua Wong and Brian Hunt were off-duty at the time. Neither is serving in an operational role right now while their case is before the courts. Constable Wong was one of several officers investigated in a violent assault that resulted in the death of Myles Gray in 2015 - he was never charged but did testify at a coroner’s inquest.

Was it a homicide? That’s what investigators are trying to figure out after an adult woman and a school-aged child plunged from an apartment balcony in North Vancouver. There’s no official word on what floor the two fell from on East Esplanade in Lower Lonsdale early Tuesday morning. Officers say the two knew each other and are not looking for any suspects at this time.

Wildfire crews are getting a much needed break thanks to wetter and cooler weather around the province. Only a third of the 370 wildfires are classed as out-of-control, down from 40 per cent just last week. The large fire between Cache Creek and Spences Bridge is now contained. Most of the fire danger is now in the northern part of the province and in areas of Yukon.

Power crews spent most of Sunday getting the lights back on for many of the up to 12-thousand BC Hydro customers hit by blackouts around the South Coast. High wind and multiple lightning strikes followed a storm late Saturday evening that made its way up the coast from northern California. The bad weather followed a warm Saturday with highs that topped 30C in many areas of the Lower Mainland.

Late and over budget. The provincial government now admits its latest cost projections for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension will be $6B. That’s a stunning 50 per cent more than first promised. The Ministry of Transportation also says it now expects the project to be finished at the end of 2029…not 2028 as previously announced. The government blames market conditions, rising costs, labour shortages and supply chain issues for the extra costs. Even though work is already underway, BC Conservative leader John Rustad says he doesn’t think the NDP government will ever deliver on this project.

The provincial government has announced - or re-announced - close to $3B to complete Highway 1 improvements from Langley to Abbotsford. Most of that is to cover improvements in Abbotsford including those at Mount Lehman Road. Those improvements will eventually extend to Chilliwack and require even more money. Highway 1 improvement work has been underway in Langley for several months.

A young Burnaby man is now charged with close to two dozen counts of sextorting teens across Canada. The majority of the victims are between 15 and 18 and the investigation started after police looked into threats of explicit photos being shared online of teens in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Anwer Jelassi, 19, is charged with multiple counts of child luring, child pornography and extortion.

It’s a frightening warning for cyclists who use the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge. RCMP say they’re looking into reports a wire was strong across the eastside cycling lane at the north end of the bridge. The incident apparently happened last week and police say it’s lucky no one was hurt.

Two more weeks! That’s the latest word on how long that collapsed construction crane is expected to block West 41 Avenue near Collingwood Street in Vancouver’s Dunbar neighbourhood. The crane came down during that massive Tuesday night fire that destroyed a couple under-construction buildings and heavily damaged several homes. The cause is still being investigated while some area residents remain out of their homes.

Boaters have been dodging logs and debris along the Lower Mainland stretch of the Fraser River after water broke through the Chilcotin River log jam earlier this week. Officials are warning people to stay off the river in Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Surrey. A debris trap near Agassiz has been working, capturing much of the dreck before it floats further downstream.

The Hullcar Mountain Wildfire near Vernon has almost doubled in size to nearly 6.7 square kilometres. Dozens of people were forced to evacuate on Tuesday, shortly after the fire broke out. Others remain on evacuation alert. Meanwhile, evacuation orders remain in place for two small wildfires near Penticton. Hot conditions are in the forecast for much of the B.C. Interior with an added danger of possible thunderstorms in some areas.

Breaking news: Vancouver Rundown has learned at least two people including a child are dead, several others are badly hurt, after a multi-vehicle crash on Highway One in Chilliwack. It happened at around 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, just east of the Vedder River Bridge prompting an immediate response by more than half-a-dozen ambulance crews and the Chilliwack Fire Department. Highway One was closed eastbound at Yale Road for much of the afternoon. Traffic heading west was all-but-stopped with heavy congestion.