Marathoner hit by bus – BC News

The Canadian press –
Nov. 4, 2018 / 6h48 | story:
241042

Kennedy Stewart says that he began working on the housing crisis in Vancouver immediately following his mayoral election to take advantage of a brief window of potential money before the federal election. next year.

The elected mayor and former NDP MP said the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's government has pledged large sums of money for affordable housing as part of its national strategy, but that little money has been spent. money has been provided.

The BC government has also provided support and investment in building modular homes for the homeless, Stewart said in a recent interview.

"If there was a chance to reduce the housing crisis, it is now that we have harmonization between the federal, provincial and municipal governments," he said.

"That's why I started working the minute after my election on this topic and I will continue to do so, because this window will close and I have to do my best because it may not open again. "

Stewart will be sworn in on Monday and thinks voters told him his priority was to address the housing crisis. The rental housing vacancy rate in the city is close to zero and the benchmark price of a single-family home, even though it's down, is still $ 1.5 million.

The federal government unveiled in 2017 a national housing strategy worth $ 40 billion. Earlier this year, he signed an agreement with British Columbia. share a $ 1 billion investment in affordable housing.

Stewart pointed out that the recent elections in Ontario and Quebec overthrew Liberal governments in favor of conservative leaders. If these provinces are reluctant to cooperate with the federal government, it could help Vancouver mobilize more funds as soon as they become available in the next budget cycle, he said.

He added that the previous federal Conservative government had not invested in housing and that even if the Trudeau Liberals won it by majority and pursued their policies, it would be easier to obtain money before the elections in the near future.

"It's my job to make sure we can get that money," he said.

The next federal election is scheduled for October 21, 2019.

Trudeau telephoned Stewart shortly after his election. The two men also met on Thursday, with housing and infrastructure making up the bulk of the conversation, he said.

Stewart was elected on a series of promises including the construction of 85,000 new homes in 10 years, the tripling of the tax on empty houses and the protection of half of new homes against speculators.

He stated that he was skeptical about his construction projects but pointed out that there were 8,000 building permits issued in the city in 2015 and that his goal is 8,500 per year.

"People say these are impossible goals, and I think it's nonsense," he said, adding that unexpected circumstances, such as recessions, could hinder.

Vancouver's empty house tax, at one per cent of the estimated value, has been successful in getting vacant property owners to rent them, he said. However, some homeowners still choose to pay the tax instead of becoming homeowners, so multiplying by three would be more incentive.

"The big thing about the empty house tax, is that it has an integrated expiry date.If you filled the unit, the tax disappears." I guess in the end we would see that even if the tax is still in force, no one pays it, because all homes are filled. "

Regarding the promise to protect half of the new houses from speculation, he said the type of housing dictated protection. He wants 25,000 of the 85,000 new homes to be affordable, non-profit rents, which would be attractive for long-term pension investments, not home, he said.

Another tool is the renting zoning recently introduced by the provincial government, which Steward has said he wants to use.

The Canadian press –
Nov 4, 2018 / 6:44 | story:
241041

A Vancouver casino said it "categorically" opposed racism after Drake accused him of "profiling" him.

In an article on Instagram, the Toronto rapper called the Vancouver Parq "the worst case" he attended.

He added that the casino did not allow him to play despite the fact that he provided "everything they originally asked him for".

Drake did not specify and his representatives declined to comment further.

After Drake's message, Parq Vancouver's website was flooded with negative comments, with one user saying, "This is 2018, not 1945."

In a pair of statements Saturday not naming Drake, the casino first declared that he was "actively investigating" the incident, and then apologized for what he said. called "the experience of our client".

"We are working in one of the most complex and regulated sectors and we are always looking to improve our communication and customer service," Casino President Joe Brunini said in a statement.

"We are constantly improving our communication process to ensure that these new rules are better understood by all guests."

In accordance with the rules that came into effect in January, casinos in British Columbia are required "to collect detailed information on the source of funds players for all transactions of $ 10,000 or more," according to the regulator of the game provincial.

"As of today, all purchases in cash and by bank checks / certified checks of $ 10,000 or more, made in one or more transactions during a 24-hour period , will require a source for receiving the funds, "said the British Corporation Lottery Corporation in a statement. January 10th.

"The original receipt must be dated the same day as the transaction and include the financial institution, branch number and account number."

After Drake's allegations, Brunini said the casino was "determined to have a productive conversation to solve this problem.

"We are categorically opposed to racism of all kinds, and we are committed to providing everyone with a safe, secure and enjoyable experience," he said.

One person died and three others were taken to hospital after an early morning car accident in Surrey.

Police said the accident occurred just after midnight in the 13400 block of 88th Avenue.

The police did not disclose the details of the accident, but said: "One of the drivers involved was declared dead on the scene, while the other three occupants of the vehicle were transported in a local hospital with injuries ranging from minor to life threatening. "

A section of 88th Avenue at 132nd Street and King George Boulevard is closed for the duration of the investigation.

If you have any information about this incident, call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.com .it.

It could be a warmer, drier winter in BC this year, with a moderate El Nino in the forecast.

El Nino is the warm phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation, which involves a warming of the equatorial surface seawater due to changes in wind patterns. This warmer water has an impact on global weather conditions.

Brett Anderson, Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather, is confident that we will see the impact of El Nino over the next few months in the interior of British Columbia.

"The confidence is great enough that we will have at least a weak El Nino, but I think the force will become moderate as the winter approaches," Anderson said.

Although the effect is likely to create more storm and snow systems in northern Ontario and southern California, the mountains of southern British Columbia may be drier and milder in January and February.

"Usually, we have a jet that directs the Pacific storms to British Columbia during a normal winter," said Anderson.

"This will divide the project into two streams of jets, and one jet stream will likely be directed to northern BC and another likely to California. That leaves a lot of southern British Columbia. drier than normal. "

The last time the province experienced an El Nino effect, it was three years ago, but many inland resorts still celebrated successful seasons. That year, Big White was still seeing new powder days during its closing week in April.

Last winter was also supposed to be an El Niño year, but it did not materialize. Anderson says the chances of this happening again are "extremely slim."

This year, Anderson predicts that December will be the best chance for the interior to receive significant snowfall, followed by a drier and milder start than normal until 2019.

The Canadian press –
Nov 3, 2018 / 7:10 pm | story:
241040

The Liberal leader of British Columbia said he was giving himself and his party an "A for effort" in their efforts to reconnect with the electorate as a result. a devastating loss of power last year.

Speaking to reporters at the Vancouver Liberal convention Saturday, Andrew Wilkinson said the party was still working to define who it was, the message it would convey and the platform that it was. he would present before the election call.

But he said that it had made good progress at the conference this weekend.

"I would like us to do an A for the effort, and we are still working on the results because we are all new after a leadership campaign that ended eight months ago," she said. he declared.

The party ran the province for 16 years before the 2017 election, when the Liberals won the most seats. However, the party was defeated when the NDP signed an agreement with the Green Party and Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon gave the NDP the chance to take the lead as a minority party.

The convention was the first since Wilkinson was elected leader of the party earlier this year, and members spoke directly to the difficult task ahead.

"Now that we are no longer in government, we need to examine why," Executive Director Emile Scheffel told delegates.

"It was our first congress as an opposition party and I will not lie to you, we did not know if people would show up as before," said Scheffel, adding that the turnout was exceeding expectations. identical to the 2016 convention.

A panel on the future of the party said that he had to find a way to appeal to young voters after not having elected a single member of the legislature under the age of 40. The panelists also praised the party's current commitment to free market principles, principles-friendly policies.

The party also revealed its new slogan, "An Opportunity for All British Columbians", based on the comments of the focus groups. It replaces "The Liberals of British Columbia Today." The new central message of the party will be essential to demonstrate its commitment to represent every citizen of the province – not just selected segments or voters, Wilkinson said.

However, while Wilkinson said in his opening remarks that the party needed to "cool off completely," he spent a lot of time on past successes and current criticisms of the NDP government.

He spent time celebrating the vision of former Liberal Prime Minister Christy Clark to develop the liquefied natural gas industry and criticize the NDP's tax policies as devastating for investors. He also focused on improving access to higher education and job creation, which was one of Clark's key messages in the 2013 campaigns. and 2017, as absolute priorities.

Wilkinson won the leadership of the Liberal Party in February on a platform for enlarging and enlarging the membership, as well as fighting the possibility of electoral reform that would allow the province to pbad through to a system of proportional representation.

The province is in the middle of a referendum campaign on electoral reform and Wilkinson will meet with Prime Minister John Horgan during a televised debate on Thursday.

Wilkinson said that he was more than ready.

"Rest badured, we're going to challenge him on Thursday and show British Columbians what we're up to," he said with applause.

Residents of the Lower Mainland are warned of the storm.

Environment Canada officials said a heavy downpour could cause flash floods and waterlogging on the roads of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

Rain is forecast between 40 and 60 millimeters on Saturday as a moist frontal system of the Pacific will move to the south coast.

Heavy rains can also cause localized flooding in low areas.

The rain is expected to dissipate by Sunday afternoon.

A weather statement was also issued with officials who said a cold front would cause wind gusts of up to 70 km / h late Saturday night.

Even stronger winds, with gusts of up to 90 km / h, are expected to develop before Sunday morning.

– with CTV Vancouver files

The RCMP opened an investigation after a pitbull attacked and injured four people at a home party on Vancouver Island.

The emergency teams were called to Colwood's home after Saturday midnight, where they found 13 people, including children, who barricaded themselves inside the house to protect themselves from the recently adopted dog.

The 140-pound pitbull was secured in a bedroom by the owner, who was seriously bitten by the animal.

"The attack began during a stir between two drunk adult guests at the party, where it appears the dog was bumped and became aggressive," said Capt. Chris Dovell.
One of the drunk men was arrested after trying to fight with the police.

The dog has been safely removed from the house and the Ministry of Childhood and Family will review the safety of the children.

– with files from CTV Vancouver Island

UPDATE: 13:55

Environment Canada has updated its snow warning for high-elevation highways in the interior of British Columbia Saturday, with more than 30 centimeters of snow likely to fall.

"The snow level will be about 200 meters below the Kootenay Pbad and Rogers Pbad," the warning says. "The snow will start this afternoon on the pbades and will intensify tonight."

A warning issued Saturday suggested that only 15 centimeters would fall on the Trans-Canada between Eagle Pbad and Rogers Pbad and on Highway 3.

Snow forecasts have doubled in both areas.

---

ORIGINAL: 9:10

Those looking to travel to higher altitudes today should be prepared for significant snowfall in the interior of the province.

Environment Canada today issued a snow warning for parts of the Trans-Canada Highway from Eagle Pbad to Rogers Pbad, where more than 15 centimeters of snow is expected to fall.

"A strong frontal system will approach British Columbia. Interior today, "says the warning. "The rain mixed with the snow will start on the freeways today, but the freezing levels will drop, so the rush will turn into heavy snow tonight."

Further south, Highway 3, between Kootenay Pbad and the Paulson Summit, should also receive up to 15 cm of snow.

The snow is expected to ease by Sunday morning.

Environment Canada warns that visibility may be reduced during driving due to heavy snow and that conditions may change rapidly.

Snow Alert does not currently apply to Coquihalla Road or Okanagan Connector.

The most popular rapper in Canada is criticizing a Vancouver casino for what he claims to be profiling.

Toronto-born rapper Drake traveled to Vancouver on Friday for consecutive concerts as part of his "Aubrey and the Three Migos" tour.

However, when the star went to the Parq casino, things did not go according to plan.

Drake posted on Instagram early Saturday morning "The Parq Casino @parqvancouverbc is the worst deal I've ever attended … by profiling myself and not allowing me to play when I had everything I had. They had asked me originally. "

Drake fans rallied to him, filling in the comment sections on Parq Vancouver's Instagram page and tweeting at the casino.

"Parq Vancouver is very sorry to learn this experience and takes these issues very seriously.We are required to adhere to strict gambling regulations in BC We are actively investigating this issue and have made a lot of effort. To contact the We are committed to conducting a productive conversation to solve the problem, "said Narinder Nagra, representative of the complex, Saturday morning.

– with CTV Vancouver files

The Canadian press –
Nov 3, 2018 / 10h26 | story:
241010

The President of the Business Council of British Columbia said that considering all the problems that companies face, eliminating the summer time is not a priority.

Greg D & # 39; Avignon says that shifting hour clocks in the fall and spring are not a cause for concern.

Prime Minister John Horgan agrees, stating that there is no point in stopping changes to the time when British Columbia's neighbors and trading partners in the United States, including Washington, Oregon and California, use the hour of the day.

Horgan acknowledges that he has received many requests from people wishing to give up the change of time to allow him to sleep more normally, but discussions with local businesses and business partners have convinced him to maintain the status quo. quo.

Members of the Union of BC Municipalities narrowly voted last September to pressure the provincial government to eliminate changes in the hour.

The time change occurs Sunday at 2 am when the clocks extend for one hour in most of Canada, or even most of Saskatchewan, in parts of northeastern BC B. and in small areas of Ontario and Quebec.

The Canadian press –
Nov 3, 2018 / 7h11 | story:
241001

The new mayor of Vancouver said that a new review by the National Energy Board of the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion would likely be doomed to failure and that it would not be safe for anyone. he would bring the federal government back to a hearing room.

The Energy Board is currently studying the impacts of the project on the marine environment and Kennedy Stewart said he was in too much of a hurry, including a one-week window to allow aboriginal groups and other people to ask to participate.

"I think the revised NEB process that we are following will likely fail again, I do not think giving a first nation a week to submit to a whole new process of reconciliation is enough time and that will be challenged in court and rightly so, "he said in an interview.

"I could see this in a stalemate such as the Mackenzie Valley pipeline for many, many years," he added, referring to a natural gas pipeline project across the Northwest Territories that has been blocked for decades. decades.

Stewart, former NDP MP for Burnaby South, was part of a group of protesters who were arrested in March while blocking Trans Mountain's main gate, in violation of an order from court to stay five meters from the company's work places. He pleaded guilty to contempt of court and paid a $ 500 fine.

After winning the Vancouver mayoral race with less than 1,000 votes, he will be sworn in on Monday.

His opinion on the expansion of the pipeline has not changed, he said, and he will continue to support the city's practice of supporting local indigenous groups in their legal proceedings by asking to be a speaker.

The Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations have traditional territories in the Vancouver area, and both said the new process repeated the same mistakes and laid the groundwork for a new legal challenge.

The Federal Court of Appeal quashed the project's approval by the federal government in August because of inadequate consultation of Aboriginal peoples and the fact that the Energy Board had not examined the impacts on the marine environment.

The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who purchased the existing Trans Mountain line and the $ 4.5 billion extension project, instructed the Energy Board to review the impacts on the marine environment and submit a report by 22 February at the latest.

Energy Board spokesman James Stevenson declined to comment on Stewart's remarks, but has already indicated that the new revision will consist of a comprehensive scientific and technical review of marine navigation related to the project.

Stewart said Trudeau was the one who mentioned Trans Mountain at its first meeting Thursday since Stewart's election victory.

"I said," First of all, it has been a strange year. I was arrested, then I resigned from my MP position and I am now mayor, in about six months time. "But my position on this was clear, I am still very much opposed to this pipeline," he said.

"However, I understand that my role has changed, perhaps when my mandate as Burnaby MP was to stop the pipeline as a top priority, voters in that city said that your priority was to address our housing problem. . "