Vancouver Rundown

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...

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...

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...

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 hel...

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 b...

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 sp...

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...

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...

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...

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 thro...

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...

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 coul...

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. wildf...