Vancouver Rundown

B.C. faces the prospects of weak financial growth in 2026 according to a new report by Deloitte Canada. The forecast is for 1.6 GDP growth as the province’s forestry sector continues to struggle. That comes despite an expected increase in LNG exports tied to the new terminal project in Prince Rupert. Alberta and Saskatchewan are each expected to have 2.1 per cent GDP growth. Overall, Canada’s grow...

Say goodbye to the London Drugs location on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The B.C. based chain says it’s closing the iconic Woodward’s location at the end of the month due to ongoing problems with crime and violence. President and CEO Clint Mahlman calls it a very difficult decision, noting the location continues to struggle. He says there’s a transition plan for staff. The location has lost more...

Refineries, not pipelines! That’s what B.C. Premier David Eby says should be the priority as the U.S. appears poised to takeover Venezuelan oil exports. Eby says if Canada has billions of dollars to spend it should go toward developing oil products for this country and for exports. The premier is holding firm on his opposition to building a new northern pipeline saying Trans Mountain to Burnaby is...

Most of the South Coast is under a heavy rainfall warning as a system in the Gulf of Alaska heads south. As much as 50mm is expected to fall in some areas on Tuesday. Meanwhile, those on the North Shore mountains are bracing for snow. A snowfall warning is in effect for the Sea-to-Sky Highway for those heading between Squamish and Whistler. Drier weather is expected toward the end of the week.

My thanks to the many loyal readers and podcast listeners and a special thanks to those who have supported this effort through a paid subscription and/or donation. You’ve made Vancouver Rundown a huge success over the past year - reader and listener growth has more than doubled in 2025. Vancouver Rundown is now on a break but will resume publication Tuesday January 6, 2026. Happy Holidays. - Bruce

Boxing Day - that’s the new ‘best guess’ estimate as to when Highway 3 will reopen between Hope and Princeton. Flood-damage will take months to repair but the Ministry of Transportation expects to build a temporary detour in the area with a 30 km/h speed limit. Until Friday, drivers will still have to take Highway 5 to get to the Southern Interior.

Heavy rain, strong winds and even some high elevation snow is expected to continue into the weekend as B.C.’s South Coast copes with more stormy weather. A wind advisory has been posted for eastern parts of the Fraser Valley. Isolated flooding is still possible in areas around the Chilliwack River. Meanwhile, those heading into the B.C. Interior could still find challenges - Highway 3 remains clos...

Crews have restored power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the Lower Mainland. A windstorm that started Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday morning across southern B.C., knocked out power to close to 120,000 BC Hydro customers. Winds hit over 100 km/h in several areas causing trees and branches to come down on numerous roads and power lines from Vancouver Island through to th...

Heavy rain that continued into early Wednesday morning is putting a damper on efforts to recover from flooding on the South Coast. Close to 1200 properties remain on evacuation alert - 100 are on evacuation order. While flood waters started to recede in most areas on Tuesday, downpours continued into Tuesday night. Highway 3 remains closed from Hope to Manning Park due to landslide damage. A few t...

Close to 90,000 BC Hydro customers were left without power at the height of Monday’s windstorm on the South Coast. About 50,0000 of those were on the Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland - the rest on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The hardest hit areas included parts of Hope, Chilliwack, Langley, Maple Ridge, Duncan, Victoria and Qualicum. At one point, downed tree limbs cut off vehicle acce...

More flooding is still possible and Fraser Valley residents are being told to prepare. The impact of a weather system that hit Sunday night is now triggering new concerns about creeks, rivers and low lying areas. Flood warnings remain in place for the Chilliwack and Sumas Rivers and up to 70mm or rain could fall in some areas by the end of Monday. That has police and local governments concerned as...

Highway One has been closed between Whatcom Road and Sumas Way as Abbotsford continues to deal with expanding flood waters from the Nooksack River, south of the border. Detours have been in effect. Even though the torrential rain eased-off on Thursday, new evacuation orders have been issued late Thursday for a few Abbotsford properties including the Clarion Hotel. Close to 1,500 properties on Suma...

Thursday will be an assessment and recovery day after torrential rains caused Fraser Valley flooding and cut three highway routes between the B.C. Interior and the Lower Mainland. Heavy rains triggered a handful of evacuation orders in areas including the Chilliwack River Valley. Evacuation alerts had been issued for other areas including Abbotsford’s Clayburn Village and Sumas Prairie West. Acces...

Rain and flood advisories have been posted for much of the south coast as stormy weather is expected to continue through Wednesday. The heaviest downpours are expected in eastern parts of the Fraser Valley, Skagit Valley and Manning Park - orange rainfall warnings are in effect and localized flooding is expected. The atmospheric river should ease off by late Wednesday night.

stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge - that is the name for the Fraser River crossing that will replace the Pattullo Bridge. The B.C. government along with local indigenous leaders made the announcement saying the name has been bestowed by both the Musqueam and Kwantlen people. stal̕əw̓asəm means a space where you can view the river. The new $1.6B Pattullo replacement is expected to gradually open, starting Dec. 2...

Several parts of B.C. are being hit by stormy weather with more expected through late Monday night. Snowfall warnings are posted for much of the Peace Country with up to 20 cm expected. A winter storm warning is also in effect for parts of the Southern Interior with drivers being urged to avoid Highway 3 through Kootenay Pass. The Lower Mainland will be hit with very heavy rain with up to 70mm exp...

A day after defying those who fired him, John Rustad has resigned as the BC Conservative leader. Rustad says fighting for his title would only create a civil war within the party. The move comes after more than 20 Conservative MLAs reportedly signed a letter demanding his resignation - a move that prompted the party to tap MLA Trevor Halford as interim leader. Halford says he has no intention of s...

John Rustad has been fired as leader of the BC Conservatives according to his own party. The party’s board has issued a statement saying Rustad has been removed as leader because he lost the confidence of the majority of caucus. Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford has been named by the party as the interim leader. Rustad remains defiant saying he is still the leader.

Vancouver Island’s Crofton pulp mill will permanently closed. Pulp and Paper company Domtar says the mill will shut down Dec. 15. Close to 350 jobs will be lost. The news comes after the recent closure of the nearby Western Forest Products Mill that resulted in 150 layoffs. North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas has a Wednesday meeting with Premier David Eby and two cabinet ministers to discuss next ste...

David Eby may be backing down on his hard stance, opposing another oil pipeline to the West Coast. Speaking on CTV’s Question Period , the B.C. Premier says his anxiety is centered on removing the north coast oil tanker ban. That comment paves the way for discussions about a southern route. The BC Conservatives accuse Eby of flip-flopping on the pipeline issue, demanding the premier make up his mi...

Indigenous groups remain split on whether to support Alberta’s Memorandum of Understanding with the feds on a new oil pipeline to the West Coast. The Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations says it’s disappointed it was not included at the decision-making table. The Confederacy’s Treaty covers a large portion of the proposed pipeline route. Meanwhile, the Coastal First Nations in B.C. says it remain...

A distraction from real projects - that’s how David Eby describes a Memorandum of Understanding between Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney. The two leaders announced a deal that would pave the way for a new oil pipeline to the West Coast. Premier Eby remains opposed to any new bitumen pipeline or removal of a ban on oil tankers along the north coast. Eby also says there...

The Vancouver Celebration of Light fireworks competition has been permanently cancelled. Organizers announced the end of the long standing summer event blaming rising costs and declining government investment and private sponsorship. They say the decision is disappointing but the numbers just don’t add up. In 2000, the fireworks competition came close to being axed after Benson and Hedges pulled o...

Job losses and cuts to programs are coming as the City of Vancouver pushes ahead with its zero per cent property tax increase. Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC councillors have voted as promised, after a series of sharp increases over the past three years. The tax freeze has the support of Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and several other business improvement and hospitality groups. Meanwhile, The price...

Two Surrey Police officers are hurt after crashing their cruiser and a suspect remains at large following an injury shooting west of Whalley Sunday evening. Police say the suspect fired multiple rounds at a home on 101B Avenue just after 9:00 p.m. A woman is expected to recover after being hit. Police admit two officers were hurt after their cruiser hit another vehicle while responding to the scen...