Sign In Subscribe Now Some passerby got to see a dramatic scene in late April as the Integrated Emergency Response Team (IERT) trained on descending from a flying helicopter over rural Langley A group of police officers in camouflage fatigues was on board an RCMP helicopter with some of them standing on the landing skids as it maneuvered over the Glen Valley area The helicopter hovered and the officers rappelled down from the helicopter to the ground Photographer Lou Fasullo captured some shots of the RCMP at work while he was out walking his dogs Kris Clark of the RCMP provincial E Division "What the IERT members can be seen doing here is rappelling from the helicopter," Clark said. "This is a technique that is typically used to deploy from the aircraft when landing is likely not a viable option; often seen when performing rescues in rugged terrain." Clark said they were working with the Air 5 helicopter and that IERT members train with these skills frequently so they can do it with a high degree of proficiency and safety when required for duty Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Langley Township bylaw officers were at the forefront of a crackdown on badly maintained and operated commercial trucks during an enforcement operation on Tuesday More than 50 vehicles were placed out of service as officers inspected trucks in the 8200 block of 216 Street and the 7800 block of 200 Street near the Langley Events Centre Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Simon Jottey led the project on behalf of the Township and and bylaw officers from Surrey and Coquitlam participating leading to 52 vehicles being pulled out of service The violations included issues such as trucks being off designated truck routes a dump truck with a fully loaded transfer were towed due to having broken air lines and six of its 10 brakes being out of adjustment and a pickup truck and trailer were found to be overloaded and with multiple defects The inspections also caught drivers with various license violations Joseph’s Church wiped his eyes several times and apologized for being emotional as he described visiting the scene of the attack that killed 11 people during a Vancouver street festival “There were flowers in different parts along the fence and what was [especially moving] was the people and some crying,” Guilles told a candlelight vigil held Sunday at Langley City’s Douglas Park He was one of several speakers to address more than 200 people who attended More than 200 attended a candlelight vigil in Langley City for victims of the Vancouver attack that killed 11 pic.twitter.com/u46lxvufM5 “The trauma of the incident is still very fresh,” Deacon Guilles said trying to put some rational to something irrational The mind tries to find the reason to what only our hearts can know our hearts through which the Holy Spirit abounds.” MC Ana Marie Panczel said family members were at the festival my aunt was there the day that it happened,” Panczel  recalled I received a panicked call from my cousin saying Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal called it a “sombre day.” “Our community stands together with the Filipino community and just the community as a whole,” Pachal told the crowd Township Mayor Eric Woodward said "it’s a time for us to remember and it's a time to remember community and what makes us stronger.” Langley-Willowbrook MLA Jody Toor said while “we cannot undo what happened Langley Township-Fraser Heights MP Tako van Popta had a message for the Filipino community and we'll be strong with you." van Popta declared The event concluded with Langley Township councillor Tim Baillie playing 'Amazing Grace' to conclude the event Eleven people were killed and dozens more were injured when a man drove an SUV into crowds at the Filipino street festival on Saturday was arrested at the scene and faces eight charges of second-degree murder with Vancouver Police indicating more charges may be laid The online book will remain open until 5 p.m 302-unit housing project during a meeting that saw Mayor Nathan Pachal caution people in the audience more than once about interrupting The April 28 vote came three weeks after a marathon public hearing lasting nearly six hours that heard an overflow crowd complain the project planned for 200 Street between 49 and 50 Avenues was too big for the mostly single-family neighbourhood and would create traffic headaches Mayor Pachal intervened at one point when Councillor Rosemary Wallace got interrupted while saying she wouldn't  vote for another six-storey project in the area and describing the one up for approval as a "one-off." "This is a meeting where we need to respect the process of council so please warning he would adjourn the meeting if the interruptions continued Paul Albrecht called it a "difficult" decision but said approval would provide "much-needed" below-market housing "It provides [several] units at 20 per cent below the market rate of Langley City saving four to seven thousand dollars per year for those occupants," Albrecht said Leith White said it wasn't a "perfect fit for the location," but "not being perfect is not reason enough" to deny approval "We need to aggressively do what we can as a municipality to address the housing crisis in our local Langley city context we're barely moving the needle on this issue," White commented Langley City council gives 3rd reading, approval in principle, to controversial 6-storey housing project pic.twitter.com/TmQ58Biy12 Teri James said at the start of their term, council had agreed housing and below market housing should be priorities "I've been in a number of controversial decisions as a long-standing member of council and it's never easy but in my opinion this is what we were elected to do," James said.  the mayor said projections indicate the project "won't meaningfully impact the traffic in the neighbourhood." Pachal also addressed claims the Pacific Nazarene Housing Society intersex persons and others (2SLGBTQIA+) but I'll say it tonight," the mayor said. "I grew up in a Christian household So if I thought for a second that this project would be discriminating against 2SLGBTQIA+ people arguing the project should be delayed until a traffic study was made public or a staff review of the size and density could be carried out Mack also objected to altering official community plan guidelines for the neighbourhood to allow the project "I think that the key here is to ensure that we aren't building housing for the sake of [more] housing," Mack said I think that we need to strive to deliver a thoughtful development for a livable community." a project opponent who collected 535 names on a petition against the building "They [council] are not listening to our concerns," Robertson told the Langley Advance Times Robertson said if the project had been designed under the official community plan it would have been limited to "three stories max," and residents would have been okay with it "It's the wrong location for that size of a building," Robertson said Birgit Engen said with the exception of councillor Mack council did not listen to residents' concerns Engen described her reaction as "totally disgusted." Gil Nicholls called the vote "the beginning of the end of the Brookswood area as we know it." "The traffic will be insane regardless of what they say," Nicholls predicted "Expect more similar buildings south through Brookswood after this." — Famed stunt pilot Rob Holland was killed when his MX Aircraft MXS plane crashed on approach at Langley Air Force Base Thursday morning Holland's official Facebook page confirmed The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says they are "investigating the crash of an experimental MX Aircraft MXS." Based on initial gatherings the plane crashed while "on approach" to Langley Air Force Base Altman gives update on fatal crash of Rob Holland's plane This crash happened days before the biennial Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show Holland had recently performed at the 2023 Air Power show and is a frequent sight at air show events Officials said Thursday evening they expect to continue on with the air show officials with Joint Base Langley-Eustis said they were canceling a media availability scheduled for Thursday afternoon with U.S Air Force Thunderbirds pilots "due to unforeseen circumstances." The base confirmed the fatal crash at 11:39 a.m. Using FlightAware data and information from the air show's schedule indicating only one aircraft of that type slated to appear internet sleuths put together the tragedy before media outlets like us could comfortably confirm “Today we lost a friend of our Air Force family,” said Col I want to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of this incredible aviator.” An NTSB investigator is expecting to arrive Friday at Langley to begin looking into the cause of the crash Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Langley Thunder extended their winning streak to to three Saturday with a 6-5 win on the road at Juan de Fuca Arena over the host Victoria Junior Tier 1 Shamrocks Jackson Hastings blocked 53 of 58 shots to lead the Langley Junior Tier 1 team to their third-consecutive victory in five days With the score tied at five just past the midway point of the third period Cashton Hemsworth tallied what turned out to be game-winning goal Owen Van Ryn and Mason Eastgate each had a goal in the victory with Eastgate adding a pair of assists for a three-point game while Jameson Reed set up four goals Special teams were a big factor with Langley scoring twice on both the power play and penalty kill while Victoria struck for three of their five goals with the man advantage Jordan Alexander and Landon Lockwood both had two-goal games and Ronin London had a goal and three helpers for the J1 Shamrocks April 30, saw Thunder beat the Roadrunners 17-9 at Richmond’s Minoru Arena Richmond opened the scoring less than two minutes into Wednesday’s contest But the Roadrunners lead was short-lived as Langley closed the period on a 6-0 run Richmond did manage to get within four goals before the T1 Thunder tallied four straight to close out the 17-9 victory The offence was led by Jacob Glass’ five goals with Brayden Longacre Ryan Sheldrake and Mason Eastgate each scoring twice and adding three assists Jameson Reed and Connyr Welch also joined the five-point club with a goal and four helpers apiece Jackson Moleski and Cole O’Callaghan completed the scoring with Marcus Khan finishing with 29 saves on 38 shots Thunder began their season with an 11-4 victory over Burnaby Junior Lakers on Tuesday,  April 29 Seven different players found the back of the net with Connyr Welch finishing with a hat trick while Mason Eastgate (2-2) and Ryan Sheldrake (1-3) each had four-point efforts we played 25 to 30 minutes of full lacrosse but we want to be that team that plays a full 60,” said Langley coach Connar Abrams The J1 Thunder’s next home game is at Langley Events Centre on May 11 at 2 p.m About the Author: Langley Advance Times Staff Send us your photo showing how you view this community and it could be featured in a future edition Please email editor@langleyadvancetimes.com and include the photographer’s full name and tell us where the photo was taken SHARE: Breathtaking morning in Bedford SHARE: Treasures found at end of rainbow – in Fort Langley SHARE: Close enough to count feathers SHARE: Double the trouble for leprechauns SHARE: Spring blooms in the Grove _________________________________ Do you have a picture you’d like to contribute Email: news@langleyadvancetimes.com Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter VancouverNewsMulti-vehicle crash involving truck closes roads in Langley, B.C. By Mina Kerr-LazenbyPublished: April 30, 2025 at 12:02PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account The Conservative party retained its hold on Langley on Monday night winning both Langley Township-Fraser Heights and Cloverdale-Langley City Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentLangley Township-Fraser Heights incumbent Tako Van Popta secured victory early in the night Van Popta had 32,025 votes to Aldag’s 26,292 votes who in 2024 abandoned his federal Liberal seat of Cloverdale-Langley City to run as a B.C where he was defeated by the provincial Conservative candidate Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Van Popta said he was proud to be heading back to Ottawa He said his riding boundary had changed and that he had lost voters in South Surrey who had traditionally supported him “We are looking at a Liberal minority government but with not the same numbers of support from the NDP as before It will be a weak minority government,” he said adding the minority government will likely not last longer than two years The race was tighter in Cloverdale-Langley City where Conservative incumbent Tamara Jansen led from the start of counting Jansen was ahead with 22,942 votes (48 per cent) to Liberal Kyle Latchford’s 22,019 (46.1 per cent) dcarrigg@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Langley Township—Fraser Heights 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 192 of 193 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 192 of 193 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Langley Township—Fraser Heights Van Popta has 32,025 of 62,205 votes (51.48%) is in second place with 26,292 votes (42.27%) and Holly Isaac Van Popta has represented the riding since 2019 Langley Township—Fraser Heights used to be named Langley—Aldergrove The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 31,154 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A barn on Langley's Sprinbrook Road was gutted by fire on the morning of Thursday Langley Township firefighters responded to the blaze around 9 a.m Flames were shooting through the roof of the single-storey structure which forms the part of Highway 10 between Glover Road and 232 Street The fire was just one day after a multi-vehicle crash during the morning commute caused much of Springbrook to be shut down for several hours but police reported that one person was suspected of impaired driving Cloverdale—Langley City 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 185 of 185 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 185 of 185 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Cloverdale—Langley City Jansen has 25,607 of 53,588 votes (47.78%) is in second place with 24,838 votes (46.35%) and Vanessa Sharma Jansen represented the riding from 2019 to 2021 and then since 2024 23,965 voters cast ballots at advance polls A bridge over Coglan Creek in rural Langley Township has been closed until further notice after an inspection in late April identified issues is just north of the 248 Street highway overpass which provides a link for rural residents travelling across the highway erosion has undermined the structure over time and it will cost an estimated $2 million to replace and then the issue occurred," Woodward said. "It is being assessed for an interim solution Township staff are working on a temporary fix that could see the bridge open again by September but a full replacement might take up to two years to arrange The Township is asking drivers to detour around the closed bridge by either heading east to 264 Street or west to 232 Street and using either 56 Avenue in the south or 72 Avenue in the north to get back to the 248 Street area Local residents will still have access to their properties but will have to detour to the north or south depending on which side of the bridge they need to access 248 Street provides access to a number of popular destinations in the area with the Thunderbird Show Park equestrian site and Macinnes Farms The road is also part of the route for the June 8 Valley GranFondo which starts and finishes in nearby Fort Langley the Township council heard a report about culvert inspections and approved up to $13.9 million to repair or replace a number of key culverts that had serious issues The Township has been engaged in an ongoing project of inspecting the approximately 8,090 culverts across the community rural bridges through ravines and over creeks Woodward said that this situation was similar to that with culverts – there are 42 bridges in the Township with an estimated total cost of $45 million and receive top headlines in you inbox Monday to Saturday Mayors of both Langley City and Township were pleased with the unanimous vote by the TransLink Mayors' Council to move forward with a new financial plan that expands local bus service The 2027 Investment Plan covers funding for the next three years and includes an increase in property taxes that will amount to about $20 a year on average plus a 14-cent fare increase and a higher tax on pay parking lot operators It adds a significant number of bus routes in Langley including a long-awaited direct route from Langley City to the Gloucester Industrial Estates in north Aldergrove Local politicians and employers have been lobbying for such a link for many years The plan also contains funding for planning and design work for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line proposed to run down 200 Street in Langley City and Township connecting across the Golden Ears Bridge to Maple Ridge It also adds a direct bus link to Campbell Valley Regional Park in Langley during the summer months upgrades the 388 which runs west from Carvolth Exchange down 88 Avenue into Surrey to an all-day route and upgrades service levels on half a dozen other local bus routes Township Mayor Eric Woodward noted that the plan was adopted unanimously by the Mayors' Council It provides more stable funding for the next few years but doesn't fully address TransLink's structural deficit "The province will have to implement a new revenue source in 2027," Woodward said including with the route to Gloucester and the BRT planning "The detailed design and preparations for capital funding for Bus Rapid Transit for 200 Street has been funded for up to three years needed with the opening of Surrey-Langley SkyTrain in 2030," Woodward said. "And further there will be millions in additional funding for major roads and active transportation and other upgrade projects." City Mayor Nathan Pachal said he was also pleased with the work of the Mayors' Council noting it goes about 50 per cent of the way towards resolving the transit agency's financial issues He too was pleased with the link to Gloucester as he notes it increases job opportunities for City residents With a large amount of the planned service increases coming to the fast-growing South of the Fraser – Delta and Langley – it's a step towards reliable transit service that people can count on and it's good for Metro Vancouver," Pachal said Abbotsford—South Langley 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 215 of 215 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 215 of 215 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to win in Abbotsford—South Langley is in second place with 18,963 votes (33.88%) and Mike de Jong Fast was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 Abbotsford—South Langley used to be named Abbotsford 21,975 voters cast ballots at advance polls Langley RCMP closed off a major connector road in Langley on the Wednesday April 30 after a multi-vehicle crash during the morning rush hour "Our officers are currently on the scene working with other first responders to assess the scene," said Sgt "We can confirm that a commercial truck and at least two other vehicles are involved in this collision." Sharoom said that RCMP had taken one man into custody and impaired driving was a suspected factor in the incident Sharoom said there were no injuries reported A witness said multiple cars were in the ditch a tow truck was removing a four-door sedan with front end damage had also appeared to suffer rear-end damage Accident investigators have closed Hwy. 10 near 232 in Langley pic.twitter.com/Jf79zBi9UF RCMP shut down multiple nearby intersections to allow emergency vehicles to get to the scene faster: drivers were being asked to take alternate routes The closure was causing backups on busy Glover Road Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters The mayors of North Cowichan and Nanaimo are urging the province to increase the amount of timber that can be harvested annually in the province In a letter to Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas and Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog said that despite its recent struggles the forest industry continues to be a major part of the local economies of both municipalities providing high-paying jobs while contributing millions of dollars in taxes every year that help pay for municipal services and build critical infrastructure the Domtar pulp mill in Crofton and the Western Forest Products sawmills and remanufacturing plant in Cowichan Bay and Chemainus employ 655 workers and contribute $7.7 million per year in property taxes while Nanaimo’s Harmac Pacific mill has 350 employees and contributed more than $2.3 million in property taxes in 2024 But they said that in the face of softwood lumber duties and the declining annual-allowable cut in the amount of timber that is permitted to be harvested in B.C. they are increasingly concerned about these companies' ability to continue operating The mayors point out that while softwood-lumber duties and tariffs are beyond Parmar’s ability to control setting the annual allowable harvest is a responsibility of his ministry They said the province’s budget for 2025 projects that only 30 million cubic metres of timber will be allowed to be harvested on Crown land this year further declining to 29 million cubic metres by 2027 while more than 60 million cubic metres were allowed to be harvested in 2024 Douglas said the effects of the fibre shortage are already being felt in North Cowichan where Western Forests Products has announced a two-week shutdown in March and April due to a lack of timber “Your mandate letter from Premier David Eby includes as a priority to ‘work with all partners toward ensuring a sustainable land base to enable harvest of 45-million cubic metres per year while fulfilling our commitment to protect old growth’,” the mayors said to Parmar “We want the government to commit to the promised allowable cut of 45 million cubic metres for 2025 and maintain these levels for future years We anticipate a continued decline in volume harvested compounded with softwood lumber duties and U.S will potentially devastate the forest industry and result in the closure of more mills meaning communities like ours will lose family-supporting jobs and major taxpayers exacerbating the already high cost of living that our residents are facing.” The mayors also said they want to see the province’s permit and regulatory processes for timber harvesting streamlined “Your government has made commitments to fast-track approvals for the housing and mining sectors and we would like to see a similar approach to timber harvesting with metrics to allow the government and industry to measure success,” they said to Parmar “The backlog of cutting permits and the performance of BC Timber Sales are major concerns These issues reduce the overall wood availability for sawmills and impact the supply of residual chips which are vital for the operations of our pulp and paper mills Prompt resolution of these issues is critical for maintaining a steady log flow.” Langley's Noel Booth Elementary will have a new accessible playground in the future after the province announced $200,000 in funding in April The Langley School District is one of 25 around B.C which was included in the 2025 provincial budget “We are thrilled to receive this support from the province to build a new playground," said Noel Booth principal Jason Malo "We look forward to talking to students and staff working with them to get ideas on elements that make an outdoor play space that everyone can access,” said principal and modern roundabout structures are very popular with students "It will be good for us to consult with the students as they are the experts," Malo said manager of facilities for the Langley School District which features swings and some monkey bars on a sand/gravel playground “The school will work with the District to come up with a list of needs with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity we will begin the process to find a company to design the new playground,” explained Cervantes Playground upgrades have been going on around the province since 2018 with more than $45 million allocated to new playgrounds at more than 300 schools school district has received at least one new playground since the program began The playground funding is a part of more than $6 billion approved for school capital projects Several schools are under construction or have been announced in Langley along with projects to expand local elementary schools such as Nicomekl Elementary School with modular additions A candlelight vigil is being organized in Langley for the victims of the vehicle attack at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu Festival with the gathering to take place in Douglas Park Spirit Square this weekend A Facebook post by Langley City's Rosemary Wallace said the vigil will take place on Sunday The Spirit Square is located at 20550 Douglas Cres When a man drove an SUV into crowds at the Filipino street festival on Saturday he killed 11 people and injured dozens more Those killed ranged in age from five to 65 A seven-year-old missing Chilliwack girl has been found alive after she went missing from Winona Road in the Chilliwack River Valley the previous day around 4 p.m she's in good health as far as we can tell."  Chilliwack RCMP had just wrapped up a press conference when media were called back to the detachment for the good news Bowerman said that Lily had wandered "quite a distance" from her home but was in good enough shape to walk out on foot with the search-and-rescue team in place.  "I really want to the opportunity to thank the citizens of Chilliwack that assisted in this search," he said Bowerman had explained the lengths that rescuers had already gone to in order to find the young girl She had chased some neighbour's dogs into the woods beside her home on Thursday (May 1) at about 4 p.m A massive search was launched immediately by neighbours in the closely knit rural area People in Chilliwack gathered Thursday evening to help in the search for a missing seven-year-old girl and she still hadn't been found by Friday at noon.  Chilliwack RCMP put a call out at 10 p.m Thursday night, asking for the public's help to find Lily Coursol Chilliwack Search and Rescue is on scene with a command unit and crews from around the Fraser Valley were out until about 5 a.m. They are conducting a full search on the ground According to a Chilliwack RCMP news release crews are using “all technological resources available” to find Coursol.  They are urging those who want to help to stay away from the area and let the search and rescue teams do their work Initially there were about 20 neighbours searching for the girl into the night and a call was put out for more searchers to arrive Friday morning.  officials decided to stick with trained search crews and those who arrived were turned away. A police checkpoint is in place along Sleese Road.  "We understand the public’s concern and wanting to help; however the search consists of difficult terrain and is a heavily wooded area Untrained personnel in the area will make search efforts more difficult and put others at unnecessary risk," Chilliwack RCMP said.  Police say the child apparently followed her neighbour's dogs into a wooded area but did not return with them An air and ground search are currently underway She was last seen wearing all pink clothing.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lily Coursol is urged to contact their local police, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) Conservative candidate Tamara Jansen has finished first in the riding of Cloverdale Langley City Jansen won by 769 ballots as she took 25,607 votes (47.8 per cent of the vote) The Liberals' Kyle Latchford finished second with 24,838 (46.3 per cent) The NDP's Vanessa Sharma finished third with 4.4 per cent of the vote (2,350 votes) The Greens' Kevin Wilkie finished fourth with 0.9 per cent (498 votes) And the PPC’s Jim McMurtry is fifth with 0.6 per cent (295 votes) Elections Canada reported voter turnout in the riding was at 64.66 per cent as 53,588 of 82,873 registered electors cast ballots Those numbers do not include electors who registered on election day Jansen could not be reached for comment by press time she held a private watch party for supporters and volunteers at her riding office in Langley Latchford chose not to comment on election night as all polls had not been counted Latchford shared an election night reception the former Cloverdale-Langley City MP, ran in the riding of Langley Township-Fraser Heights and is trailing Tako Van Popta by more than 5,700 votes with 192 of 193 polls reporting he's very thankful for those who supported him on his campaign and for the many volunteers who helped out.  "It was incredibly humbling to see that support," he said NDP candidate Sharma said she was grateful to the voters who cast ballots for her and said this is the time the “real fight” starts who feel like their voice isn't going to be represented maybe the way that they had hoped,” Sharma said the drive—everything in between—it doesn't stop You keep going until real change happens.” she hoped anyone who wasn’t happy with them would continue to advocate for change Because if our voice isn't going to represented at the table then we'll make our own table and make sure our voices are heard." president Donald Trump played a big role at the ballot box in that his policies cast a pall over the Canadian election "I think a lot of people voted out of fear just with everything that's going on with Trump and the tariffs," she noted "I think a lot of folks got into strategic voting and we saw the result of that fo that (in this election) was most surprised by how little votes some of the smaller parties received “It was sad to see them not do well,” he said “There isn’t a diversity of voices represented I think that’s a bit of a worry for Canada." He said Canada won’t benefit if politics turn into a two-party system like there is in the U.S “The NDP really sliding into oblivion and the Green Party with only one seat—and with only one per cent of the national vote,” McMurtry added “And the PPC isn’t much different from the Green Party in the percentage of the national vote.” He said the smaller parties have a role to play because there are a lot of issues both the Liberals and the Conservatives never want to talk about but they are important to Canadians," he added The electoral district of Cloverdale-Langley City is about 60 per cent Cloverdale The riding is about 60 square kilometres in size with a population of more than 117,000 Elections Canada had 82,873 electors on their list as of April 27 Hundreds turned out as the Langley Walk marked it's 63rd year with a Star-Wars themed amble through Aldergrove Athletic Park on Sunday with a #MayTheFourthBeWithYOU theme inspired by the May 4 date Organizers were encouraging participants to dress as their favourite Star Wars character or wear a Star Wars shirt and watch for themed surprises along the 5-km An estimated 500 took part in the annual Langley Walk held Sunday in Aldergrove pic.twitter.com/gXBgoEXqJY Langley City residents Doug and Donna Worrall were walking to honour the memory of their neighbour “He faithfully walked five miles a day at 75 years old," Doug said It was only Doug’s second time participating in the walk I was a volunteer here about 30 years ago.” Township Mayor Eric Woodward described it as a “fabulous long-term tradition that's been going on for so many years a great partnership between the Township of Langley and the City of Langley that we all cherish and enjoy so much." Langley City Councillor Paul Albrecht would like to see the walks continue “for as long as we possibly can.” “We've got a lot of people [taking part] that have been to each and every one of the walks,” Albrecht noted.  “Their vests show that they've got the badges to prove it Also in attendance were City councillors Rosemary Wallace and Delaney Mack Barb Martens and Tim Baillie along with Langley school trustees Sarb Rai and Tony Ward the Township of Langley’s first recreation director the annual event was originally designed to inspire residents to stay active by sending them along a 28-kilometre route from Aldergrove Park to City Park via River Road and Fort Langley This year’s less demanding five-kilometre walk started with a warm up at 12:30 p.m a big improvement on last year's rain-drenched walk A former Abbotsford MMA fighter and promoter has pleaded guilty to a criminal charge linked to an incident in which he drove into the front of an Aldergrove RCMP building with a woman hanging partly out of his car The guilty plea is related to a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm Gill was also facing charges of aggravated assault and two counts of failure to stop Those charges are expected to be stayed at sentencing A former competitor in mixed martial arts bouts who runs an Abbotsford MMA studio Gill was also known for promoting MMA events in communities including Langley Richmond and Burnaby over the decade prior to the incident The charges relate to a crash that took place in the parking lot of the Aldergrove community police office just before 8:30 p.m when video surveillance captured footage of a car turning off Fraser Highway with the driver's-side door open and a pair of legs trailing outside and then slammed into the front of the building The vehicle had also allegedly been involved in a crash with another car just before that Langley RCMP officers arrived to find bystanders trying to help a woman who had been inside the car The driver had left the crash scene on foot but he was located and arrested a short time later is scheduled to be back in Surrey provincial court on May 29 for sentencing The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has taken over a local fire investigation after a body was found in a Langley City building during an early morning blaze on Good Friday and the matter was deemed a homicide City fire department was called to 20596 56 Ave An upstairs apartment in the two-storey building was the scene of a fire IHIT announced the victim was 47-year-old Tyler Smith "IHIT continues to work in partnership with the Langley RCMP the Integrated Forensic Identification Service (IFIS) and the BC Coroners Service to advance this investigation which has since been confirmed as homicide,” said IHIT Sgt Investigators believe this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing risk to the public “We are hoping that anyone with information about Mr Smith will come forward to speak to IHIT,” Fong said “We are particularly interested in anyone who may have been in contact with Mr Smith the recent days leading up to his death.” Anyone with information regarding this investigation or dash cam footage from the aera is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Police are interested in the time from about 10 p.m “Right now the priorities are talking to all of the witnesses in the area,” she said Fire chief Ken Sim said crews were able to knock down the blaze quickly impacting a second upstairs apartment unit investigators were completing priority tasks that included canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses and video surveillance The impacts of the fire have affected the residents as well as the ground-level businesses Tammy’s Hair Design owner Tammy Brighton watched from the parking lot as Langley City Fire Rescue members mopped up a Friday morning fire at the downtown building that has housed her hair studio for 11 years “I had a client who was going to the gym in the morning ‘I don’t know if you know about the fire at your shop’,” Brighton told the Langley Advance Times she’s waiting to find out the extent of damage to her main floor business – likely smoke and water she predicted – as she can't afford closing up until the building is repaired “I’m hoping I can keep the business,” Brighton said Early voting will run for four days across the Easter weekend in Langley and across the country for the federal election For those who want to vote before the Monday with high percentages of local voters casting their ballots during advance polls in recent years Voters have to cast a ballot at an assigned polling station They can find the address for their assigned station on the back of the voter information card they should have received in the mail, or by visiting elections.ca and entering their postal code They can also call 1-800-463-6868 for help Voters will have to show ID to confirm their identity in most cases The simplest for most people will be a driver's license or other official ID issued by the Canadian government with the voter's picture and at least one of which must have their current address People who don't have ID can declare their identity in writing and have someone who knows them who is assigned to the same polling station Voters can also cast a ballot by mail, but they have to apply online at elections.ca by 6 p.m Ballots can also be cast at any Elections Canada office until 6 p.m Incumbent Conservative MP Tako Van Popta has won Langley Township-Fraser Heights With 191 of 193 polls reporting Monday night preliminary results show Van Popta had 32,025 votes or 51.5 per cent with Liberal John Aldag second with 26,292 or 42.3 per cent NDP candidate Holly Isaac was third with 2,474 or 4.0 per cent Van Popta told cheering supporters at his campaign office that the win was a "huge relief."  "Every day I prayed that the volunteers would have success," Van Popta told supporters. "Indeed but primarily for all the volunteers who have worked for me." Tako Van Popta has won re-election. pic.twitter.com/92uCfHL14I Much of the reconfigured riding was "new to us," Van Popta remarked "It was very sad with the redistribution of the riding to lose Brookswood and Aldergrove, but I'm very happy to have kept Fraser Heights," Van Popta said.  and national results came in at the Van Popta campaign headquarters through the evening there were groans at Liberal gains and cheers at Conservative wins Van Popta said the party was affected by "a lot of events completely outside of our control Certainly outside of our control here locally like what's happening in the United States Or Trudeau resigning and Carney coming in and "adopting a number of conservative policies," Van Popta added "A lot of Canadians are giving Carney credit for adopting conservative policies that we were going to be running." the result of a "collapse" in NDP support.  which recorded one of the largest advance turnouts in the province during early voting Three other candidates won one per cent or less of the vote each: Green Party's Debora Soutar People's Party of Canada candidate Sepehr Haghighat In the last election in 2021 in what was then the Langley-Aldergrove riding the final count gave Van Popta 28,643 votes out of 62,635 ballots cast or 45.7 per cent of the vote while second-place Liberal Kim Richter had 16,565 votes or 26.4 per cent and third-place NDP candidate Micahel Chang had 12,288 votes or 19.6 per cent.  who served as Cloverdale-Langley City MP from 2015 – 2019 and 2021 – 2024 took over as the Liberal candidate in Langley Township-Fraser Heights just weeks after he went through major heart surgery a first vice president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards don’t take place until Thursday but Ella Langley‘s already picked up her second award Reba McEntire delivered the news that “you look like you love me” won the trophy for visual media of the year as Riley Green brought Ella out during his headlining set at Country Thunder in Tampa Miranda Lambert surprised Ella with the news she’d been named new female artist of the year Riley won the ACM new male trophy back in 2020 “you look like you love” is in the running for single Ella was also this year’s most-nominated artist Need help accessing the FCC Public File due to a disability Please contact Justin Jerve at publicfilemn@hubbardradio.com or (218) 828-1244 This web site is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area We're working closely with the Surrey Langley SkyTrain Project team to accommodate the extension of SkyTrain into Langley by making modifications to some of our existing power lines and structures along Fraser Highway between 140 Street and 203 Street This project will ensure that the lines continue to provide safe and reliable power to residents and businesses in the Lower Mainland and allow for the safe construction of the SkyTrain around the power lines We're working with the SkyTrain Project team to prepare for the SkyTrain extension into Langley by adjusting some of our existing power lines and structures along Fraser Highway between 140th Street and 203rd Street Our work will include vegetation clearing and relocating our poles and power lines to align with the SkyTrain extension distribution power lines and poles will move from the north side of Fraser Highway to the south side This work will ensure our infrastructure continues to provide safe and reliable power to residents and businesses and allow for the safe construction of the SkyTrain around the existing power lines We'll work on our existing power lines and structures along Fraser Highway between 140th Street and 203rd Street Select the project map [PDF, 3.0 MB] to view it at a larger size. Construction of distribution relocation work will take place along the following locations: Target completion for our work: Late Spring 2025. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us: Receive project updates and information about the Surrey Langley SkyTrain Project. Get the latest news and tips from BC Hydro directly to your inbox. government wants to seize a Langley property where an illicit drug lab exploded in February We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe director of civil forfeiture filed a lawsuit on April 16 alleging that Hung Manh Tran and his wife to operate a cannabis-processing lab without a licence or any authorization caught on fire and collapsed,” the statement of claim said Hung Tran and Bryan Tran “exited the residence wearing aprons over their clothes and were transported to hospital with severe burns.” When Langley RCMP searched the property the same day officers found Lam’s remains as well cannabis propane tanks and cannabis packaging materials “The property is located in a densely populated residential neighbourhood with two daycare centres in close proximity,” the court document noted “Multiple residences in the area were evacuated and several residences immediately adjacent to the property sustained extensive damage.” The government agency alleges the property purchased by Hung Tran and Lam in June 2023 “is proceeds and an instrument of unlawful activity.” The list of alleged crimes includes possession for the purpose of distributing and selling cannabis contrary to the Cannabis Act The two owners have earlier convictions dating to 2004 for production of cannabis and possession for the purpose of trafficking Hung Tran got a year-long jail term while Lam received a conditional sentence was purchased by the couple for $1,375,000 No statement of defence has yet been filed “The crop had a market value of between $315,000 and $504,000 It was grown in dangerous circumstances in the crawl space of a house Removal of the operation caused about $30,000 worth of damage to the rented premises,” Justice Deborah Satanove said She noted that Lam’s young child was put at risk by living in the grow-op house although she admits to being involved in drug dealing as a teenager She insists she stopped the activity once she was caught and although she was aware of the current grow operation in her home she was not involved in maintaining or selling it,” Satanove said in handing the young mother a conditional sentence But she said Hung Tran’s history at the time warranted a jail term “I am concerned that there is a danger of reoffending if Mr Tran is not meted out a harsh punishment at this stage I recognize that he is the breadwinner for this family but for the sake of deterrence and denunciation he must be incarcerated,” she said kbolan@postmedia.com Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kimbolan.bsky.social Abbotsford News reporter Vikki Hopes is at the camp of Mike de Jong on Election Night (April 28) where the independent candidate and supporters are watching results come in at Gian's Banquet Hall in Abbotsford Watch this story for live updates through the evening conceding his loss and saying he is disappointed in the results and the people are always right." Results as of 9:30 p.m Gillies with 8,891 and de Jong with 5,226.  150 polls reporting: Gill with 9,743 votes Gillies with 6,755 and de Jong with 4,041.  who was among the current and former politicians who endorsed de Jong We're told that de Jong will arrive in about 10 minutes and will address the crowd More than half the polls (120) are now reporting: Gill with 7,659 votes Gillies with 5,515 and de Jong with 3,332.  while Gillies trails with 2,892 and de Jong with 1,801 who works on his family's blueberry farm in Langley was criticized heavily during the campaign for not participating in candidate debates not doing media interviews and deleting his social media accounts followed by Gillies with 1,043 and de Jong with 724 Also in the running are Melissa Snazell with the Green Party Dharmasena Yakandawela with the NDP and Aeriol Alderking with the People's Party of Canada Early results show the Liberals' Kevin Gillies in the lead with 400 votes followed by Conservative Sukhman Gill with 330 and de Jong with 270.  A few more people have filtered in and are enjoying the buffet of Indian cuisine as they wait for voting results to start rolling in There's no word yet of when de Jong will arrive.  Media have started to gather at Gian's Banquet Hall This riding is a hot spot for news coverage with the former longtime MLA – he served 30 years under BC United (formerly the Liberals) – having stepped away from provincial politics a year ago in hopes of garnering the federal Conservative nomination After the federal Conservatives denied his nomination application just days before the vote de Jong chose to run as an independent.  Keep watching abbynews.com for news on the other candidates in Abbotsford-South Langley as well as in the riding of Mission-Matsqui Abbotsford Abbotsford voters backed blue on Monday night electing Conservative newcomer Sukhman Gill in Abbotsford-South Langley and Conservative incumbent Brad Vis in Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford But while the Conservative safe seats lived up to their reputation We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentSupport for the Liberal candidates in both ridings topped 30 per cent — the highest in a decade — while Mike de Jong who was running as an Independent in Abbotsford-South Langley gained a smaller amount of the vote than expected cabinet minister watched his political hopes go up in smoke — quite literally A fire at the Abbotsford banquet hall where de Jong’s supporters were gathered forced a small crowd into the rain at the end of the night The fire department was able to suppress the blaze as de Jong cracked jokes about the end of his campaign in the parking lot grassroots campaign,” where his supporters “looked beyond the brands.” a 25-year-old farmer who made headlines for refusing to participate in candidate debates De Jong was a distant third with 9,694 votes de Jong said he didn’t want to speculate on whether his defeat marked the end of a 30-year career in politics but admitted it might be time for him to “ride off into the sunset,” alluding to some of the canvassing he did on horseback during the campaign He congratulated Gill and urged him to speak up for the Fraser Valley in Ottawa “He was a candidate who chose not to engage at all with the voters and other candidates,” he said “He will need to stand up and represent the interests of Abbotsford-South Langley and that is not a role for someone to shrink from.” Liberal candidate Jeff Howe had 21,207 votes the husband of Green party co-leader Elizabeth May had 808 votes with one poll left to report “I will continue pushing for my community to receive the infrastructure funds the Liberal government promised and did not deliver “The Fraser Valley is the agricultural heartland of B.C and a key trade corridor for Canada — it can’t be ignored.” The Conservative incumbent said he’d work for policies that address the “affordability crunch” faced by Canadian families in his third term I will work to retain the trust of the voters in my riding who overwhelmingly voted in favour of my work and Conservative policies in this election.” gluymes@postmedia.com A change in how Langley Township bills property owners for their local taxes and utility services has caused some confusion The new bills are called Annual Flat Utility Fees Statement and the bill has a box that notes this is "New for 2025 – separate billing for utility fees and property taxes." along with most neighbouring municipalities has bundled its property tax bills with the utility fees for garbage pickup the Township council voted to separate those bills and it has the same due date as property taxes: July 2 Mayor Eric Woodward addressed the confusion and the reasoning behind the change in a recent Facebook post.  Woodward said that the change allows the Township to roll out its new voluntary water metering program almost all residential water users have paid the same flat fee for water much of which is based on the rate that Metro Vancouver charges this means they’re paying more than they should," Woodward wrote Having a water meter would allow low- to moderate-use water customers to cut the amount they pay while users who are above average would pay more with a meter The goal is to increase water conservation and reduce the amount the Township has to pay to purchase water from Metro Vancouver it’s clear now that there should have been a much better explanation," Woodward wrote. "It should have been sent at the same time as the property tax statement The new utility bill definitely caught many people off guard." and said communication should have been better The property tax bill has traditionally come bundled with a number of other fees some of which are not within the control of local municipalities Most residents in the Township pay for water Residents who get their water from a well don't pay water utility fees and some rural residents live outside the Township's collection zones for garbage Woodward noted that the fees for water and sewer are among the largest the municipality pays which drove up the water bill dramatically this year is the ongoing delays and massive cost overruns for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant which is now years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget Fees linked to sewer issues rose 28.69 per cent this year compared to a property tax increase of 4.5 per cent in the Township The Cloverdale Reporter reached out to all candidates running in the Cloverdale-Langley City federal election with a questionnaire allowing them to introduce themselves to voters Candidates were all given the same questions Questions are in bold followed by candidate answers in their own words I am an award-winning teacher in Cloverdale and grandfather of five little rambunctious boys Why should you be elected?  Voters have seen the doubling of home prices and the national debt during Trudeau’s reign as well as a steep rise in hospital wait-times and in the cost of groceries So for me the most important issue is economic management and the fiscally responsible use of taxpayer dollars to avoid the inflation and high interest rates that come from spiralling debt but his focus was on government bills that restricted online speech Trudeau’s government became world famous for its flirtations with radical woke policies which saw him repeatedly take a knee to voter blocks that he wished to appease he all but cancelled Canada Day to virtue signal He seemed more interested in international fame than in helping ordinary Canadians A vote for the People’s Party of Canada is a vote for something better Top 3 priority issues you would address if elected:  Life-long resident of Surrey and Langley City father and currently a senior advisor at Translink for the bus rapid transit project I’ve spent my entire career working directly with our community—whether in retail and management as a constituency manager to the former Member of Parliament I’ve made it a priority to listen to people I’ve built strong relationships with all levels of government and local businesses to help deliver real results—and I’ll bring that same commitment to serving the people of Cloverdale–Langley City I know firsthand what it takes to make ends meet I’ve felt the pressure of rising costs and uncertain times That experience drives me every day to fight for practical solutions that make life more affordable and more secure for everyone I’m committed to making Cloverdale–Langley City the best place in Canada to live and raise a family—and to delivering the kind of leadership that puts people first Top 3 priority issues you would address if elected: 3. Tackling crime and making our community safer and long-time Surrey resident bringing a fresh As a first-time father and first-time candidate I know what it means to want a better future—not just in theory I'm not a career politician or a polished soundbite—I’m a neighbour and someone who understands the frustration of rising costs Cloverdale and Langley City are growing quickly independent voice who can act as a swing vote and bring real leverage to our region People are tired of the same old promises and party lines and to fight for practical solutions that make a difference—on housing I want voters to know: I don’t just talk about the issues—I live them but I lived in Cloverdale-Langley City for four years.  I am the Equity Vice President at the Canadian Labour Congress and a passionate advocate for social justice The Liberals have delayed and disappointed people in Cloverdale-Langley City letting so many down who trusted them with their vote Families are working hard but struggling to keep up New Democrats have secured dental care and tax relief I am passionate about human rights and advocating for peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis I am committed to being a tireless advocate for families improving healthcare and mental health support It would be an honour to represent Cloverdale-Langley City working every day to make life better for everyone champions Canadian values—supporting families and vulnerable communities—while advocating in Parliament for economic strength and an unwavering commitment to this community I aim to be a strong voice in Ottawa—not for special interests but for the everyday Canadians who make our country strong The biggest issue in this election is fixing our weak economy after 10 years of Liberal mismanagement and home ownership is out of reach for many Our plan is to axe the tax on new homes to save $100,000 Pierre Poilievre’s Canada First energy corridor will create jobs Eliminating the capital gains tax on reinvestment and tearing down interprovincial trade barriers will drive growth 1. Making life affordable for Canadians 2. Fighting for Canada’s Sovereignty  The federal election is set for Monday April 28, with four days of advance polls running April 18 The Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce will host an all-candidates meeting April 16 at 5 Star Catering Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the event running from 6 to 7:30 p.m The riding is about 60 square kilometres in size with a population of more than 130,000 there were 88,348 people on the electors list Residents of a Langley City neighbourhood are up in arms about plans to build a 302-unit apartment building on land owned by a local church and the municipality would include 60 apartment units rented at below-market rates a daycare with space for about 50 infants to pre-school aged kids and 24 after school spaces The apartment building would be six storeys tall The site lies along 200 Street between 49 and 50 Avenues with the south end occupied by the current Church of the Nazarene building The surrounding neighbourhood is filled with single-family homes A number of the nearby residents have banded together to petition against the project and as of early April had collected 522 signatures traffic being one of the major ones," she said With traffic up 200 Street already busy and multiple traffic lights in a short stretch locals are worried about the impact of all the new residents Robertson also raised school overcrowding at the elementary "Six storeys is just way too big," said Robertson Locals living nearby are worried about loss of privacy from the taller structures The current maximum height for buildings in the area is three storeys and the City council will have to amend local zoning rules to allow the project to go forward Neighbour Birgit Engen noted that the community plan allows for townhouses The possibility of building housing on the site goes back two years district superintendent for the Canadian Pacific District of the Church of the Nazarene "We began having a conversation about it in 2023 and it was really borne out of a desire to be better stewards of the land we have there," McCann said He noted that the church has been on that site since the late 1960s The church itself is a relatively modest building which currently has a main congregation of about 70 people it occupied a decent-sized piece of property The church was looking into building non-profit housing at the same time that BC Builds was looking for partners for projects McCann said he understands concerns about issues such as traffic and noted that the church has hired traffic experts whose work will have to be signed off by the City He was concerned with misinformation about the project – among other issues there have been claims by neighbours that the daycare would be only for residents of the apartment building The new building will also have a space for the congregation to gather that space has re-imagined as more of a community hub According to a post by Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal on his blog the goal of BC Builds below-market housing projects is to create lower-cost rental housing for middle-income workers like teachers BC Builds projects have to make at least 20 per cent of their units available at 20 per cent below market rates Average rent in Langley as of late 2024 was $1,892 according to data collected by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation The City council is scheduled to have a public hearing on the proposal of Monday Both neighbours and McCann said they plan to speak The next chance after that for City council to debate and vote on the third reading of rezoning bylaws for the site would be Monday Sign up below for unlimited digital access for 30 days receive our daily news alerts & breaking news Surrey fire crews were busy Sunday morning battling a reported two-alarm blaze in a commercial structure Surrey firefighters responded to reports of a fire in the 13300-block of 71A Ave firefighters arrived to plumes of black smoke and flames showing from the rear of the single-storey business.  Peace Arch News has reached out to Surrey Fire Service The cause of the fire is under investigation Enjoying Reading The Langley Advance Times Enter your email to connect to 30 more days worth of stories by journalists living & working in the Langley area Thank you for supporting local journalism Independent Abbotsford-South Langley candidate Mike de Jong says his election loss is disappointing but he “takes heart” in the number of people who supported his run to become the riding’s next MP “It’s tough to break through brand politics; there’s no question about that,” he said in reference to the win of Conservative candidate Sukhman Gill De Jong was critical throughout the campaign of Gill’s absence at candidate debates refusal to do media interviews and deletion of his social media accounts “He was a candidate who chose not to engage at all with voters and with the other candidates or at least he should not have that luxury He will need to stand up and represent the interests of Abbotsford-South Langley and a new Parliament,” de Jong told reporters on Monday night (April 28) at Gian’s Banquet Hall in Abbotsford who served as the area’s MLA for 30 years under the Liberals/BC United announced in spring 2024 that he was taking a run at federal politics and hoped to garner the Conservative nomination But his application to seek the nomination was rejected by the federal Conservatives a 25-year-old blueberry farmer with no political experience Gill won the nomination against four others De Jong said Monday night (April 28) that he thought the voting results would be closer in Abbotsford-South Langley following by the Liberals’ Kevin Gillies with 11,171 and de Jong with 6,226 “I actually expected us to be here a little later (at election night headquarters) just based on the reactions we were getting and surveys and polling that was done it’s clear that the brand attachment to the Conservative Party is very strong here,” de Jong said de Jong said he respects the democratic process and the results reflect “the will of the people.” De Jong said he hopes Gill “rises to the challenge” of the issues facing the riding of the challenges we’re facing from south of the border,” he said and it doesn’t matter what any leader of any country says when the Nooksack River decides to flow north it’s going to flow north … We need to hope that our new representative in the new Parliament De Jong said he doesn’t think another political run will be in his future “It’s probably time to ride off into the sunset and do some other things,” he said Other results from Abbotsford-South Langley are: Dharmasena Yakandawela of the NDP with 1,452 votes Melissa Snazell of the Green Party with 406 votes and Aeriol Alderking with the People’s Party of Canada with 290 VancouverNews3 vacant homes burned in 3 hours in Langley, firefighters sayBy Ian HollidayPublished: April 01, 2025 at 12:56PM EDT Langley residents have several choices for MP in each of the three local ridings when the nation heads to the polls Monday The riding boundaries have changed since the last federal election Aldergrove is now part of the Abbotsford-South Langley riding while North Aldergrove and the Glen Valley area are now part of the new Langley Township-Fraser Heights riding The Cloverdale-Langley City riding is the only one of three Langley ridings that didn’t experience significant boundary changes Elections Canada redraws ridings to ensure an equitable number of people in each Here are the current candidates (in alphabetical order) and their party affiliations: People interested in running in this election had register with Elections Canada by Monday These are the people registered as of Monday The formal list of candidates will be announced April 9 (after press time) but there are opportunities before then to vote There are also opportunities to obtain special voting ballots which can be mailed in or taken to an Elections Canada polling station While people can register when they go to vote it streamlines the process to register in advance through the Elections Canada website People can vote at Elections Canada offices anytime they are open until April 22 The offices within Langley are at 20621 Logan Ave. Voter information cards are being sent to registered voters The cards show where and when a person can vote; the accessibility of the assigned polling station on election day and advance polling days; how to request voting assistance in advance including language and sign languages interpretation; and the address of the closest Elections Canada office where a person can vote by special ballot People must bring this card with them when they vote If the card does not arrive by Friday, April 11 people should go to the Elections Canada website or contact the nearest office by phone or in person before April 22 No One Else Covers Langley Like The Langley Advance Times Don’t miss out on reading the latest local provincial and national news. Join our community and receive daily news alerts & breaking news The fire grew to 80 hectares but BCWS is classifying the fire as being held meaning it is not expected to spread further.  Fraser-Fort George has rescinded the evacuation order and alert put in place due to the fire The regional district of Fraser Fort George issued an evacuation alert for properties north of Hixon.  The fire's behaviour has subsided since sunset last night and with windy conditions there is still risk Wildfire crews are continuing to battle the fire and protect infrastructure While BCWS says there is no risk to the highway at this time they are asking that those travelling on the highway do not stop to look at the fire The wildfire near Hixon is now estimated to be 70 hectares Friday evening Prince George Fire Centre lists the fire as out of control and says it measures 45 hectares and was human-caused.  newsElla Langley's ‘weren't for the wind’ Spends Second Week at No. 1 on UK Country Radio Airplay ChartBy Maxim Mower Ella Langley spends a second week at the pinnacle of the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart, with her stormy, infectious anthem, ‘weren't for the wind’ ‘weren't for the wind’ has amassed a tally of 784,430 impressions overcoming staunch competition from this week's runner-up ‘weren't for the wind’ serves as one of the many stand-outs from Langley's 2024 deluxe album with the undulating earworm marking the 2025 ACM New Female Artist of the Year's second UK Country Radio Airplay Chart No ‘You Look Like You Love Me‘ with Riley Green topped the ranking back in July 2024 Completing the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart Top Five is Megan Moroney's ‘Am I Okay?’ Eric Church's ‘Hands Of Time’ and Dasha's ‘Not At This Party’ at No You can find the full UK Country Radio Airplay Chart this week (April 25 - May 1) here. There's plenty to do on the Easter weekend around Langley Several local churches organize a unique event in Fort Langley on Good Friday A wooden cross is carried by a public procession through the village to various sites which symbolize the stations There are scripture readings and prayers offered at the various sites Join thousands of other like-minded readers and sign up below to gain immediate & unlimited access to our news for the next 30 days – plus start receiving our newsletters Sukhman Gill has the new job he's been working towards for two years "Two years ago is when I decided I wanted to run for this position," Gill told the Langley Advance Times The Langley Banquet Hall was packed with supporters who celebrated the win Monday talking to well-wishers but he's already thinking about what comes next "I'm getting up and I'm going to go for a prayer That's the first thing I'm doing in the morning," Gill said a 25-year-old who grew up on a Langley Township blueberry farm, said his first priority will be representing his constituency "I'm going to make sure that we open the doors and we hear the people out and we try to push the Conservative values to represent the Abbotsford-South Langley riding," he said Preliminary results show Gill receiving 17,937 votes or 43.4 per cent of the votes with Liberal Kevin Gillies at 13,641 votes who has sought the Conservative nomination but was not chosen received 7,310 votes or 17.7 per cent I want to say all the people that put their name for it on this ballot I want to say congratulations for getting this far and it's not easy," Gill "It's not easy putting your name on the ballot and representing your writing But this is what democracy is about, when you fight for what you think is right." Abbotsford-South Langley is a new riding that has been created in the most recent changes to federal electoral districts it covers most of Langley south of 40 Avenue and includes all of Aldergrove and Brookswood it includes a significant portion of the downtown area and runs east as far as Sumas Way The Liberal candidate isn't sure if he will continue in politics “It’s too early to give an accurate response,” he said “I just want to thank all those who supported me and I hope Sukhman Gill represents us well in Ottawa.” it was not possible to compare early voting data this year to last year on a riding-by-riding basis because electoral districts were redistributed since 2021 in response to rapid population change in the area. Langley is now divided between three ridings all of which also contain portions of other municipalities Abbotsford-South Langley saw 21,975 people cast ballots in advance polls. The preliminary data showed that nationally 7.3 million Canadians voted between April 18 and 21 over the Easter long weekend – a 25 per cent increase over the 5.8 million votes cast during the advance polling period in the 2021 election The redrawing of ridings also makes it hard to compare this election's results with the previous federal election in 2021 A man wanted for gun possession charges is being sought by the Langley RCMP Jason Carl Lindgren is facing charges of possession or a prohibited or restricted gun with ammunition and two counts of possession of a prohibited or restricted gun while banned from possessing firearms and is considered dangerous and should not be approached Anyone who sees him should call their local police department immediately Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 and quote file number 2024-7930