Sign In Register I went on my regular power walk on the Seawalk in West Vancouver Out of the corner of my eye I saw on my right a woman sitting on the bench with a beautiful cream and brown dog and people passing me on the left with another dog Suddenly the brown dog ran in front of my legs from right to left my feet got tangled in his leash and I fell on my face on the graveled concrete a nurse and two other people who helped me to get up and sat me on the bench I had a cut wound on the bridge of my nose from my glasses and my nose was bleeding The doctor squeezed my nose to stop the bleeding She gave me a prescription for an antibiotic with steroids to heal my wounds and prevent them from infection She also suggested that I take a tetanus shot I don’t have private health insurance I couldn’t sleep for a couple of days I missed my daughter’s final presentation of her graduation project that she worked on the entire year I wasn’t there to see it with the rest of the family We had booked a family Easter dinner for that Sunday in a restaurant celebrating my daughter’s birthday and her graduation Can you imagine going to the restaurant with a headache and a face like that My doctor told me that I was very lucky that my glasses didn’t poke my eyes and that I didn’t break any bones. I want the district to take under consideration revoking this policy before somebody falls and dies from a concussion. Before the change, dogs on the Seawalk were free to run on a long path behind the fence, and there’s also a large dog park in Ambleside. I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the four strangers who stopped to help me after my fall. Thank you to the young doctor, her friend, the nurse, and the mining engineer who walked me back to my car. A group of West Vancouver Secondary students are painting a mural at their school to fight back against climate change. Chase Madiuk, Brooke Fahey, and Lea McGillvray have been planning the mural since December. Featuring salmon, an orca, and the Lions Gate Bridge, the mural aims to capture the group’s message of “community against climate change.” Madiuk says the project is connected to their Environmental Science class. “We have full control to do whatever we want, we just need to do something that helps the environment in some way and do a project on it,” said Madiuk. “We had to go through a lot of teachers to even get permission to start planning the mural.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by WVSS Mural (@muralforchange) Madiuk says she chose the mural’s location and Fahey designed it Madiuk admits the group has faced hurtles in the project including painting over their initial sketch to prime the wall “Our art teacher came by and did a scratch test and it scratched off which is not supposed to happen,” said Madiuk “So he went back to the paint store…which was just a little unfortunate “Just getting to paint with my friends pretty much all day at school and you know our classes are slowing down we’re getting closer to graduating…it’s making school a little bit more enjoyable to be around which will be donated to World Wildlife Fund Canada Madiuk says she wants people to be more responsible for their actions in regards to climate change “Leaving people aware of what is happening to our world and how it’s not a future problem it’s a current problem and what we can all do to help.” Madiuk expects the mural will be finished by the end of the school year The federal council and the NDP caucus decided on the local MP The Surrey Police Service (SPS) is turning to the public for help Jendhel May Sico is described as a person who lived her life to the fullest she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin Killed in a car-ramming attack on Saturday she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin speaks to reporter Kier Junos about the day their lives changed forever Huge crowds lined the streets of Vancouver to cheer on 25,000 runners making their way around the city for the 53rd annual BMO Marathon on Sunday Andrew's Saturday in honour of the victims of the deadly Lapu-Lapu tragedy last week The accused person in the deadly car attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party in Vancouver on April 26th appeared at the provincial Court of British Columbia 30-year-old Kai Ji Adam Lo appeared via video in court Four people remain in critical condition in hospital and another two remain in serious condition five days after the deadly attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 26 Jack Rabb has more on the efforts to support the victims Listen to NewsRadio Vancouver live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Vancouver anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices The Kiwanis North Shore Housing Society (KNSHS) is proud to announce an exciting new below-market rental housing project currently under development in West Vancouver is a purpose-built community offering affordable rental suites designed to serve the unique needs of this area With 156 thoughtfully designed rental units across two six-storey wood-frame buildings Kiwanis Village West will provide much-needed affordable housing options for working individuals and families in the heart of West Vancouver Applications are currently being accepted for those who meet the eligibility criteria with move-ins expected to begin as early as December 2025 Offering a variety of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units at a discounted rate of 75% of market rent, Kiwanis Village West has been carefully planned to offer residents comfortable and affordable homes within a welcoming community quality appliances and thoughtful amenities this development is designed to meet the highest quality and sustainability standards While addressing significant rental housing needs these homes offer secure tenure for tenants looking to live work and contribute to the West Vancouver area “75% of those working in West Vancouver have to commute here across two bridges,” says Stefan Baune CEO of Kiwanis North Shore Housing Society “Offering housing in West Vancouver for hardworking individuals and families will help create a better balance in our community which has some of the highest rental costs in the country.” Features of the development include bright balconies and shared amenity areas designed to foster a sense of belonging The building is situated conveniently close to transit Kiwanis Village West helps local employers attract and retain staff by offering employees a realistic and stable housing option near their place of work The development will prioritize housing for first responders health care providers and other essential workers who play a vital role in maintaining community safety and well-being Being able to live close to where they work ensures these essential community members are supported in both their professional and personal lives “There’s a growing need to support essential workers in our community,” says Baune “With nearly half of West Vancouver residents over the age of 65 it’s essential that healthcare providers nurses and police officers can live in the community they serve we need to expand our housing portfolio to include more multipurpose and family-friendly housing options.” For over 75 years, KNSHS has provided non-market housing on Vancouver’s North Shore accessibility and community service has been recognized.  “Kiwanis North Shore Housing Society has a strong track record of creating safe affordable homes—a community where you can grow thrive and create lasting memories,” adds Baune “We want to extend our legacy into the future by focusing further on multipurpose and family housing.” If you or someone you know may be eligible and is seeking affordable housing in West Vancouver, apply for a suite at Kiwanis Village West. Visit kiwanisnorthshorehousing.org to learn more about the eligibility requirements suite features and the application process excitable boy who is looking for an active This beautiful boy loves attention and lets you know He can’t get enough of his toys or favourite treats he will need some training for commands and leash/harness behaviour but he is eager to please and leave a good impression will do best in a home where he is the centre of attention with no children or other animals – as well as patient parents who are willing to work through his anxious behaviours with him a very active but peaceful house is where he would thrive sweet guy who has stolen the hearts of shelter staff and will have you wondering “Where has he been all my life?” You can meet Orwell at BC SPCA West Vancouver during visiting hours Adoptable pet of the week features animals at BC SPCA West Vancouver in need of a forever home. Visit the SPCA website for more information on how to adopt Orwell A four-month Burnaby RCMP investigation led to two arrests and the seizure of kilograms of suspected fentanyl and cocaine at a West Vancouver residence last month Officers investigating a dial-a-dope operation executed a search warrant at the waterfront property on March 22 "A man and a woman were arrested at the residence," stated the release "Of particular concern for police was the presence of two children who were also living at the residence." "People involved in the distribution of these drugs are contributing to the staggering number of deaths over the past decade in this province," Burnaby RCMP Sgt You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 231 of 231 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 231 of 231 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 West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country Weiler has 38,361 of 64,175 votes (59.78%) is in second place with 21,124 votes (32.92%) and Lauren Greenlaw Weiler has represented the riding since 2019 in West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country 27,129 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 Incumbent Liberal MP Patrick Weiler held his seat in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding on election day, April 28, sticking to polling predictions from 338 Canada and making history as the first Liberal to be elected back-to-back-to-back in the riding. While the results initially flipped back and forth between blue and red, as time went on, Weiler pulled ahead of his main competitor, the Conservative Party's Keith Roy, and all other names on the ballot. Pique reached him by phone at his campaign headquarters in West Vancouver shortly after the results came in. “I'm over the moon about the results," Weiler said. "The trust and faith people in this riding have put in me is humbling and I couldn't be more excited to serve the riding." Weiler is the first-ever Liberal re-elected in the riding, and the first to be elected three times in a row. “The vibe was incredible, it was packed. Everybody is really happy with results in the riding and across the country. It was a touching moment to see family and friends here, and those who've become my friends and family,” Weiler said when asked how the evening went at his campaign headquarters. Nationally, Weiler's Liberals are projected to form a minority government, with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the helm, leading or elected in 167 ridings to the Conservative Party's 145, the Bloc Quebecois's 23, the NDP's seven and the Green Party's one. The national results were unexpected six months ago, a fact not lost on Weiler. “Six months ago everything looked very different but I never lost faith in our party," he said. "I knew we were the party with the best chances to deal with what we are in now. Mark Carney is the best leader and we have a plan. I knew this wasn't going to be easy. This riding is diverse, it's huge, but we put together an incredible group of people and you can see the results." His first steps for his third term are to focus on the issues that matter to voters here. And while not every ballot cast had his name checked, Weiler also took a moment to say he hears the issues that matter to all residents of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country. “Whether people voted for me or didn't, I'll be their member of Parliament and be their voice. I take to heart the issues other parties ran on and I will do everything in my power to represent them,” he said. “This is an incredible, humbling experience. I couldn't be more excited by it.” As of about 11 p.m. on election day, with 227 of 231 polls reporting, Weiler led Roy 33,269 to 19,031. The Green Party's Lauren Greenlaw was third with 2,019 votes, followed by the NDP's Jäger Rosenberg with 1,888, the PPC's Peyman Askari with 277, and the Rhino Party's Gordon Jeffrey with 89. Second place went to Conservative candidate, Keith Roy.  “I would like to congratulate Patrick Weiler on his victory and I would like to thank the over 20,000 people who put their trust in me and the Conservative Party,” he wrote over text. ​​Greenlaw congratulated Weiler but felt the election could have gone another way.  She added the short election campaign "completely benefits the large parties and the incumbents." She also pointed out that the environment and Indigenous rights did not have a focus in the campaign. "Last night, as I was driving home from the Earth Day Festival in Roberts Creek, which was so beautiful and amazing, I saw my first ever forest fire in our foothills. And that was the last day of this campaign, a campaign where nobody cared about climate change," Greenlaw said. She also said it became more clear to her during the campaign how much Canada needs electoral reform. "This election, like I said, was driven by fear and by hate," Greenlaw said. "You either fear the Conservatives, which I think is fair, or you hate the Liberals because they’ve lied, which I think is fair, and if we had electoral reform, we would potentially be able to feed these young parties and feed these small parties so that they have voices."  She pointed out that Weiler said in the Squamish debate that he would advocate for electoral reform, so that is her expectation. Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May was declared winner of her riding, Saanich–Gulf Islands, with 38.8 per cent of the vote as of about 10:45 p.m. "I was reading the polls this morning, and it's very vague how these polls are put together. But I was really worried that we wouldn't even have one seat ... because it was looking like we were all going to lose," she said. "It did not look good for Elizabeth May. So I'm very thankful [she kept her seat] because in this election, it's been completely dictated by people voting Conservative because they hate the liberals, and people voting Liberal because they're scared of Conservatives and the Greens are in there offering an alternative voice." Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault was, however, declared defeated in the Montreal riding of Outremont. Liberal cabinet minister Rachel Bendayan is projected to win that seat for the fourth time. As NDP leader Jagmeet Singh lost his seat in Burnaby Central, coming in third in his riding with 18 per cent of the vote and conceding not only the election but stepping down as party leader Monday night, Gibsons-raised Rosenberg says he was standing behind him.  “Our party's continuing on. We're really good at rebuilding and I think, sometimes you need to get punched a little bit to figure out your stuff,” said Rosenberg, talking from NDP headquarters in Burnaby. “And I think we're going to rebuild and build back stronger.” As of 10:40 p.m., the first-time federal candidate was in fourth place in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, with 3.3 per cent of the vote. Rosenberg called the result “definitely disappointing.” “It wasn't the result we were hoping for. But I mean, given situation of the race, I'm still quite happy with the campaign I ran. “I'm 18 years old. I know a lot of people kind of get caught up on that, but when I had the opportunity to connect with voters directly, I think there was a real like of what I was having to say. It's just with such a short campaign, we didn't really have time to connect with most voters, so they ended up voting for a Prime Minister instead of a local candidate.” Rosenberg congratulated Weiler. “He has a lot of work to do and he has some high expectations to serve, but I hope he does it,” said Rosenberg. “I know his heart’s in the right place, even if we don’t agree on everything. So I hope he does a good job as MP.” Rosenberg said he’s considering running for office in the future (even teasing a municipal run). “I'm not going anywhere either way. I'm going to keep being active, and I'm going to keep advocating for important issues like environment and mental health that really need strong advocates because they're so often under-covered.” Though the NDP, as results stand as of 10:40 p.m., has lost party status (which requires 12 seats in the House of Commons), its seven MPs stand to play a key role in a possible minority government. Asked what he’ll be looking for from his colleagues heading to Ottawa, Rosenberg said, electoral reform.  “We need to really have hardball when it comes to electoral reform, because the Liberals are never going to do it on their own,” said Rosenberg. “We've seen with this election how easy it can be to get stuck in a two-party system, and once that happens, democracy is doomed.  “We need to really push that forward, so all votes count equally, and so people aren't forced to vote out of fear, and they can vote for who they want.” Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver 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 content2540 Westhill Dr. West VancouverArticle contentType: Five-bedroom Listing agent: Phil LeGree PREC at Oakwyn Realty Buyers agent: Jonathan Yu PREC at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty The big sell: This mid-1980s home features breathtaking ocean and city views from its elevated position in West Vancouver’s Westhill district The two-level home has a reverse floor plan with the principal reception rooms on the upper floor alongside two of the five bedrooms all of which take advantage of the panoramic vistas The grand living/dining room has whitewashed wood-panelled ceilings while the well-appointed kitchen displays high-end appliances by Garland and Sub-Zero and the primary bedroom has been finished with a fireplace The lower level includes a capacious recreation/family room with a bar Outside highlights include a four-car garage plus additional parking and landscaped grounds with an entertainment-sized deck and patio Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? 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Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services Buyers agent: Patrick Weeks PREC and Devin Roch PREC at ReMax Select Properties The big sell: This large characterful three-level house sits on a 50-by-125-foot lot in the heart of Kitsilano It boasts substantial accommodation with a total of eight bedrooms and a bonus 860-square-foot unfinished attic accessible from the upper floor that could provide an additional living area the 105-year-old house is packed with original features with high ceilings The rear yard is mainly laid to grass and bordered by a high stone wall offers the potential for six or more units to be built or the buyer has other options such as adding a laneway house or restoring the home to its former glory Listing agent: Sarah Jian PREC at Pacific Evergreen Realty Buyers agent: Chris Tioseco PREC at Oakwyn Realty The big sell: The West Coast contemporary-style Veritas development was built by Polygon in 2017 providing airy overheight ceilings spa-inspired ensuite bathrooms with imported tile floors and modern kitchens with stainless-steel appliances Located in the award-winning community of UniverCity at Simon Fraser University the residents have access to the nearby University High Street with shops and services This particular suite has a corner position with south-facing views of the city Its open-concept interior has floor-to-ceiling windows The bedrooms are on opposite sides of the layout and a dedicated parking stall in the underground garage The home’s monthly maintenance fee is $621.87 and the strata permits pets and rentals with restrictions transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account VancouverNewsPolice say kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl seized in raid on West Vancouver homeBy Todd CoynePublished: April 15, 2025 at 12:11PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Patrick Weiler is projected to win the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country riding Elections Canada has reported 66 of 231 polls Liberal Patrick Weiler has 6,490 votes versus Conservatives' Keith Roy with 5,603 (51.1 per cent and 44.1 per cent has received 320 votes (2.5 per cent), the New Democrat Party’s Jäger Rosenberg has 227 (1.8 per cent) Peyman Askari sits at 54 ( 0.4 per cent) and Gordon Jeffrey representing 8.66 per cent of available votes Patrick Weiler now has 2,459 and Keith Roy has 1,800 The Squamish Chief is covering the Green Party of Canada's Lauren Greenlaw tonight While the results for this riding are still coming in regarding the Liberals already being declared elected as the ruling government tonight but it’s really frustrating to see how many people are trapped in these two-party mentalities," she said "They just can’t see any other potential future when there are other people trying to advocate for a better outcome," she added "I’m not surprised that the Liberals have won we knew it was a 77% chance they get a majority but I am really hoping that they don’t get a majority," she added one of her main takeaways was that there is "minimal difference between the Liberals and the Conservatives." "The Liberals say a lot of pretty things I don’t speak French.’ But it’s the same it’s the same system; it’s corporate interest and it’s taking from the have-nots and giving to the have’s." With 7 of 231 polls reported, it's neck and neck between the Conservatives and the Liberals in the riding. Elections Canada results are showing 445 votes for Conservative Keith Roy and 429 for Liberal Patrick Weiler Patrick Weiler currently sits at 261 votes and Keith Roy has 109 Lauren Greenlaw has 15, Jäger Rosenberg still has 2 votes and Peyman Askari has one.  The Squamish Chief is covering the Green Party of Canada's Lauren Greenlaw tonight. She is at her viewing party at The Backyard, with about 20 supporters, including her kids. There's food and a family vibe so far. 1 poll of 231 polls have reported, with Liberal Patrick Weiler getting 209 votes, Keith Roy at 44, Lauren Greenlaw with 9, Jäger Rosenberg with 2 votes. Polls across the country are now closed for the 2025 federal election, with the Liberals leading or elected in 139 ridings to the Conservatives' 108 as of about 7:20 p.m. CBC news is projecting a Liberal government, though it's not yet clear if it will be a minority or majority. Results for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country are yet to be posted. The six candidates for the riding are Keith Roy, Conservative Party candidate; the Green Party of Canada’s Lauren Greenlaw; People’s Party of Canada candidate Peyman Askari; incumbent Liberal MP Patrick Weiler; the New Democrat Party’s Jäger Rosenberg; and Gordon Jeffrey, Rhinoceros Party. Check back with Pique for results and reactions from local candidates. The Liberal incumbents in the two North Shore ridings made victory speeches Monday night with a large number of polls showing they had been re-elected We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle content“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Patrick Weiler projected-elected in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky In the neighbouring riding of North Vancouver-Capilano projected-elected incumbent Jonathan Wilkinson said: “This is a good day to be a Liberal Weiler had 37,468 votes compared with 20,726 for his Conservative rival Wilkinson had garnered 36,487 votes compared to 20,722 for his Conservative challenger with 218 of 219 polls counted Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox the two North Shore ridings have swung back and forth between electing Tories and Grits but have both been painted red since former prime minister Justin Trudeau swept into power in 2015 who has been federal environment minister and natural resources minister He noted that not long ago people wouldn’t have bet on the Liberals to form a fourth government although it appeared late Monday to be another minority He said Prime Minister-elect Mark Carney is “enormously capable” to lead Canada at this time of tariff and annexation threats from U.S “I think Canadians made the right decision this evening … This is the best country in the world and it’s worth defending,” Wilkinson said “The challenges we’ve had with President Trump have built a renewed sense of what it’s like to be a Canadian.” that are important to Canadians that the next government will need to address the riding see-sawed back and forth between electing Conservatives and Liberals since at least 1988 but he won by a much wider margin this time He attributed the win to a successful ground game in his large riding which stretches from urban West Vancouver to smaller communities up the Sea to Sky highway “I’m going to be the MP for everybody in this diverse riding whether people voted for me or not,” he said Monday night He identified key issues in his riding as affordable housing transportation challenges and fighting climate change He insisted he could be affective at addressing those He noted past Liberal minority governments have worked with other parties to get things done in Ottawa “I think we can find a dance partner if it is a minority,” he said Weiler’s 2021 victory was the third straight for the Grits in this riding lculbert@postmedia.com Two residents of West Vancouver have been displaced after a house fire that caused “extreme and extensive damage,” the fire department says Fire crews tell CityNews they responded to a report of a structure fire in a home along Marine Drive near Piccadilly North Friday evening The home’s residents were home when the blaze broke out and called 911 West Vancouver Fire and Rescue says the North Vancouver City Fire Department assisted and five engines and 25 firefighters in total were called out to attack the blaze Fire crews tell CityNews the displaced residents were given a hotel for several nights While many North Shore voters have their choices locked in for the fast-approaching federal election the Seniors’ Activity Centre in West Van was absolutely packed for an all-candidates meeting with party nominees for the West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country and North Vancouver–Capilano ridings Some attendees showed up to the meeting wearing their chosen party’s colours But most wore no evidence of political affiliation regardless of who was responding to a question There were some issues that drew more emotional responses than others such as how Canadian leadership handles the trade war promises of electoral reform and defunding the CBC Guests may have also noticed hired security guards wearing armoured vests at the meeting They were hired by the activity centre board after a conflict happened at the last all-candidates meeting last year during the provincial election But Tuesday’s event went off without any notable hitches Candidates were first each given five minutes to introduce themselves personally then another five minutes to explain their political platform and why they’re running In attendance from West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country was Patrick Weiler (Liberal) Peyman Askari (People’s Party) and Gordon Jeffrey (Rhinoceros Party) Andrew Robinson (Green Party) and Eshan Arjmand (People’s Party) Incumbents Weiler and Wilkinson presented the Liberal Party as best-positioned to lead the country in this time of economic uncertainty “We will never go back to the same place that we were before,” Wilkinson said how do we actually best build an economy and a country that can be more resilient moving forward.” One of Carney’s primary commitments to that end is to eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers to strengthen trade within Canada But instead of the Liberals being best poised to continue leading the nation Conservative candidates at the meeting said Canada has weakened since Justin Trudeau was first elected in 2015 “I think we are worse off than we were 10 years ago,” Roy said “We know that young people are finding it increasingly difficult to imagine sharing in the Canadian dream of owning a home and building their future here in Canada they’re looking outside our borders for pursuing their future,” he said “Seniors are also suffering the brunt of the cost of living and affordability crisis which I believe is largely fuelled by a lot of government overspending.” The NDP hopefuls focused on social programs and the need to put people first while emphasizing the initiatives their party has put across the line in Ottawa by putting pressure on the Liberals and Conservatives We’ve got to start building some affordable homes … and we also need to cap rents We need to stop grocery stores from gouging us “We also want to make sure that every single person has access to a family doctor Green Party candidates stressed that they’re not just a one-issue party and that wealth disparity is a priority as well as environment they pledged that incomes up to $40,000 wouldn’t be taxed “A large portion of the policies that are coming through our current governance structure are directed at increasing that wealth disparity,” Greenlaw said “They're taking money … and they're concentrating it to very few individuals they're concentrating the wealth in those groups and they're taking it from the individuals and the small businesses.” the People’s Party candidates also spoke to conservative values but with a more radical approach than the Conservative Party Askari advocated for withdrawing from all global conflicts Arjmand spoke out against so-called woke culture Rhinoceros’s Jeffrey relied on satire to express his distaste for how politicians have made life generally worse for citizens with most of his barbs aimed at the in-power Liberals During the following open question-and-answer period audience members waited for a chance to use a microphone and put queries directly to candidates Despite the advice of experts in recent years that Canada needs to diversify trade more away from the U.S. one attendee asked why the Liberals haven’t acted Wilkinson said his party has been diversifying trade we’ve actually signed agreements between 10 to 15 new countries around the world in many areas that are strategic moving forward “We’ve actually signed agreements with Europe for the purpose of joint investing and ultimately exporting those products The same thing is true in a whole range of other areas.” Another audience member said he was undecided about his choice and is tired of voting strategically He asked what each party would do to enact electoral reform Robinson said the Greens fully support proportional representation is absolutely essential in a democracy to be able to hold people to account Bentz said the NDP holding other parties to account is the closest Canadians are going to get to electoral reform right now “We have a minority government where they have to collaborate with us so we have to hold them there and make sure that they do what they said they were going to do,” she said Curran said that one of the first priorities in electoral reform is cracking down on foreign interference in elections “The lack of urgency and the lack of action by this government is really tragic,” he said Wilkinson responded by stating that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre supported recommendations by a federal commission set up to tackle foreign meddling Wilkinson said the issue of electoral reform was important in 2015 when Justin Trudeau declared that he would be the last prime minister elected under the first-past-the-post system But political parties across Canada have failed to agree on what an alternative would be “It can’t be done by one party,” he said “It is the fundamental tenet of the democratic process You end up thinking that they’ve chosen a system only because this favours their party.” “The problem with our system is it forces people to make choices that they wouldn’t otherwise make,” Wilkinson said adding there are many options for other systems but an alternative hasn’t yet been agreed on by Canadians One audience members asked the Conservative candidates if they believe the CBC – which has been disparaged by Poilievre on multiple occasions – should be defunded Curran said the CBC has performed a function in the past of creating a cultural identity in this country supporting sport and supporting French language in Quebec “Where our concern lies is the apparent tying of government to the transmission of information – information that we all digest,” he said the linkage between government spending and our national broadcaster should be under a great deal of scrutiny.” But it’s not a current priority for the Conservatives “There’s no timeline for dealing with the CBC We have more important issues to deal with especially in the current economic context,” he said   Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter A grey whale who is visiting the Burrard Inlet is captivating local West Vancouver residents and also whale experts.  was first alerted about the whale when her mother texted her.  she managed to snap hundreds of photographs of the mammal.  “It's really exciting… and it just brings the community together,” said McCormick.  People walking by have been stopping to marvel at the grey whale that is feeding near the shore.  just to be able to have this in our backyard,” said McCormick “It’s a lovely way to just chat with people about what’s going on and connect.”  This grey whale spotted off West Vancouver is one of the most famous of its kind the executive director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association “It is known as number 53 but the nickname is Little Patch because he has a little white patch on his side,” said Gless.  Cascadia Research Collective out of Olympia “He is special because he is one of the very first grey whales that started visiting this area,” explained Gless.  and he’s been back visiting nearly every year since. Little Patch was last in Puget Sound on April 6 “What's really unusual is that he almost always is seen in Washington's Puget Sound,” she said "I don't know that he's ever been recorded way up in Vancouver.” Little Patch isn’t the only grey whale nearby There are at least three other grey whales hanging out off Richmond.  “We've definitely seen an increase in sightings of grey whales over the last few years,” Gless added we think that they might not be getting as much food as they need up in the Arctic which is where they usually feed."  More grey whales are coming into the Salish Sea to eat their favourite food: ghost shrimp that is buried in the mud.  “Grey whales really love to be close to shore sandy bottom,” said the whale expert “If you see a grey whale very close to shore It's part of their normal behaviour." must keep at least 100 metres from a grey whale.  so they're hard to spot,” said Gless “You want to be extra careful if you're boating in an area where there could be a grey whale McCormick has been adding her photographs to a community Facebook page called Howe Sound and Sea to Sky Wildlife Sightings so everyone can enjoy the massive marine mammal.  McCormick said she recently joined the group and that the community is wonderful “It’s really lovely and everybody’s very respectful about leaving the correct amount of space as most of us are on the shore.”  Alex Cole runs the Facebook page and said it keeps everyone accountable for their actions towards wildlife.  “It gives us a voice and direct line of communication to those engaging on best practices and respectful wildlife interactions but also equally important it allows people to actually see our whales and wildlife,” said Cole.  McCormick will take photographs of the other wildlife in West Vancouver "I've just grown up appreciating our surroundings so much and it's of such value to be able to protect it,” she said The hearts of many West Vancouverites are filling with pride as a new park emerges before their eyes as said in the words of Eagle Harbour’s unofficial poet laureate developers and elementary students gathered under rain-soaked tent tops to witness 262 acres of forest be dedicated as park At a special meeting near the Whyte Lake trailhead council marked the official hand over of the Eagleridge Lands to the District of West Vancouver from British Pacific Properties as part of a density transfer agreement that allows the developer to build 3,700 housing units at its Cypress Village project The transfer was technically approved when the Cypress Village plan passed in June 2024 but the land didn’t become district property until February 2025 A vote on Monday made the park dedication official “This is a true milestone for our community,” Mayor Mark Sager said reflecting back on the work of previous councils and activists to put the park dedication project – known as the Upper Lands – into motion “Combining this parkland with the other areas [of previously dedicated park], we’re now creating 3,400 acres of continuous parkland, and I’m told it’s one of the largest urban parks in the world,” Sager said. Last May, the district dedicated 1,932 acres in the Upper Lands region as park Old Growth Conservancy president Alan Bardsley voted against a district plan to clear cut as much as 140 hectares of municipal land to build a 27-hole golf course in 1990 The conservancy has two purposes: to protect the forest by stopping people from living there but also to bring people there to appreciate its beauty “We’re just thrilled that there’s more land now available to bring people in,” Bardsley said encouraging people to book tours through the conservancy’s website British Pacific Properties president Geoff Croll said he visited the Eagleridge Lands area 20 years ago with real estate appraisers to assess the land if it were developed into residential housing It was estimated that around 300 single-family lots could be built tangible artifacts. But in the big picture these achievements are not permanent,” he said So today marks a highlight of my career.” Eagle Harbour Montessori School Grade 5 student Pavlina Hladik read her poem Ode to the Opening of Nelson Canyon Park to commemorate the dedication Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Alan Bardsley was part of a group of old growth activists in 1990 West Vancouver’s first responders, school staff and municipal workers will be bedding down in the community’s first all-affordable housing project in decades far sooner than originally expected Stefan Baune, executive director for the Kiwanis North Shore Housing Society, broke the good news about the long-awaited project on Gordon Avenue at 22nd Street to West Vancouver council on Monday night “The original timeline was to be ready by approximately March of 2026 we are anticipating to be four to five months earlier than originally anticipated,” Baune said The district bought the land at 2195 Gordon Ave from Vancouver Coastal Health in 2014 for $16.4 million with proceeds the district acquired from the sale of the former West Vancouver Police Department property on Marine Drive In 2022 council agreed to lease the northern portion of the site to Kiwanis for $1 per year The non-profit is building 156 rental homes which will be priced about 75 per cent of market rates for households making median salaries The below-market rentals are reserved for people who have connections to West Van Studio apartments will start at $1,259 while a 1,075-square-foot three-bedroom suite will go for up to $3,382 More than half of the homes in the project have two or three bedrooms “So this is in line with what the district wanted to see – housing for families and workers in the community noting that someone renting a three-bedroom apartment at market rates could expect to pay more than $5,000 per month the non-profit will be launching a Village West website where applications can be downloaded applicants will be screened for maximum household incomes ($106,000 for studios and one-bedrooms The hope is to have the applications processed by July “So that’s not far out,” Baune said “These units will be attractive for a lot of people and we want to process them and give people the opportunity as soon as possible.” Council members were wowed by the project coming in on budget and ahead of schedule particularly as it has come together through a period of COVID-related delays and inflation Mayor Mark Sager expressed gratitude for the fact that local employees would soon be able to live in the community they serve “On behalf of all of the municipal employees police officers and those who work for the school district “This kind of housing opportunity will most certainly help younger people who want to work here but are limited by the fact they have to travel a long distance.” The project also includes rooftop solar panels and a 3,000-square-foot seniors’ respite centre operated by Vancouver Coastal Health The southern portion of the property has been leased to developer Darwin Properties for 99 years in exchange for $22.195 million. Initially, Darwin had planned to build 50 strata units in a six-storey building on the site but has since opted to change the project to market rentals. Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter Ground has broken on one of the largest housing projects in the history of West Vancouver members of West Van council and representatives from British Properties gathered to mark the start of infrastructure work that will one day allow as many as 10,000 residents to live in the Cypress Village area Approved by district council in 2024 the plan will see construction of more than 3,700 homes over 25 years That includes a mix of single-family homes Dubbed a “complete sustainable village,” the project also includes building a community centre commercial spaces and a transit link funded by the developer British Properties said this week’s milestone signals a shift from planning to building “This includes new roadways and a highway connection and new trestle bridges – designed to serve future residents and the broader West Vancouver community for generations to come,” the company said in a press release It’s a monumental step for the future of West Van and for British Properties “Cypress Village represents a commitment to creating a walkable environmentally conscious community that provides much-needed housing and amenities while preserving significant natural areas and creating a way of life,” he said The project moving ahead is a testament to the power of community vision responsible planning and collaborative partnerships “The beginning of construction at Cypress Village following the historic protection of Eagleridge reflects what’s possible when we come together with a shared purpose to build for the future while protecting what matters most,” he said Earlier in April, the district dedicated 262 acres of new park as part of a density transfer deal for British Properties to build Cypress Village The company said that early investments will eventually create “sustainable” utility systems and stormwater infrastructure, as well as links between residential “Work is already underway with recreational and environmental partners including the North Shore Mountain Bike Association and West Vancouver Parks to ensure the natural terrain is activated responsibly,” a British Properties spokesperson said One of your new members of Parliament on the North Shore would be different if students had the official vote held concurrently with the federal election Monday more than 930,000 kids marked unofficial voting cards at elementary and high schools across the country with kids electing a Conservative minority government with 165 seats and 36.4 per cent of the popular vote – compared to the adult result of a Liberal minority with 169 seats and 43.7 per cent of the popular vote (The Conservatives got 144 seats and 41.3 per cent IRL.) One of the student-elected seats that went to the Conservatives instead of the Liberals was Keith Roy in a tight race in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Youngins elected Roy with 32.5 per cent (1,650) of the vote compared to the Liberals’ Patrick Weiler with nearly 32 per cent of the vote (1,625) the students chose Lauren Greenlaw of the Green party with 13.8 per cent of the vote then the NDP’s Jäger Rosenberg with 10.6 per cent the Rhinoceros Party’s Gordon Jeffrey with 8.2 per cent and Peyman Askari of the People’s Party with 2.9 per cent On the actual ballot, Weiler secured the riding handily with 59.8 per cent (38,361) of the votes compared to Roy’s 32.9 per cent (21,124) Greenlaw trailed with 3.4 per cent of the vote Askari with 0.5 per cent and Jeffrey with 0.2 per cent the students matched the adult results by re-electing the Liberals The outcomes most closely matched in Burnaby North-Seymour with Liberal Terry Beech receiving 52.9 per cent of the student vote and 59 per cent of the adult vote Conservative Mauro Fancis got 24.8 per cent from students and 34 per cent from adults the vote was much more spread out among candidates than concentrated on certain political parties That’s because younger people tend to vote with their hearts rather than strategically “Even though the Conservatives have [the most] seats in the student vote they didn’t get that much of the popular vote,” she said “I feel like the students really voted for the parties that they wanted to see in power Cotnareanu said that conservative politics could be trending up among younger people It wasn’t … as Liberal as it might have been for the adults,” she said obviously it might have been easier for the Conservative Party to slide into power because the votes were more fragmented than they were for the adults.” While this year’s student vote turnout was a little shy of a record 1.2 million ballots cast in 2019 it’s still impressive considering the shorter timeline to prepare for the snap election “Hats off to teachers for an incredible effort that they put in,” Cotnareanu said West Vancouver has always had a long tradition of consultation and public engagement before municipal council decisions are made This is now under threat from our current mayor and council 1. The purchase of the Boathouse site at Horseshoe Bay for a proposed arts facility Decades of studies have been done by district staff working groups and others on where a facility should be located The goal always was to build in the central part of the community where it would be accessible and to provide a draw for businesses in the area The public has always been consulted as the various plans have been reviewed Now an offer has been accepted with no public input on a site in Horseshoe Bay in the far western part of the community 2. The sudden change at Navvy Jack House from a community-led restoration to a commercial enterprise This ignores 50 years of commitment to the community that the Argyle properties would be for public not commercial use when they were acquired A private deal was made here to permit a restaurant on an expanded site There was no meeting seeking public comments or explaining why this change was in the public interest No report from staff advising if this location is the right site when parking 3. The sale of waterfront parkland at 30th Street When a lot at this location was considered for sale a separate lot to protect the existing public path to the west was also created An offer was then accepted in private to include this path in the sale of the building lot advertised No public process was followed to explain why this was an acceptable change or to provide opportunities for other buyers to bid on the new proposal West Vancouver residents are having to deal with municipal tax increases well above inflation unfair property tax surcharges on school tax mandated by the province and absurd bills from Metro Vancouver to pay for their mistakes All this in an uncertain current economic environment with a lack of trust in leadership at so many levels The least our residents should expect is to have input into the decisions that are made affecting their homes and community by our mayor and council Michael Smith served as mayor of West Vancouver from 2011 to 2018 What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below The province has appointed a new advisor to make sure West Vancouver builds more homes B.C.’s Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs said he appointed advisors on Wednesday in the District of West Vancouver and in Oak Bay so the province and those municipalities could work together to make progress on meeting mandated housing targets “These independent advisors will evaluate the actions taken and make recommendations to support our shared goal of building homes for people faster,” Kahlon said in a written statement “This is beneficial to any municipality who may need support in meeting their housing targets.” After being on the province’s so-called naughty list for a year, West Van had fallen well short of its target to build new housing as of October 2024 West Van was expected to produce 220 new homes, but only 58 were built – a little more than 25 per cent of the target – most of them single-family homes The number of net new units to be built will continue to grow But West Van Mayor Mark Sager said previously that he disagreed with Kahlon’s point of view – that his municipality instead had opted for careful planning. Sager gave the example of the recently approved Cypress Village plan which will develop 3,700 units over the next 25 years the new advisor will ensure “every action that can be taken to build more homes for people is being taken by the municipality.” Appointed to advise West Van is Ron Mattiussi a professional planner with 38 years of experience as director and CAO for Kelowna former CAO for the District of Squamish and Port Moody Mattiussi can validate work completed and underway by the municipality see where improvement is needed and make recommendations to support progress said a spokesperson from the housing ministry “Once the advisor has reviewed municipal records they are required to prepare a report for the minister which explains how the review was undertaken and recommendations for next steps,” the spokesperson said which is expected to take about two months to complete “The minister will consider the advisor’s report and determine if further compliance action is required such as issuing a directive to enact a bylaw or permit or if the municipality should continue to be monitored and update the minister on a quarterly basis before the next annual progress report is due,” the spokesperson said There are specific areas the West Vancouver advisor will review. Those include the zoning bylaw for small-scale multi-unit housing to determine if it deters development; decisions on housing projects by council; potential for a transit-oriented area within the Taylor Way local area plan; and procedures for reviewing development applications Kahlon said the housing ministry will continue to work to add more homes in communities throughout B.C “And make sure more people and families can find a place to live in the community they want to,” he said “I look forward to reviewing the advisor’s recommendations so we can build homes for people faster Lions Bay and Bowen Island residents have elected Sheelah Donahue as their new West Vancouver School District trustee Donahue topped the polls in a byelection held Saturday to replace former trustee/current West Vancouver-Capilano Conservative MLA Lynn Block Roman Nurpeissov came in second with 194 votes (22.4 per cent) and Neil Jensen finished third with 93 (10.7 per cent) Donahue, who already served on the school board from 2014 to 2022, said residents in the district can know they’ve elected someone who’s singular priority is student achievement. “I’m glad to be back to the trustee world and getting back to work soon,” she said “Having been a trustee for eight years I can get right back to work with very little orientation That means less disruption to staff and we just carry on,” she said Donahue said her campaign strategy largely focussed on networking with parents who have kids in the school system That included campaigning in Lions Bay and Bowen Island with just 864 votes from of an eligible 37,002 voters in the three communities – 2.3 per cent Donahue said she wasn’t surprised to see the numbers so low given that school boards don’t draw as much attention as other levels of government And the campaign period occurred at a time when many parents were out of town “I think it’s very much under the radar If there had been somebody running for council or the mayor’s spot spring break – I think all of those things combined together to encourage a low turnout,” she said The District of West Vancouver estimated the byelection would cost $75,000 to $80,000 which legislation requires the school board to reimburse to the municipality out of its own budget Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter Traffic calming measures are coming soon to a West Vancouver street where school traffic and a busy hiking trail meet in an otherwise quiet neighbourhood District of West Vancouver council gave staff the thumbs-up last week to move ahead with traffic calming measures on Glenmore Drive between Morven Drive and the Baden Powell Trail crossing Staff are directed to construct multiple elements including two 1.8-metre-wide gravel pathways two rapid flashing beacons and painted edge lines in the area The rapid flashing beacons will be where Braden Powell Trail crosses Glenmore Drive and on the south side of the Glenmore and Morven intersection There will also be no parking on the east side of Glenmore to prevent damage to the new gravel pathway The decision for the upgrades comes after the Collingwood School Task Force brought forward suggestions to better the neighbourhood in November 2024 Council directed staff at the time to explore the ideas and report back on feasibility and cost estimates Staff presented their findings during the April 14 council meeting Based on information from the district’s contractor staff estimated the changes and improvements will cost about $87,000 The improvements were also based on traffic and speed data collected Staff noted that there are about 50 vehicles per hour on Glenmore Drive during the day but that number spikes to roughly 270 per hour during school pick-up and drop-off times.  Councillors were happy to see the plan move forward but community members spoke out during the meeting that not all recommendations were taken into consideration Mark Selman said the task force also recommended making Morven Drive one way in front of the school and restricting parking along the park on Glengarry Crescent near the tennis courts we’re generally in favour of the report,” Selman said “I just wanted to make sure that the other two issues were not dropped because people in the community have invested a lot of time and effort in that and some people have been working on these issues for years and we’d like to try and move ahead as we can.” Glenmore Drive resident and member of the school task force Robert Nellas echoed Selman’s concerns but also suggested that council consider a 30 kilometre per hour zone on Glenmore between Morven and Deep Dene Road near Collingwood School senior manager of roads and transportation for the district however said the municipality can’t put a 30 km/h zone at the requested location because due to the Motor Vehicle Act where the speed limit is only reserved for roads passing by schools “I think what we’re proposing will have noticeable impact especially during the pick-up and drop-off times,” O’Sullivan said “If we don’t have consistency where areas [like] Glenmore Drive where it’s relatively flat and straight,.. drivers won’t see the connection between the speed limit and the driving environment and they’re not going to follow the speed limit.” Sharon Thompson said council is listening to community members’ concerns and is pleased to take the first step in the plan and see how it goes Linda Watt also expressed support for the safety improvements saying the plan is a good example of what can be achieved when council staff and a group of organized residents work together looking out for the best interests of the community There is no set time or date when construction will begin but it will take a week to complete once the project starts Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter A plan to subdivide and redevelop a single-family lot in West Vancouver has been thrown out by the municipality a majority of council voted against further consideration of a project that would replace a single-family home at 2550 Queens Ave council heard that the current 11,965-square-foot property would be divided into two lots – one around 5,300 square feet and the other 6,660 square feet the project would need a zoning variance due to the smaller lot sizes Staff noted that there were no lots as small in the immediately surrounding area but that other similar lots existed to the south on Palmerston Avenue Most of the existing homes in the area were built in the 1940s and ’50s, but that some had been renovated over the years When the application came before council at a more preliminary stage last year staff recommended the application be denied council directed staff to continue processing the application Staff added that most of the written submissions about the proposal were negative Some residents commented that the design didn’t match the neighbourhood character and that approval could set a precedent for other developments in the area with people stating that it could add more housing options to the neighbourhood Linda Watt said she was uncomfortable with the proposal It’s cramming an awful lot of density into those potential two lots,” she said Watt also criticized provincial legislation which prohibits public hearings for projects that align with the official community plan – such as the Queens Avenue subdivision “It strikes me as a very ill conceived and potentially reckless piece of legislation that really doesn’t look at neighbourhood character and the environment that we are being told to protect,” she said Stating that she campaigned on preserving neighbourhood character Christine Cassidy said she was “completely opposed” to the project It’s going to stick out,” she said “I think it’s entirely inappropriate for this neighbourhood.” Cassidy also questioned why council would proceed to the next step of considering the proposal “What is the point of wasting staff time and this [applicant’s] expectations and time if the chances of it going forward are not reasonably solid?” she said Peter Lambur and Sharon Thompson were in favour of moving the application process forward Pay parking is coming to more parks in the District of West Vancouver but more drastic changes proposed for the busy Ambleside and Dundarave neighbourhoods have sparked some concerns among local businesses.  council considered a pay parking expansion plan that would add a combined 701 more pay parking spaces to Cypress Falls Ambleside (including Argyle Avenue between 14th and 15th Street), John Lawson and Dundarave parks council pushed plans to a future date.  Council brought back the discussion in a Feb giving staff the thumbs up to go ahead with a plan to put pay parking in Cypress Falls and Seaview Walk parks soon and hire a "parking program lead" to work with the Ambleside and Dundarave Business Improvement Association (ADBIA) on implementing paid parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks in the future.  shared worries about council's recent expansion plan for pay parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks saying the paid spots could drive money away from local businesses nearby.  "People that are coming to the parks and using our parks will park in our commercial area not support our commercial businesses," said ADBIA executive director Maureen O'Brien "And the people that are trying to support the local businesses will not be able to find that parking."  ADBIA are also asking District of West Vancouver council to increase parking enforcement for those overstaying the two-hour limit on nearby streets The association is asking council to work with them in coming up with a solution that helps both parties.  Our businesses rely on their clientele coming by car," O'Brien said.  Paid parking is also one step away in Ambleside Park after council directed staff to engage the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) about paid parking in the park and report back to council Some of Ambleside Park resides on Squamish Nation land.  24 council meeting was focused on how fast a contractor could be hired to start implementing the paid parking expansion plan in John Lawson and Dundarave parks Christine Cassidy voted against the plan due to timeline concerns of hiring the parking program lead position. She said by the time the hiring process is completed and the person is up to speed on the affected business districts it could be months before the rest of the plan goes through.  Staff said they would go into the hiring process immediately and hire someone as fast as possible Scott Snider said it’s unfair for council to put an unrealistic commitment on the municipal manager regarding the hiring process of the parking program lead position “We don’t know how many people are going to apply There is a number of things that have to go into finding a person,” Snider said “I’m not prepared to necessarily [put] our municipal manager to a strict timeline I take him at his word that everything will be done as soon as possible.”   Snider agreed that enforcement and communication in paid parking could be better and something to think about moving forward into the program.  The program can help save money for West Vancouver taxpayers Watt said $1 million in revenue can take off a percentage point in tax increases I also believe we should be engaging with the general population as well whose tax bills are impacted by this program and how quickly we can implement it,” Watt said.  More than $560,000 was collected from paid parking between February and September 2024 at Lighthouse Nelson Canyon and Whytecliff parks as part of the paid-parking pilot program according to a November 2024 staff presentation 24 vote to proceed with paid parking in Cypress Falls and Seaview Walk parks and to hire a contractor to work with ADBIA passed For paid parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks O'Brien said the ADBIA is happy with council's recommendations to work with the association on a plan adding that she hopes council's pledge to "work with" the association means there is real collaboration on the issue we just said we were going to work with you but 'working with you' is telling you we're doing this,'" she said "So I'm taking council at their word of what I understood it to be that night While O'Brien doesn't know what a solution could be yet she hopes something will work out for both the ADBIA and West Van council.  Staff will report back to council with progress or completion of the plans at a later date.  Mounties say a man and woman have been arrested after a raid in West Vancouver last month found illicit drugs The Burnaby RCMP says the bust at the Waterfront home netted multiple kilograms of suspected fentanyl and cocaine which happened on March 22 but was reported Tuesday was the result of a four-month long ‘dial a dope’ investigation spearheaded by the Burnaby RCMP’s Drugs and Organized Crime Section The RCMP explained that two children were living in the raided West Vancouver home “Having children living in a residence with these types and amounts of drugs inevitably puts them in danger from these drugs as well as other elements that come from being in a criminal lifestyle,” said Sgt The RCMP says that the investigation is ongoing but it has not mentioned whether charges have been laid “People involved in the distribution of these drugs are contributing to the staggering number of deaths over the past decade in this province,” Mortensen added A judge has sentenced a West Vancouver man to more than three years jail for an alcohol- and drug-addled incident where he shot a gun at police In North Vancouver provincial court on Tuesday Siavash Ahmadi was sentenced to impaired driving unlawfully discharging a firearm and two counts of possessing a loaded restricted firearm he was charged with a total of nine criminal offences including two counts of attempted murder but in July 2024 he entered a guilty plea for the four counts he received judgment for this week Ahmadi’s total four-year jail sentence will be reduced by a credit of 233 days accounting for his time already spent in custody At the time of the offence in June 2023 Ahmadi was recently divorced and living with his parents and had a licence to possess restricted firearms Some were kept in his parents’ home and some in a storage locker in Abbotsford He had travelled to Iran – where is family is originally from – earlier that year where he received several prescriptions including benzodiazepines and sleeping pills But Ahmadi didn’t inform his Canadian doctor of these medications when he returned both his family and his close friend noticed that heavy drinking and taking medications was affecting Ahmadi’s behaviour His father noted Ahmadi was “delusional” and urged his son to seek help After Ahmadi became heated during a conversation at his parents’ West Vancouver apartment taking a shotgun and .22 caliber pistol with him where he broke into his friend’s apartment and got into an argument with a neighbour and a tow truck driver spotted his black Toyota pickup around 2:15 a.m on the offramp at 15th Street in West Van Constables from West Vancouver Police Department arrived soon after and decided to administer an impaired driving test on Ahmadi He was asked to retrieve his driver’s licence from his car dash cam footage from the tow truck showed him reaching into the back of his car and placing an object behind his back As Ahmadi walked back to the police vehicles took a step back and then fired two shots at an officer from about two metres away Another officer took out his pistol and shot at Ahmadi another police member in an SUV accelerated into Ahmadi knocking him onto the hood and over the roof of the vehicle he was found to have blood alcohol content between 0.37 and 0.55 several antidepressants and sleep medication police found a semiautomatic rifle in a bag as well as two loaded semiautomatic pistols without trigger locks Ahmadi was licensed to own the restricted pistols but not to transport them At trial in November, the Crown sought a sentence of seven years jail But Ahmadi’s defence argued that he should serve two years house arrest followed by three years probation taking the accused’s personal circumstances into account Jette said aggravating factors in Ahmadi’s sentence included him arming himself on the night of the shooting despite pleas from his father not to leave the apartment; becoming intoxicated with alcohol and prescription drugs; driving in an intoxicated state across town while unlawfully carrying multiple firearms; and endangering the lives of police the tow truck driver and anyone else in the area when he shot his pistol Mitigating factors mentioned by the judge were that Ahamdi entered early guilty pleas struggled with mental health after the death of a friend in a plane crash he has worked to deal with his mental health issues and maintain sobriety But Jette said some of the risk taking was intentional “A finding that the combined effect of mental health issues linked to self-induced intoxication contributed to the commission of these offences is not a complete explanation,” Jette said “I agree with Crown counsel that there’s an element of intentional risk taking.” Despite his relatively high level of intoxication Ahmadi was able to act with intent and deliberation on the date of the shooting “He then drove his vehicle around parts of West Vancouver with multiple loaded handguns at the ready and he deliberately armed himself with one of them during his [interaction] with police,” Jette said Taking into account Ahmadi’s status as a first-time offender Jette ruled that Ahmadi should serve concurrent sentences for the firearms offences totalling around three years and four months remaining jail time He will also have to surrender all his guns Ahmadi was sentenced to the mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for first-time offenders The District of West Vancouver has bought the last privately-owned home on Argyle Avenue with plans to convert the property into public park space Mayor Mark Sager announced the $7.3-million purchase of 1444 Argyle Ave at the outset of Monday’s council meeting completing a decades-long plan to buy all 32 residential lots on the waterfront “This realizes the long-term dream and vision of returning the Ambleside waterfront to the community for public use and green space,” Sager said paying tribute to former mayor Peter Jones whose council first established the Ambleside acquisition policy in 1975 Sager said the purchase would be a key step in the district’s long-running plans to revitalize Ambleside Park and that thanks were owed to all of the successive council members over the years who’d made it possible “It’s a great day for the vibrancy of our community of West Vancouver there have been 47 different people who have sat at this table over the past 50 years and the vast majority were in favour of this plan And I would say that history will forgive those who were not,” he said The property was last assessed at just over $5 million Sager expressed his appreciation for district staff who negotiated the deal it looked unlikely that the owners would want to sell to the district at all but I’m very glad that we did not have to go to any kind of an expropriation – that we were able to find a solution for them that worked for the community,” he said The purchase of the waterfront properties is being funded entirely by the sale of district-owned land, including the recent controversial disposition of a public pathway at 3000 Park Lane and the sale of two lots that were once part of Brissenden Park in Upper Dundarave The most recent Argyle acquisition came in 2023 when the district purchased the 1950s home of B.C. business magnate Jimmy Pattison In that case the district paid $5.18 million while it sold the two Brissenden properties to Pattison’s company for $2.49 million each The district had to win a court order before it could sell the land which had been left to the municipality in the wills of residents Pearley and Norine Brissenden on the promise that the land would be turned into a neighbourhood park When the last remaining Argyle lots are dedicated for public use they will be known officially as Brissenden Waterfront Park The deal for 1444 Argyle closes on April 27 Council aims to see the 1963 house on the property removed by early fall and open the new segment of Brissenden Waterfront Park to the public in the spring of 2026 The house on the property has been totally shrouded by bushes and trees for years. Sager expressed hope it could be salvaged and barged away to be reused elsewhere. Pattison’s home itself was deconstructed by hand to have the usable materials upcycled and repurposed. Former West Vancouver council member Rod Day who was present for the announcement along with other past council members and their families compared the purchase to Jones’s initiative to build the Centennial Seawalk “[It] is probably the greatest achievement we’ve ever made in West Vancouver A lot of people thought we were crazy spending all that money,” he said “Imagine now trying to buy any of that land for waterfront District of West Vancouver residents have landed themselves on one of the most coveted spots in Monopoly – free parking Council voted Monday to waive the nominal $27 fee the municipality had been charging residents for annual parking passes valid for Lighthouse, Nelson Canyon and Whytecliff parks where visitors from outside the district currently pay $5.22 per hour The annual fee was intended to help cover the cost of administering the pay parking program 796 resident parking permits had been issued resulting in a net revenue of $32,328 for the district while visitors to the three parks had pumped about $600,000 into West Vancouver’s community chest When the pandemic sent people to the region’s parks looking for safe outdoor recreation the amount municipalities had to spend on garbage pick up our parks were actually getting pretty disgusting and the real push to put these parking fees in place is to be able to increase that service,” she said adding that she wanted to “give residents a break.” “It’s become so much more lucrative than we could have imagined and I really believe that we already do pay our taxes The majority on council agreed. The vote Christine Cassidy said she could not abide leaving $32,000 on the table while the district is looking to expand pay parking to other parks it isn’t chump change," she said adding that many non-profits could make good use of that kind of money "As we proceed through these other various parks … we’re going to have continued administration costs and I think we have a fiduciary responsibility to cover our costs.” Nora Gambioli also voted against the change Gambioli acknowledged that free parking might be a winning proposal politically but she said the intent of the program was also to dissuade people from driving to the parks which is undermined by exempting the people who live closest to them “I really think it’s a small amount to pay,” she said adding that the City of Vancouver does not provide pay parking exemptions for its taxpayers but I think that I can’t support this at the moment.” West Vancouver residents will still need to apply for their free pass at impark.com/westvan.  The municipality has faced criticism from visitors for requiring smartphone app-based payments in parks where cell coverage is spotty Staff say they are looking into purchasing or renting kiosks that will allow people to pay on the spot regardless of whether they have a solid internet connection 📲 Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.