72-hour strike notice issued by union, transit services could be impacted

Good morning, 

Remember how I said Dustin would be taking over today’s newsletter? Well turns out the holidays got me confused and he starts on Monday! So you’re all suck with me one last time before I’m gone next week.

Today we’ve got some potential transit delays as well as a breakdown of the recent court injunction against the province’s drug decriminalization changes.

Let’s get to it!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

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WEATHER

Friday: 4 🌡️ 2 | 🌤️

Saturday: 4 🌡️ 0 | ☁️

Sunday: 3 🌡️ -2 | 🌧️/❄️

Monday: 2 🌡️ 1 | 🌧️/❄️

LABOUR

72-hour strike notice issued by union, transit services could be impacted

What happened: The union representing 180 transit workers within TransLink, including supervisors, engineers and maintenance workers, has issued a strike notice which will take effect Saturday morning, according to CBC. The strike notice would impact overtime work, but could escalate further. 

• The union is dealing with the Coast Mountain Bus Company, a subsidiary of TransLink. 

Both sides appear far apart on their demands, according to Global. The company says they offered the same wage increase that they did for all other employees, while the union says the problem is that base salaries are not equivalent to other similar salaried positions. 

As noted in the CUPE press release, workers have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2022. The union said 100 percent of workers in favour of a strike. 

What it means: There are duelling statements by both sides about the potential impact on transit users. The union says delays and potential cancellations will happen because overtime is rampant in the system due to a lack of workers, while the employer says service disruption will be minimal. 

• Best to be prepared for potential delays just in case. 

Looking ahead: Both sides have not set a date to return to talks. The union says they’re ready to initiate a full walkout if no progress is made. 

Zoom out: The Fraser Valley dealt with a 124-day strike as workers demanded better salaries, the longest transit strike in BC history, according to CBC.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📉 10%: The decline in home sales in Metro Vancouver last year, a drop of 2,832 to 26,249 in total.  [Urbanized]

💰️ $116,000: The amount in donations ABC Vancouver was required to return after they were deemed to be against the rules. Most were of a technical nature, where formerly independent candidates had received donations, but were then endorsed by ABC which the party’s financial agent was unaware was against the rules. [Vancouver Sun]

👮 84: The number of Vancouver police officers who will start this week wearing body cameras. This will increase to 100 in the coming weeks. [Global]

HEALTH

Breaking down the recent court injunction against Bill 34

It was a big story over the holidays, so we thought we’d take a chance to break down the court ruling on drug consumption and what it means.

Background: The BC NDP decriminalized the possession of small amounts of illegal drugs, a major change in existing policy granted by the federal government. It’s a pilot project that is set to last three years, from Jan. 31 2023 to 2026. The goal is to reduce the number of overdose deaths, and according to the BC Government “reduce stigma and harm and provide another tool for British Columbia to end the overdose crisis.”

The policy faced backlash from local elected officials, who brought in policies to address the usage of drugs in public places, according to Business in Vancouver, by banning them in certain areas. 

The response: The BC NDP brought in Bill 32, which banned the public consumption or possession of drugs six metres from building entrances, 15 metres from playgrounds and other public spots, and banned them in parks, beaches and sports fields, according to CBC. Part of the justification echoed concerns from local elected officials about their usage near children. 

It should be noted that before the bill, drugs were prohibited on school grounds, childcare spaces and other public areas like airports. 

• Those opposed to the bill said it would push users back into using drugs alone which increases the risks of death, according to interviews with experts by the Tyee. 

The court ruling: The non-profit Harm Reduction Nurses Association launched a legal challenge in November arguing the Bill violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which resulted in the courts issuing an injunction in late December until March 31 against the law, so the issues could be resolved. 

• A major problem identified by not only experts in the Tyee story, but the official provincial opposition shadow minister for mental health, is the need for more overdose prevention sites across the province, with few places for people to use drugs safely.

What comes next: The court did not explicitly rule the law violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but they could do so after March 31. The government can rework the law to address potential Charter violations. The province says they are determining what to do next, but spoke against the decision. 

In other news: According to the Tyee, the police weren’t ready for the province’s decriminalization earlier this year, with two-thirds of officers not having been trained on how the policy change impacted their policing.

THE AGENDA

🥶 Break out those parkas because it’s expected to get cold this weekend. It may feel like -7 C in some places and there could even be snow. The Lookout’s suggestion? Stay off the roads, if you can, unless you have winter tires. [Vancouver is Awesome]

👎️ The founder of Lululemon, Chip Wilson, who is no longer with the company, is in hot water for writing that he dislikes the company’s diversity and inclusion efforts, calling the people in the ads to promote those values “unhealthy” and “sickly.” [CTV]

👮 A Vancouver police constable was charged with assault stemming from an incident at a Vancouver police jail on Jan. 7. [CTV]

🧑‍⚖️ Arc’teryx, more like Arc’no’teryx, am I right? The company won an injunction against Adidas for their store called Terrex which opened near their location in Kitsilano. The judge said there was potential for confusion between the two brands. [CBC]

2️⃣ A man who stabbed two people two years ago in Vancouver will now serve a five-year prison sentence, with the victims having to deal with ongoing health concerns after the attack. [Global]

❓️ White powder can sometimes be a cause for alarm. In this case, the white substance found at Lost Lagoon on Monday was just regular old flour. [Vancouver is Awesome]

📹️ To combat the potential danger of exchange meetups, some buyers and sellers are meeting near police stations which have camera recordings outside their buildings. [Vancouver Sun]

WEEKEND GUIDE

Beginners Cake Making and Decorating | 2665 Renfrew St. | Sunday, Jan 7 | Get an introduction to cake making and decorating, and icing methods | Tickets $96

The Haunting of Vancouver Film Tour | 850 W Georgia St. | Every Saturday and Sunday | A 2.5-hour walking tour of historic and haunted locations | Tickets $53

Free First Friday Nights at the Gallery | Vancouver Art Gallery | Today, 4 pm-8 pm | Free admission for all guests | Free

Bright Nights | Stanley Park | Now until Saturday | Your last chance to see the area lit up by lights | Free by donation

Holiday History and Hot Chocolate | Robson and Granville | Saturday and Sunday in January, 11 am, 1 pm and 2 pm | Discover a hidden history of Vancouver’s heritage buildings, including free hot chocolate | Tickets $49

Rio Movie Theatre | Lord of the Rings Marathon, The Fifth Element, Killers of the Flower Moon and watch the Golden Globe Awards live | Various prices

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• If you’re looking for a relaxing soak this weekend, here are a few places worth checking out. [Scout Magazine]

• It’s a tough day for beer lovers in BC — wine is now more popular in the summer. [Business in Vancouver]

• Here are seven new restaurants to check out in Vancouver. I’ll be sharing a review for Bar Haifa later this month. Spoiler alert — it’s worth visiting. [Straight]

• These are the 10 most expensive homes in Vancouver. Number one is $81 million, owned by none other than Chip Wilson. [Business in Vancouver]

• The city is looking for people to join its Special Event Advisory Task Force. [City of Vancouver]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

HISTORY

Here’s a photo of the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal from 1955. I bet the sailing waits were much shorter back then!

GAME TIME

Congrats to Janet, Jacquie, Jai, Davide, Karen and many others who correctly guessed the Vancouver Guesser. The answer was the Cambie Bridge.

Today’s game is Vancouver Wordle. Can you guess the answer? Play now.