What the BC Budget means for Vancouver

Good morning,

A big thank you to the almost 500 people who completed our survey about covering Vancouver’s food and restaurant community. It closes tonight so there’s still time to complete it. 

A couple of people have shared some really great ideas. Here are a few, but I’ll send around more comprehensive results in Monday’s newsletter.

Would be really nice to hear about ethnic restaurants other than east Asia. Kind of sick of all new restaurants opening are just that. When you say mainstream, in Vancouver that means Chinese, not Italian or Thai or Latin or anything else for that matter. — Carol

A mix of price points. It’s great to know about and be able to support restaurants of all different backgrounds and the reviews are almost always of the fancier places. Would love more variety as most restaurants aren’t going for Michelin stars etc — Johanna

If you hate surveys, you can sign-up here for when it launches on Tuesday. 

In today’s newsletter we’ve got some details on the budget and what it means for cities, as well as a huge list of events happening this weekend. 

Let’s go!

Editor’s note: Wednesday’s edition was a great day for my copy-editing skills… There were two errors in Wednesday’s newsletter. BC Builds projects will begin construction in 12-18 months, not complete construction. I also miss-spelt Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s name. Thanks to readers for letting me know.

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

WEATHER

Friday: 7 🌡️ 3 | ☁️

Saturday: 6 🌡️ 5 | 🌧️

Sunday: 7 🌡️ -3 | 🌧️

Monday: 3 🌡️ -4 | 🌤️

PROVINCIAL

BC Budget short on big policies for cities

What happened: The provincial NDP announced their 2024 budget, with a focus on targeted cost-of-living relief as the provincial election approaches, pushing the budget deficit to a record high of $7.9 billion for 2024-25 to ensure there would be no cuts to services, according to CBC.

• You can read all the major parts of the budget here, but we’ve gone through and highlighted what we think readers in Vancouver will find most of interest. 

Renters rejoice: Many people in Vancouver will be happy to see a renter rebate worth $400 to households making $80,000 or less. Of course, it’s only a little more than a quarter of what the homeowners grant is worth, according to the Tyee reporter Jen St. Denis. 

Unfortunately, it was a tough day for transit users. The Mayors’ Council, which represents Metro Vancouver mayors on transit and transportation noted there was no new additional funding for TransLink. The organization faces a deficit of $4.7 billion by 2033, according to Urbanized. 

• Yes, but: Chair of the Mayors’ Council Brad West noted that they are in discussions with the province and hope to have identified new funding in two weeks. 

Where’s the school: Where indeed… CBC reporter Justin McElroy shared a tweet about a promise by local MLA Brenda Bailey that a new school for Olympic Village was a number one priority. There was no money set aside in the budget for this.

Home flippers may also find it harder to make a buck — the budget laid out a plan to tax those flipping their homes, with a 20 percent tax on homes resold within a year, sliding to zero between 366 and 730 days after purchase, according to CBC. It will likely be introduced within the next three months, with the law beginning on Jan. 21 next year, but apply retroactively, with a target of generating $44 million. 

The province announced $405 million over the next four years to deal with increased climate-related problems. This includes $56 million for helicopters and $60 million for wildfire reduction, according to the Vancouver Sun. Wildfires are expected to be a huge problem this year.

• Climate continues to be a key part of the government's plan. You can read this insightful thread from the chief innovation officer of Clean Energy Canada, including details on more charging stations and rebates to purchase pumps.

What it means: It was somewhat of a ho-hum budget, without any major promises. This happens in the lead-up to an election — governments need to save big announcements for the election, so expect bigger policy announcements as the election unfolds later this year. Vancouver itself isn’t a major electoral battleground, but the larger Metro area is. 

For Vancouver and cities in general, the budget doesn’t do much to address major concerns, such as transit funding. Housing has already seen its fair share of policy announcements in 2023. Instead of focusing on infrastructure or transit, the province has chosen to directly benefit people through tax credits and targeted cost of living adjustments.

• If we discover more that impacts Vancouver we’ll be sure to share it with you. You can read the full budget here.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

93 minutes: How long British Columbians have to wait to access a walk-in clinic. This is 25 minutes more than the national average and is the highest of any province in the country. Vancouver clocked in at one hour and 22 minutes, good enough for sixth in the province. North Vancouver was the worst at more than three hours. [CityNews]

$3,650: The amount Coun. Mike Klassen is asking council to approve so he can join Mayor Ken Sim at the Juno awards, to, according to him, learn about what Halifax is doing for when Vancouver hosts the Juno’s next year. Sounds like a swell time… [Vancouver Sun]

$27 million: How much UBC needs to generate to cover their budget shortfall. That means a tuition increase of two percent for domestic students and five percent for international students. Other schools like SFU and UVic are also planning to hike international student fees. [Vancouver Sun]

800: The number of calls Vancouver Fire dealt with over the Family Day long weekend. Long weekends tend to increase the number of calls. [CityNews]

INSIDER-ONLY

How Vancouver is planning to create more walkable neighbourhoods

Is Vancouver one step closer to the nirvana of what we all love about European cities? No, not croissants and Spanish tapas, I’m talking about improved walkability.

What happened: The city is moving ahead with plans for an expansion of walkable neighbourhoods, both on Water Street, and, though less expansive of a project, part of Davie Street. The Water Street project is the more transformational project, with a plan to make part of the Gastown area along Water Street car-free for July and August, according to CityNews. 

The image at the top illustrates where there would be car-free and car-light areas. Between Richards and Cambie on Water Street would be pedestrians only, while Cambie to Abbott and Carrall would be car-light.

Read the story

THE AGENDA

🚨 One person has died at a construction site after a crane dropped its load, over at Vancouver Oakridge. Worksafe BC, along with other organizations, will be investigating. The union representing workers at the site has in the past called for improved training for crane operators. [CBC]

👮 A legally blind newcomer to Canada was reunited with his cane after it was stolen by a stranger, and witnesses reported it to the police. [CTV]

❄️ Snow, snow go away. There’s a chance it could snow next week on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Regardless, you should expect colder temperatures. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🏒 Arshdeep Baines, a local hockey player from Vancouver, made his debut with the Canucks Tuesday night. He’s one of four Punjabi players in the league. [CBC]

🔥 If you thought the fire season was bad last year, I have some bad news for you. This year’s fire season is expected to be even worse this year, which is worrisome considering last year was the worst on record! [Vancouver is Awesome]

❌ The BC government says patients at the soon-to-be-closed Carlile Youth Concurrent Disorders Centre in North Vancouver will continue to receive care elsewhere. Parents of youth who have used the facility say it has saved the lives of their children. It is the only facility of its kind in the area that provides in-patient adolescent psychiatric beds. [Vancouver Sun[

🐶 A pop-up veterinarian clinic in the Downtown Eastside proved to be extremely popular. Veterinarian care is expensive, especially for more vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, 45 patients had to be turned away but are now on a waiting list. [Vancouver is Awesome]

🏫 One school board trustee is proposing prefabricated modular buildings on school properties as a way to reduce the childcare shortage faced by Vancouver families. There are 21,000 students in Vancouver from kindergarten to Grade 5, but only 3,718 before and after-school care spots. [Vancouver Sun]

WEEKEND GUIDE

Winter Arts Festival Vancouver 2024 | Multiple spots throughout Vancouver | Now until Feb. 27 | Beat the winter blues with art, storytelling, AR and live performances throughout the city | Free and by donation

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival | Various movie theatres around town | Feb. 23-March 3 | Online and in-person films, workshops and more with videos and movies celebrating and exploring the outdoors | Starting at $28 per ticket, + discounts

Pro-D Day Kids Cooking Class - Dumplings from Around the World | Eden West Gourmet, Port Moody | Feb. 23, 11 am | Let your kids creative cooking fly with dumplings, perfect for children aged 8-12 | Tickets $100

Nuts for Donuts - Chef Sue Cooking Class | Eden West Gourmet | Feb. 24, 11 am | If you like donuts, then here’s an opportunity to learn how to make them yourself | Tickets $123

SFU Men's Basketball vs. Northwest Nazarene University | 888 University Dr. W, West Gym | Feb. 24, 7 pm | If you like basketball, here’s a chance to see it live in Metro Vancouver | Tickets $6.50

Chinatown Through the Lens: A Street Photography Workshop and Photo Walk | Food court, International Village | Feb. 24, 3 pm | An immersive and experience, capturing photos throughout the area led by seasoned professionals, including tips and tricks to improve your photography skills | Tickets $25

Microdose & Meditate | Vancity Yoga | Feb. 25, 2 pm | Just like the event name says, come relax and meditate | Tickets $54

Irish Dance Classes | Donnelan’s Irish Pub | Feb. 25, 2:30 pm | Learn how to master Irish dance, all skill levels welcome | Tickets $12

Vancouver Mafia Tournament #4 | Feb. 25, 4 pm | Deception and strategy is the name of the game with this popular experience. Who will win? | Tickets $21

Vancouver International Wine Festival | Vancouver Convention Centre | Feb. 24-March 3 | Wine lover rejoice! Discover a world of new wines, talks and of course, tasting wine | Various ticket prices

Vancouver Cocktail Week | Multiple spots around town | March 3-10 | Celebrate the art of the cocktail with talented bartenders and other events around town | Various ticket prices

Local restaurant reviews you’ll actually want to read (launching soon)

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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Swifties rejoice — there will be extra sailings at BC Ferries for the concerts. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Travellers groan — sailings on the Queen of New Westminster between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay today and on the 25th have been cancelled due to mechanical difficulties. [Twitter]

• I forgot to mention the cutest part about the new red panda arriving at the Greater Vancouver Zoo; his name is Paprika. [CityNews]

• If you’re near W Hastings and Abbott Street, keep an eye out for a lost dog named Baymax. He’s a white pomeranian, and you can contact 604-312-3457 if you find him. [Reddit]

• It’s an animal-heavy section, but I couldn’t help not including this story about how the largest colony of cormorants are now living underneath the Second Narrows Bridge. [The Tyee]

• TransLink is testing a new shared mobility app to make it easier to use the different transportation systems around town. You can apply for free to test it out. [TransLink]

• If you like skiing at Grouse, you can lock in a discounted season pass next year at $299. There’s no way the snow can be as bad next year as this year (knock on wood). 

VANCOUVER WORDLE

Congrats to June and Brenda, who all guessed the less-popular SkyTrain station featured in Wednesdays’ newsletter was Ruper Station.

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