Why emergency department wait times are out of control

Good morning!

I’m trying something a little different in today’s newsletter. I’ve included a mini restaurant review of a place I love. It’s not meant to be a full review, but give you some insider tips on new places to try. I’d love to hear your opinion if you like it, hate or think it could be improved. I promise not to take anything personally.

Today we’ve got:

• Record-setting emergency room wait times 🏥

• A battle for the ages, a union vs Amazon 🆚

• And a pizza place I think you should try 🍕

Let’s get to it.

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout newsletter writer

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WEATHER

Friday: 27 🌡️ 14 | 🌤

Saturday: 22 🌡️ 13 | 🌧

Sunday: 23 🌡️ 14 | 🌤

Monday: 24 🌡️ 15 | ☀️

HEALTHCARE

Emergency department wait times mean giving up, according to new data

If you or someone you know left an emergency room after waiting forever, new data suggests you aren’t the only one.

What happened: A record percentage of people in Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health are waiting for emergency department treatment but leaving before getting help, according to data obtained by CTV. The rate of patients leaving is on average four to seven percent of visitors, which is double the normal rate.

• Lions Gate at four percent of patient who left without being seen, while Vancouver General Hospital was 10 percent.

The cause: Part of the problem is the lack of front-line family doctors. Without someone to turn to, patients are forced to seek medical help at the only place that will take them. Systems have also been strained by the pandemic, with fewer available staff. Walk-in clinic wait times have also skyrocketed, with wait times in B.C. at 79 minutes, which is double the national average according to CTV.

• Experts noted however those leaving are likely ones with less severe or non-life-threatening issues.

Zoom out: In 2021, Canadians waited longer in emergency rooms than ever before, according to The Globe and Mail. The average wait time was 40.7 hours, up from 33.5 hours in 2020.

Personal experience: When I had a searing pain in my leg from a sprain, my family doctor helped me. Without them, I probably would’ve gone to the emergency room not knowing what my medical issue was.

VANCOUVER BY THE NUMBERS

🏠 67%: The number of first-time homebuyers in Canada who are worried they might not be able to buy a home because they didn’t have enough money for a down payment. [Urbanized]

HEALTH

Amazon vs B.C. union

What happened: Canada’s largest union Unifor has announced a union drive at an Amazon facility in New Westminster, according to Global. Unifor’s Western Regional Director cited “workload, health and safety” as key concerns for why workers wanted to unionize.

Background: Amazon has historically, to put it lightly, opposed such efforts due to the potential increase in costs and reduced profit stemming from higher wages.

Zoom out: In Quebec, the company was accused of tactics of intimidation and harassment against a similar unionization campaign, according to Global. The company plastered posters in the break room and sent text messages to workers.

Analysis: As noted by an expert who spoke to Global, rules around unionization are much stricter in Canada, and tactics used in the U.S. will not work up here. Approval of the union is also very different, with some provinces having automatic certification if a majority of employees sign a membership card. In the U.S. in most cases, a vote is required.

Dig deeper: After a string of victories against Amazon in the U.S., new unionization efforts have stalled. [The Guardian]

THE AGENDA

🚗 One person is dead and three others were injured at West Georgia and Burrard streets at 3 am yesterday morning after a car plowed into the back of another vehicle. Police say speed and impaired driving are the likely causes. [CityNews]

🏠️ A landlord is raising concerns about the Empty Homes Tax, which she says has mistakenly targeted her building. A tax of $69,000 was levied on her home even though she rents out her six building units. Commenters online noted many of the documents to prove a home is rented are relatively easy to procure. [Vancouver Sun]

📉 New data says it’s too expensive for many people in Vancouver to switch from renting to home ownership, with people earning 60 percent less than they’d need to for a down payment to purchase their first home. [Urbanized]

🗳️ In the end, it won’t be that exciting… The two provincial by-elections are likely to be won handily by the NDP. If it doesn’t turn out that way, it would be the greatest upset in BC politics, Indigenous and climate activist Joan Phillip will become MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. [Vancouver Sun]

🐶 The fate of my, and every other dog owner’s, beloved dog park expansion will be decided on June 26. New parks would be added to Heather and Granville Park, and an expansion at Emery Barnes Park. [Urbanized]

🧑‍🚒 Fire trucks were called to the 200 block of Kingsway on Wednesday after a fire broke out inside of an apartment. One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. [CTV]

CITY HALL

Loud slide shutdown

What happened: I can’t believe I’m writing this, but a slide was shut down in Yaletown for being too loud, according to CBC.

Oh boy, here we go: Local residents around Rainbow Park field noise complaints. The problem? Children not using the roller slide “properly” which caused it to make loud noises.

• Is it actually noisy? One resident who lives nearby told CBC that it wasn’t actually that bad.

Thought-bubble: First, why make a slide like this? Children just want to play and of course, will use it differently than intended. Second, isn’t the city already quite loud? The good news is the rest of the playground remains open. Hopefully whatever comes after it is flexible enough to allow children to play however they choose.

EVENTS

Scandinavian Midsummer Festival | Scandinavian Community Centre | Saturday and Sunday | Nordic baking, music and games, with over 50 different vendors selling Scandinavian goods. Don’t miss the Midsummer pole raising | Free to attend

LOA SKIN Pop-up | Granville Island Net Loft | Saturday and Sunday, 10 am-6 pm | The popular botanical skincare brand is hosting a pop-up on Granville all weekend. Mention Vancity Lookout and get 10% off | Learn more*

Hillcrest Summer Festival | Riley Park | Saturday, 11 am-3 pm | Outdoor activities, story time, fire truck, pickleball, there’s something for everyone | Free

The Vanrays | Container Brewing | June 25, 8 pm | Enjoy some great music with the soul and R&B band, and beer courtesy of Container Brewing Free to attend

Bark Park | 1025 Dunsmuir St. | Saturday, 1 pm-7 pm | An event for dogs and their owners. Meet other dog friends, with music, beer and food available | Free

Hollywood Harvest & Granville Flea | Hollywood Theatre | Sunday, 11 am-7 pm | Dumplings, a flea market and so many other local food and goods vendors | Free

Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo | Anvil Centre | Saturday | Come try some old games, enjoy music, trivia and jeopardy, all retro game inspired of course | Tickets $25

Vancouver International Jazz Festival | Throughout Vancouver | Today until July 2 | The popular jazz music festival with events all around the city | Free + paid events

Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival | Concord Pacific Place, Creekside, False Creek | Saturday and Sunday | Watch the dragon boat traces, grab some food and check out some art, at this popular summer event | Free

Free Swap | Riley Park | Saturday, 11 am-3 pm | Swap your old items with some new ones, keep items out of the landfill and reduce waste | Free

James Cameron Challenging the Deep | Science World | Today to December | Explore the deep with Cameron’s deep sea exhibit starting today | Tickets $33

Greek Day on Broadway | Between Blenheim and Macdonald Street | Sunday | If you love greek food, then this is the event for you, come on out and enjoy Greektown, with music, dance and of course, food | Free

*Sponsored content

FOOD

Where to eat this weekend: Thank You Pizza

I’m not a food reviewer, but I do enjoy a good meal out. Every so often, I’ll share a recommendation on a place you should try, based on my experience at the restaurant

Those who know Thank You Pizza know it’s one of the best-kept secrets for pizza in the city. Why? The unassuming spot shares a location with Honeybee Brunchette — Thank You takes over in the evening — and all the pizza is made on a massive truck equipped with a pizza oven.

The vibes: The entire operation has a laid-back atmosphere. A solid selection of wines will go down well with any of the pizzas. But good luck finding a table, as it’s usually quite busy. The outside seating has a real I’m-in-Europe vibe which I dig.

• Also their mascot is adorable.

The food: But the reason you really come here is to chow down on one of Vancouver’s best pizzas. The dough is perfectly made, fluffy but stable, with char marks, and melts in your mouth as you eat. The options are limited compared to more traditional pizza joints, but the combinations are perfect:

• Try the mushroom pizza. The combination of mushrooms, cheese and bechamel sauce all work well together.

Insider tip: Go there early, it fills up fast. If you’re with a friend, get two. Sit outside for the best experience. And if the line is too long, check out La Boqueria, Pizzing Coming Soon, Oyster Express, Addah or for something less expensive, Redbeef Noodle Kitchen.

Other food news

In the mood for some Malaysian food? Hawker’s Delight Deli, Malaysia St. and Mamalee Malaysian Delight are just some of the places worth checking out. [Daily Hive]

Out with the old, in with the sort of new. La Taqueria at 586 Hornby St. is being replaced by another Mexican restaurant Toloache, owned by the same chef who runs Maizal. [Vancouver is Awesome]

If you like Bubble Tea, be sure to score yourself a Bubble Tea Passport which gives you buy-one-get-one-free drinks, discounts and other benefits from August 1 to 14. More info here. [Vancouver is Awesome]

Maenam chefs have crafted a new Riesling wine you can only find at Maenam. [Scout Magazine]

Don’t miss out on the Harvest Longtable Dinner, a multicourse feast from local chefs and food partners. [Eventbrite]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• CNN has ranked Vancouver as the fifth most livable city in the world, which of course does not translate into affordability. [CNN]

• Check out these beautiful urban walks you can try throughout the city. [Daily Hive]

• Here’s a helpful map and details of the planned closures due to the Vancouver Half Marathon. [Daily Hive]

• That’s a whole lot of skateboarders downtown celebrating Go Skateboarding Day. [Reddit]

• Redditors say Burger Heaven, Burger Crush and Juicy Joes have the juiciest burgers. What’s your favourite? [Reddit]

TOP PHOTO

Reddit user sufferin_sassasfras captured this beautiful shot of the moon over English Bay.

GAME TIME

Congrats to Katie, Steph and Liz who all guessed the VancouverGuesser on Wednesday. The answer was the King Edward station.

Today’s Wordle is a famous place in the city. Can you guess it? Play Worlde now.