Families rally for safer crosswalks after collision leaves woman with serious injuries

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Good morning,

Nate with you today. We’ve got a fully loaded edition for you, so I’ll keep this brief. As we keep growing our networks and beats around the city, we want to keep you, the Lookout’s readers, at the centre of the work we’re doing. 

While we hope you love the stories we write and appreciate the various perspectives we choose to highlight, that may not always be the case. And that’s okay. We value respectful dialogue, disagreement, and differences of opinion, so we hope you feel free to reach out if something hits you wrong, or you have a different take you want to share. We may not always agree, but the conversation is usually worth having. 

With that, let’s dive into today’s stories, including readers' comments on the ongoing strikes. 

— Nate Lewis, Vancity Lookout

As always, you can send your comments, hot takes, and constructive criticism to Nate at [email protected].

PS - If you find this newsletter valuable, please consider forwarding it to your friends. New to the Lookout? Sign-up for free. 

WEATHER

Wednesday: 13 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

Thursday: 13 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

Friday: 11 🌡️ 7 | 🌧️

PUBLIC SAFETY

Families rally for safer crosswalks after collision leaves woman with serious injuries

Content warning: The intro to this story includes graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing. 

During lunch hour on a sunny Tuesday, a car turned left on Willow Street onto 16th Avenue. As the car turned, the driver struck Rosalia Tugadi, a childcare worker in her fifties, who was pushing a stroller across the road in a designated crosswalk. Video of the collision shows the stroller getting twisted to the ground, but falling ahead of the car’s path, while Tugadi took the full force of the impact. 

The video shows Tugadi trying to get up after the initial collision. However, before she could get to her feet, the driver of the car that struck her accelerated again, driving over her body and pinning her beneath the vehicle.

Tugadi suffered serious injuries, including a broken arm, multiple rib fractures, abdominal injuries and pelvic fractures, and remains in hospital, according to Kaitlyn and Alec Windt, the parents of the two-year-old who was with Tugadi that day. Their young son was physically unharmed. 

“It appears driver error was a significant contributing factor in the collision,” Vancouver Police Department (VPD) media relations officer Steve Addison told Vancity Lookout. Addison declined to provide more information about the nature of the driver error, citing an ongoing investigation. A week after the incident, criminal charges have not yet been laid against the driver, according to the VPD.  

“We are deeply concerned about the incident involving Ms. Tugadi. Our thoughts are with her, her loved ones, and all those affected. We are working with our partners at the VPD to gather more information,” the city said in response to Vancity Lookout’s questions about the incident.  

The Windt family is asking the VPD to “hold the responsible parties accountable,” Alec told reporters at a rally over the weekend. “Rosalia is a wonderful person… she’s really helped our son grow, providing a nurturing environment for him,” Alec said. “She’s a very important part of our family,” Kaitlyn added. The Windts have set up a fundraiser to benefit Tugadi in her recovery, which has already raised over $29,000. 

The Windt family, who live in the neighbourhood and work at nearby Vancouver General Hospital, were joined by about 50 parents, children, advocates and neighbours who gathered at the site of the collision in support of safer road crossings. Participants marched back and forth across the crosswalk in the rain, chanting and displaying their signs, and briefly stopping traffic by gathering together in the road.   

The city said that, prior to the incident, they had already determined that “flashing beacons are warranted” at this crosswalk. Staff are currently in the process of designing them, with installation expected in 2026. 

“Scary every day”: Pedestrians are the road users most likely to be killed in a collision, data shows

“The number of cars that are running through stop signs, rolling way over the lines, not stopping at pedestrian crossings, is just scary every day,” Cheryl Noon, a new parent who frequently walks in Cambie Village and other parts of the city with her eight-month-old, told Vancity Lookout at the rally.

The city’s stated goal is to have “zero traffic related fatalities and serious injuries.” However, serious incidents like this one underline the need for continued progress. ICBC data shows there were at least 733 vehicle crashes involving pedestrians in Vancouver in 2024, while, in the Lower Mainland, an average of 34 pedestrians per year were killed by vehicles between 2019 and 2023. 

Road users who are not in a car are at much greater risk of serious injury and death than drivers, according to data from the city, VPD, and Vancouver Coastal Health. 

While pedestrians and cyclists are involved in only four per cent of vehicle collisions city-wide, these groups make up the majority of serious injuries and fatalities from vehicle collisions in Vancouver. Pedestrians represented 60 per cent of fatalities and 27 per cent of serious injuries in city-wide collisions between 2018 and 2023, according to the city. Despite these high rates, the city also pointed to data which shows the rate of serious injuries and fatalities for pedestrians has actually decreased over the past 12 years. 

Lowering speed limits can have a big effect on outcomes for pedestrians in a collision. By going from 50 to 30 km per hour, pedestrian fatality rates in collisions can be reduced from 80 per cent to 15 per cent, according to the city. 

In July, city council unanimously passed a new 30 km per hour initiative that, in theory, would apply to all local streets without a centre line. However, in practice, signage is required to enforce speed limits below the provincial law of 50 km per hour for all city streets.

Therefore, the city will take a phased approach, rolling out 30 km rules in 25 neighbourhoods – including much of the West End, East Van, and southeastern Vancouver – over the next three years. Necessary signage to create lower speed limits in other neighbourhoods would need to be funded in future capital plans (the next three-year plan will be set in 2026). 

“There's no sense of urgency. There's no sense of priority to keep people safe,” OneCity Coun. Lucy Maloney told the crowd at the rally. Maloney has been a prominent advocate for safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists for several years, and ran the city’s first full-time “school street” at Lord Roberts Elementary in the West End from 2021 to 2023. Before becoming a city councillor, Maloney was also a spokesperson for Vision Zero Vancouver, a road safety advocacy group, which organized the rally.

Also in July, Maloney brought forward a successful motion at council for the city to revise and update its road safety policy and action plan in light of the continued death and injury on Vancouver roads. In the motion, Maloney specifically instructed staff to prioritize measures that have proven effective in reducing serious injuries and death and eliminate ineffective measures.

“Staff are working on updating the Vision Zero Strategic Plan, which will refocus our transportation safety work and expand on the tools and priorities to advance our goal to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the transportation network,” in part by analyzing collision data from multiple agencies, the city said, adding they expect to bring that update to council in spring 2026.

In early 2024, a 15-year-old student at Lord Byng Secondary suffered “serious and life-altering injuries” when she was hit by a car while crossing the street at 16th Avenue near Wallace Street in Point Grey, according to the VPD. After the incident, the city created a marked crosswalk and closed the median to cars at the intersection, while reducing the speed limit in the area to 40 km per hour.  

At the time, city staff said they planned to install a flashing beacon at that intersection in 2025. The city has yet to add that safety feature, but staff said they expect to install the crossing lights, and permanent expanded curbs later this year.

Noon, the new parent, said she would like to see more enforcement for vehicles at stop signs and red lights, and a ban on right turns at a red light. Vision Zero, the advocacy group, has campaigned to eliminate right-on-red rules in B.C., citing research in Washington D.C. that found restricting right turns at a red light reduced conflicts between vehicles and with pedestrians by more than 90 per cent. 

In May 2024, city council unanimously approved additional funding for pedestrian safety measures in 2025 and 2026, including targets (annual targets indicated in brackets) to increase the number of traffic lights (6), flashing crossing lights like the ones planned on 16th Avenue (15), leading pedestrian intervals, which allow pedestrians to start crossing the road before vehicles get the green light (30), and increased time at intersections for pedestrian crossings (120). 

The recent decision to freeze property taxes and cut $120 million from the city’s 2026 budget won’t impact public safety services, according to a city spokesperson.  

Back at the rally, the mood was sombre but hopeful. “If there is some good that can come out of this horrific tragedy, we hope that this neighbourhood is safer for all of the rest of the kids and families who live in the area,” Alec Windt said.

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THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

1.2 million
That’s how many cruise ship passengers visited Vancouver this year, aboard 301 cruise ships. This year’s cruise ship season contributed over $1 billion to the local economy, according to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, which keeps track of cruise ship data. Read more. [Daily Hive]

THE AGENDA

📉 A new poll has bad news for the mayor and city councillors. Sixty-nine per cent of respondents said it’s time for a change at city hall, and that Mayor Ken Sim should be voted out of office. Sixty-four per cent of respondents also felt that councillors should not be re-elected either. Meanwhile, the poll identified affordability as the city’s number one issue. Read more. [City News]

💰 As we reported last week, Park Board Chair Laura Christensen said the board is being directed to reduce its budget by $15 million in 2026, as a result of city council’s decision to freeze property taxes. Christensen said the public should expect service cuts and increased user fees at pools, rinks, and community centres. Read more. [Vancity Lookout, CTV]

🅿️ Speaking of increased user fees, the park board voted on Monday to implement year-round paid parking at Hillcrest, Kerrisdale, and Trout Lake Community Centres, Langara Golf Course, and during the VanDusen Botanical Garden’s Festival of Lights as part of a year-long pilot project. Read more. [Daily Hive]

🏥 Out-of-town residents who travel to Vancouver for medical care are concerned that there won’t be anywhere affordable for them to stay if they have to travel to Vancouver during the FIFA World Cup. Patient advocacy groups are meeting with Councillor Pete Fry and the provincial government to discuss options like room blocks or a more permanent medical travel lodge near Vancouver hospitals. Read more. [CTV]

🐋 Whale watching operators have reported seeing a humpback calf with a deep gash a few kilometres away from the location where a Hullo Ferry hit a whale last week. The same whale was seen days before the collision, uninjured. Read more. [The Canadian Press]

🤦 A Vancouver teacher, who has since retired, was suspended for three weeks after bringing a handmade model of a vintage rifle into his classroom in 2023, according to a resolution agreement published online Tuesday by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

🤕 There’s a major concern for Vancouver Canucks forward Filip Chytil after he was injured on a big hit over the weekend. Chytil, who was off to a hot start this year, has a significant history of concussions. CHEK-TV’s NHL insider Rick Dhaliwal says the team is considering putting him on long-term injured reserve, which could keep him off the ice for the remainder of the season. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

⚾ A win for Canada and a defeat for Cascadia. The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners in dramatic fashion in game seven to advance to their first World Series since 1993. The Mariners, meanwhile, have still never reached baseball’s Fall Classic. The World Series starts on Friday in Toronto, but if you haven’t seen Monday’s game-winning home run, it’s worth a watch. [Sportsnet] 

HOME OF THE WEEK

As someone pointed out in our last Home of the Week, it may have been a stretch to call that affordable two-bedroom an actual two-bedroom.

While this one may also have a somewhat smaller two-bedroom, it comes with a second bathroom, so you aren’t fighting over the room with your partner. The place is a good size, with a renovated interior, but it’s the location next to Main Street that should make anyone in Vancouver interested.

So how much will it set you back? Check it out.

VANCOUVER ARTS GUIDE

Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, a gender-bending present-day version of the characters, is getting rave reviews. You can catch it for a few more days at Gateway Theatre.

Roald Dahl’s beloved James and the Giant Peach gets a stage musical adaptation at the BMO Theatre Centre from Oct. 24-29.

Based on the Japanese play Sarachi, Vacant Lot at Firehall Arts Centre, where a married couple shares stories about their life when visiting the empty lot of their former home. On until Oct. 25.

Vancouver Chamber Choir is performing a show this Friday at St. Philip’s Anglican Church that explores and celebrates the north. Tickets are $45.

Renowned photographer Lee Miller’s work will be featured at The Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver starting Nov. 7, with over 100 images, including studio portraiture and commercial photography.

Guillermo del Toro’s much-anticipated Frankenstein makes its big screen debut at VIFF, the Ballad of a Small Player starring Colin Farrell, and other Halloween movies like Bride of Frankenstein, and the much-loved Tampopo.

Cinematheque continues its exploration of Akira Kurosawa with Yojimbo, The Hidden Fortress and Red Beard. And for all you horror movie lovers, you can check out their 13-hour horror movie marathon starting Oct. 31 at 8 pm.

COMMENT CORNER

Lookout readers have their say on recent strikes

Organized labour is flexing its bargaining power right now, with significant strikes in B.C. and nationwide. That includes the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU) and Canada Post, which have created disruptions to government services and mail delivery as unions and governments bargain over wages, benefits, and working conditions. 

Recently, BCGEU and the province have entered into mediation, which the BCGEU bargaining committee described as a “positive development” and said they’ve made progress on several important issues as of October 21.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ national strike – which was kicked off in late September by the federal government’s announcement of major reforms at Canada Post – has moved to rotating strikes, meaning most packages and mail are being delivered again. 

We haven’t covered these strikes in depth, but we asked Lookout readers to share their thoughts on the impact and effectiveness of the strikes. We’ve included parts of those responses here, alongside some fact-checking and additional context from yours truly. 

What readers had to say

The impact of the strike on restaurants and bars has been well-documented in other media outlets, like this recent Vancouver Sun article. In an industry survey of over 500 businesses, 40 per cent of respondents report their business is at risk, while 35 per cent have laid off staff or cut their hours.  

Washington State closed state-run liquor stores and distribution centres in 2012, resulting in a moderate increase in average prices, according to a 2015 study. Meanwhile, just over 900 liquor board jobs were eliminated, but we couldn’t confirm if these were unionized positions. The B.C. government was moving to privatize its liquor distribution service around the same time, but ultimately cancelled the process when it reached a new collective agreement with BCGEU in 2012. 

The BCGEU is asking for a four per cent wage increase over the next two years, while the government is offering two per cent, according to CTV. Canada’s inflation rate has gone from a high of 8 per cent in summer 2022 down to about 2.5 per cent this September. Unionized workers make 28 per cent more than non-unionized workers, with an even bigger pay discrepancy among women and young workers, according to the Canadian Labour Congress. 

The LDB generated over a billion dollars in net income for the province in the last fiscal year. 

Another reader told Vancity Lookout that, as an arts administrator and freelancer, they’ve faced considerable challenges sending and receiving cheques due to the ongoing Canada Post strikes. As of last week, these strikes are happening on a rolling basis, meaning most mail is being delivered, but with some delays.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• We’re all invited to the West Coast Express’ 30th birthday party. [TransLink]

• Sandy Farm Market in Kerrisdale is reopening two years after a fire that forced it to close. [Daily Hive]

• FREE: Museums and art galleries with no tickets required. [Curiocity]

• A Colombian Navy ship will be in North Vancouver this week, and will be open to the public for tours. [Daily Hive]

• Juno-winning Indigenous singer-songwriter William Prince is coming to Vancouver in March; tickets go on sale this week. [Vancouver Sun]

GAME TIME

Today’s Wordle is going to be featured part of everyone’s week. Can you work out what it is?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Vancouver’s PWHL team unveiled their new jerseys, which the team will wear for their first season. The cream and pacific blue colour scheme is here to stay, but the jersey will be updated with the team name and crest, which have yet to be announced, after Vancouver’s inaugural season. To me, it’s giving NY Islanders. What do you think?