The kindergarten nightmare continues

Good morning,

There’s big money in crabs. Or so it appears, as the courts are seeking $6 million from illegal crabbing from a man who had 10,000 pounds of the creatures at his properties in Metro Vancouver.

Today we’ve got a story on kindergarten shortages, updates from the recent city hall meeting and a big list of events this weekend.

Let’s get to it!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

PS - Was this email forwarded to you? Subscriber here for free so you don’t miss a single edition.

WEATHER

Friday: 2 🌡️ -2 | 🌧️/❄️

Saturday: 2 🌡️ -1 | ❄️

Sunday: 2 🌡️ -3 | ❄️

Monday: 1 🌡️ -3 | ❄️

EDUCATION

The kindergarten nightmare continues

February… A time of renewal, springtime and good vibes. Or in the case of newer parents, a heartbreaking wait to see which kindergarten their kids will attend.

What happened: Vancouver faces a shortage of kindergarten spots, with about 270 kids this year who are on a waitlist without a spot and waiting to get in to 15 different schools, according to CBC.

• There are not enough kindergarten spots for the number of children interested, resulting in a waitlist. Having 15 schools without enough spaces is tied for the highest-ever total, which occurred last year.

The problem: It all comes down to the budget, according to CBC. Money is stretched thin as the province spends on seismic upgrades for earthquakes. There are also complexities when it comes to coordinating between three different elected bodies, the Vancouver School Board, city council and the BC government.

• This number will fluctuate over time, but many children will not get into the school that’s closest to their home. That means the dreaded Vancouver commute…

Where’s the school: Parents in Olympic Village have been waiting for a new school in the area, home to around 10,000 people, according to CBC. The Columbia Street site had been set aside for a new school more than 15 years ago. But so far, nothing.

• The province says something is coming soon, but it was noticeably absent in the budget. With an election coming up, it likely will be part of the NDP’s plan. 

Yes, but: Let’s not forget the NDP announced it as part of their 2020 election campaign… Just saying!

All about the numbers: There’s been an ongoing debate about whether the Vancouver School Board’s future enrollment projections are accurate, according to the Vancouver Sun. They’ve forecasted an increase of 5,000 students by 2032, whereas the province estimates around 10,000. The projections are important because they determine how to allocate resources, as well as what schools to potentially close. 

Looking ahead: Vancouver is only going to get bigger, including the creation of new major developments at Sen̓áḵw and Jericho. If you want a family, you need spaces for kids to go!

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

⚽️ $380 million: The current estimate of the cost to host the World Cup in Vancouver in 2026. This has increased from the $240 to $260 million that was originally part of the bid. [Vancouver Sun]

💉 198: The number of people who died from toxic drugs in January. The number is 14 percent lower than last January. [Global News]

THE AGENDA

🚘️ If you were driving yesterday, your commute was likely very bad. There was a head-on collision on the Stanley Park Causeway and a rollover crash on Highway 1 in Abbotsford. No news on if anyone was hurt. [CityNews]

🛑 Your walk around the Seawall will look different in the coming years. The city is planning to take down the popular Expo deck around Science World starting in 2027. They’re removing it because of structural issues and potential danger to public safety. There are no plans to replace it. As a former frequent user, it’s definitely sad to hear. [Global News]

🌉 Heads up — there will be big delays until Fall 2024 on Granville Bridge as the city adds pedestrian and cycling pathways. The north bridge segment near Granville and Drake will be demolished and replaced. [Urbanized]

🚧 Speaking of construction, Gastown is about to see ongoing repairs and changes as the neighbourhood prepares for the car-free street pilot this summer. You can read more about it in our breakdown of the city’s work on walkable neighbourhoods. [Global News]

🪧 BC Teachers protested in Vancouver on Wednesday outside the BC Teachers Federation’s offices to oppose the BC Investments Corporation which uses their pension funds to invest in fossil fuels and weapons, among many other investments. They’re calling for an end to these types of investments in their pensions. [CityNews]

❌ West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager was banned from practicing law for two years due to professional misconduct while dealing with a friend’s estate, due to a conflict of interest over advice he gave. [CBC]

⛷️ Ski bums beware. There’s a heightened risk of avalanches along BC’s South Coast due to the high levels of recent snow. [CityNews]

🏢 A development in Ambleside over in North Vancouver is getting additional density to allow for rental stock, after the existing tenants of the rental-only zoning area raised concerns that they would have nowhere to live once they left their current homes. Tenants will have more protection as part of the redevelopment. [North Shore News]

CITY HALL

Timber, wages and BIAs

Here are some updates you may have missed about city hall. 

Go-go timber: The city is launching a rezoning incentive that allows developers to build more height and have greater floor plans if they use timber instead of concrete and steel. Only eight mass-timber buildings have been proposed or completed in the last five years. The BC Government approved a change in 2023 to allow up to 18-storey mass-timber buildings. 

BIA brouhaha: Despite complaints from a number of local businesses, the city approved the expansion of the Mount Pleasant Business Improvement Area to expand an additional 10 blocks to Main and East 29th. While councillors expressed sympathy for the residents, all of them eventually voted in favour of the motion. For a deeper dive on this issue, including understanding what BIAs do, check out the latest episode of the local podcast Track and Food. [Vancouver Sun]

No living wage for you: A motion brought forth at Wednesday’s city council meeting by One City Coun. Christine Boyle to bring back the living wage was stopped by the ABC majority. The tweet below gets into an excellent analysis of the living wage, breaking down why ABC’s policy of a five year average wage leaves workers worse off. [CTV]

EVENTS GUIDE

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival | Various movie theatres around town | Now until 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

Vancouver International Wine Festival | Vancouver Convention Centre | Now until March 3 | Wine lovers rejoice! Discover a world of new wines, talks and of course, tasting wine | Various ticket prices

Vancouver International Dance Festival | Various locations | Now until March 9 | Come see the celebration of dance with many different performance types | Tickets $25+

Kawaii Japan Market | Robson Square | March 1-3 | 60 different vendors focused on Japanese culture selling art, food and more | Free

First Free Friday at the Vancouver Art Gallery | March 1 | First Friday of every month is free to visit at the Vancouver Art Gallery | Free

Riley Park Winters Farmers’ Market | 50 E 30th Ave and Ontario St | March 2, 10 am-2 pm | 85+ farmers selling local goods, with food and coffee served | Free

The Creative Cabaret | 45 W Hasting St. | March 2, 7 pm | An underground art experience featuring local artists and live music | Tickets $15

RBC Dumpling Tasting Soirée in Richmond | 3800 Cessna Dr., Richmond | March 2, 6 pm | Sample unique dumplings from a variety of cultures | Tickets starting at $90

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

Level's Facing Resistance Speaker Series  | 128 West Hastings St., Suite 210 | March 7, 7 pm | Connect with the community of people building an equitable justice system | Tickets $15

Lucrezia - presented by Vancouver Opera | Vancouver Opera | March 8-10, | Re-imagining of an opera favourite, a tale of love | Free

International Women's Day Art Fair | Pacific Arts Market | March 9, 1 pm | Showcasing women artists from around BC, including painting, jewelry, sculpture and more | Free

Green Garden Gala | Sutton Place Hotel | March 9, 7 pm | The glitziest and most glamorous event of Vancouver Cocktail Week, with drinks and food… and more drinks! | Tickets $187

TWEET OF THE DAY

I wanted to highlight this because the person who posted this absolutely nails it. Zoning itself is an arbitrary decision that can be rescinded at any time for any reason. When politicians do or do not do this, it’s for certain reasons they deem important, it’s got little to do with actual zoning * end rant *.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Yam Bai Chngang Khmer Restaurant which serves Khmer (Cambodian) food is opening up in Richmond in April. For a local option, Phnom Penh is always popular but be prepared to wait. [CTV]

• The plans for the Grey Cup in Vancouver include a fan zone and, no joke, a zip line. [CBC]

• Good news for casual golf fans — Vancouver’s pitch and putts are open starting March 1. You see the opening times here. [Twitter]

• (Insiders-only) Interested in exploring Chinese food courts in Richmond? This one spot isn’t on anyone's list, but I still found it memorable. [Vancity Lookout]

• I cannot recommend the new show Shōgun enough. And to my surprise, I just learned it was filmed in Vancouver. I should’ve guessed given the West Coast-loooking sets. [Yahoo]

• If you aren’t aware of Shape Your City, it’s an opportunity to participate and learn more about developments, infrastructure changes and other projects in the city.

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

GAME TIME

I’m feeling a little embarrassed about Wednesday’s VancouverGuesser… I used the wrong image which clearly showed the Google Map labelling of Fraser Street, essentially giving it away.

The correct answer was Fraser and Kingsway. Congrats to Rob, Mike, Brian, Linda, Patricia, Ian, Dylan, Lee, Carol and many others who got it right. Popular restaurants mentioned included Les Faux Bourgeois, Sal y Limon, Savio Volpe and many more.

Unlike Wednesday’s game, there is no clue in the image. Can you guess today’s Wordle? You can play it here.