Lookout readers have their say on the FIFA World Cup in Vancouver

Good morning,

Late September to early November is the time of year when everyone catches up with my natural state. That is to say: pumpkin spice and horror.

I’m a fan of horror fiction and films, and I make my own pumpkin spice simple syrup so I can drink pumpkin spice lattes all year round. My job at a dinner with friends next weekend is to bring the dessert, and I have known for a month that I am going to bake a marriage of two of my three favourite things: cinnamon rolls and pumpkin spice.

This is also the time of year I get a head start on large swaths of the population with the third of my three favourite things: eggnog. I am firm and adamant in my belief that eggnog is entirely appropriate starting in September. I would even go so far as to call it one of my core principles. But I regularly get comments from friends that I am nothing short of a criminal for drinking eggnog outside their approved eggnog season. They are Bad People for saying such falsehoods, but I forgive them because they are my friends and we can’t all be so enlightened.

Today, we’ve got a story on how Lookout readers are thinking about the FIFA World Cup.

—Dustin Godfrey, freelancer

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

WEATHER

Monday: 16 🌡️ 9 | ☀️

Tuesday: 17 🌡️ 9 | ☀️

Wednesday: 13 🌡️ 9 | 🌦️

THE LOOKOUT RECOMMENDS

Pumpkin spice recipes: I mentioned in my intro today that I make my own pumpkin spice simple syrup, so I thought I would use one of these recommendations to share the recipe I use for it. I started with this recipe, but I found the pumpkin puree didn’t add enough flavour for the work, so I dropped that. I’ve also begun pairing the spices with an equal amount of vanilla. You can find a recipe for pumpkin spice on their website, but a note: allspice isn’t the easiest ingredient to find in stores. — Dustin Godfrey

A Michelin winner: In June I wrote about a smaller restaurant over in East Vancouver just starting out called Nero Tondo at 1879 Powell St. They quickly shot close to the top of the best restaurant experience and food I’ve had all year. I’m happy to report they were one of the winners of a Michelin Guide Recommendation. You can read all about how the chef-owners are taking local to new extremes. — Geoff Sharpe, Lookout managing editor

FIFA WORLD CUP

Lookout readers have their say on the FIFA World Cup in Vancouver

Written by Geoff Sharpe

I never visited Vancouver during the Winter Olympics. It still stands as one of my bigger regrets, a unique moment in the city’s history that I was told you had to be there to experience.

I lived in Victoria at the time, a broke university student unable to make the trip. But even on the island the energy was unmistakable, the smiles from those returning, jubilant, coursing with energy, only surpassed in memory by thunderous screams at the University of Victoria bar as we watched Crosby score the gold medal-winning hockey goal.

For many, the Olympics were a seminal event in the city, shifting perceptions from the sleepy west coast city with nice mountains, to a world-renowned location. 

The legacy wasn’t all rosy, though. A housing bubble, displaced residents, riots, Indigenous rights, events like this ripple across a city in unexpected ways that we’re still reckoning with today. 

The FIFA World Cup here in Vancouver in 2026 may be a new generation’s Olympics, a seminal collective experience that we will talk about decades later. 

As a publication that puts locals first, coverage of the World Cup will be a big part of our coverage next year. And our recent survey about the event elicited opinions from both those in support and those opposed. 

Understanding both the good and the bad is the role we’re excited to play here at the Lookout as we begin scaling up our coverage. As we think about the stories we plan to write, it’s critical that local voices are centred in our reporting. 

Today’s story highlights some of the topics locals shared with us. It’s feedback like this that will help shape our coverage. 

It’s a city and fun-building initiative that the city sorely needs

Vancouver’s reputation as a no-fun city is sometimes overblown, but if you’ve ever spent a week in Montreal, you can understand the complaint. Many readers shared how excited they were for an initiative like this, to rejuvenate and enliven the city. 

“Vancouver doesn't have a lot going on compared to top-tier cities around the world. It is SO exciting to have an event of this magnitude come to the city. Vancouver needs to get out of its no fun city funk and live a little!!”

“The world needs to be reminded again about the beauty of BC and that Vancouver is a great tourist destination!”

Readers were also quick to share how the Olympics legacy reshaped much of the city, including massive infrastructure upgrades. 

“It is great to have these events. Look at how great the Winter Olympics turned out. We upgraded our highways and built new, very needed, buildings, i.e. Trout Lake, etc. When we bring events like these, we get upgrades.”

• The infrastructure upgrades for this event are far more modest than those for the Olympics and include small upgrades to BC Place Stadium.

A better use of money?

Hosting an event like this is one thing, but as has been extensively reported, the event comes with a serious price. It’s estimated that costs could rise to $624 million, including $281 million incurred by the City of Vancouver. 

Many readers pointed out that, given the city’s many competing priorities, this is an odd way to spend limited resources. 

“I know we have to have events, especially to host other countries, as that is good for us globally, but upgrades to dressing rooms compared to the needs of our citizens worried about enough food and homes.”

"I work in the arts, and it's frustrating to listen to the city say how important arts and culture and local events are to them, but put all their money into bringing large-scale external events. Grant funding from city sources for arts and culture has remained static for nearly a decade, which in reality represents a steady decrease since they do not even match inflation. Knowing how many arts orgs are struggling to stay afloat right now and the city saying we have no money to give you while they spend hundreds of millions on FIFA is a gut punch."

• Arts funding in the city is especially in crisis, while the city refuses to take much-needed steps towards addressing the issue, as we’ve reported extensively. 

A questionable economic impact?

The costs will be offset by expected revenue of up to $418 million in direct revenue and $1 billion in economic impact. Lookout readers expressed skepticism about the benefits. 

“I don’t believe the economic benefits offset the costs - especially the security costs, which will continue to skyrocket given the current world situation.”

“As much as I'm excited about the opportunity to attend a World Cup match, there are WAY more important issues that desperately need that funding in our province. I'm highly skeptical the economic benefits will outweigh the costs…”

• It’s not just Lookout readers questioning the economic benefits — economists have raised concerns about whether that $1 billion number is in fact accurate, according to CBC. It also comes amidst the rising cost of living, which consistently polls as the top issue.

“I'm more concerned about our ability to capture the tourist dollars coming into our city with our low hotel stock availability. We are already facing the challenges of having enough hotel rooms during regular tourist season, let alone special events like the World Cup.”

• While it’s unclear what the economic impact could be, many groups like Destination Vancouver have highlighted the severe lack of hotels, including a 10 per cent decline between 2002 and 2022, according to Business in Vancouver. 

As you can see from the comments above, readers share wide-ranging feelings about the event. We’re excited about covering the event and reflecting the diversity of feelings as we choose what stories and issues to cover.

THE VANCOUVER NUMBER

17,000

That’s how many BCGEU workers are now fully or partially on strike, after the union stepped up its labour action. That includes adding 19 new BC Liquor Store locations across BC, bringing the province-wide total to 101 locations on strike, with 20 of those in Vancouver alone. That isn’t including the four distribution warehouses, the 11 BC Cannabis Store locations or headquarters where workers are on strike. PressProgress reports more than 80,000 workers are on strike across Canada, which could climb to 130,000 if Alberta’s teachers also strike. [CTV]

THE AGENDA

🧑‍💻 As Mayor Ken Sim looks for cuts to meet his 0% property tax increase in his final budget before the next election, it could be management on the chopping block. The city workers’ union says management in city hall — as is the case with other public sector organizations — has bloated, growing faster than its unionized staff. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

🏫 Parents are calling plans to permanently close one East Vancouver school and lease lands of another to a private developer “short-sighted cash grabs” as the city’s schools are stretched thin. Sir Guy Carleton Elementary has been closed since 2016, and the province has denied funding to repair it. Meanwhile, Sir Sandford Fleming Elementary is up for rezoning that would see its basketball courts developed into a six-storey apartment building for an $8.4-million, 99-year lease. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

🧑‍🏫 Meanwhile, in Olympic Village, parents were rallying for another elementary school — this time, for one that is yet to exist. A school board trustee at the rally said the school was going to be built by 2029, but that depends on city council approving a rezoning for the proposed four-storey school. Read more. [CTV]

👮 And as schools across Canada, including Vancouver, see the return of school police liaison officers, some are applauding the move, saying they are the answer to increasing violence in schools. Others, however, are denouncing it, saying they don’t address the cause of violence and creates unease among marginalized students. [CBC]

🏨 Airbnb is stepping up its public pressure campaign to loosen short-term rental regulations ahead of FIFA, commissioning a report from Deloitte that suggests Vancouver will need more short-term rentals to accommodate all the visitors. In all, the report claims a shortfall of 70,000 nights in Metro Vancouver, which represents more people who won’t be able to spend money at local businesses. Read more. [CBC]

🧑‍⚖️ A Tofino woman is turning to the courts to pursue former Vancouver Canucks player Willie Mitchell for an alleged sexual assault in 2022. The woman was an employee at the resort he co-owned with another former Canuck and a developer, but he’s been off the board of directors since 2023, according to the woman’s lawsuit. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

🧑‍💼 A Vancouver lawyer was negligently incurious about the $2.6 million his client asked him to wire to a trust account in Dubai. The Law Society of BC’s tribunal found Neal Burton Wang didn’t ask enough questions about why the money was being transferred and to whom. But that hasn’t turned out so great for Wang, who is now suspended for four months. Read more. [Vancouver Sun]

🏘️ Real estate sales bumped up 1.2% in September compared to the same time last year — but it remains 20.1% below the 10-year seasonal average. Read more. [The Canadian Press]

EVENT GUIDE

Fin-tastic Fall Days | The Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way | Until Oct. 31, 10 am–5 pm | Autumn-themed marine exhibits, kelp maze, 4D movie, scavenger hunt, and more | Tickets $28+

Vancouver International Film Festival | Various locations | Until Oct. 12, various times | 170 features and 100 shorts with talks, performances, and special events across 11 days | Tickets $21+

Toronto Raptors v Denver Nuggets | Rogers Arena, 800 Griffiths Way | Oct. 6, 7 pm | NBA pre-season game featuring Raptors vs Nuggets at Rogers Arena | Tickets $180+

Vancouver Sake Fest '25 | Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, 1180 W Hastings St. | Oct. 9, 6–9 pm | Sample 100+ sakes, meet makers, enjoy chef-prepared bites, 19+ only | Tickets $102.75+

Lene Lovich with Royal Strays, The Hausplants | Rickshaw Theatre, 254 E. Hastings St. | Oct. 11, 7 pm | New Wave icon Lene Lovich returns to Vancouver for the first time in over 40 years | Tickets $47

Winter Extreme Vancouver Ski & Board Sale, Rail Jam & Exhibition | PNE Forum, 2901 E. Hastings St. | Oct. 17 | Canadian Ski Patrol’s annual gear sale is back — this time with a rail jam | Tickets $12

Teen Angst Night | Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main Street | Oct. 22, 8 pm | Brave people read the most embarrassing excerpts from their teenage diaries and notebooks. 19+ | Tickets $20

Women in Tech Vancouver – OutGeekWomen | Global Relay Communications, 220 Cambie St., 2nd Floor | Oct. 23, 6–8 pm | Mid/senior-level women in tech networking with hiring teams and CTOs | Tickets $50

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Hallow's Eve | The Birdhouse, 44 W. 4th Ave. | Oct. 30, 9 pm | The Rocky Horror Picture Show… but make it drag | Tickets $28

Man Up Halloween: MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR | The Birdhouse, 44 W. 4th Ave. | Nov. 1, 9 pm | Undead disco drag because disco never dies! | Tickets $16

Vision Zero Vancouver Presents: Life After Cars | SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W Hastings St. | Nov. 8, 6:30 pm | A discussion with The War on Cars podcasts hosts Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear about their new book! | Tickets $35

2025 Eastside Culture Crawl | Eastside Arts District | Nov. 20–21, 5–10 pm; Nov. 22–23, 11 am–6 pm | Four-day open studios with 500+ artists, galleries, and crafts | Free

Submit your event and it could appear here and reach 20,00+ Vancouver locals.

NEW VANCOUVER JOBS

Discover your dream job in Vancouver:

• Proposal Writer, Jacob Bros Construction

• Safety Program Analyst, Coast Mountain Bus Company

• Digital Marketer, AlgaeCal

• Proposal Coordinator, Torus Talent Consultants LTD

• Regional Safety Advisor, Rogers Communications

• Senior Associate Manager, Health and Safety, BCAA

GOOD NEWS MONDAY

A breathtaking photo of a bird passing over a solar eclipse has scored a Vancouver photographer the international title of Bird Photographer of the Year. Liron Gertsman took the photo, featuring the silhouette of a bird in the foreground, its wing passing over an out-of-focus solar eclipse, off the coast in Mexico after years of planning. [CBC]

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain a new perspective on what’s happening in B.C. and beyond with The Tyee’s free Daily Catch newsletter. Independent. Fearless. Reader funded. [Sponsored]

• Vancouver Swifties can hear themselves in Taylor Swift’s new album. (Sort of.) [CBC]

• A lucky Vancouver man is among the first to get tickets to FIFA World Cup. [CTV]

• Friday marked the 50th anniversary of one of Vancouver’s worst industrial accidents. [Global]

• Two local Japanese restaurants got their Michelin stars. [Globe and Mail]

VANCOUVER NEWS QUIZ

PHOTO OF THE DAY

A deer found its way to David Lam Park in Yaletown.

STORIES THIS WEEK