Metro Vancouver mayors release wishlist of transit projects

Good morning,

Pull out those parkas, grab those thick winter boots and put away those Lululemon pants, it’s about to get cold this week. Or at least, cold for Vancouver. Snuggle in and grab a warm cup of soup at Fat Mao, Ramen Danbo or Au Comptour, three places our food editor Jamie recommends.

While you’re eating soup, you can read today’s edition of the Lookout. We’ve got news about the weather, big plans for transit in Metro Vancouver and the end of the disposable cups.

Let’s get going!

— Geoff Sharpe

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Weather Report

Wednesday: 8 🌡️ 3 | ⛅️

Thursday: 6 🌡️ 4 | 🌧️

Friday: 8 🌡️ 3 | 🌧️

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

🔥 55: The number of new firefighters needed in Vancouver to serve residents safely, according to firefighters’ union IAFF18. [CTV News]

🥃 $110,000: How much a single bottle of ultra-rare Bowmore ARC-52 Scotch whisky will set you back at BC Liquor. Only 100 bottles were produced, two of which are for sale at the retailer’s 5555 Cambie St. location. [Vancouver is Awesome]

⛽️ $1.80: The average price of gas per litre across Metro Vancouver. [CTV]

CITY HALL

Metro Vancouver mayors release wishlist of transit projects

What happened: Metro Vancouver mayors have discussed a $20-billion wishlist for a decade’s worth of new transit projects and investments. 

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, the new chair of the TransLink Mayors’ Council, discussed the group’s 10-year plan for TransLink’s priorities, with CBC News’ Justin McElroy reporting on the wishlist. 

The plan: It includes doubling bus service across the region, building the Simpsons-esque gondola to SFU, and — as highlighted in Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s recent “state of the city” address — an extension of the Millennium Line to UBC. 

Other items on the Mayors’ Council wishlist include: 

• A connection from the North Shore to the rest of Metro Vancouver via Metrotown;

• The development of a network of bikeways in urban centres and areas of high cycling potential” across the region;

• Adding missing sidewalks near frequent transit;

• Increased service on the Canada Line, with smaller but noticeable increases on the Expo and Millennium lines;

• Twenty-five percent more SeaBus service;

• A 60 percent increase in availability of HandyDART trips, among other things.

Ridership still in recovery: The mayors also heard on Thursday that ridership has increased more slowly than expected over the past year. The return to TransLink services is also unequal across Metro Vancouver, with recovery highest the further you go from Vancouver’s Central Business District. Bus ridership also varies across the region, with weekends seeing higher recovery than weekdays.

Analysis: It’s a vision, but one without funding. Multiple investments from higher levels of government will be required. Other policy mechanisms to raise money include raising transit fares and increasing the gas tax, neither of which fit with many mayors’ collective efforts to tackle affordability across the Lower Mainland.

Planning deadlines loom

There are also a few deadlines fast approaching for residents of Vancouver:

• Feb. 2: The City of Vancouver would like to remind all homeowners and potential landlords that Empty Homes Tax declarations are due.

• Feb. 2: Advance tax payments are also due, and can be paid through online banking, by mail, at city hall, through your mortgage, or at your bank.

• Feb. 6: Deadline to nominate a project for the 35th Heritage Awards in 2023. These awards acknowledge and celebrate the intangible and self-expressed heritage that enriches the City of Vancouver. 

ICYMI: Green bin collection has been bi-weekly since Jan. 5. This doesn’t impact Recycle BC’s pickup of blue box, grey box, and yellow bag pickup, which remains weekly.

WEATHER

Brrrr, it’s cold in here

Just like the 2006 film Bring it On, it’s about to get cold in here.

What’s happening: On Wednesday, Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, forecasting a cold spell starting tonight. Thanks to arctic air gusts from Siberia, the city is expecting cold temperatures and significant wind gusts across most of the province. 

• Temperatures are forecast to remain lower than average into early February.

The details: There is rain in the forecast, with snow predicted for areas with higher altitudes. 

• Thunderstorms and wet snow are also possible according to Global BC meteorologist Kristi Gordon. 

• Things should start fairly dry next week, but possibly include snow next Thursday or Friday said CityNews meteorologist Michael Kuss. 

Temperatures are expected to be five to 10 degrees below normal, which may result in sub-zero temperatures that feel even colder with wind chill. Drivers should be cautious about slippery roads, slush, and ice, and drive according to road conditions. No speeding!

What about warming shelters? Going by previous announcements, the city seems to stay relatively quiet about inclement weather shelters until a few days into extreme weather. However, the City of Vancouver does have a general winter response strategy, with temporary winter shelters and additional beds opened nightly from November through March.

QUICK HITS

🚗 A high number of crashed Evos parked on a single street in East Vancouver near a body shop is drawing ire from local residents and businesses. [CityNews]

💸 Fifty-six victims in Vancouver lost more than $700,000 combined in what the VPD is calling a “cash for bail money” scam. [VPD Twitter]

🚓 Const. Nicole Chan was released from the hospital hours before she died, according to corners’ inquest into her suicide. [CTV]

🏠️ The average rental price of a two-bedroom condo was $2,504 in Vancouver. The vacancy rate currently stands at 0.9 percent, which is considered extremely tight. [CTV] 

A search is currently underway for two missing Indigenous women who are possibly in Vancouver. They may currently be in the Downtown Eastside. [Vancouver Sun]

🏢 A new report says Chinatown is in critical need of culturally appropriate care for Chinese seniors, who have little access to care. [Vancouver Sun]

CITY HALL

City Council to dispose of single-use cup fee by summer

What happened: The $0.25 disposable cup fee may not be in Vancouver for much longer. Mayor Ken Sim told the Daily Hive that “if it all works out, [the single-use cup fee] will be gone by summer”. 

• Citing an “overwhelming” negative response to the fee in the midst of an affordability crisis, the mayor said the fee was doing little beyond hurting businesses and residents.

The reason: At first glance, this policy attempt grounded in behavioural economics “nudge” theory, seemed like it could be a good way to urge consumers to make more environmentally sustainable choices. 

However, the devil is in the details. The City of Vancouver doesn’t actually have the power to collect the fees or direct businesses to spend the money they’ve collected in a certain way. There’s no way to know if your disposable cup fee actually goes to diverting waste.

Blast from the past: The previous city council did vote on an amendment that would have scrapped the contentious fee, but the motion failed 7-4 against and the fee remained. 

• With an ABC majority now on council and a number of those voting to keep the fee losing re-election, Sim should have no problem passing the policy.

Why now:  According to the mayor, there’s still a lot of data to be analyzed to determine the impact of the program, including figuring out which businesses have actually been investing the money and what impact their investments have had.

• We’ll keep our eyes on upcoming council agendas and report back when this actually comes to the floor.

Analysis: If the city could actually collect the fees from businesses and invest it into something related to the environment, the cup fee might be more palatable. Questions remain about what can be done to combat large litter, which makes up 22 percent of litter on the streets, according to Vancouver Sun.

WEEKEND EVENTS

Family

Family Storytime at the VPL, Jan. 28 at 11 am: Parents and caregivers with young children are invited to bring the kiddos to family storytime on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-11:30 am. Free to attend.sdfsdf

Saturday’s LEGO Block Party at VPL’s Britannia Branch, tomorrow at 2 pm: For children in grades K-7, come on in and build some Lego. Free to attend. 

Ace Moto Show, weekend at 140 W Hasting: Come see Vancouver’s biggest auto show celebrating all things motorcycle. Tickets $30.

Food

Hot ‘N’ Ready: It’s a Pizza Party, tomorrow at 3:15 pm: Join Canadian Craft Tours on a distillery and brewery tour that includes a cocktail or whisky flight, a beer flight, a pizza, and a pint of beer. Tickets $10.

Sports

Harlem Globetrotters, tomorrow at 1 pm and 6 pm: Fun for the whole family, come watch games and activities that defy gravity. Tickets $25.

Art

All We Want Is More: The Tobias Wong Project, ongoing: Located at the Museum of Vancouver, he was a local artist who was irreverent, witty and thought provoking. Tickets $20.

Movies

Rian Johnson retrospective, VIFF: Come watch movies by one of Hollywood’s best writer-directors. Tickets $$15.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Organizers of the Vancouver Folk Festival are exploring new options to save the fastival. [CTV News]

• Locals share their thoughts on the best restaurants in the Fraser and Kingsway area. It’s a really long list! [Reddit]

• If you like wine, our food editor Jamie has a recommendation you might enjoy and likely haven’t heard of. 

• Reddit is not impressed with the, quote, “best deal in the city” for three tacos and a pop by La Taqueria. [Reddit]

• There’s nothing boring about this boring machine boring a hole for Mount Pleasent station. [Daily Hive]

• Northern Cafe is apparently the number one rated restaurant in Canada on Yelp. [CTV]

• Alex Black of Laowei and Bagheera, talks to Lookout Eats about speakeasies, his new restaurant and what it’s like working in Chinatown

TWEET OF THE DAY

Renting is really bad here in Vancouver and this tweet proves it. 

VIDEO OF THE DAY

There’s nothing boring about this boring machine boring a hole for Mount Pleasent station.

GAME TIME

Yesterday’s VancouverGuesser must’ve been tough. The answer was Kitsilano Beach.

Think you can guess this week’s Vancouver Wordle? Play now.