A ray of good news for Metro Vancouver’s declining reservoirs

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Good morning,

A few readers have noted that the newsletter tends to be a bit negative. It’s not intentional, but they are correct, important news tends to be issues that are causing problems, and problems tend to not be positive.

But our lead story today is some good news related to water levels. You’ll have to read on to find out. Plus we’ve got some news about a city councillor’s decision to seek a provincial party nomination and what that means for council.

Let’s get to it. 

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WEATHER

Wednesday: 2 🌡️ -4 | 🌧️

Thursday: 4 🌡️ 0 | 🌧️

Friday: 4 🌡️ 4 | 🌤️

ENVIRONMENT

A ray of good news for Metro Vancouver’s declining reservoirs

What happened: The massive dump of snow in the North Shore mountains recently is helping replenish Vancouver’s reservoirs which have been at extremely low levels this winter, according to CityNews. 

• The reservoir level has been at 30 percent of the normal amount of water for this time of year, a very concerning trend for the region. But with around 130 cm of snow falling in the last seven days, the reservoir is now up to 50 percent of normal.

Still a problem: As little as three weeks ago, two dams that provide 45 percent of BC’s electrical generating capacity were expected to have below average amounts of water, according to Vancouver is Awesome. The utility provider says they are expecting a historic drought this year.

• Zoom out: The region uses 390 billion litres of water each year, and is expected to increase to 600 billion in the next 100 years, according to the Runner. 

What it means: The region is still dealing with lower water levels, which may necessitate water restrictions earlier than May 1. Heidi Walsh, director of watersheds and environment with Metro Vancouver, told CityNews a big indicator is whether June has a slow snowmelt.

SPONSORED BY RYSE

Best Buy introduces new Smart Home category

The leading retailer in the distribution of Smart Home products has recently unveiled a new addition to its smart home lineup, Smart Shades.

There are A LOT of windows out there, and with only a small 10% of them being automated, this is a market that’s already worth billions with projected double digit growth for the next decade!

Recognizing this, Best Buy has made a huge bet on a Canadian startup, and has already stocked their product in over 100 retail stores. This up-and-comer is RYSE, and for a limited time, you can invest in their vision of owning the Smart Shades industry.

Best Buy made similar bets on smart-home titans Ring and Nest, both of which saw billion dollar exits at the hands of Amazon and Google.

RYSE looks to follow in their footsteps, and have even received support from Dragons Den to disrupt this lagging industry.

Learn how you can invest at just $1.50/share here.

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

📈 $1.18 million: The average price of a home in the Greater Vancouver area. That’s 4.5 percent higher than last year, and 1.9 percent higher since January. [CBC]

🍷 $177 million: The amount of aid BC wineries could receive over the next three years after a devastating cold snap and last summer’s fires. [Business in Vancouver] 

🏒 $150 million: The cost of phase three of the Rogers Arena’s revitalization plans, which includes replacing lower and upper bowl seats with custom-designed ones that include cup (let’s be real, they mean beer) holders. The outside of the arena will also get a facelift. [The Province]

🏗️ 4: The number of crane-related incidents already in Metro Vancouver this year, with the fourth one happening Monday at the 2600 block of Victoria Drive. [CTV]

PROVINCIAL ELECTION

It’s a city councillor provincial showdown

What happened: A battle is brewing for who will represent the NDP in the Vancouver-Little Mountain riding next provincial election, between current Vancouver city Coun. Christine Boyle and former city councillor Andrea Reimer, according to CTV. 

• Background: Current MLA George Heyman announced he would not seek re-election yesterday. The seat is considered a safe NDP seat with the party winning handily in the last two elections. 

Breaking it down: Boyle announced the endorsements of former MLA Jenn McGinn and former NDP MP Libby Davies. But she’ll be up against a tough opponent. Reimer announced endorsements from activist Tzeporah Berman, current MLA Heyman and Squamish Nation Chairperson Khelsilem.

Reading between the lines: Given that the NDP lured Andrea Reimer to run, and the endorsements she received from institutional NDP figures, one could conclude she’s probably the party’s favoured candidate.

• What it means: Attracting high-profile candidates like this is a good sign for the BCNDP, it means would-be contestants feel that they are likely to win (which of course, the polls show).

For Vancouver, Boyle potentially leaving her seat is likely a relief for Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC Party. She has been the most tenacious of the councillors opposing his agenda, regularly capturing media attention. She and her party OneCity had the backing of the powerful Vancouver and District Labour Council in the upcoming 2026 election, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

Implications locally: It also means that the mayoral race is more wide open, since Boyle was viewed as a potential front-runner for mayor. This of course assumes she wins the nomination race… Boyle said she would continue as councillor during the nomination process, so if she were to lose, she’d likely continue on.

DREAM HOME

A townhouse for under $1 million? Yes, they do exist.

While it’s not massive at 957 square feet, this 1986 building has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a newly renovated kitchen and a well designed layout. But what makes it stand out is the 433 (!) square foot backyard.

It just barely squeaks under the $1 million mark. 

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labelled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team. 

THE AGENDA

🧑‍⚖️ If at first you don’t succeed… The BC government is undertaking a constitutional challenge against an injunction that stopped Bill 34, which set restrictions on public consumption of drugs. [Vancouver Sun]

👍 There was initially some uncertainty, but the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Wauthuth nations have decided to back the park board changes proposed by Mayor Ken Sim. But they want other changes made to the Vancouver Charter, and plan to meet with the city to outline what they’d like to see. They also are asking that the Charter be consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The province has already passed legislation for provincial laws to be aligned with it. [Global News]

📈New home listings in Vancouver grew by 31 percent year-over-year, which could impact prices by increasing overall supply. Buyers had previously been hesitant to do so later last year due to higher interest rates. [Financial Post]

🚗 Heads up drivers — Maple Tree Square March will be closed until August for repairs and for the Water Street Pedestrian Zone Pilot over July and August. [Journal of Construction]

❌ Just when you think we’ve defeated deadly diseases, they resurface… The first case of measles was detected in BC over the weekend in Vancouver Coastal Health, the first case since 2019. [Vancouver Sun]

🔍 Well that escalated quickly. West Vancouver’s Mayor Mark Sager now faces a special prosecutor who will look into allegations of financial irregularities when the mayor used campaign funds to buy office furniture. The mayor says Elections BC told him he could do so. The Port Moody Police Department is leading the investigation. [Global News]

👮 A high-risk sex offender has been rearrested after a Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest. [Vancouver Police Department]

ARTS

Theatre

Arts Club Theatre announced their slate of shows this season, including Jersey Boys, Three Musketeers, and other smaller productions. [Vancouver Sun]

Music

If you’ve got a heart of gold, you’ll want to check out Neil Young & Crazy Horse who are playing at Deer Lake Park on July 23. Tickets go on sale March 7 at 10 am. [Straight]

Broadway Across Canada unveiled a bunch of shows for their upcoming season, including Come From Away, Book of Mormon and Beetlejuice, amongst others. [Straight]

Folk songs, stepdancing and limberjacks (a type of puppet show), what’s not to like about Podorythmie, a band playing at the annual Festival Du Bois this weekend. [Stir] 

Movies 

There’s still time to catch the Oscar nominees. VIFF is showcasing documentary shorts, live action, Oppenheimer and my personal favourite that I highly recommend, Anatomy of a Fall. [VIFF]

Over at the Rio, The Holdovers is showing once again. Meanwhile Iron Claw, a popular movie that many saw should’ve gotten more attention during awards season, is also showing on Saturday. 

Art

XIÁM is an Indigenous comic artist exhibit taking place at the Bill Reid Gallery until May 19. [Stir]

RESTAURANT REVIEW

A new challenger for Vancouver’s top Middle Eastern restaurant

When you eat enough hummus as I do, you tend to obsess. Memorable hummus experiences are increasingly defined, for me at least, not by the hummus itself, but what aspiring chefs include on top. 

Don’t get me wrong, the hummus matters. As someone who has never replicated in my own kitchen what I find at restaurants, it’s a humbling experience eating silky smooth hummus. Great hummus is revelatory. But in the hands of experts, the dish itself is elevated by the contrast and combinations of new textures and flavours, that this otherwise simple item to a new level. 

To read this story and subscribe to our food newsletter, just click the button below. You’ll automatically start getting our Vancity Lookout Eats newsletter. 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things gave a shout out to Vancouver on the latest episode of the popular interview show Hot Ones. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Elevate your wine game with Third Place Wine, a tailored newsletter for wine enthusiasts. Discover your new favorite wine today – sign up for free! [Sponsored]

• The 11th edition of the Capture Photography Festival is back on April 1. If you love photography, it’s an event worth checking out. [Straight]

• Comedy fans won’t be happy to hear that the Just For Laughs comedy festival won’t be returning to Vancouver because the company is seeking creditor protection. [CityNews]

• If you’re looking for something to do tomorrow, check out this speaker series from Levels on building an equitable justice system, starting at 6 pm. 

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

VANCOUVER GUESSER

Last week I included the road name of the GeoGeuesser. This week I’m being a bit more careful, so this should be a little harder. Can you guess this park? Reply with the correct answer and your name to be featured in the newsletter.