Vancouver Rundown

A new mechanical issue has removed a BC Ferry from the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay run, two days after she was put back in service. An electrical problem on the Spirit of Vancouver Island forced the vessel to return to Tsawwassen Tuesday morning - cars had to back off the ferry to unload. The Spirit of Vancouver Island broke down over spring break - it’s unclear whether she will be back in service for the Easter long weekend.

A pilot has survived the crash of a small plane at Pitt Meadows Regional Airport. The Cessna 172N, owned by one of the flight schools, hit the runway during flight training circuits late Monday morning. The pilot was rushed to hospital with serious injuries - no one else was onboard at the time of the crash. The outer runway remained closed for most of Monday.

Documentary filmmaker Avi Lewis has been chosen the new leader of the federal NDP - replacing former Burnaby South MP Jagmeet Singh. Lewis, who is Jewish but an outspoken anti-Israel pundit, hasn’t held political office but has worked as a TV host and CBC journalist. He had two failed bids to become and NDP MP - one in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky, the other in Vancouver Centre. Lewis is a self-proclaimed social democrat and also the son of former United Nations Ambassador Stephen Lewis.

The BC Conservative MLA for Richmond Centre has been kicked out of the party caucus. Hon Chan has been removed immediately after being charged with assault, assault by choking and uttering threats. The counts relate to an investigation into a domestic file dating back to January of 2024. Hon Chan disagrees with the allegations - a Special Prosecutor has been appointed. Hon Chan was a journalist and anchor for Fairchild TV before entering politics.

Using public transit in Metro Vancouver will cost a little more, starting July 1. TransLink has approved an average five per cent fare hike for buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus. An adult commuter who uses buses and SkyTrain to get from Cloverdale to Downtown Vancouver will now pay $6.70 for a three zone ticket - that’s $13.40 a day for a round trip. The TransLink board is also pushing for an increase in the transit portion of property taxes - one of half a dozen tax and levy streams it uses to raise cash from taxpayers.

A Tuesday windstorm has knocked out power for thousands of people in several parts of B.C. At one point, over 50,000 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island had to look for power alternatives. Other areas hit by high wind have included Prince George, the Peace region, the Cariboo, Thompson-Nicola and parts of the Central Coast. Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have been mostly spared. BC Hydro Crews and contractors continue to work to restore power to all areas.

Two separate Sunday avalanches in northern B.C. have claimed four lives. Three heli-skiers died in a snow slide on Mount Knauss, north of Terrace, early in the afternoon. A fourth skier is being treated for serious injuries. A second slide, a few hours later, killed one person in a remote area near the B.C.-Alaska border. Four others survived that avalanche, unhurt.

Two hikers are injured, one critically, after sliding down a treacherous area on Brunswick Mountain, near Lions Bay. It happened on Saturday as a group of 14 hikers tried to make their way down the hill. Lions Bay Search and Rescue, along with North Shore Rescue, used the help of two helicopters to bring the hikers to safety. A doctor provided advanced medical care on the scene before the injured hikers were hoisted.

Several people had to be rescued and power was knocked out for close to 5,000 BC Hydro customers following a mudslide in Coquitlam. It happened shortly after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, hitting four homes and two industrial properties. Search and Rescue used a private helicopter to rescue eight people, two dogs and a cat on Pipeline Road, north of Upper Coquitlam River Park. The heavy rain also forced a temporary closure of the West Coast Express at Port Haney Station. The atmospheric river is responsible for several advisories along Metro Vancouver’s North Shore and in Sea-to-Sky.

Meanwhile, the Fraser Valley Regional District has declared a local state of emergency in Electoral Area E - east of Cultus Lake. There’s been at least one small slide along Chilliwack Lake Road and more flooding and slides are anticipated. More than 1,500 people live in that area.

A flood watch is now in effect for the Fraser Valley as bands of heavy rain continue to hit parts of the south coast. The atmospheric river coincides with significant snow melt on area mountains - localized flooding is expected in areas like Chilliwack and Abbotsford. Some area trails are now closed and people are warned to stay away from fast flowing streams.