NEWS-CLIPS October 21/2020 to November 20/2020

Note: Due to the abundance of articles related to COVID-19 only a select few are listed here.

3 Metro Vancouver employees fired in connection with deadly Cleveland Dam water surge.pdf 412 residential units proposed near Lynn Creek.pdf A strong society must encourage - not limit - debate.pdf All-rental project goes to public hearing in DNV.pdf Broad Upzoning Makes Housing Less Affordable.pdf Concern grows over city hall conflict case.pdf Court action aims to remove Vancouver city councillor from office.pdf COVID-19 cases top 900 in North Shore health region.pdf District of North Van OK-s affordable housing partner for Delbrook.pdf DNV fireworks ban should go to referendum.pdf DNV moves on affordable rental housing in Delbrook.pdf Due to water main construction.pdf E-bike pilot rolls forward in City of North Vancouver.pdf Each Country Share of CO2 Emissions.pdf Election night results give Liberal Karin Kirkpatrick the projected win in West Vancouver-Capilano.pdf France lockdown - what went wrong and what can Canada learn.pdf Here is why TranLink does not enforce its manditory mask policy.pdf Illegal hostel owner Emily Yu evicted from North Van townhouse.pdf Info meeting online for apartment project near Phibbs Exchange.pdf Lack of exposures and global data show virus threat low on transit.pdf Lynn Valley homeowner ordered - clean up or pay up.pdf Moderna Vaccine 94.5 percent effective against COVID-19.pdf Multi-day events linked to COVID-19 surge in BC.pdf North Van-Seymour candidates debate.pdf Notice - DNV Solid Waste Bylaw Changes.pdf Notice - New Mountain Highway on-ramp set to open.pdf Notice - Port of Vancouver land use plan amendment.pdf Notice - Public Hearing for 904 Lytton St.pdf Notice - Public Meeting on rezoning 1565-1589 Rupert Str.pdf Notice - West Vancouver Public Hearing vs DNV Public Hearing.pdf Notice - Where are the dads.pdf Notice -DNV Property Disposition.pdf NPA set sights on Wiebe.pdf PM changes tone on freedom of speech.pdf Power outages planned in North Vancouver in November.pdf Rise in Fraser Health cases creates worry.pdf Second COVID-19 exposure reported at Handsworth Secondary.pdf Seniors in care homes dying of loneliness.pdf The next pandemic.pdf The North Shore political landscape looks different.pdf TransLink announces CEO Kevin Desmond to leave organization in early 2021.pdf Trudeau announces plan to purchase 76 million doses of Covid vaccine.pdf UN committee member stresses human rights.pdf Understanding aerosol transmission could be key to controlling coronavirus.pdf Vancouver outlines its Climate Emergency Action Plan.pdf Vancouver weighs the cost of climate action and inaction.pdf West Van making plans to face rising sea levels.pdf What happens when a local newspaper dies.pdf What We Know About the Airborne Spread of the Coronavirus.pdf Why local decisions on road pricing and sprawl matter in a climate crisis.pdf 3 Metro Vancouver employees fired in connection with deadly Cleveland Dam water surge Father and son were killed in early October after torrent of water was released due to human error Michelle Ghoussoub · CBC News · Posted: Oct 30, 2020 1:55 PM PT | Last Updated: 12 hours ago https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cleveland-dam-employees-fired-1.5784364

The Cleveland Dam was down to a trickle on Oct. 5 after a sudden surge of water killed two people downstream. (Yvette Brend/CBC News) Three Metro Vancouver employees have been fired in connection with a deadly water surge that occurred when a spillway gate at the Cleveland Dam in North Vancouver opened unexpectedly during maintenance in early October. A torrent of water was suddenly released into the Capilano River. Two men, a father and son who were downstream, were killed as a result. A preliminary report released a week after the Oct. 1 surge later found human error related to the programming of the control system was the "clearest contributing factor" in the tragedy. "Metro Vancouver continues to co-operate fully with external agencies in their investigations and will not be providing further comment at this time," said the regional district in a statement. When the water surged down the river, rising by three metres in a matter of minutes, it hit a popular fishing spot where a number of anglers were fishing. Two people pulled into the water were rescued and two swam to shore. Others standing near the water managed to scramble to higher ground before they were hit by the surge.  Video Human error 'clearest contributing factor' in deadly Cleveland Dam incident: preliminary report The preliminary report was released amid calls for Metro Vancouver to make the dam safer. There is currently no siren or alarm system to warn people if the dam malfunctions. Such a warning system was never installed because of concerns the noise would annoy residents in the Glenmore and Grouse Woods neighbourhoods less than 400 metres away, according to engineering reports from the early 2000s. The dam, built in 1954, has a history of malfunctioning. Inspection reports from WorkSafeBC detail two errors that left people in danger in 2002.

412 residential units proposed near Lynn Creek STAFF REPORT November 13, 2020 11:43am https://www.northshoredailypost.com/412-residential-units-proposed-near-lynn-creek/ District of North Vancouver staff is seeking council direction on a rezoning application by Seylynn North Shore Development to redevelop 24 existing lots for a mixed-use development with up to 412 residential units. The development site at 1505-1571 Fern Street, 520-540 Mountain Highway, and 1514-1568 Hunter Street, is approximately 3.2 acres in size. The project called Seylynn Gardens includes 206 market rental units, 42 non-market rental units, 164 strata units. The development will consist of one eight-storey rental building, one 19-storey mixed-use building, one seven- storey condo and another eight-storey condo building.

Under the Zoning Bylaw, the project would require a minimum of 672 parking stalls for residential purposes, 103 parking stalls for visitors, and 28 parking stalls for commercial purposes for a total of 803 stalls. The application, however, proposes 416 parking stalls for residential purposes, 42 stalls for visitors, and an additional 28 stalls for commercial purposes for a total of 486 stalls. This is more than what the District of North Vancouver asks for as the district’s policies allow reduced parking in town centres. “It is anticipated that some component of the commercial parking spaces would be designated for shared use to allow use by residential visitors during times of low demand from commercial patrons,” according to the staff report. The development also proposes non-market units that are as follows: 24 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and 3 three-bedroom units. The applicant is targeting rents for the non-market units that match the Metro Vancouver median rents as published in the CMHC Rental Market Survey, according to a staff report to the council. The developer is proposing 824 bike parking spaces, which exceeds the requirement in the District’s Zoning Bylaw. “In conjunction with the cycling infrastructure improvements proposed, the bicycle parking in the project should help to reduce reliance on private vehicle use for residents and visitors to the project,” the staff report says. The development also includes dedication and construction of a new north and south public lane through the site to connect Hunter Street to Fern Street, as well as the dedication and construction of a portion of Lynn Creek Town Centre’s “green spine” linear park at the east side of the development.

Leslyn Lewis: A strong society must encourage, not limit, debate

Many Canadians long for the days when holding your own in a verbal disagreement was not only allowed, but seen as a sign of intellect

Author of the article: Leslyn Lewis, National Post Publishing date: Nov 14, 2020 https://nationalpost.com/opinion/leslyn-lewis-a-strong-society-must-encourage-not-limit-debate

"The days of raising strong children who would not allow words to 'break their bones' are gone," writes Leslyn Lewis.

The old childhood adage, “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is dead. This simple phrase, quoted by so many from my generation, has helped a lot of parents explain a simple truth to children: no matter what someone says to you, your feelings and emotions are your own responsibility. We understood that people might have a bad opinion of us, and they might even say bad things about us, but their words could only hurt us if we let them.

Today, however, people are not free to disagree, and even an innocent or naive verbal misstep can have dire consequences. This is most evident in our current political climate. While “PC culture” has been an issue for years, it has taken a sudden turn towards a cultish “us” versus “them” narrative. You are either “woke” and “on the right side of history,” or you are evil, backwards and full of hate. Like any cult, loyalty must be 100 per cent, and to question a single point of their narrative is enough to get you “cancelled.” This radical movement to suppress dialogue, speech and even beliefs is often supported by the media, which dictates what is and isn’t fact. Reported news is replaced by opinions and commentaries. Once these unsubstantiated facts are planted in the mind, they form a belief system that becomes very difficult to change: the connection to the belief and those who agree with it creates an emotional attachment to a warped version of reality, similar to how cults recruit and hold adherents.

Canadian society has sped quickly towards an echo chamber, in which the occupants no longer tolerate the slightest disagreement. Rather than debating another person’s opinion, it is now acceptable to refute an argument by claiming it is “false,” a “lie” or “unscientific.”

Of course, it doesn’t matter how truthful or scientific anything actually is, if it is counter to the woke narrative, it must be a lie. No facts, scientific evidence or data is necessary in order for people to accept that a statement is a lie. After a person is successfully labelled a liar, then that person’s difference of opinion relegates her to the category of an enemy of the state.

Everything is now seen through the lens of good guys and bad guys, and being labelled as a bad guy means that you can be fired from your job or kicked out of school, not because of your job performance or your grades, but because of your beliefs. Being “them” means you can be banned from social media, and even ostracized in real life social circles, because your words of disagreement are now treated as actual violence if someone’s feelings are hurt.

The days of raising strong children who would not allow words to “break their bones” are gone. We are left with frail adults who claim victimhood as a means to suppress speech and lord over their alleged oppressor. We have come to devalue personal responsibility — namely, the responsibility to acknowledge that your reaction to someone else’s words is on you. We have moved away from the recognition that we control our own emotions, and that someone else’s opinions cannot harm us, unless we allow it to.

Free speech is dying, but there is hope for the human spirit to return to its origin of freedom, free will, free speech and free belief. It starts with a willingness to see information through the lens of truth. We must rebel against the movement to disconnect reality from facts, and return to a society that encourages dialogue and seeks out truth, in the spirit of philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

The human spirit may be muted, but it cannot be silenced. It is intrinsically tied to our freedom to believe and to speak our minds. There is much to learn from discovering that one is wrong or right about any particular subject. A good argument between two people who counter each other’s ideas until both emerge wiser, whether they ultimately end up agreeing or not, is a necessary part of human development and a strong society.

I have heard so many Canadians tell me that they long for the days when holding your own in a verbal disagreement was not only allowed, but seen as a sign of intellect. The extreme tribalism that is silencing dissenting opinions has resulted in a fractured society, and has no place in a democracy. I believe that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the innate human spirit that longs to be free requires us to defend our ability to have a plurality of opinions — and to voice them.

Maybe you think I’m wrong here. To that I simply say that I respectfully disagree.

National Post

Leslyn Lewis will be running for the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Haldimand-Norfolk in the next federal election.

All-rental project goes to public hearing in District of North Van Much larger project looms on Mountain Highway Brent Richter / North Shore News November 5, 2020 03:55 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/all-rental-project-goes-to-public-hearing-in-district-of-north-van-1.24234160

An artist's rendering shows how an all-rental building at 1515 Oxford Street might look if approved by District of North Vancouver council. image TPL Developments Oxford General Partnership An all-rental housing project in Lynn Creek has cleared its first hurdle at District of North Vancouver council and is headed for public hearing. A second, much larger proposal up the street, however, is facing a much tougher prospect of success. District council voted on Nov. 2 to advance a six-storey, 140-unit rental building at 1515-1555 Oxford St. and 220 Mountain Highway near Main Street. Six of the units will be retained by Hollyburn Family Services for rentals at 20 per cent below market rates. The building will have 0.72 parking stalls per unit. The site currently holds six single-family homes. Although there were quibbles over parking, potential greenhouse gas emissions and access to the below-market suites, the proposal stoked little opposition from council. “I do think that it is the right kind of housing in close proximity to transit,” said Mayor Mike Little. With only three per cent of the district’s homes purpose-built rentals, 140 new units coming onto the market will be a big improvement, added Coun. Mathew Bond. Up the road at 420-460 Mountain Hwy. and 1510-1530 Crown St., where Dykhof Nurseries and a stretch of five single-family homes stand, a sizable mixed-use project is facing tougher scrutiny from council. The proposal, which is in the pre-application phase, would see 222 strata units built in a 29-storey tower and two townhouse buildings, 45 non-market rentals and 105 market rentals in two five-storey buildings, as well as more than 30,000 square feet of commercial space. Couns. Lisa Muri, Jim Hanson and Betty Forbes said the project would be a non-starter for them largely because it had too many market strata units. “From my point of view, it's too high. Twenty-nine stories in this location, at this time, I don't believe has community support,” said Hanson. “I would support a smaller project with lower height and with more rental.” Couns. Bond and Jordan Back said they would like to see the proposal proceed through the usual process. Back said property is meant to be an important piece in the Lynn Creek town centre and the strata units would be needed to make the rest of the rentals and commercial space viable. “One of the important elements is the grocery store. I've talked to a lot of people down in that area and that's something that they were promised and we haven't delivered for them yet,” he said. Little and Coun. Megan Curren both said they’d like to see the proposal revised rather than go ahead as-is or be scrapped. Little said the site has long been envisioned for high density, although maybe not as much as the developer is proposing. And he worried the siting of a plaza at the north end of the site would hamper the district’s ability to build social housing on the site of the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services hall No. 2 if decommissioned at a future date. District staff will now meet with the developer to see if the proposal can be changed in such a a way that it could achieve consensus support at council.

Broad Upzoning Makes Housing Less Affordable, And Doesn’t Add Supply

October 30, 2020 https://betterdwelling.com/broad-upzoning-makes-housing-less-affordable-and-doesnt-add-supply/

Politicians are increasingly discussing broad upzoning as a housing affordability solution. Instead of one home on a property, you can now build two homes on the same amount of land. All across the city, in some cases. The assumption is if there’s two homes on a property, it’ll be half the price. Makes sense, right? There’s a reason politicians let people come to their own conclusions, without explaining the impact. It’s because that’s not at all how it works, and the industry has long known this. Real Estate Is Priced By Highest And Best Use

Real estate values are determined by the “highest and best use” the property has. The catchy phrase means the optimum use determines value. It doesn’t really matter what the current use is, if there’s a cost effective and better use. This isn’t a secret real estate investor tactic you learn at airport Marriott conventions either. It’s a basic rule for everyone in the real estate industry – from agents to appraisers.

Still not clear? Let’s do an example of two similar lots, in a fictitious world without zoning. The first lot has a house on it, and the second a commercial building. Similar houses in the neighborhood go for about $1,000,000, and similar commercial buildings for $2,000,000. In this neighborhood, say it costs $50,000 to demolish a house, and about $300,000 all in to build a commercial building.

Knowing this, instantly changes the value of the property with the house. The property with the house on it is now worth $1,650,000. That’s the value of the commercial property, minus tearing down the house, and building a commercial building. Even if you plan on buying it to use as a house, you need to pay the value for it’s best use, not current use. In this case, it’s conversion to a commercial building. Now, how does anyone ever get a house? That’s why zoning exists. Limited Zoning Can Actually Preserve Affordability To prevent over use of developing for booms and busts, regions use zoning. Zoning is when governments define the type of use a property can have. This prevents the “highest and best use” rule from dominating short-term trends. Instead of the highest and best use for all types of properties, it’s just the best use for the specific zoning type. For example, residential zoning would require a change in zoning to build anything other than housing.

In the above example, let’s say the house is restricted by zoning to its current use. If the house is unable to be converted to a commercial property, it can only be traded as a house. Not optimal for the person selling the house, who wants a maximum theoretical profit. However, it’s great for a homebuyer looking to buy a house and not knock it down. As you might have guessed, zoning can have a massive impact on the value of property. Broad Upzoning Makes Existing Housing More Expensive

You might already be able to spot the issue with broad upzoning now, but let’s spell it out. Politicians lead people to believe buying half a property will be more affordable. Unfortunately, broad upzoning doesn’t actually build homes. It only increases the value of every lot’s potential to build homes. Where there was one house, you can now build two.

Existing homes are immediately worth the value of the maximum zoning, less the cost of knocking it down and building two. Every property now requires a real estate developer to get the full value of use. Since real estate developers don’t do it for free, you also need to inject profit into the cost as well. In short, politicians increased the cost of housing, without actually building more housing, all in the name of affordability. Broad Upzoning Also Fails To Create New Housing

Well, that sucks – but at least housing is built, right? Two unaffordable houses are better than one? Not exactly. An MIT study that hoped to prove upzoning led to more supply and falling rents, accidentally proved the opposite. Instead, the researcher found rents and prices both increased. Further, it didn’t actually create any additional housing. The author concluded, “short-term, local-level impacts of upzoning are higher property prices but no additional new housing construction.”

Sure, more housing needs to be created – that’s a given. However, broad upzoning of whole areas, possibly cities, doesn’t make sense if the goal is improved affordability. In this regard, planned and controlled upzoning makes a lot more sense. It’s also worth noting when these discussions appear – right after strong price growth, as prices pull back. It’s almost never at the bottom of the market, when price growth would be minimally impacted.

Court action aims to remove Vancouver city councillor from office Green Party’s Michael Wiebe facing challenge from residents over conflict-of-interest case Mike Howell / Glacier News October 23, 2020 12:24 PM https://www.nsnews.com/court-action-aims-to-remove-vancouver-city-councillor-from-office-1.24226077

Green Party Coun. Michael Wiebe will face a court challenge by citizens who want him removed from office over a conflict-of-interest case related to the city’s temporary patio program. File photo by Jennifer Gauthier A petition will be filed today in B.C. Supreme Court in an attempt to remove Vancouver Green Party city councillor Michael Wiebe from office, according to a lawyer representing a Vancouver resident who requested the court action. Wes Mussio said Friday he was retained by Michael Redmond, whose complaint earlier this year triggered a conflict-of-interest investigation against Wiebe over his vote in support of the city’s temporary patio licence program. Trending Stories  Fines issued after protected West Vancouver bald eagle perch cut down  Driver offers crappy excuse for hitting almost twice the speed limit in West Van  Illegal hostel owner Emily Yu evicted from North Van townhouse  More COVID-19 exposure warnings issued for North Van, West Van schools Mussio said Redmond’s name, along with up to 14 other electors in Vancouver, including NPA president David Mawhinney, will be on the petition, which he intended to file in court by Friday afternoon. “It’s pretty devastating for Mr. Wiebe,” Mussio said. The action is one of the options outlined in a report conducted by lawyer Raymond Young into Redmond’s allegation that Wiebe’s vote in May in favour of a temporary patio program for restaurants, bars and breweries put the councillor in breach of the city’s Code of Conduct. Wiebe, whose business interests are listed in his financial disclosure statement on the city’s website, owns Eight ½ restaurant in Mount Pleasant and is an investor in Portside Pub in Gastown. Both businesses received patio licences, with Wiebe among the first 14 business operators announced June 5 by the city. Redmond filed his complaint June 29 to the offices of Mayor Kennedy Stewart and city manager Sadhu Johnston. Young, who was appointed by Stewart and agreed upon by Redmond and Wiebe to conduct an investigation, concluded that Wiebe “is disqualified from holding office until the next election” in October 2022. He also said “it would be appropriate for councillor Wiebe to resign his seat on council,” and that if Wiebe chooses not to voluntarily resign, the Vancouver Charter allows 10 or more electors in the city to petition the court, or have the city apply for a court order to remove him. Mussio said he wrote “a very polite letter” to Wiebe last week in an attempt to head off court action. “I said, ‘Listen, if you don’t want to air this out in public, just do the right thing and stand down,’” he said, noting Wiebe rejected the request. Wiebe told Glacier Media Thursday that he hired a lawyer and intended to fight whatever court challenge might be launched against him. Wiebe has repeatedly said he was acting in good faith in voting for the temporary patio program, and that his support was aimed at helping hundreds of businesses hit financially hard by the pandemic. “I feel like I’m in a good place,” he said. “I will continue to operate and represent the voters that voted for me. I have had a lot of support over the last few weeks from every type of organization, and people from every political party saying that they want to continue to see my voice at city hall.” In the days following news of Young’s findings against Wiebe, the councillor issued a statement in September saying that “if I inadvertently made an error in this matter, I am deeply sorry.” In another twist to his case, the Vancouver Sun reported this week that one of the mayor’s co-chiefs of staff, Anita Zaenker, told Wiebe that he should second the motion on the report in May that led to the vote to allow the patio licences. It was that vote that triggered Redmond’s complaint, which went before the mayor, making for an awkward position for Stewart. The mayor got involved because the city’s Code of Conduct policy dictates that a sitting mayor must appoint a third party to investigate the allegations. Stewart has not commented publicly on the status of the report, or whether he would take further action, but Zaenker confirmed Thursday the mayor has concluded his review. “He’s accepted the findings of the investigator, and his role in the Code of Conduct complaint is now concluded,” she told Glacier Media. “The mayor is taking no further action on this.” In explaining her reason to have Wiebe second the motion on the report, Zaenker said council has a group text chat set up to facilitate the flow of information among elected officials. “So the way I engage in that group text chat is in the capacity of my role as mayor’s chief of staff to help facilitate the smooth and effective flow of business during council meetings, particularly when the mayor is chairing,” she said. “What I said in that group text is I suggested that to return to the favour to staff – who worked so quickly and so hard to get reports to council – that we return the favour and aim to move this motion quickly and pass it, so we could get on with the business of supporting restaurants and bars in their important economic recovery work.” Added Zaenker: “I suggested that [NPA Coun. Sarah] Kirby-Yung move it, and Wiebe second it – just because I like to try and avoid confusion around who’s going to move it and who’s going to second it. And I knew that this was a report that was of a high level of interest to council.” At the time, Zaenker said she was not aware that Wiebe was in any conflict and that he “had not declared any conflict, and hence I just suggested that he second the motion, given that he also expressed a lot of interest in this area.” It’s not the job of a chief of staff to assess or evaluate who may or may not be in a conflict-of-interest, she said, but acknowledged that it was common knowledge that Wiebe owned Eight ½ restaurant. “I don’t think about members’ conflict,” Zaenker said. “It’s the council member’s duty to declare a conflict. So the question is, ‘Why did Wiebe then not declare a conflict, and why did he vote on these things?’ That’s a question for councillor Wiebe.” Mussio, meanwhile, has previous political connections in the city, having served briefly on the NPA board in 2018. His wife, Penny, was a candidate for the Coalition Vancouver party led by Wai Young in the 2018 election. Mussio said his political views are irrelevant to the case against Wiebe, saying his involvement is strictly related to his work as a lawyer, despite what other political parties might conclude. “This is not about me, it’s about the electors,” he said. “I’m just the lawyer.” The NPA is the only party that has called for Wiebe to be removed from office, with its president – David Mawhinney, who is one of the electors on the petition – demanding his resignation. None of the NPA’s councillors have commented publicly on the case. Redmond is a retired lawyer who volunteered with the NPA in its 2018 municipal campaign but told Glacier Media in a previous interview that his complaint was not driven by politics, but for the need for politicians to uphold the law. Asked to comment Friday on the court action, Redmond confirmed a petition would be filed in court in an attempt to remove Wiebe from office. “Since it is now before the court, I do not feel it would be appropriate to make any further comments on the matter until there is a decision,” he said. Mussio noted the backlog in cases related to COVID-19 and others related to the Insurance Corporation of B.C., but was confident a trial would be held well before the next election in October 2022. Asked whether he thinks he will win the case against Wiebe. “I don’t take on losers, I only try to take on winning cases and this one seems to be so plainly obvious,” he said. © 2020 North Shore News

COVID-19 cases top 900 in North Shore health region

Jane Seyd / North Shore News October 30, 2020 02:36 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/covid-19-cases-top-900-in-north-shore-health-region-1.24230703

The map on the left shows a geographical breakdown of the total number of COVID-19 cases in B.C. since January. The map on the right shows the number of cases in the past 14 days ending Oct. 29. image BC CDC

There have been another 66 cases of COVID-19 reported in past week in the North Shore-Coast Garibaldi health region.

Altogether, there have been 906 cases of the coronavirus reported in the local health region since the pandemic began Jan. 15, according to B.C.’s Centre for Disease Control. related

 Fraser Health continues to be epicentre of B.C. COVID-19 cases  British Columbia in 'danger zone' on COVID-19, province's top doctor says

In the past two weeks, the number of new cases reported was 96 – a number that has remained quite stable throughout October.

The latest numbers come as the increasing number of daily case counts has prompted concern among public health officials. In the past week, B.C. has been recording well over 200 new daily cases each day. The vast majority of new cases have been in the Fraser South health region, which reported 1,478 new cases in the two weeks ending Oct. 29.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s most senior public health official, has said most of the recent cases stemmed from gatherings in private homes, sometimes after formal celebrations like weddings and funerals have taken place.

The situation has prompted Henry to order that no more than six people outside of a household be present at gatherings in private homes.

That order also applies to Halloween parties, which Henry said should not take place.

Henry has also said that she expects people to wear masks in indoor public spaces although she did not make that an order.

District of North Van OK's affordable housing partner for Delbrook

Brent Richter / North Shore News November 19, 2020 05:00 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/district-of-north-van-ok-s-affordable-housing-partner-for-delbrook-1.24242468

The District of North Vancouver has partnered with Hollyburn Family Services Society to build affordable rental units on the Delbrook Lands. image Google Maps

Two years after rejecting an affordable housing and seniors respite project on the Delbrook Lands, District of North Vancouver council has found a non-profit partner to develop the site.

The district announced Thursday it had signed a deal with Hollyburn Family Services Society to build 86 rentals for low- to moderate-income households at 600 West Queens Rd., the parking lot of the old Delbrook Community Centre.

“This marks a very positive step forward in a significant housing project in the community and we look forward to working with Hollyburn,” said Mayor Mike Little. “Delivering social housing in the district is a critical step to ensure residents can remain in our community in housing they can afford, close to their family and supports.”

The district chose Hollyburn for the project after putting out a request for proposals from non-profits last year.

“Over the past few years we have witnessed the challenge individuals and families have faced finding affordable housing in our community. We are very excited to work with the District of North Vancouver to develop much-needed housing for a mix of family sizes and incomes,” said Hollyburn Family Services Society chairperson Alan Kwinter.

Getting anything built, however, will be subject to Hollyburn getting capital funding from BC Housing. But Little said he is confident they will be successful.

“Since we are contributing the land, I would say it would be an A-pile project. [Hollyburn] has a long history of providing these kinds of services on the North Shore in partnership with the provincial government and the provincial government has actually been very responsive when municipalities are putting up the land,” he said. Under BC Housing’s funding formula for new multi-family apartments, 20 per cent of the suites will be offered at shelter rates. Half of the units are capped at no more than 30 per cent of the gross income for households earning between $51,000 and $90,500 depending on the number of bedrooms. The remaining units will be offered at below-market rates for households with incomes in the $71,200 and $104,440 range.

In one of their first votes after being sworn in following the 2018 election council voted down Catalyst Community Development’s proposal for a five-storey, 80-unit rental project with suites offered at 20 per cent below market rates.

Catalyst was to take on the capital costs of building the project with the district leasing the land and waiving the usual development cost charges. The project had been shepherded through the process by the previous council, right up to the point of its final vote. A year later, council opted to pre-zone the land for a smaller four-storey affordable housing project and then seek out a partner who could build it. Council also dedicated the rest of the property as parkland.

Little said it is a much better system for municipalities to rezone first and find partners later, a process council will follow for other affordable housing proposals on district land going forward.

“I know it probably stung some people. I know it probably gave some people the impression we were going to be very cautious about these kinds of projects. Nothing could be farther from the truth,” he said, noting the district is pursuing affordable housing at several sites now. “The focus is on housing for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, seniors housing, rental options, a variety of ownership options, rather than just simply the market luxury stuff that was being produced in the first 10 years of the [official community plan].”

LETTER: North Van fireworks ban should go to referendum

North Shore News November 11, 2020 10:00 AM https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/letter-north-van-fireworks-ban-should-go-to-referendum-1.24237048

Dear Editor: Re: District of North Van Mulls Ban on Halloween Fireworks, Nov. 4 front page. related  EDITORIAL: Fireworks debate lights the fuse on a divisive issue Coun. Megan Curren says she’s “heard overwhelming support” for cancelling a long-held tradition on Halloween. Well, I’m not sure what it’s like in her neighbourhood, but here in Lynn Valley and many other neighbourhoods it’s a cacophony of sound. It seems like everyone is enjoying the evening, setting them off. We ourselves decided for the first time in decades not to participate because of COVID but were happy to see and hear them. Maybe we should conduct a referendum instead of just anecdotal evidence? I really wonder if some members of council just don’t like it and find “support” for their biases based on a few complaints that we get every year. There will always be people who don’t like it, but does the majority who do enjoy it have to give in to some malcontents? Peter Lovegrove North Vancouver What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below. © 2020 North Shore News

DNV moves on affordable rental housing in Delbrook

STAFF REPORT November 19, 2020 2:28pm https://www.northshoredailypost.com/dnv-moves-on-affordable-rental-housing-in-delbrook/

The District of North Vancouver and Hollyburn Family Services Society have announced an agreement to partner on a project to create affordable rental housing on the site of the Delbrook lands at 600 West Queens Road in North Vancouver.

District of North Vancouver Council voted on November 18, 2019 to approve rezoning of the southern portion of the site for residential uses, consisting of a mix of low to moderate income rental housing. The remainder of the site was rezoned as a neighbourhood park.

The next steps will be for Hollyburn Family Services Society to secure funding and then proceed with design and implementation of affordable rental housing.

“I am proud to work with Hollyburn on this much-needed project that will serve the needs of families and individuals on low to moderate incomes,” said Mayor Mike Little of the District of North Vancouver.

“Delivering social housing in the District is a critical step to ensure residents can remain in our community in housing they can afford, close to their family and supports.”

“Over the past few years, we have witnessed the challenge individuals and families have faced finding affordable housing in our community. We are very excited to work with the District of North Vancouver to develop much-needed housing for a mix of family sizes and incomes,” said Hollyburn Family Services Society Chairperson, Alan Kwinter.

The site of the old Delbrook Community Centre, located at 600 West Queens Road in North Vancouver, has been the subject of three years of community consultation and a previously defeated application for social housing in November 2018.

The south portion of the site has been rezoned for residential use and the north portion of the site has been rezoned as a neighbourhood park.

Due to water main construction in @NVanDistrict from November 2 - December 13, 2020 there will be a temporary Southbound closure on Lower Capilano Road from Marine Drive to Welch Street. The Northbound lane will remain open for local traffic only. See map for further details.

9:10 AM · Oct 30, 2020

Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions Published Jul 16, 2008 Updated Aug 12, 2020 https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/each-countrys-share-co2-emissions

The world’s countries emit vastly different amounts of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. The chart above and table below both show data compiled by the International Energy Agency, which estimates carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the combustion of coal, natural gas, oil, and other fuels, including industrial waste and non-renewable municipal waste. Here we rank the top 20 highest emitters of annual carbon dioxide in 2018 (the most recent available data). The 20 countries that emitted the most carbon dioxide in 2018

Rank Country CO2 emissions (total) 1 China 10.06GT 2 United States 5.41GT 3 India 2.65GT 4 Russian Federation 1.71GT 5 Japan 1.16GT 6 Germany 0.75GT 7 Islamic Republic of Iran 0.72GT 8 South Korea 0.65GT 9 Saudi Arabia 0.62GT 10 Indonesia 0.61GT 11 Canada 0.56GT 12 Mexico 0.47GT Rank Country CO2 emissions (total) 13 South Africa 0.46GT 14 Brazil 0.45GT 15 Turkey 0.42GT 16 Australia 0.42GT 17 United Kingdom 0.37GT 18 Poland 0.34GT 19 France 0.33GT 20 Italy 0.33GT 21 Kazakhstan 0.32GT All emissions from 2018. Fuel combustion only. GT = Metric gigatons The rankings change when we account for the population of each country (ie, per capita emissions). 2018 rankings by per capita emissions

Rank Country CO2 emissions (total) 1 Saudi Arabia 18.48T 2 Kazakhstan 17.60T 3 Australia 16.92T 4 United States 16.56T 5 Canada 15.32T 6 South Korea 12.89T 7 Russian Federation 11.74T 8 Japan 9.13T 9 Germany 9.12T 10 Poland 9.08T 11 Islamic Republic of Iran 8.82T 12 South Africa 8.12T 13 China 7.05T 14 United Kingdom 5.62T 15 Italy 5.56T 16 Turkey 5.21T 17 France 5.19T 18 Mexico 3.77T 19 Indonesia 2.30T 20 Brazil 2.19T 21 India 1.96T All emissions from 2018. Fuel combustion only. T = Metric tons The picture that emerges from these figures is one where—in general—developed countries and major emerging economy nations lead in total carbon dioxide emissions.

However, developed nations typically have high carbon dioxide emissions per capita, while some developing countries lead in the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions. These uneven contributions to the climate crisis are at the core of the challenges the world community faces in finding effective and equitable solutions to global warming. E-bike pilot rolls forward in City of North Vancouver The e-bike pilot operators could launch by spring or summer of 2021 Elisia Seeber / Local Journalism Initiative November 6, 2020 11:45 AM https://www.nsnews.com/news/e- bike-pilot-rolls-forward-in-city-of- north-vancouver-1.24234698 The City of North Vancouver has supported an e-bike pilot program. photo Viktor Keri, Unsplash The City of North Vancouver is continuing to roll towards its goal of a sustainable future, endorsing an e- bike share pilot program to make it easier to get around town. Councillors voted unanimously at Monday’s general meeting to move forward with a two-year e-bike pilot project, setting the groundwork for the city to seek out an e-bike operator. The pilot would see a fleet of publicly available electric bicycles, which could be rented for a short period of time, spread at locations around the city – starting off with popular destinations yet to be finalized. Residents and visitors to the North Shore would be able to pick up a bike at one location, and drop it off at any other designated location, much like the systems in place in Vancouver and UBC. With an integrated electric motor that adds power to pedalling, the e-bikes would make tackling the hilly North Shore terrain a breeze. According to the city, the North Shore system would be the first in the province to provide an all e-bike fleet rather than regular bikes. Mayor Linda Buchanan said she was “super excited” about the two-year pilot moving forward. She mentioned the success of e-bikes in Vancouver and the hub of activity it created at Georgia and Denman streets, commenting that, “on any given sunny day, those businesses that rent are thriving.” “I think we have got the concentrated population and we’ve got the destinations that people can move to and fro, and I’m excited to see how it’s going to unfold,” Buchanan said. “If we see success, we can start to expand it across the entire North Shore,” she said, mentioning staff had worked with the other municipalities on the project. The next step is to amend the city’s applicable bylaws to enable the permit and business licences to move forward. Once this is complete, e-bike operators will be invited to apply for the pilot project. It's hoped the e-bike pilot operators could launch by spring or summer of 2021. Elisia Seeber is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

Election night results give Liberal Karin Kirkpatrick the projected win in West Vancouver-Capilano Ben Bengtson / North Shore News October 24, 2020 10:32 PM Updated: October 27, 2020 09:59 AM https://www.nsnews.com/news/election-night-results-give-liberal-karin-kirkpatrick-the-projected-win-in-west-vancouver-capilano-1.24226661 Liberal Karin Kirkpatrick has a clear majority at the polls on election night in West Vancouver-Capilano riding. photo supplied West Vancouver-Capilano, traditionally one of the most dependable Liberal strongholds in the province, has voted Liberal once again. Political newcomer and non-profit CEO Karin Kirkpatrick is projected to win the riding, beating out the NDP’s Amelia Hill, the Green Party’s Rasoul Narimani, and independent candidate Anton Shendryk. While we likely won’t know final results for weeks to come as mail-in votes are counted, with all of the ballots from Saturday’s election accounted for, Kirkpatrick finished the evening with 7,700 votes, or 54 per cent of the popular vote, compared to 4,114 votes for the NDP and 2,309 for the Greens. The Liberal Party routinely nets at least two-thirds of the popular vote in the West Vancouver-Capilano riding, though that number dropped to 57 per cent in the 2017 election. Kirkpatrick – who succeeded longtime MLA Ralph Sultan after he announced last year that he wouldn’t be seeking a sixth term – said she was excited to be the new voice of the riding in Victoria. “I’m really interested in helping support small businesses, which are the lifeblood of the North Shore, really,” said Kirkpatrick. She also emphasized that regional transportation issues and housing would be priorities. “I’ve got a lot of experience working with affordable housing issues.” Although the NDP are poised to form government, Kirkpatrick said she wasn’t dissuaded from starting her career as an MLA in Opposition. “My fear is that they will have a ticket to ride if they get a majority, and I think even more important is that those voices on the other side have got to be really strong and have got to be really clear about what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable.” Kirkpatrick watched the votes come pouring in from her makeshift election night campaign headquarters at her home in Edgemont Village Saturday night, where she and a select few volunteers rented outdoor space heaters and watched the results in a physically distanced setting outside. It’s entirely possible Kirkpatrick will become the sole representative of the B.C. Liberal Party among the North Shore’s four ridings. The NDP retook North Vancouver-Lonsdale and were anticipated to dethrone longtime Liberal incumbent Jane Thornthwaite in the North Vancouver-Seymour riding. The Greens are also expected to take West Vancouver-Sea to Sky. “I’m excited and I’m looking forward to everything,” said Kirkpatrick. The NDP’s Amelia Hill, who finished second in West Vancouver-Capilano with nearly 29 per cent of the popular vote, said she was honoured have get such a strong showing in the riding, despite falling short. “I’m quite happy with the results we’ve got so far,” said Hill. “I think we’re going to see potentially even more after all the votes are counted.” While mail-in votes may lead to a slightly higher final tally, Hill said she wasn’t expecting the riding to change hands this election. She commended Kirkpatrick on running a strong campaign. “I hope she continues working hard for the constituents,” said Hill. There were 40,857 registered voters in the West Vancouver-Capilano riding. According to Elections BC, 10,182 vote-by- mail packages were issued and 8,201 people participated in advance voting from Oct. 15-21. There isn’t a breakdown of mail-in ballots returned by riding yet, according to Elections BC. © 2020 North Shore News

France lockdown: What went wrong and what can Canada learn? By Rachael D'Amore Global News Posted October 29, 2020 4:05 pm Updated October 29, 2020 4:06 pm https://globalnews.ca/news/7429339/coronavirus-france-lockdown-canada/ How the coronavirus pandemic unfolded in France, Italy and Spain in the spring was seen as a preview of what was coming in Canada. Europe was considered about two weeks ahead of North America in terms of cases and deaths and was largely shuttered as the virus spread. Eventually, Canada went into lockdown too, hoping abstinence from socializing would help quell the new disease. Read more: France, Germany face new round of coronavirus lockdowns as cases surge But as France kneels to a second wave and a second lockdown, experts aren’t convinced we can “look over the fence to our neighbours” as a marker of our future anymore — at least not completely, according to Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert based out of Toronto General Hospital. “When we start to make direct country-to-country comparisons it oversimplifies the issue,” he said. “Yes, Canada is having a second wave. Yes, it’s unfortunate. But it’s not the same as France… There are big- picture lessons we can learn, but we can’t just say, ‘We shouldn’t do what France did.'” Cases soar to April levels France has “lost control” of coronavirus, doctors warned this week. Increasingly, the country has seen consecutive daily cases above 50,000, well exceeding the daily coronavirus case tallies from the spring. On Tuesday, France reported the highest number of deaths related to the disease since April — 523 — bringing the national death toll well above 35,000. 6:49 Europe has record single-day surge in COVID-19 cases

Europe has record single-day surge in COVID- 19 cases

That loss of control was acknowledged Wednesday when President Emmanuel Macron chose to lock things up once again.

The measures are tight. People must stay home except to buy essential goods, seek medical attention, or exercise for up to one hour a day. Anyone who leaves their home will now have to carry a document justifying them being outside, which can be checked by police. Unlike the first lockdown, however, schools will stay open.

But what makes this wave different from the first? France, like many countries, has vastly expanded testing capacities since March, which experts say makes it difficult to compare spring numbers from fall ones. It’s the alarming rise in hospitalizations that paints a clearer picture of the severity of the situation. In several French cities, hospitals are close to running out of ICU beds. Read more: Europe scrambles as second coronavirus wave overwhelms several countries Critics say France hasn’t learned its lesson from the first wave. The nation’s overall ICU capacity — 6,000 — is roughly the same as in March, according to data reported by the Associated Press. “When you get to this point, you’re left with fewer and fewer options,” Bogoch said. “Lockdowns end up being the last.” What went wrong? It’s not easy to pinpoint, said University of Waterloo infectious disease specialist Zahid Butt, but “timing” plays a role. Butt said France’s response was delayed. Lockdowns are considered a last resort, he said, but there were few other preventative measures that preceded it. A curfew was imposed in select cities considered hot spots for the virus and a handful of “red zones” regions closed bars and restaurants. But “if you’re seeing this degree of cases, you would have put more restrictions in earlier, so that you don’t have to go into lockdown,” Butt said. Read more: A second coronavirus lockdown in Canada? Experts discuss the likelihood Bogoch agrees. “It looks like they took a bit of a laissez-faire approach and are paying for it now,” he said. “The error would be not to strike while the iron is hot.” Despite weeks of lockdowns, COVID cases in France are surging: daily cases just topped 40,000 & the country is the 2nd in Europe to surpass 1M cases. FRA's public health "experts" should have adopted Sweden's laissez- faire model. The French COVID damage would have been mitigated.

That’s not the road Canada has chosen to take so far, Bogoch continued. Governments at all levels have and still are adapting, he said. The phased approach to reopening along with the more recent targeted, regional restrictions have helped prevent us from getting “out of control” to date. “No one is taking a laissez- faire approach here,” he said. “But we’re not out of the woods yet, that’s for sure.” Parallels with Canada What’s happening in France — and why — does share some parallels with the resurgence of the virus in Canada. The World Health Organization has suggested the increase could be partly due to the relaxation of measures and people simultaneously dropping their guard. Like Canada, young people are driving the second surge in France and much of Europe. “A lot of this also depends on the public response to the pandemic,” said Butt. “Pandemic fatigue” or “COVID fatigue” has been plaguing Europe for months. Researchers with the WHO estimate that about half the population of Europe is feeling burnt out from virus upkeep. It’s taking a toll on Canadians too. A recent poll found that nearly half of Canadians are getting tired of following public health recommendations and rules related to the virus. “One thing is for sure about pandemic fatigue — it’s everywhere,” Butt said. “That can have a really substantial impact on everything.” Some experts believe the fatigue collided with something uniquely European — August holidays. In much of Europe (especially Italy and France), cities are partially shut down in July and August, when locals tend to flock to beaches or fly south for sun. When cases diminished in the summer, many nations in Europe partially reopened their borders, mostly to other European countries. Jeffrey Shaman, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University, told Healthline that the surge is likely, in part, “a function of their August vacations.” They were “co-mingling and not using face masks,” he said. “That’s what got the virus going again.” Read more: Canadians are feeling pandemic fatigue. Experts say ‘greater good’ message isn’t enough It inevitably led to outbreaks, particularly in the French Riviera. Canada saw its fair share of parties, gatherings and events leading to clusters of cases over the summer. The warnings about weddings and park parties morphed into warnings about Thanksgiving and Halloween. Cautionary tale Still, there are differences, particularly cultural ones, said Raywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist and science communicator based at the University of Ottawa. He said France’s COVID-19 burden isn’t surprising, pointing to distinctly different population densities compared to Canada. “More multi-generational dwellings means there is a faster spread from young to old. A greater tendency toward communal activity, like cafes and patios, and more crowded streets and venues also mean greater probability of community transmission,” he said. But there are trends that will inevitably be seen here, according to Deonandan, though it probably won’t be to the same extent. 2:55 Coronavirus: Ontario to add nearly 800 additional hospital beds Coronavirus: Ontario to add nearly 800 additional hospital beds Hospitalizations tend to lag behind increased virus cases, but they’re rising in parts of Canada. The impacts of those rising cases have yet to be realized, experts agree. “By no means have we seen an overwhelming influx of patients with COVID-19 in hospital, but that’s always a possibility,” said Bogoch. “We have to be prepared for something like that. We know with this virus things can change pretty quickly.”

Ultimately, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be concerned by what we see in France, Deonandan added. “By no means is it guaranteed that our future is their present,” he said. “But their reality is a cautionary example of what our future might hold.” © 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Here is why TranLink does not enforce its 'mandatory mask policy'

Although some people are exempt from the policy due to an underlying medical condition, others simply ignore the rule. By: Elana Shepert https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/vancouver-news/here-is-why-tranlink-does-not-enforce-its-mandatory-mask-policy-2831476

A woman looks toward an unmasked individual on a bus. Photo: Getty Images

TransLink has a mandatory mask policy on all of its transit vehicles, but some customers aren't wearing face coverings while on board.

Although some people are exempt from the policy due to an underlying medical condition, others simply ignore the rule. However, TransLink says these people could be issued a fine from the Metro Vancouver Transit Police for doing so.

That said, the transportation agency stresses that customers shouldn't try to enforce the mask policy if they see someone who isn't wearing a face covering. Not only could the exchange end in aggression, or worse, but not all medical exemptions are visible.

Customers also have the option to request a TransLink branded card which notes they are exempt from wearing a face-covering. They may show this card to people who ask why they aren't wearing a mask--but they aren't obligated to do so.

A number of locals took to Twitter to express their frustration at seeing people without masks on transit vehicles.

Why aren't bus drivers checking unmasked riders for exemption cards?

TransLink Spokesperson Jill Drews tells Vancouver Is Awesome in an email that the exemption cards have never actually been required for people with underlying medical conditions. "I can understand why this might be confusing, but there are several reasons why bus operators are not checking for exemption cards," she writes.

"The exemption cards have never been required for those who feel they are not physically able to wear a mask. This is why they aren’t being checked anywhere on the system.

"We heard from some stakeholders that they would feel more comfortable with some sort of proof to show in the event of a disagreement over masks. The cards are meant as a reminder that there are exemptions to the policy. In fact, in places including London and Toronto, the exemption cards are available to anyone who wants to download the image and print it."

Drews notes that TransLink's spot checks show 95% of customers are wearing masks and that the policy "seems quite successful."

The transit authority has also favoured an "educational approach" to the policy, which echoes Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry's strategy, adds Drews.

So far, about 2,000 exemption cards have been issued by TransLink.

Who can enforce the mask policy?

Customers are required to wear non-medical masks or face coverings while onboard all TransLink vehicles as physical distancing is not always possible on transit. Metro Vancouver Transit Policy may issue tickets to people who are not following the mask policy, explains Drews. However, she is unable to say how many tickets have been issued, if any at all.

Drew adds that customers should always defer to Transit Police or the transit operator in instances where they feel unsafe or uncomfortable. They may contact transit police, transit security or use silent alarms onboard vehicles at any time.

"As far as new safety measures, we are working on a couple of things and will have more to share in the coming weeks," Drews notes.

Find out what to do if you see someone who isn't wearing a mask, here.

V.I.A. has reached out to the Metro Vancouver Police for comment.

The mandatory mask policy is part of TransLink’s Safe Operating Action Plan, which includes increased cleaning and sanitizing of transit vehicles and hubs, increased service levels and steps to create space between customers where possible.

Illegal hostel owner Emily Yu evicted from North Van townhouse

Brent Richter / North Shore News October 23, 2020 11:27 AM Updated: October 23, 2020 01:14 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/illegal-hostel-owner-emily-yu-evicted-from-north-van-townhouse-1.24226028

A Central Lonsdale townhouse at the centre of a long controversy is now listed for sale by order of a B.C. Supreme Court judge. photo Kevin Hill, North Shore News files

Emily Yu, North Vancouver’s infamous illegal hostel hostess, has been found in contempt of court again and will be forcibly evicted from her Central Lonsdale townhouse so that it may be sold.

A B.C. Supreme Court judge ordered the sale in June after Yu failed to pay more than $50,000 in legal fees her strata racked up trying to have the illegal hostel shut down. related

 North Van woman who ran illegal hostel fined $5K for contempt  Court allows illegal North Van townhouse ‘hostel’ to be sold  North Van Airbnb host fined thousands for operating illegal hostel  North Van's illegal hostel townhouse hits the market

But the strata council’s lawyer was back in court Friday morning to report Yu had refused to follow court orders to turn over a copy of her keys to a court bailiff and to allow the property to be inspected.

According to affidavits filed with the application, when the bailiff knocked on Yu's door, the woman who answered claimed not to be Yu. When the bailiff returned, he found the RCMP had been called. And although there was no direct evidence that Yu was responsible, the real estate agent's For Sale sign had been twice taken down.

Strata lawyer Stephen Hamilton said the only way for the court orders to be enforced was to physically prevent Yu from obstructing the law any further.

“Ms. Yu has demonstrated that, despite all of the opportunities this court has given her to bring herself into compliance with court orders, to respect this court process, she has no intention of doing that,” he said. “In my submission, it's highly probable that she’ll just continue to interfere with what needs to be done.”

Yu showed up to Friday’s hearing alleging that she had been a victim of fraud and identity theft because the court file number on her case had changed.

“This court file number is not my court file number but I have been dragged into the court, back and forth, multiple times in front of your honour to listen to somebody else’s court file,” she said.

Justice Barry Davies was having none of it, though. “I am not going to listen to this made-up nonsense. I have heard enough from you over the last three years to understand that you will say or do anything that you think might allow you to continue to obstruct the orders of this court,” he said. “You have obfuscated. You have been in contempt. You have completely and utterly refused to accept your responsibilities as an owner and as a neighbour. And this must come to end.”

Yu protested and shouted over Davies multiple times, but the judge told her repeatedly and forcefully to “be seated and be quiet.”

“I have no option, unfortunately, but to move you from your property and I do that simply for the purpose of ensuring that you not only respect the orders of this court, but that your neighbours and your fellow owners really receive the relief to which they are entitled, so that is the end of this matter,” he said.

Yu must now “deliver vacant possession” of the townhouse to the sheriff by Nov. 30, at which time she will be banned from stepping foot on the townhouse property.

The order gives the sheriff the power to change the locks and includes direction for the RCMP to assist with the eviction by force if necessary.

For her further contempt, Yu has been fined another $2,500, although Davies conceded that he doubted Yu would actually pay.

Even after the hearing adjourned, Yu protested “I’m innocent, your lord. I’m a victim.”

The strata council issued a statement following the ruling.

“The tough words from Justice Davies today were greatly welcomed from all of the other owners in our complex. It is tough to put into words how challenging this has been for us all. We never expected to still be in court dealing with this more than three years after it started but to at last see this coming to an end means a great deal to us. Thank you to everyone involved in supporting our strata through this ordeal – it means a lot to us," it read.

The three-bedroom townhouse remains on the market, listed for $965,000.

Info meeting online for apartment project near Phibbs Exchange

Staff report October 30, 2020 4:40am https://www.northshoredailypost.com/info-meeting-online-for-apartment-project-near-phibbs-exchange/

Engage Architecture is holding an online public information meeting for a housing proposal near Phibbs Exchange.

The last date to provide input is November 3.

Engage Architecture is proposing to construct two six-storey wood frame rise buildings at 405-485 Marie Place, at the corner of Crown Street and Marie Place.

The proposal is for 140 units, which will include 47 one bedroom units, 74 two-bedroom units, and 19 three bedroom units.

Vehicle access will be from a new commercial lane off of Crown Street.

As many as 161 parking spaces are being provided in an underground parking garage.

The proposal includes land dedication for the future expansion of Marie Place park, and the purchase of five metres of DNV land along Marie place to be included in the development.

The developer is proposing 8378 square feet of new parkland, 10 mins from phibbs exchange and access to pedestrian and cycling routes.

Lynn Valley homeowner ordered: clean up or pay up Brent Richter / North Shore News October 22, 2020 11:31 AM https://www.nsnews.com/news/lynn-valley-homeowner-ordered-clean-up-or-pay-up-1.24225224

The property at 4592 Ramsay Rd. has been the subject of complaints for 15 years. photo supplied, District of North Vancouver Tidy up or pay up. A Lynn Valley homeowner has been told to clean up the mess in his yard or face consequences. District of North Vancouver council voted Oct. 19 to impose a remedial action order on the owner of a home at 4592 Ramsay Rd. after he allowed years of junk to pile up outside.

related  North Van property owner given 30 days to fix ‘hazardous’ lot  City of North Van to property owner: upgrade or pay  District of North Vancouver orders homeowner to fix wall caving over creek “Staff has requested that the owner clean up the property but he has failed to do so despite extensive efforts and staff resources. The property falls short of reasonable community standards and is offensive to the community,” a district staff report states. “Numerous vehicles and trailers have not moved for years and are covered in debris and mould, tires sunken into the ground, unlicensed, inoperable, being used for storage and are clearly derelict.” When a property becomes so unsightly or dangerous as to constitute a nuisance, councils often impose remedial action orders. Failing to comply with a remediation order can result in the municipality carrying out the work and billing the owner or adding the costs to their tax bill. The property, which municipal documents show is owned by Richard Band, has been the subject of complaints going back 15 years, according to the staff report. In 2008, council passed a similar order for Band. Staff say he has been ticketed eight times since 2007, all of which remain unpaid, although two tickets were cancelled because of voluntary compliance. Band now has until Nov. 20 to remove the mess before district staff do. The items they are prepared to pick up: tires, lawnmowers, vehicle batteries and parts, tools, tool boxes, buckets, ramps, shelving, cans, containers of unknown fluids, barbecues, tarps, scrap metal, broken ladders, cedar fence panels, stacks of boards, lumber, scaffolding, chains, cut firewood plus a white truck camper. There are also five broken down vehicles and three trailers on the property that will have to be removed, the report states. There is also an accessory building on the property that has fallen into such disrepair it will have to be demolished or brought up to code, the report states. © 2020 North Shore News

Vaccine 94.5 % effective against COVID-19: Moderna

STAFF REPORT November 16, 2020 7:32am https://www.northshoredailypost.com/vaccine-94-5-effective-against-covid-19-moderna/

An American pharmaceutical company announced today its vaccine was 94.5%. effective against COVID-19.

Moderna, Inc announced today that trial for its vaccine has met 94.5% efficacy rate in a study that enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the U.S.

Based on this data, Moderna now intends to submit an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks.

By the end of 2020, Moderna expects to have approximately 20 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine ready for US.

Moderna said it remains on track to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021.

The study is based on the analysis of COVID-19 cases confirmed and adjudicated starting two weeks following the second dose of vaccine.

The 97 COVID-19 cases on which the vaccine was tested included 15 older adults over the ages of 65 and 20 participants identifying as being from diverse communities.

“Preliminary analysis suggests a broadly consistent safety and efficacy profile across all evaluated subgroups,” the company said.

“This is a pivotal moment in the development of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible. All along, we have known that each day matters.

This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease,” said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna

Multi-day events like weddings, funerals linked to COVID-19 surge, B.C. doctor says President of Fraser Health says some gatherings are being reported to municipalities CBC News · Posted: Oct 22, 2020 2:46 PM PT | Last Updated: October 23 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-covid-19-weddings-surge-1.5773420

A banquet hall is pictured in Surrey, B.C. on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. Dr. Victoria Lee says any gatherings should be limited to the six people in your social bubble. (Ben Nelms/CBC) The president of British Columbia's most highly populated health authority says multi-day events including weddings, funerals and gender-reveal parties have caused a surge in COVID-19 cases. Dr. Victoria Lee, the CEO of Fraser Health, says different groups of up to 50 people typically come together for a single event that can go on for days. She says about 70 per cent of the record number of 203 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday were linked to Fraser Health, which serves a mostly urban population of 1.8 million people. Lee says people should stick to the same six people beyond those in their household to keep cases low at a time when "pandemic fatigue" is setting in.  Fraser Health reports new COVID-19 outbreaks at care home and meat packing facility She says some gatherings are being reported to municipalities and that may require the authority to have "further conversations" around bylaw officers enforcing measures aimed at reducing the spread of the pandemic. Lee says the recent high number of cases could also be linked to gatherings at Thanksgiving. A health-care worker directs a waiting motorist in line at a COVID-19 testing facility in Burnaby, B.C., on Aug. 12. (Ben Nelms/CBC) New measures could help On Thursday, a record 274 new cases were announced in B.C., with 203 of those in the Fraser Health area. During that announcement, Dr. Bonnie Henry said she was concerned about the surge in cases and may introduce new measures to curb virus transmission.  Dr. Bonnie Henry says she may tighten rules on social gatherings, as B.C. records 274 new cases of COVID-19 Henry hinted this week she may introduce new measures to prevent transmission at gatherings like weddings and funerals, which she said could include conditions on wedding licences and reducing the province's current 50-person limit on gatherings. "Every gathering needs to be our own household only and, at maximum, our safe six," said Henry. WATCH | Dr. Bonnie Henry says current measures at weddings, funerals are not working:

B.C. considers regulating weddings and funerals after surge in COVID-19 cases 9 days ago Dr. Bonnie Henry's warning comes as Fraser Health reports a number of social gatherings lasting days has led to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the province. 1:39 Lee said Friday she agrees with the provincial health officer. "If the trends continue the way we are seeing this week, we need to have additional measures as Dr. Henry mentioned," said Lee on CBC's The Early Edition. She said health authorities are already working with local police, bylaw officers and WorkSafeBC to mitigate risk in the region. Lee also suggested employers re-evaluate their workplace safety plans in the wake of the record-breaking new case numbers. While Fraser Health area is the worst hit region in B.C., Lee said it is still faring better than regions elsewhere in the country. According to Lee, the region's rate of new cases is about 53 per million per day, compared to over 60 a day nationwide and over 100 in Quebec. Protocols in place at funeral homes Charlotte Poncelet, executive director of the B.C. Funeral Association, says Henry's comments were surprising since she's not aware of any funeral home or crematorium in B.C. that has had an outbreak. She said her organization has reached out to the ministry to seek clarification on whether there has been transmission at private events or gatherings after people have left the funeral homes. "We're not certain where this is coming from. Our funeral homes have put into place protocols that exceed the public health order as well as the WorkSafeBC orders," she said. Poncelet says the association has been working closely with public health officials to facilitate safe funerals for families. She notes there is a mental health cost to not having the ability to grieve the loss of a loved one in a timely fashion — and also for the front-line funeral staff who have had to enforce measures and make difficult choices to maintain COVID protocols. Poncelet says they had to increase staff ratios to make sure people adhere to public health orders and in some cases, have had to lock the doors at the funeral home to keep people out so as to not exceed capacity. "That's not how we want this to happen, but again, safety is our utmost concern," said Poncelet. Rule-breakers ruining reputations Maureen Brown of Emerald Events in Surrey said she is tired of seeing others flout the rules when she is following them. "Those are the kinds of things that give us such a bad reputation," said Brown on Friday on CBC's The Early Edition, adding she is a member of the Fraser Valley Event Planning Association and follows all provincial health protocols. She said she has turned down clients who have pressured her to break the rules, but assumes those people went ahead with their parties without her.

Maureen Brown of Emerald Events is pictured in a banquet hall in Surrey, British Columbia on Friday. (Ben Nelms/CBC) "People are going to do what they're going to do. I don't know if Dr. Henry is going to stop that," said Brown. She said she has lost almost all her business this year and will likely have to call brides whose weddings she already shifted to this coming spring and tell them they will have to reschedule again because of the surge in cases. Brown also has one client who has been waiting since last spring to hold a celebration of life for her daughter. "It's devastating," said Brown. Based on the success of the few micro events Brown has done, she said if people follow the rules then keeping the guest list at 50 is manageable. Tap here to listen to the complete interview with Maureen Brown on The Early Edition. With files from The Canadian Press, The Early Edition, On The Coast

North Van-Seymour candidates debate COVID plans, economics and environment at virtual forum Jane Seyd / North Shore News https://www.nsnews.com/news/north-van-seymour-candidates-debate-covid-plans-economics-and-environment-at-virtual-forum-1.24225435 October 22, 2020 01:20 PM

Clockwise from left: Susie Chant(BC NDP), Harrison Johnston (BC Green Party), Clayton Welwood (Libertarian) and Jane Thornthwaite (BC Liberals) are the four candidates running in the North Vancouver-Seymour riding this election. Jane Thornthwaite apologized – again – for her remarks about Bowinn Ma at a local Liberal roast during a virtual all- candidates meeting this week in North Vancouver. Meanwhile, the Green Party’s Harrison Johnston pressed the NDP’s Susie Chant about her party’s decision to continue the Site C project and support natural gas fracking, Thornthwaite asked how the Greens are dealing with being “betrayed” by the NDP’s snap election and Johnston grilled Thornthwaite how the Liberals will fill the hole in the provincial budget that will be left by a proposed PST tax holiday. related  BC VOTES 2020: A Q&A with North Vancouver-Seymour candidates  Sexist comments about North Van NDP candidate Bowinn Ma spark outrage online  BC VOTES 2020: North Vancouver-Seymour riding profile Actual debate threatened to break out at points during the all-candidates forum for North Vancouver-Seymour candidates Tuesday hosted virtually by the Seymour, Blueridge and Deep Cove community associations in partnership with the Parkgate Society. In addition to set questions, the format allowed candidates to grill each other on uncomfortable topics. Among those: the government’s decision to call a snap election, promises by both the Liberals and NDP to hand more money back to voters, whether the COVID plan for schools makes sense and unintended consequences of B.C.’s state of emergency. Whether the government is doing enough to help with the economic fallout of COVID-19 was one question addressed by candidates. Chant pointed to the NDP’s promise to give $1,000 back to households, an anticipated $400 renters rebate and a freeze on rent increases in 2021 as among measures that are helping local citizens. But Thornthwaite said the decision to call the election means a lot of the financial assistance promised to businesses can’t even start flowing until after the votes are counted. “It basically makes it worse for small businesses and people to survive during the pandemic because of this election,” she said. Both Thornthwaite and Johnston criticized the NDP for being much slower to sink funding into services like mental health and addiction supports than the government was to react to COVID-19. “We’ve seen more people dying of overdoses during the pandemic than people who've actually died COVID- 19. And that really just illustrates how big of an issue that is. And it's interesting to see how quickly the government funded COVID-19 and how it's been years now to see a similar sort of response to the overdose epidemic,” said Johnston. Chant agreed there are gaps in services that need improving, but said solving mental health issues is not simple. Thornthwaite also took the NDP to task for homelessness, saying it has gone up over 20 per cent in North Vancouver under the NDP government. “What we’re doing right now is not working,” she said – pointing to tent cities that have sprung up in many communities. Johnston agreed that the NDP have failed to solve the problem but said the Liberals were to blame for exacerbating the root causes of homelessness during their term in office. “They were in power for 16 years and didn’t seem to care about these issues until the NDP got in power,” he said. That prompted a response from the Libertarian candidate Clayton Welwood who said no political party can be blamed for homelessness, saying there are deep-seated societal issues as well as people’s personal "demons" involved. On the government’s return-to-school plan, Johnston said he’s spoken to many students who are uneasy about whether it’s safe or not. He said the government needs to listen to teachers and students and make sure funding is in place to ensure safety in the schools. Thornthwaite said she favours the hybrid model – of part-time in-class instruction with part-time online – but said “the funding model set by the Ministry of Education doesn’t allow for it.” “I would advocate for a revolt on that funding model to allow for hybrid options,” she said. Chant said decisions made by the ministry are being constantly reviewed and can be changed if needed. In terms of the economy, Thornthwaite criticized the NDP for introducing or increasing taxes and touted the Liberals’ promise for a one-year tax holiday from the provincial sales tax, saying it would stimulate spending and jump-start the economy. Johnston questioned where the missing $7 billion to $11 billion of provincial revenue would come from. “What’s going to be cut?” he asked. Welwood said he disagreed with clamping down on parts of the economy in the interests of COVID-19 safety and propping up business with government support. “We can’t keep going indefinitely with spending programs to support the victims of bad government policy,” he said, adding he favours an end to B.C.’s state of emergency. Asked by Chant how she has made amends with people offended by her sexist comments about Ma, Thornthwaite said she felt bad about making them. “They were insensitive and stupid,” she said, adding she herself has two daughters. Earlier in the forum, Thornthwaite addressed the issue directly saying she had made “inappropriate comments” and “I’ve been beating myself up ever since,” adding she has apologized to Ma. Transportation and options for rapid transit, greenhouse gas emissions and changing the way municipalities and the conservation office deals with problem bears were other topics raised in the candidates’ forum. The North Shore News recently asked all local candidates directly for their views on key election issues. Click here for those responses. For a profile of the riding, click here. © 2020 North Shore News north shorenews nsnews.com Wednesday, november 18, 2020 News |A7

•WILLS, TRUSTS, ESTATE Newsbriefs PLANNING, POWERS OF ATTORNEY that they arequarantining as directed. Oct. 19 general meetingbecause the West Vancopsfine •PROBATEOFWILLS Frankly,there’snoreasonable excuse community hadresponded positively U.s. qUarantine &ESTATES that could be provided that would to an open house on thedevelopment Lynn skipper sway us in ourdecisionmaking under application back in February–some •REAL ESTATE, PROPERTY Valllleyey &CONTRACT DISPUTES Avisitor from the United States the circumstances.” saying, “theylove thatit’salocal busi- Law has been fined in West Vancouver for –Brent Richter ness.” Although, the city later received Law •SEPARATION &DIVORCE breaking quarantine. four letters of concernregarding litter AWest Vancouver Police Black kettle gets and cleanliness in the area, which staff Lynn ValleyCentre •604-985-8000 Department officer pulled over the green light for said they would address by talking with driver of aMazda with Oregon licence the applicants. At Monday’sgeneral plates on Nov.8for aroutine traffic loUnge space meeting, Mayor Linda Buchanan said stop. The driver told theofficer he’d One of the North Shore’spopular she acknowledge the concerns that been in Canadafor a“couple weeks.” breweries will now be abletoexpand had come from neighbours, but greatly Under the Quarantine Act, anyone its indoor facilities forbeer lovers and supported approving the application. travelling into Canada must quarantine offer visitors morevariety. “This is about supporting business for 14 days. After making calls to the City of North Vancouver council- and also supporting another piece of Canada Border Services Agencyand lors voted unanimously to approve an being avibrant city,” she said.“Ithink Provincial Health Services Authority, application put forwardbyBlackKettle we have seen great success in other the officer found the driver was out and Brewing to add lounge andretailuse to parts of the city wherewehaveallowed about two daystoo early. itscurrent zoning. The brewery’sprevi- this to happen, and in these particu- “The driver was issueda$1,150 ous zoning only covered manufacturing larly extremely hardeconomic times, violation ticket under the quarantine and storing beer and theprovisions of it just adds another opportunity for act. They weredirected to drive imme- asmall number of samples. business to be somewhatviable and diately to their designated quarantine The changeswill givethe brewery, gives anotheropportunity to increase address, which is in Delta, and they which has been “making it pour on the their revenues.” subscribe weretoremain thereuntil Tuesday,” North Shore” since 2014 at 720 Copping Buchanan also noted the brewery NEWS said Const. Kevin Goodmurphy,West St. in Harbourside, theoption to was along theSpirit Trail, allowing for to our Vancouver policespokesman. expand its offerings and sell food and connection between the other parts e-newsletter It’sthe fifthpublicly reported case other beverages, like wine and cider, of the city’sbrewerydistrict. “I think of aQuarantine Act violation on the for those people who don’t drink beer. this will be agreat addition,and I’m Get local newsinyour North Shoreinrecentmonths. The approval also allows the brewery certainly supportive of anything that inbox, 3times aweek. “It goes without saying it’simport- to expand itsindoor area to 157.6 we can do to supportthe economy at anttorememberthat these rulesare squaremetres. the moment, so I’m happy to see this in place for areason. It’s in the best Council moved to waive the public move forward,” she said. www.nsnews.com/ interest of everyone’shealth andsafety hearing for the application at its –ElisiaSeeber newsletter/subscribe

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Drivers will soon be able to get on Highway1eastbound directly from Mountain Highway, but soon after,the Fern Street on-ramp will close foruptothree months. PAul McgrAtH

LoWeR LyNN TRAFFIC NewMountainHighway on-ramp settoopen

Brent richter months while crews work questioned why the new [email protected] to connect Keith Road to eastbound Mountain Twomajor changes the new overpass crossing Highway off-ramp from The to trafficpatterns are the highway. Cut doesn’t allow drivers coming to Highway 1in The change won’t to turn left onto Mountain Lower Lynn. impact anyone trying to Highway.Porter said that Starting on Wednesday go west on the highway option was thoroughly evening, the Ministry from the Seymour area investigated but traffic of Transportation and but anyone headed for engineers found adding an Infrastructureintends to the Ironworkers Memorial extra left-turn phase to the have the new eastbound Second Narrows Crossing signal therewould cause on-ramp from Mountain will have to diverttothe backups in all directions Highway to Highway 1open Main/Dollarton on-ramps so bad, it would quickly for business. It is the last or use Mountain Highway’s negate any benefits the major component of the new on-ramp, Porter said. massive infrastructureproj- new Mountain Highway Some commuters have ect would have produced. Interchange –the first phase of the $198-million Lower Lynn improvement project. Project manager Jay Porter said the new on-ramp will primarily serve Lynn Valley residents looking to get on the highway eastbound but it will also have the knock-on effect of improving traffic flow by taking some pres- sureoff Keith Road and Fern Street. “The Fern Street on-ramp used to be a high-pressurepoint. Now it spreads out abit,” he said. Drivers will barely have achance to get used to the new pattern when it changes again, albeit temporarily.AsofNov.23, the ministrywill be shut- ting down the Fern Street commmuters from the Seymour area arebeing asked to detour to one of three other interchanges. DriveBc on-ramp for two to three A22 | News Wednesday, nOVember18, 2020 north shorenews nsnews.com Current process confusing ! Continued from page 1 o by the municipality.With no standardset of rules, the process has been confusing for am applicants and it has also led to conflicts ngi with neighbours who worryhigher flood construction levels will result in their homes ma being overshadowed, loss of privacy or Don’t feel like cooking? drainage issues. Creating anew foreshoredevelopment Arecentwindstorm forced West Vandistrict Craving freshly-made permit area should provide clarity on what to close the Centennial Seawalk due to high the appropriate flood construction level waterlevels. DiStriCtofWeStVAnCouVer authentic Italian food? for aproperty is and what exemptions may be available, what other flood-proofing some insights to help us communicate better Call us to place your order strategies areavailable and other environ- with our public, but Ithink too it’sgoing and let us take careofdinner! mental considerations, district staffsay.If to help our public and the people who are Visit ourtemporary website council follows through, would-be buyers making these investments in understanding to view our deliciousmenu. of any low-lying properties will know in what to expect in the future.” advance what the new rules areifthey plan Coun. Nora Gambioli however said she Curbsidepickup available. to redevelop. didn’t see much reason to add another step Therewas little controversy at the coun- over and above the usual public process Don’t feel like driving? cil table about whether the district should when drafting abylaw. Order with Uber Eats. pursue anew set of regulations. The debate “Wehireand pay expertstaff…for a centred around an additional motion from reason –because they areexperts and this Coun. Sharon Thompson. The bylaw will is what they do for aliving,” she said. “The Comeoneveryone... be developed with input from the district’s added benefitisthat our staffwork for us. at! Coastal Marine Management Plan Working They work for the whole community and let’se Group, and creating anew development per- they aretasked with creating policies for the mit area will requireapublic hearing before community. Not for themselves. Not for their it goes into effect. But Thompson wanted to own interests.” first draw on the expertise of local water- District staffexpect to hold that work- 1509 Marine Dr front homeowners. shop with waterfront homeowners and North Vancouver “I think for the people on the waterfront, stakeholders sometime in the first quarter 604-924-4444 people who own private water[front] who of 2021. Earlier this year,council adopted a campaign.gmdpages.com/casa-corsi/ have made these investments in their lives development permit area specifically for res- DINNER TUE-SAT FROM 5PM •LUNCH THU-FRI FROM11:30AM and lifestyles, they need to get in on this idents along the forest interface to mitigate conversation soon,” she said. “I hope to gain wildfire risk.

GO SOLAR with NOTICE Alternative Power Systems SAVE MONEY.SAVETHE PLANET. Notice of decision on approved land use plan amendment

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A22 | News Wednesday, nOVember 11, 2020 north shorenews nsnews.com Development Proposal

REZONING FOR RESIDENTIAL 95 2,000 83 rental units Sq ft future parkland parkingspaces

VirtualPublic 1565 -1589 Info Meeting Rupert Street Adesign rendering shows howanaffordable housing proposal forOrwellStreet maylook if approvedbyDistrictofNorth Vancouver council. The public hearing is slated forNov.10. DNV November 24th to December 8th,2020 RUPERTST DIsTrICT laND use SITE DNV.org/public-meeting MOUNTAINHWY North Vanseekspublic’s

Thisisnot aPublic Hearing.Districtof ORWELL ST sayonaffordable housing NorthVancouver Councilwillformally considerthe proposal at alater date. Brentrichter some action, Bond said. [email protected] “With all this discussion and all this WE ARE HERE On the heels of advancing one afford- work, Idon’t think thatwe’veseenthe able housing project, the District of results necessary to address thehousing North Vancouver may be looking to crisis in theDistrict of NorthVancouver at EARLYINPUT VIRTUAL PUBLIC PUBLIC clear the way for afew more. both the speedand scale required to pro- MEETING INFO MEETING HEARING Council votedunanimouslyNov.2ona vide homes forlow- and moderate-income motion from Coun.Mathew Bondaimed at residentsinour community,” he said. Questions? takingdistrict-owned landand puttingitto Bond’smotion calls on the district to use combating the housing crisis. draw up plans thatwould allowfor rental, DavoudMirtaheri CaseyPeters, Senior DevelopmentPlanner The district has investeduntold affordable or social housing on theland BARON PROJECTSCORP.DISTRICT OF NORTHVANCOUVER thousands of hoursofcouncil,staff and and to seek the community’sinput on the 604-537-7794 604-990-2388 volunteer timeintodebatingand creating matter at the sametime. [email protected] [email protected] housing policies and it wastime to show Continued on page 23 KIDS&YOUTHSNOWCAMPS

BOOK NOW|Secureyourpreferred datesbeforethey’re gone! GROUSEMOUNTAIN.COM A10 | WEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER 11, 2020 north shorenews nsnews.com PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES

WHEN: 6p.m.onNovember17, 2020 WHERE: Municipal Hall Council Chamber,750 17th Street, and viaelectronic communicationfacilities (telephone)

ProposedDevelopment Permit Exemptions

Apublic hearing will be held regarding proposed Official CommunityPlan BylawNo. 4985,2018, Amendment BylawNo. 5074,2020. SUBJECT LANDS: All lands withinthe DistrictofWest Vancouverdesignated as adevelopment permit area in the District’s Official CommunityPlan Bylaw No.4985, 2018 (as amended). Visit westvancouver.ca/dp-areas formoredetails.

PROPOSEDOFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAWNO. 4985, 2018, AMENDMENT BYLAWNO. 5074,2020: would provide foraconsistent approach to development permit exemptionsfor Districtworksthroughoutall of the development permit areas and forexemptions forcertainmaterial handling and processingworksinthe FutureNeighbourhoodsand Limited Useand RecreationAreaDevelopmentPermit Areas(Policy UL 8and 9).

QUESTIONS? Michelle McGuire, Senior Manager,Current Planning &UrbanDesign:[email protected] |604-925-7059

ProposedRezoning of McGavin Field Apublic hearing willbeheld regarding proposedZoning BylawNo. 4662, 2010, SUBJECT LANDSSHOWN SHADED IN BLUE AmendmentBylawNo. 5069,2020. Apublic meeting willbeheld concurrently.

SUBJECT LANDS: McGavin Field (PIDs 025-467-450and 009-409-289), E Cypress located oppositethe MunicipalOperations Centreat3755Cypress Bowl Road. Operations Centre Thesubjectlands areshown shadedinthe imagetothe right. Bowl Road PROPOSEDZONING BYLAWNO. 4662, 2010,AMENDMENT BYLAW NO.5069, 2020: would alignproposed park usesonthe sitewith other West Cypress Bowl Road Vancouverparksand would allowfor adiscovery centre, including areal estate sales centreand siteoffice. McGavin Field PROPOSEDDEVELOPMENT PERMIT 19-110: would regulatethe form and character of the proposed‘CypressVillage PopUp,’whichwould includeapublic Upper Levels park, discovery centreincluding areal estatesalescentre, siteoffice, and buildings Highway made from modified shipping containers (sea cans).

QUESTIONS? James Allan, Upper Lands Senior Development Planner: [email protected]|604-925-7177

COUNCIL WELCOMESYOURINPUT: All personswho believe their interest in property is affected by the proposedbylaws and/or development permit will be given an opportunitytobeheard, eitherinperson or via electronic communicationfacilities (telephone), andtopresentwritten submissions respectingmatters containedinthe proposedbylaws and/or development permit at the public hearing(and concurrentpublic meeting regarding McGavin Field). If youwish to participate, either in-person or by telephone, please call 604-925-7004onNovember 17,2020tobeadded to the speakers list.Detailed directions on howto participateinthe electronic public hearingare available at westvancouver.ca/publichearings.

PRIORTOTHE HEARING YOUMAY PROVIDE YOUR SUBMISSION: via email to [email protected];via mail to MunicipalHall, 75017th Street, West VancouverBCV7V 3T3; or place your submission, addressed to LegislativeServices, in the drop boxlocated at the main entranceofMunicipal Hall. Please provide written submissions by noon on November 17,2020toensuretheir inclusion in the public information packagefor Council’sconsideration. No further submissionscan be consideredbyCouncil afterthe public hearinghas closed.

MORE INFORMATION: Theproposed bylaws,development permit, and otherrelevant documents thatCouncil mayconsider in deciding whether to adopt the proposedbylaws and approve the proposed development permit maybeinspected online at westvancouver.ca/notices and at themain entrance to MunicipalHall from October 30 to November 17,2020(MondaytoFriday,except statutory holidays,8a.m. to 4:30p.m.),oratthe public hearing(and concurrent public meeting regarding McGavin Field).

westvancouver.ca WestVanDistrict A18 | News Wednesday, nOVember11, 2020 north shorenews nsnews.com LYNN CREEK 140-unit rentalproject advances to publichearing

Brent richter [email protected] An all-rental housing project in Lynn Creek has cleared its first hurdle at District of North Vancouver council and is headed for public hearing. Asecond, much larger proposal up the street, however,isfacing amuch tougher prospect of success. District council voted on Nov.2to advance asix-storey,140-unit rental building at 1515-1555OxfordSt. and220 Mountain Highway near Main Street. Six of the unitswillberetained by Hollyburn An artist’srendering shows howanall-rental FamilyServicesfor rentalsat20per cent building at 1515 Oxford St.might look if approvedbyDistrictofNorth Vancouver below market rates. The building will have council. 0.72 parking stalls per unit. The site cur- TPL DeVeLOPmeNTS OxfOrD GeNerAL PArTNerShiP rentlyholds six single-family homes. Although therewerequibblesover this time, Idon’t believe has community parking, potential greenhousegas emis- support,” saidHanson. “I would support a sions and access to the below-market smaller project with lower height andwith suites,the proposal stoked little opposi- morerental.” tion from council. Couns. Bondand Jordan Back said they “I do think thatitisthe right kindof would like to seethe proposal proceed housing in close proximitytotransit,” said through the usual process. Mayor Mike Little. Back saidpropertyismeanttobean With only threeper cent of the dis- important piece in theLynnCreek town trict’shomes purpose-built rentals, 140 centre and the strata unitswould be new units comingontothe market will be needed to make the rest of the rentals and abig improvement, added Coun.Mathew commercial space viable. Bond. “One of the important elementsisthe The public hearing is set for Dec. 8. grocery store. I’vetalked to alot of people Up the road at 420-460 Mountain Hwy. downinthatareaand that’ssomething and 1510-1530 CrownSt.,whereDykhof that they werepromised andwehaven’t Nurseries and astretch of five single-fam- delivered for them yet,” he said. ily homes stand, asizablemixed-use Little andCoun. Megan Curren both project is facing tougher scrutiny from said they’d liketosee theproposal revised council. rather than go ahead as-isorbescrapped. Theproposal, which is in thepre-appli- Littlesaid the site has long been envi- cation phase, would see 222strata units sioned for high density,although maybe built in a29-storeytower andtwo town- not as muchasthe developerisproposing. house buildings, 45 non-marketrentals Andheworriedthe siting of aplaza and105 marketrentals in two five-storey at the northend of the site would ham- buildings, as well as morethan30,000 per thedistrict’sability to build social square feet of commercial space. housing on the site of theDistrictofNorth Couns. Lisa Muri, Jim Hansonand Betty VancouverFireand Rescue Services hall Forbes said theproject would be anon- No. 2ifdecommissioned at afuture date. starter forthemlargely because it had too District staffwillnow meet with the manymarket strata units. developer to see if the proposal can “From my point of view,it’stoo high. be changed in such away thatitcould Twenty-nine stories in this location, at achieveconsensus support at council. Reduce theappearance of wrinkles up to 68%

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Whereare the dads? and it has had abig impact. The orders we have in place now comple- Our actions have helped keep our hos- ment our clear and expressed expectation We all care deeply about the future we companies and ﬁnancial institutions pitals, schools and workplaces open –and that people will wear masks in indoor public are creating for the children of today around the world are already seizing protect the ones we love. places like shopping malls, stores, on ferries and tomorrow.And there is currently these opportunities. This includes Such essential actions include maintain- and transit. no issue that threatens the long- sectors well beyond energy including ing asafe distance from others, cleaning our Our orders also mandate that businesses term health of our society more than building materials, transportation, hands and staying home if we get sick. and workplaces must have COVID-19 safety climate change. While caring about mining, manufacturing, and others. our children’sfuture is acharacteristic Using masks appropriately is another plans in place. These should include mask Iamnot aparticularly partisan person. important example of an individual act that wearing, in addition to barriers, reduced shared by all genders and gender identities, fewer men are involved in However,Igot involved in politics results in acollective good. Each of these is numbers of people in spaces, screening of because of climate change –partly alayer of protection to guardagainst avirus workers and the public, and availability of the climate action conversation than because of the threat it poses to future that never rests. hand cleaning and sanitation. women and youth. generations, but also because of the Some people areasking when we will see Staffand customers must abide by these Marian Hakze, aNorth Vancouver economic opportunities Ibelieve masks mandated in B.C. The answer is that plans and businesses must offer virtual, mom and aleader of “For Our Kids”, Canada can grasp by moving to swiftly they already are. The mandate to use masks online or contactless alternatives to cus- pointed out in arecent blog post that appropriately is acornerstone of businesses’ tomers who cannot wear amask. COVID-19 the organization currently attracts many transition toward alow-carbon future. and organizations’ COVID-19 safety plans, safety plans areenforceable and something more women than men. For Our Kids Perhaps this broader framing –one and is embedded in our health-care facilities’ businesses and workplaces now plan for and is an organization of concerned parents of both ascience-informed threat operational policies and restartprotocols in have in place, in accordance with our orders. and grandparents across the country and an economic opportunity –if other public institutions. We know that people want to do the right working on the climate emergency from communicated actively and aggressively Despite how it might appear when we thing when they understand the reasons the grassroots in their communities. by governments and citizens, can watch the news or go on social media, behind our thinking and have the tools they “I have noticed I’m surrounded mostly attract abroader range of Canadians research shows that most of us in B.C. are need to do what is asked of them. by moms, retirees, and students in to positively engage in this existential doing the right things most of the time. Mask use is important, and we need the climate action movement,” wrote conversation. Ordering universal mask use in all situa- everyone to have the same understanding of Marian. “Only occasionally will we see Trust the children tions creates unnecessarychallenges with our expectations. Wearing amask will never adad.” enforcement and stigmatization. We need eliminate all risks, but it is asignificant part Iwould also suggest that perhaps the Marian poses an interesting question: only look at the COVID-19 transmission rates of the layers of protection that can help pro- most powerful agents of getting more where are the dads? According to Abacus in other jurisdictions that have tried using tect us, our loved ones and our community. people –and more men in particular – Data, men are less likely than women such orders to see what little benefitthese Now morethan ever,itisameasurewe engaged, are the children of today.For to believe that climate change is an orders by themselves have served. must all take. me personally,myyoungest daughter extremely serious issue –34per cent of We also know that when orders and fines An order can never replace our personal female Canadians versus 27 per cent of has been asource of energy and areinplace, it is racialized people and those commitment. We need to be responsible for male Canadians. Men are also currently inspiration. She tells me of her concerns living in poverty or homeless who aremost our own actions —that is how we all pull twice as likely to believe it’snot at all for her future and regularly exhorts me often targeted. together.Iwear amask, and Iexpect each of serious. to do more to help avert the climate Each day,weare continuing to learn you who can to wear one too. crisis. moreabout the virus and how it spreads. Dr.Bonnie HenryisBritish Columbia’sprovin- Perhaps this is not entirely surprising. Icertainly hope that children who are Right now,weare seeing rapid transmission cial health officer. Polling data over the years suggests concerned for their future –ashundreds women are often more likely than men of thousands in Canada demonstrated LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR must include your name, full address and to see environmental and social issues - telephone number.Send your letters via our website: nsnews.com/ during the climate marches in 2019 – opinion/send-us-a-letter.The NorthShoreNews reserves therighttoedit including health care and education -as mailbOx anyand/orall letters based on length, clarity, legalityand content.The are being equally forceful with their being highly important. Men, on the News also reserves the righttopublishany and/or all letters electronically. other hand, have tended to be more parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, focused on economic concerns. neighbors, and leaders. knuckLE DOwn poppy,orspent time chatting with the Not one or the other We will get through the current Dear Editor: poppy tagger,dounderstand that your dona- pandemic crisis and when we do there Like all aspects of ourlives, theRoyal tion is so very important in abigger picture But it’safalse dichotomy for the is another,even larger challenge we Canadian Legion, along with theveterans than ourselves. conversation to be framed as an must face –climate change. One lesson and their families they provide supportfor, Peace and freedom areexpensive, and “either-or” between climate and the Ibelieve we have learned from the has been sorely compromised this year by the price paid can never be trulyreim- economy.Ibelieve that key to engaging COVID-19 pandemic is how much we COVID-19. As amember of the Lynn Valley bursed, but we do get achance once ayear abroader range of Canadians in climate can really achieve when Canadians Legion, recent days sawmeonce again to show our appreciation of that price by conversation and action is to highlight outside Safeway at Parkgate Village as a helping the Royal Canadian Legion’spro- the economic opportunitiesthat will be work together –governments, poppy tagger.While serving in this function grams for ourveterans and their families. enabled by atransition to alow-carbon communities, neighbours, moms, dads Iannuallyobserve Canadianrespect and While COVID-19 has impacted ourlives, future. and kids –toaddress acommon cause. appreciation of their fallen and current we areinnoway suffering the hardships of The Global Commission on the This is alesson that will serve us well serving Armed Forces members as they give civilians in either of the two world wars, or Economy and Climate has estimated in our efforts to restore balance to the generously at my poppy tray. the past lives of the many refugees who have that bold climate action could deliver climate and create aclean, sustainable However,this year,nodoubt in recog- found sanctuaryinour fair land. more than $26 trillion in economic and prosperous future for our children nition of the COVID-19 impact, Canadian Let us get things in proportion, quit grum- beneﬁts in the next decade. Many and future generations. generosity has exceeded allmyexpecta- bling about our “rights” being compromised, tions, and Iwould like to extend my deepest and knuckle down together,and get on with Office nowopen by appointment at appreciation andgratitudetoall whocon- whatever measures areneeded to defeat this tributed, not just to my tray,but wherever latest commonenemy. 604-775-6333 /[email protected] your contribution was made. Thank you. Mick Webb JonathanWilkinson.libparl.ca Whether you hurried on clutchingyour North Vancouver A18 | News Wednesday, october 28, 2020 north shorenews nsnews.com Drunk semi drivergetshouse arrest

Brent richter custody at gunpoint, 45 minutes after prohibition. On Oct. 7, aprospective [email protected] he was first reported. There, he was too buyer tookthe Peterbilt for atest Atrucker who drove his semi drunk to stand and smelled strongly of drivebut got the trailer hung up on a from AbbotsfordtoLions Bay, alcohol, the courtheard. lamppostonanAbbotsfordsidewalk. drunk and careening into medi- According to the Crown,Brar Brar volunteered to drive the truck and ans and guardrails along the way, passed out in the cruiser on the way trailer back onto the road. Policeatthe has been sentenced to house back to the North Vancouver RCMP scenegave Braranother breathalyzer arrest. detachment, where his blood alcohol test, during whichheblew .09. Drivers first noticed Jaswinder Brar tested at 190 milligrams per 100 millili- In courtonMonday,Brar pleaded and his flat-deck truck swerving across tres of blood or 0.19. guilty to driving while over.08 blood Highway 1inCoquitlam around 7:45 “Both society and Mr.Brarare fortu- alcohol contentand flight from police, p.m. on Nov.24, 2019, and called911. nate that the incident did not result in related to the November 2019 incident. Agroup of civilian drivers who saw serious injury. But the absence of injury The Crown and Brar’sdefence what was happening formed aphalanx does not downplay the extreme risk Mr. agreed that a90-day conditional sen- behindBrar’struck and put their four- Brar tookbyputting the key in the igni- tence, plus a$2,000 fine and 20-month way flashers on, keeping other drivers tion. Rather,the lack of injuryisacredit driving prohibitionwould be an appro- at asafe distance. North Vancouver to the quick thinking of the individuals priate punishment. Askedifhehad RCMP and West Vancouver policeinter- who blocked the lanes behind him,” anything to say beforethe sentencing, ceptedthem and triedseveraltimes to said Crown articling student Joseph Brar simply said “no.” pull Brar over but, when it was clear he Zondervan. Judge Joanne Challenger said she wasn’t going to, officers turnedtheir Brar’sdefence lawyerSunny Kaler would agree to the joint submission but lights offand slowed downsoastonot told the courthis client had been under she added the casewas full of “signifi- escalate ariskypursuit. tremendous financial and family stress cantly aggravated”circumstances. And Duringsentencing in North at the time and turnedtoalcohol to she had some words for Brar. Vancouver provincial courtonOct. cope. Kaler said Brar had gotten into “I would certainly hope that you 19, the Crown played recordings of an argument with his wife and decided choose agood life over drinking.Ihope 911 calls made by drivers between to go sleepinhis truck but then made that you understand it’sclear to me Coquitlam and West Vancouver. the “unfortunate” decision to go to that you have an alcohol abuse issue “He’sgoing to kill somebody.He’s Squamish so he couldbefirst in line and you aresimply verylucky that you weaving all overthe highway.Ican’t to collect aload of materials the next arenot beforethe courttoday facing believe the cops stopped,” one witness morning. Kaler said Brar did not notice muchmoreserious charges. Ihopethat told the 911 dispatch. the drivers behind him or the police you don’t tempt fate further at any time Eventually,Brar struck abarrier and until he’d reached Lions Bay. in your life by getting behind the wheel stopped at the Kelvin Grove Wayexit in Brar has since sold his truck, but with any amountofalcohol in your Lions Bay where police took him into not beforegetting another roadside system,” she said.

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Power outages planned in North Vancouver

STAFF REPORT October 23, 2020 2:25pm https://www.northshoredailypost.com/power-outages-planned-in-north-vancouver

BC Hydro is planning power outages for different areas in North Vancouver over the coming few weeks.

There will be planned power outage on November 4, from 9 am to 6 pm, in these areas.

1038 – 1097 Blue Grouse WAY, 5369 – 5492 Blueberry Lane, 5000, 5077 Capilano Rd, 5604 – 5667 Covey Place, 5500 – 5567 Deerhorn Lane, 5540 – 5546 Deerhorn Pl, 5614 – 5651 Eagle CRT, 5715 – 5877 Grousewood CRES, 5599, 5602 Grousewoods Dr.

Other areas are where power will be out are: 5600 – 5612 Grousewoods Pl, 5610 – 5675 Honeysuckle Pl, 5503 – 5596 Huckleberry Lane, 5587 – 5597 Huckleberry Pl, 5159 – 6400 Nancy Greene WAY, 5586 – 5596 Nuthatcg Pl, 5700 – 5734 Owl CRT, 5611 – 5664 Ptarmigan Pl, 5551 – 5563 Staghorn Pl, 5502 – 5515 Stellar Pl, 5601 – 5631 Sumac Pl, 5552 – 5568 Swordfern Pl, 5600 – 5692 White Pine Lane, and 5566 – 5584 Woodpecker Pl

On November 2, power will out from 9:30 am to 5 pm, for the following addresses: 88 W 29th Street (101- 108, 201-212,301-313, 401-409)

On November 3, from 9 am to pm, power will be out at the following addresses: 1714-1888 Draycott Rd, and 3086-3196 Hoskins Road.

On November 5, from 9:30 am to 5 pm, power will be out in the areas below.

Brighton Beach, Cacsades, 7070, 7080 Indian Arm; Orlohma Beach; 2915, 2917 Panorama Dr; 301 – 338 Sasamat Ln; 5691 – 4790 Sunshine Falls Ln.

On November 3, from 10 am to 5 pm, power will be out at 2968 Mahon Ave, and 316 – 404 W Queens Rd.

“We ask that if you see our crews and contractors out in the field, please respect social distancing measures and maintain a physical distance of at least two metres,” BC Hydro says.

The complete list of power outages in the next few days of October can be accessed here.

Second COVID-19 exposure reported at North Van's Handsworth Secondary Jane Seyd / North Shore News October 23, 2020 02:14 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/second-covid-19-exposure-reported-at-north-van-s-handsworth-secondary-1.24226190

A second COVID-19 exposure was reported this week at Handsworth Secondary in North Vancouver. file photo North Shore News A second COVID-19 exposure has been reported at Handsworth Secondary in North Vancouver. A letter went out to parents Thursday, informing them a case of COVID-19 has been reported in a Grade 11 block 2 pre- calculus cohort at the school. The potential exposure to the person who tested positive happened Oct. 20. related  More COVID-19 exposure warnings issued for North Van, West Van schools A week earlier, a different cohort of students at Handsworth was told to self-isolate after being exposed to a person with COVID-19 Oct. 13 and 14. Parents with children in the affected class said the exposure happened in a Grade 9 PE class. There have been several recent exposures in North Vancouver schools. Both secondary and elementary schools have been affected. They have included students in grade 9 and 12 cohorts at St. Thomas Aquinas private secondary school between Oct. 7 and 15 and a group of students at Seycove Secondary between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5. At the elementary school level, students in one Grade 5/6 class at Blueridge Elementary was set to end their self-isolation Oct. 23 after being exposed to a case of COVID-19 Oct. 5 to 9. A class at Westview Elementary was also told to self-isolate after exposure to a positive case Oct. 13 and 14. In West Vancouver, which clocked far more incidents of COVID-19 exposures in schools during September, families of a grade 4/5 class at Ecole Pauline Johnson were given notice of a possible COVID-19 exposure there on Oct. 14 and 15. On Thursday, Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s medical health officer, said there have been 232 school exposures in B.C. out of approximately 2,000 schools in the province, including six “clusters” where more than one person has been identified as having been exposed within the school. © 2020 North Shore News

Seniors in care homes dying of loneliness, say North Van families Dying of COVID-19 is not residents' worst fear, says seniors advocate Jane Seyd / North Shore News November 17, 2020 04:04 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/seniors-in-care-homes-dying-of-loneliness-say-north-van-families-1.24240947 Debbie Drew poses with her father Graham Drew, who is a resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre. Graham survived COVID- 19 earlier this year, but his family now worries about his loneliness. Debbie Drew Back in the spring, when the first wave of COVID-19 tore through North Vancouver’s Lynn Valley Care Centre, Debbie Drew and her sister Deanna Harlow wondered if their elderly father would survive the outbreak. Graham Drew, 97, was one of the many seniors who contracted COVID-19 inside the care home – the first one in Canada to suffer an outbreak. related  Special report: Systemic failures in B.C. seniors' care left facilities unprepared for pandemic  Lynn Valley daughters say virus revealed fault lines in care of elderly Drew was lucky – he recovered from the illness. But since then, his two daughters have been left wondering if COVID-19 itself was the worst part of the pandemic. Restrictions on family visits, even before the recent two-week clampdown on Lower Mainland households, have dramatically curtailed the way the two women have been able to see their father, who lives with dementia. The result has been a fraying of their dad’s connection to them at a time when his physical and mental condition is failing, said Drew. “Even though he’s a miracle man and made it through COVID, this year has been very hard on him. His ailments, and his disabilities are becoming more challenging,” she said. “And I can see him really declining.” Since June, when care homes in B.C. were reopened to family visits, both the quality and frequency of that time together has been a far cry from what family members say they need. In a report released this month, B.C’s seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie described the visit restrictions as having a profound and negative effect on both residents and their families. “The stories we heard have made it clear that residents need to spend more time together with the people they love and they cannot wait another year or more until this pandemic is over for this to happen,” Mackenzie wrote. Most visits at Lynn Valley Care Centre happen in public areas, behind a Plexiglas screen, said Debbie Drew – making it next to impossible for residents who are hard of hearing to understand what is being said. Drew – the one designated family visitor allowed to see her dad – adds that the lack of physical touch has also been very difficult. “With my dad, he takes his hand and he touches his head and he kind of throws the kiss through the Plexiglas,” she said. Because family members aren't allowed to touch, Graham Drew now blows his daughter kisses through a Plexiglas screen. photo Debbie Drew That kind of experience is common, according to Mackenzie. “When the visit restrictions were amended at the end of June, many family members thought they would once again take up their role as a vital care partner for their loved one,” she wrote. But even months after visit restrictions were relaxed, Mackenzie’s survey of more than 13,000 residents and family members found the majority of visits have been only once per week or less and many have been limited to 30 minutes or less. In addition, only two out of ten are were able to take part in unobserved, private visits, wrote Mackenzie. For most people, life will eventually get back to normal after the pandemic, wrote the seniors advocate, but “for residents of long- term care, however, this tomorrow may never come.” Currently, most residents fear death from loneliness more than they fear COVID-19, wrote Mackenzie. Jennifer Knibbs and her sister Stephanie Loewen are part of another family who lived through the outbreak at Lynn Valley Care Centre only to find their mom’s quality of life declining in the aftermath. They originally chose the care home for their 88-year-old mom because it was so close to them, said Knibbs. Prior to COVID-19, both daughters were frequent visitors. When the care centre outbreak hit in March, their mom also contracted COVID-19. “We just had to kind of sit by the sidelines and wait and watch and see what happened,” said Knibbs. They were grateful when their mom recovered from her illness relatively unscathed. They waited four months for a visit, only to have it take place in a busy area of the lobby behind a Plexiglas screen. “She could not hear a word we said. So it was very frustrating,” said Knibbs. “There was no privacy to have a family conversation of any sort ... It was very sad for us to meet her this way.” Visits remained rationed until earlier this month, when families at the care home were told all face-to-face visits were being suspended because of concerns about the surge in COVID-19 numbers, even though there was no COVID-19 outbreak at the home. Instead, families were told they could sign up for a virtual call – which in Knibbs’ case came in the middle of her work day. A number of residents at Lynn Valley Care Centre survived their brush with COVID-19 but now face ongoing restrictions that have diminished their quality of life, say family members. photo Mike Wakefield Knibbs said she can tell her mom is lonely. Because her mom can’t hear, and staff does not ensure her hearing aids are in place, Knibbs said she hasn’t been able to tell her mom why she and her sister can’t come and visit. “She says, ‘Well when you’re not busy, come and visit me.’ And we tried to explain it to her, but she can’t hear us,” said Knibbs. That experience is common, wrote Mackenzie, who found more than 85 per cent of seniors in care homes needed help to use a phone or other kinds of technology like Zoom or FaceTime. Meanwhile, the rate of antipsychotic use for residents in care went up seven per cent during the pandemic, according to Mackenzie, and assessments show “troubling trends of unintended weight loss and worsening of mood” among residents. Kathie Boyd’s mom is another resident who survived the Lynn Valley Care Centre COVID-19 outbreak. But more recently, Boyd said her mom, who also has dementia, has been losing weight and was recently referred for palliative care. Boyd said she doesn’t know how much of her mom’s condition is a case of losing her will to continue. This week, families were informed in-person visits will be allowed again at the care home. Boyd fears that has come too late for her mom. Kathie Boyd hasn't seen her mom - who is nearing the end of her life - for four weeks. She questions the restrictions designed to keep seniors safe if it leaves them with no access to loved ones. photo Paul McGrath “I haven’t seen my mom in about four weeks,” she said. “She’s nearing the end of her life and I still haven’t been approved to come and visit her.” “It’s hard to know what she’s feeling,” added Boyd. “I have to think she’s longing for someone to be tender with her.” Boyd questions the quality of life that care home residents are getting while being shut away over fears about contracting COVID-19. “There’s an awful lot of residents like my mom who would definitely say, ‘Why are you keeping me alive? To be so lonely.’” © 2020 North Shore News

EDITORIAL: The North Shore's political landscape looks different following election

North Shore News October 27, 2020 03:18 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/editorial-the-north-shore-s-political-landscape-looks-different-following-election-1.24228303

The BC NDP party's Susie Chant, newly elected MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour, and Bowinn Ma, returning MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale, celebrate a historic win for Premier John Horgan. For the first time since 1996, the NDP has secured a majority government in B.C. photo Mike Wakefield, North Shore News

There was a seismic shift in the distribution of political power on the North Shore this election. Barring the mail-in ballots diverging drastically from how people voted at the polls, we welcome the NDP’s Susie Chant in North Vancouver-Seymour and the Green Party’s Jeremy Valeriote in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky.

Being evicted from seats that were once so safe they barely had to campaign for them should inspire some deep soul searching within the BC Liberal Party. On the North Shore, the Liberals held just one of their three seats, West Vancouver-Capilano with Karin Kirkpatrick. related

 UBC profs parse North Shore riding flips  North Vancouver-Seymour poised to flip to NDP  Ma's declared win in North Vancouver-Lonsdale a landslide for NDP  Election night results give Liberal Karin Kirkpatrick the projected win in West Vancouver-Capilano

The results show British Columbians have a high degree of confidence in how the NDP governed in their first term and how they responded to the pandemic. But if the NDP takes ownership of their record-breaking results, then they similarly should take ownership of the record low voter turnout – a paltry 52 per cent, according to Elections B.C. Calling an early election during the second wave of a pandemic is surely a factor.

Electoral victory belongs to parties who can do the most to inspire voters with thoughts of a better future. And right now, average people are too concerned about getting through the day to be parsing political platforms.

But we welcome the NDP back to power. They have a fresh mandate to govern with compassion instead of austerity in a term that will be fraught with challenges. We still have housing, public health, and environmental crises that demand action while the economy wobbles precariously.

With a majority government and no one else to shoulder the blame, their work is cut out for them.

What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.

The Buzzer blog » TransLink announces CEO Kevin Desmond to leave ... https://buzzer.translink.ca/2020/10/translink-announces-ceo-kevin-desm...

- The Buzzer blog - https://buzzer.translink.ca -

TransLink announces CEO Kevin Desmond to leave organization in early 2021 Posted By TransLink Staff On October 20, 2020 @ 1:33 pm In Media Releases | 3 Comments

TransLink today announced that CEO Kevin Desmond has advised the Board of Directors that he will be leaving the organization in February 2021. After almost five years as CEO, Desmond is stepping away from his role and returning to the U.S. where he will be seeking new career challenges.

“We want to thank Kevin for his outstanding leadership of TransLink since 2016,” says TransLink Board of Directors Chair Tony Gugliotta. “During his tenure, TransLink has earned the trust and confidence of our customers, the communities we serve, and all levels of government. Without a doubt, we are sorry to see him step away from the CEO role, but Kevin is leaving behind an organization that is stronger and more responsive to our customers and our communities, and better prepared than ever for the future. We will

1 of 2 2020-10-23, 9:45 a.m. The Buzzer blog » TransLink announces CEO Kevin Desmond to leave ... https://buzzer.translink.ca/2020/10/translink-announces-ceo-kevin-desm...

now turn our attention to recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer to take on our next challenges as an organization – which includes a focus on rebuilding our ridership coming out of the pandemic.”

“Kevin’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision which has expanded transit and improved service throughout the Metro Vancouver region,” says Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation Chair, Jonathan X. Coté. “We have seen how much we can accomplish when the Mayors and TransLink are working together and I have very much appreciated Kevin’s leadership in bringing us all together to serve the common cause of making our Metro Vancouver region a better place to live and work.”

Desmond has been TransLink CEO since 2016. During his 5-year tenure, TransLink has led North America in ridership growth for 3 consecutive years, was named North America’s Transit System of the Year, reached new highs in customer satisfaction and on-time performance, and implemented significant increases in bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus and HandyDart service throughout the region. Over the last 5 years, TransLink has earned approval for two Investment Plans unleashing over $9 billion in new transit expansion projects; implemented “tap to pay” fare gates; introduced 10-minute SeaBus service, new RapidBus service, and Double-Decker buses; developed a touchless faregate system for people with disabilities, brought Seth Rogen’s voice to transit, and delivered an industry-leading T2050 public engagement initiative.

“It’s been an honour to serve this great region,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. “When I arrived in 2016, I knew we already had a world-class transit system and I’m proud to have helped expand the breadth and depth of our services with a relentless commitment to our customers and public accountability. These achievements are thanks to a diverse team of nearly 8,000 employees across the enterprise committed to safety, reliability, a positive customer experience and improved public engagement. We have accomplished so much together.”

The TransLink Board of Directors will retain an executive search firm and immediately begin a global search for the next CEO. The Board is seeking candidates who will continue the momentum of the last five years including an ongoing commitment to TransLink’s values of openness and transparency with the public; a proven ability to advance the delivery of industry-leading customer experience in a transit system that is safe, reliable and convenient; and an ability to lead and manage within TransLink’s unique governance model.

Article printed from The Buzzer blog: https://buzzer.translink.ca

URL to article: https://buzzer.translink.ca/2020/10/translink-announces-ceo-kevin-desmond-to- leave-organization-in-early-2021/

2 of 2 2020-10-23, 9:45 a.m. Trudeau announces plan to purchase 76 million doses of Canadian-made COVID-19 vaccine PM says rapid tests are being deployed to the provinces today

John Paul Tasker · CBC News · Posted: Oct 23, 2020 12:04 PM ET | Last Updated: 1 hour ago https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-vaccine-rapid-tests-1.5774309

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, public health officials give update on COVID-19 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, ministers and public health officials provide update on COVID-19. 0:00 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced another contract to buy a promising COVID-19 vaccine now in development — part of a plan to secure millions of vaccine doses to inoculate Canadians from the novel coronavirus. Trudeau said the government has signed a contract to procure 76 million doses from the Quebec City-biotech company Medicago. Medicago is developing the vaccine in partnership with the British drug company GlaxoSmithKline. The two companies have said its pre-clinical results show the vaccine demonstrated a "high level of neutralizing antibodies following a single dose." If the vaccine also performs well in a clinical setting, the companies are on track to make it available in the first half of 2021. Medicago has said it has the manufacturing capacity to produce as many as 100 million doses in 2021. The federal government is spending $173 million to help Medicago develop the vaccine and build a large plant in Quebec to produce it. Trudeau also announced a $18.2 million investment in Vancouver-based Precision NanoSystems, which offers technology to produce vaccines and therapeutic drugs. Canada already has signed contracts for tens of millions more vaccine doses with other pharmaceutical giants, such as AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer. All told, the federal government has secured 358 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine — an insurance policy if some of the vaccines in development prove to be ineffective in clinical trials. "We are coming at this from every angle," Trudeau said. This massive procurement effort is aimed at ensuring there will be enough vaccine doses on hand for all Canadians who want them, although a timeline for delivery is not yet certain. No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in the western world. When asked for a more precise timeline on when the vaccines will be available in Canada, Trudeau said there's still much more work to do to ensure a vaccine candidate is safe to use. Trudeau said he's hopeful that vaccines can be deployed in the early part of 2021. He said that, to start, front line health care workers and vulnerable populations, such as seniors living in long-term care homes, will have priority access. "Nothing will be distributed in Canada until Health Canada is absolutely certain that the safety of Canadians is being properly covered and taken care of," Trudeau said. "We were hoping that the vaccines would arrive yesterday, but they won't. There's still more months of work to do. We all want to get this crisis behind us as quickly as possible. We're working on a vaccine safely, responsibly and quickly."  PM, health officials warn Canadians against believing COVID-19 'internment camps' disinformation Trudeau also detailed the government's plan to deploy rapid tests throughout the country — devices that health experts say could lessen the burden on lab-based testing in this country as cases continue to climb. Trudeau said trucks full of Abbott Laboratories' Panbio COVID-19 Rapid Test devices are out today distributing tens of thousands of tests to the provinces and territories. Another Abbott product, the ID NOW, arrived in Ontario yesterday, Trudeau said. Trudeau said it will now be up to provinces to determine how to use these tests as part of a larger testing strategy. "Access to rapid tests will vary across the country depending on the province in question. Rapid tests have advantages but also disadvantages, and need to be part of a whole strategy of testing and tracing," Trudeau said, adding that the federal government's function is to simply buy and distribute them to the jurisdictions charged with administering health care. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and other provincial leaders have encouraged Health Canada regulators to quickly approve such devices so tests can be deployed to airports, high-risk workplaces, long-term care homes and schools, among other settings.  As parts of Canada tighten COVID restrictions, experts say rapid testing offers a way forward The regulator has so far approved four point-of-care molecular testing devices and an antigen test, which detects the presence of viral proteins in biological samples. These tests are destined for health care settings like doctors' offices, pharmacies and walk-in clinics. About the Author

John Paul Tasker Parliamentary Bureau John Paul (J.P.) Tasker is a reporter in the CBC's Parliamentary bureau in Ottawa. He can be reached at [email protected]. north shorenews nsnews.com Wednesday,october28, 2020 |A13

ARts | eNteRtAiNMeNt | food | HoMe ||HeAltH | CoMMUNity

‘THE STAKES ARE ClEARER’ UN committee member stresseshuman rightsamid turmoil

Ben Bengtson what issues membernations [email protected] bringforward,but shesaidthat Following her re-election to following global protestson the United Nations Human everything from racial equality Rights Committee, West to the climatecrisis,she expects Vancouver resident and that complaints of human rights lawyer Marcia Kran says the violationsbrought forwardmay stakes areclearer and even be relatedtothese kinds of seis- greater for governments mic global shifts. when it comes to promoting “I thinkthe stakes areclearer and protecting human rights. and what needs to be doneis Kran was the firstCanadian much morepressing forgovern- to be elected to the committee ments,”she said. “Governments in more than adecade when she arebeing pressured to act.” started her firstterm in 2017. Shealso saidthe ongoing Shewas re-elected to asecond pandemic,whichbrings with termonthe 18-member expert it ahost of social, economic committee lastmonth. and political challenges, could Kran’ssecond term on the also fuel further humanrights HumanRights Committee, which violations. is arguably themost senior of the “It’sclearer to governments 10 committees that monitorcom- now what …their citizens pliance of international human aredemanding –and they’re rightstreaties, will commence demanding their human rights,” next year and go until2024. she said. “People have lost their The function of the committee fearofoppressivegovernments is to reviewciviland political andthere’snoturning back.” humanrights records of coun- Kran, alawyerand former triesaround the worldand make civil servant with abackground recommendations,accordingto in human rights law,has also Kran. worked with the UN Office of “Welookathow they’redoing, the High Commissioner for what progress they’ve made, Human Rights in Geneva, theUN what the challenges are, what the Development Programinboth gaps are, whatthe problemsare Bratislava and Bangkok, the UN in human rights in those coun- Office on Drugs and Crime in tries –and we specificallylook Vienna,the Canadian Department at civil and politicalrights,from West Vancouver resident Marcia Kran has been re-electedtothe United Nations Human RightsCommittee. of Justice in Ottawa, andwith the Her firsttermonthe 18-member committee commenced in 2017. MiKeWAKefield torturetopolitical participation, AttorneyGeneralofManitobain to rights to fair elections and Winnipeg. non-discrimination,” said Kran. no court, itsmemberscan also pandemic,the committee would exile of politicalopponents in Kran’ssecond termwillsee Overall, the committee examine individualcomplaints meet in Genevafor threesessions Uzbekistan, acrackdown on dis- her joined by other newly elected monitors the implementation of with regards to allegedviolations per year. sidentbloggersinVietnam,and committee members represent- the International Covenanton of human rights and give their Kran’s firsttermonthe com- sexualassaultlawsinNorway. ing countries including Spain, Civil and Political Rights. And input, added Kran. mittee saw the group weigh in on Kran willhavetowaitfor Ethiopia, South Korea, Mexico, while the voluntarycommittee is Prior to the COVID-19 topicsasdiverse as the forced the forthcoming term to see Egypt, andTogo.

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Julian Tang https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/28/understanding-aerosol-transmission-key-controlling-coronavirus-wash-hands

We should still wash our hands, but growing evidence suggests one of the main ways Covid-19 spreads is through the air

 Coronavirus – latest updates  See all our coronavirus coverage

Wed 28 Oct 2020 08.24 GMT First published on Wed 28 Oct 2020 06.00 GMT

‘South-east Asian countries were far quicker to adopt face masks, which are shown to reduce the spread of aerosols, than many western countries including the UK.’ Seoul Station, South Korea. Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

Imagine you think there are mice in your house. You can see the evidence – mouse droppings; gnawed or damaged skirting boards; holes left in food packaging. You call a local pest control team who confirm that you have mice and advise you on what is needed to remove them. Neither of you have actually had to see a mouse to reach this conclusion.

The same kind of thinking can be applied to the transmission of coronavirus. We don’t need to see the virus to understand how it spreads. Recent studies from China show that patients infected with Covid-19 in clinical settings exhale large amounts of virus, which remain present in the air and can be sampled and detected.

Because of this, scientists can reasonably infer that the virus contaminates its surrounding environment. People nearby may inhale it, and as the virus floats through the air, spreading further in poorly ventilated environments, those who are further away could also become infected. Importantly, scientists haven’t yet demonstrated that someone walking through a cloud of exhaled virus would develop Covid-19 from that particular exposure, and research in this area is ongoing. But there is growing evidence that the virus which causes Covid can remain in the air, and therefore pose a risk to people in that airspace.

The evidence that Covid can spread via aerosol transmission takes one of two different forms. First, many scientists now think that aerosol transmission explained some early outbreaks, such as those in an air- conditioned restaurant in Guangzhou, China, and at a choir practice in the US, where the virus was exhaled by people and may have remained in the surrounding environment before infecting others who inhaled it.

Second, aerosol transmission partly explains why countries that were early adopters of policies which targeted this kind of transmission have been more successful at controlling the virus. For example, south-east Asian countries were far quicker to adopt face masks, which are shown to reduce the spread of aerosols, than many western countries including the UK.

I’m not saying that aerosols are the only transmission route. Research suggests there are in fact two main ways the virus can transmit. The first is via contaminated surfaces, also known as “fomites”. The UK government emphasised this transmission route at the beginning of the pandemic, issuing public health messages that focused on hand-washing. Yet as the World Health Organization conceded in a recent Covid-19 brief, “despite consistent evidence as to … the survival of the virus on certain surfaces, there are no specific reports which have directly demonstrated fomite transmission”.

This doesn’t mean that surfaces don’t play a role in the spread of Covid-19. The WHO still considers them a “likely mode of transmission”, given consistent findings about how the virus contaminates its environment, and the fact that other coronaviruses can transmit this way. But contact with contaminated surfaces may not play as big a role as we initially thought. Indeed, a review of studies by theScientific Advisory Group for Emergencies suggested hand-hygiene policies only led to a 16% reduction in acute respiratory infections. If you're pinning your hopes on a Covid vaccine, here's a dose of realism

David Salisbury Read more

The other way that coronavirus spreads is likely through a combination of droplets and aerosols. Droplets are larger than aerosols; too big to remain suspended in the air, they fall more quickly on to surfaces. Aerosols are tiny by comparison and can be spread at far greater distance. Both droplets and aerosols are produced while talking, coughing, sneezing and singing, but where aerosols can remain in the air for minutes or even hours, droplets fall and contaminate surfaces from where they can contribute to transmission.

In an open letter that I co-authored with many other scientists, we outlined these ideas and cited evidence from various studies suggesting that aerosol transmission is a potentially significant route by which Covid-19 is spread. Surfaces are still important, and people should continue washing their hands, but a growing scientific consensus suggests this may not be the main way that Covid is transmitted.

Why does this matter? First, because understanding how the virus spreads is key to controlling it. On the basis of what we know about how Covid transmits, a combined approach that targets aerosols, droplets and surfaces, and gives priority to aerosols, is likely the best way to control its spread. This means a combination of policies, such as social distancing, face masks, improving indoor ventilation, reducing contact between households and enforcing the rule of six will all reduce the level of transmission.

Many countries including Britain have already adopted variations of each of these policies. So why does emphasising aerosols as one of the main routes by which the disease spreads make any difference?

The reason for recognising the virus as potentially airborne (as we do with chickenpox, measles and tuberculosis) is that this will release additional funding around the world to combat airborne infections. If Covid-19 is globally recognised as caused by an airborne virus, there will be more of an imperative to fund research and initiatives, such as improving indoor ventilation, that will be crucial to preventing the spread of this virus and others like it.

Emphasising that Covid-19 can be spread through the air would allow us to add more weapons in our arsenal to fight this virus – which may be with us for some time to come.

 Julian Tang is a clinical virologist and honorary associate professor in the respiratory sciences department at the University of Leicester Vancouver outlines its Climate Emergency Action Plan The city declared a climate emergency in 2019. Author of the article: Tiffany Crawford Publishing date: Oct 29, 2020 • Last Updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-outlines-its-climate-emergency-action-plan Science World at TELUS World of Science in Vancouver. PNG The City of Vancouver on Wednesday released its Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), with ambitious proposals to tackle climate change by cutting excess carbon in half by 2030. The city declared a climate emergency in 2019, and since then it has been working to come up with solutions to drastically cut emissions, and accelerate the transition off of fossil fuels. Vancouver outlines its Climate Emergency Action Plan Under the plan, 90 per cent of people would live within an easy walk/roll of their daily needs, more people would work from home and at least 80 per cent of trips would be made on foot, bike or transit in the next decade, according to the report. Matt Horne, the city’s climate policy manager, says the “game-changer” action to make this happen would be transport pricing in the Metro core, which includes the downtown peninsula, the south side of False Creek, the Arbutus Corridor up to 16th and up to Clark Drive. The cost per vehicle for mobility pricing is something that would need to be determined if council goes ahead with the plan, he said. Horne will be hosting an AMA on Reddit today at noon to discuss the CEAP. Council is directing staff to develop a five-year active transportation and transit priority plan by next year. To achieve the city’s zero-emissions vehicles target by 2030, 50 per cent of the kilometres driven on Vancouver’s roads must be by zero-emissions vehicles, the report says. To achieve this the city will look at whether to apply a residential parking permit city-wide, how to expand and provide EV charging station options for residents, and how to change the business licence fees for gas stations and parking lots to encourage installation of EV charging. Drivers who have gas- or diesel-powered cars would pay more to park to encourage residents and businesses to switch to an EV. This city would do this by putting a surcharge on parking permits and metres for those with gas-powered vehicles. Other sources of funding for the climate emergency could be eco-charges, such as increased licence fees for gas stations, and leveraging more funding from senior governments. The city also wants to develop programs to support the electrification of light-duty passenger fleets, transit and urban freight. Another “game-changer” action would be to set carbon limits on buildings and require buildings to use low- carbon materials, the report says. Between 2007 and 2019 carbon has seen a modest decline of nine per cent, but it needs to drop 50 per cent in the next decade, which is why plans need to accelerate, the report says. The biggest source of carbon in Vancouver, according to the report, is from burning natural gas for heating and hot water in buildings (54 per cent in 2019), followed by burning gas and diesel in vehicles (39 per cent), waste (four per cent), and electricity use (two per cent.)

Screen grab from the city of Vancouver’s report on its Climate Emergency Action Plan, or CEAP. Further, the city says in undertaking the CEAP it will make reconciliation and equity for residents priorities, and recognize that the climate and the economy are inextricably linked. Staff are asked to develop a Zero Carbon Economic Transition Strategy and Action Plan. “In many ways, the current economic system is not working for people or the planet. Examples of climate- related concerns affecting Vancouver’s economy include rising sea levels impacting our key employment lands, and heat waves and wildfire smoke reducing productivity and making some jobs unsafe,” the report says. The city should also encourage businesses to allow employees to work remotely where possible because more people working from home means “less commuting, less traffic, fewer emissions and cleaner air, while also enabling roads and office buildings to be repurposed for other uses,” the report says. The capital and operating costs to implement the first five years of CEAP are estimated to be $500 million. Council is holding a meeting Nov. 3 to hear the recommendations in this report, which will be brought forward in 2021.. [email protected]

West Van making plans to face rising sea levels

Brent Richter / North Shore News November 17, 2020 03:52 PM https://www.nsnews.com/news/west-van-making-plans-to-face-rising-sea-levels-1.24240956

The District of West Vancouver is looking for ways to flood-proof its shoreline with sea levels expected to rise one metre by 2100. photo District of West Vancouver

Sea levels are on the rise and so too are the regulations for building a home on the waterfront.

District of West Vancouver council voted unanimously Monday night to begin drawing up a new set of rules to follow for anyone who plans on building within the foreshore area to ensure their home will remain safe as the climate changes for the worse.

In 2018, the province changed the minimum height for determining safe flood construction levels, with modelling projecting the sea will rise by one metre by 2100.

The municipality hired consultants to map out what that would look like, especially during storm surges, and recommend some protection strategies.

Their report lays out long-term options like building up natural berms, a contiguous seawall or offshore breakwaters to keep the water at bay in high-risk areas in Dundarave, Stearman Beach and Ambleside where modelling shows waves could eventually be cresting north of Marine Drive.

But in the shorter term, staff are recommending the district create a development permit area for low-lying properties. Currently, before getting building permits or a subdivision, property owners in the floodplain area must first get a professional flood hazard assessment report in keeping with the province’s guidelines and have it approved by the municipality. With no standard set of rules, the process has been confusing for applicants and it has also led to conflicts with neighbours who worry higher flood construction levels will result in their homes being overshadowed, loss of privacy or drainage issues. Creating a new foreshore development permit area should provide clarity on what the appropriate flood construction level for a property is and what exemptions may be available, what other flood-proofing strategies are available and other environmental considerations, district staff say. If council follows through, would-be buyers of any low-lying properties will know in advance what the new rules are if they plan to redevelop.

There was little controversy at the council table about whether the district should pursue a new set of regulations. The debate centred around an additional motion from Coun. Sharon Thompson. The bylaw will be developed with input from the district’s Coastal Marine Management Plan Working Group, and creating a new development permit area will require a public hearing before it goes into effect. But Thompson wanted to first draw on the expertise of local waterfront homeowners.

“I think for the people on the waterfront, people who own private water[front] who have made these investments in their lives and lifestyles, they need to get in on this conversation soon,” she said. “I hope to gain some insights to help us communicate better with our public, but I think too it’s going to help our public and the people who are making these investments in understanding what to expect in the future.”

Coun. Nora Gambioli however said she didn’t see much reason to add another step over and above the usual public process when drafting a bylaw.

“We hire and pay expert staff … for a reason – because they are experts and this is what they do for a living,” she said. “The added benefit is that our staff work for us. They work for the whole community and they are tasked with creating policies for the community. Not for themselves. Not for their own interests.”

District staff expect to hold that workshop with waterfront homeowners and stakeholders sometime in the first quarter of 2021. Earlier this year, council adopted a development permit area specifically for residents along the forest interface to mitigate wildfire risk.

What We Know About the Airborne Spread of the Coronavirus

By Jon Greenberg, PolitiFact September 30, 2020 https://khn.org/news/fact-check-airborne-transmission-coronavirus-science-behind-aerosol-spread/

(iStock/Getty Images) This story also ran on PolitiFact. This story can be republished for free (details).

The federal government did a quick pivot on the threat of the coronavirus spreading through the air, changing a key piece of guidance over the weekend. On Sept. 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that tiny airborne particles, not just the bigger water droplets from a sneeze or cough, could infect others. It cited growing “evidence.” By Sept. 21, that warning was gone from its website, with a note saying it had been posted in error and the CDC was in the process of updating its recommendations. The move put the CDC in the middle of a debate over how the coronavirus infects people. Its guidelines could make the difference between restaurants, bars and other places where people gather fully reopening sooner or much later. And it raised more questions about politics at the public health agency and whether White House officials are dictating policy to health authorities. So what does the science on airborne transmission actually say? The emerging picture is a work-in-progress, but many of the pieces do point toward the potential for airborne transmission. The Challenge of Proving Airborne Transmission The CDC’s retracted language said, “There is growing evidence that droplets and airborne particles can remain suspended in the air and be breathed in by others, and travel distances beyond 6 feet (for example, during choir practice, in restaurants, or in fitness classes).” Why is this a big deal? It means the guidelines for proper physical distancing might need to be increased. Six feet is the benchmark for safety that has helped shape the reopening of schools and businesses nationwide. The number is based on the long-held finding that larger water drops from a cough are so heavy that most of them fall to the ground before the 6-foot mark. But much smaller droplets can hang in the air longer. The debate is whether they carry enough of the virus to infect another person. If the answer is yes, the implications for everyday life could be substantial. University of Maryland Donald Milton School of Public Health professor Donald Milton sees plenty of evidence that airborne transmission is a major factor, but he emphasized that a definitive answer is hard to come by. No one disagrees that being near someone with the disease is the main threat. But Milton said what happens during that time is tough to untangle. “It could be they cough and you get infected by getting a direct hit on your eye or mouth,” Milton said. “Or could it be through an airborne particle that you inhale. Or you might have touched something and then touched your nose or your mouth. It’s fiendishly difficult to sort that out.” That said, many incidents and studies point toward the idea that airborne particles play a bigger role than has been thought. The Research An international group of researchers from China, Australia and the United States recently reviewed the evidence for airborne transmission. They concluded it was highly plausible. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that one minute of loud talking could produce “1,000 virus-containing droplet nuclei that could remain airborne for more than eight minutes.” The authors’ conclusion? “These are likely to be inhaled by others and hence trigger new infections.” Public transit is a key testing ground. In China, scientists looked at 126 passengers on two buses making a trip that lasted about an hour and a half. One bus was virus-free, the other had one infected rider. The people on the bus with the virus were 41.5 times more likely to be infected. Many other researchers have noted the super-spreading event at the 2½-hour-long choir practice of the Skagit Valley Chorale in Mount Vernon, Washington. Of the 61 people who attended, there were 53 confirmed and potential cases and two deaths. A University of Florida study sampled the air in the hospital rooms of two COVID patients. They found aerosol particles carrying enough viral load to infect someone more than 15 feet away from the patients. In July, 239 researchers co-signed an open letter that called on national and international health agencies to “recognize the potential for airborne spread” of COVID-19. Credible studies, they wrote, “have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure.” Still, a July World Health Organization report found while airborne transmission was possible, more robust research was needed to confirm that it presents an appreciable risk. If public health leaders take airborne transmission more seriously, Milton said, there are a few implications. Most business activity could continue, but restaurants and bars — because masks don’t fit with eating and drinking — would face a higher hurdle. Beyond that, more attention to ventilation in more closed spaces becomes important, as does the supply of N95 masks. Those masks continue to be in short supply. Why local decisions on road pricing and sprawl matter in a climate crisis

The Editorial Board Published 2 days ago Updated October 29, 2020 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-why-local-decisions-on-road-pricing-and-sprawl-matter-in-a-climate/ 19 Comments

The business of city councils often goes by with little fanfare. Despite being in charge of so much that touches the daily lives of Canadians, from local infrastructure to emergency services, city hall rarely gets even a fraction of the attention cast on provincial capitals and Parliament.

Next week, councils in Vancouver and Calgary will meet to weigh what seem like local issues, but which in fact are much bigger. Vancouver councillors will consider a climate-change report that includes a call for transport pricing in and near the city core. In Calgary, councillors will vote on whether their sprawling city will sprawl even further.

As Canada grapples with the climate crisis, the main focus is on the top level of government, and the oil and gas industry. In Canada, this means Ottawa’s carbon tax, and emissions reductions in the oil sands. This makes sense, because change has to come from the top.

But there is no single answer or big decision that will lead to a solution. Driving down greenhouse gas emissions requires everyone, and every level of government, working in the same direction.

City councils will need to be climate leaders. How we build our cities going forward will go a long way in shaping our collective climate future.

In Calgary, the economy is still suffering from the long oil market bust. A merger of two oil sands producers, announced last Sunday, may see more than 2,000 people lose their jobs. Housing prices peaked six years ago and are down 8 per cent since then.

Yet city council continues to endorse sprawl. For perspective, the City of Calgary is a third larger than the City of Toronto, with less than half the population. In 2018, Calgary council approved 14 new communities on the city’s fringes. City staff had recommended only eight. It was an expensive decision, forcing an increase in property taxes and water utility rates of about 2 per cent for all Calgarians.

On Monday, council will vote on 11 more proposed new developments. City staff say they should all be rejected. This is exactly right. But councillors, supported by developers, are leaning toward approval.

Voting in favour would be a major mistake, in the immediate and long term. Right now, the financially squeezed city is cutting services in existing communities, and city staff say there is no indication of demand for 11 new developments. Looking ahead, more sprawl goes against Calgary’s own development framework, of which a “compact city” is a pillar.

Vancouver is in a different situation. The city itself has about half the population of Calgary, in one-seventh of the space. But make no mistake: The Vancouver region is as sprawled as any other in Canada, over almost two dozen cities in the metro area.

Standing at the centre of the region, Vancouver faces external pressures it has to manage within city limits. On Tuesday, council will hear a presentation about taking on the climate emergency, a declaration it made last year. The report contains an array of actions, the most controversial being a proposal to charge drivers on and near the city’s downtown peninsula starting in 2025.

There’s a lot to be decided between then and now, but next week marks a significant step.

To state the blindingly obvious, tolls and the like are not popular. John Horgan, NDP Premier of British Columbia, won his first election in 2017 in part because he promised to scrap tolls on two bridges near Vancouver. Before his second victory this month, he forever rejected road pricing – “never has been, never will” be part of the NDP’s plans.

That’s the popular thing to say. It’s also a failure of leadership. Road pricing in cities in the years and decades ahead will become common, in order to raise revenues and discourage driving. It’s already a fact of life in places such as London, Stockholm and Singapore. And it works. New York will soon bring it to Manhattan.

So much of our cities is given over to roads and parking. Transport pricing is a key option – the “game changer,” in the words of Vancouver city staff – for rethinking that equation in the 21st century.

City council business may often be ho-hum and largely ignored. Next week in Vancouver and Calgary, the opposite is the case. They may be local decisions, but their implications are much broader.

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