Good morning, Langley!
Local politics are heating up as the City and Township of Langley officially end their 32-year shared policing arrangement, with the future of local police funding looking cloudier than ever.
It's a week of contrasts across the region—from Vancouver's west side, where an Indigenous MP and anti-reconciliation MLA represent overlapping constituencies, to our own township council deciding that horse manure on public roads is, officially, just fine.
Meanwhile, KPU is tackling the healthcare worker shortage with new funding for international nurses, Alberta's premier is stirring separatist debates, and in the sports world, the Florida Panthers' owner has managed to offend an entire nation with a single tweet (as seems to have become tradition down south).
Local Langley News
Police Unity Ends: Langley City and Township Split RCMP Services
After years of shared policing, the City and Township of Langley have officially terminated their joint RCMP detachment agreement as of May 10, 2025.
The Township now owns the main RCMP facility and has committed to expanding its police force amid rapid population growth, while the City must establish its own autonomous detachment.
Despite the split following a unanimous 2023 Township Council vote, RCMP officials assure residents that police services will continue uninterrupted.
Mayor Eric Woodward maintains that Township residents will be "better served" with their own dedicated detachment, though the City has yet to negotiate transitional agreements for temporary facility use.
Langley City Mayor Pachal said “Our goal is a strong, stable public safety model that reflects our shared responsibility and protects taxpayer dollars. We look forward to continuing conversations that support both communities and put public safety first.”
Read More from Township of Langley
Read More from City of Langley
Horse Manure on Streets Receives Official Approval
The Langley Township council has decided that horse riders won't need to pick up after their animals on public roads.
In a recent vote, the council determined that equestrian waste on streets is environmentally acceptable, much to the relief of local horse enthusiasts.
This decision comes after lengthy debate about street cleanliness versus supporting the area's equestrian heritage.
Rural residents have praised the decision while some urban dwellers expressed concerns about cleanliness standards.
KPU Launches Free Communications Course for International Nurses with Provincial Funding
The B.C. government has awarded Kwantlen Polytechnic University $180,421 to offer tuition-free professional communication courses for internationally-educated nurses seeking Canadian healthcare jobs.
The three-section program helps nurses improve language skills, understand Canadian healthcare culture, and practice with simulated patients under specialized instructor guidance.
This investment is part of a broader $4-million provincial initiative to address healthcare workforce shortages while supporting career advancement for skilled immigrants.
As Minister Anne Kang notes, the program addresses both the critical need for healthcare workers and the barriers faced by internationally-trained professionals entering B.C.'s healthcare system.
Regional Vancouver / Fraser Valley News
Historic Win for Indigenous MP as Anti-Reconciliation MLA Serves Same Vancouver Community
Vancouver's wealthy west side now faces a striking political contradiction.
Liberal MP Wade Grant, who grew up on the Musqueam reserve, represents a federal riding that significantly overlaps with the provincial constituency of Dallas Brodie—an MLA expelled from the Conservative caucus for mocking residential school survivors.
Grant's victory marks an emotional milestone for Indigenous representation, with cousins voting for the first time and nearly every Musqueam household displaying his signs.
Meanwhile, Brodie continues to promote divisive rhetoric, claiming B.C.'s 203 First Nations "asserting sovereignty" threaten the province and previously suggesting that people with addictions be held on boats in the Fraser River.
This split reflects broader tensions in Canadian politics, where reconciliation efforts face growing backlash from politicians who frame Indigenous rights as economic threats rather than moral obligations to address colonial harms.
Chilliwack Mural Festival Welcomes 10 International Artists for Summer Art Transformation
The 2025 Chilliwack Mural Festival will bring vibrant public art to the Fraser Valley from June 1 to August 17, with ten artists selected from over 1,100 international applicants.
Festival curators Carrielynn Victor and Amber Price chose a diverse lineup including local talent from Chilliwack and Agassiz, alongside artists from France and California.
For the first time, the festival is expanding beyond Downtown Chilliwack and District 1881 to include Sardis, promising to spread creative energy throughout the region.
The festival culminates with street parties downtown on August 15-16, offering tours and interactive workshops for art enthusiasts to engage with the newly transformed urban landscapes.
Major Crash Near Maple Ridge-Mission Border Sends Three to Hospital
A serious head-on collision near the Maple Ridge-Mission border has resulted in at least three people being hospitalized.
Emergency responders had to use the jaws of life to extract victims from the wreckage in what witnesses described as a particularly violent impact.
Traffic was severely disrupted for several hours as accident investigation teams worked to determine the cause of the crash, which happened on a stretch of road known for visibility challenges.
BC Parks License Plate Program Bolsters Butterfly Conservation
Increased sales of special BC Parks license plates are providing critical funding for coastal butterfly breeding programs.
The initiative is specifically helping the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, a rare species found on private land in Courtenay in 2018 that now has established breeding populations on Denman and Hornby Islands.
Conservation experts have praised this creative funding mechanism as an example of how consumer choices can directly support biodiversity protection efforts in the province.
Highway Patrol Vehicle Involved in Highway 5 Crash
The RCMP is seeking witnesses after a BC Highway Patrol vehicle was involved in a collision on Highway 5. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. on May 10, and investigators are working to piece together exactly what happened leading up to the crash.
Officials have not yet released details about injuries or the circumstances surrounding how a law enforcement vehicle designed to promote road safety became involved in the accident.
National Canadian News
Premier Claims Referendum Needed to Prevent Separatist Party Growth
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has claimed that a potential separation referendum could prevent the emergence of an established Alberta separatist party similar to the Bloc Québécois.
Smith, who describes herself as a Canadian patriot, suggests this measure would keep separatist sentiment from becoming institutionalized in Alberta politics.
Critics argue this approach actually legitimizes separatist discussion rather than containing it, with some questioning whether her real motivation is to head off political rivals rather than strengthen national unity.
Sobeys and Metro Defied Federal Request to Report on Grocery Price Stabilization Efforts
Documents obtained through access to information reveal that major Canadian grocery chains refused to cooperate fully with the federal government's 2023 initiative to stabilize food prices.
While Ottawa asked grocers for monthly updates on their affordability efforts, both Empire (Sobeys' parent company) and Metro declined, citing concerns about disclosing business plans and facing competition regulations.
The government's approach focused on preventing further price increases rather than reducing existing costs, with experts noting that by fall 2023, the damage was already done—food prices had increased 10-20% since 2021.
As Canada faces new threats from U.S. tariffs under Trump that could spike grocery costs again, economists warn the government failed to implement meaningful measures compared to countries like Mexico, which enforced price controls on basic goods.
Winnipeg Dumps 10 Billion Litres of Sewage Annually into Rivers Despite 30-Year Cleanup Effort
Winnipeg's aging sewer system releases 10 billion litres of diluted raw sewage into the Red and Assiniboine rivers each year during heavy rains and spring melts, with E. coli levels sometimes reaching three million units per 100mL—far exceeding the 1,000-unit provincial limit.
Despite calls for action dating back to 1992, the city maintains it will take until 2095 to fix the problem at a cost of $2 billion, arguing the environmental impact is minimal.
Downstream communities and Lake Winnipeg bear the burden of this pollution, leading 11 First Nations to file a $5.5-billion lawsuit alleging breach of Treaty rights.
As climate change brings more intense storms to the Prairies, critics like city councillor Brian Mayes warn that Winnipeg's 1,000-kilometre sewer network—some pipes large enough to house an elephant—isn't built for current conditions, let alone what's coming.
Housing Prices Driven More by Commodification Than Supply and Demand, Study Shows
Traditional supply and demand economics fail to explain Canada's housing crisis, according to new analysis comparing international and domestic housing markets.
Despite Calgary and Edmonton having similar vacancy rates, Calgary's home prices rose three times faster, while Vienna maintains 50% lower housing costs than Vancouver despite having less available housing per capita.
The key difference lies in housing commodification—Vienna's 50% social housing stock and France's mandatory 30% non-market housing have kept prices affordable regardless of supply constraints.
Bank of Montreal's chief economist acknowledges Canada's housing supply matches other nations, yet prices remain 60% higher than the U.S., suggesting that building more homes without addressing investor speculation and market financialization won't solve affordability.
Disability Advocates Warn COVID Still Presents Serious Threat
While many Canadians have moved on from pandemic concerns, disability activists emphasize that COVID-19 remains a serious, disabling, and potentially deadly threat.
For those with disabilities and individuals living with long COVID, the crisis continues despite reduced public health measures.
Advocates like Fatima Adam are calling for continued mitigation practices and greater recognition of how the ongoing pandemic disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations.
Sports News
🏀 Vancouver Bandits Set to Launch New Basketball Season
The Vancouver Bandits have kicked off their new professional basketball season with an impressive preseason performance from newcomer Tristan Jass.
In his first professional game, which was organized as a charity match over the Langley-based Sikh Warriors, Jass dominated with a game-high 28 points, immediately establishing himself as a player to watch.
Team management believes this could mark the beginning of an exciting new era for the franchise, with ticket sales showing increased fan enthusiasm for the upcoming season.
⚽ Late Header Rescues Draw for Vancouver Rise Against Toronto in NSL Action
Jessica De Filippo's dramatic stoppage-time header earned Vancouver Rise FC a hard-fought 1-1 draw against AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League on Sunday.
Toronto had taken the lead through Aoi Kizaki's stunning long-range strike in the 85th minute, but De Filippo's header from a corner kick nearly five minutes into stoppage time—Vancouver's only shot on target all match—secured a point for the visitors.
Despite controlling 55% of possession, Vancouver struggled to create clear chances throughout the game at York Lions Stadium.
Toronto holds a 2-1-1 record while Vancouver improves to 2-1-1 as both teams prepare for midweek fixtures.
🏒 Florida Panthers Owner Launches Anti-Canadian Tirade Against Leafs Fan on Social Media
Florida Panthers co-owner Doug Cifu sparked outrage by attacking a Toronto Maple Leafs fan on Twitter following his team's victory.
Cifu's explosive response included calling the fan an "anti-Semitic loser from the 51st state" while telling them to "eat shit"—a clear reference to Trump's controversial comments about Canada becoming America's 51st state.
This isn't Cifu's first social media controversy; he previously mocked someone's special needs education and attacked former NHL executive Doug Maclean's career credentials.
The business executive's inflammatory comments risk further alienating Canadian hockey fans who already feel pressured to support American teams, demonstrating a troubling pattern of unprofessional behavior from someone in NHL ownership.
⚽ Whitecaps Extend Unbeaten Streak in Dramatic Comeback
The Vancouver Whitecaps have stretched their unbeaten streak to 11 games after forward Brian White scored twice to secure a 2-2 draw against LAFC.
Despite falling behind 2-0 early in Sunday's match, the team showed remarkable resilience and tactical discipline to fight back for a valuable point.
Coach Vanni Sartini praised the team's mental toughness, noting that earlier versions of this squad might have panicked when falling behind by multiple goals against such a strong opponent.
⚾ Japanese Pitcher Ayami Sato Makes History in Canadian Men's Baseball
Ayami Sato shattered gender barriers Sunday by becoming the first woman to play in a Canadian men's professional baseball league during the Toronto Maple Leafs' home opener.
The 35-year-old Japanese pitcher delivered a flawless debut in the Intercounty Baseball League, striking out one batter across two perfect innings before the Leafs fell 6-5 to the Kitchener Panthers.
Fans at Christie Pits' Dominico Field welcomed the five-time Women's Baseball World Cup champion with enthusiastic applause.
Sato, who earned MVP honors three times for Japan and led her domestic league in strikeouts before its 2021 suspension, signed with Toronto in December to make IBL history.
🤼 Godinez Gonzalez Sisters Both Win Gold at Pan-American Championships
Surrey's Godinez Gonzalez sisters have made Canadian wrestling history by both capturing gold medals at the Pan-American Championships.
The siblings dominated the competition on the first day of the women's championships, showcasing Canada's strength in the sport on the international stage.
Their parallel achievements represent the culmination of years of training together and establish them as serious contenders for Olympic qualification in their respective weight classes.