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Happy Monday, Langley! Expect a rainy day ahead with temperatures around 10°C and showers likely throughout the day.
In today's roundup, local philanthropy takes center stage as the Shewan Family Foundation launches an ambitious $200,000 matching campaign for Foundry Langley's youth mental health services.
On the housing front, a major rezoning proposal could bring up to 148 new homes to the Township.
We've also got Vancouver protests targeting Canadian companies doing business with U.S. immigration enforcement, and an update on LNG Canada's ongoing flaring problems that have plagued Kitimat residents for over a year.
On a lighter note, Canada's famous groundhog Shubenacadie Sam skipped Groundhog Day predictions due to bad weather, and in local sports, both the Rivermen and Giants battled hard over the weekend.
Shewan Family Foundation Launches $200,000 Matching Challenge to Support Foundry Langley
The Shewan Family Foundation is challenging donors to support Foundry Langley, a youth mental health centre, with a dollar-for-dollar matching campaign up to $200,000.
The foundation has deep roots in Langley philanthropy, with Dougal Shewan's father having chaired the Langley Memorial Hospital board in the 1960s.
Foundry Langley served over 3,200 young people between April and September 2025 alone.
Donations or pledges made before March 31, 2026 will be matched, with the current total sitting at $118,000.
Major Rezoning Proposal Could Bring Up to 148 New Homes to Langley Township
A significant housing development is on the horizon, though the exact scope remains to be determined.
A rezoning application currently under consideration could pave the way for anywhere from 37 to 148 new housing units in Langley, depending on the developer's ultimate plans.
The wide range reflects uncertainty about whether the project will consist of traditional single-family homes or higher-density fourplex buildings, which can accommodate more residents on the same land footprint. This flexibility in the rezoning application is typical of modern development proposals that aim to balance density goals with market demands.
The decision will have significant implications for the neighborhood's character and the community's ability to address housing supply challenges.
Chilliwack couple opening Fraser Valley's first "dirty soda" shop in District 1881
A Chilliwack couple is opening Mona's Sodas in downtown's District 1881, bringing the Fraser Valley its first brick-and-mortar dirty soda shop.
Dirty sodas, which gained popularity through the reality show "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," are regular sodas like Pepsi or Dr. Pepper mixed with flavored syrups ranging from cookie to strawberry and mango, originally created as a non-alcoholic alternative in Mormon communities.
Zac and Kayla Bisschop say the trend has exploded across the U.S. in recent years and they want to introduce it locally.
The shop will fill the space left vacant by Elevate Pizza when they relocate to a larger space.
Vancouver protesters target BC companies doing business with US immigration enforcement
Protesters gathered at two Vancouver locations Friday to demand Canadian companies cut ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
They achieved one victory last week when Jim Pattison Developments halted the sale of a Virginia warehouse intended for immigrant detention.
About 100 people protested outside Hootsuite's offices over the company's $1-million ICE contract, while BC Green Party leader Emily Lowan called for boycotts of Pattison-owned businesses like Save-On-Foods and stronger legislation to break up corporate consolidation.
Several Canadian companies including Quebec's GardaWorld and armoured-car maker Roshel continue doing business with ICE, prompting NDP leadership candidate Heather McPherson to call for export permit denials and sanctions against companies contracting with the agency.
Concerned readers can contact Hootsuite's via phone at (604) 681-4668 (click the link on mobile to call).
Canada's Famous Groundhog Sam Sits Out Weather Prediction Due to Incoming Storm
While Punxsutawney Phil and other groundhogs made their predictions, one notable Canadian rodent was a no-show.
Shubenacadie Sam, one of Canada's most famous weather-predicting groundhogs, did not emerge to make a prediction about spring's arrival today, with organizers citing an incoming weather forecast that made the traditional ceremony inadvisable.
Meanwhile, other Canadian groundhogs like Wiarton Willie and Manitoba Merv (also known as Fred) did make their prognostications for eager winter-weary Canadians.
The irony of canceling a weather prediction event due to bad weather isn't lost on anyone, but safety comes first, even for celebrity groundhogs.
Sam's absence means Canadians will have to rely on actual meteorologists (or competing groundhogs) for their seasonal outlook this year.
LNG Canada's Faulty Equipment Forces Kitimat Residents to Endure Over a Year of Excessive Flaring
BC Greens Leader Emily Lowan recently spoke with Kitimat residents and leaders about their community's experience of excessive LNG flaring
For over a year, Kitimat residents have suffered excessive noise and air pollution from LNG Canada's malfunctioning flare stack.
The equipment has been burning 15 times more fracked methane gas than designed due to failures that could take three years to fix.
The facility, led by multinational Shell, burned an average of 205,000 cubic metres per day between July and November 2025, compared to the expected 11,000 cubic metres daily, creating black smoke clouds and keeping backyards lit up all night.
Despite Mayor Phil Germuth's claims that the consortium kept the public informed, Councillor Terry Marleau said LNG Canada failed to provide proper transparency about the extent of the problem or solutions, with one resident unable to work due to sleep deprivation from the constant noise.
The incident highlights how fracked gas, misleadingly marketed as "clean" or a "bridge fuel," continues to devastate communities while enriching fossil fuel corporations (often American) at the expense of air quality, public health, and the climate.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre spread false claims about Holocaust monument vandalism case
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre falsely claimed on social media that a man who vandalized Ottawa's National Holocaust Monument "faces no real jail time," when the offender actually served over 150 days in custody and received five months jail plus two years probation.
The post, seen by more than half a million people, ignored the detailed sentencing process and the offender's time in detention under strict bail conditions including house arrest and GPS monitoring.
Criminal defence lawyer Michael Spratt, who represented the offender, argues this represents a broader Conservative strategy of deliberately misrepresenting facts to manufacture grievance and erode trust in Canada's justice system
A similar pattern emerged when Conservative MP Garnett Genuis falsely claimed York University cancelled his event due to censorship, when he actually declined to book an appropriate venue after being offered alternatives.
Injury-Depleted Vancouver Giants Fall to Red Deer Despite Strong Goaltending
The Vancouver Giants played their hearts out but came up just short against the Red Deer Rebels.
Despite a stellar 35-save performance from goaltender Kelton Pyne, the injury-riddled Giants dropped a 2-1 decision to the Rebels on Sunday night at Langley Events Centre. Vancouver was forced to take the ice without five regular players, including two top-four defencemen and three top-six forwards, due to various injuries, making the competitive showing all the more impressive.
Brett Olson scored the Giants' lone goal on the power play, with assists from Tobias Tomík and Will Sharpe. Red Deer's game-winning goal came on a third-period power play when Nate Yellowaga found space in the slot and beat Pyne.
The Giants now sit at 18-29-1-2 and will look to snap their losing streak when they host Spokane and Kamloops next weekend.
Late-Game Heroics Propel Langley Rivermen Past Victoria
The Langley Rivermen delivered when it mattered most in a nail-biter against Victoria.
Two crucial goals late in the game secured a victory over the Grizzlies, who nearly managed to tie things up with less than 30 seconds remaining on the clock. The dramatic finish kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer, showcasing the kind of hockey that makes junior leagues so exciting.
The Rivermen's ability to maintain composure and execute in the game's dying moments speaks to their growing maturity as a team.
Victoria's near-comeback demonstrated that no lead is safe until the final horn sounds, making this win even more satisfying for the home crowd.
Vancouver's Sarah Nurse and Sophie Jaques lead season-long Black History initiatives for PWHL
The Vancouver Goldeneyes are celebrating Black History through player-led initiatives Nursey Night and Sophie's Sisters, created by Sarah Nurse and Sophie Jaques.
These programs create intentional hockey access for underserved, Black and BIPOC girls and women to attend Goldeneyes games throughout the season.
Participants take part in post-game meet-and-greet experiences with players and engage in moments centered on visibility, mentorship and community.
Unlike other PWHL teams hosting single Black History celebration games, Vancouver's efforts continue all season long through these player-supported initiatives.
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