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It's a partly sunny Thursday in Langley at around 9°C, which feels about right for late March.
In today's roundup, TransLink's board approved a property tax hike as rising gas prices from the Iran war make the case for transit investment harder to ignore.
Over at Township council, the West Creek Farms rezoning saga returned for round two after a court-ordered do-over, drawing hours of heated debate from farmers and neighbours alike.
Langley City is moving ahead with an affordable housing reserve fund tied to development near future SkyTrain stations, and BRT engagement results show strong local support for rapid transit through Langley and Surrey.
On the federal stage, Pierre Poilievre took his act to Joe Rogan's podcast as polls show the Conservatives in freefall.
Plus, Langley's Meals on Wheels is feeling the pinch from fuel costs, and Vancouver FC's home opener will feature young rock talent with ties to a new Langley music school.
Township Faces Round Two on West Creek Farms Rezoning After Court-Ordered Do-Over
Township of Langley council reopened a public hearing Monday on West Creek Farms, a Glen Valley soil producer seeking rezoning to keep operating on Agricultural Land Reserve land.
The hearing follows a B.C. Supreme Court ruling that found council's June 2024 decision to deny the application on a 4-4 tie was "unreasonable," with Justice Francesca Marzari finding that two councillors' stated concerns about a "level playing field" for competitors had no rational foundation in the evidence before them.
Supporters, including local dairy farmers and Fraser Valley greenhouse suppliers, argued the 40-year-old business is a vital part of the region's agricultural supply chain, especially as tariffs and trade disruptions put pressure on local food production.
Opponents, including nearby residents, called the operation industrial in nature, raised concerns about noise and truck traffic, and warned that contamination from the site could reach West Creek, which they described as a salmon-bearing stream.
Council will take up the matter again on April 13.
Rising Fuel Costs Taking Toll on Langley's Meals on Wheels Program
Langley's vital Meals on Wheels service is feeling the financial squeeze as gas prices continue to climb.
The organization estimates it will face approximately $20,000 in additional operational costs this year due to higher fuel prices.
This significant increase threatens the sustainability of a program that delivers essential meal services to seniors and vulnerable residents throughout the community.
Meals on Wheels relies on volunteer drivers who travel extensive routes daily to ensure homebound residents receive nutritious meals.
The rising costs come at a challenging time when demand for the service has been increasing, prompting concerns about whether the program can maintain current service levels without additional funding support.
Langley City Council Advances Plans for Affordable Housing Reserve Fund
Langley City Council is moving forward with the development of a new Affordable Housing Reserve Fund designed to increase the availability of below-market rental units.
Under the city's recently adopted zoning bylaw, developers building near SkyTrain stations must provide 2.5% of units at 20% below market rates, or pay cash-in-lieu. Similarly, projects in density bonusing areas can access higher densities by dedicating 13% of units as affordable housing or making equivalent cash payments.
At Monday's meeting, Council provided key direction to staff, emphasizing that cash-in-lieu rates (proposed at $400 per square foot for wood-frame and $500 for concrete/steel projects) must be reviewed regularly to reflect true construction costs.
Council was clear that funds should create new affordable units that wouldn't otherwise be built, not subsidize already-planned projects.
Staff will now draft the formal bylaw and policy framework for Council's future consideration, establishing how non-profits and government housing providers can apply for funding.
Langley and Surrey Residents Back Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Latest TransLink Engagement
TransLink's latest round of public engagement on the King George Boulevard and Langley-Haney Place Bus Rapid Transit corridors wrapped up with over 3,300 surveys completed and strong support from residents.
Eighty-five per cent of Langley-Haney Place respondents and 84 per cent of King George Boulevard respondents said BRT will significantly improve local transportation.
Staff also gathered feedback from more than 1,200 in-person interactions at open houses, transit centres, and meetings with chambers of commerce, seniors' groups, and firefighter unions.
Across all groups, residents pushed for clear funding confirmation and firm timelines for when service would actually start, with safety at centre-running stations and traffic impacts from lane changes flagged as top concerns.
TransLink Raises Property Taxes as Gas Prices Loom Over Metro Vancouver Commuters
TransLink's Board of Directors approved its 2026 property and replacement tax bylaws at its March 25 quarterly meeting, targeting $727 million in combined revenue.
The average residential property will see its TransLink tax bill rise by about $35, a 7.5 per cent jump over last year.
The increase breaks down to a 3 per cent statutory hike, a 1.15 per cent additional bump approved under TransLink's 2025 Investment Plan, and 2.71 per cent tied to new development and construction growth.
With the American and Israeli war on Iran sending global oil prices climbing and gas prices expected to keep rising through the spring and summer, a well-funded regional transit system will be more important than ever for Fraser Valley residents who may soon find it too expensive to rely on their cars.
School of Rock Vancouver to Play Vancouver FC Home Opener as Langley Location Announced for July
School of Rock Vancouver highlighted by Global News in 2022
The School of Rock Vancouver Senior House Band will perform at the Vancouver FC home opener, bringing a roster of award-winning young musicians aged 13 to 18 to North West Plaza starting at 3 p.m.
The group has previously performed at BC Place for the Whitecaps, the Invictus Games, and the PNE Fair.
Fans can catch the set alongside food trucks and other pre-match festivities before kickoff.
The performance also comes with news for local families: School of Rock Langley is set to open in July 2026, offering lessons in guitar, bass, keys, drums, and vocals.
Spring Snowstorm Closes Coquihalla Highway
Old Man Winter delivered an unwelcome spring surprise to southwestern B.C., forcing the overnight closure of the Coquihalla Highway.
Heavy snowfall blanketed the region Wednesday night, creating treacherous driving conditions between Hope and Merritt. DriveBC issued the closure notice as accumulating snow and slippery conditions made the vital transportation corridor impassable for safe travel.
The late-March snowstorm serves as a reminder that winter weather can strike well into spring in B.C.'s mountainous regions. The Coquihalla is a critical link connecting the Lower Mainland to the Interior, and closures significantly impact both commercial and personal travel.
Drivers are advised to check DriveBC for current highway conditions and to prepare for winter driving conditions even as calendar spring progresses.
Poilievre Retreats to Joe Rogan's Couch as Polls Show Continuation of Historic Conservative Collapse
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sat down with podcaster Joe Rogan for a two-and-a-half-hour interview this week, finally accepting the invitation he famously turned down during the 2025 federal campaign that ended his shot at the Prime Minister's Office.
Poilievre's cautious dance with the American right-wing media ecosystem failed spectacularly with Canadian voters last year, but with nothing left to lose, he dove headfirst into the manosphere's biggest stage.
The interview was a greatest hits of misleading Conservative talking points.
Poilievre called the Alberta oil sands "the most responsible oil extraction in the world" and dismissed environmental criticism as a "disgusting PR campaign," despite tar sands extraction producing roughly 30 per cent more greenhouse gas emissions per barrel than conventional oil.
He blamed inflation alone for rising grocery and housing costs while flatly denying any role for corporate greed, pinned housing shortages on immigration without acknowledging investor-driven financialization, and floated what amounted to indefinite incarceration based on past criminal records with no mention of due process.
On safe drug supply, both Poilievre and Rogan implied the policy risks giving drugs to youth, a claim unsupported by evidence, while simultaneously acknowledging that fentanyl contamination is killing people on the unregulated supply.
According to 338Canada's latest projection, the Liberals under Mark Carney sit at an average of 209 projected seats, more than 100 ahead of the Conservatives at 106, the highest Liberal projection in the model's nearly decade-long history.
Nanos tracking has the Liberals at 48 per cent nationally, a staggering 17 points ahead of the Conservatives at 31 per cent, and recent polling even shows the Liberals leading in Alberta, 41 per cent to 37 per cent.
Rogan told Poilievre he'd vote for him if he were Canadian.
Increasingly, actual Canadians are making the opposite choice.
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