Table of Contents
The best way to help The Langley Union grow is simple: share this newsletter. Forward it to a friend, mention it to your family, or post it on social media and encourage others to subscribe.
It's a cloudy Monday in Langley with temperatures hovering around 4°C, and if you're feeling the chill, you're not alone. Gateway of Hope has opened emergency shelter spaces as freezing temperatures hit the region.
In today's Roundup, a fierce opinion piece reminds us that International Women's Day was never meant for champagne toasts, while two of Langley's Conservative MLAs continue to face scrutiny for voting to gut BC's Human Rights Code.
On a brighter note, nearly 2,000 Indigenous youth athletes are headed to Langley Events Centre for the 50th Junior All Native Tournament starting Saturday, and Langley City is looking for volunteers to help build safer neighbourhoods through its new Resilient Neighborhood Networks community safety program.
Plus, top university volleyball teams battle for a national title at LEC this week, and a sobering warning about fish extinction in the Okanagan.
International Women's Day is not a celebration. It's a call to fight.
Writer Rhea Rollmann has a message for International Women's Day: put down the champagne.
In a sharp opinion piece, Rollmann argues that IWD was never meant to be a celebration of progress, but a rally point for working-class women fighting systems designed to keep them down.
The threats she names are not abstract. A sex predator sits in the White House. Reproductive rights are under siege across North America.
And in BC, a Conservative MLA recently tabled a bill to repeal the province's Human Rights Code entirely.
That bill was supported by two of Langley's own Conservative MLAs, Jody Toor of Langley-Willowbrook and Harman Bhangu of Langley-Abbotsford.
This is a stark reminder that the battle for equality is not happening somewhere else. It is happening here.
Rainer Fehrenbacher
Rollmann traces IWD back to its socialist roots, including the 1917 textile workers' strike in Petrograd that helped spark the Russian Revolution, and warns that the day's militant spirit has been hollowed out by the co-optation of community organizations into system navigation rather than system change.
Her call to action is clear: reclaim the "feminist killjoy" ethic, rebuild grassroots movements, and refuse to look away from the violence that too many are still willing to ignore.
Langley City needs your help to build safer, stronger neighbourhoods
Langley City is calling for volunteers to help launch Resilient Neighbourhood Networks, a community safety program born from the city's Citizens' Assembly.
The program, championed by Mayor Nathan Pachal, is designed to shift the city toward a more proactive safety model by building trust and connection at the neighbourhood level.
Volunteers can help in a range of ways, from organizing block parties and safety walks to joining planning groups and supporting community events.
No experience is needed, and interested residents can sign up through the City's Volunteer Interest Form before the March 13 deadline.
Casino sues Langley City after SkyTrain land seizure valued at $10
Gateway Casino has filed a lawsuit against the City of Langley after the city expropriated roughly 0.25 hectares of land from its Cascades Casino site to build a SkyTrain station, offering just $10 in compensation.
The land, part of the casino's leased property near the future 203A Street station on the Surrey-Langley Expo Line extension, includes 55 parking stalls and forced a redesign of the casino's main entrance.
Gateway says the expropriation has disrupted traffic, reduced visitor numbers, and cut into revenue, with more losses expected as construction continues toward the project's planned 2029 opening.
The City confirmed the expropriation took place but declined to comment further, as the matter is now before BC Supreme Court.
The 50th Junior All Native Tournament tips off in Langley this weekend
Nearly 2,000 Indigenous youth athletes from across British Columbia will compete in the 50th Junior All Native Tournament at Langley Events Centre and local schools from March 15 to 20.
The six-day event, co-hosted by the Vancouver Bandits, Kwantlen First Nation, and Vancity Nation, features 129 teams across seven age divisions.
Haida Gwaii-born actor and former Big Brother Canada contestant Kiefer Collison will host the opening ceremony on March 15, which was already 75 per cent sold out as of Sunday.
Most games are free for fans of all ages, with Championship Friday wrapping up the tournament on March 20.
Township asks families to remove cemetery items before April 20
The Township of Langley is reminding families to collect personal decorations and memorial items from municipal cemetery grounds before April 20, 2026.
Under Cemetery Bylaw No. 5236, restricted adornments left after that date will be removed and stored for 60 days before disposal.
The annual cleanup is intended to keep grounds safe for maintenance crews and visitors, as weathered items can become hazards over time.
Families with questions can contact the cemetery office at 4393 208 Street, by phone at 604-534-5965, or by email at cemetery@tol.ca.
Gateway of Hope opens emergency shelter spaces amid Langley cold snap
The Gateway of Hope shelter in Langley issued an extreme weather alert Sunday as temperatures dropped to freezing or below.
The shelter at 5787 Langley Bypass has 20 mat spaces available for adults, with intake open between 7 and 9:30 p.m. until the site is full.
Meals, showers, and laundry are available, and the shelter is wheelchair accessible and pet friendly.
Anyone needing shelter after 9 p.m. can call Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 for assistance.
Top university volleyball teams compete for national title in Langley this weekend
The 2026 U SPORTS Women's Volleyball Championship comes to Langley Events Centre this weekend, hosted by Trinity Western University from March 13 to 15.
Eight of Canada's top university women's volleyball teams will compete over three days for the national title.
Fans can expect food trucks, music, and interactive crowd zones alongside the on-court action.
New St. Paul's Hospital takes shape in Vancouver ahead of 2027 opening
The Tyee got a first look at the new St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, a $2.18-billion facility set to open next year with 548 beds, all-private patient rooms, and systems designed to withstand floods, earthquakes, and airborne pathogens.
Premier David Eby joined Providence Health Care CEO Fiona Dalton for the February 27 media tour, the first public look at the site since construction began in 2021.
The building includes over 90 negative pressure rooms, 15 outbreak control zones, and on-site generators capable of running the entire hospital for 72 hours during a disaster.
One notable question mark is whether the new site will include an overdose prevention site, with Providence leadership saying the matter remains unresolved.
Read the full story at The Tyee.
Okanagan fish face extinction by 2040 as waterways warm, expert warns
A Similkameen watershed expert is warning that climate change and over-logging could trigger a fish extinction event across the entire Okanagan Basin within 15 years.
Lauren Terbasket, a Lower Similkameen Indian Band member, presented the findings to regional leaders on February 20, citing warming water trends, record-low snowpack, and decades of clear-cutting as the key drivers.
Last year, warm water in the Okanagan River created a thermal barrier that reduced returning salmon to a fraction of the previous year's numbers.
Terbasket and her partners are now working on restoration efforts including tree planting, willow-staking, and ceremonial land stewardship to slow the warming and protect what remains of the fishery.
Ottawa Braces for Debate on Iran War as National Issues Converge
The federal Liberal government has proposed a parliamentary debate on the escalating war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, as multiple critical issues compete for attention on Parliament Hill.
The debate comes as Canada navigates its position on the Middle East conflict while simultaneously dealing with domestic concerns including public service job cuts and the ongoing Stronach trial.
The convergence of international and domestic issues is creating a complex political environment in Ottawa, with MPs expected to engage in heated discussions about Canada's role and responsibilities regarding the Iran war.
The Liberal government faces pressure to articulate a clear foreign policy position while managing various domestic political challenges.
This debate will provide a crucial window into how Canada plans to respond to one of the most significant international conflicts in recent years.
What did you think?
Help us improve! Take a quick 60-second survey to share your thoughts on this article.
Take the Survey