Grab the umbrella: Langley is looking at a wet Wednesday, with steady rain and a high around 18°C. Thursday takes a surprisingly summery turn, climbing to about 20°C under grey skies. Friday follows with clear, sunny skies near 21°C.
Enjoy it while it lasts. Rain returns Saturday with a cooler high near 15°C, so plan for a soggy trip to the polls on local election day.
Today's top story: Langley's hospital foundation is teaming up with neighbours in Delta and South Surrey to call out a big gap in Fraser Health funding. On the provincial campaign trail, the three main party leaders meet tonight for their only televised debate. Wealth taxes, child care, and Indigenous rights are all in the spotlight.
Langley News
🏥 Langley Memorial Foundation Joins New Alliance Demanding Fair Health Funding
Langley's hospital foundation is joining forces with foundations in Delta and South Surrey to push Victoria for fairer health funding. The new South Fraser Healthcare Alliance is chaired by former Langley City mayor Peter Fassbender. It says Fraser Health gets about $2,621 per person each year, while the other four health authorities get between $3,922 and $4,312. Long-term care waits here average 402 days, compared to 290 across B.C., which is a clear sign that care beds need to grow right alongside new homes. (via Langley Advance Times)
Fraser Valley & Lower Mainland
🎤 B.C. Party Leaders Face Off Tonight in Only Televised Debate
B.C.'s three main party leaders meet tonight in the only televised debate of the snap election. David Eby, Lorne Doerkson and Emily Lowan debate from 6:15 to 8 p.m. on all major TV and radio networks. The debate comes a day after the Greens released a platform funded by a one-time tax on extreme wealth. (via FraserValleyToday)
💼 Tax Cuts, a Shipyard, or a Wealth Tax: Leaders Pitch Their Economic Plans
The three leaders pitched their economic plans to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade on Tuesday. Doerkson promised tax cuts and a three-year PST break on business investments, which Eby called billions in unfunded promises. Eby pledged a B.C. shipyard to build future ferries at home, while Lowan asked who actually profits from resource extraction, noting B.C. earns more from lottery and liquor sales than from heavily subsidized LNG. (via Langley Advance Times)
🧸 Eby's Daycare Spot Sparks Debate, but Advocates Say $10-a-Day Should Be for Everyone
Eby says his family gave back about $8,000 in savings after his kids' daycare joined the $10-a-day program, but he dodged questions about a tax write-off. The Conservatives say they would keep existing spots but are open to means testing, and one of their candidates has called the program a "boondoggle." Child care advocate Sharon Gregson named the real issue: every family should have a $10-a-day spot, and Eby paused the program's expansion in this year's budget. (via Langley Advance Times)
⚖️ Indigenous Rights Are Human Rights, and DRIPA Shouldn't Be an Election Target
A new analysis pushes back on politicians who have made B.C.'s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act a campaign target. The law passed unanimously in 2019 to put the UN Declaration into practice. The piece argues it creates no special privileges and only protects basic human rights that should never be up for grabs in a snap election. (via Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)
🌱 New Tool Shows Where Local Candidates Stand on Climate Before Saturday's Vote
Climate groups have launched Vote4Tomorrow.ca, where voters can read local candidates' unfiltered answers on climate and the environment. The survey covers 38 municipalities and regional districts, with questions on transportation, land use, watersheds and climate justice. Councils shape how people get around and where homes get built, so it's worth checking whether your community is listed before Saturday's vote. (via Langley Advance Times)
🗳️ Surrey's Mayoral Rematch Heats Up Ahead of Saturday
Next door in Surrey, Mayor Brenda Locke is once again facing her longtime rival, Doug McCallum. Public safety, land deals and health care top the list of issues. Expect a few more sparks before the polls close Saturday. (via The Tyee)
🐋 Southern Resident Orcas Grow to 76, but Human Threats Remain
The endangered southern resident orcas grew to 76 whales this year, up from 74. That is still well below the more than 100 who lived here before the marine park capture era, and two of four calves born this year did not survive. Researchers say the threats are human-made: vessel noise, pollution, and a shortage of chinook salmon driven by habitat loss and poor fisheries management. (via Langley Advance Times)
🏞️ Powell's Own Relatives Back Renaming Powell River
Relatives of the man Powell River is named after say they support changing the city's name. Their letter to council acknowledges the colonial harms tied to the name. The Tla'amin Nation, on whose territory the city sits, has called for a new name for years. (via The Tyee)
National News
🩺 Most Alberta Doctors Surveyed Would Leave if Province Separates
Albertans are in advance polls on whether to leave Canada, with the official vote set for Oct. 19. An Alberta Medical Association survey found more than half of responding doctors would move to another province or territory if Alberta separates, while only 15 per cent would stay. That is a real cost for patients that rarely makes it onto separatist campaign signs. (via FraserValleyToday)
Sports
🏒 Langley Rivermen Drop Three Straight Over Thanksgiving Weekend
The Rivermen lost three games in four days, starting with a 4-3 overtime loss to Coquitlam at home. At the BCHL Showcase in Nisku, Alberta, they fell 2-0 to Salmon Arm and 7-4 to West Kelowna, with Nico Addy scoring in two of the three games. Langley visits Coquitlam on Friday, then hosts Prince George on Saturday. (via Langley Advance Times)
🥅 Canucks Fall 3-2 to Islanders for Fifth Straight Loss
The Canucks lost 3-2 in New York, their fifth loss in a row. Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored, with Boeser's power-play goal moving him past Todd Bertuzzi into fifth on the team's all-time list. Vancouver, now 2-6-0, visits Florida on Thursday at 4 p.m. (via Langley Advance Times)
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