Thurs. Oct. 17, 2024 edition: A quick guide to the provincial election in Burnaby

Good morning, Burnaby!

With voting currently underway for the provincial election, the final day to cast your ballot is this Saturday, Oct. 19. To answer any outstanding FAQs, and to provide a detailed breakdown of all the candidates in the running this year, the Beacon has created an easy-to-use guide residents can refer to before heading out to their nearest polling station—more details on that down below. Also in this edition, we’re looking at council’s discussion of a new height-based development framework as well as new findings from a TransLink report.

👀 In today's edition:

• A quick guide to the provincial election in Burnaby

• Council discusses height-based development framework

• TransLink needs $600M annually: report

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NEWS

Your quick guide to the provincial election in Burnaby

Advance voting has begun in Burnaby for the BC election. There are five ridings in Burnaby, with 16 candidates running in total.

To make voting day clear and understandable to all, the Beacon has provided a detailed summary of what to expect, who is running, where to go when casting your vote and a brief breakdown of every candidate running this year (as well as other FAQs to get everyone on the same page).

The final voting day will be on Saturday, Oct. 19. All advance voting locations will be open from 8am to 8pm on advance voting days. 

Click here for our quick and easy-to-use guide on the provincial election.

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Burnaby Bulletin

Man hospitalized following home invasion. A man was taken to hospital after a home invasion that led to him being attacked by more than one suspect last Sunday, according to the Burnaby RCMP. Officers were called to the home just before 3am after receiving a report of an assault with a weapon in the area of Boundary Road and Burke Street. [CityNews]

Award for a complex water supply tunnel. An ongoing Metro Vancouver water supply tunnel project crossing the borders between Burnaby and the District of North Vancouver has recently won an award from the Tunnelling Association of Canada, demonstrating high levels of engineering skills and understanding of underground construction. [North Shore News]

A new fire chief. The City of Burnaby has appointed 31-year veteran of the Burnaby Fire Department Miles Ritchie as its new chief last week, taking over from former fire chief Chris Bowcock who retired last July after 30 years of service. [Burnaby Now]

The Emerald Ash Borer Zone. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has updated its regulated areas for emerald ash borer, an invasive insect species responsible for the destruction of trees, to include the City of Burnaby in an effort to slow the insect's spread. Regulated areas now include the City of Burnaby, the City of Vancouver, the University of British Columbia campus, and the University Endowment Lands.

Latest edition of City Connect. Burnaby residents are encouraged to watch their mailbox this month for the latest edition of City Connect, a newsletter delivered to more than 100,000 Burnaby homes. This October 2024 edition features stories about the new Fire Station 4, preparation for snow clearing this winter, improving safety in school zones and new amenities that make Burnaby a vibrant place to live.

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NEWS

Council discusses height-based development framework

On Monday, Oct. 7, Burnaby City Council discussed a staff proposal to adopt a new height-based development framework and amendments to the zoning bylaw. If adopted, the new framework would replace the existing floor area ratio (FAR) framework, which calculates the allowed density by calculating the ratio between the total built area and the lot it sits on. 

According to the council report outlining the new framework, “A height-based development framework is an approach to city building that prioritizes the form of development and the relationship of buildings to the public realm. While the proposed approach focuses on the built form, land use designations and zoning districts will still establish permitted uses.”

The report added that this new framework aims to be more user-friendly than the FAR. It also aims to simplify development regulations and approvals and “allow greater flexibility and mixing of land uses.” 

Get the full story here.

NEWS

TransLink needs $600M annually: report

In late September, the TransLink Mayors’ Council released a report outlining the company’s current financial struggles. The report outlines two scenarios that involve service cuts to save funds. If nothing is done, TransLink will face a net revenue shortfall of $600 million annually from 2026 to 2033. 

In the first scenario outlined in the report, the least productive routes in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and central Surrey will be cut, leaving much of the Northeast sector, Langley, White Rock, South Delta, and the North Shore without sufficient access to transit. The second scenario would involve cutting a mix of both low and highly productive routes to maintain some coverage throughout Metro Vancouver and the region. 

The report also outlines the potential effects of service cuts on residents of the Metro Vancouver area, including longer travel times, higher living costs, lost income, and job opportunities, among others.

Get more information on the report here.

Where to eat & drink

The Babs Kitchen. This cozy eatery in New West offers perfect rainy day fare, with cozy items like cream of broccoli soup, poutine and juicy burgers at the forefront of their menu. Also featured are a variety of Asian flavours in the form of bulgogi, fried dumplings and spicy yakisoba—bring a friend so you can try them all.

Reverie Kitchen. A delightful brunch spot near Boundary Road with irresistible selections like tunacado toast, Italian breakfast paninis and prosciutto-wrapped poached eggs with focaccia. Their bread alone—all made in house from the focaccia to the sourdough—is worth the visit.

Tendon Kohaku. There is no other way to describe Tendon Kohaku other than a tempura kingdom. Their rice bowls, served with fried prawns, eel, chicken and pumpkin, are downright delicious, as well as their udon and side dishes. Be sure not to miss out on one of their best sellers, the Chawanmushi, a Japanese-style steam egg soaked in a rich seafood broth.

🤝 Now Hiring

Looking to make a move? Here are local jobs open right now:

• Fine Arts Instructor at City of Burnaby

• Shipper/Receiver at Tru Earth

• Student Success Advisor at Navitas

• AV Technician at SFU

• Product Marketing Coordinator at BCAA

• Driver at Encore Global

• Corporate Receptionist at BC Housing

• Service Manager at Trek Bikes

Hiring and want to let people know? Reply back and let us know!

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Babytime. 10:30am. Burnaby Public Library.

• Paint Nite. 7pm. Oliver Twist Pub & Grill.

• News from the Global North. 1pm. Ellen Gee Common Room at SFU.

Friday

• Technology Virtual Job Fair. 11am-3pm. Online via Zoom. 

• Khari Wendell McClelland. 7:30pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

• Pachanga Salsa Party. 9pm. World Dance Co.

• Regional Food System Strategy Update. 1pm-4pm. Metro Vancouver Tower III.

Saturday

• Full Moon Candle Making Workshop & Sound Bath. 6pm. The Mindful Lab: Meditation + Creative Studio.

• Celebration of Newcomers Festival. 11am-6pm. Nikkei National Museum & Culture Centre.

• Reiki Level One. 10am-6pm. 7428 6th St.

• Duncan Trussell. 9:30pm. Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy.

Sunday

• Rubber Ducky Race: 5K, 7M & Half Marathon. 9am. Joe Sakic Way.

• FanCon Halloween Fest. 10am-6pm. BCIT.

• Kintsugi: Introduction Workshop. 1pm. Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

Monday

• Nordic Cultural Class: Landscape & Mythology. 7pm. Scandinavian Community Centre.

Tuesday

• Board Games & Puzzles Extravaganza. 12:30pm. Global Student Centre.

• The Next Step: Uptown Swing Collective. 8:30pm. 820 6th St.

• Bear All Comedy. 7:30pm. Bully’s Studios Inc.

Wednesday

• Haunted Village. 4pm-9pm. Burnaby Village Museum.

• Pop-Up Food Pantry & Social. 12pm. Global Student Centre.