Thursday, July 10 edition: Province shares Lapu-Lapu Day safety report

Good morning, Burnaby!

It has been more than two months since the horrific attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival on April 26 which killed 11 people, some of them seniors and children. While the event occurred in Vancouver, it has touched the lives of people everywhere in the Lower Mainland and led to some questions about the safety of public events.

The provincial government ordered a review of public safety at community events and only recently received the report. At the time of writing, the province has said it would share the report publicly, but it has not yet publicized it.

On July 4, a man died after being arrested by Burnaby RCMP officers. The officers had responded shortly after 4:30pm to a 911 call in the 7000 block of Hillview Street about a man causing a disturbance. After taking him into custody, the man died. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is now seeking witnesses to the event.

And now for some good news: Burnaby’s class of 2025 have earned millions of dollars in scholarships, some to very prestigious universities!

👀 In today's edition:

• Province shares Lapu-Lapu Day safety report

• IIO seeks witnesses after man dies in Burnaby RCMP custody

• Burnaby graduates earn more than $11M in scholarships

Consider forwarding this to a friend in Burnaby! New here? Sign up for free.

Advertise your business, event, or restaurant in front of 16,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

NEWS

Province to share Lapu-Lapu Day safety report

Two months after the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy, the BC government will share the incident’s safety report with the public. The province ordered a review of public events in BC shortly after the attack in early May with the aim of preventing future tragedies from occurring. The Lapu-Lapu Day attack killed 11 people attending the festival on April 26.

According to the CBC, the BC government received the report from a retired judge at the end of June. The report aims to improve safety and security at events after 11 people were killed and many more injured at the Vancouver festival.

Read more here.

Learn how to make AI work for you

AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI might. That’s why 1,000,000+ professionals read The Rundown AI – the free newsletter that keeps you updated on the latest AI news and teaches you how to use it in just 5 minutes a day.

Sign up to start learning.

Burnaby Bulletin

👩🏻 BC opens first menopause clinic: The province announced the opening of Western Canada’s first complex menopause clinic.

🏢 Presale buyers in limbo after development goes bust: Site that was supposed to be the Siena at the Heights condo building is now up for sale.

🏭 Parkland shareholders vote for $9.1 billion acquisition: The Burnaby refinery will be acquired by the US company Sunoco LP.

🐅 BC proposes ban on exotic cats: The proposed regulation would ban the breeding, sale and future ownership of all non-native and non-domestic cat species.

🚃 One-third of trips in Burnaby are car-free: According to a recent survey, one-third of trips in Burnaby are made through biking, walking or transit.

🇨🇦 Canada Day draws record-breaking crowds: According to the city, Canada Day celebrations in Burnaby drew more than 71,000 people.

🏗️ Developer secures new funding for housing project: Sperling Limited Partnership (LP) exited creditor protection and secured new financing to move forward with its Burnaby Lake Village redevelopment.

👮🏼‍♀️ New funding for BC RCMP hate crimes unit: the province is investing an additional $734,000 to support the unit by adding five additional RCMP officers and one intelligence analyst.

🏩 Sheraton Vancouver Guildford workers on strike: 140 hotel workers at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford hotel in Surrey are on strike for better wages.

🥇 BC Special Olympics summer games start this week: Athletes with intellectual disabilities from across the province will compete in Prince George from July 10 to 12, 2025.

🥛 Burnaby residents complain about dairy plant noise: City residents say noise from Agropur dairy plant disrupts their sleep at night.

🎭 Take a romp through Shakespeare’s canon with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] at Bard on the Beach! Tickets start at $35.*

*Sponsored Listing

NEWS

IIO seeks witnesses after man dies in Burnaby RCMP custody

The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) announced in a press release that it is seeking witnesses to the death of a man in Burnaby RCMP custody on July 4.

“Information provided by police states that Burnaby RCMP officers responded shortly after 4:30pm to a 911 call in the 7000 block of Hillview Street. Police were responding to concerns about a man creating a disturbance and possibly suffering a mental health issue,” the IIO statement said. “After arriving, police located the man outside of a residence and went to take him into custody. During the interaction, the man went into medical distress and officers provided aid. He was then taken to the hospital but later died.”

The IIO is asking anyone with video footage or information to call its toll-free line at 1-855-446-8477.

Read more here.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Burnaby graduates earn more than $11M in scholarships

Students graduating in 2025 have earned $11,103,410 in scholarships, some to elite international universities. This year’s total exceeds the 2024 total by more than $300,000.

Some of the highest-achieving students include Burnaby South Secondary’s Julia Wu, who will attend Harvard University during the next academic year on a full scholarship. Wu plans to study molecular and cellular biology. Bruce Zhong from Burnaby North Secondary will attend Brown University on a full scholarship. Zhong plans to focus on international and public affairs.

Read more here.

Where to eat & drink

🍲 ZUBU Ramen Metrotown, the perfect place to grab a bowl of elevated ramen noodles with a large selection of toppings.

🍕 Pizza Garden Brentwood, it’s hard to decide the best Pizza Garden location, but when it comes to seating and ambiance, plus their iconic pizza, the Brentwood branch has it all.

🍜 Singapore Hawker Burnaby, if you have a craving for classic hawker fare from Singapore, this is the place.

🤝 Now Hiring

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

• Crime analyst, City of Burnaby

• Client advisor, RBC Burnaby

• Rehabilitation Assistant, Fellburn Care Centre

• (CAN) Directs Store Delivery Associate, Walmart Burnaby

• HR Advisor (Temporary), Burnaby School District

• Senior Client Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking, Scotiabank

• Retail Store Associate (part-time), Winners/Homesense Market Crossing

• Registered Nurse (RN), Palliative Complex Care Unit , Burnaby Hospital

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

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Summer Stages, 11:30am-2pm, Confederation Park

• Sounds Like Summer, 12-2:30pm, Fraser Foreshore Park

• Parkway Alive, 5-8pm, Metrotown SkyTrain station until August 31

Friday

• Sounds Like Summer, 12-1pm, Central Park Upper Pond

Saturday

• Farmers Market, 9am, City Hall parking lot

• Fiji Festival, 10am-7pm, Swangard Stadium, Central Park

• World Party 2025, Alegria Soy, 12-5pm, Edmonds Park

• Symphony in the Park, 7:30-9:30pm, Deer Lake Park lawn

Sunday

• Parkway Alive, 5-8pm, Patterson SkyTrain station, until Aug. 31

• Opera in the Park, 7:30-9:30pm, Deer Lake Park lawn

Monday

• Zines, 2-4pm, Tommy Douglas Library

• Board Game Club, 3:30-5:30pm, McGill Library

Tuesday

• Summer Stages, 11:30am-2pm, Confederation Park

• Parkway Alive, 5-8pm, Metrotown SkyTrain station, until Aug. 31

Wednesday

• Summer Stages, 11:30am-2pm, Confederation Park

• Toastmasters, 12pm, Burnaby City Hall