Thurs. July 11, 2024 edition: Homelessness surges in Burnaby

Good morning, Burnaby!

Our main story in this week’s newsletter is about a new report published by the Mayor’s Task Force on Unsheltered Community Members revealing staggering information about homelessness in Burnaby. According to the report, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Burnaby has increased by 69% in the past three years, with more people struggling with housing insecurity each year.

Also in this edition, we highlight important items covered in council this week—namely, a heated debate about the 2026 FIFA World Cup—giving you a roundup of the most important local news you need to know this week.

👀 In today's edition:

• Homelessness increases in Burnaby

• Burnaby council debates participation in 2026 FIFA World Cup

• A brand new festival in New West

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

Homelessness in Burnaby increased by 69% in three years

Every year, more people in Burnaby find themselves struggling with housing insecurity, with more people losing their housing, living in vehicles, couch surfing with relatives or friends, or, for some, completely unsheltered.

According to a report from the Mayor’s Task Force on Unsheltered Community Members, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Burnaby has increased by 69% between 2020 and 2023. 

“In Burnaby, the number of people experiencing homelessness rose from 124 in 2020 to 209 in 2023, resulting in a 69% increase. Of this total, 77 people were unsheltered which was a notable surge from the recorded 19 people who were unsheltered in 2020,” the report said. 

Read the full story on the report and its 13 recommendations to address homelessness here. 

SPONSORED BY CANADA BUBBLE TEA FESTIVAL

Enjoy bubble tea, street foods and desserts

On July 19-21, come to Canada Bubble Tea Festival for a variety of bubble tea and desserts. There will be vendors such as Slothful, Chatime, Bubble World, Typhoon Bubble Tea, Chun Fun How, Mochido, Myst, Kona Ice, AsUsual, Sky Flakes Crackers, Cheer2, Deep Fry House and more!

Come early to grab your favourite food!

Burnaby Bulletin

A new flea market. Burnaby is getting a new Japanese flea market this weekend—head to the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre to see what’s in store. [Burnaby Now]

Burnaby Hospital Phase 2. The BC government says it’s one step closer in the process of redeveloping the Burnaby Hospital, the province announcing Monday that it has selected a construction partner for the project. [CityNews]

A new festival. A new craft beverage festival is coming to New Westminster’s Queen’s Park this year, featuring an exciting lineup of street food vendors, live performances and, of course, plenty of great drinks. [New Westminster Record]

A targeted shooting. A man is suffering from non-life-threatening injuries after what officials are calling a “targeted” shooting inside a parked vehicle in Burnaby Thursday afternoon. [CTV News]

Missing woman. The RCMP is asking for the public’s help to find a missing 29-year-old woman last seen at a family residence in South Burnaby last Tuesday. [Burnaby Now]

Burnaby Holdom Overpass. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is set to begin construction on the Burnaby Holdom Overpass project late this year, the project intending to improve trade flows in the region as well as increase safety for pedestrians, cyclists and emergency first responders. [Burnaby Now]

Come Find Your Folk! Mission Folk Music Festival, July 26-28 at Fraser River Heritage Park - a brilliant weekend of folksongs, worldbeats, Celtic tunes, and more.*

Are you looking to tune-up your cycling skills? HUB Cycling offers cycling courses for all skill levels, whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just learning to ride a bike.*

*Sponsored Listing

NEWS

Burnaby council debates FIFA World Cup 2026 participation

The FIFA World Cup will come to Vancouver in the summer of 2026, and Burnaby is considering how to participate in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Staff members presented ideas for this participation at the Parks Recreation and Culture Committee’s (PRCC) meeting on June 11, sparking a heated discussion during the council meeting. Coun. Sav Dhaliwal, who chairs the PRCC and its meetings, actually opposed the recommendations during the council meeting despite having positive comments during the PRCC meeting in June. 

Dhaliwal said that even though Burnaby may benefit from participating in this event, the estimated cost of $450,000 mentioned in the report is too high, considering that soccer is a minor sport in Burnaby. 

Other items discussed at this week’s council meeting include the upcoming public engagement on the Holdom Overpass project, $7,000 in funding for a new mural on Kingsway, and how to preserve parts of the Louis and Annie Hill cottage ahead of its demolition.

Get the full summary of this week’s council meeting here.

SPONSORED BY THE FLYOVER

Cut Through Noise with The Flyover!

• One Email with ALL the News

• Ditch the Mainstream Bias

• Quick, informative news that cuts through noise.

Subscribe with One Click!

Where to eat & drink

Kozak Ukrainian Eatery. Come to this charming New West eatery for warm and wholesome Eastern European fare. Handmade pierogies with a wide variety of fillings can be found here, like wild boar, sour cherry and sauerkraut, as well as other well known mains like cabbage rolls and savoury crepes.

Coasters Coffee. Specializing in “small things done well”, Coasters offers an exceptionally good cup of coffee or tea in a cozy West Coast interior. Be sure to try the Hojicha latte while you’re here—unlike the familiar matcha latte, this beverage is made using roasted green tea leaves and steamed milk instead of powder.

The Peri Peri Shack. Undoubtedly the best place in Burnaby to find a juicy piece of chicken, The Peri Peri Shack offers flavours for everyone, from extremely hot to mild blends like herbs and citrus. Order your favourite cut with a side of coleslaw and mac and cheese and you’ll never look back.

🤝 Now Hiring

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

• Information Assistant at SFU

• Driver at Bumper to Bumper

• Cashier at Triple-O’s

• Library and Information Assistant at BCIT

• Shift Manager at Earls

• Pet Trainer at PetSmart

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

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Summer Stages. 11:30am & 2:30pm. Confederation Park.

• Outdoor Family Storytime. 11:30am. Edmonds Park.

• Taps & Trivia. 5pm. Burnaby Village Museum.

Friday

• Masked Singer Salsa Party. 9pm. World Dance Co.

• Greek Summerfest 2024. 7:30pm. 4541 Boundary Rd.

• Sounds Like Summer. 12pm. Central Park.

Saturday

• Social Bike Ride. 10am. Sperling Burnaby Lake Bike Locker.

• Edmonds World Party. 12-4:30pm. 7433 Humphries Ave.

• Symphony in the Park. 7:30pm. Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park.

• Outdoor Workout. 1:30pm. Swangard Stadium.

Sunday

• Opera in the Park. 3pm. Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park.

• Tanabata Flea Market. 10am. Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

• Basic Paddleboard Instructor Course. 4pm. Barnet Marine Park.

Monday

• Pride Flag Raising. 1pm. Location details here.

Tuesday

• Tech Cafe. 1pm. Burnaby Public Library.

• Games for English Learners. 6pm. Burnaby Public Library.

• Resume/Cover Letter Workshop. 3:30pm. 820 6th St.

Wednesday

• Inner Child Healing Meditation Sound Bath. 7pm. Savasana Meditation.

• Colour and Chat. 12:30pm. Global Student Centre at SFU.

• Ho’okani. 12pm. Willingdon Care Centre.