Thursday, March 27 edition: Shrouded in mystery: Trans Mountain and City of Burnaby agreement

Good morning, Burnaby!

On the top of our agenda this week is the Trans Mountain and City of Burnaby agreement, one that is shrouded in mystery—as residents protest, request answers, and hold rallies, the city and company remain silent and share little about their plans with Burnaby residents. In other news, a previously rejected sister-city trip to Japan has now been approved by council, and Vancouver-based company presented a plan to relocate single-family houses on sites slated for redevelopment into multi-unit housing.

👀 In today's edition:

• Shrouded in mystery: Trans Mountain and City of Burnaby agreement

• Previously rejected sister-city trip to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan approved

• Relocate, recycle or demolish: what to do with Burnaby homes up for redevelopment

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NEWS

Shrouded in mystery: Trans Mountain and City of Burnaby agreement

People began trickling into the plaza in front of Burnaby City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 28, shortly after 4pm. Six months earlier, Burnaby Community Assembly celebrated the completion of its work on the official community plan (OCP), a celebration of democracy in the city, in this same spot. On Jan. 28, 2025, the mood was slightly different. 

The gathering in front of Burnaby City Hall was there to protest and demand answers about the city’s decision to sign a “Community Cooperation Agreement” with Trans Mountain Corporation. The city suddenly announced the agreement on its official channels on Oct. 1, 2024, and then clammed up. The agreement has been in effect since Sept. 27, 2024. 

At first glance, it seemed like the city had finally succeeded in holding Trans Mountain to account, and that the company would contribute to safety in the city, especially in the event of a fire or emergency related to its activities. According to the agreement, Trans Mountain will pay the city $20.1 million over 21 years and contribute to emergency preparedness—however, as residents protest, request answers, and continue hold rallies, the city and company remain silent and share little about their plans with Burnaby residents.

Get the full story here.

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Burnaby Bulletin

Election 2025: Everything You Need to Know. The federal election is finally here with a new band of Parliamentarians standing up for Canada. We’ve collected everything voters in Burnaby need to know about the election, including who is running, how to vote, and upcoming all-candidates meetings here.

Hit-and-run crashes. A heavy police presence along Highway 1 through Burnaby and Coquitlam backed up traffic in both directions on Tuesday afternoon, Burnaby RCMP stating they were caused by a robbery suspect travelling eastbound. Footage from Global One’s chopper captured three incidents, two near Gaglardi Way and another near Brunette Avenue. [Global News]

A new financial plan. The City of Burnaby is inviting residents to share their feedback on the City’s 2025-2029 Financial Plan Highlights. This document provides a high-level overview of the City’s five-year plan, outlining the budget priorities Council sets and providing a basis for public feedback before it is finalized.

Burnaby teacher reprimanded. A Burnaby teacher has been reprimanded and ordered to take a remedial course after admitting to a variety of misconduct, including failing to use students' preferred pronouns and teaching students how to say “slut” in French. [CTV News]

Skipping sentencing. A 41-year-old Burnaby man who didn't show up for sentencing after admitting to sex crimes against a girl he met through an online "furry" community when she was 12 years old has been arrested and will now stay in jail until he is sentenced. [Burnaby Now]

🎤 Don't miss Kristin Key live at the Vogue Theatre on March 30! Kristin Key is a nationally headlining, queer, musical comedian with sold-out shows nationwide.*

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NEWS

Previously rejected sister-city trip to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan approved

Burnaby City Council’s Mar. 25 meeting lasted just one hour, but it still featured some interesting discussions and a possible controversy. 

Nearing the end of this week’s meeting, Coun. Richard Lee introduced a motion asking staff to prepare a report detailing councillors’ compensation, the purpose of the report to improve transparency and public trust, deterring misuse of public funds, and a benchmarking tool to help compare compensation with other municipalities and organizations. The motion died before any discussion could occur when no other council members “seconded” it. 

Also in the meeting this week, a previously planned and rejected trip to Burnaby’s sister cities—Korea, Japan and Taiwan—has been approved, costing around $15,000 and $17,000 per delegate. The trip will be funded from the city’s gaming reserve funds, which Burnaby receives from gambling and gaming activities, not directly from taxpayer money. However, the gaming reserves are also used for projects that benefit Burnaby residents, such as parks, playgrounds, and other public projects. 

Get all the updates on this week’s council meeting here.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Relocate, recycle or demolish: what to do with Burnaby homes up for redevelopment

It has been two years since a Vancouver-based company presented a plan to Burnaby City Council to relocate single-family houses on sites slated for redevelopment into multi-unit housing. The plan may involve changes to the city’s bylaws but should offer benefits to the city, homeowners, developers, and the environment. 

According to Glyn Lewis, CEO of Renewal Home Development, in this scenario, developers would pay the same amount they would typically pay for demolishing the homes. The company would then physically move the entire home, first on a truck and then on a barge, to a less-urbanized area. 

Lewis added that new homeowners would then pay less than they typically  would to build a house. Lewis told the Beacon it would cost, on average, 50 percent less than building a house from scratch. The city would benefit from reduced waste, as the house will not end up in a landfill. 

Get the full story here.

Where to eat & drink

🥐Mon Paris Patisserie. This snug, Paris-themed cafe is a Burnaby gem for gourmet pastries and desserts like croissants (from ham and cheese filled to pistachio), kouign-amann and macarons. They also do custom cakes and introduce exciting new menu items for each season—for Easter, they already have giant chocolate eggs on display.

🥪​Columbia Street Sandwich Company. Aiming to deliver the most wholesome soup and sandwich experience, Columbia Street Sandwich Company specializes in comforting classics like roast beef sandwiches, breakfast bagels and daily soups to dunk them into. Their baked goods are great too, a thick slice of banana bread or apple strudel the perfect way to end your meal.

🍜​North King Noodle House. There’s no better way to take advantage of the last lingering days of winter than a big bowl of noodles. This quaint and cozy restaurant on Hastings offers an extensive menu of Chinese dishes like Dandan noodles, hot and sour soup and lamb fried with cumin, making for a warming and comforting feast on a cold day.

🤝 Now Hiring

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

• Patient Family Advisory Network Facilitator at Bayshore Healthcare

• Intern, Program Development at Engineers and Geoscientists BC

• Event Planner at SFU

• Customer Service Officer at TD

• Advisor, Equity Strategies at BC Housing

• Insurance Advisor at Westland Insurance

• Academic Advisor at SFU

• Animal Helpline Operator at BCSPCA

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

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Board Game Club. 10:30am. Burnaby Public Library.

• Artist Salon and Open Studio with Jenie Gao. 3pm-4:30pm. Burnaby Art Gallery.

• New West Farmers Market: Block Party Kick-Off. 3pm. New West Farmers Market.

Friday

• Fraud Prevention and e-Waste Disposal. 11am - 3pm. Eco-Centre.

• Somatic Writing Workshop. 6:45pm. Wildfires Bookshop.

• Guerrilla Girls: Talking Back. 10am-6pm. McGill Library.

Saturday

• Crystal Light Psychic & Wellness Fair. 12pm-5pm. First United Spiritualist Church.

• SBKZ Latin Party. 9:30am-2pm. Damsha Creative Studios.

• Ring of Fire. 2pm-4pm, 7:30pm-9:30pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Sunday

• Paint Nite. 6pm. The Rec Room.

• Hidden Wonders Speakeasy Magic Experience. Multiple times. Hidden Wonders Showroom.

Monday

• Spring Blossom Candle-Making Workshop. 7pm. Location details here.

• Amos Gill. 2am. Rick Bronsons House of Comedy.

Tuesday

• Walk with the Mayor. 10:30am. Ryall Park (Salter Street Entrance).

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

Wednesday

• Hiring Fair. 11am-3:30pm. BCIT.

• Discounted Cashflow Valuation Info Session. 4:30pm. SFU.