1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,160
Vancouver run down for Wednesday, September 11, 2024. A record budget deficit and a quickly rising

2
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:14,000
debt. Those are two of the realities confirmed by the BC NDP government just over a month before

3
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:20,240
voters go to the polls. Finance Minister Katrina Conroy has announced the province's predicted

4
00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:27,360
deficit now stands at $8.9 billion. That's up over $1.1 billion from last year's deficit.

5
00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:34,080
In part, Conroy is blaming the expected increase on the cost of fighting BC wildfires.

6
00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:41,360
Conroy will not be seeking re-election October 19. Other news, a Vancouver police officer will

7
00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,800
likely be charged in connection with a deadly shooting on the downtown Eastside two years ago.

8
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:53,200
BC's independent investigations office is recommending charges in a police-involved

9
00:00:53,200 --> 00:01:00,800
shooting at the Patricia Hotel on East Hastings in May of 2022. A man died at the scene following

10
00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:07,200
an interaction with officers. At the time, the VPD claimed the man was armed with a weapon,

11
00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:14,640
but the IIO's report makes no reference to any such weapon. There is no end in sight to job action

12
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:20,800
by Metro Vancouver's HandiDart drivers. The unionized workers staged a large rally outside

13
00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:26,560
the TransLink head office demanding it get involved in the labor dispute. Members of the

14
00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:34,800
Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1724, continue to demand equal pay with other public transit drivers.

15
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:41,840
Mediated talks between the union and its employer, Transdev, have failed to make progress on the issue.

16
00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:50,640
Workers at the Vancouver-Tinanimo Passenger Ferry Service have voted to unionize. They voted 80%

17
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:57,200
in favor of joining the BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union. Hello, employees, about 80 workers.

18
00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:03,920
Isolated showers for Wednesday morning. Thursday will have a mix of sun and clouds. Friday will

19
00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:10,000
be mostly cloudy. For all the details on these Vancouver area stories, along with those links,

20
00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:20,640
go to vancaferundown.substack.com.