WEBVTT

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Vancouver rundown for Friday, September 5, 2025.

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Pickets are expanding as the BCGEU ramps up the

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province's public service strike. The Vancouver

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office of the Ministry of Finance is now behind

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a picket line. Workers in Surrey, Victoria and

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Prince George remain off the job. The union says

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there's no indication the government is prepared

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to return to the bargaining table. with an improved

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offer. Premier David Eby says the government

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is not in a position to offer the wage hikes

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being sought by the BCGEU. He says union members

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already got a substantial wage increase in the

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last contract. Other news. The Coquihalla Highway

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remains closed between hope and merit. Evacuation

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alerts are now in effect, and one evacuation

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order has been issued as crews struggle to control

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the rapidly growing Mine Creek wildfire. That

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blaze is now close to 2 ,000 hectares. The wildfire

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was likely started by lightning on Monday. Surrey's

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new fire chief is the youngest the city's ever

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had. 48 -year -old Jason Kearney has been tapped

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to replace Larry Thomas, who retired on September

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1st. The Surrey Fire Service has close to 500

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employees and 15 halls. The City of Vancouver

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is recommending a substantial increase in safety

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measures for public events after the Lapu -Lapu

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tragedy. A joint report by the Vancouver Police

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Department and the City includes eight recommendations

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centered on better planning requirements. increased

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training, and a renewed push for provincial and

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federal support. On April 26, the driver of an

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SUV hit a crowd attending a Filipino street festival.

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Eleven people died and scores of others were

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hurt. Wildfire smoke for Friday, inland highs

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in the mid -20s, a mix of sun and cloud for Saturday,

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clouds and possible showers on Sunday. For all

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the details on these local Vancouver area stories,

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Along with those links, go to VancouverRundown

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.substack .com.