Vancouver rundown for Thursday, January 22, 2026.
An RCMP remark saying the extortion -related
violence in Surrey is not a crisis has come under
fire by Premier David Eby and city leaders. Eby,
Mayor Brenda Locke and Councillor Mandeep Negra
are expressing concern after Assistant Commissioner
John Brewer denied the issue as a crisis and
said those suggestions undermine public confidence
amid escalating gun violence. Eby says Brewer
might not be the right person to head the extortion
task force if he feels that way. Homes and businesses
in Surrey are now being hit by extortion -connected
gunfire several times a week. On Saturday, those
inside a home near Bear Creek Park returned gunfire
during an attack. Other news, a man has died
after being stabbed near Commercial Drive and
East 10th in East Vancouver. 48 -year -old Chris
Sanderson died in hospital after being knifed
Tuesday evening. No arrests have been made. A
truck driver has been arrested after leaving
the scene of another overpass strike, this one
on Highway 99 in Richmond. An excavator on a
flatbed hit the Blundell overpass early Wednesday
afternoon. The driver got out of the cab but
returned to the truck and drove off. He was stopped
by police 20 minutes later. Damage to the overpass
appears to be superficial. The only bridge between
West Ham Island and the rest of the Lower Mainland
will remain closed to cars and trucks Thursday
and Friday, TransLink says the West Ham Island
Bridge. will stay open to pedestrians and a shuttle
bus will be added so people can link to other
transit options. The bridge was hit by a barge
Tuesday evening. Damage assessments are still
underway. Forecasts calling for fog and low cloud
on Thursday, sunshine for Friday and Saturday.
For all the details on these local Vancouver
area stories, along with those links, go to VancouverRundown
.substack .com.