WEBVTT

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Vancouver rundown for Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

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Premier David Eby is pushing back against the

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federal government's planned expansion of the

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temporary foreign worker program. That plan would

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allow employers outside of urban areas to increase

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a number of lower -paid TFLs until at least next

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year. Eby says it ties vulnerable workers to

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employers who often exploit them. He says there

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should be a path to permanent residency instead.

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Other news. The driver of a Dodge Ram is dead

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after trying to avoid a police traffic stop in

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Abbotsford. Police say the driver lost control

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of the pickup and smashed into a tree near McClure

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and Townland Roads late Monday night. The driver

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died at the scene. The circumstances are under

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investigation by BC's police watchdog, the IIO.

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A 49 -year -old man is dead and another person

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is under arrest. following a fight at a home

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in Maple Ridge. First responders were called

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in after police got reports of a woman screaming

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near 238th Street and 110th Avenue early Monday

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evening. A man could not be revived at the scene.

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RCMP say it is an isolated incident. Cope City

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Councilor Sean Orr has now raised more than $44

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,000 to help fund his legal fees as he sues Mayor

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Ken Simm for defamation. The online fundraiser

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was launched last week as Orr pursues legal action

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over Simm's false claim that the councilor handed

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out illegal drugs on Christmas Day to people

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on the street. Orr says he was out of town at

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the time. Simm plans to pay for his own legal

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defense. Periods of rain in the forecast for

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Wednesday, windy at times. Rain on Thursday,

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showers for Friday. For all the details on these

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local Vancouver area stories, along with those

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links, go to VancouverRundown .substack .com.