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Global News
24-07-2025
- Global News
Vancouver becomes 1st city in Canada to ban gun-shaped lighters
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The City of Vancouver has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to ban the sale of lighters shaped like guns. Council approved the ban this week after Vancouver police presented data showing 162 calls last year involving gun-shaped lighters. The devices can easily be mistaken for real weapons, leading to escalated police responses, the city said. 3:04 Butane torch lighters behind uptick in Vancouver fires 'Gun-shaped lighters pose a serious risk to public safety due to their realistic appearance,' Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said in a media release. Story continues below advertisement 'This ban represents a proactive measure to reduce unnecessary risks to public safety and to prevent potentially dangerous encounters during police responses.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The city estimates there are currently 50 to 75 stores selling the devices. Under the ban, businesses caught selling gun-shaped lighters are liable for a $1,000 fine. Vancouver has already banned the sale of locking butane torch lighters, which the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services blames for an uptick in fires.
Hamilton Spectator
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Big wins for Squamish-raised VFRS mechanic at the World Police and Fire Games
At age 50, Vancouver fire department mechanic Patrick Reed isn't slowing down—in fact, he's speeding up. Fresh off his second appearance at the World Police and Fire Games, he returned home with an impressive haul of 10 medals. Shooting for the stars at 50 years old. Patrick Reed intends to do so well into his 80s, and quite literally so. Reed returned home this month from the World Police and Fire Games, his second time competing in the Olympic-style sports competition for first responders and retirees, which were held June 27 to July 6. The competition is hosted every other year all around the world. He collected 10 medals—three gold, four silver, and three bronze—in sport shotgun shooting, among fellow competitors who he said had an average age of 50, including some 'well into their 80s.' Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) lead mechanic, who is an avid sports shooter in his free time, competed in a range of trap, skeet, and sporting clay shooting contests over 10 days in Birmingham, Alabama—the host city of the 2025 event. 'I'll continue to shoot until I can't,' Reed said. Reed, who has worked with Vancouver's Fire Department as a mechanic since he was 34, explained he began taking part in the department's fundraiser, the ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) 'Shoot for a cure,' which happens every spring in Richmond 'I started going down to that shoot 17 years ago, and I started to gain a passion for sport shootings. So yeah, that's how it all started. It was kind of through my work,' he said. The Vancouver Firefighter Charities' website reads that the fundraiser is 'a sporting clay shooting challenge with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the ALS Society of B.C. … with the hope that a cure for ALS will one day be found.' A couple of years ago, Reed discovered that the World Police and Fire Games' teams practised sports shooting, so he signed up and headed to compete in the games, which were hosted in Winnipeg in 2023. He also spent 10 days there, coming away with four silver medals. He said that he started shooting competitively around B.C. about six months before his time in Winnipeg. Although largely self-taught, he said he has recently taken formal shooting lessons up in Kamloops, 'which really seemed to help,' in his preparation for this year's games in Alabama. Reed travelled to Montgomery for three days, and Talladega for two, as there were no on-site shooting facilities on the central games site in Birmingham. Accompanying him, and shooting beside him as his teammates, were four agents from the Canadian Border Services Agency, two from Vancouver, and two from Christina Lake. 'All five of us shot [well]; everybody kind of lifts the shooting scores when everyone is doing good,' Reed said. In Montgomery, Reed and his team competed in trap shooting, firing a total of 300 shots in 3 rounds; 100 at 106 metres (116 yards), 100 at 112 metres (122 yards), and 100 doubles at 15 metres (16 yards), in which two 'birds' appear as targets simultaneously. In Talladega, Reed competed in skeet shooting, firing 100 single shots in one round, then 100 doubles in the other. His final day in Talladega was spent firing 100 shots of sporting clay. Reed said he spent some time that week with two hockey teams from Vancouver, and a weight lifter, also from Squamish, and working with the Vancouver Fire Department. Reed cites outdoor recreation enthusiast and past Squamish resident Dale Rockwell among his big influences. '[Rockwell has been] super helpful over the years with little tips and tricks,' he said. Reed said he continues to partake in shooting at The Squamish Valley Rod and Gun Club (SVRGC), and also thanked Dave Banbury (a close friend of the late SVRGC member Art Brendle) for making his shooting experiences so enjoyable. 'Your passion and camaraderie have made all the difference, and without you, none of this would be possible,' he said. Reed elaborated on his fondness for his like-minded communities. 'Within the fire service, there are a lot of fishermen and hunters and so on. And that's why the ALS fundraiser shoot [has] such a huge following. There was an amazing team from Florida that I met [at the games]; they're old, retired firefighters who like to talk about hunting and fishing, and they're great people. It's the same with the people that I shoot with in Squamish. Everybody is very kind and welcoming … shooting [is] not just a hobby, but something I genuinely look forward to every weekend.' Reed gave further honourable mentions and thanks to firefighter Adam Bordignon, 'who goes above and beyond organizing everything,' and Alta Lake Electric for providing him with 'proper' shooting glasses, which have 'made a world of difference.' Reed is mindful that shooting can be a contentious activity, but encourages safety and the strength of community foremost. 'I know it's a touchy subject and there's a lot of negativity around it, but if people were to go [to a local gun club] and see how much fun there is to be had, people's opinions would change. I shoot for fun, but I also like the addictiveness of it,' he said. 'It'd be nice to get more youth involved, to learn about gun safety, and experience time with great people. I've learned a lot.' Reed confirmed that he and his team from this year's games will be competing in the next World Police and Fire Games in Perth, in March 2027. Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief's Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter. This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Global News
18-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
Vancouver forecasts 7% property tax hike next year, mayor wants it under 2.5%
With just over a year before the next municipal election, Vancouver's mayor is taking an aggressive approach to property tax increases. The city's budget outlook, presented at council on Wednesday, forecasts a seven per cent property tax increase. Staff say that figure would cover existing service levels across the city, while investing in necessary infrastructure upgrades. But council also approved a motion from Mayor Ken Sim on Wednesday, calling for staff to look at ways to hold property tax hikes to 2.5 per cent or below, including directing staff to game out a zero-per cent scenario, without cutting front line services. 1:52 Vancouver city council passes 2025 budget Sim, who campaigned in part on a platform of improved fiscal management, oversaw a 10.7 per cent property tax hike in his first year. Story continues below advertisement Since then, he said, council has been able to put a dent in the city's infrastructure and increase funding to the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, while reducing the property tax hike to 3.9 per cent for 2024. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We told the public we were going to reset and then bring back fiscal responsibility to the City of Vancouver, and that's what we've done,' he said. Opposition councillors pushed for staff to also include a transparent list of all potential service cuts under the proposed lower tax scenarios. That amendment, however, was voted down by council's ABC Vancouver majority, who called the request redundant. 'The difference between seven per cent and zero per cent … is about $84 million, so the fact that ABC did not support a transparent recording of where those cuts are going to come from leaves me very concerned about what this budget is going to look like in a few months,' independent Coun. Rebecca Bligh said. 'At the end of the day there are very real organizations, very real Vancouverites who are depending on these programs.' 2:04 Vancouver Police Department $10M over budget Sim was asked whether the proposal was related to the fact it was the city's last budget before voters go back to the polls. Story continues below advertisement 'I think the better question is, what are Vancouverites going through? We are probably going into a recession, we have the threat of tariffs, there is a lot of uncertainty, and there are a lot of people across this great city of ours who are struggling to put a meal on the table,' Sim said. 'It doesn't matter what year in the process it is.' Vancouver's next municipal election will be held in the fall of 2026.
The Province
12-06-2025
- General
- The Province
Vancouver Fire Rescue fights another blaze at Granville Street SRO
Vancouver firefighters attend a blaze at a downtown Vancouver SRO in the 1100-block of Granville Street on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. Photo by Vancouver Fire Rescue Services Vancouver firefighters battled yet another blaze at a B.C. Housing-owned single-room occupancy (SRO) hotel on Granville Street downtown. The fire broke out at 1176 Granville Street around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the building's 44th fire since 2020. When crews arrived, smoke was visible on the fifth floor, said Capt. Matthew Trudeau of Vancouver Fire Rescue Services. 'Crews went up and saw fire inside a unit that was being contained by a sprinkler system, but it was not extinguishing due to extensive hoarding and difficulty in access and getting inside the unit,' he said. Firefighters had to go through several air cylinders and it took time to get the gear in and out because of access issues posed by the amount of things inside the unit. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Firefighters are on scene of the 1100 block of Granville for a SRO fire. Crews conducting search and fire attack operations. Granville closed between Helmcken and Davie. 2 person injured and being treated. — Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) June 11, 2025 The fire temporarily shut down Granville Street between Davie and Helmcken streets. Two people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. By late afternoon, firefighters had managed to douse the blaze. Investigators were on-site to determine the cause of the fire and evaluate the damage to the building, which has 91 units. 'We're looking to assess how many units were affected, determine how many are habitable, how many people can return back and how many are going to be displaced,' said Trudeau. While the fire was contained to one unit, there is smoke damage to the back of the building and extensive water damage to the fifth and lower floors, including Aura nightclub, which occupies the ground-level of the building. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The building used to be the Howard Johnson hotel until the province purchased it in June 2020 and turned it into a supportive housing facility. There have been 43 fires at the building between Jan. 2020 to the end of May, said Vancouver Fire. Two weeks ago, a fire at the same building left one person with third-degree burns. The cause of that fire was a butane torch, a common culprit. In 2024, the City of Vancouver banned the sale of butane torches and lighters following a surge in fires caused by the improper use of the devices. About 3,128 fires were attributed to butane torches and lighters between January 2023 and April 2024, including 356 at SRO buildings. chchan@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps Crime News News
Global News
12-06-2025
- General
- Global News
Crews battle 2-alarm fire at former Howard Johnson hotel in Vancouver
Crews were called to battle a serious fire in a supportive housing facility on Vancouver's Granville Street Wednesday afternoon. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services said it called in support from a second fire hall to help battle the flames in the former Howard Johnson hotel that now serves as a single-room accommodation housing facility. 4:00 Vancouver bar owners ask for help to deal with SRO damages Firefighters said at least two people were hurt, and that Granville Street had been closed between Helmcken and Davie streets. Story continues below advertisement The B.C. government bought the building at 1176 Granville in 2020, and controversially converted it to housing as it sought to quickly shelter the city's homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has since generated thousands of emergency calls, with residents setting fires, pulling fire alarms and setting off the building's sprinkler systems.
