A weekly roundup of noteworthy news in municipalities across B.C.
The proposed 180-hectare rezoning just south of Highway 1 near Glover Road in the Township of Langley is causing a stir with Metro Vancouver since it would see farmland transform into an expansion of Trinity Western University, along with homes, stores and other amenities – a development in conflict with Metro’s revamped Regional Growth Strategy.
A study, conducted by Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) that examined kindergarten children over two school years from 2009-2011 within Surrey unearth the unfortunate news that the number of young people struggling with learning in the city is high and growing by the year.
SFU City Program director Gordon Price predicts that new Transportation Minister Mary Polak – replacement for former minister Blair Lekstrom – will offer cut-rate introductory tolls on the new Port Mann Bridge and find a way to launch the stalled express bus service over it from Langley to Burnaby.
Tsawwassen First Nation voters have chosen newcomer Bryce Williams, a 23-year old one-term councillor, over incumbent chief Kim Baird by the slim margin of nine votes. Baird, 42, was first elected chief in 1999, and during her tenure oversaw several major victories, including the historic 2009 treaty that gave Tsawwassen First Nation the powers of a municipality, released them from the Indian Act, and created a constitution, the Deltaport expansion and significant new housing and retail developments.
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