
Summary
Homeowners in the City of Vancouver are heading toward a 7.6% property tax hike. That’s the number pegged to a draft budget that heads to council Dec. 5. If passed as is, your overage condo owner could be coughing up an extra hundred bucks a year…single detached homeowners $263. The draft budget includes modest increases for infrastructure renewal (1%), Vancouver Police (2.8%) and a tad more for a host of other city services.
Other stories…
Meanwhile, while the City of Vancouver tells some folks You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Mayor Sim and a few of his ABC council members may be showing a little Sympathy for the Devil. Some Vancouverites have taken to social media to express disgust with members of the ruling civic holding a ceremony to light up the side of city hall with the Rolling Stones logo. It’s a tribute to the Stones announcing a concert date for Vancouver. Outraged tweeters have asked why the City would spend money on celebrating a private venture…others have questioned the politicians priorities.
In the Okanagan, crews have made progress in stabilizing a rock face that threated a couple of dozen mobile homes in Penticton. An evacuation order remains in place until the threat of a slide subsides. The City of Penticton is offering support services to those who need it during the local state of emergency.
There’s an added bonus to the clear skies that are in the forecast for the next few days. The chances of spotting some shooting stars from the Geminid meteor shower have greatly increased. The meteor shower is expected to peak around Dec 14. but will be gone by Christmas Eve.
There’s plenty of sunshine in the forecast right through until the end of the weekend. Overnight, lows will dip to around the freezing mark. Here are the latest conditions from our private weather station in Surrey.
Five top stories to know
Global News: Draft Vancouver budget proposes 7.6% property tax hike
Daily Hive: "Absolute waste of money": People are livid over Vancouver's Rolling Stones announcement
Vancouver Sun: Former Canucks draft pick Prab Rai charged with fraud
CBC: Crews begin stabilizing rock that led to 25 homes being evacuated in Penticton
Business stories to know
Globe & Mail: Bank of Canada’s Macklem says interest rates may be high enough to tame inflation
Business In Vancouver: Metro Vancouver transit ridership accelerating but below pre-pandemic level
CityNews: Langley SkyTrain extension forcing the closure of 45-year-old White Spot
Opinion
Journalism matters
Global News: ‘No foundation in any law’: ‘Sovereign citizen’ questions B.C. traffic stop
That’s cool
Vancouver Is Awesome: Here's what to expect for Whistler Blackcomb's opening day
Bonus
Globe & Mail: Former RCMP intelligence official Cameron Ortis found guilty on all counts