GIRO DI BURNABY 9
B.C. Superweek is here
COMMUNITY 17
Canada Day was a blast
BUSINESS 18
BBOT CEO has a new column
FOR THE BEST LOCAL
COVERAGE GO TO PAGE 19 WEDNESDAY JULY 4, 2018
LOCAL NEWS – LOCAL MATTERS.
There’s more at Burnabynow.com
Labour council switches support to Hurley Kelvin Gawley
kgawley@burnabynow.com
The Burnaby-based New Westminster and District Labour Council has refused to endorse any incumbent Burnaby councillors. It also voted to back the rival of Mayor Derek Corrigan. Last week, the NWDLC voted to endorse mayoral candidate Mike Hurley.The move is a striking break from tradition, as the NWDLC has long supported Corrigan and the Burnaby Citizens Association. The NWDLC members did, however, endorse the BCA’s Baljinder Narang, who hopes to make the jump from school board to council in October. (All seven sitting councillors – Pietro Calendino, Dan Johnston, Sav Dhaliwal, Colleen Jordan, Paul McDonell, Nick Volkow and James Wang – plan to run for reelection. Narang is running to fill the seat left empty by now-MLA Anne Kang.) “I am grateful for the endorsement of the New Westminster & District Labour Council. It means a great deal to have their support,” said Hurley, in a news release. “The decision by the council to endorse me adds a strong and considered voice to my candidacy to become mayor of Burnaby. It also confirms much of the input and comments I have heard that say it is time for a new mayor.” Burnaby Firefighters Union president Jeff Clark said he was present for the vote, which he says was unanimous. But Corrigan told the NOW he did not seek the endorsement, despite having sought and received it in the past five elections. Corrigan said Hurley “stacked the meeting with firefighters from all over the region” in order to Continued on page 4
SPEAKING UP: From left, Sadie Morris and Pauline Morris speak at the demoviction rally held on Sussex Avenue on Sunday.
Evictions have neighbours nervous
With tenants in 64 Metrotown units kicked out, rally held to demand solutions Lauren Boothby
editorial@burnabynow.com
Housing activists and Metrotown renters held a rally on Canada Day to protest the demolition of three lowrise apartment buildings on Sussex Avenue. Thirty people heard impassioned speeches from housing activists and neighbours concerned they will also lose their homes. Some painted messages on the exterior of one of the buildings slated for demolition, and hung banners protesting Burnaby’s current housing strategy and evictions in the neighbourhood. Saturday was the deadline for
residents of 64 units to leave their homes at 6525, 6559 and 6585 Sussex Ave. before the land is redeveloped by Thind Properties Ltd.The developer plans to build a 14-storey tower with 125 nonmarket units, operated by New Vista Society and B.C. Housing, and a 47-storey mixed-use tower. Alaidjah McGlynn, who rents a one-bedroom unit on Sussex Avenue, told the NOW he’s concerned his building will be next after seeing the property change hands multiple times in the four years he’s lived there. He was previously evicted from his apartment on Silver Avenue after it was purchased and redeveloped.
McGlynn said he’s ‘disgusted’ by the redevelopment in the neighbourhod, and feels the city has abandoned the people who live there. “I’m getting the impression that my city doesn’t care about us, and where we live and where we come from. It’s all about money, and it’s all a capitalist society,” said. “When you’re going to make a new neighbourhood, you have to look after people in the old neighbourhood.You can’t just throw them to the wind.” Eko Handjatmeko, who lives on Dow Avenue, said Canada has been different than he expected when he moved here from Indo-
New Burnaby Branch Now Open Residential - Commercial - Metal Shop
2375 Alpha Ave, Burnaby | 604-299-2525 | www.ssrcedar.com
IN BURNABY
PHOTO ROB KRUYT
nesia in 2010. He loves the neighbourhood, but has already had to move when his former apartment buildings were demolished. Patricia Morenco, who lives on Telford Avenue, says the stress of potentially losing her home has been so intense she’s spent time in the hospital. “My body can’t take it anymore,” she said, adding that her life “has been destroyed.” Housing activist Dave Diewert, of Alliance Against Displacement and Stop Demovictions Burnaby, says the non-market housing units are not enough. “This is not a viable, sustainable response to the crisis,” he said.