Vancouver Is Awesome #156 - March 30, 2023

Wantapetsquirrelorraccoon?COVaddresses

apparentillegalpetbylawloophole

You'dbesurprised whichanimalsare illegaltoownas petsinVancouver

WhiletheCityof Vancouverbylawlists anumberofdomestic animalsasprohibitedfurry companions,italsonotes somespecifictypesof animalsthatareforbiddento keepaspets

Whilethebylawforbids canids(coyotes,foxes, jackals),hyenas,crocodilians, ursids(bears),felids (lions,tigers),reptiles,and venomoussnakes,afew animalsescapethelist IfbychanceaVancouver localwouldwanttobefriend apetllama,beaver,raccoon, squirrel,otter,crow,or seagull,wouldthatbe allowed?

Theanswer,accordingto theCity,isno–butwithone exception

TheCity'sManagerof AnimalServices,John Gray,tellsVI A thatthe BCWildlifeActprohibits theownershipofwildlife indigenoustotheprovince

"TheirControlledAlien SpeciesActregulatesthe ownershipofnon-native speciesinBC PertheBC WildlifeAct,allanimalson yourlist,withtheexception ofllamas,areprohibitedas pets,"explainsGray HenotesthatScheduleB ofthebylaw,whichlists

variousprohibitedanimals, wascreatedpriortoB.C.'s ControlledAlienSpecies Acttoregulateexoticpet ownershipinVancouver Whilellamasarenotlisted inSection72 whichnames domesticanimalsprohibited tokeepaspets(suchas goatsandgeese),theyare

consideredfarmanimalsand wouldberestrictedunder landuseandzoning,Gray pointsout Unfortunatelyforthose hopingtoownallamaasa petinVancouver,that'snot allowed

ByMariaDiment

PUBLISHERANDEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BobKronbauer

bobk@vancouverisawesomecom|604-439-2688

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LindsayWilliam-Ross

lindsay@vancouverisawesomecom

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AllieTurner|BrendanKergin|DanielWagner ElanaShepert|GraemeWood|JeremyHainsworth MariaDiment|MariaTallarico|MikeHowell

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AdamSkaloud|AlisonClay|BryceWickstrom DanielaBecerril|DavidChiew|EliLaycock JustinChen|MaureenLaventure

SALES+MARKETINGCOORDINATOR

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FORADVERTISINGENQUIRIESPLEASEEMAIL advertising@vancouverisawesomecom

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SENDLETTERSTOTHEEDITORTO bobk@vancouverisawesomecomor 303W5thAve,VancouverBC,V5Y1J6

Make your dream career in Canada a reality with the help of this free program’s brilliant team

Immigrant Services Society of B.C.’s program will connect you to work that makes full use of the training andexperience you worked hard for in your home country

When Monisha Mothilal first immigrated to Vancouver last May, she was unsure of what exactly she needed to do to land a job that aligned with the qualifications and professional experience she’d worked hard for back in India.

“I had no idea how the job market worked here. I didn’t know how to format my resume to Canadian standards or how to network here,” she explains. “I just didn’t have an understanding of Canadian work culture, yet.”

However, this confusing and frustrating time for Mothilal didn’t last long at all, thanks to the help of the Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSof BC) – an agency that helps immigrants and refugees settle in Canada through language, employment and career support.

Mothilal was introduced to the Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program, which connects immigrants and refugees to work that uses the

experience and credentials they received in their home country

Only two months after registering in Career Paths, Mothilal was able to complete a certification at the Institute for Performance and Learning, which was fully-funded by the program With a Canadian certification, she quickly secured a job as a talent and capability development specialist for a mining organization.

“When you come to Vancouver as an immigrant, of course, you’re motivated to look for jobs, but there are times when you feel really down because you are spending so much money to live here and you’re continually being rejected for so many jobs,” says Mothilal. “I was rejected so many times, mainly because I was overqualified, but my career strategist Yasmin kept me motivated.”

Yasmin Khan, who has been with the ISSof BC since 1997, says one of the best parts of her job is getting to see great success stories like Mothilal’s.

“Monisha was so determined and she followed through. We had several meetings, and I helped her update her resume and prepare for interviews, and she’s very

successful now,” says Khan, now a case manager for the ISSof BC’s Global Talent Loan program. “It’s very rewarding, being in the position that I am, helping people achieve their goals and land their dream job. Seeing them grow is so rewarding, and I feel so satisfied being able to help them.”

Monisha has also since become an ambassador for the Career Paths program, which she carries out by connecting other newcomers to the program and sharing her experience about the immigration and job search process.

“The ISSof BC has such a diverse team. Together, their team can probably speak close to 50 languages, which is a lot of diversity, and so you

feel this sense of belongingness there. That’s the beauty of having such a diverse team. They make you feel welcomed to Canada. They make you feel like this is your new home,” says Mothilal.

The Career Paths program has also recently expanded its eligibility criteria to include those who’ve held Permanent Resident status within the last ten years, from the previous five year requirement.

For more information about ISSofBC’s Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program, visit their website at issbc. org/ask. Or, if you are a former client of the program and are interested in becoming an ambassador, please email khristine.carino@issbc.org.

If you or someone you know is looking for a cheerleader that will help them pursue their career in Canada, visit issbc.org/ask.

ISSoBC alumni, staff and employer-partners (Translink and RBC) in attendance during a Career Paths community celebration on March 16, 2023.. Photo by Khristine Carino via ISSofBC.

Yasmin Khan. Photo via ISSofBC.

Monisha Mothilal. Photo via ISSofBC.

5thingsyou(probably)didn'tknowaboutthe

TheVancouverAquariumisn'tjust aniconicsiteinthecity,butalsoa notableinstitutionintheworldof marinebiology

AstheoldestpublicaquariuminCanada andoneofthemostpopularworldwide,it hasinfluencedboththepublic'sperception ofmarinelifeandresearchonlifebelowthe ocean'ssurface

It'salsoevolvedovertime,asideasaround

marinelifeandcaptiveanimalsevolved Whenitdisplayeditsfirstcaptiveorca,the specieswasconsideredadangerouspest. WhileMobyDoll'slifeanddeathwastragic, itwasalsoessentialinchanginghowpeople thoughtofthem(asrecentlyasthe1970s manyorcascapturedinnearbyPugetSound hadscarsfrombulletwoundsasfishermen hadbeenencouragedtoshootthemthe scarethemawayfromthehumans'catch)

Theaquariumitselfhashadacolourfuland variedhistory,andherearefivethingsthat happenedduringits67years.

1.BabyBelugawasinspiredbyanaquarium resident

TomanyCanadians,Raffiisanessential pieceoftheirchildhood,withmanyofhis songssungbykidsforthelast50years OneofhismostsuccessfulsongsisBaby

Beluga,asonginspiredbyKavna,wholived attheVancouverAquariumfordecades Raffimetherin1979(andevenapparently gotakissfromher),andayearlaterBaby Beluga(thealbumandthesong)hitrecord stores

2 Theexecutivedirectorcommittedaroyal no-noinhisexcitementtoshowtheQueen asloth

VancouverAquarium

Whenoneishostingroyalty,thereare certainrulesandguidelinesthatonemust follow Includedinthisroyalprotocolis"no pointing"

InMarch,1983,onatriptoVancouver, QueenElizabethvisitedtheaquarium,and whileexecutivedirectorMurrayNewman hadbeentoldabouttherule,hebrokeit "Whileconductingthetourheforgetsthis royalprotocolinhisexcitementtoshow heraslothinatree,"writesaquarium spokespersonToddHauptmaninanemail toVI A

3 PrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau's grandfathercuttheribbontoopenit Trudeau'sfamily'shistoryinpolitics stretchesbackfurtherthanhisfather,Pierre, beingPrimeMinisterfirst Onhismother'ssideisJamesSinclair, whowasaMetroVancouverMPfor18 yearsandMinisterofFisheriesforfive That'swhyhewasoneoftheguestsatthe openingoftheVancouverAquariumin 1956,whichhadreceivedfundingfromall levelsofgovernmentasCanada'sfirstpublic aquarium

Alsoonhandwashis7-year-olddaughter Margaret,who'dgoontomarryPierre

4 Nippy,anorthernfurseal,wasthefirst MarineMammalRescuepatient

TheMarineMammalRescue(MMR) programattheVancouverAquariumisthe onlyoneofitskindinCanada,andhasbeen runningnearlyaslongasitshost

Theprogramgotitsstartin1960,andits firstpatientwasanunusualone:Nippy,a northernfurseal Nippyhadbeencaughtby afishercaughtthelittlesealbymistakewhen outfishingforsalmon

Hewasbroughttotheaquariumandnursed backtohealth,thefirstofmanysuccess stories Nowtherescuecentregetsabout 150patientsayear,withthevastmajority makingtheirwaybacktothewild.Oddly enough,theMMRdidn'tseeanother northernfursealuntil2017

5 In1997theaquarium'scuratordiscovered anewspeciesofshrimp

Whilenewspeciesofanimalsarediscovered allthetime,what'soddaboutaquarium curatorDannyKent'sdiscoveryin1997was thathefoundashrimpthatwascompletely newtosciencethatwasbrightlycoloured andinaregularlyvisitedregion.

Thesparklingshrimp(it'sintheprawn family)--duetoitscolours--themediumsizedshrimpisfoundinthewatersofBC , thoughitsrangeandhowmanythereareis unclear

ByBrendanKergin

CITY OF VANCOUVER

Public Hearing: Thursday April 13, 2023

Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 6 pm to be convened by electronic means with in-person attendance also available in City Hall, Council Chamber, 453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC Vancouver City Council will hold a Public Hearing to consider the following matters:

1. Miscellaneous Amendments – Zoning and Development By-law and Various Other By-laws and Land Use Documents

To make miscellaneous amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law and various other by-laws and land use documents to correct errors, section and by-law references, and omissions, clarify regulations, update use terms and to align with formatting and writing standards

2. Minor Regulatory and Policy Amendments – Zoning and Development By-law, Downtown Eastside Plan, RM-8 and RM-8N Guidelines, and RM-8A and RM-8AN Guidelines

To make minor policy amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law and related land use documents to update definitions, provide more flexibility for social housing development sites and for rooftop amenity spaces, remove outdated regulations and consolidate regulations

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE APPLICATIONS, VISIT shapeyourcity ca/rezoning AND REFER TO THE REFERRAL REPORT FOR LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS OF SUBJECT PROPERTIES.

Public Hearings are to be convened by electronic means, with in-person attendance also available You may participate in the Public Hearing either by speaking by phone or in person or by submitting comments that will be distributed to the Mayor and Councillors

All spoken and written comments will be publicly accessible on the City of Vancouver’s website with your full name attached

To participate in the Public Hearing you can register to speak beginning at 8:30 am on March 31, 2023 until 5 pm on the day of the Public Hearing:

• Register to speak online by visiting: vancouver ca/your-government/speak-atcity-council-meetings.aspx and select the agenda item(s) you wish to speak to; telephone participation is encouraged as it is the most efficient way to speak to Council

• Register to speak via phone by calling 604-829-4238 and specifying which meeting date, meeting type and agenda item(s) you wish to speak to, and indicate whether you are participating by telephone or in person

• You can also register on the day of the Public Hearing, between 5:30 and 6 pm at City Hall; for more information, visit vancouver ca/publichearings

To participate by telephone, you must have access to a telephone, provide a telephone number that can be used to contact you, and provide an email address where instructions on when and how to call into the Public Hearing can be provided to you. Speakers can also call in during the Public Hearing. The telephone number and participant code are tweeted out and available on the live stream, while the meeting is in progress. For more information, visit vancouver.ca/publichearings

Send your comments to Council online at vancouver ca/public-hearing-comments by email at publichearing@vancouver ca or by mail to: City of Vancouver, City Clerk’s Office, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, Vancouver BC, V5Y 1V4. Get live updates on the meeting at vancouver.ca/speaker-wait-times or follow Twitter @VanCityClerk Watch the meeting live at vancouver ca/council-video

Copies of the draft by-laws will be made available for in-person viewing from 8:30 am to 5 pm on weekdays at the City Clerk’s Office on the Third Floor of City Hall from Friday, March 31, 2023 until the Public Hearing commences, and for viewing at all times on the meeting agenda starting March 31, 2023 at 1 pm.

See the agenda on the City’s website at vancouver.ca/councilmeetings

Minutes of the Public Hearing will also be available at this location approximately two business days after a meeting. Details of all Council meetings can be found at covapp.vancouver.ca/councilMeetingPublic

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HEARINGS, INCLUDING SUBMITTING COMMENTS AND REGISTERING TO SPEAK: vancouver.ca/publichearings

AwesomeInstagramPhotooftheWeek

ThisshotofabroodingLionsGate bridgewastakenandsharedbyan artistnamedNickwhogoesbythe handleof@nick vancity Forachancetohaveyourphotofeatured hereandonourInstagramaccount,tag

yourInstagramphotoswiththehashtag #vancouverisawesome Tokeepupwitheverythinghappeningin yourcity(andformoregreatphotographs!) followusat@viawesome

signpokesfunatitsclosure

TheNewGen CollectiveonRobson

StreetinVancouverwastemporarily closedlastweekforaveryunusual reason.Would-becustomersand passersbyatthestoreweretoldwhat happenedinahumorousnotetapedtothe door

"ClosedforthedaybecauseIelectrocuted myselfabit,"readsthesignwrittenbyowner KellyGoebel

"Don'twanttodoittoanyoneelse,"thesign continues "ImeansurprisinglyI'mnotdead Ijustwanttogorun[really]fastforawhile ThenI'llfixit."

Goebelsaysshewasrearrangingfurniture inthestorelikeshealwaysdoesinthe morningswhennooneisaroundwhenshe wasshocked

"Iwasmovingagiantmetalrack,withallthe clothesstillonit,"shetellsVI A inanemail "Isawasparkandfeltaprickofpainonmy ankle Ilookeddownandtherewasalive wirestickingoutofthewall"

Shesaysshehaselectrocutedherselfbefore andthat"thiswasnothing"soshekeptgoing thinkingthatshewouldfixitlaterwhenthe hardwarestoreopened

"Iwastryingtobefast,"sherecalls,"Butthen myheartgotabitfaster,andabitfaster,and alotfaster,andeventhoughIwasntstressed oranxiousoranything,Ijustcouldn’tthink andIjustfeltlikeIneededtoburnoffsome majorenergy"

Goebelisfineandsaysthatrunningactually didhelp

"Iwassozippy IfeltlikeIcouldgoallday" Eventually,Goebelsayswhenshegothome herheartrateslowed,herfacebecameless red,andshetookanapbeforeheadingtothe hardwarestore.

TheNextGen.openedupagainthenextday afterGoebelsaysshecheckedthestorefor otherpossiblelivewiresbeforelettingpeople backin,includingemployees "Noaccidents willbehappeningtoanyoneotherthanme onmywatch,"shejokes

ByAllieTurner

HomeoftheLiquorControl BoardWarehousebackin theday,nowit'sapricey privateschool.

JohnBentleyis anarchitectural photographerwhohas photographedtheinside andoutsideofthousands ofbuildingsaround Vancouver Usingimages fromtheVancouver Archivesheoffersa glimpseofthepast andpresentonhissite VancouverNow&Then

WhatwasthisBCFerries vesseldoinginBurrardInlet?

No,it’snotthedirect-to-PortMoody ferryroutethatweveallbeen waitingfor

Itsalsonotthe“sailofshame”after anightofboatsgettingbusy,assuggested bySteveBurgess,whosnappedacouple beautifulphotosofthesmallBCFerriescraft leavingBurrardInletearlylastweek

ItwastheMalaspinaSkyheadingfrom SeaspanNorthVancouvertoDeasDockin Richmond,BCFerriesspokespersonDaniel McIntoshexplainedinanemail

“SheisinrefituntilMarch31andwillreturn toserviceonRoute7(EarlsCove–Saltery

Bay)onApril1,”hesaid

Refitsareroutinemaintenancedone periodicallytodealwithanyrust,wearand tear,andrepairsneededtomaximizethe lifespanofavessel,headded BurgesssaidhelikestogotoAmblesidePark inWestVancouvertotakephotos “IliveintheWestEndbutsometimesIride mybikeoverthebridge,seewhatsonspecial attheLoblaw’sCityMarketinParkRoyal, andgoonaphotosafariatAmbleside, he said.“Lowtideisalwaysbest.”

ByNickLaba

Youcanwatch40StanleyParkheronnestsliveonline

Springhasofficiallysprunginthecityandoneofits best-lovedlivestreamsisbackforthepublic'sviewing pleasure

TheStanleyParkHeronCamoffersa24/7window intothisremarkablespeciesastheybuildtheirnests,find mates,laytheireggs,andreartheiradorablehatchlings Viewerscanaccessabirds-eyeviewofthe40nestsandeven takecontrolofthecamerabyzoominginonmultiplenests, usingdifferentangles UserscanviewthecolonyfromMarch untiltheendofthesummerbreedingseason.

Thereare64PacificBlueHeronsinthecolonythatnests aboveParkLane,whichsurroundsthetenniscourts Last year,thecolonyraisedroughly90newchicks,"overcoming persistenteagleraidsandalatenestingseason,duetomore severewinterweather,"accordingtotheVancouverBoardof ParksandRecreation

"Throughoutthesechallenges,thisheroncolonyhasproven tobeaboveallelse,resilient With80percentofBritish Columbiasgreatblueheronpopulationfoundinand aroundtheFraserRiver,theproductivityofthisheronry hassignificantimplicationsfortheviabilityofthewhole subspecies "

TheheronswerefirstdocumentedinStanleyParkin1921and

Join our Foster Caregiver Community!

There are children and youth in your community who need temporary, nurturing homes.

We have an urgent need for foster caregivers who are:

• First Nations, Metis, Inuit

• Interested in providing care for sibling groups

• Passionate about engaging and caring for youth

Interested in supporting children and youth who identify as LGBTQ2S+

• Skilled in caring for children and youth with complex support needs

• Interested in providing weekend respite care for children and youth

To learn more about becoming a foster caregiver visit FosterNow.ca

thecolonchanged itsnestinglocation severaltimesbefore settlinginits currentlocationin

2001

Listedasa"species ofconcern,"the GreatBlueHeron populationhas experienceda steadydeclinesince the1890sdueto

"nestingfailure,eagleattacks,humandisturbance,andhabitat loss "Unlikeotherheronspecies,theydonotmigrate Therearearound4,000to5,000nestingadultGreatBlue

HeronsinCanada,withthemajoritylivingaroundtheSalish Sea

Toensureheronsaregivenspacetonestandraisetheiryoung peacefully,betweenmid-Marchtomid-July,visitorsshould:

•Observeheronsfromoutsideoffencedareas

•Avoidmakingloudnoisesorplayingamplifiedmusicwithin 30mofthecolony

•Keepdogson-leash

•Refrainfromflyingdrones Dronesarenotallowedinparks withoutapermit,andshouldstrictlynotbeflownaround nestingbirds

YoucanaccesstheHeronCamonlineby scanningtheQRcodehere

ByElanaShepert

AYRES, Nancy Denise

Nancy Denise Ayres passed away peacefuly with family by her side on February 14th, 2023 after a ong ilness Nancy was born on May 12th, 1950 in North Batteford, Saskatchewan, to Ken and Ruth Brousseau She moved to Cagary where she competed elementary school and hgh school Folowng high school, she competed a certficate n Key Punching Nancy worked at Philps Oi Company and Petro Canada in Alberta, and moved to B C in 1973 to work at Chevron Oi Co In ths year she met the ove of her life, Gordon Thomas Ayres and they were marred on November 19th, 1973

Nancy is survived by her loving husband, Gordon, daughter and son-in-aw Sally and Pau Martin of Squamish, sister-in-law, Gwen Reese (Gordon s sister) of South Surrey two grandkids Ella and Haley Martn and niece, Meody Lynn Hirsch (Jeremy) Nancy was predeceased by her parents, her brother Jim Brousseau, and brother-in-law Bl Ayres

Nancy was a ovng wife, mother, wonderfu grandma and good friend She wl be greaty mssed by al her famly and friends

A Ceebration of Life for Nancy wil be hed on May 13, 2023 at 751 Sitka Square, Vancouver, BC In ieu of flowers, donatons may be made to the Parknson’s Society of B C and the B C Cancer Foundaton

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How living in a neighbourhood you love improves your wellbeing

Did you know that your community can have a significant impact on your quality of life?

Studies have shown that the area in which you live affects both your mental and physical health in many ways People living in neighbourhoods with access to the natural environment have higher levels of life satisfaction than individuals in locations with less access.

Just think back to when you chose your current home – whether it was the home in which you raised your family or the sanctuary you enjoyed in your later years – you probably considered the neighbourhood as a key factor in your decision

For young families, proximity to schools, parks, recreational facilities and grocery stores is evidently important For older adults, many of the same considerations apply, along with other important features such as easy accessibility to medical services, proximity to walking paths, shopping and restaurants.

Many reasons to live in a ‘Hood’ you love

Living in a community you love as you age is important for many reasons It could be that you have friends and family close by – or neighbours you’ve literally grown older with Your relationships with doctors, pharmacists and even your favourite local haunts are important factors in establishing a healthy lifestyle that includes social activity and wellness

If you’ve decided to move to an invigorating new location perhaps closer to your adult children ensure your new location enhances your lifestyle Your neighbourhood and its proximity to all the things that make your life better should be a front-running factor in your decision And, if you’re exploring a move to a senior-oriented residence, your choices today couldn’t be better

The good news is you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your ideal location, whether it’s in your current area or close to your heart’s desires, Including things like nature trails, ocean seawall walks, urban shopping or simply a calm neighbourhood setting

Your local independent living residences

If you love your neighbourhood, consider the opportunity to live somewhere you’d love just as much, close to all that you hold dear

PARC understands how important the right location is for a thriving senior lifestyle That’s

why the team has built stunning residences in prime locations you don’t have to worry about leaving your favourite things behind With two locations in North Vancouver, one in West Vancouver, one in Burnaby and another in White Rock, plus two new locations coming soon in Coquitlam and Kelowna, PARC has many of the fantastic neighbourhoods across B C covered The large condo-style homes offer stunning views of mountains or water, along with easy access to all the amenities and services you need, including shopping and grocery stores, medical services, local eateries, community centres and churches, plus friendly high-walkscores and social connections right at your doorstep

PARC’s plentiful active living program also make it easy to socialize and create friendships, and its many driving services get you around if you need to go further If you prefer quiet time in nature, all the communities have that covered too, with natural gardens and roof decks, and walking paths always close at hand

Now is a great time to consider renting in a neighbourhood you love. Learn more about PARC at www parcliving ca/residences

parcliving ca

Westerleigh PARC | Photo via Colleen Burke Photography

Cathy and her dog Daisy Mae, Cedar Springs PARC | Photo: Stu Ross