Author: Daniel Fontaine

🎙️ Canada Day Edition: For the Record – Hot Topics in New West

In this special Canada Day edition of For the Record, Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas dive into the biggest issues stirring conversation in New Westminster right now—affecting residents, local businesses, and city hall.

🚨 Supervised Drug Site Sparks Heated Debate

The proposed extension of a temporary permit for the downtown supervised drug consumption site has ignited a much livelier debate than when it was first approved back in March 2021. Why the shift in tone—and what does it signal for future decisions?

💸 Mayors Making Nearly $400K?

Some Metro Vancouver mayors are pulling in eye-popping salaries. Burnaby’s Mike Hurley and Richmond’s Malcolm Brodie top the list—earning almost $400,000 a year. Should mayoral salaries be capped at the same level as a B.C. Cabinet minister? We weigh the options, including recommendations from a recent Deloitte governance review.

🌡️ Too Hot to Learn? AC in Portables Under Review

City council is now asking its legal department to explore whether a new bylaw could require local schools to install air conditioning in portables. With students and teachers sweating through heat waves, is this a step toward cooler classrooms—or government overreach?

💡 Heritage Lamp Standards: Saved, Then Scrapped?

Just when it looked like the historic Massey Victory Heights lamp posts may have been saved, a motion from the Mayor sent the plan in a surprising new direction. Why the reversal—and what happens next?

🚲 Bike Lane Battle in the West End

Dozens of residents filled city hall in white t-shirts to oppose a proposed bike lane on London Street. Their concern? Lack of consultation and limited design options. A motion from Coun. Minhas could pause the project—will it succeed?

🇨🇦 Thank You, Coun. Minhas? A Cooler Canada Day Ahead

With temperatures expected to reach 28°C, New West residents are thanking Paul Minhas for helping move this year’s Canada Day festivities from sun-scorched Pier Park to the shady canopy of Queen’s Park. Will this become the new tradition?

🎧 All this—and more—on this week’s Canada Day episode of For the Record.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon. If you enjoy the show, share it with your friends and family—and help spread the word!

Powered by RedCircle

 

In episode 85 of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas, a number of topical issues are discussed again this week. The focus right off the top is London Street and a significant number of local residents who are choked with what city hall has planned for their neighbourhood. They’ve been given a couple of options to consider regarding future bike lane improvements on their street and neither seem to be catching on. It’s led some residents to ask “why was there not a ‘none of the above’ option?”

Next up is a focus on ‘quiet zones’. They are quite common in the USA, but may be coming to New West if a motion is adopted next week at council. The motion speaks to how and where a ‘quiet zone’ could be officially designated by the city and how it may help to speed up whistle cessation efforts in the Royal City.

Do you own a business in Uptown or Downtown? Do you know how much you are paying in annual fees to your local business improvement area association? The self-imposed fees are collected by the city and passed along to the BIA to pay for their annual operations. A number of business owners have asked if there can be more transparency regarding exactly how much each business owner is paying and what they are getting in return. A motion is calling for more transparency when it comes to letting business owners know exactly what they are obliged to pay each year.

When is a lamp standard considered as heritage? That’s what the residents of Massey Victory Heights were asking when they demanded the city put a halt to removing all their lamp standards without consulting with them first. The 50+ year old lamp standards have helped to provide the unique look of Massey Victory Heights which is filled with mid-century modern homes. A report to council next week was music to the ears of local residents when they learned the project may be temporarily shelved and the construction contract cancelled.

The drug injection site near the SkyTrain station has applied for another temporary 18 month extension to their existing 3-year temporary permit. But this time, thanks to a NWP motion, the permit will only be issued if there is a Good Neighbour Agreement in place. The entire draft agreement was made public this week and it talks about something called peer-driven security and a renewed focus on keeping the area adjacent to the injection site clean and free of public disorder. But will it all work?

All this and more on the podcast. If you enjoyed it, be sure to tell your friends and family to follow it on Apple Podcasts, Amazon or Spotify.

Powered by RedCircle

 

For the Record continues to get record downloads as the popular podcast probes into New West issues that are making national headlines this week!

That’s right, the National Post, City News, CKNW and a range of high profile social media platforms were covering the controversy regarding the removal of New West’s crown logo. Out with the crown, in with the tugboat. So far, the public reaction has been decidedly negative, but Community First doesn’t appear willing to back down. In fact, they’re doubling down!

Listen to a province-wide interview Mike Smyth featured which focused on the logo controversy. Callers to the show had a few pointed comments to make about the Royal City’s mayor and his commitment to dump the crown. You’re out of order!!

Next up is an exclusive interview with School District #40 Trustee Kathleen Carlsen. She speaks about her recent advocacy to raise the plight of New Westminster students and teachers forced to learn in overheating portables. Carlsen was featured on CTV, Global and City News this week. Her opinion piece co-authored with Trustee Danielle Connelly was prominently featured in the Vancouver Sun.

We also share an excerpt of an interview Trustee Connelly did with AM 730 host Jill Bennett. She too is speaking about concerns regarding a lack of school capacity and the impacts it’s having on students, teachers and their parents.

It’s official! Now that Council has passed a motion introduced by Coun. Paul Minhas, the month of April will forevermore be designated as Sikh Heritage Month. Minhas speaks about what motivated him to initiate the motion and what it means to the local Sikh community in New West.

The podcast wraps up with a tribute to King Charles who recently delivered the Speech from the Throne at the invitation of Prime Minister Carney. If you enjoy the podcast be sure to encourage your friends and family to listen every week and to follow us!

FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

Powered by RedCircle