Urban Vancouver

B.C. Ferries is advising the public that the Queen of Oak Bay had to cancel four sailings because of a mechanical problem.

The cancelled sailings include: the 3 and 7 p.m. departing Horseshoe Bay, and 5 and 9 p.m. departing Departure Bay.

Customers with reservations on the cancelled sailings will be accommodated on the next sailing, and are advised to check in at the terminals prior to their original reservation time. Customers with reservation for the 9 p.m. sailing from Departure Bay can be accommodated on the 7 p.m. sailing or may wish to travel via Duke Point.

In addition, Transport Canada will be conducting a mandatory safety drill tomorrow, Dec. 4, abourd the Queen of Cowichan, and the 3 p.m. sailing from Departure Bay may be delayed as a result.

Mounties investigating a series of three blasts along a stretch of natural-gas pipeline near Dawson Creek, B.C., will hold a news conference Wednesday.

Peace River RCMP say they plan to give an update on the investigation and will be releasing "new information and surveillance photographs" from the blast locations.

Pipeline owner EnCana will also have an official at the press conference.

Police said no information would be released in advance.

A recovery mission is underway to pull a vehicle out of the Fraser River near Fort Langley.

According to TransLink spokesman Drew Snider, the vehicle drove off a dock owned by the federal Fisheries and Oceans Canada department. The dock is adjacent to the Albion ferry terminal.

Ferry service between Fort Langley and Maple Ridge has been temporarily suspended and for a short time the two ferries were taking part in the rescue.

Traffic is being re-routed away from the area.

Updates to come

Highway 16, the main highway between Prince Rupert and Prince George, is closed in both directions due to a rock slide.

The slide occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. 40 kilometres west of the junction with Highway 37 — northeast of Terrace.

B.C. Ferries says the Queen of Nanaimo, which runs between Tsawwassen and the southern Gulf Islands, which discontinued service this morning, will be back on track for the 3:50 p.m. (scheduled for 3:25 p.m.) sailing from Long Harbour.

Until then, customers will have to travel to the Gulf Islands via Swartz Bay.

For schedule information, call 1-888-BC FERRY (1-888-223-3779) or visit www.bcferries.com and go to the Vessel Tracking page

A gas leak near a Langley elementary school forced staff and students to evacuate Tuesday.

At approximatley 1:30 p.m., Langley RCMP were called by the fire department after a report of a gas leak in the 5400-block 206th Street. 

Construction machinery appears to have severed a gas line, and nearby Douglas Park Elementary School and an apartment building to the south were evacuated.

The gas line has been disconnected and those displaced were expected to return to their buildings shortly after 2 p.m.

Impressive video here, as a group in the Netherlands set a new world record for domino-toppling on Friday, with more than 4.3 million:

All three of Vancouver’s referendum questions passed with a large proportion of the vote.

1. PUBLIC WORKS
This question seeks authority to borrow funds to be used in carrying out the basic capital works program with respect to Public Works.
ARE YOU IN FAVOUR OF COUNCIL HAVING THE AUTHORITY, WITHOUT FURTHER APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORS, TO PASS BY-LAWS BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2009 AND DECEMBER 31, 2011 TO BORROW AN AGGREGATE $93,820,000 FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES?
A. Street and Bridge Infrastructure To provide for major maintenance and reconstruction of the arterial and residential street and lane networks, and to undertake major maintenance of bridges and other structures: $66,607,000
B. Transit and Safety Improvements To provide for strategic modifications to the arterial and neighbourhood transportation network, and to expand the system of greenways and cycle routes: $12,553,000
C. Street Lighting, Traffic Signal, and Communications Systems To provide for major maintenance, reconstruction, and expansion of the street lighting, traffic signal, and communications systems: $14,660,000
Total: $93,820,000
If this question receives the assent of the electors, Council has the power, without further assent of the electors, to pass by-laws, as and when Council considers appropriate, to borrow money for the projects described up to $93,820,000.    

Yes: 78,506
No: 28,024

2. PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIC FACILITIES
This question seeks authority to borrow funds to be used in carrying out the basic capital works program with respect to Public Safety and Civic Facilities.
ARE YOU IN FAVOUR OF COUNCIL HAVING THE AUTHORITY, WITHOUT FURTHER APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORS, TO PASS BY-LAWS BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2009 AND DECEMBER 31, 2011 TO BORROW AN AGGREGATE $68,605,000 FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES?
A. Public Safety To provide for maintenance, upgrading, or replacement of aging facilities and supporting infrastructure of the Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services that are beyond economical repair or no longer meet operational needs: $31,965,000
B. Civic Facilities To provide for major maintenance or upgrading of public service, social, and cultural facilities that are beyond economical repair or no longer meet operational needs: $32,490,000
C. Library To provide major maintenance at the central and branch libraries, and to complete tenant improvements and outfitting of the new branch library at the Hillcrest Centre: $4,150,000
Total: $68,605,000
If this question receives the assent of the electors, Council has the power, without further assent of the electors, to pass by-laws, as and when Council considers appropriate, to borrow money for the projects described up to $68,605,000.    

Yes: 79,429
No: 26,679

3. PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES
This question seeks authority to borrow funds to be used in carrying out the basic capital works program with respect to Parks and Recreation.
ARE YOU IN FAVOUR OF COUNCIL HAVING THE AUTHORITY, WITHOUT FURTHER APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORS, TO PASS BY-LAWS BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2009 AND DECEMBER 31, 2011 TO BORROW AN AGGREGATE $59,575,000 FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES?
A. Recreation Facilities To provide for major maintenance, upgrading, expansion, and replacement of community centres, ice rinks, swimming pools, field houses, and other parks and recreation facilities, including completion of the Hillcrest Centre, replacement of Trout Lake Community Centre, and upgrading of buildings at VanDusen Botanical Garden: $52,247,000
B. Parks To provide for repairing, upgrading, development, and enhancement of parks and facilities within parks, such as walking and cycling paths, children’s playgrounds, sport fields, sport courts, and the seawall, including projects in Stanley Park, Hillcrest/Riley Parks and Grandview Park: $7,328,000
Total: $59,575,000
If this question receives the assent of the electors, Council has the power, without further assent of the electors, to pass by-laws, as and when Council considers appropriate, to borrow money for the projects described up to $59,575,000.

Yes: 77,259
No: 29,366

— Katie Mercer, Staff Reporter

Re-elected Coquitlam city councillor Lou Sekora pulled no punches Saturday night after hearing Maxine Wilson failed in her bid for a second term as mayor.

Wilson was soundly beaten by Richard Stewart, a former councillor and MLA.

"It was horrendous having her as mayor," said Sekora. "She created a hostile situation in council. She's gone and I'm glad she's gone.

— John Colebourn, Staff Reporter

Not only were councillors, trustees and mayors given thumbs-up or thumbs-down in this election, so were referendums.

Here’s a look at some of the referendums which impact upcoming civic elections.

Some of the winners:

• New Westminster
Are you in favour of increasing the interval between civic election from three to four years? YES or NO The results of this question will be non-binding."
Verdict: Referendum passed

• Trail
"Are you in favour of increasing the interval between civic elections from three years to four years?"      
Verdict: Referendum passed

And some of the losers:

• Merritt
“Are you in favour of increasing the interval between general local elections from three (3) to four (4) years?”    
Verdict: Referendum failed

• Qualicum Beach    
“Are you in favour of the Town of Qualicum Beach Council increasing in size from four (4) Councillors to six (6) Councillors effective November 19. 2011?"
Verdict: Referendum failed

• Tofino district
"Are you in favour of "District of Tofino Size of Council Bylaw No. 1058, 2008", a bylaw to set the size of the Council of the District of Tofino from a Mayor and six Council members to a Mayor and four Council members, effective for the general local election in 2011?"
Verdict: Referendum failed

— Katie Mercer, staff reporter

Chilliwack has elected its first female mayor, Sharon Gaetz. Current mayor Clint Hames did not run.

New Westminster: Wayne Wright

Pitt Meadows: Don MacLean

The number of polls posted in B.C. continue to roll in, and with them, surprisingly poor numbers of residents who exercised their right to vote.

In the town of Comox, Civic Info B.C. is reporting that none of the 9,762 eligible voters made it to the voter’s booth.

Bulkley-Nechako district: 5.33%
New Westminster: 24.29%
Mission district: 24.64%
Salmon Arm: 45.28%
Valemount: 44.57%
Quesnel: 49.87%
Lytton: 56.08%
Hazelton: 69%

— Katie Mercer, Staff reporter

Joe Trasolini has been re-elected in Port Moody.

An overanxious Gregor Robertson — Vision Vancouver's mayor elect — is making his acceptance speech before Peter Ladner, his NPA opponent, has had a chance to concede. Whoops.

There are now 60 of British Columbia’s 189 communities reporting their polls and voter turnout.

The latest communities posted continue their pitiful low voter results.

It seems some races just weren’t interesting enough for eligible voters. Or maybe the Lions and the Canucks are to blame.

The most recent voter turnout numbers are:

Central Okanagan district: 9.82%
Nanaimo district: 12.09%
Saanich district: 21.01%
Coquitlam: 21.46%
Langford: 22.86%
Pitt Meadows: 23.31%
Burnaby: 23.49%
Port Coquitlam: 29.47%
Courtenay: 31.75%
Lumby: 35.85%
McBride: 37.08%
New Hazelton district: 38.11%
Sooke district: 43.71%
Osoyoos: 46.51%
Midway: 46.77%
Queen Charlotte: 51.58%
Oliver: 56.35%
Hudson's Hope district: 70.62%

— Katie Mercer, Staff Reporter

George Peary has been elected in Abbotsford. He replaces mayor George Ferguson.

(Thanks to commenters who corrected the previous post — things are fast and furious over here.)

During the campaign, incumbent Mayor Peter Fassbender asked residents to consider his track record when they went to the polls today.

Seems folks like Fassbender’s mayoral style. Fassbender won his second term as Langley City mayor as he defeated newcomer Ron Abgrall.

“They looked at my track record and my involvement in the community," said Fassbender, who also served three years on council. “I’m a full-time mayor and I work hard at it.

“I was happy with my campaign. I did a lot of door-knocking and heard the issues that matter to people and were close to my heart also. The campaign process sharpens you.”

Fassbender, who sits on the Council of Mayors for TransLink and the Fraser Health advisory board, vowed to clean up the bus depot on Logan Avenue, address homelessness, introduce better transit service and make the city debt-free in 2009.

To read more, visit our Civic Election site...

Civic Info BC is reporting posted poll results for 43 communities, and voter turnout seems to be average, in the 20 to 40 per cent range.

The most shocking turnout is in the district of Hope where none of the 4,859 eligible voters have cast a ballot.

The rest of the communities, from smallest to largest turnout, are:

Peace River district: 3.68%
Squamish-Lillooet district: 5.17%
Mount Waddington district: 13.78%
Lake Country district: 16.17%
North Vancouver district: 16.71%
North Vancouver city: 17.93%
Taylor district: 19.95%
Langley: 20.43%
Lantzville district: 21.86%
Fort St. John: 22.85%
View Royal: 23.25%
Trail: 25.52%
Esquimalt: 26.85%
Colwood: 27%
Maple Ridge district: 29.05%
Fraser Lake: 29.18%   
Port Alberni: 29.83%
Chetwynd district: 31.38%
Nanaimo: 32.46%
Penticton: 32.95%
Spallumcheen: 33.05%
Central Saanich district: 33.44%
Radium Hot Springs: 34%
Oak Bay district: 35.97%
Pouce Coupe: 36.06%
Sidney: 36.1%
Williams Lake: 36.61%
Smithers: 36.9%
Montrose: 36.96%
Merritt: 37.45%
Dawson Creek: 39.77%
Sayward: 42.92%
Tofino district: 45.04%
Port Alice: 45.34%
Summerland district: 46.67%
Lions Bay: 47.37%
Vanderhoof district: 49.44%
North Saanich district: 52.51%
Qualicum Beach: 54.89%
Osoyoos: 59.12%
Canal Flats: 67.86%
Zeballos: 80.77%

— Katie Mercer, Staff Reporter

Former Liberal MLA and city councillor Richard Stewart has grabbed the mayoralty from incumbent Maxine Wilson in Coquitlam.

In other mayoral news, Pat Hampton is mayor in Oliver and Karen Anderson has been declared mayor in Hudson's Hope.