The Vancouver-based company Lululemon is promising 26-hundred new jobs over five years. CEO Calvin McDonald says the company has secured an additional 125-thousand square feet of office space in downtown Vancouver. McDonald says he’s confident in the decision after the federal government said the company could hire foreign workers for certain highly skilled positions without needing to apply for a labour market impact assessment. Federal Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says if Ottawa hadn’t acted, the company’s headquarters may have left Vancouver.
Vancouver drivers will see some road closures this morning as a helicopter transports large signs from the Shaw Tower. The city says the 200 block of Thurlow Street and the one-thousand block of West Waterfront Road will be closed from 7 a-m until noon for work to replace Shaw signs on the tower with Rogers ones. The city says the helicopter will be making eight flights to transport the four sign pieces from the tower to a staging area in Coal Harbour. Six new sign pieces will be transported to the Shaw tower over 12 flights on June 1st.
The province’s first-of-its-kind program aimed at helping people with mild to moderate overdose-related brain injuries is getting another 1.2 million dollars. The Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation for Substance Use program out of the Richmond Hospital provides specialized supports for people who use substances including opioids and alcohol. Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says the program has already helped more than 40 people, and the new funding will be used to see if the model can be expanded to other facilities. The ministry says that by working with psychiatrists, neuropsychologists and occupational therapists, a patient can grasp their new needs and limitations, and improve their quality of life.
Eight schools and one social housing building in Richmond will be sharing 2.4 million dollars from the federal and provincial governments to improve their ventilation. Upgrades to the schools include replacing fume hoods in labs, and improvements to make-up air units, which pull in fresh air from outside the buildings. The governments say the improvements will reduce energy consumption, leading to cost savings. The money is also going to Rosewood Towers to replace make-up air unit systems, dampers, bathroom exhaust fans and new ventilation ducting throughout both towers.
Port Moody Police have created a spot outside their headquarters for residents to safely exchange items bought online. Constable Sam Zacharias says they recommend using public venues like the new exchange zone to complete transactions and limit risk. Police say the well-lit area with multiple CCTV cameras can also be used as a spot to transfer children between parents or guardians. They recommend using it on business days from 8 a-m to 7 p-m, while the department’s front counter is open.
Burnaby’s StreetFest on Central this Canada Day will be headlined by five-time Juno and Canadian Radio Music award winner LIGHTS. The festivities will also include a performance by international recording artist Shawnee Kish. A fireworks display is slated to start at 10:15 p-m. Events earlier in the day will take place at Burnaby Village Museum, and Edmonds Plaza and Park.