Year in Review, part 2
The spring of 2023 brought us stories of courage, cruelty and kindness.
It was also a time when we waded into ornithological controversy after a birder suggested the rufous hummingbird should replace the Steller’s jay as B.C.’s official bird.
Naturally, this suggestion was preposterous as the rufous looks like a penny and makes a whining sound like a child who’s just been told to switch off his Nintendo.
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The Steller’s jay, on the other hand, loves camping and does such a great imitation of a red-tailed hawk he could have his own Netflix comedy special.
(Also, with all due respect to Chaka Khan’s former band, is anyone going to pretend Rufous is as good a name as Steller? It’s literally a stellar name.)
Besides being as handsome as a forest at first light, the Steller’s jay flies in an orderly single-file line and becomes quiet and secretive while nesting. Total class act.
The rufous gets loud and flies a steep U to demonstrate courtship which, frankly, is as bad as those numbskull drivers who smoke their tires and pull a U-turn to impress girls on the sidewalk.
The Steller’s jay for you, for me, for all of B.C.
Now, the stories.
‘Lucky’ firefighter awarded Port Moody Medal of Merit after suffering burns in blast
Despite suffering second and third-degree burns to 41 percent of his body, Vancouver firefighter Lt. Massimo Cerantola describes himself as a lucky man.
The 19-veteran was recognized by the City of Port Moody, receiving the Medal of Merit from Mayor Meghan Lahti at the Port Moody fire hall.
Cerantola said he was honoured, but is resistant to the word hero, which he referred to as the “H-word.”
“I did nothing that 95 percent of firefighters or first responders wouldn’t have done,” Cerantola said. “As lousy as the incident was, I’m a very lucky guy, extremely lucky.”
‘We think it can be done’ Despite setbacks, stewards still working to bring salmon back to Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River used to be so thick with salmon, elders say it was tough to navigate canoes.
Then came the dam. And the salmon run that inspired the Kwikwetlem First Nation’s name — Red Fish Up River — dried up.
For decades, environmental stewards have been advocating on behalf of the fish. As the Kwikwetlem Salmon Restoration Project continues, clear gains are happening — if you know where to look.
160 affordable homes to be built at Malaspina Village following deal between province, Metro Vancouver
Approximately 2,000 affordable homes are set to be built around Metro Vancouver over the next decade, following a memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday by B.C. Housing and the regional agency.
One of the first projects out of the gate is a 160-unit rental development at Malaspina Village on 1144 Inlet Street in Coquitlam.
The project is slated to consist of two buildings on the site’s north side with units geared toward low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, according to Metro Vancouver media relations officer Jennifer Saltman.
The project is set to be finished in 2028.
Transportation Safety Board probing train derailment which crashed car loaded with hydrochloric acid in Port Coquitlam yard
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is investigating a trail derailment in Port Coquitlam which caused a car loaded with hydrochloric acid to leave the tracks.
The incident occurred on April 12, just after 3 a.m. at the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) yard. Company was handling an assignment of 15 cars, when five cars derailed on their sides.
“There were no injuries, no dangerous goods release reported, and no evacuation,” according to a press release from TSB.
Coquitlam nurse leaves profession after ‘life-threatening medication error,’ misleading statements
Following a medical mistake that almost led to a patient’s death as well as an attempt to coverup the error, a Coquitlam man relinquished his registration as a licensed practical nurse, according to a recently published notice by the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives.
While working as a licensed practical nurse on Nov. 15, 2021, Catalin Ghilinta made a mistake that led to his patient suffering a methadone overdose.
A colleague eventually saved the patient’s life. However, Ghilinta didn’t acknowledge the patient’s overdose, “and did not provide emergent intervention” to the patient.
Multiple arrests made in connection with Port Moody kidnapping; victim rescued
Several suspects have been arrested following what one witness described as the “horrifying sight” of a man being hauled into a van near Brewers Row on Wednesday morning.
According to reporting from Global News, the victim had just left Innovative Fitness on Murray Street when assailants pulled him into the van.
A van started taking off with one of its doors open, according to Dave Cowieson, who posted about the incident on TikTok.
After hearing witnesses yelling that a kidnapping was in progress, Cowieson says he used his vehicle to block the van’s path.
“As soon as I did, he drove up on the grass and took off,” Cowieson said.
The male hostage, a man in his 40s, was rescued in the Mission area, according to a release from Port Moody police. Several arrests were also made in the area, following a response from multiple police agencies.
Five suspects are facing multiple charges in connection with the kidnapping, according to information released by the Port Moody Police Department.
The incident drained Port Moody Police Department’s major incident reserve.
Coquitlam resident loses $10,000 in crypto scam
A scammer who pretended to be calling from the fraud department of a credit card company recently duped a Coquitlam resident out of $10,000, according to information released by Coquitlam RCMP.
The victim was told to withdraw the money from their bank account to “prevent further unauthorized transactions,” according to Coquitlam RCMP.
Once the money was out, the victim was instructed to convert the cash into Bitcoin and transfer if into the fraudster’s account. This was all ostensibly intended to help the investigation.
Port Coquitlam mayor says B.C. Housing should be ’embarrassed’ after council orders demolition on property owned by agency
Port Coquitlam council had sharp words for B.C, Housing on Tuesday, after they unanimously voted for the demolition of a dilapidated house sitting on a property owned by the provincial agency.
The vacant building located at 2365 Kelly Ave. has been a frequent problem for RCMP, municipal fire rescue, and bylaw services.
Mayor Brad West said it was an important message to send, calling the situation: “embarrassing on many levels.”
Maillardville’s enigma: A look at the life and time of Father Maillard
In A.J. Boire’s in-depth history of Maillardville, Boire paints a vivid pictures of the village, its workers, and culture.
The town’s namesake, however, remains in shadow.
“Father Maillard himself remains something of an enigma,” Boire wrote. “Very little information remains to reveal the man, the extent of his impact on the fledgling community or his very sudden removal as parish priest after so short a stay.”
Maillard’s name recently came up during a discussion about provincial election ridings.
While Port Moody-Coquitlam MP described Maillardville as the “heart of south Coquitlam,” Zarrillo opposed perpetuating the Maillard name.
“Father Maillard was an oblate, he is the founding father of Maillardville but to perpetuate this name and to elevate this name in a new riding in 2023 when he was also a principal of a residential school in northern B.C., seems unconscionable,” Zarrillo said.
Former treasurer charged with fraud over Coquitlam Little League’s missing $150,000
Coquitlam resident Terri Michael has been charged with fraud and theft in connection with $150,000 missing from the Coquitlam Little League’s bank account, according to a release from Coquitlam RCMP.
Michael, 65, worked as the league’s treasurer from September 2014 to August 2020, according to police.
The league filed a fraud report with Coquitlam RCMP in August 2020, stating that $150,000 was missing from their account.
On Wednesday, Michael was charged with one count of fraud and one count of theft.
Stolen stained glass window returned to Buntzen trail
The stain seems to be permanent after all.
A little more than two weeks after a stained glass window was ripped from Polytrichum Lookout at Buntzen Lake, the window was recently returned.
“I was going up to work on something else and it was there,” said Fred Bardle, who restored and installed the piece. “It was leaning against the tree.”
For at least 15 years, Bardle has been salvaging and repairing stained glass, sometimes installing his work on the trail.
Plaque unveiled at Mossom Creek hatchery celebrating historic gold accessibility certification
Port Moody’s Mossom Creek Hatchery was honoured Tuesday for its commitment toward greater accessibility.
The hatchery is the first in the country to receive a gold certification from the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), receiving a score of 84 out of 100.
A dedication plaque was unveiled at the hatchery by Rick Hansen and Mayor Meghan Lahti.
Lahti said it’s a priority for council to address concerns related to accessibility, disability and inclusion within the community.
Port Moody among first cohort of cities to have housing quotas set by province
Housing quotas are coming to Port Moody.
The city was named among the first group of 10 municipalities that will have housing targets set by the province.
Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon said the targets authorized under the new Housing Supply Act will cut red tape and get homes built faster.
“The housing crisis is hurting people and holding back our economy,” Kahlon said. “Our government is eager to work with this first cohort of municipalities to get shovels in the ground faster.”
Later in the year, Mayor Meghan Lahti voiced concern about the province’s role in municipal housing, predicting there would be: “some bumps in the road.”
Eagle Ridge Hospital physicians pen letter to community, warning hospital is at ‘breaking point’
Despite a $37.5 million expansion to Eagle Ridge Hospital’s (ERH) emergency department, much of the new space is frequently shuttered. There’s simply not enough staff to operate.
On May 24, a group of physicians from ERH and Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) penned an open letter addressed to the community, stating they are at a “breaking point.”
Over the past 18 months, there have been shifts at ERH where physicians have become “incredibly concerned” for the safety of patients, according to one physician, speaking on behalf of the group.
“Eagle Ridge hospital is the main concern,” they said. “We’ve been on the brink of closure a couple of times.”
Commissioner to be cross-examined as Metro Vancouver data breach case continues
A case involving low-tech espionage, a North Vancouver wastewater treatment plant and the mayor of Coquitlam took a small step forward recently as a B.C. Supreme Court justice approved the cross-examination of a Metro Vancouver commissioner.
International company Acciona Wastewater Solutions applied for an order requiring Metro Vancouver Commissioner Jerry Dobrovolny to be cross-examined before a court reporter regarding a 2022 data breach.
The cross-examination would show the extent of the measures taken by Metro Vancouver to “guard the secrecy of the information,” as well as “the ease or difficulty” that information could be acquired by others, according to Acciona.
Drones to provide air support for Port Coquitlam fire department
It’s a drone deal.
Following a $30,000 grant from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Port Coquitlam firefighters can now get a bird’s eye view of fires with two new thermal imaging drones.
Previously, the department could only assess fires and other emergencies based on reports from first responders at the scene.
The drones are meant to provide the department with “fast and efficient reconnaissance” instead of putting crews into potentially hazardous situations, explained assistant fire chief Walt Warner earlier this spring.
“It’s way safer for us and quicker for us,” he said when discussing the grant application with city council in March. “The days of putting firefighters on roofs, which you know is extremely dangerous, is almost coming to an end.”
Suncor Energy accidentally released of 700 kilograms of propane at Port Moody terminal, prompting compliance letter
Suncor Energy’s terminal in Port Moody has been issued an advisory by the province after 700 kilograms of propane was released into the environment.
The oil company’s upper Burrard Terminal is located in the Glenayre neighbourhood and used as a product distribution facility.
On Dec. 15, 2022, human error led to the release of the propane, but the company did not report the incident until Jan. 24.
Bear shot near Minnekhada; conservation officers investigating
A trespasser with a crossbow allegedly shot a black bear on a blueberry farm next to Minnekhada Regional Park on Wednesday evening, according to information provided by B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
Both conservation officers and Coquitlam RCMP attended the scene at approximately 8:30 p.m. after getting reports of trespassers, one of whom had a crossbow.
Conservation officers confirmed the bear was shot. As of Thursday afternoon, officers had not found the animal despite using a drone to aid in the search.
Sikh temple president murdered; investigators examine possible Coquitlam connection
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh leader, was shot and killed outside a temple in Surrey on Sunday evening, according to a release from RCMP’s homicide division.
Nijjar was 45.
According to a report from CBC, investigators are attempting to determine if a vehicle fire reported in Coquitlam that evening is connected to the murder.
“We understand there is a lot of speculation regarding the motive of this homicide, but we are dedicated to learning the facts and letting the evidence lead our investigation,” stated Sgt. Timothy Pierotti with RCMP’s homicide division in a press release.
Nijjar’s lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said that CSIS recently warned Nijjar about threats on his life, according to a report from Kim Bolan of the Vancouver Sun.
Rents unaffordable for 40 percent of Coquitlam renters: report
More than 4,000 Tri-Cities renters spent at least half their paycheque to cover rent and utilities in 2021, according to a new report from the Canadian Rental Housing Index.
Paying less than 30 percent of your income on rent is considered affordable. Spending 50 percent or more is considered severely unaffordable, or a crisis-level amount.
Approximately 19 percent of Coquitlam renters – 3,300 households – spend more than half their income on rent and utilities in 2021.
‘Lipstick on a pig’: Port Moody council postpones Kyle Centre renovations indefinitely
The future of Kyle Centre is in doubt. The long-awaited repair and renovation has been postponed indefinitely.
City council voted 6-1 to cancel the $2.9 million project on Tuesday, opting to wait for a long-term plan to replace Port Moody’s second largest recreation facility.
The scope of the project has been downgraded to only making basic repairs needed for short-term use.
‘We’re gonna put our love into this,’ Spirit of Kwikwetlem unveiled at house post blessing ceremony
Spirit of Kwikwetlem will soon tower over the Port Moody Inlet, its surface layered in symbolism recounting the trauma and perseverance lived by the Kwikwetlem peoples.
Well over a thousand people attended the house post blessing ceremony at Rocky Point Park on National Indigenous People’s Day, June 21.
“You all live in a jewel. It’s a jewel, and it came by way of a violent struggle,” said Brandon Gabriel, one of the lead carvers of Kwikwetlem’s post, to the crowd. “Do not forget that story.”
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