Wrangling Solid Waste in Metro Vancouver

While a combination of public and private service providers in our region collect garbage, recycling, organics and other solid waste, it is the Metro Vancouver Regional District that manages the overall solid waste system. The Regional District is in the process of updating its Solid Waste Management Plan, which, if adopted, will impact Langley City.

I’ve posted about the overall goals of this proposed updated plan last summer: rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. In short, it means thinking about how we design products and packaging to prevent waste in the first place and do everything we can to prevent waste from being burned at an incinerator or buried in a landfill.

To that end, the Regional District is proposing new waste-reduction targets for the next decade.

The plan’s target is to:

• Reduce per capita waste generation by 10% from 1.22 tonnes to 1.1 tonnes
• Reduce disposal per capita by 30% from 430kg to 300kg (burned or buried)
• Increase the recycling rate from 65% to 70% (material recycled into new products, including compost)
• Increase the diversion rate from 65% to 75% (includes all material recycled, plus any material used to create alternatives to fossil fuels)

Recycling and diversion rates have always been lower in our region for attached housing (townhouses and apartments) than detached housing, so one of the focus areas is to boost these rates. There is also significant waste generated during the demolition and construction of buildings, so another focus area is preventing the disposal of valuable building materials.

Our region has a strong track record of reducing waste. I’m optimistic that we will now be able to address reducing waste generation and further reducing disposal under this proposed new plan, if it is adopted.

Extending Funding for Project Black Festher: Keeping Langley Students Out of Gangs

Last fall, I wrote about Project Black Feather. The federal government funded this program through their Building Safer Communities Fund, and it is a joint program between the City, Township, and Langley School District. Project Black Feather’s mission is to reduce the likelihood of young people going down a dangerous path of gang and gun violence.

Project Black Feather, as of last fall, has worked with 400 young people in the Langley School District, with over 150 experiencing positive changes, including addiction recovery and reduction in gang-affiliated behaviour. By all accounts, it has been a success.

Funding for this program was set to expire at the end of March. In the fall, Langley City Council went on an Ottawa mission, where one of our goals was to see the extension of Project Black Feather.

The federal government has extended funding for this program, which is great news, though Council would like to see it become permanently funded. With that in mind, Council approved sending a letter to the federal government, including the Minister of Public Safety, asking for an opportunity to meet to talk about making the Building Safer Communities Fund permanent to support programs like Project Black Feather, and to help support a Canada-wide knowledge sharing network for programs like Project Black Feather.

I look forward to hearing back from the federal government.

A Closer Look at An Expanded Timms/Performing Arts Centre and Al Anderson Memorial Pool

Invest Langley City is our community’s vision for infrastructure projects, including water, sewer, transportation, parks, public safety, and recreation facilities to meet the needs of residents and businesses over the coming decades. There are two key projects that the City is seeking voter feedback on during the upcoming fall municipal election: an expanded Timms Community Centre with a Performing Arts Centre and an expanded Al Anderson Memorial Pool.

Over the coming months, the City will be doing all it can to reach out to residents and businesses in our community to provide information about the benefits and impacts, including costs, associated with these projects, and to seek community feedback in preparation for the fall municipal election. I previously posted about some upcoming in-person and online open house events.

Last week, Council received an information package about the proposed Timms Community Centre with a Performing Arts Centre and expanded Al Anderson Memorial Pool.

An expanded Al Anderson will include a new building for an indoor leisure pool, hot tub, steam room, and sauna, and will change the operation of the existing outdoor pool from seasonal to year-round. The expanded facility will cost about $71.7 million to build. If approved, including construction and ongoing operating costs, it will increase the average annual property tax for a detached home by $357 and for an attached home (townhouse/apartment) by $151.49.

An expanded Timms Community Centre with a Performing Arts Centre will include a new half-gymnasium, over a half-dozen new multi-purpose rooms, including spaces for fitness and arts programming, a new 500-seat theatre, and a smaller black box studio. The facility will also have commercial retail units fronting Fraser Highway. The expanded facility will cost about $107 million to build. If approved, including construction and ongoing operating costs, it will increase the average annual property tax for a detached home by $618.24 and for an attached home (townhouse/apartment) by $262.11.

These projects would likely need to be funded by a loan. Municipalities in BC have a maximum debt ceiling, determined by total debt service costs. The following graph shows that if both projects were built 100% with a loan, the City would still be well below its maximum debt ceiling.

Graph showing the maximum debt service limit and debt service cost for the proposed aquatics and Timms Community Centre with Art Centre expansions. Select the graph to enlarge.

My hope is that in the fall municipal election, people will feel that they have all the information they need to make an informed choice on whether they want to move forward with both, one, or none of these projects.

Council Endorses Transportation 2050, Langley City’s Transportation Plan

Last Monday, Langley City Council endorsed Transportation 2050, the long-term transportation plan for our community. Work on this plan began in 2021 and has since gone through a series of community engagements that have helped shape it.

Transportation 2050 has four main goals:

• Make transportation safer and more comfortable
• Build a transportation network that is connected and accessible for all
• Increase the proportion of trips made by walking, rolling, cycling, and transit to support the health of community members and the environment
• Work towards, and advocate for, a transportation system that is resilient and adaptive to change while being cost-effective, efficient, and forward thinking. (such as around e-scooters and sharing programs)

Transportation 2050 includes many transportation projects, some of which are priority projects. The following map shows the priority projects for Langley City.

Map of High Priority Projects. Green = Roads, Blue = Multi-Use Path, Purple = Cycling, Yellow = Sidewalk. Select the map to enlarge.

The following outlines the priority projects.

While the provincial government is responsible for the Langley Bypass (between the Surrey border and Glover Road), the City would advocate to the province to continue making safety improvements and to build a multi-use path on both sides of the highway.

Along Fraser Highway, the City would enhance all intersections to improve traffic flow, add queue jumper lanes to enhance bus speed and reliability as appropriate, and build safe cycling infrastructure. The City would install a multi-use path along Industrial Avenue and new sidewalks and cycling infrastructure on 203A to improve access to the SkyTrain. Douglas Crescent would also get safe cycling infrastructure.

The City would enhance walking, rolling, and cycling safety on sections of Grade Crescent, 50th Avenue, 53rd Avenue and 201A Street.

On 56th Avenue toward Langley Secondary School, the City would look to work with Township to build a multi-use pathway to improve student access to that high school.

Some of these high-priority projects, such as building a multi-use path on Grade Crescent and Industrial Avenue, are already funded with construction pending.

Transportation 2050 also includes details on further plans the City should develop, such as:

• Increasing support for Safe and Active Routes to School Programs to make it easier for kids to get to school without needing drop-off or pick-up
• Developing a Micromobility Strategy for personal e-transportation devices
• Developing a Slow Streets Program for neighbourhood streets
• Updating the City’s traffic calming policy

For more information, please read Transportation 2050.

March 23 Council Notes: Delegated Development Permits, Fire Safety, and Urban Containment Boundary

Earlier this month, I posted about proposed changes to enable certain development applications to be processed through Langley City staff without going through the Council approval process. Property subdivision proposals are currently being delegated to City staff, and on Monday, Council gave first, second, and third reading to approve in principle the delegation to staff for small residential projects (with 6 units or fewer), small commercial projects outside the Downtown, and development variance permits. Most townhouse projects, all apartment projects, and most commercial and industrial projects will still follow the Council approval process for a development permit. If a rezoning is required, all projects must go through the Council approval process. This change will speed up smaller projects, such as allowing someone to build a coach home, a garden suite, a triplex, or a small expansion to a strip mall along the Langley Bypass.

Council adopted a modernized fire safety bylaw in alignment with the updated provincial Fire Safety Act.

Our Fees & Charges Bylaw and Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw are being updated to reflect both the delegated development permits and the updated fire safety bylaw.

Map of Regional Urban Containment Boundary. Select the map to enlarge.

In June 2025, the Mayors of Delta, Surrey, and the Township of Langley wrote to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board asking for changes to the Regional Growth Strategy. One of the key objectives of our Regional Growth Strategy is to preserve rural and agricultural lands through an urban containment boundary. With certain exceptions, expanding the urban containment boundary requires a 2/3 weighted vote of the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board, a high threshold. The high voting threshold reflects the fact that preserving green space and preventing urban sprawl has been a key tenet of successive regional growth strategies for a generation. The Metro Vancouver Regional District is seeking feedback from member jurisdictions about this request. Langley City Council approved sending a letter to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board suggesting that “the decisions on these proposed changes to Metro 2050 be postponed and instead advanced forward and considered as a part of the process to develop the next RGS,” given that they are such significant changes to the Regional Growth Strategy.

Council Provides Feedback on Proposed Affordable Housing Reserve Fund

As I posted, Langley City now has a new zoning bylaw. One of the requirements of the new zoning bylaw is that all new residential projects within an 800-metre radius of the Willowbrook and Langley City Centre SkyTrain stations must have at least 2.5% of the units available for rent for at least 20% below Langley City market rates for the life of the building. Under BC law, a builder may either provide these units as part of a residential project or pay a cash-in-lieu amount to the municipality.

Outside these SkyTrain areas, the City now also has density bonusing that applies to low- and mid-rise, and mixed-use areas. These areas are all generally north of the Nicomekl River. Density bonusing allows a builder to have a higher density than otherwise permitted in exchange for 13% of the building’s units being affordable. These affordable units must be rented out for at least 20% below Langley City market rates for the life of the building, or the builder must pay a cash-in-lieu amount. The density still must be within the permitted land use. For example, in our low-rise areas, the maximum height would still be 6 stories, even with density bonusing.

Council is now developing an Affordable Housing Reserve Fund, which is required to accept cash-in-lieu payments per provincial requirements. At this Monday’s Council meeting, City staff noted that the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund can not only receive revenue from these cash-in-lieu payments, but that Council can also designate other revenue sources for the fund, such as a portion of the MRDT accommodation tax, which is charged when people stay at a hotel or short-term rental.

The City must set the cash-in-lieu payment rates to cover the true costs of building affordable units by BC law. The proposed rates are $400 per sq. ft. for woodframe projects and $500 per sq. ft for concrete or steel residential projects.

Council would receive and consider applications from non-profits or government-owned housing providers who would like to use the funds.

Council's primary feedback was that the cash-in-lieu rates should be reviewed frequently to ensure they reflect the true cost of building affordable units, that the funds be used to deliver 20% below market rates units that would otherwise not be built (ie, not used to offset the costs for an affordable housing projects that was already going to be builts), and that it wouldn’t be used to offset City fees and charges. The clear takeaway was that Council wanted to see more affordable units built near SkyTrain and in density bonusing areas.

Staff will now take Council's feedback and develop an Affordable Housing Reserve Fund bylaw and policy for Council's consideration at a future meeting.

Council Denies Development Permit for 8-lot Subdivision in Mossey Estates

On December 9, 2024, Langley City Council received an application for an 8-lot subdivision at 20525 and 20541 46A Avenue. At the time, it required both rezoning and a development permit, as 4 of the proposed new lots would be in an environmentally sensitive area. Council at the time had significant concerns about the proposal and referred it back to City staff to work with the application to develop an updated proposal. On May 12, 2025, the application came back to Council for consideration with no changes. At the time, Council voted against rezoning or issuing a development permit for the proposal.

At that time, Council had concerns about the impacts of removing mature trees within the environmentally sensitive area and the design related to the slope, as this proposal is also in a natural hazards area.

Since that time, Council adopted a new zoning bylaw in compliance with provincial legislation, which simplified our detached/’plex home zoning. As a result, the 8-lot subdivision no longer requires rezoning but still requires a development permit due to the property's slopes and its location within an environmentally sensitive area.

Council received an updated application last night seeking approval of a development permit for that 8-lot subdivision.

Trees within the environmentally sensitive area of 20525 46A Avenue.

The updated application did address the natural hazard area concern by providing a terrace retaining wall, though the majority of Council was concerned not only about the removal of the 83 trees required as a direct consequence of this subdivision application, but also the knock-on impacts to the overall environmentally sensitive area adjacent to this proposed subdivision, the lack of habitat compensation within the neighbourhood, and that overall, the subdivision application did not consider the topography or mature trees to Council’s satisfaction. As a result, Council did not issue a development permit last night for the subdivision.

Proposed Changes to Beef Up the Securing of Vacant Properties and Buildings

Over the last year, housing project activity has slowed in Langley City and throughout Metro Vancouver. While we’ve always had some lots with non-occupied buildings, demolished buildings, or simply vacant, the number has increased recently. Langley City currently has a Community Standards Bylaw that requires one of the following for these lots:

• Securing windows, doors and other openings of vacant buildings
• Installing fencing
• Activating a security alarm system
• Deploying security guards
• Installing exterior lighting, other measures and devices

One key challenge with the bylaw is that it requires only one of those measures. On many of these properties, we are seeing trespassing, unsafe occupancy of vacant buildings, illegal dumping, property damage, and fires, among other unsafe activities. The current approach isn’t working.

Council will hear from City Staff today regarding proposed updates to our Community Standards Bylaw.

A key proposed change is that all vacant properties must be fenced, and all vacant buildings must have windows, doors, and other openings secured. The proposed changes include beefed-up, prescriptive rules for securing vacant buildings. The default fencing type is proposed to be chain link, with the option to use temporary construction fencing for up to 3 years for projects with active development applications, provided the fencing is bolted together.

The proposed changes also make it clear that the City can require the remediation of hazardous or nuisance conditions on a property.

Council will have their say on the proposed changes today.

In-Person and Online Events to Learn About Invest Langley City

As you may know, Invest Langley City is our community’s vision for infrastructure. It outlines the projects the City plans to build over the next decade or so, including water, sewer, transportation, parks, public safety, and recreation facilities to meet the needs of residents and businesses.

Although many of these projects will be incorporated into Langley City’s rolling five-year capital project plan in due course, Langley City is seeking public feedback on if we should move forward with two projects as part of the next municipal election: expanding Timms Community Centre, including a performing arts centre, and building a new or renewed aquatic facility. These are significant projects with significant financial considerations for our community.

To learn more about these two proposed projects, ask questions, and provide feedback, the City is holding several in-person pop-up events and an open house. There will also be a virtual open house. In addition, you can complete an online survey between April 7 and May 1, 2026, and enter a draw to win $100 Langley City Downtown Dollars.

The pop-up events will be:

National Day of Pink
Date: Wednesday, April 8
Time: 12pm to 2pm
Location: Timms Community Centre

Pool Opening Event
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Location: Al Anderson Memorial Pool

Earth Day Event
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 12pm to 2pm
Location: Douglas Park

The open house will be:
Date: Tuesday, April 14
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Location: Timms Community Centre

The virtual open house will be on Wednesday, April 29th, between 6pm and 7pm.

To find out more about the in-person events, sign up to receive an update when the survey goes live, or register for the virtual open house, visit the Invest Langley City project page on Let’s Chat, Langley City!

Ensuring a Safe and Secure Drinking Water Supply

When I ask people what is required to support urban populations at the most basic level, they usually say roads and housing. And while important, the most basic requirement is access to a safe water supply and sewage. In the Metro Vancouver region, we have one of the cleanest drinking water supplies in the world, but we still face risks due to climate change and continued population growth.

The Metro Vancouver Regional District is updating its Drinking Water Management Plan to ensure a continued safe and secure supply.

The plan is organized into five main goals and five priority areas, with a total of 92 action items. The five main goals are:

• Provide high-quality drinking water
• Provide uniterupted drinking water service
• Manage the drinking water service in a cost-effective way
• Manage water to protect and enhance the environment for all
• Develop and manage a skilled workforce to support the drinking water service

The five priority areas are: a resilient water system; water supply quality and quantity; environmental protection and enhancement; conservation and efficiency; and operations workforce development. You can read more about the 92 actions in the draft report.

The drinking water system includes both Regional District infrastructure, such as water reservoirs, treatment plants, and water mains and member jurisdiction-owned and managed local water distribution systems.

Inside Langley City-owned water reservoirs

All member jurisdictions of the Regional District will need to endorse the plan for it to come into effect, including Langley City, as we will need to take actions to support it.

For example, if the plan is endorsed, Langley City would need to “protect water quality in local distribution systems by implementing a regional cross-connection control approach and collaborating with Metro Vancouver to optimize water quality” as an action.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Management Plan Update page.

Stay Up to Date on Resilient Neighbourhood Networks Safety Initiative

As I posted about last month, Langley City Council received the recommendations from our Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety. This group of 29 citizens, selected through a lottery-type system and supported with experts and City staff, met and developed their recommendation during 2025. One of the recommendations is setting up Resilient Neighbourhood Networks, which are grassroots, neighbourhood-level groups where people will come together to get to know their neighbours, building trust, and tackle safety issues from emergency preparedness to first aid to neighbourhood safety walks to neighbourhood events.

The City recently was seeking volunteers to help co-create and set up the early groundwork for launching Resilient Neighbourhood Networks. This window recently closed. The goal is to launch the Resilient Neighbourhood Networks program in select neighbourhoods in June.

I know that life is busy, and it can be hard to keep track of things. If you’d like to take part in the Resilient Neighbourhood Networks, you can follow the “Investing in Community Safety” page on Let’s Chat, Langley City! You will get a reminder from the City when the next phase of volunteering and participating opens.

“Know Your Neighbour” Volunteers.

Back in 2019, Langley City ran a “Know Your Neighbour” one-day campaign in which volunteers simply walked door-to-door, handing out safety tips in various neighbourhoods. It was a very positive experience for both the volunteers and the people at the door. The “Know Your Neighbour” walk could be one aspect of Resilient Neighbourhood Networks, and I’m very excited about the program launching this summer.

Lower Youth Rates and Super Seniors 80+ $1 Rate Coming April 6th

On April 6th, Langley City’s admission rates for recreation services are changing. There are two big changes. One is that the child and youth rates are merging, meaning it will be a $3 dollar drop-in rate for children and youth (aged 4-18). This saves $1.30 for people aged 13 to 18 and is 10¢ more for people aged 4 to 12 per visit.

For seniors aged 80 and older living in Langley City, the City is introducing a $1 drop-in rate.

No matter your age, it is always good to participate in a recreation program, and the City offers activities that are right for you, from art to weightlifting to swimming to fitness programs for people who use mobility aids. There is something for you.

There is a modest increase in the adult and senior rates. The 10-vist, 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month pass prices have also been updated to reflect the new categories and pricing. The game rooms and track pass are still $25 per year. The City also still offers the Leisure Access Program, which provides a discount for people living in Langley City with lower incomes.

March 9 Council Notes: Modernizing Fire Safety Bylaw and Other Matters

Over the past few days, I’ve posted about the topics covered at the Monday Langley City Council meeting. Today, I will conclude by covering the remaining topics addressed.

Council gave first, second, and third reading to approve in principle a new fire safety and protection bylaw, which, if adopted, would modernize and replace our current bylaw. At a high level, the new bylaw aligns with the latest provincial Fire Safety Act, including how the City performs preventive building fire safety inspections, moving from a time-based to a risk-based approach. For example, a restaurant would have a different preventive fire safety inspection process than an office.

Council also gave first, second, and third reading to update the Fees and Charges Bylaw and Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw, reflecting the new proposed fire safety and protection bylaw.

Back in October, Langley City Council sent a contingent of us to Ottawa for an advocacy mission to the federal government. You can read more about this in a previous post. The official report of the mission was presented to Council on Monday, along with follow-up activities resulting from the mission.

Council appointed volunteers to our various City committees for the 2026 term. You can learn more about the committees on the City’s website.

Council approved sending a letter of support to the province to continue the BC Farmers Market’s Nutrition Coupon Program, which provides $27 weekly of food coupons to use at farmer markets for lower-income families, pregnant people and seniors.

Council received a presentation from Langley Community Action Team about creating a permanent public memorial for those affected by the toxic drug crisis. Council referred this to our Arts, Recreation, Culture & Heritage Committee for further consideration.

March 9 Council Notes: Industrial Development and Housing Proposals Approved

Council addressed two development proposals at its Monday night meeting. Back in 2024, Council issued a development permit for a proposed two-building, multi-unit, small-bay industrial project at 5721 Production Way.

View of Self-Storage Building from 196th Street Overpass.

View of Industrial Building Project from Production Way.

The development applicant returned with a new design that includes one multi-unit, small-bay industrial building and one self-storage facility. Because it is a significant departure from the original 2024 proposal, it required a new development permit.

The City’s Advisory Design Plan made several recommendations, and the applicant incorporated the following into the project:

• Incorporate more design features to break up both southeast corner walls
• Add more variation to the west building’s roofline
• Provide weather protection structures in both outdoor amenity areas
• Consider using pavers in front of business entrances
• Consider greater use of ornamental plantings in the Production Way outdoor amenity area

Council approved issuing the development permit.

Council also gave final reading and issued a development permit for a 26-unit townhome development at 20815 45A Avenue & 4560, 4570 and 4580 208 Street. You can read more about this in a previous post.

March 9 Council Notes: Speeding Up Simple Development Applications, New Zoning Bylaw in Effect

As Langley City continues to grow, Council and City staff are looking at how we can efficiently process housing and commercial development proposals while maintaining high-quality standards and appropriate oversight. Currently, with the exception of detached houses, all development proposals require a development permit. Development permits help ensure that certain design and quality-of-life measures are met for each development proposal. A triplex or small addition to an industrial building follows the same process as a 300-unit apartment project.

While larger projects should always have a full review process, including through the City’s Advisory Design Panel, which includes architects and landscape architects, adding a garbage room to a restaurant, building a duplex, or changing the location of a driveway by 1 metre, does not.

City staff presented a proposal at Monday’s Council meeting, which would allow staff to issue a development permit without requiring the Advisory Design Panel or Council approval for simple applications that don’t require a rezoning, such as:

• Residential project with 6 units or fewer (in alignment with provincial recommendations)
• Small commercial (max. 1,000 m2 floor area) and industrial (max. 2,000 m2 floor area) projects outside of Downtown

Council also currently approves Development Variance Permits; I can recall only two such permits over the last decade, for a duplex and a garbage enclosure. Minor Development Variance Permits are also proposed to be delegated to staff. Minor means small changes, such as changing the lot setback to allow a coach home by less than 1.5 metres, increasing lot coverage by no more than a percentage, making small changes to parking requirements (by no more than 10%), and landscaping.

Example of a garbage enclosure that could be a staff-delegated Development Variance Permit process.

To ensure transparency, all development permit applications would still be posted to the City’s website as they are today, with full details.

Council was generally supportive of this approach, and staff will present an updated Development Application Procedures Bylaw for Council's consideration at an upcoming meeting.

Before Christmas, Council gave third reading to our new zoning bylaw. Last night, Council gave the bylaw its final reading and adopted it. The delay was caused by the provincial government, as the Ministry of Transportation and Transit needs to approve all zoning within 400 metres of a provincial highway (the Langley Bypass).

Improving the Governance Model at the Metro Vancouver Regional District - Upcoming Consultation

Last year, the Metro Vancouver Regional District received the results of a report it commissioned on potential recommendations to improve regional district governance. While almost all of BC has regional districts, the Metro Vancouver Regional District is home to over half the province's population, creating unique challenges. As mentioned earlier this year, the board currently has 41 directors; this number is determined by the provincial government.

Local governments, including regional districts, are set up more like a strata council, non-profit, or corporate board. The legislation that enables local government is designed to encourage meaningful discussion at meetings. The current Metro Vancouver Board, which is expected to grow to 50 members shortly, would make it impossible for everyone to have meaningful discussions at meetings. It would take days to get through a simple Metro Vancouver Regional District agenda. In practice, it would need to operate more like a legislature to be effective with that number of members, though I believe that goes against the general idea of how local government should work in our province.

We don’t need to look far to see what a potentially smaller Metro Vancouver Regional District Board would look like. The TransLink Mayors' Council has 23 members, including the same representation as the Metro Vancouver Board. I sit on the Mayors’ Council, and I can say that the Mayors’ Council itself operates very effectively. I’m not suggesting that the region’s mayors control the Metro Vancouver Board, but the size and weighted vote structure at the Mayors’ Council seems to strike a good balance.

Another challenge at the regional district is that the water and sewer utilities are extremely complex, so the governance review is also looking at how to best ensure that the elected board members have access to independent technical expertise advice, such as by having a major project committee or smaller water and sewer boards with elected representatives and independent technical experts appointed by the main regional district board.

The Regional District is planning a comprehensive consultation on proposed governance changes, likely running from May to June 2026. It will include opportunities for everyone to participate.

Governance isn’t a cure-all, but it is always good to identify changes that can improve the decision-making process. While I’m all for making changes, I also believe that it matters more who is elected or appointed rather than the governance structure. Good people can get a lot done even with a challenging governance structure.

Metro Vancouver Seeking Feds to Ban Large Nitrous Oxide “Whip Cream Charger” Cylinder

In December of last year, the Metro Vancouver Regional District issued a media release noting that large nitrous oxide cylinders being thrown out are dangerous, causing explosions at the regional waste-to-energy facility, damaging equipment, and endangering workers' safety.

People can recycle gas cylinders, such as nitrous oxide cylinders, for free by dropping them off at a Metro Vancouver Recycling and Waste Facility. While the Regional District has seen a sizable increase in people recycling these cylinders since the media release, they are still being thrown in the garbage, and explosions continue.

Post Combustion Nitrous Oxide Cylinders. Select the image to enlarge.

Nitrous oxide cylinders are typically used for whipping cream chargers and are small in size. When used, the cylinder is punctured, which depressurizes the container, removing the risk of explosion when it is recycled or accidentally thrown into the garbage. The nitrous oxide cylinders of concern are larger and are sold in many vape shops in our region and online. They do not have pressure release valves. These larger containers are typically not used for making whipped cream.

The Regional District is seeking to ask the federal government to prohibit the import and sale of large single-use valved nitrous oxide cylinders. The current ad hoc approach by Health Canada to recalling these products appears to be on a retailer-by-retailer basis, which is ineffective. A quick search online shows that there are many vendors able to ship to addresses in our region.

It will be interesting to see what actions, if any, the federal government will take.

Protecting Half of Metro Vancouver’s Land Area, Preserving Natural Spaces

It is a well-established fact that natural spaces in urban areas provide benefits to society, such as food, shade, flood control, and clean air. These natural areas also provide clear benefits to human health. These areas function better when they are linked together. The Metro Vancouver Regional District’s goal is to protect 50% of its land area. About 40% of our regional district’s land is protected currently, focused on the North Shore mountains.

The Regional District has created a Regional Natural Infrastructure Network Opportunity Map to help member municipalities identify areas for future conservation, natural parks, environmentally sensitive areas, or environmental development permit areas of regional significance. These areas could be purchased by the member municipality or acquired as part of development proposals.

The following is the overall map. An interactive version is available on the Metro Vancouver website. Major areas are green, minor areas are yellow, and already protected areas are hashed.

Regional Natural Infrastructure Network Opportunity Map Overview. Select the map to enlarge.

Zooming into Langley City, you can see there are opportunities for major areas for protection along the Langley Bypass by KPU, as well as minor areas such as Newlands Golf Course.

Regional Natural Infrastructure Network Opportunity Map for Langley City. Select the map to enlarge.

The map's data is from July 2025. It is anticipated that the next update will occur in 2028.

Let’s Chat, Langley City! Open House Tonight

Langley City is holding an open house where you can chat with various City departments, committees, and service providers. Do you have a question or concern about emergency planning? Did you want to learn about the Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety? Did you want to learn about the City’s finances? Did you want to find out how you can volunteer to help your community? You can share your questions, concerns, and learn at the Let’s Chat, Langley City! Open House.

Senior City staff, service providers, and volunteers will be available to assist you. Members of City Council will also be at the open house.

The following City departments, service providers, and committees will be on hand:

• Fire Rescue Service
• Bylaw Enforcement
• Langley RCMP
• Emergency Planning
• Engineering, Parks & Environment
• Development Services
• Recreation, Culture & Community Services
• Social and Community Wellbeing
• Financial Services
• Langley Animal Protection Society
• Langley City Library
• Accessibility Committee
• Arts, Recreation, Culture & Heritage Committee
• Crime Prevention Committee
• Environmental Sustainability Committee

There will also be a kids' zone to help out parents and caregivers. The open house is low-key; you can drop in any time and stay for as little or as long as you like.

Date: March 3, 2026
Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Location: Coast Langley City Hotel & Convention Centre, 20393 Fraser Highway

Proposed Change to Regional Land Use: North 256 Street Industrial Land in Maple Ridge

For some time, I’ve been following proposed regional land-use changes in Metro Vancouver. All Official Community Plans in our region, including land-use, must be consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy. The overall goals of that strategy are to create a compact urban area; support a sustainable economy; protect the environment, address climate change, and respond to natural hazards; and develop complete communities.

The City of Maple Ridge is proposing changes to its Official Community Plan in an area called the North 256 Street Industrial Land, as shown in the following map.

Map of North 256 Street Industrial Land in Maple Ridge. Select the image to enlarge.

Maple Ridge is proposing to convert 277 hectares of regional rural land (about half the size of White Rock) to 198 hectares of regional industrial land and 79 hectares of conservation/recreation land, as shown on the following maps.

Current Regional Land-Use Designation. Select the image to enlarge.

Proposed Regional Land-Use Designation by Maple Ridge. Select the image to enlarge.

Metro Vancouver staff noted that the proposal would increase the supply of much-needed designated industrial land and protect mature forested areas. They also noted that it would create an urban area outside the existing Urban Containment Boundary and would result in the loss of tree canopy. They also noted this is in an area with many natural hazards. Metro Vancouver staff noted that it may increase speculation in converting other rural lands in other parts of the region. Regional staff stated, “On balance, the proposed amendment is supportable, however, it does involve several trade-offs.”

As this is a significant change to the Regional Growth Strategy’s land-use, it will require a two-thirds weighted vote of the Metro Vancouver Regional District board to be approved. If the board decides to move forward with this proposal, there will be an opportunity for feedback, including from member municipalities such as Langley City, before final approval is considered.

How You Can Support the Good Work of the Langley Animal Protection Society

Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) is the long-term provider of animal control and shelter service in Langley City. Recently, the City and LAPS entered into a new and enhanced service agreement, which you can read about in a previous post.

LAPS is run by animal lovers and relies on the support of other animal lovers in our community to support their good work. One direct way to make a positive impact on animals in our community is to donate to LAPS. Some of the unique programs LAPS provides include assistance for pets with low or no-income owners, as well as their specialized cat program.

I’ve been learning a lot about animal control and shelter services lately, and I wanted to note that LAPS recently posted a Frequently Asked Questions page on their website. I encourage you to read it, especially if you have questions about the shelter services that LAPS provides.

LAPS uses foster caregivers to provide longer-term homes for animals awaiting a permanent home. Have you ever thought about being a foster cat or dog parent? If so, I encourage you to check out LAP’s Animal Foster Program.

I am a proud turtle parent. While having a pet in your home does come with responsibility, I know the joy it brings as well.

If you love animals, I strongly encourage you to consider supporting LAPS's good work if you can.

Langley City Wants Provincial Action on Micro E-mobility Safety and Use

Langley City is a member of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association, which is the voice of local government in the Squamish-Lillooet, Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley Regional Districts. Member local governments represent about 60% of BC's population.

Langley City Councillor Paul Albrecht is the President of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association, and I’m the Metro Vancouver Regional District representative on its board.

Every year, the Lower Mainland Local Government Association holds a conference and annual general meeting in the spring. One key part of that conference is for conference attendees to debate motions submitted by member local governments, which generally call on the provincial government to take some action. Motions that the majority of the attendees agree with help inform the Lower Mainland Local Government Association's advocacy efforts and are also submitted for inclusion for debate at the annual Union of BC Municipalities conference later in the year.

Langley City Council approved sending the following motion for inclusion at the Local Government Association Conference.

WHEREAS the Motor Vehicle Act in British Columbia and associated regulations presently inhibit seniors and people with disabilities the ability to be active, independent, and engaged by prohibiting the use of electric wheelchairs and three or four wheeled personal mobility scooters on municipal bike and roll lanes and routes resulting in increased conflicts between these devices and pedestrians on sidewalks, multi-use pathways, and trails as well as motor vehicles.

AND WHEREAS the rapid growth of micro-mobility devices such as electric kick scooters and electric bikes dictates that the Province needs to regulate the use of such devices in the Motor Vehicle Act.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that LMLGA and UBCM advocate to the Province of British Columbia to amend the legislation and regulations within the Motor Vehicle Act to permanently enshrine a new class of Personal Mobility Devices and Micro-Mobility Devices and establish consistent, province-wide standards and regulations for the use of these devices on traffic-calmed public roads and cycling infrastructure across BC.

Micro E-mobility is the future, especially in an urban centre like Langley City. It is important that the provincial government have clear and consistent regulations. The current system is a patchwork and doesn’t include all the different types of micro e-mobility devices on the market today. This makes it next to impossible for police to enforce standards and for local government to provide infrastructure to accommodate these devices, ensuring that everyone remains safe.

February 23 Council Notes: Food Tech, Development, Public Safety, and Langley Senior Resource & Recreation Centre Liquor Service

Langley City Council received an update on our Economic Development Strategy, which focuses on Food Tech. Council recently completed an advocacy mission to Ottawa, and one of our big pushes was for federal support for a Langley City Food Tech Hub centred around the good work at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Over the last year in Langley City, the number of business licenses has increased by 5%, and the number within the food and beverage category has increased by 15%. This is one of our key economic measures.

In support of a Food Tech Hub, the City is also working through planning for the Glover Road Innovation District. Council received an update on some of the marketing work for the new district.

Council received a presentation from Invest Vancouver, the overall economic development organization for our region. They gave us a brief presentation on their work in Agritech and Food Tech. You can learn more on their website.

A few weeks ago, Council gave first, second, and third reading to a road closure bylaw to enable the sale of a small section of cul-de-sac right-of-way located at 200A Street and 45th Avenue, which is no longer required. Over the last few weeks, people had the opportunity to provide written feedback on the closure, or to attend in person yesterday to provide their feedback. Council did not receive any feedback and gave the bylaw a final reading to enable the road closure.

Council gave final reading to a radio amplification bylaw that will enable the City to require equipment to be installed in concrete areas of buildings where first responder radios do not work (such as underground parking). You can read more about this in a previous post.

Council also gave third and final reading to a rezoning bylaw to enable liquor service at the Langley Senior Resource & Recreation Centre to support their growing catering and hall rental business, which supports the good work of the organization. Council also approved informing the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch that we support their application for a liquor primary license and followed all due process in this determination.

Finally, Council approved a motion asking staff to explore improving the accuracy of closed captioning for our recorded and live-streamed meetings, as well as live captioning for in-person Council meetings, if it is doable within existing staff and financial resources, and report back if this is not possible. We heard that staff are already exploring ways to improve the accuracy of closed captioning.

Have Your Say: TransLink New Transportation Plan for Surrey, Langley, White Rock, North Delta

When I first got involved in transit and urban planning advocacy, I remember going to the old, now demolished Days Inn hotel, which was just south of the King George SkyTrain Station. This was a few years before I started this blog. I remember we were in a planning workshop where they gave us tape segments that represented kilometres of bus, light rail, and SkyTrain service. While I don’t remember the exact number, we could exchange our SkyTrain segment for something like 4 light rail segments or 10 bus segments. I was really impressed by the process, and I remember seeing how the community workshops and feedback actually shaped the plan (of course, at the time we were disappointed it didn’t include reactivating the Interuban).

A woman looks at a transit map for the South of Fraser in 2007.

TransLink adopted the South of Fraser Area Transit Plan in 2007, and it ran until 2013. It is way overdue for an update.

A lot has changed since 2007, and I’m happy to see that TransLink is now working on a new South of Fraser East Area Transport Plan, which covers North Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley City, and the Township. The plan will guide transit and regional cycling, walking, and goods movement within these communities over the next 15 years.

TransLink is seeking your feedback as it gets this process underway. You can complete an online survey or attend an in-person event.

An event in Langley City takes place:

Date: Saturday, February 28th
Time: 10am to Noon
Location: Langley City Library Branch at Timms Community Centre

Please visit TransLink’s South of Fraser East Area Transport Plan webpage for more information and to stay up to date.

Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly Recommendations: Communication, Housing, and Continued Advocacy

Over the last little bit, I’ve been posting about Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety, including about the Assembly and their first recommendation, their second recommendation, and their third recommendation. This is my last post on their recommendations.

The Assembly also made four supporting recommendations. The first supporting recommendation is to improve how Langley City communicates with residents and businesses, and how residents and businesses can communicate with the City. This means information from the City should be proactive, consistent, accessible, in plain language and available across multiple mediums (online, print, in-person). It also means that residents and businesses should have a one-stop shop for connecting with the City and service delivery partners.

The Citizens’ Assembly members felt strongly that housing is the foundation for safety and well-being, and that a Citizens’ Assembly on Housing would add value by focusing on practical options to deliver affordable housing in Langley City. The members also felt that it would help build community consensus around delivering housing, as it can be divisive at the neighbourhood level today.

The Assembly members also recommended that the City continue to advocate to the province for a Mobile Integrated Crisis Response team for Langley, where a police officer and a health care professional work as a team for certain calls. The Assembly also recommended that the City continue to advocate for the federal and provincial governments to fund the construction of affordable housing in the community across the housing continuum.

As the next step, City staff are working on an implementation plan for the Assembly’s recommendations. Council will then have the opportunity to discuss and potentially approve the implementation plan to put the Assembly’s recommendations into action.

Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly Recommendations: Balancing Community Safety Prevention and Visibility

Today, I’m continuing my series on Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety’s recommendations. You can read more about the Assembly and their first recommendation, as well as their second recommendation. Their third recommendation is Balancing Community Safety Prevention and Visibility.

Right now, our public safety system is more reactive than preventive. We all know we get better outcomes when we focus on prevention. This means that we need to shift our safety system so that people can access resources earlier.

A good example of shifting upstream is Project Black Feather, a joint program between the City, Township, and Langley School District, that reduces the likelihood of young people going down a dangerous path of gang and gun violence. Another example is improving how buildings and sites that are slated for redevelopment are secured to prevent fires.

Combining prevention with visibility is one of the Assembly’s major action items. The City and its partners would use data to proactively go to areas in our community with higher social needs or negative activity, working with RCMP, Bylaw, Fire, and other partners to increase visibility while also offering outreach, including housing stability, social support, and health options for all people in those areas. This would be meeting people where they are while also ensuring that parts of our community aren’t under- or overpoliced.

My next post will outline the Assembly’s supporting recommendations and the next steps.

Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly Recommendations: Advocacy & Service Navigation

Over the next little bit, I’ll be posting about the recommendations from Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety. You can learn more about the Citizens’ Assembly and their first recommendation on creating Resilient Neighbourhood Networks in a previous post.

What is Langley City's Citizens’ Assembly? Select the image to enlarge.

Their second recommendation is to create an Advocacy & Service Navigation Framework. People face a fragmented system when seeking safety services. When you need help, you may need to reach out to multiple departments, services, or agencies. You might not even know where to start, get bounced around, have Department A say it's Department B’s problem, only to have Department B say it is Department A’s problem. Service providers may not follow up with you.

A simple example at the City level is knowing whether a safety issue is bylaws or the building inspection department; you might have to make two calls. At a higher level, a 911 call for a domestic situation may have been handled differently if people had been referred to a service provider that delivers family support earlier.

Based on the existing work in our community on coordinated services for people experiencing homelessness, this model of providing a one-stop shop entry point with trained service navigators, who provide proactive follow-up and warm handoffs, should be expanded to all people who need to use safety services in our community. This would reduce overall calls for service and be more effective.

Next up, I’ll be posting about the third recommendation.

Langley City’s Citizens’ Assembly Recommendations: Resilient Neighbourhood Networks

Community safety has been at the top of mind for many Langley City residents and businesses for as long as I’ve lived in this community. While it is important that we continue to invest in basic public safety resources such as police and fire, it is clear that we need to do something different to help move from a reactive to a more proactive public safety model. Council wanted to do this in a way that directly involves our community, giving them the resources they need to develop a made-in-Langley-City solution to create a safer community.

Langley City convened a Citizens’ Assembly on Community Safety. 29 people were selected to serve on the assembly via a lottery process that also ensured the assembly members were a representative sample of our community's demographics.

What is Langley City's Citizens’ Assembly? Select the image to enlarge.

Over the last year, they got to work and presented their recommendations on Monday night, which Council endorsed. The Assembly made seven recommendations, and I wanted to outline them over the next week or so.

The first recommendation was to stand up Resilient Neighbourhood Networks (RNNs). Safety starts at the neighbourhood level. People need to both be safe and actually feel safe. Strong neighbourhood-level connections between people are a proven way to build trust, reduce fear, and foster a sense of ownership in their community. When people come together, it also gives them the opportunity to actively improve their neighbourhood's safety, whether through emergency preparedness, first aid training, neighbourhood safety walks, learning from first responders, or social gatherings to build neighbourhood cohesion. This helps shift towards a more proactive safety model.

The City will support the creation of the RNNs and will pilot them in several neighbourhoods this year, starting now. The City will be sending out information on how people can get involved.

I will be posting about the next recommendations next week.

February 9 Council Meeting Notes: Liquor at the Seniors Centre, Development, First Responder Radios, and a Mural

On Monday night, Langley City Council held a public hearing on a proposed update to the zoning for 20605 51B Avenue, the location of the Langley Senior Recreation & Resource Centre. The Langley Senior Resources Society is seeking to add Liquor Primary Establishment as a permitted use at the centre to enable more flexibility in their ability to serve alcohol in their hall for various events, as their catering and hall use continue to grow. The only person to provide feedback was Kate Ludlam, who is the society’s executive director. She was, of course, supportive of the proposed zoning change.

Council gave first, second, and third reading to a road closure bylaw to enable the sale of a small section of cul-de-sac right-of-way located at 200A Street and 45th Avenue, which is no longer required.

Council also gave first, second, and third reading to a bylaw that will enable the City to require radio amplification equipment to be installed in new and existing buildings where there are dead zones for first responders' radio equipment. If given final reading by Council, all new buildings in areas with concrete walls will have this equipment and the City will work to get this equipment installed in older buildings in areas with concrete walls where there are known radio dead zones.

Due to an oversight in calculating the depth of the first floor’s brick façade at 20769 Fraser Highway, the building technically encroaches up to 17cm into the City's right of way in some areas. Council approved an easement agreement to enable a Section 219 Restrictive Covenant for the property to authorize the encroachment.

Council issued a development permit for a triplex at 5135 208A Street and also approved the Assistant Fire Chief Graham Wing to attend the 2026 Fire Department Instructor Conference held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Rendering for approved triplex at 5135 208A Street. Select the image to enlarge.

Council gave final reading to updates to our Fees & Charges Bylaw and Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw to reflect charges and fines resulting from our new Tree Protection and Management Bylaw.

Finally, Council approved a motion to enable the Lower Fraser Valley Aboriginal Society, in partnership with Expressive Youth Project, to install a mural funded by the Canada Council for the Arts in Council Chambers.