Tuesday - April 22, 2025 - Parking lot to replace heritage Chilliwack home

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Good morning!

As we make our way towards voting day next Monday, it’s as good a time as ever to consider some of the pioneers of modern western democracy. They were flawed people. They did some very bad things. Even in their day they were considered radicals. But when it came to how their society was organized, they were ahead of their time. I am writing, obviously, about pirates.

Long before the American and French revolutions, pirates were roaming the seas under written codes of democracy. You can’t run a pirate operation without an agreement of who is in charge. And on a pirate ship, the answer was clear: the people.

Even as they emb-arrrr-ked on a life of outlaw seafaring, pirates agreed upon written codes that laid out how their endeavour would be governed. And having seized control of their destiny, pirates weren’t particularly keen on handing it away to an authoritarian captain. Instead, they chose a captain from amongst them by a vote, then also limited that captain’s authority through the selection of a quartermaster, who functioned a little like the judiciary.

If you want to learn more about pirate democracy, you can check out this article. Many modern non-fiction books about pirates also touch on the matter; I’m reading Enemy of All Mankind, a book by Steven Johnson about late-17th century pirate Henry Every.

– Tyler

News

Where are the local polls?

There is only one poll that matters—especially at the local level.

As politicians and Canadians focus on polls to get a sense of who might win the next election, at the local level, the best gauge of the future is the past.

• Today, we answer more of your questions about local polls, tariffs, trade, politician pay, party whips, and more.

Related

Need to Know

🚔 An investigation at Chilliwack’s former Canadian Tire site Monday closed a nearby road and bottle depot [Chilliwack Progress]

🚓 Police have identified the Langley man whose body was found in a suspicious fire and confirmed he was killed [CTV]

⛔ The restaurant at Ledgeview, Abbotsford’s city-owned golf course, has apparently closed for good [Joseph Richard Group/Instagram] / Its operator entered creditor protection last year [Storeys]

⚖ Lawyers for Langley councillor and BC MLA Misty van Popta say a petition trying to oust her from council does not have a case [Langley Advance Times]

🗳 Candidates for the Hope by-election discussed infrastructure, a gravel pit, and the local economy during an all-candidates meeting last week; they also shared their visions for Hope in a Q&A [Hope Standard]

🏀 Several new basketball courts may be added to an upgraded park in Cedar Valley [Mission Record]

🚦 A new Aldergrove traffic light will eventually become a four-way intersection connecting the Aldergrove Town Centre project to 271st Street [Aldergrove Star]

🚓 A man was arrested after trying to steal a delivery driver’s car on Sunday in Mission [Mission Record]

✝ Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, died early Easter Monday [CBC] / Catholics in Langley City mourned his passing during a Monday service [Langley Advance Times]

💾 More Indigenous nations are working to protect their data sovereignty [APTN]

👩‍🏫 Big ideas, small classes. Experience personalized learning, direct faculty support, and a tight-knit community at KPU—where your success is never just a number.*

🪕 Early bird weekend passes are on sale now for the Mission Folk Music Festival, July 25-27 at Fraser River Heritage Park. Come find your folk!*

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🗳 Election 2025

The federal election campaign continues until election day on Monday, April 28. Advance voting is now over, and today is the last day you can apply to vote by mail. Find everything you need to know—including where to vote—by visiting one of our local election hubs:

Chilliwack, Hope, and the Eastern Valley | Abbotsford and Mission | Langley

The latest

👉 A voter’s guide to the federal parties’ promises on the environment [The Narwhal]

👉 Candidates in Cloverdale—Langley City, Langley Township—Fraser Heights, and Abbotsford—South Langley shared their thoughts on the most important issue facing Canadians [Langley Advance Times]

👉 Chilliwack—Hope candidates address the global economy and share what they want local voters to know before election day [Chilliwack Progress]

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The Agenda

Parking lot to replace century-old Chilliwack home

The City of Chilliwack is set to pay more than $100,000 to demolish a century-old house to expand a nearby parking lot.

The city bought the home last October with a plan to expand a parking lot it had just finished to the south. According to Assessment BC, the city paid just under $1 million for the building and land, which is just under one-fifth of an acre.

According to a new report to Chilliwack council, city staff considered whether the home could be relocated but determined that the cost would be too much. Instead, the city issued a call for companies to demolish the structure. Those quotes have now been received, with the lowest price coming in at $120,000. Council will vote Tuesday whether to accept staff’s recommendation and proceed with the demolition.

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