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Good morning!

It’s been all over the news lately; BC residents are escaping the province to find greener pastures, often in the Prairies. The most popular choices seem to be Alberta and Ontario. Last year, Alberta even launched a campaign called “Alberta is Calling,“ offering a moving bonus of $5,000 for skilled tradespeople.

The BC Business Council (BCBC) launched a campaign called “Stay with BC,” which I think is missing the point. The BCBC sent surveys to thousands of British Columbians and recently published the results. As expected, BC residents are leaving in droves because home ownership is completely unattainable for many, and jobs don’t pay enough for people to thrive. A full-time minimum wage job pays around $2,856 monthly; the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver is $2,500.

Despite affordability being the main problem, the BCBC recommendations focused almost entirely on cutting taxes for businesses and top earners and encouraging an “open for business” mentality. Take this recommendation: “Reducing the top marginal personal income tax rate.”

People in the top marginal tax bracket make $259,829 or more annually. They’re probably the only ones still able to live comfortably in the Lower Mainland.

Nothing about rising grocery prices, falling wages, or the fact that young people can’t have children because they can’t afford a home of their own.

What do you think? Would you consider moving to another province to escape the high cost of living in BC? What do you think of the BCBC’s report?

– Lubna

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Traffic & Weather

🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope 

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🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

News

A pitmaster’s secret to grilling the perfect steak

Langley Ribfest returns this weekend from August 15-17 at McLeod Park, North-West corner of 56th Ave and 216th Street. The judges have not yet been announced for this year’s Ribfest. Here’s a throwback to what Joti Grewal wrote about the 2023 Langley Ribfest judge Kevin Legge and his secret recipe for the perfect steak.

Barbecuing an excellent steak shouldn’t be complicated—except in competition.

When he’s competing, Kevin Legge admits there is a lot more that goes into cooking a steak. But for backyard barbecues his advice is to keep it simple.

“I’m a big fan of salt, pepper, garlic.”

Legge has competed against some of the top barbecue cooks in global competitions like the Jack Daniel’s World Championships, World Food Championships, and his favourite: the Tony Stone Low and Slow in the Netherlands.

“It’s a great group of people wherever you go, they’re all like family. Everybody helps each other out with equipment if they need it, and that kind of thing. So it’s a global family of people who love to cook meat in a parking lot and see who does the best job.”

This weekend, barbecue teams from across Canada will be competing at the Langley RibFest. ​​At least 40,000 visitors are expected to flood the grounds of Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park during the three-day festival, which Kevin helped start.

Read the full story here.

Related

Need to Know

📚 Vandals destroyed display panels at a Langley literacy project, but organizers plan to rebuild the damaged outdoor reading installation despite the costly repairs needed. [Langley Advance Times]

🚔 Police in Abbotsford caught a repeat offender after someone reported seeing a stolen pickup truck parked suspiciously in their neighbourhood. [Mission City Record]

🌡️ Monday's scorching 36.8C heat in Chilliwack set a new record for Aug. 11, beating the previous high from a decade ago. [The Progress]

✈️ A daredevil performer will walk on airplane wings during Chilliwack's upcoming free air show, which begins earlier this year due to added acts. [The Progress]

🏠 July brought another weak month for Abbotsford's housing market as sales dropped significantly and prices kept declining from last year's levels. [Abbotsford News]

🎓 A three-decade veteran of Abbotsford schools has been promoted to assistant superintendent after working her way up from teacher to district administrator. [Abbotsford News]

⚖️ A judge overturned Mission council's punishment of a councillor, finding the investigation process was unfair and violated basic legal principles. [Agassiz Harrison Observer]

🏘️ Residents flooded a Harrison Hot Springs council meeting to oppose plans for a large seniors' housing complex they say the village can't properly support. [Agassiz Harrison Observer]

🐻 Carvers gave Hope's famous wooden bear sculpture a makeover with new paint and structural fixes before this month's chainsaw art competition. [Hope Standard]

💔 A man died from gunshot wounds found in his vehicle during the early morning hours, prompting a homicide investigation in Maple Ridge. [Fraser Valley Today]

☺ TODAY’S SMILE: Congrats to Sterling Chan for correctly identifying the location of Wednesday’s Current Cam as the Rockweld Farm near Abbotsford.

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The Agenda

Chilliwack First Nations fashion designer wins the Polygon Award

Rebecca Baker-Grenier, of Kwakiuł, Dzawada’enuwx, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh ancestry, won the BC Achievement Foundation’s Polygon Award for her art and fashion design. Baker-Grenier started working in fashion design in 2021 and debuted her first collection in 2022 at the New York Fashion Week and later at the Vancouver Fashion Week.

The Polygon Award in First Nations Art was awarded this year to four Indigenous artists: Rebecca Baker-Grenier from Chilliwack, Gordon Dick from Port Alberni, Kari Morgan from Terrace, and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun Lets’lo:tseltun from Vancouver.

“The 2025 Polygon Award in First Nations Art recognizes artists whose work reflects deep cultural roots and a powerful creative voice,” said Walter Pela, chair of the BC Achievement Foundation. “This year’s recipients carry forward tradition while shaping new ways of seeing, reminding us of the strength, courage, and vitality of First Nations art today.” 

The award recipients were selected by a panel of past recipients comprising three Indigenous artists: Lisa Hageman Yahgulanaas (Haida) – 2010 awardee, Thomas Cannell (Musqueam) – 2014 awardee and James Harry (Squamish) – 2021 awardee.

According to a BC Achievement Foundation press release, “A ticketed award ceremony and dinner will be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre in Vancouver, BC. The event will feature short films honouring each awardee’s artistic journey. Tickets will be available for purchase online starting August 15, 2025 at www.bcachievement.com.”

A free, public exhibition of the artists’ works will run from Nov. 18-25 at the same venue.

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🗓 Things to do

Market at the Coliseum: Visit the Tuesday evening market at Chilliwack Coliseum from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to browse local goodies, artisan treats, and unique handmade treasures offered weekly from May to October.

Classic Car Meets & Cruises: Join Hope & Valley Cruisers in downtown Hope’s Memorial Park on Wednesday from 6-9pm for an evening gathering of classic cars and casual cruising through the streets.

Long table dinner on the farm: On Friday, Aug. 22, enjoy the third annual “At the Cheesemaker’s Table” event with cocktails and canapés in the barn followed by a long-table dinner under the stars prepared by chef Craig Scherer—all for $175 per person.

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