🌧️ High 11C
Good morning,
It's a wet one out there this morning. An atmospheric river has been sitting over the Fraser Valley and heavy rain is expected to continue through midday today, with total rainfall of 100 to 120 mm possible. The valley remains on flood watch, and there's an enhanced risk of landslides, road washouts, and water pooling. Avoid flooded roads and keep an eye on rivers and creeks near you.
– Emily
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Traffic & Weather
🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope | Mission
🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.
🛣 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 & Features
UFV looks to its land to fund its future
Conceptual drawing for potential development on the UFV Abbotsford campus through the UFV Properties Trust. (Campus Communities)
The University of the Fraser Valley is planning to develop land on its Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses as a way of generating long-term revenue and building more vibrant communities around its campuses.
The initiative, known as the UFV Properties Trust or Campus Communities, was launched in 2023. Rather than selling the land, UFV will retain ownership and arrange 99-year ground leases with developers, who will then build on and lease the properties. Revenue generated will flow to UFV and the UFV Foundation, funding capital projects, research, scholarships, and bursaries.
"There are not a lot of opportunities for us to generate the kind of investment funding that we want to build out our campuses," says Jackie Hogan, UFV's outgoing Vice President Administration, who has been central to the initiative. "What we have is land, and it comes with the added benefit of building community near campus."
Need to Know
🌧️ Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning for the Fraser Valley, with 100 to 120 mm expected through Friday midday; the region also remains on flood watch. [The Hope Standard]
✈️ A TSB report found that a flight instructor's lack of mountain flying experience likely contributed to a fatal 2025 crash near Chilliwack that killed both occupants after their plane departed Abbotsford airport. [Vancouver Sun]
🔒 A weapons call prompted a brief lockdown at Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Monday, with a suspect in custody and the building cleared within about 40 minutes; no one was injured. [Global News]
🚗 A driver died Monday night after fleeing a traffic stop on Maclure Road in Abbotsford, losing control and hitting a tree; BC's police watchdog has been notified. [CBC News]
🏀 More than 1,800 Indigenous athletes from over 130 teams gathered in Langley this week for the 50th annual Junior All Native Basketball Tournament, running through Friday at the Langley Events Centre. [CBC News]
🚲 An Abbotsford man who robbed a gas station on St. Patrick's Day and fled on a bicycle was quickly caught after an officer blocked his path; all stolen items were recovered. [Fraser Valley Today]
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🗓 Things to do
UFV Theatre: The Secret in the Wings: UFV Theatre's production of Mary Zimmerman's whimsical fairy tale-inspired play runs March 19-28, split between UFV Abbotsford's Performance Studio and the Chilliwack Cultural Centre's Rotary Hall Studio Theatre; tickets are $5–$15 depending on location and student status.
Introduction to Sourdough Bread Workshop: Learn to bake sourdough from scratch at a beginner-friendly hands-on workshop at Forage & Faire in Abbotsford on March 24, led by Lou Meggiato of Wild Bluebell Homestead; participants leave with a live starter and everything they need to bake their first loaf at home.
Family Nature Festival at Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve: Spend a day in nature at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack on March 27 and 28, with drop-in art classes, pollinator garden tours, heron colony viewing, pond life activities, face painting, and more; runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
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