Friday - Oct. 17 - 654 people homeless in Abbotsford

Good morning!

The team at the Current is spending this week close to the soil—working on a story about Local Harvest, an amazing farm in Chilliwack that’s growing much more than produce. As we dig into their story, we’re also thinking about what it means to grow food and community at the same time.

We want to tell more stories like this: about the people who feed us, connect us, and make the Fraser Valley such a special place to call home. Who should we spotlight next? A farmer, baker, brewer, or restaurateur you admire? Someone quietly shaping how we gather and eat together?

Send us your tips—we’d love to hear who you think we should feature next.

– William

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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

Chilliwack Independent Film Festival kicks off at new location next week

The ninth edition of the film festival returns on Wednesday—but there will be some changes this year. 

The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival (CIFF) has a new home at Galaxy Cinemas after the original venue for the festival, the Cottonwood 4 Cinema, was permanently closed in June and demolished in September. 

After learning of the Cottonwood’s closure, CIFF organizers began a GoFundMe to help the festival buy items from the theatre before it was destroyed, with seats, projectors, and screens on the list of desired pieces. The GoFundMe states that CIFF organizers hope to use these in a future space someday. It’s not clear how many—if any—of these items were acquired. 

Read more from our provincial reporter Robyn Bell.

Need to Know

💔 Mission RCMP seek help locating Robyn Mishenene, 33, last seen Sunday—described as Indigenous, 5'7", 111 pounds with brown hair and eyes [Mission City Record]

🚌 Bus driver staffing gaps may force Chilliwack School District to cancel routes with daily notifications sent by 6:30 AM through the My Ride K-12 app [Fraser Valley Today]

🐟 First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance pressed Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson to maintain 2029 deadline for removing all ocean-based fish farms from coastal waters [Chilliwack Progress]

⚖️ IIO cleared Chilliwack officers of wrongdoing after a November 2024 bar-area arrest left a woman with injuries requiring surgical intervention [Chilliwack Progress]

😠 Lynn Kalmring's relatives criticized parole officials for releasing Keith Wiens to Ontario halfway house 15 years after he murdered her despite high-risk assessments [Black Press Media]

🎵 Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra performs all-Canadian repertoire October 26 including Howard Shore compositions, with Maxwell Newhouse flag paintings auctioned for fundraising [Chilliwack Progress]

📱 Helen Mercieca received two years imprisonment after mistakenly texting a Quesnel officer while arranging to sell one kilogram of methamphetamine [Langley Advance Times]

🏆 Sam Varing earned UFV's Young Distinguished Alumni Award for establishing CYPE, a network connecting Fraser Valley professionals and entrepreneurs under 40 [Abbotsford News]

🎬 Grace Baptist Church screens addiction documentary "Out of Hiding" free on October 22 at 6 PM featuring local families impacted by substance use [Hope Standard]

❄️ Langley Township approved priority winter clearing for roads and sidewalks near seniors homes to ensure staff and resident access during snowfall [Langley Advance Times]

SPONSORED BY BC DAIRY

When land, culture & food collide

Erik Blaney, a farmer on Tla’amin Nation land, is reviving generations of tradition by planting food, building processing capacity, and nurturing community resilience. He fights climate shocks, systemic barriers, and disconnection — all while turning soil into sovereignty, healing, and hope. Read more.

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The Agenda

654 people experiencing homelessness in Abbotsford

The City of Abbotsford has completed its 2025 Point-in-Time Homeless Count which helps to guide ongoing local response efforts by providing a snapshot of the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness in the community on a single night.

The one-night count was carried out by Mennonite Central Committee BC, in collaboration with local service providers and community partners, on October 1, 2025, and identified 654 people experiencing homelessness in Abbotsford, compared to 465 recorded in 2024. The increase reflects both a rise in the number of individuals without stable housing and changes in how participants were identified and recorded.

“The increase in this year’s numbers is very concerning and underscores the need for additional resources and stronger supports from senior levels of government,” said Ross Siemens, Mayor of Abbotsford. “Homelessness is a complex issue and one that communities cannot solve on their own. The City will continue to advocate for the most vulnerable members of our community and work closely with senior government to ensure they have access to the housing, health and social supports they need.”

Learn more.

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🗓 Things to do

iMADE Pop UP Market: Over 30 vendors offer handcrafted goods including fashion, home décor, jewelry, and gourmet items on Saturday, October 18 from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM at 9167 Glover Road in Fort Langley.

South Langley Grape Stomp: Township 7 Winery hosts grape-stomping competitions on Saturday, October 18 from 12:00-4:00 PM at 21152 16th Avenue with duo and group heats, live music, food trucks, and proceeds supporting Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities.

Fall Fest & Season Closer: The Mango Market presents its final outdoor market of the season on Saturday, October 18 from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM at 2884 Gladys Avenue in Abbotsford, featuring 50 vendors, food trucks, live music, free pumpkin patch, and face painting.

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Catch up

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