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Simon Fraser University (SFU) just announced that it is now accepting applicants to its brand-new medical school. According to a provincial government press release, this is the first new medical school to be launched in Western Canada in almost 60 years!

The new medical school will be in Surrey City Centre, and the first class of 48 medical students will start their studies at a temporary, interim location.

“The permanent home for the school of medicine will be part of the Centre Block project, a mixed-use development located in Surrey City Centre next to the SFU Surrey campus and the Surrey Central SkyTrain station,” the provincial government said in the press release.

It will occupy eight floors of the planned 12-storey building, including classrooms, labs, offices, a clinic, and a childcare centre.

If I could go back and do everything again, I’d go to med school instead of journalism school. Sometimes I wonder how different my life would be if I had done that instead.

Would you change your career if you could go back in time? What would you do instead?

– Lubna

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News

Extortion cases on the rise in Abbotsford, some involve shootings or arson

Abbotsford has seen an uptick in extortion cases threatening residents in recent months. According to the Abbotsford Police Department, while most extortion attempts involve nonviolent methods such as threatening texts or telephone calls, the police have seen an increase in violent extortion attempts. Some of the recent violent attempts have involved shootings and/or arson. 

Between November 2023 and September 2025, the Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) received 38 reports of extortion. Two incidents that occurred in November 2023 involved violence such as shootings or arson. Most of the subsequent attempts have used nonviolent means, including threatening letters, emails, text messages, and phone calls. 

Read more here

Related

Need to Know

🚪 Agassiz-Harrison Museum has completed entrance modifications funded by Kent Harrison Foundation and BC Rehab Society grants, eliminating physical obstacles that previously hindered access for elderly patrons and wheelchair users [Fraser Valley Today]

🏗️ Fraser Valley Real Estate Board advocates for factory-built residential construction in a newly published document, highlighting environmental benefits and accelerated production capabilities [Fraser Valley Today]

🏒 The Hope Icebreakers franchise that relocated to Mission in 2008 has returned to Hope as a senior AA squad competing in the West Coast Senior AA Hockey League with their home opener October 18 [Hope Standard]

🐻 Conservation officers destroyed a habituated mother bear in Chilliwack after reports of deliberate feeding in a residential area, removing her young offspring to a rehabilitation facility for eventual wilderness release [Chilliwack Progress]

🎬 Chilliwack Independent Film Festival has shifted to Galaxy Cinemas while expanding from three to five days October 22-26, presenting 118 submissions from filmmakers worldwide [Chilliwack Progress]

🅿️ Mission council declined proposals for interim vehicle accommodation on Doyle Street near Bear Mountain trailhead, citing resident concerns while awaiting parking facility development studies [Mission City Record]

💙 Dr. Ralph Jones and Adam Christianson combined medical expertise and water rescue skills to extract victims from a Fraser River convertible crash, successfully reviving one person through emergency intervention [Chilliwack Progress]

🎃 Bedford Landing Farms converted neglected agricultural land near Fort Langley into a seasonal pumpkin patch featuring harvest activities and corn mazes after planting 15,000 seeds [Langley Advance Times]

🌺 The Wang family has opened their Aldergrove Pond House property to the public for celebrations and gatherings, maintaining water features and Japanese-inspired gardens across the five-acre grounds [Langley Advance Times]

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The Agenda

Unemployment rises in September in Abbotsford and Chilliwack

According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for September, unemployment rates have increased again in Abbotsford and Chilliwack during the month of September.

The unemployment rate in Abbotsford increased from 8.1 per cent in August to 8.7 per cent in September. Chilliwack’s unemployment rate also increased from 6.1 per cent in August to 6.4 per cent in September.

Overall, Canada added 60,000 jobs in September, but the unemployment rate remained at 7.1 per cent. Canada had experienced a cumulative decline of 106,000 jobs in July and August.

Youth unemployment remains high at 14.7 per cent, the highest rate since 2010. There was also an increase in the number of people working in jobs unrelated to their education or experience, especially among recent immigrants.

“In September, 16.4% of core-aged workers with a postsecondary certificate, diploma, or degree worked in a job or business that was unrelated to their education or training, up 0.9 percentage points from 12 months earlier. The increase was higher among workers aged 25 to 34 (+1.6 percentage points to 18.2%),” the survey report said. “Core-aged workers who were recent immigrants (who had landed in Canada within the previous five years) remained more likely to be working in a job unrelated to their education or training (21.2%) than their counterparts who were born in Canada (15.2%).”

The percentage of recent immigrants who reported being overqualified for their jobs rose to 34.7 per cent in September.

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🗓 Things to do

Pottery Colouring Workshop: Trading Post Eatery in Abbotsford hosts a Manana Studios pottery painting session on Thursday, October 16 from 6-8 PM at 3058 Gladwin Road, with materials, firing service, and first beverage included for ages 19+.

Yoga for Arthritis: Locality Brewing offers a gentle, low-impact yoga class on Thursday, October 16 from 5:30-6:30 PM at 7111 252 St in Langley, designed for individuals with arthritis and limited mobility with props and modifications provided.

Charm Bar with Dirty Bird Jewellery: Backyard Vineyards hosts a bracelet and necklace-making workshop on Friday, October 17 from 6:00-8:30 PM at 3033 232nd Street in Langley, where participants can create custom jewelry while enjoying wine.

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Catch up

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