Pulse FM News Update for Thursday, June 16

Transport Canada says wait times at the Vancouver International Airport are declining as staffing levels for security screeners return to pre-pandemic levels. It says the last month saw a significant decrease in travelers waiting more than 15 minutes, dropping from 26 per cent in mid-May to 13 per cent the week of June 3rd. The federal government announced earlier this week the requirement to show proof of vaccination will be dropped for domestic flights and outbound international flights starting June 20th. The airport calls it a “welcome step,” but says there is still work to be done to address challenges related to screening and processing for international arrivals

The mystery of the missing southbound border wait time information on highway signs and the internet is solved: the B.C. government has pulled the plug on the system temporarily, saying there is an issue with how accurate the information is. In a statement the Ministry of Transportation says it discovered the issue recently, adding the information won’t be displayed until the accuracy of those wait times is improved. In terms of next steps, the Ministry says it is looking at options to “upgrade or rehabilitate the aging system,” but didn’t elaborate on what those specific options might be. This issue only impacts southbound border wait times, as northbound estimates are gathered by the Washington State Department of Transportation. That agency continues to display estimates for the four major crossings on the Lower Mainland, with specific estimates for regular, commercial, and NEXUS lanes. You can still look at border cameras to get an idea of how long the lineups are

The White Rock Renegades’ pipeline to the Canadian national women’s softball team continues to churn out talent. Despite some high-profile retirements of former Renegades – including star pitchers Danielle Lawrie and Lauren Regula. the national team that will compete at this month’s Canada Cup will still be chock full of local players. A roster of 20 will play at the Canada Cup – which runs June 17-26 Team Canada’s first game of the Canada Cup is set for Monday, June 20 at 6 p.m. against Australia’s development team. On Tuesday, June 21 at 1 p.m., Canada will face the Calahoo Erins, an Alberta-based club team, and on Wednesday evening, at 7 p.m., they’ll play Philippines, before wrapping up their round-robin schedule against Mexico on Thursday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. All games will be played on Softball City’s Diamond 1.

A report concludes money laundering in B-C reached “staggering” levels because of inadequate efforts to curb the problem by the R-C-M-P, regulators and officials in the former Liberal government. Former B-C Supreme Court justice Austin Cullen’s report says billions of dollars was filtered through the province in devious and greedy ways to make the crime-stained money appear legitimate. Cullen is calling on the province to establish an independent commissioner, whose job will be to explore how and where the risk is for contaminated money, in order to best defend B-C’s society and the economy. The commissioner is a key suggestion from over 100 recommendations made in the 18-hundred page reported presented yesterday

A protest that snarled Monday morning traffic at the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge has now led to criminal charges. Members of Save Old Growth have been periodically blocking lanes on major commuter routes as they push the province to ban the logging of old-growth forests. Now, three people have been charged with mischief after allegedly driving a car onto the Ironworkers and attempting to lock themselves inside. Kathleen Higgins, 28, William Winder, 69, and Deborah Tin Tun, 37, have been accused. Police say they have been released from custody after appearing in court and agreeing “not to deliberately block or impede traffic on any roadway in B.C.” Two other protesters arrested during the attempted blockade are due back in court to face charges. Save Old Growth has warned it will be ramping up disruptions in its continued protest of old-growth logging in B.C.

November’s floods in British Columbia that swamped homes and farms, swept away roads and bridges and killed five people are now the most costly weather event in provincial history. The Insurance Bureau of Canada made the statement as it released the latest cost estimate of $675 million, and that’s only for damage that was insured. The previous estimate was $515 million in losses, but the bureau says in a statement that much of the increase is due to business claims in places where commercial insurance is more available. In contrast, it says many residents were located in high-risk flood areas where insurance coverage isn’t available, which could cost all levels of government “well into the billions of dollars.” So-called atmospheric rivers flowed over southwestern B.C. for days in November, bringing record rainfall and quickly swelling waterways. Mudslides swept people away in their cars, rivers carved new routes and washed out highways and bridges, cutting off major highways into the Interior, which stopped the supply chain from the coast to the rest of the country.