A judge is expected to issue a sentence today to the man who admitted to dangerous driving that caused the death of two UBC students in 2021. Both the Crown and the defence are suggesting a three year sentence and a five-year driving ban for Tim Goerner (gare-NER’). Goerner told provincial court in Richmond that his actions were avoidable and selfish, and he’ll reflect on his wrongdoing for the rest of his life. Evan Smith and Emily Selwood were both killed in the high-speed crash in 2021 when Goerner’s BMW X3 left the road and hit the pair who were on a university sidewalk.
Police in Surrey say a man was found dead in a residence over the weekend under suspicious circumstances. Surrey RCMP say they were called to a residence in the 161-hundred block of 110 Avenue on Sunday. Officers found the deceased victim upon arrival and arrested one person, who has since been released. Police say Surrey RCMP’s Serious Crime Unit has taken over the investigation, and the incident is believed to be isolated and pose no risk to the public.
Officials in Surrey have made another large seizure of fireworks, a week after seizing 100-thousand-dollars’ worth of the products leading up to Halloween. The City of Surrey says bylaw officers’ investigations this week led to a seizure of 80-thousand-dollars’ worth of fireworks from a property that appeared to be an abandoned house. Bylaw officers say they posed as customers to engage the sellers, and the owner of the latest seized fireworks may be the same person as the person who owned the fireworks seized last week. On October 30, the City of Surrey said it seized 100 thousand-dollars’ worth of fireworks from a single retail location after conducting online searches for illegal sellers.
The City of Vancouver says the Stanley Park Train will return during this year’s holiday season. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says the return of the train to operational status was possible due to contributions made by several groups including the Beedie Foundation, the Peter and Joanne Brown Foundation and the Diamond Foundation. The vintage 1961 train had been out of service since the fall of 2022, and the City says restoration required specialized parts and labour to complete. The train will return for Stanley Park’s Bright Nights event scheduled between December 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024.
The province has launched its anti-vaping campaign in schools to educate children and youth on the issue. The Ministry of Health says it has sent new anti-vaping posters, signage and pamphlets to schools across the province, providing information and resources for youth who want to learn more or take steps to quit. This follows a previous campaign launched in the spring that was introduced online and through social media platforms. The campaigns also include a new website encouraging youth to live a vape-free lifestyle.
Highway 97 north of Summerland will be closed for two hours today as crews continue to stabilize the rockslide that closed the road earlier this year. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says the highway will be closed in both directions from 11 am until 1 pm for crews to conduct blasting operations. The ministry’s statement says more blasting will be needed throughout November, and additional closures will be scheduled during daylight hours for the safety of the blasting crew. Highway 97 north of Summerland reopened to traffic in September after two weeks of closure due to the rockslide.