For the Record with Daniel Fontaine

For the Record continues to get record downloads as the popular podcast probes into interesting New West issues that are making national headlines this week!That's right, the National Post, City News, CKNW and a range of high profile social media platforms were covering the controversy regarding the removal of New West's crown logo. Out with the crown, in with the tugboat. So far, the public reaction has been decidedly negative, but Community First doesn't appear willing to back down. In fact, they're doubling down! Listen to a province-wide interview Mike Smyth featured which focused on the logo controversy. Callers to the show had a few pointed comments to make about the Royal City's mayor and his commitment to dump the crown. You're out of order!! Next up is an exclusive interview with School District #40 Trustee Kathleen Carlsen. She speaks about her recent advocacy to raise the plight of New Westminster students and teachers forced to learn in overheating portables. Carlsen was featured on CTV, Global and City News this week. Her opinion piece co-authored with Trustee Danielle Connelly was prominently featured in the Vancouver Sun. We also share an excerpt of an interview Trustee Connelly did with AM 730 host Jill Bennett. She too is speaking about concerns regarding a lack of school capacity and the impacts it's having on students, teachers and their parents. It's official! Now that Council has passed a motion introduced by Coun. Paul Minhas, the month of April will forevermore be designated as Sikh Heritage Month. Minhas speaks about what motivated him to initiate the motion and what it means to the local Sikh community in New West. The podcast wraps up with a tribute to King Charles who recently delivered the Speech from the Throne at the invitation of Prime Minister Carney. If you enjoy the podcast be sure to encourage your friends and family to listen every week and to follow us!FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

How did all those topics of discussion get squeezed into a 57 minute podcast? This week, For the Record starts off with an exclusive interview with Alex Fischer who founded Delta Voices for Responsible Development. Are there lessons to be learned in Delta regarding how New Westminster became Canada's 2nd most densely populated urban center? Alex thinks so!Listen to the media roundup where a couple of media stories focusing on a controversial Metro Vancouver pay raise and a high profile law suit are featured.Out with the crown, and in with the ?? What will New Westminster's new logo look like now that Community First politicians have decided to can the crown? You won't have to wait much longer as the big reveal takes place on Monday, June 9th in the council chamber. Will the new logo shed it's colonial past, once and for all?A motion in Vancouver to regularly proclaim Sikh Heritage Month has inspired a similar initiative in New Westminster. Coun. Paul Minhas is trying to get a majority of council to vote yes in support of adding Sikh Heritage Month to the annual list of recognized cultural events.Ever wondered why some BC Hydro programs never make their way to New Westminster? It's because we have a separate electrical utility that doesn't harmonize all of our programs with them. But that may be changing thanks to a NWP motion that got passed a while ago. A staff report coming to council is recommending some excellent changes which may open up the door to new energy saving and climate protecting programs!The podcast closes off with a great song by Ranj Singh! If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to tell your family and friends to follow! It's available on all major platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

In this latest episode of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas a number of local topics come up for discussion and analysis. This special episode was recorded from Ottawa at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference.To start off the podcast, the topic of 'just exactly what is temporary' comes up. When it comes to drug injection sites and homeless shelters, why does temporary mean up to six years? In the case of the downtown drug injection center, they just got a green light to proceed with getting an 18 month extension on their 3 year 'temporary' permit.Was it a heritage revitalization agreement, or simply a rezoning to allow for more density in historic Queen's Park? That was the crux of the debate as a homeowner at 318 6th Ave wanted Council to provide approval to 3rd reading of a Heritage Revitalization By-Law. Not everyone on New West Council thought there was enough revitalization in that revitalization agreement!Beep. Beep. Beep. Bang. Bang. Bang. That's the sound of construction at the new Royal Columbian Hospital. Thanks to a vote of the Community First representatives on Council that may well be the sound local Sapperton residents start hearing at 7 am every Saturday morning. International construction company Ellis Don applied for the exemption to do work early on Saturday mornings - and it was granted.The US flag will be quietly removed from the Queen's Park Arena for the first time in decades. Thanks to a unanimous vote of Council the American flag will be swapped out and replaced with a City of New Westminster flag. Feedback from the public has been overwhelmingly supportive - we explore why. Have a listen to an interview with CBC's On the Coast host Gloria Macarenko and Daniel Fontaine.All this and more in the latest edition of For the Record. If you enjoyed the podcast be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow. It's available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

This podcast is packed with positivity! That's right, the first segment of the podcast is the "20 Minute Positivity Challenge". It's also known as the 'Gary Self-evaluation'. Is there any way to discuss the positive things the NWP has proposed on Council within 20 minutes on a podcast? Will the buzzer sound and will our co-hosts run out of time?A Deloitte report commissioned by Metro Vancouver includes 47 recommendations to improve the governance of the organization. That's more recommendations than there are board directors (41) which is quite astounding. The local media refer to it as a 'damning report'. Let dig a bit deeper and listen to an interview on the Jas Johal Show on AM 730 on this topic. AM 730 host Jill Bennett discusses an open letter written by four city councillors calling upon Premier David Eby to reinstate the Office of the Municipal Auditor General. Why is Victoria so hesitant to make a move? Are they afraid to wear the political mess that is unfolding at Metro Vancouver? Lastly, we talk about congestion pricing and whether a $200 per vehicle charge is close to becoming a reality. Do you want to pay a new 'congestion tax' that would help to fund TransLink? Or should senior orders of government redirect existing funding to this important priority to tackle climate change? All that and more in what we guarantee is an information and analysis-filled podcast! If you liked it be sure to tell family and friends to follow For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas. It is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all major platforms.

In another 60 minute packed podcast, co-hosts Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas talk New West politics. First up to the bat is a discussion on the $110,000 Council committed to make permanent the Citizen Assembly. It was a pilot project that was initially heralded as an opportunity to streamline the city's engagement activities and make them more effective. While the survey says yes, a couple of NWP councillors said no. Find out why.Did you hear about the machete wielding thief who entered the Paradise Donair shop on 12th Street? He scared the living daylights out of the staff and was subsequently arrested and charge by the NWPD. Unfortunately, the judge let him out the next day and told him to 'behave'. What gives? Is this the new normal in New West?May Day has been around for 155 years. It used to receive lots of support from the School Board and City Council, but no more. While other organizations recently cobbled together get tens of thousands of tax dollars, May Day gets a fraction of that to keep the lights on. May Day Committee member Scott Rains let er rip at Council and told them the organization needs to regain its special status within the city. But were the politicians actually listening and willing to act? "Holy micromanagement Batman" said Councillor Nadine Nakagawa in response to a motion asking for more openness and transparency in city budget-making. If approved, it would have meant all projects at the city would have to have a budget and it would be readily available to the public. So why did the motion get voted down? Tolls. Levies. Congestion Pricing. You take your pick. It appears the BC NDP government is about to make driving your vehicle a lot more expensive. Have municipal politicians really convinced Victoria to give them new taxation power to help fund public transportation in Metro Vancouver? And will it really cost you $200 more per year to drive?We also do an event roundup and much, much more! If you like the podcast be sure to tell your friends and family and encourage them to follow. It's available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all major platforms.

This week's podcast features an exclusive interview with New West school trustee Danielle Connelly. She's talking mental health and advocating for schools to be at the table when the Province of BC undertakes a review of the Mental Health Act. A significant motion passed this week that will change the way city hall communicates regarding major projects/initiatives. You can expect better signage, enhanced communication during both the consultation and construction phase of major projects. Listen to find out more! It was a packed house at New West Council this week as 10 people signed up to exercise their democratic rights. FTR focuses on three of the delegations - one focused on crime and safety in our parks resulting from a video circulating in town of a 'lewd act' taking place at Pier Park. The other two focused on bike lanes on E. 6th Ave and 7th Ave near the 22nd St SkyTrain station. Tired of the incessant train whistle noise in Sapperton? You're not alone. How will our new Member of Parliament fare compared to the last one in getting the federal government to act more boldly when it comes to stopping the train whistles? The NWP is seeking a mayoral candidate by June 30th. They've also announced that anyone seeking a council or trustee endorsement needs to have their paperwork in by September 29th. FTR talks about why the NWP is being 'inundated' with local residents who want to run for a council and trustee spot! FTR looks ahead at some key upcoming events over the next month or so including the Queen's Park Garage Sale, Councillor Cafe - Queensborough Edition and PopUp Council booths. If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow us today! It is available on Apple Podcast, Spotify and all major platforms.

In this week's edition of FTR with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas, special guest Liberal MP-elect Jake Sawatzky has an exclusive interview. He speaks about how it felt to win on election night and some of his key priorities in the early days before he's sworn in later this month. You'll want to tune in for this one! Next is a discussion regarding mental health and a motion coming to New West Council later this month. Should Premier David Eby be declaring a mental health emergency in British Columbia? Will Victoria make more investments in mental health beds and drug treatment and recovery beds? Eby's recent announcement of only 10 new mental health beds at the Surrey Pretrial Center hasn't gone over well - with good reason. Listen to an excerpt of an interview CKNW host Jas Johal did on this topic with guest Daniel Fontaine. Just how and when did the infamous burger poll at Burger Heaven get started? FTR sits down with manager Chris Gieb to discuss how the poll got started and the state of local politics in the Royal City.BC Minister of Infrastructure Bowin Ma introduces Bill 15 in the BC legislature and it triggers a firestorm response! She talks about how for every 10,000 new people added to New West, we should be getting 50 new classrooms, 18 new hospital beds and 4000 new homes. But why has she been so silent on how many new community centers, libraries, pools, parks and playgrounds you need as well?Looking to apply to become a candidate with the NWP? The Board of Directors met this week and have announced the dates for which you need to apply for the Mayor, Council and Trustee positions. All this and much, much more! If you enjoy the podcast be sure to let your friends, family and colleagues about us and encourage them to follow. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all other major platforms.

It was a busy week in civic politics in New West - which translates into another great For the Record podcast!Starting off the top the discussion focuses on the federal election and some political prognostications. Who will pull it out of the hat on Monday in the New Westminster-Burnaby-Maillardville riding? Will the NDP's Peter Julian have the opportunity to be in Parliament for a quarter century? Or will upstart Liberal Jake Sawatsky make an upset victory? Could the Conservative's Indy Panchi surprise the pollsters? What about the final tally at the national level?A motion has finally been submitted to removed the USA flag from Queen's Park and replace it with the City of New Westminster flag. But will the motion be defeated due to the fact our local flag is simply 'too colonial'?You're hired! That's what New West City Council will be saying very soon as they undertake a process to hire a new city manager. The current city manager will be retiring early next year and the recruitment process is about to get underway.What is a Pop Up City Council office and why will one be installed on the boardwalk near the Samson V floating museum on Saturday April 26th from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm?The 'independent' governance review of Metro Vancouver is underway and a familiar face was interviewed as part of that process. Will the process yield real change? Why has there been almost no news when it comes to getting answers about the Metro Vancouver Wastewater Treatment Plan cost overruns? What's with all the silence and lack of transparency?Another successful Councillor Cafe was held in Queen's Park last week. It was a full house and there were lots of great comments and questions!What is the NWP doing when it comes to recruiting council and school board candidates for 2026? Is there an update? Who could they be talking to about running for Mayor and council? Tune in to get the inside track!All this and much more in the latest edition of FTR with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas. If you liked the podcast, be sure to follow and encourage your friends and family to do the same. FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

Have you voted yet? If you live in New Westminster, the federal advance polls have now opened and the lineups were huge on Day 1. What does a very high voter turnout mean for the incumbent? What about the challengers?It's time to delve into the federal election with a focused discussion on some responses provided at an all-candidates debate in Queensborough this week. All of the candidates were on stage and they were asked to comment about what local issues they're hearing at the doorsteps. There were a few common themes and some rather unique responses too!Is New Westminster getting it's fair share of federal and provincial infrastructure dollars? At least one candidate thinks so. The discussion regarding New West's infrastructure deficit was front and center with our federal politicians.The NWP held one of the largest (and most successful) political fundraisers in New Westminster in a long time. Over 150 people were in attendance for the 3rd Annual Spring Fundraiser at the Taverna Greka. It was a fun and boisterous event with some attendees asking for more!! Find out what this fundraiser might mean for the upcoming civic election in 2026.The infamous Burger Heaven 'bunofficial' poll is definitely producing some very interesting results. In the almost 30 years they have been doing the burger poll, the NDP has always been on top - but not this election.Find out who is leading in that poll - and by a large margin! Is this yet another sign of things to come on April 28th? After 21 years, will New West be getting a new Member of Parliament - and if so, who will that be? CBC Radio aired a story on the Burger Heaven poll and it's featured in the podcast.If you enjoy listening to FTR, be sure to tell your family and friends to follow. It's available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

In this week's FTR podcast, it starts off with a discussion regarding Jay Joy's presentation to New West Council. He asks if the 3.5% Climate Action Levy can be removed from the utility bills of New West residents and business owners. Coun. Nakagawa says no way. While Mayor Johnstone tells Joy he was 'misinformed'. So who was right?A familiar face showed up to the special Queensborough Council meeting to advocate for a new turf and track field at Ryall Park South. Former NWP mayoral candidate Ken Armstrong made a presentation to Council asking them to support this important investment in his Queensborough neighourhood. Find out what the staff response was and why Armstrong left the meeting a very happy man!Metro Vancouver presented their new trimmed down budget this week and it included double digit budget increases for as far as the eye can see. Yet Metro Vancouver wanted taxpayers to applaud their efforts at spending less. Should they?Tis the season of resident association meetings. A few of them have taken place the last few weeks including in Brow of the Hill, West End, Massey Victory Heights and Downtown. They were packed with federal politicians, wonder why? As one federal election candidate said "this election is considered as a job interview". Does that also mean it's also time for a performance review for our former Member of Parliament?Queensborough MLA Steve Kooner asks the BC NDP Minister of Education some tough questions about funding for a bus transporting high school students to NWSS. The Minister's response in the Legislature might come as a surprise!Popular CKNW host Mike Smyth talks Metro Vancouver budget and whether it's appropriate to fly the USA flag at Queen's Park Arena. Listen in to the interview and summary of responses from his callers.The FTR podcast is available on all major platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoy it, be sure to tell your family and friends to follow!

It was another hectic week of civic politics in New Westminster. There were no shortage of issues to discuss on this week's podcast! You'll want to hear our big announcement about the May 22nd event.The podcast starts off with a discussion regarding what constitutes effective consultation in New Westminster. Should a number of hot button issues including the public toilet at the InterUrban building, rewilding and naturalizing, West End rain gardens and the homeless shelter at Army and Navy be subject to new 'enhanced' communication and community consultation protocols? Should they have been designated as 'signature' or 'materially significant' civic projects/programs?Are some of the most effective lobbyists at New West city hall a group of Queensborough Middle School students? They recently wrote to the Mayor and Council asking that Ryall Park get new investments which would include a new turf and track field. There were some very compelling submissions which will be hard to ignore!Pier Park East and Pier Park West finally get reconnected - at some point soon. This will become a wonderful new public amenity for local cyclists, pedestrians and residents living downtown and beyond. While the date has yet to be determined, it's only a matter weeks before you can walk contiguously along our waterfront. But what about that connection to Sapperton?CKNW host Mike Smyth asks Coun. Daniel Fontaine to join him to discuss a column written by the Vancouver Sun's Doug Todd. It focuses on the skyrocketing taxes in New Westminster and whether unfettered growth and densification has impacted the increases.Will the American flag in Queen's Park Arena finally be taken down? Four city councillors indicate they might be interested - but are they?Let's talk about some upcoming events including the 3rd Annual Spring Fundraiser for the NWP which just announced it was SOLD OUT. How about the April 22nd Councillor Cafe - Queen's Park Edition which is expected to get a healthy crowd of local residents in attendance.May 22nd...who will be announced as the special guest for the next Councillor Cafe in Queensborough? Have a listen to find out. You hear it first right here!If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow us! It's available on Apple Podcast, Spotify and all major platforms.

It was a packed city hall chamber when a number of New West residents came out to speak about how they are not being properly consulted with and communicated to regarding various projects.Have a listen to excerpts from their presentations where they plead with Council to change the way city hall consults with residents and business owners. Presentations by residents Mike Timoffee, Brandi Rogocky, Grant Penner and Myles Liversidge are featured.Richmond Queensborough MLA Steve Kooner makes his first appearance at city hall. He's the first MLA or MP to come in and present to the Mayor and Council since the 2022 civic election. He spoke about his advocacy for a new turf and track field at Ryall Park South as well as a new high school in Queensborough.The podcast discussion also focuses on a new motion coming to council that will help increase the level of consultation and communication for 'signature' projects. But will it get the required four votes to become a reality?Coun. Paul Minhas talks about his motion which aims to permanently eliminate the city's 3.5% Climate Action Levy (aka mini carbon tax) in time for the 2026 budget process. Previous attempts have all failed 5-2, but with the BC NDP and Federal Liberal governments both abandoning their consumer carbon tax, will Community First stick with their levy?What happened this week at a West End Resident Association meeting? A high profile guest made a special appearance. Listen in to find out who that was! HINT: It rhymes with hat trick.A look ahead to a few NWP and councillor events coming up over the next couple of months including the 3rd Annual Spring Fundraiser at the Taverna Greka on April 15th. It's almost sold out, so get your tickets today. April 22nd is the next Councillor Cafe - Queen's Park Edition. It takes place at the Queen's Park Arena.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow it. For the Record is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.UPDATE: Since this podcast has been recorded, it has been confirmed that 4 councillors are prepared to potentially support a motion to remove the US flag at Queen's Park Arena and replace it with the City of New West flag...stay tuned!

It's been another wild and wacky week in civic politics in New Westminster - and the podcast captures it all! The discussion starts off with the on again, off again debate regarding the rewilding pilot project on the 5th St boulevard in the lovely Queen's Park neighbourhood. A few months ago the green manicured boulevard was ripped up as part of the City's biodiversity strategy. A number of mature holly trees were also cut down. In its place came a lot of mulch, rose bushes, massive logs, blueberry plants and few smallish trees. The 'rewilding' and 'naturalizing' pilot project didn't go over that well with the local residents who live adjacent to the boulevard. They raised a stink with city hall and last week the entire mulch field, logs and bushes were removed. Now it appears this will all be replaced with wild grass and flowers - but not if local residents have their way. Have you heard of BridgeNet? If you live in New West and pay taxes, you own it. A while back a question was asked in Council regarding how long it would take before BridgeNet actually broke even. This week we learned that it will not be until 2038 before BridgeNet breaks even. Should the City even be in the business of running something like BridgeNet? The infamous 3.5% Climate Action Levy (what many refer to in New West as our own version of the provincial and federal carbon tax) is back up for debate again as part of the 2026 budget. Now that PM Mark Carney and Premier David Eby have abandoned their failed experiments with the consumer carbon tax, will New West finally abandon its Climate Action Levy being charged on every single electrical bill? Do we need to assess and improve the way we communicate and consult with local residents and businesses in New West? A motion coming to council next month is seeking to do just that. Canucks on Columbia won't be coming to New West in 2025, but what about next year?The staff at Metro Vancouver were in the council chambers last week talking about their new Liquid Wastewater Management Plan. Council ended up not endorsing the plan. Has this set a precedent for other cities? Will we ever get answers to why the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant went so much overbudget? It's a packed podcast! If you enjoy it, be sure to tell your family and friends to follow it too! FTR is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all major platforms.

It's a special edition of For the Record focusing on the state of schools, or should we say the lack of schools in the Royal City. Whether it's a push to build the long-awaited Simcoe Elementary downtown, a new middle school or a high school in Queensborough, parents and students are fed up with a lack of action on the part of Victoria. The recent BC budget didn't help matters when it appears NO funding was allocated for Simcoe Elementary - even though the school was promised years ago!A motion introduced at New West Council on Monday, March 10th focused on providing the School District with support for their capital plan which asked the Ministry of Education to assist with land acquisition to build a new high school in Queensborough. While the motion was heavily watered down, it triggered a very testy debate. One councillor read out a letter from the school board which she interpreted as a message telling her colleagues to 'buzz off'.Meanwhile another councillor lectured her colleagues that if they wanted to set priorities for the school board, they should quit council and run there next time. Really? All the motion was calling for was to support a SD40 capital plan ask for a new high school - but did that ask really get made, or not?After the Monday council meeting, the SD40 trustees then debated the letter Chair Maya Russell had sent to Council which triggered the 'buzz off' comment. You'll be surprised to find out what the school trustees did with that letter and why it now has to be rewritten and sent back to Council to correct the record!Why is New West so far behind when it comes to school construction given we are the 2nd most densely populated city in Canada? We never even made progress when our local MLA was the Minister of Education and our MP was in a partnership agreement with the federal Liberal government. Why so?There is a discussion about a rally being organized outside MLA Jennifer Whiteside's office by the District Parent Advisory Council in support of Simcoe Elementary - as well as a petition launched in Queensborough to advocate for a new high school - click here to sign. Needless to say, it was a busy week focused on education!This podcast also includes an exclusive interview with NWP school trustee Kathleen Carlsen who just announced she has wrapped up her cancer treatment and is conducting her duties in-person again. It's an interview you won't want to miss as she also provides some background and context regarding the infamous 'buzz off' letter!It's another great podcast focusing on New West issues! If you enjoy it, be sure to tell your family, friends as that's how we've been building our audience. FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In another packed episode of For the Record, a number of important civic topics get discussed.Starting off the podcast is a discussion on the topic of a new lobbyist registry in New Westminster and Metro Vancouver. A motion recently got passed asking the Lower Mainland Local Government Association to support a request to establish a lobbyist registry for Metro Vancouver and other mid to large-sized cities. New West Council has done its part, now it's up to the LMLGA to do theirs. Have a listen to an interview on this topic conducted by Jas Johal on 730 AM CKNW.Two notices of motion are on the docket for next week at Council. They won't be debated until March 24th, but Council will receive them for debate. They include a motion to officially put a halt to the Queen's Park boulevard rewilding and naturalization pilot project.Another motion calls for the implementation of a Priority New West policy that will provide residents and local business owners with increased priority when accessing programs and services. Will the motion pass unanimously?A motion to be debated on Monday March 10th is a call for Council to support a School District 40 request for funding to begin the process of building a new high school in Queensborough. But should the new high school also capture the student population in East Richmond? The Chair of the School Board sends a letter to Council and weighs in with her thoughts.What ever happened to the New West Caucus or "Team New West" motion". It was passed about two years ago and called for the Mayor to convene a non-partisan meeting of the three MLAs, MP and City Council for a discussion on how they could all work together to advance the interests of New Westies. There are signs a meeting may be convened soon, but what took so long?Why are so many business owners and residents calling it quits? Two individuals have said they've had enough of the politics, waste of tax dollars and poorly set priorities of our local politicians. They're packing up and moving out of New West - but should they?Columnist Doug Todd from the Vancouver Sun triggers a vigorous online debate regarding whether we're building amenities at a fast enough rate to keep up with our population growth. The headline of his column (which became the number one trending story on the Sun website for almost 36 hours) asks if becoming the 2nd most densely populated city in Canada was worth it. Have a listen to the discussion about whether we could or should have done more to invest in parks, pools and playgrounds!Thanks to a NWP motion, patio hours are about to be extended in New West. Just in time for summer. Listen in to learn more.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell your friends an family to follow For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas. If you have any story ideas or suggested guests, be sure to contact FTR today!

The FTR team heads over to Victoria for a special edition in our province's capital city. We have exclusive interviews with New Westminster (Queensborough) MLA Steve Cooner and Tony Luck, Municipal Affairs Critic. Luck introduces Fontaine and Minhas in the BC Legislature before asking a couple of tough questions to the NDP Municipal Affairs Minister. Tune in to hear the thunderous desk thumping and heckling when a question about an inquiry at Metro Vancouver is posed! In the Council Roundup, the focus turns to an upcoming motion regarding the naturalizing of 5th and 2nd Street boulevards. The Minhas motion asks for Council to formally put a halt to the rewilding of the boulevards until the next civic election in 2026. Another motion titled 'Priority New West" looks to provide local residents and businesses with priority access to city hall operated programs and services. This is something that already takes place in other municipalities, but to a lesser degree in New West. The discussion also focuses on the possibility of a new high school in Queensborough. Will the Province of BC provide funding to School District 40 to get the project moving forward? Will that new high school be a joint project between New West and Richmond? Will vape shops be regulated in New West and beyond? A motion introduced by the NWP several months ago has triggered another motion to be debated at a Lower Mainland Local Government Association meeting taking place later this year. This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to help spread the word by asking your friends, family and colleagues to follow us!

FTR is heading over to the BC Legislature to attend Question Period and chat with a number of MLAs and staff. We'll have some exclusive interviews, analysis and commentary on how our provincial politicians are impacting the lives, commerce and vitality of New Westminster. The Legislature is finally back in session and this should be a fascinating podcast! It will be available on Saturday, March 1st.

Special guest co-host Karima Budhwani is in the studio to chat about a number of fascinating topics making news in New Westminster this week. Right off the top, the discussion focuses on the potential of a new high school in Queensborough. A motion coming to Council calls for greater advocacy regarding a School District 40 request of the Ministry of Education for funding to construct a new high school in Queensborough. Is it possible we can think out of the box and have the Richmond and New West School Districts work collaboratively to build this new educational institution?Next up is a discussion regarding a Metro Vancouver watermain break which had significant impact on a dozens of New West families a week ago. While restoration crews are on site cleaning up the mess, questions are being asked as to whether the review being conducted by Metro Vancouver will be truly independent. Furthermore, will the residents be provided with all the details and analysis provided by the third-party investigator? The Mayor's Urban Caucus issued a statement which called for significant advocacy on a number of fronts including more supports for detox and recovery beds. New West Mayor Johnstone signed on to the news release, but will Council support all of the wording included in the communique? A motion coming to Council will determine whether everyone agrees with the Urban Mayors Caucus. It appears the rewilding and naturalizing of the boulevards on 5th and 2nd Streets may be on hold for a while. According to a staff email to residents, there will be no more 'rewilding' until the pilot project can be fully assessed. This means residents likely won't see any further changes until AFTER the 2026 civic election. Should you be able to find out how much each elected official in New West collects by way of salary, stipends and expense claims? That's the thrust of a motion by Coun. Paul Minhas who is asking that effective 2024, all payments made to New West elected officials for attending Metro Vancouver, TransLink and other regional boards, be consolidated and made available as one public report. Is this a 'no-brainer' or not? An open house in Queensborough this week brought together city staff and the community to determine the level of interest in constructing a new turf and track field at Ryall Park South. A motion to this effect was introduced by the NWP back in January 2023 - and two years later the community has now been chosen as a finalist for this new capital investment. Will Queensborough come out on top - or not? Karima provides an update on what the NWP is doing when it comes to candidate recruitment for the civic election next year. She's also put under the gun and asked what her future political plans are - does she take the bait?If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow For the Record. It's available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

She's a former city council candidate and the dynamic president of the most popular civic elector organization in New Westminster! FTR welcomes the NWP's Karima Budhwani to the studio this week as she'll be co-hosting in place of Coun. Paul Minhas.It will make for a great podcast and there's even a bit of controversy brewing! Tune in to find out why!

Right off the top the topic of a new illicit drug inhalation center in downtown New Westminster is discussed. Now that Council voted 5 (Johnstone, Campbell, Henderson, Nakagawa and McEvoy) to 2 (Minhas and Fontaine) to give green light to this controversial new service, how long will it take to open - and what will the impact be to the surrounding downtown neighbourhood? It's hard to believe a mundane report on procurement could trigger controversy. The problem wasn't the report itself, it was more about how it got initiated. Is there now a precedent set that individual members of New West Council can direct staff to undertake work without getting the prior consent of their colleagues? Listen in to find out!Kudos to local residents in Connaught Heights for initiating a pollinator project in their neighbourhood. They're doing it to protect our environment and tackle the issue of climate change. But are all those efforts blown away when a single member of Council jumps on a jet plane to Japan or Dubai? Does the carbon footprint of a discretionary international junket or personal trip counterbalance all the great work being done in the local community? This shouldn't come to you as a "shock", but a motion asking to conduct a market assessment of the New West Electrical Utility got referred to the political equivalent of 'never-never land'. The motion was calling for a review of the current governance and operation model with a goal of maximizing the returns for local ratepayers. But it didn't take long for a Councillor to start talking about the 'privatization boogeyman' with another one quickly moving a motion to refer this to the Electrical Utility to analyze. New Westminster's pilot Citizen Assembly is being publicly heralded by our civic politicians as 'leading edge' and 'innovative consultation'. The Assembly's work is all wrapped up now with an 'independent' assessment of the pilot project getting underway soon. Anyone want to guess as to what the final results of the review will be?If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to encourage your friends and family to follow us. It's available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts along with all other major platforms.

In Episode 66 of For the Record, the opening discussion focuses on a recent economic forum that took place at the Anvil Center. While organizers are applauded for their efforts, a local entrepreneur (who wants to remain anonymous) speaks out about why downtown New West lost out on becoming the regional headquarters for his international business! 45 well paying jobs will be staying in Port Moody after several board of directors paid a visit to Columbia Street. Were we really compared to Prince Albert, SK?A report in the 'consent agenda' of the Feb 10th New West Council meeting outlines how a new illicit drug inhalation center is set to open up in downtown New West. The report was only made public a few days ago and is likely to get the support of a majority of Council when it comes up for a vote of Feb 10th. But with only a few days in the public realm, have local residents been provided with enough time to weigh in on whether they want this latest harm reduction service to be added into their neighbourhood?Queen's Park residents have spoken and many of them are none to happy about the prospect of 'rewilding' or 'naturalizing' both the 5th Street and 2nd Street boulevards. A portion of the 5th Street boulevard has already had the special biodiversity treatment and it's not going over well with local residents who are organizing a 'grassroots' campaign to put a halt to all of this. Yes, pun intended!The latest Councillor Cafe featuring retired architect Michael Geller was a huge success. Just under 100 people attended the event that focused primarily on the proposed Columbia Square redevelopment. If approved, it will jam 7,500 new residents on to a postage stamp lot on the western part of our downtown that is already facing numerous challenges with traffic and transportation.What does a sold out Burger and Beer at Begbie's mean for the future of civic politics in New West? Is the NWP momentum continuing to build in time for the 2026 civic election? It would appear so.Will a motion to approve two new Remembrance Day commemorative crosswalks get the green light from Council on Feb 10th? The discussion focuses on why our veterans deserve this special tribute in 2025.The next NWP event is at the Taverna Greka on April 15th. Click here if you want to purchase tickets.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to let your family and friends know. It is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In another packed podcast, FTR delves into the issues making news in New Westminster and beyond this week! The podcast starts off talking about a "Rewilding" and "Naturalizing" project taking place on 5th and 2nd Street boulevards. The grass is starting to get ripped up, the holly trees are being cut down - so let the rewilding begin! The project has a number of local residents up in arms demanding further consultation and a rethink of the entire expenditure. The 23% (2023-2025) property tax hike took another big step forward this week when Council passed the budget by-law. Included in that 2025 budget was a small, but controversial item to include a new honorarium of approximately $7,000 to the Chair of the Police Board. That just happens to be Coun. Tasha Henderson who is already compensated $60,000 to be a city councillor. This has attracted media attention and it has yet to be determined if Henderson will accept the honorarium or not. The Canucks on Columbia motion received unanimous support, but it wasn't without a few 'cautionary' remarks by members of New West Council. There was the inevitable discussion regarding whether this could trigger another Canucks riot - sigh. One member of Council even said organizing a downtown gathering might result in the emptying out of local restaurants and pubs. Really? The massive Columbia Square redevelopment project moved forward another step this week with the unanimous approval of a guarantee of around 130 affordable housing units. It is estimated that approximately 7,500 people will be moving on to this site once it is fully built out. So how many new libraries, community centers and swimming pools will be accompanying this project? Tune in to find out. FTR looks ahead to the next few weeks in Council whereby two motions regarding the BC Urban Mayors' Caucus and increasing openness and transparency at city hall will be debated. Of course, what would an episode of FTR be without a discussion focusing on Metro Vancouver's ongoing PR nightmare. This week Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim announced he was boycotting Metro Vancouver until it implements some significant governance reforms. This news came as a bombshell, but will other mayors and councillors be following suit? Stay tuned. If you enjoy FTR, be sure to tell your family and friends to follow! This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Happy Lunar New Year! This week on the podcast FTR features special guest Jiayi Li who brings New Year greetings on behalf of the NWP to all New West residents.First up is a discussion regarding the West End and Massey Victory Heights resident association meetings. Resident associations play a critical role in the community and a couple of them had special meetings this week to discuss a range of neighbourhood topics.The 23% property tax hike (2023-2025) keeps inching closer as the Budget By-law is about to be voted on at New West City Council on January 27th. It's forecast that this term of Council could result in a 30% tax hike - a record for the Royal City. Mayor Johnstone's trip to Dubai in 2023 has triggered a review of the City's policies when it comes to international travel. A staff report is making some significant recommendations regarding the manner in which overseas trips are approved and reported to the public.Metro Vancouver's ongoing PR disaster continued unabated this week with revelations that spending on per diems and meeting fees is ballooning 'out of control'. Listen to several interviews and media reports on this topic which are bound to increase your blood pressure!Coun. Paul Minhas will have his "Canucks on Columbia" motion debated at the next Council meeting. But will our cherished Canucks be seeing some post-season play this year? Only time will tell.Minhas is also bringing forward a motion to install special Remembrance Day sidewalks in New West. It's likely to get the support of Council and be implemented later this year.Upcoming events include the Jan 30th Councillor Cafe at the Holy Trinity Cathedral at 514 Carnarvon St from 7-9 pm. No RSVP is required. Don't forget the Burger and Beer @ Begbie's event on Feb 6th. Tickets are $30 and it's almost sold out.If you enjoy For the Record with Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas be sure to tell your family and friends to follow us too! This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major platforms.

What a packed podcast! It includes a special exclusive interview with Jag Sall who sits on the executive of the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar in Queensborough. Listen to how the Gurdwara is connected to the broader community. Coun. Daniel Fontaine announces he plans on taking Punjabi lessons this year!There is also a segment featuring Michael Geller, retired architect and developer, who talks about how density needs to be accompanied with investments in new public amenities. Geller will be the guest speaker at the Jan 30th Councillor Cafe taking place at the Holy Trinity Church at 514 Carnarvon St. from 7-9 pm. Geller reveals a couple of interesting connections to New Westminster.The podcast also features a number of media interviews featuring Coun. Daniel Fontaine speaking about massive pay packages for Metro Vancouver mayors. Did you know the Mayor of Burnaby raked in almost $400K in pay and benefits in 2023? Listen to a series of reports and commentary featured on CKNW and Global TV.If you enjoy the FTR, be sure to encourage family and friends to follow the podcast! It is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

In the first episode of 2025, hosts Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas wish everyone a happy new year! They also dive right into things with an opening interview with New West mortgage broker Jordan Kofsky. Will interest rates climb or fall? Should you choose a closed or open mortgage? How is supply and demand impacting the local market? Tune in for this engaging discussion regarding the local real estate scene and how it's being financed.Next up Paul Minhas puts Daniel Fontaine on the spot and asks him whether or not he's considering throwing his hat in the ring in 2026 to become New Westminster's next mayor. Is Fontaine really considering it?Monday, January 13th is the first Council meeting of the year and it features a debate on whether the City of New Westminster should raise property taxes by 23% in the first 3 years of this term. Also up for discussion is a motion brought forward by Minhas asking staff to prepare for outdoor and indoor street activities in time for the NHL playoffs this spring.To wrap things up the discussion turns to the big Councillor Cafe being planned for Thursday, January 30th featuring guest speaker Michael Geller. The event is open to the public and no RSVP is required. It's taking place at the Holy Trinity Church on Carnarvon St. from 7-9 pm.Next week FTR features an exclusive interview with Queensborough resident Jag Sall who is a senior executive for the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar. We talk about how the Gurdwara is an integral part of the community and how it is doing some amazing outreach activities.If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to encourage friends and family to follow us. The podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

What story made number one? Was it the Mayor's Code of Conduct violation for accepting a free gift of a trip to Dubai including business class tickets and a luxury stay at the Waldorf Astoria? Or was it the decision by Council to rationalize spending thousands of tax dollars on a new mushroom wall and insect hotel in Queen's Park?Join For the Record co-hosts Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas as they countdown the top 10 newsmakers in New West in 2024. Which civic political stories made the cut and why?This new and final podcast of 2024 is packed with interesting analysis and commentary on some of stories that made headlines - for all the wrong reasons.This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. A special vodcast of this Top 10 edition is also available on the NWP (New West Progressives) Facebook page and www.danielfontaine.ca. If you enjoy FTR, be sure to let your family and friends know!

In our final 'Best of the Best in 2024' episodes, we replay an interview we did right after the February by-election whereby the NWP's Kathleen Carlsen defeated the Community First candidate. Kathleen was up against 'the machine' but never gave up! She came close to winning in the general election in 2022 and had the opportunity to put her name back on the ballot in 2024. This time she came out on top. We talk to Kathleen about what it took to win and what she was looking forward to doing now that she would be sitting on the School Board. It's a great interview that you're not going to want to miss. In our next and FINAL podcast of 2024, we delve into the Top 10 civic issues of 2024. Be sure to tune in!If you enjoy listening to For the Record, be sure to let your friends, family and colleagues know. The podcast is available on all major platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

As part of our 'Best of the Best in 2024' we share with you an interview we conducted with Alison Silgardo, CEO for the Senior Services Society headquartered in downtown New Westminster.Alison shares with us some stories regarding what issues seniors are dealing with in New Westminster and beyond. She talks about some recent success stories in helping to get seniors housing and what more needs to be done to make sure we prevent seniors from becoming homeless.The Senior Services Society run a number of very successful programs that help to keep seniors in their homes longer and improve their quality of life. This is a great interview packed with loads of great information. You will want to tune in.If you enjoy listening to For the Record, be sure to let your friends, family and colleagues know. The podcast is available on all major platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

He's one of the highest profile Mayors in the Province and he made an appearance on For the Record earlier this year. As part of our 'Best of the Best in 2024' series we bring you a replay of our sit-down interview with Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West. We talk about mental health, crime and property taxes and much more. Mayor West doesn't pull any punches and let's you know what he thinks during this interview which covered a wide range of topics. The interview took place at the Union of BC Municipalities convention in September. If you enjoy FTR and these podcasts, be sure to tell your family and friends. Also encourage them to follow the podcast as well. FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

We continue with our 'Best of the Best' series by bringing back an interview we did earlier this year with Gail North. She is a long-time resident of the Queen's Park neighbourhood, a strong heritage preservation advocate and an active supporter of the annual Heritage Home Tour. Gail talks about her own personal journey taking an older home that was in need of restoration and returning it back to its former glory. She also talks about the state of affairs at New West city council as she regularly can be seen in the audience every two weeks. It's an interview you won't want to miss! If you enjoy it and the FTR podcast, be sure to let family, friends and colleagues know. Encourage them to follow the podcast as well! FTR is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In our latest installment of "Best of the Best in 2024' we revisit an exclusive interview we did with Jennifer Mackie, owner of the Kelly O'Bryan's pub on Columbia St. in downtown New Westminster. Jennifer opens up regarding how her business has been impacted by crime and public disorder in the downtown. We talk parking rates and what drew her into the service sector in the first place. We also discuss what more City Hall can do so support small business owners to not only survive in New West, but also to thrive! It's a great interview that took place right in the restaurant/pub! It's an interview you don't want to miss. If you are enjoying FTR, be sure to tell your family, friends and colleagues. You can also ask that they follow us too! This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In our special 'Best of the Best in 2024' series we are rebroadcasting some of our most popular podcast interviews of the year. This episode features an exclusive interview with Kayvan Rahmati, CEO for the popular Waves Coffee which is headquartered in New Westminster. He sits down with co-host Paul Minhas for a wide-ranging discussion on a number of interesting topics including how Waves got its name! Kayvan even gets to play 'Bell or Buzzer' and you'll have to listen to hear how well he did. If you enjoyed this podcast then be sure to recommend it to your family, friends and colleagues and encourage them to follow FTR. The podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

As part of our 'Best of the Best in 2024' series we are replaying a number of our most popular interviews. We got to sit down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with MLA Elenore Sturko during our visit to the BC legislature earlier this year. MLA Sturko pulls no punches as she takes direct aim at Premier Eby and his NDP government's failed decriminalization experiment in BC. She talks about how the experiment resulted in very negative impacts when it came to public disorder on the streets of New Westminster and beyond. It's definitely an interview you'll want to download! Sturko has since left the BC United Caucus and sits as a member of the new BC Conservative Caucus and serves as the Official Opposition Critic for Public Safety. If you enjoy FTR podcasts, be sure to tell family and friends it is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other major platforms. Encourage them to follow us too!

As part of our 'Best of the Best in 2024' series we are replaying a number of top interviews we did this year. Right up there in terms of popular downloads was the discussion we had with local business owner Rich Patterson. Rich is a proud New Westie and a vocal supporter of the local business community. He is also an active member of BC's oldest Chamber of Commerce which is located right here in New Westminster. We cover a number of issues of interest to the local business scene and talk about what more can be done to create and support more thriving enterprises in the Royal City. It was a candid, frank and informative discussion. Have a listen! This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all major platforms. If you enjoy it, be sure to let your family and friends know and encourage them to follow us. PS don't forget our Top 10 in 2024 podcast will be posted here very soon! It will cover off the top 10 civic news stories in New West this year.

In our 'Best of the Best" series we are replaying some of the interviews we did with our special guests over the Christmas season. In this edition, we feature Anita Dunn, former owner of Mila and Paige on Columbia Street. Anita was featured on Global TV news regarding some of the serious issues her business was facing with shoplifting and crime. This podcast triggered a lot of conversation in New West and was one of the most downloaded episodes this year. FTR is available on Spotify and Apple Podcast as well as all major platforms. If you enjoy listening, be sure to tell your family, friends and colleagues to follow us! Thanks for listening!

Co-host Daniel Fontaine sits down with CKNW's Jas Johal to talk about the prospect of 22%+ property tax increases in New West during the first three years of Mayor Johnstone's administration. They also delve into what the $277M capital plan (just approved by a majority on Council) includes. You might be surprised that the funding envelope incorporates $170,063 for some new 'pollinator pastures' and $200,000 for office renovations at city hall. This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Be sure to encourage your family, friends and colleagues to follow us and help spread the word.

It's the almost last new podcast of 2024 - and it's packed once again with the the hottest topics generating headlines in New West and beyond. Tune in to hear a number of great topics discussed including the recent announcement that Council has a approved a notional 7.6% property tax hike in 2025. What does that translate into for average homeowners and small business operators? More than you think! Next up is a discussion about the proposed 7th Street bike lane which if approved will remove lots of street parking, switch part of the road to one-way and add in a new dedicated bike lane. A recent public meeting at the library drew a very large and active crowd of residents who for the most part were not impressed with the proposal. Is it a done deal?What would a podcast be without another discussion on the new dedicated bike lanes on East Columbia which is causing major traffic headaches and triggering complaints from local residents - many of them seniors. Can anything be done to fix this 'problem' which many locals indicate was an unnecessary investment in the wrong location?The next Councillor Cafe downtown edition has been scheduled for January 30th at the Holy Trinity Cathedral - Parish Hall - from 7-9 pm. It looks like a lot of residents concerned about the Columbia Square redevelopment project are planning on being there. So too are downtown residents concerned about public toilets being installed in front of their residences. No advance registration is required, but come early as the seating is limited and Coun. Paul Minhas is predicting a packed house!Speaking of the Columbia Square redevelopment, that petition has over 1000 signatures on it now! What will Council do when all those names are submitted to them asking for a reconsideration of their decision to approve the massive new development at 88 10th Street?Another petition is now over 1100 signatures! That one pertains to a request for safety upgrades at 2nd Street and 6th Ave. Parent organizer Lyndsay Cotterall appeared on the Mike Smyth Show on CKNW to discuss. Did popular CKNW host Jody Vance just call the For the Record podcast 'cool' to all her listeners? Way to go Jody! Why did the Province of BC announce a major review of EComm 911, but have been silent on the wasteful spending and mismanagement at Metro Vancouver. What's up with that? A motion to limit the overall number and location of vape shops got unanimous approval from Council. A special letter of support came in only hours before the debate, you might be surprised to learn where it came from! All that and much more this week on For the Record which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all major platforms.

As we countdown to the Christmas holidays, there is no shortage of civic topics to discuss in New Westminster.This week the podcast starts off with a conversation between CKNW's Jas Johal and Daniel Fontaine. The topic is Metro Vancouver and an opinion piece co-authored by Fontaine and city councillors Paul Minhas, Kash Heed and Brent Asmundson. It's a pointed discussion focusing on Metro Vancouver waste, misspending and mismanagement.Next up is a focus on the New West 2025 budget. Of particular concern was an approved 61% increase in the sewer fees for local ratepayers. There was also another attempt to lower the Climate Action Levy (aka tax) on electricity bills - but it was turned down, yet again, by the Community First majority on council,Why did a Community First councillor try to put forward a motion, only to struggle to find anyone on Council willing to support her? Then moments later her motion went down to a resounding defeat. Exactly what is behind that political move?Did you know the petition calling upon Council to improve the safety at 2nd St and 6th Ave has almost 1000 signatures! If you haven't signed in yet, please do so. Here is a link to it. There were tears and fear expressed regarding what would happen to the residents living adjacent to the massive Columbia Square redevelopment project at 88 10th Street. Almost 50 owners attended a special strata meeting to hear from Fontaine and Minhas regarding 'what next' for this 8 tower (up to 53 stories) project.Do you live in downtown New West and wish you had better amenities like a community center, a library or a new park? Well a motion that was approved at Council by a 4-2 vote means a new downtown is one big step closer to reality. Should increased density be the key to unlocking the funds to build these new amenities?All this and more in a jam packed podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other major platforms. If you like the podcast, be sure to let your family, friends and colleagues know and encourage them to follow!

Co-Host Paul Minhas sits down with parents Lyndsay Cotterall and Tony Gilligan for an exclusive interview to discuss the issue of intersection safety. The focus is on 2nd Street and 6th Avenue - adjacent to the Herbert Spencer elementary. Tony and Lyndsay represent over 500 parents who have signed an online petition calling upon City Hall to take action to invest in safety upgrades for this intersection. A motion that came before Council on January 8th to set aside $500K for improvements to the intersection was defeated 3-3 (tie vote is a lost vote). However, both Lindsay and Tony think Council may have a change of heart and be willing to reconsider their previous decision. Listen to this inciteful interview about some of the challenges the parents face in turning advocacy into action. If you want to sign the online petition, click here.

A first for the podcast this week! We have not one, but two special guests who make an appearance on For the Record.Our first guest is Erica Wong who is once again organizing the special Queensborough Firehall Lighting Ceremony. Erica talks about her involvement with this special community event which is taking place on Saturday, November 30th. She also invites everyone to the Queensborough Christmas Market taking place on November 23rd.Next up is life-long New West resident Dave Prevost. While he's never been political in the past, the Columbia Square project (construction of up to 8 towers at up to 53 stories high) has got him motivated. In fact, he started an online petition which is garnering lots of community support calling for Council to have a rethink. Prevost talks about his concerns regarding building so much density without the appropriate community amenities.During the weekly Council Roundup, the discussion leads to a number of reports and motions brought forward to the November 18th Council meeting.A staff report on the new Crisis Response Team has co-hosts Paul and Daniel focusing on the $1M annual cost that should be paid for by senior orders of government. Once again the City of New West is stepping up while Victoria and Ottawa sit on the sidelines regarding an issue that falls within their jurisdiction.Next up was a briefing about covering up ditches and building sidewalks in select areas of Queensborough. A Community First councillor moved a motion to spend $1M on a 'quick treatment' plan for a number of streets in Queensborough that will result in a significant loss of street parking. It will also result in many of the streets becoming one-way, vs. two-way streets. Why did Council approve this first then ask staff to consult with local residents afterwards?The 'temporary' homeless shelter at the former Army and Navy building on Columbia has received a 5-2 approval for another 3 years. Yes, that means the 'temporary' homeless shelter that was only supposed to be open for only18 months will be in operation for six years. Yet the unhoused on New West streets wait desperately for the Province of BC to construct the long-awaited supportive housing units on the corner of 6th and Agnes. The doors for those units won't open until at least January 2026!Civic democracy is alive and well in New Westminster. That's in part due to a 6-1 vote to retain the status quo at Council and not place any annual limits on how many motions councillors can introduce each year. Let's hope this is the last in a string of initiatives and discussions over the past 24 months aimed at restricting the democratic right of elected officials. After the next election when the NWP form a majority, democratic reforms will be initiated to open up city hall once again.It's a packed podcast that you'll want to listen through to the end. If you enjoyed it be sure to tell your friends and family to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all other major platforms.

If a staff recommendation is passed on Monday, November 18th, the days of elected officials being able to introduce at least one motion per meeting will be gone. The new rules which could take effect in 2025 would limit opposition councillors (and other councillors too) to a maximum of 5 motions per year. Will this measure which could limit local democracy be approved by a majority on Council - or not?What do you consider as temporary? Do you think 6 years qualifies? Council is being asked on Monday to approve another 'temporary' three-year permit for the homeless shelter located at the former Army and Navy site on Columbia. That means the 'temporary' shelter will be open for at least six years - and any prospect of the Army and Navy building being redeveloped will be shelved, yet again. Just when will all that supportive housing promised by Victoria arrive?Parents with children who are attending Herbert Spencer Elementary and Glenbrook Middle School have had enough! They want improvements made at the 2nd Street and 6th Avenue intersection to help reduce the risk to pedestrians. A previous motion to review this intersection for possible capital upgrades was initially approved - then eventually defeated by the Community First majority. Will the parents be able to convince Community First to reconsider their decision?The rain held off long enough to hold a dry and incredible Remembrance Day ceremony at New West City Hall. Not all members of Council attended and it caught the attention of a number of attendees. But the mood at the Legion was uplifting with an amazing performance by the Royal Westminster Regiment Band. We provide you with an exclusive performance!Is the rent charged in New Westminster really the 5th highest for any midsize city in B.C.? You bet it is. So why then are developers of market rental provided with so many special breaks by City Hall? Shouldn't that be reserved for developers of below market and more affordable rental units?Time to review some of the upcoming events! We do an event roundup covering off some planned townhall forums and Councillor Cafes being planned for early 2025.If you like this podcast, be sure to tell your friends, family and colleagues. That's how we help to spread the word.

In this special Remembrance Day edition of FTR, we cover a number of topics that generated headlines and water cooler chat in New West and beyond. The podcast starts off with a discussion on the New West Mayor's Code of Conduct hearing at which his breach of the Community Charter Act was discussed and debated. In the end, the Mayor has been asked by Council to take some additional training - but was that enough? Who would have thought that e-bikes and a meat shop could collide. But they did this week when the Queen's Park Meat and Deli started a petition calling upon the Mayor and Council to remove an e-bike parking station. The owner was complaining that it resulted in two parking spots being removed from in front of his establishment. Did this story have a happy ending? The City of New Westminster is applying to the federal government for a grant to offset almost $2M in expenditures to set up a Crisis Response Team Pilot Project. Should New West taxpayers continue to do the job of the senior orders of government when it comes to dealing with the critical issues of mental health, homelessness and poverty on our streets? If you live in Burnaby you're eligible for up to $10,000 in grants to offset your costs to install solar panels and battery storage. If you live in New West not so much! That's because not all BC Hydro programs were created equally. Listen to how a NWP motion that came to Council may lead to more equity between BC Hydro and New West Electrical Utility customers. What do you define as temporary? 3 years? 6 years? That was the topic of discussion when Council debated the approval of a 'temporary' use permit for another homeless shelter downtown. In the end, 'temporary' got defined and the concerns of local residents were incorporated into the final decision. So how long is 'temporary'?Monday November 11th is Remembrance Day. Be sure to attend the special ceremony at New West City Hall at 10:30 am (rain or shine). This is a great way to pay respects to our soldiers and veterans who lost their lives over the course of so many global conflicts. If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to tell your friends, family and colleagues to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other major platforms.

This is the first official For the Record podcast co-hosted by Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas. That means a few production changes including rebranding "The Way I See It" to "The Way We See It" and some new cover art! First up on the podcast this week for discussion is the massive Columbia Square development project. Once fully built out, it will include up to 8 towers at 53 stories high. Over 7,000 people (including 530 students) will be moving in to this postage stamp property. Is this really the right scope and scale of development for this site, or not?Survey says! Yes, Ipsos has surveyed New Westminster residents and business owners and asked them what they'd like to see in the 2025 City of New West budget. Surprisingly only a handful of businesses bothered to complete the survey. What is behind the low response rate? Did New West residents really say they don't want tax hikes above the rate of inflation which now sits at 1.6%?Should the City of New West really be doing the Province's job of building affordable housing? Council recently decided to invest a minimum of 80% of a $60M pot of funds associated with the Columbia Square project to build affordable housing - even though the BC government has the primary responsibility. That means unlike other cities, we can't use these funds to build new pools, recreation and community centers, parks and more. Will this be the year that ALL members of Council attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies at City Hall? Only time will tell.NWP President Karima Budhwani is in the studio and she's talking branding. That's right, the NWP is refreshing its brand in time for the 2026 election. The green and blue colouring remain, but the focus will be on NWP and the tagline #ChooseProgress. Why make the change now? We ask Budhwani to provide us with some insight. The weekly event roundup also talks about the November 7th Councillor Cafe in Sapperton as well as the NWP fundraiser on November 21st at the former home of Mayor J.Johnson in Queen's Park. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell family, friends and colleagues and ask them to follow! FTR is available on all major platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Happy 1st Birthday FTR! That's right, For the Record with Daniel Fontaine has turned one year old this week. How quickly one year flies by when you're having fun.That gift wrapped box you see on the table conceals a BIG birthday surprise we've left to the end of our podcast. HINT: it has to do with the future of For the Record and where we go from here!Special guest Coun. Paul Minhas is once again in studio. We also interview Alison Silgardo, CEO for the Seniors Services Society of British Columbia. What issues are New West seniors facing when it comes to accessing housing, support programs and coordinating our new digital world? Are we doing enough to help seniors navigate a complex and challenging labyrinth of government programs and services?We also have another edition of 'Council Roundup' where we discuss the controversial Columbia Square development project at 88th 10th Street near the New West SkyTrain Station. Could it soon become home to 8 towers up to 53 stories high and 7,500 new residents? Is this the right project for Canada's second most dense city?The 3.5% Climate Action Levy placed on monthly electrical utility bills as well as the 2025 city budget are also up for discussion.You'll also want to listen in to our special "2 years in 20 minutes" segment where host Daniel Fontaine and Coun. Paul Minhas look back at some of the highlights of their first two years in office.This is a fun, informative and action packed podcast that you don't want to miss. If you enjoy it, be sure to encourage your friends and family to download it today. The podcast is available on all major platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.To contact the Seniors Service Society of BC call 604-520-6621 or visit their website at seniorsservicessociety.ca.

In this special edition of For the Record, we share with our listeners a number of media interviews conducted the week of October 21st with For the Record host Daniel Fontaine.The interviews focused on the recent atmospheric river and the retroactive pay hikes at Metro Vancouver. The interviews were broadcast on a number of mainstream media including CBC, Global TV and CKNW.The regular weekly For the Record podcast featuring special guest Alison Silgardo from Seniors Society of BC and New Westminster City Councillor Paul Minhas will be released on Saturday, October 26th. You won't want to miss that one as we have a BIG announcement to make - and it's also our 1 year birthday party celebration!This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you like what you hear, be sure to tell family and friends to follow and listen!

This is a special Election Edition of For the Record with guest Coun. Paul Minhas. The podcast looks back at some of the campaign commitments made during the election that could have an impact on the streets, homes and business of New Westminster residents. Why did Richmond-Queensborough come out on top when it came to campaign commitments? Why was there crickets in Burnaby-New West and New West-Coquitlam ridings? We explore and analyze what could be behind this phenomenon. The City of New West declared a climate crisis, yet did you know that local residents are not eligible for all BC Hydro programs to reduce energy consumption? For example, New West residents are not able to take advantage of a $5000 grant program to install solar panels and battery storage. Is that fair? Will a motion coming to Council soon help to resolve this inequity?A number of parents in New West are fuming mad with City Council after it passed up on the opportunity to provide long-term stable funding to expand the popular Walking School Bus Program. We explore what led to the Parent Advisory Councils sending an extraordinary letter to Mayor and Council last week. But will it lead to a positive outcome? Lastly, we provide a hint of some BIG changes coming to this podcast. A BIG announcement will be coming on Oct 25th regarding the future of For the Record with Daniel Fontaine. Tune in for a few hints as to what the change might be. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to tell family, friends and your work colleagues. That's how we keep growing the audience each week. If you want to listen to the podcast, it's available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

There have been a lot of promises made in this provincial election that could impact New Westminster. Have a listen to this breaking news announcement about a special For the Record Election Edition we plan to release later this week. We also hint that a BIG announcement regarding the podcast is about to be made soon!

Did the popular political podcast Hotel Pacifico just give a BIG shoutout to Queensborough? Did the hosts really link a $5M Conservative campaign commitment to upgrade Ryall Park to hospital closures in Merritt? How so?We explore the reasons why provincial political parties are falling all over themselves to capture the hearts and minds of Queensborough while literally ignoring the two other New West ridings. It's official! New West taxpayers are one step closer to shelling out $90,000 to a BIG law firm to "Sue BIG Oil". But based on the reaction of numerous callers to the Jill Bennett Show it's clear how out of touch Community First politicians are with their constituents. Special guest Coun. Paul Minhas breaks down why the "Sue BIG Oil" motion is going over like a lead balloon with local residents. New West Council voted unanimously to support a motion calling upon the next Premier to conduct a governance review of Metro Vancouver. About time! Let's see what the next Premier does with that request. A BIG "New West" sign on Pier Park took one BIG step forward this week when a motion by Coun. Paul Minhas got approved by a vote of 5-2. Will Tourism New Westminster be able to secure the funding and city approvals to get the sign on the waterfront by next summer?The Queensborough Bridge is jammed during rush hour often cutting off the people living in Queensborough from the rest of the mainland. The bridge backup also plays havoc on 20th Street. A motion got approved this week that might help to eventually relieve some of that carbon-inducing congestion. You'll also want to hear an interview from the Jas Johal Show on CKNW featuring Coun. Daniel Fontaine. The topics include Sue BIG Oil and Metro Vancouver governance. If you like this podcast, be sure to tell family, friends and colleagues all about For the Record with Daniel Fontaine.

It's another great episode of For the Record this week with special guest Coun. Paul Minhas. We open up the podcast with a discussion on an obscure utility set up in 2016 which is owned by New West taxpayers called BridgeNet. We discuss how it will bleed another $677,000 again this year. Have we got your attention yet?There is a downloading dilemma going on in New West and throughout British Columbia. The City of New West is taking on responsibilities for programs and services that should be administered and/or paid for by senior orders of government. A staff report coming soon is about to provide all of the details regarding how much this is costing New West residents and businesses each year.A NWP apology leads to a curious discovery on the Community First website. Some of the wording on their site has quietly been changed to strike out references to the BC NDP. But why so?Conspiracy theories abound as a select few 'keyboard warriors' talking to themselves in their echo chamber make false assertions about who was planning a townhall forum at the New West SkyTrain station. What are the facts? Just who was organizing the townhall forum that suddenly got cancelled with little advance notice? Time for the facts, please!Host Daniel Fontaine is interviewed by Mike Smyth from CKNW about skyrocketing tax increases being proposed by Metro Vancouver - our unelected, unaccountable and increasingly expensive regional government.CKNW's Jas Johal Show also invited Fontaine on to the podcast to talk Metro Vancouver and a proposal to expand the Pattullo Bridge to six lanes. Incredibly, Fontaine does a policy flip flop and agrees to the expansion - but with a caveat! A pretty big caveat!PS we even have a special Sesame Street appearance this week!Be sure to listen in and tell your friends and family if you enjoy the podcast. That's how we continue to grow our audience and spread the word. This podcast is available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In another jam packed episode of For the Record with host Daniel Fontaine special guest Coun. Paul Minhas makes another appearance.Some of the topics discussed include a viral video recorded on Columbia Street showing a public bus stop being used for private purposes - including the consumption of illicit drugs. We'll share an interview from CKNW's popular Jill Bennett Show on this topic.Are you prepared as a New West taxpayer to give $80,000 to some high priced lawyers so we can join a "Sue Big Oil" lawsuit? A motion will be coming to council soon - so we discuss.Would you like to see at least one 2025 operating budget scenario with a maximum tax increase of 4.5%. A previous attempt to have this happen got voted down. But if at first you don't succeed, try try again!If you are living in New West did you know you are paying a special 3.5% climate action levy (also known as a tax) on your electricity bill each month? An attempt to temporarily remove that levy in 2025 is about to be debated soon.Over 27,000 views of videos posted by the New West Progressives in less than a month? What the heck is going on?Did city council just appoint Coun. Daniel Fontaine to an external body? Say it isn't so. Listen through to the end of the podcast to find out about this amazing appointment.If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to recommend it to your family and friends. It's available on all major platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

What do Bryan Adams, Ringo, Trooper, Chilliwack and Prism all have in common? At some point in their music career they all worked with New West resident Michael Dunn. In this special mini-podcast, For the Record interviews Dunn to talk about the local music scene, his upcoming concert and more.In 2023, he finally recorded his own album “Bridge Across the Years” inspired by the great bands of the 70's and 80's and drawing on an international cast of exceptional musicians. Released to great critical response, the album will see its first public performance at The Anvil Theatre on November 9.In addition to performing their own album, you can look forward to hearing thrilling tributes to the acts that inspired the album including songs by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and more.Dunn has pulled together an exceptional ensemble cast of 12 musicians to help him pull this off including Marc Gladstone (Prism), Clayton Hill (Trooper) and Mike Russell (Nick Gilder, Sweeney Todd).Also joining will be two of Vancouver's most highly regarded female vocalists, Joani Bye (who can be heard on albums ranging from Cher to David Bowie and Bon Jovi) and Cathy St. Germain (whose credits include work with Paul Rodgers, Ray Charles and Loverboy).Partial proceeds are being donated to the New Westminster Secondary School band program to help support the great work they do in instilling a love of music in young people.Ticket prices:$65 plus service chargesEarly bird price: $57 plus service charges (until October 1)https://anviltheatre.ca/event/a-celebration-of-classic-rock/