Metro Vancouver News

Vancouver-based artist creates Google Doodle for National Indigenous Peoples Day

B.C. artist's 'Google Doodle'

Photo: Image courtesy Alano Edzerza/Google.

Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza, who is based in Vancouver, created the Google Doodle for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

A Vancouver-based artist will have his art seen by a massive audience to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day.

The June 21, 2025, Google Doodle in Canada was created by Alano Edzerza of the Tahltan Nation of B.C. Edzerza is a long-time multi-media designer in Vancouver, who's designed everything from Olympic clothing for the Dutch to jewellery to conference tables.

"With a career spanning over two decades, Edzerza has garnered significant international recognition for his work, with his art being featured in numerous galleries and museum shows worldwide since he was a teenager," reads a statement from a Google spokesperson.

The Doodle features "Google" rendered as carved wooden letters with different animals, including a frog, eagle, and bear.

"This year’s doodle represents totem poles, large carvings made by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast," reads the statement. "More than artwork, totem poles are deeply symbolic narratives carved into wood. They tell stories, commemorate events, or represent a family's lineage and crests."

"Many totems feature animals, like eagles, killer whales, beavers, ravens, bears, and wolves, often stacked in a narrative sequence that can be 'read' by those who understand the symbolism."

The Google Doodle is seen on Google's home page; it changes to honour certain days, events, or famous people in specific countries. In the past in Canada it's celebrated well-known things like Canadian elections, poutine, and Terry Fox, along with lesser-known parts of Canadian culture, like Vancouver poet and activist Jim Wong-Chu, Vancouver athlete Harry Jerome, and the anniversary of the coldest temperature ever recorded in Canada.

In fact, one of the first Google Doodles was Canada Day 2001.

B.C. woman sues over alleged tattoo removal burns

Suit over tattoo removal

Photo: Rob Kruyt.

B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. A B.C. woman alleges permanent scarring and skin damage from botched laser procedure at Adrenaline Vancity.

A B.C. woman is suing a Vancouver tattoo parlour alleging she received burns when she went to have a laser tattoo removal procedure.

In a B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim filed June 16, Katrina Dionne Glubrecht alleges she went to the Adrenaline Vancity outlet on Fourth Avenue West, which offers laser tattoo removals.

Named as defendants in the case are Jenny Ertl, and Adrenaline Professional Body Piercing and Tattoos Inc.

The claim alleges Ertl administered laser tattoo removal using a PicoSure laser to disperse the ink particles through a pressure wave.

The claim alleges the incident in question occurred July 4, 2023.

It asserts Ertl suggested using a different setting to remove a tattoo faster.

“The plaintiff agreed with the understanding that the defendant Jenny, was a certified expert,” the claim said. “As a result, the plaintiff left the service with open wounds, including second- and third-degree burns covering the entirety of the treated area on her left forearm.”

The claim said Glubrecht began to experience severe blistering, scarring and skin discoloration that will be untreatable.

“The plaintiff attended urgent care and her dermatologist for treatment of the injuries and received confirmation of the second- and third-degree burns,” the claim said.

The claim further said Glubrecht contacted the store for a refund.

She further said she was advised by Ertl that store technicians would be addressing the concerns to avoid similar future instances.

She alleges the store breached its duty of care to her.

The claim alleges Glubrecht suffered second-degree and third-degree burns to the left forearm, skin discoloration of the left forearm, scarring, low-mood issues, and fear and anxiety associated with laser treatment services.

Glubrecht is seeking non-pecuniary damages, past and future special damages, damages for loss of past and future income, loss of earning capacity, and health care costs.

Company representative David Nixon said he was unable to comment as the matter is before the courts.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

B.C.'s largest Iranian community reacts to conflict with both anxiety and hope

Conflict brings anxiety, hope

Photo: Hamid Jafari

Protesters gather at Vancouver Art Gallery on Sept. 16, 2023, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. 

The escalating conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran has significantly impacted residents of North and West Vancouver, the province's largest Iranian community, many of whom have deep familial ties to Iran.

Amid rising tensions and widespread communication disruptions, local families are experiencing heightened anxiety and uncertainty regarding the safety of their loved ones. Despite these challenges, there remains cautious optimism within the community that the conflict may eventually lead to the end of the Islamic Republic regime.

For Mehdi Ghadimi, a former Iranian journalist now living in North Vancouver, the current conflict raises concern for his family’s safety, as it does for many in the community, while also signalling what he thinks could be the final phase of the Islamic Republic regime.

“At my request, my family – my parents and sister – are currently staying at our family home in Karaj, which is relatively safe,” said Ghadimi. Initially, anxiety peaked when his sister in Tehran reported frequent explosions.

“Once it became clear Israel was specifically targeting nuclear sites and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, rather than civilians, our worries somewhat subsided,” he explained.

Created in the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the IRGC has since expanded its power, taking on roles throughout the country's military, politics and society. Canada lists the organization as a terrorist group, citing its support for Hizballah, Hamas and the Taliban, among others.

Ghadimi added that advance warnings provided in certain areas of Tehran offer some comfort – for those able to leave their homes – by allowing residents to evacuate ahead of attacks. In the early hours of the war, Israel killed senior IRGC commanders, some linked to the downing of Flight PS752 on Jan. 8, 2020, according to a CNN report.  

Ghadimi himself was arrested in Iran on Jan. 1, 2023, during the Women, Life, Freedom movement for alleged “propaganda against the regime.” He spent 30 days in prison.

The movement began in September 2022 after the country's morality police – a dedicated unit that enforces strict dress codes for women – arrested 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Tehran. Witnesses claimed police beat the young woman. Three days later, Amini died in hospital, sparking widespread protests. In the resulting crackdown, the regime arrested roughly 22,000 people in a wave of repression that led to 537 deaths.   

Digital darkness returns to Iran

For Azin Rouhafzaie, a 39-year-old marketer who moved to Vancouver in 2009, the recent events have severely disrupted her regular communication with her family in Iran.

“Since June 16, my communication with my parents has been completely cut off,” Rouhafzaie said.

She reached out to strangers via social media in Iran, hoping someone with limited internet access could confirm her family’s safety. Despite initial hesitation, one of her followers successfully delivered a recorded message from her father, assuring her they were safe but completely disconnected from internet and mobile services.

Since the war began on June 13, 2025, there have been significant internet disruptions caused by the Islamic Republic. As this report is being written, 36 hours have passed since the regime imposed a nationwide internet shutdown, according to NetBlocks, an independent internet monitoring organization.

Live metrics also show minimal connectivity, with only a few users accessing the internet via multi-hop VPNs.

Iran's leadership has reportedly claimed the internet shutdown is an attempt to thwart Israeli cyberattacks and oppose what it alleges is Israel's attempt to stifle media coverage of missile strikes – what Iran's foreign ministry described Friday as a “war on truth and human conscience.” 

State television in Iran claimed that WhatsApp collects Iranian users’ information and sends it to Israel. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has firmly denied these allegations, stating this is a pretext for the regime to block essential communication services at a critical time.

The current internet shutdown echoes November 2019, when a nationwide shutdown in Iran left millions cut off from the outside world. During that week, about 1,500 protesters were reportedly killed in a government crackdown, according to Reuters.

Ghadimi said he believes the regime’s decision to shut down the internet is an attempt to regain control over the war narrative. 

“In a situation where propaganda thrives on fear and uncertainty, cutting off communication helps preserve the status quo – a strategy the Islamic Republic has relied on for years and is desperate to maintain until the very end,” he said. "In many ways, the regime has already collapsed in the minds of the public, long before any official announcement.... By shutting down the internet, they’re trying to delay that inevitable moment and prevent citizens from connecting and organizing.”

Iran is among the world's top jailers of journalists and has ramped up its crackdown on media since the war started, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. 

Major social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and the messaging app Telegram, have been filtered by the regime’s authorities, significantly restricting citizens’ online communications and access to news.

High anxiety for Iranian diaspora

Rouhafzaie expressed immediate concerns over the prolonged nature of the conflict, highlighting potential supply shortages and psychological distress among the Iranian diaspora and citizens within Iran.

“Each passing day increases civilian hardships, making conditions more critical,” she said.

Dr. Poran Poregbal, a North Shore-based psychotherapist with a doctorate in clinical counselling, has worked in mental health for decades in Canada and abroad. Since leaving Iran in 1987, she has spent 26 years living and practicing on the North Shore, supporting individuals in crisis through private practice and community organizations.

She says many members of the Iranian community are experiencing deep anxiety as they follow developments in Iran, feeling helpless in the face of a future they cannot control.

“Anxiety is fear of the future,” said Poregbal. “Right now, people are torn between the fear of losing their loved ones and the hope that we’ll finally be free.”

She recommends staying connected with trusted individuals and avoiding isolation.

“One of the best strategies is not to stay alone. Join support groups, talk to professionals, or simply open up to someone you trust,” she said.

Cracks in the regime?

Ghadimi predicted a decisive conclusion soon, speculating that the conflict could lead to the end of the Islamic Republic regime. He believes Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has consistently emphasized his preference for the Iranian people to lead change, supported by the international community to ensure a peaceful transition.

“Unfortunately, that path did not materialize, and now it seems this limited, targeted conflict could bring about the regime’s collapse within weeks,” said Ghadimi.

Rouhafzaie expressed cautious optimism about potential international mediation facilitating a peaceful power transition. However, she stressed that Iranians oppose the Islamic Republic regime and have long desired its end, making this conflict particularly unjust as civilians lack the means to protect themselves.

Poregbal believes the current crisis cannot be separated from the decades of oppression Iranians have endured under the Islamic Republic.

“People in Iran have lived under pressure for 45 years,” she said. “For many, it’s not just a war between Israel and Iran. It’s been a war against the people since 1979.”

She views the regime’s ongoing repression as a root cause of widespread psychological distress, both inside Iran and within the diaspora.

“There is no real solution right now, but the hope is that with freedom and peace, healing can begin,” she said.

As the conflict unfolds, the Iranian North Shore community remains closely attuned to developments in Iran, united by concern for their families and a shared hope for meaningful change. Many hold onto cautious optimism that the unrest may mark a turning point – not just for their loved ones, but for the future of Iran itself.

Hamid Jafari is a Vancouver-based freelance journalist who writes about the Iranian community in Canada, art, culture, and social media trends. He has done two placements with the North Shore News that were supported by New Canadian Media. [email protected]

Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Burnaby sign agreement to co-manage Barnet Marine Park

Deal to co-manage park

Photo: Abby Luciano / North Shore News

Tsleil-Waututh Nation councillor Charlene Aleck sits on a bench with a wolf sculpture near the water at Barnet Marine Park in Burnaby after signing a co-management agreement with the City of Burnaby. 

The s?lilw?ta? (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) will now oversee management and stewardship of a Burnaby park as a step towards reconciliation.

Tsleil-Waututh Nation and the City of Burnaby signed an agreement Wednesday to co-manage salta? (Barnet Marine Park), formalizing a partnership between the two to preserve and protect the natural beauty of the area, but also the cultural significance of the park.

“I think it’s huge in the way of putting our face back onto the land in a big gesture,” said Tsleil-Waututh elected councillor Charlene Aleck.

The co-management agreement will create opportunities for Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Burnaby municipal staff to work together to develop recreational use of the park for the public and the nation.

City of Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said municipal staff will manage the park daily and make sure it’s looked after and will work with the nation on making decisions around the park and how it will be used.

Barnet Marine Park is a culturally, environmentally and historically significant area in Tsleil-Waututh traditional territory, the nation said.

During the agreement signing ceremony, Aleck shared a few stories she heard on ties to the land.

“[My mom] swam back and forth from what we know now as our reserve to salta? over here, and her little cousin would paddle in the canoe behind her. Many stories like that where they’d stop and eat fish and I remember them saying it was so clear you could see almost to the bottom of the inlet,” Aleck said.

“Having that rich memory of who we are and what we’ve done here, and having it portrayed in this way, gives us such good feelings,” she added.

On top of the agreement, the City of Burnaby relocated a pair of wolf eco-sculptures from the municipal hall to Barnet Marine Park facing the water.

The eco sculptures were designed by Tsleil-Waututh Nation elders with flowers surrounding the two wolves. Tsleil-Waututh Nation youth and Burnaby city councillors joined Hurley in planting the flowers together earlier this year.

“They are meant to symbolize our shared commitment to work and grow together towards a future based on understanding, mutual respect and collaboration,” Hurley said.

“This is an important accomplishment, but it’s just the beginning, and I look forward to continuing down the pathway, arm in arm together to reconciliation, as we know that’s our goal, but it’s going to take a lot of work to get there,” he added.

Aleck said the co-management agreement is a positive step forward, bringing Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s culture and history to the park, but also opening the door for future generations to see representation.

The councillor hopes now with the co-management agreement with Burnaby, it will be a starting point for other municipalities to follow suit.

“I feel like it’s a door that was never open for us in my childhood, but now for this generation and looking forward, it’s kicked open more opportunity, more self-belonging and more acknowledgement,” Aleck said.

Controversial Granville strip building ‘safe to re-occupy’ after fire

Building 'safe to re-occupy'

Photo: Photo Chung Chow.

The provincial government purchased the former Howard Johnson hotel at 1176 Granville St. in 2020 to house people who were living in the Oppenheimer Park encampment. The building has since been renamed the Luugat.

A former Vancouver hotel on the Granville Street strip that was purchased for $55 million in 2020 by the provincial government to house people who were living in an encampment at Oppenheimer Park has been deemed “safe to re-occupy” after a fire June 11.

The Luugat, a former Howard Johnson, was forced to evacuate tenants after a fire broke out in a suite on the fifth floor of the building at 1176 Granville St. Vancouver Fire Rescue Services determined the fire was caused by a locking butane torch.

That same day, the city’s chief building official Saul Schwebs visited the Luugat and conducted a limited inspection, including the main electrical room, according to the City of Vancouver’s communications department.

“It was observed that the electrical system had been exposed to significant amounts of water during fire suppression operations,” the City said in an email.

“This creates a risk to occupants and the risk of secondary fires. The [chief building official] determined that this is an unacceptable risk to life safety and ordered the building to be vacated until the electrical system was made safe.”

Following an electrical inspection June 13, Schwebs determined the five-storey building was “safe to re-occupy,” with the exception of certain units which were most impacted,” the City said.

'Road to recovery'

The return of tenants comes as the City and provincial government continue to discuss in public and private the future use of the building, which has generated thousands of calls for service from firefighters and police since it opened in 2020.

Mayor Ken Sim has called for tenants of the Luugat and other single-room-occupancy buildings on the strip, including the provincial government-owned St. Helen’s Hotel (1161 Granville St.) and Granville Villa (1025 Granville St.) to be moved to other buildings.

Where those buildings are and whether the plan is to build new ones as replacements are questions Sim nor Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon could answer this week in interviews with BIV.

Sim said the concentration of tenants living with a mental illness, a drug addiction, or both, along the strip doesn’t benefit them or the businesses in the area, which continue to complain about the growing street disorder.

“We want to set up these vulnerable people for success,” he said.

The mayor wants future buildings for current tenants to have a maximum occupancy of 50, with wraparound support services. “Warehousing,” he said — making a reference to the 110-room Luugat — doesn’t work.

“We want on-site security, and we want there to be an ability for the residents to participate in the road to recovery program,” Sim said. “So we're not asking for anything that's way out there.”

The provincial government announced in June 2020 that it purchased the Luugat — then called the Howard Johnson — and adjacent lot for $55 million. The government news release at the time said the building would operate as temporary supportive housing while long-term plans were developed.

Atira Women’s Resource Society was selected to manage the building.

The release said the Luugat would include wraparound supports where people have access to services such as meals, health care, addictions treatment and harm reduction, as well as storage for personal belongings.

The building was also to have 24/7 staffing “to provide security to residents of the building and the surrounding neighbourhood,” the release said.

Atira, which also manages the St. Helen’s Hotel, had not returned a phone message left Wednesday on its media line before this story was published. Community Builders manages the Granville Villa.

'No health supports'

Former Atira CEO Janice Abbott said funds from the provincial government only allowed for three staff 24/7 at the Luugat, when it opened in the summer of 2020. Abbott said the tenant population could at times go beyond 110, with visitors to the building.

“You've got three people whose primary job is to try and keep a lid on things — there's no time to go into people's rooms and offer support and treatment,” she said, noting many of the tenants were traumatized from incidents that occurred while living in Oppenheimer Park. 

“All they're doing is responding to fire, floods, people trying to get in the building, letting people into their rooms who've lost their keys. There's no ability with that level of staffing to provide the kinds of supports that are listed [in the news release].”

Added Abbott: “I'm guessing that whoever wrote that press release thought that three staff 24/7 was enough for that population group. There were no health supports.”

'Politically expedient decision'

Abbott said in December she visited a provincial government-owned building on 12th Avenue, near Granville Street, where there were numerous staff and programs in place. The tenants, many of whom are seniors, were also assessed before moving into the former Chalmers Lodge, which is now called Granville Gates.

“Perhaps if they provided that level of support at Luugat, we wouldn't be here today,” she said, but acknowledged the immediacy in finding housing for people living in Oppenheimer Park during the pandemic.

“It was a politically expedient decision as opposed to a solid policy decision. They did not put people at the centre of that.”

Abbott said a report documenting critical incidents in Atira-operated buildings was sent to government in 2022 to show evidence of the need for more supports and services. Non-profits, she added, often take the brunt of criticism when complaints are raised about buildings such as the Luugat.

“We never talk about whether non-profits are supported or funded well enough,” she said. “The Province [of B.C.] is just able to say, ‘Well, no, it's not our problem. It's the operator’s problem.’”

Police, fire calls

The fire department provided statistics to BIV that show firefighters responded to the Luugat-Howard Johnson 906 times between Jan. 1, 2020 and May 29, 2025. The calls included 43 fires, 375 medical incidents, 334 alarms and 87 for public service.

Over the same time period, the St. Helen’s Hotel in the same block saw firefighters respond to a total of 1,297 calls, including 935 alarms, 251 medicals and 31 fires.

Further north on the strip, the Granville Villa generated 425 calls for firefighters between Jan. 1, 2020 and May 29, 2025. The majority of the calls — 327 — were for medical, including 128 overdoses.

Vancouver police responded to 649 calls at the Luugat in 2024, with the top five calls being for unwanted persons (107), disturbance (61), other Criminal Code (56), check well-being (42) and missing persons (41).

Mental Health Act

In 2024, the St. Helen’s generated 313 police calls, and the Granville Villa saw police attend 597 times. The top five calls at the St. Helen’s were for missing persons (113), unwanted persons (28), other Criminal Code (20), check well-being (20) and warrant (15).

At the Granville Villa, the top five calls were for unwanted persons (132), assist Mental Health Act (75), other Criminal Code (71), missing persons (41) and disturbance (37).

Police also provided statistics for calls in the 1100-block Granville, which totalled 2,392 in 2024. The top calls were for unwanted persons (356), other Criminal Code (313), assist general public (138) and missing persons (115).

For the 1000-block Granville, total calls reached 1,799. Top calls were for unwanted persons (315), other Criminal Code (201), assist Mental Health Act (195), disturbance (148) and check well-being (84).

'Can't blame the housing'

BIV mentioned to B.C.’s housing minister the number of police calls specifically to the buildings, to which he responded: “I would say, ‘How many calls would they have gotten if these individuals were sleeping in front of parks or businesses or forming encampments?”

Added Kahlon: “You can't blame the housing for police calls. Housing is the only way that we can address the challenge we have. The challenge we have is we have people who don't have access to housing. And sorry to stress the point, I just find that that gets lost in conversation becoming about the housing when it's not the housing — it's the fact that people don't have housing.”

Despite Abbott’s comments about lack of staff and services at the Luugat in her time as head of Atira, Kahlon said the Luugat has services in place for tenants.

“What it has on the site is health-care services, it has someone 24/7 available there for people, meals being brought in to people — so lots of different services being provided at that site,” the minister said.

'Too many conflicts'

Discussion about the Luugat comes as city council recently approved a plan for the revitalization of the Granville Street strip that would not allow any new social or supportive housing in what has long been the city’s main entertainment district.

Coun. Peter Meiszner successfully added an amendment to the plan to direct staff to work with BC Housing and the provincial government to offer the use of City-owned sites to replace single-room-occupancy and supportive housing units on the Granville strip.

Meiszner requested the housing be self-contained, modern and dignified, “with robust wraparound services and capital and operational funding to come from BC Housing and the federal and provincial governments.” 

In an interview, Meiszner said the push to revitalize the strip is to reinforce the area as an entertainment zone, including adding more hotels, but not housing.

“It's really not a place for that,” he said. “When you're going to be having nightclubs and bars downstairs [in existing residential buildings], it's not really a place we want to be promoting housing use. There's just too many conflicts in terms of people's expectations of noise.”

Added Meiszner: “The policy around the zoning that was approved is pretty clear. Obviously, we're not looking to displace anybody, but over the longer term those uses would not really fit with the vision of the plan.”

'Several' sites identified

Meanwhile, Meiszner said he’s heard from staff that “several” City sites have been identified to find housing for tenants of single-room-occupancy and supportive housing buildings on Granville Street.

He, too, couldn’t say where the sites are located or whether the properties would be used to construct new buildings or renovate existing buildings. Until then, tenants in the Granville buildings will stay put, Kahlon said.

“People will move when we have new housing options available,” the minister said.

“We are waiting eagerly to hear from the City about where those locations might be and what they were suggesting when they passed that motion. We haven't heard those details yet, but we've been told that they'll be sharing some information with us very soon.”

At the same time, Kahlon said clarity is needed around the mayor’s move to not allow any net new supportive housing in Vancouver.

He also questioned the City’s decision to quash the rezoning of a city-owned property in Kitsilano that a previous council approved in July 2022 to have a 13-storey social housing tower built on the site.

“So there's a lot of complexities that we're dealing with that make it challenging,” he said.

'Get to pragmatism'

Meanwhile, businesses along the Granville strip continue to complain about street disorder and fully support council’s commitment to revitalize the area.

Laura Ballance, who speaks on behalf of businesses along the strip, said owners and operators are afraid to speak out about their concerns over fears of being wrongly targeted as criticizing vulnerable people.

Ballance said operators support more services and housing for people with complex needs, but not on the strip.

“The people that are living there aren't safe,” Ballance said. “The street is no longer safe, and we need to get past the politics and get to pragmatism, and what are we going to do, and how are we going to do it, and how are we going to do it quickly.”

Added Ballance: “I think we can all agree what's happening on Granville Street is not working — it's a failed experiment. Nobody is being well served.”

Nine units 'uninhabitable'

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Housing said in an email Thursday that nine units at the Luugat remained “uninhabitable.”

“Residents of these nine units have been provided suitable housing in other units or buildings, chosen to stay with friends and family, or will not be returning to the Luugat,” the ministry said. 

“Timelines for repairs to those nine units vary. BC Housing is working with partners to assess the scope of work required and will have more information to share with the residents and public as it becomes available.” 

The ministry said the Luugat has three or more on-site staff 24/7, and management staff are on site during work hours. Services at the site include daily meals, harm reduction and overdose prevention, the ministry said.

Prolific B.C. child pornographer declared a dangerous offender

Offender jailed indefinitely

Photo: Vancouver Police Department

Kristjon Otto Olson.

WARNING: Some content may be disturbing to readers.

A Vancouver man who pleaded guilty to 11 child pornography-related charges involving some children as young as nine has been declared a dangerous offender and jailed indefinitely.

Kristjon Otto Olson, 43, sat quietly in the prisoner dock in red prison garb, a cross hanging from a beaded chain around his neck.

At times, he nodded as Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Jennifer Oulton detailed his crimes in a decision that started in the morning and continued to mid-afternoon June 20.

Oulton said police found thousands and thousands of images and videos depicting young children.

The judge detailed repeated incarcerations for similar offences and multiple sex offender treatment programs Olson attended.

"None has succeeded,” Oulton said.

And, she said, whenever Olson was released, the offending began again.

And, that offending continued even while he was on bail, probation, parole or subject to restraining orders.

“He has repeatedly re-offended,” Oulton said. “Mr. Olson cannot or will not change his behaviour.”

And, she said, the defence was not opposing the dangerous offender application.

Oulton said Olson described himself as a “bisexual pedophile” and had agreed he is a high risk to the community.

The judge said several experts agreed Olson’s risk is high.

“I designate Mr. Olson a dangerous offender,” Oulton said.

“Mr. Olson has a high degree of moral blameworthiness,” she added.

Olson has dozens of convictions for offences in several provinces.

The guilty pleas

The charges to which Olson pleaded guilty are:



• making child pornography from March 8, 2018 to Feb. 13, 2020;

• exposing his genitals to a person under 16 for a sexual purpose between the same dates;

• possessing child pornography between the same dates;

• committing extortion of a person between Jan. 1, 2019 and June 19, 2020;

• making child pornography of the same person between Jan. 1, 2019 and June 19, 2020;

• inviting touching for a sexual purpose of the same person between the same dates;

• exposing his genitals to that person for a sexual purpose between the same dates;

• between the dates of May 1, 2019 and May 16, 2019, communicating with another person he believed was under 18 for the purpose of committing sex-based offences;

• transmitting, distributing, selling, importing or exporting child pornography;

• breaching a peace bond by communicating with a person he knew or should have known was under 16; and,

• breaching a court recognizance by possessing pornographic material.

All of the offences are listed in court documents as having occurred in Vancouver.

Lodestar Media has chosen not to detail the offences as much of the information is disturbing.

Olson pleaded guilty Nov. 7, 2023  to 11 charges out of 26 listed in a Feb. 10, 2022 court information.

The Crown prosecutor Ellen Leno said in June 2024 that the decision to seek a dangerous offender status came after the court received a psychiatric assessment.

And Oulton granted it.

The judge also passed sentence for each of the individual counts to which Olson pleaded guilty.

The cumulative sentence for those counts is five years, to be served concurrent to the indeterminate sentence.

International investigation

Olson was initially charged with 14 counts of making child pornography involving 12 girls under 16 years of age. The charges came as part of an international investigation.

The RCMP said in 2022 that 47 Canadians caught in the operation face 186 charges, though more may come.

INTERPOL listed 12 children being safeguarded from harm in Canada, with seven in B.C. Overall, 146 children were safeguarded. While not all arrests have been made public, Australian Federal Police at the time announced more than 100 Australians having been arrested as part of Operation Molto.

The case also involved work by the Canadian National Child Exploitation Centre and the U.S. Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

Reports from those organizations resulted in further Vancouver Police Department work.

Oulton said one investigating officer called Olson’s collection of child pornography found on multiple cell phones, laptop and hard drive, “one of the most extensively organized collections of child pornography I have ever seen.”

Some of those devices were found hidden inside a piece of furniture when police executed a search warrant on his then-residence in East Vancouver.

How Olson operated

Oulton described behaviour where Olson would seek out young, often prepubescent girls on social media, frequently posing as a teenaged boy.

Using Instagram, he would have them perform various acts, frequently using a split screen where he could be seen masturbating.

He would record those videos, save them and share them with other people he communicated with online.

When children refused to do what he said, Olson would threaten them with sharing the images and exposing them to family and friends.

In one case, he threatened to kill a girl’s father. 

There, she challenged Olson to show his face onscreen.

“I’m your daddy,” he responded.

“No, you’re not,” she said.

In another case where he threatened a 13-year-old girl in Australia, he said, “I’m in control, bitch. Call me master.”

Oulton said one victim said Olson had ruined her life.

Sometimes, he would offer to pay for sex or ask girls to find others he could pay for sex.

In another, when a boy asked Olson not to use his image to entice girls and Olson refused, the boy threatened to kill himself. Another child began to harm herself as a result of Olson’s actions.

The judge said psychiatrists who have examined Olson’s case found him a high risk to re-offend, one describing his situation as “severe and chronic.”

Oulton said Olson has displayed anti-social behaviour and paraphilic tendencies including pedophilia, voyeurism and exhibitionism.

Oulton said Olson has been agreeable to possibly taking an anti-libidinal medication to suppress sexual urges.

“It would not be legal to compel Mr. Olson to take this medication,” she said.

Life sentence with no parole for 12 years for killer of Chilliwack, B.C., man

Life sentence for killer

Photo: The Canadian Press

The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says a man arrested for murder in January 2023 has been given a life sentence without the chance of parole for 12 years in the death of a man in Chilliwack, B.C.

The team says in a news release that the sentence for 27-year-old Matthew Bauer was handed down Thursday after a jury in B.C. Supreme Court found him guilty in February.

Police say they were called to a Chilliwack home in December 2022 where 64-year-old Holbert Tew was found suffering from stab wounds.

They say Tew died at the scene.

The homicide team took over the case and quickly identified Bauer as a suspect.

Sgt. Freda Fong with the homicide investigation team says the attack on Tew was senseless and unprovoked and their thoughts are with the family as the court proceedings come to an end.

Control zones set up in Fraser Valley, B.C., after Newcastle disease detected

Control zones set up

Photo: The Canadian Press

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is seen in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has put up controls on the movements of birds around two commercial poultry farms experiencing the first outbreaks of virulent Newcastle disease in Canada in more than 50 years.

The establishment of the primary control zones in the Fraser Valley means that birds, byproducts and items that have contacted the birds cannot be moved within or through the areas without permission.

The agency says the virus affects both wild and domestic birds and can cause pink eye in humans, and birds at the infected farms must be culled.

The agency says that before the disease was detected in B.C. this month, including at a commercial pigeon operation, the last infections in Canada were reported in 1973.

The CFIA says the ailment is of great concern to the world's agricultural community since it's highly contagious and threatens poultry.

It says Newcastle disease can decrease egg production in domestic birds and cause high numbers of sudden deaths in a flock, while wild birds can develop wing paralysis and be left unable to fly.

It says the risk to humans is low if gloves are worn while handling infected birds, and that the disease was rarely found to kill wild birds before 1990.

Layoffs at Wesgroup add to Vancouver condo industry’s woes

Layoffs at condo developer

Photo: Wesgroup Properties

Wesgroup's Brewery District is one of several large mixed-use developments in the Lower Mainland.

Vancouver developer Wesgroup Properties LP is delaying some projects and laying off an unspecified number of its employees, the company’s president and CEO said on social media Thursday.

“Due to the unprecedented and compounding challenges facing the real estate industry, including prolonged economic uncertainty, the rising cost of delivering housing and a deeply stalled condo market, we … were faced with the extremely difficult decision to reduce the size of our team,” Beau Jarvis wrote in a public LinkedIn post on June 19.

Jarvis said economic realities “left us no choice,” calling the move a “last resort” that followed attempts to reduce costs in other ways.

“Housing projects across the country are being cancelled or delayed because they are no longer viable. Moreover, we are delivering housing at a cost that people cannot afford to purchase. I will say it again – This is a COST-OF-DELIVERY CRISIS,” Jarvis wrote.

In a Thursday statement, Wesgroup confirmed it is delaying "a number of upcoming projects" and reducing the size of its team "for long-term sustainability," but declined to provide details about the number of layoffs, the departments affected or the company's size. 

The company has 201-500 employees according to its LinkedIn page, though its website contains a reference to 185 employees. It has been involved in large developments like River District in Vancouver, Inlet District in Port Moody and Brewery District in New Westminster.

The news comes weeks after Vancouver real estate marketing firm Rennie & Associates Realty Ltd. announced layoffs due to geopolitics, artificial intelligence and other industry upheavals. 

The condo market has slowed to a “grinding halt,” according to a November report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Urban Land Institute.

“In markets like Toronto and Vancouver, a significant market slowdown is underway as it becomes too costly for many developers to proceed with condo developments,” said the Nov. 7 report. 

“Developers are also facing challenges on the revenue side as investors, who make up a large portion of new condo buyers in many markets, pull back.”

Vancouver's historic Jericho Pier reopens to public after undergoing repairs

Pier reopens to public

Photo: .

Vancouver's Jericho Pier has reopened to the public.

The historic Jericho Pier in Kitsilano is once again open to the public after being closed for years.

"Originally built in the 1940s, the pier has welcomed Vancouver’s residents and visitors as a destination for fishing, crabbing and to enjoy the views of Burrard Inlet for decades," describes the City of Vancouver.

The pier at Jericho Beach Park was closed in 2022 after a storm surge in January damaged it (as well as Kitsilano Pool and the Stanley Park seawall). A year later, the future of the long-time pedestrian attraction was uncertain.

A Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation report at the time noted the cost to repair the pier was high and its removal would "demonstrate the Park Board’s commitment to decolonization and reconciliation."

However, repairs for the pier were approved at an estimated cost of $1.7 million.

Now, the parks board has announced those repairs are done and the pier is once again open to the public.

"Jericho Beach Park's historic wooden pier has reopened to the public following repairs and restoration work," reads a post on X.