SEPTEMBER
Federal Election – Mission voters had to return to the polls once again as a federal election was called. Candidates included: Nicole Bellay (Green), Geet Grewal (Liberal), Tyler Niles (PPC), Lynn Perrin (NDP) and incumbent Brad Vis (Conservative).
Schools and Vaccines – Three Covid-19 vaccine clinics have been scheduled to take place in Mission Secondary and Middle schools. Fraser Health issued a letter to parents explaining it is holding the clinics “to increase vaccination coverage and keep communities and schools safe.”
The clinics were for both staff and students who have not yet received their first or second dose of vaccine. Mission’s superintendent of schools, Angus Wilson said the clinics are only for people age 12 and older and doesn’t want there it be any confusion with a different vaccine letter that was issued in the same week.
“One (letter) had to do with the regular vaccinations that occur every year, to do with Measles, Mumps and Rubella … those are the vaccines we have had forever,” said Wilson
Vis Wins – With the federal election behind him and a victory secured, Brad Vis is ready to get back to work.
Vis was elected as MP for the riding of Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon on Monday night. The incumbent Conservative MP had a substantial lead from the first poll to report, and it never dipped below a 30 per cent margin.
OCTOBER
Covid, Again – Mission will have to adjust to the new Covid restrictions announced for the Eastern Fraser Valley.
The provincial health officer imposed the series of new restrictions on Eastern Fraser Valley communities as cases rise in the region. Dr. Bonnie Henry said that effective immediately, there will be strict restrictions on unvaccinated individuals attending both social and organized gatherings in Mission, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Harrison, Hope and Chilliwack, as well as all smaller communities in the Fraser East health delivery area.
Capital Projects – Faced with a long list of unfunded capital projects, revenue shortfalls, and upcoming infrastructure projects required to handle the explosion of development in Mission, the city has some “hard decisions” to make.
Council unanimously agreed to consider additional tax increases over the next five years, as well as consider long-term debt as a solution to the larger projects pushed back year after year.
The value of the city’s current capital assets are depreciating at a rate of $4.6 million a year, yet only $2.5 million a year is being transferred into reserves to maintain and replace them, according to a report.
Health Scare – Abbotsford- Mission MLA Pam Alexis is back in her office, one month after suffering a bilateral stroke.
She considers herself to be “incredibly lucky” not only to have survived the health crisis, but to have managed to escape with no lasting side effects from her ordeal.
Alexis sat down with the Mission Record to share her experience and to warn others not to ignore symptoms.
NOVEMBER
State of Emergency – Eight properties along Hatzic Lake have been given evacuation notices after a local state of emergency was issued by the City of Mission on Tuesday (Nov. 16). The properties are all along the Benbow Street area in Hatzic. The order was issued following the extreme rainfall in the Fraser Valley that has resulted in localized flooding in many areas of Mission.
Unlike neighbouring communities - including Abbotsford and Chilliwack – Mission has only seen localized flooding with the Hatzic area appearing to be hit the hardest. More evacuation orders, this time issued by the Fraser Valley Regional District, followed.
DECEMBER
Landslide – A landslide slammed into a two-storey house in Mission’s Silverdale community early this month, piling dirt and logs up to its roof and cutting off access to three other homes.
Fire Chief Mark Goddard said the slide occurred at approximately noon (Dec. 1) and the house was “severely damaged,” but was unable to elaborate on the extent without a damage assessment.
A GoFundMe was set up for the family by the Mission Downtown Business Association (DBA), as the home belongs to Ruth Janes, the owner of English Tarts on First Avenue.
No one was hurt in the incident, but the only things the family have been able to retrieve from the property are some clothes and basic necessities.
Water Bill – A Mission man is angry after a $6,000 water bill from the city left him thinking he would have to sell his home to pay it. It’s the largest water bill for a single-family home in all of Mission.
He will not end up having to pay the bill, but will have to pay to repair the leak causing the massive run up, confirm it’s repaired with the public works department before they will adjust the bill to the previous amount, according to the city.
CT Scanner – After years of hard work, Mission Memorial Hospital is getting a new CT scanner.
The provincial government announced last week that “People in Mission are one step closer to shorter wait times and closer-to-home access to computed tomography (CT) scans with a new CT scanner coming soon to Mission Memorial Hospital.”
The project will involve renovation and reconfiguring MMH’s existing medical imaging department, the health records department and the physicians’ lounge to make space for the new CT scanner.
Construction is expected to be completed in August 2023, with the scanner being operational and accessible to Mission residents in December 2023.
