
In the News
The following is a collection of news, letters and articles relating fire protection, access to city government, public hearings, and modernizing city council.
Chilliwack's growing pains include a volunteer-based fire department with a core of professional firefighters for a city of 100,000 plus residents.
Chilliwack's geograhical challenges include having a large part of the land in the Agricultural Land Reserve, treed hillsides, and a flood plain--all limiting much needed residential growth.
Other challenges include having six city councillors when the Community Charter states there should be eight city councillors for communities larger than 50,000 residents.
Transit and active transportation networks have not kept up with growth in this 261.3 square km community.

Hedge fire flames up and sets building on fire before fire department can respond
Cedars flame up and set a house on fire before firefighters can stop it. What's remarkable is how fast and hot the cedars burn.

Quiet change to Chilliwack council meeting times limits democracy
"On Tuesday evening, September 3, I was downtown, and knowing council was discussing the upcoming Official Community Plan update, I decided to go to the meeting and maybe ask a question. When I got there, city hall was shuttered. Sometime during the summer, Chilliwack City council passed a bylaw changing their reconvened meeting times from 6:30pm to 4pm. I searched local media and couldn’t find a news story about this. It was quietly and unremarkably done." Read more...

City budget feedback session only for the privileged
"Every year, my nerdy friends and I get together to plan our responses for the City of Chilliwack annual budget feedback meeting. We research budget items that we feel moved to highlight and take turns at the mic. We might even have a geriatric beer afterwards." Read more...

Chilliwack overdue for 8 city councillors
"In Chilliwack, we’ve gotten used to our governance culture with a mish-mash of ad hoc elected and unelected representatives and special interests appointed to speak for the values of a narrow selection of non-diversified, non-inclusive viewpoints.
Our city fathers (and I mean that in the paternalistic, condescending definition of the term) tell us that they’ve taken our interests into account and they have enough councillors to do the job. They don’t have my interests at heart and maybe not yours either." Read more...

Two Chilliwack residents explain why you should vote in the 2022 municipal election
"Do you drive on local roads? Flush your toilet into local sewers? Drink our fantastic Chilliwack fresh water? Does your family depend on the library? Do your kids or grandkids go to school or learn to swim at the local pool? Do you expect police officers or firefighters to answer the call when you have an emergency? Recycling and composting? Garbage pickup? If any of these issues concern you, then local government is for you." Read more...

Lisa Morry announced she is running for city council
"Lisa Morry is the tenth person in Chilliwack to come forward to say she’s running for a city council seat. Morry pledged to run on a platform for “progressive change” and said she brings a unique perspective as a UFV library employee, union official, and a former long-time single parent. Her top concerns are housing, transportation, and child poverty."

Chilliwack council approves ‘sticker shock’ tax increase of 7.32%
"Resident Lisa Morry once again raised the question of the level of fire protection Chilliwack needs, and suggested that adding one more firefighter for next year “doesn’t even keep up with growth.” She spoke about the July 20 fire in the Chilliwack River Valley, touching on how worried she felt given the challenges of evacuating Promontory should it ever become necessary. “I am asking the city to employ a consultant to determine what level of fire protection Chilliwack needs,” Morry said." Read more...

Chilliwack recruits paid on-call firefighters for emergency response
"At the budget meeting in January 2022 and then again in January 2023, resident Lisa Morry, a member of Chilliwack Citizens for Changes asked council to “exceed” its proposed budget by hiring “60 additional firefighters” as well as establishing a fire hall in Promontory. That huge ask, Morry said, was based on a post from the Chilliwack Professional Firefighters’ Local 2826, where it stated Chilliwack has “less than half” the full-time firefighting staff per capita, compared to municipalities of comparable size, which could impact response time and service levels." Read more...

Chilliwack council approves inflation-impacted budget for 2023 with 4.48% tax rate increase
"First up from the public at the podium was resident Lisa Morry, a member of Chilliwack Citizens for Change. “I am asking council to exceed your proposed budget by hiring 60 additional firefighters,” Morry said. Based on a post by Chilliwack Professional Firefighters’ Local 2826, Morry suggested the city has “less than half” the full-time firefighting staff per capita compared to municipalities of comparable size, which impacts response time and service levels." Read more...

Chilliwack councillor pumps up fire department in city hall reminder
"A Chilliwack city councillor made a point of emphasizing just how much city council appreciates and values the work of the Chilliwack Fire Department. It was Coun. Harv Westeringh, who spoke up at the Jan. 9 council meeting in praise of the fire department. “Sometimes in the past we’ve gotten some criticism from residents in Chilliwack saying we don’t support our fire department,” Westeringh stated." Read more...

Fire at Chilliwack apartment moved ‘rapidly’ through attic, says official
"A downtown Chilliwack apartment building was destroyed by fire Saturday afternoon (April 19), when flames moved into the attic space of the building. While nobody was injured, the fire damage is so extensive that no residents will be able to return home, said Krista Minar, assistant fire chief." Read more...

Chilliwack fire officials say well-practised plan is 'blueprint' for saving lives
"The Chilliwack Fire Department is putting out a call-to-action in the wake of several apartment fires, and is urging people to not only know their fire-safety plan, but to practise it as well." Read more...