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  "description": "Transit finally coming to Gloucester, Bhangu exits BC Conservative leadership race, Langley City drops rec rates for youth and seniors, B.C. sheds 20K jobs, Vatican returns Indigenous artifacts, and Rivermen roll past Chiefs.",
  "path": "/langley-roundup-news-for-march-17th-2026/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-17T22:35:42.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.langleyunion.ca",
  "tags": [
    "translink.ca/gloucester",
    "Read More",
    "Howei Wang",
    "Unsplash",
    "Joshua Davis",
    "Jon Tyson",
    "Take the Survey"
  ],
  "textContent": "💚\n\n****Support Local News—Spread the Word****\nThe best way to help __The Langley Union__ grow is simple: share this newsletter. Forward it to a friend, mention it to your family, or post it on social media and encourage others to subscribe.\n\nHappy St. Patrick's Day, Langley!\n\nIt's a cloudy Tuesday with temperatures hovering around 10°C and a good chance of rain later, so keep that umbrella handy.\n\nToday's roundup has a big mix.\n\nTransLink is finally proposing bus service to Gloucester Industrial Estates, where businesses have been paying millions in transit taxes for nearly two decades with nothing to show for it.\n\nBC Conservative MLA Harman Bhangu has dropped out of the party's leadership race and thrown his support behind Caroline Elliott.\n\nLangley City is rolling out new rec rates that will save teens money and give seniors 80+ a $1 drop-in rate.\n\nOn the national stage, the Vatican has returned more than 60 Indigenous artifacts to Canada, though tracing their origins will take years. B.C. lost over 20,000 jobs in February, with young workers hit hardest.\n\nAnd in hockey, the Langley Rivermen bounced back with a convincing 7-3 win over the Chiefs, while the Abbotsford Canucks weren't so lucky over the weekend.\n\n## Sign up for The Langley Union\n\nGet daily news updates and feature community stories from the only independent source that is 100% owned and operated in Langley, BC.\n\nSubscribe\n\nEmail sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup.\n\nNo spam. No paywalls. Unsubscribe anytime.\n\n### Transit Coming to Gloucester Industrial Estates After Years Without Service\n\nThe proposed transit connection to Gloucester Industrial Estates along 56 Avenue to and from Langley Centre.\n\nTransLink is proposing a new bus route along 56 Avenue connecting Gloucester Industrial Estates to Langley Centre. Businesses in the area have paid more than $2.5 million a year in TransLink property taxes for nearly two decades without a single bus stop to show for it.\n\nFor workers in the industrial park, the lack of transit has meant driving is the only option, putting an extra financial burden on people already working early shifts and long hours.\n\nPublic consultation runs until March 25 at translink.ca/gloucester, with service expected to begin later this year.\n\nRead More\n\n### Township Mails Separate Utility Statements to Property Owners\n\nThe Township of Langley has rolled out its 2026 flat-rate utility statements to property owners across the community.\n\nThis marks the second year of separate utility billing since the system was introduced in 2025. The statements cover annual charges for water, sanitary sewer, and garbage collection services, and importantly, these fees are billed separately from property taxes.\n\nProperty owners have until Thursday, July 2 to pay their bills under the extended due date, with multiple payment options available to make the process as convenient as possible for residents.\n\nRead More\n\n### Abbotsford-Langley MLA Withdraws from Conservative Leadership Race\n\nHarman Bhangu has made the decision to drop out of the BC Conservative Party leadership race.\n\nThe Abbotsford-Langley MLA announced his withdrawal and is now throwing his support behind candidate Caroline Elliott. Bhangu's departure from the contest reshapes the dynamics of the leadership race, with his endorsement potentially providing Elliott with additional momentum and support from his base.\n\nThe move reflects the often fluid nature of political campaigns, where strategic decisions about when to continue or consolidate support can significantly impact the eventual outcome of leadership contests.\n\nRead More\n\n### Langley City Announces New Recreation Admission Rates\n\nStarting April 6th, Langley City is implementing changes to admission rates for recreation services that will benefit many residents.\n\nThe most significant change merges child and youth rates into a single $3 drop-in rate for ages 4-18, resulting in savings of $1.30 for teens aged 13-18, while those aged 4-12 will see a modest 10¢ increase.\n\nIn a move that will delight senior citizens, the City is introducing a special $1 drop-in rate for residents aged 80 and older—a wonderful recognition of this demographic. Adult and senior rates will see modest increases, while 10-visit passes and monthly pass options (1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month) have been updated to reflect the new pricing structure.\n\nThe City continues to offer the Leisure Access Program for residents with lower incomes, ensuring recreation remains accessible to all.\n\nRead More\n\n### Lockdown Lifted at Abbotsford Hospital After Weapon Report\n\nAbbotsford Regional Hospital experienced a tense situation that has since been resolved after reports of a weapon on the premises.\n\nThe hospital was placed under lockdown as a precautionary measure while authorities investigated the threat. Law enforcement responded swiftly to the incident, and the situation was brought under control when a suspect was arrested at another location, away from the hospital grounds.\n\nThe lockdown has since been lifted, and normal operations have resumed at the facility.\n\nWhile no injuries were reported, the incident serves as a reminder of the security challenges healthcare facilities can face and the importance of coordinated emergency response protocols.\n\nRead More\n\n### Vancouver's World Cup Human Rights Plan Draws Sharp Criticism\n\nPhoto by Howei Wang / Unsplash\n\nA coalition including Pivot Legal Society and the BC Civil Liberties Association says Vancouver's draft human rights plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is vague and toothless.\n\nThe plan relies on existing laws and offers no new funding or concrete protections for vulnerable residents, including people experiencing homelessness in the Downtown Eastside.\n\nCritics note that other host cities like Dallas have produced far more detailed plans with specific commitments.\n\nWith 350,000 tourists expected and matches just months away, the groups are now developing their own resources to fill the gaps.\n\nRead More\n\n### B.C. Loses 20,200 Jobs in February as Young Workers Hit Hardest\n\nPhoto by Joshua Davis / Unsplash\n\nB.C. shed 20,200 jobs last month, including 32,500 full-time positions partially offset by part-time gains.\n\nWorkers aged 15 to 24 bore the brunt, accounting for 13,600 of those losses. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.1 per cent, but only because people stopped looking for work or left the province.\n\nJobs Minister Ravi Kahlon pointed to Trump-driven economic instability, while B.C. Conservative critic Gavin Dew called the steady unemployment rate a sign of \"a downward spiral.\"\n\nRead More\n\n### Brain Injuries Are Driving Homelessness, and Canada Isn't Ready\n\nPhoto by Jon Tyson / Unsplash\n\nMore than half of Canada's 60,000 nightly homeless population have experienced a brain injury, most before losing housing.\n\nCognitive impairments from these injuries make it harder to hold jobs, manage finances, and navigate complex support systems.\n\nResearchers at the University of Victoria say stigma, siloed services, and unaffordable housing deepen the cycle. They point to Bill C-206, a proposed national brain injury strategy, as a critical step forward.\n\nRead More\n\n### Vatican Returns Indigenous Artifacts to Canada After Decades\n\nMore than 60 Indigenous items repatriated from the Vatican have finally arrived back on Canadian soil, marking a significant moment in reconciliation efforts.\n\nHowever, experts caution that their journey home is just beginning.\n\nThe artifacts now face a potentially years-long process to trace their origins and determine which Indigenous communities they belong to.\n\nMany of these items were taken from communities across Canada decades or even centuries ago, and the historical records may be incomplete or difficult to verify.\n\nThe repatriation represents an important acknowledgment of past wrongs, but the complex work of reconnecting these cultural treasures with their rightful homes requires careful research, consultation with Indigenous knowledge keepers, and respect for the cultural protocols of multiple nations.\n\nRead More\n\n### Abbotsford Canucks Face Back-to-Back Losses Over St. Patrick's Weekend\n\nThe luck of the Irish was nowhere to be found for the Abbotsford Canucks this past St. Patrick's Day weekend.\n\nThe team suffered consecutive defeats in what were their final two matches of a six-game home series, disappointing fans who had hoped for better results on the holiday weekend.\n\nDespite playing on home ice, the Canucks couldn't find the magic needed to turn their fortunes around, with both losses highlighting areas where the team will need to regroup and refocus.\n\nThe back-to-back setbacks serve as a reminder that success in professional hockey requires consistency night after night, regardless of the calendar or the color of one's jersey.\n\nRead More\n\n### Langley Rivermen Bounce Back with Convincing Victory Over Chiefs\n\nThe Langley Rivermen put on an impressive performance to resume their winning ways with a decisive 7-3 victory over the Chiefs.\n\nThe home team dominated the ice throughout the contest, showcasing the offensive firepower and defensive discipline that has made them a formidable opponent this season.\n\nAfter a brief stumble in their previous outings, the Rivermen came out hungry and determined, netting seven goals while keeping the Chiefs at bay for most of the evening.\n\nThe win provides important momentum as the team looks ahead to the remainder of their schedule.\n\nRead More\n\n* * *\n\n###  What did you think?\n\nHelp us improve! Take a quick 60-second survey to share your thoughts on this article.\n\n Take the Survey ",
  "title": "🍀Langley Roundup: News for March 17th, 2026",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-17T22:35:44.066Z"
}