Watershed reaches publishing milestone A thousand articles. This one, of course, bumps us up to 1001. The Watershed's first article was published January 2, 2023, and in the nearly five years since then, we've been sharing all the news that matters to residents of Lions Bay and the Sea to Sky corridor. We'd just like to take a moment to thank you, our readers, and especially those of you who subscribe to this publication. Your support, both moral and financial, helps keep thi

Busy autumn ahead Members of the sitting Lions Bay Council: Councillors Michael Broughton, Neville Abbott, Jaime Cunliffe, Ron McLaughlin and Mayor Ken Berry. Photo by kc dyer. British Columbians are facing a decision-filled autumn with both local and provincial elections in October. In Lions Bay, there are 10 candidates vying for positions on Council, plus seven candidates running for school trustee positions in the West Vancouver School District. All the Council candidates

We go to the polls in four weeks Image courtesy Elections BC. Local MLA Jeremy Valeriote expressed concern yesterday after Premier David Eby called a snap provincial election for October 24. "This is an unnecessary election that undermines important municipal elections already underway, puts government work in the public interest on hold, and seeks only to capitalize on the Opposition’s weakness rather than present a vision for the future of our province," Valeriote told The

Province debuts a new time zone code this autumn No time zone change for BC this fall. File photo. The province of British Columbia eliminated the twice-yearly time changes that have been in place since the 1930's last March, and just this month have announced a new abbreviation for the new time zone. According to a press release from the province, Pacific Time will now be known as PCT in operational and communications systems. This replaces the former PDT (Pacific Daylight T

Autumn equinox brings falling leaves and growing election signs Municipal election signs at Lions Bay Ave entrance, September 20, 2026. Photo by kc dyer. On this last official day of summer, municipal election signs are popping up all over the Village, a sure indication of a busy fall season ahead. Last week's Village Update heralded an upcoming All-Candidates' meeting, though the date and location still remain to be announced. Over the weekend, several of the candidates were

Eight candidates vie for Councillor seat, two for Mayor. Potential nominees for the upcoming municipal elections were required to file their papers with the Village Office by 4 p.m. on Friday, and at close of day, there were eight candidates officially in the running for a Councillor seat and two for Mayor. Sitting Councillor Ron McLaughlin comes in with the most years of Council experience, with a term as Mayor and two and a half terms as Councillor. McLaughlin stepped forwa

A walk in the woods gone wrong Search crews rappel down the side of Mount Habrich in the search for missing hiker Stanislav Volo. Photo by Maria Masiar. A hiker who went missing after riding up the Sea to Sky gondola last Sunday, and has been the subject of intensive search efforts all week, managed to make his way out of the woods yesterday and was discovered near Indian Arm. Stanislav Volo, 43, had planned on a short hike along Habrich Ridge before returning to offload on

Hiker missing since Sunday found near Indian Arm Stanislav Volo, who disappeared on August 30 after exiting the Sea to Sky gondola, has been found, Squamish RCMP reported this afternoon. Squamish Search and Rescue (SSAR), worked with partner agencies (including Lions Bay SAR), RCMP Integrated Police Dog services and the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team to undertake the extensive search. Story to follow. The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or

LBSAR assist in hunt for Stanislav Volo LBSAR team members hunt for the missing man along the precipitous Habrich Ridge. Photo courtesy LBSAR. Stanislav Volo has been missing since he stepped off the Sea to Sky gondola on Sunday morning. Members of Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) are taking part in the multi-agency search for the missing man, who headed off the gondola wearing hiking boots and a backpack just before noon on Sunday morning. It is believed his intended rout

Some Oceanview Road and Kelvin Grove homes on notice Smoke plume from Lone Tree Creek fire as seen from Mountain Drive vantage point Sunday at 7 p.m. (left) and then Monday morning at 7 a.m. (right) Update 11:45 a.m.: Notification via both Alertable and BC Wildfire that the Lone Tree Creek fire is now being held. BC Wildfire update. (Click image to go to site). Alertable notification: The evacuation alert has also been rescinded. Sign up for the free Alertable app through any

BC Wildfire, LBSAR on scene, asking residents to avoid area Blue smoke from a wildfire above Lions Bay can be seen against the low clouds, August 23. Photo by kc dyer. BC Wildfire and Lions Bay Search and Rescue have been deployed to a wildfire near the Village. Likely the result of a lightning strike from last night's storm, LBSAR's Training and Search Manager Maria Masiar says the fire is burning at approximately 400-450 metres above sea level, at a location between Lone Tr

Young bear spotted by hikers in Deeks Lake area Shot of light brown grizzly bear taken from video shot by hiker Aleksander Savin near Deeks Lake in mid-August. (Editor's Note: Since this story was posted, it has come to light that the bear may have been misidentified, and may instead be a cinnamon-coloured black bear.) A number of hikers have reported spotting a light brown grizzly bear near Deeks Lake, about three kilometres north east of Tunnel Bluffs, in the past week. Ac

Porteau Cove fire adds to Howe Sound's smoky skies BC Wildfire Services map of the Coastal Fire Centre, August 15, 2026. There are currently 123 fires burning across BC, with 27 of them within the Coastal Fire Region, and more than half of those are rated as out of control. Environment Canada has issued a Yellow Advisory for smoke across much of southern BC, including Howe Sound and the Sea to Sky. The fire that broke out yesterday near Porteau Cove is likely contributing to

Investigations continue into Village homicide and arson cases Homicide victim Stewart McLean. Photo: Squamish RCMP. After being registered by friends and colleagues as a missing person, Brunswick Beach resident Stewart McLean was found brutally murdered this past May in the woods near his home. Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) spokesperson Corporal Esther Tupper released a statement at the time stating that evidence uncovered during the search for McLean led inve

Valeriote addresses fossil fuel choices in light of BC wildfires 'Wildfire of Note' Ainslie Creek blaze, one of the more than 100 wildfires currently burning in the province. Photo: BC Wildfire Service. Local MLA Jeremy Valeriote is asking both the province and the federal government to wake up when it comes to support for fossil fuel projects. Currently the BC Wildfire Service is fighting 109 wildfires in the province, with 50 of those fires rated as out of control. Firefigh

Donations of cash, food and even pastureland needed Helicopter tanker dumps water on the Bald Range wildfire, August 10. Photo courtesy BC Wildfire. British Columbia remains under a state of emergency with 101 fires burning across the province, according to BC Wildfire Service, and 46 of them out of control. The explosive growth of the Bald Range fire near Summerland in the Kamloops Fire Centre and the Pear Lake fire in the Cariboo continue to be classed as Wildfires of Note.

Numbers are up, and hikers need to be prepared Screen shot from Petr Lebedev's Sea to Sky Wasp Watch site. Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) member Maria Masiar wants hikers to be on the alert for wasp nests on the trails, and to be prepared if the worst should happen. "Search and Rescue teams have been getting reports of stings since May this year," Masiar said. "It was a warm winter, which meant more queens survived, which has meant more and larger colonies along hiking t

VCH lifts water restrictions Lions Bay Beach reopens to swimming, August 6, 2026. Photo by kc dyer. After almost a month of closure, Lions Bay Beach is once again considered suitable for swimming by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). VCH monitors water quality through weekly testing at beaches around the Lower Mainland to ensure it does not present a risk of illness or infection to swimmers. On their website, VCH notes that beach water quality can be affected by many environment

Potential for fire activity is expected to increase Click the image above for the most up-to-date BC Wildfire Service Activity Map. Update, 7 p.m.: BCWildfire has downgraded the Belcarra fire to 'being held' earlier this afternoon. There are now eight fires rated as 'out of control' in the Coastal Fire District. Original story: With some of the hottest days of summer still ahead, the wildfire situation remains grave throughout much of the province. According to BC Wildfire 11

Keep ground-level doors and windows closed when possible Black bear: file photo. The bear that was killed in Lions Bay on the weekend had a history of conflict with humans, according to BC Conservation Service (BCCOS). The adult animal, light brown in colour, was shot by a Conservation Officer after gaining entry through an open window to a home on Oceanview Road on Sunday. Sea to Sky Zone BCCOS Sergeant Chris Doyle said the tag found in the bear's ear indicated that the bear