17 New Villages, the Gordie Howe Bridge Deal & Free Kits Pool | UnSpun Ep. 329

17 New Villages, the Gordie Howe Bridge Deal & Free Kits Pool | UnSpun Ep. 329

Episode 329 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck runs from Ottawa's defence spending to Vancouver's village plan showdown and the Kits Pool fight goes fully public. Here's what's inside: Carney on Defence: The Prime Minister lays out why Canada is building its own defence capacity, from submarines to icebreakers, and partnering with the EU instead of leaning on the US. Jody says the comms are refreshingly spin-free. George keeps his skeptic hat on, noting how many former Vision Vancouver operatives now sit inside the Liberal machine. The Gordie Howe Bridge Deal, Unspun: The headline says Canada caved. The details say otherwise: no revenue sharing until Canadians recoup the full cost of the bridge, then 15 years of net revenue directed into US-side infrastructure. Trump gets the win headline. Canada gets the crossing open. Daylight Saving Ends: US Congress moves to kill the time change, and BC follows. Better winter sunsets, darker mornings, and no Armageddon. Wildfires & the Same Old Failure: Northern Ontario burns while Toronto posts the worst air quality on the planet, and Pemberton gets uncomfortably close to home. George's point: we've been told exactly what to do by experts for years, forest management, sprinklers, water bombers, and governments only care when it's already burning. Vancouver's Water Problem: Stage three restrictions all month, and we're still the biggest summer water consumers of any city in Canada. Population climbs 50,000 a year and the reserves don't. Wash Your Produce: With US health surveillance gutted, a parasite is moving through 34 states. Another argument for buying local and Canadian and for actually rinsing your food. 17 New Villages: The Big Vote: Over 200 speakers signed up as council weighs creating 17 new neighbourhood villages. It's four-to-six storey gentle density — think Paris or Madrid, not 20-storey towers. Jody names the real problem: not the plan, but the missing trust after four-to-six storeys quietly became 21. George explains why councils can't fetter future councils, and why last-minute floor amendments pull the rug out from everyone who showed up to speak. Free Kits Pool: A shirtless, speedo-clad press conference as pure media distraction and it worked. Meanwhile the pool reads "sold out" online 99% of the time, closes repeatedly through the day, and sits visibly empty. Jody's timestamped videos are pulling hundreds of thousands of views, the Park Board chair has gone from calling her irrelevant to thanking her for the attention, and something new is launching in days. A Nod to Brad West: The Port Coquitlam mayor listens to his community and keeps free outdoor pools open all summer. Take notes. From the Windsor border to the Kits Beach deck, this one's peak UnSpun. Subscribe, comment, and tell us: Should council approve the 17 villages? And how long can the Park Board keep an empty pool "sold out"? Follow Jody: @jodyvance Follow George: @george_affleck sitkamedia.ca [http://sitkamedia.ca] Chapters: 00:00 – World Cup Heartbreak & a Mayoral Rumour 03:00 – Carney on Defence Spending 05:15 – The Gordie Howe Bridge Deal Explained 11:20 – Daylight Saving Time Ends 12:15 – Wildfires, Smoke & the Same Old Failure 16:00 – Vancouver's Water Consumption Problem 18:30 – A Parasite in 34 States: Wash Your Produce 20:30 – 17 New Villages & 200 Speakers at City Hall 25:25 – The Trust Problem: When 6 Storeys Becomes 21 29:00 – Free Kits Pool & the Speedo Press Conference 34:35 – Brad West Gets It Right

Carney's Saudi Gamble, Trump's Greenland & Japan Gaffes, and Vancouver's $5M Granville Street Bet | UnSpun Ep. 328

Here's what's inside: Carney in Saudi Arabia: The first Canadian PM visit in 26 years. George and Jody unpack the human rights baggage, the "two days of US trade" deal, and why diversifying away from America is just smart business. NATO Chaos in Türkiye: Trump floats Greenland as US land (again), fumbles a "Islamic Republic of Japan" line that leaves everyone confused, and Canada locks the US out of a new submarine deal — plus a $4.9B, 1,600-vehicle army contract restricted to two Canadian firms only. World Cup Vancouver Wrap-Up: Granville Street's patio takeover was a hit, but the city just extended it through Labour Day for $5 million. George pushes his years-old case for a permanent car-free Granville. Gregor Robertson's Housing Irony: Canada's new federal housing minister is the former Vancouver mayor who promised to end homelessness and didn't. George and Jody dig into why that appointment is landing so badly. Safe Injection Site Showdown: The Seymour Street site is trying to relocate a block and a half away, right by St. Paul's Hospital. George argues the "four pillars" approach only works if all four actually get funded — and right now, none of them are. Parking Backlash: A Vote Vancouver campaign video exposes new residential parking meters, and George breaks down why parking is really just a hidden road tax. Local Media Goes Dark: Sportsnet 650 and News 1130 both shut down. George and Jody reflect on what disappearing local journalism means for accountability. What do you think: should Vancouver make Granville Street permanently car-free? Is the "four pillars" approach to addiction dead on arrival without full funding? And what's your take on Carney's trade-diversification strategy? Follow us: @jodyvance | @george_affleck More at sitkamedia.ca [http://sitkamedia.ca] Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 00:20 – Carney in Saudi Arabia 05:33 – NATO in Türkiye: Greenland, Japan gaffe, submarines, $4.9B vehicle deal 09:16 – World Cup wrap-up & Granville Street's $5M extension 14:44 – Gregor Robertson: the housing minister irony 19:00 – Safe injection sites: the Seymour St. relocation fight 26:38 – Parking backlash: Vote Vancouver's viral video 29:56 – Local radio goes dark: Sportsnet 650 & News 1130 31:10 – Wrap-up & socials

Carney's Big BC Deal, Pipeline Compromise & the Kits Pool Fiasco | UnSpun Ep. 327

Episode 327 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck opens with a major federal-provincial announcement, digs into the housing bailout debate, and ends with a full-throated demand to fix Vancouver's broken pools. Here's what's inside: Carney's Massive BC Investment: The Prime Minister and Premier Eby unveil what one veteran reporter calls the largest federal investment in BC history. The northern tanker ban stays, but there's a pipeline path to the south coast, port expansion, and long-term gains pegged in the $80 billion range. George's take: a real win, but also a big loss for not opening the northern route. What's Actually In It for BC: Beyond pipelines, the deal name-checks the Massey Tunnel, rail expansion, and transportation infrastructure to move goods to the expanded southern port. Compromise, or a payout to placate us for the lost opportunity? The Condo Bailout Backlash: Developers say nobody consulted them on the plan to buy up empty condos. George argues buying finished units adds no long-term housing and makes the case for a UK-style rent-to-own model that builds equity instead. The Ownership Question: Why renting offers no stability, how the UK guarantees a share of affordable homes in every new development, and why owning matters for retirement and passing something on to your kids. Nurses Give Strike Notice: The "Me Too" clause, the limits of the taxpayer wallet, and why teachers and nurses are harder jobs than ever. World Cup Fever & the $789M Question: Canada versus Morocco looms, Jack Poole Plaza lights up, and the crew makes the case for investing in youth sport and the arts the way we invested ahead of the 2010 Olympics. The Kits Pool Outrage: Jody's viral campaign hits 400,000 views. With the aquatic centre closing before the new pool opens, downtown loses its year-round option entirely. She floats an FOI on Park Board communications and a plan to interview every commissioner candidate before the 2026 election. 📍 From a landmark BC deal to the pools we keep breaking, Episode 327 is classic UnSpun. 💬 Tell us in the comments: Was the pipeline compromise a win or a loss for BC? And should Kits Pool be open year-round? 📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 sitkamedia.ca [http://sitkamedia.ca] ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 – CUSMA Rolls Over to 2036 02:00 – Carney's Big BC Announcement 05:00 – Pipeline Compromise & the Massey Tunnel 08:00 – The $80B Long-Term Picture 08:30 – Developer Backlash on the Condo Bailout 10:00 – The UK Rent-to-Own Model 13:00 – Renting, Ownership & Housing Stress 15:20 – Nurses' Strike Notice 19:00 – The $789M World Cup Question 20:00 – Sports, Politics & Why George Watches 23:00 – Investing in Youth Sport & the Arts 24:30 – The Kits Pool Fiasco 28:00 – FOI Threat & the 2026 Commissioner Plan

The Condo Bailout, 48-Hour ER Waits & Council's Last-Minute Motion Dump | UnSpun Ep. 326

Episode 326 of UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck runs from Ottawa's condo bailout to Vancouver's emergency-room crisis to City Hall's lame-duck chaos, with the Kits Pool saga still very much alive. Here's what's inside: 🏙️ The Condo "Bailout": Ottawa moves to buy up unsold condo stock as the market deflates. Is this housing policy or a developer rescue? George argues the real fix is funding the homes five years out, not buying the units already sitting empty and he warns the optics get ugly fast when the government starts buying from donors. 🏘️ What Killed the Market: Frances Bula and Gregor Robertson weigh in, but Jody and George break down the actual mechanics: deflated valuations, frozen listings, and changed immigration and foreign-student numbers loosening Vancouver's rental crunch for the first time in years. 🚢 Dredging Burrard Inlet: Tankers off the twin pipeline can only fill to 80% because the water's too shallow under the Second Narrows. Approval to dredge has reportedly cleared all levels with almost no protest or coverage. Why so quiet? 🏥 48-Hour ER Waits: Canadians are now being told to brace for up to two days waiting for a bed. George and Jody dig into burnout, repeat-visit pressure, e-scooter brain injuries, and why St. Paul's should carve out an urgent-care alternative to the ER. 🏛️ Council's Motion Dump: With the term basically over until the October election, Vancouver councillors are stacking the agenda with sprawling, consultant-written motions. George calls it what it is: pre-election profile-building that buries staff in busywork. 🗳️ Municipal Shake-Up Ahead: New mayors likely in Richmond, Coquitlam and beyond. So why is UBCM scheduled two weeks before voters go to the polls? 🤝 CUSMA Deadline: With the July 1 review looming, Carney draws a line: a good deal or no deal, and a rollover beats a worse agreement. 🏊 Kits Pool, Still Empty: Capacity of 1,800, sold out online, 400 people actually showing up. Jody says there's no lifeguard shortage, full stop and she's filming the empty deck every single day. 📍 From condo economics to a peeling Reflecting Pool guarded by the National Guard, this one's peak UnSpun. 💥 Subscribe, comment, and tell us: Should Ottawa be buying condos? And should St. Paul's build an urgent-care alternative to the ER? 📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 sitkamedia.ca [http://sitkamedia.ca] ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 – FIFA, Canada's Elimination Round & a Carney Bathroom Break 04:30 – The Federal Condo Bailout Explained 08:00 – What Actually Deflated the Market 15:15 – Dredging Burrard Inlet for Tankers 17:30 – Brace for 48-Hour ER Waits 20:00 – An Urgent-Care Alternative to the ER 22:05 – Council's Last-Minute Motion Dump 25:15 – Municipal Shake-Up & the UBCM Timing Problem 25:45 – CUSMA Deadline: Good Deal or No Deal 27:00 – Kits Pool & the Reflecting Pool Absurdity

FIFA Fever, Granville Street's Glow-Up & Border Chaos | UnSpun Ep. 325

This week on UnSpun with Jody Vance and George Affleck, Jody returns from Sicily jet-lagged and ready to go — just in time for FIFA World Cup madness, Vancouver's long-overdue Granville Street moment, and a border crossing story that'll make your blood pressure spike. Here's what's inside: ⚽ Canada's World Cup Moment: Team Canada wins 6-0 in a historic performance. First non-European or South American team to score five-plus goals in a single World Cup game. The hat trick? Not bad company — only Lionel Messi has matched it this tournament. 🚶 Granville Street Glows Up: George called it 16 years ago: pedestrianize Granville. Two motions lost. Now with FIFA, the city finally got a taste of what it could be — and Vancouver loved it. Rebecca Bligh is running with it. Will this time be different? 🏗️ Carney Comes to BC: The PM announces a 1.6 billion federal-provincial housing partnership, 600 million for health infrastructure, Surrey-Langley SkyTrain funding, and fast-tracked permitting reform. Build don't announce, says George. 🌊 Massey Tunnel, Still Waiting: A bike lane nobody will use, no rapid transit to the ferry, and Highway 99 still a bottleneck. The bridge that could have been open by now. Classic BC. 📉 Eby's Polling Collapse: The NDP Premier hits historically low approval numbers. Brad West circling. Caucus restless. Could a snap election be coming? 🚔 Surrey Police Board Chaos: Chief Norm Lapinsky fired in a backroom move. Board members walking out, journalists stonewalled, a gag order incoming. And Doug McCallum might just be the beneficiary. 💧 Water Restrictions vs. Reality: No snowpack, no rain, phase three restrictions — and Metro Vancouver still has no long-term plan. George wants answers. Jody wants her pool open. 🏊 Aquatic Centre Update: Class action verdict pending. A parking lot sits empty fifty feet from the pool they want to close. The Park Board remains the Park Board. 🇺🇸 Border Stress & Noem's New Gig: Jody's Nexus run turns into a full ICE-dog-sniff ordeal at the Peace Arch. And Kristi Noem — yes, the puppy killer — is now consulting for a BC mining company. 📍 From Granville Street piazzas to federal housing billions to a very stressful border crossing, Episode 325 is peak Vancouver summer politics. 💬 Should Granville Street stay pedestrian for good? Should Ottawa build housing or just incentivize the private sector? Tell us below. 📬 Follow Jody: @jodyvance 📬 Follow George: @george_affleck 🌐 sitkamedia.ca [http://sitkamedia.ca]