This is Vancouver

Sometimes, city councils in B.C. have to decide things as specific as whether a single property owner can have one more dog. Justin McElroy reports on how Chilliwack council turned into a People’s Court-style debate.

In September, former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell was appointed Downtown Eastside adviser by the province. He was tasked with convening and co-ordinating partners in the struggling neighbourhood, in order to improve the quality of life for people living and working there. We're checking in with organizations on the ground to see how he's doing, and we'll hear from Larry about what he plans to do now that his contract has been extended another six months.

Some international students say they’ve been approached by organized crime groups that want to recruit them for extortion-related crimes. In this episode, Stephen Quinn looks into how these interactions happen, how students respond, and what it means for safety in the Lower Mainland. We also hear from UBC student Mohkam Singh Mallik who shares what he’s hearing from students on campus.

A proposal for a floating sauna near Vancouver’s Maritime Museum is drawing pushback from some Kitsilano residents. We look at why this idea has people divided, and what it says about how the city uses its waterfront. Plus, a look at Burnaby’s quiet but shifting election race, as key councillors step aside.

International student numbers are falling fast — and schools in the Lower Mainland are feeling it. In addition to that, a new federal report suggests the system meant to manage them isn’t working well. Thousands of potential rule breaches were flagged, but only a small fraction were investigated. Stephen Quinn looks at what’s driving the decline, and how schools and governments are responding.