Longtime CTV Vancouver morning show anchor moves to Global BC

Jason Pires at Machu Picchu on a recent vacation. (Submitted)

Longtime CTV Vancouver journalist Jason Pires has confirmed he’s moving to Global BC to co-anchor their morning show.

Pires is taking over the position left vacant by Paul Haysom where he’ll welcome Vancouverites to the day alongside co-anchor Sonia Sunger.

“In terms of the morning, I think people are in a different mindset,” Pires told Daily Hive. “They’re so busy, and they just want a bit of news but also a bit of a laugh — and a good way to start the day.”

AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST JASON PIRES JOINS @GlobalBC‘s GLOBAL NEWS MORNING https://t.co/3ii7tNJWvh

— Bhupinder Singh Hundal (@BhupinderHundal) August 18, 2023

Bhupinder Singh Hundal, Global BC’s news director and station manager, gave Pires a warm welcome Friday.

“Jason brings a wealth of journalism experience, a deep passion for our community, and telling its stories,” he said. “His humility and authenticity will be great for our team and the Global BC audience.”

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Pires said it wasn’t an easy decision to leave CTV, where he’s worked for the past 22 years. He joined the company in 2001 on Vancouver Island and came to Vancouver in 2008 where he reported on the Vancouver Olympics and Stanley Cup riots.

Then, six years ago, he started hosting CTV Morning Live — and fell in love with doing morning shows.

In his head, he treats every half-hour of the broadcast as its own show, recognizing that people may only watch snippets as they get ready in the morning. While at CTV he woke up at 2:45 am on workdays — and says he doesn’t even drink coffee.

But a few months ago, Pires took over CTV Vancouver’s noon news broadcast following a round of layoffs by parent company Bell Media. When Global approached him about the morning show, he knew he wanted the early starts back.

“Everyone that does the morning show loves it. It’s a beast of a show — at Global, four hours,” he said. “You have to have the same energy at 5:30 as 8:30 am.”

Global BC, formerly known as BC TV, has a special place in Pires’ heart — because its pavilion at Expo 86 was what first inspired him to go into broadcast journalism.

Global BC is now the most-watched news program in the province and films shows out of its studios in Burnaby. Leaving his friends and colleagues at CTV was emotional for Pires, but starting at Global gives him the “first day of school” feeling.

“I could definitely see myself doing [morning shows] for as long as I can,” he said. “You have to really love the job.”