The weirdest and funniest Vancouver news stories of 2025
2025 has come and gone. It was an interesting year and had its fair share of weird Vancouver stories.
We’ve gone through some posts from throughout the year and selected some of the weirdest and funniest.
From ridiculous rentals to the matrix not being real, these were some of the best.
Fridge rental
How’d you like to sleep right next to the fridge? Would certainly make grabbing a midnight snack much easier.
Facebook Marketplace
This Surrey rental was described as an “open basement.”
The room was $650 per month, but Wi-Fi adds an extra $35. The suite was part of a story we published featuring several substandard rentals.
The matrix isn’t real
A UBC study that nobody asked for determined that the matrix is not only real but fundamentally impossible.
Warner Bros
Dr. Mir Faizal is an adjunct professor with UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. His findings, along with those of colleagues Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss, Dr. Arshid Shabir and Dr. Francesco Marino, have shown that reality operates in a way that a computer could not simulate.
“They prove something far more profound: the universe is built on a type of understanding that exists beyond the reach of any algorithm,” UBCO says in a release.
“It has been suggested that the universe could be simulated. If such a simulation were possible, the simulated universe could itself give rise to life, which in turn might create its own simulation. This recursive possibility makes it seem highly unlikely that our universe is the original one, rather than a simulation nested within another simulation,” Dr. Faizal said.
Whoa.
B.C. truck simulator
SCS Software
Ever wanted to drive through beautiful B.C., virtually?
Earlier this year, developers SCS Software, based in Prague, Czech Republic, announced that its first Canadian expansion would be set in British Columbia.
In a post made on its website, the American Truck Simulator publisher stated that players will have the opportunity to experience the “stunning landscapes and vibrant culture” of B.C.
You’ll never have to leave the house again.
North Vancouver clothing outlet fakes break-in
A North Vancouver clothing outlet got a bit of flak on social media after faking a break-in for publicity.
Basico Branco, which the website states is a “premium wholesale clothing line with sustainability at its core,” posted a video on Instagram describing a break-in at its North Vancouver showroom and studio.
“While we were in Portugal, someone broke into our studio,” designer Austin Ottone says in the video.
It turned out it was all a ruse. Some were disappointed that their goodwill and well-wishes were taken advantage of.
The Granville Bridge bench
Kenneth Chan/DailyHive
Vancouver has had some weird, impromptu tourist attractions over the past few years. Notably, the English Bay Barge.
However, earlier this year, a new odd tourist attraction emerged as a highly rated spot on Google: the Granville Bridge bench.
These are just a few of the best reviews:
“It is worth every penny of our tax dollars. Thank you, City!”
“Peak urbanism. Suitable for all occasions. I proposed to my girlfriend here. Too bad she rejected me, I guess I should’ve chosen someplace else.”
“Best place to sit in the area.”
“The most benchiest of benches your cheeks may find. Worth the one-hour wait.”
Pesto Prankster
Another story from earlier this year included some Vancouver residents wondering why they’d been receiving mysterious packages of pesto.
Someone shared a photo of the pesto package they received on the weird subreddit.
The envelope, which has a transparent front, features a small package of pesto, along with a few odd pictures, including a couple kissing with the caption, “We’re a married couple from <city> and we made this pesto sauce with each other.”
Received this in the mail to try a “married couple’s” homemade pesto, that came with an actual actually small bag of pesto inside. Return address is fake.
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Turns out online jokester Alan Wagner was behind it, even though he told Daily Hive, “I would never.”
Ant orgy
JesssL/Shutterstock
This summer, some residents unwittingly walked into a horrible surprise: a flying ant orgy.
This unwelcome yearly tradition sees thousands of flying ants swarming through the air, not caring what’s in the way. It’s not out of the ordinary during one of these swarms to have these flying ants hitting your face.
Judith Myers, Professor Emerita at the UBC Department of Zoology, told Daily Hive that the flying ant hordes are part of a mating swarm, featuring both male and female ants.
“They are mating swarms that occur in summer. Swarms are both males and females and seem to be synchronized in a given geographic area,” she said.
Walking a pig?
An advertisement for a development in East Vancouver featured a picture that felt like a glitch in the matrix that doesn’t exist.
The ad came from a collaboration between Magnum, Ergas Group, and Fabric Living.
The Cut
If you take a quick glance at the left portion of the photo, it appears someone is walking a dog. However, upon closer inspection, you can see that it’s actually a pig that’s being walked.
The pig-culiar ad sparked lots of discussion online. Some suggested it was an AI blunder, but Magnum assured us it was not.
What was the weirdest story you’ve read this year?