Canucks, crime, cup fees: Vancouver locals weigh in on the positives of 2023
Vancouverites had mixed feelings about some of the changes that took place in the city, but on a positive note, there are some things they say that did improve in 2023.
A conversation online was sparked by one Reddit user, who asked locals to share what they believed got better this year in Vancouver.
While this year did have some setbacks, there were also notable improvements that locals were pleased to see.
Let’s take a look at some of the positive things that Vancouverites saw in 2023.
The Canucks and Whitecaps
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It doesn’t get more Vancouver than celebrating the city’s hockey team. The Canucks often get dunked on for having lukewarm seasons; however, the last time “the Vancouver Canucks tore through October with the level of success they did to start this season was 2005, the autumn after the National Hockey League lockout,” according to sportsnet.ca.
What about Vancouver’s soccer team?
While the Whitecaps bowed out of the playoffs this year, some Reddit users are saying that the team was overall a lot more entertaining to watch this season.
The Stanley Park train
Bright Nights Christmas Train at Stanley Park (@sammietan/Instagram)
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The Stanley Park train returned after being absent for several years, and some people are saying it improved the city’s Christmas spirit. Tickets sold out the first few hours they were available, and the Vancouver Park Board had to add an additional 17,000 tickets after a technical inspection confirmed one train and five carriages could be used.
Scrapping extra fees
Single-use cups (Shutterstock)
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In May, the 25-cent fee for a single-use cup was scrapped by Vancouver City Council. Now businesses no longer have to report the quantity of single-use cups or charge an extra fee for them.
Critics argued that the single-use cup fee program was ineffective in discouraging the use of disposable cups and that it disproportionately affected vulnerable individuals in the community.
Improved travel between Vancouver and Vancouver Island
Hullo Ferries’ two new high-speed catamaran ferry vessels arrive at the Nanaimo Port Authority’s facility on July 14, 2023. (Hullo Ferries)
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In August, the two new Hullo ferries set sail, giving frustrated BC Ferries passengers another option between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, with many saying it is even faster and more frequent.
An additional three sailings were added each way, bringing the sailings per day up to seven.
Unprovoked stranger attacks have declined
Margarita Young/Shutterstock
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The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) data from 2023 showed that the number of unprovoked assaults by strangers in Vancouver significantly dropped by almost 80% this year compared to the peak in 2021.
During that period, there were more than four such assaults per day on average.
What other things do you think improved in Vancouver that we missed?
Let us know in the comments.