FRIDAY
OCTOBER 16, 2015
POT STORE GOING TO COURT The city has filed a request for a court order to shut down a medical marijuana dispensary A4
A B B O T S F O R D
your life your community.
twitter.com/abbynews facebook.com/myabbynews
Online all the time. In print Wednesday & Friday.
Homeless shelter expanded to 30 beds Facility on Gladys Avenue will add fourth storey, 10 more spaces Laura RODGERS Abbotsford News
An extra floor – and 10 more beds – will be added to the low-barrier supportive housing project planned for Gladys Avenue. The new fourth storey expands the project from 20 to 30 housing
units, according to BC Housing. As a “low-barrier” facility, the project will provide housing to men who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including those with active addictions to drugs or alcohol. Staff from Abbotsford Community Services will provide treatment and support services
within the building. Jenny Lee-Leugner, a spokesperson for BC Housing, said the bed count was expanded because “the province, in partnership with the city, determined that adding additional units to this project would be a timely and cost-effective solution to serving
community.” Lee-Leugner said the building’s capital budget will likely increase, though she didn’t release how much more will be spent. The project was initially pegged at $2.4 million, funded by BC Housing.
SETTING UP FOR VOLLEYBALL A53 Cascades and Bearcats kick off season on Friday with cross-town rivalry weekend
Continued on A7
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
ELECTION:
Thousands more cast early ballots
A6 Hundreds of youth gather
Tyler OLSEN
A27-30 Special feature on
for national conference, held in Abbotsford for the first time
FOOD BANK SUPPORT
Abbotsford News
Thousands more voters cast early ballots in the Abbotsford riding in this year’s federal election than in 2011. Election day is Oct. 19, but a total of 9,724 ballots were cast over four days of ba advance polling between Oct. 9 and a MORINEE 12. That number is up dramatically ONLws.com from 2011, when 5,713 advance abbyne votes were cast. v The 70 per cent increase in adT vance voting is also in line with the uptick in voting across Canada. A total of 3.6 million advance votes were cast across the country, an increase of 71 per cent. The increased number of advance ballots cast in the Abbotsford riding comes despite the elecContinued on A4
the Abbotsford Food Bank, which is in dire need of supplies and cash donations
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A9
■
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A48
■ Viewpoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 ■ LAURA RODGERS Abbotsford News
Chief Dan George Middle school students Harmeen, Calvin and Skylar submit ballots at the school’s student vote on Wednesday. They joined thousands of schools across the country in Elections Canada’s mock vote for students, which uses authentic-looking booths, boxes and customized ballots to introduce youth to the process of federal voting. Results will be tallied and released nationwide on Oct. 20.
IT’S HERE!!
MILEAGE WARRANTY ON EVERY 2015 & 16 MAZDAS!
www.vipmazda.com
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . .A59
85¢
The ALL NEW 2016 MAZDA CX-3
From $22,590 and available in AWD!
604.857.1600
■
Fraser Valley Auto Mall
VIPMAZDA