Author: Isabelle Tran
Isabelle Tran
Isabelle Tran is a Burnaby-based local news reporter with a passion for storytelling and civic engagement. A graduate of Carleton University's School of Journalism, she has over 9 years of experience reporting on local events, neighborhood development, and education news. Isabelle has contributed to CBC News and Burnaby Now, Daljoog News and is an advocate for inclusive journalism through her work with the BC News Diversity Collective.
Burnaby, a city often seen as just part of Metro Vancouver’s suburbs, has surprised many with its strong rise in tourism. In 2023, the city welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors and saw record-breaking spending that reached $990 million. This major boost in tourism supported over 7,200 jobs and gave a large push to British Columbia’s economy. Of the total amount spent by visitors, about $250 million went to wages for workers in Burnaby. Governments at the federal, provincial, and local levels collected $208 million in taxes. These numbers come from a new report released by Tourism Burnaby, highlighting the…
Millennium Line SkyTrain service in Burnaby was paused for about three hours on Tuesday afternoon due to a gas leak. The disruption affected travel between Sperling and Production Way stations. TransLink announced shortly after 1 p.m. that trains were not running between these two stations. Instead, trains operated only from VCC to Sperling and from Lafarge Lake to Production Way. The gas leak did not impact the Canada Line or Expo Line, which continued running as usual. To help passengers, a replacement bus service was set up between Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station and Production Way-University Station. Travelers were directed to board…
A man near Smithers, British Columbia, escaped a cougar attack on Saturday after defending himself in a surprising way — by punching the animal in the face. The incident happened around 11 a.m. near Lake Kathlyn, located in the province’s northern Interior. The man was working alone outdoors when he suddenly saw a cougar approach him. Without warning, the wild animal lunged and swiped at the upper part of his body. According to conservation officers, the man reacted quickly. He struck the cougar in the face, which caused it to stop the attack and run away. After the encounter, the…
A tragic collision on Burnaby Mountain Parkway early Thursday morning has left one person dead and two others hospitalized, according to Burnaby RCMP and B.C. Emergency Health Services. Emergency responders were dispatched just after 4:00 a.m. following reports of a serious motor vehicle accident along the parkway. The crash occurred in the westbound lanes, prompting RCMP to shut down the road in both directions as they investigated the scene. Burnaby RCMP later confirmed that one person had died as a result of the crash. Paramedics transported two additional individuals to the hospital, both in stable condition, according to B.C. Emergency…