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Vancouver Budget Balances Books Without Tax Hike

Vancouver city council approved a 2026 budget, which includes a freeze on municipal property taxes. Vancouver City Council has approved a new budget that pledges no increase in property taxes, a move welcomed by many residents facing rising living costs. However, the financial plan comes with significant trade-offs: millions of dollars will be cut from arts programs, park services, and other community initiatives. City officials argue the budget reflects a commitment to fiscal responsibility while easing pressure on households. Critics, however, warn that reductions in cultural and recreational funding could erode the city’s vibrancy and limit access to public spaces. The decision highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing affordability with investment in community life. As Vancouver grows, the debate over how to fund essential services without raising taxes is likely to intensify.

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China’s recent surge in respiratory illnesses caused by flu and other known pathogens, not COVID-19

 

According to the Chinese health ministry, the recent surge in respiratory illnesses across the country is caused by the flu and other known pathogens, and not by COVID-19. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked China for more data on the respiratory illness spreading in the north of the country, urging people to take steps to reduce the risk of infection . The surge in respiratory illnesses such as flu and RSV has been reported in some parts of China, in the first winter since the country eased its COVID-restrictions. Mycoplasma, which can cause walking pneumonia, is among the bugs that Chinese officials say are behind an outbreak of pneumonia, flu, and COVID-19 in kids.


 


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