Why YVR just opened an outlet mall

Thursday’s grand opening was a veritable mosh pit

THE#BCBIZDAILY
Plus, the sad fate of seabirds—and soon, Fraser River fish

High-flying deals
Greater Vancouver’s first outlet mall—the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport (bit of a mouthful, that one)—opened Thursday at YVR to crushing fanfare, judging by the traffic jams it induced, which managed to delay a few flights. Oh, and this: British mall manager McArthurGlen, which operates 20 designer outlets around the world, said Vancouver’s attracted 45,000 people on opening day, a record for the company. But what interest does the airport have in running an off-site shopping center? YVR CEO Craig Richmond told the Vancouver Sun that the land was “unsuitable for aviation purposes,” and if all goes well, revenue from the outlet mall will help YVR keep fees down for international airliners, he said, and thus attract more of them. Between 2004 and 2013, revenues at YVR shot up 57 per cent, thanks in part to sales and rents from its retail tenants. The airport now processes almost as many international flyers as San Francisco International.

We suck
Now this is sad: seabird populations have dropped an unbelievable 70 per cent since the 1950s, according to a new report from UBC researchers. Reasons cited include overfishing (of fish they eat), birds getting tangled in fishing gear, water pollution and climate change. In other words, people. It’s always people.

And now fish
First your lawn, then the forests—next up could be fish. B.C.’s dry-as-hell heat wave could make victims of the salmon that swim through major rivers like the Fraser. Some rivers have hit 19 degrees Celsius; at 20, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans says serious problems arise. Hotter water carries less oxygen, which fish need more of in warmer temperatures. The result can be fatal for salmon. (via Canadian Press)