A resident of the area says she heard “a really loud bang” from her home a block away around 2:30 a.m. Friday
Police are investigating after an explosive was set off outside the North Vancouver constituency office of MLA Bowinn Ma early Friday.
No one was injured in the incident.
Police taped off the area around Ma’s office on Lower Lonsdale, where dark marks from the explosion could be seen on the front door and the pavement nearby.
Pieces of the door were also lying on the ground.
All meetings and appointments at the constituency office were cancelled for the day due to the incident, Ma said in a statement. “Thankfully, nobody was injured, but incidents like this can be quite frightening.”
Shane O’Grady, Legislative Assembly staff sergeant for the MLA Safety Program, sent a letter to MLAs and their offices early Friday about the incident, warning constituency offices around the Lower Mainland to “exercise caution, report any suspicious activity to police and reach out to my team if you need anything.”
Laura Yarwob works at the Fresh Street Market across the street from Ma’s office, which backs onto train tracks and sits between an e-bike shop and a private investment office.
Yarwob said she heard “a really loud bang” that didn’t sound like a train from her home a block away around 2:30 a.m.
“It shook the house,” she said, adding customers’ accounts suggest the loud noise could be heard up to three blocks around the normally quiet neighbourhood near Lonsdale Quay and the Shipyards District.
“It shouldn’t be happening here in North Vancouver or anywhere. It’s kind of scary.”
Ma said in a statement that she appreciated the concern expressed by community members, and the diligence and professionalism of police.
Ma said she would not be commenting further due to the active police investigation.
Premier David Eby says his thoughts are with Ma, her staff, and the community.
“Bowinn Ma is an incredible community leader, who I am proud to work with every day. No matter who you are, or what you do for a living, you have a right to safety at work,” he said in a social media post.
— With a file from The Canadian Press