'Rude awakening': Helicopter dangles SUV over Vancouver's English Bay during early morning ad shoot
Dozens of people woken at sunrise by loud noises were surprised to see what appeared to be an SUV dangling in the air over Vancouver's English Bay on Tuesday.
Sascha Bendt, who lives in the West End, said the rumbling just after 5 a.m. was so loud, it felt like her bed was shaking.
“I thought, why is this happening so early in the morning?” said Bendt, who called it a “rude awakening.”
Her friend and neighbour, Leanne Leeck, thought it was the Coast Guard hovercraft.
Instead, video posted on social media showed two helicopters making passes up and down the bay, one with a vehicle dangling beneath it.
“You remember when I complained about the birds waking me up?” resident Amy Watkins narrated in a video she posted to Instagram. “Well these guys have been circling. I guess they must be filming a commercial or something.”
It turns out Watkins was right.
Talon Helicopters confirmed it was one of the two companies involved.
And Transport Canada told CTV News it had granted low level flight approval to the other chopper operator.
“The authorization includes safety conditions such as: weather conditions, flight crew qualifications, aircraft specifications, minimum altitudes, and area of operation,” wrote senior communications advisor Sau Sau Liu.
And while Bendt and Leeck are used to the noise in their neighbourhood that borders downtown, they both questioned the need to film at sunrise.
“You almost want to talk to the person who made that decision and go: “Are you sure you should be in your job?” quipped Leeck.
In a statement, Subaru Canada confirmed the filming was part of an ad for its new 2022 Outback Wilderness and that the company “followed all necessary protocols and received clearance from the City of Vancouver and Transport Canada.”
Public relations manager Julie Lychak went on to write: “We also wish to apologize to anyone we unintentionally disturbed while we were in the area.”
The noise prompted at least 12 calls to police and 15 to the city’s information line, 311, which by late morning had changed its phone menu to reference the noise, directing complaints to Transport Canada.
And while Transport Canada told CTV News its up to cities and municipalities to approve flight permits, a city communications manager said film permits aren’t issued for flights occurring over water.
“In this case, the helicopter company contacted our staff as a courtesy to notify them of their flight plan in advance,” wrote Godfrey Tait.
“At the time of notification our staff did not have concerns as the flight path was described as being between YVR and the mouth of English Bay and that the pilot did not expect to be close enough that sound would be noticed by residents on land.”
Tait added that the city is now following up with Transport Canada.
“Vancouver certainly got a rude wake up call this morning,” Bendt said
Fortunately for her and her West End neighbours, Subaru confirmed late Tuesday the filming is finished.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.