Niveja Assalaarachchi
Halal restaurant recommendations in Metro Vancouver
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer October marks Islamic History Month in Canada, highlighting the many contributions of Muslim Canadians to society. One of the hallmarks of life for Muslims is the consumption of Halal (حلال) food. Roughly translating to “permissible” in English, halal food describes food that adheres to Islamic dietary restrictions and is therefore permissible to be consumed. The Greater Vancouver area is home to an array of halal restaurants that draw on cuisines from all over the world. Even as a non-Muslim myself, I believe these restaurants are integral to what makes our city’s food scene so diverse…
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Senate Spotlight: SFU’s new academic plan passed and School of Medicine opens for applications
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer On October 6, the SFU Senate reviewed the final version of the 2025–30 academic plan and discussed the new School of Medicine. Reports from the chair and committees were also heard. The Peak attended the…
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Burnaby Mountain is inaccessible, and that has to change
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer Getting to the Burnaby campus is a pain in the ass; there I said it! The commute to the Burnaby campus has often been the topic of conversation among SFU students. Most of us have…
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Non-profit proposes wildlife feeding bylaw for the City of Burnaby
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer A new proposal has emerged calling on the City of Burnaby to pass a bylaw deterring the public from feeding wildlife. The movement is spearheaded by The Fur-Bearers, a Canadian charity that aims to advance…
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Stanley Park conservationists raise questions over the chopping of old-growth tree
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer In early September, a 400-year-old Douglas fir tree was found cut down in Stanley Park. The tree, measuring 38 meters tall and 30 centimetres wide, caused “significant damage to an adjacent riparian area” when it…
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Nepal’s Gen Z protests have led to an uncertain political transformation
November 11, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer On September 4, the government of Nepal, headed by then-prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli, banned 26 social media platforms from being accessed within the country. The government introduced the ban for platforms that did…
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How I escaped an R5 on its way to the recycling depot
November 9, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer and Mason Mattu, Humour Editor PLEASE listen to me. NEVER TAKE THE R5!!! I have had the most miserable experience on it recently, and I can only hope nobody faces the same horrors as I…
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ST N CRUNCH opens at SFU Burnaby
November 9, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer On September 3, CRUST N CRUNCH opened as one of SFU Burnaby’s newest fast food joints. The restaurant, replacing the old Jugo Juice franchise, aims to serve “an elevated pizza experience that delivers on quality,…
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SFU study finds that street sweeps reinforce systemic harm
November 9, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer A study conducted between 2021 and 2023 by SFU found that street sweeps by the City of Vancouver lead to higher rates of violence, disrupted access to services, and overdose risk. Street sweeps involve police…
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Pushing for a national N95 masking standard
November 8, 2025By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer On June 20, the Canadian Standards Association, also known as the CSA Group, released a new draft version of CSA standard Z94.4, which was open to public consultation until August 19. It sets to regulate…
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