The Runner (KPU)

COVER: Shrinkflation is a tactic used by companies to reduce product but keep prices the same. (Jing-Syuan Chang) Rising prices and shrinking portions frustrate consumers across the Lower Mainland. As the cost of living continues to increase, many residents are noticing they are paying more for less — particularly with food. “Shrinkflation” is a tactic companies use to cut portion sizes while keeping prices the same or even raising them.

Council of Interior Design Accreditation’ external reviewers Catherine Dowling, Kyuho Ahn, and Kate Rancourt interview interior design students during accreditation visit. (Submitted) Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s interior design program earned its first accreditation 26 years ago.

Obsession will be released on DVD on July 14. (Focus Features/Diego Minor Martínez) The horrors of modern dating as a woman interested in men can feel like flipping a coin between the two unhealthiest extremes — the arrogant manosphere-oriented, self-proclaimed alpha or the nice guy. This nice guy character is not a genuinely kind man, but an individual with a subtler sense of entitlement. He aims to manipulate his romantic or sexual relationships through a form of conditional kindness.

The exhibit is on display at KPU’s Spruce Gallery until July 10. (Sukhmani Sandhu) Kwantlen Polytechnic University fine arts students create a love letter exhibit to the Philippines. Minamahal kong Pilipinas, or Dear Philippines, is on display at the Spruce Gallery on the Surrey campus. The exhibit features ceramics, print, textiles, and canvas art pieces. Curator Ira Espita at the opening reception of the Minamahal kong Pilipinas exhibit on June 12.

Canada held 13 World Cup matches in Vancouver and Toronto. (Quintin Soloviev/Wikimedia Commons) The seventh and final FIFA World Cup match at Vancouver’s BC Place was on July 7. Canada held a total of 13 World Cup games. The parliamentary budget officer estimated each match to $82 million. Co-hosting the World Cup was estimated to cost taxpayers nearly $1.1 billion.

Supergirl was released on June 26. (Warner Bros./Diego Minor Martínez) The pressure on Supergirl was enormous long before the film landed in theatres. As the second film in the DC Studios’ rebooted cinematic universe following the 2025 Superman film, Craig Gillespie’s adaption of the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic carried the weight of introducing a beloved character — proof that DC could build something beyond their flagship hero.

The Surrey Pride festival welcomed about 60 vendors. (Leslie Pham) The Surrey Pride festival celebrated another year of joy and resilience on June 20 at Central City Plaza. The festival, celebrating its 27th anniversary, welcomed hundreds to enjoy an afternoon of drag, live music, and meeting vendors. “We believe in being seen and making a safe space for the people so they can be seen,” said Donald Crowe, president of the Surrey Pride Society, the event organizer.

Todd Mundle at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus on June 9, 2026. (Sukhmani Sandhu) Cyclist, T-shirt enthusiast, marathon runner, and university librarian — Todd Mundle has done it all. Mundle has been Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s university librarian for more than 14 years. He’s retiring on July 10 to embark on a new journey. After elementary school in Saskatchewan and high school in Calgary, he eventually landed in Vancouver.

The Surrey Fusion Festival will feature more than 50 cultural pavilions. (Submitted) Western Canada’s largest multicultural event is returning to Surrey’s Holland Park next month — this time with a focus on the beautiful game. The 19th year of the Surrey Fusion Festival follows the theme “One World, One Game,” featuring a global showcase of culture and different countries’ love of soccer on July 18 and 19.

Art by Joy Lai. Artificial intelligence is very quickly becoming more involved in our everyday lives. What initially started as a simple chatbot has evolved into independent systems capable of reasoning, decision-making, and continuous self-improvement. As AI continues to grow and change industries, many students — including myself — are questioning whether their chosen careers can survive and adapt to this technological revolution.