Jazz DH8C at Victoria on Jun 13th 2014, takeoff clearance despite vehicle on runway

A Jazz de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration C-GEWQ performing flight QK-8054 from Victoria,BC to Vancouver,BC (Canada), was cleared for takeoff from Victoria's runway 27 taxiway W. The crew however noticed and queried the presence of a sweeper vehicle near the end of runway 27 (threshold of runway 09). The sweeper vehicle was instructed to leave the runway, the flight was cleared for takeoff again and departed without further incident.

The Canadian TSB reported the ground controller had illuminated runway 09/27 indicating to tower, that the runway was available to tower. After the crew queried the presence of the sweeper, tower coordinated with ground control, the sweeper was removed from the runway and the Dash recleared for takeoff.