The union representing more than 6,000 ambulance paramedics and emergency dispatchers across British Columbia says it has reached an agreement in principle on a new collective agreement, avoiding the possibility of job action. The Ambulance Paramedics of BC announced the tentative deal following what it described as extensive negotiations with the Health Employers Association of BC and the provincial government. Earlier this month, 97 per cent of participating members voted in favour of strike action, placing the union in a legal strike position pending an essential services order. Instead of

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government is moving new legislation and resources to address extortion-linked threats and violence affecting the Lower Mainland and other parts of Canada. In an interview with Connect Newsroom host Vijay Saini at the B.C. RCMP Headquarters (E Division) in Surrey on Feb. 19, 2026, Carney said his government is “toughening bail” and “toughening sentencing,” and expanding investigative tools aimed at tracking extortion activity, including online communications and financial flows. PM Carney said police leaders told him they support the legisla

Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Connect FM 91.5 announced on Friday that the station will become the club’s Official Local Punjabi Radio Broadcast Partner for the 2026 season – a first of it’s kind in Major League Soccer (MLS). As part of the partnership, Connect FM will broadcast all 17 MLS regular season home matches live in Punjabi.Fans can tune in to Connect FM on 91.5 FM and 91.5 HD2 or stream the broadcast live via the Connect FM website, mobile app, or anywhere else the station is available.“Soccer is a universal sport, and we have always taken great pride in representing the diversi

Police in New Westminster say a targeted drug trafficking investigation has led to the seizure of a significant quantity of pills, other suspected drugs and cash from a property in the Queensborough neighbourhood. According to the New Westminster Police Department, its Street Crime Unit launched the investigation in January and worked alongside another regional policing agency. Officers later executed a search warrant at a residence in Queensborough as part of the ongoing probe. Sgt. Andrew Leaver said drug trafficking and related violence are not tolerated in the city. He noted that the depar

Canada is heading to the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics 2026 after defeating Finland 3–2 in a tightly contested men’s hockey semifinal on Saturday. Finland opened the scoring late in the first period when Mikko Rantanen found the back of the net to give his team a 1–0 lead. Early in the second period, Erik Haula extended Finland’s advantage to 2–0, putting pressure on the Canadian squad. Canada responded before the end of the second period. West Vancouver native Sam Reinhart scored on a deflection with five minutes remaining in the frame, cutting the deficit to 2–1 and shif

India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal says an interim trade agreement between India and the United States could be signed as early as March, with implementation expected in April. The minister shared the update on Friday, indicating that negotiations have entered a final legal stage. According to Goyal, officials from both countries are scheduled to meet in the United States starting February 23 for three days of discussions aimed at finalizing the legal framework of the proposed agreement. The interim deal is expected to address tariff issues and market access while broader tr

Bangladesh has reinstated visa services for Indian citizens just three days after a new government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party took office. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced Friday that all visa categories for Indian nationals have been restored, reversing a suspension imposed nearly two months ago. The earlier halt to visa processing had been introduced under the administration of former prime minister Muhammad Yunus. At that time, Bangladeshi authorities cited administrative and diplomatic considerations for pausing services. The decision had affected travellers seeking med

Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Dominic LeBlanc, says a recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn tariffs imposed under former president Donald Trump’s emergency powers validates Canada’s long-standing position that the measures were unjustified. In a statement responding to the ruling, LeBlanc said the court’s decision confirms Canada’s argument that duties introduced under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were not legally sound. Ottawa had previously raised concerns that the tariffs created uncertainty for cross-border trade and

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that president Donald Trump could not rely on a national emergencies statute to impose sweeping tariffs on several countries, including Canada, during his time in office. In a decision released Friday, the court found that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to justify what he called “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded the scope of the law. The measures had targeted imports from Canada, Mexico and China, and were also linked to fentanyl-related trade actions. The tariffs were introduced as part of a broader strategy to ad