Political activity in British Columbia has intensified after Agriculture Minister Lana Popham announced that she will not seek re-election for the B.C. NDP in Saanich South. Popham’s decision comes amid growing speculation about the possibility of an early provincial election. Political observers say her announcement could add to the speculation, although it does not by itself confirm that an early election will be called. The announcement also comes as the opposition B.C. Conservative Party faces internal turmoil, while the B.C. NDP has been making preparations for a potential election camp

Former B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad says he has been invited to rejoin the party’s caucus, just days after he was expelled by former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Speaking at a press conference in Victoria on Monday, Rustad said interim party leader Lorne Doerkson personally contacted him by text message and invited him to return to the caucus. Rustad said he is considering the offer, but added that he believes his time in politics may have passed. Rustad also commented on speculation surrounding former premiers Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell, saying that former leaders should now s

According to the latest report from Statistics Canada, about 23.2% of Canadian households-nearly one in four- are living in homes considered unaffordable, as housing and living costs continue to rise. Statistics Canada defines housing as unaffordable when a household spends 30% or more of its total income on housing costs. The report found that renters are significantly more likely to face unaffordable housing than homeowners. About 33.7% of renters were living in unaffordable homes, compared with 17.4% of homeowners. In 2024, 36.6% of households had a mortgage, and among them, 26.1% were cons

Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu has confirmed progress in trade discussions with India following his two-day visit to the country. Sidhu has now travelled to the Philippines to attend a meeting of economic ministers from Southeast Asian countries. He said Canada will work to advance free trade agreement negotiations with both ASEAN and the Philippines. According to figures shared by Sidhu, Canada’s trade with Asian countries increased by 23.4 per cent last year, reaching $52.3 billion. If a new agreement is finalized, it is expected to create 14,000 well-paying jobs in

Amid ongoing trade tensions with Canada, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans for a major deal to purchase potash from Belarus. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, Trump said the United States is working on a “massive deal” to buy potash from Belarus. He claimed that under the proposed agreement, the price would be significantly lower than what the U.S. currently pays Canada. Trump described the potential deal as “great news” for American farmers and ranchers. Canada is the world’s largest potash exporter, and the United States has traditionally

Alberta’s government has temporarily changed the rules governing the province’s voter lists following a privacy breach. Under the new policy, the official voter lists provided to political parties will contain only the number of voters in each voting area and municipality. Previously, the lists included registered voters’ names, home addresses, phone numbers and other personal information. Elections Alberta shared the lists with political parties, MLAs and candidates for purposes such as election campaigning and fundraising. The changes follow the public release of a database containing

An 80-year-old woman riding a bicycle was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Chilliwack on Saturday evening. According to Chilliwack RCMP, the incident occurred around 6 p.m. at the intersection of Portage Avenue and Woodbine Street, where a vehicle struck the cyclist before fleeing the scene. First responders found the woman in critical condition, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later identified and seized the suspect vehicle, described as a dark red Chevrolet Silverado crew cab truck. The driver was arrested but has since been released pending further investigation. RCMP s

A UCP constituency group in Alberta’s Highwood riding has called for a leadership review of Premier Danielle Smith amid growing tensions over the province’s upcoming separation referendum. The dispute comes ahead of the October 19 referendum on whether Alberta should remain part of Canada. Smith has clearly stated that she supports a united Canada with a more autonomous Alberta and is campaigning for the province to remain in Canada. Her position has angered separatist groups. Alberta Prosperity Project leader Mitch Sylvester and other separatist figures have accused Smith of dividing the

Six people were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on Vancouver’s Granville Street Bridge Sunday evening. Police said the collision happened at around 5 p.m. and involved a tow truck, a TransLink bus and two cars. Dashcam footage shared on social media appears to show a flatbed truck crossing the median and travelling in the wrong direction before the crash. Of the six people taken to hospital, one suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, while the other five sustained minor injuries. The Granville Street Bridge reopened to traffic at around 10:30 p.m. Police continue to investigate