Seven mayors have already been elected unopposed in cities across Vancouver Island, nearly a month before general voting in British Columbia’s municipal elections. The municipalities include Sidney, Duncan, Lantzville, Cumberland, Comox, Port McNeill and Port Hardy. In each community, only one candidate filed a nomination for mayor, resulting in an automatic victory without a contested election. Political experts and local leaders say the trend may reflect today’s increasingly toxic political environment, personal attacks on social media and growing mental-health pressures. They believe th

Surrey Police Service has issued a warning about a high-risk offender who has been released in Surrey. Police say 26-year-old Skyler Wayne Pelletier has a history of violent and sexual offences involving members of the public, including women. According to SPS, Pelletier is an Indigenous man who is 6-foot-2, heavy-set, with short black hair and brown eyes. He has been released under strict court-ordered conditions, including no contact with victims or their families and a prohibition from entering within two blocks of the 2500-block of Woodland Drive in Vancouver. He must also follow a curfew

B.C. Conservative MLA Donegal Wilson has announced that she is joining Peter Milobar’s new political party, becoming the seventh MLA in the newly formed group. Wilson, who represents Boundary-Similkameen, said in a statement that she left the B.C. Conservatives because of disagreements with party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s policies. She said Milobar’s new party aims to provide British Columbians with a strong alternative to the B.C. NDP. With Wilson’s move, the new party will now become the third-largest group in the B.C. legislature. The governing NDP currently holds 47 seats, while

Home sales in British Columbia declined in August compared with the same month last year, according to the B.C. Real Estate Association. The association said 5,653 residential units were sold across the province last month, down 4.7 per cent from August 2025 and 25.4 per cent below the 10-year average for the month. B.C. Real Estate Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson said the housing market continues to show signs of a gradual recovery. However, he noted that new tariffs and a recent rise in long-term interest rates remain risks for the housing market. The report said the average ho

Nomination proceedings have closed for the upcoming municipal election in Surrey, with about 100 candidates seeking 15 positions, including one mayor, eight city councillors and six school trustees. Seven candidates are running for mayor: Linda Annis, Brenda Locke, Doug McCallum, Honveer Singh Randhawa, Mike Starchuk, Troy Van-Vliet and Eagle Emans. A total of 65 candidates are contesting the eight city council seats, while 23 candidates are running for the six school trustee positions. Among the school trustee candidates are Harjit Kaur Bhullar, Amrit Warring, Gurleen Kaur Chahal, Meena Kocha

A fishing vessel sank near the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal on Sunday, prompting a rescue operation for two people who were left in the water. Officials received a report at around 3:15 p.m. that a boat had sunk near the terminal. B.C. Ferries spokesperson Sheila Reynolds said the Spirit of British Columbia and Coastal Renaissance immediately deployed a rescue boat and safely pulled both people from the water. Police and B.C. Emergency Health Services paramedics later attended the terminal. After receiving first aid, both individuals were taken to hospital in stable condition. The incident also c

British Columbia’s anti-gang police task force has seized a significant amount of weapons, drugs and cash during a major operation in the Fort St. John community. According to Sergeant Sarbjit Kaur Sangha of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, officers were deployed to the area at the request of local police between August 21 and September 5. During the operation, several arrests were made in connection with ongoing gang conflicts and illegal drug trafficking in the area. Police seized cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with seven firearms, including handguns, rifles and

A disturbing incident has been reported at Redwood Park in South Surrey, where a man was caught on camera chasing another man with a knife. The incident happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday. According to police, the suspect first rammed his Jeep Wrangler into the victim’s Ford pickup truck. He then climbed onto the roof of the truck while holding a knife. When the victim ran away, the suspect chased him with the weapon in his hand. A Tesla driver who had arrived at the park for a photoshoot recorded the entire incident and helped the fleeing victim by taking him into the vehicle and keeping him

The Vancouver Police Department has officially opened its new training centre at the Woodward’s building in the Downtown Eastside, marking a new chapter in its history. It is the first time since 1978 that the Vancouver Police Department has had its own dedicated training centre for new recruits. The new academy spans about 30,000 square feet across three floors at the former London Drugs location. The first group of 40 new police recruits began their training at the academy this week. They are expected to complete their training in June 2027 before being deployed with the Vancouver Police D