19.1°C Vancouver

News

b-c-expands-alcohol-ban-in-its-liquor-stores-to-all-u-s-booze
BCMar 10, 2025

B.C. expands alcohol ban in its liquor stores to all U.S. booze

British Columbia Premier David Eby says Americans can "keep their watery beer" as he announces an expansion of the U.S. alcohol ban from provincial liquor stores. The province had removed alcohol from Republican states in reaction to President Donald Trump's tariff threats against Canada, but Eby says the latest news from the United States prompted this action. He says Trump's threats of additional tariffs on the dairy industry, an investigation into Canada's lumber, and disturbing reports that the president wants to redraw the border and pursue Canada water set off the newest ban. Eby says al
3-b-c-conservatives-kicked-from-the-party-will-sit-as-independents
BCMar 10, 2025

3 B.C. Conservatives kicked from the party will sit as Independents

A group of three former B.C. Conservative legislators have announced they will sit as Independents in the provincial legislature. Dallas Brodie was kicked out of the party on Friday over her comments about residential schools, and Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong left the party saying Leader John Rustad had abandoned the truth. Armstrong told reporters outside the legislature today that Rustad “caved to the woke liberals who have infiltrated the party.” She says no one was surprised when New Democrat Premier David Eby attacked Dallas Brody for telling the truth about Kamloops, but Rustad’
more-than-450-unhoused-people-died-in-b-c-in-2023-almost-tripling-2020-toll
BCMar 07, 2025

More than 450 unhoused people died in B.C. in 2023, almost tripling 2020 toll

New data from the BC Coroners Service says at least 458 people experiencing homelessness in the province died in 2023, with the toll almost tripling in just three years. The service says in a news release there's been a 23 per cent increase from the 373 recorded deaths of unhoused people the year before. It says 91 per cent of the 2023 deaths were classified as accidental, including 86 per cent due to drug toxicity. The data show 79 per cent of those who died were male, while more than half were between the ages of 30 and 49. Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan says the numbers speak to the "tr
daylight-saving-time-returns-clocks-to-move-forward-on-march-9
BCMar 07, 2025

Daylight Saving Time Returns: Clocks to Move Forward on March 9

Parts of Canada, including British Columbia (BC), will move their clocks forward by one hour on Sunday, March 9. Daylight saving time (DST) will officially take effect at 2 a.m. on that day. The change is expected to influence sleep patterns and daily routines. DST has a long history. In 1784, Benjamin Franklin proposed the concept while serving as the U.S. ambassador to France. However, it wasn’t formally adopted in Canada until 1918, during World War I, as a measure to increase productivity. Following the end of World War I, the Canadian government discontinued DST, only to reinstate it d
b-c-health-officials-confirm-another-travel-related-measles-case-in-lower-mainland
BCMar 07, 2025

B.C. health officials confirm another travel-related measles case in Lower Mainland

British Columbia health officials say another travel-related measles infection has been confirmed in the Lower Mainland, in a resident who visited Southeast Asia. Fraser Health says in a statement that the case is unrelated to an infection last month involving a resident of the Vancouver Coastal Health region who was also infected after a trip to Southeast Asia. It says the new case involves a Fraser Health resident, and health officials are directly following up with people known to have been exposed to the virus. The statement says members of the public might have been exposed to measles if
b-c-signs-670-million-pharmacare-agreement-with-federal-government
BCMar 06, 2025

B.C. signs $670-million pharmacare agreement with federal government

The British Columbia and federal governments have signed a four-year, $670-million pharmacare agreement, giving universal access to contraceptive and diabetes medications. The plan will support nearly 550,000 B.C. residents with diabetes and provide 1.3 million people with a range of contraceptives. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne and federal Health Minister Mark Holland announced the agreement will also mean free public coverage of hormone replacement therapy to treat menopause symptoms.
eby-says-b-c-making-contingency-plans-to-reduce-reliance-on-u-s-electricity
BCMar 06, 2025

Eby says B.C. making contingency plans to reduce reliance on U.S. electricity

British Columbia Premier David Eby says the government is making contingency plans to reduce the province's reliance on electricity from the United States after the start of the continental trade war. He says similar planning happens in the event of natural disasters and now it's due to a "man-made disaster" created by U.S. President Donald Trump, who imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports on Tuesday. Eby says uncertainty and potential instability coming from south of the border mean the province needs backup plans so B.C. will never again be "so dependent on the United States." The prem
more-families-in-b-c-to-benefit-from-rental-assistance-program
BCMar 05, 2025

More Families in B.C. to Benefit from Rental Assistance Program

More families in the province will benefit from B.C.’s Rental Assistance Program following an increase in the annual income limit for low-income working families. In Budget 2025, the David Eby government raised the income limit from $40,000 to $60,000. The provincial government anticipates that this change will increase the number of families receiving the rental supplement from 3,200 to around 6,000. Additionally, the amount of the rental supplement will rise by approximately 75%, from $400 per month to $700 per month. Furthermore, the income limit and average supplement amount for the She
b-c-budget-to-buffer-province-against-trumps-uncertainty-and-disorder-minister
BCMar 04, 2025

B.C. budget to buffer province against Trump's 'uncertainty and disorder': minister

British Columbia's finance minister is preparing to deliver a budget today that she says will brace the province against four years of "uncertainty and disorder" amid the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump. Brenda Bailey's budget is being handed down on the same day that Trump says a 25 per cent U.S. tariff will be placed on Canadian goods, while Canadian energy will face 10 per cent tariffs. Bailey says Trump's tariffs came "completely out of nowhere" when he announced them last November and they've already changed B.C.'s financial circumstances. The NDP government has cancelled its election pro

Just In

CanadaSep 11, 2026

BMO Announces $70 Billion Investment Over 10 Years in Key Canadian Sectors

Bank of Montreal (BMO), one of Canada’s major banks, has announced plans to invest $70 billion in capital over the next 10 years in sectors considered critical to the country’s economy, including critical minerals and electricity. The bank says the initiative is aimed at strengthening Canada’s economic security and long-term stability. The announcement comes as Canada continues to face economic challenges and an ongoing trade dispute with the United States. The move also aligns with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government’s efforts to reduce Canada’s reliance on the U.S. and suppor
canada-ends-special-family-sponsorship-exemption-for-refugees
CanadaSep 11, 2026

Canada Ends Special Family Sponsorship Exemption for Refugees

Canada has quietly ended a special policy that allowed certain refugees to sponsor family members whose names were not included in their original immigration applications. Under the temporary policy, some refugees and permanent residents were able to sponsor spouses or children who had not been declared in their initial applications. The policy, introduced about seven years ago, expired on Thursday following a decision by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. Under current Canadian immigration rules, permanent residents generally cannot sponsor family members who were not declared during the
BCSep 11, 2026

BC Anti-Gang Task Force Seizes Guns, Drugs and Cash in Fort St. John

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
calgary-police-lay-extortion-charges-continue-search-for-suspect
AlbertaSep 11, 2026

Calgary Police Lay Extortion Charges, Continue Search for Suspect

Calgary police have laid extortion charges against 23-year-old Kanurit Kaur, 21-year-old Tanveer Singh and a 17-year-old youth in connection with an extortion investigation. Police are searching for Singh, who is wanted on a warrant for possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. According to police, on March 25 at around 4:30 p.m., a woman received a demand for money through WhatsApp from an unknown number. The suspects appeared to have detailed information about the victim’s personal and business affairs. The caller repeatedly attempted to contact the victim and made explicit thr
canada-u-s-remain-in-contact-despite-trade-talks-breakdown-leblanc
CanadaSep 11, 2026

Canada, U.S. remain in contact despite trade talks breakdown: LeBlanc

Canada and the United States remain in contact despite the breakdown in formal trade talks, Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc has confirmed. Speaking to reporters in Banff, Alberta, LeBlanc said that while Canada is not currently engaged in formal trade negotiations with Washington, communication between the two countries continues. LeBlanc said he does not have any meetings scheduled in Washington at the moment, but has spoken several times by phone with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. He reiterated that Canada is ready to return to the ne