Vancouver police say a man with more than 50 criminal convictions is back in custody after allegedly stealing a police car and taking it for a ride, endangering bystanders in a park on Sunday. Police say the cop car was allegedly stolen around 10:45 a.m. after officers were flagged down in East Vancouver to help a woman in distress. They allege as officers focused on helping the woman, the suspect got into the unattended vehicle and drove it toward a group of families at Templeton Park. VPD says the 41-year-old “prolific offender” was arrested about three minutes after the car was stolen.

NDP Leader David Eby is promising to support police in British Columbia in their work to keep illegal guns off the streets and protect communities. Eby, speaking while flanked by four New Democrat candidates with law enforcement experience at a news conference in Surrey, says he will ensure police have the tools to keep illegal guns from criminal organizations and protect families from potentially deadly domestic violence. He says the NDP will continue to support the federal hand-gun and semi-automatic weapons seizure law and continue to back B.C. police anti-gang programs, including the Integ

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is set to roll out the party's complete election platform as Conservative Leader John Rustad says his government would end the provincial insurance corporation's monopoly on basic vehicle insurance. Eby has a news conference scheduled in Surrey as the province nears the midway point of the election campaign ahead of the Oct. 19 election day. The New Democrats have already announced many components of the platform, including recent promises for an annual tax cut worth $1,000 for the average family starting next year, and a plan to fast-track factory-built homes. Rustad

British Columbia's main party leaders are spending much of their day together, starting with a debate on the radio and moving on to a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade event to speak with business leaders. NDP Leader David Eby, B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad and Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau will spend an hour debating on CKNW in Vancouver before moving on to the business event. The board of trade says it also plans to release a 2024 provincial election survey of both its members and the general public. It comes as Rustad has been told by a campaign that works to end violence against

Police in Vancouver say they've launched a hate crime investigation after a clash between protesters with opposing views on war in the Middle East. They say it happened outside the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday night. Police say in a statement that "violence broke out" between groups of protesters with differing views on the war between Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Police say a 34-year-old woman was injured and required medical attention after she was knocked to the ground, assaulted and subjected to antisemitic slurs. They say the suspect ran away into the crowd, but officers later arrested a

Leader Sonia Furstenau is scheduled to hold a news conference in Victoria this morning. The Greens have already laid out a number of their commitments, including promises to establish a network of 93 community health centres, cover six visits per year with a mental health professional under the provincial medical services plan, and maintain a carbon tax while increasing the size of the rebate. As part of the second week of the election campaign, all three major party leaders are expected to come face-to-face for multiple events on Wednesday. They will debate live in the morning on Vancouver r

British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby says his government would fast-track factory-built homes as part of its strategy to ease the province's housing crisis. At an election campaign stop on Vancouver Island, Eby says pre-built homes cut waste, reduce emissions, and the advances in the industry mean the homes are "beautiful and high-quality." A statement issued by the NDP says its government would work with the industry, municipalities and First Nations to create a provincewide framework so builders know what's required in every community. It says there would also be a pre-approved set of const

Tactical evacuations are underway outside the B.C. southern Interior town of Grand Forks, as an out-of-control wildfire in Washington state surges north and threatens to cross the border. The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary says the evacuations are taking place west of Grand Forks as embers from the Goosmus wildfire shower the area. Emergency Info BC says evacuation orders posted Wednesday are in place for west of Highway 41 and south of Highway 3, as well as properties west of Highway 3 from Sleepy Hollow Rd to Phoenix Rd. It says residents need to evacuate immediately because the fire

British Columbia's New Democrats and Conservatives issued their plans for the mining industry while campaigning in the province's resource-rich communities. Both NDP Leader David Eby and Conservative Leader John Rustad say they will support the industry by improving permitting, with the NDP committing to permit review timelines and the Conservatives proposing "One Project, One Permit." In Terrace, Eby said an NDP government would upgrading key highway infrastructure in the northwest, while Rustad in Kimberley, in the southeast, said his government would invest in gaps in rural infrastructure.