Leading residential, commercial and industrial builders from the province’s largest economic sector got together in a hotel in Vancouver for 2020 BC real estate forecast. A crowd of 1,200 guests, including government and elected officials, builders, urban planners and real-estate professionals attended the event organised by a non-profit association of the development industry. There was an apparent agreement among the panelists that interest rate, construction cost, price for residential units and their rents could potentially go slightly up while the possibility of any reduction in the ma

A Canadian judge said Thursday she will announce her decision at a later date after she ended the first phase of an extradition hearing that will decide whether a top executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei is sent to the United States. This week's hearings dealt with the question of whether the U.S. charges against Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, are crimes in Canada as well. Her lawyers argued the case is really about U.S. sanctions against Iran, not a fraud case. They maintain since Canada does not have similar sanctions against Iran, no fraud occurred. Canada arrested Huawe

The mayor of Victoria says she's disappointed Canada's highest court won't reconsider a lower-court ruling that stopped her city from regulating single-use plastic bags. However, Lisa Helps says there are other ways to eliminate the items. The high court didn't issue reasons for refusing to review a B.C. Court of Appeal decision that overturned Victoria's plastic bag ban on the grounds the city lacks provincial approval. The Canadian Plastic Bag Association, which challenged the original bylaw, says it welcomes the decision which requires B.C. municipalities to "follow the law and respect the

B-C Transportation Minister Claire Trevena says the journey to bring ride-hailing services to B-C has taken longer than people wanted but the system and its services will be worth the wait. Trevena made the comments shortly after the Passenger Transportation Board granted licence approvals for ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft to operate in the Lower Mainland and Whistler. Uber and Lyft say their next steps involve getting vehicle insurance and working with municipalities in the approved areas to comply with local bylaws.

B-C's privacy commissioner says the media should exercise civility as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan take up residence near Victoria. Lawyers for the couple are reported to have threatened the British press with legal action after photos were taken of Meghan walking with her young son Archie in a public park north of Victoria. Privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy says the media should practise self-regulation when it comes to respecting the privacy rights of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. But a U-B-C journalism professor who worked as a reporter in the U-K says Harry and Meghan are hot news

R-C-M-P say a 55-year-old man was hit and killed on 188th Street near 24th Avenue in south Surrey this morning. First responders tried to save the injured, but the efforts went in vain. Reports suggest the drivers stayed at scene and was cooperating. Two people have died in separate Metro Vancouver pedestrian accidents.

R-C-M-P in Langford, just west of Victoria, are investigating a homicide. They say the body of a man was found inside a vehicle as officers responded to a single-car crash in a rural area of the community late Monday night. Police have not said how the unnamed man died, but foul play is suspected and members of the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit are appealing for witnesses, dash cam video or home security tapes. The case was the second of the day on Monday for the major crimes unit after members were also called to the North Cowichan/Duncan area when a body was found on Cowichan

A woman in her 70s has died after being hit by a delivery van as she and her husband crossed a street in downtown Vancouver. A statement from police says the Vancouver resident was hit late Sunday afternoon and died later in hospital. Her husband, who is also in his 70s, remains in hospital with serious injuries. Police say the two were in a marked crosswalk when they were run down by the van that was turning left. The 37-year-old Surrey driver remained at the scene and investigators say he is co-operating, but they also want to speak with other witnesses or anyone with dash-cam video. The wo

British Columbia Premier John Horgan has made changes to his cabinet, filling a vacancy and swapping a few portfolios.Anne Kang has been appointed minister of citizens' services, replacing Jinny Sims, who resigned from her post last October amid an RCMP investigation into allegations that haven't been made public.Sims has said she is confident her name will be cleared.Michelle Mungall and Bruce Ralston have traded portfolios with some job exceptions.Mungall has been appointed the minister of jobs, economic development and competitiveness, which was formerly the cabinet post of minister of jobs