British Columbia is facing a widening gap between the number of seniors needing long-term care and the availability of publicly funded spaces, according to a new report from the province’s seniors advocate. The findings raise concerns about whether the health care system is prepared for the rapid growth of the aging population. Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt says demand for long-term care has risen far faster than capacity since 2019. His office’s 2025 Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Directory shows the number of long-term care beds has increased by about five per cent over that period, wh

The British Columbia government has granted an environmental assessment certificate for the proposed restart of the Eskay Creek gold and silver mine in northwestern B.C., a project located within Tahltan Nation territory. In a statement, the province said the decision follows a collaborative environmental assessment led jointly by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Tahltan Central Government. Provincial officials described the process as the first to be guided by a formal consent-based agreement with a First Nation, reflecting commitments under the United Nations Declaration on t

Vancouver police are asking for the public’s assistance to identify a woman who died late last month after spending about a week at a shelter in the Strathcona neighbourhood. According to police, the woman checked into the East Cordova Street shelter overnight between December 20 and December 21, using the name “Lindsay.” She stayed at the facility for seven nights and was found unresponsive in her bed on the evening of December 27. Emergency responders attended, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Shelter staff told investigators the woman spoke limited English and was not a famil

Mission RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance following a suspicious incident outside a family residence in Mission earlier this month. Police say the incident occurred around noon on January 20 on Phelps Avenue and involved a vehicle and several unidentified individuals. According to investigators, a grey Toyota Rav4 carrying four people pulled up outside the home. A man wearing a balaclava exited the rear passenger door, ran up to the house, and forcefully knocked on the door with both hands before running back to the vehicle. The Rav4 then sped away from the area. Police say it is s

Police in Kelowna say a joint enforcement and training effort with a provincial gang unit has led to dozens of arrests and the removal of weapons and drugs from the community. The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit’s Uniform Gang Enforcement Team worked alongside Kelowna RCMP and officers from across the Okanagan between January 12 and January 16. The operation focused on identifying repeat violent offenders while also providing specialized training to local officers on weapons, firearms, and drug interdiction. According to police, the multi day initiative resulted in more than 20 new

The B.C. government says it will invest $600,000 to expand the Provincial Forensic Firearms Laboratory as part of its response to extortion-linked violence and gun crime. In a news release, the Ministry of Public Safety said the funding is intended to increase the lab’s capacity and speed in processing firearms evidence, helping investigators prioritize high-risk files and supporting coordinated policing strategies. The Province says the lab acts as a centralized firearms intelligence hub that supports investigations across jurisdictions.The Province said demand for firearms examination and

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been called in to investigate a fatal shooting in Burnaby that left one man dead Wednesday evening. Burnaby RCMP say frontline officers responded to reports of gunfire near the 3700 block of Canada Way just before 5:30 p.m. on January 22. Police located an adult male suffering from life-threatening injuries. Despite emergency medical efforts at the scene, the victim was pronounced dead. A short time later, officers also found a vehicle engulfed in flames in the 5000 block of Buxton Street. Investigators are working to determine whether the burned

Prince George RCMP say a weekend shooting that left one man injured is believed to have been a targeted incident, with no ongoing risk to the wider community. Police were called shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday to the 1300 block of Porter Avenue after receiving reports of a motor vehicle collision. Officers arrived to find a vehicle that had struck an unoccupied car and located a 37-year-old man suffering from gunshot injuries. The victim was transported to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. RCMP have not released further details about his condition. “Based on initia

The Abbotsford Police Department says officers responded to 180 calls for service over the past 24 hours as part of ongoing efforts to maintain public safety across the city. Police say patrol officers arrested six people on outstanding warrants during the reporting period. Officers also carried out 34 patrols and safety checks at homes and businesses, focusing on areas connected to recent reports of extortion related violence. Police have said in previous updates that visible patrols are intended to reassure residents and support those affected. Traffic enforcement was also a key focus, with