The sound of swords and shields echoed through Surrey this past weekend as the Damdama Gatka Championship brought dozens of competitors together for a spirited celebration of Sikh martial arts. The tournament, hosted at [insert venue if available], featured competitors from across Canada and the United States. Organizers said the event is designed to preserve and promote Gatka, a traditional martial art of the Sikhs that combines physical skill with spiritual discipline. In the Singh division, Antarpreet Singh of Surrey’s Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji Gatka Akhara won gold, while teammate Gurm

The only blaze of note identified by the BC Wildfire Service continues to grow. The Izman Creek wildfire near Lytton is now burning 245 hectares, and the danger remains, despite an evacuation order from the Neskonlith Indian Band for about 40 properties in the area being downgraded to an alert last week. This latest blaze comes just over four years after a wildfire destroyed much of Lytton. Lytton is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, which has an evacuation alert in effect for some properties under its jurisdictiondue to the Izman Creek wildfire. The regional district also lift

B.C. man has been sentenced to 11 years for cocaine, fentanyl trafficking. Jason Thomas Howard Conrad was arrested in 2023 with a shopping bag full of fentanyl, and a large amount of cocaine and cash were also found in his Tesla. According to police, they received a tip in January 2023 that fentanyl was being made at a home on McLeod Court in Richmond. In February, Conrad was seen entering the home empty-handed and returning carrying a backpack that appeared to be full and heavy. When he left the home again in March, he was taken into custody and found 15.6 kilograms of fentanyl in his

The northern Manitoba town of Lynn Lake has issued a mandatory evacuation order as a nearby wildfire threatens to cause an imminent loss of power to the community. The evacuation begins Friday, though officials haven't provided a time for when residents must be out of their homes. The town says that if wildfire activity affects Manitoba Hydro transmission lines, residents could see a power outage lasting at least one month. Town officials also noted several other wildfires near Lynn Lake, including two blazes to the southeast that could cut off travel between Lynn Lake and Thompson. A receptio

The RCMP is now able to publicly confirm the existence of an ongoing investigation into extortions, which is being managed by a Joint Force Operation (JFO). The investigation, that began in 2024, has led to the arrest of two individuals. On July 3, 2025, two suspects under investigation for extortion were arrested for careless discharge of a firearm and arson in relation to incidents that occurred in 2024, in Surrey, BC. Since late 2023, police across the Lower Mainland have been investigating a series of targeted financial extortions primarily affecting members of the South Asian business com

Mounties say a wildfire that has triggered evacuations near Lytton, B.C. was caused when a wheel fell off an RCMP trailer in a "tremendously unfortunate" incident. Staff Sgt. Kris Clark says in a statement that the "equipment failure" that ignited the Izman Creek fire, about 250 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, happened on Tuesday afternoon on Highway 12. The wildfire began a day after the fourth anniversary of a blaze that destroyed most of the village of Lytton, and it's now grown to 130 hectares and has been upgraded to the only wildfire of note in the province. Clark says it appears the

On June 24, 2025 RCMP arrested 53 year old Michael Paul Snow for Fraud over $5000. Sunshine Coast RCMP began an investigation into this alleged offence in June 2023 when a Sunshine Coast woman reported a man she had met online had stolen $110,000 from her. Over the course of several months, Michael Paul Snow gained this woman’s trust and convinced her to participate in a business venture that was later learned to be non-existent. This type of offence is commonly referred to as a romance scam. As a result of a comprehensive investigation by Sunshine Coast RCMP a charge of Fraud over $5000 was

More affordable homes will be on the way quicker as the Province takes steps to speed up construction timelines and reduce up-front costs for homebuilders. “We are committed to finding innovative and cost-effective solutions to build housing, so everyone has a fair chance to live in communities where they work and belong,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes are about supporting housing development and easing the financial burden on builders and developers so they can get shovels in the ground faster to help unlock more homes for people in B.C.”

Applications for the BC government’s free IVF program can be made today, the launch of this program is very important for those who are eager to become parents. The province’s NDP government announced this program in last year’s budget and the application process was supposed to start in March, but for some reasons it was delayed until July 2. The province’s David Ebby government has provided funding of about $68 million for two years for the free IVF program. Applications under this program will be accepted until the end of March 2026, so the age limit is up to 41 years. Eligible