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dna-match-leads-to-conviction-22-years-after-b-c-sexual-assault
BCMay 29, 2024

DNA match leads to conviction 22 years after B.C. sexual assault

Police in Metro Vancouver say a DNA match led to a man's arrest and conviction more than 22 years after he broke into a woman's home and sexually assaulted her. Richmond RCMP say Christopher Sharafi, also known as Mohammed Mendi Sharafi, was found guilty last October, and in April he was sentenced to five years in prison for the two offences dating back to December 2001. The Mounties say the victim reported waking up to find a man standing in her room, and he then climbed into her bed and assaulted her as she tried to fight back. They say in a statement that police collected and submitted DNA
human-smugglers-used-b-c-freight-trains-to-move-people-across-border-u-s-says
BCMay 29, 2024

Human smugglers used B.C. freight trains to move people across border, U.S. says

The U.S. Department of Justice says two men are facing human smuggling charges in Seattle for their alleged role in what it calls a dangerous scheme to transport people out of British Columbia and across the border on freight trains. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman says Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 45, of Oregon and Juan Pablo Cuellar Medina, 35, of Washington were arrested last week, along with three non-citizens who were allegedly smuggled out of Canada. Gorman says Ortiz-Plata and Medina employed "an extremely dangerous smuggling scheme," and that in one case last Au
126-children-and-youth-died-from-toxic-drugs-in-five-years-says-bc-coroners-service
BCMay 29, 2024

126 children and youth died from toxic drugs in five years, says BC Coroners Service

A report from the BC Coroners Service says 126 children and youth younger than 19 died from toxic drugs between 2019 and 2023. That makes unregulated drug toxicity the leading cause of unnatural death for the age group over those five years. The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances. It says about two-thirds of those who died were receiving services offered through the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or had previously received them. About 60 per cent of those who died were aged 17 or 1
vancouver-island-man-charged-with-child-luring-and-making-sexual-abuse-material-rcmp
BCMay 28, 2024

Vancouver Island man charged with child luring and making sexual abuse material: RCMP

Police in British Columbia say a man from Vancouver Island has been arrested and charged with child exploitation offences following a tip from American authorities. RCMP say in a statement that the B.C. Integrated Child Exploitation Unit received information from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations last September about a suspect who was allegedly exploiting children using a social media application. The Mounties say they identified a suspect in Langford, B.C., just outside Victoria, who allegedly lured three girls and exploited them by creating child sexual abuse materials that he posted on
nature-conservancy-of-canada-buys-b-c-grasslands-for-new-conservation-area
BCMay 28, 2024

Nature Conservancy of Canada buys B.C. grasslands for new conservation area

The Nature Conservancy of Canada says a new conservation area north of Cranbrook, B.C., will protect important bird habitat and preserve grasslands in the province's southeast. The conservancy says money from the federal government and private donors went to buying up 271 hectares of land in the Skookumchuk Prairie in the province's southeast corner. Richard Klafki, a B.C. program director with the Nature Conservancy, says the land which also includes wetlands and forests is a "key biodiversity area," and came up for sale when the former owner, a local rancher, decided to downsize. Klafki says
fort-nelson-b-c-evacuees-heading-home-after-being-forced-to-flee-wildfires
BCMay 27, 2024

Fort Nelson, B.C., evacuees heading home after being forced to flee wildfires

Residents in Fort Nelson are able to go home today after being evacuated for more than two weeks due to wildfires. The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and the Fort Nelson First Nation say they'll jointly rescind their evacuation orders at 8 a.m., lift roadblocks and allow people to return. About 4,700 residents were evacuated from Fort Nelson on May 10, when strong winds pushed the Parker Lake wildfire within a few kilometres of the town. The fire destroyed four homes and damaged six other properties in the area. Crews are also fighting the Patry Creek fire north of town, which is a hol
police-say-two-people-killed-in-plane-crash-near-squamish-b-c
BCMay 27, 2024

Police say two people killed in plane crash near Squamish, B.C.

Mounties say two people have died following a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. A statement from the RCMP says police were able to access the remote crash site south of Squamish, on the west side of Howe Sound, by air on Saturday and confirm the two occupants of the plane did not survive. The plane crash was reported Friday evening after an automatic crash notification from a smartphone. The police statement says investigators are working with the Transportation Safety Board and the BC Coroners Service to determine the cause of the crash. The statement thanks Squamish Search and Rescue, Blackcom
bc-united-leader-falcon-says-conservative-leader-rustad-has-rejected-election-deal
BCMay 24, 2024

BC United Leader Falcon says Conservative Leader Rustad has rejected election deal

The leader of British Columbia's official Opposition says the BC Conservatives have rejected a proposal to avoid vote-splitting in the provincial election this fall. BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says talks between the two right-of-centre parties concluded with Conservative Leader John Rustad ultimately deciding against a proposed "non-competition" agreement. Falcon says in a statement that Rustad has "placed his own ambition" above B.C.'s interests and is risking the re-election of the governing NDP. He says there were talks between two representatives of each party this month, most recently
b-c-based-900m-hydrogen-project-will-create-nearly-300-jobs-cut-emissions-eby
BCMay 24, 2024

B.C.-based $900M hydrogen project will create nearly 300 jobs, cut emissions: Eby

The British Columbia government says a $900 million project to create a network of hydrogen production plants and refuelling stations will create nearly 300 jobs and cut greenhouse gas emissions in the province. The Canada Infrastructure Bank is providing a $337 million loan to support the project by hydrogen company HTEC, which involves plans to build up to 20 hydrogen refuelling stations, with 18 of them in B.C. and the others in Alberta. The federal Crown corporation and the B.C. government say the refuelling stations will be supplied by three new hydrogen production plants in Burnaby, Nana

Just In

trump-expresses-caution-on-missile-sales-as-zelenskyy-visits-washington
WorldOct 17, 2025

Trump expresses caution on missile sales as Zelenskyy visits Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, signalling reluctance to approve Ukraine’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles. The talks focused on military aid and the ongoing war with Russia, as Kyiv continues to seek advanced weapons to bolster its defence. The meeting followed a lengthy phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier, during which the two discussed the conflict in Ukraine. While Trump had recently indicated a willingness to consider missile sales, he appeared to scale back exp
bank-of-canada-to-resume-economic-forecasts-with-cautious-outlook-amid-global-uncertainty
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Bank of Canada to resume economic forecasts with cautious outlook amid global uncertainty

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank will take a cautious approach as it resumes formal economic forecasting later this month, acknowledging the need for “humility” in the face of continued trade uncertainty. The Bank of Canada is expected to release its next economic outlook alongside an interest rate announcement on October 29 its first full forecast this year. The central bank paused detailed projections earlier in 2025, citing unpredictable global conditions tied to U.S. tariffs and shifting trade relations. Speaking from Washington, D.C., where he is attending th
montreal-man-admits-to-threatening-parti-québécois-leader-and-his-family
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Montreal man admits to threatening Parti Québécois leader and his family

A Montreal resident has pleaded guilty to making death threats against Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and his family. Court records show that 42-year-old Philippe Clément-Laberge entered the plea on Tuesday at the Montreal courthouse. The threats were reportedly made in early March 2024, prompting a police investigation that led to his arrest shortly afterward. St-Pierre Plamondon publicly addressed the incident last year after news of the threats surfaced, saying he was concerned for his family’s safety but expressed confidence in the justice system’s response. The cas
reconstruction-approved-for-hazel-trembath-elementary-after-2023-fire
BCOct 17, 2025

Reconstruction approved for Hazel Trembath Elementary after 2023 fire

The British Columbia government has approved plans to rebuild Hazel Trembath Elementary School in Port Coquitlam, nearly two years after a fire destroyed the original building. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma announced Friday that a new, 240-seat school will be constructed on the same site where the blaze occurred in October 2023. The province says the $39-million project will be developed through an accelerated model designed to shorten construction timelines, marking what officials describe as a first-of-its-kind approach in B.C. Ma said the school’s loss was deeply felt across the commu
ottawa-announces-plan-to-hire-1-000-new-border-officers-expand-benefits-for-frontline-responders
CanadaOct 17, 2025

Ottawa announces plan to hire 1,000 new border officers, expand benefits for frontline responders

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will move ahead with new border security and public safety investments as part of the upcoming federal budget, including hiring 1,000 additional Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers. According to the announcement, the new officers will focus on curbing the movement of stolen goods, illegal firearms, and drugs, while enforcing import measures and investigating unfair trade practices. The government also plans to increase the CBSA recruit stipend from $125 to $525 per week the first raise since 2005 to attract and retain new recruit