British Columbia jails have been added to the growing list of sites behind picket lines as public service workers escalate job action. The B.C. General Employees' Union says in a release that all its remaining unionized staff at adult correctional facilities across the province are now on strike. The union says the escalation brings the total number of work sites behind pickets to more than 470, with about 25,000 workers taking strike action across 20 ministries, Crown corporations and agencies. Union president Paul Finch says the escalation is due to the government's "lack of urgency" in comi

British Columbia's Conservation Officer Service is warning residents after a bear attack this week in the Squamish area north of Vancouver. The service says a woman was walking her dog in the Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area on Wednesday when she was attacked by a sow with its cubs. The woman only got a minor injury. The Conservation Officer Service says people should avoid the trail network at the Squamish Wildlife Management Area and, if they go, keep their dogs on a leash. The public has also been reminded to make noise while hiking, to carry bear spray and to never approach or fee

An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant has left multiple people dead and missing. The blast occurred Friday at Accurate Energetic Systems, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. Authorities say secondary explosions have prevented rescuers from approaching the site. The cause of the explosion is not yet known. Emergency crews have been unable to enter the plant due to ongoing detonations. Residents miles away reported feeling the explosion, and video shows flames and heavy smoke rising from the debris. The company has not responded to requests for comment. Local officials describe

British Columbia's coroners service say 153 people died in July from unregulated toxic drugs and another 149 deaths occurred in August. Those numbers are up slightly from the previous two months when the service reported 145 people died in May and 147 people died in June A government statement says the number of unregulated drug deaths in July and August amounted to almost five people a day. The coroners service says the highest number of deaths so far this year were in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities, making up more than half of the province's total. More than two thirds o

Mail delivery is set to resume on a limited basis after the union representing Canada Post employees announced it would transition from a countrywide strike to rotating strikes starting Saturday morning. The decision, announced late Thursday night, will get mail and parcels moving again, even as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says rotating strikes will begin at 6 a.m. local time. Joël Lightbound, the minister responsible for Canada Post, says he's encouraged by CUPW's announcement as "Canadians count on mail delivery, and I’m glad to hear it will be moving again while negotiations bet

The Canada Revenue Agency will prepare pre-filled tax returns for more low-income people with simple tax situations to ensure they get access to benefit programs. That's one of a number of programs Prime Minister Mark Carney said today will be included in the upcoming federal budget. The CRA already runs an automatic filing pilot program, something the Trudeau government first announced in 2023. Carney also announced the government will make the national school food program permanent with $216 million in annual funding. It's also reviving the "Canada Strong pass" for the holiday season and nex

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel committee praised her as a key unifying figure in the opposition, advocating for free elections and representative government. Machado has faced serious threats and lives in hiding, inspiring many with her courage. President Nicolas Maduro's government disqualified her from running in last year's presidential election. Machado's ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, replaced her but later sought asylum in Spain. Machado becomes the 20th woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, joining a distinguished group of

The labour market added an unexpected 60,000 jobs in September, led by gains in the tariff-struck manufacturing sector. Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate held steady at 7.1 per cent last month. Economists had called for a gain of just 5,000 jobs in September, coming off losses of more than 100,000 positions over the previous two months. StatCan said gains were concentrated in full-time work with 106,000 positions added in September, more than offsetting a drop in part-time work. The agency said total employment is up a modest 22,000 net jobs since the start of the year as U.S. tarif

The New Westminster Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect responsible for drawing swastikas on vehicles. The first incident is believed to have occurred overnight on October 3rd with the victim reporting he found a swastika drawn on his vehicle the following morning. The vehicle was parked in the 1100 block of Nanaimo Street. While investigating the vandalism, officers located an additional vehicle that had been vandalized. The second incident was reported to police on October 6th. A resident called police to say that he located a swastika drawn on his