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CanadaJan 05, 2024

Three people charged after Edmonton toddler fatally overdoses

Police in Edmonton say they have charged three people after a toddler ingested street drugs and died in September. They say a friend of the boy's mother was taking care of him and took him for a walk near their home when she noticed he was in medical distress. Police say the mother and her friend took the 23-month-old boy to a nearby clinic, where a staff member saw he was not responsive and immediately called 911.They say he was then transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police say the medical examiner's office determined the boy accidentally ingested fentanyl and other syn
CanadaJan 04, 2024

Interest rate cuts could come in spring this year, Deloitte says

Deloitte Canada's latest forecast predicts stagnant growth in the first half of this year will give way to a return to growth in theSummer and fall. Chief economist Dawn Desjardins says the Canadian economy could enter into a technical recession -- that is --two quarters or more of negative G-D-P growth. But she doesn't believe the economy will see the deep decline or labour market rout that typically accompanies a true recession. She adds Deloitte has a pretty substantive recovery in its forecast. Deloitte Canada says momentum in the economy and the job market are poised to improve in the se
CanadaJan 04, 2024

Amendments made in the bail system have been implemented, now bail will not be easy

It will no longer be easy for repeat offenders to get bail in Canada, with changes to the bail system made by the government under pressure from the opposition coming into force on Thursday. Bail system Amendments to the Criminal Code have made it more difficult for repeat offenders involved in serious violent crimes to obtain bail. These amendments focus on reverse onus provisions, which mean that the accused will be held in custody before trial until he proves that his release will not endanger the public and that he will not escape. There is no risk. Courts will also need to consider the cr
b-c-school-district-fined-for-failing-to-address-students-anxiety
BCJan 04, 2024

B.C. school district fined for failing to address student's anxiety

An unnamed school district in British Columbia has been ordered by the province's human rights tribunal to pay $5,000 to a student for failing to accommodate her anxiety disorder. Tribunal vice-chair Devyn Cousineau says in a decision released last month that the school district "failed to take reasonable steps to investigate and address the female student's anxiety over her transition from elementary school to high school. The ruling says the unidentified student had been diagnosed since kindergarten with anxiety and has been on medication since Grade 7 when she made the move to high school i
WorldJan 04, 2024

Suspect in a shooting at an Iowa high school is dead, authorities say

A law enforcement official says the suspect in a shooting at an Iowa high school shooting has died. Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were shot at the city's high school, on students' first day back in classes after their annual winter break. A spokesperson said two gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to a hospital in the state capital of Des Moines, about 40 miles southeast of Perry. In Perry, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante says an active shooter was reported at Perry High School before school started on Thursday and officers responded about seven minutes later. The shooting
WorldJan 03, 2024

Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war in biggest release so far

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war under a deal sponsored by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian authorities say that 230 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home. Russia's Defense Ministry says that 248 Russian servicemen have been freed from Ukrainian captivity. The ministry says that the deal was made possible thanks to mediatory efforts by the United Arab Emirates. The massive prisoner exchange follows other such deals earlier in the war, which is nearing the two-year mark.
BCJan 03, 2024

R6 RapidBus launches on busiest bus route south of the Fraser

TransLink says its new R-6 Scott Road RapidBus is now cruising the streets on what it calls the busiest bus corridor south of theFraser. TransLink says the R-6 is geared toward Surry and Delta residents and Kwantlen University students, who can expect to shave a few minutes off their trips between Scott Road station and the Newton bus exchange.The transit operator says the R-6 can carry more riders than past services as Surrey and Delta lead the way in growing ridership numbers in the region.TransLink says ridership on Surrey and Delta buses is now 16 per cent higher than in 2019, and the new
AlbertaJan 03, 2024

Edmonton dismantles two homeless encampments it deemed 'high-risk'

The City of Edmonton says it has closed anotherhomeless encampment that it considers high-risk. It says the latest camp closure happened Saturday in the vicinity of the Herb Jamieson Centre, a homeless shelter just north of Edmonton's downtown core. The city says 20 structures and 19 occupants were removed, and there were no arrests. Another encampment six blocks east was closed by the city on Friday. Earlier this month, the city and a human rights group reached an agreement for eight camps that are considered a public safety risk to be taken down. The agreement came when the Coalition for
b-c-union-representing-lower-mainland-transit-workers-issues-72-hour-strike-notice
BCJan 03, 2024

B.C. union representing Lower Mainland transit workers issues 72-hour strike notice

A union representing more than 180 transit workers in B.C. has issued a 72-hour strike notice.CUPE Local 4500 represents workers employed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company, which runs transit operations for all of Metro Vancouver. The notice is effective at 8 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The union says it is still available to negotiate a collective agreement that avoids service disruptions.It says job action could begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday with an overtime ban that would affect all operations in the Coast Mountain system. The union says the last collective agreement expired at the end of 2

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CanadaSep 17, 2026

Canada Must Focus on Value-Added Products Instead of Raw Materials: EDC

Amid the federal government’s efforts to open up new markets, Export Development Canada (EDC) said in a report released Thursday that Canada needs to invest in processing raw materials domestically and turning them into higher-value products instead of exporting them in their raw form. EDC CEO Alison Nankivell said such investments could add nearly $100 billion to Canada’s GDP over the next decade. The report used yellow peas as an example. While exporting raw peas may generate about $30 per tonne, processing them into flour can raise the value to $300 per tonne. Turning them into products
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BCSep 17, 2026

16 Arrested in Abbotsford Retail Theft Operation ‘Project Pumpkin Spice’

Abbotsford Police have arrested 16 people accused of shoplifting as part of Project Pumpkin Spice, a retail crime enforcement operation conducted on Sept. 11 as part of a nationwide campaign. According to police, 11 officers from the Abbotsford Police Department’s Street Outreach Response Team worked with 20 local businesses during the 10-hour operation. Sgt. Paul Walker said several of those arrested had previous criminal records and outstanding warrants. Police recovered more than $1,600 worth of stolen merchandise during the operation. A vehicle allegedly used in the offences was also sei
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BCSep 17, 2026

B.C. Municipalities Urge Eby to Hold Provincial Election After Local Vote

British Columbia’s political scene is heating up amid signals from Premier David Eby that an early provincial election could be called. Amid the uncertainty, Union of B.C. Municipalities president Cory Ramsay is calling for any potential mid-term provincial election to be held only after the municipal elections are completed. Ramsay noted that local elections are scheduled for Oct. 17, with campaigning beginning Sept. 19 across 188 communities. He warned that calling a provincial election during the municipal campaign could distract more than 3,500 local candidates and residents from key iss
police-take-major-action-in-burnaby-hospital-fire-case-after-six-year-investigation
BCSep 17, 2026

Police Take Major Action in Burnaby Hospital Fire Case After Six-Year Investigation

Police have charged a 29-year-old Alberta man in connection with a fire at Burnaby Hospital in 2020, following an investigation that lasted nearly six years. Burnaby RCMP said the B.C. Prosecution Service approved charges against Yu Yun Wang on September 8, including arson and endangering human life. The fire broke out on November 15, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the hospital’s mental health services wing. The blaze caused millions of dollars in damage, forced the emergency department to close and led to the evacuation of patients. Police said the suspect was identified in 2023 aft
AlbertaSep 17, 2026

Alberta Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Sexual Assaults on Vulnerable Women

An Alberta man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for a series of sexual assaults against vulnerable women at a rural property near Calgary. Richard Robert Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offences, including drugging one of his victims, in incidents that occurred between 2019 and 2023. He was also found guilty of uttering threats against another woman. The court heard that most of the victims worked in the sex trade. Justice Judith Shriar said Mantha showed “callous disrespect” when he laughed as one terrified victim fled his rural property, fearing for her life. Mantha received cre