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BCNov 16, 2021

Helicopters rescue 275 stranded motorists, efforts now turn to debris field

A search was set to continue today for anyone who may have been trapped in debris after a weekend of torrential rain led to several mudslides along BC highways, though there were no reports of fatalities on Monday. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth told a news conference that 275 people had to be rescued by helicopter after being trapped by slides on Highway 7 between Agassiz and Hope, while another 50 vehicles had been stuck near Lillooet. Captain Jonathan Gormick with Vancouver's Urban Search and Rescue Team says crews would be searching today for signs of buried vehicles or anyone trap
WorldNov 16, 2021

Joly, Freeland, Ng and Mendicino to take part in summit with Trudeau in D.C.

A full slate of cabinet ministers will be in Washington with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later this week for the North American Leaders' Summit.The list includes Global Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, International Trade Minister Mary Ng andPublic Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.Trudeau will sit down with U-S President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday at the White House.
barge-drifts-aimlessly-through-vancouver-waters-before-beaching-itself
BCNov 16, 2021

Barge drifts aimlessly through Vancouver waters before beaching itself

A loose barge drifted around Vancouver's False Creek on Monday before grounding itself on a Stanley Park beach. The Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement the barge's owner has been contacted and plans to retrieve it as soon as possible. It says it's not aware of anyone on board or any risks of pollution. There were no hydrocarbons on board. Its statement says coast guard crews from Kitsilano's base have been on the water near the barge ensuring the scene is safe.It says the owner of the barge is responsible for securing, salvaging and arranging a tow.
b-c-reports-1-270-new-covid-19-cases-and-16-deaths-over-the-weekend
BCNov 16, 2021

B.C. reports 1,270 new COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths over the weekend

Over a three-day period, B.C. is reporting 1,270 new cases of COVID-19, including 10 epi-linked cases, for a total of 213,020 cases in the province: Nov. 12-13: 502 new casesNov. 13-14: 387 new casesNov. 14-15: 381 new casesThere are 3,837 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 206,665 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 376 individuals are in hospital and 116 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 72 hours, 16 new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,273.The new deaths include:Fraser H
AlbertaNov 15, 2021

Brian Jean apologized for social media post about rival UCP candidate

Former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean has apologized for a social media post about a rival for the United Conservative Partynomination in an Alberta byelection.In a post that has since been amended, Jean said that Premier Jason Kenney's people were backing a candidate that Jean described as ``a Nigerian economist.''Joshua Gogo accused Jean of trying to make the nomination contest in Fort McMurry about his ethnicity and of trying to undermine hiscredibility by implying he is not Albertan.Jean says a campaign volunteer posted what he says was an inappropriate comment and he called Gogo to give
AlbertaNov 15, 2021

Alberta to get $ 3.8B child care federal funding

Alberta will receive 3.8-billion dollars in federal funding over the next five years after signing onto the federal government's universal child-care program.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the program will make a huge difference in the lives of families in the province but also in Canada's economic recovery. Under the deal, fees in licenced child-care facilities are to be cut in half next year and fall to 10-dollars a day, on average, within five years.Choice of child care had been a sticking point in negotiations and Premier Jason Kenny says he will make subsidies eligible for alltypes of
pm-trudeau-asks-people-of-merritt-and-all-british-columbians-affected-by-the-flooding
BCNov 15, 2021

PM Trudeau asks people of Merritt and all British Columbians affected by the flooding

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has shown concern about conditions in B.C. Trudeau tweeted about the situation and asked the people in the affected areas to stay safe. PM Trudeau's tweet: To the people of Merritt, and to all British Columbians affected by the flooding: please stay safe. And as Minister Blair said, we’re ready to provide whatever assistance is needed as you deal with and recover from the flooding and this extreme weather. We’re here for you.Bill Blayer's tweet: We will always be there for Canadians in need, and are closely monitoring the situation in Southern BC. We have been
city-of-abbotsford-declares-state-of-local-emergency
BCNov 15, 2021

City of Abbotsford declares state of local emergency

A state of local emergency has been declared for the City of Abbotsford following extreme rainfall that has resulted in several localized emergencies within the City. Various small mud slides and localized flooding have occurred in many areas within the City. The honourable Mayor Henry Braun declared the state of local emergency on November 15, 2021 and it will remain in effect for seven days until November 23, 2021 at midnight unless cancelled by order of the City of Abbotsford Emergency Operations Centre. Declaring a state of local emergency allows the City of Abbotsford to provide enhanced
uk-raises-terror-threat-level-after-liverpool-taxi-blast
WorldNov 15, 2021

UK raises terror threat level after Liverpool taxi blast

The U.K. government has increased the terror level to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. The decision follows an taxi explosion in Liverpool on Sunday that killed a man. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the terror threat level had been raised because there had been two attacks in a month. British police say the explosion in a taxi outside the Liverpool Women's Hospital is being treated as a terrorist incident, but the motive remains unclear. Russ Jackson, the head of Counterterrorism Policing in northwest England, said the blast involved an improvised explosive device. The male passen

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sps-chief-to-connect-fm-no-arrests-made-in-44-extortion-cases-in-surrey
BCSep 15, 2025

SPS Chief to Connect FM, no arrests made in 44 extortion cases in Surrey

At a press conference held at Surrey City Hall today to announce rewards for extortion cases, it was reported that a total of 44 files related to extortion are being investigated in the area. Meanwhile, it was also clarified that 27 of these cases were such, where shooting also took place. Connect FM asked SPS Chief, Chief Constable Norm Lipinski during a one-on-one conversation, “how many arrests have been made so far in these 44 cases?” The police chief said, “some warrants have been executed and some persons of interest have been identified but there have been no arrests related to th
alberta-adds-citizenship-status-to-id-cards-to-streamline-service-protect-elections
AlbertaSep 15, 2025

Alberta to Add Citizenship Markers to Driver’s Licences

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is adding proof of citizenship markers to driver's licences and other forms of identification to streamline services and prevent election fraud. She says this will make it easier for students and the disabled to get funding given they have to prove their citizenship to do so. She says the goal is also to protect democracy to make sure that only citizens vote. Smith says non-citizens like permanent residents who can get a driver's licences will not have any notation on their IDs. Alberta Health Care numbers will also be added to driver'
vancouver-police-investigates-fatal-collision
BCSep 15, 2025

Vancouver Police investigates fatal collision

Vancouver Police are investigating a single-vehicle collision that resulted in the death of a 58-year-old driver. VPD officers responded at 10:50 p.m. on Sunday, after a blue 2020 Kia Rio collided with a concrete barrier at the south end of Main Street, near East Kent Avenue. The lone occupant suffered grave injuries and later died. The cause of the collision is under investigation. Witnesses, or anyone with dash-cam video from the area around the time of the collision, are asked to contact the VPD Collision Investigation Unit at 604-717-3012.
loss-of-carbon-tax-boosts-b-c-deficit-as-economic-growth-set-to-slide
BCSep 15, 2025

Loss of carbon tax boosts B.C. deficit as economic growth set to slide

British Columbia's forecasted deficit has hit a record high of almost $11.6 billion for the first quarter of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, largely due to the elimination of the carbon tax and amid ``global trade uncertainty.'' Finance Minister Brenda Bailey is also projecting higher deficits than she previously forecasted through to 2028 as growth slides, while the province's debt is predicted to spike by almost $60 billion over the next two fiscal years. Bailey's fiscal update revises gross domestic product growth down to 1.5 per cent from 1.8 per cent in 2025, and to 1.3 per cent fro
surrey-b-c-issues-extortion-rewards-citing-dozens-of-threats
BCSep 15, 2025

Surrey Extortion Reward Fund and tip line established to combat extortion

Today, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Chief Constable Norm Lipinski (Surrey Police Service chief) announced a reward of up to $250,000 for tips on the increasing number of extortion incidents in Surrey. Mayor Brenda Locke said the money will be given to those whose information is useful and leads to arrests, prosecutions and convictions in cases. The money will only be given after and in accordance to the value of the information (based on assessing the value of information). A separate Surrey Extortion tip line has been set up to provide tips. Chief Constable Norm Lipinski said, “the tip li