BCJul 28, 2023
B.C. government to perform detailed review of ridehailing and taxis
The B.C. government says it wants to hear from British Columbians about taxi and ride-hailing services in the province.The province says it's holding a public meeting in the fall as a special committee is set to review so-called passenger-directed vehicles that come under the Passenger Transportation Act.The provincial government says the review will examine licensing of the vehicles, safety and accessibility issues, public transit impacts, and services available in smaller and remote communities.Committee chair Mable Elmore says they want to hear from British Columbians who use taxi and ride-
BCJul 28, 2023
Richmond homicide: 1 man dead after daytime shooting outside a home
A shooting in Richmond, B.C. has left one man dead, and police are investigating whether a nearby car fire is related to the case.Richmond RCMP were called to Milner Road at Blundell Road at 5:45 p.m. Thursday for reports of a shooting.Officers found a critically injured man who was later pronounced dead at the scene.About 10 minutes later, authorities discovered a vehicle fully engulfed in flames several blocks away on Blundell Road.Police are working to determine if the vehicle is associated with the shooting.The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken control of the case, and is as
BCJul 27, 2023
Recent rain won't make difference to drought: Bowinn Ma
Recent rain and cooler weather have sharply cut the wildfire risk across B.C., but Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Bowinn Ma says the showers won't make any difference to the severe drought gripping the province. Ma made the comment while delivering an update today on wildfires in B.C. which have already charred more area than during any other fire season on record.The number of active wildfires has fallen to about 400 down roughly 100 since earlier this month, while the B.C. Wildfire Service says just eight new fires were recorded over the last 24 hours.But there is concer
CanadaJul 27, 2023
Marc Miller's top challenges: Housing affordability, immigration systems, international student issues
Marc Miller, Canada's newly minted immigration minister takes office today amidst calls for new policies that will twin the rapid arrival of newcomers with increased affordable housing supply.He has also been given a list of nine priority areas ranging from fixing the technical glitches in visa processing systems to reimagining the international student program that the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) wants him to address.It is worth mentioning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau handed over the federal housing file to Sean Fraser, who was previously Immigration minister.
BCJul 27, 2023
Surrey mayor demands respect during tense police board meeting
The meeting of the Surrey Police Board was held for the first time yesterday after the instructions given by the state government regarding the transfer of the Surrey Police.This meeting was very stressful.The meeting was chaired by Brenda Locke, Mayor of Surrey and Chair of the Surrey Police Board.Mayor Locke meanwhile asked all the members present to treat each other with respect.It is worth noting that some board members mentioned that the Mayor and Council should have stood firm in keeping the RCMP.The Mayor while reading a pre-prepared statement, pleaded that while she would encourage pro
CanadaJul 27, 2023
Trudeau overhauls his cabinet, shuffles most portfolios
In the cabinet reshuffle in Ottawa this morning, nearly two-thirds of the portfolios have been changed.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has added seven new faces to his cabinet and some important ministerial departments have changed.Anita Anand has been removed from the defence portfolio and made the Treasury Board President.In her place, Bill Blair will be the country's new defence minister.Emergency preparedness ministry has been taken from him.Dominique LeBlanc has been made Minister of Public Safety and new cabinet member Arif Virani has been made Minister of Justice.Taking back this departme
BCJul 26, 2023
B.C. wildfire service website releases latest data
British Columbia's wildfire season is the most destructive on record, with more than 15,000 square kilometres of the province burned, surpassing the previous high of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018.Here are some statistics about the current season from the BC Wildfire Service website, as of 12 p.m. Pacific time, July 26.Burnt area:15,055 square kilometresFires currently burning: 439, including 23 fires of noteNew fires in the past 24 hours:9Out-of-control fires:246Total number of fires this season:1,486Causes of all fires:Lightning, 69 per cent; humans (deliberate and accidental), 25 per
CanadaJul 26, 2023
Sean Fraser takes over federal housing file
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is handing over the federal housing file to Sean Fraser, who was previously Immigration minister.Trudeau is shuffling his cabinet today in a bid to present a fresh team to lead the Liberals into the next election.Ahmed Hussen, who was Housing minister since 2021, has faced criticism for his handling of the file as the housing crisis worsened across the country.Hussen is staying in cabinet as minister of International Development.The federal government is facing considerable pressure to address the lack of affordable housing, which experts say is the result of a ho
BCJul 25, 2023
Amber Alert kids taken off grid after 'preplanned' abduction by B.C. mom: RCMP
Police say they have credible information that two children who are the subject of an Amber Alert have been taken 'off the grid' in an alleged preplanned abduction by their mother.Surrey RCMP say they believe Verity Bolton, along with her father Robert and boyfriend Abraxus Glazov, are living in trailers in a rural area after the woman failed to return the children to their father earlier this month.Police say they've received 180 tips on the case, but the whereabouts of 8-year-old Aurora and 10-year-old Joshuah Bolton remain unknown, with the last confirmed sighting at a Merritt, B.C. gas sta