Suspected unregulated drug toxicity claimed 138 lives in British Columbia in June 2026, according to preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service. That works out to approximately 4.6 deaths per day. During the first six months of 2026, people between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68% of all drug-toxicity deaths in the province, while 75% of those who died were male. The Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities recorded the highest numbers of unregulated drug deaths in 2026, with 206 and 200 deaths respectively. Together, they accounted for 52% of all such deaths in the province.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday paid obeisance at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda district, nearly two weeks after surviving a life-threatening attack in Nanded, Maharashtra. He was accompanied by his wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and senior party leaders. A large number of Akali workers gathered at the religious shrine to welcome him. Speaking to reporters after paying obeisance, Sukhbir Badal alleged that certain forces were working to weaken Punjab and Sikh leadership and disturb peace and communal harmony in the state. He said the Shiroma

Canada’s Industry Minister Melanie Joly has strongly urged Canadians to buy Canadian-made products as the trade war with the United States continues to escalate. Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa alongside other federal ministers, Joly said government officials have been working with retailers to make it easier for consumers to identify Canadian-made products in the marketplace. Joly said that when Canadians choose Canadian goods, they are not only putting pressure on the United States but also helping protect jobs in Canada. She described the effort as a “movement of resistance.”

A 41-year-old Surrey man has been charged after allegedly attacking a security guard with an iron rod at a downtown Vancouver parking garage. According to Vancouver police, the incident happened around 4:15 a.m. Saturday near Cambie and Dunsmuir streets. Police said the security guard was conducting a routine patrol when he found a man sleeping inside the parking garage and asked him to leave. The suspect allegedly pulled out a small iron rod and began swinging it at the guard. He also allegedly damaged the guard’s vehicle and later followed the guard while he was riding a bicycle. Police re

B.C. Supreme Court judge has granted bail to 57-year-old Ravinder Singh Dhanda, who is accused of being the alleged ringleader of an international drug trafficking operation. During a hearing Monday, Justice Allan Ross approved Dhanda’s release on $700,000 bail, with strict conditions including electronic ankle monitoring and 24-hour house arrest. Dhanda is accused of trafficking cocaine from Los Angeles into Canada using long-haul transport trucks. He was arrested in July as part of Operation Hard Ball, a joint investigation involving the FBI and the RCMP. Two other accused, Jaskaran Bagri

The Canadian government has announced dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on approximately $27.6 billion worth of U.S. imports in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne made the announcement in Ottawa, saying the counter-tariffs will take effect on September 8, 2026. The new retaliatory tariffs will range from 15% to 50%. The government’s nearly 100-page list includes a wide range of American products, including seafood, paper products, furniture, clothing, tools and motorcycles. The list also includes dairy products, cosme

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has strongly objected to the government granting another furlough to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Dhami said the decision reflects a “double and discriminatory approach” by the government. He questioned why Ram Rahim is repeatedly granted furloughs and paroles while Sikh prisoners, who have been incarcerated for long periods, are allegedly denied parole even to meet seriously ill family members. He said such treatment raises questions about the credibility of equal application of law

Former Alberta premiers Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley are joining forces in an effort to keep the province in Canada. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the two former political rivals will co-chair its campaign to keep the country united. Kenney became premier in 2019 after his United Conservative Party defeated Notley’s NDP government. Notley says she and Kenney disagree on many issues, but they agree that the separation question expected in the upcoming referendum would be bad for Alberta businesses and comes at the wrong time, amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war.

An 18-year-old man has died following an e-scooter crash in Kamloops, raising renewed concerns about the safety of electric scooters in the city. According to police, the young man was found injured near an e-scooter around 4 a.m. on Aug. 16 near Battle Street and Lee Road. He was taken to hospital for treatment but died from his injuries on Aug. 20. The victim has been identified as 18-year-old Hunter Dennis. Police said the teenager was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Following the death, a Kamloops resident has launched a petition calling on the city council to withdraw from