More affordable homes will be on the way quicker as the Province takes steps to speed up construction timelines and reduce up-front costs for homebuilders. “We are committed to finding innovative and cost-effective solutions to build housing, so everyone has a fair chance to live in communities where they work and belong,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These changes are about supporting housing development and easing the financial burden on builders and developers so they can get shovels in the ground faster to help unlock more homes for people in B.C.”

Applications for the BC government’s free IVF program can be made today, the launch of this program is very important for those who are eager to become parents. The province’s NDP government announced this program in last year’s budget and the application process was supposed to start in March, but for some reasons it was delayed until July 2. The province’s David Ebby government has provided funding of about $68 million for two years for the free IVF program. Applications under this program will be accepted until the end of March 2026, so the age limit is up to 41 years. Eligible

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has declared a local state of emergency for the Blue Sky Country region due to an encroaching out-of-control wildfire near Lytton, B.C. It has also issued an evacuation order for two properties on Spencer Road South as the blaze poses "immediate danger to life." The BC Wildfire Service says the Nikaia Creek wildfire is about six hectares in size and is one of more than 70 wildfires burning across the province. It says crews, supported by firefighters from Lytton First Nation, made "good progress" overnight and they are now focused on the north and south fl

Niki Sharma, Attorney General, has released the following statement about the Commission of Inquiry into Community Events Safety in B.C. “On Saturday, April 26, 2025, British Columbia experienced one of the worst moments in our history, when a senseless act of violence turned a Lapu-Lapu Day celebration into a tragedy that left 11 people dead and countless more injured and traumatized. “In the aftermath, British Columbians understandably raised questions about enhancing public safety so people can feel safe attending and celebrating community events of all sizes this summer. That is why Pr

A tanker that is set to carry Canada's first cargoes of liquefied natural gas across the Pacific to Asian markets is docked at LNG Canada's berth in Kitimat, B.C. A spokesperson for the project says the GasLog Glasgow is being loaded with LNG produced in B.C. British Columbia Coast Pilots say two of their members boarded the tanker at Triple Island and navigated the vessel on a 15-hour, nearly 300-kilometre journey to Kitimat. LNG is natural gas that has been chilled into a liquid state so that it can be transported in specialized marine vessels. LNG Canada is a joint venture between Shell and

BC Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma says a “frightening” security incident took place Friday morning at her constituency office in North Vancouver, prompting the cancellation of all meetings and appointments for the day. In a statement, Ma said no one was injured and thanked police officers for responding quickly: “We appreciate the concern expressed by community members. For the safety of staff and constituents, all appointments are cancelled today.” Her statement says that thankfully, nobody was injured, and she appreciates the concern expressed by community members. “It’s scar

The Sikh Games Canada 2025 opened yesterday at Tamanawis Park in Surrey and will continue until Sunday, June 29. The event, which began in 2008 as a field hockey tournament, has grown into one of the largest multicultural sporting festivals in North America. Organizers emphasized that the Games represent more than competition. “This event is built on the Sikh principle of seva, or selfless service. Athletes compete, but they also serve their community by building bonds across cultures,” said one organizing committee member. Spectators told Connect FM they see the Games as both a celebrati

British Columbia's Interior health authority says it has confirmed additional cases of measles in the region spanning the province's southern Interior. A statement from Interior Health says communities in the region with confirmed cases now include Kamloops, Kelowna, Salmon Arm and the Nelson area. The update comes after the health authority issued a statement on Tuesday saying it had confirmed a single measles case in Kamloops. The cases this week follow an announcement on June 17 that a visitor to B.C. who had measles had travelled throughout the Interior while infectious. At the time, there

British Columbia's Police Complaint Commissioner says he's called a public hearing to probe misconduct allegations against three current and three former Nelson police officers over alleged racist, sexist and inappropriate comments made in a private WhatsApp chat group. Prabhu Rajan says the allegations "go to the heart of public trust in policing" and the public hearing will also delve into a constitutional challenge filed in court last year by five of the subject officers. A notice of public hearing from Rajan's office says the court case hasn't moved forward since it was filed in August 202