The B.C. government is rolling out new water meters for homes and businesses soon, which will save 1.5 billion litres of water annually in the province’s rural communities. The government says the move will help small communities cope with drought conditions. The province’s Rural Communities Minister Brittany Anderson said 15,000 new automated water meters will be installed in 19 small communities, including rural and First Nations areas, to help prevent leakage of drinking water and conserve water. The government will also cover the cost of installing all of these meters. Anderson said

The BC government has expressed the possibility of no immediate agreement to end the trade war during Carney’s visit to the White House. The province’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said that we are not expecting any agreement and we are also assuming that any agreement made by President Trump can be changed with a tweet the next day. Kahlon said that the reality is that no matter what the negotiations are, our old relationship with the United States has changed. He said that he does not expect the prime minister to come back and say that everything is fine. Kahlon said that we have to be p

A Vancouver-area driver is facing a 90-day driving ban and his cab has been impounded for 30 days for driving under the influence of alcohol. The BC Highway Patrol says the operation was launched on April 29 after an officer spotted a taxi driver leaving a Richmond liquor store without a passenger at around 8 a.m. Corporal Michael McLaughlin said in a statement Monday that when the officer stopped the yellow Toyota Prius on Alexandra Road and administered an alcohol-screening breath test to the driver, he failed the test twice. Police identified the driver as a 33-year-old from Delta. McLaugh

About $170,000 worth of contraband has been seized at a B.C. medium-security prison. According to Correctional Services Canada, prison officials seized methamphetamine, THC shatter, tobacco products and charging cables at the Mission Institution prison on April 24. The seizure came on the same day that a 10-day lockdown at Abbotsford’s Matski Prison ended, resulting in the seizure of drug paraphernalia, pills, tattoo equipment and homemade weapons at Matski Prison. Earlier in April, several items including marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, MDMA and drug pills were also seized fr

Five properties have been evacuated and five more are under evacuation alert near Hixon, B.C., due to a fire 53 km south of Prince George. The Regional District of Fraser Fort-George issued the order and alerts for the Hixon Wildfire north of Naver Creek Friday at 9:45 p.m. The BC Wildfire Services website lists the fire as out of control and says it has burned 70 hectares so far. The service says a crew was on site through the night to protect infrastructure and patrol for spot fires. It says structure protection has been established in areas of potential concern. It notes the fire is not cur

TransLink is encouraging people who are taking part in the B-M-O Vancouver Marathon on Sunday to use public transit. It issued a statement saying the event brings runners from around the world for a full marathon, half marathon, eight kilometre race and kids run. The transit operator says the starting line is in Queen Elizabeth Park and the route goes through several neighbourhoods before entering Stanley Park. It says bus detours will be in place, the seabus will start two hours earlier than usual and extra SkyTrains will be operating to help runners get to the start line. Mounties in Grand

It's a day of remembrance and mourning in British Columbia today for victims of the deadly attack at a Filipino festival, as the suspect in the killings faces court. A community spokesman says the official day of mourning for the 11 people who died after an SUV sped through a crowded street will be part of the healing process but "certainly not the end of it." RJ Aquino with Filipino BC, the group that organized the Lapu Lapu Day event last Saturday, says the government's designation of the day of mourning shows the significance of the tragedy in the history of the province and the city. One o

Firefighters from Fort St. John, B.C., and the provincial wildfire service are battling a blaze that the city says has prompted evacuations. A bulletin on the city's website says the fire is located in the Fish Creek Community Forest on the northern outskirts of the city. The city has directed evacuees from Rose Prairie Road and the Jones subdivision area to proceed to the Pomeroy Sport Centre. The BC Wildfire Service website indicates the out-of-control blaze was discovered Thursday and spans 56 hectares. The suspected cause of the fire is human activity. Kelly Greene, B.C.'

A freight train derailed early this morning in southeastern British Columbia. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the incident. According to the department, the incident occurred near the community of Field. It involved a freight train from Canadian Pacific Kansas City. A Canadian Pacific Kansas City spokesman said eight freight cars derailed about 12 kilometres west of the community at around 4:30 a.m. Spokesperson Terry Cunha said the cars were designed to carry automobiles. He said in a statement that no one was injured in the accident and that none of the cars wer