Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended. In B.C., they soared, almost quadrupling from 2021 to 2023. Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and preda

Calgary police say a nine-year-old girl died after a multi-vehicle collision that happened on the morning of Boxing Day. Police responded to reports of a pharmacy robbery at PharmasaveMillrise at around 9 a.m., where the suspect allegedly assaulted a pharmacist and ran away in a stolen car. The driver was chased by police but because of the driver's unsafe driving behaviour and traffic, officers stopped the pursuit and instead used helicopter air watch. The suspect continued to drive recklessly when he ran through a red light at the intersection and hit multiple vehicles, criticall

Mounties in British Columbia have approved six impaired driving charges against a 29-year-old man over a crash that killed an elderly Good Samaritan near Qualicum Beach earlier this year. The 80-year-old man from Red Deer, Alta., had stopped to help a woman whose minivan hit a power pole on Highway 19A around 2:30 a.m. on March 2. The 36-year-old woman driver was seriously injured and the passerby killed when a third vehicle, driven by a man from Coombs, B.C., crashed into them. BC Highway Patrol says its investigation has led to six charges including dangerous driving causing death and operat

A pet food company in Oregon sent out a voluntary recall after a house cat died from eating its products, which tested positive for bird flu, and the company says the same contaminated batch was sold in British Columbia. Northwest Naturals in Portland, Oregon, says in a statement that it is recalling one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after it tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. The company says the same product was sold in several states including California, Colorado, Washington and B.C. in Canada. The Oregon Department of Agriculture

BC Premier David Eby described this year’s election as the most challenging of his political career in an interview at the end of the year. He said it was the election from which he learned the most throughout his entire career. Eby noted that the message from voters was clear that they are giving them another chance, but they need to do a better job for the community. He also acknowledged that his party had failed to establish stronger connections in rural areas. Eby promised to address this issue moving forward. At the same time, he expressed his commitment to public safety. He referred t

British Columbia's forests ministry says more than 280 million trees were planted in the province this year. It says 13 different native tree species were chosen in its effort to preserve ecosystems and prioritize characteristics including resilience to climate change. The province says the reforestation efforts were focused on fire-damaged areas. It says that work was in addition to the work undertaken by forest tenure holders as part of their legal requirements to regenerate harvested areas. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a news release that 2024 has been "a banner year" for tree plant

The home flipping tax in British Columbia will come into effect on January 1, 2025. This tax targets individuals profiting from real estate speculation. The primary goal is to discourage investors from buying properties solely to resell them for a quick profit. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey stated that real estate speculators drive up housing prices, making it harder for others to afford homes, and this new measure aims to address that issue. Real estate speculators are defined as those who purchase property or land with the intent to sell it for a profit. According to the provincial governm

Mounties in Squamish, B.C., say they have recovered BC Parks and search-and-rescue equipment that was stolen this fall. They say in a news release that police received a report on Oct. 18 that a BC Parks storage unit had been broken into overnight and "large items" stolen. Then, on Nov. 21, they received a report of a theft from a vehicle in Whistler, B.C., with the value of stolen items in both incidents totalling more than $20,000. Police say about a week later officers attending an unrelated call saw some of the stolen gear in the Squamish Valley area. The Sea to Sky RCMP say a search warra

Not a single new face from British Columbia has been included in Justin Trudeau's latest cabinet reshuffle. The Prime Minister appointed three MPs from Ontario, including Ruby Sahota, one MP from Newfoundland and Labrador, two from Quebec, and one MP each from Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Ruby Sahota, of Punjabi origin, has been entrusted with the portfolio of Democratic Institutions and will also oversee the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Sahota, who represents Brampton North, joined Justin Trudeau’s government in a previous cabinet. It is noteworthy that this reshu