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

The Business Council of British Columbia has launched an awareness campaign to counter the province's rising outward migration to Alberta. The business advocacy group says its "Stay with B.C." campaign is placing advertisements on billboards and transit stops, as well as online, in cities such as Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince George, urging residents to think twice before moving to Alberta for economic or other reasons. Council president Laura Jones says the campaign is inspired by the "Alberta is Calling" campaign launched in 2022, targeting skilled workers in other provinces with f

Several British Columbia media reports say one of two Central Saanich Police officers charged with sexual assaulting a woman they met on duty has died by suicide. The Times Colonist cites four sources saying 43-year-old Sgt. Matthew Ball has died, while other outlets cite police sources saying Ball died by suicide. Mounties say in a news release they are investigating the discovery of a body in a forested area of Shawnigan Lake, which is about 40 kilometres northwest of Victoria. RCMP say they are looking into whether any criminality was involved and the coroner's service is also investigating

Premier David Eby's government is facing sharp criticism from the opposition for increasing this year’s record budget deficit by $429 million. BC Conservative finance critic Peter Milobar highlighted the province's growing economic challenges, pointing to the $9.4-billion deficit estimate as evidence of deepening debt. Milobar argued that the fiscal update reflects a slowing economy, declining tax revenues from resources and businesses, and escalating costs of major projects such as Vancouver’s Broadway SkyTrain. He suggested that if voters had been aware of the province's worsening finan

British Columbia's budget deficit could reach a record $9.4 billion this year, the province's new finance minister, Brenda Bailey, revealed. Bailey stated that the province's budget deficit for 2024-25 has increased by $429 million from the estimate in the previous fiscal update in September, mainly due to a decrease in revenue. However, she assured that the provincial government will not cut services in response to the increased deficit estimate, and instead will focus on targeted investments to grow the economy. Bailey also promised affordable relief for the people of the province. It is wo

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is hailing a decisive British Columbia byelection victory in Cloverdale-Langley City, where Tamara Jansen has won with about two-thirds of the vote. Monday's byelection in the Fraser Valley seat, which had been held by the Liberals and is traditionally closely contested, came on the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's ruling party was thrown into turmoil by finance minister Chrystia Freeland's resignation. Poilievre congratulated Jansen in a post to social media, saying she earned "twice as many votes as all the other candidates combined." Elections