BCJan 20, 2022
Robbery suspect arrested minutes after 911 call: Surrey RCMP
Surrey RCMP is advising the public of the arrest of a suspect who allegedly committed a personal robbery inside the ATM area of a bank in Newton.On January 16, 2022, at 8:54 p.m., Surrey RCMP received the report of a personal robbery inside a bank in the 13600-block of 72 Avenue. The victim was depositing cash into the ATM when they were approached and allegedly robbed. Police arrived on scene and quickly located a man nearby who matched the suspect description. The man was arrested and transported to Surrey RCMP cells.On January 17, a charge of robbery was laid against 31-year old Mahamed Osm
BCJan 20, 2022
VPD investigates string of Downtown Eastside stabbings
Vancouver Police are investigating after four people were hospitalized in three separate stabbings on the Downtown Eastside yesterday.The stabbings were among nine violent incidents VPD responded to in the neighborhood Wednesday."We’re reviewing evidence to determine if any of these incidents are connected," says Constable Tania Visintin. "We’re troubled by this level of violence, and we’re concerned it could escalate."The first stabbing occurred Wednesday morning, just after 4:30 a.m. A 29-year-old man stumbled into a convenience store near Main and East Hastings streets bleeding from a
BCJan 20, 2022
Avalanche danger posted for B.C. and Alberta backcountry users
A special avalanche warning has been posted for recreational backcountry users in several regions of B.C. and Alberta as warm temperatures make the snowpack unstable. Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada have issued the advisory to take effect immediately and last through to Monday. The warning applies to the North and South Columbias, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, and Glacier, Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. It also applies to B.C.'s Sea-to-Sky region and South Coast Inland area from Squamish to Pemberton. James Floyer, the forecasting program supervisor for Avalanche Canada, says there
BCJan 20, 2022
Drivers told not to stop for photos along flood-damaged B.C. highway
A key British Columbia highway has reopened to all traffic after being torn apart by disastrous flooding in November but it only took hours for the Transportation Ministry to issue a safety reminder. In a post on social media, the ministry says it has received reports of people stopping ``in unsafe ways'' to take pictures along the Coquihalla Highway corridor, also known as Highway 5. A roughly 130-kilometre stretch of the multi-lane, high-speed link between the Lower Mainland and the Interior was ripped up by floods or slides that also collapsed or washed out seven bridges during a series of
BCJan 20, 2022
B.C. reports 2,387 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths
B.C. is reporting 2,387 new cases of COVID-19, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 303,565 cases in the province.There are currently 35,770 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 262,591 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 895 COVID-positive individuals are currently in hospital and 115 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:814 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 17,441487 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 8,945550 new cases in Interior Healt
BCJan 20, 2022
31 year old man charged in fatal stabbing near the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says a 31 year old man has been charged in a fatal stabbing near the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby last month. IHIT says 25 year old Melissa Blimkie from North Vancouver was taken to hospital after she was found with stab wounds on December 19th but later died of her injuries. It says Everton Downey was charged today with second-degree murder and remains in custody. Police say the two had been in a relationship for some time prior to the homicide.
BCJan 19, 2022
Vancouver Island community without water after barge damages underwater line
A First Nation on Vancouver Island has declared a state of emergency and banned the use of water for everything except flushing toilets after a barge severed a water supply line. A message posted by the District of Ucluelet says the underwater line in the inlet between Ucluelet and the Indigenous community of Hitacu was damaged Monday, leaving the community without water for showers, drinking, cooking or fire suppression. A statement from the Ucluelet First Nation says water is being delivered to the roughly 275 affected residents and trucks have been filling the community's water tower to pr
BCJan 19, 2022
Bars and other B.C. businesses affected by pandemic closures to receive more help
More financial help is on the way for British Columbia businesses forced to stay closed for at least another month as the province tries to contain the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A statement from the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation says businesses including event venues, bars, nightclubs and lounges that don't serve full meals are eligible for grants of up to $20,000, based on staffing levels. The funds, which double the amount available to those businesses, can be claimed through the provincial COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant. Businesses ordered by the provin
BCJan 19, 2022
Inflation in B.C. climbed three basis points as inflation in Canada hits 4.8%
Statistics Canada confirms the cost of living in Canada just keeps climbing, as the national inflation rate hit 4.8 per cent last month, the highest in two decades. Analysts say the December setting was one-tenth of a point above November's with food, housing and gasoline among the reasons for the higher costs. Inflation in BC climbed three basis points to 3.9 per cent in December, while Vancouver's rate leaped more than half a per cent to 3.8 per cent and the cost of living in Victoria edged up to 3.4 per cent last month from 3.2 in November. An announcement is planned next week by the Bank