British Columbia Premier David Eby is calling on the Bank of Canada to halt further interest rate hikes.In a letter today to Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, Eby urges him to consider the full human impact of rate hikes and not increase them at this time.The Bank of Canada is set to make an interest rate decision early next month.Eby has also written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attaching his letter to Macklem and calling for a targeted approach to fighting inflation, focusing on housing and infrastructure improvements.Eby's letter to Trudeau says a targeted approach to key sectors w

A man who stabbed a woman to death and injured six others outside a library in North Vancouver two years ago was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.Yannick Bandaogo has been charged with second degree murder, attempted murder.Yannick Bandaogo has been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 15 years.It is worth noting that during the court proceedings in July, Bandaogo apologized to the victims and told the court about a troubled childhood, due to which he took to drugs.On March 27, 2021, Bandaogo went on a stabbing rampage in and around the Lynn Valley Public Library,

An audited public accounting of British Columbia's financial records shows the province posted a surplus of more than $700 million in the 2022-2023 budget year.Finance Minister Katrine Conroy outlined the province's financial performance in the government's public accounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.The government's budget forecasts have been on an up-and-down ride for the past two years, with the 2022-2023 budget originally forecast in February last year to show a $5.5 billion deficit, before that was revised to a surplus of almost $6 billion, then downgraded to a $3.6 billion

The first case of the BA.2.86 variant of Covid has been reported in Canada.This is the first case found in British Columbia.B.C. health officials have confirmed this variant.B.C.'s Centers for Disease Control confirmed that the variant was found in a person in the Fraser Health Region, east of Vancouver, who has not traveled outside the province.Medical Director of Vancouver Infectious Disease Control Dr. Brian Conway says the new BA.2.86 variant has not yet been shown to cause more severe disease.Conway says the first case being recorded here in B.C. is a reminder that COVID never truly went

The death toll from toxic drug overdoses in British Columbia has risen to 200.According to the B.C. Coroner's Service report, 200 people died in July.The BC Coroner's Service says 198 people died last month.The coroner says at least 1,455 deaths between January and July this year have been linked to the supply of the unregulated toxic drug."We will be recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day in two days," said Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe.Drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people between the ages of 10 and 59, more than murder, suicide, accidents and disease combined, Lis

The number of properties damaged or completely destroyed in B.C.'s Okanagan wildfires has risen to 189.Central Okanagan Emergency Operations made the announcement on Monday.These properties were damaged in the regional district of West Kelowna and Central Okanagan West Electoral Area A.The devastating McDougall Creek fire is still out of control, West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said in a briefing.Chief Administrative Officer Sally Ginter says the center is contacting all affected homeowners and asking them to recheck their property status online at cordemergency.ca/propertyinfo.Ginter sa

Persistent heat is expected to continue today in parts of British Columbia as the province continues to battle almost 400 active wildfires.Environment Canada says several communities in northern B.C. are facing heat warnings, with daily high temperatures predicted to reach in excess of 30 degrees.Communities currently under a heat warning include Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge and Terrace.According to Environment Canada data, Fort Nelson is expected to reach 32 C again today after breaking its historic high temperature for August 27 at 32.4 C.Historic daily high temper

B.C. farmers say they're increasingly concerned about climate change and the impacts of extreme weather on food production in the province.Because of its warm climate, B.C. has a unique agriculture industry.The province's farmers can grow fruit and vegetables that won't grow in other parts of Canada, and B.C. also boasts of Western Canada's only major winery regions.But in the last three years, B.C. farmers have suffered through drought, extreme heat, flooding and fires.These disasters have resulted in crop failures, livestock losses and widespread damage to farmland and infrastructure.Some fa

The chief of a small rural fire department in the B.C.'s Okanagan area says 13 members of his own crew have lost their homes while fighting wildfires this season.Wilson's Landing Fire Chief Paul Zydowicz says members of the department still continued their fight to extinguish the wildfire.Their homes were among 181 destroyed around Okanagan Lake last week.Zydowicz says those who have lost their homes will be cared for by emergency support services.Much of the area in the west of the lake is still under evacuation orders.It is worth noting that there are currently about 370 wildfires active in