A debate featuring four candidates contesting the upcoming Abbotsford-Mission byelection concluded Wednesday night. The event, hosted by the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, featured NDP candidate Pam Alexis, B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, CentreBC candidate Lakhwinder Kaur Jhajj and Green Party candidate Stephen Fowler. Transportation, affordability and taxation were among the key issues discussed. On the ongoing traffic problems along Highway 11, Jhajj advocated for expanding the highway to improve traffic flow. Findlay criticized the governing government’s policies on agricu

Quesnel RCMP arrested four people, including two teenage girls, after a stolen white Ford F-350 truck rammed into police vehicles in the B.C. Interior early Thursday morning. Police found the truck parked in Quesnel around 5 a.m. The vehicle had reportedly been stolen from the Hixon area, about 60 kilometres away, several hours earlier. When officers attempted to apprehend the occupants, the driver allegedly tried to flee and rammed the truck into police vehicles. Three police vehicles were damaged, but no injuries were reported. A 31-year-old man who was driving the truck, a 29-year-old woman

A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after being convicted of sexually interfering with his granddaughter in Prince George, B.C. The sentence was handed down by the B.C. Supreme Court in Prince George last week. The offence occurred between 2016 and 2021, when the victim was between six and 11 years old. The court heard that the abuse had a severe and lasting impact on the girl’s mental and emotional well-being, making it extremely difficult for her to attend school for years. The judge said the accused’s age and health were taken into consideration, but

Two men facing a jury trial in connection with the daylight shooting deaths of Maninder Dhaliwal and Satinder Gill outside the Sundial Hotel in Whistler Village in July 2022 have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. The accused, 28-year-old Gursimran Sahota and 24-year-old Tanveer Khakh, are on trial in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. Prosecutors say 21 shell casings recovered from the scene matched two handguns found inside a Honda CR-V that was later set on fire in a nearby area. The Crown's case relies heavily on forensic evidence. A forensic examiner testified that possible

Major organizations representing British Columbia’s forestry sector have written to Premier David Eby, calling for immediate action to address the growing crisis in the province’s forest industry. The BC Council of Forest Industries, BC Wood and the United Steelworkers jointly sent a letter to the provincial government this month, urging Premier Eby to establish a Forestry Crisis Action Group under his leadership. The groups said B.C.’s forestry sector is at a critical crossroads. While acknowledging that international trade pressures are beyond the direct control of the provincial gover

An 85-year-old man was killed after being struck by a stray bullet inside his apartment in Burnaby. According to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), the body of Chang Yong Cho was found on Aug. 30 inside his apartment in the 7400 block of Kingsway. Police had received reports of a shooting in a nearby block at around 1:30 a.m. Later that day, at approximately 4 p.m., Burnaby RCMP received a call requesting a welfare check at the apartment, where Cho was found dead from a gunshot wound. Investigators said shots were fired during a dispute between a group of young people. One of t

Suraj Uppal, a school board candidate with the One Delta party in the upcoming Delta municipal election, has withdrawn his candidacy. In a statement posted on social media, Uppal said that sometimes stepping back is the best way to move forward and announced that he was leaving the race for school trustee. Uppal did not provide a specific reason for his decision. However, according to local media reports, several posts had appeared on his social media page last week that were described by some local residents as objectionable. It is being speculated that the controversy surrounding those posts

British Columbia’s Langley School District has banned e-scooters and e-bikes across all elementary, middle and secondary schools, citing student safety concerns as the new academic year begins. The new rules come into effect immediately and follow growing concerns over e-scooter-related accidents and serious injuries involving children across the Lower Mainland. However, the district’s new policy allows e-pedal bikes at secondary schools. Students aged 14 and 15 can use light e-bikes, while those aged 16 and older can use standard e-bikes. Adults are also permitted to use e-pedal bikes at

The Surrey Police Board has officially launched a nationwide search for a new chief constable to lead the Surrey Police Service (SPS). The board has hired PFM Executive Search to manage the recruitment process and help identify a qualified candidate for the top position. The move comes nearly three months after former Chief Constable Norm Lipinski was dismissed in early June. His termination led to the resignation of two board directors, including the board’s then-chair, in protest. Since Lipinski’s departure, Deputy Chief Constable Todd Matsumoto has been serving as interim chief. The sel