The federal government is promising a total of 77 million dollars to rebuild the Village of Lytton, including 64 million dollars to help pay for fire-resistant public buildings. Harjit Sajjan, the minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, was in Lytton this morning to make the announcement. He says the federal government has also pledged just over seven million dollars to rebuild area businesses and six million dollars to support the reconstruction of homes. Two people died last June 30th and almost every building in Lytton was destroyed when a wildfire swept

Several protesters opposed to old-growth logging were taken into custody in at least three location around Metro Vancouver and near Victoria this morning as police removed blockades that halted traffic on busy highways. Demonstrators set up blockades on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge between Vancouver and North Vancouver, at the entrance to the Massey Tunnel between Richmond and Delta and along the highway leading to the Swartz Bay ferry terminal north of Victoria. The blockades caused significant disruption to rush hour travel, with the longest delays on the highway north of Victoria, where

Members of British Columbia's Liberal party are set to gather at a convention in Penticton this weekend to welcome new leader Kevin Falcon and map strategy ahead of the next election, possibly under a new party name. About 800 delegates are registered to attend and launch a process that could result in a name change. Kevin Falcon, who won the leadership race earlier this year, promised to renew and rebuild the party in consultation with members. The B.C. Liberals are not affiliated with the federal Liberal party and have described themselves as ``a made-in-B.C. free enterprise coalition.'' Th

The Canadian men's soccer team put a dramatic week behind them with a decisive 4-0 win over Curacao to open their CONCACAF Nations League campaign on Thursday. The victory followed a week that saw the Canadian players miss two training sessions and refuse to play a friendly game against Panama in Vancouver due to an ongoing contract dispute. Canada, ranked 38th in the world, didn't appear to have much rust to shake off on Thursday, however, pressuring No. 79 Curacao just two minutes into the game. Alphonso Davies scored twice, including on a first-half penalty kick, while Steven Vitoria and L

A full scale search for a boater missing in the waters off Vancouver has been scaled back and turned over to police as a missing persons file. Vancouver police confirm a 46 year old Surrey, B.C., man has not been seen since renting a motorboat from Granville Island on Wednesday. Police say he was planning to cross English Bay heading toward Bowen Island. A search was launched later that day when an empty and drifting five metre boat was spotted in the bay. An air and water search continued Wednesday and resumed Thursday but police say no sign of the lone boater has been found. They say they a

Surrey RCMP say charges have been approved against a 33 year old woman arrested in connection with two stabbings last week inside a Walmart and a grocery store. Police say a female victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries after the first stabbing at a Superstore a week ago. The suspect was arrested following another stabbing that was believed to be unprovoked two days later at a Walmart where the victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. The Mounties say the woman has been charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

An overdue library book has been returned to a Vancouver branch, 51 years after it had been checked out. Name of the book is 'The Telescope' and an apology note was tucked inside author Harry Edward Neal's book. Vancouver Public Library on Twitter: Such a sweet note in this book returned to our South Hill Branch *slightly* overdue (51 yrs!). With our recent removal of late fees... they won’t get charged a cent for their late return! Eliminating fines = greater access to all. http://ow.ly/Iz5H50JqRUm Overdue Fines? Not Anymore!Starting June 1, VPL will no longer be charging overdue fines on a

The BC Coroners Service has released data for the first four months of this year showing the number of BC deaths linked to illicit drug use outstripped the number of deaths caused by homicides, crashes, drownings, suicides and fires, combined. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says the volatile illicit drug supply means users risk their lives every time they consume something purchased from the unregulated market. She says at least 161 people died from toxic illicit drugs in April, equal to about 5.4 deaths per day, and 26 per cent were female, marking a shifting trend that has been growing since e

A commercial poultry farm in Langley Township is the latest to report an outbreak of avian flu in BC. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the H-5-N-1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed on the farm yesterday. Data from the agency shows this is the first outbreak among flocks in Langley and a primary control zone is still being determined. It's the 16th confirmed outbreak in BC since the first was reported in the north Okanagan in mid-April and it's the fourth commercial flock to be affected.