The provincial government is providing $150 million to upgrade B.C's 911 emergency communications system. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, says the money will be used to help local governments shift to Next Generation 911. $90 million will fund technological upgrades at E-Comm, which handles almost all of B.C's 911 calls and the rest of the money will go to the Union of B.C. Municipalities to cover staffing, training and quality assurance costs. Next Generation 911 is a countrywide emergency communications network that accepts all types of data, including real t

Property taxes in Vancouver will jump by nearly 11 per cent this year after city councillors approved a $1.97 billion operating budget for 2023.Council voted Tuesday to pass the budget which contains a property tax increase of 10.7 per cent, one per cent higher than the hike proposed last month and more than double the five per cent amount put forward by staff last November. A statement from the city says that it means average increases of $549 for business properties, $326 for single-family homes and $125 for condominiums, although the assessed value of each property will determine the specif

B.C. Finance Minister Katrine Conroy while presenting the budget today said that her budget was addressing affordability issues and now was the time to bring in more relief for renters.The highlights of the 2023 British Columbia budget presented on Tuesday include:$6.4 billion in new health spending, including $2.6 billion for health services such as cancer care, $1.1 billion to attract and retain family doctors, and more than $1 billion for mental health and addictions services. There’s also $875 million in 2023-2024 for COVID-19 measures.$4.2 billion in new housing funding, including $1.7

Traffic is back to normal through central Kelowna, B.C., after RCMP detonated an explosive device found near a busy route in the Okanagan city.A stretch of Highway 97N, also known as Harvey Avenue, was closed in both directions for more than seven hours on Monday.Police say a suspicious package was spotted at around noon and the highway, which runs past restaurants, businesses and busy malls, was closed as a precaution.A bomb disposal unit was sent from Vancouver to assist.It arrived shortly before 6 p.m. and detonated the device about an hour later.RCMP say more information is expected later

Canada Border Services Agency says it has seized more than 1,350 prohibited weapons and firearms linked to residences in Chilliwack, B.C. A statement from the agency says parcels imported from China using a false declaration were intercepted at Vancouver International Airport last month. In late January, the agency says an unnamed Chilliwack resident was arrested for suspected offences under the Customs Act and a number of prohibited weapons and firearms were found during the arrest. The agency says more prohibited weapons were also found at a Chilliwack home the day after the arrest. It says

British Columbia's premier has announced $500 million in new funding for BC Ferries to keep fares low for passengers. David Eby says a recent submission to the BC Ferries commissioner showed global inflation over the past 18 months means travellers could see a fare increase of more than 10 per cent a year between 2024 and 2028. He says this investment aims to keep annual fare increases below 3 per cent, though the final cost will be determined by the commissioner. The province says the increase in costs like fuel and inflation are driving up overall fees for the service, and the funding will a

The British Columbia government is investing $440 million to better detect, prevent and treat cancer.Premier David Eby says nearly everyone in the province has been affected by cancer in some way, through their own diagnosis or that of a family member or friend.He says the 10-year plan will save lives and improve the quality of life of B.C. residents now and in the future.The money will support research, technology and innovation, improve access to cancer care for rural and remote residents, add more cancer centres throughout the province and ensure B.C.is able to attract oncologists and other

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is suspending a controversial program to replace older trucks servicing the port for at least another nine months while it reassesses its plans.It is the third time the port is postponing the Rolling Truck Program which was supposed to begin April 3 to phase out trucks more than 12 years old to improve air quality and community health.Truckers that use the port say the onus is on owners and operators to replace the older vehicles at a steep cost even though many of them already meet emissions standards.Last week four Liberal MPs from the Vancouver area asked

Nurse practitioners in British Columbia now have expanded authority to assess people in crisis for involuntary admission to a treatment facility under the Mental Health Act.The New Democrat government says it changed the Mental Health Act last spring to help people get care during a mental health crisis, while respecting their legal rights.Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.'s mental health and addictions minister, says giving nurse practitioners authority to approve involuntary admission for a patient will reduce pressures on emergency departments and help people get faster treatment.She says when a per