Vancouver police have identified two people who died in a fire that destroyed a historic building in the city’s Gastown neighbourhood last month. Police say 68-year-old Mary Garlow and Dennis Guay, who was 53, were killed when the Winters Hotel went up in flames on April 11.The hotel, built in 1907, had been the home to dozens of low-income residents.The fire department said at the time of the blaze that when crews arrived, it was too dangerous to try to enter the building, and they couldn’t determine if anyone else was still inside.Five people were hurt trying to escape the building.The f

BC AdventureSmart says some of the most popular hikes in the province are also the riskiest. Sandra Riches, executive director of the program, says the list was determined by data collected by search and rescue teams across BC. She says the trails aren't necessarily the most technically difficult routes but have led to a high number of rescue calls, likely through popularity. The list includes the Stawamus Chief, Juan De Fuca Trail, Eagle Bluffs, Mount Seymour, Skywalk South Trail, Howe Sound Crest Trail, Golden Ears Summit Trail, Mount Albert Edward, Black Tusk, Grouse Grind and the Hanes Va

The chief of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation says it's been a very traumatic year since they announced the discovery of unmarked graves at the site of the former Kamloops residential school. Roseanne Casimir says sharing the findings with the world has been devastating both for her as a leader, and as a mother and grandmother. A daylong cultural ceremony is set for this Monday at the nation's Pow Wow Arbor to mark the anniversary of findings which Casimir says was a confirmation that the children didn't come home from residential schools. Since the Tk'emlups announcement last year, se

A report examining the wildfire that wiped out Lytton last June says it's important to understand what happened so other communities don't suffer the same fate. The report says the destruction of Lytton was more than a wildfire problem and it makes 33 recommendations to reduce fire risk, especially within so-called home ignition zones, where structures and homes burn easily. The authors say the loss of the village could not have been stopped, even with immediate emergency aid, because at least 20 buildings were engulfed in barely an hour, requiring the response of as many as 60 fire trucks. R

The Guru Nanak Institute of Global Studies (GNI) officially launched providing a world-class infrastructure and academic environment for research and teaching on Sikh philosophy, history, literature, culture, and devotional music in an interdisciplinary manner. GNI is a PTIB (Private Training Institution Branch) approved, non-profit educational and research institute founded in 2021 to commemorate Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary. The name Guru Nanak (the revealer of Sikhi) is synonymous with equality, equity, justice, compassion, open dialogue, spiritual revolution, life-long learning, and e

Summer is just over four weeks away but south coast residents are being warned to brace for more snow, at least at higher elevations, as winter won't release its chilly grip. Special weather statements from Environment Canada cover Vancouver Island and the inner south coast as an unseasonably strong spring storm arrives tonight packing gusty winds, heavy rain and another dump of snow on coastal mountain passes. The weather office says all of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, Whistler, Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley will be affected before conditions ease and temperatures sta

New Westminster police say a charge of assault has been recommended against a 50 year old man after another man was pushed to the ground and punched in an apparently unprovoked attack. Police say it happened last Thursday near the Sapperton SkyTrain station as the suspect and victim passed each other on the overpass leading to transit platform. A witness saw the alleged assault, called 9-1-1 and stayed to help the victim while the suspect boarded SkyTrain and was intercepted by police just outside the New Westminster station. Investigators say the case is troubling because it was unprovoked s

Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon says he's ready to hold the NDP government to account after returning to the BC legislature for the first time in about a decade. Falcon was sworn in today after easily winning a byelection in the Liberal stronghold of Vancouver-Quilchena on April 30th. The 59 year old won the party leadership last February after Andrew Wilkinson stepped down as Liberal leader following the NDP's majority win in last year's provincial election. Falcon says affordability will be a key issue for his party and repeated Liberal calls today for the NDP government to temporarily suspend a

Vancouver police say they believe speed was a factor in a four-car collision that killed one person and sent two others to hospital on Monday. Police say in a news release that a Toyota Corolla had topped the speed limit when it crossed into oncoming traffic on Granville Street at West 46th Avenue. They say the vehicle side-swiped a taxi, struck a Porsche, and went airborne over a truck before landing on top of a Hyundai Elantra and coming to rest on the pavement. Police say the driver of the Corolla was trapped in the vehicle and died at the scene. They say the drivers of the Porsche and Hyu