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

Bitterly cold weather is gripping much of British Columbia and forecasters don't expect conditions in some areas to ease until at least Thursday, while the threat of snow lies ahead for other regions.Extreme cold or Arctic outflow warnings are posted for the central and north coasts, Chilcotin and Peace River areas and the southeastern corner of B.C.With the wind chill, Environment Canada warns conditions will feel close to -40 C in the Elk Valley and Peace regions, and -20 C in Terrace, Kitimat and Stewart.A special weather statement also warns of snow before Thursday over most of central, ea

Local governments and First Nations in British Columbia are getting more support to prepare for the risk of natural disasters related to climate change.The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness says it will add $180 million to support projects that help communitiesprepare for and mitigate the effects of natural disasters.The ministry says the government's Community Emergency Preparedness Fund has previously supported projects that include a dike in Merritt, public cooling infrastructure in Victoria and tsunami evacuation planning in Tofino.It says it will also now provide a on

Two people have died and one was hurt in an avalanche in the Purcell Mountains in southeastern British Columbia.Avalanche Canada says a group of five snowboarders and one skier were caught in the slide on Thursday in an area known as Terminator 2.5 outside of a ski area boundary near the town of Golden.It says the avalanche was triggered by the group and three people were buried in the snow, one partly and two completely.Avalanche Canada says the two buried victims did not survive and the one person partly buried was rescued with injuries.It says a second group of snowboarders that was lower o

A retired North Vancouver elementary school teacher is facing a dozen charges connected to alleged sex offenses.Brian Moore has been charged with 10 counts of indecent assault on a male, one count of sexual touching of a person under 14 years old, and one count of sexual assault.North Vancouver RCMP say Moore, now 83, taught at Upper Lynn Elementary School starting in 1970 before the end of his employment in 1982.Police say it's alleged that Moore committed at least one of these acts after his tenure as a teacher, in 2007.When Moore was originally arrested in August of last year, police said a

British Columbia's Appeal Court has overturned a lower-court ruling and ordered the Hells Angels motorcycle club to surrender three properties under the province's Civil Forfeiture Act.The unanimous decision by a three-member panel issued Wednesday, says a B.C. Supreme Court justice was wrong to find "no evidence" that the Hells Angels' clubhouses in Nanaimo, Kelowna and Vancouver were used for the planning or commission of criminal activity.She finds the trial judge did not account for evidence showing Hells Angels members had "committed serious crimes" in the past or that the clubhouses "pro