British Columbia's economic recovery last year was stronger than forecast with the province's audited budget numbers showing a surplus of $1.3 billion, in contrast with an earlier projection of a deficit nearing $10 billion. Finance Minister Selina Robinson says the province's economy in 2021-22 outperformed both public and private sector predictions. She says the April 2021 budget, delivered during some of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, originally forecast a deficit of $9.7 billion, but revenues improved throughout the year. Robinson says the improvement can be attributed to reop

A public inquest into the death of Daniel Peter Rintoul will begin on Oct. 31, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. at the Burnaby Coroners' Court (20th floor, 4720 Kingsway, Metrotower II, Metrotown, Burnaby).The death of Rintoul, 38, was reported to the BC Coroners Service on Nov. 10, 2016.Under Section 18(2) of the Coroners Act, inquests are mandatory for any deaths that occur while a person was detained by or in the custody of a peace officer.A coroner's inquest is a public inquiry that serves three primary functions:* to determine the facts related to a death, including the identity of the deceased and how

The Nanaimo RCMP is investigating a report of an individual who went missing from a BC Ferry. The incident occurred shortly after 9 PM Thursday August 25, 2022, and involved the BC Ferry Coastal Inspiration that had departed from Duke Point for Tsawwassen at 8:15 PM.Nanaimo RCMP were requested to meet the ferry at the Duke Point terminal for a report of a vehicle passenger who was acting erratic and causing concern for crew and passengers. Police were advised that the decision was made to return the ferry to Duke Point. Shortly after 9 PM, officers boarded the ferry and arrested the adult man

Substance users with serious mental health issues in Nanaimo are expected to get access to so-called complex-care housing under an initiative offering services like addiction medicine, social workers and education on overdose prevention. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Sheila Malcolmson has announced the project in the Vancouver Island community alongside Mayor Leonard Krog, and she says in a release that the aim is to provide services in existing supportive housing. The complex-care housing approach was launched earlier this year, with services also announced in other areas including A

A Vancouver Police investigation has led to charges in connection with a series of unprovoked attacks last week in the city’s Fairview neighbourhood. VPD launched an investigation August 18, after three people were attacked by a stranger while walking in the west-side neighbourhood. A 70-year-old man and two women, aged 33 and 23, suffered various injuries when they were attacked by someone they didn’t know.About 36 hours later, in the early hours of August 20th, a 54-year-old woman was attacked inside her Riley Park home following a home invasion. The woman suffered multiple serious and l

On August 24, 2022 at 11:15 p.m., the Surrey police detachment responded to a report of a man in medical distress inside his residence in the 18800-block of 76 Avenue, Surrey, BC. Officers and Emergency Health Services (EHS) attended the location and found the 47-year-old man having sustained life-threatening injuries. First responders performed emergency first aid, but the victim did not survive. As a result of the nature of the injuries, IHIT has taken conduct of the investigation and is working closely in partnership with the Surrey Detachment, BC Coroner’s Service and the Integrated Fore

Just three of the thousands of reasons Surrey does not need a 60,000 seat stadium from Jinny Sims, Surrey Forward Mayoral candidate. "First, cost of living: Surrey taxpayers cannot pay for Doug McCallum’s folly," says Sims. "Already we are paying over $1,000 per resident for the ill-advised move to the Surrey Police Service, we simply cannot afford to pay thousands more for new stadium." "Second, who is supposed to play there? The BC Lions? The Whitecaps? This is not a case study for Field of Dreams; Doug McCallum is no Kevin Costner in Iowa. Even if we had an anchor tenant lined up, and Mc

The B.C. Prosecution Service approved the following charges against 22-year-old Dilmeet Singh Chahal and 21-year-old Zakaria Benjamin Athaya in relation to yesterday’s police-involved shooting: Dilmeet Singh Chahal:- Dangerous operation of a conveyance- Flight while pursued by a police officer- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition- Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle- Obstruct police officerZakaria Benjamin Athaya:- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition- Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle- Obstruc

BC's largest public-sector union says it has been invited back to the negotiating table by government negotiators. The BC General Employees' Union says bargaining is expected to resume soon, but details are still being confirmed. The union says it's a ``significant development'', and a direct result of its members' job action, which will remain in effect until further notice. The Public Service Agency says there haven't been any reported negative impacts so far from an overtime ban imposed by the BCGEU, which represents 33,000 members.