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british-columbia-police-watchdog-clears-terrace-rcmp-officers-of-wrongdoing-in-crash
BCJun 16, 2021

British Columbia police watchdog clears Terrace RCMP officers of wrongdoing in crash

Two RCMP officers have been cleared of wrongdoing related to the fatal crash of an all-terrain vehicle in northwestern B.C. The Independent Investigations Office, which examines all cases of death or serious harm involving police, says its review has determined two officers from the Terrace RCMP detachment did not commit any offences related to the May 23 crash. The officers had attempted to pull over the ATV on a forest service road near Terrace because none of the three riders had helmets. The ATV did not stop and continued about 10 kilometres north before crashing, injuring a woman who ev
b-c-reports-no-new-covid-19-deaths-as-it-begins-second-step-of-reopening-plan
BCJun 16, 2021

B.C. reports no new COVID-19 deaths as it begins second step of reopening plan

British Columbia health officials are reporting 108 new cases of COVID-19 as the province begins step two of its reopening plan. They say in a statement B.C. has 1,496 active cases and 143,299 people have recovered from the infection. There have been no new deaths and the total number of fatalities is 1,734. Officials say more than 76 per cent of eligible adults have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 657,491 have had their second shot. Step two of the reopening plan means indoor seated gatherings with up to 50 people are permitted at venues such as movie theatres and banque
vpd-fears-warm-weather-easing-restrictions-could-cause-spike-in-jewelry-scams
BCJun 16, 2021

VPD fears warm weather, easing restrictions could cause spike in jewelry scams

Vancouver Police are reminding east-side residents to be wary of jewelry scammers, after a Collingwood man was bilked out of thousands of dollars yesterday."With Covid restrictions easing and more people heading outside to enjoy the warm weather, these scammers will prey on people’s good will and naivety," says Sergeant Steve Addison, VPD. "We need people to know how they work and to be assertive if they are approached."VPD is investigating two incidents that occurred Monday afternoon in East Vancouver, and suspect there might be links between the cases.A 51-year-old man was walking alone ne
home-sales-fell-7-4-per-cent-in-may-buyers-are-increasingly-frustrated-by-volatile-home-sales-crea
BCJun 15, 2021

Home sales fell 7.4 per cent in May; Buyers are increasingly frustrated by volatile home sales: CREA

The Canadian Real Estate Association says buyers are increasingly frustrated by volatile home sales in this country and an expected decline in transactions could underscore their irritation with hot markets like those in Metro Vancouver. The association says home sales fell 7.4 per cent in May compared with the month earlier, and the month-over-month skid affected about 80 per cent of markets across Canada. But the association also predicts sales will hit a new, overall record by the end of the year, leaping nearly 24 per cent compared with 2020 before slipping about 13 per cent next year. As
BCJun 15, 2021

No tickets handed out as a result of road checks put for restrictions on non-essential travel within B.C.

As COVID-19 restrictions on non-essential travel within BC are lifted today, police road checks established in the first week of May have also come to an end. RCMP Staff Sergeant Janelle Shoihet says more than 14,000 vehicles were stopped at the checkpoints set up along several highways on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between May 6th and last weekend. She says just 26 vehicles were told to turn around by police and another 236 voluntarily turned around at the checks established to prevent people from travelling between three regional zones for non-essential reasons. No tickets were handed
cannabis-dispensary-in-vancouver-has-been-ordered-to-pay-40-000-dollars-to-subway
BCJun 15, 2021

Cannabis dispensary in Vancouver has been ordered to pay 40,000 dollars to Subway

The owner of the Budway cannabis dispensary in Vancouver has been ordered to pay 40,000 dollars to Subway for imitating the sandwich chain's branding. The Federal Court ruled the shop was both benefitting from and damaging Subway's brand by infringing on its trademark logo and using a mascot. Justice Nicholas McHaffie described it as ``a submarine sandwich filled with cannabis leaves.'' The pot shop has been ordered to pay 15,000 dollars in damages and 25,000 dollars to cover Subway's legal fees.
b-c-reports-lowest-daily-rate-since-last-august-277-covid-19-cases-reported-over-the-weekend
BCJun 15, 2021

B.C. reports lowest daily rate since last August; 277 COVID-19 cases reported over the weekend

BC is reporting 68 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest daily rate since last August, as the province prepares to enter the second stage of its restart plan tomorrow. The new cases announced are among 277 diagnosed since Friday for a total of one-thousand-537 active infections, including 136 people who are in hospital. Another four people have died, pushing the death toll in BC to 1,734. Just over 74 per cent of all eligible residents aged 12 and up have now had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine out of more than four million shots administered overall. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provinci
date-set-for-pandemic-delayed-inquest-into-2016-in-custody-death-of-b-c-teen
BCJun 14, 2021

Date set for pandemic-delayed inquest into 2016 in-custody death of B.C. teen

An inquest begins next week to examine the death in police custody of an 18 year old Indigenous woman just hours after she was airlifted to hospital from RCMP cells in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. Jocelyn George died in June 2016 and a report by the Independent Investigations Office cleared RCMP of wrongdoing, finding her death was due to inflammation of the lining around her heart following toxic drug use. The mother of two young children was held in custody because she seemed intoxicated and, at one point, appeared well enough to be released, but deteriorated after being picked up agai
BCJun 14, 2021

British Columbians can hit the road again; Cinema halls and outdoor gatherings allowed in certain numbers

British Columbians can hit the road again, Premier John Horgan says restrictions are being lifted on travel within the province. Horgan announced the change as he, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and several cabinet ministers confirmed BC is moving to Step Two of its restart plan. That means non-essential travel within the province is allowed, but travel elsewhere in Canada is still not recommended. Starting tomorrow groups of up to 50 can gather outdoors, movie theatres can re-open and sports fans can watch events in person, while masks remain mandatory in indoor public places. Ba

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BCJul 15, 2026

Elderly woman distracted and robbed of gold necklace in Vancouver, police seek suspects

A 76-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of her gold necklace after being distracted by an unknown woman in Vancouver's East 11th Avenue and Victoria Drive area on Tuesday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. while the senior was waiting for family members. An unidentified woman approached her and claimed she looked like her mother, whose birthday she said it was. The suspect then hugged the victim and, during the interaction, allegedly removed the woman's gold necklace and replaced it with a fake one. The victim reportedly discov
AlbertaJul 15, 2026

Alberta launches online bike lane complaint form ahead of planned legislation

The Alberta government has launched an online public feedback form inviting residents to report concerns about bike lanes as it prepares legislation expected this fall. According to the Alberta government, Albertans can use the online form to share concerns about bike lanes in their communities, including whether they believe a lane is underused, has reduced on-street parking, contributed to traffic congestion, affected local businesses, or delayed emergency response times. The province says the feedback will help inform future transportation policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dre
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from
BCJul 15, 2026

Surrey man sentenced to nearly five years in prison in extortion-related shooting and arson case

A Surrey Provincial Court judge has sentenced Abhijeet Kingra to nearly five years in prison for his role in a 2024 extortion-related shooting and arson targeting a Surrey home. According to court records, Kingra pleaded guilty on July 6 to charges of discharging a firearm at a residence and committing arson. The offences stem from an Aug. 10, 2024 incident in which a home belonging to a person who had reportedly received extortion threats was shot at and set on fire. The court imposed a two-year sentence for arson and a sentence of four years, 10 months and 19 days for the shooting offence. T