The British Columbia government has been ordered to pay more than $750,000 in penalties for workplace safety violations linked to two incidents that occurred during the province’s 2023 wildfire season, including a crash that killed a young firefighter. WorkSafeBC says the fatal incident involved firefighter Zak Muise, who died when a utility vehicle went over a steep embankment near Fort St. John in July 2023. Investigators found that neither Muise nor his supervisor was wearing a helmet and that the vehicle’s safety netting was damaged at the time. According to a ruling issued on Septembe

A large-scale operation to destroy an ostrich flock in rural British Columbia is underway after Canada’s top court declined to intervene in a long-running dispute over an avian flu order. Gunfire was heard overnight at the farm near Edgewood, where Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) staff began killing hundreds of birds inside a hay bale enclosure. RCMP officers restricted public access to the property late Thursday, blocking the main road and turning away onlookers. Floodlights and stacked hay bales concealed most of the activity, though workers were seen entering the enclosure carrying

City of Surrey is asking people to share feedback and tell the city what matters. City of Surrey says, "As a Surrey resident, your input plays an important role in shaping the City’s 2026 budget priorities. Share your thoughts by completing our online survey or visit one of our open houses to learn more about the budget process, ask questions and provide feedback." Find full details on City of Surrey's website: https://engage.surrey.ca/budge...

Toronto’s hospitality and tourism sectors saw a significant boost this fall, thanks to the Blue Jays’ extended post-season run and the World Series games held in the city. Destination Toronto reported that hotel demand during the four home games of the World Series rose by an average of 15 per cent compared to the same nights last year, adding more than 11,000 room nights. Across the team’s entire playoff run, hotel demand increased by an average of 11 per cent, accounting for over 20,000 additional room nights. Andrew Weir, President and CEO of Destination Toronto, said the surge in vis

British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food needs stronger measures to ensure it can quickly locate farm animals during disease outbreaks or natural disasters, according to a new report from the Office of the Auditor General. The audit reviewed the ministry’s Premises ID program, which was created to help emergency officials identify where poultry and livestock are kept and who owns them. Acting Auditor General Sheila Dodds said the system could play a vital role in protecting animals and food supply chains during crises such as bird flu outbreaks, wildfires, or floods. However, th

British Columbia is opening a record number of shelter spaces this winter to help people experiencing homelessness find warmth and safety as temperatures drop. The Province, through BC Housing, is funding 6,486 shelter spaces across 58 communities — the highest total to date. The expanded network includes 4,158 permanent shelters operating year-round, 1,154 temporary seasonal spaces, 771 extreme-weather response (EWR) beds activated during severe conditions, and 403 new Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) spaces — nearly two and a half times more than last year.

BC Highway Patrol officers issued close to 8,000 speeding tickets across the province in October, highlighting ongoing concerns about driver behaviour as winter conditions set in. The enforcement effort was part of the Drive Relative to Conditions and Pedestrian Awareness campaign, aimed at encouraging motorists to adjust their driving for changing weather and visibility. According to BC Highway Patrol data, the highest number of tickets were issued in the South Coast region, including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, where 2,167 drivers were cited. Vancouver Island followed with 1,598 t

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal from the owners of a British Columbia ostrich farm challenging a federal order to destroy hundreds of their birds following an avian flu outbreak. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) directed the cull on December 31, 2024, after detecting the virus on the property near Edgewood in B.C.’s southern Interior. The farm owners sought to overturn the order, arguing that the surviving ostriches showed no symptoms of infection and should not be euthanized. Federal officials maintained that even apparently healthy birds can carry and tr

The fate of more than 300 ostriches in British Columbia’s southern Interior could be decided within days, as the Supreme Court of Canada prepares to rule on whether it will hear a final appeal from Universal Ostrich Farms. The Edgewood-based operation has spent nearly a year fighting a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) order to cull its flock following an avian influenza outbreak last December. The farm has already lost two earlier legal battles in Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal. In September, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the cull while it considered whether to he