The federal government says it will provide up to $145 million to support security operations during FIFA World Cup matches scheduled this summer in Toronto and Vancouver. According to a Public Safety Canada news release, the funding responds to “specific operational needs identified by the host provinces and cities,” where 13 matches are set to take place in June and July as part of the tournament co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico. The federal government says the funding is intended to reduce financial pressure on municipal and provincial governments while ensuring law enf

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma says federal plans to set a minimum age for social media use should explicitly include artificial intelligence chatbots, arguing the rules would be ineffective if such platforms are excluded. In a letter to the federal government, Sharma said tools such as ChatGPT should fall within any regulatory framework aimed at protecting children online. According to her office, the letter cites recent incidents, including a shooting in Tumbler Ridge, and references cases where AI tools were reportedly linked to harmful online behaviour. Sharma said AI system

Police in Kelowna say more than 10 kilograms of suspected illicit drugs have been seized following a co-ordinated investigation into drug trafficking and illegal firearms. According to an RCMP news release, officers executed search warrants at three homes on April 15 as part of an ongoing probe in the city. The searches resulted in the seizure of approximately seven kilograms of suspected cocaine, more than two kilograms of suspected fentanyl and about one kilogram of psilocybin mushrooms. Investigators also seized a loaded firearm and about $40,000 in cash, which police allege are connected t

An evacuation alert has been issued for 10 properties in British Columbia’s Cariboo region as a wildfire burns out of control early in the province’s wildfire season. According to a joint notice from the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation, the Tsilhqot’in National Government, and the Cariboo Regional District, the alert was issued late Thursday for properties near the Konni Lake wildfire, located about 200 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake. The alert advises residents to be prepared to leave on short notice. BC Wildfire Service information indicates the Konni Lake fire was measured at about

A 35-year-old man is in custody following a second alleged residential break and enter in Abbotsford, months after being charged in a similar incident, according to a police news release. The Abbotsford Police Department said patrol officers first responded in November 2025 to a reported break and enter in progress in the 32500 block of Peardonville Road. Police allege Jaskaran Singh was identified, arrested and charged in that case. According to police, Singh was released from custody in March 2026 under several court-ordered conditions, including 24-hour house arrest, and relocated to anothe

Vancouver police say three teenagers have been arrested following an alleged robbery involving high-value Pokémon cards arranged through an online marketplace. According to a Vancouver Police Department release, officers responded shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday to a robbery in progress near East King Edward Avenue and Ontario Street. Investigators say a man attempting to sell two Pokémon cards, each valued at $7,000, was bear-sprayed during the transaction. Police allege the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle with the cards but were intercepted a short time later in Burnaby near Macpherso

Surrey Police Service says a man designated as a high-risk offender will be living in the city and is warning the public as part of a formal disclosure. According to a Surrey Police Service news release, Nathanial Odorjan, 42, has a history of violence against people, including offences involving women and underage girls. Police said the notice is intended to support public safety and awareness. Odorjan is described as a White male, about six-foot-one and 150 pounds, with short balding brown hair and brown eyes. Police say he has previously worn facial hair. The release states Odorjan is curre

A person was taken to hospital after a house fire in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood on Wednesday, according to police. Surrey police said the individual experienced breathing difficulties due to smoke and was transported to hospital for treatment. No update on the person’s condition was immediately available. According to a police statement, officers temporarily closed a section near 72 Avenue and 140 Street following the incident as a safety precaution. The roads were reopened to traffic at 3:25 p.m. after the fire was brought under control. Police said there are no indications of suspicio

Wildfire activity is increasing across British Columbia, with 15 active fires currently burning in multiple regions, according to the BC Wildfire Service. The agency said two of the fires are classified as out of control, including one in the Cariboo Fire Centre and another in the Prince George Fire Centre. Four of the active fires were reported on Wednesday. Since April 1, a total of 57 wildfires have been recorded across the province. The BC Wildfire Service says 93 per cent of these fires are believed to have been caused by human activity. Active fires are spread across several regions, inc