British Columbia’s police oversight agency has launched an investigation after a man died following an interaction with RCMP officers in Prince Rupert over the weekend. According to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., police were called to a residence shortly after 2:25 p.m. on Saturday in response to a reported assault. Officers attempted to take a man into custody, during which a physical interaction occurred. The watchdog said the man went into medical distress during the arrest. He was transported to hospital, where he later died. The IIO confirmed it was notified of the incid

Premier David Eby says his New Democratic Party government is not seeking a snap election in 2026, despite a turbulent year at the legislature and ongoing instability within the Opposition B.C. Conservatives. In a year-end interview, Eby said British Columbians want stability as the province navigates economic pressure, labour unrest and sensitive court rulings involving Indigenous rights. The premier’s comments come after a politically difficult year for the minority-turned-narrow-majority NDP, which won the October 2024 election by a single seat. The government faced backlash over resource

Coquitlam RCMP are urging residents to take extra precautions after a recent increase in residential break and enters across the city, many involving similar methods and locations. Police say the incidents have raised concern among investigators due to their frequency and pattern. Mounties report receiving about 21 complaints of residential break-ins since November 23. In most cases, suspects entered homes through rear sliding glass doors, with incidents largely occurring between mid-afternoon and late evening, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Police note that homes backing onto green spaces, trails, or

Burnaby RCMP are asking for the public’s help to identify three people believed to be involved in a package theft at a South Burnaby home earlier this month. Police say the incident happened just before noon on December 1, when a dark-coloured SUV stopped outside a residence. Investigators allege a male suspect briefly exited the vehicle before two female suspects approached the front door and removed multiple delivered packages, placing them in the back of the SUV before driving away. Mounties say package thefts typically increase during the holiday season, with residents across Burnaby and

Abbotsford police say five firearms and a large quantity of stolen property have been recovered following the execution of a search warrant tied to a series of break-and-enter cases across the Lower Mainland. The Abbotsford Police Department’s Crime Reduction Unit began investigating in mid-October after receiving multiple reports of property crimes in the region. Investigators later identified suspects believed to be connected to a problem residence in the 27800 block of Myrtle Avenue, an address known to police. On December 10, officers from the Crime Reduction Unit, assisted by frontline

Prince George RCMP say frontline officers carried out multiple enforcement actions over the weekend aimed at disrupting suspected drug trafficking and removing weapons from the community. Police began the operations on December 12, executing two Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrants at residences on the 200 block of McIntyre Crescent. Officers seized ammunition, suspected drug trafficking equipment, several weapons and a small quantity of suspected methamphetamine. No arrests were made, and the investigation remains ongoing. Later the same day, officers searched a residence on th

Mission RCMP are asking the public for help after two alleged abduction attempts occurred in the community within a single day. The first incident happened overnight between Sunday and Monday on Logan Avenue. Police say a woman walking in the area was approached by a white SUV driven by a South Asian man. According to investigators, the man allegedly asked the woman for sex and attempted to pull her into the vehicle. The woman escaped, but may have been exposed to bear spray during the encounter. Later the same day, at approximately 6:30 p.m., another woman reported being approached on 3rd Ave

RCMP in the Cowichan Valley are investigating two separate overnight shootings that police believe were targeted, involving a residence in North Cowichan and vehicles in Duncan. Officers were first called to the 5800 block of Jaynes Road in North Cowichan at around 4:45 a.m. on December 15 after reports of multiple gunshots. While initial patrols did not immediately locate the source, further searches by the Investigation Support Team, Street Crimes Unit, and a Police Service Dog led to evidence showing a nearby home had been struck by gunfire. No injuries were reported. A second incident was

Strong winds moving across southern British Columbia have left close to 100,000 BC Hydro customers without electricity, with the largest number of outages reported in the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, and on Vancouver Island. BC Hydro said more than 90,000 customers in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast region lost power overnight and into the morning hours, while an additional 11,000 customers were affected on Vancouver Island. Crews were dispatched across multiple regions as conditions allowed. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, warning of westerl