British Columbia's coroners service says a rebound in overdoses in April saw a return to more than 160 deaths a month due to toxic drugs. The April death toll follows last month's update that confirmed March as the sixth consecutive month during which fewer than 160 people died. The BC Coroners Service says in a statement that 165 people died in April, up from 143 deaths in March and 132 fatalities in February. The February and March numbers represented year-over-year declines of more than 30 per cent compared with the same months in 2024. The statement released Tuesday says deaths in the Fras

There is less than a year to go before Vancouver is on the global stage hosting seven FIFA World Cup soccer games, and leaders are promoting the economic benefits of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the international showcase. A joint statement from B.C. Tourism Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says one million additional out-of-province visitors are expected between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in spending. The statement says more than 18,000 jobs could be generated in that same period. It says FIFA predicts that preparing

Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) finds that 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in April 2025. In 2025, deaths among those between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68% of drug-toxicity deaths in the province, and 77% were male. April marks a return to more than 160 deaths attributed to unregulated drug toxicity reported to the BC Coroners Service after six consecutive months of reporting fewer than 160 deaths a month. By health authority in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths were in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities (18

Construction of a new ferry terminal in downtown Victoria, BC’s capital, is set to begin later this month. Transportation and Transit Minister Mike Farnworth announced the project, saying the new Belleville Terminal will add a new travel experience for travelers traveling between Victoria and the South Island. It will boost local jobs, businesses and the region’s economy in downtown Victoria. Farnworth described it as a modern ferry terminal and said it has been a goal of the community and all levels of government for the past two decades. It will provide safe transportation for goods an

The Conservative Party of British Columbia has quietly begun voting on the leadership of John Rustad in a marathon process that could last about six months. Rustad says in-person voting has already taken place in at least two ridings and he expects the ballot to be completed in December, once members in all 93 B.C. ridings have taken part. The voting comes amid questions over Rustad's handling of a group of former Conservative MLAs who he recently accused of trying to blackmail their former colleagues in a bid to take over the party. The Opposition Leader says he's "pretty optimistic" about th

The Federal Court of Appeal is refusing to allow the owners of a British Columbia ostrich farm to conduct further testing of their flock for avian flu in a bid to avert a cull ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The same ruling that was issued on Friday but only published online on Monday grants a temporary stay of the cull until a ruling on an appeal that will be held no later than the week of July 21. It says Universal Ostrich Farms has satisfied all three tests required for a temporary stay on the cull of about 400 birds at the farm in Edgewood, B.C., that has become the focus o

A bank fraud case has been reported in British Columbia, where a 68-year-old woman from Mission lost $60,000. The RCMP said the woman reported the money to police on May 28 after losing the money to the scam. Investigators said the woman received a call from a person who claimed to be from the bank, saying that her bank card had been compromised and that new cards were being issued. According to police, a rideshare driver was sent to her home to collect the card and the woman handed it over. An hour later, the scammer called back to say that all of her bank accounts had been compromised and

On June 16, 2025, at approximately 7:30 pm, police responded to a report of an assault at North Town Center Mall, 4750 Rutherford Road in Nanaimo.A woman’s dog, which was off-leash, ran aggressively at a male and his leashed dog. The male stepped in to prevent his dog from getting hurt and kicked the woman’s dog. The woman tried to intervene, and the male pushed her to the ground. The woman got up, facing the male and he struck her head with his head, causing her to crumple to the ground. Witnesses reported that the suspect then ran away, looking for his dog.The witnesses stayed on the sc

The second person killed in a rockfall last week in Banff National Park has been identified as a 33-year-old man from Surrey, B.C. RCMP did not provide a name and say no more information will be provided. Two people were killed and three more injured when a slab of mountain gave way last Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls. The three injured were later listed in stable condition. The second deceased person has previously been identified as 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary. Parks Canada has closed the area around the falls, and say t