Statistics Canada says the country’s rate of police-reported drug crime has increased for the first time in more than a decade, marking a 13 per cent jump between 2023 and 2024. The new data shows the rise was driven by higher numbers of possession and trafficking charges involving cannabis, cocaine and opioids other than heroin. Despite the recent uptick, the national rate remains well below its historical peak. The 2024 figure stood at 128 incidents per 100,000 people – down 61 per cent from a high of 330 in 2011. The Northwest Territories recorded the highest rate of drug crime last yea

Health officials have confirmed a new wave of avian influenza outbreaks across British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, marking the province’s first cases in nearly a year. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says nine commercial poultry flocks in Abbotsford and Chilliwack have tested positive for the virus since mid-October. The latest surge began on October 14, when the first outbreak of the season was detected in Abbotsford. Eight additional cases were reported in the following days, six of them in Chilliwack-area farms. The return of infections coincides with the annual fall migration

The number of extortion related files with Surrey police in 2025 has reached 74. Of these, 39 cases were shooting related. Just around a couple of weeks ago, this number was reported to have reached 57. Meanwhile, shots were also fired in the 7800 block of 124 Street in Surrey at around 2:45 a.m. yesterday (Sunday, Oct. 25). There were people inside the house at the time of the incident, but no one was injured. It has not yet been confirmed that this incident is related to extortion, although the matter is suspected to be extortion-related. Connect FM reached out to Staff Sgt. Lindsey Hough

Prime Minister Mark Carney is departing today on his first official visit to Asia since taking office, launching a nine-day trip aimed at deepening Canada’s economic and diplomatic relationships across the Indo-Pacific. The visit includes stops at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in South Korea. The trip comes amid renewed geopolitical tension in the region, with countries balancing ties between the United States and China. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend both summits, drawing sig

The federal and Ontario governments are putting a total of $3 billion toward a project to build four small nuclear reactors in the Greater Toronto Area. Prime Minister Mark Carney has added the Darlington New Nuclear Project to his list of projects deemed to be in the national interest and therefore worthy of fast tracking. He and Premier Doug Ford are at the site east of Toronto today to announce that their governments are contributing $2 billion and $1 billion, respectively. Ontario Power Generation has said the entire project should cost about $21 billion. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commis

Vancouver Police say three men have been arrested following a six-week investigation that uncovered an organized criminal network operating from a Downtown Eastside rooming house. Officers seized more than $330,000 worth of toxic drugs, stolen property, and weapons as part of the operation. The investigation, launched in August by VPD’s Task Force Barrage, focused on criminal activity around Carrall and East Hastings Street — one of the city’s most crime-affected intersections. Police allege the group used rooms in the West Hotel, a building intended for low-income tenants, to traffic dr

Canada’s annual inflation rate rose to 2.4 per cent in September, according to new data from Statistics Canada, driven by higher grocery bills and modest increases in gasoline and rent costs. The latest Consumer Price Index report shows inflation up from 1.9 per cent in August, slightly above economists’ forecasts. While gasoline prices were lower than a year earlier due to the removal of the federal carbon charge, the annual decline was smaller than in August — a factor that nudged overall inflation higher. Food prices continued to climb, with fresh vegetables up 1.9 per cent compared t

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will move ahead with new border security and public safety investments as part of the upcoming federal budget, including hiring 1,000 additional Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers. According to the announcement, the new officers will focus on curbing the movement of stolen goods, illegal firearms, and drugs, while enforcing import measures and investigating unfair trade practices. The government also plans to increase the CBSA recruit stipend from $125 to $525 per week the first raise since 2005 to attract and retain new recruit

Surrey RCMP are investigating another shooting at Kap’s Café, a local restaurant associated with Bollywood comedian and television host Kapil Sharma. Police say the business was struck by multiple bullets early Thursday morning, marking the third such incident at the location this year. Officers were called to the café just before 4 a.m. and found damage to the building caused by gunfire. Staff members were inside at the time, but no injuries were reported. Authorities have not released information about suspects or a possible motive. The same café was targeted by two separate shootings e