British Columbia's wildfire season is the most destructive on record, with more than 15,000 square kilometres of the province burned, surpassing the previous high of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018.Here are some statistics about the current season from the BC Wildfire Service website, as of 12 p.m. Pacific time, July 26.Burnt area:15,055 square kilometresFires currently burning: 439, including 23 fires of noteNew fires in the past 24 hours:9Out-of-control fires:246Total number of fires this season:1,486Causes of all fires:Lightning, 69 per cent; humans (deliberate and accidental), 25 per

Starting Thursday, June 29, 2023, people can book an appointment to see a pharmacist through a new provincial online booking system, making it even easier and more convenient to access the health care they need. The new online booking system is similar to the Get Vaccinated system where people booked appointments to get their COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. Through the new online booking system, people can search for available appointment times at nearby pharmacies based on their minor ailment or contraceptive needs. Appointments can continue to be made by calling or visiting a pharmacy.

An immigration consultant in India is facing criminal charges in Canada for providing dozens of international students with fraudulent college admissions letters to secure study permits in Canada. In a statement on Friday evening, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced it is charging Brijesh Mishra under the Immigration and Refugee Act for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a licensed immigration consultant and offering advice. ``Following information provided to the CBSA concerning Mr. Mishra's status in Canada, as well his alleged involvement in activities related to counseling

Member of Parliament Sukh Dhaliwal says the shooting death of a religious leader in the parking lot of a British Columbia temple has prompted a meeting with Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and members of the Sikh Liberal caucus.Dhaliwal, who represents the Metro Vancouver riding of Surrey-Newton where the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar took place, posted a statement on Twitter, saying Sikh members of the Liberal caucus met with the minister regarding the tragic incident at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.Dhaliwal says the caucus members were assured the federal government is working closely w

A federal bill that will require Google and Meta to pay media outlets for news content that they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms is set to become law.The Senate has passed the bill in a final vote and it is now awaiting royal assent amid a standoff between the Liberal government and Silicon Valley tech giants.Ottawa, which says the law creates a level playing field between online advertising giants and the shrinking news industry, is now waiting to see if Meta or Google will react by removing journalism from their platforms in Canada.Meta has said it plans to comply with the bi

Canada Post has released its first definite stamp featuring King Charles as monarch. The Crown corporation says it is the first time the King has appeared on the Canadian stamp. The stamp was released at the ceremony in Ottawa marking the King's coronation. Canada Post says the stamp continues the corporation's long-standing tradition of issuing definitive stamps depicting the Canadian sovereign, dating back more than 170 years. It says the tradition began in 1851 with a pre-Confederation stamp featuring Queen Victoria, the King's great-great-great grandmother. The definitive stamp features a

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told US President Joe Biden that Canada is buying a U-S surface-to-air missile system for Ukraine. The pair spoke today at a summit in Mexico City. Trudeau's office did not immediately provide a cost estimate or timeline on buying the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System. Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba says his country welcomes the recent aid, saying it would help ward off Russia and bring about peace sooner.

Surrey RCMP is on the scene at a residence in the Fraser Heights area where three deceased persons have been located inside the house. On January 9, 2023, shortly after 12:00 p.m., Surrey RCMP attended a residence in the 15600-block of 112 Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered three deceased persons inside the home, whom are believed to be part of the same family. No one else was located at the property. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been called and will be working in partnership with Surrey RCMP. Police are currently in the evidence gathering phase; however do not

Canadian tourists remain barricaded in their hotel today amid violence in the streets after the arrest of a major drug cartel leader. Tina Dahl, an Edmonton woman with relatives stranded in the popular resort town of Mazatlan, says her six family members remain safe. But she says they're definitely shaken by what's happened. She says the hotel lobby was full of people who slept there overnight after their flights were cancelled. The beaches are full of military vehicles patrolling up and down as helicopters patrol the skies. Dahl says her family went to their room Thursday afternoon and have