BC is launching a public housing program that aims to fast-track rental property developments on under-utilized lands throughout the province. The province says the 2.95 billion dollar BC Builds program will provide low-cost financing to build affordable rental units for middle-income earners on government, community and non-profit owned lands. It says it has already identified 20 sites with the potential to build up to four thousand rental units. Premier David Eby says they are aiming for a concept-to-construction timeline of 12 to 18 months to build the housing, compared with the current thr

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has been embroiled in controversy over ArriveCAN, which was released during the Covid-19 pandemic.The Auditor General of Canada says there was mismanagement in the contract, development and implementation of the ArriveCAN app, making it impossible to determine the final cost of the app.However, the Auditor General put the cost at an estimated $59.5 million, while the Canada Border Services Agency said the estimated cost to build and operate the app was $54 million.

In an exclusive interview conducted by Connect FM host Vijay Saini at the Surrey studio, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre sharply criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying living conditions in Canada have worsened during his eight years in office. Poilievre targeted federal housing and immigration policies, arguing they are fuelling a crisis of affordability and access. “Canadians are working harder, paying more, and getting less. That is the direct result of this government’s approach,” he said. The Conservative leader also pointed to rising public safety concerns, noting rep

Officials from various levels of government are set to gather with police and industry leaders in Ottawa today to brainstorm on fighting the scourge of automobile theft. The federal government says an estimated 90,000 cars are stolen annually in Canada, resulting in about $1 billion in costs to Canadian insurance policy-holders and taxpayers. It says auto theft increasingly involves organized crime groups, and the proceeds of these crimes are used to fund other illegal activities. Ottawa says most stolen autos shipped abroad are destined for Africa and the Middle East. On Wednesday, the govern

Surrey Police Service is deploying 11 more police officers for frontline policing for the safety of city residents.With this, the total number of Surrey Police Service officers in the city has increased to 200.Among the newly deployed officers are four sergeants and seven constables, who have good experience in frontline policing.This is the first batch of officers deployed by the Surrey Police Service in 2024 and will continue to be deployed this year for policing change.Surrey Police Service also hopes to be approved soon to deploy its own staff sergeants and inspectors to support frontline

The federal government will continue to ban foreign nationals from buying homes in Canada for another two years as housing affordability concerns continue to trouble cities across the country. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement today, saying Canada is extending its foreign homebuyer ban up until 2027. Under the ban, which first came into effect in 2022, non-Canadian people, including permanent residents, and commercial enterprises are prevented from buying homes here. Freeland issued a statement saying the extension will ensure houses are used for homes for Canadians and

The Liberal government has delayed the Medical Assistance in Dying program until 2027 for people whose only illness is mental illness.Health Minister Mark Holland introduced the Bill in this regard in the House of Commons this morning.Holland said this would give the parliamentary committee another two years to assess whether the health system is ready for this.Holland and Justice Minister Arif Virani said they agree with a recent parliamentary committee report that Canada's medical experts are not yet ready.The current deadline for the implementation of the Medical Assistance in Dying Program

Statistics Canada says the country’s fertility rate reached an all-time low of 1.33 children per woman in 2022. The federal agency says that's part of a downward trend that began in 2009. The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to have temporarily disrupted the trend when the fertility rate rose in both 2020 and 2021. According to the report, other countries had a similar experience during those years. The decline in the fertility rate between 2021 and 2022 is the largest observed since the baby bust in the early 1970s. StatCan says it puts Canada in the middle of the pack of 10 high-income countries

The federal ethics watchdog is asking parliamentarians and the public to read between the lines about advice he gave to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before his recent holiday trip. Konrad von Finckenstein told a House of Commons ethics committee today that under the Conflict of Interest Act, he can't publicly disclose conversations he's had with politicians. But he says that if Trudeau's stay at a family friend's property in Jamaica had been unacceptable, it would've been recorded on his office's website and nothing is there. Trudeau's office said earlier this month that the family's stay was