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vancouver-island-community-without-water-after-barge-damages-underwater-line
BCJan 19, 2022

Vancouver Island community without water after barge damages underwater line

A First Nation on Vancouver Island has declared a state of emergency and banned the use of water for everything except flushing toilets after a barge severed a water supply line. A message posted by the District of Ucluelet says the underwater line in the inlet between Ucluelet and the Indigenous community of Hitacu was damaged Monday, leaving the community without water for showers, drinking, cooking or fire suppression. A statement from the Ucluelet First Nation says water is being delivered to the roughly 275 affected residents and trucks have been filling the community's water tower to pr
bars-and-other-b-c-businesses-affected-by-pandemic-closures-to-receive-more-help
BCJan 19, 2022

Bars and other B.C. businesses affected by pandemic closures to receive more help

More financial help is on the way for British Columbia businesses forced to stay closed for at least another month as the province tries to contain the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A statement from the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation says businesses including event venues, bars, nightclubs and lounges that don't serve full meals are eligible for grants of up to $20,000, based on staffing levels. The funds, which double the amount available to those businesses, can be claimed through the provincial COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant. Businesses ordered by the provin
inflation-in-b-c-climbed-three-basis-points-as-inflation-in-canada-hits-4-8
BCJan 19, 2022

Inflation in B.C. climbed three basis points as inflation in Canada hits 4.8%

Statistics Canada confirms the cost of living in Canada just keeps climbing, as the national inflation rate hit 4.8 per cent last month, the highest in two decades. Analysts say the December setting was one-tenth of a point above November's with food, housing and gasoline among the reasons for the higher costs. Inflation in BC climbed three basis points to 3.9 per cent in December, while Vancouver's rate leaped more than half a per cent to 3.8 per cent and the cost of living in Victoria edged up to 3.4 per cent last month from 3.2 in November. An announcement is planned next week by the Bank
over-200-afghan-refugees-safely-reach-vancouver
BCJan 19, 2022

Over 200 Afghan refugees safely reach Vancouver

Just over 200 Afghan refugees are now safe in Vancouver after arriving on a charter plane from Pakistan last night. Federal officials say 209 people were on the flight, most of them workers and their families who assisted the Canadian government in Afghanistan in the months and years before the Taliban took power in August. The group is the largest so far to arrive in B-C and it's expected that all but about 50 will stay in Vancouver, while the rest will join family in other parts of the country. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says more than seven-thousand refugees have now reached safety i
trudeau-calls-russian-aggression-in-ukraine-absolutely-unacceptable
CanadaJan 19, 2022

Trudeau calls Russian aggression in Ukraine "absolutely unacceptable"

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirms that new Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has met with leaders in Ukraine to assure them Canada stands with its international allies in defending the country. Trudeau calls Russian aggression in the region ``absolutely unacceptable.'' He says he's spoken to cabinet ministers and the chief of the defence staff about Canada's strategy in Ukraine. Joly says Canada has not decided whether it will help arm Ukraine's forces with military hardware after NATO ally Britain said it would supply anti-tank weapons.
BCJan 19, 2022

Two people injured after shooting in Surrey

Two people have been slightly injured in what police say was an early morning targeted shooting in Surrey. RCMP say it happened just after 3 a.m. inside a warming centre in the Whalley neighbourhood. The police statement says a 24 year old man who is known to them is believed to have been the target but a 57 year old woman was also hurt, and both were treated in hospital and released. Investigators say the attack is not believed to be linked to the Lower Mainland gang conflict.
two-schools-in-abbotsford-closed-until-monday-due-to-operational-limitations-related-to-the-spread-of-covid-19
BCJan 19, 2022

Two schools in Abbotsford closed until Monday due to "operational limitations" related to the spread of COVID-19

Two more schools have been added to the handful of elementary and secondary schools affected by functional closures linked to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The Abbotsford School District says in a social media message that WJ Mouat Secondary and Yale Secondary will be closed until Monday due to ``operational limitations'' related to the spread of the virus. Lack of staff forced closure of Mission's Heritage Park Middle School on Friday but it's expected to reopen tomorrow; Armstrong Elementary was shuttered last week and planned to open yesterday but will now stay closed unti
pandemic-towards-its-peak-in-ontario-and-quebec
CanadaJan 19, 2022

Pandemic towards its peak in Ontario and Quebec

The fifth wave of the pandemic appears to be peaking in hard-hit provinces like Ontario and Quebec, but Saskatchewan is bracing for a wave of COVID-19 hospitalizations and workers off the job until the middle of next month. Alberta's hospitalization rates are rising to levels not seen since mid-October and P-E-I is bringing in restrictions on gathering limits and shutting down gyms and restaurant dining rooms. B-C provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is going to let gyms and other fitness facilities re-open tomorrow -- a move she calls a cautious step in lifting COVID-19 restrictions.
CanadaJan 19, 2022

Inflation hit 4.8 mark once again after three decades

Inflation hit 4.8 per cent in December. The last time it was that high was December, 1991 when the number-one hits on the radio included Michael Bolton's ``When a Man Loves a Woman'' and Michael Jackson's ``Black or White.'' The main drivers for price growth were higher year-over-year prices for food, passenger vehicles and housing. Prices at the gas pumps shot up 33.3 per cent from December 2020, but that was lower than November's 43.6 per cent annual increase.

Just In

30-year-old-womans-death-in-fort-st-james-deemed-suspicious-rcmp-investigating
BCSep 16, 2026

30-Year-Old Woman’s Death in Fort St. James Deemed Suspicious, RCMP Investigating

The B.C. RCMP’s Major Crime Unit is investigating the death of a 30-year-old woman in Fort St. James as suspicious. The woman has been identified as Dayna Monk, and investigators are appealing to the public for information that could assist with the case. According to Fort St. James RCMP, emergency health services were called to a home in the 400-block of Stuart Drive on May 31 following reports that a woman was experiencing cardiac arrest. Despite resuscitation efforts, the woman could not be saved. Initial investigations did not indicate any criminal involvement in her death. However, foll
david-eby-instructs-ndp-to-be-ready-for-the-election
BCSep 16, 2026

David Eby Instructs NDP to Be Ready for the Election

British Columbia Premier David Eby says he has told NDP legislators to be “election ready” amid the disruption caused by the ongoing trade war with the United States. Eby said Cheryl Oates, his former acting chief of staff, will manage the NDP’s campaign for the next provincial election whenever it is called. However, he did not announce any date for the vote. The premier said he has informed both Elections B.C. and the NDP caucus that they need to be prepared for an election. His comments come as the Opposition B.C. Conservatives face internal changes, with nine members having left the
surrey-mayor-brenda-locke-slams-release-of-high-risk-offenders
BCSep 16, 2026

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke Slams Release of High-Risk Offenders

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has expressed strong concern after two high-risk offenders were released into the city within just two days. Following a public warning issued by the Surrey Police Service, Locke said violent offenders such as Jonathan Muzichka and Skyler Pelletier should not be released to live in Surrey. She said Surrey is home to more than 700,000 people and allowing high-risk offenders to repeatedly settle in the community raises serious concerns about public safety. Locke said she supports rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, but the responsibility of managing high-risk
poilievre-calls-on-carney-to-clarify-canada-eu-talks
BCSep 16, 2026

Poilievre Calls on Carney to Clarify Canada-EU Talks

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to clarify discussions surrounding Canada’s potential associate membership, special alliance or any other proposed arrangement with the European Union. Poilievre said the Conservative Party’s position is clear: it fully supports Canada’s decades-old free trade relationship and NATO alliance with Europe, but strongly opposes imposing any European taxes, laws or open-border immigration policies on Canadians. He said Canada is an independent, sovereign country and that these principles cannot be compromised. Meanw
BCSep 16, 2026

North Island College Campus Attack Leaves Two Injured

An attack at North Island College’s Comox Valley campus in British Columbia has left two people injured. Police said they received multiple reports of an attack involving a sharp weapon inside a college residence building at around 12:53 a.m. Front-line officers who arrived at the scene found two young people injured and arrested a suspect after identifying him. Comox Valley RCMP Constable Monica Terragni said the suspect is a 21-year-old man from Burnaby who remains in custody. The two injured victims were taken to hospital and are reportedly in stable condition. Police said the motive behi