Two people were killed and one person was seriously injured after a helicopter crashed in a remote area of Vancouver Island on Tuesday morning. According to West Coast Helicopters, the crash occurred at approximately 6:15 a.m. in the Loughborough Inlet area, where the aircraft was supporting forestry operations. The company said the victims have been identified as pilot Riley Brown and forestry worker Bobby Novak. The third occupant survived the crash and was taken for medical treatment with serious injuries. Their identity has not been released. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has t

Forestry company Canfor has announced it will permanently close its Northwood pulp mill in Prince George, a decision that is expected to affect approximately 300 employees. According to a company news release, the closure is driven by ongoing financial losses, a shortage of economically viable fibre supply, and continued weakness in global pulp markets. Canfor said an oversupply of pulp and a significant decline in market prices have created sustained challenges for the sector. The company said the Northwood pulp mill will cease operations by the end of the fourth quarter of 2026. The closure

The Bank of Canada has kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25 per cent following its latest monetary policy decision on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive announcement with no change to the policy rate. According to the Bank of Canada, the Governing Council, led by Governor Tiff Macklem, decided to maintain the current rate amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding global economic conditions. The central bank cited volatility in global oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East and continued uncertainty over the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) as factors in

The Punjab government is expected to convene the Monsoon session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the first week of August, according to information available from government sources. The session is likely to continue for about a week and is expected to conclude before August 15. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has begun consultations on the proposed agenda for the session. According to government sources, discussions are underway on the legislative business to be introduced during the sitting. Among the measures that could be taken up is a proposed amendment to the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sa

A court hearing is scheduled to continue today in Calgary in a civil case involving Alberta separatist figure Jeffrey Rath, whose assets were temporarily frozen last week as part of an ongoing legal dispute. Last week, Court of King's Bench Justice Michael Marion granted an interim injunction freezing up to $8.5 million in assets held by Rath. According to court proceedings, the order is scheduled for review as the legal case between Rath and Tallcree First Nation moves forward. Tallcree First Nation alleges Rath, its former lawyer, misappropriated millions of dollars from a multimillion-dolla

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a series of new Canadian consul general appointments across the United States. As part of the changes, former Brampton West Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Kamal Khera has been appointed Canada's new Consul General in Los Angeles. According to the Prime Minister's Office, former Shell Canada executive Susannah Pierce has been appointed Consul General in New York. The appointments also include former Bank of Canada director Claire Kennedy as Consul General in Chicago and veteran diplomat Andrea Clements as Consul General in Detroit. The appointmen

The federal government says it will invest nearly $30 million over two years to establish a new defence innovation centre focused on military drone research and development in Quebec. National Defence Minister David McGuinty announced the funding Wednesday in Mirabel, Que., a major aerospace manufacturing hub. According to the Department of National Defence, the project will support the creation and operation of a defence innovation centre dedicated to unmanned systems. The initiative will be led by Aéro Montréal and a consortium of 30 organizations representing industry, academic institutio

A 35-year-old West Vancouver man is facing multiple charges in connection with a series of alleged residential break-ins and related property crimes in the Northgate neighbourhood, according to West Vancouver Police. Police said the investigation stems from incidents reported on April 23, when officers received complaints of residential break-ins, thefts from vehicles and the unauthorized use of a stolen credit card. Investigators later arrested Louis Muelfarth in connection with the case. He was released on April 25 on conditions, including a requirement to appear in court on July 15. Accordi

At least nine Palestinians, including a 10-year-old child and a senior Hamas police official, were killed Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza health authorities and Hamas-run police officials. Medical officials said 10-year-old Mutaz Abu Shar was killed by Israeli gunfire in Rafah. In northern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeted a Hamas-controlled police post in the Jabalia area, killing about seven people, including a woman, according to local health officials. In a statement, Hamas' Interior Ministry identified those killed in the Jabalia strike