The Calgary Stampede’s annual chuckwagon tarp auction generated a record $6.1 million in sponsorship bids, according to event organizers, marking a significant increase of about $2 million from the previous year. The funds secure advertising partnerships for 27 drivers competing in the Rangeland Derby, one of the festival’s signature events. This year’s Calgary Stampede is scheduled to begin July 3. The highest bid reached $550,000, placed by Bar L5 Ranch for driver Rae Croteau Jr., organizers said following the Thursday evening auction. The annual auction allows corporate sponsors, many

A 12-year-old girl injured in a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge is expected to travel to Los Angeles for specialized medical treatment, according to her mother. In a public Facebook post, Cia Edmonds said her daughter, Maya Gebala, has been released from intensive care at BC Children’s Hospital and is now “seemingly stable.” Maya had been receiving treatment there after suffering multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the head, during a mass shooting at her school in February. According to Edmonds, the next stage of care will involve what she described as an “aggressive appro

The Langley RCMP said officers responded at about 4:57 p.m. on April 9 to a crash in the 3300 block of 264th Street. First responders from the Township of Langley Fire Department and the British Columbia Ambulance Service also attended. “Despite life-saving efforts, one individual succumbed to their injuries at the scene,” Sgt. Zynal Sharoom said in a statement released by police. The Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service has been deployed to assist with the investigation. Police have not released details about the cause of the crash or the identity of the individual. Ro

U.S. Vice President JD Vance says Iran should not attempt to “play” the United States as he departs for Pakistan to lead negotiations aimed at ending a six-week war between Washington and Tehran. According to White House officials, Vance will participate in mediated talks in Islamabad as part of an effort directed by President Donald Trump to seek a resolution to the conflict, which began Feb. 28. The administration has not confirmed whether the will be conducted directly with Iranian officials or through intermediaries. The talks come amid signs that a temporary ceasefire could collapse.

The president of the United Nurses of Alberta says weapons screening systems and more protective services officers are urgently needed in Alberta hospitals, citing what she describes as near-daily threats of violence against frontline staff. Heather Smith made the call following a stabbing last week in the emergency department at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital. According to hospital officials, a 42-year-old man was treated for life-threatening injuries after the incident. In a statement after the attack, Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones said the province is work

Statistics Canada is set to release its March labour force survey Friday, offering the latest snapshot of Canada’s job market after a sharp slowdown at the start of the year. According to a Reuters poll of economists, the economy is expected to have added 15,000 jobs in March. That would follow losses totalling more than 100,000 positions in January and February combined, based on previous labour force data. The same poll projects the national unemployment rate will edge up to 6.8 per cent. Economists at RBC, however, expect the rate to hold at 6.7 per cent, citing modest hiring conditions t

Environment and Climate Change Canada says it plans to incorporate artificial intelligence into its national weather forecasting system, combining it with traditional models to improve accuracy and speed. According to the federal department, the new hybrid model will analyze decades of historical weather data across North America within minutes, allowing forecasters to generate more precise predictions. Officials say the system is designed to address limitations in standalone AI models by retaining small-scale atmospheric details through conventional forecasting methods. Environment Canada say

Four people have been convicted in connection with a violent home invasion and kidnapping that took place in East Vancouver on March 11, 2023, following a year-long investigation by the Vancouver Police Department. According to a Vancouver Police Department release, the case involved seven crime scenes and the abduction of four from a family home. Investigators say the victims were forced from the residence, driven the city, and held against their will for a period of time. Police arrested three suspects in April 2024 and forwarded charges to Crown counsel. Charges were later recommended again

A man has been arrested after police say a clandestine firearms manufacturing operation involving 3D-printed weapons was dismantled in Surrey. According to a Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia news release, its Illegal Firearms Enforcement Team began investigating in March 2026 into a suspect believed to be producing 3D-printed firearms and sharing schematics online. Police said the activity falls under Section 102.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which addresses the distribution of computer data for illegal firearms manufacturing. Investigators identified a suspect