Tourism body Destination Vancouver says Taylor Swift will bring an estimated $157 million economic impact to the city next week with the three final concert dates of the record-breaking Eras Tour. Destination Vancouver says the forecast includes $97 million in direct spending on items including accommodation, food and transport. It says the Eras Tour is expected to bring more than 150,000 Swifties to BC Place over the three shows from Dec. 6 to 8, and has resulted in more than 82,000 rooms booked across the region. The tourism organization made the calculations with BC Pavilion Corporation, wh

A commercial food processing company is facing 26 charges after an Edmonton worker became trapped in a smokehouse and died. Ontario-based Sofina Foods Inc. is charged with offences under Alberta health and safety laws. The province says the facility supervisor had gone to check the temperature of the smokehouse in March 2023 and was trapped inside. The employee was found by a co-worker and later died due to heat exposure. Smokehouses are used to process and preserve meat. It's alleged the company failed to ensure the smokehouse was well maintained and not a risk for staff.

British Columbia is making disaster financial assistance available to victims of floodwaters that gushed through several communities when an atmospheric river dumped hundreds of millimetres of rain on parts of the province last month. The province says flood-affected residents of Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, the Squamish First Nation and North and West Vancouver are eligible. The financial aid of up to $400,000 per claim is aimed at compensating for "sudden, unexpected and uninsurable losses," such as damage to a principal residence and debris removal. The deadline for applications is Feb. 23 ne

Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that's been called for a week before Christmas. Nenshi, who leads the province's NDP, says in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure that the cards are ``one of the few remaining supports provided by Elections Alberta to promote access to democracy.'' Premier Danielle Smith announced last week that a byelection for Lethbridge-West will be held Dec. 18, to fill the vacancy that opened up when former ND

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he'll call a meeting with premiers to take a 'Team Canada' response to Donald Trump's threat of imposing hefty tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports. Speaking on his way in to a cabinet meeting this morning, Trudeau said he had a good call with the U.S. president-elect Monday night, noting the effective connections between the two countries. Trudeau also spoke with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who chairs the premiers' association known as the Council of the Federation, as well as other premiers last night. Ford had written to Trudeau requesting an urgent meet

Today in the Canadian Parliament, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accusing him of excluding seniors and working Canadians from the $250 rebate. He argued that the Liberal government is leaving out those who need the support the most. Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also targeted Jagmeet Singh. Poilievre pointed out that on one hand, Singh claims to have terminated his agreement with the government, yet on the other hand, he is supporting Trudeau’s two-month relief plan. Poilievre suggested that if this is all the government plans to do, they

The City of Surrey has proposed the construction of 8 new SkyTrain stations along Fraser Highway, with public feedback being sought on the design from November 28 to December 12. According to the City of Surrey, the Surrey and Langley SkyTrain project is being developed to address the growing demand for transit. The Langley SkyTrain project is an extension of the existing Expo Line, which will run along Fraser Highway from King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey to 203 Street in Langley City Centre. The project will feature 8 new stations and three new transit interchanges, improving regional

Home sales and prices are on the rise in BC. The British Columbia Real Estate Association reported 7,119 residential unit sales in October, a 33.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year. Although it took longer than expected, home sales have now returned to normal levels, according to BCREA chief economist Brendan Ogmundson. He noted that buyers had been waiting for high interest rates to ease, and this shift is now encouraging their return to the housing market. The association also reported a 0.3 percent increase in home prices across the province in October, bringing the aver

Supporters have flooded the streets in a show of solidarity for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Punjab, Pakistan. Protesters are marching towards the capital, Islamabad, with security forces deployed at every major intersection to prevent their progress. So far, reports indicate that more than 4,000 Imran Khan supporters have been arrested. Among those detained are five Members of Parliament (MPs) from Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Bushra Bibi, the wife of Imran Khan, has called on supporters to continue their march toward Islama