A 33-year-old woman has been charged with six serious offences in connection with two separate grass fires that occurred in Vernon, in B.C.’s Okanagan region, on Aug. 4. According to Vernon North Okanagan RCMP, the first fire was reported on Kammenz Road near Bench Row Road in the afternoon. About 20 minutes later, a second fire was discovered at Carlson Park. Following an investigation, police arrested 33-year-old Maria Benning Bear, a resident of West Kelowna, on Aug. 14. She is facing six serious charges, including arson, mischief causing property damage, possession of incendiary material

A senior man who was seriously injured after being struck by a TransLink bus in Surrey last month has died in hospital. According to the Surrey Police Service, the man, believed to be between 60 and 65 years old, was found seriously injured at the intersection of 128 Street and 96 Avenue at around 9:41 p.m. on July 11. Paramedics rushed him to hospital, where he later died while undergoing treatment. Police believe the incident occurred near a bus stop. The initial investigation has ruled out factors such as excessive speed and impairment as possible causes of the crash. SPS is asking anyone w

Alberta Technology Minister Nate Glubish is set to host the province’s second town hall on its plans for artificial intelligence data centres on Thursday in Redwater, north of Edmonton. The event comes amid growing concerns over the environmental and economic impacts of large-scale AI facilities. Redwater is in Sturgeon County, where tech giant Meta is planning a $13-billion AI data centre project. The proposed facility would be a major investment in the region and is expected to be one of Canada’s largest data centres. The town hall follows a contentious meeting in Lacombe on Wednesday,

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has ordered WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, to eliminate the weight limit it imposes on power wheelchairs carried on its aircraft. The regulator ruled that WestJet’s weight restriction creates an unreasonable barrier for passengers living with disabilities and must be removed before July 2027. The case came to light following a complaint filed by Winnipeg resident and former federal cabinet minister Steven Fletcher, who was prevented from boarding a WestJet flight last year because of the weight of his customized electric wheelchair. WestJ

A 15-year-old youth has been criminally charged after allegedly making threats to burn down a home in Port Coquitlam. According to Coquitlam RCMP, the case relates to an incident that occurred on May 17 this year. Following an investigation by the General Investigation Section and a review of the evidence, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved the charges on August 4. The youth’s identity has not been released because of his age under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police also clarified that he is not a resident of the Port Coquitlam area. The youth is facing three charges, including mischi

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a video conference today with Iran’s exiled former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and invited him to visit Canada. Sharing details of the conversation, Poilievre said they discussed the current regime in Tehran and the mission to establish a free and democratic Iran. He also mentioned the strong support he received from Vancouver’s Iranian community for holding talks with Pahlavi. Poiliev was in the North Vancouver–Capilano riding last week, where a by-election is scheduled for August 31. On Saturday, he attended a meeting organized by the Conservativ

Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged Canada’s provincial premiers to remove restrictions on U.S. alcohol as Ottawa works to finalize an interim trade agreement with the United States. Trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. are continuing after President Donald Trump delayed the implementation of a proposed 50 per cent tariff until Friday. Washington has repeatedly raised concerns over Canada’s restrictions on American alcohol products. Because provincial governments control the sale and distribution of alcohol in Canada, Carney held a virtual meeting with the premiers on Wednesday

Canada could receive some tariff relief on steel, aluminum and automobiles under a new trade deal with the United States that is reportedly nearing completion. According to reports, Washington could reduce the current 50% tariff on some Canadian steel and aluminum exports to 25% as part of the agreement. However, the details have not yet been finalized, and the new rates are not expected to apply equally to all products. Different tariffs could be imposed on certain steel- and aluminum-derived products. Meanwhile, the top-line tariff on automobiles could reportedly be reduced from 25% to 15%.

A Calgary police officer charged with two counts of second-degree murder will stand trial in connection with the deaths of two men during a slow-speed police pursuit in 2023. A judge ordered a trial for 52-year-old Const. Craig Stothard on Tuesday, following the conclusion of a preliminary inquiry. The inquiry was held to determine whether there was enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. Stothard was charged after Wesley Davidson and Levon Boyce Fox were shot and killed on May 29, 2023, following a police pursuit involving a stolen cube van. Police had responded to a report of suspi