British Columbia's solicitor general says the government has filed the first-ever application to secure an unexplained wealth order in Canada. Mike Farnworth says the notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court is the start of a series of similar applications, which are powerful tools that "put those engaging in illegal activity on notice." A statement from Farnworth says the province "will not tolerate criminals prospering in our communities" and it will pursue illegally acquired properties, luxury vehicles, money laundering schemes and businesses operating as fronts. The minister say

Police say they have made an arrest in a shooting that killed four people in Winnipeg. Officers were called early Sunday to a home in the West Broadway neighborhood, where they found five people wounded. A man and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene, and another man and a woman died later in hospital. Police say a 55-year-old man remains in hospital in critical condition. Jamie Randy Felix, who is 32 and from Winnipeg, is charged with four counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

The federal government's bail-reform legislation is on its way to becoming law. Justice Minister Arif Virani urged MPs to accept the amendments to Bill C-48 on Thursday and they did so unanimously. The Liberal government introduced the bill earlier this year in the face of sustained calls from all provincial leaders and many police chiefs to make bail more difficult to access for repeat violent offenders. The bill expands the use of reverse-onus provisions for certain offenders. It means, instead of a Crown prosecutor having to prove in court why an accused person should stay behind bars un

Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate ticked up to 5.8 per cent last month as job creation continues to lag population growth in the country. The federal agency released its November labour force survey today, showing the economy added a modest 25,000 jobs. Manufacturing and construction saw the largest gains in employment, while the most jobs were shed in wholesale and retail trade as well as finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing. As labour market conditions weaken, the survey finds unemployed people last month were more likely to have been laid off compared with a yea

British Columbia's coroner says the toxic and unregulated drug supply has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the province in the first ten months of this year. A statement from the coroners' service says in October alone 189 people died from overdoses, which is more than six deaths a day. It is also the 37th consecutive month where at least 150 people died from illicit overdoses. The service says more than 13,300 people have died because of poisoned drugs since the crisis was declared in April 2016. Jennifer Whiteside, minister of mental health and addictions, says in a statement that they recog

A new toll-free, three-digit suicide prevention helpline launched across Canada on Thursday morning. People having suicidal thoughts or other mental health distress can now call or text 988 to reach a trained responder 24 hours a day, seven days a week — no matter where they live in the country. About 12 people die by suicide in Canada every day, adding up to about 4,500 lives lost each year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide every day. The $158.4-million project is funded and overseen by the public health agency and led by the Ce

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the province is to stop collecting the carbon levy on electric heat starting Jan. 1.He says many people in northern Saskatchewan use electricity to heat their homes, and that they should be exempt from paying the price.The premier says the province is to examine who uses electricity to heat their homes, and then will figure out how to take the carbon price off their bills.In late October, Moe announced the province won't remit the carbon charge on natural gas after Ottawa exempted home heating oil.Moe says the federal government's exemption is unfair, as it

More than 16,000 cases of online child sextortion have been reported in BC this year. In the wake of the recent suicide of a 12-year-old boy in Prince George, police and children's advocates are urging parents and caregivers to talk to their children. Carson Cleland's parents say he was a victim of sextortion, and according to police, such cases are on the rise. The BC RCMP's Integrated Child Exploitation, or ICE, unit says more than 8,000 cases were referred to them by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2022. In 2023 this number has doubled to 16000 cases. Signy Arnas

BC has seen a 21% increase in homicides over the past year. These figures were released yesterday by Statistics Canada . The latest statistics indicate that there were 155 homicides in the province in 2022, 30 more than the previous year and 55 more than 2020.. These murder cases represent a 21% year-on-year increase. The homicide rate across Canada increased by 8% last year. Last year, Manitoba had the highest increase of all provinces at 40%. Homicides in that state increased from 4.45% per 100,000 population in 2021 to 6.24% in 2022. New Brunswick was second with a 33% increase followed b