Skip to Main content

13.18°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

May 30, 2023 9:20 PM - The Canadian Press

B.C. housing non-profit at heart of controversy names interim CEO

Share On

b-c-housing-non-profit-at-heart-of-controversy-names-interim-ceo

The housing provider says it's committed to rebuilding trust with the government, forming a task force to undertake a review of policies around real estate and conflicts of interest. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Atira Women's Resource Society says it has named a new interim CEO after former head Janice Abbott stepped down amid a conflict-of-interest controversy involving her husband, former BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay.

Atira says its new CEO Catherine Roome is an experienced leader in both the public and private sectors and will head the organization until a permanent replacement for Abbott is found.

Atira board chair Elva Kim says recruiting Roome is part of its effort to restore public confidence in the housing provider after Abbott's departure earlier this month.

The housing provider says it's committed to rebuilding trust with the government, forming a task force to undertake a review of policies around real estate and conflicts of interest.

It says it's supportive of an upcoming review by auditing firm KPMG, and has also returned nearly $2 million in funding to the provincial government after an investigation of BC Housing found Ramsay had improperly steered funding to his wife's organization.

Roome says in a news release that she looks forward to working to reset and renew the situation at Atira, and ensure its work to protect women, children and gender diverse people continues.

Latest news

some-residents-may-remain-in-b-c-landslide-evacuation-zone-after-road-access-cut

Some residents may remain in B.C. landslide evacuation zone after road access cut

Some residents may still be inside an evacuation zone in northeastern British Columbia after road access was closed due to landslide risk, according to the Peace River Regional District. In a social media update, the regional district said a co-ordinated evacuation took place Monday night in the community of Old Fort, about five kilometres south of Fort St. John, but some residents may not have left the area. Authorities are urging anyone still inside the zone to conserve supplies and stay away from the slide area. The district declared a state of local emergency and issued an evacuation order

afn-chief-asks-un-to-oppose-b-c-move-to-amend-indigenous-rights-law

AFN chief asks UN to oppose B.C. move to amend Indigenous rights law

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations called on the United Nations on Tuesday to support First Nations leaders opposing proposed changes to British Columbia’s Indigenous rights law. Speaking at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said the province’s plan to amend or suspend parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act violates international standards. According to her remarks to the forum, First Nations rights are protected under international human rights law and “cannot be suspended, amended or paused by

drug-package-disguised-as-grass-patch-found-inside-mission-institution-rcmp-investigating

Drug package disguised as grass patch found inside Mission Institution, RCMP investigating

Corrections officers at Mission Institution in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley seized a package containing suspected drugs and contraband after it was discovered inside the prison grounds earlier this month, according to police. The RCMP said in a news release that staff located the package on April 9 after it had been dropped over the facility’s perimeter fence overnight. The parcel was disguised to resemble a patch of loose turf, with real cut grass attached to the outside of a bubble mailer to blend in with the surrounding ground. According to police, the package contained more than 30

federal-government-tables-bill-to-regulate-space-launches-from-canada

CanadaApr 21, 2026

Federal government tables bill to regulate space launches from Canada

The federal government has introduced legislation that would establish a regulatory framework for launching spacecraft from Canadian territory. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon tabled the proposed Canadian Space Launch Act on Tuesday. According to a Transport Canada technical briefing, the legislation would give the federal government authority to oversee both launches and the re-entry of spacecraft. Officials said the proposed rules are intended to enable launches of satellites and rockets from within Canada, supporting both civilian and military applications. The framework would also set

surrey-memorial-expands-chemotherapy-capacity-with-six-new-treatment-chairs

Surrey Memorial expands chemotherapy capacity with six new treatment chairs

Surrey Memorial Hospital has added six new chemotherapy treatment chairs, bringing the total to 39, in an effort to address growing demand for cancer care in the region. According to health officials, the expansion will allow up to 420 additional patients to receive treatment each month. Dr. Sylvie Bourque, executive medical director at BC Cancer’s Surrey centre, said demand for chemotherapy services in Surrey continues to rise. She said the expanded capacity is expected to help the hospital meet a key target: starting first treatment for more than 90 per cent of patients within two weeks of

Related News

Some residents may remain in B.C. landslide evacuation zone after road access cut

Some residents may remain in B.C. landslide evacuation zone after road access cut

Some residents may still be inside an evacuation zone in northeastern British Columbia after road access was closed due to landslide risk, according to the Peace River Regional District. In a social media update, the regional district said a co-ordinated evacuation took place Monday night in the community of Old Fort, about five kilometres south of Fort St. John, but some residents may not have left the area. Authorities are urging anyone still inside the zone to conserve supplies and stay away from the slide area. The district declared a state of local emergency and issued an evacuation order

AFN chief asks UN to oppose B.C. move to amend Indigenous rights law

AFN chief asks UN to oppose B.C. move to amend Indigenous rights law

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations called on the United Nations on Tuesday to support First Nations leaders opposing proposed changes to British Columbia’s Indigenous rights law. Speaking at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said the province’s plan to amend or suspend parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act violates international standards. According to her remarks to the forum, First Nations rights are protected under international human rights law and “cannot be suspended, amended or paused by

Drug package disguised as grass patch found inside Mission Institution, RCMP investigating

Drug package disguised as grass patch found inside Mission Institution, RCMP investigating

Corrections officers at Mission Institution in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley seized a package containing suspected drugs and contraband after it was discovered inside the prison grounds earlier this month, according to police. The RCMP said in a news release that staff located the package on April 9 after it had been dropped over the facility’s perimeter fence overnight. The parcel was disguised to resemble a patch of loose turf, with real cut grass attached to the outside of a bubble mailer to blend in with the surrounding ground. According to police, the package contained more than 30

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital