Category: British Columbia

BC Premier David Eby Announces More Cost-of-Living Supports

British Columbia Premier David Eby announced another round of the BC Affordability Credit on Saturday to help offset inflation costs as he marked 100 days at the province’s helm. The province said in a news release that around 85 per cent of British Columbians will receive a full or partial payment as early as April…


Former MP Says Canada Has Become ‘Open Market’ for Foreign Interference in Elections

A former British Columbia member of Parliament said he fears Canada has become an “open market” for foreign governments to sway elections after being named in a newspaper report as the target of an alleged campaign by Chinese diplomats to defeat him. Kenny Chiu, a Conservative who lost his seat of Steveston-Richmond East in the 2021 election,…


Northern Spotted Owl Found Injured Near BC Train Tracks Two Months After Release

One of just four endangered spotted owls known to be in the wild in British Columbia is now recovering from an injury after being found along some train tracks, slowing the careful plans to revive the species, a breeding facility co-ordinator said. The injured bird had been released last August along with two others in…


BC Government Spending at Record High in 2021, Excluding COVID Spending: Report

Government spending reached a historic high in British Columbia under former Premier John Horgan in 2021, even when COVID-19-related spending was excluded, says a report from the Fraser Institute. The analysis looked at the highest single-year per-person spending by B.C. premiers between the years 1965 and 2021. The highest recorded per-person spending came under Horgan…


BC Team Helps Rescue Woman, Pulled From Rubble Four Days After Turkey Quake

A search and rescue team from British Columbia has taken part in the successful rescue of a woman from earthquake rubble in Turkey, more than four days after the tremor hit. Footage by the CBC showed members of the Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue team being thanked and embraced by Turkish colleagues on the scene,…


Former BC Premier John Horgan to Leave Early as Member of Legislature

Former British Columbia premier John Horgan says he’s speeding up his retirement plans, but isn’t ruling out accepting a political appointment in the future. Horgan gave an emotional farewell speech in the legislature Thursday, saying he “loved every minute” of his 30-year career at the provincial legislature, but the time had come to do other things. Horgan, 63, who…


BC Lumber Industry on Edge After Biden Ups the Ante on Buy American Policies

British Columbia’s lumber industry is anxiously parsing U.S. President Joe Biden’s latest Buy American language to better understand the implications for Canadian exporters. The B.C. Lumber Trade Council says it’s “concerning” that Biden says he wants to restrict the use of foreign lumber in federally funded infrastructure projects. Biden announced the expanded rules during Tuesday’s…


Bail Set for ‘Dances With Wolves’ Actor as Canadian Police Apply for More Charges

Bail has been set at $300,000 for a former actor in the movie “Dances With Wolves” who is facing eight sex-related charges in Nevada as police in Canada say more complainants there have come forward. Information from North Las Vegas Court says that if Nathan Chasing Horse can post bail, he could be released on…


National Reconciliation Day to Become September Statutory Holiday in BC

The British Columbia government has introduced legislation to make Sept. 30 a paid statutory holiday marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Labour Minister Harry Bains introduced a bill in the legislature Tuesday, saying the holiday will be observed this September and every Sept. 30 afterwards. He says the B.C. holiday follows the federal…


BC Fire Tanker Crashes in Australia, Both on Board Safe: Owner

A Boeing 737 air tanker owned by a British Columbia company has crashed in western Australia while on deployment to a fire. Coulson Aviation, based in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, says in a statement that both pilots walked away from the accident and have been medically assessed. The statement says the company is offering…