The national president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is asking workers to reject the tentative deal that was reached with Canada Post earlier this year.
Jan Simpson along with four other members of the union’s leadership believe the new deal abandons what they wanted to see in a contract .
Local CUPW 812 President, Nicole Chouinard told Vista Radio the most important vote among the postal workers is set to take place between April 20th and May 30th.
“The votes were placed (from the board) and the majority is recommending a yes to the tentative agreement. At the end of the day, the bigger process involves over 50-thousand members from across the country having their say. That will be the time we know when it plays out and it won’t be sooner than that.”
When asked if there is the possibility of another work stoppage, Chouinard stated a strike vote would only occur if the deal is rejected by the majority of its 50-thousand members.
“There is potential for that to happen. It’s hard to know what everyone’s mindset will be but the information we are fortunate enough to have, access to all of the information, all of the changes from our current collective agreement we are working under right now and what it compares to the new one.”
“We are never going to have a round of bargaining that is going to achieve every single thing we are looking for. Did we achieve enough for people to be to want to work under this, I think so.”
Chouinard referenced one of the things the national union brass wants to see return is the wage scale to be consistent for all employees, doing away with the current tiered format where more experienced mail carriers get more and newer ones receive less.
“In previous rounds of bargaining, Canada Post initiated a tiered pay scale essentially. What that means is new hires are making significantly less than people at the top of the pay scale. There was a time where everyone was making the same as each other. It makes sense that if we are all doing the same job, we should be making the same is each other.”
“The tiered pay scale is what we are working under now and is one of the things they wanted to pull back from and it wasn’t achieved.”
The tentative agreement is for a five-year contract, and includes wage increases of 6.5 per cent and three per cent in the first two years.
The Village of Cumberland is celebrating upgrades aimed at protecting the environment and meeting provincial requirements.
The first phase of wastewater upgrades for Cumberland’s wastewater treatment system has been completed.
The upgrades include improvements to the lagoon system, including the addition of UV disinfection, improved wastewater screening, changes to flow paths in the lagoons and additional aeration.
“The importance of this work for the long-term health of our communities and the environment we all depend on cannot be overstated,” said Cumberland Mayor Vickey Brown.
The upgrades also include an operator’s building, improved instrumentation and enhanced site security.
Construction began in 2023 and followed long-term wastewater planning by the village.
Christine Boyle said the province is pleased to support projects that strengthen community well-being and long-term sustainability.
“These upgrades mean the people of Cumberland will benefit from cleaner environments and a more reliable wastewater system.”
The second phase of upgrades will include wetland enhancements, seismic upgrades and improvements to Maple Creek. The projects are currently undergoing environmental assessment and permitting.
Funding for the first phase included $3.8 million from the federal government, $3.2 million from the provincial government and additional funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund.
An additional $2.5 million from the Canada Community-Building Fund will support the second phase of upgrades.
The City of Nanaimo and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 401 have signed a new agreement that will give employees a wage increase of four per cent annually over the next three years.
“We are pleased to conclude this round of bargaining without acrimony or disruption and look forward to continuing to provide the vital public services City residents rely on everyday,” said Blaine Gurrie, president of CUPE Local 401.
A news release from the city said the agreement also provides clarity around seniority, overtime and statutory holidays.
“I am pleased to see a new collective agreement in place. It is the result of respectful discussions, a willingness to work together and a shared commitment to continue the excellent work of serving our community,” said Leonard Krog.
CUPE represents about 760 city staff in departments including sanitation, public safety, parks, recreation and administration at the RCMP detachment.
Campbell River’s new breast milk collection depot is welcoming a Quadra Island mother as its first donor.
According to a release from Island Health, after feeding her six-month-old son each morning, Freya Bellemare often had extra milk.
Bellemare said she heard about the depot from a public health nurse when she took her son for immunization.
“I wasn’t aware that some babies rely on donated milk because they can’t have formula,” said Bellemare. “And there is always a need.”
Bellemare completed the screening process and became the first donor to the new depot, which opened in the fall of last year.
According to Island Health, donor milk can be a life-saving measure, providing antibodies that help fight disease and infection in premature babies and those born with medical conditions.
The health authority said Bellemare has donated 80 ounces, or 2.4 litres, so far.
“It’s rewarding. It feels good to be able to do it,” she said.
Construction has begun on a new outdoor amenity in Cobble Hill.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District said contractors are working on a new bandshell at Cobble Hill Commons.
The regional district has awarded the contract to Built Contracting Ltd., with work now starting on a permanent stage for outdoor events at the Electoral Area C park.
The site hosts events such as the Cobble Hill Agricultural Fair and the Music in the Park summer concert series.
CVRD board chair Kate Segall attended a groundbreaking ceremony March 23 to officially mark the start of construction.
“I attend Music in the Park every year, and you really see how much people value having a place to come together,” Segall said. “This bandshell will make Cobble Hill Commons an even better place to gather, with more opportunities for events and connection throughout the year.”
Construction is expected to wrap up by June 2026, with some areas of the park temporarily closed during the work.
The Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter saw an early start to its bear cub rescue season with its first resident arriving yesterday. (Wednesday)
Co-Founder and Executive Director Angelika Langen said the shelter was notified about a cub being located on Monday in Heffley Lake, about 40 kilometres northeast of Kamloops.
“[The rescuers] had left it alone [on Sunday] hoping mom was returning to pick it up but that morning, they found it cold and unresponsive, and called us for help,” she added.
Once the shelter got permission to receive the cub, it was taken to Kamloops where a BC Wildlife Park veterinarian put it into an incubator to bring the bear’s body temperature to normal.
From there, one of the shelter’s directors was able to transport the cub from Kamloops to Quesnel where it was passed to staff to finish his journey to Smithers.
“[The cub] arrived here at 4:00 p.m. and has been doing really well,” said Langen.
Since arriving, the rescuers have named him Jelly to coincide with its condiments naming theme for this year.
The shelter initially thought he was five to six weeks old but now believe him to be six to seven weeks old as his teeth started erupting.
Langen said rescue season typically starts in April or May, and have rarely received cubs earlier in the year.
“They get a bottle every four hours so that makes it a little bit tougher than the ones that come in April or May and can already eat from a bowl,” she added.
She believes the bottle feeding will last for a couple more weeks before he is ready to make the transition.
“I’m really grateful for the community we have all over B.C. that make these rescues possible. Without everybody’s involvement, this can’t happen,” Langen said.
Jelly is expected to be released during the 2027 release season back to the same area he came from.
The President and CEO of Interior Health (IH) paid a visit yesterday (Wednesday) to 100 Mile House and Williams Lake.
Slyvia Weir said the reason for her visit to the South Cariboo was to sit down with the staff and physicians at the Hospital and with the Council to listen to their concerns and talk about solutions together.
“There’s a complex framework that supports the staffing of emergency departments and that includes physicians, registered nurses and other care staff and we have been beset by illness and staffing challenges. I have to acknowledge that particularly over the last few months. We are working right now with the family physicians we have and we’re also working hard on recruitment.”
Weir said IH has a new physician coming from out of country within the next few months and hopes to get him ready to be up and running in the Fall.
“And we’re also exploring the use of nurse practitioners and whether there’s any opportunity to bring them along with the physician to support them. Everyone in that community at the hospital is feeling it, and all of the community is feeling it, and we’re doing everything we can to support it. It’s one of our key rural hospitals on a really busy highway that serves a big hinterland and we need to do better collectively.”
When it comes to recruitment we asked Weir if it’s difficult to attract them to a rural community compared to a larger center.
“We’ve been working with the Regional Hospital District and with the Council on how can we share what these rural communities have to offer. I think we need to be focusing our attention on growing our own and we have a lot, particularly of physicians who have been loyal to the community. Some are older ready to retire, want to work a little bit less, and I really want to respect and support that and bring in new staff and new medical staff who want to set up in rural communities and want to stay.
Weir said she believes there are different ways to do that.
“One is the Community Landing Program that the Regional Hospital District provides, the community support the Council provides, and then we have dedicated recruiters in the Health Authority that gets to know the communities in order to help sell them, but it needs an army to welcome people in and we need to train and grow our own where we can.”
Bringing physicians and nurses from South from the U-S is something Weir said she believes is a help in filling the gaps.
“We had about 250 new physicians in the last year within Interior Health which is great news and ten percent are from the States so I welcome all the U-S doctors with open arms. There are a lot of rural communities in the U-S and there is a lot of things we have in common. I’m surprised and excited about the number of U-S physicians that want to come.”
While in Williams Lake Weir noted that she paid a visit to the Urgent and Primary Care Centre.
With that in mind, we asked if it was feasible to set one up in the South Cariboo.
“I think there are lots of models for Primary Care and I know that the Ministry is undertaking a review of it right now. I think Primary Care options in that community are important and viable. There are a lot of people that end up in the emergency department that if there was a comprehensive Primary Care Service they would have their needs met so I do think we need to look at that. What that needs though is Primary Care physicians. So whatever we call it, we need more Primary Care physicians and more of them. I don’t want to be continually draining the resources we have, we have a lot of loyal physicians who will keep going and going and I just want to make sure that we keep them healthy too.”
Weir also talked about the Locum Program, who are physicians licensed in BC,who are often young physicians who are looking for a community.
“We have had a lot of Locums come to 100 Mile House and Williams Lake when there are service gaps so are pursuing that in the short term and we made always need Locums now and again, but I want the bulk of the staff to be physicians from the community. That’s the healthiest and best option ultimately.”
Weir noted that the Cariboo really is an example to other parts of the Interior around how to make Locums feel welcome.
“We do get repeat Locums, we hope they become permanent staff that’s absolutely our aim because they are qualified medical practitioners but they’re often kind of testing different communities out. Sometimes they say I’ll come back in a little bit and we hope they come back and we contact them again we just try to woo them and get them here and get them to stay.”
Weir said the media is often filled with the things that aren’t working well.
“I absolutely recognize for example the closures in 100 Mile House that’s taking up an awful lot of space in people’s minds and it is a really big concern. As I’ve met the staff in both Williams Lake and 100 Mile House they are fabulous. They are doing an incredible job every single day. They don’t always get the acknowledgement I think that they deserve. A lot of the people I’ve met they’ve been in the community, in the facilities, 20, 25, 30 years, and are incredibly proud and dedicated staff members. There are challenges for sure but I was really excited at the energy and the optimism that I found here in the Cariboo.”
BC SPCA says 13 dogs were seized from “an irresponsible breeder” between 100 Mile House and Clearwater.
The SPCA said in a statement that its investigation began when it received a call from someone who bought a puppy from a breeder and was concerned for the welfare of the remaining dogs.
The person who called in said they bought their puppy from an advertisement on a popular classifieds website.
The dogs, all miniature Dachshunds, range in age from 12 weeks to 12 years old, and were found housed in individual small cages with no heat or running and access to water.
The SPCA also says the dogs’ beds were caked in feces and urine, and many had severely overgrown nails to the point of curling under; one had an embedded claw that needed to be surgically removed by a veterinarian. The SPCA says almost all the adult miniature dachshunds
“The condition of these dogs is unlike anything I have ever seen,” Regional Manager Jamie Wiltse said in a statement. “In all my years working with animals, I’ve never seen such severe dental disease.”
In addition to the physical health concerns, the SPCA says it was obvious that the miniature dachshunds were also poorly socialized, which Wiltse said “was sad to see.”
“They seemed quite wary of human touch, but with patience and encouragement, they eventually warmed up to our animal protection officers.”
The SPCA says the miniature daschshunds are decompressing and receiving attention and medical care at a BC SPCA centre. The dogs are currently not available for adoption.
The BC SPCA will be recommending charges against this breeder to Crown Counsel.
Prince George Mounties have successfully located a person related to a December file at the corner of Highway 97 and Ferry Avenue.
On December 28th, the RCMP responded to a report of an individual, wearing dark clothing and a backpack, near the guard rail on the south side of the Simon Fraser Bridge.
In a previous news release, it was noted that officers attended the location, and the individual was no longer on scene.
Mounties subsequently conducted searches with assistance from Prince George Fire Rescue, along with local Search and Rescue.
Grand Forks Border Bruins couldn’t hold off the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on home ice, falling 7-4 and slipping to a 3-1 deficit in their KIJHL playoff series.
Despite the loss, the Border Bruins generated offence, with Austin Tellefson setting up three goals and Levi Astill scoring his eighth of the playoffs. But defensive lapses and Beaver Valley’s finishing touch proved costly.
Brady Magarrell led the Nitehawks with two goals, including the game-winner, as Beaver Valley moved within one win of advancing to the Kootenay Conference final. Michiel Leenders added two goals and three points, while Brady Walker contributed three assists.
Grand Forks also faced a busy night in net, with Eric Kahl making 29 saves as the Nitehawks controlled stretches of play. At the other end, Beaver Valley goaltender Karsten Hugenholtz stopped 22 shots.
The series now shifts with the Border Bruins needing a win to keep their season alive.
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Crews have snuffed out a fire at the Tie Lake Transfer Station.
They responded to the fire yesterday afternoon.
“When we arrived on site, we found a smoldering fire within the tire pile, which made it a more complicated response,” said Elk Valley and South Country Rural Fire Assistant Chief Rachael Engelhardt.
“Our firefighters did an excellent job of triaging the situation and, with the assistance of an equipment operator, were able to separate the pile safely and extinguish the fire.”
Nine members from the Elko and Jaffray fire departments responded to the call, along with RDEK staff and heavy equipment contractor.
They were at the scene for several hours to make sure there were no hot spots.
The cause is under investigation and the transfer station has reopened.
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Police are requesting for help in identifying another person of interest who is pictured wearing a white t-shirt with long dark hair.
RCMP on scene at a residence on the 2000 block of Quince Street (D. Bain, My PG Now staff)
The RCMP responded to a house fire on the 2000 block of Quince Street and when the blaze was extinguished, a deceased person was located inside.
“Police continue to seek witnesses to the events of that evening, in order to help bring closure to the family and friends of the deceased,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
The investigation remains open within the Serious Crime Unit.
Damage to the home was estimated at $80,000.
In April of 2025, the Serious Crime Unit also issued a plea to the public looking to speak with a man and a woman related to the file.
If anyone knows who the person in the photo is or where she is currently residing, are asked to call the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks are one win away from the KIJHL’s Kootenay Conference final after a 7-4 victory over the Grand Forks Border Bruins.
Beaver Valley’s offence once again powered the result, with Brady Magarrell scoring twice, including the game-winner, to lead the charge. The league’s top playoff goal-scorer now has 14 in the post-season.
Michiel Leenders delivered a standout performance with two goals and three points, while Brady Walker added three assists as the Nitehawks built enough offence to overcome a push from Grand Forks.
In net, Karsten Hugenholtz made 22 saves to backstop the win, as Beaver Valley took a 3-1 lead in the series.
The Border Bruins found some offence of their own, with Austin Tellefson recording three assists and Levi Astill scoring his eighth goal of the playoffs, but Beaver Valley maintained control through key stretches of the game.
With the win, the Nitehawks now have a chance to close out the series in the next game and secure their spot in the next round.
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Williams Lake City Council once again batted back and forth on the idea of a future pickleball court.
At Tuesday, March 24’s meeting, the council rallied around a few options that could move a pickleball infrastructure development forward.
The options were:
Option 1: Select and formalize the Stampede Grounds (old men’s fastball lease site) for future pickleball infrastructure. This would include community engagement and reviewing the project with the Central Cariboo Joint Committee. This option could include a 2026 capital project to obtain a design and cost estimates for fundraising and grant opportunities. With a note that the current Stampede Park Lease agreements are coming up for renewal prior to the end of 2026, and council already has an agreement with the Williams Lake Stampede Association to look into developing the baseball diamond to expand the Stampede Grounds’ campsite. Going with this option would break that agreement.
Option 2: Delay the project until a Parks and Trails Master Plan is developed for parks and recreation infrastructure to ensure this facility aligns with the next decade’s plans. This would still require a review with the Central Cariboo Joint Committee and could delay the project up to two years. However, this option could best situate pickleball within broader recreation planning by the City.
Or finally, Option 3: proceed with the project and consider the 2026 capital request for the completion of the design and cost estimates. This would not likely involve any construction of a facility in 2026; however, it could be possible in 2027, pending funding. This option requires an extensive public consultation and information-sharing process to ensure success.
Council approved going with Optin 2, delaying the project with a four-to-two vote. Councillors Scott Nelson and Michael Moses were the two dissenting voices.
Councillor Joan Flaspohler said her decision was based on the need for a Plan so community organizations and the city are working together to better develop projects.
“We have limited spaces, and if we’re constantly making decisions on one entity without following a plan, we’re at a loss,” Flaspohler said. “We’ve seen this happen multiple times this year.”
Councillor Angie Delainey agreed with Flaspohler that a plan is needed.
“There has been competing interest for the small availability of land that we have,” Delainey said. “If we continue to operate based on people’s immediate desires and when you show up in mass, that’s not very good decision making.”
Councillor Sheila Boehm also agreed to delay the pickleball project. However, she also suggested that the pickleball association, Williams Lake Stampede Association and other community non-profit organizations look into fundraising themselves, which could increase their own eligibility to get funding grants to move projects along faster.
“You have more eligibility for funding through NDIT [Northern Development Initiative Trust], and through other sources than strictly relying on the City or the Cariboo Regional District,” said Boehm. “If we can have that kind of commitment from all groups, we will have a much better case for asking for support financially.”
Councillor Scott Neslon dissented to the idea of delaying, saying he was disappointed in “this city council” once again “flip-flopping” on a decision it allegedly previously made.
“Well, this is kind of like public safety. It’s been dropped to the bottom line by this council,” Nelson said. “This council, less than six months ago, came out and said, ‘Let’s get her going.’ Today, what’s in front of us is, well, ‘let’s shove it aside…’ It’s[Pickleball] a sport that is growing. It’s a sport, the community groups came out and said we need to enlarge this… I don’t think you’re listening to the community, and I’m very disappointed in this council again.”
Councillor Jazmyn Lyons said delaying the pickleball project would mean working more closely with groups. She also said having a plan in place would mean that the council is not flip-flopping on their promises and agreements with other organizations.
“We are supporting the pickleball community, as well as sticking to our two-year plan, especially because they are asking for a piece of land that’s already been agreed and used by another group,” said Lyons. “We have a two-year plan. I would rather do that and have a better chance of keeping everybody equal and trying to work with everyone. Instead of saying, ‘we’re going to give this to you, and we’re taking away from you,’ and now somebody is going to be mad.”
Finally, Councillor Michael Moses agreed with Nelson, saying he now sees why a pickleball court is needed, with the number of community members who go out and enjoy the sport.
“I would like to see that we actually support what we said we would on this,” Moses said. “We have the funds sitting there. I think we could do this. When they opened the courts, I saw immediately they were full that morning and full the rest of the day.”
A series of prescribed burns are planned along Highway 20.
Fire Information Officer Madison Dahl said burning is expected to begin as early as Friday March 27 and may continue periodically until June 1.
“The burns will take place on approximately 20 hectares of land between Hanceville and Chilanko Forks adjacent to Highway 20,” Dahl said, “Smoke and flames will be visible from Riske Creek, Tl’esqox, Tsi del del, Yunesit’in, T’letinqox, Alexis Creek, Highway 20 and surrounding areas.”
While burning is underway traffic control will be on-site to ensure the safety of the public and firefighters and short delays may occur.
“Firefighters will closely monitor the fire activity at all times during the burn,” Dahl said, “Personnel will remain on-site into the evening to ensure the burns are fully extinguished at the end of each day and will only leave once there is no risk of the fire spreading.”
Smoke from within the perimeter of the burn may be visible up to 72 hours after ignition and ignitions will only proceed if conditions are safe, with favorable weather and atmospheric venting allowing smoke to clear quickly.
The burns will be conducted by BC Wildfire Service in collaboration with the Tsilhqot’in Nation communities, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, BC Parks, Cariboo Chilcotin Natural Resource District and BC Hydro.
Castlegar has promoted from within in naming its new deputy fire chief.
Tony Mackie, who is taking over the role, had been assistant chief since last July. He’s been a member of the department since 2017 and previously served as a firefighter in Duncan and Chetwynd.
Overall, Mackie has 30 years of firefighting and emergency response experience.
Grand Forks city council wants to talk to the organizer of a proposed evening market before giving its blessing to the event.
Council discussed a request this week to hold a weekly vendor market in Lois Haggen Park starting in May, but had a number of concerns and questions.
City staff said they scrutinized the request, since it came from an individual rather than a society. The organizer plans to charge vendors $300 for spaces for the season.
“Because they’re not a nonprofit, the concern is you’re giving the space to an individual free of charge and they’re charging other people to set up in that area,” city manager Duncan Redfearn said.
He added that council can help an individual or business, so long as the community gets something in return. He said in other cases, a workaround has been for event organizers to apply through the Chamber of Commerce. Alternatively, Redfearn said the city could charge for the park’s use.
Some councillors expressed doubts about the location, thinking that it should be closer to Music in the Park, which is held in Gyro Park, but councillor Rod Zielinski said it wasn’t for council to second-guess the organizer’s plans.
Council made no decision on the request but will invite the organizer to speak to them.
“Physiotherapists in British Columbia are currently not allowed to order diagnostic imaging, like X-rays or MRIs,” wrote PABC knowledge lead Jason Craig.
“This creates unnecessary delays for patients, adds pressure on physicians and nurse practitioners, and underuses the training and skills of physiotherapists—especially when treating active individuals with musculoskeletal issues.”
The association wants the government to update legislation, regulations and policies to allow physiotherapists with advanced training to order diagnostic imaging as a restricted activity, noting that the practice is already implemented in several Canadian provinces.
Councillor Carolyn Hawton brought the proposal forward at Tuesday’s meeting and emphasized how the change could help residents get faster care.
“With so many people struggling to always be able to get into a physician in a timely way and get all of those diagnoses or diagnostics completed for a diagnosis, I just feel like this is another way that people can access timely care,” she said.
She added that physiotherapists “really understand the body and why things aren’t working,” and that without this authority, patients may face significant delays while waiting for imaging orders from a doctor. She also noted the potential consequences.
“We have people who then are decompensating their joints and their injuries. So I just think it’s a no-brainer. And there’s lots of expanded scopes for lots of other health-care professionals. So I just think this is smart,” Hawton said.
The PABC briefing notes argue that granting physiotherapists this authority could reduce wait times, improve patient outcomes and free up physicians for more complex cases.
Research cited by the association shows that physiotherapists order imaging judiciously and in line with best practices, often producing diagnoses closely aligned with those made by physicians.
Hawton said that the proposal is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Health.
“This isn’t a physiotherapist saying, ‘I think we should do this.’ This is actually coming from the ministry. So I think our endorsement as a council is prudent and we’re not championing something that is an out-there idea. It’s what our Ministry of Health is already looking at,” she said.
Council agreed to submit the proposal to the the Creston Valley Health Working Group Committee for review.
The Ministry of Health is accepting feedback on the proposal until March 31.
If implemented, PABC said the measure would align with broader provincial strategies to improve team-based care, reduce wait times and optimize health-care delivery.
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Ben Fragle is focused on one hockey goal for next season: to wear the Trail Smoke Eaters jersey.
The 17-year-old has completed his third and final season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy says he was motivated by his signing to a contract by his home town junior team.
Ben says being a Smoke Eater with his dad behind the bench never crossed his mind.
“I didn’t even think I was ever going to be a Smoke Eater,” said Ben.
“I never really thought about playing for my dad, I just wanted to do it (make the team) by myself, but when I came to camp and (head coach and GM) Eric (Thurston) said you earned this on your own merit. That made me feel good. It’s just a great opportunity,” he explained.
The five-foot-nine, 170-pound forward feels his game has improved greatly at OHA.
“The player I was before I went there compared to where I am now is not even the same so I think they’ve done a good job at turning me into the player I am today and a chance to play for Trail next year,” Fragle stated, adding that he has developed into a player who works hard in all three zones.
“I play with a lot of speed and IQ and not afraid to get into the corners and battle and hit even though I’m a smaller guy, I like to get in there, so you’re getting a hard worker and 200-foot-player,” Fragle surmised.
Fragle progressed through Smoke Eaters training camp last September and also got into some preseason action.
He feels that experience was key to get ready for what is likely to come next fall.
“It was important for me to get the opportunity and see what the level’s like and the pace of play and I think it prepared me for my season this year and will also prepare me for next season, to fight for a spot (with the Smokies),” Fragle said.
And what was it like to play BCHL preseason hockey?
“Like way faster, guys are bigger, stronger, older, just everything about it is faster,” described Ben, who believes he will be ready to make the jump to the BCHL next season, especially after skating with the team in practice last week.
“Practicing with the team and getting those preseason games, I know what the level is like and I think if I put in a bit more work in the off season I can get to that level and hopefully make the team,” he added.
Ben doesn’t envision any extra pressure by being a second-generation Fragle on Cominco Arena ice.
He figures the proper focus will push the factors he can’t control to the back burner.
“Honestly, you want to do good every game, but you try not to think about it too much and just go out and do your job,” Ben concluded.
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Castlegar will issue a city-wide water quality advisory for a few days next month while it tests an old well as a potential emergency water supply.
Assistant utilities manager Aaron Geck told city council this week that the testing is scheduled for April 14 and 15, and the advisory will be in place for two or three days.
The advisory is not a boil order, but is used in lower-risk situations. For most people, the water will still be fine to drink, but those with weakened immune systems should consider alternative drinking water sources.
The city plans a blitz to get the word out, including sending Voyent Alert! messages.
Geck explained the well that will be tested is behind city hall and predates the city’s adoption of the Arrow Lakes as its water supply.
The city recently relicensed the well following a test last year to assess its drawdown level. However, Geck said they haven’t yet tied the well into the water system to see what sort of volume it can produce.
“So this is really important to confirm that and see if it can keep up with usage and supply the city in the case of an emergency,” he said.
Geck said there are many situations where the old well could come in handy, such as a problem with the Celgar pump house, a forest fire on Arrow Lakes Drive, or a compromised transmission line.
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The Prince George Kodiaks have a new board of directors, and a big task ahead of them.
The team held its annual general meeting tonight (Wednesday), with more than 80 passionate community members in attendance at the business complex at 556 North Nechako Road.
The following were nominated and acclaimed into their roles:
President – Nicolas Fricke
Vice President – Jake Eberle
Vice President – Bryan Bucci
Secretary – Charlotte Roy
Treasurer – Eugene Bellamy
Director – Cheryl Wilson
Director – Tera Drost
Director – Stephen Riding
Director – Logan Devauld
Director – Shawna Eberle
Director – Ethan Ready
Some of the directors will take on specific roles within the board, overseeing portfolios such as marketing, governance, and more.
The new board will be tasked with the resolution of issues with the organization.
The board will have to hit the ground running, with a 48 hour timeline to show the BC Football Conference the team can operate.
“First steps were getting the board together, now bringing the board up to speed, getting them to look together at putting together a budget that would be acceptable for the league for our junior football capacities, then figuring out a revenue projection model of how we’re going to obtain that, and then it becomes, it starts to be boots on the ground to obtain that as well, jumping out into the community and asking for the support. Hopefully it’s there for us,” said Kodiaks General Manager Ryan Bellamy following the meeting.
“On the other hand, it allows the board to enter into negotiations with Coach Boreham to see if there is a suitable solution to bring him back to the team. As well, we’ve laid out plans for a worst case scenario, what that would look like, and we’ll continue to work our way towards meeting our obligations for spring camp, to make sure that there is a team getting fielded, the players know what’s happening in the process so they can make their commitments, and really just continue to be the team that was brought here to service the community.”
Fricke said behind the scenes work had already started prior to the meeting.
“We have, I want to say 86 per cent of everything already lined up,” he said.
“We just need to make sure the budget is balanced and proper, and then that’s the last piece the board really needs that they were asking for, and then the league will be happy.”
After the next 48 hours, Fricke said the next step is ensuring the team has coaches.
“Primarily, that revolves around Jamie, we would love for him to come back,” Fricke said.
“I worked underneath him when I came to Prince George, he brought me on, one of the greatest coaches, I was just telling one of the parents, he’s one of the most genuine people I have ever met in my life, on and off the field. He’s great with the kids, great for the team, he was great for the program, we would love to have him come back, now there’s some things we need to do for him to rebuild that trust and to rebuild that relationship, but I’m confident we can do that.”
Fricke said being open and transparent will be key for rebuilding trust within the community.
“This cannot be for one individual, this has to be for the team,” he said.
“I will do anything I need to do for the team, it’s not about the coaches, it’s not about the parents, it is about the players, because without them there is no team. We have to do what’s right by them, we do right by the players, we do right by the program, we’ll do right by the community, and that trust will come back.”
Bellamy said trust is a hard thing to get back in these situations.
“We’re going to be as transparent as possible, we’re not going to hide from the hard questions right now,” he said.
A photo of a printout given to attendees at the Prince George Kodiaks AGM
“We know that that’s going to be the biggest thing, for people to trust, they’re going to need to hear some of the answers and it’s hard to necessarily say them all out loud when you don’t have all the information or haven’t had the time to get in front of it all, but that’s going to be the process for the new board, is figuring that all out, and working together and figuring out what they can say, and when they can say it, to start to bring a full picture of how we got here, and what the plan is moving forward and how we can fix it moving forward.”
During the meeting, it was stated an executive was appointed to run day to day operations, while the board was brought in to approve budgets and general things.
Financial statements showed a $426,235 promissory note, with the board saying seven per cent interest is being paid on it.
Financial statements also showed a $23,333 deficiency for 2025, as well as a revenue loss of about 17.5 per cent from the year prior.
Sports by Hartley Thursday, March 26th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
The Prince George Cougars begin the playoffs when they host the Spokane Chiefs Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:00.
In the 2-3-2 format, the series will shift to Spokane for games 3, 4 and if needed 5 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week (March 30th, April 1st and April 2nd).
Should games 6 and 7 be needed they would be played in Prince George on Sunday, April 5th and Monday, April 6th.
The (44-22-2) Cougars won all four meetings against the (36-30-2) Chiefs in the regular season.
Prince George enters the playoffs on an 8-game winning streak.
The Prince George Spruce Kings will begin their playoff run next week.
The Coastal East Division champs will host the first two games against the 4th place Langley Rivermen, on Friday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m., and on Saturday, April 4th at 6:00 p.m.
Games three and four will be in Langley on Tuesday, April 7th and Wednesday, April 8th.
If necessary games will go April 10th in PG, the 12th in Langley and Tuesday the 14th in Prince George.
The (32-17-3) Spruce Kings have won four of their six regular season meetings against the (27-24-1) Rivermen and the two teams meet again Friday night in Langley.
PG will wrap up its regular season at the (7-39-6) Surrey Eagles on Sunday.
The Schedule for the series is as follows: Game 1 – Friday April 3rd – Langley @ Prince George – 7 PM Game 2 – Saturday April 4th – Langley @ Prince George – 6 PM Game 3 – Tuesday April 7th – Prince George @ Langley – 7 PM Game 4 – Wednesday April 8th – Prince George @ Langley – 7 PM Game 5 – Friday April 10th – Langley @ Prince George – 7 PM (If Necessary) Game 6 – Sunday April 12th – Prince George @ Langley – 5 PM (If Necessary) Game 7 – Tuesday April 14th – Langley @ Prince George – 7 PM (If Necessary)
The Spruce Kings regular season schedule and results are here.
NHL: (2 Wednesday games)
Toronto 4 New York Rangers 3 Boston 4 Buffalo 3 (OT)
The (21-41-8) Vancouver Canucks, with just 12 games left, conclude an 8-game homestand when they entertain the (28-25-18) Los Angeles Kings tonight at 7:00.
It is one of 13 Thursday games in the NHL.
The Canucks have lost a franchise record 24 home games this season.
Jared Young of Prince George has cracked the Opening Day roster for the New York Mets.
The 30-year-old Young appeared in 23 games last season with the Big League Mets, posting a .186 batting average while smashing four homers and six RBI’s.
He recently suited up for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.
The Mets season begins today (Thursday 10:15 a.m. PT) when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Toronto Blue Jays open Friday (4:07 p.m. PT) at home against the Athletics.
NBA:
Toronto Raptors at LA Clippers
The (40-31) Raptors, with just 10 regular season games left, host the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night (5:30 PT).
The Raptors are in 5th place in the Eastern Conference.
UNLimited WORTH Wellness Society is wanting to bring the Canadian Red Cross psychology first aid certification training to Prince George.
It said over one in four people living in rural, remote and farming communities across Canada experience significant challenges to their mental health than those in urban centres.
Society Founder Mike Skrypnek said they’d need to gather partners, supporters, and participants, to make the training a reality, but a key need is funding.
“The challenge is geographically, the travel and getting instructors, so it elevates the cost just slightly, so the total cost for the entire project would be about $55,000.”
The goal is to have anywhere from 20 to 30 people per session.
Skrypnek said each session would cost around $5,000, and would go to areas including Smithers, Fort St Jon, Dawson Creek, and others.
More information can be found on the UNLimited WORTH Wellness Society website here, or by reaching out to him directly at [email protected].
Two bridges in Cliff Gilker Park in Roberts Creek are being replaced.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has partnered with the Sunshine Coast Community Forest to replace the park’s upper waterfall bridge and gorge bridge.
The Sunshine Coast Community Forest will contribute volunteer labour, engineering and donated lumber.
“This collaborative approach significantly reduces project costs while supporting the restoration of critical park infrastructure,” a news release from the SCRD said. “The overall Cliff Gilker Bridges and Trail Remediation Project budget will decrease from approximately $1.2 million to about $620,000.”
Cliff Gilker Park was damaged by severe weather in 2021. The SCRD said the lower waterfall and zigzag bridges will be decommissioned.
The existing upper waterfall and gorge bridges will be removed by mid-May, pending permit approvals. The SCRD said the new bridges are expected to be completed in early fall.
British Columbia’s police complaint commissioner has launched an investigation into workplace-related sexualized conduct by police officers.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) oversees complaints, investigations, and discipline involving municipal police.
Commissioner Prabhu Rajan said Wednesday the probe will be a “systemic” look at how municipal police agencies in B.C. prevent, investigate, and address sexualized conduct.
“Sexualized conduct within police workplaces may reflect problematic policing attitudes or views and can undermine how police interact with members of the public—particularly survivors of sexual or gender-based violence,” said Rajan in a statement.
The OPCC said it’s a recurring issue in investigations into police conduct, with cases ranging from inappropriate communications to sexual assault.
“Some cases raise serious concerns regarding predatory behaviours by officers in supervisory roles or positions of authority,” it said.
The OPCC said the investigation will also examine areas such as access to support and protections for victims, potential barriers to reporting sexualized conduct, and organizational culture.
The office said it will publicly release a report on the investigation’s findings and recommendations by April 2027.
B.C.’s Police Act was amended in 2024 to give the commissioner the authority to self-initiate systemic investigations.
Thirteen municipal police departments, including the Nelson Police Department, have signed onto an agreement with the commissioner to support co-operative systemic investigations.
B.C. Hydro is upgrading a transmission system that serves approximately 10,000 customers in Powell River and surrounding communities.
The utility successfully removed a power line that crossed Jervis Inlet in October and is now preparing to remove a power line over the Agamemnon Channel.
According to an update from the utility, the Agamemnon crossing will be removed in April.
“The region is supplied by both 138-kilovolt and 230-kilovolt overhead lines,” the update said. “We are replacing the 138-kilovolt power line that crosses Jervis Inlet and Agamemnon Channel because it is at high risk of failure due to age and ocean spray corrosion.”
Marine traffic under the crossing will be restricted from April 20 to April 24 while overhead power line work is underway.
Contingency dates for the removal process are from April 25 to May 1, 2026.
“Extensive transmission system upgrades are planned for this spring,” the utility said. “We will be constructing new infrastructure to strengthen the system and improve operational flexibility.”
Some of the work can only be completed during planned power outages, scheduled to take place Sunday, May 24, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 7, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
According to B.C. Hydro, outages will affect Powell River and surrounding communities, including Lund, Cortes Island, Texada Island and Saltery Bay.
“We realize that there’s never a good time to have a power outage and thank you for your patience and support while we complete this critical work.”
The 30-year-old cracked the Opening Day roster for the New York Mets.
Photo credit Kylie Richelle
Young is among seven infielders who made the cut.
He recently suited up for Canada at the World Baseball Classic.
Last season, Young recorded four home runs and six RBI’s while posting a .186 batting average in 23 games for the Mets.
In Triple-A, the local product lit it up for Syracuse leading the way with 17 home runs and 50 RBI’s along with a .300 average. Young’s power at the plate also resulted in 14 doubles.
New York begins its season tomorrow (Thursday) when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Mets have made moves to solidify their Opening Day roster
Quesnel’s Ted Martindale has himself the world’s largest birthday cake.
The owner and operator of Granville’s Coffee, known for his self-proclaimed “crazy and eccentric ideas,” decided that he would celebrate his 80th birthday by creating the world’s largest carrot cake.
“I thought, ‘what could I do for my birthday that’s crazy?,’” said Martindale at his big event.
“I looked up the Guinness Book of World Records, and because we’re kind of a carrot cake place at the restaurant, I thought ‘yeah, we can beat that!’”
While the initial idea was sound, according to Martindale, he himself said that he wasn’t prepared for how massive an endeavour creating the cake was going to be. It took a community effort.
Quesnel Mayor Ron Paull (left), and Ted Martindale (right), at Ted Martindale’s celebration. [Photo credit: Karen Powell/KCP Photography]
Phunky Fork, Tiny Treats, professional cake bakers in Quesnel, and No Frills helped Martindale accomplish the “eccentric” carrot cake.
“It took a whole month to make these cakes,” said Martindale. He explained that the record-breaking cake is made from over 400 individual cakes combined, and is 16-feet by 10-feet wide, and 5 inches deep.
“Each carrot cake weighed 11 pounds. I bought 700 pounds of icing and butter, so if you do the math, it’s close to or over 6,000 pounds.”
The previous largest carrot cake weighed in at 4,574 pounds and was created by the Saint Germain Bakery in the Guilford Town Centre in Surrey, B.C, in November 2016.
While Guinness did not have a representative present at the unveiling, Martindale said that he has all the mathematics, dimensions, and information on hand and has sent the application into the record books.
He said it could take up to 12 weeks for the record books to be officialized and updated.
In an event that resembled Bilbo Baggins’ expected birthday party in J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, what looked like the majority of the Quesnel community came out to celebrate Martindale’s birthday and achievement.
The record-breaking carrot cake will be cut up and shared with the community tomorrow.
The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) has approved its financial plan through 2030.
The board adopted its 2026 budget and financial plan through 2030 at its March 24 meeting. The plan includes $124.4 million for the operating budget and $97.8 million for the 2026 capital budget.
Chief financial officer Lucy Wiwcharuk said the plan reflects the CVRD’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.
“Careful attention to managing reserves, debt management and long-term forecasts was maintained throughout budget development.”
The CVRD updates the financial plan each year to outline five-year operational and 10-year capital requirements for each service.
Five-year financial plans are required by the province and map out how regional districts pay for services residents rely on, such as wastewater and sewage treatment, water services and parks management.
The CVRD does not collect property taxes directly from residents. Instead, it receives funds from member municipalities, while the province issues and collects rural property taxes in each electoral area.
*Please note: this table represents property tax requisition only and does not include user fees or rate increases for utility-based services such as sewer and water. (Photo supplied by Comox Valley Regional District)
About 30 per cent of the budget is funded through tax requisitions, an increase of 7.6 per cent from 2025.
Revenue from utility rates, fees and charges is projected at $33.1 million to support water supply and wastewater treatment services.
Water rates will remain unchanged in 2026, while wastewater treatment rates will increase by 5.3 per cent to begin addressing planned upgrades to the treatment system.
The budget bylaw also includes the Comox Strathcona Waste Management service, which adopted its financial plan Jan. 8.
That plan includes $21.8 million in revenue, with tax requisitions unchanged at $5.5 million.
Capital spending includes projects such as new fire halls in Union Bay and Mount Washington, water and sewer infrastructure, completion of the Sewer Conveyance Project, and asset renewal work for recreational facilities and regional parks.
BC Ferries said it is investigating an incident that prompted a health-related food service suspension on the Queen of Alberni and Salish Orca vessels.
Food service resumed March 23 after public health officials gave the all-clear. BC Ferries said a potential health issue had been identified on the Comox–Powell River and Duke Point-Tsawwassen routes.
“Public health reviewed all testing results, along with our recovery actions, and confirmed it is safe to return to normal operations,” it said. “Signage has been removed and hot food service has resumed.”
The corporation said notifications were sent to passengers on board the vessel and at terminals, in line with public health protocols.
“Customers were notified at the time through onboard and terminal announcements, as well as posted signage and food service was paused,” it said. “We follow all public health guidance on both our response and communications, including when and how information is shared as results are confirmed.”
BC Ferries said food service resumed after three consecutive days of testing returned clear results.
The corporation said it is continuing to review the incident and the factors that led to the initial test results.
Concerns about summer tourism in the District of Port Hardy have been raised and, according to council, they are centred on the Northern Expedition ferry service from Prince Rupert.
Coun. John Tidbury said the concerns are coming from local businesses about the docking time of the ferry after it makes the return trip to Port Hardy.
“One of the reasons for the delay is that they stop in either Klemtu or Bella Bella and it takes over an hour to dock,” Tidbury said. “The speed of the ship is slowed down and this is causing the ship to get in until after 2:30 a.m.”
Tidbury said having the ship arrive earlier would be beneficial for tourism because the current arrival time gives travellers the option to continue down the highway instead of staying in Port Hardy.
“The question is do tourists go straight down island at that point in time, or do they check into a hotel,” he said.
Coun. Fred Robertson said he agrees the situation is not positive for tourism on North Vancouver Island and said it stems from a decision by B.C. Ferries years earlier.
“They (B.C. Ferries) decided to disband the Ferry Advisory Committee,” he said. “Had the committee been in place, the schedule change would have come and we would have immediately drawn up the concerns.
“That is why a number of people spoke at UBCM and an online session on how decremental the loss of the committees and voices have been, they have a huge impact on the community.”
Robertson said the decision to make changes that affect a community on this scale is wrong.
“There is a problem when you can affect our community so much by one little decision and we have no input in it,” he said. “I find it frustrating and I think B.C. Ferries are making decisions that may make life easier for them, but not for the community.”
According to staff, the change in timing for the north passage sailing is not just affecting Port Hardy but all stops along the route.
Council approved a recommendation to draft a letter to B.C. Ferries outlining its concerns about the sailing and how it is linked to tourism.
The annual Goodbye Fry event at the Buck Creek Hatchery and Nature Centre in Houston is being broken into two parts this year.
Instead, a See Ya Smolts event is set for Saturday with a BioBlitz on June 13.
“In September when we were looking for broodstock, we met up with a series of unfortunate events and that caused us to not have any eggs in our hatchery nor any fry to release in June,” said Arocha Northern B.C. Manager Cindy Verbeek.
She added the hatchery had fry from last year becoming pre-smolts that were ready for release.
“Fry is the fish that comes into the creek and spends a year where it was born before it goes to the ocean,” said Verbeek.
She added the fry release would happen in June to avoid washing them into the ocean with spring runoff.
“When you’re releasing the fry at this stage, so pre-smolts, this is the stage where they will be going out to the ocean and they ride that spring wave down the river,” Verbeek said.
The initial release event will just be releasing smolt into Buck Creek while the BBQ and open house would still happen with the BioBlitz.
Verbeek added the number of smolts being released is limited, hoping to have the first 60 kids release a salmon.
Elk Valley Resources has purchased a new ice resurfacer for the Fernie Memorial Arena.
“On behalf of the City of Fernie, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Elk Valley Resources for this generous investment in our community,” said Mayor Nic Milligan.
“A new Zamboni will support the many residents, athletes, and organizations who use our busy Fernie Memorial Arena each season, helping us maintain high-quality ice and support great experiences. We appreciate EVR’s ongoing partnership and dedication to enhancing recreational opportunities for our community and the communities in our region.”
The Zamboni has been ordered, but won’t arrive until the end of the year.
“EVR values its strong relationship with the City of Fernie and is proud to contribute to projects that enhance quality of life across the community,” said EVR CEO Mike Carrucan.
“This purchase reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in community infrastructure that is a focal point for so many in Fernie.”
The city will continue using the current resurfacer until the new unit arrives and planning is underway for that transition.
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Fresh off cleaning up the site, the City of Cranbrook is moving forward with environmental studies on the former Knights Hall property.
Council approved reallocating unused funds from the cleanup for the studies.
Council had previously approved $1.29 million, but the total cost came in at about $830,000.
City staff said there are five on-site areas of potential environmental concern.
“This additional budget allocation of $57,400 will allow preliminary testing with digging and drilling on the site to confirm the presence or absence of contamination,” said Curtis Penson, Manager of Engineering and Field Services for the City.
“The second part of this process, if contamination is found, is to complete a detailed on-site investigation with more significant testing and sampling so the City can confirm the extent of contamination and get a report with clear recommendations and a more accurate cost estimate.”
The city would then return to council to request funding to complete the cleanup, such as removing contaminated soil and any spilled oil.
“This important environmental work will help establish the property’s value and help to ensure that this property is project ready should the right development opportunity arise,” said Mayor Wayne Price.
The city expects to recover the money spent on cleanup through the future sale or lease of the property.
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The Nanaimo Regional Hospital District board has approved its 2026 budget, including a 21 per cent tax increase, after weighing the increase against potential borrowing for future projects. The increase will add $63.96 per $100,000 of assessed property value.
The board was presented with three options at its March 24 meeting and chose the 21 per cent increase, which will allow it to contribute $46.78 million to reserves.
Director Teunis Westbroek moved the budget option and said he believes it will help ease debt loads for future generations.
“The faces speak for themselves, we are going to have to borrow money but I prefer if this generation could take care of our own debt and not pass too much onto the next generation which is going to have huge debt load from the province and the federal government,” he said. “I am all in favour of taking as much off the plate of the future generation as we can and also to encourage Island Health and the minister of health and minister of infrastructure to give us some encouragement that we are doing our part so step up to the plate with us and we can get this done sooner because costs are going to come down.”
Support for the budget was not unanimous, with several directors speaking against it.
Director Leanne Salter said money is being set aside for a catheterization lab and patient tower in Nanaimo without a contract in place for construction.
“Our jobs is sewer, water, garbage, roads, land – that’s what we are supposed to be focusing on and we are not. We are far beyond that,” she said. “We really have to get back to basics and that is what happens when money is tight and money is tight folks. Not only does the province not have the money, neither do the feds.”
A news release from the hospital district said the province has accepted its offer to fund a concept plan for the catheterization lab and patient tower. The board has also offered to fund a business plan and construction of the lab.
The budget was approved with four directors opposed.
Planning for the Cranbrook Habitat for Humanity project is well underway and applications for families interested will open this spring.
Council approved the donation of land at 2600 4th Street South in July 2025.
The project will be a side-by-side duplex with each home featuring three bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and an unfinished basement.
The program is for working families that who face barriers to traditional homeownership.
There are some requirements for the housing, including an affordable mortgage and a 500-hour volunteer commitment.
“This build represents another important step in Habitat’s ongoing efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities in southeast BC,” said John Campbell, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Southeast BC.
“Once this project in Cranbrook is complete, it will provide two families with affordable home ownership opportunities, strengthen housing stability for local families, and engage volunteers and community partners.”
Mayor Wayne Price said it’s a great way to bring a little more affordable housing into the community.
“Affordable home ownership continues to be a significant need in Cranbrook, and this partnership with Habitat is a wonderful opportunity to take meaningful steps forward on helping address our local housing challenges,” he said.
Additional details and timelines will be announced once the application window opens.
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The Town of Creston is holding off on a decision to scrap its third-party discretionary signage program while it consults local businesses.
Staff recommended the program be discontinued in favour of newer, town-wide wayfinding signage at the March 24 council meeting.
In 2003, the town introduced a third-party discretionary signage program that allows individual businesses to advertise on town-owned signage posts that direct pedestrians from main streets to shops located on side streets in the downtown core.
Joel Comer, director of community services, told council the two programs are now overlapping.
“We have directional signage that is new and been installed. We also have a bit of a legacy program from the early 2000s with the sign blades individualized to businesses pointing pedestrians off the side streets to those businesses,” he said.
“In essence, we have two wayfinding programs active at the same time, pointing people in the same direction, one which is more detailed than the other”
The original program was created as part of broader downtown revitalization efforts in the early 2000s and was intended to promote smaller, side street businesses while reducing the need for sandwich board signs at intersections.
However, Comer noted the program has seen limited use and inconsistent maintenance over the years, with only a handful of active businesses still participating.
At the same time, the addition of new wayfinding signage has contributed to more crowding downtown.
“With the implementation of the new wayfinding signs around town, we have a situation where we have a lot of signs downtown,” said Comer.
Some councillors supported phasing out the older signage, but others raised concerns about the potential impact on businesses that rely on the visibility.
“My concern would be that people aren’t going to find those businesses if they’re not there. When we talk to those businesses, I’d be interested in seeing what kind of business they think they generate from those signs,” said Councillor Norm Eisler.
“Because it would be hard if we started to take business away from them. And that was one of their main wayfinding that got people to them.”
Councillor Monique Arès questioned whether generic signage would be as effective as naming specific businesses.
“Like I would be more likely to go up a side street if I saw, oh, a bookstore or whatever, as opposed to just “shopping” and I could be wrong, that’s just my inkling.”
Councillors also discussed the possibility that removing the signs could lead to an increase in sandwich board advertising, including unpermitted signs.
Instead of making a final decision, council voted to gather feedback from the four remaining businesses currently using the signposts, located at 15th Avenue and Canyon Street, 12th Avenue and Canyon Street, Pine Street and Northwest Boulevard and Pine Street and 10th Avenue North.
Staff will report back after consultations, at which point council will revisit whether to discontinue the program.
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The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation said David Popoff, a teacher in the Southeast Kootenay School District, brought dry ice into his Grade 6 classroom on Oct. 21, 2024, without prior permission from the school.
A document released Tuesday said Popoff did not use any protective equipment while demonstrating the use of dry ice, including handling it with his bare hands and putting it in his mouth.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, an extremely cold solid that can cause cold burns or frostbite when it comes into contact with skin and gives off carbon dioxide vapour.
An agreed statement of facts said Popoff demonstrated the dry ice again the next day while the Grade 6 students and a class of kindergarteners were together.
He told the older students they could handle the dry ice with their bare hands without protective equipment like safety glasses or protective clothing.
The students were not closely monitored while interacting with the dry ice, and at one point Popoff briefly left the room, leaving an education assistant in the classroom.
One student put dry ice in a water bottle and closed the lid. The bottle exploded, shooting upward into a ceiling tile, leaving shards around the room and spraying some students and the education assistant with liquid.
The document does not indicate anyone was injured, but it said some students were scared and at least one began crying.
According to the commissioner, Popoff downplayed the seriousness of the safety concerns when interviewed by the district and blamed the student for the incident. He said he would not do anything differently if he were to teach the same lesson again, but added he might feel differently if someone had been hurt.
The district suspended Popoff for 10 days. His certificate of qualification will also be suspended for two days this June.
The Strathcona Regional District and the Sayward volunteer fire and rescue department are celebrating volunteer member Patricia Rusch for 20 years of service.
“Two decades of serving this community with courage, compassion, and a genuine love for what you do. You’ve given so much of yourself to this department, and we are honoured to celebrate this milestone with you,” said fire Chief Frank Morgan. “While I may be the Fire Chief, we all know Pat is the boss”.
According to the SRD, Rusch has been a cornerstone of the emergency response community in Sayward as a former ambulance unit chief, emergency support services volunteer and a Sayward Health Society board member.
She now serves as an administrative assistant and leads the department’s first responder program.
“Whether day or night, rain or shine, you’ll find Pat at one of the fire halls with her nose to the grindstone. I truly believe Pat is the example that we should all try to emulate,” said Strathcona Regional District manager of emergency services Shaun Koopman.
The Sayward volunteer fire and rescue department provides fire protection, first responder and rescue services to the Strathcona Regional District, the Village of Sayward and its residents.
BC Ferries said it is investigating an incident that prompted a health-related service suspension on the Queen of Alberni.
Service resumed March 23 after public health officials gave the all-clear. BC Ferries said a potential health issue had been identified on the Comox–Powell River route.
“Public health reviewed all testing results, along with our recovery actions, and confirmed it is safe to return to normal operations,” it said. “Signage has been removed and hot food service has resumed.”
The corporation said notifications were sent to passengers on board the vessel and at terminals, in line with public health protocols.
“Customers were notified at the time through onboard and terminal announcements, as well as posted signage and food service was paused,” it said. “We follow all public health guidance on both our response and communications, including when and how information is shared as results are confirmed.”
BC Ferries said service resumed after three consecutive days of testing returned clear results.
The corporation said it is continuing to review the incident and the factors that led to the initial test results.
Spring fuel treatments are planned at multiple locations throughout the City of Williams Lake.
Over the coming weeks, the City, in partnership with BC Wildfire Service, will be conducting a series of these treatments to reduce wildfire risk and enhance community safety.
“These areas include the water tower hill on Gibbon street, the park and hillside near Lake City Secondary School’s Williams Lake Campus, the Dairy Fields, Williams Lake Stampede Grounds, and Patrick Reid Park,” Taya Vanderkop-Girard, Wildfire Risk Reduction and FireSmart Coordinator said.
She said they are monitoring weather and ground conditions and that these burns are scheduled to happen in the coming weeks.
“It ultimately depends on getting a safe weather window. We want to make sure that the burning conditions are good and we want to also make sure that we’re not going to have a bunch of smoke lingering in the community. Ignitions will only happen under conditions that allow smoke to dissipate quickly,” Vanderkop-Girard said.
In addition to these spring fuel treatments, residents and businesses are encouraged to take FireSmart actions on their properties.
“We’re doing our part to reduce fuel loads around the community and reduce wildfire risks. One of the most impactful ways that everyone can protect their homes and businesses from wildfires is by creating a fuel break immediately around any structure that you own. That first 1.5 metres or five feet five is going to have the biggest impact on the risk of your home surviving a wildfire.”
Vanderkop-Girard said if everyone can contribute by removing fuel in that area, that’s going to give the City of Williams Lake the best shot at reducing structure losses from wildfire.
As FireSmart activities continue throughout Williams Lake, the City said it will keep residents updated through its social media channels and website.
Prince George Spruce Kings fans only have to wait just over a week to watch the Coastal East Division champs start the first round of the playoffs.
The Spruce Kings (32-17-3) will host the first two games against the 4th place Langley Rivermen (27-24-1), on Friday, April 3rd at 7:00 p.m., and on Saturday, April 4th at 6:00 p.m.
Single game ticket prices are $17 for Adults, $14 for Seniors and $6 for Youth.
Games three and four will be in Langley on Tuesday, April 7th and Wednesday, April 8th, with puck drop at 7:00 p.m. for both matches.
Games five through seven, if necessary, will be rotated between the two teams and are as follows:
Game 5 – Friday, April 10th – Langley @ Prince George – 7 p.m.
Game 6 – Sunday, April 12th – Prince George @ Langley – 5 p.m.
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 14th – Langley @ Prince George – 7 p.m.
The Spruce Kings have won four of their six regular season tilts with the Rivermen and the two teams meet again Friday night at 7:15 in Langley.
Prince George will wrap up its regular season on the road at the Surrey Eagles (7-39-6) Sunday at 4:00 p.m..
The Spruce Kings regular season schedule and results are here.
City crews will likely have their hands full until the end of the weekend as they clean up the heavy snowfall that blasted through the Prince George area.
A heavy snowfall declaration has been issued by the City of Prince George as approximately 30 centimetres of snow fell in higher elevation neighbourhoods over the past 24 hours.
Director of Roads and Fleet, Jordan Wiseman told MyPGNow.com with temperatures rising by the weekend, cleanup efforts might become a little tricky.
“We anticipate with the warmer weather coming, we have crews moving snow as we speak and we hope to be cleaned up by Sunday or Monday depending on the weather and if we can use chloride to speed up the melt.”
“With the weight and the higher speed and higher volume areas, it packs down a lot tighter than it normally would than if it stayed around minus ten. Crews have to work a little bit harder to cut that compact ice.”
Wiseman stated the bowl area received roughly eight to ten inches, a little bit less than places like the Hart Highway and other higher elevations.
A heavy snowfall declaration means a shift in the City’s priorities:
Nighttime snow clearing and removal in the downtown priority oneand priority twoareas will start an hour earlier (11 p.m. instead of 12 a.m.).
Snow removal completion times get by extended by 24 hours for each additional eight centimetres of snow (on top of the initial 20 centimetres).
Equipment is starting on priority one and two routes in orange, yellow, and blue zones today (Wednesday).
Priority three routes will be completed only after the busiest streets are cleared.
The City reminds residents that winter parking regulations are still in effect, and are in place to help with snow and ice removal:
Priority ones and the hospital district – On-street parking is prohibited from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Downtown– On-street parking is prohibited from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Residential areas – On-street parking is prohibited from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking on the side of the street with odd house numbers is permitted from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. unless otherwise posted.
Illegally parked vehicles are subject to a $50 ticket per offence and/or may be towed.
Residents in Rock Creek are calling on the province to improve pedestrian safety at a busy highway intersection.
A petition has been launched seeking a marked crosswalk at Highway 3 and Victoria Street.
Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area E director Sharen Gibbs said concerns about the crossing have been raised for years, particularly during the summer months when both vehicle and pedestrian traffic increase.
“There’s a lot of pedestrian traffic in the summer, particularly on the weekends that they have at Farmers Market, and local residents are really concerned,” said Gibbs. “Traffic comes whizzing through there pretty fast.”
Gibbs said she has raised the issue repeatedly with the Ministry of Transportation, but the location does not meet the province’s current criteria for a formal crosswalk.
“They said it doesn’t meet the criteria of the volume. They have specific policies on where crosswalks can go. And the volume isn’t there,” said Gibbs.
“However, the number of people that are crossing are in a very short period, usually during the farmers’ markets and it gets quite congested. It’s just a matter of time before we might have an incident there, and it’s very concerning.”
Community members have launched a petition in hopes of demonstrating demand and prompting action from the province.
Gibbs said similar efforts in other communities, including Christina Lake, have led to safety improvements.
But she’s unsure if it will produce the results the community hopes for.
“I’m unsure how that’s going to go. It’s going to be a tough call. In meetings I’ve had with the community, there’s been suggestions of a lighted sign, much like they have in other areas in school zones where they show your speed,” said Gibbs.
“I guess our hope is just to have people slow down and be aware of the pedestrian traffic there.”
Petitions are available at several locations in Rock Creek, including the Riverside Centre and local businesses along the highway.
Gibbs said the completed petition will be submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and potentially shared with local MLAs, as highways fall under provincial jurisdiction.
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The Fernie Ghostriders avoided elimination Tuesday with a 2-1 overtime win over the Kimberley Dynamiters, who still lead the series 3-1.
Coden Fournier helped force extra time by setting up Nate Turton’s buzzer-beating goal at the end of regulation. In overtime, Fournier assisted again, this time on Carter Singleton’s winner, his fifth goal of the playoffs.
Kael Svenson made 33 saves for Fernie, while Kimberley’s Connor Baumbach stopped 38 shots.
The Dynamiters opened the scoring midway through the first period on Nate Tillmann’s fifth of the post-season.
Despite carrying a lead into the third period, Kimberley dropped the game, the first time this playoff run the team has lost when leading after two periods.
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BC Hydro said power has been restored to most Vancouver Island customers as of Wednesday morning, though more than 10,000 remain without electricity.
The utility said crews are working to restore power in several locations in Nanaimo and on the Gulf Islands.
Tuesday’s high winds caused multiple outages across Vancouver Island, leaving tens of thousands of customers without power through much of the afternoon and evening, and overnight in some areas.
Several smaller outages in the north Island were restored by BC Hydro crews by Tuesday evening, while widespread outages in Nanaimo and the Oceanside region continued into the early hours of Wednesday.
The utility said late Tuesday that some customers in Campbell River, Courtenay, Nanaimo, Oceanside and the Gulf Islands would remain without power overnight.
As of midnight, nearly 30,000 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island were affected by outages.
A coroner’s inquest into the death of a Lake Babine man is scheduled for Monday in Burnaby.
The death of 42-year-old Everett Riley Patrick was first reported to the BC Coroners Service in April of 2020 following an incident involving the Prince George RCMP.
On April 12th of that year, police responded to an alarm at E & I Sports located in the 1400 block of 3rd Avenue just after 4:30 am.
The store was known for selling firearms and ammunition.
Shortly after, police arrested Everett Riley Edward Patrick and was taken to hospital.
Once cleared, Patrick was then placed in a jail cell where he was later found in medical distress the exact same day just after 4pm and was sent back to the hospital.
Patrick was pronounced dead on April 20th.
In March of 2022, the Independent Investigations Office filed a report with the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges against a local Mountie.
In October of 2023, the prosecution service noted that the officer involved would not face any charges related to the incident.
It was determined that the available evidence did not meet the charge assessment standard.
Presiding coroner Carolyn Maxwell and a jury of five people will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding this death.
The inquest will not be livestreamed.
A coroner’s inquest is a non-fault-finding public inquiry that serves three primary functions:
* to determine the facts related to a death, including the identity of the deceased and how, when, where and by what means the individual came to their death, as well as a classification for the death
* to make recommendations, where appropriate and supported by evidence, to prevent deaths in similar circumstances
* to ensure public confidence that the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual will not be overlooked, concealed or ignored
The Prince George RCMP stated today (Thursday), the individual mentioned in the previous release has been located safe and sound.
Original Story March 25th 9:32am
Prince George Mounties continue to investigate an incident from Saturday, on Highway 16 east and is looking to the public for help.
At approximately 9:00 p.m., officers responded to a report of a person on the Yellowhead Highway Bridge who appeared to be straddling the guardrail. The person was described as possibly a woman, wearing an oversized white sweatshirt and a pink toque.
Mounties were in the area within minutes of the call being received and did not witness anyone nearby matching that description.
The area was surveyed with the drone, and Prince George Search and Rescue was engaged to assist; a thorough search was conducted the next day using the RCMP helicopter, as well. However, the individual was not located.
“It is unclear if the pedestrian was picked up by a passing vehicle or if they went over the side of the bridge. We are asking for anyone who was driving through the area between 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. and has dash camera video that would have captured any pedestrians on or near the bridge, to call the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line. Any information to help advance this investigation would be appreciated,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of this person or has additional information for police, they can contact the Prince George RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-561-3300 or else contact Northern B.C. Crime Stoppers.
Prince George Mounties continue to investigate an incident from Saturday, on Highway 16 east and is looking to the public for help.
At approximately 9:00 p.m., officers responded to a report of a person on the Yellowhead Highway Bridge who appeared to be straddling the guardrail. The person was described as possibly a woman, wearing an oversized white sweatshirt and a pink toque.
Mounties were in the area within minutes of the call being received and did not witness anyone nearby matching that description.
The area was surveyed with the drone, and Prince George Search and Rescue was engaged to assist; a thorough search was conducted the next day using the RCMP helicopter, as well. However, the individual was not located.
“It is unclear if the pedestrian was picked up by a passing vehicle or if they went over the side of the bridge. We are asking for anyone who was driving through the area between 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. and has dash camera video that would have captured any pedestrians on or near the bridge, to call the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line. Any information to help advance this investigation would be appreciated,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of this person or has additional information for police, they can contact the Prince George RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-561-3300 or else contact Northern B.C. Crime Stoppers.
Unionized workers at the Village of Montrose have a new collective agreement.
According to a news release from CUPE, the three-year deal for members of Local 2087 runs until March 2029 and includes wage increases of 4.5 percent in the first year, four per cent in the second, and four per cent in the third. The union said key improvements include increased paramedical and dental coverage, as well as additional funding for the wellness program.
“This agreement shows what can happen when both sides focus on finding solutions,” unit chair Hailey Knott said in the release. “Through respectful and collaborative dialogue, we were able to reach an agreement that supports workers and strengthens the services our community depends on.”
However, a deal remains elusive in another Beaver Valley municipality. Fruitvale workers have voted unanimously to take strike action, although they have not provided strike notice.
Josh Hogman will continue his hockey career in the United States after committing to the University of Michigan-Flint Wolverines of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1.
The Spruce Grove, Alta., native recorded 14 points in 40 games this season with the Creston Valley Thunder and Castlegar Rebels. After being traded to Castlegar, he appeared in 18 games and added three assists.
“We really like his compete level and ability to defend in his own end. We also believe that he will be able to contribute on the offensive side as well,” said Wolverines head coach Nick Karstens.
“In every conversation that we have had with Josh, he has shown signs of high character and intelligence.”
Hogman began his KIJHL career with the Rebels in the 2023-24 season, posting 14 points in 33 games. He finishes his junior career with 114 regular-season games, 51 points and 63 penalty minutes.
Michigan-Flint posted an 11-24-0 record last season, finishing fifth in the seven-team Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League.
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The Grand Forks Border Bruins delivered a dominant performance on home ice, defeating the Beaver Valley Nitehawks 9-1 to get back into their playoff series.
Grand Forks set the pace early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead within the first six minutes on goals from Hayden Evans and Levi Astill. The fast start ignited a relentless offensive push that Beaver Valley could not contain.
Evans led the charge with two goals and five points, while Astill recorded a hat trick and four points, including the game-winning goal. Logan McCabe and Austin Tellefson also chipped in with four points each as the Border Bruins’ attack overwhelmed the Nitehawks.
In net, Eric Kahl turned aside 26 shots, with the only goal against coming early in the third period when Brady Walker scored on the power play.
Grand Forks also applied sustained pressure on Beaver Valley’s goaltenders. Starter Landan Uzeloc was pulled after surrendering three goals on nine shots in just over 11 minutes, while Karsten Hugenholtz allowed six goals on 29 shots in relief.
With the win, the Border Bruins cut the Nitehawks’ series lead to 2-1 and carry momentum into the next game.
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100 Mile House and area residents are advised of a temporary service interruption at 100 Mile District General Hospital emergency department.
Interior Health said emergency services will be unavailable from 7 this morning (March 25) until 8 tonight.
During this time patients can access care at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.
Interior Health said all other inpatient services will continue at 100 Mile District General Hospital.
People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
This is the sixth time this month (March) the emergency department at 100 Mile District General Hospital has been unavailable.
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks saw their series lead trimmed to 2-1 after a 9-1 loss to the Grand Forks Border Bruins, who broke the game open early and never let up.
Grand Forks struck quickly, building a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes on goals by Hayden Evans and Levi Astill. The early surge set the tone for a night that quickly got away from Beaver Valley.
The Nitehawks struggled to contain the Border Bruins’ offence, with Evans finishing with two goals and five points. Astill added a hat trick and four points, while Logan McCabe and Austin Tellefson also recorded four-point nights.
Beaver Valley’s goaltending tandem faced heavy pressure throughout. Starter Landan Uzeloc was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots in just over 11 minutes. Karsten Hugenholtz came on in relief and stopped 23 of 29 shots the rest of the way.
The Nitehawks’ lone response came early in the third period, when Brady Walker scored on the power play to break the shutout.
Despite the lopsided score, Beaver Valley still holds the edge in the series as it shifts to the next game.
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The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation said David Popoff, a teacher in the Southeast Kootenay School District, brought dry ice into his Grade 6 classroom on Oct. 21, 2024, without prior permission from the school.
A document released Tuesday said Popoff did not use any protective equipment while demonstrating the use of dry ice, including handling it with his bare hands and putting it in his mouth.
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, an extremely cold solid that can cause cold burns or frostbite when it comes into contact with skin and gives off carbon dioxide vapour.
An agreed statement of facts said Popoff demonstrated the dry ice again the next day while the Grade 6 students and a class of kindergarteners were together.
He told the older students they could handle the dry ice with their bare hands without protective equipment like safety glasses or protective clothing.
The students were not closely monitored while interacting with the dry ice, and at one point Popoff briefly left the room, leaving an education assistant in the classroom.
One student put dry ice in a water bottle and closed the lid. The bottle exploded, shooting upward into a ceiling tile, leaving shards around the room and spraying some students and the education assistant with liquid.
The document does not indicate anyone was injured, but it said some students were scared and at least one began crying.
According to the commissioner, Popoff downplayed the seriousness of the safety concerns when interviewed by the district and blamed the student for the incident. He said he would not do anything differently if he were to teach the same lesson again, but added he might feel differently if someone had been hurt.
The district suspended Popoff for 10 days. His certificate of qualification will also be suspended for two days this June.
The City of Castlegar has come up with a short-term solution for problems plaguing its south sewage treatment plant while it looks for a longer-term fix.
Council awarded two contracts this week: $181,000 plus tax to Fournier Industries for immediate biosolids dewatering and $271,000 plus tax to Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd. to come up with something permanent.
In 2022, the Ministry of Environment told the city its stockpile of biosolids at the treatment plant didn’t comply with its permit. So the city installed something called a geotube system. Despite what project manager Anne Simonen called “a year of troubleshooting with the consultant and supplier,” it never worked properly.
While it was thought the geotubes would also do away with odours from the plant that irritated Woodland Park residents, the system actually made the smell worse. The city has since reverted to mixing partially dewatered biosolids with wood waste before hauling them away for disposal.
This year the city put out a call for consultants to provide short-term biosolids dewatering systems. They received four bids. Fournier, a Quebec company, had the low bid. The contract is for three months with the possibility of three six-month extensions. The prices that bidders provided were based on a three-month term plus a single six-month extension.
Fournier will provide a rotary fan press dewatering system, which relies on pressure and friction to squeeze water out of the sludge.
Simonen said the company has tested its system on a sludge sample the city provided and was produced a much lighter biosolid. “The results indicated excellent potential for successful dewatering with the use of a rotary fan press,” she wrote.
The trailer-mounted system can be installed on site without other upgrades and can unload dewatered biosolids into a bin, Simonen added.
She said the data they gather during the project will help inform a longer-term solution. If the short-term fix goes well, the permanent solution may employ similar equipment.
“Rather than jump into the next fix, we wanted to take a step back and figure out the best solution,” she told council.
Kerr Wood Leidal Associates of Nelson was the winner out of five companies that submitted bids on designing the longer-term solution. The same company is expected to carry out their design at a cost to be determined later.
City manager Chris Barlow stressed that while the project may result in reduced odours, that isn’t its primary purpose.
“This project, first and foremost, is a biosolids handling project,” he said. “In no way are we saying this is an odor mitigation project. That hopefully is a downstream impact, but we can’t be sure until we’ve seen the technology work.”
“I asked for a simple thing, or originally came to ask for a simple thing and staff recognized it was more complex than that if we wanted to maintain control over what happens with this in our community,” he said.
Councillor Genevieve Paterson mentioned other zoning definitions in the bylaw could also permit a warming shelter to operate.
“Staff say, technically given the highly flexible and lenient definition of ‘institutional use,’ a proponent may claim the right of operation on any zone that currently permit it,” she said.
Paterson also wanted to add modernizing zoning definition to council’s project list for shelters.
“That clarifying the institutional use, it’s not just a shelter. Somebody could say it’s a safe injection site and was also institutional use so I really support that part of it,” Wray said.
Updating zoning definitions was part of the recommendations from staff as next steps in the process.
“We do feel the downtown core is still likely the best location for the shelter use because of the proximity to all the support services that are available and needed,” said Mark Allen, Director of Development Services.
One of the ideas in the recommended next steps was to introduce site-specific zoning which would give special uses to specific properties within a zone.
“In the best iteration of this, it means when there is something proposed, we’re aware of it in advance and there’s an opportunity to move down the path with the proponent and with any luck, bring the community along,” said Mayor Gladys Atrill.
Sports by Hartley Wednesday, March 25th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
Seattle Thunderbirds sniper Cameron Schmidt, who is from Prince George, is the WHL player of the week.
Schmidt, who turned 19 in January, notched six goals and had a plus-five rating to help the Thunderbirds win three weekend games and earn a playoff spot.
With 100 points (51G-49A) in 72 games, the Dallas Stars prospect finished third in scoring among all WHL players.
The Thunderbirds will face the second-seeded Penticton Vees in the first round of the playoffs.
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The Prince George Cougars host the Spokane Chiefs Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:00 to begin their first round playoff series.
In the 2-3-2 format, the series will shift to Spokane for games 3, 4 and if needed 5 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week (March 30th, April 1st and April 2nd).
Should games 6 and 7 be needed they would be played in Prince George on Sunday, April 5th and Monday, April 6th.
The (44-22-2) Cougars won all four meetings against the (36-30-2) Chiefs in the regular season.
Prince George enters the playoffs on an 8-game winning streak.
The Cougars will hold a playoff barbecue today (Wednesday) from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. indoors at CN Centre.
The Prince George Spruce Kings will conclude their regular season on the road at the
(27-24-1) Langley Rivermen Friday night at 7:15 and at the (7-39-6) Surrey Eagles Sunday afternoon at 4:00.
The (32-17-3) Spruce Kings have clinched first place in the Coastal East Division and a first round matchup against Langley starting Friday, April 3rd.
The Canucks suffered their franchise record 24th home loss of the season.
The (21-41-8) Canucks, with just 12 games left, conclude an 8-game homestand when they entertain the (28-25-18) Los Angeles Kings Thursday night at 7:00.
Calgary 3 Los Angeles 2 (SO) Edmonton 5 Utah 2 Winnipeg 4 Vegas 1 Montreal 5 Carolina 2 Ottawa 3 Detroit 2 Toronto 4 Boston 2
There are just two NHL games tonight (Wednesday): New York Rangers at Toronto and Boston at Buffalo.
Controversy struck before Williams Lake’s city council meeting could even officially get underway.
While the agenda was being approved, Councillor Michael Moses made a motion to amend to eliminate Councillor Scott Nelson’s notice of motion, to, as Moses called it, “to ship out the homeless.”
The amendment was passed with Councillors Joan Flaspohler, Michael Moses, Jazmyn Lyons, and Angie Delainey voting to strike.
Councillor Nelson proposed a Notice of Motion during March 10’s council meeting that took strong steps to make public safety “a top priority” for Council.
The steps included making policies that would require homeless prolific offenders, and persons with mental illness who “wreak havoc” in the community, to be forced to wear 24/7 GPS tracking, jail time, and/or be provided wraparound services in a community that has them available.
The motion also included a policy that would have the City of Williams Lake “offer, encourage, and persuade” the persons to accept a one-way bus ticket, and $100 for meals, out of the town.
It was a full gallery, as there was a protest against the motion outside City Hall prior to the meeting. Despite being struck from the agenda, it did not stop councillors from speaking on the topic during the round-table portion.
“The issue of public safety has to be a top priority,” said Councillor Scott Nelson, after listing damages to infrastructure from fires he and community members on social media allege were caused by the homeless.
“I recognize that it’s a contentious issue; I’m a clear advocate of taking people off the streets who need assistance.”
Nelson continued by saying that a trio of homeless people that he recently met were looking to return to their homes. He said the homeless said their homes were in Vancouver and Kelowna, not Williams Lake.
“Sometimes when you put a motion forward, and the intent is to provide help, it could certainly be pulled astray,” Nelson said. “We’ve got a serious problem, safety in our community. Our downtown core is being throttled to the point that it’s causing concerns.”
He said that the purpose of his initial motion was “to ask for help.” He also said many of the issues have been compounded by high levels of government cutting back long-term projects, such as the 55-unit affordable housing project in Williams Lake that the province cut earlier in March.
Councillor Joan Flaspohler, who was one of the councillors who voted to strike the agenda item.
“I supported taking this off the table because I know all of these items that were requested on the notice of motion are not achievable by a city council,” she said. “For the community members who think a municipal council can do this, you’re dreaming.
Flaspohler went on to say that the ability to put these policies into effect would have to come from higher levels of government, and that municipal councils could advocate for them to support communities. She said she is also concerned with the crime occurring in Williams Lake and the impacts of criminals that the community has been facing.
“I support proactive initiatives in this community because all we’re doing with these actions and motions that were on the table tonight is make Williams Lake look horrible.”
Councillor Jazmyn Lyons said that she is proud that the council understands that the community consists of more than just people who have homes, and that homelessness does not mean “criminal.”
“Our safety concerns revolve around the repeat offenders, and we need to focus on stricter sentencing and how we can make that happen.”
Councillors Sheila Boehm and Mayor Surinderpal were in favour of discussing the motion; however, they didn’t necessarily agree to it. They think the topic should be a top conversation in every municipality across the province.
Canada’s biggest Pride groups, including Vancouver Pride Society, are calling for more federal funding to support events across the country.
Representatives from the groups were on Parliament Hill Tuesday, asking for $9 million over three years. They said the funding is needed to keep up with rising infrastructure costs, pay artists and offset declines in corporate funding.
“I think with the state of the economy and the DEI rollbacks and the tariffs, we are noticing that our corporate sponsors are coming to the table, but it’s not at the same place that they have been,” said Joseph Hoang, a director with Vancouver Pride. “We are noticing the hate toward 2SLGBTQIA groups that are affecting our Prides as well,” he said.
He said many festivals and events in Vancouver are shrinking or disappearing.
“We do not want to be one of those festivals,” said Hoang. “We need partners from every level of government to come support Prides.”
Several major sponsors pulled their support for the annual festival in Vancouver last year, leading the Vancouver Pride Society to go ahead with a shorter, altered parade route last August.
Pride Toronto also reported a nearly $900,000 shortfall last June after several major corporate sponsors pulled their funding – decisions the organization says were motivated by the political backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion policies in the U.S.
The representatives said the funding they are asking for would be separate from the $1.5 million in security funding Pride groups currently get from Ottawa.
Kojo Modeste, the executive director of Pride Toronto, said that security funding is divided between Pride groups across Canada to pay for things like paid duty officers, private security, fencing and other physical barriers to protect against vehicles.
Callie Metler, executive director of Fierte Capital Pride in Ottawa, said the security funding included in the federal budget was welcome, but it is not enough to meet the needs of Pride groups.
Metler said Pride events also contribute billions each year to Canada’s economy.
Some smaller organizations in B.C. say they are also feeling a funding pinch this year.
Heather Hillier, Board Secretary with the Prince George Pride Society, said the organization is still uncertain what sponsorship and funding levels will look like for this summer’s events.
“In terms of this year, we are feeling the ongoing pressures,” said Hillier in an emailed statement. “Prince George Pride relies heavily on sponsorships to deliver Pride Week events, and that support isn’t always predictable, especially in today’s political and social climate.”
Hillier said she supports the call for more federal funding, noting the organization is currently run by volunteers.
“Additional funding could mean having dedicated staff, securing office space, or even covering basic operational needs. It would also allow us to expand programming, reduce costs for attendees, and grow Pride in meaningful ways,” she said.
The federal government did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Vista News about the Pride groups’ request.
Opportunities to provide feedback on the District of Houston’s five-year financial plan is open.
A main point in the plan is addressing the $1.2 million hole made after BC Assessment gave Canfor a closure allowance on its closed mill site.
The plan said funding from the Rate Stabilization Reserve, Northwest Regional Benefits Alliance funding, accumulated surpluses, and service reduction are being utilized to offset the tax increases.
Written submissions will be accepted until 1:00 p.m. on April 7, with an in-person comment opportunity that evening at 6:30.
More information on how to submit comments and a link to the full plan can be found on Houston’s website.
Good news for the future of Quesnel’s Clean Team program.
Northern Health has advised the City of Quesnel that funding for the Community Engagement Coordinator that administers the program will continue for another year.
“The position was originally implemented and funded through BC’s decriminalization pilot program, in partnership with the City of Quesnel. While coordination of the city-run Clean Team was an element of the role, the position funded by Northern Health was created to support local partners, service providers and recipients in navigating community resources over the course of the decriminalization pilot, and to enhance relationships between people who use substances and the service networks that support them.”
The Clean Team is paid to pick up discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia as well as garbage around the city.
The city has set aside $75,000 in its operating budget to pay the workers in the program.
Quesnel’s Safety and Security Committee, representing businesses in the area, has asked the city to work with it to secure long term funding for the program.
Northern Health also supports community engagement coordination positions in Fort St. John and Smithers.
A rally was held in Duncan to keep the Ramada Inn open as a temporary shelter until permanent housing can be found for those in need.
According to the Cowichan Community Care Network, the displacement of 75 people from Lewis Street in November led to a record number of overdoses — 80 in a single day — and an increase in violence and health risks.
The group said closing the shelter without a solution in place would aggravate the situation and is urging municipal governments to act.
“There would only be a repeat of the harm caused on Nov. 17,” the network said. “You have an opportunity to do better, and while there are some aspects of the housing process happen at the provincial and federal levels, there are meaningful actions municipalities can take to work towards real safety.”
An open letter with more than 50 signatures said municipalities have already agreed the province is in a housing crisis and that everyone deserves a home.
“Housing is a human right, according to both the federal government and the Union of BC Municipalities, and we demand safe housing for everyone in the Cowichan Valley,” the letter said.
The letter calls for appropriate housing for 24 people currently at the temporary shelter, as well as additional camping and sheltering options with on-site washrooms, and an end to bylaw sweeps and forced displacement.
However, North Cowichan’s director of social planning and protective services, John Horn, said while it is possible to extend the shelter’s operation, several factors must be addressed.
“We’re in discussions with BC Housing to extend the facility until the end of April,” Horn said. “The Temporary Use Permit (TUP) with the City of Duncan would probably need to be extended, staffing would need to be retained for the site. BC Housing would then need to extend the agreement until Apr. 30.”
Horn said funding through BC Housing would also need to continue.
“The leasehold costs associated with renting the Ramada would need to be extended, and that would be up to the owner of the Ramada,” he said. “The dialogue for who would ‘flip that bill’ would have to be between BC Housing, the community and the regional function.”
He said in the interim, people seeking shelter should use the new facility on White Road in Duncan.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay has deferred the second phase of its organizational review, removing the $100,000 budget from the 2026–30 financial plan.
Phase one work, however, will continue, with staff committed to addressing the initial recommendations from the consultants’ report.
The organizational assessment, conducted by Samson Consultants in 2025, outlined seven near-term recommendations for governance and administration improvements. It also included a phase two roadmap for more in-depth structural and strategic challenges.
Board members voted in favour of deferring phase two at the March 19 meeting. Electoral Area F Director Tom Newell opposed the delay, saying it could stall progress.
“I think there was momentum and I think with the momentum, it’s a mistake to pause that process over $100,000, which is a lot of money, but the consultants were ready to take the next phase on because they were saying, ‘you guys, you have a governance issue and we have people here that have been around the table that could help with the next step’,” he said.
Chief administrative officer Stuart Horn assured board members that internal work would continue.
“We are resourced to move those along. We are resourced for some of the external advice that we might need to get, including legal advice on some of those items that we’re going to move forward. That’s all part of what is considered,” said Horn.
Staff are prioritizing phase one initiatives, including implementing a formal organization-wide prioritization framework, updating delegation authority, strengthening senior management team (SMT) governance, centralizing procurement and reviewing communication strategies.
Phase two projects, including SMT structural alignment, board governance, portfolio management and legacy system improvements, will be reviewed in 2026.
A report on the preferred approach – whether internally with additional HR support or externally through a consultant – will return to the board in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
Area I Director Andy Davidoff emphasized that delaying phase two from the budget doesn’t mean abandoning it entirely.
“We’re not ready to assign the dollar value to the next phase of work. And until we internally figure out exactly what we need, what we can do internally, and then what we need consultants to help us with, we will arrive at a number for the next phase,” he explained.
“We’re not abandoning phase two by removing it from this budget. And we will know better for next year’s budget what this number should be.”
The board directed staff to develop a work plan and budget for phase two, which will be reported back in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
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A trio of players from the Prince George Kodiaks are taking their talents east.
Offensive Lineman Connor Sherlock, defensive lineman Jason Kragt and Glenn Falkowski have all committed to the Toronto-based York Lions for this season according to the team’s Instagram account.
The USPORTS program has signed nine players from the junior football ranks so far this off-season after finishing 2-6 last season.
The junior football program has come under fire in recent weeks following the firing of reigning BC Football Conference Coach of the Year Jamie Boreham, despite leading them to the playoffs last season and their best record in the team’s history at 5-4-1.
Following that, president Craig Briere, vice president Ken Newell, and treasurer Chipman Purdey all resigned.
Community emotions have ranged from confusion to anger, with a petition launched to reinstate Boreham.
Last week, the Kodiaks issued a statement on the team’s restructuring, which can be found here.
The club says attendance at the AGM is open to everyone, and anyone whishing to vote must complete an individual membership form and submit a $10 membership fee prior to the start of the meeting.
Nation Chiefs and Council for Carrier Sekani Family Services, along with provincial leadership held a meeting earlier today to discuss the ongoing toxic drug crisis.
The event, which was held at the Coast Inn of the North in Prince George, revolved around coordinated approaches to the crisis, while going over the impact its had on Indigenous populations.
Saik’uz First Nation Chief Priscilla Mueller said one of the big takeaways from the meeting was better supporting human connection for those with addictions.
“Every one of them is a human being, and I think a big part of what’s missing in some of their lives is the connection.”
“It didn’t start out like this when they were younger. Something caused them to end up on the streets, or end up addicted to alcohol or drugs.”
Mueller added everyone is working towards a solution, however, everyone needs to be on the same page to learn from each other, support one another, and identify any gaps that need to be filled.
She said some areas that still need to be addressed are youth care and housing.
“Not only housing in our cities, but housing in our communities, because you can send somebody to treatment, but if there’s no aftercare or supports when they come out, then they’re going to end up right back to the lifestyle that they left.”
A treatment centre is being built south of Vanderhoof, at the Tachick Lake Healing Centre, but without the province, Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority, they won’t be able to provide the service that’s needed.
Mueller hopes the work will continue to address the issues, but need support from other organizations and the province to carry it out.
It was a strong finish to the regular season for Seattle Thunderbirds sharpshooter Cameron Schmidt.
The 18-year-old from Prince George is the WHL Player of the Week after tallying six goals and a plus-five rating during a three-win weekend for the T-Birds who clinched a playoff spot.
Schmidt is the only player in the league to join the 50-goal plateau after accomplishing that feat in a 4-0 road victory on Sunday against the Spokane Chiefs.
Since being acquired by the T-Birds at the trade deadline, Schmidt has tallied 24 goals and 16 assists in 33 games.
The Dallas Stars prospect finished third in league scoring with 100 points trailing only Marcus and Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Seattle takes on the Penticton Vees in their first-round playoff matchup, which begins Friday at 7:05pm from the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Prince George City Council gave final reading and adopted an amendment to the Parks and Open Space Bylaw at last night’s (Monday) meeting.
The amendment changes the boundaries of the City’s temporary overnight sheltering (TOS) site, commonly referred to as Moccasin Flats or the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment.
According to a staff report to Council, in municipalities where the number of unsheltered individuals is greater than the number of accessible shelter beds, individuals have a constitutional right to erect a shelter during overnight hours.
Municipalities may designate specific areas for this purpose, and in Prince George, the area designated for TOS is the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment.
Map showing the proposed Temporary Overnight Sheltering area in blue, overflow in red (Courtesy: City of Prince George)
The new temporary overnight sheltering site would be at the eastern end of the encampment, with a fenced off area that would allow 20 sites for people to shelter overnight, with the requirement that they leave the next morning. (In blue on included map)
This would also include an overflow area that would allow for 70 more sites if needed. (In red on included map)
At that meeting, City staff had said a smaller physical size for the site would result in lower maintenance costs, and fencing would prevent expansion.
“20 is lots, I know that they’re going to be contained, but my concern is we will not have the staff and whatever else it takes to maintain the overflow,” said Councillor Brian Skakun.
“You know the saying, if we build it, they will come or whatever, once folks know that they can go there overnight, my concern is that they might get entrenched, or feel that they’re allowed to stay there as long as they can, and then next thing you know we have staff getting into confrontations and things like that, it’s a pretty difficult position to put our own folks in.”
Director of Administrative Services Eric Depeneau said those concerns were shared by staff.
“I think the thing that I would hinge some of this on is that now, since the August decision of Justice Elwood, we’ve largely been able to enforce your Parks and Open Spaces bylaw and make use of the TOS site, similar to other parts of the province,” Depeneau said.
“That wasn’t the case before that August decision. Previous legal direction was that folks were able to remain entrenched on the site and that we could not decamp individuals, in August that changed, and so today, there’s not an entrenched population in this area.”
“There’s a trailer that is in the centre of the red area on this map, and that trailer has been there since, I want to say January of 2025,” Depeneau explained.
“It was illegally deposited on the site, and we’ve been working to have it removed. The challenge with that final remaining structure, everything else has been taken off, it’s just that the August decision of Justice Elwood gave specific direction for the handling of what they define as remaining occupants, and that structure is attached to a remaining occupant.”
Depenaeu said he believes the City of Prince George and City Council have done everything they can to address the site, and the challenge is for BC Housing and its contractors to fulfill their mandate and find housing for those that are most challenging to house.
“There’s a gentleman who is challenging to house, and we are working with them to find alternate shelter, but at this time, they reside in that trailer, and it continues to be a magnet for problematic activity,” he said.
“It’s so unfortunate that, the position we have been put in as a local government to not be able to really control what’s going on in our own backyard,” Skakun said.
Skakun added his frustrations have nothing to do with City administration or staff.
“It’s just frustration with the process and the responsibilities that have basically been dumped on us,” he said.
Councillor Tim Bennett asked if there would be specific limitations in the TOS regarding burning.
Depeneau added there is no plan for open burning to be permitted on the TOS site.
Mayor Simon Yu added that because of the efforts of City Council, there is no longer an active encampment
“I do believe that part of the court order is we do have to have an overnight place,” he said.
“We have not seen a huge amount of activity within the blue zone, hopefully with adequate housing supply, we can mitigate the situation throughout the City in the most effective way.”
The bylaw amendment was approved and adopted, with Councillors Skakun and Kyle Sampson opposed to the final reading.
While he didn’t speak at last night’s meeting, Sampson had said at the previous meeting he would support the size reduction, but not having an overflow.
Campbell River RCMP are investigating a stabbing in the community.
Police said officers responded to an altercation near Cedar Street and 16th Avenue at about 7:50 p.m. on Monday, March 23.
“The subsequent investigation of the disturbance led to the discovery of a 53-year-old man suffering from a serious stab wound,” said a statement from Campbell River RCMP.
The man was taken to hospital and police believe the incident was targeted, with no risk to the general public.
“If you have any information related to the stabbing or may have video footage from dash cameras or surveillance cameras, police are asking that you contact them at the Campbell River RCMP detachment,” said Campbell River RCMP.
Excitement is building for the Prince George Cougars first round playoff matchup against the Spokane Chiefs.
Games 1 and 2 begin Friday (7pm) and Saturday (6pm) at CN Centre and the office staff is doing some last minute preparations for the White Out.
Director of Business, Taylor Dakers told MyPGNow.com the playoff BBQ is set for tomorrow (Wednesday) from 4-6pm and will look a little different thanks to Mother Nature.
“This year with the weather being a little colder and the snow, we will maybe have to pivot a bit and go into the concourse, but it’s kind of the same goal.”
Fans will have a chance to pick up their playoff tickets as well as interact with the players.
Dakers expects restaurants and bars to rally around the WHL club and show their playoff games, but no official watch parties have been scheduled yet.
“It’s much easier this year with Victory+, free streaming makes it easy for any place to sign up and put that up on their screens. As for official partners (hosting watch parties), we have nothing locked down right now.”
The atmosphere inside the CN Centre has been electric over the past three seasons as it pertains to the post-season something past opponents have taken note of.
“PG has a pretty strong reputation since the 90’s of the vibe inside the building, the environment and the intensity. Over the past couple of years, we have been able to bring that back and when we come together as a league, Portland, Spokane and Kelowna have lots of good things when they come to our building.”
“Nobody likes the travel, but they certainly enjoy the game nights.”
The best-of-seven series will be a homecoming of sorts for PG native and Chiefs forward Chase Harrington who posted 28 goals and 29 assists during the regular season.
He is one of six Chiefs players to record 20-goals during the 68-game dress rehearsal.
The list includes Sam Oremba (23), Coco Armstrong (25), Owen Martin (26), Logan Wormald (22) and Tyus Sparks (28).
Lhtako Dene Nation elders and councillors broke ground on a new hotel development in South Quesnel.
Braving the snow and wet weather, or as a Lhtako Dene elder called it “a Cariboo spring”, members from the Band and shareholders held a groundbreaking ceremony for the future Farfield Marriott Hotel that will be located at Balsam Avenue and Rita Road.
“This is something that’s been in the works for the past few years,” says Lhtako Dene councilor Raymond Aldred. “It’s a great honour to see this and reach this milestone. This is going to be a great asset to the community of Lhtako and to the community of Quesnel. It’s going to provide lots of resources to our community, jobs, everything, not only for everybody today, but for the future generations to come.”
Lhtako Dene drummers at hotel ground-breaking ceremony. [Photo credit: Teryn Midzain/My Cariboo Now]
Having grown up in the community and now sitting as a council member, Aldred added that the hotel development is showing Lhtako is ready to take steps to become more “self-dependent.” He also says there are ongoing negotiations with partners for the hotel development to be owned by the Lhtako Dene Nation.
The Farfield Marriott hotel development was also approved by the City of Quesnel in a city council meeting held on April 1, 2025.
The hotel is proposed to have 79 units in total, including four long-term stay suits, and six accessible rooms, as well as full conference hosting ameneties, including an indoor pool.
Lhtako Dene estimates construction will be complete and the hotel open in the 2028.
Cranbrook council has approved bylaw changes to clarify what is expected on private property and city land.
The changes to the unsightly premises bylaw include clearer definitions for common problem items, including discarded materials, derelict vehicles and rubbish.
There is also a faster reconsideration timeline for written notices. Requests must now be made within seven days of receiving the notice.
The public places bylaw addresses items left in public areas such as parks, road allowances and other city property. It has been updated with clearer definitions so it will apply to more situations and provide better enforcement tools for removing items.
“These bylaw changes are about maintaining community standards, while ensuring fairness and clarity for residents and to better address ongoing concerns around property upkeep and public space use, while providing clearer guidance and more consistent enforcement,” said Amanda Peters, Police Support Services and Bylaw Services manager.
“Ultimately, it’s about keeping our neighbourhoods safe, clean and welcoming for everyone.”
More information on what has changed can be found here.
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Sparwood council has authorized the contract for this year’s paving program.
The district executed a $944,270.52 contract with Terus Construction.
Substantial work will be done on Pine Avenue.
That project includes full‑width milling and paving, curb and sidewalk replacement, driveway letdowns, storm sewer upgrades and associated restoration works.
Paving will also take place along Centennial Lane, Aspen Drive, Birchwood Place and Briarwood Place.
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A new permanent location has been proposed for Nanaimo’s service hub for people experiencing homelessness, but city council is seeking more information before offering support.
Deborah Hollins, executive director of the Nanaimo Family Life Association, and Violet Hayes, executive director of the Island Crisis Care Society, requested a letter of support to move the hub to 250 Albert St. at council’s March 23 meeting.
They are seeking $3.94 million from B.C. Housing to support the relocation, including operating funds and one-time renovation costs.
“Over the past year, the hub has become the central coordination point for housing navigation, outreach engagement and basic needs supports in Nanaimo. It has supported hundreds of individuals and has already helped some of the most street-entrenched community members move successfully into housing,” Hollins said. “We are now facing the loss of more than 100 shelter beds at the end of this month. Without a permanent solution, the progress we have made will be at risk and visible homelessness will increase across our city.”
The current service hub at 55 Victoria Rd. is set to close at the end of the month. City staff have been working to identify a suitable permanent location.
Hayes told council the Albert Street site is provincially owned and would provide greater stability than a private lease. She said a HUB (help, uplift and bridge) at the location would include an overnight shelter, showers, meals, housing supports and outreach services.
Council requested a staff report, including consultation with Island Health, before considering the proposal. Mayor Leonard Krog said the community should also have an opportunity to provide input.
“With great respect, we at city hall and by that I am referring to the staff in particular, have already suffered some very negative consequences to put it mildly from individuals who are using the overdose prevention site now and I do not want to see us endorsing any site in this community without some serious consideration and the opportunity for the community to respond,” he said.
A new two-year Business Administration program at CNC begins this fall.
According to the college, it will allow students to earn credentials, offering a flexible pathway into the world of business.
First-year students hit the ground running in areas such as accounting, marketing, finance, economics, business communications, and digital tools while those in their second year choose from specialized streams including accounting and data analytics, human resources, project management, small business, and hospitality management.
“This new program reflects how students want to learn today—flexibly, with clear pathways and real-world relevance. It equips graduates with both foundational knowledge and specialized skills that align with current labour market needs,” said Dr. Bruce McKay, vice president, academic.
Applications for the Business Administration Program will open through CNC’s standard admissions process ahead of its Fall 2026 launch.
A South Cariboo man has now been charged in connection with a firearm incident in 100 Mile House.
42-year old Thomas Martens is facing one count each of possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose and possession of an unauthorized firearm.
He’s due back in court on April 7 for an arraignment hearing.
100 Mile RCMP executed a search warrant on Dodge Road back in November as part of an investigation into uttering threats and possession of prohibited weapons.
Police say a prohibited weapon was recovered and the suspect, who was located away from the residence, was also found to be in possession of a prohibited weapon as well as ammunition.
A report by Canada’s auditor general says approvals of new study permits for British Columbia and other provinces fell far below targets after federal changes to the international student program in 2024.
The report, released Monday by Auditor General Karen Hogan, says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has not effectively implemented reforms to Canada’s system for accepting international students and could not explain why approval rates were significantly lower than projected.
B.C. was expected to see an 18 per cent decline in new study permits in 2024 compared to the previous year. However, the report says the actual decline was 66 per cent. New study permits in B.C. were down 47 per cent in 2025 as of last September.
“[The IRCC] did not assess whether its reform measures were contributors either to the reduction in the number of applications that were submitted or to its lower approval rates,” the report said.
B.C.’s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills said in an emailed statement it is reviewing the report.
“The Auditor General concludes that the federal government did not implement the changes over the last two years effectively. The report also confirms that B.C. post-secondary institutions have been hit much harder than intended by the federal government,” the ministry said. “The cuts they imposed impacted legitimate applicants and institutions, and needlessly damaging Canada’s reputation as a destination for quality education.”
The ministry said it is also concerned that IRCC is not devoting the necessary resources to investigations of non-compliance.
Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills speaks at the B.C. legislature on Nov. 25, 2025 | Vista Radio file photo
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced in January 2024 it would impose a two-year cap on the number of post-secondary study permit applications it would accept, citing the need to reduce pressure on housing, health care and other services, and to protect students from exploitation.
The department said the number of study permit holders dropped from more than one million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025.
The IRCC notes that, while it sets a “ceiling,” provinces and territories decide which learning institutions receive spaces and how many each institution receives.
[irp posts=”83100″ ]
The auditor general report also says the department did not effectively monitor or adjust to the unintended impacts of study permit reductions.
The report says that in 2023 and 2024, the department identified more than 153,000 students as potentially non-compliant with study permit conditions but had funding to investigate only 2,000 cases each year.
Over those two years, IRCC launched more than 4,000 investigations into students potentially not complying with study permit conditions. More than 1,600 cases were not closed because the students never responded to requests for information.
The report also says that between 2018 and 2023, IRCC found that applicants in more than 800 study permits had either used fraudulent documentation or misrepresented information on their applications to enter Canada.
“Most of these individuals later applied for other immigration permits once in Canada,” the report said.
Overall, the report says less populous provinces were the most disadvantaged by the way Canada allocated spaces, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces.
The auditor general made six recommendations for IRCC to improve the program, including collaborating with provinces to tailor how it allocates study permits, and strengthening its response to fraud.
Lena Diab, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said her ministry accepts the recommendations to strengthen follow-up where suspects fraud or non-compliance is identified.
“At the same time, this report captures only the first 18 months of a broader multi-year reform effort that runs through 2027. It reflects an early phase of implementation, not the full impact of the changes now underway,” said Diab in a statement.
She also notes provinces and territories did not fully use their allocated spaces under the cap in 2024 and 2025.
IRCC said a total of 309,670 study permit application spaces will be available under the cap for 2026. B.C. has been allocated 32,596 of those spaces.
University of Victoria campus | Photo by Logan Kuzyk on Unsplash
A spokesperson for the University of Victoria said international undergraduate enrolment has decreased in recent years, from 2,566 students in 2020/21 to 1,345 students in 2025/26.
“Our new student intake targets are modest, and our modelling suggests that even with the recent federal reductions, UVic will be able to meet our enrolment expectations for 2026/27,” they said.
University of British Columbia spokesperson Thandi Fletcher said the university has made “operational adjustments” to reduce spending in recent years and expects to present a balanced budget for the next fiscal year.
“UBC navigated this period thoughtfully, and we are now seeing positive signs with both enrolment and applications showing a modest increase,” said Fletcher.
Prince George City Council approved the first three readings of a rezoning bylaw that could see housing developed where Studio 2880 is.
According to a report presented to Council at last night’s (Monday) meeting, City Administration is proposing to rezone the City-owned property, located at 2820 and 2880 15th Avenue, facilitating a mixed-use development.
This would be a 45-unit, six storey apartment building, with a site-specific text zoning amendment allowing Studio 2880 to continue to operate once the property has been redeveloped.
“It’s infill, the Community Arts Council does some great work, and the 219 Covenant, I think it says it won’t go anymore than six stories is good news as well, so I fully support it,” said Councillor Brian Skakun.
Final reading and adoption will come at a later date.
A Special Weather statement was issued earlier today (March 24) for parts of the Cariboo.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Terri Lang said associated with this weather system that’s moving through and bringing the snow there’s going to be strong winds pushing in behind it for 100 Mile House and Williams Lake.
“We are looking at winds that may gust as high as 80 kilometres per hour especially in those exposed areas and with some fresh snow on the ground it might cause some areas of blowing snow.”
Lang noted these wind gusts could start to affect the South Cariboo and Williams Lake in the 4 o’clock hour and continue to be strong until about 9 this evening.
Another area expected to be impacted by the wind includes Highway 97 via Begbie Summit.
“Because the way the freezing levels are going to fall motorists can expect heavier amounts of snow through there. Along with the gusty winds it will cause blowing and drifting snow.”
Lang added with those strong wind gusts there might be trees coming down onto power lines causing isolated power outages.
Just last week the Cariboo experienced two records set for daytime highs.
March 18 Quesnel broke a 125-year-old record when it reached 18.6 degrees surpassing the old mark of 17.2 set in 1901.
Williams Lake also set a record when the daytime hit 17 degrees break the old record of 15.9 set in 2024.
Some of the services previously offered there will be relocated back on Mar. 25, including:
Adult day services
Mental health and substance use (MHSU) services for seniors
Public health (call ahead for drop-in availability)
Early childhood development
Environmental public health program support
Water sampling drop off services will resume on Mar. 30 on the main floor.
Interior Health (IH) said all remaining MHSU services, including substance use counselling and after-care, counselling and treatment, psychiatry, and outreach services, will continue at 514 Vernon Street for now.
Home and community care services will continue at the neighbouring Fairview Gardens.
IH said it will contact current clients directly to inform them of the changes. Individuals who require new appointments, or who have questions related to any of these services should contact IH at the following numbers:
Mental Health and Substance Use Services: 250-505-7248 or 310-MHSU (6478)
The City of Rossland is digging in on infrastructure fixes that are expected to cost $60 million over the next five years.
Mayor Andy Morel said the work involves repairing water, roads, retaining walls, and the local arena, but a utilities plan and an asset management plan has identified the top priorities as replacing the main sewer line between Rossland and Warfield at an expected cost of $6.7 million and fixing retaining walls.
Morel said they will go to tender soon to replace a retaining wall on McLeod Avenue, a project expected to cost a little over $1 million. It’s expected to be paid for through reserves, because there are no grants available to support retaining wall replacements.
In general, though, the city hopes to pay for 70 per cent of its capital plan through grants from other levels of government. The remainder would come through borrowing and reserves.
Morel said it isn’t realistic to pay for projects like the sewer line to Warfield using local tax dollars.
“So if we don’t receive grants, we’ll have to put that project off until we do [receive them],” he said. “But it’ll remain on the top of the list as the highest priority for us. We’re looking at all options for grant funding, both federally and provincially.”
Morel said the situation Rossland finds itself in is the result of a few factors: previous councils either didn’t make infrastructure renewal a priority, or they simply didn’t know the scope of the problem because it hadn’t been investigated yet.
“Previous councils up until fairly recently didn’t have that knowledge, nor was it very palatable to start planning for asset management and infrastructure replacement,” Morel said. “It’s a very expensive endeavor and previous councils didn’t want to put that burden on taxpayers.”
Morel said the last couple of councils have made a more “concerted effort” to prioritize infrastructure replacement. He said the city now has a good handle on where its liabilities are.
According to a news release, the city currently carries $6.8 million in debt and spends about $547,000 annually on debt servicing. The draft capital plan calls for borrowing up to $10 million over the next five years.
Equipment is being deployed to Quamichan Lake as aeration trials begin to determine solutions for ongoing cyanobacteria blooms.
Last year, the Municipality of North Cowichan received provincial approval to test methods to improve oxygenation and reduce nutrients that contribute to cyanobacteria. Mayor Rob Douglas said the work marks a first step toward addressing long-standing concerns about the lake.
“Residents, lake users and Cowichan Tribes have raised concerns about Quamichan Lake water quality for many years and have consistently called for action,” Douglas said. “This trial responds to those requests, reflects strong support from the community and regulatory partners, and applies proven approaches to improve oxygen levels and reduce phosphorus.”
Three eight-metre-diameter cylindrical enclosures will be anchored to the lakebed. Two will use different combinations of aerators and metal additives, while the third will serve as a control to measure changes in water quality.
The municipality said testing will take place in two phases, first measuring the effectiveness of aeration, followed by testing nutrient binders.
Results will be shared with the province, council and the community before decisions are made on treatment options. The municipality said the findings could be applied elsewhere.
“Successful treatment options could also be applied to other parts of the watershed including Somenos Lake and marsh, which also experience regular algae blooms,” it said.
The trial is expected to run from May to August.
The $200,000 project is funded through the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Program.
The number of people flying out of the Trail Regional Airport grew last month compared to the same time last year.
Airport manager Enrico Moerhle told city council this week that of 52 scheduled flights in February, 19 were cancelled. Seventeen cancellations were weather-related and the other two were due to aircraft maintenance.
The cancellations resulted in three days where Pacific Coastal ran its shuttle bus to the Penticton airport with a total of 129 passengers. The bus will continue to be operated until March 31 and then take a hiatus until October.
There were 1,323 inbound and outbound passengers last month, which was up 160 from a year earlier.
In other airport news, Moerhle said tree topping operations have been completed within Beaver Creek Provincial Park and neighbouring Teck property to clear the flight approach paths.
He said they are also working to secure permits to remove dead trees along Highway 22A. A contractor has been selected and the work is expected to be scheduled in the next few weeks.
Moerhle also said a new mobile/online pay system for parking is coming, as the existing machine in the lot isn’t working properly.
Minister Kelly Greene visits several finished flood resilience projects in the East Kootenay, helping keep people, homes, and infrastructure protected.
The Province has invested more than $19 million into local projects as part of a much larger disaster preparedness investment across B.C, working to reduce risks from floods and climate-related hazards. Work includes raising dikes, improving flood barriers, and reducing debris-flow risks in communities like Fernie, Invermere, Fairmont Hot Springs, Canal Flats, and Golden.
Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, explains how the projects come together.
“These community resilience projects are led by local governments or First Nations. They know their communities best. They know where they’re experiencing hazards, how those hazards impact the people that live there. So, they would apply to different funding streams for funding for these projects, and from there, we partner with communities to make sure that we can deliver important projects like the one today,” said Greene.
Greene visited Fernie to tour completed upgrades to the Mountview dike and Coal Creek retaining wall, where the Elk River and Coal Creek meet.
“It’s my first time visiting this project, I really love it. It’s such a forward looking project. Keeping in mind the catastrophic floods that have happened, building to that really resilient standard is so important. But not only that, this is a project that delivers great recreational benefits, I can’t even tell you how many bikes we’ve seen. It’s been really fantastic.” said Greene.
The Fernie project included raising more than 500 metres of the Mountview dike along the Elk River to meet current standards and protect the surrounding neighbourhood.
This project used roughly $2.8 million in funding from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF). Greene explains more about what CEPF is and the other funds they have.
“CEPF is funding that is provided by the province, and It’s managed by UBCM. It’s just one of the streams that’s available for mitigation projects. We also have the Disaster Resilience and Innovation Fund (DRIF), which helps to reduce risk as well. Post disaster, there’s a new funding stream federally, that is cost shared with the province, for building back better, to make sure that, if there is an event, is that we’re rebuilding to a more resilient standard and not putting things back exactly the way they were before, ’cause it didn’t work.” said Greene.
Thanks to these projects, communities in the East Kootenay are better protected from flooding, with more upgrades planned to address future risks. Greene said priorities vary by community.
“Every community has different priorities, and so we are working with them to find ways that we can achieve those projects. We just work with communities to see how we can help. We know that there’s a lot of demand out there, looking for opportunities to improve resilience, and it does look different for every community. We are going to be announcing the next funding recipients for the Disaster Resilience Innovation Fund, soon, and so looking forward to another set of communities that have got the funding that they need to get projects that keep people safe.” said Greene.
East Kootenay isn’t quite at the finish line in regards to their flood resilience projects. More work including a new dam in Cranbrook at Gold Creek is planned for 2028 to improve water supply and fish passage. Along with dam upgrade in Invermere at Paddy Ryan is expected to begin in spring 2026 and finish in 2027. These upgrades aim to improve flood protection while supporting environmental goals such as protecting waterways and enhancing fish habitat.
“Also some of the opportunities for improvement on riparian areas so that we can protect the things that matter to us, like salmon habitat.” said Greene.
Greene also thanked Fernie Mayor Nic Milligan and council for their work.
“I just really appreciate the work of the Mayor and Council in forwarding these projects. Making sure that they’re doing great work in making communities more resilient. It’s really important work, and I’m really glad to be a partner in it.” Greene said.
Greene will visit other completed flood-mitigation projects this week, including sites in Invermere, Fairmont Hot Springs and Canal Flats.
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The Kimberley Dynamiters are one win away from the Kootenay Conference final after a 2-1 overtime victory over the Fernie Ghostriders, taking a 3-0 lead in the series.
Jackson Murphy scored the winner at 7:59 of overtime, finishing a setup from Johnny Lozeman for his second goal of the playoffs.
Kimberley opened the scoring in the second period when Nate Tillmanns netted his fourth of the post-season. Fernie responded later in the period, with Carter Singleton tying the game at 9:24.
Goaltender Adam Kisilevich made 27 saves for the Dynamiters, including five in overtime. At the other end, Kael Svenson stopped 19 shots for the Ghostriders.
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Central Cariboo Search and Rescue (CSARS) has a new man at the helm.
Earlier this month Scott Short was appointed earlier this month by the Cariboo Regional District to be the team’s new Chief.
Short brings extensive Search and Rescue experience.
“I served with a couple of teams over the last few years,” Scott said, “Comox, Chilliwack and Central Fraser Valley. My roles typically with those team’s were more in line with technical rescue and searching, swift water, ropes, things like that.”
Short noted while with Comox he took a more active role in team leadership when he sat on the Board of Directors for about 3 years and spent 2 years as their President.
Photo Central Cariboo Search & Rescue FaceBook
We asked Short before taking on the role of being the new Central Cariboo Search and Rescue Chief what was his duties with this team and if they were similar to the ones he had in the past.
“Very similar. I came with a skill set, SARS management being one of them so I kind of filled the role as SAR manager for the group, with a background in teaching the basic GSAR (Ground Search and Rescue) course, as well looking after the new MIT course we call it for our new members in training. Other than applying for the position of Chief that’s kind of what the roles were, a little bit more administrative and a little less technical.”
Short said he was a little excited and almost a little apprehensive at first when it was announced that he was given this new position.
“This (CSARS) is a fairly dynamic team and they have a really strong sense of camaraderie amongst themselves. Being kind of the new person with the group the apprehension comes from that. I have to spend a little time to earn their trust which I think is going well. A lot of these people have been working together for 8, 9, 10, 12, even upwards towards 20 years with this group so being kind of that outsider coming in it’s going to take a little work on my part.”
In addition to his SAR background, Short offers 35 years of leadership experience in the Canadian Armed Forces, with a focus on governance, accountability, and team leadership.
On Central Cariboo Search and Rescue’s social media they posted “We are confident that Scott’s experience, professionalism, and dedication to service will continue to strengthen our team and the communities we proudly serve.”
Six students from School District 8 will represent the Kootenays at the Skills Canada B.C. provincial competition in Abbotsford on April 15 after earning gold at regional events.
The students qualified at the Skills Canada B.C. Kootenay regional competition held Feb. 27. Advancing to provincials are Makala Burjaw in graphic design, Katrina Matter in photography, Rio West and Sonny Brown in video production, and Flora Jewell and Hazel Johnson in 2-D animation.
Students from Mount Sentinel Secondary, L.V. Rogers Secondary and Crawford Bay Elementary-Secondary showed grace under pressure at the Skills Canada BC Kootenay Regional Competition in 3D and 2D Animation, Photography, Graphic Design and Video Production (Secondary). Gold medalists will now compete in the provincial competition in Abbotsford on April 15.
In total, 20 SD8 students placed in the top three or earned runner-up finishes across several categories, including 3-D and 2-D animation, photography, graphic design and video production at Selkirk College in Nelson. Additional competitions in trades such as carpentry, cabinetmaking, welding, electrical wiring and hairstyling were held at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook.
Judges praised the effort and technical ability of students from Mount Sentinel Secondary, L.V. Rogers Secondary and Crawford Bay Elementary-Secondary School.
“What stood out immediately in this competition was effort. It was evident that every student involved gave this their full attention and energy. Design is not only about talent. It is about commitment to the process, and that commitment was clearly present across the board,” wrote judge Darryl Jolly, program chair in digital arts and new media at Selkirk College.
Jewell, a Grade 11 student at Mount Sentinel Secondary, said she is eager to compete at provincials alongside teammate Hazel Johnson.
“Skills Canada BC is a really good place to showcase our ability to work in a faster-paced, more work-like environment than school usually provides. It’s a cool way to show how we solve problems and use our creative minds. Winning regionals showed me how much I’ve developed my time-management skills and my ability to think on the fly.”
Students said strong digital arts programs and access to industry-standard tools have helped them prepare for competition.
“At Mount Sentinel, [teachers] expect the best from students and know how to help bring that out in us,” said Jewell.
Teacher Danny Leeming credited both students and staff for the strong results, noting participation from Grades 8 through 12 across three schools.
“I’m blown away that SD8 students earned gold and silver medals in every event this year and that we saw excellent representation from grades 8 through 12 and in all three schools that competed,” he said.
District principal Tamara Malloff said the competition highlights the value of hands-on learning and partnerships with post-secondary institutions.
“I am incredibly proud of the students who represented our district. Their creativity, talent, and confidence are inspiring. Competitions like this show how career-connected learning and post-secondary partnerships with Selkirk College and College of the Rockies help students discover their strengths and imagine what’s possible beyond graduation.”
Skills Canada BC Kootenay Region Competition Results – 3D & 2D Animation, Photography, Graphic Design & Video Production (Secondary)
Video Production (Secondary)
Gold: Rio West and Sonny Brown — MSS
Silver: Lilli Perriere-Ellis and Ethan Ash — MSS
Bronze: Riin Durand and Jaxon Morris — MSS
Runner-up: Marcus Cameron and Logan Sol — CBESS
Photography (Secondary)
Gold: Katrina Matter — MSS
Silver: Isaac Chisham— MSS
Bronze: Jayde Gingras and Jakob Hadikin (tie) — MSS
The City of Grand Forks will allow the use of pesticides to control invasive species and noxious weeds or insects as part of a new bylaw expected to be adopted next month.
The bylaw bans cosmetic pesticide use, but with some exceptions. City council had to decide this week whether to leave in or remove an exception for noxious weeds and invasive plants.
A majority agreed to leave it, although councillor David Mark argued otherwise. He said there isn’t enough of an invasive weed problem within city limits to justify pesticide use. He argued things like hoary alyssum should be removed by hand.
Other councillors, however, felt the need to prevent the spread of noxious weeds justifies the use of pesticides.
That’s how Brayden Tremblay envisioned putting on a Smoke Eaters jersey for his first regular season game.
The 18-year-old from Fruitvale made his debut Saturday in front of family and friends at Cominco Arena and vividly remembers the day he signed with his home town team.
“I was just finished practice in Penticton and got the call,” Tremblay told Vista News.
“Pretty much had a talk with my parents and then signed and was excited to join Trail and come back home,” he added.
Tremblay has played the last three seasons at the Okanagan Hockey Academy.
The six-foot-three, 200-pound defenseman scored 13 goals and 41 assists for 54 points and had 83 penalty minutes in 94 games at the academy.
Tremblay feels his size will be an asset in the BCHL.
“I like to take that (physicality) into may game a lot,” he explained.
“Be physical in the d-zone, defend well and use my size and my body as an advantage,” stated Tremblay, while improving his overall game is the goal heading into next season.
“Get a little bit faster, get a little more physical, get a little stronger in the gym, just everything overall, just a little better,” commented the local boy.
Tremblay attended Smoke Eaters training camp last fall and played in the preseason.
He figures that was a good audition for camp next September.
“It prepared me, got me to the pace, the speed, definitely a change and there will be no surprises for me,” he predicted.
Brayden’s long term goals go beyond a BCHL career with the Smoke Eaters.
“I want to make it as far as I can, hopefully go to school (NCAA Division I scholarship) and keep going, hopefully play professional somewhere, kind of stick with the process and just love the grind,” he surmised.
Tremblay will remain with the Smoke Eaters for the final two games of the regular season this weekend against Vernon and throughout the playoffs.
The organization that runs the La Nina shelter in Trail says there is no truth to the notion that it recruits people from outside the community to fill shelter beds.
Fletcher and Gurr said downtown business owners, their staff, and residents deserve to feel safe and supported. They added that issues of addition, homelessness, and public safety “are complex challenges” that affect communities across the province and the country.
But they said statements in Ferraro’s letter about the operation and funding of the shelter were inaccurate.
They said the society receives funding from several organizations, including Community Living BC, BC Housing, and the Columbia Basin Trust, as well as various provincial and federal grants. They said they are subject to regular reporting and random audits by their funders and provide annual audited financial statements.
They said the shelter operates under a fixed contract where funds are provided no matter how many people use the shelter from day to day.
In the past year, 120 people stayed at the shelter, of whom 101 were from Greater Trail, they added. Of those who were not from the immediate area, 13 were helped to return home, one received help accessing treatment, three found housing, and two remain homeless.
The society stressed that it doesn’t try to find people from out of town to fill the shelter’s beds, nor does it benefit financially from increased shelter occupancy.
The shelter’s budget is $1.4 million, the bulk of which goes toward staff. The shelter has three to four people on duty around the clock.
“The individuals accessing the shelter are members of our broader community who are experiencing significant challenges, including homelessness, poverty, and addiction,” Fletcher and Gurr wrote.
“While these issues are highly visible in many communities, shelters alone do not create these challenges. Instead, they are one of the essential community responses that provide safety, stability, and connection to services.”
Sports by Hartley Tuesday, March 24th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
The schedule is out for the Prince George Cougars-Spokane Chiefs first round WHL playoff series.
It will be a 2-3-2 format that starts with the first two games at CN Centre Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:00.
The series will shift to Spokane for games 3, 4 and if needed 5 on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week (March 30th, April 1st and April 2nd).
Should games 6 and 7 be needed they would be played in Prince George on Sunday, April 5th and Monday, April 6th.
The (44-22-2) Cougars won all four meetings against the (36-30-2) Chiefs in the regular season and Prince George enters the playoffs on an 8-game winning streak.
Other Western Conference first round matchups also start Friday with #8 Portland at #1 Everett, #7 Seattle at #2 Penticton and #5 Kamloops at #4 Kelowna.
The (32-17-3) Prince George Spruce Kings have locked up first place in the Coastal East Division and a first round matchup against the Langley Rivermen starting Friday, April 3rd.
The Spruce Kings will conclude their regular season on the road at (27-24-1) Langley Friday night at 7:15 and at the (7-39-6) Surrey Eagles Sunday afternoon at 4:00.
The Spruce Kings regular season schedule and results are here.
NHL: (1 Monday game)
Ottawa 2 New York Rangers 1
The win moved the Senators within two points of a playoff spot.
The (21-40-8) Vancouver Canucks, with just 13 games left, continue an 8-game homestand when they entertain the (39-27-4) Anaheim Ducks tonight at 7:00.
It is one of 15 Tuesday NHL games with just the New York Rangers and Buffalo idle.
The Canucks have set a franchise record with 23 home losses in a single season.
According to Environment Canada, between 10 to 15 centimetres of snow is expected to fall, starting in the middle of the day Tuesday.
The snow will be accompanied by strong, gusty, northeasterly winds that could bring wind chills between minus 15 and minus 20.
Environment Canada says the heaviest snowfall rates are expected Tuesday evening.
Affected areas include Williston, Prince George (especially to the north), Stuart-Nechako (especially Highway 16, 27, and Fort St. James), and the Lakes District.
According to Environment Canada, between 10 to 15 centimetres of snow is expected to fall, starting in the middle of the day Tuesday.
The snow will be accompanied by strong, gusty, northeasterly winds that could bring wind chills between minus 15 and minus 20.
Environment Canada says the heaviest snowfall rates are expected Tuesday evening.
Affected areas include Williston, Prince George (especially to the north), Stuart-Nechako (especially Highway 16, 27, and Fort St. James), and the Lakes District.
Prince George City Council heard a presentation that could potentially bring more housing to the area around UNBC.
The presentation came from UNBC at tonight’s (Monday) meeting, laying out the UNBC Land Trust.
According to the presentation, this could bring up to 1,800 residential units, supporting a residential population of around 4,000 people.
“This is an opportunity to create a vibrant university district that strengthens the connection between the University and the City of Prince George,” said UNBC Interim President Dr. Bill Owen.
The land in question sits across of Tyner Boulevard from the University, and is about 47 acres in size.
Map from UNBC Presentation (Courtesy: City of Prince George)
The focus of the presentation was the 27 acres of the land which were originally part of the UNBC lands.
Owen said the area in question is strategically located along a transit corridor for the City, which provides opportunity.
“As the City looks at expanding its healthcare infrastructure, supporting Northern Health, the development of the tower for example, we’re going to need more housing and more amenities to support our city,” Owen said.
“This provides an opportunity for the future employees of Northern Health and for others to be co-located near the University, where they can have access to research lectures, they can have access to other amenities that the University affords. The strategic location is one of the reasons why the land trust initiative has the potential to support both the University, and the much broader community of Prince George and the outlying regions.”
Owen said a university district could help attract and retain students, professionals and entrepreneurs.
According to Owen, there is a reverter clause on the 27 acres of land across the road from the University.
“Changes in consideration to that reverter clause would allow UNBC and the community to move forward,” Owen said.
“Currently, the reverter clause, as many of you all know, simply states that if the land is used for anything other than education or academic purposes, the University would have to pay for that land, so your advocacy in either helping to remove the reverter clause or to have the province encourage other considerations around the reverter clause, would unlock the opportunity to move this project forward.”
Owen asked that City Council advocate for the clause to be removed, or for other considerations that would allow both the City and the University to benefit from the land.
“We’re not simply asking for you to advocate for us not paying anything for the land, but something above zero, but below the cost of fully developed land,” he said.
Councillor Kyle Sampson said the pitch supports growth responsibly.
“This is an area that you can integrate living into a beautiful area, and it’s land that is currently owned by the Province/University, but is not being utilized,” he said.
“I think it helps with the City and the Province’s housing targets for the area, it starts to build community around UNBC rather than it just being up on the hill, it has folks that will integrate with it on a different level which I think is really beneficial for the school.”
Councillor Brian Skakun asked if there could be reports coming back to Council on the dynamics of doing this.
“This project will have a number of different phases, and one of those phases is an application to the City of Prince George, once it progresses to that point where the City would potentially consider applications for OCP amendment or rezoning,” said City Manager Walter Babicz.
“At that juncture is when staff would report to Council on the particulars of the development and any considerations that the City and Council should take when responding to that application.”
Councillor Cori Ramsay said it was an exciting opportunity.
“When the Province first identified UNBC with a transit-oriented area it didn’t really make a lot of sense why of course we would put it there,” she said.
“Logically there’s nobody living there except the residence, so to see a transit oriented area have potential deployment I think is exciting.”
Councillor Garth Frizzell said this also shows innovation the provincial government was looking for.
“In the face of the international students not being able to come here in the same way they did, due to federal government choices, the provincial government challenges institutions to find alternate revenue sources,”
“You’ve gone out to find an alternative revenue sources, and it’s one that checks all the boxes that generates revenue, that provides the services you want that’s on the land.”
Councillor Susan Scott, a founding staff member of UNBC, said this is a long time coming.
“What I’ve appreciated the most, listening to this presentation for a couple of times now, is the deliberateness, and the speed, the slow speed, that you have respectfully approached all of this,” she said.
“You haven’t barreled down the road, because there’s a lot of different elements to take into consideration, and I think that’s going to bode well.”
Councillor Trudy Klassen, appearing at the meeting virtually, asked about initiatives addressing the loss of green space in the area.
“UNBC has also heard concerns about that, we have purposely slowed some of the thinking down, purposeful in terms of how do we balance both the needs for development, and ensuring that the wildlife corridors that are there and access to nature are still part of the ecosystem,” Owen responded.
“The initial plans here have tried to maintain that balance and being respectful of mapping out some of the wildlife corridors that we know are there, also to ensure human wildlife safety as well.”
Owen added they would only be developing 35 acres over the course of 10 to 20 years.
“Through that process, we can also learn and adjust along the way as need be,” he said.
Mayor Simon Yu said this was a “Prince George project.”
“When UNBC and the City come together, what is the result? The result is this iconic building, the first Wood Innovation seven storeys tall in our City Centre,” Yu said, referencing a photo of the Wood Innovation and Design Centre used in the presentation.
“The Northern Sport Centre, these are the collaborations to demonstrate to the City, not only the trust that exists between the City and UNBC, and when we get together and work together, great results happen for Prince George and the region as a whole.”
Council voted to support UNBC with advocacy, and to refer the item to the City’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for further advocacy.
Other items discussed at tonight’s meeting included a rezoning amendment for the current Studio 2880 property, and final reading was given to an amendment on the Parks and Open Spaces bylaw.
The City of Nelson is preparing for a significant period of staff turnover, with multiple retirements and leaves expected in the coming months.
Chief financial officer Chris Jury told council on March 17 that several key positions – particularly in finance, public works and Nelson Hydro – will need to be filled or temporarily covered as senior staff step away.
That includes the early retirement of purchasing manager Suzanne Rorick this summer, alongside a maternity leave for deputy chief financial officer Amy Mooney.
Jury said Mooney’s position will be “tough to fill,” but noted the transition will likely require a mix of short-term hires or potential restructuring of roles.
“You’ve all seen Amy’s shoes; they’re tough to fill. We’d look to see if we could bring somebody in for a year, and then, we’ll have to juggle some roles and responsibilities around,” he said.
“It takes you a year to train someone for that position, so we will see that sort of responsibilities we can shift to someone who’s maybe only there for a year that you can just up and go and run with those”
Chief administrative officer Kevin Cormack noted that the situation isn’t unique to Nelson. He said the City of Castlegar is in a similar position as younger staff take parental leave and long-serving employees retire.
“Castlegar just had the very same situation with their deputy CFO over there. We will figure out how to fill it, but both of those folks are really critical to our organization,” said Cormack, referring to Mooney and Rorick.
He said it’s also part of a broader trend. While succession planning had identified a wave of retirements over the next two to five years, Cormack said many are now happening much sooner.
“They seem to all be happening in the next six months.”
In addition to finance roles, the city expects turnover in public works, IT and at Nelson Hydro, where leadership changes are also anticipated in the coming years.
Nelson Hydro general manager Scott Spencer is retiring in June, and a line manager is also expected to retire within the next few years. Staff are also re-evaluating a management position at the utility as part of broader operational planning.
A new IT/GIS manager position will be posted in the near future as the city looks to shift responsibilities internally and better support Nelson Hydro operations.
“There lots of balls in the air as these changes happen,” said Cormack.
The city is also anticipating another retirement in public works later this spring or early summer.
Turnover is also happening at the Nelson Public Library, where chief librarian Tracey Therrien is retiring in April. Deputy chief librarian Laura Harris will step into the role, creating another vacancy to be filled.
Cormack said these overlapping departures are prompting broader conversations about how roles are structured and how responsibilities can be redistributed across departments.
“There’s lots of discussion with people leaving about how we structure the work,” said Cormack.
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The Grand Forks clock tower at City Hall will be lit red on Tuesday, March 24, in honour of World Tuberculosis Day.
A press release from Results Canada said the effort raises awareness of tuberculosis (TB) as the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
The organization said the effort is particularly important as Canada and other countries are “cutting their global health budgets,” resulting in a rise in TB rates.
“The devastating effects of the cuts to international assistance on the spread of infectious diseases cannot be understated,” said Taryn Russell, executive director at Results Canada.
“Cases will rise, and people will die. And Canadians are not immune. As we’ve seen with recent outbreaks in Nunavik, Labrador and Edmonton’s inner city, infectious diseases do not respect borders. The solution is to work together to protect our future, not turn a blind eye.”
The organization said G7 countries are planning to reduce aid spending by 28 per cent collectively, including $2.7 billion in cuts from Canada. At the same time, the United States has dismantled USAID and left the World Health Organization — a worrying trend for Results Canada.
“This is a worrying trend of high-income countries turning their backs on the world. These cuts and divestments have halted health programs worldwide, disrupting TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment,” said the organization.
“And yet, TB remains a significant public health concern, despite being preventable and treatable.”
The disease claimed the lives of 1.25 million people in 2023 alone, and “disproportionately affected those living in poverty.”
“In Canada, TB is a growing threat, especially among groups who are often marginalized, including Indigenous and newcomer communities,” said Results Canada.
On the evening of March 24, the public is encouraged to go to City Hall, take a picture to post on social media and tag their member of parliament, with a note about how “we must end TB at home and around the world.”
“We are proud to work with Grand Forks on this important initiative,” said Russell.
“Together, we can work towards a stable world free of TB, where every individual has access to the care and support they need to live a healthy life.”
For more information on this initiative and how you can get involved, please visit resultscanada.ca.
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The Regional District of Central Kootenay has deferred the second phase of its organizational review, removing the $100,000 budget from the 2026–30 financial plan.
Phase one work, however, will continue, with staff committed to addressing the initial recommendations from the consultants’ report.
The organizational assessment, conducted by Samson Consultants in 2025, outlined seven near-term recommendations for governance and administration improvements. It also included a phase two roadmap for more in-depth structural and strategic challenges.
Board members voted in favour of deferring phase two at the March 19 meeting. Electoral Area F Director Tom Newell opposed the delay, saying it could stall progress.
“I think there was momentum and I think with the momentum, it’s a mistake to pause that process over $100,000, which is a lot of money, but the consultants were ready to take the next phase on because they were saying, ‘you guys, you have a governance issue and we have people here that have been around the table that could help with the next step’,” he said.
Chief administrative officer Stuart Horn assured board members that internal work would continue.
“We are resourced to move those along. We are resourced for some of the external advice that we might need to get, including legal advice on some of those items that we’re going to move forward. That’s all part of what is considered,” said Horn.
Staff are prioritizing phase one initiatives, including implementing a formal organization-wide prioritization framework, updating delegation authority, strengthening senior management team (SMT) governance, centralizing procurement and reviewing communication strategies.
Phase two projects, including SMT structural alignment, board governance, portfolio management and legacy system improvements, will be reviewed in 2026.
A report on the preferred approach – whether internally with additional HR support or externally through a consultant – will return to the board in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
Area I Director Andy Davidoff emphasized that delaying phase two from the budget doesn’t mean abandoning it entirely.
“We’re not ready to assign the dollar value to the next phase of work. And until we internally figure out exactly what we need, what we can do internally, and then what we need consultants to help us with, we will arrive at a number for the next phase,” he explained.
“We’re not abandoning phase two by removing it from this budget. And we will know better for next year’s budget what this number should be.”
The board directed staff to develop a work plan and budget for phase two, which will be reported back in the fall of 2026, including proposed costs and timelines.
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The province said Monday it’s creating a new investment fund in partnership with the University of British Columbia.
Crown corporation InBC Investment Corp. and UBC will each provide $10 million for the new UBC Catalyst Ventures Fund, with the goal of raising an additional $20 million from private-sector investors.
The fund is intended to help grow companies that are based on UBC research.
“[This fund] ensures we can get on the ground, on the floor, to invest in companies that have huge growth potential, while providing the capital they need to expand and create good-paying jobs,” said Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon on Monday.
The province said initial investments will focus on life sciences and “deep tech,” a sector that includes areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.
B.C.’s “Look West” economic plan aims to double employment in those sectors over the next ten years.
Kahlon said the funding is not part of the province’s recent legislation that would create a $400 million fund to allow the B.C. government to directly invest in projects, and reap the benefits of their success through profit-sharing agreements and equity stakes.
He said InBC operates at “arm’s length” from the government.
Environment Canada has issued a wind warning covering most of Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
Forecasters say strong winds are expected to pick up late Tuesday morning and continue into the afternoon, with southeast gusts between 70 and 90 km/h.
“Southeast winds will sharply rise to 70 km/h gusting to 90 late Tuesday morning as a deep low-pressure system passes over northern Vancouver Island,” said a statement from Environment Canada. “As the low makes landfall on the mainland coast, winds will subside below warning criteria late Tuesday afternoon.”
Environment Canada says power outages are possible and reminds people to keep a safe distance from downed power lines.
Because the use was permitted by the zoning, it allowed the society to open its shelter in the former Fabrications building at Queen Street and Third Avenue without special council approval.
The shelter received funding from BC Housing to operate through the winter and will be closing on March 31.
The council meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. and can be watched on the town’s Facebook page.
The Campbell River School District is facing ongoing budget pressure as it prepares for the next school year.
Secretary-treasurer Kevin Patrick said per-student funding from the province remains unchanged from last year at $9,015 despite rising costs from inflation and wage increases.
At the same time, the district is expecting a drop of about 105 students, which the board projects could reduce revenue by roughly one million dollars.
Early estimates show a funding shortfall of about $931,000 before factoring in additional costs such as fuel and operations.
The district will receive some provincial support to help offset enrolment declines, but not enough to fully close the gap.
“The district will receive some enrolment-decline support from the province, which helps offset sudden drops in student numbers, but the district has not reached the level where additional funding protection would apply,” reads a statement from School District 72.
The district will continue monitoring enrolment through the spring, with a final balanced budget required by the end of June.
The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is aiming to reduce emissions at one of its largest sources this year.
The regional district plans to lower emissions at the Comox Valley Aquatic Centre as part of the targets set in its corporate energy and emissions plan.
Manager of transit and facilities Mike Zbarsky said the region’s sports and aquatic centres account for nearly 60 per cent of its corporate emissions.
“This year our goal is to do major upgrades at the Aquatic Centre, which will reduce overall CVRD emissions by 30 per cent.”
The plan outlines how the district will reduce its organizational emissions to align with global targets aimed at limiting climate change impacts.
The district aims to cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and said efforts began last year with a 53 per cent reduction in gasoline emissions through reduced driving and continued electrification of its fleet.
This summer’s maintenance cycle will see aging natural gas-powered mechanical systems at the aquatic centre replaced with efficient heat pumps that will heat, cool and dehumidify the facility.
The investment will cost $2.5 million and is timed to replace equipment nearing the end of its useful life.
The upgrades are expected to extend the life of the facility and support long-term reliability.
The District of Port Hardy is set to appoint officials to oversee the general municipal election in October.
Under Section 58 of the Local Government Act, municipalities must appoint a chief election officer and a deputy responsible for ensuring compliance with provincial legislation.
The district said it plans to appoint chief administrative officer Heather Nelson-Smith as chief election officer and Lousia Bates as deputy chief election officer.
The appointments are expected to be confirmed at Tuesday’s council meeting.
A provincial funding freeze has halted another project in North Cowichan, this time putting a hold on a 28-unit development designed to help people with disabilities on Vancouver Island.
North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas said the Clement Centre Society needs provincial funding for the project to move forward, but the suspension of the Community Housing Fund is delaying the delivery of new housing in the region.
“In order for it to move forward they (Clements Centre Society) needs funding from the provincial government,” Douglas said. “They have applied to the province’s flagship program (Community Housing Fund) for subsidized housing, but with Budget 2026 the province announced they’ll be putting intakes on hold.”
Housing targets have been imposed on the Municipality of North Cowichan, and although Douglas said the five-year target of 1,233 units will be met, it will not be without challenges.
“We’re expected to meet a certain number of non-market housing, and that’s going to be a real challenge,” he said. “Not having these affordable housing units for people experiencing homelessness is going to pose a real problem in the region.”
One housing project in Chemainus has already been affected by the lack of provincial funding. Douglas said there are projects underway on Sherman Road, but he would like to see more investment in priority areas.
“We recognize the province is in a difficult place, but we’d love to see them accept more applications,” he said.
North Cowichan council has asked Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle to continue funding the Clements Centre project on Vian Street.
The Prince George RCMP are investigation a shooting incident that occurred at a vacant lot on Lower Patricia Boulevard.
Police say on Sunday, just after 7:00 p.m., officers received reports of shots fired in the area, and upon arrival, found two people inside a trailer with what appeared to be gunshot wounds.
Corporal Jennifer Cooper said investigators have been on scene since the incident was reported, collecting evidence and information.
“We’re asking that if anyone has details about the incident, they call our non-emergency line to speak with a police officer.”
“We’re also interested in speaking with anybody who may have video surveillance or dash camera footage that captured any people or vehicles moving around Moccasin Flats between 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.”
Cooper said both people were transported to hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP’s non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.
A former alternate director for the CVRD says he’s ready for launch his campaign to represent the Area A, which includes the Mill Bay and Malahat communities, at the board table.
Shane Ryan announced his candidacy for the fall election and he says his campaign will focus on what matters to .
“I will focus on reducing property tax increases by reigning in CVRD spending, improve transportation, ensure we have resiliency with both our watershed and wildfire readiness,” Ryan says. “Also, expand services and housing opportunities for seniors in our community.”
Over his tenure as an alternate director Ryan says he was able to fight and save more than 50 jobs at Western Stevedoring, voted in favor of the Malahat Skywalk, provided opposition and voted against pay increases during the pandemic and questioned CVRD spending.
Ryan says the first step to ensuring spending is under control would be managing staffing levels and getting the budget under control.
“I would like to see a staffing freeze,” he says. “We’d need to fill spots as people retire and that’s the exception. I’d also like to see strong targets for the budget, currently directors don’t have a lot of input on the budget, and I would like that to change.”
Ryan is self employed, and is currently the president of the Mill Bay Community League.
General election day across the province is scheduled for Oct. 17.
Nanaimo RCMP are inviting residents to sit down for coffee and conversation next month.
Officers will host a “Coffee with a Cop” event on April 14, encouraging members of the public to ask questions, share concerns and get to know local police.
The national initiative promotes informal conversations between police and the communities they serve.
“Making genuine connections with the public is critical to effective policing,” said Insp. Donovan Tait, operations officer with Nanaimo RCMP. “Events like Coffee with a Cop give people the chance to see us as real people — neighbours who live here, raise our families here and proudly call Nanaimo home. Those face-to-face conversations help build trust and understanding, which ultimately makes our community safer and stronger.”
Officers will be at Country Grocer on Dufferin Crescent from 9 to 11 a.m.
“Police officers must be willing to step out of their vehicles and engage directly with the community to better understand local concerns. Coffee with a Cop provides that opportunity in an approachable and welcoming environment,” said Supt. Eric Rochette, officer in charge of Nanaimo RCMP.
The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services announced details for consultation on Budget 2027.
Several public meetings will be held to hear from residents about their priorities for next budget, anticipated to take place in June 2026.
Three in-person meetings will be held in northern B.C., including Prince George, Smithers, and Dawson Creek, along with virtual meetings.
Committee members will be comprised of government and Opposition MLAs.
Anyone interested in speaking with the committee are asked to complete a request form on the Parliamentary Committees Consultation Portal, with an opportunity to give written input beginning in June 2026.
Courtenay’s new active transportation bridge has reached a milestone.
Construction of the 6th Street Bridge has reached the halfway mark and is progressing ahead of schedule, the City of Courtenay said.
Mayor Bob Wells said the bridge reflects a commitment to ensuring commuters have a safe and accessible way to travel throughout the city.
“We’re really pleased with the progress to date and look forward to the final push before the new corridor comes to life.”
The 50 per cent milestone was marked by the installation of two structural towers and bridge panels spanning the Courtenay River.
The components were manufactured off-site and lifted into place by crane, allowing installation to proceed efficiently and safely.
Work will continue on remaining elements of the project, including installing railings, building ramps and connecting trails, completing the bridge surface, rehabilitating nearby park areas and developing dedicated cycling lanes approaching from 6th Street.
The MLA for Courtenay-Comox said he has met with residents of the Queneesh Trailer Park who have been given notice the park will close in early 2028.
The trailer park is owned by K’ómoks First Nation and is located on reserve land in Comox. The First Nation intends to use the site to develop housing for its members.
In a video posted to social media, Brennan Day said several residents have lived there for decades and the situation amounts to displacement for many of them.
Courtenay-Comox MLA Brennan Day comments:
“In many cases, relocation isn’t actually possible,” Day said. “Many of these homes can’t be moved. Even if they could, there are virtually no available manufactured home sites on Vancouver Island to put them.”
Day said the matter falls outside provincial jurisdiction as it involves the First Nation, residents and the federal government.
He said he plans to continue meeting with residents to ensure they are aware of their options and is encouraging all parties to work toward a solution that would reduce harm, particularly for those who are most vulnerable.
Increased ferry service is coming to the Sunshine Coast, but the mayor of Gibsons said more needs to be done.
BC Ferries announced more than 120 additional sailings to help during the “shoulder seasons.” Vice-president of customer experience Melanie Lucia said the company has heard concerns from Sunshine Coast residents and responded.
“People rely on this route (Horseshoe Bay to Langdale) every day to get to work, appointments and to stay connected with family and the community, and we know how frustrating it is when you can’t get on the sailing you need,” she said. “Our focus is on improving certainty on the busiest sailings while making better use of that capacity so more people can travel.”
Gibsons Mayor Silas White said the community supports the additional sailings and will continue working with BC Ferries on long-term solutions.
“These additional sailings are a meaningful step for our community,” he said. “We know there’s more work to do, including how we can better utilize data shared by BC Ferries to encourage more people onto sailings with available space.
“We’ll combine that with continued advocacy for the level of service Sunshine Coast residents need and keep working with BC Ferries to build towards longer-term solutions.”
White said further changes will be needed to ensure solutions are consultative and transparent.
“If these changes don’t result in a more efficient and reliable service, including to get us back and forth to medical appointments and kids’ sporting activities, we’ll be reminding BC Ferries, the Commission and the Ferry Authority and the province how easy it is to dial back on reservations,” he said.
In a media release, BC Ferries said it will continue to monitor travel patterns and customer feedback as the changes are implemented. The feedback will be included in a submission to the ferry commissioner for the 2028 term.
Residents in the Cowichan Valley will have a chance to speak directly with Island Health leadership at a public forum next month.
The Island Health board of directors is hosting the session Wednesday, April 1 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Khowutzun Heritage Centre in Duncan.
The forum is designed to give the public an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and hear updates on health care services in the region.
The evening will include remarks from interim medical health officer Dr. Melissa Wan on public health, along with a presentation from the Cowichan Communities Health Network.
The event will also be available via a live online stream.
The qathet Regional District is considering extending its agreement with the Regional District of Nanaimo to allow residual waste to be deposited at the Cedar Road facility.
According to the qathet Regional District, two options will be discussed at its next meeting: extend the current agreement to continue accepting waste from Lasqueti Island, or allow the agreement to lapse and direct waste to the district’s resource recovery centre in Powell River.
In a report, manager of environmental services Jason Kouwenhoven said there are benefits to shipping waste, noting materials are already transported from the Lasqueti Island Recycling Centre to Powell River, but added the district should keep its options open.
“Shipping these materials together simplifies logistics of transporting waste off the island,” Kouwenhoven said. “However, alternative transportation and disposal arrangements should continue to be evaluated to ensure the qRD is achieving the best value for marine transport services.”
The report said there are no direct financial costs associated with maintaining the agreement with the Regional District of Nanaimo, aside from staff time required to prepare and process a formal request. It added the agreement does not commit the district to using Nanaimo’s services.
However, the report indicated there could be budget implications if the agreement is re-established.
“The service costs will need to evaluated at the time of procurement and will depend on contractor pricing and impacts to recycle transportation as well,” the report said.
The regional district is expected to make a decision on waste disposal March 25.
The City of Prince George released a new online map to help residents better navigate Memorial Park Cemetery and Lheidli T’enneh Cemetery.
The City said it’ll allow residents to search for their loved ones by name or date of internment to find plots in the cemetery.
On mobile devices, geolocation allows users to see where they are in relation to the plots.
“Previously, plot information could be found on the City website by searching a number of PDF documents.” said parks and solid waste supervisor, Jim Litzen.
“The new system makes navigating the cemetery much easier, whether you’re accessing the page from a desktop computer at home or from your phone when you arrive at the park.”
The interactive plot search map is available on the City’s website here.
The Williams Lake Fire Department was on scene of a wildland fire in the Dairy Fields.
Deputy Fire Chief Brendan Foote said they responded at 3:08 yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.
“Upon arrival it was discovered that there was a pickup truck on fire and it had spread into the grass,” Foote said, “Crews were able to extinguish the vehicle as well as the surrounding grassland area.”
Foot said the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
Three apparatus, a duty truck and a total of 17 firefighters responded.
A number of self-fill sandbag stations have been set up across the East Kootenay as more rainfall is expected in the coming days.
The region was hit hard by rain last week, especially in the Elk Valley.
Coal Creek Road in Fernie is currently closed due to a washout.
While cleanup continues, the Regional District of East Kootenay said more rain is expected Tuesday, March 24.
In the Elk Valley, sandbag stations have been set up on Railway Avenue in Fernie next to the operations facility, in the Elk River Inn parking lot in Hosmer, and past the Mainroad yard and Fire Hall No. 1 on Engelmann Spruce Drive in Sparwood.
A station has also been set up behind the old barn at Mountainside Golf Course on Hot Springs Road in Fairmont for the Columbia Valley.
Kimberley also has a station behind Centennial Hall.
The RDEK flood response unit will monitor several locations around the region.
Anyone who sees widespread flooding should call the 24-hour emergency reporting line at 250-489-9677.
Residents are also urged to stay clear of moving waterways as levels remain high.
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Homes were evacuated and a small barn was lost but greater damage was prevented in a grass fire in Grand Forks on Sunday.
According to a Facebook post by Grand Forks Fire Rescue, the blaze needed a “significant multi-unit response.” Given how close the fire was to nearby properties, some homes were evacuated, they said.
“However, through coordinated and aggressive suppression efforts, crews were able to successfully protect nearby homes and additional structures in the area,” the fire department said in the post.
Eighteen firefighters responded with ten vehicles.
The fire department said it also received help from Grand Forks RCMP to help with the evacuations, the BC Wildfire Service, and the Christina Lake Fire Department.
It added that the incident provides another reminder of the need to steer clear of emergency scenes.
“In this incident, our water supply relied on tenders operating along a narrow access road,” it said. “Vehicles stopping to watch or take photos created challenges for crews and could have delayed critical operations.”
The post did not say whether firefighters know what caused the fire.
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Two pilots are dead and at least 41 others were taken to hospital after an Air Canada Express flight collided with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, officials said Monday.
Air Canada said flight AC8646, operated by Jazz Aviation, originated in Montreal and was involved in an accident upon landing at about 11:30 p.m.
“At 11:40 last night, Air Canada flight 8646, operated by Jazz, collided with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle on Runway 4,” Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia said at a news conference Monday.
Garcia said the plane was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, while the emergency vehicle carried two officers.
“Initial numbers indicate that 41 passengers and crew were transported to the hospital as well as the ARFF officers,” Garcia said. “At this time, we understand that 32 have been released, but there are also serious injuries.”
“Sadly, the two pilots are confirmed deceased, and notifications are being made by Air Canada’s care team,” she said.
Air Canada said the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had confirmed the captain and first officer were killed. The airline said it could not confirm the exact number of injuries or whether there were other fatalities. It said emergency services were on site caring for injured passengers and that some had been taken to local hospitals.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a post on X that the collision involving the Air Canada Express aircraft “claimed the lives of the pilot and co-pilot, and injured dozens more.”
“The collision involving an Air Canada Express aircraft last night in New York that claimed the lives of the pilot and co-pilot, and injured dozens more, is deeply saddening,” Carney wrote.
“Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on X he had been briefed on what he called the “tragic collision” at LaGuardia. He said the National Transportation Safety Board was investigating and that the city was in close contact with federal, state and local partners. Mamdani also thanked first responders, saying their swift actions saved lives.
Mamdani said Air Canada had set up a hotline for friends and families of affected passengers and said LaGuardia Airport was closed. He said the Port Authority was advising travellers to check with their airline for the latest flight information before going to the airport.
Garcia said the airport was expected to remain closed until at least 2 p.m. EDT Monday to facilitate the NTSB investigation.
Air Canada said its teams and Jazz Aviation staff were preparing to travel to the site and were co-operating with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation.
The airline said family and friends seeking information about passengers on flight AC8646 can call 1-800-961-7099.
Interior Health (IH) is advising 100 Mile House and area residents of temporary changes to Emergency department hours at 100 Mile District General Hospital.
IH said services will be unavailable today (March 23) from 7 am to 8 pm and that patients can access care at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake during this time.
All other inpatient services at 100 Mile District General Hospital will continue.
IH said people in the community who need life-threatening emergency care should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
This is the fifth time this month the Emergency department at 100 Mile District General Hospital has been closed.
Kootenay Rockies MLA Pete Davis is calling for a referendum to decide whether the East Kootenay should adopt a proposed time change, as residents remain divided on the issue.
Davis said his office has received a surge of calls, emails and in-person visits from constituents on both sides of the debate.
“Our phones are lighting up, our emails are lighting up, people are coming in. But the problem is it’s split. Some people want it, some people don’t. So It’s tough because people want to meet with me, and they want to know what I want to do, what I’m going to do about it, if I’m going to take it back to the government.” said Davis.
He said a referendum would allow residents to make the final decision.
“It’s tough because you’re split down the middle, right? I mean, even the RDEK, their vote was 8 to 7. That’s close, right? So my idea is, I think we should have a referendum. I think that the people of Kooteney Rockies, the people of regional East Kooteney, should get a chance to voice their opinion. So instead of us making the decision, let’s let the people make the decision.” said Davis
Davis explains his idea on how to get the referendum done.
“My idea was that there’s a municipal election in October, so it’d be a great time to just add a question to the ballot. It’s not going to cost us more money, because we’re already doing it. The only thing that we will have to do is make sure that the people of RDEK have a chance to vote as well because some of those people are outside of the municipality. I mean, it kind of makes sense because at least we have that election, it’s going to be all the way across the RDEK, and people can voice their opinion and say what they want.” Said Davis.
He said residents should have the final say, rather than leaving the decision solely to local officials.
“But, hey, I think that people’s voices should be heard, and I don’t think 15 people should actually choose what happens here in the RDEK. I think that the people of the RDEK should.” said Davis.
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Fernie’s Kaleb Barnum delivered a breakthrough performance on home snow Sunday, winning silver at a FIS Ski Cross World Cup event at Craigleith Ski Club near Collingwood, Ont.
In just his eighth World Cup start, the 21-year-old East Kootenay athlete reached the podium for the first time, finishing second in the men’s big final.
Kaleb Barnum. Photo Courtesy of Alpine Canada (Calgary)
Barnum, the youngest competitor in the field, raced against the world’s top ski cross athletes and showed he can contend at the highest level. He powered through the four-man final to finish behind Italy’s Federico Tomasoni.
The result marked a strong showing for Canada and a proud moment for the East Kootenay, with Barnum joined on the podium by teammate Kris Mahler, who won bronze. The double podium finish came on home snow at the only Canadian stop on the World Cup circuit.
Barnum, a member of the Canadian ski cross team, has built momentum this season with consistent results on the European Cup circuit. His performance in Craigleith signals his emergence as a rising talent from the region.
With speed, precision and composure on display, Barnum’s silver-medal finish underscores both his rapid progression and the strength of Canadian ski cross on the world stage.
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The future of Quesnel’s Clean Team, responsible for picking up garbage and discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia around the city, appears to be up in the air.
The City has set aside around $75,000 in the city’s operating budget for this year to fund the workers in the program, but Northern Health has yet to commit to paying for a coordinator to supervise the clean team.
A commitment for a Decriminalization Community Engagement Coordinator runs out on March 31st.
Quesnel’s Safety and Security Committee, representing businesses in the area, appeared before Quesnel City Council back in November.
Parveen Pannu, Vice President of the Quesnel Downtown Association, highlighted the importance of the Clean Team and described the work they did in August, September and October of last year.
“In that three month time period the Clean Team collected 1,700 small white garbage bags and 106 large black garbage bags full of debris and other garbage across the entire city, and they safely removed 730 needles, so that just shows a snapshot of how significant this service really is.”
Pannu noted that without the Clean Team, Quesnel would face a significant public safety and health risk.
The group also requested that the City work with them to secure long term funding for the program.
City Councillor Martin Runge said that they needed to look at ways to fund it without further burdening taxpayers.
“I’m always scared to just keep raising taxes, in my case, to pay for something that’s actually a health issue that should be paid for by Northern Health in my mind. You know the supplies come out and yet we’re responsible for picking them up and taking care of them. I think we should have a community discussion with regards to how this is going to be funded. I don’t think it should just permanently come from the city.”
Vista Radio has put a request into Northern Health to confirm whether or not it intends to fund this position in the future.
The Grand Forks Border Bruins face an early deficit in their playoff series after dropping the first two games to the Beaver Valley Nitehawks by a combined score of 11-2.
Grand Forks opened the series with a 4-1 loss, falling behind early and struggling to recover. Austin Tellefson (5) provided the lone goal at 16:39 of the second period to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Thomas Samborski made 32 saves in the effort as the Border Bruins were outshot and unable to generate enough offence.
Game 2 proved more difficult for Grand Forks, as they fell 7-1. Levi Astill (4) scored the team’s only goal, while the Nitehawks pulled away with a five-goal second period.
The Border Bruins used two goaltenders in the loss. Samborski allowed four goals on 18 shots in 21:53 of action before Eric Kahl entered in relief and allowed three goals on 29 shots.
Grand Forks now looks to regroup as the series shifts, needing a stronger defensive effort and more consistent scoring to close the gap.
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The Beaver Valley Nitehawks opened their playoff series in dominant fashion, sweeping the first two games against the Grand Forks Border Bruins by a combined score of 11-2.
Beaver Valley took control early in Game 1 with a 4-1 win on home ice. Maddox Gandha continued his strong post-season, scoring his fourth game-winner of the playoffs and fifth overall at 8:37 of the opening period to give the Nitehawks a 2-0 lead.
Brock Robertson contributed with a goal and an assist, while Landan Uzeloc made 34 saves. The only goal against came from Austin Tellefson (5) late in the second period.
The Nitehawks built on that momentum in Game 2, routing Grand Forks 7-1. Ayden Probe scored his first of the playoffs as the winner, but the game turned decisively during a five-goal second period.
Brady Magarrell led the surge with a hat trick (12) in the frame, while Michiel Leenders added three assists. Beaver Valley also capitalized on special teams, going three-for-five on the power play.
Karsten Hugenholtz stopped 20 of 21 shots for the win. Grand Forks used two goaltenders, with Thomas Samborski allowing four goals on 18 shots before Eric Kahl gave up three goals on 29 shots in relief.
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Floor crossings have been front of mind in federal politics, and Kootenay-Columbia MP Rob Morrison would like to see byelections required when MPs cross the floor.
So far, four sitting MPs have crossed the aisle to join the Liberals since Prime Minister Mark Carney was elected.
That includes three Conservative MPs and one from the NDP.
Morrison said voters often feel cheated when floor crossings happen and should have a say through a byelection.
“I think when somebody wants to cross a floor, there should be a by-election, because if you voted for a liberal or a Conservative or an NDP, and that person goes to another party, really, you would have said, I wouldn’t have actually voted for you if you’re with that party,” he said.
“If you want to cross the floor, no problem, you resign as a member of this party and we’ll have a by-election and you can run for the new party that you want to be.”
Because of these recent floor crossings, the Liberals are two seats short of a majority government.
However, that is expected to change next month.
Three byelections are set to take place, including two in Liberal strongholds.
Morrison said as the Opposition, the Conservatives will need to take a long-term approach.
“I think now with the majority government, it’s a lot more of a long term issue, just our role as opposition to hold a government accountable,” he said.
“Whether it’s a majority or a minority, we still were there to say, okay, where did this $500 million go? That’s our job.”
He said they have to be prepared not to expect a snap election.
“We’ll just grin and bear and probably not too much grinning.”
The byelections are scheduled for April 13.
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The Kimberley Dynamiters picked up a pair of decisive wins over the Fernie Ghostriders on the weekend, powered by strong offensive depth and standout performances from Jaden Rusznak.
Kimberley opened the set with a 5-2 victory, as Rusznak scored twice and added an assist, setting up Jake Murdoch’s winner 6:39 into the third period.
Adam Kisilevich made 15 saves for the win, allowing the opening goal to Ben Skarsen midway through the second period. Kael Svenson was busy in the Fernie net, stopping 30 shots. Luke Davies and Carter Coutu each chipped in with two assists for Kimberley.
The Dynamiters followed up with a 7-1 rout in Game 2, again led by Rusznak, who had a goal and four points. He also assisted on Luke Davies’ winning goal.
Kisilevich turned aside 25 of 26 shots, with Stephen Jones scoring Fernie’s lone goal early in the second period.
Kimberley’s offence was spread throughout the lineup, with seven different goal scorers. Leo den Besten started in net for Fernie, allowing three goals on 15 shots in just over 30 minutes of action before Svenson came on in relief, making 15 saves on 19 shots.
The two wins give Kimberley momentum as the series continues.
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Sparwood council voted to defeat the updates to the remuneration bylaw, which dictates council pay.
The bylaw was originally up for adoption on Feb. 17 and would have raised the mayor’s annual pay to $65,000 and increased it to $31,000 for councillors.
Currently, councillors make $21,538 a year, while the mayor makes $48,460, with both having a 2.5 per cent increase annually.
However, that motion was defeated and a new increase to $55,000 a year for the mayor and $26,500 for councillors was determined.
In the Mar. 17 council meeting it was again defeated.
Staff will now work on a new option to bring back to council and see if it goes through this time.
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Authorities do not suspect foul play in an early Sunday morning fire in Rossland.
Kootenay Boundary Regional fire officials say the blaze in the 1900 block of Columbia Avenue was put out quickly, limiting damage to the structure’s interior and preventing flames from spreading to neighbouring properties.
Kootenay Boundary Fire Rescue won’t add a second deputy regional fire chief this year after a Regional District of Kootenay Boundary committee voted against the expenditure.
Fruitvale’s Bill Wenman, who chairs the committee made up of directors from Greater Trail, explained in an interview that extra requirements to manage each fire hall has resulted in heavier workloads.
Presently the fire hall in Trail has a chief, deputy chief, and four shifts of career firefighters. The same chief also oversees fire halls in Rossland, Warfield, Montrose, Fruitvale, and Genelle that are staffed by paid-on-call volunteers.
The regional chief is further responsible for 911 and emergency preparedness, which are district-wide services.
Wenman said one proposal was to put all of the region’s fire halls, including those in the Boundary, under the command of the Trail-based regional chief and hire another deputy to pick up the slack.
However, with Greater Trail municipalities facing a 9.6 per cent tax increase for fire service, the issue proved contentious.
“There was a lot of discussion for and against, mostly against any further increases in taxes this year,” Wenman said.
“It’s a hard road because two of the major contributors, Trail and Rossland, are being hit pretty hard with the new liquid liquid waste management plan that’s coming on board. And those two cities are big participants in the fire hall services.”
Wenman said he believes the amount locals pay for fire service is reasonable, at a cost of about $355 per year for a home assessed at $500,000.
The addition of a second deputy chief was expected to add between two and four per cent to the overall budget, Wenman said.
Directors voted 5-2 against creating the position.
Call volumes slowing slightly
Meanwhile, Kootenay Boundary Fire Rescue’s call volumes have fallen a bit since January, but remain much higher than last year.
Chief Dan Derby said in an email that the number of calls in the first two months of 2026 was up 75 per cent over the same time last year. There were 510 calls in January and February, compared to 292 calls during those months in 2025.
“This was driven by mental health and addictions/overdose related incidents,” Derby said. “This increase in call volume was across many call types with fires, motor vehicle incidents and rescues.”
Derby said the call volume in March has dropped to levels consisted with the last few years.
Derby previously called the start to the year “unprecedented,” with nearly 200 calls in January, which was almost twice as many as in the same month of 2025.
A scheduled B.C. Hydro power outage will take place in the Columbia Valley, specifically in the Windermere area, on Tuesday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
During the outage, residents connected to the East Side Lake Windermere Water System, Holland Creek Water and Sewer Systems and the Baltac Sewer System are asked to reduce water use and use sewer services only when necessary.
Planned outages may be cancelled without warning due to safety concerns, weather conditions or emergencies. Updates are available online or by calling 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376).
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The Cougars will start the playoffs at home on Friday and Saturday against the Spokane Chiefs.
It will be a 2-3-2 format.
The Chiefs ended up 6th in the Western Conference, one point behind the Kamloops Blazers, as Spokane lost its last game 4-0 to the Seattle Thunderbirds Sunday night.
Cameron Schmidt, who is from Prince George, scored twice for the Thunderbirds including his league-high 51st goal.
In the regular season, the Cougars won all four games against the Chiefs.
Other Western Conference first round matchups have #1 Everett against #8 Portland, #2 Penticton against #7 Seattle and #4 Kelowna against #5 Kamloops.
The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.
Prince George Spruce Kings 5 Coquitlam Express 2 (Sunday)
With the victory before 1,508 hometown fans, the (32-17-3) Spruce Kings clinched first place in the Coastal East Division and a first round matchup against the Langley Rivermen.
The Prince George Spruce Kings defeated the Coquitlam Express 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to clinch the Coastal East Division.
Prince George will conclude its regular season on the road at the (27-24-1) Langley Rivermen Friday night at 7:15 and at the (7-39-6) Surrey Eagles Sunday afternoon at 4:00.
The Spruce Kings regular season schedule and results are here.
NHL: (9 Sunday games with two Canadian teams in action)
Calgary 4 Tampa Bay 3 (OT)
Winnipeg 3 New York Rangers 2 (SO)
The (21-40-8) Vancouver Canucks, with just 13 games left, continue an 8-game homestand when they entertain the (39-27-4) Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night at 7:00.
The Canucks, who fell 3-1 to St. Louis on Saturday, have set a franchise record with 23 home losses in a single season.
There is just one NHL game tonight (Monday 4:30) as Ottawa visits the New York Rangers.
It came down to the last game in the WHL 2025-26 regular season to determine which team the Prince George Cougars would face in the first round of the playoffs.
Cameron Schmidt, who is from Prince George, scored twice, including his league-high 51st goal to help the (31-27-6-4) Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-0 victory Sunday night over the Chiefs in Spokane.
Marek Sklenicka was superb in the Seattle net getting the shutout as Spokane outshot the Thunderbirds 39-20.
The loss kept the (36-30-2) Chiefs in 6th place in the Western Conference, one point behind the (31-24-7-6) Kamloops Blazers.
The (44-22-2) Cougars finished on an 8-game winning streak to end up 3rd in the Conference and 2nd in the B.C. Division.
Prince George beat the (28-30-6-4) Victoria Royals twice on the weekend in the provincial capital, 4-3 in a shootout Friday and 2-1 Saturday.
Those losses prevented Victoria from making the playoffs, as the Royals ended up 9th, two points behind the (30-30-7-1) Portland Winterhawks.
The Prince George Spruce Kings are BCHL Coastal East Division 2025-26 regular season champions.
On Fan Appreciation day before a crowd of 1,508 at Kopar Memorial Arena, the Spruce Kings delivered to their fans a 5-2 Sunday victory over the Coquitlam Express to officially clinch first place.
The Coastal East Banner is FLYING NORTH!
The Spruce Kings have locked up the #1 Seed in the Division with today’s win! pic.twitter.com/xBHGjDpnj0
— Prince George Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) March 23, 2026
The (32-17-3) Spruce Kings will conclude their regular season on the road at the Langley Rivermen Friday night at 7:15 and at the Surrey Eagles Sunday afternoon (March 29th) at 4:00.
February saw more building permits issued in the City of Prince George than the opening month of the year.
According to a report going before Council at tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting, the City issued 37 building permits last month, worth a combined $12.2 million.
11 of those permits were for new industrial construction, with a combined value of $6 million.
Additionally, nine permits with a combined total of $3.3 million were issued for commercial alterations, while four were issued for new single family dwellings, worth a combined $2.3 million.
February 2026 building permit values (Courtesy: City of Prince George)
Through the first two months of the year, the City issued a total of 47 permits, worth a combined $15 million.
That’s on par with 2025, which turned out to be a record year.
Other items to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting includes a land trust presentation from UNBC, as well as a rezoning amendment that would see the current Studio 2880 property redeveloped into an apartment building.
The full agenda for tomorrow’s meeting can be found here.
Minor delays can be expected as maintenance crews get ready to wash the bridges throughout Northern Vancouver Island.
Crews will be onsite until May 15, and Mainroad North Island contracting said motorists can expect minor delays and alternating traffic in the service area.
Drivers are being asked to slow down, obey traffic signs and show respect for crews as they complete the work.
Crews will be working from 8 to 5 p.m. starting Monday.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District is only two weeks from completing the Official Community Plan Renewal Project, and they’re asking for help.
According to the district, they’re in the final weeks of public engagement and although several community members have submitted feedback, the district said input is needed particularly in the Halfmoon Bay and West Howe Sound areas.
“Community participation is essential in shaping a shared vision for the future of the Sunshine Coast,” said the district. “While many residents across the region have contributed so far, we need all residents who have not yet participated in this phase of the OCP Renewal to share ideas and feedback”
The project is in place to guide how communities grow and change, and the board said participation is critical to ensuring the plan reflects the needs of the entire region.
A public workshop is scheduled for March 31 at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre, and the district is offering an online survey.
Coast Salish knitters and the Cowichan Sweater have been honoured with a plaque at Charles Hoey Park in Duncan, recognizing their historic significance across Canada.
The plaque was unveiled on Thursday as a joint effort between the federal government, City of Duncan and Parks Canada to mark centuries of spinning traditions.
The hand-knit sweater reflects the skill and culture of the knitters.
May Sam, a knitter who attended the event, said knitting has been a tradition in her family for generations and bringing historical recognition to the Cowichan Sweater is a blessing.
“The knitters in Cowichan need to get their recognition for their hard work,” she said. “It’s an honour for the recognition, and this is about all my family, all the knitters here in Cowichan.”
Cowichan Tribe chief Cindy Daniels was just one of the government representatives who were on hand during the award presentation.
She said the sweater alone is a very distinct piece representing a strong heritage.
“The Cowichan Sweater is Quw’utsun,” said Daniels. “Knit in one piece, by hand, it represents generations of cultural continuity at home while showcasing expert craftsmanship abroad.”
“The recognition honours not only the sweater itself, but the knitters who have sustained the tradition, even as they have had to defend their work against illegal appropriation and imitation.”
She said making a sweater isn’t only tradition, it helps provide a source of income for knitters.
“It brings in extra income, and we all know it’s hard making ends meet,” she said. “This is a way to honour our traditions and help those who need the extra income.”
The event was held to honour generations of Salish fibre knowledge, including wool preparation, spinning and knitting that led to the creation of the Cowichan sweater in the late 19 century.
The plaque was designed by Coast Salish artist Stuart Pagadan.
The finalists have been named for Kraft Hockeyville 2026.
Tumbler Ridge and Taber, Alberta were named the two finalists in the annual contest.
“We’re honoured to mark this Top Two finalist milestone in Kraft Hockeyville’s 20th anniversary year,” said Kraft Heinz Canada Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Fleming.
“Canadians shared inspiring stories about how their local rinks foster connection, strength and community. That spirit is reflected in this year’s finalists – Taber, Alberta and Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia – where the arena is at the heart of it all.”
The Prince George Spruce Kings dropped a 3-0 decision on home ice against the Coquitlam Express.
The Express rode three first period goals to their win, started by a penalty shot marker from Tyler Chiovetti 4:56 into the opening frame.
Brady Engelkes and Nate Crema added onto the lead in the period.
It was a penalty filled affair, with the Spruce Kings having seven opportunities on the powerplay, and the Express having five. However, neither team could capitalize with the man advantage.
The Spruce Kings (31-17-3-0) are on top of the Coastal East Division, leading the Express and the Chilliwack Chiefs, who have identical records (29-19-2-1), by four points.
The Spruce Kings host the Express at Kopar Memorial Arena again this afternoon. (3:00)
A win would clinch the Coastal East for the Spruce Kings.
The Prince George Cougars delivered a dagger to the Victoria Royals, eliminating their division foes from playoff contention with a 2-1 win.
“We talked after last night’s game, you get the win, but you’re not really satisfied with your system play, your structure, some penalties, we had some stuff to clean up,” said Cougars Assistant Coach Carter Rigby on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“We talked last night going into this one, we’re locked into third so what does it mean for us, but we want to keep this train going in the right direction. You look at Vaughaner stepping in tonight with some guys out, and took control of our group and it was a really solid effort from everybody.”
With their positioning locked up, the Cougars rested a few of their top guys, including Josh Ravensbergen, Terik Parascak, Bauer Dumanski, and Carson Carels.
The Royals were on the outside looking in heading into Saturday night’s contest at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena in Victoria.
Sitting in 9th, the Royals needed the win and a Portland Winterhawks loss for a shot at the post-season.
The Cougars were up 2-1 in the third, and the Royals had a golden opportunity to save their season, going to a two-man advantage for nearly two full minutes.
However, the WHL’s third best penalty kill stood strong.
“If you’re down one, that’s what you’re looking for, is to get an opportunity like that, to get another one with a five-on-three, it’s was huge,” Rigby said.
“The bench was great with it, and obviously big moments in big games, that was for sure probably the turning point that kept us on top and solidified the win for us.”
The Cougars were backstopped by a brilliant performance from Alexander Levhsyn, who made 32 saves on the night, including a few key saves to keep the Cougars lead down the stretch, breaking the hearts of the 5,229 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.
“You build from your back end out, and we’ve said it multiple times all year, we feel that, yeah, we have the best goalie in the league, but we have the best tandem as well,” Rigby said.
“We’ve got two solid 19-year-olds like we have in net that no matter what happens, in any situation, they can both go in and give us a chance to win and that’s what they do on a night in, night out basis and you need that going into playoffs if you want to go on a run.”
Desperate for the win, the Royals opened the scoring 2:53 into the second period, when Max Silver fired the puck over the left pad of Levshyn.
The Cougars (44-22-2-0) are third in the Western Conference, and will find out their first round matchup today.
A Cameron Schmidt hat trick helped the Seattle Thunderbirds (30-27-6-5) earn a 5-4 overtime win over the Portland Winterhawks (30-30-7-1) last night, clinching seventh for Seattle and eighth for Portland.
Schmidt, a product of Prince George, will be looking for goal number 50 on the season today, in a game that will decide who the Cougars play in the first round of the playoffs.
The Thunderbirds will travel to Spokane to take on the Chiefs (36-29-2-0), who currently hold the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
With a win or a point, the Chiefs will move past the fifth-place Kamloops Blazers (31-24-7-6) in the standings.
Winter may seem to be over on Vancouver Island, but Road Safety at Work wants drivers to remember to leave their winter tires on until the end of the month.
Several Island Highways require winter tires until at least March 31, including the Malahat, Highways 14, 18, 4A, 28, and 19 north of Campbell River.
“This is a misleading time of the year,” says Trace Acres, spokesperson for Road Safety at Work’s winter driving safety campaign. “When daytime temperatures rise, people assume the risk is gone. But cold nights, early mornings and shaded stretches of highway can still be slippery.”
Winter tires are not only designed for snow but for grip in temperatures below 7C.
“Winter tires still have an important job to do,” says Acres. “Getting there safely matters more than getting an early start on spring.”
Linda Frew has been named the 2025 B.C. Care Provider of the Year for Assisted Living by the B.C. Care Providers Association.
“I’m very very humbled and very proud to receive this,” Frew said.
The award recognizes leaders who show exceptional dedication, compassion and excellence in senior care.
Frew, who is community manager at two Golden Life sites — Castle Wood Village in Castlegar, B.C., and Mountain Side Village in Fruitvale, B.C. — oversees day-to-day care for seniors.
Frew has built a strong reputation for leadership, integrity and commitment to residents and their families over nearly 25 years with Golden Life.
“Linda represents the very best of what senior living should be. Linda leads with heart, compassion, and steady strength,” said Celeste Mullin of Golden Life Management.
Under her leadership, both communities have become welcoming, vibrant places where residents feel safe, valued, respected and at home.
Mullin expressed pride in Frew and her leadership.
“We are incredibly proud of her and the impact she has made over the past 20+ years. This award not only recognizes her professional excellence, but the genuine care she brings to our communities every single day,” said Mullin.
Mullin added that Frew’s leadership has had a lasting influence on residents and the broader assisted-living community.
“At Golden Life, we believe that strong communities are built by dedicated people who care deeply about others. Linda embodies that belief. Her commitment has shaped lives, strengthened families, and inspired teams. This recognition is incredibly well deserved,” said Mullin.
Frew said she is grateful for the recognition but emphasized it is a team effort to create a positive environment for seniors.
“I am very, very honored, but I also think assisted-living is all about teamwork. So I feel like this recognition belongs to my whole team. All of our staff work together every day to support our residents so they can live with dignity and independence. I have a great staff behind me, a great staff,” said Frew.
When asked about the most rewarding part of her job, Frew said:
“The most rewarding part of my day is the connection with the residents. They make me smile. They make me smile every single day. It’s just so rewarding. It’s so rewarding.”
Frew also described the philosophy of Golden Life and how it is reflected in her team and facilities.
“I have to say I’m very grateful to work at Golden Life. One thing that’s always stuck with me at Golden life ever since I started, was Celeste, one of the owners, always told me to treat your residents the way you’d want your family treated and everything else will fall into place. I think myself and all of our staff live by that and it’s so nice. My mom moved to a Golden Life site and it was the best couple years of her senior life,” said Frew.
Golden Life Management is a family-owned organization based in Cranbrook that operates senior living communities across British Columbia and Alberta, focusing on helping seniors live with dignity, connection and purpose.
Frew expressed hope for the future of assisted living.
“I just hope everybody can be as happy as they are at Castlewood. Care givers are the voice of all of these seniors and their standards are high. I hope that all continues,” Frew said.
Frew also praised the B.C. Care Providers Association.
“I am so honoured that the BC care provider chose me but as I say it’s the team. What an amazing association. We went down a couple weeks ago and we were treated like gold. Just what an association, they’re absolutely amazing and they truly are the voice of the seniors. I can’t say enough about the BC care providers,” said Frew.
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Sparwood council has adopted a bylaw amendment that creates a limited agriculture zone in the Michel Creek area.
Planning and Development director Patrick Sorfleet said the land was being used for agriculture already, even though it wasn’t technically permitted.
The bylaw determines which kind of animals are allowed.
“This would be limited to horses, cattle, donkeys, bees, chickens and rabbits,” Sorfleet added.
The amended bylaw will also allow permit grazing and pasture to occur in Heavy Industrial and Extraction Industrial zones throughout the District of Sparwood.
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Rising costs may result in a more limited schedule for Trail’s popular Music in the Park series next year.
Trail Arts Council executive director Amelia Ewart told city council the weekly concerts in Gyro Park continue to be “one of Trail’s most beloved traditions,” drawing as many as 2,500 people on its biggest nights.
Ewart said the event has a “real economic impact” on downtown businesses, but it isn’t cheap to produce. Although people who attend are asked to donate, it doesn’t cover all of the costs.
“We pride ourselves on paying industry standard and equitable artist fees, which as are on the rise, as well as increasing production costs,” Ewart said. “Funding is now becoming a bigger challenge for this event.”
As a result, they are “exploring a shift in 2027 to four supercharged nights,” rather than having the event every week.
“This would allow us to focus resources, build on bigger events, and strengthen partnerships,” she said.
It may become legal to hold a weenie roast in your backyard in Trail, subject to some conditions.
This month city council asked staff for a “comprehensive review and update” of the city’s fire safety and prevention bylaw, including provisions governing opening burning.
Councillor Bev Benson’s motion specifically asks staff to look at options for allowing backyard fires, “including potential approved fire pit design, safety standards, permitting options, operational guidelines, and enforcement considerations.”
Staff are expected to report back by September with recommended changes to the bylaw.
Benson said she brought the matter forwards after residents raised it with her.
“Many municipalities across BC have modernized their fire prevention bylaws in recent years to respond to residents’ interest in safe regulated backyard fires,” she said. “I committed to bringing this before council because our bylaw has not undergone an update for a very long time.”
Benson said she spoke to the fire department prior to bringing the motion forward and was told they support taking a look at the bylaw. She also spoke with staff about the timeline.
Councillor Terry Martin, who used to be the regional fire chief, said issue was being discussed when he was still working, more than nine years ago. But when he raised it with a sitting councillor at the time, “I was laughed at because they didn’t want to make any changes.”
Martin said there are already unregulated backyard fires, and moving to regulate them “would be beneficial to a lot of citizens.”
“It’s got to be regulated and it’s got to be checked, but I think it would be good,” he said.
The motion passed unanimously.
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Communities across the Columbia Basin are receiving more than $3 million to help reduce wildfire risk and improve safety. More than $777,000 will go to communities in the East Kootenay as part of the Columbia Basin Wildfire Resiliency Initiative.
The funding comes from a partnership between the Province of B.C. and the Columbia Basin Trust. Twenty-three organizations will use the money for practical work guided by FireSmart principles to help communities better prepare for wildfires and adapt to changing climate conditions.
“Projects like these help communities stay healthy, act proactively and adapt to the realities of a changing climate. This includes managing fuels, planning how to respond if a wildfire hits, or helping residents understand what they can do to reduce risk around their own properties,” said Kris Belanger, senior manager of delivery of benefits for Columbia Basin Trust.
The program is part of B.C.’s Community Resiliency Investment program, with support from Columbia Basin Trust, the Ministry of Forests and the BC Wildfire Service.
“In partnership with Columbia Basin Trust, we are doing the work needed to ensure healthier, more resilient forests that better protect communities from wildfires. With the 2026 wildfire season on the horizon, it is never too late to take action to reduce fuel loads and help prepare our forests while also protecting watersheds, biodiversity and wildlife,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests.
The funding supports a range of measures to help communities prepare for wildfire seasons, protect forests and keep people safe. These include hiring FireSmart co-ordinators, creating fuel treatment plans, conducting fuel reduction work and providing education and training to residents.
Invermere plans fuel management treatments on 56 hectares and will reduce wildfire risk on 17 hectares near town neighbourhoods. The municipality will also deliver FireSmart education to residents.
“By completing prescription development, archaeological assessments and invasive species surveys ahead of time, the District of Invermere can move directly into treatment when opportunities arise. Alongside treating 17 hectares, the goal is to reduce wildfire risk in high-priority interface zones, improve public and responder safety, and protect community values,” said Cass Dearlove, FireSmart co-ordinator.
Sparwood, Kimberley and Cranbrook are also undertaking fuel reduction, controlled burns and public education projects.
Officials said these efforts will help protect homes, improve safety and support healthier forests.
The funding aims to help communities reduce wildfire risk and improve preparedness for future fire seasons.
The BC Society of Engineering and Geoscience Central Interior Branch is hosting its 28th annual popsicle stick bridge building contest next month.
The competition, which is open to all ages, aims at promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
“They get 100 popsicle sticks and one bottle of glue, and they’re trying to build the strongest bridge they can.” said Volunteer Danika Doucette.
“They pick up their kits in advance, build their bridges, they can decorate them, and then we have age categories for all the different groups, and they get a chance to go on stage and crush their bridge and see how strong it is.”
Doucette said activities like this are so common because of how accessible it is, and gives an opportunity for participants to learn how they can improve or change their creation.
Free kits can be picked up at either the Bob Harkins Branch or the Nechako Branch of the Prince George Public Library, or Gingerbread Toys, with the event at Pine Centre Mall on April 11th, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Prince George residents can celebrate the new season and show community pride by taking part in the annual Spring Clean Up event.
Registration is open until April 22nd, and is open to individuals and teams who are looking to pick up litter in parks, school yards, and along streets and trails.
The City said participants will receive gear for the event, and will be available for pick up at City Hall from April 13th to 24th during regular business hours.
Seven dumpsters will be located throughout the community for collected garbage and can be found on the event map.
Last year, residents helped to pick up 5,830 kilograms of litter.
Participants are encouraged to sign up early to claim their clean-up route, with the event on Sunday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More information, and where to register can be found here.
The Prince George Spruce Kings have a double header this weekend against the Coquitlam Express, with game one tonight at 6:00.
Game two, and the Spruce Kings final regular season home game will be played tomorrow afternoon at 3:00.
The Spruce Kings sit above the Express by six points in the Coastal East division, and have an opportunity to clinch the division title with a win this weekend.
The Spruce Kings regular season schedule and results are here.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is taking concerns about rural road safety to a provincial stage, calling on the province to recognize highways as active transportation corridors.
Directors voted in favour of submitting a motion to the Union of BC Municipalities, arguing that provincially maintained secondary and tertiary highways are used by pedestrians, cyclists, school traffic, mobility-device users and emergency vehicles – often all on the same roadway.
“In rural British Columbia, provincially owned highways function as active transportation infrastructure,” Davidoff told the board. “These roads aren’t optional; they’re the sole corridors available to residents.”
The motion asks the province to review maintenance standards for rural highways and work with local governments to ensure safe, accessible conditions for all users.
Davidoff said rural communities face challenges that differ from urban areas, particularly when it comes to who is responsible for active transportation infrastructure.
“Framing active transportation as a local government responsibility in this context constitutes off-loading of provincial responsibility for the safe and inclusive use of provincial infrastructure,” he said.
The proposal builds on complaints Davidoff has received about Shoreacres roads, where loose aggregate and uneven surfaces have made walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation difficult.
He said escalating the issue to the UBCM level is necessary after other advocacy avenues were exhausted.
“I reached out to make this an Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments resolution,” he said. “The deadline had passed, so the only option left was to move it to UBCM. If we don’t, my community would be incredibly frustrated.”
If endorsed, the motion would ask the province to formally recognize rural roads as critical multi-use corridors and ensure maintenance practices reflect the needs of all users – not just vehicles.
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Josh Gamble is taking the next step in his hockey career.
The Castlegar Rebels forward has committed to the University of Michigan-Flint Wolverines, who compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1, for the coming season.
The Wilcox, Sask., native led the Rebels with 34 points in 44 games this season, marking the third consecutive year he has topped the team in scoring.
“We really like his offensive ability and believe that he will immediately fill a hole that we were lacking last season with his offensive touch,” Wolverines head coach Nicholas Karstens said. “He will be looked on right away to be an impact top-six forward and will help bolster our powerplay.”
Rebels head coach and assistant general manager Alex Evin said Gamble leaves a strong legacy with the club.
“We are proud of Josh as he continues on his athletic and academic journey. Gamble played over 140 games in a Rebels uniform and made a positive impact both on and off the ice,” Evin said.
Michigan-Flint posted an 11-24-0 record last season, finishing fifth in the seven-team Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League.
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Another candidate running for the BC Conservative leadership was in the Cariboo.
Caroline Elliot was in Quesnel and Williams Lake yesterday (Friday) to share in a meet and greet setting her platform for the party if elected and to hear from concerned residents.
“The Cariboo has struggled a lot under NDP policies and more generally we’re seeing a Government that doesn’t seem to be too concerned about economic growth in general, it’s particularly felt in the forest industry and particularly here in this region.”
We asked Elliot about the situation of the Province’s debt.
“We have a huge deficit from the NDP, 13 billion dollars is a record deficit. It’s partly the result of the fact that we don’t have proper revenues coming into Government because we don’t have an economy firing on all cylinders. But it’s also a product of the fact that this Government is spending like crazy. Spending on programs that that aren’t actually delivering outcomes for British Columbians so we need to do a big revenue of Government spending and make sure that every penny spent is actually leading to direct outcomes for British Columbians, it’s a big part of the affordability piece too. The biggest expense most people have before they even pay for their rent and their groceries or their mortgage is the cost of Government in the form of taxes so we absolutely have to make sure that we reign that spending in as well.”
Another area of concern is the health care system.
“Whatever the issues are in BC whether it’s health care or or public safety or the economy, it’s being felt here first and foremost,” Elliot said, “and health care is one of those things where we’re seeing these ER closures. It’s absolutely ridiculous that this is happening given the amount of spending that the Government is doing. People don’t mind being taxed if they know that their emergency room is going to be open for them when they need it and that’s not what’s happening, the money is going to all the wrong places and not to the front lines.”
We asked Elliot if elected and they form the next government will rural communities voices be heard.
“That’s an absolute priority. Rural communities often they elect Conservative MLA’s ensuring that we have a Conservative government to make sure those folks are actually listened too. We have people like Lorne Doerskon who works every day to raise issues that are facing his community in the Legislature. And then you have the NDP simply just not listening. We need a government that actually listens when these concerns are brought up so a big part of making sure that we have that good representation is electing a strong Conservative government.”
Trail council says the city deserves more provincial funding to recognize a “disproportionate” number of overdoses, drug-related incidents, and emergency calls compared to surrounding communities.
Council unanimously adopted a motion this week introduced by councillor Thea Hanson. She said the ongoing opioid and toxic drug crisis results in “significant operational financial impacts,” including staffing pressures and overtime.
Because Trail is home to the regional hospital and other services, she said the city bears a “significant share of the local financial burden,” showing up in increased costs of by-law enforcement and hiring contractors to dispose of materials from abandoned encampments.
Her motion asks the provincial government for “targeted sustainable funding” to offset the city’s share of those costs. It suggests a funding model be created for communities home to regional hospitals and centralized health and social services.
“We pay a significant portion of the costs for a lot of things in the area,” Hanson said. “Yes, we have the biggest tax base, but we also have the regional hospital. We also are the only municipality in the region that has over 5,000 people, therefore pick up 70 per cent of the RCMP bill, where our neighboring municipalities do not.”
Councillor Bev Benson proposed an addition to the motion, which was adopted, that if the province turns down their request, that the city talk to neighbouring municipalities about “regional partnership models and collaborative advocacy approaches.”
Council further tinkered with the motion, which originally asked that city staff compile supporting data including call volumes, overtime and staffing impacts to help strengthen their case. That was amended to have staff request the data, but not necessarily compile it themselves.
In January, Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue reported it had seen close to 200 calls, almost twice as many as during the same time the previous year.
It wasn’t pretty, but the the Prince George Cougars finished third in the WHL Western Conference after a 4-3 shootout victory over the Victoria Royals, in front of 4,225 fans at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.
The Cougars win plus the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 loss to the (43-14-6-4) Penticton Vees allowed Prince George to lock up third.
Prince George has 88 points, with a record of 43-22-2-0, while (38-20-6-3) Kelowna has 85 points with each team having one game left.
The Cougars were coasting to a 3-0 lead in the provincial capital before the Royals got hot, as the Cats were caught sleeping.
Victoria’s Nolan Stewart scored at 13:03 of the second period to cut the deficit to 3-1 after 40.
The desperate Royals got even following a pair of third period power play goals from Caleb Matthews just over two minutes apart (at 4:23 and 6:35) in the third.
After neither team scored in the five minute 3-on-3 overtime, the Cougars looked to end the shootout early, sending out Dmitri Yakutsenak and Aiden Foster, who have scored in each of their shootout attempts this season, with this game being no different.
Extra time almost seemed out of the picture until Victoria rallied which was a sentiment felt by the coaching staff.
“When you’re up three, you got to play the right way.” said assistant coach Carter Rigby on the 94.3 the Goat post-game show.
“We shouldn’t have been in that position to begin with, shouldn’t have given away a point, but at the end of the day, we get two and we move on from here.”
While it wasn’t his strongest night, Josh Ravensbergen deserves his flowers locking down the crease in the latter half of the third period.
Overall, the 19-year-old Ravensbergen, who leads the WHL in save percentage (0.919) and goalie wins (32), blocked 34 of 37 shots, including the two he faced in overtime.
Cougars Captain Bauer Dumanski got the scoring started late in the first period, with a snipe from above the hashmarks, and would be the only goal that period.
Momentum seemed to favour the Cats, as Brock Souch would net the team’s second goal 20 seconds into the second period, with Aiden Foster following up with a goal of his own seven minutes later.
The Cougars are riding a seven game winning streak and will end their regular season tonight (Saturday 6:05 puck drop) with another game against the 9th place Royals.
The (28-29-6-4) Royals are on the verge on missing the (8-team) playoffs as they sit a point behind the 8th place Portland Winterhawks and two back of the 7th place Seattle Thunderbirds.
Also on Friday, the (30-30-6-1) Winterhawks scored with three seconds left in the third period and then won it in overtime, 4-3 over the Tri-City Americans.
The (29-27-6-4) Thunderbirds beat the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 in overtime as Cameron Schmidt of Prince George scored his league-leading 46th goal with just 22 seconds remaining in the OT.
A key game tonight has Seattle at Portland.
The regular season concludes Sunday with Seattle at Spokane.
The (35-29-2) Chiefs are 6th, a point behind the (30-24-7-6) Kamloops Blazers.
The Blazers outscored the Vancouver Giants 7-3 on Friday with those teams having a rematch this evening in Langley.
Spokane will play tonight at Tri-City.
The Cougars will play either Kamloops or Spokane (whoever ends up 6th) in the first round of the playoffs which will begin on Friday, March 27th at CN Centre.
A 43-year-old man has been charged with a gun-related offences after a search of a home in West Trail.
RCMP say they executed a search warrant on Wednesday. Two people inside the home were arrested, although one of them was released without charges.
A 43-year-old man faces two counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition while prohibited.
“The safety of the public and our officers is always our top priority when conducting enforcement activities,” Staff Sgt. Dave Johnson said in a news release.
“We appreciate the cooperation of community members, which allows police to carry out these operations as safely and effectively as possible.”
The completion timeline for the new Market Avenue hotel in Grand Forks has been pushed back, though construction is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks.
The four-storey, 33-room boutique-style hotel is being built behind 7330 2nd St. at 151 Market Ave. The site was formerly home to the historic Province Hotel, which burned down in 2012.
However, Mayor Everett Baker said council recently approved a request from the developer for an extension, moving the project’s completion date to July 2027.
He said council sympathized with the reasons cited for the extension request.
“The climate has changed out there, particularly for developers, with the costs of goods and staffing and just the unsettledness across Canada. So I can certainly understand the reasons why they requested an extension, but I’m hoping that it’ll be done long before then.”
Despite the delay, Baker said work on the site should pick up soon.
He said crews are scheduled to return to the site March 23 to begin sewer work and make changes to the foundation fill, which was deemed unsuitable. Framing could begin within a few weeks.
“So I think it’ll be done faster than they asked for. I know these developers and they’ve built housing in Grand Forks before, so I have great confidence that this project will be finished and ready for occupation, hopefully sooner than later.”
He added that he wasn’t shocked the developer needed an extension.
“This is just a problem that developers have nowadays. It didn’t come as a shock to me, actually.“
Council supported the extension in part because of the community’s need for more accommodation.
Baker said a recent hotel fire reduced the number of rooms available in the city, adding pressure to expand lodging options.
“There was a fire here just recently where a number of rooms in a hotel were not, were taken out with a fire and if we want to continue to host events and things, we need hotels. it’s all part of having places for people to stay and to come visit when they come to Grand Forks.”
Baker expects the completed project to support tourism and bring more visitors into the downtown core, benefiting local businesses and the city’s economy.
“if we can have a brand new hotel that is in our downtown core that makes room for visitors to come and spend the night or weeks in Grand Forks, and that’s great.”
He said there has been growing interest from developers in Grand Forks that signals strong momentum for the community.
“I love the idea developers are interested in Grand Forks. That means our brand is strong and that bodes well for our community moving forward. So people are looking to invest in Grand Forks, and as the mayor I couldn’t be more happier that people are interested in investing in our community. “
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Fernie residents are being asked to reduce the amount of water entering the city’s wastewater system, which is under significant strain due to heavy rainfall.
With more rain expected, the most effective way to help is to conserve water and check connections.
Residents are asked to conserve water by delaying laundry, dishwashing and showering, and limiting flushing when possible.
They should also ensure sump pumps, downspouts and perimeter drains are not connected to the sanitary sewer system.
Downspouts should release water onto lawns or gravel where it can soak in and disperse safely. Sump pumps should drain outdoors, not into indoor plumbing or floor drains. Those who are unsure can use the Request for Service tool at fernie.ca/rfs.
With current flows extremely high, many lift stations could be overwhelmed. Crews are using vactor trucks to manage excess volume by transporting wastewater to sewage lagoons for treatment.
To prevent a system-wide failure, crews are preparing to potentially activate a temporary bypass to the Elk River. This would be used only as a last resort to protect key infrastructure.
The City of Fernie thanked residents for their co-operation and said it will continue to provide updates as conditions evolve.
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The Regional District of Central Kootenay has voted to engage with Columbia Basin Trust and CityWest to establish a governance framework for regional broadband infrastructure.
The decision follows a letter from the Kaslo infoNet Society (KiN), a long-standing non-profit local internet provider, expressing concerns over the announced sale of Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation’s (CBBC) network to City West Cable and Telephone Corporation.
KiN delivers fibre optic internet directly to homes across Areas A and D, from Boswell on the east shore of Kootenay Lake north to Howser on Duncan Lake. The society’s network relies on CBBC’s “high capacity connection,” which links local infrastructure to the broader internet.
“We wish to express our support for the long-term sustainability of Basin broadband infrastructure, and to request the RDCK’s engagement in ensuring that this transition protects the interests of RDCK communities and the public investment that built this network,” said Isaac Maxfield, KiN’s executive director.
Maxfield said KiN’s main concern is how CityWest has historically operated its network.
“CityWest is not just a network operator – it is a retail internet provider. In every community it has expanded into – Haida Gwaii, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands, northern BC – CityWest sells internet service directly to households,” he wrote.
“That is different from how CBBC operated, where community-based providers like KiN handled customer relations while CBBC maintained the network infrastructure.”
The shift matters because many smaller providers in the region depend on CBBC infrastructure to deliver services. Maxfield said plans to expand service in the Slocan Valley using new CBBC fibre are now uncertain.
“And every small community provider in the Basin who depends on CBBC infrastructure will now be buying their essential network connection from a retail competitor,” he explained.
The letter requested that the RDCK formally engage with Columbia Basin Trust and CityWest to establish a binding governance framework before the first phase of the network transfer closes.
KiN asked for protections including fair and transparent pricing, equal treatment during service disruptions, a formal role in decision-making, dispute resolution, and stability during the transition.
Director discussion
During Thursday’s board meeting, directors highlighted the need to protect smaller providers and keep economic benefits within the region.
“I think that the importance of keeping local revenues strong is very much at the heart of my concerns about this. And KiN is not alone in those concerns,” said Area K Director Teresa Weatherhead.
She warned that if revenue is concentrated with a larger provider, it could put smaller operators at risk.
“There is concern that if City West takes the larger piece of the pie and divides the pie into smaller allowances for revenue growing of our local businesses, that it could feasibly bankrupt some of our very, very valuable Internet Service Providers,” Weatherhead said.
Electoral Area A Director Gary Jackman noted that discussions with CityWest are already underway.
“They told us they had already spoken to KiN and every one of the ISPs that they will become partners with, and they will be picking up service agreements as the transition occurs,” he said.
CityWest is expected to attend a future board meeting to answer questions directly. Jackman added that the company has indicated it plans to operate the network similarly to CBBC, though some directors emphasized the need for formal protections rather than relying on assurances.
City of Nelson Director Keith Page said a formal governance structure would help ensure local voices are included.
“I think because we put some of our financial resources towards this building this network, that that is a prudent and necessary ask that we get that kind of shared framework so that when these decisions are made, there is a local body somewhere that would be discussed,” he said.
Directors also stressed the broader value of local providers beyond basic internet service.
“It’s really important that there are local voices on this and that we are advocating for revenue to stay within our own jurisdictions,” Weatherhead said.
The transition of existing CBBC assets to CityWest is expected later this year, with additional infrastructure expected to follow in 2027.
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British Columbia Premier David Eby defended the province’s electric-vehicle sales mandates after receiving a letter this week from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Ford sent letters dated March 17 to Eby and Quebec Premier François Legault, urging both provinces to remove their electric-vehicle mandates in support of Ontario’s auto industry.
“Unfortunately, existing EV sales mandates in Canada are making our auto sector less competitive and threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Canadian workers, particularly since the U.S. has rolled back its federal EV policies,” Ford said in the letters.
Ford told reporters Wednesday he wanted to see a “Team Canada” approach.
“It’s like me telling Premier Eby, ‘By the way, we aren’t buying your beautiful lumber anymore. You just keep it over there,’” Ford said. “We need to stick together as a country.”
Eby responded in a letter Friday, saying the EV sales targets are a tool for B.C. to mitigate the effects of U.S. tariffs.
He also said more families might want to buy an EV amid current high gas prices, which he said are driven in part by the war in Iran.
“Our targets help ensure consumers have access to a wider range of more affordable vehicles at a time when that matters most,” Eby said.
“I recognize the pressures facing Ontario’s auto workers, and I want to reiterate that British Columbia will continue to stand with you and with all provinces as we confront Donald Trump’s unjustified attacks on our economy,” he said.
The federal government said in February it was scrapping a mandate that would have required all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2035.
Ottawa also announced a stronger greenhouse gas emissions standard, saying it is expected to lead to 75 per cent of new vehicle sales being electric by 2035. It also set an “aspirational goal” of a 90 per cent adoption rate by 2040.
B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said the province plans to align its sales targets with the federal government.
B.C. is expected to table legislative updates to its Zero-Emission Vehicles Act this spring.
Statistics Canada said last week that new registrations of zero-emission vehicles in B.C. fell by more than 21 per cent in 2025 compared with the previous year. Across Canada, new registrations were down nearly 35 per cent.
Meet Orca! He is this week’s big cuddly Summit Radio Pet of the Week from the BC SPCA in Castlegar.
Orca is a handsome Bernese Mountain Dog!
This sweet boy is about a year and a half old and neutered, and he’s now looking for his forever home. He has primarily been an outdoor dog and would thrive in a home with space to roam and a property to call his own.
He does well with older children and has been around cats and other farm animals. While he is curious about chickens, he respects boundaries and will leave them alone when they’re safely fenced. He can be selective with other dogs, so a meet-and-greet is recommended.
With his loyal nature and natural watchful instincts, he would make a wonderful addition to a family looking for a devoted companion and a dog who enjoys keeping an eye on his surroundings.
The Port Hardy Hospital will see some upgrades to its emergency department.
According to the province, this will improve access to health care in Port Hardy and surrounding communities.
“People in the northern Island deserve dependable, high-quality care in their community,” said Josie Osborne, minister of health. “These upgrades to Port Hardy Hospital will modernize the emergency department, create culturally safe spaces and improve the facility for patients, families and staff.”
The project is anticipated to cost $45 million, including $39 million from the province, $5 million from Island Health and $1 million from the Regional Hospital District of Mount Waddington.
The province said upgrades will include a building extension and ambulance canopy, long-term care rooms for seniors, maternity delivery suite expansions and modernization, laboratory service expansions and modernization, a morgue expansion, 21 new parking stalls and rough-in for future electric-vehicle charging stations.
New culturally safe spaces are mentioned in the list of upgrades, including a sacred space and Indigenous health office.
“Enhancements to Port Hardy Hospital are helping to ensure people across northern Vancouver Island can access care closer to home, when it matters most,” said Leah Hollins, board chair, Island Health. “Emergency department upgrades, the addition of culturally safe spaces, long-term care beds and other important investments will allow the hospital to better meet the unique and diverse needs of the communities it serves.”
The province said project construction is anticipated to start in summer 2026 and will take around three years, with completion anticipated in late 2029.
A phased approach will be taken to minimize hospital service disruption.
North Island College hosted its first-ever student-industry event March 13, bringing students and professionals together for career conversations.
The college said engineering foundations certificate students had the chance to meet engineers working in the field.
“Every conversation a student has with an industry professional can provide an opportunity to learn, build relationships and grow their network,” said Anita Budisa-Bonneau, NIC work-integrated education co-ordinator. “That is why our work-integrated learning events have such a positive impact on both students and employers.”
NIC partnered with local engineering firms McElhanney, Urban Systems and Muir Engineering for the student-industry event. The B.C. Society of Engineering and Geoscience was also present, answering questions about professional pathways and designations.
Professionals were able to introduce themselves to students, who then met with them in small groups for 15 to 20-minute career question periods.
BC Ferries has launched its 10th and final Island Class vessel. The Island K’asa hit the water at Damen Shipyards in Galați, Romania and is now ready for the final stages of outfitting and testing.
“Launching the final Island Class vessel is an important step in renewing our fleet and strengthening service for coastal communities,” said Nicolas Jimenez, president and CEO of BC Ferries, who attended the launch. “These vessels add space for more passengers and vehicles while helping us replace aging ships with modern, more efficient ones. That’s essential to keeping ferry service reliable for the people and communities who depend on it every day.”
The Island K’asa (pronounced KAH-sah) will sail between Campbell River and Quadra Island starting next year. The ship’s name means Otter and was given by the Wei Wai Kum First Nation.
The Island Class will be BC Ferries’ largest vessel class, with ten ships. BC Ferries says they will collectively deliver a 71 per cent increase in vehicle capacity and a 135 per cent increase in passenger capacity, compared to 2019.
“These vessels bring some really meaningful improvements for both customers and the environment,” said Ed Hooper, head of fleet renewal at BC Ferries. “When compared to our older vessels, we believe that our passengers will notice and appreciate the more comfortable lounges and larger outdoor spaces on our new Island Class vessels, while behind the scenes the hybrid-electric propulsion and updated hull are designed to reduce emissions, underwater radiated noise and vessel wake. They’re also designed so we can operate on electric power once shore-charging infrastructure is in place, which we expect will help us move toward a cleaner and more efficient ferry system.”
The new vessels are part of BC Ferries’ largest fleet renewal project in its history. Eight new ships are set to enter service between 2026 and 2031.
Greenways Land Trust is hosting a Wingspan tournament and fundraiser for its 30th anniversary on March 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Beach Fire Brewing Company.
The organization is inviting the public to spend the evening playing the popular bird-themed board game, Wingspan, in support of local land conservation.
“The event is made possible in part by a five-hundred-dollar sponsorship from Couverdon Properties, which enabled Greenways to purchase game copies locally through AJ’s Games,” the organization said. “Beach Fire Brewing will donate a portion of all food and drink sales during the event to Greenways.”
According to the organization, Wingspan is a strategy game in which players build habitats, collect bird cards and compete across ecological categories.
Player registration starts at $20 per person, but participants who wish to get more involved can sponsor at two different levels: a $30 bird sponsorship or a $300 habitat sponsorship.
Each game will be given away as a prize at the end of the event, with prizes awarded for the highest scores.
Moody’s Ratings has again downgraded British Columbia’s credit rating, citing the province’s growing operating and capital spending, large structural deficits and rising debt.
The agency downgraded B.C.’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt rating to Aa2 from Aa1, one notch lower and two notches below the top Aaa rating. Moody’s maintained a negative outlook.
The rating reflects Moody’s opinion of the province’s ability to repay its debts. A lower rating can raise borrowing costs and reduce financial flexibility.
It is the second time Moody’s has downgraded the province in the past two years.
“While multiyear planning and transparent reporting remain credit strengths, the latest budget confirms a deterioration in long-term fiscal management relative to our previous assessment,” Moody’s said.
Moody’s noted the government’s 2026 budget projects a $13.3-billion deficit in 2026-27, followed by deficits of $12.2 billion and $11.4 billion in the next two fiscal years, with no clear timeline for a return to balance.
It said the province continues to rely heavily on borrowing to fund operating deficits and help finance its capital plan. Budget 2026 says taxpayer-supported capital spending will total $53 billion over three years.
Trade uncertainty growing risk
The agency also highlighted risks tied to global and U.S. trade uncertainty. At the same time, Moody’s said B.C.’s economy remains resilient and diverse, with limited reliance on any one sector.
“The province maintains extremely strong access to domestic and international capital markets including a broad range of institutional investors,” it said.
Other credit agencies have also downgraded or lowered their view of B.C.’s creditworthiness over the past year. S&P Global Ratings downgraded the province to A+ from AA- in April 2025 and maintained a negative outlook. Morningstar DBRS said after the 2026 budget that the province’s deficit and debt path is materially reducing flexibility at its current rating level.
“We’re building B.C.’s position as the economic engine of a stronger and more self-reliant Canada, moving forward with major projects that put people to work and support strong communities,” Finance Minister Brenda Bailey said in an emailed statement. “As it is challenging times for everyone across Canada, and we’re taking disciplined steps to ensure B.C.’s fiscal sustainability for the long term, while protecting important services people rely on, and diversifying our trading relationships.”
The Finance Ministry said B.C. remains one of the highest-rated Canadian provinces, with strong access to global capital markets.
The B.C. Conservatives said the downgrade shows the government needs to reconsider its latest budget.
“The government needs to take this seriously, go back to the drawing board, and table a budget that will restore confidence in world financial markets. This budget is putting B.C.’s financial future at risk,” interim Conservative leader Trevor Halford said.
Construction on a new youth centre in the Wet’suwet’en First Nation is expected to start in April.
Work towards the project started in 2022 with youth being consulted on what they would like to see in the building.
“They pretty much said they wanted their own board room, study area, kitchen, place to do laundry, gym and fitness area, and a place they can do their homework or youth workshops,” said Chief Maureen Luggi.
She added Steve Egger and former councillor Heather Nooski were the ones who started the consultations.
The design work started in 2025 after Ruby Ogen was elected as the new councillor.
Some of the funding for the project was received in 2024 with about $650,000 already being secured from industry.
Grant funding is also being applied for by the First Nation to close the gap on the project’s $800,000 budget.
“I’m very pleased the youth have designed the centre themselves and expressed what they see fit in a youth centre,” said Luggi.
“We haven’t had a youth centre and it’s been much needed for decades because we were doing youth club and had a youth coordinator doing youth activities but wasn’t a place that could be just for them.”
The First Nation is planning a playground next door which the chief said is expected to start construction in June.
A clan house is also in the works by Carrier Sekani to be a safe house for youth and children.
Courtenay residents are being encouraged to shop local, support small businesses and reduce waste next month.
The Bring Your Own Cup initiative starts March 29 and lasts until April 26, encouraging customers to bring their own reusable cups to downtown Courtenay coffee shops to collect stamps for a chance to win gift cards to local businesses.
Manager of public works operations for the City of Courtenay Chris Thompson said every cup makes a difference.
“By choosing to bring your own, you’re helping keep waste out of our community and supporting local businesses at the same time.”
The initiative is led by the City of Courtenay in partnership with the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association to promote sustainable practices.
Coffee shops participating in the initiative include Bigfoot Donuts, Frankie Jo’s Bakery Cafe, Freyja – The Croissant Story, Gladstone Brewing Co., Hot Chocolates, Mignon & Kie Cafe and Eatery, Mudsharks Coffee Bar and the Twisted Mint Cafe.
All shops participating will provide branded cards and stamps to customers who use reusable cups, with one cup equaling one stamp.
Customers can then email pictures of all the stamped cards they collected to [email protected] by May 3 or drop them off at City Hall or City Operational Services.
A cheque presentation was held this morning (Friday) by the BC Cancer Centre for the North, hosting members from the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) Nechako Chapter.
The presentation was held for OES’ donation of $18,123.66 to the Patient Relief Fund, following its Gala Fundraiser and crossing its 100 year mark in the community.
The fund assists patients with financial, travel, and resource support during treatment.
Since the cancer centre opened in Prince George, OES has raised close to $55,000 to the Patient Relief Fund.
Our previous story about the donation can be found here.
A cheque presentation was held by the BC Cancer Centre for the North, hosting members from the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) Nechako Chapter.
The presentation was held for OES’ donation of $18,123.66 to the Patient Relief Fund, following its Gala Fundraiser and crossing its 100 year mark in the community.
The fund assists patients with financial, travel, and resource support during treatment.
Since the cancer centre opened in PG, OES has raised close to $55,000 to the Patient Relief Fund.
Our previous story about the donation can be found here.
Nanaimo RCMP are looking for two suspects related to a stabbing investigation.
Police say one man was taken to the hospital and his condition is unknown after a stabbing around 10 a.m. on March 20 at the intersection of Prideaux Streetand Old Victoria Road.
“The intersection and surrounding streets have been closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic while officers assess the scene and gather evidence,” reads a news release from RCMP.
Police say the two suspects are described as a Caucasian man and woman. The man is tall and was wearing a green hoodie. He may have a neck or face tattoo.
The woman is about five feet tall and was wearing a camouflage jacket and blue jeans
Investigators are asking witnesses or anyone who may have security or dashcam footage of the incident to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.
Mount Washington operations will be limited this weekend because of warmer, wetter conditions.
Heavy rain Thursday evening and early Friday Morning is forcing the alpine resort to close the Hawk Chair due to the snowpack surrounding the chairlift suffering from the conditions.
The Sunrise chairlift also remains closed, with the Whiskey Jack chairlift the only one running.
As a result of the limited access, Mount Washington is offering reduced ticket pricing throughout the weekend, which is available for purchase in-person only.
Trails at the Nordic level have also been affected and opening is on stand-by until crews can assess the terrain.
Reduced trail passes will be available for $10.
The Nordic Fest and Loppet scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled, but the free Nordic passholder BBQ will still go ahead on Sunday, said Mount Washington.
Temperatures are expected to drop starting Friday night and early Saturday morning, with a chance of a fresh snowfall on Sunday.
The Gitxsan Huwilp Government is turning its calls for an inspection of the Canadian National Railway (CN) through its territory to the Alberta government.
The railway added measures to prevent the further spread of fuel have been implemented.
“While we blindly put trust in [CN’s] environmental consultants, we must stress that engineers are needed to immediately start investigating the health of the 114-year-old rail line that runs through the Gitxsan territory,” said Simogyet Moolaxan. (Hereditary Chief Norman Moore)
He added the First Nation has reached out to B.C. ministries and said they were silent on the issue.
“Avalanche Canada has already alerted the high risk of more landslide activity. The next derailment could be catastrophic,” Moolaxan said.
The Gitxsan is calling for a four-person committee to be made between it, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, CN, and the Alberta Governnment with four engineers engaged.
“Indigenous food security and Alberta’s oil market is at stake,” said Moolaxan.
CN said it has reopened the rail line where the landslide occurred as site clean up continues.
The City of Prince George launched a workforce survey to hear the needs of local employers and workforce participants.
It’s seeking input for topics including workforce experiences, barriers to labour force participation, and the types of programs, services, and supports that could strengthen engagement in the local labour market.
The City said the survey will help inform workforce planning, policy development, and potential program opportunities for the economic development division.
It’ll be working with Deloitte LLP, an economic development and market research consulting firm, to assist with survey implementation and analysis.
The firm will help identify key insights, opportunities, and challenges affecting Prince George’s workforce and employer community.
The survey will be open until Sunday, April 5th, with participants to be entered into an optional prize draw for a $100 pre-paid Visa gift card.
The Regional District of Fraser Fort George approved its 2026 Operating Budget, Five-Year Financial Plan, and Regional Hospital District 2026 Budget.
The District said the 2026 operating and capital expenditures total $62.8 million, with $25.6 million of that funded by property taxes, which is an increase of $1,410,417 or 5.82 per cent when compared to 2025.
Notable expenses in the budget include Environmental Health (31.1 per cent), Public Health and Welfare (20.7 per cent), Protective Services (15.8 per cent), and General Government (15.4 per cent).
More information, as well as a full list of area tax rates, can be found here.
The Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District Board of Directors approved an Operating Budget increase of 2.45 per cent from 2025, with the tax requisition being $23,978,965.
The District noted the uniform tax rate is estimated to be $71.99 per $100,000 of residential assessment values based on BC Assessment’s residential property values from the completed assessment roll.
The Regional District of Fraser Fort George Board meeting highlights can be found here.
The public is being asked to provide feedback on a new strategic plan for two parks in west Courtenay.
An online survey is open until April 20 to help shape the future of Bill Moore Park and Dogwood Park. The plan will guide long-term improvements to ensure the parks remain welcoming, connected and accessible to a wide range of users.
Mayor Bob Wells said the parks are important gathering places in west Courtenay and the process is intended to gather input from residents.
“By working with the community, we can develop a long-term vision that protects the natural character of these parks while expanding inclusive recreational opportunities for residents of all ages.”
The first phase of engagement will include pop-up events and workshops aimed at understanding how residents use the parks and their priorities.
A second phase will develop draft concepts based on that input, which will be shared with the community through an open house and a second online survey.
Final feedback will be incorporated into the strategic plan.
The plan will guide future investment in both parks, with a focus on protecting natural features and supporting a range of recreational uses.
The survey can be found online here and paper copies will be available starting March 20 at City Hall, the Lewis Centre, the Florence Filberg Centre and the Courtenay Library.
Prince George-North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare has introduced a bill in the legislature to address a gap in ICBC’s current coverage.
Clare says it was brought to his attention by Chantelle Sutton, one of his constituents who was injured in a motor cycle accident and lost one of her legs.
“The people in question suffered in my view what was a catastrophic injury and yet they were told by ICBC that two limbs lost is catastrophic injury but not one. I was shocked and I looked around other jurisdictions in Canada and I found that Ontario has an insurance policy as having it as a single limb meaning a catastrophic injury.”
Clare says his bill would do two things.
“The bill is very simple. It only does two things. It changes the definition of catastrophic injury from loss of two limbs or more to loss of a single limb or more. The other thing it does is it backdates the eligibility for a claim to the beginning of no fault.”
Clare feels it is an easy fix and he is hoping to get bipartisan support.
The bill received first reading a few weeks ago, and should come up for second reading next month.
100 Mile and District residents will have to do without their emergency room (ER) for a third Friday.
Interior Health says the ER at 100 Mile District General Hospital will be closed from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. today, March 20.
All patients in need of emergency care have to go to Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake. Patients in need of life-threatening care should call 911 to be transported to the nearest appropriate facility.
Patients unsure of whether their injuries warrant a trip to the ER, or with non-emergency healthcare questions, should call HealthLink BC at 811 or visit its website.
This is the third week in a row that 100 Mile District General’s ER has been closed, and the tenth time in 2026.
Rossland’s next mayor and council is expected to collectively be paid about 25 per cent more than the current one.
City council has passed first three readings of changes to its remuneration bylaw that will see the mayor paid about $37,500 per year starting this November, up from the present $32,800, an increase of $4,700.
The six councillors will each be paid about $20,900, compared to the present $16,200, an increase of $4,700 each, or a combined $28,200.
The overall total will see mayor and council paid about $163,000, up from $129,000, an increase of $34,000.
Starting in 2028, further increases are expected to be tied to the consumer price index.
According to a staff report presented to council last week, the city reviews the amount politicians are paid once per four-year election cycle and early enough that people who seek election or re-election know what the job is going to pay.
The amount is set for the incoming council to avoid the perception that elected officials are voting themselves a raise. As an added step, this year the city hired a consultant to do a remuneration review.
Acumen HR Solutions recommended adjusting Rossland’s pay to be more in line with the averages in neighbouring communities and other resort municipalities. The consultant found Rossland’s current pay is below both the median and the mean when compared to 17 other communities.
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