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The Hazelton Wolverines extended their winning streak to three following a convincing 7-2 victory over the visiting Smithers Steelheads Saturday in the Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL).

The Wolverines got two goals each from Layne Sniher, Daniel Kernaghan and Ethan Browne plus a single from Joel Patsey.

The Smithers goals were scored by Nathan Soucie and Ethan Perry.

The Steelheads are idle this weekend but the Wolverines travel to the Cariboo to take on the Williams Lake Stampeders on Saturday and Quesnel Kangaroos on Sunday.

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Quesnel also provided mutual aid for a house fire in Kersley on Sunday evening.

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Federal and provincial ministers are set to meet in Vancouver Monday for a forestry summit, as the sector braces for a major hit from new U.S. tariffs. 

A spokesperson for Premier David Eby’s office said B.C.’s goals are to continue pushing Ottawa to support workers, contractors and businesses in the sector, which produces one of B.C.’s biggest exports.  

Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is among the federal ministers expected at the table.

A new 10 per cent tariff took effect Oct. 14 on all softwood lumber and other forest products entering the U.S. That came on top of the existing 35 per cent tariffs. There’s also a 25 per cent duty on finished wood products, like cabinets and furniture,  with the threat of even steeper levies coming in January.

U.S. President Donald Trump, angered over an anti-tariff ad campaign by Ontario, halted trade talks last week and said he would further increase tariffs on Canada by 10 per cent. 

B.C. is set to run its own digital ad campaign in U.S. markets to criticize the U.S. tariffs against Canada. 

Eby has said it’s “absurd” that Canadian lumber now faces more barriers to the U.S. market than Russian lumber.

Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled some measures to support Canada’s softwood lumber industry in August.

They include up to $700 million in loan guarantees to help companies manage immediate financial pressures, and another $500 million to support market diversification and boost domestic processing.

Carney also said the federal government will prioritize Canadian materials in construction by requiring contractors to use Canadian lumber.

B.C. Conservative MLA and forests critic Ward Starmer said in a statement Friday the economic crisis facing the province’s forestry sector was predicted long ago.

“That is why mills are closing and towns and families are suffering. And why, at this rate, no one is going to have a job in this industry because forestry will have completely collapsed,” said Stamer.

“We need leadership from this NDP government, not finger-pointing and blaming everything on Donald Trump,” he said.

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When Trail Smoke Eaters head coach and GM Eric Thurston told Cade De St. Hubert he is the team’s new assistant captain, Thurston told the Minnesota native he is like the Swiss army knife he takes while camping.

De St. Hubert said: “Coach, when I go hunting, I take my rifle.”

The 19-year-old centreman takes his new responsibility very seriously.

“It’s a great honour to be named assistant captain of this group,” De St. Hubert told Vista Radio.

“Just to be a leader and continue to help out the locker room it’s definitely an honour,” he affirmed.

De St. Hubert has come a long way since being a walk-on at the Minnesota identification camp in the summer of 2024.

“I think it’s good to look back on that stuff and I’m definitely a little reflecting on that and proud of what I’ve done and been able to accomplish here and just want to thank the people who have been supporting me and the coaching staff for even giving me the chance to try out for this team,” he added.

De St. Hubert had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Cranbrook at Cominco Arena and is riding a six-game consecutive game points streak heading into games this weekend in Okotoks and Sherwood Park.

He feels that success is based on sticking with the basics.

“When you play the right way, the points will come,” said Cade.

“That’s what I have been kind of focusing on, just playing hard and continuing to play with that level of grit,” he explained, and points out success and overcoming adversity takes an entire team on and off the ice.

“The biggest part is leaning on your line mates and leaning on your companions and the people you trust and your family so whenever I face adversity, I think it’s the best turn upward and turn for help and ask for help and just continue to trust in yourself and in your game to when you’re on the ice.”

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After gift-wrapping a playoff spot last year, you could understand why Dylan Johnson was not in a giving mood in his first game back at the Kopar Memorial Arena.

The 20-year-old goaltender and ex-Prince George Spruce King put the Langley Rivermen on his back Sunday, making 45 saves in a 4-2 road victory against the BCHL’s most northern franchise.

Johnson, who was jettisoned to the Rivermen prior to picking up to PG picking up Charles Edward-Gravel from the QMJHL was the game’s first star.

Down 2-1 heading into the third period, Langley cashed in on their offensive opportunities, lighting the lamp on three unanswered occasions.

On a defensive breakdown, Sam Allaby found a streaking Zachary Benayon who’s shot went over the should of PG goaltender Colin Reay.

Six minutes later, former Windsor Spitfire Tanner Wineguard notched the game-winner for Langley, blasting a one-time through the wickets of Reay who attempted to go post to post.

Aaron Reierson added an empty netter with 1:20 remaining to the ice victory for the Rivermen (7-8-0-0).

In the first period, Andreas Mikrogiannakis put the visitors up by a goal thanks to a hard hit by former Kelowna Rocket and Everett Silvertip Andrew Petruck who separated Spruce Kings captain Isaac Holt from the puck behind the Spruce Kings net.

Kazumo Saskai and Evan Bellamy put PG in the driver’s seat after 40 minutes. Sasaki was sprung on a breakaway after a penalty kill, going five hole on Johnson to even the score.

Bellamy, who recently returned from the QMJHL, teed up a slapshot courtesy of an Ozbej Rep pass that went over the shoulder of Johnson.

Prince George (7-6-0-0) outshot Langley 47-32 while both teams went 0-for-3 on the power-play.

The Spruce Kings are back in action Friday (7pm) and Saturday (6pm) against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

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The 2025 Basin Food Film Festival returns to Nelson from Nov. 6 to 8, serving up three days of films, tastings and conversations that explore the rich connections between food, culture and community across the Columbia Basin.

Hosted by the Basin Food Summit & Expo with support from Columbia Basin Trust, the festival brings together filmmakers, eaters and food and drink makers to celebrate the stories behind what nourishes us.

“Documentary films have the power to disrupt the stories we tell ourselves and open space for new and wider perspectives,” said festival director Jon Steinman. “They remind us of our compassion, our shared humanity, and they provide the inspiration required to chart a more intentional and meaning-filled future.”

Steinman is well known for his work on the Deconstructing Dinner podcast and film series, and previously ran a similar festival from 2012 to 2017.

Festival rundown

Thursday, Nov. 6 – Opening Night: Fermentation & Film

Opening night kicks off with “Brine + Dine: Oysters, Films & Ferments Party”, a lively celebration of fermentation and coastal foodways.

• Fresh oysters from the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations

• 100-Mile Ferments Burger from the Hume Hotel kitchen

• Tasting stations with local ferments, pickles, kombucha, wine and craft beer

• Short films on oyster farming, wildcrafting, salmon fishing and more

Friday, Nov. 7 – Meat, Ritual & Sacred Food

Friday’s lineup explores food systems and spiritual connections to eating.

• Canadian premiere of The Jungle: A revealing look at global food supply chains, followed by a panel with meat producers from the B.C. Interior

• “Food is Sacred”: Includes a screening of Scenes in a Coq Au Vin and a Korean tea ceremony led by herbalist Mélanie Pulla of Water Over Leaves

Saturday, Nov. 8 – Local Markets, Young Farmers & Sweet Endings

Saturday centres on food justice, sustainability and community celebration at Mary Hall (Selkirk College), with over 60 local food vendors.

• Bite-Sized: A Short Films Showcase: Stories of honey, industrial agriculture and the Kootenay Co-op’s 50th anniversary

• Farming While Black: An award-winning doc on young BIPOC farmers leading sustainable agriculture, followed by a panel on land access in the Basin

• Local Is Sweet: A dessert tasting expo with 25+ local pastry chefs, plus a screening of Sweet Störy, a feel-good doc set in a remote Baltic café

Closing Film: Humus

The festival ends with Humus, a powerful Québécois documentary that follows two farmers rebuilding their connection to land through regenerative practices. A post-screening discussion features local farmers using similar methods here in the Basin.

Visit www.basinfood.ca/film-fest for the full schedule, film lineup and ticket details.

Basin Food Festival – Schedule of Events

Brine & Dine – Oysters, Films and Ferments Party
Thursday, Nov. 6, 6 to 9 p.m. at Spiritbar (Hume Hotel)
$15 (oysters, food and drinks extra)

The Jungle (plus Meat Matters panel)
Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Shambhala Hall
$15

Food is Sacred
Friday, Nov. 7, 9 to 10:30 p.m. at Shambhala Hall
$15

Basin Food Festival & Market
Saturday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mary Hall
Free

Bite-Sized: A Short Films Showcase
Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. at Shambhala Hall
Free

Young Farmers & Diversity on Film (plus Young Farmer Dialogue)
Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 to 3 p.m. at Shambhala Hall
$10

Local is Sweet: Dessert Tasting, Talks & Film
Saturday, Nov. 8, 3 to 6 p.m. at Mary Hall
Free (dessert tasting and talks) / $15 film

Soil & Soul – Screening of the award-winning Humus and panel discussion
Saturday, Nov. 8, 7 to 9:15 p.m. at Shambhala Hall
$15

2025 Film Selections

• A Nation’s Table: Anita Stewart & The Food Day Canada Story (2024, Canada, 11 min)

• Amoris Pomum (2021, U.K., 4 min)

• Das Pickle (2024, U.S., 20 min)

• Deconstructing Dinner: Honey (2013, Canada, 24 min)

• Farming While Black (2023, U.S., 75 min)

• Found: The King of Matsutake Ridge (2023, U.S., 34 min)

• Give and Take (2021, U.S., 11 min)

• Humus (2022, Canada, 94 min) [French with English subtitles]

• Mainspring Harbor: The Oyster Farmers of Block Island Sound (2024, U.S., 8 min)

• More Than a Grocery Store: Kootenay Co-op 50th Anniversary Film (2025, Canada, 20 min)

• Scenes in a Coq au Vin (2024, Canada, 14 min)

• Sweet Störy (2025, U.S., 75 min)

• The Call of the Farm: Earth Temple Gardens (2022, Canada, 5 min)

• The Grace (2024, U.S., 13 min)

• The Jungle (2024, U.S., 82 min)

• True Local Shorts (2022–2025, Canada)

• Valley Pride (2023, Austria/Germany, 15 min)

• Women of the Earth: How This Indigenous Farmer is Solving Food Insecurity (2023, U.S., 16 min)

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To honor the UNESCO 2025 Year of Glacier Preservation, guest Brian Menounos speaks with Summit Radio’s Afternoons with Andrea on his many years of research at Kokanee Glacier in Nelson.

He shares what it’s like to be a Glaciologist, as well as some insight into recent work he has been involved with in other parts of BC. Listen below!

If you’re passionate about protecting our glaciers, you can help. There are resources and further reading available here: https://www.un-glaciers.org/en

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A Prince George product scored the winning goal against the Prince George Cougars in a 2-1 Vancouver Giants victory Sunday in Langley.

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Sports by Hartley Monday, November 3rd, 2025  as of 12:05 a.m.

BCHL: 

Langley Rivermen  4  Prince George Spruce Kings  2  (Sunday)

The game summary is here.

PG Spruce Kings  4  Salmon Arm Silverbacks  1  (Saturday)

The game summary is here.

The (7-6) Spruce Kings host the (6-7-1) Alberni Valley Bulldogs Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:30.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

NHL: (5 Sunday games with 1 Canadian team in action)

Calgary  2  Philadelphia  1

The (6-7) Vancouver Canucks conclude a 3-game road trip tonight in Nashville (5:30) against the (5-6-2) Predators.

It is one of 4 Monday games in the NHL.

Elsewhere, Edmonton is at St. Louis, Pittsburgh visits Toronto and Chicago is at Seattle.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

High School Football:

The Nechako Valley Vikings are PG Bowl High School Football champions.

The Vikings beat the College Heights Cougars 24-6 at Masich Place Stadium to advance to the 2A Provincial Football quarter-finals against top-ranked Vernon.

Nechako Valley claims PG Bowl win over College Heights https://t.co/Bht74ut7A7

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) November 2, 2025

NFL: (Week 9)

Seattle  at  Washington  (Sunday night)

Buffalo  28  Kansas City  21  (Sunday afternoon)

Week 9 of the NFL season concludes with the Monday Night game of (2-5) Arizona at
(3-4-1) Dallas.

The NFL schedule and results can be found here.

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The Independent Investigations Office has been notified by BC RCMP of an incident in the 5900-block of Oldmill Road in Sechelt that left one man dead.  

According to police, Sunshine Coast RCMP responded to a call for a man in distress on Nov. 1 around 3:30 a.m., and after arriving on the scene things quickly escalated.  

“Upon making contact the man fled back into the residence and was pursued by officers,” police say. “There were other people, including two children, in the house and officers-maintained contact with the man who was allegedly holding an edged weapon.” 

A media release says the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team was called shortly after 10:30 a.m. to assist officers, but the incident ended tragically.  

“An interaction occurred inside the residence, and shots were fired by police,” the release says. “BC Emergency Health Services personnel were immediately called in to provide medical care; however, the individual died.” 

RCMP says no one else sustained injuries. 

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The Prince George Chamber of Commerce handed out its 40th Annual Business Excellence Awards last night. (Saturday)

Kydra Farrell, owner-operator of Worth A Shot Mobile Bar and Champagne Events was named the 2025 Business Person of the Year.

MDN Trinity Financial Services received the 2025 Business of the Year Award, while the House of Ancestors received the BIPOC Business of the Year award.

Other winners were:

• Excellence in Promotion and Marketing – Busy Boss Communications
• Excellence in Food and Beverage – Open Door Cafe
• Excellence in Entertainment and Attractions – Caledonia Nordic Ski Club
• Excellence in Business Philanthropy – Four Rivers Co-Op
• Excellence in Technological Innovation – Stackd
• Excellence in Customer Service – Birchwood Veterinary Clinic
• Excellence in Environmental Impact – Goodsir Nature Park
• Excellence in Not for Profit/Community Service – Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Prince George Citizen

Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould gave the keynote address to the more than 400 attendees.

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Prince George City Council will consider a notice of motion in regards to the disposal of assets at tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting.

The notice of motion was put forward by Councillors Cori Ramsay and Brian Skakun, and recommends that Council refers the City’s purchasing bylaw to bring back options to better articulate section 5.3 of the bylaw.

“When city assets are no longer useful to the city but still have useful life, they may from time to time be donated or disposed of,” the notice of motion states.

“Within the City’s Purchasing Bylaw, there are several points that we feel require clarification and to be further expanded upon.”

According to the notice of motion, there are no provision for selection of non-profit corporations and how these entities become aware of assets being disposed of.

It also states the bylaw does not have any provisions for disposal of assets which may have significant historical or cultural value to residents who may have contributed to their creation.

The notice of motions asks council to give consideration to amending the bylaw to create a more robust policy around how groups are chosen to receive these assets from the city, to include a clause bringing assets of significant historical or cultural significance to council for review.

“Finally, section 5.3 (a) (iii) describes an informal and formal process that is quite ambiguous and we would ask that clarity be added to identify for the public, what these formal and informal processes are,” it reads.

Other items to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting include a proposed citizen recognition program, an updates to the Memorandum of Understanding on regional advocacy.

The full agenda for tomorrow’s meeting can be found here.

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Recommendations to improve transit in Courtenay are going to be presented to council to improve the flow of buses in the area.  

According to a staff report, the city has been working with BC Transit on developing designs for two new transit exchanges in Courtenay after the current facility can no longer handle the growth in infrastructure.  

“Downtown Courtenay has outgrown the current exchange, and a new location was identified via the Comox Valley Transit Infrastructure Study,” the report says. “The new exchange location was selected for its connectedness to downtown and larger footprint, which will accommodate transit growth.” 

A BC Transit design consultant provided an analysis of the new downtown exchange with a focus on pedestrian control along the west leg with what staff say included three recommendations. 

The report highlights a rapid rectangular flashing beacon to meet Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) standards, as well as an overhead flasher exceeding TAC standards, and half-signals. 

Improvements will also be made to the exchange at Anfield Centre, to accommodate what was identified as a ‘candidate for necessitated improvements’ to support local routes in South Courtenay which will also branch out to Cumberland, Royston and Union Bay.  

The report highlighted a few key improvements needed for the south end terminal to handle more riders and increase the flow of traffic. 

“This exchange, featuring four bus bays, will provide an opportunity for riders to transfer between the Frequent Transit Networks, and local routes in South Courtenay,” the report says. “Improvements include incorporating a public washroom alongside the operator washroom, additional bike racks and a pedestrian crossing at Cliffe Avenue and 31 street.” 

Council will debate two options to improve transit on Nov. 5 as they continue to proceed with implementing approved designs next year. 

The city and BC Transit have been working on the two exchanges since 2024 to prioritize safety and improving transit across the region. 

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The City of Duncan has approved over $150,000 in Permissive Tax Exemptions (PTE) for 21 properties, starting in 2026.  

In September, council reviewed several applications for PTE’s during a Committee of the Whole meeting. 

Council approved 17 exemptions at 100 per cent, one for 75 per cent, and three organizations will only be getting a 50 per cent exemption to their properties.  

According to a report from director of finance Bernice Crossman, the city has decided to forgive a total of $152,248 in taxes for 2026. 

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The Nechako Valley Secondary School Vikings are moving onto provincials following a 24-6 trouncing over College Heights in the PG Bowl.

“The boys came to play, I’m super proud of them,” said Nechako Valley Head Coach Sheldon Brown.

“It was a whole team effort, we couldn’t do it without anybody else on that field, I’m super proud of the boys, it was unbelievable. It’s a great feeling to bring that trophy back to Vanderhoof.”

Running back Ryder Lybbert was a force for the Vikings, finding the end zone twice on the ground.

“When you have someone like 44, it’s honestly kind of a cheat code, it’s awesome,” Brown said.

“When you can win in the trenches, you win the game, so he was great today, our o-line was fantastic, our defence was great.”

Charles Cuesta found the end zone for the Vikings as well, taking a screen pass up the middle for a 29-yard touchdown.

The College Heights offence struggled to move the ball, with a key fumble going into their own end zone early for a safety, and quarterback Thomas Wightman throwing two interceptions.

College Height’s lone six points of the game came on the second half kickoff, returned for a touchdown by Troy Weatherly.

Nechako Valley will move onto the 2A Provincial Football Championship Quarter-final, where they match up against top-ranked in 2A, Vernon.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings scored early and often in a 4-1 win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

Dracen Campbell got the 1,009 fans at Kopar Memorial Arena in to the game early, opening the scoring for the Spruce Kings just 4:08 into the first.

Fraser Leonard added onto the lead less than three minutes later.

Salmon Arm stuck back with Liam Bursaw scoring the Silverbacks’ lone goal on the night on the powerplay.

Marcus Lougheed extended the Spruce Kings lead in the second, while Tai Ushio put the icing on the cake in the third.

Ryder Green got the start in the Spruce Kings net, making 26 saves.

The box score is here.

The Spruce Kings (7-5-0-0) are second in the BCHL’s Coastal East Division.

The BCHL standings are here.

The Spruce Kings host the Langley Rivermen this afternoon. (3:00 p.m.)

The full Spruce Kings schedule is here.

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There’s a reason they call him Big Game Bauer.

Bauer Dumanski scored the goal that gave the Prince George Cougars a 4-3 overtime win over the Seattle Thunderbirds Saturday night.

“I think what’s important when you stand back and look at it, is we lost two in a row, and our penalty kill was leaking last night and gave up two goals,” said Associate Coach Jim Playfair on the post game show on 94.3 the Goat.

“We really felt it was important to get our defending game back in order, to get our special teams back in order and certainly to stop the slide, and we did all those things tonight.”

Kayden Lemire found the back of the net to open the scoring early, just 42 seconds into the game.

Kooper Gizowski picked up an assist on the goal to extend his point streak to 14 games. However, he left the game at some point in the second period.

“He was dealing with something that we just felt was better to start getting ahead of it now and the longer it went maybe the worse it became,” Playfair said.

“We felt that now would be a good time to get him out, start treatment, get him rested up for whenever he can play again. It’s nothing that should keep him out too long, but we’ll see where he is tomorrow morning.”

After Lemire broke the ice, Seattle scored the next three, with Antonio Martorana, Brayden Holberton and Tai Riley putting the puck past Josh Ravensbergen.

It was a busy night in net for the San Jose Sharks prospect, as he faced 42 shots and made 39 saves.

“I think when Josh is playing the way he can, he’s such a stable, big, smart goaltender,” Playfair said.

“He’s just maturing in front of our eyes as you watch him play the game, and I think he understands his role, I think he’s simplified his game and I think he’s done a good job of trying to look through traffic and find pucks.”

Late in the second, Dmitri brought the Cougars within one, taking a loose puck in front of the Seattle net and putting it past Marek Sklenicka.

Carson Carels tied it in the third after taking the pass from Corbin Vaughan and playing a little pinball off a defender’s skate.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (9-5-0-0) are on top of the WHL’s BC Division and are second in the Western Conference.

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars hit the halfway point of the six game road trip this afternoon against the Vancouver Giants (4:00 p.m.)

The full Cougars schedule is here.

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Residents in the Kootenay region and surrounding areas are being invited to take part in public sessions this December to help shape the future management of water levels at Kootenay Lake.

The International Kootenay Lake Board of Control is reviewing how the Corra Linn Dam — located at the lake’s outlet — is regulated under a 1938 agreement between Canada and the United States. The board wants to hear from locals before recommending any changes.

How to take part

The board is hosting three public information sessions where residents can learn more about the review and offer feedback:

• Monday, Dec. 4 — In person in Nelson, B.C.
  Prestige Lakeside Resort @ 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Dec. 9 — Virtual session
  6 to 8 p.m. Pacific time
  Register in advance on the board’s website

The sessions will:

• Explain how Kootenay Lake is currently managed under the 1938 Order of Approval

• Outline what aspects of the agreement could be modernized

• Collect public input on concerns or priorities for a revised agreement

Residents can also share feedback through the contact form on the board’s website.

The International Joint Commission, which oversees water-related agreements between Canada and the U.S., has asked the board to review the decades-old order. FortisBC operates Corra Linn Dam under this agreement, which controls lake levels and outflows.

Public input gathered during this phase will help inform a draft Plan of Study, which will identify what research and data are needed before any changes are proposed. That draft is expected to be released for public review in 2026.

For more details, visit the International Kootenay Lake Board of Control website.

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 a.m., Sunday, November 2nd

WHL:

Prince George Cougars  4  Seattle Thunderbirds  3 (OT)

Bauer Dumanski scored the overtime winner for the Cougars.

BIG GAME BAUER BRINGS HOME THE EXTRA POINT!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/ykqADRZr1u pic.twitter.com/ZNwisdTgu4

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 2, 2025

Kayden Lemire, Dmitri Yakutsenak and Carson Carels also scored for the Cats in the win.

Josh Ravensbergen got the start in net for the Cougars, making 39 saves on 42 shots.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (9-5-0-0) are on top of the WHLs BC Division and are second in the Western Conference.

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars hit the halfway point of the six game road trip this afternoon against the Vancouver Giants (4:00 p.m.)

The full Cougars schedule is here.

BCHL:

Prince George Spruce Kings  4  Salmon Arm Silverbacks  1

Dracen Campbell, Fraser Leonard, Marcus Lougheed and Tai Ushio scored for the Spruce Kings in the win.

Ryder Green got the start in net, making 26 saves on 27 shots.

The box score is here.

The Spruce Kings (7-5-0-0) are second in the BCHL’s Coastal East Division.

The BCHL standings are here.

The Spruce Kings host the Langley Rivermen this afternoon. (3:00 p.m.)

The full Spruce Kings schedule is here.

Canada West Men’s Basketball:

U of Alberta  74  UNBC  67 (OT)

Canada West Women’s Basketball:

U of Alberta  90  UNBC  36

PG Bowl:

Nechako Valley Vikings  24  College Heights Cougars  6

Nechako Valley will go on to face Vernon in the 2A BC High School Football provincial quarter final.

World Series:

LA Dodgers  5  Toronto Blue Jays  4 (11) (LA wins World Series)

NHL:

Saturday’s slate featured 12 hours of hockey and 13 games, with six of those seeing extra time.#NHLStats: https://t.co/ZF4CDSS5Ga pic.twitter.com/VhrIWJjJcS

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 2, 2025

NFL:

CFL:

BC Lions  33  Calgary Stampeders  30

Montreal Alouettes  42  Winnipeg Blue Bombers  33

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Community Futures East Kootenay (CFEK) is launching the next phase of Innovate for Impact, a program designed to support youth and community organizations exploring social enterprise across the Kootenays.

This winter, the focus shifts to young changemakers. High school students aged 14 to 18 will learn how to build social enterprises, develop entrepreneurial skills and pitch their ideas for a chance to win funding. The youth program includes hands-on workshops, mentorship and real-world challenges to help participants turn bold ideas into community impact.

Two program cohorts are scheduled for January and September in 2026.

“Social enterprise can be a powerful tool to build local capacity, support sustainable jobs and strengthen the economic health of our rural region,” said Robyn Peel, community economic development manager at CFEK. “With this program, we hope to show young people the power of inclusive economic growth and the benefits that come from deep social impact.”

Mentors wanted

To support the youth cohorts, CFEK is looking for engaged teachers, youth program leaders and community members who want to become mentors. Training, support and a stipend will be provided.

A virtual info session will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 29, from 5:30–6 p.m. MT via Zoom.

Interested mentors can register online. The deadline to join the January cohort is Dec. 21.

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The Santa Claus Parade is coming back to downtown Cranbrook on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 5:30 p.m., marking the 54th year of the holiday tradition.

Organized by JCI Kootenay, the annual parade will once again fill Baker Street with floats, music and community spirit.

New this year: Rotary Park light-up

After the parade, the celebration continues at Rotary Park with the lighting of the Christmas decorations. Families are invited to enjoy the music, lights and festive atmosphere that officially kick off the holiday season.

Supporting the Cranbrook Food Bank

This year’s event includes two new ways to support the Cranbrook Food Bank: a Reverse Advent Calendar campaign and a Loonie Drive at the parade.

In partnership with Visit Cranbrook, the Reverse Advent Calendar campaign encourages residents to donate a food item each day in the weeks leading up to the parade. Suggested items are listed by the food bank.

Donations can be dropped off at the Cranbrook Visitor Information Centre at 800C Baker St., open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The centre will also accept cash, debit and credit contributions.

Visit Cranbrook will collect and deliver donations to the food bank.

For the Loonie Drive, volunteers carrying decorated buckets will walk the parade route collecting loonies and toonies for the food bank.

“Every coin counts. Let’s fill those loonie buckets and help feed our community this holiday season,” JCI Kootenay said in a release.

Food Bank executive director Julie Rose said initiatives like these make a real difference for families in need.

“Food has the incredible power to bring people together, and during the holidays, having a special meal shouldn’t be at the bottom of anyone’s list,” Rose said. “Through the Reverse Advent Calendar and Toonie Drive, we’re inviting everyone to join us in spreading warmth, kindness and nourishment to our neighbours this holiday season.”

Parade route and registration

The parade will start at Baker Street and 8th Avenue South, travel along Baker to 12th Avenue South, then loop back up 1st Street South to Rotary Park.

Community groups, businesses and organizations are invited to take part. To register a float, email [email protected] by Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.

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College of the Rockies will host representatives from the University of British Columbia for an information session on transfer opportunities to UBC’s faculties of pharmaceutical sciences and medicine.

The session is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Room KC250 at the Cranbrook campus.

The session is open to both current and prospective students. It will cover how students in the College’s Associate of Science and Associate of Science in Biology and Pre-Medicine programs can transfer into degree programs at UBC.

“Vicky Chan, assistant director of student services in UBC’s faculty of pharmaceutical sciences, reached out after noticing an increase in applications from College of the Rockies students,” said Stephanie Wells, dean of university sciences. “We’re excited to highlight the strong academic foundation our students gain here and how well it prepares them for success at UBC.”

Anyone interested in pursuing a career in pharmaceutical sciences or medicine and looking for a supportive, affordable place to start their university journey.

“Our alumni often tell us that the academic rigour of our programs, extensive lab experience and close faculty connections prepare them exceptionally well for the academic requirements of university,” Wells added. “Combined with smaller class sizes, financial savings and time to explore their academic interests, it’s clear that starting at the college is an excellent choice.”

More information about the college’s science programs is available at cotr.bc.ca/programs.

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From vandalism and street fights to online fraud, Halloween night kept Nelson police responding to a string of incidents across the city.

In the early hours of Nov. 1, a Nelson resident reported that their home had been egged around 1 a.m. CCTV footage showed a group of five youths riding e-bikes past the property moments before the eggs were thrown, but the act itself happened outside the camera’s view and the individuals could not be clearly identified.

The Nelson Police Department reminded the public that egging a home is considered vandalism and may result in criminal charges. While sometimes viewed as a harmless prank, police said the act causes property damage, distress to residents and unnecessary cleanup costs.

Parents and guardians were encouraged to be aware of their children’s whereabouts during festive nights such as Halloween.

Two arrested after downtown altercation

Earlier that evening, officers responded to a reported fight near a local business. The call came in around 7:04 p.m., and police were on the scene within minutes, with bystanders immediately directed officers to one of the individuals involved. After a short foot pursuit, the first suspect was arrested.

A second suspect was identified by another witness after officers returned to the scene. That person was also arrested shortly after.

The Nelson Police Department commended the quick actions of bystanders and said the swift police response helped bring the situation under control with no serious injuries reported.

Halloween scams target residents online

Fraud also made its way into Halloween night. On Oct. 31, a resident reported receiving an email from an address resembling the police department — “[email protected]” — claiming a parcel was being held and that a $150 payment was required to retrieve it.

Police contacted the individual and confirmed the email was a scam. The Nelson Police Department said it does not send emails requesting money or payment for services.

“Scammers often use realistic email addresses or government branding to make their messages seem legitimate,” said Special Const. Taburiaux.

“If you receive an unexpected message asking for money, personal information or payment details, take a moment to verify before responding. When in doubt, contact us directly through our official phone number or visit the detachment in person.”

Anyone who receives a similar message or believes they’ve been targeted by a scam is asked to call 250-354-3919.

Rental fraud reported in tight housing market

Meanwhile, on Thursday, On Oct. 30, just ahead of Halloween, police received another fraud report related to a suspected rental scam. A caller said they had joined a rental group on Facebook and responded to a listing for a local property. After sending $350 via e-transfer to secure the rental, the poster demanded more money.

A Nelson police officer investigated and found the same property listed for sale on a realtor website. The listing agent confirmed the home was not available for rent.

The officer informed the caller the listing was a scam and advised contacting their bank to attempt to reverse the payment. The fraudulent Facebook page was also reported.

“Online rental scams are becoming increasingly common, especially in tight housing markets,” said Taburiaux.

Police urge renters to confirm a property’s availability and verify the identity of the person listing it before sending any money.

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Cariboo Chilcotin residents should expect to see cooler weather and a wet start to November.

But, according to Environment Canada Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon, that’s pretty normal for this Cariboo season.

“We’re seeing a bit of a cool down, but really that’s just down to seasonal norms,” Sekhon tells Vista Radio.

Sekhon said that through the first week of November, there will be highs of around seven degrees, with mainly cloudy days with bits of sun. In the evenings, things are expected to cool down to near-freezing temperatures.

“That will persist right through to mid-next week,” says Sekhon. “We do have another system coming through that could potentially bring more showers and wind. That is something we are tracking through next week as well.”

The current weather forecast from Environment Canada is showing mainly cloudy, mixed with sunny days. The warmest temperature is over Quesnel on Sunday with a high of eight degrees.

Sunday over Williams Lake and 100 Mile House is expected to be cooler with a high of five throughout the day. Lows of minus two in Quesnel and the Lake City with some showers, and cooler with lows of minus five Sunday night in 100 Mile.

Throughout the week, the average temperature over Quesnel and Williams Lake is predicted to be between six and seven degrees, and cloudy and sunny. Showers are predicted to roll through near the middle and end of next week.

The nightly lows are predicted to drop to around minus 2 or 3, with clear night skies.

In 100 Mile House, things are looking cooler than its neighbours in the north. Highs to only plus two or plus three on Monday and Tuesday. But looking to warm up on Wednesday with an average of plus seven. The lowest temperature is predicted to come on Monday night with a low of minus seven.

Environment Canada’s forecasts show some rain Wednesday night through Thursday right across the Cariboo.

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The Prince George Hospice and Palliative Care Society launched its 4th Annual Appeal, themed “Legacy of Compassion. Securing Tomorrow.”

The campaign is a way for the society to go out to the community to remind residents of the importance and impact of the Hospice, and encourage donations for its support programs.

Executive Director Donna Flood explains that community support goes a long way.

“Our Hospice is only very partially funded from Northern Health.”

“They support the work we do at Rotary Hospice House, but we have so many other programs that we support the community with that we’re seeking donations in support of that.”

According to the society, 39 per cent of the Hospice’s budget comes from the health authority, with the remaining 61 per cent coming from the community.

Community members are also able to arrange a tour of the Hospice to learn more about what what it does, and what sort of programs it has.

More information about the hospice and where to donate can be found on their website here.

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A project to prepare for coastal flooding on the Sunshine Coast has been completed thanks to the help of several municipal partners.  

According to a release from the Sunshine Coast Regional District, the Coastal Mapping Project allows residents, governments and other agencies to understand and prepare for the impacts of sea level rise and goes far above mapping flooding zones. 

“It provides practical recommendations for how local governments can strengthen existing development regulations to better address coastal flooding hazards and reduce risk for future construction,” the release said. 

Homeowners who fall ‘below the flood risk’ of property flooding will be identified in the mapping process, and the district says ‘practical steps’ will be offered to help reduce the impact of flooding.  

“The Green Shores program is one example of available support, helping landowners and construction professionals create more secure, nature-based shorelines that resist flooding and erosion,” the release said. 

The results of the mapping project will also be shared with BC Ferries, BC Hydro, and FortisBC as well as First Nations. 

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Watering restrictions have been lifted across most of the Regional District of Nanaimo, but some are still observing extreme limitations.  

According to the R-D-N, stage four restrictions will remain in place for the Decourcey and Surfside water area despite the recent rainfall. 

“The rain has helped relieve drought conditions and reduced the seasonal demand in our communities,” the district says. “Most systems annually end watering restrictions in November, as precipitation increases to seasonal norms.” 

A statement from the R-D-N says although the province has eased their rating system, it’s still good practice to maintain conservation methods to ensure there is a supply for the next ‘dry season.’ 

“The provincial drought rating for eastern Vancouver Island has eased, and stream flows are returning to normal levels for this time of year,” the statement says. “Conserving water, however, is an important year-round habit as drought conditions are coming earlier and lasting longer.” 

A map of watering restrictions for specific areas, and tips for conservation, can be found on the RDN’s website.  

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The Prince George Cougars did not scare anybody on Halloween night as they were handed their first road loss of the season, falling 6-2 to the Portland Winterhawks in front of just 2,288 fans at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The Winterhawks took control early with three unanswered goals in the first period, two of them on the power-play.

“I thought we could’ve applied more pressure up ice.” said Associate Coach Jim Playfair on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.

“There was a few times we did that, but unfortunately it took away from some of our intensity and our aggressiveness in our own zone. I thought we stood around a little too much in our own zone, gave them some good looks, and I think there were some times we could’ve pressured better to help ourselves.”

Portland eventually went ahead 4-0 early in the second before the Cougars scored twice, one on the power-play from Arsenii Anisimov (at 5:52) and the other goal from another defenceman, Corbin Vaughan (at 15:03) to cut the deficit to 4-2 after 40.

Cougars sniper Kooper Gizowski extended his point streak to 13 games with an assist on the second goal.

The Winterhawks tallied the only two goals of the third to put the final nails in the coffin.

“When you break it down, we uncharacteristically two penalty kill goals and two goals where the defencemen were sat beside someone in front of the net.” said Playfair.

“We should’ve had a better effort in the sense of we have been really good in those two areas, and we were not very good tonight so, something to rectify, but I thought overall our team played a really aggressive hard road game.”

Cougars goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen stopped 22 of 28 shots before he was hooked midway thru the 3rd period.

Backup Brady Holtvogt made his WHL debut stopping the six shots he faced.

The game’s second star, and Winterhawks goaltender Ondrej Stebetak blocked 33 of 35 shots.

Alex Weiermair, the game’s first star, notched a goal and two assists.

The (8-5) Cougars, riding their first two-game losing streak of the season, continue a 6-game road trip, when they visit the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight (Saturday) at 6:05 and the Vancouver Giants Sunday afternoon at 4:00 in Langley.

The schedule is here.

The WHL standings are here.

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Kimberley city council has authorized an Indigenous engagement position agreement with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEk) for a grant-funded emergency liaison position.

In 2023, the Emergency and Disaster Management Act received royal assent and promoted relationship building as a vital part of the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous Peoples. The province started offering funding to every local authority for increased Indigenous engagement.

The East Kootenay Emergency Management Program worked with local First Nation governments to find the best solution and came up with the liaison position.

“We’ve identified that this is probably the best opportunity for Kimberley and our partners have to collaborate and work together on this with our Indigenous governing body partners,” said Kimberley fire chief Will Booth.

The position will be the branch between local First Nations and the EKEMP when it comes to all phases of emergency management.

The EKEMP includes the RDEK, District of Elkford, District of Sparwood, City of Fernie, Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it, City of Cranbrook, City of Kimberley, ʔaq’am First Nation, Village of Radium Hot Springs, District of Invermere, Village of Canal Flats, Shuswap Band and ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation.

The position will be managed by the RDEK, but to receive the funding, it had to be funneled through the City of Kimberley.

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Comfort food season has arrived, and the Nelson Italian-Canadian Society is ready to help fill local kitchens — and support community causes — with the return of its popular spaghetti sauce and pizzelle cookie fundraiser.

The group’s homemade spaghetti sauce comes in traditional and vegetarian varieties, made from an authentic family recipe using crushed tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, wine and a mix of fresh and dried herbs. It’s free of preservatives, gluten and dairy-  “just really good comfort food to help warm your body and soul,” the society said.

The spaghetti sauce will be sold in 1-litre plastic containers for $12.00 each.

To finish the meal, the society is also offering pizzelle cookies, a light Italian treat often enjoyed during the holidays. The crisp waffle-style cookies come in two flavours — anise and chocolate — and are sold for $12 per dozen. Split packs with six of each flavour are also available.

Proceeds from the sales go toward charitable initiatives around Nelson.

“The Nelson Italian-Canadian Society has many members who are talented cooks and bakers, and they generously share their talents whether it’s for an NICS event or a food-related fundraiser,” said society president Paul Boscariol. “The community continues to respond in kind, enjoying the great food produced by the NICS and supporting our fundraising efforts.”

Orders can be placed through the society’s online store. Pre-orders are limited and often sell out quickly.

The sale runs from Nov. 7 to Nov. 21, 2025, with pickup at the Nelson District Rod and Gun Club on Nov. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. and Nov. 29 from 9 to 11 a.m.

For those who aren’t online, orders can also be made by emailing [email protected] with a contact number.

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Asked in the same meeting to declare Indigenous Survivors Day and Christian Heritage Month, Trail city council has opted to review its policy around issuing proclamations altogether.

This week council received a request from Troy Abromaitis, who said he was not representing any group, but was a Sixties Scoop survivor. Abromaitis said his late mother, who died this year, was also a survivor. “One of her final wishes was that the voices of survivors — so long silenced — be heard, honoured, and held up in ceremony across this country,” he wrote.

He asked Trail to declare June 30 as Indigenous Survivors Day – National Blanket Ceremony Day, which has already been recognized by the provinces of BC, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as cities such as Surrey and Prince George.

On the same agenda, council had a request from Trail resident Rocky Cotton requesting December be proclaimed Christian Heritage Month, similar to national heritage months for Sikh (April), Jewish (May), Islamic (October), and Hindu (November) faiths.

“Such recognition would honour millions of Canadians and acknowledge Christian contributions in education, healthcare, charity and nation-building,” Cotton wrote.

According to a website that is part of a national campaign to have Christian Heritage Month recognized, quite a few Canadian municipalities have adopted such proclamations, mostly in Ontario, but also a handful in BC.

Councillor Nick Cashol asked to see council’s policy on proclamations first, saying he didn’t realize they had one. He introduced a motion that staff review the policy, which was adopted, with councillors Bev Benson and Paul Butler opposed.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars fell to the Portland Winterhawks 6-2, giving the team their first loss on the road.

The Cougars continue their 6-game road trip, when they visit the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight (Saturday) at 6:05 and the Vancouver Giants Sunday afternoon at 4:00 in Langley.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

The WHL standings are here.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings begin a 4-game homestand, inviting the Salmon Arm Silverbacks to Kopar Memorial Arena tonight at 6:00 and the Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 3:00.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

Canada West Basketball:

The UNBC Timberwolves women’s basketball team were unable to keep up with the Alberta Pandas and Golden Bears yesterday, after an 83-35 loss.

As for the men’s team they had a better outcome, picking up a 78-77 victory.

The teams play again tonight at 5:00 for the women and 7:00 for the men.

The Canada West women’s basketball schedule is here.

The Canada West women’s basketball standings are here.

The Canada West men’s basketball schedule is here.

The Canada West men’s basketball standings are here.

CFL:

Today is the semi finals for the east and west division in the CFL.

Starting at 11 a.m., The Montreal Alouettes host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Winner faces the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Then at 2:30 p.m., The BC Lions host the Calgary Stampeders.

The winner of that game will face  the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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College of the Rockies will start accepting applications for the 2026–27 academic year on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Applying early gives students the best chance of getting into their preferred program—and comes with a few extra perks.

“It’s a simple step that opens the door to scholarships, housing options and a smoother start to college life,” said Jason Colombo, registrar. “Planning ahead gives students confidence and peace of mind.”

For many students in the East Kootenay, College of the Rockies offers an opportunity to begin or complete their education close to home. With small class sizes, approachable instructors and hands-on learning, students gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed without leaving the mountains and community they love.

Kendal Plant, a Cranbrook local now working with B.C. Children’s Hospital, appreciated the ability to launch her science career close to home.

“The tight-knit community at the college made me feel comfortable as I began my post-secondary education,” she said. “I took all the first-year science courses, but it was the genetics course that helped me realize that microbial life excited me most.”

Students interested in university pathways can begin with Associate of Science or Arts degrees and transfer later. The college also offers career, technical and trades programs.

Students who attend and apply during the Nov. 5 Open House will have their application fee waived.

Applications can be submitted at cotr.bc.ca/apply or online through EducationPlannerBC. Students who attend and apply at the Nov. 5 open house will have their application fee waived.

More information is available at cotr.bc.ca.

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The North Island Menopause Conference is returning to Campbell River for its second annual gathering.

The conference will host a variety of vendors and 10 different speakers made up of registered practitioners and community leaders in the region.

“This conference opens the door to conversations that need to happen, guided by medical professionals, educators and women with lived experiences,” said Kathy Grayson, founder and executive director of the North Island Menopause Conference. “Knowledge empowers. Women and health-care providers gain up-to-date, evidence-based information about treatments, symptoms and wellness options.”

Last year the conference — held at the Tidemark Theatre — drew 280 attendees.

“It brings awareness, education and connection to a stage in life that has been overlooked and misunderstood,” Grayson said. “Women make up 51 per cent of Canada’s population, and 100 per cent of those women will go through menopause. Menopause has been treated as something to endure quietly rather than a natural and powerful transition that affects every aspect of a woman’s health — physical, emotional and social.”

This year’s conference will be held at the Campbell River Community Centre, located at 401 11th Ave., and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.

Tickets can be purchased at nimenopause.com. Tickets will not be available at the door.

“Women and men of all ages are welcome,” Grayson said. “It’s never too late to learn and share your knowledge.”

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The Town of Creston is moving closer to launching a new community situation table aimed at helping people in crisis before its too late.

Situation tables bring together front-line workers from public safety, health and social service sectors to identify people at high risk and connect them to support before a crisis occurs.

Creston secured provincial funding for the initiative in August 2025 after seeking the collaboration for several years.

Community services director Joel Comer provided an update during Creston town council’s Oct. 28 meeting.

He said staff are working with program consultants and preparing communication materials and invitations for a community mobilization meeting scheduled for November.

“Essentially in three weeks, we’ll have a meeting with a wide swath of community organizations, because really, even though there may only be a certain number of people sitting regularly on a situation table, it takes the whole community and all the different organizations and services to help in specific types of situations,” he said.

The mobilization meeting will introduce the table’s purpose and startup timelines, and ensure agencies are aware and involved.

Following that, mentors will be selected to receive training and guide agency representatives in the short term.

“There’ll be some community leaders who will act as mentors and really help us drive the table, get involvement, and get the right people at the table,” Comer added.

Training for those mentors will be held in December and early January, with agency representatives to follow.

The table is expected to be fully operational by late January or early February.

Creston is one of 37 communities in British Columbia introducing the initiative.

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The historic Ladybird speedboat has been returned to Nelson’s Hall Street Pier.

The vessel was removed from its temperature-controlled display in August 2024 to allow for further mechanical balancing, only a month after it was first installed.

At the time, the city said the work involved adjusting the heating, cooling, moisture control and overall air handling systems of the display enclosure.

The exhibit meets strict, museum-grade preservation standards that required several refinements.

That work is now complete, with the City of Nelson announcing on Facebook that the Ladybird was being reinstalled Friday morning.

Donated to the museum in 1968, the Ladybird was painstakingly restored in the 1980s by archivist Shawn Lamb and a team of volunteers.

It was first displayed at the museum’s former Anderson Street location but placed in storage in 2006 when the museum moved to 502 Vernon Street.

Now, the record-setting Ladybird is showcased on the waterfront in a climate-controlled enclosure that preserves the vessel while allowing residents and visitors to see it once again.

The Ladybird display was part of the $4.8-million Hall Street Pier project, which was completed in September 2024.

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Clocks are set to “fall back” across much of Canada this weekend, as daylight time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Some parts of B.C. stay on mountain standard time year-round, including parts of the Peace River Regional District, Fort Nelson and the Creston area in the southeast.

Yukon, most of Saskatchewan and some communities in Nunavut, Quebec and Ontario also don’t change their clocks in the spring and fall.

Daylight time was introduced in Canada during the First World War, mainly to conserve energy. There have been numerous calls over the years to end the twice-yearly time change.

A 2015 petition to stop the time change in B.C. garnered more than 26,000 signatures. 

The province conducted a survey in 2019 that found 93 per cent of British Columbians supported moving to daylight time permanently.

Some stakeholders, including the Vancouver Airport Authority, said it’s important that B.C. observe the same time as its neighbours, particularly Yukon and the U.S. west coast, to avoid confusion for businesses and travellers. 

B.C. introduced legislation in 2019 that paved the way for a move to permanent daylight time. But the province said the change won’t take effect until Washington, Oregon, California and Yukon are all aligned on the move. 

Several U.S. states have enacted legislation or made moves toward maintaining daylight time year round, but the changes can’t take effect without movement from Congress.

A 2022 report by researchers at the University of Ottawa and Université de Montréal, submitted to the Canadian Sleep Society, found that losing an hour of sleep in the spring can negatively affect functioning for weeks.

The report also found some research to support the notion that there are higher rates of cardiac incidents, mental health issues and workplace injuries following the spring transition.

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Prince George RCMP is currently on scene with the North District Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services as they investigate a possible shooting incident near the 2100-block of Upland Street

RCMP were contacted shortly after 1:00 p.m. today (Friday), for a report of a man in that area who was bleeding heavily.

When investigators located the victim, they found he was suffering from a gun shot wound to his leg.

“Police officers are currently seeking to identify where the shooting occurred and who the suspects may be. If anyone in that neighbourhood heard or saw anything suspicious or has any information relating to this investigation, we ask you call the non-emergency line at 250-561-3300,” states Corporal Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

The victim has been transported to the hospital by BC Emergency Health Services.

This investigation remains ongoing.

Residents can expect police officers to be in the area for some time as they continue to gather information.

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Mid Island Consumer Services Co-operative (Mid Island Co-op) has purchased two Discovery Foods grocery stores in Oyster River and Campbell River.

The co-operative said in a news release it will assume operations in mid-November.

“Co-op is part of our local community and shares the values of knowledge and service that Discovery Foods has provided to our customers for nearly 60 years,” said the Nicholas and Farmer families, owners of Discovery Foods. “Mid Island Co-op has been an integral part of our local community, and this acquisition will continue that legacy in the central and North Island trading area.”

The deal will give Mid Island Co-op’s more than 80,000 member-owners another option to shop local.

“Adding these grocery retail locations in Oyster River and the Willow Point area of Campbell River will allow Mid Island Co-op to provide new services to our members and customers in these communities,” said Ian Anderson, CEO of Mid Island Co-op. “Discovery Foods is a trusted and well-respected B.C. business, with values and service that align with Mid Island Co-op, making this a natural partnership.”

Once the transition to the Co-op brand is complete, current and new members will be able to use their membership numbers to receive equity and cash back.

“Mid Island Co-op is proud to provide local jobs and economic activity in the many communities we serve. We look forward to welcoming new team members at these locations to our Mid Island Co-op team,” the release said.

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The District of Port Hardy is responding to community frustration over the continued limited hours at the town’s hospital emergency department.

Mayor Pat Corbett-Labatt says the District does not control hospital operations or staffing — those responsibilities fall to Island Health and the province.

Mayor Pat Corbett-Labatt comments:

“Recent social media posts suggest that the district is sitting silent, or can reopen the ER, are simply not accurate,” said Corbett-Labatt. “There is a misunderstanding about who is responsible for health care services.”

Corbett-Labatt says council has been meeting regularly with Island Health, B.C. Emergency Health Services, and provincial officials to push for staffing support and longer emergency hours. The mayor says the District has asked for the ER to stay open until 7 p.m. nightly — a request now under review.

She adds that Port Hardy’s advocacy has led to recent provincial investments in staff housing, recruitment incentives, air ambulance service and a future CT scanner.

Corbett-Labatt says there are still more than 40 health-care vacancies across the region, while attracting and retaining workers remains the biggest challenge.

Click here to view a video of the mayor’s comments on the matter at the Oct. 28 district council meeting.

We have reached out to Island Health for comments and are awaiting their statement.

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UNBC has not held any discussions about launching a Kinesiology program.

This comes one week after the College of New Caledonia axed eight program including Kinesiology due to an eight-million-dollar revenue shortfall.

Simon Lamarche is the high-performance manager at Engage Sport North in Prince George told Vista Radio losing it is a massive blow as the program often leads students to several rewarding career paths, some of which includes assisting our older population.

“With an undergrad in Kinesiology you can specialize in exercise physiology. So, if you think of any kind of stress test at the hospital that needs to be performed like a helicopter pilot, they must undergo stress tests and typically, with an exercise physiology degree that went into kinesiology that can administer that.”

“A kinesiologist is someone who specializes in working with aging populations. Think of our aging population in the north who have certain demands and if you want specialized people to help them, it would be great to see the north producing those people.”

The closest program to study Kinesiology for prospective students from northern BC is Northwestern Polytechnic in Grande Prairie.

Other degree programs in the province include UBC, Fraser Valley, Simon Fraser and Camosun College in Victoria.

Lamarche added moving to a different city, especially in the Lower Mainland and Victoria-area could act as a financial barrier, forcing students to pick a different career path while also studying closer to home.

This would create a lose-lose scenario for the region.

“I think it’s potentially a big loss because we are losing our potential AT’s (athletic therapist), exercise physiologists and trainers for specialized populations if you are a diabetic patient or someone with osteoporosis, cancer or someone who is an older adult.”

“In Kinesiology, you can become a physical preparation expert or a coach, so we think about the Olympics that are right around the corner and you think about exercise physiologists. So, I think these different roles are important and if we want people from the north to have, we need to have students have access to these programs.”

“To stay in Victoria is not inexpensive. Now, this is a barrier for students in the north – if we can have it at home, its accessible because people can stay with family and I think there is a much more of a likelihood that we would have people doing these professions in the north,” added Lamarche.

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The province has broken ground on a new BC Cancer centre in Nanaimo. The three-storey facility is expected to open in 2028 and provide care and treatment for patients in and around the city. 

The building will include 16 treatment bays and two treatment rooms for systemic therapy administration and consultations. It will also feature advanced imaging tools, an oncology ambulatory care unit with 12 exam rooms, four consultation rooms and space for medical physicists and radiation therapists. 

A new oncology pharmacy will also be added as part of upgrades to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. 

The centre is expected to host 11,000 radiation appointments each year and provide treatment for as many as 1,600 patients in its opening year. 

BC Cancer will operate the facility in partnership with Island Health. The $311-million cost of the project is shared between the province, Island Health, the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District and the BC Cancer Foundation. 

B.C.’s health and infrastructure ministers attended the Oct. 31 groundbreaking alongside representatives from Island Health, BC Cancer, the hospital and the City of Nanaimo. 

Cancer survivor Joanne Falvai spoke at the event, sharing her experience with treatment access. 

“When I was diagnosed with brain cancer five years ago, I could not tolerate any travel for long distances, so my family temporarily relocated to Victoria where I received daily radiation and many rounds of chemotherapy,” she said. “It meant being away from our home and away from our people when we needed them the most.” 

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It’s shaping up to be a wet and windy Halloween for most of the Sunshine Coast, including the Powell River area.

An intense weather system is moving into the region today, bringing moderate rainfall and strong winds.

Environment Canada warns the system could cause temporary power outages and hazardous driving conditions.

A statement from the national weather forecaster says southeast winds gusting between 70 to 90 km/h should be expected.

A statement from the City of Powell River advises residents to secure outdoor items such as patio furniture, garbage bins and seasonal decorations before the winds strengthen. Motorists are also urged to adjust their speed and watch for changing conditions.

More updates and alerts are available through Environment Canada’s website and social media channels.

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Mid-Vancouver Island rabbit owners are being warned after several wild rabbits were found dead in Cedar with suspected rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Testing is underway to confirm the cause. 

The disease has previously been detected in commercial and pet rabbits in Parksville, the Comox Valley, Nanaimo and the Lower Mainland. 

The highly contagious virus affects only rabbits and is often fatal. It spreads through direct contact between animals and indirectly through bedding, food, water, cages, clothing, footwear and vehicle tires. 

Symptoms include fever, lethargy, respiratory distress, bleeding from the nose or mouth, or sudden death. 

While the disease poses no risk to humans, dogs or cats, it can be carried short distances on the fur, feet or droppings of other animals. 

There is no treatment, but a vaccine is available for domestic rabbits in B.C. Rabbit owners are advised to practise good hygiene when handling rabbits or cleaning their enclosures and to keep them away from areas where the disease may be present. 

Anyone who notices signs of illness in their rabbits should contact a veterinarian immediately. 

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The Village of Telkwa will be getting a new vacuum truck after council voted in favour during Tuesday’s meeting.

The truck was previously owned by the Town of Smithers and traded to VIMAR equipment.

According to a report by village staff, the equipment company offered to sell the truck to the village for $42,000 while similar trucks are listed at over $100,000.

It adds the vehicle has low mileage and operating hours, and would be used for sewer maintenance.

Funds would come from $75,000 the village budgeted to purchase a new excavator as ones on the market exceed the budgeted amount.

Smithers received it’s new truck on October 23rd.

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The RDEK is letting locals know about an incentive program for renewing or getting recognized as a FireSmart neighbourhood.

FireSmart Canada will be offering $750 to those renewing their status and $1,000 for new neighbourhoods looking to get official recognition.

RDEK board chair Rob Gay said the FireSmart program is a great way to help protect your property.

“It teaches that things like shrubs right up against your house may not be a good idea,” said Gay.

“FireSmart principals talk about creating some open green space around your home, if you’re replacing your roof, use things that are less flammable than things like cedar shakes.”

Applications for the incentive program open on Nov. 1 and will close on Jan. 31.

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A drug trafficking investigation in Burns Lake yesterday (Thursday) led to eight people being arrested.

According to the Burns Lake RCMP, search warrants were executed at three properties with other teams called because of safety risks.

They included the North and Southeast District Emergency Response Teams, RCMP Police Dog Services, and other support units.

Police said distraction devices were used upon entry to the homes, leading to the arrests occurring without incident or injury.

In total, Mounties said over three kilograms of suspected illicit drugs, multiple firearms, a significant amount of cash, and other items consistent with drug trafficking were seized.

“The operation highlights the continued effort and commitment at protecting our communities, reducing harm to individuals, and reinforcing the efforts against this type of illegal drug activity,” said Sergeant Anthony Brooks.

No charges have been laid as the investigation remains ongoing.

RCMP add anyone who sees suspicious behaviour or suspected drug trafficking should contact their local detachment.

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Outages are being reported in Prince George, as strong winds move through the area.

BC Hydro is attending an outage east of Ospika Blvd., West of Abbott Crescent, South of 20th Ave, North of Ferry Ave, currently affecting 493 customers.

The cause is listed as a downed wire, with estimated time on being 4:40 p.m..

164 customers are also without power south of PG, east of Walter Road, with the cause under investigation and no estimate on when power will be restored.

two other outages are also reported, with one in the south west area of Vanway and east of Beaverley, affecting a total of 76 customers.

Crews are assigned to both, with no estimate time on power restoration.

A wind warning is currently in place for Prince George, which are expected to continue into the early evening, with gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour.

The outage map can be found here.

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Remembrance Day is over a week away, which means more people will be out wearing poppies.

The Royal Canadian Legion’s National Poppy Campaign launches today (Friday), and is a way of paying respect to those that made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we have today.

PG Legion Branch 43 President Eric Callaghan said the campaign helps veterans that come back that have physical and mental wounds.

“It is to help veterans and families that have problems. If Veterans Affairs is falling short or something, the Legion can step in as a stop gap with the poppy fund.”

“The poppy fund is strictly just for that, for the veterans and the very small petametres that it’s set up to be used for.”

The campaign leads to Remembrance Day, which Callaghan said is an important ceremony to take part in.

“Our World War 1 veterans are gone, our World War 2 veterans, there’s very few left, Korean veterans are in the same boat.”

“You got the Canadian Forces. We still have people serving all over the world right now. We have  half a dozen gentlemen and ladies here in Prince George with the Rocky Mountain B Company that have just come back from tours in Europe, Iraq, Africa.

Ceremonies will begin at the PG Civic Centre at 8 a.m., and proceeding to the Cenotaph at 10:50 a.m., ending at noon.

Donations for a poppy can be done at various boxes in the city, or can also be made online here.

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The Williams Lake Mustangs had a clean Week 5 and 6 in the KIJHL. Picking up a win and ahead of their Cariboo rivals in the Doug Birks Division.

Quesnel had a tough road trip in Week 5, managing to get one win while away. Then had a strong performance back at home in Week 6.

After a double win last weekend, the Wranglers took another tumble, losing three in a row between the two weekends.

Here are the weekend recaps:

Williams Lake Mustangs:

While Williams Lake had a close game in their Friday, Oct. 17 match-up against the Chase Heat, squeaking out a 4 to 3 win on the road. It didn’t phase them for their second game the following Friday, Oct. 24, as the Mustangs ran wild over the Heat, winning 6 to 2.

In the Oct. 17 game, the Mustangs took an early lead, scoring three times through the first, second, and third periods. Declan Pocock scored first, his third of the year. In the second period, JP Desabrias picked up his tenth goal off a power play, and in the third, Logan Hauk scored his ninth goal at the halfway mark.

Then Columbia Valley battled back, scoring twice to make the game close in the three minutes. Then Logan Hauk scored his decennium goal, to give the Mustangs the go-ahead and win.

Next week’s game was more of what the division standings would lead viewers to imagine would happen. The Mustangs, back at home against the Chase Heat, opened the scoring first with a Pocock goal. The Heat had a surprising short-handed goal to tie it, then JP Desabrais answered back, and the Mustangs stampeded their opponent into the ground with tight passes and water-like flowing skating to a 6 to 2 victory.

Matthew Hufty, Cash Sellars, and Josh Gendron each scored in the second period and each picked up their second goals of the campaign, respectively.

Desabrais would pick up his twelfth of the season on a power play in the third period, which also saw Kaelen Swanson and Blake Collison get their eleventh assists each.

Looking at how the Mustangs line up in the Doug Birks Division, they are sitting 6-2-1-1 with 14 points. Keeping the race close with Kamloops, who are just ahead in the division with 17 points.

Quesnel River Rush:

The River Rush finished their road trip with one win out of three, which could have been two wins.

In Kelowna, Lynden Gorman was the Big Show, scoring all four of Quesnel’s goals to give the team a 4 to 3 dub over the Chiefs.

Deegen Bert picked up his eleventh assist on Gorman’s first goal. Isaiah Bagri got his fifth assist, and Jimmy Proulx his second on the second goal. Bagri got his sixth assist on Gorman’s third, and Gavyn Schaufele scooped his fourth of the year on Gorman’s final goal.

Saturday, Oct. 18’s game against Osoyoos was a bit more back-and-forth than expected. Osoyoos got the upper hand after a scoreless overtime, winning 5 to 4 in a shootout.

The Rush and Coyotes played an aggressive game and traded goal for goal the entire night, and both were even on penalty minutes.

Dawson Ernst scored twice in the first period for the Rush. Then Brenden Kindlein scored in the second, and Isaiah Bagri scored in the fourth to send the game to OT.

Whenever Quesnel and Kamloops face each other, Kamloops seems to have Quesnel’s number and their kryptonite—winning 5 to 1 in a fairly one sided game, that saw Kamloops get eight power plays to Quesnel’s three.

Kamloops scored all five of their goals before Quesnel’s Lynden Gorman scored the sole goal for the River Rush, his eleventh of the year.

The Following week, on Oct. 25, the Rush were back at home against Chase, and won 5 to 1.

The Rush were back to their normal form, taking an early 3 to nothing lead. With Gage Parrell, Gavyn Schaufele, and Brendan Kindlein all scoring in the first period.

A scoreless second saw the return of the ‘Rush 10’ at the end of the period and beginning of the third, when Chase scored their sole goal of the contest. Ian George, and Lynden Gorman would score again at the end of the period to send the game away.

After the last two weeks, the Rush are sitting at 6-6-0-1, and tenth overall in the KIJHL with 13 points. Just behind Williams Lake, overall, and in their division.

100 Mile House Wranglers:

The Wranglers had only one game in Week 5, which they lost 3 to 2 in a shootout against the Kimberley Dynamiters on Oct. 17.

Ethan Hofstrand and Nash Hilworth scored for 100 Mile, and picked up their first goals of the season.

Week 6 brought forth a tough three-game road trip for the Wranglers, in which they battled against Castlegar, Grand Forks, and Princeton. While losing all three games, only one game was lost in regulation; the others, the Wranglers pushed into OT to at least get a single point.

100 Mile lost 5 to 4 in overtime against Castlegar Rebels on Oct. 24.

The Wrangler’s Diego Cazac scored twice, once in the first and again in the second. Ethan Davey and Brandon Burns scored in the third period, which gave the Wranglers a 3 to 1 lead, before Castlegar answered back. Sending the game to overtime, where the Rebels took the game winner.

The Wranglers looked more to their actual form against the Grand Forks Bruins on Oct. 25, and the Princeton Posse on Oct. 26.

While the games did net two losses for 100 Mile, scooping a single point in a 4 to 3 overtime loss against Grand Forks, the Wranglers played clean and even games against two Top 10 KIJHL teams.

Even though 100 Mile lost 2 – nil against the Posse, it was a fairly back-and-forth, even game, with the Wranglers just barely getting outshot 35 to 30 by Princeton.

Against the Bruins, Jaden Rusznak scored twice in the first two periods, and Ethan Davey scored 100 Mile’s third goal to send it into overtime.

Up Next:

Tonight, all three teams are in action.

Williams Lake and 100 Mile have the first Cariboo Rivalry match-up since the Lake City’s game against Quesnel in Week 1. The game is in Williams Lake at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, and starts at 7 p.m.

Quesnel is at home against the Fernie Ghostriders on Hallow’s Eve, in the West Fraser Centre, starting at 7 p.m.

The Rush have a home stand this weekend, with back-to-back games against Kamloops on Saturday and Sunday.

Williams Lake hosts Fernie on Saturday, and then 100 Mile has their turn hosting the Ghostriders on Sunday.

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A new non-stop service between Kelowna and Cranbrook’s Canadian Rockies International Airport is now operational.

The first Pacific Coastal Airlines flight landed in Cranbrook on Oct. 28.

“We are ecstatic to officially welcome the return of Pacific Coastal Airlines to YXC,” said airport manager Tristen Chernove.

“This renewed partnership represents a vital enhancement to our regional connectivity and is of utmost importance to our community and the broader Kootenay region.”

There will be a 9 a.m. departure from Cranbrook daily from Sunday to Friday, with a 11 a.m. departure on Saturdays.

The service offers one-stop connections to Victoria, Nanaimo and Comox.

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Forest fuel reduction work is scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 3 in the Elk Park Ranch and Lynx Crescent area of Radium Hot Springs.

The treatment is of 2.02 hectares of municipal land.

“It will involve the careful removal of excess vegetation and debris to reduce potential wildfire intensity,” said municipal staff.

“This includes decreasing surface fuels, ladder fuels and selectively removing mostly smaller coniferous trees.”

Pile burning will occur when conditions allow.

The work is funded by a Union of B.C. Municipalities grant.

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Snowplow season is approaching, and winter parking bylaws are coming into effect for Fernie and Elkford.

Both communities’ winter parking bylaws are in place from Nov. 1 until Mar. 31.

In Fernie, the alternating parking schedule is in in effect from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday drivers can park on the North or West side of the road.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday drivers can park on the South and East side of the road.

In Elkford, parking is prohibited on any roadway, street, highway or lane between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The bylaw is in place snow removal operations can run smoothly.

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Kimberley council will be updating the its remuneration bylaw with likely increases to council pay for next term.

The mayor currently earns $38,629 annually while councillors earn $19,313.

It is a little lower then a lot of similar-sized municipalities across B.C.

That includes Fernie, where the mayor makes $46,556 or Trail where the mayor makes $40,371.

Kimberley mayor Don McCormick said the optics around a pay raise are never great and wishes there was a different system in place.

“This is probably across the province for every municipality the most difficult issue that they deal with. How many people in your professional lives are tasked with giving yourself a raise,” he said.

“Honestly I find it disheartening that the province doesn’t have a policy that can be applied around this.”

Councillor Woody Maguire doesn’t expect too much backlash as it will be for a future council and the public can decide who that is.

“I don’t think that upping the rates by a couple thousand dollars to come more in line with other communities is going to bring a lot of heat, especially since we’re doing it at the end of the term,” he said.

‘It isn’t for us it will be for the next council and if someone has an issue with that they can vote us out.”

Staff will be developing an updated remuneration bylaw which will come back to council before this term is over.

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Meet Goose! This sweetie pie is this week’s Summit Radio Pet of the Week from the West Kootenay BC SPCA!

If you are looking for a fun, well training dog, look no further. Goose is house, leash and crate trained. He has also lived with dogs, cats and small children making him a match for any family. His favorite things are playing outside and cuddling on the couch. If Goose sounds like the right match for you, please come meet him today. He has so much love to share.

Learn more about adopting Goose here: https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/786690/

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The City of Trail is on track to pay about one-fifth as much in RCMP overtime costs for the current fiscal year compared to the last one.

Figures included in city council’s agenda package this week show that in 2024-25, the city was on the hook for $611,486 in overtime for 6,098 hours worked.

However, there isn’t a perfect correlation between the two figures, because overtime isn’t usually paid out in the same month it is worked.

About $50,000 of the bill was due to the RCMP bringing in additional resources to investigate the case of Brenden Rothweiler, who is accused of shooting a Fruitvale woman in the head more than two and a half years ago.

In the first six months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, April to September, the city paid $60,650 for 881 hours of overtime.

City manager Colin McClure said those figures are straight wages and don’t include travel time and per diems. We have asked the city why the hourly OT cost last year ($100) was so much higher than this year ($69).

City councillor Nick Cashol, a former RCMP officer himself, said he appreciated receiving the information.

“I’m not going to question the need for this overtime, as we can’t compromise on public safety, but it does come at a cost,” he said.

Cashol said the overtime bill was in part due to the RCMP’s “unsustainable unlimited, full-pay sick leave model,” which he said was criticized in a July 2025 report by a police oversight body.

Based on its population, the City of Trail picks up 70 per cent of the total policing bill.

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Halloween is a fun time for so many people but it’s also a very unique day on our roads.

“There will be lots of pedestrians out this evening, lots of young ones of course trick or treating,” ICBC Spokesperson Greg Harper said, “they’ll be excited, they’ll have a lot on their mind more so on treats than road safety.”

According to an ICBC survey involving their insight panel, 32% said that they would likely be driving at some point tonight (Friday).

“Be really extra cautious out there. That means managing your speed, keeping your cell phone out of sight, out of mind, not being distracted. Don’t be in a hurry and if there’s a vehicle stopped in front of you, don’t try and pass it as they might be stopped for a reason perhaps to let a young one go by. Have 100% percent focus on the road at all times because there will be a lot going on, it is Halloween,” Harper said.

He noted this Halloween could be busier than one that falls on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

“On a Friday night I’m sure there will be a lot of Halloween parties. If you plan on going to one we (ICBC) know that 17% of those surveyed by members of our insight panel they plan on attending or hosting a party tonight. If you know your evening may involve alcohol, plan for a safe ride home.”

According to ICBC’s statistics an average of 10 people are injured in 53 crashes on Halloween in the North Central Region.

“I think it’s important that when we talk about numbers that every number means something. One crash is one crash too many and one injury is one injury too many. Until we don’t have any, we can do better,” Harper said.

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Kootenay Lake’s School District 8 has been named a 2025 Canadian Association of Communicators in Education Award of Distinction winner for its 2024-25 Sustainability in SD8 public engagement campaign.

The district said the award recognizes school districts that show exemplary communication and engagement work across Canada.

It honours excellence in public relations, communications, marketing and community engagement through CACE’s annual BRAVO! Awards program.

It’s the third consecutive year SD8 has earned a national BRAVO! Award.

“We’re honoured to be recognized nationally by CACE for our Sustainability in SD8 initiative,” said Trish Smillie, superintendent and CEO, in a news release.

“Sustainability means using resources and making decisions in ways that meet today’s needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs. This award is an indicator that we’re taking the right steps to connect students, staff and communities for a more sustainable school district.”

The Sustainability in SD8 public engagement campaign outlined the school district’s commitment to responding to climate change.

The campaign saw 357 participants respond to a survey through its EngageSD8 platform and nearly 700 ideas on how the school district can reduce its environmental footprint, support sustainable transportation and make sustainability part of everyday school life.

The feedback helped develop a new Climate Action and Sustainability Policy that supports climate action initiatives for the next five years.

The district posted its first Climate Action and Sustainability Annual Report in June 2025, outlining progress to date.

“On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to thank the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education for this recognition,” said Dawn Lang, board chair.

“Our board is proud to support sustainability through listening, leadership and action. This engagement process showed that when you use the right tools and approach, school communities respond, offering thoughtful, detailed ideas for a healthy, sustainable future.”

The district won its first BRAVO! Award in 2023 for its strategic plan community engagement. In 2024, it won the Coup de Cœur Award for a Mount Sentinel Academy of Performance and Media video showcasing student leadership.

SD8 noted that the Award of Distinction is one of Canada’s highest honours for excellence in K-12 communications and engagement.

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-365-7600 or email Vista Radio.

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The battle is on.

The two goaltenders left standing for the Trail Smoke Eaters after the injury to No. 1 puck stopper Cooper Michaluk will both get a chance to be “the guy.

Head coach and general manager Erick Thurston says they will watch the progress of 18-year-old rookie and Trail native Chayse Johnson, as well as newcomer Brady Smith.

Thurston says Smith was brought in partially because of his pedigree.

He’s played in the Western Hockey League,” Thurston said adding they have done their due diligence on the 20 year old.

“We’ve watched some of his games, just like his composure, like his calmness, his maturity, he seems to be very quiet in the net,” according to the bench boss who stated Smith was fully scouted.

“Pierce Diamond, our goalie coach, liked him too, he said he had the most upside of the guys we had looked at, we had quite a few guys that became available,” Thurston stated, noting the coaching consensus was that Smith topped the list.

“I also felt comfortable with what I saw, but also on the research side of it, the background checks, everybody just raved about the person he is, professional with his preparation, he is also good in the locker room which is key.”

Smith is thrilled about getting a second chance after being the odd man out in Blackfalds following four appearances this season.

Smith says his style is basic.

“I don’t think I’m the most technical goalie ever, but just try to find a way to stop the puck” explained Smith who humorously stated you “won’t see me doing the splits,” but is working on his technique.

“Just overall seeing the puck, allowing myself to get my feet set, just give myself the best opportunity to stop it, don’t want to be behind the play or anything along those lines,” surmised Smith.

The six-foot-one, 185 pound native of Cloverdale pointed out he also does his homework when it comes to tending goal.

“I’m more of a clips guy, highlights, I prefer to watch skills videos, anything regarding that to keep my mind active in new ways of stopping the puck.”

Smith and Johnson will have ample time to earn minutes as Thurston says Michaluk is very early in a long rehabilitation.

“Cooper unfortunately has a slight tear of his hamstring,” the coach confirmed.

“He’s gone back to Edmonton and has been fully diagnosed with an MRI, he’s already getting treatment and we’re just not sure of the time frame,” Thurston stated.

The estimate right after the injury last Saturday predicted Michaluk would be out from six to 12 weeks.

Johnson is 2-1 this season with a 2.50 GAA, including a starring performance in the Powell River victory and coming off the bench to get the win in West Kelowna following Michaluk’s injury.

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Speeding and rule-breaking e-bike users continue to be a growing concern in Nelson.

At this month’s Nelson Police Board meeting, community safety officer Emily Taburiaux said e-bike safety has been a recurring issue in community feedback.

“There is definitely a concern over the e-bikes in town,” said Taburiaux.

“I have had feedback on concerns for speed and just how many bikes we have currently in town.”

In response to this feedback, Taburiaux issued communication on behalf of the department regarding e-bike use and rules.

She also visited local schools to speak with staff and students about e-bike use on school grounds, where motorized bikes are prohibited.

Board members noted ongoing problems with riders ignoring stop signs and incorrect use of crosswalks, suggesting it is not only the youth who are failing to follow the rules.

“As I was coming up here and some lady on an e-bike just was like, ‘Stop sign? That’s just a suggestion, right?’ and pulled right out in front of me,” said Devon Caron. “So we can talk about kids, but there’s just as many idiot grown-ups out there.”

Chief Donovan Fisher also noted that it is illegal to ride any bike through crosswalks, but people seem to ignore that rule too.

“Some do think that if they’re riding their bike in the crosswalk, they have the right of way, even though they went through the stop sign. But you’re not really allowed to ride your bike through the crosswalk at all,” said Fisher.

On a positive note, Taburiaux said helmet use is on the rise.

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Anyone taking part in Halloween festivities today (Friday) are being reminded of different safety tips for Halloween.

When it comes to trick or treating, The Prince George RCMP ask those taking part to:

• Wear a bright costume to heighten visibility.
• Make sure you can walk in your costume without tripping.
• Create a fun necklace with sting and glow sticks, wear reflective armbands or carry flashlights.
• Stay on the sidewalks and make sure you are crossing at the corners.
• Make sure people know your route, and carry a cell phone with you in case of emergency.

“This year what we’re expecting to have more of likely is fireworks, because people might feel they can stay out a little bit later or have it going a bit later.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.

“Just a reminder about where to go for fireworks nuisance complaints would be calling bylaw, not 9-1-1, or you can call our non-emergency line.”

According to E-Comm, it saw a 17 per cent spike in Halloween calls to 9-1-1 last year when compared to a typical weeknight.

With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, they anticipate an even higher call volume.

ICBC urges drivers to not be in a hurry and manage speeds accordingly, be alert, and keep distractions out of sight.

They add that an average of 10 people are injured in 53 crashes on Halloween in the North Central region.

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Environment Canada issued a Wind Warning for the Cariboo.

Strong winds with gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour are expected this morning (Friday) continuing into the early evening.

During last week’s wind storm downed trees and branches led to numerous power outages.

On Thursday October 23rd more than 2-thousand customers were left without power in the region, almost 14-hundred in the Williams Lake area and just over 600 in Quesnel.

Environment Canada said those strong winds likely fell many trees weakened during the summer and may limit the impact of the winds today, however do be prepared for potential power outages.

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Sports by Hartley Friday, October 31st, 2025  

BCHL: 

The (6-5) Prince George Spruce Kings host the (7-3-2-1) Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday night at 6:00 and the (6-7) Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 3:00 to begin a 4-game homestand.

The Spruce Kings are 2nd in the 5-team Coastal East Division, six points behind the (9-2) Coquitlam Express.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

NHL: (11 Thursday games with 5 Canadian teams in action)

Vancouver  4  St. Louis  3  (Shootout)

Keifer Sherwood had his second career hat trick for the (6-6) Canucks who continue a 3-game road trip Saturday (4:00 PT) against the (3-6-3) Wild in Minnesota.

The game summary is here.

Ottawa  4  Calgary  3  (SO)
NY Rangers  4  Edmonton  3  (OT)
Winnipeg  6  Chicago  3

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

High School Football:

The PG Bowl High School Football championship game features Nechako Valley against College Heights.

It will be played Saturday afternoon at 1:00 at Masich Place Stadium.

NFL: (Start of Week 9)

Baltimore  28  Miami  6

Lamar Jackson returned to the Ravens lineup after missing three games with a right hamstring strain and threw for 204 yards and four touchdowns.

The NFL schedule and results can be found here.

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The intersection of Davis Street and Cook Avenue will be closed to all traffic on Friday, Oct. 31, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This temporary closure is part of planned infrastructure improvements.

Motorists and pedestrians are asked to plan ahead and use alternate routes during this time. The City will share updates as they become available.

“Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to improve our community’s roads.” said the City of Rossland.

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Nelson Police Chief Donovan Fisher said the federal government’s assault-style rifle buyback program could strain smaller police forces without extra support.

At the Oct. 8 Nelson Police Board meeting, Fisher discussed the program and the role of municipal police services in its implementation.

In September, the federal government moved forward with implementing the voluntary assault-style firearm compensation program for individual firearm owners, rolled out first in Nova Scotia on Sept. 23.

Public Safety Canada said the compensation program will open to all eligible firearms owners with a nationwide declaration period later in fall 2025, followed by a collection and compensation period in 2026.

Fisher said the B.C. Association of Municipal Police Chiefs supports participation in the buyback and has issued recommendations to the federal government on how to run it without overloading police resources.

“They provided some suggestions to the federal program as to how they think it would be better implemented, ” said Fisher.

“Having dedicated teams and potentially dedicated mobile teams that would arrange to be in communities at different times to collect the firearms, facilitate the storage or destruction, and handle the actual refunding or buying back of the firearms from individuals who are turning them in.”

He said the topic arose at a recent B.C. Association of Municipal Police Chiefs meeting, amid differing stances on the program across the country – specifically in Alberta, which has decided not to participate.

“B.C. supports the program and wants to participate in it. The discussion is more around how do you facilitate it without overloading and burdening detachments and smaller police departments – and even bigger police departments – across the country to manage this,” Fisher said.

Mayor Janice Morrison asked how many assault-style rifles have been turned in in Nelson recently, and Fisher said none.

“I shouldn’t say none. None that I’m aware of – I don’t recall anybody bringing any in.”

Part of the problem, according to Fisher, is amnesty requirements.

“There’s some risk with somebody bringing them in. Even though the amnesty’s on, the amnesty requires people to keep it basically locked up in their house and they’re not allowed to take it out,” Fisher explained.

“One of the requirements of bringing it in is you have to call ahead of time, make arrangements and get permission to bring it here. So if you walked in the front counter with it … let’s just say the outcome could be bad,” he added.

Morrison then asked if Fisher felt the general public was aware of the requirement to phone ahead.

“I guess if I’m cleaning out grandma’s house and I find out she’s got an AK-47 in the basement that I didn’t know about, I’d just think, I’ve got to get rid of this. I’d throw it in the back of my car and drive it to a police station. Are people aware that they should phone ahead?” Morrison asked.

Such situations rarely have occurred locally, though Insp. Jason Jewkes said there have been some similar.

“I think it’s rare that that happens. More often people are calling, and that happens quite often when we get calls to relinquish firearms – like people going through to seize people’s houses – and they generally call us and we go and pick them up,” Jewkes said.

Fisher added that most people seem to be aware of the rules.

“I think generally there’s an awareness that this is happening. And I think people would be more apt to err on the side of caution and fullness before they did anything.”

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The Town of Lake Cowichan has recognized the hard work and dedication of former mayor Ross Forrest by naming him Freeman of the Town. 

At its Oct. 28 council meeting, the town presented Forrest with the highest civic honour it has ever awarded. 

In a social‑media post, the town said he “exemplifies the qualities of not just a leader but has also shown a deep commitment to the community.” 

“Having served as mayor and an overall champion of Lake Cowichan, Forrest has embodied compassion, empathy, and a deep commitment to the community,” the town said. 

Council will organize a gathering to recognize Forrest at a later date. 

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Proposed legislation from the B.C. Conservatives would raise taxation rate caps for municipalities, which are bracing for a potentially major financial hit from upcoming assessment changes.

Kamloops Centre MLA and finance critic Peter Milobar introduced the private member’s bill Thursday. 

He said it comes in response to concerns from municipalities over proposed changes to how pipeline properties are valued.

Many say they could lose hundreds of thousands in tax revenue — losses that would likely have to be passed on to residential property owners. 

A new model from B.C. Assessment would reduce the assessed value of pipelines in the province, lowering the taxes pipeline corporations pay.

Chris Whyte, B.C. Assessment’s manager of specialized costs spoke at a board meeting of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNDR) on Oct. 23. He said the process to redevelop the cost model used to evaluate pipelines began in 2016, after calls from the industry.  

In a letter to Finance Minister Brenda Bailey, the TNDR board said the changes could increase residential property taxes by as much as 25 per cent in some areas. 

It expressed concerns about the short notice given for the changes and their impact on residential property owners, particularly in areas with smaller populations.

The board said it only found out about the proposed valuation changes in mid-September. 

Bailey is expected to review the changes for approval in November, with the B.C. Assessment board due to give final approval in December.

“Consultation with impacted local governments has been severely lacking,” the board says. 

Mike Veenbaas, director of financial services for the District of Kent, called the changes “shocking.”

In an email to Conservative MLA Tony Luck, which was shared with media outlets, Veenbaas said the changes represent a loss of about $380,000 in property tax revenue. 

“Municipalities cannot run deficits in BC,” explains Luck in a statement. “Every rural and urban community that has pipelines will be forced to replace lost revenue by raising taxes elsewhere.”

The Conservatives are calling for a pause on any assessment changes until communities are consulted.

Otherwise, they said their bill would update existing rules on rate caps and allow municipalities to accommodate revenue changes.

The current taxation rate cap for most jurisdictions is $40 for every $1000 of a property’s assessed value. The Conservative bill would raise that rate to $44.615.

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Nanaimo RCMP are asking for help locating a 38-year-old man who has significant medical issues.

Police say Christopher Pearl has not been seen since 11 a.m. on Oct. 30 in Linley Valley. Nanaimo Search and Rescue are looking for him and police are asking anyone who sees him to call 911.

“Pearl is a Caucasian man, 5 foot 9 inches tall, 190 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. He wears glasses and sports a goatee. No clothing description was provided. However, the picture provided is recent,” reads a news release from RCMP.

Anyone who has information on his whereabouts, can also call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

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A Strategic Plan Refresh is being undertaken by School District 91.

It’s being viewed as a roadmap for shared commitment to educational excellence,

equity, and community partnership.

Community feedback from parents, caregivers, rightsholders, and community members is also welcomed.

A series of in-person and virtual sessions are scheduled for this month.

How to Participate

1.Residents are invited to complete the Strategic Plan Refresh Community Stakeholder Survey, which takes approximately 10–15 minutes.

a. Online Survey – available at Strategic Education Plan Refresh – Nechako Lakes School District.

• Paper Survey – available at the School Board office or at any school in the District.

Community In-Person Engagement Sessions

• Vanderhoof Nov. 3, 2025

• Burns Lake Nov. 5, 2025

• Fraser Lake Nov. 18, 2025

• Fort St. James Nov. 24, 2025

Virtual Engagement Sessions

• November 19, 2025

• November 25, 202

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A wind warning has been put in place for Vanderhoof.

According to Environment Canada, strong winds are expected for Friday morning and early evening, with gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour.

A strong frontal system will cross the B.C. Interior, creating the strong winds.

Local utility outages are possible, along with damages to roofs, fences, branches or soft shelters, with possible disruptions to transportation, services, and utilities.

Other areas under the warning include Ootsa Lake, Fort Fraser, Prince George, Quesnel, Williams Lake, and 100 Mile House.

The current forecast for Vanderhoof can be found on Environment Canada’s website here.

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A wind warning has been put in place for Prince George.

According to Environment Canada, strong winds are expected for Friday morning and early evening, with gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour.

A strong frontal system will cross the B.C. Interior, creating the strong winds.

Local utility outages are possible, along with damages to roofs, fences, branches or soft shelters, with possible disruptions to transportation, services, and utilities.

Other areas under the warning include Ootsa Lake, Fort Fraser, Vanderhoof, Quesnel, Williams Lake, and 100 Mile House.

The current forecast for Prince George can be found on Environment Canada’s website here.

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Campbell River Crime Stoppers, once on the verge of disappearing, has made an outstanding turnaround — receiving international recognition with the 2025 Community Engagement and Awareness Award (community of up to 300,000).

According to a release from Crime Stoppers International, the program was first established in 1997 and was once an award‑winning initiative within the community. During and after the COVID‑19 pandemic, volunteer numbers dropped, almost shutting down the program entirely.

Since then, a complete rebuild has helped transform Campbell River Crime Stoppers into a model of success and community engagement.

“We are proud to congratulate the 2025 winner – Campbell River Crime Stoppers, Canada – for its successful revitalisation of the program, the modernisation of its messaging, and the embrace of social media to better reach and engage its community,” Crime Stoppers International said in its announcement. “These efforts have led to a remarkable 28 percent increase in tips, reflecting the power of clear communication, community trust and digital outreach in advancing the Crime Stoppers mission.”

In the past three years the program has taken a new approach — using modern messaging, social‑media outreach and renewed partnerships across the North Island. The result has been a 28 per cent increase in tips, a significant rise in arrests and seizures of drugs and proceeds of crime, and a digital presence of more than one million views on Facebook in Oct. 2025 alone.

“This is a win for our entire region,” said President Anais Barnes, who encouraged the team to submit the program for consideration. “It shows that even small communities can achieve world‑class results when people unite around public safety.”

Program coordinator Graeme Duffy said he is very thankful.

“I’m grateful for every volunteer, board member and partner who believed in the rebuild,” Duffy said. “This recognition belongs to everyone who helped bring this program back to life — including community stakeholders such as the Rotary Club of Campbell River, Capital Power and Mosaic Forest Products, whose continued support has been invaluable.”

Campbell River Crime Stoppers operates in partnership with the City of Campbell River, the Campbell River RCMP Detachment and a volunteer board, and promotes safety in the region through outreach, education and collaboration.

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A regional exploration drill program is being undertaken by Artemis Gold near its Blackwater Mine site 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George.

The company says an initial five-million-dollar program has started, which will include 15 to 25-thousand metres of drilling in up to 150 holes.

The initial program extends into 2026 focusing on high priority targets defined by prior regional exploration.

“Now that the Blackwater Mine has achieved commercial production and is operating above nameplate capacity, we are turning our attention to the highly prospective region around the mine. Over 30 drill targets within economic trucking distance of the existing processing facilities have already been identified. This initial drill program is expected to be part of a broader and longer-term regional exploration strategy over the next 5 to 10 years to fully test our large and highly prospective land package. Regional exploration drilling, together with our continued optimization efforts and future expansion plans at the operation, aims to reveal the true potential at Blackwater and unlock further value for our shareholders.” said CEO Dale Andres.

Artemis Gold says it is a beneficiary of extensive prospecting activities conducted by prior owners, primarily between 2009 and 2014.

The comprehensive database includes mapping, ground and airborne geophysics, regional structural analysis and over 40,000 rocks, soil and geochemical samples.

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The largest northern artisan fair in the province will be at the CN Centre this weekend.

Studio Fair 2025, which will be celebrating its 50th year, will have over 300 local, provincial and national artisans selling various goods over three days.

“There’s something for everybody here, certainly highlighting the amazing talent that we have in the community. The guilds and organizations we represent are front and centre.” said Program Manager Lisa Redpath.

“This gives the public an opportunity, not only to purchase beautiful items, but maybe doing a class on how to do wood turning, or fibre arts, or pottery.”

Non-perishable food items will also be collected during the event, and will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul, which is a partnership that has been going on since 2021.

Redpath said being able to give back in that way is on of the event’s highlights for her.

Studio Fair will begin tomorrow (Friday) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and continue Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m..

Admission for the event is $10, but is free for anyone under 12.

More information can be found on the Studio Fair website here.

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The Creston Valley Fire Service is inviting local families to its annual Halloween Safety Stop this Friday, Oct. 31, at the Creston Emergency Services Building, 1505 Cook St.

Visitors can warm up in the truck bays facing Cook Street starting at 5 p.m., and enjoy hot dogs, hot chocolate and sweet treats. Free glow sticks will be handed out to help keep trick-or-treaters visible in the dark.

“To keep our emergency vehicles ready to roll, please park at Pealow’s Independent Grocers and take a short walk over,” the department said.

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Back in 1993 Samaritan’s Purse began collecting shoe boxes filled with gifts for children around the world.

Their goal at that at time was a thousand boxes and they ended up collecting 11-thousand from across the country.

Kathy Shetler at the Evangelical Church in Williams Lake, is one of several people helping to keep this annual Christmas tradition going, giving gifts to children who are either in war-torn countries or facing poverty.

Shetler noted that last year 436,290 shoe boxes came from Canada and 58,402 came from BC.

She added that people in Williams Lake were very generous last year supporting Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child by sending 452 boxes.

“The idea is you pick up a shoe box at most of the local churches or Kit and Kaboodle and you pack it with T-shirts, face clothes, toys, school supplies, toothbrushes, things that these kids don’t have any of. I’ve read the most favourite thing they received was a toothbrush. One 12-year-old said he had to use a stick to brush his teeth so he was really happy to get a toothbrush in his box.”

Items that cannot be packed are toothpaste, liquids, glass, and this is the last year they are going to be accepting bars of soap.

Shetler said this year’s collection dates are November 16^th to 23^rd.

“Right now we’re encouraging people to pack a shoe box which gives you time to collect your items, get them in the box, and then you bring the box during that week to the Evangelical Free Church on North 11^th Avenue where we’ll collect them before sending them off to Calgary to be distributed worldwide.”

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A female hockey player from Quesnel has secured a college commitment.

Tylor Jensen committed to the Edmonton-based NAIT Ooks for the 2026-27 campaign.

The 17-year-old is an assistant captain this year with the Northern Capitals U18 Female AAA program based out of Prince George.

So far, she has two assists in ten games.

Last year, Jensen tallied eight assists in 32 games as rookie where the Capitals fell in the provincial final to the Greater Vancouver Comets.

Jensen and the Capitals are in action this weekend against the Vancouver Island Seals Saturday (5pm) and Sunday (8:30) am in Juan Du Fuca.

The Caps (3-6-1) are fourth in the five-team league while the Seals are 1-8-0.

We are pleased to announce the commitment of Tylor Jensen to the Ook Family for the Fall of 2026!

Welcome to OoksNAITion Tylor! #ooksNAITion #NAIT #ACAC pic.twitter.com/0FU4rq6gvo

— NAIT Women’s Hockey (@OOKSWHKY) October 30, 2025

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Burns Lake RCMP were conducting targeted operations in the community and surrounding areas this morning. (Thursday)

That’s according to the village, adding there is no risk to the public.

The village said police would provide information this morning.

My Bulkley Lakes Now has reached out to the RCMP for more information.

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The explosive disposal unit (EDU) was called in to Cranbrook on Monday to dispose of a explosive substance.

The fire department received a call from a passing motorist that stopped in town after realizing that some family keepsakes they were transporting could be explosive.

The department reached out to the EDU, who attended the scene and safely disposed of the material.

“This was one of those unique situations that called for specialized resources beyond what we have here locally,” said fire chief Scott Driver.

“We’re very fortunate to have such strong partnerships with the local RCMP detachment, and that they have access to this Explosives Unit. Their expertise and teamwork ensured everything was handled safely and professionally.”

The department is reminding the public that if you ever come across something that looks unsafe or potentially explosive to leave it where it is and call the police.

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Crews will be completing road repair work along Industrial Road 2 late this week or early next week.

The work will take place between 6th Street NW and Industrial Road C.

Crews will be milling out damaged asphalt joints and patch paving two half metre wide strips.

Work will take a couple days and traffic will be reduced to single lane alternating during construction.

Drivers are asked to obey all posted signage and watch out for flaggers.

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Fernie city council has decided not to approve a development variance permit for Coal Creek Road for a campground development.

The developer was looking to forgo the requirement to have a paved road with curb and lighting.

Council had previously approved the DVP application, but after considering it further, has decided not to approve it at this time.

One of the concerns that was brought up was around pedestrian safety for people who may not know the area well.

Council has directed staff to discuss more options with the developer.

Councillor Kyle Hamilton said he’s not necessarily against some of the requests.

“I do think there is value in reconsidering whether or not we need to have sidewalks and curbs out there, knowing that there is already an existing pathway,” he said.

“Right now I would support paving without the additional accouterments.”

Mayor Nic Milligan said some more discussion is definitely needed before they sign off on anything.

“I sat with this for awhile and I feel like we need some options, so preference is that it goes back to the developer and we can have a conversation about what the potential options are,” he added.

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The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George says schedules are changing at a pair of transfer stations as CUPE 1699’s job action continues.

According to the Regional District, the Cummings Road Regional Transfer Station and the Shelley Regional Transfer Stations are changing to Tuesday to Saturday, effective this coming Saturday.

These transfer stations will now operate on the same days Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill is open under a BC Labour Relations Board Essential Service Order.

However, the Regional District says these transfer stations may be impacted if job action escalates further.

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The veil is getting thin and the air is getting colder — we’ve reached the end of October! Halloween is here, and a variety of spooky events are taking place across Campbell River, sure to satisfy the itch for some ghoulish fun.

Shoppers Row will turn into a catwalk for zombies, witches and uncanny creatures from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 for Campbell River’s downtown trick-or-treat. Participants are encouraged to wear their best costumes and visit local businesses for candy.

A costume contest with prizes for several age groups and categories will take place at 5:15 p.m. in Spirit Square. The event is free and open to everyone.

For those who don’t plan to visit Shoppers Row, the Willow Point BIA is hosting a community-wide trick-or-treat and costume contest. Residents can stop by participating Willow Point businesses for candy, then head to the Crow’s Nest Artist Collective (2550 South Island Hwy.) for the contest, crafts and free face painting.

Pumpkin signs will mark participating businesses on Oct. 31. The event is free and open to all.

For those seeking louder, more adult fun, Eagles Hall (1999 14th Ave.) is hosting a Halloween dance with live music and prizes for the most creative and spooky costumes. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and the event runs late into the night.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

The City of Campbell River’s Halloween fireworks are also back this year at the Campbell River Sportsplex (1800 South Alder St.). Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes and bring their friends.

The fireworks begin at 8 p.m. and are open to all.

After Halloween, residents can take part in the Campbell River Fire Department’s annual pumpkin smash at the Sportsplex on Nov. 2. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., pumpkins will be dropped from the department’s 101-foot tower truck.

Pumpkins can be dropped off by donation and should be free of candles and other non-organic material.

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Snuneymuxw First Nation says its wholly-owned corporation Petroglyph Development Group (PDG) will acquire two mainland casinos, following a deal announced Oct. 30.  

The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, covers River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond and Chances Maple Ridge in Maple Ridge.  

Chief Mike Wyse said the purchase will make PDG one of the largest Indigenous-led casino operator in B.C. A news release further states the company will become one of the largest casino operators by revenue in the province.  

The nation announced acquisitions of Casino Nanaimo and Elements Casino Victoria last summer and said it is working toward economic independence. 

Wyse said the revenue from the casinos will help fund housing and education projects for the nation. 

“We have moved from vision to momentum, from aspiration to steady action. We took our time to acquire our first casinos and have been evaluating their performance ever since. Our steady and sustainable approach has gained the confidence of the province’s gaming commission as we have grown and operated our casinos. What we envisioned by our ancestors is here and is scaled to match the growth of our nation and our economic development arm, PDG,” he said. 

“PDG is in a unique and strong position. We have established a solid foundation of recurring revenue and built a trusted relationship with the First Nations Finance Authority. This means we can pursue greater opportunities while maintaining a thoughtful balance between strategic investment, responsible debt and sustainable revenue growth.” 

Wyse added: “Today we honour a new era for Snuneymuxw First Nation. Our people deserve economic wellbeing and our council is dedicated to investing in opportunities to bring that forward. Our time is now. We look forward to closing this definitive agreement and taking ownership of these two assets and taking another rightful economic step forward. This is our legacy and our responsibility.” 

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Anyone trick or treating in Prince George may want to add an umbrella to their costume.

According to Environment Canada, Friday will be on the warmer side, reaching a daytime high of 10, up from a normal of four, with overnight lows reaching two degrees, above the typical minus four.

Meteorologist Bobby Sekhon said anyone heading outside shouldn’t put their treats in one bag when it comes to favourable conditions.

“We’re expecting some windy conditions for Halloween, along with a chance of showers.”

“We’ve got in the forecast a 60 percent chance of showers and winds increasing to 50 gusting to 80 kilometres an hour in the afternoon. Definitely looking very gusty.”

Sekhon added that temperatures during trick or treating hours won’t be too different from the daytime high, sitting in the seven to eight degree range.

He also emphasizes that anyone with decorations to make sure they’re tied down, and to stay clear of any weak trees or loose branches.

More information about the forecast can be found on Environment Canada’s website here.

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The Smithers Skate Park Society was given the green light to start working towards phase four of the expansion project.

This was done at Tuesday’s council meeting with this phase introducing a pump track addition.

A question brought up by Councillor Frank Wray was how it would impact the current Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

“It does not impact anything in [the plan]. The proposed pump track fits completely within the footprint that was previously outlined,” said Sam LeBlanc, Communication and Engagement Officer.

The project is expected to cost about $250,000 without taking into account planned inclusions like a water fountain, lighting, and furnishings.

“I just feel like it’s incredible what [the society] has been able to accomplish over the years. They’ve created an incredible facility for our town,” said Councillor John Buikema.

Earlier this year, the society opened phase three of the project by inviting various world class skateboarders, including Tony Hawk, to Smithers and test out the facility.

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The City’s Select Committee on Citizen Recognition has come up with a proposal for a new Citizen Recognition Medal program.

In November last year, Prince George City Council have the green light to establish a Citizen Recognition Medal Program following a contentious debate.

Council then chose the members to sit on the program’s Committee in January. This committee has been meeting monthly since March.

At Monday’s meeting, Council will be presented with the framework for the new Citizen Recognition Program from the Committee.

According to a staff report, the award, known as the Prince George Medal of Excellence and Good Citizenship, will recognize up to three individuals annually for exceptional contributions to the Prince George Community in areas such as leadership, innovation, impact, courage, and generosity.

This program would be managed by the Prince George Community Foundation, including nomination intake, adjudication, and coordination, with proposed recipients approved by Council.

Each recipient would be awarded a custom-designed medal with ribbon in the Prince George flag colours and a matching lapel pin.

Additionally, the City will provide a donation of $1,000 per recipient to the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society in honour of each recipient for a portion of the Garden, along with a commemorative plaque for that location.

A recognition event would be held to celebrate the recipients at a special Council meeting, where they receive the medal, pin and certificate with the garden location, with a reception to follow.

The report states an initial start up budget would be needed to design, procure, and install assets, with an on-going yearly budget of up to $10,000 to cover all aspects of the program.

The Committee is recommending the initial funding com from the Council Contingency fund, with ongoing funding built into the annual municipal budget as a tax-levy funded item.

At Monday’s meeting, Council will vote on approving the program framework, including the nomination forms, selection criteria and exclusions, and the terms of reference.

They will also vote on providing the funding for the program as recommended, and dissolving the committee as it has fulfilled it’s mandate.

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The Prince George RCMP say a Quesnel resident has been arrested following a report of a fire at a transfer station.

At around 9:00 Monday morning, Mounties received a report of the fire at the transfer station on 11300 Miworth Road, with one suspect identified by witnesses.

According to police, the suspect was said to have swung a weapon at the witnesses.

Officers responding to the call quickly located a man matching the description a short way away.

He was later identified as Quesnel resident, Jamie Ross Harkley. He was arrested and taken to the Prince George RCMP Detachment, where he attended an after-hours bail hearing later that day.

“Police officers want to thank the witnesses for reporting the fire as it was occurring; this enabled emergency services to respond quickly and apprehend the suspect at the time when the offense was occurring,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

“We do caution the public against approaching those engaged in criminal behaviour, though, as their reactions can sometimes be unpredictable.”

The following charges have been approved in the matter:

• Assault with a weapon
• Mischief under $5,000

Harkley will remain in custody until his next court appearance, and the file is now before the courts.

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More heavy wind and rain is expected for North Vancouver Island tonight. 

An intense front will cross the area tonight, bringing heavy rain and very strong winds to the region. 

Winds of up to 90 km/h are expected, with gusts as high as 110 km/h over exposed coastal sections, according to Environment Canada, along with 10 to 20 mm of rain. 

The conditions are expected to last until Friday morning before easing, with utility outages and disruptions to services and travel possible. 

It is the second wind warning this week for the North Island, after a similar warning was issued for most Vancouver Island on Tuesday. 

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With the weather starting to cool and the nights getting longer, the City of Prince George are closing seasonal parks.

Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day for public walking at Masich Place Stadium. In addition, Carrie Jane Grey Park and Connaught Hill Park will also be closed to vehicle traffic.

Indoor public walking began at CN Centre October 20th.

Furthermore, Nechako Riverside Park gates and outhouse is closing after the first significant snowfall. The parking lot will not be ploughed during the winter.

The same can also be said for the Jumpstart Multi-Sport courts and washrooms.

Earlier this month, city staff shut down all park water fountains to prevent the pipes from freezing.

The washroom and outhouse winterization included:

• Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park
• Duchess Park washroom
• Connaught Hill Park outhouse
• Rainbow Park outhouses

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Premier David Eby isn’t ruling out an early election if his government’s bill to fast-track construction of the North Coast transmission line fails to pass.

NDP House Leader Mike Farnworth could decide to designate a vote on Bill 31 as a confidence motion, triggering an election if the bill fails. 

Bill 31 made it to second reading in the legislature Wednesday afternoon with a vote of 48-42. 

The bill aims to get the transmission line built faster and enable First Nation’s co-ownership of the project.

The first two phases of the project would twin the existing line running from Prince George to Terrace. The third phase includes the construction of new transmission infrastructure from Terrace up to Bob Quinn Lake.

The project is intended to support the construction of future major projects in B.C.’s north, such as mining and LNG expansion. 

Energy Minister Adrian Dix has said the first two phases of the project are now expected to cost about $6 billion – doubled from previous estimates. 

Wednesday’s decision to move Bill 31 to second reading came a day after the B.C. Conservatives introduced a hoist motion that aimed to delay the bill by six months. 

That motion was defeated, but Eby blasted it as a “stunt” and a threat to the province’s economic future.

Eby said his party’s prepared for an election “if necessary.”

“Our government is committed to the 10,000 jobs that this bill represents, we’re going to deliver those for British Columbians and I would stake our government on that,” said Eby. “The last thing I want is an election, and with that said, this bill is non-negotiable for me.”

Eby noted his NDP holds a narrow, one-seat majority, and the two Green MLAs in the legislature are not certain to support the bill beyond second reading.

The parties have a co-operation agreement, known as CARGA, stating the Greens will support the NDP in confidence votes. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan, who doesn’t have a seat in the legislature, has criticized the agreement and said she’s looking to renegotiate it in the near future. 

Green MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Jeremy Valeriote, said Wednesday the Greens don’t support all elements of Bill 31, but they want to move it to second reading in the hopes of hashing out some of those issues. 

“The premier can call an election if he wants, that’s his prerogative,” said Valeriote. 

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad called the North Coast Transmission Line a “boondoggle,” and claimed B.C. doesn’t have enough electricity to power the line. 

Rustad welcomed the possibility of an election, saying “let’s dance.”

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North Cowichan council is hopeful a letter from the mayor will push the province and Island Health to rezone the Cowichan District Hospital into a centre for mental health and addiction.  

A motion was tabled last month to allow Rob Douglas to petition to explore alternative uses for the hospital once the new facility on Bell McKinnon Road opens to patients in 2027.  

Mayor Rob Douglas says the letter is intended to push Island Health and the province in the right direction and help promote recovery to the most vulnerable in the community.  

“If you look at the amount of folks who are currently unhoused, you’ll see a lot of different folks with different challenges,” he says. “These people really need support to get back on their feet and to manage these issues.”  

Douglas says this attempt at rezoning the hospital is mimicking what was already done in Coquitlam and since it closed in 2012 there were 4,000 beds, and bringing services to the Cowichan Valley would go a long way in recovery treatment.  

“What I’m hoping for with this motion is to get the province to look at reopening a mental health facility that can provide support,” he says.  

Although Douglas says the province has made it clear there isn’t a lot of ‘new money’ for services he adds the government has made it clear they’re pushing to make recovery a priority and a new facility in the region would align with the government’s promise.  

“If we look at some of the recent announcements from the province, they’ve made clear that this is a priority area, and the premier has already announced two new involuntary care facilities,” he says. “My hope is that as the province explores how they want to redevelop the site of the existing Cowichan District Hospital, which will be vacated in early 2027, that we could explore the possibility of having some sort of mental health care facility.”  

According to the motion, if approved on Nov. 5, the refitted hospital would serve as an addiction treatment facility and recovery centre for those facing mental health disorders.  

Douglas put the motion forward to council on Oct. 15. 

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It has taken much longer than expected, but the pool at the Trail Aquatic and Leisure Centre is finally expected to be back in business between Nov. 12 and 14.

Municipal services manager Jared Miner told city council on Monday that he is “excited but somewhat nervous” to announce the reopening.

The aquatic and fitness centres shut down for annual maintenance on Aug. 9. The fitness centre reopened on Aug. 25, while the pool was expected to reopen on Sept. 8, but the heat exchangers leaked on startup. The city said the replacement parts had to be produced and shipped.

“As it stands, the key materials we’ve been waiting for our failed equipment is on its way,” Miner said. “Crews are preparing a plan for the final installation and restart of the pool.”

Programming and activities, such as swimming lessons and aquafit classes, are expected to resume the week of Nov. 17.

“We’re really glad to bring that facility back on line,” Miner said.

For those using the fitness centre, annual shutdown rates have remained in effect.

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More parking options will be available at UHNBC starting next month.

Northern Health announced its 471-space parking facility is set to open on November 10th according to a Facebook post.

It will be located adjacent to the BC Cancer Centre for the North.

The construction of the parkade is one of the first phases in the project that will eventually see a new acute care tower built where the Northern Interior Health Unit building currently sits on Edmonton Street.

The parkade was first announced in November of 2023.

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With Halloween on the horizon, police want everyone in the Cariboo to have a safe and spooktacular time.

They remind drivers to slow down in areas where trick-or-treaters are out and to be ready for kids crossing at unexpected places.

Make sure your costume doesn’t interfere with being able to see clearly or operate your vehicle.

And most importantly, have a backup plan in case you have too much to drink and cannot drive yourself home.

For the wee ones, police remind parents to make sure that their child can walk in their costume without tripping.

Wear a bright costume to heighten visibility, stay on the sidewalks and make sure you are crossing at the corners.

Let people know your trick-or-treating route and carry a cell phone with you in case of emergency.

Police want to make sure that everyone has fun this Halloween while staying safe.

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A referendum on amalgamating the Village of Warfield and the City of Trail isn’t likely before 2027, if it happens at all, a consultant said Monday.

Allan Neilson of Neilson Strategies also told Trail city council that the study that needs to be conducted in advance of such a vote won’t come cheap.

The city and the village hired Neilson to lay out a process for the study that would set the stage for a municipal merger, but not to conduct the study itself.

Neilson, who also presented to Warfield council the same day, said there are a few possible approaches to governing the study, including a citizens assembly, which is the model being used in Victoria and Saanich, where an amalgamation process is ongoing.

However, for Warfield and Trail he recommends a joint council-resident steering committee, made up of two council members and four residents from each municipality. They would work with whomever is hired to do the study and focus on process rather than advocacy, serving as an impartial information-gathering body that would ultimately recommend to each council whether a referendum should be held.

Neilson suggested this would be the “most streamlined and cost effective” option. Such a group might also have representation from First Nations and from the business community, either through the Chamber of Commerce or Teck, he said.

The study would look at the impacts of amalgamation, listen to residents’ views and answer their questions, and decide whether there is enough community interest and a sufficient rationale to move ahead on amalgamation, Neilson said. In order to become reality, separate referendums would have to pass in each municipality.

But it won’t happen quickly. Neilson said assuming the provincial government approves funding for the study, it would be a 12-to-18 month process, putting its completion beyond the next local government elections in the fall of 2026.

He said the study could likely be completed by the summer of 2027 at an estimated cost of $150,000 to $200,000. While it would funded in large part by the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, each municipality would also be expected to chip in.

The process would be informed by an already-completed Warfield sustainability study that suggested the village’s financial future is going to be an ongoing challenge, so it may benefit from amalgamation.

Neilson said since Trail is the larger municipality, it stands to reason that the city would extend its boundaries to take in Warfield, in some cases taking over existing services and in others providing them where they don’t currently exist.

The study would need to determine how much money would be required to pay for all services in the expanded municipality, Neilsen said, and to ensure the tax implications are fair to both jurisdictions. For instance, he said there is no expectation for Trail residents to pay to address Warfield’s water issues.

“That would be something that Warfield ratepayers would be expected to fund entirely,” he said.

Following his meetings with the two councils, Neilson is expected to provide a final report proposing terms of reference for the amalgamation study.

While many restructuring studies have taken place in Greater Trail and elsewhere over the past few decades, there has been no change to West Kootenay’s municipal map since Castlegar and Kinnaird amalgamated in 1974.

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Sports by Hartley Thursday, October 30th, 2025  

BCHL: 

The (6-5) Prince George Spruce Kings host the (6-3-2) Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday night at 6:00 and the (6-7) Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 3:00 to begin a 4-game homestand.

The Spruce Kings are 2nd in the 5-team Coastal East Division, six points behind the (9-2) Coquitlam Express.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

NHL: (1 Wednesday game)

Columbus  6  Toronto  3

The (5-6) Vancouver Canucks start a 3-game road trip tonight (5:00 PT) in St. Louis against the (3-6-1) Blues.

It is one of 11 Thursday games in the NHL (with five Canadian teams in action).

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

High School Football:

The PG Bowl High School Football Northern Division championship game will be played on Saturday afternoon with kickoff at 1:00.

College Heights will tackle Nechako Valley at Masich Place Stadium.

NFL:

Week 9 of the NFL season begins tonight (Thursday) at 5:15 with (2-5) Baltimore at (2-6) Miami.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is expected to start after missing the last three games with a right hamstring injury.

The NFL schedule and results can be found here.

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Electoral Area F residents are invited to an online information session on three hazard reports.

The presentations will provide information on the Cold Spring Creek residual hazard map, the Fairmont Creek updated hazard and risk assessment and the Fairmont hazard guidance project.

“We encourage all Fairmont Hot Springs residents to attend the upcoming meeting,” said Electoral Area F Director Susan Clovechok.

“It’s important for residents to understand that these reports are being shared as a first step in what will be a lengthy process with opportunities for public engagement along the way. Following the meeting, the reports will be presented to the board.”

The meeting is scheduled for Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. on ZOOM.

The reports will be posted on the RDEK’s website on Oct. 31 for those wanting to review before the meeting.

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Miracle Theatre announced that hit comedy, The Garage Sale will be its next fundraiser performance next year.

This is to raise money to establish The Prince George Mobility Disorder Fund, which would be a permanent endowment to help those dealing with neurologically based mobility disorders.

Director and Designer Ted Price said they’re keen on establishing foundations like these.

“They’re there indefinitely. As the fund is in place, each year, people continue to contribute to it, especially people who are doing their estate planning.”

“It’s a fund that’s just always there and in most cases, continues to grow.”

Before the announcement, Miracle Theatre had already raised over $17,000, with more people checking out the play and getting tickets after the announcement.

“It takes the whole community to do this. When people come, and there’s a lot of new faces here today, these would be people from some of the families and caregivers of some of the individuals that have those conditions.” said Producer, Anne Laughlin.

“That’s great, because they will help spread the word.”

Funds will be raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and concession.

The play will run from March 26th to April 19th, Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday at the ArtSpace, above Books and Company.

Tickets can be purchased for $40 either at Books and Company, or by phone at 250-563-6637, with tickets for specific shows available in December.

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The City of Kimberley is looking to get $30,000 from UBCM’s community emergency preparedness fund to pay for new fire protection equipment.

Specifically, the money will go towards additional Mark 3 portable pumps, a forestry hose and portable water tanks along with necessary accessories.

“The pumps will allow access to remote water sources in areas not serviced by hydrants, while the portable tanks will serve as mobile reservoirs to support sustained firefighting operations,” said assistant fire chief Trevor Knight.

“The hose and fuel systems will ensure that water can be delivered efficiently and safely across varied terrain.”

The grant money would almost cover the cost of the equipment.

In total it’s $32,300 and the city would only be on the hook for $2,300 if they are successful at getting the grant.

The $2,300 would come out of the general operating capital reserve.

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The District of Sparwood will be offering curbside recycling starting in the spring of 2026.

“Curbside recycling is finally coming to Sparwood on March 31,” said councillor John Baher.

“Each household will receive a 240 litre recycling cart, it’s the same size as the large garbage bins that we have now.”

Baher explains what residents will do once they get their bins and collection starts.

“You’ll place acceptable recyclables in your cart and roll it out to the curb on your scheduled collection day,” he added.

“Collection will happen every two weeks alternating with garbage collection.”

Sparwood getting a curbside recycling program was never a sure thing as mayor David Wilks said they had to convince Recycle BC.

“Recycle BC had to change their entire process because they didn’t accept anyone under 5,000,” he added.

“We were able to convince them to take a chance on us because I truly believe that we will prove this to be exceptionally successful.”

Curbside recycling will cost households $250.56 per year for a five-year fixed cost term.

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The City of Fernie is a step closer to getting a new community centre with the approval of a lease and operating agreement with the Fernie Field House Society.

The former community centre was permanently closed due to mold in 2024.

The society will be constructing a new community centre on the location of the outdoor rink.

The agreed upon lease is for 60 years, which is the estimated lifespan of the proposed building.

Parks and recreation manager Jacquie Hill said the society will be the ones running the facility.

“The society will manage all operations, maintenance and scheduling and will cover the full cost of running the facility,” she said.

“Bookings and fees will be handled by the facility under a priority of use schedule, ensuring fair access for all.”

The city has agreed to pitch in some funds for the construction. They approved $525,000.

Other funding has also come in, including $1 million from Elk Valley Resources.

The full lease and operating agreement can be found here.

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The Nelson Police Department doesn’t want Halloween to get too scary this year, with officers reminding residents to slow down, stay visible and keep safety top of mind. 

“We at the Nelson Police Department want people to be really aware. We want everyone to have a great time, but be safe,” said Const. Lisa Schmidtke. 

Motorists are asked to travel slowly, especially in residential areas, and to watch for pint-sized trick-or-treaters who may also be on the roads. 

Parents are reminded that costumes look best when they fit well and don’t obstruct vision or movement. 

“Watch out for little ones jumping out and just be very cautious on the roadways,” Schmidtke said. 

Long, trailing costumes or accessories that could cause accidents or entanglements should be avoided. Costumes with bright colours or reflective materials are strongly encouraged. 

Schmidtke also emphasized the importance of establishing a meeting spot for children in case they get lost, and to talk with those trick-or-treating without an adult about the dangers of running onto the streets. 

“Have a chat with them before about, if they’re trick-or-treating, to stay with their group and stay together, have a meeting place if they get separated and to be really careful with the roads, to only use a crosswalk and not run out into the streets,” she said. 

For those handing out candy, she asks that they stay at their front door and not allow trick-or-treaters into their homes. 

“We just sort of like to keep that boundary safe so kids not go in other people’s homes and just everybody play by the rules but have an amazing time and a great Halloween,” Schmidtke said. 

Police will also be increasing enforcement for impaired drivers, so anyone planning to indulge in substances is urged to arrange a safe ride home. 

“We will be out doing a lot of enforcement regarding impaired. If you are planning to consume alcohol or drugs, we just ask that you have a safety plan in place,” she said. 

“There are local taxi companies in town and you can prearrange a ride. Nelson’s a pretty small community, most places are walkable. We just ask everyone to stay safe, have a great Halloween and remember the roads are for everyone to share and to be prepared.” 

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It’s nearly time for some fall cleaning in Courtenay.

Ace Brewing and BC Marine Trails Network Association are teaming up for an event in early November to spruce up the Riverway Heritage Walk in Courtenay.

The goal of the Courtenay River Cleanup is to protect local waterways and stop debris from reaching the ocean.

It takes place Sunday, Nov. 9. Volunteers will meet at 10 a.m. outside Ace Brewing (150 Mansfield Dr., Courtenay).

A statement from Ace Brewing said garbage bags will be provided, though participants must bring their own gloves and dress for the weather as the event will go on rain or shine.

Click here to RSVP as a volunteer.

– Article includes link from Ace Brewing via BC Marine Trails Network Association.

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A group of Slocan Valley residents are voicing concern about a proposed gravel and sand mine near Passmore, citing worries over traffic, dust and noise in their quiet rural community.

Airy Aggregate wants to build a new sand and gravel mine northwest of Passmore. The project has not yet been approved, but the first public engagement session was held Oct. 23.

Larry Herd, who lives just over a kilometre from the proposed mine site, said he and his neighbours first learned about the project when they noticed a sign posted along Upper Passmore Road.

“They discovered a mine sign up the road at about where the mine location was to be. And that’s the first anybody heard of it. But there was a sign posted there with an invite for a public hearing on October 23rd.”

Despite limited notice, Herd said roughly 70 people attended the public hearing.

However, technical issues prevented the proponent from sharing his presentation, which left residents frustrated and calling for another meeting.

“I do believe there were more people present than was expected by the proponent and, considering it wasn’t very well advertised, it was a great turnout,” Herd said.

“Now unfortunately the proponent was unable to present his PowerPoint presentation for the mine. So we as the audience never really got to hear or see visually what they had in mind.”

The community has since organized a committee to coordinate responses and gather data to submit to the proponent and the ministries involved.

In a written submission, residents outlined dozens of questions and requests for information directed to several provincial ministries, including the ministries of Mines, Environment, Transportation and Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

Among their first requests is clarity on how the mine approval process works – including when and how public and scientific input will be considered.

“We request a clear flow chart outlining the specific steps involved in the approval process for this mine,” the submission reads.

“We seek clarification on the plan for stakeholder engagement during the planning phase to ensure that concerns are addressed before any approval is granted.”

Residents also want access to the proponent’s full development plan, engineering reports and environmental studies tied to the proposal, along with information on the company’s past projects.

Traffic, dust and water

Herd said one major concern shared among residents near the proposed mine site is the potential increase in truck traffic along Upper Passmore Road.

The narrow and partly unpaved road serves about 200 homes.

“The mine itself would result in eight to 10 large triaxle trucks per day going down this road. So our concern is road safety and the road integrity. Like many roads in this part of the world, some of them go on the side of very steep slopes and portions are already unstable, and this is the only way in and out of our valley that grows.”

The submission also highlights air quality and water protection concerns.

Residents want the province to require baseline air and water testing before any activity begins, citing risks from silica dust and possible effects on aquifers and surface water sources.

“We live in a valley and prevailing winds would bring the silica dust, which we know to be carcinogenic, down into our neighbourhood,” Herd explained.

Concerns about noise, habitat disruption and potential impacts on at-risk species in the area were also raised.

Call for transparency and broader engagement

Herd said he is not opposed to the mine entirely but wants assurances.

“If the ministry that’s responsible for the application and the approval required a mitigation plan that was compliant to address our concerns, and provide measurements of how the company can respond to those mitigation requirements over time, then I think that would help sway a bunch of the folks in the community.”

He said residents also want to ensure all stakeholders are meaningfully involved, including First Nations and the Regional District of Central Kootenay.

The group is now waiting to hear whether the Ministry of Mines will grant their request for a second public hearing, and asks that a representative be in attendance to ensure accountability.

“There wasn’t a ministry representative at this first one. And we would really want to see a ministry representative chair the meeting,” Herd said.

Airy Aggregate indicated to the group that the project could begin in April 2026. However, a formal application has not yet been filed with the B.C. mining registry.

In the meantime, Herd said residents will continue gathering information and working with government representatives to make sure the community’s voice is considered throughout the approval process.

Airy Aggregate has not yet responded to a request for more information on the project.

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A bill that aimed repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) was voted down in the legislature.

Vancouver-Quilchena MLA and OneBC interim leader Dallas Brodie tabled the private member’s bill Wednesday, dubbed the Property Rights Protection Act.

The party said the bill would also have imposed a new duty on government to consult property owners before making any decision that could affect their land or property rights.

It said the bill would also have required the attorney general to ensure provincial lawyers actively defend property rights in court.

Brodie said the bill is a reaction to the B.C. Supreme Court ruling on the Cowichan Tribes title lands in Richmond. 

The court found in August the Cowichan Nation holds Aboriginal title to more than seven square kilometres of land at their former village site in Richmond, as well as the right to fish the south arm of the Fraser River.

The court declared that most of Canada’s and Richmond’s fee simple titles in the area are invalid, but allowed the parties 18 months to negotiate a resolution.

Brodie said Wednesday Richmond residents were caught off guard by the decision. “That should never happen again,” she said in a statement.

The B.C. government has said it plans to appeal the ruling, citing concerns around its implications for fee simple private property rights. 

Premier David Eby said Wednesday the province is working an application to pause implementing the decision until the Court of Appeal weighs in.

DRIPA became law in B.C. in 2019. It established the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a framework for reconciliation in the province. 

The OneBC bill was supported by the Conservative caucus, including leader John Rustad, who has also called for DRIPA to be repealed. 

It was the second bill from Brodie to be rejected in as many weeks. Her private member’s bill last week calling for a prohibition on Indigenous land acknowledgments in schools and other public institutions was voted down.

Brodie was expelled from the B.C. Conservative caucus in March after comments she made on a podcast about residential school survivors.

She formed OneBC in June along with Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong.

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An industry group representing British Columbia’s bars, pubs and private liquor and cannabis stores said it hopes get things can get back to normal within the next month now that a strike by about 25,000 public service workers has come to an end. 

Workers at the B.C.’s Liquor Distribution Branch (LBD), which includes BC Cannabis Wholesale operations, were off the job for weeks as part of the strike.

The BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) announced on Sunday it had reached a tentative agreement with the province. It said members would vote to ratify the deal from Nov. 6 to 13. 

Bo Chen, executive director of the Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC), said businesses and provincial partners are working hard on getting back to normal operations. 

Chen said the disruption caused by the BCGEU strike is significant, noting it was one of the longest public service strikes in B.C. history. 

“It’s very unfortunate, because the industry is caught in the middle between two giants,” said Chen. “Everyone’s been impacted.”

He points to a survey conducted by ABLE BC and other industry groups that found more than three quarters of businesses were concerned they would have to close or shed staff if the strike dragged on.  

Chen added there are also concerns that when B.C.’s cannabis industry sees a major disruption like this strike, the illegal market steps in to fill that gap.

He noted that products from illegal sellers not only steal market share from legitimate sellers, but the products are often untested for contaminants and hazardous ingredients. 

Chen said the focus right now is on restarting the liquor and cannabis distribution systems back up so that businesses can stay viable and workers can keep their jobs. 

“I think it’s about all of us working together to try to salvage what we can and make sure people in B.C. can still enjoy a very enjoyable holiday time,” said Chen.

He said previous industry estimates have said it could take about four months to fully bring B.C.’s distribution system back to normal. 

“In our mind, that’s way too late,” said Chen. “Ideally we’d love to be able to see a very ambitious goal of trying to get everything back online in under three or four weeks.”

The LDB said in a statement they are pleased to welcome back employees. It said operations resumed at all its distribution centres and wholesale customer centres on Monday. BC liquor and cannabis stores also reopened their doors as of Monday.

LDB said it’s putting additional resources toward restarting operations, including temporarily bringing in 24/7 operations at wholesale liquor distribution centres to manage the higher volume. It said the focus is on fulfilling orders to wholesales customers, like restaurants, bars and pubs. 

“We appreciate the continued patience and understanding of our customers as it may take some time for operations and service levels to return to normal,” said the LDB statement. 

BC Cannabis Wholesale said on its website on Monday it was focused on fulfilling customer orders that were placed before Sept. 22, before its workers joined the strike action. 

It said any orders that were placed between that date and Oct 27 were cancelled and will need to be reordered. 

It also said temporary quantity limits are in place for certain products to ensure equitable access.

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Elora Ceaser is back on home soil after competing in the International Taekwon-Do World Championships in Croatia earlier this month.

She, along with Jeremy Bull, who is also from PG were selected to Team Canada in the spring.

While she lost her only match, Ceaser told MyPGNow.com the experience was a good benchmark to learn from.

“They are definitely way more aggressive and faster from what I have noticed. For me, I have competed against the same three girls relentlessly for the past three years so it is hard to say how they fight differently than the rest of the world but they are faster on their feet, use the height to their advantage and score a lot of head points.”

Despite the setback, Ceaser believes going to the competition will help her reach the next level when the next opportunity arises.

“My biggest takeaway is that I still have a lot to learn and that I am here with the best of the best and need to be able to step up and perform to be able to do what they do. My takeaway is its a wonderful experience to fight someone out of the country and be able to have that ability to spar a different technique or style that I would have been used to here in Canada.”

Ceaser, who is a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts student at UNBC, didn’t take up the sport until three years ago.

Bull, who is just 13, also lost his opening bout.

Ceaser’s next competition is Westerns December 6th and 7th in Kamloops.

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BC Hydro will conduct public warning system tests for the John Hart Generating Station on Nov. 6, with temporary signage advising of siren tests placed along the Campbell River.

To ensure all warning systems are functioning properly, sirens will sound between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6.

In a news release, BC Hydro said sirens will be tested at four locations along the Campbell River, from the John Hart Dam to Second Island. Each siren may sound for up to five minutes, several times throughout the day.

Annual testing of the spillway operating gates at the John Hart facility will also take place between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sirens will sound during this testing as well.

“We are also approaching the November to January storm season, when river flows may be high and changing, as we may increase or decrease flows out of our John Hart facility during low and high ocean tides for flood-risk management considerations,” said Karla Louwers, public affairs coordinator with BC Hydro.

The Crown utility corporation reminded the public to use caution when near the water.

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The Williams Lake First Nation will be conducting a cultural burn within its territory over the Halloween weekend.

The First Nation’s burn will take place as early as Thursday, October 30, and continue periodically until November 3, as long as conditions are favourable, according to a release by the BC Wildfire Service. The burn will cover up to 20 hectares across two locations, Treatment Unit 13 and Treatment Unit 14, south of Highway 97, within the Williams Lake First Nation IR 1, west of Sugarcane and east of Williams Lake.

Goals for this burn are to reduce wildfire risks to the Williams Lake First Nation and the surrounding areas and restore grassland and forest health.

Williams Lake First Nation and BC Wildfire Service say smoke and flames will be visible to Williams Lake First Nation, the City of Williams Lake, and to motorists traveling along Highway 97.

Firefighters will be on-site to monitor conditions into the evening. The perimeter of the burn will be extinguished at the end of each day.

The BC Wildfire Service will be providing support for this cultural burn.

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The Prince George RCMP are asking the public to keep an eye out for 35-year-old Catherine Stephanie Wilson.

According to Police, she was last seen in the area of Norwood Street and Strathcona Avenue in the early hours of October 23rd, and has not been heard from since.

She is described as:

• Indigenous female
• 163 cm or 5′ 4″
• 91 kg or 200 lbs
• Brown hair
• Hazel eyes

“Catherine’s family and friends are very concerned for her well-being,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

Anyone with information on Catherine Stephanie Wilson’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP.

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The Royal Canadian Legion Branches across the Cariboo presented their first poppies to local leadership ahead of Nov. 1, the traditional start of the Season of Remembrance.

Quesnel’s Mayor Ron Paull was given the honour of the tradition to receive Quesnel’s First Poppy during the Oct. 28 City Council Meeting.

Mayor Paull said he was “honoured” to receive the poppy and will wear it proudly. Thanking the veterans present from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 94 in Quesnel for their service.

In Williams Lake, then–Acting Mayor Scott Nelson was pinned with a poppy on Oct. 21 by Williams Lake Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 President, Al Tranq.

Williams Lake’s Legion Branch will have its two Remembrance Day ceremonies, starting with the parade forming at the Gibraltar Room at 10 a.m. on Nov. 11. followed by the two minutes of silence and wreath laying ceremony at the City Hall Cenotaph.

Legion Branch 139’s colour party will hold the second ceremony at the Branch’s location on Bernard Street, to lay a wreath at the Legion’s cenotaph.

100 Mile House’s Mayor Maureen Pinkney earlier this week.

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The City of Duncan’s dog‑licensing fees are in line with other local jurisdictions, but a staff report said the city should consider incentives and establish new fees in coming years. 

According to the staff report, the current fees and charges cover licences issued until the end of the calendar year, but an amendment is required to change rates for the following year. 

The city currently receives roughly $12,500 annually from dog licensing, and staff recommended maintaining the current fee structure and rates, which include early‑payment incentives and reduced fees for spayed or neutered dogs. 

The licensing revenue helps offset part of the cost of animal‑control services, which the city says total $32,000 annually. 

In Duncan, early payment of dog‑licence fees is $35 for a spayed or neutered dog and $60 for an unaltered dog if paid in January or February. After that, the regular fee is $45 for spayed or neutered dogs and $75 for unaltered dogs. 

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Residents in McBride and Valemount can dust off the skates.

That’s because the ice making process at the Robson Valley and Canoe Valley Recreation Centre’s is complete and ready for use.

However, this does not guarantee the ice surfaces will be available for continuous public use.

If there is escalated job action by CUPE 1699 and they withdraw services from the facilities, the Regional District may be able to retain the ice in the facilities, but it does not have the exempt staff (non-union and/or management) required to safely maintain it for residents’ daily use.

Residents are asked to check the Regional District website for any service changes prior to attending.

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A variety of spooky events are taking place across Powell River this Halloween, sure to pique the interest of trick‑or‑treaters, haunted‑house‑goers and costume enthusiasts alike.

The James Thomson Halloween Carnival, one of the town’s only events focused on children 12 and under, will take place at James Thomson School, 6388 Sutherland Ave., from 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 30. The carnival will feature a haunted forest, haunted classroom, carnival games with prizes and a cakewalk.

Another kid‑friendly and popular event returning for another year of festivities is the Great Marine Trick‑or‑Treat. Several businesses on Marine Ave., between Alberni St. and Duncan St., will hand out candy and treats to kids of all ages from 3 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Costumes are encouraged and families are asked to stay cautious of road safety.

A more mature crowd is in for a treat as well. The Haunted Ball Halloween dance at Dwight Hall, located in Townsite, will feature a costume contest with prizes, $5 drinks and a live DJ.

The ball takes place Oct. 31, with doors opening at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at 32 Lakes Café & Bakery and River City Coffee.

For those seeking a bit more of a fright — and even a ghostly history lesson on the city of Powell River — the haunted walking tours in the historic Townsite are for you. Hosted by  qathet  Museum & Archives, the hour‑long tours guide participants through the recent history of Townsite and the spirits said to linger around the buildings there.

Tours begin at 6211 Walnut St., with final tours running Oct. 31. Book online at qathetmuseum.ca/product/haunted‑walking‑tour.

With all the Halloween excitement to come, community members are reminded that some Halloween traditions are not to be taken lightly.

In a social‑media post, the City of Powell River reminded residents to follow proper fireworks etiquette and regulations. Residents are required to have a permit (available through the fire chief), discharge fireworks safely away from buildings, vehicles and overhead hazards, and be considerate of others.

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The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) has taken over the investigation into a vehicle crash in Telkwa on Sunday.

According to the IIO, the burgundy-coloured Dodge pickup truck was travelling west on Highway 16 which matched the description of a vehicle reported to the RCMP.

BC Conservation Officers located the vehicle at the bottom of an embankment with the driver later being taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Anyone who has video footage of the incident or witnessed it is being asked to contact the IIO at 1-855-446-8477 or on its website.

The full news release can be found here.

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A man allegedly attacked in a downtown Trail alley in April 2023 testified in Rossland Provincial Court today that he wasn’t sure that he was going to survive.

Darryl Wong said he recalled thinking “‘What a way to leave this world’ … I felt like ‘This is it. This is the one that is going to kill me.’”

Wong was the first witness in the trial of Greg Ferraby, a Trail firefighter accused of assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats. Fellow firefighters Richard Morris and Wesley Parsons were also initially charged in the case, but on Friday those charges were stayed.

Under direct examination by Crown counsel Bryan Pankoff, Wong testified in a low voice that at the time of the incident he was living in his car, which he often parked near the library because he felt safe there.

He testified that Ferraby approached him on April 13, 2023 and said he “fit the description of someone who was following his niece and her mother around town.”

Wong said he denied it and pressed Ferraby to call the police. “He told me ‘If you ever follow them around, I’m going to [expletive] you up.’”

Wong said he was “completely shocked … He really scared me. I was shaken.” Wong said he called police at the urging of a witness, but the court was not told the outcome.

Wong said he recognized Ferraby as someone who often responded to drug poisonings in the alley behind the shelter as a first responder. He added that years ago, while fishing at Sunningdale, someone also introduced him to Ferraby.

Wong testified that 10 days after the incident, he was having dinner with a friend in a Spokane Street apartment and went to take the garbage into a dumpster when he noticed a “commotion” in the alley one block over, where the homeless shelter was at the time.

He said three figures walked toward him, whom he recognized as Ferraby, Parsons, and Morris. He said Ferraby pointed at him and said “You lied to me. You put your hand on her.”

Wong said he replied: “What are you talking about?”

At that point, Wong said one of the men punched him in the head before Ferraby delivered a second punch, which left him on the ground. “I was not expecting it,” Wong said. “They were around me. There was nowhere to run.”

Wong said he was repeatedly punched and kicked, but he couldn’t keep track of the number of blows, which landed on his face, head, shoulder, and back.

Wong said the attack took him by surprise, and he did not try to fight back. He did not recall anyone saying anything once the punches began.

He said the attack ended when he heard a woman yell “Call the police.” He recalled an officer arriving right away and two paramedics taking him to hospital.

Wong said he spent at least a month with his shoulder in a sling. He still has visible injuries on the back of his head and on part of his shoulder that did not rejoin properly, he said, and he experiences ongoing numbness and tightness.

After the incident, Wong said he started finding other places to park his car, staying away from the downtown, as he was worried at night that someone would come after him.

“I don’t deal well with trauma,” he testified, adding that he tries not to think about the incident “because it festers.”

Wong said he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and he used to use cocaine, and then started using meth to wean himself from cocaine.

He said he has been off drugs for over two years, but at the time of the incident, he was still using meth, which he found calmed him. Wong said he now lives in the Lower Mainland because he’s afraid to come back to Trail.

Some surveillance video was played for the court showing people walking close to where the alleged attack occurred.

Defence counsel Mason Goulden began cross-examining Wong before the case broke for lunch.

Judge Craig Sicotte is hearing the case alone. Prior to the start of testimony, Sicotte was told the Crown intends to call “multiple” witnesses, including several police officers.

Crown counsel Bryan Pankoff also said he expects the defence to present two Charter of Rights and Freedoms applications. The first is under the Jordan principle, which says criminal trials in provincial court should be completed within 18 months.

The other, which Pankoff said caught him off guard because he only learned about it yesterday, has to do with video evidence.

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A popular program is coming back at the Prince George Public Library.

The Library’s Homework Help Program will provide students of all ages with a welcoming and supporting space to help them succeed with their school work.

The program pairs tutors with small groups of students in grades 3-12 to build skills in a variety of school subjects.

Students will be paired with a tutor for a weekly, one-hour session.

“Seeing students gain confidence and curiosity in their learning is why we do this,” said Youth Librarian Tia Dayman.

“Every question asked, every challenge overcome is a small victory – and we celebrate each one together.”

Registration for the program will open tomorrow (Thursday), and can be completed on the Prince George Public Library Website.

According to the Library, spaces are limited.

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After stormy weather last weekend, Mount Washington Alpine Resort is now covered in snow. 

The ski resort posted on social media Sunday showing the rapid change from bare slopes Friday afternoon to a blanket of snow by the end of the weekend. 

Despite the first snowfall, the resort said the mountain remains closed to the public. 

“Mount Washington terrain is completely closed to the public,” the resort said in a social media post. “You must remain off the mountain!” 

The resort warned that anyone found in violation of the Alpine Responsibility Code will face penalties. 

Drivers are allowed to travel up the mountain to view the snow but are reminded to ensure their vehicles are fully prepared for winter driving conditions. 

Mount Washington said only its terrain is closed at this time. Visitors planning to explore nearby Strathcona Park are advised to check BC Parks for terrain updates. 

The resort is currently targeting an opening day of Dec. 12. 

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The City of Duncan will support the development of six new dwelling units at the Village supportive housing site. 

Council approved a staff recommendation to apply for the Emergency Treatment Fund to support an initiative that would provide community-based treatment, recovery and stabilization options in response to the overdose crisis. 

According to a report from manager of building and bylaw services Rachel Hastings, the expansion would involve a partnership with Lookout Housing and Health Services, with the goal of providing care to those who need it. 

“This is envisioned, with the intention of ‘reserving’ the units for folks interested in treatment, returning to treatment, or interested in reducing their substance use,” the report said. “An additional structure (with servicing) for kitchen and dining space will offer onsite meals and group space as well as potentially offer life skills, employment readiness and other support services.” 

After an analysis, staff were directed to apply for funding to increase the facility’s capacity, which currently sits at 34 sleeping units, and to work with partners to ensure timelines are met and costs are confirmed. 

The city said an application will be submitted to the Emergency Treatment Fund, and it is expected there will be no financial implications associated with the grant application. 

According to the city, the sleeping units are prefabricated off site and are expected to cost roughly $25,000 to $35,000 each, with additional costs for transportation and installation. 

The deadline for the application is Nov. 4, and the city said projects are expected to begin as early as next spring and must be completed by March 31, 2027. 

The current facility is located on Trunk Road. 

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Criminal activity across the Cowichan Valley has been shifting in recent months, according to the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP’s latest quarterly report. 

Staff Sergeant Ken Beard told council that overall calls for service have declined compared with last year, a positive sign, though some problem areas remain. 

“For this quarter compared to this time last year, the trend is actually pretty nice,” Beard said. “It’s trending downwards in general when compared to this time last year. Repeat offenders are ending up in custody, but we’re still having some issues down the corridor.” 

While the overall picture was encouraging, the report noted higher crime totals in certain communities. Cowichan Tribes recorded the largest increases between July and September, particularly in property-related offences such as fraud, shoplifting and theft. 

North Cowichan, meanwhile, saw modest declines in most categories. Police did note small jumps in harassment, residential break-and-enters and fraud investigations. 

The City of Duncan continues to grapple with shoplifting and theft from vehicles. Both categories roughly doubled from last year, though Beard said the total number of cases remains low. 

“Even though it shows that we’re 17 files compared to eight last year, it’s still low overall,” he said. 

Crimes against persons dropped 12 per cent across the region, and the number of people held in custody was also down. The detachment reported 241 individuals held during the third quarter, compared with 361 during the same period last year. 

Beard said officers in Duncan have handled 31 calls for service since January, about one-fifth of the year’s total to date, and that downward trends seen locally are consistent with provincial patterns. 

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The first taste of winter in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District was felt yesterday (Tuesday) with the first snowfall of the season.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Colin Fong said this came from a low pressure system that moved through most of northern B.C.

“For the most part, it has been mainly rain and we haven’t really seen a proper fall storm with some snow,” he said.

The Lakes District had between four and five centimetres fall in the region with the Bulkley Valley seeing between one and three.

Fong said the snow isn’t expected to last as overnight low temperatures are expected to remain above freezing this week.

Another system is expected in the region by Friday, bringing daytime high temperatures of eight degrees.

“When that comes in, as usually is the case, the coast is going to take the brunt of the wind and rain so it is going to be very active along the north coast,” said Fong.

He added that rainy, windy weather is expected to continue into that evening as residents start trick-or-treating to celebrate Halloween.

A full forecast for the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District can be found on Environment Canada’s website.

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Starting this winter, skiKrumb GPS-tracking technology will be available for purchase at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort throughout the ski season.

The device is designed specifically for ski resorts; it allows families and snow-school instructors to track each child’s location across the mountain.

“Having directed snow-school operations at Whistler for many years, I’ve seen firsthand the challenge of keeping track of large numbers of young skiers spread out over large terrain,” said Russ Wood, sales manager at skiKrumb and former Snow School director at Whistler Blackcomb. “Instructors can focus on teaching and kids can focus on learning, while parents gain peace of mind knowing everyone is accounted for. It’s a game-changer for snow schools and families alike.”

According to a release from SkiKrumb, the device is the world’s first radio-based GPS tracker for ski resorts, allowing reliable function in low temperatures, tree-covered slopes and remote terrain — areas where Bluetooth tags and smartphones often fail.

“skiKrumb was born out of my own experience of getting separated from my son when he was young — the longest 45 minutes as a parent,” said Keith MacIntyre, founder and CEO of SkiKrumb. “That moment sparked our mission: to keep families connected and safe on the mountain while letting kids explore their love of skiing. Our customers tell us not only that skiKrumb is great, but that they will never ski without it. We’re excited to bring skiKrumb to Vancouver Island at Mt. Washington this winter.”

In addition to its tracking ability, skiKrumb devices feature a replay option, allowing kids and parents to review their runs and total distance skied.

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The City of Nanaimo is seeking members for its 2026–28 Art in Public Spaces working group. Applicants are now being accepted, and city council will appoint up to five volunteers to work on the city’s public-art program. 

The city said applicants will be assessed on their knowledge of and experience in the field of public art. 

“Members of the Art in Public Spaces working group play an essential role in guiding how the city integrates art into its public spaces. Their expertise helps us champion artists, foster creative place-making and make public art accessible and meaningful to all residents,” said Jaime-Brett Sine, culture coordinator for the city. 

The group will collaborate on priorities contained in city plans and policies, including the City Plan: Nanaimo Reimagined (2022). Members will also provide advice and promote policies that support the creative economy. 

Applicants must live in the City of Nanaimo or the Regional District of Nanaimo. They may come from a variety of professions with expertise in public art. 

The deadline for applications is Jan. 25. 

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The Prince George RCMP took part in Domestic Violence Awareness Month with the Purple Light Nights Campaign.

A PG community partner-based working group called The Violence Against Women in Relationships (VAWIR) committee, adopted the campaign to grow awareness on intimate partner violence in our community.

Constable Jenna Moore said this is the first year the campaign has been recognized in the city.

“On Thursday, October 16th, the Prince George VAWIR committee worked together to present a proclamation to the city, declaring that annually between October 16th and the 30th, the Purple Light Nights Campaign is recognized here in Prince George.”

Constable Moore added the campaign aims to increase awareness about the presence and affects of intimate violence, while honouring the victims and survivors of domestic violence.

More information can be found on the PG Sexual Assault Centre’s Facebook page, or the Purple Light Nights website here.

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Courtenay residents will have a free way to dispose of excess yard waste next month. 

The City of Courtenay announced that the drop-off collection point at the end of McKenzie Avenue will be open throughout November. 

Manager of public works services Chris Thompson said this year will include Saturday drop-off dates to help residents. 

“We recognize that some households accumulate more yard waste than others, particularly during fall clean-up as residents prepare their gardens and outdoors spaces for the colder months.”

The program is designed for Courtenay residents receiving curbside collection who have extra yard waste that does not fit into their collection container. 

Accepted materials for drop-off include leaves, grass clippings, flowers, plants and small branches less than 3 in in diameter. Materials may be loose or in a paper yard-waste bag. 

Plastic bags, even if labelled compostable or biodegradable, will not be accepted, nor will food waste or food-soiled paper. 

Thompson added it’s essential the yard waste excludes non-organic materials. 

“We kindly ask residents to double-check that items like plastic pots, pet toys and other debris are removed before drop-off.”

Residents who regularly dispose of large amounts of yard waste can request an extra organics cart from the city for an additional fee. 

The drop-off program runs Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until November 28. 

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The Nordiq Canada 2026 Olympic Winter Games Trials have received a major boost.

Canadian Tire Prince George has come on as the presenting sponsor for the competition that will determine which cross country skiers will represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“Supporting this event is about much more than sponsorship. It’s about investing in the dreams of Canadian athletes and the future of the sports,” said Canadian Tire Prince George Associate Dealer Selen Alpay.

“Our store has always been committed to building a stronger community through sports, and these Olympic Trials represent everything we believe in: dedication, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence. We’re honoured to play a role in these athletes’ journeys to the 2026 Olympics.”

The trials are set to be hosted at the Otway Nordic Centre from December 13th to 16th.

“Prince George has repeatedly proven itself as an Organizing Committee and community that rises to the occasion when hosting Canada’s premier Nordic skiing events,” said Nordiq Canada CEO Beckie Scott.

“Their dedication, passion for sport, and commitment to excellence make them the perfect host for the Nordiq Canada 2026 Olympic Winter Games Trials. We’re looking forward to the event and are confident it will be a great success.”

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

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Police have arrested a man in British Columbia in connection with a string of violent sexual assaults nearly three decades ago.

Ontario Provincial Police said Wednesday a 52-year-old Jason Timothy Davidson was arrested in Campbell River on Sunday.

Police said four separate sexual assaults were reported between March and August of 1997 in southwestern Ontario. The assaults took place in Sarnia, nearby Lambton County and Kent County, about 40 kilometres south of Sarnia.

Detective Inspector Michael Moore said Davidson has ties to the region, and moved to B.C. around 2017.

Moore said three of the victims were teenage girls, and the other victim was a woman over 18.

According to police, in each case the victim was picked up by an unidentified male and driven to another location, where they were assaulted. The suspect then left the victim at the scene.

Police said that over the years, two of the four incidents were linked to the same suspect using DNA analysis, but the man’s identity remained unknown.

They said that in January 2024, more advanced DNA technology allowed investigators to link all the attacks to the same person, and police used investigative genealogy to identify a suspect.

OPP said Davidson was arrested with the help of multiple jurisdictions, including the RCMP and Vancouver Police. He was transferred to Ontario on Monday to face charges, including:

• aggravated sexual assault

• sexual assault (three counts)

• sexual assault causing bodily harm

• sexual assault with a weapon

• kidnapping

• forcible confinement

• uttering threats

• theft

Police said the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information to come forward.

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Residents of the 150 Mile House Fire Protection Service Area have the chance to vote early on 2 referendum proposals.

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) is seeking voter approval to borrow funds for the construction of a new Fire Hall and to borrow funds for a new fire truck, repaid over 10 years instead of 5.

“Residents in that area can vote today (Wednesday) at our office on North Third Avenue in Williams Lake,” CRD Manager of Communications, Kat Chatten said. “If you follow the signs it will take you right to the Board Room entrance and that’s where the polling station is until 8 this evening.”

Chatten reminds voters to bring 2 pieces of identification with them, one that at least has your signature on it.

“And then they will get you all set up. You cast those two votes, it doesn’t take more than five minutes, and you’ll be on your way.”

The Cariboo Regional District needs to know if people within the Fire Protection Area are in favour of them borrowing up to $2.5 million to replace the Fire Hall.

Approximately $1.5 million has been secured through grants, the remaining costs will be financed and repaid over 25-years through a parcel tax of approximately $217 per parcel per year.

On the second referendum regarding the purchase of a new fire truck repaid over a ten year period instead of five, the CRD said if passed will not increase the property tax.

“General voting day will be Saturday November 8,” Chatten said, “and that’s going to be at the 150 Mile House Elementary School from 8 am to 8 pm.”

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The entrance to the emergency department at Cowichan District Hospital will be closed for a few days to allow repairs.

A statement from Island Health said the entrance will be temporarily closed on Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 to allow the repairs to occur.

The emergency department will remain open while work is ongoing and will be accessible via the hospital’s main entrance.

Signage and additional staff will be on hand to direct people to the emergency department.

The closure follows an incident last weekend when a vehicle drove through the emergency-department entrance.

Evening crash causes damage to Cowichan District Hospital  : My Cowichan Valley Now

That incident is being investigated by North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP.

Cowichan Hospital vehicle crash under investigation  : My Cowichan Valley Now

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Prince George Fire Rescue extinguished an early morning blaze at 160 Ontario Street.

At approximately 12:15 a.m. today (Wednesday), 15 firefighters from three halls arrived to find a fire on the third floor.

After assisting with the evacuation, crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire, with no harm to occupants or firefighters.

According to the City, the building was saved, but approximately 15 occupants were displaced due to smoke and water damage.

Damages are estimated at $50,000, and the cause is under investigation.

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Canada Post and the union are headed back to the bargaining table once again with a mediator.

Postal workers are still on rotating strike action following some controversial service amendments were made by Ottawa to modernize the company.

Local CUPW 812 President, Nicole Chouinard told Vista Radio also touched on Canada Post’s latest move to layoff several management positions as part of its government-mandated restructuring.

“It seems to have become to management heavy in the last few years compared to what it used to be. It seems like a realistic thing that if there are fewer CUPW members than there should be fewer management members.”

“It would be insensitive for me to not care that people are being laid off. Because, as a union that is something we are trying to avoid happening to our members.”

Chouinard added the current job action will remain the same unless they are told otherwise

“The rotating strikes are working for now and that we are as employees of Canada Post have a paycheque and that the public is able to get their product, their mail, their parcels and the rest of that.”

“People are people and they have bills to pay. If you have a job being laid off its not ideal and I am sympathetic to that but in my seven years with the company we have seen a change locally in the ratio of unionized members to management.”

The two parties haven’t met since Canada Post tabled an updated offer on Oct. 3, a package that was voted down by the union’s leadership team.

Since 2018 the corporation has lost more than $5 billion, including over $1 billion last year. Losses this year are expected to reach nearly $1.5 billion.

Letter mail has plunged from 5.5 billion pieces two decades ago to about two billion today, while the company’s share of the parcel market has fallen from 62 per cent in 2019 to less than 24 per cent, the government said.

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The Prince George RCMP is featuring 38-year-old Kimberly Nicole Marie Parsey for Wanted Wednesday.

Parsey is wanted on one endorsed and two unendorsed warrants for the following:

• Theft under $5000
• Fail to comply with probation order
• Breach of release order

She is described as:

• Indigenous female
• 5’7” (170 cm)
• 170 lb (78 kg)
• Brown hair
• Brown eyes

Parsey is considered dangerous and should not be approached. If you locate her, contact the local police immediately.

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Premier David Eby gave no sign he will back off a planned anti-tariff ad campaign in the United States, despite President Donald Trump’s anger over a TV ad by the Ontario government. 

Trump halted trade talks with Canada last week in response to the Ontario ad, which aired during a World Series game and featured anti-tariff comments made by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.

Trump slammed the ad on social media, calling it a “hostile act,” and threatened to increase tariffs on Canada by another 10 per cent.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford pulled the ads on Monday, even as he defended the campaign as “very effective.”

Eby said Monday he supported Ontario’s ads. “It is absolutely essential that we talk to Americans about the implications of tariffs,” said Eby. 

He said the U.S. treatment of Canada is “unfair and absurd,” particularly around softwood lumber. He reiterated his concerns that Russia is currently able to sell softwood to the U.S. at a lower tariff rate than Canada. 

“We can’t control the man in the White House, all we can do is control our own destiny,” said Eby.

A spokesperson with the Premier’s Office confirms the anti-tariff campaign is set to begin sometime in November. It’s expected to include digital ads like website banners — not a video or TV ad like Ontario’s campaign. 

Eby also announced B.C. will open a new forest trade office in England, as part of efforts to expand its market share in the U.K. and Europe.

The province said the new London office of B.C.’s Crown corporation, Forestry Innovation Investment (FII), will eventually also target markets in the Middle East and northern Africa. 

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After the adults finished their speeches Tuesday during the grand opening of Trail’s new Glenmerry Elementary, it fell to two students to give their insider perspective.

Neither Atharv Chaudhary, who is in Grade 7, nor Oscar Gallamore, who is in Grade 6, stinted on praise.

Chaudhary said the old school felt like home, thanks to its teachers, but it had drawbacks. “It wasn’t perfect,” he said. “There were some things to fix, such as leaky roofs, smelly old bathrooms, and especially the portables were very small and often things didn’t work.”

He was excited when a new school was announced, but waiting for its completion “felt like an eternity.”

Over the summer, Chaudhary often rode by, checking to see what had been completed and what remained of the old school before it was demolished.

The new school is “massive” compared to the old, he said. “This was a big step for the community of Trail, to have a brand new school for Glenmerry students and families to enjoy and make history.”

He rattled off its virtues: Garage doors. A library with a beautiful mountain view. Working Wi-Fi. An “extraordinary” gym. And everything in “pristine condition.”

“I feel fortunate to be able to attend and learn in this marvelous piece of architecture and also be a leader of the new school,” he said.

Gallamore said moving to the new school was confusing at first, but within a couple of weeks it felt normal. The old school left a lot to be desired, he added, “but this school has nothing that’s not perfect.”

Still, one thing remains to be addressed. “I can tell you this: I’m very excited for the new parking lot because then it won’t be a challenge to get into the new park.”

Principal Liann Nutini said she felt privileged and honoured to be part of the new school’s inaugural staff, especially given her close family connection to the old school.

When she moved back to the area in 2020 to become vice-principal at Glenmerry and teach Grade 4, she noticed her classroom had a “beautiful golden wooden floor with red, white, and green lines that was clearly an old gymnasium. I immediately fell in love with it.”

Her grandfather used to be the school’s principal, and her uncle remembered going in with him on weekends to play on that same gym floor.

“Often I would feel Grandpa’s presence as I organized my own classroom and taught my own students in a school where he once walked the hallways,” Nutini said. 

But her time as vice-principal was often consumed with leaky pipes and floors that had seen better days. A school district carpenter invented contraptions to funnel water when leaks could no longer be fixed and garbage cans were pressed into service as catch basins.

Staff and students stayed patient because they knew a new school was in the works. But it took longer than expected. It was supposed to be ready for the spring of 2024, but supply chain issues and staffing shortages pushed the opening to last month.

What kept them going, Nutini said, was the occasional tour of the new school as it went up.

“Each visit was exciting and filled with wonder. What would it be like? Would there be a hot tub in the staff room? Where would the pizza oven go? Could we get a built-in movie theatre?”

When they finally were able to get inside in August, staff “flew into a frenzy of unpacking and imagination,” because the building presents new possibilities for teaching and learning.

The extra space, plus foldable walls, flexible rooms, collaborative spaces, and those aforementioned garage doors, are encouraging a “whole new way of teaching we had never tried before.”

Several speakers paid tribute to the district’s director of operations, Heather Simm, for seeing the project through to completion.

The 41,000-square-foot building is designed to accommodate 435 students, compared to 270 in the old school, whose first classrooms were built in 1956, followed by several expansions.

The school’s price tag was originally reported in 2021 at $33.6 million but eventually rose to $39.1 million.

School board chair Catherine Zaitsoff called the school’s opening an “important and sadly rare milestone.”

“This new school reflects almost a decade of commitment to building a strong foundation for learning,” she said. “But it is more than just a building. It is a promise of learning, of growth, and community. May it stand for years as a place where curiosity is sparked, friendships are built, and potential is celebrated and discovered.”

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The Smokies have depth again on the back line despite the departure of two defensemen.

Drew Anastasio was the latest to leave, opting to play in Tri-City of the U.S. Hockey League.

The 20-year-old who played in all situations had two goals and two assists in nine games. He played his first game with the Storm last weekend.

About three weeks earlier, 18-year-old rookie rearguard Gairin Michalski joined the Storm after getting two goals and two assists in six BCHL games. Michalski is pointless and is –3 through seven USHL contests.

Meanwhile, Colton Whitfield has left the Storm to join the Smoke Eaters.

The 19-year-old who is six-foot-two, 180 pounds feels he brings an overall game, in addition to utilizing his size.

“I think I play a two-way game,” said the native of Warwick, Rhode Island. “I think defensively I’m pretty strong and I can help out offensively as well,” he added.

Whitfield didn’t plan on changing teams and admitted to felling “a little overwhelmed” before making his Smoke Eaters debut last Saturday in West Kelowna.

He figures it’s better to battle through this type of adversity early in the season.

“It’s a little challenging, but it’s good it happened now so I have time to adjust to a new team,” stated the rearguard in his second full season of junior hockey.

Whitfield played regular shifts against the Warriors.

Brady Wassink also took regular shifts last Friday against Blackfalds at Cominco Arena and Saturday in West Kelowna.

The Hamilton native feels the key to his development starts with beefing up.

“I’m trying to get bigger and stronger, I think that’s the best cliche,” stated the 19-year-old who also is also six-foot-two, 180 pounds.

“It’s a long season in junior hockey and you have to withstand it physically and take pride in it and whenever I can, put on size,” explained the stay-at-home d-man who will jump into the rush when the the opportunity presents itself.

Wassink has experience in the Ontario and North American Junior Hockey Leagues and says he got great first impressions from his new teammates and the facility.

“The rink is good, the dressing room with the facilities are insane, nothing like I’ve ever seen in junior hockey. I love it here so far,” said Wassink.

The Smokies, who have eight defensemen on their roster, host Salmon Arm on Wednesday and Cranbrook Saturday.

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Sports by Hartley Wednesday, October 29th, 2025  

BCHL: 

The (6-5) Prince George Spruce Kings host the (6-3-2) Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday night at 6:00 and the (6-7) Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 3:00 to begin a 4-game homestand.

The Spruce Kings are 2nd in the 5-team Coastal East Division, six points behind the (9-2) Coquitlam Express.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

NHL: (All 7 Canadian teams in action Tuesday)

New York Rangers  2  Vancouver  0

The (5-6) Canucks start a 3-game road trip Thursday night (5:00 PT) in St. Louis.

Toronto  4  Calgary  3

Edmonton  6  Utah  3

Winnipeg  4  Minnesota  3  (OT)

Montreal  4  Seattle  3  (OT)

Chicago  7  Ottawa  3

The only NHL game tonight (Wednesday) has Toronto at Columbus.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

NFL:

The Baltimore Ravens expect quarterback Lamar Jackson to return to their lineup and start Thursday’s game at Miami.

Jackson has missed three games with a right hamstring injury.

The NFL schedule and results can be found here.

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Smithers council discussed having a new outdoor rink built at Central Park during tonight’s (Tuesday) meeting.

According to plans presented to council, the new rink would be rotated 90 degrees compared to the current one and built along 7th Avenue.

“I’m so thrilled to see this project,” said Councillor Genevieve Paterson.

The first phase of the project would see the new rink be built, along with a utility building constructed.

The remaining two phases would focus on expanding summer use of the space, a chilling unit, and a washroom facility.

“I say this with deep sadness, I don’t believe we can continue to have public washrooms because of the lack of respect for public places,” said Paterson.

The outdoor rink is maintained by the Smithers Volunteer Firefighters Association who will also take on the new rink project.

“The difference I see between [the outdoor rink] and the arenas is this is accessible for everybody and I appreciate the firefighters stepping up and providing that service to the community,” said Councillor Frank Wray.

This sentiment was also echoed by Councillor Calvin Elliot.

Also included in the proposal is a new parking lot which would replace the Visitor Info Centre and new park space.

“At it’s full development if it goes ahead, it’s a big piece of recreation amenity in what was a cultural district,” said Mayor Gladys Atrill.

She also voiced concern about the second and third phases, and around noise as the rink sits near to residential housing.

With phase one, Atrill had no issues with the proposed plan.

A point made by Communication and Engagement Officer Sam LeBlanc is any phases ahead of them starting would need to be brought to council for approval.

“That area has been used for recreation since I’ve lived here. There was a tenis court before that was repurposed because there wasn’t use for it there anymore,” said Wray.

Another concern was around the Farmer’s Market and its use of the space which he said could work together as kids can play at the rink while their parents shop.

Council unanimously voted to give the project approval in principal, allowing the association to go ahead with further planning.

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BC Hydro crews have been assigned to a power outage affecting 2,815 customers on Quadra Island.

The utility corporation said the outage was caused by downed trees contacting its lines.

Power has been out since 6:18 p.m., and no restoration estimate is yet available.

Customers are advised to check BC Hydro’s website for further updates.

– Article includes link and image from BC Hydro

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Leadership training was on the agenda for firefighters across the Columbia Valley this past weekend.

More than 50 firefighters from across the East Kootenay gathered in Invermere for a one-day leadership seminar.

Departments from Invermere, Radium Hot Springs and the Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue joined forces to host the event, led by author and retired fire chief Arjuna George.

“It was inspiring to have so many members come together for this opportunity. We’re all grateful for the chance to learn and strengthen our service.” said Jason Roe, Invermere Fire Rescue Chief.

Firefighters came from from Edgewater, Fairmont, Invermere, Panorama, Radium Hot Springs, Windermere, as well as from Creston, Fernie, and Sparwood. Sessions included Burnout Prevention, Culture and Team Building, and Self Leadership.

Lunch was provided by the Salvation Army, which used the event to train staff and showcase one of its mobile kitchens for disaster response.

“A very big thank you to them for their support and for delivering an excellent meal on Saturday.” said Drew Sinclair, Columbia Valley Rural Fire and Rescue Chief.

The leader of the seminar, Arjuna George, is a retired fire chief with over 24 years of dedicated service. Arjuna specializes in Burnout and Resilience Coaching for high performers, including first responders, doctors, nurses, parents, and teachers. His holistic approach integrates body, mind, and spirit, providing a comprehensive framework for health and resilience.

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The Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary (KHCA) has donated $150,000 to the East Kootenay Foundation for Health (EKFH), to be split across four health care projects in the community.

The projects include:

• $5,000 to support new furniture for the Pines Special Care Home in Kimberley
• $15,000 to go towards updated equipment for the Kimberley Health Centre
• $65,000 is dedicated towards EKFH’s partnership with Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society to build a hospice home for the East Kootenay. The hospice home will be a place where families are welcomed into a warm, homelike setting, spending their last days surrounded by comfort and care.
• $65,000 to go towards the Better Together JoeAnna’s House expansion in Kelowna.

“This expansion will help reduce waitlists for East Kootenay families in need of a home away from home while their loved ones are receiving care at Kelowna General Hospital.” said the East Kootenay Foundation for Health.

As a 100 per cent volunteer-based group, the Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary runs a a team of around 140 volunteers across two thrift stores in Kimberley and Marysville, as well as a medical equipment loan cupboard.

“They are always welcoming new members to join this incredible group that has donated nearly $1.2 million to EKFH for health care improvements over the last 15 years. Their hard work upgrades medical equipment, improves patient care, and saves countless lives for years to come.” said EKFH Executive Director Brenna Hong.

“I am so grateful for our wonderful partnership with the KHCAS. They are truly one of the hardest-working and most dedicated organizations in our region.”

“The work we do is only possible because of incredible supporters like this team. Having four different projects funded through their efforts will make a tremendous difference in health care for so many people across our communities.”

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Prince George has had its first snowfall of the year, but don’t expect any snowmen for the next little while.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Derek Lee said the snowfall is on the wetter side as temperatures remain on the warmer side, though there could be build up in some spots.

“It is expected to continue warming overnight, so I would say the snow maybe some local amounts of 2-4 centimetres is possible, but with the transition into the warm air mass following right behind this snow, we are likely to see it all melt before the morning.”

Lee added that we’ll stay fairly warm heading into next week, with Halloween forecast to reach eight degrees, though overnight lows will be around zero degrees.

He noted during this time of year, Prince George sees a bit more fluctuation, changing from warm to cool right away, with this week being a couple degrees warmer than normal, and the start of November returning to normal.

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Rural Nelson Hydro customers are facing a nearly 16 per cent rate hike next year that the utility says it has little power to prevent.

The utility presented its 2026 and 2027 budget at a Oct. 24 special council meeting. Regional Director for Area E Cheryl Graham and Area C Director Tom Newell were in attendance.

The rural rate increase for 2026 has been proposed at 15.86 per cent, while urban customers will likely see a 7.83 per cent hike.

Chief administrative officer Kevin Cormack said most of the 2026 hike stems from regulatory and cost-of-service requirements that are beyond the utility’s control.

“On the rural side, the main drivers are the return on rate base from the B.C. Utilities Commission’s Generic Cost of Capital (GCOC) decision and the recovery of deferral accounts from prior periods,” said Cormack.

“Together, those make up more than two-thirds of the increase.”

Nelson Hydro staff said roughly 4.7 per cent of 2026’s 15.98 per cent increase comes from operational and power purchase costs.

However, the largest portion is linked to deferreal accounts and an increase to the general cost of capital, which increases the regulated return Nelson Hydro must earn on its rural assets.

The rate breakdown shows rural rates are more heavily impacted by capital returns and regulatory accounting compared to urban rates.

For a typical household using 100 kilowatt hours of power per month, the rural increase would equal about $11 more per month in 2026, then drop to about $4 in 2027.

Area E Director Cheryl Graham voiced strong concern about the burden on rural residents.

“This is not acceptable for residents, especially those who can least afford it,” said Graham.

“In a year when we are all facing a lot of inflation, we are probably looking at about a 10 per cent increase in our property taxes. All of these things together are just creating real concern for me and my residents in Area E.”

Graham asked if there was any way to reconsider or delay the GCOC decision or the deferral accounts driving the increase.

The utility said there’s little room to manoeuvre. General manager Scott Spencer said both the cost-of-capital ruling and the deferral account recoveries were ordered by the B.C. Utilities Commission and must be implemented.

“All the deferral accounts have been approved by the BCUC and they’ve ordered us to establish and recover those balances. The only flexible portion on the rural side is operating expenses, and the only large expenditure is the vegetation management program,” said Spencer.

Cormack said the risks of cutting the vegetation management program outweigh any benefit from reduced rates.

“That risks reliability if we cut back on that this year. There’d be some pretty dire consequences to reducing the vegetation management budget.”

Councillor Rik Logtenberg also defended the vegetation management program, noting that the improved reliability in recent years was largely a result of that work.

“The improvement in reliability over the last couple of years has greatly benefited me and my neighbours,” said Logtenberg, who is also a rural Nelson Hydro customer.

“I really appreciate that work. And so any compromise of our veg management program, I think, would negatively affect me as a rural ratepayer.”

The bottom line

For rural residents, the nearly 16 per cent hike remains effectively locked in by the BCUC regulatory framework.

Spencer reiterated that Nelson Hydro cannot change how those rates are calculated, noting there’s no realistic place left to cut without sacrificing reliability.

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The B.C. Greens have tabled legislation that would limit how much landlords can raise rents between tenancies.

Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, introduced the private member’s bill on Tuesday. 

The bill will require vacant rental units to follow the same rules for rent increases as occupied units, meaning landlords can’t hike the rent when a tenancy turns over.

The party said in a statement the bill will ensure landlords aren’t incentivized to evict their tenants in order to increase profit from rent.

Currently, landlords can’t raise rents in occupied units beyond the limit set by the Residential Tenancy Branch. The limit is three per cent this year, and it’s set for 2.3 per cent in 2026.

Botterell said the bill wouldn’t change a landlord’s ability to apply to raise rents beyond the set limit, in cases of unforeseeable financial losses or significant repairs to a property. 

He also pointed to a 2023 report by the B.C. General Employees Union that said rent control has little short or long-term impact on construction rates. 

“The NDP has supported comprehensive rent control before by implementing vacancy control in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and the Housing Minister backed it as a city councillor,” added Botterell. “We hope this bill earns support across the aisle so renters can have real stability.”

The Greens and the NDP government have a co-operation agreement, known as CARGA. The two parties have agreed to work together on specific shared priorities, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the NDP will back the bill.

Green party leader Emily Lowan, who doesn’t hold a seat in the legislature, noted B.C. had similar vacancy control in the 1970s, before B.C.’s Social Credit Party scrapped rent controls in the mid-80s.

Lowan said renters are a “trampled afterthought” in the B.C. NDP government’s housing strategy. 

“Our housing system is designed to squeeze renters for all that they’re worth, while lining the pockets of luxury developers and big landlords,” she said. 

A Statistics Canada study based on data from 2020 found nearly a quarter of residential property owners in B.C. were investors, meaning they own one or more properties that are not their primary residence.

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Warning: This story contains subject matter which some readers may find distressing. 

A 39-year old man has been charged with possession of child pornography following an extensive investigation from the Campbell River RCMP Major Crime Unit which began in May.

Police said the investigation started after a tip from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, leading to a search of a Campbell River home in June where RCMP said a large collection of illegal material was seized.

Constable Maury Tyre said the presence of child pornography online remains deeply concerning and investigations like this take significant time and effort.

“The presence of Child Pornography on the internet is prevalent and deeply concerning,” Tyre said in a statement. “Investigations into Child Pornography on the internet are extremely labour intensive and time consuming and it is a success that we were able to build the case that was necessary to bring this matter before the courts.”

A media release from Campbell River RCMP said the man is scheduled to appear in court in November.

Police are reminding parents to speak with their children about internet safety and to report any suspicious online activity to Campbell River RCMP.

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Nanaimo city council has voted to honour a long-time community volunteer with the Patron of the City award. 

Council made the decision at a closed meeting on Oct. 20 to recognize Brian Cornborough for his decades of volunteer service. 

Cornborough has volunteered with the Nanaimo Cancer Society and the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign since 1990. He is also involved with Nanaimo and District Youth Soccer, the Nanaimo Lions Club, the Nanaimo Citizens on Patrol Society, the Vancouver Island Exhibition board and security team, the Nanaimo Minor Softball Association and Crime Stoppers Central Vancouver Island, where he serves as president. He is also vice-president of the Crime Stoppers of B.C. board. 

“People like Brian, who give so selflessly of themselves, represent the best of Nanaimo. Over the past 35 years, he has touched countless lives with his kindness and dedication. Brian, thank you for being such a bright light in our community, and for being a true patron of our city,” said Mayor Leonard Krog. 

Cornborough is the 10th recipient of the Patron or Companion of the City award. Council will present the award to him at a meeting in December. 

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Prince George will be the last stop for the BC Co-op Association’s Co-ops Build a better World: BC Tour.

The event will have a screening of the film “The Power of Local,” as well as panelist talks from local co-operatives and network session.

Community Engagement and Education Coordinator Madelyn Read said who this event is geared towards.

“As Co-ops, we often want to work together with other Co-operatives, so that could include non-profits, businesses that are community focused, folks who just like to volunteer and support their community.”

“I also think it really appeals to people who are thinking about how we can do things more sustainably, or more locally.”

Read added the goal is for attendees to have a better understanding of what’s happening in the community, and what the co-op system is and how it can be used.

The event will be on Tuesday, at the Knox Centre, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. and going until 7 p.m..

More information and registration can be found here.

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Prince George will be well represented in the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

Cougars Defenceman Carson Carels, as well as Spokane Chiefs Forward and Prince George product Chase Harrington were named to Team CHL’s roster today. (Tuesday)

Carels has had an excellent start to the season in Prince George, notching three goals and adding eight assists on the season through 12 games for the Cougars.

In Spokane, Harrington is third on the team in points, with four goals and four assists in 13 games.

First introduced last year, the CHL USA Prospects Challenge is a best-on-best, two-game series featuring the top NHL Draft-eligible players from the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL facing off against the U.S. National Under-18 team.

“The CHL USA Prospects Challenge is a tremendous opportunity for our top draft-eligible players to compete against elite competition from the U.S. National Under-18 Team while showcasing the strength of our player development system across the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL,” said CHL President Dan MacKenzie.

“We’re proud of each of these players for earning this opportunity and congratulate them on being selected to represent the CHL at this prestigious event, which shines a light on the next generation of NHL talent.”

The 2025 edition is taking place in Calgary and Lethbridge, with games taking place on November 25th (Calgary) and 26th (Lethbridge).

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The Salvation Army is using its Kettle Campaign funds to construct a commercial kitchen that is nearing completion.

Once complete, the space can be rented by the hour and is going to be the new base of the Meals on Wheels program hosted by the Prince George Council of Seniors.

Spokesperson, Roy Law told MyPGNow.com hopes to have it built in time for the Holiday Season, barring any construction delays.

“We are hoping of our goal being in there by December 1st or around that area but if nothing else, we will have our grand opening in the new year sometime in the middle of January.”

Law added the idea came from recent discussions with Food Banks BC/Canada as well as the public health association to secure more food in remote areas.

Once built, it can be utilized in many different ways by several user groups.

“We have entrepreneurs, we’ve got people that have actual programs and schools that are putting on meal programs. Not every school has kitchens of course and for commercial kitchens there are policies and rules when dealing with that.”

“If an entrepreneur lets’ say has a food truck or catering business or something and they want to use the kitchen to put on an event they will pay a little of bit of a higher price with it being business.”

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Lactating parents on the North Island will soon have a new way to help some of B.C.’s most vulnerable infants.

Island Health says the Campbell River Health Unit will become an official donor milk collection depot for BC Women’s Provincial Milk Bank starting October 27.

Screened donors can drop off frozen breast milk Monday to Wednesday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. The milk is sent to BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, where it’s pasteurized and distributed to neonatal and pediatric units across the province.

Island Health’s Carolyn Hutton says donor milk can be lifesaving for premature and medically fragile babies, providing antibodies to fight infection.

The new depot joins others in Victoria and Nanaimo, which together have collected more than 3,600 litres since 2016.

For donation details, visit BC Women’s Hospital’s website.

– Article features information from BC Women’s Hospital and image supplied by Island Health

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Smithers RCMP responded to vehicle rollover near Highway 16 in Telkwa on Sunday.

Police said the highway was temporarily closed while Telkwa Fire and paramedics worked to help remove the driver from the vehicle.

Mounties add the lone vehicle occupant had sustained significant injuries and was taken to hospital.

An investigation remains ongoing with more information possibly being released in the future.

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A Creston man who pleaded guilty to two child pornography-related charges is expected to be sentenced early next year.

Jesse Stephen-David Wood will be in court in Creston on Jan. 9 to learn his fate. He appeared in Cranbrook last week following the preparation of a psychiatric report.

Wood admitted in August to possessing and importing or distributing child porn.

One charge comes with a mandatory minimum punishment of one year in prison and a maximum of 14 years while the other has a minimum of one year and a maximum of 10 years.

Wood also faced three other counts that are expected to be stayed at sentencing. The offences are alleged to have all happened in Creston on Jan. 30, 2023.

Wood, who was born in 1980, has remained in custody since April. He skipped a court appearance in October 2024 but was soon arrested in Kelowna. After being released, he missed another court date in November. He was arrested in Calgary five months later and his bail was subsequently denied.

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The Regional District of Nanaimo will be allowed to purchase the former French Creek School following a referendum vote. 

Preliminary results show 265 voters supported borrowing up to $824,000 for the purchase, while 144 voted against. 

The loan will be repayable over 10 years and will include interest. The 3.7-hectare property at 2350 Alberni Highway in Coombs will be purchased from School District 69 for $1.3 million. 

The site includes the old school building, a gymnasium and a field with a playground. The regional district said it will determine future uses for the property after public engagement. 

Official referendum results will be posted on the RDN website on Oct. 29. 

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Things will be a little different when it comes to the South Cariboo Health Foundation’s Starry Nights Light Up event.

Public Relations and Fundraiser Coordinator Danielle Sabiston said they’re doing it separately from the 100 Mile House Santa Claus Parade.

“It’s going to be held on Saturday November 15 at the 100 Mile District General Hospital with indoor activities starting at 4:30. We’ll have kid’s crafts, snacks, some caroling, a visit with Santa, and the Wranglers are going to be there as well.”

Sabiston noted that this an all ages event and at 6 o’clock they’ll step outside and do a countdown before turning those lights on.

“It’s a challenge every year to hold it at the end of the Santa Claus Parade, we never know the exact timing,” Sabiston said, “People need to run from the parade route because the hospital is not on the parade route hoping they get there in time. We always waited until the end of the parade because the float with Santa, which is the last one, would come up to the hospital to help turn those lights on.”

Once the lights have been turned on, Sabiston noted that they will stay on until the very end of January to help cheer everybody up who drives by the 100 Mile District General Hospital.

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A new executive director has been found by Tourism PG.

Today (Tuesday), the board welcomes Scott McWalter into the role.

“We’re pleased to welcome Scott to the role of Executive Director,” said Jamie Valcourt, Chair of the Tourism Prince George Board of Directors.

“Scott’s business acumen, creativity, and commitment to collaboration align strongly with the Board’s strategic direction. His leadership will continue to build on the solid foundation already in place as Tourism Prince George moves forward with its upcoming Strategic Plan.”

The Board acknowledged Carmen Herman for her professionalism and leadership while serving as Interim CEO.

McWalter will begin the new role on November 24th.

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B.C. Housing funds have been approved to support a temporary winter shelter in the Cowichan region. 

The Cowichan Valley Regional District, City of Duncan, Municipality of North Cowichan and Cowichan Housing Association partnered to secure funding for the project. 

According to the regional district, the shelter will be located at the Ramada Inn on the Trans-Canada Highway. The district said the project was made possible through collaboration among local governments and community partners. 

“This was supported by a temporary use permit issued by the City of Duncan, and is subject to final budget and operating approval,” the district said. “The shelter will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing up to 24 spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness during the winter months.” 

Board chair Kate Segall said the announcement brings relief to those in need and the wider community. 

“This announcement brings tremendous relief and hope to our community, as homelessness continues to be one of the most urgent challenges in the Cowichan region,” Segall said. “Unlike our previous emergency warming centre, which was opened only during extreme weather, this new 24-7 shelter will offer safety, warmth and dignity every day through the harshest months. 

“We’re deeply grateful to B.C. Housing for their funding commitment, and to all the partners whose dedication made this possible.” 

Emergency Management Cowichan will also assist smaller communities and organizations with shelter needs during extreme conditions. 

The regional district said final details are still being worked out, but the shelter is expected to operate from Nov. 15 to March 31. 

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A Mini–Fair event connecting Indigenous learners with post–secondary and employment opportunities is set for Oct. 29 in Quesnel.

Strengthening Connections, the hosts of the mini–fair, is a collective of B.C. post–secondary institutions and employers that travel to schools and communities to connect potential learners with education opportunities.

This Mini–Fair will be at the Echen Deni Nen Keyoh (Formerly Elks Hall) from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

“It’s for any community members who are curious about post–secondary,” says Madison Roll, an Indigenous Alumni of UNBC, and the Indigenous Student Liason of UNBC.

“It’s a casual drop-in format. Whether you’re a current high school student, a parent, a family member, or you’re someone looking for a career change, and you want to go back to school and see what is out there, you can come and talk with us.”

Roll says the College of New Caledonia, Thompson Rivers University, UBC, UNBC’s Medical Division, and the RCMP will have tables alongside UNBC at the Mini-Fair.

This is the first time Strengthening Connections’ Mini-Fair will be hosted in Quesnel, and the collective will also visit Correlieu Secondary School that Wednesday morning.

“I wanted our team to do a community event here in Quesnel to provide a better opportunity for families to connect with us,” says Roll, who mentions one of her favourite parts about working with the Strengthening Connections collective is being able to empower Indigenous learners. “I want to see us decolonize how students can navigate post-secondary education, and question how we can do a better job of including their families in the process”.

Roll is passionate about debunking misconceptions about post-secondary education and looks forward to conversations that will set the stage to build better relationships and support future students to achieve their goals.

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CUPE 1699 has expanded the job action being taken by Regional District of Fraser-Fort George employees further.

Effective today (Tuesday), CUPE 1699 members will no longer perform any illegal dumping cleanups, including in remote locations, unstaffed locations, and all illegal dumping at facility gates or outside facility boundaries.

Additionally, members will no longer be collecting fees or accepting payments at reception or at the service centre at 155 George Street.

Other actions are continuing, such as no longer training managers or exempt employees, (except as required in the essential services order) or collecting fees at the Regional District’s various landfills, transfer stations, or recreation centres.

The Regional District says residents should expect delays when visiting the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill and at all Regional District Transfer stations.

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Researchers with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) will be able to further their projects with $868,500 in infrastructure funding.

This is through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund, and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) advancing knowledge in a sustainable future in northern B.C. and beyond.

Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Wenbo Zheng received $312,393 for a rock mechanics laboratory, to help address challenges with the sustainable utilization of energy resources within the earth.

Ecosystem Science and Management Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Wood got $320,664 for equipment to develop programs to investigate food security, forestry and mining reclamation in Canada’s North.

Environmental Geomatics Associate Professor Dr. Joseph Shea was awarded $94,174 for snow monitoring observatories in the headwaters of the Fraser, Columbia and Peace River basins.

The funding is also designed to help Canada’s post-secondary institutions attract and retain top researchers to push innovation and build resiliency across the country.

More information can be found on UNBC’s website here.

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Researchers with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) will be able to further their projects with over $868,500 in infrastructure funding.

This is through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund, and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) advancing knowledge in a sustainable future in northern B.C. and beyond.

Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Wenbo Zheng received $312,393 for a rock mechanics laboratory, to help address challenges with the sustainable utilization of energy resources within the earth.

Ecosystem Science and Management Associate Professor Dr. Lisa Wood got $320,664 for equipment to develop programs to investigate food security, forestry and mining reclamation in Canada’s North.

Environmental Geomatics Associate Professor Dr. Joseph Shea was awarded $94,174 for snow monitoring observatories in the headwaters of the Fraser, Columbia and Peace River basins.

The funding is also designed to help Canada’s post-secondary institutions attract and retain top researchers to push innovation and build resiliency across the country.

More information can be found on UNBC’s website here.

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The Trail Mercantile. Eaton’s. The Town Square Mall. Liquidation World.

The city-owned building at 900 Spokane Street has been known by all of those names since 1917. But within a few weeks it will be no more.

Demolition of the block began in earnest on Saturday. As of Tuesday morning, the entire northwest side was gone, exposing the building’s guts.

Garrett White, vice-president of Kootenay operations for Local Industrial Partners, which holds the demolition contract, said some of the material will be salvaged, including joists and beams. He said they would be set aside for future use once nails are removed, although he didn’t know what the City of Trail had in mind for them.

The company is primarily a metal recycler, with a facility in Genelle.

“So all the metal that is easily removed is going to be taken to our yard and recycled for remelt,” White said. “We’re trying to do this strategically so that we’re saving materials that can be salvaged and everything else will be disposed of properly.”

White said all of the abatement work has been completed. The transit exchange outside the building has also been relocated further down Cedar Avenue.

“We’re trying to provide the most limited disruption to the downtown core of Trail and make sure everybody is aware of what we’re doing and keeping out of harm’s way,” he said. “We’re running our dust suppression to make sure that we’re not affecting anybody’s air quality.”

White asked that people respect the construction zone and flaggers. One lane of Spokane Street is presently closed.

The City of Trail received the old department store in a 2024 donation and awarded a demolition contract this past spring worth $1.75 million to remove the building along with the old C.S. Williams Clinic further down the street. The latter is already gone.

Council was told in August that the demolition was about a month behind schedule and overbudget due to the discovery of more hazardous materials during the pre-demolition phase, although no figures have been provided.

The city plans to redevelop both sites, but no specific project has yet been proposed.

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The North District police are advising the public about a missing woman.

Yesterday, shortly before 9:00 pm, the Fraser Lake RCMP received a report of a
missing person.

Wilma Friesen was last seen by family earlier the same day around 1:00 pm.

Information obtained during the investigation can confirm that Wilma was seen at 3:00 pm in the community visiting with a
friend.

Friesen told her friend that she was going to get groceries and then going home.

She is believed to be driving a silver 2020 Ford Edge British Columbia license plate XL136F.

Police say the woman was scheduled to have a medical procedure today (Tuesday), in Prince George
but her family does not believe she would have driven there on her own as a ride service was
scheduled to pick her up.

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A vigorous frontal system is bringing heavy wind and rain to much of the B.C. coast today. 

Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for most of eastern Vancouver Island, Powell River and the Sunshine Coast. 

Wind gusts of up to 90 km/h near the Strait of Georgia are expected to begin around noon and last into the evening, while gusts could exceed 100 km/h on the North Island. 

The winds are expected to peak this afternoon and early evening before easing below warning criteria, though conditions will remain blustery overnight. 

Environment Canada said the high winds may cause power outages, downed tree branches and unsecured objects to be blown around. 

Drivers are advised to prepare for changing road conditions and reduced visibility. 

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The Williams Lake River Valley is now fully reopened to pedestrian and non-motorized traffic.

It has been closed to the public since a wildfire burned through the area in July of 2024 damaging trees, trails and infrastructure.

The City said additional work followed to allow for danger tree removal and debris cleanup, as well as selective logging and slope stabilization to ensure long-term safety.

“This is one of our community’s most valued recreation areas, and we are grateful for the patience and support residents have shown throughout the recovery process,” Mayor Surinderpal Rathor stated in a release.

While most work has now been completed, the City said contractors may still be working along some sections of the trail and roadside to complete final cleanup.

Trail users are asked to watch for signage and use caution around any active work zones.

The City encourages visitors to park at the Comer Street parking lot on Mackenzie Avenue and walk or ride down the road into the valley.

The Frizzi Road access point remains permanently closed.

Motorized vehicles, including off-road vehicles, are not permitted in the Williams Lake River Valley.

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A 41-year-old Trail man received a 24-hour driving ban and multiple fines after being forced to pull over by alert witnesses on Highway 22 near Genelle.

Police say they were called Sunday afternoon after people noticed someone driving 40 to 50 km/h, weaving back and forth in his lane, and crossing over the centre line as he headed north toward Genelle.

Police say the witnesses grew concerned for the safety of others. One driver passed the man, pulled in front of his vehicle, and slowed down, causing him to pull over to the side of the highway.

When officers arrived, they located the man and his vehicle surrounded by the other motorists. One person had taken the key out of the ignition to ensure the man and his vehicle remained on the scene until police arrived.

The man failed a field sobriety test.

“This is a very unusual situation that ended well,” Sgt. Mike Wicentowich said in a news release.

“We wouldn’t recommended motorists stopping other motorists in this way due to the risk to their safety; however, this situation appeared to be well calculated and done at low speeds under control. We are glad the man was safely stopped due to the risk he posed to others.”

Oasis man arrested for assault

RCMP say an Oasis man remains in custody pending a bail hearing after being arrested for assaulting a woman.

Police were called Saturday evening to the woman’s home on Hanna Drive. They say the man and woman knew each other. The man was allegedly in breach of a court condition not to have contact with her.

He was arrested without incident.

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The first blast of winter is almost here in Northern B.C.

According to Environment Canada, a snowfall warning is in place for Highway 97 and the Pine Pass.

Up to 10 centimetres is expected to fall this evening.

A warm front moving across northern B.C. will spread snow beginning early this evening.

10 cm of snow is forecast before temperatures rise and snow changes to rain on Wednesday.

Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions.

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BC Hydro is urging residents to keep electrical safety in mind with their Halloween displays.

The utility said a survey shows more than 60 per cent of British Columbians are not concerned about electrical safety when setting up Halloween decorations. 

It also found nearly 40 per cent of respondents admitted to using decorations not certified for outdoor use.

One-third of respondents said they place extension cords or decorations near water or walkways, which B.C. Hydro said increases shock and fire risk.

Half of those surveyed said they do not check extension cord ratings, and 35 per cent said they were unaware of wattage limitations. 

Nearly 20 per cent said they believe electrical fires are too rare to worry about.

A report by the B.C. fire commissioner’s office said between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024 said there were 915 structure fires during that period. It said 11 per cent of those fires were confirmed to have started with an electrical cause.

B.C. Hydro also expressed concerns about large-scale, “mega-displays” becoming more common, and said it’s important to make sure all equipment is outdoor-rated and properly installed.  

The utility shared other tips for ensuring holiday displays are not increasing the risk of electrical shock or fire:

• Never place decorations near overhead power lines, transformers, or other BC Hydro equipment.
• Always check the wattage rating of your decorations and ensure your outlets and extension cords can handle the load. 
• Avoid plugging multiple extension cords together.
• Turn off and unplug decorations before going to bed or leaving the house to reduce fire risk.

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Selkirk College has reported encouraging growth in domestic student enrolment, though it does not offset the impact of declining international student numbers.

For the 2025-26 academic year, the college said it saw an eight per cent increase in domestic applications, resulting in about 170 additional full-time equivalent domestic students compared with 2024-25.

This increase translates to a two per cent growth rate in domestic enrolment, which the college said signals that more students in the region are choosing to study closer to home.

“We’re encouraged by the growth in domestic enrolment,” said Brier Albano, associate vice-president, student success.

“Students across our region are recognizing that our programs and transfer pathways lead to the kinds of careers they want. They don’t have to leave. They can get high-quality, affordable education without the costs and pressures of big-city life.”

The college said the upward trend is driven by factors such as a high youth unemployment rate, growing awareness of the value of starting post-secondary studies in college and rising interest in retraining to adapt to technological change.

International enrolment

While domestic student enrolment is on the rise, international student enrolment has dropped sharply.

Selkirk said the decline is due to recent changes made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which include a reduction in international study permits and new restrictions on post-graduate work permit eligibility.

At Selkirk College, the changes have resulted in a 32 per cent drop in new international full-time equivalents, or FTEs, and roughly 190 fewer students enrolled compared with last year.

Programs most affected focus on regional and community needs, such as hospitality and business, as these are no longer eligible for post-graduate work permits.

In response to the loss of tuition revenue, the college has implemented targeted efficiency strategies, including adjustments to spending, hiring and space use, while trying to minimize negative impacts on students.

It’s also suspended intakes for some programs and will close the Victoria Street campus in Nelson at the end of this academic year in an effort to cut costs.

“People know if they choose Selkirk College, they’ve chosen well,” said Albano.

“Over 90 per cent of our students told us in last year’s engagement survey that they would choose us again if they were starting over.”

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The Quw’utsun Nation says recent comments about their land title case from Premier David Eby, Richmond’s mayor and other politicians are “at best, misleading, and at worst, deliberately inflammatory.”

The nation said in a statement Monday the August decision by the B.C. Supreme Court ruling does erase private property.

British Columbia’s Attorney General Niki Sharma has said the province will appeal the ruling, which found the Cowichan Tribes have Aboriginal title to the lands at their former village site in Richmond and the right to fish the south arm of the Fraser River.

The court declared that most of Canada’s and Richmond’s fee simple titles in the area are invalid, but allowed the parties 18 months to negotiate a resolution.

Sharma said the ruling could have unintended consequences for fee simple property rights in the province. Premier David Eby reiterated those concerns on Monday.

“[The ruling] has created significant uncertainty, it has direct harms for our provincial economy and for homeowners to even understand what the state of their ownership right is. It needs to be clarified as quickly as possible,” said Eby.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie wrote a letter to certain property owners in the city earlier this month, warning that their property’s title could be affected by the Court’s decision.

B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad has called on Ottawa to submit a reference question to the Supreme Court of Canada, which would allow the top court to issue non-binding advice on the case. Rustad also said all negotiations between the province and First Nations should halt until the Supreme Court has provided clarity.

“Richmond and British Columbia’s negative and erroneous messaging is provoking unnecessary fears. Their approach is inconsistent with the Court’s decision and is contrary to reconciliation,” said the Quw’utsun Nation.

“We intentionally did not bring this case against any individual private landowners, and we did not seek to invalidate any of their land titles.” said Quw’utsun Nation Chief Cindy Daniels of the Cowichan Tribes. “The decision makes it clear that it is B.C.’s obligation to advance reconciliation in these circumstances.”

The nation said individual private titleholders who are concerned about the ruling impacting their property rights should take it up with the province, instead of getting involved in the nation’s case.

“We welcome and anticipate supporting individual landowners making any respectful claims they may have against British Columbia,” said Quw’utsun Nation Chief Pam Jack of Penelakut Tribe.

Meanwhile, three Richmond-area B.C. Conservative MLAs said in a joint statement on Monday the B.C. government’s approach has created “fear and confusion.”

“People deserve confidence that their property, their savings, and their futures are secure,” said Richmond-Bridgeport MLA Teresa Wat.

Hon Chan, MLA for Richmond-Centre, expressed concern about the future of an industrial park that sits on the site. “Hundreds of people work there every day, and the uncertainty created by this ruling cannot last for years while appeals move through the courts.”  Chan echoed Rustad’s call to refer the decision to Canada’s top court.

Richmond-Queenborough MLA Steve Kooner said the uncertainty is affecting more than just homeowners. “It puts jobs, investments, and entire communities at risk. When confidence in property rights is shaken, everything else follows: from housing to industry to the economy itself.”

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Affordable housing complexes across the Columbia Basin are set to receive upgrades aimed at improving comfort, accessibility and emergency preparedness, through nearly $3.3 million in new funding from Columbia Basin Trust.

The investment will support non-profit housing providers and community organizations in 17 communities, financing projects that range from installing backup power systems to adding outdoor recreation areas and new furnishings for shared spaces.

“When we’re at home, we all want to feel comfortable and secure,” said Ulli Mueller, senior manager, delivery of benefits, Columbia Basin Trust. “These projects will help people feel supported and connected in their homes and communities, while backup power systems will bring peace of mind by keeping essential services running during outages.”

The Trust said upgrades will include accessible appliances, new furniture, gazebos, barbecues and patio seating, as well as equipment to promote physical activity and social gatherings. In some communities, the funding will also help prepare buildings to remain functional during power outages.

In Fernie, Tom Uphill Manor — operated by the Fernie Family Housing Society — will purchase outdoor exercise equipment for its 27-unit independent living facility serving seniors and people with disabilities.

“The new outdoor equipment will provide many benefits, like better balance, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness, which can reduce the risk of falls,” said Sheila Sherburne, general manager of the Fernie Family Housing Society. “It will also support residents’ mental and social well-being by reducing stress and anxiety, combating loneliness and providing opportunities for community involvement.”

In Salmo, the Salmo Senior Citizens Housing Society plans to install a 150-kilowatt backup generator at Salmo Seniors Villa, ensuring power remains available to all 24 suites during an outage.

“This new generator is a real benefit for us,” said Bonnie Cassar, chair of the housing society. “It’s quite amazing that it will power all 24 units, as we had thought we would only be able to back up our meeting room in case of an emergency. This is so much better for our residents who have mobility issues — they can remain safely in their apartments.”

In Creston, the Creston Trinity Housing Society will use a livability grant to improve accessibility at Catalpa Apartments, a 19-unit complex for people 55 and older.

“Many of the residents living at Catalpa Apartments are mobility challenged,” said James Gates, operations manager for the Creston Valley Non-Profit Housing Collective. “The front-load washer and dryer purchased through this grant will provide them with easier access for their laundry needs.”

Columbia Basin Trust said the projects are part of its ongoing work to improve housing quality and community resilience across the region.

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The Cariboo Regional District Board approved submitting a couple of grant applications to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).

One was for the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program for up to $800,000.

CRD Manager of Communications, Kat Chatten said they already have a FireSmart Coordinator and he is funded through his position.

“So that means every year we (CRD) put forth another application and we put all of our initiatives into one ask. That would be your FireSmart Coordinator Position, the FireSmart Public Events and Education that we do, Residential and Critical Structure Assessments, Mitigation Assessments, and then a Firesmart Neighbourhood Program.”

Chatten said all of those things together make up making all the communities in the CRD FireSmart.

“We were successful in getting this funding last year. With it we had a FireSmart Coordinator, FireSmart Public Events, we did upwards of 80 Fire Assessments, that’s when someone comes out to your property, surveys everything and gives you a really great checklist of how you can make your property more FireSmart. So if we’re successful with this grant funding again, it will be the same but a little bigger and building off what we learned to make it an even better program.”

The Cariboo Regional District is also applying for up to $30,000 per Volunteer Fire Department through the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

“We have 14 Volunteer Fire Departments that are under the Cariboo Regional District.” Chatten said, “What we’re asking for is critical fire fighting equipment, turnout gear, helmets, boots, wild land gear, Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses when they’re exposed to smoke, as well as pumps and hoses.”

Chatten said a couple of the departments are going for “Live Fire Training Props” so they get hands on training.

“This is he third year we have applied for this funding. We were successful in 2023 and 2024 in the intakes so we’ve already received this investment for our Fire Departments so as long as they keep offering this funding we’re going to keep trying to get it.”

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Talk about a barn burner.

The word quit wasn’t in the vocabulary of the Northern Capitals who rolled a lucky seven and bested a long-standing rival on Sunday.

A pair of goals each from Paxton Fraser and Sofie Passeri anchored the Capitals to a thrilling 7-5 victory over the Fraser Valley Rush in Kin 2.

Both teams were fit to be tied after the opening twenty minutes ending matters at a 2-2 score.

Madelyn Dominato opened the scoring for the Rush at 4:25 of the first period as her point shot floated underneath the cross bar beating Caps goalie Kenzie Bragg for a 1-0 lead.

Fraser evened the score two minutes later as she was sprung on a breakaway by Khya Swanson going short side on Fraser Valley goalie Brooklyn Fernie.

Passeri made it 2-1 Capitals off a broken play trickled into the Fraser Valley slot. The Williams product fired a blast into the open cage.

Ava McGinley put the visitors back on even terms 42 seconds later accepting a Dylann Nelson feed, which beat Bragg.

Much like the first, the middle period kept up to its track meet feel.

Gabrieal Verbain made it 3-2 Rush as McGinley played the role of playmaker this time.

Then, a botched 3-on-2 odd-man chance by Fraser Valley thanks to a desperation poke check by Caps defender Grace Porter, led to a jail break 2-on-oh.

Lucy Lafontaine rushed up the ice on a breakaway and passed across to Passeri who an open shooting late and rippled the mesh past Fernie.

Later in the frame, special teams proved to be a big key as a parade to the penalty box ensued with the Capitals taking four straight penalties.

Kaylyn Halwas made the hosts pay, beating Bragg short side to put Fraser Valley back on top at 4-3.

However, no lead was safe in this matinee as Fraser notched a man-advantage marker of her own, courtesy of a Johana Ketter pass.

The firewagon hockey started off with bang in the third as the red seas parted for Halwas who bull rushed her way to a breakaway chance as she made no mistake on.

The turning point in the game was a cross-checking penalty to Fraser Valley’s Sophie Wilkins.

On the power-play, the Capitals broke down the Rush box as a cross-ice feed from Neen Suapa found Porter who snuck through the back door for a 5-5 tie.

Paige Umbach drove to the net on another power-play, locating a loose puck off a Porter point shot to put the hosts in the driver’s seat.

Ketter added the empty netter to seal the win.

On Saturday, the Rush got the better of the Capitals skating to a 3-0 win on Pink In the Rink Night.

The Capitals improve to 4-5-1 while the Rush drop to 8-5-0-0.

Next action for the Capitals is a weekend set for the Vancouver Island Seals (1-8-0) Saturday (5pm) and Sunday (8am) in Colwood.

In U18 men’s action, the Cariboo Cougars flexed their offensive muscles with a pair of dominant wins against the last-place Greater Vancouver Canadians.

The AAA Cougars pounced to a 12-0 victory on Saturday and romped to a 19-0 shutout on Sunday.

In Sunday’s game Prince George Cougars prospect Jaxon Larmand was credited with six goals while Riley Lettington notched a hat-trick.

Ty Maloney also lit the lamp twice.

Saturday saw Blake Lambe and Lettington score twice while Easton Goulet came through with the hat-trick.

Cariboo (6-3-1) sits third in the eight-team league and heads to Vernon this weekend to play in the RINK Academy tournament.

In U17 action, the Cariboo Cougars earned a road split against the Vancouver Northwest Hawks.

On Saturday, the Hawks got by with a 3-1 victory handing the Cats their first regulation loss of the season.

Charles Payne, William Morantz and Charles Payne scored for the Hawks while Brett DeGans replied for Cariboo.

The Sunday matinee saw the Cougars rebound with a gutsy 2-1 win.

Nigel Nitschke and Brody Bustard drove the bus offensively for Cariboo who is now 9-1-1 – second place in the nine-team league trailing the Thompson Blazers (10-3-1).

The U17’s are hosting the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds Saturday (6:30pm) and Sunday (9am) at Kin 1.

Lastly, the U15 Cariboo Cougars earned a split at home with the Vancouver Northeast Chiefs.

A 4-3 shootout win on Saturday was followed up by a 7-3 defeat on Sunday in Kin 1.

Warner Callendar scored three times including the shootout winner in the weekend opener while Cougars goaltender Jayden Avery was named the first star.

Vancouver NE jumped out to a 4-0 lead Sunday morning and never looked back against the sleepy Cougars.

Jake Pozzobon and Carson Stirling scored twice each for the Chiefs while Ryland Lemp also lit the lamp on two occasions in defeat for the Cougars.

Cariboo drops to (6-4-0) and travels to Chilliwack to play the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (8-1-0) Saturday and Sunday.

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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, October 28th, 2025  

BCHL: 

The (6-5) Prince George Spruce Kings host the (6-3-2) Salmon Arm Silverbacks Saturday night at 6:00 and the (6-7) Langley Rivermen Sunday afternoon at 3:00 to begin a 4-game homestand.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

NHL: (2 Monday games)

Ottawa  7  Boston  2

Pittsburgh  6  St. Louis  3

The (5-5) Vancouver Canucks host the (3-5-2) New York Rangers tonight at 7:00.

It is one of 16 Tuesday games in the NHL as all 32 teams are in action.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

NFL: (Final game in Week 8)

Kansas City  28  Washington  7

The Baltimore Ravens expect quarterback Lamar Jackson to return to their lineup and start Thursday’s game at Miami.

Jackson has missed three games with a right hamstring injury.

The NFL schedule and results can be found here.

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Businessman and author Tom Lymbery, whose family has been synonymous with Gray Creek for more than a century, has died at 97.

Lymbery’s death was announced on Facebook by the Gray Creek Store, the business his father Arthur established in 1913 that Tom nurtured and expanded into a destination unto itself.

“Tom lived a full life devoted to serving his community, with a deep love of writing, reading and history,” the post said, adding that he died on Saturday.

Outside of the last few years, when he lived in Nelson, and time spent at a boarding school in Vancouver as a teenager, Lymbery spent his entire life in Gray Creek.

He published a two-volume autobiography, Tom’s Gray Creek: A Kootenay Lake Memoir, which chronicled his life and the life of the East Shore. He also wrote prolifically for the Mainstreet, a monthly newspaper to which he contributed a historical feature each issue as well as Tom Sez, a column of short musings. Lymbery further served on the local Chamber of Commerce and was always deeply involved in the community.

The store that remains in the family after 112 years began through happenstance. Arthur Lymbery came from England intending to grow fruit and bought land at what was then a remote community on Kootenay Lake. Because he lived next to the beach where the sternwheeler dropped off supplies three days per week, the community asked him to open a store. Lymbery agreed.

Gray Creek remained an idyll but somewhat sleepy community until 1931, when it was named the eastern terminus of the Kootenay Lake ferry. Suddenly, traffic was passing through daily, creating new business opportunities.

To the store, Arthur added a post office, gas pump, and auto camp. Tom began working in the store at age 12 and eventually returned home from school to take it over.

“I could have gone to university, if there had been some of today’s benefits and scholarships,” he recalled in a 2012 interview. “You had to have a plus-95 to get any sort of scholarship in those days. So I didn’t think too much of going into that. I liked it here in Gray Creek. There was always lots to do.”

Traffic patterns changed again. In 1947, the ferry terminal moved to Kootenay Bay, and in 1963, the opening of the Kootenay Pass meant it was no longer necessary for motorists travelling through the area to pass through Gray Creek. But Lymbery ensured the store remained viable.

He expanded the store’s offerings from simple groceries to woodstoves and chainsaws. A much larger store opened in 1979. (The old building still stands near the current one.) An upper floor included clothing and hardware, while one corner was always well-stocked with Kootenay and BC-related books, reflecting Lymbery’s reading habits.

Lymbery also had a knack for marketing. The Gray Creek Store claimed, with justification, to be the “Woodstove and Fireplace Capital of the Kootenays” and “The Most Interesting Store You’ve Ever Seen. The store also used the tag “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.”

For Lymbery, a well-stocked store was a point of pride. “People go to Vancouver and come back say gee, we had to go to several stores to find what we bought at yours,” he said. The only item the store never stocked was liquor.

Lymbery’s clever slogans extended to the community at large. He came up with the nickname “Best Shore,” and used a chainsaw to create Gray Creek’s welcome signs, which declared Gray Creek a metric-free zone, inspired in part by confusion between imperial and metric measurements that caused grief during construction of the new store.

The signs also declared Gray Creek to be home of the gold boulder, a mythical lost treasure. In the 1960s, Lymbery got to know a couple of men who were determined to find it, to no avail.

Lymbery became interested in local history from listening to his father’s stories, and was a fount of knowledge, able to recall people and events associated with the East Shore with remarkable precision.

Lymbery had been president of the Gray Creek Historical Society since it was founded in 2003 and his family’s artifacts helped fill exhibits for an annual museum days held at the local community hall. He also served as vice-president of the BC Historical Federation.

While Lymbery gradually scaled back his involvement at the store, he never really retired. “I go down there and do a bit everyday,” he said in 2012. “I’m not necessarily on the sales floor anymore, but I check to see what’s happening.”

Lymbery is survived by his wife Sharon, whom he married in 1963, and two children.

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Welcome to Hartley’s Cat Scan!

This is a weekly podcast featuring the ‘who’s who’ of the Prince George Cougars.

Hartley’s guests this week are Cougars defenceman Carson Carels and Bauer Dumanski.

During the episode, both discussed several topics including:

• On living together
• Growing up in the Prairies
• Playing for Jim Playfair and Mark Lamb
• Becoming Cougars; Bauer on blocking shots
• Carels on dealing with first-round NHL Draft projection
• Carels on being targeted by NCAA schools

You can also find this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

LISTEN:

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The Sunshine Coast Regional District is pleased to see construction of a new community hall for Halfmoon Bay is moving ahead on schedule.

A statement from the regional district says wall framing is complete and the roof is up, now focus will turn to electrical and plumbing.

The new hall is located at Connor Park, and park visitors may notice changes to parking options while work is ongoing.

The project broke ground in April and is on track to be completed by summer, 2026.

The SCRD says the project is getting significant funding via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

See more information from the SCRD here.

– Article includes images and information supplied by Sunshine Coast Regional District

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A new 148-space child-care centre built on the grounds of Eileen Madson Primary School in Invermere is officially complete.

The $8.6-million project, which broke ground in May 2023, was developed through a partnership between the Rocky Mountain School District and the province.

The new centre includes 24 spaces for infants and toddlers, 100 spaces for children aged 30 months to school age, and 24 spaces for school-aged children.

“The opening of the Rocky Mountain child care facility in Invermere is a proud moment for our district and community,” said Amber Byklum, chair of the Rocky Mountain School District board of education, in a news release.

“Not only will the space provide safe and accessible child care, it will also lay the foundation for lifelong learning. Early childhood education is a critical stepping stone in a child’s development, and this facility will help ensure that our youngest learners are supported from the very start.”

Once the new facility opens, the province said families will also benefit from affordable fees through the provincial fee reduction program, which cuts the cost of child care by as much as $900 per child per month.

Funding for the project came from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, which is jointly supported by the federal and provincial governments.

Want to get your business noticed? Have you considered advertising through your local radio station? Speak to one of our sales agents and find out how radio advertising can boost your business today. Call 250-464-4100 or email Vista Radio.

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Public service workers with the the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU) are back on the job Monday after the union and the province reached a tentative agreement over the weekend. 

The agreement ends the two-month-long strike that saw around 25,000 public service workers walk off the job at government ministries, liquor distribution warehouses and dozens of other sites.

Premier David Eby acknowledged the strike has been “challenging” for the workers and for sectors like the restaurant industry. He declined to comment further while members are voting on ratifying the agreement, but said he was grateful to those who were at the negotiating table.

The BCGEU said its 34,000 members with the public service will vote on the tentative agreement in the coming days.

The deal includes a general wage increase of three per cent each year for four years, retroactive to April 1 of this year, along with other targeted pay adjustments for the lowest paid workers in the public service. It would also boost vision care and counselling benefits.

The union said the modernized contract addresses a number of other issues it had been pushing for, like improved access to telework. It said there would also be a category of fully remote workers with unique agreement protections. 

It also said a new process to review union-excluded positions would mean stronger job protections, while a streamlined grievance tribunal process would resolve disputes more quickly.

“I’m very relieved,” said BCGEU President Finch told Vista News Monday.  “Our members are back at work and I think we’ve got a good tentative agreement to recommend to them.”

Asked about concerns that the wage increases could mean lay-offs in the future, Finch noted the agreement includes a memorandum of agreement providing job security for employees with at least three years of tenure. 

The agreement was announced more than a week after mediation talks began between the two sides, with renowned labour mediator Vince Ready and his colleague Amanda Rogers. Finch lauded the pair for keeping discussions productive over long days of talks. 

“The reason we got an agreement was fundamentally the determination of our membership on picket lines and their hard work pushing this forward,” said Finch.

The union initially said that despite ending its strike, members would respect the picket lines maintained by the Professional Employees Association (PEA).

The union representing licensed professionals, from geoscientists to lawyers, launched a concurrent strike with the BCGEU on Sept. 2. But PEA said on Sunday its picket lines would be suspended as it resumes bargaining with the province, allowing BCGEU members to return to work. 

PEA said the province is offering its members the same general wage increases as well as other key proposals that were agreed to by the BCGEU. It said both sides are heading back to the bargaining table to negotiate the remainder of the agreement. 

“Our members have shown incredible resolve,” said Melissa Moroz, Executive Director of the PEA. “By standing together for the value of their work and the services they provide to British Columbians, they have strengthened the collective voice of public service professionals across the province. We are deeply grateful to the unions and allies who joined us on the picket lines and stood in solidarity with our members.”

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A big by Caden Brown sure caught the attention of the WHL office.

The Regina Pats forward Caden Brown is the Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week.

Brown, a 20-year-old product of Prince George, B.C., tallied eight points (5G-3A) and a plus-4 rating in three games, as the Pats went 2-1-0-0 this past week.

He had a four-point (2G-2A) performance in a 6-3 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday, October 22nd.

Brown once again factored into the opening goal of the game for Regina in Friday’s loss to the Red Deer Rebels.

Saturday evening up the highway in Edmonton, Brown got back to business, recording the first hat trick of his WHL career to lead the Pats to a 5-4 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

With 14 points (9G-5A) in 12 games, Brown sits second in scoring on the Pats.

Coming out of the weekend, he is in the midst of a four-game point-scoring streak, having recorded 10 points (6G-4A) since October 18th.

The reigning #WHLPlayeroftheWeek, everyone!@WHLPats pic.twitter.com/FeXSLjRUsj

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) October 27, 2025

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On the eve of a high-profile assault trial involving three members of Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire and Rescue, the Crown has stayed charges against two of the accused.

Richard Morris and Wesley Parsons were expected to be in court Wednesday along with Greg Ferraby, each accused of assaulting a homeless man while off duty.

But according to online court records, the Crown entered a stay of proceedings on Friday in the matter where Parsons and Morris are concerned. Only Ferraby is now expected to stand trial.

Damienne Darby, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Service, said the decision to stay the charges was made after the Crown lawyer handling the matter received “further information,” although Darby didn’t disclose what that information was.

“After reviewing this information and the rest of the file materials the prosecutor concluded the charge approval standard was no longer met,” Darby said.

Crown counsel only proceeds with cases where it believes there is a substantial likelihood of conviction and deems the matter in the public interest.

Ferraby is charged with uttering threats on April 13, 2023 and assault causing bodily harm on April 23, 2023. Police said the alleged attack happened in the 900 block of Spokane Street in Trail. They said the trio knew the 49-year-old victim and they believe it stemmed from a previous incident.

They said the man was punched in the head several times, may have passed out, and suffered a serious shoulder injury.

At the time of the incident, RCMP reported finding a man on the ground in an alley who told them he had been beaten by a man and two accomplices while taking his garbage out to the dumpster in the alley. He was taken to hospital.

All three suspects were arrested and released on a promise to have no contact with the victim.

Regional fire chief Dan Derby said at the time that they were “saddened and disturbed by these charges. Public safety is at the heart of everything we do. The RDKB does not condone this type of conduct on or off duty.”

He described the firefighters as “absent” from the workplace, but did not say when that suspension took effect. It’s not known what effect the Crown’s decision not to proceed with charges against Morris and Parsons will have on their employment. We have asked the fire department.

Ferraby’s trial is scheduled for four days. It will begin Wednesday in Rossland, then take a break until Nov. 3, then take another break and resume Nov. 6-7.

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Campbell River residents now have increased access to life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at two local parks.

The City has installed publicly accessible AEDs at Robron and Willow Point Parks, housed in secure, heated, and alarmed outdoor cabinets to ensure readiness in all seasons.

According to a social media post from the city, the initiative follows a recent medical emergency at the Rotary Community Field House, where quick access to an AED contributed to saving a life.

City staff say the additions strengthen Campbell River’s preparedness for cardiac emergencies.

– Article includes image supplied by City of Campbell River’s Facebook page

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Sparwood’s fall open house takes place on Tuesday and will showcase a number of programs and initiatives going on in the community.

One of the topics will be an update on the FoodCycler pilot program.

The program will offer countertop composters to residents at a subsidized rate.

Mayor David Wilks said they would help cut down on wildlife attractants.

“The challenge with other forms of reducing food waste for Sparwood is trying to hold onto that for a week before collection,” said Wilks.

“At some point in time, it will start to smell and we have wild animal issues as well if you try to store that outside.”

There will also be an update on what council got up to at the UBCM convention back in September.

Curbside recycling, the district’s new FireSmart program, river access and youth programming will also be discussed among others.

The meeting is open to all residents.

It runs from 6-8 p.m. at council chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

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Smithers RCMP are reminding residents to keep safety top of mind this Halloween.

“Halloween is an exciting night, but also one where we see more children and families out after dark,” said Sergeant Ryan Law.

When trick or treating, Mounties recommended to:

• Bring a flashlight
• Walk instead of run
• Avoid cutting across lawns or taking short-cuts
• Only visit well-lit homes
• Never enter homes or vehicles
• Walk in groups and stay together
• Have a parent approve candy before consumption

Police also ask drivers to slow down in residential areas, watch for children, avoid distracted driving, be patient, and plan ahead for a safe ride home if partying.

Officers add anyone who sees anything should report it to the Smithers detachment and call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

“By planning ahead, staying alert, and looking out for one another, we can make sure Halloween is a safe for our community,” said Constable Jocelyn Foidart.

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A former Creston high school teacher who pleaded guilty to two sex offences is expected to be sentenced on Dec. 15.

Kianuko (Ki) Louie, who used to teach at Kootenay River Secondary, admitted to sexual exploitation and internet luring in May.

He originally faced six charges after an RCMP investigation into alleged incidents involving two students during the 2022-23 school year.

Other charges filed in September 2023 were sexual assault, possession of child pornography, extortion and criminal harassment, but those have since been set aside.

Louie played a large role in getting the name of the school changed from Prince Charles Secondary. He also spearheaded the raising of the Yaqan Nukiy flag at the school in 2019.

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Residents near Donnay Drive have until the end of the month to share their views on a proposed land purchase by the Municipality of North Cowichan. 

The municipality plans to spend about $1.16 million to buy two parcels of forested land totaling 3.66 hectares, currently owned by the Vancouver Island Providence Community Association. 

A delegation appeared before council in March urging the protection of the green space. 

“The community has expressed a strong interest in preserving the green space,” the municipality said. 

If approved, the acquisition would be funded through a local area service, meaning only residents within the designated boundary would pay.  

Mayor Rob Douglas says there will be an increase of $130 dollars in property taxes to the homes in the area, which can be either paid in full or spread over the course of 20 years. 

Property owners in the affected area have until 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 to submit a petition in opposition.  

If at least half of property owners, representing half the assessed value of the area, sign the petition, the purchase will not go ahead. 

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The Friends of the Smithers Public Library’s annual Book Sale raised $7,600 on Friday and Saturday.

Old books from the library along with ones donated to the event are put on sale by donation.

“It’s become a popular event that people look forward to every fall,” said Chair Robi McKnight.

She added hundreds of people attended this year which was partly attributed to favourable weather.

“We know now of days, books are very expensive so they feel like they get a good deal but we get a good deal too because all of that money goes back into the library.”

McKnight said the funds are used to help purchase new books for the library and enhancing its programs.

One example was when the library was able to purchase laptops for people who take exams at the library.

Along with having a positive turn out, she said the final donation count was about $400 more than last year.

“Obviously, not all the books sell and for years, we have had a problem with disposing these books because there is no way to recycle books in B.C.,” said McKnight.

“The Men’s Shed is taking some of the leftover books, cutting off the outside covers, and recycling the pages.”

She added while it isn’t a perfect solution, it was better than having the entire book thrown out.

Next year, McKnight is hoping to have more tables at the event so more books can be on display.

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The qathet Regional District (qRD) is being recognized for leadership in occupational health and safety practices. 

The qRD and Northside Volunteer Fire Department were presented with two awards by the B.C. Municipal Safety Association on October 7. 

Northside Volunteer Fire Department received the 2025 Innovative Safety Solution Award, while the qRD received the 2025 Organizational Safety Excellence Award. 

Northside Volunteer Fire Chief Jim Brown said they are committed to keeping their first responders safe. 

“Our volunteer firefighters are committed to training and building their experience so they are prepared to jump into action to save lives and property in the event of a medical or fire emergency.”

Northside Volunteer Fire Department built a live fire three-story training facility which features three propane-fueled props. 

The furthest prop weighs over 100 lbs. and is approximately 90 feet from the storage shed, requiring two firefighters to lift and move it over sloped, gravel training grounds which identified the igniter as an ergonomic hazard. 

Members of the department built a custom mobile cart to help maneuver the props around and reduce the risk of injury while doing so. 

Meanwhile, the qRD received the 2025 Organizational Safety Excellence Award for improving their experience rating and reducing injuries, illnesses, diseases, and fatalities. 

The qRD improved their experience rating by 19.3 percentage points in the last four years.

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North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are investigating after a black Chevrolet Traverse crashed through the emergency entrance of Cowichan District Hospital last weekend. 

The incident occurred at 7:40 p.m. on Oct. 25, when a 42-year-old woman was apprehended under the Mental Health Act, police said. 

Paramedics attempted to tend to the driver, but she suddenly became violent. 

“The 42-year-old woman allegedly assaulted one of the paramedics, causing minor injuries,” police said. “The woman was then subdued by hospital staff and was apprehended.” 

No other injuries were reported. 

Anyone with further information is asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP non-emergency line at 250-748-5522. 

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