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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, October 14th, 2025  (As of 12:05 a.m.)

PG Cougars Cat Scan podcast:

CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller sits down with Leland Mack the @PGCougars Director of Scouting in this week’s episode | https://t.co/NcZmh83JLG #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/ZVbZNNqRYW

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) October 7, 2025

NHL: (10 Monday games with 4 Canadian teams in action)

St. Louis  at  Vancouver

The game summary is here.

The Canucks start a 5-game road trip Thursday night (5:00 PT) in Dallas.

Winnipeg  5  NY Islanders  2
Detroit  3  Toronto  2
Nashville  4  Ottawa  1

There are 8 Tuesday games in the NHL with half of them involving Canadian teams; Vegas at Calgary, Edmonton at NY Rangers, Seattle at Montreal and Nashville at Toronto.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

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Prince George recorded its coldest temperature for October 13th this morning (Monday) according to Environment Canada.

“Prince George Airport registered a low temperature of minus 9.5, which broke the record of minus 7.0, set in 1993,” said Environment Canada Meteorologist Gary Dickinson.

Dickinson said the Prince George area is still under a ridge of high pressure, but temperatures will be slightly warmer.

“For early in the week, we’re looking at a low temperature tonight of minus six, and for Tuesday, a low temperatures of minus five,” he said.

“It does remain chilly, not as chilly as last night, but we’re still looking at temperatures well below seasonal, normally for this time of year we expect a low of zero.”

However, Dickinson said he doesn’t expect any more records to fall this week.

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The BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) says two hikers in the McGregor Mountain area north east of Prince George yesterday. (Sunday)

According to the service, COS PAT Specialists are investigating.

In an abundance of caution, they are recommending hiking in the Pass Lake area be cancelled for the immediate future.

Trails in the area will be closed until investigations are concluded.

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The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George says the ice making process will start at a couple of rural rinks this week.

At the start of this month, the Regional District announced ice-making would be indefinitely suspended at the Robson Valley Recreation Centre in McBride and the Canoe Valley Recreation Centre in Valemount.

This was due to uncertainty from potential job action by CUPE 1699.

According to the Regional District, the ice making process takes about 12 days.

However, they say even if the ice-making process can be completed, it does not guarantee the ice surfaces will be available for continuous public use, as they do not have the exempt staff (non-union and/or management) required to safely maintain it for residents’ daily use.

As ice-making progresses, the Regional District will continue to share updates.

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Mounties in Houston and Smithers are turning to the public for help in finding 24-year-old Telkwa resident, Daniel Piel.

According to police, he is wanted on an outstanding unendorsed warrant with charges, including:

• Improper storage of a firearm
• Unlawfully discharging of a firearm
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm

Police say he is believed to be in the Smithers area.

He is described as:

• Caucasian male
• 5′ 10″ or 178 cm
• 150 lb or 68 kg
• Blonde hair
• Green eyes

Anyone with information on Piel’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Smithers RCMP.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 a.m., Monday, October 13th

WHL:

Tri-City Americans  4  Prince George Cougars  3

Kooper Gizowski, Carson Carels and Bauer Dumanski eache scored for the Cougars in the loss.

Josh Ravensbergen got the start in net, making 21 saves.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (5-2) are currently sitting second in the BC Division.

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars are on the road for their next two games, starting with a Friday tilt against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

MLB Post-season; Championship Series:

Seattle Mariners  3  Toronto Blue Jays  1 (SEA leads 1-0)

George Springer homered on Bryce Miller’s first pitch of the night, but the Seattle pitcher only allowed one more hit throughout the game.

Kevin Gausman pitched 5.2 innings, before being pulled after a Cal Raleigh home run and walking the next batter.

Game two will be played this afternoon.

The NLCS between the LA Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will begin this evening as well. (5:08 p.m.)

NHL:

One Sunday game:

Washington Capitals  1  New York Rangers  0

The first full week of the season starts with several star-studded matinees during Canadian Thanksgiving, including the opener of a Prime Monday Night Hockey doubleheader on Prime Video Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) and a #StadiumSeries preview. pic.twitter.com/1llayLoJHL

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 13, 2025

NFL:

Denver  13  NY Jets  11

Indianapolis  31  Arizona  27

New England  25  New Orleans  19

LA Rams  17  Baltimore  3

Pittsburgh  23  Cleveland  9

Seattle  20  Jacksonville  12

LA Chargers  29  Miami  27

Carolina  30  Dallas  27

Las Vegas  20  Tennessee  10

Tampa Bay  30  San Francisco  19

Green Bay  27  Cincinnati  18 

Kansas City  30  Detroit  17

CFL: 

One Monday game:

Ottawa Redblacks @ Montreal Alouettes (10:00 a.m.)

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Sylvia Weir was announced last week as the new president and CEO of Interior Health. She had been doing the job on an interim basis since Susan Brown stepped down in June. She was previously the organization’s chief financial officer. Vista Radio spoke with her on Thursday.

Congratulations on your appointment. I guess it’s not really a surprise, but did you have any doubt about putting your name forward? 

No, I did not. I have had a lot of experience. I’ve been with Interior Health for more than 20 years and have seen how staff work, how the physicians are so dedicated to their work, and I wanted to be part of that and wanted to help support us moving forward together. 

Tell us a little bit more about yourself. You were the past CFO and that you’ve got 25 years in healthcare management. Where was that and in what sort of roles? 

I was part of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom at the beginning of my career as a manager of some of the clinical wards. When I moved to Canada, I sought to be part of the healthcare system here. I did some contract work with Indigenous communities and with hard-to-reach communities in the North Okanagan, and then joined the Interior Health team when it formed in 2001. I began in a contract management capacity, so partnering with our nonprofit and private clinical service providers. Since then I have moved through different roles within finance and partnership development until my last role as a CFO which I was in for five years. 

What are going to be your biggest challenges or priorities? 

Like every other province in Canada and every health system around the world, I think we are challenged with staffing. We have a whole generation of physicians and nursing and other specialist staff coming through that have their own wants and needs and we have a demand that outstrips our supply.

What we also have, though, is an incredible level of dedication. I am so impressed and privileged to work alongside people — and I watched them through the COVID pandemic — who continue to show up every day and continue to serve despite whatever challenges there are, whether it’s sickness on their unit or distress of patients. The people that work in healthcare that serve the public, it’s a fantastic group to be part of. So from my perspective, there are many more opportunities than challenges. 

How do you tackle recruitment? It’s not a new problem, but is there anything more to be done or what is the Interior Health strategy? 

We have different strategies depending on the professions that we’re trying to attract. We have, along with ministry support, been able to provide incentives for people who are willing to work in rural areas, for example, where we have staffing challenges. But we’ve also been doing a little bit more organic work with post-secondary [students] and also with high school students, just trying to explain and encourage interest in working in the healthcare system.

The healthcare system is really wide and really deep. I think perhaps there’s a whole generation of kids that just think about nurses and doctors, but there are so many different careers at so many different levels. So we’ve done more with the education sector over the past few years.

Then in terms of medical staff, a couple of things we’ve done have begun to bear fruit. One is around embracing the different professions that are coming through. Now have the opportunity for nurses to train up as nurse practitioners. We have physician assistants who don’t go through the same level of training, but are a very important part of the team that we didn’t have previously. We are supporting midwives and midwifery training.

So we are embracing the new or newer models of profession coming through the system. Secondly, in terms of medical staff, we have a whole team to support recruitment. There’s an awful lot of steps to jump through whenever you are looking to recruit physicians. There are the first connections and visits. There’s paperwork. There’s issues to deal with the college [of physicians]. So we have put in dedicated supports who understand the specialty we are trying to recruit to and that are very targeted in their recruitment. That’s where we are seeing some success. 

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just that I’m really excited to be in this role and I really look forward to working with the communities and the leaders of those communities so that we create solutions and systems that work for the people that we serve. 

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A sloppy serving of turnovers led to a pair of points being gift-wrapped to the second last-place team in the WHL’s western conference.

The Tri-City Americans made sure to say thanks stuffing it to the Prince George Cougars skating away with 4-3 road victory on Sunday in front of 5,153 fans at CN Centre. 

Jakub Vanecek’s shot with 1:05 remaining in the third period beat a screened Josh Ravensbergen, earning a split on the road for the Ams (2-5-0-0). 

Kooper Gizowski made it 1-0 PG on a wicked one-timer that beat Ams goalie Xavier Wendt, the Cougars found themselves skating in cranberry sauce as they were out shot 13-4 in the opening 20 minutes. 

A give away outside the PG zone was pounced on by Tri-City forward Gavin Garland who performed some puck wizardry before dishing off to Crew Martinson who made no mistake to even the score. 

Ismail Abougouche (Tri-City) and Jack Finnegan (PG) had a running beef with each other, which culminated in a spirited fight, which led to a game misconduct for both players who made sure to ham it up with the crowd before exiting the stage.  

David Krcal’s made it 2-1 Americans at 1:43 of the second period on a severe case of turkey legs that plagued the Cats.

A feed from Savin Virk found a hole in the defensive zone coverage allowing the 18-year-old forward to re-direct the puck over the shoulder of Ravensbergen. 

Following a missed chance on an odd-man rush, the Americans caught the Cougars with numbers in transition as Cruz Pavao capped off a slick feed from Virk to make it 3-1 for the visitors. 

Carson Carels woke the Cougars up from their meat-induced coma by jamming home a rebound past Wendt to pull the hosts within one.  

Townes Kozicky collected his first WHL point on the play with the primary assist thanks to his hot shot at the visitor’s goal.

However, Kozicky exited the game early in the third after colliding hard into the boards after losing his balance. 

Bauer Dumanski tied it at 3-3 after his hard point blast grazed the inside of the post beating Wendt. 

PG out shot Tri-City 30-25 while going 1-for-2on the power-play. The Americans failed to convert on their lone opportunity.  

Wendt, who is slowly taking over the Americans crease, is now 2-2 on the season while Ryan Grout is 0-3 with a 6.45 goals against average and a .865 save percentage.

Grout was pried away from the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks in December of 2024.  

Wendt, who is from Minnesota, spent the last three years with vaunted Shattock St. Mary’s prep program. 

Virk and Vanecek took the game’s second and third stars while Carels was star one thanks to his three-point effort. 

Next action for the Cougars is a mini two-game American road swing through Seattle (3-4-0-0) and Tri-City Friday and Saturday.  

PG’s next home game is October 22nd against Medicine Hat.  

Prior to the game, the Cougars recognized several first responders as part of Community Heroes Weekend.  

In addition, a mega 50-50 jackpot was awarded with the winner taking home half of the $89,000 

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Midway residents are invited to FortisBC’s open house this month to learn about its public safety power shutoff policy and provide feedback.

The utility said it is looking to better understand local infrastructure needs before deciding whether to cut electricity during high wildfire risk events.

An open house is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Midway Social Centre, 541 Seventh Ave., from 3 to 6 p.m. Company representatives will be available throughout to answer questions.

FortisBC previously held open houses in Greenwood, Keremeos and Princeton in June 2025.

More information about the policy and FortisBC’s wildfire safety plans is available at fortisbc.com/psps.

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Provincial approval has been granted to the Municipality of North Cowichan to go ahead with aeration trials to help improve the quality of the water in Quamichan Lake.  

The trial includes three enclosures, approximately eight metres in diameter.  

One of the three enclosures will be only aeration; the second will be combined with metal amendments, and the third will be left alone to see how the water was at the start.  

Mayor Rob Douglas says this is being done to determine which method will be used if the trials are successful. 

“We’ll compare them and determine the effectiveness,” he says.  

The trials are expected to begin this winter and should provide a scope into how to move forward by cleaning up the body of water. 

“We’re hoping to have the results by next spring or summer,” Douglas says. “If the trial is a success, we hope to plan these efforts across Quamichan Lake.” 

Council agreed to recommendations to get support from the CVRD during the committee of the whole meeting. 

Douglas says asking for funding assistance from the regional district makes sense because of the significance of Quamichan Lake plays. 

 “It’s part of the larger Cowichan watershed, and of significant importance to First Nations,” he says. “It’s also the site of Rowing Canada’s National Training Centre. We’re going to be bringing this forward to the CVRD board in our next budget.” 

According to Douglas, there have been escalating concerns from people using the lake after the discovery of a blue-green algae bloom since 2016. 

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The College of New Caledonia is still on the prowl for poop. Bear poop, that is.

Researchers at the College have been collecting the feces to study the samples, with the main goal of seeing what’s going on with the bears in Prince George, and potentially mitigate conflicts with bears.

“The overall idea of this project is to look at what stressors are impacting urban bears in the City of Prince George,” said Senior Researcher Vanessa Uschenko.

“We’re doing that through fecal analysis, so we’re looking at various hormone indicators in the feces themselves, through that we can look at the sex ratio, so we can determine if they’re male or female, we can look at their metabolites, so how well their body is metabolizing the food that they eat, and we can also look at stress hormones.”

Uschenko said they want to know if urban bears are experiencing more stress than bears in more rural areas. She noted they’re also looking at samples from captive bears at the Calgary Zoo.

The project relies on community participation. In May, the College put out a call for residents to bring bear feces samples to the College, or report them so someone could come gather it.

Uschenko said participation has been strong throughout the project.

“It’s definitely picking up now that the bears are spending more time in town, looking for food,” she explained.

“To date, we have around 53 different locations in the City we’re getting bear scat from, and we have around 105 samples that we’ve collected so far.”

She noted about half of the samples have come from College Heights, with others coming from the Hart, Downtown, and around the Foothills areas.

Uschenko added they’re collecting the samples as long as they’re there.

In terms of analyzing the samples, she said that will be a winter project at the College, with the hope of making a report available in the spring.

“Our hope is to make it a multi-year project, we’re hoping for five years,” she said.

“It depends on funding, community participation, all that kind of stuff.”

PG residents can help by sending a photo of the feces, along with the location to (778)-349-4813, and someone will come collect it.

For residents that want to help and get their hands dirty can collect the poop themselves using a dog poop bag, and drop it off at the designated fridge located by the geodome greenhouse along the stairs by the ATCO trailer at the College’s Prince George campus.

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Prince George is gearing up to host the 2025 Lheidli Classic Indigenous Basketball Tournament next month.

The second edition of the tournament will welcome 14 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams to compete across three schools in Prince George: Cedars Christian School, Prince George Secondary School and Duchess Park Secondary.

“We’re excited to see this tournament grow, and bring together Indigenous communities, athletes, and fans in celebration and sport,” said Tourism Prince George Interim CEO Carmen Herman.

“It’s events like the Lheidli Classic that help tell the story of Prince George, on that honours culture and connection.”

In addition to the basketball tournament, a small Indigenous vendor and creator market will be held throughout the weekend at Cedars Christian School.

The tournament takes place from November 14 to 16.

Last year’s tournament saw 12 men’s teams compete, with the Burnaby Chiefs defeating Similkameen in the final by a score of 141-91.

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The Prince George Cougars thanked the City’s Community Heroes with a 3-2 win over the Tri-City Americans last night. (Saturday)

The Cougars had their biggest crowd of the season so far last night, with 5,789 fans piling into the CN Centre for the first game of Community Heroes Weekend.

“I thought Tri-City kind of settled into the game, they played pretty hard after that, and it was a close game, but we stuck to it, it was a good win for us,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.

Terik Parascak had a strong game for the Cougars, opening the scoring early and scoring the eventual winner in the second.

Terik’s on a tear tonight! He’s got two!@Capitals l @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/FAgh1Szqrm pic.twitter.com/Jo1IIbpiv0

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) October 12, 2025

“I’ve had a few breakaways this year already, and just lucky to get that bounce and put one in the net,” Parascak said on the post-game show.

It was a bit of a bounce back game for Parascak. On Wednesday, the Washington Capitals prospect had an opportunity to put the Kelowna Rockets on ice with an empty net, but elected to pass to a teammate who fumbled the pass, leading to the Rockets scoring a pair of goals in the final minute to claim victory.

“That’s a play that I think everybody wishes we had back, but there’s not much we can do about it now, so just forget about it and move on,” he said.

Only eleven seconds after Parascak opened the scoring, Aiden Foster found the back of the net with a blast from the top of the circle.

Foster finds his target!@TBLightning l @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/QrC4AxcrAW pic.twitter.com/rXePFG8Cdj

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) October 12, 2025

 Alexander Levshyn, the Cougars’ Ukrainian goaltender had a strong game in net, making 25 saves for the win.

“He’s great to be around, and he’s got that energy,” Lamb said.

“He’s perfect for a game like tonight because he does play for 60 minutes, he doesn’t take any time off out there, it’s really nice to see.”

Cruz Pavao and Crew Martinson scored the goals for Tri-City.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (5-1-0-0) are second in the BC Division, one point behind the Penticton Vees. (5-2-0-1)

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars are back in action at the CN Centre this afternoon, as they host the Americans again for part two of Community Heroes Weekend.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Sunday, October 12th

BC Football Conference Playoffs:

Westshore Rebels  45  Prince George Kodiaks 28

The Kodiaks played a strong first half, with the game tied at 14 heading into halftime.

The Rebels came out strong in the second half, putting 31 points on the board while the Kodiaks struggled offensively.

Other game:

Okanagan Sun  43  Vancouver Island Raiders  12

WHL:

Prince George Cougars  3  Tri-City Americans  2

Terik Parascak scored twice while Aiden Foster found the back of the net once.

Alexander Levshyn got the start in net for the Cougars, making 25 saves.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (5-1-0-0) are second in the BC Division, on point behind the Penticton Vees. (5-2-0-1)

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars are back in action at the CN Centre this afternoon, as they host the Americans again for part two of Community Heroes Weekend.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

MLB Postseason:

Milwaukee Brewers  3  Chicago Cubs  1 (MIL wins 3-2)

ALCS:

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners (5:03 p.m.)

NHL:

The first 16-game day of the season was capped off by a 13-goal overtime thriller between the @AnaheimDucks and @SanJoseSharks. #NHLFaceOff#NHLStats: https://t.co/jN1sBWB1on pic.twitter.com/myL2Jmwq6H

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) October 12, 2025

NFL:

We’ve got football ALL DAY LONG. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/2nbcdzCiIx

— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025

CFL:

Calgary Stampeders  37  Hamilton Tiger-Cats  20

Edmonton Elks  25  Winnipeg Blue Bombers  20

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Creston residents are reminded to start preparing for the fall curbside yard and garden waste pickup from Oct. 14 to 17, weather permitting.

Collection will take place on the residents’ regular garbage day. Due to high volumes, crews may not finish all pickups in one day. Residents are asked to leave their yard waste at the curb. If it has not been collected within two days, they should contact the town office.

How to prepare your yard waste:

• Branches and prunings must be no thicker than six inches (15 cm) in diameter and bundled in manageable lengths no longer than three feet (one metre).

• Leaves, twigs, grass clippings and other organic waste must go in rigid, weatherproof containers such as garbage cans or cardboard boxes.

• Paper yard waste bags are accepted.

• Do not use plastic garbage bags — they will not be picked up.

• Keep yard waste separate from household recycling.

Yard waste that does not meet preparation guidelines may not be collected.

A second pickup is planned for November. Dates will be posted on the town’s website and social media.

Only organic material will be collected. Items such as broken tools, patio stones or ornaments will not be picked up.

Landfill option available

The Regional District of Central Kootenay landfill accepts yard waste free of charge in April and October. Branches must be under six inches (15 cm) in diameter.

Large loads — more than 2.5 cubic metres (about the size of a truck box) — may be turned away at the discretion of the site attendant, especially if the load appears commercial or the site is full.

Plastic bags are not accepted at the landfill.

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A Trail woman has been honored as Realtor of the Year for the Kootenay Boundary. Thea Hanson was chosen from among 13 nominees by the BC Real Estate Association.

The award highlights excellence, integrity, and leadership among real estate professionals in the region.

According to a news release, Hanson is known for her “professionalism, deep community roots, and commitment to client care,” and was recognized for “outstanding contributions to both the real estate industry and the broader community.”

“It’s an incredible honour to be recognized among so many talented and dedicated realtors,” Hanson said in the release. “Our region is full of passionate people who care deeply about helping others find home — this award truly reflects the spirit of teamwork and community we have here.”

Beyond her success in real estate, Hanson is a city councillor. She recently joined other municipal leaders at the Union of BC Municipalities conference, where she participated in the housing round table policy discussions.

Her advocacy focused on practical solutions to housing affordability, supply, and community planning — issues at the forefront of local and provincial discussions. “The housing crisis is complex, but collaboration between all levels of government is key,” Hanson said. “I’m proud to help represent our region and push for policies that make housing more accessible for everyone.”

Hanson also recently represented the Kootenay Boundary on a national stage, attending the RE/MAX Canadian convention in Halifax, which brought together over 930 agents from across Canada, highlighting the importance of interprovincial collaboration in a rapidly changing housing market.

“Connecting with agents across the country allows us to share insights, trends, and strategies that benefit our clients right here at home,” Hanson said. “The real estate market is local, but it’s also deeply connected. Understanding what’s happening nationally helps us better serve our buyers and sellers in the Kootenays.”

Hanson has over a decade of experience as a realtor.

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Nelson & District Credit Union (NDCU) is celebrating 75 years of service and community impact in conjunction with International Credit Union Day on Thursday, October 16.

“Nelson & District Credit Union has been an integral part of growth and progress in Nelson, Rossland, the East Shore and everywhere in between for 75 years,” said Tom Murray, CEO of Nelson & District Credit Union.

“In community giving alone, we have given back close to $4.5 million in donations, sponsorships, and scholarships.”

The credit union is inviting members and the community to join them at one of their three branches to celebrate this milestone anniversary and the spirit of cooperation that comes with the credit union movement.

The branch in Nelson, Rossland, and the East Shore will each host a celebration event with refreshments, giveaways, the opportunity to meet NDCU employees and Board Directors, and more.

The events will happen on Thursday, October 16, between 10am and 4pm, and are free and open to everyone.

“The actual anniversary date for Nelson & District Credit Union is on Sunday, November 16, but we thought we’d give it even more bang by combining it with International Credit Union Day, which falls on October 16,” said Murray.

International Credit Union Day is a global celebration to recognize the accomplishments and cooperative spirit of the credit union movement.

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Ducks Unlimited Canada, in collaboration with ʔaq̓am First Nation, the Nature Trust of B.C. and the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, has started construction on the first phase of the Bummers Flats Floodplain and Wetland Restoration Project.

Located about 25 kilometres northeast of Cranbrook, Bummers Flats is a large floodplain on the east side of the Kootenay River. It’s part of a 4,941-acre conservation complex co-managed by Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Trust and the province.

The site was originally engineered in the 1970s and 1980s to maintain stable water levels and increase nesting success for waterfowl. But decades of separating the wetlands from the river’s natural flooding have degraded habitat and reduced biodiversity. The aging infrastructure is also costly to maintain and repair.

“Ducks Unlimited is committed to adaptive management,” the organization said in a release. “We are applying the latest knowledge alongside inclusive engagement and collaboration.”

The project aims to restore natural river connectivity to support a wider range of species. Phase 1 of the five-year effort is scheduled to begin in October 2025 at North Bummers and will restore 167 acres of wetland area. Construction, including earthworks and heavy equipment, is timed to avoid sensitive nesting and breeding periods.

Why it matters

• The project restores river-floodplain connections, improving ecosystem health and resilience.

• It enhances habitat for waterfowl, songbirds, amphibians and ungulates.

• It helps with climate adaptation by increasing water storage and reducing downstream flood risks.

• It reflects collaboration with ʔaq̓am, recognizing that the work takes place next to ʔaq̓am lands and within ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa.

Planning for the project has included archaeological assessments, hydraulic modelling, monitoring and revegetation strategies.

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The Prince George Kodiaks first playoff run has come to an early close following a 45-28 loss to the Westshore Rebels at Starlight Stadium in Westshore.

Kodiaks Quarterback Sawyer Thiessen ran a pair of touchdowns into the endzone himself, including one that tied the game at 14 at the end of the first half.

Rebels Quarterback Gavin Sessions, named a BC Football Conference All-Star yesterday (Friday), threw two touchdowns passes in the first half, one to Jeremiah Beckwith and Tyrell Hoffland.

The Rebels started to pull away in the second half, with Sessions throwing another touchdown pass to Beckwith and Carter Williams rushing three in for Westshore.

The Rebels added a single in the second half as well.

Down late in the fourth, the Kodiaks were injected with some energy when Thiessen found Kayle Cowley for a touchdown.

Thiessen also found Matthew Sturgess in the end zone in the final minute.

The Kodiaks also conceded one safety in the loss.

The Rebels will go onto play the Okanagan Sun, who beat the Vancouver Island Raiders 43-12 in the other first round matchup, in the BC Football Conference Final.

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It wasn’t for a lack of effort.

The Prince George Kodiaks gave the Westshore Rebels all they could handle in their BC Football Conference semi-final on Saturday at Starlight Stadium in Langford, dropping a 45-28 decision.

The Rebels opened the scoring courtesy of a Gavin Sessions touchdown pass to Jeremiah Beckwith for a 7-0 lead. PG responded with a drive of their own highlighted by a Sawyer Thiessen touchdown run.

Sessions tossed his second major score of the game to Tyrell Hofland putting the Rebels back in front at 14-7.

A big drive by the Kodiaks evened the score at halftime as Thiessen plunged into the end zone on a third and goal at the one yard line.

However, the Rebels came out the gate in half two with 24-0 run backed by a pair of Carter Williams.

Session also found Beckwith for the second time in the end zone early in the third quarter.

With four minutes remaining, Thiessen found Lucas Cowley for a 35-yard TD catch. Williams rushed for his third touchdown of the contest with 1:30 remaining.

PG ended the game on a high as Thiessen found Matthew Sturgess in the end zone followed by a Brayden Van Someren two point conversion.

Westshore moves on to the BC Football Conference Final against the Okanagan Sun. The Sun dispatched the Vancouver Island Raiders 43-12.

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The City of Prince George is launching new and revised skating programs this year, following a community survey.

251 people took the survey earlier this year, with participants highlighting a lack of public skating sessions, and not enough drop-in hockey sessions while also being too early.

The City will be adding an additional public skating session on Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Elksentre in November, and extended the three existing public skating times to two hours.

It also added drop-in hockey sessions on Sundays from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena, and on Mondays from 9:15 to 10:45 p.m. at the Elksentre in November.

Also starting in November, YMCA BC will be running parent and tot skates at Kin II and stick and puck at Kopar Memorial Arena.

The parent and tot skate will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and stick and puck on Fridays from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. (except on Spruce Kings games days) and Sundays from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m..

More information can be found on the City’s website here.

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Grant Applications for the Williams Lake Community Forest are now available.

The Community Forest is opening and accepting applications on 2026 projects for a six-week window, starting Friday, Oct. 10, until 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4.

Applicants for grants must be living and/or working in the Community Forest’s “local area”, which is defined as: the City of Williams Lake, and Cariboo Regional District Electoral Areas D,E, and F.

This area extends west to the east side of the Fraser River, North of Marguerite, and south to Dog Creek.

It also reaches along Highway 97, south to 141 Mile, east to Bosk and Crooked Lakes, and north encompassing Quesnel Lake and Mitchell Lake.

The Community Forest also has a map of the eligible areas that can be found on its website.

Any registered charities, non-profit and community organizations, such as Parent Advisory Councils, clubs, 4H clubs, and community associations. Public, Private, and Indigenous schools and educators are also eligible to apply, as long as they are within the “local area” considered.

Funds are targeted towards a variety of different projects, including:

• outdoor opportunities relating to sustainable forestry;
• education and outreach projects for any/all age groups;
• environmental stewardship;
• other projects particularly related to forest resource values; or
• capital improvements to facilities available for public use, including recreation and recreational structures such as trails, signs, and kiosks.

The Community Forest stated that a pre-established set of evaluation criteria is provided with the application form, along with a budget template.

Last year, the Williams Lake Community Forest awarded $80,000 in funding for projects.

More information, as well as digital application,s can be found on the Williams Lake Community Forest’s website.

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Various B.C. communities will be getting new sheriffs, including Prince George.

28 new sheriffs that graduated from the Justice Institute of British Columbia on Thursday, will be starting their careers at courthouses across the province to help keep people safe.

The Province said sheriffs are highly trained peace officers who protect court users, transport accused and convicted people, provide security for the judiciary, Crown, defence and staff, and perform other enforcement duties.

The new sheriffs will be ready for deployment beginning on Nov. 10, 2025. The next class of sheriff recruits will start training on Nov. 3, 2025.

The Province continues to strengthen the court system through investments in recruitment, retention and training for sheriffs, ensuring B.C.’s courts are safer, more efficient and better equipped to serve people throughout the province.

More information can be found here.

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Oxygen Art Centre has announced that the artist-run centre is the recipient of a major multi-year funding program. The generous support comes from the Vancouver Foundation’s Transforming Systems Grant.

These grants of $300,000 offer flexible, operational funding for three years to organizations advancing systemic change by addressing the root causes of inequality and supporting those most affected to shape their own futures.

Vancouver Foundation is dedicated to creating healthy, vibrant, equitable, and inclusive communities across BC. Since 1943, our donors have created 2,200 endowment funds and together we have distributed more than $1.5 billion to charities. From arts and culture to the environment, health and social development, education, medical research and more, we exist to make meaningful and lasting improvements to communities in BC.

Oxygen Art Centre is an artist-run centre located on the tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the Sn̓ʕaýckstx (Sinixt), Syilx and Ktunaxa Nations colonially known as the West Kootenay in the southeastern interior region of British Columbia, Canada.

Located in the city of Nelson, Oxygen was founded as the Nelson Fine Arts Centre Society in 2002 by former writing and visual arts faculty from the Kootenay School of the Arts. Oxygen operates in a 900 sq. ft. renovated warehouse space that serves as a studio, gallery, residency centre, event space, and office.

Oxygen is known for challenging and experimental programming. We value the curatorial, research, and production of contemporary art programming that support diverse artists in all stages of their careers. We are particularly interested in contemporary art practices that are interdisciplinary, process-based, and socially engaged, focused through two core programs: the Exhibition and Residency Program and the Education Program.

With the support of the Vancouver Foundation—at this increasingly precarious economic moment for arts and culture nonprofits—the artist-run centre will direct these funds to human resources and operating expenses to establish a secure foundation for systemic change work.

Vancouver Foundation’s three-year operational funding will increase the organizational capacity required to codify internalized processes into policies, conduct high-level strategic planning activities, and create conditions for critically researching and producing contemporary art programming.

This work will be conducted by Oxygen’s staff and board of directors where they will engage in strategic planning activities and professional development to secure the centre’s future, alongside enhancements to forthcoming public contemporary art programs.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars invite the Tri-City Americans to the CN Centre tonight at 6:00 and Sunday afternoon at 2:00, with both games being part of Community Heroes Weekend.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

The WHL standings are here.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings will be on break this weekend, with their next game on Tuesday night at 7:00 in Abbotsford against the Sherwood Park Crusaders.

The Spruce Kings regular season schedule is here.

The BCHL standings are here.

BC Football Conference:

The Prince George Kodiaks play their first-ever playoff game against the Westshore Rebels this afternoon at 3:00 in Langford in the BC Football Conference semi-finals.

The game can be heard on Country 97 radio.

The other semi goes this afternoon at 1:00 with the Okanagan Sun hosting the Vancouver Island Raiders.

The Kodiaks schedule and results can be found here.

More info on the BCFC can be found here.

Canada West Soccer:

The UNBC Timberwolves will conclude their Canada West women’s soccer season when they visit the UBCO Heat in Kelowna today and tomorrow afternoon at 1:00.

The UNBC men are off this weekend but will wrap up their soccer year by hosting the UBC Thunderbirds Friday, October 17th at 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 19th at 2 p.m..

More on the Timberwolves can be found here.

The Canada West women’s soccer schedule is here.

The Canada West men’s soccer schedule is here.

The Canada West women’s soccer standings are here.

The Canada West men’s soccer standings are here.

CFL:

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Calgary Stampeders at noon.

Then at 4:00 p.m., the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Edmonton Elks.

MLB:

The ALCS matchup has been decided, as the Toronto Blue Jays will host the Seattle Mariners on Sunday at 5:03 p.m..

The MLB schedule and results are here.

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The Trail Museum has acquired a Toledo Troy ounce scale once used to weigh gold and silver bars at the smelter.

Museum manager Sarah Benson-Lord said Teck recently donated the scale, which is believed to date to the 1930s. It had been sitting in a corner of the machine shop for decades, having last been used in the late 1940s.

Benson-Lord said it is in “pristine” condition with its original brass weights and operating manuals. “It’s a very unique piece,” she said. “We’ve had to create an interesting way to display it so that it’s protected and folks don’t want to step on it.

“It’s very uniquely calibrated. The Troy ounce scale revolutionized the metallurgy business and the sale of critical minerals and precious metals to a very precise weight. So it’s a valuable scale and it’s an interesting piece of our industrial heritage.”

While Trail’s smelter primarily refines lead and zinc, Benson-Lord the first gold bar in Canada was poured there in August 1897.

The scale is expected to be displayed go on display at the end of the year, as the area of the museum that features early industrial history is expanded and another wall case is added.

Benson-Lord said Teck has also allowed her access to the former cafeteria where old patters, products, and molds are stored.

“I don’t think people realize the amount of smarts it requires to run an operation like this. Cominco did everything in-house,” she said. “They had patents galore and still do, so they required really smart, talented people. We want to showcase some of that scientific and industrial brilliance in the exhibit.”

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The brown and white signs marking recreation sites and trails are a familiar sight across B.C.’s backcountry. In the Columbia Basin, they welcome campers to quiet sites and mark the start of adventures at trailheads.

For the crews who maintain trails and campsites, repairing and replacing these signs is just one part of the job. Their work helps ensure the backcountry remains safe and accessible for residents and visitors alike.

For recreation technician Aaron Canuel and seasonal crew lead Justin Wade of the Rocky Mountain District South, Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC), the role includes a wide range of tasks. From May to August, crews based in Cranbrook, Revelstoke and Nelson clear trails, build outhouses and kiosks, repair tables, and maintain boardwalks and bridges.

The work is supported through a partnership between Columbia Basin Trust and RSTBC, which creates jobs for Basin residents while maintaining and improving trails and recreation sites across the region. Since 2019, the program has created more than 80 jobs and provided crew members with hands-on training in trail building, carpentry, wildfire safety, chainsaw operations, first aid and teamwork.

In 2024 alone, crews oversaw 83 sites and walked hundreds of kilometres to prepare trails and campsites for visitors.

“We’ve had a trail crew for five seasons thanks to the Trust,” said Canuel. “Without this partnership, we wouldn’t be able to do these projects that benefit residents of the Basin. It’s a real win/win with huge value.”

One project stood out this season: replacing the washed-out footbridge on the Mause Creek/Tanglefoot recreation trail, 20 kilometres northeast of Fort Steele. The trail winds through forests and meadows to Tanglefoot Lake and is a favourite with hikers. But replacing a bridge over a braided stream was no small task. The creek had shifted since the washout more than a decade ago, requiring a double-span bridge instead of a single-span one.

“Having a safe bridge across a braided creek like Mause Creek is really needed,” said Canuel. “People don’t have to wade across, and it helps protect the creek and its surrounding ecosystem.”

“This was probably the biggest project for the crew this year,” said Wade. “It required careful planning and the right skills. This year, we had the people, experience and capacity to get it done.”

A double-span bridge needs additional support in the middle to span the creek safely. Each span was 30 feet long, totalling 60 feet, with large timbers weighing 900 pounds each. While a rough 11-kilometre road allowed materials to reach the site, much of the work—carrying beams, installing decking and laying rip-rap—had to be done by hand.

Alongside the three-person seasonal crew, Canuel brought together volunteers from Rocky Mountain District South staff to carry and position the heavy timbers across boulders, brush and the creek bed. Days of careful planning ensured the beams, stairs and decking were installed precisely.

“This project used everything we’d learned,” said Wade. “A small mistake at one end could have caused big problems at the other. But our crew worked together, solved problems and got it done successfully.”

Canuel added: “We focus on problem-solving and learning from each other. Everyone brings their strengths, and together we make a great crew.”

This year, the crew visited 40 sites and worked on seven bridges, completing each project with care, teamwork and pride.

“This work is rewarding,” said Canuel. “We all love the outdoors, and it feels good knowing we’ve helped more people access the backcountry. Thanks to the partnership with the Trust, the Basin’s backcountry is safer, more accessible and ready to welcome residents and visitors alike.”

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Students and staff at L.V. Rogers Secondary School are being invited to take reconciliation into their own hands — one small action at a time.

The school has launched a new “reconciliation wall” to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30. But unlike a typical awareness event, this wall will remain in place throughout the year — acting as a public, visible commitment to meaningful action.

“We want to make reconciliation something that’s ongoing and accessible,” said Naomi Legg, Aboriginal education success teacher at LVR. “Wouldn’t it be great to see a thousand actions on the wall?”

A hands-on approach to healing

The reconciliation wall is inspired by 52 Ways to Reconcile: How to Walk with Indigenous Peoples on the Path to Healing by Cree author David A. Robertson, a practical guide based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action.

Students, staff and visitors are encouraged to choose and post brightly coloured “action flags” to the wall — small cards that represent personal commitments to reconciliation. So far, the wall features actions such as:

• “Host a Movie Night”

• “Check Your Idioms”

• “Read Indigenous Comics”

• “Attend a Pow Wow”

Legg said some actions involve deeper engagement, such as reading Indigenous-authored books or learning an Indigenous language, while others can be woven into everyday life — like following Indigenous creators online or cooking a traditional recipe to share with family.

“These are acts anyone can do, and that they can enjoy doing,” said Jesse Halton, district Indigenization co-ordinator for School District 8. “What I hope people take away is: don’t worry about making mistakes — just find an action and do it, however big or small, and celebrate it by posting it on the wall.

“[Reconciliation] is working. The kids are doing it, internalizing it, normalizing it. And throughout the school year, the wall gives us a snapshot of where we’re at — as a group and even as a society.”

Learning from students — and with them

The initiative has sparked meaningful conversations among students, who say reconciliation must go beyond one day of reflection.

“It’s really important because it’s not just about remembering the past — it’s about understanding how it still affects people now,” said one student.

“Reconciliation isn’t just a day — it’s something we need to keep working on all the time,” added another.

Teachers and staff have also embraced the wall as a teaching tool and a reminder of how far the school community has come.

“The assemblies are fantastic learning opportunities for all students and staff,” one teacher said. “Change may be slow, but you can already see it in what students are putting on these walls.”

“Reconciliation doesn’t have to be perfect — it just has to be honest,” said another. “Mistakes are part of learning, and that’s how we move forward together.”

“Introducing Indigenous language has been really well received,” said a teacher. “When students hear people speaking in their own language, they not only understand — they feel a sense of respect and belonging.”

One staff member who is also a parent said the shift is noticeable outside the classroom, too.

“One of the truly hopeful things I see is with my own kids. They know far more about Indigenous history and culture than I ever did growing up.”

More than a moment

L.V. Rogers principal Ian Cooper emphasized that reconciliation is not a seasonal event — it’s a year-round commitment.

“This wall and Orange Shirt Day are important,” Cooper said, “but the real work is what our students and staff carry forward every day — creating inclusive classrooms, learning Indigenous histories, and building relationships and deeper knowledge that move us closer to reconciliation.”

Cooper also echoed a well-known call from Justice Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission:

“Many of us may have heard the quote from the late Justice Murray Sinclair who said, ‘Education is what has got us into this mess and education is what is going to get us out of it.’ Well, here we are. Let’s go.”

A broader district commitment

The reconciliation wall reflects a wider strategy across School District 8 (Kootenay Lake). All schools and worksites observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, lowering flags to half-mast each year in honour of residential school survivors, their families and communities, and those who never came home.

The district has also identified cultural and identity development as a strategic priority — committing to embed Indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing into learning across all schools.

For L.V. Rogers, that work is now proudly — and colourfully — on display.

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100 Mile District General Hospital’s Emergency Room will be closed through the day.

Interior Health said services at the ER will be unavailable from 6 am until 7 pm.

All other inpatient services will be available at 100 District General.

Any patients in need of emergency care can access it at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.

People in need of life-threatening care should call 9-1-1 to be transported to the neartest appropriate facility.

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The District of Sparwood is overhauling its recreation fees and charges bylaw.

The bylaw was adopted in 2018 and district staff said the gap between the revenues and expenses have been steadily increasing.

Under the new bylaw, all areas will meet a minimum of 20 per cent for cost recovery. meanwhile, rates will also increase 3.5 per cent each year from 2025-2030.

New rates will come into effect 15 business days after the bylaw is adopted and yearly increases will occur on Sept. 1.

Council has given it first reading and the district will be gathering the public’s feedback before it comes back to council for adoption.

More information on the updated bylaw can be found here.

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The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary will soon be looking for a new chief administrator. Mark Andison, who has held the role since 2017, has announced he will retire in March.

Andison has been with the RDKB for over 20 years, and was previously deputy CAO and head of planning.

Board chair Andy Morel called the news “bittersweet.”

The board has not yet met to discuss finding Andison’s successor.

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Jamie Boreham wouldn’t have it any other than way than being the underdog.

The head coach of the Prince George Kodiaks is expecting his players to come out with a chip on their shoulder during this afternoon’s B.C. Football Conference semi-final against the Westshore Rebels today (Saturday), the first in franchise history.

Much like the Okanagan Sun, the Rebels come locked and loaded with no shortage of firepower.

Quarterback Gavin Session led the conference with 28 touchdown passes while wide receiver Zion Brown was out of this world amassing 1,039 yards and 18 touchdown catches – a Rebels franchise record.

Tyler Hofland was the second-leading pass catcher in the conference with 611 yards from scrimmage.

On the defensive side of the ball, Westshore is led by cornerback Cameron Coan who was tied for the league lead in interceptions with seven while interior offensive lineman Marino Dujela was also named a league all-star.

In year three under Boreham, the Kodiaks found their way to the playoff party with a mark of 5-4-1, good enough for third place.

However, the players might believe they are being overlooked by league pundits as the Kodiaks lone all-star selection was linebacker Caiden Crow.

Crow, who hails from Calgary, Alberta led the BCFC in tackles with 49 along with two fumble recoveries and one interception.

“I think some of our players are disappointed their names weren’t called (as all-stars) and that is good (motivation). If you don’t get recognized for something that you worked hard for it should sting a little bit and if that becomes some more motivation and drive to be better tomorrow (Saturday) then good for them.”

“This is about us, it has always been about us. We have never changed our message to these guys – this is about us playing Kodiak football and it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be right.” added Boreham.

The lone meeting between the two sides came three months ago in Week One where the Rebels spoiled the Kodiaks home and season opener running away to a 33-13 win on July 19th.

In that game, Sessions threw for three touchdown passes and 250 yards through the air while Rebels running back Carter Williams had 150 yards on the ground with just 15 carries.

Brown was also a star for the Greater Victoria-based club going off for 189 yards receiving and three major scores on 12 catches.

It was an off night for the Kodiak offense that game as quarterback Sawyer Thiessen failed to throw a touchdown pass while getting picked off once by the Westshore defence.

Thiessen and Gavin Halvorson each had 42 yards rushing in defeat.

Boreham admits while the Kodiaks went through some stumbling blocks at the beginning, the club has made the appropriate headway to put themselves in a position to win its first-ever playoff game on the road.

“We didn’t get off to the greatest of starts but we have evolved, grown and matured. I am super-proud of this group, but they believed in the message and the development.”

“This is a chance for us to step into the shoes we want to wear and not just hang out with the big boys but start playing with them,” added Boreham.

If the Kodiaks are to upset the Rebels, they will need a big game from their offense, which has shown flashes of balance and brilliance.

Thiessen threw for 1694 yards in the regular season to compliment his 15 touchdown passes.

PG needs a big effort from its ground game, specifically from Halvorson who rushed for 536 yards and four touchdowns.

The receiving, while not outstanding, has been balanced, with eight different players scoring at least one touchdown. The list includes Noah Lank, Quinn Neukomm, Nikolas Ramirez, Carson Briere, Kayle Cowley, Ben Fehr, Matthew Sturgess and Myron Brown.

No pass-catcher on the Kodiaks had more than 320 yards receiving.

The other semi-final has the Okanagan Sun hosting the Vancouver Island Raiders at 1pm in Kelowna.

Kick-off is at 3pm from Starlite Stadium in Langford and you can listen to it on Country 97FM.

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Two people were transported to the hospital in a car crash on Highway 97 in South Quesnel on Oct. 10.

A minivan and a pick-up truck collided at the intersection of Highway 97 and Cedar/Larch Avenue.

Police at the scene said the pick-up was traveling southbound, and the minivan was traveling north and turning west when they collided. Both vehicles had one occupant and had to be evacuated from their respective vehicles by the Quesnel Fire Department using the Jaws of Life.

RCMP and EHS said both drivers were conscious when removed from their vehicles, and both have major injuries.

The accident closed the highway in both directions, which were later reopened using alternating traffic, with traffic control by CVSE direction southbound traffic through Newman Road.

The accident is under investigation, police are asking if anyone has dash camera, or other types of footage of the collision (not the aftermath), to contact the Quesnel RCMP detachment.

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Highway 1 is closed in both directions due to a vehicle incident near Chemainus.

DriveBC is reporting the incident happened near Henry Road Friday afternoon.

There’s no word yet as to when the highway may reopen.

Check DriveBC for further updates.

– Article includes image and details provided by DriveBC

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Nanaimo RCMP are looking for witnesses who can help identify suspects who allegedly assaulted a disabled man at Port Place Mall. 

Police say two assaults were reported and the first occurred sometime in the early evening of Friday Oct. 3. The other was around 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 4. Both were reported to have happened at the bus loop at 1 Port Drive, just south of Front St, adjacent to the Port Place Mall. 

“These incidents occurred in an area that is frequented by pedestrians and vehicles that pass by. Based on this, police believe someone may have witnessed these incidents or have dash cam footage,” said reserve const. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP. 

The victim is a 19-year-old, developmentally disabled man, according to police.  

“He told the officers he was waiting for his bus, when, for unknown reasons, two individuals approached, knocked him to the ground then proceeded to assault him,” RCMP said in a news release. “The only description provided was that one of the suspects was wearing a grey hoodie and brown shoes while the other wore a black hoodie. Following the assault, the two individuals left on foot and were last seen running towards downtown.” 

The victim told police he was chased and assaulted by three teenagers the evening before at the same bus loop. 

Anyone who has information on either of these two incidents or dash cam footage, is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.   

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The BC General Employee’s Union (BCGEU) escalated its job action again, now including adult correctional facilities across the province.

The escalation also includes the one located in Prince George.

According to the BCGEU, this brings the total number of public service workers taking job action to nearly 25,000 across over 470 worksites.

The number of fully struck ministries and services also rose to 20, as the BCGEU intensifies pressure on the provincial government to return to the bargaining table with a fair and respectful offer. 

The union said significant impacts to public services are expected in the days ahead, and remains ready to return to the table as soon as government is prepared to present a revised wage offer.

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The District of Sparwood will be pursuing options for a washroom facility for Centennial Plaza.

The plaza was re-opened in August 2023 and is a key gathering place in the community.

Porta potties are placed whenever an event is going on, but some accessibility issues have come up.

A number of events require running water for cooking or serving food and the lack of a full washroom has been challenging.

A prefabricated model would cost between $150,000 – $400,000 and additional installation costs.

A fully constructed model would cost about the same, while a portable washroom could cost up a lot less at about $150,000.

The district will be looking for grant funding opportunities as well as looking at deferring or cancelling other planned projects to cover the costs.

The last option would be a tax increase, which council is not keen to do.

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The City of Cranbrook is encouraging residents to reduce water use and blow out irrigation systems as water levels in the Phillips Reservoir decrease.

Elevation had dropped to minus 72 inches from full pool and the creeks are not replenishing the reservoir.

Consumption has also been too high.

Stage 3 restrictions are now in place which limits out door watering to once a week.

Before Stage 3 was put in place, nighttime flows on the latest waterless Wednesday were an average of 883 imperial gallons per minute.

The next day when outdoor watering was allowed, flows jumped to 1,765 imperial gallons per minute.

Deputy public works director Jason Perrault said the city has been blowing out their irrigation systems and residents should as well.

“Public works have been actively blowing out city irrigation systems since early September and recommend that now is a good time to have residents and businesses blow out their irrigation systems,” he said.

“We are effectively lowering our drinking water reservoir to water grass that is or is near dormancy for the winter.”

He said crews will be doing what they can to improve water levels for next year.

“Public works will continue to monitor reservoir levels, and work to increase the water level over the winter to capture as much water as we can, while maintaining creek levels downstream so we are in a better scenario for 2026,” he added.

Cranbrook’s current watering restrictions can be found here.

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Nelson’s Civic Theatre is finally moving ahead with major renovations after an 18-month closure that stretched the resources and tested the resilience of the non-profit society behind it. 

The theatre was forced to close in fall 2023 due to structural issues in the Civic Centre – a significant setback to the Nelson Civic Theatre Society’s (NCTS) long-standing plans to expand into a three-screen venue. 

Fundraising began in 2017, but the pandemic, inflation, and ongoing structural concerns at the Civic Centre have significantly delayed the project. 

Now, NCTS executive director Eleanor Stacey said there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel. 

Architectural plans are now in place and a construction timeline has been set. The theatre aims to break ground in January, with hopes of reopening by next Christmas. 

“The timeline for the project is somewhere between 12‑14 months, but we are really vying to have a usable building that is cleared for occupancy, frankly, in time for the Christmastime blockbusters, which is the time of year where we make the bulk of our money,” Stacey said. 

Staying afloat 

Though the Civic Theatre has been closed for over a year and a half, NCTS hasn’t gone dark.  

The society kept its 21‑seat Shoebox Theatre at 225 Hall Street active and revived a drive‑in theatre in the summer of 2024 to generate revenue. 

“I have people say to me often, ‘wow, I can’t believe you guys are still here’ and I look back at the last 18 months and I almost can’t remember exactly how we made it work. It has been through a lot of creative thinking, and a lot of community support,” Stacey said. 

Stacey said the drive‑in brought visibility but only broke even financially. Meanwhile, revenue from shoebox screenings, video rentals at Reo’s Video, and grants have helped keep the society sustainable.  

Bigger costs 

The theatre renovation was originally proposed at $4.1 million in 2019, but the estimated cost has since climbed to about $6.5 million, reflecting inflation and the need to remain sustainable through the extended closure. 

Stacey said the theatre renovation will add two screening rooms behind the original auditorium, converting the building into a three‑theatre venue.  

Other plans also include upgrades to the lobby, a new concession are, modern mechanical systems and accessible washrooms. 

“It will still feel like the Civic Theatre that we all know when you look forward at the screen and at the stage. But in the back, where we’ve had sort of a temporary sound divider for quite a long time now, there will actually be a cross‑aisle hallway that is new to everybody,” she explained. 

“And that cross‑aisle will take you into these back two theatres, those will now be their own spaces so we’ll have two more theatres at the same time, so we can show a lot more content.” 

So far, NCTS has raised about $3.625 million, which includes contributions from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, Columbia Basin Trust, the BC Gaming Fund, the BC Arts Council, and a $1 million line of credit from the City of Nelson. 

The society still needs to raise roughly $3 million, and is launching another fundraising push – offering opportunities for naming rights, major gifts and future community campaigns.  

“We’re trying to go about this in more of a major gifts way. So we have naming rights in the theatres and some throughout the venue. There may be a seat sale of some sort later on. All of those opportunities will come,” Stacey said. 

Looking ahead 

For much of the closure period, communication around the renovation has been limited 

Stacey said this is largely because the city’s roof repairs took priority which NTCS wasn’t in control of.  

But, she said that’s about to change.  

“Over the course of this next year, we will be bringing the community along every step of the way. You’re going to hear about everything that is going on. We’ve still got a lot to do but it’s a lot more fun to do it with the community,” she said. 

How to help 

Stacey and NCTS are calling on the community to support in multiple ways.  

This can look as simple as purchasing a NCTS membership, which Stacey said can help   with grant applications.  

“When people become members of a nonprofit or a charity, it really matters when we apply for grants. Right now our membership is at about 1,000 and we’ve really love to see our memberships back up to around 1,500.” 

Other ways to show support include attending screenings at the Shoebox, contributing to NCTS’s operating fund, and to watch for upcoming fundraising initiatives. 

“We’re going to need people to help us make this happen. I would love it if everybody would think about the capital campaign and think about the ways in which we might be able to raise that last leg of money,” she said. 

Despite the delays and challenges, Stacey remains optimistic.  

She noted that the original vision for the Civic’s revival pitched nearly a decade ago has not changed. 

“Our society was founded on the premise of being a social enterprise that reinvests in the community and supports the community in other ways. That plan has not changed,” she said. 

“We’ve always sung the same song; it’s just taking a little longer to get there.” 

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 Prince George RCMP is investigating a robbery that took place on Tuesday.

Police say at around 1:30 p.m., officers found a stolen vehicle near the 2100 block of Norwood Street, which subsequently fled from police, though officers didn’t pursue the vehicle but instead conducted patrols around the area.

Roughly 10 minutes after, Mounties received a report of a man wearing a face mask at a gas station on the 8000 block of the Hart Highway in a vehicle matching the description of the previously stolen vehicle.

The man approached a female victim, assaulting her with a weapon, stealing her vehicle and driving away.

Officers quickly located the vehicle and arrested 20-year-old Scott William Jacob Teece, with charges approved for:

• Theft of a motor vehicle (two counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
• Flight from police
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Robbery (two counts)
• Assault with a weapon
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose

The victim was not seriously injured, and the suspect will remain in custody until his next court appearance.

Anyone who may have witnessed or have footage of these events is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP at at 250-561-3300.

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Thanksgiving is on the horizon, and BC Ferries expects heavy traffic over the long weekend.

Historical data show Friday sailings are typically busy throughout the day, while Saturday mornings and afternoons are also expected to see higher volumes.

Sunday sailings are generally more available, and Monday is often busiest in the early afternoon as travellers head home.

BC Ferries said foot passengers should book in advance, especially on routes between the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

Travellers can check the BC Ferries website for up-to-date information on potential sailing waits.

– Article includes link to BC Ferries’ website

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A three-vehicle car accident in Quesnel sent one person to the hospital.

A commercial truck, a transit bus, and a Dodge pick-up truck were traveling northbound on Front Street behind the Safeway and across from Fraser Village.

The commercial rear-ended the transit bus, which then collided with the side of the pick-up.

A passenger in the transit bus was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The pick-up was the most damaged, and the transit bus had rear bumper and axle damage. The semi-truck had a front bumper and leaked fluid.

Northbound traffic on Front Street was able to be kept slowly moving, slightly alternating with southbound traffic when necessary.

The incident is under investigation by the RCMP.

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The CN Centre will be shinning a spotlight on frontline heroes for Community Heroes Weekend.

This is in partnership with the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation and the Prince George Community Foundation, celebrating local heroes including firefighters, RCMP officers, medical staff, teachers, and other essential workers.

During tomorrow’s (Saturday) and Sunday’s games, there will be a MEGA 50/50 Jackpot, with a guaranteed minimum jackpot of $50,000, with proceeds supporting local nonprofits, including the Prince George Firefighters Charitable Society, RCMP Victim Services, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, and the Honour House Society.

According to Spirit of the North, over 4,000 local heroes filled the CN Centre last year, and the MEGA 50/50 Jackpot climbed past $126,000.

Puck drops are set for tomorrow at 6pm, with a 2pm start on Sunday.

More information and tickets for the MEGA 50/50 Jackpot and weekend Cougars games can be found here.

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Statistics Canada released its unemployment rate for the month of September.

According to the Labour Division Survey, British Columbia’s unemployment rate came in at 6.4 per cent – fourth lowest among the provinces.

That’s a 0.2 percent increase when compared to August.

Quebec had the lowest with 5.7 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan (6.0), Nova Scotia (6.2), and Manitoba (6.2).

Nationally, Canada’s unemployment rate remained at 7.1 per cent.

Employment increased by 60,000 in September, with more people working in manufacturing, health care and social assistance, and agriculture.

• Quebec 5.7%
• Saskatchewan 6.0%
• Nova Scotia 6.2%
• Manitoba 6.2%
• British Columbia 6.4%
• Alberta 7.8%
• Ontario 7.9%
• New Brunswick 8.1%
• Prince Edward Island 9.7%
• Newfoundland and Labrador 10.6%

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The Canadian Union of Postal Workers will be delivering mail again, after walking off the job in late September.

the union will be moving to rotating walkouts starting tomorrow (Saturday), allowing mail to be delivered on a fairly consistent basis.

Local CUPW 812 President Nicole Chouinard said there’s no schedule as to when those walkouts will happen.

“We won’t know well in advance, so it’ll kind of be a day of situation, but for the most part, customers can start expecting to see their letter mail and parcels at their doors again.”

Chouinard said the change was made as employees on strike had been taking a financial hit, and were needing a way to fight back against the employer without making people go to the food bank.

The union met with Minister Lightbound the other day, who had promised he’d review what they had discussed, but Chouinard said where that will lead is anyone’s guess.

She added they don’t have high hopes when dealing with the federal government and Canada Post, with a lack of optimism with both parties meeting at the bargaining table anytime soon.

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The Houston and District Chamber of Commerce is hosting a sock drive until the end of October.

The Socktober drive will see the socks donated go to the Houston Community Services Association who will distribute them to local families in need.

The chamber said socks are the most needed and least donated clothing item and are hoping it’s drive will lead to mini sock drives popping up in the community.

“We know Houston has a big heart. Socktober is an easy, feel-good way for everyone to get involved and show kindness in action,” said Chamber Executive Director Maureen Czirfusz.

Anyone wishing to donate either individually or from hosting a mini drive can drop socks off at the Chamber office.

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The City of Courtenay is serving up some good news for local squash enthusiasts.

Two squash courts at Courtenay’s Lewis Centre are getting a major upgrade.

A statement from the city says courts three and four are closed for renovations, including new floors, lighting, walls and a full repaint. The refreshed courts are expected to reopen by Nov. 1.

The city said the project is part of ongoing improvements to Courtenay’s recreation facilities, supporting active lifestyles and safe, year-round fitness.

Courts one and two remain open for bookings and are scheduled for similar upgrades next year.

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The Prince George RCMP arrested two suspects related to an arson investigation.

Police say on Thursday, they got a call about a witness seeing suspicious activity near a building on the 1100 block of Sixth Avenue.

When arriving on scene, PG Fire Rescue were actively putting out a small fire, later locating the suspects a short distance away.

Both suspects are known to police for similar events, and are being held in custody until they can attend a bail hearing.

“It is completely unnecessary to start a warming fire under any circumstance against or nearby any business, building or structure.” said RCMP Superintendent Darin Rappel.

“This is criminal behaviour, meant to cause harm. Thank you to the public in bringing this immediately to our attention, which resulted in a quick response and arrest.” 

Police are encouraging the public to report all suspicious behaviour to police.

This file remains under investigation.

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The Town of Smithers hosted it’s annual Business Walk yesterday (Thursday), meeting with owners around the community.

Communication and Engagement Officer Samantha LeBlanc said it’s held to help the town engage with businesses and see what supports may be needed in the community.

“It was a really positive business walk compared to other years,” she added.

One of the main points brought up were a decrease in crime through the downtown area which LeBlanc said was attributed to an increased police presence.

Another point brought up by businesses was how the US tariffs were impacting them.

A survey was also taken during the event which can be found on the town’s website until October 17th for any businesses that weren’t visited.

“We’re really looking for the trends, the impacts of things like crime, as well as the overall economy and how we’re doing in the town,” said LeBlanc.

The town was also pushing with the walk its new Engage Smithers platform.

“It is for the community to engage with the town on some of our projects and initiatives,” LeBlanc said.

A survey on the 2026 budget is available on the platform until Tuesday.

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Big changes are afloat for one of BC Ferries’ busiest sailing routes.

Starting Oct. 15, BC Ferries will move to an advance booking system for all vehicles travelling from Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay), supported by a new digital tool to help customers plan their journeys.

According to a release from BC Ferries, all customers travelling by vehicle to Departure Bay from Horseshoe Bay, including motorcycles, will be required to book and pay in advance before arriving at the terminal.

“We understand this is a big change, and for a terminal that already has limited space, it may feel frustrating at first,” said Melanie Lucia, vice-president of customer experience at BC Ferries. “No one wants to be turned away when they’ve made the trip to the terminal. By requiring advance bookings, we’re giving customers more certainty and a better chance of securing their spot.”

According to a statement from the company, when a sailing is full, customers with standard under-height vehicles can enter their email to receive an alert if space opens up.

The booking alert system launched on the Powell River–Comox route on Oct. 8, and once further tests are completed, BC Ferries plans to expand the tool to other routes.

“This new tool is designed to help customers stay informed and act quickly if space becomes available,” said Lucia. “It reflects our commitment to invest in digital solutions that make travel easier, more transparent and more certain for our customers.”

The statement notes a separate digital waitlist tool for select routes will follow the alert system later this year.

It will allow customers to add themselves to a waitlist on sailings where advance booking space was previously sold out.

“These tools are driven by customer feedback and reflect our broader strategy to expand digital tools, improve transparency and make better use of system capacity — whether you’re travelling for a vacation, work, a medical appointment or anything in between,” Lucia added.

BC Ferries says it will offer more Saver fares and waive change fees to provide flexibility and help customers adjust during the transition to advance booking.

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Public access to the RDEK’s office in the Columbia Valley has changed to appointment only.

Meanwhile, building permits are now only being processed through the Cranbrook office.

Calls regarding payments have to go to the Cranbrook reception desk but permits can be picked up from the Columbia Valley office from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday to Thursday by appointment.

Utility payments can still go through the Columbia Valley office.

You can pay online or in person, but in person payments will again need an appointment.

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Construction work on Tuesday, Oct. 14 will have lane closures on Highway3/95 through Cranbrook.

The right-hand, southbound lane near Denham Ford will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Crews will be replacing a manhole lid.

Flaggers will be onsite directing traffic and drivers are asked to slow down and obey all posted signage.

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Fifty-eight people died from unregulated toxic drugs in the Island Health region in July and August this year, according to the most recent data from the B.C. Coroners Service. 

A provincial report shows there were 26 deaths in central Vancouver Island, 24 in south Vancouver Island and eight in north Vancouver Island over the two months. 

A breakdown by local health areas shows Victoria and Nanaimo are the most affected by toxic drugs. 

From the start of 2025 until August, 53 people lost their lives to toxic drugs in Nanaimo and 58 in Victoria. In the Cowichan Valley, 26 people have died this year from toxic drugs. 

In Campbell River, there have been 21 reported deaths this year. There have been 16 in the Comox Valley and 6 in Powell River. 

Most fatal toxic-drug overdoses on the island occur in private residences, according to provincial data. The report shows 51.6 per cent of deaths in the Island Health region are inside a private home; 25.1 per cent are inside other residences, such as hotels or shelters; and 20.6 per cent have been outside (in 2025). 

Across the province, 153 people died in July and 149 in August as a result of toxic drugs. The majority (78 per cent) were men, and people aged 30 to 59 accounted for 69 per cent of the deaths in B.C. 

The province notes fentanyl is the most common substance detected in expedited toxicology testing. 

“Decedents who underwent expedited testing in 2025 were found to have fentanyl in their systems (70 per cent), followed by cocaine (52 per cent) and methamphetamine (52 per cent). With 64 per cent of deaths showing evidence of smoking, it continues to be the most common mode of consumption in 2025,” reads a statement from the province. 

The province cautions the data for July and August are preliminary and could change as further toxicological results are received and investigations conclude. 

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The Dze L K’ant Housing Society broke ground yesterday (Thursday) on a new 41-unit housing project in Houston.

This is being funded by the B.C. Indigenous Housing Fund on municipal land through a long-term lease.

The organization added the building is designed to provide safe, affordable, and culturally appropriate housing for low-income Indigenous families, Elders, and individuals living off reserve.

Studio and one- to four-bedroom units will be available.

“This initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration between our hereditary leadership, municipal partners, and funding agencies such as BC Housing and AHMA,” said Executive Director Annette Morgan.

“This housing project is not just about building structures; it is about creating a safe and nurturing environment where families can thrive, embrace their cultural identities, and foster a sense of belonging.”

Along with housing, Dze L K’ant said it will have a community gathering space with kitchen, on-site parking, and a children’s play area.

This project is happening along with a similar one in Smithers which will have 37 units and remains under construction.

The Houston housing project is located at 3707 Niwhts’ide’nï Place and expected to finish construction in early 2027.

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If you live in Sayward and have waste that’s too large for curbside collection, you’ll finally be able to get rid of it this month, thanks to a partnership between the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable (MARR).

Sayward Clean-up Days are set for Oct. 18 and 19. Residents are urged to gather their waste, including small and large appliances, electronics and tires, for drop-off.

Items may be dropped off at the Main Road Yard, 797 Island Highway, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to a release from the SRD, Habitat for Humanity ReStore will be on site to collect gently used household items for donation.

Residents must be able to unload and sort their own items.

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The qathet Regional District and CUPE Local 798 have reached a new three-year collective agreement.

According to a release from the regional district, the agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, and will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2026.

“We firmly believe that our employees are the foundation to successful and sustainable service delivery and this collective agreement process highlights just how important positive negotiations are to continuing day-to-day operations,” said Regional Board Chair Clay Brander. “Approving wage increases and clarifying terminology throughout the agreement was critical for ensuring the regional district continues to attract, retain and support our talented and experienced staff.”

The wage increases outlined in the settlement are: 3.9 per cent effective Jan. 1, 2024; three per cent effective Jan. 1, 2025; and two per cent — or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is higher — effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Both parties reviewed the agreement, refining language to improve clarity and ensure equitable application of terms across the organization.

“This agreement is the result of constructive discussions and a shared vision for our workforce,” said Michelle Jones, acting chief administrative officer of the qathet Regional District. “It supports our employees and strengthens our shared ability to serve the community with excellence. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the negotiating teams for their collaborative efforts and commitment to positive outcomes.”

The regional district said the agreement improves support for flexible work arrangements, increases access to employee health benefits and raises financial allowances for personal protective clothing.

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The BC North District Major Crime Unit and Houston RCMP are looking for information about a man who has been missing for over a year.

Police said Michael Kowalchuk was last seen in Prince Rupert driving his white 2003 Cadillac Escalade in July 2024.

Investigators believe the vehicle was located burned and destroyed south of Granisle near Highway 118 later that summer with items left in the area which were missing when police arrived.

Mounties add it had been located by a passer by and not reported to police at the time.

Kowalchuk is described as a 6-foot, 56-year-old Caucasian male with blond hair, blue eyes, and a light brown goatee.

Police are looking for video or photos from the area, saw the vehicle, or collected items like bags, clothing, or tools from near the area.

Anyone who may have been in the vehicle’s area or have information on Kowalchuk’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Houston detachment.

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Prince George’s September unemployment rate saw a bit of a jump when compared to the previous month.

According to the Labour Division Survey, the jobless mark came in at 9.4 per cent, which is a point and a half increase from August.

Analyst, Vince Ferrao talks about the employment number in Prince George.

“In September 2025, there were 48,300 people working, and that’s also been trending down over the past year.”

Provincially, the unemployment rate came in at 6.4 per cent – fourth lowest among the provinces.

Quebec had the lowest with 5.7 per cent, followed by Saskatchewan (6.0), Nova Scotia (6.2), and Manitoba (6.2).

Nationally, Canada’s unemployment rate remained at 7.1 per cent.

Employment increased by 60,000 in September, with more people working in manufacturing, health care and social assistance, and agriculture.

• Quebec 5.7%
• Saskatchewan 6.0%
• Nova Scotia 6.2%
• Manitoba 6.2%
• British Columbia 6.4%
• Alberta 7.8%
• Ontario 7.9%
• New Brunswick 8.1%
• Prince Edward Island 9.7%
• Newfoundland and Labrador 10.6%

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The jobless rate in our region ticked up slightly last month compared to the same time last year.

Unemployment stood at six per cent, compared to 5.8 per cent in September 2024, as the number of people employed and the number unemployed both increased as the population grew.

Statistics Canada says 89,100 people were working last month and 5,700 were looking for work out of a population of 150,500. At the same time last year, 86,100 people were working and 5,300 were job hunting out of a population of 148,700.

The local unemployment rate was lower than the national rate of 7.1 per cent and the BC rate of 6.4 per cent.

Stats Can says compared to August of this year, national employment was up among both women and men ages 25 to 54 and fell among those 55 and older. Employment among youth 15 to 24 was unchanged.

More people were working in manufacturing, health care, social assistance, and agriculture, while fewer people were working in wholesale and retail trade. Full-time employment rose while part-time employment declined.

Average hourly wages increased 3.3 per cent to $36.78 per hour year-over-year.

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The City of Nelson will provide $100,000 in funding to support the Railtown Housing Project.

The six-storey, 55-unit mixed-use housing development, planned for the vacant lot at 85 Baker St., will be owned and operated by the Railtown Housing Society, created by the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce specifically for this project.

City councillors voted on Tuesday, Oct. 7, to contribute $35,000 toward capital construction costs through the city’s Affordable Housing Fund and $65,000 from the Downtown Waterfront Reserve Fund.

Council passed a bylaw earlier this year requiring the society to pay for site improvements such as sidewalks and landscaping.

The housing society had agreed to cover up to $750,000 for that work, but later determined that amount was insufficient, prompting a request for an additional $100,000.

“When they costed what the local service area bylaw covers, it exceeds the $750,000 that we’ve agreed to create a local service area bylaw for,” said CAO Kevin Cormack.

“Basically, this $100,000 will get them to what they estimate the cost to do that work is, which includes the landscape and the lighting, the sidewalks, the road, etc.”

The society also asked the city to provide in-kind services to support engineering inspections.

However, Development Services Director Natalie Andrijancic recommended against the request, citing limited resources, lack of policy, daily monitoring demands and the need for specialized equipment the city does not have.

“Our engineering staff resources are limited, and staff do have concerns about setting a precedent with providing these services,” she said.

“These inspections would involve daily detailed site monitoring as well as specialized equipment that we actually do not have in-house.”

Council voted to decline the request for in-kind staff support but indicated the society could revisit the issue once it has a clearer sense of the supports needed.

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Get those snow tires on, Mainroad is forecasting the first snowfall across the East Kootenay this weekend.

In the Elk Valley, precipitation is forecasted to begin late Saturday evening, turning into light snowfall Sunday morning, with anticipated accumulations of up to five centimetres.

Temperatures are expected to drop Saturday evening to -5 C and remain below zero until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Cranbrook and Yahk are forecast to receive heavy rainfall beginning Saturday evening, with amounts of up to 15 millimetres. Light rain will continue into Sunday before turning to light snowfall Sunday night, with up to one centimetre of snow expected.

In the Columbia Valley, milder weather is forecast. Rainfall is expected to begin Saturday with up to 15 millimetres and continue into Sunday with up to four millimetres.

“Please leave a safe following distance to allow our crews to work and perform their work in a safe manner,” said Maintroad Contracting.

“Motorists should use caution, drive to the conditions, and prepare for delays caused by the weather.”

For more information check www.drivebc.ca before heading out.

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Keethan Isbister thought he was done with hockey.

After putting up 77 points in 40 Prairie Junior Hockey League games for the Prince Albert Timberjaks last season — earning Top Forward and Most Valuable Player honours — the Prince Albert native planned to head to school and start the next chapter of his life.

Then things changed. He decided to join the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Creston Valley Thunder Cats.

“We presented Keethan with an opportunity to further his hockey career and experience living in B.C. for a year,” said Thunder Cats head coach and general manager Geordie Wudrick. “He was excited for a year of on-ice and off-ice development as a hockey player and young man.”

The 6-foot-2, 172-pound forward was among the players the Thunder Cats worked hard to recruit during the off-season.

So far, Isbister — the grandson of the late Fred Sasakamoose, one of the first Indigenous players to reach the NHL — has enjoyed his time in the KIJHL.

“It’s high-paced and very underrated,” he said.

Confident in his skills, Isbister feels the Thunder Cats are trending in the right direction under Wudrick’s leadership.

He describes himself as an offensive centre who can create chances both for himself and his linemates. He has six goals and 12 points in six games heading into this weekend.

“I’m very patient with the puck. I’m an offensive threat if I get the puck in the zone,” he says. “I take it shift by shift, and usually good things come out of it.”

With each game and practice, his confidence continues to build — and he’s aiming to produce at a point-per-game pace or better.

“Keethan is playing very well,” said Wudrick. “He’s had great offensive success the past two years in Saskatchewan, and his game seems to be translating well at the KIJHL level. He has great patience with the puck, excellent vision to set up linemates, and a deadly release around the net. I’m excited to see what he can accomplish this year and in the future at the university or college level.”

Along with helping the Thunder Cats make a deep playoff run, Isbister hopes to earn a spot with a U SPORTS program down the road.

“I’m trying to get better on the defensive side — just making the right small plays and being in the right spots,” he says. “We have a great head coach and a good organization. It’s really advanced my game.”

Thunder Cats introduce new third jerseys

Meanwhile, this week the Thunder Cats unveiled their new third jerseys on social media. Wudrick said the community and players love them.

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RCMP are investigating a rash of break-and-enters and trailer thefts in 100 Mile House.

Police received a report on October 5 of a stolen travel trailer taken from the 600 block of Exeter Station Road— a 2022, 30-foot Springdale travel trailer with BC License plate WPH94P.

Footage from security cameras in the area showed a black Dodge Ram 3500 on the property at the time of the theft, as well as two males wearing dark coloured hoodies.

During the week of September 30 to October 7, police responded to four break-and-enter incidents (BnEs).

The first report to police came on October 3, at a commercial property on the 4000 block of Canim Hendrix Lake Rd. A lock to the gated property was cut, where damage was done to a building in an attempt to enter.

Police say a C-Can on the property was taken that contained firefighting equipment, including hoses, tools, and a 5 HP Honda water pump. Additionally, a black tandem axle car trailer with BC license plate 57331K was also taken which the C-can was being stored.

Police believe the incident happened between September 30 and October 1.

The second BnE, also reported on October 3, was at a residence located on the 2000 block of Canim Lake North Rd. The residence was entered sometime overnight, and a generator was taken.

A red and burgundy 1990s Ford single cab was observed in the area that appeared to be casing the area.

Sergeant Brian Lamb says police are looking into the possibilty that these two BnEs are linked.

“We are investigating the possibility that these are linked because they occurred all within the same timeframe,” said Lamb. “There was also two red trucks seen in the area at the time of the thefts, and that is something we are looking into as well.”

The third incident reported happened at a residence on the 7000 block of Bridge Lake North Rd. A lock to a gate was cut to enter the property, where a C-can was broken into.

A red truck was observed driving on the property. Police are awaiting a list of items taken. The incident occurred between Sept 27 and October 4.

The fourth and final BnE reported during this time, was reported on October 6 of a residence located on Hoover Bay Rd. Police say sometime overnight or in the early morning hours, a residence was entered where several long rifles were taken.

Lamb says that police are working with the owner to compile a list of firearms taken.

100 Mile RCMP says there has been an up and down “spike” in break and enters recently. Two weeks ago, police responded to six calls of BnEs in a weekly report. Lamb says that lately trailers have been a “hot commodity” for criminals, with another trailer reported stolen on October 8.

“Utility trailers, especially dump trailers, have been targeted within the last few months in 100 Mile. If it’s sitting there, it’s easy for thieves to hitch up and take off in a matter of seconds,” Lamb says.

“Certain trailers are also not built to have a Vehicle Identification Number. So it’s also easy for somebody to take the plates off and put their own on.”

Police suggest that residents take extra precautions with their trailers, saying that if they are not in use, they should take measures to make them immobile.

Lamb says there could be several factors that coule be attributing to spikes in break and enters.

“Somebody casing residences could see that houses appear unoccupied, or are unoccupied with winter travellers. It could also be a result of traveling criminals passing through the are. With Highway 97 being a major corridor, historically we have had issues with criminals hitting this area and then leaving. We are also looking at our own prolific offenders. We’re considering all the options.”

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A man accused of shooting a Fruitvale woman in the head more than two and a half years ago, leaving her with life-altering injuries, is behind bars after missing a court appearance.

Brenden Randall Rothweiler, who was born in 1986, is charged with aggravated assault, discharging a firearm with intent to wound or disfigure, and illegal storage of a firearm. The offences are alleged to have taken place in Trail on March 27, 2023.

RCMP said a 33-year-old woman was left that day at the emergency department entrance of Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital with a near-fatal gunshot wound. She survived, but has life-long disabilities. Police said the person who dropped her off left without speaking to hospital staff.

Police arrested a Nelson man in downtown Trail later that morning on suspicion of attempted murder, but he was released after being held overnight.

Police forwarded charge recommendations to Crown counsel two months later, but charges were not laid against Rothweiler until November 2024. Rothweiler was then arrested again and released on bail.

He is charged with breaching his release order on Aug. 28 of this year in Kamloops. He was supposed to appear in court on Sept. 22, but failed to show. A bench warrant was then issued for his arrest, and he was taken back into custody a week later.

Rothweiler has since made a couple of court appearances and will be back before a judge on Oct. 29 in Kelowna to fix a date for the continuation of his bail hearing.

He was originally expected to have a preliminary hearing in December, but the Crown opted in August to proceed by direct indictment, so the case will go directly to trial. No dates have yet been fixed.

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Sports by Hartley Friday, October 10th, 2025  (As of 12:05 a.m.)

NHL: (14 Thursday games with 5 Canadian teams in action)

Vancouver  5  Calgary  1

The game summary is here.

The Canucks second game of the season will go Saturday night at 7:00 in Edmonton.

Dallas  5  Winnipeg  4

Montreal  5  Detroit  1

Ottawa  5  Tampa  4

The NHL is idle tonight (Friday) but there is a full slate of 16 games on Saturday.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

The Vancouver Canucks schedule and results are here.

The NHL standings are here.

PG Cougars Cat Scan podcast:

CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller sits down with Leland Mack the @PGCougars Director of Scouting in this week’s episode | https://t.co/NcZmh83JLG #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/ZVbZNNqRYW

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) October 7, 2025

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A prescribed burn is expected to take place near Six Mile Slough as early as tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 10, located approximately 18 kilometres northwest of Creston, covering up to 390 hectares.

The exact timing of this burn will depend on weather and site conditions.

B.C. Wildfire Services said smoke may impact residents near the burn area and may be visible from Sirdar and surrounding communities, and to motorists travelling along Highway 3 and 3A.

Despite all precautions to manage it, unintended smoke impacts are possible after any burn.

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A wildfire risk reduction project near Smithers is into its debris management phase according to the BC Wildfire Service.

The 10.9 hectare project is happening about seven kilometres east of the community near Old Babine Lake Road.

With debris management, crews will be performing chipping and pile burns which could be visible from nearby properties.

Skeena Stikine Natural Resource District staff with support from BC Wildfire Service, continue to monitor the project to ensure the operational treatment meets the fuel management prescription specifications and project objectives.

Information on making a home and property resilient to wildfire can be found on the FireSmart B.C. website.

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The Northern Health Authority recorded 24 illicit drug deaths in July and August, the lowest in the province.

According to the B.C. Coroners Service, the health authority does hold the highest rate of unregulated drug deaths, sitting at 46 deaths per 100,000 individuals.

The next highest was Interior Health at 39 per 100,000.

Provincially, there were 302 deaths between July (153) and August (149), which is just under 5 deaths per day.

Smoking was the most common way of consumption with 64 per cent, followed by nasal insufflation (11 per cent), injection (10 per cent), and oral (5 per cent).

Fentanyl was detected in 70 per cent of unregulated drug deaths, followed by cocaine (52 per cent), methamphetamine (52 per cent), among others.

A more detailed summary can be found here.

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The Prince George RCMP is asking the public to keep an eye out for 43-year-old John Daniel MacBurnie.

According to police, he last contacted his family about two weeks ago, and hasn’t been heard from since, which is out of character.

John Daniel MacBurnie is described as:

• Caucasian male
• 178 cm or 5′ 10″
• 75 kg or 165 lb
• Brown hair
• Blue eyes
• Scar on left eye
• Scar on right hand
• Tattoo on right forearm of the word “East Coast”
• Tattoo on left arm of skull and flames
• Tattoo on chest of a gargoyle head
• Known to hang around downtown area of Prince George.

“John has several warrants out for his arrest and may be evading police,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

“Investigators are asking that if anyone sees him, they call the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.”

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Cranbrook RCMP are asking for the public’s help as they investigate a rise in graffiti around the city.

Police said anyone affected by recent graffiti should contact the Cranbrook detachment at 250-489-3471 to report the date, approximate time and location of the vandalism, if they have not already done so.

Residents are also encouraged to provide written details about cleanup costs and any impact on their property or business to help determine the overall cost of the damage.

Investigators believe some people in the community know who is responsible for the “SEKO” tags appearing across Cranbrook. Police said with public assistance, they hope to identify the person and forward their investigation to Crown counsel for possible charges.

Anyone with information is asked to call Cranbrook RCMP.

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Driver licensing services available at the counter such as knowledge testing and drivers licence renewals won’t be available at ServiceBC locations.

This comes as those locations join the BC General Employees’ Union’s escalated job action.

For locations such as Prince George, the ServiceBC location downtown was the only place one could renew a drivers licence.

An ICBC spokesperson told My PG Now that “Due to BCGEU job action at ServiceBC locations, our customers in Prince George that need driver licensing counter services such as driver licence renewals or knowledge tests will need to visit driver licensing agents that offer these services in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake and Fort St. James.”

“We recognize the inconvenience this may cause for customers in Prince George and throughout the province and appreciate their patience as we work to minimize disruptions as much as possible.”

More detailed information can be found on ICBC’s website here.

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Williams Lake RCMP are on the lookout for a wanted man in the area.

Police say that they are looking for Travis Storoschuk and have a warrant out for his arrest, following their investigation that connected him to a report of a break and enter that transpired in the early morning of October 8.

Police say Storoschuk allegedly knows that the RCMP are actively seeking him and may be avoiding arrest, and caution the public that at no point should they try to apprehend him. Police say Storoschuk is considered dangerous.

Storoschuk drives a grey 2012 Ford F-350 truck with a BC license plate VG9561, which police say the vehicle is registered to him.

Storoschuk is currently outstanding on an unendorsed warrant with charges including: Assault by suffocating or strangling, Break and Enter, Forcible Confinement, Fail to Comply with Release Order. Uttering Threats, and Fail to comply with a Probation Order.

Police say if Storoschuk or his truck are seen, or anyone has information, to call 9-1-1.

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North Cowichan council has directed staff to prioritize cleanup efforts of Lewis Street by enhancing responses to encampments, street disorder, and crime. 

During the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, Oct. 6, council reviewed a survey completed by 398 respondents, which identified the top four concerns as uncontrolled addictions, open substance use, property and personal crimes, and sidewalk encampments. 

Council deliberated for several hours on how to address public concerns regarding Lewis Street. 

All councillors agreed the status quo was no longer effective and instructed staff to explore alternative solutions to address the ‘level of disruption’ affecting residents and business owners in the area. 

John Horn, Director of Social Planning and Protective Services for North Cowichan, said discussions were positive and aimed at improving the situation for everyone on Lewis Street. 

“Hopefully, we’ll see better options for those living on the street, because that’s what we all want,” Horn said. “I believe it was unanimous tonight that the best solution for everybody is to get people a safe, dry, and warm place to be.” 

Horn acknowledged that addressing homelessness in North Cowichan is complex and will take time. 

“There are significant challenges in achieving this goal, with enormous resource implications at all levels of government,” Horn said. “We need to determine who will fund these initiatives, provide land, construct facilities, and employ staff. These are the difficult questions of politics.” 

One potential measure under consideration is increasing RCMP and bylaw enforcement presence on Lewis Street. Horn believes that, if implemented correctly, this approach could yield positive outcomes. 

“They [homeless individuals on Lewis Street] see us as balancing the needs of the neighbourhood with their own, trying to find that ‘magical’ balance between the two,” Horn said. “I think there is general respect for what we’re doing, not just for coming in and making their lives miserable. We are genuinely trying to find ways to help them.” 

Horn proposed to council the development of “villages” as a step towards recovery for individuals with addictions, aiming to ease their transition without overwhelming them. 

He stated that this model is feasible for the Cowichan Valley, but first, a piece of land must be presented to the province to secure funding. 

“The model is being recognized in Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo,” Horn said. “We think it’s a great model, but the only way we can implement it is by presenting the province with a piece of property.” 

As part of the Wellness Plan update, council has directed staff to identify potential areas for shelter within municipal parks. However, Councillor Tek Manhas emphasized that before supporting any “village-style” shelters or park-based locations.

“If it’s within communities, I don’t support any of these villages inside communities; I don’t want to destroy other communities,” Manhas said. “Lewis Street has already been destroyed.” 

He expressed concerns about the safety of such locations for both residents and park users, noting that parks are municipal amenities for families. 

“There could be needles all over the place, and unless you clean them properly, it’d be unsafe for kids and residents,” he said. 

Manhas referenced the City of Duncan’s policy allowing overnight camping in McAdam Park, stating that public feedback has been negative. 

“What I’ve heard from people on the streets is they find it dangerous there and won’t go camping there,” he said. “Even residents have reported issues at McAdam Park.” 

The municipality has voted to have staff explore enhanced solutions to address addictions, mental illness, criminal activity, encampments, bylaw and RCMP presence, housing, public urination, noise, and personal safety. 

According to a report from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, from 2020 to 2024, there has been a 107 per cent increase in unsheltered individuals across 56 Canadian communities.

– Article includes files from Municipality of North Cowichan

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If you’re looking to have a City Councillor’s ear on the 2026 budget, you’ll have an opportunity to do so today. (Thursday)

The City is hosting “City Hall at the Mall”, giving residents an opportunity to learn about the budget process, and what’s proposed for 2026.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Mayor Simon Yu, Councillors Trudy Klassen and Garth Frizzell
• 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Councillors Ron Polillo, Cori Ramsay, and Brian Skakun
• 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – Councillors Tim Bennett and Kyle Sampson

The event is located by Mr. Pretzels in the mall.

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The province is set to begin work this month on a new centre median and fencing along the Trans-Canada Highway between Beverly Street and James Street in North Cowichan. 

The project aims to prevent jaywalking by directing pedestrians to adjacent signalized crosswalks and will include the installation of new trees for shade and beautification. 

North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas announced on social media that additional safety and security measures will be incorporated into the project to benefit both pedestrians and motorists. 

“As part of this project, a missing crosswalk on the north side of the Beverly Street intersection will also be added,” Douglas said. “Additionally, the current median landscaping will be replaced with new, healthier trees, which will remain the responsibility of the Municipality of North Cowichan.” 

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of spring 2026. To minimize traffic disruptions, Douglas stated that there will be no daytime lane closures during the project. 

In May, Douglas suggested that an overpass would be an ideal alternative for safety, but there is no indication when it will be on the province’s radar. 

North Cowichan overpass faces another delay due to funding, mayor Rob Douglas  : My Cowichan Valley Now 

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The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) says it’s expanded its province-wide commitment to safer community through a Proactive Interdiction and Enforcement Tactics (PIET) workshop.

According to the CFSEU-BC, Prince George recently hosted the one-day, in-person training, which equipped local officers with specialized strategies to disrupt organized crime and remove threats from our streets.

The workshop provides techniques for the interception of firearms, trafficking-level drugs, bulk currency, and vehicles with hidden compartments.

Following the sessions, held in May and September in Prince George, the newly trained officers applied their learning and produced significant results, including:

• 18 firearms seized,
• One kilogram of illicit drugs (including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine) removed from circulation,
• $14,000 in cash recovered
• Two sets of body armour confiscated

CFSEU-BC stated Officers also engaged and interdicted individuals linked to the BC Gang Conflict, the Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority program, and the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative.

They say notably, Officers apprehended two violent offenders who fled from police, and were found in possession of loaded firearms and body armour. Both remain in custody pending court hearings.

“Programs like the PIET workshop are key to disrupting organized crime and protecting families across the province,” said Cpl. Sarbjit K. Sangha, Media Relations Officer of CFSEU-BC.

“By sharing specialized knowledge with local police agencies, we strengthen enforcement capacity in every region and make BC communities safer.”

CFSEU-BC said they will continue to expand delivery of the workshop to giver more frontline officers have access to the tactics.

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An important step will be taken between the College of New Caledonia (CNC) and the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.

The two will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) named ilhoh nus ts’et’oh Tuition Initiative, also known as We are Paddling Forward Together, given by Lheidli T’enneh Language Holders.

“This MOU is about partnership and respect.” said Chief Dolleen Logan, Lheidli T’enneh First
Nation.

“Education has always been, and will always be, a key part of our vision for the
future of the Nation. With CNC, we are paddling together – side by side – to create real
opportunities for our members and to ensure that Lheidli T’enneh knowledge and culture
are visible, valued, and celebrated within the community.”

The CNC said the MOU is a commitment to work collaboratively in support of Lheidli T’enneh members’ access to post-secondary education through tuition support and wraparound services, while deepening the relationship.

“This is more than a signing ceremony — it’s an affirmation of our shared values and our
shared future.” said Cindy Heitman, President of the College of New Caledonia.

“Through ilhoh nus ts’et’oh, we are demonstrating that reconciliation is action. By removing barriers and co-creating educational pathways, we hold space for opportunities to learn and connect, while honouring the Nation on whose territory our Prince George campus resides upon.”

The signing will take place at the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation Downtown Office on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon.

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Cranbrook city council has added the provincially funded childcare project to the five-year financial plan.

The project was added to the 2025 capital plan at a value of $5,420,875, $6,776,093 in 2026 and $1,355,219 in 2028.

Despite being added to the budget the city is not on the hook for any of the costs as it’s being funded by a $13.5 million provincial grant.

“The capital construction cost is a little over $9 million, and the rest is contingency built into the budget,” said CAO Mark Fercho.

The facility will feature 123 childcare spaces and will be located adjacent to the Western Financial Place.

“The approval was for the original location selected at Gyro Park, but due to community feedback we conducted a public survey and asked people to choose between Gyro Park and Balment Park,” said administrative manager Tina Babuin.

The province signed off on the new location.

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Story submitted by Dan O’Connor, UNBC Athletics:

On October 3rd, 2025 the UNBC Timberwolves Women’s Soccer team hosted their inaugural Kick for the Cure night — a first-of-its-kind moment under the bright lights at Masich Place Stadium.

For the first time in program history, the Timberwolves took the pitch in all-pink, cancer-themed kits — jerseys, shorts, and socks — each proudly displaying the names of 38 individuals who have faced cancer. Some continue to inspire us with their strength today, while others live on through memory and legacy.

Among those names was Brad Erb — the late father of UNBC Women’s Soccer alumna Kylie Erb.

It was Brad, and countless others like him, who inspired UNBC to become the first Canada West soccer program to design, purchase, and wear custom cancer-awareness kits.

But even though the game has since come and gone, the Timberwolves “Kick for the Cure” campaign remains active.

This is Kylie’s story.

On Tuesday, October 7 — just four days after UNBC’s inaugural Kick for the Cure event — Kylie Erb sits on a couch in the UNBC Athletics office, a black coffee in hand, her focus unwavering.

“I think a lot of the time when I talk about him [Brad], I’m probably pretty monotone,” she says quietly. “But I think it’s the only way I can do it without breaking down.”

The former Timberwolves defender — who appeared in 52 career regular season and playoff games for UNBC from 2014 to 2018 — speaks with the calm of someone still learning to balance pride and loss.

Brad Erb passed away on May 18, 2023, after a brave and heartbreakingly swift battle with cancer. He was 62. He leaves behind his wife of 33 years, Val, and two daughters: Cassie and Kylie. Though time has softened some of the sharper edges of grief, not a day passes without Kylie thinking of her dad.

Raised in Summerland, B.C., in a cozy house along Okanagan Lake, the Erbs took full advantage of their nearby outdoor opportunities. Winters meant skiing on the nearby slopes and spring and summer days were spent on the water and the soccer field. By Grade 6, soccer had become Kylie’s big focus — and Brad, her biggest supporter, and chauffeur.

“He was always the first dad to offer rides,” Kylie recalls with a smile. “Whether it was a 6 a.m. practice in Penticton or running the stairs before school, he was there.”

In Grade 10, Kylie’s Penticton club team captured a Provincial Championship, and with it came more road trips — and more time in the car with Brad.

“My dad loved to tell stories. I think a lot of people miss that,” she reflects.

Those car rides helped create a superstition later on, where Kylie would always call or text my dad before a game.

When he wasn’t sharing stories, Brad was stressing the importance of self-confidence, and above all: fun.

“He wanted me to be more confident,” Kylie says. “But before every game, he’d give the biggest hug and you could just tell by the look on his face that he was proud — not just of me, but of all of us.”

When it came time for Kylie to choose a university, her parents gently suggested she look somewhere warmer. But two of her Penticton teammates — Alena Carlile and Mackenzie Ricard — had already committed to UNBC, and when the same opportunity arose for Kylie, the decision was easy. The Timberwolves offered both the competitive soccer environment she craved and an Accounting and Finance program that aligned perfectly with her academic ambitions.

Over the next five years and 52 appearances, Kylie became a cornerstone of the UNBC Women’s Soccer program — a steady presence who helped shape the culture and identity of a team that would reach the playoffs in each of her final two seasons.

The extensive Canada West travel schedule proved a bonus for the Erb family. With many games played in B.C., Brad and Val were often in the stands, cheering on their youngest daughter. And when Kylie’s sister Cassie moved north to begin the Nursing program at UNBC in 2017, the family’s trips to Prince George became even more frequent.

Their support meant everything to Kylie — and it didn’t go unnoticed by her teammates either. It was during Kylie’s five-year run at UNBC where Brad developed his own reputation as a warm, positive, unwavering supporter of the Timberwolves.

Even after both Kylie and Cassie had graduated from UNBC, Brad’s enthusiasm for Timberwolves Soccer never faded. During a visit to Prince George in the fall of 2022, Kylie was both surprised — and not at all surprised — to spot her dad encouraging and laughing with UNBC Men’s Soccer standout Michael Henman during his historic 19-goal season.

A few months later, everything changed.

During a family Christmas gathering at the Erb home in Summerland, something felt off. Both Kylie and Cassie could sense that their dad was very much not himself.
There was some fluid building up in his legs, but otherwise, the initial rounds of blood tests, physical exams, and X-rays revealed nothing of major concern — meaning the family’s long-awaited trip to Mexico for Cassie’s February wedding was still a go.

Less than a month later, though, in mid-March, a scan revealed a cancerous tumor in Brad’s lungs that had gone previously undetected. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Because of its close proximity to his heart, surgery wasn’t an option. Radiation and immunotherapy were the only available treatments — not to cure, but to hopefully prolong his life.

Unfortunately, the radiation took its toll. The cancer began to spread rapidly, and Brad’s condition declined just as quickly. Kylie’s jovial, encouraging, larger-than-life father was becoming almost unrecognizable.

With incredible strength, and the slightest tremble in her voice, Kylie recalls, “He was on oxygen, which he hated. He didn’t like or want to be using a walker in front of people, and I think he was embarrassed.”

And yet, even in the toughest, darkest moments, Brad still found ways to show warmth, humour, and reassurance — or as much as his mind and body would allow. “He was still Dad,” Kylie says softly. “He was happy to be with us. But I’m sure, as a parent, you never want your children to see you suffer.”

On May 18th, 2023, at around 5:30 a.m., with his family standing steadfast by his side in a hospital room in Penticton, Brad Erb passed away.

Grief never truly goes away.

Time has a way of softening the hurt, but there will always be a Brad-sized hole in the hearts and minds of the Erb family.

His memorial was exactly what Brad would have wanted: 200 to 300 people gathered at the Erb home on the lake, toasting with his favourites — Corona and Budweiser — and sharing stories that sparked both laughter and tears.

To her immense credit, Kylie is thriving — even if it doesn’t always feel that way. She and Cassie both still call Prince George home, remaining deeply connected to the UNBC and Prince George communities. Val visits often to spend time with her daughters and grandchildren.

By day, Kylie puts her Accounting and Finance degree to use with Yellowhead Road and Bridge. By night, she can still be found on the soccer pitch, playing competitive rec soccer alongside many of her former Timberwolves teammates who remain her closest friends.

Those pre-game texts and calls that once went to Brad? They now go to one of Brad’s best friends, Bob. And somehow, that tiny superstition — that shared ritual — still brings a smile to Kylie’s face as she reflects on her dad’s lasting impact on her soccer and life journey.

Those deep-rooted friendships and connections in Prince George helped ensure that Brad Erb’s name would live forever — proudly displayed on the side of a UNBC Women’s cancer-themed jersey as one of 38 names put forth by current and former members of the Timberwolves program.

Those jerseys were worn with pride by the UNBC Women’s Soccer team on October 3rd, 2025, during their Kick for the Cure match against Trinity Western. Fittingly, Kylie, Cassie, and Val were all in attendance that night.

Just days earlier, the jerseys were unveiled through a video featuring seven current and former Timberwolves players, each fully kitted in the custom uniforms. Among them was Kylie Erb.

“Dad would just think that it’s really cool to have his name on one of these jerseys,” Kylie smiled. “My family really appreciates that UNBC does things like this — and it means more than I sometimes know how to put into words.”

Storytelling is clearly a gift that Brad Erb passed down to his daughter, Kylie. Her openness, strength, and ability to share her family’s journey remind us why stories like this matter — they bring heart, purpose, and humanity to everything we do.

On behalf of UNBC Athletics and the Kick for the Cure campaign, we are deeply grateful to Kylie for sharing Brad’s story and continuing his legacy of kindness and connection.

To donate to the UNBC Timberwolves Kick for the Cure campaign, you can do so HERE.

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Crews with Dinosaur Valley Studios are in the region to film the many fossils the area has to offer.

“We’re shooting with our film crew here for a film promoting paleo tourism in the Kootenay Rockies tourism region,” President Frank Hadfield said.

“We have two or three more trips out to the Crowsnest Pass region, Cranbrook, Fernie and Sparwood are all involved and possibly Kimberley as well.”

Dinosaur Valley Studios does skeletal reconstruction and fabrication world wide but has recently entered the film game.

“We started out as purely a exhibit fabrication company. We replicated fossils and mounted real skeletons as well,” added Hadfield.

“Currently we’re working on the real bones and skeleton of a blue whale for Oregan State University. We’ve expanded now into film production, mostly documentaries focusing on natural history.”

The documentary they are currently working on will focus on a number of prominent fossils around the area including the famous ammonite near Fernie.

“It’s a world class and world renown ammonite display the size of a dinner table. It’s one of the largest in the world that’s still in place,” Hadfield said.

“And Cranbrook has one of if not the greatest locations for trilobites in the world.”

They expect to wrap up the project in either the late winter or early spring of 2026.

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Interior Health has promoted from within in naming a new president and CEO.

Sylvia Weir, who was filling in as interim CEO after Susan Brown stepped down in June, will take over the job permanently, the health authority announced today. Weir was previously the organization’s chief financial officer.

“As we considered a full slate of candidates, it became clear that Sylvia brings the right mix of values-based leadership, vision and financial acumen to enable the efficient and effective delivery of front-line clinical services to support the achievement of IH’s vision,” IH board chair Dr. Robert Halpenny said in a prepared statement.

The health authority said she has more than 25 years in health care leadership in Canada and the United Kingdom.

As interim CEO, her leadership has “laid the foundation to better support positive working relationships with employees and medical staff, key government leaders and external partners,” the health authority said.

“She has further demonstrated her deep commitment to advancing reconciliation and working collaboratively with community partners by building strong relationships.”

In a news release, Weir said she was grateful for the opportunity serve in the role permanently.

“I am acutely aware of the challenges we collectively face both at IH and as a broader health-care sector, but I am confident through our continued focus on engagement, innovation, strategic partnerships and financial sustainability we will be able to maintain our commitment to delivering the highest quality and most effective care possible to communities,” she said.

As chief financial officer, Weir led IH’s finance and infrastructure teams. Her education includes a fellowship in health system improvement at the University of Alberta and project management certification through the UBC Sauder School of Business.

She has served for seven years as a board member of the Kelowna women’s shelter and as an immigrant employment mentor with the Kelowna Community Resources Centre. She is also a current board member of the provincial Healthcare Benefit Trust.

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Port Hardy residents are being encouraged to sign up for the district’s e-billing service while the Canada Post strike continues.

The District of Port Hardy says the online service lets residents receive utility bills, tax notices and other important district information by email.

If e-billing isn’t for you, you can pick up a paper copy of your utility bill at Municipal Hall.

Click here to learn how to enrol in e-billing with the District of Port Hardy.

– Article includes files from District of Port Hardy

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The BC General Employees Union (BCGEU) is escalating job action further today (Thursday) with more than 25,000 front line public service workers now on strike.

According to the BCGEU, the number of fully struck ministries and crown corporations has reached 11:

• Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement
• Education and Childcare (new)
• Employment Standards Branch (new)
• Housing and municipal affairs (new)
• Infrastructure (new)
• Jobs, Economic Recovery, and Innovation (new)
• Ministry of Citizen’s Services
• Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Mining
• Ministry of Water, Land and Resources Stewardship
• Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (new)
• Tourism, Arts and Culture (new)

475 worksites are now affected, and significant impacts to public services are expected in the days ahead.

In Prince George, picket lines are up along Massey Drive, near the BC Liquor Store in the Pine Centre Mall parking lot, and along 4th Avenue near the Service B.C. location.

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The ongoing Canada Post strike may affect the Comox Valley Regional District’s (CVRD) ability to distribute bills. 

Delivery of utility bills are being impacted by the strike, and the CVRD is reminding residents they must be paid by December 31 to avoid outstanding balances being transferred to property tax accounts held with the Ministry of Finance. 

CVRD Chief Financial Officer for the CVRD Lucy Wiwcharuk said they appreciate everyone’s patience as they navigate the strike. 

“We encourage account holders to register for e-billing and preauthorized payment services to avoid future postage disruptions and ensure bills can be paid prior to the annual transfer to taxes.”

Residents can receive their bills after Oct. 15 by calling or visiting the CVRD main office or registering for e-billing. 

Paying utility bills can be done via pre-authorized payments, online, at the bank, or either by calling or in person at the CVRD main office. 

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The province says it is aiming to have the Bamfield main road open on Oct. 24.  

An update from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit says a sinkhole was found in the base of the road in the past week and work will begin to repair it once dangerous trees are cleared from the slopes along the road. 

The update says more than 1,000 trees have been removed, and crews will continue the work through the week of Oct. 12-18. 

A section of the road has been closed since it was damaged in the Mount Underwood Wildfire this summer.  

BACKGROUND: BC Hydro works to restore power in Bamfield as crews mop up Mount Underwood fire 

The ministry says short closures are expected even after the road opens later this month. 

“In the past week, the ministry began installing a new weather station in the area. This infrastructure will play a vital role in monitoring wind and precipitation levels, helping inform decisions about temporary road closures during severe weather,” the update says. 

The Youbou detour is still the only access to Bamfield. The ministry says another update next week will provide more details on the reopening timeline. 

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Projects in Burns Lake and Fraser Lake are getting part of $46,000 in funding through the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund.

“We are pleased to invest in these two projects that strengthen our communities and innovate opportunities to navigate our unique geographical landscape of the north,” said Chair Cindy Shelford.

The Six Nations Driving School in Burns Lase is getting $26,000 to help purchase a second vehicle.

The society, started by the Burns Lake Native Development Corporation, provides free driver education courses to ensure members of the six surrounding nations could access them.

The other $20,000 is going to the Village of Fraser Lake for phase two of its Drone Transport Initiative which includes a permanent drone launchpad and training.

The first ran for a year to be one of Canada’s longest running drone healthcare projects and made 1,200 flights to Stellaquo.

“These projects are improving access to healthcare and essential services, expanding employment opportunities, and boosting economic growth that are crucial to building a stronger, more resilient future for everyone in the region,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth

The next deadline for grant applications is on October 31st.

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The City of Campbell River is marking Small Business Week with a series of events aimed at strengthening ties with local entrepreneurs, including town hall meetings and a business walk later this month

According to a release from the city, the information collected will support long-term planning while helping deliver tangible short-term results.

To participate, residents can attend a drop-in town hall at the Tidemark Theatre at 1220 Shoppers Row on Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or at the Campbell River Airport terminal at 2000 Jubilee Parkway on Oct. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.

“By participating in the city’s upcoming business walk and meetings, local businesses will help transform their experiences and insights into clear and current feedback unique to Campbell River. This will then help guide our actions through 2026 and beyond,” said Rose Klukas, the city’s director of economic development and Indigenous relations. “The voices of the business community matter in shaping our economic future. Your input will directly support the resilience and prosperity of our community now and for years to come.”

The meeting at the Tidemark Theatre on Oct. 19 coincides with the one-year anniversary of the Rail Yard Market, and participants can enjoy a barbecue hosted by Destination Campbell River and the Visitor Information Centre.

The city’s business walk will take place Oct. 24 from 1 to 4 p.m., when staff and council members will visit local businesses to hear how things are going, what support is needed and what plans owners have for the future.

The city said Small Business Week activities are part of a broader engagement program aimed at creating a thriving business environment that supports existing enterprises and attracts new investment.

Small Business Week is on in Campbell River Oct. 19 – 25.

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The full length of the Rosebery to Three Forks (Galena) trail has reopened following a six-month closure for repairs. 

The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) closed a section of the trail in April to repair part of the bridge between the cable car crossing and the Three Forks trailhead after a riverbank slough affected its structural integrity. 

Repairs included the installation of a new 85-foot aluminum bridge with wooden ramps and other earthworks to restore the trail connection between the cable car crossing and the Three Forks trailhead. 

The trail is now open for public use. 

“Thank you for your patience and cooperation while the necessary work was completed to ensure safety and accessibility,” said the RDCK in a press release. 

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 Strathcona Regional District’s Emergency Communications Team will assist Scouts Canada during this year’s worldwide Jamboree-on-the-Air exercise.

According to a release from the regional district, the annual Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, connects Scouts from around the world using amateur radio.

“We are thrilled to have such tremendous support and mentorship from the SRD’s Emergency Communications Team,” said Scouter Shantall McFee. “The use of amateur radio techniques offers an extra educational dimension for Scouts. Many grasp the opportunity to discover the world of wireless radio techniques and electronics.”

The regional district said team members are responsible for ensuring messages are transmitted promptly and securely to their intended recipients, and that incoming communications are delivered accordingly.

Sixteen Scouts from Campbell River are expected to take part in the exercise Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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UNBC has achieved its best results in two of five pillars in the latest edition of the Timer Higher Education World University Rankings.

According to the University, it improved in the research environment pillar, as well as the international outlook pillar.

International outlooks continues to be UNBC’s strongest area, ranking 703rd worldwide.

“This recognition speaks to the strength of UNBC’s community and the meaningful work happening across our campuses,” said UNBC Interim President Dr. Bill Owen.

“From classrooms and research labs to field work and partnerships that span the globe, UNBC’s students, faculty and staff are leading change that matters.”

Overall, UNBC placed in the group of universities ranked 1,201-1,500 out of 2,191 universities that were ranked.

The rankings can be found here.

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The Cranbrook RCMP have located the remains of a man who was reported missing last year.

Police were notified in September of possible human remains in the area of Hidden Valley Road.

Forensic comparison has confirmed that they are the remains of Roland Gamache.

Gamache was reported missing on Nov. 1, 2024.

MORE: Cranbrook RCMP search for missing man (Nov. 4, 2024)

RCMP officials said there is no evidence of foul play.

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The City of Greenwood hasn’t heard much from residents on the proposed sale of the old West Kootenay Power substation.

The city announced last month that it intended to place the heritage building up on the market, in hopes that private interests might succeed in revitalizing it. The prominent brick building on Highway 3 is expected to be listed for $229,000.

But first the city advertised its intent and allowed for written submissions from the public asking questions or raising concerns.

City manager Dean Trumbley said in an email Wednesday that after two weeks of public input, there were no written submissions from Greenwood residents, one written submission from a person who lives outside the city, and one person showed up for first reading of the bylaw.

The city has a meeting with non-profit groups today and then final reading of the bylaw is expected next week. “However, there has been very little opposition from the residents of Greenwood during the time to submit feedback,” Trumbley said.

Trumbley previously told Vista Radio aid current and past councils have tried to partner with non-profit groups to restore the building, but it has proved too great a challenge.

The substation was built in 1905-06 and stopped being used for its original purpose sometime in the mid-1970s. West Kootenay Power donated it to Greenwood in 1997 as a gift for the city’s centennial.

There were plans to turn the building into a place where people could learn about the history of power generation. Solar panels and a windmill were installed on the roof, but the energy they collected was never used.

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The Prince George RCMP say charges have been approved by the B.C. Prosecution Service in a hit-and-run that claimed the life of a cyclist this summer.

On July 7th, the Prince George RCMP confirmed two cyclists were struck by a vehicle, both of whom were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

On July 11th, Shane Kelly passed away due to injuries sustained in the incident.

“This incident hit the community of Prince George, as well as our local policing community, very hard as this not only involved a Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de North rider, but one of our own police officers,” said Cpl. Jennifer Cooper.

“Our investigators have worked very hard to bring this investigation to the charge-approval stage.”

On Monday, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved charges against Thomas Leslie Philips for the following offences:

• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm
• Fail to remain at the scene of an accident causing death
• Fail to remain at the scene of an accident causing bodily harm
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

The file is now before the courts.

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The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) has named Beaver Valley Nitehawks goaltender Preston Shumate its rookie of the week.

The Edmonton, Alta., native stopped 39 of 41 shots in a 3-2 shootout win over the Fernie Ghostriders on Oct. 4. He turned aside all five shootout attempts. Sixteen of his 39 saves came in the third period.

“Preston had an exceptional game versus Fernie, recovering from a miscommunication with the defence on the tying goal,” said Nitehawks head coach and general manager Terry Jones. “He was particularly poised in OT and the shootout.”

The six-foot, 185-pound goalie is 2-0 this season with a .932 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against average. His save percentage ranks third among all KIJHL rookie goaltenders.

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A group of local climbers hope to preserve access to a couple of prime areas in Castlegar.

A delegation from the West Kootenay Rock Climbers Association appeared before city council this week, explaining that two properties are for sale near the Kinnaird Bluffs, which the association acquired in 2015.

President Yann Troutet said they are not necessarily trying to acquire the land themselves, but they intend to approach The Land Conservancy of BC and would like to ensure they have the city’s support first.

One property, in the 2700 block of 14th Avenue, is for sale in the $900,000 range. Troutet said it is owned by someone who hopes to preserve it as a climbing area. Another smaller property to the south is for sale for about $700,000. The combined price is much more than what the properties sold for a few years ago, he added.

Troutet said the properties in question have been identified as being part of a recreational corridor valuable to the community dating back to the 1990s.

Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff asked whether the properties could be built upon, and whether the city would be in a position to buy them. City manager Chris Barlow replied the lands have never been evaluated for development, but the only reason the city would buy them would be to preserve them as recreational amenities.

Mayor Maria McFaddin said she learned to climb on the Kinnaird Bluffs and supports the organization’s efforts, but didn’t want to make any promises given the amount of money involved. She encouraged the society to appear before other bodies, including the recreation commission.

Barlow also suggested the society speak with the present owners of the properties about the minimum amount they would be willing to accept, and whether they would be open to other considerations such as land swaps.

Troutet said his group talked to The Land Conservancy five years ago, when asking prices were lower, but the organization would only get involved if the city was willing to support keeping the area as a green space. Troutet said that support wasn’t forthcoming at the time.

However, following his presentation to council this week, he was feeling better about it.

“I’m sufficiently encouraged by what I’m hearing to reach out again to these land trusts who potentially have the money to purchase these [properties] outright, so long as they know it’s going to be supported for conservation/preservation values,” Troutet said.

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The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary will explore paying directors a health and wellness stipend as part of a broader review of their remuneration.

A staff report presented to the board Wednesday noted directors’ compensation is adjusted annually to keep pace with the cost of living. One year prior to each general election, stipends and allowances are reviewed and adjusted using comparisons to other regional districts. RDKB policy is that directors’ pay should be around the median of those other districts.

Directors receive monthly stipends, plus additional allowances for technology, office expenses, travel, and attending meetings. Municipal directors receive base pay of $1,126 per month and rural directors $2,696, while the chair receives an additional $2,501 per month and the vice-chair another $436.

The report found median compensation among all regional districts studied was $43,340 per director per year, while the RDKB average is $44,327. However, the per capita cost of governance of all the regional districts was $7.10, whereas the RDKB’s cost was $16.30, second only to the Regional District of Central Kootenay at $16.40.

“Population density played a significant role in determining the per capita cost,” the report noted. “Rural and remote districts such as RDKB and RDCK naturally have higher per capita costs, whereas mostly urban regional districts … have the lowest per capita cost.”

The report found the RDKB’s municipal directors were $143 below the median pay of directors in the other regional districts, while rural directors were $421 above the median. The chair was $171 below the median. The report suggested rural directors and the chair be brought up to the median. Directors endorsed the increase, which is expected to be formally adopted at a future meeting, but they also had a few other ideas.

West Boundary director Sharen Gibbs called the matter a “touchy subject” given a “super tight” budget this year, but wondered if the board would consider raising the rate directors are paid for attending meetings.

Christina Lake director Grace McGregor also suggested they look at health and wellness pay. “Our positions are targets,” she said. “I can speak to that extensively. More and more, elected officials are under strain and stress because they’re attacked publicly and privately.” McGregor said such a stipend could be used to pay for a gym membership, to buy equipment, or “go for therapy.”

RDKB staff already have an annual wellness stipend and chief administrator Mark Andison said there has also been talk of allowing directors to access a counselling program provided to staff.

Rural Grand Forks director Linda Kay Wiese said she left “a perfectly good administrative job” to run for public office, and while being a rural director may be viewed as a part-time position, she can’t easily find a second job flexible enough to accommodate her RDKB role.

Warfield director Frank Marino suggested the board make adjustments to reach median pay, but go no higher.

Chief financial officer Farhad Hossain said the board could increase rural directors’ pay and leave municipal directors’ pay alone, or they could bring down municipal pay while increasing rural amounts. But in a similar review of staff pay, the board opted not to lower wages for those already making more than average.

In the end, the board agreed to increase monthly stipends for municipal directors and the chair, and directed staff to look into raising meeting allowances and creating a health and wellness stipend.

In 2024, salaries and expenses for the 13-member board totalled about $576,000, which was down from $587,000 the previous year.

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Sports by Hartley Thursday, October 9th, 2025  (As of 12:05 a.m.)

PG Cougars Cat Scan podcast:

CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller sits down with Leland Mack the @PGCougars Director of Scouting in this week’s episode | https://t.co/NcZmh83JLG #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/ZVbZNNqRYW

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) October 7, 2025

NHL: (4 Wednesday games)

Calgary  4  Edmonton  3  (SO)
Toronto  5  Montreal  2
Boston  3  Washington  1
LA  6  Vegas  5  (SO)

There are 14 Thursday games in the NHL including the Vancouver Canucks season opener at 7:00 when they host Calgary.

The NHL schedule and results are here.

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It’s not often a team takes a win away from themselves, but in the case of the Prince George Cougars that’s exactly what happened.

Kayden Longley and Tomas Poletin scored twice in the final minute to stun the Cougars, stealing a <em>5-4 victory on Wednesday in front of 3,196 fans at CN Centre.

The hockey gods punished the Cougars dearly after Terik Parascak who had the game on his stick staring at an empty Kelowna net elected to pass to Kayden Lemire who had the puck bounce off his stick and into the corner.

With goaltender Josh Banini pulled, Longley notched his second of the game on a scramble play that beat Cougars netminder Josh Ravensbergen.

Then on a set play with seven seconds remaining, Poletin, a New York Islanders prospect, fired a slapshot off a faceoff win that Ravensbergen had no chance of stopping.

The eventful third period actually started off on the right foot for the Cougars as a Bauer Dumanski point shot found the blade of Aiden Foster who was parked at the top of the opposing team’s blue paint, converting on the deflection to make it 3-2 Cougars.

Riley Ashe put the Cougars up by a deuce after storming out of the penalty box, accepting a Parascak stretch pass going blocker side on Banini for a 4-2 edge.

The furious Rockets comeback spoiled a stellar special teams’ night for the Cougars who went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill while also going 3-for-5 on the power-play.

PG came out of the gate like gangbusters once swarming the Memorial Cup hosts inside their defensive zone recording the game’s first five shots.

Kooper Gizowski put the Cougars on the board at 10:53 of the first period after draft-eligible defenceman Carson Carels neatly set the table for the over ager to one-time over the shoulder of Banini for a 1-0 lead.

Even though we are barely a week into October, the bad blood among the longtime B.C. Division rivals started to spill in the first period.

The first sign of the rough stuff came six minutes later as Kelowna defenceman Rowan Guest knocked rookie Cougars blueliner Eli Johnson to his knees negating a promising puck rush, only to be encountered by Patrick Sopiarz with both players chucking the knuckles.

Both teams decided to the turn the game into a track meet once the puck was dropped to begin period two.

A Dmitri Yakutsenak turnover inside the Rockets zone on a power-play led to a 2-on-1 shorthanded rush.

Carson Wetsch chugged up the ice and found Kayden Longley who fired a shot past an outstretched Ravensbergen.

Twenty-seven seconds later, Jett Lajoie accepted a Foster feed, firing a vicious forehand smash past Banini for a 2-1 Cougars edge.

Prince George’s loose structure inside their blueline would cost them once more as a Poletin cross-ice pass found Nashville Predators prospect Hiroki Goisjic who blew a wrister over the shoulder of Ravensbergen to draw even at 2-2.

The grittiness reared its ugly head again as a collision in Cougars territory drew Rockets defenceman Mazden Leslie and Foster together, resulting in coincidental penalties.

Then, a meeting of the minds occurred in front of the Cougars bench leading to more rough stuff.

Rockets blueliner Nate Corbet was right in the middle of it, fighting with Lajoie.

PG would receive a power-play out of it as the refs handed Corbet and unsportsmanlike conduct minor for his hell-raising behaviour.

Prince George outshot the Rockets 35-32. Banini battled his way to a 31-save effort.

He was acquired prior to opening night from the Moose Jaw Warriors for draft picks.

Ravensbergen made 27 saves in defeat. Wetsch finished the contest with three assists for the Rockets who improve to 3-1-0-0.

Longley chipped in with two goals and one helper.

Connor Pankratz earned a single for Kelowna, trimming the deficit to 4-3 after PG got caught flatfooted off the faceoff and powered to the net at 8:59 of the third.

Brock Souch continued his hot start to the season for the Cougars in a losing cause, recording a pair of assists.

The 19-year-old, who is a commit to St. Cloud State has nine points in five games.

The Cougars (4-1-0-0) continue their homestand with Community Heroes Weekend Saturday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm) when they welcome the Tri-City Americans (1-4-0-0).

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100 Mile House RCMP are still finding counterfeit 100 bills circulating the town and district.

Police in a release say the most recent seizures of the bills display the same serial number, GKD8904638, on the bills.

RCMP wants the public to know that any bill associated with this serial number is counterfeit. Another way to tell if the bill is a fake is that the paper and plastic quality will feel different than legitimate bills.

Police caution anyone accepting these bills as either a consumer or a business. And if you believe you have been given a counterfeit bill to go to your local bank for verification.

They also said that so far, only 100-dollar bills have been seized as counterfeit.

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Canada Games Plaza was alive this afternoon (Wednesday) with the sound of music and plenty of smiles as a Party in the Plaza was held, showcasing some Prince George enthusiasm for the 2030 Special Olympics Canada Games Selection Committee.

“We managed to start off at UNBC early this morning, we welcomed the bid committee from Ontario, and they’re here from Special Olympics Canada and we’re going to start to continue our journey through the city, showing them the sports venues” said Volunteer on the Bid Committee Lyn Hall.

“Had an opportunity to have lunch here at the Civic Centre just to have an idea of what it looks like all set up.”

Hall said coming into this week’s visit, the Bid Committee was always feeling good about the bid.

“It was about just putting the best bid package together that we possibly could that would really make it difficult for them to say no, and you work from there,” he said.

“I think that we were able to show them today some real highlights of 2015 Games, the 2022 Games, and the 2025 Games that we just finished a couple of months ago.”

Seen throughout the plaza on t-shirts, banners and flags was the slogan “We’re ready.”

“It came about just through conversation around the bid committee group and people throwing suggestions on the table, and that’s how it really started,” Hall explained.

“We fell to that because we really wanted to send a strong message, and we are ready, we’re ready to put them on, we have the experience, we have the facilities, we have the volunteers, and we have people of Prince George get quite geared up to be able to participate in having national or provincial games and we’ve proven that over the last number of decades.”

In terms of the bid, Hall added this process is a bit more work than for the 2025 B.C. games.

“This really is a little bit more involved, particularly from a financial perspective, particularly from partnerships, and there’s competition that we have to go up against to be able to win the right to hold these games,” he explained.

“So the groups that’s come in from Special Games Canada, they’re looking at all the fine tuning that needs to be done for them to be able to put on and be comfortable with the games at all of the facilities.”

In addition to UNBC, the Civic Centre, and the CN Centre, Hall said the committee will be taking a look at a number of venues, all for the same sports that were played in the 2025 B.C. games in Prince George.

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The Downtown Fallfest is returning to Prince George, but will see its festivities extended.

The Fallfest Launch on Saturday will have different markets happening, including the PG Farmer’s Market (1310 3rd Avenue) , Wilson Square Community Market (250 George Street), Gigi’s Marketplace (770 Brunswick Street), and the Q3 Market (1299 3rd Avenue).

“Some of the markets have ‘Guess the Weight of the Giant Pumpkin’ contest going on, some of them have different activities for kids to participate in, some are running their regular scheduled program but still full of local vendors and artisans.” said Downtown Prince George Executive Director Chrisie Berry.

Downtown Prince George will also have a new addition to the Fallfest, and will continue until the end of the month.

“We have worked with our restaurants and cafes to do a Sip into Fall Festival contest.” said Berry.

“Participating restaurants and cafes have a featured drink that people can come in and try, and on our website there’s a voting page to vote for your favourite.”

A full list of participating locations can be found on the Downtown Prince George website, with voting open until October 31st.

More information about Downtown Fallfest can be found here.

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The City of Nelson has asked BC Transit to explore new seating options at the Victoria Street Transit Exchange.

The exchange has been operational since June, meanwhile, the benches and bus shelters were installed in September, but instead of standard benches, stand-up benches were used.

Councillor Rik Logtenberg, who also chairs the West Kootenay Transit Committee, told council at the Oct. 7 meeting the city was not involved in choosing the exchange’s seating style.

“BC Transit designed shelters and the way they were designed, they pushed onto the sidewalk too much, away from the building and didn’t leave enough room for city plows to plow the sidewalk,” Logtenberg said.

He said the only way to make room for plows was to install stand-up benches, but the committee has asked BC Transit to explore other options.

“The only way to square that circle was to have those stand-up benches. It was not intentional. There was no desire to punish homeless people or anything like that,” he said.

Another constraint, according to community planning manager Chris Johnson, involved limited space between the pink government building at 314 Victoria St.

“There was only so much room to allow the buses to park on either side and have enough lane room to travel. They made the sidewalk as wide as possible and still, there were a couple of challenges with that as the traditional shelters would stick out too far,” Johnson said.

He reiterated Logtenberg’s remarks about ensuring space to plow the sidewalk. While crews could use hand shovels instead, it would take them more time.

“With a sidewalk plow you’re going to have a better service of keeping that sidewalk clear and it’ll be kept more clear in better conditions,” Johnson said.

A proposed solution includes potentially designing and manufacturing fold-up seats, which BC Transit supports.

This option would require discussions with the province to gain permission to bolt the seating into the 314 Victoria Street building.

However, this solution would not be sheltered, which didn’t sit right with Councillor Leslie Payne.

“For the number of times the sidewalk plow has to go by and the number of months that snow is there, we’ve made the decision that for the rest of time individuals who need the benches get the choice to either lean against something or sit outside in the elements? I’m just trying to envision this from the point of accessibility,” Payne said.

CAO Kevin Cormack said it is not just about the ability to plow the sidewalk, but also about ensuring enough space to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers.

“It wasn’t just about transit users. If you’re on a wheelchair trying to get down the sidewalk, you need to be able to get down the sidewalk. Can a stroller pass a wheelchair on the sidewalk, can we have two strollers on the sidewalk and still have benches that fit out? I think that was part of the considerations,” he said.

“We can’t have benches that go into that area so someone can’t get down this sidewalk. I don’t know if they’ve managed to sort of make that all work now. But they’re working on it.”

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Shawnigan Lake RCMP are looking for the driver of a white Mercedes-Benz SUV that took off after a crash on the Malahat in Mill Bay.

Police say it happened around 8:20 p.m. on September 28th, on the Trans-Canada Highway at Nightingale Road.

The preliminary investigation shows a northbound Mercedes-Benz hit a grey Mazda 3, causing the Mazda to spin, hit a light pole and roll onto its side.

RCMP say the Mazda driver was brought to hospital with non life-threatening injuries, while the SUV kept going north after the crash.

Anyone with information or dash-cam video from the area is asked to get in touch with the Shawnigan Lake RCMP detachment.

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Some residents of the Regional District of Nanaimo will be asked this month whether they approve borrowed funds for the purchase of the former French Creek School site. 

Eligible voters in Area F, both resident electors and non-resident property electors, will decide in a referendum on Oct. 25. The RDN is asking permission to borrow $824,000, plus interest, to help finance the purchase.  

The RDN will host an information session Oct. 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Meadowood Community Hall, offering residents a chance to ask questions about the proposal.  

Advanced voting will take place Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Coombs Fairgrounds.  

BACKGROUND: Regional District of Nanaimo to ask electors for approval to purchase old school    

Because of the Canada Post strike, the RDN says mail ballot packages cannot be mailed out. Instead, residents can pick up and drop off mail ballots at one of four locations after visiting the RDN website for instructions. 

The French Creek School site is a 3.7-hectare property located at 2350 Alberni Highway, currently owned by School District 69.  The RDN has agreed to purchase it for $1.3 million, including $20,000 in closing costs.  

Should the referendum succeed, funding will come from $376,000 in Electoral Area F community parks and halls reserves, $120,000 from community works funds, and the loan. 

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The current strike by Canadian Union of Postal Worker (CUPW) employees is has been felt by local businesses in Smithers.

That’s according to a statement from the Smithers and District Chamber of Commerce.

The recent strike started on September 25th after the federal government ordered the postal company to make sweeping changes. [https://www.mybulkleylakesnow.com/74263/postal-workers-strike-as-ottawa-signals-end-of-door-to-door-delivery/]

“Many of our smaller businesses depend heavily on reliable delivery services, especially when competing against large retailers,” said Executive Director Sheena Miller.

“With this being the second strike within a year, it’s become very challenging and disheartening for some,” said Miller

She added some Smithers businesses have and are looking at alternative couriers during strikes with some also hoping a fair resolution can be reached quickly.

“Everyone deserves safe working conditions and stability, including the businesses and customers who rely on these essential services.”

Miller also noted a silver lining for local businesses as postal disruptions flag the importance of supporting local,

“When deliveries slow down, residents often rediscover the value of shopping right here in Smithers, where local businesses continue to go above and beyond to serve the community,” she said.

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The Women’s Auxiliary for the Royal Canadian Legion branch 94 handed a sizeable donation to the Nourish Food Bank in Quesnel on Oct 8.

Gathering in Nourish’s new location at 138 McLean Street, the Women’s Auxiliary donated a cheque of $1,000 to the Food Bank.

“We are so appreciative of this one thousand dollars,” said Nourish Staff member Sandra Davis. “This is going towards buying food for our hampers that we give out monthly.”

Davis says the need for hampers has risen in the community, with almost 850 households registered to receive hampers.

“It’s climbing all the time, and this will definitely help.”

Ann Miller of the Women’s Auxiliary, said the Auxiliary often donates to different areas that support the Legion.

“We support veterans as much as we can,” Miller said. “At one of our meetings, one of our ladies suggested we donate to the food bank, and we all thought there could be veterans in need who use Nourish. So we decided to get this happening.”

Donations to Nourish can be made in person by dropping items at their location on McLean. Or online on its website.

Ann Miller says the Women’s Auxiliary is always looking for new members, and if anyone is interested they can find out more at the Legion Branch in Quesnel.

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Housing in activity has picked up a notched through the first nine months of 2025 in PG.

According to the BC Northern Real Estate Board, 1066 properties worth $525.7 million changed hands at the end of September in PG, compared with 1004 properties worth $476.7 million 12 months earlier.

In the western part of the city, the median price of the 173 homes sold this year, was $474,000.

East of the By-pass, the 120 single-family homes that sold for an average price of $419,500.

When it comes to the Hart, 138 single-family homes sold considerably higher at $585,000.

Lastly in College Heights, the median price of the 191 single-family homes sold was $605,000.

At the end of September, there were 713 properties of all types available for purchase in PG.

Regionally, 3764 properties worth $1.6 billion sold in the first nine months of 2025.

At this time last year, 3602 properties worth $1.5 billion had changed hands.

As of September 30th, there were 3472 properties of all types available for sale in the north, up from 3361 properties during the same time in 2024.

Market activity varied widely across the board region. Seasonally adjusted sales rose from the prior quarter in Williams Lake, Prince George, Terrace, Fort St. John, Kitimat, 100 Mile House, and Prince Rupert, while declining in Smithers and Quesnel.

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As Halloween draws closer, the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is sending an annual reminder about setting off fireworks. 

Properties within Electoral Areas A, B, and C must have a fireworks permit before setting them off, and fireworks in rural areas can only be set off on your own properties or with the owner’s permission. 

Senior Manager of Building and Bylaw Compliance Amanda Yasinski said anyone planning to set them off should also let their neighbours know beforehand. 

“Failure to have a permit is now a $500 fine and residents are reminded to plan ahead,” said Yasinski. 

Firework sales will be permitted from October 24 to November 1 from commercially zoned retailers operating under current fire regulations within the region. 

Permits can be purchased online or at the CVRD office for $10, and applicants must be 18 years of age or older. 

Residents are encouraged to contact their municipalities directly for fireworks regulations and permit requirements. 

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Cranbrook council has given one reading to a density amendment for a possible apartment development to be located adjacent to Laurie Middle School on a parcel at 114 17A Avenue South.

The land is currently medium density, which allows for 35-80 units per hectare, and the amendment would raise that to 80-120 units per hectare.

The parcel is 0.22 hectares in size, so there could be a max of 24 units.

The proposed development is for a three storey apartment building with 24 two-bedroom units.

The proposal will come back to council in a future meeting.

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Elk Valley residents can now access a maternity clinic, offering services in Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford.

The Elk Valley Maternity Clinic offers team-based care from early pregnancy through delivery and up to six weeks postpartum.

Interior Health officials said the clinic is staffed family physicians, a midwife, nurses and allied health professionals.

“Providers rotate clinic shifts and on-call duties across all three community clinic locations, giving patients the opportunity to meet multiple members of the care team during their pregnancy,” IH said.

The Fernie location at the Elk Valley Hospital is open Monday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The clinic is available in Elkford on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Elkford Urgent Primary Care Centre.

Sparwood residents can access a clinic in the medical centre on Thursdays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Those looking to access the maternity clinic can do so through two ways.

Those with a family doctor are encouraged to book an appointment with their physician who will send a referral to the preferred location.

Those without a family doctor can call the EVMC location of their choice and a self-referral form will be provided to gather information before the initial appointment.

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A former Sparwood resident has approached council with a proposal for a new childcare facility.

Sunny Goyal said he is looking to give back to the community and would be willing to fund $500,000 but land would need to be provided.

“Our family lived in Sparwood from 2008 to 2020, during the years when our children were in elementary and high school here. We have always valued the support and warmth of this community, and we are grateful for the role Sparwood played in our lives,” he said.

“As a way of giving back to the community, we are planning to establish a new daycare facility with capacity for approximately 50–75 children. We believe this will provide much-needed support to families and strengthen the community as a whole.”

Mayor David Wilks said more childcare is definitely needed as the community’s population has grown.

“We will see what we can do. We understand the challenges,” he said.

“We’re growing a little faster then we probably expected to over the last couple years.”

Sparwood’s planning department will be working with Goyal to see if there are any suitable parcels of land.

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British Columbia and Alberta saw the largest declines in the price of apartment rentals over the past year, although B.C. remained the most expensive province for renters.

The latest rent report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation said average asking rents in both provinces fell 5.5 per cent in September compared to the previous year.

In B.C., the average rent across all property types was $2,473 last month – the highest in Canada. The nation-wide average was $2,123.

The average asking price for a one-bedroom in B.C. was $2,141 last month, marking a 5.3 per cent decline from September 2024.

The report notes B.C. rents have seen a two-year decline of 8.5 per cent.

“In the past two years, we’ve taken unprecedented action to deliver more homes for people and tackle speculation. Our housing action plan is having an impact, with vacancy rates rising and asking rents consistently dropping,” said B.C. Housing Minister Christine Boyle.

“We know there is so much more do to address housing costs for people. That is why we need to stick to our plan,” said Boyle.

North Vancouver remained the most expensive area in Canada for renters, with an average rent of $2,558 for a one-bedroom unit in September — down just over 6.5 per cent from the same time last year.

Vancouver was a close second at $2,489 for a one-bedroom, down six per cent year-over-year.

Victoria recorded an average of $2,014 for a one-bedroom — 7.4 per cent decline from last year.

In Kelowna, rent for a one-bedroom dropped 3.3 per cent compared with last September, to an average of $1,928.

B.C. also had the largest drop in shared accommodation rents compared with Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. There was a 7.4 per cent decrease in B.C to an average of $1,120, compared to September 2024. Vancouver led the way with a nearly 15 per cent decline in shared accommodation rents to $1,268.

Nationally, asking rents across Canada decreased 3.2 per cent in September from last year’s record high, marking the twelfth consecutive month of year-over-year declines.

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Prince George Fire Rescue Crews responded to the 2200 block of Oak Street early this morning (Wednesday) on a report of an outbuilding fire.

Crews were called at 12:45 a.m., and upon arrival, crews found a shed, approximately six feet by eight feet, that was fully engulfed in fire.

According to crews, the fire had impacted a wooden fence structure and ignited a mature fir tree that was adjacent to the shed.

Seven fire personnel from one hall and three apparatus worked to extinguish the fire.

No injures have been reported, and there’s no estimate on damage.

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Drugs, weapons, cash, and cigarettes were seized in Williams Lake on Sept. 25.

Police are investigating the potential drug trafficking following the arrest of a woman during a traffic stop for a motor vehicle act infraction.

When police identified the woman, who was the passenger in the vehicle, they learned she was out on a previous release order with a condition not to possess weapons. RCMP at the scene noticed the woman had a pocketknife clipped to her pants, and she was arrested for breach of conditions.

Police did a search of the vehicle incidentally to the arrest, and found approximately 40, one gram prepackaged tinfoil zips of suspected crack cocaine, a container of four grams of suspected crack cocaine, five grams of suspected fentanyl, two grams of suspected methamphetamine, three knives, a carton of illicit cigarettes, and $700 in cash.

The driver of the vehicle was released at the scene with a driver infraction. The arrested woman was later released on an appearance notice for the breach of conditions.

The investigation into the drug trafficking is ongoing.

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Bulkley Valley and Lakes District housing sales for to end the third quarter are about on par with last year.

That’s according to new data from the B.C. Northern Real Estate Board as of September 30th.

In Smithers, 132 properties have changed hands which was only two more than last year.

The total worth also went up from $68.5 million to $72 million.

Included were 52 single family homes, 16 pieces of vacant land, 29 acreage homes, and 12 manufactured homes.

Remaining on the market were 98 properties.

Houston saw a slight drop in the number of properties sold from 51 in 2024 to 46 while the total worth went up by $100,000 to $13.5 million.

Still on the market were 37 properties of various types.

Three more properties were sold in Burns Lake this year compared to last at 50 with 62 still on the market.

The total value of properties sold by this time last year was $12.7 million compared to $16 million this year.

In the Hazelton area, 31 properties worth $9.1 million in total were sold compared to 17 last year worth $5.6 million.

There, 28 properties remained on the market.

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A traffic stop on Oliver Street in Williams Lake on Monday, Oct. 08, led to the arrest of the driver and drugs, cash, and a pistol being seized.

RCMP say the driver of a vehicle, a woman, was known to police and was on conditions not to possess weapons. Police said in a release that a search of the vehicle was conducted based on the driver’s behaviour, known conditions, and officer safety reasons.

Police said they found a folding knife, which led to the woman’s arrest. During a further search of the vehicle, RCMP found 16.1 grams of suspected cocaine, 22.3 grams of suspected rock cocaine, 11.4 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, paraphernalia known to be used in drug trafficking, and $500 in Canadian currency.

Police said that during the release process of the woman, she made statements that allowed the police to obtain a search warrant for her residence. There they located more suspected cocaine, significant paraphernalia seen in drug trafficking, approximately $300 in cash, and a revolver pistol with ammunition.

The investigation is ongoing.

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The Conservation Officer Service had less calls over the summer regarding bears in Prince George.

According to the Northern Bear Awareness Society, there were only 212 reports as of August 31st in PG, with the province also seeing a decrease in calls.

Board of Directors President Nicole Botten attributes the lower bear sightings to better crops outside the city.

“In anyone ventured out into the woods for a walk you would’ve noticed that there were lots of flowers in the spring, which of course produce lots of fruit and berries in the fall and summer.”

“It was easy for the bears to keep themselves satisfied in their natural habitat.”

While Botten hopes people properly store and keep away bear attractants, she said there’s been an improvement over the years of people being more aware of them.

Some ways to help prevent bears visiting your property is by putting a ratchet strap on garbage bins, putting away bird feeders, and picking any fruit at least until winter.

It’s also important to store pumpkins during the evening, and Botten noted carved pumpkins are more fragrant for a bear.

Botten said at this time of year, bears are constantly eating so they can live off of stored fat over the winter.

More information about the Northern Bear Awareness Society can be found on its website here.

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The operations of three local hydro-electric facilities will change hands in 18 months.

The Columbia Basin Trust and Columbia Power Corporation will move to in-house management of the Arrow Lakes, Brilliant Expansion, and Waneta Expansion facilities as of March 2027. Until now, FortisBC has looked after them on contract.

“FortisBC has provided operations and maintenance services to the Trust and Columbia Power for more than two decades, and we value the professionalism and collaboration of their trades and technicians that have characterized this long-standing relationship,” Trust president and CEO Johnny Strilaeff said in a prepared statement.

“As we have grown, we’ve developed the internal capacity to manage these responsibilities directly, in a way that delivers the greatest long-term value for the region.”

Financial details weren’t immediately available.

Strilaeff said they’re working with FortisBC on a “planned and orderly transition” and added there will be no disruption to operations.

FortisBC said the change won’t affect any of the services it offers to its power customers, nor any of the other hydroelectric generating facilities it owns and operates on the Kootenay River.

Dam operations on local rivers involve several different players and have changed over time.

The Arrow Lakes generating station was completed in 2002 below BC Hydro’s Hugh  Keenleyside Dam on the Columbia River.

Brilliant Expansion was completed in 2007 below the Brilliant Dam on the Kootenay River. Columbia Power bought the dam from Cominco in 1996.

Waneta Expansion was completed in 2015 downstream of the Waneta dam on the Pend d’Oreille River. BC Hydro bought the dam from Teck in 2018. Columbia Power and Columbia Basin Trust bought out Fortis’s half-interest in the expansion in 2019.

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The number of property crime and shoplifting calls in Smithers this year are down compared to 2024.

That’s according to preliminary data from the Smithers RCMP with 12 per cent of calls this year have been to report shoplifting with 17 percent for property offences.

Last year, those numbers were 45 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

“We’ve been more visible in the community, and at the same time we’re making quicker connections between individuals in crisis and the health and social services through our enhanced patrols,” said Acting Staff Sergeant Ryan Law.

“That approach has reduced repeat calls and helped ease the pressure on businesses and residents.”

Mounties add ongoing partnerships with local agencies remain essential to sustaining this trend and maintaining community safety.

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Prince George City Council had a brief discussion on the recent move to going cashless at the CN Centre at this week’s meeting.

On September 10th, the arena announced it was going cashless at all concessions, with concessions and bars only accepting debit and credit cards for purchases.

According to Director of Civic Facilities and Events Andy Beesley, Levy Canada operates food and beverage services at the arena, and they made the decision to make the move to cashless.

“They’re basing it on improving accuracy at the tills, enhancing health and safety by limiting the handling of cash, and also aligning with the growing preference among guests for contactless payments,” Beesley explained.

“They have been faced, as have we, with years and years and years of serious criticism about the lineups at concessions, as you can imagine, when there’s 6,000 people at a Cougars game and 18 minute intermissions, lineups get long and people get frustrated because they’re going slowly, so this was a business decision made by them based on speeding up service as well as what they believe is the preference among the majority of guests.”

Beesley added the Prince George Cougars 50/50 kiosks, the Cougars Den team store, TicketsNorth and vending machines still accept cash.

At this week’s meeting, City Council received a letter of correspondence from Byron Roberts, a resident opposed to the change.

“This decision overlooks the needs of many residents who either do not use, or cannot use, electronic payment methods,” he wrote.

“Seniors, individuals, and those who rely on caregivers are especially affected.”

He added a decision of this magnitude should consider accessibility, inclusion, and fairness.

Councillor Cori Ramsay asked if having gift cards available to purchase with cash could be an option.

“Not everyone can have a debit card, that is a reality of the financial world,” Ramsay added.

“I work for a financial institution and we actively choose not to give people debit cards because of power of attorney issues, because of bad account practices, because of a myriad of reasons, and so it is a privilege, not a right to have a debit card, and to be able to use those types of tap services, still in 2025 unfortunately, that means a number of people could be disadvantaged by this policy.”

Beesley said it’s something that’s been used in other venues.

“I don’t have any data so I’m not going to argue for or against it,” he said.

“I’ve heard from Levy that it’s been extremely frustrating and difficult and not successful in other venues.”

He added it is something the City has asked about, and he’s waiting on more information.

Beesley also noted the City is keeping an eye on any complaints or feedback that people aren’t attending because they can’t use cash.

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The City of Nelson will deploy a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Kootenay River on Wednesday to try to locate a leak in its wastewater force main.

The city issued a notice Tuesday saying it had identified two leaks in the Grohman Narrows wastewater force main – one found late last week and repaired, but a second revealed itself Tuesday.

Community planning manager Chris Johnson told councillors at the Oct. 7 meeting that the first leak was hard to find.

“We were having troubles locating the leak with the ROV, so divers came in and found it was actually underneath the pipe, embedded in silt,” said Johnson.

Crews were eventually able to access it, though it was located in a challenging spot on the force main, which is held down by large, concrete saddle anchors.

“Imagine a big U-shaped horseshoe thing that goes over top of it. It was right underneath that anchor where we needed to place the clamp,” Johnson explained.

He said the city had to bring in a barge from up the lake to lift the anchor and move it down a few metres so a steel collar clamp could be placed around the pipe and bolted down.

The work was finished on the weekend, but unfortunately another leak revealed itself a few days later, and it too has been challenging to locate and plan repairs.

“We have another leak that we’re currently looking for. But one of the great challenges is getting divers in who are able to come and dive the line. They have their work lined up for the season, so that’s one of the big challenges we have right now,” said Johnson.

He said an ROV will be deployed Wednesday to swim the line again to try to find the leak. Once the city secures a dive team, repairs will follow.

He added that all the leaks on the forcemain seem to be coming just downstream from the field welds, which the city believes has resulted in debris wearing away the pipe material.

“When the pipe went in, it was welded together in the field, and that weld bead on the inside created a little bump, which just allows for a bit of a back eddy behind it, where we imagine pebbles and things like that are just churning and chewing away at the material of the pipe there, so we end up with all these sort of loonie- or toonie-sized holes in there,” he said.

Johnson also noted that most of the leaks identified in recent years have occurred in either the spring or fall, which he said is a bit of an anomaly.

“It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, and we’re working hard to try to understand what could be resulting in these leaks coming during only a couple of months a year,” he said.

Testing is conducted regularly downstream of the wastewater treatment plant, but Johnson said when a leak is identified, the city increases testing, and so far results have remained within legal parameters.

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Ice is being installed at the Kinsmen Arena and is set to reopen to the public this Saturday, Oct. 11.

The arena was closed in late August for repairs, after staff had discovered chipping and peeling lead-based paint on the arena’s main beams.

The arena was closed as a safety precaution, however, urser groups will be able to use the facilities again this weekend.

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Sunshine Coast RCMP are looking for more information about an assault which was reported late last month. 

On September 28, RCMP responded to an incident around 1:00 p.m. in the 5700 block of Cowrie Street in Sechelt. 

The assault was unprovoked on two youth according to the RCMP. 

Police quickly arrested a man who was released on court documents for two counts of assault. 

RCMP is asking anyone with information, video, or who may have witnessed the incident to contact them. 

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It was an exciting day in downtown Duncan as the first Totem Tour decals were installed on the city’s historic totem stands — a milestone that’s been a year in the making.

The new Digital Totem Tour is a collaborative project between the City of Duncan, Cowichan Tribes, and tour app developer On This Spot, made possible through a Destination BC grant. The initiative allows visitors and locals alike to scan QR codes located at each totem site and instantly access videos, photos, and stories about the carvings and their creators.

Mark’s Instant Sign Shop Ltd. handled the installation of the first batch of decals around Charles Hoey Park, with Kirsty from the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre and Larissa from the City of Duncan coordinating communications with the individual totem carvers and their families.

In a fitting debut, a class from St. John’s Academy in Shawnigan Lake became the very first visitors to scan the new QR codes while touring the totems that morning.

The digital tour is now live and can be explored online at onthisspot.ca/cities/duncan. The official launch event for the Totem Tour App will be announced soon.

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Nanaimo city council has approved an agreement that will allow more spaces for addiction recovery in the community.

This follows a request at city council’s Oct. 6 meeting seeking permission to create 15 new treatment spaces.

Graham Meneilly currently runs a recovery house on his property at 224 Whitecourt Way and wanted to increase capacity and expand the service into another property he co-owns on Kennedy Street.

He asked council to approve an agreement permitting ten residents in each house. Currently, only five people are allowed at the Whitecourt Way location.

He has operated the facility for about two years and said it has been in operation for nearly eight years.

“What we are doing is very safe and it’s something that the community really needs. Theres’s a need for a number of things,” Meneilly said. There is a need for treatment, there is a need for harm reduction, there’s a lot of people suffering out there and there is a need for all kinds of things but what we are focusing on is the longer-term part of that care for people that have already gone through the initial stages of treatment and what we are focusing on doing is helping people become productive, healthy, happy members of society.”

He pointed out neighbours are familiar with the programming at the facility, and city staff told council there have not been significant bylaw complaints about the location.

Meneilly said he is looking to have both places listed with the assisted-living registry through the province.

“As of right now we are registered with the assisted-living registry as an unlicensed facility so they have come and looked at Whitecourt Way a couple of times and they are comfortable with the way we are operating now but we would like to be able to offer additional services like more psychosocial services and budgeting support and things like that,” he said.

He told council most people would not know the facility is for addiction treatment if there were no public licensing and approval process.

Council approved the housing agreement to allow up to ten people living at each facility.

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A 62-year-old man is wanted by the Prince George RCMP.

Gregory William Felker is wanted on two unendorsed warrants and one endorsed warrant for the following:

• Theft under $5000 (4 counts)
• Fail to comply with Undertaking

Felker is described as:

• Caucasian male
• 5’11” (180 cm)
• 201 lb (91 kg)
• Grey hair
• Hazel eyes

If you have any information about his whereabouts, contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

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A total of 80 people were counted as experiencing homelessness in Powell River in the latest point-in-time survey, that’s a drop from 126 reported in the 2023 edition.

Most of those counted were unsheltered.

The count included both sheltered and unsheltered people. “Sheltered” refers to those in shelters, hospitals, holding cells or other overnight facilities on the night of the count (March 7, 2025).

Of the total, 59 were unsheltered and 21 sheltered.

The survey asked how long respondents had lived in the community. Eighty-eight per cent had been there one year or more, 71 per cent five years or more, and 25 per cent said they had always lived in the area.

The report notes Indigenous people are consistently overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness: 39 per cent of respondents identified as Indigenous, compared with six per cent of the census population.

Insufficient income was cited most often as a cause of homelessness (28 per cent). Twenty-two per cent mentioned conflict with a parent or guardian, and 22 per cent cited unfit or unsafe housing.

Most people experiencing homelessness were between the ages of 25 and 54. Twenty per cent were seniors, and 23 per cent were youths under 25.

Only nine per cent of respondents reported having a full or part-time job.

The data also included substance use and mental health. Eighty-one per cent reported substance use; 78 per cent reported mental health challenges.

Among those reporting substance use: 50 per cent used opiates, 54 per cent used stimulants, 39 per cent used alcohol, 61 per cent used cannabis, and 83 per cent used nicotine.

This year, the province released count data from 20 communities.

Click here to view data from the 2025 Powell River point-in-time survey from the Homelessness Services Association of B.C.

– Article includes information from Homelessness Services Association of B.C. via Province of British Columbia

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Cooler overnight temperatures means the winterizing of seasonal parks in Prince George.

As of yesterday (Tuesday), all park water fountains will be shut down to protect underground infrastructure and prevent the pipes from freezing.

In addition, the following closures are set to take place in the coming weeks:

Washroom and outhouse winterization

• • Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park washrooms
  • Duchess Park washroom
  • Connaught Hill Park outhouse
  • Rainbow Park outhouses 

Park gate closures

• Carrie Jane Gray Park and Connaught Hill Park close to vehicle traffic on October 31.
• Nechako Riverside Park gates and outhouse will be closed after the first significant snowfall. The parking lot will not be plowed through the winter.
• Jumpstart Multisport courts and washrooms will be closed after the first significant snowfall.
• The parking lot will not be plowed through the winter. The courts may be closed in the mornings leading up to the closure if there are safety hazards including frost or ice.

Masich Place Stadium

The last day for outdoor public walking will be October 31.

The track may be closed in the mornings leading up to the closure if there are safety hazards including frost or ice on the track.

Indoor public walking is available starting October 20 at the CN Centre, except on event days.

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It wasn’t quite the result a standout judo athlete from Prince George was looking for.

Carla Van Zyl of the Hart Judo Academy placed seventh at the World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru this week.

Van Zyl lost her opening match to Gajic Jevgenija of Croatia.

Mio Shirakane of Japan took home the gold medal in the individual competition.

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Five Prince George Cougars alumni found themselves on the opening rosters of their respective NHL clubs.

They include Jansen Harkins (Anaheim Ducks), Zac Funk (Washington Capitals), Dennis Cholowski (New Jersey Devils), Chase Wheatcroft (Dallas Stars) and Ethan Samson (Philadelphia Flyers).

Funk, Wheatcroft, Samson and Harkins are listed as injured or on the non-active roster.

145 WHL Players were named to opening night rosters this season.

All 32 NHL Clubs feature at least one former WHL player, with the Vegas Golden Knights leading the pack with 11.

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As of 12 p.m. today, Wednesday, Oct. 8, Category 2 open fire restrictions will be lifted across the Southeast Fire Centre.

The decision follows reduced wildfire risk in the region. The following activities will once again be allowed:

• Burning one or two piles at a time, each no larger than two metres high and three metres wide

• Burning stubble or grass over areas less than 0.2 hectares

• Using fireworks, as defined under B.C.’s Fireworks Act

• Discharging binary exploding targets

• Using burn barrels or burn cages of any type

• Operating controlled air incinerators

However, Category 3 open fires remain prohibited.

A Category 3 fire includes:

• Burning material in three or more piles at once, with each pile no larger than two metres high and three metres wide

• Burning any pile larger than two metres high and three metres wide

• Burning in one or more windrows no longer than 200 metres and no wider than 15 metres

• Burning stubble or grass over areas larger than 0.2 hectares

In addition, the use of air curtain burners and carbonizers remains restricted.

For the latest information on open burning and fire bans, visit www.bcwildfire.ca.

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Complaints about student behaviour near Grand Forks Secondary School have prompted city council to push for a joint meeting with school and police officials.

City Council sent a letter to School District 51 (SD51) in June expressing concern about student behaviour near the school following community reports of students engaging in unsavoury behaviour.

The letter asked for a plan to address the issue before classes resumed in the fall.

Council recieved a response from SD51 at its Oct. 6 meeting.

The school district said it recognizes the seriousness of the reported behaviour, which included graffiti, smoking, substance use and interactions that “caused residents to feel intimidated.”

However, it noted that these incidents occurred off school property, limiting the school’s authority.

“While we can address behaviours that affect the school community, schools are not granted unlimited authority over student actions in all public spaces outside of instructional hours, and effective responses require collaboration with families, the city and the RCMP,” the letter said.

The district added that school administrators will continue to communicate clear expectations to students about responsible behaviour and respect but said meaningful solutions require collaboration.

“Enforcement of bylaws and laws, as well as supervision in public spaces, fall within the authority of the city and the RCMP. We would therefore welcome the opportunity to meet jointly with the city and the RCMP to clarify roles and responsibilities and to develop coordinated strategies.”

Councillor David Mark disagreed with the district’s response, particularily regarding its inability to enforce school rules during breaks.

“Respectfully, I disagree with the reply. I consider lunchtime breaks and time between classes to still be instructional time and within the purview of the school system,” he said.

Mark also noted that the letter did not say whether students are required to stay on school grounds during breaks.

“I remember that as a consequence that I endured a couple of times myself,” he said.

He proposed a motion to meet with the district superintendent, the school principal, council and the RCMP to develop a joint plan going forward.

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A BC Timber Sales manager for the Kootenay-Boundary admits they may have a hard time selling wood in the coming months as local mills cope with additional U.S. tariffs.

George Edney told Castlegar city council this week that his organization, which manages and auctions 20 per cent of the timber on Crown land, will have sales opening next week in the Boundary.

“We’ll just see how they go, because we’re a little bit nervous with Interfor,” Edney said in response to a question from councillor Shirley Falstead. “We’ll see if they bid on them.”

Interfor has curtailed its Grand Forks operations indefinitely due to “persistently weak market conditions.” The Castlegar operation was planning four or five days of minor downtime, mostly around holidays and weekends.

Edney said if the wood they offer in the Boundary doesn’t sell at the upset price, they can drop the price and try again, or they can withdraw it altogether, although typically they want the wood in the market.

“We could be running into some real big problems in terms of trying to sell our volume in the coming months,” he said. “We’ll have to see how it’s going to play out. The third and fourth quarters are going to be really interesting.”

Canadian softwood producers are subject to 35 per cent anti-dumping duties on U.S. exports, to which a new 10 per cent tariff will be added next week. Edney said it is having a “major” impact on local operators, despite the fact lumber prices are rising. He expected there could be further shutdowns.

Edney said the 581,000 cubic meters that BC Timber Sales sold in the Kootenays in 2024-25 was more than the Kamloops, Okanagan, or Cariboo regions, which they attribute to diversity of tree species and clients.

Their target volume for 2025-26 is 715,000 cubic metres. In the first quarter, they sold 102,000, while they fell short of their goal of 123,000 in the second quarter. They are projecting 195,000 for the third quarter and 295,000 for the fourth quarter.

Edney, who has been been with BC Timber Sales for 21 of the 22 years it has existed,  appeared with two other managers. He it was the first time they have come to Castlegar council as a delegation.

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Prince George City Council gave the first three readings of the bylaw for 2026’s Permissive Tax Exemptions.

According to a staff report, the total estimated value for the tax exemptions is a little more than $2.2 million, or 1.47 per cent of the tax levy. (Based off 2025 tax rates and assessment values)

Permissive tax exemptions are a means for City Council to support organizations within the community which further Council’s objectives of enhancing quality of life and delivering services economically.

Provincial legislation provides statutory tax exemptions for places of worship.

Two new residences were approved for tax exemptions by the City’s Standing Committee on Finance and Audit; 1177 Francois Crescent being used by AiMHi, and a property on Ferguson Lake Road being used by the Nature Trust of BC.

Councillor Ron Polillo recused himself from the vote, as he is employed by AiMHi.

The bylaw and list of exemptions can be found here.

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Grand Forks city councillors have delayed adopting a bylaw that would prohibit the use of cosmetic pesticides on private residential or public land. 

Exemptions would apply for pest management related to human disease or public health protection, as well as for agricultural purposes. 

The bylaw also would not apply to pesticide use in greenhouses, residential areas of farms, fruit and vegetable gardens, fruit trees, or to control invasive or noxious weeds designated by a government agency. 

Work on the bylaw began in February 2024, following a delegation that asked council to impose a ban on cosmetic pesticide use. 

Council directed staff to develop a draft bylaw in March 2024, which was presented at the Oct. 21, 2024, council meeting before being referred back to the public for feedback. 

In November 2024, staff returned to council with the public feedback. Approval of the draft was deferred to January to allow for more consultation. 

At the February 2025 meeting, council gave the first two readings of the bylaw and referred it to the province for review. 

Provincial officials provided suggestions in June. Staff amended the draft accordingly and presented it to councillors at the Oct. 6 meeting. 

Instead of adopting the bylaw, council opted to seek further clarification from the province on the scope of permissible regulation, particularly regarding exemptions for fruit and vegetable gardens or trees. 

Coun. Rod Zielinski said he was uncomfortable adopting the bylaw without first presenting the amended version to the community. 

“I truly don’t believe that we can pass it with the changes made. Adding invasive and noxious weeds changes the whole intent of the bylaw and that’s not what we went out to the public with. We didn’t ask for the vegetable garden part in there either, so the whole bylaw has been changed in my mind,” he said. 

“I think it’s a disservice to the public that we asked for their comments on and that we’re going to pass something that’s totally different.” 

CAO Duncan Redfearn said the city is unsure whether it can regulate vegetable gardens, but noted the province recommended they be exempt, which is why the clause was included in the draft. 

“They’ve provided information exempting it [vegetable gardens], and when you read it off the provincial legislation it’s very specific to cosmetic purposes and not fruit trees and vegetables. So if you want to pull it back, we can clarify whether we can regulate vegetables – I don’t know if we can.” 

Councillors also sought clarification on the exemption covering pesticide use for noxious or invasive weeds.

The province already regulates invasive and noxious plants, and Zielinski raised concerns about the municipality’s jurisdiction over that section. 

“Noxious weeds are regulated. There’s a lot of legislation around that. We’re not going to be able to regulate noxious weeds. The province already does that and spheres the jurisdiction.” 

Coun. David Mark suggested a resolution seeking provincial clarification on the municipality’s authority to regulate pesticide use, particularly around fruit and vegetable gardens and the treatment of noxious versus invasive weeds. 

Staff were directed to identify which provincial recommendations are mandated by legislation and which are advisory, and to return to council with their findings. 

Councillors approved the amended motion. Staff will report back at a later date. 

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Repairs are underway on the Grohman Narrows wastewater force main after the City of Nelson was alerted to two leaks.

The city said one leak has already been successfully repaired, but another was identified on Oct. 6.

A remotely operated vehicle has been deployed to locate it. Dive crews will be dispatched soon to complete repairs.

“The City of Nelson’s proactive safeguards and contingency planning ensure minimal environmental impact while long‑term infrastructure upgrades continue,” said the city in a statement.

Water samples are being taken from the Kootenay River every other day for testing. So far, results are all within regular parameters and do not pose a risk to residents.

The city has reported the incident to provincial authorities, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. It’s also maintained communication with the province.

The force main is monitored 24 hours a day by an automated system that triggers alarms if flows change unexpectedly. Professional divers also conduct inspections of both the pipe and the surrounding riverbed biannually.

“These inspections not only assess the condition of the infrastructure but also ensure the surrounding aquatic environment remains protected,” said the city.

While small leaks are consistent with natural wear over time, the city said the incident highlights why replacing aging infrastructure is a priority.

“The city’s proactive planning and rapid‑response protocols ensure that leaks are addressed swiftly and responsibly. Environmental protections are in place and long‑term infrastructure renewal is already underway.”

Replacing the city’s 1971 wastewater treatment plant is already in the works.

Prior to 2021, the force main only required one major repair. However, since the fall of 2021 there have been six small leaks identified,  all of which were repaired and reported to the province.

In 2023, the city launched a comprehensive replacement plan. It’s also applied for B.C.’s 2025 Strategic Priorities Fund seeking $7 million toward the estimated $11.6 million cost of replacing the force main.

Project designs are expected to be completed in 2026, with a goal of beginning construction in 2027.

A survey gathering feedback launched last month and is open until Oct. 31. It can be found here. 

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The Conservation Office Service (COS) has made a step forward in its investigation of potential illegal deer killing near Quesnel, with some help from the local public.

Two deer were found having been killed and field-dressed within the 400-metre no-hunting zone of West Fraser Road on October 2.

COS says a grey early 2000s Dodge Ram 3500 dually, struck with a white canopy, was seen, with two men, at the scene by witnesses. COS put out a call to the public to help keep an eye out and provide any information, and Conservation Officer Kyle Bueckert says the public really stepped up.

“We wanted to thank the public for their efforts, and update them that the vehicle has been located and the CO service is moving forward with its investigation,” Bueckert said.

“I am aware that lots of members of the public were looking for the vehicle; we got a lot of calls and tips, and it was very helpful to have them contributing. The CO service is really grateful.”

The COS is says it “knows” the deer were field-dressed on West Fraser Road. Its investigation is currently looking into how the deer were hunted.

“We’re continuing to investigate and determine whether they were lawfully or unlawfully harvested,” says Bueckert. “We’re still working on the different potential charges that might apply, which is completely dependent on the justice system.”

COS is looking into charging the men with violations of the Wildfire Act, including discharging a firearm, discharging a firearm in a no-shooting zone, possession of wildlife, and killing wildlife not within an open season.

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Interfor is extending the temporary curtailment of its Grand Forks division indefinitely due to “ongoing weak market conditions.”

“Like many others in our sector, we are navigating a combination of persistent market headwinds and the continued impact of U.S. trade actions, including softwood lumber duties,” Svetlana Kayumova, vice-president of corporate communications, said in an email.

“These pressures have made it increasingly difficult to operate certain facilities in a sustainable way.”

BC mills already face 35 per cent U.S. anti-dumping duties. An additional 10 per cent tariff is expected to take effect this month.

Kayumova said they are “actively monitoring conditions” are remain committed to resuming operations in Grand Forks when circumstances change.

“In the meantime, we recognize the impact this has on our employees, their families, and the broader community,” she said.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Grand Forks city council said it acknowledges the “significant challenges” the community is facing following the decision.

“These factors are impacting not only our city but the forest industry as a whole,” they wrote. “We recognize the profound impact this will have on our local economy, families, and especially the workers directly affected.”

The post said the city is talking to senior levels of government advocate for “meaningful support” and to address broader issues affecting the forest industry.

In September, Interfor announced a three-week closure of its sawmill to be followed by the closure of its planer.

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No one was injured in a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 3A and 6 on Sunday evening.

Nelson RCMP Cpl. Derek Pitt said the crash occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 in the  5200 block of Highway 3A and 6 near Beasley.

Three vehicles were involved. Police said the first vehicle swerved to avoid a deer and struck a concrete barrier.

Another vehicle behind it braked suddenly to avoid a collision, as the first vehicle was blocking a lane on the highway.

A third vehicle was unable to stop in time and struck the second vehicle from behind.

No injuries were reported. However, the male driver of the first vehicle was found to be impaired by alcohol and was issued a 90-day driving prohibition and a 30-day vehicle impoundment.

The incident caused traffic delays while officials cleared the scene.

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A former standout with the Prince George Spruce Kings will get a taste of pro.

Nick Poisson signed a one-year AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks today (Tuesday).

In two years with the Spruce Kings, Poisson notched 77 points in 107 BCHL regular season games.

He and his older brother Ben helped lead the team to their first Fred Page Cup and Doyle Cup titles in 2019.

Nick spent the past five seasons playing for Providence College in the NCAA where he served as co-captain during his final campaign in 2024-25.

The Vancouver native skated in 170 NCAA games for the Friars, which ranks him second all-time in school history, while recording 109 points .

Poisson has been loaned to Abbotsford’s ECHL affiliate the Kalamazoo Wings.

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Prince George is in for a big week as the Site Evaluation Committee for the 2030 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games is in town.

Prince George is vying to host the games, with some events scheduled to help solidify the City’s case.

“Part of that of course is touring venues, making sure that the Committee sees that we have a proven track record, we have the facilities that we need, but we also want to show them some Prince George enthusiasm,” said Bid Committee Spokesperson Shirley Bond.

“There will be a party in the plaza with food trucks and music, our Special Olympics Athletes will be there, so we want to invite Prince George to come down and help us convince the Site Selection Committee that we should be hosting the 2030 games.”

Bond said in addition to the party, they will be giving presentations on the overall plan for the vision of the games, as well as tours of venues.

“We’re also thankful for the Prince George Cougars organization, what’s coming to Prince George without a little bit of hockey, so we’ll be inviting the Selection Committee to attend the Cougars game,” she said.

“There again, we want to show the enthusiasm that Prince George has and the ongoing support for the amazing local chapter that we have here with Special Olympics.”

Bond said the athletes from Prince George would be thrilled with the opportunity to host the national games.

“One of the major reasons that we support Special Olympics is because it gives everyone a chance to demonstrate their ability,” she said.

“When we saw the Summer Games here in Prince George, it was about athletes having the opportunity to do their personal best, and to be able to be celebrated, and that was such an important part of the 2025 games. Of course our athletes are excited, they would be thrilled to be the host city for the 2030 Summer Games.”

Bond added it’s important to remember Special Olympics is a year-round program.

“We’ve been able to start two brand new programs here in Prince George for the little future athletes,” she said.

“We now have programs called Active Start and Fundamentals, which actually start with children as young as two and all the way up to 12, getting them ready to move on in the Special Olympics program.”

Tomorrow’s party will take place at Canada Games Plaza, starting at 2:00 p.m..

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Interior Health is saying the circumstances that led to the back-to-back Emergency Department closures at Cariboo Memorial Hospital were “unexpected” and are “not anticipated to happen again.”

Karen Cooper, the Executive Director of Clinical Operations with Interior Health, said the Williams Lake hospital did have a full physician and nursing coverage going into the weekend before the “unexpected challenges” occurred.

Cooper added that this was the first time Cariboo Memorial had experienced back-to-back Emergency Room (ER) closures in the summer of 2024.

“We’ve managed to go from last August all the way through to this past weekend with only one other service interruption like this in February of this year,” Cooper said. “I want to reassure the public that going forward, we are not anticipating these unexpected and unplanned resource challenges. For the most part, we can mitigate when we get these short notices, but in this case, we just didn’t find the backup staff in order to stay open.”

Cooper reassures Williams Lake and the surrounding area residents that Interior Health is learning what it needs to do differently to continue to further stabilize services.

Recently, the health authority recruited a new ER physician and seven new nurses, a new primary and urgent care center is in Williams Lake, which is used for non-life-threatening care, and, in the case that a service interruption does occur again.

“We’re starting to see the staffing levels we need,” said Cooper. “Unfortunately, perfect storms do happen, and this last weekend was one of those. But we’ve learned from it, and we’re doubling down in our mitigation strategies to avoid having this happen again.”

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48 more worksites, representing roughly 2,600 members will be added to the BC General Employees Union’s (BCGEU) escalating strike action.

Three cannabis stores in Prince George will see its employees begin picketing, joining the BC Liquor Store located on 3173 Massey Drive.

The three added locations include:

• 3111 Massey Drive
• 6111 Southridge Avenue
• 737 Central Street W

This brings the total PG worksites on strike to nine, which include six cannabis stores, one BC Liquor Store, and two Non-BC Liquor Store sites.

The BCGEU said around 25,000 members are engaged in job action, representing about 34,000 public service workers across the province.

It said the Public Service Bargaining Committee is prepared to return to the table, calling for a eight per cent general wage increase over two years.

This is after the province came to the table with a four per cent general wage increase over two years in late September, with talks breaking down within a day.

The full picket lines and job action listings can be found here.

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A total of 174 people were counted as experiencing homelessness in Campbell River in the latest point-in-time survey, that’s a drop from 197 reported in the 2023 edition.

Most of those counted were unsheltered.

The count included both sheltered and unsheltered people. “Sheltered” refers to those in shelters, hospitals or other overnight facilities on the night of the count (April 30, 2025).

Of the total, 125 were unsheltered and 49 sheltered.

The survey asked how long respondents had lived in the community. Seventy-seven per cent had been there one year or more, 60 per cent five years or more, and 28 per cent said they had always lived in the area.

The report notes Indigenous people are consistently overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness: 58 per cent of respondents identified as Indigenous, compared with 11 per cent of the census population.

Insufficient income was cited most often as a cause of homelessness (36 per cent). Seventeen per cent mentioned spousal conflict, and 17 per cent cited other conflicts.

Most people experiencing homelessness were between the ages of 25 and 54. Twenty-five per cent were seniors, and 19 per cent were youths under 25.

Only six per cent of respondents reported having a full or part-time job.

The data also included information on substance use and mental health. Sixty-four per cent reported substance use; 67 per cent reported mental health challenges.

Among those reporting substance use: 31 per cent used opiates, 43 per cent used stimulants, 53 per cent used alcohol, 55 per cent used cannabis, and 74 per cent used nicotine.

This year, the province released count data from 20 communities.

Click here to view data from the 2025 Campbell River point-in-time survey from the Homelessness Services Association of B.C.

– Article includes information from Homelessness Services Association of B.C. via Province of British Columbia

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The District of Elkford is reminding residents to be extra cautious as bear activity increases.

Autumn is the peak season for wildlife encounters and conflict with urban wildlife.

District staff said there have been high levels of bear activity reported in town over the past week.

Residents are urged to make sure garbage is not going out early for collection and to remove bird feeders and harvest fruit and berries from trees.

Any encounters with bears or other wildlife should be reported directly to the RAPP line at 1.877.952.7277.

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The findings of Cranbrook’s homelessness count have been released and it found 172 people were experiencing homelessness in the community.

That was up from 116 in 2023.

The count is not an exact number as it is conducted over one day and will not include some people that cycle in and out of homelessness.

The count found there were 109 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and 63 experiencing sheltered.

Unsheltered includes those who stayed outside in alleys, doorways, parkades, or parks

It also includes vehicles or those who were staying temporarily at someone else’s place, a hotel or with family in a temporary situation.

Sheltered includes anyone staying in homeless shelters, including transition houses and youth safe houses and people with no fixed address staying temporarily in hospitals, local holding cells and detox facilities.

The sheltered numbers would have changed since the count was conducted on April 14 as more shelter spaces have opened in the community.

The majority have been homeless for at least a year or more at 88 per cent, while 60 per cent have been in Cranbrook for five or more years and 29 per cent have lived here their whole lives.

Around 60 per cent of all respondents have co-occurring mental health and substance use challenges, 13 per cent have only substance use challenges, 13 per cent have only mental health challenges and 13 per cent have neither.

Forty per cent of respondents identified eviction as the most recent cause of housing loss and health challenge, relationship change, or eviction were the top three reasons for housing loss.

The full 2025 homelessness count can be found here.

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Cranbrook council is considering a density change at the Baker Gardens BC Builds site.

The property is a city owned lot that is being prepared for the BC Builds project which will add market rentals adjacent to the existing BC Housing Seniors Housing project.

The current density allows for a maximum of 30 units on the parcel, while the higher density would allow for up to 40.

City staff said there is no longer a need to limit the potential development due to the recent upgrades to the Victoria Trunk Main.

Council has given two readings to the amendment.

A public hearing will be held on Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. in council chambers.

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It was a weekend of training at the Burns Lake Fire Department as they hosted liquid natural gas (LNG) and propane response exercises.

The two-day event is put on every two years by the CN Rail to prepare firefighters in case an emergency does occur.

“We have Fort St. James, Fraser Lake, Southside, Houston, and Burns Lake fire departments all participating with 18 students [total],” said Burns Lake Fire Chief Rob Krause.

He added some of the main points firefighters learn include how to control and extinguish those types of fires, container types, turning off valves, and hose handling.

The department also used the opportunity to teach another set of skills.

“We have people here from the local department that are learning how to be pump operators as well because we have two trucks operating,” said Krause.

He added the LNG and propane training in Burns Lake tends to draw participants from Prince George to Houston with the off year training run for firefighters to the west.

Krause explained if anyone does discover or suspect a propane or LNG leak to call 9-1-1 and evacuate the area.

“If it’s a house, they should leave the building. If it’s outdoors, they should get at least 500 feet away.”

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Prince George will send an expression of interest to the province for potentially hosting FIFA World Cup watch parties next summer.

At a meeting last month, City Councillors Ron Polillo and Cori Ramsay put forward a notice of motion, directing staff to plan and execute watch parties to be held at Canada Games Plaza.

At that meeting, Council decided to hold off on voting, as there was a session on hosting the watch parties held at the Union of BC Municipalities convention.

At last night’s (Monday) meeting, Council was presented with a report summarizing what staff learned during the session, as well as outlining next steps if Council wished to move ahead.

According to the report, there are different requirements for different types of watch parties:

Non-commercial: No FIFA licence or fee required:

• Regular business operations such as bars showing matches as part of normal service
• Small community events under 1,000 people
• No ticket sales or sponsors

Special Non-Commercial: FIFA licence and fee required:

• Large free events for more than 1,000 people
• Hosted by public institutions (e.g. municipalities)
• No ticket sales or sponsors

Commercial: FIFA license (and fee) required, as well as FIFA approval for sponsorships

• Any event with ticket sales, sponsorship or commercial promotion
• Includes paid entry, branded activations, or any activity designed for commercial gain.

“The one piece of good news was that there’s different levels,” said Polillo.

“When myself, and Councillor Ramsay came up with this motion, I think, at least for me, aligned for my vision of 1,000 or less, so with that 1,000 or less, that means we don’t have to go through the FIFA approval process, along with that, we don’t have to go through the buying rights process.”

Polillo also noted the province could be giving funding for watch parties, but it’s not guaranteed.

He moved staff go ahead with submitting an expression of interest to the province.

“In that process they will have to do some planning of the event and costs,” Polillo said.

“That would be submitted to the province and then that would come back to us for final approval to move ahead if we wanted to do it or not.”

Ramsay added an expression of interest is just that, and isn’t committing the city to anything.

“It’s getting more information and seeing if we’re eligible for some funding,” she said.

“There’s potential for us to find some funding partners on this to reduce costs and provide a free event for the community next summer.”

Director of Civic Facilities and Events Andy Beesley noted they wouldn’t be able to accept “sponsorships” as a non-commercial event, but they would be able accept donations.

Councillor Kyle Sampson said his opinion hadn’t changed that this could be better served by the private sector.

“I think what I would prefer to see is how can the City can support something like this happening, if there was a group or organization that was saying we want to do this, is there a way that, this is a non-profit, no sponsorship situation, is there a way that the City could allow us to use the property, and then we would maybe be talking about waiving fees, that would be a different case for me,” he said.

“It’s not that I don’t support the general idea, I’m just not sure if the vehicle to get us there is quite the one I’m ready to jump in on.”

Council voted to direct administration to submit an expression of the interest to the province.

A staff report will come back at a later date, at which time Council will decide if they want to move ahead with the watch parties or not.

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Players from the Cariboo Teams have been named on the KIJHL’s Week 3: Team of the Week.

Quesnel River Rush’s Lynden Gorman takes one of the forward spots thanks to his performance on Friday, Oct.3’s game against Golden, where he scored four goals and had 6 points — Gorman’s now 5th in league points with 11 in 7 games. Last season, Gorman averaged .90 points per game in 20 games; this year, he’s so far averaged 1.57 points per game.

Williams Lake Mustangs’ Desabrais had a big performance against the Kamloops Storm, netting a hat-trick and setting up the overtime winner. He then collected two assists in their win over the Golden Rockets. Desabrais reached 100 career KIJHL points on Sept. 21 against the River Rush.

100 Mile House Wranglers’ Kole Duquette has a share of the league lead in power play assists with 4 in 4 games. Duquette scored a goal and four points in two games for the Wranglers in a pair of losses. He had a goal and two assists in an 8-5 loss to the Merritt Centennials on Sept. 30, then collected two assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Cents on Oct.4

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Sports by Hartley Wednesday, October 8th, 2025  (As of 12:05 a.m.)

PG Cougars Cat Scan podcast:

CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller sits down with Leland Mack the @PGCougars Director of Scouting in this week’s episode | https://t.co/NcZmh83JLG #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/ZVbZNNqRYW

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) October 7, 2025

NHL:

The NHL regular season opens with 3 games tonight (Tuesday): Chicago at Florida, Pittsburgh at New York Rangers and Colorado at LA.

There are 4 games on Wednesday including Montreal at Toronto and Calgary at Edmonton.

The Vancouver Canucks open on Thursday night at 7:00 when they host Calgary.

The NHL schedule is here.

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Courtenay residents will have the opportunity to give input to city council next month through the annual “Your Courtenay, Your Voice” survey. 

The City of Courtenay is working with PRA Inc. to conduct the survey from Nov. 3 to 21. 

The survey is designed to shape the city’s strategic plan and budget process, confirm priorities, identify community issues and service gaps, assess awareness of city programs, and support ongoing improvements. This marks the third year of a five-year cycle, helping the city track trends over time. After five years of data, the survey will move to a biennial schedule.  

Randomly selected Courtenay residents aged 18 and up will be contacted by telephone to take part.  

Results will be presented to council towards the start of the new year.

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Corporal Michael McLaughlin, a Media Relations Officer with BC Highway Patrol, says they are hoping to talk to this missing witness who was driving a blue pickup and saw the aftermath of a fatal collision between a tractor-trailer and a black Harley Davidson motorcycle.

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A Burns Lake resident is one of ten $2,000 B.C. Council of Forest Industries (COFI) Scholarship recipients this year.

They are Celine Stiffler who is studying Natural Resources and Forest Technology at the College of New Caledonia.

“These students represent the next generation of forestry professionals,” said COFI President and CEO Kim Haakstad.

“They are helping shape an industry that’s more innovative, sustainable, and diverse than ever before.”

According to COFI, forestry supports about 100,000 jobs and engages with 9,000 businesses in 355 municipalities and First Nation communities.

“From building more housing with low-carbon wood products, to reducing wildfire risk through active forest management, to advancing reconciliation and creating jobs that sustain families and communities in every region,” added Haakstad.

The scholarship is provided through COFI’s Forest Education Program which helps provide information on B.C.’s forest resources and career opportunities.

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Starting at noon today (Tuesday), the remaining category 2 and 3 open fire prohibitions will be lifted for the Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Fort Nelson fire zones.

The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) said all categories of open fire will be permitted across the Prince George Fire Centre.

The following activities now permitted across the Prince George Fire Centre include:

• Fireworks, including firecrackers

• Sky Lanterns

• Burn Barrels or Burn Cages of any size or description

• Binary exploding targets

The BCWS noted while recent cold weather and precipitation have slowed fire activity for much of B.C., fire danger remains elevated in northeastern parts of the region.

They encourage the public to continue being careful with the use of any open fire, as it’s the responsibility of the individual to ensure that burning is done safely and in accordance with regulations.

More detailed information about the rescinded prohibition can be found here.

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Rock the Kootenays is a go for next summer despite slowing ticket sales for this year’s festival.

The festival has been active for three years and the city has seen positive financial results.

The city earned $77,535.10 in 2023 and $133,843.73 in 2024, but lost $14,011.69 in 2025.

The event has also been an economic boost to local businesses with conservative estimates of $2.5 million.

“We have developed a lean operational budget and some new strategies to try to address rising artist fees, while continuing to build upon strong sponsorship partnerships,” said recreation and culture director Trevor Thors.

“With Council’s approval of the three-day event model, we will immediately begin booking artists and arranging logistics to ensure another vibrant and successful Rock the Kootenays weekend in 2026.”

Next year’s festival will run from Aug. 7-9.

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The Town of Smithers is hosting its annual Business Walk on Thursday.

According to the town, it is run to better understand the business climate in the community, share resources, and strengthen communication.

Included will be councillors, staff, and Smithers Chamber of Commerce representatives to speak with owners about challenges and opportunities for growth.

Along with going door to door, the town will have a survey available online from Thursday to October 17th that can be filled out by businesses who weren’t visited during the walk.

Data from the walk and survey will be compiled into a report which will be released in November.

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Cumberland residents have two chances this week to learn about updates to the village’s zoning bylaw.

The current bylaw is more than 10 years old, and the Village of Cumberland says changes are needed to support growth and meet new provincial housing rules.

A zoning bylaw sets out how land can be used, and creates a set of consistent rules for residential, commercial, industrial, and other areas in the village.

A virtual open house runs Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., with an in-person session Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Masonic Hall, 2687 Dunsmuir Avenue, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Click here to find details on how to attend Tuesday’s virtual open house.

– Article includes information from Village of Cumberland

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Several items on tonight’s Committee of the Whole agenda for the Municipality of North Cowichan will focus largely on addressing homelessness, mental health and addiction. 

The council will review staff reports proposing a Community Wellness Plan and outline how North Cowichan could implement it via four core recommendations. 

Those include identifying two potential sites for village-style housing; collaborating with the City of Duncan and the Cowichan Valley Regional District to secure a location for a year-round shelter; preparing an advocacy brief for senior levels of government; and exploring the possibility of overnight shelters in municipal parks. 

Mayor Rob Douglas said a draft Safer Community Plan will be presented for information only, to guide responses to rising disorder. 

The meeting is happening tonight (Oct. 7) at 5 p.m. at Municipal Hall in North Cowichan

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RCMP are asking that a 74-year-old Trail man have his driver’s license reviewed after he crashed his vehicle into a business in the 1300 block of McQuarrie Street Thursday morning.

Police say the man pressed hit the gas instead of the brake while parking, causing significant damage. They say the incident may have been related to a medical issue. No one was hurt.

Genelle man arrested in cereal box assault

Police have arrested a man accused of committing an assault with a cereal box.

RCMP say they were called early Friday about a report that a 55-year-old man had pushed a 72-year-old woman out of his room in a home in the 700 block of 16th Avenue in Genelle.

The woman wasn’t injured and didn’t want to pursue an investigation.

But later that morning, officers returned to the home after a similar incident turned violent. Police say the man allegedly pushed the woman several times and then mashed a creal box into her head.

The man has since been released on conditions. Police will forward a report to Crown counsel for review.

Officer helps dislodge bead from girl’s nose

Police helped out when a three-year-old girl got a small bead stuck up her nose.

An officer responded Friday afternoon to the 3300 block of Laurel Crescent, where the girl’s parents were having a tough time dislodging the bead.

The officer told the girl to blow hard out her nostril, which successfully got it out. Paramedics examined her as a precaution, but she was fine.

“The officer gave the child a toy as a reward for cooperating, and she promised not to put anything into her nose again,” Sgt. Mike Wicentowich said.

Trail woman stashes brownies in underwear

A woman is accused of stealing from a Trail business, including stuffing brownies inside her underwear.

Police were called early Saturday to a report about a 46-year-old city woman shoplifting in the 700 block of Victoria Street.

The woman was arrested and searched. A chocolate bar and gum were found in her purse, while a further search by a female officer discovered brownies in her underwear.

“Brownies are not one of the items police usually locate hidden in undergarments,” Wicentowich noted.

The woman is expected to be banned from the store.

Fruitvale investigated for impaired driving

A 35-year-old Fruitvale woman was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition after a report that she had backed into her neighbour’s vehicle in the 1900 block of Martin Street.

Police say they were called Sunday evening. An officer located the woman, who admitted responsibility. The officer suspected she was on drugs. She failed a sobriety test.

She was also issued a ticket to repair her vehicle.

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A 36-year-old Nanaimo man is facing charges in connection with an incident in which a man was reported hitting a dog in July. 

He is accused of beating a German Shepherd who was in his care while walking it on a public street on July 29 this year. 

RCMP said several witnesses provided information and images, which helped identify the suspect. 

“The incident was also shared on social media and garnered significant interest from the public, which assisted investigators in locating the suspect,” said Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien. 

The man was arrested on Aug. 7 and, according to police, was also charged with assaulting an officer. 

Officers took the dog to the B.C. SPCA. 

He is scheduled to appear in Nanaimo court on Oct. 7. 

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Smithers RCMP have confirmed two people were arrested at Canadian Tire on September 19th which drew staff and shopper attention.

This included Bobby Quock who had an outstanding warrant when he was arrested.

He was charged with assaulting a peace officer, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and disarming a peace officer.

Police said he remains in custody.

The second arrest was a Smithers woman who was charged with assaulting a peace officer and wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Mounties add she has since been released.

“For those watching, it can look alarming when someone resists police, but for our officers these situations are part of their duty,” said Acting Staff Sergeant Ryan Law.

“At the same time, it’s important for us to remember that they can be unsettling for the community to witness. Our goal is always to resolve them safely and with as little disruption to the public as possible.”

Officers said no bystanders were injured and extend their appreciation to the community members and store staff who supported officers during the arrests.

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A demolition contractor is getting ready to tear down a Castlegar landmark.

City council has been told that the West Kelowna company hired in August to tear down the Eremenko Block at 310 Columbia Avenue is mobilizing on site this week and expects to begin removing hazardous materials next week.

Roc Doc Ventures Ltd. will do the work for $825,000 plus taxes.

City engineering manager Ryan Niddery said staff talked to a number of businesses downtown last week about the project. The contractor will also speak with them.

Hazardous materials abatement is expected to take two months, with demolition to follow and take about one more month, Niddery said, so “substantial completion” is still expected at the end of the year.

The city has said that while demolition is underway, sidewalks on Columbia Avenue and 3rd Street adjacent to the site will be closed, traffic will be temporarily affected on 3rd Street and Wood Street Lane, and noise is expected Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Eremenko Block was built in 1947-48 and operated as a department store for about 50 years, first as A. Eremenko & Co. Ltd., then Columbia Stores, and finally Fields.

The Selkirk Challengers gymnastics club later used the space, but the building has been vacant since 2006. It was designed by Bill Williams, a prominent Nelson architect responsible for many noteworthy buildings in the Kootenays in the 1930s and ’40s.

A shoe store was added on in 1967 at 1224 3rd Street and operated until 1994.

The city bought the buildings in 2021 with plans to redevelop the site. Originally the proposal called for a mixed-use project incorporating the Kootenay Gallery. However, the gallery has since acquired the former Woods night club across the street.

Castle playground to close for maintenance

The castle playground in Millennium Park will close for a couple of days this month for maintenance and a warranty inspection.

Niddery said the dates are being scheduled, but it’s expected to be in late October and will require a full closure.

The playground was built in 2023-24. At 12 meters, it’s billed as Canada’s tallest castle play structure.

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The investigation into the disappearance of a Vanderhoof-area man remains ongoing .

Ronald McCook was reported missing from a residence in the 100 block of Kenny Dam Road on the Saik’Uz First Nation on January 23rd walking south towards the reserve’s General Store.

He is described as

• Indigenous man
• 40 years old
• 5’11 tall
• 200 pounds
• Black hair
• Brown eyes
• was wearing an orange t-shirt, grey baseball hat

If you have any information or know where Ronald may be, you are asked to call the Vanderhoof RCMP at (250) 567-2222 or Crimestoppers at 1-(800) 222-8477.

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British Columbians’ financial vulnerability remains persistent, as economic uncertainty, high living costs, and employment anxiety weigh on household confidence.

Despite signs of easing, financial strain continues to push residents into difficult trade-offs in their day-to-day lives.

According to the latest MNP Consumer Debt Index, more than half (51%,) say they are grocery shopping strategically — using meal plans, bulk buying, coupons and price matching — while two in five have stopped dining out or ordering takeout (40%) to save money.

At the same time, three in 10 (30%) report cutting back on their utility consumption.

In addition, nearly one in five (17%) are delaying or skipping medical, dental or prescription care, underscoring how financial strain is affecting households’ well-being.

Additionally, nearly three in 10 this quarter still say they are eating less to make ends meet.

“There are some households that are being stretched to their breaking point,” says Linda Paul, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee with MNP LTD. “When people start scaling back on food, health care, or other essentials, it’s not just about budgeting anymore — it’s about daily survival. That level of pressure can have a significant emotional impact as well.”

The average amount British Columbians have left over after monthly expenses has fallen by $75 to $816.

At the same time, more than two in five (44%) British Columbians report they are within $200 of being unable to pay their bills each month.

“When there’s so little left at the end of the month, even a small, unexpected cost can force people to rely on credit that comes with steep borrowing costs,” adds Paul. “At that point, debt can quickly snowball and become overwhelming. The longer people wait to get help, the more difficult it can feel to find a way forward.”

Job Insecurity and AI Concerns Add to Financial Strain

Furthermore, peoples confidence in their ability to cope with a job loss has rebounded this quarter, increasing a significant 13 points, however, the score remains net negative (-7), indicating persistent employment anxiety amid a softening job market.

Against this backdrop, nearly half (45%) worry that artificial intelligence could negatively affect their job or income.

Nearly half (48%) of British Columbians say they don’t have six months of emergency savings to withstand a disruption.

Debt Concerns Ease from Record Highs — But Optimism Remains Weak in B.C.

More British Columbians are viewing their debt situation positively this quarter, with one-third (37%) rating it as “excellent.” However, nearly one in five (18%) describe their situation as “terrible,” underscoring the divide in financial confidence across the province.

The portion of residents who worry about their ability to repay debt even if rates declined (39%), and those who fear future increases could push them toward bankruptcy (43%, -12pts) has fallen back to benchmark levels.

Meanwhile, one in 10 say they even plan on eating less (10%) to save money, while 12 percent plan to reduce utility consumption over the next year.

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A 35-year-old man is facing a slew of charges following a a significant seizure of drugs and cash by the Prince George RCMP last month.

In late September, officers converged on a motel on the 900-block of Victoria Street, while attending to an unrelated investigation at the location.

“In total, investigators seized approximately 100 grams combined of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine, and over $40,000 in cash. A firearm was also located in the room and seized,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Through the course of the investigation, one man was arrested on multiple firearms offenses.

Jason Matthew Ryan Farquhar is facing the following charges in connection with this investigation:

• Possession of a loaded, restricted firearm
• Possession of a firearm knowing it is contrary to a prohibition order (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Possession of a weapon Storage of a firearm contrary to regulations
• Fail to comply with release order

This investigation is now before the courts.

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A 35-year-old man is facing a slew of charges following a a significant seizure of drugs and cash by the Prince George RCMP last month.

In late September, officers converged on a motel on the 900-block of Victoria Street, while attending to an unrelated investigation at the location.

“In total, investigators seized approximately 100 grams combined of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine, and over $40,000 in cash. A firearm was also located in the room and seized,” states Corporal Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Through the course of the investigation, one man was arrested on multiple firearms offenses.

Jason Matthew Ryan Farquhar is facing the following charges in connection with this investigation:

• Possession of a loaded, restricted firearm
• Possession of a firearm knowing it is contrary to a prohibition order (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Possession of a weapon Storage of a firearm contrary to regulations
• Fail to comply with release order

This investigation is now before the courts.

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The newly crowned Miss Rodeo Canada is Abbey Harty, a first-generation cowgirl from Edam, Sask.

If you attended the Cranbrook Pro Rodeo this past summer, you may have seen Harty. She was interviewed before the Grand Entry, where she explained that she didn’t grow up in a rodeo family.

“Honestly, there’s no connection for me. I’m a first-generation cowgirl and I just started riding when I was about five years old and I never stopped and never looked back,” said Harty.

“I honestly, this has been my dream for a really long time, so to be able to represent something as special as AgriBition and then the whole province of Saskatchewan while I get to rodeo is a really cool experience.”

At the time, Harty was representing Canadian Western Agribition as Miss Rodeo Agribition 2025 during her appearance at the Cranbrook Pro Rodeo in Cranbrook, B.C.

She was crowned Miss Rodeo Canada 2026 during Friday night’s Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) in Edmonton over the weekend.

According to SaskAg.com, Harty is the third Saskatchewan rodeo queen to earn the national title and the first representative from Agribition to win since the Miss Rodeo Canada program began in 1955.

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Prince George City Council made a decision on a new stormwater management fund at tonight’s (Monday) meeting.

In September 2024, City Council was presented with a number of options on creating a dedicated stormwater management fund.

At that meeting, City Council chose to create a utility fee based on the measurement of the hard surface area in a sampling of all types of residential properties.

According to a staff report, this would add an additional $65.92 onto the average tax bill, which would start in 2027.

Tonight, Council was presented with more options on how to implement that fee:

1. Begin charging all properties the full funding level of $9M with an annual ERU of $169.07 as of January 1, 2027.
2. Option 1, plus freeze the extra 1% to the General Infrastructure Reinvestment Fund (GIRF) for two years. This option mostly neutralizes the 2.25% net increase to the representative home owner. The City still has a large infrastructure funding gap so this option doesn’t help us close it much and may result in future funding challenges for infrastructure types that are funded by GIRF (facilities for example). The two-year freeze would be proposed in 2027 and 2028.
3. Begin charging all properties on January 1, 2027 at less than the full funding level with phased increases over two years to reach the full funding level. The intent of this option would be to start charging an ERU at $103.15 in the table above and then increase the ERU in 2028 and 2029 to reach the full funding level in 2029. This option helps close the
   infrastructure funding gap in storm drainage just as in Option 1, but takes a little more time to get there. Challenges in this option would include the utility relying on other funding sources for capital reinvestment for a while longer until the reserve has time to build up enough funds. Also, the increases in 2028 and 2029, as a percentage, would be high and likely result in heavy criticism in those years.
4. Option 1, 2, or 3, plus implement a credit program as a pilot for 3 years to determine its benefits.
5. Do not create a dedicated fund and continue to include stormwater related expenses within the general tax levy, where it will need to compete with other City service categories

Councillor Garth Frizzell put option one on the floor.

“The number that you’ve proposed of 65 additional dollars, that’s more than five dollars per month that would be added to the residential tax bill, more than five bucks every single month, but compare that with the cost of the infrastructure that could be damaged by flooding,” he said.

“I think it’s time for us to make the choice and pull the band aid off and just get this done.”

Councillor Cori Ramsay said she was leaning that way as well.

“When we look at the current funding model, stormwater management is competing with many capital project interests for the same dollars,” she said.

“Having a dedicated levy will really ensure that we can hit that required investment to, quite frankly, protect our community from the impacts of climate change.”

Councillor Ron Polillo agreed the issue needs to be addressed, but felt option three was the better way to go.

“Option three gets us there, but perhaps not right away, well it doesn’t, it’s a three-year phased approach,” he said.

“I’m thinking about the taxpayer, which I think all of us around this table are all taxpayers too, that implementing it within a year-and-a-half from now, is a lot for the taxpayer to absorb.”

Councillor Trudy Klassen said she was disappointed to be in the situation, saying there’s options to better utilize natural drainage areas.

Councillor Tim Bennett said he wasn’t “thrilled” with option one, and he preferred the phased approach.

“Coming into tonight’s meeting, I was actually leaning towards a combination of option three and option four, where we would give time to residents to know that this is coming, but also give time to start thinking about alternatives and incentives that they could look at over the next year and a half to improve the drainage and and opportunities for incentives at their property prior to this coming into place,” he explained.

Councillor Kyle Sampson brought up Edmonton, saying they make retention ponds and market housing developments around them as “lakefront property.”

He also added he would be interested into adding an incentive program that could help residents lower the stormwater fee.

Option one was defeated, and option three was put on the floor and passed.

Council also voted to have staff return a report on a potential credit program.

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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, October 7th, 2025  (As of 12:05 a.m.)

NHL:

Former Prince George Cougars defenseman Zdeno Chara will have his number retired by the Boston Bruins.

His No.33 will be going up into the rafters on Thursday, January 15th prior to the Bruins home game against the Seattle Kraken .

In June, Chara was named to the Class of 2025 for the Hockey Hall of Fame where the Induction Ceremony is set for November 10th.

He helped the Bruins capture the Stanley Cup in 2011 and he also won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in the 2008-09 season.

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to be part of such a selective group of players and people.”

Big Zee joins @erusso22 to talk about having No. 33 retired, his upcoming Hall of Fame induction, and his new role with the organization.@WarriorHockey | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/iWhoWvADfK

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 6, 2025

#

28-year-old center Connor McDavid has signed a two-year, $25 million contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

McDavid has led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals in each of the last two seasons.

He has 1,082 points (361 goals) in 712 career games, with 361 goals.

McDavid has earned five scoring titles and three Hart Trophies as regular-season MVP.

#

The NHL regular season opens with 3 games tonight (Tuesday): Chicago at Florida, Pittsburgh at New York Rangers and Colorado at LA.

There are 4 games on Wednesday including Montreal at Toronto and Calgary at Edmonton.

The Vancouver Canucks open on Thursday night at 7:00 when they host Calgary.

The NHL schedule is here.

PG Cougars Cat Scan podcast:

The Prince George Cougars Director of Scouting Leland Mack is the guest this week.

It can be found here.

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School District 28 Quesnel’s Board of Trustees is rescinding a hefty pay raise in their most recent board meeting.

During a packed board meeting on Monday, October 6, with only one item on its agenda, trustees unanimously voted to rescind its Trustee Stipend renumeration increase of roughly $5,000 that it approved in September.

The reversal follows strong criticism from the Quesnel District Teachers’ Association(QDTA), the School District’s Support Staff CUPE 4990, as well as the public, on the Board of Trustees’ policy, procedure, and transparency.

“ We’re aware of the concerns raised regarding the trustee stipend increase that was approved on September 17th, 2025,” said Board Chair Julie–Anne Runge, in October’s meeting.

“Upon review, we recognize that this action did not follow our standard procedures and did not demonstrate the transparency we wish to model. We take full responsibility for this and have taken immediate steps to correct this oversight.”

The Trustees said the increase amounted to 29 per cent, while the QDTA argues that the number is closer to 35 per cent — raising the annual stipend from $14,231 to $19,231.

QDTA president, Dawn Rodgers, and a representative from CUPE 4990 both spoke against the Trustees’ decision, calling it a “serious lapse in [its] ability to govern and in [its] accountability to the public” as well as calling it “morally tone deaf”.

They pointed out that the Trustees were going against its policy it established earlier that no trustee raise would be considered until after the QDTA’s and CUPE’s collective agreements were settled. This, according to the CUPE’s representative, would have put “immense pressure” on the unions to bargain for numbers they were “nowhere near” able to reach.

Other concerns brought forward questioned the Trustee’s prioritizations, as the initial stipend was made when it would be directly taking funding and resources out of classrooms.

The Trustees’ response was that they “were unaware” of the policies, nor were the policies brought forward at September’s meeting when the stipend was approved. Board Vice-Chair Lisa Boudreau said the Trustees are all “only human and make mistakes”, and Runge said the board will be taking steps to ensure

“We are committed to ensuring that all decisions. Particularly those involving public funds are made thoughtfully, transparently, and in the best interest of our school community. We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure we remain consistent with these values. We remain focused on the critical work of supporting our students and staff.”

With the decision to rescind having been made, how the money will be allocated to the school district will be decided at a later time.

However, members of the QDTA present at Monday’s meeting said the actions by the Board of Trustees still raise questions of ethical governance going forward.

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A Nanaimo man is facing charges of dangerous driving and assault in relation to an incident where a cyclist was pushed over by a motorcyclist in August. 

“The resulting attention by local media and the public after viewing and posting the video of the incident, was extremely useful as it allowed the investigation to move forward and for police to identify the suspect,” said reserve const. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
 

The incident was captured on a driver’s dashcam and posted on social media. The video shows the cyclist losing control of his bike and crashing after being pushed from behind by the biker near the intersection of Departure Bay Road and Granite Park Road. 

BACKGROUND: Police investigate video seemingly showing motorcyclist knocking over cyclist in Nanaimo   

The 48-year-old Nanaimo man is set to make his first court appearance on Oct. 7 in Nanaimo. 

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Cranbrook RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance to locate missing person, Justin Byers.

The 29-year-old was reported missing on October 5, with unconfirmed reports of him being spotted at Moir Park.

Police said Byers is described as male, 164cm tall and 73 kg, with short brown hair and blue eyes. His clothing description is unknown.

Contact police if you have any information regarding his whereabouts. You can call 9-1-1 or the Cranbrook RCMP: 250-489-3471.

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The Strathcona Regional District is in the process of reviewing feedback on the proposed Rod Brind’Amour Arena redevelopment project.

Response forms which were submitted before the Sept. 22 deadline are being counted, and results will be presented to the SRD board at its Oct. 22 meeting.

The SRD will send out a news release to summarize the outcome of the meeting.

The regional district says it appreciates the input from residents and user groups, and looks forward to continuing discussions about the project, which it says is focused on supporting community health and wellness.

See more information from the SRD here.

– Article includes files from Strathcona Regional District

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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 guest this week is Leland Mack, Director of Scouting for the Prince George Cougars.

During the episode, he discussed a number of topics including:

• Spending 11 years with the Seattle Thunderbirds before heading to the Cougars in 2019
• Growing up in Calgary playing street hockey and on his grandpa’s outdoor rink as a kid.
• Being a head coach in the BC Elite Hockey League before transitioning to scouting
• Previous ties to Brock Souch and Terik Parascak
• On missing out on drafting Josh Morrissey prior to selecting Shea Theodore
• Finding value in the draft
• Advice for those who want to get into scouting

You can also find this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

LISTEN HERE:

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The Regional District of Nanaimo has downgraded watering restrictions for most areas.  

All water RDN water service areas are now in stage two watering restrictions, except the Nanoose Bay Peninsula, Decourcey and Surfside Water Service Areas, which will stay in stage four. 

Stage two watering restrictions allow lawn watering every other day in the morning and evening. 

“Recent rain events have relieved drought conditions and reduced the seasonal water demand in our communities. Many stream flows are returning to normal levels for this time of year,” says the RDN in a media release. “Conserving water, however, is an important, year-round habit as drought conditions are coming earlier and lasting longer than in the past. Increasing our water efficiency helps build drought-resilience over the long term. We thank residents for doing their part.” 

The Town of Qualicum Beach, Qualicum Bay Horne Lake Waterworks and Deep Bay Improvement District currently have no active watering restrictions. 

Nanaimo is in stage two restrictions while Parksville and Lantzville remain in stage four. 

Watering restrictions for specific locations can be found on the RDN’s website. 

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BC Liquor Stores in six Kootenay communities have joined more than 80 striking storefronts provincewide in escalating job action by the B.C. General Employees’ Union.

The strike began Sept. 2 and expanded last week to include B.C. liquor and cannabis stores.

The Kootenay locations – in Nelson, Castlegar, Trail, Cranbrook, Kimberley and Fernie – joined the walkout Oct. 6.

Nearly 22,000 BCGEU members are now taking part in job action through picket lines and an overtime ban which the union said is meant to pressure the B.C. Public Service Agency to return to the bargaining table.

The union said there are now more than 19,700 members at 306 worksites who are fully or partially on strike, with 113 picket lines across B.C.

An overtime ban is affecting about 2,200 members in corrections and sheriff services.

For a full list of striking locations, click here.  

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Deer have been shot and gutted in a no-hunting zone near Quesnel.

BC Conservation Officer Services (COS) said in a social media post that they received the report of the deer being found on West Fraser Road on its Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line on October 2.

West Fraser Road has a 400-metre single-projectile hunting zone maintained by the public.

COS said witnesses saw two men with an early 2000s grey Dodge Ram 3500 dually with a white canopy at the scene.

Vista Radio reached out to COS for a comment, but COS is unable to comment at this time as its investigation is ongoing.

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Nanaimo RCMP are asking for help finding a missing 80-year-old woman.

Christine Craigie left home and 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 6 and has not returned. Police say there is concern for her safety and wellbeing because of her age and time away from home.

She was reported missing at 1:30 p.m. and police are asking anyone with information that can help locate her to contact them at either 911 or the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

“Craigie is considered fit, goes for daily walks and left home with her brown poodle that wears a red collar,” police say in a news release. “Craigie is a Caucasian woman, 5 foot 3, medium build with blonde hair and has a Swiss accent. She may be wearing either a red or blue jacket.”

Police add the photo provided is recent.

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The Davis Lagoon Bridge on Chemainus Road will be under construction and will alternate between partial and complete closures.  

According to the Ministry of Transportation, base repairs and resurfacing will be done to the bridge by Oct. 24, and detours will be set up on North Davis Road and Henry Road.  

Town of Ladysmith Deena Beeston says the closure will cause some delays but work on the bridge is needed. 

“While the closure of the Davis Lagoon Bridge in any capacity is a major inconvenience to those who frequent that stretch of Chemainus Road, once completed it should significantly improve the safety of the bridge,” she says.  

Partial closures are expected from October 6 to 15, while complete closures will be in place from October 16 to 24. 

A media release says the Davis Lagoon Bridge is located outside the Town of Ladysmith’s municipal boundaries and isn’t being conducted on behalf of the town. 

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A new online tool will give Comox residents and visitors more help to navigate the community. 

The Town of Comox have launched their new accessibility map which aims to support mobility for people of all ages and abilities. 

Mayor Nicole Minions said the map is a practical tool to help with understanding accessibility in the community. 

“Whether you’re using a mobility aid, pushing a stroller, or simply want to get around a challenging terrain, this map can help you plan the safest route.” 

The map features accessibility highlights throughout the town, including elevation information for sidewalks and trails, accessible parking stalls, washrooms, pathways and community amenities. 

Grant funding from the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) was used to support the development of the online map. 

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This year’s fire prevention week is focused on battery safety.  

Nanaimo Fire Rescue is participating in the “Charge Into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home” campaign this week to educate people on the importance of proper charging and recycling. 

“Buy tested products, utilize proper charging devices, recycle responsibly and make sure to have working smoke alarms in your home. These simple steps can make a big difference in keeping your home and family safe,” says Nanaimo Fire Rescue chief Tim Doyle. 

The National Fire Prevention Association sponsors fire prevention week from Oct. 5-11. It says there are some simple steps that can help reduce risk from lithium-ion batteries. 

These include checking products adhere to safety standards, using charging chords that come with devices and charging on a hard surface and not under pillows or on the bed. 

Nanaimo Fire Rescue also encourages residents to recycle batteries at the proper locations and not to throw them in the trash or regular recycle bin. 

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About 1,300 BC Hydro customers along Highway 16 lost power this (Monday) afternoon around Telkwa.

This affected residents from Babine Lake Road to Quick with power going out at 1:41 p.m. according to the utility company.

As of 1:54 p.m., crews have been assigned but no estimate for when power may be restored has been released.

More to come.

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Smoke filled the sky shortly after 12:30 this afternoon as emergency crews responded to a fire on Allenby Road in Duncan. 

RCMP had access to the fire closed while redirecting drivers onto Boys Road while they worked to contain the blaze. 

There has been no word as to what initially caused the fire, or the extent of the damage caused by the fire.  

More details will be released as they’re made available. 

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The Witset First Nation opened its new youth healing centre on Friday.

The Split Rock Healing House (Tsë Lhts’ënc’il Nec’igekh Be Yikh) first took shape just before the COVID pandemic when a need was identified for a facility like it.

“It is a healing house for Indigenous youth of all gender expressions aged 12-29 who are seeking healing in general,” said Jenna Furtmann, Operations Manager.

“It can be from mental heal, trauma, wanting to promote their overall health and wellness, and we don’t have any criteria for admissions. It’s all self referral.”

She added similar healing houses in Canada tend to be either detox or medical facilities instead of strictly working on mental health and trauma.

Another gap noticed was a lack of services for people above 18 in the area which was a driving reason.

“The response very positive. We’ve been having lots of focus groups with folks from the community and really getting the youths input on what they want and what they’re seeking,” said Furtmann.

Along with mental health, addictions, and trauma services, it will also be a naloxone site and offer community training.

The design of the building Furtmann said was made to have it feel like a home and grounded in nature.

The opening event featured drumming, tours through the facility, local food, games, and information on its services.

More information on what is offered and to sign up can do so on the healing house’s website.

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Non-profit and charitable organizations in the Comox Valley may be eligible for extra funding. 

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is accepting grant applications from Comox Valley organizations until October 15. 

Electoral Areas Services Committee Chair Edwin Grieve said they look forward to receiving each submission and supporting the community as much as they can. 

“These grants offer a greater opportunity to assist non-profit and charitable organizations throughout the Comox Valley,” Grieve says. 

The grant opportunities include rural community grants for the Electoral Areas, one-time community grants for recreation, arts and culture, and several other grants for organizations which have demonstrated community benefit and need. 

These grants are reviewed annually and are not intended to provide long-term operational support, but all are encouraged to apply. 

More information can be found here. 

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