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A milestone year is underway as 23 law enforcement cyclists and support crew hit the road from Kelowna for the 25th annual Cops for Kids Ride, an inspiring 10-day journey to raise funds for children facing serious medical, physical, or traumatic challenges.

This year’s ride- proudly presented by the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation- marks a quarter century of unwavering dedication to supporting local families in crisis.

From the South Okanagan over to the Kootenays as far east as Cranbrook, with grueling climbs like Anarchist Mountain and Paulson Pass along the way, these riders will go the distance over the next ten days before returning to Kelowna on Sunday, September 14. Their purpose? To bring hope, relief, and tangible support to children in need.

To be part of the 25th anniversary of this ride is an incredible honour for the team. This isn’t just a ride, it’s a legacy of service, and it speaks to what the RCMP stands for in our communities: compassion, commitment, and courage. Each rider has personally raised at least $2,500 to join the team. They’ve trained throughout the year, volunteered at countless community events, and made personal sacrifices to be away from home in order to be part of something bigger than themselves.

“Our team members go above and beyond- not just in uniform, but in how they give back,” said retired RCMP Superintendent Brent Mundle, President of Cops for Kids.

“The ride is challenging, but it’s a small effort compared to what the kids and families go through. That’s what keeps us pedaling.”

The 25th anniversary is more than just a milestone- it’s a celebration of community, perseverance, and the enduring role of law enforcement as protectors and champions of children in need.

It’s about honouring the incredible heart and humanity of our law enforcement stated presenting sponsor and philanthropist Tom Budd. Supporting this ride is about more than fundraising. These men and women choose to serve, and then they choose to ride-  to give even more. I’m proud to stand beside them on this journey.

Throughout the ride, the team will make heartfelt stops in 26 communities, often welcomed by the very families whose lives have been touched by their efforts. These are powerful moments of connection that fuel the riders’ determination, no matter the weather or terrain.

“We ride for the smiles, the strength, and the stories of the kids we meet, “ adds Mundle. “That’s what this is all about.”

Since its inception, Cops for Kids has raised over $6.5 million to support children across Southeastern BC. This year, community members are encouraged to donate to the cause, cheer on the team, and show their pride to those who go the extra mile- literally- to make a difference.

To follow the journey or donate in honour of this exciting 25th anniversary, visit: www.copsforkids.org

Various community events are held in support of Cops for Kids, before and during the ride that enable us to stop in each community to meet with local children, families & supporters.

Local rider among the mix

Joining this year’s cohort is Creston Constable Robyn Diddams.

Robin is ready to face the challenge, mentally preparing for the days ahead.

“The first couple days are always challenging.” said Diddams. “Day two and three are big climbing days.”

“So, big days for us for sure there and the weather is always questionable in September.”

For Diddams, the ride hits a little closer to home, so he is happy to lace up and ride for the cause.

“Personally, when my son was born, he was born with a breathing problem and we needed to utilize it [the foundation]as well and it was amazing how much stress it took away just to have that little bit of support. So, if you know anyone in need, there’s a grant process online as well and we can help out with that too.”

There is sunshine and rain on the forecast as Diddams rolls through the Kootenays over the first weekend.

The journey

• Friday September 5th Depart from Kelowna with stops in Peachland, Summerland, Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos.
• Saturday September 6th Depart from Osoyoos with stops in Midway, Greenwood and Grand Forks.
• Sunday September 7th Depart from Grand Forks with stops in Christina Lake and Castlegar.
• Monday September 8th Depart from Castlegar with stops in Crescent Valley, Nelson and Proctor.
• Tuesday September 9th Depart from Nelson with stops in Crawford Bay and Creston.
• Wednesday September 10th Depart from Creston with stops in Yahk and Cranbrook.
• Thursday September 11th Depart from Cranbrook with stops in Invermere, Golden, Revelstoke, Three Valley Gap and Salmon Arm.
• Friday September 12th  Depart from Salmon Arm with stops in Chase and Kamloops.
• Saturday September 13th Depart from Kamloops with stops in Falkland and Vernon.
• Sunday September 14th Depart from Vernon with stops in Lake Country and finally arriving back in Kelowna!

For more information, contact Courtney King (250) 801.4438 or email [email protected].

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The City of Prince George activated the Emergency Social Services Centre (ESS) to support evacuees from the Cariboo Regional District on Thursday.

Evacuees arrived from the Ulkatcho First Nation and the area surrounding Anahim Lake.

The ESS Reception Centre is located at the PG Exhibition Grounds, with reception trailers located at the parking lot between the horse paddocks and ice oval (2187 Ospika Blvd. S).

The City said it will remain activated daily while it’s needed to support evacuees, providing short-term basic support to people impacted by disasters.

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

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Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), in a statement released, says they have “received credible reports of Tcetś (elk)” being illegally harvested in the Horsefly area.

WLFN says it does not authorize, and condones the hunting of Tcetś (elk) within its Traditional Territory.

Historically, the Tcetś (elk) played a vital role in the First Nation’s traditional food systems, culture, and ways of life. Due to overhunting, the Tcetś (elk) population and herd sizes have been decimated. Still, with the help of conservation efforts from the First Nation alongside the Conservation Office and advocacy groups, WLFN Chief Willie Sellars says that the First Nation has seen the herds grow.

He also said the herds are still being impacted by Indigenous and non-Indigenous hunters, and the First Nation is working with the Conservation Office to get a better handle on.

“We also need to do a better job working with our local ranchers, and be cognizant of the concerns of our neighbours on how quickly they [Tcetś] grow and the impacts they have on local farms,” Chief Sellars says.

“It’s a challenging one, but we don’t want everyone and their dog shooting [Tcetś (elk)], and to see these herds be decimated, and not have them reintroduced back into the Territory.”

Herds of Tcetś have been seen on the WLFN reserve and in more regions across the Cariboo Chilcotin. Sellars says local ranchers and stakeholders have “a heck of a time” dealing with roaming Tcetś. Reports of the massive animals have spread from bullying cattle, grazing on crops, and damaging sheds and barns.

Sellars says when it comes to having conversations with local stakeholders to help them while still continuing to grow the Tcetś herds, “we have to be champions for them.”

The WLFN does issue permits to hunt in it Traditional Territory, but, like the moose, the WLFN said in its statement that it “will not authorize the hunting of Tcetś”, and it will oppose the establishment of any provincially regulated Limited Entry Hunt, or open season on Tcetś (elk).

While there is currently limited data on Tcetś (elk) herd populations, migrations, and health within WLFN’s Territory. To study the animals and their patterns more, the WLFN’s Natural Resources Department is working collaboratively with the BC Conservation Office to establish a Tcetś Camera Trap Research Program to study the herds.

Cameras have been placed along known trails and hunting grounds. The cameras also have another purpose that Chief Sellars says plainly…

“To stop the poaching.”

“We need to be better stewards of this land. We are the champions of the Cariboo Chilcotin. I hope everyone can support us in that, and we can raise awareness on this issue and approach the conversations in a better way with a united front.”

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The pool at the Trail Aquatic Centre and Leisure Centre won’t reopen on Monday as expected.

The City of Trail said that’s due to the “unexpected failure of critical mechanical equipment during system startup.”

The city says it doesn’t know when the facility will reopen. Anyone registered for programs or lessons will be contacted about rescheduling or being compensated.

The aquatic and fitness centres shut down for annual maintenance on Aug. 9. The fitness centre reopened on Aug. 25.

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The Prince George Fire Department is continuing to work on a commercial structure fire at Crossroads Brewery, located at 508 George Street.

Five fire apparatus and upwards of 19 fire personnel responded to the fire at around 2:30 a.m., where they found heavy fire and smoke throughout the building.

While the smoke has cleared off, Fire Chief Bryan Burleigh said they still have an active fire they’re working to extinguish.

“We’re going to continue with our fire suppression methods and techniques, we’re going to extinguish the fire, then we’re going to turn it into the investigation stage of the process.”

Burleigh noted that the investigation will most likely start early next week.

Based on the time of the fire, he said most of the properties were already vacant, and were able to contain the fire to the property of origin.

“We focused on exposure protection, cooling properties and just really working on firefighting measures to contain the fire to the property of origin.” said Burleigh.

There’s no timeline as to when roads will reopen in the area to traffic or pedestrians.

No injuries were reported for fire crews or civilians.

The previous story can be found here.

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With the 2025 racing season nearly in the rear-view mirror, Saratoga Speedway will say “thanks” to their fans at this weekend’s event. 

Fan Appreciation Night takes place Saturday night at the Black Creek Oval and features the Sunwest RC Centre Crash to pass, the Ace Brewing Company Bombers, and Kyte Courier Services A & B Class Hornets. 

Saratoga Speedway’s Cole Sorenson says the event has run for the past three years and has received good feedback. 

“We have very close point battles in pretty much every division, especially in Crash to Pass and the Bombers,” says Sorenson. 

The races are the second to last event for all four classes competing, the final event of the season is happening September 27. 

Tickets are available for $10 and can be purchased online on Saratoga Speedway’s website or at the box office. 

Gates open at 4:00 p.m. 

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The city of Campbell River is heating up the grill and inviting the community to attend an open house BBQ, where city staff will share updates to the Official Community Plan (OCP) and collect feedback from residents.

According to the city, the OCP is a long-term plan, directing land use, housing, transportation, parks and public spaces over the next 20 years.

“Campbell River is an incredible community that I’m fortunate to call home,” says Andy Gaylor, director of community planning and livability. “As we plan for the next 20 years, it’s important to hear from residents about what matters most. Come enjoy a bite to eat, bring the family and help shape the future of Campbell River. Your voice matters.”

The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. on September 9 at the Campbell River Sportsplex, located on 1800 South Alder Street and will feature an evening of food, activities, interactive displays, information boards, with City staff and planning experts ready to answer questions.

The BBQ is free and no registration is required.

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An area restriction has been put in place around the Kidd Creek fire near Yahk.

According to the Southeast Fire Centre the restriction will be in place until Oct. 15 unless rescinded earlier.

Access to the Creston Valley Rod & Gun Club remains open but, entering into the restricted area through the Creston Valley Rod and Gun Club is prohibited.

The full area restriction map can be found here.

Failure to comply to the restriction could fetch you a $1,150 fine.

The fire was sparked on Sept. 2 and is believed to be human caused.

It has since grown to 280 hectares.

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Families in Nelson and nearby communities will soon be able to keep their elderly relatives closer to home, with a long-term care home set to welcome residents at the new $40-million Nelson Community Health Campus.

The campus was officially opened Thursday, Sept. 4, with dignitaries and community members gathering to celebrate and tour the facility. Among them was Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma.

“This facility was purpose-built with this community in mind,” said Minister Ma.

“It will improve access to care for people in Nelson and the surrounding communities by bringing long-term care and a wide range of health services together to support people of all ages to get the care that they need, all in one location.”

“By bringing modern, culturally inclusive health-care facilities to Nelson, we’re not only improving access to care for people of all ages, we’re also creating good local jobs and supporting the long-term well-being of the region.”

Located on the old Mount St. Francis hospital site, the Nelson Community Health Campus features a new building with two towers designed to better serve residents:

– Fairview Gardens, a 75-bed long-term care home

– Community Health Services Centre, which provides a wide range of community-based health services.

“The opening of the Nelson community health campus is a milestone for our community,” said Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay Central.

“This centre brings essential health services closer to home, ensuring people of all ages in Nelson and surrounding areas receive the care they need in a welcoming and modern environment. It’s a true investment in the health and future of our community. I am grateful to the community members who were the trailblazers on this project.”

West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District board chair Everett Baker said the facility will benefit the whole region.

“The Nelson community health campus is an important investment in essential medical infrastructure that will bring lasting benefits to our residents. This project reflects the West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District’s commitment to using resources to address critical community needs, while supporting the health, safety and well-being of our community,” said Baker.

Nelson Fairview Gardens

Nelson Fairview Gardens features a modern, resident-centred design with private rooms, cosy “neighbourhoods” named after local trees, and safe outdoor spaces where residents can feel comfortable and cared for.

“In bringing community programs and long-term care together under one roof, Interior Health is enhancing person-centred care and strengthening connections between health services, the community and our dedicated care teams,” said Sylvia Weir, interim president and CEO, Interior Health.” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health.

“This new modern campus is a vital asset that supports the important work our health-care teams provide to clients, seniors, Elders and the broader community in Nelson and area.”

Dr. Trevor Janz, medical director for long-term care, Interior Health East, said the campus will bring Nelson up to par with long-term bed numbers.

“The opening of these 75 beds will mean a safe place to live much sooner for frail seniors living at risk in the community, and much-needed decongestion of our hospital and emergency department,” said Dr. Janz.

“Our geriatric/palliative care team of doctors are already working with the nursing team and care staff to ensure a high standard of medical and comfort care for all our new residents, to promote their best possible quality of life.”

Janz, who worked at Mount St. Francis until it closed in 2005, said he is pleased to be part of the next chapter for the site, which includes a one-of-a-kind unit for younger residents.

“We’ve got a younger unit for people who don’t fit into the typical long-term care picture of old and frail.” said Janz.

“They’re younger, but they’re medically complex, or they’ve got mental health or substance use issues, or they’ve got chronic problems that can’t be managed in the community.”

“We’ll have a unit for younger people who will congregate together- I have many people with neuromuscular disease or chronic mental health illness who are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and they don’t like being in a building with 85-year-olds.”

“They want their own place. So having a place where they can live and have a safe home, where they’re supported and surrounded by peers and a better social network is going to be a big plus for the whole region.”

However, Janz cautioned that staffing remains a challenge.

The campus has attracted a healthy group of medical professionals, at the cost of draining other facilities in town.

“This building’s got lots, and we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel everywhere else.” said Dr Janz.

“We’ve got some places to fill- we’re used to staffing challenges since COVID. This is our day-to-day work. This is our day-to-day reality is that we’re working short-staffed a lot of the time.”

Still, he said this will not prevent other facilities in Nelson from fulfilling their duties.

Community Health Services Centre

The Community Health Services Centre provides public health, home care, early childhood development and mental-health support, all in one location.

With guidance from the Kootenay Boundary Aboriginal Services Society Collaborative, the campus features Indigenous language, artwork, welcome wall and signage from the Ktunaxa, syilx, Michif and Inuktitut, to support cultural safety and inclusion for all care seekers and to honour the territory on which the facility is located.

The entire campus is designed to support collaborative, high-quality, culturally safer care for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The campus, at 902 11th St., opened in phases, with the Community Health Services Centre officially opening on Aug. 12, 2025, and Fairview Gardens scheduled to open in September 2025.

The campus is co-owned by Columbia Basin Trust and Golden Life Management, a private company that runs retirement developments and care facilities.

The estimated capital cost to make the building operational for health-care services is approximately $20.6 million, including $4.8 million from the West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District.

“The Nelson community health campus shows what’s possible when we work together to strengthen communities. It not only gives residents better access to care close to home, it also creates good local jobs and supports the regional economy. The trust is proud to have helped bring this project to life, supporting both the health and prosperity of the basin.” said Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust.

Many community links to the location

Nelson Mayor Janice Morrison joined the emotional opening, recalling her family’s ties to the Mount St. Francis site.

“My father was 27 and he was a young businessman and when the Sisters of St. Anne decided to build here, he contributed to the building, and he stayed for many years as a donor to the Sisters of St. Anne for that project.” said Morrison.

“My grandmother, his mother, spent her last years at Mount St. Francis, as did many of the people of my generation who had parents who ended their last days under the care.”

“I also worked for community health as a physical therapist, and I worked in the adult day program that we now have up here in this other building and as a community therapist.”

“I worked there until I was elected mayor of the city of Nelson. And so I’ve had a long tie, my family has had a long tie, and there are many, many families in this community that have had a strong tie to Mount St. Francis.”

She said the facility is a win for the entire region.

“It’s fantastic that we are now going to have families not have to worry about being separated from their loved ones. So it’s really an emotional day for me.”

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Stanley Triggs, a self-taught musician who released a now-classic album of BC folk songs and photographed East Kootenay communities just before they were drowned by dam construction, has died at 97.

Triggs passed away on Aug. 30 in Hemmingford, Que., where he had long lived.

Triggs was long interested in folk songs, oral history, and photography. In 1961, his album Bunkhouse and Forecastle Songs of the Northwest appeared on Folkway records. It collected songs from BC logging and construction camps, railway gangs, and tugboat crews. Triggs sang and accompanied himself on mandolin.

In a 1986 interview with the Edmonton Journal (which he claimed was the first media interview he had ever given), Triggs said he learned to play the mouth organ when he was five, then picked up button harmonica and mandolin. He performed for friends and colleagues in the bush. A friend convinced him to record a demo tape. “I sent in the tape and they produced it,” he said. “It surprised the heck out of me.”

Triggs was paid $125 and received 25 copies of the album, but no royalties. That was despite the fact that he included a few originals like The Oda G., a song about the oldest working tugboat on the west coast. He also wrote the Lardeau Valley Waltz, a sprightly instrumental.

Between 1969 and 1972, Triggs and his family travelled to the East Kootenay each year for a week or two at a time, camping out of their van. They visited Kootenay River communities like Waldo and Wardner that were about to be drowned by the construction of the Libby dam.

“When I heard the government decided to flood the valley and destroy the homes against the will of many people, documenting it seemed like the natural thing to do,” he said in Amy Bohigian’s Knowledge Network series Dreamers and Dissidents.

Triggs donated his photos of region’s people and the landscapes to the Nelson Museum, which used them in 2010 to create an exhibit called Changes Upstream. It was the start of a renaissance for Triggs’ work, both photographic and musical. Over the next few years, he released CDs with previously unheard material from the 1960s and 1990s.

Triggs was born in 1928 in Nelson and his childhood was filled with outdoor adventure. His father was a purser on local sternwheelers. As a young man, he worked for the BC Forest Service in the Lardeau and Duncan valleys, and he returned to a cabin at Lardeau each year for decades.

In 1953, Triggs left the West Kootenay to attend the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara and then moved to Vancouver to study anthropology and fine arts at UBC. In 1965, he was hired to work at the Notman photographic archives in Montreal, which consisted of hundreds of thousands of glass negatives and prints. He remained there until 1993, becoming the leading authority on the work of William Notman and sons.

Triggs is survived by his wife Louise and eight children.

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The City of Fernie is kicking off its new official community plan engagement process with an open house next week.

The city is working on a new housing needs report and OCP.

“Upon confirmation of the draft we will begin to identify ways to enable the recommendations of the housing needs report in the interim OCP amendments that you’ll see this December,” said project manager Kristen Harder.

The new OCP will guide the city’s decision making in the future, with the last plan approved in 2014.

The first round of public engagement starts on Sept. 10.

An open house will take place from 5-7 p.m. at the Arts Station Theatre.

An public survey will also run from Sept. 10-24.

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Traffic pattern changes to Victoria Avenue in Cranbrook come into effect today as construction work advances.

Traffic flow is sticking to a single lane in each direction, however it’s shifting to the righthand, outside lanes.

Crews are replacing the sanitary sewer trunk main between 2nd Street North and 6th Street North.

Upgrades are also being done to the watermains along Victoria Avenue.

The intersection of Victoria Avenue and 2nd Street North is still a temporary four-way stop sue to structural issues with one of the traffic poles.

The city is asking drivers to avoid the area if possible to reduce congestion and allow for the smooth flow of emergency vehicles.

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BC Ferries has launched a new hybrid vessel that is expected to be in service next year. It is the eight Island Class ship to be launched at Damen Shipyards in Galati, Romania.

“The launch is just one part of a much bigger story, steeped in tradition and marking meaningful progress for BC Ferries’ Island Class program. We believe that each of these four new ships will bring tangible benefits to coastal communities here in British Columbia,” said Ed Hooper, head of fleet renewal at BC Ferries. “As these vessels get closer to their arrival in BC, we’re hard at work preparing our terminals to welcome them into service.” 

The new ferry is one of four expected to start working in B.C. waters next year, providing two-ship service on the routes between Quadra Island (Quathiaski Cove) and Campbell River, and between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island (Descanso Bay). The ships currently running those routes will be used to increase capacity for other ferry-dependent communities. 

BC Ferries says it is doing major upgrades at the Quadra Island (Heriot Bay) and Cortes Island (Whaletown) terminals to prepare to use the Island Nagalis ferry to nearly double passenger and vehicle capacity on the route. 

“To minimize service disruptions for customers travelling on this route, a temporary operations trestle was recently constructed at the Heriot Bay terminal, a solution developed in partnership with local contractors that is designed to allow ferry service to continue while the original ramp is removed and replaced,” reads a news release from BC Ferries. 

The four new Island Class Ferries are among eight scheduled to be delivered by 2031. 

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Updated story 7:30 AM

It was an early start to the morning for local firefighters.

According to the city, the Prince George Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire at Crossroads Brewery located 508 George Street just before 3am.

Crews from four halls responded and once on scene, they found heavy smoke and flames exiting the roof of the structure.

Police are also asking the public for help if they saw any suspicious activity prior to the fire.

“The investigation is still in its early stages. We ask the public to stay clear of the 500-block of George Street to allow first responders room to work safely. Currently we are looking to see if anyone in the neighbourhood has any video surveillance, cell phone video or dash camera video that would have captured movement outside the business or give any indication as to how or where the fire started. Any information to help advance this investigation would be appreciated,” said Cst. Jenna Moore, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Firefighters are still on scene battling the blaze.

The fire cause is undetermined, a dollar loss estimate will be issued later.

George Street is closed to traffic and residents are asked to avoid the area.

Additionally, police officers are closing Queensway at Fifth Avenue due to poor visibility.

Fire Chief Bryan Burleigh will be addressing the media adjacent to CrossRoads at 12:30 this afternoon.

Original Story 6:32 AM

Prince George Firefighters from four halls responded to a structure fire along the 500 block of George Street this morning (Friday).

Crews are currently dealing with the commercial building according to the City of Prince George.

Once on scene, crews found heavy smoke throughout the building.

Further updates will be provided once available.

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A special mediator has been appointed to address the continued transit strike in the Cowichan Valley and reach a settlement.  

The strike started on February 8, and according to Minister of Labour Jennifer Whiteside has left the region at a standstill with people unable to access everyday services.  

“To help the parties resolve the ongoing labour dispute, I have appointed Vince Ready as a special mediator,” she says. “He has vast experience in labour relations and is renowned for his success in helping employers and unions reach agreements.” 

Whiteside says Ready is ready to resolve the dispute that has been going on for far too long and it’s time to put an end to the strike with the help of all involved. 

“This appointment provides a path for parties to work through their differences, and I appreciate their willingness to engage in this process,” she says.  

Parties are expected to meet and resolve the issue, but Whiteside says a time limit will be imposed for a quick and fair resolution.  

“Work will begin immediately to help the parties reach a settlement,” she says. “If a settlement isn’t reached between the parties within 10 days, the special mediator (Ready) will submit recommendations to the minister and the parties.” 

Whiteside says she expects recommendations to be fair and transparent to resolve the dispute, and in the best interest of all involved. 

The strike is the longest-running transit strike in the province, and has prompted letters of concern from residents, charitable organizations and municipal governments in the Cowichan Valley concerning its impact. 

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BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee is among 630 Indigenous representatives in attendance at three-day Assembly of First Nations conference in Winnipeg.

Many First Nations leaders are expressing opposition to the One Canadian Economy Act, which gives the federal government power to fast track major economic development projects that are deemed to be of national interest.

Teegee says the risk of not allowing First Nations to make decisions on major projects within Bill C-5 is still there.

“The system exists and that is why many First Nations are very concerned across this country and are concerned that if there is a project of national interest and what exactly does look like and what provisions are in there in the United Nations Deceleration Act.”

He adds many within the AFN will also bring forward resolutions for a near 360-billion dollar investment to shore up infrastructure gaps, which would include more affordable housing on-reserve.

Teegee added the infrastructure gap hits close to home in our province and represents decades of under-funding when it comes to roads as well as water and sewer services.

“There are a huge number of First Nations in British Columbia, 204 of them and I believe about 70-billion dollars is required to really deal with the infrastructure gap.”

Many first nations in the north are experiencing major growth and are caught in the cross fire of this affordable housing crisis.

“Further to that, one of the other issues is in the communities there is not enough land as what is required is in addition to reserves to expand and allow our housing facilities so that we can have affordable housing in First Nations communities for our youth growing families and our elders.”

The assembly ends today (Friday).

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Fourty-six classic cars were on display at the Topley Fire Department on August 31st.

This was for the annual Show and Shine fundraiser for a pair of organizations.

“Typically at these car shows when people enter, they have to pay an entry fee but at our car show, we don’t do that,” said Assistant Fire Chief Glenn Kelly

“We charge a new, unwrapped toy or a non-perishable food product.”

Kelly added about 120 toys and 130lbs of non-perishable food items were collected and donated to The Link Food Bank in Burns Lake.

“This one was a wonderful surprise. We didn’t know it was coming but it is always needed,” said Chantal Daigle, Food Security Facilitator with The Link.

She added the toys will be going towards its Secret Santa Workshop event which helps kids in low income families ensure they have a present on Christmas.

The event served 174 kids in 2024.

The car show also raised about $700 through the 50/50 draw and donation boot which will be going towards the Houston Hospice Society.

Topley Fire Department also recently purchased a new LUND University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) which was demonstrated at the event.

“We have a volunteer fire department and don’t know how many people will show up to attend a call. If it’s a cardiac arrest call, you need a lot of people,” said Kelly.

“This LUCAS machine takes the place of about two or three people on a call and takes 15 seconds to hook up to a patient to start delivering chest compressions.”

He added everyone does CPR differently for various reasons which can impact how well it’s delivered.

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The Quesnel RCMP report that two people were killed in a motor vehicle collision last night along Highway 97.

Corporal Belanger says police were called to the scene of a semi-transport truck that had collided with a passenger sedan at Dunkley Road, north of Cinema and Quesnel.

“First responders arrived on scene and confirmed that both occupants of the sedan were deceased,” says Corporal Belanger. “With the assistance of highway rescue, the driver of the transport truck was extracted and transported to Prince George’s Hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.”

Belanger adds that speed and alcohol are believed not to be contributing factors at the time.

An RCMP traffic reconstructionist attended the scene of the accident to assist with the investigation by conducting a comprehensive examination and collecting further evidence.

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Work towards the closure of the Lower Patricia Boulevard Encampment (Moccasin Flats) has begun, following BC Supreme Court’s decision on August 14.

The Court authorized the immediate closure of the site to all but those who had been continuously encamped at the site since July 2.

The City of Prince George stated that work to remediate the site and to establish a structured temporary overnight shelter area is underway.

Up to this point, the City has:

• Provided scrap metal and refuse bins, to support clean-up efforts by City staff and those sheltering on the site. Clean up is ongoing and proceeding in accordance with the terms of the Court Order.
• Carried out fuel mitigation work on a portion of the adjacent hillside. Mature trees were left in place, but shrubs and brush were cleared to reduce fire risk.
• Constructed a fuel break and access path at the top of the hill on the eastern end of the site, which included a clean-up of garbage and materials abandoned in the area. This reduces fire risk.
• Begun installation of fencing along the existing borders of the encampment. Clearing work at the base of the hill also opened space for this to be completed.
• Provided notice to clear structures left behind by individuals who have transitioned into housing.

They say remediation work will continue, in accordance with the Court Order.

City staff have regularly attended the site, providing information about indoor shelter options and the designated temporary overnight shelter area.

BC Housing has also been working to connect encampment occupants with housing.

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More people were working last month in the Kootenays and fewer people were looking for work compared to the same time last year.

Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in August, compared to 7.1 per cent in the same month of 2024.

There were 89,100 working (up from 87,000 last year) and 5,500 people looking for work (down from 6,600) out of a population of 150,400 (up from 148,500).

The local jobless figure was lower than both the national rate of 7.1 per cent and the provincial rate of 6.2 per cent.

Nationally, StatsCan says employment declined by 66,000 in August compared to July, which was largely due to a decline in part-time work. The unemployment rate rose 0.2 per cent overall compared to the previous month.

Employment fell for men and women aged 25 to 54 while there was little change in employment for youth 15 to 24 and people 55 and older.

Employment decreased in professional, scientific and technical services, transportation and warehousing and manufacturing, but grew in construction.

BC was one of several provinces that saw employment decline, along with Ontario and Alberta.

Average hourly wages increased 3.2 per cent year-over-year (gaining $1.12 to $36.31).

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More people were working last month in the Kootenays and fewer people were looking for work compared to the same time last year.

Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in August, compared to 7.1 per cent in the same month of 2024.

There were 89,100 working (up from 87,000 last year) and 5,500 people looking for work (down from 6,600) out of a population of 150,400 (up from 148,500).

The local jobless figure was lower than both the national rate of 7.1 per cent and the provincial rate of 6.2 per cent.

Nationally, StatsCan said employment declined by 66,000 in August compared to July, which was largely due to a decline in part-time work. The unemployment rate rose 0.2 per cent overall compared to the previous month.

Employment fell for men and women aged 25 to 54 while there was little change in employment for youth 15 to 24 and people 55 and older.

Employment decreased in professional, scientific and technical services, transportation and warehousing and manufacturing, but grew in construction.

BC was one of several provinces that saw employment decline, along with Ontario and Alberta.

Average hourly wages increased 3.2 per cent year-over-year (gaining $1.12 to $36.31).

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Starting Monday, Category 1 open fires will be prohibited across the Prince George Fire Centre.

The BC Wildfire Service stated that the prohibition applies to campfires, but doesn’t include the use of outdoor stoves.

Considerations to prohibit campfires included the current and forecasted weather conditions  availability of firefighting resources, and the Buildup Index (BUI).

Those found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail.

If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

Category 2 and 3 open fires remain prohibited across the PG Fire Centre as well.

The prohibition will remain in place until October 17th, at noon.

More detailed information can be found on the BC Wildfire Service website here.

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A paper shredding event will help raise funds for Crime Stoppers this weekend.  

Record Express will provide confidential shredding for $20 per box at the Country Grocer on Dufferin Crescent on Sept. 6 from 11 a.m until 3 p.m. 

“This event not only draws attention to Crime Stoppers but provides an opportunity for the public to safely dispose of their documents. Identify theft is a real concern and by shredding unwanted documents, it reduces your chances of having your identity compromised,” said reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, who is the local Crime Stoppers program coordinator.  “This initiative is also a significant fundraiser for our program. Most people probably don’t know that Crime Stoppers programs world wide do not receive funding from any level of government and rely solely on events such as these to keep their local programs afloat.” 

Country Grocer will run a BBQ during the event and offer hotdogs by donation. They will be served by local Crime Stoppers volunteers. 

O’Brien says the event will be held rain or shine. 

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Local Mounties are at the scene of a motor vehicle incident involving a pickup truck and a B.C. Ambulance that occurred shortly after midnight.

“Our initial investigation shows the Emergency Health Services crew was traveling through the intersection when it was struck by the pickup truck. The occupants of the truck did not remain at the scene of the incident. Police officers are seeking any information on who may have been in the truck and are asking anyone with information to contact the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP.

Police say the occupants of the ambulance were taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.

The intersection will remain closed for a significant period today (Friday) as the RCMP gather information from the scene.

If anyone has dash camera footage, cell phone video or video surveillance, or if they witnessed the incident and have not yet spoken with police, we ask that you contact the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-561-3300.

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A lightning strike near Rossland’s Old Glory Trail started a wildfire that kept firefighters busy Thursday afternoon.

Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue says the fire, on a steep slope, grew to about 20 by 40 meters and required helicopters and an initial attack crew to put out.

The call was received at 12:47 p.m., and the fire was declared under control about three and a half hours later.

Ten firefighters from Rossland and Trail responded.

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Introducing… Big Turk! This kitty is this weeks Summit Radio Pet of the Week with the BC SPCA West Kootenay in Castlegar. He’s looking for a home with a lot of outdoor freedom and would love to be your new number one mouser! He’s a larger cat with a beautiful black coat and absolutely loves to play!

Learn more about adopting him here: https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/784659/

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The unemployment rate in Prince George rose by quite the margin in August according to Stats Canada.

It came in at 7.9% after it was 56.2% in July.

Labour Analyst, Vince Ferrao told MyPGNow.com the increase is even more eye-popping on a year-over-year basis .

“There were more people searching for work and that pushed the unemployment rate to 7.9% compared to the same month a year ago where it was 4.6.”

“We had 48,000 people working. A year ago, that number was 54,000.”

In BC, the unemployment rate increased to 6.2% in August after it was 5.9 the month prior – the fourth lowest among the provinces.

Nationally, Canada’s jobless mark inched up to 7.1% after it was 6.9 in July.

This as the agency reports employment dropped by 66,000 in August – largely because of a decline in part-time work.

The biggest drop, at 26,000, was in Ontario, followed by B-C (16,000) and Alberta (14,000).

Here is a breakdown of all the provinces:

• Saskatchewan 4.7%
• Manitoba 5.7%
• Quebec 6.0%
• British Columbia 6.2%
• Nova Scotia 6.5%
• Ontario/New Brunswick 7.7%
• Prince Edward Island 8.1%
• Alberta 8.4%
• Newfoundland and Labrador 10.7%

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Grand Forks resident Erin Noble will be able to chase her dreams after being named as one of this year’s recipients of the Manulife Life Lessons Scholarship.

This award goes to Canadian students who’ve lost a parent or guardian and are pursuing post-secondary education with limited financial support.

Erin lost her father to an overdose while her mother was on maternity leave, leaving her family to face immense emotional and financial hardship. Her mother, living with fibromyalgia and juggling multiple jobs, struggled to make ends meet.

At a young age, Erin stepped up – leaving school to work full-time, studying independently, and earning straight A’s. At one-point, further education was out of reach, but Manulife’s Life Lesson Scholarship has changed all of that.

This fall, she begins her first year at Trinity Western University, studying French Language and General History.

“This is life-changing, and I wouldn’t have been able to go and attend Trinity Western without this scholarship, and it’s my dream school,” said Erin.

“It’s been such a huge honour and such an incredible blessing.”

Erin’s story highlights the importance of life insurance and the life-changing impact of scholarships like Manulife’s.

“My dad passed away and he didn’t have life insurance, and this really affected me growing up and the opportunities I had in life, like going to school.”

Erin urges anyone who has lost a parent, is facing financial hardship, and wants to seek further education to take all opportunities available.

“It’s so important to apply for a scholarships because everything is impossible, especially if you don’t try, but having life insurance and having these conversations with your family, it makes such a huge difference in the lives of everyone around you of your loved ones because at some point, there are tragedies and when you have a plan in place, it really makes the grieving process and the aftermath a lot easier on the people that you love.”

“Things often seem impossible in life, but everything stays impossible unless you try, and you work for it, and I think that I can keep trying and keep working and keep applying for scholarships and get through school that way, so never say never.”

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100 Mile District General’s Emergency Room will be closed most of the day today.

Interior Health said in a media release that the emergency room services will be unavailable from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, Friday, September 5.

All other inpatient services at 100 Mile House District General will continue.

The health authority says people in the community in need of life-threatening care should call 911 for transport to the nearest and most appropriate facility.

Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

This is the 15th date in the fiscal year that the emergency room at 100 Mile District General has had a closure.

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There are reports of a fire at Crossroads Brewing and Distilling in downtown PG this morning (Friday).

Information is limited currently, but we do have personnel on-scene at the blaze.

We will have more details to share once they become available.

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Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park will be the starting point for tomorrow’s (Saturday) Parkinson SuperWalk.

The walk brings community members together to raise funds for support programs, services, along with advocacy and awareness for those with the disease.

Selen Alpay, who’s in the early stages of his Parkinson’s, talks about his experience with the disease.

“A lot of my many dear friends are the best medication I can get, because they distract me from the disease.”

“It’s not that the disease is difficult to deal with, because you can control it with medications these days, but it it going to progress further, further, and further.”

Alpay said a lot of people with the disease aren’t getting any kind of support, or the support they should be getting, with the north not getting the support that we deserve.

One of the supports needed is a Local Mobility Clinic, which can only be found in either Vancouver, Victoria, or Kelowna.

The SuperWalk will begin at 11:30 a.m. at  Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park’s picnic shelter.

Donations, along with more information for the SuperWalk, can be found here.

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Residents of one of Castlegar’s newer neighbourhoods are hoping to create a park and playground.

Stephen Hill appeared before city council this week to pitch the idea. He explained that he and his wife moved to Grandview Heights from Rossland eight years ago.

The idea of a park came out of a conversation he had with a neighbour. “We were kibitzing over the fence about the kids running and playing in the street and how the street’s getting busy and how we need a place for them to be safe and secure,” Hill said.

While the neighbourhood was originally intended as a seniors haven, Hill said there has been “tremendous growth” in recent years, and they counted 22 kids getting on the school bus this week.

They have already had discussions with city staff and identified four potential sites. The top two options are privately owned, but they hope the city might be able to work out a land swap. Their No. 1 choice is just above the city works yard. Their No. 2 choice is closer to Emerald Green, which would have the benefit of serving both neighbourhoods.

Hill presented council with a petition of 81 signatures and a letter of support on behalf of 47 members in the Grandview strata. “No one says no to having a park and playground,” Hill said. “It sells well.”

Hill added that Marwest has already offered to do landscaping and skidding, and should the park become a reality, they would consider naming it after the late Bruce Cassidy, who worked for Marwest.

Hill said Castlegar Rotary members may be interested in participating as well, once land has been secured.

While the Grandview Heights master plan called for a park, the plan is no longer in active development.

Council supported the idea of a park but asked Hill to put his requests in writing.

Hill said they haven’t thought too deeply about what the park might look like, because it depends on what land they’re able to obtain.

“We’re not asking for a $1 million park,” he said. “We’re asking for a piece of dirt that we can develop over time.”

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RCMP are investigating after a man for exposing himself in a campground off Champion Lakes Road near Fruitvale.

Police said they were called Sunday morning after the man allegedly approached someone at a campsite, pulled down his pants, and “engaged in an indecent act.”

The victim told the man to leave, and he did so after some further persuasion. The victim stayed at the campsite with a friend until the matter was reported to police.

The suspect didn’t return to the campsite but has since been identified as a 47-year-old Kelowna man.

RCMP want to hear from anyone who may have information about him or who witnessed him in the area.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars kick-off its four-game exhibition schedule tonight (Friday) in Alberta.

They’ll travel to Hinton for a pair of games against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The second game is slated for Sunday afternoon.

PG also has a home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers September 12th and 13th.

The Cougars’ regular season begins on September 19th against the Portland Winterhawks.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings begin pre-season play this weekend.

The Spruce Kings host the Spruce Grove Saints Saturday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm) from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

PG’s season-opener is September 19th in Chilliwack against the Chiefs.

Canada West Soccer

The UNBC Timberwolves are back in action this weekend.

The UNBC men (3-1) are in Victoria to play the Vikes (3-0-1) tonight (Friday) and Saturday in the provincial capital.

On the women’s side, the Timberwolves (0-4) welcome undefeated UBC (4-0) tonight (6pm) and Sunday (Noon) at Masich Place Stadium.

CFL:

The next game for the B.C. Lions (5-6) is tonight (Friday) when they head to Ottawa to play the Red Blacks (3-8-). The Lions currently sit in the crossover playoff spot.

NFL

Philadelphia Eagles 24  Dallas Cowboys 20

The Seattle Seahawks open their season at home on Sunday against San Francisco (1:05 Pacific).

BC Football Conference

The Prince George Kodiaks (4-2) host the Okanagan Sun (6-0) tomorrow night at 6pm from Masich Place Stadium.

PG is third in the seven-team league.

MLB:

Toronto continues a six-game road trip in the Bronx against the New York Yankees.

The Blue Jays (81-59) are on top of the AL East by 3.0 games over the Yankees.

Baseball

Prince George’s Jared Young and the New York Mets are back in action tonight against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mets (75-65) are second in the NL East, six games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.

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A BC Wildfire Service plane was forced to land and get repairs after being struck by an illegally flying drone over the Cariboo this week.

“One of our birddog aircraft was impacted by a drone on the evening of September 2,” says Fire Information Officer Amanda Graves.

“There was some minor damage to the aircraft on one of its wings. It was repaired that evening and was back in service the following morning.”

Graves was unable to specify the geographical location where the impact on the plane occurred. Though she reminds the public that flying an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), including a drone, in a restricted airspace and near a wildfire is “highly dangerous, as well as highly illegal.”

Unauthorized UAVs are banned within five nautical miles, or 9.3 kilometres, and 3000 feet above ground level around active wildfires.

The BC Wildfire Service reminds people that anyone found flying a drone within a restricted area, or near a wildfire, and interfering with wildfire control efforts can face fines up to $100,000 and/or up to a year in jail.

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A near-wildland fire ignited on an eyot island in the Quesnel River on Sunday, August 31.

The call for a wildland fire came in at around 9:30 on the night of August 31. The fire was located on the island down a bank to the river across from the CN Railyard.

It turns out, the cause of the fire was an encampment located in the trees.

The Quesnel Fire Department said the fire was “short-lived” and “easily contained”. The fire did not spread and remained relatively small.

Although the flames were seen from the Johnston Bridge Loop and the hill on Plywood Road, the Fire Department says the flames were primarily from the synthetics of the encampment tents.

The fire was extinguished with one fire truck and a single handline hose.

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The Dusty Lake wildfire 8 kilometres South East of Nimpo Lake and 25 kilometres South of Anahim Lake is estimated to be 3,832 hectares in size.

Fire Information Officer at the Dean Complex, Mikhail Elsay said they currently have 13 fire fighters assigned to this incident.

“Crews are currently working on the Northwest corner of the fire, at the Northwest flank. They are using heavy machinery to construct indirect machine guard and are using hand ignitions to reinforce those machine guards. We are seeing continued growth to the South and to the East as well at this time.”

Elsay said its been too smoky the last couple of days to have air aviation resources on the fire but if and when the smoke clears we do anticipate being able to get helicopters out to support the crews as well.

Elsay reminds the public they can always download the BC Wildfire Service public app to stay up to date on all wildfires within the Province

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RCMP have suspended their search for Camden Guille-Sikora, who has been missing since July 20.

A statement from Kaslo RCMP said the search was suspended Sept. 4 following extensive search and rescue and investigative efforts.

Guille-Sikora was reported missing to Nelson RCMP on Aug. 14. At the time, it was not unusual for him to be gone for several days at a time.

However, after several weeks passed, concerns grew for his well-being.

Police explored several options but were initially unable to locate him.

On Aug. 24, Guille-Sikora’s vehicle was found abandoned at the Jumbo Pass trailhead on the Glacier Creek Forest Service Road.

Kaslo Search and Rescue, along with neighbouring SAR teams, conducted an exhaustive search of the area, including the Jumbo Moraine Trail and Jumbo Pass Mountain.

Search efforts included ground crews, dog teams, drones, helicopters and the deployment of a RECCO device from Vernon. Trail camera footage provided by the K’tunaxa First Nation council was also reviewed.

Despite these efforts, Guille-Sikora has not been located and the search has now been suspended.

Police said the incident is now likely a recovery effort rather than a rescue.

“Considering multiple factors, including the time missing and the area he’s believed to be in, this is tragically now likely a recovery, not a rescue, and we would ask the public not to endanger their own personal safety in order to continue the search,” said Staff Sgt. Kris Clark.

“However, experienced and prepared backcountry users should be aware that Camden is believed to be in the area and are asked to mark and report any signs they might encounter on their adventures.”

Camden Guille-Sikora is described as:

• Caucasian man

• 39 years old

• Five foot nine (175 cm)

• 161 pounds (73 kg)

• Blonde hair

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The City of Prince George will be considering what could be done to revitalize the riverfronts in the City.

This came from a notice of motion presented by Councillors Trudy Klassen and Tim Bennett at last night’s (Wednesday) City Council meeting.

“My intent here in working with Councillor Bennett on this one is that we develop a long-term plan that begins to realize and develop the steps that we require to redevelop our riverfronts,” Klassen said.

“Every city does this, every city you go to you they have these issues come up, you’ve got industry builds on the river, and then slowly over time, as the City grows, riverfronts become more beautiful and more useful for recreation.”

Councillor Brian Skakun said while he thinks it’s a good idea, but the amount of work it would generate would be massive.

“The consultation would be absolutely massive, I don’t think even think we’d be in a position after a referral motion, if it does go to administration, to come back and say how we’d spend it,” he said.

“I think we need to refer to administration to come back with at least a high level, this is what it’s going to look like.”

Councillor Cori Ramsay agreed, saying she would support a referral motion.

Councillor Kyle Sampson said while he agreed with the intent, he disagreed with some of the mechanisms for moving forward.

“My preference would be that we refer to staff something a bit more broad that they can come back to Council with a bit more appropriate that Council could take with the intent of revitalizing our riverfront,” he said.

“This is very prescriptive, and I’m concerned about that, I don’t want staff’s report on how we carry this out exactly, I want this to maybe be considered in framing that, but I think it needs to be a little bit more broad at this point.”

Sampson added work has been and is being done on some of the riverside trails, but more could and should be done.

Councillor Susan Scott said the flood-plain needs to be considered.

“I’m really concerned about what the volume of what this represents in terms of staff work, so I’m not going to support this at this time,” she said.

Mayor Simon Yu said he always advocates for long-term planning, and the riverfront is no different.

Council ultimately voted to refer the motion back to administration for review and a report back at a later meeting.

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A wildfire west of Ymir has grown to 335 hectares after two smaller fires merged together. 

The fire at Cultus Creek was discovered on Aug. 30 and is believed to have been caused by lightning. 

The BC Wildfire Service says the out-of-control blaze is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain that is unsafe for ground crews to access. 

Instead, the fire is being monitored and managed using a combination of techniques aimed at minimizing damage while maximizing potential ecological benefits. 

There are currently no area restrictions in place as a result of the blaze.

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Fernie’s aquatic centre is reopening on Sept. 9 following annual maintenance and users can expect some program changes, including the implementation of a new wristband system.

All patrons will be issued a wristband each time they use the facility.

City staff said the wristbands will be a quick visual cue to identify swimmers who require direct adult supervision and will help differentiate public swimmers from those in registered programs.

A new hush swim program is set to start on Sept. 14.

The program offers swimming with less sensory distractions on Sunday’s from 10-11 a.m.

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A fire sparked on Tuesday near Canal Flats is now considered under control.

The lightning caused fire was roughly 0.2 hectares in size.

The Upper Finley Creek fire northwest of there is no longer out of control and is now classified as held.

The Kidd Creek fire near Yahk has grown significantly since being sparked on Tuesday.

It’s now up to 280 hectares up from 140 yesterday evening.

The Silver Basin Fire in Bugaboo Provincial Park remains the biggest in the region at 462 hectares.

The area restriction and evacuation alert remains in place.

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Students returned to the College of the Rockies this week, and the newly appointed president is ready for the year ahead.

Michael Crowe was named the new president and CEO back in May following the retirement of Paul Vogt.

MORE: College welcomes new President and CEO (May 13, 2025)

Crowe said the start of the new school year went off without a hitch.

“There was lots of energy on campus,” he said.

“Everything went really well and we kicked the day off with our new student orientation that was really well attended and a full day of activities for the students.”

He’s taking over the college in a good state and isn’t looking to shake things up too much.

“Financially the college is in a healthy situation so I’m coming in with a really solid foundation to work on,” he added.

“I think it’s less about making major changes and more about where do we go next as an organization.”

One of his main focuses is to attract outside investment.

“I think the direction that we take as we look ahead is really focused on external relationships and how we engage with communities and economic development offices, and how we can attract investment, build talent pools and pipelines that will attract new investments to the region,” Crowe said.

“I think it’s an important direction at an important time for the College of the Rockies. We’re facing a lot of pressure with tariffs, shifting labour market needs, and emerging technologies. I think it’s a great time for the college to step up and support the economic well-being of our region.”

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Both Cranbrook and Sparwood set new heat records for Sept. 3.

The Cranbrook area got up to 35.3 degrees yesterday.

That beat the previous record of 34.9 degrees set in 2017.

The Sparwood area was a little cooler at 33.9 degrees, but that was enough to break the 1998 record of 31.8.

Temperatures are expected to cool of to the high 20s through the rest of the week.

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The Transportation Safety Board is investigating a train derailment that occurred near Elko on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The derailment happened at around 8 p.m.

Twelve cars were involved, but they were empty and no injuries were reported.

Crews with Canadian Pacific Kansas City cleaned up the site and the rail line has reopened.

The safety board will be gathering information and looking into the cause.

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DriveBC is reporting Highway 20 between Eagle Lake Road and Pyper Lake Road is single lane alternating traffic for 26.8 kilometres due to a wildfire.

DriveBC said to watch for traffic control, expect delays, and that it will be single lane alternating traffic from 7 am to 10 pm daily.

A pilot vehicle is also in effect.

Also on Highway 20, 40 kilometres west of Anahim Lake, motorists are advised of limited visibility due to wildfire smoke.

The area affected is between Hunlin Falls Turner Lakes Trailhead and Sawmill Creek Road for 136.7 kilometres.

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A lawyer in the Cowichan Valley will represent the region after she was elected to lead the Canadian Bar Association of BC (CBABC).  

Patricia Blair is a family law practitioner and founding member of River Valley Law in the region and has served as County Representative for the Cowichan Valley on Provincial Court for five years and on the Board of Directors for four.  

Blair says she’s humbled to be elected for the term running from 2025-2026 and will focus on three main objectives while she serves. This includes making sure smaller communities have access to justice, championing solo practitioners and keeping lines of communication open.  

“I am going to be travelling the province to find out what is working, and what isn’t,” she says. “Also, solo practitioners and small firms outside major centres in BC are on the frontlines of the access to justice crisis. 

“My priority is to ensure that British Columbians, regardless of their income or where they live, can get the representation they need.” 

CBABC CEO Kerry Simmons says having a representative from a smaller community and extensive knowledge will bring a valued voice to the table.” 

“Her (Blair) deep roots on Vancouver Island and her experience make her an informed voice for our regional communities,” Simmons says. “The board and I look forward to the unique and valuable insights she will bring to her leadership.” 

According to a media release, the CBABC represents 40,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada.  

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An Evacuation Alert has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre for 125 parcels in the Charlotte Lake-Dusty Lake Fire Area.

The CRD said this Alert covers 35,276 hectares and has been issued as a precaution due to concerns about access to main travel routes in and out of the area.

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Archie Chantyman will start his 30-day, 700-kilometre, over one million step long journey, the March with Arch, on his birthday, September 5.

This is Chantyman’s third year of walking from Lhoos’kuz Dene (Kluskus) to Saint Joseph’s Mission in Williams Lake, with a tentative stop in Quesnel on September 11 on his way south. After reaching St. Joseph’s, Chantyman will make a return journey back north.

“In the beginning, my idea was to take the garbage off the reservation,” says Chantyman. “Meaning all the stuff that residential school has given to us, imposed on us, or has some way somewhere affected our lives negatively.”

After a couple of nights in Quesnel, Chantyman will continue his journey south. Making stops at Elmo’s Grill in Kersley, Silver Hall in Alexandria, a night in McCleese Lake, and Westburn Pines before reaching Saint Joseph’s.

“We’re trying to take all that negative stuff off the reservations, and bring it back to the residential school and bury it. When we get there, we’ll call upon the spirits that didn’t make it out of the residential school to walk home with us.”

On his back will be Archie’s ‘Backpack of Burdens’, a backpack that he carries the entire journey there and back again.

“It’s all the garbage, all the negative things that happen to us in residential school,” Chantyman says. “It’s the shame, alcoholism, addiction to drugs, the addiction to violence — the list goes on, my idea is to pack that backpack so it represents the burden of our people to be brought back to residential school. To be laid to rest.”

As Chantyman walks, he will go through at least five Indigenous Territories, including Lhoos’Kuz Dene. He’ll go through the Nazko First Nation, Lhtako Dene, ?Esdilagh First Nation, Xatśūll First Nation, and then the Williams Lake First Nation.

It is common to see walkers join Archie for some of, or most of, the journey. Archie hopes that if walkers do come, he can reach a new milestone of 30 additional walkers.

“I’m hoping that [the March] touches people’s hearts in a way that could make them change to heal themselves. To start their own way of healing,” Chantyman says. “People will come up to me when we walk and say, ‘thank you for this’, and I say, ‘I didn’t do this, you did. I just opened the gate.’ They did their own healing, and that’s the idea of the March.”

Anyone can donate to the March with Arch through its Facebook page. Donations help contribute to gas, food, and medicine for the volunteers and those who come out for the walk, and to each Indigenous Nation that is visited.

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RCMP say two Trail men in their 60s have died within a day of each other in separate incidents.

In the first incident early Sunday afternoon, police and paramedics responded to a report of an unconscious 64-year-old man inside a vehicle in a parking lot.

Paramedics tried unsuccessfully for half an hour to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

While it was initially believed the man suffered a medical incident, the BC Coroners Service is investigating to determine the cause of death.

In the second incident, police were called Monday morning to the 1300 block of Pine Avenue about a 61-year-old man known to be homeless.

The man and a friend were sleeping outside the building. When the friend woke up, she found him unresponsive. She thought he had suffered from a drug overdose overnight.

The friend and a passerby called 911 and tried to revive the man with naloxone and CPR without success. Paramedics tried as well when they arrived, but the man was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

The BC Coroners Service continues to investigate.

“The street drug supply appears to be frequently toxic to its users, as deaths are an all too common occurrence,” said RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.

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Smithers RCMP are seeking witnesses after two garbage dumpsters were on fire behind No Frills.

According to police, the blaze was located this morning (Thursday) at 3:25.

Officers are conducting neighbourhood inquiries and asking nearby businesses for video surveillance footage from that time frame.

Mounties are asking anyone in the area between 3:00 and 3:45 a.m., saw people or vehicles behind the store, or with more information to contact the Smithers detachment.

The police file number is 2025-3328.

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Prince George City Council voted to move ahead with research on vacant properties in the downtown area, and how to fill them.

This was a continuation of a discussion held on the topic during Council’s last meeting.

The original notice of motion, put forward by Councillor Trudy Klassen, would have staff report on a pilot program allowing vacant ground-floor spaces to be temporarily used for food, community services, creative manufacturing, among others.

At last night’s (Wednesday) meeting, Klassen withdrew the original motion, and put forward a revised version.

The new motion would direct administration to contract UNBC’s planning department to work with them on researching why there are vacancies downtown, and provide options for interventions and strategies.

“If there are things that we can do in terms of regulatory mechanisms and funding opportunities, then that’s what I’d like that report to come back as,” Klassen said.

Klassen’s motion also included a budget of up to an amount of $10,000. Director of Finance and IT Services Kris Dalio said that could come from the Council Contingency Fund.

“One of our first observations of this new motion is that the reference to the downtown strategy has been removed from this motion,” said City Manager Walter Babicz.

“The Downtown Strategy was approved by Council back in 2024 and it provides a framework and the principles to help move the Downtown towards the vision of being a destination, gathering place, business and culture.”

Babicz noted the Downtown Strategy already includes recommendations related to reducing retail vacancy, supported by research and engagement done in the development of the strategy.

“Administration feels that those recommendations should be part of the report back to Council on this initiative as well for Council’s consideration,” he explained.

“With a Downtown Strategy already in place and being implemented, slowly but surely because we don’t have a big team of people working on it, I don’t want to lose the traction that team might be having with the Downtown Strategy, but also be able to report back to Council what that strategy has for recommendations specifically related to vacancy in the downtown core, because there is specifics in that document,” added Director of Planning and Development Deanna Wasnik.

Klassen said she doesn’t want this to be a duplication, but she wants it to be hand-in-hand.

Wasnik also noted she would be returning to Council with a report on this fall on downtown nightlife, and could have a conversation with UNBC and discuss a path forward at that time.

Manager of Legislative services Ethan Anderson said a motion to refer to staff could work.

“The intent would be for us to report back on the Downtown Strategy and the recommendations that are already within it that address specifically the issue of vacancy store fronts or vacancy retail space in the downtown, because there are at least a handful in that strategy that address that specifically, but they would require extra resources in the form of people and money,” Wasnik added.

Councillor Kyle Sampson said he couldn’t support the motion for a couple of reasons.

“It’s not that I don’t support that we’re looking into vacancies and potential uses, my concern is I feel like this may have already been done. Before I make the decision on something like this, I want to see what the report and the work that’s already been done has to say,” he said.

“The second piece is, I guess I do have concern where we’d be specifying in this, we’re saying ‘hey, let’s give $10,000 to UNBC,’ before I even have monetary values out there in any sort of approved, even indication of approval from Council, my preference would be that we actually, first, look at what’s already been done, and then second, we would maybe have a conversation with staff to look at what the scope of something like this might be and what that should cost before we even put a price out there.”

Mayor Simon Yu said this could be a good opportunity to get fresh eyes on the downtown.

Council voted down the referral motion with a 4-4 motion with Councillors Bennett, Polillo, Ramsay, and Sampson opposed. Councillor Garth Frizzell was absent from the meeting.

This put the original motion back on the floor, which Council amended by removing the dollar value and changing contacting UNBC’s planning department to just contacting UNBC, allowing them to decide which departments could help with the project.

This was passed, as well as a motion to refer to staff.

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With the start of proactive patrols, the Smithers RCMP are highlighting one of it’s victim services-led initiatives.

The idea for Auntie’s Kitchen was thought of by Shannon William who works as a Police-Based Victim Services worker to support witnesses and survivors of violence.

Through that work, police said she noticed a gap as many women expressed a desire for a meaningful connection with others who understood their experiences.

It was started in partnership with the Northern Society For Domestic Peace’s (NSDP) Second Stage Housing.

“At NSDP, we believe that safety, dignity, and connection are the foundations of healing,” said Carol Seychuk, Executive Director of NSDP.

“Auntie’s Kitchen reflects those values by creating a space where women can find strength in one another and move forward with hope.”

Auntie’s Kitchen recently hosted a workshop exploring how different personality types can shape relationships and interactions with participants learning how to better understand one another.

“Programs like Auntie’s Kitchen show the strength of community partnerships,” said Acting Staff Sergeant Ryan Law, Smithers RCMP Detachment Commander.

The program also received support from the Tri-Rivers Métis to expand it’s network of partnerships.

Mounties said the program is full and ask anyone interested in future opportunities to contact the Smithers detachment.

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The Campbell River RCMP is warning Campbell River residents about a recent and seemingly ongoing text scam, after receiving multiple reports of community members getting a text from ICBC that tells them they have unpaid tickets.

According to a news release from the RCMP, texts advise recipients if they don’t pay the fine service will be discontinued or licenses will be suspended.

“These texts are completely fraudulent and appear to have originated from an international number that is not affiliated with ICBC” the release reads.

“These kinds of scams have become more common, and many people end up being duped, ” advised Cst Maury Tyre. “If in doubt about communications received from a corporate entity, especially by text or email, don’t interact with them or give any personal information. The simplest way to determine if it’s a scam is to contact the company yourself, without using the link the scammer has provided in the email or text. Legitimate contact numbers are available on the back of your credit cards and on official company websites.”

Campbell River RCMP is asking victims and recipients of the text scam to contact them, or Crimestoppers, if they wish to do so anonymously.

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After close to a decade of searching for a permanent home, Comox Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) finally has found one. 

The group announced through the Roofs for Rescuers campaign and community support; they’ve purchased the property they’ve been renting for nearly three decades. 

President of CVSAR Gord Thompson said the base may be a fixer-upper to start, but they’re proud to say it’s theirs. 

“Owning our base means more of every donated dollar can go directly into training opportunities, safety, and upgrading our equipment.” 

The purchase helps reduce ongoing facility costs significantly, allowing the team to put more funds toward training, safety, and replacing aging equipment. 

The facility has advantages for the search and rescue unit, including close access to major highways, the Courtenay Airpark, Puntledge River, and the Cumberland mountain bike network, all of which see regular rescue activity. 

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is providing financial support to help the purchase, and Chair Will Cole-Hamilton said the dedication of CVSAR volunteers is inspiring. 

“This purchase not only strengthens the capacity of CVSAR but also ensures the sustainability of this vital community service.” 

With the facility now permanently secured, fundraising efforts are being shifted to help renovate the facility. 

Renovations will help improve safety, expand and modernize training space, and expand space for critical rescue equipment. 

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The Prince George RCMP executed a pair of Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrants at two different locations within the city.

Police say they were at residences on the 2600-block of Quince Street and the 1600-block of Eighth Avenue on Wednesday and Thursday.

The North District Emergency Response Team assisted due to the high-risk nature of these investigations, and potential for violence from those believed to be living at the locations.

“We did arrest four people from the two homes.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.

Three were released without process after the search of the residence was complete; the fourth was arrested on outstanding warrants and held for court, and all four of those people are known to police.”

Various items were seized including:

• Over 35 grams of suspected cocaine
• Suspected hydromorphone pills
• Two 3D-printed firearms
• Multiple standard firearms
• Stolen motorbike
• Hard body armour
• One inert military ordnance
• Various ammunition and other weapons
• Over $500 in cash

Cooper noted that this is the second time in less than a year they’ve been to the residence on Quince Street, for a similar investigation.

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The final public hearing for Nelson’s updated Official Community Plan is set for Tuesday, Sept. 9.

The current plan was adopted in 2013, and provincial legislation requires municipalities to update it every 10 years. City staff began the planning process in 2023, which has included community engagement, research and revisions.

The completed plan will serve as a long-term policy document to guide the city’s growth, land use and decision-making in the decades ahead.

The Sept. 9 hearing will be the community’s last chance to provide input before it goes to council for final adoption. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in council chambers.

The city said in a news release that new provincial legislation has removed the requirement for municipalities to hold public hearings for residential zoning changes that align with the OCP.

“This is why it’s critical residents share their input now to ensure the plan guides how the community grows and changes,” the city said.

The draft OCP keeps the core direction of the 2013 plan but includes updates to meet new provincial requirements and current community priorities.

Notable updates include:

Land use and housing:

• Mixed-use development permitted on institutional lands.

• Council may consider rezoning applications of up to six storeys for non-market affordable housing outside small-scale residential areas.

• Future zoning amendments may allow one or two additional storeys in designated areas to support housing objectives.

Neighbourhood planning:

• Establishes a new planning area for the Selkirk College Tenth Street Campus and reconfirms planning for the Granite Pointe golf course lands.

• Introduces neighbourhood nodes with small-scale commercial uses, subject to rezoning.

• As in the 2013 plan, most housing growth is expected on the golf course lands, downtown, the waterfront and Railtown, with the addition of the Tenth Street Campus.

Indigenous reconciliation:

• For the first time, a dedicated section on reconciliation.

Climate policy:

• Integration of climate measures throughout the plan, aligning with Nelson Next, the city’s climate action plan.

Design guidelines:

• Clearer performance-based guidelines for mixed-use, multi-unit residential, commercial and industrial buildings, as well as development in riparian areas.

• Updated design guidance for Baker Street, with a new Baker Street Heritage Conservation Area.

Targets and implementation:

• Stronger targets and objectives for future decision-making.

• Proposed changes, such as increased building height, will not take effect unless adopted through bylaws. Design guidelines, however, will apply immediately after adoption.

• The OCP will be updated every five years under provincial requirements.

The draft plan, reports from engagement, background materials and public hearing details are available at www.nelson2050.ca.

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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Hudson Bay Mountain saw success this summer with various upgrades and a returning event.

Through August, the resort held its annual Ride the Sky event which saw about 600 people attend.

“It was one of our most successful summer operations even through we lost a couple of days,” said General Manager Lex Rei-Jones.

It ran every weekend that month with the cancelations being due to rain on one day and a power outage the other.

The busiest day was August 23rd with the Bulkley Valley Exhibition which saw 160 people ride the chair lift.

Along with Ride the Sky, several upgrade projects were worked on including part of the Panorama Lodge roof being replaced over the cafe.

“We redid the skyline unload deck, a ton of brushing on our prairie, holy smoke, cold smoke, and trail to town, and working on our snow fences again,” said Rei-Jones.

She added this year is expected to be a La Niña year which could mean an early start to the ski and snowboard season.

The mountain is aiming to open for the season on December 6th.

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A passenger was rescued Wednesday afternoon after going overboard on a BC Ferries sailing from Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island.

The incident happened shortly after 1 p.m. aboard the Spirit of Vancouver Island. Crews launched rescue boats within minutes, and the nearby Queen of New Westminster also assisted in the search.

The individual was safely pulled from the water and taken to hospital by ambulance in stable condition. Sailings were delayed by about an hour.

In a statement, BC Ferries thanked crew members and first responders for their quick action, adding that passenger and crew safety remains the company’s top priority.

The circumstances around how the person ended up in the water are still under investigation.

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The Vancouver Island Real Estate Board says the island’s housing market is in the middle-range of a balanced market.  

The most recent monthly report from the board recorded 692 sales of all property types in August, up six per cent from the same time last year. Active listings were down three per cent with 4,405 units on the market last month. 

“August was slower than July, but that’s typical with back to school on the horizon,” says VIREB chair Olivier Naud. “However, sales were up from the previous August, and our market is proving to be resilient. There is pent-up demand but still some hesitancy that we attribute to ongoing tariff concerns.”  

There were 1,424 listings for single family homes (excluding acreage and waterfront) active last month and 339 sold – three per cent more than last year and 19 per cent fewer compared to July this year. 

Condo sales increased nine per cent over last year, with 74 selling across the island in August. Four per cent more townhouses sold year-over-year, with 72 units changing hands last month. That is a decrease of 24 per cent when compared to July this year. 

The benchmark price for a single-family home on the island was $796,900 in August, two per cent higher than last year. Benchmark for apartments was $406,400, up one per cent from last year. Townhouses are sitting at a benchmark of $546,800, up one per cent. 

The Oceanside area remains the most expensive place on the island to buy a home, with a benchmark price of $925,800. In Nanaimo, the benchmark rose slightly to $820,700.  

In Campbell River, the benchmark price was $702,700 and in Comox it was $854,400. The Cowichan Valley has a benchmark price of $796,900 and the north island sits at $469,800. 

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Comox Valley RCMP are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing woman who hasn’t been seen since the end of August. 

35-year-old Lindsay Moore from Calgary, Alberta, was reported missing on August 28, and hasn’t been in touch with her family, which is unusual according to the RCMP. 

Moore was last seen wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and black tights and has tattoos on her left chest and arms. 

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Comox Valley RCMP. 

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The entrance and exit scales will be getting replaced at the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill.

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George noted that construction would start on Monday, wrapping up September 12th.

During that time, traffic will be reduced to a single, alternating lane in and out of the site.

For anyone visiting, prepare for delays when entering and exiting the site.

More information can be found on the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s website here.

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Burns Lake is back to setting new daytime high temperature records as one was set yesterday. (Wednesday)

According to Environment Canada, the village saw a high of 31.5 degrees to break the 1988 record of 29.6.

Mackenzie was the only other northern B.C. community to set a new record that day at 28.8 degrees.

Burns Lake and Houston remain under a special air quality advisory due to smoke in the air from wildfires in the Cariboo.

More near 30 degree weather is expected in the Lakes District and Bulkley Valley through the weekend before cooling off on Monday.

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The City of Nelson says it will investigate the number of fish in Anderson Creek following an incident last week that lead to the deaths of many of them, and try to drive home the importance of conserving water.

One resident said hundreds of fish died when the creek dried up. That came after the city did emergency maintenance on the Five Mile Creek intake and switched to secondary water sources in the meantime, including Anderson Creek.

A statement from the city said it can’t confirm the number of fish deaths, but it was previously only aware that the lowest reach of the creek, from Gordon Road to Kootenay Lake, was potentially fish bearing.

The city says it has alerted provincial conservation officers about the incident. But it is not sure exactly why it happened.

“Flow to Anderson Creek below the point of diversion was maintained throughout the repair time, so it is uncertain why the flow did not continue for the length of Anderson Creek,” the city said.

“We will need to determine if there were any factors that could have caused this, including the water naturally infiltrating the creek bed — this will be important in planning future repairs when maintenance is required on the city’s drinking water supply.”

The city said figuring out what caused the creek to run dry will also help them prevent it from happening again. They will further review communications procedures to tell residents about this sort of work and stress the importance of following water restrictions.

Despite moving to Stage 2 water restrictions last week, the city’s water demand remained constant until the Anderson Creek incident made the news.

“This tells us that while we are using all means of communication to inform residents that restrictions are in place, the message of how vital it is to follow these restrictions was not landing,” the city said.

The city also uses Selous Creek as a secondary water source, but it was not affected like Anderson Creek because it was locked at a preset withdrawal amount.

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A Special Air Quality Statement continues to be in effect for the Cariboo.

Environment Canada stated numerous regions across the Province are being impacted or are likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24 to 48 hours.

They said during a wildfire smoke conditions can change quickly over short distances and can vary considerably hour-by-hour.

As smoke levels increase health risks increase, limit time outdoors and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.

People more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution, including people aged 65 and older, those who are pregnant, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition and people who work outdoors.

When indoors keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.

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Nelson and Trail both set daily temperature records Wednesday.

According to Environment Canada, the thermometer hit 39.8 degrees in Nelson yesterday. The previous record of 35.8 was set in 2017. Record-keeping dates to 1904.

In Trail, it got up to 36.9 degrees. The old record for Sept. 3 was 36 degrees set in 1998. Record-keeping in that area dates back to 1928.

Expected highs today through Saturday are 30 to 32 degrees, but Sunday and Monday it should cool down to 27, and on Tuesday and Wednesday highs are only expected to be 21 or 22.

The normal high for this time of year is 24.

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Trail and Nelson both set daily temperature records Wednesday.

According to Environment Canada, the thermometer hit 36.9 degrees in Trail yesterday. The old record for Sept. 3 was 36 degrees set in 1998. Record-keeping dates back to 1928.

Nelson also set a new record high of 39.8, but the previous record of 35.8 was more recent, set in 2017. Record-keeping in that area dates to 1904.

Expected highs today through Saturday are 30 to 32 degrees, but Sunday and Monday it should cool down to 27, and on Tuesday and Wednesday highs are only expected to be 21 or 22.

The normal high for this time of year is 24.

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A local environmental organization is looking for an emergency order that would put the brakes on a proposed open-pit magnesium mine near Rossland.

Wildsight says it will seek the order for the endangered mountain holly fern after BC’s environmental assessment office decided the Record Ridge project doesn’t need to be subjected to a full-blown review.

Disturbance of the fern was listed as a key environmental concern in the assessment office’s evaluation of the project. Their report said they had received advice from Environment Canada that current mapping of the fern was needed to inform its decision, and that surveys in 2024 confirmed the mine would affect the fern.

“After reaching the conclusion that Record Ridge would pose a direct threat to the mountain holly fern, the report proceeds to completely ignore the matter, neither exploring how the fern could be protected, nor referencing it in its conclusion,” said Simon Wiebe, a mining policy and impacts researcher for Wildsight.

Wiebe said his organization petitioned Environment Canada in 2023 for an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act, but was told that because the project was still being studied by the environmental assessment office, the fern was technically not yet at risk. 

“Now that they’ve decided the assessment isn’t going to happen, it seems logical that the fern is now at risk,” he said.

Wiebe said the fern is a threatened species, only found in a handful of places in Canada. Where it does exist, there isn’t much of it, making it especially vulnerable. It likes magnesium-rich soils, which is why it thrives on Record Ridge.

Wiebe said if Environment Canada acts on their request, the federal government could step in and do further analysis, pausing the permitting process. That would open a study period that would delay the mine until federal agencies can establish what can be done to reduce the risk to the fern.

“There is a chance this could be effective in protecting this threatened species,” Wiebe said. “We’re trying to take every opportunity we can to help this species thrive.”

WHY Resources originally applied for an operation with a capacity of 200,000 tonnes of ore per year, but in 2024, the company amended its application to a capacity of 63,500 tonnes annually. The revised amount was below the threshold that would trigger an automatic environmental assessment.

However, the Save Record Ridge Action Committee Society and the Sinixt Confederacy both formally requested an assessment anyway. The society has since indicated that it will take legal action to try to force an assessment to take place.

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Looking to head to the Creston Valley Fall Fair?

BC Transit has made getting there a whole lot easier with a free shuttle service for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6.

The shuttle will pick passengers up from the Creston & District Community Complex and bring them to the fairgrounds at Creston Valley Flats Stables.

This shuttle will run every hour between noon and 10 p.m. on September 5, and between 9am and 4pm on September 6.

For more information about the Creston Valley Fall Fair, click here.

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Single-family home sales in Prince George saw a small dip in August.

According to the B.C. Northern Real Estate Board, 69 sales were made last month for average selling price of $562,861 – during the same month last year 77 transactions were made for an average price of $540,037.

On a year-to-date basis, 565 single-family units have changed hands for an average price of $542,246 – a value spike of 20-grand when compared to August of 2024 ($522,651).

These types of homes are only lasting 25 days on the open market this year, compared to 43 days during this time last year.

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Job action has been escalated by the BC General Employees Union.

As of this morning (Thursday), picket lines have been expanded to include nearly 90 workers at the Ministry of Finance office on Howe Street in Downtown Vancouver.

The union says there has been no indication the provincial government’s Public Service Agency is willing to return to the table with an improved wage offer.

“BCGEU members in the public service deliver the essential services British Columbians depend on every day, and they deserve wages that reflect the value of the critical work done by workers including wildfire fighters, social workers and court clerks,” said Paul Finch, BCGEU president and chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee.

“The employer’s refusal to put forward a wage proposal that meaningfully addresses the affordability crisis leaves us no choice but to escalate job action.”

On Tuesday, over 2,600 BCGEU members walked picket lines at government sites in Prince George, Surrey and Victoria.

Roughly 260 union members participated in the northern capital.

Negotiations between the BCGEU and the PSA began at the end of January but reached an impasse last month after the collective agreement expired at the end of March.

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Another temperature record has fallen in Mackenzie.

According to Environment Canada, Wednesday’s daytime high reached 28.8 degrees, breaking the old mark of 28.6 set back in 1988.

This is the third time in a week; Mackenzie has set a new daily benchmark.

On August 26th, another 37-year-old temperature record fell reaching 28.9 degrees, surpassing the old mark of 27.3 set back in 1988.

Then on August 27th, the community reached 30.6 degrees, beating the old mark of 28.8 set back in 1986.

The late-summer heat wave is expected to last into the weekend.

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ICBC is warning that it’s being used in a text message scam that’s circulating in the province.

The insurance agency says people have been receiving messages demanding payment for things like unpaid parking tickets or late premiums.

The phony messages usually contain a link to pay.

The corporation says they do not contact customers by text message about any infractions or payments owing, or to confirm their identities.

Such messages should be blocked and deleted.

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The Sinixt Confederacy says it is going back to court against the BC government to defend the rights of its members.

In a news release, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, of which the Sinixt are a member, said it has filed two constitutional challenges in response to the way the province has treated them in the wake of a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that the Sinixt are an Aboriginal people of Canada.

“As an Aboriginal people of Canada, we must be consulted on matters relating to our traditional territory, just as all other BC First Nations are,” said Jarred-Michael Erickson, chairman of both the Confederated Tribes and the Sinixt Confederacy.

“After years of working with us collaboratively, the province is now treating the Sinixt as less important than other First Nations. They are refusing to meet with us or engage in dialogue when making decisions about our traditional territory. We want to work with the Province and other First Nations to steward our traditional lands, but if BC is determined to exclude us, we are forced to return to the courts.”

The Sinixt say they filed the lawsuits after being told by the provincial government it would not discuss matters affecting their rights in BC, and instead notify them of intended decisions. The Sinixt say they are now shut out from discussions that regularly occurs between the government and other BC First Nations, as required by law.

The lawsuit argues this policy violates the constitutional protection of Indigenous rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, guaranteeing equality under the law.

In a separate suit, the Sinixt say they have been excluded from new Indigenous education councils that form part of BC school curriculum to ensure Indigenous history and culture are taught accurately.

“This discriminatory conduct means Sinixt perspectives will not be reflected in the curriculum — even in schools operating within Sinixt traditional territory,” they wrote.

The second lawsuit challenges the School Act and a ministerial order defining “First Nation” in a way that excludes the Sinixt. It claims this exclusion also violates equality guarantees under the charter.

Most Sinixt now live in Washington state, but they argued they were driven from their traditional territory in BC by colonization, something Canadian courts have accepted. The Sinixt say what is now the West Kootenay remains their ancestral home.

The Ministry of the Attorney General said it had not been served in either matter, but out of respect for the process, could not comment on matters before the court.

Meanwhile, the tribal chair of the chiefs executive council of the Syilx Okanagan Nation said they are “disappointed” by the legal challenges and accusations of discrimination.

Clarence Louie, whose group also claims to represent Sinixt people in Canada, said it agrees with the BC government’s approach to consulting with BC-based First Nations and to only providing notification to US tribes.

He said the BC government has worked “diligently” with his Nation and others to ensure BC-based First Nations remain the province’s priority while meeting legal obligations of previous court rulings.

“The interests of our Sinixt members are protected and advanced by our Nation in Canada, and we remain committed to protecting our territory in the Arrow Lakes,” he said. “We will be reviewing these claims against the BC government and will respond in due course, when and if necessary.”

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars kick-off its four-game exhibition schedule that begins tomorrow (Friday).

They’ll travel to Hinton for a pair of games against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The second game is slated for Sunday afternoon.

PG also has a home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers September 12th and 13th.

The Cougars’ regular season begins on September 19th against the Portland Winterhawks.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings begin pre-season play this weekend.

The Spruce Kings host the Spruce Grove Saints Saturday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm) from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

PG’s season-opener is September 19th in Chilliwack against the Chiefs.

Canada West Soccer

The UNBC Timberwolves are back in action this weekend.

The UNBC men (3-1) travel to Victoria to play the Vikes (3-0-1) tomorrow and Saturday in the provincial capital.

On the women’s side, the Timberwolves (0-4) welcome undefeated UBC (4-0) tomorrow (6pm) and Sunday (Noon) at Masich Place Stadium.

CFL:

The next game for the B.C. Lions is tomorrow (Friday) when they head to Ottawa to play the Red Blacks (3-8-). The Lions currently sit in the crossover playoff spot.

NFL

Week one of the NFL season kicks off tonight.

The season-opening matchup has the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Dallas Cowboys (5:20 Pacific Time).

BC Football Conference

The Prince George Kodiaks (4-2) host the Okanagan Sun (6-0) Saturday night at 6pm from Masich Place Stadium.

PG is third in the seven-team league.

MLB:

Toronto Blue Jays 13  Cincinnati Reds 9

The Blue Jays (81-59) are on top of the AL East by 3.5 games over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Toronto is off today before heading to the Bronx for a three-game series against the Yankees.

Baseball

Prince George’s Jared Young did not play in his return to the majors on Thursday.

The New York Mets fell 6-2 to the Detroit Tigers. Young was re-called on Tuesday from their Syracuse Triple-A affiliate.

The local product entered Tuesday’s 12-5 win over Detroit as a defensive substitution.

Young was called up on two prior occasions for a total of 19 games, posting a .171 batting average on 41 at bats.

He’s also hit three home runs for the Mets this year.

The Mets (75-65) are second in the NL East, 5.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.

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The City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) is going to another public hearing.

At tonight’s (Wednesday) meeting, Prince George City Council made progress on the City’s OCP, implementing resolutions made earlier this year, and giving the OCP Bylaw second reading.

The updated, redlined document with the new resolutions can be found here.

“We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re getting there,” said Councillor Brian Skakun.

It was also brought up that the City will have to do this process again in 2028 due to provincial legislation passed in recent years.

“We started this OCP process and then the Bill 45, 46, 47 changes came into effect, which is going to require us to redo the OCP by 2028,” said Councillor Ramsay.

“I’ve been sharing that information with individuals as they’ve been asking questions, but it’s not widely known that we’re going to be doing this again in 2028.”

Ramsay inquired if the City could share that information with the public, adding an info-graphic with a timeline could help.

“Just to future-proof this, in that ‘why are you doing this again in 2028 when we just did this’ because it is kind of confusing,” she said.

“Even some planners from the University have made the assumption that this is a ten-year, 15-year, 20-year plan, so just to really correct the assumption or provide to make sure that people aren’t making that assumption inaccurately might be really helpful.”

Mayor Simon Yu also took the time to remind the public that the OCP is a dynamic document.

“If anybody wanted to do certain development in the area, come up with a good neighbourhood plan that we can understand, and we go through the service study report, I think you can always bring this to the Council for consideration for change,” he said.

“OCP is an overarching guiding document, but it is not a document that we as a Council have to abide by it 100 per cent.”

Council also voted to schedule another public for the OCP, which will take place on October 1st at 6:00 pm.

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Stage 2 Watering Restrictions have been implemented by the Cariboo Regional District for users of the Lac La Hache water system.

The restrictions started on September 2 and will remain in effect until further notice.

The Stage 2 Restrictions are:

• Water sprinkling is only permitted from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on designated days.
• Even-numbered premises may be watered on Wednesdays and Sundays.
• Odd-numbered premises may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
• Manual or hand watering using a hose equipped with a manual on/off attachment, or with a watering can, is allowed at any time.
• Watering of recently laid sod is permitted without restriction.

The Regional District says these watering measures are being put in place to help maintain an adequate water supply and ensure the system remains sustainable during periods of high demand.

For more information on the restrictions, irrigation systems, and possible penalties, visit the Water Restrictions page on the Cariboo Regional District’s website.

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The Prince George RCMP are on the lookout for 36-year-old Kristina Marie Randahl.

According to police, she is wanted on an unendorsed warrant for two counts of failing to comply with a release order.

She is described as:

• Caucasian female
• 5’11 (182 cm)
• 144 lb (65 kg)
• Blonde hair
• Green eyes
• Scar on left arm

Police say she is considered dangerous and should not be approached.

Anyone with information on Kristina Marie Randahl’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP.

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An Evacuation Alert has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations.

The Alert is for 5 parcels, 5 structures in the Bosk Lake Fire area covering 6,301 hectares.

The CRD said the Evacuation Alert was issued because of the potential danger to life and health due to wildfire.

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With the arrival of September it’s still uncertain whether pumps will be needed to ensure the water level in the Cowichan River will remain adequate for fish and other aquatic life.

In an update for the Cowichan Watershed Board, Domtar Environmental Manager Brian Houle says the level of Cowichan Lake is 15 centimetres higher than at the same time last year.

He says Domtar plans to put electric pumps on the Cowichan Lake weir during final week of September, but he hopes additional rain will arrive in time to delay the need to use them.

Houle says in 2023, the pumping began September 13, but the current level of the lake could delay the need for pumping until early October.
.
However, he says there is still a chance the pumps will not be needed if there is adequate rainfall, and notes the weather forecast includes cloudy skies and possible rain for most of the coming two weeks.

In the meantime, the release of water from Cowichan Lake into the river will remain at 4.5 cubic metres per second.

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With the arrival of September it’s still uncertain whether pumps will be needed to ensure the water level in the Cowichan River will remain adequate for fish and other aquatic life.

In an update for the Cowichan Watershed Board, Domtar Environmental Manager Brian Houle says the level of Cowichan Lake is 15 centimetres higher than at the same time last year.

He says Domtar plans to put electric pumps on the Cowichan Lake weir during final week of September, but he hopes additional rain will arrive in time to delay the need to use them.

Houle says in 2023, the pumping began September 13, but the current level of the lake could delay the need for pumping until early October.
.
However, he says there is still a chance the pumps will not be needed if there is adequate rainfall, and notes the weather forecast includes cloudy skies and possible rain for most of the coming two weeks.

In the meantime, the release of water from Cowichan Lake into the river will remain at 4.5 cubic metres per second.

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Come one, come all to perform the much anticipated, highly requested Handel’s Messiah with the Nelson Choral Singers for their 2025 Fall season.

All are welcome to join this community choir, no auditions needed. Practices will be held Wednesday nights weekly starting tonight (September 3) until the final performance on December 13 and 14.

Choir Director Kathleen Neudorf joins Summit Radio Afternoons with Andrea to talk about the choir and this incredible piece. Listen below!

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The Regional District of Nanaimo has agreed to buy 360 hectares of land for $30 million. Hamilton Marsh is managed under Mosaic Forest Management and will become parkland and a conservation area if the sale goes through.  

The sale is conditional and for it to go through, the RDN needs to secure at least $7.5 million in funding from partners.  

Island Timberlands owns the land, which is south of Qualicum Beach. Most of it is contained in the RDN electoral area F and a section is in area G. 

“We are pleased to work with Mosaic to protect this ecologically significant land and to make this important addition to our extensive parks system a reality. Preserving natural areas for the benefit of wildlife, water conservation and future generations is essential. We look forward to working with partners and our communities to secure the funding needed to ensure this very special place is permanently protected,” said Vanessa Craig, chair of RDN board. 

The two key conditions of the sale are partnership agreements and securing the additional $7.5 million. 

“We recognize the importance of Hamilton Marsh to the community, which is why we’ve entered into a conditional purchase agreement—a key step that enables the Regional District to begin working with potential funding partners toward permanent conservation of the area,” said D’Arcy Henderson, senior vice president, Timberlands and chief operating officer for Mosaic Forest Management. 

If the conditions are met, the RDN says the sale is expected to be completed by the end of March 2026. The regional district says it is working to secure funding and the public will have a chance to donate towards the acquisition in the fall. 

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Smoky skies remain in Prince George and parts of northern B.C. today (Wednesday), with it forecast to carry over to tomorrow.

Environment Canada issued a Special Air Quality Statement, due to the impact of wildfires.

They encourage people to limit time outdoors, and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events, as when smoke levels increase, so do health risks.

Mild and common symptoms include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough.

More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough.

According to the Province of B.C.’s Air Quality Health Index, Prince George sits at a moderate rating, between 4 and 5.

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

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The Beef Trail Creek wildfire North of Anahim Lake is estimated to be 7800 hectares in size.

Mikhail Elsay with the Miner Lake Complex Information team said ground crews and heavy equipment will be strategically positioned and supported by helicopters providing cooling action to reinforce efforts along the Beef Trail Creek Forest Service Road.

“Crews will continue to look for opportunities to construct guard along the southern flank if conditions allow. Structure protection crews will be conducting assessments along the Dean River Road and will establish structure protection sprinklers where they deem necessary.”

The Dusty Lake wildfire 2.3 kilometres east of Dusty Lake is estimated to be 2800 hectares in size.

Ground crews will be getting started building guard where it is safe to do so.

The Miner Lake Complex Information Team said hot and dry conditions are contributing to aggressive fire behavior on all flanks of this fire.

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Two new fires have been discovered in the East Kootenay and the Silver Basin fire continues to grow.

A fire by Kid Creek along Highway 3 was discovered on Sept. 2 and is burning out of control by Yahk. It has currently grown to 15 hectares.

The fire is believed to be human-caused.

A lightning caused fire west of Canal Flats was discovered yesterday but is considered held.

Nearby the Upper Finley Creek fire is still out of control. It’s listed at 0.5 hectares, but it hasn’t been updated since Aug. 31.

The Silver Basin Fire in Bugaboo Provincial Park remains the largest in the area at a now estimated 250 hectares.

The area restriction and evacuation alert remain in place. The Bugaboo Creek Forest Service Road is currently closed at approximately the 32 kilometre.

Due to that closure access to Bugaboo Falls and Bugaboo Lodge is not possible.

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The Sinixt Confederacy says it is going back to court against the BC government to defend the rights of its members.

In a news release, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, of which the Sinixt are a member, said it has filed two constitutional challenges in response to the way the province has treated them in the wake of a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that the Sinixt are an Aboriginal people of Canada.

“As an Aboriginal people of Canada, we must be consulted on matters relating to our traditional territory, just as all other BC First Nations are,” said Jarred-Michael Erickson, chairman of both the Confederated Tribes and the Sinixt Confederacy.

“After years of working with us collaboratively, the province is now treating the Sinixt as less important than other First Nations. They are refusing to meet with us or engage in dialogue when making decisions about our traditional territory. We want to work with the Province and other First Nations to steward our traditional lands, but if BC is determined to exclude us, we are forced to return to the courts.”

The Sinixt say they filed the lawsuits after being told by the provincial government it would not discuss matters affecting their rights in BC, and instead notify them of intended decisions. The Sinixt say they are now shut out from discussions that regularly occurs between the government and other BC First Nations, as required by law.

In a separate suit, the Sinixt say they have been excluded from new Indigenous education councils that form part of BC school curriculum to ensure Indigenous history and culture are taught accurately.

“This discriminatory conduct means Sinixt perspectives will not be reflected in the curriculum — even in schools operating within Sinixt traditional territory,” they wrote.

Most Sinixt now live in Washington state, but they argued they were driven from their traditional territory in BC by colonization, something Canadian courts have accepted. The Sinixt say what is now the West Kootenay remains their ancestral home.

The first lawsuit argues this policy violates the constitutional protection of Indigenous rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, guaranteeing equality under the law. The second lawsuit challenges the School Act and a ministerial order defining “First Nation” in a way that excludes the Sinixt. It claims this exclusion also violates equality guarantees under the charter.

The Ministry of the Attorney General said it had not been served in either matter, but out of respect for the process, could not comment on matters before the court.

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The City of Cranbrook has launched a public survey for residents to share their thoughts on the effectiveness of the water conservation public outreach program.

City staff said the survey will help them understand how the community sees and supports water conservation and find new ideas to strengthen the program.

“Your feedback is important in shaping how we continue to engage with the community on water conservation,” said city staff. “Small habits really do have a big impact.”

The survey can be found here and is open until Sept. 12.

The city is currently under Stage 2 watering restrictions until further notice.

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The District of Sparwood is allowing the community’s old firetruck to be lent out or deployed as a backup.

The district purchased a new fire engine to satisfy the requirement of a frontline engine under 20-years-old, leaving the old engine sitting in storage, but council has given the okay for it to be used elsewhere.

It can now be lent out to the BC Wildfire Service to be deployed to wildfires or to other fire departments needing extra support.

The Fire Chiefs Association of BC and BC Wildfire Service for 2025 has an all found rate of pay of $601/hr for a type two structure defense engine with staffing and equipment.

Typical deployments are 14 days but they can be cut short or extended based on needs at the fire.

District staff said a typical deployment would bring in approximately $100,968.

The engine can also be used as a back up if maintenance is required to the detachments current fleet.

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The Telkwa BBQ grounds was a success over the Labour Day weekend according to the Bulkley Valley Kinsmen.

Several activities were held this year including the 16-team slow-pitch tournament, concerts, BBQ, and the market.

“Everything went fairly smoothly with no hiccups or unexpected challenges,” said Treasurer Lonny Wiebe.

He added attendance was strong with the beef on a bun almost selling out on Monday.

On Saturday, Liam and the Telkwa Playboys drew a crowd to the outdoor stage which was followed by the band Blackwater.

Also attending was District 5 Governor Darcy Millar who said the event was different compared to others the Kinsmen run.

“Most things we do are a couple hour or one day fundraiser where as this is a multi-day and that it’s been going for over 100 years,” he said.

The BBQ also marked his first trip ever to the Bulkley Valley with hopes to return again in the future.

New this year was a market at the BBQ which ran on Sunday and showcased various local vendors.

“It’s a first time go with that so it was a little on the slow side but we hope to build on that again next year,” said Wiebe.

This year’s event also saw emotions felt as Geoff Hutchinson had passed away earlier this year who was known for cutting the beef at the BBQ.

“He had been a member of the BV Kinsmen for many years, earning the life membership, and had been cutting the beef for 55 years consecutively,” Wiebe said.

The BBQ is set to return Labour Day Weekend next year.

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The City of Fernie is accepting applications for the Report Municipality Initiative funding program.

The grant supports festivals and events that impact local tourism.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate why the need the money and how the event will positively impact Fernie.

Applications are being accepted for events that will take place between Nov. 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026.

The deadline to apply for the grant is Sept. 30.

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Some Powell River councillors say Tourism Powell River’s name change does not violate a service agreement.

In a delegation Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 2), resident George Orchiston alleges the name change to qathet Tourism Society breaks a covenant to promote the city as a tourism destination.

He called on the city to terminate the four-year agreement, which is in place until the end of 2028.

But Councillor George Doubt says they received a legal opinion.

“My opinion and the opinion coming from reading a legal opinion that city staff has shared with us, reading the agreement between the City of Powell River and qathet Tourism, having read those things that there isn’t a breach, including annual reporting or quarterly reporting,” Doubt said.

Doubt adds the society is capable of paying for the name change without using city money.

Councillor Earl Almeida, the city’s tourism liaison, says the society’s name has changed but Powell River is still on the visitor’s center and the website.

“I had asked staff at the time if that change impacted the agreement that was set with the city. A legal opinion was garnered in June and while that legal opinion wasn’t shared publicly, it did come back saying that in the eyes of the legal team, nothing had been breached,” Almeida stated.

But council committee chairman Jim Palm called the whole thing a “messy situation” with the timelines of notification to the city a “little vague” about what was carried out over the last year.

“We were never formally notified that this had happened,” Palm said.

The chairman stated he didn’t know about the legal opinion other councillors were privy to until yesterday before the committee of the whole meeting (Sept. 2).

Palm was shut down procedurally by a couple of other councillors but he vowed this wouldn’t be the end of the discussion.

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A male suspect has been arrested by Powell River RCMP, following an assault in the Cranberry area of Powell River.

RCMP responded to a report of an assault on Irvine Street in the early morning of September 2, and a search ensued after the suspect fled the scene.

An emergency response team, Police dog services, and air services were initiated alongside the RCMP to assist in arresting the suspect.

According to Powell River RCMP, access to Mowat Bay was temporarily restricted to the public and the area was contained.

It says the suspect was found in the area, was taken into custody, and will be held to appear in front of a Judge.

There is no longer a risk to public safety, and all public areas in the Cranberry Area have been re-opened.

The investigation is still ongoing.

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With school starting this week, the Powell River RCMP is urging the public to be extra cautious while driving, particularly in school and playground zones.

Students and parents are being asked to review road safety procedures, as traffic is expected to increase due to school-related activity.

The Powell River RCMP says it’s important for both drivers and cyclists to leave a safe distance around school buses — stating drivers must come to a complete stop as soon as the bus’s lights start flashing and the stop sign is extended.

Drivers and cyclists are being reminded to watch for unpredictable behaviour, including children darting into the street.

The RCMP is also encouraging students to review pedestrian and bike safety with their parents, and for parents to stay alert in school drop-off areas.

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Xatśūll First Nation is filing an appeal to overturn a B.C Supreme Court decision and continue to fight for the respect of its Aboriginal Rights and Title.

The First Nation filed with the B.C Court of Appeal to overturn the B.C Supreme Court’s decision on August 6 to uphold the Provincial authorizations to allow Mount Polley Mine Corporation to continue raising the height of its Tailings Storage Facility Dam by four metres. The dam is the same dam where a failure in 2014 led to catastrophic damage to Xatśūll Territory, in one of the worst mining disasters in Canadian History.

Xatśūll filed a judicial review with the Supreme Court in April 2025 to stop the raising of the dam, saying an environmental assessment was not conducted. The Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals and the Minister of Environment and Parks said the approval of the dam followed “comprehensive technical reviews by experts, including external engineers, and consulting First Nations.” The Supreme Court dismissed Xatśūll’s review in August.

The First Nations’ appeal, filed on September 3, argues that the Supreme Court’s decision allows provincial regulators to proceed in a manner that “seriously limits the level of environmental oversight and protection of Aboriginal rights and title” in future decisions regarding expansions to Mount Polley Mine by the Provincial Government.

“The precedent of the August 6th ruling needs to be set right,” said Kukpi7 Rhonda
Phillips, Xatśūll First Nation.

“The Mount Polley Mine needs to be held to 2025 standards
for environmental oversight and Aboriginal rights protection, not to more limited standards
from nearly 40 years ago, which is the effect of the ruling. This is particularly important
given the history of the mine’s impacts on our Territory and Mount Polley’s plans to
expand further.”

The Xatśūll First Nation says “correcting” the Supreme Court’s decision is an important step towards ensuring the Province regulates the Mount Polley Mine Corporation to protect the environment sufficiently, as well as respect Xatśūll’s Aboriginal rights and titles “now and for the future.”

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To the surprise of some, August was not a record-breaker in terms of the weather according to Environment Canada.

The average temperature in Prince George was 15.6 degrees, a half-degree above what we normally see for this time of year.

Meteorologist, Matt Loney told MyPGNow.com despite the heat-wave at the end, everything pretty much balanced out.

“For the purposes of the statistical analysis it is still normal. It doesn’t place either at a higher or lower ranking on the scale with records going back to 1912.”

In terms of precipitation, PG saw 34 millimetres of rain fell in August, down from the typical bench mark of 47 millimetres.

Loney added an upper trough by the end of next week is expected to bring temperatures down as well as the possibility of rain.

“We should start to see temperatures going down and instability going up. Temperatures will probably remain above normal for part of the week and then the clouds could increase and we could see thunderstorms develop initially.”

“There is one trough by Alaska that is going to form and then there is one that is going to try and reach the B.C. coast this past weekend. Those two are going to get together and team up and should swing inwards towards the land.”

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The province is providing money to the Smithers RCMP to help increase proactive patrols in the community.

This is through the Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement Program (C-STEP) which helps provide additional overtime shifts for officers.

The patrols aim to help suppress and prevent crime as well with service involving health-related emergencies.

Last year, the police participated in the Special Investigation and Targeted Enforcement for extra patrols downtown, garnering positive feedback from the community.

Mounties said they currently work with partner agencies and hope the funding will help support additional referrals to provide earlier connections to care.

“We are grateful to the provincial government for providing this funding through C-STEP,” said Acting Staff Sergeant Ryan Law, Smithers RCMP Detachment Commander.

“This funding ensures that additional patrols and referrals for vulnerable individuals are delivered at no cost to the municipality.”

C-STEP runs province wise to help fund overtime patrols in communities.

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Two kayakers were in need of rescue over the Labour day weekend.

Bob Zimmerman, President and Search Manager of Quesnel Search and Rescue said on Sunday (August 31) two males went out in separate kayaks to float the Cottonwood River from Highway 97 down to the Quesnel/Hixon Road bridge.

“They had given themselves roughly 4 hours to do the float, for their girlfriends to pick them up at the bottom end. They didn’t do much researching because it’s approximately a 10 hour float.”

Zimmerman said they were in lake rated kayaks rather than swift water so they’re a little bit on the big side.

“When they got into the narrow areas where the water got a little rougher they ended up cashing their kayaks on the side of the river,” Zimmerman said, “and rather than staying with the kayaks they left them and went for a walk in the bush trying to find a trail to get down to the old Prince George Highway bridge.”

When the helicopter arrived at the scene Zimmerman said they found the kayaks pretty quickly but there was nobody with them, that was on the Monday (September 1) once we had the helicopters up Monday morning.

“They had to do some flying around and eventually saw the two subjects as they walked out into a clearing and waved at the helicopter. The RCMP were there with their helicopter as well as we had Yellowhead helicopters hired for one of our observers to be onboard.”

Zimmerman said the two males had no overnight equipment with them but they were ok once we picked them up and delivered them to the Quesnel Airport.

“We had Search and Rescue mutual aid from Prince George as well as Central Cariboo Search and Rescue and it was a successful search in the long run.”

Zimmerman had this reminder for the public about the Cottonwood River.

“The water is nice and calm when you’re down by Highway 97. People don’t realize once you get down stream the water gets quite hazardous and dangerous because it narrows right up into canyons so there are rapids, and rocks, and everything like that. We’re just advising people please don’t go past Highway 97 when you’re going down stream on the Cottonwood River.”

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The Prince George RCMP and Patrol Volunteers were outside Blackburn Elementary School, keeping an eye out for speeders.

Officers and volunteers have been around schools across the city, serving as a visual reminder for parents and drivers that school sones are back in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all school days.

Corporal Jennifer Cooper said drivers need to stay vigilant, as kids have a hard time controlling their excitement coming back to school.

“That makes it hard for them to remember the road safety rules, so we’re reminding drivers that it’s our responsibility as the adults on scene to be making those responsible choices for the kids.”

Cooper added that making those choices and slowing down in school zones gives time to react if a kid makes a quick decision to meet a friend across the street, or cut to get to school faster.

She said drivers speeding through school zones is a prevalent issue, noting they get constant calls and complaints throughout the year from parents and schools.

While responsibility falls on drivers around school zones, it’s also important parents remind their kids of road safety.

“Especially if you’re letting your kids walk to school on their own, if their unsupervised or maybe it’s their first time, review the route with them.” said Cooper.

“Where are the danger spots, where should they be crossing, what do they need to look out for, and making sure we’ve gone over those reminders, because sometimes our kids tend to forget that with all of their excitement.”

Cooper said officers and volunteers will be popping up at different schools throughout Prince George through the month of September.

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Smithers set a new temperature record yesterday (Tuesday) according to Environment Canada.

The mercury reached a high of 30.8 degrees which was 0.2 higher than the record set in 1974.

The only other record set in northern B.C. was Mackenzie with a high of 29 degrees.

A heat wave continues to blanket the province bring near 30 degree weather for the rest of the week.

Temperatures are expected to start cooling off in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District on Sunday.

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An adult and a youth are in custody after a vehicle theft and robbing that left one person with stab injuries in Nanaimo. 

According to a news release from Nanaimo RCMP, the victim was stabbed in the parking lot of an apartment building on Aug. 31 near 12:30 a.m. in the 6400 block of Portsmouth Road. 

The 21-year-old man was taken for medical treatment for a serious, non-life-threatening injury. 

“The victim stated that he was standing near his vehicle when he was approached by the suspects. An altercation occurred, which resulted in the victim being stabbed. The suspects then fled in his vehicle,” reads the news release.  

Police say they found the vehicle about an hour later with four people in it – three youths and one adult and they were all arrested.

“Later that same day, two of the youths were released on an undertaking with multiple conditions of release. A 16-year-old youth and a 26-year-old man were remanded into police custody. Both individuals are expected to appear in Nanaimo Provincial Court later this week,” the press release says.  

RCMP believe there was no connection between the victim and suspects and the stabbing was unprovoked. 

The man’s wallet was returned to him by an unidentified person, who police want to speak with. Investigators are asking the person to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345. 

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100 Mile House RCMP spent some of the long weekend conducting a check stop in the Lac La Hache area.

Sargeant Brian Lamb said on September 1st a vehicle was stopped where the male driver could not provide his driver licence and provided a fictitious name.

Lamb said while speaking with the male he fled the scene in his vehicle.

Members subsequently located the vehicle at a house in Lac La Hache.

“Police did not locate the male,” Lamb said, “but have since identified him and will be following up with proposed charges of obstruction and flight from police.”

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Should Trail’s McKelvey Creek landfill be operated entirely by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary?

That’s one of the things to be studied as part of a solid waste management plan that the RDKB awarded a contract for last week.

At the moment, McKelvey Creek has a mix of staff: RDKB employees are the front-line folks you see when driving across the scales, but contractors do the behind-the-scenes work of compacting, moving waste around, and hauling to other facilities.

In the Boundary, however, the RDKB’s transfer stations and landfills are staffed exclusively with regional district staff.

“That will be one of the considerations in the solid waste plan,” chief administrator Mark Andison said. “Do we continue with [the current] model or move toward the model we’ve adopted in the Boundary?”

Switching to in-house staffing would mean capital costs of $3 million to $5 million because the RDKB would have to buy its own compacters and excavators. However, Andison said it has proved cost-effective in the Boundary.

Any change would be years away. The overall waste plan is expected to take 18 to 24 months to create, and then receiving provincial approval could take up to two years.

The $117,000 contract to create the overall plan, awarded to Sperling Hansen Associates of North Vancouver, was within the budgeted $200,000, the RDKB board was told. However, it’s possible the cost could go higher as the project proceeds.

The RDKB’s current solid waste plan was created in 2006.

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BC Restaurants and Food Services Association President and CEO Ian Tostenson says a lengthy strike by BCGEU members could have unintended consequences for the industry.

Over 2,000 union members hit the picket lines yesterday (Tuesday) including over 260 in Prince George demanding a new contract requesting wage increases of about four percent.

Tostenson told Vista Radio while the food industry can likely dip into the local beer and wine market with little trouble, other aspects of the business could feel the pinch.

“It’s all about the shift and having to change administration, your purchasing and restaurants simply don’t have the time to be going through this. It’s not great news for this industry that has been struggling and has faced tough times in the last year.”

He added the last strike that occurred lasted ten days, leading to a months long recovery for restaurants across the province.

“If a restaurant doesn’t have products to serve you could see closures. It didn’t come to that last time when this happened to us about three years ago. It was really messy and the other issue here is that we had ten days of a strike and it took months to restore balance back into the industry.”

“I think the biggest impact is the uncertainty. When you are a business owner that works so hard and has a great staff wondering if you are going to get shut down or what will happen makes it very difficult to forward plan and is the tragedy of this whole circumstance. I mean, the BCGEU has every right to bargain in good faith and hopefully, they can resolve this sooner than later.”

He added one positive is restaurants will be able to access wine, beer and spirit products with little to no issue during this time.

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It was a busy end to the Labour Day long weekend for Prince George Search and Rescue.

Local crews along with those based in Quesnel and the Cariboo were able to locate a pair of overdue kayakers on the Cottonwood River, north of Quesnel.

Search and Rescue advise people to not go downstream of the Cottonwood Bridge due to hazardous conditions.

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Sometimes it’s better late than never.

The Prince George Spruce Kings are hoping that’s the case with their latest signing.

On Tuesday, the BCHL club announced the commitment 19-year-old forward Michael Denney for the 2025-2026 season.

Denney from Keswick, Ontario spent last season with the Leamington Flyers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, scoring 15 goals and adding 30 assists in 46 games.

He also put up four goals and eight assists in 10 playoff games.

Prior to his time in Leamington, Denney scored 33 times and added 18 assists in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League for the Stratford Warriors before adding nine goals and four assists in 13 playoff games.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars begin four exhibition road games starting on Friday.

They’ll travel to Hinton for a pair of games against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The second game is slated for Sunday afternoon.

PG also has a home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers September 12th and 13th.

The Cougars’ regular season begins on September 19th against the Portland Winterhawks.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings solidified its roster and leadership core ahead of the upcoming season.

20-year-old defenseman Isaac Holt was named captain by the Junior A club after being acquired from the Vernon Vipers.

PG hosts the Spruce Grove Saints in a pair of exhibition games Saturday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm) from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

The Spruce Kings also signed Slovak-American defenseman Mikey Tkac after attending training camp as well as 19-year-old forward Michael Denney.

Denney spent last season with the Leamington Flyers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, scoring 15 goals and adding 30 assists in 46 games.

Canada West Soccer

The UNBC Timberwolves are back in action this weekend.

The UNBC men (3-1) travel to Victoria to play the Vikes (3-0-1) Friday and Saturday in the provincial capital.

On the women’s side, the Timberwolves (0-4) welcome undefeated UBC (4-0) Friday (6pm) and Sunday (Noon) at Masich Place Stadium.

CFL:

The next game for the B.C. Lions is on Friday when they head to Ottawa to play the Red Blacks (3-8-). The Lions currently sit in the crossover playoff spot.

NFL

Week one of the NFL season kicks off on Thursday.

The season-opening matchup has the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys (5:20 Pacific Time).

BC Football Conference

The Prince George Kodiaks (4-2) host the Okanagan Sun (6-0) Saturday night at 6pm from Masich Place Stadium.

PG is third in the seven-team league.

MLB:

Toronto Blue Jays 12  Cincinnati Reds 9

The Blue Jays (80-59) are on top of the AL East by 2.5 games over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Toronto concludes its three-game set against the Reds at 3:40pm Pacific Time.

Baseball

Prince George’s Jared Young is back in the Majors.

The New York Mets announced today (Tuesday) Young has been recalled from their Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.

Earlier this year, he was called up on two occasions for a total of 19 games, posting a .171 batting average on 41 at bats.

He’s also hit three home runs for the Mets this year.

The Mets (74-64) are second in the NL East, six games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.

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It was a busy start to the long weekend for members of 100 Mile House RCMP.

Sargeant Brian Lamb says on Friday August 29th police were conducting patrols when a vehicle was observed and the driver was identified as having an outstanding arrest warrant.

“Police stopped the vehicle where contraband cigarettes as well as a loaded firearm were found inside the vehicle.” Lamb said, “The adult male was arrested for the warrant which was in relation to a fraud offence as well as possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.”

Lamb says the male was later released to attend court at a later date and the investigation is continuing.

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A couple of Evacuation Alerts were issued by Ulkatcho First Nation and Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre.

The first Alert is for the Beef Trail Creek Fire Area 2 covering 53,575 hectares.

The other Evacuation Alert is for the Dusty Lake Fire Area for 380 parcels, 179 structures and covers 73,686 hectares.

 

 

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The emergency department at Slocan Community Health Centre is closed again until Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Interior Health issued a notice shortly before 4:30 today saying the ER would close early. People who need care at asked to go to Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp, about a 40-minute drive north.

The New Denver ER was also closed for a couple of days last month due to staffing shortages. Such closures have been frequent in recent years, and often come on short notice.

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The Comox Strathcona Waste Management service is asking residents for feedback as it plans for the next decade.

The service is hosting a series of open houses starting Saturday to gather input on how to improve management of garbage, recycling, food and other waste.

The sessions follow a year-long process to develop new strategies as part of an update to the Solid Waste Management Plan.

Public feedback will be shared with the Regional Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Comox Strathcona Waste Management board before a draft plan is finalized and submitted to the province in 2026.

The first open houses take place Saturday, September 6, at the Black Creek Fall Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 7, at Quadra Island Harvest Happenings from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

A full schedule of open houses is available on the Comox Strathcona Waste Management website. Feedback is due by October 16.

– Article includes link from Comox Strathcona Waste Management

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Hullo Ferries workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike. According to the BC Ferries and Marine Workers’ Union, 91 per cent of workers voted for job action over the weekend. 

“This result shows just how united Hullo workers are,” said Eric McNeely, president of the BCFMWU. “They know their worth and they’re ready to fight for it.” 

The vote was triggered after the ferry operator declared an impasse in bargaining, as the union sought better wages, predictable schedules and job security. Workers have been on the job for nearly a year without a contract. 

“Our members want to keep serving passengers under conditions that respect the skill and training their jobs demand,” said McNeely. “Ferry travel requires moving people safely through terminals, navigating busy shipping lanes, safety drills, emergency response and ship maintenance to ensure hundreds of people get across the strait safely every day. That professionalism deserves respect in their first agreement.” 

The union says a meeting on Wednesday night will help guide next steps. 

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An Evacuation Order was issued earlier this afternoon (September 2) by Ulkatcho First Nation and the Cariboo Regional District at the Emergency Operations Centre.

The Evacuation Order is for 150 parcels in Beef Trail Creek Fire Area north of Anahim Lake covering 86,850 hectares.

The CRD stated due to immediate danger to life safety due to fire, members of the RCMP or other groups will be expediting this action and you must leave the area immediately.

Those in the Beef Trail Creek Fire area are asked to follow the Evacuation route by proceeding  to Highway 20 then head east to Williams Lake.

The Cariboo Regional District said an Emergency Service Centre (ESS) is available at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex on Proctor Street in Williams Lake.

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Nanaimo will start accepting applications for grant funding to help address poverty this month.  

Applications will open on Sept. 8 for the 2026 Social Planning Grant Program, which can provide up to $30,000 to eligible organizations. 

“Social planning grants continue to make a positive investment in our community by enabling local organizations to respond to evolving social challenges, promoting equity and strengthening community well-being. On behalf of council, I am proud to support these initiatives, recognizing the essential role of local community organizations in building a safe, inclusive and resilient Nanaimo,” says Nanaimo mayor Leonard Krog. 

Up to $85,000 is available through the program for groups such as non-profits, religious groups and neighbourhood associations. The grant cannot be used to fund ongoing operational costs. 

The program has funded initiatives that improve community connectivity, mental health and wellbeing, social including and food security. 

Applications will be open until Oct. 8. 

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The Cowichan Valley Regional District is offering up to $3,000 to help local sports organizations sponsor events that boost sports tourism in the region.

The CVRD says the Sports Tourism Event Grant funding can support a Vancouver Island, Provincial or National event that brings people into the Cowichan Valley.

The grants range from $500 to $3,000 per event application, but the CVRD says it will consider providing additional funding for larger-scale events.

Applications for the STEG program are being accepted until October 1st for events that will take place between January 1st and June 30th of next year. 

The goal is to attract multi-day events that will boost the local sport tourism economy and promote a healthy, active lifestyle. 

The events must use local facilities and services, and have a direct, local economic impact. 

More information can be found at the Cowichan Valley Regional District website. 

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A woman has been found dead, while the search for two more missing people remains ongoing, after Kimberley RCMP were alerted by a GPS SOS that three hikers went over Meachen Creek Falls on Monday, Sept. 1.

Kimberley Search and Rescue, Bighorn Helicopters, the RCMP’s Police Dog Services, and the use of a drone were utilized in the search, and located one of the 3 people halfway down the falls.

Her death is not considered suspicious.

Meanwhile, police continue to search for the other missing people and have called on the support of the BC Coroner Service during their investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased,” said Kimberley RCMP.

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A new Visitor Information Centre operator is being sought by the Town of Smithers.

The town put out the request on July 31st with the previous operator being the Smithers District Chamber of Commerce.

“The town definitely values the relationship we’ve had with them over the years. They’ve done an excellent job at managing the Visitor Centre,” said Sam LeBlanc, Communication and Engagement Officer.

According to the town and the chamber, the decision was made to look for a new operator due to operating costs.

“We had been negotiating with the town about our contract for a year and unfortunately it didn’t come to a point were we could agree on something that was financially sustainable for the chamber and safe for the building,” said Chamber President Trevor Morris.

Only registered non-profit organizations are being considered to take over Visitor Centre operations.

Morris added he can think of other organizations that could run the centre well dependant on funding.

“I’m hopeful that something will work out because I do recognize the importance of the visitor centre to Smithers,” he said.

Some interest has been shown for a new operator according to LeBlanc with the deadline to apply having been extended by request of organizations.

The deadline for proposal submissions is October 10th.

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The City of Cranbrook has launched a new statistically valid public safety survey to help with the 2026 budget process.

The statistically valid survey was sent to 1,600 random citizens, but an online survey for the general public is also open.

This is building off a survey the city did last year which showed residents felt homelessness, crime and safety were the most pressing issues facing the community.

“One of the most important parts of this process was reviewing and responding to last year’s public comments to ensure every single one was read and considered,” said Mayor Wayne Price.

“The survey required a great deal of time and effort, with input from Council and staff, to carefully review and respond. I hope everyone takes time to read the responses to their comments and know that when they share their thoughts, council listens.”

The survey was developed with the Cranbrook RCMP, and criminal and social justice students at the College of the Rockies.

The online open survey can be found here and will run until Sept. 19.

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Elkford Fire and Rescue extinguished an unattended campfire that started to spread near the Boivin walking trail.

At around 3 p.m. on Aug. 29, some residents walking along the trail noticed a campfire that wasn’t fully extinguished.

The fire started to spread but it was quickly put out by Elkford Fire and Rescue.

EFR said the fire danger is high in the area and it could have been a lot worse.

They are urging residents to make sure campfires are fully put out. If it can’t be touched, it’s still too hot to leave.

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The Sparwood area has set yet another new heat this summer, this time for Sept. 1.

Yesterday’s temperatures reached 33.2 degrees, beating the 2022 record of 31.4.

This is the third record the Sparwood area has set since Aug. 25.

Temperatures this week are expected to stay in the low 30s and high 20s.

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With students returning to school on Tuesday, Sept. 2nd, the Nelson Police Department is reminding all motorists to exercise extra caution around school zones and neighborhoods.

The start of the school year means an increase in foot traffic, bicycles, school buses, and children on the road.

The school zone speed limit is 30 km/h and is in effect from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Motorists are reminded to obey and watch for posted signs. Remain alert when approaching school grounds and crosswalks, as children may cross unexpectedly. Drivers are also reminded to always stop when approaching a school bus that is displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm.

Traffic in both directions must stop while the bus is loading or unloading passengers.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to review safety rules with children, including:

– Looking both ways before crossing streets

– Wearing helmets when biking or using scooters

– Walking on sidewalks when possible, or facing traffic if none are available

– Staying alert and avoiding phone use or headphones when crossing the street

The Nelson Police Department will maintain an increased presence around school zones in the coming weeks to ensure safety for all road users, enforce speed limits, and provide education to the community.

“Back to school is an exciting time for families. We are asking all road users to do their part in making sure students arrive safely each day. A few extra seconds of caution can make all the difference, “says Special Constable Taburiaux.

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Prince George’s Jared Young is back in the Majors.

The New York Mets announced today (Tuesday) Young has been recalled from their Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.

We have made the following roster moves.@clovercommerce | #LGM pic.twitter.com/3p9sJfeIei

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 2, 2025

This will be the second stint in the Majors for Young this season.

Earlier this year, he was called up for 19 games, posting a .171 batting average on 41 at bats.

He’s also hit three home runs for the Mets this year.

The Mets (74-64) are second in the NL East, six games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.

They’re playing against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers this evening.

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Construction crews in Kimberley are installing bump-outs adjacent to the parking lanes along 304 Avenue.

City staff said 304 Avenue will be closed next to the work zone.

Parking lanes will also be unavailable, but Highway 95A will remain open.

drivers are asked to watch for work crews and obey all posted signage.

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The wildfire northwest of Grasmere is now considered under control.

The fire was first sparked by lightning on Aug. 30 and grew to 13.7 hectares.

It is not expected to spread further than the current perimeter.

There are two out of control wildfires still burning in the East Kootenay.

The Silver Basin fire in Bugaboo Provincial Park is still at an estimated 190 hectares.

The Evacuation Alert and Area Restriction still remains in place.

The Upper Finley Creek fire west of Canal Flats is still deemed as out of control.

It’s size is listed at 0.5 hectares, but it hasn’t been updated since Aug. 31.

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Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued an updated heat warning for the Boundary area in the Interior Health from Sept. 2 to Sept. 5.

With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat-related illness increases. Everyone is at risk of heat-related illness, but hot temperatures can be especially dangerous for seniors (ages 65 years or older); infants and young children; pregnant people; people with chronic health conditions and mental illnesses; people who work outdoors; and people who live alone or are socially isolated, homeless, or unsheltered.

In cases of heat stroke- severe headache, loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting or very dark urine or no urine, please seek medical attention.

In general, regardless of hot weather, when there is chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe burns, choking, convulsions that are not stopping, a drowning, a severe allergic reaction, a head injury, signs of a stroke, signs of an overdose or a major trauma, please call 911.

Keep your home cool by:

• Opening windows when the outdoor temperature goes down below the indoor temperature at night and if the air quality is safe
• Shut windows and close curtains/blinds to keep cooler air in and the sun out
• Avoid making meals using the oven
• For those who qualify, free portable air conditioners are available through FortisBC and BC Hydro.

Important: If you are experiencing extreme heat during an air quality advisory, prioritize cooling down. Heat is typically more dangerous than short-term exposure to poor air quality.

Keep your body cool by:

• Wearing a damp towel or shirt
• Taking a cool bath or shower
• Putting an ice tray in front of a fan
• Using a personal mister or spray bottle
• Drinking lots or water
• Lowering your activity level and avoiding intense activities

Important: While fans can help you feel more comfortable, they do not work to lower body temperature at temperatures over 35C.

Back to school safety

Children are not always able to recognize how heat events can affect them:

• Ensure they stay hydrated with plenty of water.
• Apply sunscreen throughout the day; wear hats, sunglasses, and light weight clothing in breathable materials.
• Avoid being outside at the hottest parts of the day (approximately 3 p.m.)
• Seek shade, air-conditioned spaces such as community centres or libraries, splash pads, water parks or pools.

Resources:

• Watch: Keeping Kids Cool
• Watch: Heat Inside the home
• School Safety

 Keep up to date on weather alerts and information:

• Download the WeatherCAN app
• Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) live map

View the map of the heat warning area here.

More details about extreme heat, including symptoms of heat-related illness and those most at risk, are available on the IH’s Extreme Heat page and IH YouTube channel.

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Five new wildfires are burning in the West Kootenay-Boundary as a result of lightning over the long weekend.

The BC Wildfire Service’s map shows a 0.2 hectare fire broke out in a remote area of the Burrell Creek drainage southeast of Granby Provincial Park. It was discovered Monday.

There are also a couple of small fires burning north and south of Highway 3 between Castlegar and Grand Forks. Both were discovered Monday. One is 0.16 of a hectare and the other is 0.21 of a hectare.

The largest new fire by far is burning on Cultus Creek, in the divide between Ymir and Kootenay Lake. It was discovered Saturday and has burned 55 hectares. Another fire discovered nearby today sits at one hectare.

All of the fires are classified as out of control, but none pose any risk to homes or highways.

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Five new wildfires are burning in the West Kootenay-Boundary as a result of lightning over the long weekend.

The BC Wildfire Service’s map shows the largest by far is burning on Cultus Creek, in the divide between Ymir and Kootenay Lake. It was discovered Saturday and has burned 55 hectares. Another fire discovered nearby today sits at one hectare.

There are also a couple of small fires burning north and south of Highway 3 between Castlegar and Grand Forks. Both were discovered Monday. One is 0.16 of a hectare and the other is 0.21 of a hectare.

Additionally, a 0.2 hectare fire is burning in a remote area of the Burrell Creek drainage southeast of Granby Provincial Park. It was discovered Monday.

All of the fires are classified as out of control, but none pose any risk to homes or highways.

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Grand Forks Fire Rescue was quick to jump on a grass fire that sparked just before 1 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, located adjacent to Highway 3 and Canning Road.

Crews arrived to find a slow moving grass fire approximately 60 feet by 40 feet that was moving up the bank and starting to get into the base of a small group of trees.

They were able to quickly stop the spread of fire and fully extinguished the blaze in under an hour.

“The people who discovered the fire were attempting to extinguish prior to our arrival.” said Grand Forks Fire Rescue.

Two individuals were treated for smoke inhalation, while the RCMP provided support by rerouting traffic around the incident.

In all, 15 firefighters responded with 7 apparatus.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

“Grand Forks Fire Rescue would like to remind everyone that even with a little bit of precipitation, the fire risk is still very high. Please be careful with any sources of ignition.”

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Temperatures in the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District were above normal through the month of August.

According to Environment Canada, the average temperature in Smithers was 16 degrees while the normal is 14.8.

“When it came to Burns Lake, what we saw this year was 14.4 degrees. The long-term average there was 12.7,” said Meteorologist Crawford Luke.

The region saw 52 millimetres of rain over the month which was slightly higher than the 45 millimetre normal.

No new records were set over the Labor Day long weekend in Smithers.

Burns Lake saw a new record set on Sunday at 29.3 degrees and Monday at 30.3.

The previous records were 27.7 and 27.5 degrees, both set in 2024.

“It looks like we’re going to be sticking around the high 20 to 30 degree range probably through the weekend,” said Luke.

Some cooler temperatures are expected next week with above normal temperatures persisting through September.

Environment Canada also issued an air quality statement for Burns Lake and Houston due to wildfire smoke related to the recent heat.

A full forecast for the Bulkley Valley and Lakes District can be found on Environment Canada’s website.

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Defenceman Isaac Holt will be the 24th Spruce King in the team’s BCHL era to wear the “C”.

The team announced the Pembroke, Ontario product will be the team’s captain heading into the 2025-26 season.

“I’m super honoured to be named captain. There’s a lot of great players that have worn this jersey and worn the ‘C’ in this organization, and I hope that I can continue to hold the standard that they have already set,” Holt said.

“I’m just looking to bring out the best of our team and hoping they can do the same for me.”

Holt joined the team early last season in a trade with the Vernon Vipers.

“Isaac embodies what the Spruce Kings stand for. He is a great example of work ethic and dedication on ice and being an even better human off the ice and in the community,” said Head Coach Brad Tesink.

“We as a staff believe that he, along with the rest of our leadership group will set the foundation for a successful BCHL season.”

The Spruce Kings will start their season on the road on September 19th against the Chilliwack Chiefs.

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The Labour Day long weekend was an active one in the province for the B.C. Wildfire Service.

According to the Wildfire Service, nearly 6,000 lightning strikes were recorded over the weekend, resulting in 119 new wildfires.

While there was some new activity in the Prince George Fire Centre, Fire Information Officer Pedro Roldan-Delgado said the region was one of the regions that didn’t see as much activity.

“With the prolonged warm and dry weather, it has significantly increased the fire weather indices throughout the Fire Centre,” he said.

“We did have daytime high temperatures get up to ten to 15 degrees above seasonal, as well as with the dry and warm weather conditions, fire activity was active overnight as well.”

Roldan-Delgado said there were eight new starts over the long weekend.

“Three of the eight are now out, four are under control, and one is still out of control,” he said.

He noted the new start that is out of control, G31181, is only at a hundredth of a hectare in size.

“It looks like it’s just in inaccessible terrain, so at this moment, due to safety, we’re just keeping notes on it, making sure that it doesn’t get too much bigger,” he explained.

“At this time there’s just no safe, accessible route to get to it.”

While there are currently no wildfires of note in the province, Roldan-Delgado added there are two wildfires in the southern part of the VanJam zone

This includes the Tsetzi Lake Wildfire, which is an estimated 1,500 hectares in size, and is about 115 kilometres south of Fraser Lake.

The fire prompted an evacuation order by the Cariboo Regional District.

The other is the Tsacha Kale Fire in the same area, around 110 kilometres south of Fraser Lake, and is 1,534.4 hectares.

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Much of the province including PG and the north is under an air quality advisory.

According to Environment Canada, areas impacted by the wildfire smoke include:

– B.C. North Peace River: includes the City of Fort St John and all communities along Hwy 97 extending from Farmington to Pink Mountain; Hwy 29 including Moberly Lake, Hudson’s Hope; also includes Rolla, Clayhurst and Goodlow.
– B.C. South Peace River: includes Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, and Tumbler Ridge.
– Chilcotin: includes Hansville, Alexis Creek, Chilanko Forks, Tatla Lake, Nimpo Lake, Anahim Lake, and the southern half of Tweedsmuir Park.
– Fort Nelson: includes Fort Nelson, Muskwa, Prophet River, Buckinghorse River, Sikanni Chief, and Hwy 77 north to the Yukon border.
– McGregor.
– Prince George.
– Cariboo – north including Quesnel.
– Stuart – Nechako
– Central Coast – inland sections.

As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.

People may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance.

Those more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors, should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.

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BC Ferries says there are five major components needed for the company to be able to build vessels in Canada. 

The company’s president and CEO, Nicolas Jimenez, is presenting at the federal Made in Canada Ferries and Rail Summit in Ontario on Sept. 2, where he will outline what he believes needs to change to make domestic building feasible. 

“This summit is an important opportunity to talk honestly about Canada’s shipbuilding realities. Let me be clear, our preference is always to build ferries here at home. For us to do that responsibly and serve our customers and communities fairly, Canadian shipbuilders need the capacity and ability to deliver affordable ships on guaranteed timelines,” reads a statement from Jimenez prior to the summit presentation. “We want Canadian bids to succeed but, without significant changes and broad supports, we believe they will continue to face challenges competing on projects of the size and delivery timelines of our new major vessels.” 

He said no Canadian shipyards have bid to build BC Ferries vessels in more than a decade and if there are Canadian bids, it is important for the company to consider customers’ interests. 

“Whether future ships are built in Canada or abroad, our responsibility is to deliver them on time, on budget, and at the quality our customers expect. Today, customers already fund about 75 per cent of our system costs. It would be unfair to shift the added cost of subsidizing industry gaps onto everyday ferry users,” Jimenez said. “We hope to build more new ships over the next decade, but that volume alone is nowhere near sufficient to sustain Canada’s shipbuilding or steel industries, nor is it fair to say that BC Ferries must carry that burden on our own.”
 

 BC Ferries says the five elements that need to be a reality to be able to build in Canada are: local options that can deliver, fixed costs, guaranteed delivery dates, assured vessel and shipyard performance and quality and an open and competitive procurement process. 

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After a hot weekend and lightning strikes sparking multiple wildfires on Vancouver Island, the B.C. Wildfire Service says none are out of control. 

Seven wildfires started on Vancouver Island over the Labour Day long weekend, likely from a thunder and lightning storm Sunday night. 

Two of the fires started near the Nanaimo River, one of which is now under control while the other is being held. 

Meanwhile four started near Gold River, two of which are being held, one is under control, and the other is now out. 

The last fire started in Juan De Fuca Park on the west coast of the Island and is now under control. 

All the fires that started over the weekend were 0.1 hectares in size or smaller. 

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Hullo Ferries workers could go on strike after the company declared an impasse in bargaining. The BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union says the workers have been on the job nearly a year without a contract. 

“We don’t want to disrupt service, but our members can’t wait forever,” said Eric McNeely, president of the BC Ferry and Marine Workers’ Union. “Our members would rather be serving passengers than preparing job action. But after nearly a year of waiting for an agreement, they’ve been left with no choice.” 

The union says it wants Hullo Ferries to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith to provide stability to the company, workers and travelers. 

“Declaring impasse after so little movement is a sign the employer isn’t serious about reaching a fair deal,” said McNeely. “Our members keep passengers moving every day. They deserve respect and a fair contract.” 

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The City of Prince George is making good progress on its Housing Target Order.

Under the Housing Supply Act, the B.C. Government set a five-year target of 1,803 new units for Prince George last year.

Prince George’s year-one target was set at 273 new housing units from August 1st, 2024, to July 31st, 2025.

According to the City, 284 units were completed in that time frame, representing 104 per cent of the year one goal.

“The City is very happy the current permitting process supported us in exceeding our target for year one, but it doesn’t stop there,” said Director of Planning and Development Deanna Wasnik.

“We’ll continue making improvements to ensure that we can maintain progress towards our five-year target. There are more than 1,100 net new units projected through approved permits, and we look forward to seeing them become available for residents in our community.”

City Council will receive the Housing Target Order progress report during this week’s meeting, taking place Wednesday evening.

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BC’s police watchdog is recommending that an RCMP officer be charged in a crash south of Nakusp last year that left a man dead.

The Independent Investigations Office of BC announced Friday that it has referred the matter to the BC Prosecution Service for a decision.

On the afternoon of Nov. 25, 2024, police spotted a pickup truck that had been reported stolen, going south on Highway 6 about one kilometer from the village.

An officer tried to pull the truck over, but soon after, it crashed into a ditch. The man who was behind the wheel died. A woman who was a passenger was arrested before being taken to hospital.

The IIO was notified of the incident and started investigating.

In a news release, the IIO said Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund reviewed the evidence and determined reasonable grounds exist to believe that the officer may have committed driving offences.

As with all files, Crown counsel must be satisfied there is a substantial likelihood of conviction, and that prosecution is in the public interest.

Neither the name of the officer involved nor the man who was killed have been released.

The IIO investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.

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To kick off September, Prince George broke a long-standing temperature record.

On Monday, the northern capital reached 29.2 degrees, edging the previous record high of 28.9 set back in 1938.

The heatwave that has blanketed much of Prince George is expected to remain in vogue for most of this week with daytime highs hovering between 27 and 30 degrees.

Other communities who set temperature records for September 1st include Burns Lake (30.3), Quesnel (33.6) and Williams Lake (31.9).

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More fine tuning on the blue line has been completed by the Prince George Spruce Kings.

Today (Tuesday), the BCHL club announced the commitment of 18-year-old Mikey Tkac for the 2025-2026 season.

Tkac is 6’2, 192 pounds from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan – who is a dual US/Slovakia Citizen, spent time with both Team Slovakia U18 and HC Kosice U20, playing in 41 games, putting up 3 goals and 7 assists.

He has represented Slovakia on the international stage at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“Mikey is a very intelligent player who can excel in all areas of the game. His addition to the group really helps solidify our back end. We’re thrilled to have him joining us,” said Mike Hawes, Spruce Kings general manager.

PG begins pre-season play Saturday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm) as the host the Spruce Grove Saints at the Kopar Memorial Arena.

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The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) Building Department has made booking building permit inspections a seamless and positive experience with the introduction of a new centralized email address.

Effective September 2, you will no longer need to contact individual offices in Creston, Nakusp, and Nelson. Now permit holders can now email [email protected] to book an inspection.

“We are always looking for ways to make our services more accessible and responsive for residents and builders,” said Erik Stout, RDCK Building and Bylaw Manager.

“By introducing a centralized email for building inspections, we are streamlining communication, reducing delays, and ensuring a more efficient and reliable process for everyone involved.”

Inspections can still be booked by phone, ensuring the public can easily access inspection services through various channels.

Those using this new service can expect a booking confirmation email within 24 hours. To book an inspection via email please provide the following information:

• Permit number
• Site address
• Owner’s name
• Type of inspection required
• Notes or instructions for Building Official

Email: [email protected]

Phone: Nelson – 250.352.8155

Nakusp – 250.265.4111

Creston – 250.428.5717

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A fire that burned two power poles near Verigin Memorial Park in Brilliant on Monday evening remains under investigation.

Robson fire chief Jeff Grant said they were called at about 8:30 p.m. and discovered the two poles ablaze off Terrace Road.

They had the poles de-energized and quickly got the fire under control, but it burned about 200 square meters.

Grant said there was no lightning in the area at the time that they are aware of, but they have not eliminated it as a possible cause.

Firefighters from Castlegar, Ootischenia, and Pass Creek also responded. They were on scene for about three hours.

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Much of the province including PG and the north is under an air quality advisory.

According to Environment Canada, areas impacted by the wildfire smoke include:

– B.C. North Peace River: includes the City of Fort St John and all communities along Hwy 97 extending from Farmington to Pink Mountain; Hwy 29 including Moberly Lake, Hudson’s Hope; also includes Rolla, Clayhurst and Goodlow.
– B.C. South Peace River: includes Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, and Tumbler Ridge.
– Chilcotin: includes Hansville, Alexis Creek, Chilanko Forks, Tatla Lake, Nimpo Lake, Anahim Lake, and the southern half of Tweedsmuir Park.
– Fort Nelson: includes Fort Nelson, Muskwa, Prophet River, Buckinghorse River, Sikanni Chief, and Hwy 77 north to the Yukon border.
– McGregor.
– Prince George.
– Cariboo – north including Quesnel.
– Stuart – Nechako
– Central Coast – inland sections.

As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.

People may experience mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough. More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough. If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance.

Those more likely to be impacted by outdoor air pollution, including people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors, should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.

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A death investigation in Valemount is under the watchful eye of the North District Major Crimes Unit.

According to police, officers in Valemount responded to an assault on Pine Road back on August 26th.

A man and a woman were located at the residence with serious injuries and were transported to the Valemount Health Centre.

The man died shortly after.

Investigators do not believe that there is an ongoing threat to the community.

Currently, the police are not releasing further information to protect the integrity of the investigation.

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BC General Employees Union President Paul Finch says over 20% of its members are working a second or third job in order to keep up with the rising cost of living.

This as picket lines are being set up in Victoria, Prince George and Surrey today (Tuesday) after members voted overwhelming in favour of strike action.

For now, Finch told Vista Radio people won’t notice a disruption in services unless the strike escalates.

“There are over 2,000 BCGEU members on picket lines at nine sites across the province. We are committed to stay on strike and to expand and escalate that strike as necessary until we get a deal that meets the needs of our membership.”

There are 262 BCGEU members at the PG picket lines on 1011 4th Avenue.

The union is seeking a four-per-cent general wage increase in the first year and 4.25 per cent in the second year, as well as an unspecified cost-of-living adjustment.

“Over several years (wages) have lagged behind inflation and as a result now, 22% of our members report they are working a second or third job because of this untenable situation. It takes a lot of courage to go on strike, it is our last resort. A lot of our members are struggling and our other members are there to support them,” added Finch.

The BCGEU has about 34,000 members in fields including social services, health care, education, government liquor stores, prisons, courts and public administration.

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The British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) says a portion of its members who work for the province’s public service will begin walking picket lines Tuesday after the union issued 72-hour notice of a strike last week.

The union says president, Paul Finch, will join striking workers on a picket line in Victoria.

A similar event is taking place at 1011 4th Avenue in Prince George.

A strike vote was called after a breakdown in negotiations between the union and the agency in July, and 92.7 per cent of members voted in support of job action.

The union is seeking a four-per-cent general wage increase in the first year and 4.25 per cent in the second year, as well as an unspecified cost-of-living adjustment.

The BCGEU has about 34,000 members in fields including social services, health care, education, government liquor stores, prisons, courts and public administration.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars begin four exhibition road games starting on Friday.

They’ll travel to Hinton for a pair of games against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The second game is slated for Sunday afternoon.

PG also has a home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers September 12th and 13th.

The Cougars’ regular season begins on September 19th against the Portland Winterhawks.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings host a pair of pre-season games against the Spruce Grove Saints.

Puck drop is 6pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

Canada West Soccer

The UNBC Timberwolves are back in action this weekend.

The UNBC men (3-1) travel to Victoria to play the Vikes (3-0-1) Friday and Saturday in the provincial capital.

On the women’s side, the Timberwolves (0-4) welcome undefeated UBC (4-0) Friday (6pm) and Sunday (Noon) at Masich Place Stadium.

CFL:

Toronto Argonauts 35 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33

Calgary Stampeders 28 Edmonton Elks 7

The next game for the B.C. Lions is on Friday when they head to Ottawa to play the Red Blacks (3-8-). The Lions currently sit in the crossover playoff spot.

NFL

Week one of the NFL season kicks off on Thursday.

The season-opening matchup has the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys (5:20 Pacific Time).

BC Football Conference

The Prince George Kodiaks (4-2) host the Okanagan Sun (6-0) Saturday night at 6pm from Masich Place Stadium.

PG is third in the seven-team league.

MLB:

Cincinnati Reds 5  Toronto Blue Jays 4

The Blue Jays (79-58) are on top of the AL East by 2.5 games over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Toronto continue its three game series against the Reds tonight.

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Midway RCMP are requesting public assistance to locate 87-year-old Rose Mary Long, who was last seen at approximately 11 a.m. on Monday, September 1, in Greenwood.

Long, who also goes by “Rocky”, may appear disoriented, and loved ones and police are concerned for her well-being. She is unprepared to be outdoors.

While her direction of travel is not known, Long has been known to hitchhike in the past. She has also been known to spend time in Kelowna.

She is described as a Caucasian female, 5’8” tall, slim build, and last seen wearing a blue top and jeans.

Anyone with information on Long’s whereabouts is asked to call Midway RCMP at 250-449-2244. Anyone who sees Rose Mary Long is asked to call 911.

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With some trees already starting to change from green to yellow, Prince George’s post-secondary institutions are gearing up for another school year.

Orientation is getting underway for both UNBC and the College of New Caledonia tomorrow. (Tuesday)

CNC President Cindy Heitman said they’ve made some adjustments as to how orientation is happening.

“Focusing on being more student-centric, in that instead of doing a college-wide, everybody all together orientation, we have divided it up by the academic schools that each student will be enrolled with,” she explained.

“We thought we’d do smaller ones, giving our students an opportunity to meet the faculty, staff and employees that they’ll be working with this year, and learn more about their programs in a more inclusive way.”

Heitman added with some financial challenges surrounding the College in regards to international student enrollment, it gives the College a chance to pause and reflect.

“It gives us a chance to pause and reflect and make sure the programs we’re offering are relevant, that they’re current, and they are what students are looking for, and what the region is going to need in terms of economic development,” she explained.

“We have a role to play in providing a labour force, we have a role to play in the economy, and how can we ensure the work we’re doing will position our students to be employed within the northern area, and position our community to thrive.”

UNBC started welcoming new students to campus last week.

Interim-Vice President Academic and Provost Bill Owen said his favourite part of a new school year is the excitement the students bring back to the campus after a quiet summer.

“It’s wonderful to see new students, new faces, and to see the returning students as well,” he said.

This year is also UNBC’s 35th anniversary year.

“June 22nd of 1990 was when the UNBC Act was officially signed and the provincial government, based upon the 16,000 signatories who wanted this university to be here,” Owen said.

“One of the things that we did this summer is we gave away $350 tuition credits or bookstore credits to about 150 students.”

Owen said more celebrations are planned, with announcements coming at a later date.

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Campbell River council is being asked to endorse the final Transit Future Action Plan to improve service and infrastructure for the next seven years.  

According to a staff report, in 2011, a major review was done of the current system, and the new plan would build on some of the fundamentals to allow for continued development and enhancements.  

The report says, last year the City received plans to upgrade the system, and now, after an increase in growth around the region, several changes are needed. 

“Based on priorities, the plan identifies a series of targeted short-term actions designed to enhance service reliability, respond to rider demand, and improve access across key corridors are needed,” the report says. “Over the next three years, these initiatives will lay the groundwork for a more responsive and inclusive transit network.” 

If Council approves the plan, the expansion and costs will be incorporated into the Transit Improvement Program.  

Staff anticipate an estimated cost of $196,000 just to improve time performance on Route 1 (Dogwood) for next year.  

Council is expected to deliberate on Sept. 4 at 6:00 p.m. 

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Grand Forks’ Payton Maffioli was named Miss Personality Canada at a national pageant in Calgary last month, having previously been named Miss Personality BC. We spoke to her about the event and what motivated her to take part. This interview has been slightly edited and condensed.

Congratulations on being named Miss Personality Canada.

Thank you so much.

Tell me a bit about the journey to this title. I know you had the BC title and then moved on to the national competition. The difference, though, in the national competition is this was an in-person thing.

Yes. So I’ve been competing in pageantry for about 3 1/2 years and this is my first in-person pageant that I’ve ever won. So that feeling on stage cannot be beat whatsoever.

What was the pageant like?

The pageant was absolutely incredible. Personality Pageant Canada knows how to run a pageant. The girls were all so nice. It’s truly just a place I can feel safe to be myself and build this wonderful sisterhood.

How many others were there?

Girls from every province. There were like lots from BC, lots from Ontario, and from Saskatchewan. They were girls from absolutely almost every corner of the country.

My platform was called the wildlife naturalist because I am a bit of a wild child from Western Canada and I am an aspiring naturalist. My platform advocates for the conservation of wildlife and ecosystems through photography. I want to make education about our planet accessible and to help people have a bit more appreciation for the environment surrounding them. I want everyone to know about the beauty that we still have.

What was it like when they announced you were the winner?

I was in disbelief because I really thought my Q&A was not strong enough whatsoever. I had to ask them to repeat the question halfway through. I have a speech impediment, which can impair my ability to properly speak with good flow. So every time I’m speaking, like even now, I’m doing my absolute best not to pause, not to stutter, and to think about what I have to say. Otherwise it will just be a constant fight for words.

What does it mean to you to have this title?

It honestly means so much. I’ve been with the system for 2 1/2 years and I never want to leave. I really wanted to just continue being a titleholder with Personality Pageants because. I’ve become a better person. I’ve become someone who inspires other people. I’ve become someone who other girls can come up to, to talk about almost anything with. I just want to be a role model and a big sister. That’s my entire goal with being Miss Personality Canada.

What got you into pageants in the first place?

I was 18 and maybe a little bored and I wanted to try something new. I’ve always wanted to get into modeling, but I wasn’t sure how and all of a sudden pageantry popped up on my ads on my feed, on my Instagram. Then I saw an ad for a pageant happening in BC. I went in and I placed second overall. And I’m like, whoa, maybe I could be good at this. So I kept competing. I placed top 20 at nationals and then I won BC. Then I placed top nine at nationals. And I placed top 16 internationally, but I won BC again as a Miss and then I just won nationals. So this journey has been long, and it’s certainly been hard at some times because I do have major depressive disorder, but through it all I have become someone who I’m proud to be and that has been the journey with pageantry.

Are you juggling other things as well? Is there schooling or work on top of that?

Yes. I’m going into my fourth year of natural resource science and university’s hard. It is a lot of work. It’s so much time outside of school that you have to put in studying, being a part of clubs and this year I get to be a mentor for Indigenous students, so I get to help people who were possibly in my position for the last couple years with school. I am part of the Thompson Rivers University student union as a member at large on the equity committee. I also work during the summers full time at Christina Lake golf course.

As Miss Personality Canada, are there duties that you will have? Are there places you’re expected to go to represent the organization?

Yes. As Miss Personality Canada, I am able to attend events with my crown and sash and promote my organization, but also promote the events I go to. So I’m really excited to go to a couple of the fall fairs. I’ll be at Kamloops this year as a student. I am really excited to go to Kelowna Fashion Week this September. I’m hoping to host a few field trips for the botany students as well. So we’d be going up to Wells Gray. We might be going to Victoria for the Garry oaks conference. There’s so much that I am so excited to do and represent with my title.

So you’ve won the title, but that doesn’t mean that it’s over.

This is only the beginning. When you win the title, it’s like, wow, amazing. You won. You put in all this hard work. There’s so much hard work that still needs to be done. You are representing the organization. You’re representing your country. Now the work does not end.

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The Sunshine Coast Regional District is wrapping up engagement for its Official Community Plan renewal project. 

Residents still have a couple weeks to have their voices heard on how communities in the regional district should grow.  

A survey is available online until September 14 to gather input on the OCP. 

“An OCP is like a roadmap for the future. It guides how our communities grow, evolve, and respond to change,” reads a news release from the SCRD. “Whether it’s planning neighbourhoods, determining housing options, protecting the environment, developing parks, or preparing for the impacts of climate change, the OCP sets the course for decision-making that affects everyone, now and for generations to come.” 

SCRD staff will be at the Sunshine Coast Labour Council picnic at Dougall Park in Gibsons on September 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.   

According to the news release, SCRD staff have spoken to nearly 700 residents in person at eleven events so far. There have been more than 350 responses online and nearly 100 people have used an online map where residents can provide opinions. 

A summary report of the feedback will be provided to the SCRD board in October and a second round of engagement is expected to happen between January and March. 

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Final engagement to develop and increase tourism in the Comox Valley will be deliberated by municipal governments across the region this week. 

Last month, the CVRD approved a draft of the Comox Valley Tourism Strategic Framework. 

According to the presentation, which will be presented to the Village of Cumberland tomorrow, Experience Comox Valley’s objective is to provide increased environmental stewardship, culture, regional collaboration, and reconciliation.  

They say addressing these priorities will help build a thriving network and provide more tourism to the area.  

“This will create a thriving and resilient tourism network that is home to exceptional year-round experiences that tell the story of the Comox Valley,” they say.  

Some of the themes the plan builds on are working together, strengthen stewardship of place, empowering a resilient and inclusive economy, and supporting a collective and connected infrastructure. 

Cumberland council is expected to receive the presentation tomorrow, followed by the Town of Comox on Sept. 3. 

For more information, visit the village’s website.  

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A wildfire west of Nanaimo has sparked and is less than a hectare in size.  

 According to the Coastal Fire Service, the fire was discovered yesterday, continues to burn out of control.  

 They say the fire was caused by lightning, and so far, no restrictions or alerts have been issued.  

 One initial attack crew is responding to the fire, along with two helicopters.  

 There are currently 42 active fires in the coastal region, with 45 per cent of them burning out of control. 

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If you want to go for an indoor swim in September, the Aquatic Centre will be your best bet.

Starting tomorrow (Tuesday), the Canfor Leisure Pool will be closed for annual maintenance until September 21st.

The pool will reopen on September 22nd.

Staff will drain and refill the pools, deep clean, make minor repairs, and complete safety inspections of the waterslide and Ninja Cross.

During the closure, the Aquatic Centre will remain open with regular hours.

–With files from Brendan Pawliw, My Prince George Now

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Just shy of three years after breaking ground, the new Glenmerry Elementary in Trail is set to welcome its first students tomorrow.

“It’s beautiful,” said Kootenay-Columbia schools superintendent Katherine Shearer. “I think people are going to be really pleased to see what a new school build looks like.”

A grand opening/open house is planned for October, which Shearer said will give people the chance to see the school’s innovative design firsthand.

“They’ll be able to see the difference in how classroom spaces are done with flexible walls and garage doors to the collaboration spaces that are built into the floorplan, along with the learning stairs it has up into the learning commons, which we would have referred to as the library in the past. It’s amazing.”

The 41,000-square-foot building has been designed to accommodate 435 students, compared to 270 in the old school, whose first classrooms were built in 1956, followed by several expansions. Glenmerry is now the only elementary school within Trail city limits, following the closures of Tadanac, Sunningdale, Central, and Morrish in the 1990s and 2000s.

However, the new school is opening behind schedule. Originally it was to have been ready for students in the spring of 2024. Shearer attributed the delay to supply chain issues and staffing shortages.

Shearer said some small things remain to be done to complete the new school, but over the summer, district operations and IT staff “worked tirelessly” with the general contractor, Signia Construction of Vancouver, to move materials and classroom resources into the new building.

Demolition of the old building is well underway, but will not be finished when school resumes. Once levelled, Shearer said that area will be reshaped into a staff parking lot and playing field.

In a news release, Kootenay-Monashee MLA Steve Morissette, who used to be the school district’s director of operations, said he was “thrilled” for students to attend the new Glenmerry Elementary.

“With before and after-school care provided by the new school’s neighbourhood learning centre, this investment will make a real difference in supporting our growing community in the Kootenays,” he said.

The school’s price tag was originally reported in 2021 at $33.6 million but eventually rose to $39.1 million.

This post was originally published on My Kootenay Now

Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Monday, September 1st

Prince George Cougars Training Camp:

Team Brewer  2  Team Hamhuis  1

Prince George Cougars Training Camp wrapped up last night at the CN Centre with the annual Rob Charney Cup Intra-Squad Game.

Jackson DeGraves opened the scoring, finishing off a breakaway to score Team Hamhuis’ only goal of the cam.

Jaxen Smyth responded for Team Brewer, and Townes Kozicky scored the eventual winner.

The Cats will be on the road for all of their pre-season games.

They’ll travel to Hinton this upcoming weekend for a pair of games against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

They’ll also have a home-and-home with the Kamloops Blazers the following weekend, with the Cougars hosting the Blazers in Quesnel on the Saturday.

The Cougars’ regular season begins on September 19th against the Portland Winterhawks.

CFL:

Saskatchewan Roughriders  34  Winnipeg Blue Bombers  30

Monday gamesL

Toronto Argonauts (3-8) @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-4) (11:30 am)

Edmonton Elks (4-6) @ Calgary Stampeders (3:00 pm)

MLB:

Toronto Blue Jays  8  Milwaukee Brewers  4

The Blue Jays (79-58) are on top of the AL East.

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Members of the Nelson Police Department will trade their uniforms for running shoes on Sept. 21 for the first annual Nelson Police Memorial Run/Walk at Lakeside Park.

The event will bring the community together to remember Detective Wade Tittemore and Const. Mathieu Nolet, who died in a 2023 avalanche north of Kaslo, while raising scholarship funds for an L.V. Rogers student.

The five-kilometre course winds through Lakeside Park, from the Big Orange Bridge to the middle of the dog park and back.

It is a flat, mostly paved course, making it accessible to participants of all levels. Strollers are welcome.

The waterfront scenery provides a picturesque backdrop for remembrance and honour.

“Wade and Mat had an incredible impact on our community, and this run is a way to celebrate their impact and honour their commitment to the community they cared so deeply about,” said Chief Const. Fisher.

“It is a way for us to show their friends and families, in Nelson and beyond, that their legacies live on.”

Proceeds from the run will support a new scholarship managed by the Osprey Community Foundation – which will go to a graduating L.V. Rogers student who demonstrates a strong commitment to community service and engagement.

Anyone wishing to donate is encouraged to do so.

Registration is open now. Click here for details.

For more information, please email [email protected].

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An Evacuation Order has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) for the Tsetzi Lake Area (Electoral Area J), due to the Tsetzi Lake Wildfire, located 125 km west of Quesnel.

Residents in the area are asked to leave immediately. The CRD says members of the RCMP will be expediting the process and helping guide residents to safety.

The Evacuation Route and directive for residents is to “proceed north to Highway 16, then proceed to Prince George.”

Once in Prince George, residents are asked to visit the Emergency Service Centre (ESS). Located at “ESS Reception Centre at 4249 18th Ave, Prince George, or call 1-778-675-3735.”

The CRD asks residents in the area to:

• Leave the area immediately.
• Gather family: take a neighbour or someone who needs help.
• Take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, and keys) only if they are immediately available.
• Take pets in pet kennels or on leash.
• Close all windows and doors.
• Do not shut off natural gas.
• Close gates (latch) but do not lock.
• Do not use more vehicles to evacuate than you have to.
• Do not use the telephone unless a need an emergency service.
• Register with Emergency Support Services (ESS) listed above or online through the Evacuee Registration and Assistance tool.

The Evacuation Order covers 16 parcels of land in the Tsetzi Lake Fire Area. Roughly 6,190 hectares.

Evacuation Alert for Eliguk Lake Area:

The CRD has also issued an Evacuation Alert for 24 parcels of land in the Eliguk Lake Fire Area due to the dangers of the Tsetzi Lake Wildfire.

This Evacaution Alert covers 20, 767 hectares.

Residents in both the Tsetzi Lake and Eliguk Lake Areas are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call, or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders.

More information on what to prepare, and how to register for Emergency Alerts can be found on the CRD’s Emergency Operations Centre’s Facebook Page and the CRD’s website.

The Tsetzi Lake Wildfire was first discovered on August 27 and is currently 1,078.9 hectares in size.

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BC Transit’s School Special routes are resuming for the school year, effective today. (Sunday)

This includes:

• Route 12 Parkridge
• Route 96 Shas Ti Kelly Road
• Route 97 Shas Ti Kelly Road

In addition, school trips on Route 15 UNBC/Downtown and 55 Victoria will resume to reflect an increase in demand.

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The City’s Official Community Plan is coming back to the Council table.

At this week’s meeting, taking place Wednesday evening, Prince George City Council will discuss the implementation of Council Resolutions from previous meetings.

Following two public hearings on the document earlier this year, City Council made 33 requests for reports on potential amendments to the plan.

These reports were presented to City Council and voted on in July.

On Wednesday, Council will vote to rescind the second reading of the OCP Bylaw in order to update the plan with the resolutions voted on during the July meeting.

They will then voted on second reading again, and scheduling a public hearing for October 1st.

Other items to be discussed on Wednesday includes the continuation of a discussion on a downtown vacant-space pilot project, and a report on the implementation of defensive force options for Bylaw Officers.

The full agenda for Wednesday’s meeting is here.

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If you consumed food from Pepper Creek Pizza and Pasta in Gibsons then Vancouver Coastal Health says you might want to get checked out for hepatitis A.  

A possible outbreak is linked to visits between Jul 31 to Aug. 14 and Aug 23 to 29, and anyone who ate salads should get a vaccine as soon as possible.  

In addition to the alert, VCH says they’ve already issued a warning for Sea Monkey Coffee earlier this month and are still urging people consult their medical professional for an immunization.  

If you are concerned about exposure or have questions, VCH is asking you to call 811 or to speak with a qualified primary care provider. 

A full list of symptoms can be viewed on Vancouver Coastal Health’s website.  

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Given the current hot spell, FortisBC expects electricity use in its service area to peak at 674 megawatts on Sept. 3.

That would be a little lower than the overall peak for this summer, set on Aug. 12 when customers consumed 715 MW. Over the past six years, average peak use between June 1 and Aug. 31 has been 531 MW. The all-time record summer demand for electricity of 764 MW was set in June 2021, and the record in winter was 835 MW, set in December 2022.

FortisBC didn’t have Kootenay-specific data handy, so the numbers cover its entire service area, which includes the Okanagan. Demand is forecast to continue increasing through next week, the company said.

High energy use during the summer comes from air conditioners and fans, as well as refrigerators that have to work harder in the heat. Energy use for space cooling has increased over the past decade, the company said, and now accounts for about two per cent of total household consumption.

The company added its system has been upgraded over the years to handle increased load during higher temperatures, even during peak demand times between 5 and 7 p.m.

FortisBC provides power to much of the West Kootenay-Boundary.

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Kootenay Columbia College has celebrated its Graduation 2025 ceremony last weekend, marking a milestone event at the College’s brand-new Rosemont campus in Nelson.

The ceremony was both a celebration of the graduates’ accomplishments and a historic moment for the College as it begins a new chapter at its expanded campus. Family, friends, faculty, and community members gathered to honour the graduating students of the Registered Massage Therapy Program and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Program, who will now carry their skills and compassion forward to serve and uplift communities near and far.

“We’ve been working very hard to get the school to this level,” said Keshav Singla, President of Kootenay Columbia College.

“It is so rewarding to see this dream come to life at our new Rosemont location. We are very proud of our graduates, who will go out into the world ready to help people and make a difference.”

The event highlighted the College’s ongoing mission of creating a holistic educational environment, preparing students for careers in health, wellness, and community support. The new Rosemont campus provides an inspiring space for future learning and growth, ensuring that Kootenay Columbia College remains at the forefront of training tomorrow’s practitioners and professionals.

Community members interested in learning more about the College’s programs—or exploring ways to support future graduates—are encouraged to reach out.

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For the first time in team history, the Prince George Kodiaks have won three in a row.

The Kodiaks held on for a 22-19 win over the Vancouver Island Raiders in Nanaimo Saturday.

It wasn’t a pretty win for the Kodiaks on the offensive side of the ball. The offence struggled to find a way past the swarming Raider defence, and had some key drops from receivers.

Rookie Quarterback Zach Golab got the nod for the Raiders, making his first start in the BC Football Conference.

He led the Raiders to the end zone on their first offensive possession, the first time they’ve been able to score on their opening drive this season.

Raiders Kicker Cole McQueen also got a chance to show off his leg early, hitting a pair of field goals from around the 40-yard line.

The Kodiaks found some offensive rhythm late in the first half.

Kodiaks Quarterback Sawyer Thiessen called his own number for a big run to bring Prince George deep into Raider territory. He capped off the drive by finding Receiver Noah Lank for a five yard score.

On the ensuing Raider drive, Golab threw the ball into the hands of Kodiaks Safety Taemon Piddocke for a pick six to give Prince George a 14-13 lead late in the half.

The struggles returned for the Kodiaks to start the second half.

It was a rare off-night for Brady Harper, missing a pair of field goals from around the 40-yard mark to start the second half. One did go through the endzone for a rouge.

The Kodiaks then fumbled around their own 40 yard line, with the Raiders taking over.

The turnover led to a short rushing touchdown for Rhonde Lyle, putting the Raiders back on top.

After a couple more less-than-stellar drives from the Kodiaks, Myron Brown made an incredible catch to kickstart a Prince George drive.

Thiessen found Kayle Cowley in the endzone for a 20-yard touchdown through the air.

The late game held plenty of drama.

The Kodiaks defence came up strong, forcing a Raider punt. However, the punter was hit on the play, giving the Raiders a fresh set of downs.

On the next play, the Kodiaks forced a crucial fumble, giving the Kodiaks the ball back with great field position.

The offence couldn’t do anything with it, and punted the ball away.

Alexandros Thanos picked off Golab to give the Kodiaks the ball again.

The Raiders would get one more opportunity, but the Kodiaks defence came up with another big stop to help seal the game for the Kodiaks.

The Kodiaks (4-2) are riding a three-game win streak, and are third in the BC Football Conference.

The BCFC standings are here.

The Kodiaks host the 6-0 Okanagan Sun at Masich Place Stadium Saturday.

The full Kodiaks schedule is here.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Sunday, August 31st:

BC Football Conference:

Prince George Kodiaks  22  Vancouver Island Raiders  19

Sawyer Thiessen found Noah Lank and Kayle Cowley in the end zone for touchdown passes.

Taeman Piddocke brought a pick to the house as well.

The Kodiaks (4-2) are riding a three-game win streak, and are third in the BC Football Conference.

The BCFC standings are here.

The Kodiaks host the 6-0 Okanagan Sun at Masich Place Stadium Saturday.

The full Kodiaks schedule is here.

Other BCFC scores:

Okanagan Sun  70  Kamloops Broncos  3

Westshore Rebels  52  Langley Rams  6

Prince George Cougars:

The Cougars will wrap up training camp this evening with the annual Rob Charney Cup Intra-Squad Game.

Puck drop is at 6:00 pm.

MLB:

Milwaukee Brewers  4  Toronto Blue Jays  1

The Blue Jays (78-58) are on top of the AL East.

CFL:

Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Saskatchewan Roughriders (4:00 pm)

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BC Wildfire crews have responded to an out-of-control wildfire northwest of Grasmere, west of Loon Lake.

The fire, which was discovered Saturday afternoon, is currently estimated at 12 hectares and believed to have been caused by lightning.

BC Wildfire services are on site with heavy equipment, while aviation resources provide support; however, the fire is not threatening any structures at this time.

The East Kootenay fire danger rating remains between High and Extreme, as hot, dry conditions are anticipated over the next few days.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

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An evacuation alert has been issued for the area adjacent to Bugaboos Provincial Park as hot, dry conditions and stronger winds prompted growth on the Silver Basin Wildfire today, Saturday, Aug. 30.

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) said the alert includes the following area:

• South of where Bugaboo Creek Road meets Septet Creek (N 50° 47′ 56.04”, W 116° 41′ 2.039) to Bugaboo Provincial Park Boundary.
  • Including Bugaboo Falls Recreation Site
  • Including Bugaboo Septet Recreation Site
  • Including CMH Lodge

It also includes the following civic addresses:
• 1700 BUGABOO CREEK FS RD
• 1710 BUGABOO CREEK FS RD
• 1750 BUGABOO CREEK FS RD

“This Alert covers a backcountry area and includes a number of popular recreation sites and the CMH Lodge,” says RDEK Information Officer, Loree Duczek.

“The Lodge has proactively evacuated their guests and we are encouraging anyone with friends or family recreating in the area that may be able to access them with an In-Reach or satellite system to reach out and ensure they are aware of the changing conditions on the Silver Basin Fire.”

While an Area Restriction was put into effect earlier today, the BC Wildfire Service is working on an expanded Area Restriction to limit access in the area adjacent to Bugaboo Provincial Park due to the ongoing fire activity.

The latest information on the fire and Area Restriction can be found on www.bcwildfire.ca.

The Regional Emergency Operations Centre has been opened, and an information line has been set up at 250-426-2188 or toll free 1-855-346-2188 and, when not staffed, will have a recorded message with the most updated information.

A copy of the Evacuation Alert and associated map are posted on the Emergency Information page on www.rdek.bc.ca.

What you should do during the Evacuation Alert Stage

• Register for the Evacuation Notification System at www.rdek.bc.ca – this will ensure that we can reach you rapidly if the evacuation status changes.
• Arrange a meeting location outside of the Evacuation Alert area where family members can meet if an Evacuation Order is issued while not together.
• Have a ‘To-Go Bag’ packed and ready to leave at a moment’s notice, with essential items such as: o Government-issued ID o Medications, eyeglasses, and transportable medical equipment o Money o Clothing, personal care items and immediate needs for your dependents o Important documents (e.g. insurance, banking and mortgage info) o Valuables and keepsakes
• Relocate recreational vehicles and boats at the Alert stage as there will not be time to move them in the event of an Order.
• Ensure there is enough fuel in vehicles to safely leave the area if an Evacuation Order is issued.
• Plan ahead for accommodation should an Order need to be issued, if possible, stay with friends or relatives, or find alternative accommodations.
• Should an Evacuation Order need to be issued, provincial Emergency Support Services are only available for those displaced from their primary residence.
• Pre-register all household members on the provincial Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA) Tool at ess.gov.bc.ca. Persons who have a BC Services Card may be eligible to receive an e-transfer using the BC Services Card App.
• Please secure your firearms in accordance with Section 118 of the Firearms Act.
• Monitor credible news sources and www.rdek.bc.ca for information.

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A Special Air Quality Statement has been put in place for Prince George and the surrounding area.

The area’s includes the City of Prince George, Hwy 16 Bednesti to Upper Fraser, and Hwy 97 Hixon to the south end of McLeod Lake.

According to Environment Canada, the affected areas are being impacted or are likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke over the next 24-48 hours.

They encourage people to limit time outdoors, and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events, as when smoke levels increase, so do health risks.

Mild and common symptoms include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough.

More serious but less common symptoms include wheezing, chest pains or severe cough.

If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance.

Those more likely to be impacted by smoke, include people aged 65 and older, pregnant people, infants and young children, people with an existing illness or chronic health condition, and people who work outdoors.

When indoors, keep windows and doors closed as much as possible.

The next update will be available tomorrow (Sunday) and made available on the Province’s Air Quality Warnings webpage.

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

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A convoy of over 20 bikers and several classic car drivers assembled to make an annual Toy Run to the Jack of Clubs Pub in Wells, on Saturday, August 30.

The Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club held its fourth annual Toy Run this year. Bikers gathered at the Co-Op off Highway 97 and Quesnel – Hixon Road. Entry was by donation of one or more toys that would go to children and families.

This is the second year the Motorcycle Club has made the Run to Wells; they have previously held it in Barkerville in the few years prior.

“Every year it gets a little bigger and more successful, and that’s how we want it to continue,” says Surena Charters, one of the eight active members of Dangerous Curves, and this year’s liaison and organizer for the Toy Run.

“We want to continue getting it bigger so we can help support our communities and our children.”

Dangerous Curves were joined by members of the Prospector’s Car Club on their Run to Wells. At the Jack of Clubs, the Clubs plan to hold a silent auction and, new to this year, a cup draw.

Last year, the Toy Run collected over 750 toys and raised $2,800 for Green Hope for families in need.

“We were able to help approximately 245 families with Green Hope,” Charters says. “We had enough toys that parents and guardians were able to pick out two toys per child. There were also games, and non-perishable foods donated. It was really great, and you know, this is what we just love being able to do as a club, support our communities and families in any ways that we can.”

The Toy Run was ‘kickstands up’ at 11 am on Saturday, making their journey to the Jack of Clubs, where the silent auction and cup draw were held, and the toys collected.

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As BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the Silver Basin wildfire, which has grown to an estimated 34 hecatares and is located in the Silver Basin backcountry area, south of the Bugaboo Provincial Park, the area is now restricted, effective immediately.

This restriction will remains in place until the earlier of 12:00 noon (PDT) on Sept. 30, or until the Order is rescinded.

This Order applies to Crown land within the geographic boundaries described below and as outlined on the attached map.

• Commencing from the confluence of the south and west forks of Bugaboo Creek east of CMH Bugaboos Lodge
• Follow the creek north up the west fork to the boundary of Bugaboo Park
• Follow the south boundary of Bugaboo Park along the height of land to Anniversary Peak at Coordinate A (50° 42.978′, -116° 46.007′), then south to the headwaters of Bugaboo creek at Coordinate B (50° 42.396′, -116° 45.412′) and down stream to the point of commencement

Note: Travel on the Bugaboo Creek FSR is permitted; entering into the restricted area off the FSR is prohibited.

Under this Order and section 11(2) of the Wildfire Act, a person must not remain in or enter the restricted area without the prior written authorization of an official designated for the purposes of the Wildfire Act, unless the person:

Enters the area only in the course of:

1. Travelling to or from his or her principal residence, that is not under evacuation an order;
2. Using a highway as defined in the Highway Act;
3. Travelling as a person acting in an official capacity as defined in s.56 of the Wildfire Act;
4. Travelling for the purpose of supporting wildfire suppression or enforcement patrol activities.

Road closures and area restrictions are subject to change depending on fire activity. For the most current information please visit the fire prohibitions and restrictions section of the BC Wildfire website for the Southeast Fire Centre.

Failure to comply with Section 11 restricted area requirements may result in a violation ticket for $1,150.

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Calgary Police have confirmed 29-year-old Nehemiah Walter John Oslund from Cranbrook will face manslaughter charges in relation to the death of 23-year-old Jelisa Maschki, which occurred in December 2024.

At approximately 4 a.m., on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, Police were called to the Nose Creek Pathway located near the 1100 block of 32 Avenue N.E., for reports that a passerby had located a woman who was believed to be in medical distress.

The victim was transported to hospital in life-threatening condition, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Following the autopsy completed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the woman was later identified as 23-year-old Jelisa Maschki.

In the days following Jelisa’s autopsy, investigators continued collecting evidence in relation to the incident, and believed her death was the result of a fatal altercation that occurred on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, sometime between 9 and 11 p.m.

Investigators continued analyzing the evidence located at the scene, and as a result, have charged Oslund with one count of manslaughter in relation to the death of Jelisa.

Oslund was taken into custody in B.C, and police are working to determine a plan to transport him to Alberta, at which time his next court date will be set.

Investigators believe Jelisa and Oslund were unknown to one another and had a brief interaction along the pathway, which led to the incident.

“We want to thank the Cranbrook RCMP for their assistance and co-operation in this investigation,” says Staff Sgt. Sean Gregson of the Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit.

“We have been working diligently since December 2024 to ensure Jelisa’s family and loved ones were able to have some closure in this investigation.”

Anyone who has information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234.

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Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake Campus is starting the new school year off on a tasteful note.

They will be holding a community barbecue this Tuesday (September 2) from 11 until 2.

“It’s really meant to welcome our students back to school but we’ve always been about community,” Events Coordinator Kim Kimberlin, “While we are welcoming new and returning students back to TRU we really try to grow it to include the rest of the community and put out those connections between students, instructors, staff, and residents in Williams Lake, whether they’re family or friends, to gather together to make them feel like they’re part of something bigger right from the start of the school year.”

Kimberlin said last they had a really fantastic turnout as a lot of people came out, community members as well.

“We had City Council there, students bringing family and friends, and really just anyone who wanted to come and connect so we’re hoping to kind of make this a tradition going forward and people can look forward to it every September.”

TRU’s Community Barbecue will have a DJ, door prizes, mini golf and lots of other fun interactive activities.

“People can meet instructors and staff, and they can also see what other programs and courses are offered at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake Campus,” Kimberlin said, “It’s not just a barbecue it’s really about finding out how TRU can help people start and continue with their education and career as well as having fun.”

Kimberlin noted that this Community Barbecue helps give people a better sense of what’s available in their community.

“What I’ve found working here the last year and a half is surprisingly a lot of people don’t realize that there is a University in Williams Lake. My goal has been trying to connect with the community to let them know that we are here and we do have programs for them and we really want to support them wherever they are in their educational journey. So I’m hoping this event can open the door for people to see TRU as an option.”

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Nanaimo RCMP are reminding drivers and parents to keep traffic safety top-of-mind as kids prepare to go back to school. 

“Traffic safety is a shared responsibility. By following the rules, we protect ourselves and our children,” said Constable Sherri Wade with the Nanaimo RCMP. “Patrol officers, traffic officers, and Speed Watch volunteers will be actively monitoring the school zones throughout the month of September.” 

Police remind drivers to come to a complete stop when they encounter flashing lights on a school bus. 

Parents should also know the rules at their child’s school for drop-off and pick-up zones and should avoid parking in front of driveways when parking on the street. 

School speed zones will come into effect on school days and playground zones are always enforced from dawn to dusk. Drivers should expect increased traffic during the first week of September.

Police also remind people using bikes and scooters to dismount and walk them across intersections.

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Starting September 2, there will be partial road closure on Gowlland Harbour Road, Quadra Island, due to chip sealing work.

Crews will be applying a graded aggregate seal to the road from 7 A.M. to 5 P.M., every day until September 5.

Minor delays, loose gravel, and single lane alternating traffic can be expected while the process is completed.

Drivers are being asked to drive slowly, and to watch for flag persons and workers on the road when passing through the area.

Please follow all traffic controls in place.

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Fans of murder mystery, comedy, and music can look forward to Theatre Northwest’s upcoming play.

Clue: On Stage follows six guests who become suspects to a murder after arriving for a dinner party at a mansion.

Director Sarah Rodgers said the cast and crew took inspiration from the board game and film.

“When we first came in, they had such a strong sense of those stock characters, and that’s what’s been so much fun for the costume designer as well.”

“We all have such a strong sense of who these people are and who these stock characters are.”

Rodgers said the play is unique compared to others, as the inspiration is different from typical literary sources.

While it brought different challenges, she noted that the board game is better to reenact, rather than the film, which changes settings.

Clue: On Stage will take place starting Thursday, until September 27th, with shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m..

More information and tickets can be found on Theatre Northwest’s website here.

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With students getting ready to resume their education, RCMP detachments throughout the Cariboo want their return to be a safe one.

100 Mile House Sargeant Brian Lamb reminds motorists at the start of the school year speed zones will be enforced.

“The speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour. Some are 7 am to 5 pm and some are 8 to 5 depending on what the sign says. We expect all motorists to exercise that speed limit and be mindful that there are going to be school kids in those areas.”

Lamb said to take that extra time to slow down, be mindful of your surroundings and proceed through school zones cautiously.

“If you’re travelling in any area where you see a school bus expect it to make frequent stops. If its lights are flashing it is the law that you must stop and adhere to those lights until students are clear from that area. Police also asks you be mindful of kids walking to and from school as not all of them take the bus to school.”

Lamb said with the younger kids you have to expect the unexpected.

“A lot of them are excited about going back to school and may not be looking both ways when they cross the street sometimes. So do keep in mind that they could dart out in front of your vehicle. Again take that extra time and slow down.”

Lamb said last year’s back to school experience in the South Cariboo saw a majority of the motorists adhering to the speed zones and stopping for school buses.

“Throughout the school year we did receive numerous complaints in regards to people who weren’t stopping for the school bus or speeding through the area. There were certain things our detachment did that included liasoning with the Citizen’s On Patrol and using the Speed Board to determine if there is a problem in these areas, as well as proactive enforcement.”

Lamb said you can expect that you are going to see a police car in these areas and the fines for speeding and school buses can be quite steep.

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The Rise to Greater Heights Summit & Awards has named Grand Fork’s Dr. Patti Bevilacqua its Overall Winner of 2025, recognizing her across the titles of Change Maker, Trailblazer, Leader, and Visionary for innovation, leadership, resilience, and community impact.

A mindset expert, resilience educator, and founder of fearLESS with MS, Dr. Bevilacqua creates spaces where people with hidden illnesses, disabilities, and invisible challenges feel seen, heard, and valued. Locally, she leads workshops and conversations on accessibility and inclusion. Nationally and globally, she advances practical tools for identity rebuild and mindset through talks, her book, media features, and online communities.

“I am still processing it. Being named Overall Change Maker, Trailblazer, Leader, and Visionary of 2025 feels surreal,” said Dr. Bevilacqua.

“I have always shown up as my whole self: hidden illness, detours, setbacks, and all. This recognition is powerful because it honors not just the challenges, but how I have turned them into strengths. It validates that my story matters and reminds me I carry the stories of many others who are not always seen or heard.”

“This award is about possibility,” she added. “It says the message I keep sharing — that ‘no’ is never the end, just a detour — is resonating. It means more doors will open to share this message on bigger stages, to meet more people walking unseen battles, and to spark conversations that matter. Most of all, it means I keep going — louder, braver, fearless.”

From diagnosis to impact

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five months into her dream job as a high-school PE teacher, Dr. Bevilacqua left the classroom and built a second act centered on mindset, inclusion, and practical resilience.

She now speaks across Canada, leads the fearLESS with MS community, and equips audiences with daily rituals for energy management, confidence, and self-advocacy.

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Alongside Oxygen Art Centre’s Fall semester, the artist-run centre presents three, free, artist-led workshops exploring natural dyes and land-based processes.

Entitled “Seed Bombs,” this workshop series takes place over three Saturdays during the Fall semester with local artists Tracy Fillion, Keiko Lee-Hem, and Jaymie Johnson.

The first event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Tracy Fillion starts off the series with a botanical print on cloth workshop.

In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how to identify suitable fibres for plant dyeing and how to properly prepare cloth for plant dyeing and eco printing.

Fillion will also discuss dye plants, ethical harvesting practices, and working in harmony with seasonal and local materials. This is an incredible opportunity to learn from textile artist Tracy Fillion in a supportive and creative studio environment.

Using locally grown flowers, each participant will have the opportunity to design and create their own botanically printed cotton bandana to take home.

Tracy Fillion is a textile artist specializing in weaving and plant dyeing. With over twenty years’ experience working with cloth, her practice is rooted in sustainability and inspired by the natural world. Her functional, utilitarian pieces reflect a thoughtful approach to process, design and materials.

Learn about the workshop series and your instructors on Oxygen’s website. More information about the October workshops will be listed by mid-September.

Interested participants can register to attend each workshop by signing up online through Google Forms. Each workshop is free to attend but registration is required. Register early to reserve your spot! Workshops will be capped at twenty students each.

Seed Bombs is a free, three-part artist-led workshop series held at Oxygen Art Centre on Saturday, September 20, 2025, Saturday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Oct. 18, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

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BC Football Conference:

The Prince George Kodiaks are in Nanaimo, taking on the Vancouver Island Raiders tonight at 5:30.

The Kodiaks are in 3rd place in the 7-team league midway through their 10 game regular season.

The Kodiaks schedule and results can be found here.

More info on the BCFC can be found here.

Canada West Soccer:

The UNBC women’s soccer team struggles continue after dropping their fourth game yesterday (Friday), 1-0 against the UFV Cascades.

Their next game is on Friday, when they host the UBC Thunderbirds at 6 p.m..

As for the men’s team, they made history for the program yesterday, opening the season with three straight wins, after a 3-2 victory over Trinity Western Spartans.

Goodnight PG! pic.twitter.com/BCof1XcoRQ

— UNBC Timberwolves (@UNBCATHLETICS) August 30, 2025

The two teams play again tonight in Langley, at 7:15.

The Canada West women’s soccer schedule is here.

The Canada West men’s soccer schedule is here.

CFL:

Week 13 of the CFL season begins tomorrow, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers face the Roughriders in Saskatchewan at 4 p.m..

Counting down the seconds till kickoff on @oktire #LDWeekend! 🙂‍↕️#CFL pic.twitter.com/SSG1cytuT3

— CFL (@CFL) August 30, 2025

Then on Monday, The Toronto Argonauts will be in Hamilton to play the Tiger-Cats at 11:30 a.m., with the Calgary Stampeders hosting the Edmonton Elks at 3 p.m..

The CFL schedule are here.

MLB:

The Toronto Blue Jays host the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at 12:07.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

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The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has received its largest grant to date for a program dedicated to making local homes and properties more wildfire resilient.

The RDKB is getting $1.185 million for FireSmart work through a fund administered by the Union of BC Municipalities.

That’s compared to about $900,000 last year and $690,000 the year before, RDKB chief administrator Mark Andison said. He added the program is entirely grant-funded.

“It really has been a godsend to us to be able to deliver that service,” he said.

The funding lets the RDKB hire specialists who visit properties and note steps owners can take to reduce wildfire risk. Rebates of up to $5,000 are available.

You can sign up here.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings began their Main Camp ahead of the 2025-26 BCHL Season.

According to the team, 36 players will be competing for a spot on the roster today, through Sunday.

Camp began this morning from 9:15 to 10:30, and will continue from 3:30 p.m., with the  final part of the day at 6 p.m..

Saturday’s camp will start at 10 a.m. for Team Grey, and Team Red at 11:15 a.m., with a game between the two teams at 6 p.m., and will have another game Sunday at 2 p.m..

Camp is taking place at Kopar Memorial Arena, with all ice times open and free to the public.

The Spruce Kings begin pre-season at home on September 6th at 6 p.m. against the Spruce Grove Saints, with their first regular season game on September 19th, in Chilliwack against the Chiefs.

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There’s no shortage of local action to satisfy most Comox Valley sports fans through the long weekend.

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More accessible transit options will be available every statutory holiday in the Comox Valley starting this long weekend. 

B.C. Transit and the B.C. Government say handyDART services will be expanded in the valley to include statutory holidays starting Labour Day Monday. 

Parliamentary Secretary for Transit George Anderson says the expansion ensures everyone can get to where they need to go, when they need to go. 

“Expanding handyDART service to include statutory holidays is an important step in making transit more accessible and reliable for people who depend on the service in the Comox Valley,” says Anderson. 

The expanded service applies to Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland and ensures those who cannot use public transit without assistance can safely travel through the area. 

B.C. Transit and the B.C. Government are also partnering with the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) to include additional annual service hours. 

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The province is now leading efforts to reopen the road between Port Alberni and Bamfield. A 1.5 km stretch remains closed because of damage caused by the Mount Underwood wildfire and a timeline is not yet available for reopening. 

“Due to the complex nature of the recovery, similar to challenges faced on Highway 4 after the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, the ministry has assumed the lead role for developing a reopening strategy for this section of Bamfield Main Road. Mosaic Forest Management fully supports this approach and is collaborating with the province to restore public access as quickly and safely as possible,” reads a news release from the province. 

The news release says a timeline will be established and shared in mid-September to get the section open. Currently. There are hazards including falling rocks, dangerous trees and unstable slopes. 

Crews will begin removing dangerous trees and BC Hydro is still working on a permanent repair, after setting up a temporary solution to restore power to west coast communities. 

BACKGROUND: Power restored to Bamfield, road remains closed 

“In the interest of safety, public access to the closed section remains restricted. Concrete barriers will be installed the Aug. 30-Sept. 1 weekend to block unauthorized entry and allow crews to work safely. Electronic signs will be placed ahead of the closure points to alert drivers and provide space to turn around,” the press release says. 

The ministry of transportation and transit says even after the road is open, temporary closures should be expected during adverse weather. These will be managed with gates, which will replace the temporary barriers. 

A detour is still available to access Bamfield through Youbou. 

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The Smithers Art Gallery said farewell to Manager Nicole Chernish on Wednesday as she step down from the role.

A party was hosted for her that evening with several residents attending.

“It’s so bitter sweet,” said Chernish.

“The gallery’s in a really great place and so it feels comfortable and confident in where the gallery is headed.”

Since starting the role in 2018, she’s opening the artisan shop and Creation Station, and made the gallery a professional visual arts organization.

The biggest hurdle in that time was money.

“Prior to starting, [the gallery] had not been able to get BC Arts Council funding and in my time, we’ve not only been able to get program grants from them but also moved to a professional art gallery status which increases the amount of funding you can get from them,” said Chernish.

The gallery also announced Jenna Savage would be brought on as the new manager.

“It’s been excellent learning from Chernish. She’s going to leave a legacy and I’m excited to dig into that, what the board sees for the future, and what all the volunteers have put their time and effort into,” said Savage.

She is also hoping to continue growing the gallery from where Chernish left off and create partnerships throughout the community.

Having grown up in Smithers, Savage has visited the gallery with the first time being for a shirt silkscreen printing art camp.

“I think that kick starts youth into being creative and continue it into being able to do art in a professional place like the gallery,” she said.

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As students across Kootenays prepare to return to school, the local RCMP is reminding drivers to slow down, stay alert, and prioritize safety in school zones.

Beginning the week of Sept. 2, Sergeant Vince LeBlanc B.C. Highway Patrol Unit Commander said it is everyone’s job to ensure a safe start to the school year.

“Tuesday morning school starts, and that means vulnerable users will be out there in droves. It’s on all drivers to add a little bit more attention to their drive that day and to make sure that everyone can get to their school or location of education safely,” said Sgt LeBlanc.

“Kids are excited and they’re not necessarily paying attention to what they’re doing, and they’ll be jumping out in front of traffic without looking.”

Back-to-school safety tips:

• School zones are in effect with a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h, unless otherwise posted.
• Slow down in school zones, fines for speeding in a school zone start at $196 and increase the higher you exceed over the posted speed limit
• Always yield to pedestrians, obey the crossing guards and never block crosswalks
• Stay alert and avoid any distractions, children are unpredictable and can easily dart out in between cars and cross mid-block without any warning
• Watch for school buses, stop in both directions when the red lights are flashing and watch for children boarding, exiting and crossing the street
• Encourage your child to stay on the sidewalk, look both ways before crossing the street and be aware of their surroundings

“Watch out for anything that might be moving, especially with our world of electric mobility, where we have the E-scooters and E bikes,” said LeBlanc.

“As always drive with care, caution, and pay attention to your drive.”

For more information about road safety visit Road safety | Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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Invasive crabs that have been established on Vancouver Island’s west coast are drifting their way into the Salish Sea. 

Dr. Thomas Therriault is a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and says European Green Crabs pose a significant risk to ocean ecosystems which support herring and salmon. 

“Green crabs pose three major threats.” he states. “They are a predator on our native crab and shellfish species, they also compete with our native species and then importantly, they destroy or damage critical habitat such as eelgrass.” 

Therriault says humans have not been a significant factor in spreading the species into the sea. They have been established on the west coast since the late 1990s and were first detected in the Salish Sea in 2016. 

He says larvae can spread and though it has been moved around in ships’ ballast tanks, natural ocean currents are a larger factor in spreading the species. 

“The larvae development is temperature dependent, but that means that the larvae can be floating around on ocean currents from one to three months and so this allows them to get to multiple locations up and down the coast, given that the species is distributed from California up to Alaska now,” he says. “In the Salish Sea it is a little bit different because it requires some oceanographic reversals to allow larvae to get into the Salish Sea when conditions are still suitable for the larvae to survive and that is at least partially responsible for the more patchy distribution we see on the Salish Sea.” 

European Green Crabs are not always green and they can be mistaken for native crab species that can be the same colour. According to Therriault, the best way to identify them is by the five spines on their back, behind their eyes. They can grow to 10 centimetres and are the only crab species with the distinct spines. 

The DFO asks anyone who sees a European Green Crab in the Salish Sea to report it to help track the species’ dispersal.  

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Annual water flushing work is set for the Elko and Moyie water systems, with RDEK staff beginning work from Sept. 8-12.

Residents may notice water discoloration after the work is complete.

That can be fixed by running the cold water tap until it runs clear.

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Curbside garbage collection in the District of Invermere is moving to a bi-weekly schedule.

Under the new schedule, garbage and recycling will be picked up every two weeks in the same week, while curbside organics pickup will continue weekly.

Mayor Al Miller said having the organics underway allows them to cut garbage collection to every two weeks.

“Once everyone is fully up to speed and working diligently with it, garbage pickup will be down to once every two weeks,” said Miller.

“It should work pretty well and this will keep the landfill operational for a few extra years.”

The updated collection schedule can be found here.

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The City of Kimberley is moving to Stage 3 watering restrictions starting on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

City staff said the ongoing hot and dry weather has made it necessary.

Under Stage 3, watering lawns by homes or businesses is not allowed, but watering of gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds is still permitted.

Hosing or pressure washing outdoor surfaces is only allowed for health and safety reasons, or for painting preparation.

All decorative fountains must be shut down.

Temperatures in Kimberley are forecasted to remain in the low 30s through next week.

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The City of Fernie has reached an agreement with Conseil Scolaire Francophone (CSF) for the École Sophie-Morigeau primary school to continue using a potion of the Max Turyk Community Centre.

The school opened in 2013 and the most recent lease agreement ended in 2019.

The city and CSF had been negotiating a potential sale and purchase of the building but it never went through.

They have been on month-to-month lease since the previous one expired.

The new lease is for a five-year term with the city receiving roughly $40,000 per year from rent.

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The City of Nelson is blaming “a number of unanticipated factors” that left a section of Anderson Creek dry and many fish dead.

According to a statement from the city, crews worked through the night to resolve the issue, which was related to an emergency repair earlier in the day at the Five Mile Creek water intake, which supplies the city with 70 per cent of its drinking water.

To complete the work, the water intake was shut down and the city’s water was switched entirely to its secondary sources of Anderson and Selous Creeks. The bypass was in place for six hours and was lifted shortly after 4 p.m.

However, the city said several problems, including high residential water use and infiltration in the creekbed (the amount of water that seeps into the ground) left the creek bed dry.

The City of Nelson is licensed to divert 1.5 million gallons of water per day from this system to supply households.

“The city has been made aware that a number of fish were found in the creek bed when the water levels dropped,” the statement said.

“City personnel are working closely with environmental consultants, biologists, and regulatory officials to investigate this incident.”

All three water sources are now back online and supplying water to the city. However, all three creeks (Five Mile, Anderson, and Selous) are at their lowest point. The city is on Stage 2 water restrictions.

The post Fish die after Nelson’s Anderson Creek dries up appeared first on My Nelson Now.

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Gamers and pop culture enthusiasts in northern B.C. got its first taste of what could be a yearly event for the city.

The first Video Games Prince George Expo was held at the at the House of Ancestors last weekend which had panels, vendors, a video game music cover band, and the Mythic 2.0 e-sport event.

Co-Organizer Kelsy Polnik said it was great to see everyone experience the new expo.

“It was super fun, I think nobody knew what to expect. It was just awesome to watch people walk through the door, because they saw the whole venue just filled with gaming goodness.”

“I think my favourite part was just watching people come in and take in visually everything that was going on.”

Polnik said throughout the weekend they were taking in feedback, including from vendors, and making changes and testing throughout the event.

He added that there are still lots of ideas for a potential next event, and might look at getting a larger space.

Polnik noted that there haven’t been discussions on if they will continue the event, but everyone involved had a great time, and he hopes they can do it again next year.

More information about the Video Games Prince George Expo can be found on it’s Facebook page here.

The post Video Games PG Expo co-organizer calls the event’s first year a success appeared first on My Prince George Now.

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Gamers and pop culture enthusiasts in northern B.C. got its first taste of what could be a yearly event for the city.

The first Video Games Prince George Expo was held at the at the House of Ancestors last weekend which had panels, vendors, a video game music cover band, and the Mythic 2.0 e-sport event.

Co-Organizer Kelsy Polnik said it was great to see everyone experience the new expo.

“It was super fun, I think nobody knew what to expect. It was just awesome to watch people walk through the door, because they saw the whole venue just filled with gaming goodness.”

“I think my favourite part was just watching people come in and take in visually everything that was going on.”

Polnik said throughout the weekend they were taking in feedback, including from vendors, and making changes and testing throughout the event.

He added that there are still lots of ideas for a potential next event, and might look at getting a larger space.

Polnik noted that there haven’t been discussions on if they will continue the event, but everyone involved had a great time, and he hopes they can do it again next year.

More information about the Video Games Prince George Expo can be found on it’s Facebook page here.

The post Video Game PG Expo co-organizer calls the event’s first year a success appeared first on My Prince George Now.

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After several discussions, contract talks between Canada Post and its union have stalled with no further negotiations planned.

The postal company issued a statement on Wednesday stating the proposed items from the union would increase operational costs and is urging them to revisit its latest offers.

Local CUPW 812 President, Nicole Chouinard told Vista Radio they aren’t sure where to go from here.

“I don’t know if Canada Post has something up its sleeve, someway of having the government intervene and maybe that is what they are waiting for from a union side of things if they are not willing to negotiate.”

She added the best chance to hammer out a new contract is to return to the bargaining table.

“We stand by that and we will always hope that is the best outcome. The minister of jobs has been clear that this is the best outcome. Let’s hope that she can talk to Canada Post and get them back to the table.”

“I can tell you that we are gutted by this latest turn of events. It is so unbelievably frustrating that we have had as many delays as we’ve had and then to have the cancellation of two meetings just in time for Canada Post to release a quarterly report saying they have had catastrophic losses only to follow that up with we can’t meet the demands of the union>”

Chouinard said they are not asking for the world, but Canada Post is making it sound like they are.

The post “We aren’t asking for the world.”: Postal workers union gutted by Canada Post stalemate appeared first on My Prince George Now.

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An important next step for a new active transportation project in Courtenay is scheduled to start after the long weekend. 

The contractor of the 6th Street Bridge will begin their setup of construction starting Tuesday, September 2, which includes setting up fencing and trailers. 

Crews will be assembling primarily in Simms Park and the parking lot, and portions of both spaces will be closed once construction begins. 

Construction will not cause any road closures, and all necessary permits are in place for work in and around the river. 

A qualified environmental professional will be overseeing construction with the project’s completion estimated fall 2026. 

The post Crews to begin setting up for 6th Street Bridge construction Tuesday appeared first on My Comox Valley Now.

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Meet Mo! He’s this weeks Summit Radio Pet of the Week from the BCSPCA West Kootenay in Castlegar. Mo is looking for a quiet and patient home. This sweet young boy is 7 months old and still learning to trust the world. He’s a bit fearful and shy right now, so he’ll need a calm, quiet home with patient adopters who can give him the time and space he needs to feel safe and loved. With a little kindness and understanding, he has the potential to blossom into a wonderful companion.

If you feel you can provide this guy what he needs to have success please apply online here.

The post Quiet and gentle cat looking for forever home appeared first on My Nelson Now.

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Burns Lake’s high temperature record breaking streak has come to an end.

According to Environment Canada, the village instead tied yesterday’s (Thursday) temperature record of 31.2 degrees which was set in 2023.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday all saw new daytime high temperatures set as a heat wave continues to blanket the province.

More records could be broken as temperatures near 30 degrees are forecast through the weekend and next week.

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The late-summer heatwave in Prince George is expected to last another week according to Environment Canada.

Temperatures for the Labour Day long weekend will be around the 29-degree mark, roughly 10 degrees warmer for this time of year.

Meteorologist, Matt Loney told Vista Radio we could brake some temperature records heading into next week, after coming up short a couple times already.

“I can safely say we will see some strengthening over the next week or so. But in the near term, if we go back to yesterday, it was the second-highest temperature for yesterday’s date in Prince George but we have had a number of top five records in the last four or five days.”

“I think we will see records start to break next week. Temperatures this time of year you need 31 or 32 degrees to break some records.”

Loney added these types of systems aren’t common towards the end of the season.

“Temperatures by the middle of next will be probably be 11 to 14 degrees above normal. It is a pretty strong ridge.”

The forecast for next week is sunshine with temperatures in the low to mid 30’s.

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