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The BCHL has released its the 2025-2026 Regular Season schedule, along with a new divisional alignment playoff format.

Each team will play 54 games, starting on Friday, September 19 and running to March 29.

The Spruce Kings Home Schedule will feature 10 Friday night games, 12 Saturday night games, and three Sunday afternoon games.

They open on the road September 19th at Chilliwack before having their next six games at home beginning September 26th against Surrey.

The Spruce Kings full schedule can be viewed HERE or view the full schedule graphic HERE.

Alignment

With 20 teams in the league (Penticton dropped out to join the WHL), the BCHL’s divisional alignment will be as follows.

Coastal West 

Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Cowichan Valley Capitals, Nanaimo Clippers, Powell River Kings,
Victoria Grizzlies

Coastal West 

Chilliwack Chiefs, Coquitlam Express, Langley Rivermen, Prince George Spruce Kings, Surrey Eagles

Interior West Cranbrook Bucks, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Trail Smoke Eaters, Vernon Vipers, West Kelowna Warriors

Interior East  Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, Spruce Grove Saints

New Playoff Format

The top four teams from each of the league’s four divisions will qualify for the postseason, while one team from each division will miss out.

The first two rounds will be played within the division, then division winners will play in the conference finals before the championship series.

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The Atrevida Road wildfire is now under control, but the qathet Regional District says the situation is still being monitored as crews continue to work in the area.  

The fire was reported to the BC Wildfire Service on July 16 by members of the public, and the district says thanks to prompt action and a collaborative effort, the situation was quickly contained. 

“Emergency responders from the Northside and Tla’amin Nation fire departments, along with the BC Wildfire Service personnel, arrive quickly on scene to contain the fire,” they say. 

According to BC Wildfire Service, the fire was 0.6 hectares in size, but as qathet Regional District general manager of emergency services says, it was a happy ending to a close call.  

“We’re grateful for the public’s quick reporting and for the mutual aid provided by the Tla’amin Nation Fire Department and crews,” he says. “This incident is a clear reminder that we’re well into fire season and everyone must remain alert while enjoying the outdoors.” 

The public is asked to avoid the Atrevida Road area until emergency crews and hydro vehicles continue to work.  

According to the BC Wildfire Service, there are currently over 570 fires in the province, and over 60 per cent have been human-caused and burned over 700,000 hectares. 

The post Atrevida Road wildfire under control, BC Wildfire Service  appeared first on My Powell River Now.

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Motorcyclists are gearing up for the annual Chip Run being hosted in Smithers on July 26th.

The event includes a poker run and an after party to help raise funds for the Smithers Cancer Care Team.

“My brother was the Hostess and Frito Lay representative in the area which is how it got the name ‘The Chip Run,’” said Founder Thomas Spooner.

After his brother died from cancer, he realized the cancer care team was underfunded which led to the event’s inception.

The first event saw 13 bikes participate and raised $1,500 with more recent event seeing over 100 participants.

“We’re well over $210,000 in raised money for the cancer care team in Smithers,” said Spooner.

With the funds, the care team has been able to purchase two electric standing chairs, an industrial ice machine, and have helped families with travel expenses.

The poker run starts at Northwest Truck Rentals in Smithers before traveling to New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and returning to Smithers.

This year is the first time the afterparty is being hosted at the Fall Fair Grounds and will feature an auction and dance with live music.

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North Island Habitat for Humanity is celebrating a $100,000 donation from Coastal Community Credit Union that will help build affordable housing for families in the region.

Despite the donation being made in 2024, the public announcement was delayed.

This allowed Habitat for Humanity to create a tribute video capturing the full story of Coastal Community’s support for its cause.

“This wasn’t just a gift — it was a commitment to community that we wanted to recognize in a meaningful way,” said Sara Lopez, communications and fundraising director at Habitat for Humanity VIN.

On top of the donation, the credit union has provided financial and mortgage literacy support for all future Habitat homeowners and joined volunteers on build sites.

This donation is part of Coastal Community’s “Sharing Our Success” initiative – an initiative that has funded more than $1.6 million towards community-based projects across Vancouver Island.

The $100K contribution will help start fundraising efforts for 461 Hilchey Road in Campbell River, which is part of a plan to build more homes for families in need of safe, stable housing.

The post Habitat for Humanity receives $100K for affordable housing projects in Campbell River and the Comox Valley appeared first on My Campbell River Now.

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Mother Nature has left hundreds of customers in the dark in the 100 Mile House and Lake City area.

Mike Kellet, Manager Northern Community Relations for BC Hydro said in the South Cariboo there are currently about 115 without power due yesterday’s thunderstorm activity.

In the overall Cariboo Region, Kellet said they still have roughly 500 customers impacted including 379 in Williams Lake.

BC Hydro crews are actively working to restore service as quickly and safely as possible and additional crews are being brought in from other areas to assist.

The post Additional BC Hydro Crews Brought In To Restore Power In The Cariboo Area appeared first on My Cariboo Now.

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A collision Tuesday in the Comox Valley involving a commercial vehicle has killed a cyclist. 

Comox Valley RCMP said the crash happened just after 3:30 p.m. on Anderton Road in Comox, just north of Ryan Road, involving a cyclist and a tractor-trailer. 

Lifesaving efforts were offered by bystanders, Emergency Health Services paramedics, and Comox Fire Rescue fire fighters, but the 83-year-old cyclist passed away from her injuries. 

The road was closed for several hours while a collision analyst did a full examination of the scene. 

The driver remained at the scene, providing first aid to the cyclist and is now cooperating with the investigation. 

Initial evidence suggested the driver did not see the cyclist prior to the collision, and speed and driver impairment factors do not appear to be causes of the accident. 

The BC Coroner’s Service is conducting a concurrent investigation into the cyclist’s death. 

Anyone with information on the accident which hasn’t been shared yet is asked to contact the Comox Valley RCMP. 

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A small brush fire near Ootischenia has been deemed under control.  

The Castlegar Fire Department said it received reports of the blaze, located on the northwest bench above Arrow Lakes Drive, at around 3:15 p.m. July 16.  

When crews arrived, the flames measured roughly 10×15 metres.  

The B.C. Wildfire Service said it supported the department’s initial attack, although its location was within the Ootischenia Fire Department response area.

Crews from the Robson Fire Department were also called to assist. 

It was deemed under control as of 8:15 a.m. July 17.  

B.C. Wildfire has determined it was human caused.  

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

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The City of Prince George is putting out the call for volunteers to sit on a pair of committees.

The City is accepting applicants to sit on the Prince George Heritage Commission, with one position available for a term ending February 28th, 2027.

The commission meets quarterly in March, June, September and December on the 2nd Thursday of those months from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.

According to the City, the commission is responsible for undertaking heritage education and awareness activities, and for reviewing and providing recommendations to City Council and Staff on matters of heritage significance in the City.

At this week’s meeting, City Council voted to expand the number of members on the Commission.

More information on applying to sit on the Heritage Commission can be found here.

Council is also seeking five people to sit on the Advisory Committee for Council Remuneration.

This committee is responsible for reviewing Council remuneration, benefits, and expense reimbursement in comparison with peer municipalities and reporting any proposed amendments before council.

This committee will meet as needed during regular business hours at City Hall.

Also at this week’s meeting, City Council voted to establish the committee.

The review of Council remuneration must be completed by June 30th, 2026.

More information on applying to sit on the Advisory Committee on Council Remuneration can be found here.

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The City of Prince George will be hosting an event to help social service providers in the community get together and better coordinate their efforts.

Prince George City Council discussed the event at this week’s meeting.

“It was clear, there was a number of well-intentioned, committed, service providers, but they’re in silos still, some of these groups in this meeting had never met each other, even though they’re providing similar work,” said Councillor Kyle Sampson, who put forward the notice of motion.

“The motion proposes that the City hosts a low-cost, one-time connector event, either later this summer or early fall that is likely an informal barbeque type event to bring together these NGOs, non-profits, government agencies, and our own city staff.”

Sampson said the goal is to build stronger relationships across these agencies, improve service coordination, reduce duplication, and to give City staff better insight to what these services are doing.

“This is about helping create conditions for better collaboration in our community, and particularly in the downtown,” he explained.

Sampson suggested a budget of up to $2,500, to come from the Council Contingency fund for the event.

Councillor Susan Scott said as someone who’s been a volunteer with many of these organizations, there’s more at play than most would understand.

“There is less and less staff available to do the jobs that they’re all doing,” she said.

“Not everybody has the resources within their local organization to be able to reach out and connect, and not every organization with an office here in Prince George supports their local office in reaching out and connecting. I think the City sponsoring an event of a social nature is brilliant.”

Council unanimously voted to host the event.

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Two Smithers first responders are gearing up to participate in the Cops for Cancer Tour de North.

Constable Justin Preston and Smithers paramedic Samuelle Simard will be partaking in the seven-day journey across northern B.C.

“This ride is for the friends and family I’ve lost to cancer, and for those still fighting. It’s becoming increasingly rare to meet someone who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way,” said Cst. Preston.

The tour helps raise support for the Canadian Cancer Society, supporting pediatric cancer research and sending over 600 kids to Camp Goodtimes every year.

“Kids should be out riding bikes and having fun, not in hospitals, that’s why I ride,” said Simard.

This is Preston’s second appearance in the tour which Smithers RCMP said hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He works and trains incredibly hard to raise these funds that make a difference. It’s inspiring to see one of our own take on this challenge for such a meaningful cause,” said Sergeant Ryan Law

Both riders will be at the Main Street Market in Smithers on Saturday to meet with the community, share their stories, and raise awareness about the Tour de North.

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One of the co-founders of the Save our Streets Coalition (SOS) believes the federal government can do more to crack down on repeat offenders as well as provide a full continuum of care for those suffering from addiction and mental illness.

The group sat down with the federal Liberals B.C. caucus on Monday in Kelowna to discuss these issues as well as bail reform.

Jess Ketchum told Vista Radio the current legislation surrounding repeat offenders needs to be re-worked with more severe consequences attached.

“If they offend, over and over and over again, then that revolving door has to stop. I mean this system today is very accommodating to them and it should be more for the protection of the innocent.”

“The law seems to be focused on repeat violent offenders and that is important but we are saying it should apply to all repeat offenders regardless of whether its a violent path or if it’s someone who is a prolific shop lifter.”

Ketchum believes residents are at a tipping point regarding crime, violence and public disorder and it’s about time Ottawa did more to intervene.

• Effective bail reform targeting repeat theft and street disorder offenders;
• Federal dollars to provincial governments, with performance strings attached, for building out a full continuum of care for individuals suffering from addictions and mental illnesses;
• A national bail repository so prosecutors can easily and quickly determine if an arrestee is out on bail with existing warrants in different jurisdictions across Canada;
• Proper resourcing for the judiciary.

The post Save our Streets pitches bail reform, prolific offender changes to B.C. Federal Liberal caucus appeared first on My Nelson Now.

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An injured horseback rider was rescued in a remote area of Northeastern BC by search and rescue aircraft from Comox on Vancouver Island.

The incident took place late Tuesday evening in the wilderness 185 km east of Fort Nelson.

Public Affairs at 19 Wing Comox says the RCMP was unable to reach the area due to the rugged terrain and darkness, and requested assistance from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

A CC-295 Kingfisher plane and a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter were dispatched from 19 Wing Comox.

Search and Rescue Technicians parachuted from the Kingfisher, and then hiked to the injured rider to provide medical support and coordinate an extraction by the helicopter crew.

After being hoisted up to the Cormorant, the rider was taken to Fort Nelson, transferred to the Kingfisher and flown to hospital in Prince George for treatment.

19 Wing Public Affairs Officer, Lieutenant Keil Kodama, says the rescue mission took 16 hours to complete.

The post Comox search and rescue aircraft perform night rescue near Fort Nelson appeared first on My Prince George Now.

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The annual Crash to Pass Race to open Billy Barker Days is prepared for the intense races this afternoon.

“The weather’s looking promising, but like every year, we’re running it rain or shine,” says Dustin Brown, Vice-President of the Quesnel Auto Racers club.

The Auto Racers club puts on Crash to Pass each year, and has lined up the race for the start of Billy Barker for the last quarter of a century, according to Brown.

Brown says they’ve had people calling and reserving spots to watch the race, not even a race, since November. He expects a big turnout of people crowding the hills of the Goldpan Speedway again this year.

“I don’t recall the last time we haven’t had 25 or 30 cars racing, which is just awesome,” Brown says. “It’s awesome for the club, it’s awesome for the crowds. We’re a small but dedicated club, and we pride ourselves on the fact that we put on a phenomenal show for the spectators and the city.”

The rules for this year are the same as every year — you need to crash to get past. Brown says he and the Quesnel Auto Racers have had no problems pulling racers out of the lineups who were running “too clean of a race” before.

This year, the Auto Racers Club is continuing to award prize money for the racer winners; however, Brown says the Crowd Pleaser Award is still the main prize for the racers.

“It’s the one everyone wants to win, the one I always wanted to win when I raced,” Brown describes.

“It goes to the guy who puts on the biggest and best show, makes the crowd cheer and scream. To me, and a lot of the guys that come up every year, that’s award is the main goal.”

Another new ‘ish spectacle in this year’s Crash to Pass as the youngest driver in race history will take to the circuit at the age of 16. This newest and youngest driver will be part of a three-generation family of racers participating this year. His dad and grand-dad, all previous and continuing Crash to Pass racers, will be racing against each other.

The other draw to the race is the annual 50/50 Draw for the Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department. Which Brown says is “one of the top ones in the province in terms of value, other than a big NHL game.”

Brown is happy the Fire Department uses Crash to Pass to fundraise for themselves. He says “it’s great” that the other car clubs, their and the Auto Racers’ sponsors, and other community organizations can come together to prosper off the event for the community.

The 2025 Crash to Pass Race will begin with the first practice at 3 p.m. until 4 p.m. Then the Heat Races will begin around 6 pm, followed by an Intermission, then it will be the green flag for the Main Event.

Brown advises anyone who wants to attend to get in early to find a good spot to watch the races.

The Crash to Pass isn’t the only car race over the Billy Barker Day festival. On Saturday, the Wescar Double Header will take place after the Billy Barker Day Parade.

“We’re a small group, but we love doing this for the community,” says Brown.

“We do months and months of work for really only one day, but we love it, and we love putting on a show for the crowd and community. When you get to hear them, and see it all happen, that’s why we do all this year after year. So when you, the spectators, can, give all the drivers and volunteers a wave and a cheer.”

The post Crash To Pass Preparing for Another Bangin’ Good Time appeared first on My Cariboo Now.

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Two Texan brothers are on a charity bike ride that will take them from Anchorage Alaska to College Station Texas.

Raleigh and Bobby Jenkins made a stop in Williams Lake yesterday (July 16) to talk with Vista Radio about this 5500 mile journey.

“I’m riding for one charity and Raleigh is riding the other,” Bobby said, “the one I’m riding for is the Moss Pieratt Foundation which is named after my first grandchild who died 11 years ago from what’s called “Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood or SUDC. A lot of people say that’s CID’s and it’s not, this is for toddlers and really is unexplained. So I’m doing this bike ride at 66-years-old to raise awareness and money for research at NYU in New York City.”

Bobby said 4 to 6 hundred children die this way, Moss was perfectly healthy, he was 15 months old, went down for a nap and simply never woke up.

“So my mission in life is to find out what is the unexplained part and can we someday prevent it so other parents and families don’t have to experience the unfathomable loss of a sweet child without knowing what happened so I’m on a mission to find answers.”

Raleigh said he was riding for Mission Lazarus.

“In 2010 I was the President of the United States Pest Control Association and was told Hiati needed our help after they had an earthquake that killed over 300,000 people. There were 2 children playing by a hospital that we were working at and when I asked where that child was going tonight, the Hospital Administer said he lives on the street and he’s going to dig through the garbage and try to survive and live for another day. So we decided to build an orphanage. Mission Lazarus helps develop careers for adults and children, helps schools, and also does orphanages and that’s why I ride.”

The brothers will cross into the United States from Sumas cutting South of Tacoma going down the Pacific coast Highway and somewhere around San Francisco or Los Angeles go East through Northern Arizona, New Mexico, coming into Texas.

“We did take some time a couple of days off to fly back to Texas last week with the flooding that took place right by my home.” Bobby said, “My 2 granddaughters were at that camp and were airlifted out that camp, they made it home and safe, but I did have a niece that didn’t make it. She was one of the 27 campers that died at Camp Mystic so we went back for the funeral. That’s been very heavy on our mind

it’s going to be a big part of what this trip was ultimately so that sorrow is with us and all the lives lost yet we have a mission to do. We came back, got bike on the bikes and here we are working our way to get to September sixth.”

Raleigh noted that people along the way have been very sympathetic and supportive of that horrible, horrible tragedy.

The post Brothers Trying To Make A Difference One Mile At A Time appeared first on My Cariboo Now.

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Sports by Hartley Thursday, July 17th, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

Judo:

15-year-old Olivia Wisniowski of the Northern Capital Judo Club won a bronze medal at an International Judo Tournament in Brazil.

She moved up an age group and still won the only medal for Team BC.

There were three other residents of PG that competed.

PG’s Wisniowski reaches the podium at Judo event in Brazil | https://t.co/boeKeubVEh #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports pic.twitter.com/3K4oaldPGp

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) July 16, 2025

PG Senior Lacrosse 

(2nd game in the best of 5 final)

Devils  vs  Assault   (Wednesday)

Game 3 will be played tonight (Thursday).

The Devils won the opener 14-3 on Monday.

NHL:

The full NHL schedule for the 2025-26 season has been released.

The Vancouver Canucks will open their season against Alberta teams; hosting the Calgary Flames on Thursday, October 9th followed by a game in Edmonton against the Oilers on October 11th.

CFL:

Week 7 of the CFL season begins tonight (Thursday 4:30 PT) with (1-4) Toronto at (3-2) Montreal.

The (3-3) B.C. Lions host the (4-1) Saskatchewan Roughriders Saturday at 4 PM.

The CFL schedule are here.

BC Football Conference:

The Prince George Kodiaks are gearing up for their BC Football Conference (BCFC) season.

The Kodiaks play the first of their 10 games on Saturday when they host the Westshore Rebels at 6:00 at Masich Place Stadium.

More info on the BCFC can be found here.

MLB:

The Toronto Blue Jays return to action following the All-Star break Friday (4:07 PM PT) when they entertain the (52-45) San Francisco Giants.

The (55-41) Blue Jays are in first place in the American League East Division by two games over the (53-43) New York Yankees.

#

Jared Young of Prince George was recalled by the New York Mets from their Triple-A Syracuse farm club last week, one day after his 30th birthday.

The Mets host the Cincinnati Reds Friday.

Young is batting .171 with 3 homers and 5 RBI’s in 41 at bats this season with New York.

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

World University Games:

UNBC’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, Loralyn Murdoch is among four Operations Officers for Team Canada at the FISU World University Summer Games that are underway in Germany.

125 varsity athletes from across Canada are competing in nine sports: archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.

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Nanaimo’s finance committee was not interested in a proposal to fund fencing around city hall’s parking lot. 

It was proposed as a safety measure for city staff and a report cited disorder associated with the nearby overdose prevention site as the driver of the security measure. 

City staff made it clear this was not a council initiative at the July 16 finance and audit committee, after pushback from the community.  

The report proposed a total budget of $412,000 for a six-foot fence around parking lots at city hall and the Service and Resource Centre. It also included money for grading and other changes. 

The report notes the area is a frequent location for congregations, loitering, violence and property-related concerns, including damage to and theft from staff vehicles, fires, litter, vandalism, and safety risks for staff accessing the facility. 

“The themes that I am hearing is that there is a necessary service value with the OPS but that it’s attracting crime and deeply disturbing activity that we are needing to mitigate and that the problem is not centralized to where the service is delivered, but in the immediate area – so this is exactly the same conversation as the hub,” said councillor Erin Hemmins. She said the things experienced by city staff are the same as those the neighbours of the drop-in centre on Victoria Road. 

READ MORE: Nanaimo committee recommends cutting funding for drop-in centre after winter 

Councillor Hilary Eastmure said she believes a fence would only move the problem and she would prefer to see money spent on security and community safety officers (CSOs)instead, which she pointed out would create jobs. 

“Credit to CSOs for their work and the relationship building that they have done with the folks lingering around city hall and for their service to staff. We are really lucky to have the CSOs doing that work. I personally never feel unsafe but I recognize that’s because of your work and some incident shave occurred, but I would really need to see the actual data – as far as numbers of calls to police, CSO time, vandalism incidents and associated costs, dangerous run-in between staff and individuals to make a proper case for this,” Eastmure said, adding she would have liked to have learned more before the idea came to committee and sparked anger from the community.

Eastmure pointed out the proposed cost is similar to what the city contributes to run the drop-in centre. “If people had a place to go and if the province was doing their job as far as providing adequate housing and healthcare for people and if treatment and mental health supports were actually available without massive waitlists and unaffordable costs and provided in the places where the province has already committed to putting them, and so far failed to follow through on, like at the OPS location – we wouldn’t be considering band-aid solutions like fences.” 

The committee voted to take no action on the recommendation. 

A lot of people attended the meeting, and some were reminded not to interrupt the proceedings. One man was escorted out by police after getting angry and shouting at the mayor about the proposed fence, before the discussion on it began. 

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Nanaimo RCMP are investigating an arson. 

Around midnight on July 12 in the 600 block of Kennedy Street, an unknown man set fire to a cedar planter box on a porch, according to a news release from RCMP. 

“The homeowner saw the flames, ran outside to douse the fire and called 911,” the press release says. “Nanaimo Fire and Rescue responded and prevented any damage to the exterior of the home.  A neighbour’s surveillance camera captured the fire and a possible male suspect.”  

Police are asking anyone how can help identify the man to contact them and are specifically looking for dashcam footage or any other images. 

The man was wearing a light-coloured shirt, dark knee-length shorts, dark shoes and a backpack and was in the area between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on July 12. 

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The Site C Project has reached another major milestone with the dam’s fifth generating unit coming online today.

“Commissioning the fifth generating unit at Site C is a significant step towards securing more clean and affordable electricity for communities, homes and businesses,” said Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix.

Big milestone at Site C as the fifth generating unit came online earlier today.

To every worker who braved the weather, solved the problems, and showed up to get the job done – thank you. pic.twitter.com/zAOykqxS0u

— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) July 16, 2025

According to BC Hydro, testing and commissioning of the sixth and final generating unit is now underway, and is expected to come into operation by this fall.

The first unit came online in October 2024, with the second following in December, the third in February, and the fourth in late March.

Once the dam is fully operational, Site C will generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 homes, boosting BC Hydro’s electricity supply by approximately eight per cent.

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CUPW employees with Canada Post will be able to vote on the latest contract offer.

The voting will take place from July 21st at 7am to 5pm on August 1st.

Employees will be voting on:

• Wage increases of 6% in year one; 3% in year two; 2% in year three; and 2% in year four (13.59% compounded).
• A signing bonus ($1,000 for full-time employees; $500 for all others).
• Maintaining their defined benefit pension and industry-leading job security.
• Creation of new part-time positions, with predictable hours and benefits, that would help the company provide weekend parcel delivery and optimize delivery during the week.
• Phased changes to the delivery model to better reflect volumes, avoid overburdening and provide better service.

The union represents 55,000 workers across the country, as well as 200 in the Prince George area.

Employees have been in a legal strike position since May 23rd, but have so far only placed a ban on overtime.

According to Canada Post, in June, the service saw losses from operations increase to around $10 million a day, over double the daily average losses the year prior.

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

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One of the co-founders of the Save our Streets Coalition (SOS) believes the federal government can do more to crack down on repeat offenders as well as provide a full continuum of care for those suffering from addiction and mental illness.

The group sat down with the federal Liberals BC caucus on Monday in Kelowna to discuss these issues as well as bail reform.

Jess Ketchum of Quesnel told Vista Radio the current legislation surrounding repeat offenders needs to be re-worked with more severe consequences attached.

“If they offend, over and over and over again, then that revolving door has to stop. I mean this system today is very accommodating to them and it should be more for the protection of the innocent.”

“The law seems to be focused on repeat violent offenders and that is important but we are saying it should apply to all repeat offenders regardless of whether its a violent path or if it’s someone who is a prolific shop lifter.”

Ketchum believes residents are at a tipping point regarding crime, violence and public disorder and it’s about time Ottawa did more to intervene.

• effective bail reform targeting repeat theft and street disorder offenders;
• federal dollars to provincial governments, with performance strings attached, for building out a full continuum of care for individuals suffering from addictions and mental illnesses;
• a national bail repository so prosecutors can easily and quickly determine if an arrestee is out on bail with existing warrants in different jurisdictions across Canada;
• proper resourcing for the judiciary.

The post Save our Streets pitches bail reform, prolific offender changes to BC Federal Liberal caucus appeared first on My Prince George Now.

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Camp Shawnigan is set to begin work a project to provide greater accessibility, inclusion, and year-round outdoor recreation.

Easter Seals BC and Yukon CEO Lisa Beck will make a formal announcement about the plan at an invitation-only launch event on Saturday, July 19, at Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan.

Phase One of this $25 million project is “more than a facelift,” according to Beck, “it’s a reimagining of what’s possible.

Beck adds, “Camp Shawnigan will be a place where people of all abilities can come together and experience the joy and freedom of outdoor adventure.”

The project is designed to meet the rapidly growing need for inclusive outdoor recreation, special programming, accessible travel, and affordable respite for families.

A portion of the funding has been provided by the federal government through an Enabling Accessibility Grant of more than $1-million, and a significant contribution of $450,000 for the accessible dock was made by the Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization.

A local group, the 100 Men Who Care, will be on hand to present a cheque for the project.

Easter Seals BC and Yukon says changes at the camp will fill a need for recreational and inclusive infrastructure in the Shawnigan Lake and Cowichan Valley Regional District communities, and provide year-round service for children and families across Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

The construction work is expected to take one year to complete.

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Camp Shawnigan is set to begin work a project to provide greater accessibility, inclusion, and year-round outdoor recreation.

Easter Seals BC and Yukon CEO Lisa Beck will make a formal announcement about the plan at an invitation-only launch event on Saturday, July 19, at Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan.

Phase One of this $25 million project is “more than a facelift,” according to Beck, “it’s a reimagining of what’s possible.

Beck adds, “Camp Shawnigan will be a place where people of all abilities can come together and experience the joy and freedom of outdoor adventure.”

The project is designed to meet the rapidly growing need for inclusive outdoor recreation, special programming, accessible travel, and affordable respite for families.

A portion of the funding has been provided by the federal government through an Enabling Accessibility Grant of more than $1-million, and a significant contribution of $450,000 for the accessible dock was made by the Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization.

A local group, the 100 Men Who Care, will be on hand to present a cheque for the project.

Easter Seals BC and Yukon says changes at the camp will fill a need for recreational and inclusive infrastructure in the Shawnigan Lake and Cowichan Valley Regional District communities, and provide year-round service for children and families across Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

The construction work is expected to take one year to complete.

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Recycle BC released its annual report for residential packaging and paper product recycling for 2024.

According to the organization, 208,484 net tonnes were collected in 2024, up from 201,033 the year prior across the province.

Fraser-Fort George also saw an increase going to 2,583 tonnes last year, compared to 2,309 in 2023.

The region placed 12 on Recycle BC’s collection by Regional Districts list.

Last year, the region had a serviced population of 103,045, which is a jump from 2023’s 88,810.

Within Fraser-Fort George, there are seven service area facilities with one curbside, five depots and one multi-family.

Overall, Recycle BC services over two million households.

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

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The City of Nelson has secured $710,490 in provincial funding to strengthen its emergency response system. 

The funding will support the purchase of Mobile Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) devices for local fire department vehicles. 

A press release from the province said the funds will also go toward training, system enhancements, GIS mapping, and a records management system. 

“Strengthening and modernizing emergency dispatch is incredibly important, especially in rural and remote areas where it can take time for emergency responders to reach their destination,” said Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay Central.  

“Upgrades like this across the province will complement the work we’ve been doing to support community safety.” 

According to the province, the upgrades will also help communities prepare for the future implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911). 

The service is expected to make the 911 system more accessible and allow callers to provide dispatchers with additional information about their emergency,  including photos and videos. 

This funding is part of a $150-million investment to help B.C. transition to NG911. 

E-Comm, which handles 99 per cent of B.C.’s 911 call volume, received $90 million for technological upgrades. 

The remaining $60 million was distributed to communities through the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) to help offset costs such as staffing, training, and quality assurance. 

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Nanaimo may stop funding the drop-in on 55 Victoria Road after the winter.  

The city’s finance and audit committee was asked for direction on the site at its July 16 meeting, where many residents from the surrounding neighbouhood voiced their opposition to continued funding for the resource hub. 

“Since opening in January, this hub facility has brought both, I will say, a lot of negative – but some positive as well, depending on individuals,” said Leslie Gerard, who lives near the facility. “We have dealt with an increased amount of violence, both physical, verbal, dog fights, people defecating on our fence, an increased amount of garbage that reaches from the hub facility all the way up to 100 Nicol Street.” 

Many residents who spoke credited work by community safety officers and RCMP in the area, but said it is not enough to keep their neighbourhood safe and clean. 

The committee was presented with four options, which ranged from closing the site immediately to continuing full funding and having staff work on a relocation plan. 

After nearly three hours of discussion and debate, the committee voted to recommend council allocate $125,000 to fund daytime operations until March 31, 2026. The recommendation will be passed through council before it is formally approved. 

Councillor Hilary Eastmure moved to amend the motion to include a report from staff on relocation plans in the fall, which was voted for approval with the funding.  

“No matter where you put it, it is going to be in a neighbourhood because people equals neighbourhood and these are people and they are part of our community,” she said, adding if there is only one drop-in hub, there will be a concentration of people and services. “I really am interested in building a purpose-built location that actually has all of the services that are required, like the proper showers and bathrooms and things like that.” 

She pointed out many people were unhappy with the location when it was chosen but there were no other options, and the city needed winter shelter space. 

Mayor Leonard Krog expressed frustration about disorder and drug use downtown and, along with other councillors, pointed to challenges to get funding from the province for solutions.  

“I wish we could do better for this neighbourhood but we cannot deliver for the citizen of this community unless the province not only continues to do what it has done so far but adds way more resources to this, recognizing again I would hope, that this is the crisis of our times,” Krog said. 

“After six and a half years of being mayor I am getting just a tiny bit frustrated with the fact that in a 21st century, modern liberal, stable democracy, we can’t seem somehow to care for the most vulnerable, protect the citizens and provide the kinds of services that other parts of the word seem to have been able to deliver,” he said. 

Krog recognized the decision means asking residents in the area to deal with disorder through the winter and said closing services will mean more people sleeping in the streets and it will be harder to get support services.  

“This is not easy for anybody but just remind yourselves, at the end of the day, everyone in that street is somebody’s child or relative or friend or your former neighbour or a kid you went to school with,” Krog said, adding he hates drug use but recognizes people deal with severe trauma, mental health and addiction. “Like the Parable of the good Samaritan – we cannot pass you by. So, on one level it disgusts me. On another level we have a duty to our fellow citizens.” 

He encouraged people in attendance to write to their MLAs and push the province for more funding to help deal with disorder and homelessness. 

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Prince George City Council has approved funding to support the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club in hosting the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Trials in December.

At this week’s meeting, City Council approved $40,000 from the Major Events Reserve to support the event, which is set to take place December 10th to 16th.

“It’s a no-brainer,” said Mayor Simon Yu.

“We’re looking forward to the success, like usual. Anything happening up in Otway is a good thing for the City.”

According to a staff report, approximately 250 athletes and coaches will be coming to Prince George to compete for a shot at representing Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The report states the event will be broadcast through the Nordiq Canada’s YouTube channel, as well as on CBC Gem, and it would enable the promotion of Prince George across the country.

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A sharp decline in Canadian border travel is deeply impacting the country’s duty-free industry, leaving locally owned, family-run border businesses struggling to keep their doors open. 

For Cameron Bissonnette, a second-generation owner of two duty-free stores in B.C.’s Southern Interior – one at the Kingsgate crossing southeast of Creston and the other in Osoyoos – the impact could mean closing for good. 

Bissonnette’s businesses rely heavily on summer tourist traffic to fund their winter operations.  

But with Statistics Canada’s June 2025 report showing a 33 per cent drop in Canadian land border travel to the U.S., he’s worried about his ability to keep business running through the winter. 

“Generally, we make enough money in the summertime to get through the winter. We’re kind of like farmers – you’ve got to make hay when the sun shines, and you’ve got to put your hay up in the barn to get through the winter. And it’s going to be pretty challenging this winter, I can see already, just in the numbers we’re doing.” 

According to the Frontier Duty Free Association, which represents 32 land border duty-free shops across the country, some stores have seen sales plummet by as much as 88 per cent. 

While the impact to Bissonnette’s stores hasn’t been as drastic, he estimates sales have dropped by 40 per cent – adding that if things don’t change quickly, winding down may become the only option. 

“I can’t say we are fully dried up, but it’s dropped significantly, for sure. We hate to think that ultimately we’d have to close. But unless things change somewhat drastically, that could be the long-term outcome.” 

It’s not the first time Bissonnette’s businesses have been hit by a lack of travel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he said revenues dropped to nearly zero. 

“The border was essentially closed for about 21 months, and trying to operate a business when your revenues basically go down to zero was quite challenging. I had to inject a lot of my own personal funds into the business to pay taxes, staff, utilities, etc., but we thought we would hopefully come around.” 

Business was still down by about 30 per cent from pre-COVID numbers when trade tensions between Canada and the United States began to escalate – significantly straining cross-border traffic. 

“Then these tariffs came along. Of course, Canadians were galvanized around this issue and they decided that they were going to protest by not going to the U.S. – and I totally understand that,” said Bissonnette. 

“And I guess to a certain degree, I support it, even though it’s pretty devastating and detrimental to the duty-free industry, and to our businesses, which are all privately owned by families.” 

Historically, about 80 per cent of his business has come from Canadian travellers. And while his store has seen an uptick in American visitors, it hasn’t offset the decline in Canadian traffic. 

His Kingsgate store has, in the past, employed as many as 10 people from nearby communities. But the impacts of the pandemic – and now the trade tensions – have reduced staffing levels to just two. 

“We’ve had to lay people off and just basically operate with a skeleton group for the time being.” 

He took the opportunity to remind Canadians that the purpose of these stores is to support the Canadian economy while stressing the importance of shopping local – especially for those who still plan to cross the border. 

“A lot of Canadians think they’re only for Americans, which isn’t the case. The Canadian duty-free industry was designed and conceptualized to leave money in Canada before you go to the U.S,” he said. 

“So leave your money in Canada. If you’re going to the United States – whether it’s to visit family, friends, or just go on vacation – make sure you stop at a Canadian duty-free store on your way down and support a local Canadian business.” 

Bissonnette remains hopeful that the federal government can provide support, noting that the Frontier Duty Free Association has called on Ottawa to align its tax and export regulations with duty-free policies found in the United States. 

“Our direct competition is on the U.S. side, so we pay some taxes that we think shouldn’t be included in the duty-free mandate. We’re hoping for that. And hopefully the government can come up with a little short-term support for us so we can weather the storm.” 

And if you see an American traveller on Canadian roads, he asks that they’re given grace. 

“If you do see U.S. plates in Canada, remember they’re up here visiting and spending their hard-earned dollars in our country. So give them a little grace, don’t say rude things. We want to welcome the people that are coming to our country.” 

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The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District (KERHD) board has committed an additional $15 million to the Oncology/Renal project at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital to support a third floor.

The original plan was for a two-floor expansion to the hospital, but the board has been pushing for a third.

“We have been strong advocates of the expanded Renal/Oncology project for several years and committed funding well before it was formally announced to help influence the province in making this needed project a reality,” said KERHD Board Chair David Wilks.

“Further, we recently worked to secure a $15 million funding commitment from Elk Valley Resources for the building project. While we are excited to see the Renal/Oncology project approved and moving into the design stage, we are disheartened that a third floor was not being considered as part of the project because we believe it is critically important.”

Wilks said the addition would be vital for the hospital.

“We know this is our one shot at getting a third floor. If they construct two floors without the third, this opportunity is gone and with it, the critically needed space to make a meaningful and long-term difference to the staff and patients at EKRH,” added Wilks.

With a third floor, the hospital would a reprieve to its overcrowding issues.

“Our hospital is teetering on the brink. There is overcrowding, we don’t have trauma rooms, the Emergency Room needs to be expanded to the point the former waiting room is now being used to treat people, the lab is impacted, there are bed shortages, there is not proper space for respiratory and pulmonary services, and the list goes on,” said Wilks.

“These are all pressures within a fragile system. We can’t lose sight of who is impacted by these pressures: people – including every doctor, nurse, patient, lab tech, family member, employee, and visitor in that hospital. We have a huge opportunity before us to think – and act – long-term to make a true difference.”

The board approved up to $15 million in funding for the cost of adding a third floor subject to the $15 million from Elk Valley Resources also being allocated to this addition.

“This is as much of a win-win as we could ask for. Minister Ma has stated if we come up with the funding, her ministry is prepared to help pursue support for this project. We have now done that and look forward to seeing the third floor become a reality,” added Wilks.

KERHD had previously approved nearly $23.2 million for the $57.9 million Oncology/Renal Expansion Project.

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The Fernie Fire Department rescued a capsized recreationist on the Elk River.

The person was stuck on a strainer in the James White log jam on Monday.

The department’s Swiftwater Rescue Technicians were able to safely rescue the individual and bring them to shore.

They are reminding residents to make sure they are wearing PFDs and to constantly look downstream for hazards.

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Fernie is one step closer to a new fire hall with a loan authorization bylaw given three readings.

If the bylaw is approved, the city would borrow the money needed for the firehall project and no referendum would be held.

The estimated project cost is $16 million.

The city will be applying to the Canada Community Building Fund with hopes of securing $7 million to support the project.

If the grant is successful, $4 million would come from the city’s reserves, $1.4 million from the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and $3.5 million would need to be borrowed to fund the rest.

If the grant is not successful, the borrowing amount would jump to $12 million.

Mayor Nic Milligan said it’s about time that they move ahead with a new firehall.

“Forty-six years ago the fire department moved out of a building into a temporary location at a repurposed tire shop that served us until 2022. It was temporary for that entire time and nobody did anything about it,” he said.

“When someone says we’re between a rock and a hard place I don’t see it that way at all. There is a window of opportunity that is open to this community that sees us potentially only having to borrow $3.6 million to construct a fully functional, multi generational firehall.”

The city is hoping to have construction start in the spring of 2026 and have the fire hall up and running in 2027.

More information on the project can be found here.

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The Cranbrook RCMP is investigating a surge in graffiti and vandalism across the community.

Police say multiple businesses and public spaces have been defaced resulting in thousands of dollars in property damage.

“This is such a senseless act of disrespect to our local businesses and the greater community”, said Staff Sergeant Barry Graham.

“Graffiti isn’t just a nuisance, it is an act of mischief and is a serious and costly crime. Each incident forces our city, local business owners, and community members to invest significant time and money on cleanup and repair.”

The RCMP is asking residents and business owners near affected areas to check security cameras for any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cranbrook RCMP detachments non-emergency line at 250-489-3471 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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The Community Arts Council of Prince George and District and Trinity United PG announced the third season of the Performing Arts Series.

Eight different acts were unveiled for the Knox Presents Season, the Playhouse Sessions, and the Performing Arts Series.

Community Arts Council Executive Director Eli Klasner said the acts bring a wide range of performances for the community to see.

“We wont there to be something for every taste in Prince George, and Prince George has many different tastes. There’s a country music following, there’s a classical music following.”

Klasner added the big piece to putting these events together is the collaboration between the PG Playhouse and Knox Performance Centre, which would normally be competing against each other.

Some of the performances will also have internationally acclaimed performers including pianist Jon Kimura Parker, and Soprano Jonelle Sills.

Klasner said they’re also making efforts to improve performing arts centres both through donations and collaborations with other events.

“So many of our community performing arts groups, they actually don’t have homes where they can rehearse out of regularly, etc.”

“That’s one of the commitments we’ve been making, is to keep these venues accessible and affordable, so our more grassroot community groups are able to be part of these buildings.”

He noted that it takes flexibility and versatility to accommodate those community groups, which brings the need for financial support.

More information can be found at either the PG Playhouse website, or the Knox Performace Centre website.

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A Boil Water Notice has been put into effect in 108 Mile.

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) is issuing the Notice as a precautionary measure due to what they say is a “substantial water main break and loss of pressure in large areas in the system.”

The CRD says all users of the 108 Water System are being asked to bring water to a rolling boil of at least one minute before using water for:

• Drinking (or use an alternative, safe source of water)
• Cooking (if not boiled)
• Washing hands and brushing teeth
• Washing fruits and vegetables to be eaten raw,
• And watering animals.

The notice will remain in effect for further notice.

The CRD and Interior Health will be conducting tests and will notify customers and residents of 108 Mile when the water test results are satisfactory for the notice to be lifted.

For more information and further questions, the CRD asks customers to call the CRD’s Environmental Services.

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The Municipality of North Cowichan says it will ban all open burning with its boundaries at 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, including campfires and small recreational fires.

Campfires, burning woody debris in outdoor stoves, torches such as Tiki Torches, fireworks and firecrackers, Sky Lanterns, and binary exploding targets used for target practice.

The ban also covers Chimineas, burning barrels or burning cages of any size or description.

This prohibition does not apply to CSA or ULC- rated cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to a portable campfire apparatus that uses briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, if the flame is less than 15 centimeters high.

North Cowichan says Category 2 and 3 open burning remains prohibited.

Cowichan Tribes says the fire danger for it’s reserve lands is now rated as extreme, and only cultural burning is permitted.

No other types of outdoor fires are being allowed by Cowichan Tribes.

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Prince George City Council voted to establish a committee to help determine Council pay.

At this week’s meeting, Council voted to establish the committee, which will conduct an independent review of Council remuneration with any adjustments that Council may approve, to be effective January 1st, 2027.

According to a staff report to Council, this review must be completed by June 30th, 2026.

The City will be advertising opportunities to be on the Committee, with the application deadline being August 12th.

Appointments will be made to the Committee at the Council meeting to be held on August 18th.

Committee recommendations to Council are expected to come in December 2025 or January 2026.

Council’s last raises were voted on in June 2022. At that time, an Advisory Committee on Council Remuneration had recommended 3.5 per cent raises which took effect on January 1st, 2023, and on January 1st, 2024.

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The Prince George RCMP are on the lookout for 41-year-old Christopher Ronald Erickson.

According to police, he is wanted on two unendorsed warrants for theft under $5,000, and failing to comply with order.

He is described as:

• Caucasian male
• 5′ 6″ or 168 cm
• 157 lb or 71 kg
• Brown hair
• Green eyes

Police say Christopher Ronald Erickson is considered dangerous and should not be approached.

Anyone with information on Christopher Ronald Erickson’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP.

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A woman in 100 Mile House was taken to the hospital following an incident with a suspected impaired driver.

Sergeant Brian Lamb says police, BC EHS, and BC Highway Patrol received multiple calls of a vehicle incident on Canim Hendrix Lake Road near Rainbow Road on July 9.

Lamb says General Duty Officers and the Highway Patrol found and determined the woman had jumped from a moving vehicle. They located the vehicle and driver on the Canim Hendrix Lake Road.

“An adult male was detained for suspected impaired driving by drug,” says Lamb. “Testing on the male by a Drug Recognition Expert with the BC Highway Patrol was completed, which included a urine sample for drug analysis.”

The male was later released, but the vehicle was impounded while the investigation is ongoing.

Lamb says the woman was taken to the hospital with what EHS determined were minor injuries.

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Local fastball players who suit up at Freeman Park and Spruce City Stadium will benefit from upgraded field lighting.

It’s from annual funding via the Canada Community-Building Fund where an additional $760,000 is being made available for this work with a total project budget of $950,000.

In 2024, the parks and solid waste division funded $760,000 through the CCBF to upgrade facilities and encourage continued outdoor recreation. The total project budget was $950,000 and included:

• Two new dugouts at Gyro Park.
• Two new dugouts and two bleacher pads at Harry Loder Park.
• Two new dugouts and two bleacher pads at Freeman Park.
• Installing two bleacher pads and a connection path at Ron Wiley Field.

The program is based on the City’s 2018 ball diamond and sport field strategy and refurbishes a handful of sports facilities every year.

In total, the City spent $4.25 million of federal grant funding on infrastructure projects last year including:

• Developing a concept plan and detailed designs for Carrie Jane Gray Park improvements.
• Upgrades to the sports courts at Clearwood Park, Harper Park, Harry Loder Park, Sinclair Park, and Starlane Park.
• Fixing trails and installing new gates at Freeman Park, Heritage River Trail, Tyner Boulevard, and Carrie Jane Gray Park.
• Replacing the chiller system at Kopar Memorial Arena to improve safety, reduce the volume of ammonia levels, and extend the life of the facility.
• Installing 844 metres of new concrete sidewalk and renewing the parking lots at Elksentre and Royal Lot.
• Upgrading aging stormwater system infrastructure.

“Recreation spaces like Freeman Park and Spruce City Stadium are where communities come together, where kids learn teamwork and memories are made,” said the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada.

“Through the Canada Community-Building Fund, Prince George is investing in infrastructure that will have lasting positive impacts on the community.”

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The Prince George Chamber of Commerce is calling all local businesses to put their names forward for it’s 40th annual Business Excellence Awards.

The award categories are as follows:

– Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Fortis BC
– Excellence in Technological Innovation, sponsored by MNP
– BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) Business of the Year, sponsored by KPMG
– Excellence in Entertainment and Attractions, sponsored by Tourism Prince George
– Excellence in Not For Profit and Community Service, sponsored by Vitreo Minerals
– Excellence in Customer Service, sponsored by Canadian Tire
– Excellence in Environmental Impact, sponsored by UNBC
– Excellence in Promotions and Marketing, sponsored by Kopar Administration
– Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Canfor
– Business of the Year
– Excellence in Food and Beverage
– Excellence in Business Philanthropy

Nominations can be made online by visiting the Prince George Chamber’s website and are open until August 3rd.

The five finalists in each Business Excellence Awards category and the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will be revealed at a lunchtime announcement at Knox Performance Centre
on September 11th.

“I love all of these awards and the local businesses, business people, and not-for-profits shining in these categories but I do have two favourites,” Neil Godbout, executive director of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release.

The awards will be handed out at a gala event, featuring keynote speaker Jody Wilson-Raybould, on Saturday, November 1st, at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre.

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To reduce the likelihood of wildfires caused by recreational acitivities, the Coastal Fire Centre in Parksville will prohibit campfires as of noon on Thursday for Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

The ban will remain in effect until the end of October, or until the order is rescinded.

Outdoor gas stoves used for camping which are CSA or ULC rated and approved are exempt from the ban, along with devices that burn charcoal briquettes, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel, and have a flame height less than 15 centimetres.

The earlier ban on Category 2 and Category 3 open fires remains in place.

The campfire ban applies to areas outside of municipal boundaries, but towns and cities usually follow the lead of the lead of the BC Wildfire Service and impose their own.

It’s recommended that people check with with their local municipality before lighting a fire.

The BC Wildfire Service says its prohibition does apply to the following types of land within municipal boundaries:

– Parks, conservancies and recreation areas (Park Act)
– Recreation sites, recreation trails, interpretive forest sites and trail-based recreation areas (Forest and Range Practices Act)
– Ecological reserves (Ecological Reserve Act)
– Wildlife management areas (Wildlife Act) and
– Private managed forest land (Private Managed Forest Land Act)

The BC Wildfire Service says violators can be issued a ticket for a fine of $1,150, and required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000.

If convicted in court, they face a fine of up to $100,000 or sentenced to one year in jail – or both.

If a campfire causes a wildfire, they may be ordered to pay the firefighting costs.

Open fires are the largest cause of human-caused fires in the province, which divert resources from naturally occurring wildfires.

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Fighting above her weight class turned into a bronze medal for a Prince George Judo athlete.

15-year-old Olivia Wisniowski of the Northern Judo Club reached the podium at the 2025 Copa Minas de Judo in Brazil after competing in the senior women’s 78-kg category.

Olivia is in Brazil with Team BC along with three other Prince George products including Preston Holt and Alandra Steiger of the PG Judo Club and Yannick Schimann (Hart Judo Academy).

In addition, Jason Zazelenchuk (Northern Judo Club) is competing at the Summer Judo Nationals in Honolulu, Hawaii this weekend (July 19 and 20).

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Sports by Hartley Wednesday, July 16th, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game—-(in Atlanta)

National League  6  American League  6

For the first time in MLB All-Star Game history, the outcome was decided by a home run swing-off which was won by the National League 4-3.

The Toronto Blue Jays return to action Friday (4:07 PM PT) when they entertain the (52-45) San Francisco Giants.

The (55-41) Blue Jays are in first place in the American League East Division by two games over the (53-43) New York Yankees.

#

Jared Young of Prince George was recalled by the New York Mets from their Triple-A Syracuse farm club on Friday, which was a day after his 30th birthday.

Young is batting .171 with 3 homers and 5 RBI’s in 41 at bats this season with New York.

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

Hockey:

The Prince George Spruce Kings have committed to 2008 born forward Leon Mikhalchuk from Belarus for the 2025-2026 season.

DETAILS: https://t.co/qnp6uUEXAG pic.twitter.com/xBc4Rs8usT

— Prince George Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) July 15, 2025

World University Games:

125 varsity athletes from across Canada are dawning the Maple Leaf for almost two weeks as they participate in the FISU World University Summer Games that begin today (Wednesday) in Germany.

The athletes will compete in nine sports: archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.

UNBC’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, Loralyn Murdoch is among four Operations Officers for Canada’s Mission Staff at this event.

Special Olympics BC Summer Games:

Host Prince George athletes earned no less than 49 medals at the Special Olympics BC Summer Games.

This includes 14 in ten pin bowling, 11 in track and field, 11 in rhythmic gymnastics, 8 in swimming, 2 in golf, 2 in power lifting and 1 in basketball.

A grand total of 1,347 medals were handed out to the 870 athletes that participated in ages ranging  from 13 to 73.

The P.G. results included:

10-pin bowling : The 14 PG medals was headlined by 2 gold medals apiece won by Carol West and KC Westerman.

Track and field:  The 11 PG medals included Tyler Lefebvre winning 5 in the wheelchair divisions. He was joined by Marinka VanHage’s 3-medal performance, 2 earned by Randella Willier, and a silver by Spencer Rourke.

Rhythmic gymnastics: The 11 PG medals included Michaela Samsonoff with 4 gold and 1 silver in Level 3; Darcie Muzychka 4 gold and 1 silver in Level 4 and Angela Hills with 1 bronze in Level 3.

Swimming: The 8 PG medals was led by David Dunn with 5 (3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze). Carla Caputo, Dallas Poole, and Brooklyn Sherba each earned 1 medal.

Golf: The 2 PG medals included Joshua Pudney with gold and Daniel Lafreniere with silver, joined on the team by Rita Cavenaile.

Powerlifting: The 2 PG medals came from Leif Skuggedal with gold and Diana Bramble  with silver.

Basketball: The 1 PG medal was a bronze and included athletes from Prince George and Quesnel.

Bocce: It was a 4th place finish by Ruth Caldwell, Tara Chiasson, Isaac Goudal, and Adrian Rosen of Prince George.

More results can be found here.

The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games in figures:

• 870 athletes with intellectual disabilities ranging in age from 13 to 73 competed with determination

• 332 volunteer coaches and mission staff supported the athletes from their home Regions

• From 46 communities across the province

• 1,347 medals awarded to proud athletes

• 845 Games volunteers made the events possible

PG Senior Lacrosse 

Game two in the best of 5 final will be played tonight (Wednesday) with Game three Thursday.

The Devils won the opener handily, 14-3 over the Assault on Monday.

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The Williams Lake City Council directed staff to combine two items into one future report for potential new locations for outdoor facilities in the Lake City.

Council received the report and presentation from the Williams Lake Pickleball Club (WLPC) on looking for a permanent court in the city. Council also combined item ‘F4’ of the Council Meeting’s July 15th Agenda, which looked at the Rotary Club’s desire to develop Comer Park into a dedicated dog park, into a future staff report.

The report is directed to look into and “identify” properties and locations that are suitable, or more suitable, to house a pickleball court [and dog park in Comer Park].

In the last Committee of the Whole Meeting, the WLPC proposed adding four courts to be constructed near a dog park on Western Avenue, across from the Thompson Rivers University campus.

Council and City Staff proposed the idea of a full report to see which areas are suitable for a court, to address potential concerns. Concerns around building pickleball courts are mainly due to the noise from the paddles hitting the balls throughout the day and night. City Staff question if building a court in a residential area is the best option. When the report is completed, the Staff will bring it back to Council, WLPC, and the public to decide.

“I think the intent was clear from Council that we support the Pickleball Club Society,” Councillor Scott Nelson said. Nelson was very on-board with the project of a pickleball court, with it being proposed as a near 25 year partnership with City to build courts.

“We want to find them space. That proposed space may not be the perfect space, but the intent of Council was we wanted to provide some sort of long-term stability.”

Councillor Angie Delainey, in favour of a pickleball court, suggested the report “took an inventory” on what facilities and amenities Williams Lake already provides. Delainey’s concerns was that a court will be built and take away a field or potential space.

The City’s Chief Administrative Officer, Gary Muracam said the report will be designed exactly Delainey’s proposed intent, and that removing a field or park “will never be staff’s recommendation.”

An amendment was made to bring item ‘F4’, the Rotary Club’s proposal to build a dog park at Comer Park, year-round, was attached to the location search for a pickleball court.

Councillor Jazmyn Lyons, as were the other councillors, was in favour of getting a new dog park in Williams Lake. Lyons said, the Rotary Club has spent a few months developping the idea of a new dog park, including how the Club could budget for their own funding for the project. She also says many people are feeling unsafe walking their pets around the dog park in Boitanio Park.

“ I guess there’s an unofficial dog walking club and they[the Rotary Club] actually use that park quite often,” says Lyons. “There’s a lot of people that were very worried, and this is a nice, open, safer feeling spot for them to use versus the dog park that’s actually in Boitanio Park.”

The President of the Pickleball Club was given an opportunity to speak on if she understood the Council’s decision for a report. The president said that she understood the City Council’s intent and support on “finding the right spot for our club to call home.”

The motion, with the amendment, to direct City Staff to report on potential locations was passed unanimously.

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Sections of the Cariboo Regional District’s office in Williams Lake will look a little different in the near future.

On Friday (July 11) the Board approved a recommendation to install some fencing for security purposes.

Board Chair Margo Wagner said a concern came from the library staff that there were people accessing the library and behaving in an unappropriated manner.

“One particular person was removed four times four times in one day by the RCMP and kept coming back. Our main priority obviously is the safety of our staff so CEO Murray Daly made the recommendation to the Board that we put up some fencing.”

Wagner said the library main entrance will be the same, there won’t be any gate or anything.

“The fencing will be in the atrium area around the library’s outdoor seating area where no one can loiter who isn’t a staff member of the library. It still allows staff members to go out and have lunch and there is a one way gate that will allow them to get out. It’s unfortunate but our primary concern is the safety of the staff and when they express to CEO Daly that they don’t feel safe then the Board unfortunately has to step up and do something.”

Wagner added that they will also be putting up some fencing around the loading bay of the CRD as that apparently is an issue.

“We have hired security to walk the sidewalks and try to assist in moving these people along but that’s only 5 days a week during office hours but it’s becoming a bit of a problem at other times too.”

Wagner noted that this is really no different than what Northern Development Initiative Trust in Prince George did at their downtown location.

“It’s unfortunate and I sympathize with the people that are suffering from addictions and have no fixed address right now but our big thing is when staff are complaining that they’re concerned about their safety then we have to do something and fencing is really our only option.”

Wagner said we (CRD) all expressed a bit of concern and it’s too bad that we have got to this stage but unfortunately that is the times we’re in.

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For three weeks, the 100 Mile House RCMP have had reports of mailboxes being broken into on Telqua Drive near 108 Mile Ranch.

“It’s the same location that has been occurring for the last few weeks, near the 108 Golf Resort,” says Sergeant Brian Lamb.

The latest incident was reported on July 14, when police were called to Telqua Drive to investigate the damage done to the set of community mailboxes. Lamb says that Police believe the initial incident occurred over the weekend on July 11 and 12.

Police say it is not yet known if any mail has been stolen.

“I would advise anyone who was affected to report it to Canada Post, and watch your mail for different things that could be an indicator of mail fraud,” Lamb says.

Lamb says there have been a number of incidents involving damaged mailboxes in the 108 area on Telqua Drive over the last few weeks.

The first recent report was on June 28, when RCMP got a report of theft in the 4000 Block of Telqua Drive. At the time, police found that seven mailboxes had been pried open, but it is not known when the break-ins exactly occurred, nor what was taken.

Another incident of mailboxes being damaged was reported on July 5. It was unknown in this incident what may or may not have been taken.

Police say Canada Post is aware of each of the incidents that have occurred over the last few weeks. The RCMP asks if anyone has any information, has seen suspicious activity in the area, or footage of the break-ins to contact the 100 Mile House RCMP detachment and Canada Post.

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It may take a while to see the impacts of Nanaimo’s decision to eliminate minimum parking requirements for new developments downtown, according to a Nanaimo city planner. 

City council approved removing minimum requirements at a meeting earlier this month, leaving the amount of parking incorporated into new projects up to developers. 

BACKGROUND: Nanaimo looks to eliminate off-street parking requirements for downtown developments 

“I think that it might be a little bit different to predict exactly what visible changes will be noticed by residents,” said Lainya Rowett, manager of current planning for the city. “I think the opportunity for developers to decide how much parking is going to be best suited for their development will be noticeable.” 

Rowett said there will still be requirements for accessible parking and bike parking, but the rest will be determined by the market. 

“We may not necessarily see a number of buildings going up that provide no parking – quite likely they will provide some parking as the market demands so in terms of seeing that incremental change with reduced parking experienced in the downtown area, that will likely be a long-term change,” she said. 

Before council voted to eliminate the requirements, developers already had options to provide reduced parking downtown. There was a “cash in-leu” program, which Rowett said did not see a lot of uptake. 

There was also an exemption for a limited number of parking spaces for commercial developments. 

“Downtown has always been an area where lower parking rates have been supported and seem to work really well,” she said. “We know that car ownership is lower in our downtown urban centre so that won’t necessarily change dramatically but I think what really will change is giving developers an opportunity to really decide what makes a viable project and then what meets the city’s policies and guidelines for having a walkable form in our downtown.” 

The city is undergoing a review of its parking bylaws, and Rowett said other parts of the city could see changes in the future. These could include reduced parking requirements for developments near transit lines and changes to other urban centres. 

For now, the changes are specific to downtown, which is the part of the city with the most mixed-uses and highest concentration of population.  

“The downtown really provides one of the most vibrant neighborhoods and areas of our city and we really hope that this will be another part of our city plan and vision for Nanaimo and the opportunity to attract new development in our downtown – so close to waterfront and excellent services, as well as the necessary day-to-day components of transit and employment and schools and things like that,” Rowett said. 

Rowett said the planning department has discussed the potential for the new rules to create more demand for on-street parking and it will take time to see the impacts. 

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Northern BC home sales were ahead of their 10-year average in June after 476 unit sales were made according to the BC Real Estate Association.

That’s a year-over-year spike of 11.7% when compared to the same time last year.

Economist, Amit Sidhu told Vista Radio our region has weathered the economic chaos just fine.

“Ever since all of this uncertainty got introduced in the United States, the north has remained by and large the the most resilient region when it comes to sales activity. June was more of the same story as we had an 11.7% increased when compared to June of 2024 with 476 unit sales.”

“More affordable areas such as the northern region have continued to remain really resistant and we don’t expect that to change very much because the rate environments are really steady and prospective buyers who have entered the market continue to do so.”

He added while the local economy is going through some challenges, the housing market remains in good shape.

“We don’t really see any signs or caution for this to slow down. There are some worries about how the northern economy is performing as we have seen some job losses and downward trends in economic growth relative to the headline provincial numbers.”

The average price for a home in the north is $475,268 – a 5% jump from 12 months earlier.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association reports 7,162 residential unit sales were recorded last month, up 1.3 per cent from June 2024.

The average residential price in BC last month was down 4.2 per cent at $954,065 compared to $995,614 in June 2024.

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Grace Cassidy and Ociah Woodruff have been crowned the 2025 Quesnel Ambassadors.

Cassidy and Woodruff will be the new representatives for Quesnel’s Youth across local and regional events, building new skills in public speaking and leadership while immersed in the countless volunteer opportunities over the next year.

“It feels and is such an honour,” said Ociah Woodruff, after being announced as one of the new Ambassadors.

“I’ve been wanting this for so long, I’ve lived here my whole life, and I love Quesnel from the bottom of my heart.”

Grace Cassidy affirmed her own happiness of being named an Ambassador through some tears of joy, and said how much she enjoyed the Leadership Program.

“I’m so proud of everyone who did the program, and I’m so excited to see what the next year is going to be like.”

The final night of the Quesnel Ambassador Leadership Program (QALP), held at Echen Deni Nen Keyoh Hall, was MC’d by the 2023 Quesnel Ambassadors, Avery Cassidy and Jamie–Lynn Fedoruk. The Awards Ceremony started with a recognition of all the sponsors, and Williams Lacey Real Estate, who helped organize and put on QALP, from the Director, Cara Nault.

The 2025 candidates, Grace Cassidy, Finley Clausen, Dylan Cross, and Ociah Woodruff, performed a dance number after the opening speeches with the now outgoing 2024 Quesnel Ambassadors Lacy MacDonald and Jayla Wheeler, who received an honorarium and good-bye before the 2025 candidates were announced.

Each candidate also reflected on what they learned and overcame during the six-month program. Each one spoke on the bonds made with each other, and how their love for the City and communities has grown. They each thanked their sponsors for supporting their journey through QALP.

After, the candidates were asked their final impromptu question reflecting on their time in the QALP: “What advice would you give to a 10-year-old version of yourself?”

Cassidy’s answer was to push her comfort levels more, and be courageous to go to more community events when if she felt nervous.

“Don’t let other people’s words get to you, and trust in yourself,” was Finley Clausen’s advice to his 10-year-old self. Clausen also said that through QALP, he had gained more confidence through the program.

Dylan Cross advised her former self and all 10-year-olds to “not worry so much” as nothing can be worse than the worse worst case scenario one could envision.

Finally, Ociah Woodruff advised her self to have more self-confidence and to “continue being that inner child you are, and never care what people think.”

After a short intermission for fresh air, and to allow the judges, former winners of QALP, community members, and a representative of the MLA’s office, to adjudicate the answers and decide on the ambassadors, Councillor Laurey–Anne Roodenburg gave a heartfelt speech congratulating the candidates on making it through the program.

Then, through many smiles but also many tears, the 2024 Ambassadors, MacDonald and Wheeler, were given a final special last promenade with a final reflection on their time and friendships through QALP.

Lastly, before the announcement of the new Ambassadors, the Awards were handed out.

Finley Clausen won the Bob Graham and Public Speaking awards. Grace Cassidy won the Most Improved Speech and Friendship awards, and Ociah Woodruff won the Knowledge and Presentation Awards.

Grace Cassidy and Ociah Woodruff were selected as the two new Ambassadors, and are excited for the journey they are embarking on through the community.

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Huble Homestead is inviting families to its Kids Carnival taking place on Sunday.

The one day event has been going on since 2007, bringing magic shows, a a mini rail, along with the opening of the new Huble Children’s Playhouse.

Executive Director Krystal Leason said this has been part of their strategic plan since 2009.

“There is historical precedent for it. Al Huble wrote in his diary in late June of 1918, that he built a child’s playhouse.”

“He had four daughters at the time, and they would’ve love to play in it, and we hope that our visitors will too.”

Kids Carnival runs from 10:30am to 4pm, with the ribbon cutting for the Huble Children’s Playhouse will be at 11am, and family admission is $10.

More information about the event can be found on Huble Homestead’s website here.

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Hungry bears will have a harder time feasting in Nelson’s downtown core as the city rolls out 35 new bear-resistant garbage bins. 

In a news release, the City of Nelson said it has partnered with Kootenay Lake Tourism to install the bins downtown, replacing all existing trash cans to better protect the community and local wildlife. 

The new bins are the Freedom 32 model, manufactured by Canadian supplier Haul-All. 

They feature a hands-free foot pedal, as well as a handle for snowy months, and are certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC).

That means they’ve passed rigorous testing – including live bear trials in Yellowstone and Montana – to ensure a high level of bear resistance. 

While no container is completely “bear-proof” due to factors like improperly secured lids, the city said these bear-resistant bins are a significant step forward in reducing human-wildlife conflict and protecting both residents and the bears that call the region home. 

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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Prince George City Council voted on a number of recommendations from the City’s Heritage Commission at last night’s (Monday) meeting.

During a regular council meeting in March, Prince George Heritage Commission Chair Dr. George Davison outlined many of the issues the Commission has been facing, such as a reduced number of meetings, and a reduction in City staff support.

During the March meeting, City Council had voted on a referral motion to have a staff report come back on five recommendations Davison made to Council.

The item came back to the Council table at the regular council meeting on June 23rd, where Council voted to postpone the vote to last night’s meeting.

The first recommendation included was to increase the number of Commission meetings from four to seven annually.

Manager of Legislative Services Ethan Anderson stated increasing the number of meetings would have an impact on his division’s staff.

“With the introduction of the Public Safety Committee, the Citizen Recognition Committee, and the Remuneration Committee that you’re going to discuss later tonight, my staff are pretty stretched thin already,” he said.

“It’s just three meetings, but there’s all these other committees that are also adding meetings, so I would request that perhaps this be put on hold until 2027 when the election work and those committees have expired.”

Councillor Trudy Klassen moved to increase the number of meetings.

“We have a really eager group of people, highly skilled, highly talented, highly interested, and I think to honour their time that they’ve already spent in attending a number of meetings and due to the various issues that they outlined in their letter to us, they haven’t gotten much done,” she said.

“I think when we’re asking for members of the public to join our committees, we need to properly support them and enable them to have some success.”

The motion was defeated.

The next recommendation that came up was increasing the number of commission members from nine to 12.

Anderson stated staff would have to bring back a bylaw amendment to increase the number of members.

“We’d advertise, I believe there’s an appointment aspect of this, so we’d reach out to those organization,” he explained.

“We’d bring the applications to Council, and they would appoint the successful members.”

This motion passed.

A resolution to endorse reconciliation with the Lheidli T’enneh through future Commission projects was referred to staff.

“I would feel more confident having staff have a conversation with Lheidli to make sure that they are wanting to engage with us on this before we direct the Heritage commission to do that,” said Councillor Cori Ramsay.

A final motion to have a staff report returned to Council on increasing staff support for the commission was also passed.

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Grand Forks City Council has authorized the establishment of its own animal control officer and bylaw. 

Animal control in the city was historically contracted through the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), but the company withdrew in June following criticism over an apparent lack of service. 

At that point, discussions at the board level encouraged each area to consider taking over its own animal control, prompting council to begin the process of transitioning the service in-house. 

Grand Forks CAO Duncan Redfearn told council on Monday that the City is only overseeing animal control within the municipal boundary. 

The City recently approved the addition of an animal control/bylaw enforcement position, which is already posted and closes on July 21. 

Redfearn said the new role will also address broader community safety concerns in addition to animal control enforcement. 

“Council is increasing the presence of bylaw in the community and moving forward after this position is hired, particularly during the peak season between spring and fall.” 

Council has also extended bylaw enforcement hours beyond 8 p.m. on weekdays to respond to concerns that arise outside of the current 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. 

As a result, new service hours will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and from noon to 8 p.m. on weekends. 

While each bylaw officer may have a specific area of focus – such as community safety or animal control – Redfearn emphasized that officers are responsible for enforcing all municipal bylaws. 

The animal control bylaw itself remains largely unchanged from what was previously imposed by the regional district, including penalties and fines. 

Council will be able to develop its own animal control bylaw in the future, but legally must wait until the RDKB dissolves its existing bylaw, as Redfearn explained that the municipality cannot impose two bylaws that contradict each other. 

“We’re limited to the RDKB bylaw right now. The fees and charges are limited to what’s outlined there, as well as the fines,” said Redfearn.  

“So we’re just mirroring what was in the RDKB bylaw. The only real difference is that residents now contact City Hall instead of the RDKB. We also have a 24/7 answering service at City Hall, so calls can come in at any time.” 

Once the RDKB dissolves its animal control bylaw, council can move forward with creating its own. 

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The Regional District of Nanaimo and the District of Lantzville have received $80,000 for emergency preparedness training and equipment from the province. 

According to a press release issued by the two districts, the money will allow them both to stay up to date with emergency management best practices. 

“Emergency preparedness is extremely important for an effective response to emergencies and disasters in our region. The RDN is grateful for the funding from the government of British Columbia which will help the region be more resilient to hazards. We look forward to working with our partners in using this training and equipment to the benefit of the residents in our region,” says RDN board chair Vanessa Craig. 

Training and exercises will be tailored to hazards in the communities and will provide “real scenario context for a comprehensive training experience,” according to the news release. 

Emergency management staff in the District of Lantzville, City of Parksville, Town of Qualicum Beach, City of Nanaimo, Snuneymuxw First Nation, Snaw-Naw-As First Nation and Qualicum First Nation will be invited to participate.  

 “The District of Lantzville values the services provided by the Regional District of Nanaimo through our contract for Emergency Services.  The securing of this grant funding on our behalf enables enhancement of our overall emergency programs throughout the Region.  The opportunities for training are critical to ensure all parties are well prepared and coordinated with each other in the event of an emergency,” says Lantzville mayor Mark Swain. 

Equipment purchased with the grant will maintain and improve the RDN and Lantzville’s operational capacity with item such as emergency food, rolling white boards and rapid damage assessment field kits, the press release notes. 

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After a tragic incident in Powell River last week, the community is being asked to rally around a forestry worker’s family. 

Ron Hollingsworth was killed in a workplace accident on July 10, and a GoFundMe has been organized to support his family in their grieving time. 

The GoFundMe said Hollingsworth was a true family man and was deeply involved in the lives of his children and community. 

“His sudden passing has left an unimaginable void for his wife and children, and we are rallying together to support them through this devastating time.” 

All funds raised will go directly to his wife and children to cover immediate expenses, support the kids’ future needs, and allow the family to grieve in space without financial worry. 

North Island Powell River MP Aaron Gunn took to social media after hearing the news, and said it serves as a daily reminder of the risks many resource workers face. 

“Very saddened to hear of the passing of a forestry worker in Powell River this week who died doing the job they loved, just months from retirement.” 

As of July 15, $19,730 has been raised of a $24,000 goal. 

To donate, click here. 

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Prince George City Council has voted to replace a garbage truck in the city.

At last night’s (Monday) meeting, City Council approved a budget of $750,000 for the purchase.

According to Director of Civic Operations Blake McIntosh, this will replace a garbage truck damaged in a motor vehicle incident in May last year.

A staff report to Council stated the unit was deemed non-repairable and written off by ICBC.

“The balance of the reserve fund is partially offset by $375,000 in insurance recovery,” McIntosh said.

“Approval of the funding would support the purchase of the replacement unit as quick as possible.”

When asked if there would be a strain on other units while waiting for the new one, McIntosh said they’re already in that situation.

“Luckily we had a unit that was set to go to auction when this incident occurred, and we were able to invest some money to still achieve the service levels for solid waste collection,” McIntosh said.

“It is what it is right now, these units are specialized, you can’t rent them, you just have to keep investing in the existing one until the new one arrives.”

He also noted it take roughly 16-18 months for the new unit to be delivered.

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As of noon on Thursday, a campfire ban will be in place on the Sunshine Coast.

The Sunshine Coast Regional District says the ban will begin at noon on July 17 across the Sunshine Coast and will remain until Friday, October 31, or until the order is rescinded.

The SCRD says the Coastal Fire Centre will maintain its current Category 2 and Category 3 open fire prohibitions.

The regional district says the campfire ban “includes all fires whether for warmth or cooking and all beach fires, burning barrels, fireworks, firecrackers and sky lanterns.”

The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or portable campfire devices that use briquettes, liquid, or gaseous fuel, provided they are CSA or ULC approved, and the height of the flame is less than 15 centimetres.

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The BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) is investigating after the grizzly bear on Texada Island was shot and killed Monday. 

The COS began an investigation after the RCMP received a report of the bear being shot and possibly wounded by a member of the public in the Van Anda area. 

In a social media post, the COS said they arrived on Texada Island Monday to investigate and found the bear today. 

“The COS can confirm it is the tagged grizzly bear seen on Texada Island in recent weeks, and that it was shot.” 

They added the bear will undergo a necropsy. 

The bear first was spotted on Texada Island at the end of May and was the subject of numerous relocation efforts. 

The COS is continuing with their investigation of the shooting and asks anyone with information to contact the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277. 

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Unionized workers at StellarVista Credit Union branches in Castlegar and Slocan Park have overwhelmingly rejected the employer’s latest contract offer, extending job action into it’s 15th week. 

Eleven members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-405 in Castlegar and Slocan Park have been on strike for more than 14 weeks. 

A press release from USW stated that 10 days of mediation with a B.C. Labour Relations Board provincial mediator led to the USW bargaining committee agreeing to take back a tentative settlement for members to vote on, without a recommendation to settle. 

Following a review, members rejected the settlement by a vote of 10–1. 

The determining factor, according to the union, was the employer’s offer of lump sums in the first two years of the agreement, and a 2 per cent increase in the third year – along with the elimination of hard-won provisions that the union said have been in the collective agreement for decades. 

USW agreed to return to mediation on July 14 and 15, but made it clear that the membership will not accept concessions to resolve the strike. 

Following the July 14 mediation, the union said it appeared that the employer “isn’t willing” to move closer to a path to an agreement. 

“The employer continues to propose lump sums instead of wage increases – although upper management, including the CEO, took a 5 per cent wage increase in 2024 – and eliminate ATO (accumulated time off),” said the USW in a statement. 

“The employer also continues to threaten the elimination of employee banking benefits – including removing those hard-earned benefits for retirees that were offered those benefits in writing when they retired.” 

As a result, the USW bargaining committee rejected the employer’s slightly adjusted offer outright, and the strike continues. 

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

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The Prince George RCMP is looking for witnesses for a pair of assaults on July 4th.

Police say the investigation began just after 4:00 a.m. when a witness reported seeing a man get hit over the head with a baseball bat near the 100-block of George Street.

When officers attended, the victim and assailant weren’t able to be located.

“Surveillance from this initial investigation shows a man wearing a black jacket, white t-shirt and black pants get assaulted by another man wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt and jeans.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.

Two hours later, police attended the same area for a man that collapsed on the ground, but passed away after being transported to the hospital.

Investigators believe that the deceased may have been the victim of a second assault related to the initial investigation.

Anyone with information on either assault is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

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Nanaimo’s governance and priorities committee voted down the idea of a bylaw regulating demolition practices in the city. 

The committee was asked if it wants city staff to investigate how the city could use bylaws to keep construction waste out of the landfill. After hearing from industry representatives, it voted in favour of an education approach, rather than regulation. 

A staff report to the committee noted building materials account for seven per cent of all commercial waste in the Regional District of Nanaimo. 

“Since 2020, 168 demolition permits have been issued in the City of Nanaimo. Of those permits, 82 per cent were for single-family homes, while 12 per cent were for commercial buildings,” reads the staff report. “Of those single-family dwelling permits issued within the last year (April 2024 to Jun 2025), 90 per cent were for homes built before 1975, with 52 per cent of those built before 1960.” 

Councillor Ben Geselbracht argued in favour of regulation, pointing to the impact it could have on taxpayers who will eventually have to pay for a new landfill. 

“Our landfill is coming to end of life and it’s actually quite expensive, a cubic metre of landfill space, and we are actually going to have to start contemplating sighting a new landfill and imagine trying to figure out where to put another one in the RDN and the expense to that,” Geselbracht said. 

He also pointed out regulating recycling creates opportunity and jobs in the industry. 

“We have the ability to move these materials, however there is just such an old carry over that maybe only 50 per cent of the building being demolished are being separated out and reused and really at the base level, a bylaw that just deals with recycling, we just ensure that everybody is doing what we can already do and it just sets a basic minimum standard,” Geselbracht said. 

Mayor Leonard Krog was against investigating a bylaw and said he believed it could send the wrong message to the development community. 

“I am not satisfied that the mere creation of a bylaw in and of itself would do anything other than send a signal to what I will call the “green” side of the community, that yes, Nanaimo is on board with the 21st century and here we go – as opposed to the message it may send to the business community, which is – here’s Nanaimo with another regulation that is going to make harder for us to take down existing structures and construct the new housing that the city desperately wants.” 

The committee defeated the motion to investigate bylaw options with councillors Paul Manly, Ben Geselbracht and Hilary Eastmure in favour. 

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Blue Lagoon Resources officially opened their Dome Mountain gold mine on July 9th.

The company took over the project located about 66 kilometers east of Smithers in 2020 and received its final mining permit in February of this year.

“Seeing it come to fruition has been incredibly satisfying,” said President and CEO Rana Vig.

He added several who attended the opening event shared his satisfaction with some having been involved for over 20 years.

The mine is expected to pull about 15,000 ounces of gold annually which will be processed at Nicola Mining’s facility in Merrit.

“There was tremendous struggle getting the project up and running because there are so many regulations around mining and rightly so,” said Vig.

The mine is expected to create more jobs in the region and will be looking to local suppliers for their operations.

“This project is a reminder that even amid global economic headwinds, B.C.’s vibrant mineral-exploration and mining sector is pushing forward, bringing stability, prosperity and sustainability to our province,” Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, said in a statement.

“This milestone also represents a meaningful step forward in reconciliation, made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Province and the Lake Babine Nation.”

The mine’s opening was delayed after receiving their last permit to finish work on its water treatment facility.

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Cranbrook’s Bowen Byram has signed a two-year, 12.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

The two sides avoided arbitration with the new deal.

Byram will receive $6.25 million per season.

Two more years of Bo in Buffalo #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/j42mjk1YyZ

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) July 15, 2025

Byram tallied seven goals and 31 assists in 82 games this last season.

This contract will bring him to UFA status at the end of the 2026-27 season.

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The Cops for Cancer Tour de North team will be holding a scheduled group ride on Sunday morning, their first without Shane Kelly after passing during a hit and run in PG last week.

The ride will begin just after 8am from the overflow parking lot of the PG Aquatic Centre on 18th Avenue. The public is encouraged to arrive for the send off 15 minutes earlier (7:45 AM).

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper with the Prince George RCMP spoke with MyPGNow.com.

“We have seen such an overwhelming amount of support in the community and this is just one more way for us to keep Shane’s memory alive as well as continue to raise money for something he was truly passionate about.”

On Sunday, the peloton will be travelling:

• From the 1700-block of George Paul Lane to the 3000-block of Massey Drive via Foothills Boulevard and Highway 97 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
• South on Highway 97 to Hixon between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
• North on Highway 97 returning to Prince George between 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The ride will be escorted by RCMP, BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), and BC Sheriffs.

Motorists should expect short delays along this route, as escorts manage traffic to allow for safe passing.

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The Moricetown Mud Races are returning to Witset after taking a six-year hiatus. 

This year’s event is also in memory of Chris Gagnon, who originally organized the event. 

“We have a great group of volunteers and we’ve been rebuilding bleachers, the announcer booth,” said Organizer Charmayne Nikal. 

She added the event will look a little different than it did in years past. 

Food vendors will be on site and a kid’s zone is being hosted including face painting. 

Nikal said the event originally went on hiatus due to a lack of volunteers which was prolonged due to the COVID pandemic. 

“Then unfortunately, my father [Gagnon] had gotten in a bad accident, so we didn’t think it was fair to run the event at that time. Now, we’re bringing it back.” 

The event runs on Saturday and Sunday with tickets available at the entrance. 

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The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District (KERHD) Board of Directors has approved an additional $30.2 million for the F.W. Green Memorial Home Redevelopment in Cranbrook.

Interior Health recently informed the board that the project cost would go from $156 million to $232 million and requested that the hospital district fund 40 per cent of the difference.

“Every single member of our Board fully supports this project. We all recognize how critical these new long term beds are for our region and how much residents of this facility deserve the quality-of-life improvements that will come with this new space. But these are staggering numbers,” said KERHD chair David Wilks.

Hospital districts are not required to contribute to capital projects, but it is standard to fund 40 per cent.

However, Wilks said Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma made it clear that the project wouldn’t continue unless the board contributed the full 40 per cent.

“We as KERHD Directors were taken aback by the magnitude of the difference in estimated project costs, and the lack of consultation given the significance of our financial contribution as partners in this project,” Wilks added.

“There were concerns about the impact on taxpayers and, given the sharp and continued cost escalations we’ve already been subjected to, that this could create further risk. So, this was a challenging decision for this board to make.”

Wilks said they ended up approving the funding increase due to the impact this project will have on residents.

“In the end, recognizing the impact this project will have on families, on the clients who will call this new space home, to the regional hospital where beds are being occupied by long-term care patients due to a shortage of long-term care spaces, and to the staff at both the hospital and long-term care homes, we voted to support the additional $30.2 million funding request to ensure this project moves forward for our region.”

The KERHD covers the area from Creston to Golden to the Elk Valley.

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The City of Cranbrook claims an independent testing company has deemed the dirt used for a recent monster truck event was clean.

The dirt was one of the alleged issues that WorkSafeBC is fining the city over.

WorkSafeBC said the dirt used in the event was taken from the wastewater lagoon property and was not tested for contamination.

But the City said it was clean fill dirt stored at a higher elevation than the lagoons.

“The dirt used for the Monster Truck event was removed from a natural forested area for a road project extending 30th Avenue to connect to the College of the Rockies. The City’s dirt-handling practices and stockpiling of the material complied with the Environmental Management Plan at the time,” said city officials.

“This clean dirt was stored on the dry land upstream and at a higher elevation than the lagoons on the same property for four months of cold winter before it was trucked and piled in October, and used for the event in February. The risk of contamination travelling from the lagoons uphill, across land, to the clean dirt pile during the four months of winter is extremely low.”

City staff noted an independent testing company tested the remaining samples from the same dirt pile used for the event and the results came back clean.

The air system and seating areas at Western Financial Place were also tested for contaminants which, according to the City, came back clean as well.

The WorkSafeBC orders are deemed closed, meaning no further action is required by the City.

City officials added that they will continue to make changes for future events based on this order.

The City is still in the appeal process with WorkSafeBC and will be conducting a separate independent third-party investigation to determine the facts.

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An updated area for children to play outdoors is now open in the Comox Valley. 

The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and the Union Bay Community Club (UBCC) announced the new Union Bay playground is now open to the public. 

CVRD Area A Director Daniel Arbour said he’s thrilled to see the new playground completed. 

“This project is a true collaboration between the Union Bay Community Club and the CVRD, and I look forward to investing more in Area A recreation amenities. 

Work began in 2023 on replacing the previous Union Bay playground as it was determined to need a replacement. 

The UBCC received grant funding support from the Electoral Area A Baynes Sound Community Works Fund and the CVRD’s Parks service. 

Union Bay Community Club Board Member and Playground Project Manager Jenny Sagan said they’re grateful for the CVRD’s support in making their vision a reality. 

“We anticipate the playground being enjoyed by local families for many years to come.” 

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Cranbrook fire chief Scott Driver has received the prestigious Meritorious Achievement Award by the Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia.

Driver was given the award at the 94th Annual FCABC Conference and Education Summit in Penticton back in June.

The award recognizes a fire chief who has made a significant contribution to fire prevention, emergency response, and public safety across the province.

“We’re incredibly proud of chief Driver. This recognition highlights his dedication to public safety and the respect he’s earned across B.C. It’s an honour very well deserved,” said Mayor Wayne Price.

Driver has served as Director of the Kootenay Boundary Region, organizing regional training opportunities and participated wildfire mitigation and fire prevention committees.

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The Canadian Rockies International Airport saw its busiest June on record last month with just under 15,000 passengers travelling through the airport.

This represents a 750 passenger increase this June compared to last.

“Increased passenger volumes reflect a strong return to travel, growing confidence in regional tourism, and the value of connecting Cranbrook and the Kootenays to the world via Western Canada’s hub airports,” said airport manager Tristen Chernove.

“This record-setting June tells a powerful story about how people are rediscovering the beauty and accessibility of flying from YXC.”

The airport’s new on-site restaurant Delightfull is now open, offering breakfast, lunch and coffee to travelers and staff.

The airport has also joined the NotInMyCity campaign – a Canadian movement aimed at combatting human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Chernove says the airport is committed to increasing awareness, providing training for airport staff, and taking an active role in keeping vulnerable people safe.

“We’re focused on more than just numbers,” added Chernove.

“We’re building a gateway that reflects the values of our region—hospitality, safety and community care.”

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125 varsity athletes from across Canada are dawning the Maple Leaf for almost two weeks as they participate in the FISU World University Summer Games in Germany starting tomorrow (Wednesday).

The athletes will compete in nine sports: archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, rhythmic gymnastics, rowing, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.

This will be the first appearance for Canada at a Summer World University Games since Naples 2019.

UNBC’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, Loralyn Murdoch has been named Operations Manager for Canada’s Mission Staff at this event.

The games run from July 16-27.

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Families navigating through challenging medical journeys will have a place to stay in Prince George.

This fall, the Ronald McDonald House British Columbia and Yukon will be unveiling a new family support space inside UHNBC.

It will feature a stocked kitchen, dining area as well as a living room, bathroom with shower and sleeping area.

In addition, Enbridge is contributing $25,000 to build family rooms in PG and Kamloops.

“The Family Room is meant to allow families to remove themselves from the hospital setting. There are no beeping machines. The walls are painted differently. It’s designed to feel like a separate space so families can rest or step away for a moment from what they’re going through.”

“It’s been a goal of ours to expand across the province for a number of years. With local hospitals renovating to expand their pediatric and neonatal programs, it just makes sense to bring our services closer to where the families live.” said Stephanie Mosher, Vice President of Philanthropy, Ronald McDonald House British Columbia & Yukon

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A two vehicle collision over the weekend claimed a life.

On Saturday July 12 at 5:23 pm North District Corporal Madonna Saunderson said Williams Lake RCMP received a report of the incident on Highway 97 at Mountain House Road.

Saunderson said a Chev pickup and a Toyota Camry had collided and initial investigation indicates that the Toyota pulled out onto the highway in front of the pickup.

Sadly the driver of the Toyota was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Saunderson said there were three passengers in the Camry while the driver of the Chev pickup was the lone occupant.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Prince George City Council went through 33 resolutions relating to the Official Community Plan (OCP) at tonight’s (Monday) meeting.

These came back to the Council table with staff reports on resolutions presented during meetings held on April 9th and 16th.

The full list of resolutions and staff reports can be found here.

Two of the more high-profile resolutions surrounded Ginter’s, however they are separate from the OCP review process as they are a rezoning issue.

Resolution two asked for a report on removing the right-of-way and redesignating the portion of land between 18th Avenue and 22nd Avenue and between Massey Drive and Ferry Avenue to Park and Open Space.

Council unanimously approved submitting a road closure application for the right of way.

The next resolution asked for a report on rezoning the area as P1: Parks and Recreation.

Council also unanimously voted to proceed with the rezoning process following the approval of a road closure bylaw as outlined in the previous resolution.

According to Manager of Legislative Services Ethan Anderson, the next steps will be to compile the votes into a redline version of an updated OCP.

“We’re going to bring it back to a future meeting to get an amendment motion from Council on the bylaw,” Anderson explained.

“From there, we’ll ask you for establishing a special meeting to hold that new public hearing, we’ll do notification, do the public hearing, and then we’ll see where we’re at from there.”

Director of Planning and Development Deanna Wasnik said the plan is to have the redline version come back to Council in August, with the hope of having the public hearing in September.

“I have to remind Council, we do have a legislated deadline to have the OCP amended, either the new one adopted or the current one amended to address some housing legislation required by the province,” she said.

“The way this is all timed out with the August return to Council with the final version for review by Council of the OCP, public hearing in September, we should be able to make that deadline, but if there’s any further changes, that’s where we might have to relook at that to say we’re not going to make it with the 2025 OCP, so we might have to amend our 2011 that we’re using right now.”

Other items discussed tonight included responses to resolutions from the Prince George Heritage Commission’s Annual Report, and replacing a garbage truck damaged in an accident last year.

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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, July 15th, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

Hockey:

The Prince George Spruce Kings have added one of their former players to their coaching staff.

The BCHL team has announced that Sam Muchalla will be its Skills & Development Coach for the upcoming 2025-2026 season.

Muchalla, a former Spruce Kings captain, racked up 181 points (including 64 goals) in 161 games over three seasons from 2007 to 2010.

The Prince George Spruce Kings are proud to announce Sam Muchalla as the teams new Skills & Development Coach.

DETAILS: https://t.co/YpM59MLDAh pic.twitter.com/jNnN16pAlT

— Prince George Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) July 14, 2025

Former Prince George Cougars captain Hudson Thornton will be joining the University of Saskatchewan Huskies for the upcoming hockey season.

The 21-year-old Thornton spent the 2024-25 season with the Orlando Solar Bears and South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, as well as the Hershey Bears of the AHL.

Thornton. played for the Cougars from 2020 to 2024 and ranks first in goals (56), assists (140), points (196), and power-play goals (24).

He will be studying business at the University of Saskatchewan.

Huddy is headed to U of S!

Alumnus and former captain Hudson Thornton is joining @HuskieMHKY this upcoming season!

Congrats, Hudson!https://t.co/Cd9QEncWNZ

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) July 14, 2025

Special Olympics BC Summer Games:

Host Prince George athletes earned no less than 49 medals, including 14 in ten pin bowling, 11 in track and field, 11 in rhythmic gymnastics, 8 in swimming, 2 in golf, 2 in power lifting and 1 in basketball at the Special Olympics BC Summer Games.

A grand total of 1,347 medals were handed out to the 870 athletes that participated in ages ranging  from 13 to 73.

The P.G. results included:

Swimming: David Dunn, Carla Caputo, Dallas Poole, and Brooklyn Sherba achieved 8 medals between them, led by David’s 5-medal performance (three gold, one silver, one bronze), and each swimmer earned at least 1 medal.

Track and field: Tyler Lefebvre led the way for Prince George winning 5 medals in the wheelchair divisions. Joined by Marinka VanHage’s 3-medal performance, 2 earned by Randella Willier, and a silver by Spencer Rourke, PG track and field athletes together achieved 11 medals.

Rhythmic gymnastics: Prince George rhythmic gymnasts earned 11 medals – Angela Hills 1 bronze in Level 3; Michaela Samsonoff 4 gold and 1 silver in Level 3; Darcie Muzychka 4 gold and 1 silver in Level 4.

Golf: Joshua Pudney struck gold and Daniel Lafreniere won silver, joined on the team by Rita Cavenaile – 2 medals total.

Powerlifting: Leif Skuggedal pulled himself to the top of the podium and Diana Bramble struck silver, joined on the team by Sam Russell (unfortunately was unable to compete due to illness but still cheered on his team with passion) – 2 medals total.

Bocce: a fourth-place finish by Ruth Caldwell, Tara Chiasson, Isaac Goudal, and Adrian Rosen of Prince George.

Basketball: Athletes from Prince George and Quesnel teamed up and captured bronze in their division to mark the first-ever SOBC Games basketball podium result for a Region 8 team! This team’s result means that SOBC Games Athlete Ambassador Chase Caron earned one of the medal ribbons she designed!

10-pin bowling: Prince George’s bowlers earned 14 medals, headlined by 2 gold medals apiece won by Carol West and KC Westerman.

All names of the Region 8 (northeast BC) delegation athletes can be found on the roster: https://specialolympics.bc.ca/what-we-do/games-and-competitions/2025-special-olympics-bc-summer-games/2025-sobc-games-team-rosters/

The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games in figures:

• 870 athletes with intellectual disabilities ranging in age from 13 to 73 competed with determination

• 332 volunteer coaches and mission staff supported the athletes from their home Regions

• From 46 communities across the province

• 1,347 medals awarded to proud athletes

• 845 Games volunteers made the events possible

• Close to 10,000 meals served by dedicated volunteers

• 400 people with intellectual disabilities received valuable health advice and resources in Special Olympics Healthy Athletes screenings

Results can be found here.

MLB:

The 95th Major League Baseball All-Star game will be played tonight (just after 5:00 PT) in Atlanta.

The (55-41) Toronto Blue Jays are in first place in the American League East Division by two games over the (53-43) New York Yankees.

The Blue Jays will enter the All-Star break in 1st place in the division for the first time since 1993, and sixth time in franchise history:

2025
1993
1992
1991
1985
1983#LightsUpLetsGo

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) July 13, 2025

The Jays begin a 6-game homestand when they entertain the (52-45) San Francisco Giants Friday (4:07 PM PT).

#

Jared Young of Prince George is back in the Major Leagues after being recalled by the New York Mets from their Triple-A Syracuse farm club on Friday.

Young, as a pinch hitter, hit a sacrifice fly in the 9th inning for the Mets in their 3-2 Sunday loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Young, who turned 30 on July 9th is batting .171 with 3 homers and 5 RBI’s in 41 at bats this season with New York.

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

CFL:

The (3-3) B.C. Lions are back in action when they host the (4-1) Saskatchewan Roughriders Saturday at 4 PM.

Week 7 of the CFL season begins Thursday (4:30 PM PT) with (1-4) Toronto at (3-2) Montreal.

The CFL schedule are here.

BC Football Conference:

The Prince George Kodiaks are gearing up for their BC Football Conference (BCFC) season.

The Kodiaks play the first of their 10 games on Saturday when they host the Westshore Rebels at 6:00 at Masich Place Stadium.

More info on the BCFC can be found here.

PG Senior Lacrosse (First game in the championship series)

Devils  vs  Assault  (Monday game)

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The Exploration Place is up in arms over a rash in vandalism, theft as well a series of break and enters so far this summer.

Executive Director, Alyssa Leier told MyPGNow.com it’s been a myriad of incidents that has left the not-for-profit charity frustrated.

“Just over the summer we have had the garden cut open three or four times. We have had the train shed broken into multiple times, the school house broken into multiple times and we’ve had our loading bay security gate broken into twice.”

“All of this comes at a a cost.”

She adds any sort of these crimes come at a cost to the community when there are objects and artifacts that are damaged and cannot be replaced.

“When there is objects and artifacts that are destroyed in the process, those are not replaceable because they have history and importance to the community. They are ensured at a dollar because they are irreplaceable.”

“We work really hard to provide the public with great programs and exhibits. When this sort of thing takes place, it takes away what we can offer because it comes at a real cost.”

Leier mentioned while the targeted crime spree is frustrating, they are far from the only ones suffering the same fate.

“This is not isolated to the Exploration Place. This is something all of Prince George is dealing with as well as the province and our nation. I am very appreciative that the RCMP are taking our calls very seriously and they are consistently coming in here to talk to us.”

“Unfortunately, some people are really good at hiding in the dark.”

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Poor water conditions have forced Island Health to issue a health advisory and advise against swimming at the Maple Bay boat launch.

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Downtown Prince George is bringing back a summer favourite event this weekend.

On Saturday, Downtown Prince George is hosting the annual Downtown Summerfest, bringing food, entertainment, shopping, and other activities to Veterans Plaza at City Hall.

“I think I’m most excited just to see the community come together and be downtown, and really just have a great time at this event,” said Downtown Prince George Executive Director Chrisie Berry.

An outdoor food court will feature eight food trucks with a variety of dishes.

There will also be an outdoor market with 31 local and regional artisans and entrepreneurs showcasing their goods.

17 community partners are also putting on a kids and family zone, which includes rides on the Cottonwood Express, a petting zoo, and football challenges with the Prince George Kodiaks.

That day the Royal Canadian Legion is also putting on a pancake breakfast from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.

Downtown Prince George’s Event Bike Valet program will also be available during Downtown Summerfest.

“If people would like to ride their bikes, they can check them in and store them securely for free, and then pick them up when they’re all finished,” Berry said.

A full list of vendors, food options, and entertainment can be found here.

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Two people passed away while two others received medical attention following a fatal weekend rollover near the Tete Jaune Cache junction.

According to the RCMP, it happened at 4:37 pm on Friday (July 11) when police observed a Volkswagen Golf that rolled onto its roof.

Police say the vehicle was travelling east when it collided with a concrete barrier and flipped on to its roof, rolling a few times.

The investigation remains ongoing and Mounties are working to find a cause.

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Meet Tubs! She is this week’s Summit Radio Pet of the Week with the West Kootenay Branch of the BCSPCA.

This chunky Approximately 6-year-old spayed female is the perfect blend of cuddle and charm! Full of love and affection, she’s a pro at head boops, lap lounging, and heartwarming purrs. With her easygoing nature and big personality, she’s ready to bring warmth and joy to her forever home.

Looking for a low-key companion who gives big love? She’s your girl. Adopt her today and fill your home with snuggles!

Learn more about adopting Tubs here: https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/783843/

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A swim advisory at Transfer beach in Ladysmith has been lifted. It was put in effect on July 7 after testing show high levels of bacteria in the water.

“The decision to lift the advisory comes after recent testing, confirmed by Island Health, shows that bacteria levels in the water at Transfer Beach are below the recommended limit,” reads a news release from the town.

The beach opened for swimming again as of July 13.

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Trail RCMP are hoping to identify a man who allegedly yelled racial slurs at staff at a restaurant in the 700 block of Victoria Street on Saturday. 

Police say officers responded to reports of a man causing a disturbance in a drive-thru on July 12, just before 11 p.m. 

The man had become upset with the quality of his food and allegedly screamed into the intercom in the drive-thru lane of the restaurant. 

RCMP say he then approached the drive-thru window, banged on it with his fist, spat on the glass, and yelled racist slurs through the window at employees before driving away from the property. 

The man is described as Caucasian, 30 to 40 years old, and was wearing a hat.

He was driving a yellow, 2003 Chevrolet S10 truck with the B.C. licence plate XD5-227. 

The responding officer spoke with witnesses at the scene and collected video surveillance of the incident. 

The investigation is ongoing. 

If you know the identity of the driver, or the whereabouts of the truck, please contact the Trail Detachment at 250-364-2566 to speak with an investigator. 

“This kind of abusive behaviour toward people in the service industry is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. There are many ways to communicate and resolve a dispute without resorting to intimidation and violence,” says Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. 

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The highest honour the City of Courtenay has to offer was given to a community member for their contributions to the cultural and social life of the Comox Valley. 

Brian “Fuzz” Morissette was awarded the city’s Freedom of the City award at Courtenay’s Canada Day celebrations for his work as a musician, audio technician, mentor and his support of fundraisers. 

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells said Morissette exemplifies integrity, compassion and dedication, which is integral to the fabric of society. 

“He has given 50 years of service to the Comox Valley, always with humility, generosity and a contagious enthusiasm that brings people together.” 

Morissette has lived in the Comox Valley for more than 50 years. He has roots across the area as a former business owner, an RCMP auxiliary officer and a volunteer. 

The Simms Summer Concerts, Comox Valley Child Development Association telethons and Canada Day celebrations were all a result of Morissette’s volunteering efforts. 

The Freedom of the City award is the highest recognition a municipality can bestow, honouring those who have made outstanding and enduring contributions to their community. 

A formal presentation of the award will take place at a council meeting sometime this fall. 

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A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for both the East and West Kootenay. 

Environment Canada issues severe thunder storm watches when conditions are  favourable for the development of thunderstorms with one or more of the following:  

• Wind gusts of 90 km/h or greater, which could cause structural wind damage;   

• Hail of 2.5 centimetres (cm) or larger in diameter; or   

• Heavy rainfall, as per rainfall criteria in Tables 13 and 14.   

In the West Kootenay, Environment Canada is forecasting conditions capable of producing wind gusts of up to 40 km/h and heavy rain by late Monday afternoon, continuing into the evening before dissipating near midnight. 

Meanwhile, in the East Kootenay, total rainfall accumulation of 10 to 15 mm is forecast to arrive Monday afternoon, along with 20 to 40 km/h winds, continuing through the evening, with conditions clearing before morning. 

Hazards include the risk of localized flooding, increased risk of landslides, and sudden reductions in visibility due to heavy rain. 

“Heavy rain can cause flash flooding and significant reductions in visibility. Large hail can cause significant damage and injury. Strong wind gusts can damage trees, buildings and overturn vehicles.” said Environment Canada. 

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Even as the curtailment at the Chemainus Sawmill continues, North Cowichan’s mayor says the municipality is looking to strengthen the local economy by supporting good jobs. 

According to Rob Douglas, a meeting between MP Jeff Kibble and senior members of Western Forest Products was conducted to determine the best avenue to strengthen the local industry and protect good, local, family-supporting jobs in the region. 

Douglas says the industry is not in the municipality’s jurisdiction, but all levels of government have an important role to play in establishing a new agreement to grow the economy. 

“While forestry policy largely falls under provincial jurisdiction, the federal government has a critical role to play, whether through negotiating a renewed softwood lumber agreement with the United States, or by ensuring that lumber produced in BC is prioritized in Canada,” he says.  

He says prioritizing lumber produced in BC will help Canada’s new “Building Canada Homes” initiative aiming to produce 500,000 affordable homes 

The curtailment at the Chemainus Sawmill was announced on Jun. 18, which Douglas says is a result of an inability to find suitable materials. 

Last year Western Forest Products reduced lumber production by approximately 30 million board feet, which they say was due to market challenges. 

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The City of Courtenay is looking for input before updating one of its bylaws. 

The Development Cost Charges (DCC) bylaw is being updated by the end of the year, which helps cover the cost of new infrastructure such as roads, sewer and water systems, and parks. 

The update will include proposed rates, project costs and supporting information and will be the first significant update to the bylaw since 2016, with minor revisions in 2022. 

As a way for people to learn more about the update, the city is hosting two events on July 21 at the Native Sons Hall. 

A developer information session will take place from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. with registration required and a community open house from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. with no registration required. 

Feedback gathered from the sessions will be shared with council when the updated bylaw is presented for further consideration. 

First, second and third readings of the bylaw will be considered by council on August 27, with a provincial review following in the fall and a final adoption expected by December. 

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A South Cariboo business had extensive damage done to it’s building following a single vehicle crash.

On Saturday afternoon at 2:17 Emergency Health Services contacted 100 Mile House RCMP about the incident that happened at Fields on Birch Avenue.

Police say the driver of an SUV was taken to hospital with minor injuries and that there was no indication of alcohol being involved.

The driver was issued a motor vehicle act violation for drive without due care and control.

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The Creston Valley – Kootenay Lake Wayfinding Project has commenced the manufacturing process for new signage in the Creston Valley.  

The project, according to a press release from Kootenay Employment Services (KES), stems from a comprehensive assessment of local Wayfinding infrastructure conducted between 2016 and 2018.  

The assessment identified that enhanced signage throughout the Town of Creston and Regional Districts A, B, and C would significantly improve access to essential services and tourist destinations across the region. 

KES is leading the project as the delivery agency for the Creston Valley and Kootenay Lake Economic Action Partnership.

Phase one launched in 2023 and is now in the refinement stages, nearing the completion of phase two.  

In 2023, KES successfully secured $1 million in Destination Development funding for the project from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport. 

KES engaged Ion Design to conduct extensive community consultations with stakeholders, the general public, and targeted community populations to ensure the Wayfinding system meets diverse local needs. 

The new signage initiative will address several priority areas, including improved trail network navigation, new pedestrian signage within the Town of Creston, information totems, and kiosk panels at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area. 

The project will also feature panels promoting important local offerings at Ferry terminals, gateway monuments honouring the Lower Kootenay Band/Ktunaxa region, and facility identification signs. 

“This project represents a collaborative effort to enhance both resident and visitor experience throughout our region,” said Gregg Berg, Special Projects Manager at Kootenay Employment Services.  

“The improved Wayfinding system will strengthen our tourism infrastructure while better connecting community members to essential services and recreational opportunities.” 

The project has been developed in partnership with the Town of Creston and Regional Districts A, B, and C.  

Special recognition is extended to Denise Louie, whose artwork represents local indigenous culture and history, and to the Wayfinding Steering Committee and community members who participated in consultation sessions. 

Installation of the new signage will commence in the coming months, with improved Wayfinding infrastructure appearing throughout the Creston Valley – Kootenay Lake region. 

For more information about the Creston Valley Kootenay Lake Wayfinding Project, click here.

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Trail City Council is set to determine the fate of the La Nina homeless shelter on Riverside Avenue next week. 

BC Housing and the City of Trail entered into a lease agreement for the 25-bed shelter at 2039 Riverside Ave last September. 

At that time, the City approved a one-year Temporary Use Permit (TUP), which is set to expire on September 10, 2025. 

As a result, BC Housing has submitted a request to renew the TUP, which council will consider at its July 21 meeting. 

A statement from BC Housing says the renewal would allow the Trail Association for Community Living to continue operating the 25-bed shelter and providing much-needed supports and services for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. 

There are currently no other shelter options in Trail. BC Housing notes that, compared to the previous Bay Avenue shelter, the Riverside Avenue facility offers more indoor communal space for programs, an outdoor common area, and storage. 

Because this shelter is purpose-built, it also offers enhanced safety and security features for the benefit of both shelter guests and the surrounding community. 

These include: 

• Maximizing views of parking areas, entrances, sidewalks and other public spaces 

• Fenced properties and gates 

• Fob entry 

• Security cameras 

• Lighting 

If the City agrees to renew the TUP, the shelter would be permitted to continue operating for another three years. 

Residents who feel affected by the proposed renewal are encouraged to attend the July 21 meeting or submit feedback by July 16. 

To join via Zoom or send comments, email [email protected] 

Full details on the shelter, including a summary of community feedback and frequently asked questions, can be found here.  

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Prince George Fire Rescue crews responded to a commercial structure fire in the 1000 block of Pacific Street yesterday morning (Sunday) at approximately 5:40.

According to a city news release, upon arrival, firefighters found a large commercial facility with dark smoke showing from the roof.

Rooftop HVAC machinery was surrounded by fire.

A coordinated fire attack using powered ventilation tactics, elevated master streams, as well as ground crews with handlines quickly knocked down the fire.

There were no reported injuries with damage estimated at $250,000.

Smoke and fire detection systems in the building worked to warn occupants of the fire danger and allow a timely evacuation.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

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A suspicious death in Courtenay last month has led to one man being charged with second degree murder. 

37-year-old Cameron McIndoe was arrested on July 9 and remains in custody. 

Plainclothes commander of the Comox Valley RCMP, Staff Sgt. Jonah Todd, said no further details can be shared with the matter now before the courts. 

“Our Major Crime Unit has worked diligently to uncover the full circumstances of what occurred and that work continues as the matter proceeds through the courts.” 

Police received a report of a sudden death at a residence on June 20 and officers secured the place for several days to conduct a thorough forensic examination. 

An autopsy confirmed the death was a homicide, according to the RCMP. 

The accused McIndoe and the victim were known to each other, and there is no indication of a broader risk to the public. 

Police are not revealing the name of the victim out of respect for those affected. 

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The Prince George Spruce Kings are dipping into their alumni once again to round out their coaching staff for the upcoming season.

The BCHL club announced today (Monday), Sam Muchalla will be the Skills & Development Coach.

Muchalla, a former Spruce Kings captain played 161 games for his hometown club tallying 64 goals and adding 117 assists over three seasons from 2007 to 2010.

“Sam is a proud Spruce Kings alumni who is a former team captain and was a player who played the game hard and played it the right way. Sam brings an immense amount of expertise that he will pass along to our players. I’m thrilled to add him to our coaching staff” said Mike Hawes, General Manager.

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The Topley 4H are hosting a fundraiser to help one of their members go through rehab in Vancouver.

13-year-old Sawyer Seinen lost the use of his legs after experiencing a rare complication following a procedure in Edmonton.

“Their family has been a part of the Topley 4h for years,” said President Cohen Jaarsma.

This will be part of the club’s Achievement and Sale event on Saturday (July 19th) at Four Seasons Park in Houston.

There, eight buddy boxes will be up for auction with the proceeds going towards helping the Seinen family.

“Our club will often do these kinds of things for people in need, and it just happened to be one of our members as well,” said Jaarsma.

“We felt really help this family and step it up.”

A Soup Fest fundraiser event was held for Seinen in Houston at the beginning of June.

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A two vehicle collision over the weekend claimed a life.

On Saturday July 12 at 5:23 pm North District Corporal Madonna Saunderson said Williams Lake RCMP received a report of the incident on Highway 97 at Mountain House Road.

Saunderson said a Chev pickup and a Toyota Camry had collided and initial investigation indicates that the Toyota pulled out onto the highway in front of the pickup.

Sadly the driver of the Toyota was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Saunderson said there were three passengers in the Camry while the driver of the Chev pickup was the lone occupant.

The investigation is ongoing.

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The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors have approved an extension for the Edgewater post office as work continues on finding a new location.

The current post office is failing in condition and will need to be decommissioned.

The occupancy has been extended until May 2026.

“We recognize the importance of the post office service in the community, and it was abundantly clear following our community meeting in June that it was important to residents and the postmaster to provide a longer occupancy, if at all possible,” said Electoral Area G director Roberta Schnider.

“Safety is our top priority as the building is failing. We have been doing regular inspections on the current building and the latest inspection report from the engineers did not identify further signs of deterioration since the last inspection. With this result in mind, I sought the approval of the Board to extend the occupancy of the building through May and am grateful for their support.”

The extension was approved as long as certain requirements are met.

A satisfactory report from the professional structural engineer will be needed in October to allow another six months of occupancy, along with a condition that no more than 12 inches of snow can accumulate on the roof.

While occupancy at the post off will continue for now, the RDEK has decommissioned the former Credit Union Building.

The RDEK is seeking partners to collaborate on a potential housing development project on that land.

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The city is inviting residents to participate in reuse rendezvous this month.  

The community event is a chance for people to pass on things they no longer use, while getting the opportunity to find treasures from other residents for free. On July 19 and 20, people who want to participate can leave items on the curb with a sign clearly marking them as free. 

The city says it is an easy way to get rid of things like books, toys, furniture, tools and sport gear so someone new can get use out of them. 

“Reuse Rendezvous is back! This city-wide swap meet is a great chance to clear out your space and pass along items you no longer need. Give your gently used goods a second life, help reduce waste, meet new folks and support your community — all in one weekend,” says Travis Barrington, zero waste coordinator for the city. 

The city asks people who participate to keep sidewalks, bike lanes and roadways clear when setting out items. All unclaimed items should also be removed on July 21. 

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The District of Elkford will begin sealcoating work on roads north of Boivin Creek starting Tuesday.

The sealcoating treatment will protect the roads and extend the lifespan of the asphalt.

Work is expected to take 7-10 days, but it is weather dependent.

Selected streets and cul-de-sacs will have temporary single-lane traffic.

There will be occasional full closures with marked detours and reduced speeds in residential areas.

Residents will be notified in advance about treatment days in their area.

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The Columbia Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) had their hands full over the weekend with a rescue in the Bugaboos.

CVSAR was tasked for an injured climber early in the afternoon on Saturday.

The climber was injured at the bottom of the Bugaboo-snowpatch.

A team of rescuers responded and transported the climber to medical care with the help of Glacier Helicopters.

Shortly after that, the CVSAR got a second call for an S.O.S activation at Applebee Dome.

A team responded but verified that it was a false activation.

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The RCMP have confirmed Friday’s (July 11th) two-vehicle collision on Highway 16 near Clucuz Lake has claimed a life.

According to police, a head on crash occurred between a Nissan Truck and Chevrolet Sierra.

When officers arrived on scene, the driver of the Nissan was pronounced deceased at the scene while the driver and passenger of the other vehicle were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Highway 16 was closed for several hours before re-opening to traffic.

The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released when it comes available.

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An Annual Summertime event is about to roll into 100 Mile House.

This Friday through Sunday (July 18 to 20) the heat will be turned up during “Hot July Nights”.

Event Chair, Marty Mahovolich, said this show and shine got its start back in 2008 thanks to Jack Barnett and Beau Work to encourage people to come and visit the South Cariboo.

“Probably 70 percent of the cars that take part now are not from 100 Mile. We have cars coming from Washington State, Alberta, and all over the Province that’s why now it’s a multi-day event. We are now the biggest show in Northern BC by numbers. Last year we had 427 vehicles.”

Mahovolich said part of what Hot July Nights tries to accomplish is to give local charities as much opportunity to raise money.

“In the last two years we’ve raised over $30,000 towards our local charities. This year we figure it should be close to $15,000 again. Kal Tire is doing a raffle for Canadian Mental Health Society, the Deka Lake Ratepayers Association doing a breakfast on Sunday morning, we rent the Rotary Stage, the Lions Club, Lone Butte Historical Site, and Hospice are all selling tickets.”

Sunday’s Show and Shine like it has over the last 5 years will be held on Birch Avenue.

“What we’re trying to do is support those businesses.” Mahovolich said, “ A lot of the smaller ones were struggling through the COVID years so we figured we’d bring a ton of people through here and they’ll be able to shop. We estimate we’ll bring in between 500 and 750 thousand dollars into town for the Hot July Nights weekend. Every car that comes from out of town which we usually have 3 to 4 hundred, they all come in and spend a minimum of $1,000 just them and just on the basics, accommodation, food and gas.”

Mahovolich noted that they have 110 business sponsors this year and the show takes $40,000 in cash to put on and another additional $20,000 in prizes that they get from the businesses so without them, this weekend doesn’t happen.

“The whole town is involved with Hot July Nights. The long term vision is to get the businesses to take some of the events over which we’ve already started with that. I think four of this weekend’s events are strictly run by a business and they provide the volunteers. The feedback we get from our visitors is that they are quite happy with all the things there are do around the car show.”

Mahovolich noted the reward of this weekend is that some people may come back to vacation or maybe even move here, there’s been some that had so much fun that they did.

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As wildfire seasons grow longer and more destructive, Kootenay communities are turning to water mapping as a proactive solution.

This initiative, led by Living Lakes Canada, is helping communities across the Columbia Basin strengthen their emergency readiness by identifying and documenting critical water sources before wildfires strike.

“The objective of this project is to identify, measure and map the features that can support wildfire crews in responding to a fire.” said Paige Thurston, Wildfire Suppression Program Lead with Living Lakes.

Residents are invited to share their knowledge of creeks, standpipes, hydrants, access routes and other important features, providing on-the-ground information, often missing from existing emergency response systems.

Information about private properties will only be collected with the landowner’s permission.

Argenta in the West Kootenay is an example of water mapping benefits in action.

Living Lakes Canada, working with the Argenta Safety and Preparedness Society, had released their developed maps of water resources in the community one month before the Argenta Creek wildfire broke out in 2024.

“Our maps were used by the B.C. Wildfire Service and the Community Fire Brigade to support their response,” said Thurston.

“Crews reported that these maps cut down on the time needed for field reconnaissance and in the end only one small building was lost in that fire, so, that really showcased how effective this type of tool can be in supporting wildfire response in rural communities and that is what led to the expansion of the project this year.”

Living Lakes Canada is targeting several communities in the Kootenays this season- Winlaw, Red Mountain Road and Enterprise Creek in the west and Grasmere and Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation in the east.

“Each of these communities were working closely with a local partner and a designated community champion who acts as a liaison between our organization and the community.” said Thurston.

In the Red Mountain Road and Enterprise Creek area, longtime resident Sally Hammond contributed information about springs and creeks on her land.

“I’m pleased to contribute that knowledge to an effort that will benefit our neighbourhood and make the work of firefighters safer and more effective,” she said.

For Michelle Griffiths, Winlaw’s Community Champion and Program Coordinator with the Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative, the benefits of this project are clear.

“When a wildfire breaks out, there’s no time to search,” she said. “Knowing exact locations of reliable water access points and sources can mean the difference between containment and catastrophe.”

And the sentiments are echoed in the east Kootenay.

“Mapping in advance of a fire event will assist local and external response teams by adding a concise and usable system that will allow them to operate at greater efficiency and speed should an event occur,” said Wade Oestreich, Director of Fire and Emergency Services with Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation.

Mapping will continue through summer 2025, with reports and maps to be released in 2026.

“Community collaboration is so key to the success of this project. Their knowledge of the local water sources on the landscape is really essential in pulling these resources together.” said Thurston.

Residents in the project areas are encouraged to contribute by completing a short online questionnaire or contacting Living Lakes Canada directly. Their knowledge of local water sources could save vital time and support more effective emergency response when every minute counts.

To access the questionnaire and to learn more about this project, visit: https://livinglakescanada.ca/wildfire.

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It’s the question many residents have been asking, when will REN Energy break ground on a new Renewable Natural Gas facility in Fruitvale?

President & CEO of REN Energy Phil Viggiani said the company is crossing all the t’s and dotting the i’s as they submit their second engineering report to get the green light.

“It’s a fairly expensive procedure and although we have the project money set aside, we’re just picking up some extra development capital to finish the front-end engineering design in detail to guarantee the project,” said Viggiani.

“Doing these permits, buying the land, and working with Fortis with the 20-year contract all have to kind of happen at once. It’s kind of hand-in-glove, so there’s not a whole lot of room for failure points, so we’ve always wanted to make sure we’ve got everything in place.”

The project has been plagued with delays and concerns, but Viggiani said they’re tackling the hurdles head-on.

“We actually had the debt portion of about $102 million for the actual project in Fruitvale, and we have two equity partners, that are going to pick up the other $104 million,” said Viggiani.

“The engineering is the number one priority and yes, there are a lot of moving parts, about 460 failure points through the last three or four years,”

REN is looking to confirm a town hall meeting with locals in September, so, stay tuned for more information as it comes in.

Viggiani said the team will cover where they’ve been, where they’re going and the timeline to get there.

“And the economic impact to that whole area, which is majorly substantial,” said Viggiani. “15 to 17 million economic impact per year in that whole region.”

REN anticipates, that if all goes to plan, they’ll be breaking ground in early 2026, followed by 18 months to commissioning for a January 2027 goal to begin pumping gas.

Kootenay-Monashee MLA Steve Morissette held the title of Fruitvale mayor when the project was first flagged two years ago, and said his support still stands strong.

“This has been many years in the making, and things like the pandemic, supply chains, and reluctant investors have caused delays, but I think it’s great that the folks from REN are at the point of starting the project,” said Morissette.

“It’s nearly a quarter-billion-dollar project- 225 million, it’s a huge project, a huge boost to our area providing clean energy and I’m looking forward to it moving forward.”

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Sports by Hartley Monday, July 14th, 2025

(As of 12:05 a.m. All times listed are PDT)

Special Olympics BC Summer Games:

The 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games in Prince George are officially over.

Local P.G. athletes earned many medals including a bronze in basketball.

Nearly 900 athletes from 46 communities competed in 10 sports.

Organizers “extremely pleased” with Special Olympics BC Games https://t.co/pvhltQSSz8

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) July 13, 2025

The sports were 10-pin bowling, basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field.

Results can be found here.

MLB:

Jared Young of Prince George is back in the Major Leagues after being recalled by the New York Mets from their Triple-A Syracuse farm club on Friday.

We have made the following roster moves. pic.twitter.com/hDJBjC5RDs

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 11, 2025

Young, as a pinch hitter, hit a sacrifice fly in the 9th inning for the Mets on Sunday which tied their game 2-2 with Kansas City, however the Royals scored in the bottom of the 9th for a 3-2 win.

Good fundies, Jared! pic.twitter.com/oppqpBoTWH

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 13, 2025

Young, who turned 30 on July 9th, did not play in the Mets 3-1 Saturday win over Kansas City.

He is batting .171 with 3 homers and 5 RBI’s in 41 at bats this season with New York.

A’s  6  Toronto Blue Jays  3   (in Sacramento)

The Blue Jays are 55-41 as of the All-Star break, in first place in the American League East Division by two games over the (53-43) New York Yankees.

The Jays begin a 6-game homestand when they entertain the San Francisco Giants Friday (4:07 PM PT).

The Blue Jays 2025 schedule and results are here.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

CFL:

B.C. Lions  at  Edmonton Elks

The Lions host the (4-1) Saskatchewan Roughriders Saturday at 4 PM.

Week 7 of the CFL season begins Thursday (4:30 PM PT) with (1-4) Toronto at (3-2) Montreal.

The CFL schedule are here.

BC Football Conference:

The Prince George Kodiaks are less than a week before starting their BC Football Conference (BCFC) season.

The Kodiaks play the first of their 10 games on Saturday, July 19th when they host the Westshore Rebels at 6:00 at Masich Place Stadium.

More info on the BCFC can be found here.

Hockey:

Former Prince George Cougars defenceman Dan Hamhuis of Smithers was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Saturday in Penticton.

Hamhuis, now a part owner of the Cougars, played a whopping 1,148 NHL games over an 18-year pro career.

PG Senior Lacrosse

The PG Senior Lacrosse finals begin tonight (Monday) with the first place Devils against the Assault.

Just prior to the game, the league awards being handed out prior to the game.

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Update: From BC Wildfire Service as of 5:10 p.m., Cowichan fire is now being held, and based on the fuel and weather conditions, they expect the fire to remain in the current perimeter or boundary.

A wildfire on the north side of the Cowichan River between Gibbins Road and Indian Road has been listed as human-caused by the Coastal Wildfire Service.

According to their website, the fire is approximately 0.3 hectares in size and is currently out of control, suggesting it could spread beyond its current perimeter, or control line.

The fire was reported to the BC Wildfire Service today (July 13).

For more information, visit the BC Wildfire Service website.

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A wildfire on the north side of the Cowichan River between Gibbins Road and Indian Road has been listed as human-caused by the Coastal Wildfire Service.

According to their website, the fire is approximately 0.3 hectares in size and is currently out of control, suggesting it could spread beyond its current perimeter, or control line.

The fire was reported to the BC Wildfire Service today (July 13).

For more information, visit the BC Wildfire Service website.

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After two days of competition, the 2025 Special Olympics BC Summer Games have come to a close.

The games brought around 900 athletes to the Prince George area to compete in ten different sports on Friday and Saturday.

“With any large, large tournament like this, you’re always running with your hair straight back just to get everything ready, and we certainly managed to put everything together,” said Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee Lyn Hall.

“You always have a few things where ‘could’ve done it this way, could’ve done it better,’ but overall we are extremely pleased.”

Some rain did slow a few of the outdoor events down on Friday, but Hall said they managed to get everything done that they needed to.

“We knew that we had a timeline to meet and a schedule of sporting events and we met that,” he explained.

“If anything, we wish we would’ve had more sunshine, even when it wasn’t raining it was still reasonably warm out but overcast. It would’ve nice to have clear sky, the usual blue sky and some warmer weather, but all in all it worked out well.”

Hall said the moment from this weekend that will stand out for him was having the opportunity to meet the athletes first hand.

“That’s what I did when they came for their breakfast and lunches at CNC, I wanted to be there, and so I hung out there,” he explained.

“That was the great thing about transportation, I knew they were going to be in one location for a period of time, and I just wanted to connect with the athletes, so that was extremely rewarding for me, and seeing all the volunteers there.”

Hall added he heard from the athletes that they loved the weekend.

“Right from the time they got to the City, into their accommodations, and then transportation would go by and pick them up for meals or take them off to their sporting venues for competitions, they were so excited, they were excited to be here, they were excited to compete,” he said.

“It’s so interesting, they were so excited to see friends that they had met, some of them six or seven years ago, eight years ago, when the last games were held, because there were no games during Covid.”

Full results from the games can be found here.

Currently, the City is in the bid process for the 2030 Special Olympics National Summer Games.

Around a month ago, it was announced Prince George was put on the shortlist to host the games.

“My Co-Chair, Renee [McCloskey] and I, we’ve talked about it a lot, we sit on the bid committee,” Hall said.

“We think that we really showed how we can handle, logistically, the sport venues, all of those things, without any real hiccups. We’re pretty excited, we think we sent a really strong message to the group that’s looking at our bid.”

While speaking to reporters prior to the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Premier David Eby said he would support the bid as well.

“To have the 2030 National Special Olympics here would be a great honour for British Columbia, it’d be wonderful for the local economy here in Prince George, and it’d be great for the economy provincially,” Eby said.

“But most importantly, it’s a celebration that makes everybody feel good, lifts everybody’s spirit, and inspires so many people, so for all those reasons, I’m a very enthusiastic backer of the proposal, and look forward to seeing how the province can help out.”

A site visit for the National Games bid is scheduled to take place later this year.

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An American doctor making a journey between two countries is finding friends along the way.

Dr. Craig Davis set out from Prince George in June, riding his bike to Juneau, Alaska on his Riding for Peace campaign.

His goal is to spread a message of peace, and to ask “how can we do better.”

“It went very well, I wasn’t really apprehensive about it, but you never know what to expect,” he said.

“I had heard that some Canadians have treated Americans coldly, been a little bit rude to them, but I didn’t find any of that, I found quite the opposite.”

He noted the people he’s come across so far have been friendly and warm.

“I spent the night with a lady and her son, they treated me to a dinner,” Davis said.

“I had a First Nations man put his top down on his convertible, and put Lucy, my bike in the back, and hauled us about 35 or 40 miles because I couldn’t ride a full 85 miles or so on one trip. One man stopped and gave me a bottle of water. Sometimes when I get too tired, I lay down and rest, a woman and her husband turned around on the road, came back and checked on me, they just wanted to make sure I was okay. It has been a wonderful experience.”

The goal for the ride was to listen, and Davis said people are willing to talk.

“Some people, when they found out I was American, they wanted to vent, quite understandable,” he said.

“They wanted to talk about politics, I’m much less interested in politics than I am understanding what we can do better.”

Davis said what resonated most with him was the need to do self-reflection.

In terms of the ride itself, Davis said there’s been some challenges there as well.

“There are always challenges,” he said.

“On the final day to Prince Rupert, I got rained on for about six hours, and that’s never pleasant. The last two hours are very hilly, and the rain was pretty heavy, and I just got soaked. I had these rubber shoe covers that I had tried for the first time, and they had worked until the rain got hard, there was nothing I could do to keep my feet dry.”

He said it’s also not always easy to find accommodations, but other than that, it’s been good so far.

Davis added he had to change his route a bit, after taking a flight from Prince Rupert to Whitehorse. He plans to leave there Monday morning, before eventually making it to Juneau.

You can follow his journey on the PeaceBridge Solutions Website.

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Following a sudden loss in core funding from two of their biggest funders, the Lake Trail Community Education Society (LTCES) is looking to the community for urgent support. 

To maintain its free after-school programs, youth mentorship programs, community garden, food security initiatives, and inclusive community events, the LTCES has launched an emergency fundraising campaign. 

The charitable organization aims to raise $50,000 by the time school starts in September.  

“Every child, youth, and adult who participates in our programs is a part of our vibrant community,” said Anna Rambow, the Society’s Executive Director. “The idea of reducing or cancelling programs when connections and a sense of belonging are so needed, is unthinkable.” 

Every year the society supports hundreds of community members and students through a variety of programs and opportunities… Including community events, foods courses, art workshops, physical activities and much more. 

According to Rambow, the organization provides a safe space for many young people to learn life skills and receive mentorship. 

“Students and families know we are always going to be here for them,” she says. “However, given the challenges we face this year, we appreciate any level of support to help us keep investing in the health and well-being of our community.” 

For more information or to donate, visit their website.

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Canada’s only military parachute demo team, the Skyhawks, are taking to the skies of Campbell River for a thrilling performance of military skills.

Their team, comprised of 13 demonstrators, is made up of members from the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force… With reserve members and regular members from different professional backgrounds.

Their performance will display jaw-dropping maneuvers that require a high level of skill, physical strength, and teamwork.

The team will be available to chat, take photos, sign autographs, and educate spectators on gear and parachute skills.

The event takes place at 12:30 p.m. on July 14 at Willow Point Park (Fields 4 and 5).

Everyone is welcome, and admission is free.

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Kootenay Seniors, a program of Nelson CARES Society, has announce its 2025 50/50 Raffle.

This fundraising initiative gives British Columbians the chance to win up to $10,000 while directly supporting seniors’ transportation services in our community.

For many older adults in the Kootenay region, getting to essential appointments, errands, and social gatherings can be difficult, especially for those who no longer drive.

Kootenay Seniors helps bridge that gap by providing safe, affordable rides with the help of a dedicated team of volunteer drivers, many of whom are seniors themselves.

“This program is truly neighbours helping neighbours,” said Karin Bayoff, Transportation Coordinator at Kootenay Seniors.

“Our volunteer drivers not only provide transportation, but also connection, compassion, and dignity.”

Tickets are just $10 and available to B.C. residents only.

They can be purchased online at www.kootenayseniors.ca or in person at 205 Hall Street or 805 Nelson Avenue in Nelson.

Draw Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Proceeds benefit seniors’ transportation in the West Kootenay region and every ticket purchased helps keep this essential service running and ensures seniors in our community stay mobile, connected, and supported.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.kootenayseniors.ca or scan the QR code featured on posters around town.

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Prince George City Council will consider replacing a garbage truck at tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting.

According to a staff report, one of the City’s garbage trucks was in a serious motor vehicle accident on Foothills Boulevard on May 13, 2024, resulting in the unit being written off by ICBC.

It also states the City received $375,000 from the insurance recovery, and those proceeds have been deposited into the City’s Solid Waste Reserve Fund.

Staff is seeking a budget approval of $750,000 from the Solid Waste Reserve to replace the unit.

According to the staff report, the waiting period for delivery of a new collection vehicle is approximately 12-18 months once the purchase process is completed.

Other items to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting includes reports on proposed amendments to the Official Community Plan, and funding support for the 2026 Olympic Trials set to take place at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club.

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

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Sunday, July 13

MLB: 

Athletics  4  Toronto Blue Jays  3

The Blue Jays (55-40) are on top of the AL East.

NY Mets  3  KC Royals  1

Jared Young did not play in Saturday’s game. The Mets and Royals play again today.

CFL:

Calgary Stampeders  24  Saskatchewan Roughriders  10

Hamilton Tiger-Cats  23  Ottawa RedBlacks  20

One Sunday game:

BC Lions @ Edmonton Elks (4:00 pm)

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A man has died following the collision involving a small SUV and a motorcycle near the Fernie Transfer Station Road turn off along Hwy 3 in Fernie on Friday, July 11.

Elk Valley Regional RCMP, along with Fernie Fire Department and BC Ambulance, attended the scene at 12:36 p.m. where the initial investigation indicates the SUV, driven by an elderly Fernie male resident, made a turn onto Hwy 3 and failed to see the motorcycle, resulting in a serious collision.

Both parties were taken to hospital where a short time later, the motorcycle rider died as a result of his injuries.

An RCMP traffic reconstructionist was in the area and attended the scene to investigate, while witnesses remained on scene and were cooperative with the Police investigation.

Hwy 3 remained closed for approximately 5 hours, causing major delays in both directions, as well as further incidents.

“The was further exasperated by an additional collision involving another motorcycle in the rock cuts near Elko BC along Hwy 3, causing additional delays and traffic back ups in both directions.” saidS/Sgt. S.D.A. Svend Nielsen.

Elk Valley Regional RCMP offer their condolences to the family of the deceased motorcycle rider, whose name will not be released at this time as family are still being notified.

Anyone with witness information or dash camera evidence of this fatal collision is asked to contact the Elk Valley Regional RCMP at 250-425-6233.

Please refer to file 2025-2185.

The investigation is still ongoing.

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Grand Forks Fire Rescue, supported by B.C. Wildfire Services, are battling an out-of-control wildfire located approximately six kilometres north of the City of Grand Forks.

Ground crews, a helicopter and airtankers are responding alongside fire rescue personnel, with the skimmer group currently working off Christina Lake as a water source through the afternoon.

“We are asking the public and recreators to give these critical resources room to work. People using watercraft should move quickly out of the way of skimmers to allow them the space they need to move safely.” said B.C. Wildfire Services.

The fire has currently burnt through 7.5 hectares.

For more information visit BC Wildfire Service.

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Medal ceremonies were held at Masich Place during day two of the Special Olympics BC Summer Games.

A number of athletes lined up to be awarded their medals for track and field earlier this afternoon (Saturday).

Region 8 Prince George Coach, Wilma VanHage highlights the community support during the event.

“It’s wonderful to see all the fans in the stands and cheering on all the athletes, but especially when they see a Prince George athlete. It’s just been phenomenal.”

Track and field will have it’s second round of medal ceremonies from 3pm to 4:30pm.

Other sports being played today are 10-pin bowling, basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, and swimming.

Results and schedule for the Special Olympics BC Summer Games can be found here.

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The Showcase for the 2025 Quesnel Ambassador candidates was held last night [Friday, July 11].

The showcase gave the four candidates of the 2025 Quesnel Ambassador Leadership Program, Ociah Woodruff, Grace Cassidy, Finley Clausen, and Dylan Cross, chances to present themselves as the future ambassadors.

Last year’s Ambassadors, Lacey Anderson and Jayla Wheeler, MC’d and conducted the Showcase with the poise, confidence, and elegance of Ambassadors. The past Ambassadors got the audience involved by asking questions on the history of Quesnel between the candidates’ presentations.

Ociah Woodruff’s speech and presentation focused on her sponsor, Regency Chrysler, on whom to call when someone has vehicle issues.

Grace Cassidy, a Ringette player, presented the finer points of playing the other known ice sport and how it is not Hockey.

Finley Clausen presented on the dos, don’ts, and never dos on the court when playing basketball.

The final candidate, Dylan Cross, presented on her life living with Celiac Disease.

Following the speeches and presentations, and a short intermission, the candidates were asked impromptu questions from the MCs based on the candidates’ biographies.

The final decision on who will be the 2025 Quesnel Ambassador will be made tonight, at 7 pm, at Echen Hall.

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The Strathcona Wilderness Institute will celebrate its 30th anniversary on July 19 and is inviting the community to celebrate.

The SWI is a non-profit organization that has educated and raised awareness of nature in the Strathcona region, through projects and guided hikes, since 1995.

Its goal is to embrace the Strathcona Park Master Plan to protect the natural beauty of the park, while promoting programs and publications to all visitors.

In celebration of its 30th year as an organization, the SWI will unveil a brand-new 3D map of Strathcona Park displaying major trails, camping locations, mountain peaks and lakes.

There will be refreshments, treats and cakes for all participants.

Events run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Paradise Meadows Wilderness Centre.

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A big donation this week is giving Quesnel Search and Rescue (QSAR) a step forward in its equipment.

The Quesnel Elks Lodge #298 donated $5,000 to QSAR on July 9. Bob Holowenko, the Director of QSAR says the donation will be going towards modernizing QSAR’s rope rescue kits.

“This donation is transformative for our technical rope rescue team,” says Holowenko. “The new kit is a system called ‘The Clutch’, and it gives us the ability to transition when ascending and descending quickly.”

The new system is more user-friendly for Search and Rescue members to use. Meaning that it will make for faster descents and quicker ascents when rescuing someone.

According to Holowenko, many rescue and emergency teams across the Province and the country use the Clutch system. Holowenko says the Canadian Armed Forces use this system “almost exclusively”, and getting this newer and more modern equipment will open doors for QSAR members to train with more organizations.

Even with the “more advanced technical” system coming, Holowenko says there will be minimal retraining for QSAR’s members on the Clutch.

“The majority of the team has trained with this apparatus with other organizations. Our team has been exposed to it, has learned on it, and has been certified on it. Now, this is a big chance for Quesnel to have that in our kit.”

Holowenko says if and when the QSAR team is deployed, they will be ready to use the Clutch for the first time effectively.

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Residents lined up in the streets of downtown Prince George this morning (Saturday), taking in the 28th annual PG Pride Parade.

The parade began at 10am at 9th Avenue and Brunswick, going down 4th Avenue to George Street, ending at City Hall with the Pride Festival and Market.

33 organizations took part in the parade.

The Pride Festival and Market is one of the last events today, going on until 2pm at Veteran’s Plaza.

Pride Week began July 4, and runs until tomorrow (Sunday).

More information can be found on the PG Pride Society Facebook page here.

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Trail’s Farmers Market will return July 17 for an entertaining evening of food vendors, market, beer & wine garden, and live music at The Night Market in Gyro Park.

From 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. join the Trail & District Arts Council and be surrounded by great live music, including head act Meredith Moon and her band at 7:15 pm.

Meredith Moon has had a lot to live up to her whole life as a folk musician, not only because of the other great performers out there but because her father is the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. But music is literally in her blood and she does not disappoint.

Meredith has earned a stellar reputation performing traditional tunes often ‘non-traditionally’, playing finger-style guitar, piano, lap dulcimer and clawhammer banjo to complement her  lyrical storytelling sung with a powerful voice.

Touring all over North and Central America and Europe she has been nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award, and was featured on the Folk Alliance International Top 10 Album Chart two months running in April and May 2023, along with other notable Americana charts.

Earlier, from 6-7 p.m., the contemporary roots singer-songwriter Mimi O’Bonsawin takes the stage. Born in Northeastern Ontario, she is mixed French Canadian & Abénaki, a member of Odanak First-Nation.

Mimi’s rhythm and story-driven songs embrace the beauty of the Land. The ethereal quality of her music whisks you away with uplifting melodies and introspective lyrics that weave pop sensibilities with acoustic instruments. She will perform as a duo with her husband Ryan Schurman on drums & percussion making it an intimate yet uplifting experience for the audience.

Opening at 5 p.m. is Twin Fiddles and Friends. Favourites of the fiddling world, this group features award-winning and renowned Canadian fiddlers, JJ Guy from Saskatchewan, and Gordon Stobbe from Nova Scotia. JJ and Gordon’s distinctive original tunes are written in the twin fiddle style with lead and harmony lines that reflect their shared love for traditional fiddle music.

These two Castlegar Fiddle camp Instructors have been teaching camp and playing MITP for 20 years. They will be joined by two other instructors (tbc) for fun Canadian Old Time Fiddle Music.

Organized by Trail & District Arts Council, in partnership with Trail’s incrEDIBLE Farmer’s Market, our Night Markets have become a staple of Music in the Park where you may picnic, shop, and dance the night away. The market will see a range of artisans and other vendors at the market, as well as tasty cooling treats and delicious eats by our local food vendors. Plus, the Beer and Wine Garden will be serving up cold beverages including cider and specialty mocktails.

FREE shuttle buses run from 5:30 -9:00 from Trail Safeway and Trail Arena at this event.

So, bring a lawn chair and don’t forget to bring plenty of water. Need to cool off? The music is right by the water park and the river!

Admission is by donation – $3 per person  minimum suggested. Or support the Trail Arts Council’s programming by buying a Season Pass for the whole summer for $30! You may buy a pass at trail-arts.com by clicking on any of the Music in the Park events and clicking the “Buy” button. Or, buy them in person at Gyro Park with cash or credit card.

The last Night Market is on August 14 and will be another great night of music featuring Bella Cat, The Latin Lovers and Lofty Goal Project contemporary dancers. These special events run from 5-8:30 pm.

Music in the Park is made possible thanks to support from BC Arts Council, BC Live Performance Network, the Government of Canada, Kootenay Savings, City of Trail, Columbia Basin Trust, Pharmasave Trail, Teck Trail Operations, HUB International Insurance and Tourism South Kootenay. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

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Elk Valley Resources (EVR) and the Elk Valley Field House Society today announced a $1 million donation to support the design and construction of a new recreational facility in Fernie.

The proposed facility, to be developed and operated by the Elk Valley Field House Society (EVFHS), will provide a much needed indoor recreational and gathering space for residents of the Elk Valley region.

The field house will be located next to the Fernie Aquatic Centre and feature a multi-use indoor space for a wide range of recreational, sporting and community needs.

“Our contribution towards a new field house underscores EVR’s commitment to investing in the communities where we live and operate,” said Mike Carrucan, CEO, EVR.

“We recognize how important it is for the people of the Elk Valley to have an accessible, year-round space for health, wellness and connection—and are proud to be contributing to a project that brings the community together.”

The $1 million donation from EVR represents a major investment in the project, which began after the sudden closure of the Fernie Community Centre in June 2024. Since then, the EVFHS has been working closely with local groups and community members to create a sustainable, community[1]focused gathering space.

“The support from EVR is a game-changing investment for our organization and the entire community,” said Antony McElwee on behalf of the EVFHS.

“Their $1 million donation reinforces their strong regional support and commitment to creating long-term benefits for all Elk Valley residents.”

The planned facility will feature multi-purpose gym space and flexible community areas to accommodate everything from sports to social events.

With the donation from EVR, the field house project can move forward with design, planning, and fundraising, bringing the community one step closer to regaining essential indoor facilities.

“We encourage other local businesses and industry partners to step forward and support this important facility,” added Mike Carrucan.

“By working together, we will create lasting benefits for the region.”

The City of Fernie has also confirmed a $525,000 contribution from its Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) program, a provincial tourism funding program for resort municipalities, towards a new field house and has committed to a long-term lease of city-owned land to support the initiative.

“We are deeply grateful to Elk Valley Resources for their generous investment in this community-led initiative, and to the Elk Valley Field House Society for their vision and leadership in championing this vital recreation facility,” said Nic Milligan, Mayor, City of Fernie.

“The City of Fernie is proud to support this project by contributing City-owned land, RMI funding, and working in partnership with the Society to bring this exciting new space to life for our residents.”

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Jared Young of Prince George is joining the New York Mets roster once again.

This will be his second stint with the Mets this season, and fourth in the MLB., previously with the Chicago Cubs.

We have made the following roster moves. pic.twitter.com/hDJBjC5RDs

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 11, 2025

Young, who’s listed as an infielder, currently has a batting average of .171 with three home runs this season.

The Mets are currently second in the National League East, behind the Philadelphia Phillies by half a game.

They play the Kansas City Royals this afternoon at 1:10.

The MLB schedule and results are here.

The MLB standings are here.

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Special Olympics BC Summer Games:

Day 1 of the Special Olympics BC Summer Games has wrapped up yesterday (Friday), with today being the final day.

PHOTOS: Day one of the Special Olympics BC Summer Games https://t.co/4NkFw8c890

— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) July 12, 2025

Nearly 900 athletes from 46 communities are participating in the games in 10 sports.

The sports are 10-pin bowling, basketball, bocce, golf, rhythmic gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field.

The event schedule can be found here.

Results can be found here.

CFL:

The game between the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders was delayed yesterday, being pushed to 1pm today.

pic.twitter.com/hGlV3ighew

— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) July 12, 2025

Then tonight at 4:00, the Ottawa REDBLACKS visit Hamilton to take on the Tiger-Cats.

The CFL schedule are here.