The local jobless rate last month was a full two per cent higher than at the same time last year.
Statistics Canada says the population in the Kootenays grew and so did both the number of people working and the number of people looking for work.
In February, 82,200 people were employed and 5,600 were unemployed, for an unemployment rate of 6.4 per cent. The total population was 150,900.
Last year at the same time, 80,000 people had jobs and 3,700 were trying to find jobs, for a rate of 4.4 per cent. The population was then 149,500.
Nationally, the unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent, as the country shed 84,000 jobs. Much of that decline came among youth 15 to 24 and men aged 25 to 54.
The greatest declines were seen in wholesale and retail trade as well as personal and repair services. BC was one of four provinces where employment declined, with 20,000 fewer jobs. Only Quebec saw a greater decline, with 57,000 losses. However, BC’s rate of 6.1 per cent was unchanged from the previous month and was the fourth lowest in Canada.
Average hourly wages were up 3.9 per cent year over year to $37.56.
The resource manager for Lift Community Services says they will continue providing programming at its Joyce Avenue location despite a six-figure cut in funding.
Jessica Colasanto told city council March 3 the cut came as a surprise.
“We don’t get all of our funding at the beginning of the fiscal year, sometimes it comes in much later. You know, to plan for a fiscal year it’s difficult. Minimum of $100,000 was the biggest (cut)…the one we weren’t expecting,” Colasanto said.
The agency is trying to navigate with fewer dollars while demand goes up.
Colasanto says they’re seeing about five new families a month for family programs and 30 new faces monthly for community resource center services.
Consolidated under a community house model at 4871 Joyce Avenue Unit 101 in Crossroads Village since last year, Colasanto says some changes had to be made.
“We’re hoping to minimize impact to the people that we serve. It will noticeably impact our adult drop-in hours the most and unfortunately, it’s also impacting our staffing,” she said.
Council has agreed to send a letter of support to the B.C. Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in order for the agency to lobby for future funding.
Some of the no-charge services the agency offers include phone support to change direct deposit, reviewing Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters (SAFER) applications, sending faxes, a tax clinic for low-income earners, getting people on a housing wait list and help with applying for the disability tax credit.
Northern Health continues to have the highest death rate in the province when it comes to unregulated drugs.
The BC Coroners Service says there were 14 suspected overdoses in Northern Health in January.
That equates to a death rate of 57.6 people per 100,000.
Interior Health had 29 deaths and a death rate of 40.4, which is the second worst out of the 6 health authorities.
Taking a closer look at the Cariboo…the Northern Interior Health Service Delivery Area, which includes Quesnel, had 8 deaths in January and a death rate of 65 per 100,000 people.
That is the third highest out of 16.
The Thompson-Cariboo-Shuswap, which includes Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, had one of the lowest death rates in the province at just 19.2 deaths per 100,000.
There were 150 unregulated drug deaths in B.C. in January.
Residents in the Comox Valley may notice an increased military presence this weekend, but officials say there is no cause for concern.
HMCS Discovery will conduct “Exercise Steadfast Resolve” on March 14 and 15 at and in the waters around HMCS Quadra.
“The public may notice CAF members with unloaded service rifles within the boundaries of HMCS Quadra located at Goose Spit in the township of Comox,” said a social media post.
Although members will be carrying rifles, no weapons will be fired, either with live or blank ammunition.
The exercise will include boat operations near Goose Spit and the use of a Orca-class patrol vessel.
According to HMCS Discovery, the exercise is intended to develop and maintain the unit’s security operations capabilities and interoperability with other naval units, as well as integration within Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Armed Forces command structures, including Joint Task Force Pacific.
Diving operations, including wreck diving, will also take place in waters around Comox.
100 Mile House and District residents are cautioned that the Emergency Department at 100 Mile District General will be closed all day.
Interior Health says the ER will be closed as of 7 a.m. this morning(Friday, March 13), and will reopen at 8 p.m tonight.
Patients in need of emergency care can access it at Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.
People in need of life-threatening care should call 9-1-1 to be transported to the nearest and appropriate facility.
Interior Health says people who are unsure if their injuries warrant a trip to the ER and for non-emergency healthcare questions, should visit HealthLinkBC.ca or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1.
This is the eighth time in 2026 the ER at 100 Mile District General has been closed, and it is the second consecutive week.
The Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society has a new Assistant Water-Wise Educator.
Ruth Lloyd said she is very excited about being a part of the team learning her new role under the mentorship of Jenny Howell.
“She’s been at it for a really long time and has a great program going,” Lloyd said, “she’s getting ready to ease into retirement so I’m going to learn from the best then start doing more Water-Wise education.”
She noted that Water-Wise is a program the City of Williams Lake funds in order to help water conservation in the community.
“They learned a couple of decades ago when they started looking at the aquifer under Williams Lake and the water supply for the City. We were using water at a rate that would have basically used up our aquifer within the next decade. They were looking at an unsustainable rate of water usage so they kind of started looking at different options and what would make sense for the City to help ensure there was a sustainable water supply. They came to the Conservation Society and asked if they could do some education and we started doing these presentations to help educate the City and now we have a sustainable aquifer at this point.”
Lloyd added the community’s water use has gone down but it varies.
She said they look at it every year and the Conservation Society completes a water report for the City to look at what our water usage is at.
“We’ve reduced our water usage in the City anywhere between 25 and 30 percent since the Water-Wise program was put into place. We can’t take credit for all that, there were lots of another changes that have happened in that time, things like low flow toilets that would have had an impact.”
Lloyd has worn many different hats in her life before coming to the Conservation Society.
“I have done some work in the environment, I worked for an Environmental Consulting Company that did both archaeology and environmental consulting biology work. I studied biology getting a degree at the University of Victoria so I have a background in some of the work that the Conservation Society does. I’ve spent plenty of time in the outdoors so I’m pretty passionate about helping to make sure that we can keep what’s awesome about the Cariboo Chilcotin area going for generations.”
And Lloyd is no stranger to the Society as her family has a strong connection to it.
“My dad was on the Board until recently. He had been President at one point and he’s worked with the Conservation Society as a volunteer for many, many years. I’ve kind of learned a lot about their work through him so I saw this opportunity and thought it made sense, I really love what they do and they do a lot of great work in the community.”
Lloyd added the love the people have for what they do within the Society is inspiring and you can see the difference that they make because they are so motivated through that passion.
“The creative ideas they have and the ability they have to connect with the community is great.”
A group fighting for an environmental assessment of a Rossland-area mine says a judge’s ruling this week granting them an injunction was all they could have hoped for.
“It was such a reasonable weighted decision,” said Melanie Mercier, a spokeswoman for the Save Record Ridge Action Committee. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Justice Dev Dley approved an injunction that temporarily stops work like blasting, excavation, and logging at the proposed open-pit magnesium mine.
Dley also ordered the judicial review that Save Record Ridge is seeking to be held in Rossland in early May. Previously it had been scheduled for August in Nelson due to the unavailability of a lawyer for the mining company, West High Yield. Mercier said she was pleased the hearing has been sped up, although it didn’t come as a surprise, since during the hearing this week the judge asked the parties to look at earlier dates.
The review will examine the provincial government’s decision not to subject the mine to a full environmental review. The chief permitting officer said the project falls below a certain output threshold that would trigger a review. However, opponents argue that while the proposed tonnage has been reduced from previous proposals, the mine’s overall footprint would be about the same. Once the project is substantially started, it would no longer be subject to an environmental review.
Mercier said they are prepared for the judicial review, which could set a precedent.
“This judicial review is expected to examine how the Environmental Assessment Act is applied in British Columbia and whether projects of this scale must undergo environmental review before construction begins,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to show that this case goes far beyond Rossland. We’re really excited about that.”
Mercier was further happy the judge insisted the case be heard in Rossland, rather than moved out of area to accommodate the mining company’s lawyer.
When the judge doubted that the $60,000 Save Record Ridge had on hand would be enough of a security deposit for damages in case they lose the review, the group put out a call to supporters, who quickly added over $100,000 in cash and pledges.
“An incredible amount of pledges came through in less than 24 hours,” Mercier said. “I’m still overwhelmed by that. I feel our community is behind us. The show of support is immense and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
The judge ordered $60,000 in the group’s bank account to be frozen and gave them two weeks to produce the rest. Mercier said she believes they’ll be able to meet that deadline.
We’ve asked West High Yield for comment. As of Thursday afternoon, the company’s website didn’t mention this week’s court hearing. It did say the company has reached a sales deal with Galaxy Trade and Technology, an American-based magnesium supply company.
According to a news release, Galaxy will buy ore from the project over two years with an option to extend the agreement for another nine years. The deal calls for a $5 million US deposit to fund initial deliveries.
West High Yield also said this week it has received a draft access permit from the Ministry of Transportation, governing traffic from its mine onto provincial highways. It’s one of a few outstanding permits the company was hoping to secure before the start of April, when its mining permit allows work to begin.
The mine site is about seven kilometers from Rossland.
The mayor of Trail says she’s disappointed although not entirely surprised with a letter this week from BC Housing saying there is no money for a proposed supportive housing project in the city. Colleen Jones adds she isn’t giving up.
“I understand it’s devastating to [BC Housing] as well because we’ve been working really hard to find a spot,” Jones said.
“For them to have to come back and tell us that unfortunately, because of fiscal constraints, we’re unable to move forward with any projects at this time is definitely disappointing.”
Jones said the community is in “desperate” need of supportive housing, a type of subsidized housing with on-site help for residents.
She said they will continue to work with BC Housing in the background so that when funding does become available, they will be ready to go.
Trail’s project had not advanced beyond an idea. While Jones said “two or three” sites were being considered, no preferred location had been identified.
New housing has also been proposed for downtown lots where buildings were recently demolished, but no specifics have been announced. Jones said it’s unclear if BC Housing would have a role to play there. She said the city is still thinking about what might go on those sites. Plans await the completion of the new official community plan.
Jones said she had heard other communities, including Nelson and Castlegar, had received similar letters from BC Housing. She expects a combined resolution from local municipalities to be sent to the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments.
“Just to talk about how desperate rural BC is for housing,” she said. “When something like this happens, it really does affect us because we don’t have any other options for funding or building.”
We’ve asked BC Housing for more information on how many projects are affected by the funding freeze.
On the Canada Day weekend last year, Mandy Furru was on vacation in Nelson from New Westminster. On her way back, she stopped at one of the only cafes she could find that was open and had a “lovely coffee and a sandwich.”
That place was the Wooden Spoon in Grand Forks. She had no inkling at the time that seven months later she’d be back to take up a new job as director of the Grand Forks Public Library.
“It’s been quite a journey to from the big city to this small town, but so far it’s been very lovely,” she said. “Everyone has been so welcoming and warm.”
Furru’s academic background is in Asian studies. A few years ago she decided to combine her love of people and literacy and pursue librarianship. After graduating from UBC with a masters in library science, she worked at the Richmond Public Library and then as a librarian at a small private college.
She said community libraries appeal to her because of how critical they are.
“The library in Grand Forks is so important because it’s one of the only free spaces in town where people can gather, like our knitters on Saturdays. People can come and do their own work. Some people who work remotely use our think tank and our idea lab.”
Her first day was Feb. 17. She said her overall impression of the library is that it has an impressive number of programs given its size and staff. And it’s always very busy.
“If you look at stats of other small libraries that serve similar population sizes, this library has tons of programming,” she said. “The foot traffic that we get every day is quite incredible. For a town of 5,000, it’s amazing that 150 to 200 people come in these doors every single day.”
Furru replaces Cari Lynn Gawletz, who left at the start of the year to become the village administrator in New Denver.
Two people were taken to hospital following a two-car crash in Trail last night at Highway 3B and Devito Drive, which is one of the intersections at Waneta Plaza.
Kootenay Boundary Fire Rescue says it was called shortly before 9 p.m. Crews arrived a few minutes later and spent an hour extricating people from the vehicles. There was no immediate word on their condition or the cause of the crash.
Sports by Hartley Friday, March 13th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
It is the second last weekend of the WHL regular season.
The Prince George Cougars host the (24-35-3-2) Wenatchee Wild tonight (Friday) at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:00 on retro weekend.
The (39-22-2) Cougars, who are 3-0 on a 6-game homestand, have clinched home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and will start the post-season at CN Centre in two weeks on Friday, March 27th.
Prince George is in 4th place in the Western Conference, one point behind the (36-19-6-3) Kelowna Rockets.
P.G. has five regular season games left while Kelowna has four remaining.
The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.
The @PGCougars Cat Scan #podcast guest this week is WHL Manager of Community Engagement and Content, Cami Kepke. She talks about her journey from media to the #WHL, creating content for the WHL, freelance reporting in other sports and women in #sports reporting.#hockeyhttps://t.co/TbOIkqMGz7
The U-18 Cariboo Cougars are in Kelowna to play the Okanagan Rockets in the BC Elite Hockey League best-of-3 semifinals.
Games go tonight (Friday) at 8:00, Saturday afternoon at 1:15 and, if needed, Sunday morning at 10:45.
In the regular season the (26-7-1) Rockets finished in second place while the (19-12-2-1) Cougars were 3rd in the 7-team league.
#
The 4th place Under-18 Northern Capitals visit the first place Greater Vancouver Comets in the BCEHL female division semifinals.
That best-of-3 series starts tonight (Friday at 5:45) in Delta and continues Saturday night at 8:00 in Coquitlam and if necessary, Sunday morning at 11:00 in Delta.
Canada will play the United States in the quarterfinals tonight (Friday 5:00 PT) in Houston.
Jared Young of Prince George is part of the Canadian team who played in one of the four robin games games (Canada’s 4-3 Sunday loss against Panama) going 1-for-5 as a DH.
The semis will go Sunday and Monday in Miami with the championship game Tuesday in Miami.
The 30-year-old Young is entering his second season with the New York Mets as a DH and utility player.
NBA:
The (36-29) Toronto Raptors host the (39-27) Phoenix Suns tonight (Friday 4:30 PM PT).
MLAs voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion Thursday affirming support for British Columbia’s Human Rights Code after recent calls from several Pride organizations.
Seventeen Pride groups said in a joint letter on Monday they are “deeply disturbed” by Independent MLA Tara Armstrong’s recent introduction of a bill to repeal B.C.’s Human Rights Code.
Armstrong’s private member’s bill was voted down at first reading on Feb. 26. Several B.C. Conservative members voted in favour of it, with some arguing that all bills should go to first reading, no matter how controversial, so they can be scrutinized by MLAs and British Columbians.
The Pride groups called on the Legislative Assembly to formally censure Armstrong and said she should resign as MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. They also urged MLAs to take action to show support for the Code in the House.
Tara Armstrong speaks alongside Dallas Brodie at the legislature, May 28, 2025 | Vista Radio file photo
Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity, responded in a letter Wednesday, saying the NDP would introduce a motion to affirm support for the Code and the Human Rights Tribunal that enforces it.
“Supporting the Code and Tribunal used to be matters of cross-partisan consensus,” said Blatherwick. “Unfortunately, this has changed in recent weeks.”
She said anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has increased since a recent Human Rights Tribunal decision that found several statements by then–Chilliwack school board trustee Barry Neufeld about trans and queer-inclusive education amounted to hate speech. The tribunal found Neufeld violated Sections 7 and 13 of the Code and ordered him to pay $750,000.
Blatherwick also pointed to online comments made by Armstrong and others that included inaccurate claims about transgender people and violence following last month’s shooting in Tumbler Ridge. RCMP have said the shooter was an 18-year-old trans woman.
“By bringing forward this motion, we are asking every MLA to clearly and publicly stand behind the legal protections that generations of people have fought for,” said Blatherwick.
Armstrong, OneBC leader Dallas Brodie and Independent Jordan Kealy were the only MLAs to vote against the motion on Thursday.
Independent Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko said it was important for MLAs to express support for the Code, after a number of private members’ bills she says are “divisive.”
“We have to take unconventional approaches to rejecting hateful rhetoric in this place,” said Sturko.
Government House Leader Mike Farnworth on Wednesday seemed to reject the idea of bringing a censure motion against Armstrong. He noted constituents can start the process to recall an MLA as of April 20, which will mark 18 months since the October 2024 election.
B.C. Green MLA Rob Botterell has said his party members are “actively” considering a censure motion.
Armstrong said Thursday she will not resign.
“I’m going to keep doing the work I have set out to do, and I’m not going to be intimidated by people that come after me by doing that work,” she said.
Williams Lake RCMP ask the public for help in seeking a missing 13-year-old, Bentley Bursey.
Police say Bursey was last seen on March 11, leaving the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
Bursey is described as around 5 feet in height, weighing around 130 pounds, with red hair and green eyes.
Police are concerned for his well-being and are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the Williams Lake RCMP at 250-392-6211 or contact your local police.
Member of Parliament Ellis Ross said Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, will cause chaos if approved.
Bill C-9 is intended to protect religious freedom and the right to attend religious gatherings without fear of harassment or intimidation. The bill also aims to protect identifiable groups from hatred.
Many organizations are concerned with the vague wording and the bill is legally ambiguous in its current stage and could create unintended consequences, said the Canadian Labour Congress.
“For workers, the threat is clear. The Charter protects the right to strike — yet without amendment, Bill C-9 will erode this right, making certain legal job actions a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison. This is a direct attack on organized labour and freedom of association.”
Many Conservative MPs are concerned that this will threaten freedom of religion and freedom of expression in Canada, said Ross.
“I would like to make it clear that I do not support the Liberals outrageous Bill C-9.This amendment will not make Canadians safer, but will instead put people of faith at risk for possible criminal prosecution simply for quoting or discussing their own sacred texts,” he said.
“Calls for violence such as advocating genocide or inciting public hatred are already illegal under existing Criminal Code sections and there is no religious defense for those offenses. My conservative colleagues and I will continue to fight this reckless and unprecedented attack on religious freedoms and defend our Charter rights that the Liberals’ are trying to tear down.”
An amendment to the bill made by the Bloc Québécois earlier this week also removed the religious exemption for expressing or attempting to establish by argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text, which could lead to prosecution.
Ross also said many of his constituents have voiced concerns about the bill.
“My office has been receiving many phone calls and emails regarding Bill C-9. Thank you to all my constituents who have taken the time to reach out and share their concerns.”
The Grand Forks Border Bruins power play capitalized twice, including on Devon Boyle’s winner with three minutes remaining in the first period.
Thomas Samborski stopped 26 of 27 shots for Grand Forks, while Landen Janz recorded two assists. Aidan Hicks scored the lone Rebels goal and Jac Carli made 24 saves for Castlegar.
The victory advances the defending Kootenay International Junior Hockey League champions to the Neil Murdoch Division final. The Border Bruins will now battle the Beaver Valley Nitehawks for the Neil Murdoch Division title.
Boyle led the Border Bruins with seven points in the series, while Austin Tellefson scored five goals.
The Border Bruins will now battle it out with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks for the Neil Murdoch division title.
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Northern Health recorded 14 unregulated drug deaths in January, according to new data released by the BC Coroners Service.
Six of those were recorded in Prince George. Vancouver had the highest amount at 32, followed by Surrey with 17 and Kelowna with 11.
Northern Health had the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 individuals at 58.
Province-wide, 150 unregulated drug deaths were recorded in January 2026, a ten per cent decrease from January 2025, when 167 deaths were recorded. That equates to 4.8 deaths daily.
According to the Province, nearly three-quarters of the lives lost in January were between 30 and 59, and 80 per cent were male.
Fentanyl and its analogues continue to be identified in a significant majority of these deaths, with nearly eight in every 10 tests returning positive results.
The Williams Lake Mustangs confirmed that Dawson Knackstedt from Vanderhoof has been discharged from the hospital, and will be recovering.
This was after an awkward collision at center ice during game four of the KIJHL playoffs against the Quesnel River Rush on Tuesday (March 10).
The game was suspended with 3:31 left in the opening period, and will resume tonight (Thursday).
Update (Wednesday, 10:17 a.m.):
The Williams Lake Mustangs confirmed on Facebook that Dawson Knackstedt from Vanderhoof is in stable condition, following a scary incident in the first period of last night’s (Tuesday) game.
The 17-year-old forward is in his first season with the Mustangs, picking up four goals and two assists in 36 regular season games.
Original (Tuesday, 10:37 p.m.):
Game four of the KIJHL playoff game between the Quesnel River Rush and Williams Lake Mustangs game was suspended on Tuesday (March 10) night due to a serious injury to one of the players.
There was an awkward collision at center ice between two Quesnel players and the Mustangs’ Dawson Knackstedt, who slowly made his way to the bench but collapsed before he got there.
A doctor at the game tended to the injured player along with other first responders and team staff in accordance with the league’s emergency action plan.
The players were visibly shaken and the game was suspended with 3:31 left in the opening period.
There is no update on the injured player’s condition.
A two minute penalty was assessed on the play and it was upgraded to a major because of the injury.
The game was tied 1-1 at the time.
There is no word right now on when game four will resume.
Game five is set for Friday (March 13) night in Quesnel.
The River Rush lead the best of seven series 2 games to 1.
Nanaimo RCMP have concluded a five-month targeted enforcement initiative that resulted in 139 arrests related to drug trafficking and organized crime.
The project began in September and was supported by provincial Safer Communities – Community Safety and Intervention Teams (SITE) funding.
An RCMP news release said officers executed 55 warrants. Police forwarded 51 reports to Crown counsel recommending charges against 51 individuals. A total of 84 charges were recommended and officers issued 23 violation tickets.
Police said one of the most significant enforcement actions occurred Feb. 28, when officers executed a search warrant at a home on Doumont Road and arrested a 48-year-old man.
Investigators seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and suspected GHB, along with three firearms, body armour and $33,235 in cash.
The man was released from custody pending approval of charges.
“This project delivered a clear and measurable improvement in public safety. SITE funding allowed us to strategically target individuals driving violence and drug trafficking. Our community is safer today because of the dedicated work of the SITE Team, front-line officers, and partner units,” said Supt. Eric Rochette, officer in charge of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Between Nov. 14 and Nov. 16, Nanaimo RCMP worked with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia Uniform Gang Enforcement Team to target street-level drug trafficking.
Police said the enforcement blitz led to significant seizures of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone tablets and benzodiazepine tablets, along with several weapons including knives, tasers, brass knuckles and a pellet gun.
RCMP also said officers seized cash and a vehicle believed to be proceeds of crime linked to individuals associated with the Brothers Keepers.
“CFSEU-BC’s Uniform Gang Enforcement Team was proud to provide operational support to our policing partners during this operation. Collaborative enforcement efforts allow agencies to leverage specialized resources and intelligence to disrupt organized crime and improve community safety,” said Asst. Comm. Manny Mann, chief officer of CFSEU-BC.
RCMP said the following items were seized during the five-month project:
Some attendees of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Vancouver may be eligible for a refund after StubHub Canada reached an agreement with Consumer Protection B.C.
Thousands flocked to Vancouver’s BC Place in early December 2024 for the final shows of Taylor Swift’s tour.
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said the agreement is good news for Swifties who unknowingly bought a ticket that had an obstructed view.
“When you don’t know and you spend a lot of money and show up at a concert, and can’t see anything, then that’s clearly a problem,” said Sharma.
The provincial regulator said Wednesday the agreement, signed on Feb. 23, came after a consumer complaint and an investigation into StubHub’s ticket sales practices.
It requires the company to improve how it discloses ticket information to buyers to align with B.C.’s Ticket Sales Act.
StubHub must also pay $2,500 to the Consumer Advancement Fund and more than $6,000 in inspection costs to Consumer Protection BC.
Concertgoers at the pop star’s Vancouver concerts on Dec. 6, 7 and 8, 2024 may get a refund if they sat in sections 219–236, 336, or 418–437 and their ticket did not disclose an obstructed or limited view.
StubHub is expected to contact eligible purchasers directly by May 1, 2026.
B.C. law requires ticket sellers and platforms to clearly disclose ticket details and the full cost before purchase.
“People buying tickets in BC have the right to clear, accurate information about what they are purchasing and what it will cost before they buy,” says Louise Hartland, director of public relations for Consumer Protection BC, in a statement.
Documents related to the case include allegations that StubHub failed to clearly disclose the face value of the ticket, as well as applicable fees, service charges and taxes, and the terms and conditions.
The documents say the company also failed to provide guarantees for B.C. events when a ticket did not match its description.
They state no finding or decision has been made regarding the allegations and note that StubHub has not accepted them.
A ceremony was held last week in Shawnigan Lake to mark the start of construction on a $25-million redevelopment of Camp Shawnigan.
The camp is operated by Easter Seals BC/Yukon and has been part of the community since 1979.
The organization said the project will create North America’s first year-round, purpose-built inclusive camp for children, youth and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.
“This phase is about safety, accessibility, and setting the stage for what’s to come,” said Elena Lawson, capital campaign manager at Easter Seals BC/Yukon. “We are building a space where every camper can fully participate, connect, and thrive.”
The project is in its first phase, which includes laying a new foundation and adding a parking lot near the camp entrance.
Phase two is expected to begin in the spring and will include construction of the first two fully accessible cabins.
Tristan Klassen said the redevelopment is an investment in dignity, belonging and community.
Williams Lake RCMP responded at approximately 11:15 this (Thursday) morning to Columneetza Junior Secondary.
Police said a 15-year-old male reportedly injured a staff member prior to the youth being apprehended by other school staff.
Senior Media Relations Officer, Kris Clark said police arrived within minutes and have taken the suspect into custody.
“The school was placed in a hold and secure temporarily,” Clark said, “however there is nothing to suggest that there are any additional suspects at this time.”
Williams Lake Acting Staff Sargeant Brad McKinnon said the students and staff are now safe.
“The hold and secure was a safety precaution and lifted shortly after the suspect was removed from the school.” McKinnon said, “The investigation is in its infancy and we have no information to suggest motive at this time.”
Police said one person suffered minor injuries and is receiving medical attention and no other physical injuries have been reported.
Kootenay Lake School District 8 is forecasting fewer students and lower funding in the 2026-27 school year.
Secretary-treasurer Cathy MacArthur told trustees at the March 10 school board meeting that enrolment is projected to decline by 109 students next year, a drop of about 2.4 per cent.
“We do this projection in February and we submit our projection for enrollment to the Ministry by February 15th,” said MacArthur.
The trend affects more than just SD8, with MacArthur noting the projections align with what is happening provincewide.
“That is the kind of trend that we’ve heard is happening in other school districts in our region and many other school districts across the province. So we’re not alone in that level of decline.”
She said the decline will affect provincial operating funding tied to student numbers.
Based on current funding rates from the 2025-26 school year, the district estimates a decrease of about $938,000 in basic enrolment funding.
MacArthur said there is also an expected drop in funding tied to students with additional needs.
“Based on the current year rates for the student funding, projects a $983,000 decrease for basic enrollments and actually a $358,000 decrease for our unique learners for our special our unique student needs level 1, 2, 3 and Indigenous education.”
Together, those reductions amount to about $1.3 million.
However, she explained the province provides additional supports when enrolment falls significantly.
MacArthur said the district expects to receive about $233,000 in enrolment-decline funding, which is triggered when school-age enrolment falls by more than one per cent.
Another $173,000 is expected through provincial funding protection, which she said prevents operating grants from dropping by more than 1.5 per cent year over year.
“So the net difference would be, based on the 2025 and 2026 rates, about $9,000 to $28,000. Sometime later this month, we will be receiving the new rates for 2026 and 2027 and that’s what we will be using along with our enrollments to prepare our preliminary budget.”
The district is also seeking public input as part of its budgeting process.
A survey is available on SD8’s website. Feedback will help shape the draft budget, which is scheduled to be presented at the next school board meeting in April.
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Northern Health is continuing to work with the Village of Granisle to resolve its current Do Not Consume notice.
The notice was issued in mid-December due to elevated aluminum in the municipal drinking water from a coagulant leak in the treatment facility.
The health authority said a water quality advisory was issued in September after a routine inspection raised concerns around the water treatment.
“From there, we’ve been working with and supporting the Village of Granisle to investigate and fix drinking water issues,” Dr. Jong Kim, Chief Medical Health Officer.
He added testing in January and February showed aluminum levels remained high.
My Bulkley Lakes Now reached out to Granisle for an update, and the village declined to comment.
Kim said once repairs are done on the filtration units, aluminum levels in the water should drop to acceptable amounts.
“Everybody consumes a small amount through regular exposure and food consumption, and our body eliminates aluminum through the kidneys,” he said.
Long-term exposure and high levels are what start to cause health concerns which may start to affect the nervous system.
Kim added those with reduced kidney function are more likely to be affected with those who are healthy having a low risk.
He said age itself also isn’t a direct factor into risk, with the main points being certain medical conditions, kidney disease, or on dialysis.
Babies and toddlers are the higher risk category because of their smaller body size.
Northern Health has been working with the local clinic provider to support those who are at a higher risk, or unexplained symptoms.
The village announced previously a test done in October 2024 showed aluminum levels at over three times the allowed concentration which it didn’t know about until results were received in late January.
“We’ve been working in close consultation with provincial experts about assessing the health risk,” said Kim.
“At this point for the regular person with normal functioning kidneys, the level of aluminum exposure that we can estimate and project is below where we would be concerned about significant health effects.”
No timeline for when the notice will be lifted is currently available, but will start to be removed when aluminum concentrations start to fall into safe amounts.
Northern Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control released a list of frequently asked questions which can be found here.
The Quesnel Volunteer Fire Department was called out to a vehicle fire on Wednesday (March 11) evening.
Fire Chief Ron Richert says the call came in at around 5:30 p.m.
“The Quesnel Fire Department was dispatched to a vehicle fire near the top of Dragon Lake Hill. Upon arrival our duty officer had a fully involved vehicle. It started in the engine compartment and migrated through the entire vehicle.”
Richert says there were no injuries but the SUV sustained extensive damage.
He says they quickly extinguished the fire and they were on scene for about 25 minutes in total.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
After two years on the sideline, Charles Brown will be getting back into the ring this weekend.
For the past two years, the Primetime Wrestler has been dealing with unexplained neurological challenges that have caused epileptic-type symptoms.
“The last couple of years have been one of the toughest fights of my life,” Brown said.
“There were times when it would have been easy to walk away, but that’s not who I am. I’m not giving up on my dream. I’m coming back stronger, and I’m ready to work my way to the top.”
This weekend, Brown will have an opportunity to compete for gold, as he competes for the newly vacated Primetime VIP Championship during this weekend’s VIP match.
The card for this weekend’s shows is stacked, with an international showdown featuring Mexican lucha libre wrestler Santania squaring off with PG fan-favourite Vicky Vicious.
Primetime Heavyweight Champion Andy Anderson will defend his title against Scotty Mac, a highly decorated veteran making his Primetime debut.
Tag team gold is also on the line, as the Caribroozers defend their Primetime Tag Team Championships against the newly formed Midnight Vice.
This weekends shows will raise funds for the Prince George Secondary School Dry Grad Committee.
Through shows and partnerships, the promotion has helped raise more than $50,000 for community organizations and charities.
A newly released report says there are “numerous troubling aspects” of the City of Prince George’s Safe Streets Bylaw, as well as how the City enforces it.
The report, authored by Dr. Joe Hermer, is entitled “The Complaint is the Crime“, and studies enforcement of the bylaw over a period of 44 months.
“The core problem that this research has uncovered is the unlawful aspects of both the bylaw and its enforcement,” Hermer said.
“After going through 5,000 pages of documents, and 1,399 bylaw complaints, I have found that 74 per cent of the time that a bylaw officer responds to a complaint involving a person, they are “moved on.” However, the bylaw does not give the right to anyone enforcing it to force people from the area or space they are in. This leaves the City in a precarious situation in terms of liability, which points to the need to make significant changes to the practices of Bylaw Officers and amendments to the bylaw itself.”
According to the report, the Safe Streets Bylaw and its enforcement are illegal in two specific ways.
First, the report said the Bylaw has an offence that prohibits open drug use; any bylaw passed by a municipality in BC that relates to public health (including drug use) must be reviewed by regional health authorities and be deposited with the Provincial Government. The report says neither of these steps have been taken.
Second, the report said the main action taken by bylaw officers responding to complaints regarding the bylaw has been to force people to “move on.” It said the Bylaw enables no such authority, but it is done on almost a routine basis.
“This bylaw has attempted to punish unhoused people simply for existing. Unhoused people have the same right to use and be in public space as anyone else. No officer enforcing this bylaw has the right to demand that citizens leave a public space like a sidewalk – and yet that is precisely what bylaw officers at the City of Prince George have done hundreds of times over the last four years,” Hermer said.
The report also said the bylaw’s enforcement:
Endangers the lives of the most vulnerable by forcing them to hide, increasing the risk of drug overdose.
Threatens public safety particularly relating to fires, with Bylaw Officers responding to fires they are neither equipped or trained to deal with,
Neglects to assist people in clear signs of mental agitation, with no links to services thereby increasing the risk to the public and the person being moved on.
Wastes city resources by encouraging vague complaints, and not triaging or vetting complaints that may involve no illegal behaviour.
The report acknowledges there have been improvements in enforcing the bylaw since 2022. This included Bylaw Officers administering or assisting in administering Narcan, and performing other actions that saved the lives of four people.
It also notes the “moving on” aspect of enforcement has begun to reduce in frequency.
The City of Prince George issued the following statement in response to the report:
“The City of Prince George appreciates the time and effort that has gone into the analysis of the Safe Streets Bylaw by Associate Professor Joe Hermer. Elected members and staff attended the panel session and listened to the summary and questions with interest. We agree with a lot of the sentiment around the need for ongoing collaboration and problem solving into these complex issues. We will continue to work with our service agencies and those with lived experience to help determine how to drive solutions. The City strives to balance a responsive complaints system with the rights and dignity of our vulnerable citizens. The Safe Streets Bylaw was last updated in 2022 and no fines have been issued under this bylaw. This feedback will be taken into consideration along with the changes in the provincial landscape around encampments, open drug use, and social disorder by staff for daily operations.”
Regional District of Nanaimo is reviewing how its board of directors votes and is inviting residents to provide feedback.
The regional district said it does not expect the current voting formula to remain workable after this year because of population growth.
“The 2026 Census is expected to show that the City of Nanaimo (City) would need to appoint ten directors under the current system, but the City has only nine elected officials, making this requirement impossible to meet,” a news release from the regional district said.
The board is considering a change that would give the City of Nanaimo more votes with seven directors.
Parksville would also gain one additional vote while keeping the same number of directors.
The District of Lantzville, Town of Qualicum Beach and the seven electoral areas would keep the same number of directors and votes.
“Every community gets a set number of directors and a set number of votes based on its population. Reducing the total number of directors or votes can change the outcome of a vote,” the regional district said. “In reviewing the voting formula, the RDN Board is considering not only the numbers, but also values such as fairness, equity, and inclusive regional governance.”
The regional district is gathering public feedback until April 17 before submitting a proposal to the B.C. Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Feedback can be emailed to [email protected] or sent in a letter to the RDN at 6300 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N2.
Residents may also request to appear as a delegation at a board meeting tentatively scheduled for April 28.
The Caledonia Nordic Ski Club had a successful weekend, hosting the International Biathlon Union Regional Event and Biathlon Canada Western Canadian Championships.
The event, which took Place from March 6th to the 8th, saw over 150 athletes from across Western Canada, the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and the United States compete in categories from Youth, Junior, Senior, and Masters.
Biathlon Canada livestreamed the competitions, which Spokesperson Kevin Pettersen said drew in thousands of viewers.
“We had some international viewers on the livestream as well.”
“We had some highlight videos out there that were done by a local videographer, and I think we had an opportunity to show off Exploration Place. We had the Saturday banquet there and award ceremony.”
Pettersen added it was amazing for folks to experience Prince George and what the Nordic Club offers.
He said they’ve been working to improve the club for around a decade to offer more for event hosting, with the goal of hosting world level events.
Pettersen said there’s a symbiotic relationship that the events they host open up the doors to what they can bring into the community and improve the club for the benefit of their skiers.
UNBC also offered a $2,000 tuition credit to participating athletes for competitors to pursue post-secondary education while continuing their athletic careers.
Williams Lake City Council is dipping into its reserves to balance its upcoming capital budget.
Council approved covering a $2,450,331 water and a $122,904 sewer shortfall, out of its roughly $5.8 million water reserve funds in Tuesday, March 10’s council meeting.
Councillor Scott Neslon said the decision to spend reserve money is to continue the City’s goal to be debt-free.
“We’re quite frankly in a very healthy position to be able to move our community forward. We took a very strong position eight years ago to pay down the debt for this community. It looks like it’s going to be paid off in 2027.”
There were over five projects that were either new or that had been previously passed over in 2025’s and 2024’s capital budgets, added to the water and sewer lists.
These projects for water include:
Golf course zone 1 to 2 booster station construction for $1,366,599. Which had been taken off previous budgets and needs to be put on 2026’s.
A new Water Well #6 for $538,962
A new Scout Island Water Mains Replacement Design for $465,324
Relining of Water Reservoirs for $180,000. A previous project from 2025 that needs to be added to the 2026 list. Another $180,000 has already been allocated to 2027’s capital budget.
A new Water Well Model for $30,000
and new Water Security Cameras for $30,000.
City Staff reported that these items were for water work towards the water treatment plant. The staff’s report also noted that using water reserve funds for these projects means there will be less money available for future water treatment plant costs.
Nelson added that City Staff are continuously being directed to look for funding and grant opportunities to ensure water treatment plant projects will fit into future budgets.
“Our top priority as a council is once our debt is paid off, to ensure that we’ve got safe drinking water in a treatment plant that’s going to take place. We have squirreled away some cash, and behind the scenes, there’s been great debates about it. But at the end of the day, this community is in a very healthy, strong position to move forward to advance its cause to engage in the prospects of building a proper treatment plant.”
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor reiterated the same sentiments as Councillor Nelson, adding that another goal in balancing the budget is to keep taxes low.
“This year, the council’s direction to staff is to bring the budget close to zero. Council and staff are still working on it, but it’s nothing but a win-win situation. Paying the debt and reducing taxes were the key last year. We are working on this year. Already, we have done a record high number of projects.”
The decision to use reserves was approved unanimously by the council.
City Staff reports it is still receiving public feedback on the proposed 2026 Capital Budget.
You can now walk or bike across the new pedestrian bridge at Christina Lake.
The bridge, which has a steel frame and roof and a wooden deck, crosses Christina Creek a little downstream of the highway bridge. The closest connecting roads on either side are Park and Kimura.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary says it’s for non-motorized use only.
“It was a big team effort to bring this project to fruition,” the RDKB said in a Facebook post today. “Our sincerest and most heartfelt thank you to the wonderful team of professionals brought together who turned this bridge from a dream into a reality.”
A ribbon cutting is planned in April and a grand opening celebration later in the year.
DriveBC said Highway 97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill caused by a a multi-vehicle incident.
CLOSED – #BCHwy97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill due to multiple vehicle incidents. Passenger vehicles detour through Kolling Rd, no detour available for commercial vehicles. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Traffic has been snarled south of Prince George this morning following a multi-vehicle incident on Highway 97.
The incident reportedly occurred just before 6:00 this morning, with police, fire and ambulance called to the scene.
Witnesses have reported chip trucks are involved.
Drive BC is reporting multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill.
#BCHwy97 – Reports of multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill affecting both directions.
Crews en route to assist. Drive with caution due to icy/slippery conditions. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Chiefs from four First Nations communities are telling Aaron Gunn to “chillax” after the MP criticized land acknowledgements in a statement posted Monday on X.
In the statement, Gunn said if the federal government believes in the private property rights of Canadians, it should stop opening meetings by proclaiming they are on the unceded territory of a First Nation or First Nations.
“Doing so reinforces the radical and dangerous legal concept that most Canadians live on “stolen land”,” Gunn said. “This is Canada. One country. For all Canadians.”
Chiefs from Tla’amin Nation, Homalco First Nation, K’ómoks First Nation and Klahoose First Nation issued a joint statement responding to Gunn’s remarks.
“Yesterday on social media, the MP appeared to crash out and demand to speak to the manager of land acknowledgements, a position that observers confirm does not exist,” the statement said. “Chiefs whose territories make up the riding had two words for the MP – Chillax, Bud.”
The four nations are located within the North Island—Powell River federal riding.
The statement said land acknowledgements have never seized property, cancelled mortgages, repossessed vehicles or altered title deeds in Canada.
“Chiefs across the region continue to reassure the public that land acknowledgements have not, to date, resulted in any land back.”
Comox Municipal Marina will be more accessible to residents and visitors after the main dock was opened to the public.
The Town of Comox and Comox Business in Action announced the public can now access the main dock at the marina.
“Our waterfront is one of Comox’s most loved areas, and expanding public access allows more people to experience it while supporting local business and enjoying our downtown,” said Nicole Minions.
The idea to allow public access was first raised during a marina deep-dive session hosted by the Comox BIA in late 2023.
The session brought together more than 25 community partners and generated support for creating more opportunities for the public to connect with the waterfront.
The initiative was later submitted to council as a priority through the BIA’s contributions to the town’s economic development strategy, adopted in 2024.
“This access invites people of all ages to experience more of the waterfront, explore our shops and restaurants and enjoy everything that makes Comox special,” said Pete Chambers.
The marina gate will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter schedule, which runs from mid-September to April 30.
The summer schedule runs from May 1 to mid-September, when the gate will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to follow posted signage and safety guidance while using the docks.
Fernie city council has adopted changes to the council procedure bylaw that will allow more public input during council meetings.
One change focuses on what can be brought up by the public during council meetings.
Previously, comments could only be made on items directly in that night’s council docket. Now comments can be made on the minutes from past meetings attached to the docket.
The city is also scrapping the fifteen-minute public participation period as it wasn’t strictly adhered to anyway.
It will be upped to 45 minutes but enforced more consistently.
The old bylaw also suspends the PPP for six months prior to a general local government election or bi-election.
Under the updated bylaw, that has been reduced to two months.
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The City of Williams Lake will be celebrating their 97th birthday a little bit earlier this year.
It was incorporated on March 15 1929 but with that date falling on a Sunday, and the usual site to celebrate it being closed that day, a birthday tea will be held tomorrow (February 13) afternoon starting at 2 at the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin.
“It’s my honour to invite each and everyone to join us in celebrating the City’s birthday,” Mayor Surinderpal Rathor said.
In all of his years at City Hall as a councilor and mayor, Rathor said he hasn’t missed a birthday celebration yet wherever it was held.
“The Tourism Discovery Centre (TDC) and the Museum weren’t at their current locations a few years back. The TDC was officially opened in 2006 and we use to celebrate the City’s birthday in the old Museum location when it was kitty corner to City Hall.”
Rathor noted that it has been a long standing tradition that the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin be the site to celebrate this event because of it’s relationship to the town and the history of the City’s development it holds .
DriveBC said Highway 97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill caused by a a multi-vehicle incident.
CLOSED – #BCHwy97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill due to multiple vehicle incidents. Passenger vehicles detour through Kolling Rd, no detour available for commercial vehicles. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Traffic has been snarled just north of Hixon this morning following a multi-vehicle incident on Highway 97.
The incident reportedly occurred just before 6:00 this morning, with police, fire and ambulance called to the scene.
Witnesses have reported chip trucks are involved.
Drive BC is reporting multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill.
#BCHwy97 – Reports of multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill affecting both directions.
Crews en route to assist. Drive with caution due to icy/slippery conditions. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
DriveBC said Highway 97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill caused by a a multi-vehicle incident.
CLOSED – #BCHwy97 is closed in both directions at Woodpecker Hill due to multiple vehicle incidents. Passenger vehicles detour through Kolling Rd, no detour available for commercial vehicles. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Traffic has been snarled south of Prince George this morning following a multi-vehicle incident on Highway 97.
The incident reportedly occurred just before 6:00 this morning, with police, fire and ambulance called to the scene.
Witnesses have reported chip trucks are involved.
Drive BC is reporting multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill.
#BCHwy97 – Reports of multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill affecting both directions.
Crews en route to assist. Drive with caution due to icy/slippery conditions. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Cranbrook public works crews had their work cut out for them in 2025, with 1,644 total service requests and 2,962 work orders.
One of the large projects for 2025 was a full condition assessment of 1,443 assets across 16 facilities.
City staff said it will help guide long-term capital planning.
Crews also launched a proactive leak detection program.
Public works tested 48 kilometres of pipe, identified 70 potential leaks and confirmed nine.
“The leak detection program is a perfect example of how strategic, proactive maintenance can save taxpayers money by avoiding costly emergency repairs,” said Tony Hetu, Director of Public Works.
“Finding these leaks early is a high return on investment and we plan to continue with this program annually.”
The full public works year end report can be found here.
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Brayden Sinclair has evolved into an all-purpose forward.
The 20-year-old Smokie who has played at centre for the majority of his career is now a winger on a newly formed and potent line with Erik Pastro in the middle and Dylan Lariviere on the other wing.
Sinclair was instrumental in Pastro’s hat trick during Trail’s 7-4 win over Spruce Grove last Friday in Trail.
Sinclair is liking life as a winger.
“Yeah you know it’s a change, but I feel like it allows me to be more offensive and I’m liking it a lot,” said the 20-year-old.
Sinclair battled through an offensively challenging first half of the season to score seven of his nine goals and 14 of his 22 points since Dec. 20.
The Coquitlam native says a new mind set was the key.
“I think I’ve just changed my approach, just not so hung up on little mistakes, just kind of playing my game out there,” Sinclair stated.
Head coach and general manager Eric Thurston praises Sinclair’s versatility and positivity, saying Sinclair can also be deceptive.
“He’s got a sneaky wicked shot,” beamed the bench boss, noting it’s part of Sinclair’s overall contribution to the team.
“He’s on the second power play, kills penalties and is a key member on that line with Pastro and Dylan Lariviere,” added Thurston who noted Sinclair is quietly reliable and effective.
“He doesn’t want fanfare, he works hard, when he’s skating, the speed he brings to the table, when he has that outside speed, that’s really a formidable weapon that he has,” Thurston pointed out, while also calling Sinclair among their best defensive performers.
“When your best players play a good 200-foot game, they’re good in their own end, they get pucks out, they battle and they do all those little things, you’ve got a trust with them and that’s key,” stated Thurston.
“He’s a guy that can be out in the last two minutes, the last minute, he can go up against the other team’s top line because he doesn’t take short cuts,” Thurston added, lauding Sinclair’s commitment to play the game the right way, with the right attitude.
“It’s also his character, he’s a great kid, he’s got a smile on his face, he’s very respectful and polite, and we are very fortunate that last year Tim Fragle (former coach and GM) picked him up (in a trade with Cowichan Valley), he has been a great addition for us in the last year and a bit,” commented Thurston.
Sinclair feels defense is the foundation of his game.
“I take a lot of pride in playing defense and not getting scored on, it’s really important to me that the other team doesn’t get scoring opportunities while I’m out there,” said Sinclair, who is confident the team has turned the corner from an adversity filled time since Christmas.
Louis Jonerheim left Trail for the USHL, while Owen McCarthy, Carter Matthews and Ryan Oothoudt have joined WHL teams since January. Cade De St. Hubert, Drew Anasatsio and Gairin Michalski left for USHL teams during the first half of the season.
Sinclair says it was difficult to see team mates move on.
“When we were losing players it was tough because we kept losing key pieces of our team, great guys, obviously we had to pick ourselves up and I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job since.” he explained.
The overage forward who is in his last season of junior hockey hopes to be part of a long playoff run to make his time as a Smokie as memorable as possible.
“It’s been unreal, last year I came in and they (teammates) welcomed me pretty quickly, it was a great group of guys and this year it’s a great group of guys, we’ve had our ups and downs but I’ve enjoyed the entire run,” concluded Sinclair.
The Smokies clinched second place in the Interior West Division with last Saturday’s 6-4 win over Salmon Arm at Cominco Arena and head to Alberta this weekend for games in Blackfalds, Brooks and Okotoks.
The Village of Nakusp has implemented a Stage 4 water restriction following a power outage affecting the community’s water system.
Village officials said the restriction is intended to preserve the community’s treated water supply until electricity is restored.
Residents are being asked to limit water use to essential purposes only during the outage.
Essential use typically includes drinking, cooking, sanitation and other basic household needs. Non-essential uses, such as lawn watering, car washing or other outdoor water use, should be avoided until further notice.
The village said the measures are necessary to ensure available treated water reserves last until power service returns and normal operations can resume.
Officials will provide updates once power is restored and the restriction can be lifted.
Three men were fined a total of $11,600 for illegally harvesting sea cucumbers at Willow Point Beach in Campbell River.
The men were approached by conservation and fisheries officers who were conducting inspections of fishers at the beach on May 28, 2025.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), when the officers identified themselves, the men immediately began emptying items from a bucket they were holding back into the water.
“The officers ordered the group to cease what they were doing so that they could inspect the fishers’ licences and catch,” DFO said. “They discovered 43 giant red sea cucumbers and orange sea cucumbers, which is over the daily possession limit of 12 sea cucumbers per person.”
DFO said daily catch and possession limits are in place to ensure a sustainable harvest and to support First Nations communities that rely on sea cucumbers for food, social and ceremonial purposes.
DFO noted that when individuals exceed harvest limits, they put this sensitive stock at risk.
The three men were convicted between Nov. 24, 2025, and Jan. 29, 2026. Fines of $6,000, $2,600 and $3,000 were issued following three separate trials.
All the live sea cucumbers were returned to the ocean.
A number of power outages were reported Thursday morning in the East Kootenay, affecting more than 1,100 customers. Crews are working to restore service.
An outage in Cranbrook caused by a wire down has affected 358 customers since 6 a.m. A crew is on site working to restore power in the area south of 4th Street, east of 3rd Avenue, west of 12th Avenue and north of 15th Street.
A windstorm caused an outage in Kimberley affecting 345 customers since about 6 a.m. A crew has been assigned to the outage area north of Wycliffe Park Road.
An outage south of Fernie, caused by a wind storm, has been affecting 86 people since 6 a.m. this morning. A crew is on-site in the area northeast of Hwy 3, and south of Montane Pkwy.
A tree down across wires caused an outage affecting eight customers northwest of Curzon since 4 a.m. Crews are on their way to the area southwest of Highway 3 and northeast of Carroll Creek Road.
Another early morning outage has been affecting 269 customers north-east of Yahk since 4 a.m. The cause of the outage is under investigation but a crew has been assigned to the area north-south-east-west of Hwy 3/95
The last outage in East Kootenay, is in Windermere and has been affecting 51 people since around 6 a.m. The cause of the outage is unknown but a crew is on-site in the area south of Road B , west of Victoria Ave, East of Cardiff Ave, and north of Spruce St.
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Powell River residents will be looking at a nearly 3 per cent increase for water and sewer services this year.
City council gave three readings to the bylaws last week (March 5) which will result in an overall increase of 2.6 per cent.
That’s about $26 more this year on a single family home ($1,011.09 versus $985.40 in 2025).
Councillor Trina Isakson was the lone councillor to not support the type of rate increase.
“I agree that we do need updates to these bylaws but I preferred an assessed value based levy as opposed to the systems we’re using but I do support the principle of updating the amounts and so I will gladly vote against this motion knowing that it will likely passed with the rest of council’s support,” Isakson said.
Powell River is trying to balance its water and sewer operations as the sewer side is in a structural deficit.
The money residents and businesses have been paying isn’t covering sewer treatment, leading the city to take money from capital to prop up operations.
In December, council ordered a full rate review of water and sewer rates with the goal of putting the sewer side of the system on a “sustainable financial path.”
The financial plan has imposed double-digit increases to sewer rates but its offset by double-digit reductions on the water side.
The reductions on the water side can been done because a city report shows the water side is in a “healthy financial position” given its lower operating costs with higher quality water source at elevation leading to less treatment and pumping costs.
The bylaws are scheduled to be adopted next Thursday (March 19).
The city is also in the midst of trying to transition to a more complete user-pay model.
Traffic has been snarled south of Prince George this morning following a multi-vehicle incident on Highway 97.
The incident reportedly occurred just before 6:00 this morning, with police, fire and ambulance called to the scene.
Witnesses have reported chip trucks are involved.
Drive BC is reporting multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill.
#BCHwy97 – Reports of multiple vehicle incidents at the bottom of Woodpecker Hill affecting both directions.
Crews en route to assist. Drive with caution due to icy/slippery conditions. #WoodpeckerBC#CaribooHwy
Several schools in School District 8 are closed today, Thursday, March 12, after a windstorm overnight caused power outages in parts of the region.
The district said the following schools are closed:
Jewett School
J.V. Humphries School
Crawford Bay Elementary-Secondary School
Redfish Elementary School
Winlaw Elementary School
W.E. Graham Community School
School District 8 said it will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Nelson Hydro reported early Thursday morning that a power outage was affecting the North Shore and other areas of the city.
According to the Nelson Hydro information line, crews were dispatched after an outage reported at 4:41 a.m. affecting the North Shore and city regions. An update at 6:27 a.m. said the North Shore remained without power, with an estimated restoration time of noon.
Residents can call the Nelson Hydro information line at 1-877-324-9376 for updates.
Power outages are also reported in New Denver, affecting about 1,186 customers, and in Argenta, affecting 478.
Is there an outage in your area? Let us know and we can update out story.
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The BC River Forecast Centre has good news for the Cariboo region when it comes to where the snowpack was as of March 1st.
Hydrologist Jonathan Boyd says the Quesnel-Cariboo region is coming in at 90% of normal, which he says is right in the sweet spot.
“Any time the snowpacks are around that like 90% of normal to 105% of normal it’s sort of the most ideal. It lessens the risk for spring flooding, but then there still is enough snow that the risk of drought are a little bit lower.”
Boyd says it really varies from site to site however.
“We’ve got one at Granite Mountain which is the lowest elevation site being measured at 1,150 meters elevation, it’s coming in at 46% of normal which is just the second percentile, which is like if there was 100 years of data that would represent the second lowest ever. At some of the higher elevation points like Yanks Peak and Boss Mountain Mine, it’s coming in at essentially 98% of normal.”
Boyd says the snowpack levels at their automated sites generally peak around the middle of April.
He says the Chilcotin is at just 49% of normal, but he says that is a little misleading as it is from just one site at Big Creek that was measuring 9 centimetres of snow.
Boyd says that site is on the plateau.
Despite the favourable readings at this point, Boyd says we’re not quite out of the woods yet.
“Anytime the snowpack is near normal there is still the possibility of the snow leading to some type of flooding. Certainly like the catastrophic all time record flooding probably is going to happen through a combination of very high snowpack and then the worse case weather conditions, but just a normal snowpack, again 90%,, is still within that realm. Even getting down to 80% of the snowpack there is still that possibility, and part of it is also that we’re not done with snow accumulations even.”
Boyd says a delayed melt or a fast melt could also change things.
Provincially, he says B.C. is at 91% of normal when it comes to the snowpack.
Conservation Officers(COS) near Quesnel are investigating a large amount of tire and garbage dumping in Ten Mile Lake.
CO Justin Millet, in Quesnel, says concerned members of the public first reported the tires and garbage in the first week of March.
The piles were found to the north of Bjornsen Road, just north of Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park.
“Bjornsen is a fairly busy road for being a rural road. We’re hoping that somebody saw something and has some information that they can provide,” Millet said, adding that at this time, COS is unsure of what exactly happened or how many people could be involved.
Millet said there is no immediate harmful environmental impacts from the tires and garbage being dumped. However, as time passes, he said that the chemicals and products used to make the rubber will slowly leach off into the groundwater.
“The effects may not be huge right now, but it is eventually going to add up to being a little bit of an environmental hazard, and not stuff people are going to want in their drinking water.”
In cases like this, Millet says there could be several different options to look into for penalties, depending on what the investigation uncovers about the circumstances of the dumps.
Those responsible could be ordered to clean up the mess or ordered to pay for the cleanup and environmental assessments. Violation Tickets could also be issued, and they could face court appearances.
If any members of the public have information or see anything suspicious, they can report it on the Conservation Office’s 24-hour RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.
Teck wants to reduce its share of the City of Trail’s property taxes.
In a presentation to council this week, Trail operations general manager Matt Parrilla noted the company pays 60 per cent of the city’s total municipal taxes, which he said is the highest percentage of any community in BC.
He said to support the company’s long-term viability, Teck is seeking to gradually reduce its share of municipal tax to 50 per cent over the next 10 years.
“We are very well aware of fiscal responsibility to the city,” Parrilla said. “We want to continue to be a good corporate citizen and member of this community. And that’s why we believe in doing this gradually over the longer period versus one short shock to the system.”
Parrilla said 2025 was a much better year for the company than in the recent past. The company reported a gross profit of $281 million in Trail last year, compared to a $66 million loss in 2024. He said the local operation was profitable because of its ability to treat stockpiled feed supply on the property and not having to buy any.
However, he said that isn’t a sustainable long-term strategy and at some point all the material will be used up. He said the global market “continues to be tight” with a “scarcity of mine supply concentrates” and increasing smelting capacity in China as well as in North America, following Korea Zinc’s announcement at the end of last year that it will buy and expand a smelter in Tennessee.
The amount smelters charge miners for treating their materials is at a record low, Parrilla said, and it’s expected to remain that way for the foreseeable future. On the flip side, Teck has been able to take advantage of record high prices for products like germanium and silver.
But Parrilla said while metal prices are cyclical, the company has “one of the highest cost structures in the industry, and that is very, very real.”
In late 2024, the company laid off 38 employees at the Trail operation. Parrilla said they have also “substantially reduced” spending on contractors and consultants and made changes to their supply chain. The local smelter deliberately did not run at full capacity last year, he added. Overall refined zinc production was about 230,000 tonnes, but the smelter is capable of producing 300,000 tonnes per year.
As part of Teck’s merger with Anglo American, the company said there is an opportunity to “significantly increase germanium and other specialty critical minerals production” in Trail. Teck said it would invest up to $750 million in the Trail operation and explore adding copper processing. Parrilla said gallium is another potential product to be added.
Parrilla said the smelter is a “very high fixed cost organization,” between electricity, labour, and transportation. While the smelter originally took advantage of its proximity to the Rossland mines, today most of the ore it receives comes from long distances. Parrilla said the cost of bringing materials in and out isn’t competitive compared to other smelters.
Parrilla said he prefers not to focus on labour costs, because “that’s a piece of being effective. We enjoy the fact we’re a western producer. We’re happy to provide good paying jobs and to benefit from the society we live in, in comparison to some of the places in the world where this business is.”
Parrilla also said Teck is talking to all levels of government about its operating costs, not just the city, and said the company supports paying “a reasonable and responsible share of municipal tax. We remain deeply committed to being a good neighbour a stable employer and a strong community partner.”
$2 million shift
The city and Teck have already been discussing shifting the overall tax burden from industry. City manager Colin McClure told council it could lower the city’s reliance on Teck, but implementing such a move would be complex and could be a hard sell to businesses and residents who would be expected to pick up more of the burden.
He provided some numbers illustrating the present situation. The city’s current tax revenue breakdown is as follows:
• Industrial: $10.9 million (61 per cent) • Residential: $4.76 million (26.7 per cent) • Commercial: $1.37 million (7.7 per cent) • Utilities: $806,000 (4.5 per cent)
An average home in Trail valued at about $406,210 pays $1,148 in annual property tax to the city, while a commercial property valued at $1 million pays $6,839.
Under the scenario Teck is proposing, $1.93 million in tax presently collected would be added to commercial and residential properties, a 36 per cent increase, although spread over 10 years. The average home would then pay $1,568 (an increase of $420) and the average commercial property $9,341 (an increase of $2,503). Utilities are already taxed at the maximum rate.
McClure explained the long phase-in period was his suggestion. He said taxes would continue to rise for Teck over that period, but their overall share would be drop.
‘Part of the DNA of Trail’
Councillors were largely sympathetic to Teck’s request, although they anticipated concerns.
Councillor Nick Cashol said the request is “reasonable for council to consider as part of our broader tax strategy discussions” and added that the smelter has “been part of the DNA of Trail” for 130 years.
“Generations of families have built their livelihood around this relationship,” Cashol said. “Because of that long history, I believe it’s important we approach these conversations with respect for that relationship while also ensuring we are building a fair and sustainable tax structure for the future.”
He said there “will be resistance, no question,” but he felt it makes sense in principle. “If this is done on the foundation of fairness, full transparency, and is something council gets behinds, part of our job is to sell it.”
Councillor Thea Hanson said the city needs to look at other opportunities to add revenue and to provide incentives for increasing and diversifying its tax base. “What are we doing to make up that difference?” she asked. “We can’t keep asking people for more and more and more. If this [tax income] is offset here, where are we making it up?”
Councillor Paul Butler wondered if the discussion around Teck’s tax bill would open the door to other businesses seeking relief. He added that he wanted to ensure the company is having similar discussions with the regional district.
Councillor Bev Benson noted that in addition to the amount the company pays in taxes, it provides funding to many community groups each year.
Richard Deane, the local manager of commercial services and public affairs, said Teck’s total contribution would be in the “hundreds of thousands” of dollars, consisting of both ongoing annual support to a number of organizations, as well as larger one-off donations for things like the Riverfront Centre and hospital campaigns.
Councillor Terry Martin, who sits on the city’s major industrial taxation committee, said he appreciated “how professional and respectful” the company has been during their conversations.
Council has made no decisions on the company’s request.
Looming over the discussion is Teck’s outstanding appeal of its property assessments for 2019-22, which awaits a Supreme Court decision.
Sailor First Class Nick Straub from Williams Lake spent his shore leave sharing his experiences on the high seas and his life in the Navy.
Straub gave a presentation at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting and returned to Council Chambers yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) to share his story with the public.
“I joined the military in 2021 right at the height of COVID and began my Basic Training. From there, because you have 3 branches of the military, Army, Navy, and Air Force, you split off into different element training. Being a sailor I went through Naval Environmental training program. It’s really important when you’re at sea that you know how to fight fires, floods, and survive at sea.”
Sailor First Class Nick Straub (photo P Matthews)
Straub said his job is to basically know everything that’s happens around the ship and that he operates all of the surveillance and reconnaissance systems on the ship including radars, tactical data links, and now more frequently drones.
“For five months, from August to December, I did a deployment overseas. I first went to the Arctic taking part in Operation Latitude aboard an Arctic Offshore Patrol vessel that’s designed to break up a metre and a half of ice. While we were there we were maintaining and demonstrating that we have the ability to operate in the Arctic which is a really important message to send around the world.”
Straub noted that they went farther north than any Canadian Navy ship has gone.
“From there we went back down crossing the Barren Strait into the Barren sea into the Aleutian Islands, made fuel stop in Alaska then made our way to Asia. That’s were we took part in Operation Horizon and Operation Neon where Canadian Forces work alongside allied nations.”
Straub said he also attended the Korean War Memorial during Remembrance Day which was a sobering event to see because you are with all the other nations that fought in that conflict.
Sports by Hartley Thursday, March 12th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
The Prince George Cougars are 3-0 on a 6-game homestand that continues Friday and Saturday against the (24-35-3-2) Wenatchee Wild on retro weekend.
The (39-22-2) Cougars have clinched home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and will start the post-season at CN Centre on Friday, March 27th.
Prince George is in 4th place in the Western Conference, one point behind the (36-19-6-3) Kelowna Rockets.
The Rockets beat the Victoria Royals 2-1 in overtime Wednesday night.
P.G. has five regular season games left while Kelowna has four remaining.
The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.
The @PGCougars Cat Scan #podcast guest this week is WHL Manager of Community Engagement and Content, Cami Kepke. She talks about her journey from media to the #WHL, creating content for the WHL, freelance reporting in other sports and women in #sports reporting.#hockeyhttps://t.co/TbOIkqMGz7
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed former Prince George Cougars goalie Taylor Gauthier to a one-year contract.
The 25-year-old Gauthier is signed through the 2025-26 season, and his contract carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
He has been loaned back to the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).
Gauthier is Wheeling’s all-time goalie wins leader.
BCHL:
The Prince George Spruce Kings visit the (10-33-3-1) Powell River Kings tonight (Thursday) and Friday and the (23-22-3) Alberni Valley Bulldogs Saturday.
The (30-14-3) Spruce Kings have an 8-point lead in the Coastal East Division with just seven regular season games left.
The Grand Forks Border Bruins moved within one win of the next round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs after defeating the Castlegar Rebels 4-1 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead Tuesday night.
Ashton Schram led the Border Bruins offence with two goals, including an empty-net marker late in the second period. Grand Forks goaltender Thomas Samborski made 18 saves to help secure the victory.
Rylan Davis scored the lone goal for the Rebels at 10:40 of the second period, while Castlegar netminder Evan Leggett stopped 31 shots in the loss.
The Rebels now face elimination heading into Game 4 of the series.
Elsewhere, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks completed a four-game sweep of the Spokane Braves with a 5-1 victory.
Maddox Gandha scored his fourth goal of the playoffs — the game-winner — and now leads the KIJHL postseason with three game-winning goals.
Brady Magarrell had two goals and an assist for Beaver Valley, bringing his playoff total to eight goals, while goaltender Karsten Hugenholtz turned aside 26 shots.
Ben Race scored Spokane’s only goal at 7:12 of the second period and Braves goalie Jaiden Jakubowski made 35 saves.
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The Beaver Valley Nitehawks are moving on in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs, while the Castlegar Rebels are now on the brink of elimination after Tuesday night’s action.
Beaver Valley completed a four-game sweep of the Spokane Braves with a 5-1 win, while the Grand Forks Border Bruins defeated the Rebels 4-1 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their series.
For the Nitehawks, Maddox Gandha scored the game-winner, his fourth goal of the playoffs, as Beaver Valley closed out the series. Gandha now leads the KIJHL playoffs with three game-winning goals.
Brady Magarrell continued his strong postseason with two goals and an assist, bringing his playoff total to eight goals. Goaltender Karsten Hugenholtz turned aside 26 shots in the victory.
Spokane’s lone goal came from Ben Race at 7:12 of the second period. Braves goalie Jaiden Jakubowski stopped 35 shots.
With the win, Beaver Valley advances to the next round after completing the 4-0 series sweep.
Meanwhile in Castlegar, the Rebels fell 4-1 to the visiting Grand Forks Border Bruins and now trail their series three games to none.
Ashton Schram scored twice for Grand Forks, including an empty-net goal late in the second period. Thomas Samborski made 18 saves for the Border Bruins.
Rylan Davis scored the Rebels’ only goal at 10:40 of the second period. Castlegar goaltender Evan Leggett made 31 saves in the loss.
The Rebels will now need four straight wins to keep their playoff hopes alive as the series shifts to Game 4.
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The Kimberley Dynamiters advanced to the second round of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoffs with a 6-0 win over the Columbia Valley Rockies to complete a four-game series sweep.
Connor Baumbach stopped 36 shots for the shutout as Kimberley closed out the series 4-0.
Brayden Schwartz opened the scoring at 3:15 of the second period with his second goal of the playoffs. Jaden Rusznak added what proved to be the insurance goal and finished the night with three goals.
Columbia Valley goaltender Piet Mierau made 36 saves, including stopping all 14 shots he faced in the first period.
Rusznak finished the series leading the Dynamiters with five goals and nine points.
In Golden, the Fernie Ghostriders defeated the Golden Rockets 3-1 to take a 3-1 lead in their series.
Fernie capitalized on the power play, going 2-for-4, with Liam Breakenridge scoring the winner at 8:46 of the third period.
Kael Svenson made 22 saves for the Ghostriders.
Brock McIlwain opened the scoring for the Rockets with his second goal of the playoffs at 2:56 of the second period. Golden goaltender Beck Boiteau made 35 saves in the loss.
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The Prince George RCMP seized drugs and cash at a site involved with previous police investigations.
On Friday, police conducted a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant on the 600-block of Ahbau Street with the North District Emergency Response Team, as the level of potential risk to police and public safety was deemed high.
Police say officers seized approximately two ounces of suspected fentanyl, once ounce of suspected cocaine and two ounces of suspected methamphetamine, as well as nearly $1000 in cash.
One person, who is known to police, was arrested during the police operation.
She was released later that day, as potential charges related to the drugs seized are pending further laboratory analysis and are subject to approval by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
A formal complaint filed by Councillor Fox against a Kimberley city staff member has been dismissed following an investigation by an external consultant.
Fox filed the complaint in December 2025 regarding her request for an ethics investigation. The issue stemmed from her inability to defend herself against calls for recusal from voting on drive-through permits, which a community member believed represented a conflict of interest.
The City of Kimberley hired an external consultant to investigate the complaint. The city received the investigation results Feb. 27, 2026.
The investigation found the complaint was valid for review, but the issues largely involved differences in interpretation, communication and the timing of guidance about conflicts of interest and recusal. The report found staff actions were reasonable and carried out in good faith within the context of ordinary workplace interactions.
The investigator concluded the staff member’s conduct did not meet the threshold for unacceptable or inappropriate behaviour and the complaint was therefore unsubstantiated.
Because the investigation is confidential, the city said it will not comment further. The City of Kimberley said it now plans to focus on restoring the workplace environment and improving respectful relationships between council and staff.
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The City of Fernie is now looking at a 6.63 per cent tax levy increase under the 2026-2030 five-year financial plan.
Before the council meeting on Mar. 10, the city was looking at a 4.03 per cent increase but that was before council gave their decision on a number of financial asks.
The financial requests included a six per cent increase to the Heritage Library operating funding, an increase to the Fernie and District Historical Society, and money to the Chamber of Commerce for a three-year core economic development fund.
“We sorely need to make an investment in economic development in the community,” said councillor Kevin McIssac .
“It has been woefully lacking.”
The full details on what was added to the tax levy can be found here.
The one item that was voted down was a partnership agreement and funding for the Fernie Trails alliance.
City staff will now be finalizing the draft financial plan with the goal of bringing it to council on Mar. 17 for first readings.
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North Island College said it is making program and staffing changes as it responds to financial pressures affecting post-secondary institutions across Canada.
Officials at the college said changes to federal immigration policy have led to a decline in international student enrolment.
“Preliminary budget estimates indicate the college is facing a decline of approximately $8.4 million in international revenue by 2027,” a statement from the college said.
The college said it is reviewing programs with lower enrolment while directing resources toward areas with stronger demand and clearer career pathways.
Staffing adjustments have also been made, and consultations have begun with the North Island College Faculty Association after notice of potential layoffs affecting about 10 full-time equivalent positions.
The college said current students will not be affected and will be able to complete their programs without disruption.
“NIC is an exceptional place, made up of people who care deeply about students and the potential of every person who comes here to learn,” said Colin Fowler, vice-president, finance and college services. “We are committed to supporting those affected through this transition.”
The college said it will not offer further comment.
The family of a 12-year-old injured in last month’s Tumbler Ridge shooting has filed a lawsuit against technology company OpenAI.
Maya Gebala was shot three times during the Feb. 10 shooting and remains in serious condition in hospital. Her mother, Cia Edmonds, filed a notice of civil claim on Monday on behalf of Gebala and her younger sister, Dahlia Gebala.
The civil claim alleges OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot equipped the shooter with information and guidance to carry out a mass shooting. It said OpenAI was aware of the shooter’s violent intentions and had a duty of care to report her ChatGPT interactions to law enforcement.
The claim said the company’s GPT-4o was intentionally designed to foster psychological dependency between the user and ChatGPT, including through “heightened sycophancy to mirror and affirm user emotions.”
None of the claims have been proven in court.
[irp posts=”82603″ ]
RCMP said 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shot her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at a home in the small northeastern B.C. community before killing six children and a teacher’s aide at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
OpenAI said it banned an account belonging to Van Rootselaar after employees raised concerns about her interactions with ChatGPT in June 2025, but officials decided not to report the account to law enforcement.
The company said it later discovered a second account created after the original account was banned, and both accounts have now been referred to RCMP.
OpenAI vice-president of global policy Anne O’Leary said in a letter to Canadian federal ministers that under the company’s updated safety policies, Van Rootselaar’s interactions with ChatGPT would have been referred to police if they were discovered today.
B.C. Premier David Eby has previously said OpenAI may have had an opportunity to prevent the tragedy.
Eby and Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka met last week with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Eby said Altman has committed to working with B.C. officials to deliver an apology to the community.
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said Tuesday it’s too early to say whether the province would take any legal action against OpenAI, but she left the door open to it.
Peace River South MLA Larry Neufeld said he supports Edmond’s lawsuit.
“Whatever solace we can provide for that family, I will support,” said Neufeld.
OpenAI has not commented on the lawsuit but said in a statement the company is doing all it can to support the ongoing investigation.
The Nelson Police Department is asking the City of Nelson for more information on the future of the building it shares with the Nelson Public Library.
Board members voted to send a letter to the city’s facilities manager at their March 4 meeting, requesting an assessment of the building’s remaining lifespan and possible options for upgrades or redevelopment.
Police Chief Donovan Fisher said the department has been discussing the issue for several years as the building ages and space becomes increasingly limited.
“We’ve had some discussions for the past couple years, looking at the facilities and the lifespan of this building and what’s appropriate that could be done with this existing building to extend the lifespan,” he said. “Space is also an issue.”
Fisher said information provided by the city will help determine whether it makes sense to extend the life of the existing space or explore alternatives.
“There has been discussion in the past between the department and the library on what potential options there are for making this space usable or one or the other vacating the building.”
Board members also discussed whether a future police facility could be combined with a new fire hall.
Fisher said the idea has been discussed but faces significant challenges.
“I wouldn’t say it’s off the table, but just because of space and requirements and expenses, firstly, I think it was going to significantly increase the cost for that, that the city still didn’t feel like they could afford.”
He said combining police and fire services in one building would require a significantly larger space and could increase project costs.
There are also limited external funding sources for a new police building, meaning much of the cost would likely fall on local taxpayers.
“There really isn’t a significant amount of funding outside of the tax base for what that police department serves, even in the RCMP,” said Fisher.
Nelson Mayor Janice Morrison, who sits on the police board, added that finding a location for a new fire hall is a higher priority because its placement affects the city’s insurance rating.
“Your home insurance and our safety rating is dependent on where that fire hall is positioned,” she said.
“When a spot is found, it probably will fit the fire hall, and probably wouldn’t be a huge footprint of more space.”
She added that the fire hall can’t be placed just anywhere in the city because response times are a key factor in determining insurance classifications.
“We can’t put the fire hall at one end of town,” she said.
Once a suitable location is identified, Morrison said the city could then determine whether there is space to include a police facility on the same site.
The board said it will review next steps once the city provides more information on the building’s condition and long-term options.
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Prince George City Council is submitting one more resolution to the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA).
At this week’s meeting, City Council approved a resolution to be submitted, involving closure allowances for major industrial and electrical properties.
“It involves how the assessment act allows that if major industrial or electrical concerns apply and get approved, they can have their assessments brought down to ten per cent of the value, and it’s the only class where that can occur,” said Councillor Garth Frizzell, chair of the City’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs.
The resolution calls on the Province to have the Assessment Act amended, and associated regulations, to eliminate or substantially revise the closure allowance framework so that property assessment practices do not shift the fiscal impacts of major industrial closures onto small and medium-sized businesses, residents, and local governments, and instead support municipal fiscal stability and community economic recovery.
Councillor Cori Ramsay put forward an amendment to include the Union of BC Municipalities in the resolution for further advocacy, which was supported by Council.
“I think UBCM is already doing some work on this, but having this in policy would help I think solidify the direction of that,” she said.
“The issue we’re seeing is there’s not a lot of heavy industry properties inside community boundaries anymore, and so what’s happening is industry is shutting down and they’re not relinquishing those properties to become other businesses, because they can apply for the downgrading through BC Assessment.”
Council unanimously supported the resolution.
City Council approved three other resolutions at a previous meeting, as well as another at this week’s meeting regarding supporting saving a rail line between 100 Mile House and Squamish.
The NCLGA meeting is scheduled for May in Prince George.
–With files from Logan Flint, My Bulkley Lakes Now
Transit users in the Cowichan Valley could face another strike if a new collective agreement is not reached in the coming years.
A member of Unifor addressed the board of the Cowichan Valley Regional District during its Feb. 25 meeting, warning about the potential impact of another transit strike if a deal is not reached before the current agreement expires March 31, 2028.
Doug Drummond said Transdev, which operates the region’s transit system, is a for-profit company and alleged it has not been motivated to engage in meaningful collective bargaining during the past two contract negotiations.
“The current agreement expires in 25 short months,” Drummond said. “Transdev will take labour more seriously, but labour is more militant now. And without meaningful collective bargaining, another strike it possible.”
The last transit strike in the Cowichan Valley ran from Feb. 8 to Sept. 18 and was widely described as the longest transit strike in B.C. history. Workers sought improvements to working conditions, and the dispute ended after the provincial government appointed veteran labour mediator Vince Ready to oversee negotiations.
Drummond urged the regional district board to improve funding for transit services in the Cowichan Valley.
Multiple Canadian gun-control groups are calling on the RCMP to release information about the firearms used in last month’s shootings in Tumbler Ridge, saying the details could help prevent future mass shootings.
PolySeSouvient and four other advocacy groups sent a letter Tuesday to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, one month after the shootings that left nine dead, including the suspect, at a school and a home in the small northeastern B.C. community.
B.C. RCMP said that guns had previously been seized from the home, but were returned following a petition from their legal owner.
Police said a long gun and a modified rifle were found after the shooting at the school. They said two firearms, including a shotgun, were seized among a number of other firearms at the home.
RCMP said the shotgun and the main firearm believed to have been used in the shootings at the school had not previously been seized by police.
“As leading advocates for gun violence prevention in Canada, we are alarmed and disappointed that the RCMP has not yet disclosed basic information about the models and legal status of the firearms used, given the potential for this information to strengthen public safety and prevent more mass shootings in Canada,” they said.
The groups note that the Mass Casualty Commission that examined the force’s handling of the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting cited an institutional mindset among the RCMP that “undervalues community relationships,” as well as “senior leadership’s initial refusal to admit mistakes.”
They said the RCMP can show it has learned from the Nova Scotia shootings by being transparent with the public about the firearms used in Tumbler Ridge.
The groups asked the RCMP to confirm when it will release information about the models of the firearms, their source and their legal status.
They said if the RCMP doesn’t release this information, it should explain the public-safety rationale behind the decision.
Other signatories to the letter are Angies Angels, Canadian Doctors for Protection Against Guns, Danforth Families for Safe Communities and Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder of the Quebec City mosque that was the target of a mass shooting in 2017.
B.C. RCMP media relations officer Staff Sergeant Kris Clark replied to the letter, saying the information is subject to an active investigation and it’s impossible to provide a specific timeline for when all evidence will be collected and analyzed.
“The BC RCMP is also mindful of the recent announcement with respect to an upcoming Coroner’s Inquest and awaits further information around time, location and scope,” he said.
B.C.’s chief coroner, Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, has said the inquest into the shooting will be able to examine a range of systemic issues, including firearms oversight.
The Prince George RCMP confirmed a conviction was granted in a 2023 shooting that left one dead.
On March 6, 2026, Dakota Rayn Keewatin was sentenced in B.C. Supreme Court to seven years in prison for the shooting that took on the 1500 block of Queensway.
“As part of the sentencing, Mr. Keewatin received credit for approximately four years and four months of pre-sentence custody, leaving approximately two years and eight months left to serve.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
Police say on March 7th, 2023, just before 9:00 p.m., officers responded to an altercation, where they found Davis Smith deceased.
Then on April 17, 2023, police determined a suspect in the matter and one count of manslaughter was approved by the B.C. Prosecution Service.
Keewatin was subsequently arrested by officers while in custody on an unrelated matter, and was charged with second degree murder on October 11th, 2024.
On August 19, 2026, following a trial in B.C. Supreme Court, he was convicted of the lesser included offence of manslaughter.
B.C. Conservative leadership hopeful and former Pattison Food Group President Darrell Jones says people are the reason he’s making a run at becoming Leader of the B.C. Conservatives.
“I am a huge believer in people, people are the greatest asset that this province has and that this country has,” he said while speaking to reporters in Prince George today (Wednesday).
“We have to have a government that’s going to focus on the people, not on ideology, not on politics, but on the needs of the people.”
Jones started his career in the food industry as a grocery clerk in Cranbrook, moving through many stores to being the President of Pattison Food Group.
“I have a business background that’s maybe not totally unique, but not a lot of people into politics have that kind of a background, and I worry about young people,” he said.
“I look at the fact that we have 16 to 17 per cent of young people that can’t find work. I look at the fact that young people between the ages of 18 and 35, only 25 per cent can even afford to purchase a home anywhere, and then I look at my grandchildren, I have five, and I think about them, and what’s the future going to be like for them?”
Jones said he’s stepping forward because he feels it would be “dismal” if we stay on the path we are currently on.
“I believe we need a leader in this province that’s going to be able to effect real change that we need in order for the people of the province to feel good about being here again, as opposed to saying things are tough,” he said.
Jones said one of his priorities will be to speak with companies running industries on North Central BC, and find out what the province would need to do to to allow them to be as successful as possible.
“Often they’ll say, you have to eliminate bureaucracy, you have to eliminate red tape, all that can be eliminated and then, that allows us to cut taxes, because people can’t afford to pay the taxes they’re seeing now, the taxes on fuel, even provincial income tax.”
The B.C. Conservatives said the results of the leadership election will be announced on May 30th.
The Prince George Hospice Society is hosting a SocialThon tomorrow (Thursday).
The fundraiser, similar to a telethon, will be done through the Hell Yeah Prince George Facebook page, and is aimed at spreading awareness of what the Hospice does in the City.
Executive Director Donna Flood talks about what people can expect.
“There’s going to be a lot of conversations, a lot of little videos just showing the programs we have.”
“We have MC hosts, we have the fabulous Jana Phillips and David Mothus will be live all day long to talk about what we’re doing.”
The fundraiser will also be having different giveaways from sponsors at the Hospice House for those who donate.
Flood added they look to fundraise to remove barriers for anybody who needs to receive services.
One of the programs she highlighted was the home hospice program, which relies on community fundraising.
The goal is to raise $50,000 for the fundraiser, which will be going from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
A BC Supreme Court judge has granted a local group’s request to stop work on an open-pit magnesium mine southwest of Rossland until a judicial review can be heard.
Justice Dev Dley delivered his decision this afternoon.
The Save Record Ridge Action Committee argued that work on the mine should not proceed until its judicial review is heard on the government’s decision not to subject the project to a full-scale environmental review.
He scheduled the judicial review to be held in Rossland the week of May 5. The injunction will remain in place until a judgement is rendered in that case.
Dley agreed that if the injunction was not granted, “irreparable harm” could come to Save Record Ridge, because by the time a decision was rendered in the judicial review, West High Yield could be past a “substantially started” threshold that would prevent an environmental review from occurring.
Dley said there will also be harm to the company because they won’t be able to proceed with the project in its entirely as of April 1, but he noted that there is no certainty they would be able to begin that day anyway, because the work is weather dependent and not all permits have been secured.
The judge said had the company’s lawyers been available to argue the judicial review sooner, the injunction would not have been necessary, because the case would have been heard by now.
“WHY stands to succeed in defeating the petition without arguing the merits if an injunction is not granted,” Dley said. “The longer this matter is delayed, the more WHY can do on the project. That outcome cannot be fair or just.”
Dley said agreeing to the company’s position would be “tantamount to this court endorsing unavailability to delay the otherwise timely hearing of a dispute.”
Court heard this week that the company’s lawyer was unavailable until August, which is when the judicial review was previously expected to be heard. Lawyers for the other parties were ready to go earlier.
“A party is at liberty to retain counsel of its choosing,” Dley said. “But if counsel is so busy they cannot be available on a reasonable basis, that party cannot rely on unavailability as a reason to avoid hearing dates.”
Dley said the company could have avoided the injunction by making themselves available sooner. He said refusing to appear until August was “unreasonable” and granting a time-limited injunction was “just and equitable,” allowing “all parties to argue issues on their merits. To do otherwise would deny the petitioner access to justice.”
Dley said Save Record Ridge has limited means and it’s unlikely they would be able to satisfy a large award of damages, but the group’s application was necessary because WHY failed to make itself available sooner. “It is the author of its own doing as it relates to some of its potential damages,” he said. Still, he said some deposit for damages was required in case Save Record Ridge ultimately loses its case.
He ordered that $60,000 in the group’s account at Nelson and District Credit Union be frozen. It will have two weeks to deposit another $102,500 with its lawyer. Court heard this week that between cash on hand and pledges, the group has collected $162,500 for that purpose.
WHY’s lawyer, Joan Young, asked if an alternative hearing date could be set in Williams Lake later in May, because she is in court elsewhere earlier in the month. But Dley said while he was sympathetic to Young’s scheduling conflict, he denied the request, suggesting that a different lawyer could appear on the company’s behalf. He also said the matter deserves to be heard in Rossland.
“This is the kind of file where the hearing should take place in the community that’s been impacted and will be affected by whatever order is ultimately made. The residents of the community should be in a position to see the proceedings. That’s part of access to justice.”
An expert says a proposal to clean up mining debris on Mount Sicker will produce a environmental rebirth.
According to Sasquatch Resources CEO Peter Smith, the site was once a mining facility and due to inefficiencies in managing waste, the site has left a significant lasting impact.
“The waste can create some acid run off and other contaminants from the high sulfide in these piles,” he says. “We got the idea to clean it up because there are good grades of copper, silver and zinc. We could also remove the environmental hazards while we’re at it.”
Smith says the process to clean up the mining site would be simple and would only take a year to complete and with more than 200 mining sites waiting to be cleaned up in B.C. it could have a huge impact across the province.
“We go up there (mining sites) and crush the old waste and sort it,” he says. “Then we take the ‘high-grade stuff’, which is also environmentally hazardous, down the mountain and sell it. And when you consider the vast number of mines, as well as the economic factor, it could be a great start for the economy.”
Smith says he anticipates the project could start in spring 2027, depending on permits.
Once work on Mount Sicker is complete, Smith says the next project for reclamation will be Blue Grouse on the south bank of Lake Cowichan.
Williams Lake RCMP have now confirmed that there was a large police presence in the downtown core last night (March 10).
Acting Staff Sergeant Brad McKinnon provided a few details this morning (Wednesday)…
“The Williams Lake Detachment did see an increase in services from the RCMP and an influx of some officers who were brought into our community to assist us in investigating a matter. This is a ongoing and sensitive situation and I am unable to provide any further details at this time.”
McKinnon went on to say that the situation is fully under control and that there is no risk to public safety.
He said with time and the ability to release more information we may do that at a later date.
The Houston and District Chamber of Commerce is calling for changes around municipal tax legislation.
It comes after BC Assessment’s closure allowance for the Canfor mill punched a $1.2 million hole in the municipality’s budget.
Included in the calls are:
A re-evaluation of the closure allowance regulations
Transitional funding for municipalities facing significant tax base losses
Improved coordination between BC Assessment and local governments
“In communities where a single industrial property represents a large portion of the tax base, this reduction can shift the tax burden onto small businesses and residents who are already experiencing the economic effects of a closure,” the chamber said.
It added support for the policy has come from the Chetwynd, Fort Nelson, Prince George, and Vanderhoof chambers of commerce.
The policy will be presented at the BC Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting in June and advanced to the province if it is adopted.
Village of Cumberland Council has selected this year’s recipients for the annual Community Grant Program.
Five community organizations were selected at the March 9 council meeting for the program, which provides up to $10,000 each year for special projects and seed funding to provide social, cultural, recreational and environmental services which benefits Cumberland residents.
This year recipients were:
Comox Valley Family Services Association: $3,000 to host an “Honouring Our Community” Indigenous peoples and early years family event in Fall 2026.
Cumberland and District Historical Society: $1,200 in seed funding for a mini museum explorers’ program for children five and under.
Cumberland Community Schools Society: $2,000 in seed funding for a youth barista training after-school program which will also feature pop-up cafes.
Cumberland Culture and Arts Society: $2,000 for the creation of large, portable “art walls” to be displayed during cultural events
Weird Church Cumberland: $1,800 to support the replacement of the roof of the Weird Church’s building
This year, seven applications were received, representing $24,600 in total of requested funding.
The Coroners Court of Queensland has confirmed that Campbell River’s Piper James died of drowning following a dingo attack on K’gari Island in Australia.
The court said James’s cause of death was determined by a Queensland Health forensic pathologist and accepted by the investigating coroner.
“Piper died as a result of drowning in the setting of multiple injuries due to, or as a consequence of, a dingo attack,” said a spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland.
Queensland Police said officers were called to a beach on K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, shortly after 6:35 a.m. on Jan. 19, following reports a woman had been found unresponsive.
An overnight explosion near the Powell River RCMP detachment left one man with injuries.
According to the RCMP, officers were working in the detachment on March 4, when they heard a loud boom and felt a rumble throughout the building around 2:20 a.m.
“Police went outside and observed a large fire in the forested area behind the detachment and immediately called for assistance from fire and EHS,” said an RCMP press release.
Two men were located near the fire, one of which was inside a tent and sustained burn injuries.
The man was transported to the qathet General Hospital by EHS for treatment and is expected to recover.
Powell River Fire Rescue put out the fire and no other injuries were reported.
After an investigation, it was determined the fire and explosion were accidental.
There will be a new service provider of Williams Lake Transit at the end of the month.
BC Transit announced this morning that Laker’s Go Bus Society will continue to operate bus services until March 31st, when its contract with BC Transit will expire.
Transit service, including handyDART, fixed route, and paratransit services, will then be operated by Passenger Contract Transportation Services on a one year contract.
BC Transit says all current employees of Laker’s Go Bus Society will keep their jobs and current roles in Passenger Contract Transportation Services.
Passenger Contract Transportation is currently operating BC Transit services in Quesnel.
Laker’s Go Bus Society has been operating transit services in Williams Lake for 45 years.
They hit the streets yesterday (Tuesday) picking up trash and cleaning up messes from the streets and parking lots.
Sherry Yonkman, Executive Director of Downtown Williams Lake said they have a crew of two workers plus a supervisor that go out into the downtown core three hours a day, four days a week, for eight months of the year.
Yonkman noted that the Clean Team started as a ten week pilot project back in August of 2024.
“Once we had statistics from that pilot project I could use that to apply for grants. This year we have a $20,000 grant from the Prince George and Region Prosperity Fund. That comes from the Province of BC but it’s administered through Prince George Community Foundation. We have a $10,000 Community Service Grant from the City of Williams Lake and we also have a generous donation from Enbridge, they have a community investment program and that’s a first time for us this year.”
Yonkman said the Clean Team is out and about from March into a little bit of November before the weather gets too cold and their efforts have been greatly appreciated by the community.
“The businesses have come out and thanked them and people out on the streets thank them. We’ve had cars pull over and thank them. Sometimes businesses owners will come out and offer them a cold drink or a hot coffee whatever is weather appropriate, people have been just lovely.”
Members that make up the Clean Team are referred by local Service Organizations.
“All of our workers are adults with a disability of some sort,” Yonkman said, “and that was one of the premises of one of the grants we’ve received. We are assisting people who would normally have a challenge trying to find work in an everyday work situation, this gives them the opportunity to work and it gives us to hire people to come out and do this job, it’s really a win-win.”
Yonkman added that last year alone the Clean Team picked up 214 industrial size bags of trash.
“And the biggest difference they’re making are the needles they pick up. Since we began they’ve picked up over 500 needles off the street. Those are needles that a child is not going to find or somebody’s not going to accidentally stick themselves with, they’re up, they’re gone.”
An Alternate Approval Process (AAP) asking elector permission to expand Nanaimo’s municipal voting boundaries to include Snuneymuxw reserve lands begins today.
The First Nation and city announced last month they requested support from the province to include reserve lands in elections for mayor and council.
The Local Government Act requires elector approval through an AAP or referendum to allow boundary changes.
“This Alternative Approval Process gives eligible voters a clear and accessible way to share their views on the proposed boundary extension. Making informed decisions starts with accessible information, and we’ve made all AAP materials available online and at city hall,” says Sheila Gurrie, director of legislative services for the city.
Currently, Snuneymuxw members living on reserve land surrounded by the City of Nanaimo vote only in Regional District of Nanaimo area elections and school board elections, but they do not vote for mayor and council. Snuneymuxw members living off reserve within the city can vote in municipal elections.
At the announcement last month, Snuneymuxw chief Mike Wyse said there are about 800 members of the nation living on reserve land that would be included in the boundary change.
The change would affect only voting boundaries and would have no impact on property tax, land use or city services.
Anyone who is in favour of the boundary change can let it be known by taking no action. Those opposed can fill our and submit an elector response form on the city’s website or at city hall.
The Prince George RCMP, in partnership with School District 57, will be hosting the 2026 RCMP Youth Academy next week.
Police say 23 Grade 11 and 12 students will be participating in the training, aiming to give a look into what the training academy, known as “Depot”, is like.
Photo (Troop photo from the 2025 RCMP Youth Academy) – provided by the Prince George RCMP
Students will participate in activities such as drill practice, handcuffing, and running the Police Fitness Assessment, while eating and sleeping at the College Heights Senior Secondary School.
They will also take classes in Indigenous Policing, Criminal Code offenses, and powers of arrest, among other subjects.
“The students participate in mock court trials and several different live-action scenarios that test the knowledge they have gained throughout the week.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
“They will meet with police officers from Forensic Identification, Police Dog Tactics and even take a tour of the RCMP hangar. Their days are long, beginning at 6:00 a.m. and running until 11:00 p.m. every day, simulating the workload we experience as recruits at Depot.”
Residents around the school can expect to see the students in their community between March 15th and the 21st.
The Prince George RCMP, in partnership with School District 57, will be hosting the 2026 RCMP Youth Academy next week.
Police say 23 Grade 11 and 12 students will be participating in the training, aiming to give a look into what the training academy, known as “Depot”, is like.
Photo (Troop photo from the 2025 RCMP Youth Academy) – provided by the Prince George RCMP
Students will participate in activities such as drill practice, handcuffing, and running the Police Fitness Assessment, while eating and sleeping at the College Heights Senior Secondary School.
They will also take classes in Indigenous Policing, Criminal Code offenses, and powers of arrest, among other subjects.
“The students participate in mock court trials and several different live-action scenarios that test the knowledge they have gained throughout the week.” said Corporal Jennifer Cooper.
“They will meet with police officers from Forensic Identification, Police Dog Tactics and even take a tour of the RCMP hangar. Their days are long, beginning at 6:00 a.m. and running until 11:00 p.m. every day, simulating the workload we experience as recruits at Depot.”
Residents around the school can expect to see the students in their community between March 15th and the 21st.
The Williams Lake Mustangs confirmed on Facebook that Dawson Knackstedt from Vanderhoof is in stable condition, following a scary incident in the first period of last night’s (Tuesday) game.
The 17-year-old forward is in his first season with the Mustangs, picking up four goals and two assists in 36 regular season games.
Original (Tuesday, 10:37 p.m.):
Game four of the KIJHL playoff game between the Quesnel River Rush and Williams Lake Mustangs game was suspended on Tuesday (March 11) night due to a serious injury to one of the players.
There was an awkward collision at center ice between two Quesnel players and the Mustangs’ Dawson Knackstedt, who slowly made his way to the bench but collapsed before he got there.
A doctor at the game tended to the injured player along with other first responders and team staff in accordance with the league’s emergency action plan.
The players were visibly shaken and the game was suspended with 3:31 left in the opening period.
There is no update on the injured player’s condition.
A two minute penalty was assessed on the play and it was upgraded to a major because of the injury.
The game was tied 1-1 at the time.
There is no word right now on when game four will resume.
Game five is set for Friday (March 13) night in Quesnel.
The River Rush lead the best of seven series 2 games to 1.
A man was arrested in Prince Rupert last week in connection to the death of a senior man in Port Hardy.
On March 6, Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) investigators with the help of Prince Rupert RCMP arrested a 54-year-old man in Prince Rupert without incident.
The arrest was made in connection with the death of 84-year-old Real Menard of Port Hardy who died on Oct. 6, 2024.
Menard was found injured on a path near Rupert St. and was transported to the hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
VIIMCU then assumed conduct of the investigation.
The BC Prosecution Service approved one count of second-degree murder against the 54-year-old suspect.
The suspect remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
Two seperate head-on collisions in the region Tuesday sent five people to hospital with minor injuries.
Nelson RCMP Cpl. Derek Pitt said the first crash occurred at about 1:15 p.m. on Highway 3A at Heddle Road near Seven Mile.
An eastbound minivan reportedly turned left onto Heddle Road in front of an oncoming SUV, resulting in a head-on collision. Traffic was affected for about an hour as crews removed the vehicles from the road.
Police said three people were involved in the crash, all of whom were transported to hospital with what B.C. Emergency Health Services described as minor injuries.
The driver of the minivan, a 21-year-old man, was determined to be at fault. He is now facing charges under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Anyone who witnessed the incident who has not already spoken with police is asked to contact Nelson RCMP at 250-352-2156, quoting file 2026-958.
South Slocan crash
Several hours later, Nelson RCMP were called to the scene of a second head-on collision in South Slocan.
Pitt said it happened just after 8 p.m. at the intersection of highways 3 and 6. An eastbound SUV reportedly turned left across the path of a westbound car, causing a collision in the intersection.
The two people inside the westbound car were transported to hospital with minor injuries.
The 23-year-old driver of the SUV was determined to be at fault. He is also facing charges under B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act.
Nelson RCMP ask any witnesses to the crash who have not yet spoken with police to contact them, quoting file 2026-968.
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The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) says an investigation into an incident that occurred in Prince George in April last year has been completed.
According to the IIO, RCMP Officers responded to a reported disturbance caused by a man shouting and behaving erratically outside of a gas station on the 100 block of George Street at about 5:20 p.m. on April 25th, 2025.
When officers arrived, they found a man matching the description provided by the caller in a nearby parking lot on the 100 block of Queensway.
Multiple officers responded and took the man into custody. The IIO says a conducted energy weapon, or a taser, was used during the arrest, and he was taken to the RCMP detachment cells.
BC Emergency Health Services were called to assess the man, as he was believed to be in a state of psychosis.
Paramedics took him to a hospital, where he was found to be suffering from a serious medical condition.
The IIO was notified of the incident the day after it occurred, and began investigating.
The Chief Civilian Director has now reviewed evidence collected by IIO investigators, and has determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe an officer may have committed an offence.
The IIO’s investigation is now concluded, and a public report will be published following conclusion of a related court process.
The Williams Lake Mustangs confirmed on Facebook that their player is in stable condition, following a scary incident in the first period of last night’s (Tuesday) game.
Original (Tuesday, 10:37 p.m.):
Game four of the KIJHL playoff game between the Quesnel River Rush and Williams Lake Mustangs game was suspended on Tuesday (March 11) night due to a serious injury to one of the players.
There was an awkward collision at center ice between two Quesnel players and the Mustangs’ Dawson Knackstedt, who slowly made his way to the bench but collapsed before he got there.
A doctor at the game tended to the injured player along with other first responders and team staff in accordance with the league’s emergency action plan.
The players were visibly shaken and the game was suspended with 3:31 left in the opening period.
There is no update on the injured player’s condition.
A two minute penalty was assessed on the play and it was upgraded to a major because of the injury.
The game was tied 1-1 at the time.
There is no word right now on when game four will resume.
Game five is set for Friday (March 13) night in Quesnel.
The River Rush lead the best of seven series 2 games to 1.
The new executive director of the VISAC Art Gallery in Trail says the job “brings together everything” she cares about.
Sonja Rosenberg, an artist herself, started in her new position on Feb. 17.
“There’s lots to catch up on, a lot of things to move forward with, but the support and the welcoming environment at VISAC is just so lovely,” she said. “I feel really embraced and excited for our future together.”
Originally from Winnipeg, the went to art school in Nova Scotia, graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a major in jewelry and metalsmithing.
She says she was inspired by her aunt, who is also goldsmith.
“Seeing her work and creativity was really inspiring. I held off for many years because I didn’t want to tread on her toes, but the jewelry department in that school was just calling to me,” Rosenberg said. “So I dove in and and I haven’t regretted haven’t regretted it for a moment.”
Rosenberg says recently she has been experimenting, moving from sculptural jewellery into large-scale sculptural installations.
She says she and her family were searching for a strong sense of community and creative energy, which led to the Kootenays. In 2022, they moved to Castlegar in 2022, where she serves as the vice-chair of the arts council. She says Castlegar’s Sculpture Walk “was a pretty big draw.”
Rosenberg says while she had visited the VISAC gallery, she had not shown any of her work there. She says it struck her as a “gathering place,” more than a gallery, which made her eager to apply for the position.
“It’s has a strong sense of community and a place where community and creativity meet. It’s a special little gem within the community.
“I think the position at VISAC really brings together everything that I care about, which is creative practice, community connections, and advocating for artists. So it was just a match made in heaven.”
The gallery is currently hosting an exhibition called Gold Rush, which features the work of eight artists who hiked into the West Kootenay alpine. It’s on until March 19. Rosenberg promised glass fusing workshops and “some fantastic workshops” to come.
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For the first time ever, the Prince George Cougars have picked up a win over the Penticton Vees, and it came in about as dramatic of fashion as possible.
The Cougars needed overtime to secure the 4-3 win.
The Vees gained a 3-2 lead on a questionable goal 9:45 into the third period, when Nolan Stevenson fired a puck past Josh Ravensbergen, who was interfered with on the play.
“I didn’t like the call, I let him know that, I still don’t like the call after looking at it,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb on the post game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“I felt like I just couldn’t move my glove, but it’s tough with no review, so just in the moment you can get upset,” Ravensbergen said on the post-game show.
“You’ve got to realize too the refs are just doing their best, no review makes it hard. It is what it is, it was just unfortunate.”
After the Cougars called their timeout and pulled Ravensbergen for the extra attacker, Dmitri Yakutsenak forced overtime, potting a rebound with just 33 seconds to go.
In overtime, Brock Souch called game, taking a cross-ice feed from Terik Parascak and putting the puck into a yawning cage, sending the 3,526 fans at the CN Centre into a frenzy.
“It was nice, especially against that team,” Lamb said.
“That’s a tough team over there, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re heavy, they can make plays, you have to do a lot of work to beat them, and we did enough tonight.”
In six matchups with the Vees this season, Penticton claimed the first five.
“It’s nice to beat them, because we’re the sole reason that they’re in first place, they beat us those five games there, that’s the reason right there, so it was pretty special to beat them tonight,” Lamb said.
Ravensbergen was excellent on the night, stopping 29 pucks and making several key saves.
Leading up to the exciting finish, the game had a tight-checking playoff feel to it.
The Vees opened the scoring early, when Ryden Evers found the back of the net on a rebound, just 3:17 into the opening period.
A little more than two minutes later, the Vees restored their lead when the puck took a strange bounce over a Cougars defender’s stick, leaving a golden opportunity for Brittan Alstead to score on Ravensbergen.
12:53 into the second, the Cougars connected on a beautiful passing play with the man advantage, allowing Terik Parascak to put the puck into a wide open net to tie it and set up the wild finish.
With the win, the Cougars (39-22-2-0) have clinched home ice in the first round of the WHL playoffs. For the Cougars, this will be the fourth year in a row with home ice in the first round, and it’s the first time the team has hit that milestone.
With the overtime point, the Vees (41-13-5-4) clinched the BC Division.
The Cougars lead the Kelowna Rockets (35-19-6-3) in the race for third in the Western Conference by a single point, both teams have five games left in their schedule.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said he had a “great meeting” with B.C. Premier David Eby during a visit to Victoria on Tuesday, adding that “David’s a great guy.”
Eby described the meeting as “productive” in a statement.
“The conversation included a frank discussion around what would be required to make progress on the softwood lumber dispute and tariffs,” said Eby in a statement. “We also covered other topics of shared interest including CUSMA negotiations, B.C.’s ban on U.S. liquor and the need to cooperate on transnational crime and money laundering.”
Eby said the two also discussed B.C.’s decision to adopt permanent daylight saving time.
The province announced last week it was doing away with the twice-yearly time changes after years of waiting for western U.S. states to align with the move. Several U.S. states have taken steps toward adopting permanent daylight saving time, but they require federal approval first.
Eby said he asked Hoekstra to relay a message to U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress to allow western states to recognize permanent DST.
“I don’t know how we can get all of the states and the provinces all on one page, but it would be nice if it happened,” said Hoekstra.
Hoekstra didn’t comment on trade relations between Canada and the U.S., saying any updates should come from the Prime Minister Mark Carney or Trump.
“While Ambassador Hoekstra and I did not agree on everything, we both expressed our hopes for a positive outcome to trade negotiations between our two countries,” said Eby.
“While Canada’s sovereignty is not up for discussion, I will always look for ways to improve our trade relationships for the benefit of workers and businesses in B.C.,” he said.
Hoekstra was criticized last year for calling Canadians “mean and nasty” to deal with on trade, pointing to policies like the ban on U.S. alcohol in B.C. and other provinces.
Hoekstra avoided commenting on those remarks, but said “American alcohol is an awesome product.”
Game four of the KIJHL playoff game between the Quesnel River Rush and Williams Lake Mustangs game was suspended on Tuesday (March 11) night due to a serious injury to one of the players.
There was an awkward collision at center ice between two Quesnel players and the Mustangs’ Dawson Knackstedt, who slowly made his way to the bench but collapsed before he got there.
A doctor at the game tended to the injured player along with other first responders and team staff in accordance with the league’s emergency action plan.
The players were visibly shaken and the game was suspended with 3:31 left in the opening period.
There is no update on the injured player’s condition.
A two minute penalty was assessed on the play and it was upgraded to a major because of the injury.
The game was tied 1-1 at the time.
There is no word right now on when game four will resume.
Game five is set for Friday (March 13) night in Quesnel.
The River Rush lead the best of seven series 2 games to 1.
The (39-22-2) Cougars have clinched home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and are in 3rd place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the (35-19-6-3) Kelowna Rockets with both teams having five regular season games left.
With the point, the (41-13-5-4) Vees clinched first place in the B.C. Division in their first year in the WHL.
It was the first time in six meetings that Prince George has beaten Penticton.
The Cougars are 3-0 on a 6-game homestand that continues Friday and Saturday against the (24-34-3-2) Wenatchee Wild on retro weekend.
The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.
The @PGCougars Cat Scan #podcast guest this week is WHL Manager of Community Engagement and Content, Cami Kepke. She talks about her journey from media to the #WHL, creating content for the WHL, freelance reporting in other sports and women in #sports reporting.#hockeyhttps://t.co/TbOIkqMGz7
Jared Young of Prince George is playing for Canada but he was not in the lineup against Puerto Rico.
(2-1) Canada concludes round robin play today (Wednesday noon PT) against (2-1) Cuba.
The Canadian team needs a victory to advance to the playoffs.
Earlier in the tournament, Young (as the DH) went 1-for-5 in Canada’s 4-3 Sunday loss against Panama.
Canada beat Colombia 8-2 in its opener Saturday in a game the 30-year-old Young did not play in.
The quarterfinals in Houston go Friday and Saturday with the semis in Miami Sunday and Monday and the championship game on Tuesday, March 17th in Miami.
Young is entering his second season with the New York Mets as a DH and utility player.
NBA:
Bam Adebayo scored a spectacular 83 points for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 victory over the Washington Wizards.
It is the second most points scored by a player in an NBA game, only behind the 100 that Wilt Chamberlain hooped 64 years ago on March 2nd of 1962.
Houton Rockets 113 Toronto Raptors 99
The (36-28) Raptors visit the (21-45) New Orleans Pelicans tonight (Wednesday 5:00 PT).
Williams Lake City Councillor Scott Nelson is proposing “an aggressive” motion to deal with prolific offenders, the homeless, and individuals with mental illnesses at an upcoming city council meeting
Nelson gave a notice of motion at the end of Tuesday, March 10, night’s city council meeting during the Round Table discussion, that at the next council meeting, he will be putting forward a motion that will take a strong stance against prolific offenders, the homeless, and individuals with mental illness in Williams Lake.
“You’re[Mayor and Council] well aware of a number of issues that have occurred in our community, specifically tied to prolific homelessness, that are causing absolute havoc in our community,” Neslon said.
“You’re well aware that they have burned down millions of dollars of infrastructure in our community and local businesses, and put fear into our community.”
He went on to say that the province is failing to provide wraparound services and is failing rural British Columbia.
“Quite frankly, the community needs to embark on a new path and a new agenda,” Nelson said.
The city councillor read aloud his proposed “new agenda” with several steps for council to consider to “support and enforce”:
Homeless, prolific offenders, and individuals with mental illnesses that “continue to wreak havoc” on the community and are known to the police and Interior Health, and who live on the streets.
For the Council to make a policy that any homeless, prolific offenders, persons with mental illness who continue to wreak havoc in the community be enforced to wear GPS tracking. Council to seek jail. Council to seek 24/7 wraparound services, and encourage the province and police to move the persons to a communion with the appropriate wraparound services.
Any homeless, prolific offenders, or persons with mental illnesses wreaking havoc on the streets of Williams Lake, who have more than three charges, be offered, encouraged, and persuaded to a one-way bus ticket with $100 for dinner to a space in the province of B.C, Alberta, or the state of Alaska with the wraparound services to assist.
For staff to be requested to implement the above policies As Soon As Possible.
Nelson added that the City should also be willing to purchase the bus tickets if necessary.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor received the Notice of Motion and requested City Staff and each councillor to work and be ready to discuss the motion at the next meeting.
Councillor Joan Flaspohler asked that the Notice of Motion be sent to council by email.
“If you are requesting me to do research, I am very willing to do so,” said Flaspohler. “I am going to have to find out how, or if, a council can actually do any of these things that are proposed.”
The next Williams Lake city council meeting will be on March 24.
Several resolutions for the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) conference were discussed at tonight’s (Tuesday) Smithers council meeting.
Mayor Gladys Atrill said before going into discussing the resolutions that this year is the one where less is more.
“It’s certainly up to the table and we can send them all to NCLGA if you want,” she said.
“I think the intention this year is to try and figure how we get our most important issues through NCLGA to the Union of BC Municipalities floor.”
On the list was resolutions around library funding, crown land use, regional construction costs, and childcare affordability benchmarks.
The library funding was due to increased staff demand from it being a support point for homeless and vulnerable populations.
Council voted to go with the staff recommendation to not endorse the resolution.
“I’m quite confident for the library one, someone else will likely bring it up and we can speak in favour of it but I don’t think it’s a cause we have to spend our time championing,” said Councillor Sam Raven.
Councillor Frank Wray added if increased library funding is already UBCM policy, it likely wouldn’t be added again.
Second on the agenda was around having B.C. prioritize crown land for provincial services before looking for municipal lots.
It was voted to be endorsed unanimously.
Another endorsement passed by council was for the province to create a funding model or regional cost adjustments for provincial programs.
The main focus was on the higher construction costs in northern and rural communities.
A vote to not endorse a resolution to increase child care affordability benchmarks was passed with Councillors Genevieve Patterson and Calvin Elliot opposed.
“I think this is a pretty important issue for most communities and think the government has done an abysmal job rolling out the $10 a day childcare,” Elliot said.
“[They] left a lot of people in a lurch with defunding this program,” he added.
Patterson, who owns Brave Hearts Day Care, said the waiting list for its program is five years long after being open for three days.
“I don’t know what else outside of advocacy we can do to support child care,” she said.
“I would strongly encourage us to think about if we don’t do it through NCLGA, I’d be looking to add this to our roster for ministers meetings specifically for our community,” Patterson continued.
The NCLGA conference is set for May 20 to 22 in Prince George.
Williams Lake’s mayor has thrown down the gauntlet against his municipal counterpart and hockey rival.
In Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Surinderpal Rathor challenged Mayor Ron Paull of Quesnel to a contest of pride during the KIJHL’s playoffs as the Williams Lake Mustangs and Quesnel River Rush battle each other in the first round.
“Williams Lake is home to the best hockey players in B.C.,” Corporate Officer Ross Coupe said, reading the challenge aloud.
“Whereas, the City of Williams Lake Mayor and Council are confident of a Mustangs victory, Now Therefore be it resolved That the City of Williams Lake formally issue a challenge to the City of Quesnel that, when the Williams Lake Mustangs inevitably win the series, his worship Mayor Ron Paull of Quesnel will wear a Williams Lake Mustangs jersey for the entirety of the first Regular City of Quesnel Council meeting following the series completion.”
In the “unlikely, if not unfathomable” event where the River Rush beat the Mustangs in their playoff series, Rathor will wear a River Rush jersey for the entirety of the Williams Lake city council meeting following the series.
“I called His Worship, Mayor Ron Paull, and his answer was ‘Your Worship, challenge accepted happily,’” said Mayor Rathor. He also sent a message of support to the Mustangs with words of encouragement on the Mustangs’ hard work this season.
“Gentlemen, unless you want to see your mayor wear a Quesnel jersey, it’s up to you. I look forward for our team to win.”
Mayor Rathor finished by reminiscing about the honour he felt wearing the Mustangs’ jersey during the Williams Lake Stampede, and a final wish of luck.
At the time of writing, Quesnel leads the series 2-1 over the Mustangs, with Game 4 being played Tuesday night.
Game 5 between the Mustangs and River Rush will be on Friday, March 13, in Quesnel.
Pride organizations from across British Columbia are calling for the legislature to formally censure Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong and say Armstrong should resign.
Seventeen groups said in a joint letter Monday they are “deeply disturbed” by the Independent MLA’s recent introduction of a bill to repeal B.C.’s Human Rights Code, and by Armstrong’s social media posts about transgender people after last month’s shootings in Tumbler Ridge.
“The Human Rights Code guarantees every British Columbian the right to live free from discrimination based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, and other protected grounds. Its repeal would strip away decades of progress and undermine our province’s fundamental commitment to equality and human dignity,” the groups said in their letter.
Armstrong proposed the private member’s bill on Feb. 26 calling for the repeal of the province’s Human Rights Code, arguing it harms freedom of speech. She pointed to a recent Human Rights Tribunal decision that found several statements by then-Chilliwack school board trustee Barry Neufeld about trans and queer-inclusive education amounted to hate speech. The tribunal ordered Neufeld to pay $750,000 for violating the Human Rights Code.
Armstrong’s bill failed, but it sparked heated debate after several B.C. Conservatives voted in favour of moving it to first reading. Premier David Eby slammed the Conservatives after the vote, saying “Human rights are not up for debate.”
B.C. Conservative interim leader Trevor Halford speaks to reporters, March 04, 2026 | Vista News photo
Conservative interim leader Trevor Halford said caucus members were following a long-standing convention in the legislature of allowing bills to move to first reading, no matter how contentious, so MLAs and British Columbians can scrutinize the content of a bill.
Armstrong’s former OneBC colleague Dallas Brodie introduced several divisive bills last fall that were overwhelmingly voted down before first reading, including a bill to ban Indigenous land acknowledgements and another to do away with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a public holiday.
“The B.C. Conservatives have voted down other bills at first reading, but when it came to basic rights for millions of British Columbians, they voted to rip them away,” said Attorney General Niki Sharma in a statement.
Independent MLA Elenore Sturko said it’s “ludicrous” that a bill should always pass on first reading.
“In the two minutes of having that bill explained to me what it would be, to repeal the Human Rights Code of British Columbia, I already knew that it wasn’t something I supported wasting time in the legislature to debate,” said Sturko.
Elenore Sturko, Independent MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, speaks at the B.C. legislature at Oct 28, 2025 | Vista News photo
The Pride organizations also said they were “alarmed” by Armstrong’s statements after the Tumbler Ridge shootings, referring to the incident as part of an “epidemic of transgender violence.”
“These posts are not only factually incorrect, but profoundly harmful to an already marginalized community,” said the organizations.
RCMP have said the shooter, who died in the Feb. 10 attacks, was an 18-year-old trans woman.
“By spreading misinformation that vilifies an entire group, Ms. Armstrong has failed to meet the basic standards of integrity and care expected of a public official,” the Pride groups said.
The Pride organizations want legislators to formally censure Armstrong for conduct unbecoming a Member of the Legislative Assembly. They are also calling on the legislature to reaffirm its commitment to the Human Rights Code and undertake enhanced training and accountability measures for elected officials.
Armstrong has said she does not plan to resign.
Eby noted on Monday that Armstrong and Brodie’s constituents have the right to launch a recall petition if they choose.
“I don’t believe that either of those MLAs campaigned on what they’ve been doing here, which is to increase hate and division, to demonize Indigenous people and attack their constitutional rights, to propose repealing basic human rights in the province,” said Eby.
A website for a campaign to recall Armstrong said it will apply to Elections B.C. for a recall petition on April 20. Once approved, the petition would have 60 days to collect at least 18,000 signatures from registered voters in her riding.
Amelia Boultbee speaks to reporters outside the B.C. legislature, Oct 20, 2026 | Vista News file photo
Independent MLA Amelia Boultbee tabled a private member’s bill during the last fall session of Parliament aimed at lowering the threshold for an MLA to be recalled. If passed, it would allow for a recall petition 12-months after an election, instead of 18-months. It would also change the minimum amount of signatures required for a petition to be equal to or greater than the number of votes the member received in the election. Currently, a petition needs to gather signatures of at least 40 per cent of eligible voters in the district.
Boultbee said she understands why the Pride societies have called for Armstrong’s resignation and censure.
“It is appalling the language and the rhetoric that’s used not only in the House, but on social media,” she said.
But Boultbee said also raised concerns about potentially drawing more attention to Armstrong’s controversial views.
B.C. Green MLA Rob Botterell said the party is actively considering a censure motion against Armstrong, and the input of Pride organizations is helpful in building that case.
“Every day that goes by we are watching closely what MLA Armstrong and others are saying to the legislature and calibrating that with what will qualify as a censure motion and the breadth of support we need,” said Botterell. “I’m really hopeful that we’ll be able to deal with this before the end of the spring session.”
A supportive housing project in Trail has been shelved after BC Housing formally told the city this week it has no money available.
“Given fiscal constraints, we must adjust the pace of housing investments to align with available funding,” said a letter dated Monday from Tyler Baker of BC Housing.
“We remain committed to moving forward with your project, but progress may occur more gradually because provincial housing investments will be flowing at a slower pace.”
Baker said he recognized the news would be “disappointing, given our shared commitment to delivering much needed housing across the region.”
The letter said BC Housing will continue to work with the city to advance the project “as and when funding becomes available.”
According to a statement from the city issued today, city council recognizes the need for supportive housing in Trail “remains urgent,” as reflected in the city’s housing needs report.
“The city will continue advocating to provincial and federal levels of government for solutions that meet the scale of local housing needs, while also acknowledging that this is a province-wide issue, not a Trail‑specific setback,” the statement said.
The project had not advanced beyond the conceptual stage. No location had been announced.
The Nelson Police Department wrapped up 2025 slightly under budget, despite higher costs in areas such as dispatcher staffing, training and travel.
Chief Const. Donovan Fisher told the Nelson Police Board this month the department finished the year roughly one per cent under its overall budget, according to the 2025 financial report.
“All in all the good news is we still were one per cent under budget for the year.”
Some categories, however, exceeded their allocated funding, largely due to staffing turnover and training needs.
Dispatch labour costs were about 25 to 30 per cent over budget, driven largely by staff turnover and the time required to train new hires.
“We’ve had another year of a fair bit of turnover within dispatch,” said Fisher.
“That’s caused some overtime to be incurred for people covering because we didn’t have the casual or part-time coverage at then. But on top of it, it was compounded because of the fact that there was a significant amount of training that new dispatcher.”
He said new dispatchers require about 600 hours of training before they can work independently, meaning experienced staff must work alongside trainees.
“So that ends up being almost like that double coverage because somebody’s training while somebody’s working. And as well, our dispatch supervisor is spending a lot of time training, so thats a trend we’re hoping will stop this year.”
Operating expenses for travel and training also came in higher than expected. Fisher said the department sent more staff for training in 2025 due to a number of new recruits and provincial policing standards.
Travel costs were also affected by higher hotel prices and expenses related to officers brought in from outside the area to help fill vacancies when the department was dealing with staffing shortages.
“It’s a little bit misleading to call it travel and training because it sounds like that’s just expenses for traveling to courses and taking courses, but it also includes travel for the members that we’re covering shifts when we were running short here over a couple month period,” said Fisher.
Material and supply costs were also higher after the department installed a secure cage in its garage bay to store large pieces of seized property.
The addition was originally expected to be covered through a facilities budget but was ultimately paid for through the department’s own operating funds.
“It was a necessary security and continuity matter in putting in a secure cage in our bay that was required to hold some of the bigger property that we were recovering and seizing. But unfortunately, it came out of our budget and not the facilities budget,” said Fisher.
The board also discussed its own budget, which exceeded its allocation by about 33 per cent last year.
Nelson Police Department executive assistant Shiloh Perkins said the board’s $25,000 annual budget has remained unchanged for years and may need to be reviewed.
“That same budget has been there since I’ve worked for the Nelson Police Department,” said Perkins. “It does need to be re-evaluated. It tends to get forgotten about.”
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Vendor applications have opened for Nelson’s 2026 market season.
For the 2026 season, the Nelson Farmers Market team will maintain the Wednesday market at the 600 block of Baker Street and the Hall Street Plaza, following a temporary relocation in 2025.
While early-season construction in the downtown core may require a temporary move, the city said the market will return to Baker Street once the work is completed.
The Saturday markets at Cottonwood Falls Park are scheduled to kick off on May 16 and run until Oct. 31. The first Wednesday market is scheduled to begin June 3 and continue until Sept. 30.
More details on the 2026 market season can be found here.
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The City of Nelson is sending emergency preparedness information to residents with properties within the provincially defined emergency planning area for the Mountain Station Reservoir.
Residents in the reservoir area will hear the city’s emergency siren tested on March 25, at noon. The brief test, which will last 10 seconds or less, will also include the Voyent Alert system.
The city said in a statement that the notification is required under B.C.’s dam safety regulations, which can direct dam owners to inform nearby residents about emergency procedures and how they could be notified in the unlikely event of a reservoir emergency.
The city emphasized that the notice is not related to any current safety concerns. Homes in the designated area can expect to receive a letter of information this week.
Located on the eastern hillside above Nelson, approximately one kilometre uphill from the Rail Trail, the Mountain Station Reservoir stores water collected from four local creeks before it is treated and distributed through the city’s water system.
The reservoir provides essential water storage to ensure a reliable supply of drinking water and to support firefighting needs.
In 2025, the city retained engineering firm AtkinsRéalis to complete a comprehensive dam safety review of the reservoir.
The review confirmed that the dam is structurally sound and operating as intended.
It also recommended additional steps to improve public awareness and emergency preparedness, including clearer information for residents, continued use of the city’s Voyent Alert emergency notification system, and ongoing testing of the emergency siren located at the Mountain Station Water Treatment Facility.
Reservoir monitoring uses three notification levels to guide communication with residents, ranging from routine monitoring (level 1) to a developing situation (level 2) and an emergency (level 3).
In a level 2 or level 3 situation, the city would notify residents through Voyent Alert, emergency vehicles with loudspeakers where possible, and direct contact by emergency personnel where possible.
In the event of a level 3 emergency, an emergency siren at the Mountain Station Water Treatment Facility would also sound if a significant and sudden drop in reservoir water level were detected.
To ensure the system functions properly, the emergency siren is tested once each year.
The city said while the test will only last about 10 seconds or less, in a real emergency, the siren would sound continuously.
Residents are encouraged to ensure they are registered with Voyent Alert so they can receive emergency notifications and instructions if needed.
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The City of Courtenay and Comox Valley Schools are inviting families to learn more about the Safe and Active Schools program.
The program promotes safer and healthier school commutes for students and families, encouraging children to walk, cycle or use other forms of active transportation to get to and from school.
The program’s inaugural year included École Puntledge Park Elementary, Courtenay Elementary and Valley View Elementary. More schools are expected to enrol in the program.
“The program is a big step toward safer, healthier school commutes for kids and families,” reads a statement from the City of Courtenay.
An open house about the program is scheduled for March 12 at the École Puntledge Park Elementary gym from 5 to 7 p.m.
The College of New Caledonia will be closing its physical campus in Fort St James on March 31st.
“This was not an easy decision.” the college said in a statement.
“Fort St. James has been an important part of CNC’s history, and we recognize the deep connections the campus has had with the community over many years.”
This comes after CNC hosted an open forum on January 29th, where it discussed the closure and future plans with the community.
While the physical campus will no longer be open, CNC said it will still provide programs in different ways including:
Community-based programming delivered in local facilities
Short-term and skills training aligned with local labour market needs
Partnership-based training with local employers and organizations
Online and blended learning opportunities that allow students to study closer to home
Mobile or cohort-based program delivery when there is sufficient local demand
They add their commitment to learners in Fort St. James remains strong, and will continue to work with the community to ensure education and training opportunities remain accessible.
The report said starting in July of this year, interested parties may assume operations for existing or new train services, and if no party should come forward, the corridor could be sold for net salvage value.
Northern Development Initiative Trust said they had heard from multiple communities that the railway is an essential transportation corridor for the region, and was asked to lead a consulting project.
“This project was initiated by the efforts of many of the Mayors along the line seeking funding from the Northern Development Initiative Trust, because they felt the provincial authorities were not moving, and they were concerned of the latter end of that spectrum,” said Peter Scholz, a Registered Professional Planner from Cairnstone Planning.
Scholz gave a brief history of railroading in the prairies where a similar situation happened.
“What happened in Saskatchewan, is that after any number of period, could be weeks, months or years, local farmers would get together and they would just get rights to a track that had been shut down,” he explained.
“They would get an old locomotive and they’d take a few day course in railroading and they’re off to the races, they’re moving grain in in the spring and they’re moving wheat out in the fall, and that is the birth of the short-line railway industry.”
Scholz said the goal of NDIT’s project is to facilitate what happened in Saskatchewan, but sooner, faster and more efficiently.
He also explained the Fraser Canyon has several issues, including an area where the CN and CPKC rails are very close to each other, as well as the Trans Canada Highway.
Map used in Scholz’ presentation (Courtesy: City of Prince George)
“Can you imagine a circumstance where all three lines are cut at the same time, due to landslide, or flood, or some other event?” Scholz said.
“If there is a protracted damage to infrastructure, like days or weeks or months, we can see a situation where the only way to get into the port of Vancouver is either to go through Washington State or to go through Prince George.”
Councillor Garth Frizzell said this is something that’s been on the radar of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, thanks to Councillor Trudy Klassen.
“We don’t want to shut the gate on it, this is in the strategic national interest of our country,” Frizzell said.
“This doesn’t require commitment at this point beyond finding out a way to make this work.”
When asked who makes the final decision, Scholz said it’s not a straightforward answer.
“At this stage we’re not trying to find a solution, we’re trying to get the actors in place so they can get into a room and negotiate these details,” he explained.
Council approved a resolution that will go to the North Central Local Government Association, as well as having Mayor Yu provide a letter of support for the project.
The BC Wildfire Service will be conducting a pile burn in the Redmond Pit Road, roughly 6 kilometres west of Vanderhoof.
This is to help reduce wildfire hazards by reducing accumulations of fuels, such as dead wood or brush, on the landscape.
The service said smoke may be visible from Vanderhoof and the surrounding areas during the burning.
The timing of the burning will depend on site, weather, venting and snow conditions, but could start as early as tomorrow (Wednesday), and continue until March 24th.
It noted that open burning can be expected to be seen this time of year as the wildfire risk is lower, the overnight recovery in relative humidity is higher, making it not conductive to fires burning or at high risk of spreading.
Snowpack levels on Vancouver Island have increased more than in many other regions over the past month but remain well below seasonal averages for this time of year.
The latest Snow Basin Index report from the B.C. River Forecast Centre shows Vancouver Island’s snowpack at 48 per cent of the seasonal average. The South Coast region, which includes the Sunshine Coast, sits at 61 per cent.
The report said the Vancouver Island figure represents a nine per cent increase from February. Storm systems in the first week of March brought additional accumulation to most areas of the province.
Provincewide, the snowpack sits at 91 per cent of the seasonal average. The Skagit Basin has the lowest level at 38 per cent, while the Northwest Region reports the highest total at 118 per cent.
The report said about 80 per cent of B.C.’s mountain snowpack typically accumulates by March 1.
“Regions with normal to above normal snow pack levels have increased hazard for spring snowmelt related flooding, especially if La Niña conditions persist into the spring,” the report said. “Areas with well below normal snowpack have an in creased summer drought hazard.”
The River Forecast Centre said there are still four to eight weeks remaining in the accumulation season.
A judge is expected to rule Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. on whether a proposed open-pit magnesium project southwest of Rossland should be suspended pending a judicial review.
Arguments in the case wrapped up this afternoon. A lawyer for the company involved asked that a petition from the Save Record Ridge Action Committee be dismissed with costs.
In her submissions, Carina Chiu argued that granting an injunction would harm West High Yield’s business operations. She said the company would have to cancel a contract with the Osoyoos Indian Band and a company that has been providing pre-construction services. She added the company has been told that if the project doesn’t go forward this spring, its prospective mine managers will look for work elsewhere.
Chiu said West High Yield has spent $740,000 since last fall in preparation costs and is finalizing a loan of $30 million for construction. She said any delays will result in “significant” interest charges and hamper ore deliveries, affecting the company’s ability to generate cash flow this year.
Save Record Ridge is seeking an injunction stopping the project until a judicial review can be heard. They want to overturn the provincial Environmental Assessment Office’s decision not to subject the project to a full environmental review, but the matter isn’t scheduled to be heard until August.
Following Justice Dev Dley’s urging Monday, the case might be moved up to May, but Save Record Ridge lawyer Ben Isitt said an interim order will still be needed to prevent “irreparable harm” if the company is able to begin work in April. He said they want to prevent any blasting, excavating, or logging.
Chiu said she didn’t agree with the suggestion that another lawyer for the company was solely responsible for delaying the case. She said offers had been made to move the matter to another location. However, Dley said from his reading of correspondence presented to him, the company’s lawyer never offered to be available earlier than August.
“It seems the petitioner [Save Record Ridge] was trying to do everything possible to get the matter on and didn’t care where they had to go,” he said. “It doesn’t sound as if [the company’s lawyer] was prepared to do much of anything to accommodate.”
Dley said it would be to the company’s advantage to have the judicial hearing put off until a significant amount of work is done, by which time the case will be moot.
In other submissions, Chiu said the court should ignore evidence presented by the Sinixt Confederacy in support of Save Record Ridge’s petition, because the Sinixt are technically a respondent in the case instead of a co-petitioner. Julia Riddle, a lawyer for the Sinixt, argued otherwise, suggesting the company’s view was “premised on a fundamental misunderstanding of the rules.”
Chiu further noted that while West High Yield already has its mining permit, it still needs to receive other permits from various government ministries before it can proceed. She said while the company expects to have all of those permits by April, there is no guarantee.
She argued Save Record Ridge “must demonstrate the harm is imminent and highly probable,” but because ground can’t be broken until the other permits are approved, the group’s application is merely “speculative,” which isn’t enough for an injunction.
Earlier today, Solomon Kay-Reid, representing the Ministry of Environment and its chief permitting officer, said the government doesn’t take a position on whether the work should be delayed pending the judicial review.
But he said the court should be “cautious” with Save Record Ridge’s arguments of “irreparable harm” because some of their concerns will be addressed by permits that haven’t yet been issued, while others are already addressed by conditions in the company’s mining permit.
In his closing submission, Issit responded that even if the company complies with its permits, irreparable harm may still occur because once a project starts, it would no longer be subject to an environmental review, regardless of the outcome of the judicial review.
Issit also provided an update on Save Record Ridge’s finances, after the judge questioned Monday whether the $60,000 they have in hand is enough to provide a security deposit in case they lose the judicial review.
Issit said after putting out another call to supporters, the organization had collected another $138,000 in pledges by this afternoon. But he said while the group might be on the hook for damages if they are unsuccessful, a security deposit isn’t normally required. Riddle, the lawyer for the Sinixt Confederacy, also argued against imposing such a security.
Chiu said potential damages to the company if the project is delayed are “not in the tens of thousands. We are well beyond that.”
Prince George City Council made two additions to the City’s Heritage Register at last night’s (Monday) meeting.
A Heritage Register is an official listing of properties with heritage value, with a statement of significance identifying key historical elements and provides a summary of design characteristics that should be retained or restored in order to respect the heritage value of the building.
The two properties added last night are the Knox Performance Centre and a house on Laurier Crescent.
According to a report from the Committee, the Knox Church was originally selected as a potential Registry candidate ten years ago.
It was about to be approved by City Council in 2019, but a decision was put off until after the merger of the Knox Church and the Trinity United Church.
The process was restarted in 2024.
The draft Statement of Significance for the Knox United Church and Performance Centre can be found here.
2299 Laurier was nominated by the current owners in 2020. Because of the pandemic, the Commission’s meetings dropped from 10 to 4 each year, staff changed, and the owners were contacted again last year.
The draft Statement of Significance for 2299 Laurier Crescent can be found here.
According to Ayesha Rogers, one of the presenting members of the Committee, a property being added to the register does not provide protection.
“Theoretically it could be knocked down tomorrow,” she said.
“All it is, it sets up a red flag in planning process so that people are aware, and they can say to potential developers, do you realize you have a heritage property on the land that you’re looking at.”
Council unanimously approved the two properties be added to the register.
UNBC and the Wilp Wilx̱o’oskwhl Nisg̱a’a Institute (WWNI) are working together to deliver the university’s Bachelor of Education Elementary Years program.
The program, which is expected to start in September, is a 20-month course to educate more teachers in the community to increase School District 92 educator capacity, particularly with Indigenous teachers.
UNBC Interim President Dr. Bill Owen talked about how the program came to be.
“We’ve worked with the Ministry of Education and Childcare, and the Ministry of Post-Secondary and Future Skills to put together a condensed program for these students that’ll run through to April 2028, and delivered in person at the WWNI campus.”
The program will support a cohort of 10 to 15 local teacher candidates to complete their degrees.
Dr. Owen said they’ve currently got approval for one cohort, and will see what the program’s success is to look at similar programming in the future.
Graduates will receive a UNBC Bachelor of Education degree and be recommended to the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch for certification.
He added there are conversations about other courses and programs, and hope this program serves as a model for future collaborations.
More information about the program can be found on UNBC’s website here.
The City of Cranbrook has finalized its budget and approved the 2026–2030 five-year financial plan.
The budget includes a 4.99 per cent tax levy increase.
“The resulting financial plan balances funding the complex operating and capital needs of the municipality with the understanding that everything cannot be achieved at once and that cost increases are challenging everyone on multiple fronts,” said director of finance Charlotte Osborne.
City finance staff reduced the tax levy from an early projection of 5.67 per cent.
The levy could have been one per cent lower, but council chose to include a one per cent dedicated road tax.
Under B.C. legislation, municipalities must adopt a five-year financial plan by May 15 each year.
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The City of Cranbrook will be implementing seasonal road load restrictions on city streets starting on Friday, Mar. 13.
The temporary restrictions are used each year and help protect roads during the spring thaw.
City staff said when frost leaves the ground, the soil under the road becomes saturated and weaker.
When you add a heavy vehicle, it can cause damage to the road and create unsafe driving conditions.
Come Friday, most streets in the city will be limited to 70 per cent Legal Axle Loading, while some local streets may be reduced to 50 per cent depending on conditions.
Signage will be posted.
Several main routes will continue to allow 100 per cent Legal Axle Loading.
(Supplied by City of Cranbrook)
Overload or oversize permits can be submitted to the city for a single load.
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Comox Valley Regional District has approved a new climate action strategy aimed at reducing emissions and preparing communities for the impacts of climate change.
The strategy was approved by the regional district board Jan. 27 and is intended to improve daily life while protecting places valued by residents of the Comox Valley.
“The Climate Action Strategy focuses on practical and structural actions to prepare residents for a changing climate, adapt our community to reduce risk from climate-related disasters, protect the places we love and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to make the Comox Valley a more sustainable and resilient place for residents and visitors alike,” board chair Will Cole-Hamilton said.
The strategy will guide regional district policies and actions related to climate change, focusing on mitigation, adaptation and resilience building.
The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while protecting essential services and maintaining parks, roads and community spaces as weather patterns change.
One project tied to the strategy is the Dyke Road Park Coastal Resiliency Project, which is intended to protect sensitive shoreline habitat while creating a safer and more accessible pathway for the community.
The regional district’s fire services will also purchase 160 WASP wildfire kits for residents in areas at high wildfire risk to provide additional protection for rural homes.
Officials said the strategy builds on existing projects and was developed over two years by local government staff, environmental groups, community partners and First Nations who were invited to provide input through focus sessions.
The strategy includes 70 actions and can be read here.
The Grand Forks Border Bruins powered past the Castlegar Rebels 9-2 Saturday night, using a five-goal third period to take a 2-0 lead in their Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff series.
Austin Tellefson scored the game-winner just past the midway point of the second period and later completed a hat trick to extend the Border Bruins’ lead to 7-2.
Thomas Clarke added two goals for Grand Forks, while goaltender Thomas Samborski made 25 saves in the win.
Cooper Barclay and Julian Knelsen scored for Castlegar. Rebels netminder Jac Carli stopped 35 of 42 shots in 47:52 of action before being replaced.
Elsewhere in the league Monday, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks defeated the Spokane Braves 6-2 to take a 3-0 lead in their series.
Maddox Gandha scored the game-winner at 12:45 of the second period for Beaver Valley, while Brady Magarrell scored twice and now has six goals in the series.
The Border Bruins will meet Rebels tonight for game 3 in Castlegar at 7 p.m.
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The Kimberley Dynamiters are one win away from advancing to the Eddie Mountain Division final after defeating the Columbia Valley Rockies 4-1.
Jake Murdoch scored the game-winner, his second goal of the playoffs, while Adam Kisilevich made 25 saves for Kimberley. The Rockies opened the scoring when Peter Godley scored at 4:40 of the first period, but the Dynamiters responded and now hold a 3-0 lead in the series.
Christian Revel added two assists for Kimberley, including a setup on the opening Dynamiters goal.
Ryan Tamelin stopped 34 of 38 shots for Columbia Valley, which will try to avoid elimination in the next game.
In Golden, the Rockets scored a 5-3 win over the Fernie Ghostriders to cut into Fernie’s series lead.
After allowing three goals on the first 18 shots he faced, Rockets goaltender Beck Boiteau shut the door the rest of the way, stopping the next 20 shots.
Austin Bruce completed the comeback with the game-winning goal, his first of the playoffs.
Brayden Bissell led Golden with two goals and three points, while Spencer Bates added two assists, including starting the play that led to the winner. Leo den Besten made 24 saves for Fernie and Carter Singleton chipped in two assists.
Despite the loss, the Ghostriders continue to lead the series 2-1.
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Snuneymuxw First Nation has announced the name of a new community hub near the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal.
The Village at stlilnup is expected to open this summer and will include shops and services along the waterfront.
The name comes from one of the first three villages of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
“Since the time of the first families, stlilnup has been a place of gathering and community for Snuneymuxw,” Chief Mike Wyse said. “Restoring Snuneymuxw presence here is part of our Nation’s work to rebuild our economy while honouring the places that have sustained our people and all people who live within our shared communities. The name stlilnup reminds us that our future prosperity continues to be rooted in our lands, history and snawaylth.”
The new logo, designed by Eliot White-Hill, draws on stories about the sun, described as a grandfather who visited each home across the Snuneymuxw villages every day. According to the story, he was kidnapped by Seagull and, after being rescued by Raven, rose to live in the sky.
(Logo designed by Eliot White-Hill)
“The name and logo ground this beautiful new development in deep meaning,” Ian Simpson, Yaatqumtun, chief executive officer of Petroglyph Development Group, said. “The name stlilnup honours our village and the artwork shares teachings and stories connected to the land. As we prepare for the future of this site, it was important that the voices of past generations help light the path forward.”
More information about tenants and services at the Village at stlilnup will be announced in the coming months.
Planning is underway to remove the invasive aquatic plant Parrot’s feather from Somenos Creek in an effort to improve fish habitat and oxygen levels in the water.
Paul Fletcher, executive director of the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society, said the group has been studying and removing Parrot’s feather to better understand its impact on the creek and how removal could improve water quality.
“We started removing Parrot’s Feather about three years ago but have been working on it for roughly eight or nine years,” he said. “Our goal is to cut a channel three kilometres long to improve the water quality, but we have to go the whole distance to know if removal of the plant will improve the quality.”
Fletcher said that in 2021 Parrot’s feather covered about 80 per cent of the creek and continues to expand.
“The plant consumes oxygen underneath it, and that means the creek has a really serious problem,” he said. “This means fish in general aren’t able to navigate up that stream until there is enough oxygen to traverse it, and that doesn’t happen with Parrot’s Feather.”
So far, the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society has removed a significant amount of the invasive plant from the area, and Fletcher said further testing is needed to determine whether conditions in the creek can support healthy habitat.
“We’ll be cutting from Somenos Lake to the border of Cowichan Tribes,” he said. “In 2027 our goal is to work with Cowichan Tribes and cut all the way to the lake. At that point we’ll be able to see if the water quality improvement is enough to justify removing the plant on a greater scale in the future, to help the salmon come back and the creek flow better.”
The City of Cranbrook hasn’t adopted any time zone changes, but have determined a preferred option before discussions with the Regional District of East Kootenay take place.
The city is tentatively supporting a return to Mountain Standard Time in November and then staying aligned with the rest of the province moving forward.
So far, Sparwood also has the same preferred option.
Mayor Wayne Price said the majority of correspondence they’ve received supports that move.
“Certainly, the feedback the city has received suggests that residents overwhelmingly support being on the same time zone as the rest of the province year-round,” Price said.
“Council has agreed to work closely with our RDEK and First Nations partners in gathering a regional consensus.”
He said a final decision is still likely a ways away.
“I don’t see this being resolved for several months,” he added.
“I think there is a lot of work to be done first with the province to see the parameters, legalities and the process of how we get there.”
The RDEK board will be discussing time change options at the Governance and Regional Services Committee on Mar. 12.
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Islands Trust has opened nominations for its Stewardship Awards program recognizing initiatives that support the long-term health of the islands in the Islands Trust Area.
The program is now in its 18th year and is open to individuals, organizations and community groups working to promote a healthy and prosperous region.
“The awards recognize individuals, organizations and groups involved with initiatives that further the Islands Trust’s mandate to preserve and protect,” the trust said.
According to a media release, since 2002 Islands Trust council has recognized 82 individuals and organizations for contributions to conservation, knowledge and ecosystem preservation.
Board chair Laura Patrick said the program highlights new ideas and encourages conservation and protection across the region.
“It’s an opportunity to honour those individuals and organizations who have dedicated their time, energy and ingenuity to preserving and protecting the Islands Trust Area,” Patrick said. “Their commitment strengthens our communities and helps ensure these islands remain vibrant and resilient for generations to come.”
Nominations are due April 26. Award recipients will be selected in the fall.
Canada’s top collegiate basketball teams will gather in Nanaimo this month as Vancouver Island University hosts the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball National Championship.
The tournament runs March 18 to 21 at the university, just days after the VIU Mariners captured the provincial championship.
For Ladysmith’s Ryan Bastian, the event carries special meaning.
The fourth-year point guard said competing for a national title in front of a hometown crowd is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Bastian currently ranks second in the conference in steals and assists. He said the team has focused on improving each day and preparing to face the top programs in the country.
VIU head coach Matt Kuzminski said fans can expect fast-paced, high-level basketball and he hopes the community will fill the gym to support the Mariners as they pursue a national championship on home court.
Meanwhile, the VIU hockey team is celebrating its second British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League championship in three years after defeating the University of Victoria Vikes in the final last weekend.
Students in the Cowichan Valley will gain more access to university-level trades training through a new partnership with Vancouver Island University.
Last year, the university announced several trades courses would move from its Cowichan Valley campus to Nanaimo. The change led to a collaborative effort with School District 79 (Cowichan Valley) to expand local access to trades programs.
Board chair Cathy Schmidt said the partnership with VIU is intended to ensure students gain hands-on experience and a high-quality education while remaining in their community.
“This optimized plan ensures that Cowichan Valley students continue to receive exceptional trades training while remaining connected to their community,” Schmidt said. “Our renewed partnership with VIU strengthens educational pathways and opens doors for students pursuing skilled careers.”
The hairdressing program will be split between VIU’s Duncan and Nanaimo campuses starting in September, with additional programs expected in 2027.
Other programs include carpentry, delivered at the Duncan VIU campus, Quw’utsun Secondary School and the Nanaimo campus, along with an electrical program offered at the same locations to provide access to specialized electrical training racks.
Prince George’s Grace Barlow had a day to remember after being named Official of the Year at the 58th Annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year awards.
The awards ceremony took place on Thursday, where she was nominated alongside an umpire with Softball Canada, and a referee with FIFA.
After ten years of officiating, Barlow said she didn’t expect to go as far as she has.
“It became a really great outlet for me to stay competitive in hockey and to stay active, and to make a little extra money as a part time job while I was in University.
“I was just taking it easy and enjoying myself, and luckily I had some really great officiating coaches and BC Hockey and Hockey Canada see me, and saw something in me, and now I’m in a position I never thought I’d be in.”
In those ten years, Barlow has been a referee in the PWHL, USports and IIHF, and is currently in Vancouver with the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Barlow said the biggest thing she’s learned by being a referee is what she’s capable of taking on, while growing a thick skin.
She encourages anyone curious about becoming a referee to try it out, and talk to the local Referee in Chief to see what it’s like and how to get started, adding it’s an amazing job to take when becoming a better communicator and athlete.
The Duchess Park Senior Boys Volleyball team was also named the Team of the Year at the award ceremony.
The full list of award categories and nominees can be found here.
Nanaimo RCMP are asking for the public’s help locating a 25-year-old man who has not been seen since Feb. 28.
Jorawar (Joey) Dosanjh was reported missing March 2. Police said he is believed to have travelled to the mid-Vancouver Island region from his home in the Lower Mainland.
Police describe Dosanjh as a South Asian man about six feet tall with black hair and full arm and leg tattoos.
Police said the photo provided is recent.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.
The Williams Lake Fire Department’s recruitment of new paid on-call fighters continues.
They will be holding an information session this evening at 7:30 at the Williams Lake Fire Hall.
Deputy Fire Chief Brendan Foote says it will provide applicants with an overview of what is required to become a paid on-call firefighter and an opportunity to speak directly with department members.
Applications are open until this Friday and additional recruitment resources including application forms are available on the City of Williams Lake website and in person at the fire hall.
Williams Lake Fire Department is seeking motivated, physically fit individuals over the age of 19 interested in serving their community.
Applicants must reside within the Williams Lake Fire Protection District.
Keanan Patershuk is not ready to throw in the towel.
The 32-year-old MMA fighter from Rossland is recovering from a loss to Saskatoon’s Hunter Lee in his Feb. 28 bout for the vacant Canadian Middleweight title.
Patershuk thought the fight was going well until the third round technical knockout.
“The first two (rounds), I definitely thought I was catching him with the majority of the strikes, that were in my favour, he wasn’t having any luck on take downs and I had him pretty broken and bloody going into the third round,” said Patershuk.
“I thought I was reeling him in but it’s MMA and stuff happens, one little mistake and you get caught,” he added.
Patershuk had won his last two fights heading into the title shot and despite the loss is determined to overcome the adversity and return to the cage as soon as possible, which means a 90-day rest period in Canada or 60 days in the US following the TKO.
Patershuk’s first MMA fight was four years ago and meant the beginning of a dream come true.
“I was just wasting any athletic ability leading up to MMA,” Patershuk explained.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was loving life, I was a dad and a tradesman here in the local area in my 20s flipping houses, but maybe after the third house, we got to the point where, you know, we’re not happy, let’s sell everything, let’s go on a trip and figure it out when we are back,” commented Patershuk, who said it didn’t take long to “figure it out” once back home.
“My wife within seconds of asking me the question of what I wanted to do when we got back, she already knew I wanted to pursue MMA because I’m one of those guys who needs competition, I’m like a race horse and if I don’t get worked, I’m miserable.”
The first time Patershuk stepped into the ring as an amateur provided everything he expected with something new when compared with his time as a junior hockey player with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Trail Smoke Eaters.
“I’d say the biggest difference is when you actually get into the cage and they lock the door,” he began.
“You’re isolated, it’s just you in there, which again, I love that feeling, but it’s definitely something that I’ve had to adapt to and get better at every fight where I have to make the cage and that atmosphere as comfortable as it was when I was playing hockey, you’re in there and it’s home,” he said, noting that there is anxiety and anticipation leading up to every fight.
“It’s a natural thing,” he said.
“You get that anxiety and the heart palpitations, it comes with experience, keeping calm and keeping yourself centred,” Patershuk stated, explaining that remaining calm is the key to success.
“The more nervous energy you burn before a fight, the less steam you are going to have going in,” Patershuk stated.
“So for me it’s a lot of positive self talk, breathing to generally stay calm before a fight, which never has really been a problem for me,” Patershuk said, adding that he can be very difficult to live with for the last couple of days leading up to a fight.
Patershuk now has a professional record of seven wins and four losses and is contemplating a move up from the 185-pound weight class.
“The weight cut (losing pounds to qualify as a middleweight) as never been a problem for me, but just looking back at tape from the last fight, I’m not reacting the way I do in training, my power and my speed isn’t quite there, my cardio hasn’t gone anywhere but big factors are kind of coming into play at that weight class,” Patershuk analyzed.
“At 205 (pounds), I’m still stronger and faster than 95 per cent of the guys, just a little bit of a height difference so, we’ll see, that might be next on the list,” Keanan added, hoping he will continue to live up to his nickname, Porrada.
“It’s Brazilian, so some people say it’s pronounced por-rada or po-hada, basically Brazilian for ‘beat him,’ so if you’ve seen any of my fights for the most part if I don’t catch someone cleanly, I’m generally on top of them delivering a TKO.”
Patershuk says he will keep fighting into his 40s as long as he can make enough money to provide for his family.
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Two Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff series tilted further in favour of the home teams in the lastest games, as the Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Grand Forks Border Bruins both earned convincing victories.
Nitehawks take commanding 3-0 series lead
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks moved one win away from advancing with a 6-2 victory over the Spokane Braves on Monday, taking a 3-0 lead in their series.
Maddox Gandha scored the game-winner at 12:45 of the second period, his second decisive goal of the series. Nathan Planger assisted on the play.
Beaver Valley sealed the win with a three-goal third period, led by Brady Magarrell, who scored twice and now has six goals in the series.
Landan Uzeloc made 19 saves for the Nitehawks, while Spokane goaltender Jaiden Jakubowski stopped 31 shots.
Thomas Henricksen opened the scoring for Spokane and Cameron Oien added his third goal of the playoffs for the Braves.
Border Bruins power past Rebels
In Grand Forks on Saturday, the Border Bruins erupted for five goals in the third period to defeat the Castlegar Rebels 9-2 and take a 2-0 lead in their series.
Austin Tellefson scored the game-winner just past the midway mark of the second period and later completed a hat trick to make the score 7-2.
Thomas Clarke added two goals for Grand Forks and goaltender Thomas Samborski made 25 saves in the win.
Cooper Barclay and Julian Knelsen scored for Castlegar. Rebels goaltender Jac Carli stopped 35 of 42 shots in 47:52 of action before being replaced.
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The qathet Tourism Society will no longer have to audit its books for the City of Powell River.
City council agreed Thursday night (March 5) to amend the tourism service agreement to remove the more expensive auditing requirement for the society.
In its place is a so-called “review engagement requirement.”
Acting Chief Financial Officer Ken Bjorgaard says the city still has a lot of oversight.
“The society agrees to provide any additional documentation or explanations. The city reserves the right to review the society’s financial statements and any supporting documents,” Bjorgaard told council.
He said it will also be a “less strenuous process.”
“A review engagement can most likely be kept local from a local accounting firm as the local accounting firm that was doing the audit can no longer do the audit but it is capable of doing the review engagement,” Bjorgaard said.
Powell River will give qathet Tourism nearly $130,000 this year to market the city to visitors and run the visitor center at 4760 Joyce Avenue.
The agreement runs through the end of 2028.
The change to the review will also mean a smaller expense for the municipality.
The city’s payment for the financial review will be capped at $6,500 compared to a cap of $10,000 for an audit.
qathet Tourism Society found itself in the crosshairs of Councillor Jim Palm last year after he tried unsuccessfully to have the society change its name back to Tourism Powell River.
Quesnel City Council has endorsed the “Forestry is a Solution” campaign.
Erin Robinson, Forestry Initiatives Manager at the City, talked about the “Forestry is a Solution” campaign at the most recent Council meeting.
“It was launched in January at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George. The “Forestry is a Solution” campaign is led by a coalition of forest sector organizations, community leaders, workers, and industry advocates to demonstrate strong public support for British Columbia’s forest sector. The initiative highlights forestry’s role in: supporting affordable housing, reducing wildfire risk through active forest management, sustaining family-supporting jobs, generating public revenues, and contributing to lower carbon construction.”
Robinson said it is in line with Council’s concerns over the current state of the industry.
She said the initiative is calling on the province to do four things.
“1) expediting permits to improve access to economic wood, 2) enhancing sector competitiveness, 3) reforming BC Timber Sales, and 4) strengthening First Nations partnerships.”
Community members can find the petition at forestryisasolution.com
The public is also encouraged to write a letter to their MLA, the Minister of Forests, the Premier, and the Official Opposition Forest Critic.
Castlegar is moving ahead with a plan to reduce the speed limit on 5th Avenue South, but it won’t drop as much as originally proposed.
Engineering manager Ryan Niddery told city council last week that staff have looked into council’s request to lower the limit on 5th, with an eye to potentially doing the same for residential streets throughout the city.
Although the street has a posted 50 km/h limit, residents have reported safety concerns due to frequent speeding. Niddery said a transportation engineer has confirmed the street’s alignment may contribute to higher speeds, making it uncomfortable for pedestrians.
But while it had been suggested that the limit drop to 30 km/h as part of the pilot, Nittery said based on conversations they’ve had with other municipalities, drivers are more likely to comply with more moderate reductions in the absence of other traffic-calming measures.
Nittery said Vancouver, Victoria, Surrey, Kamloops, and Kelowna have all experimented with reduced speed zones and found “limited success” when the limit was set at 30. “Most folks just kept doing what they were doing,” he said. “But there was quite a bit of compliance with a 40 km/h speed limit.”
Council endorsed proceeding with the pilot. Data is expected to be collected for four to eight weeks and then a report will be presented to council.
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Prince George City Council approved the first three readings of an amendment to the City’s Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw at tonight’s (Monday) meeting, adjusting where people can shelter overnight in the City.
The amendment changes the boundaries of the City’s temporary overnight sheltering (TOS) site, commonly referred to as Moccasin Flats or the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment.
According to a staff report to Council, in municipalities where the number of unsheltered individuals is greater than the number of accessible shelter beds, individuals have a constitutional right to erect a shelter during overnight hours.
Municipalities may designate specific areas for this purpose, and in Prince George, the area designated for TOS is the Lower Patricia Boulevard encampment.
Map showing the proposed Temporary Overnight Sheltering area in blue, overflow in red (Courtesy: City of Prince George)
“What we’re looking to do is partition off a portion of that rectangle to be the temporary overnight sheltering area, with the rest being simply available for overflow,” said Director of Administrative Services Eric Depenau.
The staff report says the smaller physical size of the site will lower maintenance costs, and fencing will prevent the expansion of the site.
Councillor Tim Bennett asked about the size of the overflow section, and if the overflow site could be reduced in size.
“I suppose that this is the least costly way to manage overflow of the current infrastructure on the ground,” Depenau said.
“Both the outline of the red area and the outline of the blue area have current fencing in place and have gates that partition the two from one another, and so in this recommended course of action, if the blue area were to be overflowing with folks at 7, 8 p.m. at night when we open that area, for that one evening we would simply open the gate between the two areas and people would be able to set up overnight in that red space, and at 9 a.m. the next morning we would be assisting them to part for the day to other services.”
Depenau said a larger or smaller area wouldn’t lend much “operational impact” to the City.
“Hopefully we never get to a point where we have 80 people needing temporary overnight sheltering and hopefully we can get to a point where those residents who still need temporary overnight sheltering can find a more permanent housing solution and these conversations become a thing of the past,” Bennett said.
Councillor Brian Skakun asked if people in the Millar Addition were consulted, and said he was concerned about a repeat of the encampment growing out of control.
Depenau said no specific consultation has been done, and enforcement would be an easier option now.
“We weren’t able to exercise our bylaws in the same manner that we have been permitted to post-the August decision from Justice Elwood, and so for a period of time, we were not allowed to enforce our Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw and the overnight provisions in there and compel folks to move if they were not following the provisions of your bylaw,” Depenau said.
“Thanks to the significant investments that the City and Province have made, whether that be the former North Star, the Third Avenue facility, First Avenue, all the other housing investments, the decision was made that we could now enforce Parks and Open Spaces, and so when folks show up, vehicles are not allowed, trailers are not allowed, if folks are bringing items they’re not removing from sites by that 9 a.m. the next morning, they would be disposed of.”
He added if people are not complying, enforcement of the site would be an option.
“Today, where folks have to set up in the evening and be gone the next morning, where there’s only foot access to the site, no vehicle access and so on, we see it being much more practical to enforce things like your Clean Air Bylaw, and so the intent is no tolerance for burning on this site,” Depenau said.
Councillor Cori Ramsay said it’s frustrating to need an area for temporary overnight sheltering space.
“Frustrating is the only word I can use, but this is where we’re at, in that if we don’t have this site, then we’re going to see encampments reform, and then file injunctions, which require significant taxpayer dollars for lawyers and legal fees in order to fight this in the courts,” she said.
“That’s just the position that we don’t want to put ourselves in. I’m happy to entertain other locations, but honestly, quite frankly, there’s no winning anywhere it goes.”
Councillor Ron Polillo said the reality is this is required.
“Practically, we’re reducing quite a large area to a small area,” Polillo said.
“It is going to be, probably, at times going to be tough to manage, and it’s going to be a lot for our Bylaw to handle, but I’m confident with the team and the leadership there.”
Councillor Kyle Sampson said the City is miles ahead of where it was, and that’s a win.
“What’s not a win is the fact that we’re still put in this position to require camping in our municipality, and I think that’s a failure of the province of B.C.,” he said.
“It’s not something that’s uniform across the country, but we see it here in B.C., the Province is putting municipalities in this position that in order to enforce our bylaws, we have to bail them out of their abdicated responsibilities of providing adequate housing for people in our province, and municipalities are not set up to manage this.”
Sampson was also against having an overflow area, and wanted to refer the item to the City’s Intergovernmental Affairs committee.
“If the B.C. Legislation says we have to provide endless space for people who may forever come to our community, municipalities cannot handle that, we don’t have the means, we cannot handle that, so that conversation needs to continue to happen,” he said.
Sampson added Council should receive regular updates on how the TOS is working, suggesting monthly for the first six months
“We also need a regular costing update, and I think we should be sending that bill, knowing they’re never going to pay it, they’re broke, but we need to be sending that bill to the province,” he said.
“We’re pulling them out of their responsibilities, and they need to be aware how much they’re costing municipalities.”
The motion to refer the issue to the City’ Standing Committee on Intergovernmental affairs was passed.
Mayor Simon Yu said the recommendation is a testament to the work Council has done over the last three years.
“Because of our work, Prince George is, right now, is without a permanent encampment. The area in the recommendation from the staff, is shrinking the area, not making it bigger. This is something we have to do, ” Yu said.
City Council approved the first three readings of the bylaw amendment.
The (19-37-8) Canucks host the Nashville Predators Thursday night at 7:00.
The Canucks have lost 9 of their last 10 and 23 of their last 26 games.
Washington 7 Calgary 3 LA 5 Columbus 4 (OT) NY Rangers 6 Philadelphia 2 Chicago 3 Utah 2 (OT)
There are 13 Tuesday games in the NHL (with 5 Canadian teams in action) including Toronto at Montreal, Edmonton at Colorado, Calgary at New York Rangers and Anaheim at Winnipeg,
The U-18 Cariboo Cougars visit the Okanagan Rockets in the semifinals Friday night at 8:00, Saturday afternoon at 1:15 and if needed Sunday morning at 10:45 in Kelowna. In the regular season the (26-7-1) Rockets finished in second place while the (19-12-2-1) Cougars were 3rd in the 7-team league.
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The U-18 Northern Capitals, in the female division, visit the first place Greater Vancouver Comets in the league semifinals. That best-of-3 series will be played Friday night at 5:45 in Delta, Saturday night at 8:00 in Coquitlam and if necessary, Sunday morning at 11:00 in Delta.
Canada continues round robin play today (Tuesday 4:00 p.m. PT) against Puerto Rico and Wednesday (noon PT) vs. Cuba.
As the DH, Young went 1-for-5 in Canada’s 4-3 Sunday loss against Panama.
Canada beat Colombia 8-2 in its opener Saturday in a game the 30-year-old Young did not play in.
The quarterfinals in Houston go Friday and Saturday with the semis in Miami Sunday and Monday and the championship game on Tuesday, March 17th in Miami.
Young is entering his second season with the New York Mets as a DH and utility player.
Sport BC:
Duchess Park Senior Boys Volleyball, Barlow winners at Sport BC Athlete of the Year awards https://t.co/ySrzqZLVIm
British Columbia’s NDP government tabled legislation Monday to extend restrictions on protests and other “disruptive behaviour” near schools and expand the rules to public places of worship.
The province passed legislation in May 2024 limiting protests and other disruptions within 20 metres of all K-12 schools. The rules apply from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and during extracurricular school activities.
The legislation came in response to protests at schools against the province’s education initiatives that provide resources on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The law contains a sunset clause that is set to expire on July 1, 2026. Bill 12, the Safe Access to Schools Amendment Act, would extend it to 2028. Attorney General Niki Sharma said the sunset clause allows the legislature to reassess the need for the law over time.
Education Minister Lisa Beare said the number of “disruptions” near schools has decreased since the legislation was introduced.
“But unfortunately, they have not been eliminated, which is why we’re taking further action,” said Beare.
Bill 13, the Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act, would create similar “access zones” around mosques, synagogues, temples, churches and other places of worship.
The government said it comes in response to rising cases of vandalism and other harmful behaviour targeting religious buildings.
“We need to make sure that people are able to attend their place of worship, and feel comfortable in doing so, and feel protected in doing so,” said Premier David Eby.
“The core here is protecting activities that are at the heart of what it means to be in a free and democratic society, while minimally impairing the rights of people to protest, if that is what they choose to do,” said Eby.
The bill would allow public places of worship to post signage indicating 20-metre zones where police could arrest or issue tickets to individuals found to be impeding access or being disruptive to worshippers. Prohibited behaviours would include preventing people from accessing a place of worship, disrupting activities like prayers or meetings, intimidating or threatening people, and trying to persuade people not to visit a place of worship.
Sharma said the law is intended as a deterrent, rather than an opportunity to slap people with fines.
“Having those legal protections in place gives authorities better tools to control behaviour on the ground. So instead of a fine-driven process, it’s a legal-centred process related to us controlling behaviours that are set out there,” said Sharma.
The legislation would also allow a place of worship, the attorney general and others to apply for a Supreme Court injunction to remove a protest.
The province said individuals would still be allowed to peacefully gather outside places of worship as long as their activities don’t amount to intimidation or interfere with access.
Bill 13 also includes a sunset clause requiring it to be reassessed in 2030.
The province said the bill is modelled after previous legislation that created similar zones around hospitals, schools and other facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Current laws also restrict protests and harassing activities near abortion providers.
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association was not immediately available to comment on the story for Vista News, but pointed to their previous statement raising concerns about a 2025 Toronto bylaw that limits demonstrations outside of places of worship, schools, and child care centres.
“Places of worship, schools, or childcare centres, are unfortunately not immune from engaging in behaviour that may spark legitimate political protest,” said the BCCLA statement. “The actual context, content, and conduct at a specific protest are essential for a legal analysis of whether any offences have occurred warranting state intervention.”
Data from Statistics Canada show the number of police-reported hate crimes targeting religion in B.C. has broadly trended upward, peaking in 2021.
In 2024, there were 125 such reports in the province, compared to 44 in 2014.
Jewish people were by far the most frequently targeted between 2020 and 2024, followed by Muslims and Catholics.
The End2End Cancer charity bike ride across Vancouver Island is back. The fundraising event, supported by Trek Bikes in Victoria, will have eight cyclists riding in a relay from Victoria up to Port Hardy and back in 48 hours this June.
Last year, the inaugural event broke their fundraising goal of $100-thousand, generating $113-thousand for the Island Kids Cancer Association (IKCA). The event was an idea of End2End Chair Andy Dunstan, who says last year’s success was proof of concept that his idea was feasible and he’s glad it will not be a one-and-done success.
“I’m excited about the fact that we get to do it again,” he says. “When we did it the first time, you’re never really sure how it’s going to play out. But it really captured the imagination of people and companies on the Island, so to be able to do it again is a real privilege.”
Dunstan has years of experience as he helped organize the other major cycling fundraiser for childhood cancer on the Island. After 2025’s success in this new venture, he’s excited to set a new, higher fundraising total for 2026.
“All the riders from this year have amazing community contacts who I think are really going to get on board and support us and although we have a fundraising goal of $150-thousand,” he says. “The sky is the limit really.”
One of those riders, Jennifer Millar connection to the Island is long, born and raised in the Cowichan Valley but now lives in Cordova Bay. She has firsthand experience with the event and the issue at hand. Her son Eamonn, who will be 12 in April, was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in April 2024.
“His protocol is long,” she says. “Essentially we’re through the trenches, but we still have a big battlefield of maintenance to get through. He was 14 months of intense chemotherapy and we were living at BC Children’s Hospital for a great deal of that time.”
While they were living in Vancouver they weren’t able to access the supports of IKCA. Nonetheless Eamonn wanted to help in their efforts, so he designed a sock that to sell to fundraise for them. His efforts raised over $20-thousand. He has a second sock available now and is hoping for the same result.
“It’s called ‘Enchanted Deep’ and it’s now on the sleeves of [the End2End] jersey,” she says. “It’s another fundraiser for IKCA and we’re hoping for another $20,000.”
IKCA Founder and Executive Director Susan Kerr says they’re currently working with over two hundred individuals on the Island who are in some stage of the process. Her connection to the cause is personal, as her son Jacob was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Their experience as a family lead her to understand the shortcomings of available supports, so in 2017 she helped found the organization.
“We just found that supporting my son in 2005, there wasn’t a lot of options here on the Island as far as any type of connection or support, or financial support. Just the basic necessities that families really need,” says Kerr. “It was really all over on the mainland, so it was really important for me to develop some programming and get families together.”
Kerr says the organization started out in Victoria, but as they grew it was evident that they needed community support and connections across the Island. To connect with families, they work closely with BC Children’s Hospital and Victoria General Hospital.
“We have a very good relationship with the social workers there who have the information on who we are and what we do, so when a family is released back to the Island after their child has gone through treatment, they know about us,” she says.
What support looks like for each family is handled on a case-by-case basis. IKCA’s family navigator reaches out to determine what type of support would be most appropriate. It could be anything from financial support or grocery vouchers to emotional support such as time with a counsellor or art therapy.
“It varies a lot of time depending on where they’re at [in their cancer journey]. With newly diagnosed families, it’ll usually be financial assistance. And then we do have a family connections program where families can get out and do things, like bowling, with other families to create a community,” she says.
“As the journey goes on, it’s very hard on family’s mental health. That includes the child who is the patient, the siblings, and the parents. We provide mental health support, so we work with over a hundred service providers across Vancouver Island who are there when we need them.”
Kerr says aside from the large sum that the 2025 End2End event generated, the ride also helped raise awareness for their organization – which was huge for them.
“We can’t do the work that we do and rely on community, individuals, and businesses without them having an understanding of why we’re doing it,” she says. “The wheels are turning. The awareness is there. I would love for the awareness to keep out there, for families to realize that this is a hard journey and the needs don’t stop. The needs keep going.”
This year’s End2End Cancer relay leaves Trek Bikes in Victoria on June 16 and will return there on June 18.
Two Prince George Humane Society shelters are on lockdown following separate virus outbreaks.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the society said its 1st Avenue location will be closed to the public until further notice, after cases of panleukopenia had been identified.
The Lansdowne location confirmed two cases of parvovirus, which comes shortly after the location lifted quarantine from a previous outbreak.
They said the Lansdowne location is open for cat adoptions, and will do everything possible for the space to remain open.
The society noted they’re in need of clean blankets and towels, financial donations to support medical care, and foster homes with no other pets.
They said their focus is on:
Protecting every animal in our care
Moving any puppies and kittens out of the shelter environment as quickly as possible
Maintaining strict biosecurity protocols to prevent community spread
Supporting fosters with clear, enforceable guidelines to ensure parvo does not leave the home.
A member of Quesnel Search and Rescue is representing B.C. at the Search and Rescue Volunteers of Canada Humanitarian Workforce workshop in Toronto.
Bob Hollowenko, Manager and Public Information Officer for SARS, is in his 12th year with the organization in Quesnel.
We caught up to Hollowenko in Toronto.
“The Humanitarian Workforce is a team of folks that will go in post-disaster to provide search and rescue services to provide recovery effort type services. This could be anything from looking for people who may have been impacted by a natural disaster, a wildfire, that sort of situation, in order to find people who may be in need, in distress, begin the rescue efforts. It may also become other recovery efforts.”
Hollowenko said it could be simpler tasks as well such as clearing debris or shovelling snow.
He said it could be anywhere in Canada.
“It’s a group that’s activated through the federal government in the event of a natural disaster or some other significant event right. We’re kind of like a catch all, the kind of group that would go in at the same time as Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army potentially. It’s a get people back up on their feet or find people in distress type of organization.”
Hollowenko says there there were multiple applicants from Quesnel.
“There were three of us that put our name in from Quesnel specifically, and that is folks that have all kinds of different levels of experience from people who’ve been in emergency management for upwards of 30 years all the way to people who have previous careers that involved emergency situations. Quesnel does have a very wide skill set that is able to be deployed for something like a SARVAC activation.”
The Strathcona Regional District advised residents in Area D to prepare for a temporary water service interruption on Tuesday, March 10.
The regional district said crews are replacing a watermain gate valve and installing a new water quality sampling station between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Affected areas include Maple Park Circle, Jack Road, Lynwood Road west of Jack Road and Craig Road between Fairwinds and Maple Park Circle.
Residents may experience discoloured water after the work is finished. The regional district advised residents to run a cold tap until the water runs clear if this occurs.
A partnership between Cowichan Tribes and the Province of B.C. will support the development of the Koksilah Watershed and promote water sustainability.
According to the province, a public engagement session will open dialogue to guide long-term approaches to water supply and ecosystem health in the area.
Engagement sessions have been ongoing since 2025 to gather input on the future of the Koksilah Watershed. The province said it is now seeking feedback on local needs.
“We’re asking respondents for their thoughts on local water needs, potential approaches to increase summer water flows and other topics related to watershed stewardship,” the province said.
The ongoing project planning has been a collaboration between the Cowichan Tribes Guidance Group, members of Cowichan Tribes and the wider community.
The public engagement session is scheduled for March 11 from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Hub at Cowichan Station.
What once was an ordinary shipping container is now a vibrant piece of public art.
Local Comox youth artist Maggie Wilson has transformed a container outside the Comox Community Centre with a mural depicting a detailed nature scene.
The artwork features several native plants found in the region, including the nootka rose, western buttercup, western trillium, hooker’s fairy bells, American brooklime, coastal woodfern and rosy twisted stalk.
“I hope this artwork helps people learn about some of the native plants that grow around us and inspires younger children to explore and use their creativity,” Wilson said.
The project was completed as part of Wilson’s Grade 12 capstone project, which allows students to showcase their learning and personal interests through a comprehensive, self-directed project.
Wilson was mentored by a local biologist, who supported her research into native plant species and guided the selection of plants featured in the final design.
“This mural shows how creativity can transform everyday spaces into something colourful and meaningful,” Comox Mayor Nicole Minions said.
Visitors to the Comox Community Centre or the adjacent Village Park are encouraged to enjoy the new art piece.
Cranbrook RCMP are investigating a report that a man pointed a firearm at two motorists at a local gas station.
Police said the incident occurred on March 6 at about 7:59 p.m. at the Centex gas station at 2108 Cranbrook St. N.
The complainant told police that while he and a passenger were fueling their vehicle, an unknown man approached, produced what appeared to be a small revolver and pointed it in their direction before walking away.
The suspect was last seen walking north while pushing a shopping cart.
The two individuals left the area for their safety and contacted the police.
Officers attended and conducted patrols in the surrounding area but did not locate the suspect. Investigators have reviewed video surveillance and seized evidence believed to be associated with the suspect, but police said they are seeking public assistance to identify the man.
The suspect is described as a man wearing a blue hoodie and black pants and pushing a shopping cart. He was reported to have displayed a small revolver.
The investigation is ongoing.
Cranbrook RCMP are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have dashcam or surveillance footage from the area between 7:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. on March 6 to contact the detachment at 250-489-3471.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is asking West Coast residents for their views on proposed rule changes for vessels approaching southern resident killer whales.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is considering amendments that would increase the minimum approach distance for vessels from 200 metres to 1,000 metres.
Currently, the allowable approach distance is set annually through interim measures issued by Transport Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the proposed change would create greater certainty through permanent regulations.
“The proposed Amendments would mitigate the threats posed to the SRKW by physical and acoustic disturbance related to some vessel traffic,” a notice published in the Canada Gazette on March 7 said.
Southern resident killer whales are one of several orca populations in Canadian Pacific waters and are listed as endangered.
“Despite its protected status and ongoing conservation efforts and interventions, its numbers continue to decline. In 2018, and again in 2024, the Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministers of the Environment determined that the SRKW population was facing imminent threats to its survival and recovery,” the Gazette notice said.
The proposed 1,000-metre distance would apply only to southern resident killer whales and not to other marine mammals.
The proposal also states the rule would not apply to stationary vessels or vessels that are simply transiting through an area.
Comments are open on the Canada Gazette post until April 6 to gather feedback on the proposal.
Major transit changes are coming to Powell River, B.C., with BC Transit saying it is the first major overhaul of the local system in 40 years.
BC Transit said the network will undergo a significant update affecting three routes, aimed at improving access to key destinations such as the hospital.
“OnDemand Service will be available in Powell River to customers traveling within the Upper and Lower Westview areas,” BC Transit said. “With this new service, riders can request a transit pick up through the BC Transit OnDemand app or by phone.”
The changes also include the addition of a rural transit route serving the qathet Regional District.
Other adjustments will be made to Route 1 Townsite/Grief Point, Route 2 Wildwood Express and Route 3 Upper Westview.
The latest report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation said rents in British Columbia fell 4.9 per cent in February, compared to last year.
Average rent across all property types in B.C. was $2,375 last month,. The average price for a one bedroom saw a six per cent decline from last year, to $2,062.
Infographic via rentals.ca and Urbanation
North Vancouver remains the most expensive rental market in Canada, with an average of $2,969 across all unit types. That was down just 0.1 per cent from the previous month, and more than six per cent from a year ago.
The average rent in Vancouver was up 0.6 per cent from January to $2,672, but declined 5.6 per cent from February 2025. Average rents also rose last month in other major markets, like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal.
Vancouver saw the largest price declines for three-bedroom units among the six largest markets in Canada, down 8.8 per cent from last year.
Average rents for purpose-built and condominium apartments in B.C. were down 4.2 per cent compared to February 2025, at $2,354. That puts B.C. at third behind Alberta and Ontario for declines.
Average asking rent for shared accommodations in B.C. was $1,030 in February, down from $1,146 a year ago.
The Canada-wide average rent across all property types fell 2.8 per cent year-over-year to $2,030. Rents have declined on an annual basis for 17 consecutive months.
The Canadian average for a one bedroom was $1,781 in February, a 3.5 per cent decline from a year ago.
Following the deadly fire at Econo Lodge City Centre Inn in Prince George on July 8th, 2020, around 50 people could be getting compensation.
The class action was brought alleging the defendants were negligent with respect to fire safety at the lodge, was resolved after $5.25 million in proposed settlements was reached.
Lawyer Dick Byl explained this case’s process for compensation claims.
“We reached a tentative settlement with respect to this case in September, but it has to be approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.”
“We’ve gone through various procedures for notifying the class and so on, and the final hearing is scheduled right now for July 3oth in the Courthouse in Prince George.”
Along with the final hearing is a plan for distributing the money.
Byl said while this was a civil case where they were suing for damages, what had continue for six years was a criminal case which took the better part of three years.
The criminal case ended with a verdict of not guilty.
If the settlements are approved, the claims of all class members will be resolved without a trial, with the deadline to contact class counsel to claim compensation being June 3rd, 2026.
Class Members are:
the registered guests at the Econo Lodge on July 8, 2020;
people who were present at the Econo Lodge on July 8, 2020 at the time of the fire;
people who were present at Yolks All Day Family Restaurant on July 8, 2020 at the time of the fire; and
the family members of the victims who died in the fire.
More detailed information including settlement agreements and the distribution protocol can be found here.
Municipal workers in Fruitvale have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action as contract negotiations with the village remain stalled.
Members of CUPE Local 2087 voted 100 per cent in favour of a strike mandate in a vote held Wednesday, March 4.
“The members are workers for the village; they need help addressing the affordability pressures that are in the region. They’re under the same pressures as everybody when it comes to the cost of living, whether it’s housing, food, and especially right now, gas,” said Greg Taylor, CUPE spokesperson.
Bargaining between the union and the Village of Fruitvale began in July 2025. The parties brought in a mediator in January, but talks remain at a standstill after the first mediation session last week.
CUPE 2087 vice-president Kevin Pii said the village was unwilling to move on its wage proposal.
“Our members are proud to provide public services in this community, and taking a strike vote is not a step we take lightly,” said Pii.
“Strike action is always a last resort, and our goal remains reaching a fair deal without disrupting the services residents and businesses count on.”
Taylor said other municipalities across the region and the province have reached agreements that address rising living costs.
“Other municipalities across the region have already reached agreements with their workers that address these costs of living pressures on their workers. So we know a fair deal is possible, so we see no reason why Fruitvale can’t come back to the table and reach a similar agreement for their own workers,” said Taylor.
Before any strike action could occur, essential service levels must be negotiated and the union would need to provide 72-hour strike notice.
“We believe a similar agreement is possible here, but it will take two willing parties to get there. We need the employer to take members’ concerns seriously and work with us toward a solution that addresses affordability and supports the services our community relies on,” said Pii.
CUPE Local 2087 represents about 10 municipal employees who maintain roads and parks, support administrative services, and help ensure safe drinking water and sewage treatment in the Village of Fruitvale.
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Nelson Leafs forward Brad Boyarski will continue his hockey career in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Calgary native has committed to the McKendree University Bearcats’ Division 1 program for next season.
Boyarski finished his third and final Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season with six goals and 10 points in 40 games for Nelson. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward said improving his consistency away from the puck was a key focus this year.
“Being reliable in all three zones and playing the right way in any situation was a priority,” said Boyarski. “I focused on earning trust and holding myself to a consistent standard.”
Boyarski said his time with the Leafs reinforced the importance of controlling what he could and staying focused on development.
“I’m especially grateful to coach Gianni Mangone, who I’ve had the privilege of playing for in two organizations,” he said. “His belief in me and the standards he held me to pushed me to keep developing. I’m also thankful for a great group of guys to compete with and everything I learned in that room.”
Mangone previously coached Boyarski with the Creston Valley Thunder Cats and said the forward’s work ethic helped him earn the opportunity to play at the collegiate level.
“He consistently came to the rink eager to learn and worked hard to better himself both on and off the ice,” said Mangone. “He was a big part of our community and team culture, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he helps his new team grow as a program.”
Boyarski said he is looking forward to the next step in both his academic and hockey career.
“I’m very excited and grateful to commit to McKendree University and continue my academic and hockey career,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to work as a Bearcat. Thank you to the coaches who’ve invested in my development, the teammates I’ve competed with, the billet families who opened their homes to me and my family for always having my back.”
McKendree finished fifth in its conference with a 13-18-1-0-1 record. The Bearcats’ season ended Feb. 22 with a loss to Minot State in the conference tournament semifinals.
Boyarski began his KIJHL career with the Revelstoke Grizzlies, playing one game before joining the Creston Valley Thunder Cats. He later joined the Leafs, where he played 51 regular-season games to finish his junior career.
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Powell River community members will get more information about the state of the junior hockey team this week.
The Powell River Kings Hockey Club Society is hosting a news conference Wednesday, March 11, as a follow-up to a town hall meeting held Dec. 18, 2025.
Interim president Joe Mastrodonato said the news conference will provide an update on the state of the franchise and the BCHL, and outline the team’s direction moving forward.
“Many individuals have expressed interest and requested an update, making this even especially significant for those invested in the future of the Powell River Kings,” a news release said.
A public search for new ownership was launched Feb. 26 and is being led by Cosmos Sports and Entertainment.
The news conference will take place at the Town Centre Hotel on Wednesday. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the event starting at 7 p.m.
The Town of Ladysmith has announced the winners of a community naming contest for two new public spaces inside the historic Machine Shop building.
Residents were invited earlier this year to submit name ideas for a multipurpose room and a meeting room at the site, which sits at the centre of Ladysmith’s developing Arts and Heritage Hub.
Voting took place online through the town’s Let’s Talk Ladysmith engagement platform.
The meeting room will be called “Whistle Stop,” a name submitted by Karen Wright. The multipurpose room will be known as “The Junction,” submitted by Jacquely Valentine.
Darlene Gaudet was also selected as the winner of a participation prize.
Town officials said more than 100 votes were cast for each room, highlighting strong community interest in the project.
The Machine Shop — originally built in 1943 for the Comox Logging and Railway Company — is nearing completion as part of Ladysmith’s waterfront revitalization. It will host arts programs, workshops and community events once it opens.
New public access measures are being introduced to help protect drinking water, forest resources and public safety in Ladysmith, B.C.
The Town of Ladysmith says measures are being taken to address unauthorized camping and illegal dumping along the Banon Creek Forest Service Road, which have increased wildfire risk and the potential for contamination of local watersheds.
“Weekday access to the area will be restricted,” the town said. “Those camping in the area are being notified and provided with information about available services within the region.”
Mayor Deena Beeston said the measures are intended to reduce risk, warning that without action a major wildfire in the watershed could significantly deplete the town’s reservoir.
“Protecting our drinking water sources and surrounding forest lands must remain a top priority,” she said. “At the same time, we recognize how important it is to the area for responsible recreation, that is why we have worked together with the province, Indigenous partners and local enforcement to find a solution that reduces environmental and safety risks.”
Ladysmith-Oceanside MLA Stephanie Higginson said the closure of the service road was not a decision the government wanted to make, but it is necessary to ensure protection and safety.
“This temporary closure isn’t a decision taken lightly and has been met with extensive consultation including the support of Halalt Nation, Stz’uminus Nation and the RCMP,” Higginson said. “I am happy to see the Ministry of Forests and the Town of Ladysmith working together to find a solution.”
According to the town, recreational access will remain open on weekends and statutory holidays, while non-motorized users will be able to access the watershed at any time.
The Quesnel Kangaroos are off to the Central Interior Hockey League championship series after a convincing 9-3 win over the visiting Smithers Steelheads in front of a sellout crowd at the West Fraser Centre on Saturday (March 7) night.
(photo by Karen Powell-KCP Photography)
The Roos took control in the opening period with four unanswered goals.
Christopher Thon opened the scoring before Brody Dale was given credit for a short handed goal that Smithers scored on itself.
The Steelhead blueliner made a pass in front of his own net and it bounced off the skate of a teammate.
Josh Maser then scored the final two goals for Quesnel in the opening twenty minutes.
The teams then traded goals in the middle frame.
Maser completed the hat trick for the Roos and Chad Kimmie added his first of the post season.
For Maser, that makes five goals in just two games.
Kevin Fillier had both goals for Smithers.
The Steelheads then made it 6-3 early in the third but Tanner Cochrane replied just 30 seconds later and it was pretty much game over.
Hayden Wiebe and Brody Dyck added to the Steelhead pain to make the final 9-3.
It could have been worse if not for the play of Smithers goalie Nicholas Garcia, as Quesnel fired 51 shots on goal on the night.
Dale added three assists to go along with his goal.
The Roos take the best of three series in two straight games.
Quesnel will now host game one of the final this coming Saturday (March 14) night at the West Fraser Centre.
The Smithers Steelheads and Hazelton Wolverines weren’t able to punch their tickets into the Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL) playoff finals on Saturday.
The Steelheads lost to the Quesnel Kangaroos 9-3 for game two of the best of three series, while the Wolverines took a 4-1 loss to the Terrace River Kings.
The Kangaroos and River Kings advanced after winning the series 2-0, with their first game set for this Saturday in Quesnel.
Police in Cranbrook are investigating a shooting that targeted a residence over the weekend.
Police responded to a shooting at a residence on the 300-block of 3rd Avenue South at 9:22 p.m. on Sunday, Mar. 8.
No one was injured in the shooting.
Evidence of the gunshots was confirmed by police and the scene has been secured for further examination.
“While the investigation is in its infancy, early indications are that the shooting was targeted,” said Staff Sergeant Barry Graham.
Graham said investigators are still working to determine a motive and whether the incident is connected to another recent shooting.
“We have not ruled out any particular motive at this time and will work to determine if there is any connection with other recent acts of violence in our community,” Graham added.
On Dec. 21, 2025 a targeted shooting took place at a residence in the Innis Avenue area.
The Creston Valley junior hockey team will once again be known as the Creston Valley Thunder after a community vote on the club’s future name.
Team officials said 677 survey responses were submitted during a six-week public consultation. Of those, 392 votes supported the Creston Valley Thunder name, making it the top choice among respondents. The next closest option received 92 votes.
“The results are in, and the community has spoken loudly and clearly,” said the board of directors.
The board of directors approved the change after the consultation process, and the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has also approved the team’s return to the Thunder name.
Work is now underway on a new visual identity for the club.
A graphic designer will develop logo concepts and colour options inspired by the original Thunder branding while incorporating modern design elements. The process is expected to take six to eight weeks. The board will select a final design before unveiling it publicly.
Beginning March 8, 2026, the team will operate under the Thunder name and use the 2025-26 third-jersey crest as its interim logo.
Team officials thanked community members who took part in the survey, saying the response helped guide the decision to bring back the Thunder name.
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Update: Environment Canada ended the snowfall warning in the afternoon.
Environment and Climate Change Canada said about five centimetres of snow could accumulate in and around Nanaimo today.
A snowfall warning was issued this morning for much of eastern and southern Vancouver Island, including the Nanaimo to Duncan area, Greater Victoria and the Jordan River to Sooke region.
“Heavy convective flurries over southern Vancouver Island has the potential to generate a quick burst of snowfall with accumulations reaching up to 5 cm this morning,” the warning said. “There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic. Visibility will likely be reduced at times. Allow extra time for travel.”
Nanaimo could see a high of eight degrees today and there is a 60 per cent chance of rain or flurries this afternoon.
The Prince George Fire Rescue had an early morning start with a residential structure fire.
According to the City, crews from three halls responded to the fire at 2:15 a.m. this morning (Monday), in the 1400 block of Hemlock Street.
First arriving crews found heavy flames and smoke exiting from a carport on a multi-family dwelling, with crews knocking down the fire to prevent spread to neighboring residences.
They add there were no injuries to residents or firefighters, and the estimated damage is approximately $120,000.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.
The current Powell River council won’t be doing any extra preparatory work for the next administration regarding a potential community name change.
A proposal by Councillor Cindy Elliott for staff to prepare a report to inform the next council was defeated Thursday night in a 3-3 tie.
Councillor Rob Southcott recused himself from the discussion.
Councillor George Doubt says staff have limited time and there’s already lots of material.
“We have heard numerous times from our CAO and staff that they have limited ability to write new reports for council and to do the work that we’ve already asked them to do, asking for many reports in a previous time,” Doubt said.
He added if future potential councillors in the October municipal election wanted to get up to speed they could watch the name change movie playing at the film festival.
Doubt added the potential name change may not even be a priority for the next members of council.
But Councillor Trina Isakson says it’s a way for the issue to move forward.
“I think that exploring this at some point in our term, even if we are not the recipients of that work, is important to do. This is a way for us to get a little bit further,” Isakson said.
A previously approved motion in January by Mayor Ron Woznow put off the entire name change topic until after the municipal election.
The city has been exploring a potential name change since 2021 after the Tla’amin Nation requested a review because it found the city’s name hurtful and offensive based on the history of its namesake.
Sparwood is getting closer to the start of its curbside recycling program and residents should be ready for the changes.
The curbside recycling program is launching on April 6 and residents will see their blue bins delivered this month.
Only certain items are allowed in the bins.
Accepted items include paper, cardboard, and mixed containers, but there’s a much larger list of materials that can’t go in your blue bin.
That includes glass, flexible plastics, Styrofoam and electronics among others. Those will still have to be taken to the Sparwood Transfer Station for recycling.
Startemup Marketing Solutions is handling the district’s roll out of the program and Emily Bassett said contaminated material being put in the bins is an important thing for residents to watch out for.
“If you can see physical food on it and you can not get it off, it can not be recycled,” she said.
“When in doubt keep it out. If you’re really not sure it’s going to go in the garbage. Recycling can get contaminated and the whole truck can get contaminated and it just ruins everything.”
More information on what can and can’t go into the blue bins can be found here, along with the collection schedule.
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2025 was another strong year at Gibraltar Mines North of Williams lake.
Vice President, Corporate Affairs for Taseko Mines Limited, Sean Magee said they produced almost a hundred million pounds of copper.
“And beyond that it’s a really strong financial performance for the mine based on copper prices as they are today, they’re very strong. It was another great year for Gibraltar and we’re actually poised for an even better production year in 2026 forecasting production at about 110 million pounds, slightly above what we did last year.”
We asked Magee if tariffs had any affect on business at the Mine.
“It didn’t. Gibraltar’s concentrate goes off shore, most of it goes to Asia, so there wasn’t really any disruption to our sales. When it comes to copper prices they have been really strong through much of 2025, exceeded $6 a pound and are still in the upper $5 range so we’re operating in a pretty positive business environment for the product we produce at Gibraltar.”
Magee noted Taseko expects a stronger production year in 2026 than they saw in 2025.
“2025 was transitional in terms of some of the areas that we’re mining. As I said we are projecting about 110 million pounds of copper production this year.”
Quarter four saw a significant increase over previous quarters in 2025.
“We were sort of moving through a transitional area in the early part of the year and in the second half of 2025 we really got back into some Mineralization that allows us to have higher production. And we’ll be in that in the similar operating area in this year which is why we’re projecting slightly higher production this year than last.”
A group fighting an open-pit magnesium mine southwest of Rossland will appear in court today arguing for the project to be put on hold.
The Save Record Ridge Action Committee will ask a judge to stop construction until the group’s judicial review can be heard.
The group says it is “fighting to ensure that no irreversible damage is done” before its full challenge is adjudicated.
The group, which has raised over $116,000 through a GoFundMe campaign, has a list of concerns about the mine’s potential effects on air and water quality. It also worries about noise, safety, and habitat loss.
The proponent, WHY Resources, insists the mine is a “a low-impact, small-scale project designed with community safety and environmental protection as top priorities.”
It has said the Save Record Ridge Action Committee has mischaracterized the project and the regulatory oversight process.
“West High Yield has consistently acted in full compliance with British Columbia’s laws, regulatory thresholds, and environmental safeguards,” the company said, adding that it’s confident the Environmental Assessment Office’s decision will withstand a court’s review.
Sports by Hartley Monday, March 9th, 2026 as of 12:05 a.m.
WHL:
Prince George Cougars 4 Spokane Chiefs 3 (Saturday)
Terik Parascak had a goal and an assist, putting him second all-time in points for the PG Cougars, surpassing Koehn Ziemmer and trailing only Riley Heidt.
Brock Souch scored twice, including the winner, and added an assist while Carson Carels notched a goal and two assists as the Cougars tallied three unanswered goals in the 2nd period before 5,026 fans at CN Centre.
The U-18 Cariboo Cougars beat the Valley West Giants 4-2 on Friday and 4-3 in overtime on Saturday to win the best-of-3 quarterfinal series 2-0. The U-18 Cougars visit the Okanagan Rockets Friday night at 8:00, Saturday afternoon at 1:15 and if needed Sunday morning at 10:45 in Kelowna in the semifinals. In the regular season the (26-7-1) Rockets finished in second place while the (19-12-2-1) Cougars were 3rd in the 7-team league.
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The U-18 Northern Capitals, in the female division, beat the Vancouver Island Seals 2-1 in the 3rd and deciding game to win that best-of-3 survivor series 2-1. The Seals won the opener 5-4 in overtime Friday while the Caps took the Saturday game 5-1. The Capitals advance to the league semifinals against the first place Greater Vancouver Comets. That best-of-3 series will be played Friday night at 5:45 in Delta, Saturday night at 8:00 in Coquitlam and if necessary, Sunday morning at 11:00 in Delta.
As the DH, Young went 1-for-5 at the plate in Canada’s 4-3 Sunday loss against Panama.
Canada beat Colombia 8-2 in its opener Saturday in a game the 30-year-old Young did not play in.
Canada will continue round robin play Tuesday (4:00 p.m. PT) against Puerto Rico and Wednesday (noon PT) vs. Cuba.
The quarterfinals in Houston go Friday and Saturday with the semis in Miami March 15th and 16th and the championship game on Tuesday, March 17th in Miami.
Young is entering his second season with the New York Mets as a DH and utility player.
PG Kodiaks Football:
P.G. Kodiaks see further shake up, as multiple board members step down https://t.co/j9k2OrWsHt
Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone won his first Brier outscoring Kevin Koe of Alberta 6-3 in the final of the Canadian men’s curling championship in St. John’s, Nfld.
The Dunstone team will represent Canada at the 2026 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship March 27 to April 4 in Ogden, Utah.
Brad Jacobs (Team Canada) finished 3rd while Brad Gushue (Newfoundland & Labrador), a 6-time national champ, finished 4th in his final Brier.
Dunstone lost the 2023 Brier final to Gushue and the 2025 Brief final to Jacobs.
Provincial High School Boys Basketball Championships—(in Langley)
College Heights finished 9th out of 16 in 3 A with a 3-1 record. They lost their opener 75-54 to Argyle before winning three straight, including 74-64 over Sir Charles Tupper in the Saturday game for 9th and 10th.
Nechako Valley ended up 14th in 2 A with an overall record of 1-3. They lost Charles Hayes 60-55 in the game for 13th and 14th.
Lakes District of Burns Lake took 11th place while Ebenezer of Smithers placed 13th out of 16 teams in 1 A. Both teams had a 2-2 record and won their final game on the consolation side.
NBA:
Toronto Raptors 122 Dallas Mavericks 92
The (36-27) Raptors visit the Houston Rockets Tuesday night (5:00 PT).
A digital public safety tool designed to help police respond to mental health crises is now being used across several RCMP detachments in southeastern British Columbia.
HealthIM has been launched in Cranbrook, Columbia Valley, Creston, Elk Valley Regional, Kimberley and Golden. The system guides officers through a structured risk-screening assessment when responding to mental health and addiction-related calls.
Officials say the tool helps officers better understand the circumstances behind a person’s behaviour and respond more safely and compassionately.
“When someone is experiencing a mental-health crisis, they can feel very vulnerable and unsafe. People need to be met with compassion and understanding for what they are going through,” said Minister of Health, Josie Osborne.
The digital platform allows officers to assess risks, identify possible weapons or violent behaviour and use trauma-informed approaches during calls.
Nina Krieger, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said the tool is effective in helping keep first responders and people in crisis safer.
“HealthIM has proven to be a valuable asset to help police officers safely and effectively de-escalate complex situations by promoting safer interactions with people in crisis. Our government will continue to make meaningful investments to support law enforcement in responding to a mental-health or substance-use emergency.” said Krieger.
Osborne added the tool also alerts hospitals when someone in crisis is being brought in and helps ensure they receive the right care, faster.
“HealthIM is an innovative and collaborative approach that helps police officers work with health-care professionals quickly to make informed assessments that calm serious situations and improve outcomes for people in need. This ensures individuals experiencing a mental health emergency receive timely and compassionate care,” said Osborne.
The program is a partnership between the RCMP, Interior Health and the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. The province provides about $2 million in annual funding to support the rollout across B.C.
The system was introduced in the RCMP Southeast District on Feb. 25, 2026.
Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay-Central, said the initiative will help officers respond more effectively to crisis calls.
“Implementing HealthIM within the Southeast District police departments continues to build on ongoing efforts to strengthen police response to people in crisis. As policing becomes more complex, HealthIM is a critical tool in ensuring that people are getting access to the right support exactly when they need it. I look forward to seeing how this initiative will support officer response in Creston.” said Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay-Central.
Results from other communities show positive impacts, including a 42 per cent drop in apprehensions in Prince George within a year and hospital wait times reduced by about 20 minutes per call in Delta. Hospital admissions also increased by 37 per cent, meaning more people receive appropriate care.
“Rolling out HealthIM across the Southeast District is a practical step forward in how we support people in crisis. For our smaller detachments where members often juggle limited resources and large response areas, this tool helps give clearer information up front, improves member safety and helps us share more consistent details with our health-care partners so everyone is working from the same picture.” said, Chief Superintendent and Southeast District Commander of BC RCMP, Shawna Baher.
Overall, the HealthIM expansion to the Southeast District aims to improve crisis response, strengthen co-operation between police and health care, reduce strain on hospitals and ensure people in crisis receive compassionate and timely support.
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A digital public safety tool designed to help police respond to mental health crises is now being used across several RCMP detachments in southeastern British Columbia.
HealthIM has been launched in Cranbrook, Columbia Valley, Creston, Elk Valley Regional, Kimberley and Golden. The system guides officers through a structured risk-screening assessment when responding to mental health and addiction-related calls.
Officials say the tool helps officers better understand the circumstances behind a person’s behaviour and respond more safely and compassionately.
“When someone is experiencing a mental-health crisis, they can feel very vulnerable and unsafe. People need to be met with compassion and understanding for what they are going through,” said Minister of Health, Josie Osborne.
The digital platform allows officers to assess risks, identify possible weapons or violent behaviour and use trauma-informed approaches during calls.
Nina Krieger, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said the tool is effective in helping keep first responders and people in crisis safer.
“HealthIM has proven to be a valuable asset to help police officers safely and effectively de-escalate complex situations by promoting safer interactions with people in crisis. Our government will continue to make meaningful investments to support law enforcement in responding to a mental-health or substance-use emergency.” said Krieger.
Osborne added the tool also alerts hospitals when someone in crisis is being brought in and helps ensure they receive the right care, faster.
“HealthIM is an innovative and collaborative approach that helps police officers work with health-care professionals quickly to make informed assessments that calm serious situations and improve outcomes for people in need. This ensures individuals experiencing a mental health emergency receive timely and compassionate care,” said Osborne.
The program is a partnership between the RCMP, Interior Health and the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. The province provides about $2 million in annual funding to support the rollout across B.C.
The system was introduced in the RCMP Southeast District on Feb. 25, 2026.
Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay-Central, said the initiative will help officers respond more effectively to crisis calls.
“Implementing HealthIM within the Southeast District police departments continues to build on ongoing efforts to strengthen police response to people in crisis. As policing becomes more complex, HealthIM is a critical tool in ensuring that people are getting access to the right support exactly when they need it. I look forward to seeing how this initiative will support officer response in Creston.” said Brittny Anderson, MLA for Kootenay-Central.
Results from other communities show positive impacts, including a 42 per cent drop in apprehensions in Prince George within a year and hospital wait times reduced by about 20 minutes per call in Delta. Hospital admissions also increased by 37 per cent, meaning more people receive appropriate care.
“Rolling out HealthIM across the Southeast District is a practical step forward in how we support people in crisis. For our smaller detachments where members often juggle limited resources and large response areas, this tool helps give clearer information up front, improves member safety and helps us share more consistent details with our health-care partners so everyone is working from the same picture.” said, Chief Superintendent and Southeast District Commander of BC RCMP, Shawna Baher.
Overall, the HealthIM expansion to the Southeast District aims to improve crisis response, strengthen co-operation between police and health care, reduce strain on hospitals and ensure people in crisis receive compassionate and timely support.
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Cherry Park will be closed next week, as the Cowichan Bay volunteer fire department conducts training exercises.
According to the CVRD, the closure will be on Mar. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon, and they’re asking everyone to obey posted signage and barriers during that time.
The district said barriers will be in place to ensure the safety of the public, volunteers and others on the site as training commences.
Cherry Park is located at the end of Garnett Road in Cobble Hill.
The Municipality of North Cowichan is calling for urgent support to help laid off workers.
In an open letter to the minister of jobs and families from the municipality, United Steelworkers Union, and Western Forest Products said workers continue to be impacted by layoffs.
“These workers aren’t facing a short-term layoff,” said the letter. “They’ve been formally advised that there will be no return to work this year. Yet many are now being told their Employment Insurance (EI) benefits will soon expire.”
Last year, Western Forest Products announced the curtailment of 120 workers at the Chemainus sawmill due to what they call weak market conditions and limited access to economically viable fire.
It’s estimated 80 workers will be affected if changes aren’t done to protect their benefits that are scheduled to end in March, and all parties are asking the minister to treat workers equally.
“Approximately 40 affected workers who were also in the laid off in June of 2025 were granted extra time for support into the fall of this year,” the letter said.
In January, Western extended the curtailment to last until the end of the year.
The letter said the current EI measures are inadequate, and more needs to be done.
“The situation facing Chemainus workers is a meaningful test of whether these systems are providing the certainty and stability they were designed to deliver,” said the letter. “Timely federal action will help protect families from unnecessary hardship, reduce long-term economic and social impacts and demonstrate that resource-based communities are not left to shoulder the consequence of industry downturn.”
The letter explains that the federal government introduced temporary EI measures last year, aimed at supporting long-tenured workers affected by economic disruptions. Adding 20 weeks of regular benefits, to a maximum of 65 weeks, to eligible workers.
A handful of high school students will be getting a first taste of a medical career in Prince George.
The BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) is brining it’s travelling Mini Med School program to the Northern Capital, introducing students to a career in the medical field.
“This is a program that we initiated over ten years ago in Vancouver to introduce high school senior students to health sciences, and clinical sciences, to get them curious and start thinking about a future in healthcare and health research,” said BCCHR Senior Executive Director Dr. Quynh Doan.
“We subsequently started going on tour and bringing Mini Med School to various regions in B.C. to ensure that kids across the province get to benefit from the same introduction and to get them excited about the sciences.”
Doan said there will be presentations from some scientists about what their careers are like, as well as interactive sessions with graduate students and staff to get a sense of what research is about.
The Prince George event has been filled, but there is a waitlist and a desire to eventually return the program to Prince George.
“It is a very popular program, and that signals to us that we’re doing something right, and perhaps we should do more of it,” Doan said.
“In the future, there will be also sessions in Vancouver that have been opening online. We will now have two sessions in Vancouver coming up, moving up from just one session a year, and there is online attendance possible, so they can get a sense of it.”
Doan said for the Prince George event, attendees are coming from across the region, with some from ten different schools across Northern BC, including from Williams Lake and Smithers.
Doan added while they’re in Prince George, they will be visiting some elementary schools to get younger students interested as well.
The event itself takes place on May 8th at the Ramada Plaza.
Prince George City Council will discuss a potential amendment to the City’s Parks and Open Space Bylaw at tomorrow’s (Monday) meeting.
City Staff is recommending an amendment to the geographic border of the current temporary overnight sheltering site prescribed in the bylaw, as well as the designation of an “overflow” temporary overnight sheltering (TOS) site.
According to a staff report, prepared by Director of Administrative Services Eric Depenau, in municipalities where the number of unsheltered individuals is greater than the number of accessible shelter beds, individuals who cannot access shelter have a constitutional right to erect a shelter during overnight hours in public spaces.
Municipalities may designate specific areas for this purpose. In Prince George, the area designated for temporary overnight sheltering is in the general vicinity of Lower Patricia Boulevard, commonly known as Moccasin Flats.
Staff are recommending adjusting the site, proposing a smaller section at the Eastern end of the current site.
According to the staff report, the City has taken several steps to prepare the proposed site, such as drainage improvements, wildfire fuel mitigation treatments, and fencing and gates, clearly delineating the TOS area.
They say a smaller site could lower maintenance costs, and with fencing, would allow for the orderly enforcement of overnight sheltering hours.
The report also says the site has the capacity to accommodate 20 sheltering sites
Staff are also recommending the area west of the proposed TOS site to be designated as an “overflow” site, where sheltering would be permitted only if all sites in the proposed area are occupied, bringing the total designated space up to 80 temporary overnight shelter sites.
Other items to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting includes annual reports from the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusion and the Prince George Heritage Commission.
The full agenda for tomorrow’s meeting can be found here.
Kootenay Lake’s Osprey 2000 ferry will be out of service from April 7 to May 5 for scheduled spring maintenance and refit work.
Ferry operator Western Pacific Marine said this year’s refit has been extended in response to new Transport Canada regulatory requirements to allow for necessary and time-sensitive upgrades.
During the closure, the smaller MV Balfour ferry will operate on the regular winter schedule.
Travellers may experience longer wait times during peak periods and are advised to check DriveBC for the latest sailing information.
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Prince George was well represented at the 58th Annual Sport BC Athlete of the Year awards.
“Congratulations to all the finalists of the 2025 Athlete of the Year Awards. This is the moment we celebrate your positive contribution to sport and community,” said Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Anne Kang.
“Your commitment inspires those around you and demonstrates the importance of sport in bringing people together to build a stronger, more inclusive future for everyone.”
The Duchess Park Senior Boys Volleyball team was named the Team of the Year at the awards ceremony on Thursday.
The K’ómoks First Nation said Queneesh Trailer Park will close in early 2028 as the nation moves ahead with plans to build housing for its members.
Tenants have been informed the park, located on KFN reserve land, is set to close Jan. 31, 2028.
KFN said the landlord is offering to waive monthly pad rental fees during the next two years to help residents put more money toward securing new housing.
In a statement, the First Nation said the trailer park is more than 50 years old and would require major upgrades. It added reclaiming the land will help address urgent housing needs for members, including those currently experiencing housing insecurity.
The First Nation said the project is part of broader planning efforts aimed at supporting long-term housing and services for the community.
One resident who contacted Vista Radio and wished to remain anonymous said many people living in the trailer park are elderly and vulnerable and are suffering due to the impending closure.
The Prince George Spruce Kings erased a four-goal deficit, but the comeback effort fell just short in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The scoring started early for the Chiefs, with A.J. Schaaf finding the board just 43 seconds into the hockey game.
Marcus Lougheed put the Spruce Kings on the board with a powerplay marker, but Boris Borin restored the Chiefs’ one-goal lead a few minutes later.
The Chiefs exploded for three goals in the second period, but Carter Hesselgrave started the comeback effort, scoring a powerplay goal with just three seconds left in the middle frame to make it 5-2 heading into the third.
Ryan Wachtel scored shorthanded for the Spruce Kings in the opening minutes of the third period.
Jack Plandowski answered back for the Chiefs, but Wachtel and Mason Loewen scored to bring the Spruce Kings within one.
Down one with time ticking down, the Spruce Kings tied it with a powerplay marker, coming off the stick of Tai Ushio.
Edvin Nilsson dashed the Spruce Kings hopes of a comeback victory, scoring the overtime goal to send 2,093 fans at the Chilliwack Coliseum home with a smile on their face.
Ryder Green got the start in net, making 24 saves.
This International Women’s Day, Kootenay-Central MLA Brittny Anderson is shining a light on her government’s advances in women’s health care province-wide.
International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8.
Reflecting on the achievements of women and the progress made toward a more equitable future, Anderson highlighted significant strides in improving access to reproductive and preventive health services.
“You cannot talk about women’s health without talking about reproductive health,” Anderson said, while emphasizing how many aspects of women’s health were overlooked or underdiscussed for generations.
“One of the most significant changes has been B.C.’s universal coverage of prescription birth control. This removes a major financial barrier and allows people to make decisions about their reproductive health without worrying about cost.”
Abortion services, including medical abortion pills, are also available free of charge for those covered by MSP, and the province now offers one free round of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for people struggling to conceive.
“Many people across B.C. also face barriers when it comes to starting a family. It was a huge cause for celebration when our province announced one free round of in vitro fertilization for people who are struggling to become pregnant,” Anderson said.
Preventive care has also expanded.
Anderson highlighted British Columbia’s new cervical self-screening program, which allows people to complete tests at home.
“I’ve heard from people across the Kootenays and the province how simple, easy, and effective this is, especially for rural women, who otherwise may have to travel to a neighbouring community to receive a pap test,” she said.
Additionally, women navigating perimenopause and menopause now have free access to menopausal hormone therapy, which helps manage symptoms affecting sleep, mental health and overall well-being.
“By improving access to treatment and raising awareness, we are helping ensure that women can continue to live healthy, active lives at every stage,” Anderson said.
She added that International Women’s Day also provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions of women in communities.
“I see leadership everywhere. From health-care workers, educators, business owners, mothers, caregivers, volunteers. Their dedication reminds us that progress doesn’t happen on its own,” she said.
While there is still work to be done, Anderson said these initiatives are an important step toward equitable, accessible health care for women across B.C.
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The Spokane Chiefs made a late push, but it was the Prince George Cougars who came away with a 4-3 win at the CN Centre Saturday night.
“That was a hard game, they’re a real good team,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“They’ve got some offence, they’ve got some physicality, they’ve got good goaltending, they made it really hard on us. I thought we could’ve got more pucks to the net, we shot wide a lot, give them some breakouts, but all in all, a pretty solid game.”
The Cougars took a 4-1 lead heading into the third period, where Spokane scored twice, including a late goal with 66 seconds left to bring the Chiefs within one.
“I didn’t mind our third period,” Lamb said.
“We didn’t get a lot, they didn’t get a lot, they got that second one, and then they got the third one, but even the third one, that was a tough one for Rav, it was a good period for us.”
Two of the Cougar goals in the game came during four-on-four.
“Those guys that are out there, and Carels, he can take it to the next level,” Lamb said.
“Both those plays, the shot, and splitting those two guys in the offensive zone, throw it over to Souch, those are just high end plays.”
Terik Parascak had a goal and an assist on the night, which tied him and then moved him ahead of Koehn Ziemmer into second on the all-time Cougars points list with 261.
“It means a lot, especially being here with guys Heidt and Ziems that I’m up there with now, that means a lot, just super honored,” Parascak said.
Brock Souch opened the scoring 7:56 into the opening period, after Carson Carels made a filthy move to split a pair of Spokane defenders and find Souch for a goal.
Losing an hour of sleep during this weekend’s spring time change may seem minor, but road safety experts warn the effects can linger and increase the risk of crashes for several days.
Road Safety at Work says even small disruptions to sleep can lead to accumulating fatigue, reducing driver alertness and reaction time. According to Insurance Corporation of British Columbia statistics, an average of 513 people are injured or killed in fatigue-related crashes in B.C. each year.
The concern is particularly relevant for the hundreds of thousands of B.C. residents who drive as part of their job. Tradespeople travelling to early job sites, sales staff covering large territories and delivery drivers working tight schedules may be especially vulnerable to fatigue after the clock change.
Many drivers assume the risk is limited to the first workday after daylight time begins, said Trace Acres, a spokesperson for Road Safety at Work.
“But fatigue doesn’t reset overnight. Even small disruptions to sleep can accumulate, affecting reaction time, judgment, and attention for days afterward.”
Drivers may also overestimate how quickly their bodies adjust to the new schedule.
Seasonal changes can add to that false confidence. Longer daylight hours and milder weather may make driving conditions feel easier, even when fatigue is still affecting concentration.
When roads appear clear and the days grow brighter, drivers may be less focused on the task of driving. However, fatigue remains a risk even in favourable conditions.
“In fact, feeling ‘fine’ is often when drivers take more risks,” Acres said.
Fatigue can slow how drivers process information on the road and affect their judgment of distance, speed and timing. It can also make common spring hazards more dangerous, including glare from low-angle sunlight, wet pavement, increased pedestrian and cyclist activity and heavier traffic as more people spend time outdoors.
Road Safety at Work advises drivers to treat the week after the time change as a higher-risk period rather than assuming the adjustment will take only a day. Getting enough sleep, honestly assessing alertness and driving more cautiously can help reduce the risk.
Give yourself permission to slow down, Acres said.
“Getting to your destination safely is what matters.”
Employers also play a role in managing fatigue risk when driving is part of the job. Road Safety at Work offers guidance to help employers and workers reduce fatigue-related risks behind the wheel.
Jared Young of Prince George did not play for Canada in the win.
Canada will play Panama this afternoon.
NHL:
Nikita Kucherov became the third 100-point player this season after Connor McDavid (106) and Nathan MacKinnon (103). Only 2023-24 (3) and 1995-96 (11) has seen as many players reach the mark at this stage of the season (999 GP).#NHLStats: https://t.co/kHX3d0TM8Gpic.twitter.com/eBP1Sb3lrX
Love it or hate it, Castlegar wants to know what you think of the city’s proposed 2026 budget, which includes a 7.76 per cent residential tax increase.
The city says highlights in the financial plan include:
• Implementing the city’s 2026-28 organizational plan to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Major upgrades to the south sewage treatment plant’s north train renewal project
• Developing a parks master plan to plan the future of the city’s park space
• Completing construction of the Brandson Memorial Park
• Implementing a citizen survey to inform the city’s service levels
• Completing the accessory dwelling unit program to help increase affordable housing options
• Continued implementation of recommendations of the fire services review
• Implementing the Next Generation 911 (NG911) service
• Continuing to implement recommendations from the Castlegar Housing Strategy
• Continuing the design phase and begin construction of the airport terminal building
• Continuing work with Transport Canada to obtain approval for required navigation performance to improve reliability at the West Kootenay Regional Airport
• Continuing to work with partners on the primary care and housing project to deliver on the city’s housing strategy
• Civic Works equipment replacement program
“City departments worked collaboratively to develop this year’s draft budget, identifying efficiencies and savings while addressing growing pressures on service levels,” says Steffan Klassen, director of finance and technology.
“We worked to ensure the budget reflects the necessary resources needed to provide the required services and critical infrastructure while endeavoring to minimize financial impacts on our residents and businesses.”
You can watch the recordings of council’s 2026 draft budget deliberations from March 2 and March 5 here. The city is hosting an open house on the budget on Thursday, March 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Community Forum, 445 13th Avenue. A staff presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m.
A new transfer agreement between College of the Rockies (COTR) and the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) has been announced. The agreement creates a clear pathway to UBCO’s bachelor of arts degree for students in the associate of arts program at COTR.
Students who finish the associate of arts program at College of the Rockies and meet admission requirements can transfer directly into the third year of the bachelor of arts program at UBCO.
The agreement is intended to make it easier for students to continue their education and complete a university degree, expanding opportunities for upper-level studies.
“We are excited about this block transfer agreement as it reinforces our commitment to developing strong and in-demand academic pathways within our region. By collaborating with UBC Okanagan, students have more choice, more flexibility, and a solid foundation for completing a university degree while remaining close to home.” said Stephanie Wells, Dean of University Arts and Sciences.
Starting at College of the Rockies can be more affordable, with smaller classes, lower costs and more personal support before moving on to UBC Okanagan.
The agreement between COTR and UBCO is expected to help students build on their academic foundation and transition into a university degree program.
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Darker winter mornings won’t be an unfamiliar obstacle to address, as School District 57 Superintendent Jameel Aziz said northern jurisdictions have been working to address it for some time.
Aziz said its too early to tell if any real concerns would be had, adding it’s something to keep an eye on.
“I think we will have to do some monitoring and see if we’re seeing any impacts.”
“I’m going to say both for the safety sense, as well as attendance sense, where maybe some people are going to have a little harder time waking up in the morning.”
Aziz said the School District will do public service reminders for people to wear reflective clothing, and for drivers to be more alert.
Clocks will move forward one hour at 2:00 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday).
A beloved cancer fundraiser is making a return to Prince George this summer.
Relay for Life has been absent from the community due to covid and funding cuts, however, with the help of UNBC students, volunteers, and sponsors, the 24 hour event was able to return this year.
Participants of Hope Coordinator and cancer survivor Jocelyn Kerr was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma three years ago, undergoing chemotherapy and treatments at the Vancouver Children’s Hospital.
Ker said she’s attended the event multiple times with her family, along with her grandma who’s also a cancer survivor.
“I remember the joy that it brough me to be with the community, and this is long before my own diagnosis, but I actually cut my hair at the relay in three separate occasions and donated my hair to others to make wigs, and then others did the same for me when I had cancer.”
Kerr said to be able to have the event back with so much support means the world to her.
This year, she said the goal is to raise $50,000 through solo and team participants.
Relay for Life will be taking place at Masich Place Stadium from Saturday, June 27th at 8:30 a.m. until the 28th, ending at 10:00 a.m.
More information about the relay, where to donate, and to register a team can be found on their Facebook page or website.
One of the local legions in the Comox Valley is looking to help support people struggling with addiction.
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 (Comox) has donated $1,000 to the Comox Valley Recovery Centre to support residential addiction recovery services for men.
“Donations such as this help sustain programs that give people the structure and encouragement they need to move forward in their lives,” said Troy Dunham, Chief Administrative Officer of the Comox Valley Recovery Centre.
The recovery centre was founded in 1976 and provides abstinence-based residential recovery programs for men experiencing substance disorders.
The centre is approaching its 50th anniverasary later this year, and offers long-term treatment, counselling and transitional support to help people rebuild stability and reconnect with family and the community.
Board President of the recovery centre Brian Chow said the two parties share a common focus on service, resilience and helping people through difficult chapters in their lives.
“This contribution helps ensure that individuals in our region have access to recovery services when they need them most.”
The cheque was presented during a visit to the recovery centre’s facility in Courtenay by representatives of the Comox Legion.
Jared Young of Prince George will play for Canada at the World Baseball Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The 30-year-old Young is entering his second season with the New York Mets as a DH and utility player.
Canada’s round robin schedule has four games
Saturday 8:00 a.m. against Colombia
Sunday 4:00 p.m. vs. Panama
Tuesday 4:00 p.m. against Puerto Rico
Wednesday 12:00 p.m. vs. Cuba
The quarterfinals in Houston go March 13th and 14th, with the semis in Miami March 15th and 16th, and the championship game on Tuesday, March 17th, in Miami.
The emergency department at 100 Mile District General Hospital will be closed through Saturday, March 7.
Interior Health says emergency services will be closed from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Patients in need of emergent care will need to go to Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake. All other inpatient services at 100 Mile District General will continue to operate.
The Health Authority says people in need of life-threatening care should call 911 to be transported to the nearest available and appropriate facility.
People may also visit HealthLink BC or call 811 to speak with healthcare professionals for non-emergency care, and to determine whether a trip to the emergency department is needed.
This is the seventh time 100 Mile House General Hospital’s emergency department has needed to be closed since the start of 2026.
There is a lot of growing interest in people attending the Williams Lake Indoor Winter Farmers Market.
Jamie Kohnke who is part of the Management Team explained how it got started.
“We have seen quite a gap in our year. The outdoor market wraps up in October and it doesn’t start again until May. A lot of people come to the market for not only our fresh food and our cool arts and crafts, it’s also a social aspect as well that’s missing for a large part of our year when we actually need it the most.”
Kohnke said she stepped forward and spearheaded it’s creation.
“We didn’t give our agricultural vendors a big enough window to be able to grow things, specifically fresh vegetables. In that respect we have a lot more baked goods, so coming into this next year of 2026-2027 our agricultural vendors are already preparing what they can grow so hopefully we’ll see a lot more fresh veggies coming in for next year. But for right now we have lots of arts and crafts and new vendors that don’t do the outdoor markets coming from 100 Mile House, Quesnel and Prince George. The Winter Market held in the Gibraltar Room is similar but a little bit different, it’s just what’s available and what vendors want to work through the winter.”
Khonke noted that this indoor market has been accepted exceptionally well by both the vendors and the public.
“It’s a place for people to meet, there are a lot of people who come and just grab a cup of coffee and hang out. We have a seating area, we’ve had live music but because it’s a small venue we’re keeping our live music a bit lower key. For the outdoor market we have a lot more music so it draws so it draws more people that way. The indoor market has been nice for the public to have something to do, somewhere to go and hang out with friends and family. There’s lots of young kids that come with their parents and grandparents that bring young kids which has been nice to see.”
April 17 will be the last indoor market and the first outdoor market is May 2 and that’s Seedling Saturday, and the regular season will start May 8.
Khonke added that their Indoor Winter Farmers Market averaged 30 vendors every market.
UPDATE – 
REMINDER – Several 
Passenger vehicles detour through Kolling Rd, no detour available for commercial vehicles. 
For more info:
