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Crews have hit another milestone on the 6th Street active transportation bridge in Courtenay. 

The final frame sections were installed over the Family Day long weekend, now connecting the east and west sides of the Courtenay River. 

The frame sections were built off site, shipped to the work area and lifted into place by a crane. 

With the span now connected, work will shift to the bridge deck on both sides to complete the approaches. 

The City of Courtenay said the project remains on schedule. 

The post 6th Street Bridge now connected across the Courtenay River appeared first on My Comox Valley Now.

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The Family Action Network is issuing an urgent call for community members to join its board to help stabilize governance and sustain the organization into 2026.

FAN is a regional network of families, community, and business partners that connects families with supports and works behind the scenes to change systems so that every child and youth can thrive.

“We know this work matters. Our recent community survey clearly indicated that FAN programs like Check Early, Check Often and community belonging events are highly valued in our community,” said Heather Glenn-Dergousoff, executive director.

“Family Action Network has been around since 2013, and we’re a network of individuals and organizations that felt like we could do better to support our local families.”

The organization said it has expanded its programming over the years.

“We have grown to include many more opportunities that really bring families, children, and youth together so that we can better support and value what it takes a village to raise a child and bringing that together.”

The organization said it currently has a seven-member board, but all are sitting members.

“We currently do have a board of seven, but they are all sitting members, so we do not have a board chair, a board treasurer, or a board secretary, and those are really key positions in any nonprofit.”

“We’re really looking for people to come in and volunteer their time to help support and spearhead and lead the organization into the future.”

“It would be great if they did have some experience around nonprofit governance or finances, if they’re willing to step into that treasurer role, but really it’s passion and dedication to our children, youth, and families in our community is really 80 per cent of the work, and willing to support the organization as it moves forward through volunteer hours.”

Those interested in supporting governance, leadership or financial oversight can contact [email protected].

More information is available at https://familyactionnetwork.ca/.

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The post Family Action Network issues urgent call for board volunteers appeared first on My Kootenay Now.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars started their Saskatchewan road trip with a 6-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos.

The Cougars hit the ice again tonight (Saturday) at 4:00 against the Moose Jaw Warriors.

The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.

The WHL standings are here.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings add another home win with a 5-3 score over the Powell River Kings.

Both teams play again at Kopar Memorial Arena tonight at 6:00.

2026 Olympic Winter Games:

Team Canada’s men’s hockey team will be facing off against Team USA in tomorrow’s (Sunday) gold medal matchup at 5:10 a.m..

Team Finland will be taking on Team Slovakia for bronze this morning at 11:40.

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Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George placed 29th in seeding, finishing in last in the 1/8 finals.

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Rachel Homan’s Ontario-based rink, which includes alternate Rachelle Brown of Smithers is taking on Team USA in the women’s curling bronze medal game.

The post Zach’s Sports Shorts; Saturday, February 21st appeared first on My Prince George Now.

This post was originally published on My Prince George Now

Trail’s mayor says talks aimed at preserving lab services at Trail’s community health centre are “very encouraging.”

In a Facebook post, Colleen Jones said she attended a meeting in January of a working group she sits along with representatives of Interior Health, LifeLabs, and community members.

For the moment, services continue to be provided at the downtown health centre, with workflow improvements now in place.

Jones said there are also positive signs for recruitment, with more staff expected over the next few months and the possibility of a lab assistant program being added at Selkirk College campus in the near future.

Jones said the community health centre seems to be working well for patients.

“Feedback has been largely positive, especially from seniors, who appreciate having medical care, lab work, pharmacy services and supports in one location,” she said.

But some concerns have been raised around communication and consistency when staffing levels change.

Jones said the working group continues to focus on maintaining a downtown lab, ensuring an Interior Health outpatient option, and providing support for surrounding communities through mobile and outreach services.

Interior Health announced last year that the blood lab would close and its staff and services moved to the regional hospital and LifeLabs at Waneta Plaza. However, after pushback from the community the health authority relented

Jones said no final decision has been made about the lab’s future but the group’s focus “remains on using real data and making sure decisions reflect what works best for our community.”

The post Mayor still optimistic about downtown Trail lab services appeared first on My Kootenay Now.

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Municipalities and housing advocates are raising alarm bells over British Columbia’s decision to close a housing fund they rely on to build affordable rental housing.

They say the closure of the Community Housing Fund means many non-profits are out hundreds of thousands of dollars, while municipalities will have a harder time meeting their provincially mandated housing targets.

The provincial government tabled a budget Tuesday that reallocates $1.4 billion from its housing strategy over the three-year plan, including funding from the Community Housing Fund.

The $3.3 billion fund was introduced in 2018 with a goal of building more than 20,000 affordable rental homes. B.C. Housing last issued a call for proposals in May.

Housing Minister Christine Boyle said Wednesday she understands the frustration of proponents who submitted applications through the Community Housing Fund.

She said many projects are being “repaced,” a word Finance Minister Brenda Bailey also used in her budget presentation.

“Repacing means that our commitment remains to the overall target that we as a government have set of 114,000 new buildings or a $19 billion investment, but that will likely be stretched out over a few years longer than originally committed,” said Boyle.

She said the provincial housing targets for municipalities remain in place.

“We remain in conversation with local governments about how we get there,” said Boyle.

Cori Ramsay, a Prince George city councillor and president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities, said many projects in the application queue for funding won’t be able to go ahead without money from the Community Housing Fund.

“To put together an application in and of itself, when you’re constantly juggling capacity, is difficult. And so to find out that the stream is continuing longer, I think is going to be really frustrating,” said Ramsay.

The province sets annual housing targets for areas with the greatest need and highest population growth. Ramsay said municipalities will now have a harder time reaching those goals.

“I think if the province is giving itself flexibility in meeting its goals, stretching its housing strategy over a longer period of time, then I think local governments expect similar flexibility,” said Ramsay.

The Squamish Community Housing Society is among the organizations that said they’re losing out on provincial funding. It said it is looking into other possible funding avenues for a 100-unit project at 39900 Government Rd. in Squamish.

“This project would have played an important role in creating pathways into housing for those in our community facing housing insecurity, or for those who are living in transitional housing and looking for affordable independent living,” Housing Squamish said in a statement.

The province announced a new housing partnership with the federal government Wednesday. B.C. will receive $170 million in capital funding from the federal government through the Build Canada Homes agency. The province will commit as much as $200 million in capital funding, along with up to $27 million per year in operating subsidies for at least 10 years.

The province said the funding is expected to advance more than 900 supportive and transitional homes, with priority given to projects that can start construction in the next 12 months.

Jill Atkey, CEO of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, said the investment represents a “glimmer of hope,” but expressed concern it could mean fewer dollars going directly to the non-profit housing sector.

Atkey estimates the loss of the Community Housing Fund could affect about 100 project proposals, and said the move caught non-profits off guard.

“We knew there would be a slowdown. What we weren’t anticipating was the cancellation of an existing call,” said Atkey.

She said a significant amount of money and effort can go into ensuring a proposal is “shovel-ready,” with costs ranging from about $100,000 to $500,000. Atkey said that means millions of dollars were already spent by the non-profit housing sector on project proposals that now won’t move forward.

She said it represents a significant loss of capacity for the sector, as some non-profits won’t have the resources to pursue additional funding.

“It will have non-profits thinking very, very hard about future submissions and who their most reliable and likely partners are,” said Atkey.

The post Advocates say affordable housing projects left in limbo after B.C. closes key funding stream appeared first on My Creston Now.

This post was originally published on My Creston Now

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. said Friday it had reached an agreement in principle with the province after extensive negotiations.

The union represents about 6,000 of ambulance paramedics and emergency dispatchers in British Columbia.

The announcement came just days after the union said members had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.

APBC said in late January that negotiations with the province were at an impasse and that members would vote on whether to authorize job action beginning Feb. 2.

It announced on Wednesday that 97 per cent of members had voted in favour of strike action.

It said workers would be in a legal strike position once an essential services order was in place.

The Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC) said on Wednesday the two sides had been engaged in several negotiation sessions over the past week.

“This is where we wanted to be,” says APBC President Jason Jackson in a statement. “Our members showed overwhelming unity with a 97 percent strike vote, and that solidarity directly helped bring all parties together to reach a deal.”

APBC said it was calling for meaningful improvements to mental health and wellness supports, benefits, wages, and training.

“We needed improvements that help us better care for the public and ensure proper support when our members are injured or struggling,” said Jackson.

APBC did not immediately provide details of the agreement. The union said it will tour the province to present the details to members and answer any questions before a ratification vote.

APBC communications director Ian Tait said the agreement includes an increased per-person amount for mental health and wellness supports, and improvements to evening and weekend premiums.

Tait said there will also be more training dollars to allow more emergency medical responders to increase their training level to become primary care paramedics.

The post B.C. paramedics union reaches agreement with province, averting strike appeared first on My Creston Now.

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A skier has died after being caught in an avalanche during a heli-skiing trip southeast of Revelstoke on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing said the slide was triggered as one of the last guests was skiing down the route on a southeast aspect at an elevation of 2,150 metres.

“Tragically, that skier was overtaken by the avalanche and was buried by it,” stated the release.

The avalanche was classified as size 2, meaning it is large enough to bury, injure or kill a person.

“It is impossible to put into words the sorrow we feel; that sadness is shared by everyone impacted as well as our staff,” Dave Pehowich, General Manager, Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing said. “Our guests are like family to us and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of friends of the guest that was lost and all involved.”

The company said its team secured the guest and arranged transport to hospital.

“Our guides are experts and undergo extensive training over many years to certify for their roles so they can minimize risks,” Pehowich said. “However, avalanches are one of many risks to people in mountains and, similar to many outdoor activities, it’s impossible to eliminate 100 per cent of the risks in the backcountry.”

Revelstoke RCMP said it was notified by the BC Coroners Service that a person had died following an avalanche in a backcountry heli-skiing area in the Selkirk Mountains.

Police said the avalanche occurred at about 2:04 p.m. while the skier was travelling with three companions and a guide. The skier was found in the debris field under about 1.5 metres of snow. CPR was started before the person was airlifted to Queen Victoria Hospital in Revelstoke, where the skier was pronounced dead.

Counsellors have been made available to guests and staff.

The post Skier dies from avalanche in Selkirk Mountains appeared first on My Creston Now.

This post was originally published on My Creston Now

The Prince George Cougars silenced the Swift Current Broncos and 2355 fans after a 6-2 victory at InnovationPlex arena.

Cougars assists leader and the game’s second star Brock Souch and first star sniper Terik Parascak worked in tandem, putting up 3 and 4 points, respectively.

“When those two are connecting, they’re working as a line together, they’re dominant.” said Assistant Coach Carter Rigby on the 94.3 post-game show.

“They cycle down low, they use their skill and their speed and they all can finish too so, when they’re going, they definitely lead our group.”

Broncos forward Brendan Rudolph would be the first to light the lamp 7:47 into the first period, but would be extinguished after Souch snagged his first of the night (15:17), closing out the period.

The Cougars would quickly end the home team’s night, as forward and third star Dmitri Yakutsenak picked up the teams first of four goals in the second period just a 1:32 in, followed up by Souch’s eventual game winner (4:44) and two more from Parascak (4:56 and 8:33).

Parascak’s second goal would also end the night for Bronco’s starting goaltender Archer Cooke, letting Aiden Eskit to finish the game.

TWO-RIK PARASCAK!

Perry’s second on the night makes it 5-1!

Broncos make a change in net. pic.twitter.com/ayNzT0bTFX

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 21, 2026

Still super. @cibc . @Capitals pic.twitter.com/401ArNoTkS

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 21, 2026

The Cougars dominance would continue, with Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Aiden Foster getting a goal of his own 5:29 in the third period, before the Broncos would net the game’s final goal (7:17).

“Hey Brock, I can do that too!” – Aiden Foster (probably)@CarlsJrCA . @TBLightning https://t.co/JPfHnPYGAH pic.twitter.com/Ld7An8ONUW

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 21, 2026

Shots were 50-17 in favour of the Cougars.

The (33-20-2) Cougars continue their Saskatchewan road trip, as they take on the (19-25-9-2) Moose Jaw Warriors tomorrow (Saturday) night at 4:00.

The PG Cougars schedule is here.

The WHL standings are here.

The post Souch and Parascak’s multi-point night lift Cougars over struggling Broncos appeared first on My Prince George Now.

This post was originally published on My Prince George Now

The Town of Creston will not organize this year’s Canada Day fireworks show.

Council directed the fire department to stop planning and providing the display at its Feb. 10 meeting.

The fire department has organized the annual fireworks show since 2014, including setup, security and cleanup.

Fire Chief Jared Riel told councillors that increasingly unpredictable fire conditions have made it difficult for the show to proceed safely.

“We’ve definitely had some challenges over the last couple of years with provincial burning bans being put in place. We got caught one year where fireworks need to be ordered months and ahead of time. And so we ordered it for a show and the fire bans went in place. We had to cancel, essentially cancel the show, but we took delivery of the fireworks.”

He added that federal storage requirements created further complications.

“There’s federal requirements on how these things need to be stored, and we don’t have the facilities to store them properly to meet those requirements.”

Training and licensing have also become barriers.

“The training is a eight-hour course to start,” Riel said. “Then to get your license as a supervisor, which you require a supervisor to be able to perform a show, you need to then be working under another supervisor for, I believe it’s three or four shows.”

He said Creston no longer has enough certified personnel working at the department.

“All of those firefighters that take that training, besides myself, have moved on from the department, so they’re no longer here. And so again, it’s becoming more difficult to maintain that.”

Councillors asked about alternatives, including hiring a third-party fireworks contractor or exploring a drone show.

Riel said the fire department could hire an outside provider if council chose to do so, but warned the costs could be significant.

“So the last time that we did a fireworks show, it was about $10,000 is what we spent. So it would probably be very expensive to have a third party who’s doing the same scale to do that show.”

Despite the absence of fireworks, Canada Day celebrations are still planned. 

Town staff said they are working on a Canada Day event featuring food and entertainment, potentially at Millennium Park. 

Residents can still apply for permits to discharge consumer or display fireworks in accordance with town bylaws.

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

The post Town of Creston ends role in Canada Day fireworks appeared first on My Creston Now.

This post was originally published on My Creston Now

The B.C. government is taking steps to bolster the north island’s mining sector.

At an event in Port Hardy on Friday, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar announced the province is adding the Northisle Copper and Gold, Surge Copper and Defense Metals projects to its Critical Minerals Office.

Brar said early co-ordination will help these projects prepare for environmental assessment and permitting while helping them maintain strong environmental standards and consultation requirements.

Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals Jagrup Brar comments:

This post was originally published on My Tri-Port Now

One Williams Lake business put more than their heart on their sleeve to show support for the community of Tumbler Ridge.

Still North Design Co started a fundraiser, created a “Tumbler Ridge Strong” t-shirt, and gave 100 percent of the profits to their northern neighbours.

“Still North is known for it’s fundraisers, it’s something that’s really important to us when others are down, to pick them up, and show a sense of community,” Owner Courtney Vreeman said, “the tragedy didn’t happen that far from us, we all felt it, and we just thought there was something we could do. No amount of money in the world would ever make things better but a little bit of financial stress off the families probably would help.”

Vreeman said it was her staff that encouraged her to do this t-shirt fundraiser.

“So I took a few hours and came up with a design and put Tumbler Ridge Strong on it. We made just under a thousand t-shirts and sold them from February 11^th to the 19^th . I thought we would raise 10-thousand for sure, then we thought 15-thousand is our goal, and then we surpassed that when we sold them out and raised a grand total over $20 thousand. That’s pretty good for a small business that only has three employees.”

Vreeman said the local support was terrific as were the orders from beyond the Lake City.

“We got them from all over the world. Australia, quite a few from the States, Switzerland, and in our own Country as far east as New Brunswick. It just shows the vast amount of people who knew about it and were affected by it in some way.”

Vreeman thanked everyone who purchased a t-shirt and especially her staff who came in on their days off and contributed without taking a wage.

“I hope next time there is no tragedy that we have to make a tee for and I hope this is it.”

The post “The tragedy didn’t happen that far from us, we all felt it” appeared first on My Cariboo Now.

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Nanaimo RCMP are asking for help finding a 73-year-old man who has not been seen for more than a week. 

 Police said Barry Gouthro was reported missing on Feb. 19 and has not been seen since Feb. 12. 

 “Due to his age and other undisclosed issues, police and family are concerned for his safety and overall well-being,” the RCMP said in a news release. 

 The photo provided is recent. RCMP said he is about 5 ft. 6 in. tall and weighs about 150 lb. 

 Anyone who has information that could help locate him can call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345. 

The post RCMP search for Nanaimo man not seen for a week  appeared first on My Coast Now.

This post was originally published on My Coast Now

The B.C. Coroners Service has released updated data showing the province’s overdose crisis continued into 2025.

The data show 343 people died from unregulated drug toxicity on Vancouver Island last year, while nine deaths were reported in Powell River and 11 in the rest of the Sunshine Coast. These totals include 76 in the Greater Nanaimo area, 43 in Greater Campbell River, 38 in the Cowichan Valley and 20 in the Comox Valley.

Provincewide, preliminary figures show 136 suspected drug toxicity deaths in November and 141 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 1,826. This is the first time since 2020 that the annual total has been below 2,000.

The coroners service said the provincial total reflects a 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths reported in 2024.

Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in 69 per cent of the suspected drug toxicity deaths in the province through 2025, the release said.

The province declared a public health emergency in response to the ongoing overdose crisis in 2016.

Click here for more data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service

The post B.C. Coroners Service reports 38 drug toxicity deaths in Cowichan Valley through 2025 appeared first on My Cowichan Valley Now.

This post was originally published on My Cowichan Valley Now

The B.C. Coroners Service has released updated data showing the province’s overdose crisis continued into 2025.

The data show 343 people died from unregulated drug toxicity on Vancouver Island last year, while nine deaths were reported in Powell River and 11 in the rest of the Sunshine Coast. These totals include 76 in the Greater Nanaimo area, 43 in Greater Campbell River, 38 in the Cowichan Valley and 20 in the Comox Valley.

Provincewide, preliminary figures show 136 suspected drug toxicity deaths in November and 141 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 1,826. This is the first time since 2020 that the annual total has been below 2,000.

The coroners service said the provincial total reflects a 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths reported in 2024.

Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in 69 per cent of the suspected drug toxicity deaths in the province through 2025, the release said.

The province declared a public health emergency in response to the ongoing overdose crisis in 2016.

Click here for more data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service

The post B.C. Coroners Service reports 20 drug toxicity deaths in Comox Valley through 2025 appeared first on My Campbell River Now.

This post was originally published on My Campbell River Now

The B.C. Coroners Service has released updated data showing the province’s overdose crisis continued into 2025.

The data show 343 people died from unregulated drug toxicity on Vancouver Island last year, including two in the north island region, while nine deaths were reported in Powell River and 11 in the rest of the Sunshine Coast. These totals include 76 in the Greater Nanaimo area, 43 in Greater Campbell River, 38 in the Cowichan Valley and 20 in the Comox Valley.

Provincewide, preliminary figures show 136 suspected drug toxicity deaths in November and 141 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 1,826. This is the first time since 2020 that the annual total has been below 2,000.

The coroners service said the provincial total reflects a 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths reported in 2024.

Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in 69 per cent of the suspected drug toxicity deaths in the province through 2025, the release said.

The province declared a public health emergency in response to the ongoing overdose crisis in 2016.

Click here for more data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service

The post B.C. Coroners Service reports 2 drug toxicity deaths in North Island region through 2025 appeared first on My Tri-Port Now.

This post was originally published on My Tri-Port Now

The B.C. Coroners Service has released updated data showing the province’s overdose crisis continued into 2025.

The data show 343 people died from unregulated drug toxicity on Vancouver Island last year, including two in the north island region, while nine deaths were reported in Powell River and 11 in the rest of the Sunshine Coast. These totals include 76 in the Greater Nanaimo area, 43 in Greater Campbell River, 38 in the Cowichan Valley and 20 in the Comox Valley.

Provincewide, preliminary figures show 136 suspected drug toxicity deaths in November and 141 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 1,826. This is the first time since 2020 that the annual total has been below 2,000.

The coroners service said the provincial total reflects a 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths reported in 2024.

Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in 69 per cent of the suspected drug toxicity deaths in the province through 2025, the release said.

The province declared a public health emergency in response to the ongoing overdose crisis in 2016.

Click here for more data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service

The post B.C. Coroners Service reports 9 drug toxicity deaths in Powell River through 2025 appeared first on My Powell River Now.

This post was originally published on My Powell River Now

The B.C. Coroners Service has released updated data showing the province’s overdose crisis continued into 2025.

The data show 343 people died from unregulated drug toxicity on Vancouver Island last year, including two in the north island region, while nine deaths were reported in Powell River and 11 in the rest of the Sunshine Coast. These totals include 76 in the Greater Nanaimo area, 43 in Greater Campbell River, 38 in the Cowichan Valley and 20 in the Comox Valley.

Provincewide, preliminary figures show 136 suspected drug toxicity deaths in November and 141 in December, bringing the 2025 total to 1,826. This is the first time since 2020 that the annual total has been below 2,000.

The coroners service said the provincial total reflects a 21 per cent decrease from the 2,315 deaths reported in 2024.

Fentanyl and its analogues were detected in 69 per cent of the suspected drug toxicity deaths in the province through 2025, the release said.

The province declared a public health emergency in response to the ongoing overdose crisis in 2016.

Click here for more data from the B.C. Coroners Service.

– Article includes files from B.C. Coroners Service

The post B.C. Coroners Service reports 76 drug toxicity deaths in Nanaimo through 2025 appeared first on My Coast Now.

This post was originally published on My Coast Now

The newest addition to Grand Forks Fire Rescue has arrived.

Last week the department welcomed its new engine with what was described as a “traditional push in ceremony,” seen in the video below.

In a Facebook post, the department said the new vehicle replaces a 1997 engine “and reflects the city’s continued commitment to responsible fleet planning and public safety.

“The new apparatus ensures our members have modern, reliable equipment to serve the residents of the City of Grand Forks for many years to come.”

The truck was built in New Brunswick and driven to Calgary where it was inspected before making the last leg of the journey.

The post New Grand Forks fire truck arrives appeared first on My Grand Forks Now.

This post was originally published on My Grand Forks Now

A new record label is joining the music scene in the Smithers area with several local artists already on board.

Understory Records is a partnership between musician Naomi Kavka and journalist Pamela Haasen, combining their experience to produce and distribute vinyl records for local musicians.

“It was Kavka’s idea from the onset and when she asked me if I wanted to [join her], the answer was a very easy yes because we both still listen to vinyl so that felt really natural,” said Haasen.

“There’s something about those old ways of experiencing music like putting on the radio and having songs played for you or getting a record and putting it on,” Kavka said.

The label’s first release is set to be a completion of eleven artists from northern B.C. and Yukon which is set to be released on February 28th.

Included on the record are:

• High Bush Caribou
• Puddy Waters
• Jordy Walker
• Scouts Honour
• Elijah Quinn
• Pitted
• EARTHXSTAR
• Sarah Northcott
• Wedgewood
• deathanol
• Urchin

Kavka said the label is focusing on vinyl releases because streaming has the artist paying someone else to distribute the music.

“It’s just this big, industrial churning machine that I don’t find any joy in being involved in, and I know I’m not alone in that as an artist,” she added.

Another reason Kavka and Haasen wanted to go with physical releases is to make shopping for local music easier.

Both said reaction to the label being announced has been positive both by artists and the community.

A surprise for them was how quickly artists were reaching out to try and get onto a second compilation when it comes out.

“I thought it would take longer for more people to get excited or see the avenue for how it would work for them, and it feels like people are seeing it very naturally,” said Haasen.

Along with releasing records, they hope to expand into helping further promote artists in the area and help with applying for grants.

Right now, the two are focusing on its first compilation release with an event being hosted to launch the label.

It’s happening at Smithers Brewing Company on February 28th with tickets available at the brewery.

The post Smithers duo spinning up a new local record label appeared first on My Bulkley Lakes Now.

This post was originally published on My Bulkley Lakes Now

Police in Nanaimo are warning residents to be vigilant after a resident lost $350 in a scam involving a hacked email. 

According to an RCMP news release, the email appeared to be from a close friend asking for help purchasing Amazon gift cards as a birthday gift for a mutual acquaintance. 

“If something feels off or too urgent to be true, it’s best to pause and verify. Emotional pressure, impersonation and time-sensitive requests are common traits used by scammers. Remember, it’s your money, spend it wisely,” said Reserve Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP. 

After purchasing the gift cards, the resident learned the email had been hacked. Police advised the resident to report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. 

Police said it is important to be suspicious of urgent or unexpected requests for gift cards and that another method, such as a text or phone call, should be used to verify a person’s identity. 

The post Nanaimo police warn of gift card scam  appeared first on My Coast Now.

This post was originally published on My Coast Now

Meet Alicia! She is this weeks Summit Radio Pet of the Week from the BC SPCA West Kootenay branch!

Alicia is a cute, spayed female who’s ready to find her forever home! She came from a large family, so she’s used to being around lots of activity and may truly enjoy having a family member (or two!) to spend her days with.

Her new home will need to have patience as she adjusts to her new surroundings. With time, understanding, and lots of love, Alicia is sure to blossom and become a wonderful companion.

She would thrive in a home where she can be included in daily life and given the reassurance she needs to feel safe and secure. If you’re ready to open your heart and give this sweet girl the patience she deserves, Alicia may be the perfect match!

Check out more on her here: https://adopt.spca.bc.ca/pets/789450/

The post The BC SPCA has the perfect companion for you appeared first on My Nelson Now.

This post was originally published on My Nelson Now

The City of Campbell River is activating the warming centre at the Campbell River Community Centre, 401 11th Ave., in response to continued low overnight temperatures.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a yellow-level snow warning for inland sections of Vancouver Island between Courtenay and Campbell River, with five to 10 centimetres of snowfall expected.

The warming centre will open at 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, and run until 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.

The city said the warming centre will be staffed by people experienced in supporting those experiencing homelessness.

“The warming centre is open to everyone for short-term stays and is a place for vulnerable populations to warm up and be provided access to information on resources,” the city said in a news release.

The city encouraged residents to visit its website and social media channels for updates.

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The annual Midway Guns & Hoses event drew strong community support again this year.

The RCMP defeated the fire department 9-7 in the main event; however, the fire department responded with a win in the tug-of-war at halftime to earn bragging rights.

“On behalf of the 2026 Guns & Hoses Organizing Committee, we would like to extend a very big thank you to everyone’s support for such a meaningful cause,” said Michaela Ashbee, Guns & Hoses Event Coordinator.

“We are proud to see our community come together to cheer on two groups of everyday heroes—our law enforcement officers and our firefighters, who put their lives on the line so our community stays safe.”

“This annual event represents more than just friendly competition. It represents unity, service, and compassion. We come together not only to enjoy an exciting matchup, but also to support great causes every year.”

Organizers thanked sponsors, supporters and volunteers for making the event possible.

“We are very grateful to our sponsors, supporters and volunteers who made this event possible. This takes a village, and we’re grateful for every hand that helped. Because of the community’s generosity and enthusiasm, we were able to raise funds for Grand Forks Search & Rescue and the Boundary Skating Skills Camp, supporting and helping make a real difference in our community.”

A total of $2,666.57 was raised for Grand Forks Search and Rescue and the Boundary Skating Skills Camp.

“Thanks again and we can’t wait until next year!”

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Cleanup of a rockslide on highway 93 still has traffic halted through Kootenay National Park.

The highway has been closed since Feb. 18.

The highway is fully closed in both directions between the Kootenay National Park west boundary and the McKay Creek Operations Centre.

Drivers have to use BC Highway 95 and Highway 1 through Yoho National Park to get through.

Slope stabilization and debris removal work is underway.

You can check DriveBC for updates.

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Nelson city council has approved the purchase of up to 1,000 more FoodCycler units, expanding the city’s pretreated organics program.

Council approved a phased rollout of the program Feb. 17. The expansion will see up to 1,000 additional FoodCycler appliances purchased and made available to interested and eligible households.

All homes with curbside garbage collection by the city are eligible, whether residents rent or own.

A new stock of appliances will be available this year. Residents who wish to receive a FoodCycler are encouraged to register online at nelson.ca/organics.

The city launched its pretreated organics program pilot in 2023. The city said early results showed strong local interest, with 76 per cent of households in the Fairview pilot neighbourhood taking part and 2,400 appliances distributed.

The program also supports Nelson’s waste-reduction goals and prepares residents for future regional, provincial or federal regulations that may restrict food waste and other recyclable material in garbage.

“As is our nature, Nelson continues to lead with innovation, finding locally driven solutions that contribute to broader environmental goals, and I’ve seen firsthand the impact we can make when we take responsibility for our waste,” said City of Nelson Mayor Janice Morrison in a press release.

“By using the FoodCycler, I’ve personally diverted more than 150 kilograms of food waste each year, recycled everything possible, and reduced my garbage to almost nothing—I put a bag out every six weeks. Imagine the difference we could make if every household in our community did the same.”

For more information or to sign up for your FoodCycler, please visit nelson.ca/organics.

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

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Island Crisis Care Society has raised just over half of its fundraising goal ahead of the Coldest Night of the Year walk in Nanaimo. 

More than 280 walkers on 45 teams have registered for the event and are raising money for the ICCS Community Impact Fund. 

Walks are planned for Feb. 28 in communities across the country, with each event supporting local charities that assist people experiencing homelessness. 

Island Crisis Care Society provides housing supports and programs. The organization said the Community Impact Fund is flexible and allows it to help people through short-term assistance, skills training and job-readiness activities. 

“This flexibility allows staff to tailor support to each person, rather than being limited by narrow funding categories,” ICCS said. “Donations to the community impact fund have a direct, local impact. They help build confidence, strengthen skills, and create opportunities for people to move forward on their own terms. 

So far, Hammond Bay Baptist Church has raised the most money for the Nanaimo walk, at more than $13,500. Fundraising can be followed on the Coldest Night of the Year website. 

Individuals and teams can still register and raise funds before Feb. 28. 

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The Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation is celebrating the success of its recent campaign. 

The Diagnostic Imaging Campaign raised $1.3 million to enhance diagnostic imaging services at Comox Valley Hospital. 

Board chair Susan Auchterlonie said the community response has been extraordinary. 

“A need was identified and people stepped up, showing how much they care about supporting local healthcare.” 

The funding has been used to acquire six new ultrasound machines that deliver clearer, more precise imaging for patients while improving comfort and safety. 

A new mammography unit has replaced aging equipment and delivers clearer, more detailed images through advanced 3D digital breast functionality to help detect breast cancer sooner. 

A second portable ultrasound machine for the emergency department has also been purchased to support increasing patient volumes. 

The foundation thanked donors, specifically noting the Auxiliary Society for Comox Valley Healthcare, which contributed a $100,000 matching challenge to inspire community donations. 

The foundation said that while the upgrades have been delivered, continued investment will be needed to meet ongoing requirements. 

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Western Forest Products and Qwoqwnes Forestry Holdings Limited Partnership, an entity owned and controlled by Tla’amin Nation, have reached an agreement for Qwoqwnes to purchase a 100-per-cent ownership interest in the assets comprising Western’s Stillwater Forest operation near Powell River for $80 million.

According to a news release, the operation includes Block 1 of Tree Farm Licence 39 and covers about 154,000 hectares of forest land, most of it within Tla’amin Nation’s traditional territory.

Qwoqwnes will manage an allowable annual cut of about 469,200 cubic metres of timber from Block 1 and will enter into an agreement with Western to sell harvested timber to support Western’s B.C. coastal manufacturing operations.

“This acquisition brings another 43 per cent of Tla’amin territory back under our stewardship and control,” said Tla’amin Hegus and economic development board member John Hackett. “We look forward to reconnecting with this vast part of our territory and managing the lands according to Tla’amin teachings and values for the benefit of future generations.”

According to the release, completion of the transaction is subject to closing conditions including financing, subdivision and tenure transfer approvals from the B.C. Ministry of Forests.

Western Forest Products and Qwoqwnes said they are working toward closing the transaction in 2026.

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The District of Sparwood has given three readings to a bylaw amendment that creates a new agriculture zone in the Michel Creek area.

Planning and Development director Patrick Sorfleet said land along Michel Creek has been used for agriculture use in the past even if it’s currently not allowed.

“Historically there has been unlawful keeping of farm animals on the R-1 area of Michel Creek Road,” he said.

“The regulations that apply up there today are the exact same that apply in Sparwood proper.”

The amended bylaw will also allow permit grazing and pasture to occur in Heavy Industrial and Extraction Industrial zones throughout the District of Sparwood.

It also determines which kind of animals are allowed.

“This would be limited to horses, cattle, donkeys, bees, chickens and rabbits,” Sorfleet added.

The Ministry of Transportation has to give their okay before the bylaw can be up for adoption.

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A routine patrol by the Prince George RCMP led to two arrests and a seizure of weapons.

On February 18th, officers came across a vehicle with a license plate registered as “lost” in the police database.

Corporal Jennifer Cooper said police noted where the vehicle was headed after taking off at a high rate of speed to avoid a traffic stop.

“Later that evening, the same police officers located the vehicle parked near the intersection of Killoren Crescent and Mullet Crescent.”

“As the driver began to leave the area, police officers closed in on the vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop. The driver and passenger, both known to police, were asked to step out of the vehicle and were placed under arrest.”

Cooper added officers found what appeared to be a firearm near the driver’s seat, and a large quantity of ammunition located on the driver, leading to a vehicle search that yielded additional firearms, ammunition and hard body armour.

The two occupants of the vehicle were identified as Brett James Morgan and Kenneth Ricardo Munroe, and will remain in custody until their next court appearance.

The following charges approved include:

Brent James Morgan:

• Flight from police
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Driving while prohibited
• Possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Careless storage of a firearm
• Possession of a weapon
• Possession of a firearm/ammunition contrary to prohibition order

Kenneth Ricardo Munroe:

• Possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle
• Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Careless storage of a firearm
• Possession of a weapon
• Possession of a firearm/ammunition contrary to prohibition order

The investigation remains ongoing.

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The only thing standing in the way of Canada getting to the Gold Medal game was Finnish goalie Jusse Saros.

Luckily, Nathan Mackinnon executed the perfect shot to avoid an upset as his game-winner on the power-play propelled Canada to a 3-2 semi-final victory over Finland at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

Down 2-0 in the second period, the Canadians coached by PG’s Jon Cooper showed little panic, ingested some maple syrup and put their work boots on.

Sam Reinhart trimmed the deficit to 2-1 put Canada within striking distance heading into the third period.

Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Shea Theodore evened the score late in the third period to make it a brand-new game.

The turning point in the game was a high-sticking minor from Finland blueliner Niko Milkkola, which led to Mackinnon’s game-winning goal.

Canada outshot Finland 39-17. Jordan Binnington made 15 saves for the Canadians in the win.

Sidney Crosby didn’t play in the nerve-racking semi-final due to a lower-body injury.

Canada will play either the United States or Slovakia in Sunday’s Gold Medal Game.

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The ʔaq̓am First Nation is reminding all hunters to act with respect and harvest animals properly following an incident with an elk.

The First Nation said an elk was found with its head removed and multiple bullet wounds. It appeared to have been used for target practice.

“This is unacceptable and does not reflect community values or the reciprocal stewardship of ʔa·kxam̓is q̓api qapsin (all living things),” the First Nation said.

“Hunting carries responsibility to the animal, to the land, and to each other.”

They are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact the Band office.

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Northwest B.C. saw 32 deaths due to unregulated drugs in 2025, four of those happening in November and December.

That’s according to the B.C. Coroners Service, adding Northern Health had 26 deaths in the last two months of the year.

Terrace had the second highest number of deaths in the health authority at 17 through last year with Prince Rupert and Smithers each recording six.

None were recorded in Kitimat, Burns Lake, and Haida Gwaii.

Terrace also had the highest drug death rate per 100,000 people across the north at 74.8.

Overall, numbers across the northwest were either below or equal to what they were in 2024.

Provincially, there were 136 and 141 deaths recorded in November and December respectively, equaling to about 4.5 deaths per day.

Smoking was the most common mode of consumption at 65 per cent, followed by nasal insufflation (11 per cent), injection (9 per cent), and oral (4 per cent).

A more detailed summary can be found here.

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The City of Cranbrook is moving forward with zoning changes to allow a townhouse project on 100 10th Street South.

The current R-6 zone limits the form of residential construction to apartments, but city staff said the four-plex townhomes appear to align better with the Medium Density OCP.

If approved, there could be up to 44 individual units.

Mayor Wayne Price said these would be for sale and not rentals.

“I would view this as a workforce level that citizens can get into this type of housing,” he said. “These are for purchase.”

He said townhouses would fill a hole in their housing market since other areas are seeing progress.

“We’re seeing the single family dwelling side is moving along well and have contractors taking care of that in Cranbrook,” he added.

“We have apartments going in and are starting to see action on senior level housing.”

It will need to be approved by the Ministry of Transportation begore the city can officially adopt the zoning changes.

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The community of Tumbler Ridge remains in a state of shock just over a week after a mass shooting claimed the lives of nine people in the rural community located in the Peace Region.

A way people are dealing with their grief is by heading to church and one of the places seeing an uptick in visits has been the New Life Assembly.

Reverend, Gearld Krauss told Vista Radio the heightened profile of the community over the past week has been tough to deal with for some.

“It’s a very difficult time for everybody. A lot of people want their privacy since all of the politicians and the press have been here – everybody has been in town.”

“At some point in time, things are going to quiet down and we just need to be here for our people.”

Krauss added there have been no shortage of long days but didn’t hesitate to give people a safe space to process it all.

“We have been here every day and lots of people drop in. We have had a lot of people and that is one of the reasons why we wanted to stay here early and stay late. A lot of people come in to have coffee or lunch. We have had a lot of people through the doors.”

Krauss added the community needs to be present for the people as the situation quiets down.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings will have the South Peace on their mind when they hit the ice tonight (Friday).

During its home game against the Powell River Kings, two dollars from every ticket sold will benefit the Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Council in the wake of the recent tragedy that claimed the lives of nine people.

In addition, the entire Spruce Kings portion of the 50/50 will go directly into the fundraiser.

“Our hearts are heavy as we look toward next Friday night,” said the Spruce Kings President, David Keough.

“We know that no amount of money can heal the pain the Tumbler Ridge community is feeling right now, but we want our neighbors to know they are not alone. We invite everyone to join us—not just for a hockey game, but to stand in a circle of support for the Tumbler Ridge Community.”

Puck drop for the game is at 7pm from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

Tickets are available online by clicking here.

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100 Mile House and area residents are being advised by Interior Health (IH) of a temporary service interruption at the 100 Mile District General Hospital Emergency department.

IH says emergency services will be unavailable today (February 20) from 7 am to 8 pm.

During this time patients can access care at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake.

Interior Health says all other inpatient services at 100 Mile House District General Hospital will continue.

People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.

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A 42-year-old man will spend another year in custody following a pair of violent incidents towards nurses at UHNBC.

Theodore Alex Junior Laliberte was the subject of a B.C. Review Tribunal hearing last October in Coquitlam.

A judge determined he was not fit to stand trial in relation to a pair of assaults against nurses at UHNBC.

According to a report, Laliberte has been a patient within the hospital’s primary care unit since 2019 due to a series of disabling head injuries.

The 42-year-old is accused of punching a nurse in the jaw during a January 2023 incident as well as putting another medical worker in a headlock a month later (February 2023) after pushing a door.

A pair of provincial court judges deemed Laliberte unfit to stand trial last summer where his cases were referred to the Review Board.

The report stated that Laliberte had been the subject of roughly 300 calls since being admitted in 2019.

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The 108 Mile will be some of the back drop in a movie that’s being produced in Vancouver.

Cariboo Regional District Director for Electoral Area G Al Richmond said this Saturday (February 21) a small film crew will be working in 3 locations in the area.

“It’s a short film taking place in nineteenth century Russia during the Crimea war. A lady from the 108 called me in January saying she was connected with the movie industry and there’s some interest in doing some filming up here. On January 14^th I had my first emails and some discussions with the producer and this Saturday they will be here filming.”

Richmond said they came up February the 4^th to visit the site and they toured two locations.

“One was the first one suggested and the other one I had an idea because it’s a little more separate from homes and provided them with the muse scape that they wanted which was a mixture of aspen and fir trees. There’s now three locations they are going to film at. Two take advantage of the Greenbelt view

scape and the other is at the 108 Heritage Centre . I was focusing on the large log barn that’s there, how it’s the largest one in Canada, and they focused on a little trapper’s cabin which is just near it.”

The producers of the film said there will be fake wooden fire arms held by actors in historical Russian costumes, as well as riding on horseback, there are no expected loud noises or special effects, and their work and all vehicles will be out of the area by 5:30 this Saturday afternoon.

“The film production company is quite willing to have people come and watch them, they think it’s an exciting opportunity for residents who don’t get to see a portion of a movie being made,” Richmond said, “You just need to recognize that when they are filming they need quiet. I know the 108 residents will be respectful of the needs of this film crew.”

Richmond added that he hasn’t had a negative comment about the film crew being in the area as most people are quite excited about something like this coming to the Cariboo.

“Of course there have been other movies shot in the Cariboo Chilcotin but this is one of the first ones that I’m aware of being done at the 108 at least in recent years.”

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Changes are coming to bus routes at Castlegar’s south end to address safety issues.

Tom Dool, a research analyst with the Regional District of Central Kootenay, told city council this week the adjustments come out of a 2024 audit and affect two routes.

The No. 98 Columbia Connector, which runs between Castlegar and Trail, has traditionally turned off at Blueberry to pick up or drop off passengers, then made a three-point turn across traffic in the intersection before returning to the highway. Dool said BC Transit has indicated that has to change.

At the same time, in order to make a right-hand turn onto Columbia Avenue from 32nd Street, the No. 34 bus stops across railway tracks, which Dool said is “clearly a no-no from a safety perspective.”

Some interim measures have since been adopted. The No. 98 now goes directly into Blueberry and loops around. However, due to the large size of the bus and the frequency of the trip — 11 times per day, six days per week — the extra cost is $25,000 per year. The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary is picking up the tab for now, but Dool said if the arrangement was to continue, the RDCK would also have to pay a portion.

The problem with the No. 34 is being addressed for now simply by drivers being aware of what time trains come through. While reversing the routing would eliminate the issue, Dool said it would mean having to move several shelters and signs, at a considerable cost.

Dool said the No. 98 normally only picks up three or four riders per day at Blueberry. So their solution is to stop serving Blueberry with the No. 98 and instead extend the No. 34 into the community three times per day, at morning, lunch, and evening. Rather than turning back onto the highway at 32nd Street, the bus will continue down 5th Avenue before heading to Blueberry.

Dool said this addresses both safety issues at once. Because the No. 34 route uses a smaller bus, the extra cost to the city will be about $9,500, to be drawn from a contingency within the existing budget.

As a bonus, he said, more stops will be added on 5th Avenue where there is presently no service. In a follow-up email, Dool said the changes will come potentially by June depending on BC Transit approvals, but no later than September.

Dool also said despite a reduction in international students, bus ridership within Castlegar is healthy and growing. The No. 98, however, which used to be packed with students in the morning and evening, has seen a drop in riders.

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The Smokies return to Cominco Arena tonight, determined to delete a four game losing streak in a showdown against the Sherwood Park Crusaders.

The Trail troupe battled hard on Monday afternoon against the first place Bulldogs in Blackfalds, but fell 5-2 in a game that wasn’t put away until an empty net goal with about a minute left in regulation, on a shot from inside the Blackfalds blueline.

It was also the Smokies third game in less than four nights and came after an 11-hour trip during the one-game trek to Central Alberta, while the Bulldogs had been resting after hosting a game Friday night.

Max Hense blasted in his first goal of the season on an early third-period power play with a slapshot from the point that found the top of the net. That reduced the Blackfalds lead to 3-2, but Trail could get no closer. Otto Hanson also scored for the Smokies, while Dylan Lariviere and Matthias Pape picked up two assists each.

The trip home wasn’t completed until Tuesday because of a snow storm. The team finally pulled into Cominco Arena at about 3 p.m. after an eight hour bus ride from Okotoks, where they stayed overnight.

The Smokies have only played the Crusaders once this season, scoring a dramatic 3-2 overtime victory on Nov. 8 in Sherwood Park.

The Crusaders tied the game with just two seconds left in regulation, but Cash Carter culminated an end-to-end rush seven minutes into the tie-breaking period with a sizzling snap shot that found the bottom right corner of the net.

Carter and Lariviere head into tonight’s tilt tied for Trail’s goal scoring lead with 18 each, while Christian Kim leads the points parade with 46.

Joseph Sinclair leads Sherwood Park in goals and points with 21 and 50 respectively.

The Smokies will also have to pay particular attention to a pair of Crusaders defensemen. Eric Kald and Stevie Grumley have 15 goals each. Kald has 38 points and Grumley 36.

Grumley is also a potent power play producer with seven goals, which is the most of any BCHL rearguard.

It’s also a game of importance for both teams in their respective playoff races.

The Smokies lead third-place Salmon Arm in the Interior West Division by three points with Trail holding a game in hand, while the fourth-place Crusaders are one point back of red-hot Spruce Grove in the Interior East, with Sherwood Park holding a game in hand.

Game time is 7 p.m.

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Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games:

Men’s Hockey:  (Semi-Finals)

Canada  vs Finland (7:40AM PT)
U.S.  vs Slovakia (12:10PM PT)

The bronze medal game is set for Saturday (11:40 a.m. PT).

The gold medal game will be played Sunday (5:10 a.m.).

Women’s Hockey (Gold Medal)

United States 2  Canada 1 (OT).

Women’s Curling

Canada 10 South Korea 7

Rachel Homan’s Ontario-based rink, which includes alternate Rachelle Brown of Smithers now plays Sweden Anna Hasselborg in the semis this morning (Friday).

Men’s Curling 

Canada 5 Norway 4

The Brad Jacobs rink advances to Saturday’s final against Great Britain.

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Canada has 15 medals during the Winter Games including four gold, five silver and six bronze.

Five of Canada’s medals have come in short-track speed skating.

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Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George will participate at the Games on Saturday
(1 AM PT).

WHL

The Prince George Cougars visit the Swift Current Broncos Friday night (5:00 PT) and the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday (4:00 PT).

The Cougars are 1-1 on an 8-game road which concludes with six on the Prairies.

The (32-20-2) Cougars are second in the B.C. Division, just one point ahead of the
(29-18-5-2) Kelowna Rockets.

Prince George has just 14 games left in the regular season; 6 at home and 8 on the road.

BCHL

The (25-14-2) Prince George Spruce Kings host the (8-30-2-1) Powell River Kings Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday night at 6:00.

With 13 regular season games left, the Spruce Kings are in first place in the BCHL Coastal East Division by two points over the (24-14-1-1) Coquitlam Express with Coquitlam holding a game in hand.

Powell River is last in the Coastal West Division.

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BCEHL

The (17-12-2-1) U-18 Cariboo Cougars are in 3rd place out of 7 teams.

The (24-11-0-1) U-17 Cariboo Cougars are 3rd out of 9.

The (16-14-0-0) U-15 Cariboo Cougars are 5th out of 8.

The (11-17-1-1) U-18 Northern Capitals sit 4th out of 5 in the female division.

NBA

Toronto Raptors 110 Chicago Bulls 101

Brandon Ingram scored 31 points in 36 minutes of action for the Raptors.

Toronto is back in action on Sunday when they travel to Milwaukee to play the Bucks.

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Some child-care advocates say they are cautiously optimistic despite the British Columbia government’s decision to pause expansion of the $10-a-day child-care program.

The NDP government’s 2026 budget, tabled Tuesday, said the province is investing $330 million into ChildCareBC to “stabilize” the program. 

Budget documents said the province decided to pause new enrolment after hearing criticism from providers about the current funding model.

The program was introduced in 2018 under John Horgan’s NDP government, with a pledge to implement universal $10-a-day childcare in the next 10-years. The latest provincial data shows only about 10 per cent of childcare spaces are $10-a-day. 

Sharon Gregson with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC (CCCABC) said advocates and providers have been calling on the province to rework its funding model for the program.

“In underfunding the $10-a-day sites, in many cases early childhood educators were faced with having their wages rolled back,” said Gregson. She said childcare providers don’t want to have to choose between raising parent fees or lowers educators’ wages.

“There’s an opportunity for the government to get back on track, and expand $10-a-day in a way that works for the educators and providers as well,” said Gregson. 

Gregson said changes should include implementing an early childhood educator wage grid, which B.C. committed to in a 2021 agreement with the federal government. A 2024 report by Early Childhood Educators of B.C. said high-turnover is still a challenge in the sector.

Gregson said it’s important that the province resume efforts to expand the program as soon as possible. 

“That pause has to be short, sharp and focussed,” said Gregson.

The province said there will be no changes for providers and families currently in the $10-a-day program.

But Gregson said too many families are still left out.

“If you’re paying $2000 a month for childcare, this budget doesn’t change anything for you,” she said.

Carole Gordon, President of the B.C. Teacher’s Federation, said after the budget announcement in Victoria on Tuesday that the decision to halt expansion of the program is disappointing.

“I’m hoping this pause is really temporary,” said Gordon. “[The program] benefits our members within schools, who are predominantly women, but also the families that we teach.”

But Gordon welcomed the inclusion of $25 million in the budget to expand child care on school grounds.

B.C. Federation of Labour President Sussanne Skidmore said the budget represents a missed opportunity to invest more into childcare as a way to grow the province’s GDP, noting that any improvements to affordable childcare help more people get into the workforce.

RELATED STORIES:  B.C. government presents budget with higher taxes, $13.3B deficit

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Campbell River’s mayor said the province’s deferral of a long-term care project in the city is “deeply disappointing.”

Mayor Kermit Dahl said the project was promised in 2023 and construction should have already begun, but now residents are being asked to wait despite a clear and growing need for long-term care in Campbell River.

Background: Province delays Campbell River long term care facility : My Campbell River Now

Dahl said the city has consistently pushed and advocated to the province for the long-term care project and that the need for such a facility in Campbell River will only intensify as the local population ages.

On Tuesday, the province announced seven long-term care projects would have the timing of their delivery adjusted to ensure cost efficiencies and to incorporate lessons learned from projects that are already underway.

Dahl said the city will continue to press the province to move the project forward.

See Dahl’s statement below:

“The deferral of the 153-bed long term care project is deeply disappointing for our community. This project was first talked about during the design phase of the current hospital, and was promised in 2023. By now, it should already be under construction. Instead, our residents are once again being asked to wait, despite the clear and growing need for long term care in Campbell River.
Over the past several years, the City of Campbell River has consistently pushed and advocated to the Province for this project because long term care beds are not a future concern — they are a critical need today, and that need will only intensify as our population continues to age. In January of 2025, there were 161 patients in beds in a hospital that has a 95-bed capacity. We will continue to press the Province to move this project forward and deliver the care our seniors deserve.”

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Forty-eight more people died last year in the Kootenay-Boundary due to toxic drug use, according to the BC Coroners Service.

Figures released today showed 33 deaths in the West Kootenay-Boundary and 15 in the East Kootenay. Both numbers were down from the previous year, when there were 41 deaths in the West Kootenay/Boundary and 24 in the East Kootenay.

Greater Trail had the most deaths in 2025 with 11, followed by Nelson with 10 and Cranbrook with nine. Every subregion saw fewer deaths than the year before except Golden, which had one death in 2025 and none the year prior, and the Arrow Lakes, which had two deaths, up from one in 2024.

The data also showed a total of five deaths due to unregulated drug use in the West Kootenay-Boundary last November and December, but no deaths in October. In the East Kootenay, there was one death in December, but none in October or November. The monthly totals are not further broken down by community.

Since 2014, 265 people have succumbed to illicit drugs in the West Kootenay-Boundary and 137 in the East Kootenay for a total of 402. Last year’s total of 48 deaths was the lowest since 2020, when there were 41.

Provincewide, 1,826 people died in 2025 as a result of toxic drugs. The coroners service said while this still represents “a profound loss of life,” it was a 21 per cent decrease from 2024, when 2,315 people died, and it was the first time since 2020 that fewer than 2,000 people have died in a single year.

Forty-eight per cent of the drug-related deaths in 2025 occurred in private homes compared to 20 per cent outdoors. Fentanyl and its analogues were the most common substance found in toxicological testing.

The tables below were provided by the coroners service. HSDA stands for health delivery service area and LHA for local health area.

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Cooler overnight temperatures are prompting the Regional District of Nanaimo to open extreme cold weather warming centres in Parksville and Gabriola Island.

The centres provide temporary refuge for people who need a warm place to be during cold weather.

The Parksville warm-up site is at Oceanside Community Church, 1420 Alberni Highway. It opens tonight at 10 p.m. and will operate until 8 a.m. Friday.

RDN Transit will provide shuttle service to the Parksville warming centre at 9:15 p.m. tonight, with return service starting at 8 a.m. Friday.

The Gabriola Island centre will be at the Gabriola Agricultural Co-operative, 465 South Road. It opens at 9 p.m. tonight and will run until 7 a.m. Friday.

More information on warming centres and other extreme weather supports is available on the RDN’s website.

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Sunshine Coast RCMP have arrested a Sechelt man following a series of break-ins at commercial properties in the downtown area.

Police said the break-ins happened between Feb. 11 and 16. Officers were able to identify the 37-year-old suspect after reviewing CCTV footage, and he was arrested Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Sunshine Coast RCMP said the man is facing charges of break and enter, theft of mail and two counts of mischief under $5,000.

The suspect is in custody awaiting his next court appearance.

“We would like to thank the Sechelt community for reporting these incidents immediately,” said Corporal Philippe Atoui, Sunshine Coast RCMP media relations officer. “Quick action from community members who provided video surveillance was essential in locating the suspect, arresting him and advancing the investigation.”

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The nomination period is now open for the Medal of Excellence and Good Citizenship. 

It is being jointly launched between the City of Prince George and the PG Community Foundation. 

The new award recognizes residents who have made a lasting and positive impact on the northern capital. 

Eligible nominees can include: 

• Volunteerism or philanthropy 

• Professional contributions 

• Acts of courage or generosity 

• Excellence in a particular field 

• Leadership that inspires others and creates lasting positive change 

Up to three people will be recognized each year and may be granted posthumously. 

This prestigious recognition includes: 

• A medal and lapel pin, symbolizing dedication and service to the community 

• A $1,000 donation made in the recipient’s name to the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society, helping to cultivate a lasting legacy in a dedicated section of the garden 

• A commemorative plaque marking the recipient’s contribution within the garden 

• Public recognition at a special Council meeting, followed by a celebratory reception 

Completed nomination forms should be emailed to [email protected]. 

Deadline for Nominations: March 6th. 

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The Northern Health Authority recorded 26 illicit drug deaths in November and December, which was the lowest in the province.

According to the B.C. Coroners Service, the health authority held the highest rate of unregulated drug deaths, sitting at 48 deaths per 100,000 individuals, with the next highest being Island health with 38.

In 2025, Prince George had 66 unregulated drug deaths, just behind Nanaimo with 71, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Greater Victoria Area, Surrey, Vancouver, and Other Township.

Across the province, there were 136 and 141 deaths in November and December, respectively, equating to roughly 4.5 deaths per day.

Smoking was the most common way of consumption with 65 per cent, followed by nasal insufflation (11 per cent), injection (9 per cent), and oral (4 per cent).

In 2025, fentanyl was detected in 69 per cent of unregulated drug deaths, followed by fluorofentanyl (54 per cent), cocaine (53 per cent), methamphetamine (52 per cent), among others.

A more detailed summary can be found here.

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Nelson property owners are facing a 7.75 per cent tax increase this year.  

City staff tabled the 2026-2030 five-year financial plan Tuesday, following a series of budget workshops held in council chambers through January and early February.

The plan proposes a 7.75 per cent increase for 2026, a nine per cent increase for 2027, a 7.5 per cent increase for both 2028 and 2029 and a 5.5 per cent increase for 2030.

Operational costs make up 6.75 per cent of the increase, with capital costs accounting for the remaining one per cent. For homes valued at about $694,000, the increase would amount to roughly $171 more annually.

Here is a breakdown of that $171 figure:

• General: 2.22 per cent ($49)  

• Fire: 0.91 per cent ($20)  

• Infrastructure: 1 per cent ($22)  

• Police Board: 3.33 per cent ($73) 
• Library Board: 0.29 per cent ($6) 

Councillors debated whether the city should consider a larger increase now to address long-term infrastructure needs.

Councillor Rik Logtenberg argued that residents should be presented with a “jolt of reality” during public consultation.

“I don’t feel like people are grasping the scale of what needs to be done. And I think it’s also a very difficult thing to communicate to people unless it’s through, you know, some, a jolt of reality,” said Logtenberg.

“I think the public needs to understand if we don’t tackle this issue now or within the next, say, five years, it’s really going to get very, very expensive,” added Councillor Jesse Woodward.

But staff warned that even a higher tax increase would not fully resolve the city’s capital funding challenges.

“Adding that extra, say, $200,000 in this year, it still doesn’t address the $6 million funding gap that we’re dealing with,” said chief financial officer Chris Jury.

CAO Kevin Cormack added that the draft financial plan already relies on a combination of taxation, reserve contributions and potential asset sales.

“We would not have brought this forward if we did not think it was a workable plan,” said Cormack.

Council rejected a motion that would have directed staff to prepare a draft plan based on a 9.75 per cent increase. Councillors instead approved moving forward with the proposed 7.75 per cent figure for public consultation.

With the draft budget tabled, the city is seeking public feedback.

Comments will be accepted until March 28 through letstalk.nelson.ca.

Staff will return to council March 3 to present feedback and any proposed revisions. Council is scheduled to consider the first three readings of the financial plan bylaw March 17, with final adoption required by April 14.

Click here for more details on the plan, and to provide feedback.  

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Visitors will soon pay to park on downtown Nanaimo streets. Starting March 2, spaces that offered free two-hour parking will become paid parking zones. 

They were converted to free two-hour parking in 2019 after the city removed metres that were subject to repeated vandalism. 

Parking at these spots will cost 25 cents for 12 minutes or $1.25 for each hour, payable at curbside parking kiosks or through the HotSpot app. 

Parking will be free on Sundays and after 5 p.m. 

“Reinstating pay parking downtown helps us manage demand and ensure spaces are available for visitors when they need them. We have also added convenience to your parking experience with the HotSpot app, which makes it easy to pay right from your phone,” said Bill Sims, general manager of engineering and public works for the city. 

A free-parking initiative for two levels of the Bastion parkade will also end on March 2. 

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There’s relief from the cold in the Cariboo…just not yet.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Derek Lee said for the night time temperatures the region is still seeing that cold air lingering, especially into the weekend and the early parts of next week.

“Parts of the Cariboo will still see temperatures close to minus 20 for the overnight lows and by maybe mid-week we will start to see our influence from the Pacific once again which means a lot more warm air coming back to the Cariboo.”

Lee said the region should be warming up by Wednesday or Thursday and the temperatures should be cracking to above zero by then.

“But in the meantime overnight lows will be down to minus 20 however this kind of cold isn’t cold enough for record breaking temperatures for the region yet,” Lee said, “I think that around 2023 we did get down to minus 30 or so for this time of year.”

Lee noted that the Cariboo is sitting 10 degrees below normal for the daytime highs and the overnight lows.

“Looking at the weekend there may be a little bit of snow falling Saturday and Sunday but I think it’s going to be less than a centimetre if we do have a chance of precipitation.”

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The Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors has approved construction of a new, purpose-built fire hall for the Hosmer Fire Department.

The decision was announced at a board meeting last Friday following a review that included technical studies, community feedback and an assessment of options for the future of fire services in Hosmer, including renovating the existing shared community hall.

Thomas McDonald, director for Electoral Area A, said the process was paused after some residents raised concerns.

“Early on, we heard concerns that the process had moved too fast and not everyone felt included or informed. So we paused and stepped back to ensure all perspectives were fully considered with the help of technical experts, staff, and the community.” said McDonald.

“I want to acknowledge the very real attachment many residents feel to the current fire hall. For some people, it holds memories and represents years of volunteer service and community effort. Wanting to keep it where it is comes from pride—not resistance to change. Those voices matter, and they helped shape a more careful and thoughtful process.” added McDonald. 

After reviewing renovation and rebuild feasibility, potential regional services, technical data, operational requirements and surrounding neighborhood discussion, the board determined a new facility at a different location would best meet long-term operational needs.

The purpose-built facility will help fulfill modern fire service needs, including proper space for equipment, functional training, and updated building code requirements. Separating local fire services from the current shared community hall will allow the community hall to continue to be used for events.

“Through the advisory group and conversations with residents, it was abundantly clear how important the community hall is. It’s where people gather, where events happen, and where the community stays connected. This decision helps us meet the needs of the fire service while also protecting the spaces that matter to residents.” said McDonald.

The next steps for the new fire hall that will be located at Dicken and Kmiecik Road, include negotiating a land purchase agreement, as well as property rezoning and subdivision once the agreement is in place. The RDEK said it will continue to update the community as the project moves forward.

“I want to recognize and thank the residents who participated and shared perspectives, the advisory group members who contributed time and local knowledge, staff who supported the technical review, and the Hosmer Fire Department for continuing to serve the community while operating out of a facility with known challenges.” said McDonald.

“This hasn’t been an easy conversation, and it’s okay that not everyone will agree. Disagreement is part of a healthy community. What matters is that people were heard, the work was careful, and the decision was made with the long-term best interests of Hosmer and the fire service in mind.” McDonald concluded.

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B.C. Hydro is issuing a public safety notice for higher water flows through Elk Falls Canyon every Wednesday and Thursday through March 26.

The utility said the higher flows are intended to assist steelhead in migrating and spawning below Elk Falls.

“We will be providing five two-day steelhead migration and spawning flows down Elk Falls Canyon over a five-week period to enable steelhead to access good habitat in the canyon up to the base of Elk Falls,” said B.C. Hydro public affairs co-ordinator Karla Louwers.

Water releases from John Hart Dam will increase from four cubic metres per second to 10 cubic metres per second for each migration flow, starting the evening of Feb. 24.

Temporary safety signage will be in place.

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A snowmobiler has died following an avalanche in the Morrissey area near Fernie.

The Elk Valley RCMP were called out on Tuesday, Feb. 17, after an emergency device activation in a remote location in the Morrissey area.

Initial information at the scene indicated that a man who had been snowmobiling in the area had been caught in an avalanche.

Officers and search and rescue crews responded, but the high avalanche hazard and the time of day made it so that immediate efforts could not be made to locate the man.

On Feb. 18, search and rescue crews were able to locate and recover the man’s body.

Police said he was wearing weather- and activity-appropriate gear and had avalanche safety equipment.

No further details have been released.

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The Regional District of East Kootenay has completed the first review of the 2026-2030 financial plan and residents can now give their thoughts.

The budget process started in September and includes an operating budget of $48.7 million and capital budget of $11.3 million.

“The financial plan lays out how tax dollars are being spent on the more than 115 services offered in the RDEK. Some of the capital projects included in the Financial Plan for 2026 include: fire engine replacements for the Panorama, Hosmer, Baynes Lake and Windermere Fire Departments, a watermain replacement in Windermere, and a reservoir expansion in the Eastside Water System,” said RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay.

“There are also a number of 100% fully funded capital projects, including the extension of the Elko Fire Hall, Edgewater Sewer lift station and connectivity, Edgewater Water raw water intake design and phase 1 of the Hosmer Fire Hall project.”

RDEK officials said this year’s tax increase works out to approximately $26 on an average $623,000 residential assessment.

Public consultation is live and comments will be accepted until noon on Monday, Mar. 9.

“Every year, our board and staff work hard to balance services for our residents with being careful about taxes. As our region grows and changes, and people expect more from services, this gets tougher. I’m proud of how we’ve managed this in this year’s draft plan,” adds Gay.

“Having the public’s feedback is an important next step in the process and we look forward to gathering their input over the coming weeks.”

Copies of the plan and comment forms can be found here or by request at the Cranbrook and Columbia Valley offices.

The RDEK will also be posting a budget snapshot that will be a condensed overview of the draft plan.

The budget will be adopted at the Mar. 13 board meeting.

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A K’ómoks First Nation member has been selected to carve a new totem pole for the Glacier View roundabout in Comox, B.C.  

Karver Everson will carve the pole after a call for expressions of interest was issued in fall 2025.  

Comox Mayor Nicole Minions said the new totem pole will stand as a powerful symbol of local Indigenous history and identity.

“It’s a reflection of the Town’s continued commitment to reconciliation and to creating public spaces that educate and provide a connection to Indigenous knowledge, artistry and tradition.”

The new roundabout at the top of Comox Hill will display the totem pole to celebrate K’ómoks culture, teachings and connection to the land, and to welcome residents and visitors.  

Everson was born in the Comox Valley and is a Pentlatch, K’ómoks band member and Kwakwaka’wakw artist and carver.

He carries the Kwak̓wala name Długwayaxa̱lis from the Gigal’gam of the Walas Kwagu’ł.  

Everson’s artistic journey began early; he was called to carve ceremonial pieces for a family potlatch in 2013.  

Since then, he’s contributed to numerous significant pole projects in the Comox Valley and beyond, including two welcome figures for the Village of Cumberland and K’ómoks First Nation, a Guardian pole for the City of Courtenay’s Airpark trail and a Guardian pole at Helliwell Park on Hornby Island.  

The totem pole will take about eight months to complete and a community celebration and official unveiling are planned for fall 2026. 

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North Cowichan residents are being invited to weigh in on the municipality’s draft 2026 budget.

An open house is scheduled for Feb. 24 at North Cowichan municipal hall, 7030 Trans-Canada Highway, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The event gives residents a chance to learn about the budget, the planning process and key cost drivers.

The open house will be followed by a special council meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., featuring a brief presentation and an opportunity for public input.

Feedback gathered will help inform council’s final funding decisions.

Council is expected to adopt the five-year financial plan in April.

Residents can also participate virtually

See more details here.

– Article contains files from Municipality of North Cowichan

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The City of Campbell River is activating the warming centre at the Campbell River Community Centre, 401 11th Ave., in response to continued low overnight temperatures.

The warming centre will open at 10 p.m. Thursday and run until 7 a.m. Friday.

The city said the warming centre will be staffed by people experienced in supporting those experiencing homelessness.

“The warming centre is open to everyone for short-term stays and is a place for vulnerable populations to warm up and be provided access to information on resources,” the city said in a news release.

The city encouraged residents to visit its website and social media channels for updates.

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Danger tree removal is underway on Highway 30, about 5 kilometres from Port Alice, B.C.

Crews from local highways contractor Mainroad will be on site between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily until Feb. 23.

A danger tree is any tree that poses a hazard to people because of its location, lean or deterioration of limbs, stem or root system.

Drivers can expect minor delays as crews conduct removals along the stretch of highway.

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Despite receiving approval from Castlegar city council to put a disc golf course in Kinnaird Park, a local society has had to change its plans.

Last September, the city gave the Kootenay Rockies Disc Golf Society approval to establish a course in Kinnaird.

But that hinged in part on a biologist’s report on species at risk. The report, completed at the end of October, found western screech owl had been sighted in the forest the disc golfers hoped to use.

According to the group’s Patrick Audette, they were surprised to learn their plan to clear some underbrush would have been “detrimental to what a screech owl uses for hunting.”

Originally they thought that taking down dead or dying trees would have had the bonus of reducing the park’s wildfire risk.

“We figured that if we cleared some of these dangerous trees, it would be a win-win,” he said. “We could make the forest safer and clear out some fairways, and it would be a natural sort of development to put disc golf in there.”

But Audette said once they received the biologist’s report, they decided to look for another site. They met with the Regional District of Central Kootenay and did a presentation to the recreation commission.

This month, the commission passed a motion of support to allow the society to make plans to use Pass Creek Park. The society had previously looked at the site. Audette says they believe they can put a nine-hole course on the east side.

While it wasn’t their first choice, Audette says there is “quite a bit of potential” at Pass Creek, which has other recreational uses including a soccer pitch and a ball field. He said they won’t have to do much clearing of trees either.

The downside is that it will mean a delay of at least a year. Audette said they will have to fundraise and write grant proposals for the Pass Creek site, but they remain determined to bring disc golf to Castlegar. Courses already exist in Oasis, Rossland, Grand Forks, Balfour, Ymir, and near Fruitvale.

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Police are searching for a man who allegedly rammed a police vehicle with a stolen truck in Whiskey Creek, B.C. 

An arrest warrant has been issued for 30-year-old Craig James Hannon, who police said is known to steal early-2000 model Ford F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks.  

Officers were searching for a stolen white Ford F-350 that fled from police twice in the past few days when they located it about noon on Feb. 12 on a forestry road in Whiskey Creek.  

“As the officers approached to investigate, the pickup truck reversed and smashed into the unmarked police vehicle at least six times and fled,” reads a news release from Oceanside RCMP. “The pickup truck, reported stolen out of Saanich on Feb. 6, was quickly located by police, damaged and abandoned on a dead-end road in Whiskey Creek. While police were recovering the pickup truck, police spotted the suspect in the passenger seat of a second vehicle fleeing the area which also failed to stop for police.”  

Police said Hannon was driving the stolen truck and have charged him with possession of stolen property, assault and threaten police with a weapon, dangerous driving, flight from police and committing an offence while disguised.  

Officers said he frequents southern Vancouver Island, Port Alberni and the Oceanside area, and his current whereabouts are unknown.  

RCMP ask anyone who sees him or has information that could help locate him to contact police. 

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The Prince George Symphony Orchestra (PGSO) will be without a full-time Operations Manager until the early summer.

This comes after the organization conducted an internal review after a staff member was reportedly identified at a white nationalist rally.

Executive Director Ken Hall said until they find a new Operations Manager, Jenni Bomford will be taking over temporarily.

“Jenni’s title isn’t actually changing. She’s the marketing coordinator for us, and on an interim basis, she’s agreed to expand her role to full time to take on some of those operation duties.”

Hall added they hope to start looking to fill the Operations Manager at around May.

PGSO will also have two new people joining, with Jan Riggs joining their box office, and Ami Riggs handling the production side.

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The Columbia Basin Trust is giving residents in East Kootenay the chance to help improve local trails through seasonal employment opportunities.

The Basin Job Experience Trail Crew Program will create 47 short term jobs this spring and summer for those who are unemployed or underemployed.

This collaboration between the Columbia Basin Trust, community trails, and recreation groups allows residents to gain jobs and develop work skills while they maintain, repair and enhance local recreational trails for everyone

Program members will receive advantages through training and the development of new or improved skills in areas such as first aid, trail-building, carpentry, chainsaw operations and GPS use.

“These opportunities will support employment while helping keep trails accessible, inviting and safe. Whether it’s someone learning a new technical skill or growing their work experience, the trail crew jobs help strengthen our local workforce and ensure the sustainability of recreation assets that welcome people outdoors year-round.” said Kris Belanger, Senior Manager, Delivery of Benefits, Columbia Basin Trust. 

This program will provide more than $320,000 in financial support and create nearly 50 jobs for 15 different organizations in 13 communities. 

One East Kootenay organization being highlighted by the program is the Fernie Trails Alliance Association (FTA) which manages a trail network for year-round activities such as hiking, biking, trail running and cross-country skiing. 

The FTA has a wide range of maintenance and improvement requirements to accomplish each season. The program will provide some much needed assistance by creating five jobs and providing $25,000 to the FTA.

Melanie Wrigglesworth, Executive Director of the Fernie Trails Alliance Association explains the importance of the program’s role, not only for the FTA but the community in general. 

“Columbia Basin Trust’s Trail Crew wage subsidy program is critical to our ability to maintain and enhance our trails while building meaningful local employment. The program allows us to provide fair wages, mentorship and practical training. Which helps workers build confidence and professional skills while contributing directly to the Fernie trail network, a key piece of community infrastructure. These trails benefit residents, visitors and the local economy.” said Wrigglesworth.

This year’s agenda has the FTA trail crew focusing on new signage, trail surface repairs and the completion of a technical biking feature on “Bacon Bits”,  their newest trail.

Additional East Kootenay organizations that will benefit from the program include Cranbrook Community Forest Society, Kimberley Nordic Club and Kimberley Trails Society. 

The Basin Job Experience Trail Crew Program will be assisting many other Kootenay communities. You can view the full list of approved local organizations here.

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The District of Sparwood and Recycle BC will launch a community-wide curbside recycling program in Sparwood on April 6, 2026.

The program’s recycling collection will use the same collection routes as garbage collection, so residents stay familiar with when pickup will be. Under this new program recycling and garbage will run on an alternating bi-weekly schedule with one week being garbage collection, and the next week recycling. 

The district said the alternating schedule will allow recycling to be added efficiently while reducing equipment, staffing and service impacts.

Residents will use new blue 240L bins for paper, cardboard, and mixed containers, the same main materials currently accepted in the green bins at the Sparwood Transfer Station. 

The transfer station will continue to play a role in the community, accepting items that can’t go in the blue carts. Materials that are classified as contaminants under curbside recycling standards, such as glass, flexible plastics, Styrofoam, electronics, and others.

The program places a focus on reducing contamination, and keeping recycling clean. That means garbage, hazardous waste, food-soiled items, or non-accepted packaging do not belong in the blue carts.

Keeping recycling clean and properly sorted makes sure the program can run safely. It helps lower costs, keeps workers safe, and ensures more materials are appropriately recycled instead of going to the landfill.

The District of Sparwood, Recycle BC, and Waste Management will run an education campaign to help residents understand what can and can’t go in the blue carts so they can recycle confidently and responsibly. 

Through working together and learning to use the blue carts correctly,  the program aims to make recycling easier, increase waste diversion, and build a cleaner, more sustainable future for Sparwood.

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The City of Kimberley will be replacing the shared ice plant for the Kimberley Civic Centre and the Kimberley Curling Club once the season wraps up.

Work will begin in late April once the current system shuts down.

City staff said the project is an important investment in safety, reliability and long‑term facility sustainability.

Work is expected to last until early September.

Once the system is operational, staff will need approximately two weeks to build the ice.

An anticipated reopening date is scheduled for Sept. 18.

City staff said they understand the late start will affect a number of user groups and appreciate their patience while the upgrades are underway.

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BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee is among 370 delegates who are leading a Canadian Trade Mission in Mexico.

Dominic LeBlanc, Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade is among those in attendance.

This mission, which began on Sunday, brought together a diverse mix of Canadian businesses, industry associations, and partners from across the country to strengthen commercial ties with Mexico and explore new opportunities.

Participants are engaging with Mexican businesses to build strategic partnerships supporting long-term growth.

The mission focuses on advanced manufacturing; agriculture, processed foods, and agricultural technology; clean technologies and clean energy; creative industries; and information and communications technologies.

Mexico is Canada’s third-largest single-country merchandise trading partner (after the United States and China).

Canadian Direct Investment in Mexico totaled $46.3 billion in 2024, making it the country’s ninth-largest foreign direct investment destination

The trade mission wraps up tomorrow (Friday).

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A new community thrift store will be accepting donations.

The Prince George Humane Society announced its location on 1145 10th Avenue, near The Wall of Fame Sandwich Shop, is opening in the next few weeks.

Starting tomorrow (Friday), the facility will be open seven days per week from 10am to 2pm for donation drop-off.

The group is accepting clean, gently used items including:

Furniture

· Sofas and loveseats (clean, no rips or stains)

· Dining tables and chairs

· Dressers and nightstands

· Bookshelves

· Coffee and end tables

· Home décor pieces

Clothing & Accessories

· Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing

· Jackets and coats

· Shoes and boots

· Purses and handbags

· Scarves, belts, and accessories

Household Items

· Kitchenware (pots, pans, dishes, utensils)

· Small kitchen appliances (in working condition)

· Home décor

· Lamps (working)

· Bedding and linens (clean and gently used)

· Storage containers

Books & Media

· Novels and children’s books

· Cookbooks

· Puzzles and board games (complete)

· CDs and vinyl records

· DVDs and Blu-ray discs

· Musical instruments (in playable condition)

Pet-Related Items

· Pet carriers

· Gently used leashes and collars

· Pet beds (clean)

· Unopened pet food and treats

· Crates and small animal cages

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Profits are up considerably at the Teck Trail Operation.

The company’s fourth quarter financial report includes a gross profit of $106-million locally, compared to $15-million in October, November and December of 2024.

Trail turned an annual gross profit of $282-million in 2025, as opposed to $12-million for the previous 12-month period.

The company previously announced its fourth-quarter production statistics, which showed the Trail smelter turned out nearly 230,000 tonnes of refined zinc in 2025, which was at the upper end of its projection, but down from the previous year.

Last year company officials said they would begin focusing on the more profitable areas of the Trail operation.

Teck and Anglo American received shareholder and government approval last year to merge, but the deal isn’t expected to be complete until late this year or early next year.

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The Kootenay Climbing Association’s Cube 2.0 project is “staying on track,” with nearly $2 million raised and final design work now underway.

Jayme Moye and Cam Shute, board members of the association, provided council with a project update Tuesday.

The group first pitched the idea to council in 2022, aiming to develop a state-of-the-art facility that would be the first in the region capable of hosting Olympic-calibre climbing operations.

The project was originally estimated to cost about $4 million, but that figure has risen to roughly $10.5 million. It will be built on city-owned lands behind Selkirk College’s Mary Hall.

Moye told council the group has raised $2 million in in-kind donations so far.

She described a “six-pronged” fundraising strategy spanning community, municipal, provincial, federal, corporate and philanthropic sources.

Moye said the group has made significant progress on the government funding front over the past year.

“We just received the REDI grant for $400,000. We’ve also since received $500,000 in funding from the B.C. Mass Timber Demonstration Program and another $50,000 from ETSI-BC,” Moye explained.

“With the infusion of cash from those grants, we were able to kick off final design this past fall, which is what we’re in the thick of right now.”

The design phase alone costs about $474,000, prompting the group to take a critical look at its business plan to ensure the work is done correctly.

“We really wanted to make sure we got it right because it’s kind of a one-time thing that we’re hoping to do and then proceed into construction,” Shute explained.

“So we took a really critical look at our business plan, and the worst thing would be if we built this and failed operationally. We actually dialled back the size a little, with guidance from the architect and other businesses.”

The group’s goal is to have the project structured, targeted and ready to absorb capital funding opportunities as they emerge.

The first step is raising regional awareness.

“The go-forward path for getting funded from the federal government is to have regional collaboration and cooperation,” Moye said.

“Not shared unified fundraising, but just like Rossland knows what Nelson’s doing and they know what Trail’s doing and they know what Creston’s doing. So having that kind of, let’s call it union or solidarity in supporting and knowing about each other’s projects.”

The final design should be finished by September. Shute said corporate and philanthropic donors typically prefer projects to have 50 to 60 per cent of funding secured before committing, a benchmark that will shape Cube 2.0’s next phase.

“And then the next step after that, if all goes well and we obtain the funding, we will be breaking ground and trying to build this thing,” he said.

Click here to view the full project update.

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Nelson’s midweek farmers market will return to Baker Street this season.

The city said in a press release that early-season downtown construction may require a temporary relocation, but the market will return to Baker Street once the work is finished.

Vendor applications for the 2026 season open Sunday, March 1.

The city said the 2025 season supported more than 257 local farm, food and artisan vendors from across the region, with more than 45 vendors at each weekly market.

The B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets Nutrition Coupon Program also had a highly successful year, with $67,922 returned directly to local farms while supporting low-income households, pregnant people and seniors in the community.

The city said strong turnout and enthusiasm throughout the 2025 season “underscored the market’s importance as a community gathering place.”

“The Nelson Farmers Market team extends sincere thanks to the community for its patience, adaptability, and continued support,” the city said in a press release.

“The market continues to align with council’s strategic goals of providing a diverse and connected community, and an inclusive and thriving economy.”

Key dates for 2026 include: 

• Saturday Market at Cottonwood Falls Park: May 16 – Oct. 31 

• Wednesday Market on Baker Street: June 3 – Sept. 30* 

• Mother’s Day Garden Starter Market: May 10 

• Summer Night Markets: July 24 & Aug. 21 

• Harvest Fest: Sept. 20 

Feedback from visitors and vendors is encouraged at letstalk.nelson.ca/nelson-farmers-market-visitor-survey. 

The Wednesday market has operated on Baker Street since 2011, but in 2025, downtown construction, public safety concerns, and other factors prompted the City to relocate it to Cottonwood Falls Park. 

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

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Several downtown Williams Lake business owners attended an open house last night (Wednesday) to share with the RCMP the problems they are experiencing.

Their concerns ranged from staff safety to the costs of having to repair damages, discarded drug paraphernalia to the cost of added security.

The open house was hosted by Williams Lake RCMP Sargeant Brad Mckinnon who said in the last few months Police have been very active in the community in terms of creating opportunities for officers to come in and complete enhanced proactive Police shifts.

“The goal of these shifts is to make sure you know we’re there. It’s also to make sure that we’re preventing and deterring crime. We ran multiple shifts per week, we ran them morning, noon and night and we’ll be resuming those again shortly because I think that they worked. I think they were incredibly impactful but we’re going to start enhancing this.”

Mckinnon said the next step is to start having their RCMP Crisis Response Service from Interior Health joining them on those patrols.

One business owners asked Mckinnon about having actual boots on the beat in the downtown core.

“We have increased our foot patrols in the downtown core, I’ve done it myself,” Mckinnon said, “I’ve been in every business and might not have seen you and I apologize, but it sounds like we still have a bit of work to do in this area. I can assure you that foot patrols have gone up significantly. I’ve talked about and considered bringing back a bike patrol, it’s a bit easier said than done. That is something I am considering doing. I don’t think we can get it for this Summer, but next Summer absolutely.”

Mckinnon said the spirit of the Open House is to have conversation.

“We’re aware there have been a lot changes in the community, businesses are being impacted by things and we’re here to help. I wanted to make myself available to you to hear what the concerns are.”

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Castlegar city council has approved spending $25,000 to hire a consultant to study alternative models of funding and governing the airport.

It comes as council also approved borrowing up to $5 million to expand the airport terminal. Finance director Steffan Klassen explained the project is budgeted at $10 million, of which $6 million will be covered by a grant the city received in 2023.

“To live up to the terms of the agreement for the grant, we need to also undertake a number of parts of that project,” he said. “In order to do that, we need to borrow.”

Klassen said while the city hopes to spend less than $5 million, that number provides a contingency so they don’t have to return to council to approve another loan.

Klassen said the city’s borrowing capacity was doubled last year, so the project will easily fit beneath the ceiling, and further borrowing for upgrades to the south sewage treatment plant might fit as well, although combined the two projects will put the city close to its limit. Any further borrowing would require approval from taxpayers.

Councillor Sue Heaton-Sherstobitoff noted the airport will require increased revenue to cover loan repayments starting in the fall of 2027 or spring 2028 and asked if that will draw its reserve fund down completely.

Klassen replied the airport has been dipping into reserves because of a drop in ridership and reduced number of flights since COVID, but those numbers are expected to turn around.

“We are anticipating receiving approval for the new RNP system, which will bring in more flights,” he said. “So there’s an assumption that revenues will increase [to levels] similar to prior to COVID. And even if it’s not fully, it will cover the cost of the borrowing as well as operational challenges.”

Heaton-Sherstobitoff said she was “very leery” because the city has been waiting on approval for the RNP system for nearly five years.

“We don’t tax for the airport at this moment, but that’s something that we may have to think about in the future if we don’t get the ridership that we need,” she said. 

“That’s what I’m worried about. I know the [terminal expansion] project has to go ahead because we’re all hoping RNP goes ahead, but there’s that potential something will happen.”

According to Klassen’s report to council, the terminal expansion will expand and improve passenger spaces, including the concourse, arrivals and baggage claim area, and the holding room. It will also improve offices for staff and airlines.

A 2019 airport master plan said the terminal expansion was critical if airlines began using 78-seat Q400 aircraft, which Air Canada did in 2021.

A contract for the architectural work was awarded last June and work is entering the concept design stage. Construction is expected to start by 2027.

Meanwhile, the study that will look at finding new operating and financial models is expected to be completed by July. The $25,000 cost will itself come from a reserve fund.

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The newest member of the Trail Smoke Eaters is hoping to make a splash in his final season of junior hockey.

Gabe Bugeaud was picked up just before the trade deadline from the Victoria Grizzlies for future considerations.

The deal was a surprise.

“I wasn’t really expecting it, it was toward the end of the day (final day of deadline) too, a little bit of a shock, I’ve never been traded in my junior career before, but I’m excited to be here,” said the 20-year-old from the Montreal area, who got his season off to a quick start.

“I was having a good year in the North American league (13 goals and 21 points in 30 games with the St. Cloud Norsemen), but our team was struggling, he explained, noting that their roster was thinning.

“We had a couple of guys, key guys leave the team and an opportunity came up in Victoria and they were in a playoff spot,” he added.

“Playing playoffs in my last year is something that’s really important to me so I decided to make the move and now I’m in Trail on an even better team, so it’s all good,” Bugeaud commented.

The veteran forward believes he has a lot to offer his new team, feeling his game is based on his skating ability.

“I like to use my skating on both sides of the puck, I play a 200-foot game, very responsible in my own end and I can bring some offense too using my skating and my shot,” added the six-foot-one, 185-pound centreman.

Head coach and general manager Eric Thurston has the same assessment.

“I really like his 200-foot game,” said Thurston.

“He’s had really good coaching because he plays the right way in the defensive zone, he’s always in the right spot and I really think he’s got some nice offensive upside to him,” the bench boss added.

Bugeaud has worked his way up the lineup over three games.

He was centreing a line with veterans Zach Coutu and Christian Kim Monday in Blackfalds and saw some time on the power play.

The Smokies host Sherwood Park Friday looking to end a four-game slide and have a Saturday night showdown against Vernon at Cominco Arena.

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Sports by Hartley Thursday, February 19th, 2026  as of 12:05 a.m.

Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games:

Men’s Hockey:  (Quarter-finals)

Canada  4  Czechia  3  (OT)
U.S.   2  Sweden  1  (OT)
Slovakia  6  Germany  2
Finland  3  Switzerland  2  (OT)

The semifinals Friday have Canada against Finland (7:40 AM PT) and the U.S. against Slovakia (12:10 PT).

The bronze medal game is set for Saturday (11:40 a.m. PT).

The gold medal game will be played Sunday (5:10 a.m.).

#

Canada will play the U.S. in the women’s hockey gold medal game today (Thursday 10:10 AM PT).

#

Short-track speedskater Steven Dubois of Quebec won gold in the men’s 500 metres.

Canada’s short-track speedskating team, which includes Courtney Sarault of Moncton, captured the bronze medal in the women’s 3,000-metre relay.

Sarault has racked up four medals in as many events at the Winter Games.

After Wednesday’s competition, Canada has 14 medals at Milano Cortina 2026; four gold, four silver and six bronze.

Five of Canada’s medals have come in short-track.

#

Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George will participate at the Games on Saturday
(1 AM PT).

Prince George long-track speed skater Caroline Hiller-Donnelly placed 21st out of 29 in the 500m race and 26th out of 30 in the 1000m race.

Evan Bichon of Mackenzie, who went to high school in Prince George, ended up 17th in a field of 32 men’s snowboard cross.

WHL:

Prospects Game—in Langley

Team West  vs  Team East

PG Cougars defenceman Carson Carels was the Captain for Team West.

Cougars forward Kaden Lemire and P.G. native Chase Harrington of the Spokane Chiefs were also on the team while Mark Lamb of Prince George was the head coach.

#

The Prince George Cougars visit the Swift Current Broncos Friday night (5:00 PT) and the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday (4:00 PT).

The Cougars are 1-1 on an 8-game road which concludes with six on the Prairies.

The (32-20-2) Cougars are second in the B.C. Division, just one point ahead of the
(29-18-5-2) Kelowna Rockets.

Prince George has just 14 games left in the regular season; 6 at home and 8 on the road.

The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.

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Carson Carels took the game by the throat and led a furious comeback for Team WHL West at the Prospects Game.

Unfortunately, the rally fell one-goal short as Daxon Rudolph’s game-winner in overtime led Team WHL East to a 5-4 victory at the Langley Events Centre on Wednesday.

Down 3-0 late in the second period, Carels began the road back for West as the Cougars standout blueliner assisted on a Tyus Sparks goal trimming the deficit.

In the opening shift of the third, Carels began another offensive sequence on the power-play where Sparks lit the lamp a second time to make it 3-2.

Ridiculous stuff from OUR GUY.

pic.twitter.com/t2MDcGx2GG

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 19, 2026

Less than three minutes later, the Cypress River, Manitoba product sprung Spokane Chiefs forward Brody Gillespie who beat Team East goalie Carter Casey, drawing the Western prospects on even terms.

The frantic action continued as Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck put East back in the driver’s seat beating goaltender Marek Sklenicka.

An Ethan Mackenzie tripping penalty put West back on the power-play, where Carels got another opportunity to strut his stuff offensively.

The 17-year-old defenceman set up Kamloops Blazers star forward JP Hurlbert forcing overtime.

Chalk up another helper for Carson!!!

pic.twitter.com/6JpezoU9Vn

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 19, 2026

Landon Amrhein, Zach Olsen and Girgos Pantelas put the Team East ahead by a 3-0 score by the five-minute mark of the second period.

Cougars forward Kayden Lemire was held pointless in defeat for Team West.

West outshot East by a 37-24 margin while going 3-for-4 on the power-play. East went 1-for-2.

Local product and Spokane Chiefs forward Chase Harrington was held pointless and record a plus-one rating in defeat.

Cats head coach and general manager Mark Lamb was the bench boss for Team West.

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Prince George City Council will be discussing potential resolutions to submit to the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) at Monday’s meeting.

The NCLGA is a non-profit, non-partisan association comprised of elected officials in North Central B.C., and works to advocate local priorities to higher levels of government.

Prince George, the Lheidli T’enneh and Regional District of Fraser-Fort George will be co-hosting NCLGA’s annual meeting and convention in May.

On Monday, Council will be presented with three resolutions, put forward by the City’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs.

The first requests additional resources be allocated to the BC Crown Counsel Association, such as increasing the number of Crown prosecutors to deal with the disclosure of evidence from body-worn cameras.

The second calls for the creation of an Indigenous-led, cross-sector housing alliance.

The third and final resolution for Council to discuss on Monday would call on the federal government to appoint a Federal Minister of Forests to actively support the Canadian forestry sector.

The full resolutions can be found here.

Also included on the agenda for Monday’s meeting is a report on sports events hosted in 2025, as well as an update on a Hope and Healing Network recommendation.

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

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The B.C. government has paused a planned long-term care facility in Campbell River.

The project was announced in 2023, and the province said construction was expected to be completed by 2027.

Background: Long-term care home to be built beside hospital, adding 153 beds for seniors : My Campbell River Now

However, Tuesday’s B.C. budget presentation confirmed the project is one of seven long-term care initiatives across the province with adjusted delivery timing.

“Government is adjusting the timing of delivery for several approved long-term care projects to incorporate the lessons learned from projects already underway and from its ongoing review of the long-term care infrastructure program,” the province said in a statement.

Background: B.C. government presents budget with higher taxes, $13.3B deficit : My Campbell River Now

The facility was planned as a three-storey building at 375 Second Avenue, with 153 long-term care beds, a hospice unit, a convalescent care unit and a specialised population unit. It is unclear how long the project will be delayed.

Six other long-term care projects in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Delta, Squamish, Fort St. John and Kelowna will also face delays under the province’s 2026 budget.

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Fewer people came through the Prince George Airport in 2025 according to the latest passenger numbers.

YXS welcomed 443,366 passengers last year, a 1.6% decline when compared to the 450,494 people that flew in 2024.

While passenger volumes were slightly lower than the previous year, overall airline seat capacity at YXS increased by six per cent in 2025, and flight cancellations declined compared to 2024.

“Passenger volumes remained steady in 2025 despite broader economic headwinds affecting travel across Canada,” said Geoff Ritchie, President and CEO of the Prince George Airport Authority.

“Airlines maintained routes and schedules and even expanded capacity in Prince George, which reflects continued confidence in the market.”

According to data from Statistics Canada, real gross domestic product softened in 2025, with discretionary and business travel moderating across many regional markets.

In addition, reduced transborder travel and shifting hub demand patterns impacted network carriers serving mid-sized and regional communities.

Larger international gateway and tourism-focused airports experienced record years driven by inbound travel and global recovery patterns.

Regional airports, including Prince George, are more closely tied to business activity, resource sector travel, medical travel, and domestic connectivity. Factors that responded differently to national economic conditions.

“Regional aviation markets tend to reflect broader economic cycles more directly, “added, Geoff. “Despite the softer demand environment, most of which was driven by reduced connecting traffic to the US, YXS maintained a strong route network, improved operational reliability, and continued to work closely with airline partners to support long-term growth. All of which allowed YXS to see less than the forecasted reduction the industry had been expecting at the start of the year.”

By the Numbers

· 2025 Total passengers: 443,366

· 2024 comparison: 450,494

· Year-over-year variance: -1.6%

· Seat capacity: +6%

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The City of Prince George’s Standing Committee on Finance and Audit was presented with options on the City’s variable tax rate structure for 2026.

In January, City Council set the tax rate for 2026 at 4.94 per cent.

“This is where we say, this is the levy that we’re going to collect, how much are we going to collect from each tax class,” said Director of Finance and IT Services Kris Dalio.

“How much from business, how much from residential, how much from industry.”

The Committee was presented with three options:

• Option 1 – Set the estimated Representative Home tax increase to 4.94 per cent and obtain the remaining tax revenue required by equally increasing the business, major industrial, light industrial and farm tax rates
• Option 2 – Starting from Option 1, set Business Tax Rate Multiple to 2.5:1; and obtain the remaining tax revenue from the Major Industrial. Light Industrial, and Farm tax rates
• Option 3 – Starting from Option 1, set Business multiple to 2.5:1; Light Industrial multiple to 4:1; and obtain the remaining tax revenue from the Major Industrial and Farm rates

Councillor Ron Polillo put option one on the floor.

“Choosing option one I think is fair and equitable for all classes,” he said.

“The other options, as you’ll see in option two and option three, has a significant increase for major industrial, 20 per cent, business tax rate would go up over 11 per cent. I don’t think that’s the message we want to send out.”

Councillor Tim Bennett agreed.

“We’re hearing from business, we’re hearing from industry the pressure that they’re facing, we heard loud and clear from residents around the challenges that everyone’s seeing in terms of affordability,”

“We worked hard to get to where we were with the 4.94 [per cent] and I know that’s not a number that everyone still loves, but I think Council made the decision that that was a fair number, I would have concerns with being more aggressive and increasing the business and putting that burden on small business.”

The Committee approved the option, which will be presented to City Council for consideration at a later date.

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People are invited to sign a condolence book, following the tragedy that took place in Tumbler Ridge.

On February 10th, a mass shooting at a school and home claimed the lives of nine people, injuring over a dozen more.

The Province said the online book will remain open until end of day Friday, and is a way for people to express their sympathies and messages of support.

A physical book is also able to be signed at the Hall of Honour, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, and will be accessible on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. until Friday.

More information about supports for Tumbler Ridge and where to sign the book can be found here.

– With files from Darin Bain, My Prince George Now staff

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Residents of the Comox Valley will have a chance to learn more about wastewater planning next month. 

The Comox Valley Regional District will host an open house Mar. 3 at the wastewater treatment plant to outline the next stage of wastewater treatment planning. 

CVRD Senior Manager of Water and Wastewater Services Kris La Rose said the next phase focuses on transparency, costs and long-term planning. 

“We’re sharing what we know about the necessary wastewater treatment upgrades, projected costs, and timing, and we want to hear from the community before the plan is finalized.” 

The first two stages selected a preferred level of treatment for the wastewater facility and an option for sewer conveyance improvements. 

The third stage will confirm the upgrades required at the plant to meet that preferred level of treatment, along with projected costs and timing. 

The CVRD said current estimates show the improvements will cost $113.4 million. It said sewer fees will increase over the next several years to support funding and help keep borrowing costs sustainable. 

Borrowing for the next phase of upgrades is expected to result in a $220-$240 increase per household by 2032. 

Treatment plant tours will be available during the open house. 

The event runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre on Mar. 3. 

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It’s a telltale sign that spring is on the horizon in the Cowichan Valley.

The City of Duncan said its annual water main flushing program will run from Feb. 23 through late May.

Each spring, water is flushed through the city’s water pipe system and out of fire hydrants.

The city said this is done to clean water distribution pipes of sediment that builds up.

Residents are reminded that discoloured water can be resolved by running a cold tap.

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A community information meeting is coming up in 100 Mile House this evening.

“Beyond the Noise… Navigating Change in the South Cariboo” is the topic of the meeting, and will focus on jobs, housing, and the 100 Mile House economy.

The meeting will take place from 6 o’clock to 7:30 p.m. at the Work BC Office on Alpine Avenue.

Guest speakers will include Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA, Lorne Doerkson, 100 Mile Mayor Maureen Pinkney, and CRD Board Chair Margo Wagner, as well as other stakeholders around the community and district.

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Business owners in Campbell River are being reminded to renew their business licences.

The city said all licences expire on Feb. 27 each year.

Renewal fees for 2026 must be paid by March 30 or a late charge will apply.

City officials also ask business owners to update their contact information or report if their business has closed over the past year.

Payments can be made online, by mail with a cheque or in person at City Hall.

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The Nelson Police Department wants your help finding a missing man.

Silas MacCreadie, 27, of Nelson hasn’t been seen since Feb. 10 at the North Shore Inn.

He’s six feet tall, a little under 200 pounds, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Police say a description of the clothing he was last known to be wearing is expected tomorrow.

Police are asking anyone who sees MacCreadie to call them immediately at 250-354-3919.

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The Prince George RCMP continues to investigate a shooting incident earlier this month on Redwood Street.

According to police, investigators executed a search warrant on the 1800-block of Sinclair Road on February 12th, where they located several firearms and ammunition.

The Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team assisted, utilizing Distraction Devices to assist in gaining the attention of those within the residence.

Officers arrested 37-year-old Robert Donald Davis and was charged with several offences unrelated to the investigation.

They include:

• Possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to Prohibition Order (five counts)
• Possession of a firearm knowing its Possession is unauthorized (three counts)

Davis will remain in custody until his next court appearance.

“Community Safety is our top priority and to this end our Investigative Support Team remains focused on gathering all available information to help us determine who is responsible for these recent incidents,” stated Corporal Jennifer Cooper.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Sunshine Coast RCMP have arrested a man and seized real and replica firearms after executing a search warrant at a home in Sechelt.

Police said they received information that a man was in possession of a handgun and executed a search warrant at 5686 Wharf Ave. on Sunday, Feb. 15.

“To ensure the public and police safety, the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team attended and assisted with entry to the home,” said Const. Karen Whitby. “One male was arrested and firearms both real and replicas were seized.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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The Prince George RCMP are asking for the public’s help in locating 38-year-old Brandy Lenay Potskin.

Police say Potskin is wanted on one endorsed and one unendorsed warrant for the Driving while prohibited (Motor Vehicle Act), and Failure to comply with probation order.

She’s described as:

• Indigenous female
• 5’6” (167 cm)
• 150 lb (68 kg)
• Black hair
• Brown eyes

Mounties add Potskin is considered dangerous and should not be approached, and anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300.

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School District 57 Trustees were both for and against remuneration during last night’s (Tuesday) virtual board meeting.

According to the motion, the role of a Trustee has expanded significantly in scope, complexity, and time commitment including attending meetings, participate in committee work, and represent the District across the region.

Trustee Shar McCrory was against the motion, noting similar work being done with the British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA).

“At the 2025 BCSTA AGM, Prince George put forward a motion for BCSTA to look at Trustee benefits, which is part of the motion that you’ve [Trustee Cory Antrim] brought forward.”

“To duplicate that work doesn’t make sense to me.”

McCrory added that it would be be more timely to hear back from BCSTA on what they gathered.

Trustee Sarah Holland was also against the motion, saying it wasn’t the right time as they head into the next budget with some uncertainty.

Trustee Rachael Weber recognized the work being done by BCSTA, but spoke in favour of the remuneration to have more people run for Trustee.

“It won’t factor in the special location of School District 57, and we are considered the largest northern board.”:

“We have been struggling for many years with certain things, and being able to offer kind of an investigative report where we jump in and we see what else can we offer Trustees to bring people to the elections, so they can put their names in.”

The motion was carried with a 4-2 vote, with Chair Craig Brennan, and Trustees Antrim, Weber, and Bob Thompson in favour.

Both McCrory and Holland voted against, with Vice Chair Erica McLean absent from the meeting.

The review is expected to be part of the 2026/27 budget cycle, with any changes to remuneration to be recommended to commence after this year’s civic election on Saturday, October 17th.

The full meeting agenda can be found here.

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Work on making an evacuation route plan is underway for the Witset First Nation.

It was announced in early January along with a survey looking for community input on local hazards and evacuation barriers.

“A lot of this is community driven so local knowledge, historical knowledge is an important aspect of this plan,” said Emergency Program Coordinator Chris Turner.

The survey closed on Friday which he said saw an okay response.

Turner added received responses from the survey and in-person sessions will be combined with statistics and infrastructure information to finish the plan by this fall.

“Pretty much you’re looking at evacuation routes, ways in and out of the community, how many people are there, people who might need extra assistance, and how you can quickly get out of an area if you need to,” he said.

The project is being funded through a $40,000 Union of BC Municipalities Evacuation Route Planning Grant.

Turner is also hoping to tie this into the Town of Smithers’ and Village of Telkwa’s emergency evacuation plan done by Bulkley Valley Emergency Support Services.

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Harman Bhangu aimed to position himself as an alternative to those he called “political elites” as he launched his B.C. Conservative leadership campaign on Wednesday.

“Working people need someone real who will roll up their sleeves and fight for them. Someone who will stand with everyday British Columbians, not just big business and insiders,” said the Langley-Abbotsford MLA and transportation critic in a social media post.

The Surrey-native was elected to the legislature in 2024, and previously worked in the trucking industry.

He also ran as a Conservative candidate in the 2022 Surrey South by-election, placing third with less than 13 per cent of the vote.

Bhangu hinted in December he was mulling a leadership run, but said he wouldn’t join the race unless his friend, North Island-Powell River MP Aaron Gunn, decided not to run.

Gunn announced later that month he wouldn’t launch a leadership bid.

Bhangu joins a crowded field of 11 candidates who have announced leadership bids. The ten other candidates are:

Ten candidates have confirmed they’re running to lead the B.C. Conservatives:

• Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman
• Former B.C. Liberal labour minister Iain Black
• Prince George-North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare
• Political commentator and former BC United vice-president Caroline Elliott
• Former federal Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay
• Entrepreneur and Capilano University chancellor Yuri Fulmer
• Rossland contractor Warren Hamm
• Former grocery executive Darrell Jones
• Richmond-Queensborough MLA Steve Kooner
• Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar

Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford has served as interim leader since John Rustad stepped down in early December under pressure from his caucus.

A new leader is to be announced on May 30.

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The city of Fernie has wrapped up its final public hearing regarding the new firehall project and discussion was as fiery as always.

Council was having the hearing ahead of zoning amendments to allow for the firehall to be built on a portion of Prentice Park.

Fernie resident and member of the Prentice Park Society Anthony Anselmo said they are still very much against it and council needs to show that they are open to changing their minds.

“Let me state this very clearly, Fernie needs a new firehall. Our firefighters deserve a safe, modern facility and our community deserves reliable emergency response,” he said.

“This is a statutory public hearing. The supreme Court of Canada has said that when council holds a public hearing councillors may have views, but must remain open to persuasion by what they hear and what was written in submission. Please show the public this is a real discussion point and not a box ticking exercise.”

The majority of people who spoke in the hearing were against it, but not everyone.

Fernie resident and former mayor Randal MacNair said there is an abundance in alternative park spaces including James White and Max Turyk but very few options for a firehall.

“These recreational and green space facilities offer opportunities for recreation that exceed our population now and into the future,” he said.

“The same however can not be said for city owned opportunities to locate a firehall. A modern a strategically located firehall that looks to the future and present needs is essential to any community. Fernie unfortunately has been without such for decades.”

With this hearing over, council will decide in a future meeting to approve the zoning changes required to allow the firehall.

If that goes through, the city is hoping to break ground sometime in the spring.

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Sparwood will be seeing a lower than projected increase to council and mayor pay following public feedback.

The remuneration bylaw was up for adoption on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and would have raised the mayor’s annual pay to $65,000 and increased it to $31,000 for councillors.

Currently, councillors make $21,538 a year, while the mayor makes $48,460, with both having a 2.5 per cent increase annually.

In comparison, Cranbrook’s mayor makes just over $58,000 annually and council makes $21,176. However, those salaries are currently under review as well.

Roughly 50 people showed up to the council meeting to express their issues with the raise.

While Mayor David Wilks was for the original pay bump, he said it was nice to see that many people actually show up to council for something.

“You don’t know how happy I am tonight that about 50 residents of Sparwood came out to a council meeting. That’s more than we’ve had in my 17 years in council combined,” he said.

“Most council meetings no one is here. We went and borrowed $20 million for a wastewater treatment plant and didn’t hear peep from anyone, but everyone complained about the three increases they’re getting for the wastewater treatment plant. If you have a problem come talk to us. We’re here every other Tuesday.”

Councillor Amy Cardozo was in favour of rescinding third reading of the projected increase, but says pay does need to be better to get more people running for office.

“I do agree that we deserve a wage increase but 45 per cent is too much. However, I don’t think our current pay structure is sustainable for the long-term health of this council. There is already a lack of people running for council and our voter turnout was one of the lowest we’ve ever seen,” she added.

“A councillor in our position right now making $21,500 a year is taking home $650 every two weeks. This breaks down to approximately $16.30 cents an hour, below minimum wage. I raise this as a concern because speaking with other women who want to run for council, they simply can’t afford to. They have children at home that they are going to have to pay childcare for. The growing rate for childcare in the valley right now is $15 to $20. They would essentially be paying to sit on council.”

Wilks said pay needs to better reflect the hours the job entails but also the emotional toll it can have.

“I love what I do. Many of my councillors have used the words sh*t and abuse,” he said.

“Be the mayor, I’d call it worse and as a result of that it has become trying at best.”

While third reading of the remuneration bylaw was rescinded, council still had to decide on council’s pay.

That led to a stand off where a number would be suggested by a councillor, but no one would second the motion.

Finally there was a mover and a seconder for $55,000 a year for the mayor and $26,500 for councillors. There is also the set annual 2.5 per cent increase.

Mayor Wilks and councillors Cordozo, Jason Christensen and Chris Nand voted in favour, while councillors Sam Atwal, Steve Kallies and John Bahaer were against.

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The City of Nelson has voted against adopting a citywide rollout of its pre-treated organics program, opting instead for a scaled expansion.

Staff recommended the city purchase 1,900 more FoodCycler appliances to equip all remaining eligible households as part of a six-year residential organics diversion program.

The recommendation followed several workshops reviewing results of the pilot program but failed to advance.

“It seems like a lot to deal with at one time,” said Councillor Keith Page.

“I’m just sensing that there’s more conversation to be had here, so I’m not comfortable in moving full force into this program.”

Councillor Leslie Payne also raised concerns about cost and participation rates, specifically the value of purchasing the full allotment.

“Since we didn’t get over two years a 100 per cent adoption rate in Fairview, I’m very curious to see how we would plan to get a 100 per cent adoption rate across the city,” said Payne.

“So investing in 1,900 units does not seem like a good investment to me. That’s a $1.2 million purchase and I think we’re in a time where its critically important for us to consider how we use our money.”

Instead, council shifted to a phased approach driven by residential demand.

“I think we should just deal with our wait list this year. I think we should probably create a space for a wet drop-off somewhere, and we should see how effective that is,” added Page.

Council ultimately amended the motion, reducing the potential purchase from 1,900 units to “up to 1,000,” which was approved.

In addition to the phased approach, council approved direction for staff to develop policies and an implementation plan aimed at strengthening organics diversion and recycling.

That work will include exploring regulatory tools, continued waste measurement and enhancements to the city’s central organic waste drop-off infrastructure.

Council also touched on the possibility of introducing new services, including biannual yard waste collection and launching a small-scale “clear bag no tag policy”, though Payne expressed hesitation, citing affordability concerns.

“I’m uncomfortable at this point in time with the current tax burden we have of introducing new services. I think that people, folks are doing fine hauling that stuff to Grohman Narrows right now and I just am uncomfortable in contemplating new services.”

But Mayor Janice Morrison argued that investigation does not commit the city to immediate spending.

“If we don’t leave it in there we don’t really know what the cost potential could be and I think that while some might be able to haul their things to Grohman Narrows not everybody can not everybody can do that so I think it’s about again making sure that we’re providing opportunity for residents.”

Council further directed staff to complete a full organics diversion program review, including comparisons with other options such as green cart collection, by December 2030.

The timeline aligns with the expected end-of-life warranty periods for existing FoodCycler units and is intended to give future council members updated data on program performance, participation rates and alternative systems.

Staff analysis provided to council indicated that while capital costs between the FoodCycler and green cart models are similar over six years, operating costs for a green cart program would be about $2 million higher, mainly due to third-party collection expenses.

Under the approved phased approach, Nelson will continue expanding its pre-treated organics program incrementally rather than proceeding with a full citywide rollout in 2026.

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

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The race in the CRD Area A By-Election is picking up its pace.

30 more people took advantage of an early voting opportunity on Tuesday, February 17. A little more than the first advance poll back on February 11, when 28 people cast their early ballots.

General Voting Day is on Saturday, February 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The polling locations are the École Red Bluff Lhtako Elementary School and the Kersley Community Centre.

Voters are choosing between Nicole Audet and Chris Helmink to replace the late Mary Sjostrom as the new Director for Area A, Red Bluff/Quesnel South.

The winner of the By-Election will have to campaign again in October during the general voting season.

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Work is set to continue on a transit improvement project in the Comox Valley. 

BC Transit said work will resume on the downtown Comox transit exchange the week of Feb. 23, after possible archaeological material was discovered in November 2025 and further assessment was required. 

“BC Transit continues working closely with the Ministry of Forests’ Archaeology Branch to ensure all required permits are in place and protocols are followed,” BC Transit said in a press release. 

Traffic changes will be in place on Port Augusta Street between Comox Avenue and Balmoral Avenue during the project, with the southbound lane and adjacent sidewalk temporarily closed. 

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in the area are asked to watch for signage. 

During construction, transit users are asked to use alternative bus stops at Beaufort Avenue at Wilcox Street for Route 3 and Comox Avenue for Routes 1 and 4. 

Transit users are also advised to monitor signage and customer alerts for any changes or delays to routes. 

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The City of Nanaimo will create a plan to address rising sea levels and is seeking public input. 

The city is launching a new project called Our Coastal City, building on a previous study that identified areas vulnerable to future coastal flooding. 

“While sea level rise projections can seem scary, especially for a coastal city such as Nanaimo, the good news is we have time to prepare. By planning for it now, we can be ready for future impacts. I encourage Nanaimo citizens to participate in this process and provide their feedback,” said Mayor Leonard Krog. 

The project is a partnership between the city and Snuneymuxw First Nation. 

“For Snuneymuxw, planning for rising tides includes recognizing that climate and storm events can disturb contaminated sediments and release legacy toxins into shoreline areas, increasing risks to marine ecosystems, seafood and public health. We are committed to working together to find meaningful solutions,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse. 

The city is hosting a survey for residents until March 13. 

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A man accused in a shooting death in rural Grand Forks in 2023 will stand trial this summer.

Sean Tiessen’s trial will begin Aug. 10 in Rossland. He’s charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the death of Joshua Lockwood.

Lockwood, 33, died in a rural home on Granby Road in April 2023. Police said the men knew each other.

Tiessen twice skipped bail but was re-arrested, most recently in January, and was freed again on strict conditions.

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A section of Highway 4 near Cameron Lake will be closed for a day for repairs. 

The provincial ministry of transportation and infrastructure said the section of highway between the Port Alberni Summit and Chalet Road will be closed from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Feb. 25. 

“Crews are completing repairs to the shoulder and bank erosion next to the westbound lane near Cameron Lake. A full daytime closure is required to remove equipment and demobilize the slope-stabilization project in the area,” the province said in a news release. “The work must take place during the day to ensure workers have the best visibility of overhead hazards.” 

The ministry added it has coordinated with emergency services to ensure emergency transport can pass through the site during the closure. 

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The District of Sparwood has closed the walking trail along the north public works fence as construction on the new wastewater treatment plant begins.

Temporary construction fencing was put up over the weekend.

Construction activities were scheduled to begin this week.

District staff said the dog park and trails located behind public works will remain accessible via Lions Park and Engelmann Spruce Drive.

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The union representing thousands of ambulance paramedics and emergency dispatchers in British Columbia said a majority of members have voted in favour of strike action.

Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia (APBC) said Wednesday 6,000 members, or 97 per cent of members, approved of possible strike action.

The union said in a statement the vote sends “a clear message that frontline paramedics and dispatchers are prepared to act to improve paramedic services and supports systems that are much needed.”

APBC said in late January that negotiations with the province were at an impasse and that members ould vote on whether to authorize job action beginning Feb. 2. It said workers would be in a legal strike position once an essential services order is in place.

APBC president Jason Jackson said in a statement that the government’s latest offer fell short of what members need to support themselves and protect their mental health and safety.

The union said B.C.’s ambulance service continues to operate under significant staffing pressures. It is seeking stronger protections against contracting out, improved deployment models for underserved and rural communities and enhanced mental health and wellness supports for frontline workers.

The Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC) did not immediately respond to Vista News’ request for comment on the results of the strike vote.

HEABC has previously said that B.C.’s essential service requirements for the health sector prevent any immediate and serious danger to the public in the case of any job action.

It also said it had proposed mediation to the union on some outstanding issues.

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Concern is a word former MLA and Political Analyst Shirley Bond used often while talking about the provincial budget, which was unveiled yesterday. (Tuesday)

“When we look at the continual increase to the deficit in British Columbia, and this is going to be another record setting deficit, reaching over $13 billion of a deficit, and it continues to grow,” Bond said.

“The reason we should be concerned about that, is because when we see the deficit increase, it means that you’re taking revenue to pay for the cost of servicing that debt, and so money that typically could go and should go to frontline services will now be going in an increasingly higher amount to pay for the cost of that debt.”

Bond added there isn’t a lot of incentive for growing the economy in the budget.

“This is a budget that increases taxes on the first $50,000 of income, so that means every British Columbian will be impacted by that,” she said.

“Obviously there are ways that lower income British Columbians will receive some of that money back, but we’re seeing increasing debt, increasing taxes, and what we look for in budgets, is what does this do to grow the economy so that we have a thriving private sector in our province. We don’t see those kinds of signals in this budget.”

Bond said she’s also concerned about more costs being downloaded onto business owners and small business owners who are already struggling.

“When you look at the cumulative impact, that’s what we have to be concerned about,” she said.

“For example, you’re going to see an expanded use of the PST on some services, so for example, security services, basic cable television, those kinds of things. While we can look at income tax rates as one of the concerns, and obviously relying on the taxpayer to be your primary funder of a budget has always been a concern of mine, but it is the cumulative impacts when small businesses are now going to have to pay PST when they hire security services, we know where that will go, that will eventually transition to the taxpayer in the cost of goods and services.”

Another thing Bond said she noticed in the budget is a significant reduction of the number of people working in the public sector, something she found ironic.

“This government has continually increased the number of people working in those ministries and in the public sector,” she said.

“Now we’re going to see a fairly significant reduction in those numbers over the next couple of years in an attempt to reduce the budget deficit.”

Bond said we also have to be mindful about a cut to the Ministry of Forestry.

“It looks like about $400 million, what does that mean in terms of where that’s going to come from, what does that signal about the government’s prioritization of forestry?” she said.

She added she’s concerned about there being a pause on seven long-term care projects.

“We know there is a desperate need for increasing the number of long-term care beds,” she said.

“Those are going to have far reaching impacts. We’ll have to wait and see what it means when we see a slowing down of some of those projects.”

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Nearly five years after the City of Castlegar submitted a plan to make the West Kootenay Regional Airport more reliable in bad weather, the federal government still hasn’t given its blessing.

Mayor Maria McFaddin said in an interview today that the city recently sent a letter to the Ministry of Transportation requesting a timeline for approval. Transport Canada is still reviewing the city’s submission for a lower-ceiling landing approach involving something called required navigation performance, which lets planes fly specific paths, relying on GPS.

It’s expected that could finally solve the frequent winter cancellations in Castlegar, which lies in a narrow valley prone to fog. Between Jan. 13 and Feb. 2, 11 of 19 scheduled flights were cancelled, which is about average for this time of year. The flights that did get in were only about one-third full.

“What we’ve heard from Transport Canada is that everything is looked at in a priority basis and it sounds like we’re competing with bigger airports,” McFaddin said. “That means they have not made our airport a high priority. So we are trying to advocate for that to change.”

McFaddin said they haven’t just been waiting idly in the interim and there has been “a lot” of back-and-forth with Transport Canada and local MPs. Complicating matters, she said, is that some standards and approvals have changed, forcing the city to revise and resubmit its proposal. She hopes looming cuts within the federal government don’t cause further delays.

McFaddin said the long wait has been frustrating given the time, energy, and money the city has spent on the project, dating back to 2017. A report funded by Castlegar and other local governments cost $260,000. The city subsequently borrowed $1 million from the Columbia Basin Trust for additional work. McFaddin said there are ongoing costs to ensure their application is kept up to date.

“It is extremely frustrating when you know you have a solution for a region that really gets locked in the wintertime and just to be sitting and waiting,” she said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to advocate that they move quicker.”

While federal authorities have not rejected the proposal, and the city expects it will eventually be approved, McFaddin said that’s not much consolation. She said required navigation performance is used all over the world, so it is not new technology.

If and when they do receive the go-ahead, McFaddin said they will have to be prepared to implement the plan, which will take more time and money. The flight path will have to go through trials before Air Canada is ready to use it.

The city is already preparing for higher passenger loads. The airport apron has already been expanded and this week council approved borrowing $5 million to expand the airport terminal.

As mayor, McFaddin said she is asked about the airport “once every couple of weeks,” including by her political counterparts from around the region. She said she doesn’t get the sense people are upset with the city, but rather share their frustration with how slow the process is.

Is there any reason to believe 2026 will be year that Castlegar finally puts to rest the nickname of Cancelgar?

“Hopefully, we’ll get approval,” McFaddin said. “That would be lovely this year, and then we can start the next process. That means we should, sooner than later, have better reliability.”

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The Prince George Spruce Kings are pleased to announce the commitment of defenseman Noah Smith for the 2026-2027 season.

Smith who is from Sindelfingen, Germany and holds dual US-German Citizenship plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 Team.

In 44 games this season, the 18-year-old has scored six goals and added 21 assists for 27 points.

“I chose to sign with Prince George because of their successful history as an organization. The coaching staff has a great background at the highest levels, and the attention to player development really stood out to me and will help develop my game. I’m extremely excited to be a Spruce King.” added Smith in a release.

In addition, PG landed Michigan-born forward Marco Wolf for next fall.

From Pinckney, Michigan he plays for Howell High School in the Michigan High School league.

In 25 games this season, Wolf has scored 24 goals and added 21 assists for 55 points.

“Joining such a well-established and respected organization was an incredibly easy decision for me. I’m genuinely excited to arrive, learn from Coach Tesink and the entire staff, and become a part of the Prince George Community.” added Wolf in a release.

The Spruce Kings are back in action Friday when they host the Powell River Kings at 7pm from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings are pleased to announce the commitment of defenseman Noah Smith for the 2026-2027 season.

Smith who is from Sindelfingen, Germany and holds dual US-German Citizenship plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U18 Team.

In 44 games this season, the 18-year-old has scored six goals and added 21 assists for 27 points.

“I chose to sign with Prince George because of their successful history as an organization. The coaching staff has a great background at the highest levels, and the attention to player development really stood out to me and will help develop my game. I’m extremely excited to be a Spruce King.” added Smith in a release.

The Spruce Kings are back in action Friday when they host the Powell River Kings at 7pm from the Kopar Memorial Arena.

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Mackenzie’s Evan Bichon is reflecting on his first taste of Olympic competition after finishing 17 out of 32 competitors in the men’s snowboard cross event.

In an interview, Bichon said heading to Italy for a once-in-a-lifetime experience made it all worth, especially after growing up in rural B.C.

“To be able to do what you love and travel the world has been unbelievable. I think I have been too 24 or 25 different countries in my life now and when I moved from Mackenzie to Prince George I didn’t know how to use a cross-walk with a button because we didn’t have any of those.”

He added the end result in Milano-Cortina gives him something bigger to strive for in future years.

“I think it is a good bench mark to finish 17th here. Everybody who is here competing with me at the Olympics is the top of every country who competes on the World Cup Tour with me – all of the competitions I will be doing for the rest of this season and into the future I am competing against the best of the best and I got a good result moving forward.”

Bichon, who attended high school in Prince George joked it didn’t take long for him to realize he’s now an Olympian.

“The biggest realization was the opening ceremony. When we got walk through that awesome ring and my opening ceremonies had both flag bearers so it was really special to be apart and that was my we are here moment.”

“When I was younger, I was just snowboarding for fun and I didn’t even know that snowboard cross was an Olympic sport. I think my realization that maybe I could go to the Olympics for this was when I qualified for the Canada Games back in 2015 and then that really became a goal for me after I won the Canada Games – it’s been a ten-year journey to get to the Olympics.”

It didn’t hurt that the competition was top-notch and the food was good too.

“They are pumping out pizzas for us and they are perfect Italian pizzas so I am a big fan of that and I definitely had good meals here so I have been enjoying the food. We have a big food hall and that is where we do a lot of our mingling. I will meet people from different countries, different athletes and there staff at the meal hall, it’s a good place for a conversation,” added Bichon.

Bichon departs Italy today (Wednesday) and will focus on his next competition in Turkey at the end of the month.

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As Tumbler Ridge mourns last week’s mass shooting that left eight dead and two with serious injuries, advocates are speaking out against anti-transgender rhetoric circulating online.

Six children, an education assistant and the suspect’s mother were killed in the shootings at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in the small, northeastern B.C. community.

Police said the 18-year-old suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found dead at the school from a self-inflicted wound.

B.C. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald confirmed to reporters the day after the shootings that Van Rootselaar was a trans woman. 

Vista News has opted not to include details about the suspect’s gender identity in our ongoing reporting on the shooting unless new information indicates it is relevant to the case.

RCMP have not shared details about a possible motive for the shootings.

McDonald said police had gone to Van Rootselaar’s home on multiple occasions over the past several years related to mental health concerns, and she had been apprehended “on different occasions” for assessment under the Mental Health Act.

RELATED  How parents can support children after tragic events like the Tumbler Ridge shootings

Rumours and misinformation about the shootings and the suspect’s identity was circulating online even before police confirmed Van Rootselaar was transgender. They included inaccurate claims linking transgender identity to violent crime.

Independent MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream Tara Armstrong who decried what she called an “epidemic of transgender violence,” in a Feb 10. social media post.

B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender said she was disappointed by the rise of anti-trans narratives that were being spread following the shootings. 

“Mis and disinformation amplify hateful beliefs, which can result in discrimination and violence towards trans people who already face extremely high levels of discrimination and harassment,” said Govender in a statement.  

“Using this horrific incident to conflate trans identities with violent tendencies is incorrect, irresponsible and frankly dangerous,” she said. 

RELATED  Canadian leaders speak at emotional vigil in Tumbler Ridge

The B.C. Teachers Federation also spoke out in a social media post, saying the shooter’s identity is being politicized and used to create more division. The union pledged to support its trans and gender-diverse members. The post was shared by B.C. Education and Childcare Minister Lisa Beare, who said it’s “shameful and wrong” to exploit a tragedy to push a political agenda against trans kids.

Kate Rossiter, director of provincial services at the Ending Violence Association of B.C., said the group is focused on providing support to the affected families.

“A lot of people want answers and want to understand what happened in this case,” she said. “As we search for answers, I think there are people who will utilize this incident to fuel ideas that are stigmatizing and discriminatory.”

Rossiter said trans people are far more likely to be the targets of violent crimes than the perpetrators.

A U.S.-based study published in the journal AJPH found transgender people were about four-times as likely to be a victim of a crime, compared to those who aren’t transgender. Data also show that well below one per cent of people who commit mass shootings in the U.S. are transgender. 

In Canada, there has been a rise of hate targeting LGBTQ+ communities in recent year. Statistics Canada says the number of police-reported hate crimes targeting a gender identity or expression more than doubled between 2020 and 2023.

RELATED  Shocked, helpless and heavy. Tumbler Ridge residents devastated by shooting

Celeste Trianon is the founding director of the not-for-profit legal clinic Juritrans and is a member of the B.C.-based organization Lawyers Against Transphobia.

She said that some of the earliest of pieces of misinformation about the suspect were being spread from foreign accounts in the U.S., China, India and elsewhere.

“I would start by being critical toward any sources of information. Listen to official sources and people who are on the ground, not necessarily political pundits commenting,” said Trianon.

She noted that incorrect information circulating about the shooter was shared up by some mainstream news outlets, including falsely identifying an Ontario trans woman as the suspect.

“This kind of irresponsible reporting puts lives in danger,” said Trianon. “What I’m most afraid of is more violence, when the whole objective that we should all have is violence prevention.”

She said the focus should be on the victim’s families and the communities.

Rossiter agreed: “Now is the time not for hate but for love and support of the community impacted by this violence,” she said. 

The Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Committee set up a GoFundMe page for the families affected by the shooting that has raised more than $700,000 as of Wednesday.

Other fundraising pages have also been set up for victims’ families, including the family of 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who remains in serious condition in a Vancouver hospital.

Anyone affected by the tragedy can contact the 24-hour Crisis Services Canada line at 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 to connect with support, or call the 24-hour B.C. crisis line at 310-6789 (no area code required) to connect with support.

Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support in Canada at 877-330-6366.

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Prince George-Mackenzie Conservative MLA Kiel Giddens didn’t mince words on his disappointment in the 2026 provincial budget put forth by the NDP.

BC’s deficit is coming in at a record 13-billion dollars, roughly three billion higher than last projected by finance minister Brenda Bailey.

Tuesday’s tabled budget will also include tax payers shelling out an additional $76 during the upcoming fiscal year.

Giddens told Vista Radio this year’s budget wasn’t kind to the wallets of seniors.

“They are actually not going to be able to defer property taxes at the same interest rate. They are going to charge seniors a higher rate to defer property tax and the PST will go up on basic cable and landlines, something seniors really care about.”

He added families living in regions received little favours from the David Eby led government as it pertains to housing.

“One of the things they have done to make it more challenging for northern homeowners is cut the rural and and northern home owner grant. That is $200 that families will be taking out of their household budget and is simply unacceptable at a time where rural and northern communities are struggling.”

Prince George-North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare is also of the opinion businesses in communities like PG got the short end of the stick.

“Small businesses are going to get 500-million dollars in PST tax on professional services including bookkeeping, private security and accounting. When you see what is happening with our downtowns and being forced to spend more on security makes zero sense.”

In terms of long-term-care, Clare mentioned with wait times exceeding 300 days in the province, little was done to improve the situation.

“You are going to see extra costs because people who aren’t getting care are going to be relying more on ambulances and emergency rooms and hospitals, increasing the load on seniors using the health care system. We are going to see a whole bunch of additional costs because of this.”

“A senior citizen with a basic landline and cable is going to be paying an extra 48-dollars more per year. It may sound like nothing but if you are on a fixed income and you are getting these inflationary costs, it will lead to people making some choices.”

Lastly, Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad blasted the NDP for not turning around our fiscal fortunes, especially when it comes to forestry.

“There is no plan for driving private sector investment in this province, which is desperately needed. It was talked about and I can tell you it sounded more like a prayer, not a plan.”

“As a matter of fact, revenues (in forestry), which were once $1.89 billion dollars are now just down to 500-million dollars from our forest sector. Our decline has been brutal and obviously our government is embarrassed about it because they didn’t even mention it.”

PG’s lone mention in the budget document is part of new investments totaling 131-million going towards specialized mental health and addictions treatment, including involuntary treatment beds.

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The Nelson Professional Firefighters Charitable Society has raised $2,000 for SD8 elementary schools within the City of Nelson for the fourth year running – $500 each for Hume Elementary, Rosemont Elementary, South Nelson Elementary, and Wildflower Nelson.

The society raises money annually through a fall charity golf tournament and a winter “boot drive” in December when they collect money from local shoppers and visitors outside Nelson businesses to benefit a variety of community organizations and causes.

“Communities have been great at supporting the causes [firefighters] support and it’s our pleasure to make these donations to the kids’ food program again. We have kids, and it’s one of our top priorities to support all children.”

Funds donated to the school district will be used to buy food items that other food programs don’t provide, or to feed students after school or during weekends and holidays.

“The kids literally eat up whatever we provide,” said Principal Nick Graves. “We bought several boxes of apples recently and they were all eaten within a couple of days. It’s so great to be able to provide healthy food to hungry students and see them devour it in front of you.”

Principal Graves says that families whose children attend Nelson area schools have varying levels of need and the Nelson Professional Firefighters’ monetary donations allow students to eat healthy, good food so they can think, create and learn.

“This money goes directly to feeding students who need snacks or meals when they are at school, and to those families who need something after school and in some cases on weekends and holidays to make ends meet. When we feed families we feed children, and when children are nourished, they can learn.”

Nelson firefighter Chas Misener says that the Nelson Professional Firefighters are committed to supporting the community they live and work in.

“This is all off duty. This is where we do [fundraising] to help the community outside of our job. We have built so much good credit being part of this community as firefighters that it’s our way of showing that people have been so great at supporting us, we want to support them.”

That cycle of gratitude and generosity feeds families and a community that helps children learn, grow and thrive.

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A proposed short-term rental in Trail’s Glenmerry neighbourhood is poised to be approved, but city council hasn’t signaled yet how it feels about an application in Sunningdale. 

A public hearing last week dealt with applications for 3249 Lilac Crescent and 12 Hazelwood Drive, but most of the time was devoted to the latter address. 

Proponent Ken Umbarger, who recently purchased the Sunningdale home, is converting it into a triplex and would like to use one of the units as a short-term rental. He and his wife expect to be away about half of the year. 

Umbarger said he understands there is anxiety from neighbours who fear he is trying to make a “quick buck,” but he insisted there would be “minimal neighbourhood impact and positive community economic benefit.” He said maximum occupancy limits would be strictly enforced, there would a local contact available at all times, and all required parking would be provided on-site. 

“The proposed STR is designed to operate in a manner consistent with the surrounding residential neighborhood, property values, and community context,” he said. 

However, the dozen or so neighbours who spoke at the hearing, including several longtime residents, weren’t convinced.

Retired provincial court judge Ron Fabbro said allowing short-term rentals in the neighbourhood “fundamentally changes its character.”  

“Trail’s official community plan calls for preserving the single-family residential nature of Sunningdale,” he said. “A revolving door of short-term guests would erode the sense of community that we value.” 

Fabbro also said seven proposed parking spaces to be added to the property are “inconsistent with the established character and aesthetics of the street,” adding that “increased traffic, parking congestion, noise and disruption are inevitable in those circumstances.”  

Retired credit union manager Doug Stanley, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 45 years, said he is already seeing parking issues in Sunningdale and adding a short-term rental wouldn’t help. 

“During the summertime, I have trailers, motorcycles, trucks, and sports cars parked two houses in front of me,” he said. “I can’t find a place to park. Now we have those who want to intensify this by using their lawns as parking spaces.” 

Stanley said he is worried that if council approves the application, it will open the door to others: “Should this application pass, then the preservation of the single-family residential nature of Sunningdale will, in my opinion, pass on.” 

Jamie Forbes, who spent more than 30 years working for the City of Trail as a planner and city clerk, said he was “surprised and dismayed” to discover current bylaws allow for two-family homes in single-family residential areas.  

He said while there is nothing neighbours can do to stop Umbarger from adding more units to the home, they can try to stop further increases in residential density from “eroding the character of our neighbourhood.” 

“More density means more cars and more conflict with pedestrians,” Forbes said. “I think I can safely speak for the majority of residents in Sunningdale. We like our neighborhood just the way it is, and we do not want any increase in residential density in existing dwellings.” 

Addressing one of the common concerns, Umbarger said his proposal to put parking on the property was to avoid taking it away from the street. 

While most of the written submissions the city received were also against the proposal, one of the two in favour was from former mayor Sandy Santori, who said he thought Umbarger’s application was “being pursued thoughtfully and responsibly.” 

“I believe this proposal can be operated in a manner that is respectful of the neighbourhood and consistent with the City of Trail’s objectives,” Santori wrote. 

In a split vote, council opted to delay its decision on 12 Hazelwood until Feb. 23. Mayor Colleen Jones and councillors Paul Butler, Nick Cashol, and Terry Martin supported the postponement, while councillors Bev Benson, Doug Wilson, and Thea Hanson were opposed. 

By contrast, the other application for Lilac Crescent has met with little opposition. 

The applicants, Bernie Johnson and Carol Buckner, are seeking a license to operate a short-term rental in their basement. They said they have already been renting the space out, live on site, and expect bookings of five to seven days per month. They said the unit wouldn’t be suitable for long-term accommodation because it doesn’t have a kitchen. 

Council heard from three speakers who either supported the application or just had questions. 

“No one wants to see a revolving door like a hotel,” said Ashton Florko, who lives nearby. “This is not that. Who’s coming? Nurses, doctors, maybe students. It’s not had any impact. 

“I can’t think of a reason that this shouldn’t go ahead. What more could you ask for here? You’ve got oversight. No one’s staying there a long time. There’s not a bunch of cars. It’s fine.” 

Council voted to approve third reading of the bylaw amendment to legalize the suite. Final approval is pending sign-off from the Ministry of Transportation. 

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Another softball player from Prince George is taking her talents south of the border next fall.

Jocelyn Yandeau committed to the Cerro Coso Community Coyotes, a community college located in Ridgecrest, California.

Yandeau climbed up the ranks through Prince George Minor Fastball suiting up for various Thunderbird programs the last couple seasons.

Her positions are first base and outfield.

This summer, the local product will play for the U19B Quesnel Chaos.

Ridgecrest is located 110 miles (177km) from Bakersfield and 120 miles (193km) from San Bernardino and has a population of 28,373.

Yandeau is the second softball player from Prince George to sign with an American college this winter.

Danaya McIsaac joined the South Carolina based USC Lady Bantams in the National Junior College Athletic Association last month.

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School District 57 Trustees held a virtual board meeting this evening (Tuesday) discussing items that were missed after last week’s postponement.

One of the discussions was centred around the 2025-26 amended budget, which had seen various changes due to staffing, enrolment, updated projections for major cost items, and more.

The School District is expected to see its net revenue decrease by $233,408 from its original expectations.

The biggest reason being from the Ministry of Education and Childcare grant reducing by $561,143.

Operating expenses will be more than expected, increasing by $511,589, however, costs are primarily staying away from the $1 million mark because of bus route optimization, decreasing the transportation and housing costs by $547,164.

Salaries will be reduced by nearly $1.7 million, with the biggest decrease coming from education assistant salaries reducing by 3.2 per cent due to vacancies, with teachers dropping 1.5 per cent due to vacancies and enrolment.

Services and supplies will see an increase of under $2.2 million with services jumping up by under $1.7 million, and supplies increasing by just over $1.4 million.

The School District’s accumulated operating surplus at the end of the year is presented at $8,339,177, but is conservative, and could change if schools and departments underspend their budget allocations.

Trustees unanimously passed the first three readings.

The full presentation breakdown of the amended budget can be found here, with the full meeting agenda here.

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Sports by Hartley Wednesday, February 18th, 2026  as of 12:05 a.m.

Winter Games:

The men’s hockey quarterfinals are featured today (Wednesday) at Milano Cortina 2026.

No. 1 Canada is up against #8 Czechia at 7:40 a.m. PT.

No. 2 U.S. will face #7 Sweden at 12:10 p.m. PT

No. 3 Slovakia is up against #6 Germany at 3:10 a.m. PT

No. 4 Finland will battle #5 Switzerland at 9:10 a.m. PT

The winners advance to the semifinals on Friday.

The bronze medal game is set for Saturday (11:40 a.m. PT).

The gold medal game will be played Sunday (5:10 a.m.).

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Canada will play the U.S. in the women’s hockey gold medal game Thursday (10:10 AM PT).

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Canada’s third gold medal of the Winter Games went to the speed skaters in Women’s Team Pursuit.

Ivanie Blondin, Valerie Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann defeated the Netherlands in the finals Tuesday to top the podium.

It’s back-to-back gold for Canada in the event after they won four years ago in Beijing.

After Tuesday’s competition, Canada has 12 medals at Milano Cortina 2026; three gold, four silver and five bronze.

Canada’s other gold came from Megan Oldham of Parry Sound, Ont. in the women’s freeski big air and from Freestyler Mikael Kingsbury of Quebec in men’s Moguls.

#

Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George will participate at the Games on Saturday
(1 AM PT).

Prince George long-track speed skater Caroline Hiller-Donnelly placed 21st out of 29 on Sunday in the 500m race.

Earlier, (on February 9th), Hiller-Donnelly finished 26th out of 30 in the 1000m race.

Evan Bichon of Mackenzie, who went to high school in Prince George, ended up 17th in a field of 32 and did not advance to the quarter-finals last week in men’s snowboard cross.

WHL:

The WHL Prospects game will be played tonight (Wednesday) in Langley featuring Team West against Team East.

PG Cougars defenceman Carson Carels is the Captain for Team West while Cougars forward Kaden Lemire and P.G. native Chase Harrington of the Spokane Chiefs are also on the team while Mark Lamb of Prince George is the head coach.

#

The P.G. Cougars are 1-1 on an 8-game road which concludes with six on the Prairies.

The Cougars visit the Swift Current Broncos Friday night (5:00 PT) and the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday (4:00 PT).

The (32-20-2) Cougars are second in the B.C. Division, just one point ahead of the
(29-18-5-2) Kelowna Rockets and 12 points behind the first place (35-11-4-4) Vees.

Prince George has just 14 games left in the regular season; 6 at home and 8 on the road.

The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.

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Courtenay residents are being invited to weigh in on proposed traffic calming changes along 1st Street.

City of Courtenay is hosting an open house Friday, Feb. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Puntledge Park Elementary School, where residents can view design concepts and speak directly with project staff.

The proposed upgrades focus on 1st Street between Menzies and Keeneland avenues, with four intersections under review, including Menzies, Woods, Lost Creek Lane near Puntledge Park and Keeneland.

City officials say feedback from earlier consultations helped narrow the concepts now being presented, with recommendations already shared with council for future budget planning.

“An open house was held in October 2025 to discuss potential options for traffic calming at four different intersections,” reads a statement from the city. “Based on the public consultation that included a survey, this was narrowed down to the current design concepts.”

The open house is happening February 27 from 5 pm to 7 pm at Puntledge Park Elementary School.

A survey is also open until March 9.

– Article includes link from City of Courtenay’s website

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A candlelight vigil is being held in Campbell River on Wednesday, Feb. 18 to stand with Tumbler Ridge and honour the lives lost in last week’s shooting.

The event is being hosted by the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society at Spirit Square.

“All members of the public are welcome to bring candles to light in remembrance,” the society said. “Support workers will be available for those that may need help in navigating this difficult time.”

Six children and two women were killed last week in shootings at a school and a home in the northeastern B.C. community of Tumbler Ridge.

The vigil begins at 5:15 p.m.

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He says they were on scene for around 6 hours.

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British Columbia’s government presented its budget Tuesday, featuring a record-high deficit, increased income taxes and a plan to rein in spending.

Finance Minister Brenda Bailey tabled Budget 2026, saying it is about “making difficult choices now to avoid more difficult ones later.”

Bailey stressed she does not consider it an austerity budget. She said the province is making “strategic investments” in areas such as health care and education and aims to protect front-line public services.

“Now is not the time to make big cuts,” she said.

The fiscal plan projects a $13.3-billion deficit in 2026-27, about $3.7 billion higher than the projected shortfall for the current fiscal year. The deficit is forecast to decline gradually over the three-year plan to $11.6 billion in 2028-29.

The government also plans to raise the tax rate for the first income tax bracket from 5.06 per cent to 5.6 per cent. The province said the move would cost the average taxpayer $76 this year.

Bailey said a $115 increase to the B.C. tax reduction credit means more than 40 per cent of taxpayers will see savings despite the higher tax rate.

She said the province remains focused on reducing the size of the public sector while maintaining front-line services. Bailey said the government expects to save $3.5 billion over the next three years by managing administrative and discretionary spending.

The province also plans to cut 15,000 full-time positions over three years, for expected savings of $2.8 billion.

The plan includes nearly $38 billion in taxpayer-supported capital spending, with a focus on health care, schools and transit.

More coming.

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Creston RCMP responded to 917 calls for service in the last quarter of 2025, with overall call volumes remaining consistent with 2024.

Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk provided council with the detachment’s latest quarterly report on Feb. 10.

Buliziuk said the detachment handled just under 4,200 calls for service for the full 2025 calendar year.

“We’re just under 4,200 calls for service for the calendar year, 2025. The split on those, 472 calls for service in the municipality, 406 in the rural area,” said Buliziuk.

Early figures for 2026 show comparable trends.

“Looking at the start of 26, we were at 394 calls for service when I left the truck, with a split of 198 in the municipality and 182 in the rural area. So again, the numbers on the split have been relatively consistent the last couple of years now with the averages.”

He said the detachment saw a typical seasonal slowdown over the holidays, but noted workloads typically rise as winter conditions improve.

“We were fortunately through the holiday season, things tapered a little bit, which was nice and allowed us to give a couple of our members a little bit of time off to be with family,” he said.

“As the weather’s been getting a bit better here, the workload increases as is typical.”

Staffing shortages remain a concern. The detachment is staffed with 12 of 13 officers, though Buliziuk noted staffing levels will soon drop further.

“We have one hard vacancy. That is going to increase to a second hard vacancy in the next, I’ll have the notification of that the coming couple of weeks with a transfer taking place in the next 90 days as we’re losing a member to Ottawa. That’ll put us to 11 of 13.”

He noted operational strength is lower when factoring in medical leave.

“Once we get to that number of 11, we are down two more of those positions due to long-term medical leave. And one is currently on a graduated return to work as a result of a physical injury. So as of right now, we’re functioning 9 of 13, myself included in that.”

On enforcement, Buliziuk said drug investigations have continued, though he noted a shift in seizure volumes.

“We’ve executed a number of Control Drugs and Substances Act search warrants. The trend from the work being done over the last couple of years is that the amounts, the quantities of seizure is significantly less,” said Buliziuk.

“My perception around that is we’ve been hitting these regular clients on a regular basis, and that often leads to mistrust in organizational levels above them to handle as much quantity at a time. So positive results is ultimately what I’m saying.”

He said a recent warrant also established links to higher-level organized crime in the Lower Mainland.

“In one of our last search warrant executions, we did have a connection established to known higher scale organized crime in the lower mainland. That crime group is known to be trying to advance their agenda around the province, and obviously us being a prime location with our international border accessibility.”

However, Buliziuk said those files can trigger additional provincial support.

“The plus side with that is they are the province’s highest priority for enforcement. So it comes with some additional funding and support on that side of things too to help the municipality.”

Property crime also remains an issue, though Buliziuk described it as “concentrated” among repeat offenders.

“Property crime continue to have what I would refer to as isolated issues. I mean that in the sense of it’s coming from the same couple of clients over and over again,” he said.

“When those clients are removed from community in a custodial status for short periods of time, I find it rather interesting that much of the property crime doesn’t take place during those absences.”

Councillors asked Buliziuk about the impact of the recriminalization of small quantities of illicit drugs, which came into effect at the end of January.

“It doesn’t have a tremendous impact here because a lot of the drug files that we work, we’ve found our way to success in obtaining judicial authorizations without having to deal with the under 2.5 gram levels,” said Buliziuk.

Still, he said restoring officers’ ability to enforce possession thresholds provides added flexibility.

“Having the ability to enforce that again does give us more tools in our kit. You’re starting at the user level and working your way up the ladder and having the ability to detain under those circumstances is definitely beneficial in my view from an enforcement standpoint.”

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British Columbia’s government presented its budget Tuesday, featuring a record-high deficit, increased income taxes and a plan to rein in spending.

Finance Minister Brenda Bailey tabled Budget 2026, saying it is about “making difficult choices now to avoid more difficult ones later.”

Bailey stressed she does not consider it an austerity budget. She said the province is making “strategic investments” in areas such as health care and education and aims to protect front-line public services.

“Now is not the time to make big cuts,” she said.

The fiscal plan projects a $13.3-billion deficit in 2026-27, about $3.7 billion higher than the projected shortfall for the current fiscal year. The deficit is forecast to decline gradually over the three-year plan to $11.6 billion in 2028-29.

The government also plans to raise the tax rate for the first income tax bracket from 5.06 per cent to 5.6 per cent. The province said the move would cost the average taxpayer $76 this year.

Bailey said a $115 increase to the B.C. tax reduction credit means more than 40 per cent of taxpayers will see savings despite the higher tax rate.

She said the province remains focused on reducing the size of the public sector while maintaining front-line services. Bailey said the government expects to save $3.5 billion over the next three years by managing administrative and discretionary spending.

The province also plans to cut 15,000 full-time positions over three years, for expected savings of $2.8 billion.

The plan includes nearly $38 billion in taxpayer-supported capital spending, with a focus on health care, schools and transit.

More coming.

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The Houston RCMP were able to end a five game losing streak at the Guns vs Hoses game on Sunday against the Fire Department.

The event was held to raise funds for the Houston Volunteer Firefighter Charitable Association with $1,950 being earned.

“It’s a great event for the community. Gets people out seeing a bit of hockey and a good team builder for both the RCMP and fire,” said Fire Chief Jim Daigneault.

The association uses those funds to help various parts of the community including for medical care facilities, those affected by traumatic wounds, assisting firefighters in need, and more.

It is also working on creating a bursary for community service and scholastic achievement benefiting members and their families or someone perusing an emergency services career.

“The team is feeling pretty good,” said Constable Nathan Fox.

“Fire won last five games in a row and we resurrected the game last year after a break for [the COVID pandemic].”

He added there were some players who came from the Smithers and New Hazelton detachments, along with family members on the ice.

“I think everybody’s in pretty good spirits. Some of the players might be a little bit frustrated but that’s part of the game. They did their best,” said Daigneault.

He added the department also had help from Houston and Burns Lake firefighters.

“This is a great event for the community of Houston. It’s fun, everyone enjoys themselves, and I’m really happy to be apart of it,” said Fox.

The RCMP ended the game 8-4 against the firefighters.

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Fernie city council has approved a temporary extension to the city’s agreement with the RDEK to offer fire protection to rural communities.

“The City of Fernie provides rural fire protection and rescue services to the neighboring areas, mainly Anderson Road, Cokato Road, the ski hill neighborhoods and the Highway 3 corridor to the west,” said fire chief Brendan Morgan.

“In return the city receives compensation through operating and capital costs.”

The previous agreement was signed in 2020 and expired in December of 2025.

The city and the RDEK have been working out a new agreement but weren’t done by the time the old deal expired.

“Staff with the city and the RDEK have been involved in discussions regarding clarifying terms and better determining equitable contributions to both operating and capital costs for the service,” Morgan added.

He asked council to extend the previous agreement and a replacement agreement will be brought back to council before June 2026.

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Cranbrook council has given two readings to a seniors housing project, paving way for a public hearing.

The proposal would be a 12-14 unit extension of the new medium density development on the adjacent property beside St. Mary’s School.

It would also designate and protect the parkland adjacent to the creek.

“This is a perfect project for the City, as it not only addresses a significant housing need for residents in our community, but also provides additional protections to our natural environment for the continued enjoyment of all residents,” said planning manager Rob Veg.

The public hearing has been set for Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in council chambers.

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Kimberley RCMP arrested a local man wanted on four outstanding warrants.

On Feb. 16, police were conducting proactive patrols in the Church Avenue area looking for Jacob McKenzie.

He was wanted for assaulting police, flight from police, uttering threats, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

He was located, arrested and additional charges are being recommended.

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New information about the death of a youth in Smithers has been shared by the Smithers RCMP.

She was found dead on a walking trail in Riverside Park just after 10:00 a.m. on December 27th.

Two investigations are underway – the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) around police actions, and Smithers Mounties looking into the lead up to the youth’s death.

Police add there has been no indication of an ongoing risk to the public.

“We know this loss has deeply affected the immediate family and many in our community,” officers said.

The IIO previously said the youth was wearing a white puffy jacket when dropped off downtown the day prior which Smithers RCMP said may not be accurate.

Mounties add work is being done to understand the youth’s movements after being dropped off.

The RCMP is asking anyone who was with her, saw her, spoke with her, or has information about her movements to contact the detachment.

Police are also hoping to speak with anyone who was in the lower area of Ranger Park or along the Riverside Park trail system at about 9:00 p.m. on December 26th.

Mounties ask nearby residents to check exterior or doorbell cameras around that time for footage that may assist in building a timeline.

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The qathet Regional District is inviting proposals from contractors interested in operating its recycling depots.

The district has launched a tender process for operations at five locations across the region — two in Powell River, two on Texada Island and one in Lund.

The successful bidder will be responsible for managing day-to-day depot operations.

Proposals must be submitted by March 13.

Click here for more details and application links.

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A member of Cowichan Tribes is missing, and emergency services and regional search and rescue teams are actively looking for them. 

Cowichan Tribes Emergency Services said crews are searching McAdam Park, near railway lines, and along the Cowichan River. 

Emergency officials are asking property owners in the area to allow access so search efforts can continue. 

Search and rescue said they are not requesting assistance from residents at this time but urged anyone with information to contact the RCMP. 

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Kootenay Lake School District 8 has approved its amended budget for 2025-26, totalling $87.6 million, reflecting a $2.4-million increase over the original plan. 

SD8 said the revised budget accounts for actual enrolment, confirmed funding and approved carryforwards from the previous year. 

It also builds on decisions made in earlier budgets and supports expanded instructional and student support services while maintaining healthy reserves. 

The $2.4-million increase includes $300,000 in operating expenses, $1.9 million in special purpose funds and $200,000 in capital spending. 

“This amended budget reflects stability and predictability for our district. It is the result of board decisions made over several years and the district’s disciplined approach to financial planning,” said SD8 board chair Susan Chew.

“We are using public funds as intended, investing directly in students and schools, and ensuring the district remains on solid financial footing.” 

The amended budget also includes increased instructional spending, growth in special purpose funding for student nutrition, and a reduction in district administrative costs. 

SD8 said instruction continues to account for most district spending, reinforcing the board of directors’ commitment to student learning and the district’s strategic plan priorities. 

“Budgets are the result of careful analysis, collaboration, and a deep understanding of how our schools operate,” said SD8 superintendent Trish Smillie. 

“I want to acknowledge the professionalism and expertise of our school- and district-based staff who have worked to implement a budget that supports students while remaining responsible and sustainable, which in turn allowed the board to do its job of setting district financial priorities and direction.” 

The district’s unrestricted surplus remains within board-approved targets, providing stability while allowing the district to respond to changing needs. 

Planning for the 2026-27 budget will begin in March with a public survey to gather input from students, families, staff and the community. The board is expected to approve the final budget in June. 

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Nelson RCMP are asking for the public’s help as they continue to investigate the death of local resident Jordan Jollimore.

Jollimore was found dead on Sept. 24, 2022, along Highways 3A and 6 near Grohman Narrows Provincial Park, west of Nelson. He was 37.

RCMP said in a press release that investigators continue to actively examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. They are urging anyone who may have information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact Nelson RCMP.

Those with information can contact the Nelson RCMP at 250-352-2156 or provide details anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Cpl. Derek Pitt, detachment commander of Nelson RCMP, said the force appreciates any tips that could assist the investigation.

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Members of the Snuneymuxw First Nation living on reserve land surrounded by the City of Nanaimo may soon be able to vote for Nanaimo’s mayor and council. 

The City of Nanaimo and Snuneymuxw have requested support from the province to initiate a change to the city’s municipal boundaries to include reserve land, which could take effect for the Oct. election. 

“The city boundary amendment allows Snuneymuxw to finally participate in local municipal elections since the incorporation of Nanaimo in 1874. That is 152 years of Snuneymuxw forced exclusion,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse. “That is 152 years of oppression and prejudicial treatment of our people based on the colour of our skin, our culture and our way of being. Today we are announcing a decision that helps correct injustice. We are taking a step to confront and dismantle racism directed at Snuneymuxw people.” 

The change would affect only voting boundaries and would have no impact on property tax, land use or city services. Mayor Leonard Krog said it is a straightforward step to deal with a historic anomaly. 

“I remember being surprised as I suspect most citizens in Nanaimo will actually be surprised to know that you live half a mile from city hall and you don’t get to vote for those people who occupy it. It just doesn’t make any sense,” he said. 

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. 

Wyse said there are about 800 members living on reserve lands who could be affected by the change. 

The city will conduct public engagement and will need electoral approval for the change. That can be obtained through an alternate approval process (AAP) or a referendum. 

Nanaimo city council will discuss approving an AAP at its Feb. 23 meeting. 

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The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is taking steps to determine if it needs to investigate the deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge that claimed nine lives last week.

The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of officers and detention guards in BC, and investigates all incidents involving officers or detention guards that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.

“The IIO extends its condolences to all of the families impacted by this tragedy and the community of Tumbler Ridge. We are immensely saddened by this profound loss,” said Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund.

“The IIO was notified by the RCMP and has assigned investigators to assess evidence in order to determine whether our mandate is met before beginning a full investigation.”

According to the IIO, there are two factors considered in determining whether its investigative mandate has been met.

The first is whether there has been a death or an injury that meets the threshold of serious harm. The second is whether there is a connection between the death or serious harm and officer action or inaction.

If it is determined there is no connection between the death or injury of any person involved in this incident and police action, the IIO will not proceed with an investigation.

If both conditions are met, the investigation will continue to examine all available evidence to determine what occurred.

“It is important to not that our involvement remains separate from and is secondary to any investigation being undertaken by the RCMP or other agencies,” Berglund said.

“We appreciate the community and public’s patience while we ensure our initial work is conducted thoroughly, fairly, and independently. I want to reiterate that the IIO has a responsibility to avoid releasing any information that could prejudice any ongoing investigation.”

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A pair of sold out hockey games were played in Burns Lake over Family Day long weekend with the 2026 BCHL Road Show.

This was the second time it made a stop at the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena with both games being between the Prince George Spruce Kings and the Coquitlam Express.

“Basically, it’s an opportunity for us to come reach an area of the province where we might not normally be able to through the season,” said Communications Director Jesse Adamson.

Along with playing the two games, players met with students at various schools in the community and hosted hockey clinics.

This was the fourth time the league put on the roadshow and the second time since starting to have it in Burns Lake.

“February 2023, it was a huge success. The building was full just like it [was this weekend] and we just really loved our time here,” said Adamson.

Just like the last time they were in Burns Lake, the game was part hosted by the Lake Babine Nation.

Adamson added the community’s response to the event was positive.

All four years the event has run, it’s happened in northern B.C. with the Spruce Kings attending three of those times.

“That’s not a mistake and not by coincidence. We find people want to support their northern brothers and sisters and so that’s why we keep bringing them back,” said Adamson.

The Spruce Kings won 5-2 against the Express on Saturday before Coquitlam responded 4-2 on Sunday.

The next Road Show location is expected to be announced later this year.

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Trail city council is asking its staff to come up with a long-term plan for extreme weather shelters.

The city has not had an overnight cold-weather shelter this winter because building inspectors have insisted that any such space must have sprinklers. That’s despite the fact a shelter that operated in the United Church basement the past two years didn’t have sprinklers.

Although BC Housing is willing to fund a warming centre, it would only operate during the day. The volunteer group that ran the local shelter previously says it’s unwilling to operate a facility unless people are allowed to sleep there.

At least one person has died outdoors this winter.

Councillor Bev Benson introduced a motion last week that asks city staff to work with the regional district, provincial government, Interior Health, and the RCMP to figure something out.

“We can’t keep reinventing this every year,” she said. “It’s inefficient. It’s super stressful. I see the emotion it’s brought out of council, of staff, of our volunteer groups. And most of all, it leaves our vulnerable residents at risk.

“I don’t want to see the next council scrambling to secure locations and volunteers and approvals. We need to build a system that outlives any one council term, any one staff team or any one volunteer group.” 

Benson’s motion applies to both warming and cooling centres. She said other municipalities have extreme weather plans, including Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Victoria, and Surrey.

Benson said her intention was not to criticize past efforts, but to build on them.

“It acknowledges the hard work of our staff, our volunteers and partners, but it recognizes that this system wasn’t sustainable three years ago, and it’s still not adequate,” she said.

“We have excellent people willing to step forward for the shelter. They weren’t [willing to] if we had a [warming] center, and that’s fine, that’s their prerogative. But perhaps there is the Red Cross or someone else we could have reached out to if we had a plan in place.”

The motion passed unanimously. It calls for staff to report back in early summer.

On the same agenda, council endorsed a related resolution that will be brought to the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments annual meeting.

It asks the province to “provide clear, practical, and consistent guidance on the application of the BC Building Code and BC Fire Code for temporary emergency warming centres and shelters that can be safely implemented through site specific fire safety plans and risk mitigation measures.”

A separate resolution asks the province to establish a “sustainable, province‑wide funding model” to offset the “disproportionate emergency‑response, public‑safety, and sanitation costs borne by rural host communities responding to overdose and toxic‑drug‑related impacts.”

Councillor Thea Hanson also introduced a notice of motion, to be discussed at council’s next meeting, which asks the province to provide funding to offset Trail’s “disproportionate share of emergency response costs” associated with overdose calls attended by emergency services. It further asks the government to create a funding model that recognizes the demands placed on communities with regional hospitals.

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The BC Government says temporary school facilities started arriving in Tumbler Ridge yesterday. (Monday)

Last week, Premier David Eby said students would not be forced to return to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, after last week’s horrific shooting in the community.

“We know routine and community are important to many in the aftermath of a tragedy and we know change can cause uncertainty,” said Peace River South School Board Chair Chad Anderson.

“We are continuing to use a compassionate, trauma-informed approach that includes providing updates to the school community, families and the public about a planned return to school in the coming days.”

According to the province, the first buildings to arrive at the new site were bathroom trailers, with classroom units set to arrive today and tomorrow.

A date for classes to resume has not yet been confirmed.

Meanwhile, work to prepare a more permanent space has started at the elementary school site as well.

These more spacious trailers will arrive in the coming weeks, and will serve Tumbler Ridge Secondary until community input, expert advice and future plans can be confirmed.

“We are working around the clock to ensure the school district has what they need to support students and their families,” said Minister of Infrastructure Bowinn Ma.

“I am grateful for the effort and co-ordination from all the partners who’ve come together to make these temporary spaces happen.”

Counsellors will support staff and students in the safe transition to the new buildings, and will continue to be available at the new school site.

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Comox Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) had two positive outcomes from responses over the weekend. 

Crews were called Friday afternoon and evening to search for two 10-year-old boys who had left their home in Courtenay. 

CVSAR searched nearby parks, schools and travel routes. The boys were found safely not far away and returned home. 

Teams were called again Saturday to search for a missing 12-year-old boy in Union Bay. 

With help from Campbell River Search and Rescue and Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, teams searched likely travel routes and found the boy in the evening. He was later reunited with his family. 

CVSAR said it is grateful for its volunteers and teams who responded, and their families for their patience and understanding in allowing them to step away to help when it matters most. 

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North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP said they are seeing an increase in calls involving fake jewelry in the region. 

Police said reports involving the sale of fake gold jewelry or requests for cash in exchange for jewelry have escalated in the Cowichan Valley. Anyone approached is urged to contact police as soon as possible. 

Most incidents have been centred around Cowichan Commons during morning hours, and Cst. Tessa McDonald said police are dealing with the issue. 

“Frauds of this nature can be very convincing, and suspects often rely on creating a sense of urgency,” she said. “We want to ensure the public is aware of this activity so they can make informed decisions and report suspicious behaviour to police.” 

Police said they have responded to four incidents this year between Feb. 5 and Feb. 9. Officers are asking anyone reporting an incident to gather as much information as possible. 

Anyone who has been approached is asked to contact the detachment at 250-748-5522. 

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Winter weather and low temperatures have triggered the opening of a warming shelter at the Campbell River Community Centre. 

According to the City of Campbell River, the centre will be open for short-term visits and provide a place for people experiencing homelessness to access resources. 

“It’s a place for vulnerable populations to warm up and be provided with access to information on resources,” the city said. “It’ll be staffed by individuals experienced in supporting people experiencing homelessness.” 

The centre will be open overnight and close at 7 a.m., starting today (Feb. 17) and lasting until Feb. 18. 

Funding for the site is provided by the province through Emergency Management Climate Readiness, with support from the City of Campbell River. 

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Ryan Dutchak has announced he will be leaving the Doukhobor Discovery Centre as of March 20 to take a different job in central Alberta and be closer to family. A posting for his replacement closed on Sunday.

I can’t believe that it has already been five years that you’ve been here. Seems like it went by quick.

It did. It’s hard to believe it’s already been five years. The last couple years in particular have been very positive and that’s probably why it’s it’s felt so quick. 

Compare and contrast what things were like when you first arrived to to what’s going on now. 

In these smaller museums there’s always going to be a lot of work to do. I think we accomplished a lot in terms of getting some more structure introduced, whether that’s job positions or job descriptions, overall with archives and collections and the process that goes behind cataloging those or working with them. Just improving some of the storage conditions of where we keep artifacts and archives. Over the recent years, that’s been a big improvement. In particular, over the last year, we had some grant support to make some of those big positive changes.

It’s an older site, so trying to enhance some of the energy systems here to reduce some of the utility costs that go into heating and cooling the buildings at the museum. That’s been something we’ve accomplished in the past couple of years. There’s a lot of positive change we made here in the past five years. It’s a team effort. It’s not just myself, it’s our board of directors and their support and all the time they spend volunteering.

And were you the first curator/manager to do the job year-round full-time? 

Yes. My first couple years here, we kind of just stayed on in the winter months part-time. And then the past few years, it’s been full-time, year-round. I think that’s been positive for a number of reasons. Now, as we’re going through the hiring process, I think it’s a much more appealing position, knowing that someone wouldn’t have to take a voluntary layoff or look for a new job when the museum closes for the winter. And it’s been pretty essential for the grant writing windows that are open in the winter and goes a long way in creating some of that structure I just discussed because it’s sometimes that work is difficult to get to and we’re getting hundreds of people here in a week. So I’m happy that the board was supportive of doing that. And of course, credit goes to the City of Castlegar for helping fund the operations here so the museum can stay open year round. 

What has attendance been like? When you first started, we were just coming out of COVID, which killed everybody’s numbers. Have things since bounced back? 

Yes. 2025 had the highest admission numbers in my five years here. Just through museum admissions, we had around 2,500. If you add the services the bistro offers and how many people they connect with, we’re looking closer to 3,000. We’ve been doing some radio marketing targeted to mostly local residents, but when tourists come in and listen to the radio, we hope they hear about the museum and come and visit. We did a lot with social media too. I think with what we saw last year and a big growth in admissions, there’s been a lot of positive results to kind of the marketing efforts we’ve worked to improve. 

Are any big projects underway that you’ll have to hand off to someone else? 

Yes, but I’m working to get them to the point where it’s going to be a smooth transition. Columbia Basin Trust is funding some energy improvements at the museum and also for the heating and cooling unit on the Bistro, which no longer properly functions. So we’re working on getting that replaced. It is a pretty big project. That’ll be one the new director will see through to the end, but I’m hoping to get it to the point before I leave that we have all the quotes necessary to proceed and the new director can work with the City of Castlegar in selecting a quote and a contractor to work with, because it’s very important that our volunteer base has a environment with proper temperature controls, whether it’s a 35-degree day and they’re making borsch or a cold day in the winter where they can keep the building warm while they are dedicating their time. That is one of the biggest ones.

We have a big archiving/digitization project where we’re trying to upload some videos from the USCC audio-visual collection to archive.org. That’s another project that’s been on the go for a couple of years now. There’ll be some smaller things that might come along with some new exhibit designs. But my plan before I leave is that everything is set up and once a new director comes in and takes over my role, they will have a smooth process in getting those projects completed. 

It’s a very rewarding position living in Castlegar. It’s a great spot. And it’s a position where you get to have a lot of great conversations with a number of great people and a very supportive community and board. It’s a good experience and it’s a fulfilling job. I think anyone who comes in here after me, we’ll hopefully see that is the case. It was a tough decision [to leave] and I will miss the Discovery Centre and everyone that I’ve met here.

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The Smithers Steelheads and Hazelton Wolverines have secured a spot in the Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL) semi-finals.

On Saturday, the Steelheads went on the road and beat the Williams Lake Stampeders 6-5 to win that best of 3 quarterfinal series 2-0.

The Wolverines also won their series two straight, after a 5-2 victory over the visiting Prince Rupert Rampage.

In the semis, which begin February 28th, the Steelheads will go against the Quesnel Kangaroos while the Wolverines will take on the Terrace River Kings.

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It was another successful UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Night.

The 11th Annual fundraiser, has raised $218,000 so far with 100 percent of the funds raised supporting student-athlete scholarships and bursaries.

That amount will grow further after the April 2nd raffle takes place.

“Timberwolves Legacy Night highlights just how important community support is to the success of UNBC student-athletes,” said UNBC Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Bill Owen.

“These funds ensure Timberwolves’ athletes can excel both academically and competitively, while developing leadership skills that will serve them long after their time at UNBC.”

A significant portion of this year’s total — $68,400 — was raised in honour of the late Curt Garland.

The newly established Curt Garland Leadership Award will be awarded annually to a member of the Timberwolves Student Athlete Society.

The program portion of the evening began with a memorable question and answer session with Phil Pritchard – Keeper of the Stanley Cup and the 4 Nations Cup.

His stories from the 2025 4 Nations Cup Tournament and behind-the-scenes moments with Stanley Cup were engaging, insightful and provided a compelling Segway to the rest of the night’s celebrations.

A panel discussion featuring Brian Burke, alongside former Olympic gold medalists Dan Hamhuis and Eric Brewer struck a wonderful balance of humour, pride and reflection.

“After 11 years one theme remains unmistakably clear: UNBC Timberwolves Legacy Night continues to be a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when a community comes together,” added UNBC Timberwolves Director of Athletics and Recreation, Loralyn Murdoch.

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Four people were taken to hospital following a two vehicle collision yesterday afternoon (February 16) on Highway 97 North of Quesnel.

RCMP Sargeant Clay Kronebusch said at approximately 12:23 Quesnel RCMP responded to a report of a two vehicle collision.

“One occupant was reported to be trapped in a vehicle and the Highway was shutdown in both directions in the area North of Hush Lake to allow for safe extraction and allow air ambulance to land.”

Kronebusch said the occupant was safely extracted and transported to Hospital by ground ambulance along with the three occupants of the vehicle all with non-life threatening injuries.

He said the lone occupant of the other vehicle was uninjured and the Highway was closed for approximately one hour.

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Some home cooking is on the table for the U17 Cariboo Cougars in this year’s BC Elite Hockey League playoffs.

This after the Cats took care of business at home against the Thompson Blazers winning 4-1 on Saturday and 5-2 on Sunday in Kin 1.

Cariboo had four different goal scorers in Saturday’s win as Gavin Parmar, Brody Bustard, Sawyer Latkowski and Rhys Barnes lit the lamp on Blazers netminder Mason Patterson.

Latkowski scored 55 seconds into the first period to set the pace for the U17’s.

Deklan Murray evened the score for the Blazers off a Jacob Minnabarriet point shot that got past Cougars netminder Brennan Purych.

Barnes put the Cougars back up on top during a man-advantage in the dying seconds of the opening 20 minutes.

After a scoreless second, Parmar made it 3-1 after a quick shot off the faceoff fooling Patterson.

Bustard clinched the win with an empty netter as the Blazers pulled Patterson in favour of the extra-attacker.

On Sunday, Cariboo jumped out to a 4-0 lead and didn’t look back against Thompson.

Latkowski opened the scoring for a second straight game as his impromptu slap shot shorthanded fooled Blazers netminder Luc Deschenes for a 1-0 edge after the first period.

The U17’s unlocked the floodgates with a trio of goals in the second period from Bustard, Latkowski and Kale King.

Thompson pushed back with a late flurry in the third period as Murray and Drayton Hansen crashed the Cougars crease and got rewarded for a pair of ugly goals trimming the deficit to 4-2.

Garrett Harrop added an empty netter for Cariboo who wraps up the regular season with a mark of 24-11-0-1.

The Cougars will finish second or third in the nine-team league, depending on the result of Wednesday’s Vancouver Northwest Hawks game against the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.

If the Hawks win, Cariboo will finish third.

Regardless of the result, the U17’s will host their first round series at Kin 1 starting on Friday, February 27th at 6:45pm followed by Games 2 and 3 at 6:30pm and 9am.

In U18 action, Cariboo split a pair of high-scoring affairs against the Vancouver Northeast Chiefs.

Friday’s contest, which featured over a thousand screaming kids in attendance at the Kopar Memorial Arena, saw Cariboo drop a 5-4 decision.

Kaeden Kalkat and Sawyer Brisebois scored twice in a span of thirty seconds in the final twenty minutes to give the Chiefs the victory.

However, much of the heavy lifting was done by goaltender Sante Bove who made 52 saves for VNE, earning first-star honours.

Jaxon Larmand opened the scoring for Cariboo, capitalizing on a breakaway chance on Bove. The Chiefs ended the opening 20 minutes with a pair of unanswered goals from Matthew Dowdall and Jake Banicevic.

VNE extended its lead to 3-1 early in the second courtesy of Nathan Ramos.

Cariboo pushed back later in the frame, evening the score thanks to late markers from Riley Lettington and Miller Tedesco.

Blake Lambe added a third period goal to pull Cariboo within one late in the third period.

Saturday’s rematch saw the U18’s out last VNE by a 7-4 score at Kin 1.

After Rylan Osmack opened the scoring for the Chiefs less than a minute in, the Cougars knocked off three straight goals to end the first period from Wyatt Callander, Lettington and River Knipe.

In the second, Cariboo flexed its offensive muscles a little more thanks to a trio of markers from Lettington, Kadric Mujcin and Ryan Richter.

Lucas Conrad responded for the Chiefs who scored on a nice individual rush past Cougars netminder Oscar Hicik.

Lambe added a power-play marker in the third to make it 7-2. Joven Kalkat and Brody Lawrence tallied two late markers for the Chiefs to make the score a little closer.

Cariboo (17-12-2-1) ends its regular season with a pair of road games Saturday and Sunday against the Valley West Giants and Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.

The U18’s first-round playoff matchup will run from March 6-8 at Kin 1 with game times set for 4:15pm (Friday), 3:45pm (Saturday) and 9am (Sunday).

Cariboo also put a bow on its regular season in U15 action, splitting a pair of road contests against the VNE Chiefs, winning 7-5 (Saturday) and losing 8-4 (Sunday).

Trysten Schmidt led the way offensively for the Cats in Saturday’s win with two goals and an assist.

Max Pellegrino, Hendrik Hesselgrave, Ryland Lemp, Kael Von Den Steinen and Jackson Malo also lit the lamp for Cariboo.

Carson Stirling (2), Dylan Fullerton, Gareth Dykens and Jayden Jeon scored in defeat for VNE.

On Sunday, the Chiefs jumped out to a 5-0 lead and didn’t look back against the U15 Cougars.

Dykens scored twice in the victory for VNE while Jeon, Stirling, Seven Tyson, Jake Pozzobon and Jayden Ando added singles for the home side.

Lemp scored twice in defeat while Hesselgrave and Warner Callander added goals for the Cougars.

Cariboo ends the regular season in 5th place out of eight teams with a record of 16-14-0-0.

A round-robin playoff tournament begins Thursday in Langley.

The Cougars start off the post season with a rematch against the Chiefs at 8:30am followed by an evening tilt against the Okanagan Rockets.

Cariboo’s lone Friday matchup is at Noon against the Greater Vancouver Canadians. The playoff round will run on Saturday and Sunday.

After a week off, the U18 female AAA Northern Capitals (11-17-1-1) wrap up the regular season this weekend with a pair of home dates against the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers (18-11-1-0).

Puck drop is at 5:45pm on Saturday and 8am on Sunday from Kin 2.

The Capitals, who will finish fourth in the five-team league, will host the Vancouver Island Seals in the best-of-three Survivor Series March 6-8 in Kin 2.

Game times are at 7pm (Friday), 5:45pm (Saturday) and 7:30am (Sunday).

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A Williams Lake man was of three people to be recognized by Forest Professional British Columbia (FPBC).

At the 78^th annual forestry conference on February 5, John Walker was honored as a Distinguished Forest Professional.

This category recognizes significant accomplishments over a career, for providing outstanding service to the profession of forestry and for furthering the principles of Forest Professionals BC, it’s the profession’s highest honor for a registrant.

“A member of the association needs to nominate you,” Walker said, “then they have to supply ten other letters of support to provide the Professional Forestry Association then it goes to their Board to decide if you deserve that distinction and I’m very honored.”

Walker added that he had never acted in such an emotional way just finding out about this nomination saying it was unreal.

“John is a respected collaborator and mentor across BC, particularly in the Cariboo region, where he builds strong connections between forestry practices, First Nations stewardship and research,” Forest Professionals BC Board Chair Dave Clarke said.

“I’ve been in Williams Lake since 1996 starting in consulting making decisions on a block by block level. Now working with Williams Lake First Nation it’s more landscape level working towards different policies and then also being operational. A lot of the Fire Mitigation work around town we’ve been a part of and helped push for,” Walker said.

He has also collaborated with the BC Wildfire Service to develop thinning methods for prescribed burns, reducing wildfire risk, restoring culturally important plants, and enhancing operational efficiency.

We asked Walker how he got interested in the Forestry profession.

“When I was a little boy I would go out with my dad, we had 300 acres so we’d be out cutting wood and we had a Christmas tree farm and I just wanted to be out there doing things, it was just a natural progression.”

Walker has also served on the Boards of the Southern Interior Timber Cruisers Association and the Williams Lake Community Forest, and currently sits on its standing committee.

He actively supports education initiatives, professional development, and research partnerships.

“John has advanced innovative forest practices and demonstrated exemplary service to the profession making him a Distinguished Forest Professional for 2025,” Clarke said.

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An incident this past weekend outside a store has RCMP warning Comox Valley residents about unhelpful commentary. 

Police received a report from a concerned resident on Friday, Feb. 13, about a young girl seen outside Walmart beside an adult who appeared to be soliciting camping gear or supplies using a large white sign. 

Comox Valley RCMP asked for assistance from the public to identify the woman seen in surveillance photos and to provide information about the child. 

The child was identified and investigators ensured their wellbeing, while the woman was confirmed to be unrelated to the child and was not involved in the matter. 

“For those who engaged constructively, thank you. For those who chose to use the comment section for speculation or unhelpful commentary, please understand that doing so takes away from the purpose of these posts and the spirit in which they are shared,” Comox Valley RCMP said in a Facebook post. 

The post also thanked community members who shared it and provided information that allowed police to follow up and ensure the child was safe. 

RCMP said commenting may be limited on future posts to keep the focus on community safety. 

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The City of Kimberley is accepting applications for the 2026 BC Winter Games Grant Program.

The deadline for organizations to apply is Monday, Mar. 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. 

Applications must be completed using the online form and emailed with required attachments to [email protected].

Prior to completing the form, organizations are asked to review the Community Grants Policy, which can be found here. 

You can find the online form to apply here.

A total of $8,199 is available in funding for 2026, and the money comes from past BC Winter and Summer Games legacy funds

The grants are meant to support projects from organizations that improve the quality of life in Kimberley and align with the City’s goals.

You can email the City at [email protected] if you’d like the application sent to you directly.

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A serious four-vehicle collision east of Sparwood forced the closure of Highway 3 on Monday afternoon, Feb. 16,  disrupting travel through the Elk Valley and sending several people to the hospital.

Elk Valley Regional RCMP said officers were called at 1:05 p.m. to the crash about eight kilometres east of the community. One of the vehicles involved was a semi-trailer truck.

Police said Sparwood Fire Rescue, B.C. Emergency Health Services, Alberta Health Services EMS, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit and Mainroad East Kootenay Contracting responded.

Several drivers and passengers were taken to local and regional hospitals.

Highway 3, a key route linking southeastern British Columbia with Alberta, was closed for several hours while investigators examine the scene. Police asked motorists to check DriveBC for updates and to plan for delays.

The closure is likely to affect commuters, commercial traffic and travellers moving between communities in the Elk Valley.

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Nanaimo RCMP said they have arrested a 17-year-old they believe is connected to a shooting in Nanaimo’s north end.

Police said the incident took place Feb. 11 and, with help from the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, an arrest was made two days later without incident.

Const. Gary O’Brien said the victim of the alleged shooting was released from hospital.

“The 15-year-old victim sustained injuries from the alleged shooting incident and received medical treatment at hospital,” O’Brien said in a statement.

“Nanaimo RCMP General Investigation Section completed a report to Crown counsel and on Feb. 13, the B.C. Prosecution Service approved five charges against the youth,” he said. “A bail hearing was held and the youth was remanded into police custody.”

He said the youth faces charges of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm with intent, assault with a weapon, possession of a firearm without a licence and possession of a firearm while prohibited.

RCMP operations officer Insp. Donovan Tait said a quick response played a critical role in the investigation and helped prevent the situation from escalating.

“This was a significant and concerning incident involving youth in our community,” Tait said. “The quick response by our officers, with collaboration by Victoria police and GVERT, played a crucial role in safely taking the alleged suspect into custody.”

Tait said the investigation is continuing as police work to locate the firearm and determine all circumstances surrounding the incident.

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At least the star goaltender showed a little bit of fight.

The same could not be said for the rest of the Prince George Cougars who were unable to follow the lead of Josh Ravensbergen in a 3-0 loss at the hands of the Penticton Vees on Monday in front of 4,013 fans at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Ravensbergen who made 32 saves in defeat, dropped the gloves with Vees netminder Ethan McCallum with less than four minutes remaining in the third period.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, Noah Milford drew first blood for Penticton at the 2:16 mark of the second period for a 1-0 edge.

Tristan Petersen added to the Vees upper-hand four minutes later accepting a pass from Ryden Evers doubling the advantage.

The offensive onslaught continued at 8:20 of the middle frame courtesy of Ethan Weber on the power-play, beating Ravensbergen for a 3-0 stranglehold.

Penticton outshot Prince George 35-31 and went 1-for-5 on the power-play. The Cougars failed to light the lamp in their two opportunities.

McCallum pitched the shutout for the Vees, improving to 10-2-0-1 with a 2.07 goals against average and a .928 save percentage since being acquired from the Saskatoon Blades.

To add insult to injury, the first-year Vees are now 12 points up on the Cougars for the B.C. Division lead.

It was not a good day in the face-off circle for the Cougars losing 50 of 70 draws.

Not only that, but the Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets are a point back of PG for third place in the Western Conference after a 7-2 win over the Tri-City Americans on Family Day.

The lone piece of good news from the out-of-town scoreboard was the Victoria Royals upsetting the Kamloops Blazers 4-2 from Sandman Centre.

Prince George (32-20-2-0) continues its longest road trip of the year in Swift Current against the last-place Broncos (13-35-3-3) on Friday.

Puck drop is at 5pm Pacific Time.

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Sports by Hartley Tuesday, February 17th, 2026  as of 12:05 a.m.

Winter Games:

Prince George long-track speed skater Caroline Hiller-Donnelly placed 21st out of 29 Sunday (Feb. 15th) in the 500m race at the Winter Games in Italy.

Earlier, (on February 9th), Hiller-Donnelly finished 26th out of 30 in the 1000m race.

Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George will participate at the Games on Saturday, Feb. 21st (1 AM PT).

Evan Bichon of Mackenzie, who went to high school in Prince George, ended up 17th in a field of 32 and did not advance to the quarter-finals in men’s snowboard cross at the Winter Games in Italy.

#

Megan Oldham of Parry Sound, Ont. won Canada’s second gold medal at Milano Cortina 2026.

Oldham came first in the women’s freeski big air on Monday.

It was her second medal of the Games after she won bronze in the slopestyle.

Freestyler Mikael Kingsbury won Canada’s first gold and it came in the men’s Dual Moguls event.

Kingsbury of Quebec earlier captured a silver in men’s Moguls.

Canada has 11 medals at the Winter Games; two gold, four silver and five bronze.

#

Canada will play the U.S. in the women’s hockey gold medal game Thursday (10:10 AM PT).

Canada beat Switzerland 2-1 and the United States blanked Sweden 5-0 in the semifinals.

#

In Men’s Hockey:

The quarterfinals go Wednesday;

No. 1 Canada will play the winner of #8 Czechia-#9 Denmark.

No. 2 U.S. will face the winner of #7 Sweden-#10 Latvia.

No. 3 Slovakia will take on the #6 Germany-#11 France winner.

No. 4 Finland will go against the #5 Switzerland-#12 Italy winner.

#

The qualifying games go on Tuesday.

The semifinals on Friday have the Top-seeded quarterfinal winner vs. lowest-seeded quarterfinal winner and the second-seeded quarterfinal winner vs. the third-seeded quarterfinal winner.

The bronze medal game is set for Saturday (11:40 a.m. PT).

The gold medal game will be played Sunday (5:10 a.m.).

WHL:

Penticton Vees  3  Prince George Cougars  0  (Monday)

Ethan McCallum made 31 saves for the shutout before 4,013 fans in Penticton.

McCallum and Josh Ravensbergen of the Cougars got into a goalie fight late in the 3rd period.

The game summary is here.

Prince George Cougars  3  Kamloops Blazers  2  (SO-Saturday)

The game summary is here.

Prince George Cougars  5  Kamloops Blazers  2  (Friday)

The game summary is here.

The Cougars play their next six games on the Prairies starting Friday night against the Broncos in Swift Current.

The (32-20-2) Cougars are second in the B.C. Division, just one point ahead of the
(29-18-5-2) Kelowna Rockets and 12 points behind the first place (35-11-4-4) Vees.

Prince George has just 14 games left in the regular season; 6 at home and 8 on the road.

The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.

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The Quesnel RCMP say Highway 97 is closed in both directions north of Quesnel for a two-vehicle collision.

According to police, the collision occurred just just north of Hush Lake.

Police say one occupant is trapped and rescue crews are scene.

At this time, police say it’s unknown how long the road will be closed.

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Update at 2:50 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16th

CLEAR #BCHwy97 – is now OPEN in both directions between Hush Lake Rd. and Olson Rd. #QuesnelBC https://t.co/DhUY9CZmB2

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) February 16, 2026

Original story:

The Quesnel RCMP say Highway 97 is closed in both directions north of Quesnel for a two-vehicle collision.

According to police, the collision occurred just just north of Hush Lake.

Police say one occupant is trapped and rescue crews are scene.

At this time, police say it’s unknown how long the road will be closed.

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Welcome to Hartley’s Cat Scan!

This is a weekly podcast featuring the ‘who’s who’ of the Prince George Cougars.

Hartley’s guest this week is Cougars co-owner and President John Pateman.

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A new professional sports league is looking to make waves, and includes a pair of Prince George athletes.

Dan Gallo and Alex Maritsas of Prince George will be joining the Vancouver Wildcats, one of eight teams in the new Team Arm Wrestling Federation.

“This is something completely new to me, in the over two decades I’ve been doing this, this is totally new, so I’m kind of super excited to see how this goes,” said Gallo.

Gallo said there was a tournament he won while he was in high school at DP Todd.

“I’ve always been in good shape, I used to like playing rugby and running and playing sports, I’ve always taken care of myself,” he said.

“Back then, everybody arm wrestled, pretty sure most kids in high school arm wrestle too, and when I got out of high school, the shop I was working at, one of the guys there told me ‘you need to get a hold of Vern Martel, I got a hold of Verne a couple years after high school, started with him, and it just kind of took off from there.”

Alex Maritsas, who’s been arm wrestling for more than 20 years, had a bit of a similar story, with a professional arm wrestler living in his neighbourhood.

“As I aged out of high school, I was just a young punk riding my skateboard in a nice cul-de-sac where they had freshly paved the roads, it was nice smooth skating,” he said.

“One Sunday I just saw a group of guys in a garage and every Sunday I just kept inching closer and closer and closer and found out they were arm wrestling, and the rest is history.”

Gallo said the first pre-season match is set up for March 28th in Calgary.

He added the sport being fast-paced may help the sport take off in a team format.

“When you’re doing super matches, one-on-one kind of format, it can be very exciting to watch, but if a guy’s sitting there all day watching tournaments, sometimes it’s not very spectator friendly,” Gallo said.

“I do believe with this team format, it’s going to be a lot more for the spectator.”

He thinks if this takes off, it could be massive growth for the sport.

Maritsas said he would love to see the sport go to the Olympics.

“The best part about of arm wrestling is it’s an accessible sport, worldwide, with no money down,” he said.

“You can be any age, any gender, any physical fitness, you don’t have to be a specially crafted athlete for this, made for arm wrestling, you pick it up, give it some enthusiasm and some consistency, it can only get way bigger from there.”

There are eight teams in the federation, four from Canada and four from the United States.

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Construction on Highway 19A will be extended after a pause over the long weekend. 

According to the City of Campbell River, partial road closures went into effect last week to perform work on sewer upgrades between Petersen Road and Tarmac Street, and resuming the work will have an impact on traffic. 

“Single lane alternating traffic will be in effect, and delays may occur,” the city says. “Local access will be available. Follow all traffic controls in place.” 

Work is expected to be completed on Feb. 20. 

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John Rustad will not be going after his old job.

On X yesterday (Sunday) the Nechako Lakes MLA issued a statement, saying he will not be entering the leadership race for the B.C. Conservatives.

“This decision is not about the importance of the moment we are in. It is exactly because this moment matters that I am making it,” he said.

“British Columbia needs a Conservative Party that is united, focused, and ready to form government. The best thing I can do for the party, and ultimately the province, is to support the next leader and help ensure we come out of this process stronger, not divided.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2026
Victoria, British Columbia

STATEMENT FROM JOHN RUSTAD

First, I want to thank my wife. She has been my rock through all of this. She has carried the weight that public life puts on a family, and she has done it with steady strength,… pic.twitter.com/QcrqWqApmN

— John Rustad (@JohnRustad4BC) February 15, 2026

Rustad became the leader of the party in 2023, joining the party after sitting as an Independent after he was ousted from the B.C. Liberals over social media posts on climate change.

Rustad officially stepped down as the leader of the B.C. Conservatives in December, after a letter signed by 20 MLAs called for Rustad to step down.

Rumours about another run for the leadership job swirled after reporter Rob Shaw said on X Rustad had requested and received a leadership application from the party.

In response, he just said “no comment” in a post on X.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Monday, February 16:

BCHL:

Coquitlam Express  4  Prince George Spruce Kings  2

Marcus Lougheed and Ben Vreugdenhil scored for the Spruce Kings.

Colin Reay stopped 37 shots in the loss.

The box score is here.

The Spruce Kings (25-14-2-0) lead the Express (24-14-1-1) by one point in the BCHL Coastal East standings.

The BCHL standings are here.

The Spruce Kings start a four-game homestand on Friday, hosting the Powell River Kings.

The full Spruce Kings schedule is here.

WHL:

The Prince George Cougars are in Penticton today taking on the Vees.

This is game two of an eight game road trip for the Cougars.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

The Cougars (32-19-2-0) are second in the BC Division.

The WHL standings are here.

Olympics:

Prince George’s Carolina Hiller-Donnelly finished 21st in the women’s speedskating 500m with a time of 38.38.

Hiller-Donnelly also finished 26th in the 1000m with a time of 1:17.156 last week.

Canada’s latest medal came in short-track speedskating 1,000 metres, with Courtney Sarault picking up silver.

Canada has ten medals, one gold, four silver, five bronze.

Olympic Men’s Hockey:

Canada  10  France  2

USA  5  Germany  1

Switzerland  3  Czechia  3

Denmark  4  Latvia  2

Olympic Women’s Hockey:

Sweden vs. USA (7:40 am)

Switzerland vs. Canada (12:10 pm)

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Two people were rescued after a helicopter crashed Friday morning near Mount Kubin, about 15 kilometres northwest of Nelson.

Crews from 19 Wing Comox responded shortly after 8 a.m., sending a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft to the scene. Low cloud cover prevented an immediate air rescue, so members of Nelson Search and Rescue, working with a local helicopter operator, reached the crash site on foot and moved the injured people to lower ground.

One person was airlifted to Kelowna for further treatment. The other was taken to Nelson Airport and transferred to BC Emergency Health Services.

Officials said poor weather made the rescue difficult, but co-ordination between military and civilian crews ensured both people were brought to safety.

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Just before 9 a.m. on Feb. 14, Elk Valley Regional RCMP attended a two-vehicle collision in the 2100 block of Highway 3 in Fernie, where officers met Fernie Fire Rescue and BC Ambulance Service at the scene.

Police said the vehicles collided after one lost control on the wet, slushy road. Multiple people were taken to Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie.

RCMP reopened the road about an hour after the crash once the investigation at the scene had concluded. Witness information indicated that speed or driver error was not a factor in the crash.

Later, Elk Valley Hospital contacted RCMP to report that a 56-year-old woman from Cranbrook, a passenger in one of the vehicles, had died from injuries sustained in the collision.

RCMP engaged victim services to support those involved.

Police said they spoke with a collision reconstructionist and consulted with BC Highway Patrol as the investigation transitioned to a fatal collision.

Elk Valley Regional RCMP sent their condolences to the family of the deceased.

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The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District Board reappointed David Wilks as Chair and Garry Jackman as Acting Chair in the board’s annual election, held on Feb. 13. 

Wilks, Sparwood’s Mayor, will serve his fifth term as Chair. 

“This is an exciting time in the region with a number of large and impactful projects underway or on the horizon. I appreciate the continued support of my fellow Directors in my role as Chair and look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the Hospital District and with Interior Health in the year ahead.” said Wilks. 

Jackman, Regional District of Central Kootenay Electoral Area A Director will also serve his fifth term as Acting Chair. 

“Chair Wilks and I have a strong working relationship, and I look forward to another productive year with Chair Wilks, the Board, staff and Interior Health.” said Jackman. 

The Kootenay East Regional Hospital District covers up to 40 per cent of capital funding for acute care facilities in the region, including medical equipment, construction, and renovations.

The district serves the entire RDEK, along with the Towns of Golden and Creston, and areas of the Regional Districts of Central Kootenay and Columbia Shuswap that encompass those communities.

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The fight for the Coastal East Division will likely come down to the wire.

A night after falling short to begin the BCHL Road Show in Burns Lake, the Coquitlam Express dusted themselves off and responded with a 4-2 victory Sunday afternoon over the Prince George Spruce Kings in front of 774 fans at the Tom Forsyth Arena.

The Spruce Kings skated to a 5-2 win on Saturday.

Nate Crema opened the scoring for Coquitlam potting his 13th of the season past Spruce Kings netminder Colin Reay for a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Marcus Lougheed continued his hot weekend for PG scoring his third goal in two games, notching his 17th of the BCHL campaign, lightning the lamp against Express goalie Ryan Parker evening the score at one.

Five minutes later, Coquitlam put themselves back in the driver’s seat courtesy of a Brady Engelkes marker capping off a three-way scoring play that included Luke Pfoh and Michael Munroe.

In the third period, PG’s power-play put them back on terms. Ben Vreugdenhil accepted a Tai Ushio pass, making it a 2-2 score.

Unfortunately, the comeback was short-lived as Munroe collected the game-winner at the 2:59 mark beating Reay.

Carson McGinley added the empty netter with less than 30 seconds remaining icing the road victory.

The Express outshot the Spruce Kings 41-32. Coquitlam went 0-for-3 on the power-play while the Spruce Kings were 1-for-3.

Reay made 39 saves in defeat for PG. Parker stopped 30 Spruce Kings shots in the victory.

Coquitlam (24-14-1-1) is now two points back of the Spruce Kings (25-14-2-0) for first place in the Coastal East Division.

Prince George returns to the Kopar Memorial Arena for a pair of home games against the Powell River Kings (8-30-2-1) Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 6pm.

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Prince George residents with too much stuff and not enough space to put it will have more options for storage.

U-Haul Moving and Storage in Prince George is now fully operational, with 930 climate controlled lockers available.

This also includes heated drive-in bays for storage loading and unloading, individually alarmed rooms, 24-hour video surveillance and more.

U-Haul is also offering the first month of storage free to every customer, something that is normally only available to customers with a qualifying one-way equipment rental.

The Bear Road store is the 19-th U-Haul owned and operated centre in BC.

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The Nelson Police Department has launched an online criminal record check system, allowing residents to apply without going to the station in person.

The department launched the new “Virtual Front Counter” on Feb. 2. At the Feb. 6 Nelson Police Board meeting, Chief Donovan Fisher described the initiative as a major step toward improving convenience and efficiency.

“I think it’s going to be a huge innovation for the department. It certainly opens up the ability for people at all hours to get these things done when they maybe don’t have time to try and find parking and walk three blocks to the department to get a criminal record check done and then have to come back three or four days later to go through the same process,” Fisher said.

Applicants can use the system to submit requests, verify their identity, pay fees and receive results securely online.

“There’s a lot of security features within it to submit your identification and the proper forms and what you need to get that done. And time will tell, but it looks like it’s going to be a pretty efficient and quick turnaround time,” Fisher added.

According to the system’s website, vulnerable sector police information checks are available only to Nelson residents. Applicants must upload an authorization letter from their employer or volunteer organization requesting the check.

Homestay programs and educational internships or practicums are considered employment under the policy. Vulnerable sector checks for agencies outside Canada will not be accepted.

Volunteers must also provide a signed letter confirming their role with the organization.

If an application triggers a potential match, individuals will receive an email with instructions to book a fingerprint appointment at the department.

For immigration or citizenship purposes, applicants must still attend the police station in person to apply for a certified criminal record check with fingerprints.

Police said RCMP fingerprint verification cannot be completed online.

More information can be found here. 

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Another event is in the books for Prince George speedskater Carolina Hiller-Donnelly at the .

Hiller-Donnelly finished 21st in the women’s 500m with a time of 38.38.

Femke Kok of the Netherlands won gold with a time of 36.49, an Olympic record.

Full results can be found here.

In the 1000m last week, Hiller-Donnelly finished 26th with a time of 1:17.156.

Canada currently has nine medals, one gold, three silver, and five bronze.

Mikael Kingsbury won Canada’s first gold of the games today in the first ever Men’s Dual Moguls event.

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Residents in Nanaimo may see a large aircraft flying in unusual patterns Tuesday. 

NAV CANADA Flight Inspection will fly over the harbour to conduct a scheduled inspection of navigation and instrument approach procedures. 

“There is no doubt that the unusual flight patterns of these planes attract a lot of attention, interest and concern. That’s understandable,” said NAV CANADA on its website. “If you see a plane making multiple low passes over a runway with its wheels up, one could easily assume that plane can’t land because of malfunctioning landing gear.” 

NAV CANADA said the plane is crewed by specially trained pilots, flight inspectors and technicians. Crews are scheduled to fly over the harbour between 10:30 a.m. and noon Feb. 17 and will be in the area for about 15 minutes. 

“The aircraft are equipped with technology to measure, analyze and calibrate the electronic signals emanating from such navigation aids as instrument landing systems (ILS), VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) and non-directional beacons (NDBs) at more than 130 airports,” NAV CANADA said. “The aircraft also flight check all instrument approach procedures based on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).” 

The flight is weather-dependent and could be moved to the afternoon or the next day if conditions affect timing. 

“The next time you see a blue and white plane banking hard, going in circles, swiftly changing altitudes and approaching the runway without landing, don’t be alarmed. It’s just NAV CANADA’s flight operations team making sure our navigation aids are accurate and safe,” NAV CANADA said. 

The agency invites residents interested in aviation to take photos and tag #NAVCANADAFIA on social media. 

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There’s winning, then there’s winning in dramatic fashion.

The Prince George Cougars overcame a 2-0 deficit, tying the game with five seconds left in regulation, and then winning in a 14-round shootout to pick up two points against the Kamloops Blazers.

“Junior hockey at it’s finest,” said Cougars Assistant Coach Carter Rigby on the post game show on 94.3 the Goat.

“The roller coaster, ups and downs of frustration and happy, it’s one of those, you had to push, you start that game, you’re on the powerplay and things weren’t going your way, and I thought, execution wise, I thought we were off all night honestly, but we stuck with it, we worked, we competed. Would’ve liked a little bit more emotional compete into the game. I think when we needed a spark or a push, I thought we should’ve had it and we didn’t.”

The Blazers took a 1-0 lead into the third period, with Tommy Lafreniere scoring for the home team in the opening period.

They added onto the lead about halfway through the third, coming off the stick of Josh Evaschesen.

Evvy with the quick strike! pic.twitter.com/cZvq72qfMU

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) February 15, 2026

Kayden Lemire cut the lead in half a short time later, taking a feed from Aiden Foster in the slot, and beating Ivans Kufterins on the high glove side.

Lemire in front, Cougs on the board!#NHLDraft | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/9QaVapRjI5 pic.twitter.com/JA2ORk7CZJ

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 15, 2026

With Josh Ravensbergen on the bench, the Cougars were pushing to tie the game in the final minutes.

With just five seconds on the clock, Terik Parascak forced overtime.

TERIK PARASCAK WHEN WE NEEDED HIM MOST@Capitals | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/8FBUWF8D8W pic.twitter.com/YKvGKISqYD

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 15, 2026

“As soon as we got one, I can’t remember if there was seven left, five left, what it was exactly, it definitely felt like it was deja vu,” Rigby said.

“Their bench kind of sunk a little bit and we kind of got a little bit of extra life. When we got out there, I don’t think there was any question we were going to get it done.”

The overtime period was nothing short of exciting, with back and forth play, and both teams taking penalties.

“I definitely haven’t seen a 3-on-3 like that, the chances either side, but the chances that didn’t get a shot off, or something happened, it was scrambly,” Rigby said.

Nothing was decided in the extra five minutes of 3-on-3, and the 4,362 fans at Sandman Centre were treated to some excellent goaltending in a shootout.

It looked like Dmitri Yakutsenak had the shootout won, beating Kufterins with an filthy no-move in the second round, but Evaschesen answered with a goal in the third round.

Round two feels like an eternity ago, but this Dimitri Yakutsenak goal needs some V-Day LOVE

(And YES, he DID try to do the no-move)@CarlsJrCA pic.twitter.com/ynRD3NcogG

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 15, 2026

After that, it was 11 rounds of excellent goaltending, until Aiden Foster put the game on ice.

After fourteen rounds on Valentine’s Day, Aiden Foster breaks some hearts in Kamloops!@TBLightning | @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/M9SeqNIkwT pic.twitter.com/vEeSgNdKWO

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 15, 2026

Goaltending was excellent outside of the shootout as well. Ravensbergen made 32 saves, while Kufterins made 31.

The box score is here.

The Cougars (32-19-2-0) are second in the BC Division.

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars are back in action tomorrow, taking on the Penticton Vees.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

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Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 am, Sunday, February 15:

WHL:

Prince George Cougars  3  Kamloops Blazers  2 (SO)

Terik Parascak tied the game with five seconds left of the clock.

Aiden Foster scored the winner in a 14-round shootout.

Josh Ravensbergen was excellent as usual, stopping 32 pucks.

Good Morning, Prince George!@carlsjrca • #ForTheNorth • #WHL pic.twitter.com/ApbVdwjiyS

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 15, 2026

 The box score is here.

The Cougars (32-19-2-0) are second in the BC Division.

The WHL standings are here.

The Cougars are back in action tomorrow, taking on the Penticton Vees.

The full Cougars schedule is here.

BCHL:

Prince George Spruce Kings  5  Coquitlam Express  2

Marcus Lougheed and Carter Hesselgrave each scored twice, while Tai Ushio scored once.

Ryder Green made 34 saves on the night.

The box score is here.

The Spruce Kings (25-13-2-0) are on top of the Coastal East Division.

The BCHL standings are here.

The BCHL Roadshow continues in Burns Lake today.

The full Spruce Kings schedule is here.

Olympics:

Mikael Kingbury has claimed Canada’s first gold of the games in men’s dual moguls.

Canada currently has nine medals, one gold, three silver, and five bronze.

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A tenth of a pound split the difference between winning one thousand dollars or five hundred dollars over the weekend.

Duane Clement came in first place in the singles category at the Marmot Lake Park Valentine’s Ice Fishing Derby in Nazko, west of Quesnel, on Valentine’s Day.

Clement won his grand prize by catching a 6.18-pound fish.

Second place, and $500 went to Steve Dumont, whose fish weighed in at 6 pounds.

Trevor Clement came in third place, winning $200 with a fish that weighed in at 5.38 pounds.

In the Sweetheart category, where couples combined their fish’s weights to win, Addison and Curtis Ernst took home first with a combined weight of 7.92 pounds.

Second was Jenessa Lorenz and Jordan Cook, who had a combined weight of 7.72 pounds.

The winners of the sweetheart category got a fitting romantic getaway for two.

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Who knew that having two pairs was considered a winning hand in hockey.

The cards fell perfectly on Saturday night for the Prince George Spruce Kings who received two goals each from Carter Hesselgrave and Marcus Lougheed in a 5-2 victory over the Coquitlam Express in front of 810 fans at the Tom Forsyth Arena in Burns Lake.

PG’s lethal power-play got the engine running in the opening 20 minutes as Lougheed lit the lamp twice in a span of ninety seconds, giving the so-called visitors a 2-0 lead.

Marcus Lougheed. Man of the People #BurnsLakeRoadShow pic.twitter.com/inYzY8a0Vl

— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) February 15, 2026

Coquitlam pushed back in the middle period courtesy of Tyler Chiovetti who found an opening on Spruce Kings netminder Ryder Green, trimming the deficit to 2-1.

Seven minutes later, Tai Ushio restored the two-goal spread, potting his 24th of the BCHL campaign with Mathis Laplante and Robby Hoch drawing the assists.

Jack L’esperance once again pulled Coquitlam within one at the 9:27 mark thanks to a Chiovetti pass.

The Spruce Kings, like most good teams, found their killer instinct in the final 20 minutes as Hesselgrave also scored twice on the man-advantage, delivering the knockout blow.

Special teams were the difference in the first half of the BCHL Roadshow as PG went 4-for-8 on the power-play while the Express were 0-for-2.

We were honoured to visit local schools in Burns Lake today with @SpruceKings and @BCHLExpress players ahead of this weekend’s Road Show event. pic.twitter.com/dD2PHzCp3X

— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) February 13, 2026

PG outshot Coquitlam 38-36. Green made 34 saves in the victory while Ryan Parker turned aside 33 Spruce Kings pucks in defeat.

The Spruce Kings (25-13-2-0) extend their Coastal East Division lead to four points over Coquitlam (23-14-1-1).

In addition, the Chilliwack Chiefs fell on the road against the Victoria Grizzlies by a 6-3 score – the Chiefs are eight points back of PG.

Coquitlam and the Spruce Kings complete their double header today (Sunday) at 1pm from the Tom Forsyth Arena.

The Spruce Kings have arrived in Burns Lake!

Ushio Lougheed#BurnsLakeRoadShow pic.twitter.com/IMRZHyaats

— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) February 15, 2026

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It might not look like winter in Prince George, but that didn’t stop people from taking in the Downtown Winterfest activities.

Families were quick to take in the outdoor skating while checking out the market inside the PG Conference and Civic Centre.

Other activities taking place include live music, mini rail, s’mores contest, street hockey, and more.

Downtown Winterfest began at 11:00 a.m., and will continue until 4:00 tonight.

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A digital platform aimed at bringing together businesses and non-profits recently completed its first phase.

The Exchange launched in 2025 between the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and Praxis Solutions, mapping how businesses, non-profits, and other organizations are connected in the city.

The initiative was also in partnership with the City in obtaining funding through the Government of British Columbia’s Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program.

Chamber of Commerce CEO Neil Godbout said they’ve seen more organizations wanting to participate.

“That opens the opportunity ‘I should be part of that business. There’s the opportunity for growing my business by being connected’.”

“So, really trying to make it more than a shop local and support local, but about collaborating local, working together locally to strengthen Prince George.”

While the first phase was geared more towards not-for-profits, Godbout said heading into the spring of 2026, they look to expand to the business community.

He added with organizations having faced tariffs, funding and support cuts, and public safety challenges, they’re looking for ways to work with their neighbours.

More information can be found here.

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After a successful first run, College of the Rockies’ (COTR)  Fernie Campus is offering a second intake of its five-week Environmental Water Monitoring micro-credential starting Mar. 16, 2026.

“Our pilot intake for this micro-credential was very successful, and we’re excited to be able to offer it again this spring,” said Tim Schoahs, Fernie campus manager.

 “We have been able to refine the program for this second offering, but students will still leave the program equipped to provide water monitoring services within our region, across the province, and beyond.” Schoahs added.

The program, developed in collaboration with industry specialists, provides an in-depth introduction to field work through online and in person lectures, along with training from industry experts. The program teaches hands-on water testing and monitoring skills and prepares students for environmental jobs in government and industry careers. 

“This new micro-credential program at COTR is a prime example of how the future skills grant is supporting British Columbians to improve and expand their skills for employment. I am excited for people across the province to benefit as people apply these new skills towards building a stronger BC.” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

Students can earn industry certifications like First Aid, WHMIS, H2S Awareness, WildSafeBC Wildlife Awareness and Safety, Swift Water Rescue Awareness and CABIN (Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network) field technician training.

Eligible British Columbians can apply for up to $3,500 in tuition support through the Stronger BC Future Skills Grant, funded by the Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills.

For more information, visit cotr.bc.ca/water-monitoring.

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Midway RCMP are looking for redemption against Midway Fire & Rescue as the annual Guns and Hoses fundraiser returns to the ice.

Taking place this Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Boundary Expo Recreation Centre arena in Midway, Cpl. Mike Rampone of the Midway RCMP said the Mounties have their eyes on the prize.

“The fire department won last year in a shootout, and they won’t stop bragging about it. So, this year we’re going to take the trophy back, no doubt about it.”

While the teams will compete on the ice, they will join forces off the ice to raise funds for Grand Forks Search and Rescue and the Boundary Skating Skills Camp, which teaches skating skills to children in the Boundary area.

“Our youth are important,” said Rampone.

The free event will feature prizes and a 50/50 draw.

“Come and watch, It’s going to be a fun afternoon,” said Rampone.

“We’re looking forward to this important fundraiser for the community, as well as having fun.”

“However, there’s a reason we keep score and we’re looking to beat the firefighters.”

The schedule is as follows:

2:30 p.m. — Family skate with the Osoyoos Coyotes
3:30 p.m. — RCMP K9, Shoot to Win and more
4:30 p.m. — Guns and Hoses game

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ArtWalk 2026 is now accepting applications from artists and businesses interested in taking part in this summer’s event in Nelson.

The Nelson & District Arts Council said applications for artists and venues open Monday, Feb. 16 and close Thursday, April 9 at 11:55 p.m. PST.

The annual event, now in its 38th year, transforms local businesses into temporary galleries, pairing artists with venues throughout the city. Artwork selected by venue operators is displayed during regular business hours over the summer.

Two opening nights are scheduled for Friday, June 26 and Friday, July 31. Artists will be on site at their assigned venues from 6 to 9 p.m., joined by performers and entertainers. A new group of artists will be featured at each opening.

Art will remain on display at participating locations until Sunday, Sept. 4.

Professional and emerging artists are encouraged to apply. The council said not all applicants will be selected, with priority given to artists presenting recent work not previously shown at ArtWalk or other Nelson venues.

Businesses interested in participating can apply to serve as host venues. The council will charge a $100 application fee for businesses.

Application forms and details are available at ArtWalk – Nelson & District Arts Council.

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The dates have been set for the 98^th Annual Williams Lake Stampede.

It’s set to take place June 25^th through 28^th which is a Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“The Thursday Friday will be what we call evening performances starting at 6 o’clock,” Stampede President Court Smith said, “Saturday will be at four and Sunday at two.”

Smith said the Association is gearing up for it now with weekly meetings and June will be here before we know it.

“We’ve started our Sponsorship Drive, we couldn’t do this without our incredible local sponsors. Another thing is we’re starting to touch base with volunteers and contracts that have to be organized and signed for some of the bigger vendors we hire on, it’s just one step after another.”

Smith noted that another item of business the Williams Lake Stampede Association is working on is

putting ticket sales together.

“There will be ticket sales available online, probably, we haven’t set a date yet, but probably early May is when we’d like to get them out there for the online purchases. Then the first of June we’ll open up our Grandstand office for people to buy tickets in person.”

Smith said ticket sales for last years Stampede were 16 to 17 thousand.

“Our world is a little different today than what it was in 2025 with what’s going on with the tariffs and various other things so we are cautiously optimistic that we will meet the levels we’ve hit in the previous years, The support we get from the community and beyond is incredible so hopefully when June comes people will feel like they need to come and experience the famous Williams Lake Stampede.”

To get rodeo fans in the stampede mood early, there is a special event planned for later this month.

“Our Annual Dinner Dance and Auction is coming up February 28,” Stampede Director Kayla Jasper said, “it’s always our kickoff to Stampede getting everybody excited for what’s to come. This year will be holding it once again at the Sacred Heart School and our theme is Denim and Lace, kind of like a barn dance just a little bit fancier.”

Jasper noted that they are down to their last bunch of tickets.

“They can be purchased through our website and our What’s on page. We have very few dinner tickets remaining then it will be dance only left. We’re looking at $80 for the whole evening or $40 for the dance only.”

Jasper added that for the auction they’ve had lots of donations from amazing local businesses and the event is sponsored by Ryker Logging.

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WHL:

The Prince George Cougars start the weekend strong with a 5-2 victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers yesterday (Friday).

Both teams play again tonight at 6:00 in Kamloops.

The PG Cougars regular season schedule and results are here.

The WHL standings are here.

BCHL:

The Prince George Spruce Kings have a busy weekend, as they visit Coquitlam to face the Express tonight at 7:00, with both teams playing again at Kopar Memorial Arena tomorrow afternoon at 1:00.

2026 Olympic Winter Games:

Prince George long-track speed skater Caroline Hiller-Donnelly competes in the 500m Sunday (8 AM PT).

Hiller-Donnelly placed 26th out of 30 in the 1000m race Monday.

Ski cross racer Gavin Rowell of Prince George will participate at the Games on Saturday, Feb. 21st (1 AM PT).

Canada has seven medals in Milano Cortina; three silver and four bronze.

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Drag racing will return to the Grand Forks airport this fall.

City council was originally undecided after hearing that last year’s event prevented four medevac flights from using the airport.

However, BC Emergency Health Services has since clarified that only one flight was affected, forcing a patient from Boundary Hospital to be transferred to the Penticton airport. An email from the agency to the city said helicopters based in Kamloops are also used when available and appropriate, but they don’t need access to the airport in Grand Forks.

Fifteen medevac flights used the Grand Forks airport in all of 2025, more than half of them in the second quarter.

The drag races are organized by the people behind the BC DragiT Challenge. They initially proposed to expand the races to two days this year, but have since decided to keep the event to a single day.

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On Friday night, the air in Tumbler Ridge had a bite to it, but it was nothing compared with the grief that has surrounded the South Peace community since Tuesday.

At a vigil in front of town hall, mourners gathered to honour the lives lost and support one another after the shootings.

Countless teddy bears, bouquets of flowers and other mementos sat on the steps, where residents later received messages of hope from political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and B.C. Premier David Eby.

The three leaders, along with several community, faith and government representatives who took to the podium just after 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, commended the community for its resilience. They said the strength and support residents have shown one another will help carry them through the days ahead.  

As the leaders spoke, attendees stood silent, candles burning in their hands. Before Mayor Darryl Krakowka began the vigil, some guests picked up complimentary candles set inside cups from a table at the back of the crowd.

Others handed out small blue ribbons with safety pins to attach to parkas, sweaters and jackets.

For the first time in days, voices filled the air in Tumbler Ridge. Neighbours and friends who had not seen each other since the incident caught up as they waited for dusk, when the vigil was scheduled to begin.

After the mayor invited people to place their candles and mementos on the steps, a crowd formed. People moved toward the staircase to pay their respects, leave donations or take in the scene.

Krakowka told attendees to stay as long as they needed. He remained afterward to speak with residents.

By the end of the night, the steps were filled with donations and candles. Dozens lined either side of the staircase, with others placed among flowers and stuffed animals arranged around centrepieces, including a wooden “TR.” The wind may blow out the candles, but residents suggested it will take more to shake the community’s spirit.

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How do you stop a team that likes to light the lamp?

Take the puck away.

The Prince George Cougars found a way to cut the ice in half in a 5-2 victory against the Kamloops Blazers in front of 4,569 fans at CN Centre on Friday night.

Brock Souch got the party started offensively sniping a hard wrist-shot past the glove hand of Blazers netminder Logan Edmonstone for a 1-0 edge.

Brock Souch puts it upstairs, we have the first lead!@CarlsJrCA | #NHLDraft https://t.co/Wna6ZsnzGH pic.twitter.com/rUMmGjKMrH

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 14, 2026

The play was made possible courtesy of a Terik Parascak feed from the far icing line, connecting with the 19-year-old 13:09 into the first period.

Not to be outdone, Parascak went bar-down on Edmonstone at just over a minute into the second period.

The Washington Capitals first-rounder cut into the middle towards the slot, letting another hard blast go doubling the Cougars advantage to 2-0.

NASTY work from Terik Parascak here @CarlsJrCA | @Capitals https://t.co/ErZwLP3BWI pic.twitter.com/kLY7xuS6cg

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 14, 2026

Blazers import forward Vit Zahesjky trimmed the deficit in half as he snuck in just past the hashmarks on a 3-on-2 rush beating Josh Ravensbergen who was unable to go post-to-post in time to make the save.

Souch added his second of the game tapping in a back-door pass from Arsenii Anisimov past Edmonstone.

“We started from the jump. We had jump all game and played 50 pretty well in that. We had a little bit of a lull but we got a lot of pucks to the net there and it worked out for us tonight,” said Souch post game to MyPGNow.com.

“We set the pace every night. If we are going other guys are going to follow. We’ve got to start like that and keep playing our game.”

Dmitri Yakutsenak helped engineer the play keeping the puck inside the Kamloops blueline eventually finding his fellow Russian.

Eight minutes later, a broken play at the Blazers blueline allowed Aiden Foster to collect a loose puck, locating Corbin Vaughan who let a slapshot go – his initial try squeaked through the arm of Edmonstone and the 19-year-old blueliner swooped in and cashed in on the loose change extending the Cats lead to 4-1.

STICK TAPS IN THE CN

Corbin Vaughan has his 7th goal of the season!@CarlsJrCA https://t.co/rnovcNtj8T pic.twitter.com/DsMVnqS73K

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 14, 2026

Prior to the intermission, Josh Evaschesen potted his 27th of the campaign bringing Kamloops within a pair as his innocent looking shot trickled through the pads of Ravensbergen.

Jett Lajoie added his 21st of the season on the power-play backhanding a rebound at the side of the Kamloops goal following a point blast from Anisimov.

It wasn’t a $100,000 50/50 ticket, but Jett Lajoie has CASHED IN @CarlsJrCA https://t.co/gw10DKG2T8 pic.twitter.com/RBW7db2a52

— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) February 14, 2026

Both Anisimov and Carson Carels finished the game with two assists each.

Prince George outshot the Blazers 39-22 and went 2-for-3 on the power-play while Kamloops failed to capitalize on its lone opportunity.

Cougars associate coach Jim Playfair cooked up a successful game-plan to stop star American forward JP Hurlbert who failed to register a shot on goal for the Blazers in defeat.

“It’s the five guys who are out against him on the ice. He is dynamic and finds space out there and can get behind the D – he does a lot of that and is real gifted player. We did a great job on him.” said Mark Lamb, Cougars head coach and general manager.

“Those players can make something out of nothing and he is a bit of a rover. He plays left wing but he is on the right wing a lot and is all over the place. You need six guys on the ice counting the goalie, because he is everywhere.”

Hurlbert leads the WHL in scoring with 83 points – 36 goals and 47 assists. The Allen, Texas product is committed to the University of Michigan for next season.

With four points separating the two teams, some pundits are envisioning a possible first-round playoff matchup between the two clubs.

While it’s still too early to handicap the Western Conference field, Lamb admits a Blazers/Cougars best-of-seven would be pretty fun.

“It would be a good playoff series if it happens. However, we line up is still a long ways away yet but it has the makings doesn’t it.”

The Cougars are 6-1 in the season series – four of those wins have been by a single goal.

The Friday night tilt was highlighted by a mega 50-50 jackpot that reached $103,000 and was claimed.

Prior to the game, a moment of silence was held in recognition of the victims lost in Tuesday’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge.

B.C. Premier David Eby, Prime Minister Mark Carney and other dignitaries were in the rural northeastern community to attend a vigil.

The Cougars (31-19-2-0) begin an eight-game road swing, which includes a tour through Saskatchewan and Manitoba tomorrow night (Saturday) when they head down Highway 97 to play the Blazers (25-18-6-4) at Sandman Centre.

Puck drop is at 6pm.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the principle of grace at an emotional vigil in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., for the victims of the Feb. 10 mass shooting.

Six children between the ages of 11 and 13, and two women died in the shootings at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in the small, northeastern B.C. community.

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Carney told those gathered at the vigil that the people of Tumbler Ridge care for each other. He pointed to stories of first responders who rushed to the school within minutes of gunfire being reported and teachers who shielded their students during the shooting.

“This is grace. It’s what we do for each other. It’s what we receive from each other: open hearts when the word falls apart,” he said.  “Tumbler Ridge is full of grace this evening.”

Carney said Canadians will be there to support those grieving after the tragedy.

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Carney was among a host of federal and provincial leaders who travelled to Tumbler Ridge to attend the vigil.

Governor General Mary Simon said the victims made a lasting mark on the community.

“Your memories of them will continue to shine brightly through this dark time,” said Simon.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said all parties put political affiliations aside to mourn with the community of Tumbler Ridge.

“We are all today Tumbler Ridge strong,” he said.

Premier David Eby returned to Tumbler Ridge for the vigil after a previous visit earlier in the week. He was joined by B.C. Conservative leader Trevor Halford and B.C. Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote in a show of cross-party unity.

Eby became emotional as he told the story of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School teacher Mark Deeley, who barricaded the classroom door to protect students during the shooting, despite knowing his own son was outside the classroom in the washroom.

He said Deeley and two students helped perform first aid for a student who had been critically injured in the hallway.

“What they did is emblematic of this town,” said Eby. “In those heroic actions are the seeds of the recovery of this community, because the future of Tumbler Ridge is in that school.”

He said the province will work with the school board to ensure students won’t need to return to the building where the shooting happened.

Two victims, 12-year-old Maya Gebala and 19-year-old Paige Hoekstra, remain in hospital.

RCMP said the suspected shooter, 18-year-old Tumbler Ridge resident Jesse Van Rootselaar, died of a self-inflicted wound at the school.

Police said the two people found dead at the home were her mother, 39-year-old Jennifer Jacobs, and he step-brother, 11-year-old Emmett Jacobs.

Anyone affected by the tragedy can contact the 24-hour Crisis Services Canada line at 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 for support, or call the 24-hour B.C. crisis line at 310-6789 to connect with support. No area code is required.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the principle of grace at an emotional vigil in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., for the victims of the Feb. 10 mass shooting.

Six children between the ages of 11 and 13, and two women died in the shootings at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in the small, northeastern B.C. community.

[irp posts=”81917″ ]

Carney told those gathered at the vigil that the people of Tumbler Ridge care for each other. He pointed to stories of first responders who rushed to the school within minutes of gunfire being reported and teachers who shielded their students during the shooting.

“This is grace. It’s what we do for each other. It’s what we receive from each other: open hearts when the word falls apart,” he said.  “Tumbler Ridge is full of grace this evening.”

Carney said Canadians will be there to support those grieving after the tragedy.

[irp posts=”81973″ ]

Carney was among a host of federal and provincial leaders who travelled to Tumbler Ridge to attend the vigil.

Governor General Mary Simon said the victims made a lasting mark on the community.

“Your memories of them will continue to shine brightly through this dark time,” said Simon.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said all parties put political affiliations aside to mourn with the community of Tumbler Ridge.

“We are all today Tumbler Ridge strong,” he said.

Premier David Eby returned to Tumbler Ridge for the vigil after a previous visit earlier in the week. He was joined by B.C. Conservative leader Trevor Halford and B.C. Green MLA Jeremy Valeriote in a show of cross-party unity.

Eby became emotional as he told the story of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School teacher Mark Deeley, who barricaded the classroom door to protect students during the shooting, despite knowing his own son was outside the classroom in the washroom.

He said Deeley and two students helped perform first aid for a student who had been critically injured in the hallway.

“What they did is emblematic of this town,” said Eby. “In those heroic actions are the seeds of the recovery of this community, because the future of Tumbler Ridge is in that school.”

He said the province will work with the school board to ensure students won’t need to return to the building where the shooting happened.

Two victims, 12-year-old Maya Gebala and 19-year-old Paige Hoekstra, remain in hospital.

RCMP said the suspected shooter, 18-year-old Tumbler Ridge resident Jesse Van Rootselaar, died of a self-inflicted wound at the school.

Police said the two people found dead at the home were her mother, 39-year-old Jennifer Jacobs, and he step-brother, 11-year-old Emmett Jacobs.

Anyone affected by the tragedy can contact the 24-hour Crisis Services Canada line at 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 for support, or call the 24-hour B.C. crisis line at 310-6789 to connect with support. No area code is required.

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The father of a student killed in the 1999 Taber school shooting said the pain facing families of the eight victims in the recent Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shooting is not something he would wish on anyone.

Dale Lang, whose son Jason Lang was shot and killed at W.R. Myers High School in Taber, Alta., said he and his family understand what the families and community are going through.

“There really isn’t anything that anybody can say. You can’t have magic words that are going to make everything better for people, but when people show up and support you and give you a hug and say they care, it eases the pain.”

Lang said it is a tough situation and while communities often rally in the immediate aftermath of tragedy, families will need support long after public attention fades.

“It’s the kind of thing that parents always are looking after their children, trying to watch out for them and help them and fix things that go wrong, and in a case like this, of course, you can’t change anything, which is very difficult for parents to face, and of course, it’s extremely painful.”

Lang said small towns can feel immune to the kind of violence often associated with larger cities.

“This lets us know that it can happen anywhere,” he said.

Days after the 1999 shooting in Taber, Lang said he and his wife Diane held a memorial service inside the high school and returned when classes resumed to welcome students back.

“Kids were very afraid to go back into their school. They were very nervous about it, and it was not an easy time for any of them, really,” he said. “We just welcomed kids back to class, gave a lot of them a hug and stuff, and I think that was a really strong part of the healing that started for the school because kids were very afraid to go back into their school.”

In the years since, Lang said he and his wife have spoken with students who were there and reflected on that time.

Lang said he has received a number of requests over the years to speak at schools and community events. He said his message focuses on caring for one another and the power of forgiveness, which was central to his family’s healing.

“In our situation, God gave us the grace to forgive the boy who shot our son, and that was the beginning of a lot of healing for us,” he said. “People are justifiably angry and frustrated with such a situation, but it’s difficult not to get stuck in a place of being bitter and angry about that.”

“When God gave us the grace to say we forgive this boy, it changed life for us and for a lot of other folks.”

Throughout his speaking engagements, Lang said he has met many parents who lost children to violence, illness and accidents and found some remained “trapped in a very painful place.”

“Encouraging people to walk into a place where they can have the grace to forgive and to move on can make a huge difference.”

Asked what he would say to a political leader in the wake of another teen gaining access to guns, Lang said respect for others is fundamental.

“We need to be able to honour each other in life,” he said. “The integrity and the respect that we need to give to each other and show in our own lives would make a tremendous amount of difference.”

Lang said his hope for Tumbler Ridge is that the community continues to surround grieving families with care in the months and years ahead.

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Avalanche Canada reminds backcountry hikers to “match the terrain to conditions” if they are heading for an alpine long weekend hike.

The Cariboo Mountains have a ‘Moderate’ danger rating, though Avalanche Forecasters caution that new snow and wind slabs, when loose snow is swept from the windward side of a ridge and deposited on the leeward slope, could pose risks in higher terrain.

“Where people find more than 15 centimetres of new snow, the danger is forecasted as ‘Considerable,’” says Avalanche Canada Forecaster Martina Halik.

“All the new and recent snow may be burying a weak layer of surface core or suncrest, and with wind in the forecast, we expect wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggering through the weekend.”

Halik says the more ‘Considerable’ rated areas will be in the higher Alpine and Treeline slopes of the mountains. She recommends hikers to stay off recently wind-loaded slopes and stay in more sheltered terrain where snow has not been affected by wind.

“If people are snowshoeing, they could use ribs and ridges to avoid the wind slabs and loaded areas. Other people skiing or snowmobiling can start on smaller terrain features and gather information before committing to bigger terrain.”

Avalanche Canada recommends everyone heading into avalanche terrain to have the essential gear: a transceiver, a probe, and a shovel. As well as, to check the forecast and latest bulletins, and to not travel alone.

Avalanche Canada wants people to be aware of and trained on the risks, so they can also go out and enjoy the mountains in the forecasted sunny conditions.

A more detailed list of essential gear and the latest forecast and bulletins, which are updated daily, can be found at Avalanche Canada.ca.

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Experts say children may need extra support and reassurance from their parents after hearing about violent events in the news, such as Tuesday’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

Six children between the ages of 11 and 13, along with two 39-year-old women, were killed in the shootings at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in the small, close-knit community. A 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman remain in hospital.

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Dr. Tyler Black, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of British Columbia, said there’s no need for parents to bring up violent events if their children are not already aware of them. However, he noted that some children may hear about the tragedy online or through friends.

Black said children and teens who are exposed to the story may need help processing the news or correcting misinformation.

“Young kids need a lot of reassurance about safety, whereas teenagers are going to have to process more about the injustice, the unfairness and the violence of it,” he said.

Black said some signs of stress or trauma to watch for include changes in behaviour, such as withdrawal, aggression, reluctance to go to school or persistent nightmares.

He noted that losing interest in activities or experiencing physical symptoms like fatigue can also be signs of depression and may require professional support.

“We want kids to be able to feel and experience the normal emotions that occur with grief, sadness or tragic events,” said Black. “We just want them to also be aware that they’re safe.”

Dr. Kara Brisson-Boivin, director of research at the digital media literacy organization MediaSmarts, recommends starting by asking children and teens what they’ve heard about a difficult news story.

“This is an opportunity to correct any misconceptions and provide any necessary reassurances,” she said.

When talking with younger children about tragic events, Brisson-Boivin said parents should stick to the facts and reinforce that they are safe.

With older tweens and teens, she said it can help for parents to share some of their own feelings.

“You can talk to them about how the news is making you feel sad, scared or angry,” she said. “This can help them open up and perhaps share how they’re feeling.”

However, Brisson-Boivin emphasized that parents should take care of their own mental health before having these conversations.

“Sometimes that means taking a break from news or media,” she said, comparing it to putting on your own oxygen mask on a plane before helping others.

Premier David Eby and other government officials have pledged to support the community of Tumbler Ridge as it recovers from the tragedy.

“There are going to be some long days, weeks and months ahead,” Eby said during a visit to the community on Wednesday.

On-site mental health supports were offered at the community centre throughout the week, and counselling appointments were available at the local health centre. The premier’s office said more than a dozen clinical workers, along with additional support staff, were on the ground in Tumbler Ridge.

Black said the community will need a sustained, trauma-informed approach to support residents, including ongoing school-based mental health services for students and teachers.

“It has to be beyond just a few weeks,” he said.

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