Category: British Columbia

Fast-Growing Fire Near Kamloops, BC, Prompts Evacuation Alerts and Orders

A fast-moving wildfire that has prompted evacuation orders and alerts in and around the Kamloops area expanded rapidly to 18 square kilometres in size on Sunday as it moved closer to the city limits. The Ross Moore Lake fire, first discovered Friday afternoon, is now about 13 kilometres south of the city and more than…


Memorial for Fallen BC Wildfire Fighter Held in Revelstoke

Family, friends and fellow firefighters paid tribute to a 19-year-old woman killed while battling wildfires in British Columbia earlier this month, describing her as hard-working, reliable and positive. Devyn Gale died on July 13 after being struck by a falling tree while fighting a wildfire near Revelstoke, B.C. Gale’s brother and sister, Nolan and Kayln,…


Uncertainty at BC Ports Continues as Possible Deal Emerges in Labour Dispute

For the second time in just over a week a tentative deal may have been reached in the labour dispute at British Columbia ports. News of a possible agreement capped a tumultuous week in the conflict, which earlier this month froze billions of dollars’ worth of goods at Canada’s key west coast import and export…


Workers’ Compensation Boards Could Give Small Businesses $3 Billion Boost by Rebating Excess Funds: CFIB

Small businesses in Canada could receive a $3 billion boost if five underfunded workers’ compensation boards (WCBs) across the country rebated their excess funds, according to the latest research snapshot by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). “Workers’ compensation boards are holding onto billions in extra money, while over half of small businesses (60…


BC Police Issue Amber Alert for Brother, Sister After Mother Failed to Return Pair

An Amber Alert has been issued across all of British Columbia for an eight-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother after they failed to return from a vacation with their mother. Surrey RCMP say Aurora Bolton and Joshuah Bolton were last seen in Krafty’s Kitchen and Bar in Kelowna on June 30, and police are also…


Surrey Must Stay With Local Police Instead of RCMP: BC Government

The British Columbia government has directed the City of Surrey to move forward with an independent police service despite its mayor and council’s determination to stay with the RCMP. The province said Wednesday that it made the decision to avoid a crisis in policing in Surrey that would have taken Mounties from other areas of…


What Can BC Learn From Other Jurisdictions’ Experience With Drought

As British Columbia struggles with droughts across much of its territory, water conservation experts say the province could learn many lessons from the drought-prone U.S. state of California. “We really kind of focus on a community effort and community outreach. We keep our customers up to date on where we are in our water supply…


Death of BC Boy Linked to Wildfire Smoke, Health Officials Warn

The B.C. Coroners Service issued a public safety alert on July 17 about wildfire smoke after confirming a nine-year-old boy died after his medical condition was exacerbated by the deterioration in air quality caused by the smoke. The boy, Carter Vigh, died last week in hospital. He’d suffered from asthma his whole life and always…


Municipal Police Chief Casts Doubt on Effectiveness of BC Drug Decriminalization

The chief of a municipal police force in Metro Vancouver has issued an open letter criticizing British Columbia’s drug decriminalization policies as ineffective in the face of the ongoing overdose crisis. Delta Police Chief Const. Neil Dubord says in the letter that while he agrees with “the underlying principles of decriminalization,” an early evaluation shows…


‘Aggressive’ Wildfire Shuts BC Highway as Military and Officials Set to Meet

The BC Wildfire Service says an “aggressive” fire that exploded in size over the weekend has cut off a highway on the central coast, while more than a dozen new blazes have been sparked since Sunday. The service says Highway 20 east of Bella Coola was closed Sunday evening as the fire that was discovered…