Vancouver Rundown

Two separate Sunday avalanches in northern B.C. have claimed four lives. Three heli-skiers died in a snow slide on Mount Knauss, north of Terrace, early in the afternoon. A fourth skier is being treated for serious injuries. A second slide, a few hours later, killed one person in a remote area near the B.C.-Alaska border. Four others survived that avalanche, unhurt.

Two hikers are injured, one critically, after sliding down a treacherous area on Brunswick Mountain, near Lions Bay. It happened on Saturday as a group of 14 hikers tried to make their way down the hill. Lions Bay Search and Rescue, along with North Shore Rescue, used the help of two helicopters to bring the hikers to safety. A doctor provided advanced medical care on the scene before the injured hikers were hoisted.

Several people had to be rescued and power was knocked out for close to 5,000 BC Hydro customers following a mudslide in Coquitlam. It happened shortly after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, hitting four homes and two industrial properties. Search and Rescue used a private helicopter to rescue eight people, two dogs and a cat on Pipeline Road, north of Upper Coquitlam River Park. The heavy rain also forced a temporary closure of the West Coast Express at Port Haney Station. The atmospheric river is responsible for several advisories along Metro Vancouver’s North Shore and in Sea-to-Sky.Meanwhile, the Fraser Valley Regional District has declared a local state of emergency in Electoral Area E - east of Cultus Lake. There’s been at least one small slide along Chilliwack Lake Road and more flooding and slides are anticipated. More than 1,500 people live in that area.

A flood watch is now in effect for the Fraser Valley as bands of heavy rain continue to hit parts of the south coast. The atmospheric river coincides with significant snow melt on area mountains - localized flooding is expected in areas like Chilliwack and Abbotsford. Some area trails are now closed and people are warned to stay away from fast flowing streams.

Premier David Eby is pushing back against the federal government’s planned expansion of the temporary foreign worker program. That plan would allow employers outside of urban centres to increase the number of lower paid TFLs until at least next year. Eby says it ties vulnerable workers to employers who often exploit them. He says there should be a path to permanent residency instead.

‘There’s no evidence of extortion’ - that’s what the Surrey Police Service says after a Surrey home was shot up early Monday morning. Police say the homeowner found bullet holes in his door and front window. He did not witness the shooting that occurred near 76th Avenue and 126A Street in the Strawberry Hill neighbourhood. While Surrey’s police chief claims extortion is on the decline now, there have been 77 reports of extortion so far this year.

A man’s been shot dead at a home in Surrey. It happened at around 1:30 a.m. Sunday as neighbours reported hearing gun fire. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made. While there is no word on a motive for the shooting, it comes only days after Surrey Police Chief Norm Lipinski praised his force saying extortion related violence is on the decline.

The stabbed body of a Vancouver man has been found on a small sailboat off the coast of Belize. Thomas David Harmon, 72, was found on a catamaran - investigators in Belize say a woman rescued from the same boat claims Harmon suffered a heart attack but authorities found the stab wounds and indications of decomposition. Harmon’s son is reportedly making arrangements to return the body to Canada.

A Wednesday evening windstorm has knocked out power to thousands of BC Hydro customers in eastern parts of the Fraser Valley. By about 11: 30 p.m., crews had been trying to restore power for up to 35,000 customers as 100 km/h winds hit some areas. At least one home has been hit by a fallen tree in Mission. Fire crews have been dealing with numerous reports of downed power lines. The storm has dumped close to two feet of snow on parts of the Coquihalla Highway - blizzard conditions are responsible for several crashes.

At least 16 people have been checked out for smoke inhalation and 142 residents are displaced after that massive Monday evening fire at a retirement home in Mission. Crews are being praised for the massive evacuation effort as flames engulfed Chartwell Carrington Place on 7 Avenue. There were no serious injuries or fatalities but a woman, over 100 years old, was found on some stairs close to two hours after the fire started.

A huge fire has engulfed and destroyed a retirement home in Mission. Flames broke out at the Chartwell Carrington House on 7 Avenue early Monday evening and quickly spread to other buildings, prompting a massive response from Mission Fire Rescue as well as departments in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and North Fraser. First responders and retirement home staff have been trying to determine whether all residents are accounted for. Many of the evacuees have been taken to the Mission Leisure Centre - at least one has been checked out by paramedics. There’s no official word yet on any victims. The Salvation Army is one of several agencies lending assistance to those impacted by the fire.Breaking News…shots have been fired at a home near Bevan and Cannon Avenues in Abbotsford. Police surrounded area streets and an RCMP helicopter was called-in after people reported hearing the gunfire early Monday evening. There are no early reports of damage or injuries.

The Coquihalla Highway, north of Merritt, has reopened after being shut down for several hours on Sunday following a messy snow storm. Several people have been injured in a serious of crashes on Highway Five. Drivers say conditions changed quickly and switched between heavy snow, slush and rain. Environment Canada continues to warn drivers to beware of more snow and strong wind Monday and Tuesday.

An RCMP officer is injured but in stable condition after a police cruiser smashed into a utility pole and flipped at 208 Street and 74B Avenue in Langley late Thursday afternoon. Langley RCMP say the officer was responding to a call when it happened. No other vehicle crashed. The RCMP have not released any further details.

A ‘fireball’ meteor - that’s what NASA says thousands of people in parts of B.C. and Washington state witnessed on Tuesday evening. Experts say a meteor travelling through the earth’s atmosphere was responsible for the bright light and loud booms heard in many parts of the Lower Mainland including Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Moody, Delta, Surrey and Langley. The meteor was likely no larger than a softball when it streaked across the sky, at about 9:10 p.m.

Breaking News: Thousands of people in parts of the U.S. Pacific Northwest and southwestern B.C., including Metro Vancouver, have reported seeing a flash of light and/or hearing a large boom. Those on social media say they heard or saw something at around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday evening - local amateur sky watchers say it may have been a meteor. It’s shown up on area seismographs. Nothing has been officially confirmed.

This weekend will be the last time those in B.C. move their clocks by an hour. Premier David Eby has announced this Sunday will mark a permanent move to daylight saving time. Eby says the twice yearly clock move has had a huge, unnecessary impact on the lives of British Columbians. The premier also says he hopes the U.S. Congress will now allow governors in the pacific time zone to make the same move.

Officials at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver have been linked to the June 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Temple. The Globe & Mail reports Canadian national security officers have been presented with that evidence. Nijjar was active in campaigning for a separate Sikh homeland . Prime Minister Mark Carney is currently in India trying to restore relations between Canada and the Modi government.

Over a dozen charges have been laid against a man in three kidnappings in four days in several Lower Mainland communities. Amritpal Singh, 28, is in custody on three counts of kidnapping as well as uttering threats, mischief using computer data, sexual assault with a weapon and various gun charges. The counts stem from four days of incidents last month in Pitt Meadows, Surrey and West Vancouver. Police will only say the victims where targeted through employment opportunities on an online platform.

An MLA from the Interior has scored a huge coup in the crowded BC Conservative leadership race - getting the backing of five members of caucus. Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar has been endorsed by Ward Stamer, Gavin Dew, Kiel Giddens, Brennan Day and Scott McInnis - all are from outside the Lower Mainland. Milobar faces ten other declared candidates seeking the leadership.

A backcountry skier has been killed in an avalanche in Sea-to-Sky country. RCMP say the avalanche happened near Joffre Peak, east of Pemberton. Search and Rescue reached the victim Tuesday afternoon and has been devising a plan to recover the body. This is the third avalanche death in B.C. in the past week.

Canadian based airlines are starting to resume scheduled flights to and from Mexico. That’s good news for the thousands of Canadian tourists stuck in violent hotspots like Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Many tourists have been sheltering in place since the weekend following fire bombings of cars, shops and buildings - an apparent revenge rampage linked to the killing of drug kingpin ‘El Mencho.’ More than 70 people have died since the violence broke out on Sunday.

Those from B.C., along with other Canadians, are sheltered in place as widespread violence breaks out across Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Cars have burned, blocking roads, and travellers have taken cover as heavily armed thugs seek revenge following the killiing of the Jalisco New Generation cartel boss - a man known as El Mencho. YVR and other airports across Canada have cancelled flights to the tourist destination. Global Affairs is warning Canadians in PV to shelter in place. Travel to Mexico is not advised.

The BC Human Rights Tribunal has ordered former Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld to pay $750K in a long standing hate speech complaint. Neufeld has been ordered to compensate LGBTQ+ teachers for his public attacks on gender-identity education - something which the Tribunal says created a ‘poisoned’ work environment. The Chilliwack Teachers’ Association, along with the BCTF, filed the complaint back in 2017.

Close to three dozen B.C. healthcare workers snooped into the medical records of the victims being treated following the Lapu Lapu Festival attack. A report from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. finds close to half of those injured had their privacy breached while being treated at various hospitals and healthcare facilities. The Commissioner is recommending Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health institute stronger measures to prevent future breaches. On April 26 last year, the driver of an SUV hit a crowd of people leaving the festival - 11 people died and 30 others were hurt.

Increased taxes, cuts to the public sector and more debt - it’s all part of the Eby government’s provincial budget. This year’s 2026 budget does include new funding for core services in education and health care but at the expense of many other programs. Thousands of public service jobs will be cut. At $9.6B, the budget is also down a bit from the last quarterly forecast of $11.2B. The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is giving this year’s budget a D.

A tough, unpopular budget. That’s the strong hint from Victoria as the B.C. government gets set to deliver its provincial budget Tuesday. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey says tough decisions have to be made but there will not be any cuts to core services. The Eby government has delivered three deficits in a row and nearly doubled the provincial debt in as many years. The BCGEU reached a contract deal with the government last fall that gives public sector workers a 3 per cent wage increase in each year. The BC Teachers Federation is said to be very close to approving a contract with the same pay raises.

I carry a sorrow - that’s what the father of the Tumbler Ridge shooter is saying following the mass shooting in the north eastern B.C. community. Justin Van Rootselaar says “words feel far too small for the sorrow we carry together.” He’s offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. Nine people, including shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar died in the shootings at his family home and Tumbler Ridge Secondary.

Hundreds of people have attended a Wednesday evening candlelight vigil in Tumbler Ridge - the north eastern B.C. community rocked by a mass shooting Tuesday afternoon. Eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar’s victim’s include the shooter’s mother and stepbrother - killed at home - and five students and an educator who were shot dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary. Van Rootselaar later died by suicide. More than two dozen others are still recovering from various wounds. Premier David Eby promises he’ll get answers to questions about the shooter’s mental health and police interaction history. Thursday has been declared a provincial day of mourning. The planned B.C. Throne Speech has been cancelled.

At least ten people, including a suspect, are dead after a mass shooting in the north eastern B.C. community of Tumbler Ridge. More than two dozen others are injured - some seriously. RCMP say six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School while another died enroute to hospital. It’s believed the suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. That part of the mass shooting happened during school hours on Tuesday and shortly after two people were found dead at a nearby home. Unconfirmed reports suggest the two are family members of the suspect. An alert, issued shortly after 1:00 p.m., went out to area residents warning of an armed shooter described as a woman in a dress with brown hair. That alert was cancelled at 5:45 p.m. when police confirmed the threat was over.

The B.C. Greens are ending their co-operation agreement with the Eby NDP government. Green Leader Emily Lowen says the move comes after the New Democrats failed to follow through on two thirds of their promises made during the Co-operation and Responsible Government Accord (CARGA). This leave the NDP vulnerable as it governs with a single seat majority. It’s also sparked a new round of speculation about a possible provincial election call.

Fewer and fewer drivers are crossing the border into Washington state from Lower Mainland crossings. According to the Whatcom Council of Governments, January had a 32 per cent drop in southbound trips over the same month last year at the Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Huntingdon-Sumas crossings. Close to half of the 60 Bellingham area businesses surveyed report losses due to a decline in B.C. visitors. Many call the drop - devastating. Experts blame the decline on outrage over the Trump White House’s policies on both domestic and international issues, including tariffs.

The debt riddled B.C. government is getting ready to offer early retirement incentives to public servants. The BC Public Service Agency says each ministry is looking to find efficiencies which could require restructuring or consolidation. The review comes as the province struggles to control its $11.2B deficit. A hiring freeze remains in place in certain areas of government.

Former anti-gang cop Paul Dadwal will lead B.C.’s community panel on extortions. The move comes following the provincial government’s promise to crack down on South Asian extortion violence in Surrey and other communities. Dadwal is recently retired from the RCMP and now works as a private security consultant. He was a key figure in the Surrey Six investigation and trial.

A teen is recovering from serious injuries after being stabbed following a Vancouver high school basketball game. Vancouver Police say a boy was stabbed in the arm after an overtime playoff game against Killarney Secondary, hosted by Eric Hamber Secondary. Police are reviewing video. No arrests have been made.

Two junior hockey players from B.C. are among those killed in a triple fatal highway crash in Alberta. The Southern Alberta Mustangs have lost three teen players including Kamloops 18-year-olds J.J. Wright and Cameron Casorso. Caden Fine, a 17-year-old American born player, was also killed when a car and semi collided on Highway 2, 125 km south of Calgary, late Monday morning. They were enroute to a team practice when the crash happened. The Mustangs are one of six Alberta teams that play in The U.S. Premier Hockey League’s Tier III division.

Thousands of people marched through downtown Vancouver Sunday in support of Iranian protestors. Police say close to 15,000 people gathered around the Vancouver Art Galley - their main demand is an end to Iran’s current Islamic regime. This latest rally comes as people across Canada and around the world show support for those in Iran, many of whom are being persecuted for showing opposition to the government.

B.C. Premier David Eby says Albertan separatists who went to Washington D.C. are ‘engaging in treason.’ That statement is being blasted by many politicians including Alberta Premier Daniel Smith who says she won’t demonize the nearly one million people in her province who are open to separation. Eby is backing up his treason remark saying the group is going to a foreign country to ask for help in breaking up Canada which is treasonous activity and needs to be called-out and stopped. The group Stay Free Alberta is trying to get 178,000 signatures to force a vote on separation.

Much of the B.C. South Coast is under a rainfall warning as a warm, wet front hits the province. Yellow alerts are posted and areas including Vancouver, the North Shore, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge. They could be hit by 120mm of rain by Friday. High winds are also expected with gusts of up to 90 km/h possible. The warning comes at the end of a month that was far dryer and warmer than usual.

BC Green Party Leader Emily Lowan is among those calling for a boycott of Save-On-Foods and other Pattison companies over a possible U.S. real estate deal with ICE. Word of a boycott is spreading on social media after stories surfaced on the weekend reporting a Pattison-owned real estate company may sell a warehouse in Virginia to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE says it hopes to use that warehouse as a processing facility for its operations. Lowan’s boycott call is mixed with an unrelated statement about food prices including those at other Canadian grocery chains.

The basement of a home in Kitsilano has exploded. Vancouver Fire Rescue was called to reports of a building collapse at Macdonald Street and West 6 Avenue just before 6:00 Monday evening - what they found was a fire started by an explosion in the basement of a house. Two people are displaced but there’s no indication of any injuries. The suspected cause is not being reported.

Slow, expensive and not sustainable - those are some of the words being used to describe the workarounds with the ongoing closure of the only bridge linking Westham Island to the rest of Delta and the Lower Mainland. TransLink, which owns the bridge, says damage from a barge strike last week is worse than earlier thought. There is still no word on when the bridge will re-open. Meantime, farmers continue to scramble to get produce to market. The City of Delta has arranged barge service to get some vehicles and farm equipment across the water. Delta is also applying to have the province declare the situation a local state of emergency.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke is calling on the federal government to appoint an ‘extortion czar’ do deal with her city’s rapid increase in shootings. She says there’s a need for a full-scale national initiative to stop the violence. The call comes as Surrey and other communities continue to deal with an escalation in extortion cases aimed at the South Asian business community and linked to organized crime. Locke says the system is broader than just policing - any mandate should examine weak links in Canada’s criminal, immigration and citizenship systems.

An RCMP remark saying the extortion related violence in Surrey is ‘not a crisis’ has come under fire by Premier David Eby and city leaders. Eby, Mayor Brenda Locke and Councillor Mandeep Nagra are expressing concern after Assistant Commissioner John Brewer denied the issue is a crisis and said those suggestions undermine public confidence amid escalating gun violence. Eby says Brewer might not be the right person to head the extortion task force if he feels that way. Homes and businesses in Surrey are now being hit by extortion-connected gunfire several times a week. On Saturday, those inside a home near Bear Creek Park returned gunfire during an attack.

Premier David Eby says B.C. will revise its Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act - or DRIPA - to reduce the power of the courts. Eby has told those attending a Tuesday evening conference in Prince George recent court decisions have caused confusion over the act. He says reconciliation is the business of government to government negotiations and not for the courts to take over. The NDP government has been under pressure from the BC Conservatives to completely repeal the act.

Vancouver International has experienced numerous delays and some cancellations due to the heavy fog that’s blanketed the Lower Mainland. Travelers are being advised to check their flights - both arrivals and departures have been impacted. Periods of fog are expected through Wednesday.

Expect more dense fog around the Lower Mainland and Southern Vancouver Island - a fog advisory remains in place for Monday and Tuesday. A high pressure system is holding moisture near the ground, a continued problem for many drivers in areas like Delta, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and Richmond. Weather conditions are expected to change by Wednesday.

A Maple Ridge city councillor is charged with four counts of sexual assault. A special prosecutor has laid the counts against Ahmed Yousef who was first elected to council in 2018. Yousef was forced to step down in May after being charged with other offences including assault and firearms counts. In recent months, Yousef has been active on social media promoting men’s rights in areas of family law. He’s active with the Canadian Centre for Men and Families. In the 2021 federal election, Yousef ran for the Liberals in Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge but placed a distant third.

B.C. is ending its public drug use pilot project which allowed users to consume small amounts of hard drugs without the fear of arrest. Health Minister Josie Osborne admits it’s clear the project wasn’t working. The provincial government introduced the approach, three years ago, as a way to reduce the stigma while encouraging drug users to get treatment. Critics have complained about an increase in needles found in public places such as school yards and beaches.

A man has been found shot dead on a rural property in South Surrey. Surrey Police say they were called to the property on 176 Street near 36 Avenue during the noon hour on Tuesday. A burned vehicle was later discovered a few blocks away. There are no obvious links between this shooting and other recent violence in the area.

It’s Science World meets the Vancouver Aquarium - that’s how some people are describing a newly announced 49M revamp of North Vancouver’s Capilano River Hatchery. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is rebuilding the facility, originally built in 1971. The new hatchery will be brought to seismic standards while continuing to serve as the flagship of the Pacific salmon enhancement program. The hatchery has been an iconic tourist and education attraction for millions of visitors since its inception.