British Columbia

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Dawson Creek Extends Local State of Emergency Amid Ongoing Water Shortages

Dawson Creek Extends Local State of Emergency Amid Ongoing Water Shortages

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): The City of Dawson Creek has renewed its local state of emergency as it grapples with continued drought conditions affecting its water supply. Despite heavy snowfall in December, officials say the city’s water situation remains critical. “A strong snowpack helps carry us through to March or April, when spring runoff replenishes rivers and reservoirs,” the city noted in a Tuesday update. “However, the Kiskatinaw River is already beginning to freeze, and water levels remain below normal.” The state of emergency, initially declared in October, has been extended multiple times. City officials say the renewal allows them…
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B.C. Conservatives Look to Stabilise After Leadership Turmoil as Interim Chief Trevor Halford Takes Charge

B.C. Conservatives Look to Stabilise After Leadership Turmoil as Interim Chief Trevor Halford Takes Charge

VICTORIA, December 24, 2025— The British Columbia Conservative Party is attempting to steady itself after an unprecedented leadership crisis that briefly left it with two leaders inside the legislature, a moment that underscored deep internal divisions within the opposition.Trevor Halford entered the B.C. legislature on December 3 as interim leader of the Conservative Party of B.C. following his appointment by the party board. Hours earlier, 20 Conservative MLAs had publicly declared they had lost confidence in party leader John Rustad, citing prolonged internal disputes that had hurt fundraising and eroded the party’s credibility.The party board subsequently stated that Rustad had…
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Halford Says B.C. Conservative Leadership Contest Will Reset Party and Bring Unity

Halford Says B.C. Conservative Leadership Contest Will Reset Party and Bring Unity

Victoria (Rajeev Sharma): Trevor Halford says the upcoming leadership race for the Conservative Party of British Columbia will be an opportunity to clarify the party’s direction and restore cohesion after weeks of internal turmoil that briefly left the party with competing claims to its top job. Halford stepped into the role of interim leader on December 3 after the party’s board appointed him amid mounting tensions within caucus. Earlier that day, a majority of Conservative MLAs publicly withdrew their support from then-leader John Rustad, citing ongoing disputes that had affected fundraising and damaged the party’s public standing. The board later…
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Man Charged with Second-Degree Murder in Wife’s Death in Merritt, B.C.

Man Charged with Second-Degree Murder in Wife’s Death in Merritt, B.C.

MERRITT, B.C. (Rajeev Sharma): A 49-year-old man has been charged with second-degree following the death of his wife in Merritt, British Columbia, according to the RCMP. Officers and paramedics responded to a residence in the city on Tuesday after reports of a woman suffering serious injuries. Pamela Jarvis, 45, was transported to a hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. RCMP said her husband, Christopher Bernard Jarvis, had fled the scene before police arrived but was apprehended a few hours later. He has been denied bail and will remain in custody until his next court appearance, scheduled for January 6,…
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British Columbia Sets 2026 PNP Nomination Allocation, Falls Short of Request

British Columbia Sets 2026 PNP Nomination Allocation, Falls Short of Request

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): British Columbia has become the first Canadian province to announce its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocation for 2026, revealing a total that is lower than what it had originally requested. The announcement was published on the BC PNP’s official updates page on December 18, 2025. For the upcoming year, the federal government has granted British Columbia 5,254 nomination spaces. While this represents a 31% increase over the initial 2025 allocation of 4,000 slots, it is fewer than the province ended 2025 with, after receiving additional nominations throughout the year: 1,254 extra slots in October and another…
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Power Restored Gradually After Powerful Windstorm Disrupts Life Across B.C.

Power Restored Gradually After Powerful Windstorm Disrupts Life Across B.C.

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): A powerful wind and rain system swept across British Columbia this week, cutting electricity to tens of thousands of homes, shutting down schools, and creating hazardous travel conditions across large parts of the province. According to B.C. Hydro, outages peaked early Wednesday, affecting roughly 120,000 customers, largely concentrated in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast regions. By mid-afternoon, crews had reduced that figure to about 30,000 as repair work continued throughout the day. Utility officials said the damage was worsened by weakened trees, many of which were compromised by years of drought and toppled easily under…
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Federal Investment Vital to Protect B.C. Trade Corridors, Says Premier David Eby

Federal Investment Vital to Protect B.C. Trade Corridors, Says Premier David Eby

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): British Columbia Premier David Eby has stressed that sustained federal investment in provincial transportation infrastructure is critical to preventing long-term disruptions to cross-Canada trade and maintaining business confidence in the province.Eby said he raised concerns over “trade-enabling infrastructure” during a meeting with the federal government’s major projects office, pointing specifically to Highway 1 through the Fraser Valley and the Massey Tunnel, both of which are crucial for commuters and freight movement to coastal ports. His remarks come days after severe flooding forced the closure of sections of Highway 1, exposing vulnerabilities in one of the country’s most…
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Second Ransom-Related Shooting Outside Surrey Restaurant Raises Safety Concerns; Police Say Extortion Suspected

Second Ransom-Related Shooting Outside Surrey Restaurant Raises Safety Concerns; Police Say Extortion Suspected

Surrey ( Rajeev Sharma) : Gun Shots were fired for the second time outside the Paratha and Pasta restaurant in Surrey in what police believe is another ransom related extortion attempt. The latest incident occurred late at night, while staff members were still inside the restaurant. No one was injured, but the incident has heightened fear among workers and nearby business owners. Police say officers responded to reports of gunfire and found evidence of shots striking the exterior of the business. The scene was secured, and investigators collected physical evidence while canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance footage. In…
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Flood Threat Persists Across Parts of B.C. as Communities Remain on High Alert

Flood Threat Persists Across Parts of B.C. as Communities Remain on High Alert

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): While floodwaters have begun to ease in some areas of Abbotsford, authorities say the danger is far from over for many communities in British Columbia, with more rain expected to fall on already waterlogged ground in the coming days. City officials in Abbotsford confirmed on Saturday that conditions have improved in certain neighbourhoods. However, water continues to flow north from the Nooksack River in Washington state, which breached its banks earlier in the week, keeping pressure on low-lying areas of the Fraser Valley. Major transportation routes remain severely disrupted. The Trans-Canada Highway is still closed through…
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Abbotsford Declares State of Emergency as Atmospheric River Hits Southern B.C.

Abbotsford Declares State of Emergency as Atmospheric River Hits Southern B.C.

Abbotsford ( Richa Walia): Southern British Columbia is grappling with severe weather as an atmospheric river swept across the region on Wednesday, prompting Abbotsford officials to declare a state of local emergency. The extreme rainfall has forced authorities to issue evacuation orders for hundreds of homes as flooding, landslides, and other hazards threaten communities. The B.C. government has closed major highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior due to rising waters, falling rocks, debris, and high avalanche risks in mountain areas. Travelers are urged to avoid non-essential trips and adhere to all official road closures. Rivers and streams in…
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