British Columbia Archives - Page 8 of 12

21 Jan

Canada Probes Foreign Links in Extortion Racket, Says Asylum Claims Offer No Immunity

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingCanada

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): Canadian authorities have intensified their crackdown on a wave of extortion cases in British Columbia, with investigators examining the involvement of 111 foreign nationals as part of a wide-ranging probe spanning multiple provinces. Officials have made it clear that refugee or asylum status will not shield suspects from criminal or immigration operation. In an operational update released late Wednesday (India time), the British Columbia Extortion Task Force said it is sifting through vast amounts of evidence, including hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, to dismantle networks believed to be behind threats and extortion attempts targeting communities in…

19 Jan

December Floods in B.C. Cause Nearly $900M in Insured Losses, IBC Calls for Faster Investment in Resilience

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingBritish Columbia

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): Severe storms and flooding that swept across southern British Columbia and parts of Alberta in December have resulted in significant insured damages, with estimates approaching $900 million, according to data from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ) cited by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). The Fraser Valley was particularly hard-hit, accounting for roughly $74 million of the losses, primarily affecting homes and businesses. Floodwaters breached borders into Abbotsford-area neighborhoods and farmland, inundating poultry barns and prompting emergency evacuations, reports said. IBC emphasized that these recurring flood events underline the urgent need for the province to…

18 Jan

School Destroyed in Early-Morning Fire at Blueberry River First Nation in Northeastern B.C.

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaBlueberry River First Nation, British Columbia fire, First Nation school fire, Fort St. John RCMP

Blueberry River First Nation, British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): A school located within the Blueberry River First Nation in northeastern British Columbia was completely destroyed in a fire that broke out early Saturday morning, authorities said. According to the Fort St. John RCMP, officers were dispatched to the community at around 6:30 a.m. after reports of a blaze. When police and fire crews arrived at the scene, the school building was already fully engulfed in flames. No injuries have been reported in the incident. In a news release, RCMP officials stated that there is currently no indication the fire was suspicious…

18 Jan

Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2024 Murder of Brother of Lapu-Lapu Day Attack Accused

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaAlexander Lo killing, Dwight Kematch sentencing, Lapu-Lapu Day attack, Vancouver murder case

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced a Vancouver man to life imprisonment, with no possibility of parole for 11 years, for the 2024 killing of Alexander Lo, the brother of Kai-Ji Adam Lo, who is accused in the Lapu-Lapu Day car-ramming attack that claimed 11 lives. Forty-one-year-old Dwight Kematch pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder. During sentencing proceedings on Friday, Kematch acknowledged the “ripple effect” his actions had on Alexander Lo’s family, including his brother, who is currently in a forensic hospital facing separate criminal proceedings. Crown prosecutor Mark Myhre told the court that…

18 Jan

Dense Fog Prompts Safety Advisory Across Parts of Metro Vancouver

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingVancouver

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): Motorists in southwestern Metro Vancouver have been urged to exercise caution as thick fog continues to blanket parts of the region, significantly reducing visibility on roads and bridges. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a fog advisory on Saturday afternoon, warning that conditions could deteriorate to near-zero visibility in areas including Richmond, Delta and Tsawwassen. The advisory is expected to remain in effect through Sunday afternoon. According to the weather agency, visibility may drop suddenly in some locations, creating hazardous driving conditions. Drivers have been advised to switch on their headlights, reduce speed and leave extra space…

18 Jan

Canadian Sikh Youth Federation Urges Ontario Government to Avoid Political Use of Gurdwaras Amid OINP Protest

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaOntario

Toronto (Gaganjot): The Canadian Sikh Youth Federation (CSYF) has formally urged the Ontario government to refrain from using Sikh religious stages for political engagement until the ongoing Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) protest is resolved in a fair and transparent manner. In a letter addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini, Transportation Minister Prabhmeet Sarkaria, and MPP Hardeep Grewal and MPP Amarjot Sandhu, the organization expressed deep concern over what it described as prolonged inaction and unfulfilled assurances regarding the OINP issue. The federation emphasized that Sikh Gurdwaras are sacred and apolitical institutions,…

17 Jan

Haryana and British Columbia Explore Strategic Cooperation in Clean Energy, Trade and Technology

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, Haryana, TrendingBritish Columbia, Haryana

Chandigarh (Rajeev Sharma/Balwinder Singh): Underscoring Haryana’s growing global engagement and its commitment to forging meaningful international partnerships, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Friday held a meeting with a high-level delegation from British Columbia, Canada, led by the Premier Mr. David Eby. The interaction focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration across key sectors and strengthening State–Province level cooperation between Haryana and British Columbia. During this Chief Principal Secretary to CM Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Commissioner and Secretary, Foreign Cooperation Department Smt. Amneet P. Kumar also remained present. Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Minister said that the Government of Haryana attaches…

15 Jan

British Columbia to End Drug Decriminalisation Pilot After Mixed Outcomes

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaBritish Columbia drug policy, drug decriminalisation Canada, harm reduction, opioid crisis

Vancouver, January 15, 2026: Canada’s western province of British Columbia has announced it will allow its drug decriminalisation pilot programme to lapse at the end of January, marking a significant shift in its approach to tackling the opioid crisis. Launched in 2023 as a three-year trial, the initiative was designed to reduce overdose deaths and encourage people struggling with addiction to seek treatment by removing criminal penalties for possession of small quantities of illicit drugs. British Columbia was the only province in the country to implement such a policy. However, provincial health authorities now say the programme has not produced…

15 Jan

Canada Resumes LMIA Processing in Eight Regions, Opening Doors for Foreign Workers

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaCanada

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada has officially resumed Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing under the Low-Wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in eight regions, creating new opportunities for foreign workers and employers, according to Chanda Immigration. The move follows updated labour market data showing unemployment rates have fallen below the federal six per cent threshold, allowing low-wage hiring to resume in previously restricted areas. Eligible regions include Vancouver, Winnipeg, Halifax, Kingston, Montréal, Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. Employers in these regions can now submit LMIA applications to hire foreign workers across sectors such as hospitality, retail, caregiving,…

15 Jan

ESCALATING EXTORTION ATTACKS PUT SURREY’S SMALL BUSINESSES UNDER PRESSURE

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingSurrey

Surrey,/ Newton ( Rajeev Sharma): Surrey police are investigating a fresh case of suspected extortion related violence after a business in the Newton neighbourhood was targeted in a shooting early morning Wednesday, underscoring growing safety concerns for business owners across the region. According to the Surrey Police Service (SPS), officers responded to a shots-fired call at approximately 2:10 a.m. in the 8000 block of King George Boulevard, near 80th Street. When police arrived, they found the front of a business damaged, with multiple bullet holes visible in the windows. No one was inside at the time, and no injuries were…