BC municipalities empowered to ban single-use plastics
Municipalities throughout the province can now move more quickly to prevent plastics from polluting their communities. Under new rules, local governments can institute bans on plastic bags and certain single-use plastics without provincial approval. “Communities across B.C. have made it clear they want to be environmental...
B.C. wildfires: 64 burning in Southeast Fire Centre
The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Thursday, July 22, 2021. Fires: Wildfires burning in B.C.: 272 Since April 1: 1,187 wildfires 360,835 hectares burnt Active fires by fire centre: Cariboo: 45 Coastal: eight Kamloops: 98 Northwest: four Prince ...
Mexico and Quebec firefighters to help with BC wildfires
A contingent of 100 Mexican firefighters and an additional 20 Quebec firefighters are coming to British Columbia to assist the BC Wildfire Service as the province continues to be impacted by hot weather, dry conditions and aggressive wildfire behaviour. “We’re deploying all available resources to respond to hundreds of wildfires...
Evacuation Orders have been issued for 100 Mile House region
Evacuation Orders have been issued for 100 Mile House region by the Cariboo Regional District An Evacuation Order has been issued by the Cariboo Regional District in several areas. For your own safety, 100 Mile House RCMP asks that people stay away from the evacuation areas until you are notified that it is safe to return. ...
Drought conditions impacting southern BC
Drought is affecting most of southern British Columbia and the central Interior due to very low rainfall, exacerbated by the recent extreme heat wave. Water scarcity and low flows are affecting Vancouver Island, the entire Thompson-Nicola region, the Cariboo, Shuswap and Okanagan. Most of eastern Vancouver Island, as well as...
Chief coroner’s updated statement on public safety during heat wave
Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, has released the following statement about public safety during the heat wave in the province: “The last five days in British Columbia have seen an unprecedented number of deaths reported to the BC Coroners Service. Between Friday and 1 p.m. today, at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths have...
Announcement of the new Commanding Officer for RCMP in BC
Today the RCMP announced the appointment of Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald who will be the next Commanding Officer of the RCMP in British Columbia. A/Commr. Dwayne McDonald will assume the rank of Deputy Commissioner when he takes over command from D/Commr. Jennifer Strachan on July 1, 2021 No decisions have been made...
Grand Forks see spike in new COVID-19 cases — BCCDC
While hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to decline in BC, the Grand Forks region saw a spike in cases between May 30 and June 5 according to the BC Centre of Disease Control Graphic Distribution map of the province. Grand Forks topped the Kootenay Boundary region with 11 new COVID-19 cases. Cranbrook was next with ...
Ending violence against Indigenous women, girls
The National Action Plan (NAP), a path towards ending violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples in response to the National Inquiry’s Calls for Justice has been released. The release of the report falls on the second anniversary of the final report from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered...
Old growth harvesting deferred in Fairy Creek, Walbran areas
The Province is honouring the request of the Pacheedaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations and deferring old-growth harvesting in the Fairy Creek watershed and central Walbran areas in their territories. This action is consistent with government’s commitments to reconciliation and to protecting old-growth forests....