DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — South Peace Search and Rescue has been named a recipient of a community initiative aimed at supporting local charities and non-profits.

In a June 11th Facebook post, South Peace Search and Rescue announced it had been selected as a recipient of the Dawson Creek Co-operative Union’s ‘Your Co-op, Your Cause.’ 

“A huge thank you to Co-op, its members and our amazing community for your continued support,” the post read.

“Contributions like these help ensure our volunteers have the equipment, training and resources needed to respond when our community needs us most,” it continued. 

According to its website, ‘Your Co-op, Your Cause’ is a community-giving initiative that puts local impact first by supporting local charities and non-profits that strengthen the community. 

South Peace Search and Rescue also received a $1,000 cheque from the initiative on June 7th. 

“We are proud to serve the South Peace region, and we couldn’t do it without the generosity and support of those around us,” the post concluded. 

VICTORIA — New figures show residents in Greater Vancouver are meeting targets to keep water flowing, but regional officials are also urging them to keep saving water as temperatures rise.

Metro Vancouver says in a statement that residents on Friday used 1.22 billion litres of water, which means daily water use was below the target figure of 1.4 billion under existing water restrictions.

But the regional authority says water use increases significantly during hot spells and Environment Canada says regional temperatures could range between a low of 24 C at the water and 31 C inland by Sunday.

Current restrictions prohibit the use of sprinklers and soaker hoses, but Metro Vancouver says it is urging residents to take extra steps, if possible, to further reduce their outdoor water use.

The regional authority says keeping daily water use under 1.4 billion will prevent a drop in water pressure, noting that lower pressure could affect the ability of first responders to use water for emergencies.

Metro Vancouver has set the current regional water use target while it upgrades its water supply infrastructure.

“If everyone keeps their sprinklers off, we can meet this reasonable target,” Mike Hurley, chair of Metro Vancouver, said in a statement issued Friday.

Hurley said residents should skip using water outdoors if it is not essential.

Metro Vancouver says the work on its water supply system involves connecting to infrastructure that is a century old.

Once crews have constructed a bypass, the so-called First Narrows Crossing can come back online again.

Authorities say that will allow construction of the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel to resume for the next several years.

Metro Vancouver says construction of the bypass is expected to be completed at the end of July, and it says current water restrictions could be lifted then if conditions allow it.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

SAANICH, B.C. — The provincial government’s announcement of efforts around reforestation and habitat restoration includes a project in Fort Nelson.

On June 2nd, the province committed an additional $155 million toward the $200 million the federal government announced in early May as part of its 2 Billion Trees program, bringing the total to $355 million.

Among the 16 projects listed by the federal government is a $1.5 million project in Fort Nelson to replant trees in the Muskeg area of Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN), according to a press release.

In total, the funds for reforestation will plant 125 million more trees across British Columbia.

Ravi Parmar, the province’s minister of forests, said in a statement the commitment shows B.C. “leads the way” in both restoration and reforestation.

“Since 2017, we’ve invested in planting 400 million trees in B.C. Now, we’re adding 125 million more,” said Parmar in the release. “We’re securing the future of our forests and forestry jobs for generations to come.”

The release details how the province’s money will be allocated, including $56 million toward habitat restoration through the BC Aggregation 2 Billion Trees Projects, $1 million for B.C.’s Riparian Recovery Project, and more than $99 million for large-scale reforestation through the BC Forest Investment Program.

These funds are additional to B.C.’s annual contributions to its Forest Investment Program, which combined incremental government-led forest investments previously managed by the Forest Carbon Initiative and the Forests for Tomorrow program, announced in 2021.

The announcements came on the heels of the Council of Canadian Forest Ministers Conference, which took place over several days in the Victoria area earlier in June.

In Fort Nelson, more than 455,000 native seedlings will be planted in the Muskeg area as part of an effort to restore boreal habitat along seismic lines.

The 2 Billion Trees Program was announced in 2020 as part of a strategy to plant two billion trees across the country within a decade. 

In the 2025 budget, the federal government announced it would wind down the program.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to FNFN’s director of Lands, Resources and Treaty Rights for further comment on this story.

The first window of time for farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan to obtain strychnine to deal with burgeoning ground squirrel populations is about to run out, and many producers are now hoping for better luck next spring.

Wade Nelson, who farms near High River, Alta., about 66 kilometres south of Calgary, said it’s best to deal with the rodents when they come out of hibernation and begin mating.

“After the middle of June, you’re pretty well out of luck,” Nelson said.

Health Canada had previously banned the chemical out of concern for endangered species — such as burrowing owls and swift foxes — and the broader ecosystem.

However, federal government announced in March that producers can again start using two-per-cent liquid strychnine until November 2027 to control Richardson’s ground squirrels, commonly called gophers in Western Canada.

The president of Regina-based Agromax, the sole manufacturer of two-per-cent liquid strychnine in Canada, said they recently received a shipment of the undiluted chemical and have already started distilling it down for distribution.

“Distribution will go out to the municipalities starting at the beginning to the middle of next week and some should have starting amounts next week and into the following week,” Brent Punga said in an interview Friday.

“By then, we should have the second and third rounds of material hit us, so we hope everyone will get the amount they’re looking for to do late summer applications.”

Punga said the raw supplies in India were plentiful, but a shortage of fuel caused many flights to be cancelled and dangerous goods were at the bottom of the priority list.

The Alberta and Saskatchewan governments had been pushing Ottawa to lift the strychnine ban as farmers warned of increases in damaged crops and injuries to livestock.

Don Connick, who farms near Gull Lake, Sask., said most people don’t realize the damage one Richardson’s ground squirrel can do.

“(They) will probably eat a five-metre circle around every hole that they dig, so there is serious damage,” he said.

Nelson, who is also a member of the Foothills County Agricultural Services Board, said he saw the wreckage the rodents can cause a few years ago on a 70-hectare field he planted with canola.

“I lost an entire field, which didn’t even get a chance to germinate — the gophers ate the seed right out of the ground,” he said.

Nelson said he received $55 an acre back from the insurance, but it cost him at least $250 an acre to seed the field.

“So right there I lost $200 an acre and that was just my input costs.”

Two strictly regulated application periods have been designated by the federal government — March 1 to June 15 before vegetation emerges, and then July 15 to Sept. 1 after the vegetation has died down.

Nelson said using the chemical after late spring isn’t very effective because the rodents would have done most of the damage to crops by then.

“The damage they’re going to do is when the crops are being seeded or just coming up,” he said.

Punga said farmers realize the problems with the supply chain, but he understands their frustration.

“It was a late decision by the federal government, so we would have had that early season window to control them, but that just didn’t happen.”

Both Connick and Nelson said a cool, wet spring so far seems to have held the gopher populations at bay after years of growth due to hot and dry conditions.

However, Mark Brigham, a professor with the Department of Biology at the University of Regina, isn’t sure if the weather is responsible.

“Certainly with wet weather there is more of a possibility of fungal infections or perhaps parasites or all sorts of things,” Brigham said.

“But I would emphasize, from a real scientific data point of view, I just don’t think we know particularly, what, if anything, the wet weather causes.”

Brigham believes an increase in the hawk and fox population has affected the ground squirrels’ survival.

“They are very, very good at catching lots of these animals and, in areas where badger numbers are pretty high, they dig them up and eat them so there are lots of things that depend on ground squirrels for food,” he said.

“That’s probably a bigger way that populations are regulated.”

Brigham, who has studied bats and Prairie rodents for decades, thinks bringing back strychnine is a mistake.

“In the long term, it’s not going to have any great effect. Lots of other animals are going to die because of it,” he said.

“I just think in this day and age, it is dumb to be putting stuff like that on the landscape.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2026.

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A woman and dog from Edmonton died in a single vehicle car crash on the Alaska Highway on June 11th. 

According to a press release from Northern Rockies RCMP on June 12th, a woman and her dog died in a single vehicle crash south of Klua Lakes in the early morning of June 11th.

The accident was initially reported by DriveBC, with Highway 97 closed to traffic for several hours before being opened to single lane, alternating traffic at approximately 10:30 a.m. The road was later reopened in the evening of June 11th. 

In the press release, Staff Sergeant Kris Clark, a senior media relations officer with the BC RCMP, stated local police received an abandoned 911 call at 6:24 a.m. 

A phone crash detection report provided the police with a more general location near Klua Lakes, approximately 1 hour from Fort Nelson. 

“Police and other first responders arrived to discover that a Kenworth flat deck truck had overturned and that both the driver and their dog had been ejected,” Clark said.

“The driver was identified as a 52-year-old Edmonton woman. The woman and her dog were both pronounced deceased at the scene.”

The release stated all factors of the incident have “not yet been determined,” and that evidence at the scene suggests an “overcorrection” was what led to the vehicle overturning.

“The family of the driver has been notified, and our thoughts are with them as they cope with the loss of their loved one,” Clark said. 

The Northern Rockies RCMP are asking anyone with information, CCTV, or dash-cam footage of the crash to contact them by calling 250-774-2700.

VANCOUVER — Unionized workers in Metro Vancouver who oversee drinking water, wastewater treatment, air quality and other important jobs across more than 20 municipalities are taking full-scale strike action starting Monday.

The union representing more than 700 Metro Vancouver outside workers says all non-essential staff will walk off their jobs, although those who are designated as essential service will remain at work.

Jesse Medeiros, the president of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union, said in a news release Friday that members are “angry and frustrated” after 17 months without a contract, and Metro Vancouver’s management is ignoring their concerns.

“GVRDEU members are the front-line workers that keep Metro Vancouver running and we are sick and tired of management incompetence and disrespect,” Medeiros said.

“Taxpayers and the elected mayors and councillors on Metro Vancouver’s Board should be demanding better — starting with getting a new contract with our members and then fixing the problems management has created.”

Metro Vancouver said in a statement on Friday that it “respects the right to lawful job action and remains focused on reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.”

It said it is ready to negotiate with the help of a mediator and has proposed 10 dates to restart talks with the union.

The regional district said bringing in a mediator would be a “practical step” after nearly a year of bargaining.

It said the latest offer to workers includes a wage bump of more than 10 per cent over three years, in line with other recent labour agreements, and that it goes over and above other public sector agreements.

Metro Vancouver said it wanted to reassure residents that services won’t be disrupted during the strike.

The union accuses the regional district of setting preconditions before contract talks can resume, which Metro Vancouver has denied.

Rotating pickets have been set up by the union over the last few weeks.

Medeiros said the public would notice the full-scale strike immediately, with unionized staff walking off their jobs in regional parks, at water and wastewater treatment plants, construction sites, and elsewhere.

“We regret the inconvenience to the public and appreciate their support in this dispute, but we can’t wait forever to get a new contract for our members,” Medeiros said.

The union also said workers would rally at the Metro Vancouver headquarters in Burnaby on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — Police say a suspect who was charged with multiple counts of dangerous driving over a car-ramming attack last month in Vancouver is now facing a murder charge.

Tadd Bali was charged with four counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle after allegedly driving a Jeep along a sidewalk in Vancouver’s West End, hitting a senior on a mobility scooter before running head-on into a police cruiser.

Vancouver police say the 34-year-old man now faces one count each of second-degree murder and attempted murder, and two charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.

Two police officers were also hurt and were released from hospital on the same day, but the senior died in hospital more than a week later.

Police say Bali has had “extensive interactions” with police in both B.C. and Saskatchewan.

He remains in custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

OLIVER — A young bear in British Columbia’s Okanagan had to endure several days with a stove pipe stuck over its head before conservation officers were able to remove it.

The Conservation Officer Service of B.C. says residents in the area near Oliver first reported the problem about two weeks ago, saying they spotted a bear with what appears to be a long metal pipe protruding several feet off its snout.

The service says officers made several attempts to tranquilize the wily bear until they were successful on Saturday.

Sgt. James Zucchelli with the service based in nearby Penticton says the bear did not suffer any injuries, and was tagged and released outside Oliver once the pipe was removed.

Zucchelli says while the animal was mobile enough to evade officers several times and climb up trees, they wanted to remove the pipe as quickly as possible because it was stopping the bear from feeding.

He adds that residents need to try to reduce attractants on their properties that could draw bears in order to avoid conflict that could harm both sides.

“This is a great news story because we were able to remove this pipe from this bear’s head and take it off to the wilds because it didn’t have a conflict history,” Zucchelli says.

“That is not always the case when people are calling the Conservation Officer Service.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

VICTORIA — The B.C. Supreme Court has found that the City of Victoria did not go beyond its authority by passing bylaws restricting overnight camping in some city parks.

Three homeless petitioners sought to quash two bylaws passed by the city in 2024 and 2025 that prohibited “temporary overnight sheltering” in Irving and Victoria West parks.

Petitioners Krystle Fox, Kimberly Scheu and Shea Smith claimed the city exceeded its authority by enacting bylaws that didn’t properly consider whether washrooms were available where camping was allowed, or account for international legal obligations affirming the peoples’ rights to housing and water.

The ruling said Scheu is now housed and Smith is now deceased, and the action continued with just Fox as the petitioner with “private interest standing.”

The ruling said that “courts have recognized that when there are inadequate accessible indoor shelter spaces to accommodate persons genuinely experiencing homelessness, those persons are entitled to erect temporary overnight shelters in public parks.”

“The difficult circumstances faced by the petitioners and other unhoused persons in finding and maintaining adequate shelter are not disputed,” the judge wrote.

“Nor is the fact that there are insufficient indoor shelter spaces available for unhoused persons in the city. The city thus accepts that it cannot enact a complete prohibition on temporary overnight sheltering in its parks.”

The court found the city was within its authority to enact the bylaws and dismissed the petition, but left the door open for an action to “directly challenge the constitutionality of the bylaws.”

B.C. Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender was an intervener in the case and said in a statement that she was disappointed with the decision.

She said the ruling “presents another obstacle to unhoused people seeking to challenge municipal bylaws that undermine their rights and dignity.”

“People with disabilities and Indigenous peoples are significantly more likely to be unhoused,” she said.

Alexander Kirby, the petitioners’ lawyer, said they are “considering our options going forward.”

The petitioners, the court found, had mistakenly tried to claim that the question whether the bylaw was unconstitutional was “settled,” rather than “a disputed constitutional question.”

“The constitutionality of the 2025 bylaw remains to be determined,” Justice Jacqueline Hughes wrote.

“That determination cannot be made on the record presently before the Court. It requires the evidentiary rigours and procedural safeguards that customarily apply in a constitutional challenge proceeding by way of civil action.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026

The Canadian Press

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The sport of hockey is a year-round passion in Canada, and this fall, an exhibit from the Canadian Museum of History dedicated to the sport will come to the north.

The Fort Nelson Heritage Museum is slated to host ‘Hockey’, a travelling exhibition from the Gatineau, Quebec-based museum, with a two-month stop beginning on Friday, October 2nd, and running until late December.

It is the second stop in 2026 for the exhibit, following its tour in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. According to the Canadian Museum of History’s website, the exhibit has been on the road since 2017.

A statement on the website reveals the exhibit will provide attendees “an exciting interactive experience showcasing high points in the sport,” over the past century-plus, and “brings the history of the sport to life through profiles of participants at both the professional and amateur levels.”

Graphic Panels illustrating photographs and replicas of key artifacts, audio archives and an interactive display where visitors can actually record commentary on a recorded hockey match will also be included.

While actual artifacts will not be included in the exhibit, being replaced by replicas, the website says local museums can add their own from their collections to “give the presentation a local flavour.”

‘Hockey’ will be hosted in Fort Nelson at its Heritage Museum, located at 5553 on the Alaska Highway in Fort Nelson, from Friday, October 2nd, until Thursday, December 31st.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to Fort Nelson Heritage Museum curator Jayme Unruh for further comment about the exhibit.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Métis Society is holding ethical hunting classes for outdoor enthusiasts. 

The Conservation and Outdoor Education (CORE) program will be hosted by the society for its members over three days, beginning on Thursday, June 18th, and continuing until Saturday, June 20th.

Bailie Copeland, the director and grant writer for FSJMS, says the opportunity to host an event dedicated to learning about the outdoors came about as a result of grants she had previously applied for.

It was one of two programs the society has offered, along with a possession acquisition licence [PAL] course for firearms.

“Most of our funding comes from grants,” explained Copeland. “The majority of it from outside grants.”

“We’d never received a grant for [a PAL] course before. It came from the Canadian Government and the RCMP.”

The CORE program is unique to hunters province-wide and offers instruction on safe, ethical hunting for the protection and conservation of wildlife, according to a BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) website.

Copeland told Energeticcity.ca that she and her family had taken the course previously and thought the prospect of teaching others ethical and safe hunting methods would be important to FSJMS members.

“We believe that it’s important if you’re going to be out in the backwoods, that you have first aid and survival instincts,” said Copeland. “It is important for our young kids coming up [that] they have access to [those programs].”

“If their parents do not have it, they can also take it. Family activities are important for the Métis culture.”

The FSJMS is a fully functioning nation within the Métis Nation of British Columbia, and its membership currently exceeds 800.

The CORE program offered by the FSJMS will take place over three days starting on Thursday, June 20th. 

Registration is required, with a $50 deposit, which will be returned to attendees upon completion of the program. 

To find out more, call the FSJMS at 250-785-1541 or email fsjmetis@telus.net.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Drivers in northern B.C. were issued the third-most speeding tickets during the Victoria long weekend, according to the BC Highway Patrol. 

In a June 11th news release, the BC Highway Patrol revealed province-wide numbers of speeding tickets issued during the May long weekend. 

According to the BC Highway Patrol, 1,818 speeding tickets were issued to drivers in northern B.C., the third-most in the province. 76 northern B.C. drivers also received excessive speeding tickets that resulted in impounds.  

BC Highway Patrol said five people died on B.C. roads during this year’s Victoria Day long weekend, following zero reported deaths in the same time frame in 2025. 

“The sad increase in long weekend deaths shows how we can’t be complacent after a good year like 2025,” said Chad Badry, inspector with the BC Highway Patrol. 

In total, BC Highway Patrol officers wrote 7,898 tickets province-wide, including 568 excessive speeding tickets with impoundments during the Victoria Day weekend. 

This amount is a decrease from 9,600 tickets issued over the same weekend in 2025. 

“A lower overall number of tickets is good, but it’s not an indication that we are actually driving more safely,” Badry said. 

“BC Highway Patrol officers wrote significantly more excessive speeding tickets in May 2026. Those tickets indicate a dangerous lack of judgment from many drivers,” he continued. 

Motorcyclists are asked to be extra cautious as they are more than three times more likely to be injured in or killed in a crash when compared to those in a passenger vehicle, according to the release.

BC Highway Patrol said it will continue with “education through enforcement” all summer and reminds road users that driving safety is the best way to avoid tickets and tragedy. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A research team from Northern Health, the University of British Columbia and the Provincial Health Services Authority has opened a survey on off-road vehicle usage after a deadly crash in Pouce Coupe. 

According to a June 12th Facebook post from Northern Health, the survey is designed to improve understanding of the use of off-road vehicles, including ATVs, quads, and side-by-sides, in the region.

“Your input helps identify ways to prevent injuries,” the post said.

On June 4th, an incident involving a side-by-side in Pouce Coupe resulted in the death of two children and injuries to three others. 

A GoFundMe created on June 5th in support of the families involved in the incident has raised over $20,057 as of June 12th. 

Dawson Creek RCMP announced on June 9th that they had begun an investigation into the incident. 

The survey is open anonymously to residents 19 years of age and older, and must be completed by June 30th.   

Those who complete the survey could win a $250 pre-paid visa gift card. 

LANGFORD — Police on Vancouver Island are looking for a suspect after a girl was sexually assaulted at a bus stop.

West Shore RCMP say the attack happened Tuesday at around 3 p.m. in Langford, a suburb of Victoria.

Police say the girl was at the bus stop near Jacklin Road and Station Avenue when she was approached by the stranger.

The man had a short conversation with the girl before sexually assaulting her and then leaving the scene.

Police say she wasn’t physically hurt, and there have been no similar attacks reported but investigators are prioritizing the identification of the suspect.

He is described as a man in his early- to mid-30s, about five-foot eight-inches tall with a brown mullet and short facial hair, and he was wearing a white T-shirt and an orange wristband at the time of the attack.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — A 32-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter over a fatal stabbing in Vancouver last September.

Police say the accused is in custody and appeared in court Friday.

The stabbing happened on Sept. 3, 2025, just before 1 a.m., when officers were called to a home near East 6th Avenue and Fraser Street.

Police say they found a 54-year-old man who had been stabbed, and the man died before he could be taken to hospital.

Police have released few details on the case, including whether the accused and the victim knew each other.

The suspect’s next appearance is scheduled for July 3.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The North Peace Secondary School’s (NPSS) Go-Kart club placed third in the summary race during the 2026 Edison Motors Electric Go-Kart Challenge. 

This year, the challenge was held in Golden, B.C., on June 6th. 

Ian Zackodnik, the school’s metal shop programming and math teacher and the club’s teacher sponsor, said the club has been part of this challenge for the last three years. 

He said: “Edison Motors started this whole go-kart competition, where they came up and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to give high school teams a kit, all the instructions and said what happens.’”

“This is kind of a great big project where they can showcase and put all those skills into one big project, show off [and] make it a little bit fun.” 

Although the club did not win any of the main events, it placed third in the teacher or summary race. 

“While they’re tallying up the score, they [got] all the teacher sponsors in their carts and they all race,” he noted. 

Zackodnik added: “For the last two years, we had issues, either mechanical or design-wise.” 

“This year, the design worked really well. We made [the kart] much wider, more sturdy and it held up to the punishment we went through [on the] course.” 

He said the club’s kart lost just one bolt in the steering rack during the entire competition. 

He explained the club was a way to get mostly non-shop kids into the shop. 

“It gave kids [who] weren’t into sports or anything else, it gave us a field trip we could do at the end of the year, which was really exciting for them and fun,” he said. 

“Most of the shop kids don’t normally get as many opportunities to leave the community, go out, explore and try these different events.” 

This year, the club built a fully functional go-kart, which was the club’s “best performing” cart over the last three years. 

When asked how being a part of this club helps students, he said: “It really gives them an idea of what manufacturing or outside of school producing [looks like].” 

“It’s not just, you make one little thing [and] it’s well, you’re fixing stuff on the fly, you’re coming up with solutions to weird and not really straightforward problems.” 

Zackodnik believes it gives students the freedom to try something new and play around with things they don’t normally get to do at home. 

Once the club fixes the kart’s axle, it will be open for teachers at the high school to try it out. 

“I know Kearney [Dr. Kearney Middle School] was trying to get their own go karts, like an [interdistrict] competition going as well, so we’ll probably partner up with them and show up over there and show off each other’s carts, which would be fun,” he said. 

The club has already purchased a kit and is ready to make a kart for next year’s competition. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The community organization representing the interests of the Métis residents of Fort St. John will go over its goals and ambitions at this week’s annual general meeting.

The Fort St. John Métis Society (FSJMS) is a nation within the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC), and its gathering will be held at Northern Lights College on Sunday, June 14th, in Fort St. John.

Bailie Copeland, the director and grant writer for FSJMS, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about the organization’s long-term strategy at the meeting which includes a range of reports.

Topics the FSJMS expects to cover include reports regarding its women’s group, grants applied for, Métis bingo and several others.

“This year is just a review of what we’ve done throughout the year,” said Copeland. “it’s just a summarization of last year and what we’re hoping to do this year, and then we have a couple of resolutions for our constitution for things that we would like to change.”

As a group of 800-plus, Copeland said a key to the changes to its constitution will be opening membership to those who do not have Fort St. John listed as a residence.

Currently, those residing outside of the city can apply to be an MNBC member or an FSJMS member, but not both.

“We have had people from not Fort St. John who want to be our members, and so we want to open that up,” said Copeland. “[For instance] if they were from Wonowon [and] wanted to be a member, we would be able to accept them as per MNBC, but MNBC would not accept that as a citizenship requirement [under MNBC].”

There will be no changes to the board, as members elected in 2025 will serve out a full two-year term.

Going forward this summer, several events will be hosted by FSJMS, including a Canada Day barbecue at its offices and sending a delegation to the national Métis celebration in Batoche, Saskatchewan.

FSJMS’ annual general meeting will take place on Sunday, June 14th, at Northern Lights College’s Fort St. John campus at 9820 120 Avenue beginning at 2 p.m.

For more details, call FSJMS’s offices at 250-785-1541 or email the society at fsjmetis@telus.net.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A Northern Lights College student has won gold at the Skills Canada National Championship (SCNC) 2026.

According to a Facebook post by Northern Lights College, Nathan Rempel, a construction electrician student, competed at SCNC, which happened on May 28th and 29th in Toronto, ON. 

The SCNC is the only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in Canada, with more than 550 competitors participating in over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions. 

Students are given the opportunity to visit SCNC and explore careers in skilled trades and technologies. 

Rempel won gold in the electrical installations round of SCNC. 

“As a dual credit student attending NLC in Fort St. John, his journey is just getting started. A huge thank you to his coaches, Simon and Andy, for their incredible support,” the Facebook post reads. 

SURREY — The police board in Surrey, B.C., says it has chosen its next chair, days after the last chair resigned over a controversial dismissal of the city’s police chief.

The Surrey Police Board says in a statement that it will be electing board member Perm Jawanda as its next chair.

Former chair and Semiahmoo First Nation Chief Harley Chappell stepped down last week, citing his opposition to the decision to fire Chief Const. Norm Lipinski.

Chappell said that the “political tentacles and pressures have reached too deeply” into the board and the board made the decision at a special meeting that he did not attend.

Lipinski’s dismissal marks the latest skirmish in a tumultuous relationship between Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and the city’s fledgling municipal police force.

Locke had tried to stop the change away from the RCMP to a local force after her election in 2022, challenging the switch in court before reaching a deal with the provincial government to complete the shift.

The board says in its statement that Surrey’s police operations remain uninterrupted by the leadership change, and efforts are underway to recruit a new chief constable.

“Through this leadership transition at SPS, we will remain focused on providing the governance and oversight necessary to build a trusted, modern, and responsive police service,” the statement says.

Lipinski has been replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Chief Const. Todd Matsumoto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

On this episode of This Week in the Peace, we speak with Anne Mullens, author of a forthcoming book, “Go North, Reporter” about the early days of Tumbler Ridge.

Then, we sit down with Nova Williams of the BC Energy Regulator to talk about orphan wells in the Peace.

This Week in the Peace airs Fridays at 10am MST on 100.1 Moose FM & the Moose FM Facebook page and the Energeticcity YouTube.

This episode originally aired on June 12, 2026. To watch live, make sure to follow us on YouTube. We are also available on TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

VANCOUVER — Shaun Riddell is “over the moon” — figuratively, if not quite yet literally — since his Langley, B.C., firm was named among three companies hired by the Canadian Space Agency to lay the groundwork for human and robotic missions to the lunar surface.

Riddell, the CEO of SpaceDirt, says he was “blown away” by the awarding of the $500,000 contract, given the competition for the national grant.

SpaceDirt makes technology for autonomous robotic resource development on Earth, aimed at predicting where to drill and making discovery faster, safer, and more cost-effective in extreme environments.

Riddell says the long-term vision for the company’s robots is to be the “dump trucks” of the moon, while the current project will draw a road map on how “Canada will contribute to the overall mission of developing resources on the moon.”

The Canadian Space Agency says over the next 10 months SpaceDirt, Volta Space Technologies and Canadian Strategic Missions Corp. will assess what’s needed to generate and distribute power on the moon’s surface and manage lunar soil.

The project will also examine how lunar resources such as ice, metallic elements, and soil can be extracted and transformed into usable materials.

Riddell says with rocket technologies improving, going to the moon becomes “quite attractive,” and it has transitioned from a final destination into a “proving ground” for deeper exploration into the space by humans.

“The moon’s a great kind of sandbox for space exploration as a whole. There are other interesting places to go, Mars being one of them, or asteroids, but they’re much further away, and the missions become much more complex,” Riddell says.

“What the moon gives us is a kind of a close place where we can validate a bunch of the technologies and also from the perspective of any interaction with Earth, it’s much simpler because the communications and other systems are much more available, let’s say,” he added.

Riddell says one robotic vehicle that they are working on for a possible moon mission is called Sled 75, which functions like a large shopping cart with four wheels, and has a payload of 250 kilograms.

“Over the next six months or so, I’m sure you’ll hear more from us. We’ll be showing that rover off a lot at various client sites, hopefully,” said Riddell.

Riddell says they are also working on an eight-wheeled robotic vehicle, but that model continues to change as his team tests out different technologies, batteries and motors.

“Once there are companies looking to do mining and more significant industrial activity in space, we’re designing equipment that is simpler and more robust in a way that the space agencies maybe can’t be. Our systems aren’t designed to discover the origins of life or to transport astronauts,” said Riddell.

“But we’re trying to hit one level down and just be a bit simpler, and we’ll be running those dump trucks,” he added.

Riddell says the moon has rich resources, from ice to highly valuable Helium-3, making it a “most compelling place” to explore.

“Getting out there and getting further into the solar system and allowing humanity as a whole to understand a bit more about our universe and the larger area outside of Earth is an important mission, and that’s what I want to support,” says Riddell.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has received two awards from the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) for community leadership. 

At the 2026 NCLGA annual general meeting and convention, which was held from May 20th to 22nd, the City of Fort St. John received the Community Leadership Award for Social Responsibility and the Community Leadership Award for Economic Development. 

NCLGA also gave city councillor Trevor Bolin a lifetime achievement award. 

During the June 8th Fort St. John city council meeting, the council presented the economic development award to the city’s manager of economic development, Stephanie Peters, and Victoria Butler, the city’s art and culture programmer. 

The council also presented the social responsibility award to the Council’s Response Committee on Housing and Emergency Shelter (CRCHES) committee. 

Butler said: “We applied for this award for the public art initiatives we did in collaboration with the mayor’s standing committee, through the business facade grant, as well as our artist and resident operating budget line.” 

“Overall, it’s been a whirlwind of two years, really trying to get this off the ground, and we’re really grateful to NCLGA for the award.” 

Through the public art initiative, the city has installed murals on walls, mini-murals on utility boxes and artistic bike racks throughout the city. 

When asked if there were any plans, she said: “Some of it’s still in the works because the FIFA celebrations are kind of monopolizing time right now, but we have more utility boxes that are coming.” 

“I think there are eight more [utility boxes] to be installed…there’s potential to do some more of the concrete barriers, the mini murals.” 

The CRCHES committee was founded in 2024 and comprises councillors Trevor Bolin, Gord Klassen, and Sarah MacDougall. 

“The Crutches Committee started with an idea of how [to] implement not only bylaws and policies, but how [to] do it with people in mind,” Bolin explained. “When I look at where the community was two years ago, what business concerns we were originally hearing when we did our walks to where we are right now, it’s a world of difference.” 

Bolin said the committee will hold another business walk in a couple of weeks. 

He added that the first business walk was a “nightmare of epic proportions,” during which the committee learned about the community’s issues. 

“The second one…was a complete reversal of what we’d heard from the first one, it was safety, security [and] happiness from not only staff but visiting guests and patrons,” he explained. 

“So I think the third one’s gonna be even better. I’m excited about it, and we will report back to you as we get closer to the fall and start to wrap up this year’s work.” 

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A Fort Nelson local is looking to give residents a scare courtesy of their upcoming horror short-film project.

Katelyn Vandersteen is the head organizer of the yet-to-be-titled project and will be holding open auditions for roles in the film on Thursday, June 11th, at the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum.

Vendersteen is also the head of the Fort Nelson Phoenix Players, an informal acting troupe she has been trying to revive in the town for “a couple of years.”

Unique in its approach, the entire film – estimated to be around a half-hour in length – will be of the slasher genre, with former employees of the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum having a reunion, complete with a killer in their midst.

Vandersteen says she has written the script and will be in the director’s chair for shooting. The entire process, including editing, filming and acting, will feature locals from Fort Nelson.

The inspiration for the project came when Vandersteen was a university student working at the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum.

“One of my co-workers and I started writing a horror story,” Vandersteen explained. “[It was] a fictional story taking place in the museum that never got finished. Then a couple of years ago,  I found that story, and I remember thinking: ‘this would be a cool thing to shoot at the museum.’”

Vandersteen said that, given she would like to cast the seven characters in the script and its horror theme, shooting in October was not an option. 

“I always thought about it in October,” said Vandertsteen. “[Because of Halloween] there’s not enough time to film.  This year, when I thought of it, I [thought] if I start working on this early on, it can actually happen.”

The casting call for Vandersteen’s film will take place on Thursday, June 11th, at the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum on 5553 Alaska Highway in Fort Nelson, starting at 6 p.m. 

Vandersteen said after roles are cast, shooting will begin in July. Further details about the film can be found by emailing Vandersteen at katelyn.vandersteen@alumni.unbc.ca.

The mother of a British Columbia teen who died by suicide after being relentlessly tormented by a cyberbully says proposed federal legislation tackling online safety would have helped her daughter and will help save lives.

Carol Todd’s daughter Amanda died in 2012 after being sexually exploited by an online predator.

Todd said in an interview on Thursday that the Safe Social Media Act addresses the mental and emotional toll of social media and is an important step toward keeping youth safe online.

It’s also something Amanda would have wanted, she said.

“Amanda wanted kids safe and she wanted to be safe,” Todd said. “We are still losing kids, we are still having the same problems with online behaviours and social media.”

The legislation, introduced in the House of Commons on Wednesday, would force social media companies to block access for children under 16, though platforms can get an exemption if they put the appropriate safeguards in place.

B.C.’s Attorney General Niki Sharma said it can’t come soon enough, even as it falls short of what the province wanted.

She said Thursday that the proposed bill addresses many of the B.C. government’s concerns by introducing age restrictions for social media and regulating the companies behind AI chatbots.

But Sharma said the bill doesn’t address all of her government’s concerns, and it lacks a requirement for AI companies to report violent content to police.

She said it’s something the province asked for after it was revealed OpenAI did not flag worrisome interactions between its chatbot and the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shooter, who killed eight people and then herself in February.

Sharma said Culture Minister Marc Miller told her the government wants guidelines that would lay out the responsibility platforms have to report certain content, even though specific requirements aren’t in the bill.

Todd applauded the addition of an independent federal regulator that would enforce the bill through compliance orders and monetary fines.

However, she said the legislation doesn’t cover messaging apps, one of the methods through which Amanda was exploited.

Todd said that despite some grey areas in the bill, she’s pleased with its focus on online safety and believes there’s time to address any shortfalls as it moves through the House of Commons.

Sharma said the legislation needs to pass quickly to protect children who are vulnerable to the harms of social media, adding that B.C. wants to be at the table for future discussions.

“Far too long have I sat with families that have experienced real tragedy, who have suffered greatly. And the type of change that we’re seeing in this bill can’t come fast enough,” she told reporters in Richmond on Thursday.

Todd said she’s meeting with Sharma next week to discuss efforts to improve digital literacy in B.C. schools and the use of AI in the classroom.

“If I could talk to Amanda right now, I would say to her that your legacy and your story have helped move forward so many things in this world, and your life is treasured by all,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

Marissa Birnie, The Canadian Press

VICTORIA — Overdose deaths in British Columbia are continuing to fall sharply, with April’s toll down by almost a third compared to the same month last year.

The BC Coroners Service recorded 119 deaths in April due to suspected illicit toxic drugs, down 32 per cent from 174 deaths in April 2025.

It’s the lowest death toll for April since before the pandemic.

The service says in a statement that overdose death rates have been tracking downward, especially for people between the ages of 19 and 59.

There were 522 deaths in the first four months of the year, down 16 per cent compared to last year and more than 41 per cent lower than in the first quarter of 2023, the year that deaths peaked in B.C.

So far this year, people between the ages of 30 to 59 made up about 68 per cent of overdose deaths, while about 76 per cent of those who have died were men.

“Since 2021, the death rate among individuals 60 and older has remained relatively stable, while the death rate among those between 19 and 59 has declined significantly over the same period,” the coroners service said.

April marked a decade since the overdose crisis in B.C. was declared a public health emergency, with more than 18,000 people dying since then as powerful opioids hit the street drug market.

Year-to-date statistics show the synthetic opioid fluorofentanyl was found in 67 per cent of those who died and underwent expedited testing, while cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine were all detected in more than half of the deaths.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — While the games Canada hosts during the FIFA World Cup are much further south, Fort St. John still can take in the experience at Centennial Park.

The two-day FIFA World Cup Fan Experience: Canada Celebrates kicked off at the venue on Thursday, June 11th, with stations throughout the park for fans to celebrate the international soccer event.

Held every four years, the 2026 edition of the tournament will be co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, with both Toronto and Vancouver showcasing a combined 13 games.

Toward the edge of the grass, near the North Peace Leisure Pool parking lot, was a large screen and stage where people could watch live matches, including the opening game featuring Mexico against South Africa. The viewing area also included a beer garden.

Fort St. John mayor Lilia Hansen was in attendance and told Energeticcity.ca she will enjoy the tournament as a self-proclaimed “soccer mom.”

“I’m loving the groove,” said Hansen. “Being able to come together as a community and just to watch and enjoy and get that excitement of the crowd together just makes it more fun.”

On the other side of the park were various stations where individuals could test their speed, skill, accuracy and power with a soccer ball. 

It brought out families during noon hour, including the Sandoval family, originally from Colombia. They wore their custom-made jerseys to support their squad, which will take part in its seventh World Cup, its first since 2018.

The youngest Sandoval in attendance, Steban Sandoval, said the game in his native country is not just a sport, but a passion, as he finished the session measuring the power of his soccer shots.

“[In Colombia] everyone plays soccer on the streets,” said Sandoval. “You see so many people playing. [It is] their favourite thing.”

At the viewing party on the other end of the park, Paschal Djsaki was among the spectators who erupted as Mexico scored the tournament’s first goal to take an early 1-0 lead.

Originally from Nigeria, he was sporting Canadian colours for the day, and he says seeing the game known internationally as football celebrated in Fort St. John makes it “a big deal.”

“I am happy seeing Canadians in Fort St. John come out to actually watch football,” said Djsaki. “Since I came here, it’s been hockey, hockey, hockey.”

“I’m happy that we’re having something like this. Football is global, it’s all over the world.”

The FIFA World Cup Fan Experience: Canada Celebrates in Fort St. John was announced earlier this year, with the city awarded $50,000 in grant funding to host the events.

It is one of seven communities in B.C. to host the festival, which will include a stop in Tumbler Ridge starting on Monday, June 15th.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Market gas prices in Fort St. John have decreased in June 2026, according to an online database. 

Petroleum price database Kalibrate reports the market for unleaded gas prices in Fort St. John decreased by over 20 cents per litre from May to June, along with decreases in midgrade, premium, and diesel prices. 

Unleaded, or regular gas, has decreased to $1.63 per litre in June after peaking at $1.87 in May. Decreases were also noted in both March and April. 

Midgrade gas, or plus, was recorded at $2.02 per litre in May and is down to $1.78 per litre as of June 11th. Premium and diesel are also both down to $1.88 per litre for premium and $1.83 per litre for diesel.   

Based on data from the GasBuddy app on June 11th, the Fort St. John Co-op is reporting the lowest price for regular gas at $1.69 per litre, while midgrade fuel is the lowest at Centex at $1.479 per litre.  

According to GasBuddy, British Columbia has the second-highest average regular gas price in the province at $1.94 per litre, behind the Northwest Territories at $2.076 per litre. 

Despite gas being down from May to June, wholesale gas prices are up from $1.38 cents per litre to $1.45 cents per litre from June 2nd to June 9th.

Retail prices are down, however, according to Kalibrate. On June 2nd, retail prices were recorded at $1.74 cents per litre. As of June 9th, prices are sitting at $1.58 cents per litre. 

Gas prices in Fort St. John increased on March 31st from $1.57 per litre to $1.87 per litre for unleaded gas. Prices decreased slightly in April from $1.83 per litre to $1.80 per litre for unleaded gas. 

According to a Canadian Press article, gas prices could reach record highs this summer.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The School District 60 (SD60) will be hosting an information session for the public ahead of the upcoming trustee election. 

The information session has been scheduled for June 17th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the SD60 board office located on 105th Avenue. 

The SD60 is looking for “community – minded” people interested in running for school trustee in the upcoming election, which will be held during the local elections in October. 

School trustees help guide the district’s priorities, support student learning and represent the community’s voice at the board table. 

During this session, attendees will learn what a trustee does, how trustees influence district direction, the distinction between governance and operations, the time commitment, meeting expectations and a high-level overview of the election process. 

Light refreshments will be provided. 

For more questions, people can contact Londa Livingstone at 250-262-6006 or by email at llivingstone@prn.bc.ca. 

VANCOUVER — Another dead grey whale has been discovered off the British Columbia coast, marking the 10th such discovery so far this year.

The Fisheries Department says the latest whale was spotted floating in the waters off Cape Scott Provincial Park, on the northern tip of Vancouver Island on Saturday.

The sighting was reported the next day, and the department says in a statement issued Thursday that it’s hoping the whale will be spotted again in order to locate and secure it.

Of the 10 whales discovered this season, three were found dead in a span of two weeks last month near Haida Gwaii, another four bodies were discovered in April near Vancouver Island.

In comparison, 11 dead greys were found in B.C. waters in 2019, in what was considered a record year.

The department said earlier this year that more whale deaths were expected due to lower food supplies in their northern feeding grounds last summer, and at least two of the whales found this year were described as in “extremely emaciated” condition.

The statement says that where possible its marine mammal response team tries to conduct necropsies on dead whales to get an understanding of the population and the causes of death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Two people have been arrested in Fort St. John as a result of a 10-month investigation into organized crime. 

In a press release from the Fort St. John RCMP on June 11th, police said three search warrants were executed in the city as part of an ongoing investigation into targeted violence by individuals involved in organized crime. 

According to the release, the investigation was led by officers from the Serious Crime Unit and had been ongoing since August 2025. 

Officers from the Street Enforcement Team, the North District RCMP and frontline officers assisted the Serious Crime Unit in the investigation. 

Police say two individuals were arrested, and four firearms and over 1.3 kilograms of illegal drugs were seized.

“Persons involved in the trade of illicit drugs, illegally trafficked and possessed firearms and other criminality that follows organized crime have no place in our community,” said Sergeant Ian Rissanen, commander of the plainclothes unit.

“Our specialized enforcement teams will continue our campaign against crime groups to ensure public safety is upheld,” Rissanen continued. 

According to the RCMP, the two arrested individuals were released on conditions and provided with a future court date as the Crown reviews the matter and the police continue their investigation. 

Canada Post is rolling out the latest phase of its transition from door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes, selecting more than three dozen communities that will undergo the conversion starting next year.

Spanning seven provinces and 37 communities from Halifax to Victoria, the change will see an additional 485,000 addresses move to a more centralized mode of mail delivery.

Those homes come on top of the 136,000 addresses in 13 communities already selected for conversion late this year or in early 2027.

Switching the four million addresses that still enjoy doorstep delivery to community mailboxes within about five years marks a key pillar in Canada Post’s plan to overhaul its business model in the face of declining letter mail and mounting financial losses.

Other reforms in the works include weekend parcel delivery and possible post office closures.

Nearly three-quarters of Canadian addresses already get their mail and parcels via some form of centralized delivery such as community mailboxes, apartment lobby boxes or post office boxes, the Crown corporation said.

The provinces included in the latest round of conversions are Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.

Cities include Fredericton, Quebec City, Ottawa, London, Ont., Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Kelowna, B.C.

Canada Post cited safety and efficiency as the reason behind the aluminum rectangles now poised to pepper a growing number of regions.

“The move to community mailboxes will increase security by putting nearly all mail and parcels delivered by Canada Post under lock and key. It will also reduce costs, as delivering to the door costs significantly more than to a community mailbox,” the Crown corporation said in a release Thursday.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after postal workers approved a tentative agreement that will boost their wages nearly 10 per cent in the first 24 months of the five-year deal.

The green light given by most of the union’s 55,000 employees came after more than two years of labour strife. Increased use of community mailboxes, which reduce the need for letter carriers, was among the sticking points.

In December 2024, the federal government asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to step in to quash a month-long strike, and struck an Industrial Inquiry Commission to find a path forward. That probe, led by William Kaplan, made a series of recommendations that were later adopted and rolled out in a suite of sweeping changes to Canada Post’s mandate.

Announced in September, the overhaul lifted a moratorium on new community mailboxes, authorizing the mail service to convert the remaining four million addresses that still receive door-to-door delivery. The government also announced an end to the freeze on rural post office closures — some locations are now surrounded by suburban subdivisions — that had been in place since 1994, covering close to 4,000 outlets.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

NORTH VANCOUVER — The parent of a 12-year-old in North Vancouver has been ticketed after their child was injured when the e-scooter they were riding crashed into a car.

RCMP say the crash happened on a local street on Wednesday when the child on the electric scooter hit a Volkswagen Jetta and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

They say several violation tickets were issued, including one to the parent for allowing a person under the age of 16 to operate the e-scooter.

Police across B.C. have issued numerous warnings about young people operating electric dirt bikes, both illegally and dangerously.

RCMP note that riders of e-scooters must be 16 or older, limit their speed to below 25 kilometres an hour, wear appropriate safety equipment and stay off sidewalks.

Police say while they continue to educate on the issue, enforcement is being increased and they’re holding parents accountable.

“We are extremely thankful that no one was seriously hurt during this incident,” North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Const. Mansoor Sahak says in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press

CALGARY — The chief executive of AltaGas Ltd. says the company is in talks with customers in India, Vietnam, Taiwan and other Asian markets to supply Canadian propane and butane as it expands its export infrastructure footprint on the West Coast.

Many places in Asia are “materially short” on those fuels, used widely for cooking and transport, Vern Yu said in an interview on the sidelines of the Global Energy Show this week. It’s a three-million-barrel per day market, of which the U.S. has historically supplied two thirds and the Middle East the rest.

“A lot of Asian countries are looking to diversify away from both the United States and the Middle East for different reasons — the United States because of trade grievances and the Middle East for security of supply,” Yu said.

AltaGas said in an investor presentation earlier this year that almost one third of global liquefied petroleum gas supplies, a subset of products that includes propane and butane, normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf with the open sea. Tanker traffic has all but halted since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran in late February.

The U.S. remains Canada’s main competitor in the Asian LPG market, but Canada has a lot working in its favour, Yu said.

“We have a significant transit time advantage versus the U.S. Gulf Coast. A Canadian barrel can get to Asia in less than ten days. It takes a barrel out of the U.S. Gulf Coast roughly 25 days to access the same market.”

Canadian LPGs are also the “cheapest in the world” because so much more is being produced than can be exported at the moment, said Yu.

The regulatory environment is also improving, with the creation of the major projects office last year to speed along projects deemed in Canada’s national interest, he said. AltaGas has not made use of the office to date. Yu said he’d like to see permitting for expansions to existing projects move more quickly than ones being built from scratch.

“We really have to distinguish greenfield from brownfield expansion,” he said.

AltaGas opened Canada’s first propane export facility near Prince Rupert, B.C., in 2019, initially sending cargoes to Japan and South Korea and recently making inroads into China and other Asian countries. In April, it said its first cargo had been delivered to Indonesia.

Construction is about three-quarters complete on an adjacent project called the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility, which aims to start exporting both propane and butane later this year. There are plans for future expansions at that facility.

LPG molecules can be separated out of natural gas at processing plants — a big part of AltaGas’ business — or can be a byproduct of oil refining. Those products are not to be confused with liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which involves chilling methane so it can be shipped by sea in liquid form on specialized tankers.

The developer of the Ksi Lisims LNG project planned for the northern B.C. coast recently signed preliminary supply deals with two German utilities. Europe has been clamouring for alternative gas supplies since its dominant supplier, Russia, invaded Ukraine in 2022. The situation has worsened since the Middle East conflict cut off LNG cargoes.

There is no such dynamic happening in the LPG market, Yu said, as it’s quick and easy to ship propane from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Europe.

“There’s no real market for us to do European propane,” he said. “The demand in Asia is the biggest demand pool in the world. So we’re happy to sell into that market.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ALA)

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Hospital Foundation has raised more than $100,000 during Bluey Day 2026 for cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

This year, Bluey Day 2026 was held on May 23rd at Centennial Park on 100th Street. 

Desirae Jeannotte, the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation’s board chair, said this year was a “huge success.” 

She said: “It was absolutely exceptional to see how many people came out to support, even in the race.” 

Jeannotte noted this year had 28 participants who shaved their heads, and the foundation has raised a total of $116,862.96. 

Bluey Day 2025 raised $124,648, which went towards chairs for chemotherapy patients at the Community Cancer Centre. 

“What we like to use those funds for is the cancer clinic. In the past, we’ve purchased chairs patients sit in while they receive intravenous therapy,” she added. 

The foundation has also purchased fridges and microwaves to help patients. 

“We are actively working with the cancer diagnostic centre right now on more equipment,” she noted. “Unfortunately, we have to wait till it’s been approved by Northern Health, and then we’ll be making an announcement.” 

Jeannotte said the centre is “excited” to receive these funds, and once Northern Health approves, the foundation will announce the equipment to be purchased for the centre. 

When asked if she had a message for the community and participants, she said: “Bluey Day has always been about ordinary people doing something extraordinary for the benefit of others.” 

“To every participant who fundraised, shared their story, and bravely shaved their head, thank you for helping us improve health care close to home. On behalf of the board and foundation staff, we are humbled by your generosity and inspired by the example you set for our entire community.” 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The city’s council has approved six topics it would like to raise at the upcoming 2026 Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention. 

During the June 8th Fort St. John committee of the whole meeting, city staff presented a report for council to decide which topics it would like to raise with provincial government ministries and provincial agencies at the convention. 

This year, the convention has been scheduled from September 14th to 18th in Vancouver. 

During the convention, the premier, cabinet ministers, ministry agencies, commissions and corporations’ staff will be available to meet with municipalities to discuss issues and initiatives important to those communities. 

According to the report, the convention will help develop partnerships with agencies that provide education, health and public safety services. The council will have the opportunity to engage with local, regional, provincial, and federal governments, as well as industry, to ensure the sustainability of resource communities. 

In addition, it will further intergovernmental relations and provide local insight and input to provincial initiatives and issues.

During the 2025 UBCM, the mayor and councillors addressed topics such as the natural gas and LNG strategy, RCMP invoice transparency, sustainable funding for co-op housing programs, expansion of industrial electrification, efficient resource permitting, and streamlining licensing for out-of-province and internationally trained healthcare professionals. 

At the June 8th meeting, the council decided on six topics and will send a letter to Premier Eby regarding his visit to the region, which he committed to during the 2025 UBCM convention. 

In addition, the council will send a letter to the Ministry of Finance requesting the city’s Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report be adjusted to reflect inflation. 

According to the report, the topics and meeting requests decided by the council are as follows: 

• Ministry of Transportation and Transit – Taylor Bridge, BC Transit and improving highway rights of way. 
• Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs – B.C. housing data transparency
• Ministry of Health (in partnership with Northern Health) – Mental health, addictions and vulnerable populations. 
• Ministry of State for Local Government and Rural Communities – Local government capacity to respond to housing and social pressures.
• Ministry of Post-secondary Education and Future Skills – Immigration challenges, reduction in foreign students affecting the college and workplace. 
• Ministry of Environment and Parks – Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy. 

Through Vacant No More, the city hopes to bring brownfield properties back into productive use to create business opportunities, increase economic activity, manage environmental risks, improve public health, and revitalize the surrounding neighbourhood and downtown.  

Councillor Trevor Bolin said he would like to discuss with the Ministry of Health, in partnership with Northern Health, the possibility of expanding the existing hospital. 

“On the second floor…in the hospital at any given time, [there] were 18 bodies over capacity with at least 21 bodies waiting for beds to open up,” Bolin said.

“We need the hospital expanded, we need patients to be able to recover in there, and I think they need to start to earmark some funds into an expansion of [the] hospital.” 

Councillor Sarah MacDougall expressed her support in a meeting with the Ministry of Post-secondary Education and Future Skills.  

“The immigration challenges are an issue [for] our college, but I also think we need to take a more comprehensive approach to getting local students into colleges,” she said.

To read the full report, see below. 

VANCOUVER — Rising mortgage rates and a weaker labour market are weighing on home sales in British Columbia, especially in the Lower Mainland.

The B.C. Real Estate Association says home sales on the Multiple Listing Service System in May reached just short of 6,800 units, down two per cent from the same period in 2025.

Average residential prices also slid 1.4 per cent to just short of $946,000 from the May 2025 figure of about $959,000.

Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson says the recent rise in mortgage rates “presents an unexpected headwind for the market this year and may further delay a recovery in activity.”

Residential sales dollar volume is down eight per cent to $25.1 billion, compared with the same period in 2025.

Unit sales also fell almost seven per cent so far this year compared with last year, reaching just short of 27,000 units.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press

Updated June 11th, 6 p.m.: This article has been updated to reflect the resolution of the closure.

Updated June 11th, 10:30 a.m.: This article has been updated to reflect a statement from the BCRCMP and BC Emergency Health Services, and an update on DriveBC.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A vehicle incident on Highway 97 near Wonowon led to major delays throughout the day on June 11th.

According to a DriveBC update at 8.10 a.m. on June 11th, the highway was closed in the morning of June 11th in both directions between Suicide Hill Pullout and Prophet River Subdivision Road for 70.9 kilometres.  Just before 10:30 a.m., DriveBC announced the road was open, with single-lane alternating traffic.

The road was fully reopened at approximately 5 p.m. on June 11th.

The incident was located 83 kilometres north of Wonowon to 131 kilometres south of Fort Nelson. 

According to BCRCMP, police were notified of a “serious collision” in the area at approximately 6:30 a.m. on June 11th. As of 10:25 a.m., first responders are still on scene.

In a statement to Energeticcity.ca, BC Emergency Health Services public information officer Brian Twaites explained two ambulances attended the scene after receiving a call at 6:35 a.m. on June 11th. No patients were transported to hospital.

The next update about this closure will be available at 12 p.m. on June 11th through DriveBC. Drivers are cautioned to expect major delays when travelling through the area.

Energeticcity.ca will update this story as and when more information becomes available.

VANCOUVER — Metro Vancouver’s unionized outside workers are threatening a full-scale strike after no progress toward an agreement during weeks of rotating pickets.

Jesse Medeiros, the president of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union, says in a statement that the members are “fed up” with no progress or talks planned.

Pickets have been set up on Thursday at work yards in Surrey and Delta as part of the union’s weeks-long job action.

The union says Metro Vancouver has attached preconditions to a return to bargaining, and workers will be forced to conduct a full-scale strike despite efforts to “minimize inconvenience to the public.”

However, the regional district has said that no preconditions are being attached to continuing talks, and it has offered five bargaining dates as well as the appointment of a mediator that the union has rejected.

The union’s last agreement expired about 17 months ago.

Rotating pickets have so far hit Metro Vancouver’s head office in Burnaby, multiple wastewater and water treatment facilities, and popular recreational sites such as the Grouse Grind and Queen Elizabeth Park.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press

CHETWYND, B.C. — Historical buildings and tourist locations around northeast B.C. will be open – both literally and figuratively – to the public starting this weekend.

The third-annual Doors Open 2026 event begins on Saturday, June 13th, and is hosted by the Northern Trails Historical Society (NTHS).

Doors Open events are when the public can access historical and culturally significant buildings and sites that are normally closed for free, offering residents the opportunity to view and learn about them.

The NTHS is an organization which links the eight museums in northeast B.C. into a formal network for sharing resources and fostering communication, and was established in 2015, according to its website.

A national Doors Open program was begun by Heritage Canada in 2000, with the first event taking place in Toronto that summer. 

Events have occurred throughout the country, including ones in Ottawa, London, Saskatoon and more. 

According to a Facebook post, the event on June 13th will be the first of several in the region this summer.

This includes events in Charlie Lake, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, Hudson’s Hope and Taylor, with details yet to be released, according to the post.

The events on Saturday, June 13th, will coincide with the town’s annual chainsaw carving competition, and will include a free barbecue and free tours of the Little Prairie Heritage Museum from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The museum, located at 5633 Westgate Road in Chetwynd, says it “explores the history” of the district, according to its Facebook page.

For further information about the Doors Open program, contact NTHS by phone at 250-787-0430 or by email at info@nths.ca.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Moose FM’s radiothon for the North Peace Seniors Housing Society (NPSHS) has raised more than $60,000 towards a new roof for one of its buildings. 

The NPSHS Radiothon, hosted by Moose FM and supported by Smith Fuel Services Ltd, took place on June 5th at Safeway Fort St. John, located on 100th Street, and, as of June 10th, has raised $62,000. 

The same parent company, Moose Media, owns Energeticcity.ca and 100.1 Moose FM. 

Linda Harvey, the society’s executive director, said the society is very happy with the results of the radiothon. 

“We had amazing support from our community. We didn’t reach our goal, but we’re still accepting donations, so we’re close. We’ve got about 75 per cent of our goal,” Harvey noted. 

The society’s goal is to raise $85,000, which is also the cost of the replacement, Harvey explained. 

“The funds will benefit the society by replacing the roof on…our building number one,” Harvey added. “We currently have some problems with [leaks] into resident suites, so we will be able to keep our residents dry and warm.” 

NPSHS hoped to start construction on the new roof this month, but Harvey said there is a “bit of a snafu” with it, so the society hopes to start construction early this summer. 

She said: “Technically, the donations are open till the end of June; of course, we would never turn away another donation if it came in after that.” 

The society wanted to thank and do a big shout-out to all its supporters. 

“Whether it was a big donation or a small donation [or a] personal business, we just thank everybody for their support. It was amazing to be part of it,” she said. 

Anyone who wants to donate to the society can send an EMT to office@npshs.ca or drop by the society’s office at 108th Avenue, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The society accepts cash, cheques, debit, or credit payments.

PERTH, ONT. — A suspect wanted for second-degree murder in the death of a man in southern Ontario may be camping somewhere in rural British Columbia.

Ontario Provincial Police say 34-year-old Christo Richards of Ottawa died in hospital after being found injured in a park in the town of Perth on April 12.

They say a 46-year-old suspect was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in May, and their investigation has since led to the seizure of two firearms from a rural property in Terrace, B.C.

Police say a 32-year-old from Ottawa has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, while 34-year-old Joseph Madore is believed to be camping in rural B.C.

Abbotsford police have said Madore has “known associations” in B.C. communities such as Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Richmond and Terrace.

Police say another man, Brayton Kennedy of Ottawa, is also at large and wanted for second-degree murder, but it’s not known where he could be.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

The man accused of murdering Tatjana Stefanski in British Columbia more than two years ago testified Wednesday that he tried to kill himself twice in the hours after her death, by drowning in a lake and by stabbing himself with a kitchen knife found at an empty cabin.

But Vitali Stefanski denied harming his ex-wife or deliberately dumping her remains, saying instead that she stabbed herself in his car and her body later “slipped” from his grasp, the day before it was found off a forestry road outside Lumby in B.C.’s southern Interior, with seven stab wounds to the chest and other injuries.

Stefanski, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder at his B.C. Supreme Court jury trial in Kamloops, testified that he “did everything” he could to get her medical help after driving away with her from her home on April 13, 2024.

He described climbing over her through the passenger side of his car, discovering she had been stabbed with his own fishing knife, then heading in a different direction from the nearest hospital because of the way his car was parked.

The court has previously heard that Tatjana Stefanski was found dead the next day, with police testifying that Vitali Stefanski emerged shoeless from the forest, confessed to killing her and pointed officers towards where her body was found. Stefanski denied that account in his testimony, saying he hoped at the time that she was still alive.

The defence rested its case after cross-examination of Stefanski concluded on Wednesday, with closing arguments expected to begin next week.

The court has heard that Tatjana Stefanski’s heart and a lung were pierced by the wounds to her chest and she also suffered 21 “sharp-force injuries” to her arms and legs.

Vitali Stefanski offered no explanation for most of her injuries. He admitted they all occurred after she entered his car, but denied causing any of them when pressed by a prosecutor on Wednesday.

He said under cross-examination that he saw his ex-wife stab herself twice, though the second time appeared accidental because she had begun “twisting” in the passenger seat.

“The first one, I would say (was a) stab wound, and the second one, I would not call it a stab wound. It was a kind of injury,” he said in a heavy accent.

Stefanski said both he and his ex-wife had entered his black Audi through the passenger door, after she approached him at her home with a bloody nose.

He admitted climbing over a passenger was a strange way to access the driver’s seat, but denied Crown lawyer Laura Drake’s suggestion that he did so to ensure she could not leave.

Stefanski also denied pushing her into the car despite Crown lawyers playing a video of a police interview seven weeks later, in which he tells an officer he grabbed his ex-wife and pushed her to get her into the vehicle.

Though he said he “did everything” to try to get his ex-wife medical help after she stabbed herself, he agreed that she was already bleeding profusely before they left the driveway of her home. But he said he did not call 911 or drive toward the Vernon hospital.

“In that situation, (I) was like really scared,” he said when asked why he instead began driving toward Lumby.

He said he made that choice because his car had been parked facing that direction, and they went in search of a medical clinic.

He said it wasn’t until they reached an intersection in the town that he took the knife from her and he realized it was his own fishing knife.

He said he felt “everything from fear to grief” as he described her getting quiet as they lost cell reception driving along Mable Lake Road. At some point, he said, she decided to lie down and stopped responding, which is when he began accepting “she is maybe dead.”

He said he removed her body from the back seat to see if she was alive, but when he tried to put her body back in the car, it “slipped” down the embankment.

“I couldn’t hold it. So, these two fingers on both legs, on both arms, they go now, and I just couldn’t hold it,” he said.
”In that moment, for me, she was somewhere sliding, and I couldn’t see where she’s going.”

Stefanski testified he also threw other items from inside the car down the embankment, including the knife.

The court has heard a bent and bloodied knife was found near the body and it carried the DNA of both Tatjana and Vitali Stefanski.

It was then that the accused said he went in search of help and found two cabins.

“I was sitting down on the porch and there was a kitchen knife and I told the investigator that it’s still there. It’s a box with the knife coming and you can sharpen it and I just think ‘maybe that’s the solution.'”

He said he decided to take his life, stabbing himself once, about an hour after he left his ex-wife’s body. Drake, the Crown lawyer, showed the court a photo of Stefanski’s injury above his belly button.

Stefanski testified he lost consciousness and after waking up the next morning, he walked out of the woods and back onto the forestry road, where he encountered Mounties following a truck towing his bloodied Audi.

He testified on Tuesday that he told an officer he thought his ex-wife may have been dead but was hoping she was still alive, suggesting he was in such a hurry to get help he did not even bother putting on his shoes when he set off that morning.

“I was still hoping. That’s why that day I was walking, I did not even touch my shoes,” he said, adding that when he was walking to where his ex-wife slid down, he thought “maybe somebody found her.”

He said he initially didn’t realize the vehicle he was approaching was a police car, before he saw that his car was being towed and he told an officer it was his.

Stefanski testified that he then took a knife out and put it on the ground in front of the officer before gesturing in the direction of where he left his ex-wife’s body.

“He asked me if she is dead and I said ‘I don’t know, I think so,'” he said on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press

WEST KELOWNA — The First Nations Justice Council in British Columbia has officially launched an effort meant to help Indigenous people navigate the police accountability process in the province.

Judith Sayers, a director with the group, says the Police Accountability Unit aims to help Indigenous people by making sure that their complaints against police are heard.

Sayers, who is also president of the Nuu-Chan-nulth Tribal Council on Vancouver Island, says many Indigenous people don’t feel comfortable approaching the institutions that handle complaints against police, like the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia.

She says accountability organizations like the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner serve their purpose, but don’t serve Indigenous people in a way that is needed.

Alexander Kirby, acting managing lawyer of the new unit, says it will help people file police or human rights complaints, pursue court actions and access other legal tools.

Kirby says the unit, which includes two staff lawyers, will also help Indigenous people impacted by police misconduct to navigate the various accountability processes.

Sayers says the unit has already handled more than 200 files since it launched a pilot project two years ago and it is now officially taking cases from across the province, with funding from the Law Foundation of BC.

“We are just trying to provide a service to all of the First Nations that are being victimized by the RCMP, by municipal police forces, and make sure their complaints are heard,” she says.

“A lot of times, people just don’t bother, because they know it is not worth it, or they can’t get anywhere, so we want to give some hope that ‘hey, we have somebody here, who is going to represent you.'”

Figures from the council say that since 2017, Indigenous people are 10 times more likely than white people in Canada to have been killed by a police officer.

Indigenous people make up about 5.1 per cent of Canada’s population but they are 16.2 per cent of the total number of police-involved deaths, the council says.

The organization says it is currently handling 83 active cases, including 35 involving use of force, 11 for illegal search and seizure, eight for illegal arrest and detention, and six files involving wellness checks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) has invested over $40 million to improve road conditions in northern B.C.

In a June 9th press release, the province said drivers in northern B.C. will benefit from safer and smoother roads as it advances resurfacing projects on highways and side roads.

According to the ministry, about $45 million will be invested into resurfacing northern highways and local roads during the 2026 construction season. 

The Peace District, which stretches from Fort Nelson to Tumbler Ridge, will undergo 25 kilometres of resurfacing projects. 

“Major resurfacing projects taking place across the region this construction season include key investments along Highway 97 and Highway 27,” said the province.  

Highway 97 resurfacing is underway two hours north of Prince George, between Azouzzata and Mount Solitude. 

A $10.5 million project for 40 kilometres of asphalt resurfacing between Honeymoon Creek Bridge and Big Boulder Creek Bridge is set to be completed by fall 2026.

Highway 27 will undergo 75 kilometres of seal coating, spanning from the Highway 16 junction to the Stuart River Bridge, as well as various Sowchea-area side roads.  

LaPrairie Works was awarded a $6 million contract for the work, which is expected to conclude in fall 2026. 

The province reminds drivers to observe speed limits in construction zones and to follow traffic controllers’ directions. 

To keep up-to-date with road delays and closures, check DriveBC. 

KELOWNA — British Columbia’s animal welfare society says a woman has been banned from owning or living with pets for five years and given 12 months’ probation after pleading guilty to attempting to euthanize a cat with fentanyl.

A statement from the B.C. SPCA says Jayme-Jo Crystal Brooks’ conviction also sets a precedent against at-home euthanasia practices that inflict unnecessary harm.

The society says investigators began looking into Brooks in December 2024 after a veterinarian called the animal helpline to report they had humanely euthanized a cat in critical distress and a necropsy later revealed fentanyl exposure.

The SPCA says it seized two other cats in the woman’s care and both were found to have cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamine in their systems.

The society says one of the cats was adopted but the second had underlying health conditions and was euthanized.

Online court records show Brooks was initially charged with causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, failing to provide necessities for an animal and administering a poisonous drug to an animal.

All three charges are dated Christmas 2024 and she pleaded guilty to the poisoning charge last month.

The SPCA says her probation includes counselling or education programs and a requirement to complete 30 hours of community service.

Jamie Wiltse, the SPCA’s regional manager of animal protection services, said in the statement that the case is a huge victory for animal welfare in Canada.

“We often see charges go through at the provincial level under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, but this case was prosecuted under the Criminal Code of Canada,” Wiltse said in the statement.

“A Criminal Code conviction sends a stronger message and reflects a higher level of societal condemnation and accountability, and are typically reserved for the most serious cases. Unlike a provincial offence conviction, a conviction under the Criminal Code carries the consequence of a criminal record.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026

The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — British Columbia Premier David Eby says U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest statement that he’s not looking to renew the trade deal between Canada, the United States and Mexico is a “bit bizarre,” given that the three countries are now in talks on the deal.

Eby says the president’s latest position on the trade pact known as CUSMA feels like a bad sequel to Trump’s 1987 book, “The Art of the Deal.”

The premier made his comments after a virtual First Ministers’ meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday.

Eby says he’s also not sure what Trump actually means, since his understanding of the agreement is that by not renewing CUSMA it would expire in 10 years, or 2036, with an annual review, as opposed to expiring in 16 years.

Trump said Wednesday that the United States doesn’t “need anything that Canada has” and also doesn’t need any goods from Mexico.

Trump also said Canada and Mexico “need everything” that the United States has, and that “they should have to treat us better.”

Last week, Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Mexico’s secretary of economy Marcelo Ebrard sent letters to Washington to call for a 16-year extension of CUSMA without receiving a clear indication of intentions from the Trump administration at the time.

Without the extension, options for the deal’s future include a non-renewal and non-withdrawal option, which triggers the annual review of CUSMA.

The deadline for renewal for the deal is July 1.

Eby says B.C. and Canada would prefer the stability of a 16-year extension, but status quo is fine as well.

“Let’s just get on with business, let’s have both sides respect the agreement, and let’s continue with the existing CUSMA agreement,” he said. “To be blunt, this sequel to ‘The Art of the Deal’ is pretty lame.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The Dawson Creek Fire Fighters Association is stepping up to support a project in the new Dawson Creek Hospital, inspired by a tragic accident involving one of its own. 

On June 10th, the Dawson Creek Fire Fighters Association donated $10,210 dollars to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation, according to the foundation’s executive director, Allie Macam.  

Macam said the donation will support furnishing the inpatient lounge at the new hospital.

The Dawson Creek Fire Fighters Association revealed they had been working behind the scenes on a “special project” in a Facebook post on June 4th.

The association said the project was inspired by Captain Brooks Gower, a Dawson Creek firefighter who was hit by a vehicle on Highway 97 in October 2025, and his family’s health journey.

“Due to [Gower’s] accident in October and visiting him in Vancouver General Hospital, we saw the need for and importance of a room like this,” Gary Kerbrat, president of the Dawson Creek Firefighters Charitable Foundation, said in a news release.

According to Kerbrat, the goal of the family room is “to allow for families to spend quality time together to help with the mental healing during their time of crisis.” 

In a conversation with Energeticcity.ca, Kerbrat explained what led to the donation to the project in collaboration with the hospital foundation.

“We had six or seven guys go down and visit [Gower] in the hospital while he was there, and with that….we were able to see the struggles as an outside view on what Trina [Gower’s wife] was dealing with.”

Kerbrat explained how, when firefighters were at Vancouver General Hospital visiting Gower, it seemed like “Trina was almost trapped in the hospital room with Brooks, and unfortunately, they’re just not built for family members to sit in comfort.”

According to Kerbrat, the firefighters’ association reached out to the hospital foundation to see if they could help solve the problem.

Macam said the contribution is a reflection of the Dawson Creek Firefighters Charitable Society’s commitment in supporting families in some of “some of the most difficult and stressful moments of their lives.”

The contribution will also help develop a “comforting and welcoming space” for patients and their families, she said. 

“It is a powerful reflection of the firefighters’ dedication to caring for and supporting our community both inside and outside of emergency response,” Macam continued.

To support the project, the firefighters’ association is holding a raffle for a 2026 Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV. 

Kerbrat explained why people should support the project through the raffle.

“This is a project that I feel not only supports Dawson Creek…it really supports everybody, whether you are from Fort St. John….Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge, Hudsons Hope, Moberley Lake,” he said. 

“Everybody around this area, even if you’re in Alberta, they come to Dawson, they use our facilities here…all we’re trying to do is make things a little better for people,” Kerbrat continued.  

Tickets for the raffle can be purchased online. The raffle deadline is September 1st at 9:15 a.m., with the draw shortly after at 10 a.m.  

TAYLOR, B.C. — Enbridge and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) are conducting road improvements at the intersection of Alaska Highway and Pingel Creek Road starting mid-June.  

According to a public notice from Enbridge shared in a June 9th Facebook post by the District of Taylor, the road work will “improve road safety, sight lines and long-term reliability for all road users.” 

In June 2025, Enbridge discussed road improvements for the Pingel Creek Road and Alaska Highway intersection with local residents as it began construction of the Aspen Point Program, an expansion of Enbridge company Westcoast Energy’s northeast B.C. natural gas pipeline. 

A local resident told Energeticcity.ca the improvements included plans for a turning lane to reduce the danger posed by larger trucks entering and exiting the highway.

Enbridge also said it had graded and addressed soft spots on Pingel Creek Road, and it was working with MOTT to improve the intersection.

The intersection improvements will support access to Enbridge’s Compressor Station 1B, scheduled for completion in late 2026. 

Enbridge said construction is expected to continue for approximately two months.

The public is advised of temporary traffic disruptions and construction-related impacts, including increased dust and noise. 

Any questions regarding the project can be directed to BCprojects@enbridge.com or 1-833-267-2220.  

POUCE COUPE — The mayor of a small British Columbia village says news of two children dying in a rollover accident involving a utility terrain vehicle has been “devastating.”

Pouce Coupe Mayor Danielle Veach says both families who lost children are well respected and the deaths of the seven-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy are “absolutely tragic.”

Police say the vehicle was being driven by the girl with four other children on board when it rolled over last Thursday.

They say the girl died in hospital, while the eight-year-old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mounties say the vehicle rolled over several times and covered a “considerable distance,” ejecting some of the children.

A man who identified himself as the father of the girl who died said in a Facebook post on the day of the crash that his family and his nephew’s family had experienced a tragic accident on their farm involving a side-by-side vehicle.

The post initially said the man’s daughter had been taken by air ambulance to Edmonton, but an update said the girl “went to Heaven.”

The mayor said their community is very close-knit.

“Any time any member of our community goes through something that is so tragic, it really does ripple through every single one of us,” Veach said Wednesday in an interview.

“At this time, it’s still so raw. It’s been less than seven days, you know, at this point. I know that the community is really rallying around them, but we’re also really trying to respect the families’ privacy.”

Police say the other children survived the crash with minor injuries.

“As a parent, I cannot fathom the unimaginable and tragic loss these families have suffered,” RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in the Mounties’ statement.

“Our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by this unthinkable event.

Veach said she hasn’t yet reached out to the families of the victims, but understands that they’re being supported by their loved ones and church community.

“I just can’t imagine the overwhelming grief,” she said. “While I’ve not personally reached out, I have definitely kept (them) in my prayers and my thoughts.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

POUCE COUPE, B.C. — A GoFundMe in support of the families of five youth involved in a side-by-side incident has raised over $19,000.

The GoFundMe created by Sarah Burzek on June 5th has raised $19,045 as of 1:12 p.m. on June 10th, surpassing its $10,000 goal.

On June 4th at 1 p.m., Dawson Creek RCMP, ambulance services and the Pouce Fire Department responded to the scene of an incident involving a side-by-side vehicle.

Dawson Creek RCMP Staff Sergeant Shawn Peddle said a child was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police confirmed on June 9th five youths were in the vehicle at the time of the incident, and several occupants were ejected.  

Shock Trauma and Rescue (STARS) media spokesperson Blake Robert confirmed STARS air ambulance responded to the incident and airlifted a child to Edmonton in critical condition. 

An update on the GoFundMe page confirms 7-year-old Jaydn, who was one of the children involved in the crash, passed away after being taken off life support. 

RCMP confirmed Jaydn, who wasn’t named at the time, passed away on June 6th, “despite the best efforts of medical personnel.” 

“No family is ever prepared for a tragedy like this,” the page read. “As the families focus on grieving, they are also facing significant expenses surrounding travel, time away from work, and other arrangements.” 

On June 9th, Dawson Creek RCMP said they had begun an investigation into the incident, which staff sergeant Kris Clark with the BC RCMP called “unimaginable.”

“Our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by this unthinkable event,” said Clark.” 

“We are asking for help to ease the financial burden during this heartbreaking time. Any donation, no matter the amount, will go directly toward helping the family navigate the days and weeks ahead,” the GoFundMe page concluded. 

CALGARY — The secretary-treasurer of the Nisga’a Nation in northern British Columbia says there remain few obstacles to a final go-ahead decision for the Ksi Lisims liquefied natural gas plant and export terminal.

“I think we’ve basically cleared almost all hurdles for this project,” Charles Morven told reporters on the sidelines of the Global Energy Show in Calgary on Tuesday.

The $10-billion Ksi Lisims project would be on Nisga’a land in the northwest corner of B.C. near the Alaska border. The lead developer is Houston-based Western LNG; Rockies LNG, a consortium of Canadian natural gas producers, is also part of the plan.

Morven said he sees his community’s participation in LNG as a way to achieve more autonomy.

“That’s what we’re working toward, to build our own financial capital and maybe, somewhere along the line, be able to finance smaller projects on their own without having to wait for other people to do things for us,” he said.

In recent weeks, Ksi Lisims has signed preliminary supply agreements with two German utilities. It also announced three new benefit agreements with other First Nations in the region, two of which have dropped legal challenges against the project’s federal approval.

“We hope it’s a clear path for Canadians to understand that it’s Indigenous people that aren’t standing in front of you, or aren’t standing opposed to you, aren’t standing in a different way,” said Andrew Robinson, chief executive officer of the Nisga’a Nation, during a panel discussion at the conference.

“Sometimes the narrative is always what kills the discussion that is occurring.”

Though the lawsuits from the Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams have been withdrawn, one Gitxsan leader vowed to continue fighting B.C.’s approval of the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline, which would feed into Ksi Lisims.

“It will have irreversible consequences on our culture, identity and livelihood as Gitxsan people,” Hereditary Chief Charlie Wright with the Gitxsan house Luutkudziiwus said in a written statement.

“The province has never properly consulted our Wilp (house) — and we’re prepared to take this issue to the Supreme Court of Canada.”

Several hundred kilometres south along the coast, in Squamish, B.C., the Woodfibre project is about 65 per cent complete, CEO Luke Schauerte said in an interview on the sidelines of the conference. Startup is slated for next year.

Woodfibre is 70 per cent owned by Pacific Energy Corp., which is a unit of Singapore-based RGE group of companies. Enbridge Inc. holds the remaining stake.

Woodfibre’s gas export capacity has all been spoken for by BP, said Schauerte.

The Ksi Lisims agreements with German firms Securing Energy for Europe late last month and Uniper earlier this week send a positive signal, he said.

“The LNG market is technical, it’s sophisticated, it is a complex global trading market. So it provides for things like swaps and offtake agreements that will facilitate that,” he said.

Swap deals — which connect buyers and sellers on opposite ends of the globe — are more common now than they were just a few years ago, said Schauerte.

“I believe that the work that’s being done by the federal government to market Canada as a reliable provider and a secure provider has been coming to fruition now, so I look forward to more of that happening.”

Woodfibre says it is the first industrial project to recognize a non-treaty Indigenous government, the Squamish Nation, as a full environmental regulator.

“I do see Canadian LNG as Indigenous LNG,” Schauerte said.

The only LNG facility currently up and running is the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, B.C. Cargoes began leaving from the terminal to Asia almost a year ago.

The partners in LNG Canada — Shell and four Asian state-owned firms — are contemplating an expansion that would double the plant’s capacity, with a final investment decision expected by year-end.

Ryan Hickman, Shell’s manager of global gas fundamentals based in Singapore, told the conference that Asian customers are keen to add Canadian gas to their portfolio because it’s sustainable, reliable and affordable.

“This isn’t something that we necessarily are out pushing,” he said. “A lot of buyers are coming to us.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — This year’s National Junior Finals Rodeo (NJFR) in Oklahoma will have a local athlete in its midst.

Charlie Lake’s Caitlyn Kelly will be at the event, scheduled to run from Sunday, June 21st, to Saturday, June 27th, in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The eighth grader is one of three athletes set to represent British Columbia at the event, which will include participants from the United States, Mexico, Guatemala and Australia.

Caitlyn said in the statement that the chance to represent her province and country at an international event is “a dream come true,” as well as an “incredible opportunity.”

Caitlyn’s mom, Lara Kelly, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about her daughter’s dedication and passion for rodeo, which began at an early age.

“I grew up on a ranch northeast of Fort St. John,” said Lara. “At the age of 27, [I] started roping and got more into barrel racing when I had kids. [So], both [of] my girls pretty much grew up riding right from birth.”

“It’s just been a part of her life straight from the get-go.”

Caitlyn participated in the BC High School Rodeo Association (BCHSRA) circuit throughout the 2025-26 season, where she achieved success throughout the year.

She finished as the overall BCHSRA leader in breakaway roping, goat tying and team roping.

In addition, she finished as the reserve point leader in both pole and ribbon roping. All this success earned Caitlyn the title of Junior North All-Around Cowgirl.

She then earned the title of Reserve All-Around Cowgirl for the province during her performance at the BCHSRA Junior Provincial Finals in Williams Lake in late May, where Caitlyn won the reserve titles in goat tying and breakaway roping.

Lara says junior rodeo has taught her daughter about responsibility and commitment, and she enjoys the local support Caitlyn gets at events in the region.

“[Rodeo] just gives them so much responsibility and accountability,” said Lara. “Along with practicing for your sport, you also have animals you have to look after and care for. It has been really great for a lot of kids.”

The NJFR is sanctioned by the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA), an organization founded in Texas, U.S.A, in 1947. It was later incorporated in Colorado, U.S.A., in 1960.

While high school finals have existed since 1949, the Junior High division featuring younger riders began in 2004, according to its website. 

The NJFR will take place in Guthrie, Oklahoma, from Sunday, June 21st, to Saturday, June 27th. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The city council has appointed elections officers for the upcoming 2026 general local election. 

At the recent June 8th Fort St. John city council meeting, the council appointed the city’s corporate officer, Bonnie McCue, as the chief election officer, while Christina Brace, deputy corporate officer, was appointed as deputy chief election officer. 

This includes any assent voting proceedings as well. 

McCue will also be authorized to appoint additional election officials to conduct the election and any assent voting, in accordance with the Local Government Act. 

According to the report, the chief election officer is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the election, including appointing election officials, establishing voting opportunities, administering candidate nominations and ensuring compliance with applicable legislation. 

This year, the general local election has been scheduled for Saturday, October 17th, 2026. 

City staff said although initial preparations have been done to support the upcoming election, the formal appointment of the elections officers is required to carry out statutory responsibilities.

The city will be holding a referendum to seek approval for a proposed borrowing initiative for the new aquatics facility, which will be held alongside the election. 

After the appointment of the officers, the city will continue election planning and administrative activities, including confirming voting opportunities, preparing materials, coordinating staffing and ensuring legislative compliance. 

The city staff said preliminary administrative preparations are underway, including a review of election procedures and coordination of internal requirements. 

The city’s approved operating budget will fund the upcoming elections, including any assent voting proceedings. 

Nomination period begins on September 1st, and the campaign period starts on September 19th. 

To read the full report, see below. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Northern Health has now opened the application intake period for this year’s Imagine community grants. 

As of June 1st, applications are open to numerous organizations, including non-profit and community organizations, First Nation Bands, health centres and Indigenous organizations.

Local governments, schools and parent advisory councils are also eligible to apply for the grants. 

Northern Health said the grants will provide up to $10,000 for “projects that address community-led health and wellness initiatives while improving the well-being of all northern BC residents.”

Funded projects must support at least one of the following initiatives. 

• Addressing population mental health and wellness
• Prevention and reduction of substance-related harms 
• Promoting physical health and preventing injuries
• Supporting health impacts from climate change
• Improving food security and access to nutritious food 
• Supporting families, youth and children

Northern Health said “strong” projects should focus on a community-identified need, involve community members in planning, reflect local culture, strengths and ways of knowing.

Projects should be inclusive, respectful, welcoming, reduce barriers for participants and “address unfair differences in health where possible.” 

Projects will be given priority if they bring together people and organizations, build or strengthen community relationships, clearly demonstrate how partners will work together and help build skills or leadership among other criteria, according to Northern Health. 

The Charlie Lake Community Garden previously received a $10,000 grant focused on food security, while the Fort St. John and Area Senior Care Foundation’s Reach Out Program received $10,000 towards mental wellness. 

The application period is open until July 5th, with funding released in September. 

For more information on the grants, visit the Northern Health website.

NEW WESTMINSTER — The judge in the case of a B.C. woman who pleaded guilty to assault and sex trafficking is taking time to decide on a sentence.

Lawyers will be meeting next week to set a date for Justice Terence Schultes to sentence Jennifer Stephens after a three-day hearing in B.C. Supreme Court concluded Wednesday.

The Crown prosecutor proposed a 13-year sentence for the 31-year-old, while her lawyer has suggested the judge sentence her to seven years with credit for time already served.

Stephens pleaded guilty last year to multiple charges, including assault causing bodily harm, unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon and several other offences related to sex trafficking of a person under 18.

The court heard that she inflicted violent beatings on her victims and boasted of a client list of 500 people that she refused to sell to other “pimps.”

Stephens’ lawyer Dale Melville told the court his client suffers from intermittent explosive disorder or borderline personality disorder as well as substance-use disorders involving stimulants and alcohol. He said she has been sober while in custody.


Crown counsel Catherine Rose told the judge on Wednesday that in order for someone’s mental health to be a factor in sentencing there needs to be a link between the offences and the mental health concerns.

This case doesn’t have the required detailed and specific medical evidence, she said.

Rose said the judge should put “little weight” on the potential role of others in the situation, pointing to an agreed statement of facts in the case where Stephens acknowledges she arranged and oversaw the sex work and controlled the schedule.

Stephens also told a friend she “did it alone,” when describing the operation, the Crown said.

Melville pointed to a report from police, which says investigators had evidence to support charging another person, but they died of a suspected drug overdose in 2023.

He said another person linked to one of the victims in this case had sex trafficking charges sworn against them in Edmonton.

Melville told the judge that the Crown hasn’t proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Stephens was the “mastermind” in the situation “because we have other players in the game.”

Police in Langley, B.C., started investigating the case in February 2023, beginning with a phone number that was linked to a 13-year-old girl who had been trafficked in Alberta and Kelowna, B.C.

RCMP received a call from a gas station attendant on March 7, 2023, who reported a badly injured and bloody woman.

That woman told police she had been confined inside hotel rooms and assaulted by Stephens and a man over the course of four to five hours.

Stephens met the woman, who was a sex worker, in 2021. The next year, Stephens lured the victim into believing she was a man and began a romantic relationship through texts.

Between March 2022 and March 2023, the woman sent nearly $63,000 to bank accounts controlled by Stephens.

The hearing included playing violent and graphic videos involving Stephens and her victims, and impact statements from her victims who said Stephens inflicted not only physical but psychological trauma that will take a lifetime to work through.

— With files from Brieanna Charlebois

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Technical issues are causing intermittent data availability in the Peace River region’s weather radar. 

Eleni Armenakis, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada, said: “The Spirit River (CASSR) weather radar has been experiencing intermittent data availability since June 1st due to technical issues with the radar.” 

“Despite this issue, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is still able to operate the radar for short periods of time in the event of any severe weather events, in support of ECCC meteorologists.”

 Armenakis said ECCC technicians have been working on the issue and are currently on site at CASSR to carry out repairs. 

“When there is a radar outage, ECCC meteorologists continue monitoring the weather by utilizing data from neighbouring radars, as well as additional sources of information, for example, high-resolution satellite data, weather models and surface weather stations, to provide high-quality weather services to people in Canada,” she explained. 

Information and updates on the progress are posted here. 

VANCOUVER — The trial for Adam Kai-Ji Lo, who is facing 11 counts of second-degree murder in the 2025 Lapu Lapu festival attack in Vancouver, has been set to start on April 19, 2027.

Lo has elected against facing a jury in favour of a judge-only trial in British Columbia’s Supreme Court.

The details were set at a case management conference in the same court in Vancouver on Wednesday, with the trial period scheduled to last to Aug. 25 next year.

Lo appeared at the conference via video, wearing a black short-sleeve shirt and remaining largely motionless, only responding with one-word responses and short phrases.

He is also facing 31 attempted-murder charges stemming from the April 26, 2025 attack, in which an SUV drove through the crowd at the Vancouver festival hosted by the city’s Filipino community.

A publication ban has been imposed on details of the pretrial process.

The case was moved to B.C. Supreme Court earlier this year after previously being processed by the provincial court.

A judge there had found last September that Lo was fit to stand trial, after hearing from two forensic psychiatrists.

However, the exact reasons for the fitness ruling, and details of what Lo told the doctors, cannot be published because of the bans.

A media consortium that includes The Canadian Press has challenged the publication ban, but a provincial court judge said last September that a ruling on that application has been delayed.

The attack set off changes and recommendations to improve public safety rules for festivals and community events.

The Lapu Lapu Day festival returned this April at a different location at Vancouver’s Italian Cultural Centre, and focused on reflection and remembrance of the victims of the attack.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

SURREY — Police in Surrey say three men have pleaded guilty and been sentenced over charges stemming from an extortion-related shooting back in February.

The Surrey Police Service says Taranveer Singh got a five-year sentence for reckless discharge of a firearm, while Dayajeet Singh and Harjot Singh received 27 months and 25 months respectively for throwing an explosive substance.

Police say in a statement that the three men were arrested in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, 2026 after a reported shooting outside a home near Crescent Beach.

They say officers with the major crime section and those assigned to the anti-extortion unit known as Project Assurance, were patrolling the neighbourhood when gunfire rang out near Crescent Road and 132 Street.

The statement says the three men were arrested shortly after, not far from where the shooting occurred.

It says Harjot Singh and Dayajeet Singh, both 21, and Taranveer Singh, 19, pleaded guilty in Surrey Provincial Court on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026

The Canadian Press

LANGFORD — Mounties near Victoria say they are investigating three reports of a violent online group exploiting children and young people.

West Shore RCMP say in a statement that the reports are all similar and involve a group known as 764, which is part of a larger online network known as The Com, which deliberately recruits vulnerable children from ages eight to 17 years old.

Police say The Com network is known to have extreme ideological views, and aims to desensitize children and radicalize them to violence.

They say the group also operates on popular social media and gaming platforms such Discord, Telegram, Roblox, Minecraft, Twitch and others.

Parents are urged to watch for warning signs, which police say include having a new online friend, or network that they are infatuated with or afraid of.

The statement says children can be convinced to take photos of themselves or their siblings in sexually explicit poses, they might harm or kill animals, including family pets, attempt suicide or commit acts of violence.

“Predators use grooming processes that can include establishing trusting or romantic relationships; or using power or coercive tactics to get victims to engage in serious violence, self harm, or gore activities,” police say in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

Update, 3:15 p.m., Wednesday, June 10th: This story has been updated to include comments from a host of the True North True Crime Podcast

FORT NELSON, B.C. —FORT NELSON, B.C. — The disappearance of a Fort Nelson Indigenous woman from two years ago is the focus of an upcoming episode of a true crime podcast.

Karen Tessier was 57 years old when she was last seen in the community in July 2024. Without a trace, she vanished. Her vehicle was found in the community days later, with no trace of her.

The North District RCMP Major Crimes unit treated the disappearance as highly suspicious, and FNFN has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to what happened to Tessier.

Husband and wife Graeme and Caitlin Duffy launched the True North True Crime podcast in 2020, with backgrounds in film and television. According to Graeme, the podcast has reached ten million downloads in six years.

In an interview with Energeticcity.ca, he said the podcast is “victim-centred” with the majority of episodes involving victims’ families.

“What we do is we try to work directly with families to help them, to raise awareness of whatever that might be for them,” said Graeme. “Whether it’s searches, GoFundMes [or] petitions.”

“Whatever they need as a call to action is really the direction of the podcast.”

With new episodes released bi-weekly, this week’s focus is on Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) resident Karen Tessier’s disappearance.

The Duffys became familiar with the Tessier story through social media posts.

“[Tessier’s] story is one that Caitlin and I had seen on Facebook a lot,” said Graeme. “That is where you’re going to find a lot of information when people are seeking help. “We started seeing Karen’s poster being shared quite a bit.”

Graeme says the Duffys do not approach grieving families to speak on episodes. The reason for this is due to the complex trauma associated with cold case victims and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).

He said members of both FNFN and Fort Nelson contacted them about Tessier’s story.  As a result, they were able to contact Tessier’s mother, Elizabeth.

Graeme describes the conversation during the 45-minute episode as “heartbreaking.”

In telling the story, Graeme told Energeticcity.ca that, while most true crime programming is “exploitative,” both he and his wife see value in spotlighting victims’ rather than the culprit, particularly in cases of MMIWG.

“What we want to do is we want to help to give a voice to victims’ families,” said Graeme. “We especially feel that it’s important to tell the stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous people.”

“We tell Canadian stories, and we would be remiss in our mission if we were not including those stories.”

The episode featuring Karen Tessier will be released on Thursday, June 11th. True North, True Crime is available on all leading podcast platforms.

GOODLOW, B.C. — Goodlow residents are advised of planned power outages beginning June 9th. 

According to a June 9th Facebook post by Goodlow Community, repairs on the 25-kilovolt and 138-kilovolt equipment in the TXB substation will result in temporary power outages in Boundary Lake. 

A substation is a “specialized facility” which transforms voltage levels, switches circuits and regulates power between generation sources and users. 

In a letter sent to residents, Whitecaps Resources said the outages will last up to 12 hours on June 9th, 10th and 11th. 

Outages will be scattered throughout the area, so residents will not necessarily experience disruptions at the same time. 

Residents who require more information on the project or have questions can contact Electrical Specialist Jayson Dekock at 250-262-6717 or jdekock@wcap.ca. 

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — An open house is scheduled for the weekend regarding treaty entitlement lands as it pertains to one northeast B.C. First Nation.

On Saturday, June 13th, the provincial government will host an event at the Tumbler Ridge Community Centre in order to share details about the newest Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) package of transfer sections involving West Moberly First Nations (WMFN).

A TLE has its roots in the signing of Treaty 8, in which the Canadian Government allocated reserve land to the Treaty 8 Nations in British Columbia, on the foundation of a population-based formula.

First Nations in Treaty 8 territory did not receive the proper lands according to the treaty, prompting several communities – including Doig River First Nation, Blueberry River First Nations, Halfway River First Nation, WMFN and Saulteau First Nations – to file TLE claims with the provincial and federal governments for the lands owed to them.

The five First Nations signed an agreement of TLE claims with the collective government in 2023.

A press release from the province on Tuesday, June 9th, says the event is about “continued public engagement” about the TLEs, which it considers “essential for building awareness, strengthening relationships in the region and advancing reconciliation.”

The first set of new land selection, identified in the statement as Outstanding Lands Package 1, was WMFN identifying new parcels as part of their TLE agreements.

WMFN has identified 13 new parcels of land as part of its TLE agreement, including one in the Tumbler Ridge area.

Display boards, maps, background documents and staff will be on hand to provide information to the free, no-registration drop-in open house. A presentation will be provided at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 13th.

The open house is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 13th, at the Tumbler Ridge Community Centre at 340 Front Street in Tumbler Ridge. 

Further information about TLE settlements can be found on the government of B.C.’s website about land transfers.

VICTORIA, B.C. — The provincial government announced today a new option for prospective drivers within B.C.

According to a press release on Tuesday, June 9th, residents can now take the knowledge test required for a learner’s permit online, in addition to the test being offered at Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) offices province-wide.

B.C. now joins the three Atlantic provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador as the only provinces in the country to offer online learner’s licencing tests.

The testing announcement is part of ICBC’s modernization program, Moving Together 2031, which is designed to expand online services, streamline business processes and upgrade technology.

Examples include a learner’s licence for motorcycles and passenger vehicles, or class 5 to class 8 licences. However, testing for commercial vehicles, or class 1 to 4 will still need to sit the exam in person.

By offering this service, people can eliminate a trip to the nearest ICBC office and reduce wait times for in-person appointments.

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said the announcement is part of the NDP government’s work to modernize ICBC services in order to make them “more convenient, accessible and work better” for British Columbia residents.

“By offering this test online, we are giving new drivers more choice and convenience,” said Sharma in the release.

“Especially people in rural and remote communities used to have to commute far distances to take the test.”

Under the new format, people can complete the test on a computer with a camera that has a secure online connection, as the test is not available on mobile devices. 

Identity checks and digital monitoring will track both the webcam and mouse, ensuring the testing process is secure and fair.

Upon successful completion of the exam, people can visit a nearby driving licensing office to confirm their identity, take a vision test, and have their licence photo and licence issued.

Traditional in-person learner’s licensing will still be available at ICBC offices. For more details, visit ICBC’s website about new drivers.

QUESNEL — Police in British Columbia’s central Interior say the body of a 17-year-old youth has been recovered three days after a vessel capsized at a local lake.

Mounties in Quesnel say the body of the teenage boy from Prince George was recovered from Stony Lake by divers on Tuesday.

The accident happened on Saturday, when police were called to the lake after a report of the capsize.

The boat was carrying four people at the time, and police say three made it to shore safely.

However, police say the teenager operator of the vessel did not surface and couldn’t be located.

No further details on the accident have been released.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A new employment support service has launched in Fort St. John aimed at individuals experiencing “complex barriers” to employment. 

The Landing Place provides “individualized, trauma-informed supports” to people who are experiencing unstable housing, mental health and substance use challenges, according to a statement from Employment Connections North (ECNC). 

Fort St. John was one of 22 communities in British Columbia chosen to offer the Community-Based Employment Services (CBES) program, ECNC said in a press release. 

In April, the province said it would invest more than $18 million over two years to expand CBES in British Columbia, including in Fort St. John. 

CBES works to support those experiencing complex barriers by improving access to employment services and helping them connect more effectively with their communities, the release said. 

The ECNC website refers to CBES as a “voluntary, low-barrier program for adults in Fort St. John who are facing challenges that can make employment difficult right now.” 

Those who are 18 years or older, legally eligible to work in Canada and experiencing housing instability, substance use or mental health challenges may be eligible for the program. 

“People say they feel better and are better off when they have a job and community connections,” said Sheila Malcomson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “That is why we’re reducing barriers for those who can work, while continuing to support those who cannot.”

Malcomson said community-based employment services in Fort St. John are expanding to help reach more people across the province “on their path to work.” 

According to ECNC, CBES is provided by the Landing Place through “flexible, trauma-informed and culturally safe relationship-based supports.” 

Services offered by the program include community outreach and engagement, support in accessing housing, healthcare and income assistance. 

Participants can also access individualized coaching, skill development, training and work experience opportunities. 

“Employment readiness looks different for each individual,” said Anne McMenamin, ECNC Client Services Manager. “The Landing Place is designed to provide flexible supports that help people build stability and take steps toward their employment goals.” 

Those who attend the program can expect “flexible and no-pressure support,” one-on-one, group, drop-in and outreach options.  

Attendees can also access life skills assistance, employment readiness, steps towards work or training, culturally and peer-supported, responsive spaces and connections to health, housing, community and employment supports. 

ECNC said the program is integrated with the WorkBC system under the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and that it aligns with the province’s poverty reduction strategy, which aims to reduce overall poverty by 60 per cent by 2034. 

For more information on the Landing Place, visit the ECNC website or call 250-784-0024. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John will be writing a letter of support for a blood plasma donor centre in Prince George. 

At the June 8th City of Fort St. John council meeting, the council approved a motion to write a letter of support in reply to a letter the city received from Our Blood Counts, dated May 19th. 

Our Blood Counts is a group of donors, recipients and advocates whose petition calling for a blood plasma donor centre in northern B.C. has garnered 4,200 signatures. 

In the letter the city received, Our Blood Counts said Canada relies “heavily” on American donors and suppliers for medications and blood plasma. It said a plasma donor centre in northern B.C. would address this critical deficiency. 

The letter of support will be addressed to the B.C. Minister of Health, Josie Osborne, the Canadian Blood Services’ (CBS) CEO, Dr. Graham Sher and a resolution of support from the council. 

According to the letter, Prince George had a blood donor centre from 1998 to 2015, with the closest donor centres to northern B.C. in Kelowna, Metro Vancouver or Edmonton, Alberta. 

The group believes northern B.C. can play a role in supporting the CBS’s goal of securing a million new blood donors by 2030. 

So far, the group has received resolutions and letters of support from the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, the City of Prince George, the BC Nurses Union, the District of Kitimat, Northern Health, and others.  

The group believes the council’s support will show Northern leadership and unity in addressing the need for specialized blood products in B.C. and across Canada. 

To sign Our Blood Counts’ petition, click here. 

To read the full letter, see below. 

POUCE COUPE, B.C. — Dawson Creek RCMP have begun an investigation into a side-by-side incident which led to the death of two children in Pouce Coupe on June 4th. 

According to a press release on June 9th, the Dawson Creek RCMP detachment has begun an investigation into a reported utility terrain vehicle (UTV) rollover in the 13700 block of 207th Road in Pouce Coupe on June 4th at 1:03 p.m. 

Police say five young children were in the vehicle when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to roll several times, resulting in several occupants being ejected from the vehicle.

On June 8th, Dawson Creek fire chief Marcel Capelle confirmed ambulance services, as well as the Pouce Coupe Fire Department, responded to the incident alongside police. 

An 8-year-old boy was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Dawson Creek RCMP.

Blake Robert, media representative with Shock Trauma and Rescue (STARS), confirmed another child was airlifted to Edmonton in critical condition. 

RCMP said in the release that a 7-year-old girl later passed away “despite the best efforts of medical personnel. 

The three other occupants of the vehicle reportedly suffered minor injuries.

“As a parent, I cannot fathom the unimaginable and tragic loss these families have suffered,” said Staff Sergeant Kris Clark with the BC RCMP. “Our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by this unthinkable event.” 

NEW WESTMINSTER — A victim of a British Columbia sex trafficker says she will “never forgive” the woman who manipulated, sexually exploited and assaulted her over the course of a year.

“The physical injuries have mostly healed, but the psychological trauma inflicted will take a lifetime to work through,” said the victim’s impact statement.

Jennifer Stephens, 31, pleaded guilty last year to multiple charges, including assault causing bodily harm, unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon and several other offences related to sex trafficking of a person under 18.

Crown lawyer Catherine Rose read the impact statement to a B.C. Supreme Court judge in New Westminster on Tuesday.

“I didn’t have a voice while I was being beaten and screamed at, but this is my voice now,” the statement said.

“You laughed and thought it was funny when I was beaten. I’m the one laughing now.”

The prosecution has asked for a 13-year prison sentence for Stephens, who the court heard yesterday inflicted violent beatings on her victims and boasted of a client list of 500 people that she refused to sell to other “pimps.”

Stephens’ lawyer Dale Melville told the court Tuesday that the defence’s position was that a total of seven years minus time served is an appropriate sentence.

The impact statement said the victim, who can’t be named, said she was treated like she “wasn’t even human.” She said she is still terrorized by “nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and depression.”

“I never fought back because you destroyed who I was as a person. Everything that was good about me, you slowly took away day by day, beating by beating, torture by torture.”

She described how Stephens befriended her and eventually tricked her into being exploited. She said she slowly became accustomed to being beaten, saying the less she fought, “the faster it would be over with.”

“You had me under your psychological and physical control until the day I escaped. It wasn’t until I was out from under your control that everything came to light.”

She said eventually, the feelings she suppressed “came at me like I was hit by a semi truck.”

“You treated me like I was nothing but a body to own and feed when we got bored or wanted to have fun, all so you could make some money off me.”

Another victim, who suffered a concussion, severe bruising and cuts around her body and her face after she was assaulted for several hours in July 2023, also had her victim impact statement read to the court on Tuesday.

The statement said her face “was unrecognizable for months” after she was assaulted by Stephens and she still suffers severe panic and anxiety attacks and nightmares that she said feel so real, she can’t tell if she’s “awake or sleeping.”

Police in Langley, B.C., started investigating the case in February 2023, beginning with a phone number that was linked to a 13-year-old girl who had been trafficked in Alberta and Kelowna, B.C.

An agreed statement of facts read out to the court on Monday outlined Stephens’ violent abuse of the victims.

It said Langley RCMP received a call from a gas station attendant on March 7, 2023, who reported a badly injured and bloody woman.

That woman told police she had been confined inside hotel rooms and assaulted by Stephens and a man over the course of four to five hours, the court heard.

The statement said Stephens met the woman, who was a sex worker, in 2021. The next year, Stephens lured the victim into believing she was a man and began a romantic relationship through texts.

More than 3,700 messages were exchanged and the victim sent money to the person she believed was her romantic partner.

Between March 2022 and March 2023, the woman sent nearly $63,000 to bank accounts controlled by Stephens.

“Ms. Stephens engaged in a prolonged campaign of exploitation and manipulation of (the woman), all done for her personal gain,” Rose told the judge on Tuesday.

The agreed statement of facts says the 13-year-old victim had also been advertised on LeoList, an online escort platform. Rose told the court Tuesday that the girl “worked” for Stephens for a total of three weeks.

“This was not an equal business partnership,” Rose said. “Ms. Stephens asserted significant control of this child.”

On Tuesday, Rose noted that Stephens had accepted responsibility by entering guilty pleas instead of engaging in what would have been a lengthy and complex trial, and had agreed to the detailed agreed statement of facts.

But, Rose said, that needs to be viewed in consideration with a pre-sentence report where she “provided alternative versions or minimized her role” in the crimes.

Rose said Stephens had no adult record, but said that should also be “somewhat tempered” by the fact she had omitted telling the pre-sentence author that she had engaged in criminal activity after being released from custody.

The prosecutor had earlier told the court that despite her initial arrest in March 2023, “Stephens continued to try and recruit other vulnerable women to work for service escorts.”

Melville told the judge on Tuesday that he takes a slightly different view of his client’s role in the crimes.

“She has admitted a wide variety of facts that are morally reprehensible. They’re terrible offences, sexual offences against children, but she’s taken responsibility for all of them,” he said of Stephens.

He said his client suffers from intermittent explosive disorder or borderline personality disorder as well as substance-use disorders involving stimulants and alcohol. He said she has been sober while in custody.

Melville said she has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and had a history of self-harm and suicidal behaviour.

He said the defence understood she will need “intensive monitoring,” support and targeted interventions to help facilitate rehabilitation.

Melville also argued that his client’s “sexual risk level is low.”

“These crimes involved sex, but sex wasn’t the purpose or the motive behind which she was doing it,” he said.

Videos played for the court on Monday showed some of the violence inflicted on the victims, including a man being pistol-whipped by Stephens, a female victim being whipped by a curtain rod and another showing a man being sexually assaulted.

Other videos included a topless woman being forced to eat dog food, and Stephens and her accomplice assaulting a woman in a bathtub, including stomping on her head and pouring bleach over her.

On Tuesday, Rose said the assaults against the woman Stephens manipulated for more than a year were “humiliating and an affront to (her) dignity.”

The videos were distributed, the prosecutor said, and “we don’t know where they are anymore. That’s out there forever.”

Stephens’ accomplice Michael Giroux pleaded guilty to four charges in Surrey provincial court last year, including unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm.

Stephens’ sentencing hearing is scheduled to continue Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press

Would-be drivers in British Columbia are now allowed to take the knowledge test for their learner’s licence online and at home.

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says the change came into effect on Tuesday.

“This change is about making that first step more accessible, while making sure every new driver is prepared for the road ahead,” she says.

The online exams will apply for passenger vehicles and motorcycles, but people who want to drive commercial vehicles must still pass the knowledge test in person.

Sharma, who announced the change at an ICBC licensing office in Burnaby, B.C., says the new online option gives learning drivers more choice and convenience.

“This is especially good news for people in rural and remote communities who used to have to commute far distances to take the test,” she says.

She says offering online tests will free up space at licensing offices for other in-person appointments such as road tests, while ICBC says moving the knowledge test online is part of a larger modernization program.

The online test will cost as much as the in-person version at $15, and it is the same in terms of material, requiring applicants to correctly answer 40 out of 50 questions.

The government says applicants can complete the test on a computer with a camera and secure internet, but not on a mobile device.

ICBC president Jason McDaniel says ICBC delivers about 300,000 knowledge tests every year, and online testing will reduce in-person testing.

Changes in the knowledge test won’t ease wait times for road tests, he says.

“(But) what it will do is free up for all those other in-office appointments, renewing your licence, new people coming into the province … or people coming in to take the knowledge test,” McDaniel says.

The statement says that people who pass their tests must still visit a licensing office to confirm their identity, as well as take a vision test and photo.

McDaniel says the online version of the knowledge test involves state-of- the-art technology with constant monitoring to detect and prevent cheating.

“We have a list of criteria that must be followed by the test taker in a controlled environment,” he says. Those criteria, he says, include a well-lit room.

A photo taken at the start of the test must match the person, who is in the room taking the test, McDaniel says. “There’s video monitoring the whole time. That’s why you have to have a camera on your computer.”

The testing system also monitors the mouse clicks during the test, he adds.

“You have to stay within the screen, and it monitors that no one else is in the room,” he says.

McDaniel says the Crown corporation is focused on modernizing and enhancing digital services.

“Bringing the knowledge test online is the first step in transforming driver licensing in B.C.,” he says. “We’re also looking ahead to offering online renewals and replacements for B.C. driver’s licences and (British Columbia Identification Cards) starting in 2027, as we continue to put our customers at the centre of everything we do.”

Sharma says the online testing builds on other changes to make government services more accessible and affordable.

They include the graduated licensing program.

Legislation passed this spring removes the requirement for a second road test to obtain a full a Class 5 licence and replaces it with a new 12-month restriction period, during which drivers must demonstrate safe driving behaviour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — A British Columbia court has ruled that the provincial government did not properly consult with a First Nation before a determination about a major undeveloped gold mine that the nation says “effectively greenlit” the project.

The B.C. Supreme Court says the province did not satisfy its duty to consult the Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Ha Nation in northwestern B.C. before declaring Seabridge Gold’s KSM Mine had been “substantially started” since an environmental assessment certificate was issued in 2014.

The “substantially started” declaration meant the project did not need a new environmental assessment.

Justice Emily Burke says that the determination needs to go back to the Ministry of Environment to reconsider, with the nation given 90 days to present submissions to the province.

The KSM Mine has been called the largest undeveloped gold mining project in the world, and Seabridge Gold says it has spent $1.2 billion on the site, including $208 million since it applied for “substantially started” status in January 2024.

The province granted the determination in July of that year, but the First Nation challenged the decision, saying it was not properly consulted and a man-made pond designed to collect wastewater from the mine would be placed in the nation’s traditional territory.

Chief Darlene Simpson says in a release that the First Nation is pleased with the court’s decision.

“We’re relieved the province is finally required to consult properly, based on its own conclusion that our territory bears the brunt of the environmental risks of the toxic waste dump for the world’s largest gold mine, threatening our pristine traditional waterways,” Simpson says in the statement.

The province’s Environmental Assessment Office says in an email statement that it is reviewing the decision carefully to “determine the implications and next steps.”

“The Environmental Assessment Office remains committed to fulfilling its constitutional duty to consult with First Nations and to meet its legal obligations under the Environmental Assessment Act,” the statement says.

The province had previously argued that proper consultation did take place and it wasn’t required to “formally assess the strength” of the nation’s territorial claims as part of the determination process.

Seabridge Gold chief executive Rudi Fronk says in a statement that the company is “satisfied” that the court also found the substantial-start determination to be reasonable, and work on the mine project will continue while the province undertakes the reconsideration.

“Meanwhile, the permanent physical improvements we have made at KSM which were considered appropriate for the determination have been significantly enhanced,” Fronk says. “We remain appreciative of the continued support of the Nisga’a and Tahltan Nations, and the Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs Office, for KSM.”

The company has said that the Nisga’a and Tahltan support the project and the original substantially started determination.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A local track star impressed the field at the province’s secondary school track and field championships held in Langley last week.

Kaleb Stevens-Fleming achieved top-ten finishes in the three events he was entered in the BC School Sports Track and Field Provincial Championships, which took place from Thursday, June 4th, to Saturday, June 6th, in the Lower Mainland at McLeod Athletic Park.

Stevens-Fleming had qualified for the long jump, the 200-metre sprint and his specialty, the high jump, at the North Central Zone track championships in Prince George.

The latter jump was an unofficial national record for his age group, but, because of his status with Athletics Canada, it did not count.

Stevens-Fleming’s mom, Tanya Stevens-Fleming, was in the crowd watching her son when he took the high jump with a final height of 1.71 metres.

While short of his mark in Prince George of 1.81 metres, it was enough to secure the gold medal. Kaleb described the moment as “pure joy.”

“After my last jump, and [when I] figured out I won, I felt amazing,” Kaleb told Energeticcity.ca. “The adrenaline was rushing, and I was very proud of myself. [I was] happy my mom could see it.”

Kaleb had other events to compete in as well: in the long jump, he was in the running until the final round, falling short of a gold medal with a distance of 5.71 metres.

Although securing a silver medal, Kaleb noted the distance was a personal best in the event. He finished 9th in the 200-metre overall, with a time of 25.25 seconds.

“For my last jump, I felt I needed to get better,” recalled Kaleb. “Through all my efforts, I just fell short, and I couldn’t do it.”

He added he “can’t wait to start training again” in order for him to become “truly elite.”

Along for the ride was his mom, who admitted she was “extremely nervous” about seeing her son perform on the grandest stage of secondary school sports. 

She did, however, say that her son received additional praise not only for his performances but also for his sportsmanship.

“We are just so proud of the results and how he performed and how he carried himself,” said Tanya. “He was always high-fiving or congratulating his fellow competitors, so it was nice to see.”

Stevens-Fleming was part of a large team from the Northern region who represented both North Peace Secondary School and Bert Bowes Middle School.

The BC School Sports Track and Field Provincial Championships took place from Thursday, June 4th, to Saturday, June 6th, in Langley.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A local non-profit committed to family services within the Indigenous community received a huge boost in funds courtesy of Surerus Pipeline.

The Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona (Nenan Dane) Family Services Society announced it was the recipient of the company’s community support fund on Monday, June 8th, from a Facebook post, receiving $10,000 courtesy of Surerus.

The society is committed to supporting Indigenous families navigating through colonialist family service systems through its programs, according to its website.

Nenan Dane administrator Hailey Testawitch “had some great connections,” and applied for the funding centred around the organization’s youth and cultural programming, according to executive director Derian Young

Young told Energeticcity.ca that her organization is grateful for the support from a local business.

“A huge thank you to Surerus for investing in us,” said Young. “[For] investing in our youth.”

While Young said that at this point the organization is “still nailing down” where funds will go, Nenan Dane is organizing cultural campouts throughout the summer.

Young did add a post-secondary exploration trip, where youth affiliated with Nenan Dane toured Vancouver and universities in the area, which is possibly where most of the money will go, as Nenan Dane hopes to make it an annual trip.

They toured campuses such as Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and Emily Carr University of Art and Design, sampled some Indigenous cuisine, and became affiliated with Indigenous Services at the schools.

Young said as a result of the visit, two students have either applied or committed to schools in Vancouver to further their education.

“[We were] essentially engaging them,” said Young. “Our biggest thing is when you see yourself literally in the hallways, it’s much easier for you to see yourself there long-term.”

“Now they have those connections with Indigenous departments down there. They will feel much more confident when they get down there. That is something that we want to continue.”

Per its website, Surerus’ Community Support Fund provides financial assistance to community groups “who provide a necessary service that improves quality of life in the community.”

For more information about the Surerus Community Support Fund, see the company’s website. More details about Nenan Dane and its services can be found on the organization’s website or Facebook page.

Vitali Stefanski told the jury in his B.C. Supreme Court trial that Tatjana Stefanski was in his car when he noticed she was holding his knife and moving it away from her belly button.

He described in thickly accented and halting testimony how he watched her “twisting” in the reclined passenger seat of his vehicle then noticing bleeding from her leg.

The court in Kamloops, B.C., has heard that Tatjana Stefanski’s body had seven stab wounds to her chest and multiple “sharp-force injuries” to her arms and legs when it was found down a steep embankment off the side of a forestry road near Lumby, B.C.

Police officers earlier told the trial that Vitali Stefanski appeared alone and barefoot on a forestry road and told them he’d murdered his ex-wife and had tried to kill himself.

Vitali Stefanski said his ex-wife stopped responding as he was driving looking for a hospital, but at some point her body was outside of the vehicle and when he tried to pull her back, she slipped down the embankment.

He told the court that he knew no one would believe what happened and in a panic began throwing other things out of the vehicle, including the fishing knife that she had pulled away from her stomach.

The court has heard that a bent and bloodied knife was found near the body and that it had the DNA of both Tatjana and Vitali Stefanski.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026

The Canadian Press

The region is being hit hard by caterpillars this spring with lots of bare poplar trees and greasy roads about. Soon the leaves will grow back, and all will be forgotten, but I have heard that some people will need to replant parts of their gardens because the caterpillars cleaned out what was up.

We normally are not hit too hard here at Bear Flat by caterpillars, but we sure are this year. 

The first I noticed was when one of our trail cameras west of Cache Creek started sending me weird-looking photos that turned out to be a blob of caterpillars on the camera. Then we were getting photos of bears licking up the critters on a driveway. Then the bears progressed to breaking down the smaller poplar trees to get at their food. 

Some of the trees are fairly sized, but the claw marks indicate that they have been climbing up until their weight brings it all down. The photo shows one such culprit eating among broken-down trees.

The final evidence I found was a fresh semi-solid bear turd full of partially digested caterpillars.  Literally the “proof in the pudding” (sorry!).

It seems like our trees are always taking a hit from something. It was 20 years ago this summer when the pine beetle infestation first hit here at Bear Flat. I logged out the dead pine while they were still suitable for the mill. That exposed the formerly sheltered spruce to more direct heat during a long drought period, and many of them have been slowly dying off since then.

On top of that, we have what seems like a small but steady population of spruce beetles that seem to go for the larger trees. Also, our poplar trees in more exposed areas have been dying off for many years due to the drought. I guess the one good thing is that we have not had a major wildfire go through and wipe everything out.

The ground soaked up a lot of moisture this spring from the melting snow, and the cooler temperatures and showers this spring are likely helpful too, so hopefully the trees can rejuvenate a bit this year.  Now if only the poplar trees could survive the latest abuse from black bears, all would be good!

The lead developer of the Ksi Lisims liquefied natural gas project planned for the West Coast has announced benefit agreements with three First Nations in northern British Columbia, two of which it says have withdrawn legal challenges against the $10-billion plant and export terminal.

Houston-based Western LNG distributed three separate press releases Tuesday announcing agreements with the Metlakatla First Nation, Lax Kw’alaams Band and Gitxaala Nation.

The Metlakatla and Lax Kw’alaams filed separate judicial review applications in Federal Court last fall, alleging Ottawa ignored their concerns about the adverse impacts from the $10-billion project planned for Pearse Island, by the border with Alaska.

The Lax Kw’alaams news release said as part of the benefit agreement, which includes procurement opportunities, it has withdrawn its challenge. A spokeswoman for Western LNG later confirmed the Metlakatla had withdrawn its lawsuit as well.

“This agreement reflects the importance of working together to create opportunities that benefit both our members and the broader northwest region,” said Metlakatla chief councillor Robert Nelson in the news release sent by Western LNG. The Metlakatla agreement includes climate initiatives and business opportunities, it said.

“Continuing to advance these foundational agreements with Indigenous Nations helps to build prosperity for communities in northwest B.C. and continues to be a key priority for Ksi Lisims LNG and PRGT,” said Davis Thames, head of Western LNG.

“Collaborating with Nations has been the core of this project since its inception and a major part of what we see as making Ksi Lisims LNG a successful initiative.”

The other Ksi Lisims partners are Rockies LNG, a consortium of Canadian natural gas producers, and the Nisga’a Nation, on whose land the project would be built.

“We have always envisioned the Ksi Lisims LNG project as economically important for the entirety of northwest B.C., and we are pleased to see this vision materializing,” said Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga’a Nation.

Tim Hodgson, the federal natural resources minister, touted the agreements in remarks to the Global Energy Show in Calgary.

“These agreements show that when government’s proponents and Indigenous communities engage seriously in good faith, we can find solutions that benefit everyone,” he said.

“They show that in 2026, we can and should go beyond consultation and invest in real, meaningful partnerships with Indigenous peoples.”

Western LNG also announced the nations had either updated or signed new agreements regarding the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline, which would feed gas into the Ksi Lisims project, where it would be chilled into a liquid state, enabling it to be shipped overseas.

Ksi Lisims has recently announced preliminary supply deals with German utilities and the partners aim to make a final go-ahead decision this year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The $5.1 million renovation of a specialized community services centre in Fort St. John is expected to be completed in mid-July. 

In a statement provided to Energeticcity.ca on June 8th, Northern Health said the Fort St. John specialized community service has been closed since 2024 for renovations to ensure it is suitable for its intended long-term use. 

Construction began in January 2025, with June 2025 targeted as the original reopening date. 

The reopening date was later pushed back due to “multiple construction and logistical delays,” according to Northern Health. 

The overdose prevention site and warming centre opened in December 2023 at 10067 100th Avenue, following Northern Health’s announcement of a new location in December 2022. 

In November 2025, the site was the subject of community discussion after a petition opposing its proximity to a daycare was launched. 

Katie MacDonald, a resident of Fort St. John, launched the petition, which acknowledged the need for safe drug consumption locations, but called the decision to open an overdose prevention site near Wiggles and Giggles daycare “irresponsible and concerning.” 

One supporter of the petition called the decision “ludicrous.”

“No sensible person thinks this is a good idea. Stop this from happening in our community,” said another. 

As of June 9th, 2026, the petition has reached 1,052 signatures. 

In an interview with Energeticcity.ca, Wiggles and Giggles general manager Laura Barber called the opening of the site near the daycare “deeply concerning.”

In a November 2025 statement to Energeticcity.ca, Northern Health said it conducted “a significant amount of engagement” around the site, which included a community advisory committee in April 2023. 

“Northern Health runs its OPS in a safe and respectful way for clients, staff, area businesses and the community,” it said. 

Once it reopens, the centre will offer overdose prevention services (OPS) and opioid agonist therapy, as well as adult day treatment.

It will also offer wraparound services to support withdrawal management, provide referrals for treatment and connect individuals to care. 

Services at the centre will be available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 10067 100th Avenue. 

“The centre will be the first OPS site in the Northern Health region, and among the first in B.C. to offer an indoor inhalation space,” Northern Health said.

“The design features negative-pressure rooms with specialized ventilation systems designed to clear the air rapidly, within 30-60 seconds, to protect staff and other clients from second-hand smoke exposure,” the statement read.

According to Northern Health, the indoor inhalation space will allow all OPS-related activities to take place within the centre. 

The British Columbia Coroners Service’s (BCCS) March 2026 drug toxicity report showed northeast BC recorded 34.7 unregulated drug deaths per 100,000 people, the fifth highest rate in the province.

As of March 2026, smoking was the most common mode of consumption among unregulated drug deaths in Northern Health, with 82 per cent. 

Northern Health also reported 65 per cent of unregulated drug death’s involved the detection of Fentanyl. 

The Peace River North Local Health Area lost 13 people due to unregulated drug deaths in 2025, according to Northern Health. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has awarded a tender worth more than $2 million to upgrade the storm drainage infrastructure. 

During the June 8th City of Fort St. John council meeting, the council awarded the tender of the Lower Bouffioux Coulee Dike Armouring Project to Fort St. John-based Knappett Industries (2006) Ltd. for $2,418,875.00, which is within the authorized budget. 

The city received approximately $4 million from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Community Emergency Preparedness Fund Disaster Risk Reduction Grant.  

This grant was awarded in three separate categories, including repairs to the armouring on the sewage outfall, which runs alongside properties in the Old Fort community. 

According to city staff, this project is entirely funded by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) grant. It will make the city’s stormwater infrastructure more resilient against damage from major climate events. 

The report said the city’s stormwater drainage area in and around the Bouffioux Coulee has been experiencing landslides and erosion issues for decades. 

The city staff noted that, although the work required is simple civil construction, it is located in a “sensitive” ecological area, so the tender for this project was issued under the Best Value Procurement model. 

The city introduced the best-value procurement model in 2021 for complex projects that require consideration of “additional criteria other than price.” 

The tender for this project was issued on March 31st and closed on April 20th. The city received four submissions with tender prices ranging from approximately $2.1 million to $3.5 million. 

The city anticipates the work will be completed within the budget, and unallocated funds will be used, if required, to pay for any additional costs associated with accessing the site through and around the slide on the provincial Old Fort Road. 

According to the report, construction will start in mid-August. 

To read the full report, see below. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John has announced parts of 100th Street will be closed on the evening of June 13th to allow for graduation photos.

According to a June 9th Facebook post from the City of Fort St. John, 100th Street will be closed to traffic under the catenary lighting downtown from 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on June 13th.

Other photo locations across the city are available, including Centennial Park, Kin Park, Festival Plaza and the Fish Creek Community Forest. 

For more information on up-to-date road closures or delays, visit DriveBC. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The city has provided a letter of support to the Fort St. John Soccer Club for its BC Gaming Grant Application. 

During the June 8th City of Fort St. John council meeting, city staff attached a letter from Mayor Lilia Hansen to the Fort St. John Soccer Club for a grant application to the provincial government’s Community Gaming Grant program. 

The program allocates commercial gambling grant revenues to non-profit organizations to support ongoing programs and the completion of capital projects that will benefit communities throughout B.C. 

In her letter, Hansen said: “The funds awarded will allow the club to continue providing access to competitive and recreational soccer in the north peace area.” 

She added that this organization “champions” human connection, diversity, fair play and personal athletic advancement. 

“Its work supports the fulfillment of [the] council’s objective to provide and support robust, affordable and accessible wellness and recreation opportunities,” the letter reads. 

“The City of Fort St. John considers the work of this organization to be an invaluable contribution to our community.” 

The letter said the council is pleased to provide this letter of support and wishes the Fort St. John Soccer Club success in its application for a Community Gaming Grant. 

To read the full letter, see below.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Below are the latest sentences handed down from the Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Chetwynd provincial courts between June 1st and June 5th. 

Dawson Creek Provincial Court sentencing, June 2nd

Jeremy Gerald Whitford (born 1995) 

Whitford was found guilty of theft worth $5,000 or under on January 31st, 2026, in Dawson Creek. 

They were handed a conditional discharge, which means the record won’t show a conviction if they meet the conditions set by the judge. Whitford was also handed a 12-month probation order.  

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, June 3rd

Jordie Ernest Acko (born 1980) 

Acko was found guilty of refusal on July 15th, 2025, in Doig. 

They were fined $2,500 and must pay a $750 victim surcharge, which helps crime victims. 

Acko was also handed a one-year driving prohibition. 

Jess Andrew Sadlier (born 1971)

Sadlier was found guilty of driving a motor vehicle without due care or attention on July 17th, 2025, in Fort St. John. 

They were fined $1,500 and must pay a $450 victim surcharge.  

Travis Dion Sharyk (born 1990) 

Sharyk was found guilty of pointing a firearm and possessing a firearm, contrary to the order, on August 31st, 2025, in Fort St. John. 

They were sentenced to 196 days in jail, and a DNA order was issued. Sharyk was subjected to forfeiture, which allows the government to seize property or assets ‘tained’ by crime, and was handed an 18-month probation order and a 10-year firearms prohibition. 

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, June 4th

Kalen Johnathan Johl (born 1986) 

Johl was found guilty of assault and breaching a release order on April 29th, 2026, and September 2nd, 2025, in Fort St. John. 

They were handed a jail-time served sentence, which means the time Johl served in jail awaiting sentencing was counted towards their sentence. 

Johl was also handed a conditional sentence, which is a sentence to be served outside of jail under strict conditions, sometimes called ‘house arrest,’ for four months and a probation order for 36 months. 

Archie Kris Whitford (born 1974) 

Whitford was found guilty of breaching a probation order on March 2nd, 2026, in Fort St. John. 

They were sentenced to four days in jail and given a 24-month probation order. 

Whitford was also found guilty of assault on March 14th, 2026, in Fort St. John. 

They were sentenced to jail time served and given a 24-month probation order. 

Chetwynd Provincial Court sentencing, June 4th

Daylon Byron MacMillan (born 1999) 

MacMillan was found guilty of impaired operation of the vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs on April 22nd, 2026, in Chetwynd. 

They were fined $1,000, handed a 12-month driving prohibition, and must pay a $300 victim surcharge. 

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, June 5th

Missouri Clayton Cooper Abney (born 1984) 

Abney was guilty of breaching a probation order on August 27th, 2025, in Fort St. John. 

They were sentenced to jail time served and given a nine-month probation order.

Read previous court reports from Energeticcity.ca here.  

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s police watchdog has launched an investigation after Vancouver police said officers fatally shot a person while responding to an alleged home invasion involving a hostage.

The Independent Investigations Office says in a statement that Vancouver police were called late Monday to the 3600 block of Commercial Street in East Vancouver after reports of a man running through residents’ backyards.

The IIO statement says the man had then gained entry to one of the homes and took an “uninvolved man” hostage with a weapon.

Vancouver police describe the attack as a “violent” home invasion in their own statement, adding that the suspect was shot and killed at the scene after failed attempts to de-escalate the situation.

Police say the hostage was taken to hospital with injuries and has since been released, while no officers were injured.

The Independent Investigations Office says its investigation into the fatal shooting has started but provided no further information into the case.

The watchdog investigates matters of death or serious harm that may have been the result of the actions or inaction of police.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — The head of the newest volleyball program in the peace region sees this off-season as further development for her fledgling program.

The Hudson’s Hope Volleyball Club (HHVC) started last December, after club president and head coach Amber White announced its founding, with players she had coached at  Hudson’s Hope Elementary-Secondary School. 

Jumping straight into competition, the club – nicknamed the Volts – played at the Fort St. John Icebreaker Volleyball tournament in January. 

“Essentially, we just focused on practices, games and tournaments, and put all the club business on the back burner,” said White. “However, this year the focus is to get a more established club.”

As a small community, White had to amalgamate girls aged 13 to 16 to field a competitive squad.

While fielding a younger squad of girls up to 13 is a long-term goal, White says this season she’d like to focus on a team of girls aged 14 to 16.

At last week’s annual general meeting, the Volts also installed new coaches to the program: Hanna Grover and Lana Huxley.

Both coaches bring experience as players and coaches, with Huxley having coached for over three decades, and Grover with experience both on and off the court.

“We may start trying to foster a younger group once we get this team established, that can maybe play next year,” explained White.

While the young squad did experience tournament play, White says they consistently ranked “in the middle” during competitions.

She added a highlight of the season was finishing fourth in their last tournament in Grande Prairie.

White, who received Volleyball BC accreditation for U-15, hopes to continue building sponsorships and connections with the region to give the club an established presence going forward.

For more details about the Hudson’s Hope Volts Volleyball squad or how to register or become a sponsor, please contact White at 778-582-0242.

MISSION, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Three people have been arrested in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley after a months-long investigation into an operation allegedly selling illicit drugs directly to youth in the area.

Mission RCMP say police began their investigation earlier this year, when a 16-year-old and their parent notified the Mounties that teenager was able to buy cannabis and psilocybin from a website.

It was followed by a second report weeks later, when another parent contacted police and said their teenager had also bought “candy-named gummies” containing psilocybin from the same website.

Police say they prioritized the case due to allegations of illicit drug sales to youth, eventually identifying two addresses in Abbotsford where searches were carried out on May 20.

There, investigators seized packages of suspected marijuana and psilocybin as well as edible products and vapes numbering in the thousands.

Two men and a woman have been arrested and released pending test results on the substances discovered in the search, and police are asking anyone who is aware of similar operations allegedly targeting youth to contact investigators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press

British Columbia health officials say the Canadian who fell ill with hantavirus on a cruise ship stricken with an outbreak earlier this spring has recovered.

A statement from the Office of the Provincial Health Officer says the resident of the Yukon was discharged from hospital late last week.

It says the three other Canadians who have been isolating since last month are being monitored in their 42-day quarantine and are not showing any symptoms.

Officials previously said the four Canadians may have been exposed to the virus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.

The outbreak hit the ship during its voyage from Argentina to Antarctica sometime after April 1, following several stops at isolated islands in the South Atlantic.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has said the overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the ship remains low.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

Aaron Sousa, The Canadian Press

Updated 9 a.m. June 9th, 2026: This article has been updated to remove all identifying information, as the individual discussed in this article has been found by RCMP.

BEAVERLODGE, AB — The Beaverlodge RCMP detachment have found a woman reported as missing on June 8th.

The woman was last seen on Thursday, June 4th, and was reported missing on June 8th, according to a press release.

Anyone with information regarding the person’s whereabouts was asked to contact Beaverlodge RCMP at 780-354-2485. Those who wished to remain anonymous could contact Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

TAYLOR, B.C. — The District of Taylor is advising select residents of an upcoming temporary water shutoff.

According to a June 8th Facebook post from the District of Taylor, residents on 101st and 100th streets between 107th and 108th avenues will have their water shut off beginning at 1 p.m. on June 9th. 

The district said the shut-off is due to a required water service upgrade, which shouldn’t last longer than 3 hours.

Residents are encouraged to store water for their household during the shut-off. 

The district apologized for the shut off and said it will turn the water back on as soon as possible. 

The post reminds residents to run their taps for five to 10 minutes if they notice any air or discoloration after the water is turned back on.

Water should clear up and return to normal; if the issue persists, residents are asked to call the district office at 250-789-3392. 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The province and Doctors of BC have agreed to a four-year renewal of an agreement that will provide $1 billion to support doctors and patient care in B.C.

According to a June 5th release from the Ministry of Health, the renewal of the Physician Main Agreement will “strengthen patient care and ensure doctors are supported, while respecting the government’s bargaining mandate.”

“This agreement provides more than $1 billion over four years to support doctors and patient care, including $100 million in new funding to address workload increases for doctors paid under contracts,” the release said. 

The province said the agreement will include increased funding for family doctors who provide full-scope care in both rural and remote communities. 

Funding for medical services in rural and remote communities is also increasing significantly, according to the release. 

Northern Health said it was “pleased” to see increased funding in rural and remote communities for rural family doctors and medical services included in the agreement. 

“Northern Health is hopeful this increased funding will assist our efforts to recruit and retain physicians in rural communities across northern B.C.,” it said in a statement provided to Energeticcity.ca. 

Northern Health also said it understands the importance of access to a regular primary care provider and is working to recruit to fill vacancies in northeast B.C. communities. 

“The provincial government has improved hiring pathways for U.S. and internationally trained practitioners, helping remove barriers and shorten timelines,” the statement said.

“While these efforts are helping, the reality is rural and remote communities across B.C. are competing for a limited number of health care providers,” it continued. 

On September 29th, 2022, the Ministry of Health announced an additional 88 seats at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) faculty of medicine. 

The additional seats included eight new seats in the Northern Medical Program, which is designed to train physicians for northern and rural communities. 

The ministry said over 4,292 eligible doctors voted on the agreement, with 92 per cent supporting it after voting ended on June 4th, 2026.

Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, said both the Government of B.C. and Doctors of BC are focused on strengthening healthcare for residents of B.C.

“This agreement builds on our collaborative relationship with Doctors of BC and physicians, and reflects our common goal of improving patient care while supporting the doctors who deliver it every day.”

Dr. Adam Thompson, president of Doctors of BC, said the agreement will support doctors in delivering the best possible care and the organization is committed to addressing pressures in the health care system while working with the Ministry of Health.

Family doctors who provide maternal care will benefit from increased compensation under a new contract rate, according to the release.

Doctors who provide obstetrical care, which starts at pregnancy up until after childbirth, and gynecological services, as well as pediatric, psychiatric and forensic services, will also see a substantial increase in contract rates.

The province announced the introduction of a new premium for “elective” surgeries which are scheduled for evenings, weekends and statutory holidays. 

Doctors will also receive an increase in compensation for on-call availability.

More information on rural practice programs can be found on the Government of British Columbia website. 

FORT NELSON, B.C. — RCMP in Fort Nelson have seized five kilograms of illegal drugs following a year-long investigation.

According to a June 8th, 2026, news release from the Northern Rockies RCMP, approximately five kilograms of what police suspect to be cocaine were seized as part of an investigation which began in the summer of 2025.

Following the seizure, the evidence was submitted to the Federal Crown for charge assessment. 

41-year-old Basim Mansur of Surrey has now been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon. 

Northern Rockies RCMP said no further details are available at this time, as the matter is now before the courts. 

According to Court Services Online (CSO), Mansur is scheduled to appear at Fort Nelson Law Courts on June 22nd, 2026, for his first appearance. 

CSO said the offences occurred on May 29th, 2025, in Trutch, B.C, located two hours from Fort St. John and one hour from Fort Nelson.

RCMP are asking anyone with information related to the investigation or any suspected drug trafficking activity in Fort Nelson to contact Northern Rockies RCMP at 250-774-2700 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477

RICHMOND — Tom Tang, went from being an art teacher and street portraitist in China, to living in a park in Richmond, B.C.

He didn’t quite understand how he ended up there.

“Time all blurs together when you spend a long time wandering on the streets. I don’t know what date it is,” said Tang in his native Shanghainese on a recent Sunday afternoon.

His path took him from teaching at a school in Shanghai, to Canada in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square killings. Marriage, a son and an apartment followed.

When The Canadian Press met him, he was living in a tent in Brighouse Neighbourhood Park, befriending drug dealers and addicts around him.

He said he shared his cigarettes with them, and checked them in their sleep to make sure they were breathing.

A man in a red jacket wearing a gold necklace walked by, and Tang greeted him with a wave. “Hey Tom,” the man responded.

Tang identified him as one of the dealers who roam the park, with whom he has “great relations.”

“Sometimes the drug dealers ask me if I want to try. I say No because I don’t have any money,” laughed Tang. “When people are using (drugs) next to me, I would say, ‘Sorry, I didn’t see anything’ and move away.”

Tang’s tone was light, but outreach worker Hugh Freiberg with Richmond’s Refuge Church knows Tang and said there was a survival mechanism at play. “He tries to get along with everybody so that nobody will rob him or steal his stuff.”

Freiberg said he had compassion for all homeless people, but seniors like Tang — with no substance use or mental health issues — stood out.

“These are people who worked all their lives,“ said Freiberg. “They did nothing wrong, and they ended up on the street, and they’re getting minimal support from the provincial government.”

Tang long dreamt of a permanent place to live, where he could rest easily. The first thing he would do “is sleep for three days and three nights straight,” he said, laughing.

Now, after a year and a half on the streets, Tang finally has more than a flimsy tent in the park to call home.

He moved into a long-term care home last week, a social worker said.

‘I AM NOT WELCOMED BY ANYONE’

A couple of weekends ago, Tang, who has diabetes, was sitting on his walker in the shade, sipping coffee from McDonald’s across from the park.

After almost 40 years in Canada, his belongings occupied two small plastic bags.

“I couldn’t believe I’ve been able to survive so many days being homeless. It’s been so long I can barely remember what it feels like sleeping on a mattress,” said Tang, who’s missing numerous teeth and has a wounded brow.

B.C. seniors advocate Dan Levitt said seniors like Tang, unfamiliar with English or Canadian systems, faced “double jeopardy or triple jeopardy.”

“My heart goes out to Tom and others struggling to access the care and support they need,” said Levitt.

Levitt said Tang’s case highlighted an urgent need to expand long-term care, and seniors’ affordable housing options.

Levitt’s office reported last July that between 2016 and 2025, B.C.’s long-term care wait-list tripled, from 2,381 to 7,212.

Freiberg said Richmond’s main shelter houses 60 people, a third of them seniors, and three-quarters refugees or immigrants. They can only stay 30 days. Then they’re back on the streets.

“We try to keep these people alive and try to minimize their suffering, but the longer that they’re out there, the more stress is caused to their mental and psychological health,” said Freiberg.

He first met Tang outside a convenience store.

“He would come to the 7-Eleven, I would meet up with him and give him a meal every day, and whatever supplies he needed. He was sleeping on a chair in the lobby, and they let him stay there for a while, but eventually asked him to move on,” said Freiberg.

Tang used to teach in Shanghai’s post-secondary public school system. But he dreamt of life abroad, and a long-held desire to immigrate to Canada became reality in 1989 after the Tiananmen Square massacre.

“But the immigration journey has been rough,” said Tang.

He married and had a son and began working as a portraitist in Vancouver’s Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth Park, charging $20. Occasionally he travelled to Calgary and Toronto to “try his luck.”

“Being a portrait artist doesn’t require much English skill,” chuckles Tang. “I remembered that I once set up my art stand outside of Eaton Centre (in Toronto), and the income was decent. I had great eyesight, and I could still drive many years ago.”

But things went downhill after his 2008 divorce. Tang’s ex-wife sold their two-bedroom Richmond apartment and returned to China.

He lived with his son on Richmond’s Granville Avenue, but when his son moved to the United States, Tang had nowhere to go.

“I am not welcomed by anyone,” says Tang, whose monthly pension is a little more than $1,000.

He tried couch surfing, but eventually his friends’ doors closed. “When you are rich, everyone wants to be your friend, but when you are poor and walking around with a bag of clothes, people all run away,” says Tang.

Tang said he had had no success securing a long-term care bed, being told the wait was more than two years.

An elderly man with a scarred nose interrupted, looking for his friend “Amber.”

He asked if we wanted to share a bowl of marijuana, but Tang turned him down with a smile and he shook our hands before moving on.

Tang gave a tour of his small black tent, next to a Progressive Housing Society facility at the park. It was quite new, a handout from the city, after his last tent was stolen.

“Life is all about experience. Being homeless is also part of the experience,” he said.

Tang said his son lived in New York, pursuing an arts career. Tang was happy to talk but begged this reporter not to contact his son about his “miserable situation.”

“I only want to call him after I get a place to live,” said Tang.

But that reunion may now be a step closer.

A social worker who has helped Tang said on Monday that he had finally moved into a Richmond long-term care home, although the home would not confirm his admission, citing privacy.

Outreach worker Stephanie Scramstad with Refuge Church said media attention had helped get Tang off the streets.

He moved in on June 4 — the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown that brought him to Canada in the first place.

At last, he can sleep easier.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press

NEW WESTMINSTER — Graphic videos played in a New Westminster, B.C., courtroom on Monday prompted a warning from the judge overseeing sentencing of a woman who pleaded guilty to multiple charges in a child sex trafficking case.

The videos seized in the human trafficking case against Jennifer Stephens, 31, were played in court during the first day of her sentencing hearing.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Terence Schultes cautioned those in the court of the disturbing content of the videos to reconsider whether to watch if they weren’t “battle-hardened by criminal proceedings.”

Crown attorney Catherine Rose told the court that the prosecution is seeking a 13-year prison sentence for Stephens, who pleaded guilty to 17 criminal charges related to sex trafficking of a minor, and several counts of assault.

CAUTION: The following paragraphs contain graphic content some readers may find disturbing.

The videos played in court included a man being pistol-whipped by Stephens, a female victim being whipped by a curtain rod and another showing a man being sexually assaulted with the barrel of a gun.

Another video showed a man being forced to insert his tongue and genitals into a desk fan, and another depicting a topless female victim crawling along a floor and forced to eat dog food.

Another clip played for the court showed Stephens and her accomplice Michael Giroux terrorizing a woman in a bathtub, with Giroux stomping on her head and pouring a liquid over her.

An agreed statement of facts said the substance poured on the woman was bleach.

Giroux pleaded guilty to four charges in Surrey provincial court last year, including unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm.

The court also heard that Stephens and Giroux poured hot sauce into a trafficking victim’s eyes.

Rose read out the agreed statement of facts at the hearing, outlining Stephens’ violent, drug-fuelled abuse of sex workers, including a 13-year-old girl.

Stephens pleaded guilty in January last year to multiple charges, including assault causing bodily harm, unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon and several other offences related to sex trafficking of a person under 18.

Police in Langley, B.C., started investigating the case in February 2023, beginning with a phone number that was linked to a 13-year-old girl who had been trafficked in Alberta and Kelowna, B.C.

The statement says services from the girl had been advertised on LeoList, an online escort platform.

It says photographs on the website led police to a Langley hotel where the victims lived and worked, and officers later discovered the videos on a phone.

The document says Stephens boasted about having a Snapchat account with “500 clients,” a list she said she refused to sell to other “pimps.”

Rose told the court that the case came together “very quickly,” moving to file “numerous” applications for search warrants after the call came in March 2023 from one of Stephens’ badly beaten victims.

The court heard that a pre-sentence report on Stephens showed that she has “minimized” her role in the offences, denied being the “mastermind” behind the trafficking operation and was using methamphetamine on a daily basis.

Rose said the court will hear impact statements on Tuesday from Stephens’ trafficking victims, who can’t be named under a publication ban.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press

The prosecution has finished presenting its evidence at a B.C. murder trial with testimony from a pathologist who said the body of a woman killed in April 2024 had multiple wounds on her hands, consistent with “defensive-type” injuries.

Dr. Eric Bol told the jury in the second-degree murder trial of Vitali Stefanski in Kamloops, B.C., that defensive injuries happen when someone uses a part of their body to “ward off a sharp object,” resulting in injuries to their hands or forearms.

Vitali Stefanski has pleaded not guilty to murdering his ex-wife, 44-year-old Tatjana Stefanski, who had been reported abducted before her body was found.

Stefanski’s defence lawyer, Tony Lagemaat, said he would inform the court on Tuesday if he would be presenting evidence in the case.

Bol testified Monday that Tatjana Stefanski’s body had seven stab wounds to her chest, and 14 more superficial “sharp-force injuries” to her arms and legs in addition to the injuries to her hands.

He acknowledged while being cross-examined that injuries on the woman’s hands, while “consistent” with defensive wounds, do not conclusively mean that’s what they were.

Bol said the cause of death was “multiple sharp force injuries,” but the wounds to her chest were “more significant.”

The court heard that Tatjana Stefanski had more than a litre of blood in her chest cavity and that her heart, lungs and diaphragm were injured.

Bol told the jury that the amount of time it takes someone to die from a severe injury is “highly variable” and can depend on factors like the type of injury or the health of the person.

He said some of the injuries to the woman’s body were yellow in colour, rather than red, suggesting they occurred later in the sequence of events or after Tatjana Stefanski’s heart had stopped beating.

The jury trial has already heard that a bent and bloodied knife was found near the body and it had the DNA of both Tatjana and Vitali Stefanski.

Police officers have testified that Vitali Stefanski told them he’d murdered his ex-wife and had tried to kill himself.

During cross-examination by Lagemaat, Bol said he couldn’t comment on the chronological order of the chest stab wounds, nor could he say which wound was responsible for the death, calling it a cumulative effect of those, plus the other more superficial injuries.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press

QUESNEL — Police say a 17-year-old British Columbia male is believed to have drowned after a boat capsized on a lake in the central Interior.

Mounties in Quesnel say the boat was carrying four people on Stony Lake.

Three of those on board made it to shore, but the vessel’s operator did not surface and has not been found.

Police say the search effort is ongoing.

The operator has been identified as a 17-year-old youth from Prince George, B.C., and his family has been notified.

An underwater recovery team is expected to arrive at the scene Tuesday to assist with the search.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — The union representing Metro Vancouver outside workers is asking people to avoid one of the region’s most popular hiking trails as its members put up picket lines.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union says in a statement that members are picketing the Grouse Grind on Monday and unionized park rangers are expected not to cross their picket line.

Pickets have also gone up at Delta’s Deas Island Regional Park and Langley’s Derby Reach Regional Park, as well as at the Lions Gate Wastewater Treatment Plant in West Vancouver.

Metro Vancouver says in a statement that the Grouse Grind and other picketed parks remain open and residents can expect “no changes in the essential services” provided by the regional district.

The union has been setting up rotating pickets at the regional district’s head office in Burnaby as well as water and wastewater treatment facilities for weeks in an effort to get a new contract.

The last contract between the district and outside workers expired in December 2024, and union president Jesse Medeiros says in a statement that members “need to put increasing pressure” on Metro Vancouver to force a restart of negotiations.

The union says hikers will not be stopped from using the Grouse Grind, but it is asking users to use extra caution without unionized rangers operating and to preferably delay their visits to another day.

“Union members’ jobs affected include park operators and assistants, patrollers and other Grouse Mountain Regional Park workers who fix the trails, remove garbage and keep them is top condition — that won’t be happening on Monday,” Medeiros says.

The union says it continues to abide by operations required by positions designated as essential service by the Labour Relations Board, but most other workers have walked off the job at the picket sites.

The union says no talks are scheduled, although Metro Vancouver notes that the district has recently offered five possible dates to restart negotiations that were rejected by the workers.

The district also says it has also made repeated requests for a mediator to support the talks, but the union has not agreed to those requests.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press

POUCE COUPE, B.C. — Two children are dead after an incident involving a side-by-side vehicle last week.

Dawson Creek fire department chief Marcel Capelle told  Energeticcity.ca that ambulance services, the Dawson Creek RCMP and the Pouce Coupe Fire Department were at the scene on the afternoon of Thursday, June 4th at 1 p.m.

Two young children were operating a side-by-side all-terrain off-road vehicle when it rolled over. Dawson Creek RCMP detachment commanding officer, Staff Sergeant Shawn Peddle, confirmed a child was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shock Trauma and Rescue (STARS) Ambulance media representative Blake Robert confirmed that STARS air ambulance was called to the incident, airlifting another child from the scene to Edmonton in critical condition. 

Peddle said the child who was airlifted later passed away on Saturday, June 6th, in the hospital, and the matter is still under investigation.

CHARLIE LAKE, B.C. — The Fort St. John RCMP detachment is seeking the public’s help in locating a stolen vehicle.

Charlie Lake resident Rick Walters took to Facebook on Sunday, June 7th, asking for information with regards to his stolen Jeep.

The vehicle was believed to have been taken between 6:30 and 7 a.m. local time on Sunday, June 7th.

Pictures of the vehicle, along with a red pickup believed to have aided in the theft, were also posted.

BC RCMP media relations representative, Staff Sergeant Kris Clark, confirmed to Energeticcity.ca the vehicle was reported as stolen at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 7th.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Fort St. John RCMP at 250-787-8100.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The Dawson Creek and District Chamber of Commerce has announced a new initiative to highlight businesswomen in the south peace.

Working Women Wednesdays was soft-launched last year, according to the organization’s executive director,  Daneka Hussey-Hughes.

It is to recognize local working women to “bring light to the wonderful women who help build our businesses and economy,” in Dawson Creek, according to a Facebook post.

Hussey-Hughes told Energeticcity.ca the program didn’t “get off the ground” in 2025 because the chamber was undergoing an “internal rebuild.”

“I ran five or six last year,” said Hussey-Hughes. “Then I started stockpiling them, so we could relaunch. I realized very quickly that in the community, you have to go to your businesses to get [nominations].”

“So many of them are one or two-person businesses [where] you really have to go door to door and be like: ‘hey, I am here to help you.”

The Dawson Creek and District Chamber of Commerce is an organization which supports business advocacy, issues, and networking for local businesses and non-profits in the area.

Hussey-Hughes told Energeticcity.ca the chamber currently has 175 businesses registered and supports 2,000-plus employees involved in local organizations.

To qualify for inclusion, the organization must be a chamber member. They must also be a woman and hold a supervisory or management position within the business they represent.

Those nominated will be featured on Wednesdays on the Dawson Creek and District Chamber of Commerce’s social media platforms, using the hashtag #SheisDawsonCreek, and in the organization’s monthly newsletter.

While not being a chamber member does not disqualify a nominee, they must register with the chamber to be considered.

Hussey-Hughes expects nominations to be featured bi-weekly online.

“We have had new businesses sign up because of initiatives like this,” said Hussey-Hughes. “It does increase our membership in a way. It does not mean we don’t feature men, but just on a different day.”

To nominate a local businesswoman for consideration, visit the chamber of commerce’s website or email Hussey-Hughes at executivedirector@dawsoncreekchamber.ca.

SQUAMISH — About two dozen properties near Pemberton, B.C., are under an evacuation alert due to the risk of flooding from a possible glacial lake outburst.

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says residents of the properties in the Poole Creek-Gates Lake area need to be prepared to leave on short notice.

The district says the alert was set off after a glacial lake from the Place Glacier reached an estimated depth of 24 metres, about the same level reached last year when an outburst took place.

The alert says an outburst from the lake could create both overland and debris flooding in downstream properties.

The area was flooded in 2024 when a sudden collapse within the glacier created a debris flow that altered the normal drainage path from the mountain, setting off emergency alignment work to restore the normal flow path.

Another outburst happened last year, resulting in some flooding of local riverbanks, although the district says the emergency work done in 2024 successfully prevented water from flooding into Gates Lake and altering the drainage path again.

About 15 properties in the area were placed on evacuation alert in the 2025 outburst event.

“Given the potential threat to public safety and the possibility of impacts to life and safety, residents and property owners in the affected area should be prepared to leave the area on short notice,” the current evacuation alert from the district says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press

BURNABY — The operator of a fuel refinery in Burnaby, B.C., says a small leak of “process water” at its tank farm involving hydrogen sulphide has stabilized significantly and is now contained.

Sunoco LP says in a statement that the leak happened overnight, but it does not say what set off the problem.

It says the company immediately activated its emergency procedures, while Burnaby Fire deployed air monitoring equipment early Monday morning.

Health Canada says hydrogen sulphide smells of rotten eggs and can be toxic but has many natural sources, including volcanoes, hot springs and crude oil deposits.

Confederation Park near the tank farm was closed to the public during the leak, but Sunoco says it has since been reopened.

The refinery produces about 30 per cent of all transportation fuel used in B.C.

The former Parkland refinery, before Sunoco LP took over the operation last year, had previously released a noxious odour during another leak in January 2024 caused by unusually cold weather disrupting operations.

The company says it’s working with emergency responders and is continuously monitoring conditions.

“All required safety and environmental protocols are being followed, and the appropriate regulatory agencies and stakeholders have been notified,” it said Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — One of the city’s youth pool commissioners won 11 medals at recent swimming championships. 

According to a Facebook post uploaded to the City of Fort St. John Recreation’s page on May 30th, Leonardo Rossi, one of the city’s youth pool commissioners, won 11 medals, five at the BC Divisional Championships and six at the Grande Prairie Divisional Championships. 

The youth pool commissioner serves as the voice of local youth on the North Peace Leisure Pool Commission, helping to influence decisions on pool programming, facility improvements, and youth events. 

Rossi said he was very happy and excited to have won all those medals. 

“Really, it just shows that I put in hard work throughout the season leading up to the main season, I got a lot of best times, and it just shows my hard work,” he added. 

The BC Divisional Championships and the Grande Prairie Divisional Championships, Rossi said, lead up to his upcoming competitive season. 

Rossi said his first competitive meet will be the Summer Divisional Championships, which will start on June 19th in Vernon.

“The next one is the BC Summer Games, which I got selected for, so I will be representing zone eight,” Rossi noted. 

The BC Summer Games will be held in Kelowna from July 22nd to July 26th. 

“What I’m doing right now is, as much as I’m trying to replicate it throughout competitive season,” Rossi noted. “I always like to keep the same routine throughout my whole season to ensure that I have the best competition and best results possible.” 

However, Rossi mentioned his training will become more difficult to prepare for the season. 

“I’ve improved a lot overall. It’s different. After you swim for a long time, it starts to change, and it gets harder, but it’s overall still really fun,” he noted. 

Rossi, who spends over 18 hours in the pool every week, said: “I like to get my work done as soon as I can at school…And then I can work harder in the pool, so that I don’t have to worry or stress about extra school.” 

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — British Columbia has appointed a special mediator following a strike notice issued by Emergency Communications Professionals on June 5th.

British Columbia’s Minister of Labour, Jennifer Whiteside, has appointed special mediator Vince Ready, as negotiations continue between Emergency Communications Professionals and E-Comm 911, according to a June 6th, 2026, release from the Emergency Communications Professionals of BC. 

“We want to thank the government for recognizing the urgency of this situation and its assistance in appointing the special mediator, and we are ready to move forward with this process,” said CUPE 8911 president Donald Grant.

The release said CUPE 8911 looks forward to working with Ready, who it said has “extensive knowledge and experience dealing with complex contract negotiations.”

CUPE 8911 represents over 700 Emergency Communications Professionals in British Columbia, including 911 operators, call takers, dispatchers and IT and support professionals employed by E-Comm.

In a May strike vote, 95 per cent of CUPE 8911 members voted in favour of a strike, prompting the issuance of a strike notice. 

CUPE 8911 and its employer, E-Comm, will work alongside Ready for up to 10 days, and the union will not proceed with the planned job action at this time, the June 6th release said.

In a June 5th, 2026 press release, the Emergency Communications Professionals of BC said over 700 emergency communications professionals were set to be “in a legal strike position” at 3:29 p.m. on June 8th, 2026. 

The release said the strike notice comes after negotiations failed to develop an agreement which addressed staffing and retention challenges affecting BC’s emergency communications system.

“British Columbians expect that when they call 911, they’ll get the help they need quickly,” said Grant. “But right now, the people who answer those calls are being pushed to their breaking point.”

“Public safety is too important to keep postponing solutions,” Grant said in the June 5th release. 

E-Comm 9-1-1 and CUPE 8911 have been engaged in negotiations for over 20 days since November 2025. 

Negotiation topics include fair wages, safe staffing levels and improved health and wellness supports. 

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — The police are seeking the public’s help to locate a missing person.

According to a press release by the Dawson Creek RCMP on June 8th, officers are looking for 18-year-old David Harvey, who was reported missing on June 5th, 2026. 

The release said Harvey was last seen on June 4th in Dawson Creek. 

Harvey is described as five feet and 10 inches tall and weighing 115 pounds. He has brown hair and grey eyes. 

The police and his family are concerned about his health and well-being. 

People with any information about Harvey’s whereabouts are urged to contact their local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). 

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — Tumbler Ridge may be known across Canada for a mass shooting that took nine lives in February, but a local event this summer aims to show more about its history.

The Tumbler Tales book launch festival, scheduled for several days in July and August, will pull back the curtain to reveal the community’s legacy. 

Events taking place during that time are a collaboration between the Tumbler Ridge Museum, Tumbler Ridgelines and writer Anne Mullens.

According to the Tumbler Ridge Museum’s programs and events coordinator, Caris Windhausen, plans for the event began late last year.

“[Tumbler Ridge] was one of the last instant towns [in B.C.] that was built up,” Windhausen told Energeticcity.ca. “The plan for August is to launch the book and bring people together to talk about the history of Tumblr Ridge from the 80s to today.”

At the centre of the festival is the book ‘Go North, Reporter,’ an upcoming work by Mullens.

Mullens was a reporter at the Vancouver Sun in the early 1980s, and the book is a collection of her pieces from the construction of what is now Tumbler Ridge.

An ‘instant town’ or planned community, according to the District of Tumbler Ridge’s website, a number of coal deposits were found in the area in the 1970s.

In 1981, an agreement was reached among the provincial government, Denison Mines, Teck Corporation and the Japanese steel industry, allowing the development of Northeast Coal to proceed.

The town, infrastructure and two mines were built from scratch by 1984.

The festival will feature a pancake breakfast, community games, a 1980s-themed dinner and dance and a book signing and reading by Mullens.

Early-bird tickets for the dinner and dance are $55 and are available at the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation’s (TRMF) website.

“[It’s about] having some spaces where we can talk and reminisce and consider the past and future of our town,” said Windhausen.

The Tumbler Tales Book Launch Festival will take place between Friday, July 31st, and Sunday, August 2nd. 

For more details, see the news section of the TRMF website.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Dawson Road Maintenance is asking drivers to slow down and pass with caution as it conducts road work on Highway 103.

According to a June 8th Facebook post by Dawson Road Maintenance, road work will be taking place on BC Highway 103, which connects the Alaska Highway and Goodlow. 

Dawson Road Maintenance said the work will take place from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 8th, through Thursday, June 11th.

Road users are encouraged to slow down and pass with caution. 

To keep up-to-date with road closures and delays, check DriveBC. 

HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — The emergency department at the Hudson’s Hope Health Centre will be “temporarily closed” for a week. 

The centre’s ER will reopen on Monday, June 15, at 8:30 a.m., according to the Northern Health’s Emergency Department Status page.

The ER was previously closed from 3 p.m. on June 2nd to 11:30 a.m. on June 3rd due to a malfunction with the radiology equipment. 

“Emergency department services at Hudson’s Hope Health Centre are currently experiencing a service interruption due to physician staffing issues,” Northern Health said in a written statement. 

The health authority told Energeticcity.ca on May 29th that it has “successfully” recruited a second physician to the community, who is expected to arrive this summer upon completion of the recruitment process. 

The centre is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., during normal hours, excluding weekends and statutory holidays. 

The health authority urged residents who need emergency care outside normal working hours to call 911 to connect with BC Emergency Health Services for transport to the nearest available hospital. 

SURREY — A British Columbia man who posted video of himself and another man spraying black paint on a rainbow crosswalk in Surrey, B.C., last month has been arrested.

Police in the Metro Vancouver city have not identified the man, who has since been released with conditions, but Amrit Birring says officers visited him on Saturday.

A Facebook post by Birring, the leader of the Freedom Party of B.C., says police did not put him in handcuffs and had him sign his release conditions on the spot.

The statement from the Surrey Police Service says the man has not yet been formally charged with an offence, though Birring -, who has previously confirmed he is the man in the video — says he’s been charged with mischief over $5,000.

Birring says his release conditions include orders that he not come within 500 metres of the rainbow crosswalk at Holland Park and to appear in court on July 28.

Police say the investigation is ongoing, and they expect to forward a report on the case to prosecutors in the next few days for assessment of potential charges.

The vandalism happened on May 30, and police said three men had been identified as suspects.

Birring had posted images and video of himself and another person spraying the crosswalk, while another held a protest sign.

The man has previously run unsuccessfully for mayor in Surrey and as a candidate in federal and provincial elections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The Fort Nelson Community Literacy Society has recognized several organizations for their contributions totalling $132,000. 

As per a Facebook post uploaded to the Fort Nelson Community Literacy Society’s page on June 3rd, Seanah Mollica, the society’s executive director, said she is grateful to recognize several supporters whose generosity is helping create stability for the organization and the people it serves. 

The Peter Gzowski Foundation for Literacy has committed $60,000 for over two years to help fund operations, sustain services and leverage additional funding opportunities. 

In addition, the Alexandra Foundation has provided the society with $20,000 in operational funding this year, which will help the society offer neighbourhood-house-style services to foster connection, belonging and support throughout the Fort Nelson community. 

The Azrieli Foundation will give the society $32,000 over two years for the youth tutoring program, which was on the verge of being discontinued due to funding shortages. 

The society also received an anonymous $20,000 donation from a donor who helped save the youth tutoring program last year. 

Mollica said the program has finally stabilized and is now sustainable for the next three years, which the post said is an incredible milestone for children, youth, families, tutors and staff involved. 

She thanked the organizations for believing in the society’s work, mission and the people it serves. Millica said the society will continue to work hard to honour the investments and ensure funds have the “greatest possible impact.”

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Surerus Pipeline has donated $25,000 to the Fort St. John Royal Canadian Legion.

The legion called the donation “incredibly generous” in a June 5th Facebook post. 

“Their support has made a lasting impact in our community this year and for many years before,” the post said.  

According to the legion, the contribution will support important updates, including improvements to seating and air conditioning, which it says will create a “more comfortable, welcoming and usable space for veterans, members and the entire community.”

The legion wrote the Surerus family’s willingness to give back continues to “strengthen and inspire” the community around them. 

“Thank you for helping us preserve this important gathering place and for investing in the people who call this community home,” the post concluded. 

A second German utility has expressed interest in purchasing liquefied natural gas from the Ksi Lisims project planned for the northern British Columbia coast, as the plant’s partners approach a final go-ahead decision.

Duesseldorf-based Uniper and Ksi Lisims LNG said Monday that they have signed a letter of interest that could see the company buy two million tonnes of gas a year, with deliveries beginning as early as 2032.

The letter of interest outlines key commercial terms for a firmer supply and purchase agreement with Uniper, whose core markets are Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Uniper has 18.5 gigawatts of power generating capacity and is a major LNG importer in northwestern Europe. The German government took it over amid the 2022 energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but is now in the process of privatizing it.

Diversifying Uniper’s portfolio of LNG supply is a key priority, CEO Michael Lewis said in a news release.

“Canada offers an attractive environment with significant gas resources, strong political stability and reliable regulatory frameworks,” he said.

“We see potential in projects like Ksi Lisims LNG to further enhance the resilience and flexibility of our supply portfolio.”

Houston-based Western LNG is the lead developer and future operator of Ksi Lisims alongside Rockies LNG, a consortium of Canadian natural gas producers, and the Nisga’a Nation, on whose lands the project would be located. The floating plant would export up to 12 million tonnes of LNG per year from the site on Pearse Island, by the Alaska border.

The $10-billion project has regulatory approval but the partners have yet to make a final investment decision. Locking down long-term supply deals is a key step toward that milestone.

“This project, and Europe’s interest in it, demonstrates how energy security, climate responsibility, and community-focused economic development can be achieved together,” said Davis Thames, CEO of Western LNG.

LNG is natural gas that has been chilled into a liquid state, enabling it to be shipped by sea on specialized tankers.

Late last month, German government-owned company Securing Energy for Europe, or SEFE, signed a long-term agreement to buy one million tonnes of LNG per year from Ksi Lisims over an up to 20-year span.

Germany would not seem to be a logical buyer for western Canadian gas based solely on geography, but European countries have looked to source gas from places other than Russia, which had been their dominant supplier, since that country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The U.S.-Israel war with Iran has also halted LNG shipments out of the Middle East since late February, striking off another region from Europe’s list of suppliers.

Cargo from Ksi Lisims could travel to Germany via the Panama Canal, provided vessels are small enough, or take the long way around South America or Africa, Tim Hodgson, the federal natural resources minister, said late last month when the deal with SEFE was announced. But more likely are swap deals, where a European buyer could essentially trade cargoes with another company with a ship closer to the destination.

The Uniper-Ksi Lisims announcement is better understood as a “political move” in both Canada and Germany than a genuine energy security advancement, said Alex Walker, energy analytics program manager at Environmental Defence.

“For Ottawa, this signals further momentum of the nation building agenda. For Germany, it helps prove the value of the state-owned Uniper ahead of its sale, reassuring prospective buyers such as the Canada Pension Plan that the company holds long-term supply commitments,” Walker said.

Reuters reported last week that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is among the possible bidders for Uniper.

Walker also noted Ksi Lisims’ prospects are clouded by First Nations opposition and pending legal challenges to the project and the pipeline that would feed it.

“Despite what the headlines say, this project is far from a Canadian nation building project waiting to happen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

LANGLEY, B.C. — North Peace Secondary School’s (NPSS) golf squad had a memorable experience at this week’s BC School Sports AAA provincial championship.

The Grizzlies qualified for the tournament, held at Langley’s GreenTee Country Club, by virtue of capturing their zone championships held at 108 Golf Resort in 108 Mile Ranch in late May by nine strokes.

The school’s vice-principal, Jaclyn McNicol, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about the team’s advancement to facing the top squads in the Lower Mainland at the competition, which wrapped up on Thursday, June 4th.

In a competition of 22 schools, the team finished in 21st place. 

The school had halted the golf program in 2019 and revived it in 2024.

“This is the first year that they’ve qualified for provincials, so I think it was successful,” said McNicol. “They went down there, and there was some really great golf happening.”

The squad consisted of students Carson Arberry, Easton Goulet, Mason McGinnis, Trip Turnbull and Walker Brown, coached by Ryan Galay, Aiden Craig-Steele, Phil Hiscock and Jonah Burridge.

While Hiscock was with them to capture the zone title, Burridge made the trip south and described the team’s experience as positive, receiving compliments from other coaches on the team’s sportsmanship.

“The boys had a lot of fun down there,” said Burridge. “Even though sometimes some of their individual results weren’t exactly what they were hoping for, they handled themselves admirably.”

Scores during the tournament were tabulated by each team’s total score. The Grizzlies ended day one on Tuesday, June 2nd, in a tie for 20th place with Robert Alexander McMath Secondary of Richmond.

Turnbull and McGinnis’ individual rounds placed them in the top 30 overall. Meanwhile, Goulet finished the first day at nine over par, Brown at 24 over par and Arberry at 29 over par.

On day two, both McGinnis and Turnbull continued their consistency and had identical scores from the first day, with Turnbull scoring at four over par and McGinnis at six strokes over par.

McGinnis took 26th position on individual scores, while McGinnis placed 50th. The team’s total score of 338 over par throughout two days had them finish 21st.

The overall team title was captured by Vancouver’s St. George’s Senior School.

McNichol sees a bright future for the NPSS golfing program, given the squad was dormant for several years following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“These past few years have been about rebuilding the program with a group of people who love the sport,” said McNichol. “We believe this will continue in the following years.”

The BC School Sports AAA provincial golf championship took place from Tuesday, June 2nd to Thursday, June 4th in Langley at GreenTee Country Club.

You held up your end of the bargain and paid your rent on time — only to learn your landlord failed to keep up with mortgage payments and the home may need to be sold.

Panic sets in, as you don’t know if you can continue to call this place your home. Experts say there are a number of ways this scenario can play out, but knowing your rights as a tenant when the bank takes over is a critical first step.

Kelly Ho, a certified financial planner at DLD Financial Group, said renters need to consult their provincial tenants act. In many provinces the new owner or the bank is required to continue the tenant agreement if the lease term hasn’t ended, but that may not be true for all jurisdictions, she said.

“It’s really important for the tenant to know their rights and continue acting in good faith and making sure they don’t let anything slip and that everything’s documented,” Ho said.

Douglas Kwan, a lawyer and director of advocacy and legal services at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, said he has seen more queries from tenants about power of sale situations — when a property is put up for sale by a bank — over the last eight months.

He said that’s partly because market rents have dipped while many homeowners face mortgage renewals at higher interest rates, so rental property owners can fall behind more easily.

But tenants often get stuck in the middle, Kwan said.

He often comes across cases where a landlord bullies a tenant to try to save the property, or stops responding to the tenant after receiving a notice from the bank.

“The concerns are just this period of uneasiness where they don’t know where they stand,” Kwan said.

Check with your landlord and find out what’s going on when you receive a letter indicating the power of sale of a property, said Gathya Manoharan, a litigation associate with Nava Wilson LLP in Toronto.

Mostly, there’s not much you need to do unless the lender has asked you specifically to do certain things, she said. For example, a lender could ask the tenant to pay rent directly to them, instead of paying the landlord.

“That’s something you should comply with because that is the right of the lender,” she said.

When a power of sale is initiated in Ontario, the lender effectively becomes the landlord, Manoharan said.

“They essentially step into the shoes of the landlord, so any responsibilities that a landlord normally has, the lender now has,” she said.

Sometimes, a lender may make it seem like the tenant has to vacate the property, Manoharan said. But that’s not really the case. In Ontario, for example, if the lease term hasn’t ended yet, the tenant has the right to stay at the property even when ownership changes hands, she said.

“So long as you’re paying your rent on time, you are fulfilling your obligations under the lease, you’re allowed to stay,” Manoharan said.

In Ontario, a lender putting the property up for sale is required to follow the same protocol as a landlord would. That means providing 60 days’ notice and offering a month’s rent in compensation for breaking the lease, Manoharan said.

But the sale of a home doesn’t automatically allow the new owner to terminate the rental lease, she said. The new owner can only terminate the existing lease if they or their immediate family are choosing to live in that property for at least one year.

But that may not be the case in British Columbia. In that province, the contract between a bank and a homeowner takes precedence over a tenant’s lease, which means both the landlord and the tenant must abide by any court orders.

“If the court orders that the property goes back to the lender, the tenancy just ends immediately upon that order,” said Robert Patterson, a lawyer with the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre in B.C.

That leaves tenants with fewer options. Patterson said it’s vital for tenants to pay attention to legal proceedings and know what the timeline looks like, which could mean vacating the property on incredibly short notice.

Foreclosures are another avenue a lender can take, filing a claim with the court when a homeowner defaults on payments. A court may order the sale of the home.

“Honestly, in British Columbia, foreclosure is one of the worst ways that a tenancy can end,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2026.

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press

MISSION, B.C. — Fraser Health says services at the emergency department of Mission Memorial Hospital will be temporarily interrupted due to “physician staffing challenges” until Monday morning.

Fraser Health says in a statement that the service interruption will last from 5 p.m. Sunday until Monday morning at 8 a.m.

It says the measure means anyone already waiting to see a doctor at 5 p.m. will be seen before their shift ends at 11 p.m.

The health authority says nurses will still be on site to provide patients with basic care and also assist with potential transfers to another hospital for those in need of urgent care.

Fraser Health says it’s working with B.C. Emergency Health Services to direct patients to other facilities if they require a higher level of care.

Fraser Health says people with potentially life-threatening ailments such as chest pain, breathing difficulties or severe bleeding should call 911 and they’ll be taken to the nearest available and appropriate facility.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2026

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — One member of Save our Northern Seniors (SONS) is speaking out about the issues seniors in northeast B.C. are facing, as the province recognizes B.C. Seniors Week. 

Gail Weber, a 60-year Fort St. John resident and member of the Save Our Northern Seniors (SONS), explained how the organization advocates for seniors.

“Save Our Northern Seniors looks at the whole picture of seniors in the north,” she said. “What we advocate for is better housing, we’ve advocated for better transportation, for better home care, more services to people that are still in their homes.”

Weber explained one of the biggest issues facing seniors in northeast B.C.

“I think probably other than the housing,…… because of our long winters, I would say one of the biggest issues that face seniors is the loneliness.” 

Weber said she wants to see the province better support seniors.

“Improve the housing conditions. We need intermediate care drastically,” she said. “We have people living in their homes that should not be living in their homes. We need intermediate care facilities. We need assisted living.”

“We need more care home facilities, we need to care for our seniors more,” said Weber. 

Weber encourages community members to interact with seniors. 

“Get out and get involved with your seniors, and as seniors, get involved with each other,” she said. “As I [said], one of the biggest issues with seniors is loneliness.”

“Just get a group together to play cards once a week, once a month, Weber said. “Just get together and help alleviate those long winters and the loneliness that comes along with usually living alone.”

“Many seniors have lost their partners, so it’s a lonely life; it’s up to you to fill that void.” 

According to a June 1st release from the Office of the Seniors Advocate, the theme of this year’s B.C. Seniors Week is ‘Experience Matters,’ which highlights the value of a lifetime full of knowledge, perspectives and resilience. 

“Seniors continue to make meaningful contributions through their work, volunteerism, caregiving and leadership,” the release said. 

On October 11th, 2002, a proclamation was made by the Government of British Columbia, recognizing the first week of June as ‘Seniors Week.’

“I think it’s great to have a seniors week,” Weber said. “I think society [would] be amazed at how many seniors volunteer their time for different issues.”

“I think having a seniors week enlightens the seniors as to what’s available for them to help their way of life,” she said. 

The Office of the Seniors Advocate is inviting seniors to share their thoughts and wisdom on its Facebook page. 

“These discussions are an opportunity to highlight the diversity of older adults and encourage intergenerational dialogue,” said Dan Levitt, BC Seniors Advocate. “Selected posts will be highlighted throughout the week.”

According to Levitt, older people provide important perspectives and insight into our lives. 

“Allowing others to benefit from seniors’ experiences, especially younger people, strengthens connections between generations and helps challenge assumptions about ageing,” he said. 

Levitt said many seniors are facing issues such as the rising cost of living, difficulty accessing health and community supports and housing instability. 

Energeticcity.ca reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Welcome to the next installment of the Weekly Review, a series where we mention what’s going on behind the scenes and showcase the previous week’s most-read stories.

If you want to get this review directly in your inbox, all daily newsletter subscribers receive it every Sunday!

Behind the Scenes

Last week, we announced the winners of the 2026 South Peace People’s Choice Awards presented by SL Enterprizes Ltd! While we have done the North Peace People’s Choice Awards since 2024, this was our first year doing the South Peace region. Congratulations to the winners!

Thank you to our sponsors for making these awards possible: SL Enterprizes Ltd, Northern Lights College, Post & Row, The Roadhouse, Ovintiv Events Centre, and Peace FM. Also, thank you to everyone who voted! Our goal with the awards is to showcase the people, businesses, and organizations that make our region a great place to live and we couldn’t do it without you.

If you’ve won an award but you don’t have your certificate yet, you can pick it up at the Ovintiv Events Centre box office. If you share  your award on social media, make sure to tag us: @moosemediafsj. See you next year!

Most-Read Stories of the Week

It’s always interesting to see what the readers of Energeticcity.ca are most curious about. Sometimes it’s a big decision that will impact property taxes, and sometimes it’s a new restaurant coming to town. Here are the most-read stories for the week of May 31 to June 6, 2026:

1. FSJ Sawmill Officially Sold: according to Canfor media relations representatives. The sawmill, planer, pellet plant, and energy systems were sold to Rocky Mountain Salvage on May 29, 2026.
2.  Peace River North MLA Charged: with sexual assault. According to the BC Prosecution Service, Jordan Kealy was charged with one count of sexual assault on June 3, 2026.
3. Court Report: for the week of May 25 to 29, 2026. Included are the latest sentences handed down from the Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson provincial courts.

To stay up-to-date on local news and events, follow us on Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn. Want to keep local journalism alive? Become a Supporter!

FORT NELSON, B.C. — Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) released more information relating to the mid-week lockdown in the community.

The Chalo School had announced a lockout – a procedure where the school’s doors are locked from the inside of the building – on Thursday, June 4th, for around an hour via its Facebook page.

BC Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) media representatives confirmed to Energeticcity.ca the entire community was in lockdown, but there were “no ongoing concerns.” 

On Thursday evening, June 4th, FNFN’s chief councillor, Archie Harrold, stated on Facebook the afternoon situation was related to a “security-related incident” in which “threats were made” toward the chief and council.

As a precaution, certain FNFN buildings – including the school – were “temporarily restricted.” Harrold went to conclude the matter had been handled after the situation was addressed by the Northern Rockies RCMP detachment.

“The safety and well-being of our members, staff and students remains our highest priority,” wrote Harrold. “At this time, there is no further action required, and it is safe to resume normal activities.”

Energeticcity.ca attempted to reach Harrold for further comment, but did not hear back by publication time.

VICTORIA — British Columbia Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside has appointed veteran labour mediator Vince Ready to assist in collective agreement negotiations with the union representing 911 emergency operators. 


Whiteside said in a statement on Saturday that Ready has been appointed as a “special mediator” under the province’s labour relations code as 911 call takers represented by CUPE Local 8911 and E-Comm try to come to a new collective agreement.

Whiteside said Ready’s work will last up to 10 days.

She said if a settlement can’t be reached in that time, he can issue “binding recommendations on all outstanding issues.”

Whiteside says she’s thankful to Ready to taking on the job, which had been requested by both parties to come to a deal.

The union, which represents more than 700 emergency communications workers in B.C., issued a 72-hour strike notice Friday after months of unsuccessful talks with E-Comm.

The union said in statement that it welcomes Ready’s appointment.

“We want to thank the government for recognizing the urgency of this situation and its assistance in appointing the special mediator and we are ready to move forward with this process,” said CUPE 8911 president Donald Grant.

The union said it won’t be taking any planned job action “at this time,” after members voted 95 per cent in favour or strike action last month.

It issued a 72-hour strike notice on Friday, but E-Comm confirmed that 911 services wouldn’t be interrupted as emergency dispatchers are essential services.

The employer said in a statement on Friday evening that it had put a “competitive offer on the table,” claiming it “aligns or exceeds many of the recently settled agreements within the public sector.”

It said the offer included better wages, including an hourly top-up for night and weekend shifts and improved annual mental health benefits. 

“We’ve made meaningful efforts to move negotiations forward and have put forth an offer that prioritizes both the employees who deliver these critical services and the public who depend on them,” said Greg Conner, a vice-president with E-Comm. “Our priority is ensuring uninterrupted service for the public while supporting our employees with a fair and sustainable collective agreement.”

The union said on Friday that negotiations had failed to address challenges faced by emergency call takers.

“With wildfire season approaching, the potential for extreme weather events, and increased summer demand, we are entering one of the busiest periods of the year for B.C.’s emergency communications system,” Grant said. “The time to address the staffing crisis facing B.C.’s 911 system is now.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Although it might seem like the hockey season just ended, planning for the next edition of Fort St. John Huskies’ hockey has already started to take shape.

The Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) squad announced its training camp dates, set for Friday, August 21st, to Sunday, August 23rd.

Huskies general manager Jeremy Clothier spoke to Energeticcity.ca about what type of players the club might be on the lookout for when camp begins.

“We are always looking for, obviously, some grit,” said Clothier. “We want guys that can move. We need guys that can skate.”

“We were a big puck possession team, so the more we have the puck, the better. You don’t just want to get the puck and throw it away. We need to be able to move with the puck and get up the ice.” 

The Huskies had a successful campaign last year in the NWJHL, chasing their sixth title in seven seasons, but fell short to the rival La Crete Lumber Barons in a four-game sweep in the finals.

Bolstered by a trade in which they acquired goaltender Ethan Fechter, the Lumber Barons went on to capture the Alberta Hockey Junior B provincial title.

One of the biggest factors in the Huskies’ success last season was their veteran leadership group, but the graduation of several players left huge holes to fill.

They include defencemen Jordan LaGreca and Adam Bourgeois, along with forwards Sam Loewen and Ryan Ungstad.

LaGreca, Bourgeois and Ungstad combined for 45 goals and 75 assists for 120 points in the 2025-26 regular season.

While Loewen did not play in the regular season, he had two goals and two assists for four points in last season’s playoff chase. 

Clothier feels there are local players who are still not full members of the squad and can plug into the mix when training camp opens.

“Some of the local kids that played with the Trackers last year can definitely jump into our lineup and be the impactful players right away,” said Clothier. 

“There have been some kids that we’ve recruited pretty hard this summer that is waiting on a few answers to get back. If they do decide to come here are going to be top-end guys for us.”

Fort St. John Huskies training camp is open to individuals aged 16 to 20 and requires registration, which can be completed on the Fort St. John Huskies website.

Fort St. John Huskies training camp begins on Friday, August 21st, at the Pomeroy Sports Centre and will wrap up on Sunday, August 23rd.
Further information about the Huskies is available on the team’s Facebook page, Instagram page and website.

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A survivor of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting is continuing to recover in the hospital. 

According to a post on Maya Gebala’s father, David Gebala’s, Facebook page on June 2nd, Maya’s left eye, which has been closed for a long time, has been gradually improving and now opens about halfway, with both eyelids blinking together. 

Maya was one of the survivors of the February 10th Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting, which claimed the lives of eight people. 

She was airlifted to the B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver after she suffered gunshot wounds to her head and neck during the shooting. 

Maya recently underwent a cranioplasty for a prosthetic skull, which was a success.  

“Many of you have been asking about the condition of Maya’s left eye,” David said in his June 2nd update. “I wanted to wait until we had her ophthalmology appointment and some real answers before sharing an update.” 

Maya had her ophthalmology appointment on June 2nd, and the family received the results in the afternoon. 

The post said Maya’s right eye has remained open and shows no damage. 

“She tracks well with it, which confirms she can see out of that eye,” he noted. 

The doctors diagnosed a left cranial nerve palsy, which specifically involves the third cranial nerve. 

He explained: “This nerve helps control the eye’s ability to move inward, toward the nose, and upward.” 

“Because all the nerves work together, they don’t believe this will be completely debilitating; it may just make the eye a little ‘lazier’ than the other. The third cranial nerve also has to do with her eyelid opening, which is why it may not be fully open, but time will tell.” 

The post said Maya’s right eye dilates when light is shone in her left eye, which David said shows communication between both eyes. However, her left eye currently does not react to light. 

“They also noticed something on her optic nerve that they’ll monitor with a follow-up in six months, but overall, they are optimistic that she can see out of her left eye as well,” David said. “Every single day, we get another little piece of our girl back. I’m so proud of her strength and progress.” 

VANCOUVER — A union representing more than 700 emergency communications professionals in British Columbia has issued a 72-hour strike notice after months of negotiations with the employer broke down.

CUPE 8911 says it’s calling on the labour minister to appoint a special mediator to help the union and E-Comm reach a new collective agreement.

The union said last month that its members had voted 95 per cent in favour of giving leadership a strike mandate amid growing concerns about staffing, workload and long-term sustainability of the 911 system.

The union says negotiations had resumed this week, but the sides were unable to make any progress toward a deal.

CUPE 8911 says it will be in a legal strike position as of 3:29 p.m. on Monday, and an essential service order will be in place outlining the level of service that must be maintained during any job action.

E-Comm says emergency communication services will remain uninterrupted following the strike notice, and negotiations will take place over the weekend.

It said in a statement that it supports the requested appointment of a special mediator.

Donald Grant, president of CUPE 8911, says emergency communications professionals are being “pushed to their breaking point.”

“With wildfire season approaching, the potential for extreme weather events, and increased summer demand, we are entering one of the busiest periods of the year for B.C.’s emergency communications system,” Grant said in a statement. “The time to address the staffing crisis facing B.C.’s 911 system is now.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2026.

The Canadian Press

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — One forestry expert says a report outlining how the industry can achieve stabilization amid change says the federal government has not gone far enough.

On Wednesday, June 3rd, the federal minister of energy and natural resources, Tim Hodgson, released a final report outlining strategies to turn the country’s forestry fortunes around.

The report was conducted by the Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force (CFSTF), which was implemented in January of this year. 

Its aim was to implement a 25-year National Forest Sector Strategy, with the goal of establishing “long-term competitiveness, crowd-in private capital, stabilize employment and communities, and modernize Canada’s forest-based industrial ecosystem to drive transformation,” according to its website.

The report outlines key details such as stabilizing long-term access to cost-competitive fibre, catalyzing transformation and modernization at scale, increasing domestic demand by building more with wood, stabilizing the workforce and supporting communities, defending market access, strengthening trade infrastructure and rebuilding a national forest culture by 2050.

According to a press release, Hodgson also announced enhancements to the Business Development Bank of Canada’s softwood lumber loan guarantee program and new strategies providing direct loans to companies across the forestry sector, including eligible corporations in pulp and paper and harvesting.

The federal government also pledged an additional $400 million to Canada’s Regional Development Agencies, including $300 million under the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, during the Council of Forest Ministers meetings this week in Langford. 

The CFSTF stated in the report that failing to act would “risk” up to $23.5 billion in GDP and 200,000 jobs. 

However, despite the announcements, some critics do remain skeptical. 

Gary Bull, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia (UBC), said there are still questions about the province’s fibre supply. He’s also concerned about what an ambitious “civil cultural plan” or harvesting program will look like. 

“A fundamental issue in B.C. is the fibre supply,” said Bull to Energeticcity.ca. “There is [a question] of access to the fibre. [Then] how are you going to grow trees back after fires [and insect disease?”

“I see a little bit of language referring to what each province is going to do differently. From how I read it, [the province] is going to try and have working forests.  I suspect there’s lots going on in Victoria, [but] the announcements we saw does not provide any detail on that.”

Working forests are forestlands where lumber is carefully managed, providing a steady, renewable supply of wood.

According to a story from Resource Works, 21 sawmills have shut down since 2023 – including the recent acquisition of a Canfor sawmill in Fort St. John by Rocky Mountain Salvage.

The mill was announced closed in September 2024, with the facility shuttered by the end of that year.

“[The] reality is we’re going to see smaller mills,” said Bull. “They have to be smaller because there’s just not enough volume of wood to put through the mills that were configured in the 90s and 2000s.”

The complete findings of the CFSTF are available in the report on the task force’s website.

BELLA BELLA — A British Columbia First Nation says a Texas company has agreed to pay more than $12 million in the first portion of a “multi-part settlement” after a grounded tugboat spilled about 110,000 litres of pollutants in central coast waters in 2016.

The Tribal Council at the Heiltsuk Nation says the agreement involves parties including Houston-based liquid marine transport operator Kirby Corp.

The statement posted on social media says Kirby has agreed to pay the Heiltsuk Nation after a court order is issued later this year, and its leadership will attend a washing ceremony in Bella Bella, B.C.

Kirby has also agreed that its vessels will no longer travel through Heiltsuk waters without prior consent.

“This spill affected marine life, food-gathering areas, and access to a place that holds deep cultural meaning,” the statement said.

The tugboat Nathan E. Stewart ran aground near Bella Bella in October 2016 and sank, spilling contaminants into the water, much of it diesel fuel.

A copy of the settlement agreement provided by the Heiltsuk Nation notes the tugboat ran aground after the second mate fell asleep while on deck and forgot to change course.

The First Nation says the spill’s impacts have lasted years, environmentally, economically, culturally and spiritually.

In a separate statement issued Friday, elected chief Marilyn Slett said the settlement amount is small compared with the total losses faced by the First Nation.

“It shows just how inadequate Canada’s oil spill liability and compensation system is when it comes to protecting Indigenous people from catastrophic cultural loss,” Slett said in the statement.

Slett said the nation has yet to settle other claims linked to the spill with the federal government and the federal Ship-source Oil Pollution Fund and called on both parties to come to the table.

“Their absence is glaring as the federal government prepares to consider a pipeline and oil tanker proposal from Alberta that would impact the coastal waters and marine resources Indigenous peoples depend on here in B.C.,” she said.

The Heiltsuk Nation has been prominent in environmental efforts along B.C.’s coast, most recently as one of six Indigenous partners in an agreement with Ottawa and the province to create a 6,700-square-kilometre national marine conservation reserve.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2026.

The Canadian Press