Vancouver homeless man dies on December night blocks from new shelter

by Jane Armstrong

Michael Illing died in an East Vancouver alley on a cold December night less than two blocks from a homeless shelter.

B.C. Mounties rescue family stranded in snow after GPS misdirection

B.C. RCMP are encouraging holiday travellers to use common sense before blindly following a global positioning system, especially in winter conditions.

Piles of plastic, cardboard and leftover food: Is your Metro Vancouver Christmas wasteful?

For six years, Metro Vancouver has been using a special campaign to get people to use less over the holidays and avoid a crush of Christmas-related waste in the region — and it appears to be having an impact.

Recap Flames feast early, roasting Canucks with 4 unanswered

by Darren Haynes

Calgary defenceman Mark Giordano scored twice less than 10 minutes apart in the second period on Friday night as the Flames won 4-1 over the Vancouver Canucks.

Parents of murder victim still seeking justice 8 years later

by Jesse Johnston

Eight years after their daughter Lisa Dudley was killed, Mark and Rosemarie Surakka are trying to raise money through a crowdfunding campaign to help with the costs of suing the federal and provincial governments.

A purrfect reunion: Owner drives 500 km to retrieve Pharfalla the Globetrotting Cat

by Jesse Johnston

Pharfalla, the globetrotting cat from Europe, reunited with her owner in Surrey, B.C. on Friday afternoon.

A gift that warms the heart and the belly: Kelowna chefs cook for the homeless

by Brady Strachan

Restaurants and businesses in Kelowna have been preparing 3 course meals for clients of the Kelowna Gospel Mission every Friday in December.

Canucks tickets, merchandise sales hit 'historic' lows

by Michelle Ghoussoub

Ticket vendors and business owners say they've been hit hard by the team's slump.

Vancouver nurse loses licence for dispensing 'incredible amount' of opioid painkillers

by Rhianna Schmunk

A Vancouver nurse has lost her licence after it was revealed she'd been dispensing "an incredible amount" of opioid pain medication to people who weren't her patients.

Suicide note school assignment risky, warns Northern B.C. crisis centre

by Yvette Brend

A controversial high school work assignment has some Prince George, B.C., parents concerned after Grade 10 students were allegedly told to write a mock suicide letter for an English assignment at Kelly Road Secondary.

Canada limits the number of privately sponsored Syrian refugee applicants in 2017

by Bal Brach

Private sponsors are scrambling to complete fundraising and applications for Syrian refugees after the Canadian government revealed that in 2017, there will be cap of 1,000 new applicants under a particular type of private sponsorship.

Hep A case confirmed in Clearwater, public health alert issued

by Jenifer Norwell

The Interior Health Authority is warning people who may have eaten at the Dairy Queen in Clearwater during eight days in December that they might have been exposed to hepatitis A.

RCMP investigating after shuttle's risky manoeuvre caught on dashcam

A dashcam video of a shuttle bus overtaking another car on a curvy section of the Sea to Sky highway has triggered an RCMP investigation.

Check schedules and arrive early BC Ferries advises holiday travellers

by Yvette Brend

After three days working red-eye flights between Toronto and Vancouver, flight attendant Lara Orsi got up before dawn this morning to catch a bus to make the first ferry home to Nanaimo, B.C.

Victoria church criticized for building wall to keep homeless away

Central Baptist Church is facing criticism for putting a concrete-block wall and "decorative" fence to keep drug users and homeless people off its front steps.

Lack of staff temporarily closes Ashcroft's emergency department

by Jenifer Norwell

A lack of staff availability over the holidays has forced the temporary closure of the emergency department at the Ashcroft Hospital.

Photos Overnight overdoses in the DTES

by Gian-Paolo Mendoza

BC Ambulance says they received 100 suspected overdose calls in B.C. on Wednesday. 52 of those calls were in Vancouver. Here are some captured by our camera overnight.

Compact snow and slippery roads in store for Christmas travel today

Compacted snow and slippery conditions are being reported on the Coquihalla and other travel routes throughout B.C. as snow starts to fall again, piquing the promise of a white Christmas.

'We're always looking for blood': Canadian Blood Services

by Rafferty Baker

The Canadian Blood Services want more people to donate blood over the holidays, as bad weather and busy people can bring donations down, but demand always stays high.

Snow falling from Surrey to Fraser Valley

Fraser Valley could see between 5 to 10 cm of snow Friday, according to Environment Canada.

Cold snap sparks fire concerns at homeless camps

by Tanya Fletcher

With chilly temperatures come warnings from fire officials and homeless advocates about the potential dangers of running space heaters and burning candles in tents.

Shirtless Trudeau and knife-stealing crow: the 2016 B.C. stories that went wild on the internet

by Tamara Baluja

Nothing delighted our readers quite as much as a shirtless Justin Trudeau photo bombing a wedding in Tofino, but here are a few other gems.

Berlin attack suspect Anis Amri killed in Milan

The Tunisian man suspected in a deadly attack on a Christmas market in Berlin has been killed in a shootout with police in Milan during a routine patrol, ending a Europe-wide manhunt.

Orca found on Sunshine Coast died of blunt force trauma, DFO says

DFO spokesman says necropsy showed injuries "consistent with a vessel strike."

Pickup truck driver rescued from water-filled ditch in Langley

The driver spun out on black ice and rolled his pickup into a ditch on 232 Street, near 48 Avenue.

Four environmentally sensitive B.C. lands to be protected

Four properties have been added to British Columbia's collection of environmentally sensitive lands.

Ronald McDonald House a welcome refuge for West Kelowna family

by Maryse Zeidler

For many, the winter holidays are a time to connect with loved ones. But when a family member is struggling with a serious illness, those plans can easily fall apart.

Community reaches out after hearing story of isolated Prince George senior but problems persist

by Andrew Kurjata

Members of the public have been reaching out to help after hearing the story of 92-year-old Edmund Stefan, a Prince George man coping with isolation, cold and poverty. People working on the front line say more needs to be done to help other seniors in similar situations.

Charlie's Christmas treats Downtown Eastside pets to gifts, photos with Santa

by Michelle Ghoussoub

The B.C. SPCA and Charlie's Food Bank brought holiday cheer to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside with a holiday party for pets.

CRTC ruling on broadband internet could have impact on rural communities

by Liam Britten

Residents of underserved communities are hopeful a Wednesday CRTC ruling will help get their internet quality up to the same level as major population centres.

Mel Bolen, who built one of Canada's largest independent bookstores, passes away

by Deborah Wilson

A trailblazer of Victoria's thriving independent bookstore scene has died unexpectedly. Madeline ("Mel") Bolen was founder of Bolen Books which she grew from a tiny shop in Hillside Shopping Centre to one of Canada's biggest independent bookstores.

According to Danes, Christmas should be a 'hyggelige' time of year

We introduce you to the Danish idea of 'hygge,' a warm, cozy state of being that is becoming popular around the world.

Why one paramedic relates to those suffering in B.C.'s fentanyl crisis

by Liam Britten

“I can relate to that on so many different levels because I know … sitting there, saying I’m never going to use again, and then five hours later, I’m doing it again.”

Users overdose minutes after cashing assistance cheques: Surrey paramedic

by Gavin Fisher

Paramedics often see a spike in drug overdoses on the day of the month when people on social assistance receive their cheques. On Wednesday night in Surrey, paramedics there reported a more alarming twist: people were overdosing right outside the stores that cash their cheques.

More Tasers on the way for Metro Vancouver Transit Police

by Jon Hernandez

Vancouver Transit Police have announced they will be adding 40 more Tasers to their fleet, meaning half of front-line officers will be equipped with both a Taser and a gun.

Vancouver homeowners owe $36.8 million in property taxes

by Clare Hennig

More than 6,300 Vancouver households deferred paying their property taxes this year under a provincial program that offers low-interest loans to some homeowners.

Kamloops mountain biker wins female athlete of the year

by Jenifer Norwell

After a banner season, Kamloops mountain biker has been chosen in an online vote as the female athlete of the year by canadiancylist.com.

Concussion researchers to study brain of former B.C. Lions star Rick Klassen

by Brady Strachan

Former B.C. Lions defensive lineman Rick Klassen, who died earlier this month of cancer, has donated his brain to the Canadian Concussion Centre for research purposes.

Poop-powered cars could soon hit the road in Metro Vancouver

by Jon Hernandez

Metro Vancouver will soon be home to a unique power plant that will convert sewage sludge — including human waste and dirty dishwater — into biocrude oil than can be used to fuel cars.

Naloxone revives Saanich, B.C. dog after suspected overdose

At first, veterinarian Helen Rae thought the pug brought in to her clinic with wobbly legs had eaten some marijuana.

Squamish gun club's future uncertain after noise complaints

by Roshini Nair

Squamish has become a popular real estate alternative for Lower Mainlanders, but the housing boom could force a 75-year-old gun club to move.

B.C. SPCA's #1 gift-giving tip: don't give a surprise pet

Every January animal shelters see a wave of unwanted pets dropped off, the result of gift giving gone wrong.

B.C. breast milk bank looking for more donors

The recently expanded breast milk program at B.C. Women's Hospital is looking for new donors during the winter season.