Wolf Depner

  • 898 Stories | 
  • Page 4 of 45
Stacey Sumners, acting service project manager of mobile service outreach with the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, gives Citizens’ Services Minister George Chow and Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma a tour of the government’s service van that can deliver 300 different services remotely. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Service B.C. is hitting the backroads with satellite-phone equipped van

Van officially launched mid-February following trial runs in late 2023

Stacey Sumners, acting service project manager of mobile service outreach with the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, gives Citizens’ Services Minister George Chow and Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma a tour of the government’s service van that can deliver 300 different services remotely. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau. Furstenau is accusing government of ignoring the courts and the real harms of drug use after Premier David Eby announced April 26 that the government would be moving to ban public drug use. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

B.C. opposition gives thumbs-down to proposed decriminalization changes

B.C. United’s Sturko renews calls to end pilot while B.C. Greens’ Furstenau warns against a roll-back

BC Green Leader Sonia Furstenau. Furstenau is accusing government of ignoring the courts and the real harms of drug use after Premier David Eby announced April 26 that the government would be moving to ban public drug use. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
B.C. Premier David Eby speaks during an announcement in Delta, B.C., on Monday, March 18, 2024. The provincial government announced Friday (April 26) that it would be moving to band drug use in more public spaces, specifically inside hospitals, on transit and in parks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. to ban drug use in public spaces, including inside hospitals

Province working with feds to make changes to legality of possession

B.C. Premier David Eby speaks during an announcement in Delta, B.C., on Monday, March 18, 2024. The provincial government announced Friday (April 26) that it would be moving to band drug use in more public spaces, specifically inside hospitals, on transit and in parks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon, here seen speaking to a town hall at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in February, says he hears concerns about public safety wherever he goes. (Jessica Peters/Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. United being pulled to the right, but can’t alienate centrists: SFU prof

Nicolas Kenny also wonders whether public is noticing opposition work of B.C. United

B.C. United leader Kevin Falcon, here seen speaking to a town hall at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in February, says he hears concerns about public safety wherever he goes. (Jessica Peters/Chilliwack Progress)
B.C. is one of only two Canadian provinces that retain and attract more young skilled workers than they lose, but Alberta tops B.C. by a double-digit margin. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C.’s ‘brain gain’ 2nd only to Alberta in terms of skilled young workers

Western-most pair the only provinces to attract and retain more than they train: Statistics Canada

B.C. is one of only two Canadian provinces that retain and attract more young skilled workers than they lose, but Alberta tops B.C. by a double-digit margin. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Island Health, the health authority covering Vancouver Island, says a document said to be “actively” directing drug use in hospitals according to B.C. United is a “resource document” to support and promote both patient and staff safety. (CHRIS BUSH/ Black Press Media)

B.C. United says health authority actively supporting hospital drug use

Island Health says document coming under fire supports and promotes both patient and staff safety

Island Health, the health authority covering Vancouver Island, says a document said to be “actively” directing drug use in hospitals according to B.C. United is a “resource document” to support and promote both patient and staff safety. (CHRIS BUSH/ Black Press Media)
B.C. Premier David Eby, here seen speaking at the Vitalus Nutrition announcement in Abbotsford on Tuesday (April 23), is the most popular among the four major party leaders with an approval rating of 51 per cent, according to a Research Co. poll released on the same day. It shows the NDP with an 18-per-cent lead over the provincial Conservatives. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

Conservatives becoming perfect ‘foil’ for B.C. NDP election hopes: SFU prof

With election still an eternity away, Kenny calls recent Research poll good news for incumbents

B.C. Premier David Eby, here seen speaking at the Vitalus Nutrition announcement in Abbotsford on Tuesday (April 23), is the most popular among the four major party leaders with an approval rating of 51 per cent, according to a Research Co. poll released on the same day. It shows the NDP with an 18-per-cent lead over the provincial Conservatives. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the public will be able to review a report into the economics of safe supply commissioned by public health officer Bonnie Henry. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

B.C. to release report into economics of safe supply as part of larger review

Public Health Officer commissioned U.S. expert to review economics of safe supply

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the public will be able to review a report into the economics of safe supply commissioned by public health officer Bonnie Henry. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)

Surrey, Kelowna, Prince George added to B.C.’s housing target hit list

Multiple communities in Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island are also on list

Surrey, which has significant growth in recent years around but not just transit hubs like the King George Skytrain station, finds itself among 20 communities targeted for additional housing. Other notable communities on the list include Nanaimo, Kelowna and Prince George.(Photo: translink.ca/kinggeorgeclosure)
Premier David Eby, here seen speaking in Abbotsford Tuesday morning, said upcoming discussions with social media companies were "entirely due" to Bill 12 aimed at recovering health-related expenditures from social media and other large corporations. Government will pause Bill 12 during the upcoming “online safety action table” with Meta, Snap, TikTok and X representatives. Provincial business organizations welcomed the pause after having raised concerns about the broadness of the bill. (Screencap)

B.C. pauses bill aimed at social media companies that are ‘hurting people’

Leading business group welcomes the move because it considers Bill 12 too broad, too vague

Premier David Eby, here seen speaking in Abbotsford Tuesday morning, said upcoming discussions with social media companies were "entirely due" to Bill 12 aimed at recovering health-related expenditures from social media and other large corporations. Government will pause Bill 12 during the upcoming “online safety action table” with Meta, Snap, TikTok and X representatives. Provincial business organizations welcomed the pause after having raised concerns about the broadness of the bill. (Screencap)
BC United’s Elenore Sturko Thursday reiterated her party’s call to end decriminalization, but government has other options. She added that ending decriminalization would not automatically “flood” the courts with people using drugs, adding other countries have used forms of administrative rather criminal justice as part of a broader response. (Black Press Media file photo)

Ending decriminalization won’t end ‘our fight’ to ‘save people’ says B.C. United

B.C. United’s Elenore Sturko says there are “other options” to decriminalization

BC United’s Elenore Sturko Thursday reiterated her party’s call to end decriminalization, but government has other options. She added that ending decriminalization would not automatically “flood” the courts with people using drugs, adding other countries have used forms of administrative rather criminal justice as part of a broader response. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C. is expected to spend $55.5 million with the federal government spending $19.5 toward planting 50 million trees this year. (Photo courtesy of Paige Mueller)

B.C. set to shovel more than $55M out to plant 50 million trees in 2024

This year’s tree-planting season happens with several hold-over fires burning in northern B.C.

B.C. is expected to spend $55.5 million with the federal government spending $19.5 toward planting 50 million trees this year. (Photo courtesy of Paige Mueller)
Premier David Eby, Haida Nation Council President Gaagwiis (Jason Alsop), Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin and Haida Nation Council Vice-President Stephen Grosse (not pictured) signed the “Gaayhllxid/Gíihlagalgang ‘Rising Tide’ Haida Title Lands Agreement” in Haida Gwaii on April 14, 2024. On April 22, Rankin tabled legislation that would translate the agreement into provincial law.(Government of B.C./YouTube)

B.C. tables legislation to recognize ‘historic’ title of Haida Nation

Legislation translates ‘Rising Tide’ Haida Title Lands Agreement into provincial law

Premier David Eby, Haida Nation Council President Gaagwiis (Jason Alsop), Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin and Haida Nation Council Vice-President Stephen Grosse (not pictured) signed the “Gaayhllxid/Gíihlagalgang ‘Rising Tide’ Haida Title Lands Agreement” in Haida Gwaii on April 14, 2024. On April 22, Rankin tabled legislation that would translate the agreement into provincial law.(Government of B.C./YouTube)
Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, said Thursday that his government will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue, but also promised additional resources for police to deal with public safety. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

Premier says B.C. will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue

But David Eby also said police will have the necessary resources to address public safety

Premier David Eby, here seen with Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, said Thursday that his government will continue to treat addiction as a mental health issue, but also promised additional resources for police to deal with public safety. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
B.C. legislation ostensibly allowing government to sue social media companies is under fire from business groups and parts of the political opposition for being broad. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

B.C. ‘classic consumer protection’ law raising unintended consequence concerns

Business leaders calls legislation allowing government to sue social media companies too broad

B.C. legislation ostensibly allowing government to sue social media companies is under fire from business groups and parts of the political opposition for being broad. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
The federal budget tabled by the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, here seen Friday (April 19) at the University of Victoria, is getting a thumbs-down from the Business Council of British Columbia because of its lacking fiscal discipline and other effects on B.C. The B.C. Office of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calls the budget “decent” but notes that it won’t have an effect for years, if at all. (Mark Page/Black Press Media)

B.C. economists spar about what about the federal budget means for B.C.

BCBC’s David Williams laments ‘lack of fiscal discipline’ while CCPA’ Marc Lee calls it ‘decent’

The federal budget tabled by the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, here seen Friday (April 19) at the University of Victoria, is getting a thumbs-down from the Business Council of British Columbia because of its lacking fiscal discipline and other effects on B.C. The B.C. Office of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calls the budget “decent” but notes that it won’t have an effect for years, if at all. (Mark Page/Black Press Media)
Metro Vancouver mayors are part of a growing chorus concerned about the perceived indifference of the federal government for the financial needs of TransLink, the regional transportation authority that runs buses and SkyTrain across 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, home to just over half of the provincial population. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. economist calls on Ottawa to get on board with more transit spending

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative’s Marc Lee says Ottawa needs to spend more money faster

Metro Vancouver mayors are part of a growing chorus concerned about the perceived indifference of the federal government for the financial needs of TransLink, the regional transportation authority that runs buses and SkyTrain across 21 municipalities in Metro Vancouver, home to just over half of the provincial population. (Black Press Media file photo)
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh did not tip his hand Wednesday when asked whether his party would support the federal budget. Reactions in B.C. meanwhile range from supportive to critical, with the provincial government calling Ottawa’s housing commitment’s “welcome but overdue” (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

B.C. reaction to the 2024 federal budget predictably mixed

Reaction from B.C. businesses and political opposition ranges from supportive to critical

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh did not tip his hand Wednesday when asked whether his party would support the federal budget. Reactions in B.C. meanwhile range from supportive to critical, with the provincial government calling Ottawa’s housing commitment’s “welcome but overdue” (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)
Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speak in Langley on Thursday, April 18, 2024, to discuss incoming short-term rental rules. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

As short-term rental rules loom, B.C. communities opting in and out

B.C. Premier, Housing Minister issue reminder about new rules designed to create more rental housing

Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon speak in Langley on Thursday, April 18, 2024, to discuss incoming short-term rental rules. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
Fiona Wilson, deputy chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department and president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, told federal MPs Monday (April 16) that decriminalization has not been without its issues, but also pushed back concerns about the diversion of safe supply while speaking to federal MPs. Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner and commanding officer of E Division Royal Canadian Mounted Police, also spoke.(Screencap)

Fix public consumption issue while decriminalization continues: B.C. cops

VPD’s deputy chief constable, head of RCMP in B.C. spoke before federal MPs Monday

Fiona Wilson, deputy chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department and president of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, told federal MPs Monday (April 16) that decriminalization has not been without its issues, but also pushed back concerns about the diversion of safe supply while speaking to federal MPs. Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner and commanding officer of E Division Royal Canadian Mounted Police, also spoke.(Screencap)