Wolf Depner

Salvatore Vetro has launched a recall petition against Premier David Eby. (Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vetro)

Premier David Eby called a ‘dictator’ in recall petition citing Bill 36

Petition by former HandyDART driver and aspiring actor concerns Bill 36

Salvatore Vetro has launched a recall petition against Premier David Eby. (Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vetro)
Workers picking 15 different types of fruits and vegetables including strawberries stand to earn more as their piece rates will rise starting Jan. 1 under a provincial mandate. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. fruit, berry growers now have to pay workers more

Provincially mandated increase came into effect Jan. 1 in response to rising inflation

Workers picking 15 different types of fruits and vegetables including strawberries stand to earn more as their piece rates will rise starting Jan. 1 under a provincial mandate. (Black Press Media file photo)
B.C. Premier David Eby, seen here during his swearing-in ceremony when he became the province’s 37th premier on Nov. 18, has announced his new cabinet with ramifications for the Saanich Peninsula and Greater Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Inside B.C.’s new cabinet: a look at some of the key moves as David Eby takes over

Abbotsford MLA’s move to agriculture, Kahlon’s housing post among most notable posts

B.C. Premier David Eby, seen here during his swearing-in ceremony when he became the province’s 37th premier on Nov. 18, has announced his new cabinet with ramifications for the Saanich Peninsula and Greater Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Local MP Elizabeth May is once again leader of the federal Greens. She ran on a platform proposing to share leadership with Jonathan Pedneault. (Green Party of Canada/Submitted)

Urgency of climate change motivated Elizabeth May in Green Party leadership race

May wins Green Party leadership race on a shared leadership platform with Jonathan Pedneault

Local MP Elizabeth May is once again leader of the federal Greens. She ran on a platform proposing to share leadership with Jonathan Pedneault. (Green Party of Canada/Submitted)
George Burnside shows off his own personalized hell on wheels, a 1965 Ford Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe. For the soft-spoken chef, the vehicle has become a tool to overcome his alcoholism. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. man drives scary clown car to his own personal redemption story

George Burnside’s vintage vehicle brings out the joy of Halloween, anchors his battle with alcoholism

George Burnside shows off his own personalized hell on wheels, a 1965 Ford Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe. For the soft-spoken chef, the vehicle has become a tool to overcome his alcoholism. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Cpt. Jered Blaikie of Central Saanich Fire Department holds up the male tabby he and his colleagues helped rescue Saturday afternoon. (Central Saanich Fire Department/Facebook)

With Pickles: McDonald’s-bound B.C. girl hears cat stuck in engine, sparks 2-year reunion

Young girl on way to McDonald’s helps rescue cat from parked car in Central Saanich

Cpt. Jered Blaikie of Central Saanich Fire Department holds up the male tabby he and his colleagues helped rescue Saturday afternoon. (Central Saanich Fire Department/Facebook)
Last year’s series of atmospheric rivers that caused widespread destruction across southern British Columbia caused $675 million in insurance loses, according to an insurance representative. (File photo courtesy of Emcon)

Insurance industry representative calls for better B.C. flood mapping

2021 atmospheric rivers cost $675M in insurance losses, were Canada’s 8th worst natural disaster

Last year’s series of atmospheric rivers that caused widespread destruction across southern British Columbia caused $675 million in insurance loses, according to an insurance representative. (File photo courtesy of Emcon)
B.C. Liberals leader Kevin Falcon said during his remarks to delegates at the 2022 Convention in Whistler that the province is heading in the wrong direction “by every metric.” (Photo courtesy of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities)

B.C. Liberal leader promises increased housing supply, regional mental health centres

Kevin Falcon says government is not doing enough to supply housing and address health care crisis

B.C. Liberals leader Kevin Falcon said during his remarks to delegates at the 2022 Convention in Whistler that the province is heading in the wrong direction “by every metric.” (Photo courtesy of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities)
Travellers at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond. The aviation industry faces significant challenges, delegates at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention heard. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

UBCM delegates warned of big structural changes facing B.C. airports, aviation industry

Staff shortages, geopolitics and technology all factors behind changes

Travellers at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond. The aviation industry faces significant challenges, delegates at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities Convention heard. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
Delegates at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities in Whistler considered several resolutions on housing Thursday morning. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)

UBCM calls for review of speculation tax, more control over short-term rentals

A Victoria resolution to explore vacancy control failed narrowly at annual municipal convention

Delegates at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities in Whistler considered several resolutions on housing Thursday morning. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)
Provincial minister of municipal affairs Nathan Cullen announced $62 million for City of Abbotsford to help improve water system after last year’s flooding in Fraser Valley. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)

Minister of municipal affairs Nathan Cullen announces climate funding at UBCM

$62 million for new water-treatment system in Abbotsford, $10 million for planning across B.C.

Provincial minister of municipal affairs Nathan Cullen announced $62 million for City of Abbotsford to help improve water system after last year’s flooding in Fraser Valley. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)
2022 UBCM Convention delegates meeting in Whistler are calling on the province to resume authority for diking as part of a trio of special resolutions (Black Press Media file photo)

Communities across B.C. want province to increase flood preparation and mitigation

Special UBCM resolution calls for additional government support to deal with flooding

2022 UBCM Convention delegates meeting in Whistler are calling on the province to resume authority for diking as part of a trio of special resolutions (Black Press Media file photo)
Local governments are asking Victoria to give them a share of a recent settlement with a drug company. (Black Press file photo)

B.C. communities want a slice of $150 million Purdue Pharma Canada settlement

UBCM delegates say drug crisis is chewing up more local resources than they have

Local governments are asking Victoria to give them a share of a recent settlement with a drug company. (Black Press file photo)
The Union of B.C. Municipalities wants B.C.’s hospitals, emergency rooms, and ambulance services are open and available to 24 hours a day. Josh Berson photo

Communities make plea for urgent action to address B.C.’s emergency care crisis

UBCM delegates pass special resolution calling for more government support as ERs face closures

The Union of B.C. Municipalities wants B.C.’s hospitals, emergency rooms, and ambulance services are open and available to 24 hours a day. Josh Berson photo
Union of British Columbia Municipalities president Coun. Laurey-Anne Roodenburg of Quesnel (right) in a question-and-answer session with Coun. Jen Ford of Whistler says municipalities face a set of “massive, complex and in so many cases unprecedented” issues that require systemic changes. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)

B.C. local governments face ‘unprecedented issues’, ‘extreme toxicity in public life’

UBCM president Laurey-Anne Roodenburg says municipalities dealing with massive, complex challenges

Union of British Columbia Municipalities president Coun. Laurey-Anne Roodenburg of Quesnel (right) in a question-and-answer session with Coun. Jen Ford of Whistler says municipalities face a set of “massive, complex and in so many cases unprecedented” issues that require systemic changes. (Photo courtesy of Union of British Columbia Municipalities)
Students returning to campuses across British Columbia including the University of Victoria are paying among the highest tuitions across the country with high housing costs another compounding factor. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

B.C. graduate students pay the second-highest tuitions in Canada

Annual undergraduate tuition in Canada rates rose 2.6 per cent

Students returning to campuses across British Columbia including the University of Victoria are paying among the highest tuitions across the country with high housing costs another compounding factor. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Local MP Elizabeth May is once running for the leadership of the federal Greens on a platform proposing to share leadership with Jonathan Pedneault. (Courtesy of Green Party of Canada)

Elizabeth May takes team approach in comeback Green Party leadership bid

Saanich Gulf Islands MP plans to lead the Greens again with Jonathan Pedneault as co-leader

Local MP Elizabeth May is once running for the leadership of the federal Greens on a platform proposing to share leadership with Jonathan Pedneault. (Courtesy of Green Party of Canada)
Pierre Poilievre, who is leading the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada, filled the main hall at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre Sunday afternoon with an estimated 1,200 poeple in the crowd. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Tory leadership hopeful promises economic autonomy, housing during B.C. stop

Pierre Poilievre speaks to a crowd of more than 1,200 people in Greater Victoria suburb

Pierre Poilievre, who is leading the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada, filled the main hall at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre Sunday afternoon with an estimated 1,200 poeple in the crowd. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Sidney Bakery, like many other local businesses, is looking for additional staff as employers across the country struggle to fill vacancies. According to Statistics Canada, employers were recruiting more than one million vacant positions in June for the third consecutive month. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. has more job openings than unemployed workers to fill them

Province one in four in Canada with an unemployed-to-job-vacancy rate below 1:1

Sidney Bakery, like many other local businesses, is looking for additional staff as employers across the country struggle to fill vacancies. According to Statistics Canada, employers were recruiting more than one million vacant positions in June for the third consecutive month. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Tyson Elder, operations manager for the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank, said the situation is getting desperate in face of food shortages and growing demand as inflation has cut into the budgets of more and more people. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Desperate for food: Food banks in dire need as demand surges across B.C., Canada

Skyrocketing housing prices, inflation forcing more people to access food bank services

Tyson Elder, operations manager for the Saanich Peninsula Lions Food Bank, said the situation is getting desperate in face of food shortages and growing demand as inflation has cut into the budgets of more and more people. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
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