British Columbia

Provincial budget earmarks $867 million for mental health and addictions services

VICTORIA - British Columbia Finance Minister Katrine Conroy says this year's budget marks the largest investment in mental health and addictions services in provincial history. The B.C. government is ...

Feb 28, 2023

'Beacon of hope': B.C. advocates cheer free contraception promise in 2023 budget

VICTORIA - British Columbia advocates are celebrating news the province is set to become the first in Canada to make prescription contraception free to all residents this spring, with $119 million ear...

Greg Fry Feb 28, 2023

Deficits and government spending highlight the 2023 British Columbia budget

VICTORIA - Here are highlights of the 2023 British Columbia budget presented Tuesday. All costs are over three years, unless otherwise stated: $6.4 billion in new health spending, including $2.6 billi...

Feb 28, 2023

Here's what people are saying in reaction to the British Columbia budget

VICTORIA - The British Columbia government released a budget Tuesday that promises billions in new spending on health, housing and cost-of-living supports, as well as a return to deficits. Here's what...

Feb 28, 2023

B.C. budget: $4.2B deficit forecast amid new program spending, economic headwinds

The British Columbia government is projecting a more than $4 billion deficit in a 2023-2024 budget packed with new spending aimed at health care and affordability measures.The province earmarked $8.7 ...

Feb 28, 2023

Live explosive device safely removed from busy Kelowna, B.C., shopping area

KELOWNA, B.C. - Traffic is back to normal through central Kelowna, B.C., after RCMP detonated an explosive device found near a busy route in the Okanagan city. A stretch of Highway 97N, also known as ...

Feb 28, 2023

Bhangra has health benefits for kids, but more school programs needed: Doctor

VANCOUVER - When nine-year-old Viaan Deol goes to bhangra lessons twice a week, his favourite part is seeing all the friends he's made from different schools in Surrey, B.C. His mom, Raj Kaur, is thri...

Feb 28, 2023

Vancouver police say right suspect arrested after innocent man mistakenly detained

VANCOUVER - Police in Vancouver say they have arrested the suspect they were searching for when an innocent man was shot with rubber bullets in a case of mistaken identity. A statement from Vancouver ...

Feb 28, 2023

Latest snow on B.C. south coast slams morning commute, brings delays, cancellations

VANCOUVER - Environment Canada has expanded a snowfall warning to cover most of Greater Vancouver before conditions are expected to ease later in the day, but the unexpectedly intense storm quickly ca...

Feb 28, 2023

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy to table her first budget, suggests deficits on way

VICTORIA - British Columbia Finance Minister Katrine Conroy says the provincial budget she'll release today won't be "quite as rosy" with deficits looming in the future. Conroy says the prospect of a ...

Feb 28, 2023