Abbotsford news

• Abbotsford school locked down after threat of violence

  21-09-2026 22:29 via abbynews.com
  
  Three schools and Abbotsford Recreation Centre were placed under safety precautions Monday morning (Sept. 21) after police received a call with a “potential threat of violence.”
  The Abbotsford Police Department stated in a social media post that the call came in just before 11 a.m. and referenced Yale Secondary.
  “The report prompted an immediate and significant police response to ensure the safety of students, staff, and users of the Abbotsford Recreation Centre,” the pos
  
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• Abbotsford’s Santiago Llarena helps UBC earn win with first touchdown catch

  21-09-2026 23:51 via abbynews.com
  
  Abbotsford’s Santiago Llarena has made an early impact in Canada West football action with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.
  The 2026 W.J. Mouat grad is in the midst of his freshman season with UBC and had a breakout game in his third appearance this season for the T-Birds.
  The 6-5, 235-pound tight end caught his first career CW touchdown pass and racked up 38 yards receiving to help UBC earn the 25-20 win over the fourth-ranked Regina Rams at Vancouver’s Thunderbirds
  
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• No criminality: Woman’s body found 10 years after disappearance near Salmon Arm

  21-09-2026 23:21 via abbynews.com
  
  The remains of a woman missing for more than 10 years have been found.
  The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP announced Monday that Deanna Wertz was located on Sept. 13 in a vast wooded area in the 2000 block of Yankee Flats Road in Salmon Arm.
  Civilian dog trainers were working in the area when human remains were found around 12:30 p.m.The remains were removed and positively identified as those of missing person, Deanna Mildred Wertz.Wertz was originally reported missing to police in the Yankee Flats a
  
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• MLA McInnis rejoins Conservatives

  21-09-2026 23:15 via abbynews.com
  
  Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis is rejoining the Conservative Party of B.C. after briefly sitting as an independent amid internal caucus turmoil.
  McInnis left the party on Sept. 2, citing he could no longer support the “direction, judgement and decisions” of newly-elected party leader Kerry Lynne Findlay.Findlay resigned as party leader on Sept. 20 after an exodus of over a dozen Conservative MLAs since the summer, as common issues included concerns with her leade
  
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• Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA McInnis rejoins Conservative caucus

  21-09-2026 23:15 via abbynews.com
  
  Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis is rejoining the Conservative Party of B.C. after briefly sitting as an independent amid internal caucus turmoil.
  McInnis left the party on Sept. 2, citing he could no longer support the “direction, judgement and decisions” of newly-elected party leader Kerry Lynne Findlay.Findlay resigned as party leader on Sept. 20 after an exodus of over a dozen Conservative MLAs since the summer, as common issues included concerns with her leade
  
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• B.C. Conservatives appoint Lorne Doerkson interim leader as ousted MLAs rejoin party

  21-09-2026 23:00 via abbynews.com
  
  The B.C. Conservative caucus voted to install Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson as interim leader after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned Sunday afternoon.
  “My focus is on moving forward,” Doerkson said. “Last night, my colleagues nominated me to become leader of the official opposition, the interim leader, which I obviously accepted.”
  If Premier David Eby calls a snap election this week, as rumoured, Doerkson would be running to be the next premier.
  Findlay resigned after
  
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• Castlegar cancer survivor alleges unsafe Kelowna hospital stay after surgery

  21-09-2026 21:50 via abbynews.com
  
  A Castlegar breast cancer survivor is sharing some very personal information in the hopes that no one else will have to go through the things she experienced during a stay at Kelowna General Hospital.
  In October 2022, 47-year-old Leslie Chrusch discovered a small lump in her left breast.
  She was nervous, but with no family doctor, wasn’t sure where to turn.
  Thankfully, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Chrusch heard repeated commercials on the radio promoting mammograms. Each t
  
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• B.C. government files lawsuit against OpenAI in Tumbler Ridge shooting

  21-09-2026 20:41 via abbynews.com
  
  B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said Monday (Sept. 21) that the government has filed a lawsuit in California against OpenAI in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting.Sharma said the lawsuit stems from OpenAI’s failure to notify law enforcement after it first became aware of an “alarming” conversation between the shooter and the ChatGPT chatbot.She said the government is seeking accountability and support for community rebuilding efforts, including for a new school.More to come.
  
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• Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce pleased with province’s decision to pause PST expansion

  21-09-2026 20:12 via abbynews.com
  
  The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce has expressed relief that the provincial government has chosen to pause the planned expansion of the provincial sales tax (PST) to professional services.
  The chamber had advocated for the province to abandon the policy back in April and wrote a letter to the minister of finance urging the government to reconsider the measure.
  “This policy doesn’t just affect one sector, it hits every business, particularly small businesses,” stated Alex Mitche
  
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• Pamela Yee enters race for Abbotsford school trustee

  21-09-2026 20:08 via abbynews.com
  Education professional Pamela Yee has entered the race for school trustee in the Abbotsford municipal election.
  Yee, who has worked in the public and private sectors for more than 20 years, said she is passionate about education.
  “I believe it’s advantageous to have someone in the trustee seat who can look at how the system works from all sides and strive to make improvements,” she said.
  Yee is a Simon Fraser University graduate with a bachelor of arts in French. She also earne
  
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• B.C. physician wins woman’s healthcare award

  21-09-2026 19:58 via abbynews.com
  
  Local physician Dr. Unjali Malhotra was recently honoured by the Federation of Medical Women of Canada, earning an award for excellence in women’s healthcare research and education.
  Malhotra, a menopause and women’s health physician based in West Kelowna, was awarded with the Enid Johnson MacLeod Award, which represents national recognition for her work to advance women’s healthcare across the country.
  Malhotra is well-known for her work to grow the women’s healthcare fie
  
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• Conservative MLA logs on to emergency B.C. NDP meeting after accidental email blast

  21-09-2026 19:13 via abbynews.com
  
  A B.C. NDP caucus staffer sent out a notice of an emergency Sunday night caucus meeting to many MLAs outside the party — presumably by mistake — inviting opposition members to what appeared to be an election strategy session.
  At least one B.C. Conservative, Langley-Walnut Grove MLA Misty Van Popta, was able to log on to the 7 p.m. virtual meeting using the Microsoft Teams link provided.
  “People were just starting to log in, and then it got really quiet,” Van Popta said. &
  
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• Quesnel man sentenced for sex crimes against 12-year-old girl

  21-09-2026 19:12 via abbynews.com
  
  A judge in Quesnel sentenced a man to 12 months jail and two years probation on Sept. 17 for touching for a sexual purpose and invitation to touching for a sexual purpose.
  Colton Silas Stump, however, received 364 days credit for time served, resulting in one day custodial sentence, served by his court appearance.
  Judge Michelle Stanford found Stump guilty in September 2023 of the crimes committed between July 1 and Aug. 31, 2019. He was acquitted of a second touching for a sexual purpose charge
  
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• B.C. Conservatives appoint Lorne Doerkson interim leader

  21-09-2026 18:46 via abbynews.com
  
  The B.C. Conservative caucus voted to install Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson as interim leader after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned Sunday afternoon.
  “We thank Lorne for stepping forward to serve during this important transition,” the party said in a statement. “Our caucus and party will now move forward together, focused on providing strong opposition and representing British Columbians across the province.
  Findlay resigned after several tumultuous weeks in which 14 MLAs
  
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• Abbotsford police seize 2 airsoft guns during weapons call

  21-09-2026 17:02 via abbynews.com
  
  Abbotsford police seized a pair of airsoft guns while responding to a weapons call on Saturday night (Sept. 19).
  In a news release on Sunday (Sept. 20), the Abbotsford Police Department said a man was reported carrying an apparent handgun tucked into his waistband in the Station Road area at about 7:35 p.m.
  The man was found near Fraser Highway and 273rd Street. Officers discovered one airsoft gun concealed in the man’s waistband and another inside a briefcase he was carrying.
  In addition
  
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• Skunk in the Kootenay Lake region tests positive for rabies

  21-09-2026 15:13 via abbynews.com
  
  Interior Health is advising that a skunk in the Kootenay Lake region has tested positive for rabies.
  The result was confirmed on September 17, 2026 by IH and the BC Centre for Disease Control. The skunk is believed to have been infectious between August 15 and September 4.
  A number of people who may have been exposed have already been assessed and treated by IH, and IH is asking that anyone within the area who may have had contact with a skunk come forward for assessment.
  Anyone who was bitten o
  
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• VIDEO: 2 bears wander into Hope pharmacy

  21-09-2026 06:26 via abbynews.com
  
  Two bears, including a young cub, wandered into a Hope pharmacy Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20) and the event was caught on camera.A large bear was videoed walking on all fours up and down the aisles, and also resting its head on a pharmacy counter.A small cub scrambled behind the larger bear in the video, which was shared on local Facebook groups.There is audio of someone starting to place a call to 911, explaining there are two bears in the Hope Pharmasave, as the bears activate the doors to leave
  
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• Kerry-Lynne Findlay steps down as leader of B.C. Conservatives

  20-09-2026 22:48 via abbynews.com
  
  Kerry-Lynne Findlay has announced she’s stepping down as leader of the B.C. Conservatives.She posted a statement to social media Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20). It came hours after another defection from her party when Surrey Serpentine MLA Linda Hepner quit caucus.More to come.
  
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• MLA Linda Hepner leaves B.C. Conservative caucus

  20-09-2026 20:40 via abbynews.com
  
  Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner has resigned from the B.C. Conservative caucus, stating a loss of confidence in the party’s leadership.In a message received by a reporter with the Surrey Now-Leader, Hepner said she had decided to resign from the B.C. Conservative caucus effective immediately.
  “I have decided to resign from the Conservative Party of British Columbia caucus effective immediately,” Hepner wrote.Hepner said she remains committed to conservative principles,
  
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• Man arrested in fatal hit-and-run crash in Chilliwack

  20-09-2026 17:08 via abbynews.com
  
  An 80-year-old woman has died of her injuries following a hit-and-run collision on a residential street in Chilliwack.
  The woman was cycling on Portage Avenue and Woodbine Street at about 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 when she was hit by a truck that fled the scene.The driver has been located by police and the vehicle has been seized.RCMP issued information about the crash and the vehicle early the next morning, appealing to the public for any information including video footage in the area around that tim
  
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• Former Chilliwack Museum curator honoured by B.C. Historical Federation for exceptional work

  20-09-2026 14:35 via abbynews.com
  
  A former Chilliwack man has been honour on a provincial level for his decades of work at two museums, including the Chilliwack Museum and Archives.
  Paul Ferguson was presented with an award for Exceptional Service in the Historical Sector by the British Columbia Historical Federation (BCHF). The awards are handed out to people who have given outstanding service in the preservation of B.C.’s history.
  “It’s very humbling,” Ferguson said. “It’s a tremendous act o
  
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• QUIZ: Understanding international trade agreements

  20-09-2026 14:20 via abbynews.com
  
  The United States and Canada are caught in an international trade dispute, with each country imposing tariffs on goods from the other.
  Trade agreements, treaties and other negotiations are part of international relations, and these agreements are often complex.
  At the same time, the effects of these negotiations are felt by all residents of the countries involved.
  How much do you know about the present trade war and about Canada’s economy?
  Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 quest
  
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• B.C. government partners with UBC, McGill to develop life-saving gene therapy for Surrey boy

  19-09-2026 22:19 via abbynews.com
  
  The Ministry of Health annouced Saturday (Sept. 19) that it would work with two Canadian universities to create a personalized gene-editing therapy for a young Surrey boy battling a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disease.
  Gurmoh is a joyful three-year-old boy from Surrey who dreams of becoming a firefighter one day and drives his toy truck around the house while “proudly wearing his fire hat,” but his parents say time is not on his side.
  Gurmoh was diagnosed with spastic paraple
  
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• B.C. arrest involving less-lethal weapons, police dog sparks IIO probe

  19-09-2026 21:37 via abbynews.com
  
  An arrest in Saanich involving the deployment of “less-lethal use of force weapons and a police service dog” has sparked an investigation from the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO).
  The police watchdog is appealing for witnesses to the arrest which took place outside a Saanich home on Woodhall Drive Sept. 18.
  The IIO says Saanich Police Department responded to a call shortly after 10 p.m., about a man involved in a possible assault at the home. Members of the Greater Vict
  
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• VIDEO: Harrison welcomes back John Reischman and the Jaybirds

  19-09-2026 14:30 via abbynews.com
  
  The Season of Performing Arts is set to launch again in Harrison Hot Springs.The Harrison Festival Society announced the Oct. 3 performance of John Reischman and the Jaybirds at Memorial Hall – 290 Esplanade Ave.John Reischman and the Jaybirds last performed in Harrison Hot Springs in 2021. The twice-Juno-nominated band blends original songs with old-time Appalachian music for a unique bluegrass sound. They have produced seven acclaimed albums to date. The band features Reischman’s m
  
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• Golden Ears Provincial Park day-use pass system to be updated

  19-09-2026 05:00 via abbynews.com
  
  Visitors to Golden Ears Provincial Park will need create an account on the BC Parks website to verify their identity.
  This new change to the day-use pass reservation system will take effect on Tuesday, Sept. 22, to strengthen security and improve fair access to passes required not only for Golden Ears Provincial Park, but three other popular provincial parks during peak season.
  The new requirements will be needed for a day-use pass at Garibaldi Provincial Park, Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, and
  
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• Arrest made after stabbing near Nanaimo overdose prevention site

  19-09-2026 02:30 via abbynews.com
  
  Nanaimo RCMP arrested a man in connection to a stabbing near an overdose prevention site in downtown Nanaimo Friday afternoon.
  B.C. Ambulance Service, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and Nanaimo RCMP were called to the 200 block of Albert Street just before 12:30 p.m.
  Reserve Const. Gary O’Brien, media liaison with the RCMP, said the victim of the stabbing suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital as a result of the incident.
  He said staff at the OPS didn’t see what happen
  
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• VIDEO: Abbotsford plainclothes officer wrestles suspected thief to the ground

  19-09-2026 00:38 via abbynews.com
  
  Social media has recently been abuzz with a video showing an Abbotsford plainclothes officer wrestling with a suspect on the ground.
  The recorded incident occurred on Thursday evening (Sept. 17) just before 6 p.m. at the intersection of Townline Road and Maclure Road.
  According to the Abbotsford Police Department (APD), the physical altercation stemmed from a shoplifting incident that occurred in the 3200 block of Mt. Lehman Road.
  Officers responded to a business shortly after 5 p.m., where it w
  
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• Woman killed, man injured after West Coast Express collision in Mission

  19-09-2026 00:24 via abbynews.com
  
  A woman was killed and a man taken to hospital with serious injuries after they were struck by a West Coast Express commuter train in Mission on Thursday evening (Sept. 17).
  According to a statement from Mission RCMP, the incident occurred on the train tracks south of Wren Street at approximately 5:40 p.m. when the train was heading into Mission.“Initial evidence from the scene indicated that a man and a woman had been walking on or near the train tracks, when they were both struck by the
  
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• Break-in at Nanaimo hobby shop nets thief almost $6,000 in Pokémon cards

  19-09-2026 00:00 via abbynews.com
  
  Allan Mah hasn’t left his shop on Bowen Road since it was broken into in the early morning hours of Thursday.
  At 3:50 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, someone smashed through the glass of the front door of All Elite Cards & Games, entered the store and stole eight sealed boxes of Pokémon box sets and some other items that were worth up to $6,000.
  The culprit was in and out in exactly one minute and 37 seconds, according to the store’s security cameras, and was gone before Mah a
  
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