Abbotsford news

• Contaminated fuel caused crash on Bella Bella to Port Hardy flight: TSB

  04-12-2025 23:45 via abbynews.com
  Water-contaminated fuel was the cause of 2023 plane crash that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says “substantially damaged” the the aircraft.
  On Dec. 18, 2023, a Wilderness Seaplanes Ltd. Grumman G-21A Goose amphibious aircraft left Bella Bella to Port Hardy with one pilot and four passengers. Before departure, the plane was refuelled from a fuel drum, but experienced a dual engine failure shortly after take-off, and was unable to maintain altitude.
  The pilot transmitted a
  
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• Pedestrian killed in Abbotsford collision

  05-12-2025 15:55 via abbynews.com
  A pedestrian was killed in a collision overnight in Abbotsford.
  The Abbotsford Police Department said in a social media post that impairment wasn’t a factor and the driver is cooperating with police.
  The incident has closed McCallum Road in both directions between Marshall Road and Cannon Ave as of 7 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 5). Police expect McCallum Road will be closed for several hours.
  More to come.
  
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• B.C. legislative session comes to abrupt end amid Conservative succession drama

  05-12-2025 14:30 via abbynews.com
  The fall session of the B.C. legislature reached an abrupt halt on Wednesday evening as Conservative Caucus infighting enveloped the party and continued resistance to the NDP agenda became insignificant.
  Confusion and disarray had mounted throughout the day after John Rustad refused to step aside as B.C. Conservative leader, despite the party claiming to have removed him from the post. This led to some serious succession strife as Conservative MLAs walked the hallways pledging loyalty to differe
  
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• Record turnout set for biathlon event in B.C.

  05-12-2025 03:00 via abbynews.com
  A provincial record for the sport of biathlon will be established in Vernon this weekend.
  A total of 230 racers will take part in the BC Cup/Odlum Brown Western Series races at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6 and 7.
  “The BC Cup is part of our provincial series, and there’s also a North American Cup which is a different designation race that brings competitors from all over Canada and the United States,” said Roddy Ward, general manager of Biathlon B
  
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• UPDATE: Hwy. 7 near Agassiz re-opened after vehicle incident

  05-12-2025 02:24 via abbynews.com
  Update: 6:32 p.m.
  The highway has reopened.
  Original Story:Highway 7 is closed in both directions due to a vehicle incident near Agassiz.
  At approximately 5:20 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 4) evening, a vehicle incident between Ashton and Wilson Roads in Agassiz prompted the closure of part of the Lougheed Highway. A detour has been set up as emergency crews work in the area.
  Drivers are advised to watch for traffic control.
  More to come.
  
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• TRAFFIC: Vehicle incident shuts down Hwy. 7 near Agassiz

  05-12-2025 02:24 via abbynews.com
  Highway 7 is closed in both directions due to a vehicle incident near Agassiz.
  At approximately 5:20 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 4) evening, a vehicle incident between Ashton and Wilson Roads in Agassiz prompted the closure of part of the Lougheed Highway. A detour has been set up as emergency crews work in the area.
  Drivers are advised to watch for traffic control.
  More to come.
  
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• Family of missing Abbotsford man appeals for public’s help to find him

  05-12-2025 02:00 via abbynews.com
  The daughter of a missing Abbotsford man has issued a plea for the public to help locate him.
  Peter Jones, 69, was reported missing on Oct. 28. His daughter, Jasmine, said in a video released Thursday (Dec. 4) by the Abbotsford Police Department that his family and friends are “very worried and concerned.”
  “My dad is very vulnerable and kind and loving, and we just want to bring him home,” she said.
  Jasmine said her dad suffers from “a little bit of mental illness&r
  
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• Surrey-White Rock MLA Halford steps into B.C. Conservative interim leader role

  05-12-2025 01:03 via abbynews.com
  After a confusing Wednesday in the provincial legislature in Victoria, B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad has resigned and Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford has stepped into the role of interim party leader.
  Rustad resigned Thursday morning (Dec. 4) as the leader of the Official Opposition. The day before, Rustad had repeatedly said he was not stepping down after a group of 20 MLAs called for him to quit on Wednesday (Dec. 3). A statement cited section 11.02 of the party constitution, sayin
  
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• B.C. city opposes provincial bill removing local development technical review

  05-12-2025 00:58 via abbynews.com
  Reacting to alarms raised by staff, White Rock council is formally opposing a provincial bill that would take away municipalities’ powers of technical review of development projects.
  Bill M 216 (also known as the Professional Reliance Act), a bid to streamline the development approval process, would force local governments to accept technical submissions certified by provincially regulated professionals, rather than local oversight, with only limited exceptions.
  But staff are concerned tha
  
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• Murder convict in Surrey 6 slayings found guilty of contempt of court

  05-12-2025 00:00 via abbynews.com
  A man convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the 2007 Surrey Six slayings has now also been found guilty of contempt of court.
  Cody Rae Haevischer is seeking a judicial stay of proceedings related to the murders based on abuse of process. The evidentiary hearing for that commenced on Nov. 4, 2024 and remains underway.
  Justice Martha Devlin on December 3 found him guilty of contempt of court, in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster.
  Six peo
  
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• Bellemare murder trial details exchange of gunfire

  05-12-2025 00:00 via abbynews.com
  The murder trial of Nicholas Bellemare heard detailed ballistic evidence about the shootout between the accused and police on Thursday.
  Bellemare is accused of fatally shooting Ridge Meadows RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien, on Sept. 22, 2023. His trial began in Supreme Court in New Westminster on Monday, Nov. 3.
  On Dec. 4, the court heard the testimony of RCMP Sgt. Robert Sayer of the Integrated Forensic Identification Service.
  A virtual “fly-through” of the Coquitlam apartment was pr
  
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• Abbotsford Canucks hosting Teddy Bear Toss and anniversary this weekend

  04-12-2025 23:58 via abbynews.com
  The illustrious history of the Abbotsford Canucks Teddy Bear Toss will have another chapter written on Saturday (Dec. 6).
  It marks the first-ever Teddy Bear Toss under the Rogers Forum name and the Canucks welcome the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the fifth edition of the event.
  The inaugural Teddy Bear Toss game for the organization occurred on Dec. 4, 2021 and saw the Canucks take on the San Jose Barracuda.However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic fans were not allowed to score following the game
  
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• B.C. transportation ministry changes Kootenay Lake ferry project manager

  04-12-2025 23:53 via abbynews.com
  The B.C. transportation ministry says it is changing project managers for the new Kootenay Lake ferry, which will be four years late and at least $54 million over budget by the time it begins operations in 2027.
  Western Pacific Marine, which operates two ferries on Kootenay Lake, was awarded the new ferry’s contract in 2021. At the time, the ferry construction was due to be completed by 2023 on a budget of $63 million that also included terminal improvements.
  The ministry now says the ferr
  
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• Contaminated fuel caused crash on west coast flight — TSB

  04-12-2025 23:45 via abbynews.com
  Water-contaminated fuel was the cause of 2023 plane crash that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says “substantially damaged” the the aircraft.
  On Dec. 18, 2023, a Wilderness Seaplanes Ltd. Grumman G-21A Goose amphibious aircraft left Bella Bella to Port Hardy with one pilot and four passengers. Before departure, the plane was refuelled from a fuel drum, but experienced a dual engine failure shortly after take-off, and was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot transmitted a
  
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• 4 more grizzly bears captured in Bella Coola

  04-12-2025 23:31 via abbynews.com
  Four additional grizzly bears have been captured by B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) officers as part of the ongoing investigation into a recent attack in Bella Coola.
  According to a social media post, the bears are being examined for any evidence that could connect them to the incident that happened on Nov. 20 in Bella Coola that left four people seriously injured – one adult and three children.
  The victims were among a group of students and teachers who had stopped along a trail n
  
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• FVRD chair to seek 2nd term solutions with ‘collaboration, commitment and creativity’

  04-12-2025 23:23 via abbynews.com
  Patricia Ross, chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) is starting her second term at the helm of the board pledging to view challenges as “opportunities.”
  The FVRD conducted elections for board chair and vice-chair at the Nov. 27 meeting, as required by legislation.
  “Thank you, board members, for electing me as your board chair for another term. I am honoured to be trusted as your chair,” said Ross in the Dec. 4 release from FVRD.
  “During these uncertai
  
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• October brings 9 drug-related deaths to Abbotsford

  04-12-2025 23:00 via abbynews.com
  It looks like Abbotsford isn’t going to see a significant drop in drug deaths this year, with nine more people losing their lives to drug overdoses in October.
  This latest string of fatalities brings the city to a total of 66 drug-related deaths so far this year, which is only nine deaths short of the total experienced in 2024.
  While this might not be a significant change from last year, Abbotsford has seen a major decline in these types of deaths recently, dropping significantly from the
  
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• Irrigation Industry Association of B.C. hands out inaugural awards at event in Abbotsford

  04-12-2025 22:11 via abbynews.com
  Hundreds of irrigation professionals, agricultural producers, tradespeople, exhibitors, and community supporters packed Abbotsford’s Clarion Hotel and Conference Centre last month for the Irrigation Industry Association of British Columbia’s biggest event of the year.
  The IIABC’s 46th annual conference and trade show ran on Nov. 17 and 18 and also featured the group’s inaugural awards ceremony.
  The lifetime achievement award went to former senior engineer for the B.C. Min
  
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• BC Hydro sues Vanderhoof family for blocking work on major transmission line

  04-12-2025 21:56 via abbynews.com
  BC Hydro is taking a Vanderhoof ranching family to court, claiming the family is impeding construction of the $6-billion North Coast Transmission Line (NCTL), one of the federal government’s “nation-building” projects that’s billed as way to power new gas and mining projects in the so-called “golden triangle” in northern B.C.
  A petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Nov. 28 alleges that Kenneth Fawcett, Carolyn Fawcett and a handful of others have wrongfully
  
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• Former Hope Icebreakers hockey player achieves 1,000th NHL game

  04-12-2025 21:31 via abbynews.com
  It was an emotional moment for a former Hope Icebreakers player after reaching heights most NHL players can only dream of.
  New Jersey Devils defencemen Brenden Dillon could barely hold back his tears on Monday, Dec. 1, while talking about playing his 1,000th game in the NHL — making him the 415th player, and the 20th undrafted player, to achieve this in NHL history.
  “I just wanted to get one (game),” Dillon told the Devils after being asked what his younger self would have thou
  
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• Officers cleared in Surrey shooting death of 15-year-old

  04-12-2025 21:23 via abbynews.com
  The parents of Chase De Balinhard finally have some answers in the shooting death of their son.
  The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) released a report Dec. 4 detailing a months-long investigation into the shooting death of the 15-year-old last Feb. 9 in Clayton Heights.
  IIO—B.C.’s police watchdog—found that the two officers who opened fire on the autistic teen were legally justified. The report also noted none of the officers involved in the incident, including t
  
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• Abbotsford Police launch program to tackle extortion involvement

  04-12-2025 21:10 via abbynews.com
  The Abbotsford Police Department has started a new program to help individuals currently involved in, or being recruited into, extortion-related violence.
  Project Disengage is being described by the department as an “intervention and exit program.”
  “Many youths, young adults and individuals are being drawn into these crimes, often lured by promises of quick financial gain or pressured by difficult circumstances,” the APD states in a press release issued on Thursday (Dec.
  
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• Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA Á’a:líya Warbus backs new interim leader for B.C. Conservatives

  04-12-2025 21:03 via abbynews.com
  Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA Á’a:líya Warbus announced her support of the new interim leader of the B.C. Conservatives, stating she believes that John Rustad has done “everything he could.”
  “Today the Conservative caucus officially accepts the resignation of MLA John Rustad as leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, the Official Opposition to the BC Government,” Warbus, who is also the house leader, said in her statement Dec. 4.
  “Tens
  
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• Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA Á’a:líya Warbus accepts resignation of John Rustad for B.C. Conservatives

  04-12-2025 21:03 via abbynews.com
  Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA Á’a:líya Warbus announced her support of the new interim leader of the B.C. Conservatives, stating she believes that John Rustad has done “everything he could.”
  “Today the Conservative caucus officially accepts the resignation of MLA John Rustad as leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, the Official Opposition to the BC Government,” Warbus, who is also the house leader, said in her statement Dec. 4.
  “Tens
  
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• Penticton home to B.C.’s cheapest gas

  04-12-2025 20:58 via abbynews.com
  Filling up your tank is cheaper in Penticton than anywhere else in B.C. on Thursday, Dec. 4.
  That’s according to Texas-based app GasBuddy, which tracks fuel prices across Canada and the U.S.
  Gas prices are currently as low as 113.9 cents a litre in Penticton.
  Other stations in the city are seen offering regular gas for 114.9 cents.
  Gas prices in Salmon Arm come in at the second cheapest in B.C., at 121.9 cents a litre as of 12 p.m.
  Around the Okanagan Valley, prices for regular gas in Kelo
  
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• B.C. ‘Santa Flights’ for kids in hospital cancelled amid contract changes

  04-12-2025 19:45 via abbynews.com
  The annual Santa Flights, which deliver toys to children in hospitals across B.C., will not be happening this year, according to BC Emergency Health Services.
  Paramedic public information officer Brian Twaites told the Surrey Now-Leader that this is due to BCEHS’s contract ending with Helijet, who sponsored the flight.
  “We’re deeply grateful to Helijet for sponsoring these flights over the past 20 years. We know many people across B.C. and beyond have fond memories of the Santa
  
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• Mayor encouraged by meeting with premier over Crofton mill closure

  04-12-2025 19:43 via abbynews.com
  Providing supports for workers at the Crofton pulp mill, which is permanently closing, was the major topic at a meeting of government officials and union leaders in Victoria on Dec. 3.
  North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas said he went into the meeting with low expectations, but was encouraged when Premier David Eby said providing supports for approximately 350 mill workers who will soon be losing their jobs will be a top priority for his government.
  Douglas said officials at the meeting from the Pub
  
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• Worst Christmas Ever stories shared at Abbotsford event

  04-12-2025 19:34 via abbynews.com
  Author and editor JJ Lee, a former CBC Radio journalist, brings his popular anthology series to life with a new event, Worst Christmas Ever, in Abbotsford on Saturday, Dec. 6.
  In three one-hour shows in collaboration with Heritage Abbotsford Society, Lee features live storytelling from contributors from three of the Better Next Year collection of true stories that tackle the pressures of having a “perfect” holiday season with humour, heart and moving insights.
  The Better Next Year an
  
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• Abbotsford man named one of Canada’s favourite crossing guards

  04-12-2025 19:10 via abbynews.com
  For a quarter of a century, Abbotsford’s Pat McDermott has been helping kids make it to and from school safely, and now he’s being celebrated for it.
  Every year, Parachute, the national charity dedicated to injury prevention, has hosted a contest to determine Canada’s favourite crossing guards.
  More than 800 nominations for a total of 126 crossing guards from five provinces were submitted in this year’s contest, which is the most submissions the contest has ever received.
  
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• Mission to partner with Archway on inclusive jobs after ending recycling contract

  04-12-2025 18:25 via abbynews.com
  With 62 job losses on the horizon, the City of Mission is engaging with Archway Community Services on a new contract to help grow inclusive employment opportunities in Mission.
  According to a news release from the city on Wednesday (Dec. 3), the savings from the change to curbside recyclables sorting and depot recycling services will be redirected to a new program for people who face barriers to employment.
  The new contract with Archway Community Services focuses on management of litter and inva
  
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