• LETTER: Pamphlets weren’t hate material

    LETTER: Pamphlets weren’t hate material
    Material left at Abbotsford businesses ‘not about hate’The post LETTER: Pamphlets weren’t hate material appeared first on Abbotsford News.
  • Okanagan Humane Society seeks specialized fosters as rescues surge

    The Okanagan Humane Society (OHS) is struggling to find specialized fosters for some of its rescues.
    Cali the pitbull is one example. She was found tied to a park bench, abandoned, and shows signs of being abused by a male.
    After boarding for four weeks at Bark n’ Fly, a dog boarding and daycare facility that partners with the OHS, Cali is still waiting for her last chance at life, her forever home.
    “She’s a year-old pit bull, she’s about 90 pounds, and she’s solid
  • Explosive inside truck leads to drugs, guns seizure in Prince George

    The Explosive Disposal Unit was called to the scene of a traffic stop after a Prince George RCMP officer pulled over a white pickup truck to ensure the driver had a valid license.
    The officer noticed a weapon inside the vehicle while conducting the stop near 1300-block of Pearson Avenue on Jan. 25. Both the driver and the passenger were arrested for possession of a weapon, while police searched the rest of the vehicle.
    Inside on the floor of the passenger seat was what appeared to be an explosiv
  • Abbotsford’s David Sanderson advances to Wings Eating Contest final

    One Abbotsford man is defending city pride later this month by trying to consume two pounds of chicken wings as quickly as humanly possible.
    Abbotsford’s David Sanderson beat out a handful of local competitors at the Abbotsford Wings Eating Contest qualifier on Jan. 29 to advance to the final at Wings Port Moody on Feb. 26.
    Sanderson has already wona $100 Wings gift certificate, free wings for a year and a spot in the Abbotsford’s location hall of fame for his monumental achievement
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  • B.C.’s online ‘virtual counter’ court registry service now fully operational

    B.C.’s new online “virtual counter” court registry service is now fully operational and available for people to use provincewide.
    The program, introduced as a pilot project in 2024, allows people to connect with court registry staff via video chat or phone.
    “Navigating the justice system can be challenging, especially for people who face barriers accessing in-person services,” Attorney General Niki Sharma said in a Wednesday (Feb. 4) news release. “People need
  • Richmond MLA Steve Kooner running for B.C. Conservative leadership

    Richmond-Queensborough MLA Steve Kooner has announced his intention to run for the B.C. Conservative leadership.
    Kooner posted to social media Tuesday (Feb. 3) that he was running to “Bring Back B.C.,” his slogan for the campaign.
    “After years of economic decline, attacks on property rights and parental authority, and growing disorder in our communities, it’s clear: this government has lost its way,” Kooner said in his post. “Through hard work, I earned the tr
  • Book recounts Summerland woman’s transgender story

    A book by a transgender woman from Summerland retells her story of finding what she calls “gender joy.”
    On Feb. 3, Dee McWatters held a launch party for her book, “Sorry I Was Such a D!ck When I Had One!” The event was held at Cannery Brewing in Penticton.
    McWatters’ book was released in October. On Feb. 3, it was on the shelves of Coles in Penticton and Mosaic Books in Kelowna, and will soon be available at Indigo in Kelowna. It is available in paperback and ebook
  • REVIEW: Fun new sing-along concert celebrates Canadian songs in Surrey

    A crowd in Surrey was first to see, hear and sing along to a new all-Canadian concert created by the Piano Heist duo of Patrick Courtin and Nico Rhodes.
    Sadly, Surrey Arts Centre’s 400-seat Main Stage theatre was only half full for the debut of their entertaining and very interactive Great Canadian Sing-A-Long show on Saturday, Jan. 31.
    Lyrics for a wide range of Canadian hits — from Stan Rogers’ old “Barrett’s Privateers” to The Weeknd’s newish “B
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  • Another term as Katzie chief for Grace George

    Chief Grace George will be leading the Katzie First Nation until 2028.
    George was uncontested in her role following a nomination meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29, meaning she will remain as Katzie First Nation Chief for the next two years – her fifth term in the position.
    Elections take place every two years.
    George, then Cunningham, was first elected as Chief in 2018, with 151 votes, over incumbent Susan Miller, who received 99 votes.
    In 2020 she was acclaimed to the top job with no other nom
  • Abbotsford Canucks players head to Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

    It’s set to be a Valentine’s Day to remember for Abbotsford Canucks forwards Anri Ravinskis and Lukas Reichel.
    The duo are forgoing chocolates, flowers and candlelit dinners in exchange for the biggest hockey tournament in the world at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
    Ravinskis and Team Latvia take on Reichel and Team Germany in a crucial Group C game that day, which could determine playoff seeding. The pair are the first-ever Abbotsford Canucks to compete at the Olympics.
    Ra
  • Multiple Coquitlam schools under hold-and-secure after alleged threats

    RCMP say multiple schools in the Coquitlam School District have been placed under a hold-and-secure following alleged threats.
    Coquitlam RCMP officer are responding after police received multiple reports of alleged threats at various schools throughout the district Wednesday (Feb. 4), according to a news release from police.
    The affected schools have been placed under a hold-and-secure and Coquitlam RCMP are on scene.
    The release adds that as the incident is “active and unfolding, no furth
  • Hold-and-secure lifted at Coquitlam schools after alleged threats: RCMP

    RCMP say hold-and-secures at Coquitlam schools have been lifted, but officers remain on scene out of an abundance of caution.
    Coquitlam RCMP Insp. Veronica Fox provided an update Wednesday afternoon following muliple alleged threats at various schools in the Coquitlam school district.
    “We want to assure the public that every measure will be taken to identify the origins of these threats,” Fox said. “All of the affected schools have been cleared and the hold and secures have bee
  • ‘Wild’ documentary debuts on brothers found living off grid in B.C.

    One of the most unique stories from the North Okanagan this century is being brought to the world of streaming.
    The two-part documentary Wild Boys: Strangers in Town debuts on the streaming app Paramount+ Feb. 18.
    The documentary relives the tale of two brothers who were found to be living in the woods behind the Kal Lake Store in Coldstream in 2003. Residents and media referred to them as The Bush Boys.The pair told locals they had lived in isolation all of their lives, and were taken under the
  • B.C. film captures ‘imperfect and messy’ reality of disability and family

    As the son of parents who both live with cerebral palsy, Victoria filmmaker Cory Thibert had never seen a family like his depicted in movies.
    So, he set out to make his own.
    His coming-of-age film, Mildlife, which premieres in Canada at the upcoming Victoria Film Festival, is based on that lived experience: growing up in low-income housing, struggling with identity and depression, and finding an outlet as a drummer in a “screamo” band.
    Thibert wanted his first narrative feature to be
  • Media exclusion from Vancouver decampment ‘unlawful’: Human rights commissioner

    A new report from B.C.’s human rights commissioner finds the creation of a media “exclusion zone” during the April 2023 police take-down of the East Hastings Street homeless camp in Vancouver was “unlawful.”
    “I conclude that the zone had the primary purpose of preventing safety concerns, including issues associated with the protests,” said Kasari Govender, B.C.’s human rights commissioner, in a Wednesday (Feb. 4) press conference. “However, t
  • Charge upgraded in Abbotsford hotel homicide

    Charges have now been upgraded for a man accused of killing a 30-year-old woman in an Abbotsford hotel on Jan. 15.
    Sondeep Gill, 26, was initially charged with second-degree murder but the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced on Wednesday (Feb. 4) that the charge has been upgrade to first-degree murder.
    Gill also faces a charge of indignity to human remains.
    Sgt. Freda Fong of IHIT said after Gill’s arrest and initial charges, police continued to investigate.
    “Murd
  • Appeal denied for Abbotsford man sanctioned by securities commission

    An Abbotsford man has lost his bid to appeal a decision by the B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) that imposed sanctions on him last year.
    Kuldeep Sidhu was convicted of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in the United States in 2021.
    The BCSC then imposed sanctions on him in September 2025 that prohibit Sidhu from “becoming or acting as a director or office of any issuer or registrant” or “advising or otherwise acting in a management or consultative capacity in connection wi
  • Abbotsford home prices continue to fall as new listings flood the market

    It looks like the Abbotsford housing market is starting the new year with more of the same, as prices and sales continued to decline in the latest report from the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB).
    In January, home sales took an especially big hit, dropping double-digit percentages from December for all three property types.
    The biggest monthly change was among detached homes, which sold 45.5 per cent less than in December and 30.2 per cent less than in January 2025.
    Townhouses were a clos
  • Peachland, B.C. named Canada’s Kindest Community

    Canadians are known to be nice but what town is the nicest in the country? That question has now been answered.
    A nation-wide contest held by Coca-Cola Canada has named Peachland as Canada’s Kindest Community. On top of the honour, the Central Okanagan Foundation was awarded $100,000 by Coca-Cola and Coke Canada Bottling, from the Community Foundations of Canada, which will be used to support Peachland.
    The annoucement was held at the Rotary Pavilion Heritage Park on Wednesday morning, Feb
  • B.C. man researched suicide methods days before his family’s deaths: Coroner’s Inquest

    The third morning of a coroner’s inquest into the deaths of a Prince Rupert family in 2023 has revealed startling phone searches from the father, Christopher Duong, just days before the family of four was found dead.
    Inquest counsel, Steven Liu, shared two searches from Duong’s phone as evidence, with the first search being “painless ways to kill yourself” and the second being “where are the biggest arteries.”
    Liu then asked witness Dr. Gerald Belgardt, who co
  • No tsunami expected for B.C.’s coast after 4.4-magnitude earthquake in Alaska

    A tsunami is not expected after a 4.4-magnitude earthquake in Alaska Wednesday.
    The U.S. National Weather Service Tsunami Alerts posted to X that the earthquake hit at 7:25 a.m. on Feb. 4. It was originally listed as a 4.3-magnitude quake.
    Emergency Info B.C. said there is no tsunami threat to B.C.
    The earthquake hit about 92 kilometres west northwest of Anchorage and 885 kilometres west of Whitehorse, Yukon at a depth of 82.3 kilometres.
    The U.S. Geological Service says 179 people reported feel
  • B.C.’s Vernon Vipers seek to snap skid in Alberta

    The Vernon Vipers kick off a three-game B.C. Hockey League Alberta road trip with what could be a tight contest.
    The Snakes are in Spruce Grove to play the Saints tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 4. Spruce Grove has won the previous two meetings this year, 3-2 in Vernon and 5-4 at home, and all but one of the six career matchups between the two squads has been decided by a goal.
    The other was a 4-2 Vipers win at Kal Tire Place in 2024-25.
    Vernon is trying to snap an eight-game losing streak, and the Vip
  • B.C. First Nation withdraws consent for major North Coast propane export facility

    The Metlakatla First Nation has withdrawn its consent for the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility (REEF) project.
    In a release this morning (Feb. 4), Metlakatla said its consent for the $1.35 billion project now under construction in Prince Rupert Harbour was “unlawfully obtained,” citing an “undisclosed” exclusivity agreement between the project proponents (Altagas and Royal Vopak) and the Prince Rupert Port Authority.
    “In 2015, the Prince Rupert Port Authority (P
  • Yukon University exit forces contingency shift for 2026 Arctic Winter Games

    Yukon University has withdrawn from its role as a hub for the 2026 Arctic Winter Games, prompting organizers to rework major operational plans less than 40 days before athletes arrive in Whitehorse.
    The university and the 2026 Arctic Winter Games Host Society announced the decision Feb. 2, ending agreements for food services, venue access and several Games‑time operations originally slated for the Ayamdigut campus.
    The university said in a news release that it could not secure clarity arou
  • Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman to run for Conservative leadership

    Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman has announced that he will run for the leadership of the B.C. Conservatives.
    Banman has launched a website for his campaign, listing several reasons why he is running, including “to put our Party’s house in order, put grassroots members in charge of Party affairs and position B.C Conservatives for victory.”
    He also states that he wants to repeal DRIPA (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act) and push for the reversal of the 2025 B.
  • B.C. Interior’s Sunrise Expansion Program gets nod from Canadian Energy Regulator

    Enbridge’s Sunrise Expansion Program has cleared the final regulatory hurdle pending federal approval.
    On Jan. 30, 2026, the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) recommended the approval of the project, which will see the Westcoast Pipeline system be expanded across B.C. In a release, the CER said the project is in the public interest, and it recommends a certificate be issued to authorize the project.
    The Sunrise Expansion Program will create 11 new natural gas pipeline loops, totalling 139 ki
  • Let the (Olympic) Games begin for Vernon, B.C., skier

    Three knee surgeries. Long rehabilitation. Setbacks. Doubts.
    The last four years for Vernon freestyle skier Elena Gaskell have been a fight.
    But she didn’t tap out.
    No, Gaskell worked her butt off coming back from two devastating injuries to earn a spot on Canada’s Olympic Freestyle Ski Team.
    The Olympics start this Friday in Milano Cortina, Italy.
    “It still doesn’t feel real,” said Gaskell, 24, in an Instagram interview after being named to the team. She’ll c
  • B.C. clinical trial shows promising signs for prostate cancer treatment

    A clinical trial underway in Victoria could help men with prostate cancer spend less time in hospitals and more time living life.
    The five-month-old pilot, called ADAPT-25, uses artificial intelligence and high-precision radiation to target cancerous cells – a process that affects healthy tissue less than typical radiation and reduces treatment from sometimes 40 visits over several weeks to just two days.
    “In the past, curative radiation treatments … have been very inconvenien
  • Transit bus evacuated in Surrey due to reports of person with a gun

    An 18-year-old man on a bus was taken into custody in Surrey Tuesday evening, after a passenger called police to report he was carrying what appeared to be a firearm.
    Around 6:17 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 3), a passenger on the bus travelling along 160 Street and Fraser Highway called 9-1-1 to report a young man asleep with what appeared to be a firearm in his possession, Metro Vancouver Transit Police said in an email.
    Surrey RCMP and Transit Police officers attended and, out of abundance of caution,
  • Transit bus evacuated in Surrey due to report of person with a gun

    An 18-year-old man on a bus was taken into custody in Surrey Tuesday evening, after a passenger called police to report he was carrying what appeared to be a firearm.
    Around 6:17 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 3), a passenger on the bus travelling along 160 Street and Fraser Highway called 9-1-1 to report a young man asleep with what appeared to be a firearm in his possession, Metro Vancouver Transit Police said in an email.
    Surrey RCMP and Transit Police officers attended and, out of abundance of caution,

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