Abbotsford news

• Local libraries offer interactive digital novel

  21-08-2018 15:00 via abbynews.com
  
  Inanimate Alice uses virtual reality systemsThe post Local libraries offer interactive digital novel appeared first on Abbotsford News.
  
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• Fraser Valley blues-rock band to release ‘soulful, electric’ debut album in Chilliwack

  07-02-2026 14:30 via abbynews.com
  A new Fraser Valley blues-rock band that recorded its first album featuring all original music, shot a music video, and played nearly two dozen shows all within one year, is having a CD release party in Chilliwack.
  The Andrew Michael Blues Band will bring its debut album to fans on Feb. 28 at Red Chillies Sports Bar.
  “A lot of these songs are blues rock, but you’ll find influences of ’60s, ’70s British blues, American blues,” said lead singer and guitarist Andrew Mi
  
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• FireSmart funding running dry has B.C. fire chiefs worried

  07-02-2026 14:15 via abbynews.com
  Surprised and devastated.
  That was West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund’s initial reaction to hearing about changes to the FireSmart program due to a lack of funding.
  The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports (FCFS) program closed its intake application on Jan. 30, according to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
  “To hear that the funding is abruptly not being replenished is really concerning for us,” said Brolund. “We know our community is no stranger to wildfire.
  
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• Canadian authorities weighing extradition after Nathan Chasing Horse’s U.S. conviction

  07-02-2026 02:30 via abbynews.com
  The Canadian charges against Dances With Wolves actor and self-described medicine man Nathan Chasing Horse remain unresolved despite his recent conviction in the United States.
  Chasing Horse, also known as Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse, 49, was convicted by a jury in Nevada on Jan. 30 of 13 charges out of the 21 sworn against him in that state.
  The charges include multiple sexual assaults of multiple women, with some of the charges involving them when they were still minors.
  The conviction is not
  
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• District of Hope only aware of ‘portion’ of tree removal on hospital land

  07-02-2026 01:47 via abbynews.com
  The District of Hope was only aware of a portion of the hospital’s planned tree removal, says senior staff.
  John Fortoloczky, chief administrative officer, told The Hope Standard that the district had not been aware of the full scope of the removal taking place by the Fraser Canyon Hospital and Fraser Hope Lodge. Due to this both the district and the Coquihalla Campground operator will be doing an assessment to see how the campground will be impacted.
  “The District was aware of only
  
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• B.C. mayor discusses extortion crisis during ‘productive week’ in Ottawa

  07-02-2026 01:16 via abbynews.com
  Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke met with federal leaders in Ottawa this week to ensure the federal government understood “the severity of the extortion crisis in Surrey” – but there’s no word on the declaration of a national state of emergency.
  There have been 46 reports of extortion, 11 extortion-related shootings and 29 victims (17 of whom are repeat) in 2026 alone, Surrey Police said Monday (Feb. 2).
  “I am encouraged by the level of engagement and commitment I heard in
  
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• Former B.C. man convicted for trafficking that led to OD deaths of U.S. navy officers

  07-02-2026 01:06 via abbynews.com
  A former Vancouver man could be facing a minimum of 20 years in a U.S. jail after he was convicted for trafficking opioids on a dark-web platform that led to the overdose deaths of two U.S. Navy members.
  Paul Anthony Nicholls, a British national, was convicted on Jan. 29 in Georgia for one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances resulting in death and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death after a four-day trial, according to a release from RCM
  
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• 11 extortion-related incidents in Abbotsford so far in 2026

  07-02-2026 00:37 via abbynews.com
  The Abbotsford Police Department says there have been almost 90 extortion-related incidents in the city since November 2023, including 11 so far in 2026.
  APD media officer Sgt. Paul Walker said 10 incidents involved shots being fired, but the majority have been non-violent.
  Walker released more statistics on Friday afternoon (Feb. 6), including that in the last three months of 2025 police conducted 1,820 patrols and safety checks at homes and businesses related to victims of extortion, implement
  
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• Summerland non-alcoholic winery receives $1M investment on Dragon’s Den

  06-02-2026 23:52 via abbynews.com
  A Summerland-based winery, producing dealcoholized wines, got a national spotlight and a million dollars infused into the business after appearing on the Dragon’s Den tv show.
  Chris Pagliocchini and Tyler Harlton of Ones winery offered an investment of $900,000 for a 10 per cent share of their business.
  Manjit Minhas, who is part of Canada’s beverage industry, countered the Ones proposal with a bid of $1 million for 15 per cent of the business, which they accepted.
  The epsiode aired
  
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• B.C. women among 30 selected for Canada Rugby tour to Europe

  06-02-2026 23:30 via abbynews.com
  Seven players from B.C. are among the 30 women named to represent Canada’s U21 Rugby Team for three test matches in Ireland and England this spring.
  Canada will play Ireland on March 15 in Dublin, then travel to London to face the British Army on March 20, before finishing the tour with a match against England on March 25.
  The team’s head coach for the tour is Dean Murten of the UBC Thunderbirds program in Vancouver, and all seven provincial players selected to the squad play for UBC
  
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• B.C. seeks leave from Supreme Court of Canada to appeal DRIPA decision

  06-02-2026 23:00 via abbynews.com
  B.C. has applied to the Supreme Court of Canada to review the December provincial appeals court decision that invalidated part of the Mineral Tenure Act for failing to align with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
  The 2019 Declaration Act, commonly referred to as DRIPA, and the subsequent 2021 Interpretation Amendment Act, legislate that all B.C laws must be made consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a 2007 declaration
  
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• City looking at property-tax increase of 4.94% in Abbotsford for 2026

  06-02-2026 22:51 via abbynews.com
  The City of Abbotsford is looking at its lowest proposed property-tax increase in four years.
  The rate recommended by city staff for this year is 4.94 per cent (a 4.44 per cent tax revenue increase plus a .5 per cent infrastructure levy) – a one per cent drop from the tax increase in the previous budget.
  The 2025 budget had a 5.98 per cent increase, while 2024 saw 5.12 per cent.
  The 2023 budget also had a tax increase of 5.98 per cent – the highest in years.
  This compares to 3.49 per
  
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• Hope indoor skate park trying to raise $30,000 by April to stay open

  06-02-2026 22:38 via abbynews.com
  A beloved indoor skate park in Hope may shut down if it can’t raise $30,000 by April.
  Due to 2025 being a tough economic year for it, HMI Skate Park has fallen behind on its finances and has until April 30 to raise the money it needs. If it’s unable to do so, the skate park may be unable to renew its three-year lease and will be forced to close.
  “To me, this skate park is a place where I belong,” said Brett Devloo, executive director of the HMI Skate Park Society. He is a
  
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• New RCMP Lower Mainland district commander announced

  06-02-2026 21:45 via abbynews.com
  There’s a new commander in town.
  The BC RCMP announced Friday (Feb. 6) that assistant commissioner Elija Rain has been selected as Lower Mainland District Commander.
  Rain is an experienced member of the RCMP with 30 years of service, all of which have been in the Lower Mainland, a release noted. He has spent his career in units throughout the division, most recently as the deputy criminal operations officer of BC RCMP Major Crimes.
  Rain has worked in operational, investigational and admini
  
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• Wells local business named BC Hydro’s Clean Energy Champion

  06-02-2026 21:36 via abbynews.com
  After nearly 30 years in business, Frog on the Bog gift shop is being recognized for its groundbreaking adoption of clean energy.
  On Friday, Feb. 6, the company was named a BC Hydro Clean Energy Champion for becoming the first small business in the province to install a small-scale battery backup system while being in one of B.C.’s most remote towns.
  Owned by Dave Jorgenson and his wife Cheryl McCarthy, Frog on the Bog tested a commercial scale battery designed for small enterprises. The s
  
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• Aggravated assault charge dropped against Yukon’s Gavin McKenna

  06-02-2026 21:36 via abbynews.com
  The charge of aggravated assault against the projected no. 1 pick in this summer’s National Hockey League entry draft has been withdrawn.
  In a press release from the district attorney’s office in Center County, Pennsylvania released on Friday, Feb. 6, it stated that after a review of video surveillance from the incident, it has been determined that the charge of aggravated assault against Gavin McKenna of Whitehorse was not supported by the evidence.
  Both the district attorney and Pe
  
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• Abbotsford harm-reduction site not renewing lease; no new location found

  06-02-2026 21:19 via abbynews.com
  An Abbotsford program that offers overdose prevention and health services is closing the doors at its current location on March 31 after a decision to not renew its lease.
  The Abbotsford Community Hub – operated by the Phoenix Society at 32883 South Fraser Way – has so far been unable to find another location, said CEO Justine Patterson.
  She said the decision to not renew the lease is due to several factors, including cost.
  As well, Patterson said the current space has increasingly b
  
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• Howard Wong Farms reopening in Abbotsford

  06-02-2026 20:52 via abbynews.com
  A business with close to half a century of history in Abbotsford is reopening its doors next month.
  Representatives from Howard Wong Farms Inc. have announced a relaunch date of March 7 for the farmer’s market located at 5486 Riverside St. in Matsqui.
  View this post on InstagramA post shared by Howard Wong Farms (@howardwongfarms)The business was established in 1975 and offer fruit, veggies, bee products, dairy items and more.
  Howard Wong Farms initially closed at the end of December 2023
  
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• Tepid job growth shows continued weakness of B.C. economy as budget looms

  06-02-2026 20:30 via abbynews.com
  B.C.’s economic outlook remains stagnant as the province puts the finishing touches on an annual budget that both the premier and finance minister have acknowledged will include “tough” spending cuts.
  The latest jobs report shows B.C.’s unemployment rate has fallen slightly, down 0.2 percentage points to 6.1 per cent, but that’s partly because people are leaving the province and fewer people are participating in the labour force.
  Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ra
  
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• Interactive Queen-themed concert comes to Abbotsford

  06-02-2026 20:25 via abbynews.com
  Choir! Choir! Choir! doesn’t just want to rock you; they also want you to help rock others as part of the group’s new world tour, which comes to Abbotsford on Valentine’s Day.
  This Canadian duo has toured all over the world with their unique show that makes every audience member a part of the performance.
  At the start of the show, founders Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman will take the audience through the songs that will be performed that night and teach them which parts to sin
  
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• OPINION: The chamber network and the case for better business dialogue in B.C.

  06-02-2026 20:17 via abbynews.com
  Many of the rules that govern businesses are made without a clear view of how work happens on the ground in local communities. A small family-run retailer in Duncan operates in a very different reality than a forestry operator in Quesnel, an agri-food exporter in Abbotsford, or a tourism business in Revelstoke.
  Yet provincial policy must account for this diversity across a vast and varied geography. Sound policy acknowledges these differences and works to balance them. It emerges by listening an
  
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• ‘Unusual’: Save-On-Foods glad no one hurt in coconut theft at B.C. newspaper

  06-02-2026 20:00 via abbynews.com
  Following the fruity fiasco that transpired last month outside the Revelstoke Review office, when an unidentified coconut caper smashed the newspaper cash box for just a few dollars, a grocery company where the coconut may have been purchased has voiced its surprise.
  The tropical fruit-wielding wrongdoer committed a very creative and surprising act of mischief sometime around the weekend of Jan. 10 and 11, though they may have been disappointed to learn their coconut was worth more than the coin
  
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• Toxic drains and Glock pistols: ruling reveals details of local gun maker’s arrest

  06-02-2026 20:00 via abbynews.com
  When police raided an Abbotsford home in search of evidence linked to 3D gun printing and drug trafficking, they walked into a cloud of noxious of gas.
  Several details of the raid that would lead to the guilty plea and eight-year prison sentence for Tyson Santolla, 36, were revealed in a judge’s sentencing ruling published by the B.C. Supreme Court on Feb. 5.
  Santolla was arrested in May of 2021 during investigation by the B.C. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), an anti-gang
  
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• Toxic drains and Glock pistols: ruling reveals details of Abbotsford gun maker’s arrest

  06-02-2026 20:00 via abbynews.com
  When police raided an Abbotsford home in search of evidence linked to 3D gun printing and drug trafficking, they walked into a cloud of noxious of gas.
  Several details of the raid that would lead to the guilty plea and eight-year prison sentence for Tyson Santolla, 36, were revealed in a judge’s sentencing ruling published by the B.C. Supreme Court on Feb. 5.
  Santolla was arrested in May of 2021 during investigation by the B.C. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), an anti-gang
  
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• Traffic alert: Week-long bridge closures over Fraser River start Friday night

  06-02-2026 19:32 via abbynews.com
  Drivers are reminded that both Pattullo and Stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) bridges will be closed for a week starting tonight (Friday) at 8 p.m., meaning no direct connection for vehicles between Surrey and New Westminster.
  Motorists can use Port Mann or Alex Fraser bridges instead, meaning more traffic on both.
  N19 NightBus trips will be rerouted between New Westminster and Scott Road stations, with extra buses in service. SkyTrain service on the Expo and Millennium lines will sta
  
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• B.C. Lamborghini driver clocked at 197 km/h on Alex Fraser Bridge

  06-02-2026 19:08 via abbynews.com
  A 51-year-old man has lost his Lamborghini SUV for a week after driving more than twice the speed limit on the Alex Fraser Bridge.
  Around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4, police radar recorded the vehicle travelling at 197 km/h in a 70 km/h zone while heading north over the bridge.
  “Some drivers seem to think that bridges are free from speed enforcement. That is a foolish and dangerous assumption. Bridges are no strangers to deadly collisions,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Pat
  
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• Abbotsford’s Carter Loewen representing Canada at World Baseball Classic

  06-02-2026 18:26 via abbynews.com
  Abbotsford’s Carter Loewen has been named to Team Canada for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
  The Yale Secondary grad and former Abbotsford Cardinals pitcher was one of 30 players announced as part of the team on Thursday (Feb. 5).
  Canada competes in Pool A, held in Puerto Rico with games scheduled against Colombia (March 7), Panama (March 8), Puerto Rico (March 10), and Cuba (March 11). The top two teams in Pool A will advance to the quarter-final round in Houston. Baseball Canada ann
  
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• B.C.-based wildfire protection company expands to the Maritimes

  06-02-2026 17:30 via abbynews.com
  Wildfires can strike any community throughout the warmer months, even in places that might not experience wildfire season too often.
  To get ahead of wildfire protection before it happens, a Kelowna-based wildlife protection company is expanding to help Canadians on the Atlantic coast.
  WASP Wildfire is expanding as it announced the launch of WASP Wildfire Atlantic on Thursday, Feb. 5, which will cover New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
  “We’re excited to bring our ex
  
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• Orange shirt inspiration to celebrate historic milestone with 2026 B.C. graduates

  06-02-2026 17:13 via abbynews.com
  A St. Joseph’s Mission residential school survivor hopes to celebrate a historic step in education and reconciliation with upcoming high school graduates across the province this spring.
  Phyllis Webstad helped inspire a national movement nearly 13 years ago when she shared her story in Williams Lake of her shiny orange shirt purchased by her grandmother being taken away on her first day at the notorious school. Thousands of First Nations children were forced to attend the St. Joseph’
  
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• PHOTOS: Rhythmic gymnastic queens display heart from across B.C.

  06-02-2026 17:00 via abbynews.com
  The queens of the floor put on a powerful performance in Vernon.
  RISE Gymnastics Academy hosted the annual Queen of Hearts rhythmic gymnastics competition Jan. 23 to 25 at the Vernon Recreation Complex, a competition that brought 175 athletes from 10 clubs around the province to the North Okanagan.
  “Hosting an event of this scale here in Vernon shows how much our local rhythmic gymnastics community has grown and how strong the sport is across the province,” said RISE, which merged in
  
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