Abbotsford news

• North Vancouver dad ticketed for letting underage son ride e-scooter

  19-08-2026 18:36 via abbynews.com
  
  A North Vancouver dad is facing a $109 ticket for letting his underage son ride an e-scooter on a busy stretch of road.A B.C. Highway Patrol officer spotted a small e-scooter rider in heavy traffic on Marine Drive at Pemberton Avenue in North Vancouver on Aug. 4 around 7:15 p.m., according to a news release Wednesday (Aug. 19).
  Police say the rider was wearing shorts, a T-shirt, an oversized helmet and large shoes.
  The officer suspected the rider was underage and stopped him.
  Police learned the
  
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• Man charged with 2nd-degree murder in 2025 Vancouver homicide

  19-08-2026 22:50 via abbynews.com
  
  A man has been charged with second-degree murder nine months after a fatal stabbing in Vancouver.James Christopher Holmgren, 35, was arrested Tuesday (Aug. 18) by Vancouver homicide detectives, Vancouver Police Department announced Wednesday. He was charged by Crown counsel with second-degree murder.Vancouver police were called to the area of Granville and Helmcken streets on Nov. 17, 2025 for reports of a man suffering from a stab wound.The victim, 20-year-old Aymen Al-Hafidh, was transported t
  
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• Emergency preparedness is more than stockpiling water

  19-08-2026 22:38 via abbynews.com
  
  I just watched some footage that made me sit back and take a deep breath.
  It was a social media video of a man driving through Faulder, B.C. on Aug. 11, the entire community — minus a few houses — was gone. It was just not there anymore.
  My first thought was obviously for the people who lived in those homes. Losing absolutely everything like that is literally unimaginable to me. I have no real frame of reference to what that must be like. Over the past twenty years, I’ve been c
  
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• Push to recall Okanagan MLA Tara Armstrong on hold as campaign gathers resources

  19-08-2026 22:32 via abbynews.com
  
  A campaign to recall Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong is being postponed for now as organizers look to accumulate the funds and volunteers they think they’ll need to have her removed from office.The number of signatures the campaign is able to gather in a period of 60 days is what will decide whether the polarizing Independent MLA will be removed, and the campaign’s organizers say they don’t have the resources yet to realistically meet the high threshold of si
  
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• Abbotsford employment rate climbs for first time in 5 months

  19-08-2026 22:10 via abbynews.com
  
  After slowly bleeding jobs for most of the year, the Abbotsford labour market appears to finally be on the mend, with July bringing a slight increase in the employment rate.
  The climb from 61.1 per cent to 61.3 per cent represents a significant momentum shift, with February being the last time the employment rate increased.
  This change was partially due to Abbotsford adding 400 new jobs last month, bringing it up from its lowest point of the year.Despite both the local employment rate and number
  
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• Ukraine’s 35th Independence year brings War Up Close VR to Kelowna

  19-08-2026 22:00 via abbynews.com
  
  As Ukraine marks the 35th year of independence, the ”War Up Close” initiative invites people to experience a virtual reality museum and Children’s Art Showcase taking place on Aug.22.
  The exhibition has already taken place across North America and Europe. In Kelowna, it will take place at The Rotary Centre for the Arts from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  The 360-degree panoramic photography captures the adversary Ukrainian people go through every day. The exhibition takes people to the war
  
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• Drop in B.C. visits ‘damaging’ to Washington State border businesses: survey

  19-08-2026 21:25 via abbynews.com
  
  A new survey of Washington State businesses near the B.C. border said most described the drop in Canadian visits as “damaging.”
  According to the 62 businesses that responded in March and May to the call for comments by the Border Policy Research Institute and the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, 68 per cent agreed or strongly disagreed that the drop in Canadian visits was hurting them, and 52 per cent were worried they may have to close.“We really depend on our neighbor
  
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• UPDATE: Summerland wildfire grows to almost 23,000 hectares as crews brace for strong winds

  19-08-2026 20:52 via abbynews.com
  
  UPDATE (11:30 A.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland continues to grow, with crews now mapping the out-of-control blaze at 22,693 hectares in size.
  A changing weather pattern remains in the forecast for Wednesday, BC Wildfire Service said.
  Crews are also anticipating the fire area to be impacted by stronger and shifting winds on Friday, “which will increase fire behaviour, though conditions are not expected to be as severe as previously forecast,” the provincial service not
  
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• UPDATE: Summerland wildfire grows to 23,000 hectares as crews brace for strong winds

  19-08-2026 20:52 via abbynews.com
  
  UPDATE (11:30 A.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland continues to grow, with crews now mapping the out-of-control blaze at 22,693 hectares in size.
  A changing weather pattern remains in the forecast for Wednesday, BC Wildfire Service said.
  Crews are also anticipating the fire area to be impacted by stronger and shifting winds on Friday, “which will increase fire behaviour, though conditions are not expected to be as severe as previously forecast,” the provincial service not
  
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• Emergency minister says Vernon cadet camp ready to house wildfire evacuees

  19-08-2026 20:32 via abbynews.com
  
  Vernon’s cadet camp will be ready to provide accommodations to wildfire evacuees if required, Canada’s emergency management minister said Tuesday despite previous concerns from a different federal ministry and the local MP about the suitability of the site for housing evacuees.Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski released a statement Aug. 18 saying the training centre stands ready to help people who have had to flee their homes due to wildfires.“The wildfire situatio
  
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• Construction begins on first phase of Abbotsford housing development

  19-08-2026 20:16 via abbynews.com
  
  The first phase of a massive housing development on Eagle Mountain in Abbotsford has officially broken ground.
  Construction in now underway on Vicarro Skyline on the former Vicarro Ranch property.
  Pacific Peak Homes first announced in April 2025 its acquisition of Vicarro Skyline – a 50-home subdivision that is part of the Vicarro development by Diverse Properties.
  The entire development will encompass 383 acres and 1,400 units.
  A press release states that the first phase will consist of h
  
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• Three pro-Khalistan activists in B.C. & Ontario receive ‘duty to warns’ from police

  19-08-2026 19:33 via abbynews.com
  
  Three Khalistan Referendum activists – including one from Surrey – have received warnings from the RCMP about “credible and imminent threats to their lives.”
  Surrey’s Narinder Singh Randhawa received his second ‘duty to warn’ from police on Aug. 16, which is issued when police have identified threats to an individual’s life. Manjinder Singh of Abbotsford and Inderjeet Singh Gosal of Caledon, Ont. also received warnings.The three men were friends wi
  
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• Three pro-Khalistan activists receive ‘duty to warns’ from police

  19-08-2026 19:30 via abbynews.com
  
  Three Khalistan Referendum activists – including one from Surrey – have received warnings from the RCMP about “credible and imminent threats to their lives.”
  Surrey’s Narinder Singh Randhawa received his second ‘duty to warn’ from police on Aug. 16, which is issued when police have identified threats to an individual’s life. Manjinder Singh of Abbotsford and Inderjeet Singh Gosal of Caledon, Ont. also received warnings.The three men were friends wi
  
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• ‘Nothing could compare’: B.C. speed climber breaks 5-second barrier

  19-08-2026 19:30 via abbynews.com
  
  Ethan Flynn-Pitcher has spent years chasing fractions of a second. Last week, all that work finally paid off.
  The 25-year-old Brentwood resident became the first Canadian to break the five-second barrier in speed climbing during a training run at The Boulders Climbing Gym in Central Saanich on Thursday (Aug. 13), stopping the clock at 4.996 seconds.
  Now, he is headed to the World Climbing Pan American Championships in Curitiba, Brazil, from Aug. 22 to 23, where he will try to make the mark offic
  
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• Investigation underway after man seriously injured in Abbotsford arrest

  19-08-2026 19:16 via abbynews.com
  
  The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) is investigating a recent arrest in Abbotsford that resulted in serious injuries to a man.
  An IIO press release states that the incident took place at about 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 at a home on Mouat Drive.
  The release states that officers were responding to a report from a woman who said that a family member had forcibly entered her residence on Mouat Drive, armed himself with a weapon, and threatened the occupants.
  The first officer who arrived
  
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• Small earthquake hits the Okanagan

  19-08-2026 18:57 via abbynews.com
  
  A small earthquake was reportedly felt in the Okanagan on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
  Some Penticton residents were quick to take to social media after feeling a rumble at around 11:20 p.m. Earthquakes Canada said it was a 2.9 magnitude quake, officially touching down about 30 kilometres southeast of the city.
  An earthquake with a magnitude of less than 3.5 is “recorded on local seismographs, but generally not felt,” the federal agency noted.A community intensity reports map supplied by Earthq
  
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• Minimal growth overnight at Ainslie Creek fire in Fraser Canyon

  19-08-2026 18:26 via abbynews.com
  
  Fire behaviour across the Brunswick Complex on Wednesday (Aug. 19) is expected to be similar to Tuesday (Aug. 18), according to the latest update from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).BCWS primarily expects surface fire with the potential for intermittent crowning during peak burning hours.
  Temperatures on Wednesday could be slightly higher and winds from the southwest slightly lower, BCWS said. Higher winds and possible thunderstorms are expected later in the week.Both the Ainslie Creek and Brunswick
  
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• VIDEO: Early morning fire destroys Langley barn

  19-08-2026 18:17 via abbynews.com
  
  A barn burned down early Wednesday morning inLangley.Around 1 a.m. crews were called to the 6900 block of 232 St., arriving to find a large barn fully engulfed in fire with flames and huge plumes of smoke.
  With no hydrants nearby, crews had to shuttle water to the scene.
  A second alarm was called, bringing additional crews to the scene.
  No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
  
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• Man critically injured in Maple Ridge shooting Tuesday night

  19-08-2026 18:12 via abbynews.com
  
  Maple Ridge RCMP found a man with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle in a Maple Ridge residential neighbourhood on Tuesday night, Aug.18.
  At approximately 10 p.m., police frontline officers responded to reports of shots being fired in the 11400 block of 236 Street, in the Cottonwood area.
  Officers at the scene located a 56-year-old male victim inside a parked Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV outside a residence, suffering from an apparent gun shot wound, reported police. The victim was treated by paramedics
  
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• Arson charges laid against West Kelowna woman for Vernon fires

  19-08-2026 18:01 via abbynews.com
  
  A woman has been arrested and charged in connection with two grass fires in Vernon’s Commonage earlier this month.
  Emergency crews were called to the first fire near Bench Row Road Aug. 4, at 1:23 p.m. Shortly after, a second fire was discovered in Carlson Park.
  Investigators believe the fires were human caused and intentionally set.On Aug. 14, a suspect was arrested and subsequently charged with several Criminal Code offences relating to both fires.
  Mariah Banning Baer, 33, of West Kelown
  
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• Empowering girls through hockey: Goldeneyes host two-day camp in Surrey

  19-08-2026 16:58 via abbynews.com
  
  A hockey arena in North Surrey was buzzing with excitement Tuesday (Aug. 18) as young girls learned hockey skills from some of the pros of the Vancouver Goldeneyes.The two-day camp was for girls in four age groups (U9, U11, U13 and U15) at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex, where they learned hockey skills from Vancouver Goldeneyes’ Gabby Rosenthal, Surrey’s Jenn Gardiner, Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell, and Richmond native and Delta Hockey Academy alum Katie Chan, alongside h
  
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• ‘The weather conditions aren’t helping us much’: Bald Range in Summerland wildfire continues to grow west

  19-08-2026 14:34 via abbynews.com
  
  Increased fire behaviour on the western flank continues to pose challenges for crews at the Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland.
  In BC Wildfire Service’s (BCWS) latest video update, released on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Incident Commander Hugh Murdoch said that changing weather conditions have made suppressing the blaze challenging.
  “The weather conditions aren’t helping us much at all,” said Murdoch. “We’re seeing a lot more active fire behaviour in a variety of l
  
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• ‘The weather conditions aren’t helping us much’: Bald Range in Summerland wildfire continues to grow northwest

  19-08-2026 14:34 via abbynews.com
  
  Increased fire behaviour on the western flank continues to pose challenges for crews at the Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland.
  In BC Wildfire Service’s (BCWS) latest video update, released on Tuesday, Aug. 18, Incident Commander Hugh Murdoch said that changing weather conditions have made suppressing the blaze challenging.
  “The weather conditions aren’t helping us much at all,” said Murdoch. “We’re seeing a lot more active fire behaviour in a variety of l
  
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• RCMP sergeant details weapon search in Grand Forks manslaughter trial

  19-08-2026 05:19 via abbynews.com
  
  An RCMP crime scene manager continued his testimony on Aug.18 in a Grand Forks area manslaughter case.
  The accused, 47-year-old Sean Tiessen, is claiming self-defence. He is facing one count of manslaughter in the death of Joshua Lockwood, 33, following an incident that took place at a home shared by the two and Lockwood’s girlfriend, Keera Roberts, at midnight on April 16, 2023.
  The trial began Aug. 10 in Rossland Supreme Court, with jury selection completed the following day.
  According t
  
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• Quilpituk Creek wildfire is reported under control: BCWS

  19-08-2026 05:13 via abbynews.com
  
  The Quilpituk Creek wildfire is currently under control, according to BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  In its latest update, at 5:13 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, the 1,275.7-hectare fire is no longer projected to spread beyond the current perimeter.
  The fire that was discovered on Aug. 1 is believed to be human-caused.
  Earlier on Tuesday, BCWS changed the status from out-of-control to being held, which was attributed to the collaboration between wildfire crews, local fire departments, partners, aviation
  
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• Second annual ‘Abbotsford Bowl’ set for Oct. 23

  19-08-2026 01:41 via abbynews.com
  
  The second annual Abbotsford Bowl featuring the W.J. Mouat Hawks and the Robert Bateman Timberwolves senior high school football teams is officially set for Friday, Oct. 23.
  Last year saw the inaugural clash between the two local programs in the regular season, with Mouat winning 21-6 on Oct. 14 at Bateman Field.
  The Hawks are coming off a regular season that saw them go a perfect 6-0 and advance to the provincial final but lose 26-21 to the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers. Bateman, who moved up to 3A
  
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• B.C. disables employee directory, leaving public in the dark about who works for gov’t

  19-08-2026 01:01 via abbynews.com
  
  The sudden removal of B.C.’s online government directory has left British Columbians with no way to find out who works for the province or how to contact them, despite those employees being paid with taxpayer dollars.
  The Citizens’ Services Ministry implemented the change without warning on Aug. 18, citing cybersecurity threats from phishing attempts. A spokesperson said the move was based on “proactive advice from law enforcement partners, including the RCMP.”
  B.C.&rsquo
  
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• REPAIRERS LIEN ACT: Autorox Automotive Repairs LTD

  19-08-2026 01:00 via abbynews.com
  
  whereas Robert Peter Siebert is indebted to Autorox Automotive Repairs LTD in Vancouver for repairs completed on a 2012 Ford F150 VIN 1FTFW1ET9CFB66097 in the amount of $4752.91 plus costs. The asset will be sold at noon or thereafter on Sept 1/2026, at 136 W71st Ave, Vancouver, V5X4S7 and can be viewed by appointment only. For more information call Autorox Automotive Repairs (604) 832-1371.
  
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• Summerland Strong: B.C. looks to support wildfire evacuees

  19-08-2026 00:31 via abbynews.com
  
  An initiative to show up for Summerland following the devestating Bald Range wildfire is grabbing attention as well as a bottle of wine.
  Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC), along with the BC Restaurants and Food Services Association (BCRFA), Alliance of Beverage Licenses (ABLE) and Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive Association, is encouraging restaurants, retailers and wine lovers from across the province to promote Summerland producers by featuring its wines using #SummerlandStrong.
  Jeff Gu
  
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• Fur-tastic birthday for White Rock woman, 91, as plenty of pups show up for her

  19-08-2026 00:00 via abbynews.com
  
  A steady stream of leashed dogs showed up to help make a White Rock woman’s 91st birthday memorable.Sitting outside Bean Around the World at Johnston Road and Thrift Avenue, Ruth — whose son Chris posted about her birthday and her love of dogs in a social media group, asking for dog guardians to bring their pets by to say hi — was flanked by Chris, his wife Tara, and plenty of the goodest boys and girls.
  With tails wagging, many of the smaller dogs were happy to say ‘hi&r
  
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