Another salmon farm occupation

Members of two British Columbia First Nations say they have occupied a salmon farm on a small island on the province’s coast, the second such protest to be held in the past week. Chief Willie Moon, also known as Okwilagame, said about 16 members of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw and the Kwikwasutinuxw Haxwamis arrived at the […]

Tourism up in smoke

British Columbia’s tourism industry is taking a hit with businesses reporting rising cancellations and decreased traffic over fears of wildfires. Maya Lange with Destinations BC, the province’s tourism planning and marketing corporation, said Wednesday preliminary results from a survey of businesses in the Kootenay-Rockies region found that 32 per cent are anticipating losses due to […]

Provinces’ labour markets lacking

Labour markets in many of Canada’s provinces are lagging behind those of U.S. states. According to a new Fraser Institute report, Canadian provinces as a whole aren’t creating as many jobs, have higher unemployment and their workers are less productive than their U.S. counterparts. The report, entitled Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United […]

Occupation at salmon farm

A group of First Nations and environmentalists are occupying a salmon farm near Alert Bay, B.C., and say they won’t leave until the provincial and federal governments revoke permits for the facility. Ernest Alfred, a traditional leader from the ‘Namgis, Tlowitsis and Mamalilikulla First Nations, said he and other protesters arrived six days ago at […]

NDP to lay out fiscal plan

British Columbia’s New Democrat government will present its first financial plan on Sept. 11. The update to the provincial budget that Finance Minister Carole James presents to the legislature will be the first by Premier John Horgan’s minority government, which took power after the Liberals were defeated in a confidence vote two months ago. Last […]

Halt Site C: UN panel

A United Nations panel says the construction of British Columbia’s $8.8-billion Site C dam should be halted until there is a full review of how it would affect Indigenous land. The recommendation is contained in a report by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which has completed its periodic review of how […]

Have a beer on the beach

A “picnic protest” at English Bay in Vancouver, Sunday, called for the city to allow drinking on public beaches. The Campaign for Real Ale Society organized the event. “South America, Europe, Australia, Asia, all these places have policies that allow you to have a beer,” spokesman David Perry told CTV. B.C. liquor laws don’t permit alcohol […]

Anger over salmon escape

First Nations in B.C. and Washington state are furious over the escape of thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon on the Pacific Coast. Washington’s Lummi Nation, near Bellingham, has declared a state of emergency over the net spill. The pens broke open over the weekend near Cypress Island. Cooke Aquaculture estimates more than 5,000 fish escaped. “The […]

Chevron unloading stations

Chevron gas stations are shutting down across Vancouver, as the oil company looks to cash in on the city’s sky-high real estate prices. Last week, two Chevron stations in downtown Vancouver closed, after the company offloaded the properties to developers in multi-million-dollar deals. Chevron spokesperson Adrien Byrne says the company will likely shut down three […]

Softwood litigation looms

As softwood negotiations with the United States languish, the Canadian government says it’s readying itself for the next phase of the lumber fight, which has historically been a necessary step in resolving this recurring dispute: litigation. Canada’s ambassador to Washington says the two governments have been working hard to get a deal and will continue […]