The Office of the Ombudsperson has released an updated edition of its Open Meetings: Best Practices for Local Governments guide, designed to support municipalities, regional districts, and other local governments in meeting their legal obligations to hold meetings that are open, accessible, and transparent. Originally published in 2012, the guide has been comprehensively updated to reflect legal, […]

Libraries across British Columbia are working to ensure everyone can access information, ideas and services. Building on this commitment, 13 public libraries in the Columbia Basin are receiving more than $990,000 from Columbia Basin Trust to complete projects that reduce barriers for people with diverse abilities. “Whether a Basin resident wants to borrow a novel, […]

The 2026 property assessments, which reflect market value as of July 1, 2025, have been announced for property owners of nearly 450,000 properties throughout the Southern Interior. The updated property values are now available at bcassessment.ca in addition to 2026 Property Assessment Notices being mailed to each property owner. “For 2026, most homeowners can expect […]

A Porsche, a rented Volkswagen, and a Subaru have started the New Year in an impound lot thanks to three excessive speeding stops from a single BC Highway Patrol officer in one day on the Sea to Sky Highway. Late in the morning on December 30, 2025, a Volkswagen and a Subaru were spotted going […]

The VISAC Gallery is pleased to invite residents and visitors to join them in kicking off a stunning exhibit, reflecting the mountain heart of the Kootenays, “Within the White Sphere”. This show features the photography of Rossland’s Taylor Clark and will be on display at the VISAC January 12 to February 12. A community reception to launch the […]

By Rackeb Tesfaye and Nicolas Fillion of Simon Fraser University As Canadian federal election candidates prepared for their final debate in April 2025, youth across the country were preparing for collaborative conversations around timely and potentially divisive issues for the National Ethics Bowl at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg. Ethics Bowl Canada […]

B.C. expertise helps lead future of wildland firefighting in Canada In 2025, the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) worked tirelessly with people and communities to fight wildfires and build community resilience throughout the province. “We’re coming off our second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “From technology to equipment and training, […]

Black Productions is excited to announce auditions for its 2026 spring production of Mean Girls:  The Musical, taking place Jan. 24 and 25 at Selkirk College. Adults aged 18 and over are invited to audition for this high-energy musical comedy based on the iconic 2004 film that defined a generation. With a book by Tina […]

Serious drivers treat driving as a skill that can be measured, reviewed, and improved. Everyone is at risk for developing bad driving habits over time and if we let them become our default setting we might not make changes until it is too late. Just because you are a better than average driver, it doesn’t […]

BC Hydro crews have responded to over 61,000 trouble calls in 2025 – and some were anything but ordinary. From birds and beavers to fishing lines and cicadas, here are a few of the year’s most memorable incidents: Godzilla in the grid: In December, three major storms swept across B.C. The last one even sent […]