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10/01/2025

NANAIMO — Local Mounties maintained presence at a pair of local secondary schools during the morning commute.

Both Wellington Secondary and Nanaimo District secondary schools were the subject of an “unspecified threat”, according to Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien, received early Wednesday, Oct. 1.

This resulted in multiple RCMP vehicles being stationed around both buildings, with student entry and exit carefully managed by staff on site.

“We’ve been consulting with the School District and out of an abundance of caution, we thought it was necessary to put these officers in place,” O’Brien told NanaimoNewsNOW. “They’ll be controlling access to the building and monitoring the grounds throughout the duration of the day.”

Both school liaison and frontline officers are on scene.At Wellington Secondary, at least two cruisers were parked on site, one at the front entrance and another around the rear of the building.

Students were being directed to enter through the front doors of the building only.

O’Brien would not elaborate on the nature of the threat, nor its credibility.

“We’re on scene, we’re visible, the officers are approachable and if any parents or students have any questions, please don’t hesitate to speak to the officers or the teachers.”

School District 68 was working to communicate with parents and caregivers of the affected school’s directly.

A statement from the District said the threat was anonymous and the situation continues to be monitored.

“We know news like this can cause concern. Please be assured that the safety of your children is always our top priority. If there are any further developments, we will keep you updated.”

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10/01/2025

The number of Canadians travelling to the United States continues to drop, and many B.C. residents share that they don’t plan to return anytime soon.

New data released this week by Statistics Canada revealed a decline in travel between the countries, both by land and air.

In July, the number of Canadian residents’ return trips to the United States dropped 32.4 per cent year over year, while visits to Canada by U.S. residents dipped by three per cent.

The border crossings numbers are similar in British Columbia, where the Whatcom Council of Governments’ 2025 Changes in Border Volume data shows that in August 2025, the volume of southbound vehicles from B.C. to Washington state decreased by 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

10/01/2025

Being a Costco member has plenty of perks, from savings on bulk items and food court treats (yes, you need a membership to eat at Costco's food court), to discounted tires and high quality gasoline. Whether you're currently a Gold Star member or a warehouse newbie pondering a Costco membership, you might be wondering if the executive membership is worth the cost. Luckily, Chowhound is here to do the math for you. 

Costco offers two tiers of non-business memberships: The standard Gold Star membership ($65) and the higher-priced executive membership ($130). The way Costco puts it, executive members pay the cost of the membership plus a $65 upgrade. Executive members receive an annual 2% reward on qualified purchases, which is provided in a refund check mailed to you around three months before your membership renewal date. Members can use their reward certificate at the front-end registers on qualified items at any time since it does not expire. The refund cannot be used in the food court or at the gas station, but may be used on qualified Costco travel purchases.

To receive a refund check equal to the amount of the upgrade for the executive membership ($65), members have to spend approximately $3,250 per year or $270 per month on qualified Costco purchases. To recoup the entire $130 for the membership, you'd have to spend $6,500 annually, or $542 per month. For the maximum annual refund allowed of $1,250, members would have to spend a whopping $62,500 annually. 

There are other Costco perks you can only get with an executive membership that you might not be aware of. Two newer benefits include executive member shopping hours and a $10 monthly credit to use on same-day online purchases. While many Costco locations normally open at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and Sundays, and 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays, executive members can enter the store at 9:00 a.m. every day of the week. If you've been to Costco on busy weekends, you know that this can make a big difference in your shopping experience. For some, it might even be reason enough to buy an executive membership.

09/30/2025

09/30/2025

After 25 years of playing Lotto 6/49 together, former coworkers Norman Gillespie of Elliot Lake and Robert Pelletier of Stoney Creek have won $1 million. Both men say they are eyeing new cars.

09/30/2025

Gurninder Singh was last seen on Sept. 22 at 1 a.m. in the area of Scott Road Skytrain Station and the Pattullo Bridge

The Surrey Police Service is seeking the public's assistance in locating a 26-year-old missing man.

Gurninder Singh was last seen on Sept. 22 at 1 a.m. in the area of Scott Road SkyTrain Station and the Pattullo Bridge. Police say he was last seen walking towards the bridge and "has not been seen or heard from since."

Surrey Police stated that, "it is out of character for Gurninder to be out of contact for so long and attempts to locate him have been unsuccessful."

Singh is described as a South Asian male, six feet tall, 177 pounds, with a slim build, black hair, and black eyes. Police say he was last seen wearing a light coloured T-shirt, black pants and a "light-coloured head covering."

Police is asking anyone who may have been travelling over the Pattullo Bridge between 1 and 2 a.m. on the morning of Monday, Sept. 22 and has dash cam footage or who may have observed Gurninder on or near the bridge to please call Surrey Police Service at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 and quote file number 2025-82990 (SP).

09/30/2025

Canada marks the fifth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Tues., Sept. 30. This year also commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report and the 94 Calls to Action.

Here’s what you need to know about the day’s significance, Orange Shirt Day and the lasting effects of the residential school system on Indigenous communities.

What is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission?
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 2008 as part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, with the purpose of documenting the history of the Canadian residential school system as well as its harmful and continued effects on Indigenous peoples.

Between 2008 and 2015, the TRC travelled across Canada and heard the testimonies of more than 6,500 individuals from Indigenous communities. The TRC also hosted seven national events to educate Canadians about the history and legacy of the residential school system. In 2015, the TRC released a report with its findings. It documented the truth about the residential school system and included 94 Calls To Action (or recommendations) of what Canada needs to do to achieve true reconciliation.

The recommendations specify an action plan for all areas of Canadian society, including health care, media and education. Call to Action No. 80 is for the federal government to establish “a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”

As of Sept. 1, a total of 14 Calls to Action have been completed by the federal government; about 40 per cent of the actions have either not been started or have stalled. If Canada continues at this pace, it will take 56 years (until the year 2081) until all the Calls to Action are completed, according to a 2023 report by Yellowhead Institute, a First Nations-led research centre.

09/30/2025

People living near a controversial ostrich farm in the West Kootenay region of southeastern B.C. say the ongoing outrage and protests over a cull ordered by federal officials have them fearing for their safety.

Approximately 235 human residents in the small unincorporated community of Edgewood are outnumbered by ostriches, while supporters of the flock and the farm’s owners remain vocal.

“These birds pose no threat and no one deserves to die for being innocent,” said area resident Natalie Cronin.

In a statement Friday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the application of the avian flu stamping out policy for this farm has been upheld by the Federal Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal, and is supported by scientific evidence.

Still, after months of protests over the CFIA’s decision to humanely euthanize the entire flock, area residents are divided.

“I believe that that’s treason what the CFIA is doing to the people of Canada,” Nakusp resident Monty Paul told Global News.

Randy Donselaar, who was born and raised in Edgewood and returned following his retirement, said the drama over the fate of the birds has been going on for far too long, and the vast majority of locals don’t support Universal Ostrich Farms.

The CFIA said the farm owners failed to report the initial cases of illness and deaths when the herd was infected, starting in December of last year.

After 69 birds died of avian flu, the farmers argue the surviving ostriches have “herd immunity” and want them tested.

The virus has the potential to mutate and spread, according to the CFIA, which is why all birds on infected and exposed premises are depopulated.

“A vast majority of us in the valley are seniors and were concerned about our health and the risk that’s still posed by the ostriches,” said Donselaar.

The CFIA said an initial count has determined there are between 300 and 330 ostriches remaining at Universal Ostrich Farms.

“Our disease response aims to protect both public and animal health, as well as minimize impacts on the $6.8 billion domestic poultry industry, and the Canadian economy,” the federal agency said Friday.

09/30/2025

Canada’s economy is headed towards a rebound in 2026, a report by Deloitte said on Monday, but there’s one catch — the country must maintain a key exemption from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Canada is projected to record a GDP growth rate of 1.3 per cent in 2025 and tick higher, to 1.7 per cent, in 2026, Deloitte’s fall 2025 economic outlook said.

“The big highlight really is that we no longer expect to see the economy slip into recession. That’s not to say we’re not going through a period of very slow growth. We still think the economy will struggle in the latter part of 2025,” said Dawn Desjardins, chief economist at Deloitte Canada.

However, Desjardins said there’s one key caveat.
Currently, the vast majority of Canada’s exports to the United States are exempt from Trump’s tariffs as long as they comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement (CUSMA).

Economists believe those exemptions have buffered Canada against the worst impacts of the trade war.

“A lot of things have to come together, of course. And one of those is that we maintain the carve-outs we have for our exports to go south of the border tariff-free as long as they comply with the CUSMA agreement. So that’s a pretty broad and big assumption,” she said.

The report said the CUSMA exemptions have meant 95 per cent of Canada’s exports to the U.S. face either zero or very low tariffs.

“Because our average tariff will be lower than many of the other trading partners (of the U.S.), that should sow the seeds for Canada’s export markets to do a bit better (next year),” Desjardins said.

Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of a country’s GDP contracting. Canada’s economy hit a “low point” in the second quarter of 2026 — April, May and June — but will avoid a technical recession, the Deloitte report said.

“Growth will remain weak this year as the groundwork is laid for better prospects in 2026,” the report said.

However, it added that sector-specific tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and automobiles will “continue to impact manufacturing industries.”