Vancouver Rundown

Increased taxes, cuts to the public sector and more debt - it’s all part of the Eby government’s provincial budget. This year’s 2026 budget does include new funding for core services in education and health care but at the expense of many other programs. Thousands of public service jobs will be cut. At $9.6B, the budget is also down a bit from the last quarterly forecast of $11.2B. The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is giving this year’s budget a D.

A tough, unpopular budget. That’s the strong hint from Victoria as the B.C. government gets set to deliver its provincial budget Tuesday. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey says tough decisions have to be made but there will not be any cuts to core services. The Eby government has delivered three deficits in a row and nearly doubled the provincial debt in as many years. The BCGEU reached a contract deal with the government last fall that gives public sector workers a 3 per cent wage increase in each year. The BC Teachers Federation is said to be very close to approving a contract with the same pay raises.

I carry a sorrow - that’s what the father of the Tumbler Ridge shooter is saying following the mass shooting in the north eastern B.C. community. Justin Van Rootselaar says “words feel far too small for the sorrow we carry together.” He’s offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. Nine people, including shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar died in the shootings at his family home and Tumbler Ridge Secondary.

Hundreds of people have attended a Wednesday evening candlelight vigil in Tumbler Ridge - the north eastern B.C. community rocked by a mass shooting Tuesday afternoon. Eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar’s victim’s include the shooter’s mother and stepbrother - killed at home - and five students and an educator who were shot dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary. Van Rootselaar later died by suicide. More than two dozen others are still recovering from various wounds. Premier David Eby promises he’ll get answers to questions about the shooter’s mental health and police interaction history. Thursday has been declared a provincial day of mourning. The planned B.C. Throne Speech has been cancelled.

At least ten people, including a suspect, are dead after a mass shooting in the north eastern B.C. community of Tumbler Ridge. More than two dozen others are injured - some seriously. RCMP say six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School while another died enroute to hospital. It’s believed the suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. That part of the mass shooting happened during school hours on Tuesday and shortly after two people were found dead at a nearby home. Unconfirmed reports suggest the two are family members of the suspect. An alert, issued shortly after 1:00 p.m., went out to area residents warning of an armed shooter described as a woman in a dress with brown hair. That alert was cancelled at 5:45 p.m. when police confirmed the threat was over.

The B.C. Greens are ending their co-operation agreement with the Eby NDP government. Green Leader Emily Lowen says the move comes after the New Democrats failed to follow through on two thirds of their promises made during the Co-operation and Responsible Government Accord (CARGA). This leave the NDP vulnerable as it governs with a single seat majority. It’s also sparked a new round of speculation about a possible provincial election call.

Fewer and fewer drivers are crossing the border into Washington state from Lower Mainland crossings. According to the Whatcom Council of Governments, January had a 32 per cent drop in southbound trips over the same month last year at the Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Huntingdon-Sumas crossings. Close to half of the 60 Bellingham area businesses surveyed report losses due to a decline in B.C. visitors. Many call the drop - devastating. Experts blame the decline on outrage over the Trump White House’s policies on both domestic and international issues, including tariffs.

The debt riddled B.C. government is getting ready to offer early retirement incentives to public servants. The BC Public Service Agency says each ministry is looking to find efficiencies which could require restructuring or consolidation. The review comes as the province struggles to control its $11.2B deficit. A hiring freeze remains in place in certain areas of government.

Former anti-gang cop Paul Dadwal will lead B.C.’s community panel on extortions. The move comes following the provincial government’s promise to crack down on South Asian extortion violence in Surrey and other communities. Dadwal is recently retired from the RCMP and now works as a private security consultant. He was a key figure in the Surrey Six investigation and trial.

A teen is recovering from serious injuries after being stabbed following a Vancouver high school basketball game. Vancouver Police say a boy was stabbed in the arm after an overtime playoff game against Killarney Secondary, hosted by Eric Hamber Secondary. Police are reviewing video. No arrests have been made.