The BC Ball Hockey Association has been suspended, after an alleged sex offender was identified on its board of directors.

“The presence of an alleged convicted criminal and alleged sex offender within BCBHA’s directorship is unacceptable and incompatible with the safety and values CBHA strives to ensure within the sports community,” says a letter sent to the BC association last week by the president of the national Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA).

That’s not the only issue identified in the letter, which cites the BC group’s non-compliance with the BC Societies Act, financial irregularities, and a host of ethical failures.

“The alleged lack of clarity in financial transactions, the alleged absence of receipts for fees paid by leagues, and their exclusion from BCBHA votes and AGMs signify a potential failure in financial transparency and equitable treatment within the BCBHA,” reads the letter, signed by national association president Tim McKenzie.

The letter points out that many officials, parents and stakeholders raised concerns with the BC association, only to be ignored.

“The failure to respond to these emails and letters indicates a significant disregard for community engagement and a lack of accountability,” says the letter.

The Canadian Ball Hockey Association has now taken over management of BC adult and minor ball hockey associations and leagues, to make sure spring and summer seasons aren’t impacted.

The national association is now investigating the allegations, with the aim of rebuilding and reforming the BC organization.

The Vancouver Island league says they are encouraged by the suspension and happy their concerns have been heard. They will provide clarity and support to Island athletes as the investigation continues.

The Island league’s spring season opens tonight, with an exhibition game in Nanaimo.

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The head of the Powell River RCMP says the number of people failing to attend court is reaching “horrific” levels.

Staff Sgt. Rod Wiebe says the charge was considered an “general administrative penalty” but that's changing.

“The pendulum is starting to shift. We are starting to see a few more fail-to-appear charges and we've just met with Crown counsel and I think we're going to see more of those charges come forward now,” Wiebe told city councillors Tuesday night.

He said prosecutors expect police to actively find people and it's putting a strain on police resources.

“The courts are now expecting us not to sit on that warrant (for failing to attend court) and arrest the person when we come across them, whenever. We're supposed to actively pursue them otherwise it can have Jordan impacts on the overall trial so we have to show that we made efforts...some people don't want to be found and it takes a lot of effort to drum them up,” Wiebe said.

The Jordan reference refers to the Supreme Court of Canada case, R. v. Jordan, on a person's right to be tried within a reasonable time.

The detachment commander was responding to questions from Powell River councillors following a resolution passed at last weekend's Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities conference.

The resolution from the City of Duncan asked the province to exclude those charges from crime statistics for municipalities with courthouses because it inflates the numbers used by the province to determine policing levels and costs.

In Duncan's case, the city says it was allotted 100 per cent of the 325 fail-to-appear charges in 2023 even though 80 per cent of those cases had originated in other jurisdictions.

Powell River currently pays about $4 million a year for policing by the Mounties.

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A Vancouver Island RCMP officer says recognizing those who take 911 calls is extremely important.

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunications week, a week dedicated to recognizing the telecommunicators who answer emergency calls across the country.

Constable Maury Tyre says they are amazing human beings.

“They are dealing with some of the most traumatic instances you can imagine in people’s lives at a distance and a lot of times they are able to calm things down and de-escalate them,” said Tyre.

“To have a week that’s dedicated to honoring these people is so important.”

Tyre says what makes them valuable to the public is that people can call them 24/7, with the same telecommunicators also responding to calls after hours.

He also says this week isn’t just for RCMP dispatchers, but also for fire and ambulance.

“The hard part that not a lot of people don’t necessarily realize is they will deal things up until the police are there and once they are there, they move onto the next call,” said Tyre.

“So, a lot of times they are dealing with a very frenetic scenario or incident, and they don’t necessarily get to know what the outcome is at the end and that can have an effect of them.”

He says through putting themselves out there and putting the public first, they do deserve to be honored.

He adds when you do call 911, it is important for you to answer the questions the callers and dispatchers give you so they can better prepare for the situation.

The week runs until Saturday April 20.

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Fully self-driving cars are now banned in BC, but there weren’t any for sale yet, anyway.

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act took effect this month, banning all vehicles with self-driving capabilities at level three or above. That would affect cars that can drive themselves without human input, and there are currently only a few for sale world-wide.

In the US, the only two vehicles available with the feature are models of the Mercedes S-class, and they are only allowed on the roads in California and Nevada.

The self-driving features in newer Tesla EVs are considered level two, which offer assistance while changing lanes and automatic braking, but still require a human driver at the wheel. Vehicles with those features are still allowed in BC.

The rating system was designed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and has five levels, with level one featuring minimal driver assist and level five featuring a full autopilot.

The province could relax the rules in the future once technology improves.

"Highly automated self-driving vehicles remain a new and emerging transportation technology," says the Ministry of Transportation. "Further testing and policy development are necessary before Level 3 or higher automated vehicles are considered safe and can begin to be allowed for public use on B.C. roads."

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Another earthquake was recorded late last night in deep waters west of Port Alice, but again, no tsunami is expected.

According to the US Geological Survey, the 4.9 magnitude earthquake happened shortly after 11 pm last night in roughly the same place as the 4.8 magnitude quake earlier in the afternoon. Both were at a depth of around 11 kilometres.

Seismologists at the University of Victoria recorded more than 100 aftershocks.

Because the quakes were so deep, they were not felt and pose no danger but are another reminder the Island is in an active earthquake zone.

In the meantime, it’s currently Tsunami Preparedness Week in BC, visit the provincial website for earthquake and tsunami safety tips.

Tsunami Safety — In Brief

In the event of a tsunami, people at risk will receive an alert to their cellphone, TV and radio stations through B.C.’s emergency alert system. In addition to these alerts, other tools may be used to warn people, including coastal siren systems, local government emergency alerts and social media, including @EmergencyInfoBC on X.

Take action to prepare for a tsunami:

• Become familiar with local evacuation routes and high ground locations.
• Once at high ground, stay there. Wait for the “all clear” from local officials to confirm the threat is over. Tsunami waves can last several hours.
• Find out how your community shares emergency information and subscribe to local alerts. Alerting methods include radio, television, telephone, text messages, door-to-door contact, social media and outdoor sirens.
• Always follow instructions from local officials during an emergency.

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If you want to be better prepared for a tsunami in your community, take a hike this week.

As part of Tsunami Preparedness Week, communities from Port Hardy to Victoria are hosting ‘high ground hikes’ to help people get familiar with where they should go in the event of a tidal wave.

One event is happening today in Tahsis. Tofino and Ucluelet have already had theirs.

Salt Spring Island will be holding their event on Friday.

Each event is community-specific, and will let people learn about their local emergency plan and evacuation route.

If there isn't an event in your community, there are still a host of useful tips from the provincial emergency program about how to make sure you and your family are ready.

In the event of a tsunami, people at risk will receive an alert to their cellphone, TV and radio stations through B.C.’s emergency alert system. In addition to these alerts, other tools may be used to warn people, including coastal siren systems, local government emergency alerts and social media, including @EmergencyInfoBC on X.

Take action to prepare for a tsunami:

• Become familiar with local evacuation routes and high ground locations.
• Once at high ground, stay there. Wait for the “all clear” from local officials to confirm the threat is over. Tsunami waves can last several hours.
• Find out how your community shares emergency information and subscribe to local alerts. Alerting methods include radio, television, telephone, text messages, door-to-door contact, social media and outdoor sirens.
• Always follow instructions from local officials during an emergency.

The province has posted a list of hikes this week, visit their website for more details about an event near you. 

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A spokesman for a Powell River citizens' group says city council needs to make a decision on the name change issue sooner than later.

Robin Murray with Concerned Citizens of Powell River presented results of a survey they conducted showing nearly 93 per cent of respondents don't want the city's name changed.

The group says it sent out over 5,200 surveys, simply asking if the recipient was in favour of a name change. They received 2,056 responses.

Murray says 19 were void because they were from “out of town,” while 125 said “yes” to a name change and 1,912 said “no.”

“From the Community Charter, it says councils are established and continued by the will of the community. A lot of the people in the community don't want this name change and we believe it needs to be dealt with sooner than later because it's causing so much division,” Murray told councillors.

“We've been watching council and a lot of people have been very disappointed with how it's been handled and wanting something to be done about it,” he said.

City councillors didn't ask any questions Tuesday night after Murray's presentation.

Tla'amin Nation already rejected the notion of the survey last month when it was distributed in the community, calling it a “fake poll” from a “local activist group.”

The name change issue has been going on since 2021 after Tla'amin Nation asked the city to consider a new name given the background of Israel Powell.

Council meeting agendas in recent months have been peppered with correspondence from people on both sides of the debate.

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A new cancer centre in Nanaimo means Central and North Island patients won’t have to travel as far for consultations and treatments.

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) will start construction next year on a new BC Cancer Centre.

"We are excited to bring a new BC Cancer centre to Nanaimo,” says Tracy Irwin, chief operating officer for BC Cancer. “The new cancer centre will complement the existing services provided by BC Cancer - Victoria and reduce the burden of travel for people living in central and north Vancouver Island communities. We look forward to working in partnership with Island Health to expand cancer care in this rapidly growing region."

The three-storey centre will have 12 exam rooms, four consultation rooms and space for medical physicists and radiation therapists, medical imaging and radiation treatment for cancer patients.

The business plan was approved this week by the province. The procurement process is underway, with construction expected to start in 2025 and completed in 2028.

The project was originally announced in 2023, with an estimated completion in 2027. Since then, upgrades to NRGH have also been approved, such as a new single-storey addition to the ambulatory care building and expanded pharmacy.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says Nanaimo's population is growing rapidly and aging, and stronger health services in the region will help people get the health care they need closer to home.

Currently the only on-Island cancer centre is in Victoria. There are other centres in Abbotsford, Surrey, Vancouver, Kelowna, and Prince George.

— With files from Mike Patterson

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Langford-Malahat-Cowichan NDP MP Alistair MacGregor says New Democrats achieved some "significant wins" in Tuesday's federal budget, pushing the Liberals to fund a pharma care program and to provide money for a national school food program.
 

He says the New Democrats are the party that pressured the Trudeau government to make sure there was coverage for diabetes medication and devices, and for birth control. 

He also says the dental care program has 1.7 million Canadians enrolled and all eligible seniors should be signed up for the program by May, with nine million people covered by 2025. 

MacGregor adds the housing measure is another result of NDP pressure on the federal Liberals. 

He says most residents on the island will see little impact from tax increases in the federal budget,  

"The major change when it comes to individuals," MacGregor explains, "comes with respect to capital gains, and it's really like the top 0.1 percent of Canadian who are already extremely wealthy. 

However, MacGregor says the Liberals did not go far enough when it comes to taxation. 

"There's no mention of an excess profits tax and I think that's due to the hard work of the oil and gas lobby which has made great friends with both Liberals and Conservatives over the years."

Federally, the NDP is critical of the low amount of money for the Canadian disability benefit, the loss of five thousand public sector workers which will slow down the delivery of services, and the lack of additional funding to close the gap for Indigenous infrastructure and housing as well as for Jordan’s principle – which ensures equal services for Indigenous children. 

According to NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, “Justin Trudeau has had nine budgets to make life better and more affordable, but Canadians are still falling farther behind. Pierre Poilievre will make things worse for working people with his cuts to services and programs people depend on." 

MacGregor also notes it was the NDP which was behind the government doubling the tax credit for volunteer fire fighters and search and rescue volunteers.

The income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue personnel is set to increase from $3,000 to $6,000. 

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The co-founder of the PRISMA Festival has outlined plans for a future arts hub for Powell River.

Arthur Arnold says they need to make almost $800,000 in leasehold improvements to the upper floor of the Townsite Market building to make it happen.

PRISMA has signed a 10-year lease for the location at Walnut Street and Ash Avenue.

Arnold talked about the first time he saw the new space after having to leave the office space in the mall due to recent renovations.

“It was an ah-ha moment. I thought, wow, this could be a space where many arts organizations could benefit. Where many start in basements and this allows us to, among all of us, make it possible to share resources,” he said.

He says eight local arts organizations are already interested.

Arnold asked city councillors to approve a $94,446 Community Forest Project Grant in order to unlock a fundraising match.

The group has raised $450,000 and also has a grant application in the works for another $250,000.

“The project will assure cross-pollination between arts organizations and it will allow for equipment sharing. We believe that together as arts organizations we are stronger and we should not work in silos in this beautiful artsy town,” Arnold said.

The committee of council made no decisions on the grant ask Tuesday night but some councillors suggested other agencies Arnold could contact for other grants.

Once completed, the venue could accommodate 249 people for performances.

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Ferry sailings between Texada Island and Powell River are at risk of cancellation today.

BC Ferries says because of a mechanical difficulty in a vessel's propulsion system, four sailings have been cancelled.

This includes the ferry leaving Blubber Bay at 3:00 p.m. and the one leaving Westview at 3:45 p.m.

They say the vessel is currently on its way back to Blubber Bay with tugboat assistance, and until the problem is solved, all remaining sailings are at risk of being cancelled.

The corporation adds that a water taxi will be provided for up to 12 passengers.

They apologize for the inconvenience.

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A couple of organizations on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast will be holding Day of Mourning ceremonies next week on April 28, to remember those who lost their life while working.

In BC, 175 workers died from either a workplace injury or disease.

In response to these deaths, local organizations are putting together ceremonies to not only honor the workers but to also raise awareness on workplace safety.

5 events are set for the Island and Coast.

In Courtenay, a ceremony and moment of silence will take place at the Simms Park Pavilion, starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 26.

Over at Lake Cowichan on April 28, a ceremony is happening at Forest Workers memorial park, starting at 10 a.m.

Nanaimo will see its ceremony at the pioneer waterfront plaza on Sunday April 28 at 12:30 p.m., while Parksville’s ceremony happens on Parksville Beach later that day at 5:00 p.m.

For Powell River, a ceremony will be held at the Worker’s memorial at Cranberry Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on the 28.

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A new strategy is being worked on to rescue the 2-year-old orca calf near Zeballos.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) says they are working with experts and Ehattesaht First Nation following an unsuccessful rescue attempt on Friday last week.

The goal is to finish up planning and logistics in the next couple of days to capture and move it to the open ocean.

They also are still monitoring its health and add that its activity level is high.

The DFO says rescue efforts are weather dependent and will be based on logistics and availability of personnel and equipment.

The calf has been stuck for 3 weeks ever since its mom died on March 23.

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You could see helicopters flying over the qathet Regional District, starting next Friday.

The district says that talon helicopters with LaSen Inc. will fly over the district for FortisBC’s integrity management program.

They will use aerial technology to find any issues in the system, all to make sure it is working safely.

The district says flight time over one area will be minimal and there is no ground activity related to the flights.

The flyovers will start on April 26 and wrap up by June 15.

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An employment placement specialist on the Sunshine Coast says selective hiring is severely affecting the youth of today.

Nancy Martin works at a WorkBC Centre, one of many across the Island and Coast. WorkBC aims to help people find jobs through career tools, blogs, interactive maps, and live chats with employment specialists.

As more young people struggle to find work across Canada, Martin says the labour market has changed drastically in the past few years.

“Coming out of COVID employers were really struggling to find workers and there were tons of positions available and there wasn’t enough people to fill those jobs,” said Martin. “While there still seems to be a lot of positions available, employers have become more and more selective in their hiring process.”

She says it has to do with finding the right candidate for the position, who has the right amount of training, experience or education so they require the least amount of on-the-job training to get into the position.

Along with lack of training and previous experience, Martin says other issues for employment include wage expectations and schedules.

Healthcare and sales and service are the sectors most in need of new workers.

“With the Sunshine Coast, we are a bit more tourism-driven and we do have our busy seasons so our restaurants and retail are always looking for more people as we approach the summer season,” said Martin. “After coming out of the pandemic, healthcare truly needs a lot of new staffing and we see a ton of job postings for healthcare but unfortunately the youth are unable to apply because they are lacking that specific educational requirement.”

She adds for students with not a lot of experience, they can access WorkBC for support and to get the certificates required when they apply for future jobs.

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A Union Bay senior who’s been monitoring nearby ship-breaking operations for years has the courts on her side, at least partially.

Mary Reynolds has been using an airborne drone to record videos of the work being done by Deep Water Recovery, a company which dismantles old ships. The operation has run afoul of the Comox Valley Regional District, K’Omoks First Nation, local residents, and DFO, who are all concerned about potential environmental damages.

After several angry interactions between Reynolds and the company owner in June 2022, along with several other unnamed employees, she filed a civil claim asking for a 100-foot restraining order against the men, claiming she was harassed, assaulted and intimidated.

The next month the company filed a counter-claim against her, claiming she was causing them financial damage by posting her videos online, and that she was doing it out of malice.

Last week Justice Gareth Morely admonished the company, and said the way they described the 74-year-old was “troubling and over the top.” He said her videos were clearly in the public interest.

However, he did point out that rules for flying drones in Canada are still evolving, and that while "the occupier of land has a right to exclude from the immediate air space up to some height... how that height is defined... is uncertain."

He rejected the company's reasons for wanting to prevent Reynolds from flying her drone over the operation.

"In my view, there is no plausible interpretation of the law of trespass that would preclude all aerial photography or videography of DWR’s open-air operations," he said in his written reasons for judgment.

Justice Morely also rejected the company's claims that her videos were a "nuisance."

"Even if some of Ms. Reynolds’ activities with the drone are found to be a nuisance, I find it highly unlikely that any aerial videos of the industrial activity would be held to be nuisances," he said.

However, he did find grounds for some of the company's claims, and rejected Reynolds' defence for physically intruding on the site. He also acknowledged that her regular drone flights are distracting and unwanted for site workers, and possibly safety hazards. However, he said they aren't enough to warrant the company's claims for financial damages.

Justice Morely did decide to allow the company's counter-suit against Reynolds to go ahead, but they cannot sue for punitive damages, and they cannot do anything about her videos that have been published.

Reynolds and the company now have until May 6 to request a hearing to hash out the remainder of the claims in terms of costs and damages.

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The province says they're ready to create an atmosphere of respect and safety for everyone as they begin Prevention of Violence Against Women week. 

According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, one woman or girl is killed every 48 hours in Canada and the cost to deal with the aftermath of spousal abuse is over $7 billion.  

Parliamentary secretary for gender equity Kelli Paddon says violence against women takes many forms and has become far more prevalent than anyone can imagine. 

“It can be verbal, such as jokes, rumors, threats or slander,” she says. “It also occurs online and can involve sharing of intimate images without someone’s consent.” 

Patton says it is because of the rising violence the government decided to end it. 

“Safe and Supported brings all of government together in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and community organizations to prevent and help end violence against women and gender-diverse people,” she says. “This work includes preventing violence through education and awareness, while also increasing safety and support for survivors.” 

For more about gender-based violence and how to support victims visit the province’s website. 

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A manager with the qathet Regional District has won an award for her work.

Nancy Schmeister is the manager of technical services, where she’s established robust cybersecurity training, policies, and protocols, lowered risks in terms of contracting and procurement, and has worked on the long-term sustainability of the district’s service delivery through risk management.

As a result of her efforts, she has been awarded the Terry Pile Effect Award, which recognizes those who showcase dedication, collaboration, teamwork, and leadership.

Board chair Clay Brander says the board congratulates her for this accomplishment.

“Nancy’s efforts have provided our organization with the education and expertise to support our collective commitment to keeping our assets protected, and in top working order,” said Brander.

The district says Nancy was awarded earlier this week.

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The BC and Yukon Book Prize finalists have been announced for this year, and 11 Island authors have been nominated.

Chelsea Wakelyn is from Nanaimo, her book “What Remains of Elsie Jane” is up for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, which goes to the author of the year’s best literary fiction.

Jennifer Bonnel from Duncan’s book about BC history and wildlife is in the running for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize.

And Francine McCabe is in the running for the prize for best overall public appeal, initiative, design, production, and content. Her book, "Fleece and Fibre," is a self-illustrated look at textile artists along the Salish Sea.

Winners will be announced at the end of September.

For a full list of nominees, visit the official website. 

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A lot of young people are struggling to find jobs across Canada, especially on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.

According to Labour force statistics from the province in March, British Columbia’s unemployment rate was at 5.5 percent, up 0.3 percent from February and 0.9 percent more than the number last year.

On the Island and Coast, the unemployment rate is at 4.6 percent.

One organization that focuses on helping people find work is Creative Employment Access Society, which has been around since 1982.

Executive director of the society Barb LePage says 50 percent of the people they work with are 30 and under.

“They are definitely a large part of the unemployed population, and they are struggling more than ever,” said LePage.

“I think youth today struggle with employment because jobs are getting far more complex, and employers are expecting people to be off the shelf ready for the challenges in the complex jobs, which is unfair to the younger workers who aren’t as experienced.”

LePage says even if they do find employment, it’s usually entry-level jobs and because of the ongoing housing crisis, young people are often living at home with parents, which isn’t always a healthy situation for everyone.

She also says issues such as transportation, developing a social network with working people, and getting the confidence to put themselves out there make it more difficult for them to get employed.

“It used to be that youth were almost always able to get a job in retail or hospitality, and both sectors are struggling after the pandemic and with the increase in online shopping,” said LePage.

“Educated young people are in a predicament because if you don’t immediately crack into the field you were educated in, it becomes more and more difficult to crack in on a later date.”

She says connecting with professional guidance and help can help those struggling to find work, and that employers should come around to the idea that they are coaches, where they can nurture and grow talent.

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