British Columbia's lowest earners will be making a little bit more, come June 1st.

That's when the province's general minimum wage jumps by 65 cents an hour, to $17.40.

The 3.9 per cent hike is consistent with the average rate of inflation as tied to BC's Consumer Price Index for 2023.

Alternative minimum wages will receive the same percentage bump, compared to their existing numbers.

Provincial Minister of Labour Harry Bains says this supports their commitment to keep wage raises tied to cost-of-living.

"BC has gone from having one of the lowest minimum wages in the country to the highest of all the provinces," says Bains. "We made a commitment to tie minimum-wage increases to the rate of inflation to prevent B.C.’s lowest-paid workers from falling behind."

After only two increases in the first 15 years of the century, the provincial minimum wage has risen gradually each year from 2015's standard of $10.45 an hour. This year's rise is 3 per cent less than 2023's 6.9 per cent rise of a $1.10 to the current $16.75 an hour.

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Island police are looking for a man who they believe stole over $30,000 in merchandise in a checkout scam.

Nanaimo RCMP say the man has committed multiple thefts and frauds at various Lowe's Home Improvement stores.

They've learned that he steals items along with legitimately purchased items, then returns to the business shortly after to refund the items that he did actually purchase keeping the ones he didn't.

"The pictures provided show a heavy-set Caucasian man, approximately 5 ft. 10 inches with dark receding hair and sporting a beard."

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ICBC has released a list of personalized licence plate slogans that were rejected last year.

The insurance corporation says they received 9,500 slogan requests in 2023, and denied 2,600. That's a 73 per cent approval rating.

Slogans are rejected by ICBC if they don't meet guidelines and criteria or if they're deemed objectionable. They say they hope drivers review those criteria before they submit an application.

"ICBC’s dedicated team meticulously reviews every application to ensure each slogan is appropriate to display on a B.C. licence plate," says ICBC's Manager of Insurance Operations Support,  Sandy-Anne Dodig. "A personalized licence plate can be a creative way to express yourself, and we encourage drivers to review the criteria and guidelines on icbc.com prior to applying."

Personalized plates have a $100 application fee and an annual $40 fee to maintain the rights to the slogan. Application fees are returned if your slogan is rejected.

List of rejected plates from ICBC:

1. YSO SLO
2. 2FAS4U
3. OMG MOV
4. FRBALL
5. SO-HIGH
6. UNSAFE
7. DNT HIT
8. IXLR8
9. FAST
10. ROCK1T
11. CRASH1
12. UNVXD
13. NO LAW
14. YS OFSR
15. UNDCVR
16. XRCIST
17. AMEN
18. TARGET
19. TSN
20. PORSCHE

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Driving without valid insurance is on the rise according to a BC RCMP detachment.

In the first 20 days of the year, Coquitlam RCMP issued 24 violation tickets for driving without vehicle insurance.

"This is a dramatic increase compared to January 2023 which saw 11 violation tickets for the entire month," the detachment says in a media release. "With only 18 days into January, this is a 46% increase."

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71 per cent of Vancouver Islanders have put winter tires on their vehicles this year.

That according to a survey from ICBC, who are asking you to adjust your driving for the conditions you encounter.

Their survey found that over one-third (38%) of BCers saw a collision caused by winter conditions last year and that one in five (21%) people had a near miss or close call while they were driving.

ICBC says crashes on the Island from drivers going too fast for the conditions increase by 31 per cent in January compared to October.

"The key to driving in snowy and icy conditions is to drive slow and steady, avoiding any unexpected sudden movements that could cause you to skid or lose control," they write in a media release.

"If you have to drive, accelerate gently, steer and turn slowly and gradually, braking slowly and early. Increase your following distance while travelling behind vehicles and focus on your surroundings so you can be prepared for the unexpected. Anticipate turns, stops and lane changes well in advance. Don't use cruise control on slippery roads."

ICBC says there are a few different ways to make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter driving.

"Ensure your headlights and taillights are in good working order and use them whenever visibility is reduced," they say. "Pack an emergency kit in case you get stuck or stranded. Clear off any snow that's built up on your vehicle before driving including headlights, wheel wells, and external sensors if you have a collision warning system."

They say you should also allow for extra travel time in your planning process, consider alternatives to driving when possible, and beware of black ice when freezing temperatures hit.

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The Tsow Tun Le Lum Healing House has opened the doors to its new Cowichan facility.

The decades-old organization deals with substance use and trauma treatment for Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit people from across BC and Yukon.

Their programs are structured with set intake and outtake times for each stream and focus on the healing of intergenerational wounds that Indigenous people grapple with.

"Our people, because of colonization and all of the impacts and effects of that, suffer from trauma," says Tsow Tun Le Lum Executive Director Nola Jeffery. "People react to trauma in certain ways. I really believe that people use substances to cope with the pain."

The society has done work for years, previously based north of Nanaimo. Their new $19 million facility just south of Duncan was needed after the lease on their previous property and the landowners chose not to renew the lease.

"Did I want to move? Absolutely not," says Jeffery. "I didn't think we would have to move, so no I didn't want to."

But the decision was made for their organization, and so the process began for a new home. Jeffery credits the First Nations Health Authority for their help, and for securing funding for the federal and provincial governments. She also sourced private donors who wanted to help bring their dream to reality.  The board looked through other locations in Port Alberni and Nanaimo, before settling on the Cowichan site.

The new facility is located on Miller Road, in a wooded area just south of Duncan. The society is planning to be there for quite a while, with a 50-year lease on the land and two 25-year extensions possible.

"They [the government] thought that healing houses, which were called treatment centres, were something that maybe we [Indigenous people] needed for 10 or 15 years and then everyone would be okay," she says. "But we know that's not the case. Now we have one that might be here for 100 years."

With the location change, there has been quite a bit of turnover in the staff.

"Huge turnover. People couldn't find places to live down here and people didn't want to drive from Nanaimo, Lantzville, and Parksville," she says. "It's a long travel. I bet over half of my staff are new."

The facility itself is loaded with amenities. Among them, they've got 32 beds for attendees of their programs. They've got several group session rooms, a gymnasium with basketball nets, and a kitchen area. They've also got a breathtaking large room to be used for morning briefings and for ceremonies with family to celebrate program graduates.

[gallery ids="45424,45425,45426,45427,45428,45429"]

As for the challenges faced by Indigenous people, she says the trauma experienced from colonization is intergenerational.

"People not only have their own personal trauma, but we pack historical trauma with us," she says. "So all of my children have my trauma because I hadn't done any healing work when I carried them, so I passed it on."

She spoke on the impact of the 2021 discovery of 215 unmarked graves at a Kamloops residential school on Indigenous peoples across the country.

"We always knew that our children had been murdered, but it took a long time for people to believe that," she says. "I think with the intergenerational survivors, it let go of a huge grief that they didn't know they were carrying."

While she's not sure if that has lead to a prolonged impact on Indigenous people looking for help, she did see a surge in calls to their support phone line.

"When the announcement came," she says. "We were answering that phone around the clock. We weren't just getting calls from people in BC. Somehow our number got out and we were getting calls from across Canada, from intergenerational survivors, residential school survivors, and also non-Indigenous people."

The Tsow Tun Le Lum Healing House is hosting its first group beginning this week with plans for a grand opening ceremony later this year.

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Check your tickets. Someone in Powell River is $1 million richer today.

As per the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, Wednesday Jan. 3's Lotto 6-49 prize-winning ticket was sold in the Sunshine Coast community.

While there weren't any winners of the $22 million gold prize, the Powell River winner was listed as the only winner of a smaller $1 million classic prize.

The winning numbers were listed as 1007844-01.

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While a 'chonky' cat or dog may look cute, when pets start to pack on the pounds, it’s cause for concern.

That from the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA), who say veterinarians are seeing an increasing number of overweight or obese pets.

"The Association for Pet Obesity estimates that 61 per cent of cats and 59 per cent of dogs in the U.S. were classified as overweight or obese in 2022," says the society in a media release. "A 2019 University of Guelph study of about 19 million cats revealed that felines are heavier now than they were in the 1990s."

The SPCA says that overweight pets are at a greater risk of developing health problems, which can cost thousands of dollars in vet bills to treat.

"Obesity in dogs and cats is associated with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, difficulty breathing and an increased risk of getting cancer," says the SPCA. "Obese pets have a decreased life expectancy and lower energy levels. They find it difficult to engage in active play and live their lives to the fullest."

BC SPCA Vancouver Animal Hospital's lead veterinarian, Dr. Kyla Townsend says weight loss can have dramatic effects on pet behaviour.

"Often guardians have trouble seeing how being overweight affects their pet because it happens gradually, but when the pet loses weight, they realize," says Townsend. "Once an animal loses weight, guardians will often say they are acting like a puppy or kitten again."

If you don't know if your pet would be considered overweight, you can check with your veterinarian. They can give you a body condition score (BCS) to determine the degree to which they are overweight. A BCS measures how easily their ribs can be felt, how much fat is beneath their skin, and muscle mass, among other factors.

For those hoping to help their pets slim down, pets should be encouraged to be more active. Food intake should be monitored, table scraps reduced and treats should be cut back on. The BC SPCA recommends using puzzle feeders to help them moderate their intake.

"Puzzle feeders allow them to express their natural hunting and foraging behaviours while providing mental and physical stimulation. They can help pets eat more slowly," says the SPCA.

"These types of food puzzles can motionless, rolling, store-bought, or homemade. One example for dogs is to cut a small hole in an old tennis ball and fill the inside with kibble. For cats, fill a cardboard tube with kibble, fold down the edges and cut a small hole to dispense the food."

One of the keys is being patient because weight loss can be a long process.

The SPCA says, "It can take a year for the pet to return to a healthy weight. For dogs, a healthy weight loss is one to five pounds per month. Cats should lose 0.5 per cent to two per cent of their body weight per week."

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The new year is a time to reflect on the past, celebrate our successes and set our intentions for the future.

That from BC Premier David Eby in his New Year's address.

Eby says people in British Columbia have demonstrated incredible strength through a tough year - particularly in reference to the wildfire situation.

"This year, people in British Columbia have demonstrated incredible strength, resilience and compassion in the wake of what, for many, has been a tough year," says Eby.

"I think of the firefighters who protected people and communities in what was our worst wildfire season ever; those who lost their homes and had their communities and livelihoods threatened; and the people who stepped up to help those who were evacuated."

His statement touched on a litany of other issues including affordability, healthcare, and jobs. He closed by wishing everyone in B.C. a happy new year and a wonderful 2024 ahead.

You can view the full statement from the Premier on the province's website.

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As 2023 comes to a close, the province has released the most popular baby names from this year. From Jan. 1 until Dec. 18, 2023, 37,650 babies were registered as born in BC.

For the second year in a row, the most popular name was Noah, with 205 little humans donning the moniker.

As for girls, Olivia continued its reign of popularity - as it's been among the top two most popular baby names every year since 2009.

Here's a full top ten of the most popular baby names with the amount of times they were used this year.

1. Noah, male, 205
2. Olivia, female, 196
3. Oliver, male, 196
4. Theodore, male, 188
5. Liam, male, 179
6. Jack, male, 152
7. Emma, female, 142
8. Sophia, female, 136
9. Leo, male, 129
10. Ethan, male, 129

Nine of the top ten are the same as in 2022, with Ethan as the lone addition, replacing Lucas.

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A wind warning has been issued by Environment Canada for early Thursday morning.

It was issued just before 1 am and expected to carry on through the early morning.

It's affecting exposed coastal sections East Vancouver Island, from Nanoose Bay to Campbell River and also the Sunshine Coast.

They say the region is expected to see another frontal system with southeast winds of 70 km/h with gusts to 90 km/h.

It could cause damage to buildings, in things like roof shingles and windows, they may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break, potentially resulting in power outages and fallen tree branches.

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Opting into the 'Find my iPhone' feature may be a little bit more valuable than you realize.

In mid-November, a casino-goer in Greater Victoria accidentally left their cell phone at a slot machine and returned to discover it missing.

Police officers were able to get video footage of a suspect stealing the phone and were able to identify them.

In the meantime, the casino-goer was able to use the 'Find My iPhone' feature to locate its exact whereabouts.

A few weeks later, on December 10, officers were able to execute a search warrant for the stolen property and arrested the suspect, charging him with theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property under $5,000.

The feature is in the phone settings for iPhones under the 'Find My' tab. There are a few different options to opt into, it could store the device location when it was last connected to the internet, or even when it's turned off. It works for all Apple devices including laptops, earbuds, watches, and Airtags. The devices can be found on any of the other devices, or by signing in to your iCloud account.

Android phones have a similar feature that can be activated in settings. Those are limited to locations when last connected to the internet. Devices can be found by signing in to your Google account on their Find my Device website.

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RCMP have issued a buyer beware warning for people purchasing used vehicles.

The vehicles were discovered as stolen by their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) which had sometimes been faked to obfuscate their status as stolen.

"Police investigators part of the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) have been working on files where citizens have been purchasing used vehicles, often at reasonably good prices, and when they register their newly purchased vehicles they learn the VIN is fake and the vehicle in fact has been stolen," reads an IMPACT press release. "The car is then repossessed and the buyer has lost their money."

Officer in Charge of IMPACT, Eugene Lum says the stolen vehicles have been sold on secondary market sites, like Facebook Marketplace, and also at used car dealerships without dealer awareness.

Lum says, "If a buyer is looking at a used vehicle and there are inconsistencies and unanswered questions in it’s history, paperwork or seller’s story, then they should not buy it."

Some due diligence tips from police for buyers on the used market to ensure the safety of their transaction are as follows:

• Ensure the VIN on the windshield and the door jamb match
• Check the VIN on a free online tool to ensure the vehicle in the registry matches the one you are buying
• Check the VIN on the manufacturer's website for more information on it
• Get a vehicle history report and pre-purchase inspection
• Be mindful of the asking price, if the price is too good to be true, it usually is.

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Almost half of British Columbians would consider paying for specific medical services.

That from a Research Co. survey, which found that 46 per cent of BCers would consider paying for services that had long waiting lists. That's up six points from a similar survey conducted in September of last year. The number jumped to 48 per cent among respondents on Vancouver Island.

President of Research Co. Mario Canseco says younger people showed more willingness than the average.

"Just over half of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (51 per cent) would consider paying for specific medical services," says Canseco.

While 55 per cent of British Columbians think there are some good things about the province's health care system but some changes are needed, 3 in 10 people say that it needs to be completely rebuilt.

Respondents were asked to identify the biggest challenge to the healthcare system. These were the top five responses from Vancouver Island respondents:

1. Shortage of Doctors and Nurses (54 per cent)
2. Long waiting times (17 per cent)
3. Bureaucracy, poor management (9 per cent)
4. Inadequate resources and facilities (8 per cent)
5. Little focus on preventative care (4 per cent)

The survey also asked people to consider if they would be willing to travel abroad to receive medical services that have long wait times. That number also rose five per cent from the previous study to 38 per cent of the total. Only 34 per cent of islanders said they would consider it.

Canseco says younger people were again more willing to consider it. He says, "Almost half (46 per cent) are willing to travel abroad to access them."

According to Research Co. the survey was conducted online between November 9 and 11, consisting of 800 people with the data statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia.

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Home sales continue to slow on Vancouver Island to end the year.

That according to the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board's (VIREB) update for the month of November.

VIREB Chair Kelly O'Dwyer says this is normal for the month as home sales tend to slow as we get closer to Christmas.

She says there is high demand, but high-interest rates are deterring buyers who hope for rate decreases in the spring.

Home sales were down 2 per cent from last November, and 3 per cent from October.

The benchmark price of a home north of the Malahat was $760,100, which is up four per cent from a year ago, and down one per cent from October. The prices in different markets were as follows:

• Campbell River: $656,900 - up four per cent from November 2022
• Comox Valley: $832,800 - up seven per cent
• Cowichan Valley: $769,800 - up five per cent
• Nanaimo: $793,100 - up four per cent
• North Island: $413,400 - down six per cent
• Parksville-Qualicum: $861,300 - up two per cent
• Port Alberni: $507,300 - down three per cent

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BC Highway patrol was busy last Saturday removing over 200 impaired drivers from the roads.

Their "Light Up the Province" campaign screened almost 55,000 vehicles at 228 check stops across the province. They ultimately found 222 drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Officer in Charge of Highway Patrol, Chief Superintendent Holly Turton says it was encouraging to see that the overall percentage was low.

"It was encouraging to see that the overall percentage of impaired drivers was low throughout the evening," says Turton. "However, it is important to remember that just one person driving while impaired can result in devastating consequences for themselves and others. This is why BC Highway Patrol continues to prioritize impaired driving enforcement."

Penalties for impaired driving can range from a 24-hour to a 90-day immediate driving prohibition, vehicle impoundments, monetary penalties, as well as potential charges under the Criminal Code of Canada.

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UPDATE: An Amber Alert was cancelled by Surrey RCMP at 1:49 pm. The child was found safe.

The original Amber Alert was issued by Surrey RCMP at around 12:30 pm for a two-month old female child. The initial report says she was abducted by a 27 year old man.

The alert was issued for the whole of British Columbia.

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A musician who makes his home in the Cowichan Valley has been nominated in a few categories of the Maple Blues award.

Brandon Isaak has been nominated in four categories in Canada's national blues awards including Male Vocalist, acoustic act, producer, and songwriter of the year.

Isaak started on an instrument young, growing up in a musical family in Whitehorse, Yukon. His early guitar playing was initially not in the blues as he was more drawn to the heavier sounds of artists like Led Zeppelin and Ozzy Osbourne.

"As a young kid that's sort of where you go," he says. "Then you research and discover where it all came from and it all leads back to the blues. It's an ongoing journey and the more I study it, the more I go further back and getting more traditional. I think my next album is going to be a rock banging on a log."

As for his latest album, Isaak says he recorded and produced it in his home studio with a lot of other artists from the Island. Called One Step Closer, the ten song release is mostly set in the 1930s New Orleans style featuring a variety of instruments like the clarinet and tuba.

"Normally I do try to put a few spiritual tunes on the album. I'm not religious or anything, but I am spiritual. I'm always excited about those songs, they always feel like they're dealing with something a little more heavy than a broken heart," says Isaak.

He also gives note to his song "What's This World Coming To" which he believes might have been part of the driving force in his nomination in the songwriter category.

"It's about the state of the world these days," he says. "Normally I write silver lining type of songs where there's always something positive, this one is a little darker but it's getting a lot of great press."

Going back in time, Isaak's career started when he left home for Vancouver where he embedded himself in the music scene.

"I left blindly and just kind of went to Vancouver and just started meeting musicians and slowly integrating into the music scene there. I just kept doing that and now it's paid off as a full-time living," he says.

As for the state of the blues, Isaak says it's continuing to get harder for the genre to punch through the growing noise of a diverse commercial music landscape.

"It's a tricky business these days," he says. "Everyone's into this modern music. Even if you listen to country, it's changed so much that it doesn't really resemble country anymore it more resembles rock to me. To hold to the traditional sound of the blues is pretty tricky [...] It's a hard business to keep going, not a lot of people are doing it full-time, that's for sure."

His Brandon Isaak Trio will be performing this Friday at the Duncan Showroom with a few more dates on the Island upcoming. To find out if he's won any awards, he'll have to wait until February 12th at the Maple Blues Awards ceremony in Toronto.

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As 3D printers get more accessible, criminals are taking advantage of the technology.

Earlier this month and after an extensive investigation, the Westshore detachment cracked down on a man who had discharged a firearm in February. After executing a search warrant, they found three fully loaded ghost guns, along with body armour, ammunition, and evidence that he was 3D printing his own unregistered firearms.

The suspect has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon, contravention of storage regulations, and weapons manufacturing. As the collected evidence is analyzed, police expect more charges to be levied. Prior to this, the suspect had no criminal record and was released on an undertaking with a February court date.

[caption id="attachment_37633" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 3D-printed ghost gun handles seized by RCMP - Photo provided by Westshore RCMP detachment[/caption]

3D-printed firearms, also known as "ghost guns," hamper police in solving crimes because there is no registry or frame of reference for tracking them down.

Westshore RCMP's Corporal Nancy Saggar says this new type of weapon is already problematic in investigations.

"The reason why they're called 'ghost guns' is because they're untraceable," she says. "Traditional methods of trying to trace a gun back to someone, sometimes through a serial number, that goes back to whoever sold it and then the serial numbers were kept.

"We were able to see who registered guns who had a few and then trace them back. Maybe someone's gun got stolen and now it's being used in a crime. We could figure out what date it was stolen on because it was reported by the original owner. Those leads that we would have had don't exist in the usage of these types of guns."

Along with regular handguns, she says they've been confiscating more of these types of weapons.

"I don't have statistics to share with you, but we are definitely seeing more of it," she says. "Specifically, this is our first real file of the year where we legitimately confiscated a homemade 3D printer, there were many many parts of guns lying around, ammunition, etc. This was a legitimate manufacturing operation."

She says it's becoming much more accessible to more people because the printers are getting more affordable and the process isn't overly complicated.

"You don't need a printer that is going to print the entire gun, you just need one that can print small pieces. That's the reason why this is becoming easier to manufacture at home," she says. "So if you have knowledge of guns or even can just follow instructions correctly, you can probably put one together."

While the technology continues to evolve, Saggar says the laws haven't caught up with it quite yet.

"The actual act of printing it is not in the criminal code, but once it's printed and you're in possession of it, that is in the criminal code," she says. "You're not allowed to be in possession of a firearm unless you have the proper acquisition licencing."

Saggar says that this hasn't reached a point where this is a main choice by criminals, because the poor quality of materials makes for a worse firearm.

"Let's put it this way, if you do it yourself (DIY) it's always going to have that DIY affect," she says. "It's always not going to be just as good as or better than something that you buy from the store that was probably manufactured. Having said that, it can still be used in the same capacity. You can still hurt or injure someone with it."

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Rising interest rates are taking a toll on the housing market.

That from the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board's (VIREB) report for October. The board represents over 1,100 real estate professionals at 90 offices on Vancouver Island, north of the Malahat.

Board Chair Kelly O'Dwyer says the month was slower than expected, continuing the trend of the past few months.

"High interest rates and a mortgage stress test of eight per cent are taking a toll on demand," she says.

The toll is so extreme that the British Columbia Real Estate Association anticipates that VIREB will close the year with 7,100 home sales, which is the lowest number posted since 2013.

O'Dwyer says she's hearing that people are waiting to engage in the market.

She says, "[Members] are reporting that some buyers and sellers have already decided to wait until spring to buy or list their home, hoping that interest rates will drop."

As for market prices, their board-wide benchmark price for a single-family home was $767,600, which was up three per cent from October 2022, and down one per cent from September 2023.

The market for a single family home in different markets on the Island were as follows:

• Campbell River - $658,500 - up five per cent from October 2022
• Comox Valley - $839,700 - up seven per cent
• Cowichan Valley - $772,600 - up one per cent
• Nanaimo - $802,500 - up two per cent
• Parksville-Qualicum - $881,700 - up two per cent
• Port Alberni - $509,200 - down two per cent
• North Island - $412,000 - down six per cent

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