Latest news with #DaybreakKamloops
CBC
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
RV industry hopes for more Canadian road trippers amid tariff uncertainty
Canadian RV dealers say they are concerned about the threat of tariffs on their industry, but are cautiously optimistic that travellers may have a renewed interest in exploring Canada in a recreational vehicle. The vast majority of RVs in Canada are produced in the U.S., mostly in and around Elkhart, Ind. So far, the vehicles have been spared from the United States's 25 per cent auto tariffs and Canada's equivalent retaliatory ones, says Shane Devenish, the president of the Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association. But, he says, dealers have been stockpiling units just in case. "[We've] certainly got our fingers crossed that we won't be hit.… It would tremendously affect our industry with these tariffs, if they come on," Devenish told Shelley Joyce, host of CBC's Daybreak Kamloops. Devenish says he wishes more RVs were manufactured in Canada, but the answer is not that simple. "It's a competitive advantage that the U.S. has," he said. "Elkhart is what's called the RV capital of the world. They have a workforce, they have a supply chain. They have the manufacturers right within about a 150-mile radius." Allison Blouin of Fraserway RV in Kamloops, B.C., agrees that the future is unclear. She notes that RVs in the U.S. and Canada use Canadian lumber and some Canadian steel, meaning U.S. manufacturers could be impacted too. "I don't know exactly where the price points will end up," she said. Blouin adds that there is optimism in the industry as they've seen a rise in interest from Canadians looking to travel within their own country amid a trade war. "The RV industry, I think, is going to be a beneficiary of that," she said. "Our backyard is massive. We are anticipating people wanting to spend their money at home and wanting to support local communities, local businesses." Blouin says her company, which also rents RVs, is doing a lot of business with travellers from Europe and the U.S. Devenish says he's hearing from Canadian RV owners who are looking to travel further afield in Canada. "I was at a Moncton [N.B.] RV show a couple weeks ago and more people were talking to me about taking those longer trips that they haven't taken in the past," he said. "People want to enjoy Canada and take the RVs right across the country." WATCH | Why it's the best time to stay local for your trips: How tariff turmoil could make 2025 the best year to get out with an RV and explore Canada 3 days ago Duration 1:49 Kamloops RV dweller to skip U.S. There has been an uptick in Canadians choosing to stay local for their vacations in recent months. Karl Willms, 80, is a Kamloops artist who's travelled the world with his wife and sketchbook — but he's never taken a road trip across Canada before. That's now something the graphic novelist and sketch artist plans to do, instead of his usual trip involving six months in Mexico after a circuitous trip of the southwest U.S. "We're just planning to go across Canada, because of the situation down south, we decided to patronize our own country," he said. Willlms says he plans to stay as far south in Canada as he can with his RV, nicknamed "White Fang." "If it's gravel roads that's fine," the artist said. "I'm very interested in small town Canada. "The Prairie towns I love are towns with a Main Street, a Chinese restaurant, bank and pharmacy, you know, basically. And there's still lots of those towns around."
CBC
30-03-2025
- General
- CBC
Clearwater, B.C., launches its own wildland firefighting team amid ongoing drought
Fire Department Initial Attack crew will be made up of 6 members A small community in B.C.'s North Thompson region is launching its own special firefighting team to suppress wildfires that pop over the summer, as the risk of wildfire in such a heavily forested area remains a key concern for residents. The move comes after the B.C. Wildfire Service pulled initial attack crews from the area several years ago, according to Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell. Now, the B.C. Wildfire Service said, the crews are based in Kamloops, about 126 kilometres south of the community. This is all well and good, but if a wildfire sparks, a more immediate response may be necessary. "Clearwater, if you haven't been here, has probably more trees than any town for per acre," Blackwell told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce. Meanwhile, the snowpack across the province is well below normal, and forecasters are worried an ongoing drought plaguing the province will continue through the summer. As British Columbians have come to learn, lots of fuel — trees — and dry conditions can spell disaster when it comes to wildfires. The team, called the Fire Department Initial Attack crew (FDIA), will be made up of six members, according to the district's director of corporate services, Alsid Prime, and they will be used depending on risk, availability and whether B.C. Wildfire crews are involved. The district expects to spend up to $294,532 on equipment and training, paid out from the Wells Gray Community Forest Reserve Fund. These are volunteer positions, however, Blackwell said the team will be paid when training or working on a fire. The district is also adding another person to its two-person FireSmart mitigation crew, which will serve as the wildfire response team during daytime hours in the summer. Those three people, along with a FireSmart Coordinator, will form a four-person team that can respond to wildfires if other FDIA volunteers are busy. That way, there's always someone available to respond to fires, Prime said. The recruitment process hasn't formally launched — but community members are already showing interest in joining the team and making sure their homes are protected against future fires, Prime said. They expect to have the team up and running by May. While Blackwell is happy about the development of the team, he said there are never enough resources when it comes to fighting wildfires in any B.C. community. "I still want my initial attack crews that were formerly here, based in Clearwater, with B.C. Wildfire Service back," he said. Blackwell met with Forest Minister Ravi Parmar recently to talk about how teams in Kamloops will support the needs in Clearwater. He said he wants the FDIA team to be something of a partnership with the province. In a statement provided to CBC News, Parmar said partnerships with local government are "important" when it comes to wildfire response. "The B.C. Wildfire Service team constantly monitors conditions, and when the wildfire risk is high — for any community in B.C. — the B.C. Wildfire Service will base more crews, deploy resources, and work with local leaders to ensure that people are kept safe." Blackwell said he does see a future where B.C. Wildfire crews return to Clearwater on a more permanent basis, but that won't affect the work the local FDIA team is doing. "I think as time goes on, everybody is acknowledging that the risk is increasing," he said. "But I think every community like us needs to look at, what is your risk internally and do you have the right equipment for this? If we were in Kamloops and we had six-storey apartment buildings, we'd be buying a lot of ladder trucks. We don't have that risk. We have this risk and we're dealing with this risk right now."
CBC
30-03-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Clearwater, B.C., launches its own wildland firefighting team amid ongoing drought
A small community in B.C.'s North Thompson region is launching its own special firefighting team to suppress wildfires that pop over the summer, as the risk of wildfire in such a heavily forested area remains a key concern for residents. The move comes after the B.C. Wildfire Service pulled initial attack crews from the area several years ago, according to Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell. Now, the B.C. Wildfire Service said, the crews are based in Kamloops, about 126 kilometres south of the community. This is all well and good, but if a wildfire sparks, a more immediate response may be necessary. "Clearwater, if you haven't been here, has probably more trees than any town for per acre," Blackwell told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce. Meanwhile, the snowpack across the province is well below normal, and forecasters are worried an ongoing drought plaguing the province will continue through the summer. As British Columbians have come to learn, lots of fuel — trees — and dry conditions can spell disaster when it comes to wildfires. The team, called the Fire Department Initial Attack crew (FDIA), will be made up of six members, according to the district's director of corporate services, Alsid Prime, and they will be used depending on risk, availability and whether B.C. Wildfire crews are involved. The district expects to spend up to $294,532 on equipment and training, paid out from the Wells Gray Community Forest Reserve Fund. These are volunteer positions, however, Blackwell said the team will be paid when training or working on a fire. The district is also adding another person to its two-person FireSmart mitigation crew, which will serve as the wildfire response team during daytime hours in the summer. Those three people, along with a FireSmart Coordinator, will form a four-person team that can respond to wildfires if other FDIA volunteers are busy. That way, there's always someone available to respond to fires, Prime said. The recruitment process hasn't formally launched — but community members are already showing interest in joining the team and making sure their homes are protected against future fires, Prime said. They expect to have the team up and running by May. While Blackwell is happy about the development of the team, he said there are never enough resources when it comes to fighting wildfires in any B.C. community. "I still want my initial attack crews that were formerly here, based in Clearwater, with B.C. Wildfire Service back," he said. Blackwell met with Forest Minister Ravi Parmar recently to talk about how teams in Kamloops will support the needs in Clearwater. He said he wants the FDIA team to be something of a partnership with the province. In a statement provided to CBC News, Parmar said partnerships with local government are "important" when it comes to wildfire response. "The B.C. Wildfire Service team constantly monitors conditions, and when the wildfire risk is high — for any community in B.C. — the B.C. Wildfire Service will base more crews, deploy resources, and work with local leaders to ensure that people are kept safe." Blackwell said he does see a future where B.C. Wildfire crews return to Clearwater on a more permanent basis, but that won't affect the work the local FDIA team is doing. "I think as time goes on, everybody is acknowledging that the risk is increasing," he said. "But I think every community like us needs to look at, what is your risk internally and do you have the right equipment for this? If we were in Kamloops and we had six-storey apartment buildings, we'd be buying a lot of ladder trucks. We don't have that risk. We have this risk and we're dealing with this risk right now."
CBC
23-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Tariff exposure lower in B.C.; warning against illicit sexual performance drugs: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet
Miss something this week? Don't panic. CBC's Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need. Want this in your inbox? Get the Marketplace newsletter every Friday. B.C. economies 'less exposed' to potential U.S. tariffs: Canadian Chamber of Commerce B.C. cities, in general, would be among the least vulnerable in Canada if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on tariff threats, according to new data from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. That isn't to say that British Columbia wouldn't suffer: the chamber's chief economist, Stephen Tapp, says those tariffs would be recessionary for the whole country. "I don't think anybody's really fully insulated from Trump's tariff threats," he told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops guest host Doug Herbert. "But I think that the B.C. economies in our numbers come out a lot less exposed than some of the other places in the country." The chamber's Business Data Lab looked at Statistics Canada information from 41 cities across Canada with populations of more than 100,000 people. This means the data is lacking when it comes to rural Canadians, who also have a vested interest in Canada's trade relationship with the United States. From there, they assess how much each city exports to the U.S. Kamloops, located 253 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, ranked 40th out of 41 cities and would be the second-most resilient in the event the U.S. does impose tariffs on Canadian goods, according to the chamber's calculations. Read more Health Canada is again warning people to stop using unauthorized sexual enhancement products Health Canada is warning people that unauthorized sexual enhancement products sold in at least three provinces may pose serious health risks. In a public advisory published on Wednesday, the agency told people to stop using the 372 different products they'd identified — with names like Spanish Fly 22,000, Rhino 69 and Magnum Gold — and consult a health-care professional if they have any concerns. Health Canada says it has seized the products from stores in New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario because they have been found to contain "dangerous ingredients." "Unauthorized health products have not been approved by Health Canada, which means that they have not been assessed for safety, effectiveness and quality," the agency said. Last year, Health Canada issued four other warnings about sexual enhancement products, including counterfeit erectile dysfunction drugs seized at Toronto convenience stores. In a similar warning last May, Health Canada identified 421 unauthorized sexual enhancement products sold mostly in Ontario, but also in Quebec, Alberta and B.C. Read more Regulation would encourage AI innovation, U of Ottawa prof argues after Paris summit Regulation of artificial intelligence would encourage — not stifle — innovation, says a University of Ottawa professor who presented at last week's global AI summit. Florian Martin-Bariteau, who is also the university's chair of technology and society, flew across the Atlantic to address world leaders in Paris at a summit meant to set a global agenda for the rapidly developing technology. Such international summits have been held annually since 2023 and bring together world leaders, researchers and AI companies. "Not any kind of innovation is good for society," Martin-Bariteau said in an interview with CBC's Ottawa Morning. "Regulation is not always bad. It can help provide a playbook for innovators, know what they can do, not do, and innovate in a safe environment." Martin-Bariteau said he was hopeful the summit would allow leaders to develop concrete plans to handle AI, but instead faced a reality that was like "a cold shower." Conversations at the summit were "light toward commitment" and "lacking big actions," he said. "A lot of people think regulation will stifle innovation." That was certainly the tone set by U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, who told the summit"excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off." What else is going on? Surprise visitor trapped Chelsea Coles outside of her house in – 30 C weather. Marketplace needs your help! Are you on the lookout for the latest in business news? You'll want to subscribe to this newsletter, too. Mind Your Business is your weekly look at what's happening in the worlds of economics, business and finance. Subscribe now.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
B.C. economies 'less exposed' to potential U.S. tariffs: Canadian Chamber of Commerce
B.C. cities, in general, would be among the least vulnerable in Canada if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on tariff threats, according to new data from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. That isn't to say that British Columbia wouldn't suffer: the chamber's chief economist, Stephen Tapp, says those tariffs would be recessionary for the whole country. "I don't think anybody's really fully insulated from Trump's tariff threats," he told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops guest host Doug Herbert. "But I think that the B.C. economies in our numbers come out a lot less exposed than some of the other places in the country." The chamber's Business Data Lab looked at Statistics Canada information from 41 cities across Canada with populations of more than 100,000 people. This means the data is lacking when it comes to rural Canadians, who also have a vested interest in Canada's trade relationship with the United States. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce ranks Canadian cities' vulnerability to U.S. tariffs using custom Statistics Canada trade data. (Canadian Chamber of Commerce) From there, they assess how much each city exports to the U.S. Kamloops, located 253 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, ranked 40th out of 41 cities, would be the second-most resilient in the event the U.S. does impose tariffs on Canadian goods, according to the chamber's calculations. Exports from Kamloops to the U.S. account for about 2.3 per cent of the city's GDP — well below the national average of about 20 per cent, Tapp said, and only about 15 per cent of its exports go to the U.S. UBC economist Ross Hickey said Kamloops is in a good situation in that they don't rely on the U.S. for trade the way other communities do, but the city has been missing out on an "ideal" trading partner. "U.S. markets are kind of where it's at for Canadian producers," he said. "The U.S. is the largest consumer market in the world, very high income, high population and it's right next door. "Trade with the United States is not going to go away because of tariffs. Tariffs are going to make trade less favourable ... but there are still opportunities for economic integration with the United States." Nanaimo, 307 kilometres southwest of Kamloops on Vancouver Island, is not far behind Kamloops; U.S. exports make up about 4.1 per cent of the city's GDP, while just over 30 per cent of its exports go to the United States. Victoria, Kelowna, Vancouver and Chilliwack are all on the lower end of the scale in terms of tariff exposure. The only B.C. city that could see a really negative impact, according to the chamber's data, would be Abbotsford-Mission, which ranked 15 out of 41 cities and is situated along the Canada-U.S. border. "There's obviously some regional variation," Tapp said. "But I think one of the main benefits of the economies on both of the coasts, but particularly for B.C., is that there's a lot more trade with Asian economies and a lot less dependence on the U.S. market." Hickey said that although B.C. is certainly more insulated from future tariffs, the province already suffered when softwood lumber tariffs nearly doubled last year. But Hickey said there's been a lot of focus on how tariffs could impact Canadians, but not enough on how policies south of the border might push the United States into a recession, which he said could have a greater impact on Canada's economy. "If Trump's policies reduce the income of Americans, that's not good for us as a trading partner," he said. "I don't wish ill upon our trading partners, I hope that they recover from the insanity that's taking place right now."
