Latest news with #LowerMainland
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Coquihalla Highway reopens after sinkhole repairs
The Ministry of Transportation and Transit shared this photo of overnight work on the Coquihalla Highway to repair a sinkhole. (Ministry of Transportation) The Coquihalla Highway fully reopened Saturday night after being shut down in both directions for days. The main route between B.C.'s Lower Mainland and the Interior closed for 'emergency sinkhole repairs' on Thursday night. Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, DriveBC announced that work was complete, and asked drivers to watch out for crews as they cleared the site. Coquihalla sinkhole The Coquihalla Highway remained closed due to a sinkhole on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Ministry of Transportation) However, the left lane is still closed in both directions for a 3.5 kilometre stretch near the Great Bear Snowshed for road construction, and will remain so until June 25, according to officials. The Ministry of Transportation earlier said the sinkhole appeared to be the result of pipeline boring in the area.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Coquihalla Highway closed in both directions as sinkhole repairs continue
The Coquihalla Highway is seen during a closure between Hope and Merritt on Saturday, June 7, 2025. ( / @DriveBC) The main highway between B.C.'s Lower Mainland and Interior regions remained closed Saturday, more than 36 hours after it first partially shut down for 'emergency sinkhole repairs' Thursday night. The closure was first reported by DriveBC at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night at a location between the Portia and Zopkios Brake Check exits, about three kilometres south of the Great Bear Snowshed passageway. At first, only the northbound lanes were closed to traffic, but the highway has been closed in both directions since 9 p.m. Friday. DriveBC said Friday that crews were initially hoping to let northbound traffic through during the afternoon, but 'unforeseen geotechnical circumstances' forced it to delay its next update on the closure to 5 p.m. that day. The road remained closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt as of 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and DriveBC said its next update on the matter was scheduled for 4 p.m. 'Please note this is NOT an estimated time of reopening,' the agency said in a social media post. With the Coquihalla Highway – also known as Highway 5 – closed, travellers between the Lower Mainland and the Interior are advised to take either Highway 1 or Highway 3 to get to their destinations. With files from The Canadian Press
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
U.S. tariff hike a blow for Kitimat's smelter, Lower Mainland aluminum manufacturers
Anxiety is building in the steel and aluminum sector as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration doubles its tariffs on the metals. Anxiety is building in the steel and aluminum sector as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration doubles its tariffs on the metals. British Columbia's only aluminum smelter is in Kitimat, where the Rio Tinto facility known as BC Works employs 1,100 workers, indirectly employing many more. It's unclear what the tariff increase will mean for the smelter, but the local business community is hopeful Rio Tinto takes a long-term view. 'This is a huge hit for the aluminum industry,' said Laurel D'Andrea, executive director of the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with CTV News Wednesday. 'But again, I know that they will take care of their company and take care of their employees and really try to do what is best overall for the community.' D'Andrea suggested the company take a 'strategic' approach. Meanwhile, in the Lower Mainland, the local aluminum manufacturing sector is watching. 'Uncertainty' is the word on everyone's lips. 'It's concerning,' Pacific Bolt Manufacturing president Trevor Borland told CTV News on Wednesday. 'To be honest, we're not 100 per cent sure exactly what it means as of yet, because the dust is still settling. But an increase of 25 to 50 (per cent) obviously makes it that much less affordable for us to operate.' Prime Minister Mark Carney is pledging to respond if needed, but not before giving trade talks with the U.S. a chance. 'The new tariffs on steel and aluminum are unlawful, unjustified and illogical,' Carney said, while Liberal members of Parliament applauded in the House of Commons on Wednesday. 'We are in intensive negotiations with the Americans, and in parallel preparing reprisals if those negotiations do not succeed.' Meanwhile, there's a plea from some in the industry to mandate the use of Canadian steel in government projects as a way of providing support. 'Bridges, highway projects, transit projects, just the requirement saying, 'Hey, look, we want to see Canadian made products in those projects,' would go a long ways to helping us and other fabricators or other steel companies,' Borland said. While tariffs have led to layoffs in other sectors, there are no immediate indications of that locally after this latest development, with many companies taking a wait-and-see approach to this increased levy. CTV News has contacted Rio Tinto for comment and will update this story if the company responds.
CBC
29-05-2025
- General
- CBC
North Vancouver RCMP warn of scam targeting seniors
North Vancouver RCMP have noticed a recent spike in fraud targeting seniors. On May 15, 2025, police say an older woman was contacted by someone impersonating a financial institution fraud investigator. The woman was told that fraudulent purchases had been made on her account and that the chips on her cards had to be checked. She then handed them over to someone who visited her residence and claimed to be from her bank. She reported the incident to the police and her financial institution once she realized there were $23,000 in fraudulent charges on her account. "We continue to repeat our warnings, but we don't mind being a broken record. We need would-be targets to know how to recognize these scams," said Cpl. Mansoor Sahak of the North Vancouver RCMP in a news release. "We also need friends, family, neighbours, anyone who interacts with the elderly or those who are new to Canada to tell them about these scams, how to recognize them, and what to do if they are contacted by a scammer." The release says eight similar frauds have been reported in North Vancouver. Investigators have determined that the suspects may be travelling throughout the Lower Mainland, but the investigation is still active and ongoing. Tips to avoid scams Sahak said to remember that anyone can be a target and that fraudsters can be extremely convincing. Some tips provided by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to avoid being victimized: Don't be afraid to say no. Do your research to verify organizations are legitimate. Don't give out personal information such as your name, your address, your birthdate, your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or your credit card or banking information. Beware of upfront fees. Protect your computer. Be careful who you share images with. Protect your online accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Recognize spoofing, which is used to mislead victims and convince them they are communicating with legitimate people, companies and organizations.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. senior loses $23K in bank card scam
An elderly woman in North Vancouver who fell victim to a bank card scam saw $23,000 in fraudulent charges racked up on her accounts earlier this month, according to authorities. The woman received a call from someone posing as an employee of a financial institution on May 15, the North Vancouver RCMP said in a news release. 'The caller advised the elderly woman that fraudulent purchases had been noted on her chequing account and her card chips must be checked,' the statement from Mounties said. 'Shortly after, a male who claimed to be from her bank attended her residence to collect her bank cards. Unbeknownst to the elderly woman, she just handed her bank cards to a fraudster.' The same scam has been reported in other jurisdictions on the Lower Mainland, prompting warnings from police in Abbotsford and Richmond. Thursday's warning from the North Vancouver RCMP said investigators believe the suspects may be travelling through the region and could be responsible for eight reported cases. 'We continue to repeat our warnings, but we don't mind being a broken record. We need would-be targets to know how to recognize these scams,' said North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mansoor Sahak. 'We also need friends, family, neighbours, anyone who interacts with the elderly or those who are new to Canada to tell them about these scams, how to recognize them, and what to do if they are contacted by a scammer.' More information on scams and how to guard against them is available online.
