What’s making news in British Columbia

VANCOUVER – GAS PRICES EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UPWARD CLIMB

A petroleum industry analyst is warning B.C. drivers to brace for record high gasoline prices this summer.

Dan McTeague of the online tech company GasBuddy says starting next month, gasoline prices across much of B.C.’s south coast will hover around $1.60 a litre.

He blames the hike on high demand and chronically short supply.

McTeague says the situation will be made worse once the Olympic pipeline, which distributes gasoline throughout Washington and Oregon, is taken off line for several days of planned maintenance.

—

—

THREE ARRESTED AFTER DRUGS, CASH SEIZED NEAR SCHOOL

RCMP in Surrey say three men have been arrested after drugs including marijuana and LSD were seized at a home near a high school.

Mounties say about 600 doses of marijuana, 700 doses of psilocybin mushrooms and 500 doses of LSD were among the items seized during the raid.

It’s alleged that police also seized six pellet guns and five knives from the home, along with more than $2,500 in cash.

Investigators say they received information that many young people had been going to the home to buy drugs.

—

—

COUNCILLOR SAYS IT’S TIME FOR TIME-CHANGE DISCUSSION

The incoming president of the Union of B.C. Municipalities is suggesting a provincewide referendum be held over whether or not to end the twice yearly time change.

Kamloops Coun. Arjun Singh says the matter could be discussed at the annual meeting of the UBCM later this year.

He says there probably should be a lobby provincially to have the question of daylight saving time put on a ballot.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth has ruled out holding a referendum this year.

—

—

VICTORIA TO REPLACE OLD FIRE HALL

The City of Victoria says a new fire hall and emergency operations centre is to be built downtown at an expected cost of about $35.9 million.

Officials say the state-of-the-art, post-seismic rated facility will be part of a new mixed-use development.

It will replace the current headquarters building that has served the city since 1959.

BC Emergency Health Services has also agreed to lease space from the city to operate a stand-alone facility for paramedics and four ambulances under a planned 20-year co-service agreement.

—

—

BOYS SAVE LIVES DURING HOUSE FIRE

Two Victoria boys are being credited with helping to save several people during a house fire.

Officials say a woman was looking after her grandchildren in the upstairs of the house and there were tenants living downstairs.

Firefighters say a 13-year-old boy and his 16-year-old brother got their grandmother and three-year-old brother out of the house and alerted the tenants downstairs.

There is no immediate word on the amount of damage to the home.

—

—

VANCOUVER OFFERS SUPPORTIVE SPACE DURING INQUIRY HEARINGS

The City of Vancouver plans to open a temporary space to offer support to families and survivors attending next month’s hearings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The space has been named “Saa-ust” Centre, which means “to lift up” in Coast Salish.

The centre will offer counselling services, ceremony space and access to elders and others.

There will also be art and cultural activities from First Nations across Canada.

—

—

By The Canadian Press, Vancouver