Daily Digest — British Columbia (2026-02-02)

Nearly a year later, a B.C. mother remains missing — Jennifer Provencal, 51, was last seen on Feb. 5, 2025, near Forest Grove (outside 100 Mile House), and police suspect foul play. Her husband Tom Boulding reported they argued before she disappeared; he denies involvement but is being investigated, and her sister reported her missing in April 2025 after learning she hadn’t been seen for months. The tight-knit community holds weekly walks, Canim Lake’s Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation performed a ceremony, and family have asked people to shine purple lights to mark one year and bring forward any tips.

A coroner’s inquest opened into the June 2023 deaths of a Prince Rupert family after alarming pre-death events — jurors are examining how Janet Nguyen and Christopher Duong (both in their 30s) and their two children (ages four and two) were found dead three days after a Mercedes full of cash and suitcases was abandoned on June 10, 2023. Evidence presented this week included claims that a hit had been ordered, Duong’s serious 2022 brain injury from a crash, a civil forfeiture claim dating to 2016, and questions about why the children were left with their parents; hearings continue through Friday.

Three men were arrested Feb. 1 after an alleged extortion-related shooting in Surrey — Harjot Singh, 21; Taranveer Singh, 19; and Dayajeet Singh Billing, 21 have been charged with discharging a firearm into a place. Police say shots were reported around 3:50 a.m. near Crescent Road and 132 Street and the trio were caught soon after; they are remanded until Feb. 5 and are foreign nationals, so Canada Border Services Agency is involved. Surrey police note 46 extortion reports so far this year (11 shots fired, one arson, 29 victims with 17 repeat victims); anyone with info can call 604-599-0502 (file 26-10642), the Surrey Extortion Tip Line 236-485-5149 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 / www.solvecrime.ca.

A major review says B.C. forestry needs to be razed and rebuilt around trust and transparency, not just harvest targets. The Provincial Forestry Advisory Council recommends a transparent, laser-based forest inventory (think LiDAR), an independent body to manage the data, arm’s-length assessments of high-value old-growth, and regional decision-making outside provincial politics to stop boom-and-bust cycles and ecological decline. In other words, the report urges moving from managing how many trees are cut to managing the lands themselves to rebuild public trust.

Three power yachts were destroyed in a large marina fire in Sidney on Sunday at Van Isle Marina, and the vessels sank despite emergency efforts — thankfully no one was on board and there were no injuries. Emergency crews from Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich fire departments, Sidney RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation fought the blaze; cleanup and fuel containment are underway and affected owners have been contacted.