Daily Digest — British Columbia — 23 Feb 2026

Heartbreaking for wine country: Terralux Winery in West Kelowna has sat unfinished for over two years and is now in foreclosure, one of three Okanagan wineries (others in Cawston and Okanagan Falls) facing the same fate. The region’s wine sector has been hit hard by COVID, wildfires and a generational cold snap that destroyed about 90% of grapes and left roughly a third being replanted; in 2024 at least a quarter of wineries were listed for sale and about 20 were publicly on the market. Wine Growers BC’s Jeff Guignard calls it painful but not surprising, while owners like Ron Kubek blame government policy; Minister Lana Popham says supports were provided.

A slow-motion courtroom twist: Mailkiat Shoker’s trial for a bizarre November 2023 tractor chase down Highway 1 in Surrey (part of an anti-SOGI convoy) was delayed because his defence lawyer has bronchitis. Shoker faces dangerous driving, flight from police and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon; he says he’ll plead not guilty and the case is nearing the Supreme Court’s Jordan delay limits (about 15 months elapsed between Dec 2024 and Feb 2026), so a new date could be months away.

Families want answers about Lapu Lapu funds: Alejandro Samper, who lost his parents Glitza and Daniel and sister Glitza at the April 26, 2025 Vancouver Lapu Lapu Festival (11 people killed), says he hasn’t seen the help donors promised. United Way BC reports distributing more than $1.5 million via 45 grants — including over $500,000 for mental health, $235,000 for healing circles and $200,000 for art therapy — but Samper says he received no counselling and wants a clear breakdown; United Way says all money went to registered charities.

Arrest in Alberta in Tumbler Ridge case: Jacob VanRoostelaar, older brother of the Feb. 10 Tumbler Ridge shooter, was arrested in Sylvan Lake, Alta., after a Canada-wide warrant for attempted murder; police say he had brass knuckles and now faces two new weapons charges plus five breach charges. Jacob had earlier been charged in Fort McMurray in 2024; the shooter, identified by RCMP as Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed eight people including family members and students before dying of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

Police found to have failed missing woman: The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner ruled Vancouver police officers committed misconduct in the 2022 disappearance of Tatyanna Harrison (reported May 3, 2022), whose remains were found on a drydocked yacht in Richmond and identified in August. The decision says officers didn’t do a required missing-person risk assessment; Harrison’s mother Natasha calls it a systemic failure, a retired judge urged changes and the BC Coroner has requested an inquest.

Ottawa calls in OpenAI over safety worries: AI Minister Evan Solomon summoned OpenAI reps after reports the Tumbler Ridge shooter’s ChatGPT account (flagged in June 2025) wasn’t reported to police as an immediate threat. ChatGPT says it suspended the account and contacted the RCMP after the Feb. 10 shootings that killed eight people; Ottawa wants OpenAI to explain its escalation protocols at a scheduled meeting in the capital.

Frightening scenes in Puerto Vallarta: Vancouver resident John Snyder captured photos of smoke, burned vehicles and businesses during cartel violence after the killing of cartel leader "El Mencho," leaving more than 26,000 Canadians registered in Mexico sheltering in place. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says there are no military or consular evacuation flights planned; Snyder reports heavy damage (a friend mentioned about 70 businesses destroyed) and worries for local residents.

Funeral cancelled after threats in Tumbler Ridge: The family of 12-year-old Kylie Smith, killed in the Feb. 10 Tumbler Ridge shootings, cancelled her funeral because of death threats and have moved to a safe location while police investigate. Parents Lance Younge and Jenny Geary said the small community (under 3,000 people) has faced harassment of multiple bereaved families; the RCMP says a safety plan is in place and an event will be held later when it’s safe.