BC Weekly Digest — Mar 23–29, 2026

A Burnaby grandmother, 78-year-old Lilia Avoutova, is in an induced coma in Kunming after a March 6 stroke; family faces up to $400,000 for air ambulance and have raised ~$16,000 on GoFundMe.

The Heppell potato farm in Surrey (220 acres) may lose its federal-leased land after 50 years as the site is eyed for terminals, warehousing or housing — a petition has 86,000+ signatures.

A court application to evict about two dozen people from the Fairview homeless encampment in Penticton was adjourned; residents get more time but local businesses remain frustrated over fires and safety.

B.C. is quietly consulting on proposed changes to DRIPA after recent court rulings on Indigenous title and mining; First Nations leaders and homeowners are watching closely as feedback is gathered.

A new WildfireScore app rates wildfire risk for Canadian properties (1–5) and offers a $20, 30-year probability report geared to mortgage horizons — useful if you own a cabin or home in fire-prone areas.

Surrey police are investigating a violent home invasion that left a 65-year-old woman seriously injured on 32B Avenue; anyone with info should call SPS and quote file 26-28314.

Vancouver’s Vaisakhi Parade (April 11, 11 a.m.) route is changed off Marine Drive to Ross Street and a new Fraser–Maine section for improved vehicle mitigation and security after last year’s Lapu-Lapu tragedy.

The family of four victims of the 1982 Bentley murders say they may be barred from speaking in person at David Ennis’s upcoming parole review after he waived an in-person hearing.

Another fire struck the Whatcom Road Park and Ride encampment in Abbotsford amid an IHIT homicide probe after a 69-year-old man was shot and killed there March 23; officials call for provincial action.

BC Hydro will repurpose about 85% of the Site C worker camp (21 dorms) to support the North Coast Transmission Line project, helping speed construction that should be operational by 2034.

With Trans Mountain near capacity, talk of another Alberta-to-coast oil pipeline has renewed interest; B.C. government and Coastal First Nations remain skeptical while industry watches market signals.

Gob, a Vancouver Island marmot released on Mount Washington, returned to the recovery centre and was re-trapped; the species’ population is rebounding but remains ~400 animals.

A long-running West Vancouver mansion dispute resumed: a judge ordered the owner to stop unpermitted work and not live on the property without final occupancy approval.

RCMP and CBSA intercepted 115 kg of meth hidden in pickle jars destined for Melbourne; three arrests followed in Australia and one in Kelowna as part of an international probe.

Updates on Tumbler Ridge: 12-year-old survivor Maya Gebala had surgery to remove an abscess and may leave ICU soon; communities continue supporting victims of the Feb. 10 school shooting.

A Vernon man, Seth Christian, is charged with bestiality after surveillance allegedly showed a sexual assault on a horse; the owner has installed more cameras and wants full prosecution.

Richmond Centre MLA Hon Chan was removed from the BC Conservative caucus after being charged with assault, assault by choking and uttering threats related to alleged January 12, 2024 incidents.

Spring snow closed the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt briefly; Environment Canada warned of ~15 cm and tricky mountain driving — check DriveBC before travel.

Pilots and NAV Canada say controller staffing is short (about 200 controllers) and some tower positions get combined; pilots call for robust staffing and consistent protocol use.

U.S. jury rulings against Meta about youth harms could affect a proposed class action in B.C., say Canadian lawyers pursuing similar claims over social-platform addiction and child safety.

As Vancouver prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, city and province face questions about where unhoused people will go inside the two-kilometre beautification zone around BC Place.

Nurse practitioners in B.C. say they’re struggling to find jobs despite a shortage of primary care: 700,000 people lack a family doctor and officials recruited U.S. NPs while local graduates face hiring delays.

After 126 weeks of weekly pro‑Palestinian rallies, Victoria police will stop providing traffic control for the street portion as of April 4, citing officer wellness and resource strain.

Peace Arch Hospital’s maternity unit is on diversion March 25–31 (the ninth diversion in four months) because of ob-gyn shortages; Fraser Health advises calling ahead if you’re in labour.

Federal security agencies are reviewing a Vancouver company recently sanctioned by the U.S. over alleged ties to a Hezbollah finance network; Ottawa says RCMP and CSIS are looking into it.

Four people died in separate avalanches in northern B.C. over the weekend — three heli-ski guests near Mount Knauss and a remote slide near the Klehini River; the BC Coroners Service is investigating.

BC Ferries found coliform and E. coli in potable water samples on the Queen of Alberni and the Salish Orca; public health guided operations and no illnesses were reported while systems were flushed.

West Kelowna father Shane Braniff and other patients report long waits for neurosurgery amid neurologist shortages at Kelowna General Hospital, raising concerns about access to urgent care.

A Kelowna man was fined $5,000 for flying a drone near the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire after interfering with a helicopter; officials warn drones can endanger firefighting crews.

Kelowna removed dozens of trees for the $9.1M Mill Creek flood-protection works tied to Parkinson Rec Centre; the city will replant 800 trees and 6,000 shrubs but neighbours are upset.