Police on eastern Vancouver Island say they have found the body of a 26-year-old man in the waters of Cowichan Bay.
R-C-M-P say the man was last seen Monday and reported missing on Wednesday.
They say the R-C-M-P West Coast Marine Unit was deployed to search the bay with the help of a police helicopter, and the man's body was found yesterday.
Corporal Alex Bérubé says there are no signals of criminality, but the circumstances of the man's death will be thoroughly examined.
The British Columbia government says the province's Crown power utility is applying for a 2.3-per-cent rate increase starting in April, adding about $2 a month to the average residential bill. A statement from the Energy Ministry says it's the sixth year in a row that BC Hydro has applied for an increase below the rate of inflation.
Severe weather across Canada caused by climate change has wreaked havoc with the pumpkin harvest this year. Nova Scotia pumpkin farmer Danny Dill says the spring planting season was arid because of wildfires, then heavy rains in the summer flooded his fields.
The federal government is expanding its drug and substance use strategy to try to save more lives and provide more services to people disproportionately affected by Canada's overdose crisis. Health Canada says the drug landscape has changed with an increasingly toxic supply since the strategy was first developed in 2016.
A group of more than 30 British Columbia retailers, trade associations and other organizations is calling for a co-ordinated government response for repeat offenders they say are behind a wave of theft, vandalism and violent crime. The Save Our Streets coalition says the need for immediate action is "critical" to meet threats to staff safety, rising security costs and the community impact.
The head of British Columbia's police watchdog says caring for intoxicated prisoners is a health-care issue and shouldn't be a police responsibility. A report released by Ronald J. MacDonald, the chief civilian director of the Independent Investigations Office, says holding those who are intoxicated in jail cells is outdated and offers no guarantee of their safety and health.
Certain non-profit organizations in British Columbia are getting $60 million from the government in grant funding to help them do their work. Premier David Eby says the help of non-profits is crucial and they benefit the people of B.C. with community supports, arts and cultural services and assistance to find affordable housing.