An economist says the Canadian housing market could be in for a rebound this year after a cautious 2023.
T-D Bank economist Rishi Sondhi says that optimism depends largely on the forecasts of the Bank of Canada cutting interest rates, which may begin as early as the second quarter.
Home prices softened in several areas late last year, including in the Fraser Valley.
Vancouver Realtor Tim Hill says he is optimistic of consumer sentiments slowly shifting as prices improve in recent months.
With a rush to build more housing across the province, the B-C government says it is adopting new building and fire codes for sustainability and creating homes faster. The Ministry of Housing says the proposed changes to the building code will expand the use of mass timber in taller buildings, while helping to reduce carbon pollution.
Police in New Westminster are investigating a fatal accident involving a pedestrian. It happened yesterday afternoon and police say the pedestrian died at the scene. Sergeant Andrew Leaver says driver stayed at the crash site.
Mounties in Prince George are warning drivers that Highway 97 through the Salmon Valley is closed in both directions because of a crash. Police say a five-ton truck and a pickup were involved in the collision around 12:45 this afternoon.
The hamlet of Gore, Que., had the foresight to start preparing for more intense annual flooding due to climate change a decade ago. That's when the rural township 60 kilometres northwest of Montreal began quadrupling the size of its culverts to accommodate greater water flow under its roads.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she's seeing a drop in COVID-19 cases in British Columbia but influenza illnesses appear to be increasing, in line with pre-pandemic patterns. She says cases of H1N1 flu and respiratory syncytial virus are both rising, with youngsters testing positive for RSV in high numbers.
Jagtar Singh (57) dead on the scene, and rushed his wife Harbhajan Kaur (55) and their daughter to hospital with life threatening injuries. While Kaur succumbed to her injuries in hospital, their daughter, yet to be identified by the police, continues to battle for life at a trauma centre in Toronto.