British Columbia is getting a new phone area code next year.
The 2-5-7 area code will be introduced gradually starting May 24th.
It follows a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission aimed at meeting the growing demand for new phone numbers.
Kelly Walsh with the Canadian Numbering Administrator says the addition of a new area code creates millions of additional phone numbers
Several major wildfires continue to burn out-of-control in British Columbia's Interior, where forecasted rain had been hoped to dampen blazes in parts of the Central Okanagan and the Shuswap. But Environment Canada data shows neither Kelowna's airport nor Salmon Arm recorded measurable precipitation Tuesday, after initial predictions called for possible rain and thunderstorms in the evening.
Victoria police say the man was arrested on Sunday after a lengthy investigation by the force's major crimes section. They say 42-year-old Edwin Singh now faces four counts of arson in connection with four fires this summer, three of which occurred on Government Street in Victoria in June and July and one in Saanich in mid-August.
Lawn watering was prohibited in Metro Vancouver's 23 local authority regions on Aug. 4, with the ban in place until Oct.15. Some homeowners are looking for alternatives including spray-painting or artificial turf, but others are embracing the golden look.
BC's police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who was shot by an officer in Revelstoke. R-C-M-P say it happened Sunday night after they responded to a call about a stolen vehicle.
The BC Centre for Disease Control has detected Canada's first known case of a new COVID-19 variant that has swiftly circled the globe and is being monitored by the World Health Organization. The centre said the BA. 2.86 variant of the Omicron strain was identified in a person from the Fraser Health region who hadn't recently been outside the province.
The P-N-E Amphitheatre is shutting its doors after almost 60 years in operation, making way for the construction of a new facility scheduled to open in 2026. A statement from the Pacific National Exhibition says the last show at the venue will be a Blue Rodeo concert on Labour Day, with one show scheduled for each night this week leading up to September 4.