R-C-M-P say reports of online child exploitation in the province are continuing on an upward trend and are encouraging parents to be vigilant.
Between January and March of this year, police say more than 57-hundred reports of online child sexual abuse were been received.
They say if that rate continues, reports could more than double in 2023 over last year.
Last year, more than 96-hundred reports were received, more than double those reported in 2021.
Evacuation orders or alerts remain in place for much of the areas surrounding the Red Creek and Boundary Lake fires, about 1,300 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. In its latest update, the B.C. Wildfire Service reported the Boundary Lake fire was an estimated 5,900 hectares. The fire at Red Creek sits at 2,800 hectares.
Police say they received a call on Monday morning about a break-and-enter at a residential development, and arrested the male suspect after a brief search of the building. Police say the suspect is a newcomer to Victoria and had 44 prior contacts with police this year, in addition to having been arrested a dozen times.
A one-million dollar upgrade is being supplied through the Destination Development Fund, which will go toward making the site of the Cloverdale Rodeo more accessible and versatile.
A joint investment of 3.2-million-dollars will go toward improving the ventilation systems at five elementary and secondary schools in the province. Two of the schools in Abbotsford will receive funding to replace heat pumps, a chiller and a direct digital controls upgrade.
Eby's comments today around the same time the federal government announced it was expelling Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei, whom C-SIS says was involved in a plot to intimidate Conservative M-P Michael Chong and his relatives in Hong Kong.
In particular, the probe revealed mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between the former CEO, Shayne Ramsay, and his spouse, Janice Abbott, the CEO of Atira Women's Resource Society, BC Housing's largest housing operator.