British Columbia's credit status took a double blow on Tuesday, with S&P downgrading the province due to the risk of "outsize" deficits, and Moody's turning its outlook negative. S&P Global Ratings blamed big government spending as it dropped its credit rating for the province and BC Hydro's provincially guaranteed unsecured debt from AA status to AA-minus.
The B.C. government says it's making it easier for forestry companies to salvage timber damaged by wildfires. Sustainable Forestry Innovation Minister Andrew Mercier says in a statement that changes to the price of fees for harvesting timber on Crown land make salvage "more economic," and will speed up forest regeneration.
British Columbia is moving ahead with the transition to an independent police service in Surrey after the mayor and council refused to part ways with the RCMP. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth says a plan is in place for the continued transition to the independent Surrey Police Service, and he'll release more details next week on how that will work.
British Columbia's government is spearheading a new public development project on Vancouver Island aimed at bringing more affordable homes closer to transit access Premier David Eby says the province has purchased two parcels of land for the Uptown development in Saanich, B.C., through the $394-million property acquisition fund operated by the Transportation Ministry.
A woman has been arrested over what Vancouver police say is a series of assaults against "random strangers" in the city. Police say officers responded to multiple calls on Sunday in the city's downtown core where the 32-year-old woman is alleged to have assaulted three people.
British Columbia Premier David Eby says the government has asked the auditor general to review the province's grant programs after allegations of conflict-of-interest from a clean-technology company. The development comes after Merritt, B.C.-based electric-hybrid truck maker Edison Motors said in a TikTok video that accounting firm MNP was both administering a CleanBC grant and offering to provide services to aid businesses in applications.