Vancouver police say they've made an arrest in a December 2022 fire that destroyed a house in the southern end of the city.
They say the 37-year-old suspect is charged with one count of arson.
No one was injured in the blaze near Argyle Street and Victoria Drive on December 16th.
It caused more than a million-dollars in damages.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said she would speak Tuesday afternoon with Shanghai consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde. Joly described her in French as "a very respected career diplomat." Earlier Tuesday, Beijing declared it would expel Lalonde in retaliation for Canada's de sending a Chinese envoy packing.
Ma says the unusual heat also elevates the risks of wildfires burning in B.C. There are more than 50 fires burning in B.C., most of them in the north and central part of the province, and three wildfires have prompted evacuation orders or alerts for nearby residents.
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.