Local governments and First Nations adversely affected by the province’s record wildfire season now qualify for disaster financial assistance. The province says money will help with losses that are not covered by insurance, like damage to public infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says estimates are not completed for how much the program is expected to cost. All Indigenous communities, electoral areas and municipalities within the geographic boundaries of 15 regional districts are eligible.
Mounties in the Comox Valley are investigating an alleged sexual assault that took place near a rope swing on the Puntledge River in Courtenay. The alleged assault happened Saturday and investigators are hoping to talk to anyone who was travelling the river in that area between 3 pm and 10 pm that day. Police say those people may have crucial information about the assault.
The City of Surrey says it will be removing derelict boats from the Nicomekl River this month. The city says boats have been illegally mooring on a narrow section of the river, dumping raw sewage and garbage into the water, and creating hazards for other boaters. The cleanup effort is being conducted in partnership with Transport Canada. Mayor Brenda Locke says the river has many spots where boats can legally drop anchor and there’s no reason for boaters to illegally moor their vessels.
Fifty-three residents from a retirement home in Chase are starting to return home after being evacuated due to a nearby wildfire last month. Interior Health says work has started to bring residents from the Parkside Community back, now that evacuation alerts associated with the Bush Creek East wildfire have been rescinded. The health authority says the return will occur gradually to ensure appropriate staffing and resources are in place. Interior Health says it proactively relocated nearly 900 people from nine seniors care homes due to the threat of wildfire and seven of those homes have started bringing people back.
A rabbit that hopped the tracks at a downtown Vancouver transit station has been reunited with its owner. Metro Vancouver Transit Police say the bunny — named Mercedes Sprinter — was running loose on Thursday at the Granville SkyTrain station when a passenger picked it up and handed it to officers on patrol. The animal was returned to her owner after officers heard a frantic female passenger asking people if they had seen a rabbit. The owner told the officers the bunny was her emotional support animal.
The Vancouver International Film Festival is returning with its first fully in-cinema festival since 2019. The festival is set to run from September 28th to October 8th and released its schedule Wednesday. The lineup features roughly 140 feature films and 100 shorts, presented on 10 screens at seven Vancouver venues. Tickets go on sale to the public today at noon.