The first warrant was the result of an investigation initiated on June 6, 2026, following multiple reports of overnight break and enters in the Burns Lake area.

Through diligent investigative work and use of CCTV evidence, officers were able to identify a suspect.

The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

All property reported stolen was recovered, and the suspect was held in custody for a bail hearing.

The 35-year-old Burns Lake resident is facing charges of break and enter, possession of break in instruments, mischief over $5000, careless use of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized.

The second case that was unrelated resulted ongoing efforts by the Burns Lake RCMP Crime Reduction Unit to combat drug dealing in the community. This investigation builds on prior enforcement action taken at a local residence in 2025.

RCMP located evidence consistent with drug trafficking.

Charges are pending further investigation as well as review and assessment by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Anyone with information that may assist either investigation is encouraged to contact the Burns Lake RCMP at 250-692-7171.

Anonymous tips can be provided through Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

When driving on the Village road the speed limit is 50 km per hour, once you get into the commuity it’s 30 km per hour.

The Nation has said the limits are to keep everyone safe, and kids walk and bike along the roads, along with elders are out abd about.

Pets and wildlife can also appear when you least expect them.

The Nation also says a few extra minutes on the road is a small price to pay for everyone getting home safely.

Drivers are also advised to only pass in designated passing areas.

Mayes is wanted for assault by choking and failling to comply with a probation order.

Mayes is described as 58-year-old Indigenous male wtih Short grey hair and grey goate Brown eyes and is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 190 lbs.

Mayes uses the alias “Boomer” is known to have a frey 2001 grey Chevrolet Silverado crew-cab pickup with an unknown red-colored word decal across the rear window.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Douglas Mayes is asked to contact the Fort St. John RCMP at 250-787-8100.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222- 8477 or submit a tip online at  http://www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.

The annual grants provide $2,000 to support First Nations-led gatherings, ceremonies and educational events that honour those who have died from the toxic drug crisis while raising awareness and promoting overdose prevention.

FNHA says First Nations people continue to be disproportionately affected by the toxic drug public health emergency, with both regular and occasional substance users facing risks due to the increasingly toxic and unpredictable unregulated drug supply.

Grant funding can be used for a wide range of community initiatives, including grief support circles, ceremonies, cultural gatherings, community meals, naloxone training, educational sessions, memorial gardens or artwork, candlelight vigils, medicine bundle workshops and harm reduction conversations.

Eligible applicants include First Nations governments, First Nations health service organizations, registered societies serving First Nations people and correctional institutions. Applications from First Nations communities and First Nations health service organizations will receive priority consideration.

Events are encouraged to take place on International Overdose Awareness Day, Aug. 31, although funded activities may be held anytime between Aug. 20 and Sept. 30, 2026.

The funding may also be used to provide honorariums for Elders and people with lived and living experience. However, grant money cannot be used for alcohol, illegal purchases or cash prizes.

Applications must be submitted by Monday, July 20, 2026, at 4 p.m.

Attorney General Niki Sharma says the ruling removes the last barriers to the lawsuit moving forward, with trial now scheduled for early 2028.

The province first launched the legal action in 2018 under the Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act. The goal is to recover public health-care costs associated with opioid-related harms and to hold companies accountable for their alleged role in the crisis, including claims of deceptive marketing practices that contributed to increased opioid use, addiction, and overdose deaths.

In a statement, the Attorney General said the decision represents another step in a long legal process aimed at addressing what the province declared a public-health emergency in 2016. She added that too many people in British Columbia have been impacted through loss or ongoing struggle related to the opioid crisis.

The province says it will continue supporting people affected by addiction and substance-use disorders while advancing the case through the courts.

The lawsuit is part of a broader national effort, with B.C. leading coordinated action on behalf of governments across Canada.

Several Northern B.C. and nearby communities are among those receiving funding in this intake, with projects focused on improving zoning reviews, upgrading digital systems, and aligning local permitting processes with the provincial BC Building Permit Hub.

Northern and regional recipients include:

• Dawson Creek – $97,000
• Houston – $150,000
• Kitimat-Stikine Regional District – $45,000
• Masset – $200,000
• North Coast Regional District – $50,000
• Port Edward – $120,000
• Smithers – $200,000
• Stewart – $95,000
• Williams Lake – $22,000

Provincial officials say the funding is intended to help local governments streamline internal processes and speed up decision-making on housing applications, while still maintaining planning standards and community oversight. Projects supported under the program range from digitizing records and improving file retrieval systems to reviewing zoning bylaws and introducing modern construction methods that can help bring housing projects online faster.

Government representatives say the broader goal is to increase housing supply across British Columbia at a time when many communities are facing growing demand and affordability pressures. Local governments, in turn, are expected to use the funding to build capacity, reduce administrative delays, and support more consistent and efficient development approvals systems that can better respond to housing needs.

The program opens for registration on Monday, July 6, 2026, as part of BC Hydro’s Power Smart 2.0 plan, a $1-billion initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing peak electricity demand across the province. The utility is partnering with Canadian companies Mysa and Sinopé to supply the devices.

Eligible customers, primarily those in homes heated with electric baseboards, will be able to receive up to five free smart thermostats starting in fall 2026. The devices will be pre-connected to BC Hydro’s Peak Saver program, which provides annual rewards for reducing electricity use during peak demand times. Participants can earn $50 per year, or $100 for income-qualified households.

BC Hydro says the thermostats, worth about $350 per home, will help make energy management easier and more accessible, particularly for renters and multi-unit housing residents. Customers will still be able to adjust settings manually at any time.

The utility aims to bring 75,000 additional households into Peak Saver by 2030 as part of a broader strategy to improve system efficiency and reduce the need for new power infrastructure.

In a social media post, Bennett shared an open letter from the Kitselas Band Council and Administration addressing concerns in Kitselas IR #1 (Gitaus) and Kulspai IR #6.

The letter says illegal drugs and alcohol are putting youth, elders, and families at risk and undermining efforts to maintain community safety and well-being. Residents are being encouraged to report illegal activity to the RCMP anonymously and without fear of community pushback.

Council says it will meet with law enforcement to discuss enforcement options moving forward, as part of a broader effort to address safety concerns and strengthen community well-being.

The message comes as other First Nations in the region have also raised concerns about drug activity and taken stronger positions on community safety.

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada accepted the project description on June 24, allowing it to advance toward a decision from the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Trigon President and CEO Craig Olley spoke with CFNR News following the announcement and said the review is an important step forward for the project.

“The start of an environmental review is really an important next step,” Olley said.

He said the proposal is designed to make use of existing infrastructure already in place at the terminal.

“This project will be entirely built within our existing footprint and leverage a lot of existing infrastructure that’s already in place,” he said.

The facility would export liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, which is made primarily of propane and butane. It is produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing and oil refining in Western Canada and is widely used around the world for cooking, heating, industrial processes and transportation fuel.

Olley said LPG would be moved by rail from Western Canada to Prince Rupert, stored in pressurized tanks, and then loaded onto large gas carriers for export to overseas markets.

He said the west coast location provides a direct and efficient shipping route to Asia. Voyages to countries such as Japan take about 10 days and avoid congestion and delays seen in other global supply routes.

Trigon says demand for Canadian LPG is growing in markets including Japan, South Korea, China and India.

Public open houses will be held in Port Edward, Prince Rupert and Terrace in mid-July as the federal review process continues.