Local Journalism Initiative

A red dress hangs on the side of the highway near Campbell River. Groups on Vancouver Island are hanging red dresses at prominent locations to raise awareness about Missing/Murdered Indigenous women on the island. (Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror)

Keeping the hope fire burning: B.C. First Nation honours missing and murdered women

Mowachaht/Muchalaht honour Nuu-chah-nulth women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered

A red dress hangs on the side of the highway near Campbell River. Groups on Vancouver Island are hanging red dresses at prominent locations to raise awareness about Missing/Murdered Indigenous women on the island. (Photo by Binny Paul/Campbell River Mirror)
The statue of John Deighton, known as Gassy Jack, was toppled by a women’s march on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. (cjquaschnick/Twitter)

Squamish Nation asserts need to lead reconciliation after Gassy Jack statue toppled

Nation will recommend to Vancouver what to do with the space where the statue once stood

The statue of John Deighton, known as Gassy Jack, was toppled by a women’s march on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. (cjquaschnick/Twitter)
Volunteers made a “Plastic Goddess” from some of the debris collected in a 2019 beach clean-up of Baynes Sound and Denman Island. File photo by Gerry Ambury

Coastal communities ‘fed up’ with B.C. shellfish sector’s plastics problem

Feds committed $8 million to ghost gear recovery, B.C. dedicated $18 million to shoreline cleanups

Volunteers made a “Plastic Goddess” from some of the debris collected in a 2019 beach clean-up of Baynes Sound and Denman Island. File photo by Gerry Ambury
Levi Manson holds a photo of his late brother, Aaron, joined by mom Troylana and dad Bart. This photo was taken in September 2021 at Prince Charles Park in downtown Kamloops. (Michael Potestio/KTW/LJI)

Family reeling after little-known drug Kratom contributes to B.C. man’s fatal overdose

Aaron Manson, 26, died after overdosing in his room in Kamloops

Levi Manson holds a photo of his late brother, Aaron, joined by mom Troylana and dad Bart. This photo was taken in September 2021 at Prince Charles Park in downtown Kamloops. (Michael Potestio/KTW/LJI)
Container ship MV Kingston is being escorted from its anchorage off Victoria to Duke Point in Nanaimo. (Photo: Transport Canada)

Majority of shipping containers that fell off MV Zim Kingston still missing

Vancouver Island clean-up organizers looking for more federal follow-through

Container ship MV Kingston is being escorted from its anchorage off Victoria to Duke Point in Nanaimo. (Photo: Transport Canada)
A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor officials during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

New report suggests Alaskan fisheries are overharvesting plummeting B.C. salmon stocks

Alaska criticized report, calling it was an “unfair and biased attack on Alaska salmon fisheries

A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor officials during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Evidence suggests B.C.’s Omicron wave may soon fade

However, any current dip in epidemic curve likely artifact of underreporting and under-detection

Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
A traveller stops to be tested for COVID-19 at the testing centre for arriving international passengers at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, December 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

COVID-19: Experts weigh in as B.C. prepares to address its rapid test lag

‘In an ideal world, we would distribute them to as many people as possible’

A traveller stops to be tested for COVID-19 at the testing centre for arriving international passengers at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, December 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Elders for Ancient Forests along with people declaring themselves “land defenders” take part in a peace circle along a logging road in the Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Elders for old growth arrested as Fairy Creek blockade readies for winter

As cold weather arrives, the number of people in the two remaining camps has dwindled

Elders for Ancient Forests along with people declaring themselves “land defenders” take part in a peace circle along a logging road in the Fairy Creek logging area near Port Renfrew, B.C. Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Lawrence Campbell’s father can be seen five soldiers behind the man reaching for his son. He has a gun strap visible across his chest. Photo: Claude P. Dettlof

A look at B.C.’s connection to a historic wartime picture

Kaslo’s Harry Campbell can be seen in the shot

Lawrence Campbell’s father can be seen five soldiers behind the man reaching for his son. He has a gun strap visible across his chest. Photo: Claude P. Dettlof
Ismalia de Sousa, a nurse and PhD student at the University of British Columbia school of nursing who helped found the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in B.C. (ismaliadesousa.com photo)

Black nurses in B.C. face `entrenched and pervasive’ racism, survey finds

Coalition calling for action to support Black nurses and end anti-Black racism in health care

Ismalia de Sousa, a nurse and PhD student at the University of British Columbia school of nursing who helped found the Coalition of African, Caribbean and Black Nurses in B.C. (ismaliadesousa.com photo)
The first vial of paediatric COVID-19 vaccine used in Toronto. Children who are part of the Hospital for Sick Children family between the ages of 5 and 11 years of age are some of the first to get vaccinated for COVID-19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Russell, POOL

COVID-19 shots arriving Monday for B.C. 5- to 11-year-olds

About 91,000 of 350,000 eligible children have been registered for vaccination so far

The first vial of paediatric COVID-19 vaccine used in Toronto. Children who are part of the Hospital for Sick Children family between the ages of 5 and 11 years of age are some of the first to get vaccinated for COVID-19 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Russell, POOL
Exit lanes from Point Roberts, Wash., sit empty at the local Canadian border station, which was shut down to all but essential travel during the pandemic. Richard Read | Los Angeles Times

Unvaxxed students face unwelcome reality when considering travel

As borders open there remains fine print that Canadian families should be aware of

Exit lanes from Point Roberts, Wash., sit empty at the local Canadian border station, which was shut down to all but essential travel during the pandemic. Richard Read | Los Angeles Times
Indigenous families are grossly overrepresented in birth alerts in B.C. File photo of reporter Anna McKenzie and her daughter taken by Captured Memories Photography. Bayleigh Marelj, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Indigenous lawsuit seeks damages from B.C. for disproportionate birth alerts

Suit alleges alerts motivated by discriminatory and harmful stereotypes about parenting capabilities

Indigenous families are grossly overrepresented in birth alerts in B.C. File photo of reporter Anna McKenzie and her daughter taken by Captured Memories Photography. Bayleigh Marelj, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Ships work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, October 24, 2021. The container ship caught fire on Saturday and 16 crew members were evacuated and brought to Ogden Point Pier. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Drifting shipping containers leave Vancouver Island communities with many questions

Containers spotted as far north as Cape Scott, as of Wednesday, none had been retrieved

Ships work to control a fire onboard the MV Zim Kingston about eight kilometres from the shore in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, October 24, 2021. The container ship caught fire on Saturday and 16 crew members were evacuated and brought to Ogden Point Pier. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Bear breaks into Edgewood home. (Contributed/Kyle Storie)

Bold bear breaks into West Kootenay family home

The bear was caught, taken away and destroyed by Conservation Officers

Bear breaks into Edgewood home. (Contributed/Kyle Storie)
Storm watchers take in the waves off Ucluelet. (Westerly file photo)

Storm warning: B.C. West Coast prepares as best it can for inevitable rough weather

BC Hydro ready as La Nina returns, with expected intensified winds and rainfall

Storm watchers take in the waves off Ucluelet. (Westerly file photo)
Members of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation burn a copy of the Indian Act during a ceremony where they held the first sitting of their legislature and signed a constitution after implementing the historic Maa-nulth Final Agreement in Anacla, B.C., in the early morning hours of Friday April 1, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

West Coast First Nations’ child care repatriation an early success story

Huu-ay-aht First Nations’ Social Services Project makes strides as children in care declines

Members of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation burn a copy of the Indian Act during a ceremony where they held the first sitting of their legislature and signed a constitution after implementing the historic Maa-nulth Final Agreement in Anacla, B.C., in the early morning hours of Friday April 1, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
(BC Hydro image)

‘End of the Peace’: Site C documentary opens Toronto film festival

Film features various Indigenous people talking about how the dam theatens their communities

(BC Hydro image)
If chickens are out in the open or covered by weak netting, Northern Goshawks are likely to get a free and easy meal. But the endangered raptors tend to eat their prey in place, leaving them vulnerable to defensive chicken keepers. (Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District photo)

Haida Gwaii’s forest-dwelling hawk: One of the most endangered species on the planet

By Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Narwhal A dense fog…

If chickens are out in the open or covered by weak netting, Northern Goshawks are likely to get a free and easy meal. But the endangered raptors tend to eat their prey in place, leaving them vulnerable to defensive chicken keepers. (Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District photo)