Top Stories – Sept 27 – Council – EV Chargers

Kelowna Council gave first reading to amendments to the Zoning Bylaw regarding electric vehicle readiness requirements. It will require that new residential developments include a minimum of one EV outlet per dwelling unit. The exception is “rental-only” zoned areas which will require a minimum of 25 percent of parking spaces to be equipped with an EV outlet.

The BC Wildfire Service says crews are now working to patrol the edge of the McDougall Creek Wildfire and are working to put out any remaining hot spots. But the service says we can expect to see smoke within the perimeter in the coming weeks. All evacuation orders and alerts except for one property have been rescinded.

House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, who is a Liberal MP from Ontario, is stepping down today. He told Parliament he profoundly regrets recognizing an individual in the House during Friday’s visit by Ukraine’s president, saying he accepts full responsibility for his actions. MPs rose twice to give 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka standing ovations, not realizing he had fought for the Nazis during the Second World War.

The Transportation Safety Board says two people were killed and four were hurt in a helicopter crash east of Prince George. The board is sending a team of investigators to the crash site where a Bell 206L helicopter went down near Purden Ski Hill, a mountain resort off Highway 16 yesterday morning.

Following work by firefighters, helicopter pilots, and a dump of rain on Monday night, the Glen Lake Wildfire is now classified as ‘being held’. It is not expected to grow and will remain at about 1100 hectares. All evacuation alerts had been rescinded and the orders had been downgraded to alerts.

BC’s seniors advocate is calling for fundamental reform on funding contracted long-term care providers. Isobel Mackenzie’s latest report, showing for-profit facilities in 2021-2022 under-delivered care hours they were publicly funded to provide by half-a-million hours. She says there needs to be more “uncomfortable conversations” with facilities operators to make sure provincial funding for care goes only toward care.

The mayor of Cache Creek says he’s glad to see plans for a new bridge across Highway 97 that would allow the creek to flow under the road. John Ranta says the community has had five spring floods in eight years. He says the province is recognizing that restoring the area to pre-flood conditions without making it better is a waste of money, because they would have to do it year after year.

Hockey Canada says it’s making changes to its non-sanctioned leagues policy, after the BC Hockey League broke away from the organization. Players who participate in unsanctioned leagues will not be allowed to compete in the Canadian Hockey League, Canadian Junior Hockey League or try for a spot Canada’s under-18 club championships for the remainder of the season.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says rental construction will increase by 30-thousand units per year. This comes as Ottawa unlocks another 20-Billion dollars for low-cost rental construction financing. The federal government’s annual limit of 40-Billion on its Canada Mortgage Bonds program is being increased to 60-Billion.

SPORTS

At Rogers Centre last night the New York Yankees got two runs in the ninth inning and that was enough to hand the Blue Jays a 2-0 loss. They will play again today just after 4.

The Canucks will hopefully have a better performance in their second exhibition game tonight. They are in Edmonton to take on the Oilers at 6.

The Calgary Stampeders have revealed a new logo for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The logo will be on the players’ helmets when they travel to Hamilton to face the Tiger-Cats on Saturday.

No reason was given by the league, but the Kelowna Rockets game with the Victoria Royals which was scheduled for Sunday October 8th, will now be played on Monday the 9th, Thanksgiving day, at 12:35 at Prospera Place.