Top Stories – Jan 3 – Assessments Coming

Property Assessments are in the mail from the province letting you know about last year’s value. You may recall a while ago we were told that most would be up 5-15%, but that was as of July 1 and the real estate situation has changed, meaning declined, since then. If you don’t want to wait, check out bcassessment.ca .

The Rogers purchase of Shaw isn’t quite a done deal yet. Canada’s Industry Minister says he’s waiting for the outcome of the legal battle concerning the request to transfer wireless spectrum licences from Shaw to Quebecor.

Ottawa will temporarily require people flying from China, Hong Kong and Macao to test negative for COVID before leaving for Canada, beginning Thursday. The government says it’s in response to the surge of the virus in China and will apply regardless of vaccination status.

In case you missed it, Kelowna’s New Year’s baby, a girl, arrived at 3:58am at KGH. The first baby of 2023 in was born in Abbotsford Hospital as the girl checked in at 2 minutes past midnight weighing 5 lbs 10 oz. The first born in the Okanagan was in Penticton. The girl from Peachland checked in at 1:40am weighing 6 lbs 14 oz.

The minimum wage in BC has been regularly going up in recent years, but there are no plans for an increase this year right now. It stands at $15.65 an hour, which is the second highest in the country next to Nunavut’s $16.00. The lowest is Saskatchewan at $13.00, but that will go up a buck in October.

While a lack of snow isn’t an issue around here, it’s a different story in parts of Europe. From France to Poland, with the Alps at the centre, many parts of Europe are enjoying short-sleeve weather. Sparse snowfall and unseasonably warm winter weather is allowing grass to blanket mountaintops across the region where snow would normally be.

2022 was Central Okanagan Search and Rescue’s third busiest in its 68 year history. COSAR’s volunteers responded to 84 calls, down from 107 in 2021, and 86 in 2020. It’s not just people in the back country. The 55 active members also assist with missing seniors, swimmers in the lake, and helping other search organizations.

On the 31st, BC will become the first jurisdiction in the country to start a three-year experiment on decriminalization. It will allow drug users 18 and over to carry a combined 2.5 grams of opioids like heroin and fentanyl, as well as cocaine, meth and ecstasy. The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, said decriminalization is a small but important step of an overall harm-reduction plan to save lives.

A Quebec ultra-marathon runner is preparing for a nearly 8,000-kilometre run from the most southern point of the United States in Florida, to Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. Joan Roch, who’s 49, says he wants to show that people can take on wild projects no matter their age. He plans to run an average of 52 kilometres a day in order to finish the run in five months.

Sports

In quarterfinals yesterday at the World Juniors, Connor Bedard got the overtime winner to give Canada a 4-3 win over Slovakia. Semi finals are tomorrow with Canada taking on the U-S at 3:30. North Van’s Bedard has Canadian World Junior records with 16 goals, 34 points and single tournament points leader with 21.

First game of 2023 for the Kelowna Rockets is tonight at Prospera Place. Pregame show against Victoria on 1047 The Lizard is at 6:35. There has been no update on the injury Colton Dach suffered at the Juniors.

The Canucks kick off the New Year at home against the Islanders tonight with a 7pm start. Vancouver lost its last 2 games in 2022.

The Monday Night Football game between Buffalo and Cincinnati was suspended in the first quarter last night after a Bills player collapsed and needed intense CPR after making a tackle. Damar Hamlin was taken to hospital in critical condition.