Top Stories – Feb 16 – Clubhouse Seized

The attorney general has been given approval to seize three clubhouses owned by the Hells Angels including one on Ellis Street in Kelowna. The Court of Appeal ruled the clubhouses are considered ‘instruments of unlawful activity’ and are subject to forfeiture. That overturned a BC Supreme Court decision from 2020 that allowed the biker gang to keep them.

Take your own shopping bags to Real Canadian Superstore and other Loblaw brand stores starting today. The company says it’s transitioning away from single-use plastic shopping bags to reduce their carbon footprint. There will be a variety of reusable alternatives available at checkout lanes.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the Bahamas, where members of the Caribbean Community are gathering to discuss regional issues, including the deepening crisis in Haiti. He was invited as a special guest as the Canadian government continues to search for a “consensus” on the ground and levying economic sanctions against elites accused of supporting gang activity.

A proposed 401 unit apartment building behind Constable Neil Bruce Middle School in West Kelowna will get closer scrutiny for the impact it could have on traffic in the area. Both council and the developer agreed traffic in the Daimler, Old Okanagan and Highway 97 intersections could be stretched and the city says a roundabout may be needed. The project on Auburn Road would include five buildings up to four storeys high.

Members of the Ambulance Paramedics and Dispatchers Bargaining Association have ratified an agreement under the Shared Recovery Mandate. It covers about 5,000 paramedics and dispatchers in BC. It included the usual 3 year, and up to 13% wage increase along with increases to improve on-call coverage and response times in rural and remote communities.

The Institute for Canadian Citizenship says Stats Canada data points to a 40 per cent decline in citizenship uptake from permanent residents since 2001. The group says it should serve as a wake up call to improving the experience newcomers have in Canada. The federal government has said it wants to boost immigration by 465,000 this year and increasing to half a million in 2025.

Analysts say Indigo Books and Music risks serious reputational damage if its website remains off-line for much longer following a cyberattack a week ago. Retail expert Lisa Hutcheson says the company looks to have navigated the incident reasonably well so far by being transparent and keeping customers informed. But she says at some point, frustration will overtake patience and consumers will look elsewhere.

West Kelowna council approved a new dog park at Wildhorse Park, in the Smith Creek neighbourhood. Staff are continuing to explore opportunities to increase dog parks throughout the city, particularly in Westbank Centre where one will be removed to make room for a new school.

Officials representing the BC Chamber of Commerce were in Victoria hoping to have some influence on the upcoming provincial budget. They were asking the New Democrat government to reduce business costs and create conditions that attract new investment. The Chamber says small and medium-sized businesses are struggling under rising or new taxes, high fees and mandatory employee benefits, such as five days of paid sick leave.

Sports

In WHL action at Prospera Place last night, Andrew Cristall made a big return from his lower body injury with a natural hat trick, plus one more for good measure, helping the Kelowna Rockets break their 4 game losing streak by a score of 5-2 over Everett.

In Vancouver, the Canucks lost their third straight game 5-4 to the Rangers.

Soccer’s international governing body confirmed that men’s teams from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico have secured automatic berths as co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Vancouver and Toronto are among cities that will have games.

The annual PGA trip to Riviera Country Club, with Tiger Woods making his first start since last July. He also serves as the tournament host in Los Angeles.

Jacksonville wide receiver Calvin Ridley is applying for reinstatement. The NFL suspended him indefinitely for betting on league games in 2021 while a member of the Atlanta Falcons, and he sat out the 2022 season.