Paul Johnson

Reporter

Author Archives

• B.C. business calls for cap on commercial rent hikes at lease turnover

  A B.C. business owner says he's being forced to move because of a 74 per cent rent hike when his lease ends. He's started a petition calling for a cap on hikes at lease turnover.

  Economy

  Nov 24
• Draft policy could be a game-changer for B.C. old-growth protection, conservationist says

  A leading B.C. conservationist says a draft policy on ecosystem health could shift the way the province manages forests away from viewing the economic value of trees first.

  Environment

  Nov 23
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• ‘Shameful’: Mariners’ union slams loss of search technology on B.C. coast

  A key maritime union says it is "shameful" the federal government has let an old but reliable search tool fall into disrepair on the B.C. coast.

  Canada

  Nov 17
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• Loss of key coast guard tool putting lives at risk on B.C. coast, former officer says

  The former superintendent of B.C.'s coast guard stations says the loss of a tool known as radio direction finding has degraded the service's ability to find boats in distress.

  Canada

  Nov 16
• Concerns raised over B.C. instructional videos on how to inject drugs

  A safer supply critic says B.C. government-produced instructional videos on injection drugs could be causing harm, but officials say they're keeping drug users safe.

  Health

  Nov 2
• Conservationists rap B.C. for ‘significant loophole’ in old-growth protection

  "The misclassification of some forests as being younger than they are (is) causing them to fall through the cracks," says TJ Watt, a campaigner with the Ancient Forest Alliance.

  Environment

  Oct 27
• B.C. volunteers race to rescue stranded salmon in Fraser Canyon by hand

  Xwísten (Bridge River Indian Band) Chief Ina Williams could not thank the group of volunteers enough for their hard work.

  Environment

  Oct 8
• More farmers in Maple Ridge complain of black bears killing poultry, livestock

  Birgit Mischke, whose sheep were killed, said she has lived in the Whonnock area since the 1970s, and has never had a problem with bears until this year.

  Environment

  Oct 5
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• B.C. bear interactions with people skyrocketing, leading to more deaths

  More than 150 black bears have been killed by BCCOS officers so far in 2023.

  Environment

  Oct 1
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• Plan to cull deer on Sidney Island, B.C. divides residents

  Parks Canada and local First Nations say an estimated 300 to 900 invasive deer, which were introduced to Sidney Island in the mid 1900s, are decimating the native ecosystem.

  Environment

  Sep 29
• BC United questions $200K funding to group selling tested illegal street drugs

  The Drug User Liberation Front buys cocaine, meth and heroin on the black market, has them lab tested, then sells them at cost to a small group of drug users.

  Health

  Sep 28
• Building bridges with old bridges: Indigenous furniture shop blazes upcycling trail

  The company uses old logging bridges and wood it finds washed up or discarded in British Columbia to create unique and customized indoor furniture.

  Environment

  Sep 21
• Freedom of information? Activist questions redacted traffic study for Vancouver development

  A Vancouver community activist says she can't understand why the city would redact virtually every page of traffic studies she requested under freedom of information laws.

  Politics

  Sep 18
• ‘I don’t want to die in this street’: Woman homeless in DTES due to paperwork issue

  She said everything was fine until she turned 65 and had to switch from having her rent come out of provincial social assistance to getting it from federal pension cheques.

  Economy

  Sep 8
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• Is herbicide spray in the forestry sector raising B.C.’s wildfire risk?

  Every year in British Columbia, tens of thousands of hectares of clear-cut land is treated to prevent more fire-resistant broadleaf trees from outcompeting harvestable timber.

  Fire

  Aug 24
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• First Nation in B.C. says mining operation is taking place on sacred grounds

  The Tahltan Central Government said it has informed Doubleview Gold Corp that the land it's operating in is sacred as its ancestors were born and are buried in the area.

  Environment

  Jul 26
• ‘Decimated the specialty poultry’: Maple Ridge farm invaded by black bears

  Pascale Shaw said bears have destroyed fences and posts at the Rainbow Eggs Farm, in addition to reducing her stock of chickens down to a single hen and chicks.

  Environment

  Jul 16
• ‘Should have never happened’: B.C. MLA shocked with Indigenous band clearcutting

  B.C. MLA Mike Morris has serious concerns with overlogging in B.C., especially with an area north of Prince George.

  Economy

  Jul 13
• B.C. man with terminal cancer paying out of pocket for treatment to extend his life

  Ronny Borkowski has been told he has incurable leukemia, but that a drug could help him live longer. The catch? The $8,000 per month treatment isn't covered by the government.

  Health

  Jul 7
• ‘Pretty horrific’: Bear shot with crossbow in Metro Vancouver park

  The Conservation Officer Service said it continues to investigate potential violations around this incident but said there is no risk to public safety.

  Crime

  Jun 22
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• Majority of British Columbians give ER wait times a failing grade: poll

  While British Columbians were almost evenly split on the overall state of the health-care system, a majority said they waited too long for treatment in the emergency room.

  Health

  Jun 9
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• B.C. scientist, fishing group concerned about gravel removal from salmon-spawning river

  The Ministry of Environment said it is "proactively removing hazardous debris and sediment" as part of its recovery from the catastrophic floods of November 2021. 

  Environment

  Jun 8
• Safe supply: Are prescribed opioids being sold on B.C.’s streets, and if so, is it a problem?

  Allegations that opioids from B.C.'s prescribed safer supply initiative are being diverted to the street became a hot political issue in the B.C. legislature this week.

  Health

  May 11
• B.C. MP calling for expedition of internationally-trained doctor certification amid shortage

  Bill Jakobs is a trained and tested abdominal surgeon, who has more than 600 surgeries under his belt, but says he can not get certified in Canada unless he goes back to school.

  Health

  May 7
• Conservationists decry ‘devastating’ impact of B.C. port expansion on orca, salmon

  The approval comes with 370 binding conditions, designed to minimize the project's environmental impact, but conservationists say it will have major impacts on biodiversity.

  Economy

  Apr 21