Clutching an old copy of the Sooke News Mirror, magician Guy Simmons tells his audience he’s about to perform the classic torn-and-restored newspaper trick – but with a twist.

“Because I tell you exactly how it’s done,” he says.

“But before I show you this, I want you to know that everything that I say is absolutely true – except the lies, of course,” he adds with a wink.

He begins to rip the pages into strips, insisting he’s only pretending, then pressing the paper into a tight, small parcel.

“But this was all a trick, and I really haven’t done that,” he says.

Then, with a quick flick of his wrists he shakes open the paper, magically restored, as if nothing had ever happened.

Cue rapturous applause.

It’s an illusion Simmons has performed countless times over a magical career that has spanned decades – one of his favourites, he says.

But after years away from the spotlight, he’s returning to performing for reasons that go beyond entertaining a crowd.

Like the newspaper he brings back together, the 74-year-old hopes revisiting his old stagecraft wizardry might help him rebuild some joy in his own life – though he knows it won’t be as simple as waving a magic wand.

Recent years have been hard on him. Ongoing legal proceedings following a relationship breakdown have left him without a home, living aboard his boat in Sooke, about a half-hour west of Victoria, since late 2023.

Now, with more legal costs looming, he’s facing the possibility of having to sell the boat too.

“So I’ll be homeless,” he said.

“I’ve been having a really bad, bad year and been very depressed.”

While he has been receiving mental health support, Simmons has decided he needs to take an active role in helping himself.

It was a chance meeting with a palliative care nurse that gave him the idea to return to magic – not for applause this time, but for healing.

“I thought maybe I should go out and do a little bit of my magic act for people that are maybe worse off than I am – maybe that’ll make me feel better,” he said.

Now he’s hoping to bring his act to local retirement homes, hospitals and palliative care units, offering a few moments of wonder to people who might need it most.

“Everyone needs magic at this time of year.”

Simmons’ love of magic stretches back to childhood, when his uncle and “an old lady” he knew taught him card tricks. That early fascination carried him into a life spent creating, performing and dreaming up illusions.

His early career began performing in front of children to build confidence and learn how to hold an audience.

As his skills grew, so did his ambitions. He connected with other magicians, including his longtime mentor, the late Len Ventus – a founding member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians – and with other like-minded friends, he formed a troupe called the Magic Alliance, performing as the Wizard of the North.

In the late 1980s and through the ’90s, they staged everything from close-up magic to large-scale illusions, appeared on television, and even performed at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Montreal. Their act also earned them a spot on the front page of The Linking Ring, a respected magic journal.

“We were doing crazy stunts, building wild props – just creating all the time,” he recalled.

Simmons recalls performing one of magic’s most notorious stunts, the bullet catch, using a real pistol and a bullet with the initials of an audience member carved into it.

His first wife Leeann would fire the shot, Simmons would “catch” the bullet in his teeth and spit it onto a plate. “It was the most dangerous trick in the world. “That’s how I broke my tooth,” he jokes, pointing to one of his front teeth.

Simmons wasn’t just a performer; he was a builder. An artist by nature, he designed and fabricated his own illusions, sets and props.

For years, he poured his creative energy into a personal project in Richmond Hill, transforming his childhood home into what he called the Magic Castle, part workshop, part museum, part TV-set-in-progress.

He and a small team of artists and builders produced everything from jewelry to large custom pieces for clients, including props and architectural features for Toronto collector Bill Jamieson’s private museum of oddities.

But a septic hip infection in 2010 derailed everything. The two-year recovery forced him to abandon the Magic Castle, sell the house, and let go of his long-planned television projects.

He shifted from performing illusions to flipping homes to earn a living – work that eventually brought him to Sooke.

Still, he never lost his love for magic. What draws him in, he says, isn’t just the sleight of hand, but the storytelling and the chance to make someone smile, to spark a moment of wonder.

“I like telling stories, making people laugh,” explained Simmons. “If someone walks away happy – if they say, ‘Wow, how did you do that?’ – that makes me happy too.”

Anyone who can help Simmons connect with an audience that would benefit from some magic in their lives, can email him: gwiz@lenvintus.com.

The all-girl rock band came to town after the city won a SiriusXM Music Town contest.

Thousands of free tickets were scooped up for the sell-out show Nov. 27 at Kal Tire Place North.

Sirius greeted guests with glow bracelets, glowing backdrops, and two rock bands performing late into the night.

Their hit Last Girls at the Party drew Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming on stage to dance with the girls.

“Mayor Cumming, I love that man,” lead singer Jordan Miller said on stage.

Locally-born daysormay opened for The Beaches, who performed most from their latest No Hard Feelings.

The Canadian JUNO Award winning ladies formed in Toronto in 2009 and are ade up of Miller, Kylie Miller, Leandra Earl and Eliza Enman-McDaniel.

“The event marked the culmination of a nationwide search that saw over 470 Canadian towns nominated. Vernon earned the top spot thanks to compelling nomination stories, strong community rallying, and unwavering local spirit,” said Emma Weber on behalf of SiriusXM Canada.

“The electric atmosphere was a reflection of Vernon’s vibrant music culture and community pride.”

While in town The Beaches also checked out local shops and eateries.

“We explored a bit, we went to Eatology a lot,” said Jordan of the popular downtown restaurant.

The Beaches are back on tour in February overseas, starting in Netherlands and travelling across Europe, Australia and the U.S. for most of the year, with a trip back home for the JUNO Awards March 29.

In the line of kittens, one stood out to a young Roche.

An older kitten with a pronounced overbite, making his canine teeth stick out. Roche took the cat home and called him her best friend for 18 years.

“I insisted he was the one,” said Roche.

That bond with kittens eventually turned into TinyKittens in Langley, a non-profit rescue organization that helps neglected and feral cats get the care they need.

TinyKittens’ purpose is to change the global perception of feral cats, allowing for their adoption later. They help nurture these cats, and document their stories on social media to develop positive emotional relationships with feral cats.

TinyKittens takes these cats into an understanding and caring environment, led by donations and volunteers, explained the founder.

“They’re such remarkable, resilient creatures with the most heart-melting stories to tell,” said Roche.

TinyKittens has amassed more than 200,000 followers on Instagram and more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers, including more than 196 million video views.

Before establishing TinyKittens in 2015, Roche volunteered as a foster parent for kittens at the local Langley Animal Protection Society’s shelter. She said this experience introduced her to the side of neglected cats.

“I brought home 10 feral kittens who turned out to be very sick. They opened my eyes to the suffering of feral cats that happens invisibly in every community,” said Roche.

“I became obsessed with figuring out better ways to help them.”

With the motto “rescuing locally, educating globally,” duties at TinyKittens include caring for, feeding, and neutering and spaying feral cats, led by 15 local volunteers in Langley. A further 60-plus volunteers worldwide help moderate the YouTube livestream of the cats 24/7.

Recently, TinyKittens celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala at the Fort Langley Golf Course. It was a chance, Roche said, to celebrate the cats, and to acknowledge the work done by the organization during the past decade.

The event was attended by volunteers, sponsors, and cat lovers.

“TinyKittens is revolutionary in the rescue community,” said veterinarian and TinyKittens supporter Dr. Renee Ferguson.

But this event was about more than the milestone, it was about all the cats they’ve helped.

“Like humans, animals also heal faster, and they feel better, when they’re emotionally and physically supported,” added Ferguson.

“TinyKittens has redefined how rescue cats are cared for. These cats get a stress-free environment and a level of handling that a decade ago was unheard of.”

Roche said she never thought the organization would gain this much traction or global love.

“It’s pretty incredible to see. I never could have predicted the impact we would have,” said Roche.

She began livestreaming TinyKittens’ cats to help find their permanent homes. But as the organization evolved into helping feral cats, Roche said livestreaming let people see all aspects of the cat’s lives.

“Our purpose expanded to rescuing the un-rescuable and telling their stories in a way that inspires compassion,” she explained.

“We’ve learned so much about feral cats by observing them over the cams, both where they live, and when they’re in our care. The most captivating thing is witnessing the deep bonds they share. The big, fierce tom cats coparent with the mama cats, moms care for each other’s kittens, and we see so much snuggling.”

From births to blind cats playing for the first time, there is always a story to be told.

“Even if you’re old, broken, misunderstood or different, you matter,” said Roche.

Through these livestreams TinyKittens has influenced actions around the world – from Morocco to Australia – including in excess of 800 worldwide adoptions and more than 3,000 local adoptions or actions.

“Somehow, we’ve evolved into the most incredible global community,” she said. “We hope to inspire people to take action in their own neighbourhoods around the world.”

During the past decade, thousands of cats have been cared for by TinyKittens, and Roche said she’s had so many favourite moments.

From Grandpa Mason, a saved dying feral cat, to Skye, a feral, pregnant and nearly blind cat, every story is rewarding.

“Mason is an incredible reminder of the amazing work that TinyKittens does,” said Ferguson.

Moving past the 10th anniversary, Roche hopes to continue the mission of rescue, resilience, and compassion by uniting people and animals through the organization.

“People from all walks of life, facing all manner of challenges, can come together and find connection, compassion, hope, healing, and joy by watching rescue kittens together.”

Roche said TinyKittens is always willing to help with spaying and neutering cats and other cats in need. She encourages people to reach out for help with their cats, and if people wish to volunteer or donate.

“We’ve successfully stabilized properties with more than 400 cats. If anyone out there has a growing population of cats and needs a hand, please reach out to us.”

For more information and to learn how to help, people can visit: www.tinykittens.com or email meow@tinykittens.com.

Jamie Benn figured that out early, and the 36-year-old has spent a career proving it.

On Tuesday, Nov. 25, the Central Saanich product became the first player from Greater Victoria to score 400 NHL goals, and just the second in Dallas Stars history to hit the mark.

The only other Star to ever do it is Mike Modano, widely regarded as the greatest American-born player of all time.

“I’ve got a long way to go,” Benn joked when asked about chasing Modano, speaking with Stars TV after Dallas’ 8-3 win.

Benn’s milestone came in game 1,196 of his career, putting him on the doorstep of 1,200 NHL games.

Within the Stars franchise record book, Benn sits second in goals (400), assists (560), and points (960). He has also played more games in a Dallas sweater than anyone else, suiting up 1,197 times for the club.

His scoring numbers tell one story, but his willingness to live in the heavy areas paints another.

Benn ranks fourth in franchise history with 883 penalty minutes, another reminder of the style that helped shape his career.

This season began with a setback.

Benn missed the first 19 games after suffering a collapsed lung during a pre-season game against the Minnesota Wild. Since returning on Nov. 18, he has collected four points in five games.

His hockey roots run deep in Greater Victoria.

Benn played minor hockey with the Peninsula Eagles, then suited up for the VIJHL’s Peninsula Panthers and the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies before heading to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets.

He also attended Stelly’s Secondary School, long before becoming one of the most accomplished NHL players the province has ever produced.

His 960 NHL points are nearly 200 more than any active B.C.-born player in the NHL, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Burnaby sitting closest at 764.

He is just 29 points shy of breaking into the top five all-time for B.C.-born players, with Paul Kariya of Vancouver holding the fifth spot at 989.

He wants to instead steer the conversation toward increasing domestic refining capacity to create more jobs from Canadian oil.

“But the bottom line for us is that we need to make sure that this project doesn’t become an energy vampire,” he said a few hours after an announced memorandum of understanding between Alberta and the federal government to work on getting a new oil pipeline built.

Earlier in the day on Thursday (Nov. 27), Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed the deal to get more Alberta oil to Asian markets.

In exchange for federal support, Smith agreed to a slate of climate-related benchmarks, which includes a renewal of the commitment to make Alberta net-zero by 2050. The two sides also agreed to develop a nuclear generation strategy, boost electricity supplied to AI data centres and increase capacity for the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Not everyone within the Carney government is happy — Steven Guilbeault, the former environment minister and current minister responsible for parks and culture, resigned from cabinet in protest.

For many months now, Eby has said he thinks B.C. needs to focus on the projects at hand, not one without a proponent that could endanger First Nation support for more viable projects.

He reiterated this on Thursday, saying he has “anxiety” about “taking our eye off the prize” and distracting the federal government and resources from projects already underway. These include liquefied natural gas export terminals and electrical transmission lines.

The pipeline MOU includes no timelines for construction or development other than a deadline of July 1, 2026, for Alberta to deliver an application to the federal government’s Major Projects Office.

This deal was negotiated without Eby’s involvement and without consulting the coastal First Nations. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said it was clear Eby was kept out of talks because he is “obstructive.”

He faulted Eby for going against the rest of the country, saying this is what is good for Canada and for the people of B.C.

The Business Council of B.C. issued a press release simply titled “This is good,” laying out how it strengthens the economy and helps diversify trade away from the U.S.

Big questions remain

The MOU requires the project to be financed by the private sector, but no company has come forward saying it is willing to build or finance the pipeline.

Eby said he doesn’t think this will happen. He argues a new pipeline will need federal subsidies, pointing to Trans Mountain as an example. It required a federal bailout and is now publicly owned.

Still, the biggest hurdle for the Alberta government to overcome before bringing a project proposal to the federal government next summer will be convincing coastal First Nations to support the pipeline.

The MOU agreement calls for immediate trilateral discussions among Alberta, B.C. and the federal government, as well as “meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples.”

There is a federal moratorium on heavy-oil tanker traffic along the north coast of B.C. that would need to be amended or rescinded for a new pipeline to be built — and several coastal First Nations vehemently oppose lifting or creating exceptions to the ban.

B.C. Greens MLA Rob Botterell said the rights and title of these First Nations must be protected, pointing out that the waters where oil tankers would need to travel are some of the most dangerous in the world.

“I know a lot of folks in the Coast Guard, and they’ll tell you that that part of the world is not the part of the world you want to be running a tanker through,” he said.

The MOU commits to “an appropriate adjustment” to the tanker ban should the project be approved.

Coastal First Nations president Marilyn Slett held a press conference on Thursday, restating her opposition to rescinding the tanker ban, saying the nations have no interest in becoming equity partners.

She said that all it would take is one spill to ruin their way of life.

“We are not interested in being equity partners in a project that has the potential to destroy everything that we have built,” she said. “We have never supported oil pipelines. They are not a part of our vision for a healthy, sustainable, and economically diverse north coast.”

On the rainy morning of Nov. 26, a group of lumberjacks and legislative staff worked together to unload a 30-foot-tall grand fir from a trailer into the capital building’s lower rotunda.

Donated by the Saanichton Christmas Tree Farm since 1985, Eric Stringer said he and his team sourced the tree from their land near Shawnigan Lake.

Stringer, who has been responsible for delivering the past five trees, said he had his eye on this one for the past year while walking the farm.

“This one was grown more in the open, so that’s why it’s nice and bushy,” he said. “It wasn’t compressed up against other trees, which tends to make them flat-sided.

“It’s hard to get a really well-shaped tree, but this one, over the last two years, we were looking at it and said, ‘Yeah, that’s probably a good candidate’.”

While families often select spruce or pine trees, Stringer said the grand fir is preferred by his team for its density, height and rich scent.

Known as fast growers when conditions are right, grand firs can, with enough water and space, grow up to nine metres within 15 years.

Although bringing the tree into the building went smoothly, Stringer said the real challenge came 24 hours earlier, getting it from where it fell to the trailer.

“It took us all day,” he said, adding that it required a team of five people – and a dog. “It was in a very difficult place to get at because there’s a lot of brush.

“You can only move the tree a foot or two at a time before you have to rest.”

Before the joyful eyes of a small crowd, the tree was finally erected, reaching up through the rotunda’s second floor.

For facility manager Surjit Dhanota, this tree is one of the finest he has seen in his 30 years of service at the Legislature.

“I’m not an expert, but by looking at it, we got the best tree this year,” he said with a smile. “It’s beautiful, it’s dense, and its branches will give us enough room to hang decorations.”

Thanking the Fleming family for their enduring donation, Dhanota explained that the tree will sit for a full day to allow its branches to settle, after which both the day crew and the night crew will begin work on the tree.

Taking approximately four hours to decorate, Dhanota added that the tree will be ready in time for the Light Up event – a nationwide ceremony where parliament buildings are lit to mark the beginning of the holiday season – on the night of Nov. 28.

Kicking off at 6:30 p.m., Dhanota extended the invitation to all B.C. residents. The admission-free celebration, hosted by the Speaker of the House, will feature family-friendly activities, a choir, hot beverages, and the official light switch, adding red and green to the legislature’s customary white lights.

For more information on the event, visit leg.bc.ca/visit/programs-and-events/special-programs.

Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society (VFFS) has made the difficult decision to cancel the Honda Celebration of Light indefinitely, the society announed in a Wednesday (Nov. 26) release.

The free fireworks events, which ran for more than three decades in the city — first as the Symphony of Fire, then as the Honda Celebration of Light for the past 13 years — has been Canada’s largest free public event and one of B.C. strongest tourism drivers, the release said.

Despite reaching out to governments and the business community for many months, the event has faced significant challenges over the past three years due to rising production costs, the elimination of federal funding, a dramatic reduction in provincial support, and declining private-sector investment, the non-profit VFFS said, adding it can no longer continue to “go cap in hand” each year to keep the event afloat.

@todayinbc Vancouver has officially ended its iconic summer fireworks tradition, with organizers announcing the Honda Celebration of Light is cancelled indefinitely after 33 years. The Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society says rising production costs, shrinking government funding, and declining private sponsorship have made the free event impossible to sustain. Despite years of efforts to find stable support, organizers say they cannot commit to 2026 contracts without long-term government backing. #BCNews #breaking #Vancouver #Fireworks #CelebrationOfLight #BCEvents #TourismBC #hondacelebrationoflight #vancouverfireworks #cityofvancouver #englishbay #englishbaybeach ♬ original sound – Today In BC

“For 33 years, this event has been a cornerstone of Vancouver’s summer — a shared experience that brought families, friends, and visitors together from across the province and around the world,” said VFFS co-chair Michael McKnight. “Ending that tradition is incredibly painful, but we simply can’t continue.”

In recent years, event producers BrandLIVE had introduced ticketed seating and viewing lounges, corporate hosting opportunities and other ways to generate additional revenues to sustain the festival, but without government grants and private sponsorship, the free community event is no longer financially sustainable.

With major supplier contracts and pyrotechnic bookings now requiring immediate financial commitments to stage a 2026 festival, VFFS has determined it cannot move forward.

“To say it hurts to make this decision is an understatement,” said HCOL executive producer Paul Runnals.

“For our team, our volunteers, our partners, and everyone who has poured their time and energy into this event year after year, this is personal. However, VFFS and BrandLIVE have exhausted every option to keep the festival going. Our hope is that by being transparent about the financial realities, that governments and partners might step up to create a long-term solution that allows the Honda Celebration of Light to return stronger and more sustainable at some point in the future.”

Organizers extended a heartfelt ‘thank-you’ to Honda, whose enduring support and commitment as title partner for the past 13 years have been “essential to sustaining this iconic event and creating lasting memories for millions across British Columbia and beyond,” and also acknowledged the longstanding contributions of Concord, Tymac, the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Parks Board, and dedicated emergency service partners, whose continued support and focus on safety help make this celebration possible every year.

Langford locals Ennio Titarenko and Andrew Wierzbicki had barely been in the water five minutes when a bull sea lion surfaced roughly 15 feet away from them.

Titarenko, a former commercial diver, wasn’t bothered by its sudden appearance, but for his pal Wierzbicki, it was a different story.

“I am very afraid of the ocean,” he said. “I’ll go in, but it scares me, just because it’s so huge – it’s the most powerful force on earth, in my opinion.”

As the beast loitered nearby, a nervous Wierzbicki began slowly backing out of the water – Titarenko, meanwhile, stayed calm.

“I’ve been engulfed by sea lions at one point,” said Titarenko. “So I’m really comfortable with them. So it didn’t really phase me.”

But the mood shifted fast when the large male sea lion edged closer, suddenly lunging out of the water towards the pair. This time, both men made a hasty retreat to shore.

“It was game over for me at that point – there was no way I was dealing with that guy,” said Wierzbicki. “He’ll win every day on his own turf for sure.

“I tried to run out of the water as fast as I could, but I wear these water shoes … I swear I’m probably never gonna wear those shoes again, because when I was trying to run, they were like cinder blocks on my feet.”

Just as quickly as it charged, the bull disappeared again, leaving the pair convinced the encounter was a territorial warning.

“He was just doing that to scare us,” said Titarenko. “I knew that he had no intention of biting us or hurting us. He just wanted us to get out of the water.

“And I heeded that warning.”

“He was definitely asserting his dominance,” adds Wierzbicki.

The friends are regulars at Esquimalt Lagoon, plunging up to three times a week. Wierzbicki also leads the Cold Plunge Crew, which meets every Sunday morning at the lagoon for a bracing group dip.

Seals, otters, orcas and sea lions are all familiar sights at the lagoon, but Monday morning’s (Nov. 24) close encounter was a first for both men – and, as it turns out, a stroke of luck to have caught on camera.

Titarenko says he almost never brings his filming gear to a routine plunge. But on this morning, with his equipment on hand, the pair decided to seize the opportunity to film some social media content for their business Vic City Saunas, which is hosting a New Year’s Day event offering folks the best of both worlds – a group cold plunge with a shoreline sauna.

Additional footage was also captured by another member of the Cold Plunge Crew, who spotted the sea lion circling the swimmers.

“It’s a great story and I’m happy we got it on video,” says Wierzbicki.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada was invited to comment on the video. They said the public should always keep a safe distance from marine mammals.

“Approaching or interacting with them puts both people and wildlife at risk,” said a spokesperson in a emailed statement. “Please observe from afar and follow all regulations that protect these species and their habitats, and reduce the likelihood of endangering people.”

In Canada, it’s against the law to disturb a marine mammal, which includes feeding, swimming or interacting with them.

“When you encounter seals, sea lions or walruses: move away slowly at the first sign of disturbance or agitation,” the spokesperson added. “If the animal starts to stare, fidget or dive into the water, you are too close.”

Despite the scare – and the viral-worthy footage – neither Wierzbicki or Titarenko plan to stay out of the water for long.

“It won’t put me off at all,” Titarenko said. “We’ll be out there again this week.”

Wierzbicki agrees.

“This was a one-off out of hundreds, maybe thousands of dips,” he said. “I’ll be a little more aware, but it’s not going to scare me out of the ocean. We are in his home – I respect the animals, and there’s a big ocean out there, we can both share the same beach at the same time.”

The B.C. government hosted a press conference early in the afternoon on Nov. 21 to give an update on the bear attack that occurred in Bella Coola Valley.

Tamara Davidson, minister of environment and parks, confirmed that four patients remain in hospital after the attack and families are asking for privacy at this moment. She also highlighted the bravery of the teachers during the attack.

“We hold deep gratitute for the bravery shown by those who acted quickly to protect others,” she said. “I want to recognize the teachers who took great risk to protect their students.”

Davidson added that the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) remains in the community and is actively searching the bear, with conservation officers from both the community and off working on the incident. She stressed the importance of staying inside during this time.

“Conservations officers who were able to respond quickly, they are doing the important work of trying to locate the bear,” she said.

Davidson also thanked the RCMP, BC Ambulance Service, BCCOS and health care workers for their work.

She also highlighted the Nuxalk Nation’s leadership and care for its community in such distressing time.

“We know this is a distressing time for the Nuxalk Nation. The Nuxalk Nation has shown remarkable leadership and care for their community,” she said. “They’re providing supports, food and smuding at the Youth Centre for anyone who needs it. I know this community well and I’ve seen firsthand the strength and that care.”

The minister added that the provincial goverment has also reached out to the local school district to offer crisis, trauma and safety support.

Kevin Van Damme, inspector at BCCOS confirmed at the conference that eight conservation officers have been deployed to the site with a focus on finding out what happened as well as capturing the bear.

“We’re investigating the site, collecting physical evidence that could be used for forensic needs to match the bear in question,” he added. “Capture mitigation techniques have been set to capture and evaluate the bear.”

Van Damme added that he recognizes this is incident is distressing for the community and that the conservation officer remains in close contact with the Nuxalk Nation.

“As our investigaton continues, we thank them for their collaboration efforts to ensure the community awareness and shared safety information,” he said. “I really need to stress how dangerous this situation is with this bear at large and we need to keep people away from the 4 Mile area and keep them out of harm’s way.”

At the press conference, the minister was questioned whether or not the recent bear attacks across the province have made the goverment to consider lifting the ban on hunting grizzlies which was approved back in 2017.

She stated that at this time, there are no plans in lifting the current ban.

“Anytime that there’s a conflict with wildlife, with bears, it’s a really strong reminder that we need to remember that we are outdoors and we are sharing outdoors with wildlife,” Davidson said.

“Right now our focus is really on finding the bear that was involved in this attack. This is an ongoing live situation where the bear is still at large and the community doesn’t feel safe. The RCMP and the Conservation Officer Service is working closely to try to locate the bear.”

In response to a BC Wildlife Federation’s statement on conflicts with grizzly bears are bound to rise across the province, Davidson said the main goal right now is to make sure that people are aware of their surroundings when they’re out in the outdoors.

“Also making sure that they don’t have any attractants that are in their yards or that they’re bringing with them when they’re out on the trail,” she said.

“I think the teachers in this incident, they were well prepared. They had bear spray, they had bear bangers and they were the real heroes in this situation. The community continues to want to protect the students and the teachers.”

ORIGINAL STORY

A grizzly bear attack has injured three children and one adult, says BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS).

Around 1:35 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20., BCCOS and Bella Coola RCMP responded to reports of a bear attack at an area called the Old Trail, close to 4 Mile.

The victims were part of a school group who stopped along a trail near the river when the grizzly bear emerged from the forest and attacked them. While four people were injured, multiple teachers was able to use pepper spray and a “bear banger” on the grizzly, said BCCOS Insp. Kevin Van Damme in a video update on Friday.

The adult and three children were treated at Bella Coola Hospital and are being transported to Vancouver for further care.

A group of conservation officers worked throughout the night and early morning but were unable to find the bear. Additional officers have been called to the scene as BCCOS collects and analzying evidence and the surrounding area.

At this time, the bear has not been found, but Van Damme said that preliminary information suggests it could be previously injured.

“We recognize this incident is distressing for the community. We are in close contact with the Nuxalk Nation as our investigation continues. We thank them for their collaborative efforts to ensure community awareness and shared safety information,” said Van Damme. “Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.”

The Nuxalk Nation has also commented.

“This unprecedented grizzly bear attack occurred without provocation and has resulted in significant trauma to our community,” said Nuxalk Nation chief Samuel Schooner. “We are incredibly proud of our teachers and students who responded heroically in the moment to protect one another. The outcome could have been much worse.”

BCCOS is directing the community to avoid the forested area and river near 4 Mile. Residents are asked to remain indoors until further notice.

“At present we are focused on taking care of our community members who are affected by this horrific event,” added Schooner.

Anyone with information, or to report bear sightings in Bella Coola, should contact the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277.

The B.C. government will be holding a press conference about the incident at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21.

“210 people in B.C. die each month from fentanyl. Please don’t be next…”

It lists the toll free Opioid Treatment Access Line phone number: 1-833-804-8111.

Her image covers the front of ED’s convenience store in Brookswood on 42 Ave. just west of 208 St., applied to a temporary wooden facade installed after thieves smashed their way into the store using a van in September.

When repairs to the store facade are completed, the plan is to relocate the image to a permanent location, Breallan’s father, Rob Franks, explained.

“I’d like to recognize the fact of having an opioid crisis in our community,” Franks told the Langley Advance Times.

“It’s not something to joke about. I’ve lost many of my loved ones including my little brother, 10 years ago.”

Graffiti artist creates memorial in Brookswood pic.twitter.com/fAR9tFQTMi

— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) November 10, 2025

The image was created by James Hardy, a graffiti artist from from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, who goes by Smokey Devil, and uses his art to raise awareness about the overdose crisis.

“This young lady, she lost her life way too early and she was a really great person,” Hardy said.

Also known as Brea, Breallan’s obituary said she “passed suddenly leaving all that loved her in shambles.”

She was remembered as “an animal loving, music obsessed, selfless, clean freak who’s bright green eyes could light up the room.”

It recounted how she struggled with depression and anxiety, “something she battled with yet was able to put a smile on for others no matter what. She had so many goals and dreams set for the few months ahead, her struggle with addiction was a part of the past.”

“Family always came first, her siblings were her world, her parents were her best friends, she would give you the shirt off her back if she could.”