Author: SKEENA NEWS
TERRACE, B.C. – A notable tipping point in cross-border travel has been reached this summer, with new data revealing that more Americans visited Canada in July than Canadians made trips to the United States. This is a reversal of a trend that has held for years. According to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, U.S. residents made 1.8 million trips into Canada by automobile last month. In contrast, Canadian return trips from the United States totaled 1.7 million, marking the first time in years that American visitors by car outnumbered their Canadian counterparts in July. The shift comes amid a…
By Skeena News Editorial Board From the past month, our inbox has been overflowing with more than hundred emails, each one a searing testimony to a community trapped. From Terrace to Prince Rupert to Smithers, the message is clear: the cost of air travel is no longer a luxury, it has become an impossible barrier, a cruel tax on our ability to live, to work, and to be with our families. We’ve heard from the student who can’t afford to fly home for the holidays, the senior who has missed crucial medical appointments, and the family who has had to choose…
SKEENA REGION — Prime Minister Mark Carney swept into Ottawa with a record-breaking 67% approval rating and a promise to build a “One Canadian Economy.” In his first months, he has cut taxes, repealed the carbon tax, and fast-tracked national infrastructure plans. Across Canada, the honeymoon glow still lingers — but here in Northern BC, from Prince Rupert to Hazelton, the question is more grounded: Will any of this reach us? A Record Start in Ottawa Carney’s first acts as Prime Minister moved quickly: The centrepiece, the One Canadian Economy Act (Bill C-5), passed in June, aims to slash project approval times from…
SKEENA REGION – In a political landscape often dominated by traditional résumés, Claire Rattée’s story is a powerful, unfiltered narrative of redemption and northern authenticity. The 33-year-old Kitimat resident and small business owner has shattered political history, becoming Skeena’s first-ever female MLA and a living embodiment of the “ink to influence” journey. For over 13 years, Rattée has been the owner and operator of Arcane Arts Inc., a thriving tattoo studio. It was within those walls, she says, that she truly understood the pulse of her community—listening to the confessions, dreams, and stories of her clients who never imagined their…
KITIMAT, B.C. – Kitimat’s overall Crime Severity Index (CSI) saw a significant drop of more than one-third in 2024, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada. This sharp decline has improved the community’s provincial ranking from 53rd to 82nd out of 183 jurisdictions. While the overall decrease is substantial, a closer look at the numbers reveals a nuanced picture. The drop was largely driven by a steep decline in non-violent crime, which fell by nearly half—a 48.78 per cent decrease—bringing the Non-Violent Crime Severity Index (NVCSI) from 151.45 in 2023 to 77.58 in 2024. However, during the same period,…
TERRACE, B.C. – A nine-day search for a missing man in the remote Cariboo region of British Columbia has concluded with a triumphant and miraculous outcome. Andrew Barber, 39, was found alive on Friday, August 8, in what first responders are calling a true testament to his will to survive against impossible odds. The extensive search, which involved countless hours on the ground and in the air by the Williams Lake RCMP and Quesnel Search & Rescue (Quesnel SAR), ended when a police helicopter flying from Prince George spotted a crucial clue: Barber’s truck in a remote area north of…
TERRACE, B.C. – Air Canada flight attendants staged a national day of action at airports across the country today, highlighting their demands for a new and fair contract that addresses unpaid work and low wages. The flight attendants, who are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), recently authorized their union to take strike action in a near-unanimous vote. This action comes as negotiations continue for a new contract to replace their previous 10-year agreement, which expired on March 31, 2025. According to CUPE, flight attendants are seeking to end what they call “rampant abuse of unpaid work”…
PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. – The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) is highlighting the success of its strategic diversification efforts after its 2024 Annual Report revealed a net income of almost $30 million, despite a one per cent decline in total cargo volumes for the year. The report, released by the PRPA, showcases a strong financial performance fueled by growth in key sectors and significant capital investments aimed at future expansion. With $587.01 million in total assets and $74.58 million in total revenue, the port recorded a net income of $29.74 million. A portion of this income, $1.75 million, was reinvested…
HOUSTON, B.C. – A young Houston athlete is gaining national attention, pushing his way toward the Olympic stage in not one, but two high-speed sliding sports. Adam Franz, 17, has earned rare elite training invitations in both bobsleigh and skeleton just months after being discovered through a national talent search. Franz, who has a background in track and field, was encouraged by his coach Jamie McCartney, a four-time Olympian, to participate in the RBC Training Ground program. His strong performance in sprinting, jumping, and strength metrics at a testing event in Calgary caught the attention of both Bobsleigh Canada and…
CANADA. – A new international survey from the Pew Research Center reveals a significant decline in global confidence in the U.S., with Canada among the most critical of its allies. The poll of over 28,000 people across 24 countries found that opinions of U.S. leadership have worsened over the past year in more than half of the nations surveyed. Across the globe, only 34% of respondents expressed some confidence in Donald Trump to “do the right thing in world affairs.” The sentiment was particularly negative in Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and Spain. In Canada, opinions of the U.S. saw a steep…