Author: SKEENA NEWS

KITIMAT, B.C. – A 79-year-old Kitimat resident has died in what authorities are describing as an unfortunate accident on the Kitimat River on Tuesday afternoon. According to a press release from Sgt. Rob Gardner of the Kitimat RCMP, police were advised of a possible drowning at 1:36 p.m. on July 15, 2025. The incident occurred on the Kitimat River in the area of Nalbeelah Creek, located north of the town along Highway 37. Kitimat RCMP officers responded to the scene and located the man, who was confirmed to have drowned. A multi-agency effort was involved in the recovery operation. The Kitimat…

TERRACE, B.C. – A morning that began with a happy, routine breakfast at Denny’s with his wife has turned into an ongoing nightmare for the family of Thomas Kelly, who is now the subject of an urgent, large-scale search after he went missing in the Skeena River. The entire Skeena region is holding its breath, praying for the beloved husband, father, and grandfather who accidentally entered the river while fishing near the Usk Ferry crossing at approximately 6:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. For his wife Shauna Kelly, the shock is unimaginable. The suddenness of the tragedy has left their family…

For most people, the marathon is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. For Fauja Singh, it was a challenge he didn’t even begin to tackle until he was 89 years old. In a world obsessed with youth, the man affectionately known as the “Turbaned Tornado” completely redefined the limits of age, endurance, and the human spirit, becoming a global icon in the process. Born on April 1, 1911, in the village of Beas Pind, Punjab, during the era of British India, Fauja Singh lived a quiet life as a farmer. His story as a running phenomenon didn’t start in his youth; in fact,…

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. – For a leader tasked with navigating Prince Rupert through an unprecedented economic boom, Mayor Herb Pond draws on a deep reservoir of local history—his own. Having first arrived in the city in 1988, his journey from community volunteer to a third-term mayor gives him a unique perspective on the monumental changes reshaping the North Coast. Pond is at the helm of a city in the midst of a $3 billion industrial expansion. Yet, his focus remains squarely on the community he has been a part of for over 35 years. Before ever entering politics, he was known for…

KITAMAAT, BC – July 15, 2025 – The official results of the Haisla Nation’s 2025 General Election have been declared, ushering in a new Chief Councillor and Council to lead the community. The consolidated count declarations were released by OneFeather, the electoral services company that administered the election, following the close of polls on July 14 at the Recreation Centre in Haisla. The election process was managed by Electoral Officer Brett Bilyk of OneFeather and conducted in strict accordance with the Haisla Nation Custom Election Code (2021). In the race for the Nation’s top leadership position, Maureen Nyce has been elected as the new…

TERRACE, B.C. – For passersby, it might have been a fleeting and familiar sight, a person in distress on a downtown sidewalk. But for the first responders who arrived on scene outside the Skeena Mall this morning, it was a call for immediate, professional, and compassionate action. On Tuesday morning, BC Emergency Health Services paramedics and a City of Terrace bylaw officer were seen attending to an individual who had collapsed on the walkway. The team worked together seamlessly to assess the person’s condition, provide necessary care, and ensure their safety. The incident is a small window into the daily reality…

SKEENA REGION, B.C. – Ozempic, the blockbuster drug known for weight loss, is set to become much cheaper and more accessible in Canada as its patent expires next year. But as telehealth companies prepare to offer generic versions, B.C. patients involved in a class-action lawsuit and medical experts are raising serious alarms about the potential for drug abuse and severe, life-altering side effects. The Canadian patent for semaglutide—the active ingredient in Ozempic and its weight-loss counterpart, Wegovy—is set to expire in January 2026. This will make Canada the first country where cheaper, generic versions can be sold, likely at a fraction…

SKEENA REGION, BC – Newly released internal government documents reveal that Canadian officials spent over two months this year scrambling to figure out how to respond to a new U.S. executive order on gender identity, ultimately deciding against issuing specific public warnings for transgender Canadians travelling to the United States. The documents, obtained through a freedom of information request, paint a picture of a government walking a “tightrope” between its duty to protect its citizens and its fear of offending the U.S. administration during a period of highly sensitive trade negotiations. The Crisis: A New U.S. Gender Policy The situation began…

OTTAWA, O.N. – The federal government’s new plan to cut spending across all departments, including the foreign service at Global Affairs Canada, is being presented as a necessary step toward fiscal responsibility. But how exactly are these cuts intended to help or save money for the average Canadian citizen? The government has directed its ministers to find savings of 7.5 percent in their departmental budgets, which will take effect next spring. The Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that Global Affairs Canada will be part of this cost-cutting exercise. The Government’s Argument: Cutting Waste to Lower the National Bill The core of the…

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Federal investigators are on site at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) after passengers on a WestJet flight from Florida had to evacuate via emergency slides late Saturday night due to a small engine fire after the plane had parked at the gate. The incident occurred on July 12, after WestJet flight 1181, a Boeing 737 arriving from Tampa, had reached its gate and shut down its engines. According to a statement from WestJet, a “small tailpipe fire” occurred in one of the engines after shutdown. A tailpipe fire is typically a brief flare-up caused by residual fuel igniting in…