Author: Lucas Walker

A key youth mental health program in Fort St. John is at risk of ending, raising concerns over a gap in local services. Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy has called on the province to keep the program running. During the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia’s question period on October 9, Kealy urged Health Minister Josie Osborne to renew the contract with Saplings Mental Health Services. Saplings has partnered with Northern Health since 2021, offering counselling, psychiatric care, group programs, and support for parents. Kealy described the program as filling a “vital gap” in the region. Each year, more than…

A 4.4 magnitude earthquake shook the area northwest of Fort St. John early Monday morning. The tremor occurred at 6:23 a.m., about 60 kilometers from the city. Earthquake Canada reported that the quake had a shallow depth of five kilometers. Officials said no damage has been reported and none is expected in the region. The earthquake took place in an area known for oil and gas activity. So far, the BC Energy Regulator has not commented on whether fracking may have played a role. Residents in Fort St. John said they felt the ground shake briefly, with some reporting rattling…

The City of Fort St. John has approved the sale of city-owned land for just one dollar to support a major affordable housing project. The land, located at the corner of 96th Street and 100th Avenue, will be transferred to the Fort St. John Association for Community Living (FSJACL), a non-profit group dedicated to helping residents with developmental disabilities and complex needs. The decision was confirmed through a public notice from the city on September 3. Officials said the transaction follows the rules of the Community Charter, which allows municipalities to provide assistance by selling land at less than market…

Fort St. John is set to host a public hearing on a proposed zoning change that could affect access to a property on 100th Street. Residents are invited to attend and share their views. The City issued a notice on August 15 about a zoning amendment affecting 11432 100th Street, currently home to the Co-op Gas Bar. The proposed change would remove a restriction requiring all access to the property from 100th Street to be “right-in, right-out only.” Currently, this rule allows vehicles to leave the lot only by turning right. The restriction was originally added to protect pedestrian safety.…

Fort St. John RCMP officers have arrested a man who was wanted on multiple charges, officials confirmed on August 20. Wayne Bradley Pizzey, 57, was taken into custody following a bench warrant issued for failing to comply with a probation order and driving while prohibited under the Motor Vehicle Act. Pizzey was one of several individuals the Fort St. John RCMP were seeking recently. Police had issued a public notice on August 14, asking residents to report any sightings of Pizzey. The detachment regularly issues such notices when individuals fail to meet court or legal obligations. The RCMP emphasized that…

Robert Ogilvie Elementary School in Fort St. John was vandalized last week. The school’s exterior was spray-painted with crude drawings and offensive language. Photos of the vandalism were briefly shared on social media but have since been deleted. The incident was reported to the RCMP on the morning of August 9. School officials believe the damage likely occurred the night before. Angela Telford, secretary treasurer for the local school district, said staff have already removed the graffiti. “There is not much information to share,” Telford said. “The vandalism was reported to the RCMP and has been cleaned up by district…

A driver died after an SUV ran a red light and hit a tanker truck on the Alaska Highway, just north of Fort St. John, British Columbia. The crash happened Monday afternoon around 1:42 p.m. local time at the intersection of Alaska Highway and 269 Road, about one kilometre from the city. Officials said the SUV was traveling south when it ignored a red light. It then collided with a tanker truck that was turning left onto the highway. The SUV driver died at the scene. Police have not shared the driver’s age or gender, but confirmed the family has…

BC Hydro has announced that the Site C dam near Fort St. John is now fully operational after its sixth and final turbine was activated. This milestone marks the completion of the hydroelectric project on the Peace River in northern British Columbia. The dam can now generate 1,100 megawatts of electricity. This amount of power is enough to supply half a million homes every year. It will provide clean, reliable energy to BC Hydro customers for the next 100 years. Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, said this development is a major win for the province. He…

The Fort St. John RCMP are actively investigating multiple break-ins and arson attacks linked to local barbershops. Authorities are working to uncover the details behind a troubling string of incidents that have affected the community. On July 24, video footage was shared showing what is believed to be evidence of arson at Golden Hands Barbershop. The clip captured a white flat-deck truck leaving the parking lot of the barbershop as the building burned behind it. Shortly afterward, the same vehicle was spotted heading to The Barbershop FSJ, where further damage was reported. Both these attacks took place in the early…

A councillor in Fort St. John, British Columbia, is speaking out after learning that nearly one in six BC Housing units in the city are sitting empty. The numbers were only revealed after the city had to submit a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the provincial housing agency. The documents, received last month, show that as of June 30, 24 out of 164 homes managed by BC Housing in Fort St. John were unoccupied. This represents a vacancy rate of 15 per cent — a figure three times higher than that of private rental units in the area.…