Search and rescue manager said the rescue required several rope and mountain specialists and advanced medical care.

Two hikers were rescued near Lions Bay, B.C., on Saturday after slipping down steep, treacherous terrain, according to search and rescue personnel.

A group of 14 hikers was descending Brunswick Mountain when a woman in the group slipped and fell about 20 metres down a steep slope, said Lions Bay Search and Rescue manager Maria Masiar.

Masiar said a man in the group attempting to rescue her then slipped and fell around 100-150 metres, stopping just before a steep rocky waterfall.

“They were lucky to stop where they did,” she said.

Masiar said the man was fortunate to get wedged in a snow moat just above a steep rocky drop, noting he was conscious but in critical condition when they reached him.

A third man from the group made it down the slope to wait with him for rescue, and was unharmed.

Two helicopters and 19 volunteers from both Lions Bay SAR and North Shore Rescue responded to the call, which they received around 1:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon, flying to where the hikers were located and lifting them out.

“It was a very technical rescue, they had to set up rope systems and rappel into his location,” she said. The team consisted of rope technicians, mountain specialists, helicopter teams and medics.

A social media post from North Shore Rescue says a doctor provided “advanced medical care” to the man on the scene before hoisting him out of the area.

Masiar said he was taken to Lions Bay and handed over to B.C. Emergency Health Services.

BCEHS confirmed to CBC News that paramedics met search and rescue crews in Lions Bay and took a person to the hospital in critical condition around 4:18 p.m.

Masiar said the woman was in stable condition.

Tricky terrain

Masiar is warning those planning on heading out into the backcountry that conditions on the North Shore and Sea-to-Sky region are "tricky."

She said the snowpack on local mountains is extremely saturated after four straight days of heavy rain. She said there has also been overnight freezing.

“Most of the area went to bulletproof ice,” she said. “It is full mountaineering conditions up there.”

She said proper equipment, such as mountaineering crampons and an ice axe are required. General shoe spikes are not adequate.

Masiar said Saturday’s rescue was able to go smoothly as they had all the resources available and optimal weather conditions for a rescue mission.

“You set the emotions aside, go into action when it happens,” said Masiar. “We’re proud of that, as a team.”

Vancouver has one of the most scenic locations of any major city in North America. Ringed by snow-capped mountains and surrounded by water, it’s like the sexy love child of Hong Kong and Alaska. It’s blessed with terrific food, tons of activities, and one of the best urban park systems in the world.

If that wasn’t enough to get you to visit, here’s one more reason: they’ll pay you. Every year, the awkwardly named Vancouver Hotel Destination Association (VHDA) runs a promotion that gives folks a Mastercard gift card when they stay at one of a few dozen downtown hotels.

The only condition is that you stay for two or four nights, and that the stay must take place by the end of April 2026. (h/t: Travel Codex)

The Deal

Terms and Conditions

Quick Thoughts

This is a regular promo that the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association runs at least once per year. I’ve actually done it a couple of times, and it was pretty straightforward. You make a booking through the provided portal, and the amount of the free gift card varies by property and stay: from CA$150 to CA$250 for a two-night stay, or from CA$300 to CA$500 for a four-night stay. Anyone who’s ever gone out for a drink in British Columbia knows that $150 will buy you about three beers, but hey, it’s better than a kick in the toque.

The promotion can be used up to three times, and you get the gift card upon checking into the hotel, the idea being that you then get to spend it painting the town Red Maple leaf. Both times that I used it a few years ago, I also received elite credit and points, but your mileage may vary.

The prices at the participating hotels I looked at were largely the same as what I found on online travel agencies like Expedia and Hotels.com, but it’s worth double-checking the property you’re interested in to make sure. Also, note that reservations made through the promo are non-refundable and non-cancellable.

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Nations look to balance economic opportunity with preserving invaluable land

Tyson Atleo, a hereditary leader of the Ahousaht First Nation, says the creation of three new forestry areas to be managed by his community and two others on the west coast of Vancouver Island marks the realization of a long-standing promise.

Atleo recalls assuring the community more than 15 years ago that "we would find a pathway forward to regaining control over some of our forest resources."

The vision is to manage the forests of Clayoquot Sound, a globally recognized biosphere that includes Tofino, B.C., in a way that reflects the nation's interest in ecological integrity and balance it with access to economic opportunity, he said.

The total combined area of the three new tree farm licenses is about 52,000 hectares, with Ahousaht set to manage about 33,000 hectares, Atleo said.

The areas were previously part of a single, larger licence with harvesting rights belonging to forest company MaMook Natural Resources.

The shift follows an agreement between the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht and Tla‑o‑qui‑aht First Nations along with the British Columbia government and MaMook, with financial support from the charity Nature United.

"It took beyond a decade to bring all four of those parties into mutual understanding for a pathway that could lead to results that everybody [was] comfortable with," Atleo said, noting two other nearby First Nations were also involved in discussions.

"The forests company's interests are of course to manage its assets for company value and, in this case, the other negotiating parties were able to present a deal or an offer that was appealing to the company" and its shareholders, he said.

The newly created areas are to be managed with the governance systems, stewardship priorities and economic goals of the three First Nations.

"What we want to see is a more ecosystem-based forestry model and one where you aren't just clear-cut logging, of course, but you are still generating economic and social value from timber resources," Atleo said.

The area Ahousaht will manage includes cedar, spruce and hemlock trees, with some Douglas fir. It encompasses some old-growth and areas of cultural significance to the nation, but it has also seen "a lot of historical logging," he said.

Ahousaht is to work with experts and advisers on a comprehensive strategy that centres on biodiversity, carbon storage and local opportunities, Atleo said.

"We're not talking about huge volume forestry here. We're talking about smaller scale, with high-quality results."

Atleo said activities beyond harvesting could include restoration work, addressing what he describes as significant destruction of salmon habitat and slope destabilization from previous logging, along with potential for ecotourism.

WATCH | 'War for the Woods' happened in Clayoquot Sound:

Hesquiaht Chief Mariah Charleston said her nation must still consult community members on next steps for the new tree farm licence. "But when it comes down to it, it will be our people that make the decision together."

It's been exciting to see the opening of a road into the area that has been closed for some time, she said.

"It links our community members to harvesting our medicines ... and connecting with portions of the territory that they haven't been able to connect with in the last number of years."

Charleston said huge portions of Hesquiaht territory have been affected by logging and that restoring access to the area would allow the nation to begin restoration work and, with it, create jobs for community members.

Work to be done

The new tree farm licences build on a 2024 agreement that saw the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations work with the province to protect about 76,000 hectares in the region, including old-growth forests at the centre of the so-called "War in the Woods" protests in the early 1990s.

Michael Reid, B.C. program director for Nature United, said he couldn't share the dollar figure in the latest agreement. But his organization has contributed more than $40 million in recent years to support the First Nations' visions, he said.

"The province has not been absent from the conservation financing side of this work," he said. "But certainly the need far outweighs what's currently available."

Reid said he hopes the agreement can serve as a model for the provincial government, First Nations and forestry companies across B.C.

While the transfer of control of the Clayoquot Sound forests is a major milestone, Atleo said the celebration is "brief," as there's much work yet to be done.

"The historical logging practices have decimated riparian habitat and we've been left with a bit of a mess," he said, adding partnerships with Nature United and the province have allowed the nation to undertake some of the cleanup.

"But there's decades and decades and hundreds of millions of dollars of work still to be done to correct those liabilities that have been left behind by bad forest practices," Atleo said.

"We have to go right to work."

A Victoria midwife from the UK and her patients have been left in the lurch over a problem with paperwork. Her work permit has been cancelled over a missing language test, even though English is her native tongue. Jack Rabb has more.

A Victoria, B.C.-based midwife and her patients have been left in the lurch over a problem with paperwork.

Heather Gilchrist moved to Canada from the U.K., looking for a fresh start after the loss of her husband.

Canadian immigration officials insisted that Gilchrist, a native English speaker, do a language test.

She says she completed the test last July, but the application she filled out didn’t give her the option to upload her results.

As well, she says, the checklist that came with the application didn’t even mention the test.

Now, because she wasn’t able to submit the test, her work permit has been cancelled.

Gilchrist says she has a successful practice. She says she has taught twice as many midwives in Scotland as there are registered in B.C., but that experience wasn’t taken into consideration when federal immigration officials denied her work permit over the missing language test.

“It just doesn’t make any sense, and I just need someone to lift their head and understand that it can’t be this faceless system,” she said.

“You have someone as qualified as myself, and you’re pushing them out the door.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) “How to Apply” web page for post-graduate work permits now features a disclaimer that explains the special way in which the test must be uploaded, but that disclaimer was only added in December.

This was too little, too late for scores of people who were summarily denied for not including it. Among them were some of the 1,700 people who signed a Change.org petition asking the government to reinstate applications rejected over the language test.

Gilchrist’s denial put an immediate halt to her practice. This comes on the heels of an announcement by the Ministry of Health touting its progress in recruiting health professionals from the U.S.

“You are going to have me leave, and yet you seem so proud of the people you’re attracting,” she said.

“I’m already here, and now I have to leave? Doesn’t make any sense.”

She points out that midwives in general seem to fall through the cracks in terms of being permitted to work in Canada.

“We’re not like doctors or nurses where there’s a red carpet to welcome you in,” she said.

Maternity ward diversions have become a regular occurrence across the province, something Consultant Specialists of B.C. president Dr. Rob Carruthers says is something midwives could help relieve.

“We don’t have enough obstetrics doctors to cover major hospitals in British Columbia, and certainly there are regions that are quite underserved,” Carruthers said.

“That means that women who are trying to grow their families are not going to have access to the care they need.”

The IRCC says it’s working to make uploading language tests more straightforward, and notes that denied applicants can apply for reconsideration.

But after spending $60,000 out of pocket to get accredited and start a new life in B.C., Gilchrist says she — and her patients who have been left in limbo — can’t afford to wait to reach a resolution.

“That phrase about throwing the baby out with the bathwater seems more relevant than ever as a midwife, because that’s what’s happening right now,” she said.

Gilchrist says the Ministry has not answered her pleas for help, and the whole situation has left her at a loss for words.

“What do I do? How do I…where do I go from here?” she asked.

“It’s just not a good reflection of how I feel about being in Canada. Sorry.”

Deputy sheriffs are provincial peace officers who work closely with different partners in the justice system to ensure all levels of courts in the province are operating smoothly and safely.

Are you looking for a dynamic career in the B.C. justice system with paid training and a competitive salary and benefit package? The British Columbia Sheriff Service (BCSS) offers full-time employment that provides favourable work-life balance. We're hiring deputy sheriffs across the province.

Please note, if you are interested in each region please apply to both competitions separately.

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The role of a deputy sheriff

The BC Sheriff Service (BCSS) is part of the Court Services Branch within the Ministry of Attorney General. We offer exciting career opportunities in law enforcement at over 90 court locations across British Columbia.

As a deputy sheriff, you’ll help keep people safe in and around courthouses. You’ll provide protective services for the judiciary, crown, defense, public and court staff, as well as all participants in the system. Your role is to make sure the court environment is secure and respectful, so justice can be served safely and fairly.

As a deputy sheriff, you’ll play a key role in the following:

Why join the BC Sheriff Service?

Upon hire, new recruits are scheduled to attend mandatory Sheriff Recruit Training (SRT) at the Sheriff Academy at the Justice Institute of B.C. There's no cost to recruits for training. While attending the 14-week SRT, deputy sheriff recruits receive a salary equivalent to $53,091.46 per year. Individuals already employed by the B.C. Government, and going through recruit training, will fall under salary protection guidelines. Individuals attending from outside the Lower Mainland are eligible to receive a living allowance.

After the completion of the sheriff recruit training and as a condition of employment, recruits are required to sign a return of service agreement. The agreement states that if the individual does not remain in the employment of the BC Public Service for two years after hire, they commit to repay their training costs on a pro-rated basis based on how long they've been employed.

After graduating SRT, deputy sheriffs receive an annual salary of $71,853.58 to $81,702.30. This range includes a 3 Grid Market Adjustment.

The online application records responses on how applicants meet the listed qualifications. In addition to completing the online application, all applicants are required to submit documented proof of their qualifications. This includes emailing copies of their identification, certificates, and records to the Court Services Branch (CSB), BCSS Recruitment Office.

Applicants who successfully send all documents and pass the Security Screening Questionnaire (PDF, 2MB) will be invited to the assessment stage that includes the following elements. Applicants must pass all tests and checks.

*Please note that regardless of the physical abilities tests taken during the application process, if you successfully complete the entire hiring process, you will be required to run SOFAST on the first day of SRT, and passing it is mandatory.

All selected deputy sheriff recruits undergo mandatory Sheriff Recruit Training (SRT) at the Sheriff Academy at the Justice Institute of B.C. in New Westminster. SRT consists of two blocks of training, as follows:

The Sheriff Academy also offers further training as deputy sheriffs choose to advance in their career within BCSS and require more training. For more information about the Sheriff Academy, please visit the Justice Institute of B.C. Sheriff Academy webpage.

New recruits enter the BCSS as deputy sheriffs and are provided with opportunities for continuing education, skill specialization and career advancement.

The highest-ranking sheriff is the chief sheriff who reports to the assistant deputy minister. Check out this graphic to understand the ranks and responsibilities in more detail.

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