A multi-party legislative committee is recommending that the B.C. government cancel a planned expansion of the Provincial Sales Tax to a range of professional services, a move welcomed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services made the recommendation as part of its consultations for the provincial government’s 2027 budget. The recommendation comes less than two months before the tax expansion is scheduled to take effect on October 1.

The CFIB says extending the seven per cent PST to professional services could add more than $500 million in annual costs for businesses and consumers across B.C.

“We’re hopeful that the government will adopt the committee’s recommendation and cancel the tax hike scheduled for October 1,” said Ryan Mitton, CFIB’s B.C. director of legislative affairs.

Services that are set to be subject to the expanded PST include accounting and bookkeeping, architectural, engineering and geoscience services, non-residential rental and strata management, commissions on non-residential real estate transactions, and security and private investigation services.

The CFIB says the change could have a particular impact on small businesses, many of which either purchase these professional services or provide them to other businesses.

According to a CFIB survey submitted as part of the Budget 2027 consultation, 80 per cent of businesses surveyed oppose the expansion, while 72 per cent said they are likely to pass the additional cost on to customers.

The organization argues that could result in higher costs for a wide range of businesses and consumers at a time when many are already facing increased operating expenses.

“Growing the economy will help bolster the budget and pay for the services we all rely on,” Mitton said.

The CFIB also pointed to what it describes as an “entrepreneurial drought” in B.C., saying more businesses have closed than opened for five consecutive quarters.

The organization is continuing to collect signatures for a petition calling on the provincial government to cancel the PST expansion. As of August 11, more than 3,500 small businesses had signed.

The committee’s recommendation does not itself cancel the planned tax change. The provincial government would need to adopt the recommendation and change the legislation or regulations governing the expansion.

For small businesses in communities such as Sayward, the issue could affect both the cost of professional services they rely on and the prices charged by businesses that provide those services.

The B.C. government is expected to consider the committee’s recommendations as it develops Budget 2027.

A small wildfire near Port Alberni has been brought under control after crews responded to a brush fire Sunday.

The BC Wildfire Service says the fire was discovered Aug. 9 near Athol Road, just off the Alberni Highway.

The blaze was estimated at approximately 0.009 hectares and is suspected to have been human-caused.

The Cherry Creek Fire Department responded to the fire in the 5000-block of Athol Road and reported that no structures were damaged and no injuries occurred. The department said the fire was extinguished by midnight.

By Monday, BC Wildfire Service had classified the fire as fully out, meaning it was no longer considered active.
The Athol Road fire was briefly one of three active wildfires on Vancouver Island.

The 6.3-hectare Kalpit Lake wildfire, located southwest of Woss, was discovered July 21 and has also now been declared fully out. BC Wildfire Service suspects the fire was caused by lightning.

The only remaining active wildfire on Vancouver Island is the Mount Alston fire, southeast of Woss on the North Island. The 0.009-hectare fire was discovered July 23 and is classified as being held. It is also suspected to have been caused by lightning and is not considered a threat to critical infrastructure or public safety.

Across British Columbia, 105 wildfires were burning as of Monday, including four new fires reported during the previous 24 hours.

BC Wildfire Service continues to warn of the potential for new lightning-caused fires, particularly in the central Interior and Okanagan, as hot and dry conditions persist.

Officials are also cautioning that wildfires can establish and spread rapidly during periods of hot, dry weather. Steep terrain and strong winds can further accelerate fire growth.

Anyone who spots a wildfire is asked to report it to BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555, *5555 from a cellphone, or through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.

A helicopter pilot was hospitalized Tuesday after the aircraft crashed into a lake while taking part in wildfire operations in B.C.’s South Cariboo region.

The crash occurred Tuesday morning as crews were working on the Big Bar wildfire complex near 70 Mile House, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

The pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter and suffered minor injuries. The aircraft crashed into a lake during ongoing wildfire operations, although officials have not released further details about what led to the incident.

The crash comes as the Big Bar wildfire complex continues to threaten communities and property in the region. Wildfires associated with the complex have damaged or destroyed structures on approximately 120 properties near 70 Mile House.

The pilot’s identity, the helicopter operator and additional details about the circumstances surrounding the crash have not been released.

Investigation Underway

The incident is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the BC Wildfire Service, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and WorkSafeBC.

Officials have not provided a timeline for the investigations or released any preliminary findings about what caused the helicopter to crash.

It is also not yet clear whether the pilot was working for a private aviation contractor supporting wildfire operations or was directly employed by the BC Wildfire Service.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the aircraft’s operation during wildfire response activities.

Further information is expected to be released as the investigations continue.

A three-year-old girl is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a black bear outside her family’s Maple Ridge home Sunday, but the bear responsible remains at large.

The attack happened shortly before noon on Aug. 9 while the child was playing on the deck of her family’s backyard near 240 Street and 124 Avenue.

A parent who was nearby intervened and chased the bear away. The girl was taken to BC Children’s Hospital by air ambulance. Authorities said the decision to airlift her was made out of an abundance of caution because of her age.

The incident triggered a large response from Maple Ridge RCMP and the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, with police blocking off part of 240 Street while officers searched for the animal.

The situation escalated when another bear was spotted repeatedly in the area.

According to police, officers encountered a bear several times within roughly 40 minutes following the attack. The animal was seen on residential properties while people were outside, leading officers to believe it was the same bear that had attacked the child.

Officers shot the bear after determining it posed an ongoing threat. The wounded animal fled into a wooded area.

The bear was later located and killed.

However, an examination of the animal has now determined that it was not the bear responsible for the attack. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service notified police that necropsy results showed the deceased bear was not the offending animal.

That means the bear that attacked the child remains somewhere in the area, and conservation officers are continuing their search.

Police defend decision

The revelation that the wrong bear was killed has raised concerns in the community, but Maple Ridge RCMP said officers acted on the information available to them at the time.

Police said the bear was seen multiple times in the same area shortly after the child was attacked, including on residential properties where people were present.

Based on those circumstances, officers believed they were dealing with the bear involved in the attack and made the decision to dispatch it in an effort to prevent another injury or potentially a loss of life.

The RCMP said the information confirming it was a different bear was not available when officers encountered the animal.

Police also acknowledged that the loss of wildlife is significant and said decisions involving the destruction of an animal are not taken lightly.

The focus has now shifted back to locating the bear that attacked the child.

Authorities are asking people in the area to avoid the affected neighbourhood and remain indoors while the search continues.

Bear safety reminder for B.C. residents

The Maple Ridge incident is a reminder that black bears can turn up in residential neighbourhoods, particularly in communities surrounded by forest and other natural habitat.

For people living in areas such as the North Island, where bears are a regular part of the landscape, conservation officials recommend taking steps to avoid attracting wildlife close to homes.

Residents should keep garbage secured, avoid leaving pet food outdoors and clean up fallen fruit and other potential food sources. BBQs and outdoor cooking areas should also be cleaned regularly.

If a bear is spotted, people should keep their distance and bring children and pets inside when possible. A bear that appears calm should not be approached, followed or cornered.

The Conservation Officer Service continues to investigate Sunday’s attack and search for the bear responsible.

The three-year-old’s injuries have been described as non-life-threatening and non-life-altering.