Residents in the village of Lytton, B.C., have been told to be ready to leave on short notice as an out-of-control wildfire burns nearby.

The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is about three kilometres south of Lytton.

It’s estimated to be about one square kilometre in size and is suspected to have been human-caused.

The wildfire service says the fire is expected to grow because of hot and dry conditions.

The Lytton First Nation has also issued an evacuation alert for some of its residents.

The village of Lytton was nearly wiped off the map after a devastating wildfire in June 2021 that killed two people.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

HAMILTON – Bo Levi Mitchell won the showdown between last year’s CFL outstanding player finalists.

Mitchell tied his career high with five touchdown passes to lead Hamilton past the B.C. Lions 41-27 on Friday, giving the Tiger-Cats their second straight victory and first at home this season. The 14-year veteran also took much of the spotlight from Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke, who was named the 2025 MOP despite Mitchell having more passing yards (5,296 to 5,290) and TDs (36 to 31).

Rourke, though was the league’s top-rushing quarterback last season with 564 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“I had a chip on my shoulder last year when it happened but that’s not to say he wasn’t deserving of it, he was,” Mitchell said. “It’s always extra motivation going into a game but it’s not against any single quarterback.

“Every single team has an amazing quarterback right now. Its going to be tough sledding no matter who we play but it definitely was a little extra motivation.”

Mitchell was 15-of-18 passing for 285 yards as the Ticats (2-1) earned their first win in four home games versus B.C. (0-2) before an announced Hamilton Stadium gathering of 20,402. Not since ’19 have the Lions opened a season with consecutive losses.

Rourke, also the CFL’s top Canadian last season, was 24-of-35 passing for 291 yards with a TD and interception while being sacked three times. However, B.C.’s offence was minus receivers Keon Hatcher Sr. (thigh), Stanley Berryhill III (thigh), Seven McGee (foot) and Canadian Jevon Cottoy (thigh) while Kieran Poissant and Canadian Justin McInnis were both hurt during the contest.

“I’ve never been part of something like this, it’s absolutely crazy how unlucky we’ve been this early in the season,” Rourke said “We’ve had a bunch of guys go down, we’ve had injuries up front on our offensive line.

“I don’t really know how to explain it but it’s certainly a huge obstacle.”

Mitchell, 36, is off to a fabulous start to the season, having completed 68-of-81 passes (84 per cent) for 879 yards with eight TDs and an interception.

“There’s a lot of trust between us (Mitchell and head coach/playcaller Scott Milanovich) right now,” Mitchell said. “I’m just trying to do the right thing and he’s trusting me to take the shots when I see them.

“I’ve got an amazing receiving crew … every single person can make crazy catches and plays down the field. It makes it tough on DBs, makes it tough to run zone but no one is going to run man against us. This (B.C.) is a team that runs heavy man and I don’ think they ran man against us one snap. It just shows teams know and understand who we are as an offence.”

Mitchell’s fifth TD pass — the fourth time he’s done that over his 14-year CFL career — came 21 seconds into the fourth, a 24-yard strike to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. that put Hamilton ahead 41-12.

“We’re having run right now because we’re doing our job and what we’re supposed to do,” Mitchell said. “The elephant in the room, everybody obviously knows they lost five starting receivers.

“You don’t use it as an excuse at all to kind of relax. I think our defence did a heck of a job shutting them down and still shutting down one of the best quarterbacks in the game, one of the best running backs (James Butler) in the game. We took advantage of what we could.

Rourke found Canadian rookie Nick Cenacle on a 14-yard TD pass at 11:19. Then Cenacle caught an 18-yard touchdown toss at 14:17 from backup Chase Brice, who was six-of-seven passing for 87 yards.

Max Mang, with two, Kiondre Smith, Jake Dolegala and Kenny Lawler had Hamilton’s other touchdowns. Marc Liegghio added five converts.

B.C.’s Sean Whyte had four field goals and two converts. Carl Meyer added a single.

Mitchell’s 49-yard TD pass to Lawler at 12:16 of the second staked Hamilton to its 27-9 halftime advantage. It followed Stavros Katsantonis’s interception.

“That was big,” Milanovich said. “That kind of put us where we needed to be.

“You never feel like a game is over but that one made it tough for them.”

Hamilton scored four touchdowns on its six first-half possessions, including its first three to open the contest. B.C. also scored the first three times it had the ball but in the form of Whyte field goals to fall behind 21-9 before Katsantonis’s interception.

“We didn’t do it,” Rourke said. “I thought we moved the ball well all game, didn’t finish enough with touchdowns and I’ll take responsibility for that.”

Added Milanovich: “I felt like it was a back-and-forth game early but the difference was our defence kept them out of the end zone. We’ve improved a lot in our redzone defence and that’s a good thing obviously.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Watch the full broadcast of Global National with Dawna Friesen for Friday, June 19, 2026.

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© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A 21-year-old Calgary man with what the Crown calls a “horrific record for violence” was sentenced for his part in a brutal attack on a Calgary Transit operator, who was more than three times his age.

Amarjit Grewal was 66 years old at the time of the attack in May 2025.

Brothers Curtis Baker-Spence and Darryl Flett were 20 and 22, respectively, at the time of the attack.

Crown prosecutor Greg Piper described the inequality of the assault, pointing to the fact Baker-Spence and Flett were youthful and both armed, while Grewal was a senior citizen, working alone and unarmed.

Piper said this case demonstrates the danger faced by transit operators.

“ The city of Calgary runs on transit,” Piper told court. “ If Calgary were a body, transit would be the circulatory system.”

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 538 held a rally at city hall ahead of the sentencing, showing support for Grewal and highlighting the real risks faced by transit operators across the country.

“The Criminal Code states that there is an aggravating factor, when a transit driver is attacked during the course of their work, “ said Mike Mahar, ATU Local 583 president.

During sentencing, section 269.01 of the Criminal Code, which deals specifically with attacks on public transit personnel, was taken into consideration.

“The victim in this was alone, and a senior and particularly vulnerable, is something that was properly considered by the judge,” prosecutor Greg Piper said.

Mahar says the impacts of any assault ripple across the city, as well as the rest of Canada.

“ The impact is brutal on them as individuals,” said Mahar. “Nobody sees or I think recognizes the impact on the industry. Right now Calgary Transit is trying to hire 800 operators — that’s a significant number and we are struggling.”

 

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas attended the rally, joined by eight city councillors.

Like the union members who organized the rally, the mayor wore a bright yellow shirt with the words  ‘ ‘assault a transit operator, go to jail’ printed across it.

Coun. Raj Dhaliwal represents the northeast ward where the attack on Grewal occurred.

He says council has already increased the transit budget for further safety enhancements, but says more needs to be done.

“We need to look at the operational procedures of transit, especially after dark. What operators should and should not be doing. What is the role of shift supervisor when it comes to keeping operators safe?” said Dhaliwal.

Curtis Baker-Spence has been sentenced to four years for his role in the attack. With credit for time spent behind bars, he has 28 months left on his sentence.

His brother, Darryl Flett, is to be sentenced in August.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A B.C. brewery was hoping to host a World Cup street party next week, but FIFA says they are not allowed.

Patina Brewing was planning a family-friendly block party for the Canada vs. Switzerland match on Wednesday. They wanted to shut down the street and add outdoor screens for the big game.

The brewery said it followed FIFA’s application process, received city approval and lined up local sponsors and vendors, including a fundraiser for PoCo FC.

“We were involving the PoCo FC, which is our local soccer association; we were raising money for them so that they can help the underprivileged children play soccer in our community,” Sarah Harbord, Patina Brewing’s director of operations, said.

However, this week, FIFA denied the application.

“As your organization operates in a category that directly competes with one of FIFA’s commercial partners, it is not eligible to host, sponsor, exhibit at, or otherwise be associated with a public viewing event relating to the tournament,” the statement read.

Megan Spletzer, Patina Brewing’s events coordinator, told Global News they were surprised at the rejection.

“Because we just didn’t think that that was going to be an issue,” she said.

“We didn’t think that that would be the main reason that we couldn’t host our party.”

FIFA said Patina is competition for its official beer producer, AB InBev, which operates in 50 countries and generates roughly $60 billion in revenue a year.

Port Coquitlam’s mayor, Brad West, said it was disappointing to learn of FIFA’s decision.

“You know, yesterday everyone swept up in World Cup fever and Canada has a historic win and then you get a reminder like this that FIFA are a bunch of arseholes,” he said.

“So I was pretty disappointed. I think this is probably why they have the reputation that they do.”

Patina can still show the matches inside the brewery, but the street party is off.

Staff said it will continue finding ways to support PoCo FC and bring people together during the World Cup.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Vancouver residents and World Cup visitors are celebrating Team Canada’s win at BC Place on Thursday and the fun and festivities in the city.

“Yesterday was amazing. I mean, as everybody knows, big win for Canada, six-nothing, BC Place completely sold out, 54,000 fans,” Don Chapman, Deputy Chief of the Vancouver Police Department, told Global News.

“We had our fan fest pretty much at a sellout as well; I think at one point with 21,000 fans on site there, another 40,000 for the totality of the game. The Granville Entertainment District was busy as well as viewing sites all around the city. All in all, great day, great deployment. I think everybody had a great time.”

Chapman said about 1,200 officers were deployed across the city throughout the day.

He said there were only three people ejected from BC Place and no arrests.

Chapman said there are going to be some small deployment changes inside BC Place for Canada’s Wednesday game, but other than that, no major changes to policing are expected.

Victoria residents Dallas Nicholls and Nahoa Kahakauwila attended the game at BC Place and said the atmosphere was electric.

“I’ve never felt so patriotic,” Nicholls said.

“It was pretty cool that we did the march before and the streets were just flooded with red and everyone was just chanting. Like, the energy was just insane and inside the stadium was tenfold more. It was insane.”

Kahakauwila said it was a huge win for Team Canada and Canadians.

“I think this is a huge win, huge historical moment for us and I’m happy that we were able to witness history,” he said.

Nicholls said it is a sign that other teams shouldn’t count Canada out.

“Don’t underestimate us just because maybe we’re not a European country; Canada’s still got it,” he said.

“We’re hosting this tournament and I don’t know, I have a lot of confidence in us and I hope we just make it far in this tournament. And yeah, don’t underestimate a six-nothing win was a staple.”

Bars and restaurants playing the game were packed with fans.

“It was absolute insanity,” Murray Saunders, general manager of the Shark Club, said.

“It was one of the best energies I’ve experienced here. I’ve experienced a lot of things here. You know, Olympic watching, Canada versus U.S., Grey Cup, this was the best.”

He said they served more than 1,200 customers, with 650 of those before the 3 p.m. kick-off.

They served more than 1,500 beers, 1,000 cocktails, 1,000 meals and 200 burgers.

“Other big game days won’t quite do those numbers. You know, the biggest thing we had here was the Grey Cup, but this match was right up there with them,” Saunders added.

He said it’s busy for the other World Cup games as well, not just the Canada games.

“I said to all of my staff, you need to walk up to the table and say welcome to Vancouver, because we’re seeing people from all over the globe right now,” Saunders said.

“They’re supporting their country.”

He said they will be opening earlier for Canada’s Wednesday game to make sure everyone gets in before the game starts.

Jesse Adcock, host committee lead and chief delivery officer for the City of Vancouver, said there was one ticket left at the end of the day for the Fan Fest at the PNE.

“We had over 40,000 people come through the Fan Fest yesterday,” she said. “So it was beyond our wildest dreams, you know? We’re so happy that people are enjoying it, that it’s resonating with them.”

Adcock added that it was also a learning opportunity.

“We have scaled the city now to a point that we are in uncharted territory, so we are every day checking in across agencies, across groups, across levels of government, you know, because we’re all working together to deliver this event. This is not just one singular host committee,” she said.

And it appears that people heeded the message to take transit to the game and the downtown core.

Transit riders from across Metro Vancouver packed buses, SkyTrain cars and SeaBus routes Thursday.

TransLink said June 18 brought the highest ridership across its system since early 2020 and according to preliminary figures released Friday, there were more than 1.36 million boardings across the transit system on match day, along with approximately 849,100 trips.

That is an 18 per cent increase in boardings compared with what TransLink said would be expected on a typical Thursday.

The agency said the numbers show fans travelled from across the region to support Canada, with especially strong ridership growth in Richmond, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities.

Ridership was also up in Surrey, with Scott Road Station seeing a 21.8 per cent increase and King George Station recording a 13.1 per cent jump.

YVR-Airport Station saw ridership rise 23.6 per cent, a sign, TransLink said, of visitors continuing to arrive in the region for the tournament.

TransLink said the ridership increase reflects both the excitement around the tournament and the role transit is playing in moving fans, workers and visitors during major events.

The agency said the increase was not limited to downtown Vancouver or stations connected to FIFA Fan Festival shuttles. It said preliminary data showed strong growth at stations across the region, suggesting fans were coming in from multiple communities rather than just the city core.

The numbers also offer an early look at how Metro Vancouver’s transit network is handling World Cup demand.

Vancouver is one of 16 host cities for the 2026 tournament, which is being held across Canada, the United States and Mexico. The city is hosting seven matches, including five group-stage games and two knockout-round games.

For TransLink, Thursday’s ridership was a major test of how the system can absorb large crowds while still serving regular commuters.

The agency said transit continued to help people get to work, school and other destinations while also moving thousands of soccer fans to and from the match.

TransLink said a boarding is counted every time someone gets on a transit vehicle, while a trip represents a full journey from start to finish, including transfers.

The agency said its comparison to a typical Thursday is based on projected ridership had the World Cup match not been taking place. That projection is calculated using recent ridership patterns and ridership from the same day last year.

The figures released on Friday are preliminary and could change as estimates are finalized.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Investigators believe an illegal campfire sparked the wildfire that tore through West Kelowna’s Kalamoir Regional Park earlier this week, forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and scorching more than nine hectares of land.

“RCMP come up to me and he said, ‘You have one minute sir to leave and the fire is 500 yards from your front door,'” said area resident Bert Legault. “People panicked.”

The wildfire, which quickly grew to more than nine hectares due to strong winds, erupted Tuesday on the south side of the roughly 30-hectare park.

While the wildfire has now been extinguished, officials say significant hazards remain throughout the park, which remains closed to the public.

“The fire was pretty unexpected,” said Wayne Darlington, manager of parks capital planning and asset management with the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO).

Darlington toured the burned area with Global News, pointing out numerous dangers left behind by the fire, including unstable terrain, hazardous trees and hidden ash pits.

“We have trees that are burnt that potentially could fall, injure, harm people,” Darlington said. “We have rocks that are potentially broken, as a result of the heat of the fire, that could tumble down and injure people. We have burn holes on the sides of the trails, where a tree used to stand and we call them ash pits.”

Officials estimate roughly one-third of the park was burned.

However, West Kelowna’s fire chief  said the damage could have been much worse if not for fuel mitigation work carried out in previous years.

“This is a fire that we have planned for decades,” said West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund earlier this week. “The regional district has done wildfire mitigation work in the park for a day like today and it proved its worth.”

Geotechnical specialists and hazard-tree experts are expected to conduct a detailed assessment of the park early next week to determine the full extent of the damage and whether portions of the park can safely reopen.

For now, the public is being urged to stay away from the park and the many hidden hazards that exist within it.

“We have concern over public safety and public safety is our number one thing,” Darlington said.

Officials are reminding the public that campfires are not permitted in parks and could result in fines of up to $1,000.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Environment Canada has issued a tornado watch for the Prince George region of British Columbia.

The agency says that “conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms which may produce tornadoes. Strong winds, large hail and heavy rain are also possible.”

A severe thunderstorm watch has also been issued for the Shuswap, up to Burns Lake and Dawson Creek.

Environment Canada says “significant damage or destruction to infrastructure, homes and the natural environment is possible.”

It cautions that in the event of a tornado, or if a tornado warning is issued, people should go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, stay away from outside walls and windows and take shelter in a strong building if possible.

They said that if anyone hears a roaring sound or sees a funnel cloud or swirling debris, take cover immediately.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

As Canada works to implement a national strategy around artificial intelligence, announced earlier this month, advocates in Saskatchewan say a provincial version could help, too.

The federal government unveiled Canada’s new AI strategy on June 4, centred around scaling and securing the sector, with six “pillars” of focus.

Alex Fallon, founder of Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan (AiSK), is welcoming the federal strategy, saying it provides clarity and certainty to the industry and academics.

“And now the province can kind of look at that and ask, ‘How do we align to it? How does industry benefit from that strategy?” Fallon said in an interview.

While provinces such as Ontario and Alberta have frameworks around their approaches to AI, Saskatchewan does not — something advocates say could help protect jobs and scale the workforce.

“Government supporting the tech sector is absolutely key to keeping our talent here and helping to attract talent and then really supporting startups and medium-sized companies to grow,” said Fallon.

In a statement to Global News, Innovation Saskatchewan’s CEO says the province supports AI adoption and is helping businesses do so safely.

“Saskatchewan is taking a responsible and coordinated approach to AI adoption, supporting practical use across government and our economy,” said Kari Harvey.

“Through collaboration with ecosystem partners, we are supporting AI literacy and helping deliver practical learning opportunities so Saskatchewan businesses can adopt AI safely and in ways that match their size, capacity and business needs.”

Support for companies using AI is a sentiment shared by Phillip Harder, VP of Data Science at Croptimistic, a Saskatoon-based agriculture technology company helping farmers map their soil.

“There’s a lot of hype that’s gone into AI, and it becomes a silver bullet, but it’s just the reality that it’s another tool, right? And we still need to learn how to use it,” said Harder, noting the costs of integrating the technology into businesses.

Croptimistic was given a nod by AI Minister Evan Solomon in his opening address in the strategy, something Harder said was unexpected and humbling for him and his colleagues.

“We hear about these strategies and all these things, and then all of a sudden we’re in the second paragraph being mentioned as one of the AI innovators in agriculture.”

The company is not alone in its usage of AI, with opportunities and interest growing around the province, especially in industries the province already excels in.

“I think the real opportunity for AI in Saskatchewan is how we apply it to our key sectors. So, using AI in mining operations, in farming, agriculture, and manufacturing, I think that’ll be a strength where Saskatchewan can play in the AI space,” said Fallon.

As interest in the technology grows, Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner says a provincial strategy could also help protect residents from concerns such as deepfakes and facial recognition.

“Without a lot of guidance and a lot of thought as to how it’s adapted, it can really turn into a massive surveillance technique,” Grace Hession David, Saskatchewan’s information and privacy commissioner, told Global News in an interview.

Hession David says the best way for people to protect themselves from AI at this time is through education.

“We all have to admit AI is here and it’s going to be the way of the future, there’s no going back from it. But we have to really be aware of it. We have to understand it as best we can. And we have know how to approach it,” she said.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Designs have been completed for a major planned expansion to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada, at the site of the former residential school in Portage la Prairie, Man.

Executive director Lorraine Daniels says it will be a place of healing and community.

“For some it will bring closure, and continue on with their healing journey,” she says. “It’s a place where they can connect with other survivors.”

The plans include a new building behind the old school, centred on the Seven Sacred Teachings and including space for cultural activities, sweats, and sharing circles. A new medicine garden and a new monument to the students who never came home is planned for the grounds, and a dock with canoes is planned for the riverbank in front of the property.

Daniels says it will be a way to reclaim the space, and let people connect with the land and water.

“At one time, they weren’t allowed to leave the grounds, and now it’s open and there’s freedom, and it’s just a way to relax,” she says.

The project is in its early stages. Daniels estimates it may take between 5 and 10 years to complete, and the museum will have to raise up to $30 million.

Watch the video above for the full story.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.