B.C. anti-gang unit raids illegal casino on Vancouver Island
Officers with Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. descended on the Saanich address with a warrant to search the property under for an illegal-gaming investigation. (CTV News)
Fourteen people were arrested Thursday after investigators with British Columbia's anti-organized crime task force raided an alleged illegal gambling house on Vancouver Island.
Officers with Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. descended on the Saanich address with a warrant to search the property under for an illegal-gaming investigation.
"The house was found to have been essentially converted into a casino," Sgt. Lindsey Houghton, spokesperson for the CFSEU-BC, said in an emailed statement.
The Cook Street property, near the intersection with Quadra Street, was behind police tape with multiple police vehicles on scene into the evening.
All 14 suspects arrested at the property have since been released pending further investigation.
"At this time, as the investigation is ongoing, we have no additional information to share," Houghton said, adding the investigation is still in the "evidence-gathering stage."
The provincial anti-organized crime task force says illegal gambling provides a lucrative source of income and money laundering for organized crime groups in B.C.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Byelection results: Justin Trudeau handed his second byelection upset in recent months
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been handed his second byelection upset in recent months, as the Bloc Quebecois won LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, Que., a longtime Liberal seat in Montreal.
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Canada's inflation cools to 2% in August, the smallest gain since early 2021
Canada's annual inflation rate reached the central bank's target in August at it cooled to 2 per cent, its lowest level since February 2021, data showed on Tuesday.
Watch out for texts offering free gifts — it's likely a scam
An Ontario man thought he got some good news when he received a text message offering a $30 gift for being a loyal Giant Tiger customer. 'I do go to that store so I clicked on the link and it said it was a customer appreciation award they were going to give people,' Mark Martin, of Simcoe, Ont., told CTV News Toronto.
Employee who called the Titan unsafe before fatal voyage to testify before U.S. Coast Guard
A key employee who labelled an experimental submersible unsafe prior to its last, fatal voyage was set to testify Tuesday before U.S. Coast Guard investigators.
GoFundMe cancels fundraiser for Ontario woman charged with spraying neighbour with a water gun
A Simcoe, Ont., woman charged with assault with a weapon after accidentally spraying her neighbour with a water gun says GoFundMe has now pulled the plug on her online fundraiser.
'Not that simple': Trump drags Canadian river into California's water problems
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised "more water than you ever saw" to Californians, partly by tapping resources from a Canadian river.
Toxic chemicals used in food preparation leach into human bodies, study finds
More than 3,600 chemicals that leach into food during the manufacturing, processing, packaging and storage of the world's food supply end up in the human body — and some are connected to serious health harms, a new study found.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is expected in court after New York indictment
Sean 'Diddy' Combs, the hip-hop mogul who has faced a stream of allegations by women accusing him of sexual assault, was arrested late Monday in New York after he was indicted by a federal grand jury.
A French man admits in court to drugging his wife so that he and dozens of men could rape her
A 71-year-old French man acknowledged in court Tuesday that he drugged his then-wife and invited dozens of men to rape her over nearly a decade, as well as raping her himself. He pleaded with her, and their three children, for forgiveness.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Vancouver Island
-
Critics slam B.C. premier's involuntary care announcement, cite lack of evidence
The B.C. premier’s announcement to introduce involuntary care for people with serious addiction and mental health issues is being met with pushback from critics who say the decision isn’t evidence-based and will cause more harm.
-
B.C. lightkeepers' jobs in jeopardy as coast guard plans to automate 2 stations
Calls are growing for the federal government to pause plans to de-staff two lighthouses on Vancouver Island over fears the move could put mariners and hikers in danger.
-
Who foots the bill for BC United staffers' severance payments?
The emergence of a number of incumbent MLAs running now as Independents isn’t the only consequence of last month’s collapse of the BC United Party.
Kelowna
-
Son charged with B.C. woman's murder: RCMP
More than a year after a missing Kamloops, B.C., woman’s body was found, her son has been arrested and charged with her murder, Mounties announced Friday.
-
Woman stabbed during daylight Kelowna home invasion: RCMP
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Kelowna, according to authorities.
-
Dog mauled to death in B.C. yard after 3 pit bulls jump fence: police
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Edmonton
-
Jasper council to debate asking Alberta government for budget funding support
The town council of Jasper, Alta., is set to discuss today if it will ask for funding from the provincial government to offset reduced property tax revenues for the next three years.
-
Alberta Premier Smith set to announce supports for overcrowded classrooms
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is set to announce a plan to help school classrooms being squeezed by an influx of new families.
-
Refugee advocate calls Alberta premier's 'shared values' comments regarding asylum seekers stigmatizing
Premier Danielle Smith is facing criticism for a statement she made Thursday, saying that the province should welcome asylum seekers with the "shared values" of Albertans.
Calgary
-
BREAKINGBREAKING Police respond to disturbance at Calgary hotel
Calgary police are at the scene of a hotel in Acadia for an unfolding incident.
-
'Not that simple': Trump drags Canadian river into California's water problems
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised "more water than you ever saw" to Californians, partly by tapping resources from a Canadian river.
-
'We could have been dead': Calgary dog attack victims push for stricter penalties
Victims hurt in two separate Calgary dog attacks are pushing for the city to hold dog owners more accountable after violent incidents.
Lethbridge
-
Lethbridge residents used 16 per cent less water this summer than last
The City of Lethbridge says water usage this summer was lower than expected.
-
Man wanted on warrants in Lethbridge arrested, faces 16 new charges
Lethbridge police say a man wanted on warrants fled from officers in a vehicle and barricaded himself for hours in a home in the southern Alberta city.
-
Lethbridge police locate man wanted on outstanding warrants
Lethbridge police have located and arrested a man wanted on a number of outstanding warrants.
Winnipeg
-
NDP beat out Conservatives in federal byelection in Winnipeg
The New Democrats declared a federal byelection victory late Monday in their Winnipeg stronghold riding of Elmwood--Transcona.
-
Manitoba NDP MLA booted from caucus due to business partner acting as Peter Nygard's lawyer
Manitoba’s NDP government has removed Mark Wasyliw, MLA for Fort Garry, from the party’s caucus after the party discovered his business partner is working as Peter Nygard’s criminal defense lawyer.
-
'It's a pretty unique car': Classic car in the family since 1958 stolen from Winnipeg garage
A Winnipeg man is asking for help after a classic car that has been a part of his family since the 1950s was stolen from his garage.
Regina
-
'Oh, he's still alive': Sask. pharmacy student caught snooping on medical records of 114 people
A fourth-year pharmacy student doing an internship at a Regina drug store was caught snooping on the medical records of 114 people who were not in their care.
-
Former Roughrider Ben Fairbrother dead after motorcycle crash in Edmonton
A former Saskatchewan Roughrider has died in a motorcycle crash in Edmonton.
-
Child luring arrest made in Regina
Saskatchewan’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit has arrested a 39-year-old Regina man following an investigation into child luring.
Saskatoon
-
'I understand those fears': Saskatoon downtown shelter proponents answer questions from the public
Saskatoon’s administration defended its choice of a downtown shelter site in a public information session at city hall on Monday, and the city expects it will move ahead.
-
Man and two adult sons identified as homicide victims in Lloydminster, Sask.
The victims of a triple homicide in a city that straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary have been identified as a man and his two adult sons.
-
'Not Brad Wall's Sask. Party': Two former MLAs to run under the Saskatchewan United banner
Two former Sask. Party MLAs say they intend to run under the Saskatchewan United Party banner in the upcoming fall election.
Toronto
-
As some Ontario plants hit the brakes, are Canada's EV ambitions under threat?
The plant was expected to produce batteries for a million electric vehicles a year. Once up and running, it was supposed to create hundreds of permanent jobs in a small southeastern Ontario municipality. But two years later, spending on the construction of the Umicore plant has been delayed in what the company calls a "significant worsening of the EV market context."
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Canada's inflation cools to 2% in August, the smallest gain since early 2021
Canada's annual inflation rate reached the central bank's target in August at it cooled to 2 per cent, its lowest level since February 2021, data showed on Tuesday.
-
Watch out for texts offering free gifts — it's likely a scam
An Ontario man thought he got some good news when he received a text message offering a $30 gift for being a loyal Giant Tiger customer. 'I do go to that store so I clicked on the link and it said it was a customer appreciation award they were going to give people,' Mark Martin, of Simcoe, Ont., told CTV News Toronto.
Montreal
-
Black Lives Ruined: What goes through a Black man's mind when he's pulled over
The story is almost always the same: a Black man, perhaps in a nice car or walking down the street, is stopped by police. He asks, 'Why have you stopped me?' The response is he's either given a ticket, harassed or killed.
-
Trudeau loses another Liberal stronghold in Bloc Quebecois byelection victory
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has suffered another devastating byelection blow with the loss of a second Liberal stronghold, this one to the Bloc Quebecois in LaSalle—Emard—Verdun.
-
MK-ULTRA: Ottawa, McGill seek to dismiss Montreal brainwashing experiment lawsuit
Family members of patients allegedly brainwashed decades ago at a Montreal psychiatric hospital are afraid they're running out of time to get compensation because the federal government and McGill University have filed motions to dismiss their lawsuit.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa Public Health to begin issuing suspension notices in January for incomplete immunization records
Ottawa Public Health is resuming the ongoing surveillance and enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act this school year, checking to see if a student's vaccination records are up to date with the vaccines required to attend school.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING Ottawa Public Health facing up to $3.3M in budget pressures in 2025
The Ottawa Board of Health met Monday afternoon to discuss preliminary budget details ahead of final approval of the budget directions by city council, which include a 2.9 per cent increase to most city departments.
-
Ottawa only at 22 per cent of target for housing starts in 2024
A report for the planning and housing committee shows construction started on 2,774 new homes in the first six months of the year. The city has a target of 12,583 housing starts in 2024 to be eligible for funding under Ontario's Building Faster Fund.
Atlantic
-
Halifax police to hold news conference after two arrested in connection with missing teen
Halifax Regional Police are holding a news conference Tuesday after developments in the case of a teen who’s been missing for more than two years.
-
Two youths arrested after N.B. RCMP issue emergency alert for 'armed individual' following shooting
The New Brunswick RCMP says two youths have been arrested following an emergency alert for an "armed individual" in the southeastern part of the province Monday night.
-
Halifax neighbourhood caught off guard by new Pallet village construction
Construction has begun on a new Pallet shelter in Halifax, leaving area residents and local leaders surprised and upset after discovering the project without any prior notice.
London
-
Shots fired at a home in Woodstock, bullet holes found
Around 4;30 p.m., police were called to the area of Harcourt Crescent and Upper Thames Drive where they found a home with multiple bullet holes.
-
Committee unanimously backs motion to stop issuing official proclamations
On Monday, the Corporate Services Committee (CSC) needed little time to reach consensus that city council should no longer accept applications for official proclamations.
-
Old East Village BIA 'blindsided' by mayor’s idea to redevelop parking lots into housing
There was no communication between Mayor Josh Morgan and the Old East Village (OEV) BIA before three parking lots in the business district appeared on a shortlist of municipal properties under consideration for redevelopment into residential high rises.
Kitchener
-
GoFundMe cancels fundraiser for Ontario woman charged with spraying neighbour with a water gun
A Simcoe, Ont., woman charged with assault with a weapon after accidentally spraying her neighbour with a water gun says GoFundMe has now pulled the plug on her online fundraiser.
-
WRPS warn gun violence on the rise in Waterloo Region
The Region of Waterloo has already matched the total number of shootings in all of 2023 – and it’s only September.
-
Crash leaves car on its roof in Uptown Waterloo
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a collision that left one vehicle on its roof in Uptown Waterloo.
Northern Ontario
-
Body of 12-year-old missing boy recovered from Georgian Bay
Ontario Provincial Police say the body of a 12-year-old boy who went missing while swimming at Huronia Park in Penetanguishene on Sunday was found.
-
Mortgage loan rules are changing in Canada
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced changes to mortgage rules she says are aimed at helping more Canadians to purchase their first home.
-
GoFundMe cancels fundraiser for Ontario woman charged with spraying neighbour with a water gun
A Simcoe, Ont., woman charged with assault with a weapon after accidentally spraying her neighbour with a water gun says GoFundMe has now pulled the plug on her online fundraiser.
N.L.
-
Newfoundland and Labrador monitoring rise in whooping cough cases: medical officer
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
-
Dispute over unrecognized Inuit group halts major conference for Canadian North
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
-
Cow cuddling: Why a Newfoundland farm is offering quality time with these 'gentle creatures'
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
