Search underway for hiker missing in northern B.C.
Sam Benastick was reported missing by his family on Oct. 19 after he was already two days overdue from a camping trip in Redfern-Keily Provincial Park. (RCMP)
Mounties say a search is underway for an avid outdoorsman who has disappeared in the wilderness of northern British Columba.
Sam Benastick was reported missing by his family on Oct. 19 after he was already two days overdue from a camping trip in Redfern-Keily Provincial Park in the northern Rocky Mountains more than 200 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John.
Police say he last updated his family on his whereabouts on Oct. 8, one day into his 10-day trip.
"This is out of character for Benastick and his family are concerned for his well-being," the Northern Rockies RCMP said in a news release Monday, describing the missing man as an experienced hiker and camper.
Police say Benastick had a tarp, a black Ospey backpack with red strings and other camping supplies with him when he set out on the trip.
Search and rescue personnel and police dog services have been called in to assist in the "extensive" search, according to authorities.
Anyone who has been in the Redfern-Keily Provincial Park since Oct. 7, or anyone with information related to Benastick's whereabouts, is asked to contact the Northern Rockies RCMP at 250-774-2700.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau to announce temporary GST relief on select items heading into holidays
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce a two-month GST relief on select items heading into holidays to address affordability issues, sources confirm to CTV News.
'Ding-dong-ditch' prank leads to kidnapping, assault charges for Que. couple
A Saint-Sauveur couple was back in court on Wednesday, accused of attacking a teenager over a prank.
Border agency detained dozens of 'forced labour' cargo shipments. Now it's being sued
Canada's border agency says it has detained about 50 shipments of cargo over suspicions they were products of forced labour under rules introduced in 2020 — but only one was eventually determined to be in breach of the ban.
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
2 boys drowned and a deception that gripped the nation: Why the Susan Smith case is still intensely felt 30 years later
Inside Susan Smith’s car pulled from the bottom of a South Carolina lake in 1994 were the bodies of her two young boys, still strapped in their car seats, along with her wedding dress and photo album. Here's how the case unfolded.
REVIEW
REVIEW 'Gladiator II' review: Come see a man fight a monkey; stay for Denzel's devious villain
CTV film critic Richard Crouse says the follow-up to Best Picture Oscar winner 'Gladiator' is long on spectacle, but short on soul.
Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
'It changed my life': Montreal-area woman learning how to walk after being hit by stray bullet
A 24-year-old woman is learning how to walk again after being shot while lying in her bed in Repentigny, Que.
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
-
Near-record gusts knock out power to 150K Vancouver Island customers; BC Hydro brings in reinforcements from mainland
The clean up was well underway Wednesday on Vancouver Island after a night of chaos.
-
BC Hydro reports 'extensive damage' from bomb cyclone that left 300,000 in the dark
Several thousand British Columbians remain in the dark Wednesday morning after a windstorm known as a bomb cyclone slammed coastal communities.
-
1 unaccounted for after Nanaimo house fire, police say
One person is unaccounted for after a fire that destroyed a home in Nanaimo's south end Wednesday morning.
Kelowna
-
Man in hospital following targeted shooting in Kamloops
Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops.
-
Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior
British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year.
-
B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
Edmonton
-
Canada Post strike double-edged sword for local businesses
As we head into the holiday season, one Edmonton small business owner says she's shutting down online orders – something not all businesses may be able to do
-
Former PM Stephen Harper appointed to oversee Alberta's $160B AIMCo fund manager
Former prime minister Stephen Harper is the new chairman of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, or AIMCo, which oversees more than $160 billion in funds, including pension funds and the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.
-
Edmonton police chief to step down in February
Dale McFee will retire as head of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) on Feb. 21, the Edmonton Police Commission said in an email on Wednesday.
Calgary
-
Police probe connection between Calgary house fire and Bitcoin threats
Calgary police are seeking information in relation to a Tuesday fire in Hillhurst that they believe was deliberately set and allegations it could be connected to a frightening Bitcoin scam.
-
Calgary gorilla died after being hit by a door: officials
The Calgary Zoo says its two-year-old western lowland gorilla named Eyare died after being hit by a hydraulic door at the rear of the exhibit.
-
‘She’s an entertainer through and through’: 100-year-old Calendar Girl steals the show in Nanton
There is quite the buzz around the small southern Alberta town of Nanton over its fall stage production, and for more reasons than one.
Lethbridge
-
Giving Machine at Lethbridge's Park Place Mall sells you things that go straight to people in need
There’s a new way to give this holiday season.
-
Charges laid in September assault of 16-year-old: Lethbridge police
Lethbridge police say four teenagers have been arrested in connection with an autumn attack that saw a 16-year-old badly injured.
-
Lethbridge-West voters heading to the polls on December 18
Some Lethbridge residents will be heading to the polls next month to elect their next MLA. The Government of Alberta announced the Lethbridge-West byelection will take place on Dec. 18.
Winnipeg
-
'It's definitely frightening': Woman warns of scammers posing as Manitoba Hydro workers
A Winnipeg woman is warning others to be on guard after she was nearly duped by an elaborate scam involving fake Manitoba Hydro workers, Bitcoin machines, and a “frightening” amount of her own personal information.
-
Poor road conditions causing school closures in Manitoba
A handful of schools across Manitoba are closed on Thursday due to dangerous road conditions.
-
Contraband cigarettes impacting tax dollars according to new report
Illegal cigarettes in Manitoba are taking a big chunk out of the market.
Regina
-
Former Sask. Party MLA Greg Lawrence pleads guilty in assault case
Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence has been sentenced to 12 months probation – after pleading guilty to one count of assault.
-
Sask. woman who refused to provide breath sample did not break the law, court finds
A Saskatchewan woman who refused to provide a breath sample after being stopped by police in Regina did not break the law – as the officer's request was deemed not lawful given the circumstances.
-
Winter storm creates treacherous driving conditions in Regina and around southern Sask.
Many commuters in and outside of Regina are facing tough driving conditions Wednesday morning following a significant snowfall on Tuesday that has closed highways and snarled traffic on many of the city's main throughfares.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatchewan teen still recovering in hospital after being set on fire at school
A 15-year-old girl who was set on fire at a Saskatoon high school earlier this fall is still recovering in hospital.
-
Saskatoon teen pleads guilty in high-speed crash that killed 16-year-old
A Saskatoon teen accused of driving a car involved in a high-speed crash that killed a 16-year-old last spring has pleaded guilty to his charges.
-
Former Sask. Party MLA Greg Lawrence pleads guilty in assault case
Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence has been sentenced to 12 months probation – after pleading guilty to one count of assault.
Toronto
-
Toronto woman scammed out of $158K gets nearly half her money back
A Toronto woman who was defrauded out of $158,000 in a roofing scam over the summer received about half her money back following a tip from a CTV News viewer.
-
Man dead, son in custody after Scarborough stabbing
A man is dead and his son is in custody following a stabbing in the Agincourt area in Scarborough.
-
Trudeau to announce temporary GST relief on select items heading into holidays
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce a two-month GST relief on select items heading into holidays to address affordability issues, sources confirm to CTV News.
Montreal
-
Canadian border officers seize record number of stolen vehicles in Quebec
It's official — Quebec has set a new record for the most stolen vehicles recovered in one year by Canadian border agents.
-
Quebec finance minister to present an economic statement on Thursday
Finance Minister Eric Girard will give an update on Quebec's public finances on Thursday morning when he presents an economic statement.
-
This is how much money you need to make to buy a house in Canada's largest cities
The average salary needed to buy a home keeps inching down in cities across Canada, according to the latest data.
Ottawa
-
TransitNext submits ‘substantial completion notice’ for Trillium Line
The consortium responsible for building Ottawa's new north-south line, TransitNext, says it is ready for the City of Ottawa to begin the final phase of approvals before opening the line to the public.
-
Ottawa could see up to 50 mm of rain over the next two days
Environment Canada’s forecast calls for Ottawa to receive 10 to 15 mm of rain today, another 15 to 25 mm of rain tonight, and 5 to 10 mm on Friday.
-
Here's where 39 photo radar cameras will be installed in Ottawa over the next 14 months
Thirty-nine new photo radar cameras will be installed to keep an eye on Ottawa roads over the next 14 months, including on roads in the rural villages of Dunrobin, Manotick, Richmond and Vars.
Atlantic
-
Talk of gender-based violence largely absent from N.S. election, says women's group
Domestic violence has not been given enough attention during the Nova Scotia election campaign, with only one of the three major parties mentioning intimate-partner violence in their platform, says a group that advocates for women's rights.
-
School bus hits vehicles, pushes one into home in Middle Sackville, N.S.
A school bus hit parked vehicles and pushed one into a Middle Sackville, N.S., home Wednesday afternoon.
-
N.S. teen caught on video driving close to 200 km/h, holding liquor: Yarmouth RCMP
A 19-year-old is facing charges after video of him allegedly driving close to 200 km/h while holding alcohol was shared on social media in the Yarmouth, N.S., area.
London
-
'My two daughters were sleeping': London Ont. family in shock after their home riddled with gunfire
A London father and son say they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.
-
'There is no new Winter Response Program': City leaving homeless Londoners out in the cold this winter
Life in London’s homeless encampments will get even more dangerous when winter weather arrives because city hall is not providing a Winter Response to Homelessness this year.
-
'A slap in the face': Defence wants three years for man who killed 11-year-old St. Thomas boy while driving impaired
Back in July, Nicolas Lemke plead guilty to impaired driving causing the death of Aiden Curtis, and impaired driving causing bodily harm to two other adults who were injured.
Kitchener
-
Man who stabbed ex-girlfriend and police officer will soon be out on statutory release
A man who plead guilty to a double stabbing in 2015 will soon be out on statutory release, but he'll have to follow some strict conditions set out by the parole board.
-
Pricey WRPS budget sparks hours-long debate with regional councillors
The Waterloo Regional Police Service presented their 2025 budget, totaling $252.5 million, to the Region of Waterloo’s Strategic Planning and Budget Committee on Wednesday morning.
-
Parole board reverses decision and will allow families of Paul Bernardo's victims to attend upcoming parole hearing in person
The families of the victims of Paul Bernardo will be allowed to attend the serial killer’s upcoming parole hearing in person, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) says.
Northern Ontario
-
Sudbury ponders options to fix crumbling College Street underpass, city's oldest bridge
Next week, Sudbury city council will decide how to rehabilitate the College Street underpass, which was built in 1949.
-
Sudbury police will begin body camera training next month
Greater Sudbury Police has taken delivery of body cameras for its officers and will begin training next month.
-
Unattended cooking to blame for North Bay house fire, landlord fined
The owner at a North Bay rental home has been fined and seven people displaced after a kitchen fire Tuesday.
N.L.
-
Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
-
Newfoundland wind-to-hydrogen company eyes data centre as international market lags
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
-
Seniors face unique hurdles in finding love. These Canadians want to help.
The four women sipping tea around an antique wooden table in rural Newfoundland said they weren't looking for much in a mate: kindness, humour, a good sense of fun and, ideally, a full set of teeth.
