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B.C. election latest: Voters go to the polls to decide next provincial government
Latest happenings on B.C.'s election day
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
British Columbia is voting on its next government as the snap provincial election called one month ago reaches its culmination.
Here's a look at the latest from polling stations and campaign headquarters of each major party as votes are cast and tallied across B.C.
All times are local.
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6:21 p.m.
Supporters have begun arriving at the B.C. Green Party's election night event in the Greater Victoria area, including outgoing MLA Rob Botterell.
Botterell decided not to seek re-election, clearing the way for Leader Emily Lowan to run.
He says he is proud of Lowan and the party's campaign after NDP Leader David Eby called a snap election.
The outgoing MLA says people in his riding have told him they are "totally impressed" with Lowan's poise and advocacy for Green causes, as well as her passion and vision.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Winnipeg police suspend use of Crime Stoppers after data breach
Winnipeg police suspend use of Crime Stoppers
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Lambert
Winnipeg police say they've suspended the use of Crime Stoppers in light of a massive data breach of the crime-reporting system.
The pause comes after CBC reported that 1.5 million tips submitted to Canadian Crime Stoppers programs over the last 25 years were stolen earlier this year.
Winnipeg police say they have been made aware that some data related to the city was included in the breach.
They are reviewing the additional safeguards and security measures being implemented by Crime Stoppers.
Other police forces in Canada have also suspended use of the service, including several in the Toronto region.
Crime Stoppers is a community-based intermediary that allows people to anonymously report information about crimes to police.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Industry Minister Mélanie Joly wants to build an aluminum rolling mill in Canada
Joly announces new funding for aluminum sector
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says new federal investments announced Friday are a first step toward reducing the Canadian aluminum sector's dependence on the United States.
Joly, who is also the minister responsible for economic development in Quebec, made the comments in La Baie, Que., where she announced more than $193 million in federal funding for projects at four Rio Tinto facilities in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region and at the Alouette aluminum smelter in Sept-Îles, Que.
“The aluminum industry is much more than an economic driver. It is also a strategic industry for our country and for Canadian sovereignty,” the minister said in her speech.
Citing the economic upheaval caused by tariffs and the unpredictability of the American government, Joly said that “in this new context, we must be able to produce more of what our economy needs right here in Canada.”
She also said the funding is a first step toward strengthening the Canadian aluminum supply chain.
Joly pointed out that the price of aluminum products are inflated first by tariffs when they enter the United States and a second time when that aluminum returns to Canada. The United States imposes a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian aluminum, and since Sept. 8, Canada has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on processed aluminum from the United States, resulting in a total surcharge of 100 per cent.
The Canadian tariff imposed in March 2025 was 25 per cent before Sept. 8.
Joly stressed that the government sees aluminum as a strategic sector for the Canadian economy and that she sees the importance of building rolling mills in Canada.
"It’s not normal that most of our aluminum is processed in the United States and then comes back at a higher cost to our companies," she said.
She said several sectors — including agri-food, beverages, and aerospace — need more processed aluminum and have rolling mill projects of their own.
"We want to be able to produce our aluminum cans here at home; we want to be able to produce our aircraft and aerospace parts here at home; and we also want to attract key investments in aluminum processing for our defence sector," Joly said.
On top of providing financial support to producers, she said the government also wants to work with entrepreneurs interested in developing these rolling mills and take on equity stakes.
Ottawa also wants “to be able to offer procurement contracts, certainly defence-related ones, for key components in the aerospace sector, precisely to create a business model that makes sense for a rolling mill,” Joly stated.
“Economic sovereignty isn’t something you proclaim, it’s something you build."
Canada has nine primary aluminum smelters, eight of which are located in Quebec. The other is in British Columbia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
By Pierre Saint-Arnaud | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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