B.C. man arrested after allegedly driving wrong way in deadly Coquihalla crash
Police have arrested a driver involved in a fatal crash on the Coquihalla Highway on allegations he was going in the wrong direction and was impaired.
The BC Highway Patrol says in a statement that the crash happened Saturday at around 8:30 in the morning as multiple witnesses reported a vehicle travelling southbound in the northbound lanes near Merritt, B.C.
While officers were on their way, a head-on crash occurred and police arrived to find a pickup truck and an SUV both heavily damaged in the crash site.
A 24-year-old passenger in the SUV, a man from Surrey, B.C., died at the scene.
Three other men in the SUV, all from Surrey, have been hospitalized with serious injuries, while the 22-year-old driver of the pickup suffered minor injuries.
Police say the pickup truck's driver, a man from Coldwater, B.C., has been arrested on suspected impaired driving.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Quebec's strategic maple syrup reserve running dry amid high demand
The head of Quebec's maple syrup producer's association says the province's strategic syrup reserve has run dry amid high demand for the product.
Québec Maple Syrup Producers President Luc Goulet says government support will be needed to ensure the industry doesn't miss out on opportunities to grow the sector.
Maple syrup yields depend on weather conditions.
As a result, the producers' association has established a strategic reserve to ensure prices and supply remain relatively stable.
Last year, U.S. commercial customers stocked up, fearing that President Donald Trump would carry out his threat to impose tariffs.
Goulet says the buffer has been exhausted as sales continue to rise.
“Our strategic reserve has been reduced to zero,” Goulet said in an interview at the release of a report on the industry's economic benefits. That means the industry could lose customers if weather conditions are less favourable for maple sap flow, he said.
Goulet cites the stock shortages in 2007 and 2008 as an example.
“We lost some markets because the product wasn’t available,” Goulet said. “Then, consumers very quickly turn to another sweet product. And once that happens, those consumption habits are established.”
Quebec maple syrup is gaining market share abroad, according to the president of the Maple Industry Council, which represents authorized buyers.
Louis Turenne notes that exports increased by 9.34 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year. The pace accelerated in 2025 with a 15.8 per cent increase as the threat of new tariffs loomed over the industry.
In 2026, exports rose at a slower rate — 2.48 per cent from January through August compared to the same period the previous year. "It's always hard to beat an exceptional year," Turenne said.
Goulet acknowledges that satisfying the demand of eager consumers is a nice problem to have. However, he believes the industry can still grow. “There is still a great deal of untapped potential in Quebec’s maple groves," he said.
Investments from Quebec City “are too low for our liking,” says Goulet, who hopes to have the ear of the newly-elected Parti Québécois government.
“When we’re told that we have an industry that's thriving, that we’re growing, and that we don’t need support — well, I no longer accept that line of reasoning at the government level,” he said.
For his part, Turenne believes that Quebec could encourage increased production by providing financial support to producers, and helping processors in their search for new markets abroad.
Currently, nearly 65 per cent of maple syrup exports go to the United States “We’ve made significant progress in diversifying our markets in recent years. Twenty years ago, that figure was 80 per cent,” Turenne said.
“But we need to accelerate the opening and development of European, Australian, and Asian markets to become less dependent on the U.S. market,” he said.
While the maple leaf graces the Canadian flag, the syrup industry is heavily concentrated in Quebec. More than 70 per cent of North American production is in the province, according to the industry group's report, released Thursday.
When production, processing, and specialized equipment manufacturers are included, the maple syrup industry contributed $1.21 billion to the gross domestic product in 2025, the report said.
In total, the sector employs more than 10,000 full-time equivalent workers and generated $285 million in tax revenue, excluding municipal taxes and fees for the lease of public lands.
This figure does not include the sugar shacks that many Quebecers visit in the spring.
“Sugar shack operations are more akin to the restaurant industry,” Turenne said.
The maple syrup producers' group used the recent election campaign to highlight the industry's importance as an employer and economic driver, and Goulet says the candidates were often surprised by the important role it played.
In some municipalities, "if you take away maple syrup production, you might as well shut down the villages,” Goulet said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Stéphane Rolland | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Beluga rescued from closed Ontario park dies in California
A California aquarium says a beluga rescued from Marineland in Ontario has died, adding to the number of deaths of animals relocated over the summer from the now-closed Canadian facility.
SeaWorld San Diego says in a Facebook post that Cyprus, a nine-year-old male beluga that arrived at the park on Aug. 22 stopped eating on Friday, and an ultrasound later determined the animal's intestinal tract did not appear to be functioning normally.
It says Cyprus had been doing well since his arrival, eating consistently and interacting with his trainers and animal care team, along with two other rescued belugas.
But it notes belugas can mask discomfort or underlying concerns that are not immediately visible, and it says a full necropsy will be conducted.
Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., had said it was running out of money and could no longer care for the last captive whales and dolphins in Canada, and 30 of its belugas and four dolphins were transferred to other facilities in a mass relocation effort.
SeaWorld San Diego says the other rescued belugas in its care are in stable health and remain under close monitoring as they continue to adjust to their surroundings.
"As we have indicated, this process will take a considerable amount of time. Our commitment to the health, well-being and care of these belugas, like every animal we rescue, continues," the facility said in its social media post on Sunday.
It said that after the necropsy is completed, the cause of Cyprus's death will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Less than two weeks ago, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago said Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga that was relocated from Marineland, died despite efforts to save her.
Caspian had not been eating properly and blood samples showed abnormalities in her electrolyte levels, Shedd said.
Shedd said it performed necropsies on Peekachu and Rain, two other Marineland whales that died there, and concluded that they had chronic, pre-existing diseases.
A beluga named Jelly Bean and a dolphin named Echo also died at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain after the move.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Charles d'OD, sa publication jugée insensible et les réactions: on décortique la situation
Le 29 novembre 2020, Charles a publié une vidéo sur Instagram intitulée « Parlons Pénis », qui a fortement fait réagir à cause de la manière dont elle a été introduite. Pour mieux comprendre le tout, on décortique la situation entourant Charles d'OD et le backlash sur sa publication.
Inspiré du travail du Docteur Marc Galiano, un urologue et chirurgien français, Charles y parle sans tabou de mythes concernant la sexualité masculine.
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La vidéo et le lien avec le mouvement des femmes
Cette vidéo d'environ six minutes traite de différents mythes sur le pénis et sur la mécanique sexuelle masculine. Charles y introduit le sujet de la sexualité masculine en proposant que l'éjaculation, l'orgasme et le pénis sont des thèmes dont on n’entend pas souvent parler.
Ce qui a fait controverse n'est toutefois pas le contenu de cette vidéo, en fait, c'est la légende de celle-ci, et l'approche de Charles pour l'aborder.
Le diplômé en travail social interpellait ses abonnés avec la phrase :
« Boyz, c’est le temps qu’on s’inspire des femmes ; du processus de compréhension et d’acceptation de leur corps et de leur sexualité. C’est le temps qu’on parle de sexe et de pénis. »
On peut maintenant y lire : « Boyz, c’est le temps qu’on parle d'un sujet tabou ; le pénis. »
La réaction du public et la réponse initiale de Charles
Alors que certains commentaires remerciaient l'influenceur pour cet apprentissage, des internautes ont tenu à souligner un problème dans son discours : la mention du travail d’acceptation du corps et de la sexualité des femmes pour ramener la discussion autour de la sexualité des hommes.
Une publication Instagram partagée le 30 novembre par @aaann.e, qui se présente comme féministe et étudiante à la maîtrise en psychoéducation, a particulièrement circulé sur les réseaux sociaux.
Celle-ci explique ce que plusieurs reprochent à Charles dans les commentaires :
« Que tu parles de sexualité masculine ; tout à fait approprié. Que tu compares ta situation d'homme blanc privilégié au parcours houleux des femmes depuis la dernière décennie (yup), c'est complètement malhonnête. »
Elle y dénonce aussi le fait que la sexualité des hommes a longtemps été mise de l'avant et qu'il effaçait les messages de personnes ayant le même discours qu'elle.
[rebelmouse-image 26002736 photo_credit="charles.od_officiel | Instagram" expand=1 original_size="828x1405"] charles.od_officiel | Instagram
[rebelmouse-image 26002739 photo_credit="charles.od_officiel | Instagram" expand=1 original_size="828x1423"] charles.od_officiel | Instagram
Pour sa part, Charles a d'abord qualifié cette publication de violente et a affirmé qu'il avait le droit de « supprimer des commentaires [qu'il] juge déplacés » dans une story Instagram du 1er décembre.
Il a également déclaré qu'il trouvait déplacés les commentaires cherchant à trouver des défauts dans sa publication, en disant que « ce n'est pas parce qu'on aide des hommes qu'on nuit à la cause du féminisme ».
Les excuses et explications de Charles
Le 1er décembre au soir, Charles a fait une série de story Instagram dans laquelle il revient sur les événements des derniers jours :
« Je voulais prendre le temps de m'excuser par rapport à quelque chose que j'ai écrit. […] En aucun cas j'ai voulu comparer les luttes quotidiennes que vivent d'autres personnes, dont les femmes, avec ma situation, la situation des hommes en général. »
Il explique qu'après avoir lu tous les commentaires, il s'est rendu compte que son approche était insensible.
Il admet avoir été malhabile : « Je suis très conscient qu'on parle souvent des hommes pis qu'on devrait parler beaucoup plus souvent des groupes qui vivent des luttes quotidiennes… »
Charles explique que le but de sa vidéo était d'inviter les hommes à faire une introspection sur leur sexualité.
Il aborde ensuite le fait qu'il a supprimé plusieurs commentaires :
« Est-ce que c'était le meilleur move? Non. Est-ce que je me suis peut-être senti attaqué alors que ce n'était pas le cas? Sûrement, oui. »
Il avoue avoir supprimé des commentaires qu'il trouvait irrespectueux qui, après introspection, ne l'étaient pas selon lui. Charles confirme qu'il va continuer à effacer les insultes qu'il reçoit toujours en grande quantité depuis son passage à Occupation Double, mais qu'il sera plus vigilant afin de laisser la parole aux personnes bien intentionnées.
Il termine en remerciant Naila Rabel, que tu reconnais peut-être de l’émission québécoise 30 vies et qui tient un discours engagé sur les cause pro-black, anti-raciste et afro-féministe, de l'avoir aidé à comprendre la situation.