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BC Ferries vessel collides with humpback whale in Howe Sound near Metro Vancouver
BC Ferries vessel collides with humpback whale
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
A humpback whale has been struck by a BC Ferries vessel in waters near Metro Vancouver.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says in an email that they were alerted to the collision on Sunday, when the Queen of Surrey reportedly struck the whale near Keats and Grace islands in Howe Sound.
The 139-metre-long Queen of Surrey provides regular service between Vancouver-Horseshoe Bay terminal and the Sunshine Coast.
The DFO says witnesses reported two humpback whales near the ferry at the time of the collision, and one was struck after it surfaced in front of the vessel.
The federal agency says the whale was seen behind the vessel after the collision, and investigators are working to identify it and assess its condition.
BC Ferries has also confirmed the collision and is co-operating with the DFO, adding that initial reports showed crew had "very little time to react."
"We recognize how upsetting this is, particularly for those who witnessed the collision, including our crews," BC Ferries spokeswoman Lilian Kim says in a statement. "They work on these waters every day and care deeply about protecting the marine life around them."
Kim says BC Ferries crew receive special training on whale awareness, and vessels operate under specific protocols to reduce collision risks.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada would not comment on whether the whale has been found, only stating that the agency is "currently reviewing the situation."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Stelco posts strongest quarter since Cleveland-Cliffs takeover amid layoffs
Stelco posts strongest quarter since takeover
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn
The chief executive of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. says Stelco has posted its strongest quarterly results since the Ohio-based company acquired the steelmaker two years ago, even as it moves ahead with up to 500 layoffs at its Ontario operations.
Lourenco Goncalves says Stelco became a "positive contributor" to Cleveland-Cliffs' third-quarter results for the period ended Sept. 30 amid a sharp improvement in Canada's hot-rolled steel market.
However, he says more needs to be done by the Canadian government to correct "a clearly oversupplied market for galvanized steel in Canada."
Goncalves says without a clear plan from Ottawa aimed at improving market conditions for galvanized steel, the company made the "difficult but necessary" decision to indefinitely idle its galvanizing lines at Stelco.
He says laid off workers will be called back as soon as the current situation improves.
In the meantime, Goncalves says Stelco will concentrate on hot-rolled products "that actually have a market."
He says total production tonnage at Stelco will be maintained, its contribution to Cleveland-Cliffs' earnings will further increase, and about 2,000 Canadian jobs will be preserved.
Stelco produces hot-rolled steel at its Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Ont., for products such as construction materials and pipelines, while its Hamilton Works processes steel into cold-rolled and coated products, including galvanized steel, used for automotive, agriculture and infrastructure applications.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Brett Bundale | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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B.C. judge says parole rules for multiple murderers unconstitutional
Murder parole rules unconstitutional: judge
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Greer
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge says a section of the Criminal Code restricting multiple murderers from applying for early parole under a faint-hope clause is unconstitutional.
Justice Brenda Brown says the section of the code prescribing 25 years of parole ineligibility infringes upon the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees against cruel and unusual punishment.
Her decision has delayed sentencing again for Abhijeet Singh, Gurkaran Singh and Khushveer Toor, who were found guilty of first-degree murder in May for the home-invasion killings of Arnold and Joanne De Jong.
The judge did not give her reasons for the decision, but lawyers will be back in court for another argument that will involve whether the infringement can be justified under Section 1 of the Charter.
A first-degree murder conviction would normally bring a life sentence without chance of parole for 25 years, but lawyers for the trio wanted their clients to be able to ask for the right for early parole, through the faint-hope clause in the Criminal Code.
A former federal government abolished the clause for offenders sentenced after December 2011.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Darryl Greer | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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