Sign In Subscribe Now Nikita Tolopilo was set up perfectly to play the hero role for the Abbotsford Canucks in Saturday's (May 3) game two against the Coachella Valley Firebirds Called on in the second period to replace Arturs Silovs (who let in three goals on eight shots) the Belarusian took over a game that saw the Canucks trail 3-0 and the team in front of him refused to give up The team's veterans stepped up and it started when Phil Di Giuseppe got the Canucks on the board just 2:55 into the second Nate Smith scored just 82 seconds after that and suddenly it was a 3-2 game Jujhar Khaira completed the comeback at 6:17 of the third and he added the go-ahead goal at 13:18 to silence the Firebirds crowd Coachella's Ben Meyers then beat Tolopilo at 15:58 to send the game to overtime The Belarusian goalie was solid through two periods and made 18 saves but all of that goodwill may have been erased in the extra frame Tolopilo coughs up the puck, what a massive mistake. Game over and there will be a game four on Friday in Abbotsford. Game three is Wednesday pic.twitter.com/LaZx7BkHD4 The Firebirds dumped the puck into Abbotsford's zone 4:40 into overtime and Tolopilo left his crease to retrieve it There was a moment of indecision as he saw a Coachella player approach and that was all the Firebirds needed found Jacob Melanson in front and just like that the series is tied 1-1 A mistake like that in overtime could swing a series and it's now going to lead to a debate about which goalie starts game three for Abbotsford Making the loss sting even more is that forward Aatu Raty and defenceman Jett Woo both got injured in game two Add those injuries to defenceman Christian Wolanin and forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki and all of a sudden the grind of the playoffs is hitting Abbotsford hard Khaira again, this line is on fire pic.twitter.com/g1b0eu9aUs Lost in the major flub by Tolopilo was an amazing effort by Khaira who had a three-point night and also dropped the gloves with Firebirds enforcrer Ian McKinnon in the first period after he injured Woo Khaira's Gordie Howe hat trick is believed to be the first-ever by an Abbotsford Canucks player in the playoffs Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra didn't just yank Silovs after falling behind 3-0 he also shuffled the lines and his moves got his club back into the game Smith and Blais combined for seven points and fuelled the comeback Khaira, Smith and Blais dominate down low and it's 3-2 on Smith's goal pic.twitter.com/F6sKqix0B8 Abbotsford was out shot 31-30 in the game and special teams were again not a factor with just three total power plays awarded Abbotsford went 0/2 and the Firebirds went 0/1 The Canucks opened the series with a 3-1 win over the Firebirds on Thursday (May 1).  the numbers for several of Abbotsford's young players throughout the playoffs so far are getting concerning Max Sasson and Ty Mueller have combined for just one goal in five playoff games Lekkermaki was also held pointless in his two games against Tucson Only forward Sammy Blais is averaging more than one point a game.  the Canucks do escape California with a split and now the series shifts to the Abbotsford Centre Game three is set for Wednesday (May 7) and game four goes Friday (May 9) Final from overtime. pic.twitter.com/haPalPFNXR Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines. the Abbotsford Canucks are looking like they could be for real in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs Although they suffered a 5-4 overtime loss aginst the Coachella Valley Firebirds Saturday and Guillaume Brisebois scored three unanswered goals for the Canucks to go up 3-1 and ultimately win Game 1 on Thursday with goalie Arturs Silovs making 29 saves on 30 shots (.970) Abbotsford is getting contributions from long-shot veterans like Woo and Brisebois, and promising youngsters like Klimovich, Silovs, Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson, and others are playing their part In Saturday's Game 2, the Canucks again had to come from behind, though it was a much greater test for rookie head coach Manny Malhotra and Co Silovs was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots in the first period comfortably his worst outing in the Calder Cup playoffs thus far Fellow goalie prospect Nikita Tolopilo stepped in and stopped 21 of 23 though the Canucks were ultimately sunk by Jacob Melanson's game-winner 4:45 into overtime Malhotra had to make some changes to get some wind in the Canucks' sails and Sammy Blais combined for three goals and eight points to put the Canucks up 4-3 following up on Phil Di Giuseppe's early second-period goal to get Abbotsford on the board who finished the game with a goal and two assists tied the game wit just over four minutes left then assisted Melanson's overtime-winner A disappointing result for the Canucks indeed in just his first year of head coaching at any level is showing some serious coaching chops and adaptability behind the bench It's also worth noting that the Canucks, who stole some momentum despite the loss, are still without Jonathan Lekkerimäki (dental) and Silovs has proven capable of playing at a much higher level than what handicapped the Canucks three goals If these Abbotsford Canucks can re-establish some footing in Game 3 they are right back in pole position to make some noise the rest of the way © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"68","src":"69","url":"6a"},{"type":"67","value":"6b"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6e","url":"6f"},{"type":"6d","value":"6g"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands Jonathan proudly provided coverage of the Flyers at numerous national events including the 2024 Stadium Series and the 2024 NHL Draft Abbotsford is getting contributions from long-shot veterans like Woo and Brisebois, and promising youngsters like Klimovich, Silovs, Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson, and others are playing their part In Saturday's Game 2, the Canucks again had to come from behind, though it was a much greater test for rookie head coach Manny Malhotra and Co A disappointing result for the Canucks indeed It's also worth noting that the Canucks, who stole some momentum despite the loss, are still without Jonathan Lekkerimäki (dental) BC Hydro says a single-vehicle crash involving a power pole caused a power outage in parts of Mission “The 4,000 customers are currently without service,” Donaldson said just before 10:30 a.m power was restored to all except for 600 customers in Chilliwack We’ve been able to switch different customers over to different circuits to try and reduce the number of customers who have been affected by this outage.” The Mission RCMP says the crash was a single-vehicle rollover just south of the Deroche Bridge Harrison Mohr says there were no injuries and impairment is not considered to be a factor Donaldson says the pole was severely damaged and needs to be replaced before all power is restored “It’s going to be a couple of hours for that to happen it takes anywhere from four to six hours,” he said “We have to bring in additional crews we have to bring in additional equipment.” Donaldson says he is hopeful that all service will be restored by later Saturday afternoon The federal council and the NDP caucus decided on the local MP The Surrey Police Service (SPS) is turning to the public for help Jendhel May Sico is described as a person who lived her life to the fullest she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin Killed in a car-ramming attack on Saturday she was celebrating the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with those she loved most -- her cousin speaks to reporter Kier Junos about the day their lives changed forever Huge crowds lined the streets of Vancouver to cheer on 25,000 runners making their way around the city for the 53rd annual BMO Marathon on Sunday Andrew's Saturday in honour of the victims of the deadly Lapu-Lapu tragedy last week The accused person in the deadly car attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party in Vancouver on April 26th appeared at the provincial Court of British Columbia 30-year-old Kai Ji Adam Lo appeared via video in court Four people remain in critical condition in hospital and another two remain in serious condition five days after the deadly attack at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival in Vancouver on April 26 Jack Rabb has more on the efforts to support the victims Listen to NewsRadio Vancouver live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Vancouver anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices The province has put out a second call for energy sources with an aim to power 500,000 new homes.  Energy Minister Adrian Dix and BC Hydro CEO Chris O'Riley were among the speakers in Victoria Monday (May 5) for the announcement It followed B.C.'s first call out for new energy sources in April 2024 – the first call for power in 15 years – that resulted in 10 new renewable-energy projects Dix said Monday's announcement had five key elements firstly launching the second call for power for a target of up to 5,000 gigawatt-hours per year of energy from large Innovative Clean Energy fund for a three-year call for new made-in-B.C. clean-energy technologies that will combat climate change and create sustainable jobs It also included exploring B.C.'s "power potential" through a request for expressions of interest for projects to deliver for peak demand periods and to provide back-up intermittent energy resources and partnering with innovators  to deliver market-ready demand-side management technologies that help people and businesses save energy and money "We're expecting this call to be equivalent to the first call of power in terms of gigawatt hours a call for power that will be slightly different than the previous one in that there will be no limits on individual projects," Dix said.  the announcement also included "streamlining connections to B.C.'s grid to enable new homes and businesses to access clean electricity faster and less expensively." BC Hydro CEO Chris O'Riley said the Crown corporation remains focused on expanding B.C.'s electricity system to meet demand while also "ensuring security The 2024 call for power is expected to power 500,000 homes and increase electricity supply by eight per cent with the projects representing up to $6 billion in private capital spending throughout B.C. the Energy Ministry said in the news release Nearly all of the 2024 projects have First Nations majority ownership the executive director of Clean Energy Association of B.C. but all over Canada that First Nations are leading the clean-energy transition.  she built one of the first clean energy projects that were led by First Nations at a time when there was not very many." after the first call for power in 2024, First Nations are the proponents of these utility-scale projects Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Tyler Olsen May 05, 2025 In partnership with They’re also a continual reminder of what brought my family to BC in the first place My dad grew up in Alberta farm country south of Calgary but fled to the BC Interior because his sinuses just couldn’t take all the pollen My dad eventually followed in his footsteps but family lore is supposed to evolve over time The house we moved to when I was five had a massive swath of lilacs out front And they revealed that our family sinus problems were probably a little genetic My allergies aren’t quite that bad and have moderated over time and the resulting sneezing and nose-blowing are a reminder of why I’m here in this province And that I need to make sure there’s always a Kleenex handy in spring Keep local journalism alive by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life 🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley Harrison Hot Springs is considering three proposals for redeveloping its village office property into a multi-use civic plaza with housing and arts space The Village of Harrison Hot Springs needs a home makeover—literally The village’s municipal office is currently housed in an aging house-like building on a huge lot along the main road into town And as the municipality considers a larger building planners have suggested adding rental housing for seniors and a daycare to the project Today, Josh writes about Harrison’s plans for its new municipal office.  Q&A: New Harrison mayor looks to provide steady hand for village From November: Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Fred Talen is hopeful that council dysfunction will be reduced in the village over the remainder of his term ⏳ A Chilliwack school is celebrating its 150th anniversary [Chilliwack Progress] Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Fraser Valley As much as we like to think everyone else is living in a social or political bubble… The truth is Tangle is here to burst those bubbles and help you understand the opposing view Tangle will drop into your inbox and unpack a highly visible and often contentious issue in the news by providing the most thoughtful points from the left and in-between for 340,000+ readers across the political spectrum (including our founder Start reading. Abbotsford council will consider a proposal for a new rental high-rise Tuesday Abbotsford council will decide Tuesday whether to approve a 30-storey rental high-rise next to the city’s Canadian Tire the high-rise would be the tallest building in Abbotsford and one of the largest rental-only apartment buildings in the Lower Mainland By pledging to rent rather than sell the units the building will need 10% fewer parking spots than city rules would otherwise require The building’s proximity to Abbotsford’s South Fraser Way transit corridor is also eligible for a further reduction in required parking spaces the developer has asked for the city’s permission to provide 392 parking spots the developer has promised to pay the city $500,000 The builder has also promised one-third of a million dollars to go toward local park improvements and another $200,000 towards other community amenities City staff have recommended council approve the project A staff report notes that the building’s design has not been finalized and that there are “ongoing discussions” between the developer and financers including the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation You can share this newsletter by forwarding it or copy and pasting this link—https://fvcurrent.com/p/may-5-2025/—into a social media post Community journalism needs the entire community for it to succeed Become a Current member today and join 1,400+ other local supporters who help keep our lights on. you get our special weekend roundup of all the things you might’ve missed each week • Cook at Redwoods Golf Course in Langley • Park patroller at Chilliwack Lake • Board member for Chawathil First Nation’s economic development corporation • Labourer at Overlanders Manufacturing in Abbotsford • RV painter at O’Connor RV in Chilliwack Have an event to tell us about? Fill out this form to have it highlighted here. The benefits, opportunities, costs, and challenges of restoring Sumas Lake (Part 2) From last June: Restoring Sumas Lake would bring uncalculable environmental benefits—and costs and flood challenges. Thanks for reading Fraser Valley Current today ♥️  If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to another local. Add your commentLoginLogin or Subscribe to participate.Fraser Valley Current Local news, events, people. A 5x weekly newsletter made for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, Mission, and the rest of the Fraser Valley. Downtown Abbotsford has a new hub for connection, music and country spirit. Local Public House launched by hospitality veteran Ryan Storey is quickly making its mark with a welcoming atmosphere a sunny Palm Springs-inspired patio and a lineup of nightly entertainment that showcases the best local talent who has more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry says the vision for Local Public House was rooted in community You want to feel like you’re at home,” he says.  Designed with a focus on comfort and charm Local’s newly opened back patio has already become a favourite hangout the patio offers daytime sun and nighttime warmth with built-in heaters “There aren’t a lot of patios downtown,” Storey says.  “We wanted to create a space that feels like an escape right in the heart of the city.” Experience genuine hospitality and local pride Local Public House is not just about good food and drinks – it’s about entertainment every night of the week Guests can catch live performances by country musicians test their knowledge at trivia nights and laugh the night away during "Ultimate Comedy" shows every Sunday Regular promotions like Wine Wednesdays and Thursday’s steak + prawn special keep the food options fresh and inviting “We’re trying to make downtown Abbotsford more welcoming full of life,” Storey says “Every day’s a new adventure in this business and that’s what keeps it exciting.” Word of mouth is quickly spreading about the unique energy at Local With Monarchy Consulting supporting their brand and social media Storey and his team have tapped into a growing community that values genuine hospitality and local pride The menu at Local Public House also continues to evolve with new specials and seasonal offerings rolling out to match the vibrant summer vibe Whether stopping by for a cold drink on the patio To learn more or check out upcoming events, visit Local Public House’s Instagram page @localpublichousedt Abbotsford Exhibition Park was jam-packed for most of the day on Saturday (May 3) with more than 1,500 fans taking in seven provincial rugby championship matches to put an end to the 2025 senior club season The game with the strongest local connection saw the Abbtosford Rugby Football Club women take on Vancouver's Meraloma for the women's division one crown The Vancouver-based Meraloma club got on the board early and went up 7-0 with an early try and the teams see-sawed for the rest of the first half Meraloma added another try just before halftime to lead 14-0 ARFC responded early in the second half to cut the lead to 14-7 but the veteran Meraloma side remained unfazed and responded just minutes later ARFC made it a 21-14 game with about 10 minutes to go when Chelsea Patterson scored a try yet Meraloma again responded with a late try to make it a 26-14 final Meraloma went undefeated in division one play for the entire season and playoffs and Saturday's result was a major improvement for a young ARFC squad The two teams played on March 8 with ARFC falling 37-3 ARFC finished the regular season with an excellent record of 11-4 and placed second The club also had success in the playoffs to advance to the final Meraloma receives the championship trophy pic.twitter.com/kUmgfRyYEQ The Vancouver Thunderbirds captured the women's premier league title for the fourth consecutive year with a 43-17 win over Victoria's Westshore Vancouver led 17-5 at halftime and were threatening to score more but sound defending from Westshore kept the game close The second half saw the Thunderbirds smash through the opposing defence with a bit more ease and add to their total The Thunderbirds featured Abbotsford players Lana Dueck The UBCOB Ravens repeated as men's premier league champions with a 33-24 win over the UBC Thunderbirds The Ravens built up a lead in the first half with the Thunderbirds managing to hold firm in the second half to earn the victory "The atmosphere was electric in Abbotsford as teams battled it out in perfect conditions with over 1500 fans enjoying a festival of rugby throughout the day," stated BC Rugby's Rob Bartlett in a press release "BC Rugby would like to issue a huge thank you to all officials therapists and vendors who made this event a special day." the club announced award winners for the 2024-25 season and some of the winners included: A post shared by Abbotsford Rugby Football Club (@abbotsfordrfc) For more on the team, visit abbotsfordrugby.com. A seven-year-old missing Chilliwack girl has been found alive after she went missing from Winona Road in the Chilliwack River Valley the previous day around 4 p.m she's in good health as far as we can tell."  Chilliwack RCMP had just wrapped up a press conference when media were called back to the detachment for the good news Bowerman said that Lily had wandered "quite a distance" from her home but was in good enough shape to walk out on foot with the search-and-rescue team in place.  "I really want to the opportunity to thank the citizens of Chilliwack that assisted in this search," he said Bowerman had explained the lengths that rescuers had already gone to in order to find the young girl She had chased some neighbour's dogs into the woods beside her home on Thursday (May 1) at about 4 p.m the dogs returned but Lily did not.  A massive search was launched immediately by neighbours in the closely knit rural area People in Chilliwack gathered Thursday evening to help in the search for a missing seven-year-old girl and she still hadn't been found by Friday at noon.  Chilliwack RCMP put a call out at 10 p.m Thursday night, asking for the public's help to find Lily Coursol Chilliwack Search and Rescue is on scene with a command unit and crews from around the Fraser Valley were out until about 5 a.m. They are conducting a full search on the ground According to a Chilliwack RCMP news release crews are using “all technological resources available” to find Coursol.  They are urging those who want to help to stay away from the area and let the search and rescue teams do their work Initially there were about 20 neighbours searching for the girl into the night and a call was put out for more searchers to arrive Friday morning.  officials decided to stick with trained search crews and those who arrived were turned away. A police checkpoint is in place along Sleese Road.  "We understand the public’s concern and wanting to help; however the search consists of difficult terrain and is a heavily wooded area Untrained personnel in the area will make search efforts more difficult and put others at unnecessary risk," Chilliwack RCMP said.  Police say the child apparently followed her neighbour's dogs into a wooded area but did not return with them An air and ground search are currently underway She was last seen wearing all pink clothing.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lily Coursol is urged to contact their local police, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) Lily Coursol, a seven-year-old Chilliwack girl who was missing for 24 hours was captured on video as she was reunited with family on Friday The young girl had followed her neighbour's dogs into a wooded area near her home on Winona Road in the Chilliwack River Valley on Thursday (May 1) She was found almost exactly 24 hours later and had wandered "quite a distance," said Insp Lily was able to walk out on her own with a search-and-rescue team and was later flown to safety by helicopter She embraced her family outside their home (NOTE: The above video might not be supported on all browsers.) The Abbotsford Canucks lead the series against the Coachella Valley with the next two matchups on May 2nd and May 4th The teams play each other again for Game 2 on Saturday Delta Police say a male who barricaded himself on a transit bus has been safely taken into custody police were made aware of an incident on Annacis Island island where a male with a knife had barricaded himself on a transit bus Police did not give the age of the male or the bus route/number as the incident was still being investigated Mike Whiteley said shortly after noon Sunday that the road closure at the Annacis Island Clivedon Avenue off-ramp had been re-opened Two people were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash on Sunday morning (April 20) in Abbotsford.  According to a news release from the Abbotsford Police Department officers responded to a collision that caused "significant damage" to a black Dodge Charger and a grey BMW sedan at roughly 7:28 a.m at the Townline Road and Marshall Road intersection.  Police say the occupants of the Dodge Charger were airlifted to Vancouver area hospitals with serious while the driver of the BMW was taken to hospital by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.  An investigation is underway supported by the APD patrol division and the Integrated Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Service (ICARS).  Those with information are asked to contact Abbotsford police at 604-859-5225 The Abbotsford Canucks may have only been the better team in Thursday night's Pacific Division semifinal series opener with the Coachella Valley Firebirds for about 10 minutes of the game but it was a crucial 10 minutes for the Canucks which won 16 of its last 18 games to finish the regular season seized control of the series with a three-goal first-period blitz that held up for a 3-1 victory over the Firebirds at Acrisue Arena The Canucks already had the home-ice edge over the Firebirds in the best-of-five series and that advantage grew stronger as Abbotsford scored three quick goals in succession in the first period to grab control of the game and never let go for a road win Game 2 of the series is at Acrisure Arena on Saturday at 6 p.m. and the remaining games will be at Abbotsford next week The Firebirds will now need to win at least two games in Canada to win the series Forward Jacob Melanson said the Firebirds can draw on past experience when it comes to rallying to win a series after losing the first game last year we lost the first game in the Calgary series so we know what we have to do and have a lot of guys back from last year's team," said Melanson referring to the 2024 Pacific Division semifinals when the Firebirds lost the opener to Calgary and then won three in a row to take the series the Firebirds outplayed the Canucks for large chunks of Thursday's contest The game started on a high note for the Firebirds as Ryan Winterton who had left the team to tend to a family matter and missed the Calgary series was back and scored a goal 1:36 into the game He took a pretty feed from Brandon Biro and blasted one into an open net That excitement was erased later in the period though when the Canucks scored twice in one minute and added a late goal to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission the Firebirds had a near-miss during a power play early in the third as a tipped shot trickled behind the Abbotsford goalie but did not fully cross the line but the official quickly waved off the goal and then looked at it on replay at the next stoppage and confidently said no goal to the dismay of 5,726 Firebirds fans It was a frustrating finish for the Firebirds who controlled the run of play for the final 30 minutes playing some impressive hockey and getting a lot of pressure on Canucks goalkeeper Arturs Silovs without cashing in Coachella Valley pulled its goalie with 3:40 to go for the 6-on-5 advantage but never found the back of the net the team still felt confident after outplaying Abbotsford for the lion's share of this game There was that 10-minute stretch where we sort of went through the motions and it costs you in the playoffs," Winterton said "You do that too often or in back-to-back games and you're going home so we'll figure that out and come back hungrier." Coach Derek Laxdal was also encouraged by the team's play in the latter half of the game and believes it can fuel the team moving forward so we know you have to have short-term memory and we can take the good points from that game and move forward to Saturday," Laxdal said The Firebirds received some tough injury news before the game as it was announced that playoff hero and leading-scorer Mitchell Stephens has a lower-body injury and is out indefinitely Defenseman Cale Fleury also missed this game but is listed more promisingly as day-to-day Stephens' recent scoring touch could've come in handy Thursday as the Firebirds peppered the goal late in the game to no avail "It comes back to finding ways to create more offense," Laxdal said it's dirty hockey and we have to put pucks on the net You have to hold that paint and we did a little bit of that tonight Nikke Kokko had 25 saves in net for the Firebirds but did have a costly misplay that led to the Canucks' second goal Firebirds 1-0: Back after missing the Calgary series Ryan Winterton wasted little time thrilling the crowd as he took a pretty pass from Brandon Biro and slapped it into the open net Tied 1-1: A controversial goal by the Canucks as Max Lajoie was leveled into the boards the puck came right into his vacated area and the Canucks capitalized with a goal by Jett Woo Firebirds coach Derek Laxdal was barking at the official believing it should have been a cross check penalty Canucks 2-1: Abbotsford scored again a minute later when Danila Kilmovich was the recipient of a bad decision by Nikke Kokko as his clearing attempt went right to a Canuck player who quickly dished to Kilmovich for the goal Canucks 3-1: This was the prettiest goal of the night A well-defended 2-on-2 rush to the goal saw Phillip Di Giuseppe with a gorgeous dish to Guillaume Brisebois who flicked it past Kokko Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun Abbotsford police are seeking the public’s help identifying a man suspected of abduction and sexual assault in the early hours of Tuesday morning The Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) says the victim alleges she was waiting for a friend on Gladys Avenue near Essendene Avenue around 5:30 a.m when she was approached by a man driving a white Tesla Model 3 Police say the man asked the woman to get into his vehicle “The victim was assaulted and driven to the 600 block of McKenzie Road in Abbotsford where she managed to escape and seek help from nearby citizens,” said a release Wednesday AbbyPD says its Sex Crimes Unit is in the early stages of an investigation police have released a composite sketch of a man The suspect is described as a heavyset man Police are also asking any witnesses or those with dashcam footage from the area at the time to contact the AbbyPD Sex Crimes Unit at 604-859-5225 The Coachella Valley won 5-4 against the Abbotsford Canucks in a game that went to overtime The teams meet again for Game 3 on Wednesday You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Abbotsford—South Langley 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 215 of 215 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 215 of 215 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to win in Abbotsford—South Langley is in second place with 18,963 votes (33.88%) and Mike de Jong Fast was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 Abbotsford—South Langley used to be named Abbotsford The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 21,975 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford will stay blue.  Incumbent Conservative Party of Canada candidate Brad Vis claimed the new-look riding on Monday (April 28) winning the seat for the third consecutive federal election.  Vis earned the victory with roughly 57 per cent of the vote ahead of Liberal Jeff Howe PPC candidate Kevin Sinclair and Green John Kidder Howe secured second place with 21,715 votes (36.5 per cent), followed by Côté with 2,728 (4.6 per cent) Kidder with 820 (1.4 per cent) and Sinclair with 501 (0.8 per cent) The riding had an approximate 70 per cent turnout with 59,413 of 84,536 registered voters casting a ballot in the election The incumbent Vis will now head to Ottawa as the opposition for the third time after he was first elected in 2019 and again in 2021 The Matsqui product has served in different shadow cabinet roles most recently as the shadow minister for Small Business Recovery and Growth Vis told the Mission Record he was humbled by the overwhelming support and thanked his campaign team he also voiced disappointment with the nationwide results the polls for the Conservatives were very different I noticed a shift in the electorate – almost before it showed up in the national polls And I realized at that time that it was going to be a bit of a different election but I'm devastated we are not forming government right now,” Vis said.  He expects an interesting dynamic in Ottawa and “jockeying for position” on how parliament will function.  we need a parliament to function right now because we are still facing threats from the United States we're still dealing with flood infrastructure issues and we're still dealing with a fentanyl crisis in British Columbia We still need to deal with them and I've got a lot of work to do for my constituents,” Vis said.  He went on to say: “In every minority Parliament you have to work with other parties and and I'm and I'm gonna do that.”  During a victory speech at his campaign headquarters he said the Conservative Party is going to be going through a bit of a transition.  “But I'm not going to relent on the things I heard in this campaign and that is: people want me focused on affordability and people want a me focused on the flood infrastructure that Abbotsford needs and I'm so blessed to represent such a plethora of different cultures in Ottawa,” he said.  also took time to acknowledge the lives lost in Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy Howe told the crowd at a gathering on Monday (April 28) that "the battle has been lost We were a small but mighty force,” Howe said.  He called the riding a battleground that is “traditionally known as a Conservative fortress.” “I’ve been a politician for four weeks now,” he said or form and I hope to see you all there too.”  Côté said she was disappointed in the NDP result but felt good that the Liberals formed government instead of the Conservatives.  “I didn't have too many expectations going into it I still feel pretty good about the number of doors that we were able to knock on and how much we were able to get done even if  we knew going into it that a lot of folks were going to be really scared about the trade war and the tariffs and that … a lot of progressives were going to potentially vote Liberal,” Côté said.  Côté is unsure if she’ll run for political office in the future Her current plans are to keep working in the Fraser Valley and finish her degree at UFV.  For a left-leaning party to win in the riding in the future Côté expects it will require a candidate who provides people in the riding with hope.  “I think that's one thing that Brad does very well … he really speaks to Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford’s interests and I think that we need a progressive that can stand up and speak to that as well as Brad has done over the years.”  The electoral boundaries for the Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford riding changed from 2021 losing a portion of Mission in the redistribution process.  The new-look riding contains the bulk of Mission east of Wren Street and north of Richards Avenue along with FVRD Electoral Area G and a portion of Area F The riding also contains Harrison Hot Springs parts of Abbotsford and the District of Kent Clearbrook Road in Abbotsford closed in both directions Tuesday as emergency crews responded to electrical lines knocked down by a commercial truck The Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) says it was called to the scene around 5 p.m Clearbrook Road closed between South Fraser Way and Hillcrest Avenue Police say the closure was due to “an oversized commercial vehicle load taking out numerous communications lines.” The Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement team were on scene The AbbyPD says there is no estimated time for when the road will reopen A photo from the scene shows a commercial tractor-trailer with an undetermined load covered in orange tarps AbbyPD says it’s not the same truck as the one hauling a similar-looking load involved in an overpass strike in Chilliwack earlier Tuesday Police say the trucks belong to two separate companies but the loads belong to the “same shipper.” MEI Middle School presents its production of Oliver Jr The beloved musical by Lionel Bart features a cast of young performers The City of Abbotsford is building a new neighbourhood park in the Immel-McMillan area and is seeking input from residents on what features they would like to see included will be approximately 1.3 hectares and feature flat lower areas and a large undeveloped hill on the east side of the park that connects into the ridge line above the Cooper Meadows development Residents are invited to share what they’d like to see in the park play areas and gathering spaces by completing the online survey by May 28 or attending an in-person popup event.  The feedback will be used in developing the preliminary concept design which will be shared for additional public input in the fall Construction of the new park is expected to begin in 2026 Visit letstalkabbotsford.ca for more information on the project and to complete the survey The City of Abbotsford is hoping to create a new sports and recreation park at King and McKenzie roads A press release from the city on Monday (April 28) states that the city has submitted an application to have the 46-acre land in question removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) The property is located in the UDistrict near University of the Fraser Valley the city has provided the Agricultural Land Commission with an option to include two city-owned properties on Lefeuvre Road – totalling approximately 50 acres – in the ALR Mayor Ross Siemens said the city has “conditionally acquired” the property – owned by Athiana Acres Abbotsford Holdings LTD Abbotsford city council recognizes there is an ever-increasing need for additional recreational the city has no specific plans on what the property would include Primary concept plans will be developed once the ALC application has been decided most applications are decided within 90 days The city says a public hearing will be held for the ALR land-exclusion application and the date will be provided once it is scheduled "This is a significant step forward in our long-term commitment to continually enhancing the quality of life for our residents," Siemens said "We are excited about the potential of this project for our community." the city has been working on several long-term strategies focused on sport fields and courts a group called Advocates for Recreation in Abbotsford has started a petition calling on the city for more sports and recreation facilities in the community The group plans to make a presentation before city council in late May More information on the proposed sports and recreation park will be available at LetsTalkAbbotsford.ca More than 700 Abbotsford School District students get a special look behind the scenes of some of Abbotsford's largest community partners during unique field trips this month Taking place over two sets of dates – May 1 and 2 for Grades 2 and 3 and May 29 and 30 for Grades 7 and 8 – the experience includes interactive visits to the Abbotsford School District board office The objective of the experience is to highlight the important roles these groups play locally and help connect students to learn more about some of the real-world careers available in Abbotsford The school board office visit sees students participate in a collaborative art project which is based on a design by local artist Raphael Silver of Sema:th First Nation Every student and adult will contribute to this community piece reflecting themes of connection and civic pride The initiative was sparked by Andrea Orlosky of The Reach who also developed promotional materials and coordinated bookings.  “It felt like a great opportunity to bring civic partners together especially with all of them located so close to one another,” she stated “The focus is on careers in the community and the helpers and workers who make Abbotsford function well." pre- and post-visit materials were created for classroom use all program fees were waived for this experience "This is such an amazing opportunity for students to see their curriculum come to life," stated Lynette Power district principal of languages and settlement services these field trips are thoughtfully designed to make meaningful connections to what students are learning in the classroom and to the people who support their community every day." Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 230 of 230 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 230 of 230 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford is in second place with 21,714 votes (36.55%) and Jules Côté Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford used to be named Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon 23,907 voters cast ballots at advance polls Independent Abbotsford-South Langley candidate Mike de Jong says his election loss is disappointing but he “takes heart” in the number of people who supported his run to become the riding’s next MP “It’s tough to break through brand politics; there’s no question about that,” he said in reference to the win of Conservative candidate Sukhman Gill De Jong was critical throughout the campaign of Gill’s absence at candidate debates refusal to do media interviews and deletion of his social media accounts “He was a candidate who chose not to engage at all with voters and with the other candidates or at least he should not have that luxury He will need to stand up and represent the interests of Abbotsford-South Langley and a new Parliament,” de Jong told reporters on Monday night (April 28) at Gian’s Banquet Hall in Abbotsford who served as the area’s MLA for 30 years under the Liberals/BC United announced in spring 2024 that he was taking a run at federal politics and hoped to garner the Conservative nomination But his application to seek the nomination was rejected by the federal Conservatives a 25-year-old blueberry farmer with no political experience Gill won the nomination against four others De Jong said Monday night (April 28) that he thought the voting results would be closer in Abbotsford-South Langley following by the Liberals’ Kevin Gillies with 11,171 and de Jong with 6,226 “I actually expected us to be here a little later (at election night headquarters) just based on the reactions we were getting and surveys and polling that was done it’s clear that the brand attachment to the Conservative Party is very strong here,” de Jong said de Jong said he respects the democratic process and the results reflect “the will of the people.” De Jong said he hopes Gill “rises to the challenge” of the issues facing the riding of the challenges we’re facing from south of the border,” he said and it doesn’t matter what any leader of any country says when the Nooksack River decides to flow north it’s going to flow north … We need to hope that our new representative in the new Parliament De Jong said he doesn’t think another political run will be in his future “It’s probably time to ride off into the sunset and do some other things,” he said Other results from Abbotsford-South Langley are: Dharmasena Yakandawela of the NDP with 1,452 votes Melissa Snazell of the Green Party with 406 votes and Aeriol Alderking with the People’s Party of Canada with 290 Incumbent Conservative candidate Brad Vis has been re-elected in the Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford riding with all 230 polls reporting.  PPC candidate Kevin Sinclair and Green John Kidder in a five-way race.  Follow below for ongoing results for the riding:  Brad Vis  (Conservative) - 33,650 votes Jeff Howe (Liberal)   -  21,714 votes Jules Côté  (New Democratic Party) - 2,728 votes John Kidder (Green Party)  - 820 votes Kevin Sinclair  (People's Party)  - 501 votes Of the 84,536 registered electors in the riding, an estimated 23,907 voted in advance  parts of Abbotsford and the District of Kent.  About the Author: Mission City Record Staff Juno Award-winning recording artist Brian Doerksen of Abbotsford is hosting a live concert and old-fashioned dance on Saturday May 10 to celebrate the release of his new album Doerksen is known worldwide for songs like Come Now Is the Time to Worship; Faithful One; and Refiner’s Fire His latest release marks a new and deeply personal chapter: an entire album of original love songs “Joyce and I aren’t dancers,” Doerksen says of his wife "But I’ll never forget my dad – also not a dancer – at his granddaughter’s wedding saying Doerksen will be joined at the old-fashioned dance by musicians who helped bring Love for a Lifetime to life.  guitarist and producer Murray Pulver joins the lineup along with Vancouver-based players Geoff Hicks on drums (Colin James Jeremy Holmes on bass (Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus) and Darryl Havers on keyboards (Alan Doyle) They will play the 12 brand-new love songs from the album and some classic love song covers curated recordings of other iconic love songs will be spun through the sound system and a chance to meet Doerksen and get a signed CD followed by A Love That Doesn't Fade and This is Our Love Tickets for the celebration in Fort Langley are available at briandoerksen.com/events Doerksen and singer Marika Siewert bring their Come Now is the Time to Worship Tour to cities across Canada from May 21 to June 8 Full tour dates and locations are available on Doerksen's website and receive top headlines from the Abbotsford news team in your inbox Monday to Saturday The Abbotsford Canucks kicked off their playoff run tonight with Game 1 of a best-of-three series against the Tucson Roadrunners Artūrs Šilovs got the start in goal for the Canucks facing off against Tucson's Matthew Villalta the intensity was palpable—Abbotsford was throwing the body around and tensions flared within the first five minutes but strong goaltending kept the score locked at 0-0 for much of the opening frame when Tristen Nielsen tipped in a shot from Jett Woo to score Abbotsford’s first goal of the postseason and give the Canucks a 1-0 lead Despite continued pressure from the home team it was the Roadrunners who struck next—Hunter Drew redirected a point shot from Montana Onyebuchi to tie the game 1-1 heading into the second period Abbotsford came out strong to start the second as Sammy Blais fired a laser from the left circle to put the Canucks back in front but Villalta stood tall in net to keep his team close With just over five minutes left in the period Linus Karlsson intercepted a neutral-zone turnover and broke in alone finishing with a clean goal to make it 3-1 Canucks but a help came when Austin Poganski was assessed a five-minute major for boarding The Canucks took advantage—Sammy Blais struck again on the power play with a slick backhand finish as Cameron Hebig and Travis Barron connected on a shorthanded 2-on-1 rush with Barron finding the back of the net to bring Tucson within two Abbotsford entered the third with a 4-2 advantage With just 20 minutes standing between them and their first playoff win the Canucks played a tight-checking final frame Artem Duda pulled Tucson within one with a seeing-eye shot through traffic Abbotsford had to dig in defensively as the Roadrunners pushed for the equalizer Tucson pulled their goalie for the extra attacker Jaxon Stauber was awarded a penalty shot after the Canucks’ net was dislodged and sealed a 4-3 win to take a 1-0 lead in the series Abbotsford will look to close out the series in Game 2 tomorrow night To purchase tickets for tomorrow’s game, click HERE. By continuing to browse this website, you agree to the use of cookies. To learn more, please consult our Privacy Policy. Abbotsford News reporter Vikki Hopes is at the camp of Mike de Jong on Election Night (April 28) where the independent candidate and supporters are watching results come in at Gian's Banquet Hall in Abbotsford Watch this story for live updates through the evening conceding his loss and saying he is disappointed in the results and the people are always right." Results as of 9:30 p.m Gillies with 8,891 and de Jong with 5,226.  150 polls reporting: Gill with 9,743 votes Gillies with 6,755 and de Jong with 4,041.  who was among the current and former politicians who endorsed de Jong We're told that de Jong will arrive in about 10 minutes and will address the crowd More than half the polls (120) are now reporting: Gill with 7,659 votes Gillies with 5,515 and de Jong with 3,332.  while Gillies trails with 2,892 and de Jong with 1,801 who works on his family's blueberry farm in Langley was criticized heavily during the campaign for not participating in candidate debates not doing media interviews and deleting his social media accounts followed by Gillies with 1,043 and de Jong with 724 Also in the running are Melissa Snazell with the Green Party Dharmasena Yakandawela with the NDP and Aeriol Alderking with the People's Party of Canada Early results show the Liberals' Kevin Gillies in the lead with 400 votes followed by Conservative Sukhman Gill with 330 and de Jong with 270.  A few more people have filtered in and are enjoying the buffet of Indian cuisine as they wait for voting results to start rolling in There's no word yet of when de Jong will arrive.  Media have started to gather at Gian's Banquet Hall This riding is a hot spot for news coverage with the former longtime MLA – he served 30 years under BC United (formerly the Liberals) – having stepped away from provincial politics a year ago in hopes of garnering the federal Conservative nomination After the federal Conservatives denied his nomination application just days before the vote de Jong chose to run as an independent.  Keep watching abbynews.com for news on the other candidates in Abbotsford-South Langley as well as in the riding of Mission-Matsqui Abbotsford Editor's note: This story contains details that might be disturbing to some readers An Abbotsford man who had amassed more than 12,000 images of child sexual abuse has been sentenced to a one-year jail term and three years of probation Judge Dannielle Dunn sentenced Caleb Abraham Janzen on Thursday (May 1) in Abbotsford provincial court rejecting the joint sentencing submission of the Crown and defence lawyers Both lawyers had jointly recommended a two-year conditional sentence and 18 months’ probation meaning Janzen would have served his time in the community It’s unusual for a judge to go outside of a joint submission but Dunn said she took into account that Janzen was previously convicted – in December 2019 – of a charge of distributing child porn he was handed a six-month conditional sentence and 18 months’ probation Dunn said the lawyers’ sentencing recommendation on Janzen’s current charge of possession of child pornography – to which he previously pleaded guilty – was based on other court cases in which the accused had no prior criminal record She said rejecting a joint submission is done only in rare circumstances “I find that a person so informed of the facts of this particular offence and this offender would find that a non-custodial sentence is so unhinged as to bring the administration of justice into disrepute,” Dunn said Janzen was arrested and charged following an investigation that started in June 2022 Homeland Security discovered that materials containing child sexual abuse were sent to an email address that later proved to be Janzen’s Two search warrants executed at Janzen’s home in Abbotsford resulted in the seizure of three cellphones Dunn said a detective from the Abbotsford Police Department extracted data from the devices and found 12,485 files that met the definition of child pornography under the Criminal Code Five of those images were presented as court evidence as a representative sample but they are out there somewhere,” Dunn said She said in a psychological assessment of Janzen he questioned how his actions could negatively impact children when he only viewed – but did not produce – the material he completed a sex offender program and stopped viewing materials of child sexual abuse for a few months But he eventually began accessing it again through the dark web “He stated that he was looking for a thrill but the images and videos were not giving him the same thrill as before Janzen reported that he was viewing it more often and for longer durations,” Dunn said “He reported becoming concerned that he may commit a contact offence which is an offence involving direct contact.” Janzen has indicated he is willing to complete further programming and believes that his religion will keep him from further offending “He reported that his involvement in church is helping him to avoid thoughts urges to access CSAM (child sexual abuse materials) He stated that he would ’talk to God’ if he ever had thought or urges again,” she said Dunn said a jail sentence is necessary in this case because Janzen had a prior conviction the images in his possession depict sexual violence of children under nine years old and a psychologist determined he is a “moderate to high risk” to re-offend Janzen’s probation will include several conditions such as not accessing the internet or using a cellphone except for the purposes of attending virtual court appearances He will also be prohibited from going to public parks daycare centres and other areas where kids under the age of 16 are expected to be except with the written permission of his probation officer Saturday night at the Abbotsford Centre is going to be jumping as the towels swing and the team in green looks to punch its ticket into the next round of the AHL playoffs The Abbotsford Canucks came out of the first two games with a split against the Tucson Roadrunners in their opening-round Abbotsford went up early and was able to hold onto its lead Sammy Blais had a pair of power play goals in the game and fan-favourite Tristen Nielsen opened the scoring Linus Karlsson scored a big goal to put Abbotsford up 3-1 in the second period Head coach Manny Malhotra was content with the team picking up the win on Wednesday but did not believe his team won the game in ideal fashion the star of the night was Roadrunners’ goaltender Jaxson Stauber The 25-year-old netminder stopped 38 of the 39 shots he faced in the game which was his best performance in the AHL this season by save percentage Malhotra also thought his group had too many self-inflicted mistakes in game two and believes that the Roadrunners were able to take advantage of their errors in the Canucks own zone The head coach and players spoke about trying to force the puck through the middle seam of the ice and it showed as their breakouts were an issue throughout the game the Canucks were still able to generate 39 shots on net but Canucks’ forward Max Sasson believes there needs to be more urgency from the group when there are scrambles around the opposing crease “We’ve got to start having a little bit more poise in the scoring areas,” said Sasson “It’s probably a thing about our compete level around the net and maybe if we have a little extra effort “We didn’t have much of an ability to sustain o-zone pressure and get enough to the paint with bodies on the inside,” added Malhotra Sasson leads the Canucks with nine shots on net through two games He has been using his speed to generate attacks off the rush at even-strength and on the power play The Abbotsford Centre’s atmosphere has been electric through the first two games and Saturday night’s series-deciding game should be one of the highest-energy games we’ve seen in the Abbotsford Centre that’s something we want to play for – to win or go home,” said Canucks defenceman Victor Mancini and [Wednesday’s] loss is going to fuel us to play better on Saturday.” Aatu Räty and Arshdeep Bains had a pair of assists through the first two games and Sammy Blais leads the team with three points (2 g-1a) A massive game three goes on Saturday night at the Abbotsford Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. You can buy tickets here Wear green and get ready to wave those towels Several Abbotsford athletes are continuing their efforts to represent Canada on the international stage as they prepare to join Team Canada for the final stop of the 2025 HSBC SVNS rugby tour this competition signifies the end of this rugby season with the two Abbotsford competitors prepared to leave it all out on the pitch For Shalaya Valenzuela and the women's team this tournament represents a chance for the Canadians to snag their first HSBC SVNS championship title The team is entering the tournament ranked fourth putting them in the B pool alongside Japan and the defending champion New Zealand team Meanwhile, James Thiel will rejoin Canada's men's team in hopes of being able to earn a top 12 finish, which would cement their spot in Division 2 of the 2026 HSBC SVNS season, which was recently announced will undergo some major changes the LA tournament will determine which of the three new divisions each team will be sorted into for next season as part of the revitalized path to the HSBC SVNS World Championship As one of the top eight women's teams going into the final tournament of the 2025 season Canada can rest easy knowing that they'll be sorted into Division 1 for next year regardless of how they perform this weekend If the men's Canadian team isn't able to sneak its way into a top 12 spot then it'll be sent down to Division 3 for next year making it significantly harder to earn a spot in the world championship tournament with Team Canada's opening competitions being at 10:22 a.m A full schedule and results can be found at www.svns.com Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Police have released a sketch of a suspect in an alleged sexual assault in Abbotsford a woman was waiting for a friend in the 33900-block of Gladys Avenue when a man driving a white Tesla Model 3 approached and asked her to get into his car She was assaulted then driven to the 600-block of McKenzie Road where she managed to escape and get help from bystanders Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The suspect is described as a heavy-set Hispanic male in his 30s to early 40s Investigators from the Abbotsford police sex crimes unit say it appears the suspect was not known to the victim and there have been no arrests investigators also released a composite sketch of the suspect in hopes someone might recognize him Investigators are asking for witnesses who were in the Gladys Avenue area between 4 and 6 a.m in the McKenzie Road-Vye Road area between 5 and 7:30 a.m. or anyone with dashcam footage from those areas around that time to call the sex crimes unit at 604-859-5225 Mounties in Prince George say several people have been arrested after police seized guns and drugs from a residence earlier this month officers searched a residence in the 300-block of Nicholson Street as part of a continuing investigation Investigators say the residence has been the subject of several probes in the past year Several people were arrested inside the residence Those arrested were released later that day and potential charges related to the drugs seized are pending A New Westminster man has been found guilty of several offences after a woman was violently attacked inside a suite two years ago Police said Wednesday that 34-year-old Ryan Jensen has been found guilty of aggravated assault one count of killing or injuring an animal and two counts of breach of a release order a police officer was flagged down on Royal Avenue by a woman suffering numerous cuts She told police she was violently assaulted inside a suite on Agnes Street She was taken to hospital and Jensen was arrested a short time later The major crime unit of the New Westminster Police Department said Wednesday it is investigating after a man’s body was found in the city’s downtown on Tuesday Police received a phone call about the body at about 1:15 p.m The major crime unit is working in partnership with the B.C Coroners Service to find out what caused the man’s death “It could be several weeks before the circumstances of his death become clear.” said Sgt Justine Thom in a news release on Wednesday jruttle@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Abbotsford voters backed blue on Monday night electing Conservative newcomer Sukhman Gill in Abbotsford-South Langley and Conservative incumbent Brad Vis in Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford But while the Conservative safe seats lived up to their reputation We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentSupport for the Liberal candidates in both ridings topped 30 per cent — the highest in a decade — while Mike de Jong who was running as an Independent in Abbotsford-South Langley gained a smaller amount of the vote than expected cabinet minister watched his political hopes go up in smoke — quite literally A fire at the Abbotsford banquet hall where de Jong’s supporters were gathered forced a small crowd into the rain at the end of the night The fire department was able to suppress the blaze as de Jong cracked jokes about the end of his campaign in the parking lot grassroots campaign,” where his supporters “looked beyond the brands.” a 25-year-old farmer who made headlines for refusing to participate in candidate debates De Jong was a distant third with 9,694 votes de Jong said he didn’t want to speculate on whether his defeat marked the end of a 30-year career in politics but admitted it might be time for him to “ride off into the sunset,” alluding to some of the canvassing he did on horseback during the campaign He congratulated Gill and urged him to speak up for the Fraser Valley in Ottawa “He was a candidate who chose not to engage at all with the voters and other candidates,” he said “He will need to stand up and represent the interests of Abbotsford-South Langley and that is not a role for someone to shrink from.” Liberal candidate Jeff Howe had 21,207 votes the husband of Green party co-leader Elizabeth May had 808 votes with one poll left to report “I will continue pushing for my community to receive the infrastructure funds the Liberal government promised and did not deliver “The Fraser Valley is the agricultural heartland of B.C and a key trade corridor for Canada — it can’t be ignored.” The Conservative incumbent said he’d work for policies that address the “affordability crunch” faced by Canadian families in his third term I will work to retain the trust of the voters in my riding who overwhelmingly voted in favour of my work and Conservative policies in this election.” gluymes@postmedia.com The first phase of the massive Vicarro development in Abbotsford is set to begin construction later this year Pacific Peak Homes announced in a press release on April 4 its acquisition of Vicarro Skyline – a 50-home subdivision that is part of the Vicarro development by Diverse Properties The development on the former Vicarro Ranch property encompasses 383 acres and 1,400 units on Eagle Mountain It has been in the works for years and received the go-ahead from city council in August 2016 It is one of the largest residential developments to come through Abbotsford The plan calls for 580 single-family homes 260 townhouse units and 440 apartment units built in five separate areas over the site which had been ranched by the Trethewey family for decades The project will also see a series of trails and three neighbourhood parks created along with the preservation of natural open spaces in the area which is frequently used by mountain bikers and hikers said they are excited to be introducing the first phase of the development “Vicarro is the premier estate subdivision Abbotsford has been waiting for we’ve intentionally designed a cohesive neighbourhood that embraces the natural landscape and captures stunning views,” he said said the company is thrilled to be leading the first phase of Vicarro Pre-sales are expected to launch soon. Visit vicarrohomes.com for more information Abbotsford's Austin "The Juggernaut" Batra is moving from the world of mixed martial arts into the sweet science of boxing and makes his debut as a pro fighter tonight (Friday) at the Canada Cup event in Surrey Batra initially entered the world of combat sports on the wrestling mat and starred for the W.J He entered the world of MMA as an amateur in 2014 and captured several titles at that level including the Battlefield Fight League amateur welterweight championship in 2018 Batra made his pro MMA debut in 2019 and currently has a record of 1-3 His last bout was a win via guillotine choke in the second round over Caleb Ermine at Mamba Fight League 13 in Langley on Sept A post shared by Batra Fitness🦇🥊⚔️ - Abbotsfords #1 MMA Trainer ⚔️👊🏽🏆 (@_batfit) He's also a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and runs his own training gym in Abbotsford called Batra Fitness Batra's boxing has been honed by coaches Kultar Gill He challenges Vancouver's Rhett Gibbons at the Canada Cup event which occurs inside Surrey's Empress Palace Ballroom (#201 – 8166 128 St.) Batra stated that he's looking forward to the challenge "I've been training like a madman – pushing the limits daily to make a statement in my pro boxing debut," he said on his Instagram page "I'm not easing into the sport either – taking on a seasoned veteran of the fight game and promising fans a clash of intensity A post shared by Batra Fitness🦇🥊⚔️ - Abbotsfords #1 MMA Trainer ⚔️👊🏽🏆 (@_batfit) The event is part of Sikh Heritage Month and has been supported by a $3,000 sport tourism grant from the Sport Surrey program The goal of the program is to assist local organizations in hosting events that stimulate economic growth and enhance community engagement.  “I am proud that our Sport Surrey Grant program is supporting this world-class event,” stated Mayor Brenda Locke “These funds are essential for foster local initiatives that bring people together through sport and culture By combining world-class martial arts with the rich traditions of Sikh culture this event highlights not only the talent of these athletes but also promotes community engagement spirit and economic development in Surrey.”  For more on the event, visit tickettailor.com/events/knockouteventsltd. New information is coming to light about two separate trucking incidents that took place on Tuesday in Abbotsford and near Chilliwack 1130 NewsRadio has learned the drivers of both trucks had provincial permits which come with authorized routes that will help avoid any potential issues 1130 has been told that both drivers ignored those instructions another trucker brought down some telecom lines on Clearbrook Road in Abbotsford ROAD CLOSURE – Clearbrook Road is currently closed in both directions between South Fraser Way and Hillcrest Ave due to an oversized commercial vehicle load taking out numerous communications lines. CVSE is on scene assisting our Patrol Officers. No injuries reported. Extensive… pic.twitter.com/N3IIOqhOXB 1130 has also been told that both trucks were carrying the exact same-sized load that came from a local company and both trucking companies are Alberta-based “The company involved in the over-height load that impacted wires near South Fraser Way and Clearbrook Road in Abbotsford is Ryanson Transport It is not the same company involved in the overpass collision at the No 3 Road Crossing on Highway 1 near Chilliwack also from Alberta,” the Ministry of Transportation said in a statement to 1130 NewsRadio The ministry added that the Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement unit (CVSE) is investigating both incidents and will be following up with enforcement officials in Alberta it’s unclear what will happen to either driver A 20-year-old driver faces several charges in Abbotsford after trying to get away from police on Sunday (April 27) A social media post from the Abbotsford Police Department said the incident occurred at 6:40 p.m. when officers tried to stop a vehicle associated to a prohibited driver in the area of South Fraser Way and Emerson Street officers deployed covert tactics and safely arrested the driver 16 minutes later,” the post states The Abbotsford man now faces charges that include dangerous driving Police also say the man was impaired by alcohol at the time and has been issued a 90-day driving suspension Abbotsford voters can cast their ballots in the federal election as early as Friday Sunday and Monday (April 19-21) from 9 a.m Electors must vote only at their assigned polling place This is different from the process in some provincial elections where electors can vote at any polling location Voters can find the address for their assigned polling station on the back of their voter information card by visiting elections.ca or by calling 1-800-463-6868 To vote, electors must prove their identity and address. The list of accepted ID can be found online Another early-voting option is to vote at any Elections Canada office by April 22 at 6 p.m.  The locations in Abbotsford can be found online The offices are open seven days a week: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m Residents can also vote by mail using the special ballot process The deadline to apply to vote by special ballot is Tuesday and the marked ballot must be returned by election day – Monday Visit the Elections Canada website to apply to vote by mail Candidates running in the Abbotsford-South Langley riding are: • Aeriol Alderking for the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Candidates confirmed for the riding of Mission-Matqui-Abbotsford are: • incumbent Brad Vis for the Conservatives; Some future PGA stars are Abbotsford-bound for a brand new season of the NextGen Pacific Championship which kicks off at Ledgeview Golf Club on Friday A total of 156 junior golfers are competing in this weekend's competition which marks the first of six qualifying events this summer for the 2025 national junior championships Ledgeview general manager Brad Clapp said that the Abbotsford course has played host to countless promising young golfers in the past "Hosting some of the top junior golfers is exciting for all involved as we are proud of what we have to offer," Clapp said "Players should not underestimate Ledgeview at all when seeing the 6,200 total yardage and patience will be needed for all three days in order to be successful It is what helped develop players such as Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor and it is what will be needed by the eventual winners come Sunday." Getting home turf advantage will be Abbotsford golfers Alexis Thorsell, Avin Phillips the field will be reduced to the top 50 boys and 20 girls who will continue to vie for a top spot and earn their place in the national championships The top eight finalists for the boys will advance to the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys and Girls Championships in August The MSA Pioneers Association celebrates the 87th anniversary of its annual banquet on Friday May 2 by honouring and celebrating longtime residents of the Abbotsford area.   This year's event at Matsqui Hall will recognize the contributions of two longtime business families – Abe Konrad and his family of Blackwood Building Centre and Ernie Loewen and his family of Loewen Welding and Manufacturing.    "Pioneers" are those who have resided in Abbotsford for at least 40 years or are the descendant of a longtime local family.  The banquet has been a tradition since 1938 with the formation of a group led by president Tom Straiton. The group decided to hold an annual reunion to encourage residents to keep the area's history and memories alive for future generations The event includes a catered buffet dinner Tickets are $50 and are available by calling Jean Martens at 604-859-4063 or Frank Keis at 604-853-1693