National

Leaf blowers, gas tools axed in Oak Bay, B.C.

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 May, 2022 04:26 PM

OAK BAY, B.C. - Gas-powered leaf blowers and other landscaping tools fuelled by gas will soon be banned in the Vancouver Island District of Oak Bay.

Councillors have voted unanimously in favour of a ban on the noisy, fume-producing tools, including chainsaws and lawn mowers.

Users, from homeowners to professional landscaping companies, will have three years to phase out gas-powered items.

Staff must submit a report to council within the next month providing recommendations for a new bylaw and proposals for education and enforcement.

Gas-powered leaf blowers have been banned in parts of Vancouver's West End for more than 20 years and council passed a motion in January to phase out all gas-powered landscaping tools by 2024.

The District of Saanich also flirted with a ban on leaf blowers last year but the motion failed and the issued was referred to committee for further work.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Unvaccinated federal workers on unpaid leave

Employees in the core federal public sector who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be put on unpaid leave today, unless they were already granted an accommodation. The policy could potentially leave more than 1,000 workers without pay and unable to access employment insurance benefits.

Unvaccinated federal workers on unpaid leave

MPs worry about Hill safety after charged election

Jenny Kwan, NDP MP for Vancouver East, says she opted in to an expert security assessment of her home and it made her feel safer knowing the measures are up to par not just for herself but also her family.

MPs worry about Hill safety after charged election

Rocks and mudslides close B.C. highways

Rising rivers or landslides also prompted evacuation orders in Merritt, Agassiz, Abbotsford and in Princeton, where a dike burst Monday morning, forcing residents of about 200 properties from their homes. In Merritt, rising river waters overwhelmed the city's water system and residents were ordered to "immediately cease" all water use.

Rocks and mudslides close B.C. highways

473 COVID19 cases for Friday

There are currently 4,265 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 204,963 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 384 individuals are currently in hospital and 124 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

473 COVID19 cases for Friday

Police and SAR searching for Shannon White: Kamloops RCMP

As part of the investigation, police received information confirming Ms. White’s vehicle left town for a 45-minute period on Nov. 1, shortly after Ms. White was supposed to have arrived at work. Her vehicle was observed travelling west on the Trans Canada Highway, leading officers to the area being searched.

Police and SAR searching for Shannon White: Kamloops RCMP

Canada could OK kids vaccine in '1 to 2 weeks'

Canada's chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said in a conference call with reporters Friday that the regulator is "actively continuing" its review of the Pfizer-BioNtech jab for children aged five to 11, which was authorized for use in the United States earlier this month.