Fifteen men last seen in Metro Vancouver are on a new list of most wanted criminals who are illegally in Canada but facing deportation once they're caught.
The Canada Border Services Agency says the list of 29 men and one women are all wanted on Canada-wide warrants for crimes committed either abroad or in Canada and are in the the country in violation of immigration or refugee rules.
At least three men from various Asian countries have sexual assault convictions.
See photos and descriptions of those on the wanted list at http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/wc-cg/wanted-recherchees-eng.html
Anyone who spots someone on the list is urged to take no action but report call the CBSA's Border Watch line at 1-888-502-9060.
Smoking is now banned in all Metro Vancouver regional parks except where permitted.
The no-smoking policy was adopted by Metro's board in September and took effect Jan. 1 in all 33 regional parks and greenways but enforcement won't begin until February. Violators can be fined $75.
Smoking is allowed only in signed, designated smoking areas often near parking lots.
Metro aims to protect park users from second hand smoke, reduce litter from discarded butts and reduce the risk of fire.
The first paycheques of 2012 may look lighter to many employees, thanks to rising payroll taxes imposed by Ottawa and Victoria.
A family with children will now pay $128 in monthly premiums to the Medical Services Plan (MSP), an increase of $7 a month or $84 a year.
Employment Insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) premiums are also going up by $306, with the employee covering $142 of that.
MSP premiums are up 18.5 per cent in two years and the jump in EI/CPP premiums is the second biggest since 1994.
Many families can also expect to pay more because of rate increases from BC Hydro and ICBC. BC Ferries has meanwhile increased its fuel surcharge last month and a two-cent gas tax hike in Metro Vancouver for TransLink takes effect in April.
TransLink is planning to increase Night Bus service on some routes next spring.
The N19 bus that runs late at night from downtown Vancouver to Surrey along the Expo Line corridor is expected to be on the list of routes getting more servcice.
"We've had passups on that one," TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said. "It's quite popular."
As with several other route changes in 2011, TransLink would add service on that run by trimming it on other routes or at times where ridership is lower.
Drivers heading through the Fraser Canyon on Highway 1 will soon have wireless Internet and cellphone access.
Telus is activating new wireless sites in the Canyon, bringing 4G mobile access to the corridor through a partnership with the provincial government. The company invested $4 million in the project, which is being billed as a significant expansion of wireless coverage.
