Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is expanding a loan program for small businesses suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic and is working on a new support for companies having trouble paying rent.The loan program will now be open to businesses that had payrolls last year between $20,000 and $1.5 million.The Canada Emergency Business Account previously offered up to $40,000 in loans to business with payrolls between $50,000 and $1 million.Trudeau also says a program is coming to help businesses cover rents for at least three months but the details still need to be worked ou

A state of local emergency has been declared north of Vancouver as a wildfire has charred more than half a square kilometre of bush and trees in the Upper Squamish Valley.The District of Squamish issued the declaration late Wednesday after the out-of-control fire threatened a handful of homes, a campground and BC Hydro infrastructure.Six homes have been evacuated and evacuation alerts are also in effect for residents of Paradise Valley.Coastal Fire Centre spokeswoman Donna MacPherson has said the blaze was likely human caused.A 12 person, BC Wildfire crew remained in the area overnight, assis

WestJet Airlines Ltd. says it will lay off 1,700 pilots as the company continues to struggle with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.The Air Line Pilots Union says 700 employees received layoff notices effective May 1, with 1,000 more kicking in on June 1, depending on seniority.The layoffs come amid an ongoing collapse of global travel triggered by border shutdowns and tanking demand, with WestJet and Air Canada slashing the vast majority of their flights through April and May.WestJet calls the impact ``colossal'' and says the layoffs are a ``last resort'' that make up part of broader cost re

Amid fears over the spread of COVID-19, a man was allegedly shot at for coughing while playing Ludo. The incident took place at Dayanagar village in Jarcha on Tuesday. "The accused fired at the man following an altercation. A case has been registered and a hunt has been launched to nab the accused," said Rajesh Singh, DCP Zone 3. The incident occurred on Tuesday night when four people were playing Ludo in Jarcha's Senthli Temple while the accused was passing by. The injured and the accused had some altercation following which the accused shot at the injured. "Jai Veer then shot Prashant in hi

There are 28,379 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 14,860 confirmed (including 487 deaths, 2,146 resolved) Ontario: 8,447 confirmed (including 385 deaths, 3,902 resolved) Alberta: 1,996 confirmed (including 48 deaths, 914 resolved) British Columbia: 1,561 confirmed (including 75 deaths, 955 resolved) Nova Scotia: 549 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 137 resolved) Saskatchewan: 304 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 205 resolved) Newfoundland and Labrador: 247 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 149 resolved) Manitoba: 231 confirmed (including 5 deaths, 108 resolved), 15 presumptive New

British Columbia Premier John Horgan says people in the province should congratulate themselves for their efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve, but says it's still too early to loosen. Horgan says most people are following the orders of provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to self-isolate if sick, practise physical distancing and frequent hand washing. Horgan says recent data says most people in B.C. stayed close to home over the Easter holiday weekend and did not visit their weekend cottages or take drives to nearby communities. The premier says Henry will release up-to-date data mode

Alberta is reporting 126 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 1,996 Premier Jason Kenney says there have been no new deaths in the province. So far, 49 Albertans have died as a result of the novel coronavirus. Kenney also announced $53 million in additional funding for mental health and addiction services. Alberta is reporting an outbreak of COVID-19 at an oilsands work site north of Fort McMurray. The province's chief medical officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, says three people have tested positive for the illness at Imperial's Kearl work camp.

British Columbia is reporting three more deaths and 44 new cases of COVID-19 today. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says one of those deaths represents the first in the Interior Health region, a man in his 60s who had been recovering at home. The province's death toll is now up to 75 and the total number of cases is 1,561. Henry says 131 people are in hospital, including 59 in critical or intensive care, while 955 people in B.C. have recovered from the disease. She says three additional cases have been identified amid an ongoing outbreak at a West Kelowna nursery, where 26 people h

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says there is cause for cautious optimism that the COVID-19 epidemic is slowing down. In late March, the number of cases doubled every three days. More recently, it takes about 10 days for the number of cases to double. But Tam says that doesn't mean that Canada can ease up on physical distancing measures. She says coming down the other side of the epidemic curve will be like coming down a mountain in the dark. It must be done carefully and slowly, or the fall will be hard.