B-C Emergency Health says paramedics responded to more than 24-thousand overdose calls across the province last year, which amounts to an average of 66 calls each day. The health service says up until 2015, overdose calls in B-C fluctuated from 10 to 15-thousand each year, but by 2017 the number exceeded 23-thousand. It says this year's calls represent a two per cent increase ove 2018 and Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria continue to see the highest number of calls. There were nearly 86-hundred calls in Vancouver, an increase of eight per cent over the year before.

An inquest will begin into the death of a 49-year-old Nanaimo man three years after he was fatally shot by police.Craig Ford was walking through a residential area of the city carrying a knife in June 2016 when officers arrived. The office that examines all cases of police-involved injury or death later ruled the shooting was justified because Ford repeatedly refused orders to drop the knife and advanced toward officers. The inquest into his death -- which is mandatory -- will begin on July 27th in Nanaimo.

Paving the way for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union later this month, British Parliament has voted in favour of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal. Thursday's vote followed a third reading in the Parliament in which 330 members of parliament voted in favour and 231 against. With the passing of the deal, the biggest hurdle in the Brexit has been cleared. It was the last opportunity for the MPs to reject the bill before it is sent to the House of Lords after which it will be put into legislation in the coming weeks. The UK's House of Commons has previously rejected the

A senior Vancouver police officer has been ordered dismissed from the force for discreditable conduct after an inappropriate relationship with a junior constable who died by suicide. The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner says in a statement the order was made against Sgt. Dave Van Patten but he can request a review of the decision. It says Const. Nicole Chan killed herself last January and the police complaint commissioner ordered an investigation, which was conducted by the New Westminster police. The statement says the investigation revealed Van Patten was in an inappropriate relat

A 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon for throwing coffee in the faces of two men in Regina last summer. The act caught media attention in July when a video was posted on Facebook. The men, who were not hurt, were in a parking lot near a Walmart and a Winners store. The Crown prosecutor described the attack as unprovoked and degrading. The youth was given a conditional discharge, eight months of probation and 20 hours of community service. He is also required to make written apologies to the men.

Two U.S. officials say it was ``highly likely'' that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile downed a Ukrainian jetliner late Tuesday, killing all 176 people on board. President Donald Trump is suggesting he believes Iran was responsible. He is dismissing Iranian claims that it was a mechanical issue that brought down the plane. The officials, citing U.S. intelligence, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. The crash came just a few hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops amid a confrontation with Washington

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said evidence indicates an Iranian missile downed a Ukrainian jetliner late Tuesday but ``may have been unintentional.'' Trudeau says Canadian and allied intelligence supports that. He declined to get into the intelligence.

In an exclusive interview on Connect FM’s Sver Wala Show, Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum criticized former councillors Jack Hundial and Brenda Locke for what he called a “flip-flop” on the city’s controversial policing transition. McCallum told Connect News Team, at our studios, that both councillors previously supported replacing the RCMP with a municipal police force before the last municipal election but changed their position after being elected. It’s very unusual to see elected officials reverse themselves so dramatically,” McCallum said. “It’s only natural that three council

R-C-M-P in Surrey have issued a warning about a new scam reported by people who used Whatsapp believing they were booking low-cost airline tickets. The Mounties say the flights between India and Vancouver were advertised on Punjabi T-V and newspapers. But they say two separate victims have reported their credit card data was stolen and used after they were directed to provide the information to book a flight via Whatsapp. Police say they are looking to identify the individuals involved but people should never provide personal or credit card details via mobile apps to an unknown third party.