Canada’s chief public health officer says a number of factors are combining to cause rising levels of COVID-19 activity across the country. Dr. Theresa Tam says the loosening of public health restrictions, an increase in our in-person contacts, some waning of immunity and the spread of the more transmissible B-A-2 variant have all likely contributed to the rising levels of infection. Dr. Tam says multiple indicators, from average daily case counts, to lab test positivity and waste water monitoring indicate increasing transmission in recent weeks. Dr. Tam is again stressing that a booster dos

British Columbia's coroner says over 9,400 people in the province have died of an overdose from toxic illicit drugs since the government declared a public health emergency six years ago. Lisa Lapointe says urgent action is needed to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use and to provide more people with a safer supply of substances that would replace the profit-driven illicit market.Lapointe says she understands that the concept of a safer drug supply is difficult for some people to understand, given decades of a punitive, enforcement-based approach to substance use, but more peo

Chief James Ramer expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reassured the public about their safety while asking them to remain vigilant at a news conference on April 12 at police headquarters. "They’re the types of incidents that will understandably cause concern in our communities," Ramer said. "While we appreciate that this news does nothing to ease the suffering of the victims and their families, particularly those now grieving death, I can report that the suspects for all of these incidents are now in police custody. It is my hope that this fact provides at least a sliver

At least 10 people were shot and eight others injured when a gunman filled a rush-hour subway train with smoke and opened fire Tuesday morning. Police were still searching for the shooter.There were no life-threatening injuries and the attack was not being investigated as terrorism. Officials said at least 16 in all were injured in some way in the attack at the 36th Street station in the borough's Sunset Park neighborhood. According to multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, preliminary information indicated that the gunman who fled was wearing a construction vest and a

The business of promoting the latest federal budget is underway in BC and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is spending the day on Vancouver Island to outline the benefits of the Liberal's plan for a green economy, which was a large part of last week's financial plan. Trudeau announced plans for further electric vehicle infrastructure, saying that will help overcome consumer worries about the ease and cost of buying and using the new technology. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan also made a green economy announcement this morning in Kelowna while Natural Resources Minister Jonathan

The fire chief says several people were rescued from a building where smoke billowed out the windows in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood today. Fire Chief Karen Fry posted a short video on Twitter of fire crews dousing the top floor of a four-storey building with water. Numerous fire trucks also surrounded the building. Heavy, acrid smoke drifted across downtown Vancouver during the fire.

On April 10th, at 10:47 am, AbbyPD Patrol Officers responded to the 1700 block of Clearbrook Road for a report of a female lying on the roadway. Upon arrival, a 50 year old female was located suffering from serious life-threatening injuries after exiting a vehicle while it was in motion. The female was transported to the hospital by air ambulance. Investigators have determined the female was a passenger in a 2017 Grey Dodge pickup truck bearing an Alberta licence plate before sustaining her injuries. The truck driver, a 39-year-old man, remained on the scene and has been identified by police.

Homicide investigators have identified the victim of a daylight shooting in Maple Ridge Saturday that left one man dead. Police say Darr Khunkhun was the victim of a targeted attack. They say the 41-year-old does not have a criminal record but whether his death is linked to gang conflict is not yet known. Police say they are now looking for a newer-model red Honda four-door sedan with a sunroof that was seen leaving the parking lot after the shooting.

A BC scientist is calling for better public access to COVID-19 data as the province enters what could be a sixth wave of the pandemic. In its latest report, the independent BC COVID-19 Modelling Group says it believes BC is at the beginning of a second Omicron wave. Sarah Otto, a mathematical biologist, UBC professor and modelling group member, says the severity of that wave remains unclear due to uncertainty on multiple fronts, including reliable data. She says data that's been made publicly available in B-C lags behind other Canadian jurisdictions, and is not sufficient to do proper statist