About 500 British Columbia workers handed layoff notices by BC Ferries are back on the payroll after the company altered staffing plans during the COVID-19 crisis.A total of 1,100 workers were due to be laid off last Saturday but the notices were rescinded for 500 regular employees as BC Ferries waits to learn if it qualifies for federal wage subsidies.A spokeswoman for the company says it could take some time to determine eligibility and even if approved, the layoffs will go ahead for 600 casual workers.Physical distancing regulations require the company to cut passenger levels by 50 per cen

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is expanding to Canadian Emergency Response Benefit to people who earn some income, seasonal workers and those who have run out of EI.He says people who earn up to $1,000 per month will soon be able to access the benefit.The prime minister says the government also plans to top up the pay of essential workers less than $2,500 per month.He says that includes many people who work in long-term care homes.

Canada Border Services Agency is temporarily scaling back opening hours at several of what it describes as ``low traffic'' crossings along the border with the United States.In all, 27 ports are affected; three in British Columbia, two in Alberta, eight in Saskatchewan, six in Manitoba and eight in Quebec.The western crossings and two in Quebec will open later and close earlier while six other Quebec ports usually open around the clock will operate between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.Revised hours take effect at midnight and Canada Border Services says the changes which are related to COVID-19 measures w

There are 27,063 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 14,248 confirmed (including 435 deaths, 2,146 resolved) Ontario: 7,953 confirmed (including 334 deaths, 3,568 resolved) Alberta: 1,870 confirmed (including 48 deaths, 914 resolved) British Columbia: 1,517 confirmed (including 72 deaths, 942 resolved) Nova Scotia: 517 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 124 resolved) Saskatchewan: 301 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 187 resolved) Manitoba: 229 confirmed (including 4 deaths, 99 resolved), 17 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 244 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 149 resolved) New B

A 26 year old man has been charged in a fatal shooting in Surrey a week ago. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 21 year old Pritpal Singh was found fatally shot on the front lawn of a home just after midnight on April 7th. Investigators had originally suggested it was a targeted shooting but now say they believe it was a random incident. IHIT says Robert Tomljenovic was arrested yesterday and charged today with second-degree murder and robbery with a firearm.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says travel restrictions along the Canada-US border, and on businesses and individuals in Canada, will be around for at least weeks to come. Trudeau says Canada is still very much in the control and contain phase of its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The border has been closed to non-essential travel in both directions for nearly a month.

Alberta is reporting 138 new cases of COVID-19. That brings the total in the province to 1,870. Alberta's chief medical health officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw says increases are to be expected with more testing. She also reported two additional deaths one at the McKenzie Towne care centre in Calgary and the other at the Shepherd's Care home in Edmonton.

British Columbia has had three more deaths from COVID-19, all of them in long-term care homes, bringing the total number of fatalities in the province to 72. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says 27 new cases of the disease have been confirmed. That brings the total number of cases of COVID-19 in B.C. to 1,517. She says 942 people have recovered from the illness.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is spending $130 million to help communities in the North withstand the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half the money is being sent to the three territorial governments for their health and social services. But millions of dollars will support airlines that serve the North and subsidy programs to defray the cost of food and hygiene products that are expensive to ship.