A survey of British Columbia businesses finds barely one quarter believe they can open and operate profitably as the province gradually eases COVID-19 restrictions. More than 1,300 member businesses of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council of British Columbia were asked about the second phase of B.C.'s restart plan. A statement from the board of trade says 26 per cent expect to open and operate at a profit while 75 per cent worry about attracting customers. Other concerns include a lack of cash to meet expenses or new safety standards and th

Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer wants Parliament declared an essential service so a reduced number of MPs can resume their House of Commons duties amid the COVID-19 crisis.Scheer says his Conservatives are proposing a motion to do that because he says daily briefings by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from his home are not good enough to hold the government accountable.He says MPs need to be able to ask questions on behalf of their constituents across the country.Scheer says today that up to 50 MPs should be allowed in the House for "normal" sittings, starting Monday, and that 18 of them should

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will fund provinces' efforts to test people for COVID-19, track the contacts of those who test positive, and help different jurisdictions share data.Trudeau says the measures are essential because COVID-19 remains a serious health threat and the economy can't fully recover until Canadians are confident that the novel coronavirus will be contained anywhere new it breaks out.He says federal contact-tracers are helping public health authorities in Ontario and are ready to make thousands more calls a day when any province asks.He says Ottaw

Pakistan's civil aviation authority says at least two people survived the crash of a Pakistan International Airlines plane in a neighbourhood close to the airport in Karachi.There were 91 passengers and seven crew members aboard the Airbus A-320 flight from Lahore.A recording of the flight's final moments indicates it was trying to land when one of its engines failed.Karachi's mayor says five or six houses were destroyed.The pilot of Pakistani International Airlines Flight 8303 was heard transmitting a mayday to the tower shortly before the crash of the Airbus A320, which was flying from Lahor

Air India flight took off from Vancouver International Airport on May 20 with over 200 Indians on board.This is the first Vande Bharat Mission repatriation flight from Canada and the first Air India flight to operate from Vancouver."The first Vande Bharat Mission flight from Canada left from Vancouver on May 20, 2020 with 200 passengers on board. Air India-1190 left Vancouver for Delhi and Amritsar with Indian citizens that included elderly, pregnant women, children and students, who were stranded here after travel restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19 outbreak," said Consulate General of

There are 81,324 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 45,495 confirmed (including 3,800 deaths, 13,327 resolved) Ontario: 24,187 confirmed (including 1,993 deaths, 18,509 resolved) Alberta: 6,768 confirmed (including 132 deaths, 5,710 resolved) British Columbia: 2,479 confirmed (including 152 deaths, 2,020 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,046 confirmed (including 58 deaths, 959 resolved) Saskatchewan: 622 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 509 resolved) Manitoba: 279 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 265 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 260 confirmed (including 3 de

WestJet Airlines Ltd. says it has asked the federal labour minister for an exemption to Canada Labour Code provisions to facilitate group terminations. The company said in an email the exemption would give it flexibility “to act in a timely manner” amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has tanked travel demand across the globe. The April 27 letter to Labour Minister Filomena Tassi, signed by vice-president Mark Porter and obtained by The Canadian Press, states that WestJet expects to cut some employees and that the provisions are “seriously detrimental” to its operations and “unduly pre

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says chances are that a second wave of COVID-19 could sweep back into BC along with other colds and flu in the fall. Dr. Henry says they've been watching a similar pattern elsewhere and because the virus hasn't been wiped out in the province, there is potential for it to rapidly take off. She says in South Korea the virus spread to hundreds of people through nightclubs. 12 new COVID-19 cases reported Twelve more people have tested positive for the virus in BC for a total of 2,479, while2,020 have fully recovered. Three more people have died, bri

British Columbia businesses devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic will still have to pay a scheduled increase in the minimum wage next month just as many are struggling to get back in operation. Labour Minister Harry Bains says the province will push ahead with the planned minimum wage increase on June 1 to $14.60 per hour from $13.85 an hour. He says the lowest paid workers need money in their pockets to help them support their livelihoods and contribute more dollars to local businesses. Bains says B.C.'s economic restart plan launched this week after steady declines in COVID-19 cases aims to