The BC government says it will start accepting applications next month for a new emergency benefit for workers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. It says the one thousand dollar benefit is to help those whose ability to work has been affected by the pandemic. It says those who are eligible for the federal government's emergency response benefits are also eligible to apply for the BC program starting May 1st. Payments are expected to be processed within days of applications being filed.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is reporting a COVID-19 outbreak at a second poultry processing plant in the province. Henry says two cases have been confirmed at the Superior Poultry plant in Coquitlam. She says it's a sister plant to the United Poultry facility in east Vancouver that was closed earlier this week after an outbreak where 29 people have tested positive for the virus. Henry is reporting 29 new cases of the virus and four new deaths raising the total to 1,824 with 94 deaths.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is asking the federal government to give local governments billions in emergency funding to stave off financial ruin. The organization says local governments need between $10 billion and $15 billion over the next six months to pay for services while they see revenue declines. Transit ridership, for instance, is down as people stay home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and municipal councils are considering or have approved delays in collecting property taxes to give residents a financial break. That's why they're asking for $2.4 billion for cities with t

Canada's chief public health officer is reacting to accusations from a Conservative leadership candidate that she is working for China's Communist party, and not Canada, in the fight against COVID-19. Dr. Theresa Tam says she has but one focus during her very long work days. Conservative leadership candidate Derek Sloan says Tam should be fired. He also accuses her of working for China's Communist party, and not Canada, in the fight against COVID-19. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests Sloan's comments were racist and must be denounced.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says we are failing our parents and grandparents in long term care homes. Trudeau says the government is sending the military to help in long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec. But he says it should never have come to this, and there are tough questions to be asked once the crisis is over. The outbreak of COVID-19 in long term care homes has outraged many Canadians and Trudeau says that outrage is not misplaced.

Nova Scotia is reporting four more deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths in the province to 16. Health officials say three of the deaths occurred at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax Regional Municipality, and the other occurred at Harbourstone Enhanced Care in Sydney. Nova Scotia is reporting 55 new cases of the virus and has a total of 827 confirmed cases. There are 10 licensed long-term care homes and unlicensed seniors' facilities in Nova Scotia with cases of COVID-19, involving 158 residents and 79 staff.

Police say they are investigating the discovery of a dead infant in a portable public toilet in Vancouver. A statement from the police department says the remains were found Wednesday on the city's Downtown Eastside. Const. Tania Visintin says officers were called to the area at around 6 p.m. She says it was obvious to responding officers that the baby was deceased. Visintin says there's concern for the physical and mental well-being of the mother and police are searching for her. She says the discovery was a ``extremely tragic.''

Ontario is reporting 634 new cases of COVID-19 today and 54 more deaths. That brings the total number of cases in the province to 12,879, a 5.2 per cent increase over Wednesday. The total includes 713 deaths and 6,680 cases that have been resolved.

Quebec is reporting 109 new COVID-19 deaths today, bringing the total to 1,243. There are now a total of 21,838 positive cases in the province, including 873 reported over the last 24 hours. Premier Francois Legault says a big concern is finding health-care personnel as 9,500 staff are off the job due to illness or other reasons. He's asking all workers who are not in quarantine and able to return to work to do so.