Three hikers who set out on one of Vancouver's North Shore mountain trails late yesterday afternoon had to call for help when darkness fell and they got lost. North Shore Rescue was called in at about 10:30, located the trio overnight, and although the three men were not hurt, they were helicoptered out of the area this morning. The call was one of three the rescue group says it received in the last 24 hours. One involved a hiker on Mount Seymour who set out late in the day yesterday and ended up spending the night on the mountain but was able to hike out this morning, while the third involve

Canada's chief public health officer is warning that there will be new surges in the number of COVID-19 cases heading into the fall. Dr. Theresa Tam says the federal government is planning for what she calls a ``reasonable worst-case scenario.'' But she says health officials will also ramp up prevention measures since they are also expecting the usual flu season as well as COVID-19. The health model suggests the number of cases by August 23rd could be as high as 127,000 and the number of deaths as high as 9,115. Tam says continuing to build hospital capacity, while encouraging people to follo

A toddler who wandered away from his family on Wednesday was found three hours later and five kilometres away. Kelowna RCMP say the two year-old boy went missing on Wednesday in the Clark Lake recreational area. A search and rescue group believes the boy walked logging roads and quad trails before being found by an uncle. The boy did not suffer any injuries from the ordeal.

A deal has been reached between the BC government and the maker of a drug that slows the progression of ALS symptoms. The Health Ministry says supplying patients with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, with the drug Radicava would cost about 120,000 dollars a year for each patient. The ministry says it expects as many as 183 patients will get coverage in the first year. The deal was worked out under the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance and the ministry says it meet B.C.'s cost mandate.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border will be extended another 30 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It means the two countries will continue their mutual ban on non-essential cross-border travel until at least Sept. 21. In a tweet, Blair says officials will keep doing what's necessary to keep communities safe. A formal announcement of the extension was expected to come later. The Canada-U.S. border has been closed to so-called ``discretionary'' travel like vacations and shopping trips since the pandemic took hold of the continent in mid-March. The Unit

Asylum seekers working on the front-lines of the COVID-19 crisis are getting an early chance at permanent residency in Canada.Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced the program today in response to public demand that the so-called "Guardian Angels" many in Quebec be recognized for their work in the health-care sector during the pandemic.Ordinarily, asylum seekers must wait for their claims to be accepted before they can become permanent residents, but the new program waives that requirement.To apply for residency now, they must have claimed asylum in Canada prior to March 13 and have

There are 121,234 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 60,917 confirmed (including 5,715 deaths, 53,441 resolved) Ontario: 40,367 confirmed (including 2,787 deaths, 36,689 resolved) Alberta: 11,969 confirmed (including 220 deaths, 10,713 resolved) British Columbia: 4,274 confirmed (including 196 deaths, 3,500 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,511 confirmed (including 20 deaths, 1,325 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,071 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,007 resolved) Manitoba: 588 confirmed (including 8 deaths, 377 resolved), 15 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 reso

The British Columbia government says it is committing $36 million over nearly three years to fund more addiction treatment space for youth. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy says the investment will add 123 new treatment beds and more than double the current number of spaces available for youth aged 12 to 24. The province and local health authorities are discussing where the spaces should be located, but Darcy says some could be available within the next few months. The beds will form part of a continuum of care that Darcy says will include withdrawal management and detox space

British Columbia's Health Minister warned those planning on holding large parties and events this upcoming weekend to expect visits from officials to ensure COVID-19 guidelines are being followed. Adrian Dix says parties may not be immediately shut down but there would be consequences for those found flaunting the rules. The pronouncement comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in B.C., particularly among young adults between the ages of 20 to 29. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says those infections have been seen after exposure events, such as parties where young adults have bee