The Canadian economy posted its worst showing on record in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country, shutting down businesses and putting millions out of work.Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product shrank 5.4 per cent in 2020, the steepest annual decline since comparable data was first recorded in 1961. The drop for the year was due to the shutdown of large swaths of the economy in March and April during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that crushed the economy.Since then, economic activity has slowly and steadily grown. Statistics Canada says the economy grew

Health officials have released the first details about the mass vaccination strategy that aims to provide COVID-19 immunizations to about four million BC residents by September. Beginning immediately, residents and staff of independent living centres, seniors' supportive housing facilities and those giving or receiving homecare support will be contacted to arrange appointments. Seniors aged 90 and up will be eligible for a shot as early as next Monday, followed a week later by those aged 85 and over, while people over 80 can book starting March 22nd. By mid-April, people between 60 and 79 and

More than 275 thousand COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in BC, but that isn't nearly enough to prevent new health facility outbreaks at Glacier View Lodge, Chilliwack General Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital and Surrey Memorial Hospital. However, several outbreaks were also declared over, including one at St. Paul's Hospital in downtown Vancouver. BC is reporting 1,478 new COVID-19 infections from Saturday to Monday, for a total of 80,672 cases in the province since the pandemic began. There are 4,464 people with active cases in the province, of whom 236 are hospitalized and 65 are

RCMP say two youths have been arrested after a male was injured in an assault with a weapon outside a high school in Surrey, B.C. Mounties say investigators have identified three suspects in the assault, which happened Monday morning outside of Panorama Ridge Secondary School. The injured youth was taken to hospital in stable condition and the school was placed on a "hold and secure" until the safety of all students was confirmed, police say. All of the suspects are youth and were not previously known to police, RCMP say, and while two have been arrested and are in custody, officers are still

A lawyer for the Huawei executive facing extradition to the United States says there's evidence showing the case against her is "manifestly unreliable" and he wants that evidence admitted to the record. Meng Wanzhou's lawyer Frank Addario says emails between staff at the telecom giant and international bank HSBC show the bank was well aware that Huawei controlled another company called Skycom, therefore Meng wasn't responsible for any violation of U.S. sanctions again Iran by the bank. He told the B.C. Supreme Court hearing that staff at HSBC knew that Skycom was sold to Canicula, that Canicu

Police say homicide investigators have been called after a child was found in medical distress in a small community in the Fraser Valley. The RCMP in Agassiz say the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over after they were called to a home in Harrison Mills to assist BC Ambulance Service when it was called to a medical emergency. They say the child was taken to a regional hospital where he was in critical condition and not expected to survive. The RCMP say no other details are being released. Upper Fraser Valley RCMP on Twitter: Agassiz - Agassiz RCMP Engage IHIT Following Call o

Police say they've fined the host of a gender reveal party in downtown Vancouver. The host got a fine of 2,300 dollars for violating the COVID-19 provincial health order banning gatherings. Police spokesman Sergeant Steve Addison says officers were called to an apartment Saturday evening for a report of a large gathering. He says 17 people were found inside the apartment. Addison says the incident shows terrible judgment and a lack of consideration for the community.

Prince Philip was moved by ambulance to a specialized London heart hospital earlier today. Doctors will run some tests and keep him under observation for a pre-existing heart condition as he continues to be treated for an unspecified infection. Philip will be 100 in June. He was first admitted to hospital almost 13 days ago on his doctor's advice because he wasn't feeling well. Prince Philip was shielded from photographers by people holdingopen umbrellas as he was moved by ambulance to a specialized London heart hospital. Buckingham Palace says the Queen's 99 year old husband will undergo tes

BC's police watchdog is investigating after a man was shot and killed in a First Nations community off the west coast of Vancouver Island. The RCMP say two Mounties from the Tofino detachment were sent to a residence on the Opitsaht First Nation Saturday night to investigate a report of a woman in distress. They allege an unspecified "interaction" then occurred in which one man was shot and another was arrested. Police say the woman was taken to hospital for assessment, and no one else was injured. BC RCMP on Twitter: #bcrcmp #Tofino - BC RCMP notify the IIO BC of an incident in Tofino https: