Statistics Canada says the economy contracted in April as real gross domestic product posted its first decline since April 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic.The agency says real gross domestic product fell 0.3 per cent in April.The result compared with an initial estimate for April for a drop of 0.8 per cent.Statistics Canada says its preliminary estimate for May shows a drop of 0.3 per cent as many restrictions were still in place through the month as the country grappled with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.The decline in April, as well as the early estimate for May, put ov

On the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the Digital India campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with the beneficiaries of its various schemes on July 1 via video conferencing, informed Ministry of Electronics and IT on Wednesday."Digital India has been one of the biggest success stories of New India -- enabling services, bringing Government closer to citizens, promoting citizen engagement and empowering people," the official release reads.Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will also be present on the occasion and will deliver the opening remarks.The interactive

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia. BC had 29 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 147,578 cases in British Columbia.There are currently 876 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and a further 144,931 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 110 individuals are currently hospitalized, 34 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.There have been no new COVID-19 related de

ancouver Police are investigating the murder of a 53-year-old man who was found dead in his east-side home Monday morning. VPD officers were called to the home, near Victoria Drive and East 49 Avenue, shortly before 11 a.m. yesterday, after a body was discovered inside. The victim has been identified as Jin Cai. No arrests have been made. Detectives from VPD’s Major Crime Section continue to investigate and gather evidence This is Vancouver’s ninth homicide victim of 2021.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has arrested Darius Commodore and David Geoghegan for the murder of Jordan Smyth.Background:On November 1, 2019, at around 7:01 a.m., Chilliwack RCMP responded to a call and found the body of 26-year-old Jordan Smyth near Sleepy Hollow Road in the Cultus Lake area of Chilliwack. There was evidence of foul play and IHIT was called to investigate.After 19 months working with our partners, at the Integrated Forensic Identification Section, the National Forensic Laboratory Section, and the Chilliwack RCMP, IHIT attained sufficient evidence for appr

British Columbia will be moving toward a return to normal life on Canada Day as the province removes most COVID-19 restrictions and allows outdoor gatherings of up to 5,000 people.Premier John Horgan says high vaccination rates and a low number of cases and deaths compared with other jurisdictions including Ontario and Quebec mean the province has achieved "extraordinary results" through its public health response.Horgan says B.C. recorded 29 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, seven of them in the Fraser Health region, which has consistently had among the highest case numbers in the province since

The latest study of deaths related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada estimates the number of deaths could much higher than currently reported. A study commissioned by the Royal Society of Canada found about six-thousand deaths between February and November of last year were linked to the pandemic but appeared to have gone undetected, unreported or unattributed to the virus. Dr. Tara Moriarty led the study and estimates, if fatalities have been missed at the same rate since last November, the overall number of deaths may be two times higher than the reported number of just over 26-thousand. T

The BC Wildfire Service says a three-and-a-half-square kilometre wildfire is burning out of control northwest of Kamloops. The blaze was spotted yesterday and has prompted an evacuation alert for nine nearby properties in the rural area. Twenty-seven firefighters, two helicopters and eight air tankers are assigned to the fire. A cause remains under investigation but the wildfire service says it is suspected to have been caused by humans. BC Wildfire service on Twitter: The #BCWildfire Service continues suppression efforts on Sparks Lake wildfire (K21001) with 20 personnel remaining on site ov

Burnaby RCMP is urging people to check on loved ones and neighbours as the heatwave bringing record-breaking temperatures continues in Metro Vancouver.In a 24 hour period since Monday, Burnaby RCMP has responded to more than 25 sudden death calls. Although still under investigation, heat is believed to be a contributing factor in the majority of the deaths. Many of the deceased have been seniors."Check on your neighbours, check on family members, check on seniors you may know," said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with Burnaby RCMP."We are seeing this weather can be deadly for vulnerable members of our commu