Businesses struggling to pay the bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to start applying today for a long-awaited new commercial rent-relief program offered by the federal government.The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy replaces an earlier rent-support program for businesses introduced in the spring that saw little pickup because it relied on landlords to apply for help.The new program will cover up to 65 per cent of rent or commercial mortgage interest on a sliding scale based on revenue declines, with an extra 25 per cent available to the hardest-hit firms.Federal cabinet min

British Columbia health officials are urging residents to follow their latest orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 and relieve the pressure on the health-care system. The province recorded 516 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, for a total of 25,474. There are 7,122 active cases of COVID-19, with 227 people currently hospitalized. Ten new deaths were also announced, bringing the death toll to 331. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that the social restrictions and mask requirements announced Thursday are meant to keep loved ones safe

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says everyone's actions now could determine Canada's fate for generations to come. He is urging all Canadians to reduce their contacts and stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19. Grim new forecasts suggest Canada could see cases climb by 60,000 per day by year's end if socializing increases. The prime minister says his government is committed to helping businesses, and that lockdown measures are a better way to ensure long-term economic success than letting the virus run rampant. "Canada-U.S. border will remain closed until Dec. 21" Prime Minister Justin Trudea

Surrey RCMP say they have arrested a man and seized drugs they allege are related to a recent number of overdoses in the city. Mounties say they arrested a 19 year old man for possession for the purpose of trafficking in Langley, BC yesterday afternoon. Police seized multiple doses of suspected blue and purple fentanyl, crystal meth and crack cocaine. They're warning anyone who uses drugs to not use alone.

RCMP on Vancouver Island say will increase their presence around the Cowichan District Hospital as they investigate reports of multiple sexual assaults outside the building. North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP say were made aware of sexual assaults believed to have taken placed between Nov. 2 and Nov. 17 near the grounds of the hospital. Mounties say they're looking to speak to any potential victims. In the meantime, police say uniformed officers in marked police vehicles will increase their patrols of the property.

Canada's chief public health officer says there's "urgency" to bring infections down as officials released dire new forecasts indicating that COVID-19 case counts have far surpassed levels seen during the first wave. Dr. Theresa Tam says COVID-19 cases could skyrocket to 60,000 per day by the end of the year if Canadians increase their contact rates. The modelling predicts that at current rates of contact, Canada is careening towards a surge of more than 20,000 cases per day by the end of December. But if socialization increases, the projections indicate that as 2020 draws to a close, Canada

BC is reporting 538 new cases of COVID-19 with most still coming from the Fraser and Vancouver health regions. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the province now has 6,929 active cases. 217 people are in hospital, including 59 in intensive care. Dr. Henry says there is also one addition death, bringing the total to 321. Details of COVID-19 restrictions in B.C. B.C. is introducing new far-reaching limits on social gatherings, travel and mandatory masks in response to surging COVID-19 case numbers and record hospitalizations. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said today t

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at the LNG Canada Project work site in Kitimat. Northern Health says it declared the outbreak after officials found evidence of COVID-19 transmission among staff at the site. It says 14 employees have tested positive so far and all cases occurred in the same general work location. It says those workers and close contacts have been told to self-isolate, with 32 in quarantine at the work site and the rest isolating in their home community.

President-elect Joe Biden is set to meet in Delaware with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. A Biden transition official confirms that Pelosi and Schumer are travelling to Wilmington to meet with the president-elect in person on Friday. The official wasn't authorized to share internal planning and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. Biden spoke with the pair by phone last week about the intensifying pandemic and prospects for passage of a COVID-19 relief bill in the lame duck session of Congress. Biden has made addressing the v