Four provinces are relaxing their COVID-19 restrictions to start off the week.Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced the state of emergency declared last month will expire tomorrow, but stay-at-home orders will remain in effect.Quebec is allowing dining in restaurants and working out in gyms in six less-populated regions of the province and re-openingnon-essential stores, personal-care salons and museums province-wide.Alberta restaurants are open for in-person dining, and allowing one-on-one training at gyms.Nova Scotia is relaxing restrictions on organized gatherings.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has listed its criteria for hotels seeking to participate in the mandatory three-day quarantine for returning travellers.The conditions posted online put the government one step closer to fulfilling its late-January pledge that all passengers returning from non-essential trips abroad will have to self-isolate in a federally mandated facility for up to 72 hours at their own expense.The government has not said when the measure, which aims to head off COVID-19 cases and contagious variants of the novel coronavirus at the border, will come into effect.To qualify

Canada's COVID-19 vaccine drought could be coming to an end.The Public Health Agency of Canada says Ottawa plans to distribute more than 70,000 Pfizer-BiotNTech vaccine doses this week ahead of a major ramp-up, but no Moderna doses are on the schedule.Starting today, 70,200 Pfizer doses are expected to be delivered.Next week, officials are expecting shipments of about 3,35000 doses, which would be the single biggest vaccine delivery to Canada so far.Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines are the only two to be approved by Health Canada, though the department is reviewing others from AstraZeneca, Novava

Defending Centre's policies for farmers and referring to those taking a "U-Turn" from laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday quoted his predecessor Manmohan Singh who had once called for making one single market for agriculture produce. "Manmohan Ji is here, I would read out his quote. Those taking a U-Turn (farm laws) will perhaps agree with him. 'There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return..." said PM Modi in his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's

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."Today, we are reporting 471 new cases, including four epi-linked cases, for a total of 69,716 cases in British Columbia."There are 4,423 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 253 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 70 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation."Currently, 6,886 people are under active public health monito

A suspect has been arrested in an alleged sexual assault at a park in Surrey. The RCMP says a man in Pioneer Park was accused of groping a youth early yesterday afternoon. They say a 65 year old man was arrested but is to be released with several conditions including not attending Surrey schools or parks. The Mounties say charges have not yet been laid, as the investigation is ongoing. Surrey RCMP on Twitter: Investigators have now identified and arrested a 65 year old suspect in the groping incident from Feb 4. Thank you to the public and media for sharing the original post with photos which

Trudeau says Canada is "very much on track" to receive a total of six million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine doses by the end of March, as planned, and that the CEOs of both pharmaceutical companies have reassured him they'll meet that target. He also says the Liberal government has approved a request for help from the Pauingassi First Nation in northern Manitoba and that the military will arrive by Saturday at the latest. Soldiers will provide logistical support, transport goods and medical supplies, and conduct wellness checks. Canada is one of the leading donors to COVAX: PM

The Oscar-winning Canadian acting legend, Christopher Plummer, whose storied career encompassed stage, television and film, has died. He was 91. Plummer's wife Elaine says he died "peacefully" at his home in Connecticut after suffering a fall two weeks ago. He was perhaps best-known for portraying Captain Georg von Trapp in "The Sound of Music," a part he never liked because he considered it wooden and one-dimensional. Plummer won his first Academy Award at the age of 82 for his supporting role as a widower who comes out of the closet in "Beginners." After the win in 2012, Plummer dismissed t

BC's top doctor says current provincewide health orders on gatherings will remain in place until at least the end of the month. Dr. Bonnie Henry says just one super-spreader event or a slight increase in contacts could counteract all progress made so far to slow the spread of COVID-19, especially as two variants of the virus have been identified here. She says restrictions must stay so there's a smooth finish as more vaccines are available. Dr. Henry says an easing of restrictions could be considered by the end of February, to allow people to spend time with their safe six. Health Minister Ad