Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Réka Gustafson, B.C.’s deputy provincial health officer, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are announcing 83 new cases, for a total of 4,677 cases in British Columbia. "There are 775 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 3,704 people who tested positive have recovered. "Currently, six individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19, three of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. As well, 2,326

Mexican marines and customs authorities say they have seized 250 pounds (113.5 kilograms) of the synthetic opioid fentanyl at the Mexico City airport. It was the second such large bust at the airport this month. Authorities said Tuesday the fentanyl was found in four small cardboard drums that were part of an air freight shipment. Mexican drug cartels once favoured importing fentanyl and closely related chemical precursors from Asia through Mexico's Pacific coast seaports, but they now appear to have turned to airports. In mid-August, customs authorities seized almost 500 pounds (220 kilogram

Lawyers representing Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou are back in BC Supreme Court today fighting to win release of more confidential documents tied to the case. Meng's legal team says some of the documents relate to her detention at Vancouver's airport in December 2018 and could shed light on her claim that her rights were violated before her arrest. Meng is wanted in the US on fraud charges, which she and Huawei deny, and this chapter in her extradition battle began yesterday with Meng attending via phone link. The matter could continue all week and today's arguments will focus on the technica

The BC Wildfire Service says 79 wildfires have been sparked in the last two days, in the wake of a fierce lightning storm that moved across southern BC Sunday night. The wildfire service website says 74 per cent of the new fires were caused by lightning, including 14 of 15 reported on southern Vancouver Island. Most remain very small, with only a handful larger than a hectare, although a fire on the eastern shore of Sooke Lake, east of Langford, is listed at eight hectares and considered out of control. In all, 475 fires have been reported across B-C since the start of the fire season in Apri

Another hot day is unfolding across much of southern B-C, but Environment Canada has dropped heat warnings for all but the Fraser Canyon and Kootenay Lake regions. Temperatures above 35 degrees, with nighttime lows not falling below 18, will continue there for at least another day but the weather office is calling for slightly cooler conditions tonight. It's still set to be a scorcher for many areas with the mercury nudging the mid-30s in the Kamloops, Kelowna, Cranbrook and Trail areas. There's also the risk of more thunderstorms across southeastern B-C where the wildfire service rates wildf

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says the resignation of Bill Morneau as federal finance minister will do little to quash the WE Charity affair. Singh says that's because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the rest of his inner circle are still at the cabinet table. Jagmeet Singh says he does not believe the resignation of Bill Morneau as federal finance minister will end the ethical problems plaguing the federal Liberals. Singh told reporters in Vancouver that Morneau's replacement, Chrystia Freeland, was at the cabinet table when decisions were made to offer WE Charity a multi-million dollar contract

Canada has its first ever female finance minister. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was sworn in this afternoon at Rideau Hall in a cabinet shuffle that also saw Dominic LeBlanc take over the intergovernmental affairs portfolio. Prime Minister Trudeau usually hugs his cabinet ministers at such ceremonies, instead he gave Freeland and LeBlanc a congratulatory elbow bump. Trudeau has asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until September 23rd, two days after the House of Commons was initially to resume sitting.

There are 122,872 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 61,206 confirmed (including 5,721 deaths, 53,930 resolved) Ontario: 40,745 confirmed (including 2,789 deaths, 37,036 resolved) Alberta: 12,412 confirmed (including 224 deaths, 11,056 resolved) British Columbia: 4,594 confirmed (including 198 deaths, 3,653 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,581 confirmed (including 22 deaths, 1,387 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,075 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,007 resolved) Manitoba: 716 confirmed (including 9 deaths, 490 resolved), 15 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 reso

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C. government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province. Officials announced 236 new cases since Friday during a briefing today, including the second highest single-day increase of 100 since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations decreased from 12 cases to four. Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says most of those testing positive are young, which suggests the province has done a relatively good job of protecting the most vulnerable. However, she says young pe