BC is easing more health restrictions imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, including allowing spas, hotels, resorts and RV parks to resume operating. Premier John Horgan say the province can gradually move into the third phase of its reopening plan because it's been successful in flattening the curve of the pandemic. But while more businesses and recreational areas are allowed to open, large public gatherings will remain capped at a maximum of 50 people. The province has also released summer travel guidelines that include people respecting local travel advisories to remote communities an

WestJet Airlines Ltd. says it will lay off 3,333 employees as part of major restructuring amid the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the travel industry. The company says it will consolidate call centre activity in Alberta, restructure its office and management staff and contract out operations at all but four of the 38 Canadian airports where it operates. WestJet CEO Ed Sims says the changes are ``unavoidable'' as the Calgary-based company contends with ``the biggest crisis in the history of aviation.'' The pandemic has seen the airline park two-thirds of its fleet after border shutdo

Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia: "Today, we are announcing 14 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 2,849 cases in British Columbia."There are 162 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 2,516 people who tested positive have recovered."Of the total COVID-19 cases, 14 individuals are hospitalized, seven of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation."Si

Florida's new confirmed coronavirus cases skyrocketed Wednesday by 5,500, a 25% jump from the previous record set last week and triple the level of just two weeks ago. The rapidly escalating daily figures continue a trend that began when Florida started reopening its economy last month and have caused several counties and cities to implement emergency orders requiring the wearing of masks in public places and crack down on businesses that aren't enforcing social distancing rules. Two weeks ago, Florida's one-day record for confirmed coronavirus cases was 1,601, set in mid-May. That has been e

First Nation Chief Allan Adam says he's overwhelmed that charges against him have been dropped, following his violent arrest by the RCMP earlier this year. Adam was in front of a Fort McMurray provincial court judge when the Crown withdrew the charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer. The move to drop the charges came after RCMP dash-cam footage of Adam's March arrest was made public earlier this month. It shows him yelling at one officer before another Mountie suddenly runs at him, grabs him by his neck and shoulders and pulls him to the ground before punching him in the he

Homicide detectives in Metro Vancouver are appealing for information as they investigate the murder of a 41-year-old woman who died in hospital on June 17.A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says little is known about Bo Fan, who was dropped off at a Surrey hospital with life-threatening injuries and died a short time later.Sgt. Frank Jang says police do not believe her murder was random.He says investigators have determined she was a citizen of China, had links to a group known as either Golden Touch or Create Abundance, and had been living in Surrey since February 20

The International Monetary Fund is estimating the Canadian economy will shrink by 8.4 per cent this year- a 2.2% steeper decline than it forecast in April.Globally, the IMF is predicting a drop of 4.9 per cent in GDP, significantly worse than the three per cent drop it had estimated two months ago.The IMF says the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately hurting low-income households and imperilling the significant progress made in reducing extreme poverty in the world since 1990.

New statistics show 21 people were apprehended by the RCMP crossing into Canada from the U.S. in May, despite the shutdown of the border.That's up from just six who were stopped in April, the first full month the border was closed to nearly everything but essential travel in a bid by the two countries to slow the spread of COVID-19.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says 1,390 people in total filed for asylum in Canada in May, and 1,570 did so in April.Since 2017, nearly 57,000 people have crossed the border between Canada and the U.S. using unofficial entry points so they are able

Authorities on Tuesday identified three family members who died in their backyard swimming pool. 62 yearold Bharat Patel, his 33 year old daughter in law Nisha Patel and her 8 year old daughter were found unresponsive in the above ground pool, Monday afternoon by East Brunswick police responding to a 911 call from neighbours who heard screams. Police Lt. Frank Sutter told reporters police performed CPR when they arrived, but all three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. On Tuesday, the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner's Office said it had concluded the deaths were by accident