17.24°C Vancouver

News

b-c-becomes-first-province-to-provide-universal-coverage-for-opioid-treatments
BCJun 14, 2023

B.C. becomes first province to provide universal coverage for opioid treatments

B.C. is expanding the program it uses to help patients kick their dependence on opioids.A statement from the Health Ministry says B.C. will now provide universal coverage for eligible drugs which include methadone that are rated as opioid agonist treatment medications.The statement says the expanded program differs from safer supply which provides alternatives to illicit drugs and will help the roughly 1600 B.C. patients who can't get PharmaCare coverage for the drugs needed to manage their opioid-use disorder.Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says removing cost barriers
vancouver-family-who-lost-son-to-fentanyl-donates-20-million-to-recovery-centre
BCJun 12, 2023

Vancouver family who lost son to fentanyl donates $20 million to recovery centre

A Vancouver family known for its philanthropy is making a $20 million donation to a British Columbia substance use treatment centre in memory of their adult son and brother who died of an opioid overdose.Jill Diamond, executive director of Vancouver's Diamond Foundation and sister to Steven Diamond, said in a statement that her brother might still be alive today if he had received the care being offered at Vancouver's St. Paul's Hospital."No matter where we turned, we never found the help that Steven needed," Diamond said in a news release."We’re speaking out today for the first time because
b-c-to-require-licence-for-asbestos-abatement-contractors-by-2024
BCJun 09, 2023

B.C. to require licence for asbestos abatement contractors by 2024

British Columbia will soon be the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a licensing requirement for asbestos abatement contractors.The Labour Ministry says workers must be licensed by Jan. 1.This comes following changes to the Workers Compensation Act last year, requiring that contractors who remove the cancer-causing material use only trained and certified workers.The ministry says required training for worker certification is scheduled to begin this summer.It says WorkSafeBC will begin to accept applications from contractors performing asbestos abatement work by September.The ministry sa
vancouver-coastal-health-reverts-to-new-overdose-text-alert-system-for-bad-drugs
BCJun 02, 2023

Vancouver Coastal Health reverts to new overdose text alert system for bad drugs

Vancouver Coastal Health is joining other health authorities in the province in a move to a unified provincial text alert system warning of toxic drugs.Vancouver began its own system called Radar in 2017, while a toxic drug and health alert system developed by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has been adopted by all other health districts in the last year.Those who want to get the alerts need to text the word ``join'' to 253787, and Vancouver Coastal says in a statement that anyone who receives the Radar messages will be automatically added to the province wide alert for toxic drugs.Jennife
british-columbia-and-edmonton-men-face-charges-in-whitehorse-drug-raid
BCJun 01, 2023

British Columbia and Edmonton men face charges in Whitehorse drug raid

Two men, one from Metro Vancouver and another from Alberta, face several charges following a weekend drug raid in Whitehorse.A statement from Yukon RCMP says a search warrant was executed at a Whitehorse home on Saturday and a 22-year-old Richmond manand 23-year-old Edmonton resident were arrested.Charges against them include trafficking, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000, and money laundering.Mounties say more than $130,000 in cash was seized during the bust, along with cellphones, scales and nearly two-thirds of a kilogram o
b-c-names-10-cities-for-faster-development-to-help-address-housing-crisis
BCMay 31, 2023

B.C. names 10 cities for faster development to help address housing crisis

British Columbia's housing minster says more homes will be built sooner under a plan to set construction targets in 10 cities or municipalities in an effort to fast track development. Ravi Kahlon announced housing targets will be set for Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Delta, Port Moody, Abbotsford, Victoria, Oak Bay, Saanich and Kamloops.Kahlon says the government chose the first 10 communities based on the needs in the province and projected growth.The targets won't be released to the public until this summer, but Kahlon says they'll be meeting with the cities in the next few wee
doctors-at-surrey-b-c-hospital-raise-alarm-over-staffing-and-patient-care-crisis
BCMay 31, 2023

Doctors at Surrey, B.C., hospital raise alarm over staffing and patient-care crisis

The association representing Surrey Memorial Hospital doctors has issued another letter demanding that either the emergency room vacancies be filled, or the emergency room be closed to new patients.A letter was written on May 19 by the Medical Staff Association of Surrey Memorial Hospital.According to that letter, it has become difficult to provide services due to the lack of hospital staff in the emergency and the patients coming in have not been adequately cared for.The letter, written to Fraser Health CEO Dr Victoria Lee, Health Minister Adrian Dix and other leaders, also said that no actio
b-c-housing-non-profit-at-heart-of-controversy-names-interim-ceo
BCMay 30, 2023

B.C. housing non-profit at heart of controversy names interim CEO

The Atira Women's Resource Society says it has named a new interim CEO after former head Janice Abbott stepped down amid a conflict-of-interest controversy involving her husband, former BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay.Atira says its new CEO Catherine Roome is an experienced leader in both the public and private sectors and will head the organization until a permanent replacement for Abbott is found.Atira board chair Elva Kim says recruiting Roome is part of its effort to restore public confidence in the housing provider after Abbott's departure earlier this month.The housing provider says it's co
vancouver-based-lululemon-promises-2600-new-jobs-over-5-years
BCMay 26, 2023

Vancouver based Lululemon promises 2600 new jobs over 5 years

The Vancouver-based company Lululemon is promising 2600 new jobs over five years.C.E.O Calvin McDonald says the company has secured an additional 125,000 square feet of office space in downtown Vancouver.McDonald says he's confident in the decision after the federal government said the company could hire foreign workers for certain highly skilled positions without needing to apply for a labour market impact assessment.Federal Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says if Ottawa hadn't acted, the company's headquarters may have left Vancouver.

Just In

canadas-dabrowski-and-partner-routliffe-win-u-s-open-womens-doubles-title
EnglishSep 05, 2025

Canada's Dabrowski and partner Routliffe win U.S. Open women's doubles title

Canadian tennis player Gabriela Dabrowski has won the US Open Grand Slam title with her New Zealand partner Erin Rutliff. The Canadian player won the women's doubles title in straight sets with her partner. Together, the two defeated the pair of Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-4. Earlier, Gabriela Dabrowski also won the US Open title in 2023. Pawan Sahni, of Newton Tennis Club in Surrey, says “the win is a boost for Canadian tennis.” He added, on one hand, just a few weeks ago, young player Victoria Mboko won the Canadian Open title, and now, with Canada's senior player win
BCSep 05, 2025

Coquihalla Highway reopened following wildfire closure

The Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) between Hope and Merritt has reopened in both directions following a closure caused by the Mine Creek wildfire. Due to the proximity of the fire, drivers should be prepared for the Coquihalla Highway to be closed with minimal notice. Drivers are advised to not stop in the fire zone. Intermittent lane closures can be expected as crews continue to assess and repair roadside damage, and visibility is reduced due to wildfire smoke. Drivers should also be prepared for an increased risk of wildlife presence due to fire damage to wildlife-exclusion fencing on this s
police-investigate-early-morning-shots-fired-in-south-surrey
CanadaSep 05, 2025

Police Investigate Early Morning Shots Fired in South Surrey

Surrey Police Service (SPS) is investigating an early morning shooting that occurred in South Surrey. On September 5, 2025, at approximately 3:50 am, SPS responded to reports of shots fired in the 14300 block of 28 Avenue, Surrey. Upon arrival, members located numerous shell casings on 28 Avenue. It does not appear that any residences were damaged and nobody was injured. SPS Frontline Investigation Support (FLIS) Team are attending and have taken conduct of the investigation. Investigators believe this incident is related to an ongoing extortion investigation.
ministers-statement-on-the-cowichan-valley-transit-labour-dispute
BCSep 05, 2025

Special mediator appointed to resolve Cowichan Valley transit labour dispute

Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Labour, has issued the following statement on the Cowichan Valley transit labour dispute: “This strike has been deeply disruptive to people living in the Cowichan Valley, who rely on transit to get to work, go to school, attend medical appointments and access everyday services. “This dispute has gone on for far too long. There’s a real urgency for the parties to get back to the table, find a fair resolution and get transit services back on the road. “To help the parties resolve the ongoing labour dispute, I have appointed Vince Ready as a special mediato
elon-musks-neuralink-brain-chip-implanted-into-two-quadriplegic-canadian-patients
CanadaSep 05, 2025

Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip implanted into two quadriplegic Canadian patients

Two Canadian patients with spinal cord injuries have received Neuralink brain implants that have allowed them to control a computer with their thoughts. They are part of the first clinical trial outside of the United States to test the safety and effectiveness of Elon Musk's Neuralink wireless brain chip, which he introduced to the public in 2020, and was first implanted in a paralyzed American in 2024. The Canadian men, both around 30 years old – one from Ontario, the other from Alberta – have limited or no ability to use their hands. Dr. Andres Lozano, a neurosurgeon at University Health