Voting is set to begin later this week to choose the B-C Liberal party's third leader since 2017, after Andrew Wilkinson stepped down when the N-D-P were re-elected with a majority government in 2020. The winner among seven candidates is expected to be announced Saturday evening after a months-long campaign that often focused on renewal and a new course for a party that has lost successive elections after 16 years in power. A post-election report released by the party last June said the Liberals are perceived by many as lacking diversity and must embark on a rebranding that supports the chan

Members of three generations of a Vancouver family, including a child, died in a fire inside a home in the city's east end over the weekend. Fire Chief Karen Fry says the basement suite of the detached home was fully enveloped in flames when fire and rescue personnel arrived Sunday morning, finding two injured adults who said three people were still inside. Assistant Chief Brian Bertuzzi confirmed that the child under 10, their mother and grandfather died after extensive attempts to resuscitate them, while the child's father sustained burns and their grandmother suffered smoke inhalation. F

British Columbia's top doctor says COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings are expected to be gradually lifted next month, starting on Family Day.Dr. Bonnie Henry says that's possible in part because 90 per cent of residents aged 12 and over have received two doses of vaccine, though more people need to get a booster shot for longer-lasting protection.She says taking that step is necessary as new variants will surely emerge as immunity wanes and respiratory season in the fall again brings an increased risk of transmission.Henry says B.C.'s committee on immunization will be discussing a reco

B.C. is reporting 2,137 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 321,043 cases in the province.There are 30,515 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 286,134 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 990 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 141 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:740 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 12,928394 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 6,788569 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active cases: 7,969170 new cases in Northern

Canadian National Railway says it will not pursue criminal charges against protesters accused of defying an injunction and blocking a CN rail line in northwestern British Columbia nearly two years ago.The BC Prosecution Service announced in April it was not in the public interest to pursue criminal contempt charges against protesters, but a B.C. Supreme Court ruling last month found CN could continue its own legal action.In an email statement Friday, Canadian National says it is satisfied the injunction was "ultimately enforced" and the company "does not intend to pursue criminal or civil cont

Homicide investigators say they believe the targeted shooting that left four people dead in a Richmond, B.C., home was a murder-suicide.The victims were all members of the same family and include a 71-year-old father, a 58-year-old mother, their 23-year-old son and a daughter, aged 21.Sgt. David Lee of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the shootings do not appear to be a case of partner violence and that the son had a firearms licence and access to weapons.Lee says investigators are looking through journals and social media posts to see if they can determine a possible motive for

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says it doesn't appear that the fatal stabbing of a 32-year-old woman in Coquitlam was random. I-HIT says the woman was found suffering from stab wounds in a parking lot yesterday afternoon and died in hospital. Police have identified the victim as Ramina Shah of Maple Ridge. Sergeant David Lee says the investigation is in its initial stages, but investigators believe the incident was isolated and there is no going risk.

The trial of a former clerk of the B-C legislature is to continue today after a surprise revelation about two new sets of documents that a court heard may help defence lawyers. Crown prosecutor David Butcher told a B-C Supreme Court judge he learned of the documents during an interview with the executive financial officer at the legislature. Court has not yet heard what was in the documents, which Butcher acknowledged were a surprise for the defence team. Craig James is accused of misspending public money for personal gain and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud over five-thousand

Police in New Westminster are hoping to find the person who donated a blazer with some valuable items in a pocket. The size 48 grey blazer with a white pinstripe and blue lining was found in a thrift store in that city. But police say it's unclear where it may have been donated before ending up in the New Westminster store. Sergeant Sanjay Kumar says people who donate clothing should check the pockets to ensure they don't contain any items of significant value.