BCMar 16, 2021
39 year old man facing several charges after allegedly attacking a man with a firearm in Nanaimo
RCMP say a 39 year old man is facing several charges after he allegedly struck another man repeatedly with a firearm in a Nanaimo parking lot. Police say several bystanders were able to disarm the suspect following the attack yesterday afternoon and stopped him from fleeing on his motorbike. They say the 50 year old victim was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was struck with a firearm and other items. The male suspect was arrested for assault with a weapon, uttering threats and a number of firearm-related charges.
BCMar 15, 2021
Lawyer for Meng Wanzhou argues new evidence would challenge HSBC loan loss risk
A lawyer for Huawei's chief financial officer is asking a B.C. Supreme Court judge to admit new evidence in her extradition case. Frank Addario says the evidence should be allowed if the Crown plans to argue that an international bank at the centre of Meng Wanzhou's fraud case suffered a real risk of loan loss as a result of her alleged actions. Meng is accused of misrepresenting Huawei's control over technology company Skycom in a presentation to HSBC, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. Both she and Huawei deny the allegations. Addario says the evidence is an
BCMar 15, 2021
Another ward at Vancouver General Hospital closed by COVID-19 outbreak
An outbreak of COVID-19 has closed another ward at Vancouver General Hospital, while the health authority says outbreak precautions have been lifted in a separate unit. A statement from Vancouver Coastal Health says two patients have tested positive for COVID-19 on an in-patient unit in the hospital's Jim Pattison Pavilion. The unit is now closed to all admissions, transfers and most visits, but other hospital facilities, including the emergency ward, remain open. Another unit, which is also in the Jim Pattison Pavilion, remains closed after an outbreak there last month. But the health author
BCMar 15, 2021
COVID-19 booking system picks up pace in B.C. as those aged 80-84 eligible this week
The British Columbia government says age-based bookings for COVID-19 vaccinations are one week ahead of schedule and seniors aged 84 and older, plus Indigenous elders 65 and up, can make an appointment for a shot.The Health Ministry says those 83 and older can make an appointment Tuesday and the age eligibility drops daily until anyone 80 and older can make arrangements for a COVID-19 jab by the end of the week.Added staff at call centres across B.C. have helped speed up the process and the province says the centres are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.An estimated 100,000 people are included
BCMar 13, 2021
B.C. has no deaths in latest tally, but 648 new cases of COVID-19
Health officials are calling on British Columbians to balance the easing of some outdoor restrictions by keeping up safety measures when indoors. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say an amended order allowing 10 people who know each other to gather outside does not apply to indoor locations. They say in a release that all safety plans should continue being followed in workplaces, schools and grocery stores, for example. B.C. has recorded 648 new cases of COVID-19, including 79 that are variants of concern, the vast majority involving the one first iden
BCMar 13, 2021
Two RCMP officers in Metro Vancouver face charges of assault
Mounties in British Columbia say the provincial prosecution service has approved charges of assault against two Metro Vancouver officers. The allegations stem from a stolen vehicle investigation in October 2019. Police say in a news release that officers from the Surrey RCMP Auto Crime Target Team located a man allegedly driving a stolen vehicle. The release says the vehicle was stopped and the driver arrested in Richmond with the help of another RCMP officer, but the man was allegedly assaulted during the arrest. Const. John Tsonos of the Surrey detachment and Const. Mathew McGuire of Richmo
BCMar 13, 2021
Horgan supports vaccine passports for international travel but lukewarm for B.C.
Premier John Horgan says he will support requirements that ensure international travellers produce a type of COVID-19 vaccine passport, but he's not convinced people in British Columbia should provide the same evidence to attend local events. Horgan says there is an absolute need for international travellers to provide proof that they received a COVID-19 vaccine. However, he says he's unsure if the same policy should be implemented locally, for things like sports or entertainment events when they resume. The premier says the issue of vaccine certificates was a topic of discussion between Prim
BCMar 12, 2021
Unemployment data shows strong recovery, says B.C. NDP
BC Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon says the latest Statistics Canada employment data shows BC has one of the strongest economies in Canada and is rebuilding after the pandemic, but the Opposition Liberals say New Democrats are "bumbling" without a plan. A statement released by Kahlon's ministry says BC created nearly 27,000 jobs last month, unemployment fell to 6.9 per cent from eight per cent in January and is now at 99.4 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. But a statement from the Liberal caucus says the only way to build well-paying post-pandemic jobs is with a sector-by-sector recovery plan that b
BCMar 12, 2021
Passenger taken to hospital via air ambulance after collision in Abbotsford
Abbotsford police are investigating a serious crash that involved one vehicle leaving the roadway and entering a deep ditch. Police say emergency services responded around 2:45 pm yesterday to the collision between an SUV and a sedan-type vehicle. The passenger of the jeep was taken to hospital via air ambulance for treatment of serious injuries, while the driver of the sedan was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Abbotsford police are continuing to investigate and ask anyone who was in the area and witnessed the crash or has dash cam footage to get in touch. Abbotsford Pol