The leaders of B.C.'s three main political parties will meet Tuesday in a televised debate that political experts say could be one of the few events where voters get a chance to truly assess the leaders in what has been a largely scripted online election campaign. New Democrat Leader John Horgan called a snap election last month during the global COVID-19 pandemic and the debate comes with less than two weeks remaining before election day on Oct. 24. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson, Green Leader Sonia Furstenau and Horgan will appear live on television, radio and online for the 90-minute deba

The B.C. New Democrats have announced a renter's rebate as the latest plank of their election platform as parties prepare for the first televised debate of the provincial campaign. NDP Leader John Horgan says his party's plan also includes making a cap on rent increases permanent. Under the rebate plan, households that earn up to $80,000 a year will be entitled to $400 a year. Horgan also reiterated his party's support of freezing rents until the end of 2021. He accused the B.C. Liberals of giving tax breaks to the rich and says the NDP benefit would help those who need it most. The leaders o

BC is reporting 119 new cases of COVID-19 but no new deaths. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are 1,406 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. 68 of those patients are being treated in hospital, including 19 in intensive care. In a statement, Dr. Henry continues to urge people to do all they can to ensure they have safe celebrations over the Thanksgiving long weekend. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is being awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria. The university says it will bestow the honour on what it describes as

Fishermen, kayakers and hikers are being warned of potential fluctuations in the water level of the Capilano River after a spillway gate on a dam was taken out of service. Metro Vancouver says the gate at the Cleveland Dam in North Vancouver will remain out of service throughout the winter. Without the gate being in operation, water levels could naturally be affected on the Capilano River from an upstream lake that serves as the main reservoir for the Lower Mainland. A statement from Metro Vancouver, which delivers services to municipalities in the Lower Mainland, says electronic signs have b

The BC Green party has released its plan to rebuild the provincial economy after COVID-19 with a focus on climate action. Campaigning in Nanaimo, Leader Sonia Furstenau says the Green promise goes even further than the existing Clean BC plan, which she says never would have happened under the minority NDP government if not for her party. Furstenau says a Green government would initiate a just transition program for workers to move to guaranteed jobs in the clean economy. The plan would establish a 1 billion dollar strategic investment fund to support business innovation, especially initiative

NDP Leader John Horgan says if elected his party will launch a long-term BC shipbuilding strategy aimed at keeping good jobs and long-term employment in this province. Horgan made the announcement this morning following a tour of the Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver. He says he will also lobby to bring construction of Canada's next Polar Icebreaker back to B-C shipyards after Seaspan was awarded the lucrative contract but lost it when Ottawa replaced the icebreaker with several smaller ships and re-opened bidding on the big vessel.Horgan's announcement comes as the third Seaspan-built, sta

The British Columbia Liberal Party is promising daycare at $10 a day for low-income families and rates that would increase from that price based on income. Party Leader Andrew Wilkinson says the $10 rate would apply to families with household incomes under $65,000 if the Liberals win the Oct. 24 election. There would be a $20 a day rate for families making $90,000 and $30 a day for those over $125,000. Wilkinson says the plan would cost $1 billion in its first year and a Liberal government would begin implementing the plan immediately but he did not say when it would be complete.

Vancouver city council has unanimously approved an emergency fund of up to $30 million to help hundreds of homeless residents.The money will be used to buy or lease vacant hotels, apartments and single-room occupancy buildings and to provide other services to support as many as 750 people who lack safe shelter.Many of the potential sites will need renovation, so council also approved plans for the immediate use of a city-owned motel and a hostel on Vancouver's west side.It's expected that residents of an unsanctioned encampment in Strathcona Park will begin moving to those sites soon.The deci

British Columbia's provincial health officer is urging businesses to ensure they are in compliance with health and safety standards to protect employees from COVID-19. Dr. Bonnie Henry says public health teams would provide guidance if a worker contracts the illness but it's up to businesses to make it easy for anyone who is unwell to stay away. Dr. Henry says employees should be screened daily, tracked for where they're working and who they're with, and meet virtually as much as possible. She says businesses should contact WorkSafeBC with any concerns about what is expected of them and get g