Smoke from several wildfires in Washington State has drifted northwest to blanket the tip of Vancouver Island, prompting the highest possible air quality risk rating over Victoria and Saanich. Environment Canada's air quality index gives the two cities a ``10-plus'' risk rating, while Westshore ranks at ``10'', meaning strenuous outdoor activities should be avoided and children and the elderly should stay inside. Conditions will improve tomorrow, but smoke from a large wildfire in southeastern BC remains a concern and the weather office predicts conditions in Cranbrook and Castlegar will rema

Police say a man who was punched in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside has died. Const. Tania Visintin says 36 year old Neil Scarisbrick died on Monday. He is Vancouver's 11th homicide victim this year. Visintin says police believe the victim and suspect are known to each other, and there is no risk to the public.

Community centres across Vancouver are set to reopen, with programs and services focused on children, youth, seniors and food security coming first. The Vancouver Park Board says 24 centres are reopening today (Tuesday), followed by a gradual reopening of indoor pools, ice rinks and fitness centres. Certain restrictions and safety protocols remain in place in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The park board says wearing masks inside its facilities is optional but encouraged, while staff will undergo daily health screenings and complete additional training.

BC Jobs Minister Michelle Mungall says there have been positive employment gains for four months in a row after the pandemic shut down the economy. BC's jobless rate last month was 10.7 per cent, slightly higher than the national average of 10.2 per cent. The BC rate for August has improved from the July unemployment rate of 11.1 per cent. Mungall says BC has now recovered almost 247,000 jobs and total employment now stands at 94 per cent of the pre-pandemic level in February.

British Columbia has recorded another 121 cases of COVID-19 and one death related to the virus. In a joint statement on Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say there has been a total of 6,162 cases since the pandemic began. COVID-19 has claimed 211 lives in the province. Almost 2,800 people in the province are under active health monitoring after being identified as being exposed to someone who has tested positive, and 4,706 people have recovered. KinVillage long-term care home in Delta is the latest facility with an outbreak after a worker tested

A new 377 million dollar hospital has been announced for Dawson Creek. Health Minister Adrian Dix says it became clear during the business planning stage of the upgrade on the current hospital that a new, modern hospital was needed. Dix says the new hospital will bring jobs to the region and help retain health-care professionals. There will be 70 beds and the new emergency department will be double the size of the one in the current hospital with the expectation of about 25,000 visits a year.

British Columbia is celebrating the contributions of the Punjabi Canadian community to its economy, history and culture through the development of new educational supports, exhibits and online resources. The project is part of the Province’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive society. “The Punjabi community has a long and unique history that has contributed significantly to the strength and success of our province,” said Premier John Horgan. “The Punjabi Canadian Legacy Project will share these stories with future generations, while honouring the resilience and diversity

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says British Columbia is at a precipice when it comes to a potential surge of COVID-19 infections. But Henry says reducing the number of cases is still within reach as long as people work together and follow public health protocols. She urged people to avoid activities that are considered high-risk, such as spending time with groups of people that they may not know. B.C. announced 89 new cases of COVID-19 as well as one additional death today, bringing the province's total number of COVID-19 cases to 6,041 and 210 deaths. Dr. Henry's warning comes af

A recent search warrant executed by the Surrey RCMP Drug Unit at a residence in Whalley has resulted in a significant seizure of illegal drugs, cash, and a firearm.On August 20, 2020, as part of their proactive enforcement, Surrey RCMP Drug Unit observed two individuals involved in suspicious activity consistent with drug trafficking, outside a residence in the 9400-block of 129 Street. Both individuals were detained and found to be in possession of cash and street level drugs. The investigation continued and officers obtained a search warrant for the residence. The search warrant was executed