BC Ferries says it sank to a first quarter loss of 62 million dollars due to the impact of COVID-19 on ferry traffic. That compares with a profit of 12.2 million dollars in the April to June period last year. It says revenue was down 109 million dollars as lockdowns imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 saw ferry traffic plummet at the start of the pandemic. A statement from BC Ferries says ferry traffic dropped 75 to 80 per cent across the system in a matter of days at the outset of the pandemic. The province announced earlier this month that BC Ferries would be included in a 1.08 billi

The latest reported potential exposure to COVID-19 in British Columbia was at a bar in Vancouver. The regional health authority says anyone who was at Bartholomew Bar during operating hours on Aug. 13 and 14 should monitor themselves for symptoms. Vancouver Coastal Health says the possible exposures are believed to be low risk. Environmental health officers with Vancouver Coastal have issued closure orders for Pierre's Champagne Lounge and the West Oak Restaurant, while the Ivy Lounge in the Trump Tower closed voluntarily after public exposures to COVID-19. The province reported 68 new cases

British Columbia's ombudsperson says the Education Ministry has agreed to apologize and compensate students harmed by incorrect provincial exam results last year.Jay Chalke says his investigation found the ministry's communication with students and their families to be misleading and in some cases inaccurate even after the errors were identified.The ministry posted more than 18,000 incorrect exam scores, roughly half of which were lower than they should have been.Grade 12 students intending to enter Canadian universities in the fall are often accepted based on marks that only reflect their fir

A five-year-old boy has been killed in an accident involving a group of hikers on a walk east of Vancouver. RCMP in Chilliwack say a tree fell on the group Tuesday as they walked along a trail in Yarrow, 90 kilometres east of Vancouver. A statement from police says the boy had died by the time officers arrived.Cpl. Mike Rail says a 22-year-old woman was also hurt. He says she was treated in hospital for what are described as non-life-threatening injuries. The BC Coroners Service and RCMP are investigating.

Testing for COVID-19 is being stepped up as the number of new cases increases in British Columbia. Health Minister Adrian Dix and deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson say new testing centres and extended hours of service have been added in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions. In a joint statement, they say the province can now complete 8,000 tests a day. Another 68 new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the province, bringing the active cases in the province to 798. A total of 4,745 cases have been diagnosed in B.C., while 3,749 people have recovered.

Police in New Westminster are applauding a Good Samaritan who turned in a wallet stuffed with so much cash it couldn't be closed. Police say a citizen found the wallet with nearly 2,300 dollars inside while walking down the street and brought it to police in hopes the owner could be contacted. The owner told police he'd lost the wallet while heading to the bank and was very relieved to get it back. Deputy Chief Constable Paul Hyland says it's great to get a reminder of how amazing people can be, especially when so many are negatively affected by COVID-19.

The BC Teachers' Federation says it wants smaller classes and mandatory masks whereever possible as part of the provincial back-to-school plan amid the pandemic. A statement from president Teri Mooring says the restart plan for Kindergarten to Grade 12 has made no change to classroom density and it's impossible to physical distance with 30 people in a classroom. The union also wants dedicated funding for heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and expanding mandatory mask use for children aged 10 and older. The provincial government has said masks will be required whenever student

Vancouver Coastal Health is opening another COVID-19 assessment centre in preparation for a potential increase in cases as the cold and flu season approaches.The new site is at the north parking lot of Vancouver Community College on East 7th Avenue. It will be from 9 a-m to 7:30 p-m and will take both walk-in and drive-through clients. The authority says an additional centre in North Vancouver is expected to open in the next couple of weeks and operating hours in Richmond and other locations will also be increasing.

Hundreds of residents just south of Penticton have been ordered out of their homes and thousands more are on evacuation alert as an aggressive wildfire burns nearby. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen issued an evacuation order for more than 300 properties in the Heritage Hills area yesterday afternoon. The City of Penticton has warned residents of nearly 3700 properties on its southeast side to be ready to leave on short notice, and 116 properties in the Upper Carmi area are also on alert. A separate 18 hectare fire near Beverdell south of Carmi has also prompted an evacuation al