B.C. Finance Minister Carole James says the province lost 132,000 jobs last month, but it's going to get worse before it gets better due to the COVID-19 pandemic.She says the latest Statistics Canada Labour Force numbers indicate B.C.'s jobless rate rose to 7.2 per cent from 5 per cent in March.James says she expects the jobless numbers to increase over the coming weeks as they indicate the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the economy and workers and families.She says the province has introduced a $5 billion action plan to help workers, families and businesses endure the pandemic.

Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry is reporting five more deaths from COVID-19 in B.C. including three residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities. Henry says another resident has died amid an outbreak at the Lynn Valley care centre and the other two deaths occurred at a care home with no previous fatalities. She says the province has recorded 45 new cases for a total of 1,336, including 48 deaths. The number of hospitalizations is down slightly but Henry says people need to stay home over the Easter weekend to limit the spread of the virus.

People returning to British Columbia from other countries will be required to present self-isolation plans or they will be placed in quarantine. The government says it will have officials in place starting Friday at Vancouver International Airport and major land border crossings to make sure the plans are complete. Premier John Horgan says forms will be available online to help travellers, and those arriving by air will be given the document. The document can be submitted online or completed on arrival, and must indicate how returning travellers plan to keep themselves in self-isolation for 1

The British Columbia government is closing all provincial parks to ensure compliance with recommendations to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.A statement from the Environment and Climate Change Ministry says the closure applies to everyone, from B.C. and out-of-province, who may have been planning a trip to a provincial park.Minister George Heyman says efforts were made to provide spaces for exercise and fresh air in the parks but it ``has proven too challenging'' to maintain safe physical distancing of two metres between visitors.The timing of the decision is aimed at heading off Ea

Four more people have died as a result of COVID-19 in British Columbia. The total number of deaths is at 43 in the province. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says 25 new cases have been diagnosed. A total of 12 hundred and 91 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus in BC.

The City of Surrey has laid off 1,900 part-time and auxiliary staff and 140 regular employees following the closure of recreation centres, libraries, pools, and other civic facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other municipalities are making similar cuts. The City of Vancouver has laid off about 1,500 workers, mostly from community centres, libraries, and theatres. In Delta, 500 auxiliary and part-time workers – 90 per cent tied to community centres – are also off the job. Residents say the closures have left families struggling without access to community spaces. Baljit Kaur, a mother

RCMP in Surrey say charges have been laid in relation to more than $458,000 in fraudulent credit card transactions. Police say the Surrey RCMP Economic Crimes Unit began investigating in late June 2017 after a report from a local business that believed their customers' credit card data had been compromised. They say incidents of fraud affecting numerous victims in Surrey were connected to similar incidents in Richmond. 31 year old Gagandeep Dhillon from Surrey has now been charged with 28 counts of fraud related offences.

BC's provincial health officer is reporting 53 new cases of COVID-19 and one new death in the Fraser Health region. Doctor Bonnie Henry says there are now one thousand and 68 cases in the province, with a total of 25 deaths. Henry says 142 people are hospitalized and 67 of them are in intensive care. Two of the new cases are at the long term care centre in North Vancouver where many of the province's fatalities have occurred but Henry says she hopes strict new control measures are now beginning to take effect.

The B.C. government has formally extended the provincial state of emergency to support the provincewide response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the end of the day on April 14, 2020. “The next 14 days are critically important in our province’s unprecedented fight against COVID-19. What we do today will affect what our doctors, nurses and first responders face in the days and weeks ahead,” said Premier John Horgan. “Today, we’re asking all British Columbians to re-commit to doing their part. There are early signs that our actions are making a difference, and we can’t stop now