A woman in her 50s has died in an apartment fire on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The blaze broke out in an eighth-floor suite of the building (at 133 West Pender Street) just after seven last night. Fellow residents tried to douse the flames with a hose in the building but could not reach the woman inside and she could not be revived by the time firefighters had pulled her out. The fire was contained to the single suite and a cause is under investigation.

During this time of pandemic, ensuring the heath and safety of our residents, patrons and staff are the principles that determine the re-opening of City of Surrey recreational facilities. "It is unfortunate that there has been misinformation circulated about the closures of our recreational facilities," said Councillor Laurie Guerra, Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Culture Committee. "Our recreational facilities were closed on March 15 dueto COVID-19 and not from budgetary pressures. Since June 1, we have re-opened to the public a number of outdoor facilities and programs. We are continuing

Statistics Canada's labour force survey for June shows 118,000 people in B.C. found jobs and the unemployment rate fell slightly to 13 per cent.Finance Minister Carol James says the latest numbers paint a picture of cautious optimism with a long road ahead on B.C.'s path to recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.She says job gains in May and June bring back about 40 per cent of the total number of jobs lost since February.The greatest losses have been in the service sector, but James says that's also where jobs are being added as accommodation and food services accounted for half of last month'

Reputed gang leader Jamie Bacon has pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from shootings in 2007 that left six people dead at a highrise apartment building in Surrey, British Columbia. The plea brings an end to a complex legal case that has spanned more than a decade. Bacon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to murder in the so-called Surrey Six case. Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for July 23rd when victim impact statements will be heard by the court.

Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, have issued the a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are announcing 20 new cases, for a total of 3,028 cases in British Columbia. "There are 175 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 2,667 people who tested positive have recovered. "Of the total COVID-19 cases, 17 individuals are hospitalized, four of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. "There have been no

The head of an investigation into allegations of racism against Indigenous people in BC's health-care system says she plans to issue an initial report in a few months. But Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says CEOs of health authorities should not wait for the outcome of her investigation. She says they need to immediately address allegations of racism and she'll ask those who didn't to explain themselves. A former judge investigating allegations of racism towards Indigenous people in British Columbia's health-care system is calling on patients, families, doctors and nurses to come forward with thei

Premier John Horgan says British Columbia's restart is gaining ground as some industries resume operations and more people leave their homes to participate in the economy. He says the number of passengers on transit and ferries is growing, and television and movie productions have restarted, as well as restaurants serving more customers. Horgan says B.C.'s successful efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the willingness of people to spend more time out in public leave him optimistic. The latest B.C. job numbers are due Friday and Finance Minister Carole James is releasing a fiscal update

British Columbia crossed the 3,000 mark for cases of COVID-19 as health officials reported 18 new infections and three more deaths on Wednesday. The total number of cases stood at 3,008. There have been a total of 186 deaths. Health officials said in a statement that B.C. has 162 active cases of COVID-19 and 2,660 people who tested positive have recovered. The government says while there are no active outbreaks, new cases and community exposure to the virus continue.

The RCMP say the bodies of three people have been found at the scene of a motel fire in downtown Prince George, B.C. Cpl. Craig Douglass says emergency services were called to the Econo Lodge City Centre Inn on Victoria Street around 9 a.m. Wednesday. He says fire crews tackled the blaze, which engulfed a portion of the building, while police assisted with staff and guests who evacuated the structure. At about 12:30 p.m., Douglass says personnel clearing the building found the three bodies, but he did not have details about their identities. Douglass says an investigation is underway and dete