The British Columbia government says it is committing $36 million over nearly three years to fund more addiction treatment space for youth. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy says the investment will add 123 new treatment beds and more than double the current number of spaces available for youth aged 12 to 24. The province and local health authorities are discussing where the spaces should be located, but Darcy says some could be available within the next few months. The beds will form part of a continuum of care that Darcy says will include withdrawal management and detox space

British Columbia's Health Minister warned those planning on holding large parties and events this upcoming weekend to expect visits from officials to ensure COVID-19 guidelines are being followed. Adrian Dix says parties may not be immediately shut down but there would be consequences for those found flaunting the rules. The pronouncement comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in B.C., particularly among young adults between the ages of 20 to 29. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says those infections have been seen after exposure events, such as parties where young adults have bee

A judge has found a man from Surrey, B.C., guilty of second-degree murder, ruling that Tejwant Danjou intended to kill his partner or at least knew his violent actions could lead to her death. Rama Gauravarapu was killed at a hotel in West Kelowna on July 22, 2018. Competing explanations of Danjou's state of mind were presented to Justice Allison Beames of the B.C. Supreme Court during closing arguments last month at his trial for second-degree murder. The Crown said Danjou was an abusive and violent man. The defence asked for a manslaughter conviction and described Danjou as suffering from d

The BC Conservation Office Service says a man is recovering after he was seriously hurt by a bear while camping in a remote area near Lillooet over the weekend. Deputy Chief Chris Doyle says the man and his hiking partner were camping on Mount McLean on Sunday, when the man was awoken by a noise outside his tent. The noise was a black bear, which attacked him, leaving the man with serious injuries to his arm. Doyle says the bear was surprised when the man came out of his tent and appeared to have attacked defensively. The man and his hiking partner were able to get away and were later airlift

A five-month investigation in B.C. has resulted in charges against a man in what Ridge Meadows RCMP say is the largest seizure of drugs, weapons and cash in the detachment's history. The RCMP say the drug investigation began in March with a focus on so-called blue fentanyl, which they say is believed to be linked to multiple overdose deaths in the Lower Mainland. On July 15, police say they executed search warrants at homes in Maple Ridge and Mission. The RCMP say more than $114,000 was seized, as well as about 3.5 kilograms of what was suspected to be fentanyl _ which police estimate is abou

British Columbia has recorded 85 COVID-19 cases, the third-highest number of new cases in a single day since the pandemic began. A joint statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix says many of the new infections are of young people from the Lower Mainland. The statement says the public needs to refocus on measures to flatten the curve and that watching the cases climb is concerning. There has been one new death, bringing the death toll to 196, while 3,469 people have recovered. The latest COVID-19 figures come as the province announced it is hirin

The B-C Coroners Service and Vancouver police hope a new appeal will crack a 22-year-old cold case involving the death of a woman at the Broadway SkyTrain station. The woman has remained unidentified since her death in April 1998 and investigators hope someone will recognize her description. They say she was white, aged between 30 and 40, stood between 5-foot-6 and five-foot-seven, with brown hair, blue eyes and unpierced ears.The coroners service website carries an artist's facial reconstruction image of the woman and investigators hope this request for information will lead to details that

To ensure schools are ready to welcome students into classrooms for the week of Sept. 8-11, 2020, there will be a gradual restart to allow extra time to orient students and staff on the new health and safety measures in place."Schools are going to look different in September," said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. "Staff, students and parents need time to get familiar with all the new health and safety procedures that are designed to keep them safe and confident in their school settings." Starting Sept. 8, all staff will meet with their school's joint health and safety committee to receive

The British Columbia Coroners Service says two people have died after a Canadian fishing boat sank in waters west of Vancouver Island.The United States Coast Guard says it received a distress call early Tuesday advising the Arctic Fox II was in trouble more than 100 kilometres off the northwestern tip of Washington State.The 20-metre boat was gone by the time a helicopter reached the scene, but the coast guard says a single crew member was rescued from a lifeboat. The bodies of the other two crew members, who were both Canadian, have been recovered and the coroners s