Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia: "Today, we are announcing 12 new cases who have tested positive for COVID-19, for a total of 2,680 cases in British Columbia. "There are 185 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 2,328 people who tested positive have recovered. "Of the total COVID-19 cases, 12 individuals are hospitalized, four of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self

A pedestrian in Surrey is recovering in hospital after being knocked down by a car that veered onto the sidewalk following a crash. RCMP say the unnamed woman suffered serious injuries when the two cars collided just after 6 last night in northeast Surrey, and one of the vehicles ricocheted into her. Neither driver was badly hurt and both remained at the scene to speak with police. The intersection was closed for several hours and police say a cause of the crash is still under investigation.

In line with B.C.'s Restart Plan, ICBC is now moving forward with a phased approach to offering in-person driver licensing services. Commercial road tests (Class 1 - 4) can resume next week, and will be by appointment only.Starting June 11, customers wishing to obtain a commercial licence can call 1-800-950-1498 to book an appointment. We ask customers for their patience as we anticipate high call volumes. Priority appointments will initially be provided to customers who had their commercial road test appointments cancelled between March 17th and March 30th.The plan for resuming road tests is

Surrey’s spray parks, outdoor pools and the swimming area at Crescent Beach will be open for water enthusiasts this summer with new protocols to ensure community safety. “As a former competitive swimmer, lifeguard and a lifelong water sports enthusiast, I fully recognize the importance of having aquatic amenities during the sunny summer months,” said Mayor Doug McCallum. “That is why I am so pleased to announce that we have taken the necessary steps to open our outdoor pools, spray parks and beach services for all to use and enjoy. With the ongoing pandemic, we have made some adjustme

BC has had no COVID-19 deaths for the fourth day in a row. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she's grateful that the number of infections is trending downward. However, she says the COVID-19 pandemic is still a major problem and will be in communities for some time. She says many regions are seeing a resurgence in cases and yesterday was the highest single day for new cases around the world with 136,000 people newly diagnosed. Ten more people were diagnosed with the virus in BC for a total of 2,669. The death toll in BC remains at 167 people.

A public inquiry into money laundering has heard that British Columbia appears to have more high-level organized crime groups than other provinces. The director general of Criminal Intelligence Service Canada says that among at least 1,850 organized crime groups known to operate in Canada, the agency has assessed 680. RCMP Chief Supt. Rob Gilchrist says one quarter of the assessed groups are known to be involved in money laundering, although the agency believes that figure to be low. British Columbia's port access and proximity to Mexico make it a natural gateway for illicit drugs into oth

A Burnaby man faces several charges after a girl alleges he befriended her online and then sexually assaulted her. Burnaby RCMP say the girl made the allegation early last month. The BC Prosecution Service has now approved five charges ranging from sexual assault with a weapon to sexual interference, luring and two weapons offences. The unnamed man remains in custody awaiting a future court date.

One man is recovering from a gunshot wound in Surrey after what police believe was an early morning dispute between several people who know each other. Surrey RCMP say officers were called to a disturbance in a home in the Whalley neighbourhood at about 8:30 a.m., and found two men, one with a non-life-threatening bullet wound, trying to leave the area. The victim was hospitalized and police have since determined a third man left before they arrived, but where he went, what caused the dispute and where, or when, the injured man was shot are all unknown. Police say they don't believe there's a

BC is reporting 29 new cases of COVID-19 over the past three days and no new deaths. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that's a positive note as the province slowly lifts more COVID-19 restrictions. The province now has a total of 2,659 cases with 16 people still in hospital, including four in intensive care. Dr. Henry says many people will be making summer travel plans but she is reminding them to keep contacts small and stay home if they are ill in order not to spread COVID-19 when they hit the road.