Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government, provinces and territories will spend $4 billion to increase the wages of essential workers in the COVID-19 pandemic.He says the details are still to be finalized with some provinces.But Trudeau says all the country's first ministers agree that front-line workers who are risking their health and make minimum wage deserve a raise.It will be up to each province to decide which workers count as ``essential'' and will get a top-up.Trudeau says Canadians are relying on these workers now, more than ever, and all provinces and territories work

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says as of today, the Canadian Armed Forces will have 1,020 personnel committed to 20 long-term care homes in Quebec.He says that includes 670 medical and support staff inside the facilities, as well as 350 members providing outside support such as delivering personal protective equipment.Sajjan says by mid-May, more than 1,350 Forces members will be helping in 25 of the province's long-term care homes. There are also 265 Forces personnel assisting at five facilities in Ontario.Canadian Forces members are also helping in rural and remote regions doing in contact

Students in K to 12 education will be returning to school in September, with only a partial return this school year. Students in post-secondary education will be returning to school in September with a mix of online and in-class learning. On Wednesday, B.C. Premier John Horgan said classes will fully resume in September. Routine daily screening protocols would be place at schools, but provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry is expected to provide more details. Premier John Horgan says the province wants to do a dry run in June to consider how the education system could operate to prevent

There are 63,496 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 34,327 confirmed (including 2,510 deaths, 8,284 resolved) Ontario: 18,722 confirmed (including 1,429 deaths, 13,222 resolved) Alberta: 5,963 confirmed (including 112 deaths, 3,552 resolved) British Columbia: 2,255 confirmed (including 124 deaths, 1,494 resolved) Nova Scotia: 998 confirmed (including 41 deaths, 661 resolved) Saskatchewan: 512 confirmed (including 6 deaths, 312 resolved) Manitoba: 273 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 242 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 259 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 244 r

Punjab Home Department on Wednesday said that shops would remain open from 7 am to 3 pm in the State during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. "The State government has now decided that the shops will remain open from 7 am to 3 pm," said the state Home Department in a notification. "The district authorities shall ensure that there is no overcrowding and social distancing is maintained as already advised," adds the notification further. It, however, said that banks shall continue to open for public works only from 9 am to 1 pm but allowed to carry out their non-public dealing office work as per

British Columbians will move forward with safely restarting their province beginning in mid-May, according to a plan announced by Premier John Horgan. Under B.C.'s Restart Plan, government will work closely with public health officials, businesses and labour organizations to lift restrictions in phases, gradually allowing for more social and economic activity, while closely monitoring health information to minimize the risk to the public. "Our plan puts safety first. British Columbians have made enormous sacrifices so far, and it's thanks to them that we're able to begin to lift some restri

The province has announced 23 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total to 2,255 cases. Three more deaths have also been recorded. Two in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and one on Vancouver Island, for a total of 124 deaths. Two thirds of people who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have recovered. But chief health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a statement that cases would quickly surge without continued vigilance.

The U.K. has become the second country to record more than 30,000 deaths as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, said at the government's daily briefing that another 649 people in the U.K. have died in all settings, including hospitals and care homes, after testing positive for the coronavirus. That takes the U.K.'s official death toll to 30,076, only behind the United States, which has more than 71,000 coronavirus-related deaths. The British government is expected to extend the lockdown restrictions on Thursday when they come up for review, partly

Police say Metro Vancouver gangs may be producing their own illegal drug supplies in an effort to get around border closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Vancouver police announced officers uncovered millions of dollars worth of drugs, including 20 kilograms of what's suspected to be fentanyl, as part of a four month investigation. Inspector Bill Spearn says police believe the seizure shows gangs may be producing their own drugs to get around closer scrutiny at ports and the Canada-US border. He says it's another example of gangs changing drug trafficking methods to deal with law enforcem