Mayor George V. Harvie sent a letter to the Honourable Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General requesting action to enhance public safety during the Lower Mainland District Gang Conflict. Two options are suggested to address the immediate conflict and to curb gang activity and associated violence for the longer term:Mayor Harvie suggests providing for increased daily and weekly coverage of RCMP Air 1 helicopter. Enhancing aerial coverage will assist with a rapid response to crime scenes and the pursuit of suspects risking public safety on roadways.In addition, the Minis

An evacuation alert has been issued for more than 200 homes and businesses in southeastern British Columbia as a weekend downpour and the likelihood of more rain raise the potential for flooding in the Fairmont area. The Regional District of East Kootenay issued the alert late Monday for 229 properties in the Fairmont Hot Springs and Cold Spring Creek areas about 100 kilometres north of Cranbook. A state of local emergency has also been declared around Fairmont. More than 40 millimetres of rain fell in the area between Sunday and Monday, swelling creeks and filling debris traps along the rive

Officials are continuing to urge British Columbia residents to follow COVID-19 health restrictions ahead of Tuesday's restart announcement. B.C. recorded 974 new cases of COVID-19 over the long weekend, for a total of 142,347 during the pandemic, as well as a drop in hospitalizations. The majority of the cases occurred in the hard-hit Fraser Health Authority region, which accounted for roughly two-thirds of the new cases. The province also reported 12 new deaths for a total of 1,679. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that the

With 1,96,427 fresh cases and 3,26,850 recoveries in the last 24 hours, India's daily COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 9.54 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry's data on Tuesday.The ministry informed that the daily new cases have fallen below 2 lakh to a level seen 40 days before (daily new cases were 1,84,372 on April 14, 2021). Cumulatively, the active caseload has also now reduced to 25,86,782. Active coronavirus cases in the country have decreased since its last peak on May 10, 2021. A net decline of 1,33,934 is witnessed in the last 24 hours. It now comprises 9.60 percent

Police say a man is dead after a shooting Saturday evening in Coquitlam, B.C. Investigators say the victim was gunned down near Hart St. and Henderson Ave. around 5:30 p.m. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) tweeted that they believe it was a targeted shooting. The victim's identity was not immediately released, nor was any suspect information. And IHIT did not say in their tweet whether they suspect the shooting is tied to the ongoing gang conflict in Metro Vancouver. There have been 20 gang-related homicides and 20 attempted murders in Metro Vancouver so far this year.

British Columbia recorded 420 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, for a total of 141,373 since the pandemic began, along with six new deaths. The authority's push to get young people vaccinated is being spread on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Lee says they're looking forward to more young people registering, booking and getting their shots as quickly as possible so the pandemic can be put behind us. The Fraser Health authority is leveraging the fear of missing out in its campaign aimed at convincing young adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Dr. Victoria Lee

Today, in an effort to support India’s COVID-19 response, senior executives from FreshCo and Chalo! FreschCo presented a cheque for $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross at the Chalo! FreshCo Brampton store on Airport Road. These funds will directly support preparedness, response and recovery activities on the ground in India, helping communities that have been affected or are at risk of being affected by the deadly virus. Today’s donation cheque was presented by Tony McGrath, VP Operations, Discount Format, Sobeys Inc., Donny Sandher, National Chalo Operations District Operator, Discount Form

Restaurants, pubs and breweries with outdoor patios will be under the microscope in British Columbia over the Victoria Day long weekend as WorkSafeBC inspectors ensure businesses abide by COVID-19 safety plans. A statement from the agency responsible for workplace health and safety says it will be stepping up inspections of businesses in potential COVID-19 hot spots in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions. As WorkSafe reminds businesses to pay strict attention to safety plans designed to limit the spread of the virus, Vancouver police are reminding city residents that provin

Four people in Canada have now died from a rare blood-clotting event linked to the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The latest person was in their 50s in New Brunswick. The province's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell, says the person received a first dose of AstraZeneca on April 11th. They developed blood clot symptoms 17 days later and died recently. This latest death comes as Ontario is resuming use of the vaccine, but only as a second dose. More than 2.1-million Canadians have received at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.