Polls opened at 7 a.m. today in most of BC and will close at seven tonight as residents in this province cast their ballots in the federal election. Sixty-seven per cent of eligible BC voters turned out in the last federal election in 2019. Voter turnout was strong on the first day of advance polling this time around, but the ongoing pandemic has the potential to affect overall numbers. 42 ridings are up for grabs in BC including seats represented by federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in Burnaby South and former Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in Saanich-Gulf Islands.

B.C. is reporting 768 new cases of COVID-19, including 19 epi-linked cases, for a total of 177,954 cases in the province.There are currently 6,031 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 169,653 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 298 individuals are in hospital and 135 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, 11 new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 1,888.From Sept. 9-15, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 75.9% of cases and from Sept. 2-15 they accounted for 86.2% of ho

Residents across British Columbia are being advised to prepare a well-stocked emergency kit for what BC Hydro warns could be a stormy fall and winter made worse by the effects of a severe summer drought. The latest report from the Crown utility says record-breaking heat between June and August in many parts of the province killed trees or weakened their root systems. It says unstable trees, combined with predicted stormier La Nina weather conditions, create the potential for more power outages if they topple across power lines. BC Hydro says conditions heading into the fall mirror those in 20

B.C. is reporting 706 new cases of COVID-19, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 177,186 cases in the province.There are 5,844 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 169,083 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 291 individuals are in hospital and 134 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, four new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 1,877.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: threeNorthern Health: one From Sept. 8-14, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 76.1%

A man has been shot and killed in what Vancouver police say was a targeted attack. It happened at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the parkade of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel on Vancouver's inner harbour. Const. Tania Visintin says the victim has been identified as 35 year old Amandeep Manj. She says officers were also called to a vehicle fire in east Vancouver early Thursday and are trying to determine if there is any connection between that arson and the murder. A statement from Visintin issued Wednesday called the slaying ``brazen.'' She says no arrests have been made.

B.C. is reporting 661 new cases of COVID-19, including two epi-linked cases, for a total of 176,480 cases in the province.There are currently 5,791 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 168,459 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 288 individuals are in hospital and 137 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, seven new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 1,873.The new deaths include:Vancouver Coastal Health: twoInterior Health: threeIsland Health: two From Sept. 7-13, people no

Federal leaders are united in their commitment to fight sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, but not on how to do it. Campaigning in southwestern Ontario today, Jagmeet Singh promised a New Democratic government would act on the recommendations of retired Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps, who in 2015 called for an independent centre to hold the military accountable on sexual misconduct. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole has committed to creating an independent watchdog, and to a freeze on promotions for senior leaders until the issue is addressed. Trudeau would not commit to an

B.C. is reporting 677 new cases of COVID-19, including 20 epi-linked cases, for a total of 175,819 cases in the province.There are currently 6,165 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 167,416 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 288 individuals are in hospital and 140 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, one new death (Northern Health) has been reported, for an overall total of 1,866.There has been one new health-care facility outbreak at Westminster House (Fraser Health). The outbreak at

Justin Trudeau is making no apologies for losing his cool with a protester in Vancouver who screamed obscenities at him. Trudeau says the man crossed a line yesterday when he started saying derogatory things about his wife.The man called Trudeau a communist and screamed a misogynist comment referencing the Liberal leader's wife. Trudeau responded by asking the man if there was a hospital he should be bothering, a reference to the anti-vaccine protests that took place yesterday outside hospitals across the country.