Businesses struggling to pay the bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to start applying today for a long-awaited new commercial rent-relief program offered by the federal government.The new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy replaces an earlier rent-support program for businesses introduced in the spring that saw little pickup because it relied on landlords to apply for help.The new program will cover up to 65 per cent of rent or commercial mortgage interest on a sliding scale based on revenue declines, with an extra 25 per cent available to the hardest-hit firms.Federal cabinet min

British Columbia health officials are urging residents to follow their latest orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 and relieve the pressure on the health-care system. The province recorded 516 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, for a total of 25,474. There are 7,122 active cases of COVID-19, with 227 people currently hospitalized. Ten new deaths were also announced, bringing the death toll to 331. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that the social restrictions and mask requirements announced Thursday are meant to keep loved ones safe

Canada's chief public health officer says there's "urgency" to bring infections down as officials released dire new forecasts indicating that COVID-19 case counts have far surpassed levels seen during the first wave. Dr. Theresa Tam says COVID-19 cases could skyrocket to 60,000 per day by the end of the year if Canadians increase their contact rates. The modelling predicts that at current rates of contact, Canada is careening towards a surge of more than 20,000 cases per day by the end of December. But if socialization increases, the projections indicate that as 2020 draws to a close, Canada

BC is reporting 538 new cases of COVID-19 with most still coming from the Fraser and Vancouver health regions. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the province now has 6,929 active cases. 217 people are in hospital, including 59 in intensive care. Dr. Henry says there is also one addition death, bringing the total to 321. Details of COVID-19 restrictions in B.C. B.C. is introducing new far-reaching limits on social gatherings, travel and mandatory masks in response to surging COVID-19 case numbers and record hospitalizations. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said today t

The Liberals have introduced a bill in the House of Commons that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says cements his promise to mostly eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Bill C-12 promises both transparency and accountability to reach what Trudeau admits is an ambitious goal. He told a virtual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum that net-zero is as much about avoiding the worst impacts of climate change as it is about creating good jobs and a competitive economy for years to come. Trudeau told a conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum today that Canad

Police suspect a deadly batch of drugs may be circulating in Surrey, B.C. A statement from Surrey RCMP says three people have died within 12 hours in the city and fatal overdoses are suspected in each case. Investigators say there do not appear to be any other connections between the victims. The statement says it is dangerous to use non-prescription drugs purchased from unregulated sources but anyone who makes that choice should follow several safety measures. Those measures include not using them alone and being careful about dosage size. Police say users should also have a naloxone kit cap

BC has recorded 762 new cases of COVID-19, another record as the province battles a second wave of infections. Health officials are also reporting 10 new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 320. The province currently has 6,861 active cases of COVID-19, including 209 individuals who are hospitalized. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says BC needs to put the brakes on COVID-19 because the second surge is putting a strain on the health-care system, workplaces and everyone. The health authorities in a joint statement said, "This second surge is putting a strain on our health-care s

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says he's preparing to table a motion that would see city council vote on decriminalization of possession of illicit drugs for personal use. He says the city has been at the forefront of drug policy change and it could become the first jurisdiction in Canada to make such a move. After tabling the motion next week, Stewart says he'll write to federal officials requesting an exemption under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act that would end at the city's boundaries. The mayor says there have been more than 1,500 overdose deaths in Vancouver since the

Canada will not immediately follow the U.S. in allowing the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to return to Canadian airspace.Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement Wednesday that Canada will impose different requirements than the U.S. before it lifts the grounding orders for the plane, including additional procedures on the flight deck and pre-flight and differences in training for flight operators.Garneau added that he expects Transport Canada's validation process to conclude very soon.His remarks followed a U.S. announcement allowing the Boeing 737 MAX to fly again once the company ma