More than 77,500 people were vaccinated against influenza from Dec. 5 to Dec. 11, 2022, including 42,582 people who were vaccinated during the weekend’s influenza-vaccine walk-in clinic blitz. This was part of government’s efforts to support people and families with children to get vaccinated before the holidays. This effort resulted in approximately 1.6 million individuals, or 30% of the general population aged six months and older, having now received the influenza vaccine in B.C. From Dec. 5 to Dec. 11, 2022, more than 77,532 influenza vaccinations were administered to more than:9,016 c

BC Children's Hospital has approved double-bunking patients in single-occupancy rooms as it tries to cope with an influx of patients with respiratory illnesses. A memo obtained by The Canadian Press says that while it's preferable that patients be in single rooms, two patients may share ``if required to provide safe care.'' The memo, sent Friday, says similar measures have been implemented in other years and any decision must be made in consultation with the hospital's infection prevention and control team. Last week, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province was seeing a `

Two new ministries are being created to devote more attention and resources to major issues that impact British Columbians: the Ministry of Housing, and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.The new cabinet includes 23 ministers and four ministers of state. Gender representation remains balanced. The cabinet will be supported in its work by 14 parliamentary secretaries.The cabinet is as follows:* Premier: David Eby* Agriculture and Food: Pam Alexis* Attorney General: Niki Sharma* Children and Family Development: Mitzi Dean* Citizens' Services: Lisa Beare* Education and Chi

Vancouver Police are investigating the homicide of a 30-year-old Burnaby man, and have released a security photo of the victim taken before his death with hopes someone will have information that could help solve the case. Kevin Liew was found badly injured near Burnaby Hospital on November 17. Due to the seriousness of his injuries, he was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he died Monday. Evidence gathered during the investigation has led police to an abandoned residence near 8th Avenue and Renfrew Street. Vancouver Police homicide investigators believe the offence occurred in this ar

Canada's auditor general says COVID-19 benefits were delivered quickly and helped mitigate economic suffering, however, the federal government hasn’t done enough to recover overpayments. Karen Hogan says the programs delivered relief to workers and employers and helped the economy rebound. At the same time, the report says the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada have not followed up by verifying payments.Hogan estimates 4.6 billion dollars was paid to people who were not eligible, while another 27.4 billion dollars in payments to people and businesses should be

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are celebrating the opening today of Canada's first full-scale electric vehicle manufacturing plant. Trudeau says electric delivery vans have started rolling off the line today at the General Motors CAMI production plant in Ingersoll, Ont., which has been retooled to build the company's BrightDrop all-electric vehicle brand. The prime minister was joined by Ford and the province's Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli to mark the milestone. The provincial and federal governments each invested $259 million toward GM's $2-billion pl

Approximately one year ago, on December 7, 2021, the Delta Police reported that the community of Delta tragically lost one of our youth - 17-year-old Maaike Blom. Maaike had been reported missing by her family on December 5, 2021, and was located deceased on December 7, 2021, at a south Delta residence located in the 2400 Block Falcon Way.As a result of the circumstances surrounding Maaike’s disappearance and subsequent death, an investigation was initiated by the Delta Police Department Major Crime Section. The police investigation determined that Maaike did not die as a result of a homicid

BC's Medical Services Commission has applied to provincial Supreme Court for an injunction against Telus Health's LifePlus Program alleging contraventions of the Medicare Protection Act. Health Minister Adrian Dix says he asked the commission earlier this year to review Telus Health following public complaints of illegal extra billing. Dix says the province will allow the legal process to proceed as it should, but it will continue to strongly defend the public health-care system. BC Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau says she wonders why it's taken so long for Dix to act when she raised conce

Preliminary reporting from the BC Coroners Service shows that illicit drugs have caused the deaths of at least 1,827 British Columbians in the first 10 months of 2022. "Despite the efforts of many, this public-health emergency continues to devastate families thoughout our province," said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner. "The increased toxicity and variability of the illicit drug supply has created an environment where everyone who uses substances is at risk. This vulnerability is even greater for individuals who live outside the urban centres where the limited number of safer supply programs are