B.C. is reporting 508 new cases of COVID-19, pushing active infections to 4,479. Nine more people have died due to the illness, bringing the death toll in the province to 1,128. There have been 110,566 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in B.C., including 2,202 second doses. The province is reporting new outbreaks at two hospitals, one in Kamloops and the other in New Westminster, as well as at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement the risk from the virus in B.C. remains high a

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is warning that his government could impose stricter restrictions on travellers at any moment in response to new, likely more contagious variants of the coronavirus. That could include making it mandatory to quarantine in a hotel at their own expense when they arrive in Canada. Trudeau said Friday that such measures could be imposed suddenly and bluntly warned against nonessential trips abroad. Canada already requires those entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days and to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days before arrival. The suggeste

Health Minister Patty Hajdu is thanking Canadians for altering their travel plans because of the pandemic. During a virtual news conference with cabinet ministers and public health officials, Hajdu said there is evidence the message is getting through and people are not leaving the country. She says over the past week, over 50,000 people have cancelled their flights and postponed travel. Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government is considering a number of options that will make it harder for people to return to Canada. The decision being taken as the new variants of COV

The BC government has created three post-COVID recovery clinics for patients enduring long-term effects from the novel coronavirus. The clinics, at St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital and at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre in Surrey, will offer interdisciplinary care from a range of health experts. A statement from the province says the three clinics will also help specialists gain a better understanding of the long-term adverse effects of COVID-19. Doctors at St. Paul's say they have already seen more than 160 post-COVID patients reporting some long time sympt

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says there have been 90 reports of adverse events for a patient in Canada who received one of the COVID-19 vaccines. She said those include all health problems after the vaccine was given and may not all be related to the vaccine. Twenty-seven of those events, or one in 22,000 doses injected, were serious, including allergic reactions. 31 cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK reported in CanadaChief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says there have now been 31 cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the United Kingdo

Vancouver is opening more indoor spaces to ensure people without homes have shelter as the first snowy, cold snap of the season looms. The city says warming centres will be open at three locations, the Powell Street Getaway, Vancouver Aquatic Centre and Creekside Community Centre, starting today and continuing until next Wednesday. The statement says the centres are activated as a life-saving measure for people sleeping outside during the winter months. Vancouver also says it has more than 100 vehicles, three-thousand tonnes of salt and hundreds of staff ready for deployment to keep city stre

RCMP are investigating a possible mobile drug lab. It was found this week in a motel parking lot in Cache Creek. Corporal Jesse O'Donaghey says a rented moving van was found abandoned at the motel.Although he did not give an exact location. He says the van was impounded on Tuesday, and police found items inside that were likely used to produce illicit drugs. O'Donaghey says federal drug-lab teams have been called in from Surrey, and says HAZMAT teams are investigating the van as well.

Police say a search is underway for a man who is believed to be a risk to the public and allegedly cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet while in Richmond, B.C. A statement from Richmond RCMP says the monitoring bracelet worn by 57 year old Woon Chan went off-line Thursday. He was being monitored by BC Corrections staff who contacted Mounties when the signal was lost. Police say officers "flooded" an area near Minoru Park and located the ankle bracelet but no trace of Chan. The RCMP statement does not say why the 5-foot-6, 130 pound man is considered a risk. It says Chan was last seen wearing

Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc concedes Julie Payette's resignation as governor general shows a need to strengthen the process for vetting vice-regal appointments.Payette resigned Thursday, about a week after the government received the damning findings of an independent investigation into allegations that she presided over a toxic work environment at Rideau Hall.LeBlanc says the report, commissioned by the Privy Council Office which he oversees, came to ``compelling'' and ``stark'' conclusions.He says the debacle of Payette's tenure shows that the vetting system for such