Toxic drug deaths killed 158 people in British Columbia last month, pushing the total number of deaths linked in the province's overdose crisis to 498 since the start of the year. A statement releasing the figures from the BC Coroners Service and the Public Safety Ministry says the deaths in March are a 41 per cent increase over the 112 fatalities recorded in the same period last year. The deaths also mark the third consecutive month that more than five people died every day from illicit drug use in the province. The coroners service says carfentanil, which is 100 times stronger than the opio

Ontario will send half its available COVID-19 vaccines to hot spots in the first two weeks of May to help fight the virus in those hard-hit regions. That will be an increase from the current 25 per cent allocation for hot spots and follows a recommendation from the province's science advisers to allocate shots based on transmission rate rather than age group. The government says it will return to a per capita distribution for vaccines across the province on the week of May 17. Officials say Ontario will also lower the age eligibility for mass vaccination clinics to 55 and older starting tomor

Thomas Berger, a British Columbia politician, lawyer, judge and commissioner whose work led Canada to recognize Aboriginal title to land, has died at the age of 88. In confirming the death, B.C. Premier John Horgan says Berger was a "giant," who "spent a lifetime working to address injustice." Berger was a former leader of B.C.'s New Democratic Party, and a B.C. Supreme Court justice, but it was his belief in Indigenous rights and his compassionate management of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry that confirmed his place as an icon of legal and social justice. Berger acted for Nisga'a elder

Police in Delta say they worked with other police departments to recover two trucks and two trailers stolen from different locations last Monday. They say police traced two trucks and one of the trailers to Langley the next day, and the remaining trailer was later found in Abbotsford. They say the last trailer was full of appliances worth about 280-thousand dollars, all of which police were able to recover, except a single microwave. Police say it seemed an attempt had been made at the Abbotsford property to hide a suspicious amount of large boxes. Delta police on Twitter: Delta Police pieced

The Liberal government is tapping former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour to lead what it says is an independent review of the military's handling of sexual assault, harassment and other misconduct. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Arbour's appointment today, nearly three months after the government and Canadian Armed Forces were rocked by allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by the military's top commanders.Arbour, the former UN high commissioner for human rights, is being asked to help set up an independent system for victims and others to report incidents and also to re

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in British Columbia has ticked up to 515, breaking a previous record set last week. Among those hospitalized, 171 people are in intensive care. Five more people have died after contracting the illness, pushing the death toll in the province to 1,576. The number of active infections was down to just over 8,000 as health officials reported 841 new cases on Wednesday. A joint statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix says B.C. has now administered more than 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, of whi

A British Columbia provincial court judge compared a man's actions breaking COVID-19 rules to selling the powerful opioid fentanyl on the street as she sentenced him. Mohammad Movassaghi was handed one day in jail, a $5,000 fine and 18 months' probation after previously pleading guilty to disobeying a court order, failing to comply with a health officer's order and unlawfully purchasing grain alcohol. Vancouver police used a search warrant in January to enter what they described as a makeshift nightclub and more than $17,000 in fines were issued against Movassaghi and his guests in the home.

Surrey RCMP is urging members of the public to exercise caution after a recent increase in drug toxicity deaths in Surrey. Between April 21 and April 27, 2021, Surrey RCMP were called in response to six separate deaths believed to be caused by drug toxicity. At this time, it is unknown if the deaths are related to the use of illicit substances from the same source however, it is suspected that the deaths are linked to the use of fentanyl/heroin (opiates). Five of the six decedents were located in private residences and it is believed that they were using drugs alone. Sadly, there have been 7

Workers in British Columbia can receive up to three hours of paid leave in order to get a COVID-19 vaccination. A statement from the Ministry of Labour says amendments to the Employment Standards Act are now in effect, retroactive to April 19. The employer-paid leave covers full-time and part-time workers and the ministry says it ensures no employee will lose pay for taking time off to get vaccinated. The three-hour leave is part of B.C.'s immunization plan and the statement says it helps make the vaccination process as easy as possible. The legislation improves on changes enacted April 1 tha