BC is reporting 124 new cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths, leaving the death toll at 204. In a joint news release, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry say there are 974 active cases of the illness in the province. They say 2,796 people are being actively monitored by public health workers as a result of exposure to known cases. 23 people are hospitalized with the illness, including seven who are in intensive care, while 4,310 people who tested positive have recovered.

ICBC says it is adding more road test appointments over the coming weeks as new examiners start work and more test sites open. The insurance agency says those who have booked road tests should visit its online booking site to see if they can get an earlier appointment. ICBC says it has added a total of two thousand road test appointments for testing dates starting September 9th. Over the coming weeks, an additional six thousand new appointment slots will be added, with most of them available at testing locations in the Lower Mainland.

The federal government has once again extended travel restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says existing restrictions on international travel to Canada will be extended one more month to September 30th. Blair says Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are returning home to Canada will continue to be subjected to strict quarantine measures. New arrivals are required to quarantine for 14 days if they don't have symptoms, or isolate for 14 days if they do.

The Canada Border Services Agency and RCMP say they have made a significant suspected drug seizure and arrest at the Pacific Highway border crossing in BC. The Mounties say border officers sent a commercial driver for further inspection on August 12th when X-ray imaging of the tractor and trailer revealed anomalies. Police say a further examination found seven boxes of suspected dried opium poppy plants including the pods that weighed 29 kilograms. Officers arrested the driver, who was released pending the ongoing investigation.

The NBA and its players have agreed the playoffs will resume tomorrow. NBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote hopefully in their home arenas. And they want to keep playing basketball. Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments that made players comfortable continuing. The two sides say they are going to immediately establish a social justice coalition, made up of players, coaches and owners, that will push for meaningful police and criminal justice reform. Play stopped Wed

The Reverend Al Sharpton says tens of thousands came to the Lincoln Memorial today as Dr. Martin Luther King Junior did 57 years ago to say they are tired of broken promises. Protesters are calling for police reform and marking the anniversary of King's 1963 ``I Have a Dream'' speech. Sharpton told the crowd that enough is enough saying ``If we have to march every day we will get your knee off our neck.'' Sharpton says demonstrators want action, including Senate passage of a bill, named for the late John Lewis, to protect voting rights.

Quebec is reducing the mandatory isolation period required for people infected with COVID-19 from 14 days to 10.From now on, people can end their isolation period 10 days after their first symptoms appear -- but only if they no longer have symptoms, like a fever. The new rules apply only to confirmed COVID-19 cases involving people who are isolated at home and whose symptoms are considered mild or moderate.People who are in preventive isolation due to being in contact with a confirmed case must still isolate for 14 days to see if symptoms develop.

Canada's chief public health officer says families should expect to see cases of COVID-19 in schools as children head back to class in the coming weeks. Dr. Theresa Tam says it is important that each school have a plan and that everyone knows what to do when there's an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. At a media briefing in Ottawa today, she says it is normal to feel stressed about the fact many students are returning to classrooms.But she emphasizes that planning and awareness can help ease anxiety. Tam says while Canada generally has quite low levels of COVID-19, it doesn't mean families w

The federal deficit soared to 120.4-billion-dollars in the first quarter of Ottawa's fiscal year, up from a deficit of 85-million a year ago. The Finance Department says the treasury was pumping out emergency aid to businesses and workers to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Major transfers to persons, which includes seniors benefits, employment insurance payments, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, and children's benefits jumped 193.5 per cent year-over-year, to almost 70.6-billion-dollars.