British Columbia businesses that were mandated to temporarily shut down through public health orders because of surging COVID-19 cases will be eligible to receive a new one-time relief grant of up to $10,000.The COVID-19 Closure Relief Grant will supplement federal support programs and provide funding to help affected businesses alleviate some financial pressures and help with expenses including rent, employee wages, insurance, maintenance and utilities."We’re all exhausted by COVID-19, but unfortunately COVID-19 is not done with us," said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and

Another challenge could be looming for BC's poultry and egg producers as cases of the H-5-N-1 avian flu have been identified on a farm in Newfoundland. The president of the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council says members across Canada have been warned to watch for signs of the illness, while producers in Newfoundland are taking additional biosecurity measures to halt any spread. Matthew Miller describes the situation as ``concerning,'' but says he's reassured that the cases have been identified on an exhibition farm and not at a commercial operation, meaning Canada still retains its

A white suburban Minneapolis police officer has been found guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright, a Black man. Kim Potter said she meant to use her Taser to try to stop the 20 year old Wright from fleeing during an April 11 traffic stop but accidentally grabbed her gun instead. She was convicted on both counts Thursday. First-degree manslaughter requires prosecutors to prove that she acted recklessly, while second-degree manslaughter requires them to establish that she acted with culpable negligence.

Ontario and Quebec both reported record-breaking numbers of new COVID-19 infections today. Ontario reported 57-hundred and 90 new cases and Quebec 9,397 new infections. Health officials in Montreal report one-fifth of residents getting tested are positive and that 90 per cent of infections are the Omicron variant. Contact tracers in the city can no longer keep up with the crush of new infections. A doctor who advises the Ontario government on COVID-19 says as high as today's number was, the real total is likely three to four times higher.

University of British Columbia researchers say they've completed an analysis of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19, revealing key information about why it's so infectious. Sriram Subramaniam with the department of biochemistry and molecular biology says it has 37 mutations, three to five times more than any other variant so far. He says that means Omicron is very effective at evading the binding of antibodies that can neutralize and block its entry into cells, while at the same time it retains the ability to bind with receptors that transport it inside cells, a combination of c

Police in Vancouver say they're investigating the city's 18th homicide of this year after a 52 year old man was fatally stabbed. They say officers responded to reports that a man had been stabbed outside the Hazelwood Hotel in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood yesterday morning. The man was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries. Police say no arrests have been made.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says some changes to Canada's immigration system could be here to stay.Last month the government welcomed a record number of permanent residents, putting the Liberals on track to meet an ambitious immigration target of 401,000 new permanent residents by the end of the year.Some of the new arrivals have been immigrants who arrived in Canada through traditional means.But others have been temporary residents allowed to make the country their permanent home because of pandemic-related restrictions at the border.Fraser says that pathway could remain open beyond the

B.C. is reporting 1,474 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 231,117 cases in the province.There are 7,253 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 221,280 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 187 individuals are in hospital and 71 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the last 24 hours, six new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,409.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: threeNorthern Health: oneIsland Health: twoNote: The update on cases of the Omicron variant of concern will be provided in to

The approval of the R6 RapidBus service by the Safe Surrey Coalition-led City Council gives the green light toa desperately-needed upgrade to transit service along Scott Road. The new project will connect Scott Road SkyTrainStation to the Newton Exchange Bus Loop and improve commute times by 22 per cent. According to Translink, the existing 319 transit bus that currently covers this route is the top bus route and one of thefastest wing corridors in the South of the Fraser region, with 7.5 million passenger boardings in 2019. This route is a transit gap that was well known about by past Surrey