Environment Canada has expanded its weather warnings for much of south and central B-C as strong winds and heavy snowstorms are expected to start today and continue into the weekend. It says areas of the central and north coasts could get up to 40 centimetres of snow, while Squamish, Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky corridor are expecting between 25 and 35 centimetres. Winter storm and snowfall warnings have also been issued for areas including East Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Canyon, and heavy snow is expected in the southern Interior, Cariboo and the Kootenays this weeken

British Columbia is placing restrictions on events and gatherings until the end of January in an effort to limit the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant.Measures range from limits on venues that hold more than 1,000 people to 50 per cent capacity to no amateur sports tournaments over the Christmas period and the cancellation of all New Year's Eve parties.The Health Ministry says indoor gatherings, including those at rental or holiday properties, are also being limited to one household, plus 10 guests, and everyone must be vaccinated. The B.C. Vaccine card program must be used at all events

Ontario is reintroducing capacity limits at restaurants, bars and retailers, and capping indoor social gatherings at 10 people in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The province is also limiting outdoor gatherings to 25, and prohibiting food and drink consumption at sports arenas, cinemas and other large venues. The new rules come into effect first thing Sunday morning, and don't apply to facilities hosting weddings, funerals or religious services. Premier Doug Ford is making the announcement a day after the province's science advisers said a ramped-up booster campaign would

Canada's chief public health officer says all confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Canada are mild or asymptomatic. But Dr. Theresa Tam says most of the 300 plus Canadians who have contracted the variant are younger, and even a milder version of COVID-19 version could wreak havoc at a societal level. Tam says both vaccinated and unvaccinated people have tested positive for the Omicron variant. But she stresses that being fully vaccinated and then getting a booster is expected to provide reasonable protection against infection and likely strong protection against severe illness.

An independent school in Surrey was closed to in-person instruction yesterday due to a COVID outbreak. Fraser Health says 23 COVID-19 cases have been identified among staff and students at Khalsa School Old Yale Road. Meanwhile, Vancouver Coastal Health has declared an outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital after five patients tested positive for COVID-19. Visits to the hospital have been suspended, with an exception for essential care or compassionate end-of-life.

Health Minister Jean Yves Duclos says with the evolving situation and the overwhelming evidence of Omicron transmission around the world, Canada is lifting its travel restrictions on the 10 African countries it had earlier established in response to the emergence of the new variant. He says this is effective tomorrow.As of Tuesday, Canada will reinstate the requirement for a pre-arrival negative P-C-R test result for all travellers entering the country, even if they are returning to Canada after being away for under 72 hours.

B.C. is reporting 753 new cases of COVID-19, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 224,998 cases in the province.There are 3,878 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 218,616 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 184 individuals are in hospital and 70 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, three new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,396.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: oneVancouver Coastal Health: oneIsland Health: oneThere have been 135 cases of the Omicron var

Surrey RCMP Property Crime Unit is requesting the public’s assistance with locating some prolific offenders who have made Santa’s naughty list this holiday season.This list is made up of individuals who currently have outstanding warrants, and who are known to be active in committing property crimes and related offences. We are asking for the public’s assistance in providing information that could assist police with locating and arresting these five.If you see any of these individuals please do not approach them and contact the Surrey RCMP as soon as possible. Jason Wood, 47-years-oldWa

An RCMP officer in Surrey, B.C., may add lifeguard to his credits after rescuing two people from a vehicle that had crashed into a swimming pool. Police say preliminary reports into the crash on Wednesday indicate the driver of the vehicle lost control, slammed through a fence and landed in the in-ground pool. The homeowners called 911 and RCMP Const. Ngawang Gonpo arrived minutes later. Police say the officer managed to get the door open to the vehicle while it was submerged in the pool and remove the two elderly people. The couple were taken to hospital as a precaution, but police say they h