BCAug 26, 2020
Wildfire that sparked evacuations reclassified as 'held' near Penticton, B.C.
The BC Wildfire Service says the fire smouldering south of Penticton is now unlikely to spread. The service has reclassified the fire that scorched more than 20 square kilometres on the east side of Skaha Lake as ``held.'' A fire is held when the service believes enough action has been taken with the resources at hand that the fire is not likely to spread under prevailing or forecasted conditions. The majority of residents forced to flee have been allowed to return home and authorities have said they hope to lift the evacuation order for 74 remaining properties soon.
CanadaAug 26, 2020
Feds to give provinces $2B to bolster safe reopening of schools this fall
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says children must be safe in their classrooms and parents shouldn't be losing sleep over it.This morning he announced his government is providing up to two-billion-dollars in additional funding to help provinces and territories cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says provinces must tell Ottawa how they spent the first half of the money by December if they want to get more.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was questioned about why Ottawa is stepping up with just days before many kids go back to class.Trudeau responded that the money is mean
CanadaAug 26, 2020
Pandemic-related disability support to cost feds $792 million, PBO says
The parliamentary budget office says a one-time payment to people with disabilities this fall will cost the federal treasury $792 million.The majority of that amount will go to about 1.67 million people in payments of up to $600, which the Liberals say are aimed at offsetting any extra costs linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.The total cost should hit federal books this year, but the budget office warns there may be potential fiscal impacts in subsequent years.The first legislative push to provide the special payments failed in June when the minority Liberal government couldn't gain opposition s
CanadaAug 26, 2020
323 COVID-19 cases reported in Canada
There are 125,969 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 61,803 confirmed (including 5,746 deaths, 54,850 resolved) Ontario: 41,607 confirmed (including 2,800 deaths, 37,748 resolved) Alberta: 13,083 confirmed (including 235 deaths, 11,714 resolved) British Columbia: 5,242 confirmed (including 203 deaths, 4,114 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,601 confirmed (including 23 deaths, 1,490 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,080 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,011 resolved) Manitoba: 1,018 confirmed (including 13 deaths, 606 resolved) Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 265 resolved) New Bru
BCAug 26, 2020
Officials declare COVID-19 outbreaks at two B.C. health facilities, 58 new cases reported in B.C.
British Columbia has two outbreaks of COVID-19 at health care facilities as officials reported 58 new cases across the province on Tuesday. They say the two outbreaks are in the Fraser Health region, one at Bear Creek Villa and the other at Langley Memorial Hospital. Health officials declared an outbreak at the hospital in Langley when a patient tested positive after being discharged Monday and noticed symptoms on returning home. Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin, Fraser Health's interim chief medical health officer, says they are working to identify how many people may have been exposed. She says the ho
WorldAug 25, 2020
Death of police officer's wife in Miami being considered an accident
The death of a police officer's wife in the Miami area is being considered an accident. 56 year old Clara Paulino climbed into the backseat of her husband's marked SUV Friday to find something and got trapped inside when the doors closed and the self-locking device engaged. She was trapped for about four hours on a hot afternoon as her husband slept after finishing a midnight shift. The SUV has a cage that separates the back seat from the front seat and has bars on the windows and doors that can only be opened from the outside.
CanadaAug 25, 2020
Erin O'Toole says he wants to see the Trudeau government address western alienation
The new leader of the federal Conservatives says while he isn't afraid to fight in a fall election, he wants to first try co-operating with the Liberal government to bring effective leadership to Canada during the pandemic. Erin O'Toole isn't saying if he will support Liberal's speech from the throne on September 23rd, which will lay out the government's post-pandemic plan and will be followed by a confidence vote. O'Toole says he wants to see the Trudeau government address western alienation. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says as prime minister, he would lead a government that rebuilds th
CanadaAug 25, 2020
Alberta gets new justice, economy ministers in cabinet 'reset'
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has made a ``limited reset'' of his cabinet to accommodate a renamed portfolio for jobs, the economy and innovation.Doug Schweitzer, who was justice minister, will hold the post, which Kenney says is a rebrand of the Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Ministry.Kenney says Schweitzer will work to implement Alberta's recently launched economic plan to help the province recover from the ``double whammy'' of low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conference Board of Canada is forecasting Alberta will be the most heavily hit province this year with an 11 per
BCAug 25, 2020
More than 200 firefighters move around smouldering wildfire near Penticton, B.C.
A wildfire south of Penticton is dying down, allowing firefighting crews to move around its flanks as officials inspect the area to ensure it's safe for evacuees to return to their homes. The fire has scorched more than 20 square kilometres of land on the east side of Skaha Lake and destroyed one home since last week.The B-C Wildfire Service says the fire is now classified as rank one on a scale of six, which refers to smoldering ground fires with no open flames and white smoke that can be attacked by ground crews using hand tools, pumps and hoses. An evacuation alert was lifted for nearly 37