Another 42 cases of COVID-19 are being reported in the province along with another death at a long-term care centre in North Vancouver. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry says BC now has a total of 659 cases and 14 deaths. She says 64 COVID-19 patients are in hospital, including 26 in intensive care.

Ontario is reporting four new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the provincial total to 13. The new figures come as the province saw its largest single-day spike in new cases. There were 100 more COVID-19 cases in the province, bringing the provincial total to 688. Health officials have said increasing numbers are expected as many Canadians return from abroad.

Alberta has reported 61 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the province to 419 cases. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer, says the cases include a recent outbreak at a care home for developmentally disabled adults. Premier Jason Kenney says police now have full authority to enforce public health orders and issue fines to people who are not self-isolating after travel outside Canada.

The British Columbia government is suspending evictions and offering a $500 monthly rebate to help renters and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier John Horgan says the government is also imposing a freeze on rent increases. Horgan says many tenants have lost their jobs and are worried they won't be able to pay their rent and they should not be forced out when health officials are telling them to stay at home. The money will be paid directly to landlords on the behalf of renters for the next four months. Horgan says while he knows $500 doesn't go a long way to covering the cost of

Ontario is introducing a $17-billion package to help address the COVID-19 pandemic. The money is meant to support the province's health sector, people and businesses. New spending includes a $1-billion pandemic contingency fund, nearly $1 billion more for hospitals, and $75 million for more personal protective equipment for front-line workers. Measures also include a one-time payment for parents of $200 per child 12 years old and under, doubling payments for low-income seniors and suspending student loan payments for six months. The plan includes both $7 billion in new spending and $10 billio

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won't say if the government plans to activate the Federal Quarantine Act. But Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says as of midnight, people returning to Canada must self quarantine for 14 days. If they don't, they can be fined or arrested, as a Newfoundland woman was yesterday. She is due in court via video link for violating public health emergency orders.

A financial aid package for people struggling to make ends meet after losing their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic has now received royal assent. The 107-billion-dollar package includes $52 billion in cash support. One measure will provide two-thousand-dollars per month for up to four months to workers whose income drops to zero because of the pandemic. Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the benefit should start getting to workers on April 6th. That's as the country-wide number of cases climbed to nearly 33 hundred and the number of deaths rose to 30.

Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Canadians are getting the message that donating blood is safe. Tam told the Senate today that both Canadian Blood Services and Hema-Quebec have put ``amazing'' systems in place to screen donors for symptoms of COVID-19 before allowing them into the blood donation centres. Tam says Canadians are stepping up and they need to keep it going.

The new benefit for workers losing income because of the COVID-19 pandemic will provide $2,000 a month for up to four months. It's being called the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and is designed to streamline the programs the Liberal government had previously proposed as part their $27 billion in direct support to Canadians.The benefit is part of legislation being studied by Parliament today with the hopes it becomes law this afternoon.The application program for the new benefit should open in early April.