British Columbia's provincial health officer announced regional restrictions Tuesday in an area that has seen a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among children as more adults have also become infected due to lower vaccination rates. Dr. Bonnie Henry said her order pertains to the eastern Fraser Valley towns of Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison where to 10 per cent of children between the ages of five and 11 have been testing positive for the virus since the start of the school year. Over 500 children a day are being tested for the virus, up from about 100, Henry said. "

British Columbia's provincial health officer has announced regional restrictions in an area that has seen a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among children as adult infections take off. Dr. Bonnie Henry's order covers the eastern Fraser Valley in Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison. She says private gatherings will be limited to five additional people or one additional household and to 10 people outdoors, unless everyone is vaccinated. Organized events like weddings or conferences will be limited to 10 people, or 50 people outside, unless everyone is fully vaccinated, wh

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is again reminding Canadians that encouraging people to get vaccinated and protecting those who have gotten their shots is the key way through this pandemic and out of it. He says his government will move ahead with the five vaccine-related priorities that he committed to during the election campaign, like a vaccine mandate for federal workers and requiring travellers to be fully vaccinated before getting on a plane or train. He’s also ready to move on his promise to health-care workers.Rounding out his top five priorities include finalizing a vaccine passport f

Someone pretending to be the Liberal MLA for Peace River North has been circulating a fake letter advising people not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The real MLA, Dan Davies, says he was horrified when a local doctor alerted him to the ruse over the weekend after she received a copy of the fake letter. He says vaccine hesitancy is already a problem in the area and health-care workers need relief as they care for a disproportionate number of unvaccinated patients. Davies called the letter ``unsettling'' and ``foolish'' and says he's been encouraging friends, family and the public to get v

Tossing bread crusts to geese or the remains of a sandwich to a raccoon will soon be an offence in any Vancouver park, punishable by a hefty fine. Vancouver park board commissioners have voted unanimously to amend park bylaws to prohibit the feeding of any wild animal, from pigeons and geese to squirrels, raccoons and coyotes. The approved proposal calls for a $500 fine for each offence but several commissioners also support a sliding scale that would include higher fines for repeat offences. Staff will draft a revised bylaw and return it to the board for consideration and final approval at a

Six candidates seeking the leadership of the BC Liberal Party meet tonight in the campaign's first debate streaming live on the party's website and Facebook page. The Liberals will elect a new leader February 5th to replace former leader Andrew Wilkinson who stepped down shortly after the party's election defeat last October. Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at Simon Fraser University, says the Liberals are seeking new political directions after consecutive election losses, and the debate offers opportunities for the candidates to put forward new visions. The six candidates are: Va

Senior leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday resigned as the chief of the Punjab Unit of the Congress."The collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress," Sidhu said in his letter after resigning.Sidhu was appointed as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) on July 23.This comes just before former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's visit to the national c

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday has kept 14 portfolios as ministries were allocated to newly-inducted ministers in his expanded Cabinet.On the advice and recommendation of Chief Minister Channi, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit allotted portfolios to the 15 newly inducted ministers of the state, the chief minister's office said today.According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office, CM Charanjit Singh Channi would hold the portfolios of Personnel, Vigilance, General Administration, Justice, Legal & Legislative Affairs, Information & Public Relations,

Over a three-day period, B.C. is reporting 2,239 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 184,780 cases in the province. Sept. 24-25: 876 new casesSept. 25-26: 657 new casesSept. 26-27: 706 new cases There are 6,098 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 176,354 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 303 individuals are in hospital and 141 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 72 hours, 18 new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 1,940.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: threeInterior Health