British Columbia crossed the 3,000 mark for cases of COVID-19 as health officials reported 18 new infections and three more deaths on Wednesday. The total number of cases stood at 3,008. There have been a total of 186 deaths. Health officials said in a statement that B.C. has 162 active cases of COVID-19 and 2,660 people who tested positive have recovered. The government says while there are no active outbreaks, new cases and community exposure to the virus continue.

The RCMP say the bodies of three people have been found at the scene of a motel fire in downtown Prince George, B.C. Cpl. Craig Douglass says emergency services were called to the Econo Lodge City Centre Inn on Victoria Street around 9 a.m. Wednesday. He says fire crews tackled the blaze, which engulfed a portion of the building, while police assisted with staff and guests who evacuated the structure. At about 12:30 p.m., Douglass says personnel clearing the building found the three bodies, but he did not have details about their identities. Douglass says an investigation is underway and dete

The Transportation Safety Board says a plane that went missing last month in British Columbia with two people on board was last recorded travelling at an altitude of about 60 metres. The board says the Cessna 172M aircraft was travelling east at an airspeed of about 150 kilometres an hour when it disappeared from radar over the Fraser River near Maple Ridge in the afternoon of June 6. In an update on its investigation released Wednesday, the board says the local training flight was operated by the International Flight Centre at the Boundary Bay Airport. There was a student and flight instruct

The mayor of the second-most populous city in Metro Vancouver says he's been advised by his doctor to take a few days off. Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum issued a statement last night confirming he had what he describes as a ``health concern'' that required medical attention over the weekend. McCallum says the issue has been addressed but, on his doctor's advice, he's taking some time to recuperate. He says he will return to work in time for Surrey's next regular council meeting on Monday.

A hospital in Edmonton is no longer admitting patients due to a full outbreak of COVID-19. An outbreak at the Misericordia Community Hospital was first declared by Alberta's chief medical health officer two weeks ago, and restrictions were tightened as case numbers increased. Alberta Health Services says that 20 patients and 15 staff have tested positive. Three patients have died from the infection. The hospital, which is run by Catholic health provider Covenant Health, is not allowing visitors except in end of life situations and is postponing day procedures. The health agency says people wh

The Liberals are projecting the deficit will soar to $343.2 billion in 2020-2021 due to pandemic relief programs.That is a historic level and 43-billion-dollars beyond even the highest private sector predictions.Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the government expects nearly two-million Canadians will remain out of work this year as the COVID-19 pandemic drags down the economy.In the event of a second wave of infections, the government is forecasting a deeper and longer-lasting negative impact on the economy. The COVID-19 fiscal snapshot: By the numbersEstimated federal deficit for 2020-21:

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says if the Rideau Hall intruder had been a person of colour the outcome would have been different. Military reservist and Manitoba businessman Corey Hurren is in an Ottawa jail facing 22 charges for allegedly carrying weapons and making a threat against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.Police say they arrested Hurren early on July 2, about 200 metres from Trudeau's front door, after he allegedly rammed his pickup truck through gates at Rideau Hall and then ran with a loaded gun through the grounds towards Trudeau's residence. Singh says systemic racism is at play when H

There are 106,167 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 55,997 confirmed (including 5,590 deaths, 25,458 resolved) Ontario: 36,060 confirmed (including 2,691 deaths, 31,603 resolved) Alberta: 8,436 confirmed (including 157 deaths, 7,659 resolved) British Columbia: 2,990 confirmed (including 183 deaths, 2,645 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,065 confirmed (including 63 deaths, 998 resolved) Saskatchewan: 806 confirmed (including 15 deaths, 737 resolved) Manitoba: 314 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 307 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 261 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 258 resolved) Ne

British Columbia health officials announced 12 new infections of COVID-19 on Tuesday as the government extended the provincial state of emergency for two more weeks. The government says the province has had 2,990 cases of COVID-19 in total. The province has 162 active cases and 2,645 people who tested positive have recovered from the illness. The statement says there have been no new COVID-19 related deaths and the number of people who have died stands at 183. One of the new cases announced on Tuesday is epidemiologically linked, which means public health investigations have shown that it mee