The British Columbia government is closing all provincial parks to ensure compliance with recommendations to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.A statement from the Environment and Climate Change Ministry says the closure applies to everyone, from B.C. and out-of-province, who may have been planning a trip to a provincial park.Minister George Heyman says efforts were made to provide spaces for exercise and fresh air in the parks but it ``has proven too challenging'' to maintain safe physical distancing of two metres between visitors.The timing of the decision is aimed at heading off Ea

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal wage-subsidy program for employers hit by COVID-19 will have looser standards than previously announced.Rather than having to show a 30 percent decline in revenues, he says they can show a 15 percent decline in March, and can compare their revenues to previous months rather than the previous year.Charities can also choose whether to include revenues from governments in their calculations when they apply.He says businesses need to survive and workers need to get paid if the economy is to ``come roaring back after this crisis.''

Canada's deputy minister of foreign affairs has tested positive for COVID-19. Marta Morgan has been the top official in the department for just under a year, after leading the Immigration Department, and is the first woman to hold the job. Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne shared the diagnosis on Twitter. He wished Morgan a full and speedy recovery and called her an invaluable part of the foreign-affairs team. Several ministers and MPs have isolated themselves out of concern that they have the respiratory illness but Morgan is the most senior Canadian government figure to test positive. Cha

British Columbia medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she's heartened by a decrease in the number of people being diagnosed with COVID-19. There have been 29 new cases since Friday, and Henry says if the province had continued to see the previous acceleration of about 25 per cent she would have been very concerned. She says the curve in the number of cases in B.C. appears to be flattening, which could allow for health care for those who need help both for COVID-19 and other illnesses. The province has recorded three more deaths for a total of 38 deaths among the 1,203 people diagno

British Columbia medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she's heartened by a decrease in the number of people being diagnosed with COVID-19. There have been 29 new cases since Friday, and Henry says if the province had continued to see the previous acceleration of about 25 per cent she would have been very concerned. She says the curve in the number of cases in B.C. appears to be flattening, which could allow for health care for those who need help both for COVID-19 and other illnesses. The province has recorded three more deaths for a total of 38 deaths among the 1,203 people diagnosed

Amritsar district administration on Tuesday performed the last rites of a COVID-19 positive victim after his family refused to claim the body. "On Monday, after a former employee of the civic body here died of coronavirus his family was informed but did not come forward for the last rites. The district administration performed his last rites today after his family refused to claim the body," said Shivdular Singh Dhillon, Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar. According to the health state department, the total count of positive cases in the state stands at 99.

Premier Jason Kenney says forecast models for the COVID-19 crisis in Alberta predict anywhere from 400 to 6,600 deaths in the months to come. The premier spoke to the province in a televised address tonight. Kenney says where the numbers go depends largely on the behaviour of Albertans. Alberta is under strict public health orders that clamp down on non-essential businesses and restrict public gatherings to no more than 15 people. Kenney says those orders will be in place at least until the end of the month, with social distancing rules likely in place until the end of May.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says nearly 400 calls have come in about potential COVID-19 violations. Complaints have come in through a toll-free phone line launched by the province to handle pandemic-related questions. Since about March 28, the same week as the line officially launched, the agency says it has received 397 calls about potential violations. Police in Regina confirmed Tuesday that a 23 year old woman was ticketed nearly $3,000 for violating a health order was positive with COVID-19.

Four more people have died as a result of COVID-19 in British Columbia. The total number of deaths is at 43 in the province. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, says 25 new cases have been diagnosed. A total of 12 hundred and 91 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus in BC.