Numbers released by the BC Coroners Service show deaths from toxic, unregulated drugs have nudged record levels across the province for the second year in a row.The coroners service says 596 lives were lost between January and March.It says that's the second highest total ever recorded over the first three months of a calendar year, behind only 2022 when 599 people died.The figures also show 2,314 deaths due to toxic drugs occurred last year, making the annual toll the deadliest on record since a public health emergency was declared in 2016.The statement from the coroners service says just und

More women and non-binary immigrants and refugees who have experienced violence, abuse or trauma will be able to access employment services and supports through a $2.4-million grant to YWCA Metro Vancouver.The three-year grant will enhance and expand YWCA Metro Vancouver's Axis, a trauma- informed, culturally safe employment program.Since 2021, the YWCA Metro Vancouver has offered the 12-week Axis program, helping nearly 200 women and non-binary immigrants and refugees develop the personalized employment and training plans they need to pursue meaningful employment."Immigrant and refugee women

On the occasion of Vaisakhi, British Columbia Premier David Eby has issued the following statement marking Vaisakhi:"Today, Sikhs here in British Columbia and around the world will gather to celebrate Vaisakhi. Marking the formation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji more than three centuries ago, Vaisakhi is among the holiest days in the Sikh calendar. Vaisakhi is a time for family and community, and of coming together in worship and celebration. This year, it will be marked by prayer and reflection in gurdwaras across the province, in parades and Nagar Kirtans, and gatherings with family.

In another glaring incident of hate crime, a woman passed racial comment and later spat on an Arabic speaking man’s face in a Vancouver café.This video has been released by Vancouver Police department claiming that a 38 year old man was playing cards and drinking coffee with a group of friends near West 4th Avenue and Alma street when they were approached by a stranger around 10:45 p.m. on February 26.After initially engaging in friendly conversation, the woman asked the men what language they were speaking. When one of the men told her they were speaking Arabic, the woman allegedly made a

British Columbia's premier says Mounties and Metro Vancouver Transit Police have increased their presence and stepped up patrols on bus and train lines so passengers can feel safe when travelling.David Eby says the stabbing death of a 17-year-old male on a Surrey bus on Tuesday is every parent's nightmare.The premier says Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth is reaching out to transit authorities and police to see if more resources are needed to ensure transit safety.The teen’s death is among a series of attacks on commuters across Canada that includes a shooting on a Calgary bus on Wednesd

An earthquake measuring 6 has shaken the seabed a few hundred kilometres off Vancouver Island.The National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska says a dangerous wave is not expected from the quake.The U.S. Geological Survey website shows the quake was only lightly felt in areas ranging from Port Hardy, just over 200 kilometres from the epicentre, to Kitimat, more than 500 kilometres away.Earthquakes Canada estimated the quake that happened at about 8 a.m. local time was magnitude 5.8, while the tsunami warning centre said it reached 6.2.The earthquake was centred along the eastern edge of the Juan

Cruise ship season officially launches in British Columbia as the Sapphire Princess berths in Victoria for a one-day visit.The vessel then travels to Vancouver to begin that city's season.The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority expects 330 ships between April and October, bringing at least 850,000 passengers to the capital.The Port of Vancouver says 331 cruise ships are scheduled over the same period, potentially delivering more than one million visitors into the downtown core, with almost daily arrivals and departures at the height of the season between May and September.Prince Rupert's cruise

Forecasters are warning of swollen creeks and rivers as heavy rain sweeps over southern British Columbia.High streamflow advisories have been posted for all of Vancouver Island, the south coast and the southern Interior, warning that the possible rapid rise in rivers poses a risk to public safety.Environment Canada says a Pacific frontal system washed over Vancouver Island and the south coast over the weekend, bringing up to 90 millimetres to Haida Gwaii and more than 80 millimetres on Saturna Island.The River Forecast Centre says streams and rivers on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Fra

WorkSafeBC is reminding employers of their obligation to prevent violence in the workplace and ensure the safety of their workers. Over the last five years, acts of violence have increased by 25 per cent in B.C., from 2,292 accepted claims in 2018 to 2,868 in 2022. WorkSafeBC regulations require that employers conduct a risk assessment, have policies and procedures in place to protect workers from the risk of violence, and to provide instruction to workers. Employers must identify potential hazards and implement measures to eliminate or minimize the risk of harm for workers who work alone or i