BCMay 21, 2021
B.C. reports the lowest number of COVID-19 cases since mid-February
Premier John Horgan is urging people to follow all COVID-19 public health orders over the long weekend so the province can have the summer than everyone wants to see. Horgan says COVID-19 case counts are coming down and the burden on hospitals is easing somewhat, but all current restrictions including the ban on travel remain in place until midnight Monday. He says the province will be announcing a new road map for reopening on Tuesday and people can expect the circuit breaker imposed to slow rising cases to be over. However, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says it's not going to b
BCMay 20, 2021
B.C., Vancouver, create cargo e-bike hub to cut pollution, handle urban deliveries
A project to deliver packages by cargo electric bicycle is about to launch in Vancouver as the city works to reduce pollution and traffic congestion. A joint statement from the Transportation and Environment ministries says the province is providing $200,000 to partner with Vancouver to create the e-bike micro hub. The statement says packages will be brought to the hub by truck and transferred to the e-bikes equipped with large rear cargo boxes for final delivery. The project will begin in June and run until the end of next August, with a midpoint evaluation of greenhouse gas reductions, prod
BCMay 20, 2021
North Van impaired driving roadblock nets cash, drugs and knife from gang associates
An early morning drinking and driving roadblock in North Vancouver captured known gang associates in possession of cash, drugs and a knife.At approximately 3:00 a.m. on May 18, 2021, North Vancouver RCMP officers were conducting an impaired driving enforcement road check near Capilano Rd. and Marine Dr. A newer model Range Rover approached, and the driver stopped and rolled down the window to speak to one of the officers."Generally, this initial brief discussion our officers have with the person behind the wheel allows them to detect possible impaired drivers," said Sgt. Peter DeVries of the N
BCMay 20, 2021
In-BC should be added as a public body under the province's freedom of information legislation: Michael McEvoy
BC's information and privacy commissioner has written a letter urging the government to add its new 500-million dollar investment corporation as a public body under the province's freedom of information legislation. Michael McEvoy says the corporation called In-BC should be subject to such transparency and accountability because it will be making decisions about the allocation of significant public money to the private sector. He says ICBC and BC Hydro are just two examples of Crown corporations or agencies that manage public funds while being subject to the legislation. McEvoy says existing
BCMay 20, 2021
BC RCMP to increase travel checks this long weekend
RCMP have issued a reminder that non-essential travel remains restricted, between three regional zones established by the province. They say road checks will ramp up over this coming long weekend. The Mounties' highway patrol unit has established checkpoints on Highway 1 in the Boston Bar area, Highway 3 in the Manning Park area, Highway 5 in the old toll booth area and Highway 99 in the Lillooet area. The unit says close to 21-hundred vehicles were checked last weekend, with 30 turning around voluntarily. BC RCMP on Twitter: #BC - BC RCMP to increase COVID travel checks https://bit.ly/3wj4h5
BCMay 20, 2021
B.C. reports 521 COVID-19 cases and 8 deaths
The British Columbia government is preparing to vaccinate youth aged 12 to 17 and will roll out its plan shortly. Premier John Horgan is joining Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry for the COVID-19 news conference on Thursday. A joint statement Wednesday says young people can register to receive their vaccine online and details on how they will be vaccinated will come on Thursday. The statement also says anyone who was immunized before April 15, prior to the online system launching, will need to register because while the system has their vaccine informat
BCMay 19, 2021
Drug stash found in rectum highlights the reality of gang life
A drug-filled dialer-bag pulled from the rectum of a drug trafficker provides Surrey RCMP with an opportunity to educate would-be gang associates of the reality of the gang lifestyle.On May 14, 2021 at 7:30 pm, officers from the Surrey RCMP Community Response Unit conducted a traffic stop with a rental vehicle in the area of 15200-block of 16 Avenue, to investigate an offence under the BC Motor Vehicle Act. During their interaction with the driver, officers observed evidence consistent with drug trafficking. The male driver and his passenger were arrested for possession for the purposes of tra
BCMay 19, 2021
Annual inflation rate in April rises to highest in nearly a decade
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are intruding into inflation calculations as Statistics Canada says the cost of living rose to its highest level in nearly a decade in April. Economists blame a record increase in the price of gasoline last month, compared with last April when gas prices plunged due to the pandemic, saying the jump pushed Canada's inflation rate up to 3.4 per cent from its 2.2 per cent setting in March. When compared with last April, gas prices soared 62.5 per cent, but number crunchers say if gas were removed from the equation, the national inflation rate would be 1.9 per
BCMay 19, 2021
Surrey RCMP release picture of 22 year old member of Brother's Keepers gang
The latest person to be outed by police as a member of a Metro Vancouver-area gang is 22-year-old Naseem Mohammed. Surrey RCMP say Mohammed is a member of the Brother's Keepers gang and is wanted on multiple warrants but police don't know where he is and say he may have entered the United States illegally. In an effort to slow Metro Vancouver's deadly gang conflict, police have begun releasing photos of people they say are gang members who could be targeted by rival gangs putting anyone near them at risk. Vancouver police released six photos on Monday and yesterday the region's integrated gan