The BC Public Service Agency says it has finalized its policy regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all direct government employees. The policy requires any employee working for the BC Public Service, whether at home or in the office, to be fully vaccinated by November 22nd. Guidelines have also been updated to require contractors and others using employee-only areas of indoor public-service workplaces to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 13, although this order does not apply to members of the public using those same spaces. The agency says employees with just one COVID-19 shot may be offere

The BC Coroners Service has released updated numbers showing 595 people died in the province during extreme heat events over the summer. That's an increase from the 569 deaths confirmed by the coroners service at the end of July. A statement from the coroner and the Ministry of Public Safety says all the deaths are being investigated and reports on each fatality should be complete by early 2022. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says by identifying patterns and factors in each of the deaths, the province will be ``in a better position to prevent future similar tragedies.'' The release says 526 of t

Vancouver police are investigating the city's 14th homicide of 2021 after initially responding to a weekend car crash. They say one man is dead and two others are in hospital with serious injuries connected to the vehicle incident on the south side of Vancouver. Investigators say they suspect the three men were driving in the same vehicle when they were involved in a confrontation with people in another vehicle. Police say they're looking for dash-camera footage and witnesses who were in the area of Main and Fraser Streets between 41st and 57th avenues on Saturday night.

Vancouver police are investigating the death of a woman following an alleged hit-and-run incident. They say the 66 year old woman was walking near East Broadway and Commercial Drive Saturday night when she was struck by a vehicle that didn't stop. Investigators say the suspect vehicle was located in east Vancouver and a 30 year old Surrey man was arrested. Police haven't released the names of the victim or suspect. VPD believes the woman was struck by a man driving a silver Acura TL, which failed to stop or render assistance following the collision. Speed and alcohol are possible factors.

B.C. is reporting 584 new cases of COVID-19, including 10 epi-linked cases, for a total of 204,914 cases in the province.There are 4,982 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 197,396 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 436 individuals are in hospital and 156 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, nine new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,156.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: threeVancouver Coastal Health: twoNorthern Health: twoIsland Health: two From Oct. 21-27, peop

Surrey RCMP’s investigation into a drug trafficking network culminated in a substantial seizure of drugs, including tens of thousands of potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.In Spring of 2021, the Surrey RCMP Drug Unit initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking network with ties to the Lower Mainland Gang Conflict. Through an extensive investigation, three residences in the Whalley area were identified as locations of interest. On October 13, 2021, Surrey RCMP’s Drug Unit with the assistance of the Surrey Gang Enforcement Team executed three search warrants in quick succession at t

BC's 12 federal New Democrat members of Parliament have been handed their new critics' roles by party Leader Jagmeet Singh. He says his new lineup sees women in several crucial roles, including Environment and Climate Change. That job goes to Victoria MP Laurel Collins, who is starting her second term in Ottawa. Longtime New Democrat Don Davies is the party's health critic, while Peter Julian is NDP House Leader and Jenny Kwan is caucus chair.

The Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board says sales of commercial properties were stronger between April and June than at any time since 2017. A statement from the board says land sales were particularly healthy. It says that shows ``investors are demonstrating confidence in new development potential in the region.'' The board says the total dollar value from the sale of 726 commercial properties during the second quarter was just over 3.6-billion dollars, a 130 per cent leap over the roughly 1.6-billion recorded in the same period last year.

Mounties in BC's southern Interior say officers have determined that two deaths in the Osoyoos area this week appear to have been a murder-suicide within a family. The RCMP say officers responded Tuesday to an abandoned vehicle in a rural area northwest of Osoyoos, which was linked with a home in town. They say officers found a body inside the home and a second person was found dead not far from the abandoned vehicle. Police released no further information.