Premier John Horgan says vaccine mandates for workers in British Columbia's schools are a last resort and elected board trustees know what's needed for their communities rather than the province enforcing such decisions. Parent groups and the BC Teachers' Federation have called for all school districts to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the absence of a provincewide order, while the New Westminster board of education has asked for a legal opinion on making the shots mandatory. Horgan says he understands the anxiety parents have to protect their children and to make sure that governmen

A Delta teenager and three of his friends are being hailed for halting a burglar who was breaking into the youth's home. Delta police say the teen interrupted the midday break-in last Monday when he arrived home with his friends and ran inside to get something _ then left the house after hearing suspicious noises inside. Police say a man allegedly left the house, walked toward the youth and his friends, told them he had a gun and threatened them, but the four teens decided to call police and hold him anyway, even though he allegedly bit one of them in the resulting struggle. Delta Police have

The Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ``missed an opportunity'' to show his commitment to the survivors of residential schools by not replying to its invitations to take part in an event marking the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. A statement from the First Nation in Kamloops, B.C., says the lack of a response to two letters was ``an added insult,'' but it looks forward to welcoming Trudeau in the community later this month. It says Trudeau's presence would have shown the world his personal commitment to ``enacting real change and rectifyi

An independent group that analyzes the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia and Canada has released new modelling containing some good news but also raising concerns, especially about the impact of the virus on children. The report by 12 epidemiologists, mathematicians and data analysts, from the universities of Victoria and British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the private sector, covers the period up to Oct. 4. It shows pressure on B.C.'s intensive care units remains near peak levels but that COVID-19 cases stabilized through September due to masking, vaccination and

City councillors in Vancouver have narrowly rejected a proposal for citywide parking permits and a levy on certain vehicles, with Mayor Kennedy Stewart questioning the fairness of the plan and casting the tiebreaking vote. Council heard last night from more than two dozen speakers both for and against the proposal to set a $45 annual fee for overnight street parking anywhere in Vancouver. The plan, titled the Climate Emergency Parking Program, also called for levies of up to $1,000 on all but the most fuel-efficient vehicles purchased after 2023. Stewart issued a written statement saying he b

Citing ongoing staffing issues, Victoria police say they're pulling seven officers from the region's integrated units and redeploying them as street cops. The change, which comes into effect on November 7th, means the region's traffic, organized crime and national-security units will be short of officers. The department says that 39 of its 249 officers are unable to respond to calls for a variety of reasons including physical and psychological injuries, and that 17 other officers are training. The department says a review of the seven transfers will take place over the next year to assess if

B.C. is reporting 752 new cases of COVID-19, including two epi-linked cases, for a total of 191,124 cases in the province.There are 5,945 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 182,786 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 350 individuals are in hospital and 136 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 1,992.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: fiveVancouver Coastal Health: threeIsland Health: one There has been one new health-care facil

Vancouver Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was attacked by a stranger in Vancouver’s West End last month."This assault appears to have been completely random and has left the victim with serious injuries to his face," says Constable Tania Visintin, VPD. "We believe there were people in the area who may have witnessed this assault and are asking them to come forward and speak with investigators."The victim, a 52-year-old man, was walking to work near Davie and Howe streets just after 5 a.m. on September 18 when a man walking in the opposite direction randomly punched him in the

The British Columbia government says truck drivers will be safer and more skilled once they have completed the province's new mandatory entry-level training program. The Ministry of Transportation says in a written statement that beginning next Monday, anyone applying for a B.C. Class 1 driver's licence must successfully complete the training program before attempting a road test. A Class 1 licence is required by operators of truck and trailer rigs where the trailer is equipped with air brakes. The ministry statement says the program aligns with a new truck driver training framework introduce