The final debate of the BC Liberal leadership race is tonight, with barely two weeks left before the party selects a new leader on February 5th. Candidates at tonight's debate include Gavin Dew, Kevin Falcon, Michael Lee, Val Litwin, Renee Merrifield, Ellis Ross and Stan Sipos. The race began last February when former leader Andrew Wilkinson officially resigned after the Liberals won just 28 seats and saw the New Democrats capture a large majority in the 2020 provincial election. Tonight's debate can be viewed online at the BC Liberals website.

While the most challenging days are predicted to be ahead for B-C's health-care system as COVID-19 cases peak in the latest wave, representatives for doctors and nurses say their members are already reaching their breaking points. Doctor Ramneek Dosanjh, president of Doctors of B-C, says physicians are feeling emotionally exhausted as they enter the third year of the pandemic. She says the COVID-19 has highlighted shortages of not just critical supplies such personal protective equipment but also the need for additional human resources and support in the workforce. Aman Grewal, president of

British Columbia's anti-gang police unit says officers have seized cash, drugs and weapons after a year-long investigation on Vancouver Island. The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit says the investigation focused on an alleged organized drug trafficking network with ties to members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. During the execution of four search warrants on homes in the Comox Valley and Campbell River, police say they seized about 3-point-5 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 160-thousand dollars in cash and several guns.Six people were arrested and have been released from custody

Over a three-day period, B.C. is reporting 5,625 new cases of COVID-19, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 299,146 cases in the province:Jan. 14-15: 2,383 new casesJan. 15-16: 1,733 new casesJan. 16-17: 1,509 new casesThere are 35,985 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 257,677 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 819 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 99 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:1,884 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 17,7891,155 new

British Columbia's top doctor has extended a COVID-19 order that will keep gyms and fitness centres closed before providing more details tomorrow. That's when restrictions were set to expire, but Dr. Bonnie Henry said last week that they believed COVID-19 hospitalizations were expected to spike after cases within the community had peaked. Restrictions on gatherings and events will stay in place, and Henry has now also directed school boards to collect information on the vaccination status of their staff. The BC Teachers' Federation says on Twitter that it was not consulted or notified ahead o

A man with a meat cleaver was arrested by Vancouver Police on Sunday after threatening to kill people at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.A witness called 9-1-1 just after 1 p.m. yesterday after the 31-year-old suspect followed a woman into the Columbia Street community centre and began uttering threats while holding a large knife.VPD officers were close by and responded to the 9-1-1 call. The officers arrested the suspect nearby, after he tossed the knife and walked away.Vancouver Police applaud a number of quick-thinking witnesses who grabbed the knife off the ground, called 9-1-1, the

Kelowna RCMP are investigating after the body of a woman was found in the Glenmore area on Sunday morning.On January 16, 2022 just before 8:45 a.m., Kelowna RCMP was called to a park in the 2100 block of Glenmore Road. When officers arrived, they located the body of a deceased woman whose death is believed to be suspicious.Investigators have cordoned off the area and will be on scene for an undetermined period of time while they collect evidence and speak to witnesses. As the investigation is in its early stages, further information may be released once it becomes available.Kelowna RCMP is urg

A search is underway for the suspects who broke into an art gallery in Kelowna over the weekend, escaping with 11 pieces of art in less than four minutes. Gallery 421 owners Kelly Hanna and Ken Moen say the 2 am break-in on Saturday was targeted. They say surveillance video shows two masked men heading straight to several large sculptures in bronze or stone, while also scooping up some blown glass works. Kelowna RCMP are appealing for information as they investigate the robbery.

Police in Abbotsford say an Alberta man has been arrested in connection with the theft of a semi-truck in the Fraser Valley community. Constable Paul Walker says members of the Chilliwack RCMP attempted to stop the driver before he collided with another vehicle. Walker says police did not pursue the truck due to the man's driving behaviour and heavy fog but he later struck a concrete barrier and escaped before trying to steal a vehicle from a business complex, where members of the public intervened. He says 28 year old Rory Serna has been charged with multiple offences including dangerous ope