Two more schools have been added to the handful of elementary and secondary schools affected by functional closures linked to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The Abbotsford School District says in a social media message that WJ Mouat Secondary and Yale Secondary will be closed until Monday due to ``operational limitations'' related to the spread of the virus. Lack of staff forced closure of Mission's Heritage Park Middle School on Friday but it's expected to reopen tomorrow; Armstrong Elementary was shuttered last week and planned to open yesterday but will now stay closed unti

B.C. is reporting 1,975 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 301,121 cases in the province. There are 37,167 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 258,417 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 854 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 112 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. The new/active cases include:731 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 18,271503 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 9,727478 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active cases: 5,58088 new cases in Norther

Health officials say BC is expecting to receive four-thousand doses this week of Pfizer's newly approved antiviral treatment to help fight off COVID-19. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says Health Canada is also looking at approving two other COVID-19 vaccines, including one made from tobacco plants. But she has a warning for people holding out for alternatives to MRNA vaccines. Dr. Henry says the new vaccines won't be available for some time while the unvaccinated are at particular risk of serious illness from the quickly spreading Omicron variant.

Police say two people were stabbed last night in a fight involving nine people at an intersection in New Westminster. Police say they found four people who had been assaulted after they responded to reports of the fight near Westminster Pier Park. Sergeant Sanjay Kumar says the two stabbing victims were taken to hospital and they remain in stable condition. Sanjay Kumar says police are still in the early stages of determining what led up to the incident, but it appears that it was between two groups that met inside the park.

RCMP say they have identified a woman whose body was found at a dog park in Kelowna on Sunday morning. Police say they have notified the next of kin of 25 year old Austyn Godfrey of Ontario. They say an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Investigators are asking any motorists with dash cameras who were near the dog park from Saturday night to 8:30 a-m Sunday to contact them.

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) will reopen to regular vehicle traffic between Hope and Merritt.This will be a much more convenient route for people who need to travel between the Lower Mainland and the Interior, and is another significant milestone in the province’s recovery from the devastating storms.Temporary repairs to the Coquihalla are in place while the ministry plans permanent repairs to the damaged sections. This means travel-pattern changes and reduced speed limits, with the trip between Hope and Merritt taking about 45 minutes longer than normal. T

Gyms and other exercise facilities are being allowed to reopen in British Columbia, a move the province's top doctor describes as a "cautious step" in lifting COVID-19 restrictions.Dr. Bonnie Henry says proof of vaccination will be required to use gyms, which will operate under capacity limits.Henry says other restrictions that went into effect in December will remain in place because of the high rates of transmission of COVID-19 and the number of people needing hospital care.Bars and nightclubs will stay closed and capacity limits are still in place for restaurants, theatres and stadiums.Henr

The BC Conservation Officer Service is warning all users of a popular Kelowna park about a cougar that tried to attack a large, leashed dog. A post on the service's website says it happened Sunday evening in Mission Creek Regional Park when the big cat lunged and tried to take on the dog, but was scared off and neither the dog nor owner were hurt. Conservation officers have issued a public advisory, saying while roaming pets are prey for cougars, aggression toward a large, leashed dog is ``uncommon and concerning.'' The cougar hasn't been caught but warning signs have been posted in the spraw

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.