British Columbians are invited to have their say on three proposed options for permanent paid sick leave shaped by their responses to the first phase of consultation. "Over the past several weeks, thousands of workers and employers have completed surveys to give us valuable information on their current sick-leave benefits, if any, and what is needed," said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. "Informed by those surveys, we are inviting British Columbians to once again have their say."Between Aug. 5 and Sept. 14, 2021, more than 26,000 surveys were completed by workers and employers. Feedback from

Homicide investigators say more charges have been laid against the suspect in a stabbing attack that killed one woman and injured six other people in North Vancouver in March. A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated assault have been laid against Yannick Bandaogo. A woman in her 20s was stabbed and killed near the Lynn Valley library branch on March 27. Six other people, ranging in age from 22 to 78, were also hurt. A charge of second-degree murder was laid within days of the attack. Court documents show Band

Metro Vancouver Transit Police are searching for two suspects after a woman reported being hit by people who refused to wear a mask on a SkyTrain. Masks are mandatory on the transit system to help curb the spread of COVID-19. The police say the woman was travelling through Burnaby Monday evening when she asked a man and a woman sitting near her if they had masks to put on. They say the female suspect then got up and allegedly struck the victim, causing her to fall out of her seat, and both suspects allegedly hit her while she was on the ground before they got off the SkyTrain at Metrotown sta

B.C. is reporting 525 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 180,178 cases in the province.Note: The numbers of total and new cases are provisional due to a delayed data refresh and will be verified once confirmed.There are currently 5,282 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 172,624 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 332 individuals are currently in hospital and 155 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, one new death (Vancouver Coastal Health) has been reported, for a total of 1,900.There

Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement regarding the Canadian federal election on Sept. 20, 2021:"I have spoken to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this morning and offered my congratulations following yesterday’s federal election."We talked about continuing our work to make life better for British Columbians."We will further our collaborative efforts to tackle climate change, make quality child care more affordable for families and build the infrastructure we need to keep our people and economy moving. Of utmost importance are ongoing efforts to further reconciliation with Indi

British Columbia's top doctor is encouraging people who are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or breastfeeding to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Dr. Bonnie Henry says 40 pregnant women have received intensive care in the province in the last few months and while that group of people wasn't included in clinical trials, real-life evidence shows vaccination prevents severe illness and hospitalization. Henry says she also wants to ensure health-care workers who are in their child-bearing years get vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues and others who may be exposed to the virus. Sh

One person has been killed in a shooting near Vernon, B.C. RCMP say they responded to reports of a vehicle fleeing the scene of a possible shooting on Monday. A body was discovered when officers arrived. A suspect vehicle was spotted near Armstrong and RCMP say they arrested one man. RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says more details about the identity of the victim will be released after further investigation and once relatives are informed. She says police believe the suspect and victim knew each other and there is no ongoing threat to public safety.

British Columbians are waking up to a shift in the province's federal political landscape after last night's election saw both the Liberals and NDP pick up seats from the Conservatives. The Conservatives had hoped to make inroads in some of the battleground ridings around Metro Vancouver but instead saw their 17 seat lead drop by four. Meanwhile, incumbent candidates from all three parties will be returning to Parliament, including cabinet ministers Harjit Sajjan, Carla Qualtrough and Jonathan Wilkinson. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh held onto his Burnaby South seat, former Green Party leader Eliz

The president of the BC Nurses Union has resigned over what the union says is personal reasons. A brief statement on the BCNU website says Christine Sorensen will be pursuing other opportunities. Sorensen leaves just a week after the BC government announced mandatory vaccinations for all health-care workers in the province. The union has expressed its support for vaccinations, but has raised concerns that the order will contribute to the already severe nursing shortage. BCNU's message on website: Notice regarding BCNU President - The BC Nurses' Union thanks Christine Sorensen for her years of