Nine patients at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Metro Vancouver have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Fraser Health to declare an outbreak at the Port Moody facility. A statement from the health authority says all the patients are on a single unit. The unit has been temporarily closed. Contact tracing and enhanced cleaning is underway to limit further spread of the virus. Fraser Health says the emergency department at Eagle Ridge remains open and all other areas of the hospital are operating as normal.

The former chief executive officer at British Columbia's Chamber of Commerce is entering the B.C. Liberal leadership race.Val Litwin says he wants to breathe new life into the Liberals with policies that support economic growth and opportunity for everybody.The 43-year-old is the fifth candidate to enter the leadership contest, which includes former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon, legislature members Ellis Ross and Michael Lee, and entrepreneur Gavin Dew.The Liberals are set to elect a new leader on Feb. 5, replacing interim leader Shirley Bond.She replaced Andrew Wilkinson who resigned after

British Columbia is reporting a one-day total of COVID-19 cases not seen since last August, but health officials are encouraging more people to get vaccinated as the virus continues to circulate in the province and neighbouring jurisdictions. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say 45 cases were recorded on Monday, part of the 229 cases B.C. has had over the last three days. Three more people have died of COVID-19, for a total of 1,743 deaths in the province, which currently has 1,204 active cases of the virus. Dr. Henry and Dix say in a joint news releas

The RCMP says 17 vehicles have been in Campbell River. Police say the vehicles were marked with blue-grey forestry marking paint early yesterday. The Mounties say there have been a series of what they describe as ``pointless acts of vandalism'' in central and southern parts of the city in recent weeks. They say suspects responsible for broken fences, windows and some tail lights range in age from the young teens to the early 20's but it's too early to provide an age range for the most recent case of vandalism. Campbell River RCMP on Twitter: Campbell River RCMP investigating numerous mischief

A Catholic Church on the Penticton Indian Band and a Catholic Church on the Osoyoos Indian Band have been destroyed in overnight fires. On June 21, 2021 at 1:22 a.m., a Penticton RCMP officer was on patrol when he observed fire coming from the Sacred Heart Church on Green Mountain Road. By the time the officer arrived on scene the church was fully engulfed. At 3:10 a.m., Oliver RCMP were notified St. Gregory’s Church on Nk’mip Road was burning. Both churches burned to the ground and police are treating the fires as suspicious. Investigators have and continue to liaise with both the Pentic

Premier John Horgan is marking National Indigenous Peoples Day by celebrating First Nation communities while recognizing systemic racism continues to be a reality for them. A statement from Horgan and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister Murray Rankin says they honour the leadership, resilience and strength of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. But the statement says B.C. must also recognize the "systemic racism, discrimination and intergenerational trauma Indigenous Peoples have experienced and continue to experience." A release from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chief

Special weather statements are in effect for eastern and inland Vancouver Island and the entire inner south coast as Environment Canada warns of hot, dry conditions. The weather office says temperatures will remain five to 10 degrees above seasonal normal all week. Although conditions will cool slightly on Wednesday before the heat returns for the weekend. Several heat records were broken in southern BC yesterday. Environment Canada says it was 28.7 degrees in White Rock, smashing the previous record of 27.2 for the day set 83 years ago, while the mercury reached 32.5 in the Hope area and 30.

Denis Shapovalov says he won't compete for Canada at the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., says in a Twitter post he made the decision for safety reasons ``due to the current situation.'' Opposition within Japan to holding the games has been high. The country has been dealing with a high number of COVID-19 cases and a low vaccination rate. Shapovalov is the top-ranked Canadian on the ATP Tour at No. 12. He withdrew from the French Open at the end of May, saying on social media that his shoulder had been bothering him and he needed to rest. Earlier that month, Shapovalo

BC's Wildfire Service says an out-of-control blaze in the Fraser Canyon has grown further burning 3.5 square kilometres of bush south of Lytton. The service says the George Road wildfire is scattered across steep and rocky terrain, creating ``different fingers and spots.'' The fire began Wednesday, and the service says it's suspected to be human-caused but remains under investigation. Evacuation alerts have been issued by Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the Lytton First Nation for 10 homes in the area. BC Wildfire Service on Twitter: UPDATE: #BCWildfire crews have made good progress on