British Columbia's top doctor says COVID-19 capacity limits for indoor and outdoor organized events will be lifted on Oct. 25, the day after the deadline for residents to be fully vaccinated if they want to attend certain venues. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says sporting events, indoor concerts, movie theatres, symphonies and other venues can go to 100 per cent capacity when proof of vaccination status is checked. The same is being allowed for weddings, funeral receptions and parties. Henry says orders aimed at restricting the movement of people at restaurants will also be li

Thirteen heads of families within the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation have published an open letter in the Globe and Mail newspaper, effectively telling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to put his money, and his actions, where his mouth is. The letter, signed by senior leaders including former Tk'emlups chief Manny Jules, says members ``want to believe'' Trudeau is sincere in his statements about the importance of reconciliation, but it describes the legacy of mistrust as ``vast.'' It lays out seven ways Trudeau can prove he is ready to act by repatriating any human remains found at the site

Quick action by dozens of small boats helped rescue five people from a float plane that flipped on landing in Tofino's harbour. The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria says the small plane may have clipped a boat before nosing into the water, catching a wing and going over late yesterday afternoon. Boaters helped the pilot and four passengers safely escape and had ferried them to shore by the time the coast guard lifeboat Cape Ann reached the scene. No one was seriously hurt.

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says the city has a very high vaccination rate, making it one of the world's safest places during the pandemic. His comments come as Vancouver joins other BC employers in imposing a mandatory vaccination policy for its workers. Stewart says the mandate ensuring employees are fully vaccinated by December 6th puts the health of workers and the public first. The city says employees who don't comply won't be permitted in the workplace. The City of Vancouver has announced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all its staff. It says workers must be fully vaccinated a

Kelowna RCMP is investigating an incident that left one man dead on Monday morning. On October 18th, 2021 just before 7:00 a.m., the Kelowna RCMP was called to a residence in the 600-block of Bechard Road. Investigators arrived on scene where they located the body of a deceased man whose death is believed to be suspicious.A woman was arrested at the scene in connection with the investigation and is in police custody. At this time, no charges have been laid.Investigators have cordoned off the area and will be on scene for an undetermined period of time while they collect evidence and speak to w

Over a three-day period, B.C. is reporting 1,846 new cases of COVID-19, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 198,278 cases in the province:Oct. 15-16: 753 new casesOct. 16-17: 650 new casesOct. 17-18: 443 new cases There are currently 4,917 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 190,918 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 360 individuals are currently in hospital and 151 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 72 hours, 26 new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,081.The new d

BC's police watchdog is investigating after two men arrested separately last weekend went into medical distress while in Vancouver police holding cells. The Independent Investigations Office says one man was arrested on an outstanding warrant late Friday night and the other was taken into custody on an unrelated warrant early Saturday morning. It says both men were found in medical distress later Saturday morning and had to be taken to hospital for treatment. The IIO says its investigation will determine what role, if any, police action or inaction may have played in the men's conditions.

Lawyers for BC's largest gaming companies have told the provincial inquiry into money laundering that their clients consistently met obligations to report suspicious cash. The lawyers representing Great Canadian Casino Company and Gateway Casinos delivered their closing submissions today at the Cullen Commission. Both said that compliance with BC regulations to combat money laundering is and always has been a top priority at provincial casinos. Final submissions are to wrap up tomorrow at the inquiry launched by the province in 2019 with a final report due by mid-December.

The chief of the BC First Nation that got no response when it invited Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit on the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation says his visit today was ``bittersweet.'' Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Chief Rosanne Casimir chided Trudeau for ignoring their earlier invitations but said his visit to Kamloops today is a chance to move forward. Trudeau says he regrets his decision not to visit the First Nation on September 30th where the remains of more than 200 Indigenous children are believed to have been found at a former residential school. He says that instead of