Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, has released a statement regarding the BC Coroners Service’s report on illicit drug toxicity deaths for July 2021. "This year continues to be incredibly sad as the number of people dying by toxic drugs persists at a tragic rate. My thoughts are with everyone who is mourning the loss of someone they love."While we have been adding services and supports in an unprecedented way, B.C. is facing a rising tide of need."A lot of work is happening on the ground to make the large, systemic changes necessary to truly turn the tide on this cr

A new report from British Columbia's coroner says suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in July were the second-highest ever recorded in a single month in the province.The findings show deaths reached 184 in July, which tied with those in January 2021 and fell just behind June 2020 when 186 people died.The report comes less than a month after chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said January to June was the deadliest ever for drug toxicity in B.C.With data from July added, the report says the 1,204 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths are the highest ever in the first seven months of a year _ 28 pe

The City of New Westminster is renaming two places along its Fraser River waterfront to commemorate the 1914 Komagata Maru incident. A statement from the city says its Queensborough River Walk as well as the pedestrian ferry docks in Queensborough and Downtown will be renamed. The changes follow an apology from council in October 2019 that found New Westminster's actions in 1914 supported discriminatory, racist and exclusionary laws that affected the passengers during the three months they were trapped aboard the steamship moored in Vancouver's harbour. The Komagata Maru carried nearly 400 So

B.C. is reporting 652 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 185,432 cases in the province. There are 5,992 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 177,113 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 316 individuals are in hospital and 141 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, two new deaths (Island Health) have been reported, for an overall total of 1,942. There have been three new outbreaks at Village by the Station (Island Health), Willingdon Care Centre (Fraser Health) and Wrinch Memorial Hospita

British Columbia's provincial health officer announced regional restrictions Tuesday in an area that has seen a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among children as more adults have also become infected due to lower vaccination rates. Dr. Bonnie Henry said her order pertains to the eastern Fraser Valley towns of Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison where to 10 per cent of children between the ages of five and 11 have been testing positive for the virus since the start of the school year. Over 500 children a day are being tested for the virus, up from about 100, Henry said. "

British Columbia's provincial health officer has announced regional restrictions in an area that has seen a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases among children as adult infections take off. Dr. Bonnie Henry's order covers the eastern Fraser Valley in Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission and Agassiz-Harrison. She says private gatherings will be limited to five additional people or one additional household and to 10 people outdoors, unless everyone is vaccinated. Organized events like weddings or conferences will be limited to 10 people, or 50 people outside, unless everyone is fully vaccinated, wh

Someone pretending to be the Liberal MLA for Peace River North has been circulating a fake letter advising people not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The real MLA, Dan Davies, says he was horrified when a local doctor alerted him to the ruse over the weekend after she received a copy of the fake letter. He says vaccine hesitancy is already a problem in the area and health-care workers need relief as they care for a disproportionate number of unvaccinated patients. Davies called the letter ``unsettling'' and ``foolish'' and says he's been encouraging friends, family and the public to get v

Tossing bread crusts to geese or the remains of a sandwich to a raccoon will soon be an offence in any Vancouver park, punishable by a hefty fine. Vancouver park board commissioners have voted unanimously to amend park bylaws to prohibit the feeding of any wild animal, from pigeons and geese to squirrels, raccoons and coyotes. The approved proposal calls for a $500 fine for each offence but several commissioners also support a sliding scale that would include higher fines for repeat offences. Staff will draft a revised bylaw and return it to the board for consideration and final approval at a

Six candidates seeking the leadership of the BC Liberal Party meet tonight in the campaign's first debate streaming live on the party's website and Facebook page. The Liberals will elect a new leader February 5th to replace former leader Andrew Wilkinson who stepped down shortly after the party's election defeat last October. Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at Simon Fraser University, says the Liberals are seeking new political directions after consecutive election losses, and the debate offers opportunities for the candidates to put forward new visions. The six candidates are: Va