More people appear to be taking to cold-water swims as a way to beat the COVID-19 blues. Victoria's Andy Bernhart says when he started taking cold ocean dips at Willows Beach there were only a few diehards, but people are now flocking to the chilly water. He says a cold-water swimmers Facebook page he started in Victoria has grown to 258 members.He said this growth has occurred in about a year and other groups are also boasting more swimmers. Bernhart says a jolt of cold water can help relieve pandemic-related stress and depression.

BC reported 509 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the province's total to 60,117. There have been nine new deaths from the virus since the province's last update. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that there are 4,604 active cases of COVID-19. They say residents must continue to work together as short-term production delays affect the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. So far, 75,614 people have received COVID-19 vaccine shots in BC. 349 people are currently hospitalized, of those 68 are in intensive care.

Search and rescue crews say they have found an Instagram influencer who got lost yesterday in Cypress Mountain Provincial Park. According to fresh reports, the woman has died. North Shore Rescue says the 21 year old identified only as an influencer from Toronto named Nikki got lost on the Howe Sound Crest Trail yesterday. It says she had posted from the top of St. Mark's and was located late this morning in a steep drainage. Rescue crews said she would have to be flown out but there was no word on her condition. Message posted by North Shore Rescue on Facebook before Nikki was found: (NSR is

The Victoria councillor who admits to ignoring public health advice and travelling to East Africa last month has now apologized to his fellow council members. Sharmarke Dubow offered the apology yesterday during a council committee meeting. In his first in-person comments since returning from Somalia and Kenya, Dubow says he considered his trip was essential because his family in Africa depends on him for financial assistance, but he now realizes his choice was wrong. He told council that by travelling when so many others were not, he "let down" the community.Dubow says he recognizes the "inc

British Columbia's provincial health officer expressed concern as she reported the first South African strain of COVID-19 uncovered in the province. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the person who contracted the South African variant had not travelled or had contact with anyone who did. She says officials are investigating where this person might have picked up the virus. Another person has also tested positive for the British variant of the virus, bringing that total to four cases, all connected to travel. Dr. Henry says there doesn't appear to have been any community spread of those infections. Offici

Operators of the Sea To Sky Gondola near Squamish say the tourist attraction is due to reopen in late spring or early summer. The update posted on the company's website says the complicated cleanup process has been completed after vandals cut the gondola cable late last year. The statement says orders have been placed for a new cable and 25 new cabins and the cable is already on its way to Squamish while discussions are underway with the cabin supplier on a timeline for arrival of that equipment. No arrests have been made but the company says an RCMP investigation is continuing after the cabl

A health authority says data showing schools in the Vancouver area are a low risk for the transmission of COVID-19 supports keeping classes open. Since schools reopened in September, Vancouver Coastal Health says it hasn't recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases among children aged five to 17. It says school-aged children accounted for six per cent of its COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, despite representing 10 per cent of the population. Medical health officer Dr. Alex Choi says the authority wants educators, school staff, parents and students to feel reassured that

British Columbia's premier says his government is seeking legal advice on whether it can limit non-essential travel from people out of province during the pandemic. Premier John Horgan says there is concern about people coming from other provinces or territories and spreading COVID-19. Horgan says he and other premiers across the country have made the case for Canadians to stay home during the pandemic, but people continue to travel. He says the issue has been discussed for months and it's time to determine if the government can or can't act. The issue will be discussed during the NDP governm

A lawyer for a man convicted of stabbing two high school students in Abbotsford says his client was not in control of himself at the time of the offence. Martin Peters is arguing in the BC Supreme Court that Gabriel Klein should not be held criminally responsible for the crimes. Peters said in his closing arguments that Klein believed he was stabbing a witch and a zombie with maggots coming out of its back, not two girls. Klein has testified that he was following the directions of voices in his head and believed that stabbing monsters was "just." Klein was convicted of second-degree murder an