Victoria police say they are investigating a suspected hate-motivated assault after a man was arrested for allegedly spitting at an Asian woman and her four children near an elementary school. Police say the incident happened Tuesday afternoon, with an off-duty officer intervening. The suspect was arrested shortly afterwards. Victoria police say although hate crimes directed toward Asian people have risen across much of the country, Esquimalt and Victoria have not seen a similar increase. Victoria police on Twitter: A man has been arrested & is facing recommended charges of assault &

A man out for a walk with his dogs has survived an attack by a grizzly bear on his property in British Columbia's southern interior. Conservation officer Tanner Beck says one of the two dogs ran into the bush and likely provoked the bear that lunged at the man in the community of Malakwa yesterday. Beck says the man ended up on the ground and kicked at the bear before being bitten twice. He says one of the dogs stepped in, allowing the man to escape and drive himself to hospital where he was stitched up and released. BC CO Service on Twitter: Grizzly Bear Attack | A man and his two dogs are n

British Columbia youths aged 12 to 17 years old could soon be getting COVID-19 vaccines, and possibly before the end of the school year. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says they're looking at ways to immunize young people with their first dose by the end of June now that Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for those 12 and older. She says the province is looking at best ways to provide the vaccine to young people, including the option of running clinics in schools. Dr. Henry says she understands some people have concerns about vaccine risks, especially for those

As part of the British Columbia provincial ban on non-essential travel, the BC RCMP will be establishing COVID-19 Travel Restriction Road Checks at select locations starting on Thursday, May 6, 2021.The checks are part of the provincial enforcement actions that are meant to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout the province by limiting travel between three regions: Lower Mainland/ Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and Norther/Interior.COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Road Checks will be located at:Highway 1 in the Boston Bar areaHighway 3 in the Manning Park areaHighway 5 in the Old Toll Bo

The Conservation Officer Service says the woman attacked by a cougar yesterday on her remote property in the eastern Fraser Valley has injuries to her head, face and arms. The unnamed woman is now listed in stable condition in hospital while the search for the animal has been turned over to members of the predator attack team, part of the Conservation Officer Service. The service says the attack site, near Harrison Mills on the west side of Harrison Lake, has been secured and experts are working to identify and track the cougar involved. The public is asked to avoid the area while the team do

Abbotsford Police Major Crime Detectives are seeking help from the public who may have dashcam footage of an alleged sexual assault in Abbotsford early Friday morning. Detectives are in the preliminary states of this investigation and details are limited, however, we can advise that the Major Crime Unit is investigating a sexual assault that occurred at approximately 1:00 am in the area of Peardonville Road and Livingstone Ave. The female victim was out for a walk, met the male suspect and they began to engage in conversation. They walked to the northeast area of the Peardonville overpass; a s

The Pacific National Exhibition says ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have forced the cancellation of the annual fair for a second year in a row. A statement from PNE management says even a scaled back in-person event will not be possible this summer. The exhibition, which is owned by the City of Vancouver and operating for more than a century, runs for the two weeks leading up to Labour Day, pumping $200 million into the Metro Vancouver region annually. The statement says the PNE creates 4,300 direct jobs, more than twice as many direct or indirect positions, and is the largest employe

Homicide investigators have now taken over the case after the death of a woman injured Tuesday night in a shooting in Surrey, B.C. A social media message from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed the unnamed victim died in hospital. Surrey RCMP say officers responded to reports of shots fired in a residential neighbourhood of northeast Surrey just before 9 p.m. Tuesday. Officers located the victim and arrested a man a short distance away. Police have not confirmed a motive for the attack. It's the latest in a string of targeted shootings in Metro Vancouver in recent days, incl

Those who are pregnant in British Columbia have now been designated a priority population to receive COVID-19 vaccine. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says data shows pregnant people experience severe illness from COVID-19 at a rate similar to those who are in their 50s. She says prioritizing people who are pregnant and 16 years and older for vaccination will help protect them, their babies and the wider community. B.C. has recorded 697 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 132,353, along with one new death. There are 7,161 active COVID-19 cases, with 486 people hospitalized. More