New research from the University of Victoria says alcohol consumption has increased in BC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers found a 40 per cent jump in alcohol sales in mid-March when COVID-19 measures were put in place. Consumption in bars and restaurants, which historically account for around 15 per cent of alcohol consumed in BC, dropped off in April and May. Researchers say private liquor stores benefited from the increase in purchases.

British Columbia's provincial health officer is urging people to be patient and keep taking precautions to prevent transmission of COVID-19 as the province recorded its highest death toll in a single "tragic" day. Dr. Bonnie Henry says all but two of the 28 fatalities occurred in long-term care homes, and 587 people have now died in B.C. since the start of the pandemic. She says 723 new infections have been diagnosed as the province surpasses 40,000 cases of the virus. The number of people in hospital continues to rise at 346, while 83 of them are in intensive care. Dr. Henry says the start o

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is asking for public help on the shooting death of a 29 year old woman. Police are naming Lisa Ellie Baines as the victim who was shot inside her vehicle in a Surrey back alley a week ago. Evidence gathered so far suggests it was an isolated shooting and police say it doesn't appear related to drug or gang activity. Sergeant Frank Jang says police are building a strong case but they are also aware that there are others are out there who have information about the woman's recent activities.

As the promise of pandemic relief comes with the news of vaccines on the way, health workers are urging people to keep up precautions against COVID-19. BC Nurses Union president Christine Sorensen says nurses are stressed and haven't had a chance to catch up as the second wave grows. Kathleen Ross, the head of Doctors of BC, says physicians are also feeling the added workload, but she emphasizes that people shouldn't avoid seeing their doctor or going to hospital over concern of burdening health workers. Mike Old, with the hospital employees union, says the second wave and the BC government's

A Canada Border Services Agency official testifying as part of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's extradition case broke a court rule that asked her not to speak with anyone about the case while under cross-examination. A Crown lawyer told the BC Supreme Court that after testifying yesterday, Chief Nicole Goodman contacted a government lawyer with no connection to the case to ask a question about part of her evidence that might touch on an issue of privileged information. The judge hearing the case instructed Goodman to speak with a neutral lawyer appointed by the court. The court heard that the

Vancouver City Council has approved a revised start date of January 1, 2022 for the shopping bag and single-use cup by-laws. Businesses will now have an additional year to prepare for the ban on plastic shopping bags and requirement to charge fees for paper shopping bags, new reusable shopping bags and single-use cups. The City remains committed to reducing waste and litter from single-use items as we transform Vancouver into a zero waste community by 2040. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses are experiencing significant economic challenges and are working hard to

An octopus named after provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry is set to be released next week from an aquarium on Vancouver Island. Henry is a giant Pacific octopus who was brought to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea for care in June. The aquarium says in a release that Henry has been particularly calm, just like Dr. Henry, during its time at the facility in Sidney. Henry is set to be released next Thursday in the area where it was found, on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

British Columbia's top doctor says health-care workers in long-term care facilities and intensive care units will be the first to be immunized against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine starting next week. Dr. Bonnie Henry says immunizations will happen at two clinics in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions, before eventually expanding to 30 sites as part of a process that will ramp up as more doses and vaccines become available. Up to 400,000 B.C. residents can get a shot in the arm by the end of March. Henry says prioritizing those who work at care homes will protect the eld

Five mink on a Fraser Valley mink farm have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. The BC Ministry of Agriculture says the farm has been quarantined and testing to determine the genome sequence of the strain of virus continues. An outbreak was declared at the farm this week when several workers tested positive for COVID-19. Test results from five mink samples taken from a Fraser Valley mink farm have all been confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said then that the outbreak was concerning