Surrey RCMP is urging members of the public to exercise caution after a recent increase in drug toxicity deaths in Surrey. Between April 21 and April 27, 2021, Surrey RCMP were called in response to six separate deaths believed to be caused by drug toxicity. At this time, it is unknown if the deaths are related to the use of illicit substances from the same source however, it is suspected that the deaths are linked to the use of fentanyl/heroin (opiates). Five of the six decedents were located in private residences and it is believed that they were using drugs alone. Sadly, there have been 7

Workers in British Columbia can receive up to three hours of paid leave in order to get a COVID-19 vaccination. A statement from the Ministry of Labour says amendments to the Employment Standards Act are now in effect, retroactive to April 19. The employer-paid leave covers full-time and part-time workers and the ministry says it ensures no employee will lose pay for taking time off to get vaccinated. The three-hour leave is part of B.C.'s immunization plan and the statement says it helps make the vaccination process as easy as possible. The legislation improves on changes enacted April 1 tha

Premier John Horgan and Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, have issued a statement. "Today on the National Day of Mourning, we join with people and families throughout B.C. and across Canada to remember the lives lost or forever changed by workplace injury and illness. "One hundred and fifty-one workers in B.C. lost their lives because of a work-related injury or illness in the past year. We stand together and offer our deepest condolences to the families, friends and coworkers who lost someone close to them. "COVID-19 has pushed everyone in B.C. to improve occupational health and safety practic

Community leaders in the small town of Point Roberts, Washington, are offering up excess doses of COVID-19 vaccine to people in BC. Some British Columbians have properties in the American town that borders Canada while being cut off from the rest of the United States. Point Roberts Fire Chief Christopher Carleton says 70 per cent of residents have been immunized and the town would like to share vaccine starting with Americans living in BC and BC residents with properties in the town. Officials in Alaska recently made a similar offer to share COVID-19 vaccines with residents of Stewart, BC, wi

RCMP say BC's police watchdog has been called after an incident in Salmon Arm that sent one woman to hospital with serious injuries. They say officers responded to a possible domestic disturbance last Thursday, while another caller said a car may have been linked to the report. The Mounties say officers en route to the scene noticed a car fitting the description travelling at a high speed in the opposite direction, and later found it had been involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. They say the woman driving the first car was still being treated in hospital and the Independent I

A second school district in British Columbia has ended a program that put uniformed officers in its elementary, middle and secondary schools, but trustees are not rejecting further links with police. New Westminster school board members voted Tuesday night to immediately end the district's child and youth liaison officer program due to concerns that armed officers could be disturbing to racialized or LGBTQ youth. A letter from the board to the chief of the New Westminster Police says cancellation of the program is not a reflection on the department or its staff. The letter says the board look

A former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister who was responsible for gaming for more than a decade is scheduled to testify today at the public inquiry into money laundering.Rich Coleman, a six-term former member of the B.C. legislature and deputy premier, is the latest of several high-profile past and current politicians to appear before the Cullen Commission in recent days.Former premier Christy Clark recently testified at the inquiry, as did current Opposition Liberal MLAs Shirley Bond and Mike de Jong, both of whom were previous ministers in charge of gaming.B.C. Attorney General David Eby, who

A truck driver has been killed in a collision between two semi-trailers on the Coquihalla Highway. The unnamed driver died just after six last night when one of the rigs rear-ended the other. RCMP Traffic Services Corporal Mike Halskov says the driver in the trailing semi likely caused the crash, and died on impact. The northbound lanes of the highway north of Merritt re-opened at around three this morning.

People age 30 and older may now receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in British Columbia, starting with hot spots for transmission. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a statement on Tuesday the vaccine will be made available across the province as B.C. receives enough doses to add more pharmacy appointments. Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended last week that the vaccine may be offered to people 30 and up who don't want to wait for an approved mRNA vaccine, and if certain other conditions are met. Those condi