B.C. reported 640 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, for a total of 44,103 since the pandemic began. Another 24 people have died, bringing the death toll to 692. The number of people who have died in B.C. because of COVID-19 has more than doubled in less than a month. The province says 362 people are hospitalized, while 91 of those are in intensive care. One new health-care facility outbreak has been declared at Sunrise of Vancouver. Among new cases 98 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 399 new cases in the Fraser Health region.

New enforcement measures are coming into effect as part of British Columbia's crackdown on those who refuse to follow COVID-19 restrictions. Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and solicitor general, says in a statement that he has asked gaming investigators, conservation officers, community safety unit inspectors, as well as liquor and cannabis inspectors to support police and increase COVID-19 enforcement. Farnworth says he has also directed the Insurance Corp. of B.C. to send unpaid fines to collections after the initial 30 day payment or dispute period ends. According to provided in

Interior Health says an investigation has found 60 cases of COVID-19 linked to the Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna. It says large groups and social gatherings appear to be responsible for much of the transmission related to shared housing at the resort. The health authority says it's safe to visit Big White as long as people stick to their immediate household bubbles and avoid gathering with others. The resort's senior vice-president on Tuesday said, the company knows there are people residing on the mountain who have probably been gathering when they should not be. But Interior Health is agai

Officials at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus say they're aware of allegations of cheating in a first-year chemistry class, which recently had its final exam online. In a screenshot posted online, an instructor at UBC Okanagan says she's investigating how her final exam appeared on an academic website. UBC said last month it was investigating allegations of widespread cheating on a first-year math exam. Director of university affairs Matthew Ramsey couldn't say whether there was more cheating happening with many courses operating online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Police are confirming Vancouver's 19th homicide of the year. The victim was stabbed near East 12th Avenue and Kingsway Tuesday, where investigators kept a smaller intersection closed for hours. The victim was taken to hospital, but died from the stabbing. According to reports 72 year old East Vancouver man, Alex Gortmaker, was stabbed to death. Investigators appeared focused on evidence markers placed around the Biltmore hotel.

Experts say a massive landslide in a remote inlet on BC's central coast caused a shock that was equivalent to a 4.9 magnitude earthquake. The slide happened on November 28. It happened near Elliot Creek, just east of the head of Bute Inlet north of Powell River. Brent Ward, a geology professor and co-director of the Centre for National Hazards Research at Simon Fraser University, says the landslide created its own seismic event. Local Indigenous groups say the landslide impacted salmon spawning habitat.

Premier John Horgan warns tighter enforcement is coming to those who refuse to follow British Columbia's COVID-19 restrictions. Horgan says BC has shown itself to be more successful in managing the virus than some of its neighbours, but the small portion of people who refuse to follow public health restrictions are jeopardizing the health of others. BC reported 522 new COVID-19 cases today and 21 additional deaths, for a total of 668. The premier says the province will be cracking down on those who refuse to follow the rules over the next few weeks and will ensure that those who break the res

Today marks the first day of British Columbia’s provincewide COVID-19 immunizations, the most comprehensive vaccine program to ever be delivered in B.C.Over the coming days, approximately 4,000 health-care workers in British Columbia will be rolling up their sleeves to receive the first approved COVID-19 vaccine.Nisha Yunus, a 64-year old residential care aid was one of the first people in British Columbia to receive the COVID-19 immunization. Yunus has worked in the same long-term care home in the Vancouver Coastal Health region for 41 years, all in the same unit and on the same floor. The

A spokeswoman for a homeless tent encampment in Vancouver says she's surprised and disappointed by the city's announcement. The city of Vancouver says it will look to house people from Strathcona Park at the Jericho Hostel and the 2400 Motel, as well as two further sites. The board says in a statement that once indoor spaces have been found they'll enforce the bylaw prohibiting overnight camping in the park. A statement from the Vancouver Park Board says the city has identified several properties that can be used as temporary indoor spaces to bring people inside. But Chrissy Brett says the c