British Columbia's health minister and provincial health officer urged people to look after their mental health and well-being as the province reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The province also reported eight additional deaths from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 962. The new numbers bring the province's total number of cases since the pandemic began to 55,254, with 6,343 active cases. Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a statement that this time of year can be difficult for people, and COVID-19 can compound those difficulties. The pair urged people to

Victoria's mayor says a city councillor's decision to travel internationally over the holidays was both disappointing and irresponsible given the sacrifices so many have made because of COVID-19. Lisa Helps says there can't be two sets of expectations, one for the public and another for elected officials. Councillor Sharmarke Dubow, who is now in quarantine in Vancouver, tweeted that he made a poor choice to travel to Somalia over the holidays and he apologized to his constituents. He said he had been planning the trip for years and it was the first time he had returned since fleeing civil wa

Surrey has recorded its first fatal shooting of 2021. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says in a post on social media that a man who was known to police died early this morning. Few details have been released but I-HIT says the man was in his home in the Morgan Heights neighbourhood when he was attacked. Surrey recorded four fatal shootings between November 29th and December 30th last year. It included three targeted attacks, but investigators have not linked any of those homicides or this morning's latest slaying.

Police in BC have handed out 77 tickets since the pandemic began to people who broke the federal Quarantine Act. The fines gathered for those who flouted the two-week quarantine rules total more than 84-thousand dollars. The Public Safety Ministry also says 574 tickets have been issued either for organizers of events or individuals who didn't follow the provincial health officer's orders.The tickets were issued between August 21st and January 1st. More than 100 of those tickets cost 2,300 dollars each.

Police in Burnaby, BC, say a police dog helped find the suspect in a pair of break-ins not far from the scene. RCMP say they received reports of two break-ins in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. Break ins were reported near Kingsway and Imperial Street. The canine led officers to a parked car, where they found a man hiding in the trunk. They say the man is facing two counts of break and enter and they also allege he was breaching a condition prohibiting him from being in a vehicle without the registered owner present.

RCMP are asking for help identifying suspects after a series of suspicious fires at a residential building in central Richmond. Fires were reported in the 5600 block of Arcadia Road. Mounties say in a news release the fires were set November 16th, November 19th and December 29th. The first time, they allege a small appliance fan being used to air out the building was set on fire, then someone set a 20-foot boat ablaze in the underground parkade, and then there was a fire in a stairwell. RCMP say all fires have been deemed suspicious, however the motive remains unclear and it is also unclear i

British Columbia has again extended its state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic nearly 10 months after it was first declared. The Ministry of Public Safety says in a news release the extension until Jan. 19 will allow officials to use powers under the Emergency Program Act. Premier John Horgan says in the statement there's hope with the provincial immunization program getting underway, but it's too early to ease restrictions in the pandemic that has claimed 954 lives in B.C. A joint statement from Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Tue

A 37 year old man has died after being shot by police in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood early Tuesday. Police say in a news release paramedics called for help in response to a man who was acting aggressively and erratically at a residential building. They say the man sustained injuries after smashing his window and throwing large objects into the street before police arrived. Police say they received reports the man was chasing people on the street with a weapon, "using it in an aggressive and threatening manner." He was subsequently shot by police. Police did not provide further

British Columbia's chief veterinarian says a mink farmer decided to euthanize the remaining 1,000 animals on his Fraser Valley operation after some of the mink tested positive for COVID-19. Dr. Rayna Gunvaldsen says the operator was not ordered by the provincial government to euthanize the animals as more tests are underway to determine the extent of the presence of COVID-19. The first farm where the virus spread to mink also had eight workers who tested positive and Gunvaldsen says both farms remain under quarantine. She says there are no other reports of COVID-19 at B.C.'s eight other mink f