A new survey by Simon Fraser University and Autism Community Training suggests caregivers for kids with autism are feeling especially squeezed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey of 238 families between July and September showed one third reported safety concerns and almost 10 per cent had considered putting their child into government care. The majority of caregivers reported provincial supports in response to the pandemic have been insufficient in meeting their needs and their kids are suffering as a result. Just three families reported the pandemic has positively affected their ch

British Columbia's provincial health officer says contact tracers are ``stretched to the max'' and falling behind as they try to keep up with the province's growing COVID-19 infection rate. The latest modelling from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry came as B.C. surpassed 20,000 cases of COVID-19 with 1,130 new cases detected over two days and four more deaths. Dr. Henry says one infection can cause a cascade of trouble and used the example of a small wedding where 15 people became positive, 10 of those had additional household cases and one person spread it to a long-term care home

The company that operates nine casinos in BC, from Victoria, Nanaimo and Vancouver north to Dawson Creek, is defending its acceptance of a 3.3 billion dollar takeover by Apollo Global Management. Great Canadian Gaming, which also has holdings in Ontario and parts of the Maritimes, says Apollo has agreed to pay 39 dollars per share for the company, an offer that's roughly 35 per cent above Great Canadian's recent value. But many minority shareholders say they will vote against the deal, arguing it doesn't reflect the true value of the company, which some analysts have pegged as high as 1.1 bil

A pedestrian has been seriously injured in a collision in Surrey, BC. RCMP say the incident took place in the Cloverdale area around 4 pm yesterday. Mounties say the pedestrian's injuries could be life threatening and the driver was co-operative and remained at the scene. The investigation is in its early stages and police are interested in hearing from witnesses.

Police in Richmond have arrested a man who didn't have his ducks in a row while hunting for birds in the area. A resident complained to police that a man appeared to be shooting at birds in a nearby field. While police say the man was shooting where hunting is permitted, he also violated numerous hunting rules, including firearm violations. RCMP say no one was hurt, but charges are pending against the man.

British Columbia's Interior Health authority has issued a COVID-19 alert to its residents as cases rise in the region. The authority says in a statement that it's concerned by the upward trend and frequency of new local clusters. The provincial health officer's order limiting social interactions don't apply to Interior Health, but it says in a statement that it needs the public's help to prevent further restrictions. It is asking people to avoid non-essential travel, including unnecessary visits to the Lower Mainland or other jurisdictions with surging COVID-19 cases. B.C.'s provincial court

BC is reporting 525 new cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths. That brings the number of deaths linked to the pandemic to 284. The bulk of the new cases continue to be in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal heath regions. The province now has 5,133active cases of COVID-19, with 142 people in hospital, including 46 in intensive care.

On behalf of City Council, I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Diwali this year. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a much-loved cultural tradition in Surrey that promotes the message of unity, warmth and joy. Like all big celebrations, Diwali is traditionally a time for family and friends to come together to enjoy food and each other’s company. This year, however, celebrations must be approached differently. With the recent sharp rise of new COVID-19 cases in Metro Vancouver a new Provincial Health Order was issued this past weekend and it is vital that Diwali celebra

RCMP say the City of Prince George has become the victim of a significant fraud. The city called police in September when staff sent two payments to a contractor for more than $700,000, but the cash was never received. Police say the money was fraudulently redirected. The Mounties say in a news release investigators worked with financial institutions to recover most of one payment, but $375,000 remains lost. They say officers are following several leads and working with international partners to identify those responsible for the sophisticated computer-based fraud. Cpl. Craig Douglass says th