Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is easing restrictions on outdoor gatherings but keeping them in place for those indoors. Dr. Henry says up to 10 people will now be allowed to gather outdoors but people should stick to the same group and continue to follow public safety measures such as social distancing. She says other restrictions need to remain in place because COVID-19 is still circulating in communities, particularly in the Lower Mainland. Dr. Henry also announced bars and restaurants must stop selling liquor at 8 pm on St. Patrick's Day. B.C. reports 569 new cases of COVID-19

The British Columbia Real Estate Association says the term "blistering" describes the unprecedented number of home sales completed across the province last month. The Association says nearly 11-thousand homes changed hands in February, an 89 per cent leap over February 2020 and more than one-thousand sales higher than the previous February record, set in 2016. Prices also jumped by more than 17 per cent, making the average home in B.C. worth close to $890,000. Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson says markets were sizzling in all areas of B-C, driven by near record sales in Metro Van

Health officials in northern British Columbia deny allegations they mismanaged the treatment of a pregnant Indigenous woman or used racial stereotypes that affected her care and led to the stillbirth of her daughter. Northern Health, Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace and Kitimat General Hospital dispute allegations in a civil lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court last month by Sarah Morrison and her partner Ronald Luft, alleging negligence and "deliberate racial indifference." In its response, the health authority says Morrison was past her due date and in the early stages of labour when she a

A temporary bike lane is returning to Vancouver's Stanley Park, replacing one lane of traffic on the road ringing the iconic green space. Park board commissioners voted 5-2 Wednesday to implement the lane on Park Drive as soon as possible and keep it in place until Oct. 31. The vote came despite objections from businesses in Stanley Park who argue the single remaining lane for vehicles impedes access to restaurants and other attractions already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors and groups with mobility challenges have also opposed the bike lane, saying it limits their ability t

A coroner's report released yesterday says two 18 year old University of Victoria students on a first-year field trip to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in the fall of 2019 died of blunt force head trauma, caused in part by a lack of seatbelt use, when the bus they were on crashed. The bus was carrying 45 students and two teaching assistants to Bamfield, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, on a class trip on September 13th, 2019, when it crashed after steering to avoid an approaching vehicle. The report says the chartered coach bus had been fitted with seatbelts, but their use by students

Victoria police say the death of a woman whose body was found in Beacon Hill Park last week is now confirmed a homicide. Police were called to park at 6 a-m last Wednesday for a report of an unresponsive woman. Officers are hoping to find witnesses or anyone with dash-cam footage from area between 11 pm on Tuesday to 5 am Wednesday. Police say this case isn't believe to be related to the fatal fire in the park the day after the woman's body was found. Victoria Police on Twitter: The death of a woman found in Beacon Hill Park last week has been confirmed to be a homicide. VIIMCU is continuing

BC is reporting 531 new cases of COVID-19 and one additional death. Health officials say there are 4,861active cases in the province. 244 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, including 66 in intensive care. There are 51 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants of concern, for a total of 627 cases. BC Health Minister Adrian Dix says vast improvements have been made in the province's vaccine roll out since a rough start on Monday, which means they can now accelerate the pace. Health authorities first started booking appointments for people 90 years and older as well as for Indigenous people

Prince George councillors want a word with CN Rail after it upgraded a rail crossing in the city and surprised council with a 118,000 dollar bill. Councillor Cori Ramsay says the need for flashing lights, bells, gates and other security devices at the crossing is not in dispute, but she says some notice from the railway giant about the incoming bill would have been nice. Ramsay says council spends hours trying to trim its budget, and faces a "huge hit" just three months into the year as it takes more than 100,000 dollars from its contingency fund. Council's intergovernmental relations committ

Yukon Premier Sandy Silver says, with no new cases of COVID-19 in his territory for another week, his government is ready to revise some of the restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. Speaking at a news conference this morning, Silver says full-time, in-class learning will begin next month for Grades 10 to 12, while universities are expected to return to face-to-face learning by September. Decisions about increasing the number of social contacts are also expected this spring or summer, although exact details will depend on immunization levels that health officials hope will soo