Airbnb is launching a new program for cities and tourist organizations aimed at helping them ensure compliance with local rules. Vancouver and Calgary are among the 10 North American cities included in the new portal, which Airbnb says will also aid in rebuilding post-pandemic tourism and providing technical support. The short-term home rental company says the first phase of its City Portal directly connects local governments to the Airbnb platform,providing real-time details about specific rentals and remitted tourist tax revenue. It also includes a central location for resources, such as Air

The BC Coroners Service has published updated reports on illicit drug toxicity deaths and fentanyl-detected drug deaths to the end of August 2020, with 147 illicit drug toxicity deaths reported in the month.The illicit drug toxicity death total represents a 71% increase over the number of deaths in August 2019 (86) but a 16% decrease from the number of deaths in July 2020 (176). The BC Coroners Service has detected a sustained increase of illicit drug toxicity deaths since March, and B.C. has now recorded six consecutive months with over 100 illicit drug toxicity deaths.From April to August 20

BC has logged another 96 cases of COVID-19 for a total of 8,304 cases. A statement from provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says there are almost 1,500 active cases and another 3,300 people are under public health monitoring because they were exposed to the known cases. It comes as Dr. Henry said earlier today that BC may be in a second wave, but health officials believe they can keep the virus contained through the fall. The death toll remains at 227 people with no new deaths. Almost 6,600 people who tested positive are considered recovered. Dr. Henry says that as people move inside f

Three Metro Vancouver men are paying the price for some boorish behaviour at a Port Moody restaurant. Police say the three were issued multiple tickets totalling about seven hundred dollars in fines on Saturday night. Staff called police when the three, who police say were impaired, violated COVID-19 rules, refused to sit at their table, entered a staff-only area, shouted, vomited on their table and spat on it when asked to leave. A statement from police says their first step is to educated the public about respect for COVID-19 rules, but the actions of the men left no choice but to impose fi

John Horgan and the BC NDP will keep British Columbia moving forward by building on the progress already made in improving health care for people.A re-elected BC NDP government will build ten more urgent and primary care centres by the end of 2021, with a focus on the communities that need them most. Horgan made the commitment alongside North Vancouver-Lonsdale BC NDP candidate Bowinn Ma, a strong advocate for the North Shore Urgent and Primary Care Centre."People want to be able to get the health care they need closer to home, without waiting for hours in an emergency room," said Horgan. "Our

B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson wants three televised debates during the provincial election campaign so voters can hear what each party has to offer. Wilkinson says voters need information and debates are the best way to provide it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilkinson began the first day of the election campaign for the Oct. 24 election by touting the Liberals' candidates so far, adding he expects to have an entire slate by the end of the week. He highlighted transportation as a big need in Surrey, the fastest-growing city in the province, and says those working in the trucking and t

Evacuation alerts have now been lifted for the only remaining properties in British Columbia still affected by a wildfire. The Regional District of Central Kootenay says it has removed alerts covering 46 properties in the Slocan Valley based on advice from the BC Wildfire Service.Evacuation alerts originally covered 305 properties as a wildfire flared on Aug. 17 about 30 kilometres north of Castlegar.The wildfire service says the lightning-caused blaze covered 13 square kilometres and remained active but rain was expected over the region Wednesday. The wildfire season officially ends Oct. 15

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says the response to COVID-19 will not be interrupted by the BC election next month. Dr. Henry says her powers under the Public Health Act are independent and she will be continuing to meet daily with senior health officials. She adds Premier John Horgan did not ask for her advice on an early election call. Dr. Henry says she has been working for months with Elections BC to ensure guidelines are in place for safe elections and details will be released tomorrow. The province is announcing 366 new cases of COVID-19 over the past three days. Dr. Bonnie

The leaders of the Liberal and Green parties in British Columbia are not happy that NDP Premier John Horgan has called a snap election for next month. Andrew Wilkinson criticized Horgan for calling an election that could potentially harm the health of B-C residents during a pandemic. He says the NDP are just trying to secure their own employment. The newly-elected leader of the BC Green Party says Premier John Horgan's decision to call a snap election in the middle of a pandemic is politics at its worst. Sonia Furstenau says the Green Party has worked in good faith with NDP for three years an