BCJan 06, 2021
B.C. state of emergency extended again; 428 more COVID-19 cases and 8 deaths reported in B.C.
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
CanadaJan 05, 2021
Federal government is making changes to the $1,000 sickness benefit: PM Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians who have travelled abroad should not expect to collect a benefit for people who have to isolate themselves. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is making changes to the $1,000 sickness benefit. He says the program is for workers who have to quarantine because they are sick or have had close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Trudeau says the point was never to subsidize vacations and he's frustrated and angry that non-essential travellers might have claimed the benefit. The government will revise the rules t
CanadaJan 05, 2021
Dr. Theresa Tam concerned at how quickly Canada's COVID-19 case numbers are growing
Canada's chief public health officer says she's concerned at how quickly Canada's COVID-19 case numbers are growing. Doctor Theresa Tam says over the past week, the number of infections has been increasing by almost 7,500 per day. She notes that it took five months for Canada to reach its first 100,000 cases, and just over two weeks to go from 500- to 600,000. Dr. Tam says this rapid accumulation of cases will continue until we can make significant progress in interrupting the spread of the virus. More than 617,000 case have been reported in Canada since the start of pandemic. At present 79,5
BCJan 05, 2021
Vancouver home sales surge 53.4 per cent, setting new record for December
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says home sales were up 53.4 per cent in the final month of 2020 compared with December 2019, hitting a new record for the month.The board says 3,093 homes were sold in December, up from 2,016 in December 2019 and slightly more than the 3,064 homes sold in November.Vancouver real estate agents sold 1,026 detached homes, a 71.3 jump from December 2019.The board says the composite home price in Vancouver ended the year at $1,047,400, up 5.4 percent from the same time last year.Board chair Colette Gerber says the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major cause
BCJan 05, 2021
Dr. Bonnie Henry releases COVID-19 vaccination plan for first three months of 2021
British Columbia's top doctor says immunizations are expected to be ramped up in the coming weeks as Health Canada approves more COVID-19 vaccines, but a major challenge will be for people to ensure they get immunized. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the aim is to vaccinate about 150,000 people by the end of February, with priority given to residents and staff of long-term care homes as well as First Nations communities. For the rest of the population, she says those over the age of 80 will be next in line for vaccinations, which will then be administered based on descending five-year age groupings. Dr
CanadaJan 04, 2021
Feds weigh cutting COVID-19 sickness benefit for Canadians who have travelled
The federal government is weighing whether to bar people who have travelled overseas from a new benefit for those who have to quarantine due to COVID-19.The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, launched in the fall to help Canadians who are unable to work because they must quarantine during the pandemic, is worth $500 per week to a maximum of two weeks.But Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the government is actively looking at all options as questions surface around whether Canadians who have travelled abroad should be allowed to collect the money during their mandatory two-week isolatio
BCDec 31, 2020
Horgan says B.C. will focus on pandemic economic recovery, health reform in 2021
Premier John Horgan says economic recovery and health-care reforms are his New Democrat government's priorities for 2021. He says the COVID-19 pandemic has tested him personally as it has the people of British Columbia. Horgan says getting the economy moving next year will be the main goal of the budget in April, despite the recent forecast of a 13.6 billion dollar deficit. There have been almost 900 deaths due to COVID-19 in the province and Horgan says the government is planning health-care reforms that focus on BC's elderly, the hardest hit by the pandemic. The premier says his government
BCDec 31, 2020
B.C. restricting alcohol sales, service on New Year's Eve; 485 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths reported in B.C.
Health officials in British Columbia are cutting off alcohol sales on New Year's Eve in an effort to prevent gatherings where COVID-19 can spread. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says last call for alcohol sales will be at 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve and the ban continues until 9 a.m. the next day. The health order restricts the sale of alcohol at restaurants, pubs and stores. Dr. Henry says the order is an attempt to mitigate "risky behavior" and curb parties from springing up, particularly in resort towns where New Year's Eve celebrations are common. B.C. reported 485 new cases of C
CanadaDec 31, 2020
Travellers required to test negative for COVID-19 three days before landing in Canada
Following a cabinet meeting this morning, the Trudeau government plans to bring in stricter pandemic regulations for airline passengers. Travellers will be required to test negative for COVID-19 three days before landing in Canada. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc didn't say when the requirement will be in place. The announcement comes as Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips and Quebec Liberal MNA Pierre Arcand find themselves in hot water over international travel. Both travelled out of the country on Caribbean vacations despite Canadians being asked to avoid such trips.
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