British Columbia is placing restrictions on events and gatherings until the end of January in an effort to limit the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant.Measures range from limits on venues that hold more than 1,000 people to 50 per cent capacity to no amateur sports tournaments over the Christmas period and the cancellation of all New Year's Eve parties.The Health Ministry says indoor gatherings, including those at rental or holiday properties, are also being limited to one household, plus 10 guests, and everyone must be vaccinated. The B.C. Vaccine card program must be used at all events

Canada's chief public health officer says all confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in Canada are mild or asymptomatic. But Dr. Theresa Tam says most of the 300 plus Canadians who have contracted the variant are younger, and even a milder version of COVID-19 version could wreak havoc at a societal level. Tam says both vaccinated and unvaccinated people have tested positive for the Omicron variant. But she stresses that being fully vaccinated and then getting a booster is expected to provide reasonable protection against infection and likely strong protection against severe illness.

B.C. is reporting 753 new cases of COVID-19, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 224,998 cases in the province.There are 3,878 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 218,616 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 184 individuals are in hospital and 70 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, three new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,396.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: oneVancouver Coastal Health: oneIsland Health: oneThere have been 135 cases of the Omicron var

The Canadian military confirmed today that 21 of its 23 Cyclone helicopters have cracks in their tails. Cracks were first detected in one of the maritime helicopters during a routine inspection on Nov. 26 at 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron at Patricia Bay, B.C. By Dec. 5, the Air Force said it had discovered damage in the same general area on a total of 19 helicopters. At the time, the military said two Cyclones did not appear to have any tail defects, and the remaining two in the fleet were receiving longer-term maintenance and would be inspected at a later date. As of today, cracks on six

The government now advises against all non-essential international travel in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement Wednesday, following a Tuesday evening meeting between premiers and the prime minister. The health minister says the highly transmissible variant is now spreading in Canadian communities, and just about anywhere else in the world. Ottawa agreed to send shipments of booster doses and rapid tests to provinces and territories to quickly ramp up vaccination campaigns to combat the virus at home. Minister

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released a fall economic statement today that outlined a better-than-expected economic rebound, but also billions more in spending, including on the response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Here are some other measures outlined in the fiscal update: Immigration backlogs - The federal government plans to put $85 million into plowing through massive backlogs in processing immigration applications starting in fiscal 2022-23. The government acknowledged the pandemic dramatically slowed down the pace of processing immigration applications, and many resources

Defence Minister Anita Anand says Ottawa has long failed to protect those who signed up to protect the country. She made a formal apology today to victims of military sexual misconduct on behalf of the federal government, and also apologized the government didn't put the right systems in place to ensure justice and accountability for victims. Her apology, and those made by chief of the defence staff General Wayne Eyre and Defence Department deputy minister Jody Thomas form a key part of the federal government's 600 million dollar settlement in several overlapping class-action lawsuits. Defence

B.C. is reporting 437 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 222,013 cases in the province.There are currently 2,994 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 216,542 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 211 individuals are currently in hospital and 72 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.In the past 24 hours, three new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,381.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: oneVancouver Coastal Health: oneIsland Health: oneThere have been 10 cases of the Omicron variant of conc

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 should be a big, red, flashing part of the radar screen for anyone planning a trip outside Canada. Duclos says while Omicron is still relatively rare here, it is a different story in other countries, where governments are re-imposing lockdowns and tightening public health restrictions. And he's warning anyone thinking of leaving Canada for a winter vacation that they will face delays and hassles on their return. Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says there have been 87 confirmed cases of Omicro