The Victoria Police Department is preparing to move all its available officers to front-line policing duties as it anticipates staffing shortages caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A statement from the department says, for the first time, it is enacting a clause in its contract with its police union that allows for the potential assignment of all officers to front-line duties. That work includes anything related to serving the public, such as traffic or crowd control, criminal investigations and arrests. The statement says the change begins this weekend as some Vic

B.C. is reporting 3,223 new cases of COVID-19, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 273,731 cases in the province.There are 31,817 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 238,524 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 324 individuals are in hospital and 90 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:1,538 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 14,794662 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 9,594408 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active cases: 2,807194 new

The International Olympic Committee says a positive COVID-19 test may not mean an athlete is excluded from the Games. The IOC's executive director Christophe Dubi spoke from Geneva and says they want to avoid spoiling years of preparation at the last minute. The IOC this week promised Olympic teams worldwide that the Winter Games in Beijing will go ahead as planned next month. With just under four weeks to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) believes the host city is in impeccable condition. To see the full video, c

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has announced that he and his wife welcomed a baby girl into the world on Monday, a day after his own birthday. The NDP leader tweeted the news, saying their ``powerful little girl'' is basically his ``birthday present for life.'' Singh and his wife, fashion designer Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu, were married in February 2018. Jagmeet Singh on Twitter: @gurkirankaur and I want to let you know that we welcomed the newest addition to our family on January 3rd, 2022. Our powerful little baby girl is basically my birthday present for life lol. Momma bear and baby are healthy and o

Cineplex says it has temporarily laid off nearly five-thousand part-time employees because of mandated closures of its Ontario movie theatres. New COVID-19 public health measures announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to tackle the surge of the Omicron variant resulted in the closure of 67 Cineplex theatres. A spokeswoman says Canada's largest movie chain will get its employees back to work as soon as the restrictions are lifted. The new restrictions also closed indoor concert venues, museums, galleries and other attractions. Indoor dining is also closed, and restaurants and bars must cease s

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube says he hopes to coerce unvaccinated people to get their first doses by bringing in new proof-of-vaccination rules at liquor and cannabis stores starting January 18th. Dube says more services will soon be added to the list for proof of vaccination requirements. He also says the health system is missing about 20-thousand workers who have been infected or exposed to the disease, and that the government is working with unions to find more staff to care for up to 2,500 COVID-19 patients. A provincial health-care research institute says that within two week

Surrey RCMP say a woman has been shot and seriously injured. It happened just before nine this morning at a home in the Whalley neighbourhood. Police say the woman is being treated in hospital while several people in the home are being held for questioning. Police say the investigation is just getting underway, but they believe the shooting is an isolated incident and the public is not at risk.

Homeowners in British Columbia whose property is valued at just under $2 million will still be eligible for the annual homeowner grant. The provincial government announced Wednesday it has raised the grant threshold to $1.975 million for this year.The government says in a news release that the new cap will ensure 92 per cent of residential properties are covered, lowering the amount of taxes people pay on their principal residence. Those who own and live in their homes in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Capital Regional districts are eligible for the $570 basic grant, or up to $845 for

President Joe Biden and members of Congress are solemnly marking the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Biden assailed then-President Donald Trump and his supporters, saying that ``they failed'' to overturn democracy. The ceremonies at the Capitol were widely attended by Democrats, but almost every Republican on Capitol Hill was absent. It's a stark reminder of the rupture between the parties, worsening since hundreds of Trump's supporters violently pushed past police, broke through the Capitol's windows and interrupted the certification of Biden's victory. Biden said t