The BC Education Ministry is distributing 200,000 COVID-19 test kits to elementary and high schools in an effort to keep them open. The ministry says the number of teaching and non-teaching staff will determine how many tests a school gets. It says the rapid antigen tests are to be used by staff, teachers and administrators with symptoms of COVID-19 to help limit transmission. The tests are being sent to school districts as well as independent and First Nation schools.

Canada is giving Ukraine a $120-million loan to help bolster its economy and aid as it faces a hostile buildup of Russian forces on its borders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the loan today, saying he was answering a request from the Ukrainian government for support.Trudeau has yet to say whether Canada will provide weapons to Ukrainian forces, impose further sanctions on Russia or extend the Canadian military training mission of Ukrainian forces beyond its expiry date at the end of March.Trudeau says he is exploring options for financial and ``other'' support.Russia has positioned a

B.C. is reporting 2,150 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 305,715 cases in the province.There are 34,835 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 265,765 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 891 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 119 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.The new/active cases include:576 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 16,516454 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 8,553563 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active cases: 6,067203 new cases in Northern

Surrey RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance with information that could help police locate and arrest Amardip Singh Rai.Surrey RCMP is actively looking for 42-year old Amardip Singh Rai who is wanted on 17 charges stemming from an investigation that began in August 2019.On April 28, 2021, Amardip Singh Rai was arrested by Surrey RCMP Strike Force Target Team (SFTT) for an outstanding warrant pertaining to the August 2019 investigation. He was released by the courts on May 7, 2021 with conditions.It is alleged that Amardip Singh Rai failed to appear for a subsequent court date and there

Surrey RCMP is advising the public of the arrest of a suspect who allegedly committed a personal robbery inside the ATM area of a bank in Newton.On January 16, 2022, at 8:54 p.m., Surrey RCMP received the report of a personal robbery inside a bank in the 13600-block of 72 Avenue. The victim was depositing cash into the ATM when they were approached and allegedly robbed. Police arrived on scene and quickly located a man nearby who matched the suspect description. The man was arrested and transported to Surrey RCMP cells.On January 17, a charge of robbery was laid against 31-year old Mahamed Osm

Vancouver Police are investigating after four people were hospitalized in three separate stabbings on the Downtown Eastside yesterday.The stabbings were among nine violent incidents VPD responded to in the neighborhood Wednesday."We’re reviewing evidence to determine if any of these incidents are connected," says Constable Tania Visintin. "We’re troubled by this level of violence, and we’re concerned it could escalate."The first stabbing occurred Wednesday morning, just after 4:30 a.m. A 29-year-old man stumbled into a convenience store near Main and East Hastings streets bleeding from a

Federal Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen is holding meetings with his provincial counterparts, including officials from BC. The ministers are searching for ways to make housing more affordable. The gathering comes one day before the House of Commons finance committee hears from the head of the federal housing agency and the superintendent of financial institutions, the regulator of Canadian banks. Statistics Canada says homeowner replacement costs across the country jumped nearly 14 per cent last month compared with 2020, and the Canadian Real Estate Association says the average home price in BC

A special avalanche warning has been posted for recreational backcountry users in several regions of B.C. and Alberta as warm temperatures make the snowpack unstable. Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada have issued the advisory to take effect immediately and last through to Monday. The warning applies to the North and South Columbias, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, and Glacier, Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks. It also applies to B.C.'s Sea-to-Sky region and South Coast Inland area from Squamish to Pemberton. James Floyer, the forecasting program supervisor for Avalanche Canada, says there

The mayor of Brampton, Ont., says three children have died after a house fire in the city this morning. Patrick Brown says they were nine, 12 and 15 years old. He says firefighters faced extremely challenging conditions as they tried to save the children. Brown says one firefighter was injured in the process. Peel Regional Police say emergency crews responded to the house fire after 9 a.m. this morning. They say the home was fully engulfed in flames. It's not clear yet what caused the fire.