British Columbia's top doctor says she's confident more COVID-19 restrictions can be lifted next week as planned due to dramatic declines in cases and because the person-to-person transmission rate has dropped. Dr. Bonnie Henry says fewer infections reflect the power of vaccines, with nearly 73 per cent of eligible residents aged 12 and up having had their first shot. However, only about eight per cent of those 18 and over have received both doses of a vaccine as the province pushes for more people to register for a second shot. B.C. is expected to move to the second of its four-step reopenin

A bulk quantity of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine has been seized by the Surrey RCMP Gang Enforcement Team (SGET) as the result of a traffic stop in Cloverdale.On June 8, 2021 at 6:50 pm, SGET conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle for a motor vehicle infraction in the area of 176 Street and Fraser Highway. As they interacted with the driver, officers saw evidence of weapons possession, and the driver was arrested.Further investigation led to the seizure of a holster, two starter pistols, a large canister of bear mace, multiple knives, and $1200 in cash. Officers also located and seiz

New Brunswick MP Jenica Atwin has shocked the Green Party by announcing she is crossing the House of Commons floor and joining Justin Trudeau's Liberals. Green Leader Annamie Paul says she is disappointed, but cannot control the decisions of others.Annamie Paul says she takes Atwin at her word that the decision was not a result of her leadership. The defection leaves the Green party with just two lawmakers in the House of Commons. Atwin made history in the October 2019 general election when she became the first Green MP to be elected east of British Columbia. Atwin says a big factor in her dec

Surrey RCMP frontline officers seized seven imitation firearms and large amount of suspected fentanyl following a recent traffic stop in Whalley.On June 4, 2021 at 4:40 pm, Surrey RCMP frontline officers conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle for a motor vehicle act investigation, in the area of 94 Avenue and King George Boulevard. During their interaction with the driver, the officers observed items consistent with drug trafficking and arrested the driver and passenger.Further investigation led to the seizure of seven imitation firearms, a pistol magazine with live ammunition, a sword, and a

After a months-long investigation into a drug organization associated to Lower Mainland gangs, Burnaby RCMP’s Drug Section has made a significant seizure of drugs, weapons and cash. With the assistance of Strike Force and the Community Response Team, Burnaby RCMP’s Drug Section executed a residential search warrant, which led to the arrest of a Coquitlam resident and numerous seizures. Some of the items seized were multiple ounces of suspected cocaine and fentanyl likely bound for street-level trafficking, as well as approximately $15,000 in cash, a high-end vehicle, several weapons, and

The accused in Sunday's deadly attack on a Muslim family in London, Ontario made his first court appearance today. Nathaniel Veltman made a brief virtual appearance to face four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder before his case was adjourned until Monday. Veltman says he's still in the process of retaining a lawyer. Relatives have identified the dead as 46 year old Salman Afzaal, his 44 year old wife Madiha Salman, their 15 year old daughter Yumna Salman and her 74 year old grandmother, Talat Afzaal. The couple's nine year old son, Fayez, was seriously wounded bu

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia. "Today, we are reporting that 74.5% of all adults in B.C. and 72.4% of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 3,749,758 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 390,264 of which are second doses."We have had 148 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 145,843 cases in British Columbia."Of the new cases, 23 are in

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says she is looking at ensuring Canada gets close to 75 per cent of eligible people vaccinated with both doses before she would be comfortable advising that border restrictions can be loosened for tourists and business travellers who aren't Canadians or permanent residents. Dr. Tam says that is the level where modelling shows Canada's hospitals won't be overwhelmed by COVID-19. Dr. Tam says she expects Canada to hit its first goalpost of having 75 per cent of eligible people with one dose, and 20 per cent with two, by the beginning of July, but getti

A man who admitting to killing and dismembering a Nebraska hardware store clerk in 2017 has been sentenced to death. Aubrey Trail was convicted in 2019 of first-degree murder and criminal conspiracy to commit murder in the killing of Sydney Loofe. A three-judge panel sentenced Trail on Wednesday. Loofe's family left the Saline County Courthouse after sentencing without taking questions. Prosecutors say Trail and his girlfriend, Bailey Boswell, planned to kill someone before Boswell met the 24 year old Loofe on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them. Loofe's body parts were found in garba