Thursday, March 28, 2024

ICBC could see $1 billion losses for upcoming fiscal year after 100K drivers cancel insurance

(ICBC / Facebook)

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on British Columbia’s public insurance provider ICBC are significant and could result in $1 billion of losses for the upcoming fiscal year, according to Attorney General David Eby.

In a joint press conference on Friday morning, Eby and ICBC CEO Nicolas Jimenez outlined the impacts of the pandemic on a few key aspects of the crown corporation’s functions, stating that the public health emergency has had both a positive and negative effect thus far.

On the up side, with fewer drivers on the roads between mid-March and May 2, there were fewer crashes and, as a result, fewer vehicle damage and personal injury claims opened by ICBC.

This has resulted in savings of $158 million as accident claims dropped by 46 per cent, but claim numbers have already started to increase again as more vehicles hit the road after the pandemic curve flattened in B.C.

Future statistics on crashes and claims will depend on consumer behaviour going into the new normal of the pandemic, as it remains to be seen how many people work from home and their attitudes towards public transit, among other trends.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The bad news for ICBC is that over 150,000 customers have changed their insurance policies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This includes 103,000 people who cancelled their insurance altogether and 57,561 customers who downgraded their rate class resulting in a projected $283 million decline in written insurance premiums.

“This number is expected to improve as people get back behind the wheel,” said Eby.  “Whether ICBC will return to projected insurance premium revenue this year is still an open question.”

ICBC is also expected to take a hit to their investment portfolio, as some decrease in its value has already been seen for the 2019-2020 fiscal year which ended two weeks after the public health emergency was declared in B.C.

The impact of those two weeks on the previous fiscal year is in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and those figures will be released in the summer, according to the company’s CEO Nicolas Jimenez.

According to the crown corporation, early indications suggest the impact to their bottom line could be upwards of $1 billion as financial markets take an unprecedented nose dive.

The numerical value of the impact will be determined based on the length and scope of the global market downturn, and the bottom line will not be known until the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year.

However the crown corporation continues to waive some fees and support customers in changing their plans as the pandemic unfolds.

“ICBC waiving cancellation and re-plating fees alone during the pandemic has saved customers around $5 million, and we will continue to work with those drivers facing financial hardship,” said Jimenez in a statement.

“And given these uncertain times, we have a responsibility to consider many factors when making long-term decisions that could adversely affect ICBC’s bottom line — and customers’ insurance premiums — in the future.”

The crown corporation has no savings or safety net to fall back on, a fact that that Eby blames on the previous Liberal government and their “mismanagement”.

But the province promises that if ICBC sees a surplus net income, it will be used to benefit taxpayers in B.C.

“There are more than 10 months to go in the fiscal year and many unknowns, but if ICBC’s bottom line ends up better than expected, any surplus will be used to benefit B.C. drivers,” said Eby.

Decisions on the use of surplus net income will be made next year when it is more clear whether there will be any additional income to begin with.

Options to pass down surpluses to drivers include rebuilding the financial capital health of ICBC to reduce longer-term pressure on rates, providing a one-time direct relief to customers, or a combination of both.

Jimenez says the crown corporation does not expect things to stabilize in the near future, concluding that it is too early to tell what the overall financial impact of the pandemic could be for ICBC.

2020 GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon cancelled due to ongoing pandemic

(Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon/Facebook)

With many mass gathering restrictions still in place, another large fitness event has been cancelled in light of COVID-19.

The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon, which is held annually in the fall, has officially thrown in the towel for 2020.

This year’s marathon, which was slated to take place on October 11th, would have been the 41st annual race of its kind.

“On May 6, the BC Government announced the next COVID-19 phases of opening up the economy and loosening restrictions,” reads a statement on the event website. “However, it was stated that the current mass gathering number of 50 will remain in effect for the foreseeable future until a vaccine is found.”

“With this in mind, the Victoria Marathon Society Board of Directors regrets that it has to cancel the 2020 GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon.”

Last year’s marathon drew in over 8,000 participants, and is popular with runners across the world for its scenic west coast views.

The iconic event hosts a number of different races, including the full and half races, the 8k Turkey Trot Road Race and the Thrifty Foods Kids Run.

According to the marathon’s website, refunds on registration fees or deferrals to next year’s run will be offered.

Victoria man cashes in on winning Lotto Max ticket while buying milk

(Joseph Brennan / Lotto Max winner)

One Victoria man has a milk run to thank for a nearly $100,000 pay day, after a last minute decision to buy a Lotto Max ticket.

Joseph Brennan purchased a ticket “on a whim” while at Thrifty Foods to get a jug of milk, and he’s certainly glad he followed his intuition.

Brennan wound up matching six out of seven numbers to win $93,895 in the March 13th Lotto Max Extra draw.

According to a statement from the BC Lottery Corporation, Brennan plans to put the cash in the bank for the future.

BCLC announced that someone in Victoria was a winner on March 14th — this was confirmed to be Brennan in a statement from the corporation released this week.

The $50 million jackpot for this draw was carried over, and Brennan’s ticket purchased in Victoria was the second prize winner.

There were also two Western Canada winners, according to the Lotto Max website.

BC Transit enters $850K agreement to retrofit all buses will full driver doors by fall

(BC Transit driver door installation)

All BC Transit buses across the province are expected to be retrofitted with full driver doors by fall 2020.

In a statement released on Thursday, the crown corporation announced that it had entered into an approximately $850,000 agreement with AROW Global Corporation, the company producing the doors and Kodiak Mobile Video Installations, the company installing the products.

Full driver doors include a transparent piece of laminated tempered glass with anti-glare coating and metal base, and is designed to increase protection for drivers.

See also: BC Transit will start collecting fares, resume front door boarding on June 1

Windows on these doors can be adjusted by drivers for sight lines associated with different seat positions.

“We thank AROW Global for agreeing to increase production and reducing lead time to support an accelerated implementation schedule in light of COVID-19,” reads the statement from the crown corporation.

“All future new buses in the fleet will arrive with the door pre-installed.”

This third party agreement will allow an accelerated installation of full driver doors on bus fleets outside of Victoria and the Regional District of Nanaimo. Fleets in Victoria and Nanaimo are currently being equipped with the doors by BC Transit in house.

Door installations through the third party vendors in Abbotsford and Chilliwack began in early May, with the fleet in Kelowna next in line.

The transportation company will resume front door boarding and fare collection on June 1 after providing over two months of free service in an effort to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission to the drivers and passengers at the height of the pandemic.

Buses still awaiting full driver doors starting June 1 will have a temporary vinyl panel installed for safety purposes.

BC Transit expects that a total 633 buses across the province will be retrofitted by fall 2020.

Mount Douglas Park closed to vehicle traffic over May long weekend: District of Saanich

Mount Doug Sunset (ItkasanImages)

The gates on Churchill Drive leading up to Mount Doug Park will be closed to vehicle traffic over the May long weekend, meaning drivers will not be permitted to take their vehicles to the summit.

This closure is expected to help ease vehicle congestion and increase pedestrian safety in anticipation of an increase in park visitors from May 16th to 18th.

The gate will reopen May 19th with regular hours of noon to 11 p.m.

In addition, the gate will be closed on Canada Day and every long weekend throughout the summer until September.

Playgrounds and outdoor recreation facilities in the municipality will remain closed.

“There are still plenty of ways to get outside, enjoy nature and stay active while following provincial health orders and recommendations,” reads a statement from the District of Saanich.

“Saanich’s beaches, more than 170 parks and 100 kilometres of trails remain open for citizens to enjoy.”

The Cedar Hill Golf Course reopened on May 5th with some modifications in place for golfers to ensure that health precautions are still being taken due to the ongoing pandemic.

These include:

  • More time between tee times
  • No walk-ons – golfing is by prearranged tee time only
  • Power carts are single rider or players from the same household
  • No score cards or pencils will be provided
  • No food and beverage services
  • Gathering places will be closed

The facility will reopen under guidelines provided by the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada.

This “best practices” notice from the association can be viewed here.

National parks and historic sites to partially re-open June 1: Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confirmed that national parks will resume some operations in June, following the official announcement from Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson on Thursday.

Wilkinson said that some trails, day use areas, green spaces and recreational boating will be open to the public starting June 1st at national parks, historic sites, waterways and national marine conservation areas.

Trudeau said, “getting fresh air is important, but we all have to be responsible about it.”

The federal government also reminds people to stay away from the parks this Victoria Day weekend, as difficult as that might be for many Canadians itching to get outside as the weather warms.

Parks Canada originally suspended services at all national parks and historic sites on March 18th in light of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, when vehicle access was suspended and visitor centres shut down in an effort to avoid Canadians flocking to these locations.

Which parks will open across the country will be determined by individual provinces, with physical distancing measures in place, though these rules will vary by specific park as well.

“You can’t prevent Canadians from going outside when the weather is nice,” Trudeau said.

“You can only help them to do so safely.”

B.C. could host remaining games for all NHL teams: Premier Horgan

(Vancouver Canucks / Instagram)

With the province’s re-opening plan being the hot topic of discussion as of late, there has been one lingering question on the minds of many hockey fans:

When is hockey coming back, and where and how are NHL teams going to play it?

Premier John Horgan released a few details on the subject Wednesday, as well as a very exciting potential plan for British Columbia.

While Vancouver has been floated as a potential hub city for not only the Canucks, but seven other Pacific Division teams, Horgan revealed an even greater possibility; all 31 National Hockey League teams playing the remainder of the season entirely in B.C.

Horgan met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly on Tuesday, along with the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Lisa Beare, where the Premier had a “wide ranging discussion about our desire in British Columbia to support the NHL and the Vancouver Canucks”.

“I believe we’re in a good place to host, that’s why I contacted the commissioner,” said Horgan in his press conference on Wednesday.

“The Canucks have been working very cooperatively with my minister. We’ve heard from others around the league that have other ideas about perhaps having all of the games played in British Columbia.”

The premier went on to acknowledge the idea of a Pacific Division hub city, but also suggested the province could host all games in the NHL.

“We have WHL rinks in Victoria, in Kamloops, in Kelowna, in Prince George… Cranbrook has an outstanding facility as well. We have hotel space,” Horgan said.

That’s right, our very own Victoria is on the table as a potential host.

Despite this, even if Vancouver (or Victoria) were to become a hub city for the league, fans would not be allowed to watch games live in person, and teams would be playing in empty arenas.

The NHL officially suspended their season on March 12th due to COVID-19 concerns, along with the NBA.

“Mr. Bettman and his team recognize that British Columbia has had a pretty positive response to COVID-19 in terms of flattening the curve,” added the premier.

“Mr. Bettman also knows that this is a hockey-crazy province. We’d be happy to have hockey take place here so that we could see current games on our televisions.”

Happy, indeed, Premier Horgan.. but for now, we wait with bated breath and unworn jerseys.

“Fewer faces, bigger spaces”: How to safely expand your social circle in B.C. next week

British Columbia is about to enter Phase 2 of the official “restart” plan which will allow some businesses to reopen or increase economic activity.

One of the biggest and most awaited aspects of the Phase 2, however, is increasing social interactions.

The initial guidelines released on May 6 tell us that people can expand their social bubbles to up to two to six people, but should stay home if they’re sick OR if someone in their household is elderly or immunocompromised.

See also: Some rules on how to increase your social circle in B.C. after Victoria Day long weekend

The next day, faced with mounting questions on the exact parameters of how to interact with loved ones, Dr. Bonnie Henry clarified that it’s okay to hug people if you make them a part of your extended social circle.

She also cautioned people to be mindful that the contacts of those who they include in their social circle will also be linked by extension.

At the time, Dr. Henry used neighbourhood BBQs as an example of an activity that can be safely hosted this summer.

Today, she pointed out exactly how someone can throw a safe and successful BBQ party while the public health emergency remains in place, and partake in other activities over the summer.

Again, those who have elderly or immunocompromised people in their households should refrain from expanding social circles or taking part in any such activities as the risks for them are higher.

But for B.C. residents who are healthy and can safely socialize, Dr. Henry advises to host BBQs outside as transmission risks are always lower outdoors than indoors.

Hosts are also advised to offer individual food servings, instead of buffets, to minimize contact between guests.

Gatherings should also be kept within a small and consistent group. “Make a pact” with friends or neighbours and agree to be in each other’s circles.

“The fewer people you see, the better you will be,” added Dr. Henry, alongside her new COVID-19 reopening mantra of “smaller groups, fewer faces, shorter time together, bigger spaces”.

Other types of gatherings

For public gatherings and social interactions this summer, there are two public health guidelines that will not change for a long time.

The first: anyone who is sick or has been around people that are sick are required to stay at home and away from others.

And, as mentioned in previous articles, the public health order banning gatherings of 50 or more people will remain in place this summer.

However, Dr. Henry cautions that groups smaller than 50 must also adhere to physical distancing guidelines. This applies to gatherings in general, but she pointed out religious institutions as an example.

“Starting next week, religious services can be held as long as people can maintain physical distance,” said Dr. Henry, going on to thank faith leaders for their cooperation and help in coming up with creative ways to continue hosting religious ceremonies virtually during the pandemic.

This particular public health order does not, however, apply to large retail and department stores that can safely fit more than 50 people at one time, as long as they continue implementing a policy that allows room for maintaining appropriate distances between people.

For individuals, particularly young people, planning to get together at restaurants and bars once those businesses reopen, Dr. Henry advises not to share things like drinks and fries.

She again emphasizes the benefits of spending time outside rather than indoors, and those who choose to gather inside are asked to keep their distances and keep contacts at a minimum.

Dating and travel

Earlier this week, Dr. Henry was also asked about dating and how single people can expect to resume their romantic pursuits once we enter Phase 2.

After an amusing moment of B.C.’s top doctor struggling to find the right words to describe the dating lives of young people in the 21st century, she stated that “online encounters” — presumably referring to dating apps like Tinder and Bumble — have been useful thus far in keeping loneliness at bay.

“This is not the time to do rapid serial dating,” she added, advising people to “pick someone and see if it works out.”

At today’s briefing, she added that no one should be hugging or kissing people outside their immediate households and extended social circles they’ve chosen.

See also: B.C. economy, social interactions will partly resume mid-May with new guidelines in place

These guidelines for easing social activity to 60 per cent of normal will be applicable come May 19 when we enter Phase 2 of the province’s restart plan.

Before that date, many have voiced concerns about the amount of non-essential travel that may place over the upcoming Victoria Day long weekend.

“If you do not need to go somewhere, even if it’s a second home, the way we can help one another right now is not to engage in non-essential travel,” urged Health Minister Adrian Dix at Wednesday’s briefing.

However, he also cautioned British Columbians against judging those who do travel over the long weekend.

Dix added that those who do choose to go to their second homes in small communities over the long weekend should bring their own food and supplies so as not to overwhelm stores in remote areas.

Similar concerns were raised after last weekend, when many people were seen flocking to beaches and parks to take in the gorgeous weather in places like Victoria and Vancouver.

“Most people are doing the right thing. They may be in a group but they’re keeping their distance,” said Dr. Henry, addressing those concerns.

Those who did break the rules and decided to gather in large groups were called the “visible minority” by Minister Dix.

16 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in B.C. today, one additional death

Minister Adrian Dix, Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov Flickr

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 16 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,376 people.

This is the lowest number of new cases per day the province has seen since March 9, in the early days of the pandemic.

In total, 877 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,137 in Fraser Health, 125 on Vancouver Island, 180 in Interior Health and 57 in Northern Health region.

There are now 385 active cases remaining in the province as of today.

There are now a total of 59 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 14 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, one new death was reported today and the death toll is now at 132 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 1,859 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C., representing 78 per cent of all cases in B.C.

Outbreaks

There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of 19 long term care and acute care facility outbreaks have been declared over.

In total, 15 long term care and five acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks. 489 cases are associated with these outbreaks, with 299 residents and 190 staff members who have been affected.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has 61 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

A community outbreak at a nursery in Kelowna involving temporary foreign workers has now been declared over.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 125 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 12th, 115 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there are now five active cases in the region.

One person with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in the Island Health region.

Thus far, there have been 112,994 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 16,878 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,412,203.

Over 296,900 people have died from the illness and 1,647,237 have made a full recovery.

B.C. extends state of emergency for two more weeks amid COVID-19 pandemic

(Premier Horgan/BC Gov)

B.C. Premier John Horgan has extended the province’s state of emergency a fourth time, and will therefore remain in place for two more weeks.

Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth initially declared a state of emergency on March 18th which was in effect for 14 days.

It was then extended thrice by Premier Horgan, on March 31st, April 15th, and April 29th.

Today’s announcement further extends the state of emergency until the end of day on May 27, 2020. Declarations of emergency can be extended by the province by increments of 14 days at a time.

“It will remain in place for the foreseeable future,” said Premier Horgan during his briefing on Wednesday.

Even as the state of emergency stays in place, B.C. is on the verge of initiating the second phase of their re-opening plan.

Premier Horgan reminded the public that the second phase of the provincial restart plan that focuses on increasing some economic and social activity does not start until Tuesday, May 19.

The Premier echoed Dr. Bonnie Henry’s message that “we’re far from out of the woods. Although we’ve flattened the curve, COVID-19 is here to stay.”

Today’s announcement was accompanied by a second statement regarding orphan or inactive wells in northern B.C.

According to Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Bruce Ralston, a $120 million fund from the federal government will be used to clean up orphan or inactive wells.

This amount will be used to restore over 2,000 orphan or inactive wells in communities across northern B.C.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,412,203.

Over 296,900 people have died from the illness and 1,647,237 have made a full recovery.

Three arrested in Saanich after investigation leads to drugs, weapons, $25K of stolen property

(Weapons seized/Saanich Police)

A drug trafficking investigation led police to a residence where they located a plethora of stolen process and are now in the process of returning them to their rightful owners.

Police began investigating after an increase in property crime over the past two months led them to a residence in the 900 block of Cloverdale Ave.

On Thursday May 7, Saanich Police officers and members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant at the residence.

They found and seized drugs, weapons and over $25,000 in stolen property which included items like a motorcycle, bicycles, and power tools all connected to break and enters and thefts across the Greater Victoria region.

These findings led to the arrest of three people connected to the residence.

Police have already contacted most of the rightful owners of the stolen items and are in the process of returning them.

Three people were arrested in connection with the investigation, during which officers also witnessed drug trafficking activity from the residence to other parts of the city, including the Topaz Park and Pandora Avenue homeless encampments.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to return the stolen property to their lawful owners,”
said Cst. Markus Anastasiades.

“In addition to the stolen property and drugs found in the home, the sheer volume of weapons found inside was also concerning.”

The weapons seized included replica firearms, a compound bow, and more than 20 edge weapons like hatchets and homemade blades.

The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have yet been laid against the three people who were taken into custody.

 

Victoria announces re-opening of some outdoor recreation facilities this week

(File photo)

In a statement on Wednesday, the City of Victoria announced plans to re-open select outdoor facilities in a phased return to pre-COVID-19 recreation.

Starting Thursday, May 14, tennis and pickleball courts, sports fields, and skate and bike parks will be open for recreational use.

However there will be no lessons or league play, and people using these facilities will be required to follow public health guidelines like physical distancing.

“A cautious re-opening of some outdoor recreation facilities is a positive step forward for physical and mental well-being,” said Mayor Lisa Helps in the statement.

“It’s important to stay active and healthy outdoors and we’re doing that in a safe, coordinated way across the region.”

Facilities in Victoria that require close contact like playgrounds, basketball courts, outdoor gyms, and the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre will remain closed.

On May 8, Saanich councillor and chair of the Saanich Parks and Recreation Committee announced that the municipality is looking at ways to safely reopen recreational facilities.

More information on plans for Saanich are expected in the coming days.

31-year-old woman faces impaired driving charges for fatal Malahat crash in 2018

(Margo Sheridan/Facebook)

A 31-year-old woman is facing a series of charges, including impaired driving, following a fatal head-on vehicle collision on the Malahat highway in 2018.

The crash occurred on June 10th, 2018 at approximately 1 p.m. on the Trans Canada Highway just north of Aspen Road.

Sara Thomas, the woman currently facing charges, was driving a black minivan heading northbound when she collided with an SUV heading in the opposite direction in a 60 km/hr construction zone.

The driver of the SUV, 46-year-old David Tilley from Vancouver, was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the SUV was also sent to hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

See also: 46-year-old Vancouver man identified as victim of fatal Malahat crash

Thomas was also was taken to hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the collision.

At the time of the crash, police believed that the female driver of the minivan — Thomas — was impaired by alcohol.

Sara Thomas is now facing six charges related to the collision, including: impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, cause an accident resulting in death, cause an accident resulting in bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.

She is scheduled to appear in Duncan provincial court on Tuesday, May 19th.

19-year-old arrested after stealing, crashing BC Transit Bus and breaking into View Royal home

Rapid Transit
(Photo via BC Transit)

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man after he allegedly stole a BC Transit bus, crashed it, and then broke into a residence in View Royal.

At 6:42 a.m. this morning, West Shore RCMP received a report from BC Transit that a bus that had been parked outside the Victoria General Hospital had been stolen.

According to a statement from police, the transit driver was on break inside the hospital, and when they came out, realized the bus was gone. Fortunately there were no passengers inside the bus at the time.

A little while later, officers learned that the bus in question had crashed into a rock wall on Herbate Road near the Barker Road intersection in View Royal.

A man, who is identified as the alleged thief, was seen running out of the bus after the collision.

Then, at around 6:57 a.m., a resident in the 2700 block of Herbate Road called police to let them know that an intruder had broken into his residence, and fled when approached by the complainant.

Police arrived on scene and, upon searching the surrounding area, were able to locate the suspect who has been identified as a 19-year-old man.

He remains in custody at this time as the investigation continues. The suspect is expected to appear in court later today.

Central Saanich Police nab driver going 122 km/h in an 80 km/hr zone

(Central Saanich Police / Twitter)

One driver had their vehicle impounded and received some hefty fines on Tuesday, after Central Saanich Police caught them speeding excessively on the Pat Pay Highway.

The driver was pulled over after Central Saanich Police clocked their speed at 122 km/h in an 80 km/hr zone. Officers also found that the driver was unlicensed at the time.

As a result, their vehicle was impounded and they received $644 in fines due to the offences.

Central Saanich Police remind the public that just because there is less traffic on the roads recently, that is not an excuse to speed.

This incident comes not long after another on May 10, when Saanich Police impounded two for excessive speed within 50 minutes of each other on Willis Point Road.

According to Saanich Police, excessive speeding is on the rise, largely due to emptier roads amid COVID-19.

Nearly 40 drivers were pulled over by Saanich Police between March and April for excessive speeding, which is defined as more than 40 km/h over the posted speed limit.

Police departments across B.C. have teamed up with ICBC for a month-long High-Risk Driving Campaign focused on drivers who aren’t adhering to speed limits.

“Stats have shown a trend in excessive speeding,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades, public information officer for the Saanich Police Department.

 

 

Province opens 73 new affordable rental homes in Saanich

(Westview affordable housing complex/CRD)

The B.C. provincial government has announced that construction is now complete on 73 new affordable rental homes in Saanich.

The housing units located at 3816 Carey Rd will be available for low to moderate income families, individuals, seniors, and adults with disabilities, to move into starting May 15.

The property was constructed through funding and partnership between the provincial government, the Capital Regional District, and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC).

“As the largest social housing provider in the region, the CRHC is proud to deliver affordable housing and services to almost 3,000 residents,” said Lisa Helps, chair of the CRHC.

“We are a strong community partner that works collaboratively with stakeholders and tenants to build safe, vibrant and accessible communities like Westview.”

All 73 units are located in a four-storey wood-frame building called ‘Westview’ and include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments.

Out of those, 15 units are reserved for people with very low incomes and will be rented at the provincial income assistance rate, 29 are rent-geared-to-income units where people with low to moderate incomes will pay 30 per cent of their income, and the remaining 29 will be rented at affordable rates, according to the province.

Construction of the building began in 2018 and was completed on time, as it was expected to be open for use in early 2020.

The property will be owned and operated by the CRHC with the Independent Living Housing Society to provide five accessible ground-floor units, and an office for the society’s programming.

The society will select residents for the five designated accessible units. Another partnership with the Threshold Housing Society will ensure that two of the units are reserved for youth at risk of homelessness.

While residents will start moving into these units starting May 15, move-in dates will be staggered so as to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission due to contact in hallways and elevators.

Overall, the project cost $16.6 million, with most of the financing coming from the provincial government.

 

Students can apply for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit now

Students and recent graduates are now able to apply for financial relief from the Canadian government, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in his daily address on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister unveiled the $9 billion emergency aid package on April 22nd, aimed at helping post-secondary students in Canada who are struggling financially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Details of the package consist of financial aid for students who may not be eligible for the current Canada Emergency Response Benefit.

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit will provide any student who qualifies $1,250 per month starting this May, and until August, 2020.

Students who take care of someone or have a disability are eligible to receive $2,000 per month from the benefit.

The aid is available to those currently enrolled at a post-secondary institution, headed to a post-secondary institution in September, or to any student who graduated after December 2019.

Those who meet the above criteria will also qualify for this aid package if they have a job and only make up to $1,000 a month.

The federal government also previously pledged to create 76,000 jobs for young people, on top of the Canada Summer Job program.

On top of this, the government will be doubling the amount of student grants for the 2020-2021 school year, and any student volunteering this summer could be eligible for a $1,000 – $5,000 grant through the Canada Student Service Grant.

Applications must be submitted before September 30 2020 and can be accessed here.

West Shore RCMP locate missing 11-year-old girl (UPDATED)

UPDATE: West Shore RCMP have located the missing 11 year old girl! She is safe and sound.

https://twitter.com/WestshoreRCMP/status/1260398809877798913?s=20

Original:

West Shore RCMP issue a Tweet Tuesday night asking for the public’s as they search for a for a missing 11-year-old girl.

Madison Fanning-Gallant was last seen this afternoon around 3:40 p.m. riding a pink bicycle near the 700 block of Tiswilde Road in Metchosin.

She is wearing a pink helmet, blue shirt and dark colored shorts.

If you see her, call 911 or the West Shore RCMP detachment at 250-474-2264.

Dr. Bonnie Henry explains provincial COVID-19 testing strategy throughout this pandemic

(Photo by Colin Smith Takes Pics)

Over the course of the past few months, British Columbia, like the rest of the world, has grappled with decisions surrounding how best to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that would keep transmission rates as low as possible.

One of the biggest questions that arose during the height of the health crisis was that of testing, and whether there’s enough of it to accurately capture a sense of how many people fell prey to the virus.

See also: B.C. launches COVID-19 online survey to help inform future pandemic response

In B.C., the COVID-19 testing strategy started off focusing on international travellers and people who had symptoms, then moved to at-risk groups only, before again opening up to broader testing of people with symptoms.

There have been arguments that asymptomatic carriers of the virus are going undetected in B.C. and lack of testing could result in them spreading the disease.

However, an effective public health strategy that zeroed in on physical distancing and keeping people at home as much as possible has by and large contributed to a flattening of the transmission curve.

The province has recovered from the pandemic so much so that public health officials can now focus on the next steps: serology or antibody testing to determine the level of immunity that has been developed against COVID-19 across communities in B.C.

But before moving on, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry — largely the face of the pandemic response in this province — issued an opinion editorial, comprehensively answering questions about the province’s testing strategy during the pandemic.

Read the full op-ed below:

Testing for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases is a core tenet of public health.

It tells us the what, who and where of disease transmission, but we need to understand the limitations of testing to do this right.

Many have asked and many continue to ask about who is getting tested for COVID-19 in B.C. and why we don’t just “test, test, test everyone.” What I can tell you is we adapted our testing approach as we learned more about the virus and the test, and as more tests became available, and we will continue to adapt as we progress through our pandemic response.

Scientists at the BC Centre for Disease Control were some of the first in the world to develop a COVID-19 test – the “what” in our testing strategy. This test detects the genetic material of the virus in a sample (usually a swab taken from the back of the nose) from someone who is sick. It is used across Canada and around the world to determine if someone is infected.

Initially, B.C.’s testing strategy was based on identifying the source of transmission to understand who was getting and spreading the virus to guide our response.

That’s why we first focused on returning travellers, in combination with leveraging our annual active influenza surveillance testing. This allowed us to put in place the necessary precautions, orders and restrictions we have today.

As the pandemic progressed in B.C. and we had evidence of community transmission, we adapted our testing strategy to focus on those most vulnerable to serious illness from COVID-19.

We did this because we knew the “where” of transmission was now potentially “everywhere.” We also knew that many people with mild illness don’t need tests and can safely self-isolate and recover at home.

So, we concentrated on the sickest patients, health-care workers, those in long-term care homes and those connected to an outbreak. This gave us an understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals and care homes.

Of course, testing is not the only public health strategy. Step in step with testing is the contact tracing that our public health teams always do and will continue to do as we transition to Phase 2 in BC’s Restart Plan. This is vital to setting up a firewall around every case and breaking the chains of transmission.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


As our rate of new cases slowed into mid-April, we adapted our strategy again to broader community testing. This means anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 can now be tested.

It’s still important to remember not everybody needs a test and the tests we have are not perfect. If someone tests negative, it may mean they are too early in the illness for the test to detect it yet – a false negative.

When we have a small number of people who actually have COVID-19 in the population, the number of false positives can also be very high. That means we are telling people they are infected and maybe immune to COVID-19 when they aren’t.

What’s next? Soon we will introduce a “serology” test that can tell us if someone has been infected with COVID-19 in the past and has developed antibodies to the virus. Once the serology test has been validated for accuracy, the test results will be used to get a better sense of where the virus has been and how to further prevent its spread as we move into the next phase of our pandemic.

Understanding the limitations of the tests, our strategy has never been about just testing everyone, but rather using the tests we have to understand who is or has been infected, so we can best protect our families, health-care system and communities.

Our strategy is working, even as we develop it further to meet our evolving needs. It is adapted to our pandemic experience that is helping all of us to hold the line and get through this storm. It will continue to support us as we move through the next phases of this challenging pandemic.

 

Victoria’s Ogden Point Breakwater will reopen to visitors next Wednesday

(@wild.side.photography/Instagram)

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority has announced that the Ogden Point Breakwater will reopen to visitors next Wednesday after over a month of being closed.

The breakwater was taped off to visitors on March 24 after members of the public were seen gathering in close proximity and not adhering to physical distancing guidelines.

See also: Ogden Point Breakwater will be closed after visitors seen not maintaining social distancing

It will reopen to the public at 10 a.m. on May 20, with signage that warns visitors to comply with certain health and safety guidelines while accessing the breakwater.

These include:

  • Do not use if you are feeling sick or unwell.
  • Maintain physical distancing: 2 metres or 6 feet apart.
  • Remain single file when passing others.
  • Stay to the right when walking.
  • Ensure children and pets are kept close to your group.
  • Wearing a mask is recommended.
  • Do not loiter.

The reopening was announced as a result of the provincial government coming out with new guidelines to phase in increases to economic and social activity in the province.

If visitors ignore these rules, the GVHA may choose to close the space again.

B.C. launches COVID-19 online survey to help inform future pandemic response

The Ministry of Health, in partnership with the BCCDC, have launched an online survey for all British Columbians to log their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to help inform future responses to the pandemic.

During their daily briefing, both PHO Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix encouraged people to take the survey.

“We always need to learn and prepare for the future and you can help us do that,” said Dix.

The online survey is open to all British Columbians aged 18 and older, can be accessed on computers and tablets, and takes between 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

See also: B.C. will start trialing “promising” antibody tests on recovered COVID-19 patients: Dr. Henry

It will be available to answer until May 31 and has been provided in English, Simplified Chinese and Punjabi.

The majority of the survey asks about individual experiences, knowledge and actions taken during the self isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results will help public health officials gauge the financial and mental health impacts of the pandemic across various socioeconomic backgrounds.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


At the end of the survey, participants will be asked about whether they wish to participate in a serology survey or blood test to help determine immunity against the virus across B.C.

They will also be asked about their willingness to participate in planning for future waves of the pandemic which expects to make use of technological tools to coordinate information sharing.

One of these tools is the use of contact tracing apps that keeps track of who people have had contact with as a way to trace exposure to COVID-19 once someone tests positive for the virus.

The survey can be accessed at bccdc.ca/covid19survey or over the phone by calling 1-833-707-1900, which is operated seven days a week 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Results will be made public in the early summer. Those who agree to participate in a future phase will be contacted directly via email.

B.C. reports 7 new COVID-19 cases today, lowest number since March 9

(Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov Flickr)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported seven new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,360 people.

This is the lowest number of new cases per day the province has seen since March 9, in the early days of the pandemic.

In total, 874 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,124 in Fraser Health, 125 on Vancouver Island, 180 in Interior Health and 57 in Northern Health region.

There are now 397 active cases remaining in the province as of today.

There are now a total of 63 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 16 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, one new death was reported today and the death toll is now at 131 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 1,832 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C., representing 71 per cent of all cases in B.C.

Outbreaks

There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of 19 long term care and acute care facility outbreaks have been declared over.

In total, 16 long term care and five acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks. 482 cases are associated with these outbreaks, with 295 residents and 187 staff members who have been affected.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has 61 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

A community outbreak at a nursery in Kelowna involving temporary foreign workers has now been declared over.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 125 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 11th, 112 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there are now eight active cases in the region.

One person with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in the Island Health region.

Thus far, there have been 111,498 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 16,669 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,328,598.

Over 291,800 people have died from the illness and 1,571,398 have made a full recovery.

Police arrest suspect wanted in connection with 7-Eleven robbery in Courtenay

The Comox Valley RCMP have arrested a man wanted for a robbery that took place at a 7-Eleven in Courtenay in early April.

On April 3, a man entered the convenience store at approximately 3:30 a.m., demanded cash from the till and fled the area before police arrived.

Police released a surveillance photo of the suspect the following day and worked with the integrated forensic identification section and police dog services to locate him.

With their assistance and tips from the public, investigators were able to eventually identify a suspect in the case.

“Investigators worked tirelessly to identify a suspect in this case,” said Cpl. Matt Holst of the Major Crime Unit.

“There were a lot of long hours that went into this investigation, including the execution of search warrants, surveillance, and examining video footage from multiple local businesses.”

The suspect was arrested for robbery on April 27th and remains in police custody.

Man arrested for alleged stabbing in downtown Victoria Saturday morning

(VicPD / Jay Wallace Images)

Police have arrested one man for allegedly stabbing another after the two got into a fight in downtown Victoria.

At around 11 a.m. on Saturday May 9, VicPD were called to the scene of a fight between two men at a hotel in the 2800-block of Douglas Street — likely the Sandman Hotel.

Upon arrival, officers found that one of the men had sustained a stab wound to his arm, categorized as a non-life threatening injury, while the other had fled the scene in a vehicle.

Police noted down a description of the suspect and his vehicle but were unable to find him until the next day when an off-duty officer saw the suspect driving the same vehicle.

At around 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 10, police found and arrested the man near the intersection of Quadra Street and Topaz Avenue.

This file remains under investigation, and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact VicPD at 250-995-7654 and press #1 to speak with the report desk.

To report what you know anonymously, contact Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

B.C. announces $300K fund to help local food producers bring their products online

The B.C. government has unveiled a new funding program to help local farmers and food and beverage processors move more products online, in hopes to offset lost sales during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province is allocating $300,000 towards the new Buy BC e-commerce initiative, which will allow more local products to be sold digitally.

The provincial government says this funding falls under the Ministry of Agriculture’s Buy BC Partnership Program, which helps farmers, ranchers and food and beverage processors market their products as locally grown, raised, harvested or produced.

The intent behind Buy BC is to make it easy for British Columbians to purchase such products locally.

“British Columbians have come together during these difficult times and continue to show their strength and support for each other,” said Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham in a statement.

“With the new Buy BC e-commerce funding, farmers and food and beverage processors can create a new avenue to sell their products directly to consumers all over the province, while maintaining physical distancing and safe practices.”

“Moving to online sales gives customers the opportunity to continue to Buy BC and enjoy fresh food, while supporting families in our communities.”

Specifically, the new funding will provide financial support for organizations to develop websites that can accommodate online sales, and can also cover costs of marketing and shipping products to customers.

Applications for the program are open to farmers and food and beverage processors in BC, and they can apply online between May 15th and 29th.

The applications for government funding will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis until all of the $300,000 aid is fully allocated.

Local business donates $5 to Mustard Seed Food Bank for every photo of a ‘heart in the window’

(Hillside hearts/Photo submitted)

A fundraiser created by Hillside Shopping Centre is donating money to fund the purchase of food for those facing food insecurity amid COVID-19.

Through their campaign, called ‘Show Us Your Heart’, Hillside Shopping Centre has been donating $5 to the Mustard Street Food Bank for every photo of a ‘heart in the window’ or a ‘decorated heart’ submitted by people.

Heart photos can be submitted to their online gallery at hillsidecentre.com/hillsideheartproject/.

Donations to the food bank will be made up to an amount of $2,500, but the shopping centre hopes to have hundreds of photo submissions nevertheless.

“The local community has expressed their appreciation for our healthcare and frontline workers battling the coronavirus (COVID-19) by displaying hearts in their windows, on their front yards, and in vehicle windows,” reads a statement from the company.

“Local businesses have also responded by lighting up their buildings in the shape of a heart or hanging lit hearts in their windows.”

Hillside Shopping Centre, managed by BentallGreenOak (Canada) LP, is now working to match these moving gestures to meaningful action through their donations.

Their photo gallery, which can be viewed on the website, effectively creates a tapestry of appreciation for front line workers while also carrying the knowledge that those hearts contributed to food for the hungry in Victoria.

 

Comox Valley RCMP searching for people who may have unwittingly bought stolen property

RCMP
(File photo)

Comox Valley RCMP Street Crimes Unit are currently looking for people who may have unknowingly purchased stolen property earlier this year.

They believe that Comox Valley man Michael Leighton may have been selling stolen property online, and are urging buyers to come forward.

An investigation involving Leighton led to 27 charges against him, and is currently still ongoing.

The stolen items ranged from wallets, to gift cards, to jewelry and more, and would have been sold between the months of January and March of this year.

“If you purchased items from Michael Leighton between January and March, we would like to determine whether or not the items had been stolen from someone here in the Comox Valley” said Cst. Monika Terragni, Media Relations Officer, Comox Valley RCMP.

“If we can prove that the items were stolen, we will be recommending additional charges and getting the property back to the rightful owners” she added.

Anyone with information, or believes that they have purchased something from Michael Leighton, is asked to call call Cst. Turner, Comox Valley RCMP Street Crimes Unit at (250) 338-1321 and refer to file 2020-3187.

B.C. will hand out 3,500 smartphones to homeless across the province amid COVID-19

(Pandora Ave/Photo by Tim Ford)

The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction has announced that thousands of pre-loaded smartphones will be given to homeless and vulnerable populations across B.C. to ensure safe access to communications technology amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement, 3,500 smartphones have been secured for distribution by the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) through funding from the Homelessness Community Action Grant program and a partnership with 7-Eleven.

“The need for internet connectivity has never been as important as it is right now. For people who are experiencing homelessness, the closing of public spaces like libraries due to COVID-19 has reduced connectivity options and created barriers to supports and services,” said Minister Shane Simpson.

“Providing smartphones for people on the street will help create easier access to those services, help people maintain physical distancing, and support people in staying connected to family and friends during this time.”

As of Tuesday, 1,000 phones have already been distributed across several communities in B.C., 200 of which were given to people who transitioned from Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver and in the process of moving from Pandora Avenue and Topaz Park encampments in Victoria.

The remaining 2,500 phones will be handed to organizations and community response networks to disburse.

All phones are able to connect to WiFi and will come pre-loaded with a $10 7-Eleven data card so users can have access to the internet at any given time.

In Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, 500 of these smartphones have been distributed to low income residents living in one of the 4,500 single room occupancy hotel units.

Many of these phones have been equipped with a donated TELUS SIM card that provides a $0 rate plan including unlimited nationwide talk and text and three GB of data per month.

“With the smartphones, we are also able to co-ordinate the drop-off of thousands of bars of soap, food and hygiene supplies to people and connect with people about COVID-19 symptoms and testing,” said Wendy Pedersen, coordinator of the Downtown Eastside SRO Collaborative.

“We shared the smartphones with other front line organizations and groups in the DTES Response effort who work with people on the ground to provide vital services in the neighbourhood.”

Last week, the provincial government extended the deadline to dismantle the Topaz Park and Pandora Ave homeless encampments to May 20, citing the fact that no one will be asked to leave the encampments without being offered a suitable housing option.

As of May 11, 155 people have moved from the Victoria Encampments, leaving 95 people at those camps who remain without indoor shelter options.

According to Minister Simpson, BC Housing has assured the Ministry that there will be more than enough housing options for all the remaining occupants of the encampments.

As for communication technology, the 3,500 smartphones for homeless people are being distributed in the following communities:

  • 100 Mile House
  • Burns Lake
  • Campbell River
  • Chilliwack
  • Coquitlam
  • Cranbrook
  • Fort St. James
  • Gabriola Island
  • Grand Forks
  • Kamloops
  • Kelowna
  • Kispiox
  • Maple Ridge
  • Nelson
  • Penticton and surrounding area
  • Pitt Meadows
  • Port Hardy
  • Prince George
  • Prince Rupert
  • Revelstoke
  • Salmon Arm
  • Surrey
  • Trail
  • Ucluelet
  • Vancouver
  • Vanderhoof
  • Vernon
  • Victoria
  • West Kelowna
  • Williams Lake

 

COVID-19 can be found in infected men’s semen, says Chinese study

A new study from China claims that traces of COVID-19 have been found in the semen of some infected men, raising the possibility that the virus could be sexually transmitted.

Researchers in the study found microscopic evidence of COVID-19 in semen samples provided by six men who were known to have been infected with the virus.

Samples from a total of 38 men infected at Shangqiu Municipal Hospital in China were used, meaning 15 per cent of those in the study had novel coronavirus show up in their semen.

The study was led by Dr. Weiguo Zhao of the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing, and the findings raise questions on whether or not the virus can be transmitted through sex; though the presence of the virus in some men’s semen doesn’t necessarily mean this is the case.

Researchers say it is not surprising traces of the virus were found in semen, as it had already been detected in other bodily fluids such as saliva, faeces, and urine.

According to experts, infectious viruses are actually commonly are found in semen, with the Zika virus as one recent example. Chinese researchers noted that 27 different viruses have been detected in human semen.

However infectious disease experts warn that the study does not constitute concrete evidence that COVID-19 can be sexually transmitted.

This research was recently published in the scientific journal Jama Network Open, though the authors emphasized the study’s limitations because it used such a small sample size.

They also reiterate that more research is needed to determine if it is indeed possible that COVID-19 can jump from person to person through sex.

Bryan Adams issues apology after backlash over problematic coronavirus Instagram rant

(Bryan Adams/Instagram)

Canadian singer Bryan Adams has posted an apology after an initial tirade about coronavirus expressing his anger that a series of concerts have been cancelled due to the global pandemic, apparently blaming Chinese people for the virus’ existence.

“Thanks to some fu***** bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards, the whole world is now on hold,” Adams wrote in his original rant.

“My message to them other than ‘thanks a fu***** lot’ is go vegan.”

After the post was up for several hours, Adams edited it to add a section acknowledging the thousands of people who have died or suffered from the virus.

The post drew backlash from the Chinese-Canadian community as well as Twitterati in general, causing the hashtag #BryanAdamsIsCancelled to trend on Twitter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CADYjsonDVJ/

 

“Come on, man… what is this,” added Canadian actor Simu Liu, best known for the role of Jung CBC’s Kim’s Convenience.

Some even called for Governor General Julie Payette to revoke Adams’ Order of Canada which was awarded to him in 2003.

After hours of this intense criticism and turning off the ability to comment on his rant, Adams issued an apology post on Tuesday morning.

“Apologies to any and all that took offence to my posting yesterday. No excuse, I just wanted to have a rant about the horrible animal cruelty in these wet-markets being the possible source of the virus, and promote veganism,” he wrote.

“I have love for all people and my thoughts are with everyone dealing with this pandemic around the world.”

Adams did not address the part of his rant that talked about “virus making greedy bastards”, which alludes to the unsubstantiated theory of the Chinese government creating the virus in a lab for some reason.

While most have criticized Adams for his insulting post, others have come to his defence wondering how his post was racist — it makes sweeping generalizations about a single group of people, and additionally calls them “fu***** bat eating… bastards”.

Other defenders of Adams come from vegan groups like PETA.

PETA responded to Adams original tirade, when commenting on the post was still allowed, saying “This is why it’s crucial for everyone to go vegan now to prevent the next pandemic. It’s up to us to create a kinder, healthier future for all species.”

In recent months, there have been increases in racially motivated attacks against people of Chinese heritage in Canada, and particularly in B.C.

These race-based crimes have prompted the B.C. provincial government to create a response force based out of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS).

Most recently, Vancouver Police is looking for a man who approached a woman standing on the sidewalk in downtown Vancouver, punched her in the face, and walked away.

$2.5 billion aid package for Canadian seniors affected by COVID-19 announced today

(Seniors Minister Deb Schulte / CARP)

The federal government has announced that they will be providing seniors a financial boost amid COVID-19, in the form of a one-time, tax-free top-up payment to help manage extra costs during this time.

Seniors Minister Deb Schulte stated on Tuesday that seniors who qualify Old Age Security (OAS) will be eligible for a one-time, tax-free payment of $300, and those eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will get an additonal $200.

Seniors who are eligible for both will receive $500.

The aid package amounts to $2.5 billion across the country, and is expected to help 6.7 million elderly Canadians.

Many seniors are facing extra fees for prescriptions, additional costs for grocery delivery services and even taxi fare, when they might usually take the bus.

“It’s all small amounts, but it adds up,” Schulte said.

Another $20 million will go to the New Horizons for Seniors Program, which funds various community projects for seniors, according to the federal government.

This program is expected to help lessen the impacts of isolation, and will provide services like virtual exercise programs and tablets for older Canadians.

In his daily address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said seniors will now “get the help they need.”

He also acknowledges, “there’s a lot more work to be done.”

“COVID-19 has exposed some uncomfortable truths about our society including how we care for seniors in Canada,” Trudeau added.

“We need to be there for those who built this country for the rest of us.”

BC Ferries reminds passengers to avoid non-essential travel ahead of Victoria Day long weekend

(BC Ferries/Twitter)

BC Ferries has issued a reminder for passengers to continue avoiding all non-essential travel ahead of Victoria Day long weekend.

The province will start moving into the second phase of its reopening plan after the Victoria Day long weekend which means at least for now, only essential passengers should be using the ferries to travel to and from the islands.

While the COVID-19 transmission and death rate curves have flattened in B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has advised that the risk of transmission is still high as there continue to be patients who have contracted the virus in recent weeks and are not linked to any known outbreaks.

See also: B.C. economy, social interactions will partly resume mid-May with new guidelines in place

These risks are exacerbated particularly in small communities that are ill equipped to handle an outbreak due to limited supplies and resources.

“These communities include Haida Gwaii, Southern Gulf Islands, Northern Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast. Customers should inform themselves of local situations and remain committed to essential travel only,” reads the statement from BC Ferries.

Ferry routes continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity, in keeping with Transport Canada guidelines.

BC Ferries is also limiting service on its Southern Gulf Islands — Metro Vancouver route on Sunday and holiday Monday to customers who have bookings and correctly identified passenger numbers.

All travellers are encouraged by Transport Canada to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose if they cannot maintain physical distances from other travellers while on board the ferries.

Passengers will continue to be screened for COVID-19 before boarding. Travellers will be asked four questions by ferry staff.

These questions include whether they have a fever, a cough, and/or difficulty breathing, and if they have been refused boarding in the past 14 days due to a medical reason related to the coronavirus.

Anyone who answers in the affirmative or does not provide an answer will be denied boarding.

Once B.C. reaches Phase 2 of its reopening plan after the Victoria Day long weekend, British Columbians will be able to slightly expand their social circles to include two to six people outside their immediate household.

Even in Phase 2, everyone is advised to stay close to home and only travel if essential.

Victoria council to vote on banning vehicles at Beacon Hill Park, more pedestrian space downtown

(Photo by Myles Sauer/Victoria Buzz)

The City of Victoria council is set to vote on a motion that would permanently ban vehicles at Beacon Hill Park and increase space for pedestrian traffic in the downtown core and other areas.

A motion presented by Mayor Lisa Helps and councillor Jeremy Loveday argues that pedestrians need more space to move around safely in the downtown core and popular village centres.

In an op-ed published in the Times Colonist, Mayor Helps also states that council will be looking at allowing pubs and restaurants to occupy public squares and streets in a bid to help those businesses reopen safely.

The Mayor is also looking at changing bylaws to allow retailers to sell their goods in front of their stores, in keeping with the provincial health officer’s edict stating that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is greater outside than inside.

Mayor Helps’ and councillor Loveday’s motion also recommends that vehicles be permanently banned at Beacon Hill Park.

Primary roads within the park have only been open to first responders’ vehicles since April 10, which was introduced as a temporary measure to decrease the number of visitors at the park amid physical distancing guidelines.

“Without additional measures put in place and additional space allocated for people in dense areas like downtown Victoria, village centres and Beacon Hill Park, Victorians will not be able to follow the best public health advice and will not be able to do our part to Restart BC and our own local economy,” reads the motion.

According to the statement, the move to allocate more space for pedestrians was made in consideration of the fact that partial lockdown measures may be necessary for another year or so, until a vaccine is available for widespread use.

Council will be deliberating this and other motions at their Committee of the Whole meeting this Thursday, May 14.

B.C. reports 23 new confirmed COVID-19 cases over two days, one additional death

(Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov Flickr)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 23 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province since Saturday, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,353 people.

Between Saturday and Sunday, there were nine cases recorded, and from Sunday to Monday morning, 14 people tested positive for the virus.

In total, 873 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,118 in Fraser Health, 125 on Vancouver Island, 180 in Interior Health and 57 in Northern Health region.

The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.

There are now a total of 66 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 18 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a decrease in hospitalizations and ICU rates.

Sadly, one new death was reported today and the death toll is now at 130 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 1,719 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C., representing 71 per cent of all cases in B.C.

Outbreaks

There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of 19 long term care and acute care facility outbreaks have been declared over.

In total, 16 long term care and five acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks. 475 cases are associated with these outbreaks, with 291 residents and 184 staff members who have been affected.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has 61 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

A community outbreak at a nursery in Kelowna involving temporary foreign workers has now been declared over.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 125 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 8th, 110 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there are now 10 active cases in the region.

One person with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in the Island Health region.

Thus far, there have been 104,994 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 15,896 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,242,029.

Over 286,400 people have died from the illness and 1,521,305 have made a full recovery.

British musician stranded in Victoria performs free shows on Gorge Waterway (VIDEO)

("Jeff" the musician / Photo by Nick McGeachie)

A solo musician is gathering a following due to the mini “concerts” he’s been throwing each weekend, much to the delight of passersby in the Gorge area where he performs.

Simply known as “Jeff”, the lively performer has been putting on shows for just over a month now, setting up shop just across from the walkway at Gorge Road and Parkview Drive along the Gorge Waterway.

Many gather not only by foot, but also by kayak and canoe to take in the man’s extensive repertoire of music, which includes fan favourites like Fast Car by Tracy Chapman and Rude by Magic!

The mini concerts run for around an hour and include a mix of acoustic and electric guitar, and Jeff even sets up his amp so more are privy to the evening tunes.

One viewer says the shows are, “such a delightful sound during these interesting times.”

Another local fan of the performances tells Victoria Buzz, “I’ve noticed quite a few people pausing their walks to listen to him play, recognizing different songs.”

According to Nick McGeachie, who has been watching the performances during his strolls along the Gorge, the musician hails from Britain, but is currently stuck in Canada due to flight restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jeff can be found nestled in the grass along the edge of the Gorge Waterway Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings around 7 p.m., belting out tunes and looking to lift spirits of the many avid listeners who stop by to enjoy.

One thing is for sure: Jeff the musician will have a brand new Canadian fan base once he returns home!

Check out this video of Jeff singing his heart out to a captive audience (at a distance):

https://twitter.com/victoriabuzzes/status/1259951795452821505?s=20

 

UVic, Royal Roads planning to offer mainly online courses in fall semester due to pandemic

(Photo by Doug Clement Photography)

Both universities in the Greater Victoria region have announced that classes will be moved online in the upcoming fall semester scheduled to begin in September 2020.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, courses at most post-secondary institutions this spring and summer were transferred online, but questions remained about whether the same process would hold continue in the fall.

A statement from University of Victoria President Jamie Cassels shared this morning clears up some of those questions, as the university plans to offer “predominantly online” courses for the fall term.

See also: B.C. economy, social interactions will partly resume mid-May with new guidelines in place

“Where health and safety permits, we are also exploring opportunities for in-person instruction to support essential experiential learning, graduate education and work-integrated learning; the fall timetable will be available later this month,” reads the statement.

The campus will gradually open to faculty and graduate students conducting research work, while ensuring that everyone can comply with physical distancing and other health and safety guidelines.

UVic is working with WorkSafeBC and union and ministry representatives to come up with the specific guidelines that will allow the campus to partially reopen in a safe manner.

In a similar move, Royal Roads University announced that all on-campus classes including residencies, have moved online until December 31, 2020 in response to the ongoing pandemic.

“In a few exceptional cases programs may be adjusted or deferred,” reads a statement from the university.

“Students in these programs will be contacted directly by their respective program office.”

A spokesperson from the university tells Victoria Buzz that unlike other post secondary institutions, RRU already provides a plethora of online courses and most students complete at least a portion of their program online under normal circumstances.

Royal Roads is not expecting a drop in the number of students expected to enrol in the fall semester, as they currently have a waitlist of students who have applied.

See also: Students frustrated after UVic refuses partial parking pass refund despite campus closure

The third prominent post-secondary institution in Victoria, Camosun College, has yet to announce their plans for the fall.

“UVic’s announcement has generated questions for us and we’re looking at plans. We’re a little bit different, because we pride ourselves on our applied learning element,” said Camosun College spokesman Rodney Porter in a phone call with Victoria Buzz.

Like many other institutions, the college expects a reduction in enrolment in the fall and will be planning their budget accordingly, once the application process begins in June/July.

Regardless of whether courses are held online or in person, tuition rates are expected to remain unchanged.

Westshore RCMP and VicPD team up to return bike stolen nearly a year ago

(West Shore RCMP)

West Shore RCMP and Victoria Police have worked together to return a stolen bicycle back to its rightful owner.

Jason, a Langford resident, originally reported the bike stolen in September 2019. He had locked up the bike outside his workplace before work and when he returned, realized it had been stolen.

West Shore RCMP was assigned the investigation, and soon after, Cst. Hooper took over.

Hooper had met Jason and his mother Sharon just a few months prior to the theft under unfortunate circumstances, as the family was dealing with the loss of Jason’s step dad.

“It broke my heart to find out his bicycle was stolen. Jason had already been through a tough time; this bicycle meant a lot to him,” said Cst. Hooper.

Cst. Hooper kept an eye out for the bike, and reviewed surveillance video in the area but was unable to find the thief.

Fast forward to April 2020 when Cst. Moretto of VicPD who, during her patrol, came across a male suspect who was in breach of several court ordered conditions.

Cst. Moretto found that the suspect was in possession of Jason’s stolen bike, and proceeded to arrest him.

Cst. Hooper and Cst. Moretto personally met with Jason to deliver his bicycle back to him.

“Jason was so happy to have his bike back. This meant a lot to him and to us as well. The look of joy on Jason’s face made our day, and we were happy to work together to help out, said Cst. Moretto in a statement.

“I was happy to get my bike back because it was my first bike that I saved up money to buy,” added Jason.

“The bike is a form of transportation for me to go places, and gets me to and from work. I also want to use this bike to participate in different charity events.”

“Totally overblown”: Small group protests COVID-19 lockdown at B.C. Legislature in Victoria

(Colin Smith Takes Pics)

A small group of demonstrators showed up at the B.C. legislature on Saturday to protest a range of measures taken by federal and provincial governments over the past few months.

Primarily, the disjointed group was there to protest what they perceive as unnecessary lockdown measures amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

However some showed up to express their disapproval of the federal government banning assault-style weapons after the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history.

Duncan resident Karin Forrest says she originally started began protesting against COVID-19 lockdown measures on the Legislature grounds a few weeks ago, after seeing a similar movement in Surrey.

Photos of last Saturday’s demonstration show around a dozen people standing on the lawn, holding signage, but Forrest says approximately 25 people attended.

“The essence of it is to try and maintain or take back some that have been lost of our rights and freedoms guaranteed under the constitution,” Forrest tells Victoria Buzz in a phone interview.

See also: B.C.’s COVID-19 curve has flattened, officials say due to stringent public health measures

One of her main issues with measures taken since the start of the pandemic is the possibility of mandatory vaccination once a vaccine is available to prevent COVID-19.

(Karin Forrest protesting at B.C. Legislature/Photo: Victoria Buzz)

She clarifies that she is not against vaccination, but wants to be able to choose which vaccines she and her daughters have administered.

In particular, Forrest says she and her children do not partake in getting flu shots, based on findings from their own research.

“When this virus first came on the scene and everyone was scared and panicked, that’s a fairly natural response to something new,” says Forrest.

“But then you see the real data that’s coming forward… I don’t think the numbers and data are matching the measures by governments. I think it’s totally overblown and completely unjustified.”

In B.C., the rate of cases and deaths have flattened in recent weeks, as compared to other jurisdictions across North America where case rates continue to rise.

The success in B.C. has been largely attributed to the quick and comprehensive implementation of stay-at-home and physical distancing measures.

To date, COVID-19 has killed over 285,000 people worldwide and infected more than 4.2 million people.

(COVID-19 protest at B.C. Legislature/Photo: Victoria Buzz)

Following orders

By and large, these restrictions have been followed by British Columbians — including the people protesting against them.

From photos taken of the demonstration on Saturday, and in conversation with Forrest, it is evident that the protesters tried to maintain a distance of six feet or more from each other.

“This group is just a bunch of random people, so we don’t all have the same agenda or principles,” says Forrest.

“Myself, I’m still trying to be very respectful within society. If people are afraid and would like to distance, I’m not about to infringe on their rights. We’re still lawful and respectful.”

She admits, though, that she has not been following all of the distancing and isolation orders in place, largely because her 12-year-old daughter requires one-on-one supports.

“I’m a single parent and have a 12 year old who has some pretty difficult struggles. As a result of restrictions, she’s lost a lot of her supports, all of which are one-on-one. So I’ve been unable to just have her completely isolated at home,” says Forrest.

See also: B.C. economy, social interactions will partly resume mid-May with new guidelines in place

Regardless, she says she respects Dr. Bonnie Henry and believes the provincial health officer is “doing the absolute best that she can”, but remains skeptical of the decision making process.

“I don’t know how much freedom she has in the decisions she makes or how much direction she’s pressured to take from other influences. I would question that,” she adds.

(Photo: Victoria Buzz)

Unlike other provinces, British Columbia’s pandemic response has been driven by Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Ministry of Health, with the Premier taking a back seat.

The restrictions currently in place were implemented through the public health emergency which gave Dr. Henry the power to speak orders into law, at least temporarily.

Other steps taken by the provincial government to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 transmission were taken in consultation with the Ministry of Health.

Now that the curve has flattened, the province is poised to enter the next phase of their reopening plan, which provides guidelines for safely increasing economic and social activity.

11 stunning shots of last night’s fiery sunset over Victoria (PHOTOS)

(Sunday night's sunset / Photo by Warren Gevers)

Mothers all across the city got a grand finale to their Mother’s Day yesterday, as the skies across Victoria lit up in vibrant celebration.

If you were one of the Victorians left awestruck after stunning hues of pink, purple and orange blanketed the evening skies last night, you certainly weren’t alone.

What is sure to be one of many vibrant spring sunsets shone over the city on Sunday night, much to the delight of locals with their eyes peeled to the skies.

Victoria’s picturesque coastal beauty set against the backdrop of one of nature’s most spectacular phenomenons made for a truly breathtaking sight for viewers and photographers alike.

In case you missed it, here are 11 photos of the fiery light show last night:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAB3iLpjhzh/

This professional dog trainer in Victoria is offering online puppy training sessions amid pandemic

Victoria-based canine training and behavioural counselling company, CommuniCanine, is offering an online course to help homebound puppy owners train their pets.

Vancouver Islanders who adopted an eight weeks to seven month old pup during this period of lockdown and are having a hard time training them are invited to register for the Perfect Puppy 101 Online Program.

See also: How to socialize your puppy while social distancing during a pandemic

The $125 course runs for one month, from May 15 to June 15, and covers all the bases needed to have a well rounded, trained canine companion.

Registrants will be given access to an exclusive Facebook group where Darcie Jennings, company owner and professional trainer for over 21 years, will be sharing new tutorial videos twice a week.

These videos will provide information on successful housetraining strategies, how to stop puppies from biting, tutorials on grooming and prepping pups for the vet, foundation skills like sit, down, come, and others.

A snippet of Jennings’ expertise can be found in this article, where she informs readers on ways to successfully socialize their new puppies in the middle of a pandemic.

The videos posted in the Facebook group can be accessed at any time as the course is self paced, and puppy owners can share videos of themselves training their pets to receive feedback from the instructor.

There will also be live Q&A sessions on the Facebook group to ensure everyone is on the right track.

Interested pet owners can register for the course by filling out this form.

VicPD seek help locating missing 64-year-old man last seen in the Topaz park area (UPDATED)

(File Photo)

Update (May 25th): Joseph Langdeau, who was the subject of a missing person alert on May 11th, has been located and is safe, according to VicPD.

 

-original:

Victoria Police are asking for the public’s help as they work to locate 64-year-old Joseph Langdeau, who was last seen earlier this month.

Langdeau was last seen on May 2nd in the Topaz park area, and officers are currently working to locate him and ensure that he is safe.

He is described as a Caucasian man standing 6’1″ tall with a slim build, and has grey hair and a beard.

There is no recent photograph of Joseph available, and anyone who sees Joseph Langdeau is asked to call 911.

Anyone with information is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Canadian government unveils financial aid plan for large businesses affected by COVID-19

The federal government announced a new financial aid plan for big businesses on Monday morning, which looks to provide loans and financing to the country’s largest employers affected by the COVID-19 economic crisis.

Named the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility, this new program will provide bridge financing to companies whose financial needs aren’t being met by traditional credit, so that they can continue to stay open, and keep employees on their payrolls.

Aimed at supporting companies with $300 million or more in revenues, another goal of the financing program is to avoid bankruptcies for businesses that would otherwise be viable.

Also announced today was an expansion to the Business Credit Availability Program to medium-sized businesses, which will include loans of up to $60 million per company and guarantees of $80 million.

“Let me be clear: these are bridge loans, not bailouts,” said Prime Minister Trudeau during his daily address on Monday.

“If a company wants to access this public financing… the money has to go to support employees and not high-paid executives.”

The programs will place strict limits on dividends, share buy-backs and executive pay, and any companies convicted of tax evasion will not be eligible for the money.

The program will be open to all sectors of the economy.

One person dead following large explosion and fire at North Saanich Marina on Sunday

(Natasha Turnbull)

One person has died and at least two others were injured following a large explosion and fire at the North Saanich Marina.

A thick, dark plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky from the marina around 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Fire crews from North Saanich, including a boat, were dispatched to battle the blaze, and Sidney Fire Department also provided specialized marina firefighting equipment when requested.

There are unconfirmed reports the boat crashed into a fuel barge, and at least one boat and a fuel dock were destroyed from the fire.

The B.C. Coroners confirmed to Victoria Buzz that one person has died and still investigating. They could not release any other details but did state deemed the death as non-suspicious.

Witnesses told Victoria Buzz that at least two people were rescued from the water.

More to come.

At least two other people were injured in the explosion.

Posted by Victoria Buzz on Sunday, May 10, 2020

 

4.5 magnitude earthquake detected off coast of Vancouver Island Saturday night

(earthquaketrack.com)

A 4.5 magnitude earthquake rumbled off the coast of northern Vancouver Island late Saturday night.

According to Earthquakes Canada, the quake happened at approximately 9:46 p.m. on May 9th.

The earthquake had a depth of 10 km and struck roughly 132 kilometres south of Port Hardy.

There are no immediate reports of damage, and no tsunami is expected as a result of this earthquake.

Two more people die of COVID-19 in B.C. as recovery rate jumps to 71%

(Dr. Bonnie Henry/BC Gov Flickr)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 15 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,330 people.

In total, 871 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,098 in Fraser Health, 125 on Vancouver Island, 180 in Interior Health and 56 in Northern Health region.

The two cases in Island Health region reported yesterday were data errors, and have been removed from the total in today’s corrected report.

The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.

There are now a total of 69 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 21 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a decrease in hospitalizations and a steady ICU rate.

Sadly, two new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 129 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 1,659 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C., representing 71 per cent of all cases in B.C.

Outbreaks

There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of 19 long term care and acute care facility outbreaks have been declared over.

In total, 16 long term care and five acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks. 467 cases are associated with these outbreaks, with 285 residents and 182 staff members who have been affected.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has 61 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 125 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 8th, 110 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there are now 10 active cases in the region.

Two people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized, with one person in ICU.

Thus far, there have been 104,994 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 15,896 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,072,741.

Over 278,600 people have died from the illness and 1,416,392 have made a full recovery.

Body of a 33-year-old man found in submerged van pulled out of Cowichan Lake

Barbara Postleb - Cowichan Lake - Floating Walkway ( Barbara Postleb/Instagram)

A submerged vehicle with a body inside was recovered from Cowichan Lake, west of Youbou.

The body of a 33-year-old Duncan man was found inside the vehicle.

Lake Cowichan RCMP were called just after 9 a.m. Wednesday by someone who had noticed vehicle tracks going from a logging road towards Cowichan Lake.

Officers travelled along the logging road to the 17-kilometre mark west of Youbou where they discovered vehicle tracks leaving the road and heading over an embankment into the lake.

The Youbou Volunteer Fire Rescue attended the scene and using their emergency boat and underwater camera, they were able to locate a blue Toyota van and a deceased person in the water.

The RCMP’s underwater recovery team was called in and they were able to remove the van and towed it to the Heather Campground boat launch where the deceased man and vehicle were removed from the lake.

“These investigations and recoveries can be dangerous, and it’s appreciated to have specialized teams and trained volunteers who are willing to assist at a moment’s notice,” said Lake Cowichan RCMP Detachment Commander Sergeant Lita Watson.

An RCMP traffic analyst was contacted and an investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.

Police are asking for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of a blue Toyota van on Tuesday or Wednesday in the area to contact Lake Cowichan RCMP at 250-749-6668.

29 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in B.C. today, one additional death

(Photo by Colin Smith Takes Pics)

The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 29 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,315 people.

In total, 866 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,089 in Fraser Health, 125 on Vancouver Island, 180 in Interior Health and 55 in Northern Health region.

The two cases in Island Health region reported yesterday were data errors, and have been removed from the total in today’s corrected report.

The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.

There are now a total of 73 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 20 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a slight decrease in hospitalizations and a steady ICU rate.

Sadly, one new death was reported today and the death toll is now at 127 in total across the province.

In good news, a total of 1,579 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.

Outbreaks

There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of 18 long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.

In total, 16 long term care and five acute care facilities have active ongoing outbreaks.

The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.

The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.

Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam now has 61 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus — an increase of five cases since the last report.

There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.

A total of 17 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.

Island Health region

Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 125 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.

BCCDC data shows that as of May 7th, 109 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been five virus-related deaths in total.

This means there are now 11 active cases in the region.

Two people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized, with one person in ICU.

Thus far, there have been 102,710 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 15,518 of which were done in the Island Health region.


See all the latest updates about the global COVID-19 pandemic on Vancouver Island


The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.

Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.

The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19  line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.

As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 4,001,128.

Over 275,300 people have died from the illness and 1,375,980 have made a full recovery.

Nanaimo RCMP seek information about alleged stabbing last week

RCMP
(File photo)

Nanaimo RCMP are investigating after a 20-year-old man showed up at the hospital last week with an apparent stab wound after an altercation.

Police attended Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and spoke with the victim, who had numerous cuts, bruises and was being treated for what appeared to be a stab wound.

The injuries were described by police as serious but non-life-threatening.

According to a statement from police, the altercation occurred between Cedar Road and downtown Nanaimo sometime between 6 and 8 p.m. on April 27th.

The victim told officers he had been walking along the roadside and was approached by an unknown man riding a BMX bike. The suspect allegedly demanded the man turn over some personal items and proceeded to take out a knife.

A struggle followed, both men fell to the ground, and the victim said he received the injury while fighting the suspect. He told police the suspect then fled on his bike in an unknown direction.

The man, who had no phone, walked to the hospital to seek treatment for his injuries.

The suspect was described as having a medium build, was dressed in black, and wore a bandana over the lower portion of his face at the time of the incideent.

“Investigators recognize details are limited, however, this appears to be a significant incident that requires further investigation”, said Cst Gary O’Brien.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP’s non emergency line at 250-754-2345.

Value Village thrift store in Victoria has re-opened with enhanced safety protocols

The Value Village thrift store in Victoria is one of the first retail shops to re-open in the region amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The business, located at 1810 Store Street in downtown Victoria, re-opened its doors on May 8th, according to a statement from the store.

“Our goal is for you to feel safe shopping with us for everyday household necessities and one-of-a-kind finds, and while dropping off reusable goods when responsibly de-cluttering your home,” said the email sent out to Value Village’s mailing list.

The Victoria location is now open with reduced hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Value Village website.

Here’s what you can expect for the Value Village store re-openings:

New store and donation centre hours

Initial hours are 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily to allow for additional time to thoroughly clean and stock sales floors.

Creating a safe shopping space

Floor decals have been placed throughout the store, making it easier to judge the proper physical distance from other shoppers. Staff may also limit the number of shoppers in stores at any given time to further protect customers and team members.

Fitting rooms are also closed, however, exchange policies have been extended to 14 days.

Enhancing daily cleaning procedures

Stores will be deep cleaned prior to opening and frequency of cleaning commonly touched surfaces have been increased.

Protective gear

Team members will be wearing protective gear for both customer and employee protection.

Adjusting reusable bag policy

As a temporary and precautionary measure, team members will stop handling shopper-supplied bags (where permitted), though customers can choose to pack up purchases themselves at check-out.

Deadline to dismantle Topaz Park, Pandora Ave homeless camps in Victoria moved to May 20

(Photo by Colin Smith Takes Pics)

The provincial government has extended the deadline for dismantling the Topaz Park and Pandora Ave encampments to May 20 after setting the original deadline at May 9.

In a statement released on Friday, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Shane Simpson said it is clear that more time is needed to make sure everyone living in the City of Victoria encampments could move into safe temporary accommodations.

See also: Homeless people at Victoria, Vancouver encampments will be moved to shelters by May 9

“No one will be asked to leave these encampments without being offered a suitable temporary housing option,” said Simpson.

According to Simpson, the non profit service providers operating shelter sites in Victoria have advised BC Housing and the Ministry that they needed more time to “best prepare accommodations and their staff in order to be able to welcome their guests,” which is why the deadline has been extended.

There are still around 250 unsheltered people living at Topaz Park and along Pandora Ave who need to be offered suitable housing options before the encampments are shut down.

Simpson says that BC Housing has assured the Ministry that there will be more than enough housing options for all the remaining occupants of the encampments.

Meanwhile those who living in the homeless encampment at Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park have all been offered housing by the Ministry, but not all have taken those options. Regardless, the park will be dismantled after 6 p.m. this evening.

“We’re still hopeful that they’ll take that offer up this afternoon, but we’ve been very clear to people that they will need to leave the site because the park will close up,” said Simpson in a briefing on Friday.

According to the province, a total of 320 unsheltered people at encampments in Victoria and Vancouver have been relocated to temporary shelters as of May 7.

On Thursday, BC Housing stated that 100 of people living in Topaz Park and along Pandora Ave have thus far been relocated to shelters.

In Victoria, BC Housing has been leasing hotel rooms for unsheltered people to safely isolate in.

Hotels were identified as temporary shelter options for homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic as they are currently empty in most B.C. cities due to travel restrictions.

Earlier this week, Save-On-Foods-Memorial Centre in Victoria was acquired and can provide 45 shelter spaces to accommodate couples and groups of people who wish to stay together, where possible.

Transfer to shelter spaces is referrals-only, meaning BC Housing, its non-profit partners, and health authorities choose who goes to which unit and when.

At each shelter, meals and cleaning services are provided daily, and staff are available on site to provide specific supports as needed by individuals.

Staff also monitor people going in and out of the hotel buildings and prevent guests from entering the buildings.

Future concerns

These interim housing spaces at hotels are being rented by BC Housing for a period of three to six months.

Once that period of time is over, the province will work to acquire permanent supportive housing units to try and ensure that people do not return to homelessness after the pandemic.

To that end, BC Housing will be looking at acquiring some of the hotels and motels that are currently being leased for long term use to shelter homeless populations.

Authorities are also looking at accelerating the construction of temporary modular housing units at locations across B.C.