Coronavirus

Workers from the Quesnel Child and Youth Support Society prepare Christmas hampers in 2019. The society was one of seven recipients of funding in the first round of the Emergency Community Support Fund. The Quesnel Community Foundation is now accepting donations for the second round of funding and is urging local groups to apply before Oct. 30. (Facebook)

Quesnel Community Foundation urges area groups to apply for COVID-19 relief funding

The deadline to apply for Round 2 of the Emergency Community Support Fund is Oct. 30

 

FILE – Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry answers questions during a press conference to update on the province’s fall pandemic preparedness plan from the press theatre at Legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. sees record-breaking daily COVID infections with 499 new cases over weekend

Two people, both in the Lower Mainland, died due to the virus over the weekend

 

A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. Regional airlines are demanding immediate action from Ottawa to prop up the beleaguered sector, but reject the idea of a federal stake in carriers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

VIDEO: Opposition parties demand passenger refunds as condition of any airline bailouts

Air Canada, WestJet have laid off or furloughed more than 30,000 employees since March

 

A passer-by walks past a COVID-19 testing clinic in Montreal, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Canada ‘yet to see’ deaths due to recent COVID surge as cases hit 200,000

Much of the increase in case numbers can be attributed to Ontario and Quebec

A passer-by walks past a COVID-19 testing clinic in Montreal, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Grant and Barbara Howse, in quarantine in Invermere. Mike Turner photo

Denied entry into U.S., Kootenay couple still forced to quarantine for 2 weeks

The rules around crossing the U.S. border led to a bizarre situation for an Invermere couple

Grant and Barbara Howse, in quarantine in Invermere. Mike Turner photo
Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Restrictions on non-essential travel between Canada and the United States are being extended until at least Nov. 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rob Gurdebeke

Non-essential travel restrictions at Canada-U.S. border extended to at least Nov. 21

The restrictions do not apply to those providing essential services in either country

Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Restrictions on non-essential travel between Canada and the United States are being extended until at least Nov. 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rob Gurdebeke
FILE – A sign on a shop window indicates the store is closed in Ottawa, Monday March 23, 2020. Companies that have laid off workers are telling the Bank of Canada they plan to refill some positions over the next year, but many hiring plans remain muted over COVID-19-related uncertainty. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Companies have modest hiring plans, low wage growth expectations, Bank of Canada says

The survey also finds that wage growth is widely expected to slow over the next year

FILE – A sign on a shop window indicates the store is closed in Ottawa, Monday March 23, 2020. Companies that have laid off workers are telling the Bank of Canada they plan to refill some positions over the next year, but many hiring plans remain muted over COVID-19-related uncertainty. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
People wait to be tested for COVID-19 at a testing clinic in Montreal, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Canada’s COVID-19 caseload is nearing the 200,000 mark, with the majority of new infections in Quebec this weekend. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Canada inches toward to 200,000 COVID-19 case mark, with most new cases in Quebec

The country reported 1,827 new cases Sunday, for a total of 198,151 infections

People wait to be tested for COVID-19 at a testing clinic in Montreal, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Canada’s COVID-19 caseload is nearing the 200,000 mark, with the majority of new infections in Quebec this weekend. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Conservative member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. Federal opposition parties are promising to keep fighting to get to the bottom of the WE controversy despite what they describe as Liberal threats and stonewalling. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Opposition parties gear up for next round of fight with Liberals over WE controversy

Among the issues the Tories want studied are Ottawa’s efforts to buy personal protective equipment

Conservative member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. Federal opposition parties are promising to keep fighting to get to the bottom of the WE controversy despite what they describe as Liberal threats and stonewalling. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Nickey Miller, left, and Josie Rudderham, co-owners of Cake and Loaf in Hamilton, Ont., pose outside of their Dundurn Street South storefront location, Monday, October 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tara Walton

For small businesses that survive COVID, recovery is expected to be difficult

CFIB wants the government to help small business owners recover by suspending evictions

Nickey Miller, left, and Josie Rudderham, co-owners of Cake and Loaf in Hamilton, Ont., pose outside of their Dundurn Street South storefront location, Monday, October 5, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tara Walton
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives had estimated about 5,000 people would use the taxable sickness benefit. (Katya Slepian/Black Press Media)

Early figures for new aid and EI provide glimpse of how post-CERB supports to be used

The CERB ceased to exist on Oct. 3, although people can still retroactively apply for CERB payments

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives had estimated about 5,000 people would use the taxable sickness benefit. (Katya Slepian/Black Press Media)
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Pablo Rodriguez looks towards Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they take part in a press conference during the COVID pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Federal Liberals propose special committee to examine pandemic-related spending

Conservative have a motion to create a special “anticorruption” committee to investigate the WE fiasco

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Pablo Rodriguez looks towards Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as they take part in a press conference during the COVID pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam takes part during a press conference during the COVID pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. As parts of Canada face a new round of COVID-19-related restrictions, Canada’s chief public health officer is urging Canadians to continue making a “collective effort” to tackle the pandemic.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Chief public health officer calls for continued ‘collective effort’ against COVID-19

Canada continues to climb toward the 200,000 mark for COVID-19 cases

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam takes part during a press conference during the COVID pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. As parts of Canada face a new round of COVID-19-related restrictions, Canada’s chief public health officer is urging Canadians to continue making a “collective effort” to tackle the pandemic.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The BC Ferries vessel the Queen of Oak Bay arrives at Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. (News Bulletin file photo)

Anti-mask protesters cause disturbance on ferry at Horseshoe Bay

Queen of Oak Bay delayed by about 45 minutes Saturday morning

The BC Ferries vessel the Queen of Oak Bay arrives at Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. (News Bulletin file photo)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry answers questions during a press conference to update on the province’s fall pandemic preparedness plan from the press theatre at Legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

155 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death recorded in B.C.

Dr. Bonnie Henry urging safety if voting this weekend

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry answers questions during a press conference to update on the province’s fall pandemic preparedness plan from the press theatre at Legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
The Surrey school district classrooms using physical distancing in September 2020. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Parent group plans school walkout over B.C.’s handling of COVID-19 in classrooms

Right to Fight COVID-19 group calling on parents to keep kids home on Oct. 20

The Surrey school district classrooms using physical distancing in September 2020. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates COVID-19 cases in B.C., Aug. 27, 2020. (B.C. government)

B.C. sees 1st case of child with rare inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, shows similarities to Kawasaki disease

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry updates COVID-19 cases in B.C., Aug. 27, 2020. (B.C. government)
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

Govts, companies shifted COVID risk management responsibility to individuals: study

Researchers say organizations could have been more proactive in ‘owning’ responsibility

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML
Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services, poses for a photograph in Vancouver, on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

‘It’s like a pressure cooker in the house:’ Calls to helplines in Canada jump in pandemic

Calls tripled in the spring in B.C. before levelling off in the summer

Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of Battered Women’s Support Services, poses for a photograph in Vancouver, on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
(Pxhere.com)

Panting, spewing droplets, poor ventilation: What makes gyms a superspreading risk

Fitness studio has been linked to more than 65 cases of COVID-19 in Ontario

(Pxhere.com)