B.C. to get $2.2B in COVID-19 support, Horgan celebrates paid sick leave program

Consumers in Canada and around the world could face higher costs if U.S. President Donald Trump moves ahead with a potential ban on American diesel exports. Trump has recently indicated that he could restrict diesel exports in an effort to lower prices for U.S. consumers. Rising oil prices linked to the war in the Middle East are creating political pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, with Republicans facing the risk of losing control of Congress. Media reports suggest the proposed restriction could remain in place for 90 days. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has confirmed t

Former BC Conservative leader John Rustad will not seek re-election in his riding in the Oct. 24 provincial election, with the party expected to nominate a new candidate there. The political development comes as the BC Conservatives announced business and political leader Pavneet Singh as their candidate in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. Singh currently serves as the party’s vice-president. The party’s board of directors has also outlined its position on the leadership of interim leader Lorne Doerkson. According to a statement from the board, if Doerkson leads the party to victory in the

BC Green Party MLA Rob Botterell has announced his retirement from politics, opening the door for party leader Emily Lowan to contest the Saanich North and the Islands riding in the upcoming provincial election. Botterell confirmed his decision during a joint news conference with Lowan in Victoria. Lowan will now seek the seat, which has been held by the Greens since Adam Olsen won it in 2017 and was retained by Botterell in the 2024 election. Elections BC records show Botterell was elected with the Green Party in 2024. The riding is considered significant for the BC Greens, given the party’

Canada’s first medical drone pilot program of its kind has been launched by Peel Regional Paramedic Service in Ontario, allowing life-saving medical supplies to reach patients before an ambulance arrives during emergencies. The pilot project is currently operating in the Bolton area. Under the program, when a 911 call is received, a drone can be dispatched alongside an ambulance to the scene. The drone can deliver an automated external defibrillator (AED) for cardiac emergencies, naloxone for opioid overdoses and medical kits designed to control severe bleeding, particularly in rural and rem

Crown Counsel has approved charges after a 19-year-old man was allegedly slashed in the face with a blade during an early-morning robbery on Vancouver’s Granville Street last month. Vancouver Police are also asking the public to help identify a second suspect. The incident happened around 3:20 a.m. on August 8 in the 900-block of Granville Street. Police say two men approached the victim and his friends, removed a chain necklace from the victim’s neck and slashed him. The victim suffered a five-inch cut stretching from the tip of his nose, beneath his eye and ending near his eyebrow. On Se