Podcasts about provincial health officer

Housing, involuntary care, and "common sense" politicsThis is VANCOLOUR host Mo Amir chats with BC Housing Minister and BC NDP MLA (Delta North) Ravi Kahlon about his party's housing plan, the "Rustad Rebate", vacancy control, and the overrepresentation of landlords in the B.C. Legislature. Plus, former B.C. Provincial Health Officer (the one before Dr. Bonnie Henry) Dr. Perry Kendall shares his concerns with the province's proposed plans to expand involuntary treatment (care without consent). Lastly, Mo wonders whether or not "common sense" politics actually make any sense.Recorded: September 23, 2024

April 26, 2024: Guest host Syd Smith in for Ben O-Hara-Byrne B.C. Orca calf finds its way out of lagoon to freedom (0:00) Guest: Paul Cottrell, the Pacific marine mammal coordinator with Fisheries and Oceans Canada Donald Trump's hush money trial, and his immunity argument with the Supreme Court (19:18) Guest: Raymond Brescia, the Associate Dean for Research & Intellectual Life at Albany Law School in New York State, author of “Lawyer Nation: The Past, Present, and Future of the American Legal Profession What can Canadian banks do to stop abusive e-transfers? (35:45) Guest: Catherine Fitzpatrick, a former banking executive with Australia''s largest bank and a financial safety consultant British Columbia looks to recriminalize use of drugs in public spaces (48:57) Guest: Dr. Perry Kendall, former B.C. Provincial Health Officer

Highway 17A overpass repairs delayed to January 2024 Guest: George Harvie, Mayor of Delta Ticket frenzy - Taylor Swift and Stanley Park train resale costs Guest: Geri Mayer-Judson, Show Contributor B.C.'s respiratory illness season update - one month later Guest: Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for the Province of B.C. This week in B.C. politics Guest: Keith Baldrey, Global BC Legislative Bureau Chief With new short-term rental regulation looming, are investors selling off their AirBnB's?  Guest: Geri Mayer-Judson, Show Contributor Shaping B.C. - To-go guide Guest: Scott Shantz, Mornings With Simi Contributor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest: Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for the Province of B.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's Provincial Health Officer, for an announcement about this year's respiratory illness season.#inspiringstories #inspirationalstory #faith #loveandtrust #podcast #newmediahttps://depictions.media/

As COVID-19 case numbers climb in B.C., we hear from the Provincial Health Officer, Dr Bonnie Henry, on the precautions needed in the province. We also hear from a Nelson resident who arrived in Morocco just four hours before Friday's devastating earthquake. Then, we remember our dear friend and colleague, Kuljeet Kaila, who died from cancer on Sunday. Her brother, Kulvir spoke to us. And lastly, we discuss the rising cost of living for post-secondary students with the B.C. Federation of Students. Their chairperson, and their researcher, join us on our Monday program.

Calling for transparency from Vancouver police on clearing the East Hastings homeless encampment Brent Jolly, President of the Canadian Association of Journalists discusses media access in Canada  An update on respiratory illness season in BC Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC provides an update on respiratory illness season in B.C. Witnessing the clearing of homeless encampments in East Hastings Vince Tao, Community Organizer for VANDU - The Vancouver Area Network of Drug users, was around the block during the clearing discusses witnessing the clearing of Vancouver's DTES homeless encampment. Where could encampment residents end up next, when SROs don't even meet fire safety code? Pete Fry, Vancouver City Councillor, Green Party of Vancouver discusses where DTES encampment residents are supposed to go when SRO's are not meeting fire safety codes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC provides an update on respiratory illness season in B.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jody Vance has dealt with harassment for most of her career as a broadcast journalist, but starting in 2015 one of her harassers was different, constantly sending hateful, vile emails. When COVID hit, the problem only got worse as the harasser started targeting more of her guests and B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. Who was this person and how do you bring an anonymous online tormentor to justice? On March 10, 2023, after seven years of vitriolic emails, Jody finally had her day in court and faced her harasser. Host: Jesse BrownCredits: Tristan Capacchione (Reporter, Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Jonathan Goldsbie (News Editor), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)Featured guests: Jody Vance, Jesse Miller, Erica IfillSpecial thanks to Sandy Garossino, columnist at the National ObserverFurther reading: Steele & Vance — Chek TVThe three words a court wouldn't allow Jody Vance to say to her online abuser — The Globe & MailWomen and Racialized Journalists In Canada Facing New Wave Of Harassment And Threats — AntiHate.caRachel Gilmore's tweets sharing her phone call with the policeSaba Eitizaz's tweets sharing her experience with the police Additional music by Audio NetworkSponsors: Douglas, Squarespace, Athletic Greens If you value this podcast, support us! You'll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You'll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you'll be a part of the solution to Canada's journalism crisis, you'll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An update on respiratory illnesses in B.C Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for the Province of B.C discusses the current state of respiratory illnesses in B.C. Is the B.C Government's $500M rental protection fund going to help with housing affordability?  Karin Kirkpatrick, BC Liberal MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano, and the Shadow Minister for Housing and Childcare discusses the provincial government's announcement of a $500M rental protection fund. When the Broadway subway shuts down a Subway Sandy Sangha, owner of a Subway restaurant between Yukon and Cambie on Broadway describes why she has had to close down her shop. LETTUCE WATCH 2023 Pt. 1 CKNW Producers Ryan Lehal and Steven Chang look around the city and compare the prices of lettuce at various grocery stores. Using bossware to track productivity of employees working from home Geoff Mason, Employment and Human Rights Lawyer at Miller Thomson LLP discusses the legality of employers using bossware to track the productivity of employees working from home An outlook on B.C's cannabis industry Dr. Paul Clark, Professor from the School of Business and Economics at Thompson Rivers University takes a look at BC's cannabis industry. The Wrap - Is it okay for employers to demand workers to come back into the office full time? What's your worst restaurant experience? On The Wrap this week: Leah Holiove, TV Reporter and Radio Host Sarah Daniels, real estate agent in South Surrey; author and broadcaster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer for the Province of B.C discusses the current state of respiratory illnesses in B.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fourth Sunday in Advent: The Voice Crying in the Wilderness Philippians 4:4-7 & St. John 1:19-28 by William Klock The days have been getting shorter and shorter. I walk home from the church in the dark most days. Just before the snow fell I rode my bike up the Mountain on the logging roads to Lost Lake and found myself riding back down in the dark, which came more quickly than I anticipated. I was glad I took my headlight with me. The short days can be very dreary. It occurs to me that this is why Christmas lights are so popular, bringing some light and cheer into the darkness. Whether people realise it or not, in Jesus the light has come into the darkness and even people who wouldn't know the gospel from a hole in the ground live in that light. Jesus has changed everything—even for people who think Christmas is just about Santa and Rudolph and Frosty. The light has come into the world and the world has not overcome it. But think about Israel in the time of the Gospels. In the time of Mary and Joseph, of Elizabeth and Zechariah, of John the Baptist and of Jesus, of Herod. The world was dark…oh so dark. The nation was enslaved to false gods and to wicked kings who, themselves, claimed divinity. St. Paul writes of demonic forces that enslaved the nations—forces broken and defeated by the gospel—but that victory was decades away. The world was dark. Even little Israel, called to be the light of the world, lay in spiritual darkness. The candlestick in the temple was kept lit, but the cloud of glory that had once filled the holy of holies, the very presence of God, had been absent for five-hundred years. God's people were ruled by pagans and pretenders. And apart from a faithful remnant, the nation had been consumed by the darkness, a holy people in little other than their calling. But the people knew the words of the prophets, the promises of their God. It would not be this way forever. That's the setting for today's Gospel, which begins at John 1:19. Here's what John writes: And this is the testimony of John [this is John the Baptist, not John the Evangelist who writes these words], when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:19-28) The Pharisees sent Levitical and priestly inquirers to interrogate John, to find out who he was—or who he thought he was. If someone showed up with a message from God, the Pharisees were sure to show up and to ask questions to see if it was legit. The Jews really were expecting someone. John anticipates this in his answers. They ask who he thinks he is and the first thing he says is, “I am not the Christ.” “Christ” is the Greek word for Messiah. “I am not the Messiah.” That's the one everyone was really anxious to see. The Messiah would lift the darkness. The Messiah would fix everything that was wrong with the world. The Messiah would deliver his people and reign as David once had. There had been others in recent memory who had claimed to be the Messiah and things hadn't gone well for them. I expect the Pharisees expected the same was true of John, but hey, you never know. Eventually the real Messiah really would come, so they might as well ask some questions. “Well, then,” they ask, “who are you?” John first denies that he's Elijah and then he denies that he's “the prophet”. What's that about. Well, first, Malachi had prophesied that Elijah, Israel's greatest prophet—after Moses, that is—would return one day. This is what he wrote: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. (Malachi 4:5) We have a pretty good sense, based on the literature of the time, that a lot of people interpreted this to mean that Elijah himself would literally return in the flesh. Sort of like a King Arthur to return to rescue Britain at its darkest hour. Some people connected this Elijah Redivivus with the coming of the Messiah. Considering that Elijah, rather than dying like everyone else, was swept up by a fiery chariot into heaven, it's not surprising that people would take Malachi this way. I suspect this sort of literal fulfilment of the prophecy is why John denied that he was Elijah. In contrast, in last week's Gospel, we saw Jesus affirm that John was indeed the one to come in fulfilment of Malachi's prophecy. Maybe John was just exceedingly humble, maybe it never occurred to him that he was, indeed, fulfilling Malachi's prophecy, but it may have been that he knew he wasn't literally Elijah returned as many expected. He denies, too, that he's “the prophet”. This is a reference to a passage in Deuteronomy 18 in which the Lord promises that he will one day raise up a prophet like Moses, who will declare the Lord's own words. Like the Elijah who was to come, many associated the prophet with the Messiah. “Nope,” John says, “that's not me either.” But here's the point. Even if they were wrong about who the Messiah would be and when and how he would come, the Jews were living in hopeful expectation of the Messiah. They were in their own Advent. The days were dark. They were supposed to be the people who lived with the Lord in their midst, but his presence had been gone for five hundred years. They'd returned from exile, but without the Lord's presence and with foreign pagans ruling over them, they might as well have still been in exile. They longed for the light to dawn in the darkness and they trusted it would happen, because they knew their story. They knew that the Lord is faithful to fulfil his promises. They belonged to him. Just as he'd once rescued them from Pharaoh, he would rescue them from Caesar. John was sure of all this, too. He may have denied that he was the one prophesied to come like Elijah or Moses—and it's worth noting that in Matthew and Mark, Jesus actually did affirm that John had come in fulfilment of the Elijah prophecy—but John knew the story, too, and he knew his place in it. When the Pharisees finally let John speak for himself, he told them: “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.'” He quotes straight from Isaiah 40:3. I think this gets at the reason John answered “No” to the questions about Elijah and the Prophet, but given the chance to identify himself, he looks back to this prophecy of Isaiah. This passage from Isaiah is just as Messianic, but John saw the heart of his role and his ministry here. And while there were people who confused the one coming like Elijah or Moses with the Messiah, this voice crying in the wilderness is clearly the Messiah's forerunner—or at least that's how John saw it. He was not the Messiah. He was the one sent ahead to prepare Israel to receive the Messiah. And then the question they pose about baptism gives him a chance to expand on this. Baptism was an act of cleansing that fit well with what the Messiah might be and do when he came. But John has just denied that he is the Messiah. “So,” the Pharisees wonder, “why is John baptising people if he's not the Messiah?” Look at 25-27: They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” Again, baptism did have place in Jewish life. Think back to our study of Exodus and the passages about purity and cleansing—washing with water, and all that. Baptism was a symbol of cleansing, of ritual purity. At this point the other gospel-writers are helpful as they expand on John's answer. Mark tells us that his was a baptism of repentance—it was a preparatory act in light of the coming judgement the Messiah would bring. And Matthew and Luke also report John continuing about this one who will come, this one greater than John: “He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16). In other words, John is calling Israel to repentance in anticipation of the Messiah, who will fulfil the Lord's promises to set Israel to rights by filling his people with his own Spirit. The law written on stone tablets would finally be inscribed on the hearts of God's people that they might fulfil his law of love. But the Messiah was also coming in judgement. He would baptise the repentant with God's own Spirit, but he would baptise unrepentant Israel with fire. These are the two sides of the gospel coin: Jesus' advent brought mercy to the repentant, but it also brought judgement on the unrepentant within Israel. What's significant for us here, Brothers and Sisters, is that this exchange between John and the Pharisees reminds us of the Messiah's place in Israel's story and of the faithfulness of God to his promises. It is this manifestation of the Lord's faithfulness (and of his goodness, mercy, grace, and wisdom) to Israel—something we see brought to its climax in the coming, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus, that has drawn us to the God of Israel and that, by faith, has incorporated us into the people of God. Through our incorporation into this people, through our being made adopted sons and daughters of Abraham, we've come to know God's mercy and the life of the Spirit, too. Because of the faithfulness of God, revealed in Jesus and in power of the gospel, the darkness that Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, John the Baptist and Jesus knew, that deep, deep darkness full of false gods and wicked kings and demonic power is but a shadow of its former self. The light has come into the darkness, his gospel has thrown those powers down and lit up the world. And you and I live in the glory of that light. And this is where our Epistle today takes off. There are practical implications of our being incorporated into the story of the people of God. Paul writes those wonderful and challenging words in Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. What specifically prompted Paul to write this? Well, just two verses earlier, Paul exhorted two women, Euodia and Syntyche, to agree with each other. They had once been fellow labourers with Paul, but had apparently had some kind of dispute or falling out. In response, he calls the Philippian Christian to rejoice in the Lord. Instead of a public display of disunity or resentment or anger—whatever it was that was going on between these two women, the Church was to put joy on display, to celebrate the life of God. They were people of the light, but they were living in the dark. It was imperative that they come back into the light. Paul then writes: Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. (Philippians 4:5a) The King James says, “Let your moderation be known unto all men.” “Moderation” or “reasonableness” aren't really very helpful translations. Paul uses the same word in 2 Corinthians 10 to describe the meekness of Jesus as a model for Christians. What Paul's getting at there is that Jesus is the King. The gospel reveals and proclaims him in all his divine majesty. And yet it also reveals his gentleness. And it's not just gentleness. It's the sort of gentleness that only the one who is truly the Lord of the cosmos can show. This is the gentleness we see revealed as Jesus, the one to whom heaven and earth belong, humbles himself to be born one of us, to die on the cross, and to show mercy to his enemies. This kind of meekness or gentleness is unique to Jesus, and yet Paul stresses that as his people, as stewards of the gospel, we're called to witness this same gentleness ourselves. As it should be the resolution to so many disputes in the Church, it was the resolution to whatever had driven Euodia and Syntyche apart. Brothers and Sisters, when we demand our rights, when we grasp for power, when we nurse grudges, we undermine our witness to the world—we exhibit the very darkness from which we've been delivered by the one who is light. In contrast Paul calls us to rejoice in the Lord and to manifest Christlike gentleness in our relationships. Remember, as people whom God has graciously and mercifully restored to himself, we ought to witness that in our own joyful unity in Jesus. Consider that every time we hold a grudge, allow a relationship to break down, or follow the world's advice to cut those problem or negative people out of our lives, we undermine the Church's witness to the world. But that's not all. Paul goes on: The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. There's that Advent theme again: Jesus has given us a job to do. He's given us treasure to steward in his absence. In the meantime, rather than being anxious, we should take our needs to God. Jesus made the same point in the Sermon on the Mount. The pagans worry about what they'll eat, what they'll wear, and where they'll sleep. God's people should know better than to worry unduly about these things. God will provide just as he always has. He is faithful to his promises and the story of his dealings with Israel is the proof. So go to the Lord with your needs and ask. And while you're at it, give thanks, because you know his faithfulness and his love. This is part of the witness of the people of God—it's how we are light in the darkness—and it ties back into rejoicing. When Paul talks about rejoicing, at least part of what he's got in mind is a public display or a public witness. The pagan Greeks in Philippi regularly held public celebrations to honour their gods. In the decades before Paul wrote, new rites to honour and to celebrate—to rejoice in—Caesar had been introduced and embraced by the people. And yet the pagans, as Jesus said, were always anxious. Why? Because their gods never delivered. Pagan religion was a non-stop game of trial and error, trying to guess what the gods wanted, trying to guess what you may have done wrong to offend them, and then guessing at what you might offer to appease their anger or to ingratiate them to you in order to get what you needed or wanted. The pagan gods were silent and they were notoriously capricious and unreliable. And in this context Paul exhorts the Philippian Christians: Rejoice yourselves. Let the pagans see you celebrating the fact that the Creator of the universe has, through Jesus, made you his own and lives in your midst by his own Holy Spirit. Let the pagans, who know only mean and capricious gods and who live in a dog-eat-dog world, let them see the gentleness of God in you. Live in such a way that they see in you the God who humbles himself to die for the sake of his enemies. And let the pagans see you living in faith, praying in confident thankfulness to the God whose story reveals an unfailing pattern of promise and fulfilment. Shine the light of Jesus into the darkness of the world. And the result of all this? Look at verse 7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I think we tend to look at Paul's exhortation here as something we should do in order to experience the peace of God ourselves, but given the context in Philippians, I think Paul's point is actually more about our witness. If we truly live as stewards of the good news about Jesus, if we truly live as people who know the faithfulness of God revealed in Jesus and particularly in his death and resurrection, the peace of God—rather than the strife and anxiety of the world—will guard our hearts and minds in a way that will astound the pagans around us. I said last Sunday that we are called both to proclaim and to live the gospel. This is that living it, right here. And coupled with our proclamation, to truly live in light of Jesus and what he reveals about God, should cause the world to stand up and take note. It will result in many giving glory to God for his faithfulness and then coming to him in faith as we have. And it will threaten many who are invested in the pagan and fallen systems of the world. Like John the Baptist, we are a voice in the wilderness. The difference is that Jesus has now been enthroned as Lord. But we need to ask: Does the world see our joy? Are we the voice crying in the wilderness? Are we the royal heralds the Lord has called us to be, summoning the word to let go of its false gods and to come to the Lord Jesus? Two years ago the government barred us from meeting as it tried to slow the spread of COVID. A lot of people were shouting about persecution. Brothers and Sisters, I really think we were dealing with something worse than persecution. Here's what I mean. Persecution happens when people fear the Church and fear our witness. Last week I mentioned Rod Dreher's new book, Live Not by Lies. In that book he talks about his conversations with people who lived under Communism in Eastern Europe. The Soviets clamped down on Christians because they understood that the gospel, that the message that Jesus is Lord was a threat to their atheistic philosophy. And it wasn't theoretical. It was often Christians who took a stand against the Communists and they did so in light of the gospel. And they were persecuted horribly for their stand for Jesus. Brothers and Sisters, that's not what we saw here. When the health threat passed, the orders banning public gatherings were lifted. You can agree or disagree with the wisdom or rightness of those health orders, but it wasn't persecution. It was something worse. It was indifference to the Church. The government isn't afraid of us or our message. It's not afraid we'll undermine its often godless and immoral dictates and agendas. They aren't hostile to us. They're simply indifferent. As far as the Health Minister or Provincial Health Officer were concerned, churches (and synagogues, mosques, temples, and gurdwaras) are just hobbies and social clubs and if that's all we are, well, we can suspend our gatherings or take them online. Leaders in previous generations, in the midst of national crises, called the Church to prayer. They understood the value of God's people gathered together to pray for the community, the nation, and the world. But not anymore. I'm not aware of any time when our Prime Minister, Premier, or Provincial Health Officer ever asked Christians (or anyone else, for that matter) to pray for the province or the nation. It didn't occur to them that prayer is important or makes a difference—or, for that matter, that God is in control. And we really have ourselves to blame. Why? Because we have not been the witnesses God calls us to be. We have been mealy-mouthed and, quite often, just plain silent in our proclamation and because we have been half-hearted and unfaithful in our gospel living. Like old Israel, we pray to God, but we've failed to tear down the old altars to Mammon and Aphrodite and Caesar. We name Jesus, but we deal dishonestly in business, we sell our souls to the commercialism that surrounds us, we look to politics or to science as our saviours, and we dabble in the sexual immorality of the age. We've failed to proclaim the gospel and we justify it, saying that we'll preach it with our lives. But if we stop to ask what the world sees in our lives, is it really very different? Does the world see us rejoicing in the Lord? Does the world see us manifesting the merciful gentleness of Jesus? Does the world see us living in faithful prayer and trusting in God, or does it see people just as anxious as everyone else? Does the world see the peace of God ruling our hearts and minds? Does the world see us, holding high the gospel, as a challenge to its gods and kings? It should. But sadly, I think that for the Church at large, the answer more often than not is “no”. And, all too often, when we do proclaim the gospel, we do so without power or authority. We hold the gospel out as good advice, rather than as the good news that it is. Friends, the gospel is the royal summons to submit in faith to Jesus, the world's true Lord—the Lord who has come with mercy so that the repentant will escape when he comes one day in judgement. This was the power behind John the Baptist' preaching. But all too often we present the gospel as just another option on the religious smorgasbord—something you might want to try. See if you like it. See if it works for you. If not…oh well. Brothers and Sisters, that's not the gospel. The gospel is good news to the people living in the midst of darkness: the king who will set the world to rights has come. And that means the gospel, when preached as it should be, will challenge and upset the Herods and Caesars of our age and all those invested in the false gods of the world. Brothers and Sisters, the Church today has so failed at being stewards of the gospel that we're provoking neither response: neither hostility and persecution on the one hand, or a harvest of new believers attracted to our faithful preaching and living. The Advent message is to be prepared. Jesus has given us a gospel mission to take the good news of his death, his resurrection, and his lordship into the world. Brothers and Sisters, pray that we will be faithful to our mission—faithful enough to provoke persecution, because that's the kind of faithfulness that also reaps a harvest people for the kingdom. Pray for the holy boldness of John the Baptist. Pray that we will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Pray that the joy of the Lord will overcome us. Brothers and Sisters, Rejoice! Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let's pray: O Lord, come among us, we pray, with your power and strengthen us with your great might; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness we are grievously hindered in running the race that is set before us, your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

00:00 - AutoTrader has released its annual Top Searched Vehicles list of 2022 Jodi Lai, Editor-in-Chief of AutoTrader 7:05 - How do vaccines protect children from severe respiratory illnesses? Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC 14:23 - BC residents call for urgent action to address nature loss Nancy Newhouse, Regional Vice President for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in British Columbia 20:12 - What are the benefits of constructing a complex without parking? Eric Doherty, Principal of Ecopath Planning and Registered City Planner 27:29 - BC finally funds a treatment that kept a cancer patient alive for 14 months Matthew Atkins, Husband of Kerri Atkins 38:02 - Could AI-mediated conversation devices impact our ability to communicate? Jeff Hancock, Founding Director of the Stanford Social Media Lab and the Harry and Norman Chandler Professor of Communication at Stanford University

How is BC going to handle flu season? Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC discusses why the province is encouraging masking throughout flu season, instead of enforcing a mask mandate. It's official - BC United has been voted the new name for the BC Liberal Party Richard Zussman, Global News Reporter based in Legislature discusses the BC Liberal Party's name change to BC United The BC Liberals change their name to BC United Gordon Wilson, former BC Liberal Leader says he is not a fan of the BC Liberals name change to BC United 35 years of Rick Rolling - the cultural impact of Rick Astley's “Never Gonna Give You Up” CKNW Producer Steven Chang describes the 'Rick Roll' Memories of Michael Stuart Backerman, former official spokesperson for Michael Jackson discusses a new play on the late artist Michael Jackson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC discusses why the province is encouraging masking throughout flu season, instead of enforcing a mask mandate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a new booster rollout, recommending that British Columbians over the age of 18 get their second or third shot as soon as possible. Guest: Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC

00:00 - Should children learn about overdose prevention and the use of life saving procedures in school? Guest: Chloe Goodison, Founder and President of NaloxHome 08:54 - Athletes are on the defensive about their impact on climate change. Guest: Raji Sohal, Mornings with Simi Contributor 12:52 - Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a new booster rollout, recommending that British Columbians over the age of 18 get their second or third shot as soon as possible. Guest: Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer of BC 21:21 - The manhunt continues for Myles Sanderson after an alert went out that the suspect might be back in the area of the James Smith Cree Nation community. Guest: Tom Vernon, Global News Saskatchewan 25:27 - As many parents worked from home over the pandemic, it became clear that the majority of household chores and responsibilities fell to one person. Guest: CKNW Contributor Raji Sohal interviewed Michael Perry, CEO of Maple 33:29 - How will the Bank of Canada's latest interest announcement impact inflation? Guest: Marc Lee, Senior Economist at The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

BC focusing on monkeypox awareness and vaccine as Vancouver Pride Week continues Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's Provincial Health Officer speaks on everything you need to know about the virus and monkeypox vaccine to date.  ABC Vancouver flips position on eliminating Park Board John Coupar, NPA Mayoral candidate and Park Board commissioner hits back at ABC Vancouver over need for existence of the Vancouver Park Board.  Residents of Salt Spring calling for speculation and vacancy tax to be imposed in community to discourage people from leaving homes empty Rhonan Heitzmann, spokesperson for Salt Spring Solutions voices why Salt Spring needs to implement vacancy taxes on homes in the area. According to Heitzmann, 20% of the homes sit empty for more than 6 months of the year. Top 5 major western oil companies on track to generate $50 billion in profits in 3 months to the end of June.. is it time for a windfall profit tax? Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the BC Green Party discusses the potential of a windfall tax as major oil companies continue to hit record profits  The Wrap: How do you feel about paying a daily “tourism fee” while on vacation? Wrap: Will Smith offers apology to Chris Rock in new video.. Is it enough or can Will Smith do more? On The Wrap this week  Leah Holiove, TV Reporter and Radio Host  Sarah Daniels, Real Estate agent in South Surrey, author and broadcaster Topics  How do you feel about paying a daily “tourism fee” while on vacation? Will Smith offers apology to Chris Rock in new video.. Is it enough or can Will Smith do more?

Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's Provincial Health Officer speaks on everything you need to know about the virus and monkeypox vaccine to date. 

A strong recovery advocate from New Westminster, BC joins the show today. Giuseppe is the Director of Community Development for Last Door Recovery Society and a passionate voice for recovery. This is a powerful, informative hour with someone who has been on both sides of the addiction/recovery journey. Very important topics explored include:

Ch1: As gasoline prices increase everywhere, driven by skyrocketing oil prices that have become especially volatile because of Russia's war in Ukraine, Canada's two westernmost provinces have responded very differently. Guest: Roger McKnight, Chief Petroleum Analyst with En-Pro International Inc. Ch2: BC has ended their mandatory mask mandate, but provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry, stated that if businesses want to keep it in place on their own, they are more than welcome. Guest: Jill Drews, Translink spokesperson Ch3: British Columbia is changing its COVID-19 guidelines for schools and childcare operators, as the province emerges from the latest wave of the pandemic. Guest: Jatinder Bir, President of the Surrey Teachers Association. Ch4: This Saturday, March 12, we're set for our first of three trips to Texas this season as we face fellow Western Conference adversaries Houston Dynamo FC at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas. Guest: Vanni Sartini, Whitecaps Headcoach. Ch5: The new job numbers are out and it looks like BC has lots of jobs available, but nobody to fill those positions. Guest: Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia's Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Ch6: B.C. health officials announced Thursday that the province will remove its order requiring masks in all indoor public spaces as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, and that the proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be potentially lifted on April 8. Guest: Doctor Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer.

We are bringing back the Pulse Podcast for several episodes, with our residents leading the charge! Join Dr. Adrianna Gunton (Internal Medicine R2) in this interview with Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's Provincial Health Officer, as she gets to know Dr. Henry, they chat about Dr. Henry's own residency experiences, her public health work, and COVID-19. This episode has been split into two parts, both immediately available.

We are bringing back the Pulse Podcast for several episodes, with our residents leading the charge! Join Dr. Adrianna Gunton (Internal Medicine R2) in this interview with Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC's Provincial Health Officer, as she gets to know Dr. Henry, they chat about Dr. Henry's own residency experiences, her public health work, and COVID-19. This episode has been split into two parts, both immediately available.

The focus of our program is reconciliation in all its forms. We seek solutions and encourage our listeners and supporters to look at old problems through new eyes. Seeing with new eyes is an approach which tries to take a fresh look at something, bypassing the pattern  recognition and seeing the issue with a different perspective. Such an approach is critical if we are to  work and walk together on the road of reconciliation.We well know that leadership matters. It is essential in every sector, in every community, and in every country. In these times of unprecedented change, organizations, communities, and governments need more leaders and now more than ever we need leaders who can unite and mobilize others in a common cause. In our BC Health Care System, we have the Office of the Provincial Health Officer, a team that is tasked with overseeing the health of British Columbians and advising on public health concerns and situations to our ministers and public bodies. “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe” is something the Office of the Provincial Health Officer is also known for  now, words many British Columbians became familiar with during the pandemic, words that still ring  true today. This sentiment comes from our Provincial Health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team, a sort of slogan now for many people across our province.Today we are so happy to have both Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Provincial Health Officer and Dr. Danièle Behn Smith, Deputy Provincial Health Officer, Indigenous Health with us; two pivotal figures in the health and wellness of citizens in BC today. They have worked tirelessly through the pandemic, devoting themselves to protecting the citizens of BC, and are monumental in the efforts to improve access to equal health care and wellness for Indigenous communities. Our province is at a turning point in how we address racism and colonial views intertwined with our healthcare system and Dr. Henry and Dr. Behn Smith are both playing important roles in this shift and how the future of equal access to health care and community wellness will look for Indigenous Peoples  in British Columbia moving forward. With this I am happy to welcome Dr. Henry and Dr. Behn Smith to our show!In the recording of this episode, Dr. Henry and Dr. Behn Smith joined us from and respectfully acknowledged their gratitude to work and reside in the traditional territories of the Lekwungen peoples and the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

In the Midst of the Lampstands Revelation 1:9-20 by William Klock We've all heard that old statement, “Consider the source,” haven't we?  When I was a kid, someone would insult me and I'd get upset and say something about to my mom and she'd say, “Consider the source.”  In other words, “Why would you take what someone like that says seriously?”  If someone you know to be an inveterate liar tells you something, you probably won't believe it.  For a number of years someone was sending me thick envelopes stuffed with poorly made, oddly shaped photocopies of newspaper clippings and weird, barely coherent explanatory letters claiming to be from a prophet.  The person who sent them was obviously a lunatic, it showed, and they went straight into the trash.  But other things we take seriously.  A letter from Revenue Canada?  The stationery itself demands we take it seriously.  An order from the Provincial Health Officer?  Bonnie Henry may be fairly unassuming, but we know that behind those orders stands the authority of the Province of British Columbia.  Or maybe you're experience something difficult.  Someone you love has just died.  Or you're going through a crisis of faith.  Someone comes alongside you, someone sends you an email or a letter, someone calls you.  And that person offers encouragement—maybe some advice.  And we all know that it means a lot more coming from someone who has walked the same road or from someone whose great faith we respect.  When a mature Christian offers a bit of spiritual advice or, maybe even a rebuke, it carries a great deal more weight than similar words coming from a brother or a sister who is worldly or immature. As I said last week, Revelation is a letter and Chapter 1 is the introduction.  We'll be looking at verses 9-20 this morning.  John is the author of the letter, the one who penned the words, and sent it off with a courier to be read in the churches, but as we saw last week, this is Jesus' revelation.  God has given it to him and he has given it to John.  Jesus is the one who speaks with authority in this book—he's the source, he's the authority behind it—and here John gives us a glimpse at who it was who spoke to him.  Here John shows us just who this Jesus is and the picture he paints with his words tells these churches—and us—that we'd better pay attention and take this seriously. So, verses 9-11: I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”   John, first, tells them his own situation.  He is their brother and their partner—he is their sharer—in three things: in tribulation, in the kingdom, and in patient endurance.  He, himself, is living in exile on the island of Patmos, a little island about fifty kilometres off the coast of what's now Turkey.  It had a military garrison there, but we don't know if John was literally in prison or if he'd just been forced into exile.  He had an apostolic role when it came to these churches and, presumably, someone hoped that by removing their leader, this movement of Jesus-followers would flounder, maybe even die off.  We don't know who exiled him, whether it was local or Roman authorities, but what's important is that John says he's there “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”  Notice that he doesn't say he's there because of his own testimony, because of his own preaching, because of his own witness to Jesus.  No, he says that he's there because God has spoken and because Jesus has given testimony.  Jesus, by his death, resurrection, and ascension has borne testimony against the gods and kings of this age, and they have lashed out in retaliation against his apostle.  And not just against John.  They have lashed out at the Church. Brothers and Sisters, there are three things that are a certainty for the believer.  The first is tribulation.  There is no escape.  Jesus warned his disciples in John 15:20, “A servant is not greater than his master.  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”  First the Jews, then the Romans went after the fledgling Church.  Those early believers suffered great tribulation, but they had faith in the words of Jesus, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).  In Acts 14 Luke writes that Paul and Barnabas travelled, visiting these churches, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  They knew that Jesus had inaugurated his kingdom and that tribulation was the prelude to its consummation.  Their suffering was in union with the suffering of Jesus.  Paul wrote to the Colossians, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24). And that's the second certainty: the kingdom.  We can face tribulation because Jesus has already inaugurated the kingdom.  As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, Jesus reigns “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And he put all things under his feet” (Ephesians 1:21-22).  The battle with the kings and gods of this age wages on, but Jesus has been given dominion over all.  John draws on the language and imagery of Daniel 7.  The Prophet writes: Behold, with the clouds of heaven          there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days          and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion          and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages          should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,          which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one          that shall not be destroyed.  (Daniel 7:13-14) The Church faces tribulation precisely because Jesus' kingdom is here and now, because it stands in conflict with the gods and kings of the present age.  But that means that the Church—Brothers and Sisters, that we—can pursue the mission Jesus has given us with confidence.  Jesus won the decisive battle at the cross; his kingdom shall not be destroyed. That leads us to the third certainty: perseverance.  This is the heart of the book of Revelation.  The individual letters to the churches highlight this.  Where they have done well, they must persevere in well-doing.  Where they have compromised, it is critical that they return to Jesus and persevere.  And the rest of the book goes on to reveal the faithfulness of God to strengthen faith that they might persevere.  But notice, all these things are centred in Jesus.  We face tribulation because we are united with Jesus and because of his witness against the present age.  But we have confidence because we are united with Jesus and know and are part of his kingdom.  And we persevere as we are united with Jesus—sharing in his life and empowered by his Spirit—and knowing that what he has begun he will surely complete.  In the incarnation and at the cross, God has invested his beloved Son in the redemption of his creation from sin and death and we can be sure that no matter how bad things may get, God will never cut his losses.  The resurrection of Jesus was the decisive victory over the present age.  He will continue until he puts every enemy under his feet. Now, John goes on to say that he was “in the Spirit on the Lord's Day”.  The Lord's Day is a reference to Sunday.  I think, too, that there's some intentional symbolism here, drawing on the Old Testament idea of the Day of the Lord—the day when God would come in judgement to vindicate his people and to destroy their enemies.  And being “in the Spirit” is language drawn from the Old Testament prophets to certify John's status as a prophet.  Throughout the Old Testament the prophets speak of being in the Spirit as God speaks through them.  Prophecy is not a gut feeling, an impression, or a vague idea.  Prophecy is the distinct and clear word of God, delivered to man, through the mediation of the Holy Spirit.  This is why prophecy is taken so seriously in the Bible.  God's word is true and because of that his people can have confidence in it.  That trust, however, is undermined by false prophets and so to prophesy falsely is a grave offense.  It's an offense against God and against God's word.  The test is simple.  Does the word spoken come to pass?  Does it jibe with what God has already revealed about himself?  In the Old Testament, if it didn't, the false prophet was sentenced to death.  The equivalent in the New Testament would be excommunication.  It's something that, sadly, the modern church does not often take seriously with the result that we've cheapened prophecy and have a multitude of false prophets running around leading people astray and undermining faith in God's word. But, John, truly in the Spirit, hears a voice like a trumpet—a clarion call and a summons—and he is instructed to record what he is about to see and to send that record to seven churches: Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.  This is a cluster of churches in western Asia Minor, western Turkey—churches where John's ministry was well-known.  If it were today we could say that he was their bishop. First John hears that great voice and then he turns to see who it is.  Look at verses 12-16. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. Who is it that speaks?  Why should we care what he has to say?  Does his word carry authority?  Well, his summons to John was like the summons of a trumpet—imagine the sound of trumpets blown by royal heralds.  And now, turning he sees this awe-inspiring image.  If it's hard to wrap your head around John's description, that's because it's a composite of a bunch of different images drawn from all over the Old Testament, but especially—again—from Daniel.  Whatever John saw, this was the best way he could describe it. So, first, John is drawn into a sort of heavenly analogue to the holy place of the tabernacle or temple.  That was the place where, in Israel, the lampstand stood, burning always and filling the tabernacle with its light.  But here there are seven—a connection with the seven churches to which John writes—but united in Jesus.  Jesus stands in the midst of them.  The long robe and the golden sash around his chest show him as the high priest.  He's the one who tends the lamps, trims their wicks, keeps them burning.  These churches were struggling through difficult days, but the Lord Jesus sustains them. And John describes him as one like a son of man—that's a figure from Daniel 7—but he also uses imagery to describe him that draws on Daniel's description of the Ancient of Days.  The son of man—and I read the passage about him from Daniel just a bit ago—was the representative of Israel, of the people of God, to whom the Ancient of Days gave dominion, glory, and kingdom forever.  This is Jesus.  But what's really interesting is that John's physical description of him is that of the Ancient of Days, of the one who gives the son of man his dominion, of God himself.  Here's Daniel 7:9-10. As I looked, thrones were placed,          and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow,          and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames;          its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued          and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him,          and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment,          and the books were opened.   So this isn't just a description of Jesus as majestic and awe-inspiring.  John uses this description to equate Jesus with God himself.  It's a remarkable testimony to the divinity of Jesus that does so drawing on the Old Testament.  And that's not all.  There just isn't time this morning to get into every detail.  The flaming eyes, the bronze feet, again the gold sash, are all drawn from Daniel 10.  And while his call was like the sound of a trumpet, when he addresses John, it's like the overwhelming sound of rushing waters, which is how Ezekiel describes the sound of God's glory returning to the temple. Jesus holds a constellation of seven stars in his hand.  This one's pretty cryptic, although John does tell us in verse 20 that these stars are the angels of the seven churches—possibly heavenly beings with some kind of oversight of these churches, but I think more likely referring to their bishops or elders.  It's not an easy bit of imagery to sort out.  The sword proceeding from Jesus' mouth, however, is much more obvious.  This is his word.  In 2:16 we read that by it he will make war against his enemies and in 19:11-16, by it he will conquer the nations. Even to trace all the pieces of this image of Jesus back to their Old Testament sources is overwhelming.  It's good to do so, but I like George Caird's warning not to “unweave the rainbow”.  He writes, “John uses his allusions not as a code in which each symbol requires separate and exact translation, but rather for their evocative and emotive power.  This is not photographic art.  His aim is to set the echoes of memory and association ringing.”[1]  That's a good way to understand the imagery of Revelation and, especially, passages like this.  It's something like look at a rainbow—or it should be.  The rainbow is made up of bands of colour as this imagery is made up of allusions to the Old Testament.  But as the rainbow itself is more than just sum of its colours, so John's images are more than just the sum of all these biblical allusions.  Our problem is that we lack that memory and association those first Jewish Christians had.  I think the image, which seems so “weird” to us, would have been far less weird to the original audience and would simply have inspired a natural awe.  They saw the rainbow, where we see the bands of colour and struggle even to put names to them. And natural awe exactly John's response.  As I was reading this I was thinking of a recent conversation I had with Rob.  He was talking about visiting anther church here in Courtenay and said he could understand why people went there.  I think the words he used to describe it were “fun” and “party”.  I know, the services there—as is increasingly common—are modelled on rock concerts.  It's not just them; it's symptomatic of our culture.  We have lost a sense of the holy.  We have little space left for reverence.  We're increasingly familiar and casual with everything and everyone—including God.  And yet that's just not what we see in the Bible when people encounter God.  Throughout the Scriptures, the people who encounter God are overwhelmed with awe and fear.  Even Peter, who was comfortable to argue with Jesus as the rabbi who got into his boat and told him to row out into the lake, fell to his knees and begged him to leave—his exact words were, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”—when the understanding of just who Jesus was sank in.  Even meeting an angel inspires fear throughout the Scriptures—with the odd exception of Jacob's, who decided to start a fight.  No one with a real sense of who God is—or who Jesus is—walks casually into the presence of holiness.  Here's what John has to say about his own response in verses 17-20: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.  But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.  I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.  As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.   Like everyone else who has ever had a real encounter with God, John prostrates himself.  But human fear in the presence of the holy is only half the story.  Like every other time God's servants fall at his feet this way, Jesus says those wonderful words, “Fear not.”  The fire will not consume those whom the holy One calls into his presence.  This is language drawn from Isaiah.  “I am the first and the last,” Jesus says.  He identifies himself with the God of Israel and he does so again with those words we find across the Old Testament, “I am the living one”—a title closely tied to God's very name, the I AM.  But in Jesus this title takes on new meaning.  He is the one who died—who was crucified—and whom God raised from death.  He is the firstborn of the resurrection, the firstborn of God's new creation.  He's not only alive forevermore, but in conquering death itself, he now holds the keys to death and hades—he holds the keys that will release humanity from bondage. And in a scene that recalls Isaiah, Jesus commissions John.  There is no purifying coal held to John's lips as there was to Isaiah's.  The old Israel was an unclean people in need of redemption, but the new Israel, John and the people, the seven churches to whom he is commanded to write, have already been purified by the blood of the lamb.  They have already been made holy—now they're being exhorted to persevere. And, Brothers and Sisters, that brings us back to where we started.  That whole thing about “consider the source”.  Jesus speaks to the Church and John shows us our Lord as he speaks.  And on the one hand we see the God of Israel, the Ancient of Days, the living God, the great I AM.  We enter in the presence of the holy.  This is the God before whom we can only fall on our knees and sing out with the greatest of reverent fear, “Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty.”  But he is, at one and the same time, the Son who has lovingly humbled himself for our sake, who has taken upon himself our flesh, who has submitted himself to hatred, to abuse, to torture, and to death to redeem a people for himself.  He is the Ancient of Days, but he is also the one of whom we can sing, “The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want.”  He is the good shepherd who has given his life for the sheep and who now draws us near. Here's the heart of this revelation.  Here are those three certainties: tribulation, kingdom, and perseverance.  We struggle to reconcile the joint presence of tribulation and kingdom.  How can God's kingdom be present when we face tribulation?  But this is just it.  Jesus took his throne, he established his kingdom, he won the victory over sin and death through suffering.  And now, Brothers and Sisters, he exhorts his people to follow the same path.  The Church will be victorious, the Church will see the consummation of Jesus' kingdom one day, but it will triumph over the would-be gods and kings of this present age ultimately through tribulation.  It is not an easy path, but the purpose of this Revelation of Jesus the Messiah is to show us the way and to assure us that our Lord is with us every step we take. Let's pray: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning—and in particular the Revelation of Jesus that you gave to St. John: help us so to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen. [1] The Revelation of St. John the Divine (London: A & C Black, 1973), 25.

Chapter 1: Is Canada in the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic? We have watched as other countries, particularly south of us, grapple with rapidly rising case loads but here the focus has been on continued vaccination and relatively low numbers. Guest: Dr Isaac Bogoch, Infectious disease clinician and scientist at the University of Toronto. Chapter 2: Over the weekend lines can be seen at Tesla charging stations due to the high demand of electric car users. This prompted the question that if BC is planning to go full electric, does it even have the infrastructure in place to do so. Well who better to talk to then someone who  introduced legislation. Guest:  Andrew Weaver, Former BC Green Party Leader, Climate scientist; Professor in School Earth and Ocean Sciences, UVic; and former MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. Chapter 3: With the poor air quality being extended in BC, how may this affect your health long term? The air of course coming from the several wildfires burning in BC, and now creeping into the lower mainland. Guest: Michael Brauer, Professor at the UBC School of Population and Public Health. Chapter 4: The Canadians won 1-0, with a goal scored by 23-year-old Jessie Fleming on a penalty kick 74 minutes into play. The Americans put on the pressure after the goal, but despite several close calls for the Canadians, were unable to score a point before time ran out. Guest: Colin Miller, White Caps Analyst. Chapter 5: VanDusen Gardens are one of the places in Vancouver who, despite covid restrictions, saw a boom in new visitors over the pandemic. Guest: Raji Sohal, CKNW Contributor Chapter 6: Dr. Bonnie Henry has been awarded the Order of B.C.  The Provincial health officer has been in the spotlight since March 2020 as the province's lead in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.  Guest: Doctor Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer

We bring back Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, about the latest news on the vaccine front. 

Top stories today:   Brand new vaccine details A new vaccine plan has been released today, and the entire Province could be vaccinated a LOT sooner.    Stanley Park bike lane Just those four words are enough to trigger a lot of road rage. We have more details from Camil Dumont.   Rogers arena booking shows These shows are likely just placeholders that will probably have their dates moved, but it begs the question; are you ready for some ROCK & ROLL!?  Much more in the full episode! _____________ NAVIGATE THE PODCAST:  Chapter 1 New vaccine details, your questions answered! Richard Zussman has been following the new breaking news around the vaccine rollout very closely, and joins us to answer your questions.  Richard Zussman is our Global News Legislative Reporter in Victoria. Chapter 2 EYE ON OTTAWA: Can you trust Trudeau? That's what Trudeau is hoping you do. Trust him in regards to the vaccine rollout. Should you? We talk to Tom Korski, Managing Editor of Blacklocks Reporter, Independent Newsroom in Ottawa. Chapter 3 An update on the bike lane at Stanley Park That is sure to make drivers everywhere completely pissed off. We have a conversation with Camil Dumont, who is the Park Board Chair. Chapter 4 Dr. Bonnie Henry joins the show to clarify the new vaccine plans We bring back Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, about the latest news on the vaccine front.  Chapter 5 Are you ready to hit the stadium for a concert? Rogers Arena seemingly has a huge lineup of shows booked for this summer. Is this actually going to play out, or are these just placeholders? Bruce Allen shares his thoughts, he is an agent to stars like Michael Bublé, and CKNW commentator. Chapter 6 The incessantly hot real estate market in Vancouver _____________ Remember to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and stay home at all costs if you are sick. We're not out of the woods yet!  The Lynda Steele Full Show podcast includes all the individual segments that can be found on the Lynda Steele Show page, digitally stitched together for your convenience.  Listen live online at globalnews.ca/radio/cknw/ 3-6 PM!

Last month, Vancouver's Rio Theatre updated its marquee with a bold declaration: “Screw the Arts: We're a sports bar now.” The Rio had been closed since November 2020, when the Provincial Health Officer banned all events (while still allowing bars, malls, and restaurants to operate) – but on January 23, 2021, the Rio opened its doors for sports fans to watch hockey and whatever qualifies as sports on its big screen: socially distanced, and not operating at full capacity, but open nonetheless. In this revealing episode, Sabrina gets a download from the Rio Theatre's – sorry: Rio Sports Bar's – CEO Corinne Lea and Senior Programmer Rachel Fox about what they're doing, why they're doing it, and what we all stand to lose when the rules aren't enforced fairly. Episode sponsor: Fish Flight Entertainment

New in this update:Wednesday COVID-19 updateThere has been another death from COVID-19 on Vancouver Island. 20 people have died from the virus in the Island Health region since the pandemic began. Province-wide there were 16 deaths over the past 24 hours and 414 new cases. Cases on Vancouver Island continue in the double digits, with 26 reported today. Our active case count stands at 273.Update to school guidelines to be announced at 10 a.m. ThursdayMeanwhile, B.C.'s Minister of Education and the Provincial Health Officer are poised to announce enhanced health and safety guidelines for students and staff, and more funding to support the continued safe operations of schools. COVID-19 exposures in schools continue to climb with the latest exposure at John Barsby Community School in Nanaimo. It's the tenth central island school to report an exposure over the past month. Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside and Dr. Bonnie Henry are planning a news conference on the subject tomorrow at 10 a.m. on the government of BC Facebook page or YouTube channel.Grant launched for businesses to pivot onlineThe province is hoping a new grant program will help small and medium-sized businesses to sell their products online. B.C.'s Launch Online Grant program offers businesses up to $7500 dollars to work with web specialists to create or enhance online sales. The Minister of Labour, Ravi Kalon, expects up to 1,500 businesses will benefit. The founder of Goldilocks Wraps in Esquimalt says the pandemic forced her to pivot sales of her beeswax wraps from craft fairs to the internet."Our online sales made up nearly all of our revenue in 2020, which was a huge shift. The pandemic has really changed the way that businesses need to operate to stay afloat. And having an online presence has gone to being an added bonus to an absolute necessity."—Amy Hall, founder of Goldilocks Wraps.Amy Hall says this will be the first government assistance program she'd applied for."Currently I have been personally doing all of the work on our website but I am not a website developer so it's something that's gotten us by until now, but it will be really great to work with an outside expert who really knows what they're doing so I am really looking forward to applying for this specifically."—Amy Hall, founder of Goldilocks Wraps.Eligible businesses must have had minimum annual sales of $30,000 dollars in 2020 or 2019, employer fewer than 150 people and must develop a grant proposal to show how they will spend the money. Businesses have until March 31st to apply at www.launchonline.ca.Bus company suspends service indefinitelyPeople who depend on regional buses to travel Vancouver Island no longer have that option. The Vancouver Island Connector and the Tofino bus will not be resuming service this month and will remain suspended indefinitely. The company says its business has declined by 95% since last March. It has applied for an emergency COVID-19 recovery contract from the Ministry of Transportation, but so far, no luck. The Vancouver Island Connector started operations in 2015 and had provided bus service from Victoria to Campbell River.

Quam Qwum Stuwixwulh Community School temporarily closes due to COVID-19 exposureStudents at an elementary school on the Snumeymuxw First Nation will not be attending classes today or tomorrow because of a COVID-19 exposure. Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh school will be closed for the next two days for deep cleaning. A letter to parents and guardians yesterday says the exposure happened last Thursday. It says the school is closed out of an abundance of caution, while Island Health completes its contact tracing and risk assessment. The Snuneymuxw reported a cluster of COVID-19 cases earlier this month, but the nation says there are currently no active cases of the virus in the community.Island Health identifying groups who are not on the province's listIsland Health's Chief Medical Officer says the health authority is asking the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer to include more health care workers on its priority list for COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Richard Stanwick says Island Health's clinical advisory committee has identified several groups of health care workers who are not on the province's list."Whether it's community workers and we're talking about some of our outreach workers who are seeking out individuals who may be COVID or are high risk, the individuals who do the home visits, in terms of home care. All of the people who are providing a service are being identified. They aren't under the radar. They are on the radar and these lists are actually being put forward to the province and saying 'this is the way we believe we need to prioritize people, based on the risk.' So we do not want to miss anybody."—Island Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Stanwick.So far, Island Health has offered vaccines to everyone who works and lives in long term and assisted living facilities.Urban Mayors: complex care facilities needed in B.C.Mayors from B.C.'s largest cities, including Nanaimo, are asking the province to help address the mental health, substance use and homelessness crises with the creation of a new type of housing. The B.C. Urban Mayors' Caucus wants the province to build five complex care housing facilities across the province within a year. Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog says the need is painfully obvious."There are a number of individuals in each of our communities who suffer from severe mental health and addiction issues, often coupled with brain injury. What we're asking for as urban mayors is a realistic acceptance of the fact that there are people in dire straits on our streets, whose lives are not improving, who are literally dying in the streets, who we are condemning to die in the streets because we do not have the complex care facilities that they need."—City of Nanaimo Leonard Krog.The pilot project proposes the construction of 40 to 50 unit housing facilities, staffed with doctors, addiction counsellors and mental health specialists with one on Vancouver Island, the north, the interior and two in Vancouver. Krog says the proposal was well received in meetings last week, with the Minister of Housing, David Eby and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson. However, a response may not come until the province tables its annual budget in April.

Complainant wants more data about COVID-19 available to publicA Victoria man is asking BC's Privacy Commissioner to begin an investigation that could force the province to release more data about COVID-19. BC's Information and Protection of Privacy Act says a public body must disclose to the public, information about a risk of significant harm to the environment or to the health or safety of the public or a group of people, or any topic clearly in the public interest.Anthony Roy says the Minister of Health, the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Center for Disease Control have not lived up to that standard. Roy says data sets about where and under what conditions people are being exposed to the virus are not being released. For example, he says there is no public data that explains why church gatherings are banned, while AA meetings of the same size are allowed. "I'm not asking for one minute that people shouldn't respect the orders. I'm happy to obey. What I'm not happy about is the lack of proper discussion and lack of proper justification for the orders. This is the proper discussion people should be having without somebody trying to shut it down by not providing the information."—Anothony Roy.Roy says public health orders that ban people from gathering, attending events or worshiping in faith settings are an infringement of their charter rights. He's hoping the privacy commissioner will agree denying people the information needed to assess those decisions should not be allowed to continue.Bob Joseph on Indigenous relationsOne of the country's leading experts on Indigenous relations is encouraging young people to pursue a career in reconciliation. Bob Joseph is the author of the best selling book "21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act." He led a virtual discussion yesterday, that included more than 1000 people from across Vancouver Island. Joseph has delivered courses and advised countless companies and organizations for decades, on how to work with first nations. Joseph says Indigenous relations is a growing industry."Every level of government, federal, provincial and local government, nothing gets built in this country without talking to indigenous peoples, and I mean lengthy conversations, so if you're looking for a career path that way, you could get involved in consultation and engagement. Some of my friends who are really good at it charge out at $1700 to $2000 dollars a day because it's such a specialized skill. And so if you want a job where I get to change the world, meet new people and do stuff that's never been done before, Indigenous relations is it."Yesterday's virtual question and answer session was hosted by the Vancouver Island Regional Library. The discussion included the future of Indigenous governance, how to approach first nations as an ally and how the Indian Act needs to evolve.

New in this update:Wednesday COVID-19 updateVancouver Island is reporting one of the highest numbers of new COVID-19 cases in a 24 hour period. There are 45 new cases of the virus in the Island Health region, bringing our active case count to 220. Province-wide, there have been 485 new cases and four deaths.Island Health's top doc is sounding the alarm. Dr. Richard Stanwick says the region has seen a spike in cases, with 500 this month alone. He says most are the result of gatherings during Christmas and New Year. But he says many others are the result of workers letting their guard down."The people you work with are not your household contacts. They are the people you work with so you need to practise the same sorts of physical distancing, making sure if you can't that you mask properly, you wash your hands regularly. You have to treat them as members of the general public and take those same measures because we have definitely seen workplace spread."—Island Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Stanwick.Stanwick says the health authority is stepping up workplace inspections, especially where there have been complaints. However, he says the goal is to educate businesses on compliance, rather than imposing fines or closures.Premier cites differences between B.C. and Manitoba for not imposing a mandatory quarantine for interprovincial travelersThe Premier is rejecting calls to tighten up the BC border in the fight against COVID-19. John Horgan says he will not impose a mandatory quarantine for people travelling from other provinces, as Manitoba has done.The differences between Manitoba and B.C. are obvious to most people, there are four roads into Manitoba and dozens of roads into B.C. We have major airports, there is but one major airport in Manitoba.—Premier John Horgan.The Premier says he would consider quarantine measures if the Provincial Health Officer advised him to do so. Instead, Horgan says visitors are expected to follow public health guidelines and orders from Dr. Bonnie Henry."If you are coming to BC on non-essential travel you better behave appropriately, you better follow our public health guidelines or we will come down on you like a ton of bricks."—Premier John Horgan.Horgan is not discouraging people from visiting BC. He says ski hills like Whistler are COVID-safe, but the danger comes from what people do off the slopes.“It's when people leave the hill and look for the party that we're seeing transmission and that's where we are very concerned. And that's where Dr. Henry and Minister Dix are looking at what the consequences are of those that are coming from away as well as those quite frankly who are coming from downtown Vancouver, or the Island, or any other part of British Columbia looking for a party.”—Premier John Horgan.So far, the province has issued 650 tickets for violations of public health orders and 80 tickets related to the federal Quarantine Act.

In this episode, drug policy researcher Alan Cassels and I take a deep look into some less than desirable tactics of the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Alan has been investigating and reporting on nefarious industry strategies for more than 2 decades, and his books Selling Sickness and Seeking Sickness expose the dirty underbelly that some corporations and leaders would rather you did not know about. If you have been satisfied with the mainstream Covid-19 narrative, this episode might be a bit disruptive. If you have been questioning it, then you might find some answers here, as well as more questions. We discuss the limitations of PCR testing, the predominant testing model for determining Covid cases; the new Pfizer vaccine and the misleading propaganda related to it; Covid case numbers; and so-called protective measures. I have also published this episode on Pacific Rim College Radio, but I have included my special post-interview perspective at the end of this conversation? Going beyond Covid-19, Alan and I also explore questionable pharmaceutical selling strategies; conditions such as high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and hypertension; the industry of influenza; and drug safety advisories. If episode 28 with holistic pharmacist RoseMarie Pierce opened up a few uncertainties for you about the motivations of the pharmaceutical industry, this episode is going to rip the lid right off. I hope you are stirred by this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Alan Cassels. Episode Links: Selling Sickness by Alan Cassels Seeking Sicknessby Alan Cassels Twitter @akecassels Pfizer CEO sells stock Article on PCR Test British Columbia Covid-19 Dashboard Order of Provincial Health Officer in BC Hospitals in BC Journal of Clinical Virology article on PCR test amplification in Canada Eurosurveillance journal article on PCR test amplification Article on infectiousness and Ct values in European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Anchor Point Links: Men's Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - BC Health officials tell us the number of COVID 19 cases is doubling once almost every 13 days. There were close to 5,800 active cases as of 4:30 PM, Thursday, November 12th. “The data shows us that the virus is able to transmit far more easily in the colder weather when we are spending more time indoors, which means that many of the things that we were able to do safely this summer are no longer safe,” said Provincial Health Officer said Dr Bonnie Henry. Campbell River Health Area in October Six people in the Campbell River Health Area tested positive during October., according to the BC Centre for Disease Control's latest monthly cumulative COVID case count for local health areas. Two of these COVID 19 cases were at Carihi Secondary school and reported in the media. The others could have been anywhere in Campbell River, its outskirts, or the Discovery Islands. These are not the first cases reported in the Campbell River Health area. There were a dozen earlier this year, but none in August or September. Recent COVID 19 cases on Vancouver Island A less geographically specific report for the past two weeks, states there were 18 new cases in North Vancouver Island, which includes the Comox Valley, Campbell and other regions to the north. Some of these people have already recovered. Island Health's Public Health COVID-19 Status Dashboard shows a total of 51 active cases, as of yesterday, and 11 of these are in North Vancouver Island. British Columbia's COVID-19 Dashboard confirms that there are 51 active cases on Vancouver Island. None of these have been hospitalized, admitted to the ICU and there has not been a new death reported in months.

Acumen Law's Kyla Lee discusses the new COVID-19 regional restrictions announced by the Provincial Health Officer over the weekend. We also talk about whether needing to use the bathroom is a good excuse for speeding.

B.C.'s former Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, talks about his new roles with Fair Price Pharma — which hopes to manufacture a safer supply of prescription heroin — and as co-interim Executive Director of the B.C. Centre on Substance Use.

B.C.'s former Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, talks about his new roles with Fair Price Pharma — which hopes to manufacture a safer supply of prescription heroin — and as co-interim Executive Director of the B.C. Centre on Substance Use.

New in this update:Both new and familiar names, among those pursuing seats in legislatureProvincial political parties are scrambling to nominate candidates in the wake of last week's snap election call. Over the weekend, the Green Party named Chris Istace its candidate in Nanaimo-North Cowichan. He runs the website called "Mindful Explorer" which focusses on backcountry hiking and mountain biking. The Liberal candidate Duck Paterson has been a Ladysmith councillor for 32 years. They will try to upset incumbent Doug Routley in a riding that has traditionally voted NDP. In Nanaimo, NDP incumbent Sheila Malcomson is being challenged by the just named Liberal candidate Kathleen Jones. The BC Green Party has not named a candidate in Nanaimo. Neither the Greens nor the NDP has named their candidates in Parksville-Qualicum. That riding is currently held by Liberal Michelle Stillwell.Clippers given permission to have up to 50 spectators at gamesThe Nanaimo Clippers are trying to bring as many fans as possible back to the stands. The Provincial Health Officer has given the BC hockey league permission to have up to 50 spectators in their arenas. However, the Clippers' 2400 seat Frank Crane Arena remains closed due to the pandemic. The city has not said why. As a result, the Clippers will start their exhibition season at the 50 seat Cliff McNabb Arena. The owner and president of the Nanaimo Clippers, Wesley Mussio says his organization is doing whatever it takes to bring fans back."So whatever we can do safely, we're going to do because I think the bottom line and why I have hockey and you know, in the Nanaimo Clippers is to give back to the fans of Nanaimo and right now the way it's going without the fans in the stands sort of you know, it's something that Nanaimo is not benefiting from." —Wesley Mussio, Nanaimo Clippers owner and president.The Nanaimo Clippers' first exhibition game takes place this Friday.GoByBike to PortugalStarting today cyclists in Nanaimo have the chance to win prizes from gift certificates to a trip to Portugal. The "Pedal to Places" challenge encourages residents to explore Nanaimo by biking to specific locations and collecting code words to win a $200 gift card. The challenge is part of a province-wide biking campaign called “GoByBike BC.” The provincial contest is for cycling teams to log their kilometres for a chance to win a cycling trip to Portugal. The city's manager of transportation, Jamie Rose says the campaign is to encourage people of all ages to get comfortable riding in all seasons."Whereas the fall one is focused on really sort of reminding drivers and cyclists that the weather's changing, we need to adapt to our biking and driving habits, we need to dress for the weather, we need to make sure and be seen and be aware that there are other road users out there."— Jamie Rose, City of Nanaimo Manger of Transportation.The two competitions run until October 4th. Details can be found on the City of Nanaimo's Facebook page.

New in this update:Nanaimo Clippers players will be charged higher than normal fee to playPublic Health officials have given the go-ahead for up to 50 spectators to attend Junior A hockey games in Nanaimo. Junior A teams rely on ticket sales as their main source of revenue. The Nanaimo Clippers would normally attract up to 1500 people per game. To try to make up for the shortfall, players are being charged a higher than normal fee to play this year. The owner and president of the Nanaimo Clippers says the limited number of tickets will be offered to parents of the players first, followed by season ticket holders, head sponsors and the general public. Wesley Mussio believes fewer fans in the stands will have an effect on the game."The whole part of the junior a hockey experience is to have fans and, and to, you know, hear the excitement of the fans in the stands and to not have that's going to be a very significant impediment to the quality of the league in the games in my respectful view, because you're not going to see the same intensity."—Wesley Mussio, owner of the Nanaimo Clippers.The Clippers will play their first home exhibition game in the smaller Cliff McNabb Arena on October the 2nd.Schools to only be used on weekends says Chief Electoral OfficerParents at Uplands Park Elementary School are raising concerns about using schools for polling stations. The school's parent Advisory Council has written the School District, saying people should not be allowed on school grounds during school hours if they do not have business with the school. But their concerns may be moot. BC's Chief Electoral Officer says the need to protect students is real. Anton Boegman says that's why using schools as polling stations is being limited in this election."We are going to limit our use of schools to weekend days. So the first weekend of advanced voting is Saturday and Sunday and then on voting day which is on a Saturday. So these are days when students are not present in the schools when it's possible to make sure that the necessary cleaning is done before and after the use of these facilities."—B.C.'sChief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman.Boegman says historically, 44 per cent of all voting locations are at schools.Henry asks islanders to not become complacentB.C.'s Provincial Health Officer is asking Island residents to not become complacent about stopping the spread of COVID-19. The Island Health region currently has only six active cases of the virus. There is no one in hospital, there has never been an outbreak at a long-term care facility and there hasn't been a death from COVID-19 on the Island since early May. Nevertheless, Dr. Bonnie Henry says Islanders cannot let their guard down."We feel a little insular in our Island here, but we need to remember as we're going into cough and cold and flu season that there's going to be a lot more illness around and it's going to be very challenging for us to figure out what is COVID? What is influenza? What's just a cold. So now's our time to start regrouping and pulling back and doing the things that led us to be in this position in Vancouver Island. So it is not a time to be complacent and if we are complacent, that is the time we put our communities at risk."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.Currently, there are 1,371 active cases of COVID-19 in BC, with 146 new cases reported in other health regions yesterday.

New in this update:Election results may not be known for weeks after electionB.C.'s Chief Electoral Officer says the question of who will form the next government may not be answered for weeks after voting day. Anton Boegman says the final count for mail-in ballots will not start for at least 13 days after voting day on October the 24th. That's because officials need to verify that mail-in ballots are legitimate and that voters did not vote once by mail and once in person. And Boegman says that assumes 200,000 mail-in ballots will be cast. But he says survey results suggest up to 800,000 British Columbians may opt to vote by mail.“If there are a significant amount of absentee ballots, including vote-by-mail ballots, the preparation time before final count may take longer. We don't know what that may be because we do not know the volume of the absentee ballots and vote by mail ballots that will be cast during this election.”—Chief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman.Boegman says more than 20,000 British Columbians have requested mail-in packages in less than 24 hours since the election was called.Some at UBCM concerned over Provincial Election and what NDP loss could mean for fundingSome municipal politicians are raising concerns about having a provincial election right now. Delegates at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities discussed their worries at a panel on the opening day of their Annual General Meeting. The Executive Director of the BC Green Party, Jonina Campbell is worried about having a majority government."So, if people are in a position where people don't have access and the power is kept among the captain it's really difficult for people to have their, what they need to be represented or heard or listened to so this is why the minority is good at that"—BC Green Party Executive Director Jonina Campbell.Others raised concerns about what will happen to the BC Restart Plan funding if New Democrats are not re-elected. Under it, municipalities will get $540 million dollars for local government operations and a further $100 million dollars for COVID infrastructure projects.Tuesday COVID-19 updateB.C.'s most recent COVID-19 numbers, compiled since last Friday show there have been 366 new infections in BC over the past three days. There have been seven new cases of the virus confirmed in the Island Health region during that time. That brings our active case count to eleven. There were four deaths from the coronavirus in B.C. since Friday—none in Island Health. Later this morning, B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer and the province's chief electoral officer will hold a news conference to outline plans to ensure a safe voting process in the midst of the pandemic.Temperature checks and mandatory masks come to Woodgrove CentreWoodgrove Centre in Nanaimo has become the first shopping mall in B.C. to initiate temperature checks and mandatory masks for shoppers. The new policies were announced on Friday by the mall's new owner. Weihong Liu, a Chinese immigrant businesswoman, purchased the property through her family's company, Central Walk, on September 1st. She has lived on Vancouver Island for the past six years and has owned and managed shopping centres in China for 20 years.

New in this update:Premier John Horgan calls an electionBritish Columbians are going to the polls a year earlier than planned Premier John Horgan has announced an election will be held on October the 24th. The next scheduled election was set for October of 2021. However, New Democrats hope a snap vote will turn the party's 41-seat minority government into at least a 44-seat majority. Horgan is currently enjoying a 70 per cent approval rating in the polls, but he insists the snap election is not about politics."I have grappled with this. We have significant challenges ahead on the health front, on the economic front, and what instability that brings to our communities and our social fabric. I believe the best way to get going on the work ahead, is to put the politics behind us. I cannot imagine twelve more months of bickering, twelve more months of not knowing whether a bill would pass the legislature because of uncertainty in numbers. I think the best way forward is to resolve that now. And that's why we're doing this."—Premier John Horgan.Nanaimo's voters last went to the polls in January 2019 in a by-election for a seat that was left vacant when Leonard Krog resigned to become the city's mayor. Sheila Malcolmson won the byelection for the NDP with 49.88 per cent of the vote. In the 2017 provincial election, the NDP's Doug Routley won the Nanaimo-North Cowichan riding. Both MLAs say they will run again in this provincial election.Dr. Bonnie Henry to go it alone with Health Briefings during electionMeanwhile, today's election call means the current Minister of Health, Adrian Dix, will not be taking part in the regular COVID-19 briefings. Starting today, only the Provincial Health Officer will attend those briefings. Dr Bonnie Henry explains why:"It would not be appropriate for him being on the campaign and have the opportunity to speak publicly twice a week. But he will very much be involved in ensuring the ongoing management of the crisis, along with Minister James who is the caretaker-minister during this period."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.Henry says as provincial health officer, she has the power to make health orders without the consent of the government. However, she says she intends to continue to advise and consult with government ministers including Dix and James. Meanwhile, Henry and BC's Chief Electoral Officer will release the details of the COVID election safety plan tomorrow.Monday COVID-19 updateToday's COVID-19 numbers, compiled since last Friday show there have been 366 new infections in BC over the past three days. There have been seven new cases of the virus in the Island Health region during that time. That our active case count to eleven. There were four deaths from the coronavirus in BC since Friday and none in Island Health.

New in this update:Five new COVID-19 infections in Island Health, no hospitalizationsBritish Columbia continues to see rising case counts, deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19. There have been 317 new cases confirmed since Friday and six more deaths, including the first coronavirus death in the Northern Health Region. There are five new infections confirmed in the Island Health region but no hospitalizations. However, there are 58 people in hospital elsewhere in BC, including 16 in intensive care. B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer says increasing admissions are putting a strain on hospitals, but Dr. Bonnie Henry says it's nowhere near capacity."As we get more cases, the chances of getting spillover into people who are more vulnerable, people who are more likely to have severe illness and end up in hospital is going up and we're seeing that. We're not seeing overwhelming of our health system but we need to do our best to prevent transmissions to people who are more likely to end up in hospital or ICU."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.Henry says the spillover is happening when young people with the virus infect senior members of their own families.Screening for lung cancer coming to B.C.British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to launch a comprehensive screening program for lung cancer. The CT scan screening program will be in place in hospitals across the province by the spring of 2022. The vice president and chief medical officer of BC Cancer says currently, three quarters of all lung cancers are diagnosed in late stages, and has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers. Dr. Kim Chee says lives will be changed because of today's announcement."Six British Columbians will die everyday from lung cancer. Prevention and early detection are the keys to changing this statistic. By introducing lung cancer screening in BC and linking these efforts with prevention by smoking cessation programs, we can decrease mortality, increase the chance of cure and improve survival from lung cancer."—Dr. Kim Chee.When complete, the program will screen 20,000 people a year.Sonia Furstenau warns Premier Horgan against early electionSonia Furstenau, the MLA for the Cowichan Valley is the new leader of the BC Green Party. Furstenau won the three way race in the second ballot, with 52.4 per cent of the vote. In her victory speech, Furstenau warned the government against what she called "the spectre of a completely unnecessary and irresponsible early election.""To John Horgan, I say: 'You have a responsibility to govern. This is not the time to dissolve the government, to leave a province leaderless for over a month in hopes of securing more power for yourself.'"—BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau.Furstenau also stressed the need to continue the party's focus on the environment and to press the provincial government to provide mental health counselling under the medical services plan.

New in this update:Nightclubs and banquet halls ordered closedB.C.'s nightclubs and banquet halls have been ordered closed by the Provincial Health Officer. Dr. Bonnie Henry says they are the source of too many COVID-19 infections."And despite weeks of effort by public health teams, these venues are still the source of significant risk to everybody in B.C., so these restrictions are meant to take away that late night temptation that people have where we know that there's been mixing going on and transmission has been happening at these types of venues across the province."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.Henry has also taken steps to reduce the consumption of alcohol in pubs, bars and restaurants. Starting now, alcohol sales at those venues are banned after 10 p.m. and the venues must close by 11 p.m.. As well, the volume level of all music and television events in those venues must be reduced to the same level as conversations, in an effort to prevent people from getting close and talking loudly. Henry says the restrictions are in response to rising COVID case counts, combined with the need to return students to classrooms safely, and there could be more restrictions as early as tomorrow. The Premier, the Minister of Health and Dr Henry are planning a news conference to announce updates to BC's Pandemic Plan for this fall.429 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in BC over Labour Day long weekendMeanwhile, there have been 429 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in BC over the long weekend, including four new cases in the Island Health Region. There have been two more deaths of former residents of long term care on the lower mainland.Long ferry waits for those leaving Vancouver Island after Labour DayPeople trying to leave Vancouver Island after the long weekend are running into usually long ferry waits. Since Sunday, travellers have been facing up to five sailing waits from Duke Point and Departure Bay. A spokesperson for BC Ferries says although sailing waits are common during long weekends, this Labour Day weekend has been more congested than predicted. Astrid Chang admits some travellers may have to wait until Wednesday to catch a ferry. And she is offering little for stranded travellers."When we do see a popular travel day like today those people who haven't made a booking on their selected sailing of choice we recommend they consider alternatives routed or alternative times of travel."—BC Ferries Spokesperson Astrid Chang.Chang says BC Ferries has no plan to increase the number of sailings for the next long weekend in October.Smoke from Washington State wildfires hazes south coastPeople in Victoria are being advised to stay indoors today, because of heavy smoke from wildfires that are burning in Washington State. The air quality on the southern island is rated 10+ meaning "a very high risk." A high pressure weather system and high winds drew the smoke from Washington State to southern Vancouver Island late yesterday. There are close to 65,000 hectares of land burning in the state. Environment Canada is predicting the smoke may clear by this evening.

New in this update:Indigenous leaders call for rapid testing for COVID-19 in their territoriesThere are 89 more cases of COVID-19 in BC today and one more death at a long term care home. The death toll now stands at 210. There were no new cases of the virus reported in the Island Health Region, however, a new case that was confirmed earlier this week in a first nation community near Gold River has indigenous leaders worried about the future. In June, the Nuu-Chul-Nulth Tribal Council called for rapid testing and screening of visitors in its territory. It also asked for training and implementation of culturally safe contact tracing and a protocol to inform the nations if a COVID case is nearby. Tribal Council president Judith Sayers says none of that has happened."We still would really like these four requirements put in place immediately or as soon as they possibly can. And we certainly want them to act soon. I mean, in Haida Gwaii, they had to wait for an outbreak before shutting it down."—Judith Sayers, Nu-Chul-Nulth Tribal Council President.Sayers believes communities could avoid being shut down if the tribal council's four requirements are acted on.Minister of Education sticking to directions given by Provincial Health Officer for classroomsThe Minister of Education is rejecting calls to order school districts to ensure physical distancing in classrooms. Rob Flemming says he's sticking with the advice given by Dr. Bonnie Henry that physical distancing is not required in BC classrooms. The BC Teachers Federation has asked Flemming to order districts to spend $243 million dollars worth of federal funding on reducing class size. Flemming is refusing to make that order."This funding will be used in different ways by different school districts based on what their priorities are for additional resources for COVID safety. They are going to receive per-pupil money that we are directing from the federal government to match the original provincial investment for them to use on health and safety and learning priorities in their district.”—Minister of Education Rob Flemming.The province has already allocated $46 and a half million dollars in extra funding to school districts to implement COVID safety measures in their back to school plans. However, the secretary-treasurer of the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District told trustees at a meeting last night that the money allocated by the province has not been enough to cover all of its COVID related expenses.Ian Hargreaves to resign from Comox Valley School BoardThe Chair of the Comox Valley School Board has resigned, saying it had become clear his vision for the board was not consistent with that of a majority of trustees. Ian Hargreaves made the announcement at the school board meeting on Tuesday night. He also criticized board members for ignoring staff advice or leaving public meetings when a vote did not go their way. He said the friction had taken a toll on his health and resignation was his only option. In his parting remarks, Hargreaves said “This board is dysfunctional and has lost its focus… the problem is not at the board office but at the board table.”

New in this update:Nanaimo Ladysmith School DistrictThe demand for at home schooling in Nanaimo is so high this year, the district's website crashed on the first day of registration. The president of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School Board says more than 300 students have registered for the Island ConnectEd program. It allows students to learn from home. The district is hiring more teachers for the program. Charlene McKay says the district is doing all it can to accommodate students and their families."The registration is wide open. We are not wait listing families. We are getting them in. and we'll make those connections as soon as we can and then we'll investigate what else we need to do for those supports."—President of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School Board, Charlene McKay.The district opted to expand the program, instead of creating wait lists, after the Minister of Education, Rob Flemming promised school districts their funding would not be reduced. In past years, the district would receive less funding for a student enrolled in the ConnectEd program, compared to a student enrolled at a school.More Details on COVID-19 NumbersBC's Provincial Health Officer is offering more details into where and how COVID-19 cases have been transmitted. Normally, Dr. Bonnie Henry provides case counts by Health Region. Now, those numbers are being broken down into smaller areas. As of the end of July on Vancouver Island, the highest case count recorded is on the North Island, where 30 people in Alert Bay were infected in an outbreak early in the pandemic. There have been 15 cases in Nanaimo, nine in the Cowichan Valley and six in Parksville. Dr. Henry says the exposures fall into three main categories."About a third of the cases that we're seeing now are related to events like parties like clubs and nightclubs that we've seen and about a third are related to transmission within families and community groups and then a third are related to a workplace cluster or outbreaks at long term care homes."—B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie HenryHenry says there is a smaller proportion of cases related to travel.COVID-19 Testing on Vancouver Island Meanwhile, people on Vancouver Island are reporting being put on hold for up to 90 minutes when trying to book an appointment to be tested for COVID-19. Some say they made dozens of calls over several days before getting through to the COVID-19 call centre. The call centre saw its highest count of 900 calls on August the 17th. BC's Minister of Health says 70 per cent of calls were abandoned on that day. However, Adrian Dix believes the problem will be fixed soon."Island health is actively recruiting staff, extending offers to 45 individuals and recruitment continues. This week, Island Health has more than doubled the number of nurses they have answering calls and will have more nurses and registration clerks starting tomorrow."—Minister of Health, Adrian Dix.The call centre has extended its hours of operation to seven days a week.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry warns of a significant upsurge in COVID-19 cases, particularly from indoor gatherings, and what we need to do to stay safe.

New in this update:The premier is reassuring parents who are fearful about plan to return children to classrooms full time this fall. The plan to create learning cohorts could see up to 60 elementary school students and 120 high school students having contact with each other during the school day.The province will spend an extra $45.6 million to ensure safety measures, including making masks available, hiring more custodians, increasing cleaning of high-contact surfaces, and increasing the number of hand-hygiene stations School districts have been given the autonomy to implement the plan as they see fit.Meanwhile, face masks will be mandatory on transit across much of the province starting August 24. It's a move that the Provincial Health Officer has been calling for over the past month. However, BC Transit says there will be no enforcement or penalties. It says it wants the new policy implemented as "an educational step."It was 75 years ago today that the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan, killing 140,000 people. Today that tragic anniversary will be remembered in Nanaimo. Peace songs will be sung, instrumentals played and every half hour, there will be a reminder of Hiroshima Day with a minute of silence.

There has been one death from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours in BC and 13 new cases of infection.The Provincial Health Officer says B.C. is well-positioned to enter the next phase of re-openings, despite new data that shows a high contact rate between people.Changes are coming to the laws that govern strata housing with the aim of reducing skyrocketing insurance rates.Please help us to increase local news on our airwaves with a donation to chly.ca/support.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caFind us on social mediaTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

There have been no new deaths from COVID-19 in BC for the fifth straight day. However, there are 12 new cases confirmed over the past 24 hours on the lower mainland, including a new outbreak at a long term care home and new cases related to two, large family gatherings.The Premier says the Provincial Health Officer has approved a plan that would allow Vancouver to become an NHL hub city.Amateur athletes in BC will be able to play their games this summer, thanks to a ministerial order.The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council says it wants travel restricted in its territory until the province agrees to several measures to keep its communities safe from COVID-19.This news update is made possible by a grant from Heritage Canada and the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada. Please help sustain and grow our effort to increase local journalism with a donation at chly.ca/support.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

For the fifth straight day, there have been no new deaths from COVID-19 in BC. The Provincial Health Officer has also declared several outbreaks over.BC Ferries has announced, starting on June the 15th, it will require all passengers over the age of 2 to wear masks on ferry trips that are longer than 30 minutes but only when physical distancing is not possible.The City of Nanaimo's animal pound and adoption centre does not meet basic national standards for animals in shelters and a consultant's report is recommending a renovation.If you'd like to help support an increase in local news, please make a donation at chly.ca/support.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

New numbers on COVID-19 show there have been no new deaths from the virus in BC over the past 24 hours. There are nine new cases, three of which are in the Island Health Region, bringing our total to 130. But the three cases here are different from the ones reported in the past. These new cases are called epi-linked cases. These are people who caught the virus from an officially confirmed test positive case. The epi-linked cases were not confirmed at the time. So the three new cases in Island Health are people who have already recovered from the virus, but were never on the official case count until now. The Provincial Health Officer says there will be more epi-linked cases added to the case numbers in BC going forward. Dr. Bonnie Henry says that is why, despite there being no officially active cases in our health region, there are people who have the virus.Other new data show where the various strains of COVID-19 in BC have come from. Surprisingly, there were very few cases that actually came from outbreaks in China, while the majority has come from European outbreaks. Dr. Henry says probably because the province was on high alert for cases from China at the start of the pandemic, so those travellers were closely monitored and educated to prevent the spread of the virus. She says the European-linked cases were transmitted at a large dental conference held in Vancouver, but wasn't detected until after conference delegates returned to their home communities throughout the province and continued to spread it.A rally is being planned in Nanaimo on Friday, to stand in solidarity with anti-racism protests in the United States and to raise awareness of anti-black racism in Canada. The demonstration begins at 3 p.m. Friday at Maffeo Sutton Park. Organizers say it's an opportunity for black people to speak through stories, poetry and song about their experiences and for the wider community to hear about them. Demonstrators are being asked to keep a safe physical distance from one another, to wear a mask, wash their hands before attending and know there will be no washroom facilities on site.This update is made possible by a grant from Heritage Canada, the local journalism initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada and listeners like you. If you would like to support and help grow local journalism on our airwaves, please make a contribution at chly.ca/support.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

There is good news on the COVID-19 front. There are no new deaths and just four new cases of the virus confirmed in the past 24 hours. The new cases are at two small offices in the Fraser Health Region. The Provincial Health Officer is praising the businesses that took quick action to identify the cases and ensure protocols were followed. Dr. Bonnie Henry says three other outbreaks at long term care homes are now over, as well as the outbreak at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital.Health Minister Adrian Dix says BC can now use three million N95 type masks that have been declared safe for use. Dix says the masks came from a new supplier in China and had not been tested before. Previously, BC relied on masks made by 3M, but that supply has dried up, because of increased worldwide demand and US restrictions on their export. Dix says the new masks put the province in a good position for performing cancelled surgeries and preparing for a second wave of the virus in the fall.The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit is investigating an apparent murder-suicide on Salt Spring Island. Police were called to a home on Fulford-Ganges Road at 5 p.m. on Monday. They found a 48-year-old man dead and a 41-year woman who later succumbed to her injuries. They are believed to be a husband and wife who were long time residents of the island. Police have not confirmed a murder-suicide but say they do not expect to charge anyone with the crime and the public is not at risk.Playgrounds in Nanaimo and the regional district will reopen on Wednesday. They were closed in Mid-March due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. Playground users are being asked to wash their hands before and after leaving and to bring hand sanitizer with them. The parks department is recommending people try to use the playgrounds at less busy times and to not share toys, food, water bottles or other personal items. The Regional District will erect signs, advising people that the playground equipment will not be washed or disinfected. The Maffeo-Sutton playground is being retrofitted and will reopen at a later date.This update is made possible, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada, and Heritage Canada. If you would like to support and grow local news programming, please consider making a sustaining donation for as little as $3.50 a month. You can do that at chly.ca/donate.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

The Vancouver Island Health region continues to keep a lid on new COVID-19 cases. There have been no new cases here since May the 6th. One person remains in hospital. Across the province, there were 24 new cases confirmed since Saturday and one death in a long term care home in the Fraser Health region.The Provincial Health Officer says she supports the right to protest against racism, but Dr. Bonnie Henry says protestors need to weigh the risks and take steps to prevent the spread of the virus. Henry was reacting to a large anti-racism protest, held in Vancouver on Sunday, where 3500 people attended. The protest violated the public health order that limits gatherings to 50 people. Henry says she is pleased to have seen many at the protest wearing masks and in some cases, physically distancing. However, she says it is ironic that the protestors may have put those they are marching in support of, like indigenous and marginalized minorities at risk by their mass gathering. She is urging those who attended the protest to closely monitor their own health and if they show any signs of the virus, they must stay at home and avoid any contact with others.The province has issued an emergency order it hopes will force BC landlords to give their commercial customers a break. The Minister of Finance says the province is banning landlords from evicting eligible business tenants and from suing them for June's rent. Carole James says it's in response to complaints from small businesses that say their landlords are refusing to apply for a federal rent subsidy program. Under the federal program, businesses that suffered a 70 per cent loss of income during the pandemic qualify for a plan that would see Ottawa pay for half of their June rent if their landlord also agrees to cover one-quarter of the rent. James hopes the provincial order banning evictions and lawsuits will, in her words, "encourage" BC landlords to apply for the federal subsidy program.This update is made possible, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada and listeners like you. If you'd like to support and grow local news initiatives like this, please get on board with a sustaining donation at chly.ca/donate.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

COVID-19 numbers continue to remain low in BC over the weekend. There were no new deaths reported on Saturday. There were 11 new cases of the virus, all of them in ongoing outbreaks at senior care homes on the lower mainland.The Provincial Health Officer spent most of her update on Saturday, reassuring parents and teachers that today's return to classrooms is safe. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she is confident and excited about the reopening of schools, given BC's low infection rate. Henry says she has held discussions with members of the BC Teachers' Federation who did express concerns about older teachers and those with underlying health conditions returning to work. The doctor admits she does expect to see some COVID-19 infections in schools over the next two weeks, but she says public health officers and their teams are ready to handle it.Meanwhile, the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District says it has hired 14 extra custodians to ensure new cleaning protocols are met. The district expects just over half of its 15,000 students will return to class this week, but not all of them on the same days. District spokesperson Dale Burgos says each school has created student schedules to limit the number of students in attendance on any given day. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 5 will attend two days per week, while those in grade 6 to 12 will attend once per week. Dale Burgos says vulnerable students will be allowed to attend class full time if requested. School playgrounds will also reopen today.It looks like tubing will be allowed on the Cowichan River this summer after all. The district had banned the popular summer past time and told the local tube rental company that it would not get a business license this year. However, the Tube Shack's Facebook page has posted an announcement that it will open for business on June the 27th, but with new rules in place. Now, tubers must book a reservation and tubing will be limited to 40 people per hour, in keeping with the provincial health order that limits gatherings to 50 people. The company says it will sanitize the tubes after each use and will provide wet bags for people to take their keys with them in the water since it can no longer hold on to customers keys for them.Today is lottery day for 1500 Nanaimo residents hoping to win a spot at the drive-in being sponsored by the Nanaimo Clippers. The Junior A hockey team is hosting a series of drive-in movies, starting June the 12th. It will be limited to 50 cars per show. The first two nights will be for season ticket holders only, but a random draw will take place for the general public, starting today, for three nights of drive-ins on the following weekend. The Clippers had to modify plans to comply with a new provincial health order directing drive-ins to provide washrooms with running water. The Clippers organization says it will provide portable washrooms and running water at the undisclosed drive-in location.This update is made possible, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada and listeners like you. If you'd like to support and grow local news initiatives like this, please get on board with a sustaining donation at chly.ca/donate.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

British Columbia is ending its week of COVID-19 statistics on a positive note. There have been no deaths reported in the past 24 hours, and just four new cases of the virus on the lower mainland. These are the lowest numbers recorded since the start of the pandemic. 228 British Columbians continue to recover from COVID-19, with 34 in hospital, and one in the Island Health region.The Minister of Health and the Provincial Health Officer are welcoming the federal government's decision to ban cruise ships from Canadian waters until at least the end of October. In a joint statement, Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry write: "We commend the federal government's decision. This is the right thing to do for our country and our province right now to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 into our coastal communities." The ban was set to expire on July the 4th. Previously, Dr. Henry had said if cruise ships did dock in BC, passengers would not be allowed to disembark unless they had a plan for 2 weeks of self-isolation. The decision is the latest setback for the tourism industry. |One industry study estimates cruise ships inject $120 million dollars in the economy of greater Victoria every year.Today has been proclaimed "Day of the Honey Bee" by the Ministry of Agriculture. It's In recognition of the significant role the province's honey bees and native pollinators play in B.C.'s agricultural industry and the lives of British Columbians. To mark the occasion, the province has announced a series of grants under its Bee BC program. 15 individuals and organizations from around the province will receive grants for projects that support the health of B.C.'s bees. Among the recipients is the Thetis Island Beekeepers Co-op, It's project will recover land for mass forage planting and crop blend design. The co-op will share its results with other beekeepers.The city of Nanaimo is reminding dog owners that your fur-babies are banned from beaches from now until October. At this time of year, beaches become more crowded and the shoreline is active with migrating and breeding wildlife that should not be disturbed. Those who are caught with their dog on a public beach could face a $150 dollar fine. There are alternatives to let rover run wild, like the region's 11 off-leash dog parks.This update is made possible, thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada and listeners like you. If you'd like to support and grow local news initiatives like this, please get on board with a sustaining donation at chly.ca/donate.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou has been dealt a blow by a BC Supreme Court judge today. Madame Justice Heather Holmes has ruled the crime Meng is accused of would also be a crime in Canada. Holmes' ruling says the essence of the crime is fraud, and not that the alleged fraud is related to a company that is on a US sanctions list. Being on the sanctions list is not a crime in Canada, but fraud is. The ruling means proceedings to extradite Meng to the US to face charges will continue.More grim statistics show another increase in overdose deaths in BC. 117 people died from drug overdoses in April, including 20 in the Island Health Region. 112 people died in March, 18 of them in Island Health. The numbers mark the first time since 2018 that B.C. has recorded more than 100 illicit drug toxicity deaths in back-to-back months. Three British Columbians die of drug overdoses every day, making it the highest for any jurisdiction in Canada. And it's happening in every region of the province. Almost 80 per cent of the deaths occurred inside, with 80 per cent of the victims being men between the ages of 19 and 49. No deaths have occurred at any safe consumption sites.The Provincial Health Officer has put the kybosh on overnight summer camps for kids. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there is no way to prevent transmission of the virus in the overnight camps. She points to concerns over a lack of medical care for large groups in small and remote communities, as well as the risk of bringing COVID-19 into more vulnerable regions. Henry says it's an opinion shared by her counterparts across the country, and she expects there will be bans on overnight summer camps in all provinces. However, health officials are encouraging local day camps, where infection control and prevention are possible.Meanwhile, a northern BC first nation has adopted the provincial health officer, in a ceremony held via Zoom last Friday. Dr. Henry says she is "very honoured and flattered" by the naming ceremony by the Gitksan First Nation. Her Gitksan name, “Gyatsit sa ap dii'm” (Gyat-san ap Dee-Um) means “one who is calm among us.”This update is brought to you by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Community Radio Fund of Canada, Heritage Canada as well as listeners like you. If you'd like to support local news, please consider making a sustaining donation for as little as $3.50 a month at chly.ca/donateWritten and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

Four more people have died from COVID-19 in BC since Saturday, all of them at the Langley Lodge long term care home. There were 12 new cases of the virus reported, including one in the Island Health region. There are currently 267 active COVID-19 cases, with two in Island Health. There have been no new cases reported at any of the community outbreaks in poultry plants, federal prisons or a fruit packing plant in Abbotsford. The Provincial Health Officer says consumers should not be worried about eating any of the products from these facilities. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there have been no cases of COVID-19 linked to food or food packaging.Meanwhile, Dr. Henry is defending her recent order that limits 50 vehicles at all drive-ins and other entertainment venues. The provincial health officer received a deluge of letters from unhappy organizers over the weekend, after her order forced the cancellation of a large in-car concert in Prince George. Henry says she made the decision because of the high risk of transmission and to ensure there would be timely contact tracing if someone at an event tests positive for the virus. She admonished her critics, saying they need to "take a deep breath. These events are not things that are to be got around. It's about having a reasonable approach that can be sustained." Henry says she will revisit the issue in consultation with the sector in a month from now, after seeing the results of opening restaurants and retail businesses.Staff at Vancouver Island University have stepped up to create much-needed supplies for health care providers. VIU's chemistry department is making hand-sanitizer for long term care homes in the Nanaimo region. The Engineering Department has made 250 face masks using 3-D printers. They are being used by the Nanaimo Division of Family Practise, the Arrowsmith Lodge and are being evaluated at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. The Faculties of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities and Science and Technology have donated 800 transparency shields that go with the face masks and a technician in the IT department at the Cowichan campus is 3-D printing headbands for face shields for use in health care settings in the Cowichan Valley.Thousands of British Columbians crashed a government website this morning, just minutes after it opened to take parks reservations. The Minister responsible apologized to the unhappy campers. George Heyman says the reservation portal crashed when 50,000 requests were made at once, but the site is working well now. He says 35,000 successful reservations were confirmed by noon today, which is a record for BC and double the record set by Parks Canada. Those who were unable to make a booking can try again tomorrow when the system will begin taking reservations from July the 25th onward. The pent up demand comes as the province announced overnight camping in provincial parks will begin on June the 1st and is for BC residents only.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

The Provincial Health Officer says BC doesn't need to take up the federal government's offer to help provinces with contact-tracing. However, Dr. Bonnie Henry says she'd like to see federal resources go to enhancing monitoring of people entering the country. Henry says she would welcome more help from the federal government to check up on travellers who are supposed to be under quarantine and to expand BC's policy of demanding travellers provide self-isolation plans, to all entry points across the country.Meanwhile, on Saturday, Dr Henry presented the latest COVID-19 numbers, reporting 2 deaths in long term care homes in the Fraser Health Region. There were no new cases of the virus in Island Health, but province-wide, there were 10 new cases, including five at a frozen fruit processing plant in Abbotsford. The Nature's Touch plant has voluntarily shut down operations.Nanaimo city council is being asked to allocate close to $200,000 to deal with what is being called "social disorder issues." A staff report says open drug dealing has made Wesley Street "an urban dead zone." It says an increase in campsites, stolen shopping carts, discarded needles, vandalism, garbage and the misuse of public washrooms has led to a tripling of clean up costs in less than three years. The report says the COVID-19 pandemic has left boarded-up businesses and empty parking lots vulnerable to homeless and transient individuals, further stretching the demand on police and bylaw services. Staff is asking council for $187,000 to fund a "Social Disorder Response Team," made up of sanitation crews, parking and bylaw officers and the RCMP. It will be voted on at the special council meeting today.Meanwhile, city staff isn't the only group asking for money to clean up downtown. The Old City Quarter Association wants city hall to share the cost of providing private security and running a call centre for complaints. In a letter to council, the group writes: " Since the middle of March, there have been very few residents and no business activity on downtown streets. At the same time, the homeless population has continued to grow in this neighbourhood resulting in a rapidly deteriorating environment. Residents and tenants no longer feel safe, nor do they enjoy the changing character of the neighbourhood. Both new and longer-term community members are choosing to leave. This represents the undoing of many years of determined community effort to revitalize the Old City Quarter and all of downtown Nanaimo." The group estimates it will cost up to $30,000 to fund the plan for six months, and it's asking the city to split that bill.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

Restaurants, pubs, breweries and wineries are being given the green light to expand service to patios. BC's Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch has set up a fast-track, on-line permission process to temporarily allow expanded service areas until Oct. 31st. It does not allow an increase in the number of licensed seats in an establishment. It will only allow those seats to be spread out, to include patios or even sidewalks, with permission of the local municipality. The president of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association calls it "excellent news." Ian Tostenson says "it will be welcomed by all of our members and by businesses throughout B.C as an important step towards recovery." Normally such approvals would take months and hundreds of dollars to complete. Site inspections will not be required before the permit is issued, but random inspections are planned.Both the Minister of Health and the Provincial Health Officer are downplaying concerns from restaurant patrons about a new rule. Now, diners must leave their names where they dine, to help with contact tracing, if there is a COVID-19 outbreak at the establishment. Some complain that is an infringement of privacy, but Adrian Dix calls it "a small inconvenience," saying "It's not a question of rights but a question of our obligations as human beings to one another during an extraordinarily difficult time." The contact information will be held for 30 days. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the information will not be accessed unless there is an outbreak. She says health authorities already have access to information from credit cards or loyalty cards when needed for contact tracing.The Nanaimo Clippers is organizing a series of drive-in movies, to boost community spirits during the pandemic. The movies begin on June the 12 and 13th for season ticket holders only. From the 19th until the 21st, they will be for the general public. However, there will be a 50 car limit, and there will be no washroom facilities at the undisclosed drive-in location. Registration is required and a random draw will follow. The Junior Hockey team reports more than 700 families have registered in less than a day. On the bill "Toy Story 4" "Onward" and "Step Brothers." To enter the draw for tickets, check out the Clippers website.Written and reported by: Lisa Cordasco, News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.ca Find us on social media at Twitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded by Sustaining Donors and the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Heritage Canada's Local Journalism Initiative. Sustain CHLY's News Department for many years to come by signing up for a monthly Sustaining Donation.

The Minister of Labour is promising a robust level of inspections, as businesses begin to reopen. Harry Bains says that's why his ministry has increased the number of inspectors and hotline advisors since mid-March. Bains says close to 9,000 inspectors have been conducted since the start of the pandemic. Starting now, inspections will be initiated by both complaints and by random visits to businesses in all sectors. Bains is confident that businesses and consumers are making themselves well aware of the WorkSafe BC guidelines. He says the WorkSafe guideline page has seen more than half a million visits since the guidelines were posted one week ago. The Minister and WorkSafe's head of prevention services will host a town hall meeting tonight to answer your questions. It starts at 7:15 p.m. on the provincial government's Facebook page.And on the subject of town halls, thousands of British Columbians tuned in and asked questions about reopening classrooms during one such meeting last night. There were just under 2000 questions and comments during the live broadcast. Many questions focused on how schools plan to keep COVID-19 from infecting students and teachers. The Minister of Education pointed to a comprehensive document that includes protocols for cleaning, class size and other environmental measures. It's on the government's COVID-19 website, by searching "Health and Safety Guidelines for K-12 setting. Rob Flemming says each district must submit its plan to the Ministry for approval before the end of May. The medical lead for the Provincial Health Officer says infection rates are low enough that experts believe schools will be very safe. Dr. Trevor Corneil says even if someone does become infected, health officers assigned to school districts and contact tracing teams are well set up to identify and contain the spread of the virus. The president of the BC School Trustees Association assured teachers they would not be burdened with more work or high risks. Stephanie Higginson says each district is mandated to work collaboratively to address work and health issues with teachers and staff.Graduating students wanted to know about celebrations and whether the disrupted year will affect applications to colleges and universities. Flemming says he's working with provincial post-secondary institutions to build flexibility into that process. The Minister hinted at a virtual grad celebration featuring some famous British Columbians. You can watch the 90-minute video of the meeting on the provincial government's Facebook page or Youtube channel.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

A memorial to the Snowbird who died in last Sunday's plane crash continues to grow at the airport in Kamloops. Captain Jenn Casey did not survive, after ejecting from the Snowbirds jet, that crashed into a house shortly after takeoff. The pilot, Captain Richard MacDougall remains in hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. Hundreds of Kamloops residents have been adding flowers, hearts, cards and even medals along a fenceline off Tranquille Road near the airport. Local officials are talking about possibly renaming the road in honour of Casey. The other Snowbird jets remain grounded at Kamloops, where an investigation by the Royal Canadian Airforce continues. Lt. Colonel Mike French says investigators will have more to say about the cause of the crash in about a month from now. However, he predicts a full investigation will not be completed for a year.North Cowichan RCMP are sharing few details about two incidents involving explosives in the past 10 days. Yesterday, officers were called to the Falcon Nest Motel in Duncan. While investigating they found an improvised explosive device. The hotel was evacuated and the RCMP's specialized explosives Disposal Unit from the lower mainland was called. Police will not say what type of bomb was found, where it was found and whether it was detonated by the disposal unit. No one has been arrested in that case and police have not said whether they have a suspect in mind. The incident yesterday, follows on the heels of another incident at the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment, on May the 10th. The detachment and surrounding area were evacuated after a person showed up with explosives, asking the police to safely dispose of them. The explosives disposal unit from the lower mainland disposed of the material. Corporal Kiel Pharis says the person with the explosives meant no harm. He says if you need assistance in making sure that items like blasting caps or old fireworks are disposed of safely, please call the police first.The Provincial Health Officer says she shares the concerns of fellow British Columbians, as the province enters the next phase of its pandemic plan. Dr. Bonnie Henry is advising both businesses and individuals to take it slowly when it comes to reopening or expanding your social circle. Henry says she invited some friends to her home last weekend. They stayed outside and kept two metres apart. Nevertheless, she says the experience was "a bit awkward, strange and stressful." Henry is advising seniors, those with underlying medical conditions, undergoing cancer treatment, preparing for surgery or anyone not feeling well to resist expanding their bubble or engaging in the wider world. A memorial to the Snowbird who died in last Sunday's plane crash continues to grow at the airport in Kamloops. Captain Jenn Casey did not survive, after ejecting from the Snowbirds jet, that crashed into a house shortly after takeoff. The pilot, Captain Richard MacDougall remains in hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Three more people have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing BC's fatality count to 135. All were in the Fraser Health Region. However, there is some good news for that hard hit health region. The Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam has now reopened. It was closed three weeks ago. 60 cases of the virus were linked to that plant. Outbreaks at three long term care facilities in the Fraser Region are now declared over, as well as the outbreak at the Worthington Pavilion Rehabilitation Unit in Abbotsford. However, outbreaks continue at 15 other long term and assisted care facilities along with three acute care units, all on the lower mainland.Across the province, there are 15 new cases of the virus confirmed in the past 24 hours, including one in Island Health. There are 372 active cases of COVID-19 in BC, with just five in our health region. One person remains in hospital here. Those statistics are why Island Health has continued to open up more acute and critical care beds in its hospitals.The Minister of Health says Island Health has a higher than 67 per cent occupancy rate at its hospitals, and it is seeing more visits to its emergency rooms. Adrian Dix believes it is because people in the Island Health region have less fear about going to hospital because our infection rates are among the lowest in the province. He says close to 1200 people who had their surgeries cancelled in the Island Health region have been contacted to set new dates for those surgeries. 4,000 surgeries were cancelled in this region after the pandemic was declared.While many businesses in BC are preparing to re-open starting next week, that will not be the case for dentists. The BC Dental Association has not set a date for its members to reopen their offices. It says access to personal protection equipment is a concern. The Association says it is continuing to work on guidelines with WorkSafe BC and the Provincial Health Officer. Currently, only emergency dental work is being done by a handful of dentists in BC. The Provincial Health Officer says she is keeping a close eye on reports of a serious childhood illness that may be triggered by COVID-19. Reports out of Italy, New York City and Montreal say they have seen Kawasaki syndrome in some children who have tested positive for COVID-19. Kawasaki disease is a genetic predisposition, triggered by various viral infections. It causes inflammation and irreversible heart damage if not diagnosed within four days. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there have been no cases of Kawasaki syndrome in BC. "It is very rare," she says, "and pediatricians and clinicians know what to look for."Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

NANAIMO—COVID-19 figures released today show a steady decline in the number of new cases and hospitalizations in BC. There are just seven new cases of the virus reported over the past 24 hours, and none in the Island Health region. Fewer than 400 people are now suffering from COVID-19 in BC, with just 8 active cases in Island Health. However, the death rate continues to climb, with one new death at a long term care facility in the Fraser Health region. 63 people are in hospital with the virus, with one in Island Health.The BC Centres for Disease Control has launched an online survey to measure how COVID-19 has affected British Columbians and to inform those leading the pandemic response in their decision-making. BC's Minister of Health, Adrian Dix says it's an opportunity for British Columbians to have a say in improving our health care system. The survey, called "Your Story-Our Future" takes 15 minutes to complete and you can do so online at BCCDC.cacovid19survey. The online survey is offered in three languages. The survey can also be completed by telephone for those unable to access the internet and where the survey is offered in 150 other languages. The phone number is 1-833-707-1900. The survey is open until May the 31st, and the results will be made available this summer.The Provincial Health Officer has some advice to people wondering whether they can start dating during the pandemic. Dr. Bonnie Henry acknowledges it is an extra-difficult time for single people who do not have ready-made people in their bubble" but she is urging singles to proceed slowly and with serious thought before embarking on new relationships right now. Bottom line she says "this is not the time for rapid, serial-dating. But if you pick one person, be responsible, no kissing if you or the other person is feeling unwell. Keep your germs to yourself for now."The Mayor of Nanaimo is standing behind his council's decision to borrow $44 million dollars to pay for $89 million dollars worth of capital projects in this year's budget. Leonard Krog says "it is precisely during this time of crisis that makes it exactly the right time to invest in infrastructure projects." The projects include the replacement of Firehall #1, and major upgrades to Metral Drive, Bowen Road and the Harewood area. Krog says the infrastructure projects will mean continued employment for city workers and new jobs for companies that win city contracts. However, he could not say how many jobs would be created. City taxpayers will see an average $114 dollars increase to their tax bill this year.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Island Health region continues to show declines in the number of new cases and the number of people in hospital because of COVID-19. BC saw 23 new cases over the weekend, but none in Island Health. There was one death, but it was not reported where that occurred. 130 people including five in the island health region have died from the virus. There is only one person in hospital in this region, compared to 66 people province-wide.Despite lots of complaints on social media about people crowding beaches, parks and not keeping a safe physical distance last weekend, the Provincial Health Officer says she has no plans for punitive action. The Vancouver Park Board says its park rangers issued more than 11,000 warnings last weekend, to groups that were not physically distancing. It has decided to keep its park and beach parking lots closed as a result. In Nanaimo, the parks department received a few complaints, but no more than usual and its bylaw officers received none. Island Health says its teams "did not get any notable reports or complaints from the public over the weekend." In her daily update, Dr. Bonnie Henry says she also saw lots of people going outdoors and gathering last weekend, but in small groups, that were sitting far enough apart from each other. Henry says not taking a punitive approach is working to help contain the spread of the virus, and she has no plans to change it.And one last reminder, tonight you can tune in and ask questions at a virtual town hall meeting with Dr. Henry and Adrian Dix, the Minister of Health. It starts at 7:15 p.m. on the BC government's Facebook page.BC's Independent Investigations Office is looking into another incident involving the Nanaimo RCMP. The most recent incident involves a woman who was arrested under the Mental Health Act on March the 18th. Police were called to the Gateway Mental Health Housing facility to attend to the woman who was described as "agitated and uttering suicidal threats." The woman claims she suffered a leg injury as a result of her arrest. The IIO says it will investigate whether police action or inaction led to what it calls "serious harm to the female." Last month, the IIO recommended charges involving the use of force against a Nanaimo police officer for "serious injuries" of a woman who was arrested on December the 2nd. Crown counsel has not yet decided whether to lay charges in that case.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

One person is dead and two others are in hospital as a result of an explosion at a marina near Victoria on Sunday afternoon. RCMP say a fire on board a boat spread to the fuel dock at the North Saanich Marina, causing the explosion. Corporal Chris Manseau says two other boats were damaged. He says an RCMP dive team is at the site to examine and recover the sunken boat, where the fire started. Another team of explosion specialists and the North Saanich Fire Department are trying to determine the cause.It's only Monday, but BC Ferries is already reminding potential customers to stay at home this coming long weekend. The ferry corporation says many communities, including those on the Southern Gulf Islands, have issued advisories to travellers notifying them of limited supplies, healthcare equipment and resources. In order to maintain safe physical distancing, BC Ferries has cut in half, the number of passengers per sailing. And, it's allowing travellers to remain in their vehicles during the voyage. An important change involves people travelling on the Southern Gulf Islands to Vancouver route. BC Ferries is asking all vehicles and all passengers to make reservations. Those sailings are 100 per cent reservable. Only customers with bookings and correctly identified passenger numbers will be assured they will get on the sailing. Masks are not mandatory, but they are being encouraged. Passengers will be asked to confirm whether they have read signage from Transport Canada that asks four questions about their travel history and health. Those showing symptoms of the virus will be prevented from sailing. There will be no food or retail services on board, including no vending machines.We will bring you the latest COVID 19 numbers on our next news update at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, British Columbians will have the opportunity to ask the Minister of Health and the Provincial Health Officer questions at a virtual town hall meeting tonight. The broadcast begins at 7:15 p.m. on the government's Facebook Page. Some questions will be taken during the live broadcast, but you can also submit questions in advance at www.gov.bc.ca/covid19townhalls.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

*Get ready to think! Lurking under the surface of folk culture's celebration of kind, calm and safe is a dark history of fearmongering to advance state control. Enmeshed with an uplifting melody and progressive lyrics, folk music issues powerful demands on individuals to sacrifice priorities in the name of the common good. This message is almost always facilitated by the deification of an authority figure: in the case of COVID19, that figure is Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer. RegClips by RegulatorWatch.com Length: 4mins Released: May 7, 2020 Produced by: Brent Stafford https://youtu.be/rx7auoTtczI

Extended families will be able to hug and lovers and friends will soon be reunited under the province's "Re-start Plan" for the COVID-19 pandemic. The new normal, announced by the Premier will allow people to expand their social circles, and for many businesses to open, but with caution. Starting on the May long weekend, people will be allowed to host small social gatherings with a recommended half dozen guests. The Provincial Health Officer has released a list of to-dos, including screening guests for symptoms and structuring the get together by telling guests to wear masks, or stay six feet apart, or to gather outside, and to plan for how to properly clean before and after their arrival. Dr. Bonnie Henry says families will likely want to hug and she has no problem with that. But she says people need to think about the repercussions of their actions in expanding their circles and their responsibility to not show up if they show any signs of flu or cold, no matter how mild. If you are in a vulnerable group, she advises to think about whether and how you may or may not expand your social circle or attend events.Schools will also be allowed to open more classrooms. The Premier says no one will be forced to return to school. The idea is to offer space to students who are struggling or who need supervision because their parents are returning to work. Also starting in mid-May, some health care services will resume, including the thousands of surgeries that were cancelled, to make beds available for surges in COVID-19 patients. Chiropractors, dentists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and in-person counsellors will be allowed to reopen their doors, so will many other businesses, but they will have to have COVID-19 plans in place. Currently, industry associations are working with provincial health officials on those plans. They will cover hairdressers, barbershops, restaurants and pubs as well as museums, art galleries and libraries. Each business must publicly display its plan and must be approved by their industry associations and WorkSafe BC. Provincial parks will be open for day use, starting May the 14th, and many parks will reopen for overnight camping on June the 1st, but the Premier is asking British Columbians to not travel great distances to get to them.If case counts continue to stay low, the next phase of loosened restrictions will begin in July. They will include the reopening of hotels, spas, resorts and movie theatres, along with the resumption of film production and some sports. Dr. Henry says it's highly unlikely that nightclubs and casinos will reopen, and conventions and large concerts will definitely not be allowed.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Premier will announce on Wednesday, which COVID-19 restrictions will be relaxed and which businesses may reopen. Today, the Provincial Health Officer hinted households will be able to expand their circles. However, Dr. Bonnie Henry is warning those who live with vulnerable people including seniors or those with underlying health conditions need to seriously think about whether they should expand their circle.Today's COVID-19 numbers show one new case in the Island Health region, bringing our count to 124. Province-wide, there have been 53 new cases confirmed since Saturday, bringing BC's total to 2224. There were three more deaths in long term care homes, bringing the total number of deaths in BC to 117.Some British Columbians may be over-doing it when it comes to cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic. BC's Drug and Poison Information Centre has seen a 60 per cent spike in calls related to exposures to household cleaners and disinfectants over the past two months. Most of the calls involve people using cleaners in excessive amounts, by not properly diluting some chemicals or by mixing chemicals that should not be mixed. The Information Centre says calls about bleach are particularly concerning because mixing bleach with vinegar, ammonia or rubbing alcohol can create toxic gases. In a typical week, the Drug and Poison Information Centre receives 9 calls related to adults' exposure to bleach. From March 8 to April 11, the average was 24 calls per week.Statistics Canada says 80 per cent of Canadians who participated in a survey last month are very or extremely anxious about overloading the health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic. And, the vast majority also reported they are worried about the health of vulnerable people. But other worries depend on your age group. 6 in 10 people aged 65 and older are very or extremely concerned about their own health, compared with 23% of those aged 15 to 24 and 28% among those aged 25 to 34. Maintaining social ties was also a concern for seniors, particularly those aged 75 and older. Younger participants were more concerned about social stressors, including family stress from confinement or the possibility of civil unrest. Close to 200,000 Canadians took part in the online questionnaire. Stats Can is inviting Canadians to take part in its second survey which can be found on its website.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Provincial Health Officer did not present an in-person report on the latest COVID-19 numbers today, however, a news release says one person from the Fraser Health Region has died in the past 24 hours. So far, 112 people have died from the virus in BC, including 4 in the Island Health region. There are 33 new cases confirmed in the last day, one in the Island Health Region. The case counts continue to rise at several lower mainland poultry processing plants and at the federal medium-security prison in Mission. And there are now 15 cases of the virus linked to workers from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta. The total case count in BC is 2145, 121 of those are in our health region.Family and friends of a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot from Nanaimo are in mourning today. 30-year-old Captain Kevin Hagan was onboard a Canadian Air Force Cyclone helicopter that crashed during a training exercise off the coast of Greece on Wednesday. In a written statement, Hagan's father Steffan says the family is devastated and still processing the grief. Hagan described his son as "caring and sensitive...an amazing young man who gave unselfishly of himself for others." Captain Hagan was born in Nanaimo but spent time in Ladysmith, Victoria and Quadra Island. He was an alumni of 848 Royal Roads Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Victoria. The body of one of Hagan's crewmates has been recovered from the Ionian Sea. The search will continue for Hagan and four others for the next 48 hours. The crew of HMCS Fredericton, the helicopter's base ship, is planning to hold a vigil tomorrow.Flags are flying at half-mast at Nanaimo city hall, to remember the lives lost in the second worst mining disaster in Canadian history. 150 miners died on May the 3rd, 1887, after two explosions rocked the No. 1 Esplanade Mine. A jury blamed the explosions on the firing of an unprepared and badly planted charge that ignited gases, built up from coal dust. A memorial plaque commemorating the miners is installed at the old mine site, which is at 1151 Milton Street.Today is the first day British Columbians can apply for a one-time tax-free payment of $1000. To qualify, you must be eligible for the federal government's Canadian Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB. The Minister of Finance says more than 16,000 British Columbians applied for the benefit in the first 45 minutes of the portal being open this morning.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Four more people in BC have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 109. All three were seniors in long term care homes on the lower mainland. Province-wide there were 34 new infections reported, most in the two largest poultry plants on the lower mainland. In the Island Health region, one new case was reported, bringing our total to 120. However, most of them no longer have the virus. There are five people who remain in hospital and 24 others recovering at home in our health region.The Minister of Health says as the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 falls, the sooner hospitals can reschedule surgeries that were cancelled to free up hospital beds for those infected with the virus. Adrian Dix says emergency surgeries have continued during the pandemic and so have some scheduled surgeries that were urgent. Dix says close to 8800 urgent surgeries were performed since the middle of March. But he predicts the backlog could reach 30,000 by the end of May. The Provincial Health Officer says plans to ramp up cancelled surgeries will be announced in the coming weeks. Dr. Bonnie Henry calls that planning "a balancing act." She says many of the most urgent surgeries require beds in critical care units, the same beds that may be needed if there is a surge in COVID-19 cases. A report from the University of Toronto has found 35 people who needed urgent surgeries died because of the policy to reserve critical care beds for a pandemic surge.Government officials continue to wring their hands over the dilemma many non-unionized workers face of having to self isolate if they are sick, but not being paid for sick days. That appears to be why there are such large outbreaks at two of the largest poultry processing plants on the lower mainland. 92 people at those plants have tested positive for the virus. Today, the Premier let slip that some of those who went to work when sick included federal food inspectors. John Horgan says he's looking at legislation that would force sick workers to stay at home, but not lose pay because of it. But, he says he's reluctant to put additional financial burdens on companies that are already stretched because of the pandemic. Dr. Henry says she held a conference call with plant owners, operators, and federal food inspectors about the importance of monitoring their workforces and the need to work together to change policies to ensure sick workers stay home.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Two more people have died from COVID-19 in BC, one from the interior and one from the Fraser Valley, bringing the death count to 105. The province saw another spike in new cases, with 55 reported over the past 24 hours. Four of those are in the Island Health region. The majority of new cases, more than half, are the result of the outbreaks at two lower mainland poultry plants. However, the Provincial Health Officer says those large outbreaks will not influence her plan to ease some restrictions. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she still expects to do so by the end of May. Henry says large outbreaks are more easily tracked than small, random cases in communities. It's that random group that has to stay low in order to relax restrictions.The Minister of Education says there is no plan yet to reopen BC schools before the end of this school year. However, Rob Flemming says officials are planning to open more classrooms, as more workers return to their jobs. Currently, there are close to 8,000, mostly elementary school students who are in classrooms in BC. They are the young children of health care workers, who cannot be left alone all day. Flemming expects those numbers will grow in the coming weeks. Flemming downplayed a full return to classrooms before the summer. He says that won't happen until a balance can be struck between what's effective and meaningful learning and what is healthy and safe to do.A just-released series of reports estimate it will cost close to a billion dollars to reopen the Vancouver Island Railway Corridor to maximum capacity from Victoria to Courtenay. The E and N passenger train service shut down in 2011 because many of the tracks and bridges did not meet transportation standards. Currently, only a small freight service exists around Nanaimo. The new engineering studies found the existing roadbed and track structure of the corridor is in a poor to fair condition. Bridges along with the corridor range between poor to good, while at-grade crossings are in fair condition. The reports outline a three-phased approach to upgrades The first phase, allowing for 2 freight trains and one round trip passenger train per day would cost $326 million. Phase two, a doubling of those services would cost $522 million and a third phase would cost $728 million. It would include much higher freight volumes along with four round trips between Victoria and Courtenay and a full commuter service between Victoria and Langford. The Ministry of Transportation says it will consider the findings as part of its South Island Transportation Strategy. It expects to release that strategy report in June.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Provincial Health Officer is not backing down from calls to increase the rate of COVID-19 testing, to get a better picture of how widespread the virus is in BC. Dr. Bonnie Henry says BC is capable of testing 3,000 people a day, but she does not believe it's necessary to reach that daily target. Henry says at the start of the pandemic, the only people being tested widely were health care workers, long term care residents and staff or those likely to end up in hospital. Others with symptoms were told to assume they had the virus and to isolate for two weeks. The goal was to try to limit outbreaks and help ensure the health care system would not be overwhelmed. Now that the curve has flattened, everyone who has symptoms is being tested. Henry says tests on people without symptoms yield unreliable results and is a waste of resources. She says she is waiting for a reliable serology test that will measure anti-bodies. Experts hope that type of testing will show what percentage of the general population was actually infected with the virus.BC's Minister of Health isn't ruling out possible legislation to ensure employees won't lose their jobs or suffer any penalties if they call in sick. The COVID-19 outbreaks at the poultry processing plants on the lower mainland spread quickly because some employees with symptoms continued to go to work. The non-union workers there do not have sick pay. Instead, they are allowed to make up sick days by working extra hours. Adrian Dix says it is vitally important that people do not show up for work when sick, and employers must respect that. When asked whether the province would impose penalties against employers who do not comply, Dix said he was not announcing anything about those issues today, but left the door open for "future announcements."BC's Seniors Advocate is calling for more volunteers to help elders manage during the pandemic. Isobel Mackenzie says more than 5500 people have already signed up with the Safe Seniors-Strong Communities Program. She says grocery shopping and virtual visiting are the two most requested services. They made up more than 20,000 of the requests for help in the first four weeks of the program. If you would like to volunteer, call the senior's line 2-1-1.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

There have been three more deaths and 50 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in BC since Saturday. BC's death count is 103. The total number of infected is just under 2000. There were no new cases or deaths reported in the Island Health region.Many of the new cases are linked to the outbreak at the federal medium-security prison in Mission. 118 inmates, almost a third of the prison population, along with 12 workers have tested positive for the virus over the past three weeks. Corrections Canada says it has taken the advice of provincial Health Authorities to manage the outbreak. Now, all inmates at the Mission institution will be tested. And, Corrections Canada has installed more hand-washing stations, provided more personal protective equipment and more disinfection of high-contact surfaces. The federal prison has come under fire from the union representing guards, and an inmates group, that has launched a class-action lawsuit, claiming Corrections Canada did little to prevent or control the spread of the virus. BC's Provincial Health Officer says a lapse in reporting to the local health authority meant the virus spread rapidly. Dr. Bonnie Henry says there were further challenges over differing opinions about infection control. The institution has since increased its nursing staff to provide 24/7 care and doctors are available seven days a week. The Mission outbreak sits in stark contrast to the outbreak of one inmate at the provincially run Okanagan Detention Center. That outbreak was declared "over" more than a week ago. BC's Minister of Health praised officials at the Okanagan facility. Adrian Dix says he hopes to share the healthcare model for BC prisons with other jurisdictions.The Provincial Health Officer says she has not set a date for when BC school classrooms might re-open. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she is not considering opening schools over the summer. However, she says some elementary school children, whose parents work, may see some open classrooms in the coming weeks. Henry says any classroom re-openings would be small scale, while the province creates a much larger plan for the fall. The Minister of Education is planning to speak tomorrow, about what schools are doing in the meantime.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

A woman from Alert Bay has become the first indigenous person in BC to die from COVID-19. The Provincial Health Officer's voice quavered with emotion as she made the announcement on Saturday. Dr. Bonnie Henry said "Our elders in our first nations communities are culture and history keepers and when they die, we all lose. I recognize the tragic impact this has had on her family and her entire community."Meanwhile, in Alert Bay, the local emergency declaration has been extended for another week. The declaration was put in place to curtail all non-essential travel and impose an evening curfew. Family caregivers in BC are becoming more and more stressed, due to the suspension of programs, designed to give them a break. That's why the province has added a half-million dollars to Family Caregivers of BC. The non-profit group will use the funds to boost its 2-1-1 hotline and to create virtual peer support programs. More than a million British Columbians provide unpaid care to seniors, usually family members. However, COVID-19 has forced the closure of adult day programs and respite care that they rely on. BC's Seniors Advocate says she's very sorry about that. However, Isobel Mackenzie says she hopes the increased virtual supports will give caregivers "some comfort in sharing the burden and the stress with others."Meanwhile, both Isobel Mackenzie and the Provincial Health Officer are looking at how care homes can open up to visitors in the coming weeks. Dr. Bonnie Henry has said she is working on how to relax restrictions without putting seniors at risk for COVID-19. Mackenzie, BC's Seniors Advocate says a way must be found because would be "tragic" to keep seniors from loved ones for a year or more.BC saw its largest spike in new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 95. It was the second large spike in less than a week. Last Wednesday, the case count increased by 75. Dr. Henry says the latest spike is due to outbreaks at 2 poultry processing plants and a federal prison. 40 new cases at the Mission Medium Security Institution brings the total there to 106 inmates and 12 staff...that's close to a third of the inmate population. The outbreak at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam grew by 16, with a total of 18 cases. It's sister plant in Vancouver, United Poultry, reported seven new cases, totalling 35. Both plants have been closed by Health Authorities. Island Health reported one new COVID-19 case, bringing our case count to 115.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Hunters and anglers in BC will be allowed to pursue their passion, thanks to the Provincial Health Officer. Hunting and fishing has been declared an essential service. However, participants can only hunt and fish locally, where permitted by local authorities. Federal and provincial parks remain closed. They can only travel and hunt or fish with members of their family, or others they live with, all the time, remaining two meters apart. In its news release, the BC Wildlife Federation says it lobbied hard for the designation and promises to continue to press the province to open its parks so that British Columbians have access to outdoor areas to give them a physical and mental reprieve from the effects of COVID-19.The federal government is offering rent relief to small business owners, whose businesses have closed or whose revenues have dropped by 70 per cent due to COVID-19. But the plan hinges on the cooperation of commercial property owners. The property owner will be given non-repayable loans for 50 per cent of the rent if the property owner agrees to cover a further 25 per cent. The small business owner would pay the remaining 25 per cent. Property owners must also agree not to evict the small business. The rent relief scheme applies to rent for April, May and June. The federal plan will be jointly funded with the province. Non-profits and charities also qualify.COVID-19 numbers released yesterday show four more deaths, bringing BC's total to 94. That represents five per cent of all positive test results. There were 29 new cases of the virus province-wide, totalling 1824. There was one new case added in the Island Health region, totalling 111. However, more than 60 percent of those who caught the virus have recovered. In the Island Health region, that means 80 people have recovered. 23 people are recovering at home, and five in hospital, including one in critical care. Three people in the Island Health region have died from the virus. We'll have today's numbers on our 6 pm news update.Buyers crashed the Fluevog shoe website yesterday, within minutes of the Dr. Bonnie Henry model going on sale. There were 200 pairs of the Dr. Henry offered, at $339 dollars each. All of the proceeds will go to FoodBanks BC. Buyers will have to wait until the end of the summer before receiving a pair of the two-tone pink Mary Jane style pumps that are inscribed with Henry's words, "Be Kind, Be calm, Be Safe."Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Hundreds of people had questions for Island Health officials at a virtual town hall meeting last night. 300 queries were asked ahead of time, and a dozen more during the livestream broadcast. The questions ranged from when cancelled surgeries will resume to whether COVID-19 sticks to hair or money. The CEO of Island Health, Kathy MacNeil said she expects non emergency surgeries will be rescheduled starting in mid-May. The Island's Chief Medical Officer fielded questions about testing, when social isolation rules could be relaxed and why some remote and island areas aren't being locked down. Dr. Richard Stanwick said officials from several health authorities discussed lock downs with the Provincial Health Officer. But, he said Dr. Bonnie Henry is committed to not going that route since most people are complying and have legitimate reasons to travel. you can watch a repeat of the broadcast on the BC Government Facebook page or its YouTube channel.Meanwhile, the Island Health region recorded its largest spike in COVID-19 cases since the middle of March. Seven new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours, bringing our case count to 109. Five people remain in hospital with one in critical care. 32 others are recovering at home.Homeless people in the Parksville area have been invited to sleep in the graveyard between St. Edmond's and St. Anne's Anglican churches, according to the Nanaimo News Bulletin. 18 people were expected to do so, starting last night. The area's only shelter was forced to close in mid-March because it had no running water and could not provide safe physical distancing. Reverend Christine Muise of St. Anne's says so far, the Regional District of Nanaimo and the BC Ministry of Housing have been unable to replace the shelter, so the graveyard will be used as a temporary replacement. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Housing is reporting it has secured two locations with 50 spaces for vulnerable people to self-isolate and recover, including 10 spaces for women leaving violent situations. It is promising to secure more sites in the future. However, some involved in the process, including the Mayor of Victoria, have complained that even with these arrangements, hotel owners continue to refuse to provide shelter to substance misusers or those with mental health issues. On Sunday, BC's Minister of Public Safety announced $2000 dollar fines for accommodation owners that refuse to provide spaces.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Nanaimo City Council has not decided yet, whether to amend its plan for a 5.2 per cent property tax increase. Yesterday, council met to review several scenarios that would reduce this year's increase. The current increase would allow all of the city's capital projects to proceed, but offers no relief to taxpayers, who may be struggling due to COVID-19. If it reduced taxes to 3.8 per cent, it would mean service cuts. If the tax increase was set at 1 per cent, it would drain the special reserve fund, and mean a tax increase of 6.8 per cent next year. Council has sent staff back to the drawing board to crunch the numbers. It will meet again next Monday. Council has until May the 15th to pass a final budget. It has already decided to defer property tax payment penalties from July until September.Individuals and organizations that deliver services to close to 10,000 people with disabilities will be able to get help with additional costs due to COVID-19. The pandemic has affected group homes and independent living providers that are struggling with overtime costs, staffing shortages and access to additional supplies like personal protective equipment. Many home-sharing providers are taking on extra caregiving duties because community day programs have shut down. That's why the province has launched a new program, through Community Living BC, which will provide up to $35 and a half million dollars over the next three months. CLBC will open the process to request funding on Monday, but funds are available retroactive to April the first.The president of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association says his members are in overdrive, to try to find ways to re-introduce table service during the pandemic. Ian Tostenson told CBC radio that restauranteurs are excited by the Provincial Health Officer's challenge to find innovative ways of re-opening safely. Tostenson says ideas include providing personal protective equipment to servers, taking customers' temperatures before letting them in and spacing tables to safe distances. He says the ideas will be discussed with Dr. Bonnie Henry in the coming days. A reminder, tonight at 7:15, you can tune in to a virtual town hall meeting with officials from the Island Health Authority. Its CEO and Chief Medical Officer, along with two area MLAs will answer your questions. You can join the town hall on the Provincial Government's website or its YouTube channel.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Minister of Public Safety has announced new penalties to try to curb price gouging of medical and other supplies needed for the COVID-19 pandemic. Police, as well as bylaw and provincial enforcement officers now have the power to levy $2,000 dollar fines for price-gouging or for reselling essential goods. Mike Farnworth says Consumer Protection BC has received 800 complaints on the subject. They include business owners paying 10 times the normal price for N95 masks to protect their workers to concerns over keeping shelves stocked because of hoarding. The newly empowered officers can also levy fines to anyone not obeying quarantine orders. Farnworth says most travellers have self-isolation plans. However, 110 people without plans have been ordered to quarantine in government-designated hotel rooms.The Minister says the officers will not be fining anyone for not practising safe physical distancing. He says any such order would have to come from the Provincial Health Officer. Dr. Bonnie Henry has said she does not support that kind of crackdown because most people are doing the right thing. However, Dr. Henry says large events like the Pacific National Exhibition or Gay Pride Parades will be forbidden this year. But she has not ruled out the prospect of some small gatherings being permitted during the summer months. The news has forced the cancellation of the Vancouver Island Music Fest. Its executive-director Doug Cox says details about ticket refunds will be announced soon. During her regular briefing on Saturday, Henry announced three more deaths from COVID-19, totalling 81 in BC. There were 29 new cases of the virus reported from Friday to Saturday, three of them are in the Island Health region. BC's total COVID cases stand at 1647. New numbers will be released later this afternoon.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

COVID-19 has claimed the life of another person in the Island Health Region, bringing the total number of deaths here to 3. Island Health says the latest death was a person in their 80s who had been in hospital. As of yesterday, there were three new cases of the virus in the Island Health region, bringing the total number of cases here to 92. However, most people, 53 have recovered. That leaves 32 people recovering at home, 9 in hospital, with two of those in critical care. Today's numbers will be presented later this afternoon and will be included in your 6 pm news update.Meanwhile, new data from the Ministry of Health confirm BC has flattened the curve. And projections suggest we could see some loosening of restrictions, starting sometime in May. The Provincial Health Officer says international travel and face to face business meetings will not happen for at least another year. However, Dr. Bonnie Henry says it is likely that some cancelled surgeries will be scheduled over the summer, and there may be a small number of classrooms reopened. She believes people will continue to work from home, although some businesses may be re-opened. As well, some non-essential travel restrictions may be relaxed during the summer months, so that people will be able to spend time at their cabins but physical distancing measures like the ones in grocery stores will not be lifted for some time to come.People who live in the Island Health region will have a chance to ask questions of the region's health officer and local politicians next week. The Health Authority is hosting a virtual town hall meeting on Tuesday, starting at 7:15 pm. The panellists include Health Authority CEO Kathy Mitchell, the region's Medical Health Officer, Dr. Richard Stanwick, the MLA for the Cowichan Valley, Sonia Furstenau and the MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin, Mitzi Dean. You can join the live stream on the BC Government's Facebook page or its YouTube channel. Speaking of live streams, there is one tonight, that will showcase Vancouver Island musicians. It's called "Rock For Relief" a fundraiser for the Nanaimo and Victoria Foundations. Viewers can choose which Foundation to support. The lineup includes David Foster, Randy and Tal Bachman, Jesse Roper, Kathryn Calder of The New Pornographers, Carmanah, The Tenors along with Nanaimo's own Aaron Pritchert and Lauren Spencer Smith who recently won a spot on American Idol. The musicians will perform from their livingrooms. The show begins at 8 o'clock tonight on CHEK television or you can live stream it on CHEK's Facebook page or its YouTube channel.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Mo calls Tamara Taggart to chat about the lack of attention given to the disabled community and caregivers during the pandemic, in addition to Tamara's chat with Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.

An inmate from the Mission Medium Security Institution has died from COVID-19. The unnamed inmate was transferred with six others, to a secure ward at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Wednesday. The federal prison in Mission is struggling to control a COVID-19 outbreak there. So far, 57 inmates and four guards have tested positive for the virus.Two other people, not including the inmate, have died in BC in the past 24 hours. Another 14 cases have been reported, including 2 in the Island Health region. And, there are two new outbreaks: one at Kootenay Street Village, a long term care facility in the interior and for the first time, in an acute care unit at the Ridge Meadows hospital in the Fraser Valley. Today, the Provincial Health Officer will present the latest data, tracking the curve, and predicting where it might go in the future.Post-secondary students who are feeling anxiety over COVID-19 can call a new mental health hotline, designed specifically for them. The "Here2Talk" initiative will connect students to online professional counsellors or to other mental health resources in their communities. The 24/7 help-line also comes with an app for easy access.The Mayor of Nanaimo says a new provincial aid plan for municipalities will pit communities against one another. Leonard Krog says he's disappointed the province did not announce the deferral of all property taxes in every municipality. Instead, local governments do not have to pay school taxes they collect on behalf of the province until the end of the year. Krog predicts the result will be a hodge-podge of tax collection schemes among municipalities and that will lead to hard feelings between communities. The province is also allowing local governments to borrow from their capital reserves to pay operating expenses and municipalities will be allowed to carry their debt into the next fiscal year. Council will discuss whether to implement the new provincial policies at a special meeting on Monday.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

COVID-19 continues to kill seniors in British Columbia, with three more deaths being reported at long term care homes on the lower mainland. BC's fatality rate now stands at 72. At the beginning of the month, the Vancouver Island health region reported two of its first and only deaths during this pandemic. Ten people remain in our region's hospitals. Across the province, 27 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed over the past 24 hours, with two in the island health region. Island Health has a total of 89 cases, provincially, there are 1517.The outbreak at the Mission Medium Security prison has prompted the province to shore up resources at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital. The Provincial Health Officer says 41 cases of COVID-19 are confirmed at the federal prison and seven people are in hospital. Dr.Bonnie Henry says Abbotsford Regional has set up a separate secure unit in the hospital for them. And, plans are being made to deploy a mobile medical unit to Abbotsford to help it deal with an expected increase in cases from the prison.BC Ferries has done an about-face and is reinstating about a third of the 1400 workers it laid off one week ago. In a memo to employees, the president of BC Ferries says layoff notices to full-time employees have been rescinded. Mark Collins says the decision was made in the hope that the ferry corporation qualifies for the 75 per cent wage subsidy being offered by the federal government. Collins says BC Ferries will top up full-time employee wages to 100 per cent if they are called in to work. However, none of its 900 casual workers will be reinstated at this time.The Mayor of Alert Bay has posted a video, confirming he has contracted COVID-19. In the video, Dennis Buchanan is seen standing on his front porch, imploring people to stay at home. Buchanan says he caught the virus a week ago, despite practising physical distancing, regular handwashing and never leaving Cormorant Island. As promised, the province will showcase some BC musicians with a live stream concert on Thursday at 5 pm. The line up includes Kym Gouchie, from Prince George, Alex Cuba from Smithers, Desiree Dawson from White Rock and Dan Mangan from Vancouver. You can watch it on the BC Provincial Government Facebook page or on the Showcase BC website.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Nanaimo's Member of Parliament has written the Prime Minister and the Premier, asking for an order to restrict non-essential travel on all BC Ferries routes. Paul Manly says he's "deeply troubled by the reports of large numbers of travellers making their way to Vancouver Island this weekend on BC Ferries." Manly says islanders deserve to be protected, noting the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital serves the oldest demographic per capital in Canada. He says smaller communities, including the Gulf Islands, do not have the health care resources to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak. A separate online petition has garnered more than 26,000 signatures, as of Sunday afternoon.On Saturday, the Provincial Health Officer said she believes most British Columbians are self-isolating and that reports of BC ferries traveller numbers are "overblown." Dr. Bonnie Henry says ferry schedules have been cut in half and each ferry is only transporting half of its normal passenger loads. Henry says she has no plans to impose travel restrictions.The COVID-19 outbreak at the Mission medium-security prison continues to grow. As of Saturday, there were 34 confirmed cases of the virus, including three guards. Five people from the institution have been taken to hospital. BC's Health officer concedes the virus gained a foothold because it was not recognized for many days before infection controls were put into place. Dr. Bonnie Henry will update the COVID-19 numbers this afternoon. As of Saturday, there were no new cases of the virus in the Island Health District, but province-wide there were 35 new infections and three more deaths. Henry says officials are starting to notice most new infections are among people under the age of 50 and many of them are health care workers. The province will provide grants to musicians and concerts to the people, starting this week. A new program called Showcase BC will provide $500 to emerging artists and $2,000 to established artists for live streaming, songwriting and professional development. The performances begin via live stream later this week. For details, check out the Showcase BC website or on Twitter: #ShowcaseBC.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

There have been two more deaths from COVID-19 in BC, bringing the total to 50. Both deaths were seniors in hospitals on the lower mainland. There are now 1370 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in BC with 34 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. There has been one new case in the Vancouver Island health region, bringing our total to 82.However, the Provincial Health Officer's update did not mention 14 cases of the virus at the Mission Correctional Center. That's because Dr. Bonnie Henry does not have jurisdiction over federal institutions. The medium-security federal prison is in lockdown as a result of the outbreak. The Corrections Canada website is reporting one COVID case at its Pacific Regional Treatment Centre in Abbotsford, but no further tests are pending there. Prison advocates say federal institutions could have contained the outbreak with more rigorous testing and earlier isolation. Unconfirmed reports say inmates at Matsqui prison are also showing symptoms, but they are not being tested and their temperatures are not being monitored.The City of Nanaimo is taking steps to ease the burden on taxpayers during the pandemic. Utility payments issued after March the 17th have been deferred from 30 days to 90 days. There is a five per cent discount if the bill is paid within 90 days. The city says it's considering a deferral on property taxes, which would be due in July, and it may reduce any penalties for late payments. BC residents can start signing up for some assistance programs that were announced last month. However, you will need confirmation you are eligible for federal COVID-19 assistance first. Once confirmed, you can apply for three month's worth of free BC Hydro on its website. You can also apply for a $500 dollar a month reduction in rent on the BC Housing website. However, the BC Emergency Benefit of $1000 is not open for applications yet, but you can sign up to be notified when it does. Go to BC COVID 19 supports and follow the links.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

There are two more new cases of COVID-19 in the Island Health Region, bringing the total to 74. Across BC, there are 53 new cases, pushing the provincial total to 1174. There have been four more deaths in other jurisdictions. Yesterday the Island Health region recorded two of the first deaths here. Today, both the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Health spoke strongly about the need to follow orders. Dr. Bonnie Henry called it "maintaining our firewall." She says all travellers must obey federal quarantine orders, while the rest of us need to stay home and not gather together so we can prevent cases from rising at a higher rate. Minister Adrian Dix called on the federal government to take stronger action by setting up "a strong, robust presence at airports and borders.There will be major reductions to BC Ferries routes and sailings starting tomorrow. The Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay route will be temporarily suspended, along with the Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay route. Duke Point to Tsawassen sailings will be cut in half to four round trips per day, but four, cargo shipment-only sailings will be added. The number of sailings on the Swartz Bay to Tsawassen route has been also cut in half. Northern and mid-coast routes will continue on the winter, off-peak schedule. The ferry corporation says details on reductions to service to the southern Gulf Islands will be announced soon. BC Ferries says travel has dropped by 80 percent and that's why it has laid off 1400 employees. The BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union says it expected some layoffs, but says today's announcement blindsided the union and may be in violation of the collective agreement. The Mayor of Nanaimo says the city is trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by installing temporary washrooms and portable hand washing stations downtown. But Leonard Krog rejects calls from Nanaimo's Homelessness Coalition to allow permanent outdoor camping in parks. Krog believes that could increase the chances of the virus taking hold in a vulnerable population. The Mayor is expecting the Ministry of Housing to make announcements about alternative shelters and isolation sites in the coming weeks. Nanaimo lost 40 emergency shelter beds this week, with the closure of the cold weather shelter at St. Paul's church hall, and 17 other beds have been closed at other shelters in order to ensure people are sleeping two meters apart.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

BC Ferries has announced a major reduction in service because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting this Saturday, the Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay route will be suspended, along with the Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay route. The Duke Point to Tsawassen route will be cut in half to four round trips per day, but four extra cargo ship sailings will be added. Northern and mid-coast routes will continue on the winter, off-peak schedule. The ferry corporation says details on reductions to service to the southern Gulf Islands will be announced soon.The Provincial Health Officer's orders for safe distancing have led to the closure of 17 emergency shelter beds in Nanaimo. The Unitarian Shelter, Samaritan House, Martha's Place and the Salvation Army Shelter have reduced the number of beds offered, to comply with the two-meter separation directive. The 17-bed reduction is in addition to 40 beds closed last Tuesday at the temporary cold-weather shelter at St. Peter's church hall. The city of Nanaimo is working with the Nanaimo Homelessness Coalition, BC Housing and Island Health to come up with a coordinated emergency response for those experiencing homelessness. It has given the province a list of facilities that could be used to isolate homeless people who show symptoms of the virus.The city enacted several other measures to help homeless people stay safe. It is keeping washrooms in designated parks open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and is expanding access to potable water, including the continuation of the shower program. It will provide 24-hour access to temporary washrooms and hand sanitizing stations being set up downtown. It is working with other social service agencies on a food security plan for vulnerable populations. The RCMP in Nanaimo says the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increasing number of children calling 911 for help. RCMP say there have been 29 calls for domestic violence and disturbances over the past two weeks. That's a third higher than usual. The RCMP's media relations officer in Nanaimo says officers are reporting fights that have started over COVID-19 and with many people laid off and schools closed, there's a real concern about the situation in those homes escalating and the numbers increasing in the coming weeks. Constable Gary O'Brien says "sadly we're seeing children being subjected to these arguments and that's extremely concerning to us."Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Premier gave a pep talk about the COVID-19 pandemic last night. Premier John Horgan's address to the province included praise for healthcare workers, truck drivers, grocery and gas station clerks, pharmacists and daycare workers, saying "BC has got your back." John Horgan urged British Columbians to obey health orders, saying "We may be separated but you're not alone." He also acknowledged the incredible stress many people are under who are unable to pay their rent today. Horgan reminded them they can apply for a $500 rent subsidy, and an additional $1000 in provincial emergency money. He says British Columbians can look forward to more announcements in the future to support them and keep them safe.BC's Minister of Health, Adrian Dix says "there is zero chance that any health orders will be varied by the end of April." The provincial health officer offered some hope, saying it is possible that some orders related to the pandemic might be eased by the summer. Dr. Bonnie Henry says we are in the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, but there could be a brief reprieve in May or June, when the weather gets warmer. Henry says British Columbians can expect a second outbreak in the fall, when restrictions would be reinstated. She says living under restrictions will likely continue until there is a vaccine for the virus.Meanwhile, new numbers released yesterday show 43 new COVID-19 cases in BC, which have pushed the total to 1013 confirmed infections in the province. Five more people have died, all of them over the age of 70 and who were residents at care homes. There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported in the Island Health region, so our total stands at 67.BC's first large community outbreak has happened at a farm in West Kelowna. CBC is reporting 14 temporary foreign workers at Bylands Nursery tested positive for COVID-19 last weekend. It says 63 other migrant workers along with twelve local workers are now in isolation. All remain under a health order at their on-site housing at the farm. The Provincial Health Officer says the migrant workers cannot return to their home countries because of travel restrictions. Dr. Bonnie Henry says she is very concerned about the potential for similar outbreaks where seasonal farmhands work because many of the sites do not have facilities large enough to handle quarantines or isolations.On a happier note, CHLY is celebrating its birthday today. 20 years ago, the Radio Malaspina Society started internet live-streaming. We hope to celebrate this milestone with you in person in the future.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

43 new COVID-19 cases in BC have pushed the total to 1013 confirmed infections in the province. Five more people have died, all of them over the age of 70 and who were residents at care homes. There were no new cases of COVID-19 reported in the Island Health region since yesterday, so our total stands at 67.The Provincial Health Officer says BC is seeing its first large community outbreak, among temporary foreign workers at a farm in West Kelowna. Dr. Bonnie Henry says a number of foreign farmworkers at Bylands Nursery tested positive for the coronavirus over the weekend. She says they have been quarantined on-site and are being well-cared-for. Henry says other workers are safely self-isolating on-site and cannot return to their home countries because of travel restrictions. She says she is very concerned about the potential for similar outbreaks where seasonal farmhands work because many of the sites do not have facilities large enough to handle quarantines or maintain safe distancing.A Duncan man has created a Facebook group, that asks people to lend their RVs to first responders, who need to be quarantined from their families. Oakley Ryan is asking RV owners to either contact their local police, fire or ambulance to make the free offer or post their RV and location to the Facebook page RV's for 1st Responders. Ryan says so far, 35 RVs have been offered.The province is helping parents who are essential service workers to find child care during the coronavirus pandemic. A new service will match parents, who work on the front lines and have children up to 5 years of age, with child care providers. To register, call 1-888-338-6622 or on the provincial government website gov.bc.ca/essential-service-child-care. The province has also pledged to keep schools open to accommodate older children of essential service workers. More information is available through your local school district.Two couples from Nanaimo are hoping their ill-fated cruise will come to an end soon. Maggie Tilley, her partner David Andrews along with Elizabeth and Ron Pack were on Holland America Line's ship Zaandam when a COVID-19 outbreak began in early March. Four passengers died on the Zaandam. Tilley told the Vancouver Island Free Daily both couples and other health passengers were transferred to a sister ship, the Rotterdam, last weekend. The ships are travelling in tandem, heading to the coast of Florida. They are hoping officials in Fort Lauderdale will allow them to dock. The ships have been denied landing at ports along the coasts of South America since mid-March.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

Health care workers, patients, staff and visitors are getting a break on parking starting April the 1st. BC's Minister of Health says parking will be free at all hospitals and health authority-owned and operated sites. Dix says no deductions will be taken off those who have signed up for monthly payment plans.The Minister is trying to calm fears of a shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers. Dix acknowledges there are challenges world-wide in getting equipment, but BC is not facing shortages. He says BC suppliers have not been able to deliver as much as what the province has been ordering. However, he says shipments are arriving regularly, pointing out that one million surgical masks were delivered to the province yesterday. The Provincial Health Officer says a lot of innovative people in the private sector are working with the Health Ministry to develop items like visors, made from 3-D printers. The Vancouver Island Free Daily is reporting a group called "Project Draw Breath" is using a 3-D printer, to create valves that would allow up to four patients to use one ventilator. The report says the team is developing clinical tests with Island Health at the Cowichan District Hospital.New COVID-19 cases reported yesterday show 86 more British Columbians were infected since Saturday, with seven new cases on Vancouver Island. The total number of cases in the Island Health district is 67. The total for the province is 970. the Provincial Health Officer says there have been two COVID-19 deaths on the lower mainland since Saturday. Dr. Bonnie Henry says the good news is 469 people who were infected have now recovered including 70 people who were in intensive and critical care units.The province has named 19 hospitals in BC that have been designated Primary COVID-19 care sites. On Vancouver Island, they are the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria and the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. The Vic General Hospital has been named a secondary site. Health Authorities are also designating what are being called "off-site treatment centres" for less acute in-patient care. The Vancouver Convention Centre and the new tower at the Royal Columbian Hospital in Burnaby will provide 350 additional beds if needed. Island Health has not announced where its off-site locations will be.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The latest COVID-19 outbreak numbers show BC reporting its largest daily increase in infections. There were 92 new cases confirmed on Saturday, bringing the total in BC to 884 cases. Three new cases in the Island Health district brings the total here to 60. One new death was reported on the lower mainland. There were no new numbers released on Sunday. The Provincial Health Officer will update the figures this afternoon.It may be the end of March break, but students are not heading back to their classrooms today. Instead, parents are being asked to check out a new website to support learning at home. The website is openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning. Meanwhile, the Nanaimo Ladysmith and Cowichan Valley School Districts say teachers will be calling parents this week, with more details on how online classes or email assignments will work. Both districts say they will connect vulnerable students to food programs, but no details have been announced.Meanwhile, farmer's markets in BC are feeling the effects of COVID-19. Nanaimo's Island Roots Farmers' Market at Beban Park was shut down when the city cancelled all rentals. Market manager Michele Greene says it's setting up an online market, where customers can order their farm-fresh produce and baked goods. The same is true of the Qualicum Beach Farmers' market. However, it plans to reopen a modified market next Saturday as well. The Comox Valley Farmers' Market remains open and it too is planning to set up an online option this week.Starting at midnight tonight, anyone who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel on airplanes or trains. The federal order does not apply to buses because they are regulated by the province. Nanaimo's transit system has taken steps to protect bus drivers by having riders enter by the side doors, and can ride for free. It has also gone to its summer schedule, which includes the cancellation of eight of its bus routes.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

The Provincial Health Officer says 145 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in BC since Sunday afternoon. That brings the total number to 617, with 44 of those cases on Vancouver Island. Dr. Bonnie Henry says no new deaths have been reported.Vancouver Island University students will soon have access to emergency funds, thanks to a new Emergency Student Bursary Fund. The VIU Students Union says some students are struggling with some serious financial issues like reduced or non-existent job opportunities due to the coronavirus outbreak. The student union has pledged $75,000 dollars to the fund which was matched by the VIU Foundation. The fund aims to raise $250,000 dollars to provide emergency funds for the basic necessities of life. For more information and to donate, visit the Emergency Bursaries Fundraising webpage.Starting tomorrow, all transit buses are moving to the summer schedule. Riders can expect less frequent service.Nanaimo's Loaves and Fishes food bank says clients can no longer shop in their depots. The COVID-19 outbreak means clients can pick up a prepackaged bag of food at its Farquar Street location during the week, and at its Generations Church site on Saturday. For opening hours, please check the website at nanaimoloavesandfishes.org.The Harmac Pacific Mill near Nanaimo is working full steam ahead, because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Harmac produces a blend of pulp that is used to make medical masks, gowns, drapes, screens and other hospital supplies. President Levi Sampson told CBC Radio an American company has doubled its orders for pulp over the past week. Sampson says all 300 employees are fully employed, and there are no plans to hire more workers.The federal government has announced the closure of all National Parks. In BC, provincial parks remain open except Mount Seymour and Cypress on the lower mainland. Regional District parks remain open but there is no camping allowed. All playgrounds, sports courts and gated dog parks are also closed.The coronavirus outbreak has put the breaks on local government meetings. The city of Nanaimo will hold its next council meeting on April the 6th and will be opened to the public and live-streamed. The Regional District of Nanaimo will hold its next meeting on April the 28th and it will be live-streamed.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: news@chly.caTwitter: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.

 A man has died of rabies in Vancouver. BC's Ministry of Health confirmed it was the first case of the infectious disease in BC since 2003. A release says the adult male victim came into contact with a bat in mid-May and developed rabies-like symptoms six weeks later - he died in hospital on Saturday. The Ministry says bats are the only known carriers of the deadly virus in the province. Guest: Dr Bonnie Henry BC's Provincial Health Officer