The next steps in British Columbia’s reopening plan are expected to be announced today. Premier John Horgan is set to update the second phase of the four-step restart plan launched last month with relaxed restrictions on gatherings, outdoor team sports and indoor and outdoor dining. Today’s announcement could include the lifting of provincewide travel restrictions, the return of high-intensity indoor fitness classes and the extension of liquor service hours to midnight. Horgan says the four-step plan looks to the return B-C to its pre-pandemic ways after September 7th
Organizers and activists are calling on the City of Vancouver to “cancel Canada Day” this year. The calls come after the City of Victoria on Friday confirmed that it would be cancelling its Canada Day celebrations, in light of the recent discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a former residential school site in Kamloops last month. many people struggle around the time of Canada Day, and cancelling celebrations is the bare minimum that can be done, considering how Canada has failed Indigenous families and children. cancelling celebrations can provide an opportunity for Indigenous people to claim their identity and Nation. However, Vancouver City Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung says cancelling Canada Day is a question for the community at large, as there are no civic-led Canada Day celebrations in Vancouver. “The larger ones [celebrations] that happened through … say the Port of Vancouver with the fireworks or other federal parties, so Vancouver doesn’t have a sort of formal Canada Day celebration to have a discussion about canceling at this time,” she says. An immigrant himself, Fry says he is proud to be Canadian, but thinks “it’s ok to also question and challenge the mythologies and the truths of our country.” “We can’t change the past, but it should and can inform our future,”
B.C. health officials announced 180 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death on Friday. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said there are currently 1,880 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C. A total of 162 people are in hospital, with 45 in intensive care. Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 28 per cent from last Friday, when 224 people were in hospital with the disease. The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 24 per cent from 59 a week ago. Henry said the latest numbers are proof that the province’s vaccination program is working as it should.
The search is on for a young boy in Abbotsford who was very obviously upset, walking alone along Old Clayburn Road Sunday. Police say they received calls about the child, who is believed to be around 10 years old, early in the afternoon. “Concerned citizens had contacted police because they were worried about the boy and spoke to him. He was not injured, he looked to be on the verge of tears and did not want to tell them why he was upset,” an Abbotsford Police Facebook post says. Air Services were called in to help find the child, and officers canvassed and patrolled the area. However, there’s been no sign of him. Officers have confirmed the boy has not been reported missing. As such, a photograph of the child has not been released. However, police say they still want to find him and make sure he’s okay. The boy was last spotted near Abbotsford Christian School. He is described as having a slim build and was last seen wearing a light blue Hurley jacket, black track pants, and was without shoes. Police are asking anyone with information regarding the boy to call the RCMP.
Walmart is replacing cashiers at its Terrace store with self-serve checkouts this summer, making it a test project along with a select number of other outlets in Canada. Walmart Canada said its Terrace store was selected as a test location because a large number of customers were using self-checkouts. “Our business is transforming and we’re relentlessly focused on making our stores simpler and faster for our customers. That’s why we’re constantly innovating and trying new initiatives so we can be the very best retailer,” said spokesperson But while Walmart will eliminate cashier positions here that don’t necessarily mean an overall job loss, the corporation said. “Over the years we’ve heard concerns that self-checkouts will impact jobs but that’s simply not the case. The self-checkout area will be staffed by dedicated associates to help our customers and there will be no job loss as a result of this change,” said Fefer. She said 40 more people will be hired in the coming months in the Terrace branch as it prepares to launch an online grocery purchase option.
British Columbians can hit the road again — Premier John Horgan says restrictions are being lifted on travel within the province. Horgan announced the change as he, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and several cabinet ministers confirmed B-C is moving to Step Two of its restart plan. That means non-essential travel within the province is allowed — but travel elsewhere in Canada is still not recommended. Starting tomorrow groups of up to 50 can gather outdoors, movie theatres can re-open and sports fans can watch events in person, while masks remain mandatory in indoor public places.
Surrey city council is being asked to endorse a Public Engagement Strategy and Toolkit tonight (Monday, June 14) but Councillor Linda Annis says the City of Surrey definitely has it’s work cut out for it as it’s current approach “isn’t connecting” with taxpayers. “A staff report on engagement and consultation means nothing if the leadership isn’t there to get serious when it comes to talking to our residents or involving them in big decision,” Annis said Monday. She cited several major projects that are wanting in the public consultation department, namely the transition from the Surrey RCMP to Surrey Police Service, the Surrey Transportation Plan and council’s decision to connect 84th Avenue between King George Boulevard and 140th Street at the southern end of Bear Creek Park. “The result is a growing disconnect between our taxpayers and mayor and council,” Annis said. “Right now our citizens really only get to talk at a council meeting if it’s a land use issue, and even then you’re limited to five minutes. We make no real provision to hear from people, and that’s just not good enough. I didn’t get elected just so I could talk to city staff, I want to hear from the people who put us here.”
British Columbia health officials announced on Monday there have been 277 new test-positive COVID-19 cases since Friday, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the province to 146,453. In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were 96 cases reported from Friday to Saturday, 113 from Saturday to Sunday, and 68 from Sunday to Monday. Broken down by health region, this equates to 36 new cases in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 148 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 12 new cases in the Island Health region, 63 new cases in the Interior Health region, 16 new cases in the Northern Health region, and two new cases from people who reside outside of Canada. There were also four more deaths over the weekend, bringing the death toll to 1,734. There are 1,537 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 136 individuals are hospitalized with COVID-19, 42 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Henry said that 143,147 individuals who tested positive have now recovered, and to date, 4,048,346 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered, 613,453 of which are second doses
Premier John Horgan says B-C will move to the second stage of its COVID-19 re-opening plan tomorrow as case counts fall and vaccination rates increase. That means the end of the provincial travel ban, up to 50 people will be allowed at indoor venues including movie theatres and live theatre performances and bars can serve liquor until midnight. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry says the move is based largely on B-C exceeding vaccination targets, with more than 75 per cent of residents now having received their first shot. Henry says health officials will monitor transmission rates as the province heads to stage three of re-opening on July 1st.
Police in Richmond, British Columbia, are investigating the discovery of a toxic substance in a park. A number of dead and sick squirrels were reported in South Arm Community Park last week. The R-C-M-P say fire crews identified the substance as 1-Octanethiol (one-OCK’-tan-eth-ee-awl), a compound that can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, nose and throat, weakness, and nausea among other symptoms. Corporal Ian Henderson says the detachment has not received any reports of people or family pets falling ill and no similar incidents have been reported at other parks.
A Canada-wide restaurant chain first envisioned in B-C has now been sold to Quebec-based Foodtastic. The Milestones chain has been sold by Recipe Unlimited for an undisclosed amount. The first Milestones Grill and Bar opened in Vancouver’s West End in 1989 and in 2002 the handful of restaurants was sold to Recipe Unlimited — formerly Cara — which rapidly expanded Milestones to more than 40 locations from B-C to Newfoundland and Labrador. Officials with Recipe Unlimited say the deal helps it become more efficient as it concentrates on larger brands such as Swiss Chalet or the Keg.