Tag: British Columbia

Canadian Sea Sponge Could Hold Cure for COVID-19

An international study has identified three compounds that prevent COVID-19 infection in humans, all from natural sources, including a type of sea sponge found in British Columbia. The scientists examined a catalogue of over 350 compounds from various natural sources such as plants, fungi, and sea sponges, in search of new antiviral drugs to treat…


BC to Reactivate Its COVID Emergency Operations Centres to Prepare for More Illness

The British Columbia government will reopen 20 hospital emergency operation centres set up for COVID-19 to deal with an expected surge in flu, respiratory illness and COVID cases. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Friday they’ve been coping with an unprecedented increase in demand in the health-care system. He said reactivating the centres starting Monday will…


Lawsuit Says British Columbia Zoo Negligent in Black Bear Mauling of Toddler’s Arm

A lawsuit filed on behalf of a toddler whose arm was mauled after she reached into a bear enclosure at the Greater Vancouver Zoo alleges negligence led to the attack. The notice of civil claim filed in British Columbia Supreme Court by the girl’s guardian, Richard Hanson, says the August 2019 incident left her with…


Vancouver’s December Home Sales Down 52% From Year Ago: BC Real Estate Board

The Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board says home sales and prices continued their fall in December, dropping by 52 percent and three percent respectively from a year ago. The B.C. board says last month’s sales totalled 1,295, about 20 percent lower than they were in November and 38 percent below the 10-year December sales average….


BC Becomes First Province to Require Three-Day Cooling-Off Period for Homebuyers

British Columbia has become the first province to require a three-day cooling-off period for buyers after they’ve signed an agreement to purchase a home. The new homebuyer protection period is designed to give purchasers more time to arrange financing or home inspections after a deal has been accepted, details that the provincial government has said…


Noah Arcs Back to Top of BC Baby Name List for First Time Since 2007, Usurps Olivia

British Columbia’s health ministry says Noah is poised to be the most popular baby name in the province this year, replacing longtime favourite Olivia, which topped the list last year. Preliminary data released today by the province’s Vital Statistics Agency says Noah is followed by Olivia, Oliver, Liam and Theodore. The agency says the top…


BC Bus Crash Probe to Look at Earlier Incident Too, Amid Questions Over Icy Road

British Columbia’s transportation minister says investigators looking into a bus crash that claimed four lives on the Okanagan Connector road on Christmas Eve are also considering another involving the same operator days earlier. Minister Rob Fleming said Tuesday that maintenance contractors were plowing and salting the road, also known as Highway 97C, on the day…


CBSA Detainee Dies in Custody on Christmas Day in Surrey, BC

Border officials say a detainee at an immigration holding centre in Surrey, B.C., has died after being found unresponsive on Christmas Day. Canada Border Services Agency says in a statement that first responders were called to the centre, where staff were attempting resuscitation. But it says “all efforts to revive the detainee were unsuccessful,” and…


Interior Health Says Remaining Patients From Deadly BC Bus Crash Expected to Live

All of the remaining patients in hospital from a deadly Christmas Eve bus crash in British Columbia are expected to survive, according to an Interior Health official. Michaela Swan, a spokeswoman for the health authority, says seven people who were brought to three hospitals after the bus rolled on the Highway 97C Okanagan Connector on…


Trans Mountain Pipeline Fine for Bird Disturbances Upheld While Penalty Slashed

A review panel is upholding a fine against the Trans Mountain pipeline for violations that resulted in disturbing bird nests. But the Canada Energy Regulator is dramatically slashing the amount of the penalty from $88,000 in the original ruling to $4,000. In February, the regulator found the pipeline company hadn’t given its contractors enough environmental…