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The Comox Valley RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in locating missing 45-year-old man, John Wesley Edwards or “Wes”.
Edwards was last seen in Courtenay on March 20th, and it is unusual for him to go a long period of time without contacting friends or family, so they are concerned for his well-being.
He is described as 5’9” tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds, with blonde/grey hair and blue eyes.
Anyone who sees John Wesley Edwards or knows where he may be is asked to call the Comox Valley RCMP at 250-338-1321 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 23 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,255 people.
In total, 852 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,046 in Fraser Health, 124 on Vancouver Island, 179 in Interior Health and 54 in Northern Health region.
The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.
There are now a total of 74 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 19 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a consistent decline in the number of hospitalizations across B.C.
Sadly, three new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 124 in total across the province.
In good news, a total of 1,494 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.
Outbreaks
There are no new outbreaks at long term care facilities in B.C. and a total of seventeen long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.
In total, 22 long term care and acute care facilities have active outbreaks. This now includes 274 residents and 175 staff members who have tested positive for the virus, for a total of 449 cases.
The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.
The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.
Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam now has 56 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus — an increase of one case since the last report.
There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.
A total of 16 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have now tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who are also at risk of virus transmission.
Island Health region
Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 124 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.
BCCDC data shows that as of May 5th, 105 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been four virus-related deaths in total.
This means there are now 15 active cases in the region.
Three people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.
Thus far, there have been 98,199 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 14,791 of which were done in the Island Health region.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,804,912.
Over 263,300 people have died from the illness and 1,287,570 have made a full recovery.
Victoria Police is searching for a 37-year-old man wanted on several fraud and theft charges.
Michael Friesen is believed to be actively avoiding police detection.
Investigators say he is wanted on multiple outstanding unendorsed offences including:
fraudulent use of identification,
unauthorized use of a credit card, and
possession of stolen property for the purpose of trafficking.
Frisen is described as a Caucasian man of medium build, standing 6’1″ tall and weighs around 220 lbs.
He has short brown hair, blue eyes, a tattoo of a skull on his left forearm, and the word “justice” written on his right forearm.
Anyone who sees him is asked to call 911.
If you have any information about Michael Friesen, or know where he may be, contact the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654 and press #1 to speak with the report desk.
To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
A Central Saanich road remains closed today, as crews continue to investigate a large sinkhole that opened up on Tuesday.
Multiple residents of Central Saanich called into emergency lines Tuesday afternoon and reported that the section of road, located in the 7100-block of Veyaness Road south of Stellys Cross Road, crumbled into itself.
According to police, public works crews noticed a small collapse on the road Tuesday morning and were able to fix it.
At around 1:30 p.m. that day, the road crumbled further and dropped roughly two metres — the entire hole now measures around 1.5 metres wide.
“It’s a big hole in the road,” said Sgt. Greg Johnston of the Central Saanich Police.
“It’s the size of a small car.”
(Central Saanich Police)(Central Saanich Police)
As of Wednesday morning, geotechnical engineers and public work crews continue to assess the sinkhole, and its cause still remains unknown.
Workers say that for now, steel plates will be placed over the hole until damage assessments are complete and repairs can begin.
Veyaness Road between Cunnanes Lane and Stelly’s Cross Road is currently closed, with only local access allowed.
In a continuation of the large sinkhole the size of a small sinkhole, Veyaness Road between Cunnanes Lane and Stelly's Cross Road will be closed today for repairs. Local access will be allowed. Reopening time is TBD. #csaan#yyjtraffic#largeboulderthesizeofasmallboulder
Why did the flock of ducklings try to cross the busy highway?
We’re not sure, but fortunately they were rescued before getting too far into the street.
A group of nine baby ducks were scooped up into a box and handed over to Wild ARC (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre) after members of the public spotted them trying to cross the Malahat highway.
According to the BC SPCA, the ducklings’ mother had been scared away and flown off, leaving the babies to fend for themselves.
The finder called Wild ARC and despite everyone’s best efforts, the mother did not return for her babies.
“The good news is the ducklings are healthy and alert, and are already exploring their enclosure,” reads a post from the organization, accompanying a video of the furry animals perched atop a stuffed toy rabbit.
Please check out our latest medical emergency. During these uncertain times we would really appreciate any extra support you can give:https://spca.bc.ca/emergency/wildarc/. Wild ARC's first group of ducklings for the year were found trying to cross the busy Malahat highway when their mom got scared and flew away. The finders acted quickly and put all nine of them into a box to move them to safety off the road. Unfortunately, despite everyone's best efforts, mom didn't come back for her babies. The good news is the ducklings are healthy and alert, and are already exploring their enclosure. Wild ARC receives hundreds of orphaned wildlife each year. And raising them from infancy to release is extremely costly.
The ducklings, now considered orphaned, have been taken in by the SPCA, which now needs donations to ensure the animals receive proper care.
“As these ducklings are very young, they will require frequent cleanings, monitoring and feedings,” says the organization.
Staff will care for the nine babies to make sure they develop all the natural skills they need to succeed when they’re released.
“The cost to look after these nine ducklings is great, as it will take a lot of food and staff time to make their successful rehabilitation possible.”
The SPCA is seeking $3,000 to help them provide treatments, regular health checks, and daily care to the babies. As of the time of publication, they have raised $1,707.
Anyone who donates to this campaign will be provided regular updates on the animals’ well being and any extra funds will be used to provide care to the other animals being looked after by the SPCA and Wild ARC.
Once the ducklings have grown up and developed flight feathers, they will be transferred to enclosures with pools until they’re ready to be released into the wild.
Those who wish to donate can get quackin’ by visiting this website.
The Greater Victoria Public Library has announced a large number of employee layoffs, as branches remain closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a statement from GVPL, 168 regular and auxiliary employees are to be laid off next month if the library cannot resumed some services by then.
This announcement follows the Vancouver Island Regional Library system laying off 420 employees in mid-March.
Since GVPL closed their branches on March 16th, 168 employees have been on paid leave with 53 employees working remotely to continue providing online service and maintaining the core infrastructure.
“This decision was extremely difficult for us, and we reluctantly determined that initiating the layoff process was in the best interests of the organization,” said Deborah Begoray, GVPL Board Chair, in the statement.
“Our CEO provided us with a thorough report of options, taking into account the financial pressures of today and the uncertainty of what will follow in the coming months.”
GVPL’s auxiliary employees will be paid until May 8th, when they will be issued their layoff notice.
Regular employees will be paid until May 15th, and a further paid notice period will be activated to a maximum of eight more weeks, in keeping with the agreement with CUPE 410.
Maureen Sawa, GVPL chief executive, hopes the system will start to reopen by the time layoff notices come into effect.
“It is possible that employees notified of layoffs will be called back to work before the paid layoff notice is completed,” said GVPL in a press release.
Greater Victoria Public Library currently has 12 branches, one e-branch and more than 100 community partnerships.
Online services are still available, and people can sign up for library cards online to access digital content.
The library has seen online use of its services climb by 77 per cent during the pandemic and has therefore expanded its virtual services.
A spike in racist incidents against people of Asian heritage has prompted the creation of a provincial response force to tackle race-based hate crimes.
After a competitive bidding process, the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) has been selected to serve as the provincial response centre equipped to provide support to communities tackling race-based crime.
“It is very concerning that we are seeing an increase in racially motivated attacks toward people of Asian heritage since the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Citizens’ Services and responsible for Multiculturalism, in a statement on Tuesday.
“These incidents are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We are acting now to address racism at the community level and ensure all British Columbians are free from discrimination and intimidation.”
VIRCS will work alongside Resilience BC, a “multi-faceted, province wide approach in challenging racism at a local level” that was launched in November 2019.
Resilience BC connects communities with information and supports to help them respond to incidents of hate.
A bidding process is under way to establish regional centres for Resilience BC that will work with the provincial hub in Victoria.
Community organizations interested in leading anti-racism and anti-hate efforts in their communities are encouraged to submit proposals by May 19.
This response has been motivated by a rise in hate-based crime against Asian people particularly in the lower mainland.
Most recently, Vancouver Police is looking for a man who approached a woman standing on the sidewalk in downtown Vancouver, punched her in the face, and walked away.
In an update on the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam stated that the epidemic in the country is slowing down, with the new case doubling rate much slower than it has been in the past.
Tam says that the doubling time for new cases is now up to about 20 days, as opposed to last week, when it was 16 days.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the number of new cases was doubling around every three days.
Despite case rates slowing down, she says the number of deaths may continue to increase, mostly due to outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
Additionally, Tam reports that over 970,000 people across the country have been tested for COVID-19 to date, with about 6 per cent of them testing positive.
Last week, Canada Health Officials reported that 740,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted in Canada, with seven per cent of these people testing positive for the virus.
Treasury Board president Jean-Yves Duclos has also said that 7.5 million Canadians have received at least one Canada Emergency Response Benefit payment since the program’s inception.
Duclos also states that 545,000 businesses have received an emergency loan through the Canada Emergency Business Account.
110,000 businesses have submitted requests for the wage subsidy, and most wage subsidy applications have been processed – Canadians should start receiving these benefits next week.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,774,654.
Over 261,100 people have died from the illness and 1,273,664 have made a full recovery.
An alleged incident of road rage on Pat Bay Hwy could have ended in tragedy on Sunday evening.
Dashcam footage shared by Quade Parsons shows a semi-truck, along with several other vehicles, heading north on Pat Bay Highway near Haliburton Road.
About 45 seconds into the video, the semi surges forward and veers into the left lane before swerving towards the van next to it.
“I’m a very active driver and pay attention to a lot and seeing that in my rear view mirror was unbelievable,” said Parsons. “I thought the semi was actually going to hit the van.”
Fortunately there was no contact between the two vehicles, and towards the end of the video, the semi is seen slowing down and falling back.
However according to Parsons, the semi-truck driver “knew full well what he was doing”.
Take a look:
*Note: the timestamp on the video is incorrect. It was taken on Sunday, May 3rd at around 6:30 p.m.
Dashcam captures alleged road rage incident on the Pat Bay Highway near Haliburton Road. The video shows a semi truck in the left lane move to the right lane, then swerve towards the van, nearly hitting the vehicle. #yyj#victoriabuzz#yyjtraffic Video courtesy of Quade Parsons pic.twitter.com/HR8VI1uLlN
B.C. Premier John Horgan and the faces of the provincial pandemic response, Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix, will be addressing the public on Wednesday to share details about how to gradually return to some aspects of normal life.
On Tuesday, the province recorded just eight new cases of COVID-19 with new case numbers reaching single digits for the first time in almost two months.
This update was made one day after the province released detailed epidemiological modelling that shows which groups have been hardest hit by the pandemic in B.C.
The data also showed that both the case rate and death rate of COVID-19 patients have continued to flatten since they were first reported to have plateaued on April 17th.
In light of this information, public health officials have issued cautiously optimistic messages over the past few weeks, reminding British Columbians to be patient and continue to follow the physical distancing measures in place until otherwise told.
Economic reopening
During his address on April 29, Premier Horgan said the economy will be returning to “something resembling normal in the near term”.
Unlike other provinces that are now restarting various sectors of their economy, B.C. will not be making that announcement as industries were never fully shut down to begin with.
“The approach of BC was to focus on how could we keep sectors operating safely rather than shutting them down until we could open them up again,” said Horgan at the time.
Tomorrow’s announcement, therefore, will relate to increasing economic activity rather than restarting individual sectors.
Last week, individual industries were invited to present their ideas on how they may adapt their businesses to follow public health principles and allow customers to maintain physical distancing, and thereby reopen in a safe manner.
The provincial government has also been working with WorkSafe BC to come up with specific guidelines for businesses to follow once they reopen.
Gatherings and activities
Wednesday’s joint announcement is also expected to carry news for the personal lives of British Columbians, many of whom have been waiting to find out what this summer will look like.
Large events with gatherings of 50 or more people will continue to be banned throughout the summer, but we are expected to hear about what types of smaller gatherings and activities will be allowed, and what continued restrictions may look like.
“We cannot afford to go back to where we were in December where everyone was gathering in large groups, during the pre-COVID-19 way of interacting. That is very dangerous and it’s going to remain that way through this summer and next fall,” said Dr. Henry.
But the world is getting closer and closer to having a vaccine against COVID-19, as scientists learn more about how the virus operates.
Nevertheless, Dr. Henry predicts that non-essential travel will reduce significantly on a global scale in the coming weeks and months, so people hoping to go on vacation should be looking closer to home.
Based on modelling data released on Monday, it is also expected that Wednesday’s announcements will bring economic activity and social interactions in B.C. up to 60 per cent of what was considered normal before this pandemic.
These numbers signal the end of the beginning of the pandemic in B.C. for Dr. Henry, and according to Health Minister Adrian Dix, summer 2020 could be a “summer of renewal” for the province.
Saanich Police have issued an advisory warning people to bear-proof their properties as hibernation season comes to an end.
On Tuesday, May 5 at around 1:45 p.m., Saanich Pound Inspectors attended the 200-block of Goward Road, in the Prospect Lake area, after a resident spotted a black bear on the property.
The animal was attempting to get into the garbage left on the property, but the resident was able to yell at the bear and chase it off.
As hibernation season comes to an end, bear sightings will become more common as the wild animals wander in search of food.
“One way to help prevent encounters with bears is to properly secure your garbage, whether it be on your property or curbside waiting for collection,” reads the statement from Saanich Police.
Authorities advise using a garbage can with a locked lid, or storing trash inside a closed structure like a garage or shed, as preventive measures.
BC Conservation Service has been notified of the bear’s presence in the area.
The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported just 8 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,232 people.
In total, 849 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,031 in Fraser Health, 124 on Vancouver Island, 177 in Interior Health and 51 in Northern Health region.
The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.
There are now a total of 78 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 21 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a plateau in hospitalizations after a consistent period of decline.
Sadly, four new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 121 in total across the province.
In good news, a total of 1,472 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.
Outbreaks
There is one new outbreak at a long term care facility in Vancouver Coastal Health region and a total of seventeen long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.
In total, 22 long term care and acute care facilities have active outbreaks. This now includes 271 residents and 171 staff members who have tested positive for the virus. 442
The outbreak at the Lynn Valley Care Centre ,where 20 people died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, has now been declared over.
The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility continues to have 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.
The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.
Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam now has 55 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus — an increase of two cases since the last report.
There continues to be seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.
A total of 15 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have also tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who have also tested positive.
Island Health region
Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 124 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.
BCCDC data shows that as of May 4th, 105 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been four virus-related deaths in total.
This means there are now 15 active cases in the region.
Three people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.
Thus far, there have been 96,517 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 14,490 of which were done in the Island Health region.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,714,817.
Over 257,200 people have died from the illness and 1,235,513 have made a full recovery.
Nanaimo RCMP have arrested the two 16-year-old boys accused of starting a fire at a Nanaimo gas station on Saturday, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
The first underage suspect was arrested at a south Nanaimo residence on Sunday, while the second boy was found and arrested in Ladysmith on Monday.
They cannot be identified due to their age, but the pair has been charged with arson, robbery, arson damaging property, and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, two teenagers were allegedly shoplifting from the the Circle K Convenience Store and Gas Station on Departure Bay Road in Nanaimo just after 9 p.m. on Saturday when one of the suspects discharged a tube flare at an employee as they were leaving.
Nanaimo fire crews were called to the scene and extinguished the blaze.
The flare, which narrowly missed the clerk, ignited merchandise and caused a fire that resulted in extensive structural damage inside and outside the store. The business is now boarded up with plywood.
The two suspects remain in police custody as the investigation into the incident continues.
West Shore RCMP has seized an abundance of drugs after arresting two suspects related to a robbery in Langford last week.
RCMP received the report of the two male suspects who were caught shoplifting at Capitol Iron on Langford Parkway on April 28th.
Employees of the retail shop attempted to put a stop to the robbery while it was ongoing, when one of the suspects threatened that he had a gun and continued to run away.
Police were able to locate and arrest both suspects following the shoplifting incident.
One suspect, identified as 30-year-old John Crawford, has been charged with two counts of uttering threats and one count of robbery.
The second suspect was identified as 26-year-old Ryan Frankel, who police say fought his arrest.
After being searched during the arrest, West Shore RCMP found that Frankel was in possession of a “plethora of drugs” including a combination of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl, as well as drug packaging paraphernalia.
He has been charged with three counts of drug trafficking, and one count of assaulting a peace officer.
West Shore RCMP thanked the employees of Capital Iron as well as the several bystanders who were able assist them in identifying the suspects and providing detailed descriptions.
They also remind the public that if they see something suspicious, to report it right away.
Hundreds of nurses across British Columbia have filed complaints over lack of adequate personal protective equipment while battling COVID-19 on the front lines of this pandemic.
Since March 20th, the BC Nurses’ Union has received 1,700 complaints from nurses who are concerned their employers have not been able to provide PPEs crucial to keeping front line workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The complaints indicate a rise and fall over time in the amount of protective equipment, like gloves, gowns, face shields, and N95 respirator masks, that have been made available to nurses during this pandemic, according to BCNU president Christine Sorensen.
“Nurses are getting only one mask per shift. Others have been told to leave their used mask on a piece of paper towel when they go on a break,” says Sorensen in a statement.
“The fact that some hospital emergency rooms still have triage desks without Plexi-glass barriers, like the ones now present in grocery stores and food processing plants, is quite simply beyond me.”
For Sorensen, first hand accounts of unsafe work environments have led to serious concerns and raised questions on how health employers plan on navigating the challenges that will continue to arise as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on.
“Respirators, masks and other PPE are meant to be the last line of defense for care providers, after all other control measures are in place,” she added.
COVID-19 has proved particularly challenging and deadly at certain health care facilities, specifically long term care and acute care facilities that have a number of ongoing outbreaks.
As of May 4, there were 168 staff members who were diagnosed with the virus as a result of working at these outbreak sites.
In a statement responding to these complaints, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health simply reiterated that the safety of frontline health care workers is of great importance during this pandemic.
Work continues to be under way to acquire additional supplies of personal protective equipment for workers in B.C.
While Esquimalt’s popular summer fair, Buccaneer Days has been cancelled this year, the committee that oversees the annual event has put together a new way for the community to still enjoy one aspect of the fair while maintaining their physical distance from each other.
The Morgana float, a pirate themed float owned by Mark Miller and Lance Jesson, will be touring through the municipality for people to watch from the safety of their homes on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It will be manned by the owners and float crew who have volunteered their time to spread some community cheer.
“We thank them from the bottom of our hearts,” reads a statement from the Buccaneer Days Committee.
“We hope this gives a little solace to our to our community, a little joy in somewhat challenging time and the reminder that Buccaneer days are an event and in our Esquimalt hearts.”
Those who see the float are encouraged to wave from their balconies, windows, and front doors, and share a photo of the float with the hashtag #EsqBucDays2020 as a show of community spirit during this period of physical isolation.
A map of the route:
This year’s annual Buccaneer Days festival was slated to take place on May 9 and has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival usually features amusement park rides, games, food vendors and more. Anyone who had already purchased wristband tickets for the event can use those tickets at any future West Coast Amusements event.
However, all planned West Coast Amusements events have been put on hold due to the pandemic. Updates will be available on the company’s website.
Vendors who have paid a deposit to set up at the festival’s marketplace have been refunded.
The B.C. provincial government announced on Tuesday that they have released an app to help people around the province get up-to-date information on wildfires this year, just ahead of wildfire season.
The free app is able to provide real-time wildfire information as well as an interactive map that users can customize to display a variety of fire-related data.
This can include information such as current fire danger ratings, active fires, evacuation alerts and orders, restrictions, and B.C. park and recreation site closures.
The new BC Wildfire Service mobile app is now available for download on Android and Apple devices, and users can customize their view to only display information within a 50-kilometre radius of their current location.
It also features a “Report a Fire” function that generates map co-ordinates of the users current location, and the BC Wildfire Service says they rely on the public to report wildfires and irresponsible behaviour that could start a wildfire.
The federal government has predicted that this year’s wildfire season could be “well above average” across Canada, with higher than normal fire risk beginning in June.
Police are investigating reports of an arrow that was shot at a passing vehicle Monday morning near downtown Victoria.
The incident occurred before 11 a.m. near the intersection of Cook Street and Pandora Avenue.
The driver of the vehicle told police he was travelling south on Cook Street, heard a loud noise while stopped at the red light at Pandora Avenue and assumed it was a rock hitting the car.
When the driver got home, they found a 10-inch metal arrow lodged in the side of the vehicle.
We are still looking for info regarding an arrow that struck a vehicle at Cook & Pandora around 11 am yesterday. Two small children were passengers. Luckily, no one was injured. If you have info or dashcam footage please call (250) 995-7654, option 1. https://t.co/SAOjZsseHjpic.twitter.com/OTdhGXvWvk
No one was hurt and the driver told police they did not see anyone shooting the arrow.
Police are looking to speak with anyone that may have information about this incident, or with dashcam footage of the Cook Street and Pandora Avenue around the time of the incident.
Anyone with information is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654, or report anonymously to Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Pop-up pods assembled to house homeless at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (BC Government)
Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre is currently being converted into a temporary shelter space to house people from the homeless camps at Topaz Park and Pandora Avenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The B.C. government confirmed Monday that 45 people from the city’s homeless encampments will be housed in the arena, which is being converted into an emergency response centre by the province.
The arena floor is being equipped with individual pods — the first of their kind in the province — to provide privacy for those who stay at the arena, courtesy of Staples Business Advantage.
The speed at which the pop-up solution can be assembled is a big advantage, says the provincial government in a statement, and there are plans to expand their use to other emergency response centres.
People living at the shelter will have access to services such as meals, washroom facilities, health-care services, addictions treatment and harm reduction, as well as storage space for personal belongings.
For the most part in Victoria, hotels have been leased by BC Housing to provide shelter for vulnerable populations living at Topaz Park and on Pandora Ave, many of them reserved for specific at-risk groups like women and youth.
This emergency response shelter will be used to accommodate couples and groups of people who wish to stay together, where possible.
“This is a challenging time for everyone, especially for people experiencing homelessness. In Victoria, we have seen encampments at Topaz Park and the Pandora corridor grow into unsafe, dense encampments that are compounding existing health, well-being and safety challenges,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
“The centre offers a temporary and secure place with wraparound support services to help people stay safe during this time.”
People will start being moved into the arena next week, and the site will be staffed 24 hours a day while it’s open.
“We are grateful to GSL for working with BC Housing and the Province to make this facility available to help those in Victoria in need of temporary sheltering, meals or specialized health services,” said Lisa Helps, mayor, City of Victoria.
“Moving into the arena in the short term is a step closer for people to have safe, secure long-term housing.”
An order on April 25 through the Emergency Program Act by Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Mike Farnworth, requires homeless encampments at Topaz Park, Pandora Ave, and Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver to be dismantled by May 9, by which time all occupants need to be sheltered at emergency response centres or hotel rooms.
Transfer to hotel spaces will be referrals-only, meaning BC Housing, its non-profit partners, and health authorities will choose who goes to which shelter space and when.
At the time, there were 360 people living at the Topaz Park and Pandora Ave encampments.
As of May 4, 92 people from those encampments have been moved into temporary shelters.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that the Canadian government is promising a $252-million aid package for agriculture and food industries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his daily address, Trudeau said $77 million of this amount will go towards measures to keep workers in the food processing industry safe by providing protective equipment and supporting physical distancing measures in workplaces.
The government is also expected to add an additional $125 million to the AgriRecovery fund, a federal-provincial-territorial program aimed at helping farmers during disasters.
“For many farmers, this crisis means that they have to keep animals for longer periods of time, and that can be expensive. So, with this funding, we’re giving extra help to beef and pork producers so they can adapt to the crisis,” said Trudeau.
“This is an initial investment and if we need to add more, we will.”
The Prime Minister also says that a $50 million purchase program for surplus foods is on the way, in an effort to fight food insecurity.
This program could aid industries, like struggling the french fry industry, which has seen plummeting sales as restaurants from across the country have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic.
“The government will buy large quantities of certain products at risk of going to waste, say, potatoes or poultry, and redistribute them to organizations addressing food insecurity,” said Trudeau.
The government also plans to distribute $200 million to expand the Canadian Dairy Commission Act to allow it to buy and store more surplus dairy products, such as cheese and butter, to avoid milk dumping, which has already been happening this spring.
After introducing similar measures at Beacon Hill Park, on Dallas Road, and in James Bay, the City of Victoria says temporary on-street parking restrictions will take effect in the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood this week.
The purpose is to extend the sidewalk space for pedestrians to be able to maintain physical distances while out and about.
Starting this week, parking will be restricted on segments of Fifth Street, between Hillside and Kings Roads next to the Quadra Village Shopping Centre.
“These temporary zones target sidewalk pinch-points to provide a safe space for people when they are out getting fresh air or when picking up important items,” said Mayor Lisa Helps during her daily briefing on Monday.
The changes will be demarcated with bollards, signs, and paint and letters will be sent to residents and business in the area to inform them about the measures.
The City of Victoria is also introducing temporary on-street parking bans in other city neighbourhoods near areas with grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential services and in Quadra Village, Cook Street Village, Fairfield, and Vic West.
Next in line is St. Charles Street around the Fairfield Shopping Plaza, where similar restrictions will be implemented next week.
A 27-year-old man suffered minor injuries Sunday night after crashing their car into a pond in Campbell River.
Campbell River RCMP say the driver is extremely lucky to be alive after his four-door hatchback crossed the grass median and crossed the northbound lane, before going down an embankment and into the pond.
According to police, the crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. off the northbound lane of the Inland Island Highway, between Willis Road and Jubilee Parkway.
Police said the soaked driver, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, managed to flag down a Main Roads contracting employee to get help.
He was taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries and exposure. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
RCMP said they have not ruled out speed or the use of intoxicants.
The provincial government has released updated modelling data that shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected various demographics in B.C. from January 1 to April 30.
Of note, dynamic modelling shows that the province could have no new cases of the virus by July 2020 if everyone keeps interactions at 35 per cent of how we would normally operate.
Based on the information provided, the highest number of cases in the province were recorded in women aged 50 – 59 years.
However the most serious COVID-19 cases were detected in men aged 70 – 90 years and older, as the majority of those groups were hospitalized after testing positive for the virus.
(Ministry of Health)
Out of a total 2,145 cases, health care workers accounted for 428 — or 21 per cent — of people diagnosed with COVID-19.
This can be greatly attributed to focused testing of workers in the health care sector for a period of time, until testing was reopened to anyone in the community displaying symptoms of the virus.
Men, people aged over 50 years old, and those who have a pre-existing chronic condition are groups that have been identified for being more at risk.
This graph shows the number of people in these groups have been hospitalized, admitted to ICU, or died after being diagnosed with COVID-19:
(Ministry of Health)
In the four-month time period studied for this model, there had been a total of 199 people admitted to critical care units as a result of contracting novel coronavirus.
Out of these, 28 (or 14.1 per cent) people recovered, 110 (or 55.2 per cent) have died, while the rest remain in critical care.
A comparison of the pandemic in B.C. with the rest of Canada and other countries shows that both the case rate and death rate in the province have flattened.
Moving forward
Looking to the future, a series of models show what would happen to the case numbers in B.C. depending on how people across the province change their levels of interaction.
Lifting restrictions entirely would cause an exponential surge in cases, and even increasing interactions up to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels would create a uptick in cases.
However, models show that keeping restrictions at 35 per cent of normal could lead to zero new cases by July.
As shown by the graph below, there is a major gap between restarting public life to 80 per cent of normal and 60 per cent.
During her briefing, Dr. Henry indicated that there will be a controlled, measured, and safe way of lifting some of the restrictions currently in place, suggesting that restrictions could be eased up to 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
“This is, I believe, the end of our beginning of this pandemic… as we start this new phase we need to keep those principles in mind,” said Dr. Henry, referring to a list of principles British Columbians need to continue to follow.
Those include practicing good hygiene, staying at home if ill, maintaining physical distances outside your household, wearing non-medical masks in public places, and reducing non-essential travel whenever possible.
Premier John Horgan, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and Health Minister Adrian Dix are expected to make an announcement regarding the structure of some economic reopening plans on Wednesday.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,633,932.
Over 251,400 people have died from the illness and 1,185,390 have made a full recovery.
The Department of National Defence will be holding a ramp ceremony on Wednesday to honour six service members who died in a military helicopter crash off the coast of Greece.
Though the remains of five have not yet been recovered, that of 23-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough, a Marine Systems Engineering Officer from Nova Scotia, were discovered last Thursday.
The other five RCAF pilots have been presumed dead.
The ceremony will be held at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ontario, with the friends and family of all six Canadians who were aboard the Cyclone helicopter when it crashed into the Ionian Sea during training on April 29th.
People across Canada can view the ceremony via livestream on the CAF Facebook page. It is scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m. PST on Wednesday, May 6th.
Captain Kevin Hagen, a pilot originally from Nanaimo, is one of the crew members who was aboard the helicopter at the time of the crash.
The missing five members from the crash who have been officially presumed deceased are:
Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald, Pilot, originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
Captain Kevin Hagen, Pilot, originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia
Captain Maxime Miron-Morin, Air Combat Systems Officer, originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec
Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke, Naval Warfare Officer, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia
Master Corporal Matthew Cousins, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, originally from Guelph, Ontario
The helicopter was based on HMCS Fredericton which had recently sailed from Souda, Greece, as part of a mission of maritime situational awareness in the Mediterranean.
The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 53 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province since Saturday, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,224 people.
34 people tested positive for the virus in the 24-hour period between May 2 and 3, while 19 more people were diagnosed with COVID-19 between May 3 and 4.
In total, 845 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 1,027 in Fraser Health, 124 on Vancouver Island, 177 in Interior Health and 51 in Northern Health region.
The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.
There are now a total of 77 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 20 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decline in hospitalizations.
Sadly, three new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 117 in total across the province.
In good news, a total of 1,417 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.
Outbreaks
There are no new outbreaks at a long term care facilities across B.C. and a total of twelve long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.
In total, 21 facilities and three acute-care units have active outbreaks, with outbreaks declared over at 12 care facilities. This now includes 266 residents and 168 staff members who have tested positive for the virus.
The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility now has 134 people who have tested positive for COVID-19, including 121 inmates and 13 staff.
The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19.
Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam now has 54 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus — an increase of two cases since the last report.
There are also seven people who tested positive for COVID-19 linked to the Fraser Valley Speciality Poultry outbreak.
A total of 15 people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have also tested positive for the virus, and there are additional family members of those workers who have also tested positive.
Island Health region
Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 124 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.
BCCDC data shows that as of May 1st, 101 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been four virus-related deaths in total.
This means there are now 19 active cases in the region.
Three people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.
Thus far, there have been 88,670 novel coronavirus tests conducted across B.C., 13,187 of which were done in the Island Health region.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,633,932.
Over 251,400 people have died from the illness and 1,185,390 have made a full recovery.
RCMP are searching for for two 16 year olds after a flare was used to start a fire at a Nanaimo gas station on Saturday, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
The incident happened just after 9:00 p.m. at the Circle K Convenience Store and Gas Station on Departure Bay Road in Nanaimo.
According to Nanaimo RCMP, two teenagers were allegedly shoplifting from the store when one of the suspects discharged a tube flare at the employee as they were leaving.
“They selected a few items and before leaving without paying, one of the suspects discharged a single tube flare in the direction of the employee,” said Cst. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP in a statement.
Nanaimo fire crews were called to the scene and extinguished the blaze.
Officers scoured the area for the suspects but were unable to locate them. Upon reviewing video surveillance, investigators were able to identify them both — however they are still at large.
“This was a reckless and extremely dangerous act that has significantly impacted a local business, traumatized the clerk and could have resulted in significant personal injury to the employee,” said O’Brien.
The flare, which narrowly missed the clerk, ignited merchandise and caused a fire that resulted in extensive structural damage inside and outside the store. The business is now boarded up with plywood.
Victim Services will be following up with the traumatized employee who was able to escape.
Te store expects to be closed for the next four to five days.
The Cedar Hill Golf Course will reopen to golfers, with some modifications, on May 5th.
While not officially ordered to shut down, many golf courses across the province chose to do so at the advent of the COVID-19 public health emergency in an effort to reduce the risk of virus transmission.
“We have appreciated the community’s interest in the course and pathways and their understanding of the closures that were in place,”said Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes in a statement.
“This has helped us to maintain the course and enable its re-opening. We look forward to seeing golfers back on the course and enjoying this beloved community resource.”
Some modifications will be put in place for golfers to ensure that health precautions are still being taken due to the ongoing pandemic.
These include:
More time between tee times
No walk-ons – golfing is by prearranged tee time only
Power carts are single rider or players from the same household
No score cards or pencils will be provided
No food and beverage services
Gathering places will be closed
The facility will reopen under guidelines provided by the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada.
This “best practices” notice from the association can be viewed here.
Are yoda one looking for your Star Wars fix today?
One theatre alumnus from the University of Victoria can make it happen it for you, live-streaming his popular interstellar journey through Star Wars on Facebook this evening.
All donations will help support an emergency fund for students experiencing financial hardship due COVID-19.
Charles Ross will perform the free live-streamed event, and this special opportunity to watch the Victoria actor condense twelve hours of movies into a 75-minute re-enactment of the plots of three Star Wars films (Star Wars IV, V and VI) will be coordinated through the Farquhar Auditorium at UVic,
The performance will livestream on Facebook May 4th, at 5 p.m. and viewers are asked to donate to the UVic COVID-19 Emergency Bursary online.
Any money raised from the virtual event will go directly towards the UVic fund, which was established in April to help domestic and international students who are in financial need as result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students who may have lost their jobs, face housing issues or have trouble paying for food, tuition or the technology needed for online or remote learning can benefit from the fund.
The emergency bursary also supports mental health services, child care and transportation costs for students affected by COVID-19.
Originally established with $200,000 from the university and $140,000 from the BC government, other contributions to the fund include $67,000 from the UVic Students’ Society, $50,000 from the UVic Alumni Association and $98,000 in individual donations from hundreds of alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university.
Fundraising continues, and currently over 2,000 students have applied to the emergency bursary – UVic anticipates the demand will exceed $1 million.
Performed with permission of Lucasfilm Ltd, the show is fast-paced, funny and suitable for ages six and up – you can tune in here.
Air Canada announced a series of new personal safety measures on Monday, designed to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Their CleanCare+ program will now require customers travelling on Air Canada flights be subject to an infra-red temperature check at all airports.
The non-invasive procedure will complement the current government-mandated health questionnaire that is to completed by all travellers to determine their ability to fly.
Customers who are deemed unfit to travel will be re-booked at no cost, but will be required to obtain medical clearance prior to travel.
Additionally, the new program will introduce seat assignment policies to allow for more personal space in Economy Class on all flights until June 30, 2020, and provide all customers with care kits for hand cleaning and hygiene.
Air Canada will also up their cabin cleaning standards with the introduction of electrostatic spraying of cabin interiors.
At the moment, the airline already already incorporates the use of hospital grade disinfectant and specialized techniques to maintain cleanliness aboard each flight.
“While we are eager to see the reopening of economies and the restart of commercial aviation, the safety of our customers and employees is Air Canada’s core value and we aim to establish the highest standards of hygiene, cleanliness and attention to public health guidelines,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, in a statement.
“We intend to continue enhancing Air Canada CleanCare+ where we can with best practices from around the world, including increased use of screening tools, such as blood oxygen level testing, as they become available.”
When asked to describe their emotional and mental states, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, many British Columbians still use shortcuts such as “I’m fine.”
But according to new data released on Monday by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), 77 per cent of those in B.C. who respond to the age old question of “how are you?” in that way are feeling more negative emotions than positive ones these days.
Around 53 per cent responded negatively when questioned on their mental health, as opposed to the 47 per cent that had a positive response.
Despite the rise in popularity of video-conferencing and social media usage, Canadians are feeling more isolated than ever — up from 39 per cent to 47 per cent in less than one month — and crave real, meaningful connections.
Due to the nature of the ongoing pandemic, two-thirds of British Columbians (or 66 per cent) report they would like to experience more meaningful social interactions in their daily life.
This data was released to mark Canada’s 69th annual Mental Health Week, which runs from May 4th to May 10th this year.
“Most Canadians want more social connection, yet they’re reluctant to have the kind of honest, open conversations that build the connection they crave,” says Margaret Eaton, national CEO of CMHA.
“In our society, it’s a cultural norm to ask people how they’re doing, but not to expect, nor provide, a truthful answer. This Mental Health Week, it’s time to get real about how we feel. It’s clear we need each other more than ever.”
The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions describes Mental Health Week as a week to celebrate, protect, and promote mental health. The theme this year is “social connection,” and it couldn’t be more timely.
“By talking about our mental health, we are creating the vital connections that will help us through this pandemic and beyond. I encourage everyone to do their part and get real about mental health — because the only way to get through this is together,” said Minister Judy Darcy in an op-ed shared today.
“And remember, when someone asks you how you are, it’s okay to say, ‘I’m not okay’.”
The province moved quickly to provide $5 million for virtual mental health supports for people around B.C., with a focus on front-line health care workers, unsettled young people and their families, and isolated seniors who are seeking connection and help with day-to-day activities.
The Government of Canada has also launched a mental health portal to support Canadians amid COVID-19 called Wellness Together Canada, which provides free online tools to those who need it.
The provincial government has extended the period of time in which an employee can be considered “temporarily” laid off to 16 weeks.
Under the Employment Standards Act, any employee laid off for a period longer than 13 weeks in a 20-week period (or about three months in a five month period) would previously be considered permanently laid off.
With a permanent layoff, employers are required to provide employees with written working notice of termination and/or pay severance to qualifying employees, based on their length of service.
However as of May 4th, layoffs related to COVID-19 business closures or reductions will remain “temporary” for a period of 16 weeks.
According to the Ministry of Labour, this measure was made to keep British Columbians connected to their employers for a longer period of time.
The amendment to the Employment Standards Act aligns B.C.’s temporary layoff provisions with the federal government’s financial assistance program, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which provides income assistance for a period of 16 weeks.
“It also allows employees to keep their job, even if they are not working, for 16 weeks of temporary layoff. Employers will be able to quickly resume operations should the public health emergency end within that time,” reads a statement from the Ministry.
The extension of the temporary layoff period in B.C. will be repealed once it is no longer needed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
After two large international players in the province’s mobility industry, Car2go and Zipcar, announced they are pulling out of B.C. on May 1, local member-owned carshare co-operative Modo assures its members it is here to stay, both during the pandemic and long afterwards.
Not only are Modo’s car doors open for business, the company says their vehicles are being cleaned significantly more often — 40% more, to be exact.
Increased sanitation of high-touch surfaces like doors, steering wheels, gear shifts and controls ensures members using the cars on any occasion, whether it’s for grocery shopping or making deliveries to family members, can still get around during this time of need.
Most recently, the carshare co-op — which was founded in 1997 — launched a new initiative, designed to keep essential workers moving in a safe and affordable way, providing the service at cost for essential workers.
This comes at a critical time when those who need to get to work or deliver essential goods and services are unable to use public transit, either due to physical distancing requirements or as a result of route closures.
Constance Barnes is one such member making use of Modo’s Essential Transportation Program in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side where living conditions are at their worst.
“I’ve been a long time member and right now my Modo Van is my lifeline to the work I do in the DTES,” says Barnes.
“I deliver masks, gloves, food, water, cleaning supplies and much more to the most vulnerable people in this province.”
(Modo)
But not everyone’s definition of essential work looks quite as heroic as this.
As physical distancing measures and travel restrictions continue, some Modo members still require the use of their vehicles for essential trips — whether that means delivering care or necessary goods, picking up groceries, or simply getting to work if the doors to your business are still open.
Modo’s Essential Transportation Program is available to new and existing members in Victoria at a flat monthly rate of $500, which includes gas, insurance and 600 kms. The service is being offered at cost — Modo’s way of giving back during this crisis.
Colette Griffiths, another member using Modo’s Essential Transportation Program, is the co-owner of the Federal Store. Together with her partner Chris, Griffiths was able to transition their small brick and mortar business to online delivery while also hiring more staff at a time when many have lost their jobs.
“In response to the pandemic we launched a delivery-by-donation program that allowed people to order groceries online and have them delivered to their doorstep on a pay-what-they-can-afford model,” says Griffiths.
“We could not have pulled this program off without access to larger vehicles in the Modo fleet. The program has been such a success that we have been able to hire on extra staff.”
Modo is confident their Essential Transportation Program will help everyone in the co-op get through this difficult time together, and look forward to continuing to serve the Victoria community in good times and in bad.
(Modo)
If you can make use of Modo’s Essential Transportation Program, send an email to info@modo.coop, with ESSENTIAL TRANSPORTATION in the subject line.
You can read more about the new program online, and if you’re new to Modo, let them know you heard about the offer through Victoria Buzz (use promo code VICBUZZETP) and get $25 in free driving credits!
In a report released on Monday, Air Canada announced that they have lost $1.05 billion in their first quarter, compared to a profit of $345 million in the same quarter last year.
This loss is largely due to governments imposing travel restrictions around the world amid the ongoing the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impacts that has had on air travel.
Canada’s largest airline says the loss amounted to $4.00 per diluted share for the quarter, compared with a profit of $1.26 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2019.
Operating revenue also fell to $3.72 billion, compared to $4.43 billion in last year’s quarter.
“We have developed a plan to manage through a protracted downturn, recognizing that the pandemic and its fallout will materially impact both customer demand and our liquidity in the short and medium term,” Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada said in the report.
“Moreover, while the duration of the pandemic and its fallout remain unknown, it is our current expectation that it will take at least three years to recover to 2019 levels of revenue and capacity.”
The airline has reduced its second quarter capacity by 85 to 90 per cent in comparison with the same quarter last year, while its third quarter capacity is expected to be reduced by about 75 per cent compared to the year before.
Air Canada is also accelerating the retirement of 79 older aircraft in a move that they say will simplify the airline’s fleet, reduce costs structure, and lower its carbon footprint.
They have also adopted the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for most of their workforce, which allowed them to return previously furloughed Canadian-based employees to their payroll for the March 15th to June 6th period.
In his daily address on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alluded that help for Canada’s airlines may be on the way, but the immediate priority has been helping families and workers with CERB and wage subsidies.
After two and a half months of offering free service, BC Transit will transition back to front door boarding and fare collection on June 1.
In an advisory on Monday morning, the crown corporation says they will finish incorporating enhance safety measures on conventional, community, and handyDART buses by that date.
All buses that do not yet have a full driver door will be fitted with a temporary vinyl panel to create a barrier between the driver and passengers.
“This new safety measures aligns with the direction from the Provincial Health Officer,” reads a statement from BC Transit.
Other safety measures that have already been implemented, like enhanced cleaning protocols on buses and limiting passenger capacity to allow room for physical distancing, will remain in place.
The crown corporation began cancelling fare collection and requiring passengers to board through the back door in mid-March.
Those measures have remained in place since then, and will continue until June 1.
Buses will continue to operate on reduced service in addition to their Spring schedule. More information about specific schedule changes can be found on the BC Transit website.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that Canada will be contributing $850 million towards the global fight against COVID-19, specifically to aid in vaccine research and development.
After speaking with global leaders to discuss treatments and vaccines, Trudeau says Canada has invested both nationally and internationally.
$175 million of the fund will be allocated to Vancouver company AbCellera, in an effort to support discovery of treatments against the virus as well as build a manufacturing facility for antibody drugs.
“We all share a common goal: ending this pandemic,” said Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday.
The support comes from the Canadian government under Innovation, Science and Economic Development, as a part of the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
AbCellera’s antibody discovery platform is being used to search blood samples of patients who have recovered from COVID-19, and to aid in the discovery of antibodies that can be used to treat and prevent the disease.
Since receiving one of the first North American samples from a recovered patient on February 25th, AbCellera has identified over 500 unique human anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies as part of a collaboration with the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the US National Institutes of Health.
Antibodies discovered by the company may also be used to create new diagnostic tests to support the medical community in monitoring the spread of COVID-19.
AbCellera previously announced a partnership with Eli Lilly and Company that looks to develop a treatment for COVID-19 with the goal of beginning clinical trials in July 2020.
With many Canadians already using virtual health care tools, the federal government announced today they will be expanding the scope of services they provide online in the way of an additional $240 million in funding.
During Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s morning address on Sunday, he stated Canada is looking to bring more health care services online by creating new virtual platforms for mental health and primary care and expanding online tools amid COVID-19 – some that are already available, such as Wellness Together Canada.
“While we all do our part to fight COVID-19, it can be a challenge to deal with everything that’s happening around us and to get the help and services we need to feel well,” said Trudeau.
“It’s important that we take care of ourselves and our families during these challenging times, and that’s why we’ve introduced more virtual health resources and mental health tools to further support Canadians through this crisis.”
Trudeau also added that it is understandable if people are feeling stressed or overwhelmed during these times.
The Prime Minister stated that some of the $240 million will be going towards providing virtual care.
“This $240 million investment will also include funding for virtual care, for times when you don’t need to see a doctor in person,” he said.
“Just take video conferencing – by helping doctors run appointments online, you can stay safe at home while getting care, and our hospitals can stay focused on those who need it most.”
Additionally, Trudeau announced a $175 million investment in a Vancouver-based company AbCellera, which will aid them in their ongoing COVID-19 vaccine research.
“They have identified antibodies that could be used in drugs to treat this virus,” Trudeau said about the B.C. company. “This new funding will help them continue their vital work and will support human trials beginning as early as July.
Trudeau also reminded parents that the Canada Child Benefit payment for May will be increased by $300 per child.
“For families with two kids, that means an extra $600. For three kids, an extra $900 and so on,” Trudeau said.
“This is money for whatever you need. Whether it is online tutoring or groceries.”
Two unrelated traffic stops in Saanich last month led to the arrest of several drug trafficking suspects.
On April 2nd , Saanich Police said they stopped a vehicle in the 3400 block of Douglas Street (near Uptown) on a weapons complaint.
The driver was arrested and the vehicle searched.
Officers found several drugs in the car believed to be methamphetamine and cocaine – they were packaged and ready for sale on the street. Officers also found $1,000 in cash.
Police said the driver is facing charges related to drug trafficking and driving while prohibited.
About a month later, on April 30th – in the same area, a Saanich police officer pulled over a vehicle after it swerved and nearly struck the police cruiser.
While speaking to the driver, an officer spotted a small package of drugs in plain sight.
The driver was arrested and a search of the vehicle resulted in the police finding drugs believed to be fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, drug packaging materials and also a conducted-energy weapon.
The driver failed a roadside sobriety test, which resulted in a 24-hour driving suspension and vehicle impound.
Both the driver and passenger were charged with drug trafficking and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
“The details of both files indicate that they were out actively selling drugs,” said Cst. Markus
Anastasiades.
“It’s a good day for police when we are able to stop the trafficking of drugs, especially when it comes to the seizure of fentanyl, as we are all aware of the devastation this drug has caused in our province.”
The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 26 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,171 people.
In total, 832 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 992 in Fraser Health, 123 on Vancouver Island, 175 in Interior Health and 49 in Northern Health region.
The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.
There are now a total of 72 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, several of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decline in hospitalizations.
Sadly, two new deaths were reported today and the death toll is now at 114 in total across the province.
In good news, a total of 1,376 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.
Outbreaks
There are no new outbreaks at a long term care facilities across B.C. and a total of twelve long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.
In total, 21 facilities and three acute-care units have active outbreaks, with outbreaks declared over at 12 care facilities. There are a total of 416 cases, including 261 residents and 155 staff.
One new outbreak has been reported today at the Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry processing facility where there are three cases of COVID-19.
According to Dr. Henry, an investigation is ongoing into that facility and outbreak protocols have been put in place.
The outbreak related to workers returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta has been proving particularly challenging, says Dr. Henry, as the virus has been traced to workers’ families which then has an impact on the wider community.
“We cannot afford to have any missteps as we look to ease our restrictions in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Henry.
An updated number of cases linked to the Mission institute facility, United Poultry Company, Superior Poultry processing plant, and the Kearl Lake oil sands project will be released later today.
Island Health region
Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 123 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.
BCCDC data shows that as of May 1st, 101 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been four virus-related deaths in total.
This means there are now 18 active cases in the region.
Three people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,457,768.
Over 243,200 people have died from the illness and 1,102,914 have made a full recovery.
Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for Greater Victoria Saturday morning.
The weather advisory warns that a strong cold front will sweep across the south coast this afternoon, accompanied by strong gusty winds.
According to the weather agency, winds will rise to southeast 30 to 60 km/h late this morning or early this afternoon over Greater Victoria and the lower mainland.
They will then shift to southwesterly 40 to 60 km/h, gusting up to 80 km/h late this afternoon as the front passes.
Winds are expected to ease early this evening.
Over Howe Sound, strong northerly outflow of 40 to 60 km/h will shift to southerly inflow 40 to 60 km/h gusting to 80 km/h late this afternoon, then ease to light early this evening.
Victoria police are asking for help in locating a inflatable boat stolen overnight Thursday.
Around 9:30 a.m. on May 1st, police were called about a boat had been stolen from the rear of another boat moored near the 2900-block of Jutland Road the night before.
The stolen inflatable is a motorized 11-foot Avon valued at about $35,000.
The boat might have been seen travelling near the Johnson Street bridge at 1 a.m. or 5 a.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654. Press #1 to speak with the report desk. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Saanich Police have arrested two men for allegedly breaking into a Canadian Tire Auto Service Centre at 3993 Cedar Hill Road and stealing several items.
Officers responded to a security alarm that went off at the store at around 5:30 a.m. on Friday, May 1, and found that someone had broken into the building.
Upon checking CCTV footage, police were able to ascertain descriptions of two suspects who were caught on camera breaking in and stealing tools and electronics in a backpcak before fleeing the scene.
While the officer was writing up a report at the scene of the crime, he noticed two individuals who he recognized as the suspects from the CCTV footage, riding down Shelbourne Street on bicycles.
They were stopped and immediately arrested for breaking and entering. The officer searched one of their backpacks and found the stolen items which were then returned to the store.
“A keen eye and a little luck on being in the right place at the right time certainly helped in this case,” said Cst. Markus Anastasiades in a statement.
The men, aged 53 and 22 years old, were known to police for property crimes in the past and have been charged with break and enter.
They were released on a series of conditions and have a court date later this year.
The B.C. Ministry of Health has reported 33 new test-positive cases of novel coronavirus in the province today, bringing the total number cases in B.C. to 2,145 people.
In total, 823 of these cases are in the Vancouver Coastal Region, 978 in Fraser Health, 121 on Vancouver Island, 174 in Interior Health and 49 in Northern Health region.
The majority of active cases remaining are linked to the known cluster outbreaks described below.
There are now a total of 79 people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19, 24 of whom are in critical care – ICU or acute care units — showing a continued decline in hospitalizations.
Sadly, one new death was reported today and the death toll is now at 112 in total across the province.
In good news, a total of 1,357 people have now recovered from novel coronavirus in B.C.
Outbreaks
There are no new outbreaks at a long term care facilities across B.C. and a total of twelve long term care facility outbreaks have been declared over.
In total, 21 facilities and three acute-care units have active outbreaks, with outbreaks declared over at 12 care facilities.
“Public health teams are also providing support to a number of community outbreaks, actively contact tracing those who may be directly affected and their close contacts,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Health.
The coronavirus outbreak at the Mission Institute federal correctional facility now has 133 people — 13 more than yesterday — who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The outbreak at a Vancouver chicken processing and packaging plant, United Poultry Company, has 35 employees who tested positive for COVID-19. This number was reported erroneously by the Ministry as 42 on Thursday, but has now been corrected.
Its sister plant, the Superior Poultry processing plant in Coquitlam now has 52 test-positive cases of patients who have contracted the virus — an increase of two cases since the last report.
Four more people returning to B.C. from the Kearl Lake oil sands project in Alberta have also tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of people linked to that outbreak to 15.
Island Health region
Specific data for the Vancouver Island Health region shows that there are 121 total cases of COVID-19 in the area.
BCCDC data shows that as of April 30th, 92 people have recovered in the Island Health region and there have now been four virus-related deaths in total.
This means there are now 25 active cases in the region.
Five people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized.
The BCCDC has set up a 2019 novel coronavirus telephone information line at 1-833-784-4397 for those who have further questions about this disease.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary care provider, local public health office, or call 8-1-1.
The Province has also created the 1-888-COVID-19 line to connect British Columbians needing non-medical information about the coronavirus pandemic.
As of the time of publication, the total number of COVID-19 patients worldwide has risen to 3,392,718.
Over 239,100 people have died from the illness and 1,077,872 have made a full recovery.
A house fire that destroyed a heritage home in Vic West on Tuesday flared up again on Friday.
Victoria Fire Department was called back on site for a structure fire at 223 Roberts Street, after first battling a major fire that rendered the heritage home unliveable on Tuesday.
Smoke and flames were spotted emanating from the property on Tuesday afternoon but were brought under control by 2:30 p.m.
The property, which was constructed in 1903, is a one-and-one-half storey wood frame house that received recognition as a heritage home in 1975.
These videos submitted by reader Courtnay Paige show the crew on site on Friday:
BC Ferries has announced they will be increasing passenger capacity on the two remaining routes currently serving Vancouver and Vancouver Island.
Starting next week, some of the scheduled ‘cargo-only’ sailings on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen and Duke Point-Tsawwassen routes will accept all traffic — including passengers.
The Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen and Duke Point-Tsawwassen routes were originally retained due to the necessity of transporting cargo, despite a traffic decline of 80 per cent.
The Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route will start accepting all passengers beginning May 11th, where currently one sailing each way is dedicated to cargo only.
For the Duke Point-Tsawwassen route, there are presently four daily cargo-only sailings each way, which will be reduced to two starting May 7th.
This means two of these daily sailings each way will soon open up to all traffic.
For the vessels that still operate as cargo-only sailings, the number of passengers on board is limited to only 84, and they provide priority loading to commercial vehicles transporting goods.
BC Ferries says that they allow essential service workers to load on a first-come, first-served basis after commercial vehicles on these cargo-only sailings.
If there is any space left after commercial vehicles and essential workers board, other traffic may be allowed.
The ferry company has implemented a number of health safety measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, including a 50 per cent reduction in vessel capacities to allow for proper physical distancing.
BC Ferries have also advised that they will be conducting necessary parking lot resurfacing work at the Swartz Bay Terminal from Monday, May 11th to Friday, May 15th which may affect vehicles entering the pick-up and drop-off areas.
There will be no change to the location of the BC Transit or Taxi staging areas.
Dr. Bonnie Henry has been nominated to receive an Order of Canada, the second highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General responded to Daryl Hatton, who had expressed interest in nominating her for the award, by letting him know that they already have a file open for Dr. Henry from a previous nomination.
After B.C. became one of the first provinces to be hit by the pandemic, the province was also the first to successfully beat the virus into retreat by implementing public health measures in a timely fashion, under the leadership of Dr. Henry.
The last day of April marked 100 days since Dr. Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix first started holding daily briefings to update British Columbians on the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in the province.
Since then the duo, and particularly Dr. Henry, have been praised for their calm, collected, and informative approach in mitigating the transmission of the virus, keeping the public informed, and ultimately flattening the curve in B.C.
Her nomination for the Order of Canada may not come as a surprise to many, as the honour is granted to Canadians who have made extraordinary contributions to the nation.
According to the Governor General’s website, any living Canadian is eligible to be nominated for the Order as long as they are not elected officials and judges currently in office.
An advisory council reviews each nomination before passing on their recommendation to the Governor General. The review process can take up to two years to complete.
After nearly eight hours, a series of loud bangs signalled the end of a tense situation in the Fernwood area on Thursday.
At around 8:30 p.m. on April 30th, the Lower Mainland RCMP EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) team, along with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response team (GVERT) deployed several controlled detonations in dealing with a suspicious package left in a basketball court earlier that day.
In total, four controlled detonations were required to secure the scene safely.
At 12:30 p.m. that day, VicPD was called to the 1200-block of Gladstone Avenue after a witness observed an unknown man leave the suspicious item behind at the court.
Callers told police the man left the toolbox, which had been welded shut, at the basketball court and then left.
Victoria Police proceeded with an abundance of caution, calling on GVERT and the RCMP Lower Mainland Explosive Ordinance Disposal team, who arrived shortly before 8 p.m.
We're investigating a suspicious package after a welded-shut toolbox was left a Fernwood basketball court. We're hoping to speak w the man who dropped it off & left. #F2017846#yyj (1/4) pic.twitter.com/gUgNI1mIXd
While the package was not an explosive device, according to VicPD the contents were suspicious and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
“The toolbox contained metal, concrete and wiring. It and how it was placed are still considered suspicious,” Victoria Police said in a tweet.
The suspect who left the package behind is described as a Caucasian man with a brown beard and wearing a long-sleeved shirt. He was also said to be driving a white vehicle with a trunk, possibly a Mazda.
VicPD asks anyone who has information on the incident to contact them at 250-995-7654.
Gladstone Update | Another controlled detonation. This was quite loud and heard by many. Everyone remains safe. #yyjpic.twitter.com/iMMeiqJMWz
Representatives of school boards across B.C. and the union representing teachers in the province have ratified a three year agreement.
According to a statement issued on Friday, members of the BC Public School Employers’ Association (BCPSEA) and the BC Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) have entered into the agreement under government’s Sustainable Services Negotiating Mandate.
The agreement, which covers 45,000 teachers who work across 60 school districts in the province.
It encompasses the period from July 1st, 2019, to June 30th, 2022 and promises general wage increases of 2 per cent per year.
In 2020, the agreement provides a 1 per cent wage increase to the top step of the teacher salary grid in each district.
During the negotiation, the mediator also outlined a process for how to support successful bargaining negotiations in future years.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced B.C., like many other provinces and countries, to suspend in-class instruction, forcing teachers and educational assistants to find ways to continue delivering education to students across the province.
In a special address on April 28th, Dr. Bonnie Henry took time to thank educators for the important work they are doing.
“Thank you for creating virtual classrooms, and making time for extra connections with your students,” said Dr. Henry.
The search effort for survivors following an RCAF helicopter crash in the Mediterranean on Wednesday is now being considered a recovery mission, according to the Department of National Defence.
The Armed Forces said today that more remains have been found, but have not yet been identified.
Captain Kevin Hagen, a pilot originally from Nanaimo, is one of crew members who was aboard the helicopter at the time of the crash.
The missing five members from the crash who are now officially presumed deceased are as follows:
Captain Brenden Ian MacDonald, Pilot, originally from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
Captain Kevin Hagen, Pilot, originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia
Captain Maxime Miron-Morin, Air Combat Systems Officer, originally from Trois-Rivières, Québec
Sub-Lieutenant Matthew Pyke, Naval Warfare Officer, originally from Truro, Nova Scotia
Master Corporal Matthew Cousins, Airborne Electronic Sensor Operator, originally from Guelph, Ontario
On Thursday it was confirmed that one member, 23-year-old Sub-Lieutenant Abbigail Cowbrough, a Marine Systems Engineering Officer from Nova Scotia had been found deceased.
The helicopter was based on HMCS Fredericton which had recently sailed from Souda, Greece, as part of a mission of maritime situational awareness in the Mediterranean.
This included exercises with the Turkish Navy and Greece’s Hellenic Navy and Air Force this past week.
According to the Defence department, NATO Allies will be continuing recovery efforts at the scene of the crash as HMCS Fredricton is scheduled to depart for port in Italy.
After closing its doors over a month ago, Butchart Gardens has announced they have re-opened to the public as of today, May 1st at 9 a.m.
The popular Victoria landmark shuttered their tourist site on March 26th, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and out of an abundance of caution to protect their visitors from risk of virus transmission.
The announcement comes with a set of physical distancing measures to be put in place for all visitors to the gardens, to ensure they can remain open for the time being.
“We need you to follow the rules to guarantee you and your families and our staff and their families stay safe,” reads a statement from Butchart Gardens.
“This will allow us to remain open to offer comfort to all those who wish to come here in these difficult times.”
The physical distancing rules now in place at Butchart Gardens are:
Follow the instructions of staff
Be patient, maintain physical distancing, and do not allow you or your group to get within 2m/6ft of another group
Children and pets must remain directly at your side
Please keep to the right on all pathways
Follow the directional arrows and abide by the ‘Do Not Enter’ signs
In addition, though the main walkways are open, these areas may be closed to the public:
Most washrooms closed
One washroom near the parking lot will be available for use
Restaurants closed
Gelateria and Coffee Shop will be open for take-away service
Rose carousel closed
Seed & Gift Store closed
Shop online or call 250-652-4422 to place an order
Umbrellas
Due to COVID-19, they are unable to supply umbrellas
No benches
All seating has been removed
No drinking fountains
Do not bring your own food to the gardens
They are not permitting picnics or seated gatherings
Information Centre
Open for 12 Month Pass sales only
Butchart Gardens also reminds visitors that they are welcome to bring and wear their own masks, if they choose to do so.
The tourist attraction hosts over one million visitors each year across their 55 acres, and employees over 50 full-time gardeners alone along with numerous other staff.
The popular spot is a hub for tourists and locals alike and has been in operation for over 100 years in Victoria.
