Category Archives: Prairies/BC
Member of the legislature Sonia Furstenau elected B.C. Green leader
VICTORIA — The Green party's new leader in B.C. wants the premier to focus on COVID-19 and overdose deaths instead of fuelling speculation about an early election this fall. Sonia Furstenau, 50, one of two Green party members in the legislature, s...
B.C. amends law in effort to address sky-high condo and townhouse insurance
VICTORIA — The B.C. government has announced regulatory changes aimed at bringing more transparency to condo insurance premiums that have risen by as much as 40 per cent. The Finance Ministry says effective Nov. 1, insurers or insurance ...
B.C. approves plastic bylaws in 5 communities, aims for provincial plan
RICHMOND, B.C. — British Columbia has approved bylaws banning single-use plastics in five communities as it drafts a regulation allowing other local governments to create their own policies without the need for provincial approval. Environmen...
Manitoba COVID-19 numbers drop again after a busy summer, health data shows
WINNIPEG — Manitoba's active COVID-19 case count continues to drop after spiking in July and August. Health officials are reporting 15 new cases but, with many more people recovering, the number of active cases has dropped to 287. The active case ...
B.C. auditor general outlines costs of government’s pandemic response so far
VICTORIA — A new report from British Columbia's auditor general says the largest amount the provincial government had allocated by mid-August in its pandemic response was for individuals and households. Michael Pickup's report says of th...
Alberta ramping up surgeries 150 per cent; boosting privately run day clinics
CALGARY — The Alberta government plans to expand the use of privately run day-surgery clinics as part of a plan to boost procedures by up to 150 per cent. Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the province will expand the ...
Manitoba offers money for areas hit by spring and summer flooding
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government says it will be offering Disaster Financial Assistance to three areas hit by flooding in the spring and summer. Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler says eligible costs from high water during spring floo...
Alberta hiring staff for feasibility study of replacing RCMP with new force
EDMONTON — The Alberta government is looking to hire a contractor to study the benefits and costs of a proposed provincial police force that could replace the RCMP. Online job postings show the province wants the contractor to do a feasibility rev...
B.C. sets daily record of COVID-19 cases at 139, hospitalizations climb
VICTORIA — British Columbia's provincial health officer says she does not foresee a scenario where the entire public school system will have to shut down again because of COVID-19. Dr. Bonnie Henry said during a briefing Thursday that local outbreaks m...
Fewer active COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, first case found in school
WINNIPEG — A student in Manitoba has tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time since schools reopened, but other students and staff do not have to self-isolate, the province's chief public health officer said Thursday. "This individual ...
