Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued heat warnings for multiple areas in the Interior Health region. The Province has not declared an extreme heat emergency for this region. With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre for Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the […]

People throughout British Columbia are encouraged to be prepared for heat as many regions of the province will experience high temperatures beginning Friday, July 5, 2024. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has forecast increasingly hot temperatures for many parts of the province this weekend, and the Province is reminding people to plan ahead to […]

A year into the 10-Year Cancer Care Action Plan to build capacity and expand access to cancer-care services to meet growing demand, more people in B.C. are benefiting from expanded screening, more access to diagnostic tests and better treatment. “The progress we have made in enhancing cancer care in just one year is a testament […]

With the arrival of summer and warmer temperatures, the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) is urging people to take extra care and plan ahead in the event of extreme-weather conditions. According to updated data from BCCS, there were 11 suspected heat-related deaths in 2023. All such deaths were reported between May and August, with more than […]

More young people who are experiencing early signs of psychosis are benefiting from expanded supports throughout the province. In 2021, the Province announced the expansion of the early psychosis intervention (EPI) program. B.C. now has more than 50 locations where people can get assessed and connected to care. The Province has funded the hiring of […]

By Dr. Matthew S. Miller, Executive Director, Global Nexus and M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University Bird flu poses a massive threat, and the potential for a catastrophic new pandemic is imminent. We still have a chance to stop a possible humanitarian disaster, but only if we get to work urgently, carefully […]

Unregulated toxic drugs claimed the lives of 182 people in April 2024 according to preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service. While this represents a 24% decrease from the number of deaths in April 2023 (239), the risk posed by unregulated drug supply remains very high. April 2024 marks eight years since the public-health emergency […]

The Province is taking action to improve care for a growing population with overlapping mental-health and addiction challenges and brain injuries from toxic-drug poisonings by appointing a chief scientific advisor to develop solutions to address their unique needs. Dr. Daniel Vigo will be B.C.’s chief scientific advisor for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders. Vigo […]

Spring is here and the warmer weather means more people will be out hiking in tall grass or wooded areas. This can also mean an increased chance of getting tick bites. Ticks are small bugs that bite and feed on the blood of humans and animals and can sometimes transmit disease. Fortunately, there are precautions […]

Starting May 1, almost 2 million seniors were eligible to make appointments and start accessing the new NDP Dental Care Plan. MP, Richard Cannings noted that “after 57 years fighting for dental care to be included in the Canada Health Care Act, the NDP Canada Dental Care Plan is finally here.” The local MP has […]