Interior Health gets new board chair
Interior Health board member John O’Fee of Kamloops has been appointed incoming chair of the board of directors, to replace current board chair Erwin Malzer when he completes his tenure on Dec. 31, 2016. “In his 10 years as a director and two years as board chair, Malzer has served Interior Health with distinction, with a...
OP/ED: CUPE BC condemns Province's firing of Vancouver school board
Today's news that Premier Christy Clark has fired the democratically elected Vancouver School Board shows that her education agenda is more about closing schools than providing quality public education, CUPE BC President Paul Faoro said today. "The Vancouver School Board trustees who stood up to this government's efforts to...
Extreme weather response shelters open early
Storm season has arrived earlier than usual this year, and as a result, the Province is providing early funding to any Extreme Weather Response (EWR) shelter in British Columbia that is prepared to open early. While the EWR season officially runs from Nov. 1 to March 31, almost 30 EWR shelters across Metro Vancouver and around...
Snow could reduce need for air conditioning
A recent UBC study shows that snow cleared from winter roads can help reduce summer air-conditioning bills. The UBC study, a computer modelling exercise, found directing a building’s air handling units through a snow dump — snow collected and stored from winter road clearing operations — can reduce the need to use air...
Reminder its Fire Prevention Week
Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness Naomi Yamamoto has issued the following statement to the people of British Columbia on Fire Prevention Week: “It’s Fire Prevention Week and our government is encouraging all British Columbians to replace smoke alarms every 10 years. We are sharing this message – “Don’t Wait, Check...
Students see teaching as an act of kindness
It seems the stereotypical image of children liking, or finding good in their teachers, is correct. According to a recent UBC study that surveyed 650 local elementary students, 42 per cent of them believe that teaching is an act of kindness. The survey consisted of kindergarten to Grade 3 students in the Central Okanagan...
Road conditions can change quickly, so be prepared to adjust driving
Road and weather conditions change quickly during winter. Drivers should be prepared to adjust their driving behaviour to match the conditions and address potential hazards. On average, each year in British Columbia, the number of casualty crashes due to driving too fast for conditions doubles in December compared to October...
Fitness apps more effective when they are personalized — UBC study concludes
When fitness apps include personal touches such as individualized goals and contact with a ‘real live trainer’, users tend to exercise more consistently, a UBC study concludes. Mary Jung, an assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, recently completed an eight-week study that examined the...
RCMP collar alleged child predator
A proactive online investigation by the BC Integrated Child Exploitation (BC ICE) Unit has resulted in charges of Making Child Pornography and Arrangement or Agreement to commit a sexual offence against a child. On March 10, 56-year-old Ronald Gardner, of no fixed address, was arrested and subsequently charged with the above...
Sierra Club calls Petronas approval a betrayal of salmon and climate
Sierra Club BC released the following statement from campaigns director Caitlyn Vernon in response to the announcement by the federal government that it has approved the Petronas fracked gas plant: “Today is a terrible day for anyone who cares about salmon and the future of our climate. The math is simple: we can’t keep...
