B.C. extends free HPV coverage to boys
Beginning this September, British Columbia will become the latest province to provide the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to boys, as part of B.C.’s publicly funded immunization program, Health Minister Terry Lake announced Friday. “We need to do everything we can to help girls and boys grow up to be healthy adults,”...
First step after BCTF's landmark court win sees Province provides $50 million to hire teachers
Surprisingly, two sides that have battled tooth and nail for more than a decade have reached an agreement to inject some life, and much needed funding, into the public school system. The BC Teachers Federation has reached agreement with the BC Public School Employers’ Association and government on an interim measure to immediately create more […]
Illicit drug death numbers hit new record
The month of November brought the highest number of illicit drug deaths in B.C. for a single month in recent memory, according to the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service. Provisional data shows that a total of 128 persons died as a result of illicit drug use during November, an average of more than four a day. The...
Revelstoke RCMP rescue injured bald eagle
Shortly after 2 p.m. on Dec. 16, the Revelstoke RCMP were informed of an injured bald eagle near the Illecillewaet River and Simpson Street. Upon arrival, locals Dorn Crowe and Terry Duncan were attempting to apprehend the eagle, who later became known as Illy. The bald eagle appeared to be suffering from a damaged wing. After...
Handful of West Kootenay communities receive grants-in-lieu of property taxes
A handful of communities in the West Kootenay were recipients of the nearly $16 million in compensation for municipal property taxes distributed by the B.C. government. Nelson, Rossland, Castlegar and Nakusp received grants-in-lieu of property taxes that are distributed every November and reimburse municipalities for services...
B.C. offers increased protection for those at risk of family violence
Government is acting to ensure greater safety and protection of those experiencing or are at risk of family violence, by using professional process servers for delivery of protection orders at no cost to applicants, in all regions of the province. This change means more than 1,000 applicants will no longer need to arrange for...
SFU Six introduce wearable technology to track hockey metrics
"He shoots, he scores!" may take on a new meaning for entrepreneurial Simon Fraser University students. In 2017, a team of six students plans to launch a product called the Game7 Shooting System, wearable technology that introduces a new way to track hockey metrics. Using smart technology, Game7 supports the development of ...
Kinder Morgan Expansion project comes with conditions — Premier Christy Clark
Premier Christy Clark issued the following statement on the federal government’s pipeline decisions: “Yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his decision to reject Northern Gateway and approve the Kinder Morgan Expansion project. “For four and a half years, British Columbia's position has been principled,...
Carfentanil detected at scene of illicit drug death for first time in BC
For the first known time in B.C., the highly toxic opioid carfentanil has been detected at the scene of an apparent illicit drug death. A drug sample seized by the coroner and Vancouver Police at the scene of a death that occurred Nov. 17, 2016, in an East Vancouver residence was sent to a federal Health Canada laboratory for...
Daily reminders to increase calcium intake are effective
UBC researchers have demonstrated that simple, cost-effective email messages can help improve the health habits of Canadians. Mary Jung, an assistant professor of health and exercise sciences at UBC's Okanagan campus, recently completed a nationwide study with more than 730 Canadians who were not meeting Canada’s recommended...
