BC legislature

West Fraser Williams Lake Plywood. (John Wiege photo)

B.C. to dedicate some provincial timber supply to value-added industry

Program focusing on products such as mass timber, plywood, veneer, panelling and flooring

 

A tentative contract has been reached for 21,700 people who work in B.C.’s private homes, group homes, residential living centres, child development and mental-health centres. (pixabay photo)

Tentative contract reached for thousands of health support workers in B.C.

Details of three-year contract being withheld pending ratification vote

 

Cases of influenza, RSV and COVID are decreasing, with influenza cases decreasing faster. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dirk Meissner

B.C. influenza cases down, RSV cases remain high while also declining

Provincial authorities have detected 24 cases of ‘Kraken’ COVID-subvariant

 

B.C. Premier David Eby attends a rally in North Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. The British Columbia Prosecution Service has launched a recruitment drive to fill new and vacant positions for Crown lawyers and staff throughout the province, part of a series of recent measures to address repeat violent offending. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. launches hiring drive for Crown prosecutors to help address repeat offending

David Eby’s safer communities plan inspires push to hire up to 40 prosecutors this year

B.C. Premier David Eby attends a rally in North Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. The British Columbia Prosecution Service has launched a recruitment drive to fill new and vacant positions for Crown lawyers and staff throughout the province, part of a series of recent measures to address repeat violent offending. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix pauses during a news conference with his provincial counterparts after the second of two days of meetings, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. to reactivate its COVID emergency operations centres to prepare for more illness

Expected surge in flu, respiratory illness and COVID cases behind the move at 20 major locations

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix pauses during a news conference with his provincial counterparts after the second of two days of meetings, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Image courtesy Creative Outlet

B.C. boosts funding for Human Rights Tribunal to help tackle increased caseload

Number of cases more than doubled from 1,460 in 2019 to 3,192 in 2022

Image courtesy Creative Outlet
Softwood lumber is pictured at Tolko Industries in Heffley Creek, B.C., on April 1, 2018. British Columbia’s forests sector is in the throes of change, as the province embarks on plans to “modernize” how forests are managed amid ecological concerns, fluctuating lumber prices and a dwindling supply of trees for harvesting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. timber industry in throes of change, as premier warns of ‘exhausted forests’

Eby embarks on plans to ‘modernize’ forests management amid ecological concerns, fluctuating prices

Softwood lumber is pictured at Tolko Industries in Heffley Creek, B.C., on April 1, 2018. British Columbia’s forests sector is in the throes of change, as the province embarks on plans to “modernize” how forests are managed amid ecological concerns, fluctuating lumber prices and a dwindling supply of trees for harvesting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
(Pixabay photo)

Report shows B.C. has honoured pledge to deliver pandemic-postponed surgeries: Dix

99.2 per cent of surgeries stalled by second or third waves of the virus have been completed

(Pixabay photo)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, March 10, 2022. The British Columbia government is extending its COVID-19 wage top-ups for staff at seniors facilities, but the restriction that limited those workers to one work site has been lifted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. government continues the pandemic wage top-up for care home workers

Province renewing its commitment to ‘temporarily fund the increases’

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, March 10, 2022. The British Columbia government is extending its COVID-19 wage top-ups for staff at seniors facilities, but the restriction that limited those workers to one work site has been lifted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Hossein Reyhani at the B.C. legislature on Thursday, Dec. 15 in support of anti-government protests in Iran. He hopes to interact with lawmakers to pass them information and a list of requests on behalf of Iranian-Canadians that will further support the protests that are working to change the way Iran is governed. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

Protesters call for action on Iran with hunger strike at the B.C. legislature

The ongoing protests are in response to government killings of women and protesters in Iran

Hossein Reyhani at the B.C. legislature on Thursday, Dec. 15 in support of anti-government protests in Iran. He hopes to interact with lawmakers to pass them information and a list of requests on behalf of Iranian-Canadians that will further support the protests that are working to change the way Iran is governed. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy hugs Premier David Eby during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Conroy brings rural perspective to B.C.’s bottom line, may expand speculation tax

Veteran New Democrat surprised she was appointed finance minister in new cabinet

Finance Minister Katrine Conroy hugs Premier David Eby during the swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
B.C. Premier David Eby, seen here during his swearing-in ceremony when he became the province’s 37th premier on Nov. 18, has announced his new cabinet with ramifications for the Saanich Peninsula and Greater Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Vancouver Island farmers see premier appoint new minister of agriculture

Island MLA and longtime agriculture minister Lana Popham passes the torch to Fraser Valley MLA

B.C. Premier David Eby, seen here during his swearing-in ceremony when he became the province’s 37th premier on Nov. 18, has announced his new cabinet with ramifications for the Saanich Peninsula and Greater Victoria. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Former B.C. minister of state for child care Katrina Chen speaks as then-premier John Horgan listens during an announcement in Vancouver, on Thursday July 4, 2019. Chen says she took herself out of contention for a new ministerial position in order to deal with “long-standing trauma” suffered as a result of gender-based violence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Katrina Chen exits B.C. cabinet, citing ‘long-standing trauma,’ gender-based violence

Chen focusing on herself and her son, taking ‘time and space to heal’

Former B.C. minister of state for child care Katrina Chen speaks as then-premier John Horgan listens during an announcement in Vancouver, on Thursday July 4, 2019. Chen says she took herself out of contention for a new ministerial position in order to deal with “long-standing trauma” suffered as a result of gender-based violence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Premier David Eby speaks after being sworn in as the province’s 37th premier during a ceremony at the Musqueam Nation, in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. Premier David Eby will appoint a new cabinet today in a move pundits are saying will be a blend of old and new faces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. finance minister replaced in Premier David Eby’s cabinet shuffle

Former forests minister Katrine Conroy will take over finance portfolio from Selina Robinson

B.C. Premier David Eby speaks after being sworn in as the province’s 37th premier during a ceremony at the Musqueam Nation, in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. Premier David Eby will appoint a new cabinet today in a move pundits are saying will be a blend of old and new faces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The Frack Free BC protest was held during Premier David Eby’s cabinent swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 7, 2022. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

Environmental alliance calls for end to fracking as Eby swears in new cabinet

Members staged demonstration at Government House in Victoria ahead of swearing-in ceremony

The Frack Free BC protest was held during Premier David Eby’s cabinent swearing-in ceremony on Dec. 7, 2022. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
B.C. Premier David Eby and his wife Cailey Lynch put on skates as their daughter Iva, 3, waits to skate at the Robson Square ice rink, in Vancouver, on Saturday, December 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Eby’s new B.C. cabinet builds speculation about early election call, says expert

Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin will swear in Eby’s new cabinet Wednesday in Victoria

B.C. Premier David Eby and his wife Cailey Lynch put on skates as their daughter Iva, 3, waits to skate at the Robson Square ice rink, in Vancouver, on Saturday, December 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, April 11, 2022. A review of British Columbia’s COVID-19 response says despite being unprepared for the pandemic, the province showed “resilience, balance, and nimbleness” during the emergency.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. COVID response praised for ‘nimbleness,’ despite lack of public trust: review

Authors say online survey on lack of trust was not representative of the population as a whole

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, April 11, 2022. A review of British Columbia’s COVID-19 response says despite being unprepared for the pandemic, the province showed “resilience, balance, and nimbleness” during the emergency.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Students make their way to the first day of school at Sherwood Park Elementary in North Vancouver, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. British Columbia’s public school teachers have ratified a new three-year contract. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. teachers strongly approve three-year contract with pay boost, added benefits

British Columbia’s public school teachers have ratified a new three-year contract. Nearly…

Students make their way to the first day of school at Sherwood Park Elementary in North Vancouver, Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. British Columbia’s public school teachers have ratified a new three-year contract. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
British Columbia Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks during the official opening of the Canadian Cancer Society Centre for Cancer Prevention and Support, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. forecasts surplus of $5.7 billion, but ‘shock rebound’ may not last: minister

Much of the added surplus comes from higher personal and corporate income tax revenue

British Columbia Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks during the official opening of the Canadian Cancer Society Centre for Cancer Prevention and Support, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, on Friday July 5, 2019. Farmers in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley are facing “intense disease pressure,” with an avian flu outbreak in commercial farms that the agriculture minister says is concerning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. ‘doing everything’ it can to stop bird flu, minister says, as infections spread

Lana Popham says normally avian flu aligns with bird migration seasons, but not this year

B.C. Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, on Friday July 5, 2019. Farmers in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley are facing “intense disease pressure,” with an avian flu outbreak in commercial farms that the agriculture minister says is concerning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck