Pharmacists can prescribe contraceptives, treatments for minor ailments
Starting June 1, 2023, people in B.C. can get prescriptions from their pharmacist for contraceptives and medications to treat 21 minor ailments, such as allergies, shingles, cold sores, pink eye and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. “We are delivering on our commitment to give pharmacists the power to provide prescriptions,”...
RCMP 9-1-1 dispatch centers see large increase in abandoned 911 calls
BC RCMP is reminding people to check their phones as dispatch centers have experienced a significant increase in dropped 911 calls. Over the past weeks, RCMP 911 dispatch centers throughout the province have seen an increase in abandoned or dropped emergency calls. These calls are being attributed to the ‘Emergency SOS’ feature...
Burnaby RCMP issues warning after woman defrauded millions of dollars in elaborate long-term cryptocurrency scam
Burnaby RCMP is issuing a public warning after a recent scam that defrauded a Burnaby senior out of more than $7.5 million dollars, in one of the largest personal scams the detachment has ever investigated. In December 2022, Burnaby RCMP was contacted by a woman who said she had been scammed out of a significant amount of...
British Columbians encouraged to prepare for climate-related hazards
As warmer weather approaches, British Columbians are encouraged to be prepared for the possibility of climate-related hazards, such as floods and wildfires, which are becoming increasingly common. Flooding may occur in the spring and early summer when the snowpack melts and water levels rise. According to the River Forecast...
Supreme Court of Canada upholds BC Supreme Court's landmark decision protecting public health care
Today, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed Cambie Surgeries Corporation’s (CSC) attempt to overturn previous decisions made by BC’s courts that upheld the BC Medicare Protection Act. This decision marks the end of the corporation’s lengthy legal battle to overturn key provisions in the BC Medicare Protection Act that ensure...
Bringing Canadian water priorities to the UN Water Conference
Living Lakes Canada, the award-winning water stewardship NGO based in the Canadian Columbia Basin, will be represented at the first United Nations conference on water in 45 years. The UN 2023 Water Conference is taking place in New York and kicks off on World Water Day on March 22. “It’s a significant opportunity to be granted...
Report: Daily routines and electricity use patterns changed by COVID-19
A new BC Hydro report finds a change in daily routines that started at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have permanently shifted how many British Columbians use electricity at home. The report titled “Powering the permanent new normal: How COVID-19 changed British Columbians’ daily habits and electricity use” finds...
BC police investigate shooting of 17 wild horses near Walhachin
On March 10, the Tk’emlups Rural RCMP received a report of several horses killed on BC Crown land, north of Walhachin, BC, approximately 65 km West of Kamloops. Investigators were led to the specific location, where it was confirmed 17 horses had recently been shot. They appeared to be from a herd of feral (wild) horses which...
Firefighter injured in Golden Courthouse arson blaze
On March 13, at 3:25 a.m., Golden RCMP received multiple alarms from the BC Provincial Courthouse in Golden, according to RCMP Cpl. James Grandy. "Frontline officers attended and observed the building to be on fire." Grandy said. "Shortly thereafter, the Golden Fire Department arrived, and in their attempt to fight the fire,...
At least 211 British Columbians killed by toxic drugs in January
Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service shows that the toxic, unregulated drug supply claimed the lives of at least 211 British Columbians in January, with the total number of deaths surpassing 200 for the eighth time in the past 16 months. “Once again, our agency is reporting on preventable losses of life...
