As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, BC is testing its emergency broadcast system.

The emergency alert test will go to all cellphones, TV and radio stations to make sure the BC Emergency Alert system is ready when an emergency happens and to find any adjustments.

The test comes in both the spring and fall every year, with the system having been in effect since 2018.

The province says in 2022, they expanded the system to include floods, wildfires, and extreme heat emergencies, where during last year’s wildfire season 24 alerts were issued.

While you’ll get the alert on your phone, it will also interrupt TV and radio broadcasts.

The test is happening on Wednesday May 8, at 10:55 a.m.

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After seven days of being closed, London Drugs is starting to re-open stores gradually.

In a release, the pharmacy and retail chain announced it’s re-opening services in stores across Western Canada, including Vancouver Island, following the cybersecurity incident last Sunday.

They are still working with cybersecurity experts to safely bring their systems back online. Meanwhile, while that work continues, some stores have been re-opened to meet the needs of customers.

President and COO Clint Mahlam says they are pleased to re-open stores.

“We are grateful for the patience and support of our customers and suppliers as we work to bring all services and systems at our stores back to full operation following this cybersecurity incident,” said Mahlam.

The chain says currently there is no evidence of any customer databases being compromised. If they find that personal information was impacted, they will reach out to those affected.

The re-opened services include pharmacists on-site to help with emergency prescriptions and urgent care, Canada Post locations, and the call centre for insurance services.

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Damaging the environment in BC Parks will now result in big fines for violators.

The provincial government has announced changes to the Parks and Ecological Reserve Acts, which will bring penalties as high as $500,000 for people committing crimes in parks, protected areas, and ecological reserves across B.C.

BC Parks says new financial penalties can address a range of violations including cutting down trees, feeding wildlife, dumping waste, and operating a guiding business without a permit.

The penalties aim to give more enforcement options to park staff, with hopes of stopping these crimes from happening. They will range depending on how severe the violation is, with the lowest penalty being for feeding wildlife at $25,000.

The changes were implemented on Friday.

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ICBC and police across B.C. are launching a new campaign on driving at safe speeds.

In a release, ICBC says it is an education and enforcement campaign designed to encourage drivers to drive at safe speeds to prevent crashes and to keep everybody safe on the road.

Statistics show the faster you drive, the more likely you end up in a car crash, where the risk of a crash goes up by 50 percent just by driving 5 kilometers over the speed limit.

For Vancouver Island, every year sees an average of 12 people killed, and 361 injured in speed-related crashes.

ICBC director of road safety Shabnem Afzal says speed plays a role in every crash.

“The higher the speed, the more time and distance you need to stop, making it harder to avoid crashing,” said Afzal.

“When you drive at a safe speed, you can prevent crashes and protect the lives of all road users.”

For the police, agencies will be bringing enforcement and automated cameras. ICBC will work with speed watch volunteers to set up speed-reader boards to track how fast people are travelling.

ICBC recommends you to slow down, be aware of vulnerable road users, and to follow the speed limits, even in ideal conditions.

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The BC Government says it's changing regulations to make life a little easier for people in mobile home parks. 

The province says amendments are being made to the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Regulation, which governs how park rules are set.  

Currently, there is no limit to how often owners of manufactured home parks can change park rules. 

The amendments will mean that park rules can only be changed once a year and with three months' notice. 

The government says this will help improve clarity for tenants regarding what rules are in effect, when they will be in effect, and ensure tenants have adequate time to comply with a park rule change or dispute it with the Residential Tenancy Branch. 

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says people shouldn’t be subject to rules that can change every two weeks and manufactured home parks are an important option for people needing affordable housing. 

The changes come from consultations held by the Rental Housing Task Force and its 2018 report. 

When making changes, park owners will need to give the notice using a form approved by the residential tenancy branch. 

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The province is finally moving to ban illicit drug use in all public places, including hospitals, transit, and parks.

Premier David Eby announced the changes today in a press conference.

"The goal is that police have the authority and that everybody in the community knows it, so they don't have to use it," he said. "A police officer says, 'no, I'm sorry, this isn't the place where drugs are used, you need to go somewhere else,' the person listens and follows that direction. Hopefully and ideally to a site where there are medical professionals, connections to care, and potentially if that person's in that space and ready, connections to addictions treatment."

BC is now working with the federal government to give police back the power to prevent drug use in all public places. Possession of small amounts remains legal, and police will only arrest for possession in exceptional circumstances.

Eby said the province is working with Health Canada to change the terms of its decriminalization pilot program in BC, which is about halfway through its three-year duration. The province is asking the federal government to again make the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act apply to public drug use throughout the province, effectively prohibiting it. People will still be able to use in their private residences or lawful overnight shelters.

The province tried last year to modify provincial legislation to prohibit drug use in some public spaces, but immediately ran into legal challenges. Eby said the Attorney-General told him there was no end in sight to that case, so the province is now working directly with the federal government to use federal laws. He said he has the prime minister's assurances that the federal government will work collaboratively with BC.

The move comes after recent incidents suggested public drug use and related disorder is escalating, including a news story from Campbell River involving teens overdosing in a local restaurant, and a viral video from the Lower Mainland showing people smoking fentanyl at their restaurant table.

As well, staff in several BC hospitals including Campbell River reported patients were smoking fentanyl and other street drugs in their hospital rooms, causing health concerns for nurses and other patients.

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With an increase in measles, whooping cough, and other preventable diseases around the world the province says they are promoting this year's National Immunization Awareness Week. 

According to the federal government’s website, so far Canada has 50 active cases of measles and estimates a total of 60 cases have been reported so far this year.  

The government also estimates there is one case of rubella syndrome has been diagnosed in across Canada. 

Health minister Adrian Dix says this annual event helps people get the proper immunizations they need to lower the risk to themselves and reduce the impact on hospitals across the province. 

“Immunization plays a vital role in maintaining public health by reducing the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases,” Dix says. “It lowers the number of cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities associated with these diseases, thereby improving the quality of life.” 

The province says measles is highly contagious and everyone who has not got their shots should consider consulting their medical practitioner, especially babies and children. 

Dix says this is why the government has implemented a program to offer, and extend, protection for those who need it, crediting medical professionals for their hard work. 

“I want to thank the healthcare professionals who provide information to their patients about the benefits of immunizations, administer vaccines, and help people keep safe from the spread of diseases,” Dix says.  

The province says measles is quickly spread in schools, and children who are not immunized or fully immunized are offered a vaccine or excluded from school. 

The World Health Organization reported a 79 per cent increase in measles cases last year, compared to 2022. 

The last case of measles in BC was reported in 2019. 

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B.C.’s very own humpback whales were featured on an episode of Planet Earth III.

The show is a BBC series focused on showcasing landscapes, newly discovered behaviors, and the challenges animals face, all narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

Episode 7 had a segment on humpback whales, with the Marine Education and Research Society assisting the team on that episode.

The society works on education, research, and response on Vancouver Island, with the goal of understanding and reducing the threats that marine wildlife face.

Humpback researcher Jackie Hildering says they were chosen because of their research on trap feeding, a strategy that at least 32 humpbacks learned to do.

“Once we had initial contact it was very clear we were unified with the filming team, with the producer Fredi Devas in terms of ethics,” said Hildering.

“Once we realized the magnitude of it, that we would be able to bring attention to the vital importance of whales globally and that the estimated audience of Planet Earth III is one billion people, I don’t know that it has sunken in.”

Trap-feeding is used by some whales in specific conditions where if juvenile herring are in small schools, they set up a trap by staying beside the fish with their mouths open.

Hildering says their first contact with Devas was back in 2018 and it had been back and forth about the ethics of the segment, adding that the society wouldn’t have been interested if it was only for pretty footage of humpbacks.

She says the last thing they wanted to do is increase pressure on the whales.

“It became very clear that it would be about really big-picture messaging around a second chance of humpbacks, and that by having them back what they are doing is fertilizing the ecosystem,” said Hildering.

“In realizing that, it became secure that it would be about conservation and that the gains would be greater than the potential disturbance of the whales.”

She says Devas came to the Island in 2019 and was surprised by how well the team knew the whales, which Hildering says would lead to better filming and less disturbance of the whales.

Because of the pandemic, filming began in 2021, continuing into 2022 to capture the feeding.

The episode aired on Sunday on BBC Earth.

“British Columbia used to kill humpbacks until 1967, now we care about them as individuals.”

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The BC Government says social media giants Meta, Snap, TikTok and X have agreed to work collaboratively with the province of the development of Bill 12, its public harms legislation, and will be part of BC's Online Safety Action Table. 

The province says it will place Bill 12 on hold while discussions take place on how to create safe, empowering experiences online.
 

 In a news release, the province says it's an opportunity to bring experts, parents, technology companies and government together to find new ways of helping young people stay safe online and  be better protected from online harms. 

The province also says Meta has also committed to working with BC’s emergency management organization to help amplify official information for people in emergency situations like wildfires. 

The official opposition says the NDP's decision to retract Bill 12 only comes after significant public backlash. 

BC United says the business community and concerned citizens across the province forced the NDP to acknowledge the flaws in the legislation. 

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The health authority responsible for First Nations in BC has won an award for good governance.

The First Nations Health Authority provides health and wellness services to more than 200 First Nations communities across BC. Its goal is to reduce service gaps and promote culturally safe practices for Indigenous patients in the health care system.

This week, the health authority received the National Indigenous Good Governance Award from Honoring Nations Canada. The award was for community governance and programming.

Health authority CEO Richard Jock says they are grateful for the recognition, and thanked the many people and partners who are working to transform health programming for First Nations people in BC.

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A new round of climate action funding encourages local governments to attempt larger projects.

The province announced earlier this week that they will provide nearly $72 million through the Local Government Climate Action Program, a program aiming to help local communities lower emissions, turn to clean-energy sources and prepare for a changing climate.

This funding comes as part of Budget 2024.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change strategy George Heyman says many sources of emissions are local in nature.

“By providing the next three years of Local Government Climate Action Program funding upfront this year, we can build a more sustainable and climate-friendly future for British Columbians,” said Heyman.

For this funding, the province is giving the money away in a lump sum instead of disbursing it annually, with hopes it will give local governments more confidence in making these projects.

They add the projects need to be aligned with CleanBC and/or climate adaptation objectives.

To learn more about the program, click here.

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Coastal communities will get to resume talks with BC Ferries members next month.

The ferry line says Ferry Advisory Committees will restart engagement so they can start tackling ideas and requests from ferry users across the coast.

Vice-president of public affairs and marketing Lindsay Mathews says while it's important to review safety and security protocols, they have been eager to return to face-to-face engagement.

“I’m encouraged we can now put our focus back where it needs to be – on important discussions with people in the communities we serve,” said Mathews. “For the rest of this year, we’re looking forward to prioritizing everything we’ve heard from communities, ensuring that people can see and feel actions being taken in an order that best aligns with the public interest across the broader ferry system.”

This comes as in-person meetings were suspended last year after a member of the public made comments at a Sunshine Coast meeting that were interpreted as threats.

They say virtual meetings will take place next month, followed by in-person meetings in June and July. There will also be a community prioritization panel, dedicated to prioritizing ideas that have come in the past few years.

They aim to put together a final public report that will be used to make decisions on how to improve service and experience for customers.

The report will be delivered on October 31.

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Fully self-driving cars are now banned in BC, but there weren’t any for sale yet, anyway.

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act took effect this month, banning all vehicles with self-driving capabilities at level three or above. That would affect cars that can drive themselves without human input, and there are currently only a few for sale world-wide.

In the US, the only two vehicles available with the feature are models of the Mercedes S-class, and they are only allowed on the roads in California and Nevada.

The self-driving features in newer Tesla EVs are considered level two, which offer assistance while changing lanes and automatic braking, but still require a human driver at the wheel. Vehicles with those features are still allowed in BC.

The rating system was designed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and has five levels, with level one featuring minimal driver assist and level five featuring a full autopilot.

The province could relax the rules in the future once technology improves.

"Highly automated self-driving vehicles remain a new and emerging transportation technology," says the Ministry of Transportation. "Further testing and policy development are necessary before Level 3 or higher automated vehicles are considered safe and can begin to be allowed for public use on B.C. roads."

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Today marks the eighth anniversary of the toxic drug public-health emergency, and the province recognizes its tragic impact.

That comes from Premier David Eby in a statement this morning, saying every life taken by the toxic drug crisis is a loss to our communities.

“They are friends, parents, siblings and children. To the families, friends and loved ones: we see you, we stand with you, and we share in your pain,” said Eby.

“We must also recognize that this crisis has impacts beyond the tragic loss of life. From families and friends to mental-health and front-line workers, there are scores of people who have had to bear witness to the damage done to lives and communities from addiction and drug poisonings.”

This statement comes as more than 14,000 people have died since the emergency was declared, with Eby saying the government aims to build a more connected system of mental health and addictions care for those in need.

This includes expanding access to new approaches to healing and recovery.

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside says the crisis affects everyone.

“It is vital that we come together and offer support to those in pain,” said Whiteside.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says when it comes to recovery, it is a complex journey.

“People who use drugs come from all walks of life in all parts of this province,” said Henry. “That diversity is also reflected in why people use drugs in the first place. For many, it is to deal with pain, physical, emotional and psychological pain often stemming from previous trauma.”

Eby closes by saying that we are stronger when working together, with hopes of ending the crisis.

For where you can read the statement, click here.

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BC isn’t interested in building more megaprojects to power private cryptocurrency miners, the energy minister said today [April 11].

Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, says the province is working with BC Hydro to make sure there’s enough electricity infrastructure for BC’s future, “and that includes regulating electricity service for energy-intensive cryptocurrency miners that create very few local jobs.”

BC’s hydroelectric energy supply has made it attractive for crypto mining, which uses arrays of powerful computers running 24-7. In late 2022 the province paused all new crypto hookups — 21 projects were suspended, which would have required more than two Site C projects worth of annual energy.

Earlier this year, the provincial court sided with the province and BC Hydro, tossing out a company's request to allow more power hookups for crypto companies.

“Devoting such a large proportion of the available electrical power supply to one industry would leave less energy for other uses which might result in increased costs to all other residential and industry customers in BC,” said Justice Michael Tammen in February.

The province is now proposing changes to the Utilities Commission Act which would strictly regulate, or even prohibit, service for crypto mining operations.

BC Hydro says it’s currently servicing seven crypto mining operations in BC, representing power consumption of 166 megawatts. In comparison, the entire John Hart Dam system in Campbell River, recently rebuilt for nearly $3 billion,  generates about 130 megawatts.

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Starting this week British Columbians will have access to a free COVID-19 booster. 

The province said in a release that boosters will be available at pharmacies, community health centers and regional health authority clinics for everyone 6 months and older. 

Masks are no longer mandatory in Island Health facilities, but people are encouraged to wear masks as needed in healthcare settings. Healthcare workers will continue to wear masks and other protective equipment. 

They add that even though respiratory illness season has passed SARS CoV-2 will still circulate at lower levels in the community.  

The province also recommends that adults 65 and older and long-term care residents consider getting an additional dose of the XBB. 1.5 COVID-19 vaccine. 

You can register for an appointment on the B.C. Government website.

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For the first time in 15 years, BC Hydro has issued a call for more power.

The provincial government says Hydro issued a request for 3,000 more gigawatts per year of electricity, making it their first in 15 years. If approved, it could power 270,000 homes or one million electric vehicles.

As efforts to fight climate change continue, Minister of Energy, mines, and low carbon innovation Josie Osborne says the need to switch to clean energy has never felt more urgent.

“That’s why we are working in collaboration with BC Hydro, First Nations and the independent power industry to generate more of the electricity that B.C. needs,” said Osborne.

Along with powering up homes, there is also hope that the extra electricity could bring $2.3 to $3.6 billion in private capital spending across B.C. through developing energy projects.

The province says electricity demand is expected to go up by 15 percent between 2024 and 2030 because of population growth, housing construction, and having more homes and businesses switch to clean electricity.

BC Hydro says they will expect to make more calls for power in the future, with the next one to be issued in 2026.

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BC's toxic drug crisis claimed an average of six lives a day from overdoses in February.

The BC Coroners Service says 177 people died using illicit drugs province-wide – a 12 percent decline from the number reported in January, and an 11 percent decrease from the number in February last year.

For health authorities on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Coastal Health saw the highest death rates at 96, while Island Health saw 85.

By health service delivery area, the highest death rates were recorded on North Vancouver Island at 21 and Central Vancouver Island at 43.

Unregulated drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death in BC for people aged 10 to 59, accounting for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and, natural disease combined.

More than 14-thousand people have been lost since the public health emergency was first declared in April 2016.

Files from Mike Patterson, Vista Radio Staff

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On April 4th BC RCMP issued an Amber Alert in connection with a parental abduction. 

Police say that a 35-year-old woman fled on foot with 3-month-old Tyler Durocher without permission.  

They add that there are imminent concerns for the well-being of Tyler. 

Tyler is described as Caucasian, with brown hair and was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeved onesie with blue camo pants. 

Police are also looking for Brianne Ford who is described as Caucasian, with brown hair and pink highlights. 

Anyone who may have seen Tyler or Brianne Ford is asked to call 911 immediately. 

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The BC government is taking steps to protect renters from bad-faith evictions, eliminate rent increases for a new child, and help landlords resolve rental disputes faster. 

Premier David Eby says most landlords and tenants play by the rules and have respectful relationships, but too many people face unfair rent hikes and evictions under false pretenses. 

The Premier adds, “at the same time, many people who have chosen to rent part of their home are struggling to end problematic tenancies,” and action is being taken to protect both renters and landlords with stronger rules. 

The proposed changes to the Residential Tenancy Act and the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act will restrict rent increases if a tenant adds a child under 19 to their household. 

To deter bad-faith evictions, landlords will need to use a web portal to generate an eviction notice to help educate landlords about the required conditions and risks of bad-faith evictions. 

Steps are also being taken to resolve rental disputes faster. 

The Attorney General ministry's new Money Judgment Enforcement Act will come into force in 2025, making it easier and less costly for people to get the money owed after Residential Tenancy Branch decisions. 

Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing says the amendments will better protect tenants from unfair evictions, promote greater compliance and improve the rental system. 

Kahlon says renters should not lose their homes “because of some bad actors who don’t follow the rules,” but landlords need the certainty that "issues with problematic tenants can be resolved quickly." 

Other changes include: 

• allowing for more flexibility in addressing cases where there is a problematic tenancy and prescribing more clear guidelines for ending tenancy with justified cause; 
• increasing the amount of notice a landlord must give a tenant when ending a tenancy for personal occupancy; 
• increasing the amount of time a landlord must occupy a rental unit after ending a tenancy for personal occupancy from six months to 12 months; 
• increasing the amount of time a tenant has to dispute a notice to end tenancy from 15 days to 30 days; 
• prohibiting evictions for personal use in purpose-built rental buildings with five or more units; and 
• prohibiting eviction for the conversion of rental units to specific non-residential uses. 

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