Surrey RCMP confirmed that a bomb scare at Surrey Memorial Hospital Saturday afternoon was a hoax. RCMP were called to the hospital after staff discovered what they believed to be an explosive device. Police hospital staff noticed a tile had been moved inside one of the bathrooms. Upon closer inspection, staff located a device that appeared to be a bomb. Police confirmed that the device was not an explosive, however the incident did pose a “huge public safety risk.”
The federal and B-C agriculture ministers are scheduled to make an announcement today on a recovery package for the province’s agriculture industry to help it rebuild following last November’s devastating floods. Record rains combined with overflowing rivers swamped farmland in several areas of southern B-C and Vancouver Island, killing thousands of animals and flooding fields. Government officials are billing the funding as the largest ever recovery program for the sector.
The Ottawa Police Service has arrested and ticketed multiple people in relation to the ongoing anti-vaccine mandate protest. According to police, two people were arrested for mischief, one for driving while prohibited, and one for property damage. The police announced early Sunday that anyone found bringing fuel to the demonstration trucks in the red zone could be subject to arrest and charges. There are over 60 criminal investigations related to the demonstration, so far.
A realty company in the Lower Mainland is apologizing after one of their company vehicles was spotted in this weekend’s anti-vaccine mandate protest in Vancouver. The Orca Realty van was among the hundreds of vehicles adorned with Canadian flags and anti-vaccine signs that clogged traffic in the downtown area on Saturday. The Company says it does not support the so-called freedom rallies and says the husband of an employee was behind the wheel and the company did not give permission or consent to its use.
Five people were arrested as the anti-vaccine mandate trucker convoy descended on Vancouver Saturday and was met with counter-protesters. According to Vancouver police, they received “numerous reports of rocks and eggs being thrown, cars being kicked, and nails being strewn on roadways” as the trucker convoy made its way downtown.
The R-C-M-P is warning backcountry skiers and snowmobilers that warmer temperatures may mean an increased avalanche risk after three avalanches happened near Pemberton this weekend. Police say at least a dozen people had to be evacuated from the area after the slides, which killed one person and seriously injured another. Police say the snowpack remains unstable in the area, adding people should check avalanche ratings before heading into the backcountry in the coming weeks.
Former B-C cabinet minister Kevin Falcon has made a victorious return to politics, winning the leadership of the B-C Liberal party on Saturday. Falcon replaces former leader Andrew Wilkinson who resigned shortly after the October 2020 election where the New Democrats won a majority government. Falcon says he’s heading to Victoria with plans to rebuild the party and attract voters, and is looking for a seat in the legislature. Falcon scored a fifth ballot win, taking just over 52 per cent of the points available.
Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot has captured the country’s first gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Parrot, won the men’s slopestyle event jumping up from his silver-medal showing at the 2018 Olympics. The 27-year-old is also a cancer survivor after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in late 2018. Regina’s Mark McMorris won bronze, Canada now has five medals — one gold, one silver, two bronze.
British Columbia has recorded three-thousand-287 more cases of COVID-19 — as well as 32 further deaths over the last three days. Still, officials are warning that limitations on testing capacity mean daily counts are expected to be higher. A total of 57 long-term care, assisted living and acute-care facilities across all five health authorities in the province are combating outbreaks.
Police say they shut down what appeared to an illegal nightclub in New Westminster late last month for violating COVID-19 public health orders. Police say officers patrolling downtown on January 29th spotted the party where about 150 guests were dancing on a dance floor, not wearing masks or social distancing and there was open liquor. They shut down the event and ordered the crowd leave the area. The event organizer was issued fines totalling 575-dollars under the COVID Related Measures Act.
A biopic about Michael Jackson is in the works from Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody” producer Graham King. Lionsgate will handle the worldwide distribution of the film. The studio says that the film will give an in-depth portrayal of the complicated man who became the King of Pop and was later accused of sexually molesting young boys.
The RCMP Emergency Response Team was called to a Fraser Heights home early Sunday morning and took one man into custody. At about 5:45 a.m. on Feb. 6, Surrey RCMP responded to a report of a robbery with a weapon in the 16200-block of Glenwood Crescent. Police learned that the suspect was inside a residence and he refused to come out, despite repeated attempts by the RCMP. Surrey RCMP’s General Investigations Unit has taken over conduct of the investigation. A witness on scene told Peace Arch News that ERT officers used several flash bangs and tear gas to remove the suspect.
B-C is expecting about one million job openings over the next 10 years — almost two-thirds of them to replace retiring baby boomers. The details were released this morning in the province’s latest labour market outlook — which also shows that the majority of the jobs will require some level of post-secondary education. Health care, social assistance and education are expected to be job generators — with those sectors creating a growing number of positions in counselling, child protection, community housing and food services. The Jobs Ministry also predicts vacancies in science and technology jobs, while openings in skilled trades will remain plentiful at least into the early 2030s
A brand of Kimchee sold in B-C is being recalled due to E. coli contamination. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued the recall for Hankook brand Original Kimchi over the weekend. The recall shows the product is sold in a large package weighing nearly 1.7 kilograms and has a best-before date of January 23rd. There have been illnesses linked to the Kimchee and the agency says T-Brothers Food & Trading advises the item should be returned to the store where it was purchased, or thrown out.
The Kardashians are promising an all-access pass into their lives, again, when their new reality series hits Hulu on April 17th. The famous family spent 20 seasons on E! with the warts-and-all show that made them famous, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Kylie, Kim, Kourtney, Kris, Khloe and Kendall promise in the new show, — quote — “All the walls will be shattered.”