Premier John Horgan is scrapping the province’s plan to tear down and replace B-C’s provincial museum, saying he miscalculated public support for the 789-million dollar project. The Opposition Liberals criticized the replacement plan, saying the money was being spent while almost a million people in B-C don’t have a family doctor and many are struggling to pay their housing and fuel costs. Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon, who previously demanded the government cancel the project, says he was pleased by the reversal but warns the government could resurrect the plan. Horgan says the museum, slated to close for up to eight years in September, will now remain open and a public consultation process about its future will begin.
B-C’s Public Safety Ministry is advising residents across the province to prepare for the first “hot stretch” of the summer later this week. It says in a statement that, while a heat warning is not forecast, temperatures may feel intense following the cooler-than-normal weather B-C has experienced so far this season. This comes after Environment Canada issued special weather statements for almost every region of the province, predicting temperatures to rise to the low and mid-30s starting Friday. The warnings stretch from eastern Vancouver Island to the Lower Mainland to the Kootenays, through the Cariboo and into northeast B-C.
Police are investigating after someone cut down the Progress Pride Flag pole outside Delta city hall Wednesday morning (June 22). The city says the Delta Police Department has been notified about the vandalism and is currently investigating the matter. DPD Chief Neil Dubord said in a press release “The Pride flag is more than a symbol for the LGBTQ2S+ community; it represents a desire for everyone to be treated equally, regardless of sexuality, race, gender identity, religion or any other label,” It is the fourth consecutive year that the city has held a ceremony to raise a Pride flag in support of the LGBTQ2S+ community and Pride Month, and the first time the city has flown the Progress Pride Flag The banners are being placed at community entrances to send a signal to everyone who walks, drives, or rides into the community, that no matter how you identify or who you love, everyone is welcome here
With 150 unvaccinated BC Ferries workers being invited to return to their jobs after the lifting of vaccine mandates, the union representing them is not optimistic that will make much of a difference in ongoing sailing cancellation problems. Between Wednesday, June 22, and Thursday, June 30, people with reservations for 14 sailings on the Queen of Coquitlam will be forced to make alternative plans due to cancellations. It’s just the latest in a string of scrapped sailings and frustrations are mounting as the busy summer travel season is already underway and demand is high. BC Ferry & Marine Workers’ Union President Eric McNeely says the staffing crunch is much, much bigger than 150 people.
The World Health Organization is holding an emergency committee meeting to decide if the outbreak of monkeypox in countries around the world warrants being declared a global emergency. That declaration would mean the U-N health agency considers the outbreak to be an extraordinary event and that the disease is atrisk of spreading across even more borders. Many scientists doubt it would help to curb the epidemic. As of Monday there were 33 confirmed cases in Ontario and 171 in Quebec.
Almost 50 per cent of renters surveyed by Canada Life don’t think they’ll be buying a home any time soon. They point to three major reasons — a lack of cash, fear and uncertainty. Ninety-one per cent of renters surveyed think it’s only getting harder to buy a home, and 89 per cent expect the next generation will face more difficulties getting into the housing market. The national average price of a home fell almost five per cent to 711-thousand-dollars between April and May. But Canada Life says soaring inflation and rising interest rates have renters feeling less confident in their ability to buy a home.