Condemning the racist insults hurled at a group of South Asian seniors and children in a Surrey park as hurtful, harmful, and totally unacceptable, RCMP say criminal charges are not likely. The incident at Aspen Park caught on video last week has outraged the community and prompted a rally against racism Tuesday evening. One person, a teacher, who joined the crowd of hundreds says she wants to show future generations that issues can be dealt with in a respectful manner. In footage posted online of the incident, someone can be heard shouting very inapropriate languageat a group of people speaking Punjabi. Sgt. Elenore Sturko with Surrey RCMP says she understands the incident has triggered widespread hurt, anger, and calls for police to arrest the couple. Although the criminal justice system is unlikely to impose consequences in this instance, Sturko says it has spurred important, community-led action.
As COVID cases rebound in B-C, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is urging people to take advantage of “walk-in Wednesday.” Henry says anyone can walk into clinics set up across the province today to update their vaccinations or get their first shot. Henry says she knows some people have been displaced by wildfires or have had difficulties accessing vaccinations and now is the time to get a shot, especially as cases increase in the Interior. B-C reported 742 new cases over a four-day period, while the vaccination rate has slowed with 81.4 per cent of those eligible getting their first shot and 67.3 per cent fully vaccinated.
The chief of the controversial Surrey Police Service says residents can expect to see officers working alongside the Mounties by the fall. The plan, announced Tuesday, will see 50 officers patrolling and investigating in the city by Nov. 30, according to Chief Const. Norm Lipinski. Training will begin in September, and Surrey Police Service officers with distinct uniforms and vehicles will be joining the RCMP. Lipinski says the hybrid force will function as an “integrated unit” until the transition to a municipal force is complete. Lipinski says it’s too soon to say how many RCMP officers will ultimately join the new force, but there has been interest from experienced police across several jurisdictions. Lipinski says “Good things are in store for the SPS — and we’re here to stay.” Although, The next civic election is set for October of 2022. Coun. Brenda Locke, who, like Annis, has opposed the transition throughout her tenure on council, recently announced her plans to run for mayor. The first plank in her platform — halting the transition. McCallum has also announced he plans to run for reelection.
A push to get every last British Columbian their shot will get underway Wednesday. The first “Walk in Wednesday” is being held at clinics across the province, in hopes of raising the provincial vaccination rate. Currently, 82.3 per cent of the province is fully vaccinated, and 69.7 per cent have received one, but COVID-19 cases have spiked in recent weeks. “Wherever you are in B.C., [Wednesday] is your day,” B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. She adds, “it’s more important than ever that all of us get immunized right now. Do it for yourself, do it for those you love, and do it for everyone in B.C. so we can get through this pandemic,” Henry said. The number of British Columbians hospitalized with the illness has risen from 47 to 53. Of those patients, 19 are in the ICU compared to 16 on Friday. Among the areas of concern, the Interior Health region, which is recorded more than 50 per cent of the new cases reported over the long weekend. for a full list of all vaccination clinics in BC click HERE
Canadian Andre De Grasse has captured the gold medal in the men’s 200m, his second medal of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. De Grasse ran the 200-metre sprint in 19.62 seconds, improving on the record he set for Canada in the semi-final. The other Canadian in the race, Aaron Brown, failed to get on the podium, finishing sixth. U.S. sprinters Kenneth Bednarek and Noah Lyles captured silver and bronze. The Markham, Ont. native is still the only Canadian man to capture a medal so far in the Tokyo Olympics. It’s De Grasse’s first gold medal and fifth Olympic medal.
Residents living along the flanks of a 325-square kilometre wildfire northwest of Vernon are being warned that the fire is acting aggressively and that evacuation alerts could be upgraded to evacuation orders very soon. The Regional District of Central Okanagan issued the advisory this afternoon to residents of about 24-hundred properties currently on alert within its boundaries. The White Rock Lake fire has also prompted evacuation orders and alerts from three other regional districts and the Okanagan Indian Band. Wildfire officials say the blaze sparked three weeks ago could be hit by strong winds as early as tomorrow afternoon and fire behaviour analysts are working hard to refine the forecast and pinpoint the risks.
The federal government has announced close to eight-million dollars in funding for seven more projects under B-C’s salmon restoration and innovation fund. Fisheries and Oceans says the money will support the Pacific Salmon Foundation as it develops a set of climate action priorities, including assessing and alleviating potential impediments for struggling salmon along the Fraser River. It says the foundation is also set to develop best practices to prioritize the needs of salmon when carrying out landscape recovery following major fires. The latest recipients also include Lake Babine First Nation, the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre Society in Enderby, B-C Shellfish Growers’ Association, Nanaimo-based Seed Science, the We Wai Kai First Nation near Campbell River, and Gwabalis Fisheries Society on northern Vancouver Island.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insured losses from the wildfire that destroyed the village of Lytton amount to an estimated 78-million dollars. A statement from the bureau says roughly 300 claims have been filed since the June 30th fire and most of those are related to losses of residential properties. Bureau vice-president Aaron Sutherland says the destruction in Lytton is “a tragic reminder of the increasing risk facing communities in B-C, and across Canada, from a changing climate.” He says perils ranging from wildfires and floods to heat, hail and windstorms are having an “outsized impact” and everyone must do better to prepare for such events and adapt to the “new weather reality.” (The Canadian Press)
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says home sales dipped last month when compared with June’s figures — but sales are still stronger than they were during the depths of the pandemic last year. The board says just over 33-hundred homes changed hands last month — a skid of more than 11 per cent since June — but up 6.3 per cent compared with July 2020. The board also says there are nine per cent fewer homes on the market since June and almost 20 per cent fewer when compared with last July. Despite that, economist Keith Stewart says prices haven’t changed much since June and are up about 14 per cent since last July — a sign he says shows price growth has levelled off in most areas and for home types.
B.C. is reporting 342 new cases of COVID-19, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 150,973 cases in the province. There are currently 1,764 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 147,409 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 55 individuals are in hospital and 23 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
The new/active cases include:
-66 new cases in Fraser Health
Total active cases: 388
-57 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health
Total active cases: 258
-171 new cases in Interior Health
Total active cases: 945
-13 new cases in Northern Health
Total active cases: 52
-32 new cases in Island Health
Total active cases: 109
-three new cases of people who reside outside of Canada
Total active cases: 12
In the past 24 hours, no new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 1,772.