Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the federal government is planning to airlift Canadian citizens, permanent residents, their spouses and children out of Tel Aviv in the coming days with help from the Canadian Armed Forces. Two Canadians were among hundreds killed by Hamas gunmen while attending a music festival in southern Israel over the weekend. Friends and family have identified the Canadian victims as 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi from Vancouver and former Montreal resident Alexandre Look, who recently celebrated his 33rd birthday. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong criticized the federal government, saying it has failed to provide timely assistance to Canadians needing help to leave Israel.
Wildlife biologist Wayne McCrory says the science is “crying out” for grizzly bear habitat protection as industrial activities eat away at the landscapes the animals depend on. But McCrory says BC’s draft grizzly stewardship plan doesn’t meaningfully address habitat loss for the bears, which are listed as “special concern” under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. McCrory is among dozens of groups and individuals who signed an open letter sent to provincial officials last week, saying urgent, science-based action is needed. He says he’s concerned that people who want to see grizzly hunting return to BC will be able to influence management decisions as the province encourages the creation of local advisory teams with a broad range of interest groups.
Yukon is rolling out its COVID-19 and flu vaccines starting on Monday. The territory says it’s starting with high-risk Yukoners, including those who are 65 and older and who are immunocompromised. A week later, all other Yukoners six months and older will be eligible for vaccination. Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee says it’s essential to be proactive in battling against these diseases during respiratory illness season.
Construction is set to begin next year on network infrastructure to provide faster broadband internet to Lund and Skelhp (SKEL’-pe) on the Sunshine Coast. The province says more than 140 households will be able to get speeds of more than 50 megabits per second for downloads, and 10 megabits per second for uploads. Minister of Citizens’ Services Lisa Beare says the government is committed to ensuring everyone in British Columbia can access high-speed internet services, no matter where they live, by 2027. Last year, the provincial and federal governments said they were spending as much as 830-million dollars to meet that goal.
The more than 70-year-old Trail Memorial Centre is getting a modern refresh aimed at making it more environmentally friendly. The 3.5-million-dollar project will integrate the facility’s H-VAC systems with its boiler and refrigeration units to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 73 per cent. A joint statement from the municipal, provincial and federal governments says the goal is to weave sustainability into the sporting and recreational hub, while reducing its dependency on natural gas. Trail Mayor Colleen Jones says the community is thrilled to receive the grant, which will result in significant energy savings.
A new campaign this fall is aimed at educating the province about the proper use of smoke alarms. The Ignite Awareness, Extinguish Fires campaign will run for four weeks and include advertisements through radio, television, social media and bus stops. A report in June from fire commissioner Brian Godlonton found that only 45 per cent of BC homes that experienced fires last year had working smoke alarms. Godlonton says working smoke alarms are the easiest and most effective way to reduce the risk of fire-related injuries and deaths.