BC legislature

B.C. schools are scheduled to reopen to all students next week, as vaccination of younger children for COVID-19 continues. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. reports 3,798 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, more in hospital

No additional deaths or health care outbreaks in 24 hours

B.C. schools are scheduled to reopen to all students next week, as vaccination of younger children for COVID-19 continues. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
An N95 respirator for industrial protection from particles and droplets. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry advises that cloth masks, preferably with three layers, are sufficient for school and in retail stores. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

B.C. schools essential, medical masks aren’t, Dr. Bonnie Henry says

Full in-classroom instruction set to resume next week

An N95 respirator for industrial protection from particles and droplets. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry advises that cloth masks, preferably with three layers, are sufficient for school and in retail stores. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A Victoria pharmacy offers influenza vaccines with no appointment. B.C. pharmacies are increasingly delivering COVID-19 booster shots as well as flu shots. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

2,542 more COVID-19 cases Tuesday, testing at maximum

Hospital cases up to 298, 78 more than New Year’s Eve

A Victoria pharmacy offers influenza vaccines with no appointment. B.C. pharmacies are increasingly delivering COVID-19 booster shots as well as flu shots. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
A nurse attends to a patient at the COVID-19 intensive care unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital, June 2021. (The Canadian Press)

B.C. hospitals see more COVID-19 admissions in Omicron surge

Rapid tests to allow additional senior home visitors soon

A nurse attends to a patient at the COVID-19 intensive care unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital, June 2021. (The Canadian Press)
B.C. construction crew extends an Acrow temporary bridge to close a huge washout gap at Jackass Mountain on Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon. (B.C. transportation ministry photo)

B.C. Fraser Canyon gaps slowly closing after November washouts

Mid-January target for Highway 1 reopening to some traffic

B.C. construction crew extends an Acrow temporary bridge to close a huge washout gap at Jackass Mountain on Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon. (B.C. transportation ministry photo)
COVID-19 vaccination and testing site at Victoria Conference Centre. B.C. public health authorities are re-activating vaccine clinics at community centres in a push to get booster doses to reduce the effects of the Omicron variant wave. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. records 3,795 more COVID-19 cases for New Year’s Eve

Hospitalization rate starts to climb with 20,000 active cases

COVID-19 vaccination and testing site at Victoria Conference Centre. B.C. public health authorities are re-activating vaccine clinics at community centres in a push to get booster doses to reduce the effects of the Omicron variant wave. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Penny Ballem, head of B.C.’s COVID-19 vaccination program, announce that pharmacies are taking part in the province’s booster campaign, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

B.C. reduces isolation time to 5 days for mild COVID-19 symptoms

Booster vaccines offered to most 6 months after second dose

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Penny Ballem, head of B.C.’s COVID-19 vaccination program, announce that pharmacies are taking part in the province’s booster campaign, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
B.C.’s daily reported COVID-19 cases to Dec. 28, with seven-day moving average in white. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

Omicron surge overwhelms B.C. COVID-19 testing, contact tracing

Test results only a fraction of actual infections, Dr. Henry says

B.C.’s daily reported COVID-19 cases to Dec. 28, with seven-day moving average in white. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announce expansion of COVID-19 booster shots to pharmacies, Victoria, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

Nearly 3,000 B.C. COVID-19 cases Wednesday, hospitalization stable

Omicron incubation only 3 days, much faster transmission

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announce expansion of COVID-19 booster shots to pharmacies, Victoria, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
Former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon speaks to delegates at a B.C. Liberal leadership debate, November 2021. (B.C. Liberal Party video)

B.C. Liberals heading into 2022 with new leader, financial pressure

Party members choose from 6 candidates in early February

Former cabinet minister Kevin Falcon speaks to delegates at a B.C. Liberal leadership debate, November 2021. (B.C. Liberal Party video)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry describes the latest COVID-19 models projecting a rise in cases from the Omicron variant, at the B.C. legislature, Dec. 21, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

B.C. reports another 1,785 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday

Dix, Henry to speak on hospital situation Wednesday

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry describes the latest COVID-19 models projecting a rise in cases from the Omicron variant, at the B.C. legislature, Dec. 21, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
B.C.’s daily COVID-19 cases to Dec. 23, 2021 (seven-day rolling average in white), showing unprecedented infection spread since the arrival of the Omicron variant. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

B.C.’s COVID-19 case rate stays high, Fraser Health highest

New record 2,552 new cases recorded on Christmas Day

B.C.’s daily COVID-19 cases to Dec. 23, 2021 (seven-day rolling average in white), showing unprecedented infection spread since the arrival of the Omicron variant. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
Commercial trucks begin making their way through the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt Dec. 21, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

B.C. highway restrictions continue as state of emergency extended

Coquihalla, Highway 99 restricted, Highway 3 open

Commercial trucks begin making their way through the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt Dec. 21, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
Economist Mariana Mazzucato gives a TED talk on her approach to rethinking capitalism. (marianamazzucato.com)

B.C. green investment fund looks to steer economy through 2022

Economist says InBC can ‘save capitalism from itself’

Economist Mariana Mazzucato gives a TED talk on her approach to rethinking capitalism. (marianamazzucato.com)
Repair work at Bottletop Bridge on the Coquihalla Highway, Dec. 7, 2021. Repairs to dozens of highway sites in B.C.’s southern Interior will be ongoing through next year and beyond, at costs not yet estimated. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation photo)

B.C.’s climate plans battered by extreme weather as 2022 begins

Electric cars, forest offsets, carbon taxes don’t stop damage

Repair work at Bottletop Bridge on the Coquihalla Highway, Dec. 7, 2021. Repairs to dozens of highway sites in B.C.’s southern Interior will be ongoing through next year and beyond, at costs not yet estimated. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation photo)
Daily COVID-19 cases reported to B.C. public health to Dec. 15, 2021. White line is seven-day moving average, turning upward since the emergence of the Omicron variant. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

B.C. reports 789 COVID-19 cases Friday as Omicron spreads

Dr. Henry says province is a week behind Ontario’s spike

Daily COVID-19 cases reported to B.C. public health to Dec. 15, 2021. White line is seven-day moving average, turning upward since the emergence of the Omicron variant. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
Vancouver Canucks’ Bo Horvat celebrates after scoring the winning goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dec. 14, 2021. Hockey games and other indoor events with more than 1,000 people will be limited to half capacity starting Monday, Dec. 20. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Sports tournaments, New Year’s parties banned in B.C. Omicron surge

Family restrictions also start Monday, last at least to Jan. 31

Vancouver Canucks’ Bo Horvat celebrates after scoring the winning goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dec. 14, 2021. Hockey games and other indoor events with more than 1,000 people will be limited to half capacity starting Monday, Dec. 20. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne (reflective vest) consoles a resident as he and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth tour the flood-damaged community, Dec. 3, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

Military mission winds up as B.C. flood recovery effort continues

More than 700 troops served from Fraser Valley to Interior

Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne (reflective vest) consoles a resident as he and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth tour the flood-damaged community, Dec. 3, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
B.C. immunization lead Dr. Penny Ballem, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry visit one of the hundreds of pharmacies taking on COVID-19 booster shots as well as annual flu shots, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)

B.C’s COVID-19 infections jump to 753 Thursday, 3 deaths

Omicron variant cases up to 135, half on Vancouver Island

B.C. immunization lead Dr. Penny Ballem, Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry visit one of the hundreds of pharmacies taking on COVID-19 booster shots as well as annual flu shots, Dec. 14, 2021. (B.C. government photo)
A Victoria house is disassembled by Unbuilders Deconstructors, with doors, windows and old-growth lumber recovered for remanufacturing and sale. Unbuilders received a $500,000 grant from B.C.’s building innovation fund last year. (Unbuilders photo via Facebook)

B.C. government looks to assist more low-carbon building solutions

$5M CleanBC building innovation fund opens for applications

A Victoria house is disassembled by Unbuilders Deconstructors, with doors, windows and old-growth lumber recovered for remanufacturing and sale. Unbuilders received a $500,000 grant from B.C.’s building innovation fund last year. (Unbuilders photo via Facebook)