Canada Border Services Agency says it seized nearly 200 kilograms of opium concealed in shipping containers arriving in B-C.
A statement from the agency says a bust on August 15th at an examination facility in Burnaby turned up 150 kilograms of opium hidden in steel machinery.
A detector dog found another 46 kilograms of the drug two weeks later in furniture being inspected at a container checkpoint in Tsawwassen.
The C-B-S-A says both seizures are now being investigated by the R-C-M-P.
An air quality advisory for Metro Vancouver remains in place due to wildfire smoke. The Metro Vancouver Regional District says people should postpone or reduce outdoor physical activity particularly if they have underlying conditions related to breathing.
The province's homicide investigation team has been called in after a man was fatally shot in Hope. R-C-M-P say they were called just before 3 a.m. on Sunday and found a 28-year-old man who had been shot and killed.
Newly appointed Health Minister Mark Holland says he doesn't want to go waving a stick around as he negotiates the final details of a health accord with provinces and territories, and it'll largely be up to Canadians to hold them accountable. All provinces except Quebec accepted the $198-billion deal in principle earlier this year and are expected to sign final agreements before the end of 2023.
The province says its PharmaCare program now covers medications used to treat rare diseases such as A-L-S. The Ministry of Health says the oral form of edaravone, which is used to treat A-L-S patients, will be added to the PharmaCare formulary as a limited-coverage benefit.
A shortage of diabetes drug Ozempic that is used off-label for weight loss is expected in Canada, the manufacturer says. Health Canada says intermittent shortages are expected from late August to early October.
Strong demand for rentals and a shortage of homes are both contributing to soaring rental costs. And that's making it even more difficult for people to save money for down payment on a home. For most minimum-wage workers, affording these rents with their earnings is impossible.