Drug overdose deaths are down by 24 per cent between April last year and this April, but still B-C’s Coroner says 182 people died.
Fentanyl remains the primary killer, with the drug detected in 82 per cent of test results for those who died so far this year.
The coroner’s service says nearly half of those who overdosed were between the ages of 30 and 49.
The latest figures lift the number of deaths since the public health emergency was declared eight years ago to 14-thousand 582 people.
Canada has yet to set a date for the North American Leaders' Summit, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's still aiming to host the gathering this year. The summit has happened most years since 2005, and hosting duties rotate between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico for meetings that focus on transnational issues such as immigration and drug trafficking.
Canada is providing $40 million to help Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid concern over what it calls a catastrophic humanitarian situation, worsened by an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah. Ottawa says the funding will support the provision of food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance in the region.
A man who attacked a SkyTrain attendant in New Westminster, B.C., in 2021 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. A statement from Metro Vancouver Transit Police says 29-year-old Howard Geddes Skelding was found guilty of one count each of assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement.
Special weather statements have been issued by Environment Canada for B-C’s southern mountain passes ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend. Snowfall of between two to five centimeters is expected overnight tonight and into Friday and maybe again on Saturday morning.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly originally promised these sanctions in February, and calls them "a significant step" in Canada's approach to the region, as it tries to maintain the prospect of a two-state solution involving a Palestinian country living in peace next to Israel.
The Denny's restaurant in Fort St. John, B.C., ran out of burgers on Tuesday, a waiter said. Hotels have been filled with new guests, some turning up without identification or money, according to one manager. Fort St. John businesses have been doing their best to welcome the influx, offering free movie nights — popcorn included — and discount burritos.