The Vancouver Aquarium says it is facing bankruptcy and could be forced to close permanently if it can't arrange emergency funding. A statement from the facility says animal care and habitat costs for 70,000 animals exceed $1 million a month but revenues have dropped to almost zero since the COVID-19 outbreak forced it close last month.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is adding another title to her long list of credentials — shoe muse. John Fluevog Shoes is launching a limited edition shoe called "The Dr. Henry," inspired by the public health official. The Vancouver designer says the pink-heeled tribute was made with Henry's blessing, and all proceeds from a pre-sale set to begin next week will be donated to Food Banks BC to support the fight against COVID-19.
The BC Wildfire Service says crews are making good progress on a ground fire that's so far charred one square kilometre of bush and trees in the Upper Squamish Valley. Marg Drysdale, an information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, says calm weather has kept the fire's activity low Thursday afternoon as 37 firefighters and three helicopters work to get it under control.
Vancouver's mayor says community relief measures introduced Thursday by the British Columbia government are not enough to prevent city layoffs and service cuts. Kennedy Stewart said offering municipalities tax-payment delays as well as borrowing and debt initiatives is helpful but won't eliminate financial troubles related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An inmate has died from an apparent complication related to COVID-19 at an institution in B.C. that is experiencing the largest outbreak among prisoners in Canada. Correctional Service Canada says it is the first death from the novel coronavirus among federally sentenced inmates in the country.
WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to let Donald Trump down gently Thursday, warning that Canada is still a long way from being ready to agree to relax mutual travel restrictions along its border with the United States.
