BC politics

B.C. Liberal interim leader Shirley Bond speaks to reporters from Prince George via Zoom conference, Nov. 24, 2020. MLAs are being sworn in for the legislature session this week, many of them also by video. (B.C. legislature)

B.C. Liberal leadership contest will wait for election post-mortem

Interim leader set to face NDP on payments for COVID-19

B.C. Liberal interim leader Shirley Bond speaks to reporters from Prince George via Zoom conference, Nov. 24, 2020. MLAs are being sworn in for the legislature session this week, many of them also by video. (B.C. legislature)
B.C. Liberal MLA Shirley Bond questions NDP government ministers in the B.C. legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)

Cabinet veteran Shirley Bond chosen interim leader of B.C. Liberals

28-member opposition prepares for December legislature session

B.C. Liberal MLA Shirley Bond questions NDP government ministers in the B.C. legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Care home staff are diligent about wearing personal protective equipment when they are in contact with residents, but less so when they interact with other staff members, B.C. Seniors Advocate says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

More COVID-19 testing needed for senior home staff, B.C.’s advocate says

Employees mingling spotted as virus conductor in many workplaces

Care home staff are diligent about wearing personal protective equipment when they are in contact with residents, but less so when they interact with other staff members, B.C. Seniors Advocate says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Andrew Wilkinson addresses a BC Liberal Forestry Rally in Campbell River on Oct. 17, 2020.

Andrew Wilkinson quits as BC Liberal Leader, party to choose interim replacement

Wilkinson had previously said he would stay in his role till a new leader were to be selected

Andrew Wilkinson addresses a BC Liberal Forestry Rally in Campbell River on Oct. 17, 2020.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announce province-wide travel and other restrictions at the B.C. legislature, Nov. 19, 2020. (B.C. government)

Latest COVID-19 restrictions starting to show results in B.C.

Lower Mainland ‘spillover’ affects health care, other regions

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announce province-wide travel and other restrictions at the B.C. legislature, Nov. 19, 2020. (B.C. government)
A skier wears a face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the first day of the downhill ski season at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C. Friday, November 13, 2020. Recreational travel has been suspended across B.C. until at least Dec. 7, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS

COVID-19: B.C. extends private gathering ban province-wide

Recreational travel, religious service also banned until Dec. 7

A skier wears a face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the first day of the downhill ski season at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C. Friday, November 13, 2020. Recreational travel has been suspended across B.C. until at least Dec. 7, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Premier John Horgan and a handful of MLAs attend in person for the first COVID-19 sitting of the B.C. legislature, March 23, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. legislature resumes Dec. 7 to vote on COVID-19 payments

MLAs, cabinet to be sworn in next week, John Horgan says

Premier John Horgan and a handful of MLAs attend in person for the first COVID-19 sitting of the B.C. legislature, March 23, 2020. (Hansard TV)
B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks to reporters from B.C. legislature, Nov. 9, 2020. (B.C. government)

B.C. premier calls for national COVID-19 travel restrictions

John Horgan says non-essential travel banned in province

B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks to reporters from B.C. legislature, Nov. 9, 2020. (B.C. government)
A woman wears a protective face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as she walks past a “Thank You” sign in downtown Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. records deadliest day of pandemic with 11 deaths, 557 new COVID cases

11 more deaths for total of 310, 198 now in hospital

A woman wears a protective face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as she walks past a “Thank You” sign in downtown Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
People watch a youth soccer match, in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday, November 7, 2020. B.C. public health orders banning social gatherings are in effect Nov. 7-23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. fields tough COVID-19 questions on urban restrictions

Ban on private social gatherings as business, school carry on

People watch a youth soccer match, in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday, November 7, 2020. B.C. public health orders banning social gatherings are in effect Nov. 7-23, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. school-related COVID-19 cases show that most students with respiratory symptoms do not have COVID-19, a finding made easier by introduction of simpler tests for children. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)

Schools, hospitals top B.C.’s COVID-19 protection list

School transmission remains low, community high

B.C. school-related COVID-19 cases show that most students with respiratory symptoms do not have COVID-19, a finding made easier by introduction of simpler tests for children. (B.C. Centre for Disease Control)
B.C. Premier John Horgan’s July 18, 2017 cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Government House featured Songhees dancers. COVID-19 precautions will require a much simpler affair. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)

Many new MLAs may delay B.C. legislature’s return to after Christmas

Premier John Horgan wants vote to approve COVID-19 payments

B.C. Premier John Horgan’s July 18, 2017 cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Government House featured Songhees dancers. COVID-19 precautions will require a much simpler affair. (Arnold Lim/Black Press Media)
B.C. NDP leader John Horgan releases his election platform, Vancouver, Oct. 6, 2020. (B.C. NDP photo)

Extra COVID-19 enforcement coming for B.C. business, Horgan says

New consultation for schools as COVID-19 cases rise

B.C. NDP leader John Horgan releases his election platform, Vancouver, Oct. 6, 2020. (B.C. NDP photo)
Project engineer Elise Chow-Stiefvater works on Coastal GasLink’s Kitimat site. (Coastal GasLink)

More B.C. LNG can help recovery from COVID-19, study says

Conference Board of Canada calls for incentives

Project engineer Elise Chow-Stiefvater works on Coastal GasLink’s Kitimat site. (Coastal GasLink)
B.C. Premier-elect John Horgan smiles during a post-election news conference, in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. British Columbians could soon know the final results of the provincial election as officials have said they are aiming to wrap up the mail-in ballot count today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Final ballot count confirms British Columbia’s NDP increased seat count to 57

One riding will go to a judicial recount to decide between BC Greens and BC Liberals

B.C. Premier-elect John Horgan smiles during a post-election news conference, in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. British Columbians could soon know the final results of the provincial election as officials have said they are aiming to wrap up the mail-in ballot count today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Harwinder Sandhu, a Vernon registered nurse, has won the Vernon-Monashee riding after mail-in and absentee votes were counted. (Black Press - file photo)

B.C. VOTES 2020: NDP takes Vernon-Monashee for the first time since the 1980s

Vernon’s Harwinder Sandhu of the NDP unseats three-term Liberal incumbent Eric Foster

Harwinder Sandhu, a Vernon registered nurse, has won the Vernon-Monashee riding after mail-in and absentee votes were counted. (Black Press - file photo)
Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau, left, and local candidate Jeremy Valeriote, second left, listen to Jules Anderson, who said he was living in a homeless shelter, after a campaign stop in Squamish, B.C., on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. A judicial recount is coming for a race in the British Columbia election after mail-in ballots put the Liberals ahead by only 41 votes, in an upset to the Greens. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Judicial recount coming in B.C. seat where Liberals upset Greens by 41 votes

Seat would have been the Greens’ first off Vancouver Island

Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau, left, and local candidate Jeremy Valeriote, second left, listen to Jules Anderson, who said he was living in a homeless shelter, after a campaign stop in Squamish, B.C., on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. A judicial recount is coming for a race in the British Columbia election after mail-in ballots put the Liberals ahead by only 41 votes, in an upset to the Greens. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. Premier-elect John Horgan listens during a post-election news conference, in Vancouver, on Sunday, October 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. VOTES 2020: The latest results as mail-in ballot counts continue

A few of the 87 B.C. ridings that were too close to call will be finalized through mail-in ballots

B.C. Premier-elect John Horgan listens during a post-election news conference, in Vancouver, on Sunday, October 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
With timber supply declining from now to 2030, B.C.’s forest industry is in a major transition, but 2020 has seen strong lumber prices. (Black Press Media)

B.C. job recovery continues, rural regions leading the way

Technology, resource industries perform well in pandemic

With timber supply declining from now to 2030, B.C.’s forest industry is in a major transition, but 2020 has seen strong lumber prices. (Black Press Media)
B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson, B.C. NDP leader John Horgan and B.C. Greens leader Sonia Furstenau. (Black Press Media)

Mail-in ballots could shift outcomes in tight B.C. election contests

Final count begins Friday for 662,000 votes province-wide

B.C. Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson, B.C. NDP leader John Horgan and B.C. Greens leader Sonia Furstenau. (Black Press Media)