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Recoveries from COVID-19 in B.C. climb to 71.2%

The recovery threshold has been steadily rising during the past week

B.C.’s recovery rate from COVID-19 has climbed above the 70 per cent threshold for the first time in at least many weeks, as it now sits at more than 71.2 per cent, according to data released May 9. B.C. recorded 15 new cases on May 9, for a total of 2,330 cases since the first case of the virus that has caused a global pandemic was recorded in the province in January.…

BC Ferries is adding sailings back on major Vancouver route

These sailings will maintain the 50 per cent passenger capacity reduction as required by Transport Canada

BC Ferries is adding trips on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route to carry essential goods, as well as passengers, to and from Vancouver Island. As of May 15, the weekday schedule will include an 11 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay and a 9 a.m. departure from Tsawwassen.…

Search and rescue groups in B.C. see spike in incidents

BC Parks, municipal parks still closed this weekend

Despite pleas for recreationalists to use extreme caution in the outdoors and avoid backcountry travel during the past couple of months, B.C. saw a spike in search and rescue incidents. BC AdventureSmart says the province’s search and rescue organizations have seen a 35 per cent average increase in calls compared to this time last year.…

Trudeau promises money to fight the COVID-19 pandemic

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined a series of spending announcements on May 9

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 9 listed a series of spending initiatives that he announced earlier this week and are aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. His Saturday morning press conference came a day after jobs data revealed that about two million Canadians lost their jobs in April, while a further million lost their jobs in March.…

Still outstanding in our fields

Reimagining—with feet and veggies, firmly planted

So how’s it going there, bud? Still hunkered down?…

Flying viruses

By now, most Canadians have either seen or heard Dr. Isaac Bogoch on TV and radio—the lanky, matter-of-fact University of Toronto epidemiologist who answers questions on the SARS CoV-2 pandemic. But Bogoch has distinguished himself in more academic ways around previous recent disease outbreaks—working with travel data and public health officials to model and get ahead of Ebola in West Africa, and Chikungunya in the Caribbean (“Spring Fever,” Pique, Jan. 22, 2015).…

Want to grow your own veggies this summer?

There’s never been a better time to develop a green thumb, so here are some tips to get you on your way

how many years in a row have you glanced at melting snow and promised yourself this is the summer you’ll finally plant that vegetable garden, only to wake up one morning in August, gardenless, vowing that next year will be it? Well, if that multi-year streak lasted longer than you intended, there’s never been a better time to develop a green thumb than now.…

Avoid close contact with mothers on Mother’s Day: B.C. government

Government representatives urge caution despite saying B.C. has flattened the curve of new infections

B.C.’s provincial health officer Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix warned people to avoid close contact with their mothers on Mother’s Day even though they say that they believe B.C. has flattened the curve of new infections and hospitalizations of COVID-19. “For now, avoid any close physical contact, unless your mother is in your immediate household,” they said in a statement on May 8.…

The Vancouver Park Board is reopening tennis and pickleball courts this weekend

Players can access 53 local courts across seven locations beginning Saturday morning, May 9, while the remaining 135 city courts are scheduled to reopen throughout the week.

As B.C. prepares to ease some of its physical distancing measures next week, the Vancouver Park Board is following suit. The Park Board announced Friday it’s reopening tennis and pickleball courts in neighbourhoods across the city this weekend.…

Many parks in the Sea to Sky to remain closed

The provincial government has announced it is reopening some parks May 14, but that’s not the case for those that attract ‘high-visitor volume’

With the provincial government announcing Wednesday that some parks will be open starting May 14 and available for camping starting June 1, local recreationalists have been left wondering what the summer holds for in the Sea to Sky corridor. The answer is that for now, not much will change.…

Dennehys challenging Whistler to match $50K mental-health donation

Teaming up with Andy Szocs, money will go to WCSS mental-health services

Ginny and Kerry Dennehy’s support for mental health has touched thousands of lives around Canada and beyond through their tireless work at the Kelty Patrick Dennehy Foundation, named in honour of their teenaged son, who tragically ended his life in 2001 after battling depression. But as far-reaching as their impact has been, Whistler will always be home to the Dennehys.…

VOP to host web chat with Mayor Richman

Facebook live stream goes live at 4 p.m.

Attention all Pemberton residents: do you have questions for Mayor Mike Richman? You can pose them this afternoon during a Facebook Live video chat.…

Ottawa extends federal wage subsidy program beyond June

No similar plans for emergency response benefit, Trudeau says

The federal wage subsidy program for Canadian companies has been extended beyond June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced this morning. Trudeau said the move was made because wage subsidies will take on an even more important role in supporting Canadians’ livelihood as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit program (CERB) runs its course.…

The Point reveals summer plans

Arts News: local authors shortlisted for award; Poet’s Pause winners announced

The Point Artist-Run Centre will be holding its summer music and theatre camps, either online or in-person, depending on rules around the COVID-19 pandemic. Josh Suhrheinrich (a.k.a. Papa Josh) will be instructing Into the Groove Band Camp from July 13 to 17 (with the potential alternate onsite date of Aug. 17 to 21) and again from July 20 to 24 (with alternate dates of Aug. 24 to 28).…

Pemberton’s Davies takes next step

Nordic skier cracks national junior team

One tough weekend narrowly cost Pemberton cross-country skier Joe Davies a chance at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships this past winter. As he gets set to make another charge for the 2021 event—pandemic pending, of course—he’ll have some extra support behind him.…