Staff with BC Ferries are bracing for the busiest long weekend of the year, after a summer of delays, cancellations and communication problems.
More than 580-thousand passengers and 210-thousand vehicles are expected to travel with B-C Ferries between today and Tuesday.
BC Ferries says it has pulled out all the stops to ensure smoother sailing this weekend.
Passengers are being urged to travel during off-peak times.
BA.2 was detected in Canada as early as December, according to Health Canada data, but a report last week from the B.C. COVID-19 modelling group suggests the newer Omicron strain could be spreading faster in parts of the country than the current dominant version, BA.1.
It's budget day in Alberta, and Premier Jason Kenney says there will be a massive infusion of money for the health-care system. Kenney says the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a system that has too few hospital beds, labs and intensive care spaces.
Trudeau said he would be meeting Thursday with G7 partners and would work quickly with NATO and Canada's allies "to collectively respond to these reckless and dangerous acts, including by imposing significant sanctions in addition to those already announced."
Health Canada says its effectiveness and safety in those under 18 and over 64 have "not yet been established." Clinical trials suggested the vaccine was 71 per cent effective in protecting against COVID-19 one week after the second dose. The dosing schedule is 21 days apart.
The meeting at the Lester B. Pearson Building in Ottawa took place as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was meeting virtually Thursday with G7 partners to discuss a response. Trudeau said before the meeting that Russia’s actions will be met with severe consequences.
There are 653 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 in B.C., and 108 are in intensive care.