National

Return to B.C. classrooms pushed back

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 11 Aug, 2020 10:15 PM

British Columbia's education minister says students won't be back in classrooms on the originally planned date of Sept. 8.

Rob Fleming says students will be welcomed back to classrooms later in the second week of September after staff review the latest B.C. Centre for Disease Control guidelines and school operation policies.

It's not clear when children will be allowed to return to schools.

Fleming says the government and its steering committee are working to finalize how school operations will work.

He added that the previous way students have traditionally attended school in the first week — where they return to their previous classrooms before moving to new ones — isn't a safe practice during a pandemic.

Premier John Horgan has previously stated his confidence that children will be safe when they return to their classrooms.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer refuses to express confidence in Tam

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer refused Thursday to express confidence in Canada's chief public health officer, arguing the need to question her decisions around the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the reasons Parliament must resume. The four main parties in the House of Commons are locked in negotiations to determine if and how Parliament resumes on Monday, the deadline set for it to reconvene following its adjournment in mid-March.

Chief public health officer's decisions must be scrutinized: Scheer refuses to express confidence in Tam

Vancouver Aquarium could face closure due to COVID-19

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.

Vancouver Aquarium could face closure due to COVID-19

Fluevog designs 'The Dr. Henry' shoe inspired by B.C. provincial health officer

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.

Fluevog designs 'The Dr. Henry' shoe inspired by B.C. provincial health officer

Crews make progress on wildfire near Squamish, B.C.

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.

Crews make progress on wildfire near Squamish, B.C.

Vancouver mayor says B.C. relief not enough to ward off layoffs, service cuts

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.

Vancouver mayor says B.C. relief not enough to ward off layoffs, service cuts

Federal inmate dies from COVID-19 complications at prison in Mission, B.C.

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.