The Province of British Columbia has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response.

Following a record-setting year in 2020, the BC Coroners Service reports 165 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in January 2021, the largest ever number of lives lost due to illicit drugs in the first month of a calendar year.

Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has issued the following statement on Search and Rescue Volunteer Memorial Day:

Changes to allow restaurants, bars and tourism operators with liquor licences to purchase beer, wine and spirits at the wholesale price set by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) are now in place permanently.

The Province of British Columbia has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response.

Two Vancouver Island communities have been approved to receive their share of more than $8.5 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding.

Six communities throughout southwestern B.C. have been approved to receive their share of more than $8.5 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding.

Four communities in B.C.’s interior and north have been approved to receive their share of more than $8.5 million in provincial emergency preparedness funding.

As the five-year anniversary of the province’s illicit drug toxicity public health emergency approaches, the BC Coroners Service reports 2020 was B.C.’s worst year yet in terms of number of lives lost due to the effects of toxic illicit drugs.