Penny Daflos

The union representing British Columbia’s paramedics is addressing a disturbing surge in deaths by suicide among their members, and say that as a profession they “desperately need help.”

B.C.’s premier and public safety minister are condemning the vandalism of Canada’s oldest surviving synagogue and pledging to support police and the community while an investigation is underway.

British Columbia’s health authorities have cut cheques to private staffing agencies totalling a little more than half a billion dollars in just the last two years, in order to have enough nurses to keep the province’s hospitals, operating rooms and care homes open to patients.

British Columbia’s two largest health authorities have quietly begun cracking down on overtime pay and premiums paid to staff who agree to work last-minute in the Lower Mainland’s hospitals, CTV News has learned.

The toxic drug crisis has claimed thousands of lives across North America in recent years and policymakers have struggled to find an effective response. In British Columbia, the strategy can be summarized as apply, observe, and adapt.

He’s a best-selling author with millions of people around the world watching his TED Talks and interviews, but Dr. Gabor Maté still calls Vancouver home and wants his fellow British Columbians to educate themselves about the many factors leading to drug use and what he calls “deaths of despair.”

The very phrase “harm reduction” can prompt a fiery debate the moment it’s mentioned, but for the British Columbians who’ve recovered from drug addiction, such policies have been literal lifesavers.

British Columbia is phasing out antiquated drug treatment and recovery concepts, and modernizing the response spectrum to include the acceptance relapse is all but certain and supportive housing is required for some patients.

Care homes operators are sounding the alarm that the ending of some provincial funding could lead to disruptions for seniors—but the consequences may actually impact nearly all British Columbians.

In the five days since they lost a provincial funding initiative, B.C. care home operators are already having to make tough decisions about core services with the staff available.