BTS with CTV News Vancouver | Podcast

STORIES BY PENNY DAFLOS

• No obstacles for American 'vaccine tourists' snapping up B.C.'s scarce monkeypox doses

  A growing number of Americans are travelling to British Columbia to get vaccinated against monkeypox in the face of scarce supplies on both sides of the border.

  

• Temping doctors, orphaned patients: Turmoil continues in B.C. health-care system

  Patients and doctors alike are feeling the effects of a turbulent health-care system, where clinic closures have B.C.'s physicians weighing their options as their orphaned patients plead to be seen by a shrinking number of general practitioners.

  

• B.C. police agencies issue rare warning about 11 men linked to gang violence

  Police agencies in British Columbia held a joint news conference to identify 11 men they say are linked to a slew of killings and shootings in the province, warning the public to avoid being near them.

• Concerns a 'vicious cycle' underway as private companies increasingly staffing B.C. hospitals

  As B.C.’s hospitals falter under the burden of staff resignations and illness, sources say private companies are quietly filling the gaps with growing numbers of well-compensated nurses – with an unclear price tag.

• BC Housing disabled cooling devices at some sites over costs

  BC Housing admits some of the social and subsidized housing sites it operates have been without cooling systems for years after they restricted heat pumps at four locations.

• What comes next? BC NDP walking fine line beyond empty homes tax

  When B.C.’s finance minister announced the province would be adding six more communities to its list of jurisdictions subject to its speculation and vacancy tax, opposition was muted.

• Review underway after death in B.C. town without ambulance or emergency department: mayor

  A senior in B.C.’s Interior died after going into cardiac arrest while the only ambulance was dispatched to another town and the hospital’s emergency department was closed.

• B.C. court upholds public health-care principles, striking down appeal

  A Vancouver surgeon and businessman has lost his appeal of a landmark court case that threatened the foundations of the Canadian health-care system.

• Critics slam 'propagandists' withholding B.C. pandemic polling data

  A routine request to review government polls commissioned to gauge British Columbians' thoughts on pandemic measures has resulted in renewed criticism of the BC NDP's information-snuffing tactics.

• COVID-19 booster confusion within B.C. public health agencies promoting conflicting information

  A week after B.C.’s top health officials made a confusing announcement about a fall booster campaign and caved to public pressure to allow those who want fourth COVID-19 vaccination sooner to get them, it appears even those within the public health system are unclear about the new guidelines.

• Appointments triple after B.C. expands 2nd booster access

  The number of people seeking second COVID-19 booster vaccinations in British Columbia tripled week-over-week after the province grudgingly expanded access to the shots.

• 'A dilemma': Muddled messaging from B.C. health officials compounds booster availability confusion

  Days after the province caved to public and political pressure on the availability of fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, British Columbians are increasingly confused and conflicted about what to do next.

• B.C. doctors urge province to expand new 'precedent' that could improve family medicine crisis

  An unexpected move to pay British Columbia’s family doctors for the extra time required to assess high-risk COVID-19 patients has a physicians’ group urging the province to recognize many others deserve more time with their primary doctor as well.

• Inflation, 'adversarial culture' in B.C. labour relations landscape could lead to job action

  Observers are warning bargaining underway in the public and private sectors could get contentious with skyrocketing inflation, pandemic stressors and a history of clashes between employers and unions in British Columbia.