Here’s the latest news for Surrey, White Rock and beyond for Tuesday, March 31. This will be updated as information becomes available:
• Five more people have died due to COVID-19 in B.C., provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday (March 31).
• A Langley man who underwent quadruple bypass surgery in December estimates he’s been outside his apartment no more than three times a week since the COVID-19 virus turned up in B.C.
• Two BC SPCA donors have offered up to $65,000 in matching donations to help vulnerable animals in B.C., as communities struggle with the impact of COVID-19.
• A vocal advocacy group for lower taxes is calling on federal politicians across the country to donate their annual pay raise to charity amid COVID-19.
• Canadians won’t get any details about the eagerly-awaited wage subsidy program announced on Friday (March 27), despite the prime minister’s promise of more details today (March 31).
• B.C. licensed child care providers can get up to seven times base funding for stepping up to provide service to parents of pre-school children on the front lines of the COVID-19 emergency effort.
• Surrey’s Winner’s Circle All-Star Basketball Classic is another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Most walkers, grocery store customers are being courteous with physical distancing in B.C.
• British Columbians should be prepared to see some companies, big and small, denying them full refunds.
• Most Canadians are doing what they’re told to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and would support harsher measures to punish those who aren’t, a new poll suggests.
• The Surrey school district is continuing to provide its meal program to students despite the suspension of in-classroom instruction.
• A staff member at Langley Lodge has been diagnosed with COVID-19, Fraser Health confirmed in a press release Tuesday morning.
• the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has issued new guidance to employers managing industrial sites and camps during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• A viral video of the ‘Toilet Paper Challenge‘ that saw a roll of the much-sought-after item passed coast-to-coast – virtually, at least – by Canadian hockey fans has a White Rock connection.
• Dr. Theresa Tam said 10 per cent of Canada’s hospitalized cases are people under the age of 40.
• Truck drivers face an uphill challenge as rest stops shut and owners bar access to washrooms amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The union representing many of Canada’s hotel and hospitality workers says almost all its 18,000 members face layoffs due to COVID-19, and it wants immediate help for service workers across the country.
• Many musical performers are sharing their talents online during COVID-19 quarantine – but Jackie Block and Marlin Toftager’s version of Abendlied, by Josef Rheinberger, takes the idea to the next level.
• The union representing Canada Post employees is asking Canadians to disinfect their mail boxes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• BC Ferries’ current ability to restrict and prohibit people from travelling has the same effect as a federal prohibition on sick travellers on ferries, but smaller operators may not have the same power.
For the latest coronavirus and COVID-19 news, visit peacearchnews.com/tag/coronavirus
