Cortes Currents

Tan Mei Xi/Vancouver Coop Radio - Last week, Vancouver City Council approved the five-year Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), which contains 19 actions and sets Vancouver on a path to reduce Vancouver’s carbon pollution by 50 per cent by 2030.

According to the City, 54 per cent of Vancouver's carbon pollution comes from burning natural gas used to heat space and water in buildings, and 39 per cent of the city's emissions come from burning gasoline and diesel in vehicles.

The "game-changer" actions of the CEAP include setting carbon emissions limits for existing buildings; setting requirements for low-carbon construction materials and practices in new building construction; expanding the paid-parking-permit program across the city; and creating a plan to implement transport pricing, or congestion pricing, in the city by 2025.

Matt Horne, the City's Climate Policy Manager, said that while the CEAP is focused on mitigation, the city has adopted other strategies for helping Vancouver adapt to climate change. Some strategies he noted were increasing tree cover to reduce the "urban heat island" effect and access to cooling stations for residents during extreme heat events.

According to a report released earlier this year by the urban-solutions organization Evergreen, strategies that will help Downtown Eastside residents adapt to climate change include increasing access to clean, well-maintained washrooms; increasing access to clean drinking water; increasing tree cover in the neighbourhood; and additional cooling spaces.

Photo credit: Vancouver, Taken at the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park by Kim Siever via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales /Cortes Currents - British Columbia saw a new daily record for COVID-19 cases yesterday, with an additional 911 people testing positive. According to the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard there are now 8,472 active cases in the province.

The number of active cases is smaller in North Vancouver Island: 26, but a week ago, on Friday Nov 20th, there were 12. A little more than a month before that, on Friday October 16th, there were none.

The BC Centre for Disease Control did not list any cases in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, which includes Cortes and the other Discovery Islands, during August and September. There was actually a case in Campbell River on September 28th, but that data is reported under October.

Up until two days ago, there has not been a confirmed case on Cortes Island. There have been rumours. A woman picking up take-out food at Hollyhock, during the last week of August, spoke of a confirmed case on the island – but that was not correct. There were no active cases anywhere in the Greater Campbell River Health Area at that time. There may have been an active case on Cortes sometime prior to August, but this has not been confirmed.

Now one of the elder residents of the Klahoose village has contracted what Indiginews described as a mild case. That entire community has gone into isolation. Chief Kevin Peacey said a security team will be at the entrance to Tork Rd is monitoring traffic to and from the reserve, which is currently limited to emergency and essential trips.

The Squirrel Cove General Store closed down on Thursday, to assess the situation, but now all of the stores on Cortes Island are now open again.

Hospitalizations and Deaths

Dr Bonnie Henrie says “There are 301 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 69 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Currently, 10,430 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases …”

As of 4:30 yesterday, Friday November 27th, the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard shows that 395 people across the province have died of COVID. Six of these were on Vancouver island, but there have not been any fatalities here in recent months.

Dr Bonnie Henry once again confirmed that most of the deaths were people in their 70s and 80s. She described them as “our seniors, our elders, grandparents, spouses, family members.”

There are currently 301 people in British Columbian hospitals. For months, there have not been any Vancouver Island residents among them. Now there are 6 and 2 are in critical care.

Dr Bonnie Henry advises everyone to keep to the established protocols, “That means keeping your distance, wearing your mask, washing your hands, keeping your numbers small, keeping local. Support our local businesses who need our support, whether that’s shopping online and picking up or booking ahead or picking a time when it’s not busy.”

Roy L Hales /Cortes Currents - British Columbia saw a new daily record for COVID-19 cases yesterday, with an additional 911 people testing positive. According to the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard there are now 8,472 active cases in the province.

The number of active cases is smaller in North Vancouver Island: 26, but a week ago, on Friday Nov 20th, there were 12. A little more than a month before that, on Friday October 16th, there were none.

The BC Centre for Disease Control did not list any cases in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, which includes Cortes and the other Discovery Islands, during August and September. There was actually a case in Campbell River on September 28th, but that data is reported under October.

Up until two days ago, there has not been a confirmed case on Cortes Island. There have been rumours. A woman picking up take-out food at Hollyhock, during the last week of August, spoke of a confirmed case on the island – but that was not correct. There were no active cases anywhere in the Greater Campbell River Health Area at that time. There may have been an active case on Cortes sometime prior to August, but this has not been confirmed.

Now one of the elder residents of the Klahoose village has contracted what Indiginews described as a mild case. That entire community has gone into isolation. Chief Kevin Peacey said a security team will be at the entrance to Tork Rd is monitoring traffic to and from the reserve, which is currently limited to emergency and essential trips.

The Squirrel Cove General Store closed down on Thursday, to assess the situation, but now all of the stores on Cortes Island are now open again.

Hospitalizations and Deaths

Dr Bonnie Henrie says “There are 301 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 69 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Currently, 10,430 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases …”

As of 4:30 yesterday, Friday November 27th, the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard shows that 395 people across the province have died of COVID. Six of these were on Vancouver island, but there have not been any fatalities here in recent months.

Dr Bonnie Henry once again confirmed that most of the deaths were people in their 70s and 80s. She described them as “our seniors, our elders, grandparents, spouses, family members.”

There are currently 301 people in British Columbian hospitals. For months, there have not been any Vancouver Island residents among them. Now there are 6 and 2 are in critical care.

Dr Bonnie Henry advises everyone to keep to the established protocols, “That means keeping your distance, wearing your mask, washing your hands, keeping your numbers small, keeping local. Support our local businesses who need our support, whether that’s shopping online and picking up or booking ahead or picking a time when it’s not busy.”

Roy L Hales /Cortes Currents - British Columbia saw a new daily record for COVID-19 cases yesterday, with an additional 911 people testing positive. According to the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard there are now 8,472 active cases in the province.

The number of active cases is smaller in North Vancouver Island: 26, but a week ago, on Friday Nov 20th, there were 12. A little more than a month before that, on Friday October 16th, there were none.

The BC Centre for Disease Control did not list any cases in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, which includes Cortes and the other Discovery Islands, during August and September. There was actually a case in Campbell River on September 28th, but that data is reported under October.

Up until two days ago, there has not been a confirmed case on Cortes Island. There have been rumours. A woman picking up take-out food at Hollyhock, during the last week of August, spoke of a confirmed case on the island – but that was not correct. There were no active cases anywhere in the Greater Campbell River Health Area at that time. There may have been an active case on Cortes sometime prior to August, but this has not been confirmed.

Now one of the elder residents of the Klahoose village has contracted what Indiginews described as a mild case. That entire community has gone into isolation. Chief Kevin Peacey said a security team will be at the entrance to Tork Rd is monitoring traffic to and from the reserve, which is currently limited to emergency and essential trips.

The Squirrel Cove General Store closed down on Thursday, to assess the situation, but now all of the stores on Cortes Island are now open again.

Hospitalizations and Deaths

Dr Bonnie Henrie says “There are 301 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 69 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Currently, 10,430 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases …”

As of 4:30 yesterday, Friday November 27th, the British Columbia COVID 18 Dashboard shows that 395 people across the province have died of COVID. Six of these were on Vancouver island, but there have not been any fatalities here in recent months.

Dr Bonnie Henry once again confirmed that most of the deaths were people in their 70s and 80s. She described them as “our seniors, our elders, grandparents, spouses, family members.”

There are currently 301 people in British Columbian hospitals. For months, there have not been any Vancouver Island residents among them. Now there are 6 and 2 are in critical care.

Dr Bonnie Henry advises everyone to keep to the established protocols, “That means keeping your distance, wearing your mask, washing your hands, keeping your numbers small, keeping local. Support our local businesses who need our support, whether that’s shopping online and picking up or booking ahead or picking a time when it’s not busy.”

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Isolation and quarantine saved thousands of lives during the pandemic, but UBC Nursing assistant professor says her research is a warning to governments to better consider mental health as well.

A University of British Columbia nursing professor's new study should cause governments alarm as they battle to protect citizens from the worst impacts of COVID-19 — that they boost resources to also protect people's mental health.

Dr. Emily Jenkins is author of the newest research released this week titled "Assessing the mental health impacts of COVID-19: A national survey study."

She found that across the country, marginalized communities saw the worst mental health impacts of orders to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they had COVID-19, had contact with a case or traveled. And that includes people being twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts than the general population.

For those with disabilities, racialized communities and Indigenous people the impacts were even worse, she explained.

But she emphasized that such isolation measures are necessarily to containing the pandemic and reducing its death toll. That is known in the wide array of research so far.

Governments should put mental health of citizens closer to the forefront of their thinking and beef up mental wellness support resources, including existing online and phone services such as Bounce Back for anxiety and depression, and Crisis Centres.

But the data also reveals deep fractures and gaps in Canada's mental health system, in which generally only the wealthy can pay for private psychological and counseling services, Jenkins said.

If you are experiencing mental health distress, you are not alone. B.C. Crisis Centre at crisiscentre.bc.ca or phone 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Isolation and quarantine saved thousands of lives during the pandemic, but UBC Nursing assistant professor says her research is a warning to governments to better consider mental health as well.

A University of British Columbia nursing professor's new study should cause governments alarm as they battle to protect citizens from the worst impacts of COVID-19 — that they boost resources to also protect people's mental health.

Dr. Emily Jenkins is author of the newest research released this week titled "Assessing the mental health impacts of COVID-19: A national survey study."

She found that across the country, marginalized communities saw the worst mental health impacts of orders to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they had COVID-19, had contact with a case or traveled. And that includes people being twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts than the general population.

For those with disabilities, racialized communities and Indigenous people the impacts were even worse, she explained.

But she emphasized that such isolation measures are necessarily to containing the pandemic and reducing its death toll. That is known in the wide array of research so far.

Governments should put mental health of citizens closer to the forefront of their thinking and beef up mental wellness support resources, including existing online and phone services such as Bounce Back for anxiety and depression, and Crisis Centres.

But the data also reveals deep fractures and gaps in Canada's mental health system, in which generally only the wealthy can pay for private psychological and counseling services, Jenkins said.

If you are experiencing mental health distress, you are not alone. B.C. Crisis Centre at crisiscentre.bc.ca or phone 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).

David P Ball/ Vancouver Coop Radio - Isolation and quarantine saved thousands of lives during the pandemic, but UBC Nursing assistant professor says her research is a warning to governments to better consider mental health as well.

A University of British Columbia nursing professor's new study should cause governments alarm as they battle to protect citizens from the worst impacts of COVID-19 — that they boost resources to also protect people's mental health.

Dr. Emily Jenkins is author of the newest research released this week titled "Assessing the mental health impacts of COVID-19: A national survey study."

She found that across the country, marginalized communities saw the worst mental health impacts of orders to self-isolate or quarantine at home because they had COVID-19, had contact with a case or traveled. And that includes people being twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts than the general population.

For those with disabilities, racialized communities and Indigenous people the impacts were even worse, she explained.

But she emphasized that such isolation measures are necessarily to containing the pandemic and reducing its death toll. That is known in the wide array of research so far.

Governments should put mental health of citizens closer to the forefront of their thinking and beef up mental wellness support resources, including existing online and phone services such as Bounce Back for anxiety and depression, and Crisis Centres.

But the data also reveals deep fractures and gaps in Canada's mental health system, in which generally only the wealthy can pay for private psychological and counseling services, Jenkins said.

If you are experiencing mental health distress, you are not alone. B.C. Crisis Centre at crisiscentre.bc.ca or phone 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433).

Cst Maury Tyre/ RCMP - Campbell River RCMP have already responded to several calls from local businesses and customers regarding individuals who refuse to follow new provincial mask protocols.

As of 6am on November 27th, 2020, the Campbell River RCMP had yet to hand out any of the new Covid face covering fines advised Cst Maury Tyre. Fines and arrests are absolutely the last action we want to be taking, but if people continue to push boundaries it's going to happen.

Police are reminding the segment of the public that chooses not to wear masks that there are other options to attain items they may be seeking in stores:

Online shopping

curbside pick-up

delivery

I recognize their are dissenting opinions and multiple other concepts that can be found online regarding the present mask policies, but right now these are the rules and laws that are being applied equally across the province, said Cst Tyre. Being belligerent with a store employee who is just working to feed their family is not going to change the laws and is more than likely going to get you fined or arrested.

If you have a medical disability that prevents you from wearing a face covering, please be sure to let staff at a location know if they are asking you to wear a mask. Your particular diagnosis is your business, but the location you are entering is their business. A suggestion could possibly be a doctor's note simply excusing you from wearing a mask, without diagnosis on it, much the same way as employers may require an employee to bring in a doctor's note if they have been sick for any length of time.

In the end, people are doing their best in trying to deal with an ongoing pandemic that many people are frustrated by. Keep that in mind and try to treat everyone with as much respect as you would want shown to you and your family.

Be kind, be safe, and above all, please be calm.

Cst Maury Tyre/ RCMP - Campbell River RCMP have already responded to several calls from local businesses and customers regarding individuals who refuse to follow new provincial mask protocols.

As of 6am on November 27th, 2020, the Campbell River RCMP had yet to hand out any of the new Covid face covering fines advised Cst Maury Tyre. Fines and arrests are absolutely the last action we want to be taking, but if people continue to push boundaries it's going to happen.

Police are reminding the segment of the public that chooses not to wear masks that there are other options to attain items they may be seeking in stores:

Online shopping

curbside pick-up

delivery

I recognize their are dissenting opinions and multiple other concepts that can be found online regarding the present mask policies, but right now these are the rules and laws that are being applied equally across the province, said Cst Tyre. Being belligerent with a store employee who is just working to feed their family is not going to change the laws and is more than likely going to get you fined or arrested.

If you have a medical disability that prevents you from wearing a face covering, please be sure to let staff at a location know if they are asking you to wear a mask. Your particular diagnosis is your business, but the location you are entering is their business. A suggestion could possibly be a doctor's note simply excusing you from wearing a mask, without diagnosis on it, much the same way as employers may require an employee to bring in a doctor's note if they have been sick for any length of time.

In the end, people are doing their best in trying to deal with an ongoing pandemic that many people are frustrated by. Keep that in mind and try to treat everyone with as much respect as you would want shown to you and your family.

Be kind, be safe, and above all, please be calm.

Cst Maury Tyre/ RCMP - Campbell River RCMP have already responded to several calls from local businesses and customers regarding individuals who refuse to follow new provincial mask protocols.

As of 6am on November 27th, 2020, the Campbell River RCMP had yet to hand out any of the new Covid face covering fines advised Cst Maury Tyre. Fines and arrests are absolutely the last action we want to be taking, but if people continue to push boundaries it's going to happen.

Police are reminding the segment of the public that chooses not to wear masks that there are other options to attain items they may be seeking in stores:

Online shopping

curbside pick-up

delivery

I recognize their are dissenting opinions and multiple other concepts that can be found online regarding the present mask policies, but right now these are the rules and laws that are being applied equally across the province, said Cst Tyre. Being belligerent with a store employee who is just working to feed their family is not going to change the laws and is more than likely going to get you fined or arrested.

If you have a medical disability that prevents you from wearing a face covering, please be sure to let staff at a location know if they are asking you to wear a mask. Your particular diagnosis is your business, but the location you are entering is their business. A suggestion could possibly be a doctor's note simply excusing you from wearing a mask, without diagnosis on it, much the same way as employers may require an employee to bring in a doctor's note if they have been sick for any length of time.

In the end, people are doing their best in trying to deal with an ongoing pandemic that many people are frustrated by. Keep that in mind and try to treat everyone with as much respect as you would want shown to you and your family.

Be kind, be safe, and above all, please be calm.