News

It’s Bell Let’s Talk Day!

In September 2010, Bell Let’s Talk began a new conversation about Canada’s mental health. At that time, most people were not talking about mental illness. But the numbers spoke volumes about the urgent need for action. Millions of Canadians, including leading personalities, engaged in an open discussion about mental illness, offering new ideas and hope for those who struggle, with numbers growing every year.

As a result, institutions and organizations large and small in every region received new funding for access, care and research from Bell Let’s Talk and from governments and corporations that have joined the cause.

Building on ten years of increased awareness and acceptance around mental health, Bell Let’s Talk is focused on engaging Canadians to take action to create positive change in mental health.

In March 2020, Bell announced the extension of the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative for a further 5 years and an increase in Bell’s total funding commitment for Canadian mental health to at least $155 million.

Helping is easier than you think.
Small actions can create a big impact!

Go HERE to see how you can participate

Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix Townhall

Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix will be taking your questions at the Global BC COVID-19 town hall this Thursday.

The special town hall, hosted by Chris Gailus, will take place Jan. 28 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. after a shortened news hour.

What answers do you want from the people in charge of public health in B.C.?

Send in your questions to questions@globalnews.ca.

Then tune in on Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. PT to watch live on Global BC, BC1, here on our website, or on our Facebook page. You can also listen live on CKNW.

Intro to Climate Policy for Climate Adaptation Professionals

The BC Adaptation Learning Network has online professional development courses coming up in February and March 2021.  This includes one called: Intro to Climate Policy for Climate Adaptation Professionals beginning March 1, 2021.

If you are a resource professional, you may be interested in this professional development opportunity that will provide information about how to approach your day-to-day work through a climate adaptation lens.  A list of all courses, and directions about enrollment can be found here: https://adaptationlearningnetwork.com/courses

These opportunities may be of particular interest to members of professional organizations.  In BC, these include ones like:

  • Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of BC
  • BC Society of Landscape Architects
  • Engineers and Geoscientists BC
  • BC Institute of Agrologists
  • College of Applied Biology
  • Planning Institute of BC
  • Canadian Institute of Planners
  • Association of BC Forest Professionals
  • Public Health Association of BC

You can find a course description HERE.

Vaccine distribution update coming from B.C.’s premier, top doctor on Friday

Health officials have called off the regular COVID-19 briefing in British Columbia as they prepare to update the province’s strategy for immunization against the virus. An advisory from the premier’s office says the briefing by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix is cancelled. Instead they will join a news conference Friday with Premier John Horgan and Dr. Penny Ballem, who is leading B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization rollout.

The four are expected to comment on the next steps in the immunization program that has been complicated by a hiccup in vaccine supply from Pfizer-BioNTech. Nearly 31,000 doses of vaccine the province expected by Jan. 29 could be curtailed due to production issues.

Two doses of the vaccine are needed to ensure immunity from the virus that causes COVID-19 and Dix said Tuesday that B.C. was set to begin delivery of second doses and remains committed to ensuring all those who have had the first shot get a second within 35 days.

In a joint statement Wednesday, Dix and Henry confirmed 98,125 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have already been administered.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan 21, 2021.