BC's financial performance in the first quarter of this year has confirmed what was predicted

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BC’s financial performance for the first quarter as expected

BC's financial performance in the first quarter of this year has confirmed what was predicted. The projected deficit will be just under $13 billion dollars for this fiscal year. The Minister of Finance says it's the result of declines in tax revenues and unprecedented spending on pandemic relief programs. BC's unemployment rate declined slightly to 10.7 per cent in August but remains twice as high as what it was before the pandemic began. Carole James says the hardest hit groups are youth, women and those employed in the service sectors. The Minister says she's optimistic about recovery, but expects it will need a boost from government.

”We've seen couple of months where the numbers have been very good. To see over 60 per cent of the jobs return that were lost in February is a very good sign, but again we continue to see tourism, accommodation, those areas very hard hit when it comes to the pandemic. So we will be looking and we are looking at all sectors including the hosp sector as part of the economic recovery plan and you'll hear about that shortly. That will be coming shortly."– Minister of Finance, Carole James.

James says there will be an announcement next week, on how BC will spend $1 and a half billion dollars for economic recovery.

Man accused of killing Nanaimo teen charged with first degree murder

The man accused of killing a Nanaimo teenager three and a half years ago has now been charged with first degree murder. Sixteen year old Makayla Chang went missing on St Patrick's Day 2017. Her body was found two months later but police will not say where. Fifty-nine year old Steven Bacon was interviewed by police back in 2017 and his home was searched twice before Chang's body was found. Her family has said he had an unhealthy relationship with her. A Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson says Bacon was arrested on unrelated charges one year ago in Thunder Bay Ontario. Constable Gary O'Brien says finding, holding and charging Bacon is the result of cooperation among police, local authorities and members of the public.

"There was over 200 police officers working on this investigation and it spanned from Nanaimo all the way across Canada with not only RCMP officers, but municipal agencies and investigators working on this file, so it was tremendous cooperation. And without that cooperation, this first degree murder charge would never have been laid."– Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson, Constable Gary O'Brien.

There is no word yet when Bacon will make his first court appearance.

Large fire burning south of Nanaimo

A large fire is burning at the Schnitzer Steel facility south of Nanaimo. The Nanaimo News Bulletin is reporting fire departments from Ladysmith, Duncan, Crofton, Cedar, Sahtlam, North Oyster and Cranberry are all assisting. Heavy machinery is being used to pull wreckage away and allow the crews to get to the fire. A helicopter is also at the scene and assisting in battling the blaze.