Party leaders start week with campaign promises

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Monday COVID-19 Update

There have been 11 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the Island Health region since Friday. It's the largest number of cases reported at once since the end of April. There were 358 new cases of the virus in BC over the weekend. There have been four more deaths in long-term care residents on the lower mainland. And, Delta Hospital will not be taking any new admissions after the deaths of seven people from COVID-19. Dr. Bonnie Henry says none of the cases on Vancouver Island is considered an outbreak.

"Some of them are travel related. Most of them are individual cases in a number of different communities on the Island and Island health is following up on these cases and one of them is related to a school exposure event."—Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

The school exposure event happened at Alberni District Secondary School. Others may have been potentially exposed to the virus on Sept 14, 15, 17, 18 and 22nd. Neither the school nor the health authority will say whether it is a staff member or a student.

Sunken float home did not cause environmental damage

Federal officials say a float home that sank off the east shore of Valdes Island last month has not caused any environmental damage. Transport Canada has told Nanaimo News Now that the 65-foot long float home sank due to operator error while being towed. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says no fuel was on board at the time. Although the incident happened near a Rockfish Conservation Area, it is not within the area itself. Images taken by area residents showed the float home broke into hundreds of pieces in the days following the Sept. 20 mishap. Transport Canada paid $20,000 for the cleanup.

Horgan promises free COVID-19 vaccine once developed

In provincial election news today, NDP leader John Horgan says his government will provide free vaccines for COVID-19, one a vaccine is developed. Horgan made the promise at a virtual town hall meeting that's underway at this hour. Meanwhile, BC Liberals are promising to replace the George Massey Tunnel with a 10 lane bridge. The promise is included in what it's calling a Rebuild B.C. Plan. The $8 billion dollar, four-year capital plan would build more schools, hospitals, transit and roads in every corner of the province. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau is promising a billion dollars to bring mental health services under the Medical Services Plan. The money would be spent over four years to include mental health counselling, youth intervention services that would be paid for through MSP and not by individuals, as is currently the case.