Author: Sophie Mitchell

Ontario and Aroland First Nation have begun major upgrades to the Anaconda and Painter Lake roads, advancing a key piece of infrastructure intended to improve northern transportation links and support development of the mineral-rich Ring of Fire. Preliminary design and early construction work began June 30, with the roads now expected to open by November 2030, two years earlier than previously scheduled. The project forms part of Ontario’s broader strategy to accelerate road access to the Ring of Fire and strengthen economic opportunities for First Nations and northern communities. “As we face down President Trump’s latest economic attack on Ontario…

Ontario is expanding access to a $1-billion financing program for businesses affected by U.S. tariffs, broadening provincial support after Washington imposed new 50 per cent duties on a range of Canadian goods. The move is aimed at helping companies manage cash-flow pressures, protect jobs and maintain operations amid heightened Canada-U.S. trade uncertainty. The province announced the changes in Hamilton on August 24, saying eligibility for the Protect Ontario Financing Program, or POFP, will immediately expand to businesses affected by the new U.S. Section 338 tariffs. Companies facing existing Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper and automotive products will also…

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is raising concerns over the Trump administration’s plan to increase imports of foreign-raised beef, warning the policy could weigh on cattle values, dairy farm income and incentives for domestic beef production. The Arlington, Virginia-based organization said the decision could have consequences extending beyond the U.S. beef sector because dairy farms have become an increasingly important source of beef production. NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said revenues from cull cows and calves are also an important part of dairy farm economics at a time when milk prices remain under pressure. NMPF Highlights Dairy Industry’s…

Funding Expected to Support More Than 37,000 Children and Youth Across Ontario OAKVILLE, Ont. — August 24, 2026 — The Ontario government is investing $1.59 million in Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities to expand access to sport and recreation programs for more than 37,000 children and youth across the province, with a focus on families facing financial, accessibility and other barriers to participation. The funding is being provided through Ontario’s Inclusive Grassroots Recreation (IGR) program and will support community-based initiatives designed to make physical activity more accessible and affordable. The province said the investment is part of a broader effort to…

U.S. dairy industry organizations are calling on Canada to return to trade negotiations and address long-running concerns over dairy market access under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as a 50 per cent U.S. tariff on certain Canadian imports is set to take effect Saturday. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) said they support the Trump administration’s continued use of trade measures to press Canada over what the organizations describe as unresolved USMCA dairy commitments. The groups warned that further escalation could be avoided if the two countries reach an agreement on disputed market-access provisions. U.S.…

The City of Prince Albert has formally dedicated Passage Home and Healing Park, a new public artwork and community gathering space at Scarrow Plaza that commemorates Indigenous children who died away from home and honours Survivors and families affected by day schools, residential schools and the Sixties Scoop. The dedication was held alongside a commemoration marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty Six. The event was presented by Common Weal Community Arts and the City of Prince Albert Public Art Working Group. Passage Home Creates a Space for Remembrance and Healing The public art project was developed through…

BritBox has announced the lead cast for The Detection Club, a new 10-part detective drama that brings three of Britain’s most influential crime writers into fictional murder investigations. Production is underway across England’s West Midlands, with the series being produced for BritBox North America and the BBC in the UK and Ireland. Created for television by Kit Lambert and based on an original idea by author Simon Brett, the series stars Miles Jupp as G.K. Chesterton, Bryony Hannah as Agatha Christie and Cara Theobold as Dorothy L. Sayers. Viraj Juneja joins them as D.I. Greenway. ‘The Detection Club’ Reimagines Golden…

Oklahoma singer-songwriter Kaitlin Butts has received the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame’s Rising Star Award, adding another recognition to a career that has been gaining attention across the U.S. country and Americana music scene. The honour was presented during a ceremony in Muskogee, Oklahoma, as Butts prepared to perform at the Muskogee Balloon Festival. The award recognizes emerging Oklahoma musicians whose careers show significant potential for continued growth and broader success. Kaitlin Butts Honoured in Muskogee Butts accepted the award before an audience that included members of her band, Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame board members, invited guests and previous…

BritBox has released the first look at Edward Bluemel as legendary detective Hercule Poirot in Hercule, a new six-part drama now filming in Liverpool and being produced for audiences in North America and the United Kingdom. The series, developed by Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited for BritBox and the BBC, will offer a new exploration of one of the most recognizable characters in crime fiction. Rather than focusing solely on individual mysteries, the production is being positioned as an intimate portrait of Poirot and a broader depiction of Britain during the period between the two world wars. Hercule Draws…

Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has scheduled a five-day inquest into the death of Richard Preston, a 79-year-old man who died in hospital in 2019 after being transferred from the Toronto South Detention Centre. The inquest is set to begin at 9 a.m. on September 21, 2026, and is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Preston’s death, according to an announcement from Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General. Dr. Kenneth Peckham, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Central Region’s Central West Office, announced the date on August 21. Dr. James Kovacs will serve as the presiding officer, while Indira Stewart…