Author: Sophie Mitchell

TORONTO — Ontario is rolling out new classroom funding, standardized assessment rules and curriculum changes as students return for the 2026-27 school year, backed by $30.6 billion in Core Education Funding and a broader multibillion-dollar school infrastructure program. The provincial government says its latest education measures are intended to direct more resources to classrooms, establish consistent academic expectations and strengthen accountability across publicly funded school boards. The changes include a new teacher classroom-supplies fund, mandatory written exams in most secondary courses, updated curriculum and the opening of dozens of new and expanded schools. “Our focus is clear: putting student achievement…

Prince Albert Transit has announced temporary service arrangements for Tuesday, September 8, 2026, with hourly service in place on the All Day and East Hill routes while most other buses continue to operate according to their regular schedules. The City of Prince Albert said the Core Express bus is not operating under the September 8 schedule. Transit users are being encouraged to check current route information before travelling, as the schedule could be revised if operating conditions change. All Day and East Hill Buses Operating Hourly Under the service plan, the All Day bus is running once every hour. It…

TORONTO —  Ontario is marking Labour Day by highlighting the role of workers in the provincial economy while pointing to workforce training, apprenticeship programs and supports for industries facing uncertainty from U.S. tariffs. David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, said workers across sectors including manufacturing, health care, agriculture and transportation remain central to the province’s economic and infrastructure plans. Ontario Highlights Workers’ Role in $236-Billion Infrastructure Plan The provincial government is linking workforce development to its $236-billion plan for housing, highways, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure as Ontario’s population and economy continue to grow. “Today,…

The City of Prince Albert is inviting Indigenous visual artists to submit original designs for a new transit shelter art initiative aimed at celebrating Indigenous culture, strengthening community pride and creating more welcoming public spaces across the Saskatchewan city. The 2026 Call for Indigenous Art for Transit Shelter Art Designs will see three artworks selected during the first phase of the project. The initiative is being led by the City’s Arts & Culture Division in partnership with the Community Development Department and is aligned with Prince Albert’s Municipal Cultural Action Plan. Transit Shelter Art to Celebrate Indigenous Culture and Community…

A transportation study of Highway 19A between Oyster River and Jubilee Parkway on Vancouver Island has been completed, giving provincial and regional officials a new planning framework for potential safety, mobility and active transportation investments along the corridor. The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Transit completed the study with support from the Strathcona Regional District (SRD). The work, undertaken by Urban Systems Ltd. on behalf of the ministry, examined current transportation conditions and identified opportunities related to road safety, access management and connections for pedestrians and cyclists. While the study does not commit governments to specific construction projects or…

The City of Cambridge has marked the completion of a $1.65-million multi-sport court at Optimist Park, highlighting a public-charitable partnership aimed at expanding access to inclusive recreation for children, youth and residents of varying ages and abilities. City officials, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, local campers and community partners gathered on Sept. 3 to celebrate the Jumpstart Multi-Sport Court. Although the facility opened to the public earlier in 2026, the event formally recognized a partnership between the municipality and Jumpstart that dates back to 2022. Jumpstart Contributes $589,900 to Cambridge Recreation Project The project represents a total investment of approximately $1.65…

Peterborough, Ont., singer-songwriter and fiddler Irish Millie has released her new seven-track album, Can You See Me?, marking another step in the career of the Canadian folk artist as she expands her Celtic roots into a broader folk, pop and rock sound. Released alongside the album is “Boy At My Funeral,” a cinematic collaboration featuring Marshall Pula. The song represents one of the record’s most dramatic moments and explores an intense relationship complicated by uncertainty over whether that affection was equally returned. ‘Can You See Me?’ Explores Identity and Coming of Age Can You See Me? is structured as a…

The City of Prince Albert is marking the first anniversary of the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre with a special $5 public swim on Saturday, September 5, following a first year that brought nearly 400,000 visitors through the facility. The anniversary event will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with admission set at $5 per person and free entry for children aged five and under. The celebration comes one year after the recreation complex opened its doors on September 5, 2025. Since opening, the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre has recorded approximately 397,000 visits, as residents and visitors have…

SURREY, B.C. — As students return to classrooms for a new school year, Fraser Health is encouraging parents and caregivers to watch for signs of back-to-school anxiety and help children and youth adjust to changing routines, relationships and academic expectations. While the beginning of school can be an exciting time, the transition can also create uncertainty for students of all ages. Concerns can range from making friends and fitting in to managing schoolwork, entering a new school or simply dealing with an unfamiliar environment. Back-to-School Anxiety Can Affect Students of All Ages Fraser Health says some nervousness around the beginning…

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The governments of Ontario and Canada are committing up to $401.4 million to Mississauga for housing-enabling infrastructure, recognizing the city’s move to sharply reduce development charges and lower the cost of building new homes. Under the Development Charge Reduction Program (DCRP), Mississauga has committed to reducing development charges by 50 per cent for residential developments from January 29, 2025, through March 31, 2029. The city is also eliminating development charges on rental units with one-bedroom plus den, two or three bedrooms until March 31, 2029. The governments said the combination of lower fees and infrastructure investment is…