Author: Sophie Mitchell

Writers’ retreat returns following strong debut turnout in Scotland Ignite the Spark Retreats, a screenwriting and playwright development program founded by filmmakers and writers Robin Bradford and John Strong, will hold its second annual retreat from Oct. 8 to 14, 2026, at Weston Park, a private estate in England. The week-long program will take place at the 1,000-acre Weston Park estate in Weston-under-Lizard, located roughly 110 miles north of London. Organizers said registration for the retreat is now open through the company’s website. The event follows the inaugural retreat held in October 2025 at Scotland’s Dunskey Estate, which organizers described…

Province Launches Highway and Bridge Rehabilitation Project Along Key Northern Trade Corridor The Ontario government has begun major rehabilitation work on a section of Highway 17 near Echo Bay as part of a broader effort to improve road safety, strengthen supply chains and support economic growth across northern Ontario. The project includes resurfacing nearly 17 kilometres of Highway 17 between Echo Bay and Highway 548, along with repairs and replacements for several bridges and culverts along the corridor. Provincial officials say the upgrades will help maintain a critical stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway that supports the movement of people, goods…

City Secures More Than $171,000 Through Field of Dreams Program The City of Cambridge is set to move forward with major accessibility improvements at the Kin 1 Baseball Diamond after receiving $171,659 through the Jays Care Foundation’s 2026 Field of Dreams grant program. The funding, announced Sunday, will support upgrades designed to make the baseball facility fully accessible and inclusive for athletes, families and spectators of all abilities. City officials say the investment represents an important step in expanding access to recreation and adaptive sports programming across the region. The Kin 1 Baseball Diamond serves as a key recreational hub…

Bruce Power Unit 3 Returns to Grid Seven Months Early With $150 Million in Savings Ontario has completed what the provincial government is calling the most successful nuclear refurbishment project in its history, with Bruce Power’s Unit 3 reactor returning to service seven months ahead of schedule and under budget. The announcement, made Sunday by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in Vaughan, marks a major milestone for Ontario’s long-term energy strategy as the province prepares for rising electricity demand over the coming decades. Officials said the accelerated completion saved ratepayers approximately $150 million while reinforcing Ontario’s position as a…

More than half of former Labour supporters who switched to centre-left rivals cite Gaza stance as a key reason A new opinion poll commissioned by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FoE) suggests Labour’s position on Gaza is playing a significant role in driving progressive voters away from the party, adding to mounting political pressure on the government over its response to Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. The polling, conducted by Opinium, found that 53 per cent of voters who previously backed Labour but have since moved to other…

Annual Walk for WEAAD Returns to Fredericton and Saint John The Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick (FCNB) is once again marking World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) with its annual Walk for WEAAD, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the financial abuse and neglect experienced by older adults across the province. Now in its third consecutive year, the event will take place on June 9 in both Fredericton and Saint John. The walks are expected to bring together Commission staff, provincial government representatives, and community advocates in a public show of support for seniors and vulnerable…

Province Invests $1.46 Million to Boost Training Capacity for In-Demand Careers The Ontario government has opened a new state-of-the-art welding training centre in Milton as part of its broader effort to strengthen the province’s skilled trades workforce and support infrastructure development across Ontario. Backed by a provincial investment of $1,461,814 through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Capital Stream, the upgraded facility operated by CWB Group is expected to train up to 5,740 additional students and aspiring welders over the next five years. The expansion comes as Ontario faces rising demand for skilled trades workers driven by major infrastructure projects, housing…

Civil liberties group argues police treatment of journalists during pipeline protests violated Charter rights Hearing tied to arrest of photojournalist Amber Bracken during Coastal GasLink protests The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is set to appear before the British Columbia Supreme Court this week in a closely watched case involving press freedom, police conduct and constitutional rights during protests linked to the Coastal GasLink pipeline project. The hearing, scheduled for June 11 in Vancouver, centres on a lawsuit brought by The Narwhal News Society and award-winning photojournalist Amber Bracken against the Attorney General of Canada and other parties. The plaintiffs…

Fraser Health implements overnight service interruption due to physician shortages SURREY, B.C. — Fraser Health has announced a temporary interruption of emergency department services at Mission Memorial Hospital, citing ongoing physician staffing challenges that continue to affect health-care operations across British Columbia. The interruption began Sunday, June 7, at 5:00 p.m. and is scheduled to continue until Monday, June 8, at 8:00 a.m. Health officials said the early start to the closure was intended to ensure all patients already in the emergency department could be assessed by a physician before scheduled shifts ended later in the evening. The temporary closure…

Annual fundraising event attracts more than 900 participants in support of new long-term care centres RICHMOND HILL, Ont. — Mon Sheong Foundation’s annual Walk & Fun event drew more than 900 participants on Saturday, June 6, 2026, raising funds to support the organization’s ongoing expansion of long-term care services across the Greater Toronto Area. Held at Richmond Green Sports Centre & Park, the event supported the Foundation’s Because We Care Capital Campaign, which is focused on funding the development of new long-term care facilities in Markham and Richmond Hill. Nearly 20 dignitaries representing municipal, provincial and federal governments attended the…