Author: Sophie Mitchell

Province Aims to Support Nearly 450 Businesses Through Expanded Digital Adoption Programs MARKHAM — The Ontario government is investing an additional $5 million into the Digital Competence Centre (DCC), expanding a provincewide initiative designed to help small and medium-sized businesses adopt digital technologies, improve productivity and strengthen competitiveness in an increasingly digital economy. The funding, announced Tuesday by the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, is expected to help nearly 450 businesses modernize operations, increase sales and create good-paying jobs across Ontario. The Digital Competence Centre is delivered in partnership with the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), which…

Proposed Planning Act changes would allow municipalities to issue penalties for unauthorized land use CALEDON, Ont. — The Ontario government says it plans to introduce legislative amendments aimed at helping municipalities crack down on illegal truck yards and unauthorized commercial trucking operations on land not zoned for industrial use. The proposed changes to the Planning Act would allow municipalities to impose administrative monetary penalties on property owners and operators found using agricultural, rural or residential lands for illegal truck parking and trucking-related activities. Provincial officials say the move responds to growing concerns from municipalities that have struggled to manage illegal…

New Woodstock facility expected to create 100 jobs and expand Ontario’s poultry processing capacity The Ontario government is welcoming a more than $100 million investment by Sunrise Farms to build a new poultry processing facility in Woodstock, a move expected to strengthen the province’s agri-food supply chain and create new employment opportunities in southwestern Ontario. The expansion, announced Wednesday by the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, will create 100 new jobs in Oxford County while supporting an additional 248 existing positions across the province. Provincial officials said the investment reflects Ontario’s ongoing efforts to boost domestic food…

National mental health organization urges early registration after January cohort reaches capacity The Stigma-Free Mental Health Society is calling on Canadians to register early for its upcoming Rural Minds Matter Peer Support Training program after its January 2026 cohort filled all available spaces with participants from communities across the country. The Halifax-based organization said rising demand reflects growing concern over mental health challenges facing rural Canadians, where isolation, financial pressure, limited healthcare access and persistent stigma continue to place strain on individuals and families. The next virtual training cohort is scheduled for June 8 and June 15, 2026, and will…

Province plans gradual phase-out while promoting Canadian drone manufacturers under Buy Ontario strategy The Ontario government is moving to restrict the use and future purchase of Chinese-made drones across provincial operations, citing growing concerns over data security and foreign access to sensitive information. The measures, announced Wednesday by Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, include an immediate ban on the use of Chinese-made drones for highly sensitive operations conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The province also confirmed plans to gradually phase out broader government use of Chinese-manufactured drones and replace them with equipment sourced from…

New book by filmmaker Guy Rex Rodgers documents conversations across Quebec following the release of his immigration documentary Montreal author to appear at Atwater Library series and Quebec City launch event in May MONTREAL — Quebec filmmaker and community activist Guy Rex Rodgers is releasing a new book that examines the province’s complex linguistic and cultural identity through personal stories gathered during a three-year tour across Quebec. Titled What We Choose To Forget, the book follows Rodgers’ travels after the 2022 release of his documentary film What We Choose To Remember, which explored successive waves of immigration in Quebec from…

New Kenora testing centre aims to reduce travel barriers for apprentices and speed up workforce entry KENORA, Ont. — The Ontario government is expanding access to skilled trades certification in Northwestern Ontario with the opening of a new apprenticeship exam testing centre in Kenora, a move aimed at helping apprentices complete their training closer to home and enter the workforce more quickly. The province announced May 19 that the new centre will operate through a partnership between Seven Generations Education Institute and Skilled Trades Ontario. The initiative is designed to address longstanding challenges faced by apprentices in Northern Ontario, many…

City Encourages Residents to Switch to Free Email Billing Service The City of Prince Albert is reminding residents that mailed paper copies of water utility bills will soon come with an added cost, as the municipality moves to encourage wider adoption of electronic billing services. Beginning June 1, 2026, customers who continue receiving printed utility bills by mail will be charged a $2 fee per bill. City officials say residents can avoid the added charge by signing up for free email billing before May 31. The change is part of the City’s broader effort to reduce administrative and mailing expenses…

City says testing and monitoring continue to meet provincial standards The City of Prince Albert has released its 2025 Drinking Water Quality and Compliance Report, confirming that the municipality continues to meet or exceed provincial drinking water standards while maintaining compliance with regulatory monitoring and sampling requirements. The report provides residents with an overview of the City’s drinking water quality performance from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, including details on testing procedures, regulatory compliance, and operational reporting obligations tied to Saskatchewan’s water management framework. Municipal officials said the annual disclosure is required under provincial regulations overseen by the Saskatchewan…

Veteran Coach Returns to Canada to Rebuild Program Ahead of Next Olympic Cycle Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton has appointed longtime coach and former Olympian Dennis Marineau as head coach of its national bobsleigh program, marking a significant leadership shift as the organization looks to rebuild and strengthen its high-performance system ahead of the next Olympic quadrennial. The Calgary-based organization announced Tuesday that Marineau will return to Canada after four years with the U.S. bobsleigh program, bringing more than three decades of coaching and Olympic experience to the role. Marineau, a two-time Olympic bobsleigh pilot who represented Canada from 1984 to 1994,…