SAYWARD, B.C. — The Village of Sayward and the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) are moving forward with a detailed hazard evaluation of the Newcastle Creek landslide after securing emergency funding from the provincial Ministry of Emergency Management & Climate Readiness (EMCR), as local officials continue to monitor drinking water conditions following prolonged rainfall. In an update issued Friday, the Village and SRD said the evaluation will focus on the current condition of the slope within and surrounding the landslide area, which is located entirely on Crown land. The work is intended to provide a clearer picture of potential risks to…
Author: Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock
Sam Allcock is a business correspondent for Wire Service Canada, reporting on corporate developments, market trends, and economic news with clarity and accuracy. With over a decade of experience in journalism, he has covered stories ranging from financial results and trade agreements to emerging innovations, offering readers both local insight and global context. Known for his balanced and engaging reporting style, Sam is committed to delivering reliable, relevant, and timely business news that helps audiences make informed decisions.
ORILLIA, Ont. — The Ontario government is investing an additional $700 million to upgrade and expand aging water and wastewater infrastructure in 127 municipalities and First Nations communities, a move it says will support housing construction, job creation and community resilience across the province. The funding will be delivered through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), a provincial initiative designed to help communities build core infrastructure needed to enable new housing. Ontario increased MHIP to a total of $4 billion last year, with the Health and Safety Water Stream (HSWS) now accounting for $875 million of the overall program. The…
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — Drivers in Prince Albert will soon have more ways to pay for parking as the city moves to modernize its downtown meters and municipal lots with online payment options and a new mobile parking app expected to launch in early 2026. The City of Prince Albert says residents and visitors will be able to pay for hourly, weekly or monthly parking online at meters and lots across the city, providing an alternative to traditional payment methods such as coins, meter cards and hard-copy permits. While the new options are aimed at improving convenience, the city says…
Washington, D.C. — Conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of isocycloseram, a “forever chemical” insecticide that falls into the class of highly persistent PFAS, or per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances. The insecticide was approved for use on golf courses, lawns and a host of food crops, including apples, oranges, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, peaches, almonds, wheat, and oats. The EPA found that isocycloseram reduced testicle size, lowered sperm counts and harmed the liver in animal studies sponsored by the pesticide’s manufacturer. Australian regulators found that the pesticide also induced skeletal malformations in fetal rats, but that finding…
SAULT STE. MARIE — Ontario has opened a new Indigenous-led Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in the Algoma region, expanding access to mental health, addictions and housing-related supports as the province rolls out a network of 28 hubs designed to prioritize treatment and recovery. The new hub is operated by Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services and will deliver services in Sault Ste. Marie, Blind River and Sagamok Anishnawbek, providing culturally relevant, community-based care for individuals experiencing housing instability, mental health challenges and substance use issues. The launch is part of Ontario’s nearly $550 million investment to establish…
TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing $7 million to help protect Evergreen Brick Works from extreme weather and strengthen the site’s role as a major Toronto tourism and community destination, as the province highlights climate-resilient infrastructure as a growing economic and public safety priority. The funding will support the Evergreen Brick Works Recovery and Climate Resilience project, aimed at upgrading key public spaces and critical infrastructure at the Don Valley site, which has become one of Canada’s first large-scale community environmental hubs. The province says the project is intended not only to repair damage and reduce future risk, but…
THUNDER BAY — The Ontario government is increasing the Canadian content requirement for 55 new Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Line 2 subway trains to 55 per cent, a move it says will protect jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and help shield key sectors from the impacts of tariffs. The updated procurement approach represents a nearly 30 per cent increase over the original Canadian content level for the trains, according to the province. Ontario says the decision will support more than 900 good-paying Canadian jobs, while ensuring provincial tax dollars are directed to Ontario companies in industries affected by tariffs, including…
Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has scheduled the start date for the inquest into the death of Kevin Mamakwa, a 27-year-old man who died while in custody at the Thunder Bay Jail in 2020. Dr. Kevin Miller, Regional Supervising Coroner for the North Region in the Thunder Bay Office, announced that the inquest will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Proceedings will take place at 189 Red River Road in Thunder Bay. The inquest will be presided over by Dr. Michael Wilson, with Kate Forget and Robert Kozak serving as inquest counsel. Mr. Mamakwa died on…
The Ontario government is investing up to $8 million to support planning for 16 new and expanded primary care teaching clinics across the province, as it pushes to connect more residents with a regular primary care provider and ease pressure on the health-care system. The funding, announced Tuesday by the Ministry of Health, is part of Ontario’s broader $2.1 billion Primary Care Action Plan, which aims to connect everyone in the province to primary care by 2029. The government says the new and expanded clinics will help train the next generation of clinicians while expanding patient access to team-based care.…
TORONTO — Senior executives, investors and policymakers from Canada and across Africa will gather in Windhoek next month for the 5th Canada-Africa Business Conference, an event aimed at strengthening commercial ties and advancing investment discussions in sectors including mining, energy and infrastructure. Convened by The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, the conference will take place Feb. 5, 2026, positioning Namibia at the centre of high-level Canada–Africa trade and investment engagement. Organizers say the program is designed to support responsible project development and deepen collaboration between Namibian companies and international partners, with sustainable economic development a key theme. The conference comes as…