A veteran music executive credited with helping shape Celine Dion’s international breakthrough has released a new memoir detailing a decades-long creative partnership that produced some of the biggest pop hits of the modern era. Vito Luprano, an executive producer who worked closely with Dion and her late husband and manager René Angélil, is publishing It’s All Coming Back to Me… From My Humble Beginnings to the Real Story Behind Celine Dion’s Music Career, a book that traces his 25-year collaboration with the Quebec superstar. The memoir is positioned as an insider account of the songwriting, album development and behind-the-scenes decision-making…
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.
BARRIE — The Ontario government is investing more than $47 million to support 195 research projects at universities, colleges and hospitals across the province, aiming to strengthen key industries, protect jobs and help Ontario businesses remain competitive in global markets. The funding, delivered through the Ontario Research Fund, will back projects focused on real-world applications across sectors including agri-food, critical minerals, information technology, life sciences and manufacturing. The province said the investment is part of its broader plan to “protect Ontario” amid economic uncertainty, with an emphasis on advancing homegrown research and development. “In the face of economic uncertainty, Ontario…
VANCOUVER — A coalition of civil society groups, academics and community organizations launched the People’s Consultation on AI today, positioning the initiative as an alternative to what organizers describe as a rushed and industry-driven federal process to shape Canada’s national artificial intelligence strategy. The consultation, based in Vancouver on the traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, is designed to gather submissions from across the country on whether — and how — AI should be adopted and governed in Canada. Organizers say the effort is a direct response to the federal government’s development of a…
Surrey Memorial Hospital has taken delivery of a da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system, marking the second major expansion of Fraser Health’s regional robotic surgery program and positioning the hospital to offer more advanced minimally invasive procedures closer to home for patients in Surrey and surrounding communities. The system arrived on Jan. 6, 2026, following the installation of the region’s first da Vinci robotic surgical system at Royal Columbian Hospital last fall. Fraser Health says the additional technology will help broaden access to specialized surgical care, reduce the need to refer patients outside the health authority, and support the growing…
A new picture book set for release in early 2026 aims to help young readers explore colour not only as a visual concept, but as an emotional experience. Rainbow Colors, written by Yvonne Pearson and illustrated by Carole Chevalier, will be published by The Collective Book Studio on Jan. 27, 2026. The hardcover title is priced at $17.95 and is positioned as an interactive read-aloud designed to build colour recognition while encouraging children to connect hues with feelings and meaning. The book uses a guessing-game format that prompts children to identify a colour based on descriptive clues before it is…
NORTH BAY, Ont. — Ontario is expanding its Ontario Learn and Stay Grant to include two new medical laboratory programs in Northern Ontario, a move the province says will help strengthen the region’s health-care workforce by reducing the cost of training for students who commit to working locally after graduation. The government announced Monday that students enrolled in the medical laboratory technology program at Canadore College in North Bay and the medical laboratory science program at Confederation College in Thunder Bay will be eligible for full coverage of tuition, books and other educational expenses through the grant, provided they agree…
CALGARY — Canada’s ski jumping contingent for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games is set, with a four-athlete roster featuring a mix of Olympic experience, recent podium form and two first-time Olympians. Ski Jumping Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced Monday that Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes, Natalie Eilers, Nicole Maurer and Abigail Strate have been selected to represent Canada in Italy. The athletes earned their places through performances during the Olympic qualification window. All four athletes are based in Calgary, underscoring the city’s long-standing role as the hub of Canada’s ski jumping program. Boyd-Clowes and Strate return to the Games…
OTTAWA — Ottawa Tourism is rolling out a slate of new events and visitor experiences ahead of the capital’s bicentennial celebrations, announcing funding for 14 projects through its 200th Tourism Animation Fund. The program is designed to help tourism operators and cultural organizations develop new offerings that encourage overnight stays, boost visitor spending and support private sector investment as Ottawa marks 200 years. Ottawa Tourism said the funded projects will run between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2026, aligning with the city’s anniversary calendar. Under the fund, recipients can receive grants of up to $20,000 per project, covering as much…
Ottawa Tourism has awarded funding to 14 new and expanded visitor experiences as part of the city’s 2026 bicentennial, aiming to boost overnight stays, visitor spending, and private-sector investment during the year-long celebration. The organization announced Tuesday that recipients of its 200th Tourism Animation Fund will receive grants of up to $20,000 per project, covering as much as 50% of eligible expenses. Funded initiatives will run between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2026, and are designed to create tourism-oriented programming that highlights Ottawa’s culture, history, and communities. Ottawa Tourism said the program is intended to “catalyze the development of quality…
Ontario’s Sling Sisters are preparing to enter 2026 with their first full-length release, announcing their debut album What I Hope to Find will arrive Jan. 31, 2026, alongside a slate of live dates across the province and beyond. The Blues-Americana-Country trio—based between Cambridge and Toronto—has also released its lead single, “Chasing Whiskey With A Kiss,” accompanied by a new music video. The track serves as the first public preview of the album’s direction: roots-based storytelling with a polished, performance-forward sound designed around three-part vocal harmony. The group is led by vocalist and producer Elana Harte, with Suzie B. and Kelly…