OTTAWA — Ontario is directing $162 million toward building two new schools and expanding another in the rapidly growing Ottawa region, the provincial government announced Friday, marking one of the largest recent capital investments in local education infrastructure. The funding forms part of a broader provincial plan to open or expand 12 schools across Ontario, supported by a 10-year, $23-billion commitment to build, renew and modernize educational facilities. The Ministry of Education says the investment is aimed at ensuring students have access to safe, contemporary learning environments designed to support long-term achievement. “By building and expanding schools across the province,…
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.
TORONTO — Ontario has officially opened the long-anticipated Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) line, a major addition to Toronto’s transit network that provincial leaders say will ease gridlock, shorten commutes and connect tens of thousands of residents to jobs and services across the city’s northwest. Set to begin operations on December 7 under the Toronto Transit Commission, the new Line 6 Finch West stretches more than 10 kilometres along Finch Avenue West, linking Finch West Station on TTC Line 1 to Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus. The line features two stations and 16 stops, and is expected to move more…
Strong investment in power systems and clean-energy technologies pushed global energy employment to new highs last year, but widening labour shortages now threaten the sector’s momentum, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Friday in a new assessment of workforce trends. The World Energy Employment 2025 report shows that jobs in the energy sector grew 2.2% in 2024—nearly double the rate of global employment growth. Total energy employment reached 76 million people worldwide, an increase of more than five million compared with 2019. Over the past five years, the sector has accounted for 2.4% of all net new jobs created across…
MISSISSAUGA — Ontario’s agri-food sector is set for a significant boost as Lee Li Holdings Inc. commits more than $533 million to expand and modernize its manufacturing footprint in Mississauga, marking one of the province’s largest food-and-beverage investments this year. The project is expected to create 275 jobs and deepen Ontario’s role as a North American hub for beverage production and advanced packaging technology. The provincial government announced the investment Thursday, positioning it as a strategic win amid ongoing trade tensions and supply-chain disruptions. “Ontario has the best workers in the world, and we’re proud to support this state-of-the-art expansion…
Canada’s Abigail Strate continued her strong early-season form on Thursday, claiming a silver medal at the Ski Jumping World Cup large hill event in Wisla, Poland, with the best jump of the final round and one of the most composed performances of her career. Strate, 24, posted a combined 240.9 points over two jumps, securing her second World Cup silver in as many weeks and the seventh podium finish of her nine-year international career. The Calgarian now sits among the most consistent contenders on the women’s circuit in the lead-up to the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games. “I’m so, so…
The U.S. dairy sector is urging Washington to take a firmer stance with Canada and Mexico as the countries prepare for the 2026 review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In testimony delivered Tuesday before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) called for a more assertive approach to ensuring that the pact delivers the market access and regulatory certainty the industry expected when the agreement came into force. Shawna Morris, executive vice-president for trade policy and global affairs at both NMPF and USDEC, told USTR…
Prince Albert is reinstating a key winter safety measure with the reopening of “The Meeting Place,” an overnight warm-up centre designed to provide refuge for residents facing freezing temperatures and unstable housing. The Salvation Army and the City of Prince Albert confirmed the centre will resume operations on Dec. 15, 2025, extending through April 2026 amid ongoing concerns about winter homelessness and pressure on local support services. Now entering its second year, the centre will operate seven nights a week from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. at 900 Central Avenue. Officials say the facility offers not only warmth and shelter…
HAMILTON — Ontario’s life sciences sector is receiving a major lift as AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc. announces a $138-million expansion of its Hamilton facility, a project expected to create 70 new high-paying jobs and sustain 131 existing roles. The provincially backed investment strengthens Ontario’s position as a global hub for radiopharmaceutical manufacturing at a time of rising demand for advanced cancer treatments. AtomVie, a homegrown company and one of Canada’s only large-scale contract development and manufacturing organizations specializing in radiopharmaceuticals, plans to significantly increase production capacity to support both clinical trials and commercial manufacturing. The expansion is aimed at accelerating…
Cambridge is set to draw thousands of visitors to its downtown core this Friday as the city brings back one of its most celebrated Winterfest traditions: Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night. The large-scale outdoor soundscape event, paired with the annual Holiday Market, is expected to give a significant boost to local foot traffic and seasonal spending as the city heads into the peak of the holiday shopping period. The City of Cambridge announced the details this week, confirming that the musical walk will take place on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6:45 p.m., beginning at Civic Square at Cambridge City Hall. Organizers…
TORONTO — Ontario is stepping up efforts to expand the use of domestically produced wood construction materials, unveiling a new working group tasked with advancing the province’s strategy for prefabricated and modular wood-based building systems. The initiative marks the latest step in the government’s bid to boost housing supply, strengthen the forestry sector and reduce exposure to U.S. trade actions. Announced Wednesday by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Advanced Wood Construction Working Group will guide implementation of the province’s Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan, released earlier this year. The plan outlines priorities for investment, education and research aimed at…