Author: Sam Allcock

The Ministry of the Solicitor General has announced that a public inquest into the death of 28-year-old Amanda Bolt will begin this fall, nearly six years after she died in hospital while in the custody of London Police Service. Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke, Regional Supervising Coroner for Ontario’s West Region, London Office, confirmed Friday that the inquest is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, 2025. The proceedings will be presided over by Dr. John Carlisle, with Kate Forget and Indira Stewart appointed as inquest counsel. Bolt died on November 13, 2019, while in hospital under police custody.…

Prince Albert is preparing to join communities across Canada in marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, an occasion that also coincides with Orange Shirt Day. The day honours the children who survived residential schools, remembers those who did not, and encourages reflection on the ongoing impacts of the residential school system. The City of Prince Albert is encouraging residents to wear orange shirts as a visible sign of solidarity. “September 30 is also an opportunity to come together in the spirit of truth and reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come,” the City…

Thunder Bay — Ontario is injecting an additional $30 million into its forestry sector to protect jobs, sustain northern communities, and help sawmills adapt to shifting markets in the face of U.S. trade duties and tariff threats. The province said the investment will build and maintain forestry access roads and provide targeted support to sawmills as they seek new markets for woodchips. Officials framed the announcement as part of a broader strategy to make Ontario’s forestry sector more competitive and resilient while calling on the federal government to match provincial commitments. Expanding Road Access and Market Support “Forestry is a…

Cornwall — Ontario is expanding its police training capacity with the launch of a temporary Basic Constable Training (BCT) program site in Cornwall this fall. The initiative will allow an additional 121 recruits to begin training, bringing the total fall intake to as many as 641, the largest class in the province’s history. The move is part of the government’s broader plan to bolster public safety and support police services facing rising recruitment demands. For the first time, BCT will run simultaneously at two sites — the Ontario Police College in Aylmer and a temporary facility at Cornwall’s DEV Hotel…

Toronto — Ontario has posted a deficit of $1.1 billion for the 2024-25 fiscal year, far lower than the $9.8 billion shortfall projected in the province’s 2024 Budget. The final audited financial results, released Thursday in the 2024-25 Public Accounts, highlight stronger-than-anticipated revenues and record levels of investment across health care, education, infrastructure, and workforce training. The Treasury Board Secretariat said the smaller deficit was largely driven by higher-than-forecast economic growth, which boosted tax revenues, along with increased income from the broader public sector. Total revenues reached $226.2 billion, up 8.2 per cent from the previous year. Deficit Narrower Than…

Toronto — The Ontario government is imposing a hiring freeze across provincial agencies, boards, and commission public bodies starting September 27, 2025, in what officials describe as a move to rein in growth and direct resources to frontline services. The measure, announced Thursday by Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board, is part of a broader effort to ensure fiscal discipline and operational efficiency across the provincial public sector. A Move to Rein in Growth “Effective September 27, 2025, our government is implementing a hiring freeze across Ontario’s provincial agencies, boards and commission public bodies,” Mulroney said in a statement.…

Toronto — The Ontario government is hailing a federal regulator’s decision to grant a historic 20-year licence extension for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, a move officials say will secure clean energy supply, medical isotope production, and thousands of jobs for decades to come. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has approved Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) application to continue operating the station through 2045. The decision marks the longest operating licence ever issued by the federal nuclear regulator. A Cornerstone of Ontario’s Energy Plan “Ontario has a proud legacy of operating the safest and most reliable nuclear facilities in the…

Toronto — The Ontario government is rolling out a $9-million initiative over the next three years aimed at improving care for long-term care residents living with dementia. The new Improving Dementia Care Program (IDCP) will expand access to emotion-based models of care while providing training and resources for staff and support for families. The province announced Thursday that the program will serve approximately 1,800 residents in its first year and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the long-term care system. More than 60 per cent of Ontario’s long-term care residents live with dementia, and the number of Ontarians…

VAUGHAN, Ont. — The Ontario government is preparing to introduce legislation that would ban municipal automated speed enforcement cameras, replacing them with a provincial fund to support alternative traffic-calming measures. Premier Doug Ford announced Thursday that the bill, expected next month, will immediately end the use of municipal speed cameras across the province if passed, with the aim of eliminating what the government calls a “cash grab” approach to road safety. “At a time when governments at all levels should be doing everything they can to lower costs and make life more affordable, too many municipalities are using speed cameras…

TORONTO — Ontario’s government marked Franco-Ontarian Day with renewed commitments to cultural and economic development, announcing a $1 million investment to support Francophone events and initiatives across the province. Premier Doug Ford and Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs, issued a joint statement on Thursday highlighting the significance of the day and the enduring contributions of the province’s Francophone community. “On September 25, we proudly celebrate Ontario’s Francophone community and all their contributions to this land over 400 years,” Ford and Mulroney said. “Through its language and culture, the Franco-Ontarian community continues to enrich our province and contribute to its…