Transport Canada says that starting Monday, people flying to or from Canadian airports will have to have masks to contain their germs. Minister Marc Garneau says that starting at noon on April 20, passengers won't be allowed to board planes unless they have non-medical face coverings, to try to slow the spread of COVID-19. They'll only have to wear the masks when they have to be close to others, such as at screening points or if the planes are crowded. Masks are being encouraged for passengers on boats, ferries, trains and buses but aren't being made mandatory.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide $500 million in support to the arts, culture and sports sectors through Heritage Canada. The move comes as part of broader efforts to support creative industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau says those industries ``continue to make us dream, particularly in dark times.'' More details on the financial support are expected to be outlined today by Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault.

The BC Wildfire Service says an aggressive blaze near Squamish, B.C., is being held at one-square kilometre in size but residents pushed out by the flames say several homes have been lost. Toni Kerekes runs a riding school in the area and says she saw one home burning and what remains of at least two others as she left the area late Wednesday. She says the situation is calmer today with the fire mostly burning on a ridge between the Squamish and Paradise valleys. Evacuation orders and alerts issued by the Squamish Lillooet Regional District remain in place. The District of Squamish is also ma

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is sending military assistance to Quebec. He says 125 members of the Canadian Armed Forces with medical expertise will travel to the province. It is to support the province's long-term care facilities.

Ontario is reporting 564 new COVID-19 cases today, with 55 new deaths. It's the largest single-day increase of cases, though the growth rate is still holding steady at around six per cent. Ontario has now seen 9,525 cases, with nearly half now resolved, and including 478 deaths. The number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 grew from 807 to 829, but the numbers of people in intensive care and on ventilators remained steady.

Quebec is reporting a total of 16,798 cases and 58 more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the provincial toll to 688. Premier Francois Legault says while 1,076 people are hospitalized, with 207 of those in intensive care, the COVID-19 situation in Quebec is largely stable outside the Montreal area. Legault said he's been considering what he could have done since becoming premier to have avoided the situation in the province's hard-hit long-term care homes that are dealing with a severe lack of staffing. He says if he could do it again, he would have raised the salaries of orderlies more quick

Ottawa is going to spend $1.7 billion to help clean up orphaned wells.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says dealing with abandoned oil and gas wells is good for the environment, landowners and for the thousands of workers needed to do the job.He's also announced the government is creating a $700 fund to cut methane emissions.In addition, $962 million in funding is in the works for regional development agencies to help more businesses.

Transat A.T. Inc. plans to use the federal emergency wage subsidy to rehire 4,000 employees it had temporarily laid off after halting all flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Transat says the employees, the vast majority of whom are flight attendants, will not be required to work as part of their recall.The returning staff will receive 75 percent of their baseline pay up to a maximum of $847 per week, as defined in federal legislation passed last week.Transat CEO Jean-Marc Eustache says laying of 80 per cent of his employees was a ``necessary but heartbreaking decision,'' adding that he hopes

B.C. is reporting two new outbreaks of COVID-19, one at a long-term care facility in Cranbrook and one at an acute care unit at the Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge. In a statement, the province said new cases have also been identified at four long-term care facilities where outbreaks had previously been declared over. Outbreaks are now confirmed at 26 long term care and assisted-living facilities and one acute care unit in the province. There have been three additional deaths in B.C., bringing the provincial death toll to 78, along with 14 new confirmed cases of the disease for a total