The first GST and HST credit payments of the new year will be issued on Friday. These tax-free quarterly payments are provided by the federal government to assist low- and moderate-income families. The payments aim to offset the GST and HST paid by low-income single Canadians and families on goods and services. The amount is calculated based on the total family income and the number of children under 19. For the 2024–2025 benefit year, the annual GST credit is a maximum of $519 for single individuals. Married or common-law couples can receive up to $680 annually, with an additional $179 for

A Calgary army reserve officer is dead after an off-duty ice climbing accident in eastern B-C during the holidays. The military says Major Dave Peabody died December 26th inKootenay National Park. Peabody, who was 48, served as an infantry officer with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry after joining the Canadian Forces. He served in Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012. Peabody transferred to the Calgary Highlanders, a unit of 41 Brigade Group, serving part-time as a senior officer. In 2021, Peabody became the curator of The Military Museums in Calgary in a civilian capaci

The Government of India has announced that Harmanpreet Singh, captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, will be honoured with the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Harmanpreet, hailing from Jandiala Guru in Punjab’s Amritsar district, has had an illustrious career. His notable achievements include a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games, and a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In addition to Harmanpreet, Haryana shooter Manu Bhaker, who secured two medals in the Olympics, and world chess champion D. Gukesh will also receive the K

A Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, killing the driver and injuring seven others. Jeremy Schwartz, the FBI's Las Vegas agent, stated that authorities are investigating potential links between the Las Vegas explosion and a similar incident in New Orleans. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reported being called to the scene around 8:40 a.m. Authorities revealed that the truck had been rented in Colorado through Turo, the same car rental app involved in the New Orleans incident. Both explosions occurred just hours apart on New Year's

B.C. has reported its first case of avian flu in 2025, confirmed in the Fraser Valley. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that bird flu was detected at a commercial facility in Abbotsford yesterday. The number of infected chickens in the province has now surpassed 8.5 million, according to the latest figures on the CFIA website. The federal agency also emphasized that the virus poses no food safety risk, as it does not spread to humans through properly cooked poultry and eggs.

A new home-flipping tax in British Columbia will go into effect on January 1, 2025. Under the new rules, profits from homes sold within two years will be taxed. If a person buys and sells a new home within one year, they will be required to pay a 20% tax on their profits. If the home is sold after 18 months, the tax will be reduced to 10%. Homes sold after two years will be exempt from the home-flipping tax. Exemption will also be made in cases of divorce, job loss, or changes in family circumstances. The provincial government introduced this measure to crack down on speculators who purchase

A letter sent to the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine signed by Canadian health officials says the British Columbia teenager who tested positive for avian flu has been taken off of supplemental oxygen and is no longer infectious. The letter, which was published Tuesday and provides a summary and timeline of the case, was signed by doctors from the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children’s Hospital, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and B.C.'s agriculture ministry. It says the patient was a 13-year-old girl who went to a B.C. emergency room on Nov. 4 with a fever and conjunc

Alberta's electricity ``rate of last resort''starts today, replacing the province's previous default rate forconsumers who don't have a contract. The rate is set at about 12 cents per kilowatt hour until 2027. It's meant to shield against price spikes, as the previous option fluctuated from month to month. Retailers must confirm with customers whether they want to sign on to a competitive rate, which can be much lower. Albertans also start paying today a tax on vaping products to fall in line with existing federal taxes. The governments say the tax is meant to discourage vapin

Canada is set to take over the presidency of the G7 in 2025, leading a forum of seven of the world's most advanced economies at a time of political instability at home and around the world. Canada joined the group in 1976 and this year will be chairing its meetings for the seventh time. Ottawa plans to host the leaders' summit June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alta. The G7 includes the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, as well as the European Union. For five decades, the group's governments have co-ordinated how liberal democracies respond to economic an