The British Columbia government is granting a one-time $430 benefit to the roughly 20,000 seniors in its support program for elderly low-income renters. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says eligible seniors don't need to apply for the payment, which will be sent out this month. Kahlon says the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters program, known as SAFER, will also expand eligibility for its benefits to seniors with annual incomes up to $37,240, compared to the previous $33,000 limit. Other changes will include the possible annual review and amendment of rent ceilings, which are used to determine

British Columbia is rolling out another round of COVID-19 vaccination boosters, with invitations starting to go out Monday. Ministry of Health says people who haven't received a booster against the XBB. 1.5 Omicron variant of COVID-19 will be among those offered the free shot. Others who will be invited include adults aged 65 and older, Indigenous adults 55 and over, residents of long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities, and anyone older than six months who is "clinically extremely vulnerable." The ministry says in a statement that although the spring program is focused on those mos

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal's health suddenly deteriorated on Tuesday, due to which Bikram Singh Majithia took over the command of the 'Punjab Bachao Yatra' to be taken out in Payal and Sahnewal assembly constituencies of Ludhiana. According to information received from a senior leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Badal suffered from diarrhea, due to which the doctors advised him to rest.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has ruled out raising taxes on the middle class in the upcoming federal budget but will not do the same for the notion of new or higher taxes on the wealthy or corporations. Freeland was asked by reporters in a news conference today about the prospect of new taxes on corporate Canada or others who are not part of the middle class. She didn't answer the question. Instead she emphasized the "urgent" need to invest in things that are important to Canadians, such as housing and artificial intelligence. Freeland says the government will make those investments in a

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar Jail on Wednesday. He will be accompanied by AAP's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, who has recently come out on bail. Bhagwant Mann had recently written a letter to the Tihar Jail administration asking for permission to meet Kejriwal and while granting it, the jail administration said that Bhagwant Mann can meet Kejriwal as usual. It is to be noted that Kejriwal was brought to Tihar Jail after being sent to custody till April 15 by the court in Delhi's liquor scam case. The ED alleges that the money

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to defend his carbon pricing policy in a televised "emergency meeting" with the country's premiers. The Conservatives tabled a motion this morning which demands that Trudeau sit down with provincial and territorial leaders within five weeks. MPs are expected to vote on the motion tomorrow. Poilievre says he believes Trudeau is "too scared" to hold the televised meeting because he knows the Liberal government is losing the carbon pricing debate. The Conservatives insist the carbon price is making life less afforda

Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has become active in Jalandhar, from where there is talk of him being made a candidate for the Lok Sabha elections by the party. Meanwhile, Channi has taken a house on rent in Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, adjacent to Jalandhar's Model Town, for his election campaign. This has been confirmed by the owner of the house. It is clear from this that Channi is confident of getting the ticket. In 2023, even after the death of the then MP from Jalandhar, Santokh Chaudhary, there was talk of giving ticket to Charanjit Channi for the by-election, but t

Shiromani Akali Dal senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia has advocated giving ticket to former minister Anil Joshi from Amritsar parliamentary constituency. He quipped that the other candidates in the election field do not even know the names of the villages and cities of the constituency and how such leaders will be able to become the voice of Amritsar in the Parliament. At the same time, when asked about his own contesting from Khadur Sahib constituency, he said that all these news are being spread by the media. Majithia said that he will talk to the party high command regarding making Ani

Ottawa is setting up a $500-million fund to help community health organizations provide more mental health care to young people. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is making the announcement in Ottawa alongside other cabinet ministers. During the 2021 election campaign, the Liberals promised a similar fund for post-secondary institutions to help with the mental health of students. The fund marks the latest in a string of campaign-style, pre-budget announcements from the Liberal government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the budget will be focused on young people particularly on helping the