Households and farm operators across Canada will begin receiving letters this week with instructions to complete the 2026 national census, with responses due by May 12, according to Statistics Canada. The agency says Canadians are expected to complete the survey within about a week of receiving the letter, as required under the Statistics Act, which mandates a census every five years and requires participation from all households and farm businesses. Under the act, those who do not complete the census could face a fine of up to $500. The last census, conducted in 2021, collected data on popula

Prime Minister Mark Carney says former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour will serve as Canada’s next governor general, succeeding Mary Simon when her term concludes this summer. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Arbour’s appointment follows a selection process that prioritized official bilingualism and public service experience. Arbour is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and has held senior international roles, including United Nations high commissioner for human rights and chief prosecutor for international tribunals in The Hague. Simon, who was

Canada's women's team won the bronze medal in the 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Relay Championships in Botswana. The team also qualified for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The Punjabi-origin runner from Delta, Jasneet Nijjar was also a part of this medal winning team. The team of Zoe Sherar, Lauren Gale, Jasneet Nijjar and Savannah Sutherland won the bronze medal with a timing of 3 minutes 22.66 seconds. After the medal-winning performance, Zoe Sherar said that the team's goal was to compete better and give a tough fight to the other teams, and the team was confid

Canada’s minister responsible for artificial intelligence says the federal government will soon release its long-promised national AI strategy, with a focus on the technology’s impact on jobs and the labour market. Minister Evan Solomon told reporters the plan has been delayed as officials continue consultations with multiple groups, including labour leaders, environmental advocates and youth. He had previously committed to releasing the strategy by the end of last year. According to Solomon, the rapidly evolving nature of artificial intelligence has required additional input before finali

Prime Minister Mark Carney has concluded his first official visit to Armenia, where he attended the 8th European Political Community summit in Yerevan, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The release says Carney was the first non-European leader invited to participate in the summit, which brought together heads of government and institutional leaders from across Europe. During the visit, he held bilateral meetings with representatives from Armenia, France, Italy, Poland, Spain and Ukraine, as well as leaders from the European Council and European Parliament. According

The federal government says it will roll out $1.5 billion in tariff relief following recent changes by the United States that broadened the scope of its tariff measures last month. According to a federal announcement, the package includes a new $1 billion program through the Business Development Bank of Canada aimed at supporting the manufacturing sector. The government says the program is intended to help businesses manage cost pressures and maintain operations amid shifting trade conditions. The plan also includes a $500 million top-up to the regional tariff response fund, which provides tar

Canada’s intelligence agency says several foreign states, including India and China, continue to be active in interference and espionage efforts targeting Canada, according to its latest annual report. The 2025 report from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) names India, China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia as countries engaged in activities such as foreign interference, intelligence gathering and influence operations. The findings are based on CSIS assessments of threats to national security. According to the report, Chinese intelligence services have adapted their methods, includ

The federal government has announced $9.8 million in funding for early-stage work on a proposed national training centre for Canada Soccer in Vancouver. According to a federal announcement made Friday, the funding will support the design, planning and pre-construction phases of the project. Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden and Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson outlined the investment at a news conference in Vancouver. Van Koeverden said the funding is aimed at developing a high-performance training facility for athletes, adding the project is intended to stren

Cuts to federally funded health coverage for refugees and asylum claimants took effect Friday, introducing new out-of-pocket costs for medications and certain health services. According to federal program changes to the Interim Federal Health Program, refugees will now be required to pay $4 per prescription and cover 30 per cent of the cost for supplementary health products and services. These include mental health counselling, dental care, vision care, medical devices and mobility aids such as wheelchairs. Until now, the program provided full health coverage for eligible refugees until they q