Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today...BoC expected to hold policy rate at 5% today The Bank of Canada is set to announce its interest rate decision this morning. It's widely expected to maintain its key interest rate at five per cent, but economists will be watching for any hints about the timing of upcoming rate cuts. Forecasters expect the central bank to begin lowering its key rate in June as the economy continues to slow and inflation trends lower. High interest rates have slowed demand in the economy as co

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

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

Former President Donald Trumpsaid he believesabortionshould be left to the states in a video released Monday morning outlining his position after months of mixed messages and speculation. “Many people have asked me what my position is on abortion and abortion rights," Trump said in the video posted on his Truth Social site. “My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both. And whatever they decide must be the law of the land in this case, the law of the state." Trump, in the video, did

A total solar eclipse is set to fall over parts of eastern and central Canada today, prompting massive crowds to gather in its path for a chance to catch a glimpse of the rare celestial event.The path of totality, where the sun goes directly behind the moon, will first cross through southwestern Ontario around 3:15 p.m. and move east through Quebec and Atlantic Canada before exiting Newfoundland around 3:45 p.m. eastern time.Cities and towns along the path have braced for their populations to swell with eclipse chasers, with Ontario's Niagara region declaring a preemptive state of emergency.Bu

The federal Liberal government plans a $600-million package of loans and funding to help make it easier and cheaper to build homes for owners and renters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making the announcement in Calgary, just the latest in a string of pre-budget announcements aimed at winning over younger voters. Trudeau says $50 million will go toward a homebuilding technology and innovation fund, with another $50 million to modernize and expedite construction. An additional $500 million worth of low-cost loans will foster projects with "innovative" construction techniques from prefabricat

Cricket Canada and TD Bank Group (TD) announced a new sponsorship marking a significant milestone in Canadian cricket history as TD moves to support the growth and development of cricket locally. This brings together two well-known organizations that are committed to the future growth of Cricket, as well as supporting new community engagement initiatives. Through the sponsorship, TD will be the official bank of Cricket Canada’s National Teams and help build Canada's vibrant cricket-loving community. The sponsorship will help Cricket Canada enhance grassroots development programs and improv

A global forest study says Canadian wildfires last year were "entirely" to blame for a worldwide surge in tree losses. The study released by researchers at the University of Maryland on the Global Forest Watch website says tree cover loss in 2023 reached 28.3 million hectares globally, a 24 per cent jump driven by Canada's loss of 8.6 million hectares last year. Without taking Canada's losses into account, global tree loss would have decreased by four per cent in 2023, the report says. The report says more than 90 per cent of Canada's tree losses last year were due to fires that razed 7.76 mil

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a new $1.5-billion housing fund will help non-profit organizations acquire more rental units across Canada and make sure they remain affordable. The new Canada Rental Protection Fund will be included in the upcoming federal budget, to be tabled on April 16. Trudeau says the fund will provide $1 billion in loans and $470 million in contributions to non-profits and other partners to help them acquire affordable rental units. Today's announcement is the latest in a series of new housing measures unveiled by the Liberal government in its campaign-style pre-budget