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CanadaJul 20, 2026

Canada Child Benefit payments increase takes effect today, millions of families to receive higher amounts

Higher Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payments began rolling out today following the federal government's annual benefit adjustment. According to the Government of Canada, the increase is expected to benefit approximately 3.6 million families and about 6 million children across the country. Under the updated benefit rates, eligible families can receive up to $8,157 annually for each child under the age of six, an increase of $160 from the previous benefit year. For children aged six to 17, the maximum annual payment has increased to $6,883, up $135 from last year. According to the Canada Revenue A
CanadaJul 20, 2026

Wildfire destroys seasonal camp at Whitewater Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario

A wildfire has destroyed much of the seasonal camp at Whitewater Lake First Nation, located about 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, marking the second First Nation community in Ontario to suffer significant wildfire damage in less than a week. According to Chief Pauline Drake, the fire destroyed multiple buildings, personal belongings and critical infrastructure at the site. Whitewater Lake First Nation is used primarily as a seasonal camp and has no permanent residents. The community is accessible only by floatplane for about six months of the year. The latest damage follows wildfire destr
canadas-annual-inflation-rate-eases-to-2-8-in-june-as-gasoline-prices-fall
CanadaJul 20, 2026

Canada’s annual inflation rate eases to 2.8% in June as gasoline prices fall

Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.8 per cent in June, down from 3.2 per cent in May, largely because of lower gasoline prices, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency said a decline in fuel prices helped ease overall inflation pressures. Grocery prices also continued to rise, but at a slower pace, increasing 3.9 per cent year over year in June compared with 4.3 per cent in May. Despite the slowdown, grocery inflation remained above the overall inflation rate for a 17th consecutive month, highlighting the continued impact of higher food costs on Canadian households. The Ba
CanadaJul 17, 2026

Brampton man identified as homicide victim after body found in Stoney Creek

Hamilton Police have identified a man whose body was found in a Stoney Creek creek on Wednesday morning as 29-year-old Taranpreet Singh Sidhu of Brampton. Investigators have confirmed the case is being treated as a homicide. According to Hamilton Police, Sidhu's body was discovered in a creek near Fruitland Road North and Harbour Drive after a passerby spotted him partially submerged in the water on nearby rocks. Emergency responders attended the scene and confirmed he had died. Detective Sergeant Robert Delaney said Sidhu came to Canada from India in 2022 and had worked as a truck driver whil
CanadaJul 16, 2026

Meta introduces new Instagram AI safety features for minors as Canada advances online safety legislation

Meta has announced new safety features for minors using its Instagram AI chatbot, introducing parental alerts for conversations involving self-harm or suicide. The update comes as the Canadian government moves forward with proposed online safety legislation aimed at strengthening protections for young users. According to Meta, the new features became available Thursday in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. If a minor discusses self-harm or suicide while interacting with Instagram AI, parents who have enabled the platform's Parental Supervision tools will receive an im
federal-government-to-acquire-190-armoured-vehicles-in-2b-deal-to-strengthen-canadian-army
CanadaJul 16, 2026

Federal government to acquire 190 armoured vehicles in $2B deal to strengthen Canadian Army

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a $2 billion investment to purchase 190 new armoured vehicles for the Canadian Army as part of a four-year procurement plan aimed at strengthening the military's operational capabilities and supporting Canada's domestic defence industry. Carney confirmed the agreement during a visit Thursday to the General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada facility in London, Ont. According to the federal government, the new vehicles will increase the Army's armoured fleet to 550. The Prime Minister said all 190 vehicles will be manufactured at the company's Ontario facili
poilievre-criticizes-liberals-over-canada-post-executive-bonuses-amid-record-losses
CanadaJul 16, 2026

Poilievre criticizes Liberals over Canada Post executive bonuses amid record losses

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government after reports that Canada Post paid millions of dollars in bonuses to management despite recording significant financial losses. Poilievre alleged that the government is allowing well-connected officials to benefit from taxpayer money while many Canadians continue to face rising living costs. He said families are struggling to afford groceries because of inflation, while senior Canada Post executives received substantial bonus payments. According to publicly reported Canada Post financial information, the Crown corporat
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from

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surrey-mayor-brenda-locke-criticizes-metro-vancouver-governance-reforms-as-inadequate
BCJul 27, 2026

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke criticizes Metro Vancouver governance reforms as inadequate

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says Metro Vancouver's decision to reduce the size of its governance board does not address what she describes as longstanding inequities in the regional voting system. According to a statement from Locke, Metro Vancouver's decision to reduce the number of board directors from 45 to 34 will make the board smaller but will not resolve what she called an unfair distribution of voting power. She said the Village of Belcarra, with a population of fewer than 1,000 residents, holds one full vote on the board, while Surrey, despite having a population hundreds of times large
WorldJul 27, 2026

Kaduna Village Attack Leaves About 30 Dead, Including Children

At least 30 people were killed after armed attackers raided a village in Nigeria's northwestern Kaduna state early Monday, according to local residents. The victims include eight children, while four other people were injured. Dogon Rana, secretary to the village chief, said the attackers entered the community, opened fire indiscriminately, and set several homes ablaze. He said many of those killed were women, children, and elderly residents. According to Rana, the attackers fled the area after carrying out the assault. Local residents said security forces arrived in the village several hours
CanadaJul 27, 2026

Etobicoke Uber driver charged after alleged sexual assaults in Burlington

Halton Regional Police have arrested a 25-year-old Etobicoke man in connection with two alleged sexual assaults involving the same woman in Burlington. Police identified the accused as Mandeep Singh and said he was working as an Uber driver at the time of the incident. According to Halton Regional Police, the incident occurred at about 5:15 p.m. on June 16 near the south parking lot of the Burlington GO Station. Investigators allege Singh approached the woman and began speaking with her before sexually assaulting her. Police further allege that after the woman left the area, the accused follow
IndiaJul 27, 2026

Punjab sanitation workers end strike after agreement with government

Sanitation workers in Punjab have announced an end to their strike after reaching an agreement with the Punjab government over their long-pending demands. The decision follows a series of measures announced by the state government, including a substantial increase in monthly wages for sanitation employees. According to the Punjab government, sanitation workers who were previously receiving a monthly salary of ₹10,500 will now receive ₹20,500. The revised wages will be paid from Aug. 1 to sanitation workers and sewermen employed on a contractual basis. The government also announced the form
gunfire-damages-u-s-consulate-building-in-toronto
CanadaJul 27, 2026

Gunfire damages U.S. Consulate building in Toronto

The U.S. Consulate at the intersection of University Avenue and Armoury Street in downtown Toronto was struck by gunfire early Monday morning, according to Toronto Police. No injuries were reported. Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said the shooting occurred at approximately 4:45 a.m. while police officers were already present in the area. Investigators confirmed that at least one bullet struck the front of the consulate building. Police said the suspect fled the scene in a white Honda Accord sedan without licence plates. Officers briefly pursued the vehicle but discontinued the chase out of concern