Statistics Canada is set to release its October labour force survey this morning, shedding light on employment trends and wage growth last month. RBC is forecasting the economy added a modest 15,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to have ticked back up to 6.6 per cent. The jobless rate declined slightly to 6.5 per cent in September. The Canadian job market has loosened significantly as high interest rates have restrained economic growth. The Bank of Canada, which lowered its policy interest rate by 1.25 percentage points since June, now says it wants to see the economy rebound. RBC says it exp

Police have made another arrest and are seeking two other suspects following tense and sometimes violent protests at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area. Violence erupted on Sunday at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton after a visit by Indian officials was met by protesters seeking a separate Sikh nation called Khalistan. That protest spilled over to two other locations in Mississauga, Ont., and continued on Monday, with hundreds of demonstrators from opposing sides gathering outside the Brampton temple before being dispersed by police. Peel Regional Police say several offences occurred

India's consulate in Toronto is suspending some of its diplomatic visits to process paperwork at places like religious temples after violence between Sikh and Hindu people. The violence started Sunday outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton, Ont., where police allege people in the crowd were carrying weapons and throwing objects. The next day there were tense protests outside the temple, leading to another police intervention and calls to ban protests at Brampton religious sites. The clashes have involved Hindu groups clashing with Sikh separatists, who have protested visits by Indian consu

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reconstituted a special cabinet committee focused on Canada-US relations following Donald Trump’s re-election as president. This committee will address key issues affecting both countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has been appointed as its chair. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc will serve as the committee's co-chair. Transport Minister Anita Anand, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, and other ministers will also be part of the committee. The group is expected to meet soon and es

The Government of Canada has made significant changes to the visitor visa rules. The Canadian authorities have announced that the 10-year visitor visa will no longer be available.According to the latest update from the Immigration Department, multiple-entry visas with a duration of 10 years will now be granted only to select individuals, with immigration officers on-site having the authority to make these decisions.The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has placed special emphasis on the duration of visitor visas. As most visas are now single-entry, their validity will typically range f

Gun violence continues to rise in Canada, reaching record levels, particularly in parts of the Greater Toronto Area. The number of shootings in the city of Hamilton this year is unprecedented. According to Staff Sergeant Steve Berezuk, there have been 58 shootings in Hamilton as of Nov. 4, compared to 35 for all of last year. This marks a new record for shooting incidents in the city. Meanwhile, Peel police report seizing one illegal firearm every 36 hours. Chief Nishan Duraipa of Peel police noted that 84 illegal firearms were seized between January and September last year, compared to 157 du

Canada's environment commissioner says the country is still not on track to meet its commitments under the Paris climate agreement. Ottawa has promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to be 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 but thus far they have only fallen seven per cent below 2005 levels. In a report tabled today Jerry DeMarco says his office looked at 20 of the 149 measures from the government's 2030 Emission Reductions Plan progress report. Only nine of those were on track, another nine were facing challenges, and the other two had significant barriers like delays in meeting

The Canadian Institute for Health Information says health-care spending in the country is projected to reach a new high in 2024. The annual report released Thursday says total health spending this year is expected to hit $372 billion, or $9,054 per Canadian. CIHI's national analysis predicts expenditures will rise by 5.7 per cent in 2024, compared to 4.5 per cent last year, and 1.7 per cent in 2022. This year’s health spending is estimated to represent 12.4 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product. The report notes that the Canadian dental and pharmacare plans could push health-care spe

Canada announced Wednesday it is ordering the dissolution of TikTok's Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media app but said it won't block access. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc. “The government is not blocking Canadians' access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice," Champagne said. Champagne said it is importa