Canada is seeking to get a better handle on how much plastic is being produced in the country by forcing companies that make it to report annually on what they produce. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is announcing the national plastics registry the day before negotiations for a global treaty to end plastic waste gets underway in Ottawa. Guilbeault is a key player in the talks, which aim to establish an international agreement to eliminate plastic waste by 2040. Canadians throw away more than four million tonnes of plastic every year, and less than one-tenth of it is actually recycled.

Canada's premiers are warning the federal government not to overreach into their jurisdictions when it comes to delivering the programs laid out in Ottawa's latest budget. In a letter responding to the Liberals' budget, the premiers say they worry new federal programs are eventually going to be downloaded onto provinces and territories. They also say the housing crisis cannot be solved by the federal government working with municipalities alone. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would go directly to mayors to provide housing funding after Ontario Premier Doug Ford refused to accept the mon

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is once again urging Israel and Iran to prevent their long-running conflict from spiralling into a broader Middle East crisis. She is calling for de-escalation and has co-signed a lengthy statement that touches on the Israel-Hamas war, the humanitarian plight in Gaza and attacks on ships off the coast of Yemen. The statement was issued in Italy by foreign ministers from the Group of Seven, which represents like-minded, wealthy countries such as the United States and France. The ministers condemn Iran for attacking Israel with missiles that were almost ent

Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. Guilbeault is taking the stand after Tuesday's federal budget promised to amend the Financial Administration Act so government payments accepted for deposit at Canadian banks will carry whatever title the government wants. "The fact that they haven't been doing it now for many years led us to take this position," Guilbeault said. His department has been battling with banks for almost two years o

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is finally set to present the federal budget in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon, showcasing how the government plans to win back support from disgruntled Canadians worried about the cost of living. The Liberal government has already unveiled significant planks of the budget over the last few weeks during a campaign-style pre-budget tour aimed at drumming up attention for their agenda. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged the upcoming spending plan will earmark billions of dollars to build more homes, expand child care, beef up the military and

The federal leader of the New Democrats is insisting his party's position on carbon pricing remains unchanged. But Jagmeet Singh is refusing to say explicitly whether he supports Canadians having to pay it on consumer items like gasoline. Singh met with reporters today for the first time since a speech last week created confusion about the NDP position on the federal consumer levy on fuel. In it, Singh sang the praises of "affordable, low-carbon options" and vowed to "not punish people" who can't change how they heat their homes or get to work. He later said he was trying to emphasize initiati

The federal government is doubling its investment to train urban firefighters to battle wildfires a growing threat to Canada's cities and towns. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the government is giving $800,000 to the International Association of Fire Fighters to conduct additional training. That's twice the sum spent last year on 25 instructors who then trained more than 300 firefighters in Chilliwack and Kamloops, B.C, and Grand Prairie, Alta. The impacts of climate change and population growth are combining to increase the risk that wildfires happen in or near urban areas

Vancouver police say they're investigating a suspected overnight homicide in the city's south end. Police say they were called to a report of gun shots around 11 p.m. Friday at the intersection of East 55th Avenue and Main Street. They say officers found the body of 24-year-old Chirag Antil in a vehicle. Police say there have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to come forward.

After reporting dismal first-quarter sales, Tesla is planning to lay off about a tenth of its workforce as it tries to cut costs, multiple media outlets reported Monday. CEO Elon Musk detailed the plans in a memo sent to employees. The layoffs could affect about 14,000 of the 140,473 workers employed by the Austin, Texas, company at the end of last year. Musk's memo said that asTesla prepares for its next phase of growth, it needs to look at every aspect of the company for cost cuts and increased productivity, The New York Times and CNBC reported. News of the layoffs was first reported by e