Cineplex says it has temporarily laid off nearly five-thousand part-time employees because of mandated closures of its Ontario movie theatres. New COVID-19 public health measures announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to tackle the surge of the Omicron variant resulted in the closure of 67 Cineplex theatres. A spokeswoman says Canada's largest movie chain will get its employees back to work as soon as the restrictions are lifted. The new restrictions also closed indoor concert venues, museums, galleries and other attractions. Indoor dining is also closed, and restaurants and bars must cease s

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube says he hopes to coerce unvaccinated people to get their first doses by bringing in new proof-of-vaccination rules at liquor and cannabis stores starting January 18th. Dube says more services will soon be added to the list for proof of vaccination requirements. He also says the health system is missing about 20-thousand workers who have been infected or exposed to the disease, and that the government is working with unions to find more staff to care for up to 2,500 COVID-19 patients. A provincial health-care research institute says that within two week

Surging cases of COVID-19 driven by the rapidly transmissible Omicron variant are pushing the health-care system to the brink and putting pressure on some police and transit services. With 170 personnel booked off on leave related to COVID-19, the Winnipeg Police Service declared a state of emergency Wednesday and the Edmonton and Calgary police services warned of staffing challenges after a growing number of members tested positive or were in isolation. Ontario's GO Transit says a temporary reduction in train and bus service in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton regions is set to begin within d

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls videos of a party on a recent Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Cancun, Mexico a ``slap in the face'' to those who have tried to stay safe. Air Transat says passengers who were partying maskless on a recent Sunwing flight from Montreal to Mexico are not allowed on its planes as they attempt to return to Canada. Video on social media showed people partying on the flight swigging vodka from the same bottle and vaping. Videos of the December 30th flight shared on social media appear to show passengers not wearing masks as they sang and danced in the ais

Prime Minister Trudeau has reiterated that there are enough vaccine doses for every Canadian to get a booster. At his first COVID-19 update for 2022, Trudeau again called for people to get vaccinated. Trudeau also says rapid testing is part of the path through this latest wave of the pandemic. But Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says the Liberals have shown a lack of leadership on rapid testing. He said today's announcement of 140 million tests being distributed this month hasn't come soon enough and also accuses the Trudeau government of incentivizing lockdowns by offering financial sup

Canada's chief medical officer of health says she understands why some provinces have shortened the isolation period for COVID-19 infection. Over the holidays, Ontario and Quebec cut the length of isolation periods for infected people by half, to just five days. Dr. Theresa Tam says the provinces are trying to pull off a balancing act for the economy. Tam's deputy, Dr. Howard Njoo, says the federal public health agency is in discussions with provinces and the Centers for Disease Control in the United States about the ideal isolation period.

Prime Minister Trudeau has provided his first COVID update for the new year. His message to Canadians was that he can understand that they're frustrated. Trudeau says after two years, Canadians now know how to keep their loved ones safe and how to keep our health-care system from being overwhelmed. He says as long as we keep doing our part, we'll be looking at a better spring. Trudeau expresses frustration over flight videos: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's "extremely frustrated" by video that shows passengers on board a Sunwing flight to Mexico last month apparently ignoring public he

Stricter COVID-19 measures are taking effect in Ontario today. School classes will run remotely until at least Jan. 17, while most other measures, including business closures, are slated to last at least 21 days. Hospitals are ordered to pause all non-urgent surgeries to free up staff to cover absences and the rising number of hospitalized virus patients. Several kinds of business including cinemas, gyms, theatres and restaurants must close for indoor activities. Some other businesses including retail stores and personal care services are limited to 50 per cent capacity. Social gatherings are

The Prime Minister's Office says Justin Trudeau and B-C Premier John Horgan spoke Tuesday about flooding relief efforts as well as how governments can keep citizens safe during the wave of Omicron variant cases. Trudeau says he and Horgan -- who is the chair of the Council of the Federation -- discussed how provinces and territories can deal with the surge of cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Trudeau's office also says a talk will be scheduled with provincial leaders next week on efforts to reduce the health, economic, and social impacts of the variant. He and Horgan also spoke about