Ottawa’s plan to temporarily boost the federal GST credit and issue a one-time payment to Canadians is expected to cost $12.4 billion over five years, according to new estimates from the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The budget watchdog says the proposed one-time payment, expected this spring, would cost the federal government just over $3 billion in the current fiscal year. Ongoing increases to the GST credit are projected to add between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion per year through 2031. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the measures last week as part of the federal gover

Police have laid multiple criminal charges following a shooting at a Surrey home on New Year’s Day. Officers from the Surrey Police Service (SPS) responded around 11:45 p.m. on January 1, 2026, to reports of gunfire in the area of 140B Street and 59 Avenue in Newton. At the scene, they found an injured man who was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound. Officials said his condition was stable. A second man was arrested at the location. The SPS Serious Crime Unit took over the investigation. On January 28, the BC Prosecution Service approved charges against 49-year-old Chanchal Badwal. He fac

Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the federal government acted within its authority when it classified certain plastic products as toxic, clearing the way for Ottawa to maintain its ban on several single-use plastic items. In a unanimous decision released Friday, a three-judge panel overturned a 2023 lower court ruling that had found the federal government overreached by broadly labeling plastic manufactured items as toxic under environmental legislation. That earlier decision had cast uncertainty over the future of the single-use plastics ban. The appeal court concluded the go

Canada’s economy is showing renewed signs of strain, with new data suggesting the country’s gross domestic product may have contracted in the fourth and final quarter of 2025. Economists point to ongoing trade pressures, particularly from U.S. tariffs, as a key factor weighing on growth in a trade-dependent economy. According to Statistics Canada, economic activity stalled completely in November, marking zero growth for the month. This followed a 0.3 per cent decline in October, making it the second consecutive month without any measurable improvement in overall economic output. Analysts s

India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, is expected to visit Canada in the coming weeks, a move that could signal renewed momentum in stalled trade negotiations between the two countries. According to available information, Goyal may travel to Ottawa in the third week of February following a formal invitation from Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu. The proposed visit is largely focused on restarting discussions around a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which has remained on hold amid diplomatic strains. Both Canada and India have previou

The Cree Nation of Mistissini in northern Quebec was placed under lockdown after a shooting that left multiple people dead, according to the community’s chief. Chief Michael Petawabano said residents were instructed to remain inside their homes and secure their doors while police continue their investigation. Travel into and out of the community has been restricted, and all public buildings and facilities have been closed until further notice. In a written statement, Petawabano said the lockdown will remain in effect until law enforcement confirms there is no ongoing risk to public safety. H

Surrey Police Service has released photographs of two men charged in connection with a firearm-related investigation from January 26, saying the step is necessary to advance the ongoing case. Police identified the accused as Harshdeep Singh and Hanspreet Singh. Investigators say the public release of their images is intended to encourage witnesses, victims, or individuals with relevant information to come forward regarding the activities of either man on or before the date of the alleged offence. According to Surrey police, the decision to release photos is made on a case-by-case basis and onl

Surrey Police Service, working alongside the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit, is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 38-year-old man who has been reported missing. Huy Tien Nguyen, also known as Tommy Nguyen, was last seen around 8:30 a.m. on January 23 in the 15500 block of 109 Avenue in Surrey. Police say there has been no contact with him since that time, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. Nguyen is described as an Asian male, standing approximately five feet five inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds. He may have been wearing a blue and black camo

The Bank of Canada has decided to hold its key interest rate at 2.25 per cent, a move that economists had largely anticipated as the central bank continues to assess the pace of economic recovery. This marks the Bank of Canada’s first rate decision of the year, following a pause in interest rate cuts announced in December. Governor Tiff Macklem said economic conditions have developed broadly in line with the bank’s expectations since that pause was put in place. New economic projections released alongside the decision indicate Canada’s economy showed little growth in the final quarter of