BCNov 06, 2025
Blue Jays’ playoff run drives tourism surge and business gains in Toronto
Toronto’s hospitality and tourism sectors saw a significant boost this fall, thanks to the Blue Jays’ extended post-season run and the World Series games held in the city.
Destination Toronto reported that hotel demand during the four home games of the World Series rose by an average of 15 per cent compared to the same nights last year, adding more than 11,000 room nights. Across the team’s entire playoff run, hotel demand increased by an average of 11 per cent, accounting for over 20,000 additional room nights.
Andrew Weir, President and CEO of Destination Toronto, said the surge in vis
BCNov 06, 2025
Audit finds gaps in B.C. livestock tracking system used for emergency response
British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food needs stronger measures to ensure it can quickly locate farm animals during disease outbreaks or natural disasters, according to a new report from the Office of the Auditor General.
The audit reviewed the ministry’s Premises ID program, which was created to help emergency officials identify where poultry and livestock are kept and who owns them. Acting Auditor General Sheila Dodds said the system could play a vital role in protecting animals and food supply chains during crises such as bird flu outbreaks, wildfires, or floods. However, th
BCNov 06, 2025
Record number of shelter spaces opening before winter
British Columbia is opening a record number of shelter spaces this winter to help people experiencing homelessness find warmth and safety as temperatures drop. The Province, through BC Housing, is funding 6,486 shelter spaces across 58 communities — the highest total to date.
The expanded network includes 4,158 permanent shelters operating year-round, 1,154 temporary seasonal spaces, 771 extreme-weather response (EWR) beds activated during severe conditions, and 403 new Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) spaces — nearly two and a half times more than last year.
CanadaNov 06, 2025
Ottawa man pleads guilty in mass stabbing that killed mother, four children, and family friend
A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to six counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with a mass stabbing that shocked Ottawa last year.
Febrio De-Zoysa entered guilty pleas today in an Ottawa courtroom to four charges of first-degree murder and two of second-degree murder, as well as one charge of attempted murder. The killings took place in 2024 at a rented townhouse in the Barrhaven area.
The victims were 35-year-old Darshani Ekanayake, her four children aged between two months and seven years, and 40-year-old family friend Gamini Amarakoon. The children’s father,
CanadaNov 06, 2025
Quebec lowers permanent immigration target to 45,000 per year, focuses on French-language integration
The Quebec government has announced it will reduce its annual target for new permanent residents to 45,000, marking a significant shift from the roughly 61,000 people expected to settle in the province this year. The revised plan outlines a more moderate approach than earlier proposals that would have lowered the figure to as few as 25,000 newcomers annually.
The government’s new immigration framework emphasizes language integration, setting a goal for nearly 80 per cent of new immigrants to achieve at least intermediate-level French by 2029. In 2019, that figure was 50 per cent. Officials s
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