Hundreds denied rent supplement after N.S. quietly changed eligibility rules
To qualify, applicants now have to spend at least 50% of their pre-tax income on housing, up from 30% Brian Dauphinee is being renovicted from his $637-a-month Halifax studio apartment at the end of August, and is about to anxiously wade into the city’s increasingly expensive rental market. But the 69-year-old, who lives on a pension, will do so without the help of a rent supplement. He’s one of hundreds of people who have been denied financial aid in recent months under a change made to the joint provincial-federal program.Read more
Canada’s top court refuses appeal from B.C. churches protesting COVID-19 restrictions
Decision marks end of legal road for faith leaders 2½ years after they first challenged limits on gatherings Canada’s highest court will not hear an appeal that challenged limits on religious gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a significant endorsement for British Columbia’s provincial health officer and the end of the legal road for the faith leaders involved. The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the case from churches in B.C.’s Fraser Valley that argued public health rules violated their Charter rights by banning indoor religious services during the height of the pandemic. “We areRead more
Police body cameras aren’t always bad news for accused, lawyers say
More New Brunswick officers will be wearing cameras when interacting with the public As body cameras for police become permanent in some New Brunswick communities, the new technology has become a mainstay in court proceedings — sometimes to the benefit of the accused and sometimes to their detriment. Last week, the Fredericton Police Force announced its six-year pilot program with body cameras was successful, and it equipped all of its front-line officers with the technology. The Saint John Police Force plans a full rollout this summer. RCMP began testing body cameras this spring inRead more
Parents say Canadian scouts learning ‘resiliency’ as storm forces jamboree to move in South Korea Social Sharing
Jamboree to move from site in Buan, with activities expected to continue in Seoul, Scouts Canada says Canadian parents with children at an international scout jamboree in South Korea say despite multiple weather and climate related hiccups threatening to call down the event, they’re happy their children are getting the chance to stay abroad. The first week of the World Scout Jamboree in Buan was marked by extreme heat, resulting in hundreds of participants being treated for heat-related ailments and thousands of British and American scouts moving offsite. The Canadian contingent elected to stay. But onRead more
B.C. port dispute ends as workers vote to accept new deal
Nearly 75 per cent of union members voted to approve the tentative agreement Port workers in British Columbia have accepted a new tentative deal with their employers, bringing an end to a tumultuous, weeks-long contract dispute that has paralyzed industries and supply chains across Canada. Late on Friday, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) says the vast majority of its more-than-7,400 members voted to ratify a deal reached with help from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). The two-day vote closed at 6 p.m. PT on Friday. “The results of theRead more
Nova Scotia facing heavy rains just two weeks after historic floods
Flooding is affecting some areas of the province with more rain on the way After momentous rains led to devastating floods in many areas of Nova Scotia last month, another big storm has caused flooding, road closures and power outages — and even more bad weather is on the way. Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Hants County, effective as of 5 p.m. Saturday. Rainfall warnings are also in effect for Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Richmond, Victoria and Cape Breton counties. A severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Colchester,Read more
Renewables industry feels burned by Alberta’s sudden pause on project approvals
Province asking Alberta Utilities Commission to implement nearly 7-month break Members of the renewable energy industry say the Alberta government has knocked the wind out of them by pausing all approvals of new power plants for nearly seven months. “I think it was a mistake,” says Vittoria Bellissimo, president and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA). “I’m worried about investor confidence in our electricity market. I’m worried about affordability for customers. I’m worried that we took something that was going very well in Alberta, and we had an advantage,Read more
Hundreds rally, march in downtown Winnipeg to demand search of landfill for women’s remains
‘Impossible to move forward’ on a search without Manitoba’s co-operation, feds say Chants to search a landfill for the remains of two First Nations women rang out across downtown Winnipeg on Thursday, as hundreds of people flooded the city’s most famous intersection for a round dance. CBC News counted about 200 people gathered at Portage and Main just after 2 p.m. CT. A red dress was painted on the ground of the intersection before the round dance began, and people stood chanting “search the landfill,” before forming into circles. SomeRead more
Residents near Gun Lake, B.C., ordered to evacuate immediately due to growing wildfire north of Pemberton
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says order in place for areas surrounding Gun Lake and Lajoie Lake Regional officials say a wildfire north of Pemberton, B.C., is “critical” and have told residents they must evacuate immediately. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) says an evacuation order covers all properties around the Downton Lake fire in the Bridge River Valley north of Pemberton, which includes Gun Lake and Lajoie Lake near Gold Bridge, B.C. The blaze has more than doubled in size since Monday when flames raced eastward on the steep northern hillsides above Gun Lake and its more thanRead more
Hamilton hasn’t responded to pest complaints for over 4 years. ‘People can’t take it anymore,’ tenant says
Public health says enforcement paused during the pandemic and a bylaw officer will pick it up next month CBC Hamilton is investigating the living conditions that tenants face and what responsibility the city has to uphold property standards. This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Parts 2 and 3 will run in the coming weeks. The cockroach and bedbug infestations in Tammy Brown’s Hamilton apartment have all but destroyed her life, she says. Roaches have taken over her fridge and stove, contaminating her food and making it impossible to cook for her twoRead more