Saskatchewan is set to table its budget today outlining the province's plans to boost spending on health care, education and crime reduction. 

Premier Scott Moe has said increased investment in those areas is meant to reduce surgical wait times, improve Grade 3 reading levels and make communities safer. 

Moe has also pledged to freeze the education property tax while providing more money to municipalities. 

This is the Saskatchewan Party government's first budget since Moe was re-elected premier last fall.

His platform promised deficits in the first three years to accommodate increased spending and provide broad-based tax relief, which was passed through legislation last year. 

The spending document also comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is considering additional tariffs on Canada while China plans retaliatory levies on canola oil, meal and peas.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2025.

The federal government says it will offer billions in low-cost, long-term financing to help build thousands of rental units in Toronto, including more than a thousand affordable homes.

A protest advocating for peace, democracy and sovereignty in Canada, and standing against creeping fascism, is happening in Montreal on March 24.

The Truth North Strong event is one of eight to be held simultaneously across Canada, with demonstrations happening outside every U.S. Consulate in the country — in Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver as well as Montreal.

“We call upon the population of Canada to stand against the growing shadow of fascism, and demonstrate for peace, sovereignty, democracy and human rights in the face of ideologies that threaten us.”

The Montreal protest will take place at 1134 Ste-Catherine W. on Monday, March 24 from 4 to 8 p.m. For more, please visit the True North Strong website.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

The post A protest to stand up for Canada’s sovereignty is happening in Montreal and across Canada on March 24 appeared first on Cult MTL.

A Saskatoon teen driver is staying out of jail after pleading guilty for crashing his dad's car while joyriding and killing his 16-year-old friend.

Google's parent company, Alphabet, has struck a deal to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion US in what would be the tech giant's biggest-ever acquisition, a move which comes at the same time it's facing a potential breakup of its internet empire.

Just don't ask me to give up profanity.

The post The season of lent: A little self-imposed deprivation can be a good thing appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

The spate of jewelry store robberies continued Wednesday with an overnight break-in at Roberts Jewellery on Queen Street in  Niagara Falls.

When police arrived at the scene they found that an unknown number of suspects had forced their way into the jewellery store and fled before police arrival, with an undisclosed amount of jewellery.

The investigation has been assigned to the 2 District Street Crime Unit (SCU). Detectives are appealing to members of the community with any information to contact them at 905-688-4111, dial option 3, ext. 1009901.

Members of the community who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. The incident is another in a growing list of jewelry store robberies in the Niagara area since New Years with previous incidents in Grimsby and St Catharines.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s seasonal search and rescue stations across the Great Lakes will open on the following dates:

• March 21: Amherstburg, Kingston, Port Dover, Port Weller
• March 28: Cobourg
• April 4: Goderich, Meaford, Tobermory
• April 11: Thunder Bay

Waterways remain very cold at this time of year and take much longer to warm up when compared to the air, so boaters should ensure they take necessary precautions when near or on waterways. Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide is an excellent source of information in preparation for the recreational boating season.

Emergencies on the water can be reported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, toll-free (within Canada) at 1-800-267-7270. If toll-free service is unavailable, please dial 613-965-3870.

The post Ontario Search And Rescue Stations Open For 2025 Boating Season appeared first on Kingsville Times.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending a nearly 23 per cent increase to her office's budget, saying it's coming at the expense of the Energy Ministry as her office assumes some formal and financial responsibility for promoting the province's oil and gas industry.

A proposed change in DFO’s northern shrimp assessment model has shifted the species into the healthy zone – a move that the FFAW is applauding.

Union President Dwan Street says the change is long overdue and recognizes what she calls the ecological realities in the Newfoundland and Labrador ecosystem.

DFO has reduced its Precautionary Approach Framework from six fishing areas to two stock assessment regions -North and South – divided where NAFO regions 2H and 2J meet.While it’s yet to be approved, the modified Upper Stock Reference Point shows both populations in the healthy zone, with the number of mature female shrimp capable of reproducing increasing in the northern zone and stable in the southern zone.

Fisheries union president Dwan Street says the next step is to ensure access to the resource by the inshore fleet and that future allocations reflect the change in stock status.

Six teenagers have been charged after attempting to rob a jewelry store in North York, police say. The incident happened on Friday, while York police officers were investigating a stolen Acura TLX sedan that was found in Vaughan.

The Invasive Species Centre is excited to announce the launch of a new, three-year initiative in partnership with the National Tree Seed Centre, Forest Gene Conservation Association, and the Ontario Forestry Research Institute with funding and support from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

This initiative will raise public awareness about the threats posed by the invasive insect emerald ash borer (EAB) and the importance of preserving genetic and seed diversity in ash species, with a special focus on black ash, a species at risk.

“Every year, Ontario invests in innovative community-based projects that support the protection and recovery of plants and animals at risk,” said Todd McCarthy, Acting Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

“Our government is proud to partner with organizations across the province, like the Invasive Species Centre, to uphold Ontario’s track record of strong environmental stewardship and preserve the rich biodiversity for future generations.”

A potential bumper crop – a significantly larger than usual harvest – of ash seeds, including black ash, is forecast by the summer of 2026 or 2027. The Invasive Species Centre will seize this harvesting opportunity to establish a volunteer Black Ash Community Action Network.

This network will map existing black ash trees and collect seeds, which are essential for preserving ash species threatened by EAB. In preparation for the upcoming bumper seed crop, a strong base of volunteers and professionals across Ontario will learn to collect ash seeds through a combination of training, outreach, and workshops – such as the recent session at Science North in Sudbury.

“We are thrilled to engage with the people of Ontario to help protect native ash species,” said Vincent La Tassa, Program Development Coordinator with the ISC.

“This project is about collecting seeds to help preserve the genetic diversity of forests and ensure the long-term preservation of species like black ash.”

Recognizing the cultural significance of black ash, the Invasive Species Centre is collaborating with Indigenous communities and organizations across Ontario to listen, learn and provide opportunities to support and complement existing conservation efforts.

Attending events such as the Northern Ontario First Nations Environment Conference (NOFNEC) and the Anishinabek Nation Lands & Resources Forum has provided the ISC with opportunities to build relationships, gain insights from Indigenous knowledge holders, and explore ways to work together in preserving ash trees.

Additionally, the project will incorporate a ‘Two-Eyed Seeing’ approach to ash tree conservation, considering Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, for the benefit all participants and the work protecting ash trees.

The Invasive Species Centre invites all those eager to stay informed and deepen their understanding of this initiative to follow us on social media for the latest updates, including future workshop schedules and details about our upcoming webinar in April.

Helpful links for community members who want to get involved:

• Join the ‘Ontario Black Ash Inventory’ project and submit black ash observations
• Learn more about emerald ash border by reviewing the species profile

For more details, and to join in safeguarding Ontario’s ash species for future generations, please reach out to the project lead, Vincent La Tassa at [email protected].

The post ISC Launches Project to Protect Ash Species in Ontario appeared first on Kingsville Times.

The Town of Essex is participating in an emergency preparedness training exercise from March 14 to 21, 2025, in collaboration with Windsor Regional Hospital, the City of Windsor, the County of Essex, the Town of Amherstburg, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, and provincial and international partners. This initiative  simulates a coordinated response to a fictional nuclear event.

This training is crucial in ensuring that these municipalities and organizations remain prepared for emergencies. Those involved in this exercise will be able to test response protocols, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and enhance emergency management skills in a safe training environment.

During the exercise, the following training locations will be experiencing temporary service interruptions:

• • The WFCU Centre, 8787 McHugh Street, Windsor, will be partially closed to the public on March 17 and 18, 2025. Service users have been notified of these closures.
  • The Amherstburg Libro Centre (recreation complex), 3295 Meloche Road, Amherstburg, will be closed to the public on March 17, 18, and 19, 2025, but this will not affect business at Team Rehab.

What Can Residents Do to Be Prepared for an Emergency Like This?

As a part of being prepared for the unlikely event of a nuclear incident, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit encourages those with Potassium Iodide pills (KI pills) to check the expiry dates. If your pills are close to expiring or you don’t have KI pills, please visit one of the distribution locations to replace them. For information about why KI Pills are important and where to acquire them, please visit wechu.org/KI.

Residents are also encouraged to sign up for important messaging during local emergencies if you live or work in the following municipalities:

Sign up for Windsor Alerts at www.WindsorAlerts.ca
Sign up for Amherstburg Alerts at Amherstburg.ca/alert
Sign up for Town of Essex Alerts at www.essex.ca/Alerts

The post Emergency Preparedness Training Exercise March 14-21, 2025 appeared first on Kingsville Times.

It’s one of the most iconic brands in Canadian history, but it looks increasingly as though The Bay may just become the latest big-name retailer to shutter its doors for good.

Ontario Superior Court Judge Peter Osborne has yet to decide what’s next for the beleaguered company. On Monday, a court hearing wrapped up with no concrete plans about liquidation.

In the meantime, shoppers are heading to the mall to score deals.

“I bought a few Hudson Bay traditional blankets, with traditional stripes. Gloves, a hat, a dog collar, tea towels, a wool coat, and a wool purse,” said one woman.

“[It’s] very sad to see it go,” added another.

“I wanted to make sure I got my hands on some of the traditional Bay stuff,” said one shopper.

For some, walking the aisles has been a trip down memory lane.

“It was the go-to store because it had everything, especially growing up as a teenager, we didn’t have all the same stores that we do now, so that’s where you would go to get all your cool jeans,” another shopper said.

“It was very family-oriented, back-to-school you would see everyone shopping for stuff. It really is quite emotional,” added another.

Founded in 1670, The Bay has 80 locations across Canada, including 16 in B.C. If the stores are closed for good, more than 9,000 people could lose their jobs.

Retail analyst Bruce Winder tells 1130 NewsRadio says the company had been struggling for some time, so this isn’t a huge surprise.

“The department store channel has sort of lost its lustre. Young people, millennials, younger Gex X’s, Gen Z — they don’t really see department stores as a channel of distribution. They go to other specialty stores or online,” he said of the business’s demise.

“The Bay also had a legacy business model that was just outdated. Their stores are too big. High overhead costs and I think they went upscale a little bit and may have lost some customers and they also stopped investing in the brand over the last several years.

“And let’s face it, the pandemic was really hard on them too because a lot of the stores — the good ones — are downtown and we know what happened to downtowns in Canada over the last five years — fewer people working downtown, less people shopping downtown.”

He adds having a higher price point at a time when the economy was unstable didn’t help their case either.

“If you’re selling middle class and up, it’s a bit tough right now because people are watching their money. They’re not buying as many discretionary items. The Bank of Canada may have to raise interest rates again if inflation gets out of hand toward the second half of the year. That generally slows spending. There’s a lot of fear about job loss as well. So, it’s a bit of a hot mess right now.”

If the judge decides to close dozens of stores nationwide, Winder doesn’t think it’ll be the last you’ll hear from them.

“I do think the brand has a role in Canada, maybe from a licensing perspective, or maybe someone buys it, trademarks it, and opens smaller stores that are more focused on the heritage of the brand,” he explained.

Winder says the empty retail space will be chopped up by landlords and leave it to several smaller brands. However, for malls where The Bay is a key anchor store — the timeline to fill the space is unclear.

“I think those malls are going to look a little funny for a while. They’re going to look vacant, like when we saw Target leave. You’re going to have dead space there. It’s going to look horrible. I think those malls will suffer in the short run, but depending on what the landowners can do in terms of who they bring in there, they might be able to make it better,” he said.

“Let’s face it, although The Bay was big in terms of brand and in terms of size of store, their sales weren’t really that big.”

Winder says despite all this, he thinks malls still hold an important place, despite the increased challenges within the retail industry.

“Malls used to be everything, but a lot more business is done online now, and a lot of business is done in standalone stores too. A lot of companies have created off-mall locations, which are cheaper to manage.”

The Bay could join a long list of retailers that couldn’t cut it in the Canadian market. Others include Nordstrom, Target, Sears, Bed Bath and Beyond, and, of course, Zellers.

“This is the normal purging of the industry where for the industry to remain healthy the weak formats will leave, and new stronger formats will come in and that’s part of the retail lifestyle.”

With files from Anthony Atanasov and Momin Qureshi.

The federal government is promising billions in low-cost financing to help build thousands of rental homes in Toronto, including more than a thousand affordable units.

Ottawa says it will provide $2.55-billion in financing through its Apartment Construction Loan Program, to be administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The city says the money will go toward building more than 4,800 rental homes, of which at least 1,075 will be affordable housing.

Canada's Rachel Homan split her round-robin games Wednesday at the world women's curling championship. She dropped an 11-7 decision to South Korea's Eunji Gim at Uijeongbu Arena before rebounding with an 8-6 win over Norway's Marianne Roervik.

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An unhoused man accused of a robbery charge among others muttered and made no sense during a court appearance Tuesday, prompting a request for a psychiatric assessment.

Abas Suleiman Mohamed, 33, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by telephone from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre on Tuesday, scheduled to elect mode of trial and enter pleas to three charges.

He’s accused of robbing Elizabeth Namit, of a pair of JBL earbuds, breaching a police undertaking requiring him to stay away from the Atlantic Superstore on Smythe Street, and trespassing on the premises of Kings Place in downtown Fredericton.

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U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to make Canada a 51st state are “unacceptable,” a U.S. Senator from Vermont said Tuesday as businesspeople on both sides of the border gathered to denounce threatened tariffs on Canadian goods.

In a restaurant overlooking frozen Lake Memphremagog – which spans both countries – Democratic Senator Peter Welch added that he’s “absolutely horrified” by the tariffs, which he described as destructive for Americans and Canadians alike.