Ontario Premier Doug Ford embarked on a marathon of interviews with U.S. media earlier this week to promote the importance of trade between Canada and its southern neighbour in the hopes it may convince Donald Trump to back off his tariff threats. 

London police say over the past six months they've seized more than $8 million in illegal drugs, a total that includes a record seizure of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Tim Hortons will continue to sponsor the Ticats but will no longer be the naming rights partner.

All over the country, creative self-starters are solving the loneliness epidemic one club at a time. Here are 5 tips to help you do the same.

Three men who are citizens of the United Kingdom have been arrested and charged in the killing of Sharif Rahman, a restaurant owner in Owen Sound, Ont., whose death in 2023 has seen outrage over the way police have handled the case.

An overnight explosion and fire at Powell Park in central east Hamilton has neighbours up in arms and complaining to city officials. It just the latest example of growing citizen activism around encampments. Walter Furlan, a ward three resident and former council candidate, received emails from people living adjacent to the park along with photographs that show a sizeable blaze. He forwarded the concerns with city housing officials and with the Bay Observer.

One resident wrote, “my neighbours and I have had enough of this situation! We cannot continue to live in fear, especially the children and the seniors of our neighbourhood. Something must be done to get rid of this encampment, before something very tragic happens to both the neighbours and the campers.”

Another wrote “When I looked out the window I saw a huge fire which had engulfed one of the tents in Powell park. My children were absolutely terrified!!  These tents were issued notices to vacate weeks ago and nothing has been done since. This is unacceptable. What is it going to take for this to be dealt with?!?!  Me and my neighbors have reported this issue to you all multiple times. Enough is enough, I want immediate action of the removal of these encampments. My children should not have to be woken up in the middle of the night scared to the point they are unable to return to sleep!”

Forwarding the two messages to city officials, Furlan wrote, “the first (correspondent) is a woman that has lived there for 64 years and is taking care of her elderly mother (97). She is a retired educator. The second one is a young mother of 3 small children. I went down there this morning to offer my support and condolences for what they are subject to. It was like a war zone.”

Brenda Duke who has been active in neighbourhood cleanup efforts for many years, says a group of residents near Powell Park have “gathered together to monitor and keep Powell Park safe for our children and families and to inform the departments involved.” She says when her neighbour “informed the City departments and our Councilor, we received yet another excuse with comments about how quickly the fire was put out, no one was injured and there was little damage to the park. This is too reminiscent of the Woodlands fire last January but it is unlikely to receive any coverage. The city has a habit of sweeping the issues at Powell and our neighbourhood under the rug, and minimizing the effect on immediate neighbours.”

In repose to Furlan’s messages and requests for action a city housing official replied, “We are aware of the issue, and it’s being followed as a non-compliant site.  The outreach team will remain in contact with the residents at the park and seek opportunities to provide indoor shelter as it’s available. “

As submissions in the long-awaited court challenge to Hamilton’s past dismantling of encampments draw to a close, a new court challenge may be emerging—this one supporting banning encampments in parks. A GoFundMe account titled “Stop Hamilton’s Encampments” has been established to raise money for legal costs of a potential court challenge to the Barton- Tiffany site.

The effort brings together different encampment critics who had been operating more or less independently until last October. Kelly Oucharek, a north end resident, had been a prominent critic of the Strachan Street Encampment proposal and participated in public rallies in the summer and fall of 2023 that eventually led to the cancellation of the plan to place tiny shelters in her neighbourhood. Another north end resident who campaigned against Strachan was Darcy Field, who continues to send pictures and videos to city staff and media showing examples of non-enforcement, crime and unsafe conditions in encampments. When it was announced this fall that a tiny shelter encampment would be established in the Barton-Tiffany area, Oucharek spearheaded a public meeting public meeting that attracted a large crowd of residents, not only from Ward two where the proposed encampment would be situated, but also Ward One residents whose Strathcona Neighbourhood is close by.

One of those residents of Ward One is Ryan Furlong, a business operator who issued an open letter supporting the GoFundMe effort. He wrote, “ The City of Hamilton’s unilateral decision to place a low-barrier temporary shelter on the contaminated Barton-Tiffany site—previously home to an unruly encampment—has already harmed residents’ quality of life over the past two years and now imposes an unjust burden on the public. Homeowners are being forced to absorb the diminishing value of their most significant financial asset—their homes—while enduring escalating violence, drug use, theft, and refuse in their neighbourhoods. These developments not only jeopardize public safety but also contribute to rising property taxes, as taxpayers are now expected to fund the shelter’s staggering $10 million development and maintenance cost over just two years.” In calling for an immediate halt to the Barton Tiffany project, Furlong noted, “We are not opposed to initiatives that support the unhoused, but these measures must not come at the expense of Hamilton residents’ safety, security, and livelihoods.”

Oucharek told the Bay Observer, said the groups want to get legal advice to determine what their options are, stating, “ there is no one in our group working for ‘A Better Hamilton’ who doesn’t want to see the unhoused get the help they deserve; yet we firmly believe to date the city has not balanced the needs or rights of all residents of Hamilton.  While this can be seen as a divisive topic, it has also brought this team together; from many parts of the city; we are aligned with the common goal of holding the City of Hamilton accountable for safe solutions for all. Historically, Hamiltonians have been shamed into silence… The GoFundMe is an avenue for Hamiltonians to contribute in a way they can do anonymously if they choose. We can’t financially do it alone.” In response to a media question asking if the tiny shelters represent an improvement over tents, Oucharek replied, “ temporary shelters are not the best solution for addressing homelessness, given its exorbitant cost. This is particularly concerning when hundreds of thousands of square feet of city-owned vacant institutional properties—already equipped with running water, heat, living spaces, kitchens, and administrative offices—remain underutilized due to bureaucratic red tape, despite the city framing this issue as an emergency.”

Also supporting the GoFundMe effort is Andrew Selman, a Ward three resident who lives near Gage Park. For months, Selman has made life miserable for Ward Three Councillor Nrinder Nann, her staff, and city housing officials with regular reports on instances of crime, vandalism, safety issues and non-enforcement of encampment protocols. He told the Bay Observer We are…seeking legal advice regarding potential legal action against the City of Hamilton. This includes, but is not limited to, a possible class action related to the management of encampments—both sanctioned and unsanctioned—and a potential injunction concerning the temporary outdoor shelter. We are crowdfunding to commission a comprehensive legal opinion to determine our potential avenues for recourse.”

The University of Waterloo community is mourning after twin sisters who were set to enter a PhD program in Ontario were killed this month in the Israel-Hamas war. Their family says the two “saw an end to their and our suffering” after being accepted into a program for students from conflict zones, but “did not get their opportunity to realize their dreams.”

The owner of Theodore Too, the life-sized replica of a beloved TV character, says he's committed to executing a "safe and successful refloat" of the boat, which was built in Nova Scotia in 2000 and has been in Ontario waters since 2021.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces an acute crisis as a growing number of his own MPs demand that he resign and accuse him of mismanaging his relationship with Chrystia Freeland, once his most trusted lieutenant.

Police say they are investigating a fatal, single-vehicle collision that happened on Brock Road early Wednesday morning.

The Canadian-born former first lady of Iceland and author of bestselling book Secrets of the Sprakkar is publishing a debut novel. Death on the Island will be released April 29, 2025. You can read an excerpt now!

It's the 15th year on top for Olivia and the 5th for Noah, the latest provincial data shows. The names also remain the most popular for newborns across Canada, according to Statistics Canada.

Rivalries between Hamilton high schools that have already been blamed for one fatality have now spilled beyond the two schools that were initially involved.

Hamilton Police are reporting they have made a number of arrests for violent acts including the use of bear spray between gangs from rival schools.

Starting on Monday November 25, Police were called to the area of Upper Sherman and Rymal Road for a disturbance involving multiple students from Nora Henderson high school. Physical violence had erupted, and bear spray was discharged by some of the parties in attendance causing numerous injuries. Traffic was also disrupted as a result of melee. One adult was charged with Assault level one, one youth was diverted for Assault with a weapon, and four other youths were diverted for Assault level one.

Then on the following Monday, a student at St Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary was charged after they were found to be expelling a can of bear spray into a school drain causing mischief to the property. The student now faces charges of Possession of a prohibited weapon, Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and Mischief to property.

Lastly, on Tuesday December 3, 2024 Police were called to Ancaster Community Center for another large gathering of students from Ancaster High School, Bishop Tonnos High School, and St Thomas More High School. A fight broke out and some of the involved parties utilized bear spray against the opposing sides. Police charged one youth with Possession of a prohibited weapon and Assault with a weapon, while three youths were diverted for possessing a prohibited weapon.

The inter school violence was first reported in October, when at least 100 students were involved in a parking-lot fight in the days before 15-year-old Jayden Russell was killed in a high-speed crash on October 11. In that incident, Police say some sort of disturbance broke out resulting in a car chase on the Lincoln Alexander Parkway. Investigators have learned that a black Ford Focus and Silver Infinity were chasing a Toyota RAV 4 in the parking lot at St. Jean de Brebeuf Secondary School moments before the fatal collision.  Witnesses saw two or three vehicles were racing eastbound on the Lincoln Alexander Parkway in the area of the Upper Gage Avenue overpass. Two of the vehicles collided and lost control.  One vehicle was able to regain control but a Toyota SUV left the road and rolled several times. During the roll, one or more occupants were ejected from the Toyota. Jayden Russell, 15 year old, was pronounced dead soon after arriving at the hospital.

In conjunction with the latest incidents, criminal charges and diversions, the accused parties in each of these incidents have also been suspended by their respective school.

The Criminal Code states that any spray is a weapon if used in a manner to administer a noxious substance upon someone. Hamilton Police is committed to addressing incidents involving bear spray/mace and will consider weapon related charges if the totality of the circumstances demonstrate that the spray has been utilized as a weapon.

Anyone with any information that could help Police with this investigation, are asked to contact the Division 3 on-duty Staff Sergeant at 905-546-3886. For those who wish to provide information anonymously, please consider reaching out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit anonymous tips online at Crime Stoppers Hamilton’s Website.

Several cities in the GTA have moved to ban protests near places of worship — and Toronto is exploring a similar bylaw at city council on Wednesday. Metro Morning host David Common spoke with the director of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Centre for Free Expression about the legal and ethical issues raised by this type of rule.

At the Leamington Council meeting of Tuesday, December 10, 2024, Council:

• Held a Public Meeting under the Planning Act and approved the following:
  • Consent Application B-37-23: To sever 21.042 hectares from the rear of 821 Mersea Road 11 and add it to the neighbouring property, vacant land west of 1280 Highway 77.
  • Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) No. 294: To rezone the severed portion of land from application B-37-23 from an Agricultural Restricted Zone (A2) to an Agricultural General Zone (A1) to align with the receiving lands. The retained lands were also rezoned from an Agricultural General Zone (A1) and an Agricultural Restricted Zone (A2) to an Agricultural General Zone (A1-40) to accommodate a reduction in the rear yard from the required 15 metres to 6 metres.
  • Consent Application B-40-23: To establish an easement for the maintenance of stormwater infrastructure.
  • Consent Application B-41-23: To establish an additional easement for the maintenance of stormwater infrastructure.

• Approved a road and sidewalk layout, as prepared by AECOM Canada Ltd. for the reconstruction of Margaret, Audrey, Jane, Claire, and Sherk Streets. Council also received the “No Sidewalks” petition submitted on behalf of residents on the streets of Margaret, Audrey, Jane, and Claire.

• Appointed Aird & Berlis LLP. as Integrity Commissioner for a term of two years, commencing March 1, 2025.

• Received the Leamington Arts Centre – Exterior Façade Restoration Report for information.

• Repealed the Terms of Reference for the Seniors Advisory Committee and dissolved the Seniors Advisory Committee effective December 31, 2024. The South Essex Community Council will continue the Committee’s work going forward.

• Authorized utilizing the services of the Essex Region Conservation Authority in the role of Risk Management Official/Risk Management Inspector for the Municipality of Leamington Source Water Protection Plans in both the Essex and Thames Sydenham Region Source Protection Area.

• Received the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) Drinking Water System Inspection Report for the Leamington (Wheatley) Distribution System. A copy of the report is available on the municipal website and for public inspection at the Municipal office during normal business hours.

• Authorized extending the Municipal Insurance Brokerage Services contract to HUB International Ontario Limited for 2025. HUB International will continue acting as the Municipality’s insurance broker and consultant with respect to insurance coverage.

• Received an annual report on open and closed council meetings for 2024. Council met for 21 regularly scheduled Council meetings in 2024 with an average meeting lasting 1 hour and 33 minutes.

• Approved a new policy related to live streaming of council meetings.

For further information, please refer to the Municipality of Leamington Council agenda and minutes at
leamington.ca/meetings.

The post Leamington Council Matters — December 10, 2024 appeared first on Kingsville Times.

Melissa Rei

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Melissa, aged 43, on December 14th, 2024. Melissa is reunited with her mother, Rosemary Rei (1997). She is the beloved daughter of Joe, cherished sister to Jason, and will be fondly remembered by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She brought kindness, warmth, and a vibrant spirit to the lives of all who knew her.

Though her passing was unexpected, Melissa’s legacy of love, laughter, and compassion will continue to inspire those she leaves behind. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all whose lives she enriched. Her departure leaves a profound void, but we take comfort in cherishing the beautiful memories she gave us. May she rest in eternal peace.

Family and friends are invited to join us in celebrating her life and honoring her memory. Visitation will be held at Kendrick Funeral Home, Kingsville, Thursday, December 19th, 2024, from 2-4pm and 6-8pm.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. John de Brebeuf Catholic Church at 12pm on Friday, December 20th, 2024, with burial to follow at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Leamington.

Service Details

Visitation

When
Thursday, December 19, 2024 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Location
Kendrick Funeral Home – Kingsville
91 Division St. S
Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 1P5

Get Directions: View Map

Second Visitation

When
Thursday, December 19, 2024 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Location
Kendrick Funeral Home – Kingsville
91 Division St. S
Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 1P5

Get Directions: View Map

Service

When
Friday, December 20, 2024 12:00pm

Location
St. John de Brebeuf Catholic Church
67 Main St. E.
Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 1A1

Get Directions: View Map

Officiant
Father Tom Ferrera

Interment

When
Friday, December 20, 2024

Location
Evergreen Memorial Park
366 Talbot St. W.
Leamington, ON N8H 4H4

Get Directions: View Map

The post Melissa Rei (September 30, 1981 – December 14, 2024) appeared first on Kingsville Times.

Lend a Hand for Seniors Snow Removal

Winter has arrived, and our Lend a Hand program is here to help seniors in our community with snow removal. We’re committed to keeping our neighbourhoods safe and accessible for everyone.

To make this happen, we need volunteers!

FOR VOLUNTEERS:

– Earn high school community service hours
– A great opportunity for families and groups
– Give back to your community and build meaningful connections
– As a volunteer, you’ll be matched with seniors in your area who need support

FOR CLIENTS:

– Seniors must complete a phone intake with a Case Manager to be added to the snow removal waitlist.
– When a snowfall is announced, volunteers will call to confirm that shoveling services will be provided, so seniors can stay safe and comfortable.

To volunteer or request services:
519-326-8629 ext. 359

Email:
[email protected]

Website page:
secc.on.ca/seniors/lend-a-hand

The post Lend a Hand to Seniors This Winter for Snow Removal appeared first on Kingsville Times.

Grab some hot chocolate and goodies, come make Christmas cards, and listen to live entertainment happening inside Lakeside Park Pavilion on December 21, 2024 at 6:00 pm.

All aboard the Kingsville Express Train for a tour through Lakeside Park to see the lights before it departs at the end of the weekend for the season!

Headlining the night is live performances from the Colin Gronert Jazz Trio.

See all the great events happening at the annual Fantasy of Lights holiday festival going on now until Thursday, January 2, 2025 at fantasyoflights.ca.

The post Fantasy of Lights Concert Happening Saturday, December 21 appeared first on Kingsville Times.

The major Toronto intersection has been closed since Tuesday morning, with traffic and transit rerouted in the area. A TTC spokesperson says the intersection could reopen earlier in the week depending on the complexity of the repairs needed.

We were so very fortunate to be able to gather together again this year for our annual Open House at the Kingsville Library on Thursday, December 12th. We had activities for all ages. There was something for everyone to enjoy!

Season’s greetings from all of us at the Kingsville Branch. 

Warmest wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!

All Library Branches will be closed on these dates:

Tuesday, December 24
Wednesday, December 25
Thursday, December 26
Tuesday, December 31
Wednesday, January 1

Phone:
(519) 776-5241

Website:
Essex County Library

Facebook:
Essex County Library

Twitter:
Essex County Library

The post Kingsville Library Open House and All Libraries’ Holiday Closings appeared first on Kingsville Times.

The incidents involved students from Nora Henderson, Ancaster, St. Jean de Brebeuf, St. Thomas Moore and Bishop Tonnos high schools, police say.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hired Brent Monson as their defensive co-ordinator Tuesday.

The City of Ottawa is investigating what it's calling an unauthorized removal of a tree in an Orléans city park in the week before Christmas.