TransLink is offering free travel to passengers on New Year's Day. TransLink is offering free travel to all users from 5pm on December 31 to 5am on January 1. During these times, the gates at SkyTrain and SeaBus stations will be open. Users will not need to use their Compass Cards or other payment methods.

However, users will be charged if their journey begins before 5pm. Buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus will operate additional services on December 31. For more information, visit the TransLink website.

 

 

New studies say that warm winters will become more common in Canada. This is due to climate change. The report also says that the phenomenon of Lost Winter Days will increase in the coming years. Lost Winter Days are days when the minimum temperature does not fall below zero degrees Celsius even in winter.

The report says that countries across the Northern Hemisphere are losing winter days due to climate change caused by the burning of oil, coal and methane gas. The report also says that warmer winters will affect people and the environment. This may adversely affect winter sports and those who make a living from them.

Climate Central also found that 20 percent of regions in Canada experience about a week more cold temperatures per year than countries without climate change. The regions are British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.

 

 

The Canadian dollar has fallen against the US dollar. The value has fallen to 0.70 US dollars per Canadian dollar. This is the first time the Canadian dollar has fallen this much since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.

The Canadian dollar has fallen after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned after a disagreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The federal government had revealed a fiscal deficit of $61.9 billion for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. It also raised the deficit target by more than $20 billion. The Canadian dollar is facing depreciation in the context of the still-existing threat of US President-elect Donald Trump to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Canada. The US dollar has strengthened further since the US election in November. The depreciation is likely to be driven by political uncertainty following the sudden resignation of the finance minister from the cabinet, as well as the Bank of Canada's decision to cut interest rates, said Douglas Porter, chief economist at the Bank of Montreal.

 

 

According to a weather report by WX-Now, which tracks extreme weather in the world, Canada topped the list of the 10 coldest places on Earth on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Deadman Valley in the Northwest Territories is the coldest place on Earth at -44 degrees Celsius. Norman Wells, Lindbergh Landing, and Yohin in the Northwest Territories are second and third, respectively. British Columbia and Alberta also made it into the top 10. Fort Nelson (36 degrees Celsius) and High Level (35 degrees Celsius) were also the coldest places on Earth on Tuesday morning. Extreme cold warnings are currently in effect for Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon.

You can visit this link for a full list of the coldest countries in the world.

 

 

The Alberta Motor Association has launched an awareness campaign to educate owners and drivers about the dangers of towing vehicles. Vehicles are often towed by companies that are involved in accidents or improper parking. The campaign is being launched because car owners are being exploited on a large scale in such situations. The campaign is called Know Before the Tow.

There are allegations that such companies often charge a high price for towing vehicles. Following this, the campaign clarifies five things that drivers should know. Vehicle owners or drivers have the right to refuse unsolicited towing services. Unless instructed by the police, you have the right to choose who to tow your vehicle to and where. The owner or driver has the right to remove personal belongings from vehicles that are being towed at essential times. This must be during the towing company's operating hours. The campaign also makes it clear that the vehicle owner has the right to know how much the service will cost before the service is provided.

 

 

Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has resigned after a disagreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Chrystia reportedly resigned after a disagreement with Trudeau over tax policy during a meeting before Trump took office on January 20.

She announced her resignation in a letter to Trudeau on Monday. The BBC reported that Chrystia wrote in the letter that the two had a difference of opinion on the best path for Canada. She also pointed out that Trump's strong economic nationalism is a serious challenge facing the country. But she decided to resign after Trudeau told her that she was not interested in continuing as the government's top economic adviser

 

 

IRCC asks international students to resubmit their documents. The request to resubmit essential documents, including study permits, visas, marks, attendance records, etc., has raised concerns among international students, especially those with visas that last up to two years.

The resubmission of documents comes in the context of Canada's strict policies to control the influx of international students. The government is considering strict financial requirements and discussions on setting a cap on student admissions. The largest number of international students in Canada is from India. More than 420,000 are studying in Canada. This is far more than the number of Indian students studying in the United States, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

 

Children in Canada are more soft-hearted and less able to cope with adversity, according to a survey. A Scouts Canada survey found that those aged 10 to 21 are more soft-hearted and less able to cope with various types of crises that they may face in the future. The survey also found that most Canadian parents are concerned about this.

The survey said that social media channels, screens, video games and helicopter parenting are causing dangerous changes in children. The survey was conducted with 1,000 Canadians. Almost 100 per cent of those polled said that the Covid period has negatively affected the development of children in all aspects. Parenting styles of different generations also influence character formation. It is very difficult to be a parent these days, says Dr. Ashley Miller told Global News that when asked which province was the best for raising children between the ages of 10 and 21, 36.5 per cent said Ontario was the best. B.C. was the second best province, with 16.6 per cent saying it was.

 

Canadians' patriotism plummets, study finds A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute also suggests that citizens have lost an emotional attachment to the country in recent years. In recent years, citizens have been losing emotional attachment to their country. The survey, which began in late November and surveyed more than 4,000 Canadian adults, found that only 34 per cent said they were very proud to be Canadian.

In a 2016 survey, 52 per cent of respondents expressed patriotism. This is a 44-point drop from a 1985 survey by marketing research firm Envionics. Meanwhile, in 1991, 65 per cent of respondents said they had a deep emotional attachment to Canada. That figure had fallen to 62 per cent in 2016. By 2024, it had fallen to 49 per cent. These numbers suggest that Canadians feel that the country is not living up to their expectations.

It is clear that the lack of wage growth, housing and rent problems are all affecting people. Even those who are proud to be Canadian have low household incomes. 65 per cent of those earning more than $200,000 a year are proud of Canada. 48 per cent of those earning less than $25,000 are proud of the country.

 

 

Vancouver City Council is taking steps to make the municipality a "Bitcoin-friendly city." The city council has passed a resolution to this effect. The goal is not to immediately allow cryptocurrency transactions. Instead, it is currently examining its potential.

The resolution was approved on Wednesday. Mayor Ken Sim introduced the project as a resolution. Two Green councilors opposed the project. However, many others were ready to speak in favor of the resolution. Mayor Ken Sim said that Bitcoin has performed best as an investment in the last 16 years. Therefore, it is not right to not think about the potential of Bitcoin. Transactions in Bitcoin will be accepted soon. Therefore, Ken Sim clarified that we should think about whether we should lead in this area or follow others.

 

 

 

The Liberal government in Canada will begin a GST/HST holiday on Saturday. The government announced plans last week to cut federal sales tax on many items, including food and restaurant meals, and provide more than 18.7 million Canadians with $250 in the spring. The proposed GST holiday will last two months.

The plan will provide significant relief to Canadians on the cost of some essential goods. The bill implementing the tax break passed the Senate and was approved on Thursday. Customers do not have to do anything to get the tax break. GST or HST will not be charged at the time of purchase. The tax holiday will apply throughout the supply chain. In provinces that have implemented the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), this tax will also not be charged at the time of purchase. Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island have unified sales taxes.

 

 

Maidgood brand granola bars have been recalled in Canada after metal presence was found. Maidgood said that the presence of metal was found in some granola bar products manufactured between January and November 2024 and sold across Canada, and that it is being automatically recalled because it is recognized as a risk.

No injuries have been reported among those who used the products at this time. The company said that those who purchased the products can return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. Visit the Maidgood website to learn more about the recalled products and to learn more.

 

 

Maria Padagdag, a Woodbridge resident, felt sorry for a woman who was traveling in a taxi and went to help her when she ran out of money. But it was only when she lost her money that Maria realized it was a scam. Maria lost $14,000 in this scam. The fraud occurred in early August. The incident took place in a parking lot.

Maria says the woman approached her asking for help because she didn't have money to pay for the taxi. She took out her debit card and punched her PIN into the machine. The woman said the driver had given her $10 and left. But four days after she got home, she received a call from her bank saying $14,000 had been withdrawn from her account. She told the media that it was only then that she realized she had been scammed. Maria is a customer of Bank of Montreal. She immediately contacted the bank. The bank responded that the case had been resolved as part of their routine process. Maria said she had been refunded the full amount.

Toronto police have been warning the public about the rise in taxi scams. So far this year, more than 800 cases have been reported, with losses of more than $1.6 million. Police said that people who approach them for help should not give out debit cards, as the fraudsters will return fake cards and keep the PIN number. They will later withdraw money from the card. Therefore, the police warned people to be careful not to fall for such scams.

 

 

The world's largest AI data center will be built in Alberta. The center is planned to be built in northwestern Alberta. The cost is expected to be about $70 billion. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the municipal district and O'Leary Ventures, led by Canadian billionaire Kevin O'Leary.

The project, called Wonder Valley, will be located primarily in the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG). GIG and O'Leary Ventures have signed an agreement to purchase and develop thousands of acres around GIG for the project. Greenview MD Reeve Tyler Olsen said this is an investment in the future of Canada's innovation and economic expansion. He said that this is a step that will create lasting benefits not only for his municipality but also for the surrounding communities and the country as a whole. According to O'Leary, "This will also enable hyperscalers to generate 7.5 GW of electricity at a low cost in the next five to ten years. Hyperscalers are large-scale data centers that can provide cloud computing and data solutions.

The project is intended to be implemented in phases. The first phase will generate 1.4 GW of electricity, with the goal of generating an additional one gigawatt each year after that. The first phase is expected to cost about $2.8 billion. A total investment of more than $70 billion is expected for infrastructure, power, data centers and related structures.

 

 

The family of an Indian security guard who was killed in Edmonton had only been on the job for three days. Singh was shot dead by two men around 12:30 am on Friday. Singh succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Harshandeep Singh, a native of Haryana, came to Canada on a student visa a year and a half ago. Family members also informed that Harshandeep Singh was a student of Norquest College. Singh's parents are from India. The mother and sister have not been informed about the death of Harshandeep Singh till now. Family spokesman Gagandeep Singh said the aunt and uncle, who live in Winnipeg, returned to Edmonton after learning of Singh's murder.

Police arrested Evan Rein (30) and Judith Soltoks (30) in connection with Singh's death. They were charged with first degree murder. A CCTV footage of the incident is being circulated but the police is not ready to clarify its authenticity.

 

 

A survey finds immigrants in Canada losing financial confidence. The study was conducted by Interac Corporation.

61 percent of immigrants arrive in Canada confident that they can secure a better financial future. However, the survey says that their confidence has decreased by 31 percent within a month of settling in. 80 percent of those surveyed say they are facing significant financial difficulties. They are struggling to adapt to the new economic situation. In addition, low salaries and lack of housing facilities are eroding their confidence. Various agencies are coming up with training programs for such people. Saskatoon is offering a program for immigrants through World System Builder. This is a financial literacy campaign targeting new immigrants.

 

Canada's unemployment rate rises. The rate rose to 6.8 per cent last month, as more people are looking for work in a weak labour market. This is the highest unemployment rate since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Statistics Canada's November Labour Force Survey. It is the highest rate since January 2017. The unemployment rate was 6.5 per cent in October.

The government said the economy created 51,000 jobs in November. But even as the economy created more jobs, the unemployment rate remained high. The number of job seekers also rose by 0.3 per cent. Canada's unemployment rate is at its highest level since April 2023. 46.3 per cent of unemployed Canadians in November had not worked in the past year. This shows that unemployed Canadians have been out of work for a longer period of time.

 

 

The Manitoba government is moving to ensure tougher penalties for those who cause an accident or death by driving under the influence of intoxicants. The Manitoba government has introduced the Impaired Driving Bill in the Legislature to provide maximum penalties for such offenders. Drunk driving accounts for 10 per cent of crashes in the province, said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

Drivers convicted of two such offenses within the last 10 years will face a lifetime license suspension. First-time offenders are subject to a seven-year drink-driving ban. The bill was introduced on the last day of the current assembly session. Further discussion on the bill will take place in the next session starting on March 5. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) welcomed the bill. There was no legislation to prevent drunk driving. But MADD Canada president Tanya Hansen Pratt said the government's move to legislate is "very welcome."

 

 

Edmonton home prices are expected to rise sharply in the new year, according to a Royale Page report. Real estate company Royale Page analyzed trends and price data for its 2025 market survey forecast. The report predicts that the average price of a home in Edmonton will increase by 9 per cent by the fourth quarter of 2025. Home prices will jump to $494,860 from $454,000 in the fourth quarter of this year.

The average price of a single-family detached home is expected to increase by 12 per cent to $554,288. Meanwhile, condo prices are forecast to increase by 8 per cent to $214,488, the report said. While Calgary has seen recent rent declines and apartment construction, the report found that more affordable housing, the real estate market and the overall cost of living are driving people to move to Edmonton.

Nationally, the average price of a home in Canada is forecast to increase by 6 per cent to $856,692 by the fourth quarter of 2025.

 

 

Real estate investors accounted for a quarter of all home buyers in British Columbia between 2018 and 2020, according to a report. The proportion was even higher among condo units. One-third of condo unit buyers were investors.

The largest number of home buyers were in Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria. Given the low interest rates and property tax rates that existed before COVID, it’s no surprise that real estate investment has increased significantly, said Tom Davidoff, associate professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. Between 2018 and 2020, more people invested in real estate than in any other investment, accounting for 16.6 per cent of total sales.

People living outside of Canada also invested in the sector. This represents 3.2 percent of total sales. Immigrants are among the investors. Experts also found that immigrant families are more likely to invest their wealth in real estate compared to other assets.

 

 

Environment Canada says most of the country will experience normal or above-normal temperatures this winter. But it also warns that the end of the season will be very different from the beginning.

The agency predicts that winter temperatures will be above normal in northern Ontario, Quebec, Nunavut, Newfoundland and Labrador. Temperatures and precipitation in other parts of the country, especially in December, could be above average. But that could change by the end of February. Climate change is causing temperatures in Canada to rise at twice the rate of global warming. The effects are most pronounced in the Arctic, according to a report by Environment Canada. The government is launching a pilot project next year to study whether human-caused climate change is causing serious environmental impacts.

 

 

An Indian student was stabbed to death in Sarnia. Sarnia police confirmed that the 22-year-old Gurazis Singh, a business student at Lambton College, was stabbed to death. A 36-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder, police said.

Police received information about Singh's stabbing at his home in the city's West End around 5 am on Sunday. By the time the police reached the spot, Singh was already dead. Investigation revealed that Singh and the accused were living together in a house sharing a room. According to the police, the accused took a knife and stabbed Singh to death after an argument in the kitchen. The police said that they now believe that there is no racial motive behind the murder.

 

 

Former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says Canada is in recession. Polos made this statement during a webinar. He said that the country is going through a recession, although it cannot be said that it is technically in recession.

A country can technically be called a recession if it experiences two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Canada doesn't have that. This is due to increased consumption due to new immigrants arriving in the country. Last Friday, Statistics Canada reported that gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.4% for the sixth consecutive quarter. Canadians are spending less as the cost of living has increased by 30% in recent years due to inflation. He added that faster-than-forecast inflation is a sign of recession. Canada's consumer debt rose to a record last quarter, according to the latest report from Equifax. Consumer debt reached nearly $2.5 trillion. A recent report by Oxford Economics suggests that the housing crisis has pushed Canada's economy into recession.

 

 

Despite changes in immigration laws, Canada has become one of the most popular countries for job relocation. Job recruitment platform JobSeeker has selected the trending places where people from all over the world want to work. For this, national and regional data were used. According to JobSeeker's analysis, Canada is the most popular country for job seekers from abroad. People from Costa Rica, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico and Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in moving to Canada for work.

In a report, JobSeeker said that Canada is taking a positive stance on immigration through the Express Entry program to address the aging population and labor demand. The report explains that Canada remains a popular destination for job relocation, with a relatively strong economy, excellent healthcare system and diverse culture.

Another country that has seen the most people looking for job relocation is Australia. People from Denmark, Indonesia and the UK are also interested in relocating to Australia for job opportunities. Switzerland and Japan are also popular destinations for job seekers.

 

A Jordanian immigrant with terrorist ties has been arrested after trying to cross the Canadian border into the United States. Mohammed Hassan Abdellatif Albana tried to cross the border from Canada and was sent back to the Middle East. This is the latest in a trend of people with terrorist ties entering the United States from Canada.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, 410 terrorists were stopped from entering the United States in the past year. 87% of them tried to enter the United States through Canada. Earlier this month, a Jordanian man was arrested for trying to cross the border illegally. He was deported to Jordan on November 15. The United States has previously expressed concern about migrants with terrorist ties on both sides of the US-Canada border. US President-elect Donald Trump has also previously criticized Canada's lax immigration controls.

 

 

Health Canada has recalled a two-in-one mini ceramic space heater with humidifier due to a fire risk. Officials said the space heater lacks a fire and heat-resistant enclosure, increasing the risk of fire.

The product, sold by the company Simnoble through Amazon Canada, is sold as a tabletop heater and humidifier unit and contains a water reservoir above the ceramic heating element to provide the humidifier function, the agency says.

It is reported that 852 ceramic space heaters were sold on Amazon.ca from July 2022 to September 2023. Health Canada has warned that anyone who has purchased these space heaters should stop using them immediately.

 

Nearly half of Canadians are dissatisfied with increasing immigration, the report said. The study was conducted by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of Canada. Most people believe that more immigrants are coming to the country than they need.

The IRCC online tracking survey was conducted over a two-week period in November 2023. This was during the height of Hamas’s Israeli attack and the subsequent protests. The survey recorded the highest anti-immigration sentiment in Saskatchewan. About 58% of people here expressed an anti-immigration stance. Opposition to immigration was highest in Prince Edward Island, 56% in Ontario, 52% in Alberta, and 48% in Canada. The study covered Canadians’ perceptions of immigration levels, the impact of immigration, Canada’s immigration system and priorities, and the settlement and integration of immigrants. While the government has proposed allowing 485,000 immigrants to Canada in 2024, 56 per cent of respondents said this was too much. 58 per cent of respondents said that instead of looking for skilled immigrants to strengthen the workforce, unemployed Canadians should be empowered to do so.

 

 

Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for parts of central Saskatchewan, including Saskatoon, on Thursday. The weather agency says wind chills near -40 degrees Celsius are expected Thursday night and into Friday morning. The warning is in effect for the Great Bend Rural Municipality, which includes Radisson and Borden; the Laird Rural Municipality, which includes Waldem, Hepburn and Laird; the Corman Rural Municipality, which includes Laird; and the Arm River Municipality. Temperatures are expected to drop significantly during the day on Friday, the weather service said.

Environment Canada is warning of health risks and caution during the extreme cold season. The public is advised to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from the extreme cold. They are also advised to monitor weather forecasts and alerts.

 

 

Canada Post has temporarily laid off striking workers. The move comes as more than 55,000 workers at Canada Post approach two weeks of strike action.

The Canadian Postal Workers Union called the layoffs a scare tactic in a notice sent to members. The union said it was reviewing the situation. The union also cited a section of the Canada Labour Code that prohibits employers from firing workers who participate in a strike in its notice to members. Canada Post spokeswoman Lisa Liu confirmed the layoffs. She said Canada Post had to make changes to its operations due to the workers’ strike. She said the Canada Labour Code states that collective agreements are no longer in effect and that the company has informed employees that the strike has changed.

 

 

Heavy snow is expected in many parts of Ontario in the coming days. Strong winds are also possible in some parts. This is due to a change in temperature over the Great Lakes.

Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell said that the change in temperature between the lake and the air is increasing the risk of heavy snowfall in the coming days. Heavy snowfall is predicted in low-lying areas of all five Great Lakes. This may cause travel difficulties. Winds are also possible at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour. As the wind changes slightly, the snowfall will also change. If the winds intensify, meteorologists warn that there will be up to eight centimeters of snow per hour, along with thunder and lightning. It is also possible that it will increase significantly on Monday. The most snowfall is likely in the north and west. The forecast is that it will be colder than average until December 10. Winter officially begins on December 21st.