Author: Silas Reed

Guelph police have been cracking down on drug use and associated criminal behaviour. Late last month, police said two deaths in the downtown were linked to possible illicit drug use.Jean Hopkins, manager of the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy, said the deaths on Nov. 8th were tragic.“In 2023, we lost at least 62 community members to substance-related fatalities and that’s the highest number of lives that we’ve lost on record, “Hopkins said.She said the number of deaths occurring in the past year really speaks to the increasing toxicity of the unregulated drug supply that’s circulating in the community.In late October, police…

Descrease article font size Increase article font size After years of safety concerns and complaints about parking at Regina General Hospital, the new parkade will officially open Monday. The parkade will include a total of 1,005 stalls – 873 stalls in the parkade and 132 surface stalls.The four-level structure will include 320 public parking spaces on the ground level of the parkade and 685 secure staff spaces on the remaining three levels.The province said the facility increases parking around the hospital by a total of 686 spots.Parking fees and payment systems for both visitors and staff will remain the same…

By The Staff The Canadian Press Posted December 12, 2024 12:45 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size The lawyer for a Mi’kmaq band that has battled Ottawa over its lobster harvest rights says a deal settling the “centuries-old” fishing dispute is nearly complete. Ronald Pink told Justice John Keith today in provincial Supreme Court that Sipekne’katik First Nation’s mediation over its treaty-based fishery off the province’s southwestern coast is “moving to a conclusion.”Band members have said their “moderate livelihood” fishery outside of the regular season is permitted by a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada…

Parents expecting this month’s Canada Child Benefit (CCB) cheques will have to wait a little while longer because of the ongoing Canada Post strike. Under an agreement between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), some benefit cheques, including the Canada Child Benefit, will continue to be delivered despite the national postal strike that reached the four-week mark on Thursday.December payments of the CCB are set to go out to eligible families who have children under the age of 18 on Friday. But those who are expecting cheques will see a one-week delay, according to the Canada…

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Calgary businesses and event planners are keeping busy this holiday season as more organizations are getting back into the tradition of celebrating the season with staff. Craig McFarlane, the founder and event host with “Passing Time with Craig,” says this is his busiest holiday season ever.“As we got into December, I have been very busy,” McFarlane explained.“(There were) some people who booked me out starting in July and August, and a few people have just reached out in the past couple of weeks realizing that they need entertainment.”McFarlane, who hosts everything from…

Several parts of Ontario are under a blizzard warning as lake effect snow squalls off Lake Huron will create conditions that will make travelling “nearly impossible.” Environment Canada says areas such as Owen Sound, The Blue Mountains, Hanover and Kincardine could be hit with up to 80 centimetres of snow over the next 24 hours.“Lake effect snow squalls off Lake Huron have developed in the wake of a strong cold front. Strong westerly winds gusting up to 80 km/h this morning will result in widespread blowing snow with near zero visibility,” the federal weather agency said in a notice Thursday.“Winds…

Descrease article font size Increase article font size The Calgary Stampeders re-signed veteran kicker Rene Paredes on Wednesday while also restructuring quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.’s deal. Calgary signed Paredes to a two-year contract extension. The Canadian was scheduled to become a free agent in February.The Stampeders acquired Adams last month from the B.C. Lions. The club and player agreed to terms on a restructured contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. 5:05 New Stampeders quarterback “The restructured contract will give us more salary-cap flexibility to sign free agents and retain our own players who will be eligible for free agency…

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted December 12, 2024 7:36 am Updated December 12, 2024 7:39 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size The union representing Canada Post workers says an unfair labour practice complaint over the company’s layoffs has been resolved. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers filed the complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Nov. 29 after hundreds of striking postal workers received temporary layoff notices while on strike.The union said in a statement issued Wednesday night that a mediated settlement has been reached that requires Canada Post to notify affected…

A 19-year-old high school student, she fled to Winnipeg in 2017 to escape the ISIS gunmen who stormed into northern Iraq and forced women and girls into sexual slavery.She thought she was safe in the Manitoba capital, and then last summer, she allegedly became the victim of sexual assault at the hands of a leader of her own community.The man accused of repeatedly trying to force himself on her behind closed doors in a darkened room, Hadji Hesso, is the executive director of the Yazidi Association of Manitoba.Hesso has rubbed shoulders with federal cabinet ministers and MPs, and attended an…

Many people living in Lunenburg, N.S., and surrounding communities were left in the dark over the weekend, after a planned power outage dragged on much longer than expected. Businesses were forced to close and some homes went without heating for hours as temperatures dropped well below freezing.Melissa Duggan said the experience was made especially difficult because both her children were sick and her daughter was recovering from pneumonia at the time.Nova Scotia Power initially told customers power would be cut off late Saturday night and be restored by 7 a.m. Sunday as part of a planned outage to improve service…