Good news for the residents of the Township of Brock. The Durham Region and the Township have announced that the Good Doctor will be opening a telemedicine clinic in Beaverton. The clinic will be available by appointments to those without a family doctor. The clinic will be open three days a week and will be located at the Lakeview Manor and will have an office with a separate entrance. The clinic is scheduled to open before the end of 2024.

The Good Doctor has been serving communities across Ontario since 2015 and is covered by OHIP. The way people of Ontario buy alcohol is set to change later this week. On Thursday, over 4,000 licensed convenience stores across the province will officially be allowed to sell beer, cider, wine and other ready-to-drink cocktails. The plan released by the provincial government was originally scheduled to come into effect by 2026. However, earlier this summer, the plan was moved up to September 5th of this year.

The expansion of alcohol sales into convenience stores and other grocery stores fulfills a pledge that the Ford government ran on in the 2018 election campaign. Canada’s Transportation Minister, Pablo Rodriguez, says he’s going to get to the bottom of a delay that stranded VIA Rail passengers for over 10 hours in Quebec over the long weekend. VIA Rail said in a statement that passengers were stuck on Saturday when a train broke down between Montreal and Quebec City after experiencing two consecutive mechanical issues. VIA Rail also said that there were no buses available to offer passengers  alternative transportation. A meeting will be held later this week between VIA Rail leadership and Rodriguez to discuss the issue.

Like many communities in Canada, the town of Georgina is gearing up for the annual Terry Fox Run. It’s the 44th year of the run. The first run in Georgina was organized in 1982 by Mayor Bob Johnson. Lori Carriere has headed up the local organization in recent years. She says that the day is about fundraising and so much more. To me, it’s a really inspiring day.

“You know, we do it because we want to honor all those that have fought cancer, all those that fight cancer, and all those that have survived. And at the same time, you know, it’s important to celebrate them. And that’s why we do it, is we want to celebrate all those that, you know, never give up and know that anything is possible if you try. Over 40 years, residents across Georgina have raised more than $768,000 for cancer research.”

Along with declaring July 28th Terry Fox Day, the town of Georgina has named a 3.8 acre park near Woodbine and Old Homestead Road after Terry Fox. It was the last long weekend of the summer and the Ontario Provincial Police were busy keeping drivers and the streets safe. The OPP issued over 2,000 fines between Friday and Monday, including over 900 speeding tickets and about 50 impaired driving fines. On top of the 2,000 fines that were issued over the long weekend, the OPP also handed out over 400 warnings.

The Paralympic Games are in full force in Paris, and Canada now has two gold medals. The latest gold medal was won by Cody Fournier in men’s 200m wheelchair racing. The 35-year-old from Victoria, British Columbia transitioned into the sport in 2020 after moving away from wheelchair rugby. Fournier put up a career time of 37.64 seconds to win the gold. With the win, Canada now has 12 medals total, which puts the country 24th in overall medal count. 

Motorcyclists will be off on the roads this weekend from the town of Georgina. The Mayor’s annual charity motorcycle ride and poker run will be heading out on a four-hour tour Saturday from The Rock at 10 a.m. Mayor Margaret Quirk says proceeds from the event will be going to Sutton Legion Branch 356. In 2016, we dedicated this ride to the Legion and for various efforts that they have. And this year, again, they’re putting the money towards their veterans banners, which we all like to see to be able to honor those that served our country in the various wars and conflicts. Registration forms and more can be found at the Town of Georgina’s website, georgina.ca.ca. 

The Ontario government will be investing $6 million over the next six years to help the craft cider market. The announcement was made by Agriculture Minister Rob Flack. The investment is part of the government’s Grow Ontario plan and the $6 million investment will help stimulate the long-term growth in Ontario’s craft cider sector, enhance consumer awareness of Ontario’s craft cider products, and accelerate the ability of our cideries to take advantage of new market opportunities. 

As expected, the Bank of Canada cut key interest rates yesterday for the third straight time. The key interest rate now sits at 4.25%. The announcement was made by the Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklum at a press conference. Macklum was quite pleased with the economic growth of 2.1% in the second quarter of 2024. Macklum said that if the economy continues to go the way it’s going, Canadians can expect another rate cut October 23rd when the Bank makes its next announcement.

The York District School Board is looking for feedback from students, parents, and community members on the draft of their long-term accommodation plan. The plan runs from 2024 through 2029 and aims to help keep community members informed about what’s going on in the board. The plan covers things like an overview of student enrollment, capacity at schools, along with any changes that may be coming. If you want to provide feedback or review the plan, there is an online survey up on the school board’s website. They will also be holding an information session at different schools during the month of September. 

The director of an animal rescue charity based out of Chatham, Ontario is asking for people to seek local help for injured wildlife that they may come across. This comes after two men picked up a black bear cub in northern Ontario over the Labor Day long weekend and drove it 10 hours south to Windsor in their vehicle. The two men found the injured cub in the middle of the road around the Cochrane, Ontario area and thought that bringing it to Windsor was the best course of action. The two men took care of the animal and fed him Taco Bell on their trip. The injured cub is now in Huntsville, Ontario and is in custody of a bear rescue organization. 

Another key piece for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is stepping down from his post. The Liberal National Campaign Director Jeremy Broadhurst is resigning as we get ready to head into an election cycle sometime within the next year. Broadhurst released a statement saying that after talking with his family, he has decided to leave the Liberal party as of September 30th. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolly did speak with reporters yesterday and thanked Broadhurst for his service. The party has not made a public statement about a potential replacement.

Investigators with York Regional Police have charged 54-year-old massage therapist Philip Lau from Georgina with a single count of sexual assault. The victim first reported the crime after visiting a massage clinic on Yonge Street near Savage Road. The accused is believed to work at multiple clinics in Newmarket and in Richmond Hill, and the police also believe that there may be other victims out there and are encouraging any victims of sexual assault to come forward once safe to do so.

Ontario is reporting a case of rabies in a person. It is the first time that a human has contracted the virus in the province in over 50 years. According to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kieran Moore, the person is believed to have contracted the virus after direct contact with a bat. The person that contracted the virus is in the northern part of the province. Some animals that are known to carry rabies include foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats. According to officials, if you are scratched or bitten by any of these animals, you should seek medical attention right away. 

A Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued for a 36-year-old woman who is wanted in connection to a shooting that took place in Toronto over the long weekend. Officers responded to a call in the area of Eglinton Avenue West and Times Road on September 1st. The victim was a 37-year-old man from Brampton who suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to a Toronto-area hospital where he later died. Police are asking anyone with information to reach out to them or Crime Stoppers.

A Pefferlaw woman will be fighting for her first World Boxing Association title later this month. Melinda the Whip Wapool turned professional in boxing in 2022 and has won six straight fights and finally gets the opportunity to compete for the WBA international middleweight title at the Pickering Casino on Friday, September 20th. Wapool will be taking on Natasha the Nightmare Spence, a woman who she has defeated before. Tickets to the fight are still available and can be purchased through Melinda. You can contact her by emailing melinda.wapool at gmail.com. 

Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygaard has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty on four counts of sexual assault back in November. Nygaard does have credit for time served, which means the now 83-year-old will serve just under seven years in prison. Originally, Nygaard’s lawyer was seeking a six-year sentence, which would have allowed Nygaard to serve just under two years in a provincial prison. After the sentencing yesterday, Nygaard’s lawyer said that her client will be appealing the conviction and the sentence. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a new Liberal employee. Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney has been appointed to a Liberal Party task force that has been charged to focus on economic growth ahead of the next federal election. Carney led the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 before leaving to become the Governor of the Bank of England. Carney is thought of very highly within the Liberal Party, and there has also been speculation that Carney could take over as the party leader before the next federal election.

Georgina Fire & Rescue will be teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association during this year’s Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Week will be next month during the first week of October and Georgina Fire & Rescue will be educating people about the importance of having a working smoke alarm. Some tips that Georgina Fire & Rescue have for you right now include making sure that your smoke alarms are working by hitting the test button on them at least once a month and to replace your smoke alarm every 10 years. For more fire safety tips you can visit georgina.ca slash fire. 

The Ontario government is investing almost six million dollars in 85 projects that are designed to help economic growth in rural areas across the province. The announcement was made yesterday at a press conference by Ontario Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson. The funding for these projects will be coming from the government’s Rural Economic Development Program. Thompson said that the Rural Economic Development Program is just another example of how the government continues to ensure that small towns and communities share the economic growth of Ontario.

If you are planning on flying anywhere anytime soon you may run into some headaches. Air Canada is preparing to suspend operations if a new deal cannot be reached with their pilots. Canada’s top airline and the Airline Pilots Association continue to negotiate when it comes to pilot wages. Air Canada pilots are looking to be paid on par with their American counterparts. The earliest that Air Canada could start suspending operations is September 15th. The union representing pilots would require 72 hours to issue a strike notice if a deal isn’t reached by the 15th.

Postponed because of rain last Saturday, the Mayor’s motorcycle ride and poker run is set to leave the Civic Center parking lot this weekend. Kickstands go up on Saturday at 10 a.m. in a fundraiser for the Sutton Legion. Town of Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk says the route this year will be spectacular under Saturday’s sun. “We’ve developed a good route. We’re heading out towards the the west side of things. We’re going out towards Hockley Valley. So we’ll have a nice ride out through there and come back. It’s a little bit longer so it’s probably a four and a half to five hour ride this time and we’ll be back to the Legion mid-afternoon for a barbecue.” They’re running a bit of a silent auction and they’ll have a 50-50 draw. Funds raised by the ride go to the Legion’s Remembrance Banner Program. 

The Ontario Government is investing over $26 million to build a new training centre at Liuna 183’s Skilled Trades Campus in Vaughan. The funding for the investment is coming from the Government’s $224 million Skills Development Fund that Premier Doug Ford announced back in June of 2023. With the investment, the training centre will be able to train an additional 50,000 new workers for in-demand careers in construction such as bricklaying and concrete finishing. 

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Polliève announced that he plans to put forward a non-confidence motion as early as possible once Parliament resumes. This announcement comes just one week after the NDP ended their supply and confidence agreement with the federal government. Polliève is looking to put the motion forward in hopes of triggering an early election. The Conservative leader will still need help from the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois in order to send Canadians to the polls early. As of right now, the next election is scheduled for the summer of 2025.

A former teacher and hockey coach from Stouffville has been convicted after sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy during private hockey lessons between the years of 2016 and 2022, according to York Regional Police. 40-year-old Kelvin Chook-Ho Lee was convicted on two counts of sexual interference against a child under the age of 16 on September 6 in a Superior Court of Justice, according to police. Ho Lee has been out on bail but has a sentencing hearing at the end of November. Ho Lee has held camps all over Ontario and York Regional Police believe that there may be other victims and are encouraging any other victims to come forward. 

Toronto Police are asking for the public’s help to identify two suspects who have been targeting elderly people in an ATM scam across the GTA. The scam involves one of the suspects shoulder-surfing to obtain users’ PINs and then creating a distraction while the other suspect takes their card and immediately goes to another ATM and withdraws the funds. Police did release a picture of the two suspects and believe that they have been involved in several other scams. Police are reminding the public to always be aware of your surroundings when at the ATM and also to bring someone with you to the debit machine and always be in control of your debit card. 

Air Canada is pushing for government intervention as contract disputes continue between Canada’s largest airline and their pilots, although Ottawa does have confidence that the two sides can come to a deal by the deadline. As we reported earlier this week, the pilots that work for Air Canada are looking to be paid on par with their American counterparts. According to Air Canada, those demands are unreasonable and cannot be met. If a deal cannot be reached by Sunday, then both sides will be in position to issue a 72-hour strike or lockout notice

Georgina is getting ready for their next council meeting on Wednesday and there are some important issues that are going to be discussed. On the agenda includes topics like an update on affordable housing and the homelessness resolution plan from the council meeting back in March. Council will also provide an update on the potential to allow installation of temporary patios within the public road allowance. If you want a full list of what will be discussed at the meeting, you can visit Georgina.ca.

An arbitrator has awarded Ontario physicians a 10% pay increase for the first year of their future contract. Currently the Ontario government and the Ontario Medical Association are in negotiations on a four-year contract. However, the arbitrator was instructed to set the pay increase for the first year of the deal while the two sides hammer out the rest of the contract. The OMA originally wanted a 5% pay increase plus 10% for inflation catch-up. The Ontario government counted with 3%. The arbitrator said that the 3% that the government was offering is unrealistic since it is very close to what the nurses were awarded and nurses don’t have to worry about the overhead cost of running a practice. 

A man is in custody after what officials are calling an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump. According to police, Donald Trump was enjoying a round of golf at one of his golf courses in West Palm Beach, Florida when secret service spotted an AK-style rifle in the bushes with a scope. Secret service then opened fire towards the bushes but the suspect was able to escape in a black Nissan. Police were able to track down the suspect thanks to a witness that saw the incident and snapped a picture of the license plate. There is still very little information known on the situation and an investigation is ongoing. Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance took to Twitter to inform the public that the former president was safe.

In order to improve street safety in Georgina, the Town has updated its Safe Street Policy. The updated policy comes with the installation of five speed cameras. In a media release, Mayor Margo Quirk said the goal of the updated policy is to improve road safety and keep everyone safe. Each of the five wards will receive one camera, which will rotate throughout community safety zones. The exact location of where the speed cameras will be will be announced 90 days before they are installed. 

Premier Doug Ford is defending his government’s choice to accelerate their accessible alcohol sales plan. This comes after the Ontario Liberals slammed the decision. As part of the Ontario government’s plan, they cut a check to the beer store for $225 million to help secure jobs, according to Doug Ford. The Ontario Liberals were not happy with that, saying that the funds could be allocated elsewhere and accused the provincial government of rushing the expansion of alcohol sales for no reason. The Ontario Liberals, with the backing of the Green Party, have now asked the province’s Financial Accountability Officer to investigate the decision, which the Financial Accountability Officer has agreed to do. 

There won’t be any disruptions when it comes to air travel after all. Last week, there was the threat of a pilot strike, as the pilots for Air Canada and Canada’s biggest airline were locked in a contract dispute. However, at the last minute, a deal was reached when Air Canada offered a four-year deal that comes with a 4% pay increase annually over three years, plus a 26% upfront pay boost along with other benefits. The agreement is tentative and has yet to be ratified.

It may be September, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a good food truck. The newest food truck in Georgina had its grand opening on September 7th. Kristin Coffley spent $30,000 and was able to open his brand new truck with all equipment and permits required in record time. Now, the Last Rodeo BBQ food truck is open to the public and sits at the Maxi Marina parking lot in Pfefferlaw, ready to feed locals and any tourists that may pass by. If you want to see the Last Rodeo’s full menu before heading out for a bite, you can visit them on Facebook. 

Ontario is proposing giving pharmacists the ability to treat even more minor ailments and allowing them to administer more vaccines. In Ontario, pharmacists have been able to treat some ailments since 2023 as a way of taking pressure off the healthcare system. Now, the provincial government is looking to add to the list of what you can go to your local pharmacy for. Some of the ailments that the provincial government are considering allowing pharmacists to treat are swimmer’s ear, fungal nail infections, minor headaches, and more. According to the Minister of Health, Sylvie Jones, you may also be able to get your shingles vaccine at your local pharmacy, among other shots. A spokesperson for Jones says that this is all part of the government’s plan to improve access to care across the province. 

Things just keep going from bad to worse for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal party. The latest blow comes in the form of a lost by-election in a Montreal riding. The Liberals held that riding for most of the last century. However, the Bloc Quebecois took over the riding in a narrow victory. This is the second time in four months that the Liberals lost what many considered to be a stronghold for them after giving up St. Paul’s in Toronto over the summer.

There is still very little information about yesterday’s shooting because the two victims next of kin have not been notified, meaning the police can only release so much information. As we reported yesterday, police responded to reports of gunshots at Bayview Park in Keswick just before 7.30am. When police arrived, they found two adults with gunshot wounds, and the two adults were pronounced dead on scene. Police did say that the incident was isolated and that the public faced no immediate danger.

Blockades were set up for several hours while police investigated the situation. York Regional Police are now asking anyone that may have witnessed the homicide to contact Crimestoppers. A new hockey season is around the corner and the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to see changes. This time, the Leafs along with the rest of the Maple Leafs sports and entertainment group will have a new head boss. Bell Canada Enterprise and Rogers Communications are currently partners in ownership of the company. However, Bell has sold their 37.5% shares to their main competitor in Canada, meaning Rogers Communications now owns 75% of the company. According to Bell, the main reason for the sale that totaled $4.7 billion is to pay off debt and to help Bell transition from a telecommunications company into a tech company. 

The federal government will be tightening the number of international students that will be allowed to come to Canada next year. The announcement was made by Canada’s Immigration Minister, Mark Miller. Miller first announced the restrictions back in January to combat Canada’s housing and affordability issues. According to Miller, about 20% of international students apply for extensions to remain in the country. The cap on international students for this year will be $485,000. That includes both new students and those that are seeking to remain in Canada.

More information has come out about the shooting that occurred in Keswick earlier this week. On Wednesday morning, police responded to reports of gunshots at Bayview Park. We now know that the victims that were pronounced dead on scene were 21-year-old Riley MacDonald and 39-year-old Mark Sutcliffe of Keswick. York Regional Police also announced that a pair of men from Barrie are facing first-degree murder charges. The accused are 21-year-old Ethan Passack McNeil and 19-year-old John McKay. The relationship between the accused and the victims is still unknown, but police did confirm that this was an isolated incident. Anyone with more information on the incident is being asked to leave a tip at the Crimestoppers website. 

It was somewhat of a positive fiscal year for Ontario. Yesterday, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney released the numbers and it was almost a balanced budget for the province. The original projected deficit was $1.3 billion. Ontario did finish in the red but at a much lower number, coming in at $600 million. Revenues were up by $1.6 billion from what was expected at the time of the budget release, largely due to the revenue brought in from international student tuition. That was offset by the fact that Ontario brought in less money when it came to taxed revenue. Canadians will not be headed to the polls this fall after all. 

With politicians back in Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poliève announced that he was going to table a non-confidence motion in hopes of triggering a carbon tax election. Earlier this week, Bloc Quebecois leader Yves François Blanchet said that his party would support the current Liberal government because this motion has no substance to it and is basically a vote to get rid of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Yesterday, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh also voiced his support for the Liberals, despite pulling out of the supply and confidence agreement last month.

Orange has a new landing pad. The Provincial Healthcare Transportation Service will be using a new helipad built in East Gwillimbury for landings and takeoffs. The one-year pilot project helps replace the helipad lost when the Buttonville Airport was closed down. Jeremy Watts, the Acting Chief of Paramedic Services in the York Region, says that the new site near Davis Drive and Woodbine will serve many. Orange is able to actually land, whether it be for connecting with some of our crews through 911 calls that require rapid transport, or also better access for patients of Southlake, either entering some of the specialty programs there that are coming from areas north of here, or for patients that require transport. The new helipad is built in an industrial area where York Region has centred many of its northern services, including paramedics and police. 

New Liberal Ontario leader Bonnie Crombie took a verbal shot at Premier Doug Ford in a campaign style speech over the weekend, saying that under the Ford government, the people of Ontario are surviving, not thriving. The Ontario Liberals were in London, Ontario on Saturday for their annual meeting. The focus on the meeting this year was centred around being prepared if the provincial government calls an early election. During her speech, the former Mayor of Mississauga kept her pledges generic, saying that she will do more for healthcare, education and housing, but didn’t get into any details on policy. 

The federal government is pledging $151 million to help eradicate polio internationally. The announcement was made by International Development Minister Ahmad Hassan at a news conference in Toronto. This announcement was made just one month after Palestine officials reported the first case of polio in 25 years in Gaza. The $151 million will be used to help provide vaccines to children worldwide, which includes more than half a million kids in Gaza

Residents in the York Region will have to slow down on regional roads going forward. York Regional Council announced that they have decreased the speed limit of six more regional roads to help minimize collisions. In Georgina, Woodbine Avenue from Metro Road North to Lake Drive East has been reduced from 50 kmph to a maximum of 30. New speed limit signs will be placed at each location where the limit was reduced with the word new on the sign for the first 60 to 90 days of the new limit being in effect. If you want more information on which roads will have reduced speed limits going forward, you can visit york.ca slash traffic safety. 

The Ontario government began defending a controversial law in court yesterday. In Ontario right now, hospitals can discharge patients to long-term care homes that they don’t want to go to. If the patient refuses, they can face fines of up to $400 a day. The Advocacy Centre for the Elderly along with the Ontario Health Coalition are arguing that this law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada, while the provincial government disagrees. The controversial law was passed through legislation back in September of 2022, bypassing public hearings. So far, there is no publicly known date as to when the decision on this case will be made. 

It is a busy week for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just one week after Parliament resumed. The Prime Minister appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night. Justin Trudeau is currently in New York getting ready for the 78th gathering of the United Nations General Assembly. The assembly will happen tomorrow morning, the same day that the Liberal government is expected to face a motion of non-confidence that will be put forth by the official opposition. According to all reports, the motion will be shot down with no problem, with both the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP announcing they will support the Liberal government.

Expect delays in Georgina beginning on Monday. A section of pole lock east of Woodbine will be closed for construction purposes. Construction workers will be on the clock for the project Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm. The work on the road that will be done includes many different things such as road shoulder rehabilitation and the installation of new steel beam guide rails. Detour signs will be in place for the entire project and the whole thing should take about six weeks. If you want more information on the project, you can visit georgina.ca. 

Ontario’s Ministry of Education is investigating the Toronto District School Board after a field trip turned into a protest. The announcement was made by new Education Minister Jill Dunlop. On September 18th, multiple students from across different schools in Toronto attended the Grassy Narrows River Run, which is an event that supports the Grassy Narrows First Nations and their efforts to address mercury pollution in their community.

The school board did issue a statement on Friday, saying that this was supposed to be an experience for students to hear from Indigenous voices about what goes on in their community. The Toronto District School Board has since apologized for the situation and said that they will be reviewing their field trip policy. 

Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poliev has officially put forward a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons in hopes of bringing down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government. This comes as current polls show that Canadian support of the federal government is at an all-time low. Poliev is also looking to strike while the iron is hot, as just two weeks ago NDP leader Jagmeet Singh ripped up his party’s Supply and Confidence Agreement with the federal government. The motion will be voted on later today, although it is expected to be shot down with both the leader of the Bloc Quebecois and NDP saying that they will continue to support the Liberal government.

Joseph Moncada was appointed the new chief executive officer as well as the director of library services. According to a press release from the Georgina Public Library board chair Bobby Sabatini, Moncada has an impressive background in both the private and public sectors and brings experience as well as a passion for libraries. Most recently, Moncada was at the Oakville Library. Moncada will effectively step into his new role as of October 15th. 

The Ontario government announced that they are exploring the possibility of tunneling under the 401 from Scarborough to Mississauga. Premier Doug Ford was holding a press conference in Etobicoke and brought up the idea of creating a new tunnel for drivers in transit underneath Canada’s busiest highway to help fight gridlock in the GTA. The project is still in the planning stages and the Ministry of Transportation will continue to investigate the possibility. One thing that Doug Ford did say is that these tunnels would not be told. 

There is a new recall in Canada. Danone Canada, the biggest yogurt company in the country, is recalling their Kirkland Signature probiotic and are asking people to avoid eating it. According to the company, there are concerns that the product may cause illnesses and immunocompromised people. The product in question is sold at Costco in 24 packs of 100 gram servings. If you are in possession of any of these products, you are being asked to return it to Costco for a full refund.

Monday is the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Every September 30th, the Town of Georgina joins the country in honoring First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children who never returned home from residential schools and those who survived. Town of Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk says it’s a day to remember and to educate. The town staff will be doing a workshop, a lunch and learn with Jake Charles, who will be coming out. If you go to the libraries, they’ll have displays and books. The Town of Georgina, in partnership with the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, will hold a fly-raising ceremony at the Civic Centre Monday afternoon at 3.30. The concert landscape in the GTA is set to change, at least for the next few years. 

Yesterday, Live Nation announced that a temporary, stadium-sized seasonal concert venue would be opening up in Toronto’s North End and would hold about 50,000 people. Rogers Stadium will open next summer at the old Downsview Airports land. It’s unclear how long the stadium will be there, but it will eventually be torn down to make room for a new mixed-use development. 

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Polliève continued his quest to try to bring down the Liberal government. A second non-confidence motion was tabled by the official opposition in the House of Commons, just one day after the first motion was defeated 211-120, largely due to the NDP and Bloc Québécois standing with the Liberal government. The new motion blames the current government for the doubled cost of housing, taxed food, punished work and the high crime rate. A successful vote of non-confidence would send Canadians to the polls in the fall. The vote on this motion is scheduled for Tuesday next week.

Ontario’s Environment Ministry says that the next steps for a project that will help keep pollution from reaching Lake Simcoe will be announced shortly. The province first announced funding for the project back in 2022, setting aside $24 million for the Holland Marsh Phosphorus Recycling Plant. Two years later, shovels still have not been put into the ground. Earlier this week, when asked about a potential start date for construction, Ontario Environment Minister Andrea Cajun did not have a date in mind.

The Ontario government has been facing scrutiny since Premier Doug Ford announced that his government would look into tunnelling under the 401 to help fight congestion in the Greater Toronto Area. Many people on social media asked what the point of tunnelling under the 401 was when the privately owned 407 was just sitting there hardly ever used. The Premier was asked that very question over the weekend and responded by saying that the provincial government did consider buying back the privately owned highway before making the announcement of the 401 project in the coming years. Ford proceeded to say that his confidence in the plan to tunnel under the 401 to build an express highway and public transit was at an all-time high. 

Yesterday was National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada and residential school survivors took the opportunity to ask the federal government to reverse their choice of cutting their funding and provide more money to help find unmarked graves of students that went to residential schools.

Back in 2021, the federal government put aside $210 million after a First Nations group said that they found preliminary findings of over 200 unmarked graves of children that went to a residential school in British Columbia. In the most recent federal budget, only $91 million have been put aside over the next two years.