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Ontario housing minister to make announcement amid talk of Peel’s future

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

Ontario’s housing minister is set to make an announcement later today amid reports the government is considering reversing course on dissolving the Region of Peel.Paul Calandra has reversed several big government moves since he took over the housing portfolio in September after his predecessor resigned amid the Greenbelt scandal.The government passed the Hazel McCallion Act in the spring to dissolve Peel Region, which is made up of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.The act fulfilled a promise Premier Doug Ford made to the former longtime mayor of Mississauga that it would stand as an independent city Related: Peel dissolution will leave Brampton with $72 million deficit every year: new report Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has recently said the dissolution would cost more than $1 billion and leave his city with no choice but to raise taxes.Mississauga mayor and new Ontario Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie wants Peel to dissolve and has questioned the accuracy...

Guilbeault hails ‘monumental’ COP28 deal, others warn of ‘dangerous distractions’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s environment minister is hailing what he calls the “monumental” outcome of the United Nations climate summit. It’s the first time the summit of nearly 200 countries has collectively agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.Minister Steven Guilbeault says Canada played a leading role in solidifying the deal agreed to on Wednesday to close out COP28 in Dubai. The language of the agreement is stronger than a draft floated earlier in the week, though many warned it was undermined by loopholes. Liz McDowell, senior campaigns director with environmental group Stand.earth, says the deal is weakened by “dangerous distractions,” such as leaving the door open to so-called transitional fuels, and failing to commit wealthy countries to finance the energy transition. The federal government made several announcements during the two-week summit, unveiling its emissions cap for the oil and gas industry and draft regulations t...

LeBron James says ‘moment was everything’ seeing son Bronny’s debut for Southern Cal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — LeBron James didn’t get the same break as his Los Angeles Lakers teammates after they won the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.The superstar went back to LA from Las Vegas on Sunday to watch his oldest son, Bronny James, make his collegiate debut for Southern California nearly five months after going into cardiac arrest during a workout.The Lakers had another day off before returning to the regular season with a 127-125 loss at Dallas on Tuesday night. James didn’t miss a beat, finishing with 33 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.“It was everything for my family,” James said of his detour back to California. “It was just an emotional, draining day, from the time we all woke up to the time the buzzer hit zeros.”After getting a pat on the rear from his dad before the opening tip, Bronny James had four points, three assists and two rebounds while playing 16 minutes in an 84-79 overtime loss to Long Beach State.The son didn’t greet his fath...

Caledon man on parole arrested as police seize $30,000 worth of drugs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

Police say a Caledon man on parole for drug trafficking offences has been arrested after officers seized $30,000 worth of drugs, money and other items during a traffic stop in Richmond Hill.York Regional Police investigators say an officer stopped a vehicle in the area of Leslie Street and Minthorn Boulevard near Highway 7 around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 1.Police say the driver gave a fake name, failed to comply with his federal parole and had cannabis in his possession.After searching the vehicle, police found more than 200 grams of suspected cocaine packaged for sale, suspected fentanyl pills, more than 800 grams of illicit cannabis, around $5,000 in Canadian currency, three cellular phones and several bottles of alcohol.Police say the street value of the drugs is estimated to be worth more than $30,000.Tharshun Sivasubramaniam, 34, has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine), possession of a controlled substance, obstructing a peace officer and possession o...

H&R REIT selling downtown Toronto waterfront property for $232.5 million

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

TORONTO — H&R Real Estate Investment Trust has signed a deal to sell a downtown Toronto property to George Brown College and Halmont Properties Corp. for $232.5 million.The property at 25 Dockside Dr. is located on the city’s waterfront and is substantially leased to Corus Entertainment.The real estate trust says net proceeds from the sale will be about $168.0 million and is expected to be used to repay debt and fund its current developments.H&R also says it will pay a special distribution of 62 cents per unit including 52 cents that will be payable in units and 10 cents in cash.It says the special distribution is principally being made to distribute to unitholders the taxable income realized by the REIT from transactions in 2023. Following the special distribution, the units of the REIT will be consolidated so that unitholders will hold the same number of units as before the special distribution. It says the amount of the special distribution payable in units will inc...

Bonnie Crombie says Jan. 12 will be her last day as Mississauga mayor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

Bonnie Crombie says January 12 will be her last day as Mayor of Mississauga. Crombie says in her resignation letter posted to social media on Thursday morning that she will continue to work with city council to pass the 2024 budget and ensure a “smooth and orderly” transition. Mississauga City Council is expected to declare her seat vacant and begin plans for a byelection at its Jan. 17, 2024, meeting. “For nearly a decade I’ve had the honour of serving the residents of Mississauga as their Mayor and before that, as the Councillor for Ward 5,” Crombie said in her letter. Today I tendered my resignation as Mayor of the @citymississauga. My last day will be January 12. It’s been an honour of a lifetime to serve the people of #Mississauga for over a decade. I hope to continue to give back and do great things for our city as @OntLiberal Leader. pic.twitter.com/IG3sZksJLg— Bonnie Crombie (@MayorCrombie) December 13, 2023Crombie was elected the new lead...

After legal disputes and death threats, Montreal suburb deer cull to go ahead in 2024

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

LONGUEUIL, Que. — A Montreal suburb says its long-awaited cull of nuisance deer in a local park will finally go ahead in the fall of 2024.Since 2020 activists have tried to stop the City of Longueuil from going through with its plan, with successive mayors receiving death threats over the issue.But after a series of legal disputes, city officials confirmed today it will permit a controlled crossbow hunt to reduce the deer population at Michel-Chartrand Park to between 10 and 15 from 117 at last count.The city has warned that the white-tailed deer are contributing to road accidents, increasing the risk of Lyme disease in residents, and travelling to nearby areas to seek food.Quebec’s Court of Appeal in October upheld a decision authorizing the crossbow hunt, after animal rights organizations and activists fought the plan in court.Mayor Catherine Fournier says the final price tag to cull the dear is unclear, but she says the legal fight has already cost the city $375,000.This re...

Scotiabank increasing North American focus, could exit some foreign markets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

TORONTO — Scotiabank chief executive Scott Thomson says the bank is increasing its focus on North America and wealth management as part of its new growth strategy.Thomson says the bank will be either exiting Central America and Colombia, or turning the businesses around without the use of more capital, while overall it will direct 90 per cent of incremental capital to priority businesses in North America. The pullback is part of a longer-term trend at the bank, which has already left 25 higher risk regions over the past decade. To boost its returns in Canada, he says the bank will work harder to build more “primary relationships” where customers use Scotiabank for day-to-day banking and other products as part of a shift from volume to value.He says the bank, which has already confirmed some branch closures, lags its peers on deposits and clients per branch.The updated plan is the result of a review Thomson launched as part of coming on as CEO of the bank In February. Thi...

Hunter Biden defies Republican subpoena in visit to the Capitol, risking contempt of Congress charge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden on Wednesday defied a congressional subpoena to appear privately for a deposition before Republican investigators who have been digging into his business dealings, insisting outside the U.S. Capitol that he will only testify in public.In a rare public statement, the Democratic president’s son slammed a GOP subpoena requesting closed-door testimony, saying it could be manipulated. “Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say,” Biden said outside the Capitol. “What are they afraid of? I am here.” Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has said Republicans expect “full cooperation” with the private deposition. He has indicated that the House would swiftly charge Biden with a contempt of Congress charge if he did not cooperate. For months, Republicans have been pursuing an impeachment inquiry seeking to tie President Joe Biden ...

Geminids meteor shower peaks this week under dark skies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:08 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The year’s best meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks this week. Skygazers may see as many as one or even two a minute streaking across dark skies. The meteors will reach their frenzy Thursday. But Wednesday night should provide a cosmic spectacle as well.The moon is waning so that will make for prime viewing anywhere in the world where skies are clear and in spots without light pollution. NASA urged observers to look everywhere in the sky since meteors don’t come from any particular direction. Between 60 and 120 meteors are expected every hour at peak time, weather permitting. NASA meteoroid expert Bill Cooke said he loves that the Geminids have a greenish hue as they speed across the sky and burn up. Most meteors appear to be colorless or white depending on their chemical makeup. Green usually comes from oxygen, magnesium and nickel.Most meteor showers originate from comets. But the Geminids come from the sun-orbiting asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Either way, wh...