News

TORONTO — Ontario should be prepared for “tougher times” amid global economic disruption, but the government won’t slash public sector jobs to buttress the budget amid uncertainty, the finance minister is signalling ahead of Thursday’s fiscal update. Other provinces have recently braced against the economic headwinds by forecasting record deficits, raising taxes and cutting front-line […]

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his health minister are defending the decision to shutter more supervised drug consumption sites. Two weeks ago, the province notified seven supervised consumption sites that it would be pulling their funding, with sites set to close by mid-June. Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province will not reconsider […]

TORONTO — Ontario’s health minister says she is “disappointed” the federal government has left provinces and territories on their own to set rules for publicly funding nurse practitioners. Ottawa has clarified that nurse practitioner services equivalent to what physicians provide are covered by the Canada Health Act’s requirement that medically necessary services are publicly funded, […]

GATINEAU — The Competition Bureau says it has reached an agreement with Welltower OP LLC to address competition concerns related to its proposed deal to buy Amica Senior Lifestyles. A review by the competition watchdog had found that Welltower’s purchase of the Amica properties would likely result in a substantial lessening of competition for retirement […]

TORONTO — Ontario is planning to temporarily expand HST rebates on the purchase of new homes, in a bid to boost a struggling home construction sector. The government previously introduced rebates for first-time homebuyers on new homes valued up to $1.5 million, with homes valued at $1 million or less qualifying for the maximum amount […]

How athletes competing on the world stage are funded was just one piece of an omnibus report on the state of Canadian sport, but a key one given the country’s performance at the recent Winter Games. Of the 98 calls to action in the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report issued Tuesday, increased […]

TORONTO — Jesse Marsch watched his players go through warm-up drills on a chilly, windswept pitch. “Be sharp,” the head coach of Canada’s men’s soccer coach bellowed as his charges darted back and forth. Just over 90 minutes later after concluding a blustery, Tuesday practice session on Toronto’s northern border, Marsch was pleased — key […]

TORONTO — Toronto police say they are banning protests on residential streets of a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood in the city’s north end, calling the move a “reasonable limitation” to the Charter-protected right to freedom of assembly. Police say the decision was made in response to “increased volatility and heightened fear” in the area of Bathurst […]

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he believes the information and privacy commissioner, who is speaking out about changes he is making to freedom-of-information laws, is “politically driven.” The government announced this month that records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their offices will no longer be subject to public disclosure. Ford […]

TORONTO — The City of Toronto and Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment unveiled several new upgrades to Toronto Stadium ahead of the 2026 World Cup, including the completed addition of 17,000 seats, the new pitch and major hospitality upgrades. Four LED boards at each corner of the stadium, an upgraded control room, an isolated sound […]