Amanda Roe, a research scientist working for Natural Resources Canada at Sault Ste. Marie’s Great Lakes Forestry Centre (GLFC) is a dedicated fighter of the invasive species known as the Asian long-horned beetle, which attacks maple trees in particular. Roe spoke with SooToday ahead of Invasive Species Awareness Week, which takes place Feb. 22 to Feb. 26. Invasive species are organisms (including insects,…
Facing enormous, sustained levels of stress, many are thinking of leaving the profession Eram Chhogala works as an emergency department registered nurse at two hospitals in Toronto. In the last year, she’s sat by the bedsides of dying COVID-19 patients and consoled their families. She’s comforted colleagues and self-soothed with meditation and prayer. At the same time, she’s seen a…
SASKATOON — A Saskatoon Uber driver says a construction sign damaged his vehicle and put him out of work for a week. Tarik El Makaoui’s dash-cam footage from Feb. 8 shows a sign on 2nd Avenue North, held up by a sandbag, propel into the road and hit the front of his car. “It was shocking, my customer was scared…
OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget office says it could cost the federal government up to $15 billion to compensate First Nations families and children impacted by the child welfare system, as well as denials or delays of essential services. The figure updates the budget office’s initial estimate to include thousands more children, parents and grandparents who would qualify for the…
WINNIPEG — A Manitoba enforcement official was assaulted while on duty in Winnipeg, according to the province’s latest COVID-19 enforcement update. The province said the incident happened last week and is currently being investigated. Manitoba noted that actions like this won’t be tolerated. “The province recognizes personnel across various agencies who enforce public health orders,” the Manitoba government said in…
Dubbed problem properties, homes that have been abandoned and used for drug labs or squatting have been a longstanding issue in Edmonton’s core The City of Edmonton launched a $1.5-million pilot program Tuesday morning to help non-profit organizations convert problem properties into affordable housing. Organizations will be eligible for up to 40 per cent of construction costs for the redevelopment…
Whether underwater or above the clouds, British Columbia is absolutely stunning. That’s exactly what Gordon More illustrated with the project he’s been working on during the pandemic: a three-minute-long video of breathtaking BC sceneries. More obtained his drone licence from Transport Canada and then visited parts of BC and Alberta last summer. When the second wave of the pandemic hit,…
Pedestrian safety along the Southbank Promenade is the focus of a new Victoria Police operation, targeting speeding cyclists, electric bike and scooter drivers. Southbank Promenade is a busy CBD thoroughfare, designed to be used by both bike and scooter riders, and pedestrians at a speed limit of 10km per hour. Operation River Run will see the Melbourne Bike Patrol and…
A troubling incident involving Indigenous protesters and the Vancouver Police Department is making rounds on social media and will undergo review by the VPD’s Professional Standards Section. Over the past week, an organization called Braided Youth has been protesting in downtown Vancouver; the group consists of Indigenous youth from the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories. According to the Union of British…
OTTAWA — Ottawa police say a Montreal man is facing charges after officers stopped an allegedly stolen SUV early Thursday morning. Police have been warning of increasing thefts of high-end vehicles in Ottawa, with more than 35 so far in 2021. There were 200 vehicle theft reports in Ottawa last year involving mostly Lexus and Toyota SUVs and trucks. Five vehicles…