The Parliamentary Budget Officer has reignited the ongoing debate surrounding Canada’s carbon pricing policy. In a clumsy recent report, the PBO outlines the projected financial costs and benefits to the average family, but critics warn it overcounts theoretical burdens and fails to account for direct impacts on households and the economy generally.
Climate change is already inflicting significant economic damage on individuals and could cost Canadians annual GDP losses of $35 billion by 2030.
In a landmark ruling, the Ontario Court of Appeal has ordered the reevaluation of a legal challenge brought by seven young environmentalists regarding the PC government’s carbon emissions policies.
They argue Doug Ford has infringed upon their Charter rights, posing serious risks to the health and future of Ontarians.
New charges have been brought by the U.S. Justice Department, against an Indian government agent who allegedly planned the assassination of a Canadian-American citizen and orchestrated last year’s murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was gunned down in British Columbia.
The latest indictment adds to American media reports linking India’s BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to startling covert operations in North America aimed at destabilizing the Sikh community, including those advocating for more autonomy in India.
In a 9-4 vote Council approved the recommendation of a citizen’s task force to increase the wages for elected officials by nearly $10,000, starting next term, to bring them closer to other similar sized municipalities.
While council members argued the increased pay could attract a more diverse range of potential candidates, the claim is not borne out in the data.
The loss of these trees is a blow to the mental health of a region already grappling with stress and isolation.
Across the GTA greenspaces are giving way to the rapid development altering neighbourhoods from Burlington to Oshawa.
Credit Valley Conservation and the Greenbelt Foundation are joining forces to bridge funding gaps left by the Doug Ford government. Through a new partnership, they aim to enhance local ecosystems over the next 18 months, and engage 200 volunteers in planting native trees, removing invasive species and restoring habitats within the Credit River watershed, fostering a deeper connection between the next generation and the natural world.
Despite community efforts to save one of the few recreational facilities in St. Catharines, a new agreement between the municipality and a developer signals the end of the Walker Family YMCA.
A 15-foot Trojan Horse will be taken to over 60 hospitals across the province as a symbol of the deceptive transfer of control from Ontario’s beloved universal healthcare system to the private clinics proliferating and prospering under Doug Ford.
Unions in Ontario’s healthcare sector are calling on the PC government to halt payments to private clinics and redirect the funds back into the public system.
For the first time since it launched a cull of the double crested cormorant in 2020, the PC government has provided basic statistics on the number of birds killed—but only for a single season, and without explaining how the data was gathered.
By the PCs own admission, interest in killing this native species is waning, so why is the Ontario government still allowing hunters to kill 15 of them a day without any science to back up such a hunt?
On Monday the RCMP released bombshell information about the danger Canadian Sikhs face at the hands of the Indian government, which the Mounties described as “criminal activity orchestrated by agents of the Government of India, and consequential threats to the safety and security of Canadians and individuals living in Canada.”
Brampton’s large Sikh community has been on edge for more than a year as members who support religious and cultural autonomy in India now face the possibility of being targeted, just like community advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down outside a Surrey, B.C. Gurdwara last year. American evidence suggests the Indian government ordered his killing.
Niagara Region councillors were warned just over a month ago that without further investment into the municipal water and wastewater system, infrastructure failure was all but inevitable.
That fear has become a reality. With budget discussions ongoing, an equipment failure at the decades-old Fort Erie pumping station led to the spill of over 5,000 litres of raw sewage into the Niagara River.
Premier Doug Ford has proposed to dig a tunnel beneath Highway 401 to help solve the GTA’s congestion woes. It’s a plan that would cost tens of billions; would do nothing to solve congestion issues, according to experts; and most concerning, highlights the PC government's disconnect from the climate reality facing a world that needs to reduce its reliance on single occupancy vehicles.
Hurricane Milton has unleashed devastation across parts of Florida, just days after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across six states, marking one of the deadliest hurricane seasons in recent history.
More than 4 million Canadians visit Florida each year and they account for almost $100 billion in economic activity there; for those who invest in real estate, concerns mount about the safety and viability of these properties in the face of climate-driven natural disasters.
St. Catharines council members have asked for a staff report about the potential for setting up a lobbyist registry in the City to offer residents more transparency on what is happening behind the scenes at City Hall. If the Niagara Region’s history is any example, it could be a bumpy road getting there.
A Niagara-on-the-Lake resident is demanding an investigation into the board of the public library following the firing of the municipality’s chief librarian. In a complaint filed with the Town’s integrity commissioner, it is alleged Board members and Chair Daryl Novak violated a number of library policies and the Code of Conduct.
The evidence is clearer than ever—the PC government’s Highway 413 project will cause irreversible environmental destruction to Peel’s watersheds. A new report paints a grim picture of the future for three key GTA water courses should the controversial highway be built.
Ontario schools for the deaf and blind have faced allegations of abuse and mismanagement for years. The PC government has refused to acknowledge the evidence, or investigate problems that have led to $23 million in payouts for legal settlements with little transparency to the taxpayers forced to cover the negligence.
Will the new person in charge of the ministry finally take action?
After a failed 2022 effort to increase wages for councillors in line with municipalities of a comparable size, a citizen task force proposes a hike of more than 35 percent for the next council term; councillors will receive a long promised operational report on forestry services that were almost eliminated after the Mayor’s 2024 budget proposal; and staff comes up with an “innovative” incentive program to deal with flooding.
A new report highlights a $21 million gap in the ability of Ontario’s largest school boards to provide critical outdoor education for young learners.
The cost amounts to less than a tenth of a percent of the PC’s education budget, but the government refuses to answer questions about whether it will protect funding to strengthen the relationship between young people and the environment that surrounds them.
A five-year test phase for e-scooters is nearing its end, leaving it in the hands of the PC government to determine the future of these micro-mobility machines in Ontario. Disability advocates are hoping the government will finally listen to their warnings about the risks—many of them played out across Brampton, where a pilot program has come under fire.
Controversial programs that have come under fire for providing taxpayer dollars to fund luxury condo developments in Niagara Region have been extended for another 18 months.
A previous audit found these grants and “incentives” provide little benefit to the Niagara taxpayers forced to pay for them.
The elimination of funding by the City of St. Catharines for a critical homelessness outreach organization will have devastating impacts on one of the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Nominations closed in West Lincoln with five candidates certified for the November 4th by-election; Chris Dabrowski to be sworn in at October 1st Niagara Falls Council meeting.
The litany of policy changes made by the PC government have stripped environmental protections to the bone. In their place, policies that favour sprawl and ignore smart growth strategies of the past have been enacted. The Ontario Headwaters Institute wants municipalities to support a new Charter for Watershed Security to try and safeguard our valuable natural assets.
After a startling staff report landed before council earlier this month, outlining the dire state of Niagara Region’s critical infrastructure, councillors had little choice but to approve necessary investments to keep things running smoothly.
Also, what’s the truth behind the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award recognition the Region has received 12 years running?
Controversial incentives for developers funded by taxpayers are back on the regional agenda. While some councillors are pushing to extend the programs, without justification through an informed staff report, others have expressed concern about the burden these programs place on taxpayers, often without delivering what developers promise in return.
The leak of a thick black toxin continues into the Welland River despite repeated complaints from the public and ongoing investigations from both the City of Niagara Falls and the provincial environment ministry.
While the leak causes known and unknown harms to the environment, the two levels of government are starting to squabble over who is responsible for cleaning it up.
It’s an unprecedented time in Niagara Region politics as three area municipalities deal with council vacancies. West Lincoln has called a byelection for November; Niagara Falls quickly chose to appoint a new member behind closed doors.
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has yet to decide how to fill the empty council seat left by the departure of Nick Ruller.
For nearly four years, Cassandra Harvey was trafficked by three different men. They beat her, sexually assaulted her, took the money she earned and racked up debt in her name.
She’s now fighting back and sharing her story, to help other survivors like her, while educating government agencies working to eradicate this devastating crime.
As 2025 budget deliberations commence, a recent written warning from the Federal Department of Environment and Climate Change and a blunt presentation on the state of Niagara Region’s water and wastewater infrastructure, will have Regional Councillors considering mistakes of the past.
The ongoing failure to adequately invest in critical, aging assets now leaves taxpayers on the hook for the tens of millions needed to keep pumping stations operating and pipes flowing.
In Niagara Region and across the rest of the province, residents will have to cope with a deteriorating health care system under the PC government. The disturbing findings of an extensive study by some of the largest public sector unions in the country add to concerns about widespread burnout among healthcare professionals, unprecedented closures of emergency rooms and wait times far beyond provincial targets.
From birth to around the age of four, the building blocks for a healthy emotional life are established. Parents, along with other immediate caregivers, are the key to establishing a comforting, supportive environment for babies, toddlers and young children, whose brain chemistry is being constructed. How this architecture is shaped in the first few years greatly influences the future life of adolescents and young adults, many of whom are struggling with unprecedented rates of anxiety and depression.
An increasing number of children and youth suffering from trauma, addiction and violence are not getting the help they desperately need from the system designed to help them. This has led to a growing number of complaints about Ontario’s children’s aid societies, which have exposed a fractured system whose underfunding is putting more young people at risk.
After City staff recommended reducing Welland Council from 12 councillors to 6, elected officials have hit the pause button to find out if residents want to shrink the size of their local governing body.
Other comparable municipalities have two to five times more constituents per councillor.
Freedom of Information.
What exactly does that mean in St. Catharines? The City has reports detailing the extent of the toxic stew underneath the GM site on Ontario Street; why has it refused to make those reports public?
Last week Ontario’s biennial mental health and well-being survey of 10,000 students in grades seven to twelve was released by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Its findings are not surprising, but they are disturbing. Many young people are struggling with anxiety, depression and other signs of poor mental health. What are the root causes, and how can we collectively help a generation that often feels helpless?
With “the sole objective to reduce the cost on the taxpayer”, Welland City Council will consider whether to reduce its council size from 12 councillors to 6 and the mayor for the 2026 election.
The City of Niagara Falls launches a collaborative budgeting initiative for Parks and Recreation projects to gain citizen input. However, if service cuts are to come in 2025, this department could be first to see reductions.
Elaine and Randy Moore are the key to electric vehicle takeup. They do not describe themselves as keen environmentalists, the early adopters who bought into the electric vehicle market years ago; or innovators, those that have to have the latest technology and gadgets as soon as they come out.
They are part of the roughly 85 percent of Canadians who will enter the green vehicle market only when it makes sense to them. Their recent trip to Florida in their new mid-size electric SUV was the first test of the decision they made to go green.
The Professor Emerita and author has studied mammalian parenting during her acclaimed career at the University of Notre Dame. Since retiring four years ago from lecturing on developmental psychology and neurobiology, Narvaez has focused her energy on public education.
The Pointer speaks with her about the challenges young people face, and how a return to earlier developmental upbringing could help stem the forces pushing in on children and youth today.
Despite years of complaints over the treatment of its animals, Marineland has never been found guilty of animal cruelty. But now the theme park has been fined for failing to fix significant issues with the enclosures for their black bears.
The Pointer conducted a Q&A with the Executive Director of Animal Justice, who addressed the implications of the convictions, what may lay ahead for Marineland and animal welfare legislation in Ontario.
Six weeks after local environmental advocates reported a toxic spill into the Welland River, it appears the substance is still leaching into the environment.
Despite efforts from City and Ministry officials, a source has yet to be identified, although tracking has led back to nearby industrial business parks.
Council members in St. Catharines will once again be discussing proposed changes to the city’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP) which provides taxpayer dollars to developers to assist with getting projects off the ground.
Welland is moving quickly to open an emergency shelter for next year, while in West Lincoln it’s been over a week since a by-election was declared, but not a single candidate has stepped forward to register.
Ten supervised consumption sites have been ordered to close after Minister of Health Sylvia Jones announced during the 2024 Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa the Province will be banning sites within 200 metres of schools and childcare centres.
Despite clear evidence of the positive impacts of these sites, the PCs also said they will be introducing legislation in the fall that will prevent any future sites from opening, raising questions about two such locations Peel Region planned to open in Mississauga and Brampton.
The PC government claims Highway 413 will begin construction next year. It’s an unlikely timeline based on an examination of studies that must be done and the fact that basic design of the 59-kilometre highway has yet to be completed.
A recently released recovery strategy from the federal government for an endangered species could put another serious hurdle in the path of the PC government’s controversial pet project.
The tree canopy target, critical to many of the city’s environmental goals and the health of its residents, has been reduced.
Municipal staff estimate the 260,000 trees needed to meet the new target is achievable, but will the numbers add up to a similar impact as the original plan, with serious consequences for St. Catharines if it fails to maintain a protective natural canopy.
As the number of unhoused people in municipalities across the province continues to rise, Ontario’s Big City Mayors have launched a campaign called ‘Solve the Crisis’.
The growing problem in their backyard needs a coordinated effort by upper levels of government, mayors say. A new provincial ministry with designated funding specifically to tackle homelessness, is a starting point.
The premature approval of zoned land for 35,000 homes in Caledon will have devastating impacts on the habitat for nearly 25 species at risk, an analysis by The Pointer has found. The disregard for environmental protection is being facilitated by a PC government that refuses to fix the department responsible for protecting the habitat of vulnerable wildlife.
During a rare summer parliamentary committee meeting, members of the House of Commons status of women committee left sexual assault survivor and advocate Cait Alexander in tears after she shared the intimate details of her story with MPs, only to be sidelined by a chaotic display of political sparring after Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld railroaded the discussion on Alexander’s horrific experience to debate an abortion rights motion.
It has been projected that ten thousand new students, mostly from abroad, will enroll at the University of Niagara Falls over the next 5 years.
No detailed housing strategy has been developed by the post-secondary institution or the City, raising concerns about where the international student body is going to live in Niagara Falls in the midst of a housing crisis.
A by-election to replace West Lincoln councillor Terry Bell is to be held November 4th.
A critical piece of land in Niagara Falls is moving closer to development, despite hesitation from council and residents.
