Ottawa Valley Santa Claus parades return after three years
Santa Claus made his long awaited return to the Ottawa Valley, featuring in no less than three Christmas parades Saturday for the first time in three years.
The Cobden Santa Claus parade went Saturday afternoon, where Melanie Ly and her family, who moved to Cobden during the pandemic, got their first festive valley experience.
"We've been counting down the days for the parade so we are very excited," Ly said to CTV News.
"We've been able to do the farmer's market, which has been great, but other than that we haven't done very much. This will be our first big event out."
Renfrew County has been deprived of many large community events due to the pandemic, but the Santa Claus parades returned in full spirits for the first time since 2019.
"I think our main goal was to get the community back together after three years and people feeling comfortable and experiencing that Christmas parade again after a few years," said Andrea Runtz, who helped organize the Pembroke Santa Claus parade Saturday.
Despite the weather not setting the Christmas mood—with double-digit positive temperatures and sunshine—65 floats registered for Pembroke's retro-themed parade.
"I think old movies was definitely a big one," said Runtz.
"I know we have a float that's doing a National Lampoon's Christmas, old cartoon characters that were in childhood Christmas movies, so I think people are taking that theme and going back to their childhood Christmases and what was popular to them back when they were kids."
Santa's final stop in the Ottawa Valley Saturday was in Arnprior.
"You hear lots of comments about it on the street so I think everybody is ready for it," said Glenn Arthur, organizer of Arnprior's parade.
Fifty-five floats registered for the town's longest festive parade to date, which raised donations for the local food bank and paid tribute to former organizer Theresa Charron, who has since passed.
"A big pair of shoes to fill, without a doubt," said Arthur.
"Once the parade gets rolling, it will feel like Christmas is coming."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Advocates come together to help sailors stuck for months on tugboats in Quebec port
Groups that advocate for seafarers are expressing concern for 11 sailors who are spending a harsh Quebec winter aboard three tugboats that have been detained for months in the port of Trois-Rivières.
Canadians Drake, Michael Buble, Tobias Jesso Jr. among early Grammy winners
Singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. became a first-time Grammy Award winner at the pre-broadcast ceremony where fellow Canadians Michael Buble and Drake also picked up trophies.
Tiny wines find home in B.C.'s market, as Canadians consider reducing consumption
Wine lovers have growing options on the shelf to enjoy their favourite beverage as producers in B.C. offer smaller container sizes.
Canada sends military aircraft into Haiti's skies as gang violence escalates
Canada has sent one of its military planes to Haiti to help the country cope with escalating violence. A joint statement today from National Defence Minister Anita Anand and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canada has deployed a CP-140 Aurora aircraft to help 'disrupt the activities of gangs' in Haiti.
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.
31,000 cards: Montreal woman passing along father's extensive collection of Expos baseball cards
A Montreal woman is passing along her father's extensive collection of over 31,000 Expos baseball cards. April Whitzman's father, Steve Whitzman, collected the cards from 1969 to 2016. A huge Expos fan, he's got every player covered.
Four Americans, two Canadians fined $50K for illegal moose hunting in northern Ont.
An investigation that lasted almost two years has resulted in moose hunting violation convictions for six people and a lodge in Red Lake in northwestern Ontario.
Charles Kimbrough, best known for role in 'Murphy Brown,' dies at 86
Charles Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on “Murphy Brown,” died Jan. 11 in Culver City, California. He was 86.
China has reasons to keep cool after U.S. downs suspected spy balloon
China may respond to the U.S. shooting down its suspected spy balloon after warning of 'serious repercussions,' but analysts say any move will likely be finely calibrated to keep from worsening ties that both sides have been seeking to repair.
Atlantic
-
The Big Thaw: Burst pipes, water damage wreaks havoc on Maritime homes
After one of the coldest days in years for most of the Maritimes, temperatures were up significantly Sunday. Now, after the big chill came the big thaw -- and a flood of calls for local plumbers.
-
Eastern Canada cold snap ends, but thousands in N.S. and N.B. still without power
Cold weather alerts that blanketed eastern Canada for the past two days have largely lifted, but some Nova Scotians and New Brunswickers remain without power due to outages caused by the frigid temperatures and high winds.
-
Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team investigating death of N.B. man: RCMP
New Brunswick RCMP has requested the Nova Scotia Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) conduct an inquiry after a man died during a police response Saturday.
Toronto
-
Fatal hit-and-run on the Danforth now considered a homicide
Toronto police are now saying that a fatal hit-and-run on the Danforth is being treated as a homicide.
-
Calls grow to declare Toronto homelessness a public health crisis after extreme cold
Councillors in Toronto are set to consider keeping warming centres open 24-7 for the rest of the winter amid growing calls for homelessness to be declared a public health crisis in the city.
-
Historic trees at Toronto's Osgoode Hall spared until Feb. 10 following interim injunction
The historic trees on the chopping block at Osgoode Hall in downtown Toronto will live to see another day.
Montreal
-
Montreal conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin scores two Grammys
Montreal conductor and pianist Yannick Nézet-Séguin scored two Grammys for his classical works Sunday evening. Nézet-Séguin won best opera recording for "Blanchard: Fire Shut Up In My Bones," and best classical solo vocal album for "Voice Of Nature - The Anthropocene."
-
Advocates come together to help sailors stuck for months on tugboats in Quebec port
Groups that advocate for seafarers are expressing concern for 11 sailors who are spending a harsh Quebec winter aboard three tugboats that have been detained for months in the port of Trois-Rivières.
-
Work overload causing a rise in suicide risk among veterinarians
While the crude suicide rate in Quebec in 2021 was about 13.3 per 100,000 people, it was almost three times higher among veterinarians. No fewer than 15 suicides have been recorded in 15 years by the Quebec association of veterinarians (AMVQ).
Northern Ontario
-
Sudbury cellphone sale goes wrong
Greater Sudbury Police Service say it has charged a man and a woman with multiple offences following the investigation into an online ad selling a cellular phone.
-
New study highlights increasing prevalence of muscle dysmorphia among Canadian boys, young men
Canadian researchers are drawing attention to the increasing prevalence of 'a pathological pursuit of muscularity' among Canadian boys and young men, with a new study that found one in four were at risk of developing what's known as muscle dysmorphia.
-
Saturday night stabbing in Sudbury leaves one in hospital
A teen is in hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries following an incident in the Greater Sudbury community of Coniston Saturday evening.
London
-
London Lightning brings awareness to violence against women
London Lightning players looked a little different at their game Sunday, turning in their yellow jerseys for purple ones to bring awareness to the issue of male violence against women.
-
‘#ChooseToInclude trending in Canada’: Local Special Olympians benefit from donut sales
Kerry Cloney is getting in some extra bowling practice as she prepares for her next provincial tournament.
-
COVID-19 outbreak at Seaforth Community Hospital declared over
The inpatient unit at Seaforth Community Hospital has reopened to admissions and transfers following a COVID-19 outbreak on the unit.
Winnipeg
-
‘Those are memories you retain for a long, long time.’: Main and Matheson Salisbury House up for sale
An iconic remnant of a beloved Manitoba restaurant chain is now on the market.
-
'Come home to mama': Family seek help in finding missing 14-year-old girl
The family of a 14-year-old girl missing for the last two weeks in Winnipeg is putting out a desperate plea for information.
-
Former Elmwood-Transcona MP to run in Portage-Lisgar
Lawrence Toet has joined the list of candidates seeking the federal Conservative nomination for the Portage-Lisgar riding.
Kitchener
-
Most read stories of the week: Conestoga Mall robbery, house explosion hearing, cancelled Valentine's Day
An armed robbery at Conestoga Mall, a hearing on a 2018 Kitchener house explosion, and a school cancelling Valentine's Day round out the most ready stories of the week.
-
Woolwich man arrested for alleged death threats to local MP
Waterloo regional police have arrested a Woolwich man after death threats were allegedly made to a local Member of Parliament online.
-
Waterloo region residents out enjoying warmer temperatures following cold stint
The arctic-like cold has come and gone and temperatures are on the rise.
Calgary
-
'Absolute nightmare': Calgarians call attention to the children unable to leave Ukraine
A group of Calgarians gathered along Memorial Drive Sunday to draw attention to what they call "disgusting" treatment of Ukrainian children.
-
Calgary firefighter bounces back after removal of volleyball-sized tumour
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, and Saturday, on World Cancer Day, many shared their stories in the hopes of helping others.
-
Canadians Drake, Michael Buble, Tobias Jesso Jr. among early Grammy winners
Singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. became a first-time Grammy Award winner at the pre-broadcast ceremony where fellow Canadians Michael Buble and Drake also picked up trophies.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon city greenhouses on the verge of being condemned: report
Saskatoon will no longer supply its own flowers for its summer flowerpots and garden beds, according to a report before city councillors this week.
-
Sask. man dead following snowmobile collision
A person is dead following a snowmobile collision near Candle Lake early Sunday morning.
-
'A big part of my childhood': Regina student brings Lego to life through stop-motion animation
Jayson Reddekopp has been a Lego collector since he was a kid. Now in his second year of university, he’s bringing his passion to life using just his Lego pieces and an iPhone.
Edmonton
-
Woman stabbed in confrontation at grocery store
RCMP are investigating after a woman was stabbed in a Red Deer grocery store on Friday.
-
Local family preserving and passing on culture through dance
A Métis family is showing off their culture through dance, giving people a chance to enjoy it while also preserving it.
-
'I was begging the man to help': Off-leash dog attacks German shepherd in northeast Edmonton
A dog required emergency surgery after what its owner described as a vicious attack Friday evening in northeast Edmonton.
Vancouver
-
B.C. masseur appeals convictions for sexually assaulting female clients
A masseur's appeal of three convictions for sexually assaulting female clients has been partially successful – with one of the guilty verdicts being set aside by B.C.'s Court of Appeal.
-
Vancouver program that pairs mental health nurses and police to get funding boost
A $2.8 million grant from the City of Vancouver to the local health authority will help expand a program that pairs police officers with mental health nurses in the city.
-
Rescued dog gives birth to 7 healthy puppies in Kelowna B.C.
A dog that was rescued after being found chained to a wall in a Kelowna basement has given birth to seven healthy puppies, according to the B.C. SPCA.
Regina
-
'A big part of my childhood': Regina student brings Lego to life through stop-motion animation
Jayson Reddekopp has been a Lego collector since he was a kid. Now in his second year of university, he’s bringing his passion to life using just his Lego pieces and an iPhone.
-
Over 40 dogs found in Fort Qu'Appelle home, court documents show
Two men from the Fort Qu'Appelle area were found guilty of causing distress to animals in a dog hoarding case.
-
Mischief charges laid after fire extinguisher set off in business: Regina police
Two youths were arrested after allegedly causing mischief in Regina’s downtown early Saturday night.