Santa Claus parades in Ottawa and eastern Ontario this holiday season

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CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Justice minister says he'll 'look at' federal policy restricting gay men from donating sperm

Justice Minister David Lametti says he will "look at" a federal policy that restricts gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, after CTV News exclusively reported on Wednesday that a gay man is taking the federal government to court over it.

Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti speaks during a news conference, Feb. 2, 2023 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Liberals table bill delaying assisted dying expansion to March 2024

The federal government is seeking to delay the extension of assisted dying eligibility to people whose sole condition is a mental disorder until March 17, 2024. Justice Minister David Lametti introduced a bill seeking the extension in the House of Commons on Thursday.

Why Delissio pizzas and other Nestle products will disappear from Canadian stores

Nestle Canada says it is winding down its frozen meals and pizza business in Canada over the next six months. The four brands that will no longer be sold in the freezer aisle at Canadian grocery stores are Delissio, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine and Life Cuisine.

Six more weeks of winter? Here are the predictions of groundhogs across North America

Will we see six more weeks of winter, or an early spring? Here’s what some of the groundhogs (and one human) have predicted so far, from coast-to-coast.

Ukraine's new weapon will force a Russian shift

The United States has answered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plea for rockets that can strike deep behind the front lines of the nearly year-long conflict with Russia. Now Russian forces will need to adapt or face potentially catastrophic losses.

As sexual assault rates rise, provinces face shortages of specially trained nurses

An assistant nursing professor at the University of New Brunswick says there is a crisis-level shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners in the country.

China accuses Canada of 'politically manipulating' with Uyghur refugee vote

The Chinese government says a motion MPs passed Wednesday to provide asylum to persecuted Uyghurs amounts to political manipulation by Canada.

Lametti says Tories exploiting tragedies 'to score political points' on bail reform

Canada's justice minister accused Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives Thursday of using tragedies such as the killing of a young Ontario Provincial Police officer 'to try to score political points.'

Australia is removing monarchy from its bank notes

Australia is removing the monarchy from its bank notes. The nation's new $5 bill will feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. But the king is still expected to appear on coins that currently bear the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Atlantic

Warnings and statements issued ahead of bitter wind chill for maritimes

On the day that Shubenacadie Sam predicted six more weeks of winter, there are warnings and statements cautioning that the coldest air of the season is about to arrive in the Maritimes.
Utility board defies Nova Scotia government, allows 14 per cent power rate hike

Nova Scotia's utility regulator has defied the provincial government and approved an average 14 per cent increase in electricity rates over two years.
Shubenacadie Sam sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter

Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam has seen her shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter.

Toronto

BREAKING
BREAKING | Toronto Pearson warning travellers of Air Canada outage

Toronto Pearson International Airport is warning travellers of an Air Canada outage currently impacting a number of operations.
Ontario releases new health-care plan to make access 'faster' and 'easier'

Ontario has released a new 'connected' and 'convenient' health-care plan aimed at shortening wait times and localizing access to care across the province.
Migrant workers sneak secret menus into Canadian restaurants to expose exploitation

Hundreds of customers who scan QR codes for restaurant menus across Canada are being surprised by secret menus instead, revealing the hidden costs behind the food they eat.

Montreal

WATCH LIVE @ 2 P.M.
WATCH LIVE @ 2 P.M. | Quebec public health to provide update on respiratory viruses

For the first time in 2023, the Quebec director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, will provide an update on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious respiratory diseases in Quebec.
Warm place to stay: Montreal opens emergency shelters due to extreme cold

The next few nights are expected to be frigid in Montreal, with wind chill factors dropping to -30. In order to prevent anyone experiencing homelessness from ending up outdoors, the City of Montreal is announcing the opening of two emergency shelters.
WEATHER
WEATHER | Extreme cold warnings blanket the province of Quebec

After an extremely mild month of January, the province is bracing for a blast of arctic air that will move in tonight and last until Saturday. Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued extreme cold warnings that covers most of the province with wind chills expected to be between -38 and -42 across the South and -50 across Northern Quebec.

Northern Ontario

OLG to unveil $48M lottery winner from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. is holding a big reveal Friday morning: the winner of a $48 million Lotto 6/49 Gold Ball draw.
'Immediately stop' wearing these sweaters and hoodies, Health Canada warns

Nearly 130,000 Helly Hansen sweaters and hoodies have been recalled in Canada due to flammability concerns.
Highway 11 closed in northern Ont. after multi-vehicle pile up

Highway 11 in northern Ontario is closed Thursday morning from Highway 66 near Kenogami Lake to Matheson after a collision involving several vehicles, police say.

London

First cold weather alert of the season issued

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) has issued its first Cold Weather Alert of the year. The Alert will come into effect just after midnight as wind chill values plunge to -23 C by midday Friday.
Fatal crash in south London

One person has died after a two-vehicle crash in south London Wednesday night. Police were called to the scene on Bostwick Road around 7:20 p.m. and say there were five people injured in total and all five were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from serious to life-threatening.
WATCH: Willie predicts an early spring

Wiarton Willie has predicted an early spring! The groundhog in South Bruce Peninsula didn't see his shadow at 8:07 a.m. on Thursday morning, meaning spring is on the way.

Winnipeg

Manitoba Merv predicts six more weeks of winter

It’s Groundhog Day, and Manitoba Merv is predicting six more weeks of winter
Province reveals new funding for Manitoba schools

The Province of Manitoba intends to spend more on K-12 schools in the province next year.
Residents trapped in Winnipeg retirement home during overnight fire

An overnight fire at a Winnipeg retirement home left some residents trapped inside the building, and sent six people to the hospital

Kitchener

Ontario releases new health-care plan to make access 'faster' and 'easier'

Ontario has released a new 'connected' and 'convenient' health-care plan aimed at shortening wait times and localizing access to care across the province.
Wiarton Willie predicts an early spring on Groundhog Day

Wiarton Willie made his prediction his spring prediction Thursday morning at 8:07 a.m. The groundhog did not see his shadow, meaning we could get an early spring.
Pickup truck used to break into a Guelph business, multiple tools stolen: Guelph police

Guelph police are investigating after they say a pickup truck was used to break into a west-end building Thursday morning.

Calgary

Sexual exploitation charges laid against Airdrie, Alta., man

Authorities say an Airdrie, Alta., man faces several charges related to the sexual exploitation of a young family member.
Woman stabbed on CTrain platform, charges pending: police

Investigators say a fight between two women at a Calgary LRT station Wednesday night left one of them with serious stab wounds.
Calgary police search for information on hit-and-run

Calgary police have released a photo of a vehicle they say may have information about a serious hit-and-run last month in the hopes of tracking down the driver.

Saskatoon

Man named in Legacy Christian Academy lawsuit faces sexual assault, exploitation charges

Saskatoon Police Services (SPS) have charged an Edmonton man with sexual assault that they say occurred at a Saskatoon faith-based school.
Man accused in Saskatoon killing uses social media to 'terrorize' victim's family, mother says

A man accused of killing his girlfriend is sending harassing social media messages to her family over social media — even though he's in jail.
A brief history of Saskatchewan's attempts to possess an official groundhog

The annual spectacle of Groundhog Day is here. However, in Saskatchewan, the prophesying event is without its central figure, an official groundhog.

Edmonton

Police find $160K in drugs in SUV's hidden compartment

Three people have been charged after more than $400,000 in drugs and cash were seized from two homes and a vehicle after a seven-month-long investigation in Edmonton.
'We are going to fix this': Alberta sends sheriffs downtown to help EPS amid mounting safety concerns

Police officers in downtown Edmonton will receive reinforcements from sheriffs later this month as part of a new provincial public safety initiative.
Athabasca University governors replace school president citing time of 'growth and needed stability'

Athabasca University's board of governors has replaced the president who resisted the government's demand to double the distance-learning school's number of employees who live in Athabasca.

Vancouver

Vehicle vandalism spree in Summerland under investigation: RCMP

Three vehicles were vandalized within a two-day period in Summerland over the weekend, say Mounties, and an investigation is underway.
'It's a big concern': Private delivery of public health care grows yet again in B.C.

B.C.'s Ministry of Health is continuing its multi-year trend of paying millions more dollars each year to private surgical centres for the delivery of public health care, CTV News has learned.
Fire breaks out on highway on-ramp, disrupting morning commute in Vancouver

A fire that erupted in North Vancouver early Thursday disrupted traffic on a major bridge during the morning commute.

Regina

Regina hospital patient died while waiting for admission, paramedic logs reveal

Paramedic logs from 2022 are highlighting some of the pressures Regina EMS workers have been facing for months including one instance where a patient died following offload delays at the hospital, the documents indicate.
U of R Cougars' men's hockey team making strong push for playoffs

The University of Regina men’s hockey team have moved themselves into a playoff spot after a strong performance in the month of January.
A brief history of Saskatchewan's attempts to possess an official groundhog

The annual spectacle of Groundhog Day is here. However, in Saskatchewan, the prophesying event is without its central figure, an official groundhog.

Santa Claus parades in Ottawa and eastern Ontario this holiday season

Santa Claus parades in Ottawa and eastern Ontario this holiday season

EXTREME COLD WARNING | Here's when frigid temperatures will arrive in Ottawa

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING | Toronto Pearson warning travellers of Air Canada outage

WATCH LIVE @ 2 P.M. | Quebec public health to provide update on respiratory viruses

WEATHER | Extreme cold warnings blanket the province of Quebec