Ontario Premier Doug Ford left an hours-long meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Canadian federal officials saying he feels more positive about the Canada-U.S. trading relationship after weeks of bad blood and heated rhetoric.

Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman hold a news conference in Washington. The ministers are there with Ontario Premier Doug Ford to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about American tariffs on Canadian goods.

Police are asking for the public's dash-cam footage after a driver went on a rampage through east London smashing into two police cruisers, narrowly missing another one and hitting three other vehicles. 

Watch this U Sports men's basketball quarter-final between the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and the Concordia University Stingers from the University of British Columbia's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver.

All of the cases involve people who had never been vaccinated against the disease, according to the South East Health Unit, which is urging residents to make sure their immunizations are up to date.

Watch this U Sports women's basketball quarter-final between the Carleton University Ravens and the Bishop's University Gaiters from the University of British Columbia's War Memorial Gym in Vancouver.

A Toronto man who became homeless in 2023 answers questions from callers to CBC Radio's Just Asking. Justin Laflamme spent several months living in a tent at a small park in the city before moving to a respite site.

Hamilton Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a vicious, unprovoked assault that took place on Tuesday afternoon and are asking anyone with information to report it to investigators.

On Tuesday, at 1:35 p.m. at the intersection of Upper Gage Avenue and Fennell Avenue East a male suspect punched an elderly woman in the face. The suspect is described as: male, white, approximately 30 years-old, 5’9 to 5″10 in height with a thick build. The assailant was wearing a black hooded sweater with a reflective “X” on the chest and back.

The victim had no interaction with the male and does not know him, this was a totally unprovoked assault. Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance and are asking drivers in the area at the time of the assault to check their dash cameras as well as homeowners to review any camera footage that they may have during that time. Division 30 CID Detectives continue to investigate the assault and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Paul Corrigan at 905-546-3851 or [email protected]

For those who wish to provide information anonymously, they can call  out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit anonymous tips online at Crime Stoppers Hamilton’s Website.

Apparently hoping to avoid the chaos that accompanied Toronto’s rollout of a vacant unit tax, , Hamilton will offer in-person, drop-in clinics in each Ward, to help complete their Vacant Unit Tax declaration accurately and on time.

No reservations are required. Residential property owners just need to bring their Notice to Declare Letter or most recent property tax bill, which contains the roll number and access code needed to complete their declaration. Clinics will be hosted at the following locations, dates and times.

In Toronto the program was launched in 2022 and generated little criticism in the first year, partly because staff attached a notice in bright yellow on the residents’ tax bill. But in year two the Vacant Unit Notice was not highlighted and more than 169,000 residents were dinged for one percent of the property’s assessed value, which amounted to thousands of dollars per unit.  There was a huge public outcry and in the end the city was forced to reverse 108,000 of the vacant unit taxes that were imposed.

In Hamilton, all residential property owners are required to declare the occupancy status of their properties for the 2024 tax year by Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Failure to submit a declaration by the deadline will result in the residential unit being deemed vacant, and the Vacant Unit Tax will be applied. For an average property with an assessed value of $385,000 that works out to a bill of $3,850. The tax applies to any residential unit that is vacant for more than 183 days in a year. Any revenue generated from this tax after the cost of the program which includes hiring 16 new employees, will be reinvested into City programs to strengthen housing initiatives.

Vacant Unit Tax Drop-in Clinic Schedule

Monday, March 17

Winona Community Centre, 255 Winona Road, Stoney Creek

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Dalewood Recreation Centre, 1152 Main St. West, Hamilton

6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 18

Bennetto Community Centre, 450 Hughson St. North, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 19

Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre, 876 Cannon St. East, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 20

Sir Winston Churchill Recreation Centre, 1709 Main St. East, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Monday, March 24

Bill Friday Lawfield Arena, 150 Folkestone Avenue, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Harry Howell Arena, 27 Highway 5 West, Flamborough

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 25

Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre, 780 Upper Wentworth St., Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 26

Westmount Recreation Centre, 35 Lynbrook Drive, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 27

Valley Park Community Centre, 970 Paramount Dr, Stoney Creek

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Monday, March 31

Stoney Creek Recreation Centre, 45 King Street West, Stoney Creek

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Glanbrook Arena, 4300 Binbrook Road, Glanbrook

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 1

Ancaster Rotary Centre & Morgan Firestone Arena, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Ancaster

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 2

J.L. Grightmire Arena, 35 Market Street South, Dundas

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 3

Chedoke Twin Pad Arena, 91 Chedmac Drive, Hamilton

4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Declaration Reminders

Full details on the different ways that residential property owners can submit a declaration, including online, via phone, email, and by mail, are available online .

A judge has sentenced a 48-year-old man to life in prison for brutally stabbing his ex-wife and daughter to death in North York in 2022.

Watch this U Sports women's basketball quarter-final between the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and the Université Laval Rouge et Or from the University of British Columbia's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver.

FrancoFEST, Because Beer, and Festitalia are receiving loans worth $320,000 from the federal government to support their growth, attract more visitors and boost the local economy. 

The man with the delicate task of representing U.S. President Donald Trump in Canada has offered an indication of how he plans to handle it. At his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra steered clear of annexation talk.

A second man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Jorge-Ivan Navas in Vaughan last summer, York Regional Police say.

Ontario is seeing a massive surge in measles cases as an ongoing outbreak spreads across the province among unvaccinated people. Public Health Ontario is reporting 372 total cases since an outbreak began in late October. That's a jump of 195 cases since the agency's last report on Feb. 27.

Within a week of Hamilton Council’s reimposition of a ban on encampments in city parks, significant progress has been made in clearing encampments. As they had promised last week, city crews returned to Gage Park this week and removed all of the remaining tents. Last Friday the City had cleared the nearby encampment at the Delta and told neighbours they would finish the Gage Park operation this week. The news is being welcomed across the city, but North End Residents are expressing some unease that the encampments that are located within a 1 kilometer radius of the Barton-Tiffany tiny shelters site did not receive priority as they had expected.

Several before-and-after photographs of encampment sites in Gage park. The before pictures were taken last Saturday, the after photos Wednesday this week. All Photos Courtesy of ANDREW SELMAN

North End community organizer Kelly Oucharek shared with the Bay Observer the following exchange with city outreach staff: “I know it is early days yet, but disappointing to hear of enforcement in other areas of the city far outside of the 1 km distance from Barton/Tiffany. I understand that enforcement has occurred in the following areas: Mountain view Park, Peace Memorial Park (though I believe those individuals have received new tents today), The Delta, Gage Park and  Ferrie St E. Hoping someone can explain the rationale behind prioritizing those areas over the 1km BT radius?

The Staff reply:

“As we transition from the Encampment protocol response to the Enforcement of the Parks By-law our team has a number of locations we are attending and which require a number of unique approaches.  We are working closely with all the teams associated with the transition and are taking steps to address each location.  I understand your question related to the 1KM radius area around the Tiffany/Barton location and confirm it is a priority area for the City.  Staff have been to this site daily since the end of the protocol.  Our Public Works/Parks team has started some clean up of the area related to items previously frozen to the ground.  This attention will continue.  Our enforcement teams are coordinating efforts and are planning site visits within this area in the coming days to initiate enforcement activity.  It’s important to remember this transition will take time and our team will work as quickly as possible to address residents’ concerns.  We thank you for your patience.”

At the last Hamilton City Council meeting, councillor Maureen Wilson closely questioned staff on the commitment made to North End residents about what was understood to be a quid-pro-quo of clearing the north end encampments with the establishment of the Barton-Tiffany site.

Ward Three resident Andrew Selman, who for months has been calling for the dismantling of encampments from Gage Park took some before-and-after photographs Wednesday, telling the Bay Observer, “I’m happy to report all tents have been cleared within Gage Park. Some serious remediation is still required to return the park to its former glory, including a detailed needle sweep, but this is major progress. Work remains ahead to clear other parks and spaces, we’re going to keep our heads down and continue the fight to reclaim our parks. Now, my focus shifts to other parks across the city, where residents are still waiting for action. I’ll be there to support those neighbors as they work toward achieving the same positive outcome we’ve seen here.”

With regard to remediation of the former encampment sites, the city provided some detail in response to questions from Oucharek, stating, “once an encampment is removed, staff will review the site and then issue the appropriate work order to complete the restoration. It might be as little as leaving the area alone to regenerate, if there is viable grass still there, but anticipate for lots of the encampments that have been in place for a while, more intervention will be needed.  Generally we would use equipment to break up the soils, as compaction is a big barrier to re-establishing grass, and then some soil removals might be needed if there is garbage and debris embedded.  We typically don’t use sod, as it is too labour intensive with laying it and continued watering for establishment, and we find better success in the long run with seed.   Any soils removed would be properly disposed of per our standard operating procedures.”

The Niagara Regional Police ROPE squad have arrested a man they had been seeking on a firearm charge since early January. Tuesday, Niagara Police detectives located and arrested Anthony Angoy in Hamilton. The firearm used in the commission of the offence remains outstanding.

Angoy was on probation and under prohibition for possessing firearms when he visited an apartment in Niagara Falls on January 4^th. During the visit, a handgun was observed in the suspect’s waistband. As the suspect was fooling with the handgun it went off, striking a 1-year-old husky dog. The suspect then fled from the scene on foot with the handgun.

Responding officers observed the husky to be in medical distress and rushed her to an Emergency Veterinary Clinic in critical condition. Upon arrival at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic, immediate lifesaving efforts were initiated for the husky. Fortunately, the husky stabilized and was transferred to the Peoples Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The husky has since been referred to a veterinary clinic outside the region for continued medical treatment.

The ROPE (Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement) Squad is a multi-agency, provincial team that locates and apprehends parolees unlawfully at large in …is a multi-agency, provincial team that locates and apprehends parolees unlawfully at large in the province of Ontario, as well as anyone who:

Escapes from secure custody

Escapes from or walks away from non-secure custody

Becomes unlawfully at large by violating bail, parole, or intermittent sentence terms

The ROPE Squad also assists other police services with locating and apprehending high-risk dangerous offenders.

Anyone who may have further information is asked to contact detectives at (905) 688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009707.

Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.

A swoop by Halton police has netted eight arrests in an auto theft ring that had been under investigation e since last fall. Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) have laid over 90 criminal charges as investigators conclude a multi-jurisdictional auto theft investigation dubbed Project Mulligan.

Throughout the fall of 2024 the HRPS experienced an increase in high end auto thefts from hotel lots located in Oakville and Burlington. In response to these thefts’ members of the HRPS Organized Crime Unit initiated a coordinated investigation and identified an organized group of auto thieves that had been primarily operating within Halton and Peel Regions.

Police investigators located areas where the stolen vehicles were left to “cool off”, in addition to locations where the vehicles were stored, loaded and transferred to various shipping points throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Montreal.

On February 20, police  executed 10 Criminal Code search warrants on vehicles, storage facilities and residences across the GTA. As a result of the search warrants further items of evidentiary value were recovered which included auto theft tools, reprogramming kits and a re-vinned BMW.

Investigators believe the auto theft crew to be responsible for over 75 vehicle thefts since September of 2024.

To date investigation has located and recovered 18 of these stolen vehicles, two having been located inside shipping containers at the Port of Montreal.

Charged with a string of auto-theft related offences are”

Luis Bello-Reyes (29) of Etobicoke, Amir Habibzai (25) of Mississauga, Furkan Ari (22) of Toronto, Dmytro Aref’yev (34) of Montreal, Quebec, Yekta Isik (30) of Montreal, Quebec, Tanbir Islam (28) of Montreal, Quebec, Fatima Salame (25) of Montreal, Quebec and  Pierre Bytion (30) of Toronto.

Bello-Reyes, Habibzai, and Bytion were all on prior forms of release for similar criminal offences.

Upon investigative review both Luis Bello-Reyes and Amir Habibzai have been denied bail and will remain in custody while they await trial.

Investigation into this organized auto theft crew is continuing and additional charges may be pending.

“The rise in Incidents of auto theft and its related crimes is of utmost concern and remains a top priority of the Halton Regional Police Service. Auto thieves continue to incorporate a variety of techniques to commit these thefts while engaging in varying strategies to avoid detection and arrest.” Superintendent Dave Stewart, Regional Investigative Services.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact investigators with the Organized Crime Unit at 905-825-4777 ext. 7006.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit asks anyone, particularly those who are unvaccinated, who visited the location(s) listed below on the identified date(s) to monitor themselves for symptoms of measles for 7 to 21 days from the date of exposure. Individuals can contact a health care provider to review their immunity status.

If you are immunocompromised, have a child (children) 12 months of age or younger, or are pregnant, please contact the WECHU as soon as possible, to confirm whether there are additional treatments that may be available to you.

If this applies to you, please call 519-258-2146 ext. 1420.

Possible Public Exposure Locations:

Erie Shores Walk-In Clinic
33 Princess Street, Leamington, ON, N8H 5C5
Thursday, March 6: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Main building entrance & Erie Shores Walk-In Clinic waiting room

Erie Shores HealthCare
194 Talbot Street West, Leamington,  N8H 1N9
Thursday, March 6 at 6:50pm – Friday, March 7 at 1:54am
Main Emergency Department entrance, triage, Emergency Department

Walmart Leamington
304 Erie Street South, Leamington, ON, N8H 3C5
Friday, March 7: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Main entrance
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View List of Potential Public Exposures

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Locations will be removed from the website after 21 days from date of exposure.

The post March 12th Possible Public Measles Exposure Notification appeared first on Kingsville Times.

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There will be a meeting of Essex County Council on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, which is scheduled to commence at 6:00 PM.

As permitted pursuant to By-law 2024-26, being a by-law to provide rules governing the order and proceedings of the Council of the Corporation of the County of Essex, adopted on June 5, 2024, the meeting will take place with members of County Council in person at the County of Essex Administration Building.

Essex County Council meetings are open to the public.  Seating is limited in Council Chambers at the County of Essex Administration Building.  As such, members of the public who wish to attend the meeting in person are encouraged to pre-register. Pre-registration allows for a more expedient check in procedure.

Registration in person is permitted on the day of the meetings as well. Attendees can proceed to the registration kiosk at the West Entrance of the County of Essex Administration Building beginning at 5:00 PM.

Overflow seating is not available. Once the capacity limit of 97 people is reached, no further people will be admitted to the Administration Building, and will instead be invited to view the meeting from home or may wait until a seat is vacated.

The County will be live streaming the meeting at the following link: https://video.isilive.ca/countyofessex/live.html.

The meeting will also be broadcast by YourTV Cogeco cable.

The agenda for this meeting is available for viewing or download on the County website.

Everyone attending Essex County buildings or County Council meetings agrees to abide by all County of Essex policies and procedures. To review the policies and procedures, please visit the County Council page on the County of Essex website.

Essex County Council will meet for a Closed meeting at 5:15 PM pursuant to Section 239 (2) (b) of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended for the following reasons:

(b)    personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees

The post Essex County Council Regular and Closed Meeting on March 19, 2025 appeared first on Kingsville Times.

Brandon Montour had the fastest goal in NHL overtime history, scoring his second goal of the game four seconds into overtime to give the Seattle Kraken a 5-4 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.

Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating after a man was Tasered and seriously injured at Dufferin Mall in Toronto's west end earlier this week.

Londoner Dorothy Chabot and her husband are among a growing number of Canadian snowbirds choosing to end their leases or sell their properties over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff and annexation threats toward Canada.