Much of Canada digging out from record snowfalls and frigid Arctic cold

    Canada column for Sunday, Jan. 23/22

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    They’re still digging out from a massive snowstorm that set records across Toronto and eastern Canada.

   The dump of a foot-and-a-half of snow was the most to hit the city in 30 years and gained power as it picked up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and headed north on Monday.

   It created havoc on the roads as Toronto’s major expressways were closed much of the day as numerous smashed transport trucks and cars without winter tires littered the roads.

   Many vehicles were stuck in driveways as the storm piled up snow on the side streets and took several days for one of the city’s 160 plows and 200 salting trucks to find them.

   Environment Canada issued winter storm warnings for most of Ontario and southern Quebec as the low-pressure system released two inches of snow an hour with high winds.

   “Snow days” delayed the planned return to schools for another two days for students after weeks of remote learning due to the pandemic.

   Commuter services ground to a halt as some 540 Toronto Transit Commission buses were stranded at the height of the storm.

   In Canada’s capital, the school boards pulled buses off the roads as many residential roads had yet to be plowed.

   Across Canada, winter storm and wind warnings were also in place for much of Alberta, parts of southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

   In the east, 50,000 people were without power overnight across Nova Scotia due to snow whiteouts, high winds and difficult travel conditions.

    ---

    Canadians should prepare for interest-rate increases as early as this week by the Bank of Canada.

    Scotiabank Economics say there is a “pressing need” for the country’s central bank to raise rates to battle a surge in inflation and soaring house prices.

   They are looking for a rise in the key overnight rate of .25 percent to .5 per cent at its next meeting on Jan 26.

   There has been no comment from the bank as this is predicted to be the first of multiple interest rate hikes this year, rising to 2 percent by the end of the year.

   The annual inflation rate is 4.8 percent, the highest in 30 years, and the average housing price has topped $1 million in many cities.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Quebec’s threatened tax on people refusing to be vaccinated has drawn the “interest” of Prime Minister Justin who suggests instead that other “strong measures” have worked in keeping Canadians safe. Trudeau said his government is awaiting more details from the Quebec government. Premier François Legault called for the measure as a health tax that many say would be unconstitutional .Trudeau said a key principle of the Canada Health Act is that everyone has equal access to health care without financial or other barriers and that would be respected.

    ---

 

   Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is steady at 80 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.26 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is unchanged at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are lower, with the Toronto index at 20,736 on Friday while the TSX Venture index was 867 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.46 a liter (Canadian) or $5.55 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Jan. 18) 2, 15, 25, 28, 30, 35 and 38; bonus 31. (Jan. 14) 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 34; bonus 26.

   Lotto 6/49: (Jan. 19) 3, 12, 19, 37, 39and 45; bonus 47. (Jan. 15) 5,10, 35, 41, 42 and 44; bonus 13.

   ---

    Regional briefs:

   - Ontario, Canada’s most-populous province, will try again to remove pandemic lockdowns now that schools have reopened for in-class learning. Indoor dining, gyms and movie theaters will reopen on Jan. 31 as the province, including Toronto, starts lifting public health measures. Premier Doug Ford said this will be a “gradual and cautious reopening plan” as the virus shows signs of easing. By March 14, the plan calls for all indoor capacity restrictions to be lifted but proof of vaccination requirements will remain.

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 thecanadareport.blogspot.com

Sggestions of fining the unvaccinated widely condemned in Quebec

    Canada column for Sunday, Jan. 16/22

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    The Quebec government is facing widespread condemnation over a plan to fine the unvaccinated a ““significant” amount.

   This form of health tax would help pay the medical expenses of the unvaccinated disproportionately filling the province’s hospitals with COVID-19 infections.

   Quebec Premier Francois Legault said this would apply to adults who don’t have a medical exemption and comes as cases of the virus are starting to plateau.

   He said a financial penalty is needed because about half of the patients in intensive care are unvaccinated, even though only 10 percent of adult Quebecers are not immunized

   The controversial plan is to be enacted next month as provincial leaders express concern over a health-care crisis caused by the rapid spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

   Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he needed more details to comment how this might or might not work with Canada’s universally funded health-care system.

   Some members of Legault’s government call the plan discriminatory, unethical and punishing to low-income earners.

    ---

    There are concerns of looming shortages of goods as truck drivers crossing the border from the U.S. must be fully vaccinated as of Jan. 16).

   Truckers are no longer granted an exemption that previously allowed all essential workers to travel back and forth freely.

   The new rule is expected to further impact supply chain challenges as it affects about 16,000 drivers, said Stephen Laskowski, president of the Ontario Trucking Association.

   The industry moves about 80 percent of the annual $648 billion in Canada-U.S. trade.

   Canadian truck drivers not fully vaccinated need to meet requirements for entry, testing and quarantine requirements.

   Others not fully vaccinated are being sent back to the U.S.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Keurig Canada has been fined $3 million for misleading claims over coffee pod recycling. The Competition Bureau said the company made false or misleading claims that its single-use K-Cup pods can be recycled. The cups aren’t widely accepted for recycling in any province except Quebec and British Columbia. The company will also make an $800,000 donation to an environmental charity and $85,000 for the bureau’s expenses.

   - Canada’s central bank is expected to raise its key interest rate as early as the second half of this year with better-than-expected growth for the economy. The rate has been stalled at 0.25 percent since May 2010. Growth in the economy has been accompanied by higher inflation, significant housing market activity and rising prices.

 ---

    Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is higher at 80 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.26 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate is unchanged at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are mixed with the Toronto index up at 21,228 on Friday while the TSX Venture index was lower at 897 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.44 a liter (Canadian) or $5.47 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Jan. 11) 1, 3, 24, 25, 27, 36 and 47; bonus 12. (Jan. 7) 4, 5, 31, 39, 42, 45 and 50; bonus 11.

   Lotto 6/49: (Jan. 12) 8, 21, 26, 29, 31 and 46; bonus 14. (Jan. 8) 6, 18, 23, 31, 46 and 48; bonus 4.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - They’re calling it the “rain-mageddon” as British Columbia agencies warn of more flooding.  Environment Canada said the province is in for some more wild weather after earlier devastating flooding and mud slides. The latest warning is for the B.C. coast and Fraser Valley with heavy rain, snow at higher elevations and strong winds. Rain, combined with melting snow, could cause rivers to flood, it warns.

   - What do you do when life gives you thousands of lemons? Laura Mulrooney, who owns a bakery in Chester, Nova Scotia, knows after receiving 2,000 surplus lemons from a grocery store’s ordering error.  She has since swamped the province with lemons and made dozens of squares, lemon loaf, curd, lemon water, lemonade, and gin and tonic.

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 thecanadareport.blogspot.com

Canadian airlines canceling flights over virus, crew shortages to winter getaway loctions

    Canada column for Sunday, Jan.9/22

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

   Two of Canada’s largest airlines, Air Canada and West Jet, have canceled more than 500 flights in the past week that include sun destinations in Florida and the Caribbean.

   As well, “leisure airline” Air Transat has cut about 30 percent of its flights for the next two months.

   Airlines cite a big drop in demand, both consumer and business, over the “ongoing impact of the Omicron pandemic variant and urgings by the Canadian government to avoid non-essential travel and other restrictive measures.

   Air Canada Vacations is the latest to say it is suspending flights to Sun destinations from Jan. 24 until April 30 over the pandemic fallout.

   WestJet cut 15 percent of its scheduled flights through to the end of January over a high proportion of flight crews calling in sick due to Omicron virus.

   Toronto-based Porter Airlines is also reviewing cutbacks to its flight schedules, said spokesman Brad Cicero, due to the “evolving progression” of the virus.

  ---

   New Year’s revelers partying to the extreme on a Montreal-to-Cancun, Mexico charter flight could face jail time and thousands of dollars in fines.

   Defying pandemic lock-down rules, curfews and urgings to avoid non-essential travel, the group could be seen in videos without masks vaping, dancing, drinking and crowd surfing on the Sun Wing flight.

   The government’s Transport Canada bureau is investigating the violations of the passengers for ignoring public health measures and if their actions endangered others.

   Sunwing canceled their return flight and other Canadian airlines barred them from boarding to go home while two of the revelers stayed in quarantine in Mexico with COVID-19.

   Their actions are a “slap in the face” to defy health rules in an outbreak and putting passengers, airline workers at risk by “being completely irresponsible,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

   ---

   News in brief:

   - With Toronto and Vancouver house prices hitting $1.2 million on average, there are calls for a speculation tax to help bridge the affordability gap. Across Canada, the average price has increased to $720,000 with more than 630,000 houses sold in the past year. Vancouver based think-tank Generation Squeeze says there should be new tax on homes worth $1 million and up.

There have also been suggestions of extra taxes on vacant houses, flipping properties and foreign investors.

   ---

   Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is steady at 79 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.265 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate remains steady at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are lower with the Toronto index at 21,089 on Friday while the TSX Venture index is at 907 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.425 a liter (Canadian) or $5.41 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Jan. 4) 7, 8, 13, 20, 25, 26 and 48; bonus 36. (Dec. 31) 7, 25, 30, 35, 38, 40 and 49; bonus 27.

   Lotto 6/49: (Jan. 5) 2, 5, 8, 29, 36 and 45; bonus 23. (Jan. 1) 7, 8, 15, 17, 19 and 33; bonus 6.

   ---

    Regional briefs:

   - The Public Health Agency of Canada reports there were 292,204 new cases of the virus, an increase of 65 percent in the past week. Across the country, there were 271 deaths, an increase of 94 percent. Hospitalizations are 81-percent higher with intensive care beds up 34 percent. Hot spots with many more outbreaks continue to be Quebec and Ontario. Many cases are blamed on “lockdown fatigue” and younger Canadians loosening up their social circles and close-quarter settings.

   - Deaths include Prince Edward Island musician Koady Chaisson, part of the Canadian musicJuno-winning three-man band the East Pointers. He was 37 and no cause of death was given. Quebec filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee, director of Big Little Lies and Dallas Buyers Club, died at age 58. He also directed the Oscar-nominated film Wild and HBO’s Sharp Objects.

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 thecanadareport.blogspot.com

Canada announces stringent lock-down measures as virus breaks out

    Canada column for Sunday, Jan.2/22

    THE CANADIAN REPORT

   By Jim Fox

    Records are being set daily of COVID-19 cases across Canada as further stringent lock-downs and other measures are being enacted including a ban on private gatherings in Quebec homes.

   Ontario school students won’t be going back to on-site classes on Monday as planned as the government moved the return back two days to help schools prepare.

   British Columbia is planning a staggered return to school openings to allow public health officials to implement enhanced safety measures to fight the impact of the Omicron variant.

   Other provinces are considering reducing isolation times for health-care workers who are exposed or infected.

   Dr. Donald Vinh of Montreal’s McGill University Health Center said this shows the province is in “desperation mode.”

   All provinces will likely be facing similar choices as the number of ill people rises and the pool of workers available to treat them shrinks.

   As Quebec’s new cases topped 16,000 on Friday, the province brought back its controversial overnight curfew and restaurants are open only for take-out and delivery.

   Bars in Toronto and across Ontario were forced to close at 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

     --

    The Royal Canadian Navy is awaiting its new ships but is short of the sailors needed to work on them.

   Vice-Admiral Craig Baines said the navy has been able to make do with its current personnel levels because it retired five ships over the last eight years making it 1,000 sailors short with the new builds.

   Another concern is the entire Canadian Armed Forces faces a shortage of personnel as overall recruitment has fallen dramatically during the pandemic and many training schools closed or worked at reduced rates.

    Forces’ officials said overall they were short about 10,000 regular force and reserve members that makes up about 10 percent of the military’s total strength.

    ---

    News in brief:

   - Amid record high sales, the average Canadian house price set an all-time high of $720,850 ($570,000 U.S.). Average house prices rose 14 percent in the past year, the Canadian Real Estate Association said. There are concerns that Canada’s most-expensive real estate markets are dangerously overvalued. The association said house hunters in markets such as Toronto and Vancouver are giving up in the face of million-dollar prices.

   - The World Junior Hockey Tournament was canceled as more players test positive for COVID-19. The International Ice Hockey Federation said there were no other options to “ensure health and safety of all participants.”  The continued forfeiture of games due to the pandemic ended the 11-day, 10 country event in Alberta after four days. Players testing positive for the virus put defending champion United States, Russia and Czechia into mandatory quarantines after nine of 31 games had been played.

    ---

    Facts and figures:

   Canada’s dollar is higher at 79 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.265 in Canadian funds, before exchange fees.

   The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate remains steady at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.

   Canadian stock markets are mixed, with the Toronto index at 21,202 on Friday while the TSX Venture index was up at 934 points.

   The average price for gas in Canada is higher at $1.405 a liter (Canadian) or $5.34 for a U.S. gallon.

   Lotto Max: (Dec. 28) 11, 12, 21, 27, 32, 43 and 49; bonus 15. (Dec. 24) 3, 11, 24, 25, 29, 32 and 42; bonus 16.

   Lotto 6/49: (Dec. 29) 18, 32, 42, 44, 45 and 48; bonus 38. (Dec. 25) 4, 13, 21, 24, 31, and 45; bonus 41.

    ---

    Regional briefs:

   - There have been two Canadian Pacific Railway train derailments in Western Canada. There were no injuries reported as a train carrying potash went off the tracks near Craven, Saskatchewan and another near Barons, Alberta. The Transportation Safety Board said a significant amount of potash was released, but no dangerous goods were spilled. The causes of both derailments are under investigation.

   - They’re having the rare gift of a white Christmas and New Year’s along with Arctic cold in normally mild Vancouver and the west coast of Canada. A couple of storms dumped up to six inches of snow on Vancouver and Victoria along the South Coast and Vancouver Island. The B.C. Emergency Health Services said paramedics had 50 calls for frostbite or hypothermia as temperatures with the wind chill dipped below freezing.

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 thecanadareport.blogspot.com