Canada column for Sunday, March 7/21
THE CANADIAN REPORT
By Jim Fox
Increased shipments of COVID-19 vaccine will allow Ontario to guarantee that by June 20 “every eligible person who wants it” can have their shot.
Doug Ford, Premier of Canada’s most populous province, said shots will also be available to everyone over 60 by end of May – moving both date up by a couple of months.
Helping the cause for vaccinations is the recent approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
This is the first one-shot vaccine authorized by Health Canada, making it the fourth vaccine that can be administered to Canadians.
It will especially boost British Columbia as it begins age-based immunizations and integrates the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine into its program.
With virus numbers still high, Toronto and nearby Peel Region will move to the restrictive lockdown category on Monday while closings are easing in Quebec and eastern Canada.
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Tributes are pouring in for Canada’s iconic “hockey dad” Walter Gretzky who died at age 82in Brantford, Ontario.
He was the father of hockey’s “Great One” Wayne Gretzky, and who taught him to skate and play hockey on their winter backyard ice rink.
Walter was known for his far-reaching charitable efforts and getting kids interested in the sport and minor hockey.
He continued to work for Bell Canada and live with his wife and family in their modest home even as Wayne, 60, became the National Hockey League’s star player.
"Everything I am is because of him – it’s as simple as that," Wayne said in an earlier TV interview.
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News in brief:
- Toronto Raptors’ basketball fans are wondering how long star player Kyle Lowry will stick around now that he has sold his Canadian home. The property that he paid $5.25 million for in Toronto has sold for $5.12 million. There is growing speculation that the veteran player aged 34 would want to play in his hometown of Philadelphia.
- The housing market in Toronto is red hot, with the average house price topping $1 million for the first time. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board said the average selling price for all houses was up 14.9 percent last month to $1,045,488, an increase from $910,142 in 2020. Sales during the pandemic aren’t keeping buyers and sellers out of the market, the board said.
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Facts and figures:
Canada’s dollar is higher at 79 cents U.S. while the U.S. dollar returns $1.27 Canadian before exchange fees.
The Bank of Canada key interest rate is steady at 0.25 percent while the prime lending rate is 2.45 percent.
Canadian stock markets are mixed, with the Toronto index up at 18,380 points and the TSX Venture index down at 918 points.
The average price for gas in Canada is steady at $1.21 a liter (Canadian) or $4.60 for a U.S. gallon.
Lotto Max: (Feb. 26) 11, 17, 19, 22, 27, 31 and 40; bonus 38. (Feb. 23) 3, 13, 14, 20, 30, 45 and 49; bonus 35.
Lotto 6/49: (March 3) 3, 11, 33, 34, 36 and 43; bonus 42. (Feb. 27) 11, 15, 16, 20, 46 and 49; bonus 17.
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Regional briefs:
- Canada’s Atlantic Provinces and British Columbia rely heavily on cruise ship business but will have to miss this year. The Canadian government has announced a further one-year ban on pleasure craft in Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters. “These prohibitions will protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems,” said Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
- Cesar the dog has found his new forever “retirement home,” the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia SPCA reports. The society says someone has adopted the cane sorso mix who is 17 and in good health. The dog’s owner was unable to care for him. Posting his image and story on Facebook was all that was needed to find him a home. “We’re very sad to see him go as the staff has bonded with him quite a bit,” said SPCA’s Ryan Toomey.
Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com
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