First-ever human case of H5 avian influenza in Canada found in B.C.: officials
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
New data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) shows that even though claims for auto theft dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to their 2023 peak, the rates of reported theft remain well above those of years prior.
Published last Wednesday, the data from IBC tallied 17,647 auto theft claims in the first half of 2024, compared with 21,907 in the same period last year.
The 19-per-cent drop represents a reversal of trends in recent years, at least in the short term. In the decade leading up to the 2023 peak, claims rose by nearly 200 per cent, from 7,406 in 2014.
Together, auto theft claims have cost a total of roughly $545 million in the first half of this, down from close to $765 million in the same window last year. According to the IBC, 2023's grand total reached $1.5 billion for the first time ever.
Liam McGuinty, the IBC's vice-president of strategy, says that while progress has been made to combat theft, "more remains to be done."
"Canada's auto theft rates have soared in the last 10 years, placing pressure on drivers' insurance premiums, compromising public safety and causing Canadians concern and trauma," McGuinty said in a statement.
"The problem remains significantly above historical trends."
Both in the short and long term, trends in reported auto theft vary across the country.
Among the available data, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have shown the most pronounced growth in claims since 2014, rising by 291 per cent, 203 per cent and 87 per cent, respectively, as of this year.
Quebec and Alberta show slower, though still significant, growth in that time, with increases of 36 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively, since 2014.
Since last year, the growth in claims has continued in Nova Scotia (27 per cent) and New Brunswick (14 per cent), held steady in Alberta (0.7 per cent growth) and reversed in Ontario and Quebec (decreases of 16 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively).
According to the IBC statement, those trends may reflect a shift in focus for perpetrators, perhaps in response to increased allocation of resources among law enforcement in Ontario and Quebec against this kind of crime; what the bureau calls "the opportunistic nature of car thieves."
"Fighting auto theft requires a whole-of-society approach," McGuinty said. "Now is not the time to take our collective foot off the accelerator in this fight."
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
Women are sharing information on social media about a feminist movement in which straight women refuse to marry, have children, date or have sex with men.
A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.
St. Thomas police say they arrested a 72-year-old St. Thomas resident after their ex-partner reported receiving flowers and a note left on the porch.
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
As I see other generations of music lovers say music was so much better when they were younger, I wondered why. We can’t all be right — or maybe we are? I talked to experts in how music influences our brains to find out.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.