Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Do you hate raking your leaves in the fall? Good news: a conservation group says that leaving them alone can actually be better for your lawn and its ecosystem.
Andrew Holland, who is the national media director of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), says embracing your inner laziness can go a long way in helping your lawn's soil quality. As the fallen leaves break down, they turn into mulch, which can help keep your lawn healthy and suppress weeds.
"It's free fertilizer for your lawn, essentially," he told CTVNews.ca over the phone on Friday.
Having too many leaves can inhibit grass growth, so Holland advises keeping it to one or two layers. Alternatively, you can chop up the leaves with a lawnmower to help break them down and prevent your lawn from suffocating.
A thin layer of leaves can also be beneficial to butterflies, moths, caterpillars and other insects that rely on nutrients in your soil. Many of these insects, along with frogs and toads, hibernate inside the leaf litter during the winter, using the leaves as an insulating blanket.
With habitat loss across Canada, on top of the fact that over 80 per cent of Canadians live in cities and towns, Holland says backyard biodiversity is now more important than ever.
"Urban nature is becoming more and more important. And we don't necessarily think of our backyards and our own lawns being a nature reserve. But it can be, if we just reconsider how we view our own lawns," said Holland.
These insects are not only important pollinators, but they're also an important food source for birds, which have been declining in population. A 2019 study found that in the previous 50 years, North America lost 2.9 billion birds, mainly due to diminishing food sources and habitat loss.
"We think about feeding birds other times in the year, but we don't necessarily think of feeding them in the winter," said Holland.
There are some situations where it may be necessary to rake leaves. Leaves near storm drains should be cleared, otherwise they can create a soggy mess or even cause a flood. On sidewalks, uncleared leaves can cause a tripping hazard if it rains and they freeze in the winter.
In addition, Holland said, if you have a pine tree near your backyard, it’s a good idea to rake the needles, which are acidic and can damage the soil.
If you enjoy raking leaves or like the look of a clean lawn, Holland says the NCC isn't telling people they shouldn't rake their leaves, but is merely presenting an alternative.
"If people want to rake their leaves … that's great. We're not telling people not to do that. People like raking leaves in some ways. People enjoy getting the fresh air and working out," he said.
Many municipalities offer a roadside collection service for yard waste to turn it into compost. But if you live in a municipality that doesn't have a yard waste program and still want to rake your leaves, Holland suggest placing them in your garden or underneath trees or shrubs.
"That can be beneficial in terms of preventing the freeze-thaw cycle from impacting the tree roots," he said.
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.