IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Extending both the sickness and caregiving benefits into next spring – as proposed in Bill C-2 – will cost the government approximately $873.6 million, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) estimates.
New costing reports published Tuesday states that prolonging the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) by 28 weeks, or until May 7, 2022, and expanding the claim period from four to six weeks would come with a price tag of $507 million.
Meanwhile, extending the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) to the same time frame and the claim period from 42 to 44 weeks will cost $366.6 million.
Last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland formally introduced the new “targeted” pandemic aid bill, prolonging some benefits and revamping others.
Freeland said she hopes this is the last round of extensions.
“I see this legislation as very much the last step in our COVID-19 support programs. It is what I really hope and truly believe is the final pivot,” she said on Nov. 24.
Members of Parliament have begun debate on the proposed legislation – the Liberals hope to have it passed before the House rises for the holidays on Dec. 17.
The PBO also costed out the expected support that will flow through the new Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program.
The office predicts an additional $676 million in subsidies will be paid out beyond those already approved. Of that amount, it’s expected that $134 million will flow through the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery program and $542 will flow through the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program.
“With this extension, we expect the gross cost of the [Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy] to be $8.3 billion. This represents a net cost to the federal government of $7.2 billion after accounting for corporate income tax recoveries,” the report reads.
The CRSB provides income support to employed and self-employed Canadians who are unable to work because they are sick with COVID-19 or having to self-isolate. Eligible applicants can receive $500 for a one-week period.
The CRCB provides income support to employed and self-employed Canadians who are unable to work because they are caring for a child under 12-years-old or a family member who needs supervised care. Eligible applicants can receive $500 for a one-week period.
The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program applies to hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and restaurants with a subsidy rate of up to 75 per cent, while the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program applies to other businesses that have faced “deep losses,” with a subsidy rate of up to 50 per cent.
In order to qualify for the former, businesses would have to show a 12-month revenue loss of at least 40 per cent and a current-month revenue decline of the same amount. For the latter, businesses would have to show a 12-month revenue loss of at least 50 per cent and a current-month revenue decline of the same amount.
The government is also proposing a Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, replacing the popular Canada Response Benefit. It’s geared towards those whose work is directly impacted by lockdowns and would provide a benefit of $300 a week. The PBO did not individual cost out this program.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
In the quiet and leafy Vancouver neighbourhood of South Cambie, best known for its botanical garden, playoff fever is about to set in.
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Biden wants the 2024 election to be a referendum on Trump's record and plans, but he also wants voters to look favourably on his own policies and actions
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.