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.
Canada has cracked the top 50 in the FIFA world rankings, climbing three places to No. 48 in the latest numbers.
The Canadian men started the year at No. 72 but have steadily risen thanks to a 11-2-4 record in 2021 that has seen John Herdman's team make the final round of World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Canada's lone losses have been to the U.S. and Mexico at the Gold Cup. The Canadians have outscored their opposition 52-10 the year.
Canada registered World Cup qualifying ties in Mexico (1-1) and Jamaica (0-0) and defeated visiting Panama 4-1 during the time frame covering the new rankings. FIFA says 160 matches were played over that time.
The Canadians remains fourth in CONCACAF, behind No. 9 Mexico, the 13th-ranked Americans and No. 45 Costa Rica, which dropped one rung.
Being in the top 50 has tangible benefits, especially for players looking to earn a contract in the United Kingdom. Since Brexit, the U.K. has adopted a points-based system for work permits. Cracking the top 50 should help Canadian players get a visa.
Canada's best ranking was No. 40 in December 1996. But the new rankings mark the first time the Canadians have broken into the top 50 since FIFA revamped its rating formula in 2018.
Canada hosts Costa Rica and Mexico in Edmonton when World Cup qualifying resumes next month.
Belgium remains atop the rankings with Brazil at No. 2. France and Italy move up one spot to No. 3 and 4, respectively, while England falls two places to No. 5. Argentina is unchanged at No. 6, followed by Spain (up one), Portugal (down one), Mexico and Denmark.
Germany rose two places to No. 12, leapfrogging the U.S. Uruguay, down three rungs to No. 15, lost the most ground among top-20 teams.
New Zealand (No. 111, up 10) and Indonesia (No. 165, up 10) were the biggest movers of the month. Northern Ireland was the biggest loser (No. 58, down 11).
In February 2002, Canada jumped 19 places to No. 73 in the rankings, courtesy of a third-place finish at the Gold Cup. At the time, it marked Canada's quickest climb up the world soccer ladder since winning the 2000 Gold Cup, when it rose 24 spots to 61st overall.
In June 2007, Canada climbed 38 places from No. 94 to No. 56 as it progressed to the Gold Cup semifinals. It reached No. 52 the following month.
Canada's lowest-ever ranking was 122nd, which it dubiously reached in both August and October 2014.
The Canadian women, gold medallists at the recent Tokyo Olympics, are currently ranked sixth by FIFA.
---
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2021
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.