Canada In The News

PlatinumPearl · 12-26-2020, 06:20 PM

Two Cases of UK COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in Ontario

A model of a coronavirus is displayed next to boxes for COVID-19 vaccines at an exhibit by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. China said Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, that it is joining the COVID-19 vaccine alliance known as COVAX.

Health officials in Ontario say two cases of the COVID-19 variant that first showed up in the UK have been confirmed in the province.

The cases are a couple from Durham Region, just east of Toronto, with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts, according to provincial officials. Both individuals have been informed and are now in self-isolation as per public health protocols.

“With inbound international travel, it is not unexpected to have identified the new variant in Ontario,” Ontario’s Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said in a statment. “Ontario is the first province to identify this variant thanks to the proactive work of the Public Health Ontario Laboratory.”

This COVID-19 variant has now been detected in multiple countries beyond the UK, including France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan.

Modelling and epidemiological studies suggest that the variant first identified in the UK can spread easier and faster, but there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe illness. There is no evidence to suggest that the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.

“This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures beginning today,” said Dr. Yaffe.

Canada has imposed a travel ban on all flights arriving from the UK until January 6, 2021 and Ontario is currently in a province-wide lockdown.

Premier Doug Ford has called on the federal government to urgently partner with the province to implement testing at Pearson International Airport.

Health Canada says less than two per cent of all cases reported to date – or just over 6,000 of the more than 528,000 COVID-19 cases – have been attributed to those who travelled outside of Canada.

Source: toronto.citynews.ca
Website: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/12/...ed-in-ontario/
Date: December 26, 2020

PlatinumPearl · 12-27-2020, 11:15 AM

2021 Canada’s Food Price Report: Expect 5% Increase in Your Grocery Bill

A new report says food prices will be going up in Canada next year.

The 2021 Food Price Report says rising bread, meat and vegetable prices are all expected to push grocery bills up to five per cent higher.

That means an average Canadian family of four that includes will pay as much as $695 more on food next year, for a total grocery bill of nearly $14,000 for the year.

In dollars, that is the highest predicted increase by Canada’s Food Price Report. The food inflation rate in 2021 is likely to outpace the general inflation rate.

Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021

Sylvain Charlebois, a Dalhousie University professor and lead author of the report, says Canadians won’t see a break at the grocery store any time soon.

He says researchers are forecasting the highest increase since the annual report’s inception 11 years ago.

Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021

The report by four Canadian universities says the pandemic, wildfires and changing consumer habits are all to blame for increasing food prices.

Researchers found that meat prices could increase as much as six-and-a-half per cent, with poultry leading the way.

Also, wildfires in California will mean paying more for produce while higher wheat costs are pushing up prices in the bread aisle.

Last year’s report predicted the average Canadian family would spend up to $12,667 on food in 2020. The report says based on the 2020 inflation rate to date, this figure is likely to be closer to $12,508, largely because consumers ate at restaurants less frequently.

Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021

As per the report, 2019 forecasts were accurate except for bakery, dairy and meat, but the report missed the mark for these categories by no more than 0.2%. Price increase predictions for these categories were lower than what was observed.

— With Files From The Canadian Press

Canada's Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021

Source: todocanada.ca
Website: https://www.todocanada.ca/canadas-fo...uch-5-in-2021/
Date: December 8, 2020

PlatinumPearl · 12-27-2020, 07:15 PM

Canadians Have Just Days Before These Old Bank Notes Lose Their Legal Tender Status

Now is the time to act if you have any of these notes!

If you have any unusual or old Canadian bank notes in your piggy bank, now is the time to get them out!

Ahead of the new year, the Bank of Canada is urging those with older currency to double-check it, as a number of notes will formally lose their legal tender status in just a matter of days.

That means you’ll be unable to use them in day-to-day transactions, starting from January 2021.

Affected notes include $1, $2, $25, $500 and $1,000.

Some of them have been around since as early as 1935, while others were released as recently as 1986.

Images of the specific notes that will lose legal tender status are shown on the Bank of Canada website.

It’s worth noting that the majority of Canadians are unlikely to be affected by this change, as it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll have one of these retro bills in your wallet.

According to the Bank of Canada, most have not been produced in “decades” and therefore aren't commonly found.

If you do have one of the listed notes, the corporation says you can redeem them “at face value” at a financial institution, send them to the Bank of Canada or choose to keep them.

If you do have a collection of old notes, it’s worth double and triple checking what you’ve got as some could be worth as much as $250,000!

Source: narcity.com
Website: https://www.narcity.com/en-ca/money/...8RwTb_rEXYbjdk
Date: December 27, 2020

Stone-Butch · 12-28-2020, 05:24 PM

B.C. and Ontario have their first variant Covid strain from UK visitors. Trudeau says all flights to be stopped from UK except ongoing flights where noone disembarks or freight flights must continue.

PlatinumPearl · 12-28-2020, 09:43 PM

Justin Trudeau
December 28, 2020
Source: Facebook

The past nine months have been full of challenges. But in that time, we’ve created a number of benefits to get you, your family, and your business the help you need. And while the year may be coming to an end, these supports are not. They’ll continue to be there for you in the new year - and so will we. Here’s a summary of what’s available:

👉 Canada Recovery Benefit: It’s available if you’re directly affected by COVID-19 but are self-employed or don’t qualify for Employment Insurance. More here: https://bit.ly/2JfdecW

👉 Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit: It’s available if you can’t work because you’re sick or need to self-isolated due to COVID-19. More here: https://bit.ly/37gvqeg

👉 Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit: It’s available if you can’t work because you have to take care of a loved one. More here: https://bit.ly/2Vda3ES

👉 Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy: It’s available if you’re a small business owner whose business has been affected by COVID-19. It would cover up to 65% of your rent. If your community is in lockdown, the new Lockdown Support could boost your rent subsidy up to 90%. More here: https://bit.ly/3fLw4Eu

👉 Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: It’s available if you’re an employer who’s looking to keep your workers on the payroll, and it’s been extended until June of next year. More here: https://bit.ly/37cendj

PlatinumPearl · 01-08-2021, 06:41 PM

Here's a list of acceptable reasons for being out after curfew in Quebec

The 8 p.m. curfew will be in effect from Jan. 9 until Feb. 8

A December 2020 file photo shows police in France enforcing a similar curfew implemented
to avoid a third wave of coronavirus infections. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)

Now that the Quebec government has introduced a curfew for most of the province, the list of reasons for being out at night has dwindled to a handful.

The curfew is part of the province's new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, and will be in effect from Saturday, Jan. 9 until Feb. 8.

Anyone caught out and about between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. without a valid reason could face a fine of between $1,000 and $6,000.

Under the new rules, acceptable reasons for being outside include:

* People going to and coming from work, or a work-related activity.
* Parents picking up teenagers from work.
* People going to or coming from an education activity at a recognized school such as a night class or lab.
* People who work in the transportation of goods sector.
* People who are providing necessary health services to someone else, or attending the bedside of a sick family member.
* Driving someone to a medical appointment, either a child or someone who can't drive themselves.
* People who require immediate medical attention, or have an appointment with a dentist or optometrist.
* People who are dropping kids off to comply with a custody agreement or parental visitation.
* People who are coming from or going to train stations or airports for travel.
* People who are shopping for essential items that cannot be deferred (ex. pharmacies).
* People who are walking their dog within one kilometre of their home.

Those who are circulating during curfew hours may be stopped by police and asked to provide proof of their reason for travel.

On Thursday, Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said that while people are allowed to be outside in their own backyards after curfew, no circulating in public will be allowed, even on foot.

She said this includes things like late-night jogs and smoke breaks on public sidewalks.

Source: cbc.ca
Website: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...jwZ-YiINDeMdFI
Date: January 07, 2021

12-26-2020, 06:20 PM	#1
PlatinumPearl Member How Do You Identify?: Femme, Human Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Canada Posts: 1,150 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 966 Thanked 2,419 Times in 890 Posts Rep Power: 21474846	Two Cases That We Know Of. Two Cases of UK COVID-19 Variant Confirmed in Ontario A model of a coronavirus is displayed next to boxes for COVID-19 vaccines at an exhibit by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. China said Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, that it is joining the COVID-19 vaccine alliance known as COVAX. Health officials in Ontario say two cases of the COVID-19 variant that first showed up in the UK have been confirmed in the province. The cases are a couple from Durham Region, just east of Toronto, with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts, according to provincial officials. Both individuals have been informed and are now in self-isolation as per public health protocols. “With inbound international travel, it is not unexpected to have identified the new variant in Ontario,” Ontario’s Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said in a statment. “Ontario is the first province to identify this variant thanks to the proactive work of the Public Health Ontario Laboratory.” This COVID-19 variant has now been detected in multiple countries beyond the UK, including France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. Modelling and epidemiological studies suggest that the variant first identified in the UK can spread easier and faster, but there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe illness. There is no evidence to suggest that the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant. “This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures beginning today,” said Dr. Yaffe. Canada has imposed a travel ban on all flights arriving from the UK until January 6, 2021 and Ontario is currently in a province-wide lockdown. Premier Doug Ford has called on the federal government to urgently partner with the province to implement testing at Pearson International Airport. Health Canada says less than two per cent of all cases reported to date – or just over 6,000 of the more than 528,000 COVID-19 cases – have been attributed to those who travelled outside of Canada. Source: toronto.citynews.ca Website: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/12/...ed-in-ontario/ Date: December 26, 2020

12-27-2020, 11:15 AM	#2
PlatinumPearl Member How Do You Identify?: Femme, Human Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Canada Posts: 1,150 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 966 Thanked 2,419 Times in 890 Posts Rep Power: 21474846	Canada’s Food Prices Have Already Gone Up And Will Continue To 2021 Canada’s Food Price Report: Expect 5% Increase in Your Grocery Bill A new report says food prices will be going up in Canada next year. The 2021 Food Price Report says rising bread, meat and vegetable prices are all expected to push grocery bills up to five per cent higher. That means an average Canadian family of four that includes will pay as much as $695 more on food next year, for a total grocery bill of nearly $14,000 for the year. In dollars, that is the highest predicted increase by Canada’s Food Price Report. The food inflation rate in 2021 is likely to outpace the general inflation rate. Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021 Sylvain Charlebois, a Dalhousie University professor and lead author of the report, says Canadians won’t see a break at the grocery store any time soon. He says researchers are forecasting the highest increase since the annual report’s inception 11 years ago. Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021 The report by four Canadian universities says the pandemic, wildfires and changing consumer habits are all to blame for increasing food prices. Researchers found that meat prices could increase as much as six-and-a-half per cent, with poultry leading the way. Also, wildfires in California will mean paying more for produce while higher wheat costs are pushing up prices in the bread aisle. Last year’s report predicted the average Canadian family would spend up to $12,667 on food in 2020. The report says based on the 2020 inflation rate to date, this figure is likely to be closer to $12,508, largely because consumers ate at restaurants less frequently. Credit: Canada’s Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021 As per the report, 2019 forecasts were accurate except for bakery, dairy and meat, but the report missed the mark for these categories by no more than 0.2%. Price increase predictions for these categories were lower than what was observed. — With Files From The Canadian Press Canada's Food Price Report 11th Edition 2021 Source: todocanada.ca Website: https://www.todocanada.ca/canadas-fo...uch-5-in-2021/ Date: December 8, 2020

12-27-2020, 07:15 PM	#3
PlatinumPearl Member How Do You Identify?: Femme, Human Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Canada Posts: 1,150 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 966 Thanked 2,419 Times in 890 Posts Rep Power: 21474846	Canadian Bank Notes Canadians Have Just Days Before These Old Bank Notes Lose Their Legal Tender Status Now is the time to act if you have any of these notes! If you have any unusual or old Canadian bank notes in your piggy bank, now is the time to get them out! Ahead of the new year, the Bank of Canada is urging those with older currency to double-check it, as a number of notes will formally lose their legal tender status in just a matter of days. That means you’ll be unable to use them in day-to-day transactions, starting from January 2021. Affected notes include $1, $2, $25, $500 and $1,000. Some of them have been around since as early as 1935, while others were released as recently as 1986. Images of the specific notes that will lose legal tender status are shown on the Bank of Canada website. It’s worth noting that the majority of Canadians are unlikely to be affected by this change, as it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll have one of these retro bills in your wallet. According to the Bank of Canada, most have not been produced in “decades” and therefore aren't commonly found. If you do have one of the listed notes, the corporation says you can redeem them “at face value” at a financial institution, send them to the Bank of Canada or choose to keep them. If you do have a collection of old notes, it’s worth double and triple checking what you’ve got as some could be worth as much as $250,000! Source: narcity.com Website: https://www.narcity.com/en-ca/money/...8RwTb_rEXYbjdk Date: December 27, 2020

12-28-2020, 05:24 PM	#4
Stone-Butch Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Stonebutch Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: single Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Canada Posts: 3,694 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,334 Thanked 9,385 Times in 3,051 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Canada in the News B.C. and Ontario have their first variant Covid strain from UK visitors. Trudeau says all flights to be stopped from UK except ongoing flights where noone disembarks or freight flights must continue.

12-28-2020, 09:43 PM	#5
PlatinumPearl Member How Do You Identify?: Femme, Human Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Canada Posts: 1,150 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 966 Thanked 2,419 Times in 890 Posts Rep Power: 21474846	Justin Trudeau Update Justin Trudeau December 28, 2020 Source: Facebook The past nine months have been full of challenges. But in that time, we’ve created a number of benefits to get you, your family, and your business the help you need. And while the year may be coming to an end, these supports are not. They’ll continue to be there for you in the new year - and so will we. Here’s a summary of what’s available: 👉 Canada Recovery Benefit: It’s available if you’re directly affected by COVID-19 but are self-employed or don’t qualify for Employment Insurance. More here: https://bit.ly/2JfdecW 👉 Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit: It’s available if you can’t work because you’re sick or need to self-isolated due to COVID-19. More here: https://bit.ly/37gvqeg 👉 Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit: It’s available if you can’t work because you have to take care of a loved one. More here: https://bit.ly/2Vda3ES 👉 Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy: It’s available if you’re a small business owner whose business has been affected by COVID-19. It would cover up to 65% of your rent. If your community is in lockdown, the new Lockdown Support could boost your rent subsidy up to 90%. More here: https://bit.ly/3fLw4Eu 👉 Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: It’s available if you’re an employer who’s looking to keep your workers on the payroll, and it’s been extended until June of next year. More here: https://bit.ly/37cendj

01-08-2021, 06:41 PM	#6
PlatinumPearl Member How Do You Identify?: Femme, Human Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Canada Posts: 1,150 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 966 Thanked 2,419 Times in 890 Posts Rep Power: 21474846	Quebec's 8:00 PM Curfew Here's a list of acceptable reasons for being out after curfew in Quebec The 8 p.m. curfew will be in effect from Jan. 9 until Feb. 8 A December 2020 file photo shows police in France enforcing a similar curfew implemented to avoid a third wave of coronavirus infections. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images) Now that the Quebec government has introduced a curfew for most of the province, the list of reasons for being out at night has dwindled to a handful. The curfew is part of the province's new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, and will be in effect from Saturday, Jan. 9 until Feb. 8. Anyone caught out and about between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. without a valid reason could face a fine of between $1,000 and $6,000. Under the new rules, acceptable reasons for being outside include: * People going to and coming from work, or a work-related activity. * Parents picking up teenagers from work. * People going to or coming from an education activity at a recognized school such as a night class or lab. * People who work in the transportation of goods sector. * People who are providing necessary health services to someone else, or attending the bedside of a sick family member. * Driving someone to a medical appointment, either a child or someone who can't drive themselves. * People who require immediate medical attention, or have an appointment with a dentist or optometrist. * People who are dropping kids off to comply with a custody agreement or parental visitation. * People who are coming from or going to train stations or airports for travel. * People who are shopping for essential items that cannot be deferred (ex. pharmacies). * People who are walking their dog within one kilometre of their home. Those who are circulating during curfew hours may be stopped by police and asked to provide proof of their reason for travel. On Thursday, Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said that while people are allowed to be outside in their own backyards after curfew, no circulating in public will be allowed, even on foot. She said this includes things like late-night jogs and smoke breaks on public sidewalks. Source: cbc.ca Website: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...jwZ-YiINDeMdFI Date: January 07, 2021