Air Canada flights to Cuba are being suspended due to an ongoing shortage of fuel on the Island.
The airline says it will send empty planes to pick up around 3000 passengers to return them home.
It’s projected that aviation fuel will not be commercially available at island airports effective Tuesday.
For remaining flights, Air Canada will tanker in extra fuel and make technical stops as necessary to refuel on the return journey.
Air Canada will continue to monitor the situation to determine when normal service will resume.
A flexible rebooking policy is being created for customers travelling to Cuba, and Air Canada Vacations is now introducing a refund policy, allowing customers who had scheduled departures to Cuba and experienced flight cancellations to automatically receive a full refund.
There is no need for these customers to contact the Air Canada Vacations Contact Centre.
Customers currently in Cuba who booked an Air Canada Vacations package can receive direct support from Air Canada Vacations’ local representatives, who are available to address any questions or concerns.
A Lakehead University research project studying how climate change-induced drought affects conifer pine trees will receive $60,000 over the next four years from the Ontario government’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).
The project is headed by Dr. Qing-Lai Dang, a Lakehead Professor in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management.
As climate change makes droughts more frequent and severe, Dang hopes understand the stress mechanisms which cause Ontario’s conifer pines to die.
“What we do not know is how dry is too dry for the trees, and how much the drought actually reduces their growth and productivity,” Dang explains.
The research project will also provide information to the MNR to help the body update its forestry management guidelines, with future-proofed policies that account for climate change.
Through studying how pine trees die from drought, Dang also hopes to make forests more resilient.
In drought, trees tend to die either from “carbon starvation” or “hydraulic failure”.
Dang hopes to determine which tree species are dying from which mechanism.
“That mechanism of identification can be used by tree breeders to breed trees for the future that will be more drought resilient,” he says.
The professor believes his research has environmental and economic implications.
Drought will hurt forestry industries and the communities which rely on them, and diminish the biodiversity of forest ecosystems.
In addition to the provincial grant, the project is also receiving $120,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
The grant money will help the project pay for graduate and postdoctoral students to assist with research.
Dang says the focus of his research for more than two decades has been to understand how boreal forests will respond to climate change, to see “what kind of forests we will have by the end of the century.”
A long‑running classroom program run by the Hammond River Angling Association (HRAA) is on hold this year.
The Fish Friends program has helped students raise Atlantic salmon for more than 30 years.
HRAA says they cannot run it after Fisheries and Oceans Canada decided to close the Mactaquac Biodiversity Facility.
Fish Friends places salmon eggs and small hatchery tanks in classrooms so students can raise fry and release them into local rivers.
A cup holding a young Atlantic salmon ready to be released into the river. Image: Hammond River Angling Association
The program is coordinated by HRAA with support from the New Brunswick Salmon Council.
Project manager Sarah Blenis called the suspension “devastating,” noting how deeply the program has shaped young people.
She first took part in Fish Friends as a child and credits that early experience with steering her toward conservation work.
“That program really instilled that care for the environment,” she said.
Blenis explained that many others in watershed and salmon organizations share similar stories.
She emphasized that the hands‑on experience is often the only time students will ever see a live Atlantic salmon.
“If they never get to actually see what they’re supposed to protect, it becomes really difficult to inspire them,” Blenis said.
Schools had already prepared for this year’s release.
Blenis said her team purchased new tanks and chillers after securing funding to expand the program, but the equipment will now sit in storage.
“We’ve invested time and resources into growing the program, and right now it feels like it’s all about to slip away.”
Last year, more than 1,000 students in HRAA’s region released salmon through Fish Friends.
Blenis estimates thousands of students across the province will miss the experience this spring.
A classroom tank used to raise Atlantic salmon through the Fish Friends program. Image: Hammond River Angling Association
HRAA is waiting for more information from Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Blenis said the association received only a brief notice that the facility would close and that more details would follow.
She voiced that the watershed groups want transparency and meaningful engagement before any long‑term decisions are made.
“We need a clear plan. There’s a legal obligation to continue this work,” Blenis said.
Groups are exploring possible alternatives for next year, including smaller hatcheries or a shift to trout in the classroom, but they cannot move forward without clarity from the department.
Blenis said the uncertainty is difficult for teachers, students, and communities that rely on the program.
“When education and conservation fail at the same time, the potential for extinction accelerates,” she said.
Longlac residents will soon be saying goodbye to their local Confederation College campus, as the college plans to move its Greenstone area Campus to Geraldton Composite High School.
With the college’s Longlac building lease expiring, it determined that moving to Geraldton would offer greater post-secondary access to the region.
In a statement, the college explained that many learners at the Longlac campus commuted from Geraldton and other communities in the area, justifying the move.
“Relocating to Geraldton supports a more sustainable model, improves access to post-secondary education, and helps ensure our programming meets the region’s evolving workforce needs,” said Confederation College President Michelle Salo.
The Geraldton campus is expected to open in September.
The provincial government has invested in a pair of major infrastructure projects in Memramcook.
Gilles LePage, minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, announced $6.8 million in funding Monday morning for a new recreation facility and upgrades to the municipal water system.
“Memramcook is growing and by investing in community infrastructure like a multi-functional recreation complex and infrastructure to build housing, we are able to support this growth,” LePage said in a press release.
“These projects will serve residents and visitors alike, creating a lasting space for recreation, wellness and living that will help Memramcook thrive.”
The recreation centre, which will receive about $4.1 million, will be a community hub, with a direct connection to the surrounding trail network, multi-purpose rooms and an art gallery.
Memramcook Mayor Maxime Bourgeois said the funding represents a decisive step forward for the community.
“Thanks to the provincial government’s support, we can move forward with our vision of providing the people of Memramcook with a modernized gathering place that is accessible and tailored to their needs,” he said.
The remaining $2.7 million will go to upgrades to water infrastructure to support housing.
“The expansion of the drinking water system is also an essential investment in ensuring sustainable infrastructure and reliable access to water,” Bourgeois said. “Particularly in light of recent periods of drought.”
The federal government has already invested more than $10.1 million in the two projects.
Federal Internal Trade Minister and Beauséjour MP Dominic LeBlanc said he was proud to team up with provincial and municipal partners to bring something to life that will be much more than a community centre.
“It will be emblematic of the amazing quality of life that Memramcook has to offer,” LeBlanc said.
Water levels in the Rainy Lake watershed will be the subject of a public meeting next month.
The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board will hold a virtual meeting on March 2nd.
The session will discuss the current watershed conditions and seasonal weather forecasts in advance of directives regarding the water levels of Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake to be put in place on March 10th.
The Board says there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions and share their observations on winter conditions in the watershed.
To attend, you must register by noon (CST) on February 26th.
It’s called the grandparent scam, and it preys on the elderly population.
RCMP says it continues to be a concern in New Brunswick.
RCMP say fraudsters will often call potential victims and pretend to be a family member in an emergency situation or say they are a police officer, lawyer or other government official.
The goal is to extort money from the victims to help a family member they claim is in legal trouble.
The latest calls have been reported in the Greater Moncton Region, Kings, Madawaska, and York Counties.
“The key to prevention is awareness,” says Constable Luc Picard, of the Codiac Regional RCMP. “Talk to those in your life who may be susceptible to these types of scams, and educate them on how to avoid them. It’s important to note that in Canada, being bailed out of jail with any type of payment does not exist, and that if someone calls claiming to be in a position of authority, demanding money, it’s a scam. Hang up, and report it right away.”
You can help others protect themselves by sharing the following information:
Do not provide confidential, personal, or financial information over the phone if you receive one of these calls.
Hang up immediately if you believe a scammer is calling you, regardless of the phone number they may be calling from.
If you receive a voicemail from someone looking for money, stating they are the police, a lawyer, or another form of government official, do not call them back.
Report the call to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. If you or someone you know falls victim to such a fraud, also contact your local police and financial institution.
The Kenora and District Chamber of Commerce is honouring its former president.
The Chamber has recognized Andy Scribilo by introducing a new Lifetime Achievement Award named in his honour.
The Chamber also selected him as the inaugural winner.
Scribolo passed away suddenly in December.
He had been a part of the Chamber for nearly 25 years, becoming president in 2002.
The award was announced during the Chamber’s annual Business Excellence Award ceremony held on Friday.
It was one of 13 awards presented to businesses and individuals, recognizing innovation, leadership, service and community spirit.
“This evening was a powerful reminder of just how much dedication, creativity and hard work exist within our local business community,” stated Tim Gosnell, Interim President.
“These businesses don’t just contribute to our economy; they help shape Kenora into a strong, welcoming, and resilient community. We are proud to celebrate their achievements.”
The Chamber received more than 85 nominations.
Among the winners was Ericka Anderson of Willow Aesthetics, who won the award for Business Owner/Entrepreneur /Manager of the Year.
Studio Fitness was selected for Best New Business.
Here is the complete list of all award winners;
Inclusive Employer Excellence – Image One Home & Cottage
New Business – Studio Fitness Co.
Skilled Trades Excellence – Sunset Country Heating & Cooling
Tourism / Hospitality – LOTW Marina & Service Centre
Innovative Small Business – Northern Airworks Inc.
Indigenous Business – Devil’s Gap Marina
Business Owner / Entrepreneur / Manager of the Year – Ericka Anderson, Willow Aesthetics
Customer Service Excellence (Staff up to 10) – Northern Sounds & Systems
Customer Service Excellence (Staff over 10) – MNP LLP
Community Spirit – The Core: Health & Fitness
Business Improvement – Dearborn Therapy
Youth Entrepreneur (30 and Under) – Shae Lofgren Psychotherapy
Andy Scribilo Lifetime Achievement Award – Andy Scribilo
The Thunder Bay Police Service is laying drug trafficking charges on a 55-year old Thunder Bay woman after officers seized cocaine and fentanyl from a house on Margaret Street.
She is facing the following charges:
• Possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine • Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000 • Failure to comply with release order
Two others in the home were arrested as well. The second suspect has been released with a future court date.
