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Doug Ford Feb 18 2026

Premier muses about employees working on statutory holidays

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Ontario’s Premier feels workers should be given the option to work on statutory holidays or not.

Doug Ford is asking his Labour Minister to investigate the idea further.

It stems from his disappointment in seeing several shopping malls closed on Family Day.

Ford feels workers should have the choice to work or not.

“Someone making $20 an hour wants to make $50 an hour and wants to work those 8,10 hours, bring home $500. God bless them. They should have that opportunity,” says Ford.

He says it would result in workers having extra money in their pocketbooks and stimulate the economy even more.

He predicts it would be close to a million extra working hours across the province.

However, Ford is not interested in forcing employees to work on a statutory holiday.

“People will never be forced to go to work. Never, or we’ll charge the company that forces them,” emphasizes Ford.

The Premier did not indicate how long he will give his Labour Minister to review the idea or when any legislation may come to Queen’s Park for further discussion.

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Holiday gift card program to help needy kicks off for 35th year

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Dryden’s Community Support Centre has officially launched its 35th annual Christmas Cheer Program.

The successful initiative provides gift cards in place of food hampers to help families in need over the holidays.

As the Community Support Centre’s executive director says, providing gift cards to applicants sets the program apart from traditional food banks.

“We didn’t want to duplicate that,” explains Debbie Dokuchie, adding the organization switched to gift cards during the pandemic. “So this helps people during the holiday season to spread those groceries out.”

She adds that every donation, big or small, will provide assistance to more than 300 families in need over the holidays.

People who are employed but don’t make enough money to cover the extras at Christmas are among those eligible for the program as are people receiving financial assistance or no assistance at all.

“This is the one time of the year, during the holiday season, they can have a little bit of automony,” says Dokuchie. “(They) can can purchase those items that are wants or needs within their family.”

Residents, businesses and community groups are encouraged to donate by December 1, which is also when the deadline for application closes on the organization’s website.

holiday trail

Kenora wins marketing award for campaign to shop local during the holidays

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The City of Kenora is being recognized for its Holiday Trail marketing campaign.

It has received an award from the not-for-profit Developers Association of Canada.

The city launched the Holiday Trail in collaboration with Wake Marketing, Harbourtown BIZ, and the Chamber of Commerce, to get people to shop at local stores during the festive season, according to a news release.

Customers could buy a Holiday Trail brochure of vouchers for $30 at participating shops. Then customers can redeem the vouchers for a gift item worth between $10 and $20.

When a voucher was redeemed, the retailer would get $5 reimbursed to them.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase a special item and attract new customers to the store,” the non-profit wrote in the release.

The group says nearly 650 vouchers were redeemed for the 2024 campaign.

“The success of this initiative comes from our business community, who are prepared to support a program like this, and from our local residents who support shopping local,” wrote Stace Gander, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Kenora, in the news release.