Regular gas prices rose this week at pumps across Vancouver, more than 25 cents above the national average. Gas prices rose 2.9 cents this week to $1.607 per litre, according to GasBuddy.com. Last week, the national average was down 0.8 cents to $1.338 per litre, according to GasBuddy.com. A litre of gas was $1.522 across B.C. on Monday.

Prices at most pumps in Canada saw little change last week. But the national average was largely unchanged. Patrick de Haan, head of petroleum analysis, said most provinces saw a drop of less than half a cent per litre. But gas prices were up in BC, where prices rose 4.1 cents per litre as refinery problems on the US West Coast caused supply disruptions.

 

 

Canada has issued travel advisories for holidaymakers planning holiday trips to various countries. Officials say it's a good idea to check for any travel advisories in place for your destination to ensure your health and safety when traveling outside the country. Many tourist destinations around the world are currently under travel advisories for a variety of reasons, from security risks to political instability. If you're traveling abroad, you can register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA). This is a free and confidential service that notifies you of emergencies or other warnings declared abroad or at home.

Let's take a look at some of the Canadian government travel advisories currently in effect for popular destinations.

Bahamas:

Canada's travel advisory warns travelers to be vigilant as pickpocketing, bag snatching, carjacking, violence and other crimes are common in cities in the Bahamas, even during daylight hours.

Spain:

The Canadian government is warning travelers to be vigilant due to the ongoing terrorist threat in Spain.

France:

France is also facing a terrorist threat. The government says there have been a number of pre-planned attacks in the past few years. Travelers are advised to be vigilant and to check French media and online.

Vietnam:

The federal government's travel advisory says pickpocketing and extortion are widespread in cities in Vietnam.

Mexico:

The government is advising travelers to be vigilant as crime and kidnapping are common. It is also advising travelers to avoid non-essential travel.

Jamaica:

Crime, including armed robbery and murder, is occurring in large cities and tourist areas such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Travelers are therefore advised to be vigilant.

Travel advisories have also been issued for travelers to Italy, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, and the UAE. For a complete list of Canada's travel advisories for various countries, visit the Travel Advice and Advisories website.

 

 

Prime Minister Mark Carney has further restricted immigration to address Canada's housing shortage. Mark Carney announced the Liberal government's plan to further limit the number of international students and temporary foreign workers. Carney said the new measure would help solve Canada's housing shortage problem.

Carney also announced several housing initiatives, including a program called "Build Canada Homes." It will provide $25 billion to private developers to build more homes. In addition, the GST on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million will be reduced. This will help first-time home buyers save up to $50,000. The cost of building multi-unit homes will also be reduced. This will reduce the price of a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto by about $40,000, Carney said.

The previous government's policies led to a rapid increase in the number of immigrants. The Liberal Party now says that this has led to an unsustainable situation. To address this, the Liberal Party aims to keep the number of permanent residents below 1 per cent after 2027. According to current estimates, the number of permanent residents will decrease by 3,95,000 in 2025, 3,80,000 in 2026 and 3,65,000 in 2027.

 

The cherry blossom trees, blooming in pink and white without a single drop, transport visitors to another world. This year, the cherry blossom trees in Toronto's High Park are expected to bloom by the end of this week, the City of Toronto says. Tens of thousands of people flock to High Park every year as the cherry blossoms bloom. The cherry blossom trees are one of the city's main attractions.

Many of the cherry blossom trees in High Park were gifted to Toronto residents in 1959 by the Japanese Ambassador to Canada on behalf of the people of Tokyo in appreciation of the city's reception of Japanese Canadians who were evacuated after World War II.

Starting Monday, Toronto's largest public park will be closed to vehicles during the cherry blossom season, which typically lasts four to 10 days, depending on the weather. The cherry blossom season in Toronto typically runs from late April to early May. People can view the flowers for longer if temperatures are cooler during the bloom period. The High Park Nature Centre encourages visitors to continue checking the website for the latest updates.

 

 

Amazon is set to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starlink. The first satellites for Amazon's Kuiper satellite broadband internet service have been launched. 27 satellites were launched. The launch was from Florida on Tuesday. Amazon's plan is to launch 3236 satellites as part of the Kuiper project. The company announced the $10 billion project in 2019.

The goal of the project is to provide satellite broadband internet to ordinary consumers, commercial enterprises and governments globally.

 

 

Conservative leader Pierre Poilivre has pledged to lift the ban on gas-powered vehicles if elected in Canada. The Trudeau government has promised to lift the controversial internal combustion engine ban imposed by the government as the election campaign enters its prime. Speaking to reporters at a car dealership in Halifax, Poilivre promised to end the Liberals’ plan to ban the sale of gas and diesel-powered vehicles.
The current goal is to make 20 per cent of cars sold in Canada electric starting next year and 100 per cent by 2035. Even hybrid cars, which have batteries and a small gasoline engine, will be banned under the new rules. But Transport Canada ended incentives for electric vehicles last year due to the economic crisis. This has raised doubts about the practicality of the move to reduce the number of gas-powered vehicles. This has led to calls from Canada's automotive industry to abandon the policy. The Vehicle Manufacturers Association has called the government's decision a "complete fantasy." A Leger poll released this week found that most Canadians oppose a ban on internal combustion engines by 2035.

 

 

Toronto City Council has approved a resolution calling for ride-sharing vehicles to take more responsibility for helping customers and police in emergencies. Councillor Mike Cole introduced the resolution in the wake of a mother's ordeal when an Uber car drove away with her five-year-old daughter in the back seat.

The woman, Julia Viscomi, recounted her experience at City Hall. The incident took place on March 10. Viscomi said her family of six were taking an Uber to their home in North York when the incident occurred. Uber was called after a flat tire. When they got home, everyone got out, but the car drove off with her daughter in the back seat. Viscomi said the car had already driven a short distance by the time she arrived to pick up her daughter. Uber, however, says it followed its internal protocol. Police investigated and located the driver. The girl was safely returned to her mother.

Following the incident, Councilman Mike Cole introduced a resolution on Thursday demanding an explanation from Uber. The resolution, approved by council members, calls for licensees to take greater responsibility for directly assisting customers and law enforcement in emergencies.

 

 

 

Around one million Canadian students are expected to participate in a mock vote in Canada's general election. While eligible voters head to the polls, students across the country will cast their ballots in a mock student vote.

Student Vote Canada is a national parallel election program that has been running since 2003. It is believed to help bring the democratic process to life in classrooms. The organization Civics says the program is designed to introduce students to politics and foster democratic participation. It gives young Canadians the opportunity to learn about parties and platforms, debate issues, and vote for real candidates running in their local districts.

This year, nearly one million students in 7,000 schools are expected to vote. Participating schools will also receive authentic voting materials, including ballots, boxes and voting screens, to provide a full election experience. “This is an opportunity for students to see themselves as citizens and future voters,” said Lindsay Masuco, chief executive officer of Civics, which runs the program with Elections Canada. Student vote results often closely resemble the results of the actual general election. The Liberal Party won 118 seats in the 2021 student vote.

 

Toronto's new area code, '942,' will come into effect on Saturday, April 26, officials said. 942 is the fourth area code in Toronto. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved the number 942 as an area code in 2023 following reports that the city's existing area codes would be decommissioned by April 2026.

The existing area codes are 416,647, and 437. 416 is the oldest area code. This number was introduced in 1947. Officials said that as the current area codes become inoperable, telephone service providers and customers will be given sufficient time to reconfigure data on their systems and devices.

 

 

Alberta Premier Daniel Smith is enjoying new experiences and sights during a week-long trip to Asia. In the meantime, Smith, who traveled on the Hayabusa high-speed train in Tokyo, is wishing Alberta had one like it. If there was a similar train in the province, Smith said in an ex-post that the distances between cities would be much shorter. If there was a high-speed train, Smith said that passengers could get between Edmonton and Calgary in under an hour.

Smith shared in the X-Post that he traveled on the Hayabusa high-speed train, which travels from Tokyo to Sapporo at 320 kilometers per hour, as part of his Asian trip.

The premier added that he hopes to complete the Alberta government's passenger rail master plan by the summer. The main goal of Smith's Asian trip is to develop the province's energy and agricultural markets. Daniel Smith will also visit Japan and South Korea as part of the week-long trip.

 

 

Shares of the company plunged ahead of Tesla's first quarter results. Experts warned that the company could face a major crisis along with revenue. Concerns about the company were reflected in the market. Elon Musk's political interests have led to widespread criticism among ordinary people. Elon Musk's actions as part of the Trump administration and the uncertainty surrounding the launch of a low-cost electric vehicle have all contributed to the decline in Tesla shares.

Musk should step back from the controversial walls in the efficiency department and refocus on car manufacturing, said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives. Experts said that Tesla is facing a crisis as its first-quarter results are set to be released on Tuesday. Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla. The damage Musk's actions have done to the Tesla brand is enormous. Experts say this will be clear if you talk to customers in the US, Europe and Asia. Tesla shares were down 6 percent at 9:56 am on Monday. The sentiment against Musk has led to a slowdown in the company's global sales. Therefore, the stock has fallen by about 44 percent this year.

 

 

As incidents of violence against healthcare workers rise across the country, Canadian hospitals are gearing up to defend themselves with AI systems. An AI weapon detection system has been installed at the London Health Sciences Centre. The Ontario health network began using an artificial intelligence-based system at University Hospital on April 15. The next one will be installed at Victoria Hospital on May 6.

The Health Sciences Centre head David Musij said the idea of installing AI weapon detectors had been under discussion since last May. But he said the decision to implement it was made suddenly after an incident in December when a man with a gun was driven into the hospital.
Anyone entering the emergency department will be monitored by the detector. Unlike a regular metal detector, the AI can detect weapons such as knives and guns. .
You don't have to take out your mobile phone or keys, you don't have to take off your belt or shoes. However, it will recognize the shape, size, and metal of the knife, while ignoring the mobile phone, keys, etc.

 

 

Elections Canada allows voters to mark their ballots with a pencil or pen. Some posts on social media have suggested that only pencils should be used on ballots. However, some posts have also called for the use of pens to prevent ballot tampering. Following this, Elections Canada has clarified that pencils and pens can be used on ballots.

Elections Canada has clarified on its website that the claim that marking a ballot with a pencil can fade or be erased, and therefore the vote will not be counted, is false. The law requires that polling officials provide voters with black lead pencils. However, the agency says that if necessary, a pen or any other writing instrument can be used. The ink in the pens can dry out or bleed. This can render the ballot paper unusable. That is why they use pencils, Elections Canada said. Ballots are only opened when it is time to count on election day. All ballots are counted by election staff. The counting of votes is conducted in the presence of witnesses representing the candidates, according to the Elections Canada website.

 

 

Is Canada becoming a global hub for organized crime? Several recent events point to this. The problem first emerged during the Conservative government of Stephen Harper. It then rapidly increased under Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
"Glorious" has been a synonym for mobsters in Canada for the past two decades.
The lack of tough punishment and ineffective government measures have fueled such crimes.

Canada has become a hub for organized crime, said Antonio Nicaso, a Queen's University professor and renowned organized crime expert. He added that Canada has become a place where organized crime can thrive. Over the past two decades, even the meaning of the term "organized crime" has changed. In the past, Canadians thought of mobsters as Italian gangsters. But that's not the case today.
Canada has become a global hub for money laundering, with between $45 billion and $113 billion a year flowing through real estate, big banks and casinos.
That money is used to finance the production, sale and other crimes of fentanyl.
Despite the low death rate among gangsters, corruption is rampant in Canada, said Nicasso. For organized crime to grow, it must have affected institutions, honest businesses, politicians and police. Now, Nicasso explains, it has affected every sector. There are several reasons why Canada is so popular with criminals, Nicasso says. Low risk and high reward are all contributing factors. Experts say a lax legal system and an apathetic government all exacerbate the problems

 

 

Alberta wants to get rid of bike lanes. The province's two major cities are being asked to remove bike lanes from major roads. But there has already been a backlash against the move.

Minister Devin Drieschen says bike lanes are causing traffic congestion and hindering the construction of infrastructure needed for Alberta's growing population. The minister said he is trying to remove many obstacles to fulfill the government's goal of developing road networks. The provinces are investing money in projects to add and expand roads to meet the growth goals we are aiming for in the province. "We want to make sure municipalities do the same," the minister said in an interview. The minister made the comments after posting a video and a letter on social media explaining his request to Edmonton councillors. He also called for the cancellation of a multi-year plan to build bicycle lanes along a few blocks of 132 Avenue on Edmonton's north side.

 

 

Parties in Canada are making every effort to secure votes in the election. The campaign is trying to woo ethnic votes. The ads asking for votes range from various foreign languages to Punjabi. Parties are trying to attract voters in their preferred languages using multilingual and multi-platform strategies. Communities in affluent areas such as the 905 belt in British Columbia and Ontario are being targeted more.

This is a unique election and the biggest feature this time is the very short timeframe and the huge cost of online campaigns, says Harneet Singh, managing principal of EOK Consults. Various parties have already spent $5.6 million on social media ads alone. The Punjabi community in Canada, which numbers more than a million, is a crucial influence in BC, Ontario’s 905 region, Calgary and Edmonton. Historically, the Liberal Party has had the strongest support among immigrant South Asian communities. But this election marks a change. The Conservative Party of Canada has spent a lot of money on Punjabi-language ads. The ads address pressing community concerns such as robbery, crime, and vehicle theft.

 

 

Ontario is reeling from a measles outbreak. More than 100 new cases have been reported, bringing the province's total to 925, Public Health Ontario said. The province has reported 109 confirmed cases of measles in the past week. Of those infected, 69 are in hospital. Four of them are in intensive care, the health department said. In Northwestern Ontario, measles has mostly affected unvaccinated infants, children and teenagers.

In addition to Ontario, cases have been increasing in Alberta since March. As of Wednesday, Alberta had 83 confirmed cases.

 

 

California Governor Invites Canadians to Visit California. Gavin Newsom has urged Canadians to visit California amid ongoing concerns about U.S.-Canada relations. He announced the launch of a campaign targeting Canadians in a video posted on the social media platform X on Tuesday.

In the video post, Newsom said he wanted to send a message to our Canadian friends to come back to a state that saw two million Canadians visit last year. He also said the U.S. approach to Canada has changed. "You know who's causing the problems. But don't let that affect your travel plans," Newsom said without naming US President Donald Trump. He was referring to Trump's repeated threats to add Canada as the 51st state. The Trump administration's tariffs on Canadian goods and services, coupled with border security measures and unnecessary security checks, are all deterring Canadians from traveling to the United States.

 

 

While demand is picking up in other Canadian cities, the Greater Toronto condo market continues to slump. Experts say that is unlikely to change anytime soon. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, about 1,400 condo sales were made across the GTA last month. That is a 23.5 per cent decline compared to March 2024.

Last year, lower borrowing costs have generally boosted the housing market. But with so many projects ready for delivery in Greater Toronto, buyers are unable to make good offers. This is causing problems. Real estate observers are describing 2024 as a record year for condo completions in the region. This has led to a sharp mismatch between available inventory and the number of buyers. Compounding the problem, the board said that condo sales fell by a fifth in the first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of last year.

 

 

The Canadian government has announced financial aid for businesses struggling in the tariff war between Canada and the United States. Automobile companies that manufacture vehicles in Canada will be exempt from the federal government's retaliatory tariffs, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said. But the minister said there will be limits on the number of tariff-free vehicles that are assembled in the United States and allowed to be imported into Canada.

In addition, he said that a six-month temporary tariff exemption will be provided for US raw materials in a way that does not hinder the manufacturing, processing and packaging of products.

 

 

Canada has reportedly denied 2.35 million temporary visa applications. This was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). With the increase in immigration, there was a lot of pressure on sectors such as housing, infrastructure, and health care. It is indicated that the denial of 2.35 million temporary visa applications was part of the decision to make immigration procedures more stringent.

1.95 million visitor visa applications were denied in 2024. This was an increase of 40 percent compared to 2023. In addition, 290,317 study permit applications and 115,549 work permit applications were denied. Many visitors were found to be staying in Canada for longer than the permitted period. Immigration officials are now scrutinizing applications with unclear intentions. It was recently discovered that about 50,000 students who arrived as students are not studying. This is why study permits have been limited.

There is a demand for foreign workers in sectors such as tourism, health and construction. But in order to maintain balance, the government is issuing visas to very few people in this category. So far this year, more than two million applications have been considered in various categories.

 

 

A former church in a rural area in Southeast Edmonton is for sale. The listing says the church is suitable for business, residential, etc. The church is located at #3 22106 South Cooking Lake Road, just off Highway 14, about 10 minutes from the Edmonton city limits. The church was built in 1975 and has been active for prayers and other activities. The sale price for the 1,800-square-foot church is set at $249,900.

Although it was used as a church, Strathcona County has given priority to future commercial use of the building. The church is permitted to be converted into any type of use, including a wellness studio, cafe, or boutique retail space. It can also be converted into residential space, subject to county approval. Visit the listing on the Realtor page for more information.

 

 

While demand is picking up in other Canadian cities, the Greater Toronto condo market continues to slump. Experts say that is unlikely to change anytime soon. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, about 1,400 condo sales were made across the GTA last month. That is a 23.5 per cent decline compared to March 2024.

Last year, lower borrowing costs have generally boosted the housing market. But with so many projects ready for delivery in Greater Toronto, buyers are unable to make good offers. This is causing problems. Real estate observers are describing 2024 as a record year for condo completions in the region. This has led to a sharp mismatch between available inventory and the number of buyers. Compounding the problem, the board said that condo sales fell by a fifth in the first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of last year.

 

 

Washington: The Trump administration has warned foreign nationals staying in the United States for more than 30 days. The Department of Homeland Security has said that foreign nationals staying in the US must register with the government or face fines and imprisonment. The government has come up with a new order after Donald Trump's administration introduced major restrictions on immigration policies after it came into effect.

Leave the country immediately, or deport yourself, the Department of Homeland Security posted on Exel, tagging President Trump's office and Homeland Security Secretary Krishi Noyam. Meanwhile, the decision will not directly affect those living in the US on visas such as H-1B or student permits.

Meanwhile, the new policy indicates that strict action will be taken to prevent foreign nationals from staying in the US without clear documents. . If an H-1B visa holder loses their job and does not leave the country within the specified period, they may face action. Therefore, there is a concern that students and H-1B visa holders will be covered by the new US directive.

 

 

Robots are being used for heart surgery in Toronto. The city's St. Michael's Hospital performed the first robot-assisted heart surgery. Experts say the use of robots, including in heart surgery, will pave the way for better outcomes for patients in the future.

The robot was used for the heart surgery of 60-year-old Ferenc Jacob. Doctors said Jacob is doing well after the surgery. More hospitals are starting to use robots for hip and knee replacements, spine surgeries, hysterectomies, etc. Robotic surgery involves only small incisions. In addition, many people choose robotic surgery for the reasons of less pain, less risk of infection, and a much faster recovery.

Jacob is the first patient in the Greater Toronto Area to undergo robotic heart surgery. Jacob said the benefits of robotic surgery outweigh the risks. The da Vinci robot, along with a team of trained cardiac surgeons, nurses and anesthesiologists, performed the surgery on March 26. It was the first robotic heart surgery of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area and one of five performed across Canada.

 

 

 

Officials are warning people to be vigilant as bears are more likely to enter residential areas during the spring and summer months. Alberta Forestry and Parks and Public Safety and Emergency Services are advising people spending time in forests and outdoors during the holidays to take necessary safety precautions.

Bears are more likely to attack humans when they emerge from the woods in search of food during the spring. With food sources scarce at the start of the season, bears will approach trails, roads, campsites and residential areas during this period. Foraging bears will look for food in garbage cans. Therefore, officials also warned that garbage cans should be kept safe.

Officials are advising backcountry hikers, hikers, campers and fishermen to be aware of bears and take precautions. The best time for bear activities is from May to October. If you see bears or encounter other dangerous situations, you can report them to the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Service at 1-800-642-3800, officials said.

 

 

Canada warns travelers heading to the US. The government is warning travelers to expect more questions and actions from officials at the US border. Many travelers have to face some kind of difficulty. The warning is in this context.

Border officials have the authority to block electronic items, including phones and laptops. Therefore, the government is warning to take precautions. Officials say that to avoid leaking personal information and other data, such devices should be avoided. If you do carry them, it is recommended to avoid personal data and use a temporary burner instead of a mobile phone. If you have to carry a phone or laptop, the authorities say that it is enough to upload sensitive information to a cloud storage service that uses end-to-end encryption and then delete the originals from the device.

Some immigration lawyers say that Canadian citizens should expect more questioning. Many are concerned that US Customs and Border Protection will be able to clear the way under President Donald Trump's rule changes. The border has been beefed up with increased security and investigations.

 

 

Refugee arrivals in Quebec surge after U.S. revokes immigration status. The new report comes amid concerns that the Trump administration’s immigration policies are driving up the number of immigrants entering Canada.

Border officials say there has been a steady increase in the number of people seeking asylum in Canada through the main border crossing south of Montreal. Many people whose legal stay in the United States is about to expire are also arriving at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacol crossing. Data from the Canada Border Services Agency shows that the number of refugee applications through here has been increasing since the beginning of the year. 1,356 applications were received in March and 557 applications were received in April through last Saturday. The surge in asylum applications in Canada comes as the temporary status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the United States is about to expire.

Since the election of US President Donald Trump in November, the number of potential refugees arriving in Canada has increased, says Franz André, a spokesman for a Montreal-based group that helps immigrants. A large number of those crossing the Quebec border into Canada are Haitian immigrants. They have come to Canada because their legal stay in the United States is about to expire, Franz André said.

 

 

 

California: An anonymous worker was working a regular shift at a Walmart in California on Monday when he received a notification on his phone. It was an email from the US Department of Homeland Security.

"It is time for you to leave the United States," the email began. "DHS is now exercising its discretion to terminate your asylum immediately."

At the end of the Biden administration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) became the primary method by which asylum seekers could enter the United States at ports of entry.

As part of a broader move to revoke the temporary legal status of immigrants who entered the United States under a legal authority known as humanitarian asylum during the Biden administration, the Trump administration is telling some immigrants who entered the U.S. using the CBP One mobile app to leave immediately. They are among the more than 936,000 immigrants who used the app to schedule appointments at ports of entry.

“This CBP rescission is a promise to the American people to secure our borders and protect our national security,” the DHS press team said in an emailed statement.

The Department of Homeland Security says it has sent formal notices of termination to some immigrants who were allowed to enter the U.S. through the CBP One app -- although DHS has not said how many immigrants received those notices.

According to a termination notice seen by NPR, which was rebranded and relaunched by the Trump administration as CBP Home, DHS is now encouraging immigrants to report their departure through the same mobile app.

The notice, sent this week, warns that immigrants whose paroles are terminated will lose their work authorization and could be subject to criminal prosecution, fines, and removal from the U.S., although this is an exception for those who “otherwise have a lawful basis to remain here.”

 

 

Measles cases are on the rise in Alberta. 43 cases have been reported. Authorities are urging the public to be vigilant. The majority of cases have been reported in Two Hills. As of Tuesday afternoon, 21 of the 43 reported measles cases are in the Central Zone. Seven new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours.

All but four of the 43 confirmed cases are in people under the age of 18. Measles, which was declared eradicated from Canada in 1998, is now making a comeback. Low vaccination rates have contributed to the rapid spread of the disease in recent months. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said the province's top doctors have urged the government to take more preventive measures to stop the spread. The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association has blamed the government's inaction for the spread. The association called on the government to launch a vaccination program and take steps to make people more aware of the disease. There are indications that the disease is likely to be reported across Alberta, including Airdrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort Vermilion and Lethbridge.