Most-read stories of the week: St. Patrick's Day in Waterloo, Trudeau in Guelph, defrauding doulas
Revellers take over Marshall Street in Waterloo for St. Patrick’s Day parties
What started as a rainy, quiet morning turned into a sea of green as thousands gathered on Marshall Street in Waterloo Friday to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The celebrations come after a couple of calmed-down years thanks to COVID-19, and this year, with the pandemic-related restrictions removed, the party was in full swing.
“Honestly, I’ll party in any weather, I don’t care,” one party-goer told CTV News.
CTV cameras captured one incident involving a person being handcuffed and placed in a police cruiser.
It wasn’t until the early afternoon, when the weather started to dry up, that large gatherings began to form.
Around 2:30 p.m., it appeared thousands of people had come to take part in the day as the parties spilled from inside into the streets. By 6 p.m., those in attendance started to break apart.
Justin Trudeau stops in Guelph to launch $4 billion housing fund
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped in Guelph Friday to announce a $4 billion housing accelerator fund. Trudeau says the money will help eliminate barriers to create more homes, especially affordable units.
The announcement was made at Grace Garden in Guelph. The building, which used to be a motel, is currently being converted to affordable housing. Its 32 units are expected to be ready in two months.
The federal government says they’re aiming to fast track 100,000 homes in the next decade.
'Much bigger than people can even realize': Brantford woman charged with defrauding, harassing Ont. doulas
A 24-year-old woman from Brantford, Ont., is facing dozens of criminal charges, including harassment, fraud and sexual assault, after police say she sought the help of doulas for pregnancies and stillbirths that turned out to be fake.
Kaitlyn Braun is alleged to have misled numerous doulas – professionals who provide support during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period – lying to them about being pregnant or carrying a stillborn, while falsely using their services.
Kitchener doula Amy Perry says she was introduced to Braun in November 2022 after Perry’s colleague, another doula in Stratford, reached out for help supporting a woman who said she was pregnant with a stillborn baby after a sexual assault.
Perry says what happened over the next eight days was more bizarre and more heinous than anything she’s experienced in her nearly six years as a doula.
Kaitlyn Braun appears in a photo posted to social media.
University of Guelph says $3M lawsuit should be 'struck in its entirety'
The University of Guelph says it believes a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by one of its tenured professors against the institution and its employees is “frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of process.” The university filed its statement of defence on March 3 in response to a lawsuit from Byram Bridle, a tenured professor at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College.
Brindle launched a $3 million lawsuit against the university, a number of faculty and other individuals with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Dec. 19, 2022. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
Bridle alleged in his statement of claim he has suffered extensive damages, including, but not limited to, significant loss of standing as a virologist, immunologist, scientist and academic.
The University of Guelph is pictured above. (CTV)
7 victims connected to senior public school teacher charged with sexual assault, sexual interference
Waterloo regional police say there are seven victims involved in an ongoing investigation into a Kitchener senior public school teacher charged with multiple counts of sexual assault.
A spokesperson confirmed the number of victims in an email to CTV News on Friday.
Police charged the 52-year-old man – who taught at a senior public school in the Forest Hills area – with eight counts of sexual assault and sexual interference on Thursday, after reports of youths being sexually assaulted.
Police said officers received the reports on Feb. 2.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
UPDATED
UPDATED | 'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
Engaged couple shot dead days before moving out of house near Hamilton
An engaged couple was shot dead while fleeing their landlord near Hamilton just days before they were scheduled to move out of their apartment.
Federal Court of Appeal: Canada not constitutionally obligated to bring home suspected ISIS fighters
The Government of Canada has won its appeal and will not be legally forced to repatriate four Canadian men from prisons in Northeast Syria.
Canadian consumer debt hits all-time high, reaching $2.32 trillion in Q1 2023: TransUnion
Amid interest rate hikes and high inflation, more Canadians are turning to credit for relief, with consumer debt hitting a new record in the first quarter of 2023.
Canada closing in on deal to get Stellantis battery plant back on track: Champagne
A deal to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor is inching closer, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday.
House moving to midnight sittings as Liberals blame Conservatives for stalling agenda
It's that time of year again where MPs will be sitting until midnight until the House rises in late June, as the federal government pushes to pass as many bills as it can before the summer legislative hiatus. On Wednesday, Government House Leader Mark Holland announced that the Commons will be working late 'every single night … from here until the finish.'
Medication shortage in Canada led to increased dosing errors in children, new study shows
A new study has found that dosing errors in children increased during the Canada-wide shortage of paediatric fever and pain medication last year.
What you may not have known about bladder cancer
Although bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Canada, experts say there’s a significant lack of awareness surrounding whom it affects the most — statistically, men — and that the most common risk factor is smoking.
London
-
Lewis and Cuddy call for moratorium on 'renovictions' as pressure mounts on tenants of Webster Street apartments
The plight of tenants at the Webster Street apartments in northeast London, Ont. has reached the attention of Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
-
Minivan careens through entrance of florist shop in west London, Ont.
No injuries were reported after a minivan careened through the front entrance of a florist shop in the west end of the city early Wednesday afternoon.
-
‘Everything is going up but your wages remain the same’: Nonprofits struggling to hire and retain workers
Data collected from the regional EmployerOne Survey in January of this year showed that nonprofits have found it difficult to hire and retain qualified workers.
Windsor
-
'Don’t take your foot off the gas': Windsor mayor says Stellantis deal isn’t done until it’s done
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says reports a deal has been reached to secure the NextStar Energy EV battery plant in the city has him “cautiously optimistic that we’re tracking closer to a solution” — but says don’t get comfortable until it’s confirmed.
-
Canada closing in on deal to get Stellantis battery plant back on track: Champagne
A deal to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor is inching closer, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday.
-
Pilot project capturing downtown Windsor activity
There are a lot of cameras in the downtown area with Windsor police having leaned on many for footage to assist their investigations.
Barrie
-
One person airlifted after crash on Hwy 89 involving scooter and truck
One person has been airlifted following a collision involving a scooter and truck near Shelburne.
-
Georgian Bay man faces sentencing for deadly impaired driving crash on Hwy 12
A sentencing hearing got underway for the Georgian Bay man convicted of driving impaired and causing a collision on Highway 12 in 2020 that claimed the life of a 77-year-old Midland man.
-
3 girls now charged in assault, kidnapping investigation in Huntsville
Huntsville OPP has charged a third girl in connection to an alleged assault captured on video at a local high school and shared on social media earlier this month.
Northern Ontario
-
3 girls now charged in assault, kidnapping investigation in Huntsville
Huntsville OPP has charged a third girl in connection to an alleged assault captured on video at a local high school and shared on social media earlier this month.
-
Northern Ont. town on the brink of evacuation as out-of-control wildfire grows
Forest fires in northern Ontario are on the rise, with the largest in the region shutting down a critical highway for the people of Hornepayne for a bit and bringing the community to the brink of evacuation.
-
'Mortifying': Toronto woman says restaurant shamed her for ordering too much food
A Toronto woman says she was shamed for the size of her order at a sushi restaurant north of the city in a scathing review posted to social media that’s been viewed more than 1.4 million times.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa man facing charges in double homicide of Mississauga teens in Pembroke, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a 21-year-old man from Ottawa in connection with the shooting deaths of two teens from Mississauga in Pembroke, Ont. A third teenager, also from Mississauga, was injured.
-
Crown seeks significant sentence for OPP officer convicted of sexual assault
At a sentencing hearing in Brockville Wednesday, the Crown argued an 'exemplary sentence' was warranted for the OPP officer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman and videotaping it.
-
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
Toronto
-
Engaged couple shot dead days before moving out of house near Hamilton
An engaged couple was shot dead while fleeing their landlord near Hamilton just days before they were scheduled to move out of their apartment.
-
Ontario's summer forecast revealed. It might not be what you were hoping for
Ontarians could be looking at a 'love it or leave it' kind of summer this year with below normal temperatures forecast, The Weather Network says.
-
LIVE
LIVE | Toronto mayoral hopefuls face off in latest debate
The leading candidates in the Toronto mayoral race are squaring off in a debate hosted by United Way Greater Toronto, The Toronto Star and Toronto Metropolitan University. We’ll be bringing you live updates here as the candidates face off.
Montreal
-
'It doesn't feel human': Six Quebecers file legal challenge against Bill 96
One year less a day after Quebec's Bill 96 came into force, a new legal challenge was filed Wednesday at the Montreal courthouse on behalf of six people.
-
HEAT WAVE
HEAT WAVE | Here's how you can identify heat stroke and prevent serious symptoms
Some communities in Quebec are expected to get record-high temperatures and Environment Canada has issued several weather warnings and watches for heat. Dr. Christopher Labos spoke to CTV News anchor Mutsumi Takahashi about heat and sunstroke and tips for preventing serious consequences in the sun.
-
Quebec judge calls out 'shocking' state failure after man slays spouse in psychotic delirium
Louise Avon, brutally murdered on March 31, 2022 in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts by her husband in the throes of a crack-induced psychotic delirium, might still be alive if Quebec hadn't "failed miserably in its role of protecting the public."
Atlantic
-
N.S. premier asks for urgent help from federal government as wildfires continue to burn out of control
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is asking for urgent help as wildfires continue to burn out of control in his province.
-
Roofers hailed as heroes for alerting neighbours to Tantallon-area fire
A Halifax roofing crew is being hailed as heroes for their actions Sunday, after springing into action and alerting neighbours when they spotted smoke and then a fast-moving wildfire in Upper Tantallon, N.S.
-
Shelburne County wildfire remains out of control, further evacuation recommended
A wildfire in Nova Scotia’s Shelburne County is still out of control and prompting recommended evacuations.
Winnipeg
-
UPDATED
UPDATED | 'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
-
Sioux Valley Dakota Nation man killed in hit-and-run: RCMP
RCMP in Virden are investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident Tuesday morning.
-
Health Canada warning about life-threatening risks of water beads
Canadians are being warned about the potentially life-threatening risk of water beads for young children.
Calgary
-
Sentencing arguments in hit-and-run death of Calgary police officer to be rescheduled
Sentencing arguments in hit-and-run death of Calgary police officer to be rescheduled
-
Candidate's win despite trans-feces comparison not surprising: Pride Lacombe
The head of an LGBTQ group in central Alberta says he wasn't surprised a candidate who compared transgender students in schools to feces in food won her seat in Monday's provincial election, which saw the United Conservative Party win a majority government.
-
Calgary-based biosand filter organization celebrating 30 years of providing clean water
The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) has 1.7 million of its biosand filters in communities all over the world.
Edmonton
-
Smith urged to work with elected Edmontonians after promising 'council' of defeated UCP candidates
Alberta's re-elected premier says she plans to form a "council" of UCP candidates who lost in Monday's election to advise her on Edmonton issues, something her opponent made fun of Wednesday.
-
'It was panic, chaos': Hundreds of northern Alberta residents flee growing wildfire
The wildfire, believed to have been caused by lightning, grew from 300 hectares on Sunday to 8,600 by Wednesday afternoon.
-
Landspout spotted near Stettler, Alberta
A landspout touched down near Stettler on Wednesday afternoon.
Vancouver
-
B.C. man sentenced for harassment, 'brazen breaches' in stalking case
A B.C. man who stalked a woman he became "obsessed with" was convicted of 11 crimes including criminal harassment, attempted break-and-enter and "serial breaches" of no-contact conditions, according to a recently published judgment.
-
Finnigan, 'an absolute lovebug' of a cat, needs help and new home after recovering from hit-and-run: BC SPCA
A three-year-old cat that was hit by a car in Burnaby earlier this month needs some help and a new home, says the BC SPCA.
-
Vancouver man, 34, dies in hospital days after apartment fire
A 34-year-old man that was seriously injured in a fire that broke out in a Vancouver apartment earlier this week has died, officials confirmed Wednesday.