Northern lights, parking lot arrest, 'BORGs': Here are the most-read stories of the week
Did you see the northern lights? Photos show lights dancing across southern Ontario
The northern lights above Authur, Ont. on March 23. (Kevin Gilbert)
An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.
According to the Government of Canada, auroras occur when charged particles - electrons and protons - collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. Those collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colourful light.
The light display was a result of an Earth-facing coronal hole on the sun and solar winds, according to National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA).
On Thursday night these flashes were so bright they were visible across southern Ontario. Keep reading and see photos here.
Ontario man fails driving test, almost hits 4 people with vehicle before doing burnouts in parking lot: police
Police in Guelph, Ont. have charged a man who they say failed a driving test before driving off and nearly hitting four people with his vehicle and then deciding to do burnouts in a parking lot.
According to a news release, officers were called to a Woodlawn Road West plaza around 4 p.m. Monday after a man got angry after he failed his driving test.
The driver allegedly yelled at drive test staff, got into his vehicle, sped through the parking lot, drove through a walkway nearly hitting four people, and then did a number of burnouts in the plaza parking lot. Keep reading here.
'BORGs' abound at Waterloo St. Patrick’s Day, but what are they?
Students carry 'BORGs' in Waterloo's university district on Friday March 17, 2023. (CTV Kitchener)
A new youth binge-drinking trend was on display in the streets of Waterloo’s university district Friday.
If you looked closely, you could see many St. Patrick’s Day party-goers drinking from something called a ‘BORG.’ Keep reading here.
Ont.’s police watchdog investigating after Centre Wellington man seriously injured
A black car is seen in the ditch near the corner of Wellington Road 18 and Fourth Line in Centre Wellington on March 22, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)
Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating a crash near Belwood Lake that saw a 43-year-old Centre Wellington man transported to hospital.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says it happened around 1:45 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Wellington Road 18 and Fourth Line, a few kilometres northeast of Fergus, Ont.
The SIU says shortly after midnight, Halton police officers attempted to stop a black Chrysler 300 alleged to have committed traffic infractions in another jurisdiction.
“The attempt was unsuccessful and officers disengaged,” the SIU said in a media release.
When the car entered Wellington County, OPP officers tried to stop to the vehicle.
At 1:45 a.m., the car left the roadway and entered a ditch. Keep reading here.
'Everybody’s pulling together': Community reels following death of 10-year-old girl near Brantford
Ava Howick, 10, is seen in this undated photo. (Facebook - Bonnie M Howick-Childs)
A community is in mourning after a 10-year-old girl was killed earlier this week when flames tore through her family’s camping trailer southeast of Brantford.
The family says they have been overwhelmed by the kindness people have been showing since that tragic day. They are now working to support the rest of the surviving family members as they mourn the loss of 10-year-old Ava Howick.
"I was just basically numb, devastated," said Ava’s great aunt Bonnie Childs.
Flames ripped through a camping trailer in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation just before 2 a.m. on Monday March 13. Keep reading here.
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O'Toole says CSIS told him he was focus of Chinese misinformation, suppression effort
Conservative MP Erin O'Toole says Canada's spy agency has told him he was the target of Chinese interference intended to to discredit him and promote false narratives about his policies while party leader.
U.S. officer shoots at truck driver near N.B. border crossing
Traffic is back up and running through the border crossing between Woodstock, N.B., and Houlton, Maine, after a security scare Monday.
BREAKING
BREAKING | Blue Jays pitcher 'truly sorry' for sharing anti-LGBTQ2S+ video
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass said he is 'truly sorry' for sharing a controversial anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on Instagram.
Human rights activist confirmed to be held in Chinese detention centre: family in Canada
Chinese authorities have confirmed that human rights activist Dong Guangping has been held in a Chinese detention centre since October of last year, according to the man's family in Canada.
Police identify engaged couple shot dead after dispute with landlord near Hamilton
A young couple shot and killed after a dispute with their landlord near Hamilton have been identified by police.
Priest charged in alleged sexual assault of 8-year-old girl on Manitoba First Nation
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a priest from a First Nation community who is accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, and believe there may be more victims.
B.C. teacher who singled out students over their breasts, bathroom-use suspended for 5 days
A B.C. high school teacher is facing a five-day suspension and course requirement after making multiple students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their bodies—and it’s not the first time he’s been disciplined in the past decade.
Federal government aiming to dispose of half of its office buildings with hybrid work here to stay
The federal government is planning to offload up to half of its office buildings across the country, citing the rise in remote and hybrid work.
Air Canada failing to provide full services in both official languages: report
Whether travelling by plane, train or automobile, francophone travellers are struggling to access services in their language, Canada's official languages commissioner said Tuesday.
London
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VIDEO
VIDEO | Communities in mourning as OPP officer and respected school bus driver killed in crash
Messages of support continue to come in following the death of an OPP officer and a school bus driver. Both were killed in a crash when their vehicles collided at Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 northwest of Woodstock.
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A sweet success: 11-year-old boy’s cotton candy business takes off in Grand Bend, Ont.
Fin Pearson-Ross is becoming known for his cotton candy business along the Grand Bend strip, and the 11-year-old entrepreneur shows no signs of slowing down.
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Possible match found for 'Babs' the dog
Babs the dog may have found her forever home after a London couple brought her home Monday night for a trial stay.
Windsor
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OPP officer from Lakeshore mourned by hockey community
Members of the Belle River hockey community say they are in ‘complete disbelief’ over the death of OPP officer with ties to the region.
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Victim in 'critical condition' after violent downtown assault: Windsor police
Windsor police say a victim is in critical condition after he was chased and assaulted Saturday by a group of people downtown.
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Lauzon Parkway tops CAA's annual 'worst roads' list for southwestern Ontario
The annual list of ‘worst roads’ across the province is out and while no Windsor roads cracked the top 10 in the province, four of five are considered by CAA as the worst in southwestern Ontario.
Barrie
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Vehicle fire shuts down part of Highway 400
Traffic came to a stop on Highway 400 Tuesday afternoon after a U-Haul van caught fire.
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Collingwood purse snatcher sentenced to 6 years behind bars
A 34-year-old man who admitted to robbing a Collingwood senior in 2019 was sentenced to six years in jail on Tuesday.
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'Serious incident' in the Town of the Blue Mountains 'resolved peacefully:' OPP
Provincial police say a "serious incident" in the Town of the Blue Mountains has "resolved peacefully."
Northern Ontario
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9 active wildfires in northeastern Ontario, highway closed again
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is reporting nine active wildfires in northeastern Ontario on Monday.
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Ontario mayor wants to change 'O Canada' lyrics
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie hopes the city will support calling on the federal government to change the lyrics of “O Canada.”
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State of emergency in northern Ontario lakeside community due to rising water levels
Mitch and Donna Bujold moved to their Nellie Lake lot in 2018 for the lakefront view and access to the water, but in recent weeks, it seems the lake has been keen on accessing their property too.
Ottawa
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Federal government aiming to dispose of half of its office buildings with hybrid work here to stay
The federal government is planning to offload up to half of its office buildings across the country, citing the rise in remote and hybrid work.
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Shopify faces class action over severance offered to recently laid off staff
A class-action lawsuit alleges Shopify Inc. reneged on a deal it offered some employees who were laid off in a recent round of cuts.
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Here are the worst roads in Ottawa, according to CAA
Despite efforts from the city of Ottawa to make repairs, Carling Avenue reigns supreme as the worst road in Ottawa, and one of the worst in Ontario.
Toronto
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BREAKING
BREAKING | Blue Jays pitcher 'truly sorry' for sharing anti-LGBTQ2S+ video
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass said he is 'truly sorry' for sharing a controversial anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on Instagram.
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Police identify engaged couple shot dead after dispute with landlord near Hamilton
A young couple shot and killed after a dispute with their landlord near Hamilton have been identified by police.
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21 deaths now linked to Kenneth Law's lethal products
The number of deaths connected to the products sold by a Mississauga, Ont. man charged with aiding and abetting suicide continues to climb, hitting at least 21 people, according to tracking by CTV News.
Montreal
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Lone tenant in a $400-a-month apartment could hold up major Montreal condo project
Carla White is the only remaining tenant in her building, which is slated to be demolished to make room for a 176-unit condo project. But in order to move forward, the developer must reach an agreement with White -- and she says she won't leave until she's provided with a home that offers the long-term stability she needs to ensure she won't end up back on the streets.
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Funding cuts put Quebec summer camps in jeopardy this year: ACQ
Some Quebec children may not be able to participate in summer camps this year because of funding cuts to a federal program, says the Quebec Camps Association (ACQ). Almost all summer camps have waitlists because they need more funds to hire more staff, it said Tuesday.
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Air Canada failing to provide full services in both official languages: report
Whether travelling by plane, train or automobile, francophone travellers are struggling to access services in their language, Canada's official languages commissioner said Tuesday. Raymond Theberge said it's an ongoing struggle that has gotten worse in the last decade, especially as people begin travelling again.
Atlantic
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'For God's sake, stop burning': N.S. premier bans all activity in forests, urges residents to abide by burn ban
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has banned all activity in forests as of Tuesday, and says the wildfire damage is “extensive” and “heartbreaking.”
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'There is nothing left': 151 Halifax-area homes destroyed by wildfire
A wildfire in northwest Halifax has destroyed more than 150 homes and about 50 other structures, the municipality’s executive director of public safety said Tuesday at a news conference.
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New Brunswick wildfire remains out of control, but residents cleared to return home
New Brunswick residents who were forced to leave their homes in the south of the province this week because of a raging wildfire are being told it's safe to return.
Winnipeg
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Priest charged in alleged sexual assault of 8-year-old girl on Manitoba First Nation
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a priest from a First Nation community who is accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, and believe there may be more victims.
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Man fatally stabbed on Burrows Avenue; homicide unit investigating
A 22-year-old man has died following an early morning stabbing in Winnipeg on Tuesday.
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Violent crime in Winnipeg reaches highest level in 13 years: report
The number of crimes in Winnipeg increased by more than 25 per cent in 2022, which includes a record number of homicides, a spike in the use of bear spray as a weapon, and an uptick in property crimes.
Calgary
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Calgary man charged in human trafficking investigation involving 15-year-old girl
A 21-year-old Calgary man is facing several charges related to human trafficking after he allegedly sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl.
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Pedestrian killed by semi near Banff was facing child pornography charges
A pedestrian hit and killed by a semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway near Banff was facing child pornography charges, CTV News has learned.
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Tabulation change led to delay in voting results: Elections Alberta
An Elections Alberta official says a change in how advance “vote anywhere” ballots are counted likely contributed to a delay in publishing the results in Monday's provincial election.
Edmonton
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NDP sweep of Edmonton confirmed; Madu out as minister with fall to Ip in southwest
The Alberta NDP swept the province's capital city for a second time during Monday's provincial election.
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Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
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Even with majority, UCP's Copping, Nixon and Milliken lose seats in Calgary
Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party won the election last night but the Alberta NDP made some inroads in Calgary, the city where most of the month-long campaign was fought.
Vancouver
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B.C. man wins compensation for Air Canada luggage delay
Air Canada has been ordered to pay over $2,300 to a man whose luggage didn’t arrive before he set off on a nine-day cruise.
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B.C. teacher who singled out students over their breasts, bathroom-use suspended for 5 days
A B.C. high school teacher is facing a five-day suspension and course requirement after making multiple students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their bodies—and it’s not the first time he’s been disciplined in the past decade.
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Atira Women’s Resource Society names interim CEO
Embattled B.C. housing provider Atira Women’s Resource Society has named an interim CEO, a move the board says is part of its work to rebuild trust following a damning report and the former leader's resignation earlier this month.