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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S., Canadian navies stage rare joint mission through Taiwan Strait
A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, in a rare joint mission in the sensitive waterway at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
Four kids drown, man missing after Quebec fishing accident: provincial police
A fishing excursion ended in tragedy on Saturday when four children died in a village in northeastern Quebec, provincial police said. Authorities said they were still searching for a missing man in his 30s who was a member of the fishing party and remained unaccounted for.
Fighting climate change or funding fossil fuels? America wants it 'both ways': U.S. ambassador
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says America 'absolutely wants to have it both ways' when it comes to fighting climate change while pursuing fossil fuel projects.
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
More than 5,000 new species discovered at future deep-sea mining site in Pacific Ocean
More than 5,000 new species have been discovered at an expansive future deep-sea mining site in the Pacific Ocean.
Ukraine says inspections found nearly a quarter of its air-raid shelters locked or unusable
Concerns around civilian safety spiked in Ukraine on Saturday, as officials announced that an inspection had found nearly a quarter of the country's air-raid shelters locked or unusable, just days after a woman in Kyiv allegedly died waiting outside a shuttered shelter during a Russian missile barrage.
Pope warns of risk of corruption in missionary fundraising after AP investigation
Pope Francis warned the Vatican's missionary fundraisers on Saturday not to allow financial corruption to creep into their work, insisting that spirituality and spreading the Gospel must drive their operations, not mere entrepreneurship.
Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault
Canada is open to the idea of including a requirement to cut back on the production of plastic in a new global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
Montreal hot sauce makes spicy new addition to YouTube show 'Hot Ones'
La Pimenterie's Curry Verde is the hot new thing on 'Hot Ones,' a hit celebrity interview show on YouTube.
London
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WATCH
WATCH | Wind turbine blaze 'contained' north of Goderich, Ont.
Todd Edginton could hardly believe his eyes when he looked out his back door to find a wind turbine on fire. He wasn’t alone, as people stopped just north of Goderich to see the spectacle unfold.
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Teen taken to hospital after being struck by driver
A skateboarding teenager was taken to hospital after being hit by a driver in west London, Ont. on Saturday afternoon.
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Immersive Disney Animation experience opens in London, Ont.
A new immersive experience has opened at 100 Kellogg Ln. in London. Immersive Disney Animation features sights and sounds from a wide range of classic Walt Disney pictures.
Windsor
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Amherstburg, Ont. home destroyed after vehicle collides into residential gas line, says fire chief
A vehicle crash in Amherstburg has completely destroyed a home — and the driver has been hospitalized with severe burns.
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Windsor man charged with attempted murder after east end shooting
Multiple charges have been laid against a 40-year-old Windsor, Ont. man after he allegedly shot another man during an argument on Friday night.
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'Enough is enough': Province-wide rally to protest Ford government
People are rallying in cities across the province Saturday as part of the Ontario Federation of Labour’s ‘Enough is Enough Day of Action.' The protests and marches taking aim at the Doug Ford government, with participants looking for solutions to the cost of living crisis.
Barrie
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OPP launch homicide investigation in Collingwood
Provincial police in Collingwood are investigating a homicide after a late-night disturbance.
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SIU clears officers in self-inflicted death investigation of man in Barrie
Just after noon on Feb. 4, Barrie police received a 911 call from staff at a grocery store on Blake Street, where a woman had fled from a man's vehicle after he committed "serious and violent" offences against her.
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Water crash in Oro-Medonte sends one person to hospital, other man facing charges
One person has suffered serious injuries in a crash on the water in Oro-Medonte.
Northern Ontario
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Currently 20 active forest fires in northeastern Ont.
There are 20 forest fires active in northeastern Ontario, including eight new confirmed fires reported Friday.
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Northeastern Ontario under air quality advisories due to forest fires
Smoke plumes from Quebec are affecting air quality in northern Ontario, Environment Canada said Saturday.
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Sudbury teacher found guilty of sexual misconduct, has licence revoked
A Sudbury teacher accused of having sex with a student has been found guilty of professional misconduct by the discipline committee of the Ontario College of Teachers.
Ottawa
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One person treated for life-threatening injuries after crash in Ottawa's west end
Emergency crews responded to the crash on Carling Avenue, near Kirkwood Avenue, at 3:20 p.m. Saturday.
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City of Ottawa looked at these garbage policies before proposing a bag tag program
The city of Ottawa looked at four short-term measures to help extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill before proposing a bag tag program, but staff said the other options would either be difficult to enforce or would have a lower impact on waste diversion.
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Four kids drown, man missing after Quebec fishing accident: provincial police
A fishing excursion ended in tragedy on Saturday when four children died in a village in northeastern Quebec, provincial police said. Authorities said they were still searching for a missing man in his 30s who was a member of the fishing party and remained unaccounted for.
Toronto
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Notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo moved to medium-security prison in Quebec
Notorious serial rapist and killer Paul Bernardo was moved to a medium-security prison in Quebec this week.
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Suspects arrested in near-deadly Kennedy Station stabbing between 12 and 15 years old
Toronto police say the five suspects involved in a stabbing at Kennedy Station Friday night that left a man in critical condition are between the ages of 12 and 15 years old.
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Woman dead, second adult and child both in critical condition after Brampton house fire
A woman is dead and a second adult and a child are both in critical condition after a fire broke out at a residence in Brampton on Friday night.
Montreal
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Four kids drown, man missing after Quebec fishing accident: provincial police
A fishing excursion ended in tragedy on Saturday when four children died in a village in northeastern Quebec, provincial police said. Authorities said they were still searching for a missing man in his 30s who was a member of the fishing party and remained unaccounted for.
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Montreal hot sauce makes spicy new addition to YouTube show 'Hot Ones'
La Pimenterie's Curry Verde is the hot new thing on 'Hot Ones,' a hit celebrity interview show on YouTube.
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Man discovered fatally shot in downtown apartment: Montreal police
Montreal police (SPVM) is investigating a homicide in downtown Montreal, where a man was found shot dead on Saturday.
Atlantic
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Officials declare Halifax-area wildfire largely contained as rain brings relief
Heavy rain and some military reinforcements arrived to assist efforts on Saturday to quell the wildfires that have destroyed homes and caused the evacuation of thousands of people across Nova Scotia.
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City of St. John's charges 70-year-old woman for feeding pigeons in her backyard
A Newfoundland woman says her 70-year-old mother is facing a $5,000 fine for feeding pigeons in her backyard in downtown St. John's.
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New Brunswickers stand united in support of Policy 713
A Saturday afternoon rally in Moncton highlighted support for 2SLGBTQIA+ students as the provincial government continues a controversial review.
Winnipeg
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Three teens arrested in connection to multiple St. Vital bear spray attacks
Three teenagers face robbery and assault charges after a pair of bear spray attacks in St. Vital Thursday evening.
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'It's about saving lives': Pilot mental health crisis response program becomes permanent
A pilot project partnership between the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and Shared Health to reduce the workload of emergency responders is now becoming a permanent resource available to help more people in mental health crisis.
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Federal party leaders visit Manitoba ahead of June double by-election
With two Federal by-elections around the corner in Manitoba, party leaders hit the campaign trail to appeal to voters in Portage-Lisgar and Winnipeg South Centre.
Calgary
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Calgary Ukrainian Festival welcomes in thousands
Thousands of people are spending the weekend soaking up Ukrainian culture and welcoming new Canadians to the city.
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Nanton RCMP investigating 2 break and enters at golf course
Nanton RCMP are investigating a pair of break-and-enters that took place at the maintenance shop of the Nanton Golf Course.
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Employees often 'collateral damage' when activist investors come calling
Experts say 1,500 recently announced job losses at Suncor Energy Inc. are an example of the type of "collateral damage" that can occur when an activist investor comes calling.
Edmonton
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'The biggest cheerleaders': Dedicated group help keep Ryan Shtuka's story alive five years later
Brought together by kindness and heartbreak, a group of women is helping an Alberta mother make sure her missing son is never forgotten.
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Military paratroopers celebrate 'brotherhood' at Edmonton reunion
More than 500 people attended a paratroopers reunion this weekend at the Airborne Social Club of Edmonton.
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13-year-old girl attacked by stranger near Mill Creek Ravine
Edmonton police are searching for the man who attacked a young girl near Mill Creek Ravine Tuesday morning.
Vancouver
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Removal of Property Transfer Tax suggested for first time Vancouver homebuyers
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) is calling on the provincial government to make policy changes to help with affordability.
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Metro Vancouver real estate market showing signs of life after slow start to the year
After a slow start to the year, Metro Vancouver's real estate market is showing signs of life, according to the latest numbers from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV).
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'I will not bend': Vancouver MP Jenny Kwan says she won't allow China to erase history
The briefing with Canada's spy agency, warning Jenny Kwan that she is a target of foreign interference by China, took roughly an hour. It took less than a second, she says, for her to decide that she wouldn't let Beijing weaken her resolve.