Premier makes campaign-style visit to Waterloo Region
A crowd of employees gathered on the shop floor of a stainless steel equipment maker in Elmira Friday afternoon to greet and shake hands with Premier Doug Ford.
The only evidence of the pandemic were the masks everyone was wearing.
During his visit at Tri-Mach, the premier briefly spoke with the media about issues in Waterloo Region.
REVIEW AT A WCDSB
Last week, Education Minister Stephen Lecce ordered a review of an incident at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board after a principal called the police on a four-year-old child.
Ford weighed in Friday, calling it "unbelievable."
"We have to find out all the details," said Ford. "No matter what the details are, you don't call the police on a four-year-old simple as that. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."
Lecce ordered the review to be conducted by a third-party representative from the Ministry of Education who would have a mandate to recommend actions to the board.
The board's director of education, Loretta Notten, has previously said the actions taken in this situation follow the province's policies and procedures, and said the WCDSB welcomes "the opportunity to learn how the provincial practice can be refined and improved to better serve all our students."
Local NDP MPP Laura-Mae Lindo has called for a system-wide audit.
HOUSING COSTS
This week the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of Realtors issued its monthly update, with the average price of any home hitting the $1 million mark in February.
Many local home buyers now feeling priced out of their own market.
The premier acknowledged today this is a major supply and demand issue.
"We’ve got this housing plan that we've put forward. We're working with municipalities to make sure we cut the red tape," said Ford.
Ford noted he will work with the municipalities to reduce permit wait times to 90 days.
The premier did not have any formal announcements Friday afternoon.
His other visits in Waterloo Region included a Kitchener restaurant called Dosa-Twist, the Grand River Transit Facility, and Conestoga College.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.