OPP investigate Highway 403 accident that sent four people to hospital
BRANT COUNTY, ON – The Brant County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating a Highway 403 West accident that saw a single-vehicle becoming airborn before rolling and coming to rest on its roof. OPP said the accident occurred at about 12:35 a.m. on Highway 403 West just east of Garden Avenue Aug., 19, 2025. Emergency services responded to scene and found a vehicle had left the highway via the north shoulder and become airborne before rolling and coming to rest on its roof. The driver, a 21-year-old man, and three passengers, a 19-year-old woman, 20-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man were all transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the collision. Highway 403 West remained open east of Garden Avenue while the...
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Province finalizing teacher competency standards
By Maggie Macintosh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Free Press Manitoba’s independent education commissioner will have new powers to field and probe complaints about teacher performance in time for back-to-school season. Following a mid-summer consultation process that critics are calling “hurried,” the Education Department is finalizing teacher competency standards for Sept. 2. A draft version suggests teachers must be knowledgeable about the curriculum, committed to student success and positive collegiality, foster a safe and inclusive environment and respect Indigenous people, languages and cultures. The approved list will replace a patchwork of expectations currently released by unions and employers. “If I was a new teacher starting out, I think it would be reassuring to me to know what the standard is across the province,” said Bobbi Taillefer, who oversees the new...
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Canmore abstract artist selected for world-class London art show
By Leah Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Rocky Mountain Outlook CANMORE — With two hours left before the deadline, Canmore artist Stephen Bend pressed submit on his application to the renowned London Art Biennale — an international event featuring a collection of museum-quality contemporary artwork. Selected as one of 350 artists from over 10,000 applicants, Bend’s piece, “Passion Ascending”, hung on the walls of the historic Old Town Hall in Chelsea, London, from July 16-20. “When I think about it, I was very emotional. [I was in] total shock … overwhelmed with emotion and the first thing I did was call [my son], Chris,” said Bend, recalling the moment he found out his piece was accepted. A gift to his wife, Bend’s “Passion Ascending” is an abstract oil painting celebrating...
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B.C. Métis Nation suspends president over complaints about behaviour
Métis Nation British Columbia says it has suspended its president over allegations of behaviour “inconsistent” with the group’s policies. The community organization says in a release that its executive committee decided to suspend Walter Mineault due to the complaints and information from the public. Mineault, who was elected last year, did not respond to a message over social media and could not immediately be reached for comment. Métis Nation British Columbia says the suspension is to protect its “integrity and reputation,” and it will begin a review of Mineault’s tenure before reaching a final decision on his future with the group. The nation declined a request for further comment. The organization voted last November to leave the Métis National Council due to what it called a governance structure that granted...
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Inuvik wind turbine access road still under construction
By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North Work on the Inuvik High Point Wind Project access road is still underway, three years after shovels first hit the ground. Completion of the road has been on hold while ongoing issues are before the courts, Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) communications manager Doug Prendergast told NNSL media on Aug. 12 “There is still additional work remaining to complete the access road to the standard that was built into the original contract,” he said. “Completion of the road from raw roadbed to gravel surface will occur once all remaining legal issues have been resolved. “The original contract price to construct the access road was $9.8 million. As the result of ongoing litigation, NTPC cannot discuss the value of payments made to...
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“For the Kids”: Churchill Businesses Join Forces for Summer Adventures
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun When you live in Churchill, the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” you could be forgiven for thinking you know the place. You know which streets the bears sometimes wander down. You know where the belugas roll in summer. You know the restaurants, the winds, the long winter dark. But what if you don’t? What if you are 9 years old on summer vacation and you’ve never once ridden on the whale-watching boats that idle at the dock all July? What if you’ve never stood on a tundra buggy, staring out over the spongy muskeg, or run your hands through frozen soil to see how houses sink into permafrost? This summer, a group of children in Churchill have been learning what...
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‘Chat with us’: Blueberry River Restoration Society to host open house
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — An organization with ties to a First Nations community will hold an open house to begin a dialogue with the community. Blueberry River Restoration Society (BRRS) has made plans for an event taking place in September, with the public being invited to spend a part of their day learning about the BRRS, its rebranding and its upcoming projects. The BRRS is a government partnership with Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) and was born out of the 2021 Supreme Court ruling determining the province had violated BRFN’s Treaty 8 rights by failing to account for the impact of cumulative development on cultural practices. BRRS was founded two years later with a focus on providing funding for ecological restoration...
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Judge dismisses part of lawsuit over ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration detention center
By David Fischer, Mike Schneider And Freida Frisaro MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge in Miami issued a split decision in a lawsuit over the legal rights of detainees at the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, dismissing part of the suit and also moving the case to a different jurisdiction. U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz issued the decision late Monday, writing in a 47-page ruling that claims the detainees at the facility don’t have confidential access to their lawyers or to hearings in immigration court were rendered moot when the Trump administration recently designated the Krome North Processing Center near Miami as a site for their cases to be heard. The judge heard arguments from both sides in a hearing earlier Monday in Miami. Civil rights...
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Métis Nation British Columbia suspends president amid complaints
By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca SURREY, B.C. — The Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) has suspended its president Walter Mineault. In a press release issued by MNBC’s executive committee on Monday, August 18th, the committee said it made the decision “with great dismay” and cited several complaints alleging “behaviour [that was] inconsistent” with the organization’s policies. The committee said it will launch an independent review of Mineault’s time as president to determine whether the suspension will be an outright dismissal. Pending the investigation, Melanie Allard has been named interim president of MNBC. “This is not an easy decision,” reads a part of the statement. “But it protects the integrity and reputation of our Nation.” A resident of Dawson Creek, Mineault was first elected as MNBC president in...
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Magnitude 3.6 quake shakes southeast of Port Renfrew, B.C.
A minor earthquake was recorded on Monday evening near Port Renfrew, about 110 kilometres northwest of Victoria. Earthquakes Canada reports a 3.6 magnitude quake struck at 7:17 p.m. local time, with the tremor occurring 18 kilometres southeast of Port Renfrew. A statement from the province says no damage or injury is expected. Earthquake Canada says the quake was lightly felt in the southern Vancouver Island region. The quake struck at a depth of 35 kilometers. Monday night’s quake came after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that shook near Sechelt, B.C., on Feb. 21, and on Feb. 24, a 5.0 magnitude quake was recorded off the coast of Port Alice on northwest Vancouver Island. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2025. ...
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The $5 payment that still defines Treaty promises that must be upheld
By Kinnukana, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News Every year, Treaty First Nations members across Canada are reminded of the promises made generations ago between Treaty First Nations and the Crown. Among those promises is the annual $5 treaty payment, a symbolic amount that originates from the numbered treaties signed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While the amount has not changed since those treaties were signed, the payment remains a visible reminder of the Crown’s obligations under those agreements. For many, the $5 is not about the dollar value, but about recognition, history, and the enduring nation-to-nation relationship. Former Chief, Leroy Wolf Collar, of Siksika Nation stated, “The $5 is a symbol of sovereignty of First Nations government – it represents a treaty agreement between two sovereign...
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Building bridges between lifestyles goal of fledgling company
By Rosemary Godin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cape Breton Post A Cape Breton-based event and media company is growing that aims to both showcase the LGTBQ2S+ community and also make it more accessible to the general public. Dawn Joe-Pierro and their business partner Desna Doucette are co-founders of “Rezerved Productions,” an event-based company that creates space for LGTBQ2S+ artists and performers to present their talents, skills and knowledge to all people. The venture aims to create a safe space for LGBTQ2S+ performers and act as a bridge between entertainers and the corporate/cultural world. Joe-Pierro says Rezerved Productions is an avenue for the public to engage with the LGTBQ2S+ community in order to learn and accept different lifestyles and cultures. At home in Eskasoni Dawn Joe-Pierro spends her time planning events...
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Far north tourism camp owners hoping for post-pandemic rebound
By Matt Prokopchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com WEBEQUIE — Remote tourism camp operators and First Nations economic development officials say they want to see a revival in the far north’s wilderness tourism sector. There are several privately-owned wilderness camps in the far north under the auspices of a coalition called the Native Camp Operators Alliance, said Glen Wabasse, the economic development officer in Webequie. The alliance is under the economic development umbrella of Matawa First Nations, who Wabasse said would actively market the camps at venues like large outdoors shows in the United States. But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to all that, Wabasse said. “When the COVID pandemic happened, that’s when everything kind of seized (up), and hasn’t picked up since,” he said. Wabasse...
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With court win, Quw’utsun Nation sees a ‘spiritual homecoming’ after 150 years
By David P. Ball, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews The shoreline at Tl’uqtinus village — once the annual home to more than a thousand people during salmon season — is today a tangle of blackberry bushes and shipping terminals in what is today ‘Richmond, B.C.’ The riverside village of Tl’uqtinus — once the annual home to more than a thousand people during salmon season — is today a sprawl of retail warehouses, mostly unused municipal lots, a Coca-Cola plant, and a fuel facility for the nearby Vancouver International Airport. Less than 15 kilometres up the “Fraser River” from the Salish Sea, the former fishing village’s once-busy shores are today host to shipping terminals and a tangle of thorny and invasive blackberry bushes. Last week, Tl’uqtinus village sparked an even thornier...
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Indigenous leaders on Trans Mountain lessons as Building Canada Act moves forward
By Émilie Bergeron Two former Indigenous leaders on both sides of the debate over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion say the federal government can’t ignore First Nations on future infrastructure projects it seeks to approve. Their comments come as Prime Minister Mark Carney aims to fast-track major projects, such as pipelines and mines, through his government’s newly adopted “Building Canada Act.” Following years of delays and legal challenges, the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline, known as TMX, began operating last year. The project took more than 10 years to complete, after a court cited inadequate consultation with Indigenous groups in its decision to quash the federal government’s initial approval of the expansion. The Canadian Press spoke with two former Indigenous leaders — one who supported TMX and one who opposed it...
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Tlegohli Got’ine hails self-government agreement
By Eric Bowling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, NWT News/North It’s been over 20 years of steady effort to get this far, and now the real work begins for Tlegohli Got’ine First Nation. After ratifying the Tlegohli Got’ine Government Final Self-Government Agreement on March 31, leaders, Elders and the next generation gathered together in Norman Wells for a celebration this summer. “Self-government is about the ability to make decisions for your own people, in your own way,” said NWT Premier R.J. Simpson on July 28. “This agreement recognizes that right, and reflects the laws, values and priorities of the Tlegohli Got’ine. “It also reflects the direction we are headed as a territory. In the Northwest Territories, we are not building toward a provincial model. We are building something unique — a...
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Wildfire season’s ‘not slowing down’: emergency management minister
By Kyle Duggan Western provinces and the East Coast should remain on alert for the possibility of more wildfire activity throughout the rest of summer, based on the latest federal government update. Wide swaths of B.C. and the prairie provinces are expected to be drier and hotter than normal. Federal government forecasters also see above-average seasonal temperatures for most of the country over the next three months. Typically in the more northern regions, fire activity starts to wind down around September as cooler weather sets in and the days grow shorter. Not this year. Federal bureaucrats said there’s a high likelihood that the large fires currently burning will continue well into the fall amid the higher temperatures. “Wildfire season’s not slowing down,” Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said at a...
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Forestry audit scheduled for B.C. licence for land covering spotted owl habitat
British Columbia’s independent forestry watchdog says it will conduct an audit of a logging licence for more than 1,000 square kilometres of land that encompasses critical habitat for the endangered northern spotted owl. The Forest Practices Board says in a release that the licence, jointly held by the Skatin, Samahquam and Xa’xtsa First Nations as well as Lizzie Bay Logging, covers an area about 50 kilometres southeast of Pemberton, B.C. The board says the audit will begin on Aug. 25, and parties affected by the findings will have a chance to respond before the watchdog makes official recommendations to the province. The partnership acquired the licence in 2008 and currently manages an allowable annual cut of about 45,000 cubic metres on the land on the lower Lillooet River between...
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Forestry audit scheduled for B.C. licence for land covering spotted owl habitat
British Columbia’s independent forestry watchdog says it will conduct an audit of a logging licence for more than 1,000 square kilometres of land that encompasses critical habitat for the endangered northern spotted owl. The Forest Practices Board says in a release that the licence, jointly held by the Skatin, Samahquam and Xa’xtsa First Nations as well as Lizzie Bay Logging, covers an area about 50 kilometres southeast of Pemberton, B.C. The board says the audit will begin on Aug. 25, and parties affected by the findings will have a chance to respond before the watchdog makes official recommendations to the province. The partnership acquired the licence in 2008 and currently manages an allowable annual cut of about 45,000 cubic metres on the land on the lower Lillooet River between the...
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Forestry audit scheduled for B.C. licence for land covering spotted owl habitat
British Columbia’s independent forestry watchdog says it will conduct an audit of a logging licence for more than 1,000 square kilometres of land that encompasses critical habitat for the endangered northern spotted owl. The Forest Practices Board says in a release that the licence, jointly held by the Skatin, Samahquam and Xa’xtsa First Nations as well as Lizzie Bay Logging, covers an area about 50 kilometres southeast of Pemberton, B.C. The board says the audit will begin on Aug. 25, and parties affected by the findings will have a chance to respond before the watchdog makes official recommendations to the province. The partnership acquired the licence in 2008 and currently manages an allowable annual cut of about 45,000 cubic metres on the land on the lower Lillooet River between the...
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