ETA Canada Travel Pass News

Canada’s housing shortage has been recognized as the most important news story of 2024, and it is now considered a national crisis. The issue, compounded by a rapidly growing population, has led to a sharp increase in housing prices and rents, resulting in significant shifts in the government’s immigration policy. This shortage has not only exacerbated the lack of social housing but also contributed to the rise of homeless camps, making it increasingly difficult for municipalities to find viable solutions. The Bank of Canada has raised alarms about the housing crisis, which has prompted a stronger response from the federal government.

The housing issue has become a political burden for the government, with the Conservative Party using it to criticize both the rising cost of living and the immigration policy. Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser, who has been pushing for housing expansion policies, including increasing housing supply and investing in social housing, recently announced he would not seek re-election. This has sparked speculation about a potential cabinet reshuffle by the Prime Minister. Despite these efforts, the housing crisis remains unsolved, and the situation continues to deteriorate.

Canada’s population is growing at a rate of 3% annually, largely due to an influx of temporary foreign workers and international students. This population growth has driven up housing prices, and for the past two years, the government has been warning about the impact of immigration on the housing market. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has started to gradually adjust immigration policy. This year, the government has enacted several reforms, including limiting student permits and refusing approvals for temporary foreign workers. Additionally, the immigration target for 2025 has been lowered from 500,000 to 395,000. The federal government expects these policy changes to stop population growth within two years and address a shortage of 670,000 housing units.

Alongside immigration reforms, the Liberal government introduced a new plan in the spring aimed at stimulating housing supply. This plan includes encouraging developers to build more housing and relaxing regulations to facilitate municipal housing projects. Various other levels of government are also implementing measures to boost housing construction. Municipalities across the country have agreed to increase housing density through the federal government’s Housing Acceleration Fund. Furthermore, the Bank of Canada’s recent interest rate cuts are expected to help developers, with many housing projects that were previously suspended expected to resume. These efforts are part of the ongoing attempt to resolve Canada’s severe housing supply problem.

As Canada faces an aging population and a growing multicultural society, the need for senior housing facilities that cater to diverse cultural backgrounds is becoming increasingly important. One such facility, Amenida Seniors Community, is set to play a pivotal role in addressing these needs. Located in Surrey, Amenida Seniors Community is a senior housing facility that offers customized services to meet the various cultural and care requirements of its residents.

The facility provides both independent living and assisted living options, with suites featuring private, wheelchair-accessible bathrooms. It reflects the multicultural character of the community by offering a variety of services, including Western and traditional Korean meals, and opportunities for residents to experience Korean culture through cultural programs. Korean-speaking staff are on hand to provide enhanced services to residents who speak Korean.

Amenida Seniors Community also boasts a variety of amenities to ensure a comfortable living environment. These include a convenience store, beauty salon, spacious dining area, and a garden where residents can enjoy walks and connect with nature. Daily exercise programs and a range of recreational activities help residents maintain good health and lead vibrant lives.

In addition to long-term care services, Amenida offers respite care for short-term recovery, allowing patients and their families the chance to rest. The facility has a strong community spirit, with residents supporting one another and staff providing professional care. With 15 years of history, Amenida continues to be a key part of the senior welfare network in the Surrey area, ensuring that residents enjoy a comfortable and fulfilling life.

For more information, please contact Amenida Seniors Community at:

Location: 13855 68th Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2G9
Contact: 604-597-9333
Email: info@amenidaseniorliving.ca
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A Roman Catholic church in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, has become the focal point of a legal dispute after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yarmouth filed a lawsuit against two Acadian cultural preservation non-profits. The Diocese claims that Heritage St. Bernard and Nation Prosper Acadian Inc. have defaulted on their mortgage payments and have not paid nearly $200,000 since acquiring the church last year under a purchase agreement, following its closure in 2022.

The church, originally built in 1910 and completed in 1942, is a monumental structure made of over 8,000 granite blocks and is a well-known landmark located in St. Mary’s Bay, southwest of Digby. However, over the years, rising maintenance costs and dwindling attendance led to the church’s closure in 2022.

“We are trying to bring this iconic building back to life in our community,” said Jean Leblanc, president of Heritage St. Bernard. He also mentioned that the diocese had requested a looser contract, but negotiations broke down. In a statement, the diocese explained that it had received over 100 bids for the building, which was valued at $250,000, and deemed the two groups as the best candidates for preserving its historical and cultural value. However, it has taken legal action due to the outstanding payments.

Jean LeBlanc expressed his desire to resolve the issue amicably, saying, “Going to court is a burden in terms of time and money. I hope the diocese will be more flexible.”

Canada Post has resumed normal operations after a month-long strike, but mail delays are expected to continue until late 2024 and January 2025. The postal service stated that it will take time for the national logistics network to stabilize and that it will prioritize the processing of backlogged mail.

Employees returned to work on Tuesday, December 17, to process the accumulated mail and accept new shipments, while commercial mail acceptance resumed on Thursday, December 19. Small business customers can now send parcels at any post office, and new international mail acceptance began on Monday, December 23.

Despite the resumption of services, the strike has already impacted the retail industry. Matt Poirier, vice president of the Canadian Retail Federation, commented, “The holiday shopping season sales have not been as strong as expected,” and added, “The retail industry has missed out on the most important sales period due to this strike.”

Other carriers, such as FedEx, had imposed small-scale shipment restrictions due to the surge in volume during the strike. However, they have now lifted these restrictions and introduced additional overnight logistics operations.

The strike ended after the Canadian Industrial Investigation Board intervened to mediate, citing a deadlock in labour-management negotiations. The union and Canada Post had failed to narrow their differences over wage increases and additional weekend work. The government plans to reach a new deal through the Industrial Investigation Board by May 15, 2025, and the existing contract has been extended until May 22, 2025.

The opening of the new permanent facility at the Ontario Science Centre has been delayed until 2029, according to a report by Ontario Auditor-General Shelly Spence. The report found that information submitted by Infrastructure Ontario pushed the original 2028 opening date back by a year.

Last year, Premier Doug Ford announced that the science centre would be relocated from its current location in East Toronto to Ontario Place. However, the abrupt closure of the centre on October 31, coupled with an audit revealing that the relocation plan would cost $1.4 billion, has drawn significant criticism.

Jason Ash, co-chair of the Save Ontario Science Centre advocacy group, expressed disappointment over the delay, stating that it would “leave a gap in science education for Ontarians’ children.” He also suggested that renovating the existing centre would have been a more cost-effective solution.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles strongly criticized the government’s decision, calling the relocation an “expensive and unnecessary project” that is “out of touch with the needs of the public.” She has called for a further investigation by the Inspector General, citing irregularities in the negotiation process.

In the meantime, the government plans to open a temporary science centre by 2026, although there have been no further updates. Currently, the Ontario Science Centre continues to operate through two pop-up exhibitions.

Fishermen are raising concerns about enforcement and safety as the federal government moves forward with plans to add and redistribute elver fishing licenses in the Maritimes starting next year.

At a meeting hosted by the federal Fisheries Department, existing license holders strongly opposed the government’s proposal, saying it was being implemented without sufficient consideration. The plan would take about 28 per cent of the 9,960 kilograms of allowable catch from nine existing commercial license holders and issue about 150 new commercial licenses, with half of the allowance going to First Nations.

Robert Mark Weldon, who works for Atlantic Elver Fishery, said he is likely to receive a new license, but he is concerned that more people will try to catch elver in the river, which could lead to increased safety concerns.

Dunn Reiss of the Atlantic Canada Eels cited the lack of enforcement staff and asked how enforcement will change in 2025 if the plan goes ahead.

Chris Ferguson, a DFO enforcement officer, said the specific enforcement plan has not been finalized, but said illegal fishing is serious but enforcement resources are limited.

Under the government’s proposal, existing commercial licensees would only keep about 22 per cent of the total catch. The federal Fisheries Department said the plan is intended to increase profit sharing and increase Indigenous participation in the juvenile eel fishery. The pilot project will operate on about 123 rivers with a target of “one license per river”.

Existing commercial licensees, meanwhile, are strongly opposed to the plan, saying it will cause confusion in the industry.

In Canada, 15,343 people received medically assisted death (MAID) in 2023.This is a 15.8% increase from the previous year and has slowed to half the average growth rate of 31% over the past four years. Health Canada emphasized that it is not clear whether this slowdown in growth means that demand is stabilizing, and that long-term data observation is necessary.

According to a report released by Health Canada, 19,660 people applied for euthanasia in 2023, but about 2,906 of them died naturally before receiving approval, 915 were denied approval because they did not meet the conditions, and 496 withdrew their applications.

About 96% of those who received euthanasia were already waiting for natural death, and the most common disease was cancer (64%). The average age of those who applied for euthanasia was 78 years old. This report is the first to release data on the race of those who chose euthanasia. As a result, 96% of the subjects were white, and East Asians accounted for the second highest proportion at 1.8%. By region, Quebec recorded the highest number of cases with 5,601, followed by Ontario with 4,644, and British Columbia with 2,759.

Canada’s euthanasia system currently only applies to those with physical illnesses and will not be available for those with mental illnesses until at least 2027. However, the federal health ministry is looking into the possibility of expanding the advance request system, which allows people with conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to request euthanasia before they lose cognitive ability.

In October 2023, Quebec announced that it would allow people with conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to request euthanasia before they lose cognitive ability. However, in the same month, a court in British Columbia issued an emergency injunction the day before a 53-year-old woman who had applied for euthanasia solely for mental health reasons received approval from another doctor without the approval of her attending physician.

Canada’s euthanasia system remains evolving and challenging, and this report will serve as an important resource for future policy discussions.

The BCSPCA announced on November 28 that they had rescued eight llamas south of Surrey, British Columbia (BC), including a four-month-old baby.

According to the SPCA, they were contacted by animal control officers who reported that the llamas appeared to have been abandoned. Many of the llamas had overgrown, tangled fur and long claws. They were also not allowed inside the home, there were only puddles of water to drink, and no food was found nearby. The rescued llamas were moved to the SPCA’s shed in Surrey.

The SPCA is currently consulting with a veterinarian about what to do with the llama’s fur. If the fur grows too long, it can cause dermatitis, so it needs to be shaved, but the llama is still wary of staff and is not in a condition to be shaved. In addition, the current temperature is too low for shaving, so the SPCA is considering covering the shaved llama with a blanket over the winter, depending on the veterinarian’s instructions.

The SPCA will soon be looking for people to adopt llamas. Llamas are social, pack animals, so it is difficult to keep them alone, but they can live with other animals, such as goats, sheep, and horses. Daily care includes brushing, shearing at least once a year, and clipping their nails. They also need good quality hay and a clean shed.

On December 4th, a man armed with a knife appeared at a convenience store in downtown Vancouver and stabbed someone.

The incident occurred near Robson Street and Hamilton Street near BC Place. Vancouver Police received a report at around 11:30 a.m. from a nearby restaurant that a man had stolen alcohol and was carrying a knife. Police found the armed suspect at a 7-Eleven near the Vancouver Central Library. The man was wounded by police gunfire and taken to hospital, where he later died.

One man was stabbed in the hand and the other suffered injuries to his face, but police said neither were life-threatening. The report quoted a witness outside the 7-Eleven as saying the suspect tried to steal cigarettes from behind the counter.

When a clerk tried to stop him, he pulled a knife and tried to stab the man. The man ran away, so the suspect stabbed the woman instead. Police also said they shot the suspect 10 times.

The incident, which resulted in the death of a suspect, is being investigated by the Independent Investigations Office, a civilian police watchdog group.

Ski resorts across British Columbia (BC) are getting their season underway thanks to recent snowfall.　Cypress Mountain on the North Shore, located north of Vancouver, opened on November 22nd. As of the 23rd, two lifts and five runs were open, and the snow depth was 125 centimetres.

Cross country skiing opened on the 24th.

Grouse Mountain kicked off the season on the 23rd. As of the 23rd, the mountain had 106 centimetres of snow. The annual Christmas event ” Peak of Christmas ” also began on the 22nd.

Last year, British Columbia’s ski resorts suffered from a lack of snow due to a warm winter caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon, but this winter, temperatures are expected to be lower than normal due to the La Niña weather phenomenon. Both Cypress and Grouse opened about two weeks earlier than last year.

Seymour Mountain, the other North Shore ski area, is scheduled to open Dec. 13. But the toboggan and tubing areas opened on the 23rd.

In the ski resort of Whistler, Blackcomb Mountain opened one day earlier than scheduled on the 21st, and Whistler Mountain opened on the 22nd.