ETA Canada Travel Pass News

On September 18th, two escaped pigs engaged in a chase with police officers in West Kelowna, a city in south-central British Columbia (BC). Police began receiving calls about the pig on the afternoon of September 17th, reporting it eating rose bushes and wandering the streets. The next day, they captured the pig outside Ma Joc Elementary School. The chase involved police, local animal control teams and volunteers from animal protection groups.

Faith Affleck, who is one of the rescuers and protects about 40 pigs at Star’s Piggly Wiggly Sanctuary, said, “The first pig was easy to catch, but the second one was difficult. It escaped from the capture team of four or five police officers and about 10 adults, and it took nearly an hour to catch it.” The first pig was caught with a soccer goal net, but the other one escaped into a residential yard on the way.

Elementary school children who were watching the situation were cheering for the pig. The pigs, both males, are about five months old and are currently in Affleck’s sanctuary, and he hopes their owners will come forward.

Starting August 27, Air Canada is offering passengers with reservations made between September 15 and 23 to other flights on the same route free of charge up until November 30. Air Canada is currently in labour negotiations with the pilot union ALPA, but has not reached an agreement, and a strike could take place as early as September 18.

On September 9, Air Canada announced that it would be reducing the number of flights it operates from September 15. The free transfers are available on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Canada Express and Air Canada Vacations, but Air Canada said Air Canada Express flights are not affected by the strike because they are operated by Jazz or PAL airlines and are not piloted by Air Canada pilots.

If you wish to change to a flight after November 30, the change fee will be waived, but you will have to pay the fare difference. This measure may also be applied to flights after September 23 depending on future developments.

Requests for flight rebooking can be made via Air Canada’s official website, by phone, or through a travel agency.

The long-standing demand for improved toilet facilities at construction sites is finally coming true. Starting October 1, 2024, construction sites with 25 or more workers in British Columbia (BC) will be required to install flush toilets and hand-washing facilities.

Toilets must be connected to a sewer system or tank and flushable, and hand-washing facilities must be equipped with water and soap. BC Building Trades, which represents 45,000 construction workers in the province, has condemned the porta-potties, portable toilets commonly used on construction sites, as unclean and degrading to the dignity of workers, and has been campaigning since October last year to make flush toilets mandatory.

At the same time, Premier David Eby vowed to tackle the issue. Minister of Labour Harry Bains said in a September 5 announcement about the move that “portable toilets are unpleasant, but more than that, this is a health and safety issue for construction workers. ” He also said that improving toilet conditions would help promote employment in the construction industry, including for women, and prevent them from quitting.

According to Statistics Canada, 245,000 people work in the construction industry in British Columbia.

The home of popular singer and producer AP Dhillon was shot at. Dhillon’s home in Victoria, British Columbia, was hit by gunfire in the early hours of September 2. Video posted to social media by Indian media shows unknown gunmen firing 14 rounds into the house and garage, as well as two vehicles on fire in the driveway.

Dillon reported on Instagram that night that he and those around him were safe. The BCRCMP (Commonwealth Police) currently believes the incident to be targeted. Dhillon is Punjabi and moved to Canada from India in 2015.

Last year, she became the first Punjabi artist to perform at the Juno Awards (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammy Awards), and just last August she signed a deal with a major record label. Indian media have linked the murder to Rohit Godara, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, an India-based gang, who they say was behind the murder because Dhillon’s video featured Bollywood star Salman Khan.

In 1998, Khan hunted a blackbuck, an animal revered by the Bishnoi community, and the gang had vowed to take revenge. CBC News Online reports that RCMP could not provide any information about whether the incident was gang related.

On September 4th, two random murders occurred in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia (BC). According to Vancouver Police, the first incident occurred at 7:38 a.m. near Richard Street and Dunsmuir Street.

The victim suffered a head wound and a severed hand in a knife attack. He was immediately taken to hospital, where his hand is expected to recover, and his life is expected to be saved. The second incident occurred eight minutes later, at 7:46 a.m., at West Georgia Street and Hamilton Street. The victim died, and details such as the cause of death and the murder weapon are under investigation.

Later, around 9 a.m., police arrested a 34-year-old man near the Olympic Village. The suspect, whose name has not been released, has multiple criminal records and was on probation for an assault case in 2023 at the time of the incident. The suspect is currently in custody.

Following the incident, Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer and Mayor Ken Sim held a joint press conference. Chief Palmer said that the suspect’s mental illness may have been a factor in the incident.

Mayor Sim expressed his gratitude and support for the Vancouver Police Department but said that cooperation with the provincial and federal governments is necessary to eradicate crime.

As the Gala apple harvest approaches in British Columbia, the province is facing a crisis due to a lack of refrigeration facilities for the harvested apples. According to the BC Tree Fruit Growers Association, growers received refrigeration equipment from the BC Tree Fruit Cooperative, which suddenly closed its doors in July this year, citing extremely low fruit production and tough market conditions.

British Columbia’s Minister of Agriculture, Pam Alexis, said an emergency group formed after the co-op’s closure would come up with a plan quickly, but also said she believed there were enough other fruit packers to fill the co-op’s gap. Opposition politicians and industry officials have called on the government to intervene, to ensure that the association’s facilities are available and that they can be used, particularly refrigerated storage, which they say would allow apples to be stored for 10 months.

According to the association’s Peter Simonsen, without refrigeration, growers would have to sell their apples in September and October, which would lower prices and make it less profitable for growers to continue picking apples, creating a “carpet of rotten apples” in the orchards.

The minister said it would be difficult for the government to acquire the cooperative’s facilities because the cooperative’s dissolution was in court proceedings, but on August 13 he announced a package of support measures to help fruit growers.

Work has begun to remove a construction crane that has been blocking a major road in Vancouver, British Columbia for about two weeks, but the road will not be fully reopened until around Labor Day (September 2).

The accident occurred on August 6th when a fire broke out in a six-story building under construction on 41st Avenue in the Dunbar Southlands area, adjacent to the quiet residential area of Kerrisdale, and a large construction crane collapsed.

On August 21, about two weeks after the accident, the City of Vancouver held a press conference where Saul Schwebs, Director of the City Buildings Department, announced the current situation. The removal of the collapsed crane, which began on August 20, is expected to be mostly completed in a few days, but the damaged infrastructure needs to be repaired.

Plans include repairing the trolley lines for bus service and the internet network, as well as restoration work by BC Hydro, the British Columbia power utility. The goal is to have buses back in service by Labor Day so that they can be up and running before the new semester begins at the nearby University of British Columbia. The fire and crane collapse damaged nine homes, forcing 81 people to evacuate.

Three of the homes are so badly damaged they need to be demolished. Fifteen people are still unable to return to their homes. Vancouver Fire Department Deputy Chief Trevor Connelly said the cause of the fire is still under investigation and that at this stage the fire is believed to have been accidental, but the cause is unknown.

An Afghan student who received a $75,000 scholarship from Wilfrid Laurier University has been the subject of controversy after being denied a student visa by the federal immigration department. Despite her high GPA and record of involvement in supporting women’s education in her home country, the department denied her visa twice.

The woman, named Farzana (26), founded a platform to support education for Afghan women under the Taliban regime and received a scholarship to study business administration in India. She was planning to start a master’s degree in international studies in Canada, but her plans are now in danger of being ruined by the visa denial.

Farzana’s lawyer criticized the immigration department’s denial of her visa, saying, “There is no other explanation for the visa denial than her Afghan origin.”

The Canadian government has stated that it will consider visa application criteria on a case-by-case basis, but there have been continued criticisms that it is disadvantageous to refugee students.

The 2024 Toronto Korean Festival, held from Friday the 23rd to Sunday the 25th, has come to a successful close. This festival has a special meaning in commemorating the close friendship between Korea and Canada beyond cultural exchanges. Despite the midsummer heat, numerous visitors who filled Mel Lastman Square enjoyed the festival’s colorful programs and cultural experiences encompassing both traditional and modern Korea.

Many key figures attended this event, adding to the meaning of the festival. Chae Hyun-joo, President of the Ontario Korean Business Association, expressed her pride, saying, “This festival was a good example of how Korean culture is loved in Ontario.” In addition, local politicians such as Federal Member of Parliament Ali Esasi, Ontario Minister of Tourism Stan Cho, and Toronto City Councillor Lily Cheng attended the event to emphasize the importance of the festival and celebrate the diversity and cooperation of the local community. Kim Jung-hee, President of the Toronto Korean Association, and Laura Burnham, Executive Director of the Young-North York BIA, expressed their hope that close cooperation and exchange between Korea and Canada will continue in the future.

This festival was not just a festival for Koreans. As befitting the multicultural city of Toronto, the festival grounds were filled with foreigners of various nationalities as well as Koreans. Foreigners who experienced Korean traditional food and popular culture such as K-pop were amazed, saying that they had no idea Korean culture was so attractive. In particular, the Toronto Korean Association lent out hanbok, so many people walked around the festival grounds wearing hanbok. This hanbok itself became a cultural symbol, further heightening the festival atmosphere. Foreigners wearing hanbok took pictures and said that the elegance and colors of hanbok were truly beautiful, creating a positive image of Korean culture.

The highlight of the 2024 Toronto Korean Festival was the various performances and programs. The festival, which began with a spectacular competition between dance teams, continued with a magnificent performance of Korean traditional dance and Samulnori. In particular, the unique music of the band Second Moon and the performance of the girl group Purple Kiss were the highlights of the festival, receiving great cheers from the young audience. Purple Kiss captivated the audience with their unique and powerful performance, and Second Moon’s music combined tradition and modernity presented a stage that all generations could relate to. In addition, the B-boy team’s splendid breakdance performance impressed many people regardless of age and gender and showed the diversity of Korean culture.

Even in the sweltering heat of late summer, the organizers’ meticulous consideration was well-received by many visitors. Tents set up all over the lawn to avoid the sunlight allowed visitors to rest comfortably even in the heat, which was especially beneficial for families who came to the festival. The sight of people resting in tents and enjoying the performances added to the leisurely atmosphere of the festival and contributed to the perfection of the festival itself.

Various food booths were set up within the festival to introduce visitors to a variety of Korean food. From traditional Korean food such as jeon, buchimgae, and bibimbap to modern food such as Korean hot dogs, chicken, and dak skewers, food was another pleasure of the festival. Although the prices were not cheap, visitors expressed satisfaction with the valuable opportunity to taste Korean food. In addition, the dedicated efforts of the volunteers made this festival shine even more. They did their best to ensure the smooth progress of the festival even in the hot weather, and their passion and hard work shone everywhere throughout the festival. They deserved their applause.

However, there were some areas of this festival that needed improvement. The festival was crowded with too many people, and at some moments it was extremely crowded. There were some dangerous situations where many people gathered during idol performances and safety accidents almost occurred. Fortunately, there were no major accidents, but in the future, crowd management and safety measures need to be more thorough. In addition, the organizers announced that they would introduce an online ordering system last year, but such a system was still not introduced at this event. This caused inconvenience to many visitors, and there are many voices hoping that this part will be improved in the future.

The 2024 Toronto Korean Festival was a meaningful event that celebrated the friendship between Korea and Canada, and it was able to successfully conclude thanks to various cultural programs and meticulous consideration. According to the organizers, the number of visitors to this festival was officially recorded at 95,000.

Canada’s real estate developers are facing a massive insolvency crisis, with the rate of bankruptcies expected to surpass the levels seen during the global financial crisis. Rising interest rates and skyrocketing construction costs are the main causes, and experts warn that the trend will continue for some time.

According to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy, the number of real estate companies and projects that have gone bankrupt in the past year has skyrocketed, and if the current trend continues, it could surpass the global financial crisis. “This has been a long time coming, and it’s only going to get worse,” said Colin Doran, managing director of commercial real estate development consulting at Altus Group.

From January to May this year, an average of 20 real estate, rental or lease-related bankruptcies occurred in Canada each month. That’s a 57 per cent increase from last year and 13 per cent higher than during the 2009 financial crisis. Most of these bankruptcies were caused by developers filing for bankruptcy protection or restructuring their debts. But that’s only part of the story. Developers and projects that have gone into receivership are not included in this statistic.

According to data from Insolvency Insider Canada, 55% of all real estate receiverships this year have occurred in the real estate sector, up from 30% last year. A notable example is The One, a luxury condo project in downtown Toronto that went into receivership after failing to repay $1.6 billion in loans. The number of developers who have defaulted on loans or filed for bankruptcy protection is rapidly increasing, and it is having a particularly big impact on smaller developers. The current real estate market woes date back to 2017, when the Toronto real estate market exploded with rising home prices and demand for new condos. Construction costs also skyrocketed, making it easy for even inexperienced developers to secure pre-sales. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed development, and many developers were left in jeopardy as the central bank raised interest rates, sharply increasing borrowing costs.

The cost of residential construction in Canada’s major cities has increased by 81% since 2017, and in Toronto in particular, it has increased by more than 107%. In this situation, developers can no longer pass on the higher costs to buyers, and many new condo owners are not able to cover their mortgage and other expenses with rent.

“Developers today have to excel in all aspects to survive,” said Doran. “Rising interest rates are hitting developers hard on their profitability.”