🏠 Ford government fails to hit housing target, even after adding LTC beds, student dorms

Despite adding long-term care beds, retirement homes and student dormitories to its housing statistics, the Ford government fell tens of thousands of units short of its goal last year.

New data released by the province this month confirms that even with its modified definitions of new housing, Ontario achieved less than 80 per cent of its self-imposed 125,000-unit target for 2024.

The figure was introduced by the Ford government after it won the 2022 election, partly with a promise to build 1.5 million new homes over 10 years to 2031.
#housing #Ontario
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🇺🇸📉 Canadian road trips to U.S. plunge for seventh month as boycott continues

Road trips to the U.S. decreased for a seventh straight month as Canadians ramped up their American boycott.
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Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the neighboring U.S. slumped 36.9 per cent in July from a year ago, Statistics Canada data showed.
#US
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📊 Survey suggests Canadians are open to mandatory service for those under 30 - as long as it’s not military

A recent survey suggests many Canadians are open to the idea of serving their country in some way, even if it’s mandatory.

About seven in 10 respondents support one year of mandatory time donated in the fields of civil protection, which includes disaster response, emergency management and firefighting; public health support in hospitals and elderly care; environmental support with Parks Canada or conservation efforts; or youth services, such as tutoring and after-school programs.

However, when it came to mandatory military service, the overall results were more divisive, with 43 per cent in support of it and 44 per cent opposing it.

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🇺🇸 Canada’s energy minister holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, sees ‘no reason’ to renounce

Canada’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson holds dual Canada-U.S. citizenship and sees “no reason” to give up his American citizenship “at this time.”

Hodgson confirmed his dual citizenship in an interview, stating he has “no confusion about where my loyalties lie.”

He said he became a dual citizen “in the early 1990s” when he was living and working in the U.S., but noted his history serving Canada both prior to, and after, that time.

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📊 More than half of Canadians want cuts to the federal public service: poll

More than half of Canadians think the size and cost of the federal public service should be reduced in the coming years, a new Leger poll suggests.

🔹The poll indicates that 54 per cent of respondents want the federal bureaucracy cut, 24 per cent want it maintained and four per cent say it should get bigger. The poll suggests 17 per cent of respondents were not sure what should happen.

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🇨🇳 China announces 75.8% tariffs on Canadian canola

China announced a 75.8 per cent preliminary tariff on Canadian canola on Tuesday, following an anti-dumping investigation launched last year in response to Canada’s tax on Chinese electric vehicles.

China’s Ministry of Commerce published the details of the plan on Tuesday, claiming the “dumping” of Canadian canola into the Chinese market is hurting its domestic canola oil market.
#China
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Ottawa pressed to factor in 500,000 undocumented residents as it consults on immigration targets

Economists are urging the government to factor in the estimated 500,000 undocumented residents in Canada as it consults on its forthcoming immigration levels plan.

The immigration levels are annually presented in October or November to help planning for housing, schools, health care and infrastructure.

In October, former prime minister Justin Trudeau and then-immigration minister Marc Miller unveiled plans to reduce permanent resident numbers from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025 and from 500,000 to 380,000 in 2026. They set a target of 365,000 permanent residents in 2027.
#immigration
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🧑‍⚕️ Saskatchewan health authority implements Indigenous hair consent policy

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has introduced a new policy requiring staff to obtain consent before cutting the hair of Indigenous patients, recognizing the cultural and spiritual significance of hair.

This follows an incident where a First Nations woman had her hair shaved without consent in the ICU. The SHA has issued apologies, initiated reviews, and implemented mandatory cultural responsiveness training, completed by over 90% of staff. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe supports the policy as part of reconciliation efforts.
#Saskatchewan
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Conservatives say the justice system favours non-citizens

The Conservatives want to change the Criminal Code to eliminate what they say is a double standard in the justice system that allows non-citizens to get lighter sentences than Canadians who have been convicted of the same crime.

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said her party will introduce a private member's bill when the House of Commons returns in September, promising the change will "restore the value of Canadian citizenship."

The bill "will expressly outline that any potential impact of a sentence on the immigration status of a convicted non-citizen offender, or that of their family members, should not be taken into consideration," the Conservative Party says in a statement.

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🇺🇸 U.S. visitors to Canada outnumber Canadians in U.S. in rare reversal

As Canadian travel to the United States continues to decline, new data shows a notable tipping point: More Americans visited Canada this July than Canadians did the United States, in a reversal not seen in years.

Statistics Canada’s latest figures show that U.S. residents made 1.8 million trips into Canada by automobile last month, with only 1.7 million Canadian return trips from the United States.
#US
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💸 Canadian government repatriates ISIS-linked women and children for $170,000

The Canadian government spent at least $170,000 repatriating eight women linked to ISIS and their children from detention camps in Syria. This included costs for business class flights, hotel stays, and meals in Montreal.
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🇺🇸 Nearly 150 Canadians held in ICE custody this year, including two toddlers, data show

At least two Canadian toddlers have been held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this year, including one who was detained for 51 days, more than double the legal detention period for migrant children in the United States.

The toddlers are among 149 Canadians ranging between two and 77 years old who have been held at some point in ICE custody since January, when President Donald Trump took office and ordered an expansive immigration crackdown.
#US
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🏠💸 One-third of renters spend more than 50% of income on rent: survey

A survey shows 34 per cent of renters spend more than half of their income on rent, even as the rental market has cooled off recently.

Despite the financial hardship, the survey found 66 per cent of those spending big on rent still say they don't want a roommate.

The report, which surveyed 510 renters across Canada, says only 22 per cent of respondents were spending 30 per cent or less of their income on rent, which is often considered the affordability benchmark.
#housing
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🗳Poilievre wins Alberta by-election, regaining a seat in Parliament

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has won a federal by-election in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot, setting the stage for his return to the House of Commons after he failed to win his Ottawa-area riding in April’s election.

Mr. Poilievre took 80.4 per cent share of the vote in the Conservative stronghold against 213 other candidates.
#Poilievre #Alberta #election
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🇺🇸 Trump administration sanctions Canadian judge who sits on International Criminal Court

The Trump administration slapped a Canadian judge on the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions as the U.S. State Department unleashes a new wave of restrictions against judges it said had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis.

The State Department says Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada was sanctioned for ruling to authorize the ICC's investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.
#US
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🇨🇦 Canada Narrows Submarine Choices

Canada has narrowed the contenders for its new submarine fleet to two bidders:
• ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (Germany) – offering the Type 212CD, a German-Norwegian joint design already ordered by both navies.
• Hanwha Ocean Ltd. (South Korea) – submitted a detailed unsolicited bid last March.

🔹 Prime Minister Mark Carney, currently in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, toured the TKMS shipyard and will visit Hanwha’s yard in South Korea this fall.
🔹 Canada plans to purchase 12 conventionally powered submarines, with the first expected by 2035.
🔹 TKMS has suggested Canada could potentially receive its first sub by 2032-33 if it joins the production line with Germany and Norway.
🔹 The Type 212CD features air-independent propulsion, allowing it to stay submerged for over three weeks, and is designed for Arctic operations.
🔹 Canada is debating whether to launch a full competition or move directly into contract negotiations with a preferred bidder.
🔹 TKMS has proposed building a maintenance facility in Canada as part of its pitch.

📌 Decision on the project is expected by 2027.

#Canada #Submarines #Defense

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🇨🇦🤝🇩🇪 Canada, Germany Launch LNG Talks

Canada is opening discussions with German buyers on potential shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as demand continues to grow across the European Union.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the issue during talks in Berlin, alongside cooperation on critical minerals and defense procurement.

Carney said Ottawa is preparing to support billions in infrastructure investments, with new port expansion plans in Montreal, Churchill (Manitoba), and other east coast sites expected to be announced within two weeks.

While no east coast LNG projects are currently close to commercial readiness, Canadian officials noted that several companies are exploring options, including via Churchill. Berlin views natural gas as a transition fuel, and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said the goal is to begin shipments to Europe within five years.

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🇨🇦 LeBlanc Meets Lutnick in Washington; Key Tariffs Remain in Place

Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc held a “lengthy and constructive” meeting in Washington on Tuesday with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to both governments.

The talks come days after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa would lift many of its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), effective September 1.

However, LeBlanc confirmed that Canada’s counter-tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum, and automobiles will remain in effect. These measures were introduced in response to U.S. trade actions and are aligned with Washington’s own tariff levels.

Officials said discussions focused on advancing bilateral trade ties, while both sides emphasized areas of cooperation despite ongoing disputes in the metals and auto sectors.

📌 Context:
• The removed tariffs applied to billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. exports such as household goods and agricultural products.
• By keeping the steel, aluminum, and auto tariffs in place, Ottawa is signaling that those sectors remain strategic flashpoints in Canada-U.S. trade.

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🍁 Ontario Stands Firm: No Plans to Restock U.S. Booze Despite Tariff Shift

The Ontario government says it has no plans to put American spirits back on LCBO shelves, despite calls from the U.S. distilling industry to end the boycott.

The response came after Distilled Spirits Council President Chris Swonger praised Ottawa’s recent move to drop a 25% tariff on American-made liquor, but warned the impact will be limited unless provinces allow sales to resume.

“The unfortunate decision to remove American spirits from Canadian retail shelves is not only harming U.S. distillers, but it’s also needlessly reducing revenues for the provinces, and placing unnecessary burdens on Canadian consumers and hospitality businesses,” Swonger said.

Most provinces — with the exception of Alberta and Saskatchewan — pulled U.S. alcohol from stores in March, as the trade spat escalated. According to the council, Canada was the second-largest export market for U.S. spirits in 2024.

Premier Doug Ford’s office confirmed to CP24 that Ontario’s boycott remains “until further notice.” Ford previously said the LCBO would wait until tariffs “come off the table” before reconsidering.

The standoff continues even as Prime Minister Mark Carney removed counter-tariffs on American goods covered by CUSMA earlier this month. Ford has urged Ottawa to push harder for relief in steel, auto, forestry, and copper sectors — or else reinstate dollar-for-dollar retaliation.

📌 Bottom line:
• Tariffs may be easing in Ottawa, but U.S. spirits remain locked out of Ontario stores.
• For consumers and the hospitality sector, the wait for American liquor could stretch on indefinitely.

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🇨🇦 Carney Extends Canadian Mission in Latvia to 2029

Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Riga on Tuesday alongside Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, confirmed that Canada will extend its military mission in Latvia until 2029.

The deployment, known as Operation Reassurance, is Canada’s largest overseas mission. There are currently 2,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel in Latvia, with Ottawa planning to maintain a persistent cadre of 2,200 troops by 2026.

“We must deter and fortify, and that is the way that we can provide true reassurance,” Carney said.

Canadian troops have been stationed in Latvia since 2017, coordinating with forces from about ten other NATO countries. The mission is intended to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank and train local forces.

📌 Context:
• The current mandate was due to expire in March 2026, but Carney has extended it by three years.
• Infrastructure expansion at the Ādaži base near Riga is underway to accommodate the full brigade.
• Analysts note Canada is taking on a role similar to the U.K. in Estonia and Germany in Lithuania, and wants to be perceived as “punching above its weight” within NATO. Despite not meeting NATO funding targets.

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