In the news today: Over 1,000 people flown from fire-threatened Manitoba community

An out-of-control wildfire near Princeton, B.C., has prompted an evacuation order, affecting about 30 properties in the area. The BC Wildfire Service said the August Lake wildfire, which is burning close to Princeton Golf Club, is now mapped at 14 hectares in size. Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne, who witnessed the fire’s growth from the beginning, said the blaze was about the size of a car when it started around 2 p.m. on Saturday. The fire has forced the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to send out an evacuation order for some areas, urging people in the area to leave, while others are under evacuation alert.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Obesity rates in Canada increased during pandemic

A new report says obesity rates in Canada increased faster during the COVID-19 pandemic than they did over the course of more than a decade beforehand — particularly among young adults. Researchers say they saw an increase of about eight per cent over the first 11 years of the study, from 2009 to 2020, compared to an increase of more than one percentage point a year between 2020 and 2023. Laura Anderson, the study’s author and an associate professor at McMaster University, says these findings suggest public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic may have had an impact on obesity rates. Dr. Mélanie Henderson with the CHU Sainte-Justine says the closure of gyms, extracurricular programs, schools and workplaces led to an absence of structure, extra screen time and closer proximity to the fridge.

Vehicle carrying migrants crashes near U.S. border

Police say they are looking for a group of migrants who were inside a vehicle that collided near the Canada-U.S. border in southern Quebec. Authorities were called early Sunday to the scene in Hemmingford, Que., north of the New York border, where an SUV with two people collided with a vehicle carrying at least 10. The 48-year-old driver of the SUV was arrested for impaired driving. Provincial police spokesperson Sgt. Stéphane Tremblay alleges the people in the second vehicle are believed to be migrants who illegally crossed the border from the United States.

Halifax to ask N.S. to discuss strong-mayor powers

Halifax’s city council has directed the mayor to ask the Nova Scotia government for consultation on whether it is considering strengthening his authority. Council voted last week in favour of the motion to make the request for collaboration in a letter to Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr, with only Mayor Andy Fillmore voting against it. Coun. Sam Austin presented the motion and told council that a move towards strong-mayor powers would undermine councillors’ ability to adequately represent their constituents. In Ontario, so-called strong-mayor powers are in effect in 215 cities or municipalities, allowing their heads of council to propose bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councillors, veto bylaws and hire and fire department heads.

Work-from-home starting to look more remote

It’s not just students who will be commuting more this September. After years of experimentation with hybrid work, an increasing number of companies are whittling down days at home to one, or none at all. Big banks including RBC, Scotiabank and BMO have mandated at least four days in office starting in September, while Canaccord Genuity is reportedly moving to five. Alex Gallacher, managing director of Engage H-R, says there are a lot of companies that are slowly but surely increasing the days required in the office. He says culture is a big part of it — trying to get all employees to be better aligned with the company and what it’s trying to do strategically.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2025.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

In the news today: Over 1,000 people flown from fire-threatened Manitoba community

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