Soggy winter storm closes N.B. schools, warnings in effect across the Maritimes
A soggy winter storm made its way to the Maritimes Thursday morning, with Environment Canada issuing a combination of rain, snow and wind warnings for the region.
Schools across New Brunswick are closed for the day. Many Nova Scotia school districts have bus restrictions in place, and schools on Prince Edward Island remain open.
A snowfall warning has lifted in northern areas of New Brunswick where amounts could reach 20 to 30 centimetres.
The snow turned to rain by early Thursday afternoon for most areas of the province.
A special weather statement warning of chance of minor coastal flooding along the New Brunswick coastline on the Bay of Chaleur in the afternoon near high tide has been lifted.
Rainfall warnings across southwestern New Brunswick and most of mainland Nova Scotia lifted by Thursday evening.
CTV Atlantic meteorologist Kalin Mitchell says the higher rainfall amounts may combine with snow melt to increase the risk of hydroplaning conditions and localized flooding.
A wind warning that blanketed most of Nova Scotia and all of Prince Edward Island has ended.
And a Les Suêtes wind warning is in effect in Inverness County - Mabou and north, where very strong southeasterly winds are expected to continue in the afternoon before diminishing in the evening.
A special weather statement has ended in Yarmouth and Shelburne counties. Environment Canada says higher than normal water levels and very large waves are expected along the coast.
TRAVEL
The Confederation Bridge restricted certain vehicles from crossing due to high winds, but has since reopened to all vehicles.
Marine Atlantic says its Thursday departures from North Sydney, N.S., to Port aux Basques, N.L., at 11:45 a.m. and 11:15 p.m. have been cancelled. The Port aux Basques to North Sydney crossings at 11:45 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. are also cancelled.
Tancook Ferry has suspended service for the day.
The Saint John Police Force says water is pooling on many streets and there is some localized flooding. Saint John Transit says buses are operating, but there may be delays due to road conditions.
Travel is not recommended on the Trans-Canada Highway Route 2 between the Quebec border and Upper Kingsclear, N.B.
POWER OUTAGES
Nova Scotia Power was reporting 301 outages due to high winds affecting around 6,222 customers as of 9 p.m Thursday. The largest outage is in the Sherbrooke area, affecting 1,431 customers.
Estimated restoration times vary by community.
In New Brunswick, around 80 NB Power customers were without electricity, with the largest outage in the Moncton region affecting 63 customers.
Close to 40 Maritime Electric customers were without electricity as of 9 p.m., with most customers affected in central P.E.I.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV’s Kalin Mitchell
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.
BREAKING
BREAKING | Rogers-Shaw deal gets final approval
Rogers Communications Inc's $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. cleared the last regulatory hurdle Friday.
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
House abandoned by couple who 'disappeared' years ago nightmare for neighbour on upscale street
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
'Nova Scotians' sense of safety was rocked': RCMP failures dominate inquiry's final report into 2020 mass shooting
A long list of failures by Nova Scotia RCMP leadership and policing systems dominate the final report into Nova Scotia's April 2020 mass shooting.
Lack of data on transit violence amounts to 'blanket of ignorance': Researcher
Canada needs standardized data on violence on transit systems to help tackle issues ranging from a lack of mental health supports to eroding public trust, say researchers, citing the recent stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy at a Toronto station as the latest example of random attacks on commuters.
Gwyneth Paltrow not at fault for ski collision, jury decides
Gwyneth Paltrow won her court battle over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah ski resort after a jury decided Thursday that the movie star wasn't at fault for the crash.
Trump's indictment in New York: Here's what to know
The vote of a Manhattan grand jury to indict the Republican former president on charges related to hush money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign catapults the now-candidate Donald Trump into a new era of legal risk and complicates his attempts to return to the White House.
Meet the Canadian astronauts up for a seat on the Artemis II mission to the moon
This Sunday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will announce the four astronauts that will be blasting off to fly around the moon for the Artemis II mission, one of whom will be a Canadian astronaut.
Toronto
-
Ontario minimum wage to increase to $16.55 per hour on Oct. 1
Ontario's minimum wage is set to rise to $16.55 an hour on Oct. 1.
-
Ontario parents drive over 5 hours to find baby formula for 8-month-old twins
An Ontario couple has had to drive more than five hours to find baby formula for their eight-month-old twins.
-
Accused TTC stabber released on probation for sex assault just before allegedly killing teenager
A 22-year-old accused of fatally stabbing a teenager at Keele Station over the weekend was released on a probation order just weeks earlier, tied to a sexual assault charge, court documents show.
Calgary
-
'Into the air': One victim of Calgary house explosion likely in hospital for 6 months
A member of Calgary's South Sudanese community says 10 victims of a home explosion were blown into the air before falling into a fiery basement below.
-
Police investigation closes Highway 552 northeast of Okotoks, Alta.
RCMP blocked off a highway southeast of Calgary on Thursday night as part of an investigation.
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Rogers-Shaw deal gets final approval
Rogers Communications Inc's $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. cleared the last regulatory hurdle Friday.
Montreal
-
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
-
Hydro-Quebec: rates increase on Saturday, capped at 3%
Hydro-Québec annual indexation of its electricity rates will take effect this Saturday, capped at 3 per cent. The Crown corporation says that for residential customers, the monthly impact of the 3 per cent increase would be $2.28 for a five-and-a-half dwelling, $4.27 for a 111-square-metre home, $5.65 for a 158-square-metre home and $6.97 for a 207-square-metre home.
-
Quebec cracks down on Airbnb after deadly fire as some continue to evade rules
The Quebec government's crackdown on Airbnb has upended Montreal's short-term rental market, leading some to welcome the changes and others scurrying to evade the new rules.
Edmonton
-
Lack of data on transit violence amounts to 'blanket of ignorance': Researcher
Canada needs standardized data on violence on transit systems to help tackle issues ranging from a lack of mental health supports to eroding public trust, say researchers, citing the recent stabbing death of a 16-year-old boy at a Toronto station as the latest example of random attacks on commuters.
-
UCP candidate, slammed for comments on pornography in schools, quits
A candidate for the United Conservative Party in southern Alberta has resigned after she posted a video claiming children are being exposed to pornography in schools.
-
Meet the Canadian astronauts up for a seat on the Artemis II mission to the moon
This Sunday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will announce the four astronauts that will be blasting off to fly around the moon for the Artemis II mission, one of whom will be a Canadian astronaut.
Northern Ontario
-
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
-
Legal expert weighs in on Sudbury murder trial verdict, next steps
As the dust continues to settle around Wednesday's verdict in the Renee Sweeney murder trial attention is now turning to what's next for the case. CTV News spoke to a legal expert and here is what he had to say.
-
House abandoned by couple who 'disappeared' years ago nightmare for neighbour on upscale street
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
London
-
Ontario minimum wage to increase to $16.55 per hour on Oct. 1
Ontario's minimum wage is set to rise to $16.55 an hour on Oct. 1.
-
Victim of Sarnia shooting in 'stable' condition
The victim of a shooting in Sarnia is in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.
-
Old North residents say City Hall fix for infrastructure fell flat
Dozens of decades-old trees are at risk due to construction set to get underway in London’s Old North neighbourhood. Residents say not enough was done to keep them informed and seek their input.
Winnipeg
-
4 teens dead after crash involving semi-truck near Gilbert Plains: Manitoba RCMP
Four teenagers are dead, and another is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash near Gilbert Plains, Man. Wednesday night.
-
Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.
-
'It's a major project': Southern Chiefs Organization takes possession of The Bay downtown
Plans to transform the vacant Hudson's Bay building in downtown Winnipeg are one step closer to reality.
Ottawa
-
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
-
Ryan Reynolds in Ottawa as Senators sale heats up
Ryan Reynolds spent the day in Ottawa as he continues his efforts to buy the Senators, meeting with officials from the city of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission and attending the Senators game.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING | What's happening in Ottawa this weekend: March 31 to April 2
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things to do in Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec during the first weekend of April.
Saskatoon
-
Some in Saskatoon 'flat out' refusing delivery of city's new green waste bins
Some Saskatoon residents have been refusing to accept the green carts when they’re delivered by the city, but that won’t save them from a monthly fee.
-
Charter challenge filed against Sask. government's disability program
The Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry filed a charter challenge against the provincial government for stipulations in its disability program that require seniors to take their Canada Pension Plan (CPP) money out early.
-
Sask. government hopes physician assistants will help take pressure off health care system
Legislation to license physician assistants has been introduced by the Government of Saskatchewan.
Vancouver
-
'It's really hard. It's a good hard, though': Unique farm program helping people battle addictions
At Academy Farms in Langley, they raise bison and water buffalo, but this is more than a farm. It's a place that's helping people from across the country find their way out of addiction.
-
'It’s ours': Kwikwetlem First Nation on future of Riverview Hospital site
The redevelopment planning process was quietly halted earlier this year, and now the Kwikwetlem First Nation is speaking up about what they’d like to see happen on the land where the Riverview Hospital operated for a century.
-
Dogwalker claims pups were pepper sprayed during altercation on popular North Vancouver trail
The Hyannus trail system on the Nort Shore is known as a pooch paradise but one dogwalker claims a recent altercation with a hiker turned ugly.
Regina
-
Charter challenge filed against Sask. government's disability program
The Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry filed a charter challenge against the provincial government for stipulations in its disability program that require seniors to take their Canada Pension Plan (CPP) money out early.
-
'Embarrassing and hurtful': Sask. woman denied service because of ‘cultural’ facial tattoo
A First Nation woman was denied service at a Prince Albert bar because of her facial tattoo.
-
'A long time coming': Saskatchewan’s look at the now-rejected Doctrine of Discovery
After demands stretched for years and years, the formally repudiated “Doctrine of Discovery,” has been officially rejected by the Vatican.
Vancouver Island
-
Father of man shot twice in head by RCMP in Duncan speaks out
The father of a Vancouver Island man who was shot twice in the head by police during a dramatic incident in Duncan, B.C., on Tuesday evening is questioning why such lethal action had to be taken by police.
-
'It's ridiculous': Langford mayor defends proposed 12% property tax hike
A proposed 12 per cent property tax increase for Langford residents isn’t sitting well with many.
-
Man sentenced to 4 years for fatal beating of homeless man in Campbell River, B.C.
A 32-year-old man from Campbell River, B.C., has been sentenced to four years in prison for the beating death of a 59-year-old homeless man in October 2020.