Marineland, the closed amusement park and zoo in Niagara Falls, Ont., has applied to the federal government for permits to export its remaining 30 belugas, a federal official confirmed.

China’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom told CBC News it is weighing a possible purchase of the whales, though no deal has been finalized. The move comes as questions grow about the future of the animals after Marineland did not reopen this year for the first time in its 60-year history outside of COVID-19 closures.

Since 2019, 19 belugas have died at the park and its final orca, Kiska, died in 2023. Drone footage captured this summer showed staff continuing to care for the animals.

Canada’s Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act (Bill S-203), passed in 2019, bans breeding and entertainment use of cetaceans. Exports are prohibited unless the Fisheries Minister issues a permit for research or if the transfer is deemed in the best interest of the animals. The last export approval came in 2021, when five belugas were sent from Marineland to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. Three later died.

Experts say transporting belugas requires extensive health checks, veterinary care, and specialized logistics. “It’s not as simple as calling FedEx,” said Andrew Trites of UBC’s Marine Mammal Research Unit, noting that blood tests, feeding records, and stress monitoring are essential.

Animal law advocates argue the belugas should instead be sent to a seaside sanctuary, though no such facility currently exists in North America. A proposed site in Nova Scotia stalled due to lack of landowner approval.

Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson is awaiting a departmental report before ruling on Marineland’s applications. The decision is expected to weigh animal welfare against Canada’s legal framework on cetacean captivity.

Toronto, Ont. – A new executive order from the Trump administration adding a $100,000 fee to H-1B visa applications is creating opportunities for Canada’s tech sector.

Immigration lawyers and recruiters say the change will likely push highly skilled foreign workers — particularly in technology — to look north, where Canadian pathways remain more accessible.

“Every time the U.S. closes the door on global talent, Canada gains,” said Becky Fu von Trapp, an immigration lawyer in Vermont. “This is almost a gift.”

The H-1B program, heavily used by companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, has long faced caps and lottery systems. Now, with the steep fee, small and mid-sized firms may struggle to keep international workers in the U.S., possibly opting to relocate jobs to Canada instead.

“Think of it like a massive game of musical chairs. Top talent is looking for a place to sit and America just removed many of their options,” said Martin Basiri, CEO of Toronto-based Passage. He urged Canada to act quickly: “Canada can either watch from the sidelines or add new chairs for the best players.”

In 2023, Canada briefly launched a work permit program targeting H-1B holders, which maxed out within 48 hours at 10,000 applications. Analysts say the demand showed how much international talent is looking for alternatives.

However, experts warn Canada must build long-term strategies rather than relying on U.S. restrictions. “Canada risks being seen as a holding pen for workers waiting to get to Silicon Valley,” said Daniel Wigdor, CEO of AXL, a Canadian AI incubator.

Still, many in the industry see the development as a chance to bring in world-class software engineers and innovators. “We should definitely be leaning in,” said Ilya Brotzky, CEO of VanHack. “These workers create jobs in Canada.”

The challenge remains whether Canada can provide enough opportunities, investment, and growth potential to keep that talent here permanently.

Ottawa, Ont. – As the federal government winds down its hotel housing program for asylum seekers on Sept. 30, dozens of families in Ottawa are facing uncertainty and potential homelessness.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed earlier this summer that funding for hotel operations would cease, affecting 136 asylum claimants in one Ottawa hotel — many of them families with young children. The department has spent an estimated $1.1 billion on temporary hotel housing since 2020.

Local advocates say the transition plan is falling short. “They are terrified. They’ve been told they have to be out, and if they don’t find somewhere to live it’s not IRCC’s problem,” said Louisa Taylor, executive director of Refugee 613.

Shea Kiely of Housing Help said subsidized housing wait times span years and shelters are already at capacity. “We anticipate that Sept. 30, our phone is going to be extra busy,” she said.

Some families have already been forced outdoors, while others call city shelters daily in the hope of a bed. Legal advocates say the advice given — such as relocating to New Brunswick or renting privately — is not realistic. “The options they’ve been given are not responsive to their needs,” said Stéfanie Morris of Community Legal Services of Ottawa.

City officials confirmed family shelters are over capacity. Interim housing director Kale Brown urged families to accept IRCC’s relocation offers, admitting Ottawa “does not have the resources to accommodate additional asylum claimants.”

But relocation brings its own challenges. In New Brunswick, Olivia Huynh of the Refugee Clinic said her province faces the same housing crunch and lacks legal aid resources for refugee claimants. “We really need to prioritize their well-being and not treat them as bargaining chips,” she said.

Advocates warn that uprooting families again will disrupt jobs, schooling, and community ties already built in Ottawa. “They’re people who experienced persecution and who have come here because they needed a safe haven,” Morris said.

For now, the federal government says it is “working with other levels of government” to secure housing before the deadline, but with just days left, community groups fear many asylum seekers will be left without shelter.

Fredericton, N.B. – What should have been a night of solidarity against sexual violence turned tense on Friday when Fredericton’s Take Back the Night march was disrupted by harassment and a reported physical altercation. Police are now investigating the incident.

According to Sexual Violence New Brunswick, a group of young men on motorized scooters followed marchers, aggressively yelling and crowding participants. Director Jenn Gorham described their behaviour as “violently, aggressively interacting” with the demonstrators. The march, which has taken place for 40 years without major incidents, was further disrupted outside O’Hickey’s Irish Pub on Queen Street, where a confrontation led to police being called.

Video from the event shows a participant falling out of frame after an altercation, though the moments leading up to it were not captured. The Fredericton Police Force confirmed responding to a call about a fight around 9 p.m. and said the matter remains under active investigation. No charges have been laid.

Community leaders expressed concern about the incident. Antoinette Del Vasto, co-chair of Fredericton Pride, said she was troubled by the hostility directed at marchers: “Hatred is contagious, and I never thought Fredericton would be part of that.”

Some organizers and participants pointed to rising political polarization in the U.S. as influencing attitudes in Canada. “People have become emboldened,” Gorham said, warning of increased aggression toward women, immigrants, and 2SLGBTQ+ community members.

Liberal MLA for Fredericton North, Luka Randall, who attended the event, called the violence “a symptom of a deeper illness” in a Facebook post. He urged the community to confront hate and protect vulnerable groups.

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers described the events as “discouraging and upsetting” but declined to comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

The annual Take Back the Night event, held across Canada, aims to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence, providing space for survivors and allies to reclaim public safety. Organizers say they will not be deterred despite this year’s disruption.

Neskantaga First Nation, Ont. – Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé says the living conditions in Neskantaga First Nation are “unacceptable and unsafe,” urging both the provincial and federal governments to take immediate action.

During a two-day visit to the remote Ojibway community last week, Dubé said the realities of daily life were striking from the moment he landed at the “dilapidated” local airport. Children greeted him with handmade signs pleading for clean drinking water, a medical centre, an ambulance, and a new school.

Neskantaga First Nation is home to the longest boil-water advisory in Canada, now in place for 30 years. Dubé said he toured mould-infested houses, a water treatment plant that is not fit for purpose, and a new police station unable to open because of inadequate telecommunications. He also visited a temporary nursing station that community members say is failing to meet their needs.

Education remains a major challenge. The community’s small, aging school only goes up to Grade 8, forcing students to leave for Sioux Lookout or Thunder Bay to complete their studies. “We were told that 50 per cent of the children in the school were on the autism spectrum but that they didn’t have the proper resources,” Dubé noted.

The ombudsman’s office, an independent arm of the Ontario Legislature, investigates complaints about public-sector services and makes recommendations for improvement. Following his visit, Dubé said he is committed to contributing his office’s resources to push for solutions.

Chief Gary Quisses, who invited Dubé to the community, has long called for systemic change. Residents continue to demand urgent improvements to housing, education, health care, and clean water access.

Dubé’s statement is a sharp reminder of the decades-long struggles faced by Neskantaga First Nation and a challenge to governments to address them without further delay.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Families and Indigenous advocates are speaking out after the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) confirmed that Every Child Matters flags will no longer be permitted at its schools this September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The board’s updated flag policy, passed in January, restricts schools to displaying only the Canadian flag, provincial and territorial flags, and the school board flag. That means symbols such as Pride flags, the Every Child Matters flag, and local First Nations flags can no longer be flown inside or outside schools.

For parents like Melanie Cormier, an Oji-Cree mother of two daughters in the DPCDSB, the decision feels like erasure. “As a parent, I knew that I would feel welcome when the flag was there. Now, it feels like my family’s story is being pushed aside,” she said. Many of her relatives, including her mother, are survivors of Canada’s residential school system.

Recent graduate Tia Simone, a former member of the board’s Indigenous Education Council, said the policy shift has undone years of advocacy. “Working so hard over the years just to be shut down like that, it was not a good feeling,” she said. Her mother, Charlene Simone, added the change felt like “going back in time,” though she continues to work on the council in hopes of future progress.

The flag policy initially came under fire in 2024 after trustees rejected motions to allow Pride flags. While some exceptions were previously allowed for observances, the January amendments closed that door. A specific motion to permit Every Child Matters flags was also voted down.

The DPCDSB, which is currently under provincial supervision for financial mismanagement, has not commented on whether the flag policy could be reconsidered. Ontario’s Ministry of Education did not respond to questions about whether the appointed supervisor has authority over such policies.

Families say the loss of the orange flag—long tied to reconciliation observances in schools—sends the wrong message to students. “Everyone deserves to feel included and safe,” said Cormier. “This decision moves us backwards.”

LONGUEUIL, Que. – Quebec’s Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) will hold a rare press conference Tuesday morning to provide an update on its investigation into the fatal police shooting of a 15-year-old boy in Longueuil.

BEI director Brigitte Bishop is scheduled to speak with reporters at 8:30 a.m. at the agency’s Longueuil office. Typically, the watchdog only releases brief preliminary details when an investigation begins and waits until completion to provide further information, making today’s update highly unusual.

The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon near Joseph-Daigneault and Monaco streets following a 911 call reporting a group of armed individuals. Officers arrived about 10 minutes later. During the encounter, the teenager was shot twice and died at the scene.

Witness Johnny Inthisone, who lives nearby, said the shooting happened in “two seconds, not even,” claiming police fired before meaningfully engaging with the youth.

Family members identified the victim as Nooran, a student at André-Laurendeau high school. They insist he was not violent and was carrying only a school bag with books at the time of the incident. “We need justice,” his father, Sharif Rezay, told reporters.

The BEI has assigned five investigators to the case, with support from Montreal police. The watchdog investigates all cases in Quebec where police actions lead to serious injury or death.