PHOTOS: Travel chaos amid first big snow of the year in southern Ontario

Digital Writers
·4 min read
PHOTOS: Travel chaos amid first big snow of the year in southern Ontario
PHOTOS: Travel chaos amid first big snow of the year in southern Ontario

Parts of southern Ontario were on the receiving end of a decent wintry blast Tuesday, courtesy of the northern edge of a Texas low that pushed snow into the region.

The snowfall lead to whiteout conditions and treacherous travel throughout the GTA and surrounding areas, causing several accidents and bringing traffic to a standstill on many roadways.

Snowfall accumulations were projected to be near 10 cm across most of the GTA. Locally higher amounts were possible with lake enhancement between Hamilton, Milton and Toronto due to the east wind off Lake Ontario. Elsewhere across the Golden Horseshoe, including the Niagara region, a widespread 5-10 cm fell.

ONSNowSummary
ONSNowSummary

Confirmed snowfall totals from Tuesday's storm include 12 cm in Orangeville, 11 cm in Caledon, 9 cm in Newmarket, 8 cm in Waterloo, 8.5 cm at The Weather Network in Oakville, 8 cm at Toronto Pearson Airport, and 7 cm in Brampton and Guelph.

In addition to the confirmed accumulations, there were unofficial reports of 10 cm in Milton and 9 cm on the escarpment in Grimsby.

MULTIPLE COLLISIONS REPORTED AS ROAD CONDITIONS QUICKLY DETERIORATED

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There were reports of multiple crashes on Highway 401 through Milton and Puslinch ahead of the lunch hour, with a jackknifed tractor trailer on Highway 6 southbound, blocking two left lanes and backing up traffic there. Several smaller accidents were also reported in and around the city of Toronto throughout the day.

In a video the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) posted to Twitter Tuesday, Norfolk County Const. Ed Sanchuk urged people to drive according to the road and weather conditions because the roads are slick.

He also urged motorists to have their "entire headlighting system on... so you are seen to other members of the motoring public." As well, Sanchuk urged people to slow down on the slippery roads, avoid tailgating and ensure the gas tank and windshield washer fluid reservoir are full.

"As you can see, the snow is falling, the roads are snow-covered and we're just asking everyone to please reduce their speed. As you can see it's 80 km/h zone here," said Sanchuk. "You do not have to be doing 80 km/h to travel (during) this weather. Slow your vehicle down to get to where you are going safely."

Weather advisories and snowfall warnings were dropped late Tuesday afternoon, with just flurries lingering into the overnight period.

Beyond Wednesday, Arctic air from the Prairies will be moving into the region for the weekend, starting Friday morning, possibly bringing the coldest of the temperatures of the season so far.

Below is a selection of visuals from Tuesday's snowfall that are making the rounds on social media:

Thumbnail image courtesy: OPP West Region.

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  • Rocanville lowers price of Cameron Crescent lots

    At their regular meeting on Wednesday, Rocanville Town Council made the decision to slash the prices of lots in Cameron Crescent by 50 per cent, in a bid to incentivize buyers. The subdivision on the east side of Rocanville consists of 22 lots, of which four have been sold, leaving 18 available lots. Council decided that cutting the cost of the lots by 50 per cent would help buyers looking to build a home secure a loan. The lots on Cameron Crescent vary in size and price, and once purchased, must be built on within two years. Mayor Ron Reed says he hopes the discount helps buyers and prospective home owners who are interested in the land. “If it’s more enticing to get the land, then it’s easier for them to move forward,” he says. Town moving toward restructuring of recreation There was discussion at the meeting Wednesday about restructuring how the town’s recreation facilities are managed. Currently each facility in the town has a board that manages that facility, but the town wants to move toward having the rec director oversee the facilities, with the boards in place for input and fundraising. Council sat down with Rec Director Andrea Logan on Wednesday to discuss some of the changes. “The rec director would be a rec manager overall and oversee all the boards, and rather than the boards managing the rec director,” said Mayor Ron Reed after the meeting. “We would keep the boards as far as input from each different group. But then they would report their needs and wants to the rec director and then the rec director would make the final decision on overall rec decisions.” Reed says the new model would likely start with the pool and the rink, and then be applied to other town facilities as the town transitions its facilities to the new model of management. Reed said the rec director could look after things like scheduling and potentially staffing, leaving the boards free to focus more on things like fundraising instead of the overall management duties of the facilities. “They would be more like a fundraising board versus a managing or an administrative board where they do everything on their own underneath the rec director,” says Reed. Outdoor rink, dog park, walking paths, and new pool discussed In sitting down with Rec Director Andrea Logan on Wednesday, the town and Logan also discussed a few major recreation projects, both short-term and long-term, as well as securing grant money for the projects. First on the agenda was Rocanville’s indoor swimming pool. Logan said the pool is in need of some major renos and repairs, including a new liner, new decking, a dehumidifier and air exchange system. She asked council if she should start applying for grants for these projects, and said the pool board has talked about whether the town should be looking at a whole new pool at some point. She said the importance of having an indoor pool is big for Rocanville, as it is one of the main thing that sets their town’s rec facilities apart. No other town in the area has a public indoor pool, and most have outdoor pools. Councillor Owen Wilson pointed out that a new pool would be a very big, major long-term goal, and that the town should be applying for grants now for repairs in order to keep the current pool operational for as long as possible. Logan suggested that councillors do a walk through of the facility with her one evening to review all of the work that needs to be done, and a date was set for that to be done. The town also discussed their plans for a walking path and dog park, which would be developed in a copse of trees on the east side of town behind the former Grainger’s Excavating location. Logan said she will begin applying for grants for things like benches and dog bag stations for that area and council figured it was a project that could be completed fairly quickly once the weather is warmer. A location for a permanent outdoor rink was also discussed with council favoring an area behind the curling rink. The plan is to level and area and have boards up by next winter so that the rink can be used, and Logan said she would apply for grants for that project as well. Ice plant to be shut off at rink The ice plant at the rink will be shut off sometime within the next week in order to save money on rink costs due to very little activity taking place in the rink because of Covid-19. The rink will continue to operate with natural ice for as long as possible until the weather turns and the ice begins to melt. Goulden thanked for years of service on library board Council passed a motion to purchase a gift for Deenie Goulden in recognition of her long-time service as the town rep on the library board. Goulden has been doing the job since 2006, first as the town’s rep during her time on council, and then as a member at large afterwards. As per town policy, the town’s library rep would be paid to attend the library meetings, however Goulden has never been paid for her work, nor asked to be paid. Council decided to purchase a $500 gift card to thank her for her service. Reduced rent for dental office, playschool extended Council passed a motion to extend a reduced rental rate for the playschool and dental office for six more months. The playschool dental office, which are located in town facilities, have had their rent reduced by 50 per cent to alleviate the effects of Covid-19, and it was decided to review that rate at the end of 2020. Council made the decision to extend the reduced rate for six more months and then review it again at that time. Letter of thanks After the town created some outdoor winter walking paths around the ball diamonds in Rocanville, council received a letter of thanks for a family that was thrilled with the paths, saying they have been using them often and enjoying being able to take their dogs out on the paths. Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator

  • Municipal mask order lifts, province-wide mask order remains; 39 active cases in Fort McMurray

    With fewer than 50 active COVID-19 cases in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo area, the municipal mandatory mask bylaw has been lifted. But, the province-wide mask rule is still in place. The municipal order will return if active COVID-19 cases again rise above 50. On Thursday, Alberta Health Services (AHS) reported less than 50 active cases of COVID-19 in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo area. Under the municipal bylaw, which passed in October, the bylaw would be reviewed every 30 days and end if active case numbers had dropped below 50. The bylaw was passed by council before the Alberta government introduced a province-wide mask rule in November. The provincial mask bylaw still applies to businesses and people in public indoor spaces. This includes places of worship, indoor workplaces, schools and on public transit. The municipal bylaw was slightly different from the provincial order. The provincial order requires masks on children that are at least two, while the municipality applied the order to five. The municipal order exempted places of worship, while the provincial order does not. The municipal order allowed masks to be removed when eating and drinking at a designated seating area, while the province allowed exemptions for eating and drinking in general. swilliscraft@postmedia.com Sarah Williscraft, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fort McMurray Today

  • Moosomin contractors donate $29,000 to airport project

    The RM of Moosomin commissioned 41,000 tonnes of gravel to be hauled for the Moosomin airport expansion project, but ended up with an additional 3,113 tonnes thanks to the donations of gravel and labour from the local contractors. In total $29,011.41 worth of gravel and labour were donated with Springer Construction donating $12,578.06, KCH Operating donating $2,854.99, Joel Poelzer donating $4,694.84, Kentrax Transport donating $6,233.85, and Rhino Dirtworks donating $2,649.67. “Everyone that helped is local,” said Jason Springer, owner of Springer Construction. “We’d been hauling for a couple weeks and wanted to do a little bit more. It was nice being close to home and doing something for the community—it helped that the weather was so nice.” The airport expansion plan began in 2018 with a need for a rebuilt runway, lighting, and navigation equipment to accommodate the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance. The new runway will run northwest-southeast in line with the prevailing winds. A new access road, taxiway, and apron will be built on the road allowance that the current runway is built on. The need for the airport expansion became clear with the centralization of health services in Saskatchewan, with stroke services and pediatric services being centralized in Saskatoon. With the only pediatric facility in the province, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, being located in Saskatoon it makes it difficult for time-efficient patient transfers for those under the age of 18. Another major factor in having access to the Saskatchewan Air Ambulance is the world class stroke unit at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. “We’re at a standstill with the project until additional funding falls into place,” said RM of Moosomin Administrator Kendra Lawrence. “There’s a few funding measures that we’re applying for and we’re just waiting on results back for those.” Moosomin is one of the 14 communities in Saskatchewan to receive CAP (Community Airport Partnership) funding for 2020-21. The other communities to receive funding for 2020-21 are Humboldt, Kindersley, Leader, RM of Eldon, Maple Creek, Melfort, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Rockglen, Swift Current, Unity, Weyburn and Wynyard Moosomin also received funding in 2019-20, 23 different communities have received funding over the last three years. Eight communities in Saskatchewan have received funding multiple times over the last three years—Moosomin, Kindersley, Humboldt, Melfort, North Battleford, Swift Current, Weyburn, and Yorkton. The funding is going towards the Moosomin airport expansion project. Eligible CAP applicants include regionally focused, community-owned airports. Eligibility for CAP should support: Economic development. Access to surrounding communities. Air ambulance and medevac operations. Commercial operations. Aviation safety. All CAP projects are subject to ministry approval. Moosomin is eligible to receive CAP funding again for 2021-22, the deadline for applications is February 24, 2021. Each year the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure awards $700,000 in total CAP funding among those communities that have received application approval—the most a single community can receive is $275,000. Since 2007, more than $7 million has been invested in community airports, and coupled with 50-50 matching community contributions, the program has generated over $14 million in airport improvements. A total of 50 different communities have benefited from the program since its inception. Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator

  • Atlético Madrid wins again, stays 5 points ahead in Spain

    MADRID — Atlético Madrid got back to winning on Sunday, beating Villarreal 2-0 to halt its slump and restore a five-point lead at the top of the Spanish league. An own-goal by Alfonso Pedraza in the first half and a goal by forward João Félix in the second helped Atlético end a three-game winless streak and rebuild its lead over second-place Barcelona, which won 2-0 at fourth-place Sevilla on Saturday. Atlético has a game in hand compared to the Catalan club. Third-place Real Madrid can get back to within three points of Atlético on Monday with a win against fifth-place Real Sociedad at home. Madrid will have played one more game more than Atlético. Atlético hosts Madrid in the city derby next Sunday. Diego Simeone's team was coming off a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday. It also lost 2-0 to Levante at home in the Spanish league, and had previously drawn with Levante in a league match postponed from the second round because of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was a very important victory,” Atlético defender Stefan Savic said. “We were coming off a bad streak of results and the team responded well. That’s what makes me happy.” It was Atlético's first clean sheet after eight matches, which had marked the team's worst streak conceding goals since Simeone arrived in late 2011. Unai Emery's Villarreal, winless in six consecutive Spanish league games, dropped to seventh place. Atlético went ahead in the 25th minute after Savic's header was saved by Villarreal goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo but the ball ricocheted off Pedraza and went in. The goal was initially disallowed for offside but later confirmed by video review. Félix, who recently was sidelined for testing positive for COVID-19, scored his first goal since January with a low shot from inside the area in the 69th. The Portugal forward, who came off the bench after halftime, celebrated profusely and put a finger to his mouth, as if asking someone to be quiet. It wasn't clear to whom he was sending a message. MURILLO SCORES LATE Colombian defender Jeison Murillo scored in the final minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw for Celta Vigo against relegation-threatened Valladolid. Murillo netted the equalizer with a header from a set piece taken by Iago Aspas in the fourth minute of added time. Fabián Orellana had opened the scoring for the hosts in the 70th. The result extended Valladolid's winless streak in the league to eight matches. The team owned by former Brazil great Ronaldo stayed just outside the relegation zone with 22 points from 25 matches. Celta, which has one win in its last 10 matches in all competitions, was in 11th place with 30 points from 25. OTHER RESULTS Eighth-place Granada ended a six-match winless streak by beating second-to-last-place Elche 2-1 at home. Earlier, Juanmi Jiménez scored in the 84th as Real Betis won 1-0 at Cádiz. It was the third win in a row for Betis, which moved to sixth. Cádiz, winless in seven consecutive league games, is three points from the relegation zone. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press

  • Prince Harry tells Oprah he worried history would repeat itself

    Prince Harry, who shocked Britain last year when he and his wife Meghan stepped back from royal duties, told U.S. interviewer Oprah Winfrey that he had worried about history repeating itself, according to excerpts released on Sunday. The CBS broadcast network released two brief clips from Winfrey's interview of the couple, which is scheduled to air on March 7. "My biggest concern was history repeating itself," Harry said, apparently referring to his mother Princess Diana, who was hounded by the British press and died at age 36 in a car crash in Paris after her divorce from Prince Charles.

  • Ontario surpasses 300,000 COVID-19 infections, allows vaccines for homeless

    TORONTO — Ontario has expanded the first phase of its COVID-19 vaccination drive to include residents experiencing homelessness, its largest municipality announced on Sunday as the province eclipsed 300,000 total infections since the onset of the global pandemic. The city of Toronto said it received word over the weekend that the province had added homeless people to the list of those who qualify for a jab under Phase 1 of its vaccine rollout plan. Shelter-system residents will accordingly start receiving their initial vaccine doses this week, the city said in a release. "People experiencing homelessness are at elevated risk of serious health impacts due to COVID-19 and are vulnerable to transmission in congregate settings," Toronto Board of Health Chair and city Coun. Joe Cressy said in the statement. "By updating their vaccination prioritization plan, the province has made it possible for the city and our hospital and health care partners to help keep those most at risk in our communities safe." Ontario's ministry of health had previously stated that homeless residents would not be eligible for a vaccine until the inoculation drive entered its second phase. The city did not provide a timeline for when the provincial guidance changed, and the ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment on Sunday. Toronto said local health officials and its shelter support and housing administration would identify shelters at the highest risk of contracting the virus, but did not spell out their criteria. Advocates had been pushing for homeless residents to move up the vaccine queue for weeks, citing their significantly higher rates of mental and health afflictions relative to the general public as well as difficulties they face in observing basic public health protocols in an overtaxed shelter system. Dr. Andrew Bond, medical director of the homeless-oriented health clinic Inner City Health Associates, said shelters are akin to long-term care homes where the virus has historically taken hold quickly. A major difference, Bond said, is that unlike the "captive audience" of a long-term care home, those living in shelters leave every day to get food, see doctors and other health-care professionals. The presence of new COVID-19 variants of concern in the city, he said, only compounds the issue. "As people come and go from the shelter into the community, the variant will propagate into the wider community, if it hasn't already," Bond said. "It’s really in everybody's interest here to vaccinate those experiencing homelessness." Bond's organization issued a tweet on Sunday applauding the province's decision to start immunizing homeless residents. The original plan from the province saw shelter workers to be vaccinated in the first phase while shelter residents were slated for Phase 2. That two-tier system drew widespread criticism among homeless advocates. "It makes absolutely no sense, and I'm not being facetious, it just literally makes no sense to me," Bond said of the original inoculation timeline. "The only effective way to control outbreaks is to vaccinate simultaneously all of those individuals in the shelter system, whether they work or live there." A COVID-19 variant believed to be one first identified in the United Kingdom has also highlighted the challenges the homeless face when needing to self-isolate. One outbreak linked to the variant has ripped through the Maxwell Meighen Centre in downtown Toronto, with at least 31 people being infected. A man who lives at the facility said proper isolation inside the shelter is impossible due to regular intermingling and shared bathrooms. The man, who did not want to be identified for fear of recriminations from staff, said everyone staying at the centre has to leave their rooms from 8 a.m. until noon. The Salvation Army, which operates Maxwell Meighan, said people do have to leave the shelter during those hours so their rooms can be cleaned. The situation is not unique to one facility, according to one social worker. "Every shelter I've called has told me that they're on outbreak status and they're closed to new admissions," Sarah Ovens said. "There is nowhere to go where they will feel safe and be able to actually isolate, both to keep themselves safe and to keep other people safe." The move to vaccinate the homeless comes after Ontario reported 1,062 new infections and 20 more deaths linked to the virus on Sunday. Those figures pushed the province's overall virus case count to 300,816 infections over the course of the pandemic, making it the highest in the country. The province is also poised to record 7,000 deaths since the onset of the pandemic, with 6,980 recorded as of Sunday. Health Minister Christine Elliott said Toronto saw 259 new infections in the past 24 hours, nearby Peel Region recorded 201 and York Region logged 86. Hospitalizations in the province declined by 53 to 627, with 289 patients in intensive care and 185 on a ventilator. The figures come a day before several public health units in the province are set to change status. Seven are set to relax protective public health measures, while Thunder Bay and Muskoka Simcoe are set to move into the lockdown stage of the provincial pandemic response plan amid rising case numbers. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2021. Liam Casey, The Canadian Press

  • Active COVID-19 cases in Fort McMurray jumps to 40

    COVID-19 numbers for Alberta, reported on February 25: 132,432 people have been infected with the virus. The earliest known COVID-19 case in Alberta was detected in a blood sample collected on Feb. 24. The first case was announced on March 5. Of those cases, 126,074 people have recovered, or 95.2 per cent of all cases. 399 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the active total to 4,484. 280 people are in hospital, with 56 people in intensive care units. Privacy regulations means Alberta Health cannot release how many COVID-19 patients are being treated in local hospitals or health centres. Eight new deaths from COVID-19, totalling 1,874. The majority of people who have died from COVID-19 also had high blood pressure, dementia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 9,217 people were tested for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. To date, 3,387,829 tests for COVID-19 have been carried out on 1,813,521 people. 9,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the last 24 hours. 195,572 doses have been administered in total; 80,620 people are fully immunized with both doses. 106 adverse events following immunization have been reported to Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services. Adverse events are classified as any health problem following immunization. They are not necessarily caused by the vaccine. COVID-19 in Fort McMurray: Seven new active cases in the past 24 hours, bringing known active total to 40. The first case was reported in the city on March 19. Three new recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,711. Masks in public spaces become mandatory on Oct. 26, after 51 active COVID-19 cases were reported in the Wood Buffalo region. Alberta has since declared a province-wide mask order. Privacy regulations means Alberta Health cannot release how many COVID-19 patients are being treated in local hospitals or health centres. Three people have died from COVID-19 in Fort McMurray, with the last death reported on Dec. 24. The first death was reported Sept. 8. COVID-19 in rural areas and Wood Buffalo National Park: One new COVID-19 case in rural communities or Wood Buffalo National Park has been reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the active total to two cases. No new recovery in rural areas or Wood Buffalo National Park in the past 24 hours, keeping the total at 139. One recovered COVID-19 case is no longer being considered a local case. AHS has not confirmed which rural communities have active COVID-19 cases, only community leaders have. Masks in public spaces become mandatory on Oct. 26, after 51 active COVID-19 cases were reported in the Wood Buffalo region. Alberta has since declared a province-wide order. Privacy regulations means Alberta Health cannot release how many COVID-19 patients are being treated in local hospitals or health centres. There have been no deaths from COVID-19 in the RMWB’s rural areas. COVID-19 outbreaks at Wood Buffalo’s schools: Information on school outbreaks can be found online from Alberta Health Services. No school in Wood Buffalo has been ordered to close. An outbreak is declared when five people linked to a public site, such as a workplace, test positive for COVID-19. At continuing care centres and schools, the number is two. An outbreak is over when no new COVID-19 cases have been reported after 30 days. COVID-19 outbreaks at Wood Buffalo’s workplaces: Information on workplace outbreaks can be found online from Alberta Health Services. Canadian Natural’s Albian site. Canadian Natural’s Horizon site. Canadian Natural’s Kirby site. Imperial Oil’s Kearl Lake site. North American Construction Group. Suncor’s base plant. Suncor’s Fort Hills site. Syncrude’s Mildred Lake site. Syncrude’s Aurora site. YMCA Eagle Ridge child care. An outbreak is declared when five people linked to a public site, such as a workplace, test positive for COVID-19. At continuing care centres and schools, the number is two. An outbreak is over when no new COVID-19 cases have been reported after 30 days. Sarah Williscraft, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Fort McMurray Today

  • P.E.I. introduces three-day lockdown to battle growing COVID-19 outbreak

    CHARLOTTETOWN — Officials in Prince Edward Island have placed the province under a 72-hour lockdown starting at 12 a.m. Monday after multiple new infections and two clusters of COVID-19 emerged on the island over the weekend. The "modified red alert" period will see schools and most non-essential businesses close for three days and require islanders to practice physical distancing with anyone outside their immediate household, with exceptions for people who live alone or require essential support. "We would rather go harder and stronger now than wait for an outbreak like we have seen in other provinces that could put us in an extended period of lockdown for weeks or even months," Premier Dennis King said late Sunday during a briefing with reporters. The restrictions were announced as health officials reported five new COVID-19 infections, for a total of 17 cases in the past five days. Along with the new diagnoses comes a growing number of close-contact and potential exposure sites at places like fast-food restaurants and retail stores. Two COVID-19 clusters have been identified in the cities of Summerside and Charlottetown and many of the new infections cannot be linked to travel, officials said. "We have two clusters of cases that are in our community and we do not have a source," chief medical officer of health Dr. Heather Morrison said. "However, they all appear to be linked to each other. We are not seeing widespread community transmission at this point in time." The three-day lockdown will allow public health officials to undertake comprehensive contact tracing and ramp up testing, she said. "We need to get our arms around these clusters of cases and make sure it has not spread into any kind of widespread community transmission," Morrison added. The short-term lockdown was announced as more moderate "circuit-breaker measures" took effect in an effort to curb the spike in infections. Those restrictions included limiting gatherings to a household plus a consistent circle of 10 contacts, banning tournaments but allowing sports practices to continue, and limiting gyms and retail stores to half their normal capacity. Those measures will remain in force until March 14, while the lockdown is expected to be lifted Thursday. But if new cases emerge over the coming days that are not linked to the two clusters, or if new infections continue to rise, Morrison said it's possible the lockdown could be extended. The new infections recorded on Sunday include two males, both in their 20s, and three females, two in their 20s and one in her 50s. The province reported six new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, all among patients in their 20s. "Until we are able to confirm otherwise, we need to act as if this is a variant," King said, referring to virus mutations of concern that have surfaced across the country. "What we know is that the variants move and spread quickly, therefore we need to move quickly as well and do our best to get caught up." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Kay perfect as Blue Jays edge Yankees 6-4 in spring training

    TAMPA, Fla. — The Blue Jays kicked off spring training action with a win Sunday, edging the New York Yankees 6-4. Rowdy Tellez got Toronto off to an early lead with a two-run double in the first inning. Lefty Anthony Kay pitched two perfect innings for the Jays, striking out the Yankees' first six batters of the day. Toronto was up 5-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth when Andrew Velazquez got New York on the board, capitalizing on a fielding error by Jays second baseman Otto Lopez. Rob Brantly narrowed Toronto's lead in the fifth, blasting a two-run homer to centre field. Mike Tauchman followed suit with a single homer on a fly ball to centre field to make the score 5-4. Right-hander Jacob Waguespack gave up all three fifth-inning runs before he was replaced on the mound by Anthony Castro. Logan Warmoth sealed the Jays' victory with a homerun to right-centre field at the top of the sixth. T.J. Zeuch was credited with the Toronto win after allowing one run on two hits over two innings. New York's Michael King took the loss after giving up three runs in the first two innings. The Jays are set to play the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Trees in Vancouver park spray-painted with racist graffiti

    (Enzo Zanatta/CBC - image credit) At least eight trees were spray-painted with racist graffiti in a park in Vancouver's Marpole neighbourhood on Saturday. The Vancouver Park Board said the trees were covered in swastikas and the slogan "White Power." In a statement, the Vancouver Park Board said it is "heartbroken and enraged" by the incident at Riverview Park. "The City of Vancouver and the park board condemn these abhorrent acts of racism in the strongest possible terms. We stand in solidarity with the Indigenous, Black, racialized and Jewish communities targeted by these messages," it read. "These messages are intended to create shock, fear and division." Some of the defaced trees are near a playground. It further expressed regret to anyone — including families and children accessing the nearby playground — who had to see the messages. "We acknowledge the park crews who are in the process of safely removing the hurtful graffiti. We also acknowledge this as an act of disrespect to the natural world on the Musqueam territory," it continued. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact 311.

  • Le calme avant la tempête

    La Ville de Sept-Îles a annoncé ce matin la fermeture de ses glaces extérieurs pour la journée, en raison du temps doux. Ceci sera temporaire, puisque déjà, demain, un Avertissement de tempête hivernale a été émis par Environnement Canada. Alors qu’en ce dernier jour de février la température tournera autour de 0 dégré, de lundi à mardi, Environnment Canada prévoit entre 20 et 40 centimèetres de neige, des vents forts, et de la poudrerie pour le secteur de Baie-Trinité, ainsi que Port-Cartier et Sept-Îles. Les vents pourraient atteindre 80 km/h. Karine Lachance, Initiative de journalisme local, Ma Côte-Nord

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday Feb. 28, 2021. There are 866,503 confirmed cases in Canada. _ Canada: 866,503 confirmed cases (30,731 active, 813,778 resolved, 21,994 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 2,307 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 80.86 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 19,873 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 2,839. There were 35 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 320 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 46. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 57.87 per 100,000 people. There have been 24,425,703 tests completed. _ Newfoundland and Labrador: 988 confirmed cases (266 active, 716 resolved, six deaths). There were seven new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 50.95 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 62 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of two new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 196,011 tests completed. _ Prince Edward Island: 132 confirmed cases (18 active, 114 resolved, zero deaths). There were five new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 11.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 17 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is two. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 102,000 tests completed. _ Nova Scotia: 1,641 confirmed cases (38 active, 1,538 resolved, 65 deaths). There were three new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 3.88 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 32 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.64 per 100,000 people. There have been 329,339 tests completed. _ New Brunswick: 1,430 confirmed cases (39 active, 1,364 resolved, 27 deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 4.99 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of seven new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There was one new reported death Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of two new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.04 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 3.46 per 100,000 people. There have been 236,401 tests completed. _ Quebec: 287,740 confirmed cases (7,817 active, 269,530 resolved, 10,393 deaths). There were 737 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 91.16 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 5,618 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 803. There were nine new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 86 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 12. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.14 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 121.21 per 100,000 people. There have been 6,280,259 tests completed. _ Ontario: 300,816 confirmed cases (10,492 active, 283,344 resolved, 6,980 deaths). There were 1,062 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 71.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 7,730 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,104. There were 20 new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 119 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 17. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.12 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 47.37 per 100,000 people. There have been 10,849,514 tests completed. _ Manitoba: 31,859 confirmed cases (1,194 active, 29,770 resolved, 895 deaths). There were 50 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 86.57 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 473 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 68. There were two new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 64.89 per 100,000 people. There have been 528,966 tests completed. _ Saskatchewan: 28,647 confirmed cases (1,543 active, 26,719 resolved, 385 deaths). There were 141 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 130.91 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,027 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 147. There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 13 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.16 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 32.66 per 100,000 people. There have been 573,125 tests completed. _ Alberta: 133,504 confirmed cases (4,584 active, 127,034 resolved, 1,886 deaths). There were 301 new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 103.67 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,441 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 349. There were three new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 59 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.19 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 42.65 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,387,838 tests completed. _ British Columbia: 79,262 confirmed cases (4,719 active, 73,188 resolved, 1,355 deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 91.67 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 2,448 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 350. There were zero new reported deaths Sunday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 28 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.08 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 26.32 per 100,000 people. There have been 1,910,966 tests completed. _ Yukon: 72 confirmed cases (zero active, 71 resolved, one deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.38 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,142 tests completed. _ Northwest Territories: 42 confirmed cases (three active, 39 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Sunday. The rate of active cases is 6.64 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 14,451 tests completed. _ Nunavut: 357 confirmed cases (18 active, 338 resolved, one deaths). There was one new case Sunday. The rate of active cases is 45.74 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there has been 18 new case. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.54 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,615 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Feb. 28, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • High risk areas prioritized in Saskatchewan vaccine plan

    Phase one of Saskatchewan’s vaccine rollout plan began December 22, with the hopes of administering 10,725 doses per week—every individual needs two doses. With this plan, they’re aiming to administer an estimated 202,052 doses of the Pfizer vaccination in the first quarter of 2021 (March 31). Since phase one began, Saskatchewan has administered over 35,000 doses of the vaccine—over 30,000 first doses and over 4,500 second doses—in over 40 days. At the current vaccination rate in Saskatchewan, just under 6,000 doses are being administered per week. Saskatchewan and Canada are falling short of their vaccination goals due to delays on receiving the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced plans to begin producing a vaccine domestically as early as this summer. As part of Saskatchewan’s phase one vaccine rollout, immunization is targeted towards priority populations. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) issued guidance to provinces on the distribution of the vaccine and Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab modified those guidelines for the provinces demographics and logistical requirements. Saskatchewan’s phase one framework for immunization prioritization: Long-term care and personal care home residents and staff (total number estimate- 30,584). Health care workers in emergency departments, intensive care units, Covid-19 wards and Covid testing and assessment staff (total number estimate- 10,000-15,000). Residents 70 years and older in all communities (total number estimate- 131,119). Residents over the age of 50 living in remote/northern Saskatchewan (total number estimate- 8,921). The immunization prioritization in the province remains focused on the demographics outlined by Dr. Shahab in phase one despite the current vaccination shortage right now. “The priority groups for phase one vaccination includes long-term and personal care home residents and staff, health care workers—including those in emergency rooms, ICU, Covid units, and testing assessment centres—residents over 70 living in the community, and residents over 50 in northern and remote communities,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told the World-Spectator. “We will continue with efforts to vaccinate phase one priority groups, as supply becomes available.” There are disparities in doses administered by area in Saskatchewan. The Ministry of Health says that’s because they’re going to more crucial areas first that have effective distribution methods. “Locations are prioritized based on a number of factors, one being Covid-19 risk and outbreak rate,” they said. “The other being vaccine distribution logistics from the vaccine hub to ensure there is no vaccine wastage.” For now, it’s difficult for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health to look too far into the future when it comes to vaccinating the general population because of the shortages with the Pfizer vaccine. “We are reviewing vaccine expansion plans. Recent news of drastic reductions in delivery of Pfizer vaccine to Saskatchewan and resulting scarcity of supply will be factored in to these plans,” said the spokesperson. “Vaccinations will be able to expand when more vaccine becomes available.” As for where people will be able to receive vaccinations once they are available, pharmacies are being looked at as an option for rural communities. “The role of pharmacists in the vaccination plan is currently under consideration,” they said. With Saskatchewan’s phase two projected to begin in April, it will continue to prioritize the demographics Dr. Shahab has outlined, as well as start administering doses to the general population. Distribution will occur throughout the province with a focus on people being able to access the vaccine where they live or work—the province is planning to have it administered by physicians, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists with additional vaccine providers being considered dependent on vaccine availability. With two months until April, the shortages of Pfizer and lack of communication on when more vaccine shipments will be coming to Saskatchewan has the provincial government beginning to worry about the status of the vaccine rollout plan. On Monday, February 1, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Health Paul Merriman spoke in front of the House of Commons Standing Committee on the topic of Covid-19 vaccine supply shortages and Ottawa being more transparent with the situation. “Simply put, we need more vaccines and we need more reliable information about when we’re receiving those vaccines,” Merriman said. “The flow of information is almost as important as the flow of vaccines. While our provincial vaccine administration plan continues to be very effective, we are now virtually at a standstill with no vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan in over a week, and limited quantities now expected in the next few weeks. “Saskatchewan is a large province with many remote communities. So we need reliable information to plan appointments, transportation, refrigeration, and the deployment of our healthcare workers. “If we don’t get everything that we’re promised right now, we will be in a challenging situation to get a second dose to the people that have their first dose in the timeframe that is recommended.” Rob Paul, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The World-Spectator

  • MATCHDAY: Madrid looks to stay close to Atlético in Spain

    A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Monday: SPAIN Defending champion Real Madrid hopes to move back within three points of Spanish league leader Atlético Madrid with a win at home over fifth-place Real Sociedad. Atlético will have a game in hand over Madrid when they meet at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium next Sunday. Madrid has won five consecutive matches in all competitions, including a 1-0 win at Atalanta in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday. ENGLAND Southampton is winless in eight Premier League games as it visits Everton, which is coming off a long-awaited victory over city rival Liverpool. Preparing to host Southampton, Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is worried about his team’s form at home. Everton has won only four of 12 matches at Goodison Park, taking one point from the last 15 available on home soil. The away form has carried Everton into the push for European qualification, including the 2-0 win at Liverpool in the derby last weekend. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press