U.S. military announces $20M US grant to build cobalt refinery in Ontario

U.S. military announces M US grant to build cobalt refinery in Ontario

The U.S. military has made its largest move so far in a novel national-security effort to fund mining initiatives in Canada.  The Pentagon on Tuesday announced a $20 million US grant to create a cobalt refinery in northern Ontario’s Temiskaming Shores. The money will go to the Toronto-based Electra Battery Materials Corporation; the government of Canada is adding … Read more

Rare fossil specimen offers evidence of social behaviour among ancient snakes

Rare fossil specimen offers evidence of social behaviour among ancient snakes

A perfectly preserved burrow of fossilized snakes shows that the reptiles have been social creatures for almost 40 million years, says a new research paper co-authored by a University of Alberta paleontologist.  It’s well known that snakes today gather in burrows for all kinds of reasons, including breeding and surviving cold temperatures by piling together … Read more

Trans Mountain pipeline ushers in new economic era for Fort McMurray

Trans Mountain pipeline ushers in new economic era for Fort McMurray

As the urban centre at the heart of Canada’s oilsands industry, Fort McMurray has seen more than its share of ups and downs. A decade and a half ago, the northern Alberta community was this country’s most famous boom town. High oil prices helped to drive unprecedented demand for the thick, viscous bitumen that lies … Read more

Canada expands Haiti airlift to include permanent residents, relatives

Canada expands Haiti airlift to include permanent residents, relatives

Canada is expanding its evacuation of citizens from Haiti to include relatives and Canadian permanent residents, starting Wednesday if conditions allow. The government has also arranged for a charter flight for Canadians who pay a market rate to fly between the Dominican Republic and Montreal. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced a week ago that … Read more

Niagara Falls, Ont., mayor, police and telecoms brace for eclipse day crowds as 1 million visitors expected

Niagara Falls, Ont., mayor, police and telecoms brace for eclipse day crowds as 1 million visitors expected

Niagara Falls, Ont., mayor Jim Diodati says that when he goes out on April 8 to watch the total solar eclipse, he’s packing everything he might need for the entire day. “My plan is I’m riding my bike down there with my backpack. And it’s going to be loaded with cereal bars and water bottles. … Read more

Climate change behind ferry disruptions and shipping delays, Marine Atlantic says

Climate change behind ferry disruptions and shipping delays, Marine Atlantic says

Unusually choppy waters off the west coast of Newfoundland mean the island’s only transport truck ferry service has been seeing an onslaught of delays.  And those repeated delays, says Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer, mean trucks carrying food, clothing and household goods aren’t arriving on time. “There have been continuous storm systems that have been … Read more

Canadian trapped in Gaza pleads for help as Ottawa announces new immigration measures

Canadian trapped in Gaza pleads for help as Ottawa announces new immigration measures

A Canadian citizen trapped in Gaza is begging for help as Ottawa announces new measures to help family members of Canadians flee the war zone. Mahmoud Kouta of London, Ont. told CBC News he’s been trapped in Gaza since the current Israel-Hamas war broke out. The air and ground war was launched in response to Hamas’s brutal … Read more