ETA Canada News

At a meeting last October, the Canadian banking regulator warned bank executives that the common practice of using blanket appraisals for condominium mortgages could violate federal mortgage rules.

According to an exclusive Reuters report, a meeting transcript obtained by the media under the Access to Information Act shows that the Office of the Supervisory Financial Institutions (OSFI), responsible for maintaining the stability of Canada’s financial industry, is increasingly scrutinizing some mortgage approval processes due to growing concerns that a collapse in the Canadian housing market could have a widespread impact on the economy.

Canada experienced one of the largest real estate price declines among major global economies last year, with prices falling by 2.7%. Canadians postponed home purchase plans due to uncertainty surrounding US trade and a slowdown in immigration. Outdated valuations increase the risk for banks. Prices for pre-sale apartments (commonly known as off-plan properties) have fallen by 10% to 30%, putting banks at risk of homebuyers defaulting on their mortgages or purchasing apartments at a reduced value.

Banks often use a composite valuation, meaning lenders use the property’s value at the time the buyer agrees to purchase it, rather than its value at the time of handover, to approve loans for multiple apartment units simultaneously. However, in a market with falling property prices, outdated valuations increase the bank’s risk, as they may face higher losses from loan defaults.

If a Canadian bank is found to have violated the Bank Act, it may face stricter scrutiny. The Bank Act is a federal law that prohibits banks from issuing uninsured mortgages exceeding 80% of a property’s market value at closing. At its meeting last October, OSFI warned that the overall valuation could exceed the 80% limit. Toronto and Vancouver Face the Most Severe Pressure In its statement, OSFI indicated that when lenders fail to comply with relevant regulations, OSFI will discuss solutions and remedies privately with the lenders, but did not specify what the remedies entail. OSFI stated at a quarterly roundtable with chief risk officers from major Canadian banks: “We note that failure to comply with the 80% loan-to-value ratio requirement could result in uninsured mortgages exceeding 80% of the property’s market value, thus constituting a breach of the Banking Act.”

These documents did not specify which banks participated in the meeting. Due to sluggish demand, apartments that were once highly sought after in Canada are now unwanted. From boom to bubble burst in the housing market Unsold condominiums in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver have led to thousands of vacant units in downtown high-rise apartment buildings. This is because developers rushed to develop properties between 2018 and 2022 to meet investor demand. OSFI stated that the unified valuation model works well when the housing market is rising but becomes more challenging when the market is weak.

At a meeting in November, OSFI pointed out problems with the marketing wording of large banks and the timing of their valuations. At that time, apartment prices had fallen by about 10% to 20% from their 2022 peak. OSFI also showed an advertisement from a lending institution promoting mortgage loans using standardized valuations but did not name the lending institution.

Following the meeting, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Canada’s largest bank, modified its website, removing the promise that “approved loans for homebuyers will remain valid until the closing date.” RBC’s website now states in part: “RBC will provide mortgage approval based on the completion date provided by the builder.” In response to a Reuters request for comment, RBC emphasized that they work closely with regulators to ensure their expectations are met.

The Canadian Bankers Association, representing the interests of the banking industry, said it is consulting with OSFI on regulators’ requirements for the unified valuation used in the pre-sale phase to ensure that any potential financial impact is considered. OSFI declined to comment on its meeting with the bank.

Two Tim Hortons restaurants were accused of failing to pay delivery bills after refusing to accept a shipment of spoiled and rotten ingredients delivered by a courier company. The tribunal ruled against the courier company based on the legal interpretation of “God’s work.”

According to a ruling released Thursday (5th) by the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal, Clark Reefer Lines is demanding that TDL Group Corp., the parent company of the two Tim Hortons locations involved, pay four bills totaling $4,164 for 2022. TDL Group Corp. responded that the restaurants caused the food to spoil and therefore refused to pay. The goods were originally scheduled to be shipped from Langley to Vancouver Island on December 22, 2022, but ultimately arrived a week late.

The shipping company stated that a blizzard occurred at the time, coinciding with the Christmas holiday, making it impossible to deliver the goods on time. Truck drivers reported that the Tim Hortons branch in Victoria delivered jalapenos with an off-putting smell and rotten lettuce, while the branch in Langford refused to accept the delivery due to spoiled ingredients.

Tribunal David Jiang explained that even if the transport company is not at fault or negligent, it should still be liable for the loss or damage of goods—unless it can prove that there are exceptional circumstances, such as what the law calls “Act of God” (or “force majeure”), which usually refers to natural events that are beyond human control or prevention. The transportation company argued that the blizzard was clearly “the work of God.”

However, Jiang Guan explained: “Reasonable and foreseeable events do not fall under the category of ‘God’s doing.’ ‘God’s doing’ refers to things that rational people cannot prevent even if they take reasonable measures.” He pointed out that the evidence submitted by the transportation company was insufficient to constitute grounds for exemption from liability.

“Such evidence could be weather forecasts for the relevant dates, drivers’ statements about road conditions, or government-issued road closures and traffic notices, but the transport company only described the blizzard as ‘powerful’ as evidence. I cannot conclude from this that the blizzard was so severe that it was unpredictable and that reasonable preventative measures could not be taken to deal with it.”

Furthermore, the shipping company’s attribution of some of the shipping delays to work schedules during the holiday period is clearly not “God’s doing.” The tribunal estimated that Tim Hortons lost more than 3,000 kilograms of food, resulting in a loss of more than $13,000, far exceeding the total value of the four shipping bills. Therefore, the tribunal ruled against the shipping company’s claim.

The local brand, which once swept the nation with its beaver logo and symbolized the ” Canadian leisure spirit,” now stands at a crossroads. Canadian apparel retailer Roots Corp. announced Tuesday that it has initiated a strategic review process and is not ruling out selling the more than half-century-old company. The company stated that it has engaged JPMorgan Chase & Co. to assist in analysing various options for enhancing shareholder value but emphasized that there is no guarantee that a deal will ultimately be reached.

Following the announcement, Roots’ stock price rose as much as 5.7% in early Toronto trading, reaching C$3.18. However, this price is a far cry from the company’s triumphant IPO. From national symbols to capital restructuring

Since opening its first store in Toronto in 1973, Roots has become a symbol of the Canadian lifestyle with its beaver-logo sweatshirts and casual pants. At its peak, the company had over 100 stores nationwide and more than 100 partner stores in Asia and briefly entered the US market. However, during the 2020 pandemic, most of its US stores were closed, and its expansion pace slowed significantly. In 2015, US private equity firm Searchlight Capital Partners LP acquired a majority stake in Roots.

Two years later, in October 2017, the company went public at C$12 per share and was once seen as a source of pride for the Canadian retail industry as it returned to the capital markets. However, reality after the IPO did not meet expectations. In recent years, the company’s profit margins have remained thin, and its performance has failed to meet the growth blueprint outlined during the IPO. Valuation shrinkage reflects the retail predicament

Analysts point out that despite its financial performance falling short of market expectations, Roots continues to generate relatively substantial free cash flow. TD Cowen analyst Brian Morrison stated in a report that if a deal is ultimately reached, the acquisition price could be between CAD 4 and 4.5 per share, based on valuation multiples of other retailers. Even so, this potential range still seems particularly heavy compared to the original issue price of 12 Canadian dollars.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and City Councillor Renee Zhou have apologized for making unfounded claims that opposition city councillors distributed illegal drugs.

Councillor Zhou, who belongs to the same ABC Vancouver Party as the mayor, posted a video on the Chinese-language social networking site (WeChat) in which he said that opposition councillors are “drug users” and “distributors of drugs.”

The four opposition councillors completely denied the remarks at a press conference. Councillor Zhou apologized on February 24, saying that his remarks were “based on incorrect information.” Mayor Shim had previously defended Councilman Cho and praised him for apologizing, but it was later revealed that he himself had made similar comments.

On February 6, Mayor Sim said in a CityNews/OMNI video that Councilman Sean Orr of the COPE Party was distributing illegal drugs to people on the street over Christmas. Councilman Orr denied the allegations. On February 27, Mayor Sim told reporters, “I spoke with Councilman Orr yesterday and apologized for my comments.” However, he did not mention the source of the fake information about Councilman Orr. Councillor Orr told CBC News he has never given away illegal drugs and called the mayor’s comments absurd and defamatory.

Vancouver currently has a majority of 10 city councillors, including Mayor Sim, with the ABC Vancouver Party representing six of the city’s 10 members. The opposition consists of four members: COPE’s Councillor Orr, OneCity Vancouver’s Councillor Lucy Maloney, Vancouver Green Party’s Councillor Pete Fry, and independent Councillor Rebecca Bligh.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the federal government will provide Ukraine with 2 billion rupees in military aid and impose a new round of sanctions on Russia to continue supporting Ukraine’s fight against the epidemic. Carney stated that the new sanctions will target approximately 100 vessels allegedly used as a “shadow fleet” to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil exports, further intensifying economic pressure on Russia. He emphasized that Canada would support Ukraine “in the long term.”

Carney pointed out that since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, the Putin regime has continuously attacked churches, schools, and hospitals in Ukraine, and sabotaged energy facilities to weaken essential supplies during the harsh winter. He described Russia as having severely underestimated the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people, who continue to resist to this day.

He stated that Canada has consistently supported Ukraine at critical moments and was the first Western country to recognize its independence; since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Canada has launched the Operation UNIFIER military training mission and has pledged more than $25.5 billion in aid to date, of which more than $13 billion is direct financial support. Carney emphasized that the conflict has now entered a critical phase, and the opportunity for peace is gradually emerging.

Canada is working with Ukraine and international partners to promote a “just and lasting” peace plan, and to this end, it has extended Operation UNIFIER to help Ukraine build a resilient military capability; it has also allocated approximately $20 million to rebuild infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks, and further lowered the price ceiling for Russian crude oil and strengthened sanctions.

The announcement comes on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Carney pointed out that in the coming year, in addition to providing extra military aid, Canada will also provide more armoured vehicles and related support to Ukrainian forces. The Canadian government reiterated that it would continue to work with its allies to address the developments in the conflict through a range of measures, including sanctions and military assistance.

Two serious accidents related to winter outdoor activities have occurred in the Canadian capital region, raising serious concerns about child safety. One incident occurred on a cross-country ski trail in western Quebec, where a 4-year-old girl was rushed to Ottawa Children’s Hospital for treatment; another incident occurred earlier this month, where a 13-year-old girl from Ottawa tragically died after a ski lift accident.

A four-year-old girl was rushed to the hospital after an accident on a ski slope. According to a report from the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais police, on Sunday, police received a report that a 4-year-old girl suffered cardiac arrest on a cross-country ski trail in Parc Nakkertok, Val-des-Monts. Police stated that the girl was riding a sled pulled by an adult when the accident occurred.

Several witnesses were present at the scene. When officers arrived, paramedics were already performing CPR at the scene. Police stated that, based on current information, “all indications point to this being an accident.” The girl was initially taken to Wakefield Hospital and then transferred to Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) for further treatment.

As of Monday morning, police had not released an update on his medical condition. Sgt. Martin Fournel stated that police are investigating the specific circumstances to clarify the details of the accident. Nakkertok Val-des-Monts issued a statement on social media expressing gratitude for the rapid response from firefighters, police, and emergency responders, and extending condolences to the families of the injured children and members of the ski community.

A 13-year-old girl tragically died in a cable car accident. Just days earlier, the capital region had experienced another tragedy. A 13-year-old girl from Ottawa was involved in an accident while on a school trip at the Centre Vorlage ski resort near Wakefield, Quebec City. Police said the girl’s clothes got caught on the cable car as she was about to leave the mountaintop, and she was hanging in mid-air for a moment.

Sgt. Martin Fournel previously stated that due to the cable car’s excessive height, witnesses were unable to provide timely rescue, and the decision was ultimately made to bring her back down the mountain. After on-site paramedics and two doctors performed CPR, she was transported to the hospital and then transferred to CHEO for further treatment. Sadly, the hospital issued a statement on Sunday evening (15th) confirming the girl’s death. The family expressed their “deep sorrow” in a statement, thanking the community for its support and the heroic actions of the rescue workers, and especially thanking the CHEO medical team for their professional care. The family mentioned that the girl was cheerful and energetic, and her kind spirit will continue to live on through Trillium Gift of Life organ donation

Since the girl died in Ontario, police said they will cooperate with the Ontario coroner to conduct a full investigation into the cause of the accident. The Quebec building regulator Régie du bâtiment du Québec has conducted an on-site inspection of the cable car involved and ordered the ski resort to temporarily close, pending the completion of several safety reviews before resuming operations.

The ski resort reopened on Tuesday. Following the accident, a pink teddy bear and flowers were placed at the entrance as a sign of remembrance. Community Response and Safety Reflection The accident has sparked widespread mourning in the community. Osgoode City Councillor Isabelle Skalski said she was “heartbroken” and that words could not comfort such a heavy loss. Carleton MLA George Darouze also expressed his condolences and thanked the family for sharing their grief.

The Ottawa-Carleton School Board subsequently announced the suspension of all school skiing activities involving gondolas until the full details of the incident are understood, emphasizing that student safety remains the top priority. The board also provided mental health support services to affected students and staff.

On the evening of February 13th, a memorial vigil was held in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia (BC) for the victims of the mass shooting that occurred on February 10th.

Premier Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon, and BC Premier David Eby were among the attendees, along with many dignitaries from the federal and provincial governments. “Tonight, we come together as a community in grief,” said Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka, “to stand with these families in their immeasurable pain and to remind each other that none of us bear this pain alone.”

In addition to the Prime Minister, the federal government was represented by Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poirier, Quebec Coalition Leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP (New Democratic Party) interim leader Don Davis, and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who showed Canada’s solidarity with the tragedy.

“By standing together in your hometown, we want to let you know that Canadians stand with you and always will,” Prime Minister Carney said, before reading out the names of the six victims who died at the school and offering his condolences.

Premier Eby also spoke of the brave actions of teachers and students during the lockdown, saying: “It is in these heroic acts that the seeds of recovery for this community lie.” The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the community is in mourning.

At a press conference on the 13th, police revealed that they believe the suspect, Jesse Van Reutzeler, was not targeting anyone and that the attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary was random. Police have also seized at least four guns in connection with the incident. Two are at the suspect’s home, one of which is an unregistered shotgun and is believed to have been used in the two murders, but the police explained that it was not a gun previously seized and returned by police. The other gun is still under investigation. The two guns seized at the school were one long gun and one modified rifle.

At a previous press conference, it was described as a modified handgun. The police clarified that neither gun had been previously seized by police but added that further details about the guns are still under investigation. Authorities have made multiple mental health-related visits to Ruetzeler’s home over the past few years, and he has been detained at least twice under BC’s Mental Health Act, resulting in him being taken to hospital in certain circumstances.

As costs caused by extreme weather continue to rise, Canada ‘s home insurance “safety net” is beginning to crack at the edges.

Although market competition remains healthy and Canada has avoided the “coverage deserts” emerging in the United States, insurers are reducing policy coverage in various ways to adapt to the changing risk environment. Raising premiums—often at rates higher than inflation, and sometimes significantly higher—is a common practice, but experts say insurance companies are also increasingly excluding certain risks, increasing deductibles, and reducing exposure in high-risk areas.

“The Canadian market is showing early signs of tightening protection,” Morningstar DBRS said in a report last November. Although insurance companies have not completely withdrawn from certain regions, some companies have reduced the scale of their related business. “We have rebalanced in some areas with high severe weather risk,” TD CEO Raymond Chun said in a recent earnings call.

“In areas with a high concentration of risk in certain severe weather zones, we have already made appropriate adjustments.” Chun stated that the bank is shifting its growth focus to regions with lower disaster risks. Definity Financial Corp. claims to have become Canada’s fourth-largest property and casualty insurer after completing its C$3.3 billion acquisition of Travelers last month. The company is also taking steps to moderately withdraw from high-risk regions.

In an analyst call last November, CEO Rowan Saunders said the company was adjusting its business portfolio, shifting new business to areas with lower disaster risk and reducing its concentration in high-risk areas. He said that the main work of transferring high-risk exposures has been largely completed, but this will be an ongoing process.

“This is simply a matter of ongoing, good portfolio management.”

The pressure to rebalance the business portfolio has increased after costs have soared further from already high levels in recent years, especially given the record $9.4 billion in insurance payouts in 2024. But this is not a one-off event.

A TD report indicates that between 2020 and 2024, the average loss of personal property is almost double that of the previous period, while the number of catastrophic weather events averages 15 per year, far higher than the level of about two per year in the 1980s. In the report, economist Likeliel Seitlheko stated, “The increasing losses in personal property insurance claims are putting enormous pressure on Canada’s home insurance industry.”

In response to rising costs, insurance companies have increased deductibles for risks such as hail to over CAD 10,000, reduced coverage, and even removed coverage for certain risks, such as floods. Seitlheko stated, “In the worst-case scenario, some risks are simply not covered by insurance.”

Flood insurance was only introduced in Canada about a decade ago, and its availability in high-risk areas has been limited. According to data from Public Safety Canada, Quebec has the highest number of properties at risk of flooding, followed by Ontario and British Columbia.

The Insurance Board of Canada estimates that approximately 1.5 million households (about 10% of the total) are ineligible for flood insurance; for those who are, flood insurance could increase premiums by up to $15,000 per year. But David Nickerson, who studies real estate economics at Toronto Metropolitan University, says that even this figure overestimates the actual number of people who can obtain insurance. “The industry claims that 90% of Canadians have access to flood insurance. This is an exaggeration.

Considering the specific circumstances of high-risk areas and the ‘red line’ system, in reality, only about 50% of people may have effective coverage.” Nickerson stated that part of the problem lies in the fragmented and outdated risk data, which is why the federal government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade flood maps. Although insurance companies have access to multiple information sources, they can still face the problem of over-concentration of risk. Nickerson points out that TD experienced this during the Calgary hailstorm in 2024.

“They suffered huge, huge losses, so they scaled back operations to replenish their financial reserves.” Alberta has consistently been a focal point of losses. A TD report indicates that the $3 billion worth of hailstorms and the $1.1 billion Jasper wildfires in 2024 caused the province’s industry operating costs to exceed premium income by nearly 20% that year.

Despite the challenges, Nadja Dreff, Global Head of Insurance at Morningstar DBRS, said the industry remains stable. The massive losses in 2024 served as a stress test for the industry, demonstrating that insurers were well-prepared, although this preparation largely meant raising prices.

Dreff said, “From a consumer’s perspective, especially from the perspective of personal insurance, the situation is not optimistic, right?” “Because in order for insurance companies to absorb these losses, they had to raise individual insurance premiums, and that has indeed happened. We predict that this will continue into 2026.”

Statistics Canada data shows that between 2021 and 2025, home insurance costs (combined with mortgage insurance) rose by 31%, while the overall inflation rate was 15% during the same period. The TD report points out that the increase is even higher in areas with frequent claims: British Columbia saw an average increase of 68%, and Alberta saw an increase of 58%. However, with costs continuing to rise and insurance companies needing to ensure financial stability, there is no easy solution.

Dreff said, “Everyone is doing their best, while consumers are on the receiving end.” “The only way to truly get out of this situation is for the whole society to invest in climate resilience building.”

The Insurance Bureau of Canada also called for improvements in building standards and repair methods to make homes more resistant to extreme weather. “We must put on the brakes and stop the problem from getting worse, and really take building a more resilient nation seriously,” said Liam McGuinty, Vice President of Federal Affairs at the Insurance Bureau of Canada. He said that as Canada accelerates housing construction, it is essential to avoid building in high-risk flood areas and to enhance the resilience of homes to hail and wildfires.

McGuinty stated that, based on current trends, costs will continue to rise as climate change makes weather events more extreme. “We should pay close attention to this trend. All these costs will ultimately have to be borne by a certain group, right? And the ones who ultimately bear the costs are the policyholders, the people who pay the premiums.”

Car theft in Canada is evolving into a highly organized, transnational “black market.” A recent report from the insurance industry association Équité indicates that 46,999 vehicles were stolen nationwide last year alone, resulting in losses of up to $900 million for the insurance system.

Behind these figures lies a vast network comprised of organized crime groups, Hells Angels gang members, juvenile thieves, and illegal shipping companies. Car theft in Canada is evolving into a highly organized, transnational “black market.”

A recent report from the insurance industry association Équité indicates that 46,999 vehicles were stolen nationwide last year alone, resulting in losses of up to $900 million for the insurance system. Behind these figures lies a vast network comprised of organized crime groups, Hells Angels gang members, juvenile thieves, and illegal shipping companies.

Unveiling Canada’s $900 Million Car Theft Chain: Gangs, Street Youths, and Illegal Shipping Companies According to the Toronto Star, a local English-language newspaper, Ontario is a hotspot for car theft, with 19,319 vehicles stolen last year. Thieves favoured vehicles including pickup trucks, SUVs, and high-end luxury cars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. “This is absolutely organized crime,” said Bryan Gast, national vice president of intelligence and investigation at the Équité Association.

Investigations reveal that car theft rings often begin with orders from overseas markets. Gast revealed that overseas buyers contact local Canadian criminals through existing channels to specify the desired car models. Subsequently, local criminal groups hire teenagers to carry out the thefts—minors, with their relatively low risk and ease of exploitation, have become a crucial link in the criminal chain. Once the vehicles are stolen, they don’t remain locally for long. They are typically sent to shipping companies controlled by criminal groups, loaded into sealed containers, and quickly shipped to overseas markets, including the Middle East and West Africa, via the ports of Montreal or Halifax.

“Criminals exploit loopholes in current regulations to register shipping companies and smuggle stolen vehicles out of the country after giving them a legal appearance. This is indeed a long-standing loophole,” Gast noted.

Last year, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) launched “Project Chickadee,” a operation specifically targeting these freight forwarding companies. Police executed search warrants in Toronto, Vaughan, and Etobicoke, arresting 20 people and seizing 306 stolen vehicles with a total value of approximately $25 million CAD. Those involved included shipping company executives and tow truck drivers from the Greater Toronto Area.

Even more worrying is that this car theft ring is not operating in isolation. The report points out that profits are used to support drug trafficking, illegal arms trafficking, and even international terrorism. Car theft has become a significant source of funding for organized crime.

As governments, law enforcement agencies, and industry strengthen cooperation, traditional “lockpicking and car theft” methods are evolving. Criminal groups are beginning to employ more sophisticated financial fraud tactics. Besides traditional methods such as “changing VIN numbers” (tampering with vehicle identification numbers) and dismantling and reselling parts, vehicle financing fraud has increased significantly in recent years. Criminals steal personal information or create “synthetic identities” to apply for car loans and then directly transfer or export the vehicles.

“While various parties are working together to reduce car theft rates, organized crime is turning to more sophisticated ways to maintain its funding,” Gast said.

Despite the grim situation, the latest data shows that the national car theft rate will decrease by 18% in 2025 compared to 2024. Specifically, Ontario will see a 22% decrease, Quebec a 25% decrease, Western Canada an 11% decrease, and the Atlantic region a 2% decrease. However, the vehicle recovery rate is still not ideal. The national average recovery rate is 59%.

Ontario’s is 51%, Quebec’s is 48%, the Atlantic region’s is 63%, and Western Canada’s is 73%. The Équité Association is urging car owners to be more vigilant, including installing tracking devices, using steering wheel locks, and parking their vehicles in well-lit areas or in their own driveways.

Canadian police reported a serious shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, leaving 10 people dead, including the gunman. Tumbler Ridge Police issued a statement saying that at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time, they received a report of a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Police subsequently found the bodies of six victims on school grounds, and one person died en route to the hospital from their injuries. Additionally, police found two more bodies at a residence believed to be related to the case. Police confirmed the gunman was dead, with his body found on school grounds; the preliminary cause of death is determined to be “self-harm.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement on social media on the evening of March 10, expressing his “shock” at the serious shooting incident that occurred that day in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, and pledging full federal government support for the aftermath. Carney stated that he had contacted British Columbia Premier David Ibe and instructed Public Safety Minister Gary Ananda Sangari to coordinate the federal response.

According to reports, the shooting occurred at the only secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, which enrols students in grades 7-12 and has only 175 students enrolled this year. That evening, the local government issued a statement saying that the community “experienced a deeply distressing incident. We stand with all those affected and understand that many residents may be shocked, frightened, and overwhelmed.”

In fact, Canada is not the United States, and school shootings are not common there. Unlike the United States, Canada has strict gun control. Although the provinces have not eliminated the possibility of private gun ownership, they have enacted strict restrictions such as “ammunition can only be stored in designated areas.”

Private individuals carrying firearms into public places, regardless of whether they are concealed or loaded, are subject to strict restrictions. Historically, Canada, like the United States, had relatively lax gun control policies for civilians. However, the 1989 shooting at the University of Montreal in Quebec sparked a debate about gun control. A man shot and killed 14 women at the university’s engineering faculty. This incident prompted the Canadian government to implement a federal gun registration system and enact corresponding gun control legislation.

In 2012, the then Conservative government abolished the system, deeming it a waste of money and ineffective in reducing crime. At the same time, it amended the gun classification law, allowing private individuals to purchase certain types of civilian, non-automatic, fewer long guns, but without relaxing restrictions on ammunition and other aspects. The subsequent Liberal government under Trudeau, which took office, also began gun control efforts.

In 2018, it released legislative proposals seeking stricter gun control, one measure being requiring gun buyers to provide complete personal information, particularly regarding any history of violence. It also pushed for the enactment of related legislation. This included provisions such as expanded background checks, license verification, record keeping, transportation permits, and classification authority, making gun control even more stringent. Because the University of Montreal shooting occurred on campus, Canada has stricter gun control regulations on school grounds than off campus.

Prior to this incident, British Columbia had set a record of zero fatalities and zero shootings in its primary and secondary schools by 2025, making this event a widespread shock to Canadians.

Although details of the case are still under investigation, some local sociologists point out that most of Canada’s few school shootings occur in so-called “desperate towns”—small towns located in remote areas where communities and economies are in severe decline. For example, the 2016 school shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan, Canada, occurred in a sparsely populated, high-latitude Indigenous town with a population of less than 3,000. Following the incident, a former local councillor stated that job opportunities in the town were scarce, and many people felt hopeless about their lives, despite the government’s efforts to provide support and protections with little success.

Coincidentally, the location of this school shooting is another familiar “desperate town.”

This is a young city that was born in the 1980s due to the needs of coal mining, and at its peak, it had a population of over ten thousand. However, since the closure of many local coal mines and layoffs, emerging industries such as timber processing and dinosaur relic tourism have been insufficient to fill the gap, resulting in a drop in the local population to just over 2,000.

Residents are experiencing a high incidence of mental illness due to stress caused by unemployment. Due to urban decay and severe utility shortages, local media previously reported that there had been no nighttime or weekend emergency services since September of last year. Local government officials also complained that the nearest hospital was more than 100 kilometres away, and that the city had only two ambulances, one of which was not even staffed to the minimum standard.

Data from the British Columbia Emergency Medical Services shows that from September to December 2025, one ambulance was manned 92% of the time on average, while another was manned 83% of the time. Local officials have stated that this means sometimes there are no ambulances available, or no second ambulance, “which would be a problem if something happened.” Unfortunately, their prediction has come true. Canada is sparsely populated; Statistics Canada data shows that most of the country’s population lives within 200 kilometres of the US-Canada border.

In other words, most of Canada’s landmass houses less than one-third of its population. Even in times of economic prosperity, remote communities far from densely populated areas and public attention can easily become “desperate towns.”

Once the economy declines and welfare and public spending are cut, the number of such “desperate towns” will surge, and if this is not taken seriously, public governance risks, such as routine security management, will also increase dramatically. From this perspective, how to deal with similar situations will be a long-term governance challenge that the Canadian government will have to face.