ETA Canada News

A British Columbia court recently handed down a verdict in a case involving illegal gun manufacturing and drug trafficking, sentencing a man to eight years in prison for using 3D printing technology to manufacture firearms and possessing drugs for sale. The Integrated Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) confirmed that the defendant is Tyson Saverio Santolla. He had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to traffic, and illegal manufacture of firearms. The court formally sentenced him on Friday.

Police stated that the case dates to early 2021. At that time, the CFSEU-BC’s illegal firearms enforcement team discovered during its investigation that the individuals involved might also be involved in drug trafficking and illegal weapons manufacturing.

In May of the same year, police conducted a joint operation in Abbotsford and Aldergrove, executing search warrants at multiple locations and arresting three people, including Santora. During the operation, law enforcement officers seized a large quantity of drugs, as well as equipment related to the production of controlled substances.

Police also discovered a facility at a location where firearms were manufactured using 3D printing technology; the equipment and materials were subsequently seized. Santora was formally charged in 2023. Police have not released information on whether other arrested individuals have been charged. In a statement following the sentencing, CFSEU-BC noted that illegal firearms and drug trafficking are intertwined, posing a significant risk to community safety.

Law enforcement emphasized that it would continue to investigate similar crimes and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

The Vancouver Olympic Cauldron at Jacques-Paul Plaza in Vancouver will be lit to commemorate the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, which will be held on February 6th.

Vancouver’s Olympic cauldron was built for the Winter Olympics held in the city in February 2010. It is a rare example in the world of an Olympic cauldron that was installed away from the venues for the opening and closing ceremonies. It was preserved after the Olympics ended and is now a popular tourist attraction.

It has been customary for the light to be lit in conjunction with the opening ceremonies of Olympic Games held around the world since 2010, and it will be lit again at the opening ceremony of this year’s Milan-Cortina Olympics to wish the Canadian team good luck. Olympic-related events will also be held before the lights are turned on, creating a high Olympic atmosphere in Vancouver.

According to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), 207 athletes and 231 coaches and other officials will participate in the 25th Winter Olympics. The Olympic cauldron will be lit after the event, which starts at 3:45 pm on February 6th at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Jacques Paul Plaza on the west side of It is also scheduled to be lit during the opening ceremony of the Winter Paralympics.

This ski season, many Canadian ski enthusiasts have reluctantly forgo trips to American ski resorts. Eimear O’Leary-Barrett, a data analyst from Montreal, Canada, is a regular at Jay Peak in Vermont, having missed only two ski seasons since 2010. However, following President Trump’s recent threats to annex Greenland and the release of a North American map that includes Canada as part of the United States, she has decided not to renew her Jay Peak ski resort pass for next season.

O’Leary-Barrett is not alone. Data from industry tracking firm Inntopia shows that as of January 22, winter bookings from Canada to US resorts were down approximately 41% year-over-year, while bookings from domestic US customers were down only 5%. The agency also found a significant drop in bookings from Canada within 48 hours of each controversial statement made by Trump. “Canadians are furious, like they’ve been betrayed by an old friend,” said Tom Foley, director of business intelligence at Inntopia. ”

It’s morally unacceptable to go to the U.S.” Despite Canada’s own top ski resorts like Whistler and Mont Tremblant, many Canadians holding Epic or Ikon ski passes “chase after the snow,” heading south to U.S. states like Colorado, California, and Utah, where there is more snow that year.

Some ski resorts even accept Canadian dollars at a 1:1 exchange rate with the U.S. dollar, which, based on recent rates, is equivalent to a discount of nearly 30%. Many ski enthusiasts stock up on tickets in advance during the low-price period before the ski season.

However, Steve Wright, president and general manager of Jay Peak Resort, discovered last summer that Canadian tourist renewals for the 2025-2026 ski season had plummeted by 35%. He immediately called about 100 Canadian clients to inquire, and “many were choked with tears, saying they couldn’t accept going to the United States from their conscience,” Wright said. Since Trump’s return to the White House in early 2025, US-Canada relations have deteriorated sharply. In February of last year, Trump announced a 25% tariff on Canadian goods and repeatedly stated publicly that Canada should become the “51st state” of the United States.

In response, a movement called “Elbow Up” was launched in Canada, using the iconic defensive move from Canadian ice hockey to call on Canadians to unite and retaliate by boycotting American goods and cancelling trips to the US. A survey of Canadian travel agency executives conducted by market research firm Phocuswright at the end of last year showed that 78% of respondents said their total bookings to the United States had decreased compared to the same period of the previous year.

The latest data released by Statistics Canada shows that in December 2025, the number of Canadian residents returning home by air from the United States decreased by 18.7% compared to the same period last year, to 470,000; while the number of people returning by car has declined for the 12th consecutive month, plummeting by 30.7%. The number of U.S. residents arriving in Canada by air and by car also fell by 8.9% and 9% respectively compared to the same period last year. The ongoing impact of Canadian boycotts on the U.S. tourism industry has severely affected tourism in U.S. border cities.

A report written by the Democratic minority of the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress last December showed that in 2024, Canadian tourists contributed $20.5 billion to the U.S. economy and supported 140,000 U.S. jobs. Meanwhile, the tense U.S.-Canada relations have caused significant losses for states near the U.S.-Canada border, such as Idaho, Maine, and Michigan.

In Vermont alone, according to calculations by Tourism Economics, a subsidiary of Oxford Economics, tourism accounts for 9% of the local economy, approximately $4.1 billion. Local officials stated that the decrease in Canadian tourists has resulted in a revenue loss of approximately $75 million last year. To win back lost customers, hotels and resorts are taking various measures, such as offering booking discounts, accepting Canadian dollars at a 1:1 exchange rate with the US dollar, and increasing French translation services, hoping to attract Canadians “angered” by Trump to stay. However, Tom Foley, head of business intelligence at Inntopia, is not optimistic.

“Trust has been broken and repairing it will be extremely difficult and may take a generation,” he said. “The U.S. tourism industry should not expect a short-term recovery in the Canadian market, and any business strategy must be re-planned over a 5 to 10-year cycle.”

A minor 3.7-magnitude earthquake struck Ontario’s cottage country, with residents in several areas feeling the tremors, but no damage has been reported so far.

Earthquakes Canada confirmed that the earthquake occurred before 11 p.m., with its epicentre located in Ramara, 23 kilometres east of Orillia and about 100 kilometres north of Toronto, at a depth of about 5 kilometres. More than 2,300 residents reported feeling the tremors, ranging from Toronto and even as far away as Ottawa.

Earthquakes Canada stated that earthquakes of this magnitude typically do not cause damage, and no damage has been reported so far. Many residents said on social media that after experiencing severe snowstorms and extreme cold waves, this earthquake became the region’s “latest test.” Others claimed to have heard a loud bang at the time.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquake at magnitude 4.1.

In response to Ontario Premier Ford’s claims that Chinese electric vehicles could be used as “spy tools” and threaten Canadian national security, senior officials in the Carney government have publicly refuted these claims. On Tuesday (January 20), Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated that from the perspective of Canadian public and national security, the federal government currently has no security concerns regarding Chinese electric vehicles.

According to the local English-language media outlet, the Toronto Star, Ananda Sangari emphasized in a media interview in Ottawa that any vehicle entering the Canadian market must meet Canadian safety and regulatory standards. “I will let the Ontario Premier (Ford) express his views, but from the perspective of the federal public safety assessment, we have no such concerns,” the minister said.

However, he also acknowledged that with technological advancements, data collection capabilities have become increasingly sophisticated across various devices, including social media, artificial intelligence, and smart cars, all of which involve privacy and data issues.

“My own car has a lot of information-gathering capabilities,” Minister Ananda Sangari said, holding up his iPhone: “This device is the same.” In his view, this is a holistic technological challenge, not just for a particular country or product. This statement comes just after Canada and China reached a widely controversial trade agreement.

Following a meeting between Prime Minister Carney and Chinese leaders, Canada and China agreed to ease trade tensions: Canada will lower the 100% tariff previously imposed on Chinese electric vehicles, in line with the United States; in exchange, China will reduce tariffs on Canadian canola, lobster, crab, and peas. Under the agreement, Canada will initially allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into its domestic market, and Chinese companies are expected to increase their investment in Canada’s automotive manufacturing industry in the coming years. However, this arrangement was quickly met with strong criticism from Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

Ford called the agreement “a very, very bad and seriously misjudged decision” that would not only impact Ontario’s auto industry but could also allow so-called “spy cars” to enter Canada and collect data for Beijing. He even warned that Chinese electric vehicles could, like smartphones, eavesdrop on and collect personal information from Canadians.

Academics and security experts have expressed relatively cautious views on this issue. Stephanie Carvin, Associate Professor of International Affairs at Carleton University, pointed out that, theoretically, connected electric vehicles do possess the technological capability to collect large amounts of data, and the cybersecurity protections of some electric vehicle systems may not even be as mature as those of mobile phones. However, she also emphasized that this is not a decisive reason to prevent Chinese electric vehicles from entering the Canadian market.

“China doesn’t need to rely on electric vehicles for intelligence activities,” she said. “They already have plenty of tools.” In her view, focusing solely on electric vehicles exaggerates their security risks. In fact, in its latest annual report, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) explicitly stated that China poses one of the most significant counterintelligence threats to Canada. However, the report emphasizes the overall national security environment and does not identify electric vehicles as a core source of risk.

It’s worth noting that even Carney himself, during the spring election this year, called China one of the biggest threats to Canada’s national security. However, in recent diplomatic activities, he emphasized that there is a “clear security barrier” in Canada-China relations, and that Canada will adhere to its own security principles while promoting economic and trade exchanges.

Ananda Sangari also reiterated that even if Canada adjusts its economic relations with certain countries, the work of the federal public safety authorities will not be relaxed. “The relevant scrutiny and enforcement will continue to be conducted with the same level of rigor that Canadians expect,” he stated.

Some analysts point out that the main risk posed by this electric vehicle agreement lies less in intelligence security and more in its impact on the Canadian auto industry. If Chinese automakers fail to fulfill their commitments to invest in and build factories in Canada, the domestic industry could face even greater competitive pressure.

Jim Stanford, an economist at the Canadian research institution Centre for the Future of Work, believes that even if Chinese companies intend to invest in Canada, they must simultaneously overcome U.S. security restrictions on Chinese automotive technology, a challenge that may be far greater than the tariff issue.

Prime Minister Mark Carney returned home on Wednesday (August 21) after concluding his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, without meeting with US President Donald Trump.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Carney delivered a major speech, specifically naming but directly criticizing the US president for undermining the rules-based international order. Mark Carney’s office stated at 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time that there were no scheduled meetings between Carney and Trump on Wednesday. Carney departed Davos for Zurich at approximately 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday and will then travel from Zurich back to Ottawa; Trump arrived in Switzerland early Wednesday morning.

Despite earlier delays on Air Force One due to power issues, Trump arrived as planned and attended the Davos Forum, where he began his speech at approximately 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Trump arrives in Switzerland to deliver a speech; Greenland plan causes market turmoil; gold prices hit record high.

In his speech on Tuesday, Carney told global political and business leaders, “The old international order is not coming back.” He emphasized that Canada “strongly opposes” using tariffs as a means of coercing Europe to make concessions in Greenland and warned that the world is during a “rupture” in the international order.

“Middle powers must work together, because if you’re not at the table, you’ll be on the menu,” Carney said. He called on middle powers to stop pretending the rules-based international system still works and instead form alliances to combat a new era of large-scale plundering of smaller nations and the arbitrariness of power.

Carney also urged countries to begin publicly condemning economic coercion, even from allies—a move widely seen as a clear indication of a move against the United States. His speech was met with a standing ovation.

These remarks came days after Trump made a rare threat, stating that Washington would impose tariffs on Greenland if European allies and the UK did not allow the US to acquire it for strategic purposes. Trump: Europe is on the wrong track; the US return Greenland after WWII was foolish, but he emphasized he has no intention of using force.

After concluding his trip to the forum, Carney will travel to Quebec City for a cabinet retreat, rather than remaining in Davos. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu explained to reporters that the government decided not to stay and had not scheduled a meeting with Trump.

“Parliament will reconvene next Monday, and we also have a cabinet retreat; there are many things that need to be addressed for Canadians,” he emphasized. “What we hoped to accomplish in Davos, we have accomplished.”

When asked why Carney didn’t stay in Davos to meet with Trump, Sidu responded that the government’s current focus is on diversifying trade markets. Canada and the US are preparing to review the Canada-Mexico-Canada Agreement (CMCA), with the US expected to request renegotiation of certain chapters; meanwhile, several high tariffs continue to impact Canadian industries such as steel and automobiles.

Carney is also a frequent guest at the World Economic Forum, having attended approximately 30 times, according to his office. Following last week’s efforts to mend tensions with China, Carney also plans to visit India soon to repair bilateral relations. Sidu stated that negotiations for a Canada-India free trade agreement will begin in February.

“India’s annual growth rate is around 7%, they need food and energy, which we can provide,” Sidu said. He added that the United States remains crucial to Canada, “Our geographical location will not change,” but emphasized that Canada is looking globally, “China is our second-largest trading partner, India will become the third-largest economy, and we are looking for opportunities globally.”

Regarding why Canada is trying to improve relations with India, Sidu reiterated Carney’s position: “We must accept the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Ultimately, we must find opportunities for Canadians.”

The latest data from European climate agencies shows that the past year was the third warmest on record, with global warming approaching a critical climate threshold. The Copernicus Climate Change Service indicates that the global average temperature in 2025 will be about 1.47 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels, second only to the previous year’s record of about 1.6 degrees Celsius. Including 2023, this marks the first time on record that the average temperature has risen by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius for three consecutive years. The agency warned that, at the current rate, the long-term warming ceiling of 1.5 degrees Celsius set by the 2015 Paris Agreement could be reached before the end of this decade, about ten years earlier than originally predicted. The impact is particularly pronounced in Canada.

As snow and sea ice disappear at an accelerated pace, the “natural barrier” that normally reflects sunlight weakens, allowing vast land and sea areas in the north to absorb more heat, causing Canada to warm faster than the global average. Canada experienced its second-worst wildfire season on record in 2025, second only to 2023, and marking the third consecutive year of exceptionally active fires.

Preliminary data shows that the country burned approximately 89,221 square kilometres throughout the year, equivalent to the land area of Portugal. During the fire season, several regions were raised to the highest alert level, thousands of residents needed to be evacuated, and the government also deployed international firefighters for assistance.

Wildfire expert Mike Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, points out that the area burned in the past decade is more than three times that of the early 1970s, and climate change is one of the main reasons. Rising temperatures not only lengthen the fire season but also make thunderstorms and lightning more frequent and forest vegetation drier, creating conditions for large-scale fires. Rising temperatures are also fuelling stronger and more unpredictable storms, causing massive economic losses in Canada.

The Catastrophic Loss Mitigation Institute estimates that Canada currently suffers an average of $9.2 billion in disaster losses annually, covering both insured and uninsured losses. Since the early 1980s, adjusted for inflation, these losses have increased by an average of 9.3% annually, far exceeding the growth rates of population, GDP, and construction spending. The institute points out that climate change is not the only factor, but it has significantly increased the probability and destructive power of extreme events.

In less than a month in 2024 alone, Canada experienced four of the ten most expensive disasters in history, including the Calgary hailstorm, the remnants of Hurricane Debby, the Jasper wildfires, and the floods in southern Ontario. Insurance costs have also risen accordingly, with home insurance premiums in some of the hardest-hit areas of British Columbia increasing by nearly 68% between 2021 and 2025. The increasing number of days with extreme heat poses a direct threat to public health.

Toronto family physician Samantha Green, president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, points out that prolonged periods of intense heat, especially without nighttime cooling, can worsen chronic diseases such as heart, lung, and kidney conditions, posing a particularly high risk to the elderly and outdoor workers. During a heatwave last August, Montreal Public Health received three suspected heat-related deaths. Toronto also issued six heat warnings during the summer, during which time it recorded 74 emergency room visits related to heatstroke.

Climate models indicate that by the middle of this century, the number of days with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius per year in both cities may increase by at least 20 days compared to the end of the 20th century.

Data also shows that sea ice extent in both the Arctic and Antarctic has repeatedly hit record lows. In February of this year, global sea ice coverage fell to its lowest level since satellite records began in the late 1970s. Canadian government data indicates that since records began in the late 1960s, summer sea ice extent in northern waters has decreased by approximately 7% every decade. The estimated summer sea ice extent in 2025 is approximately 920,000 square kilometres, which, while not reaching a historical low, is a level only seen in the past 20 years.

Research generally suggests that the Arctic Ocean may experience almost ice-free summers around the middle of this century. Climate change is also impacting the cost of daily life. Mike von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph, describes coffee prices as an “early warning sign” of climate change effects.

High temperatures, unstable rainfall, and increased disease are putting pressure on coffee production, pushing up prices in Canada. Statistics Canada data shows that coffee prices rose 27.8% year-on-year in November 2025. He pointed out that long-term food price increases can often be traced back to agricultural production conditions that deteriorate due to extreme weather, including abnormal weather in Southern California that drove up lettuce prices and drought that increased feed costs, which in turn affected beef prices.

In summary, last year was the third warmest year on record, serving as a global warning sign and clearly reflecting how climate change is reshaping Canada’s reality on multiple levels, from the natural environment and public safety to health and people’s livelihoods.

From fast-food counters to self-checkout machines, Canadians are seeing more tipping reminders than ever before—experts say this constant “reminder” is reshaping how people tip. Polls show that 90% of Canadians believe current tipping amounts are too high.

Although data on tipping habits is still limited at the national level, several recent surveys show that Canadians are being asked to tip more often, and how they feel about it, is changing significantly.

According to a 2025 survey by H&R Block Canada, 82% of Canadians say they are now expected to tip in more situations, and 90% believe that tips are too high. The survey also found that nearly 60% of Canadians said they tipped more than a year ago.

Wayne Smith, a professor of hotel and tourism management at Metropolitan University of Toronto, said the rise in tipping rates is part of a larger trend often referred to as “tip sprawl.” He told CTV in a Zoom interview, “We’re tipping in more places than traditionally have. This change has fuelled growing discontent among diners and what’s known as ‘tip fatigue.’”

According to another survey of nearly 1,000 Canadians conducted by Research Co. in 2025, about 64% of people aged 55 and older said they “always” tip; 56% of those aged 35 to 54; and 41% of those aged 18 to 34.

While the surge in tipping requests has left many Canadians confused and frustrated, two Canadian experts say the trend is not accidental, but rather shaped by a combination of inflation, technology, and societal expectations. There is a kind of social anxiety.

Smith stated that tipping has become an embedded experience, from food delivery services that rely on tipping to digital payment systems that prompt a fixed percentage. He said, “In the past, the bill was brought to the table, you signed it and left. Now, when you pay with a machine, the person stands next to you and watches, which creates a kind of social anxiety.”

During the pandemic, food delivery apps like SkipTheDishes and Uber Eats became even more indispensable, with tipping being directly embedded in the checkout process. With the proliferation of digital payment terminals, Smith says tipping has become smoother, but also more psychologically stressful. Smith explains that this is known as “social expectation bias”—people feel pressured to be generous when employees watch them choose tipping options.

He said, “You don’t see the money being passed from the table, which is the easiest way to increase tips without thinking.” Marc Mentzer, a professor at the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, also agrees that digital cues have fundamentally changed consumer behaviour. “Everywhere you go, they hand you a chip card reader,” Mentzer told CTV. “In my experience, the minimum tipping option is almost always higher than 15%, and it varies a lot from restaurant to restaurant.”

Data released by Statistics Canada in January and provided to CTV shows that in 2024, approximately 1.2 million employees—6.9% of the workforce—received tips or commissions, with the accommodation and food services industry having the highest proportion at 43.1%.

A spokesperson for Restaurants Canada stated in an email to CTV that “the suggested tip amount should be calculated based on the pre-tax subtotal” to ensure that customers are tipping based on the cost of the service rather than taxes.

Some Canadian businesses have eliminated tipping and switched to paying a living wage to alleviate customer dissatisfaction with the tipping culture. However, both Smith and Mentzer argue that the reality is far more complex. A key issue in the tipping debate is the gap between the statutory minimum wage and the so-called “living wage.” Advocates argue that workers need a living wage to cover basic expenses, and that the two concepts are not interchangeable.

As of 2025, the federal minimum wage for employees under federal regulation will be $17.75 per hour, applicable to industries such as banking, airlines, and federally regulated transportation.

Each province sets its own minimum wage: Ontario’s general minimum wage will increase to $17.60 per hour on October 1, 2025; British Columbia ‘s general minimum wage will be $17.85 per hour (effective June 1, 2025); Quebec’s will be $16.10 per hour; and other provinces will generally range from $15 to $18 per hour, depending on the jurisdiction.

In comparison, the calculated living wage is much higher. For example, the Ontario Living Wage Network estimates that the average hourly wage in the GTA is around $27.20, while in most smaller communities it is between $21 and $27 per hour, depending on local rents and costs. Why is this disparity related to tips? When base wages are low, employers and industry models have historically relied on customer tips to supplement employee income.

Advocates like Smith argue that shifting to a “wage-inclusive” model—where employers pay employees a living wage directly, with higher menu prices—can eliminate the arbitrary and emotionally driven element of tipping and lead to more stable income.

Mentzer said, “There is a widespread belief that customers will make up the difference between the wages paid by employers and the compensation employees deserve.” But Mentzer said that raising wages would not necessarily eliminate tipping. He pointed to Ontario as a key example.

In 2022, the province eliminated its lower minimum wage for bartenders and raised their basic hourly rate by several dollars. Mentzer stated that if any province is going to see a decline in tips, it will be Ontario. “The result had no impact,” Mentzer said. “Waitresses were getting more money through the minimum wage,” meaning the base wage increased, but customers were still tipping at roughly the same rate. Even more surprisingly, Mentzer stated that the provinces with the lowest minimum wage often also have the lowest tipping rates.

The higher tipping rates are also compounded by rising menu prices. However, Mentzer stated that the price increases have not slowed down tipping behaviour. He said, “The tipping rate is gradually increasing, but not as fast as restaurant prices.”

According to Statistics Canada, the Consumer Price Index for food at table service restaurants rose by 3.3% in 2024, driven primarily by labour, raw material, and operating costs. Even as overall inflation began to slow, restaurant prices continued to rise.

In October 2025, Canada’s overall inflation rate was 2.2%. During the same period, food price inflation was 3.4%, meaning food prices have outpaced overall inflation for nine consecutive months.

Menu price inflation was particularly steep during the pandemic. According to Restaurants Canada, the peak menu inflation rate in 2024 was approximately 5% to 5.6%, driving up the cost of dining in for Canadians. At the same time, the weight of food in the CPI basket is also rising. In 2024, food will account for 16.72% of the inflation basket, up from 16.13% a year earlier. Of this, food purchased at restaurants will account for 5.90%.

As menu prices rise, even if tip rates remain unchanged, the absolute number of tips expected from diners continues to increase, exacerbating their already felt financial burden.

Mentzer said that ordinary customers might be surprised by how the tips are distributed. For example, in Ontario, the Employment Standards Act explicitly prohibits employers from withholding tips or requiring employees to hand over tips—unless there is a legally recognized tip pool. The key point is that under this system, employers, directors, or shareholders are generally not allowed to participate in the tip pool unless they are substantially performing the same work as the employees who receive tips.

The law does not require tip pool arrangements to be established in writing, nor does it require employees to vote. In British Columbia, under the BC Employment Standards Act, employers are not allowed to withhold employees’ tips unless they are redistributed through a tip pool. Furthermore, employers can only participate in the tip pool if they perform the same frontline work as their employees. This limits the so-called “in-store commission,” where management takes a cut for kitchen or non-service positions.

In Quebec, tip sharing, or a “tip pool,” is legal, but only on a voluntary basis and with the consent of most employees who typically receive tips. Employers cannot enforce tip sharing—these policies must be freely accepted, not imposed.

Mentzer said, “The average customer is unaware of how tips are redistributed behind the scenes and might be surprised. You think you’re giving money to the waiter, but you’re giving money to many other people.”

Since President Trump took office, Canadians’ anxieties about the economic outlook have been steadily rising, and this anxiety appears to be intensifying further as we enter 2026. A recent poll shows that nearly 80% of respondents believe Canada is in recession, and almost 60% believe the job market will be even more challenging in 2026.According to the local English-language newspaper, the Toronto Star, Pollara Strategic Insights recently conducted its annual economic outlook survey, asking Canadians for their views on the economic prospects of the United States and Canada.

A survey shows that Canadians are increasingly pessimistic about the U.S. economy since Trump took office. A staggering 65% of respondents expect the U.S. economy to worsen this year, the most pessimistic forecast since the 2009 global financial crisis (when it was 68%). In contrast, only 27% of respondents expressed similar concerns in 2025, when Biden is in office.

Pollara’s Chief Strategy Officer, Arnold, pointed out: “Even if Trump did not intend to harm Canada, people still believe that his decisions in the United States could affect the U.S. economy, and problems in the U.S. economy would have a negative impact on Canada.” This uncertainty is causing anxiety among the Canadian public. The survey shows that the policies of the US president will continue to influence Canadian domestic politics. Arnold stated that the psychological effect of Prime Minister Carney and Ontario Premier Ford leveraging concerns about “Trump and tariffs” to win support in last year’s federal and provincial elections continues.

In specific forecasts for the Canadian economy, 61% of respondents believed the economy would worsen by 2026, and 59% worried about a deteriorating employment situation. Meanwhile, 59% anticipated a global economic downturn, and 41% feared a stock market decline.

A Pollara survey shows that 79% of respondents believe Canada is in a recession, up from 70% in 2025.Although in economics, a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, as Arnold stated, “The public judges the economy not just by looking at the data, but by whether life has become difficult, whether prices have risen, and whether it is possible to maintain an ideal standard of living.”

Public concern about the cost of living was equally evident: 57% of respondents were at least moderately worried about U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles, and lumber; 67% were worried about rising food and grocery prices; 56% were worried about housing costs; 44% were worried about gasoline prices; and 42% were worried about income tax burdens.

Regarding household income, 43% of Canadians expect their household income to lag their spending this year, up from 40% in 2025, but down from 46% in 2024 and 50% in 2023. Similarly, 43% believe their income will keep pace with their spending, up from 42% in 2025, 38% in 2024, and 33% in 2023. Only 7% expect income to outpace spending, down from 9% in 2025 and 8% in 2024, and 10% in 2023.

This survey was conducted from November 18 to 26, involving an online questionnaire of 2,500 people nationwide, using the Dynata and Leger online panel. Although the online sample does not allow for the calculation of strict error, the error is estimated to be approximately plus or minus 2 percentage points (95% confidence level) based on random sampling.

A serious dog attack occurred in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. A teenager was attacked by three large dogs while riding his bicycle past a house and later died from his injuries. The incident occurred near the 100 block of Upper Sandy Cove Road in Welshtown at approximately 5:10 p.m. last Saturday. Police, Emergency Medical Services (EHS), and firefighters responded quickly to the scene, and the injured dogs were subsequently airlifted to Halifax Hospital for treatment. The three dogs involved were euthanized by a veterinarian afterward.

CTV News confirmed that the teenager succumbed to his injuries. The Tri-County Regional Centre for Education later issued a statement confirming that the deceased was an eighth-grade student at Shelburne Regional High School. In a statement, the Education Centre expressed its deepest condolences to the family, relatives, and students and teachers affected by the incident, noting that the loss has had a significant impact on the school and the wider community.

In response to the psychological impact of the incident, the education department stated that starting Tuesday, psychologists and counsellors have been deployed to Shelburne Regional High School and several surrounding schools to provide support services to students and staff. These professionals will meet with classes and individuals, provide spaces for discussion, and will continue to offer these resources in the coming days.

The statement emphasized that the school would continue to be committed to creating a safe and caring learning environment and will continue to pay attention to and respond to the actual needs of the community as it faces this significant loss together.

Police confirmed the teenager’s death but declined to provide further details, and the investigation is ongoing. Reference links: https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/ns-youth-dies-from-injuries-after-being-attacked-by-dogs-in-shelburne-county/

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/tri-county-vangaurd/shelburne-rcmp-investigating-life-threatening-dog-attack-on-youth