Mushrooms are sprouting up across the city because of the rain. So what can you do with them?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
7 hours ago
- CBC
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation pauses evacuation as 'favourable winds' keep wildfire at bay
Winds shifting in a positive direction have a northern Manitoba First Nation pausing its wildfire evacuation, meaning nearly a third of the community will stay put for now — though that could change if the outlook worsens again. About 2,500 Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation residents were forced to leave over the weekend as wildfire threatened the only road into the community, located about 600 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Others were expecting to leave, but conditions have improved slightly and as a result evacuations have been paused. "We're delaying the evacuation until further notice until we get more updates in terms of what's happening with the fires," NCN Chief Marcel Moody told CBC News on Tuesday. "The winds have shifted in our favour, and hopefully we get rain." Moody said the decision was made late Monday afternoon after a briefing with provincial wildfire officials. The improved situation means the roughly 1,300 people on evacuation alert who remain in NCN can stay for now, said Moody. He said many evacuees are in Winnipeg, where they'll remain for the time being. "Right now the situation is a little bit better than Saturday and that's the reason why we evacuated our people starting Saturday, but the situation has improved but it could get worse very quickly too." "It really depends on what's happening. Hopefully we want to get our people back as soon as possible, but for the most part I think we want to keep them there until we have the situation under control." Manitoba is in the midst of its worst wildfire season in about three decades and remains under a provincewide state of emergency. Manitoba's wildfire services map suggests there are at least two wildfires burning north of Nisichawayasihk, with one having grown to more than 46,000 hectares by Sunday. Wildfires have produced one of the smokiest years on record in many parts of Manitoba. Much of the north and central parts of the province were under air quality warnings on Monday. Moody said there is a fire guard set up in an area near NCN to help stop or slow the fire from creeping closer to the community. "The risk has been minimized I think, but you never know," said Moody. '"It's mostly the smoke that we're concerned about in our community ... We don't know [what] the long-term impacts of smoke is going to be on our people but I imagine it's not very good."
Cision Canada
8 hours ago
- Cision Canada
One Year Later: Calgary's Historic Hailstorm Underscores Urgent Need for Government Action
Insurers call for government action to improve community resilience and fix unsustainable auto insurance market CALGARY, AB, Aug. 5, 2025 /CNW/ - One year ago, a devastating hailstorm swept through Calgary, causing well over $3 billion in insured damage and becoming the second-costliest natural disaster in Canadian history. As the community marks the anniversary of this unprecedented event, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is commending the resilience of affected residents and urging provincial and municipal governments to strengthen community protection. "The August 2024 hailstorm was a traumatic event for tens of thousands of residents, with hail, strong winds and heavy rain causing severe damage to homes and vehicles," said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, IBC. "Calgarians have shown tremendous resiliency over the past year and insurers have worked tirelessly to help them recover. The extent of repeated hail damage in the city should be a clear wake-up call to strengthen our resilience and adapt more effectively to our new weather reality." Parts of Calgary sit within Canada's "Hail Alley," a region long known for frequent and damaging hailstorms — events that are getting worse every year. Alberta has experienced at least one major hailstorm every year for the past two decades, resulting in more than $10 billion in insured damage. The past five years alone have accounted for $5.5 billion of that total. Less than a month ago, on July 13, the city was hit again by an intense hailstorm that has been declared a catastrophic event with damage expected to exceed $30 million. These events are not isolated incidents — they reflect of a clear and troubling pattern that demands action through public policy. Insurers are calling on governments at all levels to: Revive Calgary's Resilient Roofing Rebate Program, which provided homeowners with financial assistance to retrofit their homes to better protect them from hail damage; Mandate the use of hail resistant roofing and siding in all new construction in high-risk areas; and, Improve hail notification services so that residents are better able to prepare and move vehicles out of harm's way. "Alberta is Canada's hotspot for catastrophic weather events. The province has seen more damage and a higher number of associated insurance claims than any other province in Canada," said Sutherland. "Over the past decade, Alberta has accounted for nearly half of all insured severe weather losses in Canada, placing pressure on insurance premiums that will continue to grow unless governments take action to better protect communities and our property." IBC continues to urge governments to invest in making our communities more resilient against hail and other forms of severe weather. Effects of severe weather on an already strained auto insurance market More than half of the claims from last August's hailstorm – about 70,000 – were for vehicles, with estimated damage of roughly $1 billion. This underscores the growing pressure that severe weather is placing on Alberta's already strained auto insurance system. As severe weather and other pressures climb, the cost of providing auto insurance continues to grow, yet for the past three years, Alberta has frozen or capped auto insurance rates below the cost of providing coverage – the longest period of government interference in auto insurance in Canadian history. With premiums no longer reflecting the cost of providing auto insurance coverage, Alberta auto insurers paid out $1.20 in claims and expenses for every $1 they earned in premiums in 2024. This is not sustainable. As Alberta auto insurance grows increasingly financially untenable, insurers have been forced to restrict the sale of coverage, leaving many drivers facing challenges securing the coverage they need. Unless rates are permitted to reflect the actual cost of coverage and Alberta's auto insurance market is returned to health, the success of the government's Care-First reforms will be placed in jeopardy. "Alberta's auto insurance system is in crisis," said Sutherland. "The government must remove the rate cap and ensure the Care-First reforms are implemented effectively – especially by reining in legal costs, as promised. IBC continues to work with the government to get the details right. Without meaningful change, consumers will face fewer insurance coverage options and growing frustration." Resiliency at a national level Governments across Canada have a critical role to play in better protecting Canadians from natural disasters. This includes: Halting the construction of unprotected homes and businesses in high-risk flood and wildfire zones; Investing in vulnerable communities to ensure they are FireSmart and better protected against flooding; Helping homeowners understand the specific risks they face in their area; and Subsidizing home retrofits to help reduce exposure to floods and wildfires. Canada also needs a federal coordinating agency to lead emergency preparedness and recovery efforts, ensuring communities are not left to develop their own response plans from scratch after every catastrophic event. Every other G7 country has an agency operating in this capacity – it's time for Canada to follow suit and take on a proactive approach to emergency management. About Insurance Bureau of Canada Established in 1964, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of Canada's highly competitive property and casualty (P&C) insurance market. As the leading advocate for Canada's private P&C insurers, IBC collaborates with governments, regulators and stakeholders to support a competitive environment for the P&C insurance industry to continue to help protect Canadians from the risks of today and tomorrow. IBC believes that Canadians value and deserve a responsive and resilient private P&C insurance industry that provides insurance solutions to both individuals and businesses. For media releases, IN Focus articles, or to book an interview with an IBC representative, visit Follow us on LinkedIn, X and Instagram, and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. We're here to help.
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
Hazy holiday: Air quality drops as wildfire smoke blankets southwestern Ontario
Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for southwestern Ontario as prairie wildfire smoke sits over swaths of the province. People in the Windsor, Chatham, and Sarnia regions can expect poor air quality and reduced visibility, Environment Canada said Monday morning. "The wildfire smoke may persist into tonight and possibly Tuesday before finally easing." Detroit and Toronto were among the top ten most polluted major cities in the world on Monday afternoon, according to a ranking by Swiss company IQAir. The CBC News Climate Dashboard also showed Windsor and other southwestern Ontario cities had some of the worst air quality in the country. Environment Canada warned of potential health effects, including "mild and common symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches or a mild cough." Wheezing, chest pains, or severe cough are less common but more serious symptoms. Older people, young kids, people with chronic conditions, pregnant people, and those who work outside are at higher risk, Environment Canada said. "If you think you are having a medical emergency, seek immediate medical assistance." The federal weather authority also urged people to limit time outside and consider rescheduling outdoor activities, adding that windows and doors should be kept closed as much as possible. "If you must spend time outdoors, a well-constructed, well-fitting and properly worn respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator) can reduce your exposure to the fine particles in the smoke," Environment Canada said.
