Elliot Lake approves $343K more for Rogers Arena foundation fixes
Elliot Lake city council OKs revised Rogers Arena design after foundation issues delayed repairs. An additional $343,000 was approved to address unexpected foundation variations discovered during excavation.
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CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Replacing Mindbender both challenge, opportunity for West Edmonton Mall: analysts
Patience. These things take time. Especially now. But what replaces the Mindbender, West Edmonton Mall's iconic former roller coaster, will be a ride. For those wondering when something else will fill the 15-storey space at the popular destination mall's Galaxyland indoor amusement park, the answer isn't forthcoming. Lori Bethel, the mall's vice-president of parks and attractions, said in a statement Wednesday staff is 'hard at work on an exciting new ride' for the space. 'We encourage everyone to stay tuned for more information as we work towards the unveiling of this new addition,' Bethel told CTV News Edmonton. West Edmonton Mall closed the Mindbender in January 2023 after 37 years of service. At the time, the roller coaster that reached speeds of 96.5 kilometres per hour on its 1,280-metre-long track had been closed for four months for maintenance. Crews finished dismantling the structure by the end of that year. Mindbender West Edmonton Mall's Mindbender roller coaster in September 2022. (CTV News Edmonton) Missing magnet It's 'pretty important' the mall fills the space for the same reason why the Mindbender was added in the first place: to attract even more people to Canada's largest mall, says retail analyst Bruce Winder. 'When the roller coaster's taken out, something's missing,' Winder said. 'It's like they're missing a tooth now, and they've got to fill it. They've got to do something with it because a lot of people like that, maybe newcomers to the area, tourists. (It's) something to see.' Beyond drawing customers to the mall, such attractions help increase the amount of time a shopper spends on the property, says Lisa Hutcheson, managing partner of Toronto-based retail consultancy J.C. Williams Group. 'The longer a shopper stays in a store or in a mall, the more they're likely going to spend,' Hutcheson said, referring to a study conducted by retail analytics firm Path Intelligence that found a 1% increase in 'dwell time' leads to a 1.3-per-cent boost in sales in a retail environment.. 'By increasing that dwell time there, by going to an attraction, they're probably going to eat food. Maybe one of the family members will go off and say, 'I don't want to be part of this; I'm going to go do my thing.' Mindbender Outside the 15-storey space of West Edmonton Mall's Galaxyland indoor amusement park that once housed the Mindbender roller coaster on July 14, 2025. (Craig Ellingson/CTV News Edmonton) What could go in its place Winder said the Mindbender's replacement could simply be another roller coaster given that's for what the space was originally created. There is an opportunity to think beyond the tried-and-true, though, says David Ian Gray, a Vancouver-based retail strategist and an instructor in retail studies at the Capilano School of Business, as 'there's a lot more technology on hand today than there was in the 1980s.' He said in terms of theme parks, one needs to look no further than one of the world's most iconic operators, Disney, and its constant refreshment of attractions, never mind what's happening across the globe and how aware people are of such developments. 'They're always upgrading, integrating with some of the major franchises that are out there,' Gray said of Disney. '(And) there are very interesting modern developments coming out of Asia, in particular. Dubai is so well known for its mega malls with ski hills and such, but I think what's different in 2025 and the last part of this decade compared to the 1980s is just how global not only the ideas are but the exposure that people have is, and the number of people that might have seen Asian malls and that sort of thing.' West Edmonton Mall spring An aerial view of West Edmonton Mall on May 13, 2025. (Cam Wiebe / CTV News Edmonton) When shoppers may see replacement The sheer size of the Mindbender space means it will take more time not only to plan for what goes into it but also to perhaps find the right partner to help take it on. Galaxyland already has a corporate associate in Hasbro, with the amusement park's attractions bearing names of the toy-and-game company's brands such as Mr. Potato Head, My Little Pony, GI Joe and Monopoly. The park itself is officially known as Galaxyland Powered by Hasbro. 'It takes time with that big a footprint, no matter who it is,' Hutcheson said. 'They may be trying to even just find a big partner to come in and take a look at it.' 'Whatever goes in will have a life of many years, and I think most approach that with the idea that we're not going to just look at the economy of today, we're looking at what the future might bring.' — David Ian Gray, retail strategist If that partner isn't Hasbro itself, Gray said it wouldn't surprise him if the mall is talking to global entities to see if there's a fit, not only because of what such a partner would bring in terms of expertise but because of the relatively volatile economic times. 'Especially today, we're in an era with interest rates that are higher than we've seen in some time – a lot of big projects like that take on debt – and the economy right now has dampened sort of the risk interest in promoting big projects,' he said. 'Whatever goes in will have a life of many years, and I think most approach that with the idea that we're not going to just look at the economy of today, we're looking at what the future might bring.' West Edmonton Mall The West Edmonton Mall is seen on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015. (Ian Jackson / The Canadian Press) Making the right move Whatever may replace the Mindbender, Winder says West Edmonton Mall has to straddle keeping its existing customer base happy while continuing to draw in new ones, not unlike most businesses. That's not to say the mall hasn't been innovative or hasn't changed with the times already. After all, the mega-mall first opened by the Ghermezians in 1981 and rapidly expanded over the 1980s and 1990s was a trailblazer in several respects to become the city's top tourist and shopping destinations. 'One of the reasons it's one of the marquee malls in North America is because it was one of the first to offer experiences, back when no one else was offering experiences, everything from the skating rink to the midway and everything,' Winder said, while adding 'they're kind of like other malls right now.' 'Other malls are all trying to get something, anything to draw people in, knowing that demographics have changed,' he said. 'What drew in Boomers and Gen Xers might not be the same to draw in millennials and Gen Z consumers. There are a lot of folks scratching their heads in mall land right now trying to come up with that formula.' Gray said he doesn't see the Mindbender replacement question as 'an insurmountable challenge,' rather a chance to create something that has staying power, not unlike the Mindbender itself. 'It's a great opportunity for West Edmonton Mall to take all its core good ingredients, make them modern and make them a revamped proposition for the now,' he said.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
The Doug Ford Doctrine: 'We really have to flex our muscles'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is hosting Canada's premiers in Muskoka starting Monday at a Council of the Federation summer gathering. Premiers of the 13 provinces and territories can look forward to enjoying Alberta-bred and Ontario-fed beef on the grill at the Ford family cottage. They will have a special guest: Prime Minister Mark Carney. Article content 'For the first time ever that I can remember,' Ford says, 'the prime minister is invited. That would have never happened with Trudeau, but it's happening under Mark Carney. And he's going to be welcomed with open arms.' Article content Article content Rather than the premiers getting together 'to bitch and complain about the federal government,' Ford chuckles, 'we get to present it right to him (Carney) as he's sitting around the dinner table and we're talking to him.' Article content 'And, he's a very, very great business person,' Ontario's premier enthuses, listing off Carney's credentials (without a mention of potential conflicts of interest). Article content Article content Figuring out how Team Canada will respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of a blanket 35 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada as of Aug. 1 — on top of previously implemented tariffs on auto parts, steel, aluminum and copper — will no doubt be the premiers' top priority in cottage country next week. Article content Article content 'Elbows up or elbows down? What's the strategy, now?' I ask Ford in a recent call. Article content Article content 'We have to negotiate through strength,' Ford responds, 'and we really have to flex our muscles and make sure President Trump hears us.' Article content 'Because in closed-door meetings and in our phone calls with governors — and they pull a lot of weight, I heard that from (U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard) Lutnick — Republicans don't want this,' Ford reports Article content 'Democrats obviously don't want this, and Republicans don't want it. But they're terrified to say anything publicly,' he says. Only a few U.S. senators have spoken up, Ford adds, 'and God bless them.' Article content Carney is advancing several strategies — promoting free trade within Canada; negotiating a security and trade pact with America, in good faith; and at the same time, forging strategic partnerships with the EU to beef up security and defence alliances and boost trade and economic security. This week, Carney announced measures to protect the nation's steel industry, including guarding against foreign steel entering Canada to bypass Trump's tariffs.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
The Doug Ford Doctrine: 'We really have to flex our muscles'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is hosting Canada's premiers in Muskoka starting Monday at a Council of the Federation summer gathering. Premiers of the 13 provinces and territories can look forward to enjoying Alberta-bred and Ontario-fed beef on the grill at the Ford family cottage. They will have a special guest: Prime Minister Mark Carney. 'For the first time ever that I can remember,' Ford says, 'the prime minister is invited. That would have never happened with Trudeau, but it's happening under Mark Carney. And he's going to be welcomed with open arms.' Rather than the premiers getting together 'to bitch and complain about the federal government,' Ford chuckles, 'we get to present it right to him (Carney) as he's sitting around the dinner table and we're talking to him.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The access is phenomenal,' Ford says of his own relationship with the PM, 'I'll message him, he gets right back to me. It's all about communication and relationship-building. 'And, he's a very, very great business person,' Ontario's premier enthuses, listing off Carney's credentials (without a mention of potential conflicts of interest). 'He gets it,' Ford says. 'He's going to go in there and he's going to clean house in Ottawa, which is well overdue.' Figuring out how Team Canada will respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of a blanket 35 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada as of Aug. 1 — on top of previously implemented tariffs on auto parts, steel, aluminum and copper — will no doubt be the premiers' top priority in cottage country next week. 'Elbows up or elbows down? What's the strategy, now?' I ask Ford in a recent call. 'We have to negotiate through strength,' Ford responds, 'and we really have to flex our muscles and make sure President Trump hears us.' 'Because in closed-door meetings and in our phone calls with governors — and they pull a lot of weight, I heard that from (U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard) Lutnick — Republicans don't want this,' Ford reports 'Democrats obviously don't want this, and Republicans don't want it. But they're terrified to say anything publicly,' he says. Only a few U.S. senators have spoken up, Ford adds, 'and God bless them.' Carney is advancing several strategies — promoting free trade within Canada; negotiating a security and trade pact with America, in good faith; and at the same time, forging strategic partnerships with the EU to beef up security and defence alliances and boost trade and economic security. This week, Carney announced measures to protect the nation's steel industry, including guarding against foreign steel entering Canada to bypass Trump's tariffs. Breaking down trade barriers between provinces is a strategy Ontario has embraced; the province has signed memorandums of understanding with all provinces except Quebec, B.C. and Newfoundland. And Ford sees other cards to be played, other ways to pressure the Trump administration for a fair trade deal. 'I've been very transparent with Secretary Lutnick, we're going to start on-shoring everything,' Ford says. 'We're going to on-shore the steel beams, the I-beams. We have more cranes in the sky in Toronto and the GTA than their top 10 cities combined.' 'We're going to on-shore the aluminum cans, the beer cans … to make sure we don't have to see a tariff of 25 per cent on the aluminum going down (to the U.S.), they convert it, print it, and send it back up (to Canada) with another 25 per cent; that's 50 per cent.' Ford's government is giving incentives to companies — to turn aluminum into cans, produce steel I-beams, and manufacture steel rails used in transit projects. This strategy tracks with Carney's recent commitment to rely more on Canadian steel for Canadian projects. 'Canada buys more off the U.S. than China, than Japan, than Korea, U.K. and France combined,' Ford elaborates. 'We're their largest customer, and yes, they're our largest customer. But Ontario alone employs nine million Americans who wake up every morning to build a widget or provide a service to Ontario alone.' '(Americans) are going to feel the pressure,' Ford says. 'They're going to feel the pressure when Americans start losing their jobs because we're going to start on-shoring everything, and once that happens, I told Lutnick, it's hard to turn that tap off.' And, Ford continues, Canada can leverage its supplies of critical resources. American governors, both Republicans and Democrats, tell Ford the same thing: 'There are two things they're interested in: our nuclear energy and our critical minerals.' Repeating his well-worn adage — 'Canada is not the threat; China is the real threat' — Ford explains how China's lock on 90 per cent of the world's critical minerals makes Ontario's resources in the Ring of Fire all the more essential to Americans. 'And we don't believe in rip and ship,' Ford assures me, 'we're going to make sure that we mine it with Ontario workers, we're going to refine it here in Ontario with Ontario workers, and then we'll have the option of shipping it around the world.' Ford's also pitching a deep sea port to facilitate exports, in a couple of locations — one in Ontario, in Hudson's Bay, and one in Manitoba. 'It will wake up President Trump real quick,' Ford quips, 'if we start shipping it to our other allies around the world and not to him.' Ford is the premier of Ontario — it's his job to look out for that province's interests — but there's no question he's fully steeped in Team Canada spirits. 'We all have something that we're bringing to the table,' he assures me, repeatedly. 'The U.S. needs our high-grade nickel,' Ford asserts, 'to be used in the military, in aerospace, in manufacturing. It's no different from the aluminum, from Quebec, being shipped down there, or the potash or uranium from Saskatchewan, and obviously, the 4.3 million barrels of oil we ship down to the U.S. But we're going to diversify that and not rely on the U.S. Yes, we have one pipeline going west, but we need another one going west, east, north and south.' Ford is also effusive about the need to get rid of the tanker ban on the West Coast and revamp the impact assessment act. 'Those days are done. They're gone,' he says. 'We have to start moving forward and create the conditions for the rest of the world to look at investing in not just Ontario but other jurisdictions across Canada, from coast to coast to coast.' I moved from Ontario to Alberta in the early 1980s — a time when Alberta premier Peter Lougheed was struggling with prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's National Energy Program — and can still recall the bitter disappointment of Ontario premier Bill Davis's unwillingness to support Alberta's interests. I admit to being impressed by Ford's visit to the recently concluded Calgary Stampede, and not just by his commitment to flip pancakes alongside Smith, whose griddle experience is legendary. Ontario's premier also inked two MOUs with Alberta, to advance freer trade between the provinces and publicly endorse mutually beneficial national-interest projects, including an oil pipeline from Alberta to Ontario (fabricated with Ontario steel). Although Ford's not sure if Carney will be specific about the nation-building projects selected to move forward, in the upcoming discussions around the table in Muskoka, he's optimistic provincial leaders — and their constituents — recognize this unique opportunity to move forward on national infrastructure projects. 'We're moving forward and we're going to see another $200 billion going into our economy, increase our GDP anywhere upwards to six per cent,' Ford says. He expects his fellow premiers will have to hop on this train. 'The residents of each province are going to demand that they get on that train as we're moving forward,' he says, 'because they want to prosper as well.' National Post Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
