Ontario Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy gives a thumbs up as he walks on stage at the Ottawa Board of Trade's Mayor's Breakfast Series, in Ottawa, on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Ontario's finance minister is set to table his fall economic statement today, which the premier says is an ambitious plan to build highways, hospitals and homes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed...

Ontario to table 'ambitious' economic update, Doug Ford says

Ontario's finance minister is set to table his fall economic statement today, which the premier says is an ambitious plan to build highways, hospitals and homes. Premier Doug Ford also says the economic update maintains his government's path to balance, which in the spring budget had Ontario running deficits until 2026-27. Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy have already announced two main affordability items from the fiscal update that serves as a mini budget – a continuation of a cut to the gas tax, and a $3-billion plan to send $200 cheques to every Ontario taxpayer. Opposition critics have suggested the cheques that are set to be mailed early next year are timed to arrive ahead of a possible spring election.

Health-care announcements today on Day 4 of Nova Scotia election campaign

Both the Nova Scotia Liberals and Progressive Conservatives are scheduled to make health-care announcements today on the campaign trail. Health care is shaping up to be a major election theme, with the Tories campaigning on their record since 2021 and their opponents arguing that the system is still in disarray. On Tuesday, the Tories promised to cut the tolls on both bridges spanning the Halifax harbour, and the Liberals pledged to remove the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax on grocery food that is still subject to taxation. At dissolution, the Progressive Conservatives held 34 seats in the 55-seat legislature, the Liberals held 14 seats, the NDP had six and there was one Independent. Election day is Nov. 26.

Here's what else we're watching...

Why vote recounts matter in age of skepticism

Recounts may not change election results very often, but British Columbia political scientist David Black says they play an increasingly vital role in demonstrating election integrity. Premier David Eby's NDP claimed victory on Monday in B.C.'s Oct. 19 election, but the counting isn't over. Two judicial recounts were triggered at the end of the "final count," by an NDP candidate's 27-vote victory margin in Surrey-Guildford, and a Conservative candidate's 38-vote win in Kelowna Centre. Elections BC says district electoral officers must apply for a judicial recount if the margin of victory is within 1/500th of all ballots considered in the riding. Black says recounts by hand in close races in past elections were to check for human error, but recounts are still important in the digital age since voting machine technology is not well understood.

Canada's most distinct species? It's not the moose

The most Canadian animal? It's not the beaver that marks the nickel, the moose that pervades souvenir shops across the country, or the loon that gave the one-dollar "loonie" its name. In fact, the spiny softshell turtle is Canada's most distinct animal in evolutionary terms, researchers from Simon Fraser University show in a first-of-its-kind study. Arne Mooers, a biodiversity professor who led the research,says it means the threatened freshwater turtle found in southern Ontario and Quebec has spent the longest stretch of time evolving independently from other species in Canada. The researchers started by building a "tree of life" using Canada's official list of species, which includes 222 mammals, 674 birds, 48 amphibians and 49 reptiles.

Retailers see in-store repairs as 'the future'

Apparel retailers are helping their customers repair their clothes in stores. Arc'teryx, Uniqlo and Levi's have all opened repair centres at some of their locations to offer mending services to shoppers. At Arc'teryx's ReBird centre on Bloor Street West in Toronto, customers can get zippers, tears and other damages all fixed for free in a matter of days, if not minutes. Meanwhile, Uniqlo charges $5 for buttons to be resewn or rips to be mended. Queen's University associate professor of marketing Tandy Thomas says the in-store repair programs help stores bolster sustainability claims but also build brand loyalty.

Survey shows Canadians' Halloween spending habits

A new poll suggests more than a quarter of Canadians will spend $100 or more on Halloween, with roughly 70 per cent of respondents saying they'll fork over as much money as they did last year on candy and costumes. That's according to polling firm Leger, which surveyed 1,520 adults this month on their Halloween habits. The poll also suggests Canadians will spend an average of $67.65 on Halloween-related expenses – an amount that rises to $121.57 among parents. But another 27 per cent of respondents say they will not spend a single dollar on the spooky day. The Halloween spirit seemed to be higher among parents and those aged 18 to 34, the survey found.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024