B.C. flood threatens homes, Hockey Canada sex assault update

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Rain, snowmelt spur flooding in southwestern B.C.

Days of heavy rain and snowmelt from record-high temperatures have pushed rivers over their banks, prompting flooding and warnings in southwestern B.C.

The village of Pemberton is under a state of local emergency, with six rural properties under evacuation order and several dozen more under alert, including a mobile home park. Residents there have been asked to be ready to leave right away.

A bulletin from B.C.’s River Forecast Centre says a gauge along the Lillooet River had recorded flows reaching levels seen once every five to 10 years.

A flood warning also spans the Squamish River, and the forecast centre says the risk is expected to persist into Thursday as one final atmospheric river brings further rain, warm air and snowmelt to the province’s South Coast.

Flood watches are in effect across the rest of the region, including Vancouver Island, while high streamflow advisories cover the Central and North coasts.

Accused hockey players to plead not guilty

Five players from Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team are facing sexual assault charges, but so far, it appears as if only one player has surrendered to police.

Alex Formenton, who plays internationally, surrendered to police in London, Ontario, on Sunday. His lawyer confirmed that he has been charged in connection with the case, and said the player would plead not guilty.

Through their own legal representatives, the four other players, say they also intend to plead not guilty. As of this morning, it is unclear as to whether Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart,  New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenceman Cal Foote have made arrangements to surrender and face the sexual assault charges.

The accused players have all been allowed to go on indefinite leave from their pro clubs.

 The alleged group sexual assault of a woman occurred following a Hockey Canada gala where the players were honoured for their victory at that year’s world junior tournament.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

StatCan to release November GDP report today

Statistics Canada is set to release its November gross domestic product report this morning, along with a preliminary estimate for economic growth in the fourth quarter. 

RBC says it expects the economy grew 0.1 per cent in November, which would mark the first time real GDP ticked up in six months.

However, it still anticipates that the economy slightly shrank in the fourth quarter. 

With interest rates at the highest level seen in decades, the Canadian economy has been struggling to grow.

Ontario seeks audits of municipal daycares

Ontario has ordered municipalities that directly operate child-care centres to do a value-for-money audit of their programs to determine if they could instead be operated by a “third party.” 

The move is raising concerns about privatization and undermining progress on wages, as higher staff pay in municipal centres is often the reason they can cost more to run.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the audits will “drive greater transparency on taxpayer dollars and maximize the number of families supported in the areas that need it most.”

The executive director and senior policy analyst at the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development says it sounds like privatization is a possibility.

TDSB to vote on plan for solar eclipse day

Canada’s largest school board is voting today on whether it should revise its school calendar so students can stay home on the day a rare solar eclipse will chart a course through parts of Canada.

If the Toronto District School Board votes in favour of the revision, it will join at least six other Ontario school boards, as well as two school service centres in Quebec, that have already notified parents classes are cancelled on April 8th in preparation for the celestial event.

TDSB staff say in a document that outlines the rough agenda of tonight’s board meeting that looking directly at the sun during the eclipse, without appropriate protection, can lead to serious problems such as partial or complete loss of eyesight.

They say there are also traffic related safety concerns as thousands of children would be returning home during the time of the eclipse in temporary darkness.

Gretzky card find launches $1M auction bids

A case of old hockey cards uncovered in a Regina home is being hailed as a once-in-a-generation treasure trove of the game’s Great One.

Jason Simonds, the sports consignment director at Heritage Auctions, says he went to a home to look at 16 sealed boxes of O-Pee-Chee’s 1979 hockey card collection.

He says the case of boxes could include 25 or more highly coveted Wayne Gretzky rookie cards.

The consignment director says a man kept the case in a packed storage room.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2024.

The Canadian Press