Maple Express | August 1, 2026 Ontario Braces for Heavy Rain as WestJet Cancels Hundreds of Flights

📰 Heavy Rainfall Expected Across Ontario Over Long Weekend

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Toronto and surrounding areas, warning of heavy, localized rainfall over the long weekend. The downpour is expected to begin overnight Saturday or early Sunday morning and continue through Sunday evening, with some areas potentially receiving more than 50 millimetres of rain.

In the Muskoka region, specifically Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, localized heavy rainfall from showers and thunderstorms could bring 50 to 80 millimetres Saturday afternoon into the evening, with more rain possible Sunday. Flooding may occur on roads and in low-lying areas, and visibility could be affected at times.

Residents planning cottage trips this long weekend should prepare for challenging weather conditions. Environment Canada recommends consulting local conservation authorities or visiting Ontario.ca/floods for the latest flood information.

— CP24

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📰 WestJet Cancels 279 Flights as Strike Deadline Looms

WestJet announced Saturday evening that 279 flights have been cancelled ahead of a possible strike by its 4,400 flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The 72-hour strike notice expires just after midnight Sunday in Calgary, where WestJet is headquartered.

The airline says its latest proposal includes a cumulative wage increase of approximately 36 per cent over four years, scheduling improvements, and better travel and hotel provisions. However, CUPE WestJet Component president Alia Hussain said the proposals don't go far enough: "We are seeking a comprehensive contract that reflects the priorities of our members."

Thousands of passengers face uncertainty over the long weekend. WestJet urges all travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Both sides remain at the bargaining table, but if no deal is reached by Sunday morning, hundreds more flights could be cancelled.

— CBC News

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📰 Immigrant Birth Rates in Canada Falling, Undermining Population Growth Strategy

A new Western University study using long-form census data from 2001 to 2021 reveals that immigrant fertility rates in Canada are converging with those of native-born Canadians. The gap narrowed from 0.24 births in 2001 to just 0.11 in 2021, challenging the assumption that immigration alone can solve Canada's aging population crisis.

Temporary residents showed the lowest fertility among all immigrant groups studied. "The larger system and politics of existence also has a lot to do with imagining a safe and secure future, not just for yourself, but for the child you are planning for," said Oleena Chaudhuri, a PhD student from India.

Rochelle Wijesingha, who moved from Sri Lanka at age 10 and now holds a PhD, said housing costs forced her family to live with her parents for two years just to save for a down payment. "It all comes down to affordability," she said. With rising living costs, even well-educated immigrant families are making tough choices about family size.

— Toronto Star

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📰 Mayor Chow Demands Province Return Island Land After Feds Block Billy Bishop Expansion

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has filed an urgent motion demanding that the Ontario government return lands it expropriated from the city through Bill 110, after the federal government rejected Premier Doug Ford's plan to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to accommodate jets.

Federal Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon formally rejected the island airport expansion plan on Friday following public consultations. In the spring, the province passed legislation to take over city lands around the Toronto Islands and seize Toronto's seat in the tripartite agreement governing the airport.

Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the province will continue pushing for the expansion. The three-way tug-of-war between municipal, provincial, and federal governments over the future of the island airport is far from over.

— CP24

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📰 Over 15,000 Torontonians Finally Connected to a Family Doctor — Here's How

The Mid-West Toronto Ontario Health Team (MWH-OHT) has helped connect more than 15,000 Toronto residents to family doctors through two innovative services launched earlier this year. Of those, 9,000 had been on the waitlist since before January 2025.

The model's key innovation is a primary care attachment liaison who handles the time-consuming process of gathering medical records, opening new charts, and orienting patients — tasks that previously took family doctors hours of after-hours work. "When I open up this new patient chart, everything is there, and we can just focus on what to do next," said Dr. Faye Goldman.

Patients also gain access to a team-based care approach including social workers, dietitians, and nurses. With more than 2.5 million Ontarians lacking a family doctor and over half of family physicians considering retirement within five years, this model could offer a blueprint for other communities.

— CP24

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📰 CNE Unveils Full 2026 Concert Lineup with Canadian Artists Front and Centre

The Canadian National Exhibition has announced its complete concert lineup for 2026, running from August 21 to September 6 at the Bell Sound Stage at the Bandshell, with all performances included in the price of admission.

Previously announced headliners include Grammy-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco (Aug. 21), reggae star Shaggy (Aug. 23), and Canadian rock icon Tom Cochrane (Sept. 5). This week's newly announced acts are heavily Canadian, featuring Virginia to Vegas, Glass Tiger, Bif Naked with Bran Van 3000, Matthew Good and His Band, Dallas Smith, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Finger Eleven.

Organizers have also teased a surprise international headliner for August 28 and a co-headliner for Dallas Smith's August 31 show. Advance tickets offering up to 35 per cent savings remain on sale until August 20, with VIP front-row packages also available.

— CP24

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📰 Salsa on St. Clair Loses Key Sponsor After Deadly Shooting

The Salsa on St. Clair festival has lost a major sponsor weeks after a July 11 shooting that left two people dead and six injured. The Hillcrest Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) board voted to discontinue its sponsorship, citing a "significant decline in support" from both businesses and residents.

BIA chair Heather Hannah noted that some larger restaurants and businesses in the neighbourhood have opted to close during the festival, while local resident support has "declined markedly." The shooting involved an exchange of gunfire between two groups in the middle of the crowded street festival. No arrests have been made.

Festival organizer TLN Telelatino called the BIA's decision "no surprise," criticizing the "invasion of the festival by reckless criminals." Ward 12 Councillor Josh Matlow called the outcome "very unfortunate." The future of the festival, which has drawn over one million visitors annually since 2005, remains uncertain.

— CP24

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📰 Ford's OSAP Overhaul Takes Effect, Students Warn of Reduced Access to Education

As of August 1, Ontario has slashed the grant proportion of the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) from 85 per cent to a maximum of 25 per cent, while simultaneously lifting a seven-year tuition freeze to allow colleges and universities to raise fees by up to two per cent annually over the next three years.

Celina Marsolais, a 30-year-old Cambrian College student with PTSD, saw her annual OSAP funding drop from roughly $8,000 to $1,000. "As somebody that does struggle with PTSD, and attending school for me was a really hard thing to begin with, I feel like it does put a lot more stress on myself," she said.

The province says it is investing an additional $6.4 billion in the post-secondary sector and that the Student Access Guarantee will ensure low-income students receive enough financial aid. But student advocates say rising costs for housing, groceries, and now tuition are creating an impossible financial equation for many.

— CP24

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📰 New HIV Infections in Canada Surge 22.8%, Sparking Alarm Among Health Experts

New modelling data from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows a 22.8 per cent increase in new HIV infections between 2022 and 2024, rising from 2,050 to an estimated 2,517 cases. Dr. Julio Montaner, executive director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, says he is "very worried about what's coming our way."

Manitoba declared HIV a public health emergency in May, with infection rates 3.5 times the national average. Saskatchewan reported the second-highest rates. "What we're seeing is a resurgence of HIV, both new infections and AIDS, which was persistently declining because the strategy was working," Montaner said.

Canada has achieved only one of the three UN "95-95-95" targets — diagnosis rates — while treatment coverage and viral suppression lag behind. By contrast, 11 countries including seven in eastern and southern Africa have met all three targets. Advocates are calling for renewed federal and provincial investment before years of progress are lost.

— CBC News

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📰 Canada's Men's 4x100m Relay Team Wins Appeal, Reclaims Silver at Commonwealth Games

Canada's men's 4x100-metre relay team experienced a dramatic rollercoaster at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Saturday. The team of Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, Brendon Rodney, and Andre De Grasse initially crossed the finish line in second place, only to be disqualified for an alleged lane violation on the handoff between Brown and Blake.

Athletics Canada immediately appealed, submitting video evidence that showed a sliver of blue track between Brown's spike and the white line. "The video that organizers had was inconclusive. It was very blurry," said head coach Glenroy Gilbert. "Our video showed it clearly." After roughly four hours of protests and counter-protests, the silver medal was restored.

De Grasse described the wait as agonizing. In other Canadian highlights, the women's 4x100m relay team also captured silver, and Laurence Biron won gold in judo.

— CBC News