Maple Express Evening | September 24, 2026 — Belleville synagogue shooting ruled a hate-motivated attack

1. Belleville synagogue shooting ruled a hate-motivated attack, police say

Source: CP24

Belleville police held a news conference today (Thursday) to update the investigation into the Sept. 20 shooting outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue. Police Chief Murray Rodd said that based on the evidence gathered so far, investigators have determined the incident was a hate-motivated crime — a "premeditated and targeted" attack on the Jewish community. He said the suspect had "the means, the motive, and the mechanisms to cause a mass casualty and the destruction of the Jewish synagogue," and that the loss of life and irreversible damage that could have followed "cannot be overstated."

Rodd said the suspect, 29-year-old Sean Ward, was a former Canadian Forces member released from the military in 2022. Armed with a shotgun, Ward opened fire on Const. Jeff Smith, who was stationed outside the synagogue. Smith was hit while inside his cruiser but, despite life-threatening injuries, got out within moments and engaged the attacker, staying in the fight after being shot multiple times; another officer, Const. Mike McCurdy, arrived nearly three minutes into the exchange and joined the gunfight. Rodd said the two officers' actions prevented an "unimaginable tragedy." Smith suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body and faces a long recovery with multiple surgeries; Ward suffered life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital.

Police also revealed that Ward had conducted reconnaissance at the synagogue while Smith was present, and that his truck held gasoline and other weapons giving him the means to carry on a gun battle for a long time. Rodd said Ward was not known to police and would not disclose further what investigators found at his residence. Insp. Christine Belair of the RCMP's Integrated National Enforcement Team said her team is assisting and is assessing whether the case falls within the national security mandate. Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner condemned the attack, saying "a line of decency" had been crossed. Toronto and York Regional police each said they have increased patrols around synagogues and other places of worship.

Source

2. Woman's Tylenol overdose death prompts calls for smaller packaging: coroner

Source: CP24

A Quebec coroner is recommending that over-the-counter painkillers be sold in smaller containers, after an 81-year-old woman died of severe hepatitis caused by an accidental Tylenol overdose at her home. Coroner Dr. Edgard Nassif's report says a relative of the woman, who lived alone in Dorval, called 911 on July 1 after noticing she was confused. Paramedics found her confused about the time of day and took her to the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) emergency department, where she was first treated for hypoglycemia.

Further tests revealed severe liver damage and developing hepatic encephalopathy. Due to her declining health, her family opted for palliative care, and she died on July 5. The woman, whose name is redacted, had high blood pressure and dyslipidemia and struggled with alcoholism, but was independent and had a close relative who spoke with her daily. Tests showed fulminant hepatitis on admission, and the report says her chronic alcohol consumption may have lowered her tolerance threshold. A relative found an empty acetaminophen bottle in her apartment; it is highly likely she took several tablets without realizing it or remembering the time between doses.

Health Canada says acetaminophen poisoning can occur when the product is used longer than recommended or when a user takes more than the maximum daily dose of four grams. It says about 4,500 hospitalizations in Canada result from acetaminophen overdoses, roughly 700 of them accidental. The Quebec Poison Control Centre reported 3,562 acetaminophen poisoning cases in 2025, a number rising steadily since 2022. The report notes that England limited the size of over-the-counter packaging, reducing deaths by 43 per cent, and recommends Health Canada study the effectiveness of reducing container sizes.

Source

3. Volkswagen delays production at Ontario EV battery plant until 2029

Source: CP24

The opening of a massive Volkswagen electric vehicle battery plant in southwestern Ontario has been pushed back two years until 2029. PowerCo Canada, a subsidiary of the German automaker, said today (Thursday) it is delaying production at the $7-billion factory in St. Thomas, Ont., to align the project's timeline and product strategy with evolving market demand, technological advancements and the Volkswagen Group's long-term strategy.

PowerCo says the later opening will allow for next-generation battery technology while retaining the flexibility to scale over time as market conditions evolve. Joel Karlsberg, chief procurement officer for the battery company, said the move is "about getting the pacing right ... to protect our long-term investment (and) support regional jobs." PowerCo also announced Thursday that it has selected Canadian construction firm EllisDon Corp. as general contractor as the project moves into its next phase, focused on core infrastructure and structural work.

The plant was announced in 2023, with the federal government committing $700 million in upfront capital costs and Ontario contributing $500 million. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2026.

Source

4. Man wanted on 50 charges after alleged west-end sexual assault, threats to family

Source: CP24

Toronto police are searching for a man wanted on 50 charges after he allegedly sexually assaulted a person and threatened their family in the city's west end over the weekend. Police say it happened Sunday at about 9 p.m. in the area of St. Clair Avenue West and Lansdowne Avenue.

Police allege the suspect threatened the victim and their family before assaulting and sexually assaulting the victim and then leaving the area. Paul Durante, 43, of Toronto, is wanted on numerous charges, including assault, intimidation, sexual assault, two counts of failing to comply with probation, two counts of uttering threats and 43 counts of using a forged document. The charges have not been tested in court.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Source

5. Border officials seize suitcases of cocaine and hashish at Pearson airport

Source: CP24

The Canada Border Services Agency has seized suitcases packed with illicit substances bound for Sri Lanka at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this month. In a statement to CTV News, a CBSA spokesperson said the seizure took place Sept. 3.

Border officials seized a total of 44 kilograms of hashish and 13 kilograms of cocaine. One person was arrested and remanded to the RCMP, with no details about charges or the suspect immediately available. The spokesperson said CBSA officers use a risk management approach, intelligence information and detection tools, and look for indicators of deception to determine whether a more in-depth examination is required.

Source

6. Suspect at large after 'unprovoked, random' stabbing in Stoney Creek

Source: CP24

Hamilton police are searching for a suspect after a woman was seriously injured in an "unprovoked, random" stabbing in Stoney Creek today (Thursday). The attack happened near Centennial Parkway and Queenston Road, where police say they were called at around 8:15 a.m.

In a news release, police said initial information indicated a 45-year-old woman from Hamilton was seated on a bench in the Eastgate Square bus terminal shelter reading a book when she was attacked from behind. The interaction was brief and the suspect fled in an unknown direction, they said. The woman sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

Police say they have not captured a full description of the suspect. They only know he is male and wore a black T-shirt and dark-coloured pants, and may have been carrying a backpack. Anyone who was in the area between 7:45 and 8:15 a.m. and saw anything suspicious is asked to contact Det. Colin Bromley or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Source

7. Destination Wasaga Beach master plan unveiled

Source: CP24

The Town of Wasaga Beach unveiled its Destination Wasaga Master Plan today (Thursday), setting out how to transform one of Ontario's most vibrant and globally recognized four-season recreation centres. Mayor Brian Smith said the plan "belongs to the people who helped create it," building on what residents and generations of Ontarians have loved while setting a bold course — more jobs, more investment, more opportunity and a destination to leave to future generations.

The Master Plan offers a long-term vision for Wasaga Beach's beachfront, downtown, public spaces, transportation connections, attractions and visitor experiences. Among its concepts are a new Dardanella site that would restore one of the town's most important historic tourism and cultural landmarks as a modern, year-round performance venue, and an iconic pedestrian bridge across the Nottawasaga River that could connect the world's longest freshwater beach from end to end for the first time.

Smith said great communities "do not stand still" but make deliberate choices about the future they want to build. With the continued support of the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada and other partners, he said, Wasaga Beach is ready to turn that vision into reality.

Source

8. Growing wildfire burning out of control on Vancouver Island

Source: CP24

A wildfire on southern Vancouver Island continued to burn out of control Thursday, as dry conditions and steep terrain challenge dozens of firefighters battling to contain the blaze. The Mount Jack wildfire north of Sooke has grown to 276 hectares since it was discovered on Sept. 20.

Smoke has blanketed B.C.'s capital region and limited the ability of aircraft to fight the flames due to poor visibility. The B.C. Wildfire Service said the fire grew Wednesday in areas where heavy smoke prevented helicopters from bucketing the flames, and that prevailing winds have pushed it eastward. Cooler temperatures and possible precipitation on Thursday should support suppression efforts, the service said.

About 60 personnel are assigned to the Mount Jack fire. The service said it is responding with ground crews, heavy equipment and aviation resources and remains well resourced, using a combination of direct and indirect attack methods based on fire behaviour, environmental conditions and responder safety. The fire is believed to have been caused by human activity and is not currently a threat to structures or critical infrastructure. The Capital Regional District has closed portions of trails, including the popular Galloping Goose Regional Trail, and restricted access to Kapoor Regional Park as a precaution.

Source

9. Canada's first F-35 takes flight in Texas

Source: CP24

Canada's first F-35 has taken to the skies — the first new model of fighter jet with Canadian markings in 44 years. The historic first flight took place Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas, home to Lockheed Martin's final assembly plant. The F-35 will replace at least some of the Royal Canadian Air Force's aging CF-18 Hornets, which Canada first took delivery of in 1982.

Canada signed on in 2023 to buy 88 of the jets, but Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a review in March 2025 amid tensions with the United States. The first 16 aircraft are committed, while the government weighs whether to buy the remaining 72 or turn to alternatives such as Sweden's Saab Gripen. The CF-35A Lightning II, with "Canada" painted behind the cockpit and a maple leaf on the tail, took off just before noon for what witnesses say was a roughly 90-minute flight.

Husband-and-wife aviation photographers Gherardo and Victoria Mae Fontana captured the moment and posted it on Instagram; their video shows the Canadian jet landing, trailed by a second F-35 flying as a chase plane. The only apparent official acknowledgement came from Lockheed Martin Canada's X account. Retired RCAF major-general Scott Clancy said he believes "the silence is ordered" and that the decision is now purely political. He said Canadians should still be proud of the first flight, because a significant portion of the jet is Canadian — Lockheed Martin says each F-35 contains more than $3 million in Canadian-made components from suppliers in six provinces.

Source

10. Saskatchewan sisters convicted of murder in 1994 to receive new appeal

Source: CP24

A pair of Saskatchewan sisters are receiving a new appeal more than three decades after their convictions in a murder case. Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General Sean Fraser announced Thursday that he has ordered a new appeal in the case of Odelia and Neressa Quewezance. In 1994, the two sisters were convicted of second-degree murder in connection to the 1993 death of 70-year-old Anthony Dolff of Kamsack, Sask., and were sentenced to life in prison.

In a statement to The Canadian Press, the sisters said they were encouraged by the decision. "We have never stopped fighting," Odelia said on behalf of her and her sibling. "Thank you to all those who have kept the faith in us." According to Innocence Canada, the case was flagged by David Milgaard — who famously spent 23 years in prison for the 1969 murder of a Saskatoon nursing student before his conviction was overturned. The pair, among Canada's longest serving female inmates, maintained their innocence during decades of incarceration.

In 2021, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples called for their immediate release after Jason Keshane, a man who was with them the day of the crime, admitted to being responsible for the killing. Keshane, a youth at the time, was handed a four-year sentence for second-degree murder. The sisters were granted a conditional release in 2023 but have since been returned to custody for breaching bail conditions. Fraser said an in-depth review found reasonable grounds to conclude a miscarriage of justice did occur, and the case will be returned to the courts. He said his decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts.

Source