Emigration to the U.S. hits a 10-year high 

as tens of thousands of WHITE PETTY BOURGEOISEI Canadians head south

CBC
Thu, May 30, 2024 

A Canadian flag flies as people walk along the boardwalk in Hollywood, Fla. The number of people moving from Canada to the U.S. hit 126,340 in 2022 — a 70 per cent increase compared to 10 years ago. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo - image credit)


Tens of thousands of Canadians are emigrating to the United States and the number of people packing up and moving south has hit a level not seen in 10 years or more, according to data compiled by CBC News.

There's nothing new about Canadians moving south of the 49th parallel for love, work or warmer weather, but the latest figures from the American Community Survey (ACS) suggest it's now happening at a much higher rate than the historical average.

The ACS, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, says the number of people moving from Canada to the U.S. hit 126,340 in 2022. That's an increase of nearly 70 per cent over the 75,752 people who made the move in 2012.

Of the 126,340 who emigrated from Canada to the U.S. that year, 53,311 were born in Canada, 42,595 were Americans who left here for their native land, and 30,434 were foreign-born immigrants to Canada who decided to move to the U.S. instead.

That Canadian-born figure is notably higher now than it has been in the past. It's up roughly 50 per cent over the average number of Canadians born in Canada who left for the U.S. in the pre-COVID period.

United Nations data compiled by Statistics Canada and shared with CBC News shows the U.S. is by far the most common destination for Canadian emigrants.

There were about 800,000 Canadians living in the U.S. as of 2020, eight times more than the 100,000 who live in the U.K., according to the latest UN figures.

A number of Facebook groups have popped up to help Canadians make the move. Recent arrivals use them to share tips on how to secure a visa or green card, where to live and what to do about health insurance.

One group called "Canadians Moving to Florida & USA" has more than 55,000 members and is adding dozens of new members every week.

The real estate agents and immigration lawyers who help Canadians make the move say the surge is being driven partly by a desire for a more affordable life.

But there are also people who say they have lost faith in Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership and want to pursue the American dream instead, these agents and lawyers said.

Marco Terminesi is a former professional soccer player who grew up in Woodbridge, Ont. and now works as a real estate agent in Florida's Palm Beach County with a busy practice that caters to Canadian expats.

'I hate the politics here'

Terminesi said his phone has been ringing off the hook for the last 18 months with calls from Canadians wanting to move to sunny Florida.

"'With Trudeau, I have to get out of here,' that's what people tell me. They say to me, 'Marco, who do I have to talk to to get out of here?'" Terminesi told CBC News.

"There's a lot of hatred, a lot of pissed-off calls. It was really shocking for me to hear all of this.

"And I'm not sure all of these people are moving for the right reason. People are saying, 'I hate the politics here, I'm uprooting my whole family and moving down,' and I say, 'Well, that problem could be solved in a year or two.'"


Marco Terminesi grew up in Woodbridge, Ont. but now lives in South Florida and sells real estate mostly to Canadians in Palm Beach County. He says a lot of prospective buyers are motivated to leave Canada because of politics.

Marco Terminesi grew up in Woodbridge, Ont. but now lives in South Florida and sells real estate — mostly to Canadians — in Palm Beach County. He says a lot of prospective buyers are motivated to leave Canada because of politics. (Submitted by Marco Terminesi)

Terminesi said he doesn't follow Canadian politics closely so he's not sure what's motivating the ill will among some prospective Florida buyers.

"This last year, I got fifty times more calls than in the past decade. And most, almost all of those callers are saying politics is why they want to leave," he said. "I don't pry, I just respond, 'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it gets better.'"

While the U.S., like Canada, has grappled with inflation, the cost of living can be cheaper in some states.

The average U.S. home price is lower than it is here — $580,700 Cdn in the U.S., compared to $703,500 in Canada. That's 20 per cent lower after adjusting for exchange rates. The price gap is even more stark in some states.

'Canada is not what it used to be'

Monica Abramov lives in Innisfil, Ont., north of Toronto, but is moving to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with her American husband and three sons in the next few months.

She said she will miss her family and friends and what she calls the beautiful summer weather in southern Ontario, but she's looking forward to buying a more affordable home and cheaper groceries.

Her sons, die-hard hockey fans, will cheer for the Florida Panthers.

While they've been considering a move for the last 15 years, Abramov said she wants to move now because she feels Canada, and the Greater Toronto Area in particular, are going downhill.

Abramov said the health care system is a constant disappointment, with long ER wait times and lacklustre access to family doctors. She said taxes are creeping up and crime is an ongoing concern.

"There's a reason why so many people are making the move. It's a call for Canada to wake up and try to keep its residents," Abramov told CBC News.

"I've never known so many people who are making the move or have already moved, especially to Florida.

"I definitely think we're sadly going in the wrong direction — crime rates, carjackings. The health care system has been declining rapidly, year over year. Canada is just not what it used to be."


Monica Abramov, left, and her husband are moving from Innisfil, Ont. to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in the next months. She says Canada is headed in the wrong direction.

Monica Abramov, left, and her husband are moving from Innisfil, Ont. to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in the next few months. She says Canada is headed in the wrong direction. (Submitted by Monica Abramov)

Mithra Saunders moved to Polk County in Florida with his wife and daughter in October 2021 after being laid off from his job in Toronto during the pandemic.

Saunders qualified for an E-2 treaty investor visa because his wife owns a business selling water valves.

They do most of their work remotely and split their time between Toronto and Florida. The visa gives them the flexibility to come and go as they please.

"I'm not some person trying to run away from Canada at all. People are definitely pissed off with the politics. But I'm not a political refugee who says, 'I hate Trudeau,'" Saunders said.

"We just got down there and said, 'It's really warm down here. We're going to stay.' And so we did.

"We can sit on our laptops and look at the beautiful surroundings, or go hit the beach. Why wouldn't you want that? It's hard for Canadian winters to compete."


Mithra Saunders, pictured at an outlet mall in Tampa, Fla., and his family split their time between Toronto and Florida. He was drawn to the state because of its warm weather and lower cost of living.

Mithra Saunders — pictured here at an outlet mall in Tampa, Fla. — and his family split their time between Toronto and Florida. He says he was drawn to the state because of its warm weather and lower cost of living. (Submitted by Mithra Saunders)

Wages are often a lot higher in the U.S. for in-demand professions in fields like information technology and health care.

The tax burden is less onerous in many states. There's no state income tax in Florida.

In Arizona, a popular destination for western Canadian emigrants, there's a flat state tax rate of 2.5 per cent.

Some daily staples are also a lot more affordable south of the border, with lower so-called "sin" taxes on alcohol and tobacco in some states.

"I'm a red-blooded Canadian man who loves beer," Saunders said. "And I can tell you it's a fraction of the price."

As of Jan. 1, 2020, Ontario has scrapped all out-of-country insurance for medical emergencies, with an exception for dialysis services.

Canadian snowbirds in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Marsha Halper/The Miami Herald/The Associated Press)

The recent surge in home insurance rates and higher property taxes in some U.S. jurisdictions could offset some of those savings.

And Canadians moving to the U.S. also have major health care costs to consider.

About 54.5 per cent of the U.S. population has health insurance through their workplace. Another 18.8 per cent of Americans rely on income-tested Medicaid, while 18.7 per cent depend on age-related Medicare coverage, according to U.S. federal government data.

Roughly 10 per cent of Americans buy directly from an insurer and the premiums can be quite onerous.

A 55-year old single man living in Naples, Fla. without a workplace plan can expect to pay about $10,000 a year, according to a review of available options on that state's health-care exchange.

There are also other costs with private health insurance, like co-pays and deductibles.

'I see a huge influx of Canadians moving to the U.S.'

Len Saunders (no relation to Mithra) is a Canadian-born immigration lawyer living in Blaine, Wash., just over the border from the Lower Mainland in B.C.

He said he hasn't heard as much anti-Trudeau rhetoric from his clients on the West Coast — most of them just want to move across the border to buy a cheaper house or pay less in taxes.

Saunders said there's been a surge in interest from Americans living in Canada who want to bring their Canadian spouses to live in the U.S. That accounts for about 80 per cent of his firm's business, he said.

"Oh, I get dozens of calls a week and I'm just one lawyer in little old Blaine," he said.

"People grumble about Trudeau and they're not happy with him, but it's not a driving factor for my clients. I see a huge influx of Canadians moving to the U.S. and the main thing is just the cost of housing. It's a lot of young couples."

It's a relatively straightforward process for wealthy Canadian investors and people with American spouses to get a green card.

It's much more difficult for the average middle-class person to get the necessary paperwork without a job lined up with a U.S. employer or a profession that qualifies for a NAFTA or E-2 treaty visa.

"Canadian couples — people without someone to petition for them — a lot of those people are out of luck. It's sad. They're stuck," Saunders said.

A walk towards freedom: World's longest rainbow unveiled in Toronto ahead of Pride month

Dubbed 'The Long Path to Equality', the path aims to shine a light on LGBTQ2+ rights in the city ahead of Pride Month

Corné van Hoepen
·Editor, Yahoo News Canada
Wed, May 29, 2024 

World's longest rainbow road unveiled on Toronto Island. (Credit: @WaterfrontBIA)


Toronto has made history as the world's longest rainbow road was unveiled ahead of Pride Month — a meaningful tribute to the city's vibrant LGBTQ2+ community.

The nearly-2,000 foot long installation, located near Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island, was unveiled by Mayor Olivia Chow and acclaimed queer artist Travis Myers.

"If there's ever a space Queer people should feel safe and welcome, it should be the place where Canada's first Pride happened," Myers said in an interview with Yahoo Canada.
The artist's vision

Myers says his latest creation is one close to his heart, having observed an uptick of townships across Canada banning the Pride flag and his own personal experiences growing up in small-town Ontario.

"To have this idea in my head of Toronto being this promised land of freedom and equality for all — and this takes work — but if there is anywhere we have a shot at it, it's here."

He says he's observed all the conflict across the globe, where many nations still consider flying the flag a crime, and being your authentic self can land you in prison or killed.

Toronto has laid a lot of ground work to aid people in being the best versions of themselvesTravis Myers, Artist

"While there's still a lot of work to be done, I hope this is just one more way people can feel secure in who they are," he said.

Myers explains that it's not just his personal connection to Hanlan's that inspired the location for his creation, but also a historical one.

"This was also the spot where the first Pride in all of Canada happened back in 1971," he said.

Decades prior, Myers explains that Hanlan's was a Queer gathering space that promised safety and security in a world that offered little acceptance.

Myers says that while creating 'The Long Walk to Equality,' what was top of mind was this was the same path trodden by the "architects" who fought for the rights and freedoms afforded to Torontonians today.

"I want to make sure people feel proud, safe and included, and the path can be viewed as a tool of leading this community back to itself," he said. "I hope the community can feel a little prouder, a little bolder about their sense of belonging by seeing themselves reflected in this space."

Myers hopes that even beyond a symbol of empowerment for the LGBTQ2+, his creation speaks to the hearts of those who are not a part of the community as a symbol transcending language and creating a bridge between humanity.

As for the aim of creating something on a global scale, Myers says "We can do a little more than a metre longer." He says the previous world was a rainbow bicycle path in Utrecht, the Netherlands coming in at just over 1,870 feet.

This art creation was designed in partnership with Pride Toronto and supported with donations from The Waterfront BIA, Gilead Health, Skittles, Billy Bishop Airport, and Freddie Pharmacy

Myers says since the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the impact of the art piece is creating emotional ripples.

"I've heard back from members of the community, and we've cried in a different way — we've had a lot of joy in how this is changing things and making people feel welcome in a space that matters to them," he said.

"Pride means something different to everybody, but I hope when people walk along this rainbow, they walk a little bolder and a little prouder on how they want to accomplish their goals for Pride month this year and spread a message of joy and inclusion to the community around them," he said.

'Can I bring my Mario Karts': Reactions pour in

Social media users were quick to pour into the comment section of posts sharing the news, with reactions ranging from comical to supportive and some just plain against it.

Not everyone is onboard with the rainbow pathway, with some taking to social media to decry the cost going into the installation.

Others pointed to the fact that funds for the installation of the project could have been better allocated to groups currently struggling amid the affordability crisis sweeping the nation. SAME OLD, SAME OLD; BITCH BY A CHEAPSKATE

 

Privatization? Foreign investment? Canadian airports face an overhaul of their business model

CBC
Thu, May 30, 2024 

The federal government is looking at allowing pension funds and other groups to invest in certain parts of Canadian airports. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press - image credit)


When WestJet's CEO openly criticized the federal government recently for hiking air travel fees, it wasn't that unusual. Airline and airport executives have long grumbled about all the fees charged to passengers when they buy a ticket.

It's no secret that air travel in Canada is expensive compared to the rest of the world. Airports are a big piece of that.

Beyond lamenting those costs, though, Alexis von Hoensbroech went further by calling for a broad range of changes to how Canadian airports are funded and operated. His demands, if successful, could ultimately lead to a revamp of air travel in the country and open the doors to partial or full private ownership of airports.

Still, experts caution, the eventual impact on airfares may be minimal.

The desire for cheaper tickets is what's motivating von Hoensbroech, who pointed to the recent demise of WestJet's discount brand Swoop. The executive said fees and taxes make it too difficult to offer bargain prices.

Currently, all the mandatory costs for an average one-way domestic ticket are $88, the airline said, up from $76 in 2019. The fees include taxes, security charges, airport fees and so on.

WestJet is calling for the federal government to freeze the fees, permanently stop collecting rent from airports across the country, and — most importantly — conduct a full review of how airports are funded and operate.

There are many different models for how airports operate and it's worth considering what could work in Canada, said von Hoensbroech.

"We are just asking for a study and not proposing what the actual changes should look like because there will be many different ways of fixing this," he said to journalists in Calgary last week.

There is a need to modernize the airport model in Canada, says WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. There is a need to modernize the airport model in Canada, says WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. (Mike Symington/CBC)

The demands come at a time when the federal government is willing to listen.

"We'll continue to work with our partners to attract more investments in Canadian airports, so that millions of passengers can continue to pass through their doors every year," said Laurent de Casanove, press secretary to Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez.

"Canadians work hard and save up to travel. They expect to leave on time, and they expect good service from airlines. This should be their top priority," she said.

New investment

In the recent federal budget, the government outlined how it wants to explore allowing private investment into Canadian airports. The investment could possibly come from pension funds or other groups, such as sovereign wealth funds.

"What has to happen, in my opinion, is a whole new governance structure for airports," said John Gradek, an industry analyst and co-ordinator of the aviation management program at McGill University.

"The airlines are pressuring the government and I think it's working," he said in an interview with CBC News. "They're rethinking the business model and we'll probably see an announcement within the next couple of months about how that model should change and whether there's another source of funding that can be put into the play."

John Gradek is an aviation expert with McGill University. The federal government is listening to airlines about making changes to airports, says John Gradek, an aviation expert at McGill University. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

This week, the Competition Bureau also announced it will study Canada's airline industry in response to increasing ticket prices, mounting customer complaints and rising market concentration.

Since the 1990s, medium- and large-sized airports across the country have operated as not-for-profit organizations and rely on a user-pay model. Those airport authorities have long-term leases and pay rent to the federal government, which owns the properties.

The airports pay up to 12 per cent of revenue to the federal government, which now totals more than $400 million in a typical year.

Financial considerations

Calgary's airport paid about $50 million last year to the federal government. If the government decided to no longer collect rent, the money could be used for other expenses, including paying down the airport authority's $3.3 billion in debt.

Calgary Airport Authority chief executive Chris Dinsdale recently ran the privately owned airport in Budapest airport and is well aware of different operating models.

At Canadian airports, the challenge is to increase the level of service, reduce the fees and still turn a profit.

"These are difficult hurdles to cross," said Dinsdale, describing the rent payments as a big drain on finances. "I don't know what the solution is."

In the U.S., nearly all airports are owned by state or local governments.

Comparing Canadian airports to the rest of the world can also be tricky, considering the country's population and geography.

"Would I be in favour of privatizing the Calgary airport? Personally, no. Based on what I see in my own airport, I don't think we need such a model. But it's a good conversation to have," Dinsdale said.

Faces of native Canadians appear on a "YYC" sign at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alta., Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. Calgary International (YYC) is the busiest airport in Alberta and the third-busiest in Canada by passenger traffic. Most major Canadian airports, including Calgary's, are carrying billions of dollars in debt. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

The idea of privatizing airports has been previously promoted in Canada as a way to increase competition while providing a financial boost for federal coffers by selling the properties.

But there are challenges too — including the uncertainty of whether it would improve service or lower ticket costs.

While airlines grumble about mandatory fees and taxes, they also pass on charges that impact the affordability of air travel.

The federal budget highlighted how a family of four flying across the country can be charged nearly $500 extra because of airline fees that can include pre-booking a seat, checking a bag and using Wi-Fi.

For now, the federal government will start by looking at private investment in specific parts of an airport — like new gates or parking garages — but leaving the airport as a whole as a not-for-profit entity.

To build new infrastructure, airports borrow money and try to secure government grants. Partnering with a pension fund, for instance, may be useful if that organization has particular expertise to offer or if the airport already has too much debt.

Allowing outside investment would likely not reduce passenger fees, but would provide a new tool for airports looking to grow, said Monette Pasher, president of the Canadian Airports Council.

"What we do need to see is just more financial flexibility and more investment in our airports," said Pasher.

Broader changes — like more federal funding for airports and more airlines flying out of more cities —would be needed to have an impact on ticket fees and taxes, experts say.

"We need bigger airports in order to keep up with the growth and therefore add competition to our airline network across this country. I think the more we can do to bring competition, that's what lowers airfares," she said.

Quebec VFX, animation studios say province's tax credit cuts will hurt industry

CUTTING NOSE TO SPITE FACE

CBC
Thu, May 30, 2024 at 2:00 a.m. MDT·2 min read


Heads of VFX and animation studios held a news conference on Wednesday, saying tax credit cuts are hurting the industry. (CBC - image credit)


Visual effects and animation studios are sounding the alarm over impending tax credit cuts by the Quebec government which, they say, will put the province's status as an industry leader in jeopardy.

A news release, supported by more than 20 studios, was released Wednesday. It says the imposition of a 65 per cent cap on tax credits threatens thousands of jobs, the industry's global competitiveness and the province's economic growth.

"We actually have three big contracts that we lost," said Véronique Tassart, who works for Montreal-based Cinesite.


Studios argue that the tax break has been a key factor in attracting Hollywood productions.

"Some of the clients actually told us that when they did the calculations of the tax credit for a project, Quebec was the first," said Tassart. "Now it's not even on the map."

The VFX industry in Quebec had been experiencing a decade of growth. However, the strikes in Hollywood in 2023 led to mass layoffs.

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard says the province should not have the most competitive tax credit in the world.

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard says the province should not have the most competitive tax credit in the world. (Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC)

Nathalie Girard lost her job at Rodeo FX earlier this year following the announcement of the new tax measures.

She said she's concerned that these changes would severely impact Quebec's competitiveness. Consequently, she is now seeking employment opportunities abroad.

"The net effect is that it's nearly a 30 per cent cut in the visual effects tax incentives," she said.

The provincial government argues that the changes are necessary to save money. While the industry generated $8 billion for the economy last year, Quebec invested $226 million into the tax credit in 2018, a figure that is projected to rise to $440 million this year.

"Quebec should not have the most competitive tax credit in the world," said Finance Minister Eric Girard.

"The cost of these tax credits was increasing significantly over time. We want to contain the cost while remaining competitive with Ontario. The decision is made."

The new tax measures are set to take effect on May 31. Studio heads are urging the provincial government to postpone until next January to allow time for discussions and to explore alternative solutions.

"We are extremely worried about the future of our studio and the industry at large in Montreal," said Chloé Grysole, with Framestore Canada, in the news release.

"If the situation is not rectified quickly, Quebec's attractiveness to international producers and studios will decrease exponentially."

SASKATCHEWAN

Families of Humboldt Broncos crash victims say they're shocked after province relaxes some licensing rules

CBC
Thu, May 30, 2024

Scott Thomas's son, Evan, was killed in 2018 after the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team's bus collided with a semi truck. He said that he doesn't agree with the changes that have been made to relax licensing regulations for foreign workers in agriculture. (Chanss Lagaden/CBC - image credit)

The father of one of the victims of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash says he and other families of victims worked for years to get better regulations in place for foreign truckers — and a recent change by the Saskatchewan government is a step backward.

It's "the complete opposite of what we've been mandating for these last five or six years," said Scott Thomas.

His son, Evan Thomas, was among the 16 people killed in the April 6, 2018, crash, when an inexperienced truck driver went through a stop sign at a highway intersection near Tisdale, Sask., and into the path of a bus carrying members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.

Another 13 people were injured.

In the aftermath of the crash, the provincial government promised to change the rules for foreign workers driving trucks on Saskatchewan roads. They changed them in 2021, prohibiting all non-residents, including foreign workers, from driving on out-of-country Class 1 licences — the type of licence that allows driving a semi.

Now, however, the province has relaxed the rules for temporary foreign workers in the agricultural sector.

Documents obtained by CBC News reveal the province is allowing foreign agriculture workers from 40 countries to drive on their home country's licence for up to a year, until May 21, 2025.

Those countries include several European countries, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal and Taiwan.

Dustin Duncan, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance — which handles driver licensing in the province — confirmed the exemption was made to help the agriculture industry, which relies on foreign workers.

He said workers who come to Saskatchewan after working in the agriculture sector in the southern hemisphere don't have enough time to complete mandatory training to get a Saskatchewan Class 1 licence before seeding begins.

To get a Class 1 commercial licence, drivers in the province normally have to complete the more than 120-hour mandatory entry-level training, or MELT, program, which came into effect in 2019.

"We're trying to strike that balance with ensuring that we have a MELT program that is very rigorous, but also trying to balance that off with allowing for temporary foreign workers from a limited number of countries that we have reciprocal licensing agreements with," said Duncan.

Dustin Duncan, the minister responsible for SGI, says the province is trying to balance a 'rigorous' training program with allowing for temporary foreign workers to work in the agriculture sector. (Kirk Fraser/CBC)

But Thomas believes that anybody coming to the province should be held to the same standards.

"I think that opening the door to foreign drivers, just because some government perceived that [they're certified], is not enough. I think that opens a door and becomes a pretty slippery slope," he said.

Thomas said there should have been public consultation before the change was implemented, "whether that's [with] us specifically who lived through tragedies like that, or just the general public — because this is something that affects everybody."

The driver of the truck involved in the Broncos crash, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, was sentenced to eight years in prison for dangerous driving offences. Last week, the permanent resident was ordered to be deported to India.

'A step back': parent

Carol Brons is the Director of Safer Roads Canada, a non-profit that advocates for changes to Canada's commercial licensing system.

She is also the mother of Dayna Brons, the only woman who died in the Humboldt Broncos crash.

She also said the changes came as a surprise — one she finds concerning and disappointing.

"My biggest concern is that it is kind of a step back, in my eyes. I get that they're trying to bring in more workers because of the need, but at what cost is my question? At what cost to the public safety?" she said.

Carol Brons is the director of Safer Roads Canada. Her daughter, Dayna Brons, was one of the 16 people killed in the 2018 Broncos crash. (Sam Samson/CBC)

Brons said that driving rules and conditions not only vary from one country to another — they're not even the same within Canada.

"I think there should be some training — like mandatory training or testing at least, that they have to pass, or something just to prove that they are capable and prove that they understand the different rules" in Saskatchewan, she said.

She believes the province's changes won't make Saskatchewan roads any safer and could, depending on the driver, possibly make them more dangerous.

Brons thinks Saskatchewan's MELT program is a step in the right direction, but says it's only minimum entry-level training.

"It doesn't give you any real experience of driving the truck or semi-trailer. It doesn't give you any experience necessarily across Canada. For me, a graduated licence would be very important," she said.

Brons also wants to see a national Red Seal licensing system, which would get all jurisdictions to agree on certain regulations and set a standard across the country.

Humboldt Broncos families fight to keep Saskatchewan government named in lawsuit

The Canadian Press
Tue, May 28, 2024 




REGINA — Lawyers for several Humboldt Broncos families were in court Tuesday fighting a bid by the government of Saskatchewan to have it removed as a defendant in a lawsuit over the deadly bus crash in 2018.

The five hockey families are suing over the crash, alleging the province knew the rural intersection where the crash happened had problems with visibility but did nothing to fix it.

Sixteen people were killed and 13 were injured when an inexperienced truck driver went through a stop sign and into the path of the junior hockey team's bus at the intersection near Tisdale, Sask.

The government and the truck driver want to have their names struck from the suit.

The suit also names the bus company and the Calgary-based company that employed the truck driver.

The trucker, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, was sentenced to eight years in prison for dangerous driving offences. Last week, the permanent resident was ordered to be deported to India.

"The government and Mr. Sidhu ... they wish the claim to be struck and for this trial to never occur," lawyer Kevin Mellor told court.

"The facts, as we know, are so brutal we understand why they don't want a trial. But it's our submission today that a trial needs to be heard."

Mellor represents the families of four players — Jaxon Joseph, 20, of St. Albert, Alta.; Logan Hunter, 18, of St. Albert; Jacob Leicht, 19, of Humboldt, Sask.; and Adam Herold, 16, of Montmartre, Sask. — and assistant coach Mark Cross, 27, of Strasbourg, Sask. They were all killed in the crash.

Mellor said it's unconstitutional for the government to try to bar the families from taking the action with all defendants to trial.

He told Court of King's Bench Justice Graeme Mitchell that the government hasn't even filed a statement of defence in the last six years.

In a previous court notice, the government asked to be struck from the suit because Saskatchewan has no-fault insurance. That means a person receives comprehensive benefits no matter who’s responsible for a collision, but the right to sue for pain and suffering is limited.

Mellor said the government has been aware of the problematic intersection of highways 35 and 335 since 1997, when a family of six was killed in a crash there.

Eight months after the Broncos crash, a safety review of the intersection found a stand of trees obstructed the view of drivers. The trees were removed and rumble strips were added.

"If the government had simply designed and constructed and maintained the highway ... the bus would have stopped regardless of what Mr. Sidhu had done ... and the Broncos would have lived," Mellor said.

Lawyers for the province had not yet addressed the hearing, which was scheduled to run until Friday. The judge was expected to reserve his decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2024.

— By Bill Graveland in Calgary

The Canadian Press

Poll suggests fighting Ottawa is a political winner for Danielle Smith and the UCP

IT'S WORKED SINCE THE DIRTY THIRTIES UNDER BIBLE BILL ABERHART AND SOCIAL CREDIT ONE PARTY RULE TILL 1970

CBC
Wed, May 29, 2024 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Ottawa last year. A new CBC News poll finds that standing up to the federal government matters a lot to Albertans who approve of the governing UCP. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press - image credit)


EDITOR'S NOTE: CBC News commissioned this public opinion research in April, leading into the first anniversary of the United Conservative Party's general election win last May. The poll offers insight into how Albertans feel about Danielle Smith's UCP government and the Opposition NDP.

As with all polls, this one provides a snapshot in time.

This analysis is one in a series of articles from this research.


Danielle Smith's critics often charge the Alberta premier's constant battle with Ottawa wastes time and resources, ignores federal benefits and even backfires.

But it works from a purely political perspective — keeping United Conservative (UCP) supporters happy — according to recent CBC News polling.

"There is a real close tie between being satisfied with how the UCP government is dealing with the federal government and liking the government," said Janet Brown, who conducted the survey for CBC News.

Using a statistical analysis that estimates the relationships between policy and supporting the government, CBC's polling data predicts what issues drive overall support for the governing UCP.

Imagine all the polling data flowing through statistical software simultaneously to mathematically sort out the most meaningful — or statistically significant — issues driving satisfaction with the provincial government. The modelling reveals which issues predict the overall approval of the UCP government.

Despite the sustained controversy surrounding invoking its contentious Sovereignty Act to beat back federal clean energy regulation, floating an unpopular Alberta-only pension plan and establishing a provincial police force, analysis of the polling shows that standing up to the federal government matters a lot in the minds of Albertans who strongly or somewhat approve of the governing UCP. After honesty, it's the second biggest issue predicting support for the UCP.

Smith's constant barrage against Ottawa is a winning issue with UCP supporters, helping the governing party keep the support it had among Alberta voters last May and underscoring the good news in the poll for the governing party.

Despite a modest approval rating of 4.5 out of 10 among Alberta voters, Smith's aggressive stance against Ottawa keeps her core supporters happy.

Historically, wrestling with Ottawa works

Alberta's political leaders have waged an unrelenting war on the federal government for generations, with the most effective premiers acting as "guardians against a marauding federal government."

This political posturing works because it turns the federal government into a scapegoat, hides provincial problems such as health care and sidelines the opposition.

The notorious National Energy Program (NEP) showdown over Alberta's energy wealth in the early 1980s sparked an upswing of Western separatism and a rancorous political battle between Alberta and the feds.

Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein was a proponent of equalization as a singular program, but he opposed equalizing other federal transfers based on need.

In battling with Ottawa, Smith is following in the steps of other Alberta premiers, including Ralph Klein. (John Ulan/The Canadian Press)

Ottawa wanted a piece of Alberta's oil wealth to help cushion the pinch of inflation.

But premier Peter Lougheed pushed back, cutting oil production by 15 per cent, tightening the supply to the rest of the country.

Fast-forward a quarter century. A different Alberta premier — this time, Ralph Klein — echoed Lougheed, telling the federal Liberals to keep their "hands off" Alberta's ballooning oil revenues.

Smith vs. Ottawa

The rinse-and-repeat cycle of Edmonton and Ottawa clashing over rights and resources persists today, with Smith making it the signature feature of her political rhetoric.

The radio call-in host turned politician came to power proclaiming, "We need less Ottawa in our lives."

While heralding the expansion of the federally owned Trans Mountain pipeline as a "game changer" that triples the flow of Alberta's oil to tidewater, critics have called out Smith for burying her thanks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in her public pronouncements.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary in March. Smith's constant barrage against Ottawa is a winning issue with UCP supporters. (Todd Korol/The Canadian Press)

On top of the UCP's Sovereignty Act, the centrepiece of Smith's attack on federal intrusion, the UCP introduced legislation this year to counter — even veto — deals Alberta municipalities strike with the federal government for money for transit and affordable housing.

Also this spring, the ruling UCP proposed plans to vet federal research grants to Alberta universities.

When the federal government announced plans last December to cut methane emissions from the oil-and-gas sector by three-quarters by 2030, Smith blasted the proposal as "dangerous and unconstitutional."

Earlier this month, the UCP similarly called changes to the federal Impact Assessment Act "unconstitutional," threatening to challenge the legislation in court.

While her critics decry Smith's supercharged, anti-Ottawa rhetoric, the CBC News poll suggests that UCP supporters like the premier's tough stance.

Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre rises in response to the Speaker asking him to withdraw language during Question Period, Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Ottawa.

Standing up to Ottawa becomes considerably more 'complex' for the UCP should Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's party win the next election. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Standing up to Ottawa is strongly correlated with overall support for the UCP. Voters who strongly or somewhat support the governing party's handling of Ottawa are 44 per cent more likely to approve of the government overall.

But Smith's heated rhetoric could be a disappointment to Albertans if, as polls suggest, Canadians fire Justin Trudeau's Liberals next year.

Bashing Ottawa works now — but might not in the future

Alberta conservatives tend to get a political boost from beating up on Ottawa when the Liberals run the federal government.

Polls suggest the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, is on track to win a majority.

The "menace becomes less menacing" with conservatives in charge in both Ottawa and Edmonton.

Alberta premiers such as Don Getty and Jim Prentice found it challenging to get Alberta voters to blame Ottawa for the Prairie province's sluggish economy with a conservative government in power federally.

Standing up to Ottawa becomes less politically potent potentially and considerably more "complex" for the UCP with a Conservative federal government, said University of Calgary political scientist Lisa Young.

"It will be interesting to see how the Smith government adapts to that change and whether they're able to maintain that sense that they are looking out for Alberta's rights when they don't have … the foil of Justin Trudeau in Ottawa," added Young.

If the polls are correct, Smith could face a Conservative prime minister for nearly two years before heading back to the polls in the fall of 2027.

The CBC News random survey of 1,200 Albertans was conducted using a hybrid method between May 1 and 15 by Edmonton-based Trend Research under the direction of Janet Brown Opinion Research. The sample is representative of regional, age and gender factors. The margin of error is +/- 2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. For subsets, the margin of error is larger.

The survey used a hybrid methodology that involved contacting survey respondents by telephone and giving them the option of completing the survey at that time, at another more convenient time, or receiving an email link and completing the survey online. Trend Research contacted people using a random list of numbers, consisting of 40 per cent landlines and 60 per cent cellphone numbers. Telephone numbers were dialed up to five times at five different times of day before another telephone number was added to the sample. The response rate among valid numbers (i.e., residential and personal) was 11.7 per cent.

Alberta UCP government limits debate on contentious bills, drawing Opposition anger

The Canadian Press
Tue, May 28, 2024 



EDMONTON — Alberta’s government is limiting legislature debate time to pass four controversial bills, a tactic the Opposition New Democrats say runs roughshod over the democratic process.

With the spring sitting set to wrap up this week, Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party government is passing motions to limit debate to one hour at each stage for the bills.

The NDP said Tuesday the tactic stifles elected members who won't have a chance to voice concerns from constituents about the proposed legislation.

Three of the bills have been characterized by critics, including rural municipal leaders, as an authoritarian power grab.

One would give the province the power to veto federal funding deals with cities, towns and universities, while another would give Smith’s cabinet authority to overturn local bylaws it finds unsavoury.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said the UCP is now pushing legislation through at a record pace.

She said the average time for debate on a bill under the NDP, and the UCP when Jason Kenney was in charge, has now dropped by half under Smith.

"She's using this legislature to consolidate power in her office."

A third bill will push provincial elections into the fall, instead of the spring, and gives more authority to the province to step in on local responses to emergencies like wildfires and droughts.

The fourth will pave the way for Smith to re-haul the public health-care system, the most expensive line in the budget, creating four new bureaucracies that report directly to her health minister.

"The consequences people will feel, and the more they feel the consequences, the more they will probably care about the fact that it was jammed through in a way that has made Alberta probably the least democratic jurisdiction in the Commonwealth," said Notley.

Among the four, the only bill the government has moved to change in response to feedback has still inspired an ad campaign against it.

Alberta Municipalities - the organization representing towns, cities and villages - confirmed Tuesday one billboard asking if Albertans were consulted on the bill is being displayed across the street from the legislature.

Government house leader Joseph Schow dismissed the Opposition's concerns, saying the NDP doesn't want to offer input on the bills and just wants them scrapped.

"The NDP has shown zero interest in helping us on legislation.”

The government used its majority in the house to reject a string of amendments proposed later Tuesday by the NDP.

However, Schow said there are other ways to get feedback from Albertans, including town halls.

"This isn't the House of Commons, we're not gonna give at least 40 hours of debate again. We're not going to let them hold it up," he said.

Schow also rejected the idea that public feedback was being ignored, even though every riding in Edmonton is represented by the Opposition.

"We have lots of stakeholders that we meet with regularly here in Edmonton, whether they support us or not," he said.

Since the UCP took power under Kenney in 2019, the special time limit has been invoked 54 times, compared to four times under the NDP’s four-year mandate.

The government is now on pace to use the power 18 times this session, since Smith won last year's election.

The legislature sitting is scheduled to finish Thursday, but it could see members break for the summer as early as Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press

Alberta UCP wraps spring legislature sitting marred by accusations of overreach

The Canadian Press
Wed, May 29, 2024 



EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government capped off the spring legislature sitting Wednesday after passing bills slammed by critics as an undemocratic power grab.

One proposed law, which would give the United Conservative Party government the ability to overturn municipal bylaws, passed debate in the house shortly before members adjourned for the summer.

Backlash from municipalities about the bill going too far spurred the UCP to make amendments and claw back a plan for cabinet to be able to quickly fire mayors and councillors.

When the bill officially becomes law, the government would have to call for a local recall vote.

The widespread criticism didn't stop with the amendments.

Municipal leaders have said the changes don’t provide guardrails to prevent the province from strong-arming municipal decision-making.

Alberta Municipalities launched on Tuesday an ad campaign against the bill, including a billboard near the legislature building.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver has defended the bill and pointed to a clause in it that would remove property taxes to incentivize affordable housing.

"It's a good bill," he said.

The fast pace of the final weeks of the sitting drew condemnation from Opposition New Democrats. They accused the government of ramming through four contentious bills as quickly as possible, limiting the opportunity of members to voice concerns from constituents.

The NDP said the government ran roughshod over the democratic process by using motions to limit debate time to one hour at each debate stage.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Smith, with the municipalities bill, is giving her government the ability to intimidate and bully any local officials who might stand up publicly against it.

“It doesn’t respect the democratic will of the people. This is a government that thinks that it can just make decisions on its own with no regard to the opinions of Albertans or, quite frankly, the truth,” Notley said.

Government house leader Joseph Schow defended the use of time limits, saying the Opposition has neither supported the bills nor offered constructive criticism.

"We got a lot of good bills through," Schow said of the UCP's first 12 months in office.

The last bill of the sitting to get the stamp of approval from UCP legislators later Wednesday would pave the way for Smith to restructure the public health-care system and create four new governing bureaucracies that report to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.

Legislation passed earlier this week would push provincial elections into the fall, instead of the spring, and give more authority to the government to step in on local emergency responses, like wildfires and droughts.

Another bill would give the province the power to veto federal funding for cities, towns and universities.

That bill has sparked concern the province will interfere with academic freedom and free speech from student and faculty groups.

The sitting came to a close against a backdrop of provincewide protests against the UCP, pushback from Pride groups over proposed rules for transgender youth and an NDP leadership race to replace Notley.

With NDP members set to choose a new leader June 22, Wednesday marked the last day Notley stood in the house as the leader of the Opposition.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

PRIVATE DAY CARE RULES ALBERTA

Low wages, no benefits, continue to plague Alberta's child-care system, critics 

CBC
Tue, May 28, 2024

Early childhood educators still receive wages lower than the living wage, and many lack access to pension and benefit plans. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press - image credit)

As Alberta continues to build out its spaces under the Canada-wide child-care system, there are increasing calls to improve compensation for educators who staff child-care centres.

In November 2021, the Alberta and federal governments signed an agreement aimed at bringing down the average fee parents pay for child care to $10 a day by 2026. The five-year deal included $3.8 billion in funding commitments from Ottawa.

Since then, the number of child-care spaces has expanded, but it has proven difficult for operators to find qualified staff to keep up with the demand.

Early childhood educators (ECEs), the majority of whom are women, earn wages close to or below what is considered the living wage in cities like Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray.

Level 1 ECEs, who make up 45 per cent of Alberta's child-care workforce, earn $19.43 an hour after the government's top-up of $2.64. Many ECE positions do not include benefits, paid sick days or a pension plan.

The low pay, and lack of opportunity for advancement, have either kept people from entering the field, or encouraged ECEs to leave. Experts say that needs to change to have the system work as intended where child-care centres are staffed by people trained in early childhood education.

Christopher Smith, associate executive director of the Muttart Foundation, which works to improve the early education and care of young children, said attracting and keeping a qualified workforce requires investment in those workers.

"If you have those educators churning, turning over rapidly, if you have those educators being stressed in their environments or worrying about their own financial well-being, what kind of quality care are they going to be able to provide for children and families?" Smith said.

Right now, educators can receive the same compensation in the food service or retail industries without requiring extra education or experiencing the stress of caring for children, Smith said.

"The ball is in the Alberta government's court," he said. "If you want to have a stable, secure, qualified workforce, then you need to invest in that work just as you would in any other sector of the economy."

No wage grid for Alberta ECEs

A recent report from Child Care Now, a national advocacy group, says Alberta and Ontario are the only two provinces that haven't enacted or committed to a wage grid. A grid lays out pay for each level of ECE which increase with each additional year of service.

The report also says that to help with retention, ECEs should receive non-salaried compensation such as benefits and pension plans.

Matt Jones, Alberta's minister of jobs, economy and trade, is responsible for implementing the province's joint agreement with the federal government.

Jones said his ministry is looking at the idea of a wage grid, but has not made a commitment to introducing one. He said hourly rates would have to be regionalized to take into account areas of Alberta with a higher cost of living, such as Fort McMurray.

He said the province wants to provide funding to operators which allows them to run their child-care centres and attract and retain ECEs by providing them adequate salaries.

"A one-size-fits-all approach is not going to work for operator funding and it's not going to work for ECE compensation because, as you can appreciate, each region of Alberta has a different labour market," Jones said.

Jones said he has been in discussions with his federal counterpart, Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds, about possible tweaks to the current federal-provincial child-care agreement.

Jones could not provide a timeline for when Albertans would see the cost-control framework that has been in the works for a couple of years.

A spokesperson for Sudds confirmed the talks are underway. Implementation of the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement between the federal and Alberta governments includes an increase in wages for child-care workers in addition to a reduction in parent fees, so it is up to the province to make that happen, she said.

Nova Scotia benefits and pension

How wages can go up while fees go down is a question day cares and the government are grappling with.

Last year, the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta proposed a wage grid to the province. The grid started an entry level 1 ECE at a wage of $20.20 an hour, increasing to $24.85 over seven years.

The salary ranges started at $42,016 and topped out at $51,688. The report said proposed wages would need to be updated as they were based on Alberta Labour information from 2019.

Amanda Rosset, chair of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta, noted that the current wage system is supplemented by government top-ups. She said ECEs don't view the top-up amount as a guaranteed wage, and the amounts are still too low in many areas of the province.

"We look at the living wage report, the average level of wages for ECE is is under in most regions throughout our province," she said.

Many ECEs don't have access to benefits and pension plans. Some daycares are able to offer them to their employees. Others don't.

Nova Scotia has introduced a pension and defined benefits plan for early childhood educators. ECEs can take the plans with them if they move to other child care centres in the province.

Smith, from the Muttart Foundation, said a similar plan in Alberta would help, as access to a pension and benefit plan isn't consistent.

"Why would we think it's OK to have one educator having no paid sick days a year, another educator having 10 [days], essentially doing the same job?" he said. "So we need to approach this on a much more public basis."

More costs to the system

But there are questions about where the money is going to come from.

Krystal Churcher, a daycare operator who is chair of the Alberta Association of Child Care Entrepreneurs, is a prominent critic of the national daycare plan.

She said Ottawa is giving provinces money to increase child-care spaces without a plan to ensure there are workers to staff them.

Churcher says she supports ECEs getting higher wages, and agrees that having a provincial benefits and pension could be advantageous in Alberta.

She is frustrated that a plan to increase workers and pay them better still isn't in place three years into the federal plan, She asks where the money is coming from.

"Are you going to reduce something in your centre to add higher wages for staff? And what is that going to be? Is that your food program? Is that your field trips?" Churcher said.

She said operators are getting only a three per cent increase to their funding this year, which doesn't account for rising rental and utility costs.

"We can't bleed out money any longer," Churcher said.

"We need the either the province to step up and support educators, or the federal government to realize that while it sounds wonderful to keep throwing money into this program to create spaces, if we don't have a solid workforce strategy to staff those spaces, they're absolutely useless."

Diana Batten, the NDP critic for children's services, said the provincial government needs to step up. She said Jones can take action immediately if he wanted to.

"The UCP government has had a long time, years, to set up this wage grid," she said. "It has not happened. There is no reason for this. The early childhood educators have been asking for it."

Alberta is failing to meet its own child-care inspection guidelines, documents show

CBC
Thu, May 30, 2024 

Sarah MacDonald's son was hospitalized during the E. coli outbreak in Calgary last September. She says she still has questions about how such a large and devastating outbreak could have occurred and wants to know what is going to change. (Helen Pike/CBC - image credit)


At a time when Canada is vastly expanding its child-care system, and just eight months after a major E. coli outbreak in Calgary child-care centres, an Alberta Health Services analysis shows the province is lagging in its rate of daycare inspections, falling far short of its guideline of at least two inspections per year at each of the province's licensed daycare centres.

The report, titled Safe Healthy Environments - Childcare Inspection Analysis and obtained under freedom of information, is worrying to the mother of a child hospitalized during last year's outbreak and concerning to public health experts who say the lag in inspection rates is putting kids at risk.

It shows 354 licensed daycares with food facilities did not see an inspection in the twelve months before March 18, 2024. That's just over 20 per cent of Alberta daycares with food services.


Of the 1,315 that were inspected, more than 40 per cent were cited for food handling or hygiene violations. The analysis was prepared by AHS Environmental Public Health and covers the dates from April 1, 2022, to March 18, 2024.

AHS working toward 1 inspection per year

The most common violations were food handling, cleaning and sanitation. The report notes that 97.4 per cent of child-care centres have a kitchen on site, while about 50 facilities obtain their food from a central kitchen.

"This is pretty bad inspection rates considering the sort of high-risk populations," said Keith Warriner, a professor of food microbiology at University of Guelph. He was particularly troubled by the rate of non-compliance, which often resulted in multiple follow-up inspections to correct problems.

Repeated critical food handling and sanitation violations at 145 facilities accounted for multiple health inspectors visits, according to the analysis.

"This tells me a lot of resources are dedicated to try and clean up messes which shouldn't have occurred and letting facilities get away with things before making the ultimate decision to shut them down," Warriner said.

While the province mandates two inspections per licensed daycare, AHS said in a statement to CBC News that it is still working toward meeting a minimum of one routine monitoring inspection of every childcare facility in Alberta, every 12 months.

The review period includes last September's E. coli outbreak in Calgary, which sickened 448 people and hospitalized 39 children and one adult.

The source of the illness was traced to a central kitchen supplying food to multiple daycare centres.

A review panel looking into the incident was expected to report its findings in April but has now been granted an extension by the government until the end of June to give the group more time to talk to parents.

'The system is not safe'

Sarah MacDonald, whose four-year-old son was hospitalized because of the E. coli outbreak, is troubled by the findings in the report.

"I have difficulty understanding why the safety of our children is not a priority," she said in an interview with CBC News.

"We were assured the system was safe, and I think the data is telling a different story. The system is not safe."

Sarah MacDonald's son, who was hospitalized during the massive E. coli outbreak last September, plays with toys in his Calgary home on May 22, 2024.

Though he's doing well now, MacDonald says her son will need to have his kidneys monitored for the foreseeable future. (Helen Pike/CBC)

MacDonald says her son spent three days in hospital, then suffered at home for another three weeks.

"He was afraid to eat food for a little while afterwards," she said, adding he was also traumatized by the needles and blood tests required for his treatment. "It was really difficult for him to understand."

MacDonald says her son is doing well now, but will need to have his kidneys monitored for the foreseeable future. She still has questions about how such a large and devastating outbreak of E. coli could have occurred in a kitchen serving 11 daycare centres.

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is caused by eating contaminated food and is often associated with bloody diarrhea. Most patients get better on their own, but children are at greater risk of complications. Eight of those hospitalized during the Alberta outbreak were required to go on dialysis.

"I want to know what is going to change," said MacDonald. "I want to know what the consequences are for these businesses, because I know my son has paid a very high price."

The kitchen providing meals to her son's daycare had been inspected 11 times before the E. coli outbreak, and new violations were detected on at least six of those visits, according to AHS inspection records, which show it was also cited for three critical violations in its first inspection after the outbreak was detected.

The source of the September 2023 E. coli outbreak in Calgary, which sickened 448 people and hospitalized 39 children and one adult, was traced to a central kitchen supplying food to multiple daycare centres, including six locations of Fueling Brains daycare centres, Alberta Health Services said in a statement at the time.More

The source of the E. coli outbreak, which sickened 448 people and hospitalized 39 children and one adult, was traced to a Calgary central kitchen supplying food to multiple daycare centres, including six locations of Fueling Brains daycare centres, Alberta Health Services said in a statement at the time. (CBC)

Alberta Health Services wrote in an email to CBC News that the role of public health inspectors is to identify hazards and provide education and direction. It said inspectors work to correct violations through ongoing communication and reinspection.

AHS says it has not issued any fines or prosecutions.

Alberta has about 200 public health inspectors responsible for ensuring safety at a wide range of facilities including long term care, restaurants, food trucks, shelters, public housing, nail salons, tattoo parlours and child-care centres.

High-risk population

The former manager of food safety at Toronto Public Health reviewed key elements of the analysis for CBC News. Jim Chan raised flags about rates of inspection and non-compliance.

"The number of child-care centres that have not been inspected for the full year is quite high," he said.

Jim Chan, the former manager of food safety at Toronto Public Health raised flags about inspection rates and non-compliance rates in Alberta child-care centres after reviewing key elements of a provincial analysis for CBC News, noting that child-care centres in Ontario that serve food receive a minimum of three inspections per year.More

Jim Chan, the former manager of food safety at Toronto Public Health raised flags about inspection rates and non-compliance rates in Alberta child-care centres after reviewing key elements of a provincial analysis. He noted that child-care centres in Ontario that serve food receive a minimum of three inspections per year. (Craig Chivers/CBC)

"To me that is a very crucial type of risk," he said, noting that child-care centres in Ontario that serve food receive a minimum of three inspections per year.

He also found Alberta's 44 per cent non-compliance rate in 2023 to be high compared with Toronto, where he says he sees a rate of nine to 10 per cent in a given year.

"That can be a risk to the clients, which in a daycare are very young. Very young and very old can be classed as a high-risk population."

Concerns about cutting corners

Concerns about inspections come at a time when Alberta's child-care system is seeing a massive expansion.

The federal government is pouring $3.8 billion into lowering daycare costs and adding 68,700 new spaces in Alberta by 2026.

The number of children attending daycare in Alberta has already soared by about 35 thousand since 2021, according to the province.

The added demand coupled with lower fees paid to operators under the federal plan is placing a lot of pressure on the daycare business, according to Sarah Hunter, the owner of The Imagination Tree, a Calgary daycare.

Her centre is filled to capacity at 95 children. Though she says she takes care to ensure that her centre follows proper food handling procedures, she worries others may not as budgets become increasingly tight.

Sarah Hunter, the owner of the Imagination Tree, is pictured at the Calgary daycare centre on May 23, 2024. Though she says she ensure her centre follows proper food handling procedures, she worries others may not as budgets become increasingly tight.

Sarah Hunter, the owner of the Imagination Tree daycare in Calgary, says that though she ensures her centre follows proper food handling procedures, she worries others may not as budgets become increasingly tight. (Helen Pike/CBC)

She says problems will arise when centres are desperate to stay in business.

"You're gonna cut corners wherever you have to cut them," she said in an interview. "So if that involves not meeting regulation on some days, maybe that's what you're … forced to do."

"To run a clean, organized, well-staffed quality program costs money, and it costs a lot of money."

The double whammy

Mike Parker, the head of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta representing health inspectors in the province, worries that his members can't keep up.

"We don't have the inspectors on the streets today to do the work," he said.

According to the most recent annual report from AHS, the total number of food safety inspections has fallen by about fifteen thousand per year since 2018.

Parker says the problem is a growing number of facilities to inspect, coupled with demands to reinspect some places multiple times.

"That's the double whammy," he said. "Our members are stretched, trying to get to as many as they can."

"Our kids are vulnerable to this when we can't ensure their safety."

Despite those concerns, the federal government says it's satisfied with the province's rollout of the new daycare plan.

Shortly after announcing more federal money for inclusive child care in Edmonton on May 16, federal Minister of Employment and Workforce Development Randy Boissonnault, told CBC News he had no issues with Alberta's approach to inspections.

"I'm confident in the safety of kids and the province doing what it needs to do to make sure that kids are safe."

In a written statement to CBC News, AHS said it was still working through a backlog of inspections resulting from the pandemic.

AHS also notes it has made substantial efforts to identify central kitchens that provide food to multiple child-care facilities in Alberta.

After initially agreeing to speak with CBC News, Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange cancelled on Wednesday. Her office said she would provide written responses to questions.

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BABA CARE