DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ A Dusty Fast-Food Costume Sets Off a Very Canadian Bidding War
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Lauren Mccarthy | More About Lauren Mccarthy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“There’s nothing like it, there really isn’t,” he said. Mr. Robinson, 35, is among dozens of people who have placed bids on an adult-size donair costume that is being auctioned off by the provincial government of Alberta in what has become an unlikely demonstration of the Halifax-born street food’s growing popularity across Canada. Bidding for the costume opened on July 14 at 50 Canadian dollars, or about $38. By Wednesday, bidders had pushed the price to just over 16,000 Canadian dollars, or roughly $12,000, with weeks to go before the online auction ends on Aug. 14. Mr. Robinson, a co-founder and owner of Blowers and Grafton, a chain of restaurants with six locations in Alberta that specializes in “authentic Halifax street food,” said he was willing to pay that much, or more, for the suit.

Persons: Josh Robinson, ”, Robinson Locations: Halifax , Nova Scotia, pita, Alberta, Halifax, Grafton

The market for e-bike delivery has grown dramatically in the past few years. Here's how startups, delivery companies, and city governments are improving safety. The explosion of delivery startups and e-bikes in the past few years has led to a new type of boom: increasing battery fires. "E-bike batteries are made up of a bunch of small batteries stacked together," Charlie Welch, ZapBatt's cofounder and CEO, said. JOCOOther startups, such as Popwheels, are engineering safe batteries that are compatible with the e-bikes delivery drivers already own.

Persons: —, Uber, Ravindra Kempaiah, Michael Pecht, Brian O'Connor, O'Connor, Charlie Welch, ZapBatt's, Welch, Jonathan Cohen, Grubhub, Jonathan A, Cohen, David Hammer, Hammer, Baruch Herzfeld, they've, We've Organizations: Bloomberg, Zen Electronics, University of Maryland, Fire Protection Association, UL Solutions, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, UL Locations: New York City, New York, Halifax , Nova Scotia, China, Carlsbad , California, Brooklyn , New York

[1/3] People embrace as they stand near damage to a road, after the heaviest rain to hit the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia in more than 50 years triggered floods, in Ellershouse, West Hants Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada July 23, 2023. REUTERS/John Morris/File PhotoOTTAWA, July 24 (Reuters) - Two of the four people missing after floods ripped through the Canadian Atlantic province of Nova Scotia over the weekend are dead, Premier Tim Houston said on Monday. The floods washed away roads, swamped buildings and damaged bridges and a Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO) track connecting with Halifax, Canada's fourth-largest port. Canadian National has already restored much of the damaged infrastructure, but some repairs will be delayed until the flood waters recede, company spokesman Scott Brown said. "With supply chains the reality is the longer the disruption lasts, the more severe the impact is," he said by phone.

Persons: John Morris, Tim Houston, Houston, Scott Brown, Lane Farguson, Farguson, David Ljunggren, Nia Williams, Aurora Ellis, Grant McCool Organizations: Atlantic, Ellershouse , West, Ellershouse , West Hants Regional, REUTERS, OTTAWA, Canadian, Monday, Police, Canadian National Railway, Canada's, Canadian National, U.S . Midwest, Thomson Locations: Atlantic Canadian, of Nova Scotia, Ellershouse ,, Ellershouse , West Hants, Ellershouse , West Hants Regional Municipality , Nova Scotia, Canada, Canadian Atlantic, Halifax, Europe, Asia, Ottawa, British Columbia

☆ Nova Scotia wrestles with aftermath of devastating floods
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Water flows through a washed-out culvert on the main CN Rail line which leads to the port of Halifax, after the heaviest rain to hit the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia in more than 50 years triggered floods, in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada July 23, 2023. Nigel Gloade/Millbrook First... Read moreJuly 23 (Reuters) - The Atlantic Canada province of Nova Scotia began cleaning up on Sunday after torrential rainfall caused devastating flooding, while the search continued for four people including two children who went missing during the deluge. CBC meterologist Ryan Snoddon said it was the most rain to hit the provincial capital Halifax since Hurricane Beth in 1971. The resulting floods washed away roads, weakened bridges and swamped buildings, in what Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston described as "unimaginable damage"Nova Scotia declared a province-wide state of emergency late on Saturday night that will last until Aug. 5. Nova Scotia Power's outage map showed just over 5,000 customers were without electricity on Sunday, down from around 80,000 at the height of the storms.

Persons: Nigel Gloade, Read, CBC meterologist Ryan Snoddon, Hurricane Beth, Tim Houston, Nia Williams, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Atlantic, CBC, Hurricane, Nova, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Thomson Locations: Halifax, Atlantic Canadian, of Nova Scotia, Truro , Nova Scotia, Canada, Millbrook, Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia, British Columbia

CNN —Three months’ worth of rain over the course of one day has flooded the Canadian province of Nova Scotia since Friday night, inundating streets, forcing evacuations and leaving at least four people missing – including two children. “We have had biblical proportions of rain over the night and into the day,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said Saturday. A man wearing chest waders walks past cars abandoned in floodwaters in a mall parking lot in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday. Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press/APNorthern and eastern Nova Scotia are expected to see more rain Saturday night, while the forecast predicts rain in the central, western and southern areas will ease, officials said. “It came fast and it came furious.”Much of central Nova Scotia has seen severe flooding that deluged roads, forced water rescues and left “significant” property damage Saturday, Houston said.

Persons: “, Mike Savage, Premier Tim Houston, Houston, ” Houston, Darren Calabrese, ”, Kelly Ash, Savage, Fiona, Justin Trudeau, ” Trudeau, Nova, Nova Scotians Organizations: CNN, Halifax, Canadian Press, AP, CNN Canadian, CBC, Twitter, Houston, Nova Scotians Locations: Canadian, of Nova Scotia, Halifax, East Hants, West Hants, Lunenburg, Queens, Premier, Halifax , Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia, Houston

☆ Nova Scotia says dam could breach, tells residents to get out
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, July 22 (Reuters) - Torrential rains lashing the Canadian Atlantic province of Nova Scotia threatened to overwhelm a dam on Saturday and caused major damage in parts of Halifax, the largest city. The province's emergency office said a dam near the St. Croix River system could breach and told local residents to evacuate immediately. The alert covers a large part of central Nova Scotia. "Dam overflow - Evacuation order for the St. Croix river system area. Dam at risk of breaching," the province's emergency management office said in a message sent to cellphones.

Persons: Mike Savage, Bill Blair, David Ljunggren, Daniel Wallis Organizations: OTTAWA, St, Twitter, Federal Emergencies Management, Environment, Thomson Locations: Atlantic, of Nova Scotia, Halifax, St, Croix, Nova Scotia, Environment Canada, Canada, United States

OTTAWA, July 22 (Reuters) - The heaviest rain to hit the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia in more than 50 years triggered floods causing "unimaginable" damage, and four people are missing, including two children, officials said on Saturday. "We have a scary, significant situation," said Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, adding that at least seven bridges would have to be replaced or rebuilt. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in Halifax, the largest city in Nova Scotia, and four other regions. [1/7]Rescue personnel operates, in this video screengrab, in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada, July 21, 2023. Early on Saturday, authorities in northern Nova Scotia ordered residents to evacuate amid fears that a dam near the St. Croix River system could breach.

Persons: Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, Houston, Justin Trudeau, Mike Savage, Ryan Snoddon, David Ljunggren, Daniel Wallis, Richard Chang, Paul Simao Organizations: OTTAWA, Atlantic, Nova, Nova Scotia Premier, Authorities, Rescue, Halifax, Environment, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, Thomson Locations: Atlantic Canadian, of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia, Toronto, Ottawa, Canada, United States, Halifax, Bedford , Nova Scotia, Houston, Environment Canada, St, Croix

Unlike the U.S., where home buyers can snag a 30-year mortgage, Canadian borrowers must renew their mortgages every five years at the prevailing interest rates. MORTGAGE DELINQUENCIES LOWLatest data released during the quarterly earnings showed mortgage delinquencies for all banks were low. Of the big six banks in Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO) and National Bank of Canada (NA.TO) do not offer mortgage extensions, meaning the payment owed by the consumer goes up for each hike the BoC announces. Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO), CIBC (CM.TO) and TD Bank (TD.TO) each allow for negative amortization as rates rise. So it is working counter to what the Bank of Canada is trying to accomplish," Briggs added.

Persons: Greg Taylor, Desjardins, Mike Rizvanovic, Rizvanovic, Darcy Briggs, Briggs, Nivedita Balu, Josie Kao, David Gregorio Our Organizations: TORONTO, Bank, Purpose Investments, Bank of Nova, National Bank of Canada, BoC, RBC, Scotiabank, National Bank, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, TD Bank, Desjardins . Royal Bank of Canada, BMO, Franklin Templeton, Bank of Canada, Thomson Locations: U.S, Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, Franklin Templeton Canada, Toronto

☆ ‘Moonshine’ Review: CW’s Knockabout Nova Scotia Dramedy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Peter MacNeill in ‘Moonshine’ Photo: Michael Tompkins/Entertainment OneThe kernel of the conflict stirring the mixed nuts of “Moonshine” is that hippies had kids. Ken and Bea Finley-Cullen ( Peter MacNeill and Corrine Koslo ) have for years operated the ever-so-ramshackle Moonshine lake resort in fictional Foxton, Nova Scotia, where they reared their barefoot brood and watched them grow into various varieties of delinquency. Statistically, one of the many kids was bound to turn out “normal,” and the rest of the sibs resent her. It is a clever concept for a dysfunctional family dramedy, despite its echoes of “The Munsters.”

Persons: Peter MacNeill, Michael Tompkins, Ken, Bea Finley, Cullen, Corrine Koslo Organizations: Entertainment Locations: Foxton , Nova Scotia

☆ Smoke will keep pouring into the US as long as fires are burning in Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Massive fires burning in remote areas – like some of those currently burning in northwestern Quebec – are often too out of control to do anything about. Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images Smoke from wildfires in Canada shrouds the view of the Statue of Liberty on Friday in New York. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Smoke and haze is seen from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, June 27. Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images Smoke from Canadian wildfires obscures the visibility in Pittsburgh on June 8. Another issue is the increase in the wildfires are caused by climate change, and are simultaneously making climate change worse.

Persons: ” Robert Gray, you’ve, they’re, “ There’s, don’t, ”, Daniel Perrakis, ” Gray, Shiraaz Mohamed, Gray, “, ” Perrakis, Ed Jones, David Dee Delgado, Gary Hershorn, Haze, Gene J, Jim Watson, Megan Smith, Kamil Krzaczynski, Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Drew Angerer, Shannon Stapleton, Ronald Reagan, Saul Loeb, Matt McClain, Emmalee Reed, Hannah Beier, Mandel Ngan, New York City, Timothy A, Clary, Mike Segar, John Minchillo, Shanita Hancle, Seth Wenig, Matt Rourke, Ting Shen, Matt Slocum, Amr Alfiky, John Meore, Leah Millis, George Washington, Peter Carr, Yuki Iwamura, Kareem Elgazzar, Carlos Osorio, Frank Franklin II, Merrily Cassidy, Spencer Colby, Jason Rock, BJ Fuchs, Anne, Sophie Thill, we’ve, it’s Organizations: CNN, Canadian Forest Service, Firefighters, Getty, ” “, Nature Conservancy, Rockefeller Center, North, Corbis, PNC Park, Major League Baseball, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Traffic, Chesapeake, Lincoln Memorial, USA, People, Canadian Forces, Reuters, BC, Service, Xinhua, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Capitol, Trade, AP Transit, T, Alberta Wildfire, New, New York City, Getty Images Workers, Citizens Bank, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Empire, George Washington Bridge, New York State Thruway, Cincinnati Enquirer, Cape Cod Times, Anadolu Agency, Canadian Press, AP, Wildfire Service, Communications, Space, NASA, Reuters Firefighters, Kamloops Fire Rescue, Shining Bank Locations: Wisconsin, Vermont, North Carolina, Canada, Quebec, Canadian, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, France, AFP, New Jersey, Manhattan, New York, North America, New, Pittsburgh, Stevensville , Maryland, Washington ,, Chicago, Lake Michigan, Mistissini, Ronald Reagan Washington, Arlington , Virginia, Washington, Philadelphia, Elmont , New York, Baltimore, Evansburg , Alberta, Brooklyn , New York, Piermont , New York, Fort Lee , New Jersey, George, West Nyack, New York's, New York City, Cincinnati, Rock Harbor, Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Ottawa, Fort Nelson, Shelburne County , Nova Scotia, Communications Nova Scotia, Shelburne , Nova Scotia, Fort St, John, Kamloops, Shining Bank , Alberta, Lytton

Variable rate mortgages in Canada typically require borrowers to make regular payments in fixed amounts. WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF MORTGAGE AMORTIZATION EXTENSION? Both banks had no variable-rate mortgages with amortizations greater than 30 years prior to the start of rate hikes. If interest rates stay high over the next few years, as the central bank has warned, it raises questions about customers' ability to service bigger than anticipated debt at higher rates during renewals. The big banks said most customers are able to cope with higher interest rates as they had passed a rigorous stress test to handle higher interest rates.

Persons: Royce Mendes, Carolyn Rogers, OSFI, Nivedita Balu, Fergal Smith, Steve Scherer, Denny Thomas, Conor Humphries Organizations: TORONTO, Statistics Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, CIBC, Bank of Nova, National Bank, Bank of Canada, BoC, Thomson Locations: Canada, United States, Bank of Nova Scotia, amortization, Toronto, Ottawa

☆ As Canada's wildfires intensify, recruiting firefighters is tougher
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

That's roughly 2,500 firefighters short of what is needed, said Mike Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia and wildfire specialist. "It's hard work, it's hot work, it's smoky work, and there are real issues with health impacts longer-term," Flannigan said. Applications were down in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and Alberta had to do several rounds of recruitment to fill its ranks, officials said. As more wildfires threaten communities, provincial agencies are also increasingly leaning on structural firefighters to help protect homes. Since 2009, Canada has been spending more on fighting and suppressing wildfires than on maintaining its firefighting personnel and program.

Persons: Mike Flannigan, Flannigan, Scott Tingley, Rob Schweitzer, Ken McMullen, David Ljunggren, Ismail Shakil, Denny Thomas, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Reuters, Thompson Rivers University, Nova, Wildfire, BC Wildfire Service, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Emergency Preparedness, Thomson Locations: BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada, Yukon, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Canada's, Manitoba, Lithuania, Quebec, Ottawa

☆ Total solar eclipse: What to expect during the 2024 event
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Sky-gazers across North America are in for a treat in 2024 when a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The last total solar eclipse visible from the US occurred on August 21, 2017. During a total solar eclipse, the sky will darken as it would at dawn or dusk, and there are several stages of the eclipse that sky-gazers anticipate. The total solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Mexico, Canada and more than 10 US states, while the partial solar eclipse is expected to appear in 49 states — weather permitting. A map shows the path of the annular solar eclipse in October in yellow circles and the 2024 total solar eclipse in blue circles.

Persons: Aubrey Gemignani, NASA That’s, It’s, Prince Edward Island, Ross, Bill Ingalls, you’re, ”, Kelly Korreck, “, Carla Thomas, Joel Kowsky Organizations: CNN, NASA, Astronauts, Space Station, NASA Armstrong, Research, Gulfstream, Amateur, Telescope Locations: North America, Mexico, United States, Canada, Madras , Oregon, Ocean, Texas , Oklahoma , Arkansas , Missouri , Illinois , Kentucky , Indiana , Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York , Vermont , New Hampshire, Maine, Ontario, Quebec , New Brunswick, Prince, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Central, South America, Oregon, Texas, Gulf, Oregon , Nevada , Utah, New Mexico, California , Idaho , Colorado, Arizona, Belize, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, Natal, Brazil, Ross Lake, Northern, Washington

☆ Rescuers race against time to find the missing sub in the Atlantic bound for the Titanic site
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time early Tuesday to find a missing submersible carrying five people on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic. OceanGate's expeditions to the Titanic wreck site include archaeologists and marine biologists. Gallo identified Nargeolet, a friend who has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, on Tuesday during an interview with CNN. OceanGate hired the Polar Prince to ferry dozens of people and the submersible craft to the North Atlantic wreck site. CBS journalist David Pogue, who went on the trip last year, noted his vessel got turned around looking for the Titanic.

Persons: Mauger, NBC's, John Mauger, David Concannon, John's, Concannon, OceanGate, Hamish Harding, Harding, Mark Butler, Butler, Victor Vescovo, Mariana, Richard Garriott de Cayeux, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman, Allah, Paul, Henry Nargeolet, David Gallo, Gallo, David Pogue, Pogue, Mike Reiss, Alistair Greig, submersibles, Greig Organizations: Discovery, U.S . Coast Guard, OceanGate Expeditions, Authorities, Rescue Coordination Center, Rescuers, Polar, Canadian Boeing, Twitter, U.S, Lockheed, The Associated Press, AP, Coast Guard, United Arab, Action Aviation, World Records, Shepard, The Explorers, SETI Institute, CNN, CBS, University College London Locations: Nova Scotia, British, St, John's, Newfoundland, Canadian, Bahamas, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, California, Virginia

Those aboard the submersible called Titan, the highlight of a tourist expedition that costs $250,000 per person, included British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood with his son Suleman. The wreckage of the Titanic that sank in 1912 after hitting an iceberg lies at about 12,500 feet (3,810 metres). OceanGate Expeditions, the private company that operates the submersible, said it was "mobilizing all options" to rescue those aboard the Titan. Reuters GraphicsBILLIONAIRE ABOARDThe expeditions to the Titanic start in St. John's, Newfoundland, before heading out about 400 miles (640 km) into the Atlantic to the wreckage site, OceanGate's website says. Harding's stepson later wrote on Facebook that Harding had "gone missing on submarine" and asked for "thoughts and prayers".

Persons: Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood, Suleman, Paul, Henri Nargeolet, John Mauger, Harding, Dawood, Joseph Ax, Kanishka Singh, Ismail Shakil, Edmund Blair, Janet Lawrence Organizations: Discovery, U.S . Coast Guard, Stockton Rush, Expeditions, Twitter, Reuters Graphics, Action Aviation, Facebook, Engro Corporation, SETI, Thomson Locations: Nova Scotia, Canada, U.S, ., Cape Cod, St, John's, Newfoundland, UAE, California, Britain, Washington, Shahid, Karachi

☆ Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Smoke billows upwards from the Donnie Creek wildfire (G80280) south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 11, 2023. Wildfire Service/Handout via REUTERSOTTAWA, June 12 (Reuters) - Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. "If you look at western Canada, it's completely covered by the smoke and that continues into Tuesday," federal meteorologist Gerald Cheng told reporters on Monday. "The risk for smoke is very high because the winds are really transporting the smoke throughout Alberta today and even into Tuesday." (Click here to read what health experts say about wildfire smoke.)

Persons: it's, Gerald Cheng, Cheng, Anita, Ismail Shakil, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS OTTAWA, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, TC Energy, Health, U.S ., Canadian Defence, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Netherlands, Europe, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Edson, Edmonton, McMurray, U.S . East Coast, Alberta , Nova Scotia, Ottawa

☆ I'm a female firefighter who had to work twice as hard for the same opportunities given more readily to men
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Melissa Petro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Even though I work hard to keep my physical fitness a priority, I'm a smaller person. But in the beginning, I pushed myself and worked especially hard for the same opportunities more readily given to men. As a volunteer, the job responsibilities are the same as a paid deputy fire chief. Being a firefighter takes a lot of hard work and hard hoursBut all of that effort you put in makes it that much more rewarding. He's been a volunteer firefighter for 23 years, and he got hired to a full-time career position almost 18 years ago (so he is a paid firefighter as a day job and a volunteer firefighter on his days off).

Persons: Justine Mabey, —, I've, I'm, isn't, it's, We've, He's Organizations: Service Locations: Nova Scotia, Canada

☆ Wildfires burn across Canada with little relief in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 8 (Reuters) - Forest fires continued to burn across Canada on Thursday as the country endured its worst-ever start to wildfire season, forcing thousands of people from their homes and sending a smoky haze billowing across U.S. cities. Hundreds of U.S. firefighters arrived in Canada to help and more were on their way. "These fires are affecting everyday routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality," Trudeau said on Twitter. Smoke-forecasting website BlueSky Canada showed wildfire smoke spreading across much of the country on Thursday. Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bill Blair, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Rob Schweitzer, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Twitter, BC, Thomson Locations: Canada, U.S, Quebec, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Pacific, British Columbia, Ottawa, Toronto, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, United States, New York

☆ From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, Wildfires Spread Across Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Dan Bilefsky | Vjosa Isai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The danger of wildfires, which over the past few weeks have stretched from British Columbia on the west coast to Nova Scotia, nearly 2,900 miles away in the east, was brought home on Tuesday to the political heart of the nation. A thick haze hovered over Parliament Hill and the soaring Gothic Revival building that houses Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada said that hundreds of soldiers were deployed across the country to help with firefighting efforts. Bill Blair, the emergency preparedness minister, told reporters last week that over the month of May an area of roughly 2.7 million hectares, or about 6.7 million acres, of forest in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and the Northwest Territories had been scorched. “The equivalent of over 5 million football fields has burned in Canada so far this year,” he wrote on Twitter.

Persons: Hill, Justin Trudeau, Mr, Trudeau, Bill Blair, ” Organizations: Northwest, Twitter Locations: Canada, United States, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ottawa, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia , New Brunswick, Ontario, Northwest Territories

☆ Canada on track for its worst-ever wildfire season
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Smoke billows upwards from a planned ignition by firefighters tackling the Donnie Creek Complex wildfire south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 3, 2023. OTTAWA, June 5 (Reuters) - Canada is on track for its worst-ever year of wildfire destruction as warm and dry conditions are forecast to persist through to the end of the summer after an unprecedented start to the fire season, officials said on Monday. "The rate of increase of area burned is also high ... if this rate continues, we could hit record levels for area burned this year," he said. "Over the last 20 years, we have never seen such a large area burned so early in the season," said Yan Boulanger, a researcher with Natural Resources Canada. "Partially because of climate change, we're seeing trends toward increasing burned area throughout Canada."

Persons: Michael Norton, Norton, Yan Boulanger, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS, Natural Resources, Flames, Wallbridge Mining Company, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, OTTAWA, Quebec, Atlantic, of Nova Scotia, Natural Resources Canada, Alberta, United States, Ottawa

☆ BA, BBC and Boots caught up in file transfer hack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BA, the BBC and Boots said the breach occurred at their payroll provider, Zellis. The provincial government of Nova Scotia, in Canada, was also hit by the breach. The data from Zellis and the Nova Scotia government was exposed through their use of the MOVEit file transfer software, both organizations said in separate statements. The Nova Scotia government did not immediate return a request for comment. Boots, part of Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O), said the attack had included some of its employees' personal details.

Persons: Boots, Zellis, Nova, Colton LeBlanc, MOVEit, extortionists, Raphael Satter, Sarah Young, Muvija, Eva Mathews, Paul Sandle, Bill Berkrot Organizations: British Airways, BBC, Nova, Security, Digital Solutions, IAG, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Progress Software, Microsoft, Reuters, Britain . British Airways, Thomson Locations: Nova Scotia, Canada, Zellis, Britain, Washington, London, Bengaluru

[1/6] Aerial view of the wildfire in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, Canada in this social media handout image released May 31, 2023. Nova Scotia Government/Handout via REUTERSMONTREAL, June 2 (Reuters) - A coastal city in Quebec ordered some 10,000 residents to evacuate homes on Friday as wildfires spread in eastern Canada and stretched firefighting resources already tackling blazes across the country. Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year the eastern province of Nova Scotia is reeling from its worst-ever wildfire season. In another eastern province, Quebec, Premier Francois Legault has urged people to avoid spending time in forests over the next few days. Canadian armed forces have been helping fight fires in western Canada since early May and troops were sent to Nova Scotia on Thursday.

Persons: Bill Blair, Blair, Francois Legault, Stephane Lauzon, Justin Trudeau, Mateusz, Allison Lampert, Ismail Shakil, Nick Macfie Organizations: Nova, Nova Scotia Government, REUTERS, Emergency, Thomson Locations: Shelburne County , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, REUTERS MONTREAL, Quebec, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec , New Brunswick, Polish, Ottawa, United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Poland, Montreal

☆ Nova Scotia: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Smoke rises from a wildfire in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 28, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. HOW UNUSUAL ARE WILDFIRES IN NOVA SCOTIA? Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring. Weather forecasts show a period of cooler, wetter air is moving into Atlantic Canada on Friday, providing much-needed relief. The Weather Network's longer-term forecast expects Nova Scotia temperatures to be slightly warmer than normal for the rest of the summer.

Persons: Bill Blair, Michael Carter, Ellen Whitman, Whitman, Nia Williams, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Public Safety, Atlantic Canada, Halifax, Weather Network, Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic, Thomson Locations: Hammonds Plains , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Nova, Acadian, Nova Scotia's, Halifax, Hurricane, Atlantic Canada, North America

☆ Explainer: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern Nova Scotia province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Canada sends military to help battle blazes in Nova Scotia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Smoke from the Tantallon wildfire rises over houses in nearby Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 28, 2023. Nova Scotia is battling two large fires that are threatening communities on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Halifax. The armed forces would provide equipment and personnel to relieve firefighters "who have been working tirelessly around the clock to protect communities right across Nova Scotia", Blair said. The federal government sent the military to Alberta last month to help battle blazes there and Canada is also getting help from other countries. Some 800 U.S. firefighters have come to battle the blazes, mostly in Alberta, with another 100 are scheduled to arrive in Nova Scotia over coming days, officials said.

Persons: Eric Martyn, Bill Blair, Blair, Justin Trudeau, Steve Scherer, Anirudh Saligrama, Sharon Singleton, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, OTTAWA, CBC News, CBC, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Bedford , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Alberta, Quebec, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

Search resuls for: "Scoţia"

25 mentions found