Weather on the Road: Bluesfest
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CTV News
5 minutes ago
- CTV News
'A festival loved by so many': Toronto City Councillor reacts to Taste of Danforth cancellation
Toronto Watch The Taste of the Danforth has been cancelled for a second year in a row, this time with no explanation as to why. CTV's Allison Hurst has more.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Number of bear warnings, closures in Alberta's Kananaskis Country rises due to bumper berry crop
A sign warning of a bear in the area is shown in Squamish, B.C., Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amy Smart According to Alberta Parks, the number of bear warnings and area closures in popular parts of Kananaskis Country is now at 17, an increase of three in a single day. A statement from the Ministry of Forestry and Parks says, 'The prime time for bear activity is from May until October. In July and August, bears are focused on eating as many buffalo berries as they can. This year's crop is much more abundant than it has been over the past several years.' Derek Ryder, a wildlife ambassador with Bow Valley WildSmart, says the berry bushes are found in abundance along the trails. 'It's an edge-loving plant,' he said. 'It lives on the edge of trails, on the edge of day-use areas, on the edge of campgrounds, on the edge of roads — on the edge of everything. And that's exactly where the bears are. It is also exactly where the people are.' One of the areas under a bear warning is in Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, which is in Kananaskis Country. A warning has been in place there since June 26, but Ryder says bear sightings and encounters have been especially active in the past week. 'We've had multiple bluff charges in the last couple of days. There's been half a dozen or more bear spray deployments in Kananaskis Country this week,' he said. 'It's bear after bear after bear. They're all over the place. Black bears and grizzly bears.' Ryder says the bumper berry crop is largely due to weather. 'We had a great amount of rain, but we also had warmth at the right time. And there's also a bit of cyclicality to berry growth — and it just is one of those years. Perfect storm.' Around this time of year, bears will eat about 200,000 berries a day. Due to the increased activity, Ryder and his team have been deployed to the Canmore Nordic Centre to educate people using the trails. Pam Ellenberger, from Edmonton, and her cousin Josy Clarke, visiting from England, are hiking the Grassi Lakes Trail, which currently has a bear warning in place. They stopped by Ryder's booth to learn more. 'This is really important, especially for tourists who don't live here or are knowledgeable. This is very important — that they are aware of what the risks are,' said Ellenberger. Alberta Parks advises people to do the following when on trails: Make noise Travel in groups Be aware of surroundings Watch for signs of bear activity Keep pets on a leash Carry bear spray — and ensure it's easily accessible These are the precautions Howard Mah and his wife say they will now take every time they visit the backcountry, after a frightening grizzly bear encounter in July in Kananaskis Country. 'It was quite frightening and traumatizing, to be honest.' Mah says the bear followed them for a while and lunged at them a couple of times before eventually leaving the trail after he made loud noises. 'You know, my life did kind of flash before my eyes. And I'm thinking, you know, what do I do if he charges?' Ryder says that if people do encounter a bear, they should stop, talk to the bear in a loud voice, and move slowly — not run. 'That creates what's called the pursuit reflex. And because you ran, you're going to get chased. Because that's what prey does.' The Forestry and Parks ministry says it is always looking for new and innovative ways to improve human-wildlife coexistence, including through aversive conditioning — a strategy used since 2000. In a statement, the ministry said: 'Aversive conditioning uses humane techniques like noise, approach and projectiles to reduce human-bear conflicts by teaching bears to be wary of humans and avoid facilities.'
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
African Descent Festival cancelled after Vancouver Park Board refuses permit over 'unresolved' issues
Social Sharing Organizers say the African Descent Festival 2025 has been cancelled after the Vancouver Park Board refused to issue a permit, citing unresolved issues from past events. The two-day cultural celebration, which would have marked its 11th year, was scheduled for this weekend at English Bay Beach Park. The festival typically features music, dance, food and cultural performances celebrating people of African descent and draws tens of thousands of attendees. In a statement Friday morning, the Park Board said the African Descent Society B.C. "did not meet the required planning, safety, and financial obligations in time to support a safe and permitted event at English Bay Beach Park." It said the society has "outstanding financial obligations" to both the Park Board and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) from previous events, and that while a multi-year repayment agreement was recently reached, it was too late to allow for proper planning this year. Park Board staff said they offered to relocate the festival to Thornton Park, the site of previous editions, or postpone it to allow for preparation, but both options were declined. Without a permit, the board said, any gathering at English Bay Beach Park would be "unpermitted and unsanctioned." Organizers dispute Park Board's decision Festival coordinator King Solomon told CBC News that crews were stopped from setting up at the beach on Friday morning. "They did not let the tent companies and other production companies install and do the setup," he said. Solomon said the "unresolved" matter referenced by the park board relates to public safety and policing resources for the event. "They asked us to arrange a settlement plan with the police. We did and we even paid a deposit, but they went ahead and now cancelled our event," he said. The festival typically receives about $15,000 to $20,000 in provincial funding, along with a $15,000 grant from the City of Vancouver. But organizers say the city grant wasn't made available this year because of outstanding payments to the VPD. CBC News reached out to VPD for clarification but was redirected to the park board. According to the VPD's website, policing for major events is staffed by officers working overtime, with costs covered by event organizers. The department says it handles between 1,200 and 2,200 events annually, including festivals, parades, concerts and construction-related closures. "Our public image as organizers has been assassinated," Solomon said, adding that in previous years the festival has taken place "without any major issues" and "zero incidents." Serafim Joe Fortes, Vancouver's first lifeguard and a pioneering Black resident of the city. "We want the festival here for that legacy." He said this year's event was expected to draw more than 40,000 people and 150 vendors, and that nearly $1 million had already been invested.
