logo
Quebec schools may close Monday amid incoming heatwave

Quebec schools may close Monday amid incoming heatwave

CTV News22-06-2025
Education Minister Bernard Drainville during question period on May 6, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissino)
Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville has instructed school service centres across the province to implement measures to mitigate the effects of the incoming heatwave on Monday.
In a post on social media, the minister said schools should close if necessary. 'Several school service centres are in action,' he wrote.
Drainville also shared a letter from assistant deputy minister Stéphanie Vachon, which reiterated his message.
'We understand that many of you have already shared recommendations from your regional public health authorities with school administrators,' Vachon wrote. 'In this context, we encourage you to implement any preventive measures you deem necessary to ensure the safety of all.'
Humidex values are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius over the next several days.
'Given the exceptional nature of this situation, the Ministry will demonstrate the necessary flexibility regarding the obligation to provide 180 days of educational services. We trust you will make the best decisions in the interest of both students and school staff,' she added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dangerous surf conditions continue in Prince Edward Island National Park
Dangerous surf conditions continue in Prince Edward Island National Park

CTV News

timean hour ago

  • CTV News

Dangerous surf conditions continue in Prince Edward Island National Park

Greenwich Beach is pictured in the Prince Edward Island National Park. (Natalie Lombard/CTV Atlantic) Parks Canada has issued a bulletin warning of dangerous surf conditions in Prince Edward Island National Park. Surf conditions varied from dangerous to moderate on Monday. Tuesday's bulletin warns of dangerous conditions throughout the park. The bulletin says rip currents may form along the shore due to high winds and surf conditions. Entering the water is not currently recommended and people are asked to follow surf guard instructions. 'Rip currents are a hazard on PEI beaches and form when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach. One of the ways this water returns to sea is by forming a rip current; a narrow stream of water moving swiftly away from shore. The danger is when swimmers become trapped in the rapid current and are swept offshore,' the bulletin reads. Parks Canada shares the following tips if you get caught in a rip current: Stay calm, attract attention and conserve energy. Tread water, waves can assist you back to shore. Swim parallel to shore out of the current, toward the breaking waves. Updated surf conditions can be found on the PEI Now section of the Parks Canada website. More information can be found by calling (902) 672-6350. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.

'Dire situation' in Sunnyside as water supply dries up
'Dire situation' in Sunnyside as water supply dries up

CBC

timean hour ago

  • CBC

'Dire situation' in Sunnyside as water supply dries up

The taps have run dry in Sunnyside, and the small Newfoundland town has declared a state of emergency. Residents of the municipality, located near Come By Chance, were warned of low water levels in the reservoir at the beginning of August. There was nothing left by Sunday morning — no running water to any houses in the community. "We have residents who have lived here all their lives – like 70 years – and have never seen this happen before," said Sunnyside Deputy Mayor Wanda Simmonds. Coun. Derrick Marsh said town workers and volunteers were charging the mains so they could pump water from a nearby stream into the reservoir. Meanwhile, residents relied on bottled water. One case of water per household Sunnyside's emergency status helped the town access government funding. The first purchase was 500 cases of water, said Simmonds. "A case of water per household," she said. The town also set up a sanitation depot at the Sunnyside Recreation Centre with 1,000-litre water totes. Residents could bring containers to fill with water for basic sanitation purposes, but not for drinking. Mayor Roger Snook called it a "dire situation." "This is unbelievable," he told CBC News on Monday. Bed and breakfast adapts It wasn't easy to accommodate guests with the town out of water, but Sarah Tickner said she was doing what she could. Tickner owns Sunnyside of Life Bed and Breakfast. When she heard the reservoir was getting low, her husband gathered the equipment needed to pump enough water to flush the toilets. She told CBC the panic started to set in over the weekend when water stopped coming out of the faucets. She immediately called her guests. The business owner said her patrons cooperated with the situation and showered before they arrived, but Tickner said more must be done. "Where [are] our government officials?" she asked. "They've left it to councillors." The Sunnyside town council delivered water to people who couldn't pick it up themselves, and people from nearby towns offered to help. Tickner said just because the community was eager to help one another doesn't mean they were fine on their own. "We appreciate everything the council is doing, but this isn't their problem completely. This is a much bigger problem," she said. "I think there just needs to be a whole other resolution to this."

Crews guard against flare-up of Vancouver Island wildfire after rainfall
Crews guard against flare-up of Vancouver Island wildfire after rainfall

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Crews guard against flare-up of Vancouver Island wildfire after rainfall

BC Hydro shared this image of damage to its poles and power lines caused by the Mount Underwood wildfire. PORT ALBERNI — Crews fighting an out-of-control wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C., say they are taking advantage of recent rainfall to guard against the blaze flaring up again. In a video message posted on its Facebook page, the BC Wildfire Service says there are 144 personnel working on the Mount Underwood blaze and they're starting to 'mop up' areas at the fire's perimeter by extinguishing hot spots. Mount Underwood fire operations chief Kiah Allen says the goal is to prevent future flare-ups that can create spot fires outside the perimeter once drier and warmer weather returns later this week. The fire measured at more than 36 square kilometres has triggered evacuation orders and shut off power, telecom and the main road access to nearby Bamfield, B.C. Environment Canada has again issued a special air quality statement for parts of Vancouver Island, saying that localized smoke from Mount Underwood may 'periodically' affect Port Alberni and other nearby communities. Rain over the weekend has helped douse wildfire activity across B.C., with the number of active blazes down to about 60. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2025.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store