logo
Ontario to provide ice storm recovery funding for businesses, municipalities

Ontario to provide ice storm recovery funding for businesses, municipalities

Yahoo19-06-2025
The Ontario government says it's introducing two financial assistance programs to help municipalities and businesses recover from a severe March ice storm.
The storm in late March left nearly 400,000 homes and businesses with power outages and damaged property as freezing rain covered parts of Ontario in layers of ice.
The province says it will launch two one-time financial assistance programs to help with ice storm recovery, including one to help municipalities pay for emergency response and cleanup costs such as clearing fallen trees.
The other program will provide up to $5 million for small businesses, small farms and not-for-profit organizations to pay for storm-related cleanup and essential repairs not covered by private insurance.
The province did not specify how much money it has set aside for the programs, but said final amounts for business assistance will be based on the number of applicants and eligible costs, while municipal funding will be based on the eligible emergency response and recovery costs.
The province says eligible businesses and municipalities will have until Oct. 31 to apply for the funding.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
The Canadian Press
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron Leaves $5.1B Unit For Waabi's AI-First Driverless Trucks: 'Most Positioned To Lead The Transformation'
Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron Leaves $5.1B Unit For Waabi's AI-First Driverless Trucks: 'Most Positioned To Lead The Transformation'

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron Leaves $5.1B Unit For Waabi's AI-First Driverless Trucks: 'Most Positioned To Lead The Transformation'

Uber Freight founder and CEO Lior Ron is leaving the top job to become chief operating officer at self-driving truck startup Waabi, Bloomberg reports. Ron, who built Uber's (NYSE:UBER) freight and logistics unit into a $5.1 billion business, will lead Waabi as it works to launch fully driverless trucks in Texas before the end of this year. According to TechCrunch, Ron's move comes as autonomous freight technology nears commercial viability, and Waabi prepares to scale operations against deep-pocketed rivals like Aurora, which has already launched the first driverless trucking route in the U.S. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) veteran Rebecca Tinucci, who TechCrunch says spent six years building the automaker's charging network, will replace Ron as head of Uber Freight after Tesla cut its charging staff last year. Ron will remain chair of Uber Freight while taking on his new role at Waabi, Bloomberg reports. Don't Miss: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — Bill Gates Warned About Water Scarcity. Ron and Raquel Urtasun Reunite to Drive AI-First Autonomy to Market Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun told TechCrunch that Ron will lead go-to-market strategy, expand key partnerships, and bring Waabi from its current development stage to "commercialization at scale." She pointed to his track record of scaling Uber Freight from inception to a multibillion-dollar revenue operation as proof that he can guide Waabi through its next phase. Ron and Urtasun share a history in the sector, TechCrunch says. Ron co-founded self-driving truck company Otto, which Uber acquired in 2016, while Urtasun served as Uber's chief scientist for self-driving research between 2017 and 2021. Ron said his decision to join Waabi was driven by timing and the scale of opportunity in autonomy, telling TechCrunch, "If the most impactful thing to do in the next decade is autonomy, and if the timing is right, then for me it's really about joining forces with who I think is most positioned to lead the transformation." Ron described the career shift as "like going back to the roots" in an interview with Bloomberg. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Inside Waabi's $287.7M AI-First Platform and Virtual Test World Founded in 2021, Waabi has raised $287.7 million, including a $200 million Series B in 2024 led by prominent investors, such as Uber and Khosla Ventures. Urtasun told TechCrunch the company's "AI-first" approach allows it to develop and validate self-driving systems with fewer resources and in less time than competitors. Central to Waabi's development is Waabi World, a closed-loop simulator that trains and tests its self-driving software by generating real-time scenarios, including accidents and construction zones, without physical risk. According to TechCrunch, earlier this year, Waabi declared its system "feature complete," meaning it had all the necessary capabilities to operate without a human driver and was now focusing on performance improvements and validation ahead of its driverless launch. The company plans to begin operations in Texas, which TechCrunch says has become a hub for autonomous freight testing and deployment, but has not disclosed the specific routes or launch partners. Waabi is collaborating with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to build custom autonomous trucks for its Lior Ron Says Freight Operators 'Could Not Wait' For Waabi's Depot-To-Door Driverless Trucks Ron told TechCrunch that demand from freight operators is strong, noting that chief supply chain officers and major carriers he met at Uber Freight "could not wait" for self-driving trucks. He added that Waabi's trucks will be able to drive directly to customer depots, avoiding the need for costly transfer terminals, and will deliver a "commercial-ready solution" for operators looking to integrate autonomy quickly. With Aurora's public market funding and head start on commercial routes, TechCrunch says that Waabi's leadership is betting that its leaner, AI-driven approach will help it compete and scale faster in the race to lead autonomous freight in the U.S. Read Next: In a $34 Trillion Debt Era, The Right AI Could Be Your Financial Advantage — Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron Leaves $5.1B Unit For Waabi's AI-First Driverless Trucks: 'Most Positioned To Lead The Transformation' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Air Canada flight attendants to defy back-to-work order, remain on strike: union
Air Canada flight attendants to defy back-to-work order, remain on strike: union

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Air Canada flight attendants to defy back-to-work order, remain on strike: union

Air Canada flight attendants will defy the back-to-work order and remain on strike after the federal government ordered binding arbitration to end the work stoppage, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) told Radio-Canada on Sunday. CUPE said in a statement that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to "negotiate a fair deal." "We will be challenging this blatantly unconstitutional order that violates the Charter rights of 10,000 flight attendants, 70 per cent of whom are women, and 100 per cent of whom are forced to do hours of unpaid work by their employer every time they come to work," it said in a statement. Air Canada and a Canadian government spokesperson were not immediately available for comment. Earlier this morning, the Montreal-based airline announced it planned to resume flights starting Sunday evening, a day after the Canadian government issued a directive to end a cabin crew strike that caused the suspension of around 700 daily flights, stranding more than 100,000 passengers. "I don't think anyone's in the mood to go back to work," Lillian Speedie, vice-president of CUPE Local 4092, told CBC's News Network at a picket line outside Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga on Sunday. "To legislate us back to work 12 hours after we started? I'm sorry, snowstorms have shut down Air Canada for longer than we were allowed to strike." WATCH | Federal government steps in to resolve Air Canada labour dispute: The federal government moved to order the airline and its flight attendants back to work on Saturday, less than 12 hours after the strike and lockout took effect. The union has accused federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu of caving to Air Canada's demands. Air Canada said Sunday it had been directed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to resume operations and have flight attendants return to their duties by 2 p.m. ET. It said the CIRB had ordered the terms of the collective agreement between the union and the airline that expired on March 31 be extended until a new agreement is reached. CUPE announced early Saturday that its members were heading to the picket lines after being unable to reach an 11th-hour deal with the airline, while Air Canada locked out its agents about 30 minutes later due to the strike action. Air Canada relies on government help: labour expert Steven Tufts, associate professor and labour geographer at York University, says Air Canada has become dependent on the federal government to solve its labour-relations issues. He mentioned last year's dispute between the airline and the pilots' union. Air Canada asked for the government to be ready to step in before the two sides reached a tentative agreement in September 2024. "[Air Canada] tried to get the government to intervene with pilots last year," Tufts told CBC News Network. "Air Canada has to learn not to call mommy and daddy every time they reach an impasse at the bargaining table. They have to actually sit down and get a deal done with their workers." Earlier this week, Air Canada asked Hajdu to order the parties to enter a binding arbitration process. But intervention was something she resisted until Saturday afternoon, when she said it became clear the two sides were at an impasse. CUPE maintained it opposed arbitration, instead preferring to solve the impasse through bargaining. It said her decision "sets a terrible precedent." "The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada's refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted," the union wrote in a statement Saturday afternoon. The two sides are set to return to the table this week. The union accused Air Canada of refusing to bargain in good faith due to the likelihood of the government stepping in and imposing arbitration. It has said its main sticking points revolve around wages that have been outpaced by inflation during its previous 10-year contract, along with unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air. CUPE announced it is calling a national day of action and will have demonstrators outside of the Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary airports this morning. Flights by Air Canada Express, operated by third-party airlines Jazz and PAL, were not affected. The airline says customers whose flights were cancelled and did not travel or accept a refund will be notified and provided with a new itinerary.

Wildfire that forced hundreds to flee on Vancouver Island now under control
Wildfire that forced hundreds to flee on Vancouver Island now under control

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Wildfire that forced hundreds to flee on Vancouver Island now under control

A wildfire burning northwest of Nanaimo that had forced hundreds to flee is now under control, while crews are making progress on another blaze southwest of that city. The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) announced Saturday evening that crews made significant progress in fighting the Wesley Ridge wildfire burning on the north banks of Cameron Lake, about 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo in southeast Vancouver Island. Firefighters are still in the area patrolling and extinguishing hot spots, according to the BCWS. In total, the fire burned nearly six square kilometres of land and was previously listed as being held. At its peak, nearly 400 properties were under evacuation order due to the fire, and hundreds more were on evacuation alert, which meant residents had to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Mount Underwood fire still burning As of 7:20 a.m. PT on Sunday, there are 75 wildfires currently burning in British Columbia, four of which are out of control. One of those is the Mount Underwood fire burning just south of Port Alberni, B.C., which is further south of the Wesley Ridge blaze. The Mount Underwood fire grew aggressively after it was first detected last Monday, and currently covers an area of 36 square kilometres, burning around eight kilometres south of Port Alberni. That community has been on edge since the fire first started, but officials said Saturday that the fire received more than 30 millimetres of rain on Friday, and fire activity had been reduced as a result. Evacuation orders and alerts are still in place related to the fire, including the order for the China Creek campground and the alert for parts of the Cameron Heights neighbourhood on the southern edge of the City of Port Alberni. The fire has cut off access to the remote community of Bamfield south of Port Alberni, as well as knocked out power to 500 B.C. Hydro customers in the area. On Saturday, the utility said it began work to restore power, but said full repairs could take up to two weeks. The provincial power provider said the work will include replacing 56 power poles and 70 spans of power line – roughly 20 kilometres in total.

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