Latest news with #NiagaraFalls
CBC
10 hours ago
- General
- CBC
This man evacuated his family of eight from the Manitoba wildfires
Raging wildfires have forced thousands of people from their homes in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Some in Manitoba were evacuated as far away as Niagara Falls, Ont., for shelter, including William Thomas. He talks to Hanomansing Tonight about evacuating his family of eight from Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba. Chief David Monias also touches on the 'frustrating' efforts to get people out of the community to safety.
National Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Porter Airlines First-Ever Hamilton Flights Taking Off to Halifax and Vancouver
Article content HAMILTON, Ontario — Porter Airlines is celebrating new coast-to-coast air service, with inaugural flights connecting Hamilton to Halifax and Vancouver taking off today. Both routes operate with daily nonstop roundtrip service. Article content Flights are operated with Porter's 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which means there are no middle seats on any flight. Porter's distinct approach to economy air travel features free, fast WiFi, and complimentary beer, wine, and premium Canadian snacks for everyone. Article content Choosing a PorterReserve fare is an option for travellers looking for an all-inclusive experience. Fresh, healthy meals, enhanced legroom at the front of the aircraft, dedicated check-in and security, and two checked bags, are just some of the perks available. The same options are offered in PorterClassic seats for passengers who prefer to individually select what matters most to them. Article content The Hamilton region, situated between Toronto and Niagara Falls, is growing in popularity with sports fans, concert goers and foodies alike. Travellers can take in the 100+ waterfalls along picturesque hiking trails and easily connect to Ontario's renowned wineries. Known as the gateway to Niagara Falls, Hamilton is the perfect getaway for couples, families and friends. For business travellers, daily direct flights to and from the region make it easier and more convenient than ever to attend meetings, conferences and events. Whether it's a quick trip or a longer stay, Porter's growing network ensures a seamless journey. The start of service aligns with the completion of terminal enhancements at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. From curb to gate, passengers will enjoy an enhanced guest experience with expanded curb canopies, a refresh of terminal interiors from check-in counters to gate seating, new digital signage, lighting upgrades, and architectural and design finishes that create a local sense of place. Article content Daily flights connecting Hamilton with Calgary (YYC), and Edmonton (YEG) begin June 11. Article content Porter is the only airline with comprehensive schedules at all three major airports in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area. The downtown convenience of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, combined with the North American reach of Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Hamilton International's local appeal gives travellers throughout the Golden Horseshoe a range of choices to meet their travel needs. Article content 'Our emphasis on providing genuine service for everyone who travels with us is an important distinction for Hamiltonians that for too long haven't received the elevated experience they deserve. We believe the community will appreciate the ability to fly closer to home and we see significant opportunities to expand our network across North America from YHM. The new terminal renovations are impressive and they will have a great impact on the overall travel experience.' – Andrew Pierce, vice president, network planning and reporting, Porter Airlines Article content 'We are delighted to welcome Porter to Hamilton International. The enhancements we've made to the passenger terminal significantly elevate the travel journey for our guests. Porter's elevated economy service and on-board experience are a perfect fit for the stress-free, convenient airport experience we offer Hamiltonians and travelers coming to enjoy the best of our region.' – Peter Tong, CEO, TradePort and Vantage Group Article content 'We're pleased to welcome Porter Airlines' new non-stop service between Halifax and Hamilton. This route enhances connectivity between Atlantic Canada and southern Ontario, offering travellers greater convenience and flexibility. We're proud to support Porter's continued growth in our region and the opportunities this new service brings for both leisure and business travel.' – Marie Manning, vice president business development & chief commercial officer, Halifax International Airport Authority Article content 'We are excited to welcome Porter Airlines' new daily, non-stop service between Hamilton and Vancouver, just in time for the summer travel season. Both cities offer incredible opportunities to explore nature, with Vancouver's beaches and mountains and the more than 100 waterfalls within the Niagara Escarpment. This new service provides another important access point between Central Canada and the West Coast, giving our travellers even more choice and connection.' – Russ Atkinson, director, air service development, Vancouver International Airport Article content Article content Article content Article content Media: Article content Article content Article content
CBC
16 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Fleeing wildfires, hundreds from Manitoba First Nations settle into Niagara Falls hotels
As wildfires burn out of control near their communities, hundreds of Manitoba First Nations residents have been put up in hotels in Niagara Falls, Ont. — for some around 1,800 kilometres away from their homes. For Pimicikamak Cree Nation resident Stevie Muskego, who "never really left the reserve" before, travelling so far away has been "kind of strange" and "very stressful." Speaking in Niagara Falls Monday, Muskego told Radio-Canada he's unsure how long he'll have to stay in Ontario and is taking things day by day. "What can you do?" he said, adding he's grateful for the support he's received thus far. "I'm very scared for my community," Muskego said, also mentioning the three dogs and two cats he had to leave behind. But staying home wasn't safe. He arrived in Niagara on Sunday, a journey that involved several days of travelling to a few communities along the way. More than 17,000 people are being forced from their homes in parts of Manitoba due to the fires, with mandatory evacuations in place for communities including Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage and Pukatawagan. The Manitoba government declared a provincial state of emergency last week. Kurtis Ferland, an evacuee from Pukatawagan, told CBC News he could only bring one bag of his belongings as he left home with thick smoke in the air. "Everything else can be replaced," he said. "Just lives. That's the only thing. Family can't be replaced. So hopefully everyone gets out of there. There's still lots of people out there." Sheena Garrick, a volunteer supporting Pimicikamak evacuees, told Radio-Canada that due to the number of people displaced, there's no more room in Manitoba, hence the need to go to Ontario for shelter. Garrick is from Pimicikamak herself. She said many evacuees were skeptical about coming to Niagara Falls because things were chaotic in Winnipeg, but she thinks they'll be better served in Ontario. About 90 people from Pimicikamak, also called Cross Lake, travelled to Niagara Falls Sunday, Garrick said. Overall 250 evacuees were set to be settled in the Niagara Falls area Sunday, with several hundred more expected to have flown in Monday, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) — which represents northern Manitoba First Nations — said on its Facebook page Sunday. Niagara Falls, which has a population of about 94,000 per the 2021 census, is a popular tourist destination. Its tourism website says the city has 12,000 guest rooms. In recent years its hotels were home to another group of displaced people. In 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada housed thousands of asylum seekers in Niagara Falls, using 1,500 to 2,000 rooms in March 2023 out of over 3,500 across Canada. On Monday, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati told CBC News helping evacuees is "the Canadian thing to do." "Because of our big inventory of hotel rooms, you know, we're happy that we can do our part and play Team Canada," he said, adding the city is preparing to possibly house thousands of people. Diodati said the evacuation is federally funded but the municipality will do its best to make evacuees feel welcome. "We'll do our part making sure they've got some great attractions, passes and access to whatever amenities that they need." In a statement, MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee praised evacuation efforts in Ontario, saying "this is the level of coordination we strive for in Manitoba," and "the level of respect our members deserve while they are dealing with a very traumatic experience." First Nations and provincial governments working with risk management company Indigenous leaders in Manitoba have accused the federal and provincial governments of poor communication and slow responses to resource requests. MKO is partnering with risk management company Xpera, which specializes in evacuations. Xpera vice president Robert Garland told CBC News his company has contracts with Ontario and Manitoba. He said they came to Niagara because it has the capacity to handle an influx of people, and "a strong history of Indigenous support." Evacuee Danner Francois told Radio-Canada having to evacuate quickly was scary and he worries about his house burning down. But now that he's in Niagara Falls, he said he feels better. "It's peaceful now. I feel a lot safer — no fire, no smoke." WATCH | Manitoba can use 'every water bomber we can get our hands on,' Premier Wab Kinew says: Manitoba can use 'every water bomber we can get our hands on,' Kinew says 15 hours ago Duration 1:09 Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says the province has received 'amazing' assistance in its fight against wildfires, adding Canada will have to contend with future fire seasons being more like this, 'which means scaling up our firefighting capability.' Speaking to reporters Monday, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said about 1,000 hotel rooms will open in Winnipeg to house evacuees. The province had 25 active wildfires as of Sunday, including eight considered out of control. Kinew said fighting multiple wildfires in the western provinces is a strain on shared resources, so Canada will need to "contend with future fire seasons being more and more like this, which means scaling up our firefighting capability." "We could use every water bomber we can get our hands on," he said, noting Manitoba ordered some, but will have to wait five years to get them.
CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire evacuees scramble to find somewhere to stay
With thousands of people forced to evacuate their communities because of wildfires, the next challenge is finding somewhere to stay, with some being sent as far away as Niagara Falls, Ont. Meanwhile, the 150 fires across the Prairies show few signs of slowing down.
CBC
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- CBC
Black hiker calls on others to join him on walk to northern end of the Underground Railway
Social Sharing For years, Ken Johnston has hiked Black heritage trails across the U.S., retracing the steps of civil rights pioneers and the freedom seekers who fled slavery and made the long journey north. In 2022, to mark the 200th birthday of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, he trekked from New York City to St. Catharines, Ont., where many former slaves settled, and where Tubman lived from 1851 to 1862. This summer, the Philadelphia-based "walking artist" will continue north, following the path thousands of freedom seekers took to reach Owen Sound, Ont., the northernmost terminus of the Underground Railroad network, after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. And he's looking for people to join him. "Most of my walks have been solo walks, but this is one that I just feel differently about, and I want to open it up," he said. "Doesn't matter if you're white or Black or Indigenous. If anyone who has a love of history and wants to participate, they can come join for one day, one block or one mile." The two-week, 265-kilometre Walk to Freedom will start at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center in New York on July 19, crossing the Rainbow Bridge into Ontario and continuing north all the way to Owen Sound. Along the way, Johnston hopes to meet with freedom seeker descendants, and explore early Black settlements, such as Negro Creek in Grey County. "All of this is to give people a sensory experience of just what it was like for these freedom seekers," he said. The itinerary for the Owen Sound walk is posted on Johnson's website, and those interested in participating in the initial cross-border walk can register through Eventbrite. The narrative learned about the Underground Railroad, he said, is that freedom seekers made it to the border, crossed, were free, and that's it, Johnson said. "Well, their life went on from there. Some of them were already free. Some of them were formerly enslaved. It's about discovering their life on the other side of the border." Owen Sound's distance from the border offered safety Owen Sound was one of several terminuses freedom seekers landed, along with Amherstburg, Buxton, Chatham, London and Windsor, said Channon Oyeniran, a historian and PhD candidate at Queen's University. After the Fugitive Slave Act, which gave plantation owners the ability to recapture escaped slaves from free states, Owen Sound's distance from the border provided a sense of safety, she said. "I think they found when they got to Owen Sound they were just able to really build a life for themselves and for their families," she said. Many walked to Owen Sound aided by local abolitionists, she said. Newspapers including The Provincial Freemen and The Voice of the Fugitive also helped to find resources and locate relatives. Freedom walk plans to arrive for Emancipation Festival Johnson says the plan is to arrive in the city on Aug. 2 for the Emancipation Festival at Harrison Park. Founded in 1862, the festival runs Aug. 1 to 3, and is now in its 163rd year. It's believed to be the longest-running festival in North America. Frank Thompson of Kansas City, Mo., will be walking with him for the journey. He previously accompanied Johnston from Galveston to Houston in Texas for Juneteenth, and most recently helped him trace the southern route of the Underground Railroad. "Having grown up in Texas and experienced the Juneteenth celebrations there, being able to see a celebration in Canada that predates all of those celebrations, it's one of the things that's going to be a historical touchpoint for me," Thompson said of the Emancipation Festival. What began as a British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church of Owen Sound picnic evolved over time into a celebration of Black history by the descendants of freedom seekers, and a commemoration of the Slavery Abolition Act and Emancipation Day. The festival features speakers, live entertainment, food, drinks, and educational presentations. Bonita Johnson deMatteis sits on the festival's board and is herself a descendant. She said the Saturday festivities begin at the park with an opening ceremony at the Black History Cairn, which deMatteis designed. There, those gathered take "a moment to regard our ancestors that we are here, and we gonna be here," she said. The closing feature of the weekend is a gospel fest, which is returning to the recently-restored BME Church. DeMatteis said she remembers attending the festival as a child, not realizing it wasn't just a family reunion or church function. "I have two granddaughters, and they know about it, and I hope their granddaughters will know about it. There's no reason why this has to fade off into the sunset," she said.
