Latest news with #RobFerguson
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
How one family's dream of sailing away to the Bahamas became a reality
Sailing the open seas with their children for a months-long adventure had been a dream for Amherstburg, Ont., teachers Rob and Katie Lynn Ferguson. Earlier this year, that dream became a reality when they bought a sailing catamaran sight-unseen, fixed it up and set sail from Florida to the Bahamas. "It was nice to kind of live out our passion for so many months," Rob Ferguson said. For years, he had obsessively been looking at online boat sales for the right fit, while also regularly following sailing vloggers online for inspiration. "We always loved sailing. We grew up sailing," he said. Ferguson and his wife had planned on taking sabbaticals from their jobs as high school teachers for some time, and thought a sailing trip would be a great adventure for them to go on with their nine-year old son Finn, 12-year-old daughter Kora and their pup, Burleigh. "I was nervous, obviously, but I was very excited," Katie Lynn Ferguson said. "All four of us, I think, are always up for adventure." They drove their minivan down to Florida, fixed up their newly purchased sailboat and set sail first to the Florida Keys before making their way across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. 'Surpassed all of our expectations' They would anchor from place to place, always on the move, and they became more and more amazed with how blue and beautiful the water was as they continued to move east. "It would just get more amazing. Like, it surpassed all of our expectations," Rob said. The children were home schooled on the boat by their mom for about two hours each day, and then they would move on to "adventure time," as Katie would put it. "So that usually entailed swimming of some kind, whether it was snorkeling and exploring reefs or hiking on land, finding caves," she said. While the kids were a little bit nervous about the adventure, they say they had a great time and found life on a boat much more comfortable than they had initially imagined. "I thought when we were sleeping it would be really rocky and I would be a lot more seasick," Kora Ferguson said. "But it was definitely a lot better than I thought." Kora's favourite memory was feeding sea turtles on a beach. "It was so cool," she said with a grin. Finn's favourite memory was interacting with some octopuses in Spanish Wells. "I got to let them suction my hand," he remembered. 'Living our dream' There were some scary moments as well, like when the family hit a storm one evening. "It was super rough," Rob said, the kids nodding in agreement. They were however able to find a safe harbour where they recovered. Aside from the beauty of the Bahamas, the connections made with other people were the highlight for the family. "We've never met such nice, amazing people, and never had so many connections that we'll have for a lifetime down there," he said. A full circle moment for Rob was running into and spending time with the famous sailing vloggers whose adventures he'd been following from home. He said they would anchor right next to their boat. "This is crazy that we're here living our dream with the people we've been watching, trying to live vicariously through them," Rob said. "And here we are now, hanging out with them. And that was a really cool experience." They spent a total of five months sailing around the Bahamas from February until June, when they made their way home before the start of hurricane season. There was, however, one big relief for the kids about finally returning home: it was nice for things to not always be so wet all the time.
CBC
15-07-2025
- CBC
A family turns their dream into a reality by sailing the Bahamas for 5 months
Sailing the open seas with their children for a months-long adventure had long been a dream for Amherstburg, Ont. teachers Rob and Katie Lynn Ferguson. Here's how that dream became a reality.
CBC
15-07-2025
- CBC
How one family's dream of sailing away to the Bahamas became a reality
Sailing the open seas with their children for a months-long adventure had been a dream for Amherstburg, Ont., teachers Rob and Katie Lynn Ferguson. Earlier this year, that dream became a reality when they bought a sailing catamaran sight-unseen, fixed it up and set sail from Florida to the Bahamas. "It was nice to kind of live out our passion for so many months," Rob Ferguson said. For years, he had obsessively been looking at online boat sales for the right fit, while also regularly following sailing vloggers online for inspiration. "We always loved sailing. We grew up sailing," he said. Ferguson and his wife had planned on taking sabbaticals from their jobs as high school teachers for some time, and thought a sailing trip would be a great adventure for them to go on with their nine-year old son Finn, 12-year-old daughter Kora and their pup, Burleigh. "I was nervous, obviously, but I was very excited," Katie Lynn Ferguson said. "All four of us, I think, are always up for adventure." They drove their minivan down to Florida, fixed up their newly purchased sailboat and set sail first to the Florida Keys before making their way across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. 'Surpassed all of our expectations' They would anchor from place to place, always on the move, and they became more and more amazed with how blue and beautiful the water was as they continued to move east. "It would just get more amazing. Like, it surpassed all of our expectations," Rob said. The children were home schooled on the boat by their mom for about two hours each day, and then they would move on to "adventure time," as Katie would put it. "So that usually entailed swimming of some kind, whether it was snorkeling and exploring reefs or hiking on land, finding caves," she said. While the kids were a little bit nervous about the adventure, they say they had a great time and found life on a boat much more comfortable than they had initially imagined. "I thought when we were sleeping it would be really rocky and I would be a lot more seasick," Kora Ferguson said. "But it was definitely a lot better than I thought." Kora's favourite memory was feeding sea turtles on a beach. "It was so cool," she said with a grin. Finn's favourite memory was interacting with some octopuses in Spanish Wells. "I got to let them suction my hand," he remembered. 'Living our dream' There were some scary moments as well, like when the family hit a storm one evening. "It was super rough," Rob said, the kids nodding in agreement. They were however able to find a safe harbour where they recovered. Aside from the beauty of the Bahamas, the connections made with other people were the highlight for the family. "We've never met such nice, amazing people, and never had so many connections that we'll have for a lifetime down there," he said. A full circle moment for Rob was running into and spending time with the famous sailing vloggers whose adventures he'd been following from home. He said they would anchor right next to their boat. "This is crazy that we're here living our dream with the people we've been watching, trying to live vicariously through them," Rob said. "And here we are now, hanging out with them. And that was a really cool experience." They spent a total of five months sailing around the Bahamas from February until June, when they made their way home before the start of hurricane season. There was, however, one big relief for the kids about finally returning home: it was nice for things to not always be so wet all the time.
Toronto Star
15-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Recap: Ford government's 2025 budget focused on tariffs, teachers, LCBO and cannabis
Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled the Progressive Conservative government's spending plan this afternoon. This file is no longer being updated. Check out our Ontario Provincial Politics hub for latest news and updates from Queen's Park. What to know: 'Tariffs have created an economic challenge across Ontario,' Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said before unveiling the record $232.5-billion budget From choppers for cops to new teacher spots, here are 10 highlights Opposition Leader Marit Stiles of the NDP described the budget as a 'missed opportunity,' saying Ontarians will spend more and receive less Updated 1 hr ago Ontario pushes local cannabis, booze in budget as LCBO revenues slide By Rob Ferguson Queen's Park Bureau A cannabis shop is seen on the Danforth near Logan. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star Buy local is going 'high' local. To flag Ontario cannabis products amid a trade war with the United States, Premier Doug Ford's government has developed an 'Ontario Grown' label to slap on products with at least 75 per cent provincial content. The plan — which includes easing restrictions on cannabis storefronts to make them 'more welcoming' — is detailed in Thursday's Ontario budget along with $100 million in tax breaks this fiscal year for Ontario producers of microbrews, spirits, ciders and ready-to-drink cocktails. The move is aimed at boosting sales and lowering prices for consumers starting Aug. 1. Read the full story here from Rob Ferguson Updated 1 hr ago Health care priorities include funding for primary care teams, Ontario Autism Program By The Canadian Press Ontario Premier Doug Ford is all smiles after tabling the 2025 budget at Queen's Park. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star The Ontario budget says the government will invest more than $235 million this year to establish and expand up to 80 more primary care teams, which it says will connect 300,000 more people to primary care. It also says it will invest up to $280 million over two years to support the expansion of integrated health service centres that will help more Ontarians access MRI and CT scans, among other services. It also plans to increase the province's investment to the Ontario Autism Program, bringing this year's total funding to $779 million. Read the full story from The Canadian Press Updated 2 hrs ago Ontario budget adds funding for more teachers and gives a boost to skilled trades training By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau A classroom at a Toronto elementary school. Chris Young / The Canadian Press Teacher training — and worker retraining — got a boost in the Ontario budget, as overall education funding will see above-inflation increases. Base spending on elementary and secondary education rises from this year's $39 billion to almost $41 billion in 2025-26. Critics have accused the Ford government of not spending enough on Kindergarten to Grade 12 education to even keep up with inflation, though it spent more than allotted this year because of increased teacher pay as well as school board spending. Read the full story here from Kris Rushowy ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Updated 1 hr ago Opinion: Doug Ford's bad budget reveals why he called an early election By Martin Regg Cohn Political Columnist Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy in Toronto in 2024. Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press Now you know why Doug Ford called an early election — he got out ahead of a bad news budget Officially, belatedly, Thursday's budget is an echo of the premier's February campaign slogan: 'A Plan to Protect Ontario.' A more fitting title: The 'Blame Trump Budget.' Fair enough. No question that the U.S. president messed up our economic outlook (and bolstered Ford's re-election outcome). The unanswered question is whether Ontario's premier can clean up that mess — or make matters worse. Read the full column from Martin Regg Cohn here Updated 1 hr ago Doug Ford's government vows to 'protect Ontario' from tariffs By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief Flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. in 2020. Rob Gurdebeke / THE CANADIAN PRESS Woe Canada, Ontario claims to stand on guard for thee. With the economy battered by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and unemployment rising, Premier Doug Ford's government has tabled a record $232.5-billion provincial budget to 'protect Ontario' and promote national unity. 'When all of Canada wins, Ontario wins,' Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Thursday in boosterish speech that noted 'it is amazing to witness the burst of patriotism across our province and our great country' in the face of Trump's tariffs. Read the full story from Robert Benzie here Updated 1 hr ago Ten things you should know about Ontario's budget flag wire: false flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false : By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau, Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief, and Rob Ferguson Queen's Park Bureau Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Chris Young / The Canadian Press From choppers for cops to new teacher spots, the record-breaking $232.5 billion Ontario budget unveiled Thursday also features a number of programs to help tariff-battered businesses and workers. As a point of national pride, the province is also introducing a new 'buy' day to promote Ontario and Canadian-made products. Check out the highlights here ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Updated 3 hrs ago Steps to address the teacher shortage By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau Amid a teacher shortage, the province is pledging almost $56 million to create 2,600 new training spots over the next two years. Base Education funding is rising from $39 billion this school year to almost $41 billion in 2025-26. More than inflation, as Bethlenfalvy notes, but critics say doesn't make up for past budgets that didn't meet boards' actual costs. Post-secondary funding will drop, from base of $12.4 billion this year, to $11.5 next year. When student financial assistance is factored in, decrease is from $14.2 billion to just under $13 billion. Updated 2 hrs ago More eyes in the sky By Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau Premier Doug Ford tours Airbus Helicopters in Fort Erie on Sept. 13, 2024. Julie Jocsak/ St. Catharines Standard Ontario is purchasing two new H-135 helicopters, costing $57 million, for the Niagara and Windsor police services to help boost border security and crime surveillance and enforcement. The province previously spent $135 million for five helicopters for police in the Toronto and Ottawa areas. Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says the extra supports for the 'Joint Air Support Unit' shows 'our messsge to criminals and traffickers is clear - we are coming for you.' Updated 2 hrs ago Budget 'utterly fails' on housing affordability, says Green leader By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner. Nick Iwanyshyn/ The Canadian Press file photo Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the fiscal plan 'utterly fails' on improving housing affordability. 'We will not tariff-proof Ontario if people can't afford to live in this province. We are not helping the people who need the help, the most low- and middle-income families,' said Schreiner. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Updated 2 hrs ago Crombie supports stimulus but calls for more health care spending By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief Ontario Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie. Steve Russell/ Toronto Star Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said her party does support 'providing stimulus to ride through this critical time.' 'But in the long term, what's in it for the people who are still waiting 20 hours in an emergency room for care?' said Crombie. Updated 2 hrs ago Opposition NDP blasts 'Band-Aid budget' By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief NDP Leader MPP Marit Stiles. Cole Burston / The Canadian Press NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Ford's Tories are spending more while Ontarians are getting less for their tax dollars. 'This is a Band-Aid budget, a missed opportunity to strengthen Ontario,' said Stiles. Updated 3 hrs ago Ontario tables a record $232.5-billion budget By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief Premier Doug Ford's government has tabled a record $232.5-billion provincial budget to 'protect Ontario' and promote national unity. 'When all of Canada wins, Ontario wins,' Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Thursday in boosterish speech that noted 'it is amazing to witness the burst of patriotism across our province and our great country' in the face of Trump's tariffs. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Updated 5 hrs ago Budget comes amid Trump trade war By Star staff Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy is tabling the Ontario budget at 4 p.m. today against the backdrop of a slowing economy and rising unemployment due in large part to U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada. Updated 1 hr ago Ford will make gas tax cut permanent, end tolls on part of Hwy. 407 By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief Fulfilling a promise from the Progressive Conservatives' Feb. 27 re-election campaign, Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy are permanently lowering the gas tax and eliminating tolls on the provincially operated part of the Highway 407 expressway. As of June 1, the levies, which can be up to $20, will be lifted on the 43-kilometre portion of Highway 407 from Brock Road in Pickering east to Highway 35/115 north of Clarington, which will cost the treasury around $72 million annually. Contributors Opinion John Lorinc: Here is one thing Doug Ford could do tomorrow to ease gridlock in the GTA and it involves Highway 407 John Lorinc But tolls that can cost $86 depending on the time of day will remain on the privately operated 108-kilometre section of Highway 407 from the Queen Elizabeth Way in Burlington to Brock Road. In Thursday's budget, Bethlenfalvy will also finally make permanent the temporary 5.7 cents a litre reduction in the gas tax he introduced in 2022 and has extended annually since. The tax will remain at 9 cents a litre, down from 14.7 cents three years ago. Read more from the Star's Robert Benzie 15 hrs ago Tariffs have changed Ontario budget approach, premier says By The Canadian Press Ontario is set to table its budget today, and Premier Doug Ford is signalling it will include a lot of infrastructure spending and measures to stimulate the economy, saying U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs will be a major factor. 'We have to look at it through a different lens now, since these tariffs have been put on us,' he said Wednesday. 'You have two options in a budget. You start cutting and slashing, which I've never believed (in). In tougher times, you go out there, you put money into infrastructure, keep building the hospitals that we're doing, and the highways and the bridges and the roads and the schools and long-term care homes and really building the infrastructure. We can always balance (in) a year or two.' Read the full story from the Canadian Press ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Updated 5 hrs ago Budget to target Toronto bike lanes By Robert Benzie Queen's Park Bureau Chief A cyclist manoeuvres along a bike lane on Avenue Road, north of Bloor and south of Davenport, on May 14, 2025. Richard Lautens/ Toronto Star Premier Doug Ford is gearing up to remove even more Toronto bike lanes, the Star has learned. Sources say Thursday's provincial budget legislation will include the removal of the bike lanes on Queen's Park Crescent, around the legislative precinct, and on Avenue Road south of Davenport Road. That's on top of the bikeways slated for demolition on University Avenue, Yonge Street and Bloor Street West. Read Queen's Park Bureau Chief Robert Benzie's story from Wednesday Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
