Latest news with #TransportCanada
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- General
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. search and rescue agencies warn drone users after near miss with helicopter
A near miss between a drone and helicopter during a rescue mission last Saturday has led to a warning from B.C. search and rescue agencies. According to a statement on social media, Squamish Search and Rescue responded to a hiker who had fallen near the top of the first peak on the Stawamus Chief and seriously injured their leg on May 31. 'Given the steep terrain, several members were flown in with the support of Blackcomb Helicopters and the subject was longline evacuated,' the statement read. 'During the rescue, a drone was flown dangerously close to our team and the helicopter between loads. It only moved after being signalled to leave the area. Flying drones in B.C. parks is prohibited and operating them near active helicopter rescues is extremely dangerous.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. North Shore Search and Rescue responded to the statement by issuing its own message to drone users about where they cannot operate small drones. Larger drones, those heavier than 250 grams, are governed by Transport Canada and require a licence to operate. 'We will not discuss drones greater than 250 grams. Those larger drones are subject to a host of Transport Canada pilot licensing and Remotely Piloted Aircraft System regulations. Rather, this post will focus on 250 gram 'micro drones', that are typically flown recreationally by the public and are likely going to be the ones we encounter,' the NSSR statement read. ' Drone use around active SAR rescues and training events, and the risk it poses, is always a concern for North Shore Rescue. This is especially the case given our frequent use of helicopters. It is a matter of safety for rescuers, our subjects, and the public we serve.' NSSR said that it was not easy for drone users to know where they can and cannot fly. For example, National Research Council of Canada's drone site selection tool only contains federal-type airspace restrictions and does not have any indication of provincial or municipal restrictions. According to B.C. Parks , it is illegal to operate a drone in any provincial park without permission, which is rarely granted. This is because drones create noise pollution, disturb wildlife, can invade privacy and disrupt emergency activities. On the North Shore, Cypress Provincial Park and Seymour Provincial Park are out of bounds for small drone operators. NSSR pointed out that drone use is also banned in all Metro Vancouver parks and all District of North Vancouver and West Vancouver parks. dcarrigg@
CTV News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Ford Canada issues recall on certain electric F-150 trucks
Ford Canada has issued a national recall notice on certain F-150 Lightning electric trucks over steering wheel control concerns. According to the notice published by Transport Canada and last updated Thursday, 'the nuts for the ball joints that connect the front upper control arms to the steering knuckles may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the upper control arms could separate from the knuckles. If this happens, there could be a loss of steering control,' the recall reads. Affected models include 2023, 2024 and 2025 F-150 trucks, for a total of 11,409 vehicles, nationwide. A loss of steering control could create a risk of a crash, the recall notes. Ford will notify and advise owners via mail to bring their vehicle to a dealership to inspect for loose and/or missing nuts. If any are found, the dealer will replace the steering knuckle(s) and nut(s), according to the notice. Transport Canada says the Thursday notice replaces recall #2024-778, noting that vehicles that were repaired under that recall don't require this repair. Owners of this model can also call Ford at 1-800-565-3673 or visit their recall support website for more information. READ MORE: Have a Ford SUV or truck? These two recalls could affect you
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Arctic Gateway Group says the Port of Churchill will help diversify Canada's trade links to other countries
Less than a year into his new job as CEO of Arctic Gateway Group, Chris Avery is finding himself overseeing what is quickly emerging as a critical cog in fighting the Trump-era trade war. AGG, which operates the Port of Churchill and the connecting Hudson Bay Railway (HBR) in northern Manitoba, strategically links Western Canada to Arctic waters and from there offers routes to Europe, South America and the Middle East. The company is aiming to become a vital link between Canada and emerging Arctic routes to help boost interprovincial and overseas trade and to reduce reliance on the United States. 'We're proud that we're part of the national solution … and are supporting our response to what's happening in the U.S.,' said Mr. Avery, who was named chief executive officer last July. 'I think it's really been a great wake-up call to say we need options and we can't be dependent on the U.S., even though they are our closest neighbor and our largest trading partner.' Stretching for 1,000 kilometres from The Pas in central Manitoba to Churchill on Hudson Bay's western shores, the HBR is also a lifeline for 33,000 people living in isolated areas with limited road access, said Hicham Ayoun, senior communications adviser at Transport Canada. The Port of Churchill, Canada's only deep-water Arctic port connected to mainland, ships goods such as critical minerals, construction equipment and agricultural and energy products to Southern Nunavut's Kivalliq region and the rest of the world. Mr. Avery said the Arctic trade route can slash global shipping times. 'The way that the sea lanes are set up and where the port is … allows you to reduce shipping days by upwards of two to three days, versus going to the East Coast or going through the Great Lakes and up the St Lawrence River and so on.' In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney in early May, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew touted the crucial role the Port of Churchill can play in the Canadian economy and in Arctic security. The letter said the port is at the core of the One Canada Trade Corridor project, which is one of the five initiatives Manitoba is pitching to the federal government to expand Canada's energy exports and critical minerals development through newly constructed all-weather roads and rail links. HBR and Port of Churchill were previously operated by Denver-based Omnitrax Inc., beginning in 1997. But following a flood in May, 2017, the U.S. company refused to repair a stretch of rail, leading to a legal dispute with the Canadian government over responsibility for the costs. The impasse left Northern communities without rail service and facing skyrocketing prices for goods delivered by plane. The port and railway were returned to Canadian hands in August, 2018. A partnership of OneNorth – a group of 29 First Nations and 12 communities in Manitoba and Nunavut – and Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. acquired them from Omnitrax and commenced repairs, supported by federal funds. The Churchill community welcomed back the first train in November, 2018, after 18 months of shutdown. Fairfax left the partnership two years later, leaving OneNorth the sole owner of AGG, owned by a partnership of 29 First Nations and 12 communities in Manitoba and Nunavut, Mr. Avery said. 'Americans sitting in Denver really didn't care that Churchill or Indigenous communities in Northern Manitoba were cut off from the South. But our ownership group live and work in the communities … So they will ensure that the infrastructure is invested again in the future,' he said. Mr. Avery said the company currently employs 150 workers, with more opportunities expected as it expands its operations. The relaunch of the railway and the port have also strengthened the local economy, benefiting tourism and mining, and allowing people to 'live close to their communities … support their families, and have a good standard of living,' he said. AGG is still working to upgrade the infrastructure after decades of neglect by Omnitrax. AGG's updates have already reduced travel time by 10 per cent, a saving of three hours between The Pas and Churchill, according to the group's 2024 progress report. Mr. Avery noted that about 80 per cent of repairs for the HBR are complete. 'We've invested a lot of capital into the railway, so we're very much open for business now. The railway is probably in better condition than it's been for the past 25 years.' He added that AGG is currently focusing on upgrading and expanding the port, investing in repairing wharfs and decks and conducting analysis to understand how to accommodate larger vessels. The company marked a milestone in August with the first shipment of critical minerals from the port. This included around 10,000 tons of zinc concentrate from Snow Lake, Man., loaded onto the HBR and cargo vessels, and destined for Belgium. The group is building a new storage facility to ramp up critical mineral shipments, 'the first new building at the Port after decades of neglect,' according to the report. Mr. Avery said Europe is a critical minerals major market for AGG. The group plans to transport up to 20,000 tonnes of minerals this year, including potash for food production. New exports will also include sand used in new technologies such as solar panels. Construction equipment, trucks and building materials are instead on the list for Nunavut communities. The company also plans to make agricultural products a staple of its trade activities, and is currently conducting talks with several partners, Mr. Avery said. AGG signed recent agreements with Saskatchewan-based Invest Tisdale and Genesis Fertilizer to move grain and fertilizer products across Canada and expand their markets beyond the U.S. through the Arctic route. Mr. Avery also wants the port to serve Western farmers who are importing products such as phosphate from trading partners beyond the southeastern states of the U.S. to avoid tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. 'What the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay railway offer is the ability for companies and Canadian farmers to import phosphates from North Africa or the Middle East to Churchill and from Churchill directly to the Western Canadian provinces and our farmers.' The group's future operations involve more than just commercial aspects. He said AGG is also talking with the Department of Defence about transporting supplies and goods to northern military bases through Churchill's airport. The CEO said Transport Canada operates the airport, but AGG has access to its facilities and infrastructure. The federal government announced in March it will invest $175-million over five years to support railway maintenance, enhance the port's security and operations, and encourage potential private investments with the group. 'It is a huge set of infrastructure that helps us assert our sovereignty in the North,' Mr. Avery said. 'These things that we're building are nation-building by nature and also generational by nature because it's not just for the next year or two, it means for our kids' generation and their kids' generation.'
CTV News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Ford Canada issues recall on certain electric F-150 trucks
Ford Canada has issued a national recall notice on certain F-150 Lightning electric trucks over steering wheel control concerns. According to the notice published by Transport Canada and last updated Thursday, 'the nuts for the ball joints that connect the front upper control arms to the steering knuckles may not have been properly tightened. As a result, the upper control arms could separate from the knuckles. If this happens, there could be a loss of steering control,' the recall reads. Affected models include 2023, 2024 and 2025 F-150 trucks, for a total of 11,409 vehicles, nationwide. A loss of steering control could create a risk of a crash, the recall notes. Ford will notify and advise owners via mail to bring their vehicle to a dealership to inspect for loose and/or missing nuts. If any are found, the dealer will replace the steering knuckle(s) and nut(s), according to the notice. Transport Canada says the Thursday notice replaces recall #2024-778, noting that vehicles that were repaired under that recall don't require this repair. Owners of this model can also call Ford at 1-800-565-3673 or visit their recall support website for more information. READ MORE: Have a Ford SUV or truck? These two recalls could affect you
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ottawa's halted $5,000 rebate won't sway most EV shoppers, says J.D. Power
Most Canadians shopping for an electric vehicle (EV) say the federal government's halt on rebates worth up to $5,000 has not put the brakes on their purchase plans, according to J.D. Power Canada. Ottawa announced an immediate pause on its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentive program in mid-January. At the time, Transport Canada dubbed it a 'huge success,' having granted rebates for over half a million eligible vehicles since its launch in 2019. The following month, DesRosiers Automotive Consultants described an 'astonishing' collapse in battery electric vehicle sales, adding that 'stunning declines were witnessed by a plethora of BEVs, as sales plummeted across the segment.' The situation was compounded by shrinking rebates in Quebec, a top market for electric vehicle sales. According to Statistics Canada, ZEV sales tumbled 47 per cent year-over-year in March, after a 41 per cent drop in February. However, J.D. Power Canada says only 42 per cent of new vehicle shoppers likely considering an EV say Ottawa's rebate halt had a 'negative effect' on their decision. Twenty-eight per cent say the pause was 'more or less neutral' in terms of swaying their intentions. J.D. Power says it collected responses from 3,979 new vehicle shoppers in March and April. EV shoppers remain a slim segment of the overall market, notes J.D. Ney, director of the automotive practice at J.D. Power Canada. 'There is a significant percentage of the population (72 per cent) that are not even considering an EV, regardless of the incentive landscape,' he told Yahoo Finance Canada in an email. The federal government is targeting 100 per cent ZEV sales by 2035 for all new light-duty vehicles. J.D. Power Canada found the percentage of new vehicle shoppers who say they are 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to consider an EV for their next purchase has held steady at 28 per cent year-over-year, down a single percentage point from 2024. 'The disappearance of incentive dollars certainly won't make the targets more achievable,' Ney added. J.D. Power Canada notes 'widespread pessimism,' with 75 per cent of new vehicle shoppers responding to its study saying they are 'not at all confident' or 'not very confident' the target will be achieved. Earlier this month, the global head of electrification and sustainability for ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies (UBER) said the company is facing 'big challenges' in its push for drivers to embrace electric vehicles. Uber is targeting 100 per cent zero emissions rides in Canada, the United States and Europe by 2030. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. 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
