Latest news with #WindsorMorning
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Windsor-Essex is in for a summer of heat waves, thunderstorms and smoke. How should you prepare?
The official start of summer is weeks away on June 21 — but experts are already warning you to brace for a hot, stormy season with the looming threat of wildfire smoke. "Windsor and southern Ontario are sitting in that above normal temperature category," said Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist with The Weather Network. "One of the biggest features we're going to be seeing this summer is a heat dome." Modestino said heat waves, as the heat dome moves sluggishly from the central Unites States through the Great Lakes, can begin in Windsor-Essex in late June into July, and could be "on and off" throughout the summer. Windsor-Essex will also see thunderstorms that occur along the edges of that heat dome: Known as "Ring of Fire" thunderstorms, they occur where cooler and warmer air meet. "It'll be a combination of the thunderstorms, the Ring of Fire thunderstorms, but also the storm tracks coming up the East Coast where that high pressure is located." Modestino said wildfire smoke could also be a potential threat, travelling from northern Ontario and the prairies. Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips agrees. He told Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge Monday that this week, temperatures will remain in the mid to high 20s, with Tuesday expected to be the warmest day of the year so far. Philips said Environment Canada and other models suggest that Canada is going to be "warmer than normal" this summer. "All [models] saying we're going to be warm, warm, warm," he said. "There's lots of reds on the weather map I'm looking at and the redder it is, the more confident you are. Most of the computer runs are saying the same thing. We're pretty confident that it's going to be warmer than normal." Philips said the summer, according to Environment Canada's current 90-day forecast, shows "a little wetter than normal" weather for the region. Caroline Metz is the managing director of climate resilience and health at the Intact Center on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. Between 1990 and 2000, Metz said Windsor had 20 days with temperatures above 30 C. She said there has been "a noticeable increase," with that number jumping up to between 25 and 30 days in the past five years. "[Windsor-Essex is] projected to experience about 72 days of hot temperatures, that's above 30 C by the middle of the century, so 2050 to 2080. That's two and a half months of hot weather," she said. "In the latter part of the century, so 2070 to 2100, we're looking at 94 days of very hot temperatures above 30 C. That's three months of high heat." Metz said "more intense, frequent and extreme" weather events are expected in the region. "The top three weather hazards that we need to be concerned about in Windsor and Essex [county] are flooding, extreme heat and wildfire or wildfire smoke," she said, calling extreme heat a silent killer. "Heat is really how climate change manifests most strongly." Metz said indoor overheating is a big concern: In 2021 a heat dome in B.C., saw more than 600 people die, with "98 per cent of deaths occurring indoors." To prepare for the summer heat, Metz says there are steps homeowners and tenants can take: Plant trees and plants around home. Even plants on a balcony can provide a cooling effect. Install exterior awnings on your windows. Add blinds or heat resistant curtains or window films that reduce the sun's rays coming into your home. Consider installing low emissivity windows that let sunlight in, but block solar heat. If renovating, upgrade the insulation in your home. Have a heat pump or an air conditioner or ensure you're able to get to a community cooling centre. Avoid using fans during extreme heat and use air conditioning instead if you have it. Most importantly, Metz advises people to stay connected with family and friends. "Social cohesion and social connectedness is a very big factor in heat resilience and in saving lives," she said. Metz said wildfire damage caused by burning embers coming from an existing wildfire is a threat too. She suggests people: Clear all combustible material like firewood, lumber and debris from around the home. Use as much non-combustible material as possible during construction. Use steel or fire-resistant material for fencing and decking. Install fire resistant roofing like a metal roof or class A shingles that are non combustible. Wildfire smoke is becoming an increasing threat for human health, Metz added. Fine particles that are less than 2.5 microns — roughly 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair — can affect the lungs and heart. She advises residents dealing with poor air quality and wildfire smoke to: Stay indoors as much as possible, if there is a warning for wildfire smoke. Seal your home. Keep windows and doors tightly closed to prevent the smoke from entering. Use an air purifier as it filters fine particles from the air. If you need to go outside, wear a well-fitted respirator, like an N95 mask. Windsor-Essex is no stranger to extreme rainfall events and flooding. Metz said the region has been experiencing a 40 per cent increase in precipitation compared to about 50 years ago and there are ways to prepare for flooding events: Extend downspouts to at least two meters away from your home. Install clear covers over window wells. Correct the grading so that rainwater flows away from your home, not toward it. Install a backwater valve in your basement, which prevents sewage from backing up and flooding. Install and regularly test your sump pump. Besides cooling centres and spray pads available throughout the summer, residents can access Keep the Heat, a Windsor-based program that helps low-income families pay a portion of their utility bills when they're higher because they're running an air conditioner more often. Dean Christie, the program's director of finance, said they have encouraged its clients to negotiate with their landlords to see if there is a possibility of saving on some of those costs. Christie said since the program's inception in 2005, rising temperatures have meant "an increasing demand." Consequently, they've had to reduce the amount people can access — from $1,000 to $800 — that people can access to pay their utility bills, so they can help more people. He said last year, 1,194 unique households, or 1,865 adults and 1,636 children, accessed the program — a 25 per cent increase from the previous year. But Christie says he worries about the future with extreme heat slated to become more common and prolonged. Higher consumption of air conditioning, as well as general inflation and cost of living pressure, has meant more people are looking to use the Keep the Heat program. "I think there will be more people this year," he said, "and that's one of the reasons why we have reduced the cap from $1,000 to $800 because we're hoping that we'll be able to service more people."
CBC
01-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Carney's Liberals should relax housing money rules, Windsor mayor says
Social Sharing Windsor's mayor says he's penning a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney about housing now that his Liberal party has won the election. Drew Dilkens wants to see the Liberals' existing housing accelerator fund reworked to allow his southwestern Ontario border city more flexibility to secure federal dollars to build more homes — and at a faster pace. Amidst a nationwide housing crunch, Windsor was shut out of millions in federal funding last year because it refused to give into Ottawa's demands of allowing fourplex developments throughout the city. "We've got a plan that the last government [...] just refused to consider any other pathway," he told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge on Thursday. "It was four units as-of-right or nothing at all." Dilkens said the city has a much better sense of how to deliver housing "and what's appropriate for our community than the federal government does." Carney campaigned on a promise to double the pace of home building by creating a standalone agency called Build Canada Homes. It's estimated that it would cost about $3 billion each year over the next four years. Representatives for the Liberals did not respond to requests for comment on whether they would consider changes to the housing funding requirements. But Carney has previously sought to differentiate himself from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and a local architect says he believes Carney's government might be open to relaxing some of the criteria. "They probably will want to make their own mark on this once they take a look at the pace of construction and the pace of approval," said Dorian Moore, a professional adviser to the Centre for Cities at the University of Windsor and vice president at Archive Design Studio in Detroit. "So they may be willing to make some modifications." But those changes "would have to be balanced against" previous decisions the government has made in giving funding to other cities that committed to building under the existing guidelines, he said. "That's where I see the potential shortfall coming in." Dilkens, who endorsed Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during the election, said he has "zero relationship" with Carney, in part because he only became prime minister recently — but also because Carney didn't reach out during the campaign. "Pierre Poilievre was the only person, the only leader when we're faced with this economic threat from the U.S., to pick up the phone," Dilkens said. But Dilkens said he's confident Windsor can still work with the federal government now that the region will no longer have any Liberal representation. "We will govern just fine together," he said. "And I look forward to meeting him and creating a relationship that's good for Canada and good for Windsor." Once the government's new cabinet is sworn in and new faces are identified, Dilkens says he'll be reaching out to "try and create relationships with new folks that allow us to put forward the goals that we have here in the City of Windsor that align with the federal government's goals.
CBC
28-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
'Privileged': Sarnia students react to taking part in Pope Francis's final Vatican mass
School trip included Easter Sunday mass — the pope's last public appearance Image | PEOPLE-POPE FRANCIS/ Caption: Pope Francis appears on a balcony, on the day of the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and to the world) message at St. Peter's Square, on Easter Sunday, in the Vatican, April 20, 2025. (Yara Nardi/Reuters) Media Audio | Windsor Morning : Sarnia high school students return home after being part of Pope Francis's final mass Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. Olivia Moscone says at first, she was "shocked" when Pope Francis made an appearance at the Vatican back on Easter Sunday, in what turned out to be his last mass. He would die the next day. The Sarnia, Ont., student goes to St. Patrick's Catholic High School and was on an overseas school trip. Moscone couldn't believe she had the opportunity to see and be blessed by him along with the thousands in attendance. "I was so incredibly grateful for the teachers for taking us to the Vatican and for having celebrated Easter mass there — just so privileged," she said. "It was definitely an unforgettable experience." Pope Francis, whose 12-year papacy ushered in a more open, welcoming Catholic Church, died at the age of 88. He hailed far from the power centre of the Vatican, born in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936, the eldest of five children of Italian immigrants. His funeral was on Saturday after several years of poor health became a concern. His latest bout of bronchitis — diagnosed in February — worsened to become pneumonia. He ended up being admitted into hospital for five weeks. Moscone says she was aware of his failing health so her group was unsure about the prospects of him being able to get out on the balcony and attend the ceremony. "We were all kind of humming and hawing to see if he would step out. And when he did, it was definitely amazing. Taryn Stoukas, who goes to the same southwestern Ontario school, was also on the trip. She told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge as soon as he came out on the balcony, everyone started applauding. "You could see on everyone's faces that everyone was stunned to speak because nobody really knew if he was going to come out or not," said Stoukas. "Everyone was just relieved that they got the opportunity to see him." Image | Taryn Stoukas Caption: Taryn Stoukas is a Sarnia high school student who was in attendance at the Vatican to see the final public appearance of Pope Francis. (CBC) Open Image in New Tab Roy Gouveia is a teacher at the school and one of the organizers. He says it was a thrill for everyone to witness and the energy in the crowd rose after it was confirmed he'd make an appearance. "People were thrilled and very happy that he was able to give that blessing and make that appearance and celebrate in such a personal way," said Gouveia. Pope Francis appeared to be "very frail" when he was brought out in a wheelchair, he said, but that came as no surprise to people there. "We were pleased that he managed to give such a personal blessing that he actually spoke those words and definitely there was that personal connection there." Aside from attending mass at the Vatican, that Gouveia called the "highlight," the school trip also zeroed in on visiting places such as the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel and Parthenon in Greece. Stoukas says they were on another excursion the following day when they found out Pope Francis had passed — calling it a "weird experience" having just seen in the day before. "We didn't really know how to react. And as soon as that happened, one of our teachers led us in a prayer," she said. Gouveia says news of his death was tough to take. "It's almost like you lost a family member, having seen him so recently — just hours before — and then finding out about the news of his passing. It was like we lost a friend." According to Gouveia, he believes the Vatican experience was one that will stay with him and the students for the rest of their lives. "What's funny is that I think it heightened the level of [religious] engagement. I know that on the flight back … some of the kids they were tuning into their little screens. I know that a number of students all of a sudden took interest in the movie Conclave." On Monday, the Vatican confirmed that Roman Catholic cardinals will meet in a secret conclave to elect the new leader of the global Church starting from May 7. Cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for Pope Francis's successor, meaning some 135 from around the world are expected to participate in the highly secretive ballot.
CBC
16-04-2025
- General
- CBC
Meet the teenager bringing Tecumseh together to pick up trash
Social Sharing It's time for spring cleaning and Earth Day is right around the corner on April 22. A southwestern Ontario town is getting set to mark the occasion in a new way. For the time, Tecumseh seeing a community-wide cleanup that will see volunteers fanning out with garbage bags this weekend. On Saturday, they'll be along Tecumseh Road and Manning Road collecting litter in hopes of making the town look a little cleaner. The Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach, the Rotary Club of Windsor Roseland and the Tecumseh Business Improvement Association (BIA) are teaming up — thanks to a local teenager. Maude Drake, 17, pitched the project the idea and has been a driving force in bringing it to life. Drake spoke with CBC Radio's Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge about her brainchild. Here's a portion of that conversation. What inspired you to come up with this idea for Earth? Ever since I was young, I've always been very passionate about the environment and protecting it. I would look up on YouTube little ways to become zero waste and urge my friends to never litter. It would always make me so mad. I put together a proposal for a town cleanup to see if they were interested and luckily both clubs decided to come together for this project. How did it feel to pitch your idea in front of all those adults? It was nerve-wracking. I made a presentation and worked on it for a long time to make sure everything was perfect and I was just eager to promote a town clean up because I think it's important that we have pride in our community and that we take care of the earth that's ours. There's only one, and that's often overlooked, I feel. Meet Maude Drake — the teen who's spearheaded a community-wide cleanup in Tecumseh 3 hours ago Duration 1:36 What kind of reaction did you get from people after your presentation? It was a very good reaction. They honestly were all excited to bring it to life. I think especially after winter when all of the snow melts, people really start to realize the amount of litter around the town. What will the cleanup look like on Saturday? On Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m., we're meeting at the garden centre at Zehrs on Manning Road and volunteers will be given garbage bags and things to pick up litter — and they'll be assigned zones. Hopefully by noon we'll have Tecumseh looking a lot cleaner. Why does this kind of community cleanup matter to you personally? I've always just loved the environment and those documentaries about … planet Earth have always interested me so much. I find that environmental issues are overlooked, especially when talking about politics that I hear my parents or older people talking about. WATCH | Spring melt means dog poop, and this Windsorite is cleaning it up: Spring melt means dog poop, and this Windsorite is cleaning it up 20 days ago Duration 1:40 It's the younger generations like me that are going to be the most affected by these issues. I think it's important that we make environmental protection something that we instill in our community now so that it's longer lasting and it becomes the new norm. Instead of … all of these plastic wrappers and bags that people bring to stores … bring your reusable bags and protect the environment. If we ruin this earth, we don't have anywhere else to go. Is there anything else that you look at in our daily life that you think you'd like to change for your generation? Yeah, I think especially after COVID — once that happened — the idea of reducing waste kind of became something that people didn't think about anymore. All of the PPE, we were really pushing to protect ourselves and it made us forget about the environment around us. I think even switching to metal water bottles or reusable bags at stores, just small changes will really help. Proper recycling too. I urge people around the community, even if you can't come out on Saturday to pick up litter when you go on a walk or if you're on the side of the road and you see something, because then we won't even need a town cleanup. Do you see this becoming an annual event in to come? I really hope so, especially with the support of both the optimist club and the rotary and the Tecumseh BIA. Having all of these together makes it a bigger thing to promote. I want to bring in Windsor. So maybe next year bring in Windsor-Essex or Chatham so we can clean up Windsor and Essex County as a whole. What do you hope people take away from participating? I hope people just remember that this earth is just ours and it's the only place we have to live. I think it's important to take care of our home and make sure that we bring the cleanup back into our lives.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
CBC's Windsor Morning election panel on how sweeping tariffs are reshaping global trade
Sweeping tariffs are reshaping global trade. In these uncertain times, what role should our federal government play to help Canada thrive? CBC's Windsor Morning election panel weighed on Wednesday with local voices who are not candidates from the three main parties. For the Al Teshuba represents the Conservatives. For the Liberals it's Alicia Higgison. And it's Taras Natyshak for the NDP.
