My Canadian Experience
Report for August 2026

I'm having major issues with Cogecco, my Internet and phone provider.  As previously reported I'd done a trial with Bell which didn't work out but in the process Cogecco stopped my phone service.  I don't blame them for this but their response on restoring my phone number became a total disaster.  I had to phone Bell three times and each time they told me they'd activated my number meaning Cogecco could restore my phone number but for some reason they didn't spot that Bell had me down as a residential account which was the problem.  However after at long last identifying the issue they took five days to get a technician out to see me and when he didn't arrive I phoned and was told he turned up at 9.30 am and didn't get a response.  This is despite me sitting in my office which is right beside my front door.  When I phoned to get this information I ended up being on the phone for some 50 minutes before I was able to contact them which was on the Friday and they are now booking me for a visit on Wednesday.  So I have to say that given I have a business account with them and should get a 24 hour response I can no longer recommend this company which was previously rated very highly by myself.

Carney SIGNS A 70 Billion Dollar Mine Trump Cannot Ignore - Aug 1, 2026

Canada just approved a mine the United States cannot replicate on its own soil — and the number everyone missed isn't the $70 billion.

August 1, 2026
Ottawa, Ontario

“Today, communities across Canada mark Emancipation Day. On this day in 1834, the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect across the British Empire.

Slavery existed here – in New France, in the Maritimes, in the households of the powerful. While the Act marked a turning point, freedom was not granted in a single day. It was taken, held, and defended – by those who fled, by those who were freed and stayed to build, and by generations who came after.

When slavery ended, segregation endured. Africville was razed. Black Canadians were refused service, denied housing, and separated in schools and churches. Yet, despite these barriers, they built lives for themselves and opened doors so many more could follow.

Black Canadians have gone on to serve as mayors, members of Parliament, senators, Cabinet ministers, and as Governor General. Those doors were not opened by accident, but by people who were determined that this country should live up to what it claimed to be – a country founded on the fundamental insight that unity does not require uniformity.

Today, we honour those whose courage helped make our country freer, fairer, and stronger – and we recommit ourselves to building a Canada where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

BC Wildfire Crisis Deepens | Big Bar Complex Nears 160,000 Hectares & Thousands Evacuated - 112,558 views - Aug 3, 2026

British Columbia's wildfire crisis continues to intensify. The massive Big Bar Complex is nearing 160,000 hectares, making it one of the largest active wildfire complexes in Canada. With 131 active wildfires, 57 out of control, thousands of residents evacuated, and extreme heat returning this week, firefighters face increasingly dangerous conditions. Watch this update for the latest wildfire developments, evacuation orders, road closures, and the forecast for British Columbia.

Legendary former CTV News chief anchor Lloyd Robertson dies at 92 - Aug 4, 2026

Former CTV National News chief anchor Lloyd Robertson has died. Genevieve Beauchemin reports on his extraordinary career in journalism and his enduring legacy.

Carney SIGNS 2.3 Billion Dollar Arctic Deal That CUTS Musk Out Of Canada's Defence Network

Canada just cut Elon Musk out of its Arctic defence network — with a $2.3 BILLION satellite deal that changes everything.

For 18 years this file sat untouched. Then in eight months, Ottawa turned it into the largest contract in Telesat's history — and said no to both Starlink and a French-backed alternative. Here's the real story behind the number nobody's talking about: 69.

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney sticking it to Trump and Trump’s top ally Gianni Infantino and Meiselas also highlights the incredible efforts of Meidas Canada leader Charlie Angus who has working to throw out US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra from the country. Aug 5, 2026

Moscow's Kaliningrad Land Bridge Is Gone—Millions Panic as Ukraine SHUTS DOWN ALL Russia Bridges - Aug 5, 2026

The hybrid warfare tactics launched by Russia—including migrant surges, balloons, and underground tunnels—aimed at easing pressure on its Kaliningrad exclave and destabilizing Europe have backfired, effectively placing its own stronghold under siege.

Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have thwarted Russia’s plans by closing their land borders and strengthening their fortifications. At the same time, Ukraine’s attacks on ports and refineries in St. Petersburg have largely paralyzed the sea route—Kaliningrad’s sole lifeline.

This situation has led to a severe fuel crisis in Kaliningrad—extending to the implementation of digital ration cards—and has constrained the military capabilities of the Russian Baltic Fleet. Once a strategic outpost that threatened NATO, Kaliningrad has today become a besieged “soft underbelly,” with its fate now in the hands of its neighbors and vulnerable maritime routes.

Building affordable homes in Toronto - Aug 5

August 5, 2026
Toronto, Ontario

In a rapidly changing world, a confident Canada is choosing to build. Canada’s new government is building major projects – new ports, mines, highways, and energy corridors – that will unlock billions of dollars in new investment and connect Canadian businesses to new export markets around the world. In parallel, we are building strong communities, starting with homes Canadians can afford.

In Toronto, thousands of new homes have already been planned, permitted, and approved, but lack the financing to begin construction. Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, joined the Mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, to announce a new partnership to unlock these projects and start building.

Over the next three years, Canada’s new government, in partnership with the City of Toronto, will invest over $2.7 billion to build more than 18 housing projects across Toronto. These projects will deliver more than 5,600 new rental homes, with shovels in the ground on more than 4,500 homes before the end of this year.

Every home in this portfolio is a rental. The portfolio includes affordable, supportive, rent-geared-to-income, and rent-controlled housing. A healthy housing system needs the full range, and this partnership builds it through two complementary channels.

Non-market – through Build Canada Homes. Non-market housing is owned and operated by non-profit organisations, housing cooperatives, or government and public agencies, with the primary objective of ensuring affordability. Through Build Canada Homes, we will provide more than $310 million to advance nine housing projects on City-owned land. This investment will deliver nearly 1,900 rental homes – with more than 700 supportive and affordable – as well as more than 1,100 rent-controlled homes delivered by the non-market housing sector. To further unlock these projects, the City of Toronto will contribute public land at nominal value and more than $530 million in capital funding and financial incentives, including up to 99-year exemptions from municipal and school property taxes.

Market – through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Apartment Construction Loan Program. Market housing is built by private developers and rented at market rates. It is the largest source of new supply, adding homes at scale to ease pressure across the whole system. Through CMHC’s Apartment Construction Loan Program, we will provide over $1.8 billion in low-cost financing for nine housing projects. This investment will deliver over 3,700 rental homes, with more than 1,000 of them affordable. We will also allocate up to $600 million in financing through the program so that more Toronto projects can move forward as they become ready.

The entire portfolio also reflects how we’re building:

• Inclusively: The partnership will support a 100-unit, Indigenous-led supportive housing development at 15 Denison Avenue.

• Sustainably: Two projects lead the way in showcasing Build Canada Homes’ modern methods of construction, with a mass-timber, low-carbon build at 1113-1125 Dundas Street West and a volumetric-modular development at 805 Wellington. These methods build faster, cut waste, and reduce emissions by up to 22%, helping deliver sustainable, affordable housing at scale.

• In solidarity with workers: The portfolio is expected to support roughly 2,100 jobs a year over its construction period.

• Canadian: Projects will prioritise Canadian materials – including Canadian steel and lumber – under the government’s Buy Canadian Policy.

This partnership with Toronto builds on the federal government’s work over the past year to supercharge housing construction across the country. In September, we launched Build Canada Homes to build housing at scale and speed. Since its launch, Build Canada Homes has already committed to nearly 17,000 units through 17 partnerships, with more than 1,900 homes already under construction. We have eliminated the GST on homes up to $1 million for first-time homebuyers – saving Canadians up to $50,000 on the purchase of their first home. In Ontario, we are eliminating the full 13% of the HST for new homes, saving buyers up to $130,000 on the purchase of their home. In Toronto, those savings go even further. Through the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build, we provided the City of Toronto with $1.5 billion to cut residential development charges by 40 to 60% – reducing the cost of a new single or semi-detached home by roughly $83,000. 

In the face of global uncertainty, Canada’s new government is building across the country to deliver the strong, safe, and affordable homes Canadians need to live the lives they want for themselves. We are working in the spirit of cooperative federalism – in full partnership with provinces, territories, and municipalities – to build a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous Canada for all.

Quotes

“Toronto is becoming a model for how a great city can build its way forward. Together with the City of Toronto, we are getting thousands of new rental homes built, across every part of the housing system, in strong, safe communities that people can afford. This is what is possible when governments build together.”

— The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada

“Today’s announcement shows what’s possible when governments work together. I want to thank Prime Minister Mark Carney, Minister Gregor Robertson, and our federal partners for their commitment to building more homes in Toronto. Today’s investment means more people will have the opportunity to find a home they can afford, stay close to their communities, and build a future in the city they love. Together, we are delivering the housing Toronto needs and creating a more affordable, caring city for everyone.” 

— Her Worship Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto

“Every Canadian deserves a safe, affordable place to call home. Through our partnership with the City of Toronto, we are aligning investments and working together to accelerate the construction of much-needed housing. By reducing barriers and speeding up delivery, we are helping build more homes and creating stronger, more affordable communities across the country.”

— The Hon. Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

Related product

• Backgrounder: Canada and Toronto announce new partnership to build thousands of new homes

Associated links

• Build Canada Homes

• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

• Apartment Construction Loan Program

Russia’s July Losses Are CATASTROPHIC… Putin STILL Calls It “According to Plan” - Aug 6

July 2026 proved to be Russia’s deadliest month of the war so far, with a staggering 42,860 casualties. Despite these massive human losses, Russian forces managed to fully claim just 37.85 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. As commanders feed false reports to an isolated and delusional Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s lethal attrition strategy continues to grind down the Russian military toward a breaking point.

Ontario Wildfire UPDATE

Ontario's 2026 wildfire season is the worst on record — but for the first time, there are real signs of progress. As of August 5th, the number of out-of-control fires in Northwestern Ontario has dropped 75% from the July peak. But a new threat arrives today: a severe thunderstorm system with wind gusts up to 90 km/h and lightning moving directly over the fire zones.

In this update (August 6, 2026), we break down everything you need to know:

This El Nino Took A Shocking Turn! Stronger Than 1877? - Aug 5

Could we be witnessing one of the strongest El Niño events ever observed? In this 43-minute in-depth analysis, we take a comprehensive look at the latest oceanic and atmospheric data to determine whether this rapidly evolving El Niño could rival—or even surpass—historic events such as 1877, 1982-83, 1997-98, and 2015-16.

We'll break down the newest sea surface temperature anomalies, subsurface heat content, trade wind behavior, Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), and long-range model guidance from around the world. We'll also discuss what this could mean for the upcoming winter across North America and how a potentially historic El Niño could reshape global weather patterns.

BC Wildfire Crisis Deepens | 103 Fires, 8,000 Evacuated & High-Risk Saturday - Aug 7

British Columbia's wildfire emergency is intensifying as 103 active wildfires burn across the province, with 49 fires completely out of control and more than 324,000 hectares already scorched this season. Thousands remain under evacuation orders as a dangerous dry lightning event threatens to ignite new fires on Saturday. Get the latest BC wildfire update, evacuation information, fire weather forecast, and the regions facing the highest wildfire risk.