

The Ontario government is increasing the minimumwagefrom$17.20to$17.60an houreffectiveOctober1,2025,tosupport workers and businesses. This annualized wage increaseisbasedontheOntarioConsumerPrice Index (CPI) of 2.4 per cent and will bring Ontario’s minimum wage to the second highest provincialrateinCanada.
“Our government will continue to have the backs of Ontario workers, investing in skills traininganddevelopmentandhelpingensurethat work pays,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Ontario’s minimum wage remains one of the highest in the country. Now more than ever, workers and businesses need fair, balanced and
predictablewages.”
A worker making the general minimum wageandworking40hoursperweekwillseean annualpayincreaseofupto$835.00asaresultof thesechanges.UndertheEmploymentStandards Act, Ontario’s minimum wage increases annually based on the Ontario CPI, a measure of inflationthatrepresentschangesinpricesexperiencedbyOntarioconsumers.
This increase is just one of the ways the government is supporting Ontario workers and helpingmakeOntariothebestplacetowork,live andraiseafamily.Mostrecently,Ontariopassed theWorkingforWorkersSixAct,2024,whichis helping more workers enter the skilled trades, removing barriers to employment, protecting workers and supporting frontline heroes and womenatwork.
About36percentofworkersatorbelow thewageof$17.60perhourareinretailtradeand 24 per cent are in accommodation and food
services.
Over the past seven years, Ontario’s minimumwagehasincreasedfrom$14perhour in2018to$17.60laterthisyear.
Ontario is ready to respond to this year's
wildland fire season, which lasts from April 1 until October 31. This year the government has filled nearly 100 additional permanent positions to support the 2025 fire seasonandhelpensurepeopleandresourcesare inplacetoprotectcommunities.
“We are ready to protect people, communitiesandpropertiesacrossOntariofrom wildland fires,” said Mike Harris, Minister of NaturalResources.“Whenwildlandfireshit,our brave and dedicated FireRangers, pilots and supportstaffarepreparedtobattlethesefiresand protectOntarians.” Cont’donP.2
For March, the mean monthly temperature anomaly pattern shows a gradient across the province with temperatures below normal in the north and above normal in the south. The highest values can be found toward Windsor and lowest near the central Manitoba border.
After a provincewide cool start early in thefirstweek,temperaturesrosetowarmerthan average. Most days were milder than typical in the second week especially toward the end.The warmestwaveofthemonthoccurredasthethird week began. Daily maximum temperature records were set in parts of the south, such as 22oC in St. Catharines on the 16th. The final weeksawsomesignificantlycoolerdaystoward theendofthemonthespeciallyfortheFarNorth andnortheast.Inthesouthwest,however,thelast fewdayssawsomeverywarmdays.
Precipitation
Precipitationwasabovenormalformost oftheprovince.Itwasdrierthannormalinparts ofboththeFarNorthandthenorthwest(nearthe Manitoba border). Major precipitating systems
crossed theprovincefrom the46th,the14-16thandneartheend of the month. Some higher daily amounts include Bancroft with 34.8 mm on the 16th and near Newmarketwith36.4mmonthe 29th. The second week was the driest across the province and generally, the last week was the wettestofthemonth.
In the final days, a weather system featuring mixed precipitation delivered significant amounts to the south and northeast. Some locations received over 20 mm of ice accretion.
Snowfall for the month was well below normal in most of the south as expected with warmer temperatures. Conversely, they were higher in the northeast as several significant storms passed through, and in the northwest aroundLakeoftheWoods.Arecorddailyamount fellinSmith'sFallsof21cmonthe28th.
Cont’dfromP.1
Last year, the province partnered with the federal government to invest a total of $64 million in the wildland fire program. This investment has allowed Ontario to enhance its firefightingcapacityforthe2025fireseasonand includes funding for forest fire suppression equipmentandtechnology,suchasfuelsystems, trucksandemergencymanagementsoftware.
Approximately50percentofallwildlandfires are caused by humans. There are actions the publiccantaketoreducetherisksofforestfires:
· Beforestartinganoutdoorfire,checkthe interactive map at ontario.ca/forestfires and ensure you are aware of the fire hazard and restrictionsinplaceinyourarea.
· Follow Ontario's outdoor burning regulations, including igniting fires no sooner thantwohoursbeforesunsetandextinguishing themnolaterthantwohoursaftersunrise.
· Ensure campfires do not get too big and arefullyextinguishedattheendoftheevening orpriortoleavingthesite.Havetoolsandwater onhandtocontroloutdoorfires.
· Tolearnmoreabouthowtoprepareyour community or property to reduce the risk or impact of a wildland fire please visit how to
preventforestfiresandontario.ca/firesmart. Ontarioisrecognizedasaninternationalleaderin wildland fire management and proudly participates in agreements with its provincial, territorial,federalandinternationalpartnersthat allowforthesharingofpersonnel,equipmentand aircraft between agencies during periods of escalatedwildlandfireactivity.
Ontariohasafleetofspecializedaircraft used to manage wildland fires, hundreds of highly trained staff, 14 fire management headquarters, three attack bases and 11 forward attack bases, two regional fire centres, one provincialfirecentre(whichhousestheministry emergency operations centre), two regional logistics centres and one provincial logistics centre, seven aircraft hangars and one flight training centre. Together, these resources are used to coordinate the protection of 90 million hectaresofpubliclandinOntario.
In2024,Ontariosawmorethan470fires andnearly90,000hectaresburned–comparedto the 10-year average of 694 fires and 201,780 hectaresburned.
Approximately50percentofallwildland firesarecausedbyhumans.
The spring melt got underway in earnest through March, seeing a large reduction in ice from the beginning of the month to the end. Ice coverage started the month at 31% across the GreatLakesanddroppedto9%bytheendofthe month. Compared to the weekly median ice cover,thespringmeltprogressedaweekaheadof schedule. The largest drop in ice coverage occurredattheendofthefirstweekinMarchasa stronglow-pressuresystempassedovertheGreat Lakes bringing above normal air temperatures and strong winds, which melted and destroyed 30% of the total ice cover. Following the initial large drop, ice receded near the climatological pace.
March5–6:WhiteoutsandShutdowns–Winter StormHitsNortheasternOntario
Awinter storm brought heavy snow and widespread blowing snow to northeastern Ontario from Wednesday through Thursday, resulting in dangerous travel and numerous highway closures. Snowfall totals ranged from 15 to 25 cm, with significant drifting and whiteout conditions. Major road closures included Highway 129 from Thessalon to Chapleau (closed for over 30 hours), Highway 144 from Timmins to Cartier, and multiple closures along Highways 17, 101, 655, and 11 duetocollisionsandpoorvisibility.InTimmins, some businesses and services shut down, and school buses were cancelled throughout the region.
March 6: From Clear to Chaos – Freeze HammersAreasSoutheastofLakeHuron Freezingconditionsandblowingsnowon ThursdayseverelyimpactedCont’donP.5
butamemberoftheteamwascalledtoplayforthe WindsorBulldogsoftheOntarioHockeyLeague."
by MichaelJ. Morris
by MichaelJ. Morris
Imagine deciding to move to Chapleau in 1900andmakingtheentirejourneybycanoeand onfootfromMooseFactorytoyournewhome.
That's exactly what contributed to a populationincreasetothefledglingcommunityon the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway as First Nations families made the journey and the opportunity for gainful employment in a new location.WritinginChapleauTrails,editedbyDr. William R. Pellow, Ian White mentions many of
these families who migrated, but I will just share someofhisstoryinthiscolumn.Mr.Whiteisthe uncle of John "Charlie" White born and raised in Chapleau,whodiedonMarch12,2009,andIwill give you details on how you may remember him below.
Mr. White writes in Chapleau Trails that his grandparents Stephen and Jane Potts left Moose Factory in 1900, stopped for the winter in Mattice and then stayed at the Brunswick House Reserve on Missanabie Lake before arriving in Chapleau. His mother was nine years old at the timeandwithheroldersisterBarbarawalkedmost ofthejourneybyfollowingtheshoreline.
He explains that this was necessary because his grandfather had only two canoes and roomforthreepeopleineachvesselalongwiththe possessions,theybroughtwiththem.InChapleau theybuiltahouseonAberdeenStreet.
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AftersettlinginChapleau, Mr.WhitenotesthattheEldersof the community became devout members of St. John's Anglican Church,butassomecouldnotget out to attend services at the church,theygatheredathomesfor prayer and enlightenment. He notes that Esther (Sanders) Swanson was their self-taught organist and choir leader on Sunday afternoons, and "their joy of singing could be heard in the neighbourhood."
At age seven Mr. White joinedthechoirofSt.John'swith TerryandJohnWay-White,David and Elbert Collinson, Lorne and John Woodard, Edwin Good, Jim and Keith Searle with Reginald Thrush as choirmaster. "I remembermyfirstmorning,itwas Easter Sunday 1927, and my grandpa was sitting near the entrance when we entered the church. I can still see his smile of approval..."
Mr. White also writes about the "Lower Town" hockey teamandsomeofthefamousFirst Nations players from the early years. "BobTurner was the noted goalie. Tony Cachagee a fast skatingforward.MickeyLinklater wascalledtoplayforGlaceBayof the Maritime League and Joe Wolotco, not of the First Nation
He also notes that his older brothers Donald and John (Charlie's father) and a cousin Oliver "Doc" Potts and the Corston boys and Mickey and Farmer Linklater competed in the town softball league, adding that Jack Shoup and "Bunt" Burrows shared umpire duties, "both of whom sometimes bore the brunt of sharp criticism."
Mr. White, who served in the Third Anti Tank Regiment of the Royal Canadian Army in World War II, shares much more of life in Chapleau and I encourage you to read it in Chapleau Trails but now I want to switch to rememberinghisnephewJohn"Charlie"White.
I received a message from David McMillan, who now lives in Selkirk, Manitoba aboutawayinwhichwecanrememberCharlie.
DavidwrotethatwhenCharliedied,Jean, his wife, and the family had intended to set up a Trust Account for a future Scholar-ship Fund in Charlie's name where individuals could make memorial donations in lieu of flowers. "In speaking with Jean recently, I've learned that the logistics of following that intended course of action are so overwhelming that the undertaking hasunfortunatelyhadtobeabandoned.
"AsanalternativeJeanandthefamilyfeel that Charlie's second choice would have been to have donations made in his memory to St. John's AnglicanChurchinChapleauwhere,inhisyouth, Charlie was a member of the congregation. St. John's was also an institution with which he maintained a close tie and relationship until his untimelypassing."
Cheques payable to St. John's Anglican Church can be sent to the Church at Box 756, Chapleau,ONP0M1K0andbeassuredthatyour contributionwillbegreatlyappreciatedbybothSt. John'sandCharlie'sfamily,Davidadvised.
Donation acknowledgements (excluding monetarycontributionamounts)willbeforwarded to Jean by St. John's as they are received, and formal receipts for Income Tax purposes will, regardless of the amount contributed, be mailed outtodonorsinJanuary2011.
Thanks to IanWhite, a member of one of Chapleau'spioneerfamiliesforsharingtheirstory to give me a context to write about remembering Charlie,whoIalwaysthoughtwasthestaronthe hockeyteam,towhomIoncepassedthepuckand he scored, and who once told me during a road hockeygameontheoutdoorrinkbesidehishome onAberdeenStreet,"You'reprettygood."
Heirloom vegetables are unique, time-tested varieties that have been passed downthroughgenerations.Althoughtheyhaven'tbeenbredtobedisease-resistantlike some modern hybrids, these vegetables have lasted for as long as they have because they'veproventobeexcellentperformersinalmostanygarden. Followthesetipstosuccessfullygrowyourownheirloomvegetables: Choosetherightvarieties
Heirloomvarietiesarecultivatedinspecificregions,soit'simportanttochoose thosethatarewell-suitedtoyourlocalgrowingconditions.Checkyourhardinesszone todeterminewhatvarietiesthriveinyourarea.Manyseedsuppliersprovideinformation onwhichvarietiesperformwellincertainclimates,makingiteasierforyoutofindthe bestoptionsforyourgarden.
Trycompanionplanting
Pairingheirloomvegetableswithcomplementaryplantscanhelpdeterpestsand improveplanthealth.Forexample,plantingbasilwithheirloomtomatoescanenhance their flavour and protect against certain pests. Research companion plants that work wellwithyourheirloomvarieties.
Saveyourseeds
Unlike hybrid varieties, which often do not produce true-to-type vegetables, heirloomstendtoimproveovertime.Allowyourmostvigorousandprolificplantsto fullymatureandcollecttheirseedsattheendoftheseason.Storetheseedsinacool,dry place for replanting next year to create a sustainable cycle of your favourite heirloom crops.
Happygardening!
Creating a vegetable garden that welcomes wildlife benefits your plants and promotesahealthy,balancedecosystemrightinyourownbackyard.Trythesesimple waystomakeyourgardenawildlifehaven:
Providewatersources
Set up shallow water dishes with stones or sticks for bees and butterflies to safelylandanddrink.Birdbathsandsmallpondscanalsohelpattractbirds,frogsand otherbeneficialcreatures,providingthemaplacetocooloffandhelpwithpestcontrol. Growavarietyofplants
Youcancreateamoreresilientgardenthatattractsarangeofpollinatorsand beneficialinsectsbygrowingflowersandherbsalongwithyourvegetables.Rotating cropsandplantingcovercropscankeepyoursoilhealthyandsupportearthwormsand beneficialbacteria.
Takecareofthebirdsandthebees
Placebirdhousesandbeehotelsaroundyourgardentoprovidenestingspotsforbirds andsolitarybees.Thesetinyhabitatsencouragenaturalpollinatorsandpestcontrollers tostickaround.
Avoidusingchemicalpesticides
Chemical pesticides can harm beneficial insects and disrupt your garden's ecosystem.Tryorganicsolutionstomanagepests.Companionplantingisalsoagreat idea. For example, marigolds planted near tomatoes naturally repel aphids and other pests.
Visityourlocalgardeningstoretofindeverythingyouneedtogetstarted.
SettingUpANo-digGarden:ABeginner'sGuide
No-dig gardening is a low-maintenance, eco-friendly way to gardenbyleavingthesoilundisturbedtoenrichthesoilnaturally. Followthisguidetogetstarted:
1. Choosealocation
Pickasunnyspotwithgooddrainage.No-diggardenscanbesetup directlyonsoil,grassorevengravelledareas.
2. Laydownaweedbarrier
Thisstepisoptional,butifyouwantthebestsuccess,coverthearea with cardboard or thick newspaper to impede weed growth. Overlaptheedgestoensurecompletecoverageandwateritwellto keepitinplace.
3. Addmulch
Layerorganicmaterialslikedriedleaves,smalltwigs,well-rotted manure and straw over the cardboard or newspaper. Start with about10to15centimetresoforganicmatterandkeepaddinglayers yearafteryear.
4. Finishwithsoil
Finishoffwithatoplayerofnutrient-richsoilandcompostabout 20to25centimetresdeep.Thisiswhereyou'llplantyourseedsor seedlings. Over time, the layers underneath will decompose, creatingrich,fertilesoilwithoutdisturbingtheearth.
Withno-diggardening,youcanplantstraightintothetoplayerof soil,soanewbedisreadyforplantingassoonasithasbeenmade. Thismethodwillhelpyousavetime,improvesoilhealthandenjoy athrivinggarden!
Lesoeuvresd'artdetroisélèvesdel'ÉcolesecondaireSaint-Joseph(Wawa) furentreconnuesparleprésidentdel'Assembléelégislativedel'Ontario,l'Honorable TedArnott, lors d'une exposition tenue dans le cadre du Programme d'art pour les jeunes.CharlieLavoie,élèvedela10eannée,SophieGuertin,élèvedela11eannée etElsaMcGregor,élèvedela12eannée,ontétéravisd'apprendrequeleursoeuvres avaient été choisies parmi plusieurs afin d'être exposées dans l'édifice de l'Assembléelégislative.
Theworksofartofthree ÉS Saint-Joseph(Wawa) studentsdisplayedattheLegislativeAssemblyofOntario
Theworksofartofthree École secondaire Saint-Joseph (Wawa) students have been recognized by the Honorable Ted Arnott, president of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, during an art exhibit held as part of the Youth Arts Program.CharlieLavoie(grade 10), Sophie Guertin (grade 11) and Elsa McGregor (grade 12), were pleased to learn their art pieceshadbeenselectedamong many others to be displayed in theLegislativeBuilding.
Cont’dfromP.2 areassoutheastofLakeHuronandGeorgianBay.
Icyroadsledtohundredsofcollisions,including afatalcrashnearElmiraanda25-vehiclepileup near Orillia. Numerous highways were closed due to collisions and whiteout conditions, including stretches of Highways 3, 10, 21, and 124, along with over a dozen county roads throughout Grey-Bruce and Huron-Perth. Three schools closed in Huron-Perth, while school buses were cancelled in many counties across southernOntario,fromMiddlesexandOxfordto Muskoka and Nipissing. Some cancellations continuedintoFriday.
March16:FreezeFrame–NortheasternOntario GrindstoaHalt
Rain followed by a freeze and blowing snow made travel treacherous across northeastern Ontario Sunday.Visibility dropped to 1/4 SM in Timmins and Kapuskasing, with numerous collisions reported, while Sault Ste. Marie dropped to 3/8 SM. Major highway closuresincluded330kmof Highway 101 from Wawa to Timmins, along with sections of Highways 11, 129, 655, and 566. Most routes remained closed into the earlyhoursofMonday.
March 28–30: From Rain to Ruin – Major Ice StormWreaksHavocAcrossOntario
*Details and amounts from this event are still beingcollected
Apowerful ice storm from March 28-30 broughtwidespreadimpactsacrosssouthernand eastern Ontario, leaving hundreds of thousands without power. States of emergency were declaredinOrillia,Peterborough,Muskoka,and Oro-Medonte. Ice accretion totals included 25 mm in Lindsay, 20 mm in Peterborough, and 19 mm in Orillia. Hydro One crews restored more than360,000outagesovertheweekend,butover 390,000customersremainedwithoutpowerasof Monday morning. Nearly 100 collisions were reported in eastern Ontario, including a fatal crashonHighway138andaseriouscollisionon Highway 416 that sent seven people to hospital. SchoolsinPeterborough,Simcoe,andKawartha Lakes were closed Monday due to unsafe conditions.
Temperature guidance continues to indicate a likelihood of warmer than normal conditionsbutonlyforsouthernOntarioandwith the most confidence near Lake Erie. Similarly, precipitationguidanceshowsagreater
Lastweekssolutions
OnApril16,1943,SwisschemistAlbertHofmannaccidentally consumedLSD-25,asyntheticdrughe'dcreatedin1938while researching the medicinal value of lysergic acid compounds. After taking the drug deliberately once more to confirm it had caused his two-hour bout of strange but "not unpleasant" hallucinations and sensations, he published a report describinghisdiscovery.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Cyber-Enabled Fraud Team (CEFT) is warning the public about the risks of engaging private cryptocurrency tracing companies to recover funds lost to cyber-enabled fraud due to the increaseofrecoveryscams.
Some cryptocurrency tracing companies are not legitimate and target individuals who havealreadybeenvictimsoffraud,claimingthey will be able to help get their money back. They mayaskforpaymentfortheirservices,resulting infurtherlosses.
While some legitimate companies do provide cryptocurrenc y tracing services, it's important to understand their limitations. These companies lack the legal authority to freeze or seizefunds.Reportsgeneratedbysomeofthese companiesmaynotbesuitableincourtorattrial. Victims may face high fees for reports that ultimately direct them to seek help from law enforcement. These reports can also include inaccuracies,errors,oroversimplifications.
It is recommended to always exercise caution and ensure thorough research before engagingintheseservices.
If you've been a victim of cyber-enabled fraud, your first step is to report it to your local policeservice.Thepolicehaveaccesstoreliable cryptocurrency tracing tools designed for investigative purposes. Police must rely on law enforcement generated reports for conducting
investigations.
HowtoProtectYourself
• Bewareofunexpectedmessagesorcalls. Individualswhocommitfraudoftenreachoutto victims who have publicly shared t heir cryptocurrency losses online or on social media platforms.
• Be cautious of individuals who pressure you into acting quickly to recover lost cryptocurrencyandwhodemandupfrontfees.
• Don't provide anyone with sensitive information such as your wallet's private key or seedphrase.
• Be aware that some cryptocurrency tracing services appear as legitimate companies butprovidefalsereports.
For more information on fraud prevention,visitopp.ca/fraudandsfo.opp.ca. Ifyoususpectfraudulentactivityorhavebeena victim of fraud, report it immediately to your localpoliceandtheCanadianAnti-FraudCentre at 1-888-495-8501 or online via the Fraud ReportingSystem.
1800-461-2242oryoucandropinattheCentre.Wearehereforyou.
I don't believe that whoever voted for Trump are deplorable, but I do hope that their consciencehauntsthemfortherestoftheirlives.
They have helped in enabling a psychopathtodestroyademocracythattheworld envied. The harm caused by this individual will affect multiple futureAmerican generations not tomentionakillertsunamifortheworldpolitical scene.
How can someone seriously negotiate withsuchanevil,despicableindividual.
! 64TimesMentionedInEpsteinReport.
! 97TimesPleadedTheFifth.
! 34FelonyConvictions.
! 91CriminalCharges.
! 26SexualAssaultAllegations.
! 6Bankruptcies.
! 5DraftDeferments.
! 4Indictments.
! 2Impeachments.
! 2ConvictedCompanies.
! 1FakeUniversityShutDown.
! 1FakeCharityShutDown.
! $25MillionFraudSettlement.
! $5MillionSexualAbuseVerdict.
! $2MillionFakeCharityAbuseJudgment.
! $93MillionSexualAbuseJudgements.
! $400+MillionFraudJudgment.
! FirstPresidentinhistorytoserveafullterm increasethedeficiteveryyearhewasinoffice.
! FirstPresidentinhistorytomaintainadebtto GDPratioover100%forhisentireterm.
! Highestannualbudgetdeficit.
! Most added to the national debt in a single term.
! Mostnewunemploymentclaims.
! Largestsingledaypointdropinthehistoryof theDow.
! First major party candidate in half a century tolosethepopularvotetwice.
! Longest government shutdown in history (and he did that while his own party controlled bothchambersofCongress).
! First President in the history of approval ratingstomaintainanetnegativeapprovalrating forhisentireterm.
! FirstPresidenttobeimpeachedtwice.
! FirstPresidenttohavebipartisansupportfor his conviction after impeachment (which happenedbothtimes).
! Most indictments, guilty pleas, and criminal convictionsofmembersofanadministration.
! Firstpresidenttohaveamugshot.
Cybercriminals are ramping up text-based scams to steal personal and banking information. This tactic, known as "smishing", a combination of "SMS" (short message service) and phishing, relies on deceptivetextmessagestotrickrecipientsintoclicking maliciouslinksorcallingfraudulentnumbers.
Smishingmessagesoftenappeartocome from financial institutions, courier companies, onlineretailersorgovernmentagencies.Clicking
ontheselinkscanleadtoidentitytheft,financial fraudormalwarebeinginstalledonyourdevice. Examples of smishing attempts are available in the additional content section to help Ontarians recognizethesescams.
In2024,theCanadianAnti-FraudCentre (CAFC) received almost 9,500 reports of identity fraud and over 3,900 reports of personal informationtheft.
HowtoProtectYourselffromSmishingScams:
· Donotclickonlinks,replytomessagesor callnumbersfromunknownsenders.
· Reportsuspicioustextsbyforwardingthem to7726(SPAM).
· Deleteallsuspiciousmessagesimmediately.
· Keepyoursmartphonesecurebyupdating
youroperatingsystemandsecuritysoftware.
· Usemulti-factorauthenticationforbanking, socialmediaandothersensitiveaccounts.
· Verify any unexpected text messages by checking official websites or contacting organizationsdirectly.
· Ifyouareavictimofsmishingfrauds,ensure toreviewtheCAFCguideonWhattodoifyou're avictimoffraud.
For more information on fraud prevention, visit opp.caandsfo.opp.ca.
Ifyoususpectfraudulentactivityorhavebeena victim of fraud, report it immediately to your localpoliceandtheCanadianAnti-FraudCentre at 1-888-495-8501 or online via the Fraud ReportingSystem.