There’s no indication that a vehicle crash and explosion Wednesday that killed two people on the American side of the Rainbow Bridge — which connects Ontario and New York — is linked to terrorism, says New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Based on what we know at this moment, there is no sign of terrorist activity in this crash,” Hochul said at a news conference.
She said an individual from Western New York was “involved” in a “crash,” but she did not clarify if the person was the driver.
“We’re going to ensure the public is safe before they go back on the Rainbow Bridge.”
Late Wednesday evening, the FBI in Buffalo confirmed in a statement posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that it had concluded its investigation at the scene of the incident. The post said that a search “revealed no explosive materials” and that investigators found no connections to terrorism.
It said the investigation is now in the hands of the Niagara Falls Police Department in New York state.
<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#NEW</a> Statement from <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/FBI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#FBI</a> Buffalo regarding the investigation at Rainbow Bridge: <a href=”https://t.co/4lwvq8PsAe”>pic.twitter.com/4lwvq8PsAe</a>
Hochul said events began at 11:27 a.m. ET. The explosion led to the closure of four area bridge border crossings ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend.
Information about the second person who died was not available.
Shortly after 5 p.m., Ontario Provincial Police said the Peace, Queenston-Lewiston and Whirlpool Rapids bridges had reopened. The Rainbow Bridge remained closed.
“Naturally, at a time of heightened alert, everybody springs into action,” Hochul said. “We’re not aware of any threats to this area, but I state the caveat that the investigation is ongoing.”
Canadian government sources told CBC News on Wednesday afternoon that answers about what happened may take some time as the vehicle involved was badly burned. Ottawa is “highly confident” the car originated in the United States, they said.
Vehicle basically ‘incinerated’
Hochul said a video shows how the vehicle basically “incinerated” and nothing was left but the engine.
“It’s going to take a lot of time for our federal law enforcement partners … to be able to piece together the real story.”
A police officer directs tourists in Niagara Falls, N.Y., away from the Rainbow Bridge border crossing after a car exploded within the customs plaza on Wednesday. (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News/The Associated Press)
Earlier Wednesday, the FBI Buffalo Field Office posted on X that it was investigating a vehicle explosion.
“The FBI is coordinating with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation. As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time.”
The Buffalo Niagara International airport said on X that it was open and “fully operational.”
PMO in contact with U.S. officials
The Rainbow Bridge connects the tourism sectors of Niagara Falls, Ont., and Niagara Falls, N.Y. It has 16 car inspection lanes into the U.S. and 15 into Canada. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission website, which oversees the bridges, says they see about seven million passages annually.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s press secretary, Jenna Ghassabeh, said in an email shortly after the explosion that Trudeau was briefed “by the national security and intelligence adviser about the situation in Niagara Falls.”
The email said the Prime Minister’s Office is “in contact with the U.S. officials. The minister of public safety, RCMP and CBSA [Canada Border Services Agency] are fully engaged and providing all necessary support.”
Trudeau, speaking in the House of Commons, called it “a very serious situation” and said his office would “remain engaged” on the incident the rest of the day.
Government sources told CBC on Wednesday afternoon there was no firm conclusion on whether the explosion was intentional. Because it was at a site of critical infrastructure, the operating assumption from government is there is a security threat until proven otherwise, they added.
A spokesperson from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center confirmed a border patrol agent was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries from the explosion.
Shortly after the explosion, the CBSA told CBC Hamilton via email that it was “liaising with our U.S. counterparts on this matter.”
The U.S. transportation agency, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, said it was “increasing security system-wide.”
Security was also stepped up at other Canadian border crossings.
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel said it was operating at a “heightened level of security” in the wake of the explosion at the Rainbow Bridge. In a statement, the tunnel’s chief executive officer said the crossing remained open but some delays were expected. Officials are monitoring the situation at other Windsor-Detroit border crossings as well.
In northwestern Ontario, border crossings at the Fort Frances Bridge between Fort Frances, Ont., and International Falls, Minn., the Pigeon River crossing near Thunder Bay remain open. The CBSA also lists the bridge crossing between Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., as open.
The Niagara Regional Police Service wrote on X there was “no known threat on the Canadian side” of the border. The service added the public should expect to see more police out, as well as road closures near the bridges and “significant traffic congestion on Niagara roadways, including highways.”
Also on X, Toronto police wrote that while they are unaware of any threats to the city, they would be increasing officer patrols “out of an abundance of caution.”
‘One city divided by a border’
Jim Diodati, the mayor of Niagara Falls, Ont., told CBC Hamilton he was getting out of a dentist appointment around lunchtime when he learned about the explosion.
“As soon as I saw [the] border closed, the hair on my back stands up,” Diodati told CBC.
“We often say Niagara Falls is one city divided by a border.”
If you can imagine, the bridge was packed with cars that had to turn around and be sent back to Canada. It was nerve-racking.”– Forrest Willett, Ontario resident
As a border town, he said, the crossings are important to Niagara Falls. They facilitate trade and tourism, and many locals have loved ones on the American side.
“It’s cause for alarm,” he said, especially given people tend to cross this time of year for the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday shopping.
In a situation such as this, the mayor said officials prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Witness accounts
Ontario real estate agent Forrest Willett was waiting to cross into the U.S. over the Peace Bridge for work on Wednesday when border officers began approaching cars.
He said an officer told him they were evacuating the bridge as there had been an explosion at the nearby Rainbow Bridge.
Canadian shopper describes reaching border crossing right after explosion
Featured VideoAlex Moran and his girlfriend reached the Rainbow Bridge just after the explosion. He describes the experience of being caught up in the violent incident and the subsequent border crossing closures.
Willett said he felt like the “elevator floor” had dropped out from under him and he was counting down the seconds until he could get off the bridge.
“If you can imagine, the bridge was packed with cars that had to turn around and be sent back to Canada,” Willett said. “It was nerve-racking.”
He said the officers directed traffic and all personal vehicles drove off the bridge within 20 minutes. They’re now crammed on streets and parking lots and people wait for the bridge to reopen, he said mid-afternoon.
Jose Ventura Jr. was visiting Niagara Falls, N.Y., with his family on Wednesday. They had just stopped at a nearby park and were heading toward the Rainbow Bridge when they heard a loud bang and saw thick smoke.
He told CBC Hamilton his 10-year-old daughter was “really scared and screaming out.”
Moments later, he said, police began evacuating the area.
“We just had to get out of there,” Ventura said. “We were worried something else might occur and for sure didn’t feel safe.”
REGINA – Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck says she wants to prove to residents her party is the government in waiting as she heads into the incoming legislative session.
Beck held her first caucus meeting with 27 members, nearly double than what she had before the Oct. 28 election but short of the 31 required to form a majority in the 61-seat legislature.
She says her priorities will be health care and cost-of-living issues.
Beck says people need affordability help right now and will press Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government to cut the gas tax and the provincial sales tax on children’s clothing and some grocery items.
Beck’s NDP is Saskatchewan’s largest Opposition in nearly two decades after sweeping Regina and winning all but one seat in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Party won 34 seats, retaining its hold on all of the rural ridings and smaller cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Telus Corp. says it is avoiding offering “unprofitable” discounts as fierce competition in the Canadian telecommunications sector shows no sign of slowing down.
The company said Friday it had fewer net new customers during its third quarter compared with the same time last year, as it copes with increasingly “aggressive marketing and promotional pricing” that is prompting more customers to switch providers.
Telus said it added 347,000 net new customers, down around 14.5 per cent compared with last year. The figure includes 130,000 mobile phone subscribers and 34,000 internet customers, down 30,000 and 3,000, respectively, year-over-year.
The company reported its mobile phone churn rate — a metric measuring subscribers who cancelled their services — was 1.09 per cent in the third quarter, up from 1.03 per cent in the third quarter of 2023. That included a postpaid mobile phone churn rate of 0.90 per cent in its latest quarter.
Telus said its focus is on customer retention through its “industry-leading service and network quality, along with successful promotions and bundled offerings.”
“The customers we have are the most important customers we can get,” said chief financial officer Doug French in an interview.
“We’ve, again, just continued to focus on what matters most to our customers, from a product and customer service perspective, while not loading unprofitable customers.”
Meanwhile, Telus reported its net income attributable to common shares more than doubled during its third quarter.
The telecommunications company said it earned $280 million, up 105.9 per cent from the same three-month period in 2023. Earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 was 19 cents compared with nine cents a year earlier.
It reported adjusted net income was $413 million, up 10.7 per cent year-over-year from $373 million in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue and other income for the quarter was $5.1 billion, up 1.8 per cent from the previous year.
Mobile phone average revenue per user was $58.85 in the third quarter, a decrease of $2.09 or 3.4 per cent from a year ago. Telus said the drop was attributable to customers signing up for base rate plans with lower prices, along with a decline in overage and roaming revenues.
It said customers are increasingly adopting unlimited data and Canada-U.S. plans which provide higher and more stable ARPU on a monthly basis.
“In a tough operating environment and relative to peers, we view Q3 results that were in line to slightly better than forecast as the best of the bunch,” said RBC analyst Drew McReynolds in a note.
Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi added that “the telecom industry in Canada remains very challenging for all players, however, Telus has been able to face these pressures” and still deliver growth.
The Big 3 telecom providers — which also include Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. — have frequently stressed that the market has grown more competitive in recent years, especially after the closing of Quebecor Inc.’s purchase of Freedom Mobile in April 2023.
Hailed as a fourth national carrier, Quebecor has invested in enhancements to Freedom’s network while offering more affordable plans as part of a set of commitments it was mandated by Ottawa to agree to.
The cost of telephone services in September was down eight per cent compared with a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada’s most recent inflation report last month.
“I think competition has been and continues to be, I’d say, quite intense in Canada, and we’ve obviously had to just manage our business the way we see fit,” said French.
Asked how long that environment could last, he said that’s out of Telus’ hands.
“What I can control, though, is how we go to market and how we lead with our products,” he said.
“I think the conditions within the market will have to adjust accordingly over time. We’ve continued to focus on digitization, continued to bring our cost structure down to compete, irrespective of the price and the current market conditions.”
Still, Canada’s telecom regulator continues to warn providers about customers facing more charges on their cellphone and internet bills.
On Tuesday, CRTC vice-president of consumer, analytics and strategy Scott Hutton called on providers to ensure they clearly inform their customers of charges such as early cancellation fees.
That followed statements from the regulator in recent weeks cautioning against rising international roaming fees and “surprise” price increases being found on their bills.
Hutton said the CRTC plans to launch public consultations in the coming weeks that will focus “on ensuring that information is clear and consistent, making it easier to compare offers and switch services or providers.”
“The CRTC is concerned with recent trends, which suggest that Canadians may not be benefiting from the full protections of our codes,” he said.
“We will continue to monitor developments and will take further action if our codes are not being followed.”
French said any initiative to boost transparency is a step in the right direction.
“I can’t say we are perfect across the board, but what I can say is we are absolutely taking it under consideration and trying to be the best at communicating with our customers,” he said.
“I think everyone looking in the mirror would say there’s room for improvement.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Two years after the failed launch of a lending program, Canada Post is making another foray into banking services.
The postal service confirmed Friday that it will be offering a chequing and savings account in partnership with Koho Financial Inc.
The accounts will be launched nationally next year, though Canada Post employees will be offered early access as the product is tested.
Canada Post spokeswoman Lisa Liu said in a statement that there are gaps in the banking and savings products available that the Crown corporation looks to fill.
“Canada Post is uniquely positioned to fill some of these demands. Many of our existing financial products help meet the needs of new Canadians and those living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, but we believe more is required.”
The MyMoney offering will be a spending and savings account where customers will be able to choose between features like high interest rates, cashback rewards and credit-building tools.
A document briefly posted to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers website said it would use a prepaid, reloadable Mastercard that will use money from the account like a debit card but offer the features of a Mastercard.
It said there will be a range of account tiers, including no-fee accounts and paid accounts with more features.
The plans comes after Canada Post launched a lending program with TD Bank Group in late 2022, only to shut it down weeks later because of what it said were processing issues.
Liu said the postal service has since been exploring other possible financial service offerings.
“Utilizing what we’ve learned, we are making a strategic shift from loans toward products more aligned with our core financial service products.”
The new account will be delivered with financial technology company Koho. A few months ago the company paired with Canada Post to allow its customers to deposit cash into their account through post offices.
Koho is also working to secure a Canadian banking license to expand its services.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
