Consul general reiterates he had no influence on $9M Manhattan condo purchase

TORONTO – Ontario Premier Doug Ford says eligible businesses will be getting a share of $2 billion that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is returning due to a surplus.

This marks the second time the WSIB has given a surplus back to employers, having distributed $1.2 billion in 2022.

Businesses are eligible if they have not been convicted more than once under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act or the Occupational Health and Safety Act since 2020.

As well, the WSIB is cutting the average premium rate employers pay from $1.30 to $1.25 per $100 of insurable payroll.

A new WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program will also give $1,000 to employers that create a new health and safety action plan through the program.

Ford also announced that the province is removing a $150 fee for apprentices taking their first Certificate of Qualification exam, which he says will make it easier for people to start careers in the trades.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

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EDMONTON – The Alberta government is forecasting a $4.6-billion surplus this fiscal year, but Finance Minister Nate Horner says Alberta’s in for a “challenging” future.

The government’s second-quarter fiscal update says just $2.9 billion of that surplus is expected to be cash, which would be split between paying down debt and the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.

It says the surplus is largely the result of higher-than-expected income tax revenue thanks to Alberta’s sharp population growth and oil and gas royalties.

But the fiscal update also says “global economic conditions” are presenting risks for the province’s finances.

As such the government has dropped its revenue expectations for the average price of its benchmark West Texas Intermediate oil for the remainder of the fiscal year by US$2.50 per barrel from the US$76.50 price point expected in the first-quarter update.

The government also says it’s planning for population growth to drop significantly next year, and the provincial unemployment rate is expected to grow.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

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A deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to a massive recall of popular Boar’s Head deli meats is over, federal health officials said Thursday.

Ten people died and 61 were sickened in 19 states after eating listeria-contaminated Boar’s Head products, including liverwurst. Illnesses were reported between late May and mid-September, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Listeria outbreaks are considered over 60 days after the last reported illness, according to the CDC. In addition, deli products linked to the outbreak are now past their shelf life.

After recalling more than 7 million pounds of Boar’s Head deli meats distributed nationwide, company officials shut down a production plant in Jarratt, Virginia, and permanently stopped making liverwurst.

Boar’s Head faces continued scrutiny over dozens of reports of problems at the factory, including mold, insects, dripping water and contaminated walls, floors and equipment.

The U.S. Agriculture Department is conducting an internal investigation into whether federal investigators and Virginia state inspectors responded to the reports of serious problems. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who requested the investigation, has received no update on the findings, his staff said.

The company also faces dozens of lawsuits filed by people who were sickened or their families.

Officials with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service have refused to share documents regarding the agency’s inspections and enforcement at the plant, plus inspection reports from eight other company factories across the country. The AP is appealing the public records request denial.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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