TORONTO —
As restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 are eased across the country, new data suggests that Canadians are adapting to their new normal, with unprecedented numbers turning to the great outdoors.
Though provincial reopenings have been staggered and varied in approach, the majority of Canadians are once again able to enjoy some semblance of normal life amid the pandemic as retailers, restaurants, and services get back to business.
But publicly available data from tech giant Google suggests that recommendations from health officials to socialize outside have been taken to heart.
Google’s most recent Community Mobility Report for Canada found that activity in Canadian parks was up 117 per cent from baseline levels between mid-May and the end of June.
But some Canadians seem to be enjoying the outdoors far more than others.
Time spent in parks in Nova Scotia was up a whopping 242 per cent from baseline in the same time period.
Saskatchewan and Manitoba also saw sharp increases in park activity, up 192 per cent and 189 per cent from baseline, respectively.
In Ontario and Quebec, where localized COVID-19 outbreaks outpaced other provinces leading to longer lockdown measures, there was also an increase in outdoor activity, up 140 per cent and 130 per cent from baseline.
Experts have increasingly recommended that Canadians socialize outdoors when possible to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus because the virus can spread more easily between people in a closed space.
RETAIL SEES A RISE AS RESTRICTIONS EASED
Nationally, time spent in retail and recreation destinations remains down 21 per cent from what Google normally measures, with time spent on transit down 31 per cent on average.
Those numbers have improved since March when much of the country’s retail and recreation destinations were closed by government order, sinking the stats to more than 50 per cent below baseline.
Retailers are faring better in some provinces, however.
In Manitoba, for example, visits to retail and recreation destinations were down just 12 per cent, compared to Ontario, which currently stands at 27 per cent below baseline.
However, some of Ontario’s most densely populated areas, including Toronto and Peel Region, did not enter Stage 2 of reopening until June 22, well into data collection phase for Google’s report. Manitoba, which recorded far fewer cases than Ontario, began its reopening in early June.
Google’s data currently stops at June 27. It did not include enough data to show trends within the territories.
Apple’s Mobility Trends Reports tracked similar conclusions for Canada despite reporting data differently. While Google is tracking location data on phones and comparing one location’s current traffic level to its pre-pandemic activity, Apple bases its reports on requests for directions in Apple Maps.
Looking at searches for walking and driving routes, Apple measured a 47 per cent increase in driving route requests and a 39 per cent increase in walking route requests at the end of June.
This marks a significant change from late March and early April, when the tech company measured Canadians’ movement activity as being 50 per cent or more below usual levels.
Public transit-related activity remained down by more than 49 per cent, on average.
But these statistics vary widely depending on where in Canada you live.
In Edmonton, for example, Apple measured a 69 per cent increase in driving route requests. Toronto, on the other hand, only recorded a 24 per cent increase.
Apple and Google both say they are preserving privacy in the gathering of this data, collecting it without making personally identifiable information available at any point in the process.
MONTREAL – One expert says entry-level pay under the tentative deal between Air Canada and its pilots could be a stumbling block ahead of a union vote on the agreement.
Under their current contract, pilots earn far less in their first four years at the company before enjoying a big wage increase starting in year five.
The Air Line Pilots Association had been pushing to scrap the so-called “fixed rate” provision entirely.
But according to a copy of the contract summary obtained by The Canadian Press, the proposed deal announced Sunday would merely cut the four-year period of lower pay to two years.
John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, says as many as 2,000 of Air Canada’s roughly 5,200 active pilots may earn entry-level wages following a recent hiring surge.
After the airline averted a strike this week, Gradek says the failure to ditch the pay grade restrictions could prompt pushback from rank-and-file flight crew and jeopardize the deal, which is up for a vote next month.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
ROME (AP) — Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died. He was 59.
Schillaci had been hospitalized in Palermo following treatment for colon cancer.
The Palermo Civico hospital said in a statement that Schillacci died on Wednesday morning after being admitted 11 days ago.
Schillaci scored six goals for Italy during the 1990 World Cup. He came on as a substitute during Italy’s opener against Austria, scored in a 1-0 victory, and went on to earn the Golden Boot awarded to the tournament’s top scorer. He only scored one other goal for Italy in his career.
Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina announced that a minute of silence would be held in memory of Schillaci before all games in the country for the rest of the week.
“The uncontrollable celebrations, in which his face was the symbol of shared joy, will remain forever part of Italian soccer (history),” Gravina said. “Totò was a great player, a symbol of tenacious desire and redemption. … His soccer was full of passion. And that fearless spirit made everyone appreciate him and will make him immortal.”
Schillaci also won the Golden Ball award at the 1990 World Cup as the tournament’s top player ahead of Lothar Matthaus and Diego Maradona.
Schillaci played for Messina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Japanese team Jubilo Iwata during his club career.
“You made an entire nation dream during the Magical Nights of Italia ’90,” Inter said on its social media channels.
West Germany won the 1990 World Cup, beating Argentina in the final, while Italy beat England for third place with a winning penalty kick from Schillaci.
Roberto Baggio, who scored Italy’s opening goal in the third-place match, wrote on Instagram, “Ciao my dear friend.”
Having been born and raised in Palermo, the Palermo soccer team announced that it would hold a public viewing of Schillaci at its Renzo Barbera stadium ahead of the funeral, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
French soccer player Wissam Ben Yedder will stay free ahead of his trial on charges of sexual assault while intoxicated, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder will remain under strict judicial supervision after a woman filed a lawsuit for sexual assault earlier this month.
The 34-year-old Ben Yedder, a prolific striker in the French league, was briefly detained then released after the alleged incident in his car on the French Riviera. Ben Yedder had been stopped by police after he first refused to do so. He was then put in a jail cell.
After he was summoned to appear in court on Oct. 15 and placed under judicial supervision, the Nice prosecutor’s office appealed the decision not to remand the player in custody. The investigative chamber of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence did not grant this request and kept Ben Yedder under judicial supervision.
Ben Yedder attended a hearing Tuesday during which he offered to go to rehab. He has admitted he drove while under the influence of alcohol but has denied any sexual assault.
In a separate legal case last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” over another alleged incident in the south of France.
Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.
