Category: General

A shooting Friday evening at a pub in Toronto, Canada, left a dozen people wounded, as police continue to search for the suspect, according to officials.

The Department of Agriculture canceled a $600,000 grant for the study of menstrual cycles in transgender men, Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Friday.

Welcome to The Logoff. Today I’m focusing on Donald Trump’s effect on the economy, because we’re seeing some early indications of how the president’s policies are affecting the rest of us — and because the markets may influence his behavior going forward. What’s the latest? We got two early signs of how Trump’s economy is doing today. The […]

If you’re planning a trip but need to renew your Canadian passport, there’s a new federal guarantee that might interest you.

Starting this year, if your complete application takes more than 30 business days to process, you’ll get a full refund on the fees.

The March 7 announcement was made by Minister of Citizens’ Services of Canada Terry Beech as part of the first State of Service Report, aimed at improving efficiency in government services. And after the chaos of the 2022 passport crisis, when massive lineups formed outside Passport Canada offices, the news is sure to be a relief for many travellers.

Here’s how it works.

Whether you apply online, in person, or by mail, your passport should now be processed within 30 business days. If it’s delayed, you’ll get your money back in full. However, the mailing time of your application and passport is not included in the 30-business-day period.

While the new measure is expected to roll out later this year, the exact start date hasn’t been announced yet.

According to the government, the cost of a passport renewal depends on the validity period and the service chosen:

• 5-year passport: $120
• 10-year passport: $160

Additional fees apply for faster processing are as follows:

• 10 business days: +$20
• 48-hour service: +$50
• Same-day or next-day service: +$110

These prices apply to applications made within Canada and may differ abroad. You can also use the online Passport Status Checker to track your application.

The federal government also announced that they are planning to expand access to online passport renewals for more Canadians in the coming months. Since December 2024, only a select group of eligible adults have been able to use the service.

“Our government is working to make services more efficient, affordable, and better suited to the needs of Canadians,” said Stéphane Lauzon, parliamentary secretary to the minister of citizens’ services.

“We are modernizing service delivery and improving the passport program to reduce wait times and costs,” Lauzon continued.

While it pays to have your passport delayed, let’s be honest — it’s still probably better to get it on time.

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Food and Travel with James on You Tube came to Preston to try out Deans bakery on Blackpool Road. He chose a range of pies to test out including a […]

Could free contraception soon become a reality for people in Quebec?

On the eve of International Women’s Day, Québec solidaire (QS) is pushing to make it happen.

QS co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal confirmed on Thursday, March 7, that she will be introducing a bill to ensure free access to all forms of contraception available in Quebec. QS, which launched a petition in November 2024 that gathered over 100,000 signatures, argues that this initiative would be cost-neutral since improving access to contraception could reduce unintended pregnancies and lower public healthcare expenses.

“As the only woman at the head of a political party in Quebec, I will not be satisfied with the status quo in terms of women’s rights and I will fight against setbacks,” wrote Ghazal in a press release, urging Premier François Legault to take action. “That is why I am asking François Legault to take another step by making contraception free for everyone. It would save women and even the state a lot of money.”

Currently, not all contraceptive methods are fully or partially covered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ). However, they are free for certain groups, including people aged 18 and under, full-time students aged 25 and under living with their parents, and social assistance recipients, according to the Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances (FQPN).

“The best way to strengthen women’s right to choose for their bodies is to offer contraception for free. The main obstacle to contraception is the cost,” Ghazal added.

QS’s goal is to fully integrate contraception into RAMQ’s basket of services. British Columbia and Manitoba have already introduced similar measures in recent years, which Ghazal notes have saved money and improved contraceptive accessibility in those provinces. Once the bill is introduced, it will be reviewed in a parliamentary committee before being put to a vote.

So, while free contraception isn’t happening overnight, QS is making moves to push it forward in Quebec.

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AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog’s Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.