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On November 22, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced a recall of Yoplait Canada’s drinking yogurt.

The affected products are all 200ml flavours of YOP Drinkable Yogurt with best-by dates between October 21, 2025, and January 12, 2026. The product is sold nationwide in Canada.

According to the Yoplait website, the company is conducting a precautionary recall due to a defective container part that may have resulted in plastic fragments being contaminated in the product. The affected products have been removed from store shelves.

Yoplait said its other products sold in Canada are unaffected, and the CFIA said there have been no reports of adverse health effects from consuming the recalled products.

The CFIA is urging consumers to check whether they have any of the recalled products, and if so, to not consume, serve, use, sell or distribute them, and to discard or return the affected products to the store where they were purchased.

For more information on the recall, please visit the CFIA website: https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/yoplait-brand-yop-drinkable-yogurt-recalled-due-pieces-plastic

 

Canada’s second-largest airline, WestJet, will introduce fixed seats without reclining functionality on its Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-800 aircraft starting in the fall of 2025. As a result, regular economy seats will have their backs fixed at a certain angle and passengers will not be able to recline them.

Reclining seats will be sold as “Extended Comfort” or “Premium” and will be available for an additional fee. The company announced this in a statement on September 23rd.

The new seating configuration features adjustable headrests and reinforced cushions in economy class seats, while the backrests are fixed. At the front of the aircraft, there are 36 “Extended Comfort” seats and 12 “Premium” seats, both of which have reclining capabilities. The airline explains that these seats are “options to meet diverse needs,” emphasizing the preservation of personal space.

However, experts have criticized the policy, saying it is simply a profit-making move.

Amid growing controversy over the etiquette of reclining seats in recent years, WestJet’s new policy presents a new market model in which passengers seeking comfort are willing to pay extra.

The system will be gradually introduced from the end of September 2025. Whether the new pricing system that makes reclining an optional extra will take root in the airline industry or not will be closely watched, with airlines such as Air Canada taking note.

WestJet is currently during labour negotiations with the flight attendant union, which is due to expire at the end of December this year, and there is still a possibility of a strike depending on the outcome of the negotiations. Air Canada also had a strike by the flight attendant union in August this year, which resulted in the cancellation of all flights for three days.

WestJet operates direct flights from Calgary, Alberta to Tokyo Narita.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on November 7 that it had culled ostriches on a farm in British Columbia (BC) as part of its disease response policy.

The cull took place at Universal Ostrich Farm in the Edgewood area of southeastern British Columbia, where the CFIA ordered the culling of all remaining ostriches after an avian influenza outbreak in December killed around 70 birds.

However, the farm filed a lawsuit seeking to have the culling overturned, and the impact on the local community was widespread, with protesters gathering near the farm in opposition to the culling.

The farm argued that culling was unnecessary because the ostriches were healthy, had herd immunity, and were valuable for research, and called for testing. However, the CFIA argued that even if they appear healthy, they could be a potential source of virus infection, and that there is a higher risk of the virus mutating into a dangerous form, especially if they meet wild animals. The farm explained that culling is stipulated in guidelines set by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

The nearly year-long dispute finally came to an end on November 6th when the Supreme Court rejected the farm’s final appeal. The CFIA culled all the ostriches on the 7th. After consulting with experts, the culling was carried out by professional shooters under the supervision of a veterinarian, which was deemed the most appropriate and humane method. There were reportedly around 300 ostriches on the farm.

According to CTV, Air Canada has announced that it will extend the validity of its frequent flyer program, Aeroplan, points again. The points expiration policy, which was originally scheduled to resume on November 30, 2025, will be postponed to November 30, 2026.

Air Canada stated on its website: “Any Aeroplan points that would have expired between now and November 29, 2026, will be retained. From November 30, 2026, the normal policy will be restored, and points will expire if the account has not generated any eligible transactions before this date.”

Air Canada’s Aeroplan points validity period extended to November 30, 2026. In an email to CTV News, the company reminded members that they only need to complete any eligible activity before the deadline to keep their accounts active, such as: Earn points through participating merchants or making purchases; Use points to redeem airfares, hotel stays, or gift cards; Donate your points to charity; Transferring points to other people’s accounts.

According to Aeroplan’s current rules, points will expire if an account remains inactive for 18 consecutive months. This policy was initially implemented in July 2020 during the pandemic to help members who were unable to use their points due to travel restrictions. In addition, Air Canada plans to make significant changes to the Aeroplan system starting in 2026.

From January 1, 2026, points will be calculated based on the amount of airfare spent rather than flight distance, with higher-level members earning more reward points based on their tier. Under the newly launched Status Qualifying Credit (SQC) system, travellers need to accumulate corresponding points to maintain their status: The 25K level requires 25,000 SQC; A 35K level requires 35,000 SQC; and so on. It is worth noting that basic economy class fares will no longer be included in the SQC accrual range.

Industry analysts believe this move is both a continuation and adjustment of the loyalty program after the pandemic, and a stepping stone for Air Canada’s upcoming points system reform.

The new Simon Fraser University (SFU) Faculty of Medicine in British Columbia (BC), which is facing a severe shortage of family doctors, has begun accepting applications for its first year of students. According to an announcement by the BC provincial government, this marks the first time a new medical school has opened in Western Canada in approximately 60 years.

SFU is a public university with its main campus in Burnaby, Alberta, and its Faculty of Medicine will begin classes at a temporary campus at SFU Surrey in Surrey from August 2026. In the future, it plans to move to a permanent campus to be built in Surrey City Centre. The new campus is part of the “Centre Block” redevelopment project, adjacent to Surrey Central Skytrain station and SFU Surrey. The Faculty of Medicine will occupy eight floors of the 12-storey building to be constructed and will have classrooms and labs as well as an outpatient clinic and a childcare centre.

The program will recruit 48 students in the first year, with plans to expand to 120 by 2035. Clinical training begins two months after enrolment, and students will receive practical training at local clinics and hospitals throughout the three-year program. Students will also be involved in providing medical care to residents at an outpatient clinic set up on the new campus.

Premier David Eby has described the new medical school as part of the BC government’s efforts to improve health care, adding, “The combination of the new SFU Medical School, Surrey Hospital and BC Cancer Centre will position Surrey as a hub for innovative, high-quality medical care.”

The survey report shows that while companies still consider financial, economic, and political uncertainty to be their biggest concern, the proportion of companies citing this issue has slightly decreased compared to previous quarters. The report states that “cost pressures, slowing demand, and taxes and regulations (including international trade tariffs and tariff barriers) continue to impact business operations.”

Many companies expect demand to continue to weaken, primarily due to reduced corporate customer service spending, weak consumer spending, and a poor housing market outlook. This has led more companies to favour “maintenance investments” rather than capacity expansion, and most companies do not plan to increase their workforce. “

Business investment intentions remained flat compared to the previous quarter and well below historical levels, largely due to U.S.-China trade tensions,” Shelly Kaushik, senior economist at Bank of Montreal, said in the report. Meanwhile, Canadian consumers generally anticipate an economic recession. According to the Bank of Canada’s Consumer Expectations Survey, two-thirds of respondents believe an economic downturn is likely over the next 12 months.

Consumer spending intentions on durable goods like furniture and appliances, as well as discretionary items like restaurants and travel, remain low, showing little change compared to the second quarter. The Bank of Canada cut its overnight interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.5% in September to counter the impact of U.S. tariffs on the Canadian economy. Although the economy added 60,000 jobs in September, the unemployment rate remained at 7.1%. The survey also conducted special consultations with steel and aluminium companies, which generally reported that the US tariffs have led to “serious layoffs.”

Kaushik noted that the data reinforced market expectations for another rate cut by the Bank of Canada on Oct. 29, but she also stressed that inflation data due on Tuesday (by Statistics Canada) would be key. She said: “The third quarter business and consumer confidence surveys show that overall risks remain tilted to the negative, especially in the Labor market. Although the central bank still needs to assess the CPI data, the probability of a rate cut has clearly increased.”

The main reasons for the decline in consumer spending include high prices, economic uncertainty, and housing costs (rent and mortgage). Notably, spending intentions among groups with greater wealth accumulation (such as the elderly and homeowners) improved slightly in the third quarter.

On the business side, cost pressures persist, with input costs expected to rise faster in the coming year than in the past 12 months. However, due to weak demand, businesses are finding it difficult to fully pass on the costs to consumers.

“As a result, most companies expect price increases over the coming year to be similar to those seen over the past 12 months,” the report said. Although the proportion of companies planning to raise prices is lower than in the second quarter, a larger proportion of companies planning to raise prices said they would increase prices “significantly.”

Some companies attributed the higher costs to tariffs and trade tensions, particularly rising steel and aluminium prices, which have increased the cost of imported parts and equipment.

Overall, companies expect inflation to be around 3% in the coming year, with long-term expectations remaining at 2.5%; consumers expect inflation to be around 4% in the coming year, the same as in the second quarter.

A shooting occurred near a SkyTrain station in Surrey, Metro Vancouver, on the afternoon of October 6th. The incident occurred in broad daylight in the city, causing chaos at the scene.

The incident occurred near Gateway Station, where a nearby Surrey Police Service (SPS) officer observed a man firing shots shortly after 3 p.m. The man fled the scene but was soon found in front of the Community Police Station, where further shots were fired.

Police, with the assistance of the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team and a police dog, were able to detain the man. No one was injured.

The police station was then temporarily closed after an RCMP explosives unit was called in to investigate a bag the man had left inside the station. No suspicious items were found inside the bag.

On the 7th, the SPS announced that the man had been charged with five offenses, including illegal possession of a firearm and reckless discharge. The suspect, Jose Digno Rodriguez Centeno (34), is scheduled to appear in court on October 10th. On the day of the incident, Sergeant Lindsay Hawtin told reporters that they were currently investigating Centeno’s background, including his mental state, and that while the suspect had been known to the police for some time, there was no recent record of him being involved in crimes. The motive and purpose of the crime are unknown.

Surrey has been hit by a series of shootings. Three other shootings occurred on the 6th. The first was at the Indian restaurant Ustaad G76 at 2100 King George Boulevard, and the second was at the chain’s Newton location. Police are treating both incidents as explosions.

The third incident involved gunfire at a private home on 141st Street in the Horley neighbourhood, but no one was injured.

Canadians planning to travel to Europe should take note: a brand-new entry and exit system is about to be launched and all tourists must comply with the new regulations. The entry and exit system, called EES, will be officially launched this Sunday, October 12, and will gradually cover all external borders of the 29 European countries by April 10, 2026. In other words, whether you go to France, Italy, Spain or other European countries, you cannot escape this new system.

EES stands for Entry/Exit System, which is a fully automated IT system.

You must register with the system if you plan to stay in Europe for a short period of time, which is a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. More importantly, EES registration is mandatory. Regardless of whether you need a visa to travel to Europe, you must register.

No traveller crossing the external borders of these 29 European countries will be able to escape. Europe said the system was launched to “modernize and streamline” border controls. The traditional passport stamping system will become a thing of the past, replaced by a digital system that records the entry and exit times of passengers.

Officials promise that this will make border checks faster and allow officers to complete their tasks more efficiently. But the real purpose of this system goes far beyond that. It will track the entry and exit of passengers using fingerprint and facial data to prevent illegal immigration, overstaying and abuse of visa-free travel. The system also prevents identity theft and provides border officials and law enforcement with ready access to traveller data to identify potential security threats.

So how does it work?

If this is your first time traveling to Europe after the implementation of the EES, you will need to provide personal information. Upon arrival, border officials will take your photo or scan your fingerprints, and in some cases, both. In addition to biometric data, the system also records all information on the passport, including full name, date of birth, etc., as well as the date and place of each entry and exit.

If a traveller is denied entry, this data will also be recorded. If you have a biometric passport, you can use the self-service system at the border crossing, or you can pre-register using a mobile app.

Whichever method you choose, you will still have to see a passport control officer. However, once you complete the initial registration, subsequent customs clearance will be much faster. The official website clearly states that passport control officers will only need to verify your fingerprints and photo, which will greatly shorten the time required.

The system also offers self-service options, further streamlining the border control process. This is great news for frequent travellers to and from Europe, as no one wants to waste time waiting in long lines at the border.

While the new system may seem like an extra step, it does make the entire immigration process smoother in the long run. Plus, since travellers can register in advance via a mobile app, it doesn’t add too much hassle to them. It’s worth noting that this system will be gradually rolled out across 29 European countries, meaning different countries may activate it at different times.

If you have European travel plans soon, it’s best to check the specific implementation dates of your destination country in advance to avoid being caught off guard. All in all, Canadians traveling to Europe will quickly become accustomed to this new system.

While it may sound a bit complicated, if you prepare in advance and complete the initial registration, subsequent travel will be much easier. After all, in the digital age, this kind of change is an inevitable trend.

Canada Post workers across the country have gone on strike. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which represents 55,000 Canada Post employees, announced on September 25 that its members would picket again, following a 32-day strike in November of last year.

The sudden announcement of a full-scale strike came just hours after the federal government announced major reforms to Canada Post, including the end of door-to-door delivery and the closure of rural post offices, a move that is already making Canada Post financially vulnerable. The CUPW strongly opposed the move, stating that it was going on strike in response to the government’s attacks on the postal service and its workers.

According to Canada Post, no mail or parcels will be processed or delivered during the strike. While accepted mail and parcels will be safely stored and delivered as soon as possible after operations resume, it will take time for operations to return to normal, regardless of the strike duration. New mail will only be accepted after the disruption has subsided.　However, government benefit cheques (such as old age pensions, child benefit and CPP) and live animal deliveries will continue during the strike.

Canada Post employees currently lack a labour contract and have been in labour negotiations for about two years over wages and part-time work. Earlier this month, CUPW rejected the government’s proposed 13 per cent wage increase and instead demanded a 19 per cent increase.

Since May, CUPW has continued strikes, including refusing overtime and fighting for compliance with the law, and this latest full-scale strike is an expansion of those efforts.

At 11 p.m. on Tuesday, a couple in Nipigon, Ontario, opened their back door to let their dog out, but a black bear rushed in, scaring the couple. The black bear attacked the couple, injuring them both.

Kim Rodak, a spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police, said the bear either charged or took advantage of the situation to sneak into the house. Seeing the situation was not good, the couple quickly ran to the bedroom, blocked the door with furniture, and called 911 for help while trembling.

Even worse, the black bear started wandering around the house and eventually made its way to the basement. At that critical moment, the family’s dog stepped forward.

“This dog is so brave. It kept barking at the black bear and trapped it in the basement until the police arrived.” Rodak couldn’t help but praise it.

When the police arrived at the scene, the brave dog was confronting the black bear in the basement. The police carefully rescued the homeowner and immediately sent him to the hospital. The unfortunate couple was left with scars from the bear, a truly heartbreaking sight. Fortunately, their injuries weren’t too serious, and the doctor said they could be discharged the same day. Even the heroic dog was injured, but after a few stitches, he’s fine.

For everyone’s safety, the police finally shot and killed the black bear that caused the trouble.

Nipigon Mayor Suzanne Kukko said bear sightings have been rampant along the north shore of Lake Superior over the past three weeks, making it difficult for people to go walking alone. Kuko has lived in this town for almost 20 years and has seen many bears, but this is the first time a bear has attacked a person. She explained that it is autumn now and the bears need to store fat for hibernation, so they are looking for food everywhere.

“The blueberry harvest wasn’t good this year, and we think that’s why the bears are running to town,” Kuco said with some resignation. “Many people in town feel sorry for these hungry bears. It’s really pitiful.”

The Thunder Bay Police Department has also received many reports of bear sightings recently. They remind everyone not to feed bears, stay away from them, and put away garbage properly.