May 29, 2026

Reading time: 6 minutes

Full Story: The Energy Mix

 Jody MacPherson

Rebecca MacIntosh/YouTube

A proposed C$10-billion artificial intelligence data centre and power plant complex in Olds, Alberta, has sparked more registered intervenors than any utility project in the province’s recent history, according to a veteran regulator.

The Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) doesn’t officially keep track of the statistics. But Victor Choy, lead application officer at the regulator, told The Energy Mix the project has generated more formal requests to participate in a hearing than any case he’s seen in 18 years on the job. It’s difficult to say whether it’s the most people who’ve ever filed a Statement of Intent to Participate (SIP), said Choy, because SIPs can be submitted by both individuals and groups.

When The Mix reviewed the submissions listed on the AUC website just prior to the May 29 deadline, there were just over 1,000 registrants, mostly individuals.

After an initial rejection in March, Quebec-based Synapse Real Estate Group has re-applied for AUC approval of a 1.4-gigawatt gas power plant sited within town boundaries, just over an hour’s drive north of Calgary. Synapse plans to generate power for its data centre, an amount equivalent to about a million homes, using gas from nearby pipelines.

The project doesn’t include a tie-in to Alberta’s electricity grid, so it is exempted from the province’s special data-centre tax approved this past December.

Alberta’s Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish told a packed town hall in Olds on April 7 that the location of the massive power plant on 300 acres of recently rezoned land did not seem to fit the definition of “light industrial,” adding “I think that’s pretty common sense.” His reply received applause and shouts of “thank you” from the audience, overwhelmingly opposed to the location.

“Maybe light industrial is a data centre, but light industrial is not a mega gas plant,” said Olds resident Carol Edwards. “That’s heavy industrial, and this data centre comes with a mega gas plant attached.”

Edwards told The Mix that Olds is “a wonderful place to live, really nice people, beautiful community, well maintained, I just fell in love with this place.”

She said several residents approached Synapse and asked them to move the project five kilometres outside of town, even suggesting “a couple of ideal locations” and “promising not to oppose it.”

Synapse’s failure to consider the concerns of those “directly and adversely affected,” and “significant deficiencies” in its environmental evaluations and noise impact assessments, were among the reasons the AUC rejected its first application.

Now, the AUC has accepted a second application, but has requested further information from the company with a deadline of June 5 to respond.

The AUC identified 26 issues, including land use zoning, the emergency use of 600 diesel-fuelled generators, air quality, need for public benefits, the emergency response plan, battery storage, water volumes, public consultation, wetlands disturbance, noise mitigation, and reclamation.

Synapse CEO Jason van Gaal did not respond to The Mix’s emailed questions before the deadline, including a query about whether he would reconsider the project location given the large public outcry.

“It’s very disturbing that this person is coming in and is willing to literally destroy a heritage town,” said Edwards. “You don’t put that kind of facility inside of town boundaries.”

Jasona Rondeau, a self-described “social advocate” from the small hamlet of Blackie, south of Calgary, registered as an observer for the Synapse proceeding. She told The Mix she has been helping Olds residents navigate the regulatory process.

Using her experience as an elementary school teacher, Rondeau travels all over the province assisting communities with a regulatory process she describes as “arduous” and “disruptive to people’s lives.”

The process of intervening in a hearing can be “traumatic, in some cases,” Rondeau explained, with husbands and wives finding themselves on opposite sides of the debate.

The Mix asked both Glubish and Olds Mayor Dan Daley what support they could offer to the community going through what could be a lengthy AUC process.

“We hear from residents regularly and we take those conversations seriously,” wrote Daley.

He said the town hosted public open houses, has posted regular updates about the project, replied to over 200 emails, and held briefings with the developer and various government officials “to help us convey information as accurately and fulsomely as possible.”

According to documents filed by Synapse, town council members also participated in the company’s public notification process, going door to door with company representatives prior to the first AUC application filing.

Glubish wrote in an email to The Mix that Alberta’s “concierge service” was put in place “to help proponents navigate government processes and identify the regulatory agencies, approvals, and infrastructure considerations associated with major AI data centre projects.”

As for community support, he stated: “The government does not weigh in on matters before the Alberta Utilities Commission or the decisions they issue. Further questions should be directed to those involved with the project or the AUC.”

Alberta’s NDP caucus did not respond to The Mix’s request for comment on this story.

Rondeau stepped up to help communities understand the AUC process after seeing the successful denial of a solar project near Frank Lake, a wetland near High River that is internationally designated both an Important Bird Area frequented by more than 257 bird species and a Key Biodiversity Area. Now, she’s also turning her attention to data centres, particularly those on prime agricultural land or where biodiversity or human health is threatened. Rondeau said the Synapse application was “the absolute worst thing I’ve ever seen,” and she told the Synapse CEO as much in an email, saying “it’s awful.’”

“Olds has a fighting chance because there is strength in numbers, and once you start building that energy, it really radiates, and that is exactly what’s happening right now,” said Rondeau. “The momentum is unmistakable, and people are coming together like you wouldn’t believe.”

Around 265 people concerned about the Olds data centre gathered at the site last weekend “not to protest,” said organizer Rebecca MacIntosh, whose home is across the street from it, but to form a “unity line” along the roadway, holding hands in solidarity.

“This [project] has forced dozens and dozens of families to put their lives on hold now for months, because nobody in our government or in our municipality is going to stand up on our behalf,” she told The Mix.

MacIntosh is filming a documentary about the community’s response, saying that building a data centre and power plant so close to homes “needs to be a national issue and an international issue, not an Olds issue.”

Daley agreed that “residents are right to have concerns and questions; this is a significant project of a significant scale.” He added his reassurance that “if it can’t be built responsibly, it won’t be built.”

This story is part of The Energy Mix’s partnership with the Small Change Fund.

Sherbrooke Record · 16 hours ago
by Matthew Mccully · Demographics

Young people job-searching and business owners not on the same page

Record Staff (HB)

A new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reveals fundamental discrepancies at every stage of the hiring process in Canada. These include how employers recruit and how young people look for work; their respective expectations of employment; the positions young people are willing to take; and the skills employers seek. This report is based on a survey of small business owners (SBO) and a public opinion poll of young Canadians, according to the press release.

The survey reported that 62 per cent of small business owners rely primarily on their personal contacts to recruit employees, as candidates benefit from the credibility of the person who recommends them. Meanwhile, 73 per cent of young people primarily use job search websites, and only half turn to their personal networks. This disconnect means that employers are recruiting from networks where young people are not actively seeking employment. Work-study programs and internships, which lead to permanent employment in 73 per cent of cases, are used by 25 per cent of young people, and by only 1 in 5 small businesses, indicating a missed opportunity to recruit young people ready to work.

When hiring young people, SBOs place more importance on “soft” skills, such as a positive attitude (91 per cent), motivation (84 per cent), and professionalism (76 per cent), than on degrees, experience, or formal training. These qualities are primarily found in the service sector, skilled trades, and physically demanding jobs, which are precisely the positions that many young Canadians reject. Nearly 50 per cent refuse to consider jobs requiring significant physical effort or night shifts, while almost two out of five do not consider working outdoors.

“The reality is that there are jobs that young Canadians don’t want, can’t, or aren’t willing to take. Whether it’s a resort in northern British Columbia or a restaurant in rural New Brunswick, businesses need workers to maintain their operations and support their local economy. Many young people cannot or do not want to relocate or work the required hours, especially if they are students. If businesses cannot fill these positions, they may have to close,” explained Bérengère Fouqueray, CFIB research analyst, in the release.

Tight margins and persistent economic uncertainty make it more difficult for SBOs to hire new, inexperienced workers. Although most SBOs offer wages above the provincial minimums, which ranges from $15 to $18 per hour, more than a third of young people say they are not interested in minimum-wage jobs.

Additionally, more than two-thirds of SBOs are unaware of government hiring assistance programs. Those familiar with these programs describe them as poorly adapted to the operational realities of SBOs, whose application processes are complicated and deadlines inconvenient. Fouqueray elaborated: “Young workers often need additional training and mentoring, which reduces the time they can dedicate to running the business. This time represents a real cost that should be factored into any public policy aimed at combating youth unemployment.”

The CFIB is calling on governments to reduce payroll taxes, introduce permanent refundable tax credits for hiring young people through work-study programs and internships, and streamline programs like Canada Summer Jobs to reduce red tape.

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About half of Albertans said they found the official referendum question confusing

Rukhsar Ali · CBC News · Posted: May 25, 2026 4:32 PM PDT | Last Updated: May 25

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As an October referendum on the future of Alberta separation looms, new polling finds three in five Albertans say they would vote to stay in Canada, while more than half of Albertans feel Premier Danielle Smith has handled the issue “poorly.”

On Thursday, Smith announced she is planning to put a question on the fall referendum ballot that will ask Albertans if they want the province to remain in Canada or if they want a future binding referendum on separation.

According to a poll from the Angus Reid Institute released Monday, 60 per cent of respondents would vote no to the official referendum question, compared to 35 per cent who would vote yes.

But when asked a simpler hypothetical question about whether to leave Canada or stay, support for separation decreased and federalist sentiment grew, with 30 per cent choosing to leave and 67 per cent opting to stay. 

Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, told CBC’s Aarti Pole the responses to both poll questions “indicate overwhelming majorities” don’t want to leave Canada.

“One of the biggest takeaways here is when you ask a simpler question, and albeit hypothetical … you see the number of people who say they’d vote to stay [in Canada] shoot right up to 67 per cent.”

The latest survey by Angus Reid was conducted online from May 22-24. It polled a randomized sample of 800 Albertan adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

‘Question wording matters,’ prof says

A little more than half of Albertans polled said they found the official question confusing.

“Question wording matters,” said Lisa Young, a professor of political science at the University of Calgary, in reference to the discrepancy between the response to the official question and Angus Reid’s simplified one. 

The official 37-word question will ask, “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?”

WATCH | Alberta premier defends referendum question after Carney criticism:

Alberta premier defends referendum question after Carney criticism

May 25|

Duration1:37As premiers from across Western Canada gather in Alberta for their annual meeting, Premier Danielle Smith was asked for her reaction to Prime Minister Mark Carney calling her Alberta referendum question a ‘dangerous bluff.’ Smith said it was ‘a decision for Albertans to make’ while reiterating that she supports Alberta staying in Canada.

Young warned that could potentially influence how people vote in October.

“People are reading their own interpretation into what the question means. Now, we’re going to have the next five months to talk about what the various options actually mean, so that may move people a little bit,” she said.

“I wonder if some people who are just tuning into this conversation think that, well, there’s no harm in having another referendum and keeping the conversation going.”

More than half of Albertans surveyed think Smith handled issue ‘poorly’

Fifty-six per cent of poll respondents said Smith has handled the issue “poorly,” including nearly a third of UCP voters.

“If you’re someone who is already inclined to not want to vote for the UCP and Danielle Smith, you’re going to say that she’s done a bad job, and we see that,” Kurl said, with the poll showing most Alberta NDP voters responding “very poorly/poorly.”

At the same time, she said, there is a significant segment of UCP voters who feel that this has been mishandled, so Smith is being squeezed by criticism from both sides.

• Carney calls Smith’s Alberta referendum question a ‘dangerous bluff’
• AnalysisDanielle Smith’s wishful thinking: her separation vote loses, and that’s the end of it

“You have true hardcore separatists — people who really follow the Alberta Prosperity Project —saying, you know, she’s not calling a simple question. She’s not calling a yes, no question … So there is that level of unhappiness.”

Young said, “in some ways [the poll] validates the analysis that we’ve seen that suggests that almost everyone is angry at Danielle Smith about this.”

“When we look at the numbers about anger at Smith, she has retained support among many conservatives or UCP voters but has perhaps … engendered some anger from a smaller group of deeply committed separatists.”

WATCH | We asked Albertans how they feel about voting on separatism in a referendum:

We asked Albertans how they feel about voting on separatism in a referendum

May 22|

Duration1:17CBC News reporters asked people in Camrose, Leduc and Edmonton how they feel about voting in a fall on whether to have a binding referendum on separating from Canada.

The poll also suggested 33 per cent of respondents who voted for the UCP in 2023 view the referendum as a move by Smith to appease the separatists in her party.

And while Smith has previously stated she supports Alberta staying in Canada and will campaign for the “remain” side, 40 per cent of Albertans polled indicated the premier’s motivations are predicated on her keeping her job, the institute’s report said.

Nearly half of those surveyed said Smith should resign.

Kurl said that speaks to a broader challenge Smith will continue to have in trying to walk a line between keeping the separatist forces within her own party and her own segment base, the federalists, on side.

The poll also found that decided voters were nearly split on the party they’d vote for in the event that an election were called today, with 46 per cent provincewide choosing the UCP and 45 per cent choosing the NDP.

Brexit parallels

On Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Smith’s referendum question is “not helpful” and that votes like this are a “dangerous bluff,” citing the Brexit referendum of 2016 as an example.

Looking at how different age demographics responded to the poll, Young said she sees an interesting parallel to the vote patterns in Brexit, as older Albertans were more likely to vote for separation than younger ones.

WATCH | Carney on Smith’s ‘dangerous bluff,’ parallel to Brexit:

Carney says Alberta separation question is a ‘dangerous bluff’

May 25|

Duration2:54Prime Minister Mark Carney said Alberta’s separation question will not create softer negotiations in the future. He cited the United Kingdom as an example: ‘they’re still, 10 years later, trying to undo what people didn’t think they were voting for,’ he said.

In response to the simplified question of separation, 20 per cent of Albertans between 18-34 years old said they would vote to leave Canada, while 38 per cent of Albertans over 55 responded the same way.

“It’s this question where, you know, older people are favouring … the more radical outcome, which young people have to live with the consequences of,” said Young.

The poll also found that seven out of 10 respondents believe “separatists will never accept” the outcome if Albertans vote against advancing the separation process. 

Of those who would vote to separate in a hypothetical future referendum, 41 per cent of people said they would not accept the outcome if Albertans vote against starting the separation process, while 45 per cent would.

Albertans will be able to vote on whether they want the province to hold a binding referendum on separating from Canada on Oct. 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rukhsar Ali

Journalist

Rukhsar Ali is a multiplatform reporter with CBC Calgary. She has previously reported for The Globe and Mail, CTV News and Global News, as well as produced on CBC Radio’s Cross Country Checkup and Just Asking. Rukhsar holds a Master of Journalism from Carleton University and was a 2023 recipient of the CBC Joan Donaldson Scholarship. Want to share a story tip? You can reach her at rukhsar.ali@cbc.ca.

Confusing process delaying care, creating administrative burden for dentists

Leah Hendry · CBC News · Posted: May 27, 2026 1:00 AM PDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

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After months of probing, Walter Bossé is still trying to get to the bottom of why he doesn’t qualify to get a crown covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). 

The public insurance program subsidizes the cost of dental care for Canadian residents with a household income below $90,000, if they don’t have access to a private insurance plan. 

Insurance provider Sun Life administers the CDCP and processes claims.

While most claims don’t need pre-authorization, it’s required for more expensive procedures, like crowns or partial dentures.

WATCH | Patients want more clarity over why national dental coverage claims being denied:

Patients, dentists call for more clarity of dental coverage under national plan

11 hours ago|

Duration3:51The Canadian Dental Care Plan provides care to uninsured Canadians with a household income of less than $90,000. More expensive procedures like crowns or dentures require pre-authorization. Patients and providers say those pre-approvals are frequently denied by Sun Life, which administers and processes claims.

In the last year, Bossé said he’s had multiple pre-authorization requests for crowns denied, even after his dentist submitted the proper documentation, X-rays and a detailed explanation to show why they’re medically necessary.

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“I was quite surprised because the dentist was convinced it was straightforward,” said Bossé, who lives in Kirkland, Que., a suburb of Montreal.

Bossé had a broken filling. Although his dentist repaired the base, the tooth needed a crown. A subsequent pre-approval request a few months later for a different tooth, which was cracked, was also denied.

“I’m like, OK, what is Sun Life doing, they are playing games,” Bossé said.

Not one to take no for an answer, the retiree called Sun Life. 

“There was no explanation,” said Bossé. “It’s just denied as per the plan criteria.”

According to Sun Life’s expense estimate decision, which was reviewed by CBC, Bossé did not meet the CDCP’s policies and coverage criteria.

He then escalated the situation to a Sun Life supervisor, but they also wouldn’t specify the precise reason for the denial.

“I was flabbergasted,” said Bossé.

• 5 million Canadians now covered by national dental care plan, but nearly half haven’t been to a dentist

The Canadian Dental Care Plan was supposed to make dental care more affordable for millions of Canadians. To date, Health Canada says over $6 billion has been paid for claims under the plan.

But Bossé believes that’s being undermined by how Sun Life is processing claims for more complex, costly procedures. He’s worried the insurer is turning down claims to mitigate payouts. The estimate for his crown was a bit over $1,600.

“I’ve been a taxpayer for what seems like forever and continue to pay taxes,” said Bossé. “I’d like to get a little for my money.”

Complaints coast to coast

Across the country in B.C, the NDP MP for Vancouver East has heard similar complaints from several of her constituents. 

“They should not have to battle the insurance company to try and figure out what it is that they might be doing wrong,” said Jenny Kwan.

“For all we know, they might not be doing anything wrong.”

In one case, her office intervened after a resident’s pre-authorization request for dentures was rejected.

“He literally couldn’t eat,” said Kwan. “We had to fight tooth and nail to only get partial coverage.”

Other constituents in her riding were turned down for crowns. Kwan says neither her office nor the dentist clinics can “make heads or tails out of it.”

She’s concerned these denials may impact people’s health, as many residents can’t afford to pay out of pocket.

Earlier this spring, Kwan sent an open letter to Canada’s Health Minister Marjorie Michel, urging her to resolve the confusion around the CDCP’s eligibility requirements.

“It doesn’t make any sense when dentists submit an application following all the rules, following the eligibility criteria for their patients and they’re being rejected,” said Kwan. 

“They need to be transparent and tell people what the problem is.”

Dental associations call for more clarity

In Quebec, approximately 1.8 million people are enrolled in the CDCP and 1.5 million have received care, said Dr. Marie-Claude Desjardins, president of the Quebec Association of Dental Surgeons.

When it comes to basic care — general exams, cleaning, cavity filling and extractions — she said the program is running well. 

“There are people who sometimes haven’t seen a dentist in years or who have cavities that have been left untreated for years,” said Desjardins. 

But if it’s a more complicated treatment or procedure, she acknowledges it’s often unclear why coverage is being denied.

“So that’s something that we’re asking to be improved,” she said. “We’re asking for it to be simpler, clearer and more predictable for both patients and dental teams.”

• Half of requests for complex dental work are being rejected under national insurance plan

The Canadian Dental Association echoed Desjardins’s call for more clarity, saying in an emailed statement that frequent denials were not only delaying timely care for patients, but creating an “administrative burden” for dentists.

Sun Life directed any questions about how the CDCP is being managed to Health Canada. The insurer would only say coverage is determined through a standardized assessment process that applies the CDCP’s policies. The clinical eligibility criteria were developed by Health Canada. 

Not all pre-authorization requests approved: Health Canada

This is not the first time the national insurance program has faced scrutiny for a high number of claim rejections. Last year, when the program was fully expanded to 18-64 year olds, half of the requests for complex dental work were turned down.

At the time, Health Canada said it was caused by several factors, including a high volume of submissions that were missing information. 

“Sun Life continues to process a high volume of claims for the CDCP in a very efficient manner, with faster turnaround times than many other plans,” said Karine LeBlanc, a spokesperson for Health Canada, in an email last week. 

The most common reasons for denials are incomplete submissions, such as missing X-rays, insufficient evidence that the clinical criteria has been met, duplicate requests and requests for services not covered under the program such as implants or bridges, said LeBlanc.

She went on to say that the CDCP does not have annual spending limits, but relies on clinical criteria that may be more stringent than other plans. As a result, not all pre-authorization requests are approved.

“The CDCP is not a free dental care plan,” wrote LeBlanc. 

Dentists sometimes charge more than the CDCP’s established fees, so only a portion of the cost may be reimbursed.

Household income determines what percentage the government pays. The remaining difference is paid by the patient.

LeBlanc said Health Canada has updated the explanation of benefit statements — a breakdown of what services are covered, how much the plan paid and the patient’s final share of the bill.

It’s also given dentists fact sheets to help better explain eligibility requirements with their patients.

• Dental care benefits for First Nations and Inuit falling behind Canadian standards, say dentists

LeBlanc said Canadians should ask their dentist about any additional costs not covered by the plan. They should also be aware of the total amount they’ll need to pay directly to their provider before accepting and starting treatment.

Since Bossé’s dental claims were rejected under the CDCP, his wife had a crown replaced.

Her pre-approval request for coverage was also denied without explanation.

She paid for it out of pocket.

“You can be sure that our dental costs will be claimed as medical expenses on our next tax return,” said Bossé.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leah Hendry

Journalist

Leah Hendry is an investigative reporter with CBC in Montreal. She specializes in health and social issues. She has previously worked as a reporter for CBC in Vancouver and Winnipeg. You can email story ideas or tips to montrealinvestigates@cbc.ca.

Canada negotiating to buy Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft
Carney says plane will be key resource for Canadian Armed Forces in the Arctic

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: May 27, 2026 5:50 AM PDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

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A GlobalEye aircraft, manufactured by Saab Technologies, on static design during the fifth day of Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates November 21, 2019. Picture taken November 21, 2019. (Christopher Pike/Reuters)

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Canada has entered into negotiations with Saab to buy its GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday.

He revealed the plan at the opening of the annual arms trade show CANSEC in Ottawa.

“With a suite of advanced sensors and mission systems, Saab’s GlobalEye will be a key resource for the Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic,” Carney told the audience of defence contractors and military officials.

“It builds Canadian strategic autonomy, creates Canadian jobs and reinforces Canada’s position as a global leader.”

The system is built on a Bombardier 6500 executive jet with Saab radar and sensors. The jet is manufactured at the company’s plant in Toronto.
Canada to pick between Swedish and U.S. radar planes to protect its skiesSaab wants Canada to buy 72 Gripens and 6 GlobalEyes to fulfil promise of 12,600 jobs

The air force had planned to acquire up to six early warning aircraft for both domestic and overseas operations. Concern about surveillance in the Arctic has made the purchase more urgent.

The aircraft can track objects — land, sea or air — at a distance of up to 650 kilometres.
WATCH | Canada negotiating to purchase GlobalEye planes:

Canada negotiating to purchase Saab’s GlobalEye radar planes, Carney says
5 hours ago|
Duration1:53Speaking at the annual arms trade show CANSEC in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada is entering negotiations with Saab to buy its GlobalEye airborne early warning aircraft. Carney said the Swedish radar planes ‘will be a key resource for Canadian Armed Forces to detect and deter threats across the Arctic.’

Saab had bundled its surveillance aircraft proposal in with its pitch to sell Gripen-E fighter jets to Canada and promised to transfer technology so both aircraft could be fully manufactured locally. Carney did not say anything about whether Canada will proceed with the Gripen and limit its purchase of American-made F-35 jets.

That issue has been under review for more than year.

The GlobalEye was in competition against the U.S.-manufactured Boeing E-7 Wedgetail and the L3Harris Aeris X. NATO is looking seriously at the GlobalEye as a contender to replace its aging fleet of Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne early warning aircraft.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Murray Brewster

Senior reporter, defence and security

Murray Brewster is senior defence writer for CBC News, based in Ottawa. He has covered the Canadian military and foreign policy from Parliament Hill for over a decade. Among other assignments, he spent a total of 15 months on the ground covering the Afghan war for The Canadian Press. Prior to that, he covered defence issues and politics for CP in Nova Scotia for 11 years and was bureau chief for Standard Broadcast News in Ottawa.

The ROKS Daejeon and ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho are at CFB Esquimalt, as a Korean defence company vies to sell submarines to Canada.

Hannah Link
about 7 hours ago

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1 / 9 Capt. Byungil Lee, left, commanding officer of ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, hands a ceremonial sub model to Rear-Admiral David Patchell, as the the Republic of Korea Navy makes a port visit to CFB Esquimalt with ROKS Daejeon, a Daegu-class frigate, and ROKS Doran Ahn Chang-ho, a KSS-III class submarine. ADRIAN LAM, TIMES COLONIST

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00:07:22

A South Korean naval visit to CFB Esquimalt is serving as both a show of military co-operation and a sales pitch for one of the submarines Canada is considering for its future multi-billionaire-dollar fleet.

The frigate ROKS Daejeon and the submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho arrived at CFB Esquimalt on Saturday as part of a two-week visit and the first trans-Pacific trip by a Republic of Korea Navy submarine.

To start the visit, South Korean officials gave a model of a submarine filled with South Korea seawater to Canadian officials.

The ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, a KSS-III-class submarine built by Hanwha Ocean, is one of two models in contention for a 12-boat addition to the Royal Canadian Navy fleet over the next few decades.

They would replace Canada’s four aging diesel-electric submarines, bought used from Britain in 1998, and delivered in the early 2000s.

South Korea naval officials were keen to talk about the advantages of the state-of-the-art submarine, which arrived at Esquimalt with help from air-independent propulsion.

The process uses hydrogen and oxygen to create power without needing to take in surface oxygen, which diesel-electric engines have to do to charge their batteries.

While the submarine features lithium-ion batteries, it still uses diesel engines to generate energy that’s stored in the batteries.

Air-independent propulsion generates its own power, but not enough for all submarine operations.

Still, the system means the vessels can stay underwater for long periods without coming up for air to power the diesel engines.

South Korea naval officers said the ability to stay underwater for weeks at a time made it possible for their submarine to power through a typhoon on their almost two-month journey to North America without worrying about not being able to surface.

Hanwha officials say the submarine’s later models could be delivered to Canadian waters starting in 2032.

Glenn Copeland, managing director and CEO of Hanwha Defence Canada, said the submarine’s endurance is only limited by the amount of food on board.

Copeland said he’s hopeful about the company’s bid chances, given the fact that the competing German-made ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems submarine hasn’t hit the water yet.

The Type 212CD submarine is a joint project between the German and Norwegian navies set to be ready in the next few years.

Copeland said his company expects Canada to decide between the two models by the end of June.

The South Korean model meets all the requirements of the Royal Canadian Navy, from range to endurance to size to weapons, he said. “We feel very good about our chances. Right now, if you asked anybody, they would say it’s 50-50. But there is something we have going for ourselves right now.”

Canada, he said, has asked for a very significant domestic economic package to go along with the new submarines. “I think we have met the mark on that one.

The Canadian government has also asked for speedy delivery, Copeland said. “We can deliver the first one by 2032, and four of them by 2035.” In light of the economic benefit and speedy delivery requirements, “we feel very good about our chances.”

As part of the bid, Hanwha has entered into agreements and partnerships with about 70 organizations across Canada, which it says could result in more than $70 billion in trade and investment.

Included are a raft of companies and organizations with a presence on Vancouver Island.

North Saanich-based EMCS Industries Ltd. has a preliminary subcontract to provide corrosion protection and marine growth protection technologies to Hanwha, while We Wai Kai First Nation and Western Forest Products have a memorandum of understanding with Hanwha on building modular housing.

University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada would collaborate with the South Korean company on Arctic environmental research and autonomous navigation.

Specifics of the agreements between Hanwha and its Canadian partners have not been made public. Collaboration partners range from key Canadian manufacturers like Algoma Steel Inc. to a startup looking to build a data centre in Terrace.

Regardless of the country whose technology is chosen, Rear Admiral David Patchell said many of the new submarines will dock at CFB Esquimalt, which will require new infrastructure.

Patchell said he expects about $10 billion will be spent at CFB Esquimalt over the next 10 years to make space for the submarines, and the navy will grow from 200 to 1,000 qualified submariners to work on the new vessels.

He said the new submarines are important for protecting Canada’s vast coastline, and the two navies will continue to work together regardless of who wins the bid.

“The pressures we’re facing are growing, and no nation should face them alone,” he said. “This is democracy, this is freedom in action, and this is partnership.”

Crew quarters inside the South Korean vessel are more spacious than those on Canadian submarines, according to the two Royal Canadian Navy sailors who joined the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho on its month-long journey from Hawaii to Esquimalt.

Lt.-Cmdr. Brittany Bourgeois and Petty Officer Second Class Jake Dixon both said they were impressed with the spacious interior and sophisticated technology. The control room features more screens and computer-automated panels than buttons and knobs.

Crew berth areas include privacy doors and a desk area for every three sailors, with more space afforded to officers and the captain.

The captain’s sleeping area even includes its own bathroom.

Signage in both Korean and English is used throughout ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, including for crew areas, safety equipment and navigation tools.

ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Executive Officer Dong Keon Oh said that is on purpose, and but isn’t the norm for other South Korean naval vessels.

He said the bilingual signs were put there with joint training exercises in mind to help English-speaking sailors feel more comfortable.

Oh noted that the beds are “up to European standards” in terms of length and did not pose an issue for the Canadian sailors.

On Tuesday night, the Naden Band and the Republic of Korea Navy Band hosted a joint concert at the Royal Theatre that featured classical and pop songs from both cultures, including music by Gordon Lightfoot and K-pop group BTS.

The rest of the visit will include joint training exercises with Canadian ships, including submarine HMCS Corner Brook, in waters off southern Vancouver Island.

It’s the first time the two navies have had training exercises together.

The warships are set to leave Victoria on June 7, heading home with six Canadian sailors on board who will disembark in Hawaii.

hlink@timescolonist.com

— With files from Michael John Lo and The Canadian Press

Deportations in Quebec accounted for more than half of removals in Canada this year so far

Verity Stevenson · CBC News · Posted: May 26, 2026 8:05 AM PDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

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Parents forced to choose which of them will be deported and who will remain with their children. A breastfeeding mother detained for weeks without her newborn. A young father — the breadwinner of his family — facing separation from his baby who has heart problems.

Refugee advocates say they are seeing a new trend of deportation proceedings involving parents whose spouses or children are allowed to remain in Canada. They say the pattern appears to be concentrated in Quebec, where the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seems to be focusing its removal efforts — 55 per cent of all deportations in Canada took place in the province in the first four months of 2026.

“These are extremely dramatic cases of family separation,” said Maryse Poisson, the director of social intervention at the Welcome Collective, a Montreal organization helping migrants, who described the cases above. “Children could be deprived of one of their parents indefinitely.”

Poisson said her organization alone has worked with eight families in the last two months where one parent faced deportation while the rest of the family would remain in Canada. One father was deported last week, while six cases won temporary reprieves, and another one is in the midst of fighting to stay.

Poisson, along with a group of lawyers, advocates and politicians, spoke at a media event in Montreal on Monday, calling on the federal government to adopt a policy suspending deportations that would separate families.

Quebec represented nearly 46 per cent of deportations in Canada in 2025, up from 30 per cent in 2022. In the first three months of 2026, the province accounted for nearly 55 per cent of all removals carried out nationwide.

The increase follows a broader hardening of public discourse around asylum seekers in Quebec, according to Louis-Philippe Jannard of the Quebec network for organizations serving refugees and immigrations.

“Some politicans or commenters presented people seeking refuge as the source of almost all of Quebec society’s problems,” Jannard said, noting he believes political rhetoric may be influencing the CBSA’s activities in the province.

Concerns about child rights

Two women shared their CBSA experiences at the conference by video link with their cameras off and without using their full names: one woman from Mexico CBC News spoke with last month and one woman from Guinea, whose story has appeared in Quebec newspaper Le Devoir.

The woman from Guinea recounted being detained for five weeks this fall, away from her infant daughter. Her lawyer, Anne-Cécile Khouri-Raphaël, told CBC News the woman was still breastfeeding when she was taken into immigration detention in Laval, Que., outside Montreal.

• Montreal father faces deportation as immigration advocates decry more family separations
• Refugee family faces separation as father and son ordered deported from Canada

Khouri-Raphaël, who is the vice president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, said the deportation proceedings appear to contradict Canada’s legal obligations, including commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as provisions in Canada’s immigration law emphasizing family reunification.

“What we’re seeing in practice is the exact opposite of that,” Khouri-Raphaël said in reference to CBSA’s enforcement of removals that separate families.

She added that colleagues in other provinces were surprised by the intensity of removals in Quebec.

“The violence with which these removal [proceedings] are happening when children are involved is unprecedented,” she said.

Many families have struggled to secure legal representation in time for their deportation dates, according to Marie-Odile Marcotte, another immigration lawyer who spoke Monday. Marcotte said there are fewer than 300 refugee lawyers in Quebec, and only a small number of them handle emergency deportation cases.

“The delays are really, really short. It’s a ton of work — at least 50 hours for one deportation,” Marcotte said.

Why Quebec?

Jannard of the roundtable group said it’s unclear why exactly the family separations appear to be happening more in Quebec, but that there could be several factors involved, such as the CBSA’s Quebec administration enforcing tougher removal practices.

He also pointed to an apparent shift in the CBSA’s removal priorities in early 2025, when he says the agency began increasingly targeting failed asylum claims. CBC has reached out to CBSA for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

In response to previous inquiries from CBC about the topic of family separations, the agency has said, family members of protected persons who are eligible to apply for permanent residency aren’t necessarily “immune from removal proceedings.”

“CBSA is legally mandated to remove from Canada, as quickly as possible, all foreign nationals who are … subject to an enforceable removal order,” the agency has said in a statement.

• Toronto refugee lawyers see clients ‘panicking’ as new federal law limits asylum claims
• Federal Court grants request to group constitutional challenges against new asylum law

A spokesperson for NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice said the party has written to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree calling for action. CBC has also reached out to Anandasangaree’s office for comment.

“Current immigration policies are leading to a significant deterioriation of the refugee protection system,” Boulerice’s political attaché, Julien Fournier-Dorion, said on the MP’s behalf.

In late March, the federal government enacted a strict asylum law that retroactively nullifies, by some estimates, more than 30,000 refugee claims.

According to Boulerice, Canada is deporting more people than under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. Deportations peaked under Harper in 2012 at nearly 19,000. Last year, CBSA reported a new high at 23,160 removals across the country.

WATCH | Deportations are on the rise across Canada:

Canada deporting nearly 400 people a week, fastest pace in a decade

December 24, 2025|

Duration1:53The Canada Border Services Agency is removing people, largely refugee claimants, from the country at a rate not seen in over a decade as the Carney government moves to slow population growth. Refugee lawyers express concern deportations may ramp up further if Bill C-12 passes next year.

“Canada has moral obligations. It is illegal and as a society we must refuse to allow decisions that break up families in such an inhumane way,” Fournier-Dorion said.

Andrés Fontecilla, an MNA for the provincial Québec solidaire, said the Quebec government should intervene and request that CBSA stop deporting spouses and children of people who are allowed to be in Canada.

“It is unacceptable that these practices are happening in our name,” Fontecilla said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Verity Stevenson

Verity is a reporter for CBC in Montreal. She previously worked for the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal.

VIH Helicopters is providing two Sikorsky S-92A heavy helicopters for the season, with contracts starting immediately and continuing to Oct. 18.

Times Colonist and The Canadian Press about 7 hours ago

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A North Saanich aviation company will provide helicopters as part of the federal government’s first reserve of firefighting aircraft to help provinces and territories respond to wildfires this season.

VIH Helicopters is supplying two Sikorsky S-92A heavy helicopters for the season, with contracts starting immediately and continuing to Oct. 18.

They’re among 10 aircraft and two unspecified support assets being leased for 150 days starting this month by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, thanks to a $317-million allocation in the federal budget.

The government said in a statement Monday that the Pan-Canadian Aerial Asset Program will boost national firefighting surge capacity by increasing provincial and territorial access to aircraft during periods of intense wildfire activity.

Provincial and territorial wildfire agencies will be able to request the use of four air tankers, one spotter plane and five heavy lift helicopters to fight wildfires. Along with VIH Helicopters, which is based at Victoria International Airport, the fleet will be sourced from B.C.-based firms Conair Group and Coldstream Helicopters.

The VIH Fire Raptor helicopters on contract with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre have 5,000-litre retractable belly tanks with rapid-hover fill capability of 48 seconds, and can cruise at 270 kilometres per hour.The helicopters can also transport up to 19 firefighters for rapid front-line deployment.

“VIH Helicopters is proud to support Canada’s national wildfire response efforts through our contract with CIFFC,” VIH chief operating officer Jen Norie said in a statement.

“As wildfire activity continues to intensify across the country, national surge capacity and rapid aerial response have never been more important.

“We are honoured to work alongside federal, provincial, and territorial partners to help protect communities, critical infrastructure, and natural resources across Canada.”

It’s the first time a national fleet of aircraft will be available to respond where needed. Wildfire responses have previously been managed on a provincial and territorial basis, with governments working with CIFFC to share resources across borders.

Kelsey Winter, executive director of CIFFC, said at a media event at the Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa on Monday that the newly leased fleet will add to the existing model, not replace it.

“The program increases our availability of aircraft when existing fleets within provincial and territorial agencies are stretched thin, and it strengthens Canada’s collective ability to move aircraft where it is needed most,” Winter said.

The assets will be positioned within Canada based on fire activity forecasts and current wildfire activity.

The 2025 wildfire season was Canada’s second-worst on record, with nearly 90,000 square kilometres consumed as of September 2025 — an area larger than New Brunswick.

That came just two years after the worst-ever season on record in 2023, when more than 165,000 square kilometres burned.

Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said Monday that wildfires are becoming “more severe and more frequent,” so the government saw the need to invest in a national service.

Courtenay-Alberni NDP MP Gord Johns — who petitioned the government to create a national firefighting service before the fall budget last year — said in a statement Monday that setting up the fleet was “an important and overdue step.”

“This announcement is progress, but the scale of the climate crisis demands sustained action and long-term investment,” Johns said.

Johns welcomed news that VIH Helicopters will be part of the new national firefighting fleet, alongside other Canadian aviation companies.

“British Columbians know the expertise exists right here on Vancouver Island,” Johns said.

Johns also renewed his call for the federal government to build a permanent sovereign firefighting fleet through Canadian manufacturing and retrofit programs, including converting retired military aircraft into large airtankers.

Johns said the NDP will continue pushing the federal government to work with Canadian companies like Port Alberni-based Coulson Aviation to retrofit retired CC-130 Hercules aircraft into next-generation airtankers.

“We have the skilled workers, the aerospace expertise, and the industrial capacity to build a stronger long-term wildfire response system while creating good jobs,” said Johns.

Ottawa chose to lease, not buy, the firefighting assets because the wait for new aircraft can exceed five years, Olszewski said. This approach also means the federal government isn’t paying for a plane that will sit idle over the winter months, she said.

“We wanted to make sure that we had aerial fighting, firefighting assets in place for this wildfire season. So it was very important to do that at this point in time,” Olszewski said.

1. Introduction

A stablecoin is a digital asset designed to maintain a stable value relative to an underlying asset. A fiat-backed stablecoin is a particular type of stablecoin that is pegged to one fiat currency of reference (e.g., CAD or USD).

There is currently no comprehensive regulation of the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins in Canada, and that is the focus of the new federal framework. This framework, proposed through Budget 2025 with the legislation introduced in Bill C-15, will make stablecoins safer to hold and use in Canada, ensuring that issuers maintain proper reserves, offer redemption at par in the referenced fiat currency, maintain appropriate data security practices, and have sound corporate and financial governance.

The framework will complement existing federal and provincial regimes, including the Retail Payment Activities Act.

1.1 What will Canada’s Stablecoin Framework do?

The goal of the proposed stablecoin framework is to promote safe innovation and competition in the financial sector through regulations for Canadian financial technology companies to innovate and issue stablecoins, while ensuring that consumers are protected. The framework will apply to domestic and foreign issuers.

The proposed framework follows recent developments of legislative and regulatory frameworks for stablecoins in other jurisdictions, such as the United States and European Union. In August 2025, the United States enacted the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, following the full adoption of the Markets in Crypto Assets regulations in the European Union in 2024. Canada’s stablecoin framework is designed to be compatible with these frameworks, with key elements consistent with recommendations of the Financial Stability Board.

Canadians currently primarily use fiat-backed stablecoins as a store of value when trading other cryptocurrencies, and as a bridge between the traditional fiat currency/financial system and the digital asset space. However, with Canada’s stablecoin framework, Canadians will be able to feel more confident in using fiat-backed stablecoins for payment purposes, such as for sending money abroad.

1.2 Policy Objectives for Canada’s Stablecoin Framework

Competition is central to productivity, innovation, and affordability. Developing regulations for fiat-backed stablecoins will respond to the government’s commitment to increase innovation and competition in the financial sector by helping to provide Canadians with options for digital payments, international money transfers, and more.

The development of Canada’s stablecoin framework was guided by four public policy objectives:

• Enabling innovation and competition: Creating a regulated, safe, and predictable environment for issuers of stablecoins to operate in Canada.
• Consumer protection: Ensuring timely redemption, appropriate management of reserve assets, and requiring disclosure of information so Canadian consumers can feel confident holding and using stablecoins.
• International alignment: Ensuring that Canada’s framework is consistent with the Financial Stability Board recommendations for stablecoin regulation, and preparing for potential future interoperability with the United States, European Union, and other jurisdictions.
• Safeguarding financial stability: Ensuring that stablecoins retain their peg to the referenced fiat currency and maintain sufficient reserve assets, and in sufficient composition, to enable timely redemption.

2. Course of Action

The government has introduced legislation through the 2025 Budget Implementation Act that will require issuers to, among other requirements:

• register with the Bank of Canada, provide necessary information on an ongoing basis and as requested, and be subject to prudential requirements overseen by the Bank of Canada;
• maintain a 1:1 reserve of high-quality liquid assets, in the reference currency of the stablecoins;
• create and adhere to a redemption policy for stablecoin holders, and offer at-par redemption; and,
• create and adhere to policies around corporate governance, risk management, data security, and recovery and resolution.

The Department of Finance Canada, working closely with the Bank of Canada, will begin regulatory development once the legislation has received Royal Assent. Once completed, draft regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette for consultations before being finalized. It is expected that this work will continue over 12-18 months from early 2026, with the stablecoin framework coming into force in 2027.

2.1 Governance

The Bank of Canada will administer the framework and supervise stablecoin issuers, building on their expertise in payment service provider supervision under the Retail Payment Activities Act and their responsibility for supervising financial market infrastructure, including systemically important and prominent payment systems under the Payment, Clearing and Settlement Act. The Department of Finance will continue its role in respect of policy and legislative/regulatory development.

Canada’s stablecoin framework includes safeguards to protect the public interest and national security. The Stablecoin Act provides the Minister of Finance with the authority to address risks related to national security. The Minister’s exercise of the national security authorities will be supported by security and intelligence agencies.

2.2 Scope

Canada’s stablecoin framework will only regulate the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins by non-financial institutions. All non-financial institution issuers of fiat-backed stablecoins in Canada will be subject to the framework and supervision by the Bank of Canada. Federal, provincial and foreign financial institutions that are prudentially regulated, such as banks or credit unions, are already subject to comprehensive regulation of their business activities. Other types of stablecoins (non-fiat-backed) will continue to be regulated by their respective provincial or territorial securities regulator.

The framework will apply to domestic and foreign issuers who make fiat-backed stablecoins available to Canadians, directly or indirectly.  It does not distinguish between CAD-denominated vs foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins.

The use and exchange of fiat-backed stablecoins will continue to be regulated according to how they are used. Securities regulators will regulate the exchange and trading of fiat-backed stablecoins on securities exchanges and crypto-trading platforms. The Bank of Canada, under the Retail Payment Activities Act, will supervise payment service providers that perform payment functions in a fiat-backed stablecoin, subject to that stablecoin being prescribed in regulation.

2.3 Registration

Non-financial institution issuers will need to apply for registration with the Bank of Canada. As part of this application, issuers will need to provide:

• information on corporate ownership, structure and financial health;
• technology information related to the stablecoin that is planned to be issued; and,
• compliance information related to the Stablecoin Act (the Act).

Registration will be an ongoing obligation, with various requirements for issuers to provide updated information to the Bank of Canada within the time and in the manner to be specified in the regulations and when significant changes occur. Issuers will also need to provide to the Bank of Canada reports containing compliance-related information certified by a chartered accountant and supported by an opinion from a legal practitioner.

2.4 Reserves

Issuers will need to maintain a reserve of assets of equal or greater value than the value of stablecoins that have been minted. The assets must be held in cash or high-quality cash-like assets at a qualified custodian and must be segregated from the other assets of the issuer and the qualified custodian. Issuers must ensure that, in the event of their insolvency, the reserve assets are not accessible to creditors other than the holders of the outstanding stablecoins.

2.5 Redemption

Issuers will need to establish, publish, and follow a redemption policy that spells out how a stablecoin holder can redeem their stablecoin in the referenced currency.  This will include the timing and manner of redemption, any fees that may be charged, and a description of the role of third parties.

2.6 Other provisions

Issuers will need to:

• establish, publish, and follow policies on corporate governance, data security, risk management, and recovery and resolution;
• not offer interest or yield to stablecoin holders;
• not represent that their stablecoin is legal tender, a deposit, or insured under a public deposit insurance system;
• not communicate or provide false or misleading information, by the use of such terms, expressions, logos, symbols, or illustrations to be specified in the regulations; and,
• provide the Bank of Canada or the Minister of Finance with any information requested.

Issuers of stablecoins will also be subject to anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing (AML/ATF) requirements established under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act as they are considered money services businesses (MSBs) that are dealing in virtual currencies. 

2.7 Enforcement

Canada’s stablecoin framework includes key protections to ensure that issuers respect their obligations under the Act. Non-compliance can be addressed by the Bank of Canada through compliance agreements and administrative monetary penalties.

The proposed framework provides authorities to the Minister of Finance that align with existing financial sector statutes, including the Retail Payment Activities Act and the Consumer-Driven Banking Act, to refuse access to the framework for national security-related reasons.The Minister can also prohibit an issuer from taking any measures related to issuing stablecoins to people in Canada if it serves the public interest or for reasons related to national security. Consistent with the federal legislation of financial institutions, the Act provides the Minister with the power to impose conditions or require undertakings, if the Minister is of the opinion that it is necessary for national security reasons.

3. Next Steps

With the legislation having received Royal Assent, the Department of Finance has begun the development of supporting regulations for the Stablecoin Act. Once completed, draft regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette.

The Department will continue to work with the Bank of Canada and other key partners to monitor ongoing domestic and international developments in this evolving market and ensure that Canada’s stablecoin framework provides a safe environment for innovation and competition while protecting consumers and the stability of Canada’s financial system.

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Date modified:

 2026-03-31