Discover Narcity
Get the latest and greatest stories every day in your inbox.
Video of contact with possibly rabid skunk in B.C. prompts health authority warning
Video of B.C. skunk contact prompts rabies warning
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Facebook, Vancouver Kick (Mandatory Credit)
Vancouver Coastal Health is warning anyone in the city's downtown who has had contact with a possibly rabid skunk to get a medical assessment immediately after a video emerged on social media.
The video posted on Facebook on Oct. 10 shows a skunk struggling to cross a Vancouver street, attracting a number of bystanders before a man picked up the animal using a sweater and moved it onto the sidewalk.
On Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health reported a skunk captured in the city's downtown has tested positive for rabies, but it is unclear if it's the same animal shown in the Facebook video.
The health authority says a small number of people were bitten by the skunk and have been assessed, as well as receiving rabies vaccinations and immunoglobulin as a precaution.
It also says that it is aware of videos capturing other exposures, and anyone in the West End and Stanley Park areas who have had contact with a skunk between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 should contact Vancouver Coastal Health immediately.
The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through bites or scratches, and an infection affects the brain and nervous system leading to possible death.
The health authority says the virus is not transmitted through other types of exposures such as the spray, urine or feces of an infected skunk.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Keep reading
Show less
Do municipal councils represent the diversity of their constituents?
Ontario’s 2022 municipal election turnout fell to a historic low of 32.9 per cent.
Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton are among Canada's most diverse cities, but how closely do their municipal councils reflect the communities they represent?
As voters prepare for the Oct. 26 municipal elections, New Canadian Media has examined the barriers to political representation in these three major cities.
The series explored the challenges facing immigrant and visible minority candidates; the advantages enjoyed by incumbents; the role of campaign fundraising; and debates over the use of languages other than English to reach voters. It has also looked at whether public transit systems are meeting the needs of immigrant communities.
Voter participation remains a concern. In Ontario's 2022 municipal elections, participation fell to a historic low of 32.9 per cent, according to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).
Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton are reporting increased advance voting numbers, although that may not translate into a higher overall voter turnout.
In its Turn up the Turnout report, the AMO suggests the shrinking of the local media environment has had far-reaching impacts on voter participation and turnout.
As part of this coverage, NCM reporter Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre created an interactive map to help readers explore the relationship between local demographics, elected representatives and voter participation.
The map below shows municipal election results from 2022 and subsequent byelections, along with information on councillors, ward demographics drawn from the 2021 census and voter turnout in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton.
These details offer a closer look at the communities that municipal councils represent, and the residents who participate in choosing them.
The map reveals striking differences between wards, even within the same city. In Mississauga, immigrants made up nearly 60 per cent of residents in Wards 4 and 6 according to the 2021 census. In Wards 1 and 2, immigrants accounted for one third of the population.
Voter participation varied widely across Toronto in 2022, with turnout reaching 38 per cent in Parkdale–High Park but falling to 22 per cent in Humber River–Black Creek.
By placing these demographic figures next to the names and photographs of elected representatives, the map shows how closely municipal councils reflect the communities they serve. The differences in voter participation also raise broader questions about political representation and the barriers to participation explored in NCM's election coverage.
.map-wrapper {<br /> width: 100%;<br /> padding: 16px 0;<br /> box-sizing: border-box;<br /> }<br /> .map-wrapper iframe {<br /> display: block;<br /> width: 100%;<br /> height: 80vh;<br /> min-height: 600px;<br /> border: 0;<br /> border-radius: 12px;<br /> box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);<br /> }<br /> @media (max-width: 768px) {<br /> .map-wrapper iframe {<br /> height: 75vh;<br /> min-height: 500px;<br /> }<br /> }<br />
Copyright 2026, New Canadian Media. All rights reserved.
Rodrigo Huerta Aguirre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media.
Keep reading
Show less
Ottawa to announce funding for 60 national sport organizations
Ottawa to fund 60 national sport organizations
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan
The federal government is set to announce funding for more than 60 national sport organizations today.
Organizations set to receive funding include Athletics Canada, Canada Basketball, the Canadian Cycling Association and Hockey Canada.
Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden will announce the funding today alongside Team Canada athletes and members of Parliament.
A government official says the funding is meant to help organizations expand participation by increasing access, building interest and delivering programming.
The federal government announced plans in its spring economic update to inject more money into Canada's national sport organizations.
That promise came after the Future of Sport in Canada Commission's final report, issued in March, found the country's sport system was facing a "funding crisis" as federal funding had not kept up with inflation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
-With files from Nick Murray
By Catherine Morrison | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Keep reading
Show less
People Are Roasting The New Apple Mac Pro Made In Austin
So apparently Apple is listening to the fans by giving us what we want. They are releasing a newly, re-designed Mac Pro right out of Austin, and it's super exciting. Austin, Texas is a huge tech hub now, so to have bragging rights on an Apple product is even cooler. But while many would simply nod their heads to this news and move on, others want a say in this. Reddit users have taken to their platform to give their two cents on what they want Texans to contribute, and it's making for some hilarious reactions.
Texas is a pretty easy state to make fun of. Even people who live here find jokes about one of the most prideful states in the world hilarious. That, or they make them themselves. Reddit is probably one of the greatest platforms to roast anything going viral at the moment. So when news broke yesterday that the new Mac Pro would be manufactured in Austin, Reddit users wasted no time.
[rebelmouse-image 25949330 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x187"]
BBQ and bullets are just two of the notable mentions in the comments on one particular thread. After the iPhone 11 underwent scrutiny for the way the cameras looked, you'd think the Mac Pro would be getting made fun of for it's appearance as well. But no, the fact that it's being made in Texas is funny all on its own.
[rebelmouse-image 25949331 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x168"]
The company is making big moves with this decision, and we can't wait to see what they continue to come out with. For now, scrolling through Reddit and even other social media platforms where jokes about Texas can be found is the move. What's that Spongebob episode again?
[rebelmouse-image 25949332 photo_credit="Screen Grab | Reddit" expand=1 original_size="750x425"]
There are stories everywhere! If you spot a newsworthy event in your city, send us a message, photo, or video @NarcityUSA on Facebook and Instagram.