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CFB Wainwright fire highlights long, painful process of burn recovery, specialists say
Patients with severe burns face long recovery: specialists
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Ulan
Burn specialists in Toronto and Hamilton say their hospitals are ready to support their Alberta colleagues as they care for dozens of patients injured in Saturday's devastating fire at CFB Wainwright.
Although they don't know the specific condition of the 39 hospitalized patients — 19 of them in critical condition — they say recovering from serious burns is a long and painful process fraught with threats of infection.
Dr. Alan Rogers, a burn surgeon at the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, says the hospital is ready to take patients if burn centres in Calgary and Edmonton need backup and they could also send temporary skin frozen in Sunnybrook's tissue bank.
Rogers says age and chronic illnesses are factors in the chances of recovery for severely burned patients.
He says it's possible for younger healthy adults to survive burns to 80 per cent of their body, although other injuries, including smoke inhalation, are other factors.
Rogers says severely burned patients must endure multiple surgeries over weeks or even months — first to remove the burned tissue and cover the areas with donated cadaver skin or artificial skin substitutes, then later to graft skin from other areas of the patient's body.
The burn care team can use techniques like expanding the skin grafts to cover more of the exposed area.
They prioritize areas to be covered, including the face and hands, he said.
Seriously burned patients are immunocompromised because they don't have a skin barrier, Rogers said, so they are often kept in isolation rooms for weeks to protect them from infection.
Extensive burns can also prompt an "overwhelming" inflammatory response in the body that can strain the patient's organs, he said.
Dr. Marc Jeschke, director of the burn program at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, said his team wants to help their colleagues in Alberta however they can, noting the long road ahead for patients with severe burns.
"It is severe injury that causes significant burden to the patients, to the families, to the loved ones, to everybody," Jeschke said.
"It is not over like a fracture when you walk out a couple of days later. This is something that will affect their lives forever."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
By Nicole Ireland and Hannah Alberga | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Quebec's strategic maple syrup reserve running dry amid high demand
Quebec's strategic maple syrup reserve running dry
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
The Canadian Press
The head of Quebec's maple syrup producer's association says the province's strategic syrup reserve has run dry amid high demand for the product.
Québec Maple Syrup Producers President Luc Goulet says government support will be needed to ensure the industry doesn't miss out on opportunities to grow the sector.
Maple syrup yields depend on weather conditions.
As a result, the producers' association has established a strategic reserve to ensure prices and supply remain relatively stable.
Last year, U.S. commercial customers stocked up, fearing that President Donald Trump would carry out his threat to impose tariffs.
Goulet says the buffer has been exhausted as sales continue to rise.
“Our strategic reserve has been reduced to zero,” Goulet said in an interview at the release of a report on the industry's economic benefits. That means the industry could lose customers if weather conditions are less favourable for maple sap flow, he said.
Goulet cites the stock shortages in 2007 and 2008 as an example.
“We lost some markets because the product wasn’t available,” Goulet said. “Then, consumers very quickly turn to another sweet product. And once that happens, those consumption habits are established.”
Quebec maple syrup is gaining market share abroad, according to the president of the Maple Industry Council, which represents authorized buyers.
Louis Turenne notes that exports increased by 9.34 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year. The pace accelerated in 2025 with a 15.8 per cent increase as the threat of new tariffs loomed over the industry.
In 2026, exports rose at a slower rate — 2.48 per cent from January through August compared to the same period the previous year. "It's always hard to beat an exceptional year," Turenne said.
Goulet acknowledges that satisfying the demand of eager consumers is a nice problem to have. However, he believes the industry can still grow. “There is still a great deal of untapped potential in Quebec’s maple groves," he said.
Investments from Quebec City “are too low for our liking,” says Goulet, who hopes to have the ear of the newly-elected Parti Québécois government.
“When we’re told that we have an industry that's thriving, that we’re growing, and that we don’t need support — well, I no longer accept that line of reasoning at the government level,” he said.
For his part, Turenne believes that Quebec could encourage increased production by providing financial support to producers, and helping processors in their search for new markets abroad.
Currently, nearly 65 per cent of maple syrup exports go to the United States “We’ve made significant progress in diversifying our markets in recent years. Twenty years ago, that figure was 80 per cent,” Turenne said.
“But we need to accelerate the opening and development of European, Australian, and Asian markets to become less dependent on the U.S. market,” he said.
While the maple leaf graces the Canadian flag, the syrup industry is heavily concentrated in Quebec. More than 70 per cent of North American production is in the province, according to the industry group's report, released Thursday.
When production, processing, and specialized equipment manufacturers are included, the maple syrup industry contributed $1.21 billion to the gross domestic product in 2025, the report said.
In total, the sector employs more than 10,000 full-time equivalent workers and generated $285 million in tax revenue, excluding municipal taxes and fees for the lease of public lands.
This figure does not include the sugar shacks that many Quebecers visit in the spring.
“Sugar shack operations are more akin to the restaurant industry,” Turenne said.
The maple syrup producers' group used the recent election campaign to highlight the industry's importance as an employer and economic driver, and Goulet says the candidates were often surprised by the important role it played.
In some municipalities, "if you take away maple syrup production, you might as well shut down the villages,” Goulet said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Stéphane Rolland | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Beluga rescued from closed Ontario park dies in California
Beluga rescued from Marineland dies in San Diego
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Facebook, SeaWorld San Diego (Mandatory Credit)
A California aquarium says a beluga rescued from Marineland in Ontario has died, adding to the number of deaths of animals relocated over the summer from the now-closed Canadian facility.
SeaWorld San Diego says in a Facebook post that Cyprus, a nine-year-old male beluga that arrived at the park on Aug. 22 stopped eating on Friday, and an ultrasound later determined the animal's intestinal tract did not appear to be functioning normally.
It says Cyprus had been doing well since his arrival, eating consistently and interacting with his trainers and animal care team, along with two other rescued belugas.
But it notes belugas can mask discomfort or underlying concerns that are not immediately visible, and it says a full necropsy will be conducted.
Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont., had said it was running out of money and could no longer care for the last captive whales and dolphins in Canada, and 30 of its belugas and four dolphins were transferred to other facilities in a mass relocation effort.
SeaWorld San Diego says the other rescued belugas in its care are in stable health and remain under close monitoring as they continue to adjust to their surroundings.
"As we have indicated, this process will take a considerable amount of time. Our commitment to the health, well-being and care of these belugas, like every animal we rescue, continues," the facility said in its social media post on Sunday.
It said that after the necropsy is completed, the cause of Cyprus's death will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Less than two weeks ago, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago said Caspian, a 27-year-old female beluga that was relocated from Marineland, died despite efforts to save her.
Caspian had not been eating properly and blood samples showed abnormalities in her electrolyte levels, Shedd said.
Shedd said it performed necropsies on Peekachu and Rain, two other Marineland whales that died there, and concluded that they had chronic, pre-existing diseases.
A beluga named Jelly Bean and a dolphin named Echo also died at Oceanografic Valencia in Spain after the move.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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ChatGPT nous dit les 7 meilleurs trucs pour économiser à l'épicerie au Québec
On va prendre TOUS les « hacks » possibles!
Avec la récente inflation qui a frappé plusieurs secteurs au pays, la population québécoise cherche à économiser encore plus que jamais. Couponing, astuces pour trouver des rabais, réduction des dépenses, deuxième emploi, plusieurs ont commencé à user de leur créativité pour tenter de diminuer les factures des achats du quotidien.
Afin de t'aider à sauver quelques sous, Narcity a demandé à la plateforme ChatGPT quels seraient les sept meilleurs trucs pour économiser à l'épicerie au Québec. Bien utiles, les réponses de la l'intelligence artificielle (IA) peuvent certainement te permettre d'épargner un brin. Sors ton calepin et prends des notes!
Faire une liste d'épicerie et s'y tenir
Selon ChatGPT, les listes d'épicerie sont un essentiel pour réduire tes dépenses. Il faut toutefois bien la suivre et éviter de faire des achats impulsifs : « Avant de partir faire vos courses, prenez le temps de dresser une liste des articles dont vous avez besoin. De cette façon, vous éviterez d'acheter des choses inutiles ou impulsives qui pourraient faire grimper votre facture ».
Rechercher les offres et les rabais
Il existe une tonne de promotions et rabais offerts par les entreprises. Il est judicieux de prendre un temps supplémentaire pour vérifier les circulaires et comparer les prix affichés dans les différents commerces. L'IA te conseille aussi d'utiliser des applications ou les sites Web des compagnies pour obtenir des produits gratuits, des remises en argent ou des rabais.
Planifier les repas
« En planifiant vos repas à l'avance, vous pouvez acheter les ingrédients dont vous avez besoin en grande quantité et éviter le gaspillage alimentaire. De plus, cela peut vous aider à varier votre alimentation et à éviter les achats impulsifs », indique la plateforme. En effet, penser à ton menu de la semaine peut t'aider à économiser, mais aussi à diminuer la perte des aliments.
Éviter les marques de commerce
Les marques d'entreprise connue peuvent coûter plus cher que les produits génériques ou les marques maisons. ChatGPT te recommande aussi de magasiner en vrac afin de sauver des sous.
Acheter en saison
Autre astuce proposée par l'IA c'est de privilégier l'achat des fruits et légumes de saison : « Les fruits et légumes qui sont en saison coûtent souvent moins cher que ceux qui ne le sont pas. Essayez donc de planifier vos repas en fonction des produits de saison pour économiser de l'argent ». En plus, c'est meilleur pour l'environnement!
Éviter les aliments transformés
Selon ChatGPT, les aliments transformés coûteraient plus cher que les produits frais ou congelés. Il est vrai qu'entre des muffins cuisinés à la maison ou des muffins en épicerie, le premier choix permet de sauver quelques dollars et en plus, avouons-le, ils sont nettement meilleurs lorsqu'ils sont faits avec amour et fraîchement sortis du four.
Magasiner en ligne
Eh oui, la nouvelle façon de faire son épicerie pourrait bien te permettre d'épargner. L'intelligence artificielle souligne qu'en plus de te faire économiser du temps et de l'essence, magasiner en ligne te permettrait d'éviter les achats impulsifs et de mieux comparer les prix.