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Winnipeg police back youth training but resist other changes at Eishia Hudson inquest
Inquest ends into police shooting of Manitoba teen
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
A fatality inquest into the case of a 16-year-old First Nations girl who was shot to death by Winnipeg police has wrapped up.
On the final day, the inquest heard from a lawyer for the police service who opposed many of the recommendations made by inquest counsel and the lawyer for Eishia Hudson's family.
Eishia was shot in April 2020 after officers, responding to reports of a liquor store robbery, chased a stolen Jeep she was driving and fired two shots after she crashed into another vehicle.
Kimberly Carswell, lawyer for Winnipeg Police Service, pushed back on some of the recommendations relating to police training, arguing many of the suggestions presented are already being implemented.
She says the force does support implementing youth-specific training and the development of a youth advisory board.
The inquest judge has six months to write a report outlining final recommendations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Brittany Hobson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Smith blames Feds for housing rules Edmonton built for over a decade
Edmonton’s densification efforts began years before the federal housing fund was launched.
Edmonton has three months to roll back its housing rules after Premier Danielle Smith ordered the city to undo its work on densification.
The premier blamed the federal government for paying cities to replace single-family houses on residential lots with buildings for 16 families and no parking. Speaking on a call-in radio program Saturday, Smith called money from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund a “bribe” to get councils to allow more housing and said Alberta was undoing “bad federal policy.”
But that explanation ignores Edmonton’s housing ambitions and the city’s choices to pursue them, said Mike Moffatt, a housing expert and founding director of the Missing Middle Initiative.
The federal fund gives cities money for changes such as allowing more homes on residential lots and speeding up approvals. It did not specifically require Edmonton to allow eight homes on a single lot — its current maximum — or reduce the space between buildings and neighbouring property lines, Moffatt said.
That work started in 2015, long before the federal government got involved, in response to the city’s own housing and affordability needs. The Housing Accelerator Fund was established in the 2022 budget and launched in 2023.
Expensive suburbs drove densification
By the time the Housing Accelerator Fund got moving three years ago, Edmonton had already done much of what the federal government was asking other Canadian cities to do, said Kalen Anderson, a former city planning director who now leads the building industry association BILD Edmonton Metro. “We were already making all of these decisions with or without that funding,” she said.
Anderson said Edmonton included housing changes it had already approved in its federal funding plan. The money helped pay for downtown student housing, faster permits and water and sewer upgrades to serve new homes. Cities like Calgary and Red Deer are more likely to have changed their housing rules to get federal money than Edmonton, she added.
Calgary repealed its rezoning policy earlier this year after public opposition. Smith supported the reversal, but Mayor Jeromy Farkas described provincial interference in city decisions as a "disturbing attack on local democracy.”
Edmonton’s years of work gave it a head start, helping it become one of the fund’s top-performing cities, as Canada’s National Observer previously reported.
That work began more than a decade ago, Mayor Andrew Knack told Canada’s National Observer in May. The city could not afford — financially or environmentally — to keep spreading into new suburbs, he said. Knack described suburban expansion as the biggest driver of property tax increases over the last 30 years. Meanwhile, some older neighbourhoods were losing residents, contributing to school closures and leaving businesses with fewer customers.
Edmonton was preparing to grow to two million people, Anderson said, with half its additional housing in new suburbs and half in existing neighbourhoods. Allowing eight homes on a lot was one way to make room.
Anderson said the 16 homes Smith described are spread across two lots that used to be one. Around 2014–15, Edmonton began allowing 50-foot-wide lots to be split into two 25-foot-wide lots, she said. With eight homes on each, land that a decade ago held one house could hold 16.
Edmonton’s parking changes also predated the federal fund. In 2020, it became the first major Canadian municipality to let builders choose how much parking to provide. Building parking spaces adds to housing costs, so builders could leave them out if residents would not need them, Anderson said. But many eight-home developments had no parking, leaving residents to find space on the street.
Even after years of public meetings, some residents only understood what the new rules allowed when larger buildings started going up next door, Anderson said. The city should expect to adjust its rules based on what works, she said.
“Those are big changes, so we’re not going to get them right out of the gate,” she said.
Knack said the city had lowered building height limits and changed spacing rules in response to residents’ concerns. “There was a desire for refinement, not a desire to undo this work,” he said.
The mayor’s office told Canada’s National Observer in an email response that it had received no details beyond the province’s announcement, which did not specify precisely how the province expects cities to comply with its de-densification order. Without knowing exactly what Edmonton must change, it could not assess the consequences for federal funding.
‘Easier to make Ottawa the villain’
This isn’t the first time a province has told cities to change their housing rules. In 2023, BC required municipalities to allow three or four homes on many residential lots and six in some locations near frequent bus service. But Moffatt said setting common standards across municipalities, as BC has done, differs from overturning a specific city decision.
He sees a closer parallel in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s push to remove Toronto bike lanes — another fight over a city’s decisions that can appeal to voters who live outside the cities.
Moffatt described Smith’s push as a sign of a shift toward right-wing populism, with premiers increasingly stepping into decisions normally left to local councils.
The fight comes days before Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum, which includes questions about seeking more provincial power and whether to hold a binding vote on leaving Canada. In a booklet sent to households, the province says Ottawa uses conditions attached to federal funding to interfere in provincial decisions.
“I think it’s a lot easier to make Ottawa the villain than a fellow Albertan,” Moffatt said.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has not yet decided whether the changes will affect Edmonton’s or Calgary’s funding, Piper McWilliams, senior communications advisor to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, told Canada’s National Observer in an email response. The federal agency checks each city’s yearly report on its housing commitments before deciding on further payments. Those reports are not yet due.
“Our singular goal remains ensuring that we can deliver on building affordable housing for Albertans,” McWilliams said.
Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer.
Copyright 2026, Canada's National Observer. All rights reserved.
Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer.
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Cultural sector concerned about lack of news on Ottawa's promised $600M
Cultural sector concerned about funding wait
THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Cultural sector groups say they’re starting to worry about the Liberal government’s silence on $600 million in promised funding.
In June, the federal government said it would tell the CRTC to change course on requiring big streamers like Netflix to contribute to Canadian content, and would instead provide funding directly.
But four months later, the government still isn't saying when it will provide the new direction to the CRTC or disburse the $600 million.
This has left the sector without either payments from streamers or the promised government funding.
A group representing independent producers says funding that was supposed to provide the sector with a sense of certainty is now a source of uncertainty itself.
Canadian content contributions and rules for streamers became a flashpoint in the ongoing trade talks with the United States, and were among the reasons Canada ended the latest round of negotiations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Anja Karadeglija | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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12 trouvailles décos à 22$ et moins au Tigre Géant pour créer une ambiance cozy chez toi
Bougies, couvertures chaudes et autres « must » pour ton décor d’automne. 🍂
Si tu as déjà fait un tour au Tigre Géant, tu sais qu'il est possible de trouver de belles décorations de maison pas chères au fil des saisons dans les allées du détaillant offrant une variété d'items allant des vêtements aux produits ménagers, en passant par des articles d'épicerie. Histoire de te montrer ce qui t’attend sur les tablettes du grand magasin pour faire de chez toi un petit cocon cozy cet automne sans briser ton petit cochon, voici douze trouvailles à 22 $ et moins à mettre dans ton panier.
Alors que les températures baissent, que la nuit se présente plus rapidement ainsi que la pluie et le soleil, qui brille sur les feuilles qui changent de couleur, se donnent le relais, il est temps de créer un espace douillet et chaleureux dans lequel prendre refuge après tes aventures au grand air. Pour ce faire, tu peux opter pour des matériaux à effet naturel comme le rotin et l'osier, des couvertures texturées, de la verdure puis surtout, des bougies.
Panier en rotin
Panier en rotin à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : En rabais à 15 $, 20 $ au prix régulier
Description : Avoir des paniers décoratifs de toutes tailles un peu partout dans la maison accomplis deux fonctions. La premières est d'enjoliver l'espace, et la seconde est de fournir du rangement pour tes jetés, tes coussins et autres items que tu peux poser à l'intérieur entre chaque utilisation. En choisissant du rotin, tu apportes une touche naturel pleine de chaleur.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Faux palmier dans un pot gris
Faux palmier dans un pot gris à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 18 $
Description : Tu n'as pas le pouce vert, mais ton chez-toi manque de vie? Tu peux opter pour de jolies plantes artificielles venant directement dans des pots modernes comme ce faux palmier à vendre chez Tigre Géant. En investissant 18 $, tu auras l'effet recherché, sans voir ton achat décrépir de semaine en semaine.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Jeté de canapé et de lit
Jeté de canapé et de lit à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 22 $
Description : Rien n'apporte plus de confort en automne qu'une soirée emmitouflé.e dans des couvertures douces et chaudes. Histoire d'en avoir dans toutes les pièces, tu peux mettre la main sur plusieurs modèle au Tigre Géant, dont celle-ci qui a un effet tricot et qui te coûterait d'ailleurs 10 $ de plus sur Amazon pour un look identique.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Lanterne à bougie
Lanterne à bougie à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 12 $
Description : Des bougies, des bougies et encore des bougies. Un verre de ta boisson chaude favorite entre les mains, l'odeur particulière d'une belle journée d'automne qui plane dans chaque pièce et la lueur des chandelles, voilà comment relaxer chez toi lorsque l'été a fait sa révérence. Pour apporter du style à tes petites bougies, cette lanterne est parfaite.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Paniers d'organisation en osier
Paniers d'organisation en osier à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 15 $
Description : Un décor est à son apogée lorsqu'il y a une place pour chaque chose, et que chaque chose est à sa place. Afin d'organiser ton espace avec bon goût et un effet douillet, ce type de panier en osier est tout indiqué.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Lettres qui s'illuminent
Lettres qui s'illuminent à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 8 $
Description : Il faut le dire, s'il est possible pour un espace minimaliste d'être tout de même cozy, le summum du confort se trouve souvent dans les maisons pleines de bibelots, de jetés, de coussins et autres babioles. Avec ces lettres en bois qui s'illuminent, tu peux non seulement apporter une touche de texture naturelle à l'endroit, mais aussi de douce lumière.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Chandelle à la citrouille épicée
Chandelle à la citrouille épicée à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 12 $
Description : Peut-on parler d'incontournables d'automne sans inclure une chandelle à la citrouille épicée ou autre senteur de saison? Non. Ainsi, cette bougie parfaitement dans le thème avec son contenant couvert de feuillages de couleur neutre attend juste d'emplir ton salon de son odeur délicieuse.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Lanterne décorative avec feuillages d'automne et bougie
Lanterne décorative avec feuillages d'automne et bougie à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 20 $
Description : Okay, il faut y aller avec parcimonie lorsqu'il est question de feuillages artificiels colorés parce qu'on peut rapidement tomber dans un effet bas de gamme. Cela dit, entourée d'autres matériaux et de bibelots de bon goût, cette lanterne peut apporter beaucoup de joie et de tons saisonniers à la pièce de ton choix.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Bougeoir en forme de citrouille
Bougeoir en forme de citrouille à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 10 $
Description : Tu aimes l'Halloween, mais tu ne veux pas nécessairement avoir plein de fruits ronds et oranges dans ta maison? Cet accessoire te permet d'inclure encore plus de bougies à ton décor, en plus d'être en forme de citrouille.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Luminaire en vigne pour rideau
Luminaire en vigne pour rideau à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 15 $
Description : Les vignes ont la cote depuis quelques années déjà, alors si tu adores le look, tu peux mettre la main sur cette option artificielle et lumineuse à accrocher à tes rideaux pour 15 $ au Tigre Géant.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Tapis de coco
Tapis de coco à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : 12 $
Description : Tu peux créer ton ambiance automnale avant même de mettre les pieds chez toi en te procurant un tapis extérieur rustique en coco. Celui-ci, avec ses feuilles noires, est une des possibilités qui s'offrent à toi au Tigre Géant.
Site Web du Tigre Géant
Étagère murale flottante
Étagère murale flottante à vendre au Tigre Géant.
Noémi Lincourt | Narcity Québec
Coût : En rabais à 8 $, 10 $ au prix régulier
Description : Tu as un mur vide qui pourrait bénéficier de quelques tablettes pour mettre tes décorations et cadres de saison? Voici un lot de trois étagères murales pas chères qui pourront réaliser ta vision.
Site Web du Tigre Géant