Welcome to the new era of online flood maps
June 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe organization responsible for flood risk mitigation in and near Kitchener, Ont. is contemplating enabling online access to maps that would let some clients see whether they are in a high-risk flood zone. For the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA),…
Ottawa’s spring floods put last round of repairs to the test
June 6, 2019 by Christian Paas-Lang - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – A new round of repairs is in store for pathways around Parliament Hill, after the second major flood in three years. Water levels on the Ottawa River remain a metre above normal and crews working for the National…
How the EU’s data privacy law will apply to your Canadian clients
June 5, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe European Union’s new data privacy law can affect your clients even if they don’t have offices in Europe, a cyber security expert with one of the world’s biggest brokerages warns. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which took effect…
How budget cuts will affect flood risk mitigation
June 5, 2019 by Greg MeckbachFlood risk mitigation in Ontario could start to depend a lot more on the willingness of corporations and individuals to donate money to the conservation authorities. “The conservation authorities are going to have to make a better case for outreach…
How reliable are severe weather emergency alerts?
June 5, 2019 by Jason ContantTwo tornadoes that swept through the Ottawa region Sunday have prompted questions about the effectiveness of Canada’s emergency alert system. Questions arose after numerous residents reported that they never received warnings about a tornado that hit Orléans, an east-end suburb…
Military help in Pikangikum First Nation being ‘drawn down’ as wildfire slows
June 5, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSPIKANGIKUM, Ont. – The Canadian Armed Forces says military help is being “drawn down” in a remote northwestern Ontario First Nation as a wildfire that triggered the evacuation of vulnerable residents slows its spread. Second Lt. Christopher Dube says in…
How warning signs factored in this ski resort’s lawsuit defence
June 4, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA warning sign and the plaintiff’s work experience were among the reasons a personal injury lawsuit against Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain Resorts Ltd. has been dismissed. Jason Apps was catastrophically injured while snowboarding in March, 2016 at Grouse Mountain. The ticket…
Mainstream autos get driver monitoring devices
June 4, 2019 by By Tom Krisher - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDETROIT – Would you pay more for a car or SUV that warns you if you’re falling asleep or not paying attention behind the wheel? Auto companies are figuring that because your life could depend on it, you will. As…
When ‘residence employee’ is key in home insurance wording
June 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA coverage dispute, arising from severe electric shock injuries to a baby in a rented house, shows disagreement over the exact meaning of “residence employee” in a home insurance policy. Doris Wong and her brother Johnny Wong were sued in…
Tornadoes hit Gatineau, Ottawa areas, though no injuries reported
June 3, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Strong winds uprooted trees and damaged homes, but nobody was injured when a tornado touched down in the Ottawa area Sunday evening. Environment Canada issued tornado warnings in eastern Ontario and western Quebec after someone spotted a twister…
Wildfire destroys homes in Alberta Metis settlement
May 31, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMore than a dozen homes in a northern Alberta Metis community have been destroyed by an aggressive wildfire and there are concerns that more properties may be consumed. “It’s like a burnt piece of toast up there,” said Blake Desjarlais…
Wildfires force more people out of their homes in northern Alberta
May 30, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSMore people are being forced from their homes as several wildfires rage out-of-control in northern Alberta and blanket areas to the south in an acrid haze. The Alberta government issued an emergency alert early this morning for Chipewyan Lake Village,…
