Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
WestJet Airlines cancelled flights and kept planes on the ground today as it readies for a possible pilot strike or lockout early tomorrow morning.
The airline cancelled 103 flights just after 9 a.m. ET, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Duncan Dee, a former Air Canada operating chief, said WestJet flies about 65,000 to 68,000 people a day, and 85 per cent of these will be affected by the cancellations.
The Air Line Pilots Association said WestJet pilots are underpaid by about 40 per cent compared with the North American average. The union is demanding comparable pay for its members. WestJet called the wage demands “unreasonable” and said they would “permanently damage” the airline’s future.
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Bank of Canada sees hefty mortgage payment hikes upon renewals
The Bank of Canada estimates that mortgage borrowers will see a spike of 20 to 40 per cent in their monthly payments when they renew their loans over the next few years.
So far, many borrowers have not felt the sting of higher interest rates because their mortgages have fixed monthly payments. But in its annual Financial System Review, the central bank said that by 2026, nearly all borrowers have to renew their mortgages, resulting in higher payments.
Opinion: Mortgage debt a ‘ticking time bomb’ as renewals come up, economists warn - David Parkinson
Ontario moves to dissolve Peel Region by 2025
Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon are set to become independent municipalities as Ontario plans to dissolve Peel Region in less than two years.
The move has already set off a debate between Mississauga and Brampton, with the mayors of both cities claiming they will be owed money once the region splits.
The Ontario government said the reason for the dissolution is to make sure those cities can adequately provide efficient services as well as meet housing promises.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie attend a news conference at the Ontario legislature in Toronto on Thursday, May 18, 2023.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Controversies hit Smith, UCP ahead of debate: Danielle Smith and the United Conservative Party are dealing with controversies on multiple fronts ahead of the Alberta leaders’ election debate to tonight. A ruling by the provincial Ethics Commissioner today determined Smith interfered with the justice system when she discussed a criminal case related to COVID-19 and the Coutts border blockade with the Minister of Justice. Also, Smith distanced herself from comments made by a UCP candidate who compared transgender children to feces. While she wants to put both issues behind her, they will certainly play a role in the debate.
Poilievre won’t meet watchdog investigating foreign interference: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said today he chose not to meet with David Johnston, who is investigating allegations of China’s meddling in Canada’s elections, because the former governor-general used to be a member of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, which is under scrutiny for accepting a donation reportedly linked to the Chinese government.
Russian forces in retreat near Bakhmut: Russian forces are continuing their retreat from the city of Bakhmut as the Ukrainian military is pressing on with its biggest advance in six months ahead of a major counteroffensive, Ukraine and Russia’s private army, Wagner, said.
Nadal expects next year to be his last: Tennis great Rafael Nadal said he will miss the French Open, where he has won a record 14 titles, for the first time in his career. Recovering from a lingering hip injury, Nadal added that he expects to end his career in 2024, saying “you can’t keep demanding more and more from your body, because there comes a moment when your body raises a white flag.”
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index closed with little change today as the drop in the price of gold weighed down the materials sector. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended up 0.66 of a point to 20,297.09. The Canadian dollar traded for 74.07 cents U.S.
Meanwhile on Wall Street, U.S. stocks closed higher for a second straight day as optimism grew that a U.S. debt ceiling deal could be reached within days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.34 per cent to 33,535.91; the S&P 500 gained 0.94 per cent to 4,198.05; and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.51 per cent to 12,688.84.
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TALKING POINTS
“Here’s a suggestion for the Liberals: Let Stellantis and LG decamp, and let someone else pour $13-billion into their business, and possibly down the drain. Instead, focus every effort on reducing regulatory and other barriers that stand in the way of unlocking Canada’s critical-mineral riches.” – Editorial
“In today’s political environment, however, being pro-Israel and antisemitic is not a contradiction. In fact, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the even more radical members of his cabinet, have a great deal in common with the right-wing nationalist figures in Europe and the United States with whom they have aligned.” – Ian Buruma
LIVING BETTER
From Oscar-winning acting to binge-worthy laughs, here are five things to stream this weekend. They include Brendan Fraser in The Whale, plus a taste of Taylor Sheridan pre-Yellowstone and all nine seasons on NBC’s The Office.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Pitch perfect: The grass is greener when BMO Field’s head groundskeeper is involved
Head groundsman Robert Heggie at Toronto's BMO Field on April 15.Tijana Martin/The Globe and Mail
In the minds of the noncognoscenti, the job of head groundskeeper for a soccer club likely mirrors how they feel about the sport itself – it’s like watching grass grow, only literally. But given the uniqueness of his role, Robert Heggie barely has time to have lunch, let alone while away the hours waiting for quitting time.
As director of grounds for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, Heggie oversees a staff of 14, split between Toronto’s BMO Field and the training facility at Downsview Park. He deploys of more than $10-million worth of technology – what he calls his “toys” – designed to keep the pitches in decent enough nick to satisfy Toronto FC’s international superstars and those other football players, the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.
Throw in the always-interesting – if unpredictable – weather patterns of Southern Ontario, and the nature of the job very much makes Heggie a man for all seasons. Read the full story by Paul Attfield
Evening Update is written by Omair Quadri. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.