In the news today: Statistics Canada to release July employment figures this morning

By The Canadian Press on August 4, 2023.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

StatCan to release July jobs report

Statistics Canada is set to release its July jobs report this morning.

Canada’s unemployment rate has been rising for the previous two months, and high interest rates are expected to have pushed unemployment up further.

In June, the unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent.

Wage growth also slowed in June, rising 4.2 per cent year-over-year.

Here’s what else we’re watching …

B.C. port workers to conclude vote on contract

A labour researcher says he hopes the federal government doesn’t rush to intervene in British Columbia’s port dispute, even if union members reject a tentative deal with employers today.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada concludes the two-day vote at 6 p.m., after a tumultuous period that included a 13-day shutdown of more than 30 port terminals and other sites last month.

McGill University associate professor Barry Eidlin says he hopes the federal government lets the dispute be resolved at the negotiating table, regardless of the vote’s outcome.

He says the prospect of federal intervention represents “backsliding to a past era” when workers’ fundamental rights weren’t respected.

Wildfires’ impact on B.C. tourism varies by region

British Columbia’s record wildfire season has affected travel bookings in some areas, but other regions have seen continued tourism demand despite their proximity to active blazes.

Jason Upton, manager of the Lac Le Jeune Nature Resort south of Kamloops, says the resort is open but remains on evacuation alert, and maintaining bookings is difficult since the Ross Moore Lake fire is burning just a few kilometres away.

Upton says the resort had been close to selling out for the entire upcoming long weekend, but the threat of the nearby fire has led to cancellations by all but three guests.

Brian Cant, acting president at 4VI, a travel and tourism agency on Vancouver Island, says the closure in June of Highway 4 to Tofino caused a “small dip” in overall trips to the island that month.

With no fires of note currently burning on Vancouver Island, Cant says in a statement that operators have indicated the August long weekend will remain “the busiest time of the year” for tourism in the region.

Tornado touches down near Ottawa Thursday evening

Environment Canada says a tornado touched down in the Ottawa area Thursday evening during a severe thunderstorm.

It was confirmed near Metcalfe, Ont., a rural community about 30 kilometres southeast of Ottawa, just before 7 p.m. eastern time.

There were also a number of reports of hail throughout the national capital, along with strong winds and rain.

Ottawa Fire Services says part of a roof was ripped off a home in Riverside South, a community south of Nepean.

Buffy Sainte-Marie retires from live performances, cites health concerns

Buffy Sainte-Marie has announced that she’s retiring from live performances.

A statement announcing her decision cited factors including travel-induced health concerns and performance-inhibiting physical challenges.

“I have made the difficult decision to pull out of all scheduled performances in the foreseeable future,” Sainte-Marie said in the statement. “Arthritic hands and a recent shoulder injury have made it no longer possible to perform to my standards.”

The legendary singer-songwriter, who’s in her early 80s, suggested in September that performances in Ottawa and Vancouver were part of what she said was “probably going to be her last tour.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2023.

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