(Atl-WEA-Storm)
Wintry weather has blasted parts of Atlantic Canada.
A snowstorm that lingered over Nova Scotia overnight and then moved into Newfoundland has forced some school closures as more snow is expected to fall today.
Environment Canada says the western side of Cape Breton could get up to 40 centimetres of new snow and the winds could make driving hazardous.
Meanwhile, many schools and government buildings in central and western Newfoundland had to close earlier today and some residents in the province are being told to prepare for possible power outages as the weather agency warns of damaging winds along the Bonavista and Avalon peninsulas and blizzard-like conditions near Baie Verte.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Suspicious-Death)
Police in New Brunswick are looking for help from the public in a homicide investigation.
R-C-M-P say officers responded to a report of a man’s sudden death on Thursday morning in Lorne, in Restigouche County.
The force says evidence at the scene led investigators to suspect foul play was involved.
The Mounties are asking anyone with footage from the area between December 10th at 11:00 a-m to December 11th at 9:00 a-m to contact police.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NB-Wildfire-Funding)
The New Brunswick government has announced more than 2.6-million-dollars in funding to help some 50 communities prepare and respond to wildfires.
The funding is part of a more than 14-million-dollar federal-provincial investment.
Natural Resources Minister John Herron says the government expects that the wildfire risk to the province is going to continue to increase because of climate change and that resiliency plans are essential.
He says the first phase of the funding will let communities hire consultants to develop a strategic framework.
(The Canadian Press)
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(Alt-Statcan-Inflation)
Inflation either increased or held steady in most of Atlantic Canada in November.
Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate remained unchanged at 1.4 per cent on Prince Edward Island.
It rose in Newfoundland and Labrador to 2.2 per cent last month, and increased several ticks from the previous month in New Brunswick to 2.7 per cent.
The inflation rate fell slightly in Nova Scotia to 2.4 per cent as gas prices in the country fell, but grocery prices rose.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NL-Churchill-Falls)
New details are out about an independent review of Newfoundland and Labrador’s draft energy deal with Quebec.
Premier Tony Wakeham announced today that the Independent Review Committee will examine whether the memorandum of understandingsigned between N-L Hydro and Hydro-Quebec about the Churchill River is in the best long-term interest of residents in his province.
The province says the three-person panel has four months to complete their review.
The M-O-U proposes Hydro-Quebec pay more for power from the Churchill Falls station in Labrador, and partner on new developments on the Churchill River.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NL-Thefts-Charged)
R-C-M-P in Newfoundland and Labrador say four people have been charged with breaking and entering, and theft.
Officers executed a search warrant at a home in Raleigh last week as part of an ongoing firearms-related investigation and found a number of weapons as well as evidence connected to a recent string of break-ins near the community.
Police say they identified items reported stolen from several travel trailers.
The suspects are two women and two men, and their ages range from late 20s to early 40s.
(The Canadian Press)
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