New rules for bar security staff are coming to Nova Scotia after recent incidents involving employees, including the death of a patron outside a Halifax bar in 2022.

The new regulations come into effect Monday and apply to all licensed establishments in the province.

Security staff will need criminal record checks and have to provide the results to the employer. They’ll also have to complete safety and responsible alcohol service training.

“This is going to go towards ensuring safety, not just for patrons that visit the establishments, but also the individuals working on the door and other staff and the establishment itself,” said Natasha Chestnut, executive director of the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia.

According to the province, Nova Scotia will become the only province to explicitly establish training and screening requirements for bar security employees under its liquor control legislation, including penalties for non-compliance.

“Nova Scotians deserve to feel safe when they go out, and these changes ensure there are clear, enforceable standards for those responsible for maintaining order in licensed establishments,” Service Nova Scotia Minister Jill Balser said in a statement.

In a release, the province said the rules were developed “in response to incidents involving bar security employees and patrons.”

In December 2022, Ryan Sawyer, 31, died after an altercation outside the former Halifax Alehouse bar in downtown Halifax.

Alexander Pishori Levy was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison this past April.

Levy was a bouncer at the Halifax Alehouse at the time, and testified in court that he applied a chokehold on Sawyer outside the bar during a scuffle. Sawyer suffered a heart attack and later died in hospital.

About five months after Sawyer’s death, the province updated its training and record checks policies but only for security staff at late-night bars, also known as cabarets, because they were considered higher-risk since they’re open until 3:30 a.m. and primarily focused on serving alcohol.

The new regulations coming in Monday will not only include all establishments, but also introduce fines for liquor licensing infractions ranging from $500 for a first offence to $10,000 for additional violations.

It also allows employees younger than 19 to serve, but not pour, alcohol in lounges to “help address ongoing labour shortages.”

“The approach that they will take, it will be a very supportive approach, a very educational approach,” Chestnut said.

“They’ll do their visits, they’ll go in, and they’ll visit with establishments, talk about what they need to be doing to be compliant.”

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Police are on scene at the site of what the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) is calling a “major incident” in the Polo Park area.

King Edward Street between St. Matthews and Silver Avenue will be shut down for several hours, following “a use of force encounter,” according to Winnipeg police.

Police are asking residents to avoid the area.

A news conference with police is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central Time.

More to come…

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Canadian travel to the U.S. plummeted last winter and on average, Canadians spent a lot less money while travelling south of the border, data from Statistics Canada shows.

Overall, Canadians made fewer trips abroad. In the last three months of 2025, Canadians made 8.7 million trips abroad, down 13 per cent compared to the same period in 2024, Statistics Canada said in its National Travel Survey and Visitor Travel Survey.

But nowhere was the drop clearer than the United States.

During the last quarter of 2025, the first major holiday season since the trade war with the U.S. began, Canadians took 5.4 million trips to the U.S., declining 24 per cent compared to the same time in 2024.

Canadians also spent less money while in the U.S., the survey showed. Between October and December 2025, Canadians spent $4 billion, declining 16.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

Four in 10 (41 per cent) of Canadian trips to the U.S. were same-day trips, during which the average Canadian spent $167. For overnight stays, Canadians spent an average of $1,138 per visit.

While visits to the U.S. declined, Canadian trips to non-U.S. overseas destinations soared, with Mexico accounting for the most trips (673,000) by Canadians to an overseas destination, followed by France (236,000) and the Dominican Republic (231,000).

Canadians spent $7.6 billion overseas, an increase of 25.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2024. On average, Canadians spent $2,278 per visit overseas, with the average visit lasting 13.4 nights.

Domestic travel by Canadians declined in the last quarter of 2025.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, Canadian residents took 74.9 million trips that included a domestic visit, down by 6.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.

However, Canadians spent more money at home. From October to December 2025, Canadians spent $16.7 billion on domestic tourism, up three per cent compared to the same period in 2024. For same-day visits, Canadians spent an average of $103 per visit, while they spent an average of $462 per visit for overnight visits within Canada.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Several artists slated to perform at U.S. President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair have dropped out of the event following the lineup announcement.

The Great American State Fair shows were announced earlier this week and are set to take place on Washington’s National Mall.

Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, Young MC, Morris Day and the Commodores are among the scheduled acts who have said they will not be appearing.

The Great American State Fair, a 16-day event organized by Trump’s non-profit Freedom 250, is expected to run June 25 through July 10.

Freedom 250, which Trump launched late last year, describes itself as a “national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday.” Trump appointed Keith Krach, who served as an under-secretary of state during his first term, as the organization’s CEO.

Michaels, Poison’s frontman, announced early Friday that he was pulling out of the event following concerns regarding his safety.

“When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life,” Michaels said in a statement posted to Instagram. “As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support.

“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance.”

Michaels said his cancellation “isn’t about politics.”

“It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously,” Michaels added.

View this post on Instagram

Country singer McBride wrote Thursday on social media that she will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25.

McBride said she had agreed to perform after she “was assured this was a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.”

“In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special,” McBride continued. “Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”

The Concrete Angel singer said she has spent her entire career “singing songs about real people with real issues.”

“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case,” she wrote.

View this post on Instagram

Rapper Young MC also backed out of the event, telling Vibe on Thursday that he had no clue the Great American State Fair was a “Trump-backed event.”

“So that was new to me. My whole thing was ‘tell me what the event is, what it’s about, who you are, and then give me the choice of whether I want to do the event or not.’ I was never given that choice,” he told the outlet. “I was told one thing and then it was a bait-and-switch. All the comments I’ve seen from the artists that have dropped out thought it was supposed to be a regular show in D.C.”

The Bust A Move rapper questioned whether the National Mall shows would be non-partisan.

“The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” he wrote on Instagram, adding that he hoped to “perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.”

Morris Day shared a graphic to Facebook that read, “Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & The Time will not be performing at ‘Great American State Fair.”

“It’s a no for me,” he added in the caption.

The Commodores announced that they would not be performing at the Great American State Fair.

In a post on X, the band said that “our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party.”

“We support the betterment of all Americans,” the band added.

Other scheduled performers who are still set to make an appearance include Milli Vanilli, the pop duo from the 1980s who were discredited after it was revealed that their frontmen, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan, were only lip-syncing.

Milli Vanilli won a Grammy in 1990 for Best New Artist, but the award was rescinded after the scandal broke. Pilatus died in 1998, while Morvan has attempted a solo career and published a memoir, You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli.

Morvan told Rolling Stone that he would still be performing at the Great American State Fair.

“I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them,” Morvan said. “Let’s celebrate life and music and take a trip down memory lane. I feel honored to be a part of as it will celebrate the 250 Year Anniversary of America with so many other accomplished artists.”

Rapper Vanilla Ice will also be performing at the Great American State Fair.

The Ice Ice Baby rapper’s manager, TQ Management, told Rolling Stone he is looking forward to the concert.

“Vanilla Ice is contracted and will perform at the Great American Fair at the National Mall on Friday, June 26,” the rep told the outlet. “He is proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate USA’s Birthday and our Freedom!”

Vanilla Ice shared a TikTok on Thursday, confirming his excitement for the event.

“I’m super honoured to do this concert with everybody. We’re going to bring back the ’90s. Put your dancing shoes on,” he said in the video. “It’s all about enjoying the great times of 250 years from George Washington until now, all the presidents and everybody in between. This is a magical event that’s going to happen.”

@vanillaiceme

This is awesome. America is turning 250 years old. I’m honored to do this concert and get everybody dancing, That’s what it’s all about. We are all one. This is to bring everyone together and celebrate the birthday of our country. And all of the soldiers, veterans, army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Police, EMS, Firefighters, space Force, Coast Guard. thank you for your service. Thank you for our Freedom. Happy birthday America. AmerAmerica250pyhappybirthdayi#America

♬ Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

Others announced as performers at the Great American State Fair include Flo Rida and C+C Music Factory.

—with files from The Associated Press

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Drones made in Canada could be headed for the battlefield in Ukraine, thanks to a new corporate partnership between Canadian and Ukrainian drone makers.

The defence ministers of Canada and Ukraine signed an agreement to support the co-production of drones on the margins of the CANSEC defence trade show in the nation’s capital this week.

National Defence says the drones will be made by the Ukrainian company Airlogix and Canadian drone maker Sentinel R&D, which is based out of Hamilton, Ont.

Both companies will make drone systems in Canada bound for Ukraine’s military under the joint venture.

Canada and Ukraine signed a letter of intent last fall to co-produce defence technology in both countries.

Drone technology has undergone rapid evolution throughout the Ukraine-Russian war and accounts for most of the casualties in that conflict.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

A Russian opposition politician and prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin says the war in Ukraine is “backfiring” on the regime at home, with signs of falling domestic support as the Kremlin’s army stalls on the battlefield.

In an interview with Global News on Friday, Vladimir Kara-Murza — who has survived multiple alleged poisoning attempts and was freed from a 25-year Russian prison sentence for protesting the war in a 2024 prisoner exchange — said mounting military and economic failures have stripped away Putin’s strongman image and exposed him as “increasingly weak.”

“I think it is becoming increasingly clear to everyone that this war has really backfired on the Putin regime,” he said in Ottawa, a day after testifying in Parliament in favour of legislation that would toughen Canada’s foreign sanctions regime.

“We know from our own history in Russia that these failed wars of aggression always end up backfiring against the regimes that started these wars, and in the end lead to very serious political changes inside the country. And I think it’s becoming increasingly clear in the last few weeks this is exactly what’s happening in Russia.”

In a Washington Post opinion article this week, Kara-Murza cited a recent poll by the independent Levada Center that found 62 per cent of Russians favour peace talks with Ukraine, while only 27 per cent support continuing the war, now in its fifth year.

While Kara-Murza noted accurate polling is difficult to obtain in Russia due to the “fear factor” perpetuated by the Kremlin, he suggested the actual number of those supporting peace talks is likely far higher.

There have been growing reports of economic hardship in Russia as its wartime economy stagnates, despite increased oil revenues amid the war in the Middle East. Inflation is high and the Kremlin has raised taxes to keep its budget deficit under control.

Internet shutdowns in Moscow and other cities have furthered discontent after some social media influencers previously loyal to the Kremlin began openly criticizing government policies.

Meanwhile, increasing Ukrainian drone attacks have put Russian troops on the back foot while striking deeper into the country, targeting energy facilities and military outposts.

The fear of a Ukrainian attack in Moscow itself forced Putin to scale down the annual May 9 Victory Day parade, normally a massive show of military strength and regime support.

Putin has sought to turn the tide by sharply increasing attacks on Ukraine, including a massive overnight barrage Friday that saw a Russian drone veer off course and strike an apartment building in Romania — a NATO ally — near the Ukrainian border, injuring two people.

Ukraine has said it is preparing for more attacks, including on Kyiv, where the Kremlin warned foreign diplomats to evacuate this week.

“I think that (warning) is going to be a very important piece of evidence, frankly, for a future tribunal where Putin and his henchmen will one day find themselves sitting in the stocks and being held accountable for all the horrendous crimes that they have committed, including during the course of this war,” Kara-Murza said.

The Levada poll was released ahead of parliamentary elections in September, where the Kremlin is once again moving to keep antiwar voices off the ballot by targeting leading members of Russia’s sole remaining opposition party, Yabloko, with administrative and criminal charges — including personal friends of Kara-Murza.

“The best way to assess the situation (in Russia) is actually by looking at the behaviour of the regime,” he said. “And we see that the Kremlin is incredibly afraid of allowing even the most cautious, the most moderate antiwar voices on the ballot in Russia at any level.”

While those efforts may be successful, he added, “What is becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin is to maintain that pretense, both for domestic and for international audiences, that Putin’s war in Ukraine is overwhelmingly supported by the Russian public. It is increasingly evident to everybody that that claim is simply false.”

Kara-Murza said he not only hopes but is confident that he will soon be able to return from exile to his home country and witness the fall of the Putin regime and the return of democracy to Russia.

He said the democratic opposition should start preparing now for that transition.

“We know from Russian history that major political changes in our country usually happen … swiftly, suddenly, and completely unexpectedly,” he said.

“We have no right to squander the next opportunity for democratic transition in Russia, the way that opportunity was squandered back in the 1990s. This model of change could come in three years, it could come in two weeks, but what we do know is that when that window of change opens, it will be very brief.”

Bill Browder, a financier and activist for tougher sanctions regimes who testified alongside Kara-Murza at Thursday’s House of Commons foreign affairs committee, told Global News in an interview Thursday that the Russian people will be looking for new leaders if and when the Putin regime falls.

Opposition figures like Kara-Murza “are the people who could probably step in,” he said.

“What I’ve learned about Vladimir and about other members of the Russian opposition is that the amount of sacrifice they’re willing to make to try to bring normalcy to their country is superhuman,” Browder said.

“It’s a very dangerous place to be against Vladimir Putin. But in fact, the more he reacts to it, the more you know that he’s on the ropes.”

Kara-Murza and Browder are calling on Parliament to pass legislation that, among other measures, would add transnational repression as a sanctionable offence under Canadian law and require annual government reports that list “prisoners of conscience” held by foreign states.

Kara-Murza told Global News the law would send a powerful message to regimes like Putin’s and should be part of a renewed international push to pressure the Kremlin towards negotiations to end the Ukraine war.

“Aggressors do not stop until and unless they’re stopped, and it is high time that the free world stops Vladimir Putin,” he said.

“For as long as Russia remains a dictatorship, it will always be a threat not just to our own people, but also to everybody outside. … The only real way to ensure long-term peace, stability and security in Europe and in the world at large is to have Russia become a normal, civilized, democratic nation.”

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Police say their investigation into the almost two-week disappearance of a 14-year-old girl is ongoing, but that no charges have been laid since she was found.

Esther, who has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, vanished from North York on late on May 15 after a Shabbat dinner with her family, leaving family, volunteers and police scouring the city for a sign of her.

Thirteen days after she disappeared, Esther was found safe at a home in Etobicoke and taken to hospital for assessment.

Police offered no details about who was in the home when she was found, how they located her or why she was at the house.

On Thursday, they said the investigation would look at whether or not charges should be laid. On Friday, they said no charges had been laid — but that the probe was still underway.

A statement shared from her parents said they had “no words” to describe how they felt being reunited with their daughter.

“For the first time in days, we can hug our daughter and breathe again,” they wrote.

“We are incredibly grateful she is home, but we are still taking things moment by moment, and we ask that people refrain from speculating.”

Police said Thursday that Esther was being assessed in hospital and being given support. Officers said physically, she appeared to be in good health.

Her family said they wanted to ensure she was properly cared for in the days after being found.

“To be clear, while this is the end of the search, Esti still needs proper medical care, evaluation, and support, and our family is focused on making sure she is surrounded by the love and care she needs in the days ahead,” they said.

“Right now, our focus is on Esti’s health, recovery, and well-being. We ask for continued prayers, love, and privacy as we begin the next stage of helping her heal.”

Esther’s disappearance kicked off a search across Toronto, with posters scattered around the city, volunteers hunting and a $25,000 reward for tips.

Police said they were concerned for her safety, and at one point upgraded their search to a Level 1 operation, which is the highest level.

After Esther was found, Toronto police Supt. Don Belanger of 32 Division told reporters the search had been exhaustive and officers had carefully followed video leads.

“We have been painstakingly conducting video canvasses; from video canvasses, we move into search mode,” he said.

“Additional video located, we move into further search mode. It’s a painstaking, long process, as you can appreciate. But that certainly contributed to us getting to where we are today.”

Esther’s family said they were deeply grateful to everyone who had helped.

“To every person who searched, shared her photo, hung flyers, checked cameras, sent messages, prayed, or simply held our family in their hearts: you gave us strength when we were running on none,” they wrote.

“We are so blessed to have a Jewish community here in Toronto that stood behind us and relentlessly did what they could. There are not enough words to thank the overwhelming support from the Jewish community and every resident of Toronto and the GTA who searched for Esti as if she was their own daughter.”

— with files from Global News’ Caryn Lieberman

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A second arrest has been made in connection with what police called a “targeted” shooting in Peterborough, Ont., in early March.

The March 8 afternoon shooting at a George Street North apartment on March 8 resulted in one woman being airlifted to a Toronto hospital.

Two days later, Peterborough Police Service Chief Stuart Betts said the shooting was connected to the “drug subculture” and that a Peterborough couple were victims of a robbery over money.

Police said during the robbery, there was a physical confrontation and that a 39-year-old Peterborough woman was shot. A 47-year-old Peterborough man was not injured.

One suspect, a 23-year-old Oshawa man, was arrested on March 18 in Oshawa and faces nine charges, including two counts of attempted murder using a firearm and robbery with a firearm.

Police say the investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect in Toronto following the search of a residence on May 27.

A 24-year-old Toronto man was charged with attempted murder using a firearm, aggravated assault and robbery using a firearm.

He was held in custody and appeared in court on May 28.

“The Peterborough Police Service is not looking for any other suspects in connection with this incident and thanks the Toronto Police Service for their assistance with investigation,” police stated on Friday.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said that the economic relationship between Canada and China is “significant” as China’s foreign minister Wang Yi begins a three-day trip that will include meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Canadian journalists were not permitted to ask questions about her remarks with Wang. The last time Wang was in Ottawa 10 years ago, he unleashed a tirade on a Canadian reporter who asked about human rights in China at a joint press conference with then-foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion.

Anand made no explicit mention of human rights during her remarks on Friday, which came shortly after confirmation that a Canadian warship transited through the Taiwan Strait last week.

“On May 22, 2026, HMCS Charlottetown conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait, which was completed on May 23, 2026,” a spokesperson with the Department of National Defence stated to Global News.

China claims sovereignty over the democratically governed Taiwan and has stepped up military activities around the island in recent months.

Canada’s former ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said that “transit of Canadian ships in the Taiwan Strait would be badly perceived” by Beijing.

“I think we have to push back on this and refrain from exercising self-censorship,” he said. “We have to stand by our values.”

Anand said in her remarks that “we are committed to growing this relationship responsibly with a goal of increasing exports towards China by 50 per cent by 2030, while safeguarding Canada’s economic and national security interests and values.”

Wang and Carney met Friday afternoon in the Prime Minister’s Office. A small number of journalists were allowed to briefly photograph and record the two shaking hands but were not permitted to ask questions. Neither made any remarks.

“He won’t do anything to make Beijing unhappy,” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said to reporters on Parliament Hill.

“That’s how things are done in Beijing, and now Mark Carney is importing those methods here.”

Carney visited China in January, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Carney’s office had cited his visit had a focus on “engagement on trade, energy, agriculture and international security.”

As a result, Canada and China reached a preliminary trade deal in which Beijing agreed to lower or eliminate some tariffs on Canadian agricultural products and Canada agreed to reduce tariffs on some Chinese electric vehicles.

Cheuk Kwan, co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, said that there was “still a lot of unfinished business” from Carney’s trip to China.

“The last year has seen China even more aggressive in terms of dealing with Canada,” he said.

“Particularly, we are not in a very good position vis-a-vis the Trump threat. So, we’re always trying to seek a good relationship, and of course, trade opportunities with China, and China knows that.” 

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A new study suggests fatigue may be a far bigger workplace safety issue than many Canadians realize, with more than one in five workers reporting unintentionally dozing off at work at least once a week.

The Saskatchewan Employee Fatigue and Lifestyle Study, commissioned by the Saskatchewan Safety Council, found that 22 per cent of respondents experienced unintentional dozing while at work weekly, while 14 per cent said they had nodded off while driving home from work at least once a week.

Researchers recently analyzed the data on sleep habits, fatigue levels and their impact on workplace safety and health.

Experts say those findings are concerning, given the widespread effects sleep deprivation can have on physical health, mental health and workplace performance.

The survey ran from September 2025 to December 2025, garnering responses from 1,794 workers across 15 industry sectors.

Getting a proper night’s rest is “the foundation of our health,” said Nicole Martin, registered respiratory therapist with Careica Health sleep clinic in Saskatoon.

“So many of us have problems getting a good night’s sleep…. It is really normalized in today’s society.”

The study found nearly half of daytime workers reported getting less than six hours of sleep per night, while 45 per cent of shift workers averaged less than five hours.

Researchers also found 68 per cent of workers reported needing sleep aids, while 37 per cent said they used prescription or over-the-counter sleep medications three or more times per week.

“When you are sleep deprived, you will have cognitive impairment, which can certainly affect you at your workplace,” Martin added.

She said the findings highlight the need to change how the general public views sleep.

“I think as a society we have valued productivity but if you are not getting enough sleep, there is only so long you can maintain that.”

Ryan Jacobson, CEO of the Saskatchewan Safety Council, said in a news release that there was little Saskatchewan-specific research available on workplace fatigue before the study was commissioned.

“Now we have data that can be used by employers, human resource departments or safety professionals to provide guidance in the development of education. They can review operational policies and create procedures to reduce fatigue-related risk,” Jacobson said.

The findings come as doctors continue to warn that fatigue can have consequences extending well beyond feeling tired.

Mariève Cyr, a resident doctor in psychiatry at McGill University, said both acute and chronic sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function, decision-making and emotional regulation.

“Acute and chronic sleep deprivation has many negative effects. The cognitive ones include decreased hand-eye coordination, attention, and working memory. It also impairs risk assessment and decision-making skills,” Cyr said in an email.

She added that some studies have found being awake for 22 hours or more can affect hand-eye co-ordination in a similar way to having a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 per cent, the legal driving limit in many provinces.

For workers with irregular schedules, the risks can be even greater.

“Doing shift work often leads to circadian misalignment, which is when your internal body clock is not aligned with your work schedule,” Cyr said.

The Saskatchewan Safety Council collaborated with Mike Harnett, president of Solaris Fatigue Management, to conduct research and analyze the data.

In an interview with Global News, she said one of the study’s most striking findings was that not only shift workers experience fatigue, and the extent to which daytime workers reported fatigue-related issues was “surprising.”

“Definitely the number one highlight is how many day workers are affected and how significantly they’re being affected,” Harnett said.

While individuals play a role in managing their sleep, Harnett said employers also have a responsibility to address workplace factors that contribute to fatigue.

“We have people that are doing their best to maybe try and get the sleep they need and show up fit for duty, but the reality is there are schedule designs, there are workloads, there are work factors that are contributing to the fatigue of these individuals,” she said.

The study found 85 per cent of respondents reported never receiving formal training or education on fatigue management.

Researchers also found 27 per cent of workers reported self-medicating fatigue symptoms during a typical week, while more than half of shift workers regularly exceeded recommended caffeine consumption levels.

“This is a shared responsibility,” Harnett said.

“We cannot expect that we will prevent fatigue from showing up at the work site. When fatigue is at the work site, how is the organization handling it? How are they managing it?”

Fatigue can increase risk-taking behaviour and make workers less aware of their own impairment, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

Cyr said warning signs of dangerous fatigue can include difficulty staying awake, trouble maintaining attention, feeling slowed down or relying on strategies such as loud music, cold air or caffeine to remain alert.

“If you feel sleepy, have difficulty maintaining your attention, feel slowed down, are irritable, need to use external strategies to stay awake, you are likely at a higher risk of having a car accident,” she said.

The CCOHS recommends getting a good night’s sleep, taking regular breaks, maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding driving while tired to help reduce fatigue-related risks both on the road and in the workplace.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.