How’s the smoke where you are? In some parts of the country, it’s like living on Arrakis. I won’t go outside because of the sandworms. (IFKYK).  Maybe if we turn up this week’s New Music Friday releases really loud, we’ll keep them away. It’s a single-heavy week, although a few new albums are on the shelves, too.

Singles

1. Beabadoobee, Switchblade (Dirty Hit/Interscope)

The British singer with the name that’s fun to say has just released the second single for her upcoming fourth album, Pylon, which will be out on September 18. This one is a little harder (shoegazey?) than some of her previous material. I’m good with that. In fact, this might be my favourite new single this week.

2. Beck, In the Night (Capitol)

Beck also has an album (Ride Lonesome) coming on September 18, which is two days after the start of a North American tour. He used the same band that appeared on his Sea Change album and Nigel Godrich (Radiohead’s favourite producer) twiddle the knobs. “Emotional textures” seems to be the buzzword here.

 

3. Violet Grohl, Bug in the Cake (Republic Records/Universal Music)

Dave’s daughter is having a nice run with her debut album, Be Sweet to Me. The first single, THUM, made it into the top ten on Canadian rock radio. Let’s see if she can keep the momentum going. Cool video.

4. Gym Class Heroes, Universal Language (Planetary Group)

It’s been a minute, hasn’t it, guys? Like fifteen years since your last single? Yeah, I thought so. There’s a new album coming? When? Oh, you don’t know. But you promise, right?

5. Mastodon, Snakes for Dinner feat. Josh Homme (Loma Vista/Concord)

Here’s the part of the list where Josh Homme takes over. The focus here, of course, is Mastodon, and the first single from their first album since 2021, which is due August 28. They’re kicking things off with a Josh Homme guest vocal.

6. Muse, Cryogen (Warner)

Muse is now on tour with their album, The Wow! Signal (Google the term) and Matt Bellamy is still very much into nerdy science things. A cryogen is a liquified gas (hydrogen, helium, argon) that is used to produce extremely cold conditions for various types of experiments, including those involving superconductivity. It’s also something used as a rocket propellent. Sounds like something Matt always has around the house. You know, for beer.

7. Nickelback, Rattle the Cage feat. John 5 (Virgin Music Group/Universal)

Funny, but I hadn’t heard about a new Nickelback album, but it has been four years since Get Rollin’, so I guess it’s time. Everything Under the Sun is set for release on October 30, and the first single features guitarist John 5, who has played with Motley Crue, Rob Zombie, David Lee Roth, and Marilyn Manson. So yes, it is a heavy song.

8. Queens of the Stone Age, Easy Street (Matador)

Back to Josh Homme, this time in his native habitat. Fans will remember this song from its debut during Queen of the Stone Age’s series of gigs in the catacombs of Paris. It’s the first new single to be properly released since 2023. Is there an album coming? Most certainly. They’re one tour with System of a Down, which will bring them to Rogers Stadium in Toronto on August 4, Regina on September 15, Edmonton, on September 17. and at BC Place in Vancouver on September 20.

9. Shania Twain, Faded Blue Jeans feat. Josh Homme (Republic)

Why would I include country star Shania Twain on a list of recommend rock records? Because Josh Homme is here, too, and I wanted to go for the New Music Friday trifecta. Listen for him on the chorus.

10. Twin Temple, Doomed Lovers (Pentagrammaton Records)

Twin Temple is having a great month. First, the husband-and-wife team (Alexandra and Zachary James) was kicked country star Charley Crockett’s tour for being too satanic. Great press. And the Jack White stepped in and offered Twin Temple a support slot. Even greater pres. Now the have a new album that everyone is curious about. Here’s the title track. By the way, they call their sound “Satanic doo-wop.”

11. Finn Wolfhard, Follow (Night Shift Productions/AWAL)

Yes, the Canadian actor best known for Stranger Things is diving even deeper into a music career. This is the new single from Fire from the Hip, his second solo album, which appeared last week. Shows are coming up in Toronto (July 24), Montreal (August 1), and Vancouver (October 20).

Albums

1. Quicksand, Bring on the Psychics (Equal Vision)

NYC’s Quicksand, one of the best post-hardcore bands out there, return with a new album in five years and reviews have been positive across the bored. That 90s sound is going to be with us for a while yet. This is a solid 138 seconds of what I’m talking about.

2. Tricky, Different When It’s Silent (False Idols)

The trip-hop pioneer is now up to 15 studio albums, and this is the first to be released under the name “Tricky” in six years. Marta Złakowska is a Polish singer whom Tricky met in 2017. Her history is worth checking into as well. Damn, what’s that sample/interpolation in the song? I know it but I can’t place it!

3. Yard Act, You’re Going to Need a Little Music (Republic)

When I first heard bits of this new album from Leeds’ Yard Act, I honestly thought I was listening to some new Sam Roberts Band material. Nope. But if you like Sam, you’ll love this.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Here’s a fact about playing vinyl records. Do they sound consistently good all the way through? In other words, does the music sound as good nearer to the outside of the record as it does as the tonearm moves closer to the centre label? No.

The outer grooves move faster under the stylus, meaning it has to wiggle less per rotational inch. That translates into less distortion. But as the tonearm approaches the centre of the record, the available space for grooves is less, creating what’s known as “inner groove distortion”—and there’s not much anyone can do about it, because this is an inherent limitation of vinyl.

It also explains why some acts put what they consider their best songs as tracks one, two or three on the side of an LP. They want them to have the best sonic quality.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

In the summer of 2024, as Progressive Conservative MPPs began charging taxpayers for hotel stays in downtown Toronto, members of the Ford government pushed quietly to update the expense rules for elected officials.

Specifically, members of the government were looking to expand the “special circumstances” category to go beyond extreme weather events and include night sittings at the Ontario legislature.

Elected MPPs are subject to a 50 km rule: anyone living within driving distance of Queen’s Park is not entitled to an accommodation benefit.

The only time they could bill taxpayers for a downtown Toronto hotel room was if the city was pummeled with a snowstorm so severe that it would impact their ability to travel.

Those expense categories are controlled by the Board of Internal Economy — a legislative body composed of members from all official parties along with the Speaker, which oversees financial affairs at Queen’s Park.

According to meeting minutes, accessed by Global News, Education Minister Paul Calandra and Government House Leader Steve Clark first raised the issue in May 2024 and tabled a motion to update the allowance.

Around the same time, some MPPs within the Progressive Conservative caucus, who live within the 50-km radius, began skipping the commute home and staying in Toronto hotels, charging Ontario taxpayers for the privilege.

In 2025, those claims took off.

Tourism Minister and Willowdale MPP Stan Cho charged $11,000 for downtown hotel rooms, Brampton East MPP Hardeep Grewal expensed $13,000, and Mississauga-Streetsville MPP Nina Tangri charged more than $8,500.

Then, in November 2025, Calandra and Clark raised the issue a second time at the Board of Internal Economy.

“Moved by Mr. Clark, seconded by Mr. Calandra, that Members who are ineligible for accommodations … be reimbursed for their actual cost of accommodation during days that the Assembly is authorized to sit until midnight,” the board’s documents read.

The motion was carried, allowing MPPs to use the “special circumstance“ designation to book a hotel room during a night sitting — when MPPs debate legislation until midnight to pass laws within a certain window. The regularity of those sittings is controlled by the government when they look to move legislation through quickly.

One month later, Minister Cho submitted more than $6,000 in hotel expenses — all of which were approved by the legislature.

As his government faced a wave of backlash, Premier Doug Ford told Global News he expected MPPs to pay back the funds, but also attempted to put the charges in context.

“It was a third-party; all three parties agreed to it,” Ford said. “We had late sittings, no excuse, they’re paying it back.”

NDP Leader Marit Stiles scoffed at the suggestion that government members would require special accommodation for night sittings and said most MPPs are always prepared for these situations.

“I had sheets in my office … I’ve slept on that couch a few times,” NDP Leader Stiles said. “And that’s what a lot of MPPs do if there’s a big night sitting.”

In an attempt to defuse the growing scandal, the Ford government announced it would look to change the rules that govern provincial MPPs by removing the “special category” designation.

In a letter to members of the board, Government House Leader Steve Clark said he would look to scrap the policy altogether, less than a year after pushing for the change.

Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman, a member of the committee, said she would be willing to support the measure only if the PC party agreed to provide a full accounting of the hotel expenses.

“This was a policy that was ripe for abuse,” Bowman said. “There are lots of ways we can tighten up this policy and provide the necessary accommodation to Toronto-area MPPs in truly extraordinary circumstances.”

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

Follow along with Susan Hay and Chef Massimo Capra, as she prepares risotto with Ontario lavender, leeks and blue cheese.

Ingredients 
¾ lb Carnaroli Rice
1 ½ cup Leeks chopped
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Butter
4 oz White Wine
5 cups Light Chicken Stock
1 tsp Lavender Flowers
1 cup Blue Cheese
½ cup Grated Parmigiano
½ cup toasted almonds chopped
2 tbsp Honey + more if desired
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions
Using a heavy bottom pot, soak the leeks in a little oil until tender, add the rice and let it toast
for a few minutes, then add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate well, add two ladles full
of stock. Simmer gently, stirring on occasion to prevent sticking adding stock as
needed. It will take about eighteen minutes for this rice to cook from the time you add the stock. Keep an eye on your timer and stock as required until ready. The risotto should be runny but not
too liquidy. When the rice is cooked turn the burner off and add some butter, the Parmigiano, the blue
cheese and the lavender. Stir well and spoon on individual plates then top with a sprinkle of crushed almonds and drizzle with honey, serve immediately. Serves four people.

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

A Rogers customer is speaking out after falling victim to a sophisticated delivery scam impersonating the telecom provider. “He had full access to my information. For this reason, I never questioned him and I never doubted that he was a Rogers employee,” said Shamim Rahimi.

The B.C. resident says back in February, she signed up for a new device through her Rogers app and added a new phone line to her account. She says after placing that order, a Rogers representative called her that same day to confirm and verify the order.

However, Rahimi says she received another call the next day from someone claiming they were a Rogers representative informing her the new device she had just ordered would be delayed because the colour she requested was temporarily out of stock.

When the phone was eventually shipped, Rahimi says the caller knew when the phone was scheduled to arrive.

“He knew even before me that the phone arrived at my place,” Rahimi told Consumer Matters.

When Rahimi received her new device, the calls continued. She says that same caller had access to her contract and billing details, eventually convincing her to courier the phone back to Rogers so both her phone numbers could be combined under one account to qualify her for a special loyalty offer.

Rahimi says she was emailed a prepaid UPS shipping label. She dropped off the phone at the UPS store, all the while thinking she was sending the phone back to Rogers.

However, after talking with a trusted family member, she became concerned. Rahimi says she contacted Rogers to open a fraud investigation and filed a police report. Still, Rahimi says Rogers rejected her claim.

The telecom giant stated it was outside the scope of its fraud management support team and that “Any actions taken with the device after purchase are not the responsibility of Rogers.”

Still, Rahimi says she wants to know how someone had access to her personal information. “How they cannot protect even my information?” said Rahimi.

Rogers told Consumer Matters there was no record of Rahimi’s Rogers account being breached and stated in part: “…we actively share information on how to stay protected against fraudulent activity, including return scams targeting consumers globally and across industries. We use a variety of ways to educate our customers, including shipping notification emails, hand-outs in device shipment boxes and on our website which outlines instructions on how and where customers can return their devices to us.”

Rogers also told Consumer Matters the shipping box that contained the device Rahimi ordered included a physical paper insert warning about fraudsters impersonating Rogers employees and confirmed Rahimi had shipped the package to a non-Rogers address in Mississauga, Ontario.

Cybersecurity expert and founder of Canada’s KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation, Claudiu Popa, says the first step to avoid being scammed is to contact your provider directly using the official number on your monthly statement. “You need to call them at a number that you trust – at a Rogers number that you trust and verify they exist on their payroll,” said Popa.

She adds it’s very important for both companies and for individuals to continue to report these types of scams as much as possible.

“Last year we know that $700 million in fraudulent losses have been reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, but the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre also says in their fine print that only up to five per cent of losses are reported,” said Popa. “It’s very important for people to share and let law enforcement know,” he added.

Rogers says it’s crediting Rahimi for her wireless services during its fraud investigation. However, she’s still left paying hundreds of dollars for a phone that ended up in the hands of a fraudster.

“I feel so bad and so trapped,” said Rahimi.

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

As many parents know, it can be difficult to find a daycare in the city that’s close to home. But what doesn’t help is that applications put in by child care providers are being denied.

“I have like 15 people in my area who do not have licensed day cares around them and have to travel like really long,” said Kinza Nissar, a child care operating applicant.

Kinza and her family have been involved in child care for over a year, but they closed their service when her sister went to pursue further education.

After six months, she and her mother wanted to open up again. They applied for a licence in January but were denied.

“I was very mad and a little sad because we have been running a licensed daycare for like a year and we had invested a lot of money and time and effort into it, and like the 10 people who were already enlisted into a daycare, we had to tell them that, ‘Oh I’m sorry we have to like close it,'” said Nissar.

In a letter to applicants, the province said they were not approving new licences in their area.

And with a growing system, they are shifting focus from rapid expansion to stabilization, even hoping to provide opportunities for childcare in rural communities.

But the opposition party says they have been hearing frustrations from people across the province.

“This is hard work. No one is getting rich off of providing child care to families who need it. And we have people willing to do that work and the government is saying, ‘No thanks, we don’t need your help.’ We’re not in a position to be turning away people,” said Matt Love, Opposition education critic.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education says as of May 31st, they are close to hitting their target of 28,000 child care spaces.

They also say applications have not been rejected but rather held to assess the need in specific communities.

Watch the video above for more on childcare providers in the province.

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

An annual investment of more than $500 million is likely required for the City of Calgary to meet its affordable housing targets in the next four-year budget, according to a briefing note to city councillors.

The information comes after city councillors learned last month that progress had slowed on implementing the City of Calgary’s housing strategy, Home is Here, which required a more refined implementation plan

In the briefing to city council, administration outlined three funding options that councillors will be considering as they deliberate the upcoming four-year budget in the fall.

An annual investment of $93 million would be required  for the first option, entitled “keeping the lights on.” That option aims to maintain the status quo by building 400 new non-market units, acquiring six development sites to support the construction of non-market housing projects, while housing 1,040 Calgarians.

The second option, titled “gaining footing,” would increase the number of new non-market units to 1,050, while acquiring 15 sites to develop for non-market housing with 2,730 Calgarians housed. It would require an investment of $214 million annually.

The city’s target of 3,000 new non-market housing units per year would be met under the third option called “building momentum,” according to the briefing note, which would require an investment of $526 million every year.

That option would allow the city to acquire 30 development sites for non-market housing projects, and aims to house 7,800 Calgarians, the briefing said.

“When it comes to housing, that 3,000 non-market homes per year is from the Home is Here strategy, a council-approved strategy,” said the city’s chief housing officer Reid Hendry. “The non-market sector doesn’t create itself, it requires investment not only locally but from other orders of government.”

Funding coming from “external entities” like the provincial and federal governments, as well as the private and non-profit sectors, is why it’s “hard to quantify” the impact of these proposed investment options on Calgary taxpayers, Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot said.

“The question is: are we investing too much, not enough, or maybe we should push other orders of government into investing more to provide a much needed service,” he said.

$75 million has been invested annually over the last four years for non-market housing, according to a report to council in May, which has enabled an average of 1,100 non-market units per year.

Others on council, like Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean, have questioned the briefing and whether funding affordable housing projects fall within municipal jurisdiction.

https://x.com/DanWMcLean/status/2077380941945958495

According to Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness, costs for affordable housing are being downloaded on municipalities from other orders of government.

“We really do need to look at the cash flows of how you actually deliver affordable housing in the third largest city in Canada with some of the greatest demands, while also being perceived of being the most affordable market in Canada for you to own a property,” she said.

“Council is going to have some interesting conversations on that one.”

Costs “per door” for affordable housing projects are expected to rise, the briefing note said, which means “fewer homes can be delivered per dollar than in previous years.”

A number 0f factors are cited for the increased costs, including the price of land and previous projects being at a more advanced stage of development when funded.

“Providing consistent and predictable municipal funding remains crucial to addressing the housing needs of Calgarians, both by enabling continued investment despite rising costs and by helping unlock critical funding from other orders of government who typically invest where there is a clear municipal commitment,” the briefing note said.

In an interview with Global News, the CEO of the Norfolk Housing Association, Chris Bell, said the city’s target for non-market homes will bring Calgary up to the national average of non-market homes per capita.

“Ultimately, if cities don’t put in this level of investment, the province and the feds won’t either,” he said. “Then we won’t get any more non-profit housing, and then we’ll stay stuck in this affordability crisis.”

Bell said the return on investment in affordable housing would come in the forms of reduced homelessness, reduced health care and justice system costs, and increased economic productivity.

More details on the city’s housing budget will come “through the standard budget deliberation” process, the briefing note said.

Budget deliberations begin in November.

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

Gretha Rodriguez travelled from Panama City to Saskatoon to discover new products to bring back to the supermarket shelves in her country.

“We are looking for raw materials for our production facilities as well as retail products for our chain of supermarkets in Panama,” said Rodriguez, a raw materials purchase manager with Riba Smith Group.

Rodriguez is one of dozens of international buyers meeting with local agricultural producers at the province’s first global agricultural commodity showcase, an event designed to build new export opportunities and hosted by the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP).

For Rodriguez, meeting Saskatchewan producers in person has introduced her to products that could find a potential market back home.

“Yesterday we met a company that produced camelina oil, and it’s a very interesting product for us,” she said. “It’s a different product for our customers in Panama.”

The event is a first for the non-profit organization focused on increasing export activity in Saskatchewan, pairing suppliers in the province with international buyers looking to source everything from bulk agricultural commodities to value-added food products.

Chris Lane, president and CEO of STEP, said the event is about creating long-term business relationships even if agreements are not reached immediately.

“There are a lot of ways to measure success here, really,” he said. “Even if a deal isn’t signed in the room, the relationship that works towards a deal is a success, because we are in this for the long game.”

Officials from 14 countries are in attendance, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, seeking suppliers for a variety of commodities, such as grains, pulses, oilseeds and animal feed products.

Over the three-day event, buyers will meet with suppliers, tour facilities and farms, and learn about the export opportunities in the province, said Lane, adding that it boosts buyers’ confidence by helping them understand where the products they purchase come from.

“This is unique in that it was a concerted global recruitment effort to make sure that the work was done to really qualify the kind of buyers from wherever they are in the world and match them very specifically with Saskatchewan suppliers that meet their needs,” he said.

Among those hoping to strengthen business ties was Mansoor Ali, CEO of Pakistani edible oil company Dalda. He said speaking directly with producers could help make importing products like canola more efficient by reducing the need for intermediaries.

“It’s very important to come and talk to people who actually do the work, understand how they can make it more efficient, and understand how we can use their learnings and bring it to the shelf for the consumers,” Ali said.

The showcase comes as the province — and more broadly, Canada — continues its push to diversify export markets. Last month, the provincial government reported that exports to markets outside of its three largest trading partners, which are made up of the United States, India and China, grew by 27.1 per cent last year.

Saskatchewan is currently focusing its efforts on regions with growing economies and populations, including the Middle East, said Warren Kaeding, Saskatchewan’s trade and export development minister.

“It’s so much easier to be able to grow and market into a growing economy than to try and outcompete or bump somebody out of that place,” he said.

Kaeding says a trade mission to the Middle East is among the opportunities the province is exploring moving forward, calling it a “growing area.”

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

Winkler’s Tristan Peters is enjoying quite the breakout rookie season in the majors of baseball.

The Chicago White Sox made him an everyday player in centre field, and Peters has flourished, getting named an American League all-star after becoming just the second Canadian to hit for the cycle in a big-league game.

“I dreamed of it ever since I was a kid,” said Peters.

It’s been a dream come true for the 26-year-old Peters. He got his first callup to the majors last season with the Tampa Bay Rays where he went 0-for-12 at the plate in appearing in just four games. But he’s making the most of his second chance with the White Sox after being acquired in a trade in the off-season where he thought he was headed back to the minor leagues.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s surreal every day really. It’s a blessing to be able to come to the ballpark in the big leagues.”

Peters is batting .301 with six homers and 36 RBI in the first 91 games in helping the White Sox lead the AL’s Central Division. His batting average this season is actually higher than it was the last four years in the minors.

“I think we’ve made some swing adjustments and stuff like that,” Peters said. “But ultimately too I think, I’ve talked about this with my wife. It’s just like, in the big leagues, winning matters a lot and I’m a very competitive person and I think that I thrive in an environment like that, especially with this team.

“Everybody here wants to win. Everybody lifts you up and I feel like that is a big part of why I’ve been able to play at the level I’m playing at.”

It took Peters just five short years to go from Manitoba Junior Baseball League to the Major Leagues. He was the MJBL’s batting champion and rookie of the year with the Pembina Valley Orioles. He left home at just 16 to pursue his big-league dream in Alberta and that’s where he first realized it could become a very real possibility.

“I remember when I first went to Okotoks, they were talking about a guy getting drafted,” said Peters. “And I was like wow that’s actually possible. I could do that. It felt so far away but then it really started getting bigger and bigger.”

And now the sky is the limit.

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

Caserne 26 in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., looked a little different on Thursday.

For one day, the fire station was transformed into a blood donation clinic.

And for one of its own, firefighter Ryan Langton, this year’s blood drive carries a deeply personal meaning. One of the recipients is his daughter, Chiara.

“A lot of people, they don’t really know what their blood (donation) goes to,” said Langton.

“It’s not just her — it’s many other children at the Montreal Children’s and Ste. Justine’s that need blood to fight their cancer,” Langton said.

Global News first met Chiara in 2024, when she was just three years old and recovering from leukemia.

Her family thought the most difficult part of their lives was over until the little girl’s cancer returned last year.

“To get that news after I had went back to work — we had just restarted — it was an absolute punch in the gut,” said Chiara’s mom, Christine Clogg. “It completely rocked our world.”

Another round of chemotherapy followed, then a bone marrow transplant, and when that wasn’t enough, doctors turned to CAR-T cell therapy.

Between treatments, there were still moments of childhood for Chiara, dancing to her favourite Taylor Swift songs and finding reasons to smile.

All the while, blood transfusions helped carry her through.

“She received over 20 transfusions of blood and platelets,” said Clogg. “Sometimes it was twice a day. Her body just wasn’t holding platelets. So she was constantly getting transfused to keep her at a healthy level.”

Today, the family is on the other side of that journey.

Chiara has been out of the hospital for a few months and is back to her daily routine.

She’s joined a swim team and is getting ready for kindergarten this fall.

The Langtons say they’ll never know the people whose blood donations helped their daughter, but standing inside this blood drive, they hope others will see Chiara and realize how much they’re helping.

“She’s the happiest little kid ever,” said Langton. “She doesn’t think about it (getting needles as a blood recipient), it’s just something she has to do. And if she can do it, I think anyone is able to do it. So don’t be afraid (to become a donor). You’ll feel really good about yourself at the end.”

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