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Lounging by a pristine pool is a dream often interrupted by the reality of swimming pool maintenance. Without a full-time caretaker, debris can quickly make your pool unsightly. Thankfully, various pool vacuums are available to act as your personal pool cleaner, saving you time and effort. Whether you’re considering a manual pool vacuum, an automatic pool cleaner, or one of the advanced, wall-climbing robotic models, there’s an option suited to every pool type and budget from brands like AIPER, Polaris, Sunsolar and more. Dive in and discover the best pool vacuums to keep your pool sparkling clean all summer long.

 

Quick Pick Summary

Best manual pool vacuum: Sepetrel Pool Vacuum Head with Side Brushes, $69.99

Best automatic pool cleaner: Sunsolar Automatic Swimming Pool Vacuum, $152.42

Best robotic vacuum for flat bottom pools: Coasteering Pool Vacuum Robot, $129.99

Best robotic vacuum for sloped pools: Polaris P955 Robotic Pool Cleaner, $1,549

Best pool vacuum for skimming: AIPER Scuba V3 AI Vision Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner, $1,149.99

 

A manual pool vacuum head is a must-have for every pool owner, offering ease of use, affordability, and the capability to spot clean specific areas. Among the top choices is the Sepetrel pool vacuum head, a personally tested favorite. It features a rotatable hose adapter that prevents kinks and tangles, making the cleaning process smoother. The durable corner brushes effectively remove dirt and debris from tight spaces with ease. Its weighted body ensures consistent contact with the pool floor, effortlessly picking up the smallest particles, so you don’t have to go over the same spots more than once.[/product_listing]

 

The Sunsolar Automatic Swimming Pool Vacuum is a budget-friendly, side-suctioned cleaner that is suitable for in-ground and above-ground pools. The main appeal is its simplicity–just connect the hose to your pump, drop the unit in the pool and let it go to work! However, its effectiveness depends on the strength of your pump so if your pump lacks power, there may be leftover debris sitting on the pool floor.[/product_listing]

 

This cordless above ground pool vacuum features dual motors, suction ports, and brushes for powerful and thorough cleaning, easily removing debris, leaves, and dirt to keep your pool crystal clear. Its long-lasting 4000mAh rechargeable battery provides up to 100 minutes of cleaning on a single charge, efficiently covering pools up to 850 square feet.[/product_listing]

 

Meet the Polaris P955, the ultimate pool cleaning powerhouse. With its 4WD capabilities, it effortlessly cleans floors, scrubs waterlines and vacuums stairs, saving you time and back pain. The remote control allows you to pilot the vacuum for targeted cleaning, while the included caddy ensures easy mobility and storage. Thanks to its Automated Lift System, the robot conveniently rises to the waterline for easy retrieval once it’s done cleaning. Although the Polaris P955 comes with a steeper price tag, its top-to-bottom cleaning power is worth every penny.[/product_listing]

 

Take the hassle out of pool maintenance with this AI-powered robotic pool cleaner. Using an intelligent camera system, it detects and targets debris for faster, more efficient cleaning, while advanced filtration captures everything from leaves to fine particles. With autonomous weekly cleaning schedules, app notifications and a wireless charging dock, it keeps your pool sparkling with minimal effort.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Swimming Pool Skimmer Net – $20.98

Worx 20V Landroid Vision Robot Lawn Mower – $2,999.99

Vichy Face Sunscreen SPF 60 – $23.07

34Pcs BBQ Grill Accessories – $49.99

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

Thousands of Canadian auto workers could secure three per cent wage increases every year for the next three if they agree to a new labour contract.

Unifor released details of a proposed collective agreement between its bargaining leads and Ford Motor Company on Saturday.

The union says the deal includes a renewed commitment by Ford to keep its facilities open where Unifor employees work.

The bargaining team says Ford has also committed to investing more than $1 million into its plants in Windsor and Oakville, Ont.

Union officials say the results of a vote by its members on the agreement will be announced Sunday.

Negotiations began on June 22, coming at a time when deals at all three of the big American automakers were set to expire.

The union opted to negotiate with Ford first, a move similar to the one it took during the last round of talks in 2023

Unifor officials said they were unavailable to comment until Monday.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The wildfire season in British Columbia has been transformed in a flash, with lightning strikes sending the tally of blazes burning in the province past 100.

But Attila Banhegyi remains unfazed after choosing to remain behind in his house in Boston Bar, B.C., near the Brunswick Creek fire with an area of 40 square kilometres and the Ainslie Creek fire with an area of 160 square kilometres.

The community of around 160 people in B.C.’s Fraser Canyon was ordered to evacuate on Thursday, but Banhegyi says he has remained behind out of “convenience and necessity” because he needs to look after his two businesses and animals, including 12 chickens.

He says the local restaurant and gas station are still open, as is the motel, which is housing the firefighting crews.

Banhegyi says he estimates that somewhere between 40 and 50 per cent of Boston Bar has remained behind and he says the “vibes are pretty good” among those who have stayed behind.

“It depends on the person, but the people who have stayed behind are in good spirits,” he says.

Banhegyi says life is a little bit different in the area, when asked how the public might react, when reading about people who have chosen to stay behind despite an evacuation order.

“We have grown to be self-sufficient in many aspects,” he says. “So we like to exercise self-governance, and sometimes being told what to do in our local area by people who aren’t on the ground doesn’t necessarily align with our own values.”

He says that he is ready to leave on a moment’s notice, adding that his wife and their two children, a 3 1/2-year -old girl, and a 3 1/2-month old boy, left town the day before the evacuation order.

Banhegyi says his wife would prefer him to join the rest of the family. “But she trusts me, and knows that I will be safe,” he says.

The Boston Bar resident says current conditions in his community are “nice and quiet,” adding that he can hear local birds chirp.

“I’m just enjoying these beautiful summer days,” he says.

Fire activity has picked up in other parts of the province.

On Wednesday morning the province’s firefighters faced only about 20 blazes in what had been a relatively quiet season, but as of Saturday morning there were about 115 fires burning, including about 77 started in the last 24 hours.

The BC Wildfire Service has attributed the vast majority of the new fires to the 4,000 lightning strikes it says hit the province that day, and the eruption of fire activity has also seen an increase in evacuation orders and alerts.

Two-thirds of the fires are burning out of control and most new blazes, orders and alerts are concentrated in the southern B.C. Interior.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District on Friday ordered the evacuation of 131 properties near Big Bar Lake and Meadow Lake due to the Fiftynine Creek fire, which has also prompted an evacuation alert for the nearby Bonaparte Plateau.

Jim Smith, who represents the evacuated area at the regional district, says the fire grew very quickly because of the strong winds in the area.

“It wasn’t long in between the (evacuation) alert and the order,” he says. “The fire just roared right up to Big Bar Lake. So we are expecting that there is going to be structural loss, but we are not sure at this time.”

Smith says most of the evacuated properties lie on the northern side of the lake, with a few ranches and farms in the area.

“There is a fair amount of livestock, and I believe they started moving as soon as the alert was on,” Smith says.

The Cariboo Regional District triggered an evacuation due to the Bowers Lake fire overnight Friday, as well as an alert for the Lessard Lake fire.

Earlier this week, fire officials warned of a weather system bringing lightning and ideal conditions for both starting and spreading significant fires on B.C.’s parched landscape.

The Fiftynine Creek fire, for example, was only detected on Friday, but by that evening had grown to about 40 square kilometres.

An update from the wildfire service on Friday said that as the weather system moved into Alberta, officials anticipated more lightning strikes “and, in the coming days, more fire starts.”

More than 500 firefighters have been called in to fight fires across the province.

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© 2026 The Canadian Press

The Calgary Police Service has issued an Amber Alert for an 11-year-old boy who has been missing since Thursday afternoon after the province issued an exemption to the alert for a vulnerable missing child.

The Alberta Emergency Alert was sent out at 1:35 p.m. on Saturday for Parker.

While Parker’s disappearance doesn’t meet the legislated criteria for an Amber Alert, police said the exemption was granted because of the “unique circumstances of this investigation.”

Parker is neurodivergent and non-verbal and may become even more scared if confronted by strangers, according to police.

Acting Insp. Rod MacNeil said in an update Saturday afternoon that police are “pulling out all the stops and using every available resource” to find Parker.

“We are deeply concerned for his well-being given the length of time he has been missing and his specific vulnerabilities,” said MacNeil, adding that the Amber Alert was crucial in getting information out to the public about Parker.

“The government of Alberta recognized the urgency of the situation and worked with us to make this alert possible,” he said. “This alert allowed us to quickly reach Calgarians with critical information and generate additional awareness as search and investigative efforts continue.”

Police also released new images from CCTV footage of Parker, who went missing from the neighbourhood of Thorncliffe.

The boy was last seen at his day home in the 0 to 100 block of Connaught Drive Northwest sometime between 11:08 a.m. and 11:41 a.m. Thursday.

Police say some clothing believed to belong to Parker was found around noon in the 0 to 100 block of Northmount Drive Northwest.

On Saturday, police said CCTV footage captured Parker on Thursday at 12:52 p.m. in the 5000 to 6000 block of Travis Crescent Northeast.

Staff Sgt. Scott Guterson told reporters Saturday the distance between the two locations is about five to six kilometres.

“We know that he can walk great distances if that’s what he chooses to,” he said.

“It is our hope that this picture will allow the public to see Parker as he was last known to us with the clothing that we believe he was wearing … so we’re asking the public to look at that picture, share that picture with their friends, their family, their neighbours. The more eyes we get on that picture, the more likely we are to be successful.”

Parker was last seen shirtless and wearing grey shorts and black noise-cancelling headphones.

He is described as being about four feet 11 inches tall and weighing approximately 90 pounds, and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Guterson said Parker functions at a three-year-old level and may be scared if approached.

“Just as a reminder, when Parker is found, he is likely to be frightened, he’s likely to be scared, so we need to be as gentle as possible if he is seen,” he said.

“So if a member of the public does see him, we’re asking them that they call 911 right away if they are certain that it is him so that we can deal with him as safely as possible.”

‘We just want our son home’

Calgary police shared a statement from Parker’s family, who thanked the public for their support.

“A single sighting, a piece of video footage, or one small detail could help bring him home safely. Our only wish right now is to know that he is safe and to bring him home,” the statement read.

“Knowing that so many people care and are looking for our son has given us strength during the most difficult time of our lives. Parker is deeply loved, and he is missed immensely. We just want our son home.”

Since his disappearance, investigators, patrol officers and specialized units have been searching the areas where Parker may have travelled.

“Approximately 30 tips have been received and assessed by investigators. Officers have reviewed, or are currently reviewing, approximately 50 hours of CCTV, residential security camera and dashcam footage,” police added.

“More than 200 CPS members have assisted in the search effort. And officers have conducted door to door inquires in all the surrounding communities and continue to canvas the area.”

As well, about 120 trained search volunteers are assisting with the operations in northwest Calgary on Saturday.

“Members of the public may continue to see a significant police and search presence in these communities, including our Air Support Unit, Mounted Patrol Team, Mountain Bike Unit, Canine Unit, patrol officers, investigators and trained search volunteers,” police said.

The public is asked to check their properties, including garages, sheds, hot tubs and under decks. As well, residents can check their security camera footage and be “observant while travelling through their communities, including parks, pathways, green spaces and alleys.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234 or by submitting it online.

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

A tornado warning was briefly issued for parts of southern Ontario on Saturday, but has since been lifted.

Environment Canada issued the warning around 12:20 p.m., saying meteorologists were tracking a severe thunderstorm that was possibly producing a tornado.

The thunderstorm was located just east of Milton, Ont., at the time and was moving southeast at 40 km/h. The possible path included the Milton, Mississauga, and Oakville areas of Ontario.

“This is a very dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation,” the warning read.

“Take cover immediately in a basement, interior room, or a sturdy shelter when threatening weather approaches. If no shelter is available, lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris.”

The warnings advised people to move away from the path of the tornado to escape.

“Emergency Management Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches,” it added.

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

Premier Doug Ford is meeting with evacuees and first responders in Thunder Bay, where many people fleeing from the northern Ontario wildfires have gone.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday, Ford said he was informed some 300 people, including campers, were recently evacuated from the wildfires zones.

“So 40 missions to rescue 300 people. And these are individual campers and so on and so forth. These aren’t communities,” he said.

“I want to thank the OPP for doing an incredible job. They’re absolute champions. I want to thank the local Thunder Bay police as well firefighters and and obviously the paramedics are always there as well.”

Several Ontario communities — including Armstrong, Whitesand First Nation, Collins First Nation and Gakijiwanong Anishinaabe Nation (Lac La Croix First Nation) — are under evacuation order as fire rips through.

Other communities are preparing for possible evacuations.

The premier said he was informed there are 191 active wildfires in the province, which is seven more than the previous day. Of those fires, 73 are considered out of control and 91 are being observed.

“Our focus continues to be sending resources to the areas where fire suppression is most likely to be successful and where they can make the biggest impact keeping people and communities safe,” said Ford.

Ford said the fire efforts include 155 crew members, as well as 80 water bombers and helicopters.

The premier added that those who are evacuated from the areas should stay away, so as to not hamper fire suppression efforts.

“Do not, I repeat, do not go to your campsites. Do not go back to your homes if they’re saying not to go back,” he said.

“Don’t go back. We will find you a place, a hotel room, get you food. We’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”

Ontario’s natural resources minister, Mike Harris, called the wildfire season so far “unprecedented.”

“Since the beginning of this year we’ve been obviously prepping for another season of wildfires here in the province but this year has been unprecedented,” said Harris.

“We’ve seen fire activity like never before, but our folks on the ground and in the air and everybody that’s supporting have been doing an incredible job.”

But Ford has faced backlash over the level of funding and resources the province has allocated for wildfire response, while Harris has fielded criticism for his ministry’s handling of the evacuations of two First Nation communities.

Residents of Whitesand First Nation and Namaygoosisagagun First Nation – also known as Collins First Nation – fled approaching wildfires without help from the province.

“The challenge in Collins is that fire actually started very very close to the community and given the certain weather circumstances that were in place at the time, it was actually moving at a rate of around sort of four to eight kilometers an hour towards the community,” Harris said Saturday.

He added that conditions made it difficult for provincial crews to come assess the situation before the First Nation ultimately made the decision to evacuate from the area themselves.

“It’s just been a challenging situation across the northwest and across Ontario over the last week. So we’ll look back as we do on all of the evacuations and our fire efforts and see if there’s things that we can continue to do better.”

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) confirmed it will be begin deploying aircraft and personnel to help with the evacuation of Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope) on Saturday, after the province’s request for federal assistance.

Four CC-130 Hercules aircraft will be used to help move community members to safe locations.

“The aircraft’s ability to operate in remote and austere environments makes it a critical asset in supporting emergency response efforts in Northern Ontario,” the CAF said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Ford lashed out at opposition members at Queen’s Park who he alleged are politicizing the situation by claiming he’s underspending on wildfire efforts. 

“I will not spare a penny. Not a penny,” he said, “We spent $1.5 billion since I’ve been office. We’re spending $650 million on helicopters and with water bombers.”

Harris said fire activity has “slowed a little bit,” which may help alleviate the thick smoke conditions in the province.

“What we really need to see is some of those sustained rains but without the lightning strikes because in the overwhelming majority of fires that we’re seeing now were actually caused by a storm that came through about a week ago,” he said.

— with a file from The Canadian Press

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

A large majority of Canadians in a recent poll said they worry that artificial intelligence data centres will hike their power bills and harm the environment.

In the Leger poll, 81 per cent of respondents said they are concerned about the prospect of data centres leading to spikes in their household electricity bills.

A similar share, 79 per cent, said they worry about the environmental impacts, such as the large amounts of electricity and water data centres consume, as well as their greenhouse gas emissions.

When the survey touched on the issue of data sovereignty and asked respondents whether they support building data centres to back Canadian-based AI services, more were in favour than were opposed.

Just under half, 46 per cent, said building the facilities to give Canada more control over data would be a good thing, while 37 per cent said it would be a bad thing.

“We’re seeing evidence that there is a bit of a divided opinion amongst Canadians regarding the construction of these data centres around the country,” said Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president for Central Canada.

That division also emerged when respondents were asked how they felt about the prospect of AI data centres being built in their own provinces. While 44 per cent said they would support such a development, 42 per cent said they would oppose it.

The online survey of 1,505 people was conducted between July 10 and July 13. The Canadian Research Insights Council, an industry organization that promotes polling standards, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

Leger also found awareness of data centres among Canadians was relatively high — 62 per cent said they had heard of them.

The respondents were also asked about the supply of electricity to AI data centres.

Most, 58 per cent, said provincial governments or electricity providers should supply electricity for AI data centres.

Just under a third said they should do so only if the companies pay the full cost of the power and any required infrastructure.

Another 31 per cent said data centre companies shouldn’t be able to access public electricity and should be responsible for meeting their own energy needs.

There are plans to dramatically expand data centre capacity in Canada and the vast majority of that work is set to take place in Alberta, where the centres could draw their power from natural gas plants and not the electrical grid.

Public opposition to data centres has emerged across the country — including in Alberta — and in June, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew rejected plans for a massive data centre southeast of Winnipeg.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Crews in Nova Scotia were in the air and on the ground as they continued efforts Saturday to fight an out-of-control wildfire northeast of Halifax.

The province’s Natural Resources Department said the fire, which started earlier this week and triggered some evacuations, was nearly 14 square kilometres in size.

A provincial spokesperson said the affected area was three square kilometres less than reported Friday after more accurate mapping was completed. For example, he said, bodies of water were subtracted in the updated number.

The wildfire prompted Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency to issue an evacuation order Thursday night affecting about 100 cottages, cabins and homes along Moosehead Road.

Two fixed-wing water bombers from Newfoundland and Labrador were responding to the fire alongside two of Nova Scotia’s helicopters and four of the province’s fixed-wing water bombers.

Local and provincial crews have been fighting the fire since Wednesday, according to provincial officials.

Mooseland Road remained closed Saturday afternoon beginning at the intersection of Highway 7, Natural Resources said.

The department asked the public to avoid the area and stay clear of emergency crews.

Environment Canada forecasted a 60 per cent change of rain on Sunday for the Halifax area.

Meanwhile, the national wildland fire summary reported that more than 950 wildfires were burning across Canada on Saturday.

Hundreds of wildfires in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories have led to air quality warnings and, in some cases, evacuations.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello had plenty to moan about on Friday.

The jean-jacket-wearing Brondello, like most of the 8,210 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum, had a beef with the officiating crew of Tiara Cruse, Toni Patillo and Sarah Williams. But the Australian also had plenty of criticism for her team in its 111-92 loss to the Atlanta Dream, especially in the turnover department.

The Tempo (10-15) committed 20 turnovers that the Dream converted into 29 points. This sloppy play led to Toronto’s sixth loss in seven outings.

“You can’t turn the ball over 20 times and let them score,” Brondello said. “We said that was one of their strengths. And you know we got to be tougher. We just have to be tougher.

“And we’ve just got to be better, and we have to find ways to be better.”

The Tempo trailed 48-47 at the half, but quickly fell behind at the beginning of the third quarter, and then allowed a few questionable calls from the referees to get in their headspace.

“Look, I know we’re our own worst enemy at times,” Brondello said. “We’ve got to stay less emotional. I understand why they’re emotional because it’s more about getting consistency (from the officials).

“We got to the foul line 25 times. But it should have been way more than that. I think Marina (Mabrey) had people with their hands on her all night. But no fouls were called.”

And what happened with the poor start to the second half?

“We were still in the locker room,” Brondello said. “We were just not locked in, and they got some easy baskets.”

If there was a bright light for the Tempo, it was Mabrey’s return to form. She was held to only eight points by the Washington Mystic in her previous game last Tuesday. Mabrey rebounded with a game-high 26 points on Friday.

There was a scary moment when forward Nyara Sabally was shaken after an under-the-basket collision with Dream centre Angel Reese with 3:16 remaining. Sabally left the game, needing help after she spread herself out on the floor to gather herself.

“That was a hard hit,” Brondello said. “She’s not feeling great at the moment. She hurt her ribs, so we don’t know what that is at the moment. Hopefully, it’s not too serious.”

The Tempo also saw the return of centre Temi Fagbenle. However, she was rusty after missing 12 games with a right shoulder injury and a concussion.

Toronto has been slammed with recent injuries. Brittney Sykes (left foot) and Kiki Rice (left ankle) remain on the sidelines.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks are showing signs they may have finally gotten their act together.

Vincent Blanchard kicked four field goals as the Elks continued their superb start to the CFL season, holding on for a 19-17 victory over the B.C. Lions on Friday.

The Elks, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2019, moved back into sole possession of first place in the West Division at 5-1.

“I’m happy that the guys found a way, but that game felt really ugly to me. Sometimes you’ve got to find a way to win those games,” said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. “Our defence was outstanding. They’ve been carrying this team for a long time.”

Edmonton quarterback Cody Fajardo also credited the Elks defence, which recorded four interceptions.

“Everybody can talk what they want about our offence, but we’re a 5-1 football team,” Fajardo said. “This team can win in three different phases. Tonight it just happened to be our defence standing on their heads for us and being the ones to shine.

“But we did enough offensively in order to win the game. We had one turnover and won the turnover battle. I don’t want to sit here and ever apologize for a win because it is very difficult to win in this league.”

Fajardo threw for 282 yards, but the league’s leading running back Justin Rankin was held to just nine yards rushing after getting only 19 the other time they faced B.C.

The Lions remained last in the West, dropping to 1-4. B.C.’s lone win came against Edmonton, a 36-24 victory on July 4 in Kelowna, B.C.

“The guys fought all the way to the end,” said Lions head coach Buck Pierce. “It was one of those games where both sides of the ball played physical. We knew it was going to come down to the end.”

After Lions’ starting quarterback Nathan Rourke left the game following what appeared to be a shoulder injury when he was sacked on the opening drive, Edmonton’s defence came up big before the five-minute mark as B.C. backup Chase Brice had his arm clipped on a pass and the ball went up in the air before landing in the waiting arms of lineman Gavin Meyer, leading to a 38-yard field goal by Blanchard.

The Lions came roaring back as Keon Hatcher made a nice 40-yard catch to set up a one-yard TD plunge by Zander Horvath.

Edmonton reclaimed the lead midway through the second quarter after an interception by Tyrell Ford eventually set up a four-yard touchdown pass from Cody Fajardo to T.J. Luther.

The Elks extended their league on their next drive as a 54-yard passing play to Joshua Cephus led to a 26-yard Blanchard field goal.

Brice was picked off a third time by JJ Ross, leading to another Blanchard field goal to end the first half with Edmonton leading 16-7.

Blanchard kicked his fourth field goal from 16 yards out late in the third.

The Lions marched back early in the fourth quarter and got an 11-yard TD catch by Hatcher.

The B.C. defence then made a huge play as they forced a fumble that was recovered on the Edmonton 19 by Matt Spatny. Sean Whyte kicked a 19-yard field goal to cut the Elks’ lead to 19-17.

Edmonton had a huge defensive stand to turn the ball over on downs with 41 seconds left, allowing them to run out the clock.

“I thought we all played really hard and showed a lot of heart out there,” Brice said. “We just came up short. Definitely a lot of plays left out on the field and a lot of mistakes on my end. We’ve just got to look at the tape and see how we can fix it and move on.”

UP NEXT

Lions: Host the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, July 25.

Elks: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press