Five residents have been displaced following a fire at a two-storey home in the 600 block of Pritchard Avenue in Winnipeg on Saturday evening.

At 7:15 p.m. firefighters went to the home and saw smoke and flames. They attacked the fire from the inside and it was declared under control by 8:10 p.m.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire but a cat and dog were found dead and the City of Winnipeg Animal Services went to the scene to assist.

Additionally, the city’s Emergency Social Services team came to the home to help the five residents find temporary accommodations.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and no damage estimates are available.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A new Ipsos poll done for Global News shows little change in party rankings and the results are in the hands of voters as the province gets ready for Monday’s election.

The poll surveyed 1,300 Albertans, 51 per cent of whom favoured the United Conservative’s Danielle Smith over the NDP’s Rachel Notley (46 per cent).

According to the poll, the race is tied in Calgary with both parties sitting at 49 per cent, and the NDP leading in Edmonton with 57 per cent versus 40 per cent for the UCP. The UCP “dominates” the rest of the province with a staggering 34-point lead (65 percent versus 31 per cent for the NDP).

“The campaign ends pretty much where it began with the UCP having a slight lead over the NDP in terms of voter preference,” said Kyle Braid, Senior Vice President of Ipsos public affairs. “The race is really up for grabs in the Calgary CMA where the parties are tied.

“It’s advantage UCP, it’s their election there to win, but there are still uncertainties based on these numbers.”

Braid added that it really comes down to voter turnout. The NDP tends to attract a younger voter demographic, while the UCP sees a larger turnout from older generations, he said.

The poll shows a 17-point margin among older voters with the UCP leading with 57 per cent, while the NDP has a 9-point lead amongst younger voters 18 to 34-years-old. The parties are essentially tied 50 percent (UCP) to 47 per cent (NDP) amongst Albertans aged 35-54 years.

Braid said it wasn’t surprising that the results were similar to those at the beginning of the election.

“The campaign really got officially underway long before the writ was dropped earlier this month. The parties have been staking out their positions, there haven’t been a whole lot of new promises made during this campaign that weren’t made before.

“Let’s face it: These are two leaders that Albertans have known well, and they’ve known more many years. It was unlikely that people’s impressions were going to change much of these two leaders,” Braid said.

“It really does come down to who wins in Calgary, and at this point,” he said. “It’s voters that determine the outcome — they actually need to turn up to vote in order to have their party win.”

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

One man has died after a reported stabbing in the Vancouver West End neighbourhood.

Vancouver police officers responded to the stabbing around 10 p.m. Saturday near Davie and Bute streets.

The man was taken to hospital where he later died. Police have not identified the victim.

Pictures from the scene show an area sectioned off by yellow police tape.

A number of evidence cones are scene scattered around the scene.

“No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing,” said Const. Tania Visintin.

Anyone with information is asked to call VPD’s homicide unit at 604-717-2500.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Dozens of orange cones and detour signs are in place as a section of Highway 40, used by tens of thousands of motorists every day, shuts down.

Beginning Saturday, the eastbound lanes between Morgan Boulevard in Baie-D’Urfé and Saint-Charles Boulevard in Kirkland closed for construction.

Drivers wanting to exit at Morgan, Chemin Sainte-Marie or St-Charles, are diverted onto the adjoining service road, which is, for the most part, one lane.

Meanwhile, those continuing on the highway will be diverted onto the other side of the Trans-Canada Highway, which was accommodated for two-way traffic at a reduced speed.

Quebec’s transport ministry says to minimize the impact of the closure, the highway will be adapted — there will be three lanes open in one direction during rush hour and two lanes for the opposite direction.

The closure is necessary to repave Highway 40’s eastbound lane between Lee Avenue in Baie-D’Urfé and Saint-Charles Boulevard in Kirkland.

But drivers in the area say they wish there was better communication about the detours and configuration.

“It hasn’t been sufficiently explained in detail, the timing of it,” said Al Mazza. “So we’re not quite sure exactly what’s going on.”

Traffic consultant Rick Leckner agrees that communication is key during these kinds of closures

“We’re not new to this but Transports Québec needs to do a much better job in communicating with the public before the event and during the event,” he said.

The highway is expected to be closed until early next year.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating after a crash involving a cruiser injured a woman in Oshawa, Ont.

On Saturday evening, officers with the Durham Regional Police Service went to an incident on Harmony Road, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said. A woman at the scene fled in her vehicle and they reportedly gave chase.

At around 6:20 p.m., a police cruiser and the vehicle were involved in a crash, according to the SIU. The woman was taken to hospital with a serious injury.

The SIU, which investigates incidents involving police officers that result in serious injury, death and the discharge of police firearms, has assigned three investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

You may have noticed more deer popping up in your neighbourhood, sometimes even alone, but WildSafe BC is reminding the public not to get too close.

Deer like to eat a variety of plants — evergreen shrubs, rose bushes, flowers and budding fruit trees, hence why they make their way into some communities and try to coexist amongst humans.

However, there are risks associated with this.

“Deer are especially hard to remove from a neighbourhood once they have established themselves, so it is important to ensure that the deer do not become comfortable in your yard,” WildSafe BC said in a statement.

“Do not feed the deer, you are not helping them in the long run. Make your yard unattractive to them by trimming any cover they may use while travelling or bedding.”

While deer attacks on humans are rare, they are not unheard of, and can lead to serious injuries.

“Never approach a deer, especially if it has its young with it,” said WildSafe BC.

“If a deer does attack you, try to stay upright as they inflict injury by striking at their opponent with their sharp hooves. Cover your head with your arms and back off as some form of shelter.”

Urban deer are becoming an increased problem in communities across the province, including the Okanagan. According to the Conservation Officer Service, some people try to “rescue” fawns and other young ungulates, because they mistake them to be orphaned and in need of care.

“Deer fawns and other wild animals should not be touched or moved,” the Conservation Officer Service said in a statement.

“Mother deer may leave their young alone for long periods to avoid attracting predators. When she does return, she can be expected to defend her fawns from real or perceived threats including nearby humans and their pets.”

Unlawful possession of live wildlife will cost you, as fines start at $345.

“Locally each year, Conservation Officers deal with several reports of individuals in possession of live fawns,” said the Conservation Officer Service.

“These individuals were subsequently charged for possession of live wildlife.”

Each year, approximately 4,000 calls are made to the Conservation Officer Service reporting line regarding deer. The service is trying to eliminate these issues by cracking down on individuals who are getting too close to the animals, more specifically the little ones.

“(We) are reminding people that the best thing they can do to ensure a fawns’ survival is to leave the newborn deer fawns alone and leash up their dogs while walking,” said the Conservation Officer Service.

If you see a deer acting aggressively or damaging property, you’re advised to call the Conservation Officer reporting line at 1-877-952-7277.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A Ladysmith, B.C., man has been sentenced to six years in prison in a hit and run that claimed the life of a Vancouver Island mother three years ago.

Steven Roderick Knowles, who turns 40 this year, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene of an accident in the Aug. 29, 2020 fatal collision.

Knowles received four years on the dangerous driving charge and two years for failing to stop and help.

Katie Blogg, 35, was killed when police say the driver of an F-150 crossed the centre median on the Trans Canada Highway near Oyster Stolo north of Ladysmith and collided head-on with a northbound SUV driven by Blogg. The Ladysmith mother of two died at the scene.

The suspect fled the scene in a stolen vehicle.

Knowles, who is known to police, was arrested on unrelated matters after a five-day manhunt.

The Crown stayed charges of motor vehicle theft and breach of probation at Knowles’ sentencing hearing on Feb. 22.

With credit for six months and 15 days of time already spent in custody, Knowles is serving a sentence of five years, five months and 15 days.

He was also banned from driving for 10 years.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Elections Alberta said more than 758,000 ballots were cast at advance polls this year, breaking a record that was set in 2019 by more than 70 per cent.

The provincial election administrator said the advance voter count was 758,550 after advance polls closed Saturday evening. This is 70.77 per cent more votes compared with numbers from 2019 — a total of 448,193 were cast in advance polls that year, according to a chief electoral officer report published in March 2020.

This year’s advance voter numbers also represent a little more than 27 per cent of registered voters on the pre-election list. In 2019, more than 16 per cent of registered voters on the pre-election list voted in advance.

In 2019, Glen Resler, chief electoral officer, said, “The turnout at advance polls was record-breaking, with almost triple the number of votes cast at the advance polls than in the 2015 general election.”

The advance polls were open from Tuesday, May 23 until Saturday, May 27. Voters using advance polls were allowed to cast their votes at any advanced voting location.

Electronic voting tabulators were used for the first time at advance polling locations this year, which Elections Alberta said were essential due to 87 different electoral divisions.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Election Alberta said they expected between 700,000 and 1 million electors during the advance voting period.

“We are very pleased with the record-breaking turnout yesterday during the first day of advance voting,” the spokesperson said.

Voters who did not cast their ballots at advance polls will be able to vote on election day on Monday, May 29.

Global News reached out to Elections Alberta with a request for comment.

— with files from Destiny Meilleur, Global News.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

OTTAWA — Ontario MPP Ted Hsu is officially a candidate for the provincial Liberal leadership.

Hsu launched his campaign in Kingston, Ont., alongside hometown music hero Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip.

Hsu says he wants to give his party a “fresh start” with Ontarians and help Liberals earn back the trust of voters.

The party hasn’t had official status at the provincial legislature since it was voted out of power in 2018.

Hsu has been the MPP for Kingston and the Islands since the provincial election a year ago and is one of only seven Liberal MPPs.

Hsu joins Toronto federal Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith as the only declared candidates in the race but Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Ottawa MP Yasir Naqvi have each said they were also considering a bid.

Ontario Liberals will choose their new leader on Dec. 2 but candidates have until early September to jump into the contest.

© 2023 The Canadian Press

An existing evacuation alert has been upgraded by the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality.

It is due to changes in weather conditions for the out-of-control wildfire burning in the Klua Lakes area.

An Evacuation Order is in effect for the following area:

• Bounded on the south by the NRRM/PRRD boundary
• From a point on the west side at longitude 122 16.03W arched up to a northern point at latitude 58 17.52’N
• From a point on the east side at longitude 121 00.45W arched up to a northern point at latitude 58 17.52’N

What you should do if you are in the evacuation order area:

• you must leave the area immediately
• Call 911 if you are in immediate danger
• Close all windows and doors
• Shut off all gas and electrical appliances, other than refrigerators and freezers
• Close gates (latch) but do not lock
• Gather your family/co-workers and ensure everyone is accounted for: take a neighbour or someone who needs help
• Take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, and keys) only if they are immediately available. Take pets in pet kennels or on leash.
• Do not use more vehicles then you have to.
• Do not use the telephone unless you need emergency service.

The wildfire, G90273, is an estimated 26,307 hectares according to the latest update from the BC Wildfire Service, late Friday afternoon.

It is suspected to be lightning-caused.

© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.