In the news today: Air Canada ramping up to near full schedule

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Air Canada ramping up to near full schedule

Air Canada says it expects to be operating close to its full network schedule by Friday.

The airline says it is continuing to ramp up its operations in a press release Thursday.

This comes after the airline reached a tentative deal with the union representing its flight attendants on Tuesday to end a strike that began on Saturday.

The strike disrupted the airline’s operations, resulting in the cancellation of flights.

More than 10,000 flight attendants for Air Canada will begin voting next week on a new tentative agreement that raises wages and establishes a pay structure for time worked when aircraft are on the ground.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Concern emerging about fate of online bills

Cultural and broadcast industry groups are calling on the Liberal government to support the Online Streaming Act and the Online News Act, as the Prime Minister’s Office refuses to say whether the bills are part of trade negotiations with the United States.

“We are aware that the U.S. is exerting pressure on the [federal government], and the cultural sector is undoubtedly on high alert,” said Marie-Julie Desrochers, executive director of a coalition representing the cultural sector.

Kevin Desjardins, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, which has supported both pieces of legislation, said his group is concerned when it hears the threats.

Both Desrochers and Desjardins are hopeful the government will keep the bills in place, as the Liberals stay mum on their intentions — a marked departure to the Trudeau government’s attitude toward the bills.

Last week, the U.S. State Department took aim at Canada’s Online News Act in a human rights report that criticized press freedom in Canada, a week after a group of U.S. Republicans urged the Trump administration to push Canada to eliminate the Online Streaming Act.

At an unrelated press conference on Aug. 5, Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated in answer to a question that he may be open to repealing the Online News Act. The Prime Minister’s Office has declined to say whether Carney is considering eliminating either bill, or whether the bills are a consideration in ongoing trade talks with the U.S.

Climate-driven heat a public health crisis for workers: WHO

The World Health Organization says climate change-driven heat is a “public health crisis” for workers around the globe and experts say Canada is no exception.

The WHO and the World Meteorological Organization released a joint report on Friday saying outdoor workers in construction, farming and other physically demanding jobs are at especially high risk of heat stroke, dehydration, cardiovascular damage and kidney dysfunction.

Although radiation from the sun is an added risk factor on top of air temperature, the report noted that people working indoors in hot, humid conditions are also vulnerable, especially if heat is radiating off of machinery, such as in manufacturing plants.

“The workers keeping our societies running are paying the highest price,” said Rüdiger Krech, the WHO’s director of environment, climate change and health said in a news briefing in Geneva on Thursday.

The report said the risk of heat exhaustion increases when the core body temperature rises beyond 38 C.

It urged governments and employers to develop heat-health plans, including ways for workers to take breaks and get out of the sun or away from hot machinery and rehydrate regularly.

Edmonton Pride Parade returns with trans march

It’s been seven years since Edmontonians last lined the city’s downtown streets to celebrate with a Pride parade, and organizers say it’s back.

LGBTQ+ community members and allies are set to turn out for the Saturday afternoon parade.

Considered part of the biggest Pride event on the Prairies, the parade was cancelled in 2019 after protests and disagreements over the involvement of law enforcement, with some advocates reporting marginalized groups were being sidelined.

Trevor Watson with the Edmonton PrideFest Association said the revamped parade is to be led by what’s believed to be the first Edmonton Trans March for Visibility and Equality, organized by RaricaNow.

The non-profit, which advocates for LGBTQ+ refugees and newcomers, said the march is to mark a stand against “ongoing attacks on the trans community.”

Banks set to report third-quarter results

Canada’s big banks are set to report third-quarter earnings next week, providing potential insights into the health of the economy as the U.S. trade war creates deep uncertainty.

Bank stocks have seen gains above the broader market in recent months as the initial fear around U.S. tariffs has somewhat eased, while the sector benefited last quarter from a spike in trading revenue from heightened activity in the whipsawing market.

Analysts aren’t expecting the same pop from trading in results, but they also don’t expect banks to add notably to their provisions for bad loans like they did after U.S. President Donald Trump’s big tariff scare in April.

National Bank analyst Gabriel Dechaine says credit outlook, or how much banks are setting aside, remains the biggest source of forecast uncertainty for the quarter.

He says in a note that the Big Six bank stocks have outperformed the wider TSX by one percentage point so far this year, despite weak domestic GDP and rising unemployment, raising concerns about valuations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2025.