In the news: Canada cuts ribbon on new bridge with U.S., wildfires spread in B.C.

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

Canada-only Gordie Howe bridge ceremony to be held

A Canada-only ceremony is set to take place today to mark the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which runs between Windsor and Detroit.

A joint celebration with the U.S. was cancelled earlier this week amid trade tensions between the two countries.

The bridge is set to see its first traffic on Monday.

Several officials are expected to attend the Canadian ceremony, including federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Mayor of Windsor Drew Dilkens.

Canada, Ecuador signing free trade deal in Ottawa

The governments of Canada and Ecuador are signing a free trade deal in Ottawa today.

Mujtaba Hussain, a spokesperson for International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, confirmed a signing ceremony is taking place but said there are no public events scheduled.

Lucero Gutiérrez, a spokesperson for the Embassy of Ecuador to Canada, said in an email that Ecuador’s minister of production, foreign trade and investment Luis Alberto Jaramillo will be at the signing event.

Several Canadian organizations and civil society leaders have pushed back against Canada-Ecuador free trade talks and warn that a deal will threaten the environment and worsen a human rights crisis in the South American country.

Wildfires and evacuations spread across B.C. amid hot, dry weather

Emergency crews are facing hot and dry conditions as wildfires continue to spread across British Columbia.

BC Wildfire Service says the Fiftynine Creek wildfire, which is burning out of control northwest of Clinton, B.C., has grown to more than 102 square kilometres and has triggered an evacuation order and alerts.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District in the southern Interior announced an overnight expansion of an evacuation order south of Clinton, due to the out-of-control Pear Lake fire.

Earlier, Kevin Skrepnek, the district’s manager of community and emergency services, said structures on about 20 properties in the region were “impacted” by the fires, with the damage ranging from melted siding to a complete burn-down.

Ministry of Natural Resources: no new wildfires in Ontario in 24 hours

There are 177 active wildfires still burning in Ontario, but the Ministry of Natural Resources has reported no new blaze in the last 24 hours.

Still, more than 1,800 people have been forced from their homes as the province grapples with what early estimates suggest is its most devastating wildfire season on record.

Indigenous communities have borne the brunt of the fires, with First Nations making up 12 of the 13 evacuated communities.

Hundreds of people fleeing the fires are staying in Thunder Bay, Ont., though others are taking refuge further south in Toronto and Niagara Falls.

New York trial continues in Montreal girl’s death

A New York jury is expected to hear testimony from more police officers as the trial of a man accused of killing his nine-year-old daughter resumes.

Luciano Frattolin is charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse in the death of his daughter, Melina Frattolin.

He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and has been held without bail since his arrest in July 2025.

The jury heard testimony from local law enforcement who detailed their response to Frattolin’s initial 911 call, in which he alleged his daughter had been kidnapped.

Roughrider fans pay tribute to player, man

Saskatchewan Roughriders fans held ballcaps in their hands, while some wiped away tears, as the team on Thursday honoured a player and another man killed in a highway crash.

Before kickoff at the matchup against the Edmonton Elks, video screens at Mosaic Stadium played tribute to Roughrider linebacker Jayden Dalke, 30, of Leduc, Alta., and Bhishma Rajyaguru, 22, of Regina.

Attendees stood as the screens showed photos of Rajyaguru with his family and friends, and a video of him dancing played.

A voiceover said Rajyaguru was a gifted percussionist and was always there for his friends and family.

A video of Dalke then played on the screens. It showed him interacting with his teammates and fans, while a voiceover from a player described him as being the team’s glue.

How ‘Home Bodies’ found its twin stars

Before he even knew they were twins, director Casey Walker was impressed by child actors Emma and Ian Ho.

He met the now-16-year-old Torontonians separately several years ago — Ian on the set of a CBC kids show, Emma, filming a movie in the Cayman Islands — and was immediately impressed.

“I went to give him a note, and he stopped me as I approached him and went, ‘Can I try something?'” Walker recalled of Ian. “He nailed the note I was going to give him, before I even gave it. And it was the take we wound up using.”

As for Emma: “She was holding her own against Ron Perlman for like seven weeks.”

They stood out individually, but when he learned they were twins, he immediately thought of them for a script that had recently come across his desk, “Home Bodies.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2026

The Canadian Press