Skip to main content

Featured

WestJet Flight Attendants Are on Strike — Here's What You're Owed Right Now

  Published August 2, 2026 It's no longer a countdown. WestJet's 4,400 flight attendants walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday after last-minute talks with the airline collapsed, grounding the majority of a carrier that normally runs about 600 flights a day. If you're one of the thousands of Canadians caught in it — or watching your Civic Holiday plans wobble from the sidelines — here's exactly what you're entitled to, and what you're not. The bottom line: WestJet mainline flights are suspended. WestJet Encore and codeshare partner flights are still operating. You're entitled to rebooking within 48 hours or a full refund — but not cash compensation, because a strike is treated as outside the airline's control. How we got here The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 8125, which represents WestJet's cabin crew, issued a 72-hour strike notice on July 30. WestJet responded the same day with a 72-hour lockout notice, and both windows expired to...

article

New Ontario real estate rules give sellers more options

 

Ontario has introduced new rules for real estate transactions that aim to provide more clarity and choice for buyers and sellers. The rules, which took effect on Friday, include the following changes:

  • Open bidding option: Sellers can now choose to disclose the prices of submitted bids to potential buyers, instead of keeping them secret. This is supposed to make the bidding process more transparent and fair, but it is not mandatory. Some experts say open bidding could reduce overbidding and lower prices, while others say it could have the opposite effect or harm sellers’ interests.
  • Designated representation: Buyers and sellers can now choose a designated representative from the same brokerage, instead of being subject to multiple representation. This means that the agent can advocate more actively for their client, instead of acting as a facilitator with limited advice. This is supposed to avoid conflicts of interest and improve the quality of service.
  • Improved disclosures: Brokers and brokerages have to provide more information to their clients, such as their role, duties, and fees. They also have to give them an information guide from the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), the regulatory body that oversees the industry. RECO also has new enforcement tools to ensure compliance and protect consumers.
  • Amended code of ethics: Agents have to follow an updated code of ethics that reflects the new rules and promotes professionalism and ethical conduct.

The new rules are part of Phase 2 of the changes under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, which was passed in 2019. The federal government has also promised to end blind bidding as part of its home buyers’ bill of rights, but it is still consulting with stakeholders.

.

Comments