Skip to main content

Featured

5 Things to Know Today: Gordie Howe Bridge Opens, Gas Prices Drop, and the Fed Decision That Could Move Your Loonie

  Monday, July 27, 2026 From a long-delayed border crossing finally opening to a Fed decision that could nudge the loonie, here's what's moving Canadian wallets today. 1. The Gordie Howe Bridge Opens Today — But You Can't Drive on It Until August 1 The long-delayed Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit holds its official opening today, July 27, more than six weeks after its original June target. The catch: today's ceremony doesn't mean traffic yet. Vehicles won't be allowed on the six-lane, cable-stayed span until August 1. Once open, the toll is set at $8 CAD (US$5.75) each way for most passenger vehicles. What it means for you: If you cross the Windsor-Detroit corridor for work, shopping, or family, mark August 1 on your calendar, not today, and budget roughly $8 a crossing on top of gas. 2. Gas Prices Are Easing After the Weekend Oil Crash Oil prices tumbled over the weekend after the US and Iran paused hostilities, with both Brent and...

article

Provinces to Fund Nurse Practitioners for Primary Care by 2026

 

Starting in 2026, provincial and territorial health plans will cover primary care provided by nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and midwives. This change is part of a new interpretation of the Canada Health Act, which will take effect on April 1, 2026. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland announced that regulated health-care professionals who aren't doctors will be able to bill the government for medically necessary services that would otherwise be provided by a physician.

The move aims to address the shortage of primary care providers and ensure that patients are not paying out of pocket for necessary care. Holland emphasized that charging patients for these services isn't consistent with universal health care and that nurse practitioners should be able to bill the health-care system the same way doctors do.

This policy change is expected to relieve pressure on primary care physicians and improve access to needed care. The changes will be enforced through federal health transfer payments, which could be deducted if patients are charged for medically necessary care.




Comments