The Township of Uxbridge is inviting residents to get a firsthand look at how the community prepares for emergencies by volunteering in an upcoming emergency response exercise. Participants will play designated roles during the simulation, helping Township officials identify how well emergency procedures work in a real-world scenario. Volunteers must attend a one-hour briefing before the exercise and can sign up at the Uxbridge Public Library.

Motorists travelling through Pickering this weekend should prepare for major lane closures near Brock Road and Highway 401 this weekend as the Ontario Ministry of Transportation undertakes urgent bridge repairs. The work is scheduled to begin tonight at 10 p.m. and last until 5 a.m. Monday, to allow crews to remove and replace deteriorated concrete beneath the bridge safely. Drivers are encouraged to plan alternate routes and give themselves extra travel time.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order for Lake Ontario to be renamed “Lake America” in U.S. government records, as he did for the Gulf of Mexico. Canadian leaders have rejected the change, saying the lake will continue to be called Lake Ontario in Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney responded, calling back to the history of the name, which comes from the Mowhawk word Oniatari:io, meaning “Beautiful lake.” Carney also points out the name predates “both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.” stating “Naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario– then, now and always.”