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Written by Sarah Berman Copy Editor, Digital News
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Good morning. As Europe's deadly heat wave migrates east, one B.C. community has enacted a bylaw to protect renters from extreme temperatures. We'll look into what that means for other Canadian cities, as well as a Quebec ski lift tragedy, Cuba's uncertain future and Team Canada's historic soccer win.
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FEATURED STORIES
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(Guy Quenneville/CBC)
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Family of teen fatally injured on Quebec ski lift grieves a life that 'shouldn't be over'
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A family who lost their daughter in a Quebec ski lift accident has questions about what emergency equipment, training and protocols were in place.
What happened: Megan Bell, 13, died four days after a school field trip to Centre Vorlage in western Quebec. According to police, her clothing got caught in the chairlift. People tried to free her but could not. Doctors told the Bells that Megan was deprived of oxygen for more than 10 minutes. For the first time, her parents are speaking out about the life-changing tragedy as police and coroner investigations are underway.
What's next: A provincial government agency responsible for inspecting and ensuring the safety of ski lifts found some unspecified "non-conformities" at the ski hill, but those were resolved days after the Feb. 11 incident. Local police say they hope to "finalize" their investigation into Megan's death later this year. Ontario and Quebec coroner's services are jointly investigating. Quebec coroner Pascale Boulay may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
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Cut off from allies, tourists and oil, Cuba's sovereignty remains under threat
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Cuba may have passed new economic reforms aiming to survive U.S.-imposed sanctions, but observers aren't optimistic that Havana can find a way forward outside of America's influence.
What's happening: The winds of change are aggressively blowing on the island nation as a result of U.S. actions this year. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened sanctions in January on any country providing oil to Cuba. Allies have turned away under pressure and the country's tourism industry has ground to a halt. "This feels like checkmate," said one Cuba analyst.
Why it matters: U.S. Vice-President JD Vance and other U.S. officials say they are talking to Havana about the issues they want to see addressed. But Cuba's sweeping new measures allowing the privatization of a broad swath of the economy haven't succeeded in cooling tensions. "The U.S. dismissed them as 'superficial smoke signals' and followed up with yet more sanctions," analyst Andrés Pertierra said.
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Heat bylaws could be coming to a city near you — but who will pay for upgrades?
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More Canadian cities are looking into maximum heat bylaws as deadly heat waves become more frequent.
What's happening: Most residential bylaws in Canada only account for cold weather, requiring buildings to have heat in each unit and adequate insulation. At least one B.C. municipality has succeeded in enacting a maximum heat bylaw, and other communities from Ontario to Newfoundland are debating cooling rules. In New Westminster, B.C., all rental units must have at least one living space with a "safe indoor temperature of an average of 26 C" between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Why it matters: Many of the people who died during B.C.'s 2021 heat dome lived in low-rise, walk-up style apartments, typically built between the 1960s and 1980s. While the latest New Westminster bylaw doesn't require landlords to provide specific upgrades, like AC units or heat pumps, it raises questions about who will pay to upgrade older buildings. Federal funding is an option, but experts worry costs could be passed down to tenants.
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