In the news today: Major projects, a look at police deaths, World Cup economic boost?

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

Ottawa set to announce first national interest projects in territories: sources

Ottawa is expected to announce today that it will begin the process of designating two key Arctic road infrastructure projects as in the national interest.

Government sources say the Grays Bay road and port project in Nunavut and the Mackenzie Valley highway project in the Northwest Territories are to be announced at a news conference in Yellowknife.

The former would see a 230-kilometre all-season road built through the N.W.T. and Nunavut, unlocking mining opportunities for critical minerals in the North.

The latter would see an all-season road from Yellowknife to Inuvik, cutting down travel times and passing through communities currently accessible only by air, winter roads or barges.

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Some Fête nationale celebrations cancelled after deadly Montreal shooting

Some of the pomp and circumstance of Saint-Jean Baptiste Day will be subdued today as a Montreal neighbourhood grieves three people killed this week in a horrific shooting.

The Côte-des-Neiges Business Development Corporation says it has cancelled planned Fête nationale celebrations “out of respect” for the community.

The city also ordered municipal facilities in the borough closed after the Monday shooting that killed Montreal police officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, civilian bystander Michel Mizrahi and alleged gunman Seth Scott Hatfield.

Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating the shooting, while Quebec provincial police have launched a parallel criminal probe.

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Funeral today for Toronto constable fatally shot during police raid

Mourners are expected to gather today to honour a Toronto constable who was fatally shot during a police raid earlier this month.

A procession for Const. Marc Pinizzotto is set to begin at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral service at the Toronto Congress Centre at 1 p.m.

Pinizzotto was shot and killed on June 11 while carrying out a search at an apartment building in the city’s northwest as part of an investigation into multiple shootings.

The man accused of shooting him, 19-year-old Nicholas Bennett, was shot and injured by police and remains in hospital.

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Policing safer now than in previous decades despite recent officer deaths: expert

A criminology expert says the number of on-duty cop fatalities this year remains within historical levels, with data showing that policing is generally safer now than in previous decades.

Three police officers in Canada were killed over the past two weeks, including Montreal officer Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, who was shot dead Monday.

Justin Piché, a criminology professor at the University of Ottawa, says current figures are within historical range, taking into account that the number of police officers has increased since 1962.

He says a cluster of deaths in a short period doesn’t necessarily point to an overall increase over time, and that police officers are more likely to die in an accident than to be intentionally killed.

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Each additional Canada World Cup match equals a $70M boost to Vancouver economy: BMO

A new analysis from BMO Economics estimates about a $70-million boost to Vancouver’s local economy for each additional match Canada plays.

The bank says a potential economic bump would be largely tied to bars, restaurants and watch parties — not new tourism inflows, as most matches are already sold out.

BMO Economics suggests the tournament overall is expected to generate between $1.5 billion and $6.5 billion in incremental gross domestic product.

Economist Sal Guatieri says if Canada wins Group B and plays in Vancouver in the round of 32, estimates could skew to the higher end of that range.

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

The Canadian Press