In the news today: Canada vs. Morocco, Ontario heat wave, future of CUSMA

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

Canada to face Morocco in Round of 16 at World Cup

Canada will face Morocco in the Round of 16 at the World Cup after the North African giants defeated the Netherlands 3-2 in penalty kicks on Monday night in Mexico.

It will mark the second straight World Cup featuring a showdown between Canada and Morocco.

No. 30 Canada advanced to the game with a 1-0 win over South Africa in a Round of 32 game Sunday in Los Angeles.

It was Canada’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout game.

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Extreme, prolonged heat wave expected to cover much of Ontario

Environment Canada has issued an orange alert as an intense and prolonged heat wave is expected to blanket much of Ontario, including Toronto and Ottawa, starting today.

The weather agency says the heat wave will continue through Friday and possibly into the weekend before temperatures drop slightly early next week.

It says maximum temperatures in Toronto and Ottawa are expected to reach 33 C with a humidex of 42 C, and temperatures will hover between highs of 35 C and lows of 23 C for the rest of the week.

Forecasters say parts of northern Ontario, from Thunder Bay to Timmins, could see temperatures of 32 C, with a humidex near 40 C.

Heat warnings are also in place for parts of eastern and southern Quebec, with daytime temperatures in Montreal around 33 C starting Wednesday and lasting until Saturday.

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Wildfire threatens evacuated village in N.W.T. as flames reach nearby highways

Residents of an evacuated village in the Northwest Territories are on high alert this morning as a wildfire creeps dangerously close to their homes.

The territory’s wildfire agency says the out-of-control blaze has been growing towards the village of Fort Simpson and has reached at least one highway west of the main townsite.

The fire is estimated to be more than 100 square kilometres in size and has prompted a shelter-in-place order for those still in town.

An evacuation order was issued Sunday for the island community of 1,300 people, and most have been staying at a gymnasium-turned-evacuation-centre in Yellowknife.

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Continental trade pact set to stay in place as U.S. blows past key deadline

A key date for a critical trade agreement will come and go this week as the United States continues to push for concessions from its closest neighbours.

The U.S. is set to officially inform Canada and Mexico on Wednesday of its intentions for the continental trade pact known in Canada as CUSMA.

All signs indicate the Trump administration will blow past the July 1 date without agreeing to renew the deal.

Failing to agree to renewal will trigger a rolling annual review for up to 10 years, at which point CUSMA would expire if it’s not renewed.

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Italy’s failure to qualify for World Cup has Canadian sports shops changing game plan

With Italy not in this year’s World Cup, many sports shops are having to change their game plan and get rid of an overstock of Italian merch.

The Evangelista Sports store in Montreal ordered lots of Italy merchandise ahead of the World Cup because it’s usually a big seller.

But when the team failed to qualify for the tournament, Carmelo Sansalone says it put a dent in sales.

His shop and many others, including Ontario chain Soccer World, have discounted Italian merchandise as well as products for other teams that didn’t qualify, such as Northern Ireland, Wales and Peru.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.

The Canadian Press