By The Canadian Press

In the news today: Carney goes to Davos, gun compensation, Chinese EV deal

Jan 19, 2026 | 1:15 AM

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

Carney heading to Switzerland to take part in World Economic Forum

Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Switzerland today for a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the ski resort town of Davos.

Carney is set to give speeches aimed at drumming up investments in Canada while meeting with leaders of countries, institutions and corporations.

U.S. President Donald Trump is also expected to speak at Davos, and his unpredictability could upend the entire gathering, according to University of British Columbia political scientist Stewart Prest.

Parksville trail

Parksville trail project linking Community Park and Englishman River Estuary to get underway

1h ago

Best in Sport

Nanaimo celebrates Sport Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions

17h ago

ROAD WORKS

Another multi-hour closure planned for Hwy. 4 at Cameron Lake

22h ago

Prest says Trump’s trade war might make for more public acceptance for Carney attending the WEF than would otherwise happen, as the Conservatives malign Davos as a gathering for out-of-touch elitists.

Gun owners have until March 31 to express interest in gun compensation

The period for gun owners to declare interest in a federal program offering compensation for turning in or permanently deactivating their guns begins today.

Since May 2020, Ottawa has outlawed about 2,500 types of guns, including the AR-15, on the basis they belong only on the battlefield.

Public Safety Canada says firearm licence holders will be notified of the declaration period, which lasts through to March 31, and how they can take part.

In the spring, owners whose declarations are approved will be invited to finalize their claims and schedule appointments to turn in their guns to the RCMP, local police or a mobile collection unit.

The government says anyone found in possession of a banned firearm or device after an amnesty period ends on Oct. 30 could face criminal prosecution.

Statistics Canada set to release December inflation data this morning

Statistics Canada is scheduled to release December inflation figures today.

A Reuters survey of economists has predicted the annual inflation rate would hold steady at 2.2 per cent in December, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

Economists at RBC expected overall food inflation to top five per cent in December, as the whipsaw from GST-free restaurant meals in the previous year pushes the consumer price index higher.

But BMO macro strategist Benjamin Reitzes has said he expects the annual inflation rate to have ticked up to 2.3 per cent in December, despite a heavy drop in gasoline prices, and that the inflation figures are “unlikely” to shift the Bank of Canada from the sidelines at its first interest rate decision of the year on Jan. 28.

Doctors in FIFA World Cup cities worry about ER capacity, strain on health system

Doctors in Canada’s FIFA World Cup host cities say they’re concerned an already strained health-care system could buckle if a sudden, unexpected surge slams emergency departments during the games.

Dr. Catherine Varner, an emergency medicine physician in Toronto, wrote an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal to raise concerns about vulnerabilities in the health-care system — vulnerabilities she says need to be addressed before soccer fans set foot in Toronto and Vancouver in June.

Local and provincial public health officials are anticipating health risks and have wastewater surveillance systems set up to detect infectious disease outbreaks during and after the games.

Toronto emergency physician Dr. Raghu Venugopal says even on a boring Friday, they don’t have enough beds for an 84-year-old patient with RSV left on a hospital gurney in the hallway, and he can’t foresee a magical solution in the next few months that would change that.

Carney says Chinese EV deal an ‘opportunity’ for Ontario, auto sector

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada’s electric vehicle deal with China is an opportunity for Ontario and autoworkers, despite criticism from Premier Doug Ford and the union for Canadian autoworkers.

Carney told reporters in Qatar on Sunday that there is interest in Chinese companies producing “affordable” electric vehicles in Canada.

The deal inked last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping will see Canada allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles to be imported each year at a 6.1 per cent tariff rate.

Ford says the agreement runs the risk of flooding the market with cheap, Chinese EVs without guaranteed Canadian investment, and Unifor president Lana Payne says the deal is a “self-inflicted wound” on an already hurting Canadian auto industry.

Hyman, Ingram help Oilers sting the Blues 5-0

Zach Hyman had two goals and an assist, Connor Ingram made 27 saves to record the shutout, and the Edmonton Oilers started a key eight-game homestand with a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

Vasily Podkolzin had a goal and an assist and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for the Oilers, who have gone 5-1-2 in their last seven games.

Nugent-Hopkins played in his 1,000th regular-season contest, becoming just the 63rd player in history to record a goal in his milestone match, and the first player in Oilers history to hit 1,000 games — playing them all with Edmonton.

The Oilers play host to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, while the Blues visit the Winnipeg Jets.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2026.

The Canadian Press