Good morning. Four Canadians from a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak are now isolating in B.C after landing in Victoria last night. We've got more on the MV Hondius evacuation below, along with WestJet cancellation complaints and a closer look at spring seeding season in Alberta amid spiking fertilizer prices.
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FEATURED STORIES
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(Ina Sidhu/CBC)
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Farmers confront rising cost of fertilizer and fuel as spring seeding underway
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Fourth-generation Alberta farmer Leroy Newman isn't alone in feeling anxious about spring seeding as fertilizer, fuel and freight costs continue to climb. And concern is shifting beyond this year's crop.
What's happening: Corn and canola crops require high amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizer, but with prices about 40 per cent higher than a year ago, farmers are thinking twice about their spring and summer plans. Many farmers bought their fertilizer before the price spike, which means steep fertilizer costs could have an even larger impact on the 2027 season. Newman warns farmers could be forced to seed fewer canola acres next year.
Why it matters: Farmers like Newman are making tough decisions about where to cut back. "We're probably not buying as much machinery this year," he said. "We're just holding tight." Farmers are stuck with higher costs because they're competing on an open global market. However, higher fuel prices will lead to rising price tags on grocery store shelves because of increased transportation costs throughout the agriculture and food supply chain.
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WestJet accused of tricky manoeuvre to deny passengers compensation after flight cancellations
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Dozens of passengers reached Go Public with stories of WestJet denying compensation for cancelled flights. We looked into a plane-swapping manoeuvre used in 34 cases.
What's happening: Under Canada's airline regulations, carriers don't pay for delays if they're required for safety. An advocate for air passenger rights says WestJet is deliberately replacing working aircraft with ones that need maintenance in order to cancel flights for safety reasons — and flight data backs his claim.
What's next: WestJet can avoid paying between $75,000 and $200,000 to passengers for each flight cancelled this way. Canada's airline regulator, the Canadian Transportation Agency, has previously ruled against WestJet in a similar 2022 case involving an aircraft swap — yet the practice appears to persist. Advocate Gábor Lukács is calling on the regulator to fine the airline $25,000 for each alleged misrepresentation.
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Canadians on hantavirus-hit cruise ship are now isolating in B.C.
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The four Canadians who were on the MV Hondius, the site of a hantavirus outbreak, returned to Canada on Sunday and are isolating in B.C.
What's happening: The Dutch-flagged cruise ship docked in Tenerife, Spain, early Sunday after a deadly hantavirus outbreak diverted the cruise ship from Cape Verde. Health officials assessed more than 140 passengers still on the ship and determined all were asymptomatic. Governments including Canada's sent planes to repatriate the passengers. The World Health Organization said the public health risk remains low.
What's next: B.C.'s Ministry of Health said the repatriated passengers would not be in contact with the public at any point during their arrival or isolation period. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said they will isolate in pre-arranged lodgings for three weeks, which might be extended to 42 days if necessary. Henry stressed that hantavirus is "very different" from COVID-19 and does not spread in the same way.
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