A new look at the world’s safest and most riskiest cities for tourists puts Toronto in the top three. Forbes Advisor looked at a variety of criteria, including U.S. State Department advisories, crime rates, and health infrastructure. Cities were given numerical ratings from zero (most safe) to 100 (least safe) Singapore came out on top with a zero rating, which is pretty remarkable. Forbes said the island state has the lowest natural disaster rating and the second lowest health security risk, reflecting the level and quality of healthcare services and infrastructure. Air Canada recently began direct flights between Vancouver and Read more
wildfires
The Northwest Territories says it’s welcoming visitors to come and support local businesses as the region recovers from unprecedented fires. “The Northwest Territories along with many parts of the country had an unprecedented summer,” government officials said in a statement. “As many northerners evacuated their homes, we saw an outpouring of support for residents. From caring for each other, to the kindness shown by our provincial and territorial neighbours, as well as the love of friends and family from around the world, thank you. “We’re grateful for all of the emergency personnel and volunteers who worked tirelessly to protect and Read more
I wrote last week about how Lahaina and Maui residents have to be at the forefront when the times comes to rebuild the city. I’m happy to see a community group has been formed to make sure that happens, and I’m also happy to see that the governor of Hawai’i and U.S. President Joe Biden (VERY late to the game, by the way) agree. The Maui News reports that a group called Na Ohana o Lele is calling on Governor Josh Green to ensure that “all decisions about rebuilding Lahaina” are made in the open and with the “full participation” of the Lahaina community. Read more
Raging fires in central British Columbia and the Northwest Territories are forcing evacuations and wreaking havoc for travellers. The B.C. government has declared a province-wide state of emerbc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-government-declares-province-wide-state-of-emergency-over-wildfire-situation-1.6525869gency due to the growing number of aggressive wildfires threatening communities. CTV News said Premier David Eby announced the declaration at a news conference Friday, following a challenging 24 hours that saw fast-spreading wildfires trigger thousands of new evacuation orders and alerts across the province. “We are facing the worst wildfire season in our province’s history — this unprecedented situation has come to a head this evening,” the premier said. The CBC said homes Read more
One month ago today, residents of Lahaina, Maui woke up to what they thought would be a normal day. They might have heard about the fires an hour away in Pukalani, or they might have smelled a bit of smoke from a fire that was just starting in the hills above their city. But they couldn’t have possibly imagined the horror and destruction that was about to happen; a senseless fire that destroyed one of the most beloved cities in the world and cost so many lives. I can’t believe it’s been a month since so many people lost their Read more
