Hands-on event sparks interest in trades; some students worry about finding work

Students seen at St. Clair College for the Jill of All Trades event in Windsor, Ont. on May 21, 2025. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

CTV News

2 hours ago

• CTV News

New report suggests opening churches to the masses as attendance dwindles

The newly renovated St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ont., is pictured in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - St. Paul's Cathedral, Rev. Kevin George (Mandatory Credit) When Rev. Kevin George first arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral, congregants accused him of coming to rip out the pews. 'I was like, 'OK, everybody take a breath. I don't have my chainsaw with me,'' he said Friday, a day after welcoming the public into the newly renovated building in downtown London, Ont. It's been 18 months since he started working at the church, and the pews are indeed gone. After much prayer and consideration, the change came with the blessing of the congregation. George is leading the adaptive redevelopment of St. Paul's in an effort to keep the Anglican church building alive in a model not unlike the one endorsed by a new report from the Canadian Urban Institute. It argues churches must change their approach to managing their buildings because declining attendance is putting their longevity at risk. The institute fears the loss of physical buildings could spell the end for the churches' civic function. The non-profit's report says that in addition to their spiritual role, church buildings have long been places where people go for social services, from food pantries to foot clinics and charity bingo to child care. It was that same argument that got members of St. Paul's onside, George said. They asked themselves, 'What are we doing with the space and what does that space do for us to allow us to be the church that we need to be today, tomorrow and for generations to come?' George recalled. 'And when we did that work, the barriers began to fall.' Without the pews, which seated 700, the space can be used in any manner of ways — as a concert venue, a conference hall, and, of course, a space for worship. The renovations, which also included making the space wheelchair accessible and installing much-needed air conditioning, have cost $1.9 million. The congregation and Anglican Diocese of Huron have together raised $1.1 million, and they're now looking to external sources to cover the balance. They're hoping some funds could come from the City of London, which has endorsed the space as a new creative hub. The church will also expand its civic role, George said. 'When I moved downtown in January of 2024, one of the overwhelming narratives about St. Paul's was, 'I can never get in there. The doors are locked,'' he said. 'Well, that's changed dramatically and will continue to change because our attitude now is 'doors open.'' If churches don't adapt, CUI President Mary Rowe said, they face two major threats: development and decay. 'As urban environments kinds of civic spaces that provide this kind of opportunity for informal, casual social interaction, they get encroached upon because the market pressure is such that that building starts to become more desirable for high-end housing,' Rowe said. 'And in small communities where there may not be the same kind of pressure for real estate development, there's no money or resources to shore up the civic functions of these places.' The report contends church spaces, which for decades have benefited from tax exemptions, have a duty to continue offering civic services. But a 2019 study by the National Trust for Canada predicted that one-third of Canada's 27,000 faith buildings, most of which are Christian, would likely close permanently in the next 10 years. 'What we need are new models that get new resources into these places so that you can actually evolve in a way that serves the community around it,' Rowe said. The report attempts to 'unravel the Gordian knot' of how at-risk, faith-built assets like churches should be managed going forward. That's a question Rev. Graham Singh has spent more than a decade working to answer. He's the senior pastor at St. Jax Church in Montreal and CEO of the charity Releven, which works to preserve and repurpose underused churches. St. Jax, formerly called St. James the Apostle Anglican Church, is a sort of prototype for the Releven model. The grand cathedral on Rue Sainte-Catherine ceased operations in 2015. It was in disrepair and maintenance was extremely expensive because of its heritage designation. It reopened the following year under the new name. 'A challenge is the building itself,' Singh said. 'Raising money to repair the roof, which is this heritage-listed slate roof that has to be repaired with like-for-like materials. And then the same thing with the masonry, which is a very expensive 150-year-old stone construction.' But now, the building is home to four separate congregations and a non-religious non-profit, which will soon handle management of the building. Secular tenants of St. Jax include organizations that work in refugee resettlement, food security and youth employment. Meanwhile, the City of Montreal is in the final stages of a process to acquire the green space outside St. Jax with the goal of turning it into a park. Singh also knows about the complexity of working with the municipal government. In order to make all the changes to how the St. Jax building operates, his organization had to prove they had the historic right to change the site's purpose and use. That heritage impact assessment has become part of the Ville-Marie Pilot Project, which opens the door for other churches in the city to share their space with non-religious groups, he said. 'The city has indeed been updating their zoning and urban planning framework to allow more of that to be happening in other locations in the future,' Singh said. Through Releven, he's taking that experience and helping other churches leverage it. The CUI report found one of the barriers for churches looking to change their business model is a lack of knowledge on the part of local leadership. 'There's very few examples of a congregation or a diocese or an owner of a faith building that have been able to do it by themselves because of the complexity of these buildings and the regulatory environment,' said Jennifer Barrett, managing director of programs, planning and policy at CUI. Some churches have partnered with real estate developers. Among them is All Saints' Anglican Church in Winnipeg, whose lands are now home to West Broadway Commons, a 110-unit housing project. Fifty-six of those units are affordable. But in many cases, Barrett said, churches are resistant to that sort of change and fearful of giving up control. 'It is challenging for faith communities to let go of their buildings,' she said. George said that was true for the congregation at St. Paul's. Ultimately, they decided that they should retain ownership of the property. 'We would have become sort of a tenant in our own space, and the Diocesan structure of the Anglican Church doesn't work well for that,' George said. 'We're working on what we believe will be a public-private partnership to administer this going forward because we know we're going to get very busy. I mean, we've only just moved in yesterday, and we're already receiving calls. There's a demand here for a space like this.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025. Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press

CTV News

5 hours ago

• CTV News

Shoppers are discovering once rare plants in local retailers in Canada

Plants that have colourful patterns that resemble paintings and even a starry sky were sold for hundreds of dollars during the pandemic houseplant boom. But amateur gardeners are finding that the Philodendron Pink Princess, Philodendron Ring of Fire and Monstera Thai Constellation are no longer hard to find in Canada. In fact, trips to local big-box retailers, grocery stores and nurseries are like treasure hunts for plant enthusiasts as they discover these non-traditional plants are sold for much lower prices today. This is a trend retailers and growers attribute to the continuing demand for unusual varieties. Rare plants in Canada: Genna Weber with spiritus-sancti Genna Weber holds one of her prized plants called the Philodendron spiritus-sancti, once considerd a 'holy grail' among plant enthusiasts. (Genna Weber) Because of the demand, these businesses found a way to mass produce them, which helped lower the prices. 'The plants that were rare and trendy during the pandemic are more mainstream now,' Justin Hancock, director of research and development for wholesale horticultural grower Costa Farms, said in a recent video interview with from Miami. Demand was a big factor in bringing in the non-traditional plants into Longo's stores, said Deb Craven, president at the Ontario grocery chain. 'I think what we noticed, especially during COVID, was that there was a demand for other types of plants and maybe plants that our guests wouldn't have been looking for in the past that they were starting to look for,' Craven said in a video interview from Ancaster, Ont. Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Ring of Fire The Philodendron Ring of Fire is among the variegated plants that grew popular during the pandemic. (Home Depot) Pricey plant splurges Before the coveted plants started popping up at grocery stores, Pol Apiwong was among those who splurged on rare plants during the pandemic. Apiwong said he paid a grower in Thailand in 2021 around $400, excluding shipping, for a small Philodendron Spiritus Sancti, which was viewed as a 'holy grail' plant then. Before and during the pandemic, he said plant enthusiasts had to import rare plants or buy them from personal collectors or smaller plant shops. Four years after his big purchase, the Spiritus Sancti's price has plunged. The plant is currently sold out at the JOMO Studio plant shop in Toronto where Apiwong works as a manager. It has the price tag of $45 for the same size he paid the Thai grower. 'We continue to see excitement around new and unusual releases,' he said in a phone interview with 'People still want to buy something special.' Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Spiritus Sancti Genna Weber won this small Philodendron Spiritus Sancti in a giveaway in 2022. She says the plant was selling for around $500 at that time. (Genna Weber) Genna Weber, a plant influencer with the handle Genna's Plants on Instagram and YouTube, recalled buying a small Philodendron Pink Princess for about $25 in 2019. Then during the pandemic, the houseplant market took off as lockdowns kept Canadians at home. At that time, these plants were tougher to find as demand was high, she said. Prices were often at least $100 for a small Pink Princess, which has splashes of bright pink foliage, and even a few hundred dollars for a large specimen during the pandemic. 'And now, you can basically pick them up in any garden centre or Canadian Tire for next to nothing, like under $20 for a plant,' Weber said in a recent video interview with from her plant-filled living room in Norwich, Ont. Weber significantly grew her collection during the pandemic to more than 200 plants today. 'And then the supply kind of caught up with the demand.' Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Pink Princess Genna Weber, a plant influencer on Instagram and YouTube, holds a Philodendron Pink Princess. (Genna Weber) Mark Beaty, senior merchant of the garden department at The Home Depot, said interest has continued to grow. He noted 'an immediate positive' response, anecdotally, when the big-box chain started to sell a plant that has creamy white variegation that some say is reminiscent of a starry sky, called Thai Constellation, in March 2023 in Canada. 'Our customers see them trending on social platforms like Pinterest and are inspired to bring them into their homes,' he wrote in an email to 'Our associates see rare plants at trade shows and will send me photos, asking 'have you seen these?' which leads to me ensuring we eventually carry them in-store.' Why are prices down? The spike in demand for the trendy plants has led to producing and selling greater quantities of them, thereby reducing the price, said Julie Codere, lawn and garden category director at Rona. Despite plant sales cooling since the COVID-19 peak, she said the Canadian big-box retailer has seen 'steady purchases' of these unusual plants. 'Our 'trendier' plants usually sell quite fast as we have repeat customers that shop often and also employees that share on social media as well,' Codere wrote in an email to from Boucherville, Que., noting popular ones include a plant with golden-yellow leaves called Chameleon ZZ plant, another with splashes of cream, white and yellow on its narrow foliage called Pothos Variegated Amplissium, Monstera Thai Constellation and a plant with varying white variegation called Philodendron White Knight. Rare plants in Canada: Chameleon ZZ plant The Chameleon ZZ plant is among the popular plants at stores in Canada. (Rona) She said Rona discovers 'trending' plants by visiting trade shows as well as following blogs and plant groups on social media. 'Large producers have specialized teams of researchers and passionate growers that bring that new discovery to the market and we're able to sell it at a competitive price,' she wrote. Perhaps one of the best examples of a once-rare plant that has become widely available in Canada, the Monstera Thai Constellation is another plant whose price has plunged. It was harder to find several years ago, selling for three digits or more, depending on the seller and size. But the plant recently became more accessible. Costa Farms began to send shipments of the Thai Constellation to its partners including retailers in Canada just last year, Hancock said. He said it's difficult to propagate some plants like Thai Constellation by the tens of thousands through traditional cuttings, which are stems with nodes from which roots will grow. But his company found a partner that could more efficiently and affordably propagate the Thai Constellation through tissue culture, allowing Costa Farms to sell larger numbers of the plant at lower prices, Hancock said. Monstera Thai Constellation Monstera Thai Constellation has variegation that resembles a starry sky. (Home Depot) These are some of the formerly rare plants that are now accessible to the masses: Monstera Burle Marx Flame The Burle Marx Flame has lance-shaped leaves in its young form that become heart-shaped with slits resembling a flame when it matures, according to Costa Farms. Monstera Burle Marx Flame Monstera Burle Marx Flame has been mass produced. (Costa Farms) Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata, or Albo Pothos, has cream and white patterns, with leaves fenestrating as it matures. Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata is commonly sold at garden centres and local retailers.(JOMO Studio) Alocasia Frydek Variegated Alocasia Frydek Variegated is prized for its green velvet leaves with white and cream patterns. Rare plants in Canada: Alocasia Frydek Variegata Alocasia Frydek Variegata is also known as Variegated Alocasia Frydek or Alocasia micholitziana 'Maxkowskii Variegata.' (JOMO Studio) Alocasia Jacklyn Alocasia Jacklyn, or Alocasia tandurusa, has distinctive dark-veined, bright green, arrowhead-shaped and hairy leaves with striped stems. Rare plants in Canada The Alocasia Jacklyn has drawn buzz because of its distinctive foliage. (JOMO Studio) Philodendron Gloriosum Philodendron Gloriosum is a crawling plant — which means it grows horizontally — with heart-shaped velvety leaves. Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Gloriosum Philodendron Gloriosum is a crawling plant native to South America. (JOMO Studio) Anthurium Crystallinum Velvety anthuriums such as Anthurium Crystallinum were on many pandemic plant parents' wish lists. The Crystallinum has dark green, heart-shaped leaves with contrasting white veins.

Cision Canada

10 hours ago

• Cision Canada

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation - EVENING LOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS - June 21, 2025 Français

TORONTO, June 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Saturday 21/06/2025 LOTTO 6/49 estimated jackpot $5 millions Lotto 649 MAIN Draw 14, 15, 17, 38, 40 & 49 Bonus No 23 LOTTO 6/49 Guaranteed Prize 48771804-01 ONTARIO 49 4, 5, 15, 30, 44, 46. Bonus 40. LOTTARIO estimated jackpot $2,470,000 2, 15, 16, 23, 39, 41. Bonus 30. Early Bird: 6, 18, 32, 37. POKER LOTTO Winning Hand: 7-H, 8-D, 5-H, 9-S, J-S. MEGA DICE LOTTO: 3, 8, 10, 12, 15, 23 Bonus 28. Pick-2: 8 9 Pick-3: 5 1 7 Pick-4: 6 4 3 6 Encore: 2504624 Daily Keno 4, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 28, 29, 30, 32 36, 37, 43, 46, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 66. POWERBUCKS™ WATCH 'N WIN: 6, 7, 11, 24, 25, 36 MidDay lottery winning numbers Pick-2: 8 2 Pick-3: 6 7 8 Pick-4: 2 1 5 3 Encore: 1763450 Daily Keno 2, 11, 15, 18, 22, 23, 28, 30, 32, 34 39, 40, 44, 46, 48, 53, 58, 60, 68, 70 POWERBUCKS™ is a trademark of IGT or its affiliates. SOURCE OLG Winners OLG, 1-888-946-6716