1. Toronto hate-crime suspect — refugee claim denied in 2018

• Court records identify Osman Azizov as an Azerbaijani citizen who crossed into Canada with his parents near Lacolle, Que., in 2017. The Immigration and Refugee Board rejected the family’s asylum claims in 2018; the Refugee Appeal Division denied their appeal and the Federal Court declined review in 2019. Azizov was later living in Toronto and was arrested in August after being charged in an investigation into alleged hate- and extremism‑motivated crimes targeting women and Jewish people; he is accused of trying to kidnap three women at gunpoint.

2. Permanent residency approved for family of Ottawa mass-murder victims

• Canada has granted permanent residency to the Sri Lankan brother and father of an Ottawa man whose wife and four children were killed in March 2024. Victims: Darshani Ekanayake (35), son Inuka (7), daughters Ashwini (4), Ranaya (3) and baby Kelly (2 months). A family friend, Gamini Amarakoon (40), was also killed; survivor Dhanushka Wickramasinghe was injured. In November, Febrio De‑Zoysa received life with no parole for 25 years after pleading guilty to 4 counts of first‑degree murder, 2 counts of second‑degree murder and 1 count of attempted murder.

3. Hundreds of Kashechewan evacuees arrive in Niagara Falls, Ont.

• Niagara Falls is hosting 858 people from Kashechewan First Nation in two hotels after a water crisis in the fly‑in James Bay community (population ~2,200). Officials say about 400 residents remained in Kashechewan; the city is prepared to welcome more evacuees and is providing food, medical supplies and shelter.

4. Ontario premier blasts China EV trade deal

• Premier Doug Ford criticized a federal deal reducing tariffs on up to 49,000 Chinese‑made electric vehicles in exchange for lower duties on Canadian canola. Ford warned the move risks local jobs and called the arrangement a "terrible deal," saying it could harm Ontario auto employment and national security messaging.

5. Apartment fire in Ottawa’s west end: 1 dead, 19 displaced

• Firefighters responded to a three‑storey building on Armstrong St. around 6:00 p.m.; the bedroom fire was extinguished by ~6:30 p.m. Crews found one person unconscious in a bathroom who later died in hospital. A total of 19 residents were displaced.

6. Blizzard and snow‑squall warnings for parts of Ontario

• Environment Canada issued orange‑level blizzard warnings for 10 regions (including Bruce Peninsula, Goderich, Hanover, Niagara Falls, Northern and Southern Perth). Winds gust 70–90 km/h, wind chills −20 to −25 °C. Expected snowfall: 10–25 cm generally; Bruce Peninsula and Owen Sound may see 20–40 cm. Snow squalls begin Monday morning.