Ottawa Daily Digest — Jan 23, 2026

Crisis at Marineland: American aquariums visited Marineland last week trying to find a future for 30 beluga whales and four dolphins that face euthanasia if they aren’t moved; Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson is reviewing an export permit request and could decide soon. This matters because Marineland says it’s running out of money, the park closed to the public in 2024, 20 whales (1 orca and 19 belugas) have died since 2019, and a land sale near Horseshoe Falls is reportedly conditional on moving the animals.

Marner’s mixed homecoming: Mitch Marner returned to Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 23, 2026 and got boos and an unexpected ovation while his new team, the Vegas Golden Knights, beat the Maple Leafs 6-3; Marner, who signed an eight-year, US$96-million deal, said the night felt "odd and weird" but left relieved. He has 12 goals and 40 assists (52 points) in 50 games this season and finished his Toronto run with 741 regular-season points in 657 games.

Knights top Leafs in emotional night: Mark Stone scored two goals and added an assist as Vegas beat Toronto 6-3; Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, Braeden Bowman and Keegan Kolesar also scored, Adin Hill made 18 saves, and Vegas improved its record to 25-13-12 while Toronto sits 24-18-9. Key details: Bowman’s seventh goal widened the lead in the second period, Rasmus Andersson made his debut for Vegas, and Toronto hosts Colorado next while Vegas heads to Ottawa on Sunday.

Ontario weighs bigger home tax break: Premier Doug Ford is pushing to expand a new HST break beyond first-time buyers after the government set aside $470 million in the fall to help new first-time buyers (about up to $80,000 on homes under $1 million, or $160,000 when combined with the federal credit). Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says "all options are on the table," but opening the break to everyone could cost roughly $2 billion and the province is worried about job impacts — housing starts fell to 62,561 in 2025 and the government had promised 1.5 million homes by 2031.

Ontario watchdogs set AI rules now: The Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner (led by Patricia DeGuire, with comments from Kosseim) released joint principles urging that AI be valid, transparent, accountable and respectful of human rights — including testing systems, protecting protestors’ rights, and turning off AI if it’s unsafe. The guidance is urgent while provincial AI regulations (from the 2024 Enhancing the Digital Security and Trust Act) are still being developed, and it flags concerns like biased hiring tools and intrusive online proctoring.

Hospitals warn of painful cuts without more money: The Ontario Hospital Association warns of a roughly $1 billion structural deficit and says health costs are rising about 6% a year; hospitals warn of "no easy choices" and some may need service reductions or staff cuts. Example: Brockville General’s ER was built for 19,000 visits a year (2003) but now sees 30,000, the hospital projects a $5.6 million deficit, and Ontario’s budget numbers include $234.6 billion total, $91.5 billion for health and debt projected at $501.7 billion in 2027.