Canada news in brief

Canada reviews proposed changes to Air Canada–United joint venture

Transport Canada announced on October 16 that it is assessing a proposed update to Air Canada and United Airlines’ joint venture on some Canada–U.S. flights. The arrangement, in place since 2022, allows coordination of schedules, prices, marketing and revenue. The public-interest review will examine competition and economic effects, with public comments accepted until November 15. No approval decision has been announced.

Source dated October 16, 2026

Express Entry scoring changes start November 3 for high-wage occupations

IRCC announced in Kitchener on October 16 that Express Entry will award additional ranking points for eligible Canadian work experience or qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations, starting November 3. Candidates seeking job-offer points must update their profiles before that date. Existing pool scores will be recalculated, with invitation rounds paused during processing for up to two weeks. Extra points do not guarantee an invitation.

Source dated October 16, 2026

Study finds higher custody rates for Indigenous youth in Canadian courts

Indigenous youth found guilty were about twice as likely as White youth to receive custody after adjusting for offence severity, a Statistics Canada study released October 15 found. It examines completed youth-court cases from 2016/2017 to 2022/2023. Quebec data are missing for the final two years, and the analysis does not account for all broader causes of the disparity.

Source dated October 15, 2026

Adapted from Statistics Canada, Disparities in decision and sentencing outcomes between Indigenous accused and White accused in youth courts in Canada, 2016/2017 to 2022/2023, released October 15, 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

IRCC schedules Express Entry announcement in Kitchener for October 16

IRCC says Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab is scheduled to announce Express Entry changes in Kitchener, Ontario, at 11 a.m. Eastern on October 16. The October 15 advisory does not describe the changes or give implementation dates. It announces a media event, so it does not establish new eligibility rules or show that any change is already in force.

Source dated October 15, 2026

Study finds perceived barriers to minority-language health care

A Statistics Canada study released October 14 examines health care in minority official languages using a 2022 survey. Among adults who said such care mattered to them, 27% of English speakers in Quebec and 33% of French speakers elsewhere in Canada expected access in their community to be difficult, very difficult or impossible. These percentages describe respondents’ perceptions in 2022, rather than current service availability.

Source dated October 14, 2026

Adapted from Statistics Canada, The Daily: Study: Access to health care and services among the official language minority population, 2022, released 14 October 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

September international arrivals reach 5.3 million

Preliminary figures released October 13 put international arrivals to Canada by air and automobile at 5.3 million in September 2026, up 9.5% from September 2025. The total includes Canadians returning home and visitors from the United States and overseas. Statistics Canada cautions that expanded NEXUS coverage affects comparisons across years. These are early travel counts, with complete figures still to come.

Source dated October 13, 2026

Adapted from Statistics Canada, The Daily: Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada, September 2026, released 13 October 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Study highlights food insecurity and isolation among Canadians with disabilities

New Statistics Canada research, released October 14, examines Canadians with disabilities using the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability. It finds that 31% lived in households facing moderate or severe food insecurity and 64% reported loneliness. The report explores how material hardship and social isolation overlap. Its percentages describe survey findings from 2022, rather than a new measurement of conditions in 2026.

Source dated October 14, 2026

Adapted from Statistics Canada, The Daily: Study: Understanding quality of life among persons with disabilities in Canada—material and social well-being, 14 October 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.