Changes are taking effect to the Canada Pension Plan that will see middle income earners pay more in pension contributions to reap the rewards in retirement.

The change is part of a broader pension revamp that began in 2019.

New for 2024 is a second earnings ceiling that affects those making more than 68-thousand-five-hundred dollars per year.

Those higher-income workers now make additional contributions on their earnings up to a 73-thousand-two-hundred-dollar ceiling.

 

 

Colchester County District RCMP is investigating a suspected arson that occurred on Pictou Rd. in Bible Hill.

The house fire broke out about 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, and Police arrived to find that all of the occupants of the home had safely escaped.

Once the fire was extinguished, an examination of the scene resulted in it being determined as a suspected case of arson.

Meanwhile, an RCMP officer spotted a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of Hwy. 104, near the interchange with Hwy. 102 — a grey 2008 Honda Accord bearing Nova Scotia license plate GJU921.

It was later found abandoned on the side of Hwy. 104, but items found in the vehicle are believed to be connected to the suspected arson.

Anyone with information on the vehicle is asked to contact Colchester County District RCMP or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers.

 

 

Detector dogs that sniff for drugs, contraband and other illegal goods may be getting a larger role in border security, after an internal review suggested they could help cut down on fentanyl imports.

The Canada Border Services Agency’s report says the agency has dozens of canines trained to run non-invasive inspections.

Each dog is trained to zero in on a specific type of odour, meaning the dogs that sniff for currency are not used to detect food products.

The evaluation report recommends further review of the detector dog program, performance results, and allocation of resources to determine how the animals could be best used for enforcement.

 

 

Across Nova Scotia and Canada, 2024 was brought in with polar bear plunges, a tradition of braving the January cold for a swim to mark the new year.

It’s a yearly ritual for many, shared by hundreds in locations across the Maritimes and Canada.

 

 

Maritimers took to the ice during the first Professional Women’s Hockey League game on New Year’s Day.

A trio of Nova Scotians are playing for the Toronto team, which is led by captain Blayre Turnbull from Stellarton.

Halifax’s Jill Saulnier is on the New York team, which faced off against Toronto Monday.  New York blanked Toronto 4-0.  .

Two New Brunswickers, Sarah Bujold from Riverview and Marlene Boissonnault from Dundee, play for the Montreal team and are set to face off against Ottawa today.