In the News

Stories connected to action

Examples of recent coverage of the issues Civic Compass tracks — each one matched to a specific action you can take.

Canada's immigration minister ends permanent residency exemption for refugees with undeclared family

CTV News (Canadian Press) · Sep 2026

Immigration officials let a 2019 policy expire on September 10. It let some refugees sponsor children or partners they hadn't declared at first. The department has cited “integrity concerns” without saying what they are.

Canada's refugee backlog leaves protected persons' dependants waiting over 3 years

Immigration News Canada · Sep 2026

IRCC's latest data shows dependants of protected persons waiting about 41 months and H&C applicants over 10 years — a backlog that leaves families in limbo for years.

New Canada immigration and refugee rules govern AI in IRB proceedings, effective September 7

Immigration News Canada · Sep 2026

Newly in effect: the Immigration and Refugee Board now bars using AI to generate or alter personal evidence in claims, and requires AI-assisted translation to be disclosed — a first federal step on AI in a high-stakes decision system.

40 active long-term drinking water advisories remain on First Nations reserves

Water Canada · Aug 2026

Still unresolved: as of August 2026, 40 long-term drinking water advisories remain in effect across 38 First Nations communities — 23 of the systems need operational fixes before they can be lifted.

Public funding for fossil fuel industry breaks another Liberal climate promise, advocates say

CBC News · Jul 2026

Still unresolved: advocates warn the Carney government keeps creating new oil and gas subsidies despite its 2023 pledge to wind them down, with billions flowing through EDC and tax measures.