KINGSTON, Ont. – For the first time in tour history, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada’s elite Cup Series will buck into Kingston, Ontario, holding the PBR Kingston Classic at Leon’s Centre on June 5.

PBR Canada’s Cup Series regularly features Canada’s best riders alongside some of the organization’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from across the nation.

For one night only, fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the unpredictable, action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous bull-riding athletes face off against their 2,000-pound opponents born to buck.

The PBR Kingston Classic will mark the fifth event of the nine-event regular season for PBR Canada’s premier Cup Series in 2024. The event is one of two stops the Cup Series will make in Ontario in 2024, travelling to London on June 1.

The debut of PBR Canada Cup Series in Kingston comes on the spurs of a historic season for the organization. In 2023, PBR Canada increased the Champion’s bonus to $100,000, making the $250,000, year-end National Finals the second-richest finals event within PBR, trailing on the World Finals.

When the dust settled on the 2023 season, Dakota Buttar (Eatonia, Saskatchewan) cemented his name in history, completing a come-from-behind surge to be crowned the 2023 PBR Canada Champion, becoming just the fourth rider in history to win the title in multiple seasons.

Buttar, who won his first title in 2020, travelled to Edmonton for the 2023 PBR Canada National Finals, presented by Command Tubular Products, having not competed in more than a month after suffering a broken collarbone in winning the Cup Series event in Grande Prairie, Alberta in October.

As a result of being sidelined, Buttar began the year-end event No. 3 in the standings, 95.66 points back of regular-season No. 1 Cody Coverchuk (Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan).

Proving he had not missed a step, Buttar first put points on the board in Round 1 when he covered Young Blood (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/Legend Rodeo Stock) for 84.75 points. The reserved Saskatchewan native then delivered his second score in as many attempts as he went the distance aboard High Voltage (Wilson Rodeo) for 86 points.

Via the 2-for-2 showing on the opening night of action, Buttar rose to No. 2 in Canada, pulling within 57.66 points of the top spot.

Buttar returned to Rogers Place on Championship Sunday determined not to let another title slip through his fingers. Quick to convert, Buttar recorded the fifth best score of Round 3 when he rode Irish Rebel (Wilson Rodeo) for 85.5 points. The score earned Buttar the second pick in the championship round, an opportunity he used to select Time Marches On (Thompson Rodeo Livestock).

In a decision which proved dividends, Buttar remained in perfect time with the animal athlete, matching him jump-for-jump en route to the requisite 8 as the crowd erupted in raucous cheer. The 86.75-point score punctuated Buttar’s perfect 4-for-4 outing inside the home of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.

Finishing the 2023 Canadian National Finals tied for second, Buttar, who earned 199 national points, vaulted to the No. 1 rank in the nation, crowned the 2023 PBR Canada Champion and earning the accompanying $100,000 bonus. Buttar concluded the campaign 38.84 points ahead of 2022 PBR Canada Champion and this season’s No. 2 Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta).

The bull riding action for PBR Canada Cup Series’ Kingston Classic, begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m. EST, and start at $25, standard ticketing fees may apply, and can be purchased at the Leon’s Centre Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.ca.

For more information, stay tuned to PBRCanada.com and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Canada), Twitter (@PBRCanada), and Instagram (@PBRCanada) for the latest results.

Another Greater Toronto Area shopping centre is on the chopping block, one that could completely transform the skyline of Pickering with a staggering fourteen towers as tall as 35 storeys.

A new development application spells out the impending end of the Brookdale Centre, a car-centric big-box shopping plaza near Highway 401 and Liverpool Road.

Developers Tribute Communities and BentallGreenOak are seeking permits to tear down the majority of the shopping plaza with a new mixed-use community featuring a futuristic twist on the standard suburban condo vernacular designed by Turner Fleischer Architects.

The plan proposes demolition for most of the strip mall's current buildings, sparing an area on the west side of the property that includes four low-rise structures.

Fourteen towers across six connected clusters, with heights ranging from 17 to 35 storeys, will essentially create an entirely new skyline for Pickering in the process.

These towers would be constructed over four separate phases, and combine to bring a staggering 5,238 residential units to the area once fully built out.

All of this new residential density would be supported by a mix of uses at street-level, including 7,149 square metres of retail/commercial space woven into pedestrian-oriented blocks and a 716 square metre daycare facility serving residents' childcare needs.

These commercial uses would be complemented by 6,237 square metres of privately-owned public space and 4,458 square metres of public parkland dedication.

Similar plans are in the works for suburban strip malls across the GTA. Earlier this year, a major redevelopment was proposed for a strip mall in Brampton, seeking permits to build 15 towers as tall as 68 storeys.

These strip mall redevelopments add to a much broader wave of shopping centre demolitions and intensifications planned or ongoing in the region, creating something of a mallpocalypse.

Toronto malls with planned or active redevelopments now include Humbertown Shopping Centre, Westside Mall, Scarborough Town Centre, Yorkdale, Sherway Gardens, Fairview Mall, the ongoing redevelopment of Galleria Mall, Yorkgate Mall, Agincourt Mall, Atrium on Bay, Dufferin Mall, Centrepoint Mall, Cloverdale Mall, Malvern Town Centre and Jane Finch Mall.

Kingston, Ont., preparing for total solar eclipse

With just weeks to go until Kingston is in the path of a total solar eclipse the city's tourism drivers are preparing to make a weekend of it.

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Kingston says it’s preparing for up to half a million people to visit the city for next month’s total solar eclipse.

Officials are warning the influx of visitors — which would more than triple the city’s population — is likely to lead to traffic delays and residents are being asked to consider staying close to home to watch the celestial event.

“The entire city will be in the path of totality, so once you have high-quality solar eclipse glasses, you can experience the eclipse from anywhere in town,” the city said in a release touting ways to “celebrate the celestial event safely.”

“Residents of Kingston should view the eclipse in their neighbourhood or close to where they live to minimize the amount of traffic on the roadways. ”

On the afternoon of April 8, southern Ontario will be in the path of totality, which means the region will be plunged into complete darkness, something that hasn’t happened here in centuries.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, aligning perfectly and completely blocking the sunlight.

Typically, a total solar eclipse is visible once roughly every 18 months or once every one to two years from somewhere on Earth, but for a given location this can be a very rare occurrence coming after a gap of centuries.

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It’s the first total solar eclipse in nearly 700 years in Kingston and the city is considered one of the best areas to experience the rare event.

“It’s a beautiful, natural phenomenon and it allows us to actually think about our place in the universe,” said Robert Knobel, associate professor and head of the department of physics, engineering physics and astronomy at Queen’s University, previously told Global News.

“It really allows us a chance to experience astronomical phenomena, just by walking outside.”

Kingston has been preparing for an influx of people, with Visit Kingston previously telling Global News hotel rooms are booking up with tourists from as far away as Japan.

But Tuesday marked the first time the city has put a number on exactly how many tourists it is expecting.

The city said road closures are planned and “additional detours should be expected April 8.”

To help with the expected traffic problems, the city says it will be offering free bus service in Kingston on April 8 and officials are asking residents to avoid driving if possible.

“Be prepared for traffic delays,” the city said in its release.

“With the increased traffic on the roads, we ask everyone to consider taking public transit, walking or cycling to get to their destination.”

A number of sites will be set up throughout Kingston to provide a place for people to view the eclipse on April 8, including a free event planned at Grass Creek Park from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Grass Creek Park event will include live entertainment, food trucks and educational programming, the city said.

More details about everything planned in Kingston for the eclipse can be found on the city’s website.

Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2024) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to host Canadian Government officials at its RapidSX™ Commercialization and Demonstration Facility ("CDF") in Kingston, Ontario, for the formal announcement of $4.2 million of funding through Natural Resources Canada's ("NRCan") Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration ("CMRDD") program. This funding program was originally announced by Ucore on November 20, 2023.

Today, Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a $4.2-million investment to Ucore Rare Metals Inc. This investment will help scale up and demonstrate the commercial efficacy of Ucore's pending patent and Canadian-developed RapidSX™ rare earth element separation technology platform under rigorously simulated commercial conditions.

From left to right: Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development, Kingston Economic Development;Boyd Davis, CEO, Kingston Process Metallurgy; Vincent Cinanni, Municipal Councillor, Mayor's Office of Kingston; Mark Garretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston Ontario; Mike Schrider P.E., Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ucore Rare Metals Inc; Craig Taylor, CEO, Defense Metals; and Jeff Dawley, CFO, Cyclic Materials.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/196861_1d322ed4d40b29f4_001full.jpg

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, stated, "Critical metals like rare earth elements are an integral part of many clean technologies and energy sources. Demand for these resources will only grow. That is why we are taking action to build resilient and secure supply chains that provide the materials we need and the good jobs Canadian workers deserve right here in Canada. Investments like today's, help to support these goals and will help us to build a prosperous and sustainable low-carbon economy that works for everyone."

Funded through the CMRDD program, Ucore's project will support Canada in increasing the supply of metals that are essential to the development of electric vehicle motors and wind turbines. This is a critical step in the development of a domestic electric vehicle value chain.

Mike Schrider, P.E., Vice President & COO of Ucore, noted, "This NRCan demonstration project shines a light on the lesser known but equally important aspect of the critical metals supply chain in North America - rare earth elements. A rare earth permanent magnet motor is by far the most efficient means of converting electrical energy from batteries to mechanical energy for electric vehicles, and in reverse, wind turbines. Ucore is very appreciative of this NRCan opportunity to demonstrate our transformative RapidSX™ technology for the separation of rare earth elements with our Canadian project partners, Cyclic Materials, Defense Metals, and Kingston Process Metallurgy. Through this project, we are moving Canada closer to fully incorporating these critical supply chain metals on a significant commercial scale."

Kingston, Ont., preparing for total solar eclipse

With just weeks to go until Kingston is in the path of a total solar eclipse the city's tourism drivers are preparing to make a weekend of it.

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City officials are hoping for the best, but planning for the worst, as Kingston prepares for the possibility of hundreds of thousands of visitors crowding city streets for next month’s solar eclipse.

Earlier this week the city warned residents as many as 500,000 people may arrive in Kingston to view the rare celestial event on April 8.

But the truth is, there’s no way of knowing exactly how many people will show up for the big show, says Brad Joyce with the city.

And that is making planning tough.

“This is something that we’ve never experienced – the city has never experienced this,” said Joyce, Kingston’s commissioner for infrastructure, transportation and emergency services.

“We haven’t had a total solar eclipse here for almost 700 years and the next one won’t occur here until 2399 so, this is it – this is the big one.”

2:09

On the big day, parts of southern Ontario, including Kingston, will be in the path of totality, which means the region will be plunged into complete darkness, something that hasn’t happened here in centuries.

Joyce said Kingston is among the top five sites in Canada for the solar eclipse, and people are traveling from around the world to see it.

While local hotels have been booked up for months, Joyce says exactly how many people will end up watching the eclipse in Kingston will depend on a few factors, most notably the weather.

If Kingston’s forecast calls for clouds or overcast skies on April 8, they expected hundreds of thousands of people will likely thin out as people head to areas along the pathway with better weather, Joyce said.

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But if other areas — like Niagara Falls which is expecting up to a million visitors — have bad weather and Kingston is clear, well that’s what Joyce calls “the worst-case scenario.”

“We would have a massive influx,” he said, adding that even under poor-weather conditions the city is expecting as many as 70,000 visitors — more than double the crowds seen for the Tragically Hip’s last hometown show in 2016.

‘We’re trying to do what we can’

Planning for the worst-case scenario means, first and foremost, making sure emergency vehicles can get to Kingston’s downtown hospitals even if streets and roadways are filled with gridlocked traffic, Joyce says.

To that end, Joyce says the city will close King Street from Barrie to Union Street for emergency traffic and transit only on April 8.

Joyce said the city is also looking at putting up a fence around Kingston General Hospital’s helicopter pad and will “dynamically reserve” a lane on Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard to make sure emergency vehicles can get downtown from Highway 401, if need be.

Many civic buildings and services will also be closed on April 8, including City Hall and rec centres, Joyce said.

1:48 Queen’s University providing eyewear for Solar Eclipse

“At the end of the day, if we get the gridlock that we could potentially get … there’s very little that we can do,” he said.

“That’s why we’re trying to do what we can, at least in terms of trying to protect a route for paramedics, ambulances and other emergency vehicles to access the hospitals.”

Joyce says the city looked at the experiences of U.S. communities that drew massive crowds for the 2017 total eclipse for Kingston’s planning.

Using that data he says officials expect traffic jams lasting four hours if things go well and gridlock lasting up to 15 hours if they don’t.

The biggest concern, he says, is what will happen directly after the eclipse, when everyone wants to leave at the same time.

It’s why several different viewing sites are planned around town, including a free event planned at Grass Creek Park from 1 to 5 p.m.

1:35

“Having those sites distributed like that, we’re hoping will help ease that traffic congestion,” Joyce said.

Officials are also asking Kingstonians to avoid driving on the day of the eclipse and if possible, they suggest watching the event close to home.

A full list of everything planned in Kingston for the day of the eclipse can be found on the city’s website.

Joyce says the city will decide whether or not to set up its emergency operations centre based on how the weather forecast is looking on the Friday leading up to Monday’s eclipse.

“If it’s forecast to be overcast and cloudy then maybe we won’t get all of that traffic, which, from an emergency perspective might be good,” he said.

“But I’m sure it would be a huge disappointment to all those solar eclipse enthusiasts who are hoping to see that.”