In the news today: SUV attack victim recovering, Ontario to spend now, balance later

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

After festival tragedy, a long road to recovery

Even the smallest victories are being celebrated by Roland Nulada and his family, as he recovers from devastating injuries suffered in the Lapu Lapu festival attack in Vancouver.

On Monday, it was Nulada’s first meal in 16 days — soup and baked macaroni, “the very soft ones,” says his older sister, Pinky Nulada, in the Vancouver hospital room where her brother is recovering from brain surgery, as well as operations on a broken arm and leg.

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He can sit up now, for 30 minutes at a time in a wheelchair, and greets visitors with a smile. He has trouble raising his arm to wave, and suffers from short-term memory loss as he recovers from his brain injury.

But now he can recognize his family members, and his appearance is improving since he regained consciousness on May 4, eight days after the April 26 attack that killed 11 people when an SUV drove through a street crowded with festivalgoers.

Ontario budget to favour spending over balance

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is signalling that his government’s budget will favour spending over balanced books, as a way to keep the economy afloat in light of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy is set to table the 2025-26 budget later today.

Ford has said the province can always balance the budget in a year or two, but for now he wants to spend on infrastructure and programs to keep people employed or get them retrained.

He says he doesn’t believe in slashing and burning, especially during tough economic times.

Ex-teammate testifies at hockey players’ trial

A former member of Canada’s world junior hockey team is expected to continue testifying today at the sexual assault trial of five of his ex-teammates.

Tyler Steenbergen began testifying by videoconference Wednesday afternoon at the trial of Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote.

The five accused have pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in connection with an encounter that took place in a London, Ont., hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault.

The complainant, who spent nine days on the stand via CCTV, has said she was naked and drunk when men started coming into the room where she’d just had sex with McLeod — an encounter that’s not part of the trial.

Coroner to release findings in Innu man’s death

A coroner is scheduled to release her report today into the death of a homeless Innu man whose body was found inside a portable toilet in Montreal.

Fifty-one-year-old Raphaël “Napa” André died in January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His body was found steps away from a shelter that had been closed by public health officials because of plumbing problems and a COVID-19 outbreak.

Quebec had also imposed a nighttime curfew to curb the spread of the virus.

Coroner Stéphanie Gamache is scheduled to hold a news conference in Montreal shortly after she releases her report.

Maker of Stripes merchandise laments fall of Bay

For four generations, the family behind Winnipeg garment maker Freed & Freed International has worked with the fabric of our nation, crafting police regalia like the scarlet tunics worn by the RCMP and uniforms for Canada’s Olympic teams.

But there’s another sliver of Canadiana the family considers itself lucky to have handled: the Hudson’s Bay stripes.

Freed & Freed is one of a few companies that has made products bearing the Bay’s iconic green, red, yellow and indigo motif that dates back to 1779. Its creations include full-length wool coats, puffer mittens and sleeping bags.

“It’s a prideful moment to be able to say that we got to be a part of true Canadian history because that’s what we consider it to be,” said Marissa Freed, president of the company her great grandfather started in 1921.

NAC taps Tomson Highway musical, ‘Fifteen Dogs’

A long-awaited musical from playwright Tomson Highway, a ’90s take on “Macbeth,” and skateboarding stunts are among the spectacles bound for the National Arts Centre.

Canada’s multidisciplinary home for the performing arts released a 2025-26 lineup Thursday that includes the return of holiday favourites, including Handel’s “Messiah” by the NAC Orchestra and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s “Nutcracker” in December.

In between are dance, orchestral, pop music and drama productions from new voices and established veterans.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2025

The Canadian Press