Close X
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
ADVT 
National

Hardy Canadians take the plunge in icy New Year's Day tradition

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Jan, 2025 05:22 PM
  • Hardy Canadians take the plunge in icy New Year's Day tradition

Strong winds and almost freezing temperatures didn't deter hundreds of brave souls from jumping into Lake Ontario in a New Year's Day tradition. 

Some 750 people took part in the Courage Polar Bear Dip in Oakville., Ont., just west of Toronto on Wednesday. 

Aiden Peel, who travelled more than 100 kilometres from Innisfil, Ont., to take the plunge said it was his way to get a fresh start in the new year without a hangover.

The Oakville-based polar bear dip has been running for 40 years, and is one of many such events across the country that raise money for charity.

The event attracted people of all ages. Among the participants was eight-year-old Evelyn Gray, who was planning on taking the polar dip with her father.

"I'm very excited because I've always wanted to do this," she said.

World Vision Canada CEO Michael Messenger said the plunge is expected to raise about $100,000, but numbers won't be finalized for "a couple of days." He said the funds will be used to provide clean water in Congo and Zambia this year. 

Messenger, who is also an Oakville resident, said he has personally also taken part in the dip for the past 17 years.

"This is an incredibly meaningful event for me," he said in an interview. "It's a little bit crazy. (I'm) not a big fan of the cold water, but I am a big fan of the warm hearts of people here in Oakville."

Across the country in Vancouver, hundreds lined up to take a plunge into the Pacific Ocean at English Bay Beach on Wednesday afternoon. 

Temperatures hovered around 7 C when the city's official 105th annual polar bear swim kicked off at noon. The event runs for about four hours and includes a more than 90-metre swimming race.

MORE National ARTICLES

Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau's future

Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau's future
"There's a — what would you call it? Some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number 1 job, which is focusing on Canadians and focusing on the important policies but also on showing the really clear contrast between our government, our party and Pierre Poilievre."

Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau's future

BoC delivers half percentage point rate cut to 3.75 per cent

BoC delivers half percentage point rate cut to 3.75 per cent
The Bank of Canada delivered a supersized interest rate cut Wednesday in response to the recent decline in inflation, bringing its key policy rate down by half a percentage point to 3.75 per cent. With annual price growth now around two per cent, the central bank says its job has shifted from lowering inflation to maintaining it around the inflation target.

BoC delivers half percentage point rate cut to 3.75 per cent

Youth stabbed at a Port Coquitlam Secondary School

Youth stabbed at a Port Coquitlam Secondary School
Police in Coquitlam are looking for witnesses after a youth was stabbed and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Mounties say the attack happened yesterday afternoon just before 3 p-m when officers responded to a report at Terry Fox Park in Port Coquitlam.

Youth stabbed at a Port Coquitlam Secondary School

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions
A group of Black and Indigenous women say they want a national public inquiry into a recent spate of police-involved deaths, after nine Indigenous people were killed in interactions with police in August and September. About two dozen people gathered on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, including the families of eight people who died. 

Families call for inquiry after nine Indigenous people killed in police interactions

Increase in youth carrying weapons

Increase in youth carrying weapons
RCMP in North Vancouver say they're seeing an increased number of youth carrying weapons in the community. Youth officers say they had more than 10 interactions with youth carrying weapons in a two-week period.

Increase in youth carrying weapons

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later
After targeting Cirillo, the gunman made his way down the street to Parliament Hill and entered Centre Block, where he fired multiple shots before he was killed. The attack happened in the Hall of Honour while Conservative and NDP MPs were gathered in surrounding committee rooms for their weekly caucus meetings.

Ottawa remembers reservist killed in Parliament Hill attack one decade later