Beyond Local

TORONTO — A new policy allowing single family homes to be converted into low-rise multiplexes in Toronto is being hailed by observers as a welcome move, although experts warn it won't make housing more affordable in Canada's most populous city right away.

OTTAWA — Two prominent gun-control groups are urging the Liberal government to proceed without delay in drafting regulations that will flesh out firearm legislation being reviewed by the Senate.

OTTAWA — A cross-party group of MPs and senators is hoping to grant honorary Canadian citizenship to Russian political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza in the coming weeks.

OTTAWA — Meta is preparing to block news for some Canadians on Facebook and Instagram in a temporary test that is expected to last the majority of the month.

OTTAWA — A senior government official says Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc is leading a process to determine Independent MP Han Dong's possible return to the Liberal caucus.

Ontario has committed to paying a third of the cost to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor, Ont., premier Doug Ford said Thursday.

OTTAWA — Bill Blair is blaming Canadian Security Intelligence Service director David Vigneault for the fact he didn't receive a memo warning about the alleged targeting of Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family by a Chinese diplomat.

OTTAWA — Canada is sanctioning seven people with ties to Moldova whom Ottawa has deemed to be "Russian collaborators," along with a minor political party in the eastern European country.

OTTAWA — The federal government is proclaiming a National Day Against Gun Violence, to be held annually on the first Friday of June.

HALIFAX — Municipal officials in Halifax have begun breaking the news to residents whose homes were lost to a fast-moving wildfire after they were evacuated earlier this week from subdivisions northwest of the city.