Ontario Amber Alert Program Enhanced

State of the Art Technology brings Valuable Messages to More People

ORILLIA, Ontario, May 25, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - The first hours after a child goes missing are crucial to their safe recovery. That's why it's so important to spread the word. The Ontario AMBER Alert program utilizes social media to effect the dissemination of child abduction information. The viral power of social media enables us to reach hundreds of thousands of Canadians within mere moments of an alert going out.

Ontario AMBER Alert has maintained a Facebook page to communicate AMBER Alert information since 2010. The page currently has a following of approximately 185,000.  It has been found to be very effective and, on occasion, has been used to communicate other child safety messaging. Ontario AMBER Alert created a Twitter account, "AMBER Alert Ontario" in 2014. The account has in excess of 10,000 followers and has been utilized during AMBER Alert activations to communicate information to the public. This account has also been used to gain public attention during a number of high-risk missing children's cases.

Toronto-based Social Horse Power (SocialHP.com) is partnering with the AMBER Alert program bringing technology that will allow social media users to donate their social media feeds in the event of an AMBER Alert. This system interacts with Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Social media users can donate their social media feeds to the Ontario AMBER Alert program by registering at https://www.socialhp.com/amber-alert-ontario

Social Horse Power is a platform that allows the community to donate their Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn status in order to disseminate abduction information created by the AMBER Alert team. Users always have the ability to vet the messaging and the information generated by trusted AMBER Alert sites will post directly to the newsfeeds of the respective social media application in the form of a status update. This technology has been successfully used by the Missing Children's Society of Canada (MCSC) since May of 2012.

In January of this year, Facebook unveiled a new program in the United States that allows it to target a defined area with AMBER Alert Activation information at the time of a child abduction incident. This notification system is now available in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.  The information is viewed through a responsive design poster that has the ability to format itself based on the screen size the alert is being viewed on.  The poster will be available in both French and English.  The poster will also appear on www.OPP.ca during any AMBER Alert activation. The Facebook geo-targeted delivery system will post a notification on all Facebook users' newsfeeds within a pre-determined radius of the last known location. 

Ontario AMBER Alert will launch these new social media program enhancements on May 25, 2015, in support ofInternational Missing Children's Day. The Ontario AMBER Alert Facebook page and the AMBER Alert Ontario Twitter account will both serve as the platforms to publicize and officially launch these enhancements. Everyone has a role to play in protecting children. These enhancements and the public's attention to AMBER Alerts support bringing children home safely.

SOURCE Ontario Provincial Police

50+ Festival: Celebrate how aging is changing

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education announces line up for annual festival with a focus on healthy aging and reinvention for older adults.

TORONTO, Ontario May 25, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - As a kickoff to Senior's Month, The 50+ Festival, presented by Programs for 50+ at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University, will once again celebrate how aging is changing. Running from Monday, June 1, through Thursday, June 4, the festival engages older adults interested in personal growth and continued learning.

"The 50+ Festival was developed to provide a forum to better understand what aging means today and to highlight the continuous learning of older adults," says Sandra Kerr, Program Director for the Programs for 50+ at The Chang School. "We have more options and different challenges than we did 10 or 15 years ago, so it is important that we consider the economic, social, and cultural ripples of these changes."

The Honourable Mario Sergio, Ontario's Minister Responsible for Seniors Affairs, will officially open the festival onMonday, June 1, by announcing Senior's Month in Ontario. The festival will host a dynamic series of events that will invite participants to examine vibrant aging and reinvention. From a presentation on finding purpose, passion and perspective in aging to workshops on mindfulness and psychology, to a play about sexual awakening in later life, the festival will cover a wide variety of topics related to healthy aging for older adults.

"Lifelong learning is the cornerstone of our programming," says Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, Dean, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. "The 50+ Festival is the truest version of this, with a vibrant community who celebrates aging and all of the learning opportunities that it has to offer."

The Festival will be held on the Ryerson campus. For more festival information, visit fiftyplusfestival.ca. Most sessions are free of charge, but participants must register in advance.

About Ryerson University's G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education (ryerson.ca/ce)

With approximately 70,000 annual enrollments, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada'sleading provider of university-based adult education. There are over 1500 courses, workshops and seminars and 88 career-related certificate programs and numerous course series in which 23 certificate programs can be completed entirely at a distance. The school's mission is to be a leader in innovative, quality, lifelong learning that empowers adults to reach their life and career goals.

About Programs for 50+
At Programs for 50+, those 50 years and older can access academic tools and opportunities for personal enrichment, self actualization, and engagement in society with their peers and as part of an intergenerational campus dynamic through The Chang School.

SOURCE Ryerson University

Sleeman elevates summer with new Sleeman Lift

New beer with a hint of coconut water available for the performance-focused

GUELPH, Ontario, May 25, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - There are those who are satisfied with good enough and those that set their standards higher.  For those Canadians, Sleeman is proud to announce the launch of Sleeman Lift, a uniquely thirst-quenching new beer available to Canadians just in time for summer.

"Sleeman Lift is a beer we pushed ourselves to make and a beer the performance-focused will appreciate," explains Ed McCallum, Director of Brewing & Development, Sleeman Breweries Ltd. "It is an innovative new beer with a hint of coconut water, which we believe Canadian beer lovers will truly enjoy."

The beer market is constantly growing and evolving, as consumers become increasingly open to new flavours and continue to expect more from their brew.  With Sleeman Lift, it is no longer about choosing between a cold pint and a thirst-quenching beverage: this new innovation delivers both.

Since it was founded in Guelph, Ontario in 1834, Sleeman has been dedicated to product leadership. "While Sleeman has a long history of pioneering in the industry, we are very proud to say this new product was developed in Canada," said Stéphane Duval, Sleeman's Vice President of Marketing. "Sleeman Lift is a great example how our understanding of Canadian beer drinkers drives the product we create."

For more information, Sleeman invites you to visit Sleeman.ca. Please enjoy responsibly.

Follow us:

@sleemanbeer

https://www.facebook.com/SleemanBeer

About Sleeman Breweries Limited

Sleeman Breweries Ltd. is the third largest brewing company nation-wide. The company has supplemented its core Sleeman brands, which are available in every province, with a family of exceptional regional brands. These include Okanagan Spring in British Columbia and Unibroue in Quebec as well as Old Milwaukee and Pabst Blue Ribbon. In 2006, Sleeman Breweries Limited was acquired by Sapporo Holdings Limited of Japan. The company markets and/or distributes world class imported products such as Guinness & Harp and is supported by 1,000 employees.

SOURCE SLEEMAN BREWERIES LTD.

Canadian Consumers Mislead by Confusing Food Labels, Want Improvements Issues go beyond Nutrition Facts table

CALGARY, Alberta  May 21, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ -  A recent survey has found that an increasing majority of Canadians want to see better labels on foods that go far beyond improvements to the Nutrition Facts table. The survey was conducted by Hypertension Canada and measured public support for a variety of diet-related issues that are responsible for 80 per cent of all hypertension cases.

More than four out of five Canadians support health warnings on unhealthy foods, legislated sodium reduction and subsidies on fresh fruits and vegetables. Still, the federal government lacks a food and nutrition strategy in spite of repeated calls for one by the public and Canada's leading health and scientific organizations^[i], including the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

"The chronic disease crisis is unsustainable and largely preventable," says Dr. Norman Campbell, who has launched a campaign to get the government to make nutrition a priority. With a life's work devoted to chronic disease prevention, and backed by Canada's health and scientific heavyweights, Dr. Campbell hopes to get Canadians on board with his call to action.

"The food and beverage industry is big, but the cost of doing nothing is bigger," explains Dr. Campbell. The food processing and restaurant industries generate more than $164 billion^[ii],[iii] in sales annually and employ nearly 1.5 million^[iv] people. Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that chronic diseases cost Canada $190 billion^[v] (nearly 10 per cent of GDP^[vi]) annually and affect many millions more.

Dr. Campbell is calling on Canadians and their elected officials to pledge their support for making nutrition a priority athypertensiontalk.com.

About Dr. Norman Campbell, C.M., HSFC/CIHR Chair in Hypertension Prevention and Control

Dr. Campbell is a General Internist, Professor of Medicine, Community Health Sciences and Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Calgary and a member of the O'Brien Institute of Public Health and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Campbell is currently:

• President of the World Hypertension League,
• HSF CIHR Chair in Hypertension Prevention and Control (2011-2016),
• Chair of the Canadian Hypertension Advisory Committee (2012-2016),
• Co-Chair of the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Technical Advisory Group on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction,
• Member of the World Health Organization Nutrition Advisory Group, Non Communicable Disease, (NutNCD group) (2012-2016), and
• Co-chair of the vascular risk reduction program for the Alberta Health Services Strategic Clinical Networks. 

In the past, Dr. Campbell has been:

• President of Blood Pressure Canada, (1996-1999 and 2006-2010),
• President of the Canadian Hypertension Society (1999-2000),
• Chair of the Steering Committee of the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP) (2000-2002, 2005-2010),
• President of the Canadian Society for Clinical Pharmacology (2002-2004), and
• Chair of the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization Regional Expert Group on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction (2009-2011).

15 tips you need to know before your long weekend road trip

GRCA Conestogo Campground

THORNHILL, Ontario, May 15, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - The much-anticipated May long weekend means many will get behind the wheel and make the journey to the family cottage, a nearby campground or tourist attraction.

But even the best laid out holiday plans can be ruined by a sudden vehicle break down or a collision. That's why CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding drivers to prepare for the unexpected and stay safe in an emergency situation.

What to do if your vehicle breaks down on a highway:

• Pull onto the highway shoulder as quickly and safely as possible. If you cannot pull off the road, turn on your hazard lights.
• Remember your vehicle's location. This will be useful when calling for help.
• If you must get out of your vehicle, watch carefully for oncoming traffic especially at night or in bad weather. Exit the vehicle from the side away from traffic.
• Never stand behind or directly in front of your vehicle, as you risk being struck by drivers who might not see you.
• Make your vehicle visible by turning on your emergency flashers or raising your vehicle's hood.
• Once in a safe location, call 9-1-1 for help or CAA for roadside assistance.

What to do if you are involved in a collision:

• If you are injured, don't move – stay in your vehicle.
• Call 9-1-1 if someone is injured or if there is significant damage to any of the vehicles involved in the collision.
• If it is safe to do so, move the vehicle(s) to the side of the road.
• Record the details of the collision and include the time, date, and location, speed of your vehicle, weather and road conditions.
• Exchange information with the drivers involved.
• If there are witnesses get their names and phone numbers.
• Contact your insurance company before signing or authorizing any towing or other documentation.
• All vehicles that require a tow must go directly to a Collision Reporting Centre from the scene of the collision.
• Call the claims department of your insurance company as soon as possible.

Download a copy of these tips at caasco.com/strandeddriver and keep the handy guide in your glove box.

As a leader and advocate for road safety and mobility, CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club which represents the interests of 2 million members. For over a century, CAA has collaborated with communities, police services and governments to help keep drivers and their families safe while travelling on our roads.

SOURCE CAA South Central Ontario

A majority of Canadians say distracted driving is a problem; it's just not their problem

New Survey by State Farm probes distracted driving habits of Canadians

AURORA, Ontario, May 14, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - Times have changed. More than half of Canadians remember not wearing a seatbelt as a child. Now, the majority wear their seatbelts and thousands of lives are saved every year, but based on a new survey released today by State Farm, drivers still have life threatening bad habits to break. 

According to the national survey of Canadians in urban and rural communities, who drive, more than nine out of 10 (93 per cent) respondents feel that other drivers drive while they are distracted. However, just over half (56 per cent) believe that they themselves rarely drive while distracted. This is a striking difference from how drivers view their own abilities behind the wheel compared to those with whom they share the road.

Additionally, 30 per cent of respondents indicated the most dangerous thing a person can do on the road is to drive distracted. About one third, (33 per cent) acknowledged that they check their cell phone or handheld device once or more while driving and 35 per cent admit to driving while distracted.

"We know that distracted driving is a serious problem in Canada," says John Bordignon, Media Relations, State Farm. "A 2011 Alberta Transportation study reveals that distracted drivers are three times more likely to be in a crash than attentive drivers. And, distracted driving is more than talking on the cellphone, texting or eating; it includes allowing your attention to wonder to things away from the road. These distractions can have devastating results and are completely avoidable."

The Big Distractions

Overall, survey respondents say they are most guilty of being distracted by things outside of their car like houses and people, and those over the age of 65 (54 per cent) are the biggest offenders. Other findings include:

• Respondents aged 35-44 were the biggest offenders of texting while driving (16 per cent) followed by those aged 18-34 (15 per cent)
• Respondents aged 35-44 cite that they often eat and drink while driving (21 per cent)
• Respondents aged 35-44 are also most guilty of being distracted by passengers/children in their car (21 per cent)

Families and Their Driving Habits

Adults worry about their children driving while distracted:

• Among respondents with children under the age of 20, 40 per cent said they try to teach their teen to not use their cell phone while driving
• Seven out of 10 parents list distracted driving and speeding as their teen's most common driving errors
• Respondents under the age of 20 said one of the most common bad habits of one or both parents is driving distracted (23 per cent)

Reducing Distractions

So far, personal experiences like traffic fines and collisions have proven to be the most successful deterrent for reducing distracted driving, with 58% of those surveyed indicating they are most likely to stop distracted driving behavior if fines are increased or they are involved in a collision.

"It obviously makes more sense for Canadians to drop their bad habits now than to wait for a collision or a ticket to curb their behaviour," says Bordignon. "Turning off your mobile device, staying focused on the road and the area you are travelling in, eating ahead of a journey, or pulling off the road to eat or make a call, are simple practices we can adopt immediately to significantly reduce the distractions we face while driving."

Animals Always a Concern

A split second of distracted driving is all it takes to hit someone or something. When asked what animal they are most afraid of hitting while driving, the majority of respondents (65 per cent) cite a deer or a moose followed by hitting a dog or cat (21 per cent).

A Transport Canada report found that between four to eight large animal vehicle collisions take place every hour. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources estimates there is a motor vehicle-wild animal collision every 38 minutes and approximately one out of every five motor vehicle collisions involves a wild animal. For example, more than 300 New Brunswickers are involved in a moose-vehicle collision every year.

State Farm partners with the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (tirf.ca) which creates evidence-based reports about road safety issues that help prevent injury and save lives. This includes a new Wildlife Roadsharing Resource Centre which will be released later this year. It will provide detailed data about where, when and what type of animals are prevalent in various parts of Canada. This publically accessible database will help governments and law enforcement better understand wildlife-vehicle collisions and how best to educate and alert motorists on how to avoid them.

Additional Resources

Infographic: http://st8.fm/Spring2015 and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B76TCIRk-cM.

To find out more about how State Farm works to improve road safety in Canada, please visit statefarm.ca.

About the Survey

The online survey, conducted in February, 2015, polled 1,300 respondents of driving age across Canada.

About the State Farm brand in CanadaIn January 2015, State Farm's Canadian operations were purchased by Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and among the three largest P&C insurance providers in Canada. With its 500 dedicated agents and 1700 employees, the State Farm division provides insurance and financial services products including mutual funds, life insurance, vehicle loans, critical illness, disability, home and auto insurance to customers in Ontario,Alberta and New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.statefarm.ca, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

® State Farm and related trademarks and logos are registered trademarks owned by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, used under licence by Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company and certain of its affiliates.

SOURCE State Farm

Ontario Heritage Trust museums open for the summer

Mather-Walls House - Kenora, Ontario

TORONTO, Ontario May 7, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - This summer, visit one of the Ontario Heritage Trust's seasonal museums and learn more about our history. Located across the province, each of these museums brings Ontario's story to life through the experiences of ordinary and extraordinary people from our past.  

Opening dates in 2015:

Niagara Apothecary, Niagara-on-the-Lake – May 8 to September 7Visit this National Historic Site and see how pharmacists practised their profession 150 years ago, with rows of patent medicines and "miracle cure-alls" for everything from hair loss to tuberculosis. Open daily and on weekends from Labour Day to Thanksgiving. Operated by the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

Fulford Place Tea Room, Brockville – May 10 to August 30Come for tea at this opulent mansion and National Historic Site overlooking the St. Lawrence River and experience how a millionaire entrepreneur and his family lived in the early 1900s. The seasonal tea room offers treats and refreshments; the museum is open year-round.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site, Dresden, Chatham-Kent – May 16 to October 23Discover Josiah Henson, an abolitionist minister who escaped slavery and overcame unbelievable odds to find freedom and establish communities in Canada. The annual Emancipation Day celebration – a highlight of the season – takes place on Saturday, August 1.

Homewood Museum, Maitland (near Brockville) – June 13 to August 30Explore one of the oldest houses in Ontario where generations of the Jones family lived, including a descendant who developed an internationally renowned variety of apple. Bring the children to this National Historic Site for the annual Family Day celebration on Sunday, July 26.

Mather-Walls House, Kenora – June 29 to August 29Step into the house built by John Mather, an enterprising businessman who formed the Keewatin Lumbering and Manufacturing Company in the late 1800s. It was one of three nearly identical houses built for his employees. Operated by the Lake of the Woods Historical Society.

Macdonell-Williamson House, Chute-à-Blondeau (near Hawkesbury) – July 4 to August 30 Visit the former home of John Macdonell, a fur trader with the North West Company in the early 1800s who sponsored construction of the first steamboat on the Ottawa River. This National Historic Site is newly reopened after significant conservation work and features new displays. Operated by the Friends of Macdonell-Williamson House/Les Amis de lamaison Macdonell-Williamson.

QUICK FACTSThe Ontario Heritage Trust also owns the following museums and historic sites that offer programming year-round:

• Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (Toronto): offers tours and school programs about Victorian life in 19^th-century Toronto in one of the oldest schools in the city.
• The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre (Toronto): the last operating double-decker theatre in the world, this magnificently restored National Historic Site offers public tours and performances.
• Fulford Place (Brockville): provides a glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of another era through the experiences of Senator George T. Fulford and his family.
• Sir Harry Oakes Chateau (Kirkland Lake): home of the Museum of Northern History, offers regular admission and special events, such as monthly art exhibitions, operated by the City of Kirkland Lake.
• Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site (Dresden): offers curriculum-based educational programs and engaging learning experiences that interpret the Underground Railroad; open outside of the summer season by appointment.

LEARN MOREFind out the hours, admission rates and location of these Ontario Heritage Trust museums.

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.