GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ — Today, the CRTC is improving the Broadband Fund to help protect Canadians from Internet and cellphone service outages.

Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC contributes to a broad effort by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to connect underserved rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the CRTC has helped improve high-speed Internet and cellphone services in more than 320 communities — including 135 Indigenous communities — connecting essential institutions such as schools, health care facilities, and community centres.

Outages can have harmful effects on people, especially when they cannot connect to emergency services in times of need. Following a broad public consultation, the Broadband Fund will now support projects that reduce the risk and impact of outages. These projects will help make Internet and cellphone services more reliable, including during severe weather and other emergencies.

Today’s decision is part of the CRTC’s ongoing work to improve the Broadband Fund and make it faster and easier to get Canadians connected to reliable Internet and cellphone services. 

Quote

“Reliable Internet and cellphone services are important to Canadians. By supporting projects that improve network reliability, we are helping reduce service outages so Canadians can stay connected when they need it most.”

– Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

Quick facts

The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.The projects supported by the CRTC’s Broadband Fund are helping connect over 54,000 homes, improve cellphone services along over 650 kilometres of major roads, and build approximately 6,000 kilometres of fibre to communities.The CRTC is accepting funding proposals to the Broadband Fund until October 15, 2026. The CRTC is collaborating with Indigenous groups and communities to make it easier to get connected to high-speed Internet and cellphone services through the Broadband Fund.

Associated links

Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2026-242 – Broadband Fund policy review – New policy for funding resiliency projects and other Broadband Fund mattersTelecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2026-63 – Broadband Fund – Fourth call for applicationsTelecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2024-328 – Broadband Fund policy review – New policy for funding capital projectsBroadband FundTelecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-325 – Broadband Fund – Third call for applicationsTelecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-89 – Call for comments – Broadband Fund policy review

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FlexXray, the leader in foreign material inspection services for the food industry, today announced the release of the 2026 Foreign Material Contamination in Food Benchmark Report. Now in its third year, the report is based on survey responses from more than 170 food safety and manufacturing professionals across North America, offering an ongoing, data-driven look into how the industry identifies, manages, and protects against foreign material contamination in their products.

This year’s findings point to a widening gap between what food manufacturers are most likely to encounter and what their detection equipment is built to catch. Key findings include:

A shift in the contamination profile — Plastic has overtaken metal as the most frequently reported contaminant, cited by 37% of respondentsInternal response remains the default — 63% of producers still rely on in-house resources to manage a foreign material eventInvestment cooling, not closing the gap — The share of producers planning to increase detection investment fell from roughly 70% in 2025 to 57% in 2026, while confidence that in-line equipment catches all foreign material has remained flat

“For three years now, this report has given food safety and manufacturing leaders real industry data to benchmark their own programs against,” said Kurt Westmoreland, Chief Commercial Officer. “This year’s findings cover how often facilities are dealing with foreign material events, how confident they are in their detection equipment, how they’re investing, and how they respond when an event happens — giving teams a clear picture of where they stand relative to the rest of the industry.”

The full Foreign Material Contamination in Food Benchmark Report is available at https://flexxray.com/lp/2026-foreign-material-contamination-in-food-benchmark-report/.

For more information about FlexXray, visit https://flexxray.com/.

About FlexXray
FlexXray is the nation’s leader in foreign material inspection and remediation services for the food industry. Using advanced X-ray and CT inspection technologies, FlexXray helps food manufacturers safeguard their products, reduce waste, and protect consumers. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, FlexXray operates facilities across the U.S. and internationally, and partners with leading food brands to solve contamination challenges with speed and precision.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flexxray-releases-third-annual-benchmark-report-on-foreign-material-contamination-in-food-manufacturing-302879977.html

SOURCE FlexXray

New alarms simplify maintenance and help keep smoke and CO alarms powered, active and ready to alert families

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Resideo Technologies (NYSE: REZI), a leading global provider of solutions for home comfort, safety and security, today announced a new lineup of First Alert® smoke, carbon monoxide (CO) and combo alarms. From America’s No. 1 most trusted and reliable* fire safety brand, the new alarms simplify home safety with easy installation, hassle-free battery replacement and the introduction of SoftCue™ Replacement Reminders, gentle maintenance reminders designed to help reduce late-night “chirps” commonly associated with residential smoke alarms.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/resideo/9300653-en-first-alert-new-lineup-of-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-combo-alarms

“Resideo’s new First Alert smoke alarms redefine how to address everyday maintenance needs, which can help ensure our critical life-safety alarms remain powered, active and ready to alert families to smoke and CO threats,” said Ryan Park, Senior Product Director of Safety and Security at Resideo. “Too often, routine maintenance frustrations can lead homeowners to ignore or disable their alarms, and our simple but meaningful changes make home safety easier to manage while helping families maintain protection.”

The redesigned First Alert alarms comply with the Underwriter Laboratories’ latest industry standards and offer features designed to simplify ongoing maintenance and operation, including:

SoftCue Replacement Reminders. Gentle reminders pre-warn three to five days before the alarm needs attention with a soft sound and clear LED indicator, providing homeowners early notice when a battery is low or an alarm is nearing the end of its life.Easy-read indicators. Dedicated LED lights provide clear visual notifications that help homeowners quickly identify power status, a low battery, when the device needs to be replaced and whether a smoke or CO alarm has been triggered.Simple installation. A standardized ceiling bracket simplifies installation and future replacements, while an optional Easy-Fit Mounting Plate helps avoid repainting ceiling marks.Large, easy-access test/silence button. A centrally located Test/Silence button, nearly three times larger than previous models, provides convenient access for routine testing and temporary alarm silencing.Side-load battery drawer. Designed for easier maintenance, battery-powered and hardwired with battery backup models allow homeowners to replace AA batteries from the side of the alarm.

Advanced and Connected Detection
The new smoke, CO and combo alarms combine advanced detection technology with compatibility across the First Alert portfolio to help create a more connected home safety system. Every alarm features Precision Detection™ advanced sensing technology, designed to provide earlier warning of fires in modern homes, where contemporary building materials and furnishings can burn hotter and spread faster. It helps reduce nuisance alarms from cooking smoke and steam, delivering more reliable detection and greater confidence in everyday use.

Compatible hardwired models are designed for backward compatibility and interconnection with select legacy First Alert installations, enabling easier installation and replacement without additional adapters. The new lineup includes hardwired, battery-powered and 10-year sealed battery smoke, CO and combo alarm models starting at $29.99 (U.S. MSRP). Find a U.S. or Canadian retailer at FirstAlert.com.

Fire Safety Events and Education
Arriving just ahead of Fire Prevention Week, the new First Alert alarms are available now exclusively in the U.S. at Lowe’s stores. Lowe’s stores nationwide will host fire safety events on Saturday, Oct. 17, to educate families about the importance of whole-home safety and celebrate first responders. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time, stores will welcome local first responders and emergency vehicles, giving families the opportunity to meet local heroes, explore fire trucks and equipment and learn how they help keep communities safe.

As part of the Oct. 17 events, kids can also build their own firefighting plane during a special Lowe’s Kids Workshop at Lowe’s stores across the country, combining hands-on fun with safety education and community connection. Learn more at Lowes.com/KidsClub.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on every level of the home, including the basement. Families are encouraged to take simple steps to strengthen home safety, from maintaining working smoke and CO alarms and keeping fire extinguishers on hand to creating and practicing a family exit plan. Additional fire-safety tips available on First Alert’s Safety Corner blog.

About Resideo
Resideo is a global building technologies company that is a leading developer and manufacturer of critical control and sensing solutions for residential markets. The company serves professional installers and integrators across diverse product categories, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls, combustion, life safety, security and water. Its comfort and protection solutions can be found in more than 150 million residential and commercial spaces globally, with tens of millions of new devices sold annually. More information about Resideo and its trusted brands, including BRK, First Alert and Honeywell Home, is available at Resideo.com.

*First Alert Brand Trust Survey, May 2026 – Results are based on the responses of 2,000 adult homeowners, ages 18 and older, living in the U.S. who completed an online survey asking them to choose from ten brands in the home security category.

Media Contact: Sarah Reckard, Global Communications Leader, Sarah.Reckard@resideo.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-first-alert-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-make-home-safety-simple-302880728.html

SOURCE Resideo Technologies, Inc.