What'll $60 million do at the border?

Plus, Loblaw's expansion plans and the problem with the Pentagon leaker [The Star] First Up [By Ashley Okwuosa] By Ashley Okwuosa Good morning. Here’s the latest on the cost of Canada’s new border deal, Loblaw’s expansion plans, and the alleged Pentagon leaker.  DON’T MISS Canadian Press via AP/Ryan Remiorz immigration [Here’s how much the new border deal will cost Canadian taxpayers]( Closing the Canada-U.S. border to asylum seekers is projected to cost Canadian taxpayers upwards of $60 million over 10 years, reports Nicholas Keung. However, the cost-benefit analysis recently published in the Canada Gazette doesn’t include the RCMP’s expenses for beefing up enforcement efforts. The RCMP, which is responsible for patrolling unofficial border crossings, will be funded for broader initiatives and to form a new project team to determine technological and other needs. [Without a number for the RCMP, here’s what the $61.5-million price tag will include](. - Context: Since 2017, Canada has seen a surge of irregular migrants via the U.S., reaching almost 40,000 asylum seekers last year. In March, Canada and the United States agreed to turn back asylum seekers at irregular border crossings, including Roxham Road in Quebec where more than 90 per cent of asylum seekers came through. - By the numbers: Of the $61.5-million total, $59.61 million will be spent over 10 years on ongoing processing, operations and enforcement costs for tasks such as eligibility determinations, investigations, intelligence, reviews, infrastructure oversight, litigation and vehicle maintenance. Lance McMillan/The Star business [Loblaw to open 38 new Shoppers Drug Mart and grocery store locations — will convert or renovate almost 600 more]( Canada’s largest grocer says it will spend more than $2 billion this year renovating hundreds of locations and looks to open 38 new or relocated grocery and Shoppers Drug Mart stores. As Canadians continue to struggle with soaring food costs, the company says it will prioritize discount grocery locations, reports Christine Dobby. The company recently made headlines when it came to light CEO Galen Weston received a $1.2 million raise in 2022, bringing his total pay to $11.79 million. [Here’s what Loblaw’s latest plans could mean for shoppers in Ontario, and across Canada](. - Good news for: Loblaw, which employs about 220,000 workers, said the investments will create 6,000 jobs. - Bad news for: Also Loblaw. Retail analyst Lisa Hutcheson says it could be a challenge for the company to fill those roles amid an ongoing labour shortage for retail workers. - What we know: Loblaw said 14 new or relocated grocery and drugstore locations are planned for Ontario this year along with renovations to more than 330 existing stores in the province. The company did not disclose specific locations targeted for improvements or store openings. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images war in ukraine [Alleged Pentagon leaker Jack Douglas Teixeira is no whistleblower — but did he blow up Ukraine’s war effort?]( What is the impact of Teixeira’s leak of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war? Allan Woods reports that the documents posted online on a private social media group revealed in-the-works plans for the war in Ukraine and other national security issues. Examples include satellite imagery from the battlefield in Ukraine and close-up spy-plane photos of the Chinese spy balloon that was discovered floating across North America earlier this year. While the full impact of the leaks aren’t known to us now, they’ve left those in charge scrambling to come up with new plans on the fly. [Here’s where Teixeira ranks in America’s long history of dissidents going public with top-secret information](. - ICYMI: Teixeira, a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, was [arrested on Thursday in connection with the disclosure of highly classified military documents](. - Wait, what? The most strategically damaging detail that has emerged from the leak is the timetable for Ukraine’s long-awaited spring counteroffensive. According to one document, that effort to push Russian forces back toward their own country was to have begun on April 30 with 12 Ukrainian brigades. - More: [What is Discord, the chat app tied to classified Pentagon leaks?]( [Sherman Investigation Alerts] What really happened to Honey and Barry Sherman? Get breaking updates in your inbox from the Star’s investigation as it keeps unfolding, including new episodes of our #1-rated podcast “The Billionaire Murders.” [Sign up for our free alerts here](. WHAT ELSE Here’s why a debate over how to [define anti-Semitism has reached the United Nations](. Here’s why the city is warning Torontonians going downtown [“don’t drive if possible.”]( LGBTQ soldiers are fighting for Ukraine. [But will Ukraine fight for them when the war is over?]( Hamilton declared a state of emergency over opioids, homelessness and mental health. [Here’s what it means](. TMU custodial and maintenance staff are threatening to escalate their work-to-rule job action to a “full strike.” [Here’s what they’re demanding](. A new episode of The Billionaire Murders follows the Shermans and the mysterious “walking man” as they converge on Old Colony Rd. [Listen now](. After 13 seasons, Marilyn Denis is [stepping away from her eponymous daytime show](. The Queen streetcar is about to be rerouted for more than four years. [Here’s where it will run](. [Toronto Zoo says goodbye to 25-year-old grizzly bear Samson]( who “captured people’s hearts and minds.” Toronto could break weather record for second day in a row, [but cooler temperatures are on the way](. POV Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick [Dear immigrants: Coming to Canada? Here’s what you’re really in for.]( CLOSE-UP Ahn Young-Joon/AP Photo SEOUL: North Korea confirmed on Friday it flight-tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time. Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency issued the report a day after neighbouring countries detected a launch. While North Korea has tested various intercontinental missiles since 2017, [here’s why this missile is different]( Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_176389). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](